I walk the paths of Rivendell with Arwen. I feel very small when I compare
myself to the Elves around me. They have had hundreds of years of life, and
I have had barely seventeen. I am a mere child compared to them. But I have
lived a lifetime in my seventeen years. I suppose I should be thankful that
my heritage didn't manifest itself in a delayed growth rate; otherwise I
might still be prepubescent, or something! I can feel the gaze of the Elves
around me burning my skin, and I shiver.
"Welcome to Rivendell, lady. Forgive me, but Aragorn did not tell me your name?"
"My name is Caitlyn, but you can call me Cat. What is it with all the guys around here anyway? So far, Legolas threatened me with a bow and has chased me through the trees, and Aragorn threatened me with a sword! Too many weapons around! But I suppose with the Orcs and so forth you need it. After all, the Ring has been found and Sauron wakes. Isengard has gone into shadow and the Ring Wraiths ride abroad dressed as riders in black. I always wanted to visit Middle Earth, but after the War of the Ring!"
"Eru, you do know much! How is it that you know so much?"
"I read of it in a book of tales. Tales of great deeds and great men. Aragorn was among them, and from the tales, he returns home safely. But what my presence here will do I do not know. I think that I must go with them on the quest to destroy the Ring." Arwen's eyebrows rise in disbelief.
"Pardon me, but why would a lady such as yourself want to go on a quest, and how would you help?"
"Ask Legolas. I climb very well, and I am sure that I could pick up the use of a sword or bow. And I am not unlearned in unarmed combat, or the use of staves. Oh, I also talk to trees, which could be very useful indeed. In scouting and so on."
"What do you mean, ask Legolas?"
"Well so far, I've escaped from him by climbing trees and jumping from one to the other, and I've kicked him in the groin. If I'd had a weapon, I would have damaged more then his pride. And that's also the reason I need to apologize to him. I'm too violent for my own good, at least that's what my mother always told me." I trail off into silence as I remember where Arwen's mother is. "I'm so sorry, I forgot! Oh, I'm so stupid."
"Do not feel sorrow. Look, here is Gandalf and the Hobbits." I see an old Man holding a staff smoking a pipe and laughing at the antics of two of the Hobbits. Another one is grumbling at them and looking at the plants in the garden. The last sits quietly by Gandalf's side, eyes shadowed. "Hello, Gandalf, I have someone here who needs to meet you, and then we need to go to my father Elrond. "
"Talk in Common, please! You know that I don't speak Elvish, and I don't think that the Hobbits do either." I say lightheartedly.
"Welcome to Middle Earth, Lady Caitlyn." Gandalf says, eyes full of knowledge.
"If you're the reason that I am here, you are in such trouble with me! My mother will be worried sick about where I am!" I advance on Gandalf eyes flashing.
"I did not bring you here, but I knew of your arrival." I calm down slightly. "Those two are Merry and Pippin being silly, Sam is looking at the garden and this is Frodo." I walk to Frodo and kneel beside him.
"I know what it is you bear, and if I can help you fulfill your task then I will. I know not for what purpose I am here, but if I can help you, then I will. And I'm coming with you to Mordor, or at least part of the way!" I grin at his surprise then stand up. The rest of the Hobbits are staring at me with their mouths wide open. "Peregrin, Meriadoc and Samwise, if you don't close your mouths then a fly will buzz in, and flies are not good for you. Hi, I'm Caitlyn, and supposedly an Elf, but I don't believe that yet, despite the coincidence of pointy ears. Call me Cat." I stick my tongue out at them and giggle.
"Well, I'm Pippin, and that's," He elbows the Hobbit next to him in the ribs "Merry."
"I'm Sam."
"Well, this has been very pleasant, but Gandalf is needed by Lord Elrond, so he'll speak with you all later." Arwen dismisses the Hobbits and they nod. I feel angry at the way she treats them.
"Arwen, it is not right to talk to them so! They are still your equals, even if they have not had the long life that you enjoy! They are brave and sensible Hobbits, and Frodo especially deserves your respect! I do not care for the Elves here, they're all stuck up!" I whirl on my heel and face the Hobbits, eyes burning with anger. "I apologize for the Lady Arwen's rudeness, as she will not! I wish to speak to you later, so for now I will take your leave, but I look forward to talking with you again. Farewell Meriadoc Brandybuck, Peregrin Took, Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins. Also tell Bilbo that a maiden that has read of his adventure with the dragon Smaugh wishes to talk with him if he feels well enough, and to see his manuscript." I nod curtly then stalk off, muttering, "Well, I am bloody glad that we have no fucking nobles back home, if that's the way they treat people.stupid stuck up prigs.first Legolas lord of arrogance and now Arwen."
I hear Arwen's footsteps start to patter after me, but I ignore her. I see a tree that would be perfect to climb. I like to hide in trees, Cat by name, cat by nature. I walk up to it, then ask it for permission to climb. It gives permission, and I climb to its top. Little by little, it soothes me. I can see Arwen down below, gesticulating for me to come down. She couldn't climb a tree, she's wearing a skirt and it would not be fit for the daughter of Lord Elrond to climb a tree anyway, I bet. Gandalf is standing next to her. I look out over Rivendell, and see a group of blonde heads. I wonder if that's Legolas and his party from Mirkwood? I bet it is, so far all the Rivendell Elves have had brown hair. I decide to go and meet them I still need to apologize to Legolas. And if it's not them, well at least I'll be away from the proud Arwen. I wonder if the tree knows?
I lay my hand against the tree's bark and ask it of the Elves that I can see. Not our Elves, it tells me. I see them through the tree's senses. They shine in greens and browns. Arwen, and the other Rivendell Elves shine in greens and blues. Gandalf looks like a pillar of flame, the trees distrust him. I thank the tree and start to make my way through the tree branches, and balconies and so forth to Legolas and the party of Mirkwood Elves. Then a presence drops onto the branch I was walking along behind me, and when I turn to face it another drops in front of me. I stare in confusion at the two identical male Elves, and then groan in comprehension. "Elladan and Elrohir, I presume?"
"Welcome to Rivendell, lady. Forgive me, but Aragorn did not tell me your name?"
"My name is Caitlyn, but you can call me Cat. What is it with all the guys around here anyway? So far, Legolas threatened me with a bow and has chased me through the trees, and Aragorn threatened me with a sword! Too many weapons around! But I suppose with the Orcs and so forth you need it. After all, the Ring has been found and Sauron wakes. Isengard has gone into shadow and the Ring Wraiths ride abroad dressed as riders in black. I always wanted to visit Middle Earth, but after the War of the Ring!"
"Eru, you do know much! How is it that you know so much?"
"I read of it in a book of tales. Tales of great deeds and great men. Aragorn was among them, and from the tales, he returns home safely. But what my presence here will do I do not know. I think that I must go with them on the quest to destroy the Ring." Arwen's eyebrows rise in disbelief.
"Pardon me, but why would a lady such as yourself want to go on a quest, and how would you help?"
"Ask Legolas. I climb very well, and I am sure that I could pick up the use of a sword or bow. And I am not unlearned in unarmed combat, or the use of staves. Oh, I also talk to trees, which could be very useful indeed. In scouting and so on."
"What do you mean, ask Legolas?"
"Well so far, I've escaped from him by climbing trees and jumping from one to the other, and I've kicked him in the groin. If I'd had a weapon, I would have damaged more then his pride. And that's also the reason I need to apologize to him. I'm too violent for my own good, at least that's what my mother always told me." I trail off into silence as I remember where Arwen's mother is. "I'm so sorry, I forgot! Oh, I'm so stupid."
"Do not feel sorrow. Look, here is Gandalf and the Hobbits." I see an old Man holding a staff smoking a pipe and laughing at the antics of two of the Hobbits. Another one is grumbling at them and looking at the plants in the garden. The last sits quietly by Gandalf's side, eyes shadowed. "Hello, Gandalf, I have someone here who needs to meet you, and then we need to go to my father Elrond. "
"Talk in Common, please! You know that I don't speak Elvish, and I don't think that the Hobbits do either." I say lightheartedly.
"Welcome to Middle Earth, Lady Caitlyn." Gandalf says, eyes full of knowledge.
"If you're the reason that I am here, you are in such trouble with me! My mother will be worried sick about where I am!" I advance on Gandalf eyes flashing.
"I did not bring you here, but I knew of your arrival." I calm down slightly. "Those two are Merry and Pippin being silly, Sam is looking at the garden and this is Frodo." I walk to Frodo and kneel beside him.
"I know what it is you bear, and if I can help you fulfill your task then I will. I know not for what purpose I am here, but if I can help you, then I will. And I'm coming with you to Mordor, or at least part of the way!" I grin at his surprise then stand up. The rest of the Hobbits are staring at me with their mouths wide open. "Peregrin, Meriadoc and Samwise, if you don't close your mouths then a fly will buzz in, and flies are not good for you. Hi, I'm Caitlyn, and supposedly an Elf, but I don't believe that yet, despite the coincidence of pointy ears. Call me Cat." I stick my tongue out at them and giggle.
"Well, I'm Pippin, and that's," He elbows the Hobbit next to him in the ribs "Merry."
"I'm Sam."
"Well, this has been very pleasant, but Gandalf is needed by Lord Elrond, so he'll speak with you all later." Arwen dismisses the Hobbits and they nod. I feel angry at the way she treats them.
"Arwen, it is not right to talk to them so! They are still your equals, even if they have not had the long life that you enjoy! They are brave and sensible Hobbits, and Frodo especially deserves your respect! I do not care for the Elves here, they're all stuck up!" I whirl on my heel and face the Hobbits, eyes burning with anger. "I apologize for the Lady Arwen's rudeness, as she will not! I wish to speak to you later, so for now I will take your leave, but I look forward to talking with you again. Farewell Meriadoc Brandybuck, Peregrin Took, Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins. Also tell Bilbo that a maiden that has read of his adventure with the dragon Smaugh wishes to talk with him if he feels well enough, and to see his manuscript." I nod curtly then stalk off, muttering, "Well, I am bloody glad that we have no fucking nobles back home, if that's the way they treat people.stupid stuck up prigs.first Legolas lord of arrogance and now Arwen."
I hear Arwen's footsteps start to patter after me, but I ignore her. I see a tree that would be perfect to climb. I like to hide in trees, Cat by name, cat by nature. I walk up to it, then ask it for permission to climb. It gives permission, and I climb to its top. Little by little, it soothes me. I can see Arwen down below, gesticulating for me to come down. She couldn't climb a tree, she's wearing a skirt and it would not be fit for the daughter of Lord Elrond to climb a tree anyway, I bet. Gandalf is standing next to her. I look out over Rivendell, and see a group of blonde heads. I wonder if that's Legolas and his party from Mirkwood? I bet it is, so far all the Rivendell Elves have had brown hair. I decide to go and meet them I still need to apologize to Legolas. And if it's not them, well at least I'll be away from the proud Arwen. I wonder if the tree knows?
I lay my hand against the tree's bark and ask it of the Elves that I can see. Not our Elves, it tells me. I see them through the tree's senses. They shine in greens and browns. Arwen, and the other Rivendell Elves shine in greens and blues. Gandalf looks like a pillar of flame, the trees distrust him. I thank the tree and start to make my way through the tree branches, and balconies and so forth to Legolas and the party of Mirkwood Elves. Then a presence drops onto the branch I was walking along behind me, and when I turn to face it another drops in front of me. I stare in confusion at the two identical male Elves, and then groan in comprehension. "Elladan and Elrohir, I presume?"