A/N: This is something I forgot to do in the first chapter, so I'm putting
it here because I am too lazy to go back and fix it.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters in this story except for
Laurelen, Poppy, and Solenna. This story is based on The Lord of the Rings
by J.R.R. Tolkien, and all the places, languages, and other characters
belong to him.
It took a fortnight more of fast travel to get to Rivendell, during which time Poppy rode, Laurelen ran, and Aragorn alternated between both. Poppy became very strong and tough. She fell off the horse a few times, but luckily it wasn't a very tall one. Laurelen stayed with her the whole time, running easily on light feet. A few times Poppy got off and ran, too. She was surprisingly fast for one so small. But she could not keep going for very long at high speeds.
Finally, after a long exhausting journey, they arrived at Rivendell. Laurelen had given up on running, and was riding the horse with Poppy in front of her. All the exertion had taken its toll on her already weakened body. But eventually they reached the river that guarded Rivendell. As they entered the valley, Laurelen stopped short.
"I have been here before," she said. "The feels and smells are familiar, but very far away."
Aragorn watched her silently for a moment, then continued down the narrow trail leading to the bottom of the valley. Poppy was immediately behind him, almost tripping over herself as she gawked at the landscape and, as they got lower down, at the elves who were wandering about, laughing and singing. Laurelen was lost in memory, and did not even notice the other elves who turned to look at her. They turned to each other and began whispering among themselves. Poppy notice that Laurelen looked almost nothing like them. The other elves had mostly light golden-blond hair, and their eyes were grey or blue. Laurelen, by contrast, had light brown hair with a golden hue to it. Her eyes were gold also. One had to look twice to see that she was, in fact, an elf.
They walked their horses toward the large stone structure that was built into one side of the valley. It was a beautiful work, a fortress almost, that was very open and airy. There were trees that grew in spaces of grass between individual buildings. Plants grew wild, but it was a beautiful kind of wildness. They left the horses in the care of one of the elves and Aragorn led them into the great, beautiful fortress. Poppy walked in awe, with her mouth hanging open. Laurelen looked about her in a sort of troubled way. She seemed very ill at ease, and started every time a new person would appear. Aragorn led them up to an elf who was sitting next to a tree in the sunshine, singing softly to herself. But she stood when she saw them walking up, and greeted Aragorn with a smile.
They spoke to each other softly in Elvish. Poppy couldn't understand what they were saying, and Laurelen was too deep in thought to bother. She had a troubled expression on her face, and kept clenching her jaw and fists tightly and then loosening them. Her bright eyes roved around their surroundings, taking in everything. She jumped when Aragorn touched her lightly on the shoulder.
He spoke to her and Poppy. "This is Arwen." He gestured toward the elf standing next to him. Her hair was dark, almost black, and her eyes were grey.
She smiled at them, and Poppy unhesitatingly smiled back. Laurelen seemed unsure of herself, but managed a tentative smile. Arwen looked at her for a moment, with a strange expression on her face. It was a mix of pity, recognition and, for a moment, uncertainty. But soon she turned back to Aragorn. "You must tell my father that you are back, and about our guests. I will take them and get them settled in."
Aragorn nodded and turned away. Laurelen looked frightened for a moment, but Arwen led them to a room nearby and she soon found other things to think about.
The elf showed them the room, and there were clean clothes for both of them on chairs. Poppy asked how they knew to get the clothes and everything ready, and Arwen laughed and answered, "There are scouts that patrol the entrance to this valley. They told us of your coming nearly two days ago. Please, feel free to walk about. I will have hot water brought in for you to bathe, and then you may change." Arwen turned to Laurelen and said something in Elvish. The young elf looked grateful at whatever was said, and even smiled at Arwen as she left.
"What did she say?" Poppy asked. She had learned some of the Elvish languages from Laurelen, but not enough to follow a conversation very well.
Laurelen did not answer immediately. But finally she said, "She told me not to be afraid, for this valley is well guarded from evil." Laurelen paused, debating whether to say the rest. "And she said welcome home."
It took a fortnight more of fast travel to get to Rivendell, during which time Poppy rode, Laurelen ran, and Aragorn alternated between both. Poppy became very strong and tough. She fell off the horse a few times, but luckily it wasn't a very tall one. Laurelen stayed with her the whole time, running easily on light feet. A few times Poppy got off and ran, too. She was surprisingly fast for one so small. But she could not keep going for very long at high speeds.
Finally, after a long exhausting journey, they arrived at Rivendell. Laurelen had given up on running, and was riding the horse with Poppy in front of her. All the exertion had taken its toll on her already weakened body. But eventually they reached the river that guarded Rivendell. As they entered the valley, Laurelen stopped short.
"I have been here before," she said. "The feels and smells are familiar, but very far away."
Aragorn watched her silently for a moment, then continued down the narrow trail leading to the bottom of the valley. Poppy was immediately behind him, almost tripping over herself as she gawked at the landscape and, as they got lower down, at the elves who were wandering about, laughing and singing. Laurelen was lost in memory, and did not even notice the other elves who turned to look at her. They turned to each other and began whispering among themselves. Poppy notice that Laurelen looked almost nothing like them. The other elves had mostly light golden-blond hair, and their eyes were grey or blue. Laurelen, by contrast, had light brown hair with a golden hue to it. Her eyes were gold also. One had to look twice to see that she was, in fact, an elf.
They walked their horses toward the large stone structure that was built into one side of the valley. It was a beautiful work, a fortress almost, that was very open and airy. There were trees that grew in spaces of grass between individual buildings. Plants grew wild, but it was a beautiful kind of wildness. They left the horses in the care of one of the elves and Aragorn led them into the great, beautiful fortress. Poppy walked in awe, with her mouth hanging open. Laurelen looked about her in a sort of troubled way. She seemed very ill at ease, and started every time a new person would appear. Aragorn led them up to an elf who was sitting next to a tree in the sunshine, singing softly to herself. But she stood when she saw them walking up, and greeted Aragorn with a smile.
They spoke to each other softly in Elvish. Poppy couldn't understand what they were saying, and Laurelen was too deep in thought to bother. She had a troubled expression on her face, and kept clenching her jaw and fists tightly and then loosening them. Her bright eyes roved around their surroundings, taking in everything. She jumped when Aragorn touched her lightly on the shoulder.
He spoke to her and Poppy. "This is Arwen." He gestured toward the elf standing next to him. Her hair was dark, almost black, and her eyes were grey.
She smiled at them, and Poppy unhesitatingly smiled back. Laurelen seemed unsure of herself, but managed a tentative smile. Arwen looked at her for a moment, with a strange expression on her face. It was a mix of pity, recognition and, for a moment, uncertainty. But soon she turned back to Aragorn. "You must tell my father that you are back, and about our guests. I will take them and get them settled in."
Aragorn nodded and turned away. Laurelen looked frightened for a moment, but Arwen led them to a room nearby and she soon found other things to think about.
The elf showed them the room, and there were clean clothes for both of them on chairs. Poppy asked how they knew to get the clothes and everything ready, and Arwen laughed and answered, "There are scouts that patrol the entrance to this valley. They told us of your coming nearly two days ago. Please, feel free to walk about. I will have hot water brought in for you to bathe, and then you may change." Arwen turned to Laurelen and said something in Elvish. The young elf looked grateful at whatever was said, and even smiled at Arwen as she left.
"What did she say?" Poppy asked. She had learned some of the Elvish languages from Laurelen, but not enough to follow a conversation very well.
Laurelen did not answer immediately. But finally she said, "She told me not to be afraid, for this valley is well guarded from evil." Laurelen paused, debating whether to say the rest. "And she said welcome home."