This is the one and only time I'm going 2 do this: Disclaimer - this stuff
is not mine. Apart from Jané, and everyone else who was not originally in
the books/movies. If u cant work out who they are for yourself, then you
can just pretend they're all mine, and I'm a really talented person.
I hope you like this chapter, and please review! I'm feeling kind of discouraged because I've only had one review! (sob!) so review and make me happy and I'll promise to finish this, and be very good about updating. Istalindar
*&*
I rose from my chamber restlessly, leaving behind the sleeping form of the man I had seduced the night before. The women here were endeavouring to teach me to be ruthless, and I was trying, really I was. But I could not put aside the feeling that this was unnecessary.
"Did you do it?" Andel asked.
"Of course I did." I answered, without looking at her. I gazed out the window towards the south, where I fancied I saw the deep crack in the earth where Rivendell lay. It was naught but a fancy, of course.
"We have another for you. An elf."
"And how can they be different from mortal men?" I cried, sick of all the manipulation.
"The affect they can have on you is often very different." Andel said knowingly. I rolled my eyes.
"Very well."
*&*
I was in my room when they brought him to me, and I knew I could not do it. Not this time. For even before they removed the bag over his head and untied his hands, I knew in my heart who it was.
"Leave us." I ordered. The attendants left without another word. I removed the bag from his head myself, and untied his hands while he watched me in silence.
"I did not expect to see you." He said finally.
"Aye, well. It could have been worse." I answered. I sat on the edge of the bed, watching him as he wandered about the room, looking.
"How came you to the Ettenmoors?" I asked.
"I could ask you the same. I was coming through the north path of the mountains when I was brought here. How are you here?"
"I've been here for nineteen years." I answered. "And have seen nothing of the outer world and its people for as long. Tell me, what news of Rivendell, of Elrond and Aragorn?"
"Rivendell and Elrond continue as they have done for years." Legolas answered, "though Aragorn has fallen in love."
"With whom?" I asked, always curious about my older brother.
"Arwen Undomiel." Legolas said, and I understood the regret in his eyes. I laughed softly.
"We should have known he would love one such as her." I said softly. "Always has he grasped the stars."
"But think, Jané! She is elven kind - he is mortal! It can only end in bitter sadness." Legolas protested.
"Do you believe they have not thought of the consequences, and so have accepted them? Does Arwen return his love?" Legolas nodded. "Then she is aware, even as you and I are, of what her fate will be, when Aragorn finally passes. There is nothing you may do for them, Legolas. But come now, if you are to escape unscathed, we must leave now, and I must be back by dawn."
I guided him to the gate of the city, setting the guards asleep using the magic I had been taught. I gave Legolas a horse, and bid him flee to Rivendell, or across the mountains.
"You will not come with me?" Legolas asked.
"No. I must still remain, and finish what I have started. Ride well and fast my friend, and with Valar's blessings I shall see you soon." Legolas strode up to me and pressed a kiss against my lips, then mounted and galloped out of the city, leaving me standing in dawn's first rays, a smile on my face and my fingers on my lips.
*&*
I stood before the three women, Zelda, Andel and Emriel, and prepared to be thoroughly berated.
"Did you do it?" Andel asked.
"No." I answered simply. Emriel smiled, Zelda looked surprised, and Andel looked impassive, as usual.
"Why not?" Andel asked sharply.
"I couldn't." I said shrugging my shoulders.
"But why?" asked Zelda.
"Because he was Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, and a good friend of mine and of my brother. I would not do that to him - he trusts me, and I would not betray that trust." Emriel's smile widened, but she continued to say nothing.
Andel nodded. "You did well." It was my turn to be surprised.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"We know it was Prince Legolas, and that he is a good friend of yours. We sent him to you on purpose." Andel answered.
"What!" I cried. "I can't believe you. You sent him to me that I would betray him, all for the sake of your orders?"
"No." Emriel said gently. "Because we had faith in you that you would not fail him or yourself. And we needed to teach you two very important lessons."
"And they are?" I asked sullenly. All the manipulation was getting annoying. You'd think I'd get used to it after nineteen years.
"One, that you cannot obey orders forever in your life; you are to be queen, not servant to the queen. And as queen you must learn when to trust your instincts, even when they go against the counsel of others. And two, that betrayal of friends often has unpleasant side affects. Aside from the guilt you'd feel, there is always the consideration that Legolas would tell Aragorn, who would not know what to think. And also, there may come a time when their trust is the only thing that allows you to follow your path. Had you betrayed Legolas, you would have been greatly inhibited by it." I said nothing, though it made perfect sense to me, and I was fervently glad I had not seduced Legolas. The consequences had I done would have been awful.
*&*
I spent four more years at Denarssa, until at last there was nothing more they could teach me. I was thirty five by then, and it became clear that I would have an extended life, much like that of the descendants of Númenor. I still looked only nineteen.
I rode out of Denarssa at dawn, carrying with me few things - what I wore and what I would need on the short journey. The most important object hung around my neck, a small sun shaped locket-pendant that contained three seeds from the red tree of Mordor, that had flourished under the Queens of Mordor, but had withered and died under the king's rule.
The horse I rode was a gift from Andel, who thought it time I had my own, as she said I would be doing a lot of riding. Right or wrong, I was glad to have a horse that belonged to me.
I arrived in Rivendell as the sun was beginning to set. I could hear elves singing in the woods, and the sound made me smile. I had missed it here.
I stood murmuring silly things at my horse, all about how lovely and darling she was and so on, when a step behind me drew my attention.
"Speaking of lovelies, where have you been?" I turned and ran to my brother, jumping into his arms and wrapping my legs around him in a most unseemly way.
"Aragorn!" I cried.
"Well, your manners certainly haven't improved." He commented, turning in a full circle and kissing my cheek. "But you're a bit big for this now, Jané."
"Big!" I exclaimed. "I always have been, and so far remain, tiny." It was true. I barely came to his shoulder.
"Aye, but that frame-"
"Don't say it!" I shook a warning finger at him.
"I believe it would be most unwise to continue that thought aloud." The voice was from behind us, and I looked over Aragorn's shoulder as I slipped down. I brushed past him and smiled at the newcomer.
"You must be Lady Arwen. I am Eldira Jané." I held out my hand to her, and she took it.
"I'm glad to finally meet you. Aragorn has spoken of you often." Her voice was soft and lovely, like the rest of her, and I could see how Aragorn could have fallen in love with such a beauty. I looked over my shoulder at Aragorn, raising an eyebrow.
"He has, has he? Not all bad, I hope?" I asked with a smile. Arwen laughed, and it sounded like water bubbling over stones.
"Mainly on how you disappeared without a word for twenty three years, and only word I had was four years ago, when Legolas said he had a run in with you near the Ettenmoors." Aragorn said with a frown.
"I was there for a while." I commented, though I did not elaborate. "But, if you'll excuse me, I want to see Ada again." I smiled at Arwen, though she looked a little confused, and hurried up into the main building. I could hear Aragorn explaining that I had always called Elrond Ada, despite being repeatedly told he was not my father.
*&*
I spent three weeks in Rivendell, getting to know Arwen better, and finding that the soft, beautiful and polite image was just the outside, and inside she was ridiculously funny and silly, and often engineered pranks on my brother, blaming it on me or some other unlucky soul who happened to be walking past. More often than not I got the blame for her tricks, though it was true I often had a hand in them. Like it was me who put the frog in his bed, though it was her idea.
*&*
The summons from Lothlorien came in the evening, when Arwen and I were sitting in the twilight garden, laughing over the stupid things our brothers had done, for instance Elladan replacing the pepper with chopped dried mushroom. That evening Arwen had wisely decided to skip dinner, though it meant she received the blame for the prank, as Elladan ate the 'pepper', and complained bitterly as though he was the victim.
Haldir walked into the garden, and Arwen leapt to her feet.
"Lord Haldir!" she cried, and hugged him. I was beginning to think that these ancient and dignified elves were not very dignified. I curtsied politely, and Haldir bowed.
"Princess Jané, the Lady of the Wood has sent me to ask that you visit her in Lothlorien for a time, that she may tell you of some important events of your past." Arwen looked at me funny when Haldir called me 'Princess', but after twenty three years of being called that I hardly noticed.
"I would be honoured." I said gravely. He smiled, and it occurred to me that maybe most blonde elves looked magnificent and amazing when they smiled, and not just Legolas. I smiled in return.
"We leave in a few days. I have some business to discuss with the Lord Elrond, and then you are welcome to join us when we return to Lothlorien." Haldir suggested.
I nodded. "I would be pleased to." I answered, and he bowed.
"Please excuse me ladies, I have business elsewhere." He said, and left.
Arwen immediately pounced. "What does he mean, Princess? Aragorn didn't say anything about you being a princess. I mean, I know about him, but you as well?" she exclaimed very quickly. I was just as confused as she was.
"What about Aragorn?" I asked suspiciously.
"Oh! I'm not meant to tell anyone." She said, dismayed.
"Well, neither am I, so I'll tell you if you tell me, and it'll be our secret." I said. She considered for a moment, then nodded.
"Very well. You're his sister, after all. Wait - does he know about you?"
"No. no one does. Except Elrond, I think. I can't think how he doesn't know." I said, wrinkling my nose slightly.
"Am I allowed to tell Aragorn?"
"Only if he brings it up. After all, that's the only reason I'm finding out - because I asked." I reminded her.
"Except that I accidentally let it slip." Arwen countered.
"Just tell me!" I said impatiently.
"Fine. Aragorn's descended from lots of people who were descended from Elendil, ergo he's Elendil's heir, and the rightful King of Gondor."
"And I thought my secret was big." I muttered, but of course, Arwen heard me.
"Now tell. You promised."
"I did no such thing, but it was our bargain. Fine. I'm descended from lots of people who are descended from Morgaine, the first Queen of Mordor from the times when Galadriel was as young as you are, if not younger."
"Elbereth, your secret is bigger!" she exclaimed, looking delighted. This seriously worried me.
"Actually, it isn't." I corrected. "No one's looking for Morgaine's heir, because no one knows about her, because men and evil have ruled Mordor for longer than most can remember. People are looking for Elendil's heir because that's big news."
"Arwen!" Aragorn's voice came from over the hedge, and Arwen grasped my arm.
"You have to tell him!" she exclaimed.
"What? No! I said you could tell him if, and only if, he asked. And I'll tell him under the same circumstances."
"Tell me what? Oh, there you are, Arwen. Elrond wants to see you. Something about a salamander in his water jug, I believe." Aragorn grinned, and both Arwen and I pointed at him accusatorily.
"It was you!" We exclaimed together.
"I have seen many frightening things in my life, but none so terrifying as my sister and my love conspiring together. And it was me, but you put the frog in my bed."
"We did not!" we both exclaimed indignantly.
"Stop with the double act. Now shoo, Arwen. I think Elrond was quite displeased with your antics!" Arwen huffed outrageously, but as she left the garden, she called back:
"Don't forget to tell him all about your little secret, Jané!" Aragorn sat next to me on the bench and turned to me.
"What little secret?" he asked.
"And you can talk!" I exclaimed. "What about yours?"
"She told you?" Aragorn looked troubled.
"Don't worry about it. I won't tell anyone. You know that."
"Aye. Now tell me."
"Oh fine. Did you ever hear of the Queens of Mordor?"
"Vaguely. There were two called Janira and Morgaine, weren't there?" he asked. I nodded.
"they were the most well known. Morgaine because she established the country, and Janira because she was the Queen when men took the crown from her."
"He married her?" Aragorn asked.
"Do you know how not funny you are?" I snapped. "He murdered many of her people, and held her and her three daughters hostage. Janira escaped with her unborn child, and Dembra, the eldest daughter, killed her sisters and herself to escape the men's torture and lasciviousness."
"Ouch."
"Indeed. Anyway. Janira's fourth daughter was born, and the line continued, mother to daughter, from her daughter Emria down to Eldira Jané, my mother-"
"And down to you. So while I'm the heir to Gondor, you're the heir to Mordor. What a pair."
"Indeed. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go find a frog."
*&*
Elrond and I were talking in one of the reception chambers attached to my rooms when Arwen ran in, in night-gown and robe. She slammed the door open, and threw something at me, which I caught lightening swift. It was the frog that I had caught earlier this evening.
"Arwen, what is the meaning of this?" Elrond asked.
"She." Arwen stopped to catch a breath. It seemed she had ran from her chambers on one side of Rivendell to mine on the other side in her haste to throw the poor suffering frog at me, and Rivendell was a large place. "She put that. That thing, in my bed!" she said, pointing at me. I petted the frog, cupping it in my hands. It was trying to sit still, but was shaking from its across-room flight.
"It's only a frog, Arwen, dear. You've handled many before. And it's no reason to scare the poor thing half out of its wits by throwing it across the room." I said calmly, stroking it soothingly with one finger.
"Is everything alright?" Aragorn stuck his head in the door, and saw Elrond, Arwen, and me holding the poor frog. "Oh, sorry." I pointed at him.
"Has it occurred to you that it might be him that put the frog in your bed, as he put the salamander in Ada's water? Oops, wasn't meant to say that!" I covered my mouth with my hand in mock shame.
"Hey!" Aragorn said. "You two deserved it, since I remember a certain fish in my bed."
"I had nothing to do with that!" Arwen shouted.
"That was twenty four years ago, Aragorn. Get over it!" I cried, standing.
"And that was because you pushed her into the pond." Elrond added calmly. I swear he was enjoying this.
"Only because she and Legolas strung a rope across the path to get me back for her dying Legolas' hair blue with blueberries put into the soap!"
"Because you two got me in trouble with Ada when you dumped a bucket of water over me then a bucket of flour, ruining a new dress!" I shot back.
"That was Elladan's doing!" Aragorn cried. "Not my fault."
"I distinctly remember seeing you through the flour dust!" I said.
"That sounds more like Elrohir." Elrond interjected.
"No, Elladan did it too. Trust me." Arwen said, shaking her head. "Grandmother was furious at me about that dress."
"Am I interrupting something?" Haldir said, looking amused at my doorway.
"Well, one more can't hurt." I said sarcastically. "Know any stories about Arwen misbehaving?"
"That's not fair!" Arwen cried, clutching her robe together.
"Neither is life, dearest foster sister." I shot back. "Now, Lord Haldir?"
"Well, there was that time..."
"Don't! Please! Don't!" Arwen cried, grabbing his arm.
"I distinctly remember pondweed instead of cabbage, is that right, Lady Arwen?"
"Arwen Undomiel!" I cried in mock horror. "How on earth could you?"
"It was easy." Arwen said with an evil sneer on her face, "After he conspired with Elladan and Elrohir to send me to the halls of Mandos."
"I did no such thing." Haldir said, protesting his innocence. "I merely caught you, but you slipped out of my grasp. Fortunately, Elrohir caught you at the bottom."
"Bottom of what?" I asked, curious.
"Elrohir took me to the highest flet in Lothlorien, then 'slipped', pushing me over the side. I fell at least fifty feet before he," she pointed at Haldir, "caught me. He then dropped me over the side, where I fell at least eighty feet to the ground, where Elladan caught me."
"It was more like sixty." Haldir said. Arwen glared. "Seventy then." He amended. She continued to glare.
"Oh come, Arwen. It was not eighty feet."
"You know very well it was, Haldir. You practically built the place." Arwen snapped. I looked at Aragorn.
"Try it and I'll drop you off a cliff." I warned him.
"Your threat has been noted." He said off-handedly. I rolled my eyes.
"Children, enough." Elrond said. We all stared at him. "Arwen, I'll ensure no more frogs turn up in your bed."
"So that's what it was all about." Haldir said with a chuckle.
"Jané, please don't put any more frogs in Arwen's bed. Aragorn, enough with the salamanders. Haldir, please don't drop my daughter out of any more trees. Now, off with you. I can't sleep if you're all yelling at each other. And while you may be able to sleep late, I have business to attend to." He smiled at us, then left. Haldir followed, and Aragorn went to go as well, and paused at the doorway.
"Will you two be alright, or will you slit each other's throats?" he asked. We glared. I picked up a comb from the table.
"If you don't leave, Aragorn. I'll throw this at you." I threatened. He glanced at the comb, at me, at the comb again.
"I don't believe you. Anyway. You're a lousy shot." I threw the comb, and Aragorn ducked out of the door. When he stuck his head back in, he found the comb embedded in the door frame.
"That could have been my head!" he protested.
"then it's a good thing it wasn't." I said calmly. "Now out." He left, and I took the comb out the doorframe and turned to Arwen. "Sorry about the frog, but you deserved it, after making Aragorn ask me."
"I know. And I don't really care. But look at the fun that came out of it!" I shook my head, and smiled.
"Goodnight." She hugged me.
"Goodnight." She left, and I fell back on my bed, suddenly tired beyond measure. I quickly fell asleep.
*&*
What do you think? Review pls! I'll even take flames! Just review! Istalindar
PS - I was describing this chapter, or part of it anyway, to a friend, and she said she didn't think elves would act the way they do in this chapter. But I don't think they could be totally all-knowing and solemn all the time, and if you read the Silmarillion (which took me AGES to read), you'll see that elves aren't always wise and whatever else they always seem to be. Now, I know Tolkein doesn't say they're really playful and silly etc. but I figure some of them must be, so I made them that way. I'm sorry if you don't like it, but that's just what I think. Istalindar
I hope you like this chapter, and please review! I'm feeling kind of discouraged because I've only had one review! (sob!) so review and make me happy and I'll promise to finish this, and be very good about updating. Istalindar
*&*
I rose from my chamber restlessly, leaving behind the sleeping form of the man I had seduced the night before. The women here were endeavouring to teach me to be ruthless, and I was trying, really I was. But I could not put aside the feeling that this was unnecessary.
"Did you do it?" Andel asked.
"Of course I did." I answered, without looking at her. I gazed out the window towards the south, where I fancied I saw the deep crack in the earth where Rivendell lay. It was naught but a fancy, of course.
"We have another for you. An elf."
"And how can they be different from mortal men?" I cried, sick of all the manipulation.
"The affect they can have on you is often very different." Andel said knowingly. I rolled my eyes.
"Very well."
*&*
I was in my room when they brought him to me, and I knew I could not do it. Not this time. For even before they removed the bag over his head and untied his hands, I knew in my heart who it was.
"Leave us." I ordered. The attendants left without another word. I removed the bag from his head myself, and untied his hands while he watched me in silence.
"I did not expect to see you." He said finally.
"Aye, well. It could have been worse." I answered. I sat on the edge of the bed, watching him as he wandered about the room, looking.
"How came you to the Ettenmoors?" I asked.
"I could ask you the same. I was coming through the north path of the mountains when I was brought here. How are you here?"
"I've been here for nineteen years." I answered. "And have seen nothing of the outer world and its people for as long. Tell me, what news of Rivendell, of Elrond and Aragorn?"
"Rivendell and Elrond continue as they have done for years." Legolas answered, "though Aragorn has fallen in love."
"With whom?" I asked, always curious about my older brother.
"Arwen Undomiel." Legolas said, and I understood the regret in his eyes. I laughed softly.
"We should have known he would love one such as her." I said softly. "Always has he grasped the stars."
"But think, Jané! She is elven kind - he is mortal! It can only end in bitter sadness." Legolas protested.
"Do you believe they have not thought of the consequences, and so have accepted them? Does Arwen return his love?" Legolas nodded. "Then she is aware, even as you and I are, of what her fate will be, when Aragorn finally passes. There is nothing you may do for them, Legolas. But come now, if you are to escape unscathed, we must leave now, and I must be back by dawn."
I guided him to the gate of the city, setting the guards asleep using the magic I had been taught. I gave Legolas a horse, and bid him flee to Rivendell, or across the mountains.
"You will not come with me?" Legolas asked.
"No. I must still remain, and finish what I have started. Ride well and fast my friend, and with Valar's blessings I shall see you soon." Legolas strode up to me and pressed a kiss against my lips, then mounted and galloped out of the city, leaving me standing in dawn's first rays, a smile on my face and my fingers on my lips.
*&*
I stood before the three women, Zelda, Andel and Emriel, and prepared to be thoroughly berated.
"Did you do it?" Andel asked.
"No." I answered simply. Emriel smiled, Zelda looked surprised, and Andel looked impassive, as usual.
"Why not?" Andel asked sharply.
"I couldn't." I said shrugging my shoulders.
"But why?" asked Zelda.
"Because he was Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, and a good friend of mine and of my brother. I would not do that to him - he trusts me, and I would not betray that trust." Emriel's smile widened, but she continued to say nothing.
Andel nodded. "You did well." It was my turn to be surprised.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"We know it was Prince Legolas, and that he is a good friend of yours. We sent him to you on purpose." Andel answered.
"What!" I cried. "I can't believe you. You sent him to me that I would betray him, all for the sake of your orders?"
"No." Emriel said gently. "Because we had faith in you that you would not fail him or yourself. And we needed to teach you two very important lessons."
"And they are?" I asked sullenly. All the manipulation was getting annoying. You'd think I'd get used to it after nineteen years.
"One, that you cannot obey orders forever in your life; you are to be queen, not servant to the queen. And as queen you must learn when to trust your instincts, even when they go against the counsel of others. And two, that betrayal of friends often has unpleasant side affects. Aside from the guilt you'd feel, there is always the consideration that Legolas would tell Aragorn, who would not know what to think. And also, there may come a time when their trust is the only thing that allows you to follow your path. Had you betrayed Legolas, you would have been greatly inhibited by it." I said nothing, though it made perfect sense to me, and I was fervently glad I had not seduced Legolas. The consequences had I done would have been awful.
*&*
I spent four more years at Denarssa, until at last there was nothing more they could teach me. I was thirty five by then, and it became clear that I would have an extended life, much like that of the descendants of Númenor. I still looked only nineteen.
I rode out of Denarssa at dawn, carrying with me few things - what I wore and what I would need on the short journey. The most important object hung around my neck, a small sun shaped locket-pendant that contained three seeds from the red tree of Mordor, that had flourished under the Queens of Mordor, but had withered and died under the king's rule.
The horse I rode was a gift from Andel, who thought it time I had my own, as she said I would be doing a lot of riding. Right or wrong, I was glad to have a horse that belonged to me.
I arrived in Rivendell as the sun was beginning to set. I could hear elves singing in the woods, and the sound made me smile. I had missed it here.
I stood murmuring silly things at my horse, all about how lovely and darling she was and so on, when a step behind me drew my attention.
"Speaking of lovelies, where have you been?" I turned and ran to my brother, jumping into his arms and wrapping my legs around him in a most unseemly way.
"Aragorn!" I cried.
"Well, your manners certainly haven't improved." He commented, turning in a full circle and kissing my cheek. "But you're a bit big for this now, Jané."
"Big!" I exclaimed. "I always have been, and so far remain, tiny." It was true. I barely came to his shoulder.
"Aye, but that frame-"
"Don't say it!" I shook a warning finger at him.
"I believe it would be most unwise to continue that thought aloud." The voice was from behind us, and I looked over Aragorn's shoulder as I slipped down. I brushed past him and smiled at the newcomer.
"You must be Lady Arwen. I am Eldira Jané." I held out my hand to her, and she took it.
"I'm glad to finally meet you. Aragorn has spoken of you often." Her voice was soft and lovely, like the rest of her, and I could see how Aragorn could have fallen in love with such a beauty. I looked over my shoulder at Aragorn, raising an eyebrow.
"He has, has he? Not all bad, I hope?" I asked with a smile. Arwen laughed, and it sounded like water bubbling over stones.
"Mainly on how you disappeared without a word for twenty three years, and only word I had was four years ago, when Legolas said he had a run in with you near the Ettenmoors." Aragorn said with a frown.
"I was there for a while." I commented, though I did not elaborate. "But, if you'll excuse me, I want to see Ada again." I smiled at Arwen, though she looked a little confused, and hurried up into the main building. I could hear Aragorn explaining that I had always called Elrond Ada, despite being repeatedly told he was not my father.
*&*
I spent three weeks in Rivendell, getting to know Arwen better, and finding that the soft, beautiful and polite image was just the outside, and inside she was ridiculously funny and silly, and often engineered pranks on my brother, blaming it on me or some other unlucky soul who happened to be walking past. More often than not I got the blame for her tricks, though it was true I often had a hand in them. Like it was me who put the frog in his bed, though it was her idea.
*&*
The summons from Lothlorien came in the evening, when Arwen and I were sitting in the twilight garden, laughing over the stupid things our brothers had done, for instance Elladan replacing the pepper with chopped dried mushroom. That evening Arwen had wisely decided to skip dinner, though it meant she received the blame for the prank, as Elladan ate the 'pepper', and complained bitterly as though he was the victim.
Haldir walked into the garden, and Arwen leapt to her feet.
"Lord Haldir!" she cried, and hugged him. I was beginning to think that these ancient and dignified elves were not very dignified. I curtsied politely, and Haldir bowed.
"Princess Jané, the Lady of the Wood has sent me to ask that you visit her in Lothlorien for a time, that she may tell you of some important events of your past." Arwen looked at me funny when Haldir called me 'Princess', but after twenty three years of being called that I hardly noticed.
"I would be honoured." I said gravely. He smiled, and it occurred to me that maybe most blonde elves looked magnificent and amazing when they smiled, and not just Legolas. I smiled in return.
"We leave in a few days. I have some business to discuss with the Lord Elrond, and then you are welcome to join us when we return to Lothlorien." Haldir suggested.
I nodded. "I would be pleased to." I answered, and he bowed.
"Please excuse me ladies, I have business elsewhere." He said, and left.
Arwen immediately pounced. "What does he mean, Princess? Aragorn didn't say anything about you being a princess. I mean, I know about him, but you as well?" she exclaimed very quickly. I was just as confused as she was.
"What about Aragorn?" I asked suspiciously.
"Oh! I'm not meant to tell anyone." She said, dismayed.
"Well, neither am I, so I'll tell you if you tell me, and it'll be our secret." I said. She considered for a moment, then nodded.
"Very well. You're his sister, after all. Wait - does he know about you?"
"No. no one does. Except Elrond, I think. I can't think how he doesn't know." I said, wrinkling my nose slightly.
"Am I allowed to tell Aragorn?"
"Only if he brings it up. After all, that's the only reason I'm finding out - because I asked." I reminded her.
"Except that I accidentally let it slip." Arwen countered.
"Just tell me!" I said impatiently.
"Fine. Aragorn's descended from lots of people who were descended from Elendil, ergo he's Elendil's heir, and the rightful King of Gondor."
"And I thought my secret was big." I muttered, but of course, Arwen heard me.
"Now tell. You promised."
"I did no such thing, but it was our bargain. Fine. I'm descended from lots of people who are descended from Morgaine, the first Queen of Mordor from the times when Galadriel was as young as you are, if not younger."
"Elbereth, your secret is bigger!" she exclaimed, looking delighted. This seriously worried me.
"Actually, it isn't." I corrected. "No one's looking for Morgaine's heir, because no one knows about her, because men and evil have ruled Mordor for longer than most can remember. People are looking for Elendil's heir because that's big news."
"Arwen!" Aragorn's voice came from over the hedge, and Arwen grasped my arm.
"You have to tell him!" she exclaimed.
"What? No! I said you could tell him if, and only if, he asked. And I'll tell him under the same circumstances."
"Tell me what? Oh, there you are, Arwen. Elrond wants to see you. Something about a salamander in his water jug, I believe." Aragorn grinned, and both Arwen and I pointed at him accusatorily.
"It was you!" We exclaimed together.
"I have seen many frightening things in my life, but none so terrifying as my sister and my love conspiring together. And it was me, but you put the frog in my bed."
"We did not!" we both exclaimed indignantly.
"Stop with the double act. Now shoo, Arwen. I think Elrond was quite displeased with your antics!" Arwen huffed outrageously, but as she left the garden, she called back:
"Don't forget to tell him all about your little secret, Jané!" Aragorn sat next to me on the bench and turned to me.
"What little secret?" he asked.
"And you can talk!" I exclaimed. "What about yours?"
"She told you?" Aragorn looked troubled.
"Don't worry about it. I won't tell anyone. You know that."
"Aye. Now tell me."
"Oh fine. Did you ever hear of the Queens of Mordor?"
"Vaguely. There were two called Janira and Morgaine, weren't there?" he asked. I nodded.
"they were the most well known. Morgaine because she established the country, and Janira because she was the Queen when men took the crown from her."
"He married her?" Aragorn asked.
"Do you know how not funny you are?" I snapped. "He murdered many of her people, and held her and her three daughters hostage. Janira escaped with her unborn child, and Dembra, the eldest daughter, killed her sisters and herself to escape the men's torture and lasciviousness."
"Ouch."
"Indeed. Anyway. Janira's fourth daughter was born, and the line continued, mother to daughter, from her daughter Emria down to Eldira Jané, my mother-"
"And down to you. So while I'm the heir to Gondor, you're the heir to Mordor. What a pair."
"Indeed. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go find a frog."
*&*
Elrond and I were talking in one of the reception chambers attached to my rooms when Arwen ran in, in night-gown and robe. She slammed the door open, and threw something at me, which I caught lightening swift. It was the frog that I had caught earlier this evening.
"Arwen, what is the meaning of this?" Elrond asked.
"She." Arwen stopped to catch a breath. It seemed she had ran from her chambers on one side of Rivendell to mine on the other side in her haste to throw the poor suffering frog at me, and Rivendell was a large place. "She put that. That thing, in my bed!" she said, pointing at me. I petted the frog, cupping it in my hands. It was trying to sit still, but was shaking from its across-room flight.
"It's only a frog, Arwen, dear. You've handled many before. And it's no reason to scare the poor thing half out of its wits by throwing it across the room." I said calmly, stroking it soothingly with one finger.
"Is everything alright?" Aragorn stuck his head in the door, and saw Elrond, Arwen, and me holding the poor frog. "Oh, sorry." I pointed at him.
"Has it occurred to you that it might be him that put the frog in your bed, as he put the salamander in Ada's water? Oops, wasn't meant to say that!" I covered my mouth with my hand in mock shame.
"Hey!" Aragorn said. "You two deserved it, since I remember a certain fish in my bed."
"I had nothing to do with that!" Arwen shouted.
"That was twenty four years ago, Aragorn. Get over it!" I cried, standing.
"And that was because you pushed her into the pond." Elrond added calmly. I swear he was enjoying this.
"Only because she and Legolas strung a rope across the path to get me back for her dying Legolas' hair blue with blueberries put into the soap!"
"Because you two got me in trouble with Ada when you dumped a bucket of water over me then a bucket of flour, ruining a new dress!" I shot back.
"That was Elladan's doing!" Aragorn cried. "Not my fault."
"I distinctly remember seeing you through the flour dust!" I said.
"That sounds more like Elrohir." Elrond interjected.
"No, Elladan did it too. Trust me." Arwen said, shaking her head. "Grandmother was furious at me about that dress."
"Am I interrupting something?" Haldir said, looking amused at my doorway.
"Well, one more can't hurt." I said sarcastically. "Know any stories about Arwen misbehaving?"
"That's not fair!" Arwen cried, clutching her robe together.
"Neither is life, dearest foster sister." I shot back. "Now, Lord Haldir?"
"Well, there was that time..."
"Don't! Please! Don't!" Arwen cried, grabbing his arm.
"I distinctly remember pondweed instead of cabbage, is that right, Lady Arwen?"
"Arwen Undomiel!" I cried in mock horror. "How on earth could you?"
"It was easy." Arwen said with an evil sneer on her face, "After he conspired with Elladan and Elrohir to send me to the halls of Mandos."
"I did no such thing." Haldir said, protesting his innocence. "I merely caught you, but you slipped out of my grasp. Fortunately, Elrohir caught you at the bottom."
"Bottom of what?" I asked, curious.
"Elrohir took me to the highest flet in Lothlorien, then 'slipped', pushing me over the side. I fell at least fifty feet before he," she pointed at Haldir, "caught me. He then dropped me over the side, where I fell at least eighty feet to the ground, where Elladan caught me."
"It was more like sixty." Haldir said. Arwen glared. "Seventy then." He amended. She continued to glare.
"Oh come, Arwen. It was not eighty feet."
"You know very well it was, Haldir. You practically built the place." Arwen snapped. I looked at Aragorn.
"Try it and I'll drop you off a cliff." I warned him.
"Your threat has been noted." He said off-handedly. I rolled my eyes.
"Children, enough." Elrond said. We all stared at him. "Arwen, I'll ensure no more frogs turn up in your bed."
"So that's what it was all about." Haldir said with a chuckle.
"Jané, please don't put any more frogs in Arwen's bed. Aragorn, enough with the salamanders. Haldir, please don't drop my daughter out of any more trees. Now, off with you. I can't sleep if you're all yelling at each other. And while you may be able to sleep late, I have business to attend to." He smiled at us, then left. Haldir followed, and Aragorn went to go as well, and paused at the doorway.
"Will you two be alright, or will you slit each other's throats?" he asked. We glared. I picked up a comb from the table.
"If you don't leave, Aragorn. I'll throw this at you." I threatened. He glanced at the comb, at me, at the comb again.
"I don't believe you. Anyway. You're a lousy shot." I threw the comb, and Aragorn ducked out of the door. When he stuck his head back in, he found the comb embedded in the door frame.
"That could have been my head!" he protested.
"then it's a good thing it wasn't." I said calmly. "Now out." He left, and I took the comb out the doorframe and turned to Arwen. "Sorry about the frog, but you deserved it, after making Aragorn ask me."
"I know. And I don't really care. But look at the fun that came out of it!" I shook my head, and smiled.
"Goodnight." She hugged me.
"Goodnight." She left, and I fell back on my bed, suddenly tired beyond measure. I quickly fell asleep.
*&*
What do you think? Review pls! I'll even take flames! Just review! Istalindar
PS - I was describing this chapter, or part of it anyway, to a friend, and she said she didn't think elves would act the way they do in this chapter. But I don't think they could be totally all-knowing and solemn all the time, and if you read the Silmarillion (which took me AGES to read), you'll see that elves aren't always wise and whatever else they always seem to be. Now, I know Tolkein doesn't say they're really playful and silly etc. but I figure some of them must be, so I made them that way. I'm sorry if you don't like it, but that's just what I think. Istalindar