Disclaimer – I don't own LOTR, or any characters, events, plots, settings,
etc. from it. It belongs to New Line Cinema, J.R.R Tolkein and Peter
Jackson.
Lady Tolwen – Thanks! I didn't know that! I read the books, but no one said my comprehension was amazing! I'll use Elessar sometimes, but I'll mostly use Aragorn just because it's the one I'm most familiar with.
They crossed the river Anduin and by night, reached the edge of the Mirkwood forest. They camped for the night, or, Arweni and Elessar slept, while Legolas stood watch. He sang and recited poetry quietly, since there was nothing to see and he was quite bored. When morning came, Aragorn bid them goodbye and crossed the river again, fading into the distance. Legolas set his sights on the immense forest before them. Arweni was saddling her horse, keeping her face away from him.
"We must ride to the other side of the forest. Come. We don't want to be in the forest alone in the dark." They saddled up and rode in, a darkness falling immediately over them. Arweni had no idea where they were headed, but Legolas seemed to know the path well. After hours in the saddle, Legolas paused.
"We draw nearer. But we must quicken the path. Stretch your legs. It is a long ride ahead of us." Legolas commanded. Arweni nodded and slid out of the saddle, gingerly stretching her stiff legs. After taking a drink from her canteen, Arweni spotted a large cluster of rocks, some jagged and some smooth, leading up to a flat top that was about twenty feet off the ground. Immediately, Arweni began to climb, finding secure footholds as she went. Legolas watched intently as she did so, and so she attempted to have a bit of grace. As she drew nearer to the top. Small pebbles and clumps of dirt began to slide down, breaking out from under her grasp, yet she kept going. Legolas watched nervously and inched closer. He breathed a sigh of relief when she reached the top and stood.
"Careful!" He called up as she slowly stood and admired the forest.
"It looks better from up here!" She told him. He regarded her closely as she hunched over to regain balance.
"You are mortal, why risk your life on something so petty?' He asked. She looked down at him, smiling teasingly.
"I may be a mere mortal, but I am not fragile. All mortals meet some kind of end, it will not be horrible." She told him casually.
"So you are not afraid to die now, at this very instant?" Legolas asked skeptically. She was sitting down now, but she looked serious this time.
"Afraid? I'm not just afraid, I'm terrified. I don't want to die when everything seems like it's just beginning, but when I am old and have seen and done much, perhaps I will not be afraid." Suddenly, she slid down to the dirt and solid ground.
"Graceful." Legolas said with a smirk as she got up off the ground, her eyes wide with surprise. She snorted.
"As always." They saddled up again and began to ride through the forest at a faster pace. Night had already fallen when they reached a bridge that ran across a river. Legolas smiled and his horse seemed to gain spirit. And so they came upon Mirkwood, the large, grand castle loomed over them. (I'm sorry if my descriptions of Mirkwood are wrong, I read the Hobbit but I don't own it so I can't use it to reference) Many cheerful looking elves were strolling through the yards, and Arweni could see a village over to the right and farther down. As Legolas rode by, the elves bowed or curtsied. Arweni was just looking around in amazement. After all, it was only her second time of seeing so many people. Legolas rode up to the palace and dismounted, then waited patiently as Arweni did the same. Immediately, two stable hands ran up and led the horses away. Legolas nodded and led Arweni into the castle. It was magnificent, elegantly yet simply furnished but with a certain grandeur that amazed Arweni.
"We're going to see my father, King Thranduil." Arweni stiffened. She wasn't sure she liked meeting royalty that much. Still, they entered the throne room and found King Thranduil on a highly polished golden throne. Legolas bowed low.
"Elen sila lumenn omentielvo, Ada." (A star shines upon the hour of our meeting, Father; also I realize that this is in Quenya.) Arweni curtsied.
"Man aduial, Nin Aran." (Good evening, My King; 'man' is also Quenya)
"Indeed it does. Tell me, maiden, is it you who brought my son home?" Asked the king, rising from his throne. Arweni straightened.
"No my lord. It was Lord Aragorn who brought him."
"Ah, Aragorn once again does honor to us." Thranduil said in a deep, warm voice.
"And who are you, my dear?" He asked. Legolas placed his hand on Arweni's shoulder.
"This is Lady Arweni from,"
"Gondor. I am from Gondor, Your Grace." Arweni finished quickly with a curtsey. Legolas shot an inquiring look at Arweni.
"Gondor must hold many fine people there." Thranduil said with a nod. Arweni kept looking down.
"Lady Arweni wished to see Elves, Ada. She is Half Elven herself." Legolas said quickly, so that his father would stop glaring at him.
"Really? Who were your parents then?" He asked. Arweni blushed, feeling embarrassed under the scrutiny. She realized how much she missed the quietness of Rivendell.
"My father was mortal, a man named Rumain, and my mother's name was Rana."
"Your mother's name was 'wanderer'?" The king asked, confused.
"Twas a nickname, Sire. She never told me her real name."
"Legolas, why don't you show Lady Arweni to a room? Then come back here, for I must speak with you." He added sternly. Legolas's heart sank. Still he turned to lead Arweni away.
"Come, I'll show you to your room." Legolas ordered. Arweni followed him out of the throne room. It was silent for awhile. Finally, Legolas broke the silence. "Why did you lie to my father?"
"I don't trust people, Legolas. I don't want to be shunned for where I lived or what I did." She told him truthfully.
"I haven't lied to him like that since I was an elfling." He said, sounding slightly stunned.
"Where is your mother?" Arweni asked as they began to climb a staircase. Legolas looked at her sharply.
"My mother sailed away when I was very young." He told her.
"Oh. I'm sorry."
"Isn't everyone?" Legolas asked sarcastically, then mentally smacked himself. She would be sorry. She knew how it felt. And she would never again see her mother, not even in death. "I'm sorry. I just get a little upset over the subject." He apologized. Arweni waved it away.
"I understand." They walked on in silence. "Are you going to be in trouble with your father?" Arweni asked presently.
"Yes. He will be angry with me for running away." Finally, they reached a long hallway and Legolas halted in front of a door. "This will be your room. If you need something ask a servant, or come find me." He instructed, turning away to go back to his father.
"Legolas?" She asked, pausing with her hand on the doorknob. Legolas turned.
"Yes?"
"If...if I want to go home, can I?" Legolas's heart seemed to have sped up, and it seemed to be jerking around inside his chest.
"If, you wanted to go home? Well then...yes. If you want to go home, I will take you home, Arweni." He assured her, turning away again.
"Thanks." She murmured, stepping inside her new room. Legolas dreaded facing his father again, and it took a lot of debate, but he finally stepped back inside the throne room. His father was waiting for him.
"Legolas Greenleaf, I don't care how old you are or what your title is, if you EVER run away again, so help me Valar I will be coming after you so fast you won't make it over the bridge! You better not ever do that again. Your mother would be ashamed of you! And you come back with a girl, of all things! I ask you to find a bride so you may take the crown, and instead you run away, find a mortal and bring her back! I don't know what is going on in that head of yours Legolas, but you better clear it up." Thranduil growled.
"Yes Ada. Would you like me to take her home then?" Legolas asked. Thranduil's eyes widened.
"Of course not! I'm hoping if you went through all that to bring her here, your finally learning responsibility!" Legolas growled mentally. Again with the 'r' word.
"I'm glad you are pleased, Father. May I go? I shall not run away, I promise." Legolas said with a spark in his eyes. His father glared at him, then smiled.
"You, my little Greenleaf, have a way of worming your way out of trouble. Go on, get away from my sight." Thranduil said with a grin. Legolas grinned as well and exited.
Lady Tolwen – Thanks! I didn't know that! I read the books, but no one said my comprehension was amazing! I'll use Elessar sometimes, but I'll mostly use Aragorn just because it's the one I'm most familiar with.
They crossed the river Anduin and by night, reached the edge of the Mirkwood forest. They camped for the night, or, Arweni and Elessar slept, while Legolas stood watch. He sang and recited poetry quietly, since there was nothing to see and he was quite bored. When morning came, Aragorn bid them goodbye and crossed the river again, fading into the distance. Legolas set his sights on the immense forest before them. Arweni was saddling her horse, keeping her face away from him.
"We must ride to the other side of the forest. Come. We don't want to be in the forest alone in the dark." They saddled up and rode in, a darkness falling immediately over them. Arweni had no idea where they were headed, but Legolas seemed to know the path well. After hours in the saddle, Legolas paused.
"We draw nearer. But we must quicken the path. Stretch your legs. It is a long ride ahead of us." Legolas commanded. Arweni nodded and slid out of the saddle, gingerly stretching her stiff legs. After taking a drink from her canteen, Arweni spotted a large cluster of rocks, some jagged and some smooth, leading up to a flat top that was about twenty feet off the ground. Immediately, Arweni began to climb, finding secure footholds as she went. Legolas watched intently as she did so, and so she attempted to have a bit of grace. As she drew nearer to the top. Small pebbles and clumps of dirt began to slide down, breaking out from under her grasp, yet she kept going. Legolas watched nervously and inched closer. He breathed a sigh of relief when she reached the top and stood.
"Careful!" He called up as she slowly stood and admired the forest.
"It looks better from up here!" She told him. He regarded her closely as she hunched over to regain balance.
"You are mortal, why risk your life on something so petty?' He asked. She looked down at him, smiling teasingly.
"I may be a mere mortal, but I am not fragile. All mortals meet some kind of end, it will not be horrible." She told him casually.
"So you are not afraid to die now, at this very instant?" Legolas asked skeptically. She was sitting down now, but she looked serious this time.
"Afraid? I'm not just afraid, I'm terrified. I don't want to die when everything seems like it's just beginning, but when I am old and have seen and done much, perhaps I will not be afraid." Suddenly, she slid down to the dirt and solid ground.
"Graceful." Legolas said with a smirk as she got up off the ground, her eyes wide with surprise. She snorted.
"As always." They saddled up again and began to ride through the forest at a faster pace. Night had already fallen when they reached a bridge that ran across a river. Legolas smiled and his horse seemed to gain spirit. And so they came upon Mirkwood, the large, grand castle loomed over them. (I'm sorry if my descriptions of Mirkwood are wrong, I read the Hobbit but I don't own it so I can't use it to reference) Many cheerful looking elves were strolling through the yards, and Arweni could see a village over to the right and farther down. As Legolas rode by, the elves bowed or curtsied. Arweni was just looking around in amazement. After all, it was only her second time of seeing so many people. Legolas rode up to the palace and dismounted, then waited patiently as Arweni did the same. Immediately, two stable hands ran up and led the horses away. Legolas nodded and led Arweni into the castle. It was magnificent, elegantly yet simply furnished but with a certain grandeur that amazed Arweni.
"We're going to see my father, King Thranduil." Arweni stiffened. She wasn't sure she liked meeting royalty that much. Still, they entered the throne room and found King Thranduil on a highly polished golden throne. Legolas bowed low.
"Elen sila lumenn omentielvo, Ada." (A star shines upon the hour of our meeting, Father; also I realize that this is in Quenya.) Arweni curtsied.
"Man aduial, Nin Aran." (Good evening, My King; 'man' is also Quenya)
"Indeed it does. Tell me, maiden, is it you who brought my son home?" Asked the king, rising from his throne. Arweni straightened.
"No my lord. It was Lord Aragorn who brought him."
"Ah, Aragorn once again does honor to us." Thranduil said in a deep, warm voice.
"And who are you, my dear?" He asked. Legolas placed his hand on Arweni's shoulder.
"This is Lady Arweni from,"
"Gondor. I am from Gondor, Your Grace." Arweni finished quickly with a curtsey. Legolas shot an inquiring look at Arweni.
"Gondor must hold many fine people there." Thranduil said with a nod. Arweni kept looking down.
"Lady Arweni wished to see Elves, Ada. She is Half Elven herself." Legolas said quickly, so that his father would stop glaring at him.
"Really? Who were your parents then?" He asked. Arweni blushed, feeling embarrassed under the scrutiny. She realized how much she missed the quietness of Rivendell.
"My father was mortal, a man named Rumain, and my mother's name was Rana."
"Your mother's name was 'wanderer'?" The king asked, confused.
"Twas a nickname, Sire. She never told me her real name."
"Legolas, why don't you show Lady Arweni to a room? Then come back here, for I must speak with you." He added sternly. Legolas's heart sank. Still he turned to lead Arweni away.
"Come, I'll show you to your room." Legolas ordered. Arweni followed him out of the throne room. It was silent for awhile. Finally, Legolas broke the silence. "Why did you lie to my father?"
"I don't trust people, Legolas. I don't want to be shunned for where I lived or what I did." She told him truthfully.
"I haven't lied to him like that since I was an elfling." He said, sounding slightly stunned.
"Where is your mother?" Arweni asked as they began to climb a staircase. Legolas looked at her sharply.
"My mother sailed away when I was very young." He told her.
"Oh. I'm sorry."
"Isn't everyone?" Legolas asked sarcastically, then mentally smacked himself. She would be sorry. She knew how it felt. And she would never again see her mother, not even in death. "I'm sorry. I just get a little upset over the subject." He apologized. Arweni waved it away.
"I understand." They walked on in silence. "Are you going to be in trouble with your father?" Arweni asked presently.
"Yes. He will be angry with me for running away." Finally, they reached a long hallway and Legolas halted in front of a door. "This will be your room. If you need something ask a servant, or come find me." He instructed, turning away to go back to his father.
"Legolas?" She asked, pausing with her hand on the doorknob. Legolas turned.
"Yes?"
"If...if I want to go home, can I?" Legolas's heart seemed to have sped up, and it seemed to be jerking around inside his chest.
"If, you wanted to go home? Well then...yes. If you want to go home, I will take you home, Arweni." He assured her, turning away again.
"Thanks." She murmured, stepping inside her new room. Legolas dreaded facing his father again, and it took a lot of debate, but he finally stepped back inside the throne room. His father was waiting for him.
"Legolas Greenleaf, I don't care how old you are or what your title is, if you EVER run away again, so help me Valar I will be coming after you so fast you won't make it over the bridge! You better not ever do that again. Your mother would be ashamed of you! And you come back with a girl, of all things! I ask you to find a bride so you may take the crown, and instead you run away, find a mortal and bring her back! I don't know what is going on in that head of yours Legolas, but you better clear it up." Thranduil growled.
"Yes Ada. Would you like me to take her home then?" Legolas asked. Thranduil's eyes widened.
"Of course not! I'm hoping if you went through all that to bring her here, your finally learning responsibility!" Legolas growled mentally. Again with the 'r' word.
"I'm glad you are pleased, Father. May I go? I shall not run away, I promise." Legolas said with a spark in his eyes. His father glared at him, then smiled.
"You, my little Greenleaf, have a way of worming your way out of trouble. Go on, get away from my sight." Thranduil said with a grin. Legolas grinned as well and exited.