*A/N*: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any of the names or characters
used in Tolkien's wonderful stories, but Calathi and all other characters
are copyright 2002 Meghan.
*To Raven, again sighs, how could Calathi trip over her gown? Obviously, her legs were asleep or extremely cramped after sitting there for so long. That kind of thing happens to me all the time, and I'm sure you take at least a little while to get up in the morning. So picture this: you sleep sitting up, in your basement, after staying up to all hours of the night, and then a cat climbs up your back the next morning and you are rudely awakened very suddenly. I imagine that you wouldn't stay on your feet. Tata!
*This is probably the most dramatic chapter I have written so far, and, well, it is a bit risky. Just the same, reviews are always welcome!
Chapter Nine
With dawn came a cool frost. Calathi looked out when she awoke and beheld the forest of Mirkwood, glittering with millions of tiny ice crystals. Her breath caught in her throat, and she half-choked, remembering the beauty of her own home during the fall.
The serene lake beside her house would be coated with a thin layer of ice; she recalled many mornings spent watching the sunrise reflect off its surface. This was the first feeling of homesickness she had endured since her arrival at the palace. Suddenly she longed to see her mother and father, and Meron.
Meron. Did he ever miss her as she missed him now? His easygoing nature, friendly smile, how his hazel eyes always watched her when she spoke, as though what she was saying was the most important thing in the world at that moment. Memory suddenly flooded her mind like a raging wave, and she sank to the ground.
* * * * *
400 years earlier
Calathi sat in the shade of a great oak tree, appreciating the solitude of the forest. She was reading a letter written to her by her Aunt Sominara, who was describing the new foal that had just been born, when she heard footsteps approaching.
Out of the brush came an elf named Harem, one of the most skilled warriors in Ilinar, as her father had told her. She could see now why everyone believed that; he was tall, with black hair cropped to shoulder length. Muscles rippled in his strong arms, and his face was well defined and seemingly very perceptive. In his dexterous hands he held a bouquet of white lilies.
The elf stopped in front of Calathi, who was still seated, and bowed, holding out his gift. Startled, she realized that the flowers were for her, and she took them with trembling fingers. "Dear Calathi, how are you?" he said. He then offered his hand to help her up. Once standing, he stepped away and continued, "You should not be wandering in the forest without someone to protect you." Now he looked her over, and Calathi grew uncomfortable under his gaze.
"I was reading a letter," she answered shyly. "Who would bother me out here?"
"A lot of people may bother you," he replied. She saw his cold, dark eyes watching her in an expression she could not comprehend, and became frightened – utterly frightened, more so than she had ever felt. Her fear ended quickly, however, when he asked, "Would you like to go for a walk?"
Though she still felt a little uneasy, she consented and strode off into the woods, ignoring his outstretched arm. He dropped it eventually and simply walked beside her, a head taller than she.
After a moment she began, "How do you know me? If I am correct, though I have seen you before, we have not been properly introduced."
"Oh! I apologize. I am Harem. Your father talks a lot about you, and I wanted to meet the wonderful lady he speaks of."
"You flatter me, my lord. Though I do not understand why we could not meet somewhere less, well, isolated." She glanced around, noting that they were miles from her home, and already they were passing farther into the forest than before, though night was swiftly approaching.
Harem looked at the young elf once again. At the age of 461, she already showed grace and pride beyond her years. He was nearly a thousand years older than she, but despite this fact he still longed for her – to caress her creamy face, to stroke her soft curls…*no *, he thought. *No, it must not be this way. * "I have a great interest in you, Calathi," he stated. "Your father speaks truly indeed; you are fair and beautiful, and you walk with the elegance and grace of royalty. It would bring me great joy if you would consent to allow me to court you."
The elven maiden was too stunned to speak. A renowned warrior was asking to court her? She could hardly believe it. "But, my lord, I am much too young to begin courtship. My father would never allow it."
"If you are willing to try, my dear, your father does not have to know right away," he replied calmly.
"What? Evade my father? I – I cannot, my lord, I am sorry." She backed away and turned toward her home. The sun was sinking below the horizon, crimson and gold reflecting off the leaves of the trees. *I shouldn't have let it get so late, * she scolded herself. "Goodbye."
She felt a large hand grab her arm. "Calathi, please, do not go. Perhaps your father would agree to it, if I asked."
She yanked herself away. "No; I know him well, and he would not. The very suggestion would cause him great anger. I must go." Her gaze fell upon him, and that same odd gleam was in his eyes. Suddenly, he could contain himself no longer and pulled her toward him, pressing his lips to hers with such passion that Calathi could hardly breath.
The young elf broke away, gasping. "How DARE you treat me with such disrespect? Never, ever, kiss me again without asking for permission first!"
"Calathi, you do not know what you want. Your body wishes for this, but you are scared and confused. I understand. I'll help you." His mouth found hers once again as he wrapped his arms tightly around her.
She protested – struggled with all her strength against the firm grasp of the elf. He was much stronger than her, and she could not escape. Now he was frantically unbuttoning her blouse, all the while touching her arms, her hair, her chest.
How many times had she dreamt of this experience? She had always thought about the moment she'd spend with a companion, someone she loved and trusted. Only this time, it was real. The touches were unwanted; there was no love, only lust. She was up against a tree, his body pressed against hers. She screamed when he released her lips and instead began to kiss her neck and her newly revealed shoulders.
"Please," she begged, "please, stop!" Harem ceased for a moment and lessened his hold on her.
"Calathi, don't you see? We were meant to be together." He was trying to manipulate her – trying to get her to consent to be with him. He gently began to kiss her again, and he pulled his own shirt off. "Let me show you…"
*I can't believe this is happening to me, * she thought. *No, no, no… not me! * She reached up with her free hand, for the other was held against her side in Harem's embrace. She felt desperately for something, anything, that she could use to push him off her. Her hand caught on a loose branch above her, and she yanked it off, pulling it down upon the elf's head with as much force as she could muster.
He yelped in surprise, releasing her and rubbing his bruised head. She seized the opportunity and sprinted off into the woods, Harem's outraged cries following her. He chased her, trying to catch her again so he could get what he had wanted. She was breathless and trembling from head to toe. The warrior gave up on her after a little while, realizing she could outrun him for as long as she needed to. On she ran into the night, as far away as she could until she collapsed, sobbing and shivering.
It was almost dawn, the edge of the sun just peeking over the edge of the forest. *He almost raped me, * she realized. She sat, huddled next to a large boulder, rocking back and forth.
* * * * *
A cramp in her arm brought her from her dazed state. She was rocking back and forth just as she was then, now surrounded by the pictures burned into her mind. *Thank the Valar I was able to escape, * she thought. But she knew in her heart that she was forever changed after that experience. It was the soul reason why she had decided to learn how to fight; she wanted to protect herself, for she had never before felt so helpless.
It was the reason, she then realized, why she had pulled away from Legolas. Calathi had never told anyone her awful story. However, she did feel more comfortable around the Prince than any other male elf, other than Meron.
Meron again. Why did she just now start to think of him? Why hadn't she before thought of any of this? The palace was mystical, of that she was certain. It brought back memories long forgotten, memories that often were unwanted.
Calathi saw through the window that the sun had rose only a little in the sky. Her entire horrible experience had lasted only a short while, of which she was thankful. She feared that if Nora had entered her room and prematurely ended her recollection, she could not have contained herself and would have told her everything.
Nora would surely have told someone, whether it was her father or King Thranduil. She knew the sequence from there: they would search for Harem and bring him to justice, after a testimony by Calathi. She would be forced to look upon his despicable face, and would fall apart at the sight, she was sure. The thought of Legolas seeing her in such a state made her cringe and pray that it would never happen.
The elf stood and stretched her tight muscles before washing her face and combing through her hair. Nora arrived in her room to help her prepare for breakfast, and all the while Calathi forced a smile, acting as though nothing had happened. When Nora's companion donned a crisp, unused gown of amber, the two made their way to the dining hall and began the new day.
*To Raven, again sighs, how could Calathi trip over her gown? Obviously, her legs were asleep or extremely cramped after sitting there for so long. That kind of thing happens to me all the time, and I'm sure you take at least a little while to get up in the morning. So picture this: you sleep sitting up, in your basement, after staying up to all hours of the night, and then a cat climbs up your back the next morning and you are rudely awakened very suddenly. I imagine that you wouldn't stay on your feet. Tata!
*This is probably the most dramatic chapter I have written so far, and, well, it is a bit risky. Just the same, reviews are always welcome!
Chapter Nine
With dawn came a cool frost. Calathi looked out when she awoke and beheld the forest of Mirkwood, glittering with millions of tiny ice crystals. Her breath caught in her throat, and she half-choked, remembering the beauty of her own home during the fall.
The serene lake beside her house would be coated with a thin layer of ice; she recalled many mornings spent watching the sunrise reflect off its surface. This was the first feeling of homesickness she had endured since her arrival at the palace. Suddenly she longed to see her mother and father, and Meron.
Meron. Did he ever miss her as she missed him now? His easygoing nature, friendly smile, how his hazel eyes always watched her when she spoke, as though what she was saying was the most important thing in the world at that moment. Memory suddenly flooded her mind like a raging wave, and she sank to the ground.
* * * * *
400 years earlier
Calathi sat in the shade of a great oak tree, appreciating the solitude of the forest. She was reading a letter written to her by her Aunt Sominara, who was describing the new foal that had just been born, when she heard footsteps approaching.
Out of the brush came an elf named Harem, one of the most skilled warriors in Ilinar, as her father had told her. She could see now why everyone believed that; he was tall, with black hair cropped to shoulder length. Muscles rippled in his strong arms, and his face was well defined and seemingly very perceptive. In his dexterous hands he held a bouquet of white lilies.
The elf stopped in front of Calathi, who was still seated, and bowed, holding out his gift. Startled, she realized that the flowers were for her, and she took them with trembling fingers. "Dear Calathi, how are you?" he said. He then offered his hand to help her up. Once standing, he stepped away and continued, "You should not be wandering in the forest without someone to protect you." Now he looked her over, and Calathi grew uncomfortable under his gaze.
"I was reading a letter," she answered shyly. "Who would bother me out here?"
"A lot of people may bother you," he replied. She saw his cold, dark eyes watching her in an expression she could not comprehend, and became frightened – utterly frightened, more so than she had ever felt. Her fear ended quickly, however, when he asked, "Would you like to go for a walk?"
Though she still felt a little uneasy, she consented and strode off into the woods, ignoring his outstretched arm. He dropped it eventually and simply walked beside her, a head taller than she.
After a moment she began, "How do you know me? If I am correct, though I have seen you before, we have not been properly introduced."
"Oh! I apologize. I am Harem. Your father talks a lot about you, and I wanted to meet the wonderful lady he speaks of."
"You flatter me, my lord. Though I do not understand why we could not meet somewhere less, well, isolated." She glanced around, noting that they were miles from her home, and already they were passing farther into the forest than before, though night was swiftly approaching.
Harem looked at the young elf once again. At the age of 461, she already showed grace and pride beyond her years. He was nearly a thousand years older than she, but despite this fact he still longed for her – to caress her creamy face, to stroke her soft curls…*no *, he thought. *No, it must not be this way. * "I have a great interest in you, Calathi," he stated. "Your father speaks truly indeed; you are fair and beautiful, and you walk with the elegance and grace of royalty. It would bring me great joy if you would consent to allow me to court you."
The elven maiden was too stunned to speak. A renowned warrior was asking to court her? She could hardly believe it. "But, my lord, I am much too young to begin courtship. My father would never allow it."
"If you are willing to try, my dear, your father does not have to know right away," he replied calmly.
"What? Evade my father? I – I cannot, my lord, I am sorry." She backed away and turned toward her home. The sun was sinking below the horizon, crimson and gold reflecting off the leaves of the trees. *I shouldn't have let it get so late, * she scolded herself. "Goodbye."
She felt a large hand grab her arm. "Calathi, please, do not go. Perhaps your father would agree to it, if I asked."
She yanked herself away. "No; I know him well, and he would not. The very suggestion would cause him great anger. I must go." Her gaze fell upon him, and that same odd gleam was in his eyes. Suddenly, he could contain himself no longer and pulled her toward him, pressing his lips to hers with such passion that Calathi could hardly breath.
The young elf broke away, gasping. "How DARE you treat me with such disrespect? Never, ever, kiss me again without asking for permission first!"
"Calathi, you do not know what you want. Your body wishes for this, but you are scared and confused. I understand. I'll help you." His mouth found hers once again as he wrapped his arms tightly around her.
She protested – struggled with all her strength against the firm grasp of the elf. He was much stronger than her, and she could not escape. Now he was frantically unbuttoning her blouse, all the while touching her arms, her hair, her chest.
How many times had she dreamt of this experience? She had always thought about the moment she'd spend with a companion, someone she loved and trusted. Only this time, it was real. The touches were unwanted; there was no love, only lust. She was up against a tree, his body pressed against hers. She screamed when he released her lips and instead began to kiss her neck and her newly revealed shoulders.
"Please," she begged, "please, stop!" Harem ceased for a moment and lessened his hold on her.
"Calathi, don't you see? We were meant to be together." He was trying to manipulate her – trying to get her to consent to be with him. He gently began to kiss her again, and he pulled his own shirt off. "Let me show you…"
*I can't believe this is happening to me, * she thought. *No, no, no… not me! * She reached up with her free hand, for the other was held against her side in Harem's embrace. She felt desperately for something, anything, that she could use to push him off her. Her hand caught on a loose branch above her, and she yanked it off, pulling it down upon the elf's head with as much force as she could muster.
He yelped in surprise, releasing her and rubbing his bruised head. She seized the opportunity and sprinted off into the woods, Harem's outraged cries following her. He chased her, trying to catch her again so he could get what he had wanted. She was breathless and trembling from head to toe. The warrior gave up on her after a little while, realizing she could outrun him for as long as she needed to. On she ran into the night, as far away as she could until she collapsed, sobbing and shivering.
It was almost dawn, the edge of the sun just peeking over the edge of the forest. *He almost raped me, * she realized. She sat, huddled next to a large boulder, rocking back and forth.
* * * * *
A cramp in her arm brought her from her dazed state. She was rocking back and forth just as she was then, now surrounded by the pictures burned into her mind. *Thank the Valar I was able to escape, * she thought. But she knew in her heart that she was forever changed after that experience. It was the soul reason why she had decided to learn how to fight; she wanted to protect herself, for she had never before felt so helpless.
It was the reason, she then realized, why she had pulled away from Legolas. Calathi had never told anyone her awful story. However, she did feel more comfortable around the Prince than any other male elf, other than Meron.
Meron again. Why did she just now start to think of him? Why hadn't she before thought of any of this? The palace was mystical, of that she was certain. It brought back memories long forgotten, memories that often were unwanted.
Calathi saw through the window that the sun had rose only a little in the sky. Her entire horrible experience had lasted only a short while, of which she was thankful. She feared that if Nora had entered her room and prematurely ended her recollection, she could not have contained herself and would have told her everything.
Nora would surely have told someone, whether it was her father or King Thranduil. She knew the sequence from there: they would search for Harem and bring him to justice, after a testimony by Calathi. She would be forced to look upon his despicable face, and would fall apart at the sight, she was sure. The thought of Legolas seeing her in such a state made her cringe and pray that it would never happen.
The elf stood and stretched her tight muscles before washing her face and combing through her hair. Nora arrived in her room to help her prepare for breakfast, and all the while Calathi forced a smile, acting as though nothing had happened. When Nora's companion donned a crisp, unused gown of amber, the two made their way to the dining hall and began the new day.