Ch. 9
Elladan was walking through the trees by the stream in a dejected silence. Fighting with his twin brother over so serious a matter as their beloved Rian-Celine hurt him terribly. In his absolute reverie he nearly stumbled on top of Rian-Celine. She was weeping. At once Elladan forgot his own problems and stooped to comfort her.
'Rian-Celine! What is wrong?' Rian-Celine moved away hastily, wiping her eyes.
'Nothing, Elladan. I'm fine.'
'Yes there is. Tell me.' the girl looked up at him through her tears. Elladan gasped. She was so beautiful, even in her sorrow. He wanted to hold her, comfort her, make her the happiest woman in the world. He took her hands tenderly. Rian-Celine wrenched her hands away immediately, then flung her arms around his neck and sobbed. How could she tell him she was his great-great-grand aunt? Did she even believe that? Why should she give up everything for the sake of Middle-Earth?
'I love you, Rian-Celine Woodlands," Elladan whispered softly, breathing deeply of the sweet vanilla scent of her red-gold hair.
'No matter what?'
For answer he started to kiss her. Rian-Celine pulled away, and looked at him sadly with a great sigh.
"Elladan, I...am your...ancestor. Luthien Tinuviel's lost sister. We...cannot do this, Elladan."
The Elf stepped back, a horrible fear in his eyes. Rian-Celine walked away. She did not see Elrohir come running to find his brother.
Rian-Celine did not see Elladan or Elrohir again. They left the same day on one of their orc-slaying expeditions, although Elladan very much desired to stay near her. She was resolved not to ask for help in this, especially not of her great-grand nephew Elrond. Back in her room, Rian-Celine contemplated the Ring.
"If I don't, Middle-Earth may be destroyed. If I do, I'll be doomed like Luthien." She slipped the Ring onto her finger, still doubting.. Everything went quiet, and the smell of rain-washed Rivendell was no longer, yet a wave of confidence and resolve banished her doubts. Rian-Celine, Melian's Curfinwen, smiled.
"I will!"
And somewhere in Rivendell, an Elf-maid was singing the Lay of Luthien.
Elladan was walking through the trees by the stream in a dejected silence. Fighting with his twin brother over so serious a matter as their beloved Rian-Celine hurt him terribly. In his absolute reverie he nearly stumbled on top of Rian-Celine. She was weeping. At once Elladan forgot his own problems and stooped to comfort her.
'Rian-Celine! What is wrong?' Rian-Celine moved away hastily, wiping her eyes.
'Nothing, Elladan. I'm fine.'
'Yes there is. Tell me.' the girl looked up at him through her tears. Elladan gasped. She was so beautiful, even in her sorrow. He wanted to hold her, comfort her, make her the happiest woman in the world. He took her hands tenderly. Rian-Celine wrenched her hands away immediately, then flung her arms around his neck and sobbed. How could she tell him she was his great-great-grand aunt? Did she even believe that? Why should she give up everything for the sake of Middle-Earth?
'I love you, Rian-Celine Woodlands," Elladan whispered softly, breathing deeply of the sweet vanilla scent of her red-gold hair.
'No matter what?'
For answer he started to kiss her. Rian-Celine pulled away, and looked at him sadly with a great sigh.
"Elladan, I...am your...ancestor. Luthien Tinuviel's lost sister. We...cannot do this, Elladan."
The Elf stepped back, a horrible fear in his eyes. Rian-Celine walked away. She did not see Elrohir come running to find his brother.
Rian-Celine did not see Elladan or Elrohir again. They left the same day on one of their orc-slaying expeditions, although Elladan very much desired to stay near her. She was resolved not to ask for help in this, especially not of her great-grand nephew Elrond. Back in her room, Rian-Celine contemplated the Ring.
"If I don't, Middle-Earth may be destroyed. If I do, I'll be doomed like Luthien." She slipped the Ring onto her finger, still doubting.. Everything went quiet, and the smell of rain-washed Rivendell was no longer, yet a wave of confidence and resolve banished her doubts. Rian-Celine, Melian's Curfinwen, smiled.
"I will!"
And somewhere in Rivendell, an Elf-maid was singing the Lay of Luthien.