A r w e n e l l a
Thanks for all the reviews (though a rather small amount, I appreciate them nonetheless) on the first chapter. I have a pretty fair idea of what the rest of the story is going to be so no need to worry. Please be patient if the chapters come slow, or if you encounter any errors. For crying out loud my vocabulary isn't all that perfect yet lol.
Keep the reviews coming or I won't know how I'm doing at all. Thanks! Meggin
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Chapter Two-The Stepsisters
Amidst her horrible nightmares Arwen could make out a faint booming, like something knocking on a door. KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! In her dreams the horrible nightmarish face of Lady Uggalflaed loomed about her. The face laughed, and Arwen cried out in pain and agony, plugging her ears to the best of her ability. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! Arwen groaned and flipped over in her bed. Lady Uggalflaed's face disappeared, and this time replacing it with her whole body, dressed in one of Celebrian, her mother's white gowns which had been handed down to Arwen. This was enough!
"No! Get out of that!" Arwen cried out in anguish, trying to run to the laughing, horrible Lady Uggalflaed. KNOCK!
At last Arwen was roused. She jerked up in her bed, her back erect. Her eyes were wide open; she was sweating uncontrollably. Her hand drifted to her face, to the back of her neck. She was hot, and feverish. Her thoughts drifted back to the dream she had awoken from. Then the agonizing reality came back to her. Elrond would be marrying Uggalflaed in three days, counting that day. Her father would be going away to the Shire, leaving poor little her with the pig, and two other miniature pigs a.k.a. her stepsisters to be.
"This can't be happening," Arwen mumbled under her breath, as she stood up. Her bare feet touched the cold floor. KNOCK KNOCK! "I'm coming!" she croaked. She went to her dresser and reached for her hairbrush (for you see, this is the number one essential thing elves must take care of early in the morning: their hair), tugging at her dark tresses. "I'm coming," she repeated. She set the hairbrush down, and went to the door, kind of dreading what would happen next. She twisted the doorknob.
"Arwen." It was her Father. "Arwen, what has happened to you? Have you gone swimming lately? And in your good clothes?" Of course he was talking about her excessive amount of sweating. Arwen took a nearby cloth from her drawers and patted her skin.
"I had a nightmare, father." Elrond took his daughter's arm and walked in her room, closing the door behind him. He sat down on her bed, and Arwen followed suit.
"Are you feeling better?" he asked, strangely with no hint of worry. He did not wait for his daughter's answer though, and went right on talking. "Arwen, I want you to be on your best behavior today. Lady Uggalflaed's two daughters are coming over for breakfast, just to meet you, and to get to know the place. I want you to get accustomed to them- (here Arwen snorted)- and show them around the palace, and where they will be sleeping. I needn't worry about this as we've got plenty of spare rooms scattered about." Arwen closed her eyes, dreading the last part. "And of course, their mother will come along as well."
"Father..." Elrond's far away look ended at once. He focused on his daughter. "Are you sure about this? I mean...your decision? Are you sure this is The One?" Elrond looked into her eyes.
"Of course. I know I'm doing the right thing." He gathered her in a warm, hasty embrace. "I want the best for you, daughter." Arwen pulled away.
"No."
"Eh?"
"No. I don't think you're doing the right thing. In fact, I think you're just making me very, very unhappy." Elrond raised an eyebrow, quite intrigued. "I did not like the way she treated me yesterday, for crying out loud, she barely even spoke a word to her future step daughter! I did not like the way she shook my hand, it disgusts me to just think of it. I did not like her name, and will never like it as long as I live. I did not like her laugh...at all. It haunts my dreams. The bottom line is, Father, I do not think she would make a good mother for me at all." She paused, taking in a deep breath. "I don't think she'd ever, ever, ever measure up to my mother Celebrian." This was a very daring thing to say. Elrond sighed, and looked down at the floor, taking his daughter's hands in his.
"Your mother is dead, Arwen, you know that. She has long passed away. She couldn't survive much longer with the poison running through her veins." Tears welled up in Arwen's eyes. Elrond raised a hand and gently wiped them away. "There are some things we must accept in our long lives, Arwen. I expected you to be more mature in handling this matter. It's a big step, but I'm positive it's all for the best." Arwen sat there wordless, staring at nothingness, letting the tears come free.
"How could you?" she whispered fiercely, raising her eyes to look at him.
"I do this because of you, Arwen. Lady Uggalflaed will make a terrific stepmother." Arwen rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, right," she muttered sarcastically. Elrond smiled, and stood up, bringing his daughter up with him.
"Be on your best behavior," he ordered sternly, and with that he was off, slamming the door behind him. Arwen was left there standing.
"I can't believe this is happening," she muttered to herself, sighing laboriously. Slowly she showered and dressed, trying to stall as much time as possible. She would do anything to keep from meeting Lady Uggalflaed and her daughters. After brushing her hair for the two hundredth seventy- second time, her hand simple could not take the pain anymore. Gasping a little bit, she dropped her hairbrush, and it thudded loudly against her wooden dresser. She had to go down. She might as well get it over with than dreading the meeting.
Taking a deep breath, and gathering up all the courage left within her, Arwen exited her room and stepped down the stairs, going as slowly as possible. There were sixteen steps; she had counted before. She would take approximately three seconds going down each one. As Arwen was doing this rather tedious procedure, she could hear the loud gurglish voice of the one and only Lady Uggalflaed.
"WHERE IS THAT DAUGHTER OF YOURS, ELROND, I'M NEARLY STARVING HERE!"
Arwen grinned, and set her left foot down. Thirteen more steps to go.
"ARWEN!" Her father boomed. His voice was dripping with impatience. Arwen shuddered, but kept on with her stalling. While doing this she closed her eyes and tried to picture what the stepsisters would look like. One would be rather fat with greasy golden hair, the other would be pale, skinny, ghastly little creature appearing to be dying of malnutrition. She opened her eyes. Six more steps to go.
"ARWEN!!!!!!!" There was no mistaking this tone of her father's voice. Quickly Arwen rushed down the remaining steps of the stairs, and rushed into the dining area, bracing herself for the horrible image.
"Finally!" There was Lady Uggalflaed, her hand raised to her sweating forehead in a dramatic way. "Well what are you waiting for?" She screamed to the servants. "Prepare the food!" Her hand collapsed as she closed her eyes and took deep breaths. "I nearly starved, my love, STARVED!" she moaned to Elrond.
Arwen averted her eyes to the end of the long table. There sat two young elf maidens. Well, one of my guesses was correct, Arwen thought optimistically to herself. One was a frail, skinny lady appearing to be slightly younger than her other sister, who, to Arwen's surprise, was rather beautiful, with long blond hair and pretty blue eyes. Arwen nearly refused to believe she was related to The Pig.
Lady Uggalflaed seemed to wake up from her trance.
"Girls!" she hissed at her daughters. "Your manners? Stand up and recite your names?" Sighing, the two elf maidens stood up. The pretty one shoved skinny one in the ribs with her elbow.
"You go first," she snarled.
"No, you go first!" the other one replied.
"No, you go first!" the pretty one replied.
"No, YOU-"
"Hello, my name is Arwen," Arwen interrupted. She had grown rather tired of their bickering.
"I'm Delia," the pretty one replied, snot in her voice. She shot daggers at her sister with her eyes.
"I'm Primrose," she sighed delicately. "The prim- rose- get it? Get it?" She burst into an annoying fit of giggles. Delia rolled her eyes at this, as did Arwen.
"Very well," Elrond bellowed. "Be seated, daughter." He motioned to the chair on his left hand. "Be seated." Arwen lifted her skirts and sat down. She was directly across from Uggalflaed. The servants passed out the breakfast foods, and they all tucked in. Arwen inspected the way everyone ate. Her father ate like he ruled the whole universe, his back straight, occasionally making eye contact with his guests. The Pig ate her food ravenously, devouring everything in a matter of seconds (without even using her napkin once). Delia ate in a lady like way, poising her utensils perfectly. Primrose held her knife like she was about to stab someone (A/N: lol, I do that...a disturbing habit I know).
Everything went rather quickly. Soon the breakfast was over, in which no one spoke a single word, and then Arwen found herself stuck with her two future stepsisters.
"Show them around," Elrond called out, his arm enveloped around Lady Uggalflaed's. "We will be taking a quick walk around the area." With that they were gone.
Arwen turned around to find Delia and Primrose goggling at her. She sighed, and started up the stairs.
"Where are you taking us first?" Delia asked in her snotty voice. Arwen shrugged.
"Everywhere."
"What kind of answer is that?" Then and there Arwen knew they would not be compatible. At all.
"How about the bathrooms?" Arwen suggested.
"How about your bedroom?" Primrose suggested at the same time.
"Yes, your bedroom, Arwen. Let's see it," Delia agreed. Majority rules. She was out ruled. Arwen sighed again and continuing trudging up the stairs. Finally they reached their destination. Delia sighed...Arwen did not know if it was in adoration or in complete horror.
It was in complete horror.
"How could you sleep every night on this...this...THING?" Delia exclaimed, touching Arwen's velvet red bed, perfectly perfect.
"Is there anything better?" Arwen retorted.
"Your dresser, it is so empty!" Primrose chimed in. "Do you not wear make up at ALL?" The two continued rambling on.
"CONTINUING!" Arwen had to scream over their voices. "TO THE BATHROOMS!" The stepsisters shut up and followed Arwen out.
This has to be the worst day in my life, Arwen thought to herself miserably.
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This is a much longer chapter—I hope you all like it! The stepsisters are awful, aren't they? Don't worry. more evil laughter That's just the beginning. Only one thing left to say: READ AND REVIEW! I'M COUNTING ON MY READERS! Meggin
Thanks for all the reviews (though a rather small amount, I appreciate them nonetheless) on the first chapter. I have a pretty fair idea of what the rest of the story is going to be so no need to worry. Please be patient if the chapters come slow, or if you encounter any errors. For crying out loud my vocabulary isn't all that perfect yet lol.
Keep the reviews coming or I won't know how I'm doing at all. Thanks! Meggin
-----------------------------------------------
Chapter Two-The Stepsisters
Amidst her horrible nightmares Arwen could make out a faint booming, like something knocking on a door. KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! In her dreams the horrible nightmarish face of Lady Uggalflaed loomed about her. The face laughed, and Arwen cried out in pain and agony, plugging her ears to the best of her ability. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! Arwen groaned and flipped over in her bed. Lady Uggalflaed's face disappeared, and this time replacing it with her whole body, dressed in one of Celebrian, her mother's white gowns which had been handed down to Arwen. This was enough!
"No! Get out of that!" Arwen cried out in anguish, trying to run to the laughing, horrible Lady Uggalflaed. KNOCK!
At last Arwen was roused. She jerked up in her bed, her back erect. Her eyes were wide open; she was sweating uncontrollably. Her hand drifted to her face, to the back of her neck. She was hot, and feverish. Her thoughts drifted back to the dream she had awoken from. Then the agonizing reality came back to her. Elrond would be marrying Uggalflaed in three days, counting that day. Her father would be going away to the Shire, leaving poor little her with the pig, and two other miniature pigs a.k.a. her stepsisters to be.
"This can't be happening," Arwen mumbled under her breath, as she stood up. Her bare feet touched the cold floor. KNOCK KNOCK! "I'm coming!" she croaked. She went to her dresser and reached for her hairbrush (for you see, this is the number one essential thing elves must take care of early in the morning: their hair), tugging at her dark tresses. "I'm coming," she repeated. She set the hairbrush down, and went to the door, kind of dreading what would happen next. She twisted the doorknob.
"Arwen." It was her Father. "Arwen, what has happened to you? Have you gone swimming lately? And in your good clothes?" Of course he was talking about her excessive amount of sweating. Arwen took a nearby cloth from her drawers and patted her skin.
"I had a nightmare, father." Elrond took his daughter's arm and walked in her room, closing the door behind him. He sat down on her bed, and Arwen followed suit.
"Are you feeling better?" he asked, strangely with no hint of worry. He did not wait for his daughter's answer though, and went right on talking. "Arwen, I want you to be on your best behavior today. Lady Uggalflaed's two daughters are coming over for breakfast, just to meet you, and to get to know the place. I want you to get accustomed to them- (here Arwen snorted)- and show them around the palace, and where they will be sleeping. I needn't worry about this as we've got plenty of spare rooms scattered about." Arwen closed her eyes, dreading the last part. "And of course, their mother will come along as well."
"Father..." Elrond's far away look ended at once. He focused on his daughter. "Are you sure about this? I mean...your decision? Are you sure this is The One?" Elrond looked into her eyes.
"Of course. I know I'm doing the right thing." He gathered her in a warm, hasty embrace. "I want the best for you, daughter." Arwen pulled away.
"No."
"Eh?"
"No. I don't think you're doing the right thing. In fact, I think you're just making me very, very unhappy." Elrond raised an eyebrow, quite intrigued. "I did not like the way she treated me yesterday, for crying out loud, she barely even spoke a word to her future step daughter! I did not like the way she shook my hand, it disgusts me to just think of it. I did not like her name, and will never like it as long as I live. I did not like her laugh...at all. It haunts my dreams. The bottom line is, Father, I do not think she would make a good mother for me at all." She paused, taking in a deep breath. "I don't think she'd ever, ever, ever measure up to my mother Celebrian." This was a very daring thing to say. Elrond sighed, and looked down at the floor, taking his daughter's hands in his.
"Your mother is dead, Arwen, you know that. She has long passed away. She couldn't survive much longer with the poison running through her veins." Tears welled up in Arwen's eyes. Elrond raised a hand and gently wiped them away. "There are some things we must accept in our long lives, Arwen. I expected you to be more mature in handling this matter. It's a big step, but I'm positive it's all for the best." Arwen sat there wordless, staring at nothingness, letting the tears come free.
"How could you?" she whispered fiercely, raising her eyes to look at him.
"I do this because of you, Arwen. Lady Uggalflaed will make a terrific stepmother." Arwen rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, right," she muttered sarcastically. Elrond smiled, and stood up, bringing his daughter up with him.
"Be on your best behavior," he ordered sternly, and with that he was off, slamming the door behind him. Arwen was left there standing.
"I can't believe this is happening," she muttered to herself, sighing laboriously. Slowly she showered and dressed, trying to stall as much time as possible. She would do anything to keep from meeting Lady Uggalflaed and her daughters. After brushing her hair for the two hundredth seventy- second time, her hand simple could not take the pain anymore. Gasping a little bit, she dropped her hairbrush, and it thudded loudly against her wooden dresser. She had to go down. She might as well get it over with than dreading the meeting.
Taking a deep breath, and gathering up all the courage left within her, Arwen exited her room and stepped down the stairs, going as slowly as possible. There were sixteen steps; she had counted before. She would take approximately three seconds going down each one. As Arwen was doing this rather tedious procedure, she could hear the loud gurglish voice of the one and only Lady Uggalflaed.
"WHERE IS THAT DAUGHTER OF YOURS, ELROND, I'M NEARLY STARVING HERE!"
Arwen grinned, and set her left foot down. Thirteen more steps to go.
"ARWEN!" Her father boomed. His voice was dripping with impatience. Arwen shuddered, but kept on with her stalling. While doing this she closed her eyes and tried to picture what the stepsisters would look like. One would be rather fat with greasy golden hair, the other would be pale, skinny, ghastly little creature appearing to be dying of malnutrition. She opened her eyes. Six more steps to go.
"ARWEN!!!!!!!" There was no mistaking this tone of her father's voice. Quickly Arwen rushed down the remaining steps of the stairs, and rushed into the dining area, bracing herself for the horrible image.
"Finally!" There was Lady Uggalflaed, her hand raised to her sweating forehead in a dramatic way. "Well what are you waiting for?" She screamed to the servants. "Prepare the food!" Her hand collapsed as she closed her eyes and took deep breaths. "I nearly starved, my love, STARVED!" she moaned to Elrond.
Arwen averted her eyes to the end of the long table. There sat two young elf maidens. Well, one of my guesses was correct, Arwen thought optimistically to herself. One was a frail, skinny lady appearing to be slightly younger than her other sister, who, to Arwen's surprise, was rather beautiful, with long blond hair and pretty blue eyes. Arwen nearly refused to believe she was related to The Pig.
Lady Uggalflaed seemed to wake up from her trance.
"Girls!" she hissed at her daughters. "Your manners? Stand up and recite your names?" Sighing, the two elf maidens stood up. The pretty one shoved skinny one in the ribs with her elbow.
"You go first," she snarled.
"No, you go first!" the other one replied.
"No, you go first!" the pretty one replied.
"No, YOU-"
"Hello, my name is Arwen," Arwen interrupted. She had grown rather tired of their bickering.
"I'm Delia," the pretty one replied, snot in her voice. She shot daggers at her sister with her eyes.
"I'm Primrose," she sighed delicately. "The prim- rose- get it? Get it?" She burst into an annoying fit of giggles. Delia rolled her eyes at this, as did Arwen.
"Very well," Elrond bellowed. "Be seated, daughter." He motioned to the chair on his left hand. "Be seated." Arwen lifted her skirts and sat down. She was directly across from Uggalflaed. The servants passed out the breakfast foods, and they all tucked in. Arwen inspected the way everyone ate. Her father ate like he ruled the whole universe, his back straight, occasionally making eye contact with his guests. The Pig ate her food ravenously, devouring everything in a matter of seconds (without even using her napkin once). Delia ate in a lady like way, poising her utensils perfectly. Primrose held her knife like she was about to stab someone (A/N: lol, I do that...a disturbing habit I know).
Everything went rather quickly. Soon the breakfast was over, in which no one spoke a single word, and then Arwen found herself stuck with her two future stepsisters.
"Show them around," Elrond called out, his arm enveloped around Lady Uggalflaed's. "We will be taking a quick walk around the area." With that they were gone.
Arwen turned around to find Delia and Primrose goggling at her. She sighed, and started up the stairs.
"Where are you taking us first?" Delia asked in her snotty voice. Arwen shrugged.
"Everywhere."
"What kind of answer is that?" Then and there Arwen knew they would not be compatible. At all.
"How about the bathrooms?" Arwen suggested.
"How about your bedroom?" Primrose suggested at the same time.
"Yes, your bedroom, Arwen. Let's see it," Delia agreed. Majority rules. She was out ruled. Arwen sighed again and continuing trudging up the stairs. Finally they reached their destination. Delia sighed...Arwen did not know if it was in adoration or in complete horror.
It was in complete horror.
"How could you sleep every night on this...this...THING?" Delia exclaimed, touching Arwen's velvet red bed, perfectly perfect.
"Is there anything better?" Arwen retorted.
"Your dresser, it is so empty!" Primrose chimed in. "Do you not wear make up at ALL?" The two continued rambling on.
"CONTINUING!" Arwen had to scream over their voices. "TO THE BATHROOMS!" The stepsisters shut up and followed Arwen out.
This has to be the worst day in my life, Arwen thought to herself miserably.
---------------------------------------------
This is a much longer chapter—I hope you all like it! The stepsisters are awful, aren't they? Don't worry. more evil laughter That's just the beginning. Only one thing left to say: READ AND REVIEW! I'M COUNTING ON MY READERS! Meggin