A r w e n e l l a
Wow! I never thought I'd get this many reviews, compared to the amount I got on the first chapter! What can I say...thank you! Your comments really have kept me writing. I know I took slightly long on getting this chapter up, but you know what writer's block can do to you...ARG! Hehe, anyways. Please read and review, as usual. It is most appreciated. .::Meggin::.
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Chapter Five- The Invitation
The hand in which Arwen held the letter quivered. The letter fell.
"No," Arwen moaned under her breath. "No!" Primrose, not wanting to witness Arwen's dramatic breakdown, professionally slinked away. Arwen collapsed on Delia's bed and balled her hands into fists. "Extended stay?" she muttered to herself, sighing, rubbing her forehead. "How could Father do this to me? How could he ruin my life like this?" She groaned and flopped on her back, and stared at the ceiling, not knowing if she should cry or be angry. She turned her head to the side and saw the beloved Legolas poster. A smile flickered on Arwen's face.
"Ahem," came a snotty voice from the doorway. Arwen jerked up from the bed immediately, laughing nervously. Delia entered, apparently enraged. "Taking a little snooze on my bed, I see? Did you not hear what I said? I said to sweep the floor and dust the room! Hello?! Do you need hearing aids or something?"
"I wasn't sleeping," Arwen protested. "I simply lost control-"
"And what's this?" Delia asked, scooping up the fallen letter. Her eyes darted across the page. "Ha! Well here's some good news."
Arwen boiled in anger.
"We shall speak of this no more." Delia ripped up the letter and discarded it in a nearby trashcan. "You shall sleep by the fireplace tonight."
"But-"
"DID YOU NOT HEAR ME?" Delia screamed, stomping her feet on the ground. "You shall sleep by the fireplace tonight!"
"But-"
"And because you're so stupidly willing to answer back to me, let's make you sleep by the fireplace for the rest of the week!" Delia pointed a bony finger out her door. "Now leave, you pathetic waste!" Arwen clenched her teeth and exited, cringing at the loud bang of the slammed door. "Ah, Legolas my love." Arwen stopped and kneeled down on the floor, pressing her ear against Delia's door. Delia was having a conversation with her poster again. Arwen suppressed her laughter as she continued eavesdropping. "Legolas, my golden haired, fleet footed beloved." Arwen almost burst out in giggles.
"Having fun, eh?"
Arwen panicked and jolted up to her feet. Before her was Lorain, one of the house servants. Arwen blushed in embarrassment, and then laughed softly.
"Well, you know, it's Delia. Funny how she talks with a poster, you know."
A mischievous look crossed the bronze face of Lorain, and she too laughed with Arwen. Tucking a strand of red hair behind her ear, she knelt down on the floor and began scrubbing it.
"Yeah, that Delia. She gives me the creeps. I can't wait until Lord Elrond comes back, so he could run the house properly. That Lady Uggalflaed makes us work double time. Never gives us any time for ourselves, no peace and quiet."
Arwen nodded in agreement, kneeling down to help with the floor. They worked in silence for a moment, until Lorain spoke up again.
"How can you bear it, Lady? How can you bear their treatment, them treating you like one of us?" Lorain shook her head in anger. "That's not the way it's supposed to be. Lady Arwen, you are the Evenstar of our people. You should not be treated like a servant. Do you realize it? You're practically becoming one of us!" Lorain sighed and continued with the scrubbing.
"Well, see, I know. I know it's all wrong, but I don't want to disappoint Father when he comes back."
"The heck with that! I bet Lord Elrond would be disappointed with this treatment those pigs are giving you now!" Her eyes fell down to the cloth Arwen was using to scrub the floor. "Look at you. Out of all the things you could be doing, you're cleaning the floors with me."
Arwen raised a hand. "Lorain, please, calm down! I...I can bear it. When Father comes home things will be right again. I...just don't want to risk him getting mad at me. I agreed to be on my best behavior, and if that means cleaning floors with the servants, I will do it."
Lorain goggled at her.
"I don't believe your stubbornness, Lady," Lorain breathed in amazement.
"Please, call me Arwen."
Lorain paused.
"Arwen." She blinked, and began working on the floor again, Arwen alongside of her. A voice erupted from inside Delia's room.
"My love. My sweetheart. My darling. My one and only Legolas, you are mine, my love. Someday we shall meet. Someday we shall finally embrace and declare our everlasting love for each other. One day our lips shall meet and we shall live happily ever after! For you and I...we are destined to be together!"
Lorain and Arwen couldn't help it. They erupted in loud, guffawing snorts, slapping their knees and banging the floor hysterically, tears literally streaming down their faces in laughter.
"The Prince of Mirkwood, falling in love with Delia the Snot?" Lorain blurted out, causing the two of them rolling on the floor in laughter once again. There was sudden silence from Delia's room.
"I think she heard us," Arwen said weakly amidst her giggles. Lorain tugged at her sleeve and pulled her up.
"Come on!" she yelled playfully, and they ran down the hallway just in time as Delia banged open the door, swiveling her head about, wondering where the totally unlady-like laughter was coming from.
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Arwen shivered, pulling her torn blanket closer about her shoulders. She yawned and cracked open an eye. The sun's tiny rays trickled through the window and into the dark room. The fire, which had been burning steadily last night, had burned away into ash. Slowly she sat up, rubbing the soot off her skin. She sniffed the air and groaned, disgusted with her stink. Immediately she got up, grabbed her garden things, and went outside. It was approximately 6:00am in the morning.
She was the first one awake, as usual. The other servants got up around 7:00, but Arwen used the extra hour as free time for herself, and to get a few of the chores done.
She kneeled down by the garden she was to tend to daily, and began working on the flowers, watering them, and pulling out the weeds. The crisp, salty air filled her nostrils, and she sighed happily. It was just her and the world- no one else. Just her and her flowers. As she was working, she noticed the lake nearby.
After the garden work she shed off her outer clothing and dove into the lake, floating on her back and washing herself. The water felt good on her aching, tired body. She splashed it on her face, her legs, her arms. So cool, so refreshing...
She saw movement in the corner of her eye. She floated upright, trying to see who it was.
The mailman! There might be another letter from Father.
Quickly Arwen climbed up to shore and put her clothes on, squeezing the excess water out of her dark tresses. Barefoot, she ran to the mailbox and flung the door open, reaching her hand inside and feeling around for any letters.
There was merely one.
Arwen grasped the thick parchment and pulled it out. It looked quite formal, so she flipped it to the other side to try and see who it was from:
Read Quickly.
Very important.
In fact, it has Prince Legolas' life at Stake.
AN INVITATION FROM THE KING OF MIRKWOOD!
She almost dropped the letter in shock. A letter! From the Elf King of Mirkwood! In excitement she tore it open and unfolded the parchment inside. Prince Legolas' life at stake? This had to be very important indeed.
You are cordially invited to a Royal Ball tomorrow night in the palace of
Mirkwood.
A special party for Prince Legolas Greenleaf (who is still single, hint
hint)!
EVERY ELIGIBLE MAIDEN OF THE HOUSEHOLD IS TO ATTEND (no excuses).
Please attend if you can make it.
Obviously this is very urgent. So come! Ha! Ha!
Yours,
King Thranduil
Arwen raised and eyebrow, and reread the letter again. It was written in a rather odd fashion, but Arwen didn't care. A Ball! A party in Mirkwood for Prince Legolas! And Arwen's favorite part: Every eligible maiden of the household was to attend! She jumped up and threw a fist in the air.
"YES!!"
Suddenly Arwen paused, and sadness flooded her body. What was she thinking? Of course Lady Uggalflaed wouldn't let her come. She was considered a servant in the house. And Delia certainly wouldn't like it, not at all.
But she was still part of the family! She was Arwen, daughter of Elrond, an eligible part of the household! Surely Lady Uggalflaed couldn't be that heartless.
She clutched the letter in her hand and walked into the palace, just staring at it, a wide smile on her face.
"Oi! Arwen! What have you got there?"
Arwen looked up, and saw Lorain at the staircase.
"It's an invitation from the King! There's to be a ball tomorrow night for Prince Legolas Greenleaf! Every eligible maiden of the household is to attend! I might be able to come!"
Lorain rushed down and snatched the parchment from her hands. She read the letter herself and jumped up in glee.
"What do you mean you might be able to come? Of course you can come! You're a part of the family!"
Arwen's smile faded.
"Do you really think so? Do you really think Lady Uggalflaed will let me come?" Hope beamed from her eyes.
"Of course. She's got to. You're her step daughter- you're a part of the family. And look-" She pointed to the letter. "Every eligible maiden is to attend- no excuses- in the order of King Thranduil."
Arwen stood in silence, taking it all in. Sighing, she took the letter from Lorain and folded it up.
"I'll have to show this to them once their awake...goodness, I really hope they'll let me come. That would be so exciting! I'll actually be able to meet Legolas! And dance in a fancy dress! And be treated like a normal person again!"
Lorain laughed. "You fancy the Prince too?"
Arwen paused. "I guess so. I find him quite interesting."
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Arwen knocked on Lady Uggalflaed's door, and held her breath. She was shaking uncontrollably, fidgeting in nervousness.
"Come in."
Her breath still inside her, she twisted the doorknob and stepped inside the large room. Lady Uggalflaed was seated on her bed, along with her two daughters Delia and Primrose, still in their nightgowns.
"Aw, mum, what the heck is she doing here?" Delia complained, wrinkling her nose in disgust.
"Be silent, Delia." Lady Uggalflaed reached to the table beside her and held up a cup of tea, sipping from it delicately. "Come, Arwen. What have you done now? Have you broken another vase?"
"No," Arwen replied softly. She took out the folded letter from her pocket. "It's this letter. It just arrived in the mail today-"
"OH MY GOODNESS!" Delia dashed up to Arwen and rudely the grabbed the letter from her. Her eyes whisked across the page and Arwen could swear she almost saw her cry tears of joy. Delia closed her eyes and embraced the letter close to her bosom, falling on her knees and rocking back in forth in pure bliss.
"What in heaven's name are you doing, Delia?" Lady Uggalflaed asked, furious.
"KING THRANDUIL OF MIRKWOOD IS THROWING A PARTY FOR PRINCE LEGOLAS! IT'S A ROYAL BALL! IT'S TOMORROW NIGHT!!!!!" She lowered her voice, and it was quivering with excitement. "And I am coming!"
"Well duh," said Primrose, who had taken the letter and read it for herself. "By the order of the King every eligible maiden must attend- no excuses." She raised her eyes to look at Arwen. "Why, Arwen, that means you can come as well!"
Delia's face turned bright pink.
"Mother, surely you wouldn't let Arwen come? She's a sickening servant! She would never be welcome in the Palace of Mirkwood!"
"Why, no fair Delia! Arwen is our stepsister and she has every right to-"
"SILENCE, BOTH OF YOU!" Lady Uggalflaed's shrill voice pierced the air. The two of them shut up. Arwen stood in the corner, cowering. Lady Uggalflaed stood up and approached Arwen. "Do you wish to come, Arwen?"
Arwen nodded nervously.
"As you wish. Then you may come."
"BUT MOTHER!" Delia exclaimed, ready to have a heart attack.
"If-" Lady Uggalflaed paused dramatically, her eyebrows narrowing forward, causing wrinkles to appear at her forehead. Arwen held her breath. "If you take and finish all the chores of every servant today. That means the servants will get a day off and you will be responsible for fulfilling every chore and task in this palace. Once every chore is done, and once you find a suitable attire-"She wrinkled her nose at Arwen's rags. "Then- you may go."
Arwen nearly died.
"Thank you so much, Stepmother! I promise! I promise to fulfill your wish!" She made an attempt to hug her, but changed her mind.
"Begone, Arwen. We are leaving late tonight, it is a long way to Mirkwood. Make haste."
"Thanks," she said once again, and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Once she was out, she jumped up and threw both fists in the air.
"YES!!!!"
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Hey! I hope you all liked that. Please read and review! The plot thus thickens...and more chapters will be on their way! Please read and review, my fellow friends! This whole story depends on YOU! .::Meggin::.
Wow! I never thought I'd get this many reviews, compared to the amount I got on the first chapter! What can I say...thank you! Your comments really have kept me writing. I know I took slightly long on getting this chapter up, but you know what writer's block can do to you...ARG! Hehe, anyways. Please read and review, as usual. It is most appreciated. .::Meggin::.
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Chapter Five- The Invitation
The hand in which Arwen held the letter quivered. The letter fell.
"No," Arwen moaned under her breath. "No!" Primrose, not wanting to witness Arwen's dramatic breakdown, professionally slinked away. Arwen collapsed on Delia's bed and balled her hands into fists. "Extended stay?" she muttered to herself, sighing, rubbing her forehead. "How could Father do this to me? How could he ruin my life like this?" She groaned and flopped on her back, and stared at the ceiling, not knowing if she should cry or be angry. She turned her head to the side and saw the beloved Legolas poster. A smile flickered on Arwen's face.
"Ahem," came a snotty voice from the doorway. Arwen jerked up from the bed immediately, laughing nervously. Delia entered, apparently enraged. "Taking a little snooze on my bed, I see? Did you not hear what I said? I said to sweep the floor and dust the room! Hello?! Do you need hearing aids or something?"
"I wasn't sleeping," Arwen protested. "I simply lost control-"
"And what's this?" Delia asked, scooping up the fallen letter. Her eyes darted across the page. "Ha! Well here's some good news."
Arwen boiled in anger.
"We shall speak of this no more." Delia ripped up the letter and discarded it in a nearby trashcan. "You shall sleep by the fireplace tonight."
"But-"
"DID YOU NOT HEAR ME?" Delia screamed, stomping her feet on the ground. "You shall sleep by the fireplace tonight!"
"But-"
"And because you're so stupidly willing to answer back to me, let's make you sleep by the fireplace for the rest of the week!" Delia pointed a bony finger out her door. "Now leave, you pathetic waste!" Arwen clenched her teeth and exited, cringing at the loud bang of the slammed door. "Ah, Legolas my love." Arwen stopped and kneeled down on the floor, pressing her ear against Delia's door. Delia was having a conversation with her poster again. Arwen suppressed her laughter as she continued eavesdropping. "Legolas, my golden haired, fleet footed beloved." Arwen almost burst out in giggles.
"Having fun, eh?"
Arwen panicked and jolted up to her feet. Before her was Lorain, one of the house servants. Arwen blushed in embarrassment, and then laughed softly.
"Well, you know, it's Delia. Funny how she talks with a poster, you know."
A mischievous look crossed the bronze face of Lorain, and she too laughed with Arwen. Tucking a strand of red hair behind her ear, she knelt down on the floor and began scrubbing it.
"Yeah, that Delia. She gives me the creeps. I can't wait until Lord Elrond comes back, so he could run the house properly. That Lady Uggalflaed makes us work double time. Never gives us any time for ourselves, no peace and quiet."
Arwen nodded in agreement, kneeling down to help with the floor. They worked in silence for a moment, until Lorain spoke up again.
"How can you bear it, Lady? How can you bear their treatment, them treating you like one of us?" Lorain shook her head in anger. "That's not the way it's supposed to be. Lady Arwen, you are the Evenstar of our people. You should not be treated like a servant. Do you realize it? You're practically becoming one of us!" Lorain sighed and continued with the scrubbing.
"Well, see, I know. I know it's all wrong, but I don't want to disappoint Father when he comes back."
"The heck with that! I bet Lord Elrond would be disappointed with this treatment those pigs are giving you now!" Her eyes fell down to the cloth Arwen was using to scrub the floor. "Look at you. Out of all the things you could be doing, you're cleaning the floors with me."
Arwen raised a hand. "Lorain, please, calm down! I...I can bear it. When Father comes home things will be right again. I...just don't want to risk him getting mad at me. I agreed to be on my best behavior, and if that means cleaning floors with the servants, I will do it."
Lorain goggled at her.
"I don't believe your stubbornness, Lady," Lorain breathed in amazement.
"Please, call me Arwen."
Lorain paused.
"Arwen." She blinked, and began working on the floor again, Arwen alongside of her. A voice erupted from inside Delia's room.
"My love. My sweetheart. My darling. My one and only Legolas, you are mine, my love. Someday we shall meet. Someday we shall finally embrace and declare our everlasting love for each other. One day our lips shall meet and we shall live happily ever after! For you and I...we are destined to be together!"
Lorain and Arwen couldn't help it. They erupted in loud, guffawing snorts, slapping their knees and banging the floor hysterically, tears literally streaming down their faces in laughter.
"The Prince of Mirkwood, falling in love with Delia the Snot?" Lorain blurted out, causing the two of them rolling on the floor in laughter once again. There was sudden silence from Delia's room.
"I think she heard us," Arwen said weakly amidst her giggles. Lorain tugged at her sleeve and pulled her up.
"Come on!" she yelled playfully, and they ran down the hallway just in time as Delia banged open the door, swiveling her head about, wondering where the totally unlady-like laughter was coming from.
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Arwen shivered, pulling her torn blanket closer about her shoulders. She yawned and cracked open an eye. The sun's tiny rays trickled through the window and into the dark room. The fire, which had been burning steadily last night, had burned away into ash. Slowly she sat up, rubbing the soot off her skin. She sniffed the air and groaned, disgusted with her stink. Immediately she got up, grabbed her garden things, and went outside. It was approximately 6:00am in the morning.
She was the first one awake, as usual. The other servants got up around 7:00, but Arwen used the extra hour as free time for herself, and to get a few of the chores done.
She kneeled down by the garden she was to tend to daily, and began working on the flowers, watering them, and pulling out the weeds. The crisp, salty air filled her nostrils, and she sighed happily. It was just her and the world- no one else. Just her and her flowers. As she was working, she noticed the lake nearby.
After the garden work she shed off her outer clothing and dove into the lake, floating on her back and washing herself. The water felt good on her aching, tired body. She splashed it on her face, her legs, her arms. So cool, so refreshing...
She saw movement in the corner of her eye. She floated upright, trying to see who it was.
The mailman! There might be another letter from Father.
Quickly Arwen climbed up to shore and put her clothes on, squeezing the excess water out of her dark tresses. Barefoot, she ran to the mailbox and flung the door open, reaching her hand inside and feeling around for any letters.
There was merely one.
Arwen grasped the thick parchment and pulled it out. It looked quite formal, so she flipped it to the other side to try and see who it was from:
Read Quickly.
Very important.
In fact, it has Prince Legolas' life at Stake.
AN INVITATION FROM THE KING OF MIRKWOOD!
She almost dropped the letter in shock. A letter! From the Elf King of Mirkwood! In excitement she tore it open and unfolded the parchment inside. Prince Legolas' life at stake? This had to be very important indeed.
You are cordially invited to a Royal Ball tomorrow night in the palace of
Mirkwood.
A special party for Prince Legolas Greenleaf (who is still single, hint
hint)!
EVERY ELIGIBLE MAIDEN OF THE HOUSEHOLD IS TO ATTEND (no excuses).
Please attend if you can make it.
Obviously this is very urgent. So come! Ha! Ha!
Yours,
King Thranduil
Arwen raised and eyebrow, and reread the letter again. It was written in a rather odd fashion, but Arwen didn't care. A Ball! A party in Mirkwood for Prince Legolas! And Arwen's favorite part: Every eligible maiden of the household was to attend! She jumped up and threw a fist in the air.
"YES!!"
Suddenly Arwen paused, and sadness flooded her body. What was she thinking? Of course Lady Uggalflaed wouldn't let her come. She was considered a servant in the house. And Delia certainly wouldn't like it, not at all.
But she was still part of the family! She was Arwen, daughter of Elrond, an eligible part of the household! Surely Lady Uggalflaed couldn't be that heartless.
She clutched the letter in her hand and walked into the palace, just staring at it, a wide smile on her face.
"Oi! Arwen! What have you got there?"
Arwen looked up, and saw Lorain at the staircase.
"It's an invitation from the King! There's to be a ball tomorrow night for Prince Legolas Greenleaf! Every eligible maiden of the household is to attend! I might be able to come!"
Lorain rushed down and snatched the parchment from her hands. She read the letter herself and jumped up in glee.
"What do you mean you might be able to come? Of course you can come! You're a part of the family!"
Arwen's smile faded.
"Do you really think so? Do you really think Lady Uggalflaed will let me come?" Hope beamed from her eyes.
"Of course. She's got to. You're her step daughter- you're a part of the family. And look-" She pointed to the letter. "Every eligible maiden is to attend- no excuses- in the order of King Thranduil."
Arwen stood in silence, taking it all in. Sighing, she took the letter from Lorain and folded it up.
"I'll have to show this to them once their awake...goodness, I really hope they'll let me come. That would be so exciting! I'll actually be able to meet Legolas! And dance in a fancy dress! And be treated like a normal person again!"
Lorain laughed. "You fancy the Prince too?"
Arwen paused. "I guess so. I find him quite interesting."
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Arwen knocked on Lady Uggalflaed's door, and held her breath. She was shaking uncontrollably, fidgeting in nervousness.
"Come in."
Her breath still inside her, she twisted the doorknob and stepped inside the large room. Lady Uggalflaed was seated on her bed, along with her two daughters Delia and Primrose, still in their nightgowns.
"Aw, mum, what the heck is she doing here?" Delia complained, wrinkling her nose in disgust.
"Be silent, Delia." Lady Uggalflaed reached to the table beside her and held up a cup of tea, sipping from it delicately. "Come, Arwen. What have you done now? Have you broken another vase?"
"No," Arwen replied softly. She took out the folded letter from her pocket. "It's this letter. It just arrived in the mail today-"
"OH MY GOODNESS!" Delia dashed up to Arwen and rudely the grabbed the letter from her. Her eyes whisked across the page and Arwen could swear she almost saw her cry tears of joy. Delia closed her eyes and embraced the letter close to her bosom, falling on her knees and rocking back in forth in pure bliss.
"What in heaven's name are you doing, Delia?" Lady Uggalflaed asked, furious.
"KING THRANDUIL OF MIRKWOOD IS THROWING A PARTY FOR PRINCE LEGOLAS! IT'S A ROYAL BALL! IT'S TOMORROW NIGHT!!!!!" She lowered her voice, and it was quivering with excitement. "And I am coming!"
"Well duh," said Primrose, who had taken the letter and read it for herself. "By the order of the King every eligible maiden must attend- no excuses." She raised her eyes to look at Arwen. "Why, Arwen, that means you can come as well!"
Delia's face turned bright pink.
"Mother, surely you wouldn't let Arwen come? She's a sickening servant! She would never be welcome in the Palace of Mirkwood!"
"Why, no fair Delia! Arwen is our stepsister and she has every right to-"
"SILENCE, BOTH OF YOU!" Lady Uggalflaed's shrill voice pierced the air. The two of them shut up. Arwen stood in the corner, cowering. Lady Uggalflaed stood up and approached Arwen. "Do you wish to come, Arwen?"
Arwen nodded nervously.
"As you wish. Then you may come."
"BUT MOTHER!" Delia exclaimed, ready to have a heart attack.
"If-" Lady Uggalflaed paused dramatically, her eyebrows narrowing forward, causing wrinkles to appear at her forehead. Arwen held her breath. "If you take and finish all the chores of every servant today. That means the servants will get a day off and you will be responsible for fulfilling every chore and task in this palace. Once every chore is done, and once you find a suitable attire-"She wrinkled her nose at Arwen's rags. "Then- you may go."
Arwen nearly died.
"Thank you so much, Stepmother! I promise! I promise to fulfill your wish!" She made an attempt to hug her, but changed her mind.
"Begone, Arwen. We are leaving late tonight, it is a long way to Mirkwood. Make haste."
"Thanks," she said once again, and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Once she was out, she jumped up and threw both fists in the air.
"YES!!!!"
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Hey! I hope you all liked that. Please read and review! The plot thus thickens...and more chapters will be on their way! Please read and review, my fellow friends! This whole story depends on YOU! .::Meggin::.