1. A Bird in a Cage

There was nothing to compare to Imladris in it's glory. The golden Mellyrn trees in Lothlorien were a wonder to behold but they held none of the bright color and magic that was Rivendell, and there could be no place more welcoming than the last Homely House on a crisp evening in early autumn. The smell of harvest apples filled the air and every inch of the valley was painted with brilliant reds and golds in a thousand shades, colors uncounted since the dawn of Arda

And Arwen was all but locked in her bedchamber.

'She let out a listless sigh, and allowed herself to slump against the the rail on her terrace with a pout. she was too old to slouch, she reminded herself, but then she was too old to pout as well, if her father was to be believed.

Dear sweet Ada, she was going to kill him.

She was so rarely home these days why must he always insist on spoiling it with a dreadful ball? She detested balls. Oh she loved to dance, when a capable partner happened to be available but quite frankly it had become an exercise in futility. A ball seemed to exist only for the purpose of taking very happy, unattached young maidens, which she was, and turning them into harried harassed, and unhappily married women, which she had vowed never to become.

She supposed she deserved her current predicament. During her last visit home she and her dearest friend had made an escape into the forest, missing the ball in favor of a very frosty swim. Her brothers had been livid when they had finally found her.

It's not that she had been indiscreet swimming with Legolas in only their underclothes, Elves were much less concerned over physical modesty than humans. She and Legolas had been best friends since they were elflings and there seemed to be no end to the evil ideas that he could manufacture. This was helpful since her older twin brothers might very possibly be the two most singularly evil elves to ever walk upon Arda. In punishment for running away from the ball, and making them miss their opportunity to flirt with several maidens, Elladan had sewn her nightshift to the bed sheets while she was still wearing it. How she had slept though it she still couldn't understand.

Now the offending siblings were stationed in the hall outside her door to assure she made an appearance at the ball this time. Meanwhile the garden called to her in it's most tempting voice and she heaved a sigh.

"So sad!" a voice called from below the terrace "What evil is at work that such a lovely elleth is captive in this castle?" Arwen grinned, leaning over the rail.

"Brave Knight!" she giggled "How you cheer my heart for I thought that I should despair in this prison, have you come to rescue me?"

"What foul creature is your jailer my lady, be it orc's or trolls?" Legolas called back with a winning smile.

"Nay proud warrior!" Arwen replied "It is two twin dragons fiery of breath and foul of temper."

"I know these dragons and I assure you my lady their breath is quite foul as well." Legolas laughed as Arwen giggled, "I fear even a hundred warriors could not free you from your vile prison."

"Do not tease Legolas!" she called down, "come up and tell my brothers you've come to escort me to the ball, then I can have a walk in the garden."

"Undomiel you press too much upon our long friendship." Legolas said seriously, "The last time I crossed the sons of Elrond I awoke to find myself covered in honey and goose feathers."

"It was not so bad as the time they locked you naked in the cellar." Arwen pointed out.

"Undomiel if you mention that again I shall be forced to abandon you to your fate." Legolas said sternly.

"I am sorry Melon nin." She replied with her most disarming smile. "But I cannot stand to be pent up like this one minute more."

"It will do little good for me to call on you." he replied practically "Your dear brothers are no more likely to allow you to go with me than with a balrog."

"Do you suppose I could climb down the trellis?" she asked, craning her neck to see over the side of the terrace. He considered her question a moment before shaking his head.

"There are far too many thorns, I miss your old room Undomiel, it was a good deal easier to sneak in and out of."

"Well I will not be defeated." Arwen replied staunchly "You are simply going to have to come up with a plan to get me out of here."

"Me?" he frowned "I am not the one trapped in a bedchamber."

"Please Legolas?" she begged with a charming smile "I shall go mad if I do not get out of here." He heaved an irritated sigh. Could she not, even once, keep him out of her ill-advised mischief?

"Legolas!" a voice called through the garden. He rubbed his forehead, cringing inwardly. Could this day get any worse?

"Rumil, Orophin!" he replied smiling broadly "It is good to see you, old friends. What brings you to Imladris?"

"We escort the Lady Undomiel." Rumil replied with a broad grin. "Tis a gift to be the brothers of Lothorien's March warden."

"And an opportunity to sample some of Elrond's choice spring wine!" Orophin added, "Does he still hide it in his study?"

"I think it is in the Library behind the statue of Luthien." Arwen replied. The two brothers stood frozen and turned as one to look up at her.

"M.. my Lady!" Rumil stammered.

"We did not see you there!" Orophin added.

"Of course not." she replied with a wicked grin. "Or you should not have been plotting thievery."

"You would not tell your father of our transgressions?" Rumil asked in horror as the color drained from his face. Legolas tried to stifle a laugh as he watched the two rogues. Perhaps this day would go better than he thought.

"I will keep your confidence." she said with narrowed eyes and he watched the brothers visibly sigh in relief. "But I will expect something in return."

"My lady, we stand ready to serve." Orophin declared placing his hand over his heart.

"Good." Arwen replied, the evil expression deepening. "Then one of you shall come up here, immediately to escort me to the ball."

"The ball is not for another two hours." Rumil said in confusion.

"Nor is the evening," Arwen replied darkly "and I do not intend to waste the daylight a captive in my chamber. One of you will come collect me from my brothers so I can take in the gardens."

"You want us to lie?" Rumil asked in terror.

"To the sons of Elrond?" Orophin paled.

"Now, if you please." Arwen demanded, "Or I shall be forced to tell my father where all his wine has crept off to these many years."

"Lady Undomiel," Orophin shook his head, his shoulders sagging in despair "Your dear brothers would never allow either one of us to sit next to you at dinner, much less escort you unwatched."

"We are scoundrels of the lowest caliber." Rumil agreed, nodding fiercely, "They shall run us through if we dare to approach them." Arwen tried to stifle a laugh as Legolas rolled his eyes. It was true of course, not that either elf had admitted it before. She took it as a testament to their desperate situation.

"Then my father shall no doubt be calling for you tomorrow." she replied, her eyes narrowing.

"It is a bitter choice brother." Rumil sighed shaking his head.

"Weather by the wrath of Elrond or the blades of Elladan and Elrohir we shall come to the halls of Mandos." Orophin agreed sadly.

"But which is the more lingering death?" Rumil asked, "If I must die I should like it to be quick." Legolas could almost pity them. Almost, he thought as he chuckled, but not quite.

"We must find someone more respectable to free the fair bird from her cage." Orophin declared and together they turned to Legolas.

"Nay, not I." he laughed, holding up his hands "Too often have I caused mischief to be trusted. You are on your own my friends."

"Whom do we know that the twins would not suspect?" Rumil asked, shaking his head "They shall not allow her to go with just anyone."

"We should find an elf of unimpeachable moral character." Orophin said, "Someone they would not dare to think ill of."

"Or at the very least someone good with a sword." Rumil shook his head, "We are doomed brother, all of our associates are even more vulgar than we."

"It is a blight against the modern state of chivalry." Orophin said sourly "What is the world coming to?"

"It is a sad state of affairs when there can be found none more noble than we." Rumil agreed. Orophin's face brightened and Rumil threw his brother a dark glare.

"I know one!" Orophin smiled broadly as Rumil's eyes narrowed in question "Haldir." His brother's eyes widened with a fresh horror and he turned quickly back to the lady.

"I shall come and collect you in all haste, my Lady." he said "If I shall fall at least my brother will be spared for your father should surely throttle us both."

"I should be surprised if they do any more than geld you." Legolas said with a wicked grin. Rumil winced, growing pale.

"I should sooner die with my elfhood in tact." he replied harshly.

"Haldir will help us." Orophin insisted.

"Haldir will geld us both!" Rumil declared, his voice rising slightly at the thought "I should sooner take my chances with the son's of Elrond."

"This is a golden opportunity brother." Orophin whispered quietly so that his voice would not carry "You know how long our dear brother has pined for the lovely Evenstar."

"Pined yes." Rumil agreed "but he would never act on it."

"Not on his own perhaps but if we told him that she had ordered his presence he would have no choice but to comply." Orophin said "and once in the garden who knows what may happen."

"Not what you may think." Rumil replied sourly "Our brother is a gentleman. Besides, you know she hates him."

"Do have a little sense. She does not even know him." Orophin snorted "A lovely warm elleth to come home to at night is exactly what our dear brother needs to mellow him a bit. I'd wager that one could make a new man of him."

"You might be right in that." Rumil nodded, "but we will need the agreement of the lady."

"Lady Arwen," Orophin called up to her, "We have a compromise to propose."

"Propose quickly." she replied darkly, her patience wearing thin.

"Our brother Haldir would doubtless be willing to come and claim you on your orders." Orophin said "I'm sure your brothers would not object to him." Arwen heaved a sigh, Haldir was a humorless arrogant, bore. She had tolerated his presence since coming to Lothlorien after her mother's death. The single dark blotch on an otherwise happy existence. Oh well, even Haldir would be better than captivity.

"Orophin, I would take in the gardens with Sauron himself if only to get out of this room." she said severely.

"We will send for him!" Rumil said brightly and with a nod and a bow they disappeared.

"Undomiel, I almost wish I had come to claim you myself rather than saddle you with that mirthless march warden." Legolas sighed shaking his head.

"At least in the gardens I do not have to look at him." she replied with a grin "And when he escorts me to the ball I can easily slip from his grasp, I don't doubt he will be happy to be rid of me." Legolas shook his head. He could not imagine the elf in Middle Earth happy to let Arwen escape him.