Author: Arwen
She finally decided to follow him. He was a good distance ahead, but
at least he was not running. She sprinted briefly and stopped a few
yards from him, following.
"Araréiel, what are you doing?" Legolas snapped.
She
crossed her arms and responded, "I have a right to know what is going
on. I am not a child, and I inhabit this world too, Legolas. If we are
told nothing, rumors will begin, as they already have, and the truth
will be better than rumor."
In two long strides Legolas had
closed the distance between them. He raised his hands and placed them
lightly on either side of her face, holding her gaze. Lowering his face
to hers until they were a scant hand-width apart, he told her, "Rumor
may be better than fact for now, dear one, or else certain Elves would
take needless risks." He stroked her cheek his thumb and held her gaze
to ensure she knew he was talking about her taking risks.
Her
heart skipped a beat at the closeness between them. She bit her bottom
lip and placed her own small hands upon the back of his shoulders to
hold him near. When she spoke, she whispered, "Is it true Men will be
involved? I am older than any of them. Why should they be allowed and
not I?"
He sighed and closed his eyes, dropping his head so his
forehead rested on hers. Mild agitation was clear in his voice, mixed
with concern. "You do not understand." Her hands slid to the top of his
shoulders, just barely behind his neck. His eyes flew open, forehead
still on hers. He sighed again, and repeated, "You do not understand."
A moment passed of breath mingling before her pulled his head up and
quickly looked around, grateful to see one of the servants of her
father's home nearby.
"You there! Will you please escort young
Araréiel here home?" The Elf's jaw dropped at the affection between his
lady and prince. Their hands quickly dropped and one of his moved to
the small of her back to firmly guide her to the care of the servant.
"Please take her directly home." He laughed to himself at the irony
that the place she should be was also where she should not be, for the
meeting was to be at her father's home. "Deliver her to her guardian's
care. And, Araréiel, I do not expect to see you hiding anywhere,
watching." He lightly touched his fingers to her cheeks and smile a
slightly arrogant male smile at her before turning to leave.
"Legolas!" she cried, angered that he would leave her. "We are both going to my home. Do you really think you can stop me?"
He
knew he couldn't, but hoped her guardian, a kind Elf who had lived in
their home since the death of Araréiel's mother, could. But now would
not be a good time to talk with her father about her....
As they
all were going the same distance, they reached her home together. He
had shortened his strides to keep and eye on her to make sure she would
not run from the servant.
Once at her home, he turned and softly
said to her, "Do not watch. I forbid it, for your safety." Her breath
shortened at his concern for her.
She watched him walk around to
the terrace where her father always held important meetings. Her
guardian thought her at the glen, and she said to her servant, "I am
here now. I will just go inside alone." She stared pointedly at him,
and walked through the door. If he had taken her to her guardian, who
had been instructed to stay at the home of a friend during the meeting,
she would surely have been held from the meeting. Instead she quickly
and softly climbed the stairs to the second floor to her chamber. The
balcony afforded her an unobstructed view of the terrace, and she could
hide behind a plant if she wished to watch and listen.
She
looked through the leaves of the plant down at those gathering.
Legolas' eyes flickered in her direction, but he did not know her
chamber was located so near. Indeed he did not know she was there, but
the thought had crossed his mind just then that that balcony would be
the perfect spot for her to hide.
For a minute or two her mind
wandered back to the exchange between Legolas and herself, a young,
feminine giggle threatening to give her hiding place away. She was not
a child, but she felt...something...in his presence, and felt it even
stringer when he was as near to her as he was. She had long known him,
and knew him very well.
The Elves seated themselves and the
servants bringing the refreshments were dismissed. Her father called
the meeting to order. Her mind snapped to attention. Now she would
learn what was happening and what would take place in the days to come.
I will put up some more chapters in a few days. The next couple of chapters are still setting up the story, introducing more characters and such. But...a big twist is coming up! Even I didn't see it coming!