Chapter 7
Author: Arwen
Meneatarion motioned for a servant, the same one entrusted by Legolas to take her to her mother, and whispered something into his ear. The Elf ran toward the house to carry about some task.
"Araréiel?" Legolas prodded. "And you?"
Never had she felt so shocked and confused. A wave of nausea passed over her. She quickly pressed her hands to her stomach, feeling chilled to the bone. Innumerable Elves and Men watched her. Some held shields and she recognized many crests as being from as far away as the edges of Middle Earth. She did not move from her spot, knowing that to do so could be taken as consent to join a mission she knew nothing about.
She finally forced herself to laugh a small laugh. "You must be jesting to expect me to accept while telling me and Imlain there nothing about the quest you wish us to depart on. When? Why? How? What is-"
Interrupting her, Legolas told her, "We do not have time for details right now. The situation is rather urgent."
"Urgent! Not too long ago, Legolas, you told me I would not understand and handed me to a servant to deliver me to my mother like a parcel, and now you expect me to go out on the very mission you denied me any information about!"
Her father smiled down at her, a grave smile. "I am happy to see you accept your commission." At her confused stare, he filled in, "You came forward."
Indeed in her tirade she had come forward and stopped hardly more than a foot from Legolas. "You tricked me," she whispered. She stepped back feeling both panicked and furious. "You knew I would step forward." Imlain came to her and put a friendly arm around her waist, leading her to a nearby bench. She smiled gratefully at the Elf who had been a dead friend from childhood. "Can you do this?"
He sat her down before sitting himself, "Aye, I think I can."
A Man from the crowd watched the proceeding and commented, "I don't know about him, and even less about her. I understand she is your daughter, my lord, but is she really up to the tasks before her?" No one answered him.
As she looked down she saw a pair of boots advance. She sighed as their owner sat beside her and put an arm around her in attempt to be comforting. While she would have before invited this, she instead pushed his arm away and stood up, turning back on him.
"Legolas, why? I am not Lieutenant Araréiel, and you are not Captain Legolas. I am a lady, and you are the prince. What reason do you have for thinking we and Imlain are prepared for this?
Her father decided to allow the two fight this out themselves. He knew she would cave if only he did not step in the way.
"No one is prepared for this, Araréiel" Legolas said, standing quickly before her.
Imlain's voice broke through the air as he rose next to her. "I'm not sure what we are supposed to do, but I think we can do what we need to do together. You won't be alone." Araréiel bit her lip before reaching up to hug him tightly. "We'll be with you. It'll be okay." He looked over her head at Legolas right behind her, a question in his eye. Had she just spoken the truth? Legolas responded with a small shrug and a sad shake of his head, silently saying he didn't know.
Imlain very slightly turned her, guiding her up to Legolas. She sighed and turned to him as he pulled her from Imlain and into his arms.
She dropped her head down onto his shoulder. "This day was not supposed to end like this, Legolas," she murmured. "I know this involved the dark lord somehow. Will we be all right?" He said nothing as he rubbed her back, trying to console her, but understanding that she had just agreed.
He now-fellow lieutenant stepped over to her father, angry. This pleased the old Elf to see Imlain fired up for once in his life.
He spoke very low, not wanting Araréiel to hear, for he had long considered her to be like a sister. "Meneatarion, what are you about? She cannot do this. She is barely more than a child"
"Neither are you, my boy. And neither is he," he said, glancing fondly at his daughter, glad Legolas was trying to calm her, even more glad she was allowing him. "But we have decided you are the best three fit for this mission."
"And why, exactly, is that?"