A/N: I'm sorry for the lack of updates, I have been catching up on my sleep for the past three days. Finally the play's over as well as half of my tests. I'm planning to put up 3-4 chapters this Christmas break since I have nothing better to do anyway. :)
OH! AND I HAVE A NEW FIC UP! IT'S ENTITLED LETTERS TO YOU, A HARRY POTTER FIC (JAMES/LILY). READ AND REVIEW THAT AS WELL! THANKS! :)
Aielenamin
Chapter 8 - Off to Lothlorien
Later that morning...
"I take it that you had quite a challenging time with my sister this morning?" Kethaera asked her betrothed, a hint of laughter in her voice. They were in the north gardens, spending some time together on a small mat. Legolas had his back on the trunk of the tree, while Kethaera had her head on the prince's lap; both of them reading a book.
A small smile played on the prince's lips as he remembered the morning events, "You should have been there to see how much your sister made a fool of herself, courtesy of your dear cousins." He tucked the elder Lagasfalen's hair behind her ear as he continued, "It's a mystery how Arienne didn't go crazy in all those years she spent with them."
"She wouldn't have wanted them any other way," she said softly. "Sometimes, I wish I went with her to Rivendell. I feel that she lacks feminine influence in her life only having the Lady Undomiel with her for a short time. The rest she had to endure with those two oafs as well as uncle. You do know that aside from her ineptness with any kind of weapon, she cannot sew a stitch to save her life nor play an instrument? But what she lacks for those skills, she makes up for with the beauty of her spirit," Kethaera mused, thinking of her dear sister.
"I cannot seem to imagine the 'beauty of her spirit' when she chased me around the field with her sword," Legolas pointed out, turning the page of his book. "If I remember correctly, she called me some names I dare not repeat in her ladyship's presence," he said, glancing at her with an exasperated look in his eyes. "She is incorrigible."
"But she has grown up splendidly, don't you agree?" Kethaera asked pointedly, sitting up and splaying her hand on top of his book to make him pay attention to her.
Legolas sighed before closing his book. "Definitely, no longer does she follow me around, making trouble and misbehaving like a child. Now, she prefers to ignore my presence unless she is commanded or forced to be with me. The elleth has acquired an aloofness that does not suit her as well as coolness that unless otherwise provoked will not show her real feelings," Legolas confessed, stating the facts that he had observed from the Arienne in the past few days.
"You are talking about my sister, Legolas," Kethaera said, her voice icing slowly, taking offense with what the prince was saying about Arienne.
"Forgive me, my love," Legolas said, kissing her lips softly. "But your sister puzzles me. It is hard to know what she is feeling and I have to measure them before saying something. Do you not agree with me that she is uncertain with her actions? Rather than act the way she wants to, she acts as if she has mastered them the way she had been taught to how; to respond to an action with a fixed action that cannot have any variations."
A small smile grazed Kethaera's lips as she contemplated her sister's actions. "She is such a mystery that she acts that way even though it is not for her shoulders to bear the responsibility of being true to her duty. There aren't even any duties for her to bear, she doesn't have to marry a noble, nor carry the family finances, even bear a child. She is but the second child of our father and yet, she bears duty and decorum like a cross. No, no," Kethaera paused, searching for the right word, "like a shield."
"A shield?"
"Hmmm. I think Arienne feels that by making a duty that isn't hers her own, she doesn't have to think for herself. No, my sister isn't stupid nor dumb, far from it. Her intelligence isn't something she feels has to be wasted with trifle matters and rather than using it, she merely lets people steer her to so anything. And from the years that she has been masking what she knows, her inner strength and her wisdom, went a little bit rusty, so to speak," she explained, trying to unravel her sister to her fiancée. " You have seen how the twins make her life miserable, the way they tease her mercilessly and take advantage of her sweet and compliant nature. That is an example of her letting people use her. She can easily refuse Elohir's requests to spy on certain maidens or Elledan's demands for accompanying him to the village, but she doesn't. Her need to be superior towards them doesn't surface because aside from not wanting to waste them on those idiots, she rather just comply and do her duty as a dear cousin to them. What she doesn't understand is that someday she would need to let her true self emerge, it's a good thing she's back here in Eryn Lagaslen. She may slowly find her real self once again."
"Don't mistake that for her lack of heart, she's a good soul. Much too good for her own sake, in fact," Kethaera said, shaking her head at her sister's naiveté. She really wished sometimes that she visited Arienne more often in Rivendell, even if only to help her grow up and move on her own two feet emotionally. But she saw that she was able to handle things more lately.
Legolas gathered his betrothed next to him, letting her head rest on his shoulder. "How do you explain her anger then?" he asked, chuckling lightly at the display she made that morning, chasing him around the field, comically as it seemed.
Kethaera muffled her laughter, pressing her face on his shoulder. "That is one thing that she hasn't suppressed at all. That part of her needs to be curbed. Father used to joke that she has enough anger for ten people when she throws objects around when she was having one of her infamous tantrums as a child. Surely you remember those, especially when you went away for diplomatic trips," she said, poking his side.
"It would take a thousand deaths for me not to remember those," he said fondly at the small child who had to be locked up in her room to be silenced only to be found in the midst of her destroyed room, asleep. "Did you know that she thought I didn't visit her in Rivendell?"
"How can she not think that way when you refused to show yourself to her?" Kethaera asked dryly, rolling her eyes. "It wasn't as if she would claw your eyes out when she sees you in Rivendell."
"I beg to differ, especially since we have just discussed her anger issues," Legolas said laughingly before quickly sobering up. "I must admit though, she grew up since the last time I saw her." She grew up to be a beauty, he added to himself silently.
Kethaera quirked her eyebrow at the implications his words held but kept the thought to herself. The pair enjoyed the comfortable silence between them, each lost to their own thoughts about the younger elleth until Kethaera remembered something. She looked up to the prince face and grinned, "There are so many things to be done before our wedding and the second feast is in a month's time. I do not think I will be able to go to Lothlorien with you to personally invite the Lady Galadriel and her people."
Legolas frowned at his betrothed face. The arrangements had been made more than three months ago that they would both personally see the Lady of the Woods to invite them to their wedding. They were to ride to Lothlorien in two day's time to be able to get there in a week without messing up the tight schedule that they have.
"Now don't frown at me, my prince," Kethaera said, sitting back up before sighing. "The seamstresses will be here tomorrow and will be fitting the gowns of the ladies and lords and I have to be there. Now, don't worry. Honestly, Legolas, do you think that I would let you go there alone? Arienne will accompany you to Lothlorien in my place," she said.
A shocked look crossed the prince face, missing the mischievous twinkle in his fiancé's eyes. "Arienne?!" So many things crossed his mind when he realized Kethaera's plan. There was no doubt in his mind that he was attracted to his soon to be sister-in-law and to be with her with his soon to be wife's permission was like placing him in direct target of a band of orcs. "Bu—but why Arienne?" he sputtered, his eyebrows knitting together.
"Because you need to spend time with my sister, she's family and you've spent the least time with her," she said, shrugging. "Besides, she's friendly with the wood elves and grandmother favors her and she knows the march warden as well, she'll be an asset to your journey. Why? Is there anything wrong with taking Arienne to this trip?"
"N—no," Legolas answered, his face still frowning. "Does she know that she'll be coming with me to Lothlorien then?"
Kethaera grinned at him before sheepishly shaking his head.
Eru, Legolas thought, closing his eyes.
"NO!" Arienne burst out, dropping her cutlery after hearing her sister's proposition to her in the dining table. "Absolutely not!"
"Why not?" Kethaera asked mildly, hardly taking notice of her sister's outburst. Whilst Elledan and Elohir were suppressing their laughter at the obvious reaction of their cousin, earning them a swift kick from Kethaera under the table which made Elledan promptly choke on a piece of meat he was swallowing.
"Why not? Why NOT?! You're asking me to go to Lothlorien, a week's ride from here, with your fiancé! That's what's wrong!" Arienne cried out, gripping the side of her dress, her eyes flaring.
"Why are you so angry at this arrangement Arienne?" Kethaera asked gently, trying her best to calm her irrational sister. "I cannot go to Lothlorien because I have too many things to do here that needs my input before the wedding. Father and I asked you to come home to help me in any way to get this under way with less troubles," she reminded her sister.
"Why don't you ask one of the two oafs beside you to come with him?" she asked, slumping her back on the high backed chair.
"Because those two oafs are not of my direct blood and it would be less respect for the Lady Galadriel if I send something less than that," she explained patiently to her sister who was resembling a bratty child at the moment.
"Ahem. For the record, we are not oafs," Elledan pointed out only to be silenced by Kethaera's look.
Arienne was staring at her food menacingly as she thought of her sister's absurd plan. She was thankful that her father and uncle took supper with the King earlier that night and missed her outburst. She did not know what her sister was cooking up for her but she had an inkling that it was no good. Granted that the plan that she was saying about the seamstress were true (she was there when the messengers arrived informing of their arrival), and that she was the sister of the bride, the plan did not sit well with her.
"Look Kethaera, I know I'm here to help but can you make my tasks a bit less uncomfortable?" she asked tiredly of her sister.
The elder Lasfaelgen lifted her eyebrow at the younger elleth and said, "He will be part of the family soon enough and you have to learn how to be comfortable around him. I know you're feeling embarrassed about how you acted as a child but I can assure you that that is all in the past with the prince."
"Think of it this way Arienne, he can continue teaching you swordplay even on your journey. Time's a ticking, dear cousin," Elledan interjected with a grin.
Kethaera reached for her sister's hand across the table. "I trust you enough to take care of my betrothed—"
"How? By killing him with her sword?" Elrohir asked obnoxiously.
"That insult is getting old Elrohir," Kethaera said, glaring at him.
"As I was saying, I trust you enough to take care of Legolas. How? I do not know but you're an asset on this journey seeing that you told me once that you know the March Warden and grandmother hasn't seen you in a long while. And rest assured that I shall skin him alive if he lets harm befall on you," she said, seeing her sister's face crack at the suggestion that she'll see her grandmother.
"Does he know that I am coming with him?"
Kethaera nodded her reply, leaning back on her chair. "You'll both be leaving on the morning on the day after tomorrow. That should give you enough time to be back a week before the second feast."
Arienne sighed, seeing that there was nothing much she could do. Her sister was right of course, she just didn't want to spend time with Legolas too much for all the obvious reasons that have been clouding her mind for the past few days. In her experience, infatuations disappear quickly when she didn't see the object of her affections for even a few days and that was what she intended to do. Too bad for her that the plan was thwarted by none other than her sister.
Two days later, she was securing her pack on the side of Melithel, shoving another pack of lembas bread to the small space on the side. They were to leave an hour before dawn and yet she was already in the stables, it was two hours before dawn at that time. Just like when she was to leave for Eryn Lagaslen, she couldn't sleep much out of nervousness and uncertainty. She didn't once see the prince the day before and she couldn't decide whether to feel relieved or disappointed. Deciding to wait on the marble stairs that led to the entrance of the castle, she steered her horse silently.
"I see someone's excited," a low voice drawled behind her.
Arienne jumped at the unexpected voice, failing to sense that someone was near her. She looked behind her to see the prince in his riding clothes, bounding down the marble steps. "You really should stop doing that," she muttered.
"Doing what?" he asked innocently. "Good morning," he greeted her, pinching her nose lightly before sitting down on one of the steps near her.
"Coming out from nowhere," she answered, wrinkling her nose. She settled Melithel next to where she chose to sit down after pulling out the pack of lembas she stuffed in the pack a while ago. "You're early as well," she commented, pulling out a piece of bread before offering him one. He got one and chewed on it slowly.
"I hardly sleep before journeying, if I do sleep it would make me even tired," he explained with a shrug. "What are you doing up so early? We're not to leave till later."
The elleth looked away from him, not wanting to say that she was nervous about the trip. "Couldn't sleep much," she mumbled, biting a piece of the bread to keep herself from saying more.
Legolas watched her as she adverted her eyes from him. He knew that she was telling the truth that she hadn't slept much and from the looks of it, he knew why she couldn't sleep. He frowned at the thought that she was uncomfortable around him. After the night in the balcony, she had withdrawn herself from being with him as if she knew that there was a note of danger being with him. He surveyed her from the corner of his eyes as he mindlessly bit into his food. Tiredness marred her face, dark shadows were painted underneath her eyes and her skin was pale.
"Maybe you should stay here. You lack sleep and you don't look too well," he commented, glancing her way.
"Very nice way to compliment a lady, Legolas," she said wryly. "I decided that I want to go after all. I haven't seen grandmother for quite a while and I've missed the wood elves, I stayed there for quite a few years and made some friends that I haven't talked to for a while."
"Are you sure you can handle the journey?"
"Don't underestimate me, my lord," she said mockingly, "I maybe lacking in skills with any sort of weapon but I can ride."
Legolas smiled at that, suppressing a chuckle. "I remember Kethaera telling me that you know the March Warden? That blasted man who pointed an arrow to my face the last time I was there?"
"Good on Haldir then," she said smirking. "He was one of those who tried to teach me with the sword as well as the bow, failing on both counts. He is a dear friend," she added with a soft smile, remembering the stoic and quiet warden that never failed to make her smile.
The prince eyes snapped at her with a frown, "He was one of your suitors?"
Arienne looked at him before nodding slightly, "He asked for my hand in marriage a couple of years back. I wasn't ready to get married."
For the life of him, Legolas didn't know why the sudden anger in him quickly directed to the march warden. "This was after the war of the ring?"
"Yes, he asked me after getting the blessing from grandmother. Of course she knew that I was going to say no, and yet the lady holds a soft spot of the warden and let him, "she said, smiling fondly at the memory. "I am most glad to be able to see him again."
"Are you sure you're going to be alright with the journey?" Legolas asked stiffly, standing up and brushing off the crumbs on his tunic.
The elleth frowned at his abrupt movements, looking up at his glowering face. "Of course, I have ridden to Lothlorien countless of times," she said, standing up as well. "Is something bothering you?"
"Nothing, just that the riding party isn't here yet," he answered gruffly, turning away from the elleth. "If you'll excuse me, I'll look for them." And with that, the prince left her.
Throughout the first day of their journey, Legolas remained silent to Arienne which did not bother her at the least. It was a good thing that she reacquainted herself with some of Legolas' personal bodyguards and made them her riding companions as well. She hardly noticed the prince's foul mood even when they set up camp three days later for she had such a grand time talking to Sirefel, who had a Lorien mother and knew of the Golden Woods well.
Of course Sirefel knew that his master was in a bad mood. Why, he did not really bother to know. But from the glowering looks that he had been giving the pair, it wasn't that hard to guess. What amused the body guard more was the indifference the young elleth in question was showing the prince. So much for getting to know the family more in the trip, he thought wryly to himself, watching Arienne unroll her bed pack on a patch of soil that she had just weeded out of small stones. The party of seven chose a secluded area populated by clusters of beech trees that covered them well.
Legolas had taken the first watch along with another bodyguard while Arienne and Nyeath took the second one. Nearing the end of the first watch, Legolas heard the soft crunching of leaves behind him making him clench his fist tighter.
"We seem to have a falling out the past few days," Arienne said, sitting next to the rigid prince before smoothing down her tunic. She glanced at the unreadable expression on his face and shrugged. "Is there anything wrong?"
"We're nearing Lothlorien, by tomorrow we'll be at the edge of their borders," he mumbled, not minding the meaning behind her earlier comment. He scanned the trees quickly before glancing at her, not missing the delightful smile that grazed her face when he mentioned that they were near the Golden Woods already.
"And that's bothering you? Being near Lothlorien?"
"It's not the Golden Woods but the Warden that protects it. Having to be harassed by the March Warden before being let into the Woods is something that bothers me greatly," he snapped at her.
Arienne was taken aback by his answer but still tried to smile. "You need not worry about that, Haldir is a friend and I doubt it if he'd point an arrow at my direction," she said, trying to reassure the prince with a small squeeze on his arm. "Don't stress about it too much, Haldir and I go a long way back," she added, her voice fondly remembering him.
As she remembered her memories with the March Warden, she failed to notice the tightening of the prince's jaw as well as the steely look in his eyes. Legolas wanted to hit something, anything. And if the elleth beside him continued her chatter about the dashing March Warden of the Golden Woods, he would have to scream out in frustration. It was bad enough that he was feeling protective towards the elleth when it came to suitors but it had to be the pompous elf that dared to raise his bow to his face a few years back.
"——you might as well sleep now. Nyeath will wake soon enough," Arienne said to the prince, lightly nudging his shoulders to make him stand up.
Legolas sighed and bid the elleth goodnight, passing a still sleepy Nyeath who plopped down next to Arienne. "What's eating his lordship?" Nyeath asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes to remove the tiredness she was feeling.
"Beats me. We were just talking about Haldir," she paused, frowning a bit, "I got the impression that the prince doesn't like Haldir very much," Arienne said, rolling her eyes, looking behind her to see the prince slip into his bed roll.
"Too bad for him, he'll have to like him soon enough. He's going to be part of the family. I hear your father's talking about arranging your marriage after Kethaera union," Nyeath said with an approving smile. She too had fond memories of the often misunderstood warden of Lorien. "That would be another fine match."
"Fine match, indeed," Arienne repeated softly.