Melannen slipped her hand into Legolas' as they walked down the path. A sheer precipice was to their left, dropping down to the gurgling river below. She thought back on the years gone by, and found it ironic that, even after so long, everything still seemed clear. Aerin was still blind about her parents' past, and for that Melannen was silently thankful. Who knows how an nine-year-old would act knowing that truth? Of course, there were the bits and pieces left behind by a mischievous peredhil, and those would one day fit together into a comprehensible history. How he did it, Melannen still did not know, but every now and then some odd piece to the puzzle would be found, normally startling its recipient so badly that there was no doubt who had left it. Elladan had certainly left a legacy, there was no doubt in that. Still she would see people, maybe even more now than when he was alive, wearing attire that brightly blazoned their undying love. Melannen could hardly stifle her laughter at times, especially when she would see a shirt stating something along the lines of 'There is only one Orlando Bloom." She thanked Iluvatar for the mortals only believing there was one of him. For into what madness would the world have descended had they known their love was indeed only one of the two?
Legolas glanced down at Melannen, who seemed to be in deep thought, and he wondered if she was thinking of the same things as he. The Prince had thought of Valinor often lately, considering going there and spending the rest of eternity in bliss. He knew that Melannen would agree to leave with him without a second thought, but he wanted Aerin to be able to see the rest of the world before leaving. He also wanted her to know the magnitude of the decision, to be fully aware that once she had left, there was no coming back. There were so many things in Arda that Valinor could surpass, but there was also the fact that they, like their builders, were mortal and would crumble and die. It was the idea that a day here would never be seen again, that never again would they walk on the same grass at the same moment. It was not so in Eldamar. There time was nonexistent, you could stay in that land and not know whether a day had passed, or a thousand years. For that reason, he delayed.
He looked up when the packed dirt turned to wooden planks beneath his feet, and the sound of the water was magnified in the fury of a waterfall. The Prince felt the cool droplets of moisture form on his skin. He gazed ahead and felt his heart suddenly rise into his throat. Aerin stood, precariously balanced, on the bridge's wooden railing. One wrong step and she would fall into the cascading waters, and into the sharp black rocks that rose like hungry teeth from the river below. He looked at Melannen, and it was obvious that she was feeling the same way.
"Aerin, get down from there!" he winced at the harshness of his own voice. "Please."
"Adar, I won't fall." to prove her point the young elleth jumped up and landed back on the thin board.
"Riel, please."
With an exasperated sigh, she hopped down. "Adar, must you always worry? You're scared of everything." she put emphasis on the last word before continuing to skip down the path. More than likely to avoid the inevitable tongue-lashing from her mother.
They turned a corner in the trail, and saw a thin man sitting on a tree stump whittling at a small piece of wood. Aerin stopped abruptly and seemed to look him over from head to toe before making some decision.
"Aiya, herinya. Ranen hae utuva le. Este nin na Caranar. Na este leva?" Welcome, my lady. I have wandered far to find you. My name is Caranar. What is your name? his voice was deceptively quiet and soft, but in his eyes was the look of a hardy, trained warrior. Aerin did not respond, she just stood there, staring at the stranger. Though he did not seem to notice. "Agar leva na arat. Atar leva na i aran Taureva Laio." Your blood is royal. Your father is the king of Greenwood he spoke rapidly in Eldarin, receiving no response.
Legolas stepped forward. "Caranar, she is young still, do not trouble her with such things."
The silver-haired elf stared at him as if trying to figure him out. "U-quenan quettar leva." I do not speak your words. "Quenan i lamber iar noreva metto." I speak the Old Tongue of our people. "El na vanwa-yes ar eglalye nore metto." You have lost it and forsaken our people "Quenuvalye i lamber Eldareva." Thou canst speak the tongues of the elves
Legolas shook his head. "Caranar, quenan i lamber Eldareva." Caranar, I speak the tongues of the Elves.
"Man na el?" Who are you? he asked warily, meeting Legolas gaze.
"Legolas."
He watched as emotions warred in Caranar's eyes, from joy to betrayal, to sadness and confusion. "You left us when we needed you most, when Mirkwood . . . lante fell and we had . . . . u-mari an no homes for . . . . they had burned. The people utuve gurth found death by macil lhacho. swords of leaping flame"
Legolas listened to his broken English with guilt. He had never been aware of the brutality by which his home had been destroyed.
Authors note: hope u like the chapter . . . . plz review!
