The focus of this story is on Gilraen, the daughter of King Elessar and Queen Arwen in the Fourth Age of Middle Earth. Tolkien has only mentioned that the royal couple had a son, Eldarion, and daughters. He makes no mention of how many daughters and their names so I took the liberty of giving them three daughters and naming them after people that would have been important to Aragorn and Arwen.

Perhaps if you enjoy this story of Gilraen, the eldest daughter, if would be encouraged to write about the others. Please tell me what you think! Here is the first chapter...

Italic writing = telepathic communication

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with the Lord of the Rings Books or the Movie. I can claim no ownership the characters or the places. If I could I would be drinking fruity umbrella drinks on a beach in Tahiti.

Gilraen

Gilraen, the eldest daughter of King Elessar and Queen Arwen, was named after her paternal grandmother. She never met her namesake, a Dunedain, who died long before she was born. Her father had told her about her ancestors and their long struggles against very dark forces. These dark times were foreign to her, for she was born in a time of peace.

People were prospering under the reign of her father and mother, and the few places in which you could still find scars of war were being rebuilt. People traveled without fear throughout the lands for the most part. It was true there were still bands of orcs to be found, hiding in mountains or forests. Yet, they were without any real leadership or direction. At times they made themselves known by attacking small villages or travelers. The king's patrols would descend upon the orcs in great numbers wherever reports of their camps were made. King Elessar kept a close watch on his kingdom, careful to never let evil flourish again.

Middle Earth had suffered enough.

The King and Queen were content that times had become more stable. At the beginning of their reign, there was so much rebuilding, restructuring, and strengthening of the borders to do. The kingdom was very large, encompassing both the North Kingdom and the South Kingdom of old. The remaining forces of Sauron's armies had to be pursued off the lands and pockets of resistance had to be dealt with.

Finally, it felt as though the governing was starting to fall into an easier phase. Lesser Kings and territory leaders were people the High King trusted and he kept in contact with them through a messenger system he had put in place.

The Queen had bore four children during these times. The first was their son, Eldarion, a strong and intelligent boy. The next three were beautiful daughters, Gilraen, who looked much like her mother, Celebrian, named after her maternal grandmother, and Galadriel, named after the Queen's grandmother. The children were all half elven, half Dunedain, but they were all varied in which side they embraced more.

Eldarion was very much like his father, though he had the superior hearing and sight of his elven kindred. Now that he was twelve, his father took his son everywhere with him. Eldarion loved being with his father and took extreme pride at how the people loved him and shouted his name with cheer when they rode anywhere. His father would often ride with him down into the forests of Ithilien, where Prince Legolas was building an Elf Haven with a number of his kindred from the Woodland Realm. Some Dwarves had even taken up residence nearby. People had told Eldarion that it was a strange alliance, dwarves and elves, but one that was made possible by the friendship of Prince Legolas and Gimli the Dwarf. Eldarion knew all the stories of that friendship, for the elves at the haven had very lengthy storytelling banquets where he learned much of the past. The stories of his father, Aragorn the Ranger, he loved the most. Best of all, whenever there was time, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli would teach him all about weapons and how to use them. Eldarion believed he was starting to become very good at the sword, the bow, and the ax. He wished he could become a ranger and kill orcs. However, he knew his responsibilities were to be much more than that of a ranger. He had to learn how to be a king, though that seemed so far off.

Gilraen, the first born daughter, favored very much the elven side of her parentage. She closely resembled her mother, except her hair was a slightly lighter shade of brown. She had many of the elven gifts of her mother's kin, including the ability to communicate telepathically. She had a love of learning all elven lore and histories. However, the gift she was most known for was her beautiful voice. Even now, at the young age of ten, her songs could put a trance on all that heard. People who heard the princess singing would stop and shut their eyes, for her music would carry their imaginations and their hearts to various heights of emotions. She was always in demand to sing at royal banquets. She preferred singing in her garden, among the trees, flowers and birds. But she never refused a request from her mother or father to sing for guests.

There was one guest in particular that made her insides flutter, who made her want to do her very best. He happened to be a very frequent guest as well. Gilraen had harbored a very secret love for Prince Legolas for as far back as she could remember. He was always bringing her new seedlings for her garden whenever he visited. He knew of her love of nature because he too shared the same love. Her garden had grown very beautiful over the years and it seemed that her love for the prince had as well. She was careful to hide these feelings though. She knew he was a lot older than she was and to him she was just a child. But she also knew that she wouldn't always be a child and she harbored a secret hope for the future.

Celebrian, the third daughter, was six years of age and very different from Gilraen and her mother. Her hair was as dark as the Queen's, but her mannerisms were more Dunedain than elven. She was precocious and quick-witted. She loved to laugh and dance and play pranks on unsuspecting servants. King Elessar found himself scolding her many times, but he was never harsh. He had a soft spot for his daughters and this one in particular knew just when to put on all her charm and get herself out of a tight spot. Besides, her laughter ringing throughout the halls was contagious to many besides the King. She was forgiven quickly for her mischief.

Galadriel, the youngest, was only one year of age. She had blonde hair and blue eyes like her namesake. Intelligence shown in her small eyes, yet she was still too young to reveal all her gifts. The Queen spent much of her time caring for the infant, as she preferred to nurse them herself rather than have a wet nurse. Caring for her young was a joy she did not want to give away. The King loved this aspect of Queen Arwen. She was everything he could possibly want. The best mother, wife, friend, lover and queen that could ever be had. He felt as though he was living in a dream when he was with her.

Yes, times were very good now. With no pending wars on the horizon, the King and Queen turned to finding joy within their home and family. On a lovely spring evening, they had invited Legolas and Gimli to dine with them. The next day, the pair were setting out for the North and would be gone for some years. Legolas had received word from his father of bands of orcs and goblins roaming the outer edges of Mirkwood and through the mountain pass towards Rivendell. The King would be sending some troops under Prince Legolas's command to help crush the problem once and for all. Tonight would be a farewell feast and Gilraen was asked by her father to sing.

Gilraen was building the courage to sing in the outer hall of the banquet room as she was saddened tonight. Prince Legolas would be leaving tomorrow and he would not return for a long time. Mirkwood was so far away. Her heart felt heavy when the door opened and a servant bowed her in. The children were still too young to dine with the adults at banquet, but Gilraen was always welcomed to sing. Normally, she enjoyed having a peek at the world of adult banquets with the bright cloths and banners, silver tableware, and large variety of foods. Everyone was dressed in their finest and would be very cordial. Her parents always looked at her with great pride when she entered.

She wore her best dress and her maid had carefully arranged her soft brown locks. She hoped Prince Legolas would think she was pretty. She stood in the middle of the chamber until all attention was focused on her. A slight frown of concern formed on the Queen's face and words came into the princess's mind. "Gilraen... I feel sadness in you."

Gilraen looked at her mother and concentrated. "Do not worry for me, mother."

Gilraen shifted her gaze away from the concerned face of her mother, and started a plaintive song filled with the sorrow of farewell. The company drifted in its haunting beauty that changed the mood in the room to a sad affair.

When she had finished, the silence in the air belied the mood she had created. King Elessar was the first to speak. "Gilraen?" Her downcast eyes rose to meet his. "Your voice is beautiful, but the words sadden the heart. Do you feel such sorrow tonight?"

"Yes ada, I sorrow that our friends leave Gondor on the morrow, and will not return for many a long year."

All seemed touched by her sorrow. Prince Legolas smiled at her kindly and said, "I, too, shall miss you, Princess. But I shall bring you some plants from the North that you do not yet have in your garden."

"Aye, lass. And I shall bring you a necklace of jewels fit for a princess from the caves of my kin," added Gimli.

Gilraen nodded and smiled at the dwarf but was careful not to look at Legolas, least he read her true thoughts. The Queen, however, knew her daughter very well. "My Lord, can we not let our daughter stay for the banquet, perhaps that would cheer her. She may sit quietly on the end."

"Would you like this, Gilraen?" asked the King. He felt there was nothing he wouldn't offer his daughter to see her smile.

"Oh, yes, thank you, ada." Gilraen made a slight bow to her father and smiled as she took her place at the end of the table. Servants immediately set a plate and cup before her. As she was offered one platter after another, she heard the Queen continue speaking.

"Legolas... will you be traveling to Rivendell to meet with Elrohir and Elladan?"

"Yes, my Lady, after we have analyzed the state of affairs in Mirkwood, we will be setting up a line of defense around Rivendell as well. We don't want to chase orcs away from Mirkwood only to have them flee to the mountain passes. If they do, we will corner them in from both sides."

The King looked at his queen. He had the feeling she wanted to say something else. "Arwen, did you want to send messages to your brothers?"

Legolas happily added, "I'd be honored to deliver them for you."

Arwen glanced over to where Gilraen was sitting and gave her a slight smile. "I was thinking that perhaps Gilraen could go to Rivendell to stay with her uncles. She has a deep love of history and my father's library at Rivendell is the best place to have her curiosity satisfied."

Gilraen was suddenly filled with disbelief and hope. Go to Rivendell? How she dreamed to go to this place she had heard so much about. And she would be taken there by Legolas! She would get to spend weeks, if not months, in his presence. Her father's voice dampened her hopes.

"Wouldn't that be a bit dangerous, considering the trouble in the mountains lately?" He didn't fail to catch that look of hope on his daughter's face. He could see that she really wanted this. He let out a long sigh. "Legolas... what is your opinion? Would it be safe for her?" He loved the two females looking at him with expressions of hope on their faces. It was difficult to deny them anything.

Legolas inwardly smiled at this dilemma within his friend. His family was definitely a soft spot with this king. "I think with the number of troops you are sending with me, protecting one princess should not be a problem. The bands of orcs also fight amongst themselves, so they have not joined forces with each other in any great number. They would be foolish to attack such a large number of soldiers."

Elessar looked at Gilraen who was trying to repress a smile, waiting for his reply.

"Daughter, is this what you want? You wish to go to Rivendell?"

"Yes, ada, that is my dream."

"You realize it is a very long journey. You would be gone from us many years, two, perhaps three?" "And I would miss you," the King added.

Gilraen heard that last comment in her head and felt again the sorrow of parting, this time from her family and the only home she had known. She nodded, looking at her father in longing. "I would miss you, too, ada. But, I really want this. I need to know my ancestors. I want to meet my uncles and see where you and mother were raised. I am not a baby anymore."

Elessar smiled at these last words. Children always wanted to grow up too fast. "No, not a baby. But always my beloved daughter."

He turned to the Queen. "I suppose Gilraen has much to do before leaving on the morrow."

The Queen gave him a smile of admiration for his ability to trust that everything would work out for the best.

Gilraen popped out of her chair.

"Oh, yes, I must prepare. Forgive me for my haste." She bowed to the company and turned the most brilliant smile upon her parents before she left the hall.

She skipped and danced all the way back to her room, her feet tapping out the rhythm: "I'm going to Rivendell! I'm going to Rivendell!"

OOOO

In case anyone was wondering, Gilraen's love for Legolas is a child's crush at present. There will be no weird underage stuff going on. She will advance in age as the story goes on.

Coming up next: The journey begins as Gilraen travels with the troops toward the North. What adventures shall befall the travelers and what old and new friends will they meet along the way? Will Gilraen be a hindrance or a help? Find out soon.

Please review this first part of the story. Thanks!