Disclaimer: I do not own Middle Earth or the people living there. I do not own Melian the Istari and mother of Lúthien, even if my main character and her share names. But Melian in this story, with all her flaws and defects, I would say belongs to me.
Chapter 4: Staring at people is rude
The elves had eventually reached our camping grounds and were surrounded by people in the blink of an eye. I almost had to elbow my way through to reach my father in the middle of all this chaos. Everybody wanted a part of the action and by now I was slightly annoyed.
"Father?" I poked him in the back like a little child craving for attention. He jumped up a bit before turning around.
"Oh, it's you Melian. Let me introduce you." He motioned to the tall, blond elf sitting on that beautiful white horse.
My eyes slid slowly up from the ground and followed the horse's perfect lines until they met with the elf's deep grey ones. I could not break eye contact. I could not breathe, move nor blink as I stood there gazing into what seemed like centuries of knowledge and experience.
Bran realized in the end that his daughter was acting very un-lady like so he stomped on my foot. A yelp escaped my lips as I glared at him with an uttermost sore face. I could not believe that he had just stomped on my foot like that. What had I done wrong? To top off my childish behavior I stuck my tongue out at him. I was digging my own grave……..
The tall elf coughed annoyingly to get our attention back as we, me and my father, was holding a glaring contest. Both our heads snapped up with similar confused faces. I had a growing feeling this elf was considered very respectable, and he knew it well.
"Let me try this again." He gave me a stern look.
"My name is Haldir o Lórien, March warden and one of the Galadrim." Silence passed for but a moment. "And aren't you are a rude little child?" That was certainly not a question. My sharp intake of breath at this obnoxious comment nearly made me choke. It tis true what they say, that one look can tell more that a thousand words. And I think it was pretty clear to him what I was trying to say right then.
My mouth opened repeatedly to speak, but no words came out at all. I blinked a couple of times to be sure that this was happening and not just another dream of mine.
I could feel stinging behind my eyelids as realization dawned upon me. My first meeting with an elf, one childhood dream come true, ruined by my bad staring habit. I wanted to curse myself in every language I knew but bit my tongue and took a deep breath of fresh air.
An inner battle took place. On one side I knew I had to apologize for my un-lady like behavior, even if it killed me, but on the other hand he could shove Earendil up his behind for all I cared. No one called me a rude little child and got away with it. Eventually I tried to calm down by telling myself that this was no time to be acting like a child. That would only prove him right and I could not by any means let that happen.
Every pair of eyes was now on us. The tension was growing thicker by the minute and could soon be cut with even the bluntest knife of all. I nervously straightened myself up, holding my head up high before gaining my ability to speak.
"I am deeply sorry, Milord, for my absolutely rude and insolent behavior from earlier." I managed to find my 'respectful and adult' voice. "I should never have stared at you in such a way and I cannot find words to describe how I feel about myself because of it." I bowed my head down to show him my submission.
"Please forgive me, Milord." My last words sounded like a plea.
He swiftly jumped down from the horseback, making his way over to stand in front of me. Carefully he put his slim hand under my cheek and lifted it up so he could look me straight in the eye. I shuddered slightly.
"You have my forgiveness, Milady." Was all he said as he bowed down and kissed my hand lightly.
And so it was that my dear, by now confused, father and this Haldir person walked away leaving me with a surely priceless look on my face. In my opinion this Haldir had to be somewhat unstable and had serious mood-swings that could match traveling with a cart on a very bumpy road.
The fresh breeze, which played amongst the many green leaves, swiped my hair as I climbed up to my favorite spot yet again. Some birds circling high on the blue sky foretold of better, sunny days ahead. At least that was what my father always told me to be a sure sign. I seated myself on the old, worn-out log and sleepily gazed at my surroundings. Wild flowers in every color spread down the hillside as far as my eyes could see, and the grass was lush. Especially beside the little brook that wound its way through the rough undergrowth all the way down the hill.
Everything was quiet, too quiet. Even the little stream seemed to slow down notably. The silence that fell over me was not a comfortable silence, more like a warning, such as when you say that there's something in the air. This was exactly like that. Silence before the storm.
I rose from the log in one quick move, placed my hand over my eyes and pinched them together. My favorite spot was also the best lookout, this close to our camp, so I gazed over the horizon with my eyes in total concentration. There was nothing to the south and nothing worth seeing to the west either. I turned eastwards, something was moving with great speed. My eyes narrowed as I focused on the moving mass ahead. Could it be orcs? *No.* My mind concluded as the grey shadows came closer.* It's something bigger……*
Time stood still for but a moment, but to me it felt like an eternity. Then I realized, like the answer had been obvious all along, "Wargs!" I could feel my heart starting to race and I froze to the ground. Desperately I tried to move my legs but they just wouldn't listen. Fear grasped me like a big stone placed on my chest and I could barely breathe, as I looked upon the monsters with our camp as their target. With one last attempt I forced my legs to run down the path so I could warn the others. I took a deep breath, filling my lungs up, and screamed for all it was worth, "Wargs are coming, Wargs to the east!"
With those words I sank to my knees on the dust filled ground. People were now running in panic all around me but suddenly they all stopped. I lifted my gaze to see my father and Haldir come out of the big tent, worry evident in my father's eyes. Only one thought lingered in my mind, *What is going to happen to us now?*
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I know I know…I like those smiley's awfully much. But anyways……..I'll have to get back to my writing as always. I just hope that you all still enjoy my story! If you have some tips then please bring them on. Thank you guys!