Chapter 3

At Last

I lay looking up at the stars that night. Wind was munching on some grass. It was then I started to wish I had been born with more dwarf in me, then maybe I would not have caused my parents so many problems. I sighed sadly and rolled over and tried to get some sleep.

The next morning I could see the edge of the forest. I heeled Wind and she galloped forward. I found the forest gate marker and saw my aunt.

"Aunt Tauriel!"

I called to her and I could see her smiling at me. As soon as I reached her I dismounted and hugged her.

"Look how much you have grown! Last time I saw you was when you were only 4 years old. ~Have you been keeping up with your elvish?~"

I smiled.

"~Of course I have. Mum and papa would be ashamed if I had not.~"

She laughed and then smiled in excitement.

"~There is someone here who has been longing to meet you.~"

I raised my brow and she stepped aside. There stood King Thranduil, my grandfather. He smiled and stepped forward.

"~At long last I meet my first and only grandchild! I have long awaited this day. You are beautiful, just like your mother and your grandmother Tawariell. You have your father's eyes though, my eyes. At least you have something from me.~"

I smiled and made sure my ears were visible. He smiled again.

"~But you must never forget you are also a dwarf. Your face…it reminds me of your grandfather, Thorin Oakenshield.~"

His eyes were sad when he spoke the name.

"~Now then, I have a gift for you. Seeing as how I was always so busy and could not make it to your previous birthdays, I had this specially made for you. It is from your grandmother as well.~"

He held out a sword. It looked thin but I knew it was probably a fine blade.

"~This was my first sword. Your father always preferred his bow to any sword, so I pass this on to you.~"

I smiled and threw my arms around him.

"Hannon le!"

He hugged me and kissed my forehead.

"Now come, we have a long way to go."

Haldir's POV

I was frustrated I would admit it. I did not understand why we had to protect a dwarf princess from marriage. Was it not her duty?

"~Brother?~"

I looked at my brothers Rumil and Orophin.

"~What is it?~"

"~You are scowling at nothing again.~"

"~No, he is scowling because we have to escort a dwarf princess. I personally have heard she is beauty.~" Rumil said.

"~I have heard such things as well.~" Orophin agreed.

I wanted to laugh. What sort of dwarf could be a beauty. Yes they made beautiful things, but how could they be beautiful?

"~I hear a horse approaching.~" Rumil said.

It could not have been the princess, it was a day early. I fired a warning shot into a tree.

"~State your name and business in these woods!~" I called out.

I had to jump away as an arrow came flying into a tree where my head was.

"~I am Merida! Princess of Erebor!~"

It cannot be?!

"~Come forward!~"

She rode forward with a hood over her head and an arrow aimed at me.

"~Who shot at me?~"

My brother's looked at me. I scowled and she got off her horse and approached me. Her hood fell back and my eyes went wide in awe. She grabbed me and smashed her head against mine.

"~My mother did not send me here to be shot at! Wait until I tell my papa about this!~" she huffed.

My head was throbbing.

"~I believe this is yours.~"

She put the arrow right back in my quiver.

"~Princess, we were sent here to escort you to Caras Galadhon.~"

"~Very well.~"

I looked at her again. What my brothers had said was true. She was a rare beauty. She hid burning red hair, flawless skin and beautiful striking blue eyes. She was tall and had no beard, in fact she did not look like a dwarf at all.

"~You….are the princess of Erebor?~" I asked in disbelief.

She looked at me angrily.

"~Yes! My mother is Maetharanel daughter of Thorin Oakenshield, and my father is Legolas son of Thranduil!~"

Well that explains why she looks so…..so…..not like a dwarf.

"~Oh.~"

She rolled her eyes and then mounted her horse. I stood there, staring at her.

"~Did you come here to stare at the mongrel child? Or are you going to escort me?~"

I blinked and then nodded. She may have been beautiful, but she was rude and dangerous.

Merida's POV

The nerve of that elf! He nearly killed me! I knew I had to calm down before I met with the Lady Galadriel. I looked at the elf who had shot at me.

"~What is your name?~" I asked.

He did not look at me when he spoke.

"Haldir."

I nodded and looked ahead.

"~It will take us another day to reach Caras Galadhon, we shall rest here for the night.~" he said.

I looked at him.

"~The sun is still out. We will cover more ground if we keep going.~"

He looked at me. Apparently he did not like to be told what to do.

"~Listen well princess, this is the last rest point that we have set up. Do not presume to know these woods better than I.~"

I narrowed my eyes.

"~First of all, my name is Merida! Not princess! Secondly, you are foolish to have a rest point set up here when you can have it closer, especially since the sun is still hight enough in the sky to travel!~" I snapped.

His scowl turned to a glare.

"~If you wish to take your chances on your own then go right ahead!~"

I smirked.

"Very well. HEY YA!"

Wind flew forward and I rode through the trees.

Haldir's POV

Why did I say that?!

"~Well done brother. Now we have to go and look for her!~" Orophin groaned.

"~It was not my fault.~"

"~Yes it was! You shouted at her and she is obviously a lot like you so she went on her own.~" Rumil said.

They picked up their bows and we left.