A/N: Thank you to all my lovely reviewers. You make my day.
I'm really happy you all like this. I was a bit scared to start it. And Jamimlia I was so stunned to see that you thought of Aladdin. I based Bryn off of him. Sort of anyway. Thanks for the review!
Meleth: love
My Little Fighter: Chapter Four: A Talk With the Parents
Bryn blinked several times before a figure came into focus. Through the blurriness he saw a tall figure with long black hair, similar to his own. He stared up at the figure for several minutes before he was able to realize who it was. "Lubryn!" he gasped.
"In the flesh," Lubryn replied.
"What do you want?" Bryn asked standing up.
"Well father has been very worried about you," Lubryn replied walking into the room and sitting down on the old mattress.
Bryn knew better than to allow what is brother said get to him. "Father doesn't give a damn about me," He replied.
Lubryn snorted with laughter. "How very true. But then why would he send me to come find you?" he asked.
"You came on your own accord to harass me," Bryn replied watching his older brother pick up his sword.
"Well, that's just part of why I'm here. Father did send me. Harassing you is just one of the little joys that comes with being here," he said. He pulled the sword out of its sheath and looked at it. "Though it's not very fun when you won't protect yourself. You can't even use this piece of shit you call a sword." Lubryn threw the sword at the far wall.
Bryn flinched as the sword made contact with the stone wall. "What does he want?" Bryn asked. "He said he'd let me alone now that we're in Minas Tirith."
"Well he does have one small favor to ask of you," Lubryn said standing back up.
"And what is that?" he asked.
"Hell if I know. He sent me to tell you to meet him in the lower levels of the city tonight. Near the gates, around midnight. He said that you better come on your own accord or Teran will be sent up here to bring you down," Lubryn answered, sounding very threatening.
Bryn flinched at the thought of Teran forcing him down to the lower levels.
"I take that as you're coming then," Lubryn said walking toward the doorway. Bryn sighed and nodded. "Good. I'll leave you alone now," he said.
Bryn felt relief flow through him, now that his brother was finally leaving. He ran his hand through his hair. "Oh and one more thing," Lubryn said turning around.
Bryn turned around to face his brother. He was met with a fist in his face and pain in his nose. He staggered back holding his nose. This was not unusual, but it had been a while since Bryn had last suffered his brother's punishments.
There was another punch to his stomach and he doubled over. This was followed by several more before he was on the floor, curled up in a ball. Bryn knew better than to fight off an attack. It was best to take it and endure the pain.
~~~***~~~
Mae lay on her bed staring out her window at the darkening sky. Neither of her parents had come up to talk to her. She figured they were more angry with Eldarion that her, and they were still speaking with him. Now it was nearing supper and Mae had gone the whole day with out eating anything. Not because of punishment, but she just wasn't hungry. And she didn't want to be near her older two sisters. She knew she'd be getting a lecture from them.
Mae wasn't bothered much by the punishment she could be receiving in any moment. What were they going to do? Hit her? Never. Her parents would never do that to anyone. Take something away from her? What was there left to take? Watch her like a hawk? Already done. There was nothing to worry about.
She was continually thinking about Bryn.
I wonder why he was lying to me. She thought. He had to be at least a little, or omitting something. At least there was something off about his story with his father. He had to be leaving out something. Not that I should be worrying about it. It's none of my business. Mae sighed. She had tried hard not to think about him, but he was always on her mind.
He was the first actual person outside of the royal court that she had met. And she liked him. She thought he was interesting. She wanted nothing else but to see him again and ask him a few questions.
As of right now Bryn was the highlight of her life. I wonder where he lives. Mae thought. She stared out at the pink sky. Purple clouds floated over the city.
There was a sudden knock on the door. Mae jumped and glared at the door. "Mae? Darling?" Came her mother's voice. Mae quickly dove under the blankets and pretended to be asleep.
The door opened and she heard two sets of footsteps. Mae quickly shut her eyes and slowed down her breathing. "Maybe we should come back later," Arwen whispered.
Aragorn shook his head. "Maethoriel! You couldn't pull that off when you were little and you still can't pull it off now," Aragorn said.
Mae didn't respond. She laid there still pretending to be asleep. Aragorn reached over and pulled the covers off of her. "What?" Mae asked turning to look at him.
"Just as I thought," He said.
"What's my punishment?" she asked.
"As of right now nothing yet," Aragorn said. "But there will be. Trust me."
"Then why are you disturbing me?" she asked rolling over as to not face them.
Aragorn sat on the edge of her bed and pulled her up and into his arms. "We just want to talk to you right now," he said.
"Well I don't want to talk," Mae replied.
"You don't have a choice," Arwen said sitting on the bed, facing her husband and daughter.
Mae sighed and crossed her arms. "What do you want to talk about?" She asked.
"I want to know what possessed you to go down to the market place today," Arwen said. "After we told you no."
"I really wanted to go down. And I never get to do anything unless it is with you two," Mae said. "I want to be able to do something for myself."
"Sweetheart, you know why we don't want you to," Aragorn said pulling her raven hair back over her shoulders.
"I know. But those attacks are becoming fewer and fewer. The one yesterday was the first in weeks," Mae said looking up at him. "My breathing is getting better. And it wasn't just the sun. I was running around. There were more factors. I didn't see the harm in it. And I had someone with me."
Aragorn sighed. She makes a strong point. She's remembered everything I told her. He thought. Aragorn looked at Arwen. She was thinking about what their daughter had said.
"Darling," Arwen began, but didn't finish. Arwen saw that she was right.
"I'm old enough to know when my breathing is best to go out. Like today. I know the pattern of my breathing. And it was cooler today and not during the noon sun," Mae said when her mother trailed off. "And Eldarion knows what to do when I get an attack."
"You're right little one," Aragorn said. "You knew what to do if you were going to leave and you remembered everything that I had told you."
"I know you want me to be safe and well, I just want to do things by myself. I think I'm old enough to," She said.
"You do know why we're so protective of you, don't you?" Arwen asked. Mae nodded.
"You're always going to be at risk, Mae. And you're always going to be our little girl too," Aragorn said. "You are old enough. We should allow you to do more things on you own. That's going to change."
Maethoriel smiled and hugged him. "Thank you ada," She said.
Aragorn smiled. "But you still disobeyed us. And you wondered away from your brother. You're still getting punished," he said.
"Don't you ever wander away without our permission again. Do you understand?" Arwen asked.
Mae nodded.
"And don't you ever wander away from an escort again. Understand?" Aragorn asked.
Mae nodded again.
"And don't you ever go around with a boy again. Understand?" Both of her parents asked in unison.
Mae sighed and nodded. "But he was in trouble. I wanted to help," Mae said.
Aragorn pulled her into a hug. "Your heart was in the right place. You didn't mean any harm. There's just some dangers out there, Mae. Dangers you aren't ready for," He pulled her away and looked into her eyes. "No one is ever ready for those dangers. You're okay now. But what would happen if you did it again? You're a princess Mae. There's bad people out there. That's why you don't go around without protection. Do you see why we were so worried?"
Mae nodded. "I'm sorry. I didn't think about it like that," She said, tears coming to her eyes. "I didn't want to scare you. I won't do it again."
Arwen pulled her into a hug. "It's alright meleth," Arwen said. "Just remember that now okay?"
Mae nodded and hugged her mother tightly.
"Come on, love," Aragorn said. "Let's get you something to eat."
Mae nodded and took her ada's hand in hers as he led her out into the hall.
"You know what's coming up?" Aragorn asked aloud when they were a good way down the hall.
"No. what?" Mae asked looking from one parent to the other.
"The Summer Festival," Aragorn replied.
"Oh. That," Mae said not sounding too happy about the idea.
"Don't sound so discouraged. You're going to everything this year. We're allowing you to," Arwen said.
"Really?" Mae asked.
Her parents nodded. "That's why I told you to wait until tomorrow to go down to the market place. I was going to get you a new dress," Aragorn said.
"Oh. Well in that case I guess I found one I want," She said. "We were in the tailor's shop today." She added this when her parents looked at her confused.
Her parents chuckled and led her down to the dinning hall.
~~~***~~~
The night passed slowly as Bryn laid on his thin mattress waiting for midnight. His pain from the beating his brother gave him had subsided and he lay trying not to fall asleep. His abdomen ached with fresh bruises and his limbs were sore.
When the moon was high in the sky Bryn crept out of his hideout and into the street. The cool night air blew gently on his face and swirled his hair. Bryn was sure of his way around the city and started off down an alley.
Everything was quiet. The only sound he heard was the clicking of his boots against the cobblestones. Bryn was slow in going down all his shortcuts to get to the lower level gates.
When he got there he saw his father's gang huddled up in the shadows of a building. He walked over to the group, not wanting to be noticed. Fear crept into him with each step closer.
"F-father?" Bryn stuttered.
A tall man with a black beard turned his head and looked at him. "Ah, Bryn. How kind of you to join us," His father said. He motioned for him to come closer. Cautiously he did.
"Now, my boy, I want you to do me a great favor," he said, wrapping an arm about his shoulders. Bryn flinched, causing the other men in the gang to snicker.
"You said I was free. That I don't have to do anything for you anymore," Bryn said.
"Freedom comes with a price," His father said. "This favor is the price."
Bryn sighed. "What do you want me to do?" He asked.
"I saw you today," He said letting go of his son. He walked out into the moonlight and then back into the shadows. "I saw you with a young girl. Do you know who that girl is?"
Bryn made no move to answer the question. "Father is asking you a question," Lubryn said digging the hilt of his sheathed sword into his back.
Bryn gritted his teeth and moved away from his brother. "I think so," he said. "I'm not sure though."
"Well, let me help you with your memory," His father said turning to face him. "She is the king's youngest."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Bryn asked.
"I want her," he said.
"For what?" Bryn dared to ask.
"Well royalty goes for a lot these days," his father replied.
"What are you talking about?" Bryn asked again.
"You've seen an orc before," His father stated. "There's a band out there who wants the king's youngest. We'll be paid greatly for getting her to them."
Bryn didn't want to think about what the orcs had in store. "No. I'm not going to kidnap her."
"You're going to get her for me. Whether you like it or not. She knows you. She'll come over willingly. All you need to do is lure her away long enough for us to grab her," He replied.
"No. I'm not helping you. I'll go to the king if you force me," He said.
His father came at him quickly. He grabbed a handful of Bryn's hair and shoved him against the wall of the building. "You're not going to have much of a choice, Bryn," He growled. "You're going to get her for me, or should I just kill the whole family and then take the girl. And you'll be back to your old slave work again. Is that clear?"
Bryn flinched at his father's grip and closed his eyes against the showering spit. Bryn didn't want to go back to his life as a slave and he didn't want to lead Mae into something like that. And he surely didn't want the entire family killed. "They have three daughters. They won't miss just one of them," one of the other gang members said. It was Seran.
Bryn looked around at the gang members. They were all much larger than him and much stronger. He was truly terrified of all of them.
"What will it be, Bryn?" His father asked. "Will you help or not?"
Bryn slowly nodded. "Good. Good. Now, the day after tomorrow is the Summer Festival. On the last night, Midsummer's Eve, we need the by girl. That is your last night. If we don't have her by midnight, you'll be paying the price. Got it?" his father asked.
Bryn nodded again. "Good."
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