A/N: Alright! I got a review! I’m so happy! Man, am I pathetic or what? Oh well. I’d like to thank galadriel evenstar so much! At least now I know that someone has read it and it doesn’t suck! Thank you!
Children of Men
Chapter 3
It had been two years since they had all been together in Edoras. The now sixteen Elenwë snuck past her sister’s room, hoping to avoid any questions. Luck, however, did not seem to be with her.
“Are you going out tonight? You know the Steward’s family is arriving tomorrow to celebrate Lauriel’s birthday here. Don’t you want to be well rested?” Elwing asked her sister in annoyance.
“Can you blame me for wanting to have a little fun?” Elenwë said in exasperation. “Why don’t you come with me? It’s so invigorating to get out of the palace walls and do the same things that others do. Why should you deny yourself?”
“If you want to go, go. I will not stop you,” she replied. “I’ll make sure that nobody finds out.”
“Thank you!” the younger twin said, throwing her arms around her sister. “If Ada or Eldarion found out, they’d never let me out of their sight again!”
She quickly left and crept down to the kitchens. After ensuring that it was deserted, she stole silently out of the door. Managing to evade the guards, she hurried on her way to one of the pubs where she usually met the girls she had become acquainted with on her nightly excursions. She scanned the crowd and turned to leave upon not seeing anyone she knew. Before she could make it back to the door, a hand latched on to her arm.
“What’s a pretty thing like yourself doing out all alone?” the greasy man with a hold on her arm said. He smiled unpleasantly. “Perhaps you’d better come along with me. I’ll keep you safe.”
“Let go of me!” she ordered, trying to break free of the grasp now pulling her toward a backdoor leading to an alley.
“I don’t think so, little missy,” he drawled, dragging her into the deserted alleyway and pushing her against the wall of an adjoining building.
“I believe the lady told you to release her. It would be wise to listen to her,” a strong voice said. A tall man stepped forward. He had dark reddish hair and was lithely, but strongly, built.
“My Lord Turgon,” the man said, relinquishing his hold on Elenwë. He bowed swiftly before running as fast as he could back into the tavern.
Elenwë thought quickly. Maybe Turgon didn’t recognize her, or at least couldn‘t tell which twin she was. If he didn’t, she certainly wouldn’t let him know who she was. He would without a doubt tell Eldarion and probably Aragorn as well.
She wasted no time. She bowed her head and let her hair hide her face. “I thank you, My Lord,” she said shakily, pushing the fact that she had nearly been raped to the back of her mind. She tried to move past the older man but he wouldn’t let her.
“You cannot fool me, My Lady Elenwë,” he said softly, placing an arm around her shoulders. “Let us get you back to the palace.”
He knew who she was. There was no escaping him either. “Turgon, please— ”
“Elenwë,” he said, placing a hand on each of her shoulders and holding her at arm’s length. “Please tell me all he was able to do was rough handle you a little bit.”
His words brought what had just happened crashing down onto her. Tears came to her eyes and her legs wouldn’t support her anymore. Fortunately, Turgon was there to catch her.
“Oh, Turgon, I was so scared,” she murmured, burying her face into his chest. “Thank you. If you hadn’t of been there, he would have…” She couldn’t bring herself to say it.
“It’s okay,” he assured. “I was there. You’re safe.”
She laughed weakly. “At least until I get back to the palace. Ada’s going to kill me for going out alone. I don’t suppose I could talk you into not telling him, or Eldarion for that matter, could I?”
Turgon sighed. “I’m sorry. You know that they have to know.”
“I know,” she said resignedly. “Let us go now. I don’t think I can stand to be here another minute.”
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Aragorn waited patiently in the entrance hall for his daughter to get back. He heard Elwing approach him from behind. He knew that she too had felt something happen with Elenwë.
“Is she alright, Ada?” Elwing asked worriedly, knowing her father was more farsighted than she.
“She will be,” he replied. The doors were then opened, and Turgon and Elenwë walked in. Ordinarily, the sight of any man with his arm around his daughter would have caused Aragorn’s protective nature to flare up, but he knew that the Steward’s son was no threat to his daughter’s well being.
“Elwing, take your sister to her room to rest. I will be up in moment.” She nodded and helped Elenwë up the stairs. “Now,” Aragorn said, addressing Turgon. “I must first thank you, Turgon, for coming to my daughter’s aid.”
“No thanks are necessary, sire,” Turgon replied humbly. “But I feel that I must inform you on what exactly transpired.”
“I already know,” his king said. “I received a vision this night that woke me and brought me to the entrance hall to await your arrival. Much the same way that you knew where my daughter would be and what would happen to her if you did not do something.”
“Sire?”
“The gift of foresight often flares up when someone we love is in danger. My daughters are precious to me. I will allow no man to court them until they have seen their eighteenth year. I hope your love transcends time. Now, if you will excuse me.”
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“Ada.” Elenwë sat up as her father walked in.
“Lie back down, nin riel,” he said. “You have been through much tonight.”
“I am sorry, Ada. Please forgive me. I promise I will not do it again if only you will forgive me,” she begged.
Aragorn smiled. “Of course I forgive you. But I will hold you to that promise. I expect you to never do such a thing again. There may not be anyone around to save you next time. Sleep now. You are safe,” he said, kissing her forehead.
“Goodnight, Ada.”
“Goodnight, my beautiful star.”
tbc…