Arual Evenstar
L J Milakovic

 

Chapter 1

Elrond gazed into her deep, dark eyes, and placed his scarred hand on her rosy, flawless cheek. She swallowed, as she knew what was to come.
   “Arual, did you not listen to me the first time we conversed?” he asked her gravely.
   “Yes, father. I did hear you. But you do not understand. I yearn to explore the surrounding world. There are things I have yet to see.” She turned, Elrond’s arm dropping, and gazed out of the open window, a breeze rippling through her long, dark hair cascading down her back like a waterfall. “I wish to travel to Lothlorien, to Mirkwood to visit my dear friend Legolas. I’d like to see the Hobbits.”
   “Elves from Lothlorien and Mirkwood visit you frequently, my dear. Why must you yearn for more than you have already? And there is plenty of time for you to travel – just when you are older.”
Arual turned back to her father, her face in despair. “Why must it be when I am older? Why not now, whilst my young heart yearns it so? I have heard so many tales of the surrounding lands. Of the little Hobbits, in the Shire. I would give up everything I live for here to travel,” her eyes shone, her delicate hands clasped together in front of her.
   “You would leave even your own father to go all over Middle-Earth, when you would get bored within a month? What has Legolas been telling you?” Elrond looked down at his youngest daughter sternly.
   “Father! You know that is not what I meant-”
   “Then what did you mean, Arual? I have no time for your nonsense!”
   “It is anything but nonsense! You talk like I have no mind of my own – like Legolas is the one who controls my desires,” Arual began to weep with frustration. “I love you more than anything, father. You know that. But you do not own me. You have me under constant guard – I feel like a prisoner.”
   “You are my daughter, Arual. I do not lock you up! You are free to wonder the pinewoods, so long as you are guarded. And that is not so that you can’t run away from me, or because I feel powerful keeping you under surveillance – it is to keep you safe. It would break my heart for anything to happen to you,” Elrond’s expression did not change, whereas Arual’s tears were running freely.
   “And it breaks my heart to see Legolas and the other elves ride into the distance, visiting other folk, to observe their homes and make new friends, whilst I am here. I get so lonely.”
   “The roads are perilous. You wouldn’t be able to handle it. Besides, you have many friends here at Rivendell.”
   “Father – please let me go. Just to Mirkwood, and Legolas will make sure that I am kept safe. He can be trusted-”
   “No he can not! I do not like the thought of your safety in the hands of Legolas Greenleaf! We shall discuss the matter no further. You shall stay here.” Elrond turned, and reached for the door. Just as he was about to exit, he heard a mutter from Arual.
   “I shall not.”
Elrond turned back, and closed the door.
   “What did you just say, Arual?”
   “I said; I shall not stay here. You have no power over me. I shall leave in a week, when Legolas shall collect me,” Arual told him, her head cocked up.
   “Arual – if I ever here you talk to me like that again, you shall be severely punished,” Elrond warned her. “Now get ready for bed.”
   “I mean it, father. I am leaving Rivendell.”
   “You shall not! For your cheek, you shall stay in these grounds for one month. For meals, you shall come to the dining room, formally dressed. There will be no visitors for that amount of time, and all of this tat-” he gestured to Arual’s collection of objects Legolas had given to her from where he had ventured. “Shall be got rid of. It does not do well to dwell on dreams.”
   “You would not be so cruel-” began Arual.
   “It is not cruelty! They will be removed in the morning. Now get some rest,” Elrond exited her room.


Chapter 2

   Arual scanned the many shelves of flotsam and jetsam collected by Legolas from each place that he visited. Among them was the fang of a dragon once slain, a bow and quiver laden with arrows, and, her favourite, a precious white jewel upon a delicate chain presented to her by none other than Legolas’ dear friend, Gimli son of Gloin.
Her dark eyes nestled on the necklace. Unconsciously, she fingered the jewel, and gracefully lifted it. She slipped it around her neck, fastened it, and perfected it upon her chest.
Then she lifted herself, and stepped onto the first shelf, then the second, grasping the bow and quiver on the third shelf up. Clasping them to her chest, she clambered down, and laid them beside her feet, forming a small pile. To them she added a small dagger in its sheath, named Dagdar, and a map of Middle-Earth from the elves of Lothlorien.
The rest would be gotten rid of by her father.
The lifted the pile awkwardly, and slid them underneath her four-poster bed, where they would be safe.
Then she changed, and tucked herself into bed. As she lay, she slipped into her thoughts, and then eventually into sleep.
   The sounds of birds chirping outside her bedroom window woke Arual. A parched tongue licked pale lips, and long lashes parted to reveal dark eyes. She lay motionless, forming what would happen through the day. She would walk gracefully to breakfast, and then Percy would join her in rowing on the river that ran through the heart of Rivendell, then-
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door, it opened, and Percy, full name Persevore, her fathers’ employee poked his head through the crack.
   “Arry – your father wants me to get rid of all the gifts Legolas has presented to you. I apologise – you realise this is not my doings?”
   Arual sat up, and seeing through the slits of her eyelids, she saw her friend and smiled. His wicked green eyes’ vision was often disrupted by the strands of red hair at his hairline, which he had cut short. The rest of his hair was tied back in the usual elf fashion.
   “He will want you to take them to him so he can destroy them himself. I do not blame you,” Arual assured him.
   Percy nodded and left the room.

* * * * *

   “Arual. I have sent Persevore to rid your room of that tat from the Shire,” said Elrond sternly.
   “Yes, father. I know. And he sends his deepest apologies,” said Arual coolly, helping herself to breakfast that lay on the elegant table, and taking a seat.
Elrond inhaled deeply. Arual was too headstrong to know of the perils that awaited the years ahead. Though, not many people did, for many people thought no harm would come to them once the one ring had been destroyed. But Sauron has his ways – and even though the soul of him was taken from the ring, it did not mean that it was fully inexistent.
   “Persevore and I shall row down the river this morning.” Arual told her father. She braced herself for what may come. It came.
   “No you will not. I know he has full confidence in you, and you will leave him to wonder alone. Arual – I know you too well. You shall stay in Rivendell until I see fit.”
Arual’s eyes did not leave her fathers’ until another, blonde, elf entered the room to eat. She quickly looked at her food, sat, and ate in silence.



Chapter 3

   And so it was. Arual was kept inside Rivendell, although, she had said not one word to her father since that one morning, which she knew distressed him. Most of the time she sat on the bridge overlooking the river, her legs dangling over the white foam from the waterfall.
   One morning, she was doing just this. Dawn had just passed, and Arual was bored. An open book was upturned beside her, but it was only about the craftsmanship of elves. There were no tales from distant lands – no excitement, no adventure.
   “Arual?” asked a soft voice behind her.
   Instantly, he knew who it was.
   “Lexis!” she cried, throwing herself into his arms. “What are you doing here?”
   The elf smiled, his weary face full of burdens. He placed her on her feet, and bent down to meet her eyes.
   “I have some business to discuss with your father. But, Arual, what are you doing here? Don’t you normally drag poor Persevore into the pinewoods?” he chuckled, showing white, even teeth.
   She smiled weakly. “Father won’t let me go.”
   Alexis’ face dropped. “Already?” he muttered.
   He straightened up, looking around. “It cannot be. It is too quick. Not yet. Not yet.”
   “What is it?” Arual called, but Alexis was hurrying to the building to talk with her father.
   Arual turned back to the river, sighing heavily. She swung her bare legs backwards and forwards. Father never told her anything. If he did she may be a little more lenient, but he always hid her from the truth – and she got frustrated.
   She decided no go inside and eavesdrop on her fathers’ conversation with Alexis. Wrong, she knew, but she needed to know what she was being shielded from. She left the book where it was, and headed towards her fathers’ council circle, where her father took guests and relatives to discuss important matters that Arual was not concerned with. Until now.

* * *

   Arual sat on the floor, her back against the wall that separated her from Alexis and her father. It took a time for her ears to focus on just their voices, for the surrounding sounds, mostly from the kitchen, were distracting, but she finally got there.
   “…following me on my way over here. They couldn’t be seen, but the evil can be felt…” Alexis broke off.
   “Arual wanted to venture with Legolas across Middle-Earth. I couldn’t let her, not with the…”
   “I think the conclusion is some evil has returned… must be informed”
   “I shall call a council. Can I count on you to call the possible attendants? I have some research to attend to…”
   A loud crash startled Arual from listening in on the conversation. Her eyes darted over to the entrance of the kitchen, and thought it a good idea to scarper.

* * *

   Arual sat cross-legged on her bed, examining Dagdar from every angle and caressing the carvings within it’s handle, the steel gleamed in the dusk’s light when she unsheathed it.
   An almost silent knock reacted in her tucking the dagger under her bed, and looking up. Her father, his face grave, entered. He perched on the edge of her bed.
   “Is there something wrong, father?”
   “Arual – I apologise for being so harsh yesterday eve-”
   Arual’s eyes scanned the empty shelves where her presents once belonged. Her room felt empty – not lived in without them. She felt she didn’t belong in there, and her heart raced.
Nothing was hers. Apart from the objects under her bed, now including the necklace which she had hidden under the mattress, should the others be found, nothing was hers.
The books, the bed, the desk didn’t should out loud; ‘this is Arual’s room.’
She almost choked. If she didn’t belong here – where did she belong? Not with her father, no, but with Legolas.



Chapter 4

   Her father kissed her forehead before exiting. Arual lay, too nauseated to think of her fathers’ apology. It had dawned on her – in the subtlest way – that she did not belong in Rivendell. She would leave. Soon.
   Alexis was staying with her father, and she knew his physical power was far beyond hers, so she must leave at dusk, when he would most likely to be reading. He had informed her of his ‘me’ time – which had puzzled her. Why not have ‘me’ time all the time?
   Tomorrow she would help in the kitchen and sneak lembas out – for her journey. She had been looking at the map frequently in the past two days, and had estimated Legolas would be Carrock. It would take her four days to meet up with him – then he would send a message to her father, and take her with him. It would be a wonderful adventure.

* * *

   Percy sneaked up behind Arual – who was slicing the bread – and lifted her off her feet. She gave a yelp of surprise as he swung her around and around.
   “Perce! Let go!”
   He did as she said, and she held the long knife before her, as if to pounce. He did a mock show of terror.
   “Not funny.” A grin spread across her face.
   “Sorry. Wotcha doing?”
   “Slicing bread.” Arual’s accent was much more posh than Percy’s, and she used it to patronise him.
   “Wanna do something? I have the rest of the day off, and I want to spend it with the stupidest person here. Besides me, of course.
   “Oh, sorry,” said Arual, turning back to the bread. “Celeblare isn’t here.”
   Percy stifled a snigger. Celeblare was their ‘worst enemy’, who they waged war against. When Elrond was not in Rivendell, course. Her twin, Celeblain, was always on their team. Arual had had a bit of a ‘thing’ for him when they were younger.
   “Seriously.”
   “Ok – give me five minutes to get changed, and I’ll meet you entrance hall. I want to practice my archery,” and with that, she left the bread as it was, and ran towards her room, careful not to let the lembas hidden in her gown be seen. That was close. Percy had come in just as she had hidden them.

* * *

   Arual shoved the lembas under her bed, and retrieved the bow and quiver. She would have to get used to using them.



Chapter 5

   Her hair, black as darkness, rippled in the wind. She drew back the string, on which the arrow was attached. Her eyes focused on the pinpoint of the middle of the target. All her senses were alert to distractions.
   Something tickled her neck, her hand shifted, the arrow flew.
   Arual’s face fell.
   “How could I have missed!” she cried in despair.
   Percy, who had gone back to counting the arrows, looked over his shoulder.
   “You didn’t,” he said. “That was perfect.”
   “No it wasn’t! That’s half an inch from the centre!”
   Percy studied her from narrowed eyes.
   “What’s wrong?”
   “Nothing,” she muttered, turning away. He seized her arm.
   “What the hell are you planning, Arry?”
   They stood, his hand holding her arm, her body facing away from him, his head reaching towards her.
   Her face instantly changed. Her eyes became wildfire, her tongue an audible path of her thoughts.
   “Never grab me! Ever! Don’t you talk down to me, you bastard! I don’t have to explain myself to you! You have no authority over me!”
   He collapsed on the brink of the bank that led to the river. She flopped next to him.
   “Don’t question me.”
   They both lay in unison, gazing at the brilliant white clouds.
   “You’d never get so paranoid usually. Probably just swear at me.”
   She grinned, and so did he. They both shifted onto their sides; she on her left and he on his right.
   “It’s nothing. I’m just not exactly getting on with father at the moment.”
   “Tell me about it!”
   She laughed, and his eyes became intense. She stroked the loose strand of red hair behind his ear, her eyes appearing to have no emotion.
   He put his hand on her cheek, and she jerked back. Hastily, she stood, brushing herself down.
   “We- we’ll be late for dinner if we don’t hurry!”
   She collected her bow and quiver as Percy stood.
   “Arry-” he began apologetically. He dropped his arms in failure.
   Arual disappeared into the building.
   “I’ll always be here for you,” he whispered, as a warm tear fell.

* * *

   “I’m so sorry,” Arual whispered, looking back over her shoulder. She was leaving that night.
   She made up a story that she felt ill and wanted to get rest, and spent the rest of the day anticipating dusk. She dropped off from time to time, others she studied the map, and also weeping. Weeping for her love of her best friend, Legolas, and also Percy, who she did and didn’t want.
   Her chest tightened as it slowly began to darken. She stretched. As soon as she was out of sight of anyone is the grounds, she would have to run with all her might, for as long as possible.
   Her anxiousness was apparent in all of her movements. She shifted from foot to foot, scratched her arms, neck, legs. Paced up and down, jumped on the spot punching the air and kicking in between.
   Her anxiety, however, would have been intensified if only she knew what was to happen. If only she hadn’t the guts to run into what she would. Nothing would have happened, and life would have progressed peacefully.




Chapter 6

   “Arual?”
   The soft voice of her father. She turned, panic rising in her chest.
   “I heard about the falling out with Persevore,” he spoke gravely.
   She almost doubled over and giggled. Oh, how she loved Percy. Her heart skipped a beat. But was it love – or just gratefulness?
   “Erm … yes. Something like that,” she muttered.
   “He’s very upset about it. I think you ought to go down and talk to him. He’s a very nice boy.”
   'Oh Jesus he’s hinting at me,' Arual thought. Her father had never agreed with her ‘thing’ with Celeblain.
   “Mmm.”
   “Arual – you must talk. It does not do well to keep your feelings to yourself-”
   'You wanna know my feelings? Well, my dear old father, I’m leaving. Off with my best friend Lego. And I know you are jealous, and what you ought to know is that I couldn’t give a toss. You bore me with your crafts and business of Middle-Earth. Why should it involve me – YOU caused it'.
   “I know, father. But it was Percy who began the argument.”
   “Arual! You began an argument with me not so long ago! I think you had better get used to apologising to people you have hurt.”
   Their eyes – both black – were locked.
   “Close the door on your way out,” she snarled.
   Elrond left, and Arual slung herself over her bed, where she lay, motionless for a while. She was leaving her home life with both her father and friend angry with her. Serves them right, Arual thought, and settled for sleep before she did leave.

* * *

   Night. Arual’s eyes reflected the dotted stars in the sky as she lifted herself flawlessly onto the banister surrounding the porch outside her room. A 40-foot drop. The rope was around her waist on one end and attached to the banister on the other in an instant. Hoisting her rucksack on her back, then stepped off the five-inch wide banister, and fell. As she was about to smash into the paved ground, she straitened, landing on her small feet.
   She yanked the rope to the side, and it fell like a tossed serpent. She caught it, looped it, and lifted over her head, wearing it like a sash. Then, yanking the cloak out of her bag, she draped it over her body, shielding herself from prying eyes. And, faster than she could have ever before, though not matching her imagination, she sprinted up the bank to the boundaries of the pinewoods, which seemed immensely more dense than she could have anticipated.
   She lay on her stomach, her back arched, observing the woods which she was about to pass through. One utter came from her lips; “shit.”



Chapter 7

   Percy was perched on the end of his bed, wiping the tears away with the back of his left hand. Why did he do that? He had scared the living s.hit out of his best friend, and seized her! How long would it be before Elrond was informed? Elrond was the most protective parent Percy had ever met – or heard of.
   He would never be able to get another job if he was dismissed. He couldn’t read or write, and with the added reputation of using his strength on a female elf, his chances were minute.
   But no one knew how strong Arual was – both mentally and physically. She had wrestled him to the ground many times, and even when she hadn’t she’d put up a good fight. Her speech was that of Alexis – the wisest elf Percy knew. She could confuse anyone with her vocabulary. She would smirk at him when he looked at her in perplexity.
   And the looks she gave him. He knew she was too good for him; his colleagues had made him know. But how he wanted to ride alongside her, hold her as he lifted her down from her horse, walk alongside one another in silence. They both liked it that way – there was no need to talk about how they were there for one another. They just knew.
   And now she would never forgive him. He had gone to kiss her. The look of utter disgust on her face flashed in front of his eyes. He snapped them shut, but she reappeared. Her mesmerising eyes, fragranced, soft hair which he had hidden his face in last Summer when they had played on the corn fields, her womanly figure at such a young age, and perky, red lips which he desired in agony.
   “You’ll drive yourself crazy thinking about that elf-girl.”
   Percy looked up so abruptly his neck snapped. Saeith – a chef who worked full-time, as did Percy, was tending to his bed, ready for when he would use it that night.
   “I think I’m in love with her,” Percy muttered.
   “’Course you do. Felt it myself, when I was not much older than you. But let me tell you this, my lad; it passes. Others will come – and go. She’ll always be in your heart, because it’s your first love, but it will stop hurting.”
   Percy’s face flushed, and he shifted just as Saeith parked his enormous backside next to him. Saeith was half man – half hobbit. He was Arual’s height.
   “I remember my first.” Saeith’s eyes glazed. “She was so – beautiful. Just a regular girl, I’ll say that. But to me she seemed more than any wizard or elf. She was no airy-fairy type,” he waved his hand in the air, signalling the unimportance of any other creature in Middle-Earth.
   “We spent ten years together. That’s nothing to you – but those were the best years I ever witnessed. Her lips -,” his eyes closed in pleasure. Percy’s eyes widened. He didn’t need that much information.
   Saeith seemed to snap back into the real world. “Then – she died. Murdered.”
   Percy choked back a sob. He was anticipating that was what would happen to Arual and himself. Up until the murder.
   “I have never had better. I’m ugly, see,” Percy smiled, showing no teeth. He couldn’t argue. “Don’t pity me – never bothered me. That’s cos I had Jess.”
   “She sounds wonderful,” Percy whispered.
   “Ar, she was! And this Arual! Tomorrow – you are gonna march right up to that girl. Promise her the world, and you’re gonna kiss her.”
   “I’m not.”
   “You are, sunshine. She’s a guddun. I know people think her as haughty – but you can see past that. You miss the flaws when you’re in love. She’s a good choice. You go get her while you can. Before she gets with that Celeblain. You love her, you tell her!”
   Percy sighed heavily.
   “Okaay!”
   Saeith clapped him on the back so hard he almost chucked up his dinner.
   “Good on yer, son.”

Chapter 8

   The first to rise on that morning of 13th September were the kitchen staff. They, of course, did not look in on Arual. They were stationed on another floor on the other side of the building, many on a floor underneath the kitchen. They saw the beginning of the sun, preparing food for that mornings’ breakfast.
   Fifteen minutes later, Elrond was awake. He was in his study, researching old scrolls of the time of the Ruling Ring. Arual clouded his thoughts. They needed to talk, and he was putting it off. So when Percy knocked softly on the door and poked his head through to see if there was anything he could do for his employer, Elrond told him to wake Arual and inform her that she would be at breakfast half an hour later. Reluctantly, Percy went. No breakfast was eaten in Rivendell that morning, however. Percy stumbled into Elrond’s study for a second time, and uttered two simple words that triggered sheer panic that morning; “She’s gone.”
   Elrond’s first impression was that Arual had gone early that morning to practice archery or sit and daydream. He strolled out of the building with young Percy at his side, and they separated.

* * *

   Percy was skimming the boundaries of the pinewoods, not believing Arual would have gone through them. Oh, how wrong he was. He came to a thorned bush, plucked a piece of elven cloth dripped with blood. That’s when he screamed – no, shrieked for Elrond.
   The wiser elf sprinted up the bank to him, absolute terror on his face when he glanced at the cloth in Percy’s hand having spasms of panic.
   “Come with me, boy.” Elrond ordered him, taking him by the scruff of the neck and dragging him back down the bank.

* * *

   Elrond was bent, his eye level with those of the younger elf. His scarred hands were grasping Percy’s face, thumbs in front of his ears, fingers curled around his neck.
   “Listen to me. Go into that building and you shout hell on earth until you meet Alexis. Tell him to follow me through the pinewoods and to gather the biggest group of males he can, got it?”
   Percy, wide-eyed and pale-skinned, nodded furiously. He turned and sprinted clumsily into the building, Elrond followed him, but only draw a sword from the rack just inside the door. He took off, adrenaline pumping through his veins. The blood on the cloth was still tacky, more red that maroon. She hadn’t passed through the woods – abducted or willingly – that long ago. Elrond thought his little girl had a chance to be found.
   Percy was stood in the centre of the hall, where his voice would echo up the spiral staircase. He hollered louder than he had ever hollered in his entire life.
   “’LEXIIIS!” His voice repeated four times after, making the elves and other Middle-Earth creatures in the rooms wonder out on the landing to see what was going on. “ALEXIS!” Percy’s voice broke into screech. His heart was wrenching agonisingly.
   “What is it, Percy?” Alexis’ calm voice floated through the air. Percy turned to him.
   “Alexis-” tears soaked his cheeks and his breathing had become retching sounds. “Arual – she’s … she’s gone. Elrond followed through … pinewoods.”
   Cold sweat was pouring off Percy’s face, and he fainted. Alexis caught him in one arm, and spoke to the creatures observing from the landing.
   “You.” He pointed at a woman at the foot of the staircase. “He’s having a panic attack. Take care of him-” the woman hurried over, took Percy and lay him on the floor, other women and female elves rushing to help. “All you males – get your weapons. Follow me!”



Chapter 9

   “ARUAL! ARU-AL, I’m sorry!” Elrond whispered that last part. He fell to his knees in exasperation, wailing like a toddler. He hadn’t any idea which way he was to go. He couldn’t think logically.
   He heard someone sprinting towards him from behind. He looked back, hopeless as a baby. Alexis jogged up to him, his breathing heavy.
   “I .. I don’t know what way to go,” Elrond spoke in a small, failed voice. It was as if he’d lost his way.
   Alexis stood beside his old friend, and helped him stand. His arm under that of Elrond’s, his hand on Elrond’s shoulder. “Be strong,” he muttered. “For her.”
   There was a large crowd of creatures on their tail. A splash of blood on a leaf guided their way Northeast. Alexis lead them, his sword drawn. Percy ran with them, still feeling nauseous but sprinting all the same. Saeith was also among them; his eyes kept darting over to Percy, ready should he be needed.

* * *

   They came to a clearing, lathered in blood. Many of the creatures had to turn back and relieve themselves of their breakfasts. Arual’s white dress had been strewn across a decaying log. Percy began to fall, but Saeith held him up with a huge hand. Elrond dived forwards, seizing the dress and holding it to his face. There were only a few splashes of blood on it, but Elrond didn’t notice and didn’t much care. His breath was in hitches, howls escaping between them. The onlookers could come to the only conclusion that Arual was dead – their hearts and stomachs dreading finding her body.
   It was then they heard the scream.

 

 

Copyright © 2003 L J Milakovic
Published on the World Wide Web by "www.storymania.com"