𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋 ✯ 𝑙𝑜𝑡𝑟 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑦 𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 ✓

Trouble?

"Well, this is a nice change of scenery," Abendago said.

"It's a prison cell," Arianeth remarked.

"I was being sarcastic."

"You just couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you?"

~*~ Only a few hours ago ~*~

Phoenix sometimes glanced back over his shoulder to make sure they were still there. He did trust Arianeth, but not the Dwarf. He still wondered why Arianeth had decided to travel with the Dwarf. What would made him so special? But then, the Maia often did things Phoenix couldn't understand. Maybe she saw something in the Dwarf that he just couldn't see.

"What did you mean by strange things had happened today?" Arianeth suddenly asked, remembering what the Prince of the Woodland Realm had said.

Phoenix shrugged. "Some Elves crossed the border on the other side of the forest. It looks as some kind of gathering, I don't know. Normally we don't get that many visitors. It's just strange."

Abendago snorted. "What's so strange about that? This forest is huge, surely some must cross the borders once in a while."

Phoenix shot him a glare but before he could answer something, they reached the small open clearing before the gates of the Elven Hall and Caladhiel appeared at exact the same time on the other side of the clearing. Her group was escorting four Elves but Phoenix only recognized Haldir and Rúmil. The two others were two elleths. He wondered what his father would think of all this. Four Elves, one Maia and one Dwarf. Thranduil most definitely wouldn't like the sight of the Dwarf...

"No trouble?" he asked the other group and Caladhiel shook her head.

"None at all." She walked more his way and set foot on the stone bridge that lead towards the huge gate. "You?" she asked while gesturing the others to follow her.

"Nah. If all Dwarfs would be as easy and meekly as this one, there wouldn't be a saying 'as stubborn as a Dwarf'." Phoenix smirked when he noticed the furious expression of the old Dwarf.

"I beg your pardon?!" he spat at the cocky Elf and he reached for his axe that was hanging on his back.

"Easy, Abendago," Arianeth tried to calm him down. "He's just messing with you." Abendago didn't calm down at all, he was going to learn this cheeky brat a lesson! He grabbed his axe but Arianeth was faster and put it behind her back.

"Stop it," she hissed at them both. "Do you want to leave this place quickly?"

Abendago grumbled and nodded.

"Then do as I say." She sighed when she saw the still stubborn and angry expression of the Dwarf. She had the feeling this meeting with the King wasn't exactly going to be... smoothly.

Narsil and Melwin stopped to a halt next to the gate. "Come on, Phoenix. Your father was expecting them as soon as possible."

Abendago stared at the red-haired Elf in disbelief. If this was the King's son, then how annoying wouldn't the King be? Arianeth shot him one last warning glance before she followed Phoenix over the bridge.

"Do as I do and we'll be out of here before you know it."

Obivously, Abendago hadn't followed that order...

~*~*~*~*~

Norin let the arrow fly while her sisters clashed their swords together. The arrow hit bullseye and Norin grinned while she put another one on the bowstring. Even though she was better with swords, she also wasn't bad in archery. She pulled the bowstring next to her chin and aimed for the eye again, if she could hit the other arrow just right... she could split it in half. Now, wouldn't that be something? She focussed on that one point and while she blew out her breath through her mouth, she let the arrow fly away.

She let out a loud laugh when the arrow did as she had intented. "Look!" she said and pointed at the target. Norin glanced at her sisters who were still fighting and she sighed. Did she do something awesome and then there was no one who could see it. She bet if her father could see her now, he would never ever be worried again. Norin hid the bow away and looked at Livianna and Arwen who were dancing around each other. Their movements were too fast for any human to follow and their long hairs danced in the wind while they were swirling around. Jumping forth and back, and lashing out at the other with the sword.

Suddenly, Livianna managed to sweep Arwen's feet away and she landed on her back with a loud smack. Norin flinched, that had got to hurt. Livianna held her sword against her sister's throat and smirked.

"Good fight," she said to Arwen who pushed the sword away. Livianna chuckled and helped her older sister back on her feet. Arwen stretched her back painfully, why again had she agreed to fight on the courtyard and not on the grass?

Norin jumped forward. "My turn!" she wanted to practice her sword-fighting skills as well but then the sound of hooves echoed through the air. They dropped their weapons and ran back to the small round courtyard that was the entrance to Rivendell. It had to be their brothers who returned from the Orc-hunt. It had been several hours since they had left and the sound of the horses, was undoubtfully the sound of their returning.

Elrond was already standing on top of the stairs and observed his sons and the the other Elves that came riding over the bridge. Their faces stood grimly and worried, normality the twins would have been exuberantly when they returned from a little hunt. But not this time, it was as he had forseen in his vision. His three daughters shot passed him and ran off the stairs, ready to greet their brothers. Elrond quickly followed them down the stairs and stood by their side when they dismounted their horses.

Norin, Livianna and Arwen immediately noticed there was something wrong.

"What happened?" Livianna asked but her voice caught in her throat when she saw the wounded Elf. Elrohir stalked towards him and helped him down from his horse. He wasn't badly hurt but still needed some medical attention.

Elladan turned to Elrond. "Some escaped."

Elrond raised an eyebrow; Orcs that had escaped his sons? And even managed to hurt one of his Elves?

"But these were no Orcs, father. They were Uruk-Hai's... At least, I think they were." Elladan took out a piece of parchment and gave it to his father. "We found this though, but I cannot read the language."

Elrond glanced at the strange words. It was no language he had ever seen...

~*~*~*~*~

A/N: So uh, yeah... Can you feel the tension? It's time for some action, right? xD So, why are Arianeth and Abendago imprisoned? What did he do? What are these strange creatures that look like Uruk-Hai but maybe are not (hint hint)?  ... But no worries, it'll be a while before the storm burst out... *evil laugh and cough* (I'm having a bit of a cold)

Also, obviously I'm back from London! It was awesome! Seen a lot, walked a lot, and had a terrible backache, but other than that, it was great!

Alright, enough chitchat. #CynarOut

~*~*~*~*~