Becoming Aredhel

Chapter Nine- A Sisters Luncheon

Aredhel's POV

"Arwen," I call shyly, stepping out onto the balcony. My fingers curl around the material of my dress skirts nervously.

A week has passed since my fight against the poison in my body, and I am feeling so much better. My wounds have been healing faster with the poison being gone, and I have much more energy. Elladan has been by my side every step of the way, bringing me flowers of all shapes and sizes and colors from his mother's garden.

Arwen turns to me with a friendly, excited smile and motions me over to sit at the table across from her. "Aredhel, thank you for joining me," she says in her characteristically soft tone of voice.

Her raven colored hair falls in luxurious waves down her shoulders and back, the tresses dancing in the breeze that wafts up to the balcony. She is clothed in a pastel blue gown that shows off her porcelain shoulders and sweeps to the ground in a way that makes it appear weightless. A sliver necklace hangs around her neck, resting upon her smooth skin. Her cheeks are a soft pink color, flushed naturally, and her lips are the same dainty shade. She is absolutely stunning, like a painting, just as her brothers are.

"Thank you for inviting me. This food looks delicious," I praise, eyeing the food in front of me like a hungry animal. My appetite has not been the best since the accident, but now it is starting to come back with a vengeance.

I sit down across from her, and the light green dress I am wearing swishes around my legs with the movement. 'Tis strange to be clothed in such expensive fabric, so different from the rough, cheap material my mother's hand-me-downs were made of. I feel like a princess as I sit across from Arwen, and I unconsciously mimic the way she sits up straight and how she moves with effortless grace.

"I asked the cooks to make enough to feed a small army," she jokes, sending me a grin. "They made many pastries as well. Elladan told me you like them."

I blush at the mentioning of her brother, and she eyes me knowingly. "Elladan shared some with me," I comment nonchalantly, shrugging. "I am definitely ready to eat more."

Shouting distracts me for a moment, and I glance down below us to see two shirtless ellyn sparring on what must be the practice fields. An equally shirtless Glorfindel shouts at them, correcting their form and giving them advice on how to take the other off guard. I lean forward to see better, watching along with the small crowd of ellyn who stand around the two, waiting for their turn.

"Oh yes," Arwen sighs, "I had forgotten that my brothers practice at this time, so our luncheon may not be the most peaceful."

I eye the two that are fighting, realizing that they are indeed Elladan and Elrohir. My gaze drinks in the sight of my mate clad only in trousers, and I am not disappointed by what I see. Having never seen an ellon shirtless before- besides Papa when he would work all day in the garden, which does not count- I cannot keep my eyes off of him.

Elladan is tall and lean, and his body is toned like that of a warrior. He moves with the grace of a deer, yet his strikes are deadly. If Elrohir were not just as good of a swordsman, he would surely be injured. 'Tis almost like a dance. They move quickly and with surety, as if they can anticipate the other's move before it comes to pass.

"They are most skilled," I whisper in surprise, turning my wide eyes to look at Arwen.

She smiles amusedly. "That they are. I thought you might enjoy seeing Elladan doing what he does best," she teases light-heartedly, "He would never admit to being a great warrior. 'Tis something you have to see for yourself."

"What about you?" I ask her interestedly. "Are you better with the sword or with the bow?"

"How did you guess that I am trained?" she asks curiously.