𝐄𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐘━︎━︎L. Greenleaf

❝CHAPTER ONE❞

▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐧𝐞 ━︎━︎ 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 ▌

━︎━︎━︎━︎ELLARIA LIKED TO believe she was a nice person. She greeted everyone as they passed by her, she helped out whenever someone was in need. Overall she was a pretty decent elf. That was until she found herself storming from her fathers study in a blind rage and chewed out a poor maiden that had been passing by her. She went to her room, closing the door behind her and took a seat on the edge of her bed. Tears filled her eyes and she tried desperately to keep them at bay, but nothing she did was working.

A soft knock came on her door and she didn't answer, opting to stay quiet as she softly cried to herself, wiping away her tears when the person on the other side of the door entered anyways. Arwen stood there, a small frown on her face as she watched her sister. She furthered herself into the room, softly shutting the door behind her and taking a seat beside her sister. For a moment she said nothing, unsure whether to sit in silence and comfort her or try and coerce her into talking about what had happened.

     "Ellaria, why are you crying?" Arwen softly asked, gently stroking her sisters hair in hopes of calming her down.

     Ellaria shook her head, complete and utter disbelief coursing through every part of her body. She met her sisters eyes, watching as Arwen cocked her head to the side, a prominent frown on her lips. "It is simply unfair," Ellaria whispered.

     Arwen shook her head, not understanding. "What is?"

     "He wants to chain me to this place. He doesn't want me to go anywhere. He is ruining my life, Arwen."

Arwen understood without Ellaria having to go into further detail. Since she could remember her sister had always been a  very out going person. She craved adventure, she craved freedom, and it seemed every turn she took the chance to get just that danced across her finger tips before it was violently ripped away. The pain etched on Ellaria's face made Arwen's heart break. If there was one person in the world Arwen looked up to, it was Ellaria. Her confidence was admirable, her beauty was breathtaking, but it was her kind heart that made Arwen long to be just like her older sister. 

Ellaria had never been one to do what she was told. She would be told to do one thing and instead did the exact opposite. She was supposed to be trained the proper way how to be a princess, how to understand the politics, how to learn how to rule and please and provide for your people. But instead, Ellaria trained to be a warrior. She trained herself to understand how to use different weapons, she trained herself how to fight in battle. Arwen liked to call Ellaria's way of training a graceful dance. She glided so beautifully, so elegantly, it was almost sickening.

To Arwen, Ellaria was perfect. Neither of them had ever really wanted a throne, but to Arwen, if it meant letting her sister finally claim that freedom and adventure she's been searching for her whole life, then Arwen would gladly step up and take her sisters place. Arwen knew that her father had good intentions with Ellaria. He has always protected them and kept them safe, he'd always loved them both equally and cared for them and made sure they understood he would always be there for them if they ever needed anything. That wasn't the problem.

Arwen knew that her sister knew all of that too. The problem was, their father had become. . . sentimental since their mother had passed, a passing that had made all of them mourn, but it seemed Elrond had taken it the hardest. He had lost his wife, and now it was just him left to keep his daughters safe. He held them both close to his chest because he was terrified of losing either of them the way he had lost their mother. And to Arwen, it seemed Ellaria had finally grown tired of it.

     "He's just doing what he thinks is best―︎"

     "And this is what's best for me?" Ellaria shot up from the bed, looking at her sister with tear streaked cheeks and anger in her eyes. But there was also pain in her eyes. "How is this best, Arwen? How?"

     "Ella, I―︎"

     "I am being locked up like a caged animal all because I desire to see the world. It is not right. This is not right." She ran a hand through her hair, turning away from Arwen and closing her eyes as she shook her head. She took a shaky breath, trying to calm the anger in her heart and the pain seizing her lungs. "I know he is only trying to keep me safe. He is trying to keep me close to him so he can protect me. But at some point in my life I am going to have to be set free. I want to live, Arwen. I can't do that if I'm chained down to this place."

     Arwen nodded her head before softly whispering, "I know."

    "I just want him to understand me. To compromise with me." Ellaria turned to look at her sister. "He knows I can fight, he's seen me do it before. If I have to prove myself to him, I will."

     Arwen stood from the bed, looking at her sister with worry dancing in her eyes. "Ellaria. . ."

     "He would have to give me a chance if he can see I share no lies when I say I know how to keep myself safe. He'll have to."

     Arwen swallowed, alarm bells blaring in her head. "What do you mean to do, Ellaria?"

     Ellaria wiped her tears, lifted her chin up, and straightened her shoulders. "I mean to prove myself." She quickly changed into more suitable clothes before striding from her room with Arwen hot on her heels.

     "But how?"

     Ellaria furrowed her brows. "I haven't gotten that far as of yet, best believe I will figure something out." They made it down the steps and towards the area the horses were kept. Ellaria walked up to her white horse, rubbing a hand down her neck and smiling at the animal. "Valera will keep me safe." Ellaria began to saddle the horse.

     "Father will do what he thinks is best, he always has, especially when it comes to us." Arwen tried, but Ellaria continued to ignore her sister and climb atop her horse. Arwen quickly went to the horses side, looking up at her sister. "He will not listen to you." Ellaria met her sisters eyes, a small frown on her face. Arwen sighed, closing her eyes and shaking her head before meeting Ellaria's gaze once more. She knew she wouldn't win this, and she knew her sister would need someone on her side. And Arwen, well, Arwen was always on Ellaria's side. "I will always support you and your desires. Even if I do not fully agree with them."

     Ellaria managed a small smile. "Thank you, Arwen."

     Arwen took a step back from the horse. "He will no doubt be waiting when you arrive home."

     Ellaria nodded. "I'm counting on it." With that, Ellaria sent her horse forwards, flying through the stables and out of the land of Rivendell. Her body thrummed with excitement, preparing for the quest at hand. Ellaria was going to prove to her father that she was telling the truth about herself. She wouldn't come back until she had found a way. So, she rode her horse far out, coming along a dry grassy land. Her elf eyes searched it before she spotted exactly what she was looking for. A pack of Orcs on the hunt.