All Who Wander Are Not Lost

Chapter 5

"Arwen? Oh Arwen!" She called, a soft smile on her ageless face; leaning over a railing she peered into the garden below. A muffled giggle could be heard from somewhere below.

Hands on her hip, Thennil raised an eyebrow as she caught a glimpse of shimmery fabric behind a stone figure. Moving along the hallway she looked down into another part of the garden, pretending to search adamantly for the hiding girl. Moving curtains, looking beneath benches, and in all the many nooks and crannies that Imadlris had to offer she continued her fabricated searching, smirking all the while as she heard the soft footsteps of the elfling that was trying to get away. Skipping down the steps into the garden, Thennil twirled, breathing deeply of the cool, pure air, ignoring the dark head of hair that continued to move farther and farther down the stairs that led to another level of the gardens below. Sighing she took a seat on a bench, her back to the fleeing girl.

"What am I going to do? Naneth is going to have my head if I don't get Arwen to do her embroidery! Oh, what am I to do?" She wondered aloud.

Another muffled laugh echoed through the gardens as her charge decided to back track.

Mouth twitching in withheld mirth, Thennil slipped into the foliage of the garden when she saw that her sister's back was turned. Crouching low to the ground, she crept through the ferns, making her way steadily to the stream that trickled through the gardens. It would provide a perfect path through the thicker foliage that her young sister would be making her way through without a doubt. Ever so often she would peak above the bushes and vines to track the dark head that was trying to make their way through the bushes without stepping on a twig or rattling the brush to much. She had come to the brook and had quickly made her way up it's sandy bank, getting in front of her sister, and stepping behind a large stone carving that stood next to the bath her sister would come to, she waited.

It wasn't long before she could hear the grunts, squeaks, and giggles of the petite figure. She stumbled onto the path, panting from her excursion, and brushed a strand of black hair from her eyes. Straightening her shoulders, she looked around and smiled when she concluded that she had not been followed. Relaxing she flicked the clumps of dirt and leaves from her skirts and untangled her sleeves from the knots that they had somehow gotten themselves into. Upon finishing the inspection of her deep blue gown, she made her way down the path, darting glances behind her ever so often to check for someone following her. It was on one of these glances back that Thennil stepped out from the carving, arms crossed in front of her and a threatening frown gracing her normally joyful features.

Arwen stumbled when she collided with something in front of her. Snapping her head up, she cringed at the expression on her sisters face. She stepped back, staring at her foot while toeing the ground. She sighed, and looked up with her big grey eyes, giving her sister the puppy dog look.

"Yes?"

"You were supposed to be in the sun room twenty minutes ago."

"Aye?"

"And what were you planning on doing down here?"

"Uhh, I was going to visit-umm-Belonin, we were going to go see his aunt who's been ill."

"Really? the eyebrow rose even higher, I'm sure that I just saw him meeting with his aunt this morning and she looked quite healthy."

"Oh-

"Why are you avoiding your lessons, Arwen?"

"..."

"Hmmm?"

The child sighed in exasperation, "It's so boring! And no one ever has anything interesting to say. Naneth is always so patient, but she is always called away for something or another and I end up sitting with all the ladies. They all talk about the weather, their garden's, and what child has accomplished this or that. Sometimes the Elder Ladies tell stories, but it's so, so-