Betrothed(ON HOLD)

Chapter Three

The soft morning sun shone through the windows of Arwen's bedroom, casting on the floor in its warm and golden light. A gentle breeze fluttered at the curtains, bringing with it the scents of the world outside.

Arwen sat on her bed, basking in the warmth of the sun and enjoying the light breeze through her hair. In her hands she held one of her favorite books, one that she read over and over again and could never tire of it.

"Lady Arwen," a soft tap from her opened door came. "The guests are entering Rivendell."

Arwen looked up from her book, slightly startled by the messenger. She quickly regained her composure and nodded, setting her book down next to her.

"I'll be out in a moment. Thank you."

She stood up out of her seat when the messenger had left the doorway, smoothing out her dress and running her fingers through her hair to make it more presentable. It had been many years since she had last seen the Elvenking and his son. She wanted to make a good impression on them, to show them both that she had matured and since they had last seen her. She hoped to make her father proud in that way, to show how well her father had raised her.

As she finished brushing through her hair, she couldn't help but wonder what the Prince would look like now. He probably was just as arrogant and grumpy as he was when they had met. And he surely wouldn't be as cute as she had once thought he was. Maybe he had grown ugly in all these years?

Well, it does not matter, she thought to herself.

Straightening and smoothing her dress one last time, she set off to meet the guests with her father.

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"Why are we going all this way for nothing?" Legolas asked his father for the hundredth time that morning.

"As I have told you before," Thranduil said, looking at his son in annoyance. "We are not going for nothing."

"But can you give me an actual reason?"

"No."

Legolas sighed, about to give up. His father always kept secrets from him and never told him anything. When would he trust him enough to know the important things?

To distract himself, Legolas took to admiring the world around him. The sun was still rising slowly above the surrounding mountains and with each minute, stars began to fade before his eyes. Along with the fading stars, the cold of the night was wearing off and he felt the warmth creeping back into his fingers. They had been riding two hours before sunrise to make it to Rivendell quicker. Glancing ahead, he could see Rivendell in all its glory. He thought it as beautiful as the stories say it was, but in his opinion (from what he could see of it), it could use more trees.

On the other side of the long bridge at the entrance of Rivendell, they were met by Lord Elrond who was standing all alone, with none of his family. He wore robes of silver and blue with a silver circlet on his brow. His eyes seemed cold and hard and he gave no greeting.

"It is a pleasure to see you again, Lord Elrond," Thranduil said as he dismounted his steed.

"Yes. It has been a long time," Elrond replied rather stiffly, his brows slightly furrowed.

"Where are your sons?" Thranduil asked.

"They are off on a hunt. They'll be back in a few days time."

"And where, may I ask, is the Lady Arwen?" Thranduil raised an eyebrow.

Elrond looked behind him as if noticing for the first time that Arwen was not with him. He laughed softly. "She must still be getting ready."