For The Love Of Glory 3

For The Love Of Glory

Part 3

Posted: November 23, 2007

*****

Aranel was still sore when she woke up the next day. She could only hope her brothers would have a good excuse for their father for she had no plans to attend the morning meal. They would be no way for her to explain why she was so sore and she knew he father would see this. Instead, she ordered a meal to be brought to her rooms and went to relax her sore body in a hot bath, hoping some oils would help to sooth her aching muscles. Leaning back in the water, she closed her eyes, trying not to think about what this day would bring. No matter how much she tried she could not think of anything else. It would not be long before she would find out of she made the final two or not. If not, this will have all been for nothing and she would have to live with the fact that Glorfindel would never be hers. However, if she won she would finally get the one she wanted. A sudden thought crossed her mind. What if Glorfindel did not want her even if she did win? For Aranel, this would be worse then losing. By the time she finished her bath, she was more stressed then she had been before.

She barely even touched her food, picking at it mostly. When a knock sounded at her door, Aranel nearly jumped out of her skin. Panic began to set in as she wondered if someone had found out she was competing, or worse perhaps her father had found out and came to tell her she had to resign.

“Aranel.” Elladan’s voice broke her train of thought and she let out a deep breath.

She opened the door slowly, making sure he was alone before letting him in. She had almost pulled him in before she closed the door

"You look petrified.” Elladan noticed, seeing the fear and doubt eyes.

"I..” she hesitated at first.” Why am I doing this? Am I insane?” She added before telling him what she had just been thinking of.

"You are insane to be thinking of such things.” Elladan pointed out.” Glorfindel will know how lucky he is to have you.”

Aranel looked at him, she wanted to believe him but another thought came to mind.

“Elladan” she sighed. "What if he only thinks I am with him because I won, not because I truly wish to be with him?”

Elladan tilted his head slightly and gave her a tender smile.

“You are worrying for nothing,” he told her. “Glorfindel would never think this, one look at you and he’d see the truth in your eyes.” He grinned. "How he’s not yet noticed this I do not know.”

Letting herself be pulled into a comforting embrace, Aranel kissed her older brother’s cheek softly and almost screamed when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She could her Elladan laughing as she turned to face Aragon. The man at least looked guilty.

"Your father asked us to come see if you were alright” Aragon said, “He was concerned when had not come to the morning meal.”

Sighing softly, Aranel looked at both him and Elladan and shrugged

"I am fine but can you both not think of anything to tell him?” She asked.

Elladan’s grin was a wicked one and she narrowed his eyes at him

"I am sure he’ll be happy to hear you were up all night having sex with Lindir.” Elladan said, bolting out of the room before she could hit him. She glared at Aragorn until he finally stopped laughing.

"Today’s competition started in less then an hour,” Aragorn said, kissing her cheek. "You will do fine.” He added as he two left the room

"I hope you are right.” She whispered to herself once she was alone again. Walking to her dresser, she took out the outfit she was to wear. She braided her hair before she pulled the hooded cloak on. She did not dare to leave though her door and risk being seen. Elladan had thought of this as well and had set up a way for her to go out from her balcony. Once she reached the ground she made her way to the training fields, avoiding anyone she knew along the way.

She was not surprised to see others there already. She saw Elrohir there speaking with Glorfindel and she almost turned an ran away. She wondered if he had told Glorfindel anything, especially when they both turned the heads towards her. She tried to will herself to stop shaking but apparently, her body was not listening. When her father arrived with Erestor, they called for the remaining ellith and wished them all luck. She saw her father look to where she would have normally sat at his side and was sure he had raised an eyebrow. She would have to think of an excuse to give him later should he find her. For now, she had other things to worry about for now.

It was Erestor himself who had handed out the swords they were to use. The one he gave her felt lighter then the one she had trained with and she glanced quickly over at her brothers. Elladan grinned and nodded briefly and she wondered if they had planned this. Perhaps they wanted her used to a heavier weapon so when it came time to compete she would have less trouble with a lighter sword. If that were the case, she would thank them later.

She was glad for the fact that her number had not been called to fight first. She went and had a seat as she watched the first two ellith compete. The fight lasted longer then she had expected and she had to wonder who the winner was, if it was someone she knew. As her number was called, she made her way to the marked area, waiting nervously. She had barely had time to step back and block the attack when the ellith had came out of nowhere. When she felt her arm being cut she hissed and had to keep herself calm. She was reminded over and over by not only her brothers but from Legolas as well that losing her temper would be a mistake. Anger only clouded the mind and she needed to think fast and move faster. The next stroke has been hers, cutting into the elleth’s leg quickly. The two ellith went back and forth for a while before Aranel won, the elleth on her back with her sword knocked out of her hand. Aranel was still breathing hard when she planted the sword into the ground next to the Elleth’s head and turned and walked away. She could not even look at her brothers as Elrond spoke to everyone present. She could only stare in shock when they learned the next day would involve no weapons at all, It was to be a hand to hand combat that would prove one of them the winner. She tried to force down the lump in her throat. Off all things they had trained over the last couple of weeks, this had not been one of them. Once dismissed she retreated to her rooms.

"We have work to do.” Elladan said as he pushed the door open to her room and walked in, Elrohir and Legolas following right behind.

"I am quitting.” Aranel replied. She watched as Elladan tended to her wounded arm but he had yet to reply .

"you will do no such thing” Elrohir shouted, lowering his voice before he continued.” You are but one day away from winning.” He added

"I will not win.” She replied, “I cannot fight, we all know this.”

Legolas went to sit next to her on her bed, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"you once said the same of archery and sword play.” He pointed out.

"Yes but I had how many weeks to train?” she replied.” I cannot possibly learn to fight in less then one day.” She sighed, knowing now there was no point to having done any of this

"You can and you will” Elladan finally spoke. “We’ve seen you and Arwen fight before.” He said.” As well as that fight with Lathril last summer.” He looked up at her.

"that was different.” Aranel replied, “She had tried to take my book from me.”

Legolas could only laugh lightly as he looked over at the elleth.

"And how is this any different?” he asked. "This elleth will now be trying to take Glorfindel from you,” he said.

Aranel had no reply and merely looked away. She did not want to admit he was right, even though they all knew it.

“Come.” Elladan said, “holding out his hand for her. “you must be at dinner this evening.” He said” or father will expect answer none of us are ready to give him.”

Nodding, she took his hand and let him pull her up and walked with them.

"What excuse did you give him this morning?” She asked, needing to know in case her father would bring it up.

"I told him of you and Lindir” Elladan replied so casually that she had thought he was serious. She stopped walking and could only stare at him. When he started laughing, She raised her hand to hit him but he was running before she could.

“not this time” she said, running after him. She could hear Elrohir and Legolas laughing behind her.

Elrond raised an eyebrow when two of his children came running into the dining hall, Elladan laughing and Aranel looked like she would tear him to pieces.

"I was joking” Elladan said, holding up his hands in defeat.

“Aranel’ Elrond called out, getting both hers and Elladan’s attention

"Perhaps tonight you will not spend the entire night reading?” He arched an eyebrow.

"I can assure you that will not be the case” She replied. She could never lie to her father so she chose a reply that was as close to the truth as she could manage.

"I am glad to hear this” Elrond said, motioning them to be seated.

Elladan gave her an innocent look as they sat down She rolled his eyes at him but giggled quietly. She was glad for the distraction for a while as she sat and listened to the conversations around her. She could not help but feel as if she was being watched but when she looked around she could not tell from who or where. After a while it was started to get to her and she was glad when the meal was over. That was until Elladan said it was time to get started and she became nervous once more.

She walked slowly back to her room with the others and had almost turned away twice. She would have gotten away with it had Elrohir not moved behind her, grinning when she looked over her shoulder at him.

It was a few hours later when the ellyn had finally let her rest. If she thought she could not get any more aches and pains, she had been deadly wrong. None of them had gone easy on her but she knew this was needed if she were to have an even slim chance of winning the next day.

“Can you sleep or shall I get more tea?” Elladan asked when she had dropped onto her bed.

"I am sure I will be asleep within minutes.” Aranel relied, sounding as tired as she felt. “I will be glad when this is al over, win or lose.”

She lifted her head as she heard Elladan chuckle lightly.

"You know you want to win,” he said, sitting on the edge of her bed. Elrohir and Legolas had already left and promised to see her early the next day.

"I am tired and I every inch of my body is sore” she said. “I merely want to stay in my bed and sleep for a week.” She had added

"perhaps you will do just that after you win.” Elladan said

"If I win,” Aranel corrected

"Do not doubt yourself, Aranel” Elladan told her quietly. "You have done well so far and you will do just as well tomorrow.”

Aranel gave him a small smile when he took her hand and gave it a light squeeze.

"Remind me to thank you when this is all over” Aranel said, giving him a tired smile. “If it was not for you, Elrohir and Legolas, I would not have even made it this far,” she said.

Elladan kissed the top of her head then watched as she slowly drifted off to sleep. He pulled her blanket up over her then silently left her room, hoping that the next day worked out as they all wanted it to.

Miriel had kept hidden within the shadows of the walls when Elladan had left his sister’s room.

“So she has had help.” The elleth hissed quietly. She had found out that Aranel did not leave by her door but from her balcony instead.

"I will be waiting tomorrow.” She said, walking away from Aranel’s room. “Glorfindel will be mine.”

*****

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