Chapter 1
She was beautiful. She was brighter than Elendil and to me more sacred than Valor. She came from Rivendell, and was born into this Age at a few years difference of Legolas's birth. And as she stood before Legolas, he loved her more than he had ever anyone else.
"Legolas," Thranduil had told him, "It may seem early, it may seem to late, but I have chosen someone for you to wed. It is not usual for a father to choose a son's bride, but if you meet her, maybe you will see her in the way that I do."
Legolas had been shocked. He was only 984 years old! So young! However, he had heard that some elves had been married away when he/she was just over 300! And when he met her, he knew that he wanted her to marry him anyways. She was his passion, and he would do anything to please her. He loved her.
Her name was Linenweh. Legolas thought that it was the most beautiful name he had ever heard of. And as he stood next to her in the archery fields, he could not bare staying silent.
"Can you do archery?" Legolas asked her. She did not answer. She instead picked up a bow and quiver, loaded an arrow, and released the string in one fluid, almost harmonic movement. The arrow sped through the air until it hit its destination- the innermost circle on the board. And that stood for her answer. Legolas did not know why she never spoke to him, and always looked sad. He was determined to make her smile, some way.
"Ah. I see," Legolas said. He took up his own bow and his own arrow hit the center, too. Linenweh did not seem impressed. She instead sat down on a nearby wooden bench. She fiddled with her dress, which Thranduil had given her. It was a lovely periwinkle color that went with her eyes. The yellow chain that belted the middle was elegant, and shined along with her hair. Legolas found her hair interesting. It was blonde, with streaks of lighter blonde intermixing with the darker streaks.
Linenweh had been in Thranduil's palace for a while, in visitor's terms. She had stayed perhaps over two weeks. Her living quarters were grand, which Legolas had seen to.
"I am going to my bed chamber for a rest, Legolas," She said as she looked up. "I am not feeling . . . . . well." She left without waiting for a reply, and headed toward the caves that made up Mirkwood palace.
Legolas looked down and wondered what was wrong with her. He shrugged sadly, and walked to the swordsman room, where he practiced for nearly the rest of the day, leaving Linenweh to rest.
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Linenweh was in her room. She was not resting. She was not asleep. Instead she was crying. She cried deep tears that dripped onto her beautiful sheets. Why, she asked herself, why should I have to marry him? Father just sent me away! I cannot love one whom I do not know. He is a foolish prince, pompous and immature and spoiled if you would request me to explain him.
A servant walked in, after knocking, a young lad her age, and spoke, "Sorry, milady, to disturb ye," He said. "And I'm sorry if it isn't my place. Why are you crying? It makes the kingdom more dreary to live in." He smiled, and held out his hand.
She took it and stood up with him. "I'm Linenweh."
"So I've heard, miss. All of the servants have heard of you. Some have called you a nuisance, but that's only because the lady servants are jealous," He replied. "I mean to say, who would not want to be royalty and feast among the kings?"
Linenweh shook her head and sighed. "That is not my wish at all. My father was a servant in Elrond's home. He does not want me to become him. And when the opportune moment came, he shoved me in Thranduil's view like some kind of ornament!"
"Pardon me then. My name is Enloth," He said. "But let me dismiss myself, for the dinner hours are coming and many people are to be pleased." Enloth bowed.
As he left, Linenweh sat silently until she sang. She sang a song that her father had told her, more of a repeated poem really. It was a sad song that reminded her too much of her mother's death. She sang until the sun sank beneath the trees, like her mood, and to her dismay, Legolas knocked on the door.
"Can I enter?" Legolas asked. The door was open anyways, and inside he could see Linenweh nod. "Are you feeling better?" He asked as he walked in carefully.
Linenweh nodded curtly. "Fine." Legolas loved her voice; It was calm yet loud, and it always seemed like she were singing.
"That is well, because I was . . .. er . . . Wondering if you would join me in the masquerade tonight?" Legolas asked, nervous that she was say no.
"Yes, but I have no dress to fit a ball," Linenweh said without a sign of emotion. She did not look up at him.
"That is no barrier, Linenweh," Legolas smiled. "You can choose any dress of your liking, and I'll see to it that it fits."
She nodded again, and Legolas took her hand. "Will you come with me?" He stood, and Linenweh followed.
They arrived in a tailor's chamber and Legolas smiled at the amazement on Linenweh's fair face. She gazed at all of the bright colors. There were magnificent shades of green, like the trees of Rivendell she thought, and there were some that had different colors interwoven so that it looked like opals somehow put into a dress. There were some as dark as night, some as bright as a sunrise. Even the male's clothing was magnificent, with different blends of every color.
The magnificent thing about the dresses to her, however, was that she had never even seen ones like it, let alone wears them. She looked at Legolas, who was looking at her. A tailor came by and asked, "Are there any you favor, milady?"
"Yes, yes, many! But how shall I choose with so many to pick from?" Linenweh asked. The tailor brushed her face with his hand, and looked into her eyes.
"Do not worry, lady of Rivendell, I shall choose one that will make your face the one for people to gaze at. A dress should not conceal you. As my father always said 'The flower is not hidden by the scent,'" The tailor said, and disappeared into a rack of dresses.
Legolas waited patiently as Linenweh tried on various dresses, which did not matter to him. He stared at her now joyful face. Her eyes sparkled in the mirror as she tried on more and more dresses.
At last the tailor settled on a dress. It was deep blue, like midnight, and looked as though it had the very stars of the skies trapped inside. She looked more dazzling in it than if she were made of pure diamond.
"Thank you kind sir," Legolas said, as he paid the tailor. The two then left the hall of magnificent clothing and went back to Linenweh's chambers.
Enloth and several servants were inside. They were waiting to prepare her for the dance. Enloth began to braid her hair, and for a male did it gracefully. He pulled back her front strands and braided them into a loop behind her head. Then he swept her hair back and put a silver ribbon in and out of the braid.
"How did you become so skilled with braiding?" Linenweh asked Enloth. He paused and looked at Legolas for a second until he answered.
"Legolas's mother taught me," Enloth said carefully, cringing at Legolas's expression. It looked as though a knife had been stabbed through his heart.
"What?" Linenweh ventured to ask. She stared at Legolas, who just stared at the ground.
"My mother is dead," Legolas said. He did not look at her. "She just . . . . died."
"Well my mother died too," She replied, wondering why Legolas was being so sensitive. "She was killed when she fell into the Anduin on her way to Gondor. She did not know how to swim and was quickly killed even before she fell over the falls."
"Then I have no reason to mourn while you do not. I beg for your pardon," Legolas said.
"Taken," She said confidently. Legolas wondered if he was falling into her favor.
Enloth finished with Linenweh's hair and began to help the other servants put her jewelry on. Linenweh hadn't wanted him to stop.
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Please review, even if you're one of those nasty flamers. * grrr * jk. More soon if I get some reviews.
Believe me, it'll get better soon.
She was beautiful. She was brighter than Elendil and to me more sacred than Valor. She came from Rivendell, and was born into this Age at a few years difference of Legolas's birth. And as she stood before Legolas, he loved her more than he had ever anyone else.
"Legolas," Thranduil had told him, "It may seem early, it may seem to late, but I have chosen someone for you to wed. It is not usual for a father to choose a son's bride, but if you meet her, maybe you will see her in the way that I do."
Legolas had been shocked. He was only 984 years old! So young! However, he had heard that some elves had been married away when he/she was just over 300! And when he met her, he knew that he wanted her to marry him anyways. She was his passion, and he would do anything to please her. He loved her.
Her name was Linenweh. Legolas thought that it was the most beautiful name he had ever heard of. And as he stood next to her in the archery fields, he could not bare staying silent.
"Can you do archery?" Legolas asked her. She did not answer. She instead picked up a bow and quiver, loaded an arrow, and released the string in one fluid, almost harmonic movement. The arrow sped through the air until it hit its destination- the innermost circle on the board. And that stood for her answer. Legolas did not know why she never spoke to him, and always looked sad. He was determined to make her smile, some way.
"Ah. I see," Legolas said. He took up his own bow and his own arrow hit the center, too. Linenweh did not seem impressed. She instead sat down on a nearby wooden bench. She fiddled with her dress, which Thranduil had given her. It was a lovely periwinkle color that went with her eyes. The yellow chain that belted the middle was elegant, and shined along with her hair. Legolas found her hair interesting. It was blonde, with streaks of lighter blonde intermixing with the darker streaks.
Linenweh had been in Thranduil's palace for a while, in visitor's terms. She had stayed perhaps over two weeks. Her living quarters were grand, which Legolas had seen to.
"I am going to my bed chamber for a rest, Legolas," She said as she looked up. "I am not feeling . . . . . well." She left without waiting for a reply, and headed toward the caves that made up Mirkwood palace.
Legolas looked down and wondered what was wrong with her. He shrugged sadly, and walked to the swordsman room, where he practiced for nearly the rest of the day, leaving Linenweh to rest.
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Linenweh was in her room. She was not resting. She was not asleep. Instead she was crying. She cried deep tears that dripped onto her beautiful sheets. Why, she asked herself, why should I have to marry him? Father just sent me away! I cannot love one whom I do not know. He is a foolish prince, pompous and immature and spoiled if you would request me to explain him.
A servant walked in, after knocking, a young lad her age, and spoke, "Sorry, milady, to disturb ye," He said. "And I'm sorry if it isn't my place. Why are you crying? It makes the kingdom more dreary to live in." He smiled, and held out his hand.
She took it and stood up with him. "I'm Linenweh."
"So I've heard, miss. All of the servants have heard of you. Some have called you a nuisance, but that's only because the lady servants are jealous," He replied. "I mean to say, who would not want to be royalty and feast among the kings?"
Linenweh shook her head and sighed. "That is not my wish at all. My father was a servant in Elrond's home. He does not want me to become him. And when the opportune moment came, he shoved me in Thranduil's view like some kind of ornament!"
"Pardon me then. My name is Enloth," He said. "But let me dismiss myself, for the dinner hours are coming and many people are to be pleased." Enloth bowed.
As he left, Linenweh sat silently until she sang. She sang a song that her father had told her, more of a repeated poem really. It was a sad song that reminded her too much of her mother's death. She sang until the sun sank beneath the trees, like her mood, and to her dismay, Legolas knocked on the door.
"Can I enter?" Legolas asked. The door was open anyways, and inside he could see Linenweh nod. "Are you feeling better?" He asked as he walked in carefully.
Linenweh nodded curtly. "Fine." Legolas loved her voice; It was calm yet loud, and it always seemed like she were singing.
"That is well, because I was . . .. er . . . Wondering if you would join me in the masquerade tonight?" Legolas asked, nervous that she was say no.
"Yes, but I have no dress to fit a ball," Linenweh said without a sign of emotion. She did not look up at him.
"That is no barrier, Linenweh," Legolas smiled. "You can choose any dress of your liking, and I'll see to it that it fits."
She nodded again, and Legolas took her hand. "Will you come with me?" He stood, and Linenweh followed.
They arrived in a tailor's chamber and Legolas smiled at the amazement on Linenweh's fair face. She gazed at all of the bright colors. There were magnificent shades of green, like the trees of Rivendell she thought, and there were some that had different colors interwoven so that it looked like opals somehow put into a dress. There were some as dark as night, some as bright as a sunrise. Even the male's clothing was magnificent, with different blends of every color.
The magnificent thing about the dresses to her, however, was that she had never even seen ones like it, let alone wears them. She looked at Legolas, who was looking at her. A tailor came by and asked, "Are there any you favor, milady?"
"Yes, yes, many! But how shall I choose with so many to pick from?" Linenweh asked. The tailor brushed her face with his hand, and looked into her eyes.
"Do not worry, lady of Rivendell, I shall choose one that will make your face the one for people to gaze at. A dress should not conceal you. As my father always said 'The flower is not hidden by the scent,'" The tailor said, and disappeared into a rack of dresses.
Legolas waited patiently as Linenweh tried on various dresses, which did not matter to him. He stared at her now joyful face. Her eyes sparkled in the mirror as she tried on more and more dresses.
At last the tailor settled on a dress. It was deep blue, like midnight, and looked as though it had the very stars of the skies trapped inside. She looked more dazzling in it than if she were made of pure diamond.
"Thank you kind sir," Legolas said, as he paid the tailor. The two then left the hall of magnificent clothing and went back to Linenweh's chambers.
Enloth and several servants were inside. They were waiting to prepare her for the dance. Enloth began to braid her hair, and for a male did it gracefully. He pulled back her front strands and braided them into a loop behind her head. Then he swept her hair back and put a silver ribbon in and out of the braid.
"How did you become so skilled with braiding?" Linenweh asked Enloth. He paused and looked at Legolas for a second until he answered.
"Legolas's mother taught me," Enloth said carefully, cringing at Legolas's expression. It looked as though a knife had been stabbed through his heart.
"What?" Linenweh ventured to ask. She stared at Legolas, who just stared at the ground.
"My mother is dead," Legolas said. He did not look at her. "She just . . . . died."
"Well my mother died too," She replied, wondering why Legolas was being so sensitive. "She was killed when she fell into the Anduin on her way to Gondor. She did not know how to swim and was quickly killed even before she fell over the falls."
"Then I have no reason to mourn while you do not. I beg for your pardon," Legolas said.
"Taken," She said confidently. Legolas wondered if he was falling into her favor.
Enloth finished with Linenweh's hair and began to help the other servants put her jewelry on. Linenweh hadn't wanted him to stop.
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Please review, even if you're one of those nasty flamers. * grrr * jk. More soon if I get some reviews.
Believe me, it'll get better soon.