Foxhunt
"Mother, this is ridiculous. It is not going to work."
"What dear?"
"This plot you have concocted with Father."
"I do not know what you mean, Legolas."
The prince gave his mother a dark look as she turned away from him, picking up a finely crafted green mask. She turned back to her son, holding it out to him expectantly. He refused to touch it and just crossed his arms defiantly, glaring at the offending article.
"You know perfectly well what I mean. This whole masquerade is just another ploy to force me into finding a wife."
The queen sighed, taking one of Legolas's hands and putting the mask into it herself. Even if it was a ploy, she knew her son would do his duty and attend the winter festival anyway.
"We have been in Valinor for two hundred years, Legolas," she said softly, meeting his brilliant blue eyes. "You cannot use the excuse that you are too busy protecting the city to worry about marriage anymore. Your father and I want you to be happy."
"I am happy," Legolas said sullenly. "What makes me unhappy is you both thinking I can only be happy when I am wed, and concocting these schemes in the hopes that I will fall in love. It will not work."
"Humor me," she replied, taking the mask back and putting it on the prince herself, since he seemed most unwilling to comply. "It is only one night. And because it is a masquerade, no one will know it is you, so you can really get to know the ladies of court."
"I already know more about the ladies of the court than I care to. And I doubt the mask is going to be enough, Mother," Legolas said skeptically. "They are not as simple-minded as they often seem."
"Yes and that is why you are going in this costume," the queen said with a smile, looking her son up and down fondly. "Handsome and mysterious, as always."
Legolas was dressed in what he saw as a close match to what the rangers of the Ithilien wore. He was unsure if his mother was aware of the similarities, as she had never been to the Ithilien or Gondor, but it was strikingly similar to what his friends used to wear. He was clothed in a dark brown leather jerkin embroidered with silver leaves over a forest green tunic and brown leggings. His bracers, boots, and belt were all of a darker shade of brown leather than his jerkin, almost black in the low light. His dark brown cloak was clasped around his neck with a silver leaf. Legolas seriously wondered where his mother had got the idea for the outfit, as everything about it reminded him of the War of the Ring and his dead friends. Even with all the elaborate embroidery and decoration, at its heart, he was dressed as a ranger.
"Are you certain there is nothing I can do to change your mind about this?" he asked with a sigh, shifting his quiver. The quiver, bow, and arrows strapped to his back were all decorative only, and they felt wrong. But he could not carry his own gear, as that would be a dead giveaway. He knew he was not going to be the only one dressed this way, but it still felt like he was being too obvious, a bow strapped to his back. Perhaps it was the queen's way of trying to make him feel more comfortable.
"I am certain," she said, patting his cheek lightly. "Enjoy yourself for once, Legolas. Do not hide behind that charming fake smile of yours. At least try to have some fun."
"Yes Mother," Legolas said, his eyes softening as he looked down at the queen. As irritating as her attempts to marry him off were, he could not stay mad at her for long. He watched her glide out of his room before he turned to observe himself in the mirror.
"I can hear you laughing at me, Aragorn," he said softly, fiddling with his quiver again, trying to find a comfortable spot for it to rest. "What I would not give to be riding across the plains with you and Gimli once more." Putting up the hood on his cloak, hiding his pale blonde hair, Legolas exited his quarters to join the rest of the elves gathering in the Great Hall to celebrate the winter solstice.
Legolas leaned against an intricately carved granite pillar, watching the dancing couples in front of him, listening to the laughter and song behind him. More than once he had heard his own name pass the lips of lords and ladies enjoying the celebration around them. Most who spoke of him were ladies of the court, twittering away like the birds they dressed as, speculating which handsomely disguised lord might be the prince. At those moments, he was grateful for the dark costume his mother had dressed him in. Hidden in shadow, outside the view of the ladies who looked to the light, he was safe from their games and eager clutches.
As he watched the brightly colored wings and feathers dance across the ballroom floor, he wondered how couples could tell each other apart. There were far too many ladies dressed as butterflies and songbirds. The lords dressed little better, most dressed in robes or tunics of seasonal colors, little thought going into their costumes except to don elaborately decorated masks. Legolas saw several elves dressed in a similar style to his own, though those that dressed as hunters had long ago shed their cloaks and decorative weapons.
Watching a couple quickly scurry away from the dance floor, smiles on their faces as they sought a quiet corner to enjoy, his eyes fell upon something he did not expect. While he had been scanning the dance floor, he had been able to identify most of the ladies of court by their mannerisms and poorly-veiled features. Some took longer than others, but he had accounted for most of them by now. He did so in order to make sure he was not accidentally coerced into dancing with those that were particularly determined to be seen and heard. But he watched with interest as a lady he could not identify made her way around the edge of the dance floor, moving slowly in his direction.
Not only was this mysterious lady unidentifiable, but she had chosen an unusual costume for the evening. Forgoing the standard feathers and silk of the bird or butterfly, she was garbed in a long white gown trimmed in pure white fur, her long bell sleeves and trailing gown embroidered with shimmering silver swirls, like wisps of snow in the wind. Upon her face she wore a white mask that was intricately molded in the shape of a fox. Her silvery white hair hung down to her waist, ornamented only with silver ribbons that shimmered in the torchlight. The only color anywhere on her person was the thin red line of her lips and the dark golden amber of her eyes behind the white mask.
The prince found himself staring as the lady was halted by a lord dressed in a dark blue and silver tunic, taking her hand and leading her onto the dance floor. Legolas watched the two elves dancing, whispering quietly to one another. He was rather surprised to see the elf abandon his partner quickly upon the conclusion of the song. The next lord to ask for a dance had a similar fate, as did the third. Intrigued, Legolas watched her closely as she spoke to the forth elf to take her hand, trying to read her lips to determine what was said. As she moved in and out of his sight, dancing gracefully between the costumed couples, all he could see was a gentle smile on her face as she spoke to her new partner. The elf quickly abandoned her as had his predecessors, and Legolas noted his brow was furrowed. From anger or concern, he could not tell.
Curiosity getting the better of him, Legolas left his solitary post, swiftly navigating the swirling dancers to reach the white lady.
"Would you care to dance, my lady?" he said, appearing in front of her, his hood still up as he held out a hand for her.
"I would love to dance," she said calmly, meeting his eyes with a smile. "Is this you asking for a dance, or should I find someone else to help me satisfy that desire?"
Legolas was taken aback by her question, but quickly found his voice. "If you would permit me, I would be honored to dance with you."
"Very well then," she said, sliding her thin white fingers into his hand. "Since you have obviously been waiting for a while, I shall consent to your request."
"What do you mean?" Legolas asked, pulling her towards him and starting to move with the slow music.
"You have been watching me since I arrived," the lady said with an amused smile. "I suppose it is natural for the hunter to be cautious when approaching his prey. As you should be. I can assure you, I am no helpless woodland creature."
"Caution is always necessary when approaching the unknown," Legolas commented, his interest in the lady before him growing with every soft word she spoke. "For as gentle and calm as an animal may seem, there is always the threat of danger when one is not prepared."
"Clearly your costume is not merely a fantasy for you to play this evening. Your bearing, your comfort in such clothing, and your words tell me you are not a simple lord. Though that is not your bow and quiver, your hands are calloused. You are an archer, a warrior, a silent predator. As I saw you lurking in the shadows, it was clear you were comfortable there. And there is a darkness hidden behind your eyes that suggests that you have battled many enemies and lost much in your life."
Legolas was not sure how to respond to this. Never had someone so easily read him. Most knew these things about him through stories and secondhand accounts. But in just the few brief moments she had been speaking to him, she had read him like a book. The only explanation was that she knew who he was. He decided to play along and see how she had figured it out, and how much she knew.
"You seem to know much about me for having never met me before," he said mildly. "For I do not recall our paths ever crossing in the past. I think I would remember a lady such as you. And you are not the only one who can read people. To dress as a fox, I can see that you must want to stand out. You think yourself cunning and mysterious as a fox, and perhaps just as wild. You are solitary, as you did not arrive with anyone, and the relaxed way you walked through this hall indicated you are not meeting anyone in particular. Instead you choose to entertain yourself by quietly drawing in and intimidating your dance partners, suggesting you have no interest in finding love but are simply here for your own amusement."
"Very good, my lord," the lady replied, her amber eyes sparkling as she watched him closely. "Though perhaps you are a little too hasty in your assumption that I am here only for amusement. While I do not deny my pleasure at flustering the lords of the court, I can still be seeking romance while doing so. If they are unable to stand against my wit and words, than they are not strong enough to handle the rest of me."
"A true fox would not be so eager to antagonize a potential enemy."
"But a fox knows which battles it can win and which are better left unfought."
"And yet you willing jump into battle against the hunter, a silent predator as you already aptly stated."
"Does the hunter know what the fox thinks? I can charm with my words the way a wild fox cannot. I have the power to turn the hunter's arrow from striking true."
"Such power must be wielded carefully. What words will you choose to stay my hand?"
"Nothing more than the beautiful poetry of truth. Shall I continue my analysis of you to prove myself worthy to wear the image of the fox?"
"Please do."
"I can clearly see by your posture and prose that you are competitive, challenging me to a battle of wits, refusing to back down as my previous companions did. Up until you decided to challenge me, you stood alone, indicating you too are used to solitude, and wished to avoid the frivolity that came with this particular celebration. Perhaps you are too used to being surrounded by ladies of the court who eagerly seek your title. You are not used to having someone speak to you in such a manner as I am right now, as evidenced by your surprise that I do in fact have clever thoughts within my head. I suspect you wear your hood up still to hide your identity more thoroughly, suggesting you would be easily recognizable otherwise. Therefore, I think it is clear who you are, my lord. Shall I refrain from saying your name out loud in order to prevent those nearby from also identifying you correctly?"
"I would appreciate such discretion, my lady," Legolas said, absolutely fascinated. "I could keep analyzing you, but as I said, I am fairly certain we have not met before, so I doubt I know your name. Perhaps you would be willing to offer it freely in exchange for the knowledge you already possess about me?"
"Ah, but that knowledge was obtained on my own. What good would it do you to just give you my name?"
"Since you know who I am, I would think you would be forthcoming, as I could simply order you to provide such information."
"You could do so, but I would not feel any particular inclination to respond to such a command."
"You are quite audacious to speak to me in such a manner," Legolas said, unable to tear his eyes from hers. He was moving automatically, not registering the changes in song as he continued dancing with the lady in front of him. "That either means you are quite confident I shall not be able to reprimand you later, or you are not a subject of this kingdom."
"Or perhaps both," she replied with a brilliant smile up at him.
"If you are not of this kingdom, then what brings you to our lands? I had not heard of any visitors in these halls."
"If I were to answer that question, I should give myself away," she said pleasantly. "That I simply will not do."
"And why is that? Why do you refuse me so much as a name?"
"What would you do with my name, my lord?"
"Learn who you are, of course. To find out why I find myself drawn to you despite the brief period of our companionship."
"Would you know where to search, though? Where to find the answers you look for?"
"I would look wherever answers can be found. I would look to the edges of Aman for those answers. For I have never met a lady as equally clever and beautiful as you."
"It would be a long and exhausting search, my lord. There are few who know of me. But perhaps you have the connections necessary to discover the truth. Friends that can answer your questions, or at the very least guide you on your quest."
"As you rightly pointed out, I am a hunter, competitive and unyielding. I will find those answers if you do not provide me with them."
"We shall see. I know enough about you, my lord, to know that you do not settle with what is easy. If you truly want to know who I am, then you will brave the arduous task ahead and conquer it. But perhaps your curiosity is not enough. You will find me at the end if your heart and will are strong. Until then…"
Legolas felt his breath snatched away as her soft red lips met his swiftly. He closed his eyes, marveling at the wondrous feelings flowing through him at her touch. They had stopped moving, standing in the middle of the dance floor as the fox kissed the hunter, ignoring the swirling silk and feathers around them. Nothing else existed as the predator and prey met on equal terms, rules of nature forgotten in the brief moment of passion.
Opening his eyes as she pulled away, Legolas found himself looking at the ballroom, the white lady nowhere in sight. He quickly looked around, desperate to find her. The raw power of her presence was rapidly fading away. He had to catch her before she escaped and all of her essence slipped from his grasp. He threw off his hood and took off his mask to see better, making the elves around him gasp and mutter to themselves. His sharp eyes picked up the flash of white leaving the hall, exiting out into the snowy gardens. Ignoring the ladies that approached him, he dashed out of the hall after the one had stolen his heart with only a few words and a single kiss.
Looking around wildly, he saw a set of shallow footprints glistening in the snow under the bright moonlight. He followed after them eagerly, weaving through the garden paths as quickly as he could without losing the trail. Still, she eluded him, his own speed doing nothing to close the distance. The footsteps were far apart, indicating his quarry was fleeing with all haste from his pursuit. But he had chased things faster than she, things that he was far less interested in catching up with than the lady he now raced after through the wild hedges and elaborate stone walls.
He continued after her until he reached the edge of the gardens and the entrance to the forest. The snow was lighter in the trees, and to his dismay, Legolas was forced to slow down to stay on her trail. He was an expert tracker, but the lady was light footed and appeared to dance around the trees with ease. Deeper he went into the forest, frantically searching for the elusive vixen, who appeared more and more likely to escape his grasp the further he moved into the dark woods.
The snow grew thicker once more as he reached a clearing, split by a frozen stream and surrounded by tall, strong pines. The light footprints in the snow led to the edge of the ice, and he followed them quickly. But upon reaching the edge, he paused, looking across to the opposite bank. Across the ice he could see footprints. Footprints climbing the bank on the other side. Footprints of a fox.
Legolas stared at the light paw prints disappearing into nothingness halfway up the steep bank. As he gazed at the shimmering snow, he heard a soft laugh in the air. It did not come from a single location, but seemed to surround him in that clearing. The musical laughter disappeared on the wind as a breeze stirred the snow on the riverbank. As he watched, transfixed, he thought he saw the faint outline of a fox frolicking in the swirling snowflakes. For a fraction of a second, two amber orbs danced in the snow before disappearing into the darkness.
"I will find you," Legolas whispered, another breeze making his loose hair whirl around his face, mimicking the snow that whipped about the clearing. "The fox cannot elude the hunter forever."
I wanted to write this as a full story, but with 3 stories currently in production, and with the change in my activity level come the new year, I couldn't start a forth full-length story. Perhaps someday I will write it, if I get enough reviews and positive encouragement. Thank you all for reading!