A/N: By way of introduction. The idea behind this was to write a fic placed during the early-mid Third Age of Middle Earth. I'm a huge fan of Tolkien's work, and while I apologize profusely at twisting some of his world and characters to my own wicked ends *evil grin, I decided to take my own spin on a pre-LOTR romance.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations or events that are part of Tolkien canon - these belong to the Tolkien trust in their entirety. I stand to gain no profit from this whatsoever (as if!). Onward!
In the shady Eryn Lasgalen morning, the ground shook with the sound of hooves drawing near. Expected, they knew the way. The convoy was in great haste, the kind that only war and need could bring. They had been traveling for nigh a fortnight, resting only briefly for moments of respite. Now the riders stopped, the scene unfolding before them not one easily dismissed.
Indeed as beautiful as sung in the bards' tales, the lady Nienor thought. Then her gaze turned ahead with unease to Ereldur, her betrothed. Their eyes met and she looked away hastily.
It was not a willful union. Yet before her father, king Rotharin of the fortress of Garolin passed, she had promised that she would do the necessary to ensure the safety of their people. And now, with the creatures of the Enemy starting to infiltrate the lands of Arnor, leaving their people struggling to defend their lands, she had no choice but to honor that promise. As she had been advised by the elder council, the best course of action was to increase fighting numbers by joining her fate to Ereldur, the high lord of the neighboring fortress city of Anduron. A marriage that would seal the alliance between the two cities, for alone men stood no chance in the eventuality of an open conflict.
But it was not enough. They needed more allies. Thus here they were, journeying with the rest of the few that were strong enough and willing to reach the hidden kingdom of the Silvan elves in search of aid. The orc and strange men from the East were drawing nearer, having already wreaked havoc in Arnor. It was all the more worrying since these seemed to be no mere skirmishes, but coordinated attacks to inspire fear and drive local inhabitants away from their lands.
It was for the best, we need all the allies we can hope for in times like these, Nienor mused, yet her heart was as dark as the times they lived in.
She had not known Ereldur long, but could not forget his displays of rashness, indifference and stream of violent outbursts during their recent encounters. She closed her eyes as she remembered the time he drunkenly tried to enter her chambers throwing harsh words when she had barred herself in. Her lips tightened in a thin line and her brows furrowed to dismiss the memory.
Soon after their journey came to an end as now the human host stood in front of the great gates of Thranduil, led by the elven escort that had ridden to meet them. Her worries were shed by the wonder which was all about her, trying to absorb that which looked so much different from her own lands.
'Lady Nienor, welcome. Please if you would follow me,' she heard someone speak and then noticed an elven guard standing beside her in formal greeting. She had not quite seen elves up close before, for she was young and not much traveled, save for the vicinity of her homeland. Needless to say, she was pleasantly surprised. She remembered fragments from songs her mother would sing to her about the Eldar and their kin when she had been a babe. Their alliances with the children of men, their history and their magic, all of it fascinated her.
They were led through high corridors to the throne room where the king Thranduil expected them. He was neither exceedingly glad nor a courteous host, but he ensured the travelers had all they needed for their stay before the negotiations. An indefinite, but perhaps short stay, since the Silvan elves were not known for interfering in the woes of the world beyond their borders.
That night, after settling into her allotted chamber, Nienor decided to go for a stroll outside the great cave under the stars. The forest seemed alive. Of course it was indeed alive, but it felt to her that it was breathing as one single consciousness. Thoughts of home and her father took her, and she sank into them.
'Rather unnerving place, is it not?' she then heard a voice, recognizing it to belong to her betrothed. He approached her at arms length, and somehow the night grew even colder. He had been drinking, she could feel it in his breath.
'I would not know,' she uttered glumly, hoping she would be left to her own.
'Oh, the steel maiden again! It does not suit you to be so tight lipped, my dear,' the man said as he took her by the shoulders, turning her to face him. She saw that the handsomeness of his face could not hide his character. His brown locks descended down his shoulders, his dark green eyes lit by a strange light.
The man continued, irked at her silence. 'We have been through this. I need your men at arms and horses and your people need my grains and fortress for shelter., should the need arise. You have seen the aftermath of what the beasts have done in Arnor. So you and I will just have to make do with each other.' He then smirked unkindly as she pulled herself away. He took her by the arm, all too tight and all too sudden.
'My lord, I wish to be alone for now, pray let us talk on the morrow,' she gritted. This conversation was not one she was ready to have with a drunken man, moreover he was hurting her.
'On the morrow,' he said, gripping even harder 'you will be in a better mood,' he muttered as he loosened his grip of her. 'Good night, my lady,' he offered in mock courtly bow and with that he briskly walked away.
She felt relief at his receding footsteps in the night. Not even the distress of being alone in a foreign land or the troubles of her people could hinder it. Unbidden, tears prickled her eyes and she tried to shake them away. Moments passed and she eventually managed to return to her musings, but startled when she heard another voice.
'I see it is not a good time, but an even worse one to be outside for much longer. It will be very cold soon,' she then heard someone utter not far away, a stir making itself known not far from her. She quickly wiped her eyes and turned to see a figure emerging from the shadow of the glade.
'Solace comes with a price I suppose,' she said looking not towards the approaching figure, but upwards at the starry sky. Will I never have a moment of peace? Yet the very next moment she wondered if she truly did want to be alone.
The stranger stood quiet for a moment. 'Forgive me for intruding my lady, I will be on my way,' he said evenly as he nodded and proceeded to pass her by.
'Which way are you heading? Do you know these surroundings well?' she asked but then bit her lip at her boldness. The newcomer now turned fully to face her. She saw he was no man, but of elven kind.
'I have returned from briefly scouting the eastern borders of our kingdom,' the elf continued, 'and the breezy night air is fit for a night walk. Yet I fear I am better equipped for it.' He smiled at her.
He is jesting with me? 'Then I surmise you do know your way around these parts,' she said aloud. Might as well not be sullen.
'I was born here, my lady. I know these places as I do the back of my palm, every nook and cranny.' As he spoke he approached her and she could see him better. He was taller than most men, as all elves were, clad in the light armor of the guard. She could determine a silvery head of long flowing hair and now his features looked familiar. She had briefly seen him at her arrival. The son of king Thranduil. Yet it seemed strange that his presence to her mind was more comfortable than it was royal. She bowed her head notwithstanding.
Prince Legolas realized she had determined his identity and was slightly disheartened that it would change her regard of him. For those few brief moments, he had enjoyed the honesty of a discussion between strangers. He recalled her features from before as well, and recognized her as one of the human travelers. He found mortals interesting, having seen few of them in the past centuries, for seldom did they venture within the borders of the elven kingdom. While he at times was disappointed in their rash characters and foolhardy decisions, he attributed these traits to the rush of their fleeting existence. Seeing he captured her attention, the elf went on obligingly. An interesting youngling, he mused.
'Join me if you wish my lady-...'
'Nienor, my lord. At your service,' she curtsied customarily.
'Nienor,' he repeated her name thoughtfully, a slight accent to the sounds. 'I am Legolas,' he introduced himself either way, his head bowed, his hand to his chest in greeting.
'So I gathered,' the girl said bemusedly before she caught herself '- my lord!'
He smiled as he gazed upon her, a swift flash of amusement upon his face. 'It will do good to know your way while you are our guest. Seldom do we engage human visitors in our lands.'
He spoke softly, his piercing grey eyes never leaving her, a fact which, to her own surprise, did not deter her. There was a stillness about him which emanated peace and tranquility.
'Then far from me to refuse that which few human eyes have seen or will ever witness!' the girl followed, unsure where all this sudden excitement came from. Had she not been in tears moments ago? Why not? she thought as she fell in step with the elf, and laced her arm with his proffered one.
'Aye, though tis true that some parts of Lasgalen are best not to be seen nor encountered indeed,' he added evenly. 'The Shadow is relentless in infiltrating our lands as well.' Looking sideways at the girl, he noticed her widened eyes and slightly parted lips. His eyes shone with mirth. 'Fear not lady Nienor, they are well away from here. We are as safe as can be.'
'Aye,' she lowered her head, an irksome blush making its way to her cheeks, 'I am not afraid.'
'That is well,' the elf grinned. 'Bravery is a rare but needful trait.' An interesting youngling indeed.
They walked farther into the forest surrounding the Elven Halls. An idle conversation started as the girl relayed in more detail what had driven her and her host to the elven kingdom, although she surmised that owing to his station the ellon was well aware of the politics behind. She kept her personal woes to herself.
'Lady Nienor,' he repeated her name as if in remembrance. 'Your journey was too long, and you seem to have no easier time of it after it has ended.' She looked at him curiously and wondered how much he had seen and heard earlier. It was a strange sensation, to look right into those eyes she had scarcely seen the likes of before. They seemed to burrow deep into her.
'We each must suffer the times we live in,' was her thoughtful reply. She realized that they had stopped walking. His arm was warm against hers. She was staring. Good Eru, cease your gaping she chastised herself.
If the elf noticed, he knew better than to mention it. 'Come, there is a place I wish to show you. I dare think you might enjoy it,' he finally said, breaking their gaze.
They continued their trek until they came in front of an immense tree. It was one of the tallest in the area and its huge trunk had stair-like hollows, large enough for one to climb comfortably through its crown. Nienor gaped in surprise. Her lands were mostly hilly and barren, similar to the fields of the Rohirrim, with mountains looming in the distance. Such fauna, let alone of such immensity, was seldom to be seen.
'Oh but it must be centuries old!'
The elf smiled her way, nodding. 'I remember when it was but a sapling.' Seeing her mouth agape in wonder, he could not help but smile even wider.
The mirthful side of her thought that if all elves were this obliging, she would find it quite tolerable here. Eyeing the prince, she could not help but admire his frame and slight aura of light that seemed to envelop him in the night. He led her upward and soon they reached the top through the crown of the tree.
She marveled at the stars, much brighter in their intensity than she had ever seen them in her own land. 'Beautiful!' the girl found herself uttering and the calmness of everything swept over her. Her raven dark tresses became entangled in the wind, and her paleness was all the more visible against the darkness. She found his eyes and noticed the elf had been regarding her, a smile pulling the corners of his lips. She smiled brilliantly at him, despite herself. He spoke then, words melodious and calming in a language Nienor did not understand. For some strange reason she felt her knees weaken at the lilting sound.
'Is that your language? I admit it sounds mesmerizing, my lord,' she stammered as she leaned closer to him without realizing, her face flushing at her bold words.
He nodded. 'Indeed, there are two dialects spoken in our kingdom, but the one we use at court most frequently is Sindarin. You might catch a few words, should your stay here be prolonged,' he jested.
She was unsure how she felt about that prospect. 'What did your words mean?'
'I only said-' but before he could finish his thought she lost her footing, and even though the ellon quickly reached for her as she clutched at him, he was thrown off guard. A moment was all it took before they both fell through the branches, to the ground below.
Nienor opened her eyes and the pain soon followed. He had fallen first, she judged, as she realized she was tangled against him. A thin stream of red crept from his lips. Oh no, no, this cannot happen! She thought how and where to run to ask for help. But to leave him here? Worriedly she regarded the first elf she had ever spoken to at length. Her hand reached to clear the blood from the corner of his lip just as he opened his eyes. She hastily drew her hand away, sighing with a mixture of relief and worry.
'I-' she tried an apology, but stopped as the elf slowly raised himself to his feet. They both looked each other over for a while, as if trying to see if everything was still in place.
'Well, that was certainly not part of the tour, my lady Nienor,' he said with an apologetic half smile. Then his stare took on a worried hue. 'Are you injured?' The happening reminded him of childhood wanderings climbing ancient trees. But by the nature of his race his body could bear such unfortunate events, whereas humans were far more fragile, he knew. Having a guest crippled because of him was definitely not what he had wanted. His lord father would be no less than elated surely.
'Aye,' she smiled back, but when trying to take a step she nearly yelped at the pain in her leg. She was limping.
'I will take you to the healers,' the ellon stated determinedly. 'May I?' he asked for permission, motioning to her leg.
She did not understand at first, but then realized he was offering to carry her. Brimming with embarrassment, she tried two tentative steps on her own but found she could not.
He quirked an eyebrow at the familiar display of human pride, and would have been amused had it been a different situation.
The girl looked at his expectant face and nodded. Next she knew the prince was steadying her, one arm wrapped around her back while the other reached behind her knees and she was gently lifted into his arms as if she weighed next to nothing. She wondered what to do with her arms, in the end having them rest limply into her lap, though it was quite uncomfortable. He was warm. Too warm.
'We shall reach the healing ward soon,' she heard his voice, the tone vibrating so close to her ear now. It was not unpleasant. 'You may hold on to me, it is easier for both,' the ellon said, trying to sound serious. He had no trouble at all, but felt how awkward and stiff the mortal was in his arms. Unnecessarily so. But she was clearly embarrassed and while it was slightly amusing indeed, the elf did not want her to feel so.
At his words she nodded and placed a tentative arm around his neck, keeping her face down. It indeed helped to keep steady but she must have resembled a red beet she thought, and glad was she for the darkness once more.
That night found her lacking sleep. The prince had taken her to the healing wing and stood by her until her wound was tended to, after which he escorted the girl to her chambers. She barely knew the elf, yet now her head was full of details of their first encounter. And now you have a limp to remember it by she thought bemused. She smiled to herself. When morning came, it found her still staring at the ceiling.