I was woken rudely by someone knocking sharply on the door. "Who is it?" I slurred out, still half asleep. Please, oh Valar, PLEASE don't let it be Legolas...
"Elanor, it is Legolas, please open the door, I wish to talk to you!" I groaned and covered my head with my pillow.
"Go away!" I yelled. "I do not wish to speak with you!"
"Elanor, I did not mean to embarrass you, please open the door so we can talk properly!" I sighed and sat up.
"Give me a minute, please!" I stood and dressed quickly in a loose blue dress that tied under my bust with sleeves that split all the way down to my wrist, but it tied in the middle. I ran a comb through my hair, and made my bed roughly. I opened the door slightly.
"What do you want, Greenleaf?" He cringed at my tone.
"May I come in? I do not wish to discuss this in full view." I opened the door just enough for him to slip in, and I shut it behind him.
"First of all, I am sorry." He started.
"Good. You really made me feel awful outside did you know that?" I walked over to my balcony and stood on it, looking out onto the woodlands.
"I know, I made you feel uncomfortable. I did not mean to, please believe me." I felt his presence next to me.
"You made me feel like I had to answer to you! I felt like you had a knife to my throat and were shouting 'Answer me, damn you!' Do you know how that feels, Greenleaf, do you?" I practically screamed at him.
"Shhh. I said I did not mean it..." he mumbled.
"I know, but you still made me feel like that! I actually like someone for once, and I can't even admit it!" I said, brushing away the tears that were beginning to spill.
"I am an emotional mess; everything is driving me to tears... I must appear so weak to everyone." I stopped trying to hide my tears.
"You just said it again." I stopped, and did a double take on what had just occurred.
"Oh no..." And I made to run again, almost making it to the door, but a pair of arms encircled by waist, stopping me. I struggled and tried to get out of his grasp. "Let me go, please!" I cried.
"No, I will not step aside and let you escape from me again." He held on tightly to me, whispering soothing words to me. "Are you going to run away?" He asked after a few minutes.
"No, I'm not." I said, defeated. He let go of me, and steered me towards the bed, making me sit down.
"Look at me. All I ask of you is this one thing. Look me in the eye and tell me how you feel."
I did as he said; I looked at him, right in the eye. I couldn't fight, I was drained
"I don't truly know what I feel, Legolas. We are friends, and at the moment, I feel something more. More than friendship. Legolas, I'm attracted to you. I've had my share of crushes, but not like this..." I faded off, and bolted again, but this time I had a place to go to. I knew where the Lady Arwen's room was; we had talked and got to know each other. Her room was a floor down from mine, and I banged on the door.
It was flung open, Arwen looked panic stricken as she saw me.
"Arwen, hide me!" I muttered sharply. She opened the door further and let me slip in. She closed the door firmly and turned to look at me, worried.
"Elanor, what is wrong my friend?" she said, wrapping me in a hug.
"Told...Legolas...like him...star watching...Last night!" I choked out before breaking down into tears. She led me to a chair and sat me down, handing me a glass of water.
"Calm down! Now, tell me the full story." She said soothingly and I nodded.
"Yesterday night, I was meant to be having an archery lesson with Legolas, right. Well, we were running, and I tripped him up, and we sort of went rolling down the hill. We were poking fun at each other, which sort of turned into flirting. I confessed that I liked Him, and we spent the night star watching. I woke up this morning out in the field in Legolas's arms, and he asked me if I meant what I had said. I mumbled that I did and legged it into my room and went to sleep. I woke up about 20 minutes ago when Legolas was banging on my door insisting that we had to talk. He made me get up, only to make me feel even worse and make me admit further what I felt!" I said, almost in a rush. "I came here to get away from him, please don't tell him where I am!"
"I promise I..." someone knocked on the door. Arwen put a finger to her lips then pointed at the wardrobe, mouthing 'hide in there!'. I rushed inside and closed the door, breathing slowly and silently like my father had taught me to.
"Who is it?" Arwen called out, she hadn't opened the door.
"Arwen, it is Aragorn. May I enter?" Aragorn's voice came from the other side.
"You may, the door is not locked. Elanor, you may come out." I pushed the door open and climbed out, sighing loudly.
"My love, why was Lady Elanor hiding in there?" He questioned, making me laugh quietly.
"She's hiding from my cousin. They have had a...disagreement about something." Aragorn did not question further, but agreed to keep Legolas away from me for the final 2 months of out stay.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
I said my farewells to everyone in Rivendell that I knew on our final day there. I had packed a small bag that would be attached to my belt which contained... feminine products. I folded my outfit for the next day neatly on a chair, and checked over my weapons. My new sword, my bow from home, my arrows and my dagger.
I sighed, looking out onto my balcony. I would miss it here, miss the safety, miss Arwen, miss all the elves. I felt at home. Dressing in a cranberry red dress with floor length white sleeves and gold detail, I went for a final walk around Rivendell.
"Would you like some company?" someone asked from behind me, and I immediately knew who it was.
"I thought I made it perfectly clear I did not wish to see you, Greenleaf." I said nastily, not turning or stopping.
"You did. Unfortunately, you have to spend many months with me, and my cousin will not be there to hide you. I have tried time and time again to apologise, but you run away from it. You are so scared of what you may find that you hide inside yourself. Do you know how frustrating that is?" He laughed harshly. "I doubt it."
"I do know, and I do not hide! You were just too selfish to see past yourself and notice how much you hurt people! I do not wish to talk to you, leave me be." I said clearly, continuing down the worn path. "I will see you in the morning when we depart." I finished.
"I am sorry..." I heard him say quietly. I was on the edge of tears again. Never had I been so cruel to anyone.
I sat down on a bench that had hundreds of named carved into it. I picked up a sharp stone and carved 'Elanor Snowfield' in swirling text in a patch of unmarred wood.
"I am a human, he is an elf. Mortal, immortal. It would never work out anyway..." I said quietly into the wind. I laughed, thinking about what my father would say if I loved an Elf.
"That is what I thought when I fell in love with Arwen." A soft voice said from behind me. "She gave her immortality for me." Aragorn sat next to me.
"If it is to be, nothing will stop you and Arwen from being together." I replied.
"I know that, little one." He said, and I punched his arm. "Ow!"
"Don't call me little then." I chuckled.
"But you are little in my eyes. Not even twenty."
"Ha ha." Something I had talked about with Arwen popped up. "Do you think the Dunedain are related somewhere to the Eldorans? We are both blessed with the same long life."
"It is possible. It would be in the old records." I shrugged.
"When is dinner?" I asked
"It will be soon. We should go." I nodded and stood slowly.
"I am NOT sitting next to him." Aragorn sniggered and I punched him again. "Shut up. He is being an insufferable, annoying bas..." I shut my mouth. It was hard to watch my language when it came to Legolas.
"Come on. No doubt you are hungry." I grinned sheepishly.
"You know me too well. I have been called a bottomless pit on legs." He laughed loudly. I took off at a run into the house, skidding around the corners in grip-less shoes. I came to a halt before I got to the main hall, and waited for Aragorn to catch up.
"What was that for?" he asked with a bemused look on his face.
"I'm hungry. And I want a good seat." I said, smiling.
"No, you just wish to gossip with Arwen."
I feigned looking thoughtful. "Yes... yes I do." I walked into the hall, and quickly made my way to sit next to Arwen.
"Hi! Why are you not sat next to Boromir?" she asked
"He keeps trying to get touchy-feely with me. No thank you." I grimaced and Arwen giggled.
"A perfect reason. I only hope you don't mind Legolas sitting next to you though..."
I pulled a face. "Nooooooooooo! Please tell him to sit at the other end when he comes." I begged. A waiter brought our meal, a stew of sorts and lots of bread. I ate, listening to the chatter of the elves around me.
"Elanor? Elanor, are you listening?" I snapped out of my trance.
"What? Who said what?" I said, making Arwen laugh.
"I said, we are going to make you and Legolas share a room for the night." I almost screamed.
"Don't you dare Arwen Undomiel! I shall be forced to kill myself!"
She was almost in hysterics. "Serves you right for not listening. Ada said you should go and sleep, you look dead on your feet." I nodded.
"I feel it. I shall see you in the morning, Arwen." I stood, and walked steadily out of the hall, feeling so tired. I only just made it to m room, where I changed and flopped onto the bed, not even getting under the covers. I didn't notice the letter on the pillow until the next day.
