What the hell happened to Simplicity?

Bold Italics is Elvish. Italics are thoughts.

A smaller chapter this time, but a very important milestone for our couple.

The Leaving Ball.

In two days we were to leave, and I was anxious and excited all at the same time, I had never left the borders or Imladris and now I was to journey all the way to Mordor, I don't doubt that it will be harder than anything I have ever imagined, and that it may even leave me scarred, but I somehow knew that if we all stuck together we could get through this, especially using each other's best assets.

I went to Tharen's stall in the stables and hummed to myself as I put his bridle on him, and jumped on him bareback, walking out to the open air, Tharen and I took a deep breath in unison. I was about to burst off, away from the courtyard when a voice stopped me.

"Bella," he called, I turned to see Legolas jumping over the side of the nearby stairs to come over to me. "you're off for a ride? May I join you?" he asked me formally.

I gave him a small smile as I tried to hide my blush, "If it pleases you." I replied courteously. I waited for him as he hurried to put a bridle on Astaldo and lead him out. As he pulled himself up onto his horse, I noticed that he too was riding bareback, although he hadn't last time, I guess he just didn't want to make me wait.

"Where were you planning on going?" he asked calmly as I urged Tharen into a relaxed walk.

"Nowhere in particular, I just wanted to run Tharen in the woods, so he could stretch his legs." I explained, patting Tharen's neck lovingly.

"As you wish." He simply said, a smirk appearing on his face as he overtook me in a canter, out of the gates of the city.


We were leaving tomorrow and tonight my father welcomed all the elves in the city and all that came for the meeting to another party to send us off; of course that meant that once again I would have to dance with most of them for 'Good luck'.

Caelik, Arwen and I were all getting dressed together, Arwen was going to wear her favourite silver dress that Aragorn got her, and Caelik was wearing a green dress the colour of her eyes, which also matched a silver and emerald bracelet Seth had given her the day before; it really was perfect for her it was a simple loop, but in the pattern of vines and held emerald leaves, that really suited her love of the outdoors.

I decided to wear my dark blue dress that went to about mid-calf, but had a silver and gold pattern running all over it, and was fitted to my shape perfectly. We all put on our matching head dresses and I saw Arwen looked at her necklace in an odd way. Caelik quickly braided some of her hair back to keep it in order and stop her headdress from falling off.

They both hugged me before we walked slowly to the party; arms linked. The doors were opened for us and we entered slowly, lowering our heads to whoever bowed or lowered their heads to us. Our seats next to our father were in the middle of the room, so as we stopped there, they finally all sat down, except Ada.

"Welcome guests, we are here to honour, celebrate and wish 'Good luck' to the Fellowship." He simply stated raising his glass of Elven wine.

"The Fellowship!" the hall repeated. Dinner was quickly over after that.

Music started as soon as the last fork was put down and it took Aragorn all of two seconds to get my sister onto the floor for a slow dance. I watched as Seth came over, dressed in black Elvish clothing that made him look incredibly sophisticated, although he was chewing his lip like he had had no dinner whatsoever.

"Umm … I'd like to ask your daughter to dance?" he said all in one breathe, little did he know, that Caelik had convinced all of us that it was true love and we weren't going to stop them from doing anything.

Caelik smiled innocently, pleadingly at Adar, and he just nodded at Seth, who sighed a huge breathe and gently took Caelik's hand and led her to the floor, next to the other couple's dancing. He spun her gracefully and held her close to his body as they stared at each other. I could see the sorrow in their eyes at the thought of leaving each other so soon.

"Adar, what will you do, will you make them go to Valinor?" I finally asked, we never really concluded our talk from before, or at least, he never told me his intentions. I was sad at the thought of losing my sisters, my family, and them losing their lover's. Arwen and Aragorn were so much in love, Ada hated the fact, because he had seen as I had; Aragorn was human, and he would die.

Seth however, even though he could heal; being a shape shifter, his future was blank, I couldn't see much besides a vague image of him leaving, and walking through fields, after that it went blank, and by that point it hurt to try anymore. His book was as blank as a story untold, nothing was set, but a lot was to come!

Suddenly I was brought back into the present, by a light hand covering mine. My eyes darted up to see my Adar staring at me intently. "I am still unsure, hinîn, our talk has made me think it would be unwise, but inside my heart, I still think it is the safest thing to do; for them." he answered me in a soft voice. {hinîn - my child}

"Lady Isabella, I would be honoured with a dance." An elf asked, I turned to my right to see one of the elves from the city, his brown waist length hair tied back in a loose pony tail, his vibrant red robes clung to his muscular body, as he leaned down and extended an arm for me to take.

I smiled and turned to my father when I saw Legolas watching me, from his seat on the other side of the hall. Our eyes locked for a millisecond and I melted a bit at their depths, they seemed darker for a second, as I turned to my father I saw him intently watching the dancers; obviously pretending not to have noticed my companion. I quickly turned back to him and gracefully stood up and took his hand with a small smile.

He led me to the dance floor and we danced together, he had a polite smile on his face as he watched me, and tried to start a conversation twice, once trying to ask me if I was scared about the journey; that was rather short conversation, I simply replied with 'Not in the slightest, I'm excited.' And we stopped talking again. His smile never faltered as he then said, 'I hope you accept my wishes of good fortune and health.' He said in a soft kind voice. I smiled at him and nodded, but as the dance stopped he silently led me off the floor, kissed the back of my hand and walked away.

After a few seconds someone cleared their throat behind me, I turned to see Legolas there, a small smile on his lips. I couldn't help but smile back and I took a slow step towards him.

"I can't help but remember that we didn't get to dance, last time." He said a small smirk on his face "May I be so privileged as to have your arm?" he asked smoothly extending his hand to me. I smiled gave a small curtsy and laid my hand in his gently. I felt the same electricity as every time before shoot through me at his touch. We danced, his warm hands bringing me closer to his body. I saw my Adar smiling at us from his seat, Legolas shifted his arms to encircle my waist and with the back of his hand he brushed my face.

"Is something wrong?" he whispered into my ear, I looked up at him quizzically before answering.

"No, I'm just sad to have to say goodbye to my family." I explained softly, he looked over to where Caelik and Seth were still dancing. His arms held me to him, I felt safe here, warm and protected. I let my head rest in the crook of his neck, letting my hands fiddle with the delicate embroidery on his tunic.


We danced for three or four songs before Elladan came to relieve Legolas of me, we danced more light-heartedly he kept on making jokes, but I knew he was worried about me underneath it all. As I finished dancing I went back to my seat next to my father, Arwen was missing from sight and it had gotten dark.

"Ada," I said getting his attention. "I think I will go to bed now, I will need my rest for tomorrow." I explained bowing my head before turning towards the door.

"Maybe, I could escort you m'lady." Legolas said suddenly next to me. My father nodded as I took Legolas' arm, several elves seemed to glare at him as he led us out of the hall. As we left the hall into the open air, I took a deep breath as the cold air hit my face. I dropped my hand from his arm slowly, walking to the banister of the platform we were on.

I put my hands on the railing as I looked over the edge. I felt his body beside me as he looked at me, I turned to him cupping his face in my hand; he leaned into my hand as he closed his eyes momentarily. I started leaning forward to kiss him, but as I did he opened his eyes, looking slightly alarmed. He took a hold of my arms in his, and distanced us from each other slightly.

"I asked your father to court you this morning." He informed me softly.

My eyes wide in surprise as I stuttered my reply, "Isn't that a good thing?" I asked slightly confused, "Did he say, yes?" I asked quickly, worried.

"Yes, and it means I can do this." He said cupping my cheek and leaning in to kiss me, I closed my eyes as his lips gently brushed mine, and revelled in the feeling when he kissed me again, slightly harder as he cupped my face in his large hands, pulling myself to him further I kissed him again, more softly. He rested his forehead on mine catching his breath, my face was flushed and my hands were warm, but I had goose bumps running up the sides of my arms.

We breathed deeply, and as we pulled slightly apart, I looked up into his eyes; they were the colour of the Great Sea, or Lake Evendim. The sound of the water rushing below us reminded me of our first ride, through the city, together.

"Would you like to see the river, at the ford?" I asked Legolas, as we got closer to the main gates of my city.

"I did enter the city that way, but if it is part of my tour, I wouldn't want to skip it." He joked playfully, his horse skipping into a trot along with Tharen; I urged my horse on, leading him out of the city walls. I laughed as we reached the edge of the river; the horse's bounding strides kicked the water up in a playful way.

We slowed our horses down as we got to the bend in the river, his horse automatically stretched down to drink some water, I easily slid off my horse and Legolas followed, carefully coming towards me on the wet rocks.

"Why did you want to come here?" he asked softly.

"No reason really, it's the edge of our city, and I always feel safest here, I know that there are things on the other side of this river that could hurt me, would kill me, but here, I'm untouchable." I explained slowly, looking into the depths of the green forest on the other side of the river.

"It's like you're testing the water and teasing the sharks all at the same time. You have been so protected and hidden away in your short life that you are bursting at any chance to get out, to see the world's beauty with your own eyes." He reasoned, more to himself than me.

"If my father had ever offered for me to go to Lothlorien, I would have jumped at it, in the beat of a hummingbird's wings, he has coped me up for too long, and now is my chance to finally live my own life, make my own story." I explained.

That was the first time I bared myself to Legolas, and it was not the last; I had already bared myself to him, more than I had to any other person in the world.


After a minute or two, he walked me to my room, our hands intertwined as we talked softly with each other. As we got to my door, he slowed to a stop, he turned to face me fully, he leaned in towards me for another kiss, I let my eyes flicker close for a second and he kissed me sweetly on the lips, I reached up to his collar, snaking my hand around the back of his neck, bringing him closer to me, and intertwining my fingers in his hair.

As we finally broke out of our kiss, he looked at the floor, embarrassed as I saw a faint blush grace his cheeks, he took a small step back, almost forcing himself to leave me, I gave him a small smile as he finally looked back to me.

"Mara lomë, Bella." He greeted me. {Good night}

"Mara lomë, Legolas." I replied in suit, slowly backing in to my room. He bowed again and finally turned to leave.

As I closed my door behind me, letting my back rest against the solid wood, as I let everything else drain from my body. I smiled to myself at the memory and feel of his lips on mine; it was like lightning, it was like pure flames had lit a fire in my soul, deep within my core, and it licked at my rough edges, wearing them down to creamy-butter; making me melt into a puddle on my floor, as I revelled in the feel of his lips against mine, the feel of his arms on me, my skin on his, our bodies as one, in a moment of pure perfection.

Okay, a slightly smaller chapter, but I couldn't think of anything to go around this mini-plotline

I'll try to update soon, but please review, they inspire me.