Chapter 11
The next two weeks flew by. The atmosphere in Rivendell was tense. Kirsty got on with her duties and then kept herself to herself. She began to help Marion out a lot more. Marion and Millie were always busier each day planning their engagement parties and weddings. So Kirsty got to spend more time with baby Evelynn.
Legolas watched her as she pushed the pram around Rivendell, muttering away to the beautiful little girl.
"You know, back from where we are from this is called stalking." Marion's voice said suddenly from behind him. legolas smiled slightly.
"She has not uttered a word for weeks." he shrugged.
"Well when you make a fool out of her in front of your whole kingdom, do you really expect her to forget about it? You were out of order and very foolish! No Nan or Elf should make a show of a lady like that! no matter how much she pisses you off." Marion said, struggling to keep the bitterness out of her voice.
"She has been off the rails since she arrived. She stole a prince's horse, assaulted a dwarf, kidnapped a pregnant soon-to-be princess, trespassed on private property, assaulted an officer and disrespected a king; not just any king but my father! Now you tell me, how was I supposed to react when I saw her? I am a very patient Ellon, but what she did pushed me too far." Legolas defended himself. Marion began to laugh mirthlessly.
"What is so funny?" Legolas asked annoyed.
"Maybe the fact that none of this was Kirsty's idea. It was mine, but you assumed it to have been hers. You did not even try to have a go at me that day or any other day since. When you assume you make an ass out of you and me." Millie said as she appeared on the other side of Legolas.
"You are to be my brother's wife, if I'd had words with you my father would not have been too pleased. She still helped you run away, she is still maybe more to blame than you think. She got the horse and she did the rest. All you did was ask but her actions were her own." Legolas did not budge.
"You are even more of a fool than I thought, Prince of Mirkwood." Marion shrugged and walked away towards Kirsty and Evelynn. Millie shook her head and went in to the mansion leaving Legolas to think about what he had done.
Millie was sewing beads on to her wedding dress when Marion burst threw the door.
"Lou's back!" she squealed in excitement. They both ran to the dining room. Lou and Haldir stood greeting everyone. Kirsty was stood in the corner of the room staring annoyed at Haldir.
"Oh my god, we have missed you so much!" Marion squeaked as she hugged Lou tightly. Lou then looked at Millie.
"I thought you left!" she asked, in shock at seeing her sister but gave her a huge hug.
"Yeah we did but they kind of found us." Millie said sheepishly.
"And you're staying?" Lou asked.
"We don't really have a choice." Kirsty added, still throwing snides at Haldir.
"Yeah, I'm getting married to Cugedhion. It's the right thing to do." Millie said smiling.
"What are you pulling your face about? you still not getting any from Legolas." Lou laughed. Every one just looked at her awkwardly.
"Legolas... who's he again?" Kirsty replied testily before walking away and grabbing her sword off Aragorn. Legolas watched her walk past him, Lou could see the hurt in his eyes.
"Ookay... would someone like to tell me what's gone on?" Lou said accusingly.
Haldir watched Kirsty train with Aragorn for a while. He recognized the anger and frustration in her body language.
"Calm down Kirsty! if you fight like this in battle you will wipe out your fellow soldiers!" Aragorn warned her.
"Is that a bad thing?" she raged as she blocked his attack. Haldir made his way over to them.
"Aragorn you have done an amazing job. She is improving. Why don't you let me take it from here and we shall discuss a training routine so she gets to work with both of us." Haldir smiled.
Aragorn looked at Kirsty then back at Haldir. He then gave the sword to Haldir.
"Of course. I will stay and see what it is you teach her and get an idea of what she needs more practise on." he said as he sat under the oak tree.
Kirsty took off her tunic for it was sticking to her in the over powering heat. Haldir did the same. Haldir ran at Kirsty swinging his sword viciously, Kirsty spun out of the way and blocked a lethal blow to her head. She then advanced on Haldir furiously. Haldir was caught by surprise and he began to be pushed back by her force.
She had learnt a lot over the past four weeks. Haldir did not bring up his sword in time and she sliced his face from the top of his eye brow down to his chin. she then kicked the back of his knees so he knelt before her. She stepped back and waited for him to get up. A crowd had formed around them. They gasped as they watched the blood drip to the floor from Haldir's face. He got up slowly, then charged at her in anger. He swung his sword upwards and cut her stomach with a deep enough cut to cause pain but not enough to seriously harm her. He then threw down the sword, Kirsty did the same.
"What is the matter with you? You're supposed to stop if you draw blood in training, you know that!" he raged as he stared at her.
"Oops!" she said sarcastically.
"What is wrong with you?" he shook her, annoyed. Her arm snapped up and punched him in the nose.
"You grassing bastard!" she raged as Haldir's head shot back. She then kicked him in the balls. "You could have gotten us killed!" she spat annoyed.
Haldir doubled over in pain. Legolas grabbed her before she hit him again. Haldir slapped Kirsty around the face. Kirsty fumed and struggled to get out of Legolas' grip. Aragorn grabbed Haldir and pulled him away.
"This is not the end of it! we shall have it out!" Haldir warned her as they both got dragged in the opposite directions. Lou stood in shock. She had no idea Haldir had told on her sister and Kirsty. She was gutted.
"Get off me!" Kirsty raged as Legolas dragged her in to his room. He released her and shut the door before locking it.
"Just calm down Kirsty." Legolas said softly. Kirsty paced his room back and forth before yelling in anger and swiping all the contents of his dressing table in to a violent crash over his room.
"Just try and breathe." he eased. She stood staring at him for a moment before dropping on to his bed. She stared out of his balcony doors and watched an eagle soar. How much she wished she could fly away home and never return.
"I can't do this anymore. How could have of gone from a highly respected security guard one day and the next a poor excuse of a human. It doesn't make sense. I want my life back. I want to go and get drunk with my friends every Saturday night. I want to go to my mum's for Sunday dinner. I want to have my girly nights in with my sister. I want to be able to do what I want when I want. I want to live my life to the full, not just go through the motions and know that you look at an uncertain future. At least when I was home I knew I was going to grow old and have kids and then grand-kids. Move to Tenerife and die by getting ran over by a Bugatti Veyron because my ass was too slow to get out of the road. This place asks too much of me." she said holding back the tears.
Legolas had sat next to her while she ranted and hugged her. She hadn't realised at the time. She couldn't be bothered to pull away. It was too much effort.
"I can't imagine what you are going through and I'm not going to pretend I do. I wish you was happy here. Your family and friends don't miss you. We took your souls, not your bodies. Once the trees closed behind us you became flesh again. Your family aren't hurting if that is a comfort to you." he said gently.
"So I'm still there but not?" Kirsty asked.
"Yes you still exist and act like you would if you was still there." Legolas replied. Kirsty had to admit she was glad that her family weren't hurting. but it still did not stop all her pain.
"I'm sorry about the way I acted towards you in my homeland. It was foolish of me." Legolas finally said.
"Hmmm, well..." Kirsty stopped mid sentence as she looked up at him, the urge overcame her and she leant up and kissed him passionately. Legolas was surprised but kissed her back gently. His arms reached around her and he held her close.
"Ow!" Kirsty complained as her cut became irritated by his tunic. They both began to laugh.
"I forgot about that." Legolas smiled.
"Yeh you're not the only one." she grinned
"What was that all about?" Lou asked as she marched in to her room, where Haldir was getting seen to by an elder healer.
"Nothing." he winced in pain.
"Don't lie to me!" Lou raged. "Did you tell on them?" she continued.
"Yes but..." he defended.
"You absolute feckin idjit!" Lou raged before storming off and slamming the door.
Later that day, Marion and Rúmil's engagement party went on as planned. Elrond had spoken to Haldir and Kirsty and made sure they stayed well away from one another at the dance.