A/M: Okay first off sorry for the long wait and two in order to get rid of any confusion, Tavas is married to Wilya, Tinue is their son. Legolas it Tavas' older brother and is in no way attached. Amara believes that Legolas is the one married to Wilya, because he's always playing with Tinue and kissing Wilya on the cheek. So Amara likes both Tavas and Legolas but since she thinks Legolas is taken she's trying to focus her attention on Tavas, she is however failing miserably at this. I hope that cleared up any confusion anyone may have had
Now On With The Story
Music flooded her ears as Amara was lead into the clearing. Tavas lead Amara up to a log where Wilya was helping Legolas to sit down. Tavas let go of Amara's hand, but she didn't notice. Amara felt as though her senses were being over loaded; the sounds of the music, the sight of all the beautiful people around her, she could smell and practically taste the wonderful foods being made at stalls around the clearing, and to top it all off the entire area had a feeling she just couldn't place.
Feeling so overwhelmed, Amara didn't even notice Wilya run off to meet with friends, or Tavas going to help the others build up the would be bon fire. Amara sat down on the log next to Legolas, not noticing his presence. "Wow." Was all she could say.
"It's amazing isn't it?" Legolas asked, startling Amara out of her trance like state.
"More than…" Amara said." I've never seen anything like this."
"Just wait until sunset." Legolas told her scooting over slightly. "That's when the real fun begins."
"What happens at sunset?" Amara asked, her curiosity peaked.
"They light the fire and the real dancing begins." Legolas said.
Amara glanced to where the music was coming from and noted a few people dancing around. "You know no one ever told me exactly what this festival was for. Tavas mentioned the equinox, but nothing else." Amara said hoping to gain more information.
"The equinox is the beginning of spring. Tonight is the night we celebrate that and all that come with it." Legolas said.
"What comes with it?" Amara asked, curiously.
"Life. Spring is when everything is reborn and life begins again. It's also when love is at its most abundant. Tonight there is no doubt you will encounter many proposals and declarations of love. This is the night that love is revealed." When Legolas finished he looked at Amara. Her face was one of awe and shock.
"Wow. All of that… in one night?" she asked.
"Yes." Legolas said.
"What do you mean it's 'the night that love is revealed'?" Amara asked.
"Around midnight all those who wish to have pure love in their lives throw something into the fire that represents them. When it burns nature makes sure all love in their life will be pure. They even say that…"
"Oh Legolas come now. Don't listen to him Amara." Wilya interrupted. "It's all a bunch of old wives tales."
"I don't remember you calling it all a bunch of old wives tales when you were a part of the burning not so long ago." Legolas said causing Wilya to roll her eyes.
"Oh do be quiet!" Wilya said before someone yelled to her and waved her over. "I'll be back later." She said before leaving.
Legolas shook his head at her retreating back.
"What do they say?" Amara asked, pulling Legolas' attention back to her. She knew he was taken but still, she didn't have to like it.
"You sure you want me to continue the 'old wives tales'?" Legolas asked. Amara gave and enthusiastic nod that caused Legolas to laugh. "Alright then, they say that if you're lucky enough, and the time is right, the flames of the fire can show you your one true love. The one you're meant to be with for the rest of your life."
Though they hadn't noticed it throughout Legolas' tale, he and Amara had moved closer and closer and were now nearly on top of one another. As she looked over at the two talking, Wilya smiled, it was obvious that the two were meant to be together, at least in her opinion. Walking over to a group of men Wilya tapped Tavas on the shoulder.
"It may not take as long as we thought." She whispered in his ear. Tavas placed his arm around Wilya and lead her to where the dancing was beginning,
Amara was asking more questions about the festival that Legolas was happily answering when a blonde girl who looked about the same age as Wilya came over. "Prince Legolas, Maegovannan. " The girl said.
Legolas looked up and smiled at the girl. "Maegovannan Súth." He said.
"Who is your friend?" Súth asked Legolas, batting her lashes at him.
"This is Amara; she's a friend I met on my travels." Legolas told her.
"It's a pleasure to meet you" Amara said and stood, putting her hand out to be shaken. Súth looked at the hand for a moment before shaking it.
"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Anama, was it?" Súth said.
"It's Amara actually." Amara corrected her.
"Yes, well. I must say Legolas; I was horrified to hear about your accident." Súth said forgetting about Amara immediately.
"It was nothing too bad. Just a fracture or something, like that." Legolas said as Súth fawned over him.
No longer had feeling wanted, Amara wondered off to try and find Wilya, or Tavas, or even Tinue, just someone she knew. Luckily it didn't take long for her to find someone. While watching one of the bakers Amara felt a tap on her shoulder, and turned around, and found Aara at her back. She was dressed much like Amara only her dress was a little shorter and was a daisy yellow color.
"Hello Lady Amara." She said sounding nervous.
"Hello Aara." Amara said, smiling, glad she had found someone. "How are you?" She asked.
"I'm well, and yourself?" Aara asked.
"I'm alright. I have to say I'm glad I ran into you, I was feeling rather alone." Amara said truthfully.
"Is Prince Legolas not here?" She asked.
"He is, though he is rather busy at the moment." Amara said pointing to where he was with the young woman.
"I see." Aara said.
Though she didn't want to admit it, to herself, or anyone else for that matter, Amara was jealous, of the blonde, so she did what every normal person does when jealous. She ranted. "Can you believe that girl sitting there, blatantly flirting with him like that?" Amara said.
Aara looked at Amara and saw the jealousy growing in her. "Why shouldn't she flirt with him? If she is interested in him, she has every right to do so." Aara said.
Amara was shocked. "How can you say that?" she asked.
"Well it is not as though he is promised to anyone, or courting anyone, or even married." Aara said. Amara looked to Aara, confusion glittering in her eyes. However before she could ask for an explanation, Aara was pulled away by another young girl and Amara once again found herself to be alone.
Amara walked to a more deserted part of the clearing and sat down on a log. What did Aara mean Legolas wasn't married. He was with Wilya; they had a child… didn't they? Amara was confused. If Tinue wasn't Legolas' son then whose was he? While she thought about Tinue and his parentage Tinue had found his was from the other young ones and was now climbing the log to sit on Amara's lap.
"Hello Amra." He said when he reached her.
"Oh! Tinue, you scared me." She said, helping the child onto her lap.
"Amra, what are you doing all the way over here?" The little boy asked.
"Thinking about you." She answered honestly and with a smile. Tinue laughed.
"Want to come dance with me?" Tinue asked smiling up at her.
Amara smiled. "Sure." She said placing Tinue on the ground and then taking his hand. As she was pulled by the young boy over to a group of small children dancing, Amara found herself placing the issue of Tinue's parents at the back of her mind. Amara laughed as she watched the kids dance, and tried to mimic their movements as she laughed with them.
Legolas had watched Amara leave out of the corner of his eye. He wanted to ask her to stay but he could barely get a word in with Súth talking a mile a minute. He also didn't want Amara to have to suffer through the torture of the woman's inane drivel. He was getting desperate to find Amara, it was almost sunset and he wanted to make sure she saw the lighting of the fire. She had seemed so excited about it when they had been talking earlier. Finally Súth stopped to take a breath and Legolas made an excuse to leave her stating he needed to speak with his brother. Unfortunately she decided he needed to have help standing. Luckily she didn't follow him to his brother. Finding Wilya and Tavas near the edge of the clearing Legolas asked if either of them had seen Amara.
"Right over there, dancing with Tinue." Wilya said pointing out the group of younger children that Amara was dancing with. It seemed that Amara was dancing with all the children and had even gotten a few of the older elves and elleths to join in.
"There about to start the lighting." Tavas pointed out. "We should probably gather Tinue, this is his favorite part."
"I'll get him, and Amara." Wilya said, giving a kiss to Tavas and making her way over to the dancers.
"So Legolas, are you enjoying yourself?" Tavas asked.
"I was." Legolas replied, earning a raised eyebrow. "Súth decided she needed to speak with me and insult Amara at the same time."
"Ah." Tavas said, understandingly. "So she's still after you?"
"So it would seem." Legolas said.
"It is too bad your heart is already taken." Tavas said with a sly smile. Before Legolas could reply Wilya was back with Tinue and Amara. Amara was laughing at something Tinue had said before he pulled off with Wilya to go get as close to the fire as his mother would let him. Amara continued walking towards Tavas and Legolas.
"I see you're enjoying yourself." Tavas said.
"Very much so." Amara said smiling.
"There about to start the lighting" Legolas stated.
"I know I have to admit I think I'm more excited than Tinue" Amara said.
"Speaking of whom I think he's about to run out of his mothers arms and into the fire, excuse me for a while." Tavas said as he started off in the direction of his family.
Suddenly it got very quiet as everyone turned to watch the lighting. There was a Young man who made his way through the crowed with a torch, when he reached the wood pile he touched the torch to the bottom of the stack and then walked around the stack of wood. At first it seemed as though the wood wasn't catching fire then as soon as the circle was complete and the young man had stepped back the circle flared up, the flames reaching higher than the trees. Amara startled by the sudden burst of flames grabbed Legolas' hand and hid her face in his shoulder at the sudden bright light.
Legolas smiled at Amara's actions. It was adorable, and he had to admit that the feel of her face pressed against his neck was not an unpleasant one. When the light dimmed and the flames shrank to a normal size and everyone broke into applause, Amara's face left his shoulder and she looked over at the flames.
"Wow." She said.
Without looking at the flames, Legolas agreed, "Wow is right." He said, gazing at Amara's profile. "Wow is right."
The music started up again, and Amara turned to Legolas. "Care to dance?" she asked.
"I'd love to but…" Legolas trailed off looking at his crutch.
"Who cares about your crutch?" She said, "Come on let's dance. She pulled him by their still conjoined hands, being mindful of his leg, and began dancing, getting Legolas to dance on his good leg and crutch. The entire time, they were watched by a pair of jealous blue eyes.
Legolas and Amara were soon joined by Wilya, Tavas and Tinue. As they danced to the upbeat tunes played by the bands. It was only when Legolas picked Tinue up and put him on one of his shoulders to dance with him that Amara remembered her earlier conversation with Aara.
When the band finished their song the gained a round of applause and began another song, this one much slower. Wilya took Tinue from Legolas so that they could have a mother son dance, and Tavas had gone off somewhere halfway through the last song. Amara had stopped dancing and was preparing to leave the makeshift dance floor when Legolas held out his hand. Smiling Amara grabbed it and went to place her other hand on his shoulder.
"Wait. Hold on one minute." Legolas said putting up one finger and hobbling off to the side lines, leaving Amara to feel alone and stupid amidst dancing couples. He soon returned though, this time without his crutch. "There it should be a bit easier now. I just have to be carefully not to put to much pressure on it." He explained when Amara gave him a funny look. "Now where were we?" He asked picking her hands up and placing them as they should be. Amara and Legolas smiled at each other and began dancing. As they danced Amara and Legolas slowly moved closer and closer together. They were so close Amara could feel Legolas' breath ghosting along her skin. Her thoughts were racing. Legolas smelled like fresh cut grass, and the feel of his arms around her was causing Amara to go weak in the knees. Before she could even think about him in any way Amara had to find out if what Aara had said was true,
"Legolas?" She asked quietly.
"Yes?" He whispered in her ear causing her eyes to close.
"What are you to Tinue?" She asked.
"What do you mean?" he asked confused.
"I mean are you his friend, his uncle?" Amara asked without having to out right ask if he was the father.
"I like to think I'm both." Legolas said. "I'm also his second father, if anything were ever to happen to Tavas, and Wilya, I would take Tinue as my own son." He explained.
'So Tavas is his father. That means that Tavas and Wilya are married.' As everything come together in her mind Amara felt more and more like an idiot. "Oh." Was all she could say in return. 'Of coarse Tavas was Tinue's father. He looked just like him. And he was so affectionate.' Although she felt stupid for making such and important mistake she was relieved that she could now enjoy the feel of Legolas' arms around her without feeling as though she were doing something horribly wrong. Now more relaxed Amara melted slightly into Legolas arms.
Legolas was confused about why Amara wanted to know what he was to Tinue but, as she relaxed in his arms afterwards he couldn't find a reason to care why she had asked. It was becoming harder and harder for him to continue to tell himself he wasn't in love with this girl. As the music played he continued to hold Amara and dance with her head on his shoulder, feeling more at ease than he had in a long, long time.
