Hello! Thank you so much for the epic reviews everyone! I am so happy you are enjoying the story. :)
Some answers:
Cosetta P : Actually I was not thinking of the Queen of hearts, but now that you mention it I can see the resemblance. The Queen of hearts rocks! I am so happy you are enjoying the story; thank you so much for being so positive! And yess, Thranduil and Harlette finally kissed, and they will do so much much more…:P hahaha
Raider-K : Yes, Bernard is a very special cat…soon we are going to find more about her. The story takes time to unfold! But soon, explanations will come up. Everything happens for a reason. Even the giants and the trolls; their presence will be explained later on! And oops! Spelling mistake, thanks for telling me! I will correct it! Lolz
Fairy have Tails : oooh yes, Leggos is a lill mean; but he is younger and more mischievous! Yes, they might get together quicker than we think, but that's not sure yet ;) at least there will be flirting and sexy scenes! I'll do my best hahha
Charlieandcie, awesomeness-lvl-infinity, ReaderwithSwag Istariel, Rodwen of Mirkwood, Wildwings, SilverMoonrise: your enthusiasm is so great! It made my day! Thank you so much. And SilverMoonrise; Doll Trolls are great, I have them too! Hahah That's why I wanted to put them in my story :P lolzz
HyacinthiaPhoenix: yes, Christine is very stubborn, and Legolas will have to try and tame that beast ) We'll see how he manages hahaha
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SAY MY NAME
Legolas did not have to strain his eyes to discern Christine's silhouette limping away from him. Her strength of character was an endearing charm, yet it would not save her from him.
'Legolas,' began Gimli in a brassy voice, 'it's going to rain harder. Let's quicken our pace,' he offered. 'Afraid to drench your rich red locks, monstrous giant?' Gustav whispered mockingly to the dwarf. The trolls laughed amongst each other. Gimli snarled, yet he gave a tight-lipped smile, and in a plumy tone he said: 'if you don't shut your mouth, I will cast a spell on you, and you will end up looking like me.'
Gustav jerked backwards in fear, and so did his companions. Gimli whirled to Legolas who had already busied himself with the task of recuperating the ogre emperor.
It did not take long for the elf to catch up with Christine and soon, he was walking beside her. Feeling an unwanted presence drawing closer, Christine puffed angrily and took bigger strides, limping severely as she did.
Legolas did not relent, and quietly followed her.
'What do you want, elf? Clearly, I'm no threat to you, so leave me the hell alone!'
Legolas pretended to ponder her words for a brief moment. 'Where will you go?' he posed. 'You are obviously distraught. Why not accept my help? I mean you no harm.'
Christine came to halt, wincing from pain as she did. 'You mean me no harm?' she parroted his words. 'You, freak, shot an arrow in my leg!'
'I know. I missed. I was aiming for your heart,' he winked flirtatiously and came to stand in front of her, walking backwards, his steady eyes on her face, a kittenish expression curling his lips.
'Don't try to even get near my heart,' she warned, trying to bypass him, but he did not allow it.
The rain poured harder, and the mud on her skin and clothes began to melt. Christine cursed at the skies and wiped her forehead with savage determination, her messy hair sticking unpleasantly on her cheeks. Her ruined leather attire glued to her body, and it only added to her further ire.
Christine stopped and stomped her foot angrily. 'Just forget about me!' Christine screamed. 'I'm on a quest of my own,' she elaborated. 'I'm not from here!'
'That is no mystery to me,' a calm Legolas replied. Christine waved a dismissive hand at him, and whirling around, she resumed her slow escape to another direction. The land was barren and so vast, she could go anywhere, and there was no where she could hide from him.
'If you wish to carry on fleeing at sluggish pace, perhaps you would care to do so, in this direction?' Legolas invited, pointing to the left. Christine whirled to him challengingly, her wet hair flinging over her face. 'You are bound to be my prisoner anyway, so why not save us both some breath and walk by me?' Legolas finished.
Christine snarled at him and she even gave him the finger. Legolas raised a brow. 'Charming,' he uttered and extended an arm sideways. 'Whatever,' Christine mumbled and treaded towards the appointed direction. The rain beat harder atop her head, dribbling down along her body, but she was too furious to even feel cold.
Legolas focused on Gimli and the trolls further away debating under the rain, and he waved at them, telling them to follow him.
Christine thought it best to talk to the elf. After all, what could she possibly do, injured and battered like she was in this foreign land. As she walked on, she addressed the elf: 'So I'm not from here, like you gathered. But I meant to come here, to Center Earth−'
'Middle Earth,' Legolas interjected hands clasped behind his back as he fell into step beside her.
'Whatever,' Christine dismissed. 'I was practicing a spell at home, and I teleported my sister here by accident, now I must find her before she gets killed or raped. See, my business is not that complicated.'
'Your sister?' Legolas spoke. 'You mean there is another like you?'
Christine rolled her eyes. 'Well, not exactly like me. She's my adopted sister.'
'I hope she's a better witch,' Legolas winked roguishly. Christine protruded her tongue. 'To hell with you,' she told him and carried on, 'well anyway, I have to find her. She knows nothing of this place−'
'And you think you do?' Legolas challenged amusedly, crossing his arms over his chest. Christine stopped in her tracks and faced him angrily. 'I know more than she does about Center Earth!' she exclaimed, her index finger striking his chest in emphasis.
Legolas frowned just slightly at her stubbornness.
Christine stepped away from him. 'Now if you insist on gluing yourself to me and, since you know your way round 'ere, how about you help me find her?'
'I'm sorry, I will be of no use in this quest of yours,' admitted Legolas.
Christine tilted her head to the side inquiringly. 'What? Why?'
It seemed the rain was calming down, and a silver lining pierced through the thick white clouds.
'You said your sister was in Center Earth. I have never heard of such a place,' Legolas confessed. Christine growled inwardly. 'Fine, Middle Earth,' she articulated in a clipped manner.
Legolas smirked victoriously. 'Oh, now I can help,' he said. 'Middle Earth is vast. Where exactly have you teleported her? Do you know?'
'Yes,' confirmed Christine.
Silence.
Legolas slanted his head to the left.
Christine puffed; she was too lazy to respond. To hell with Harlette; Christine only wanted a bath.
Legolas waited.
'Mirkwood,' Christine unraveled at last.
Legolas' lips pushed into a vibrant smile.
Christine felt uneasy under his merry expression.
'I beg your pardon?' Legolas let out.
'Mirkwood. Last I heard she was in Mirkwood. I must go to Mirkwood.'
'Has your sister got the personality of a troll?' the elf asked suddenly. Christine emitted a sound expressing genuine ignorance. 'I don't know about that,' she told him, 'but she has a white cat called Bernard.'
Legolas' eyes fluttered at the appellation of the name. Christine drew nearer, her face lightening with new born hope. 'Hang on a minute, you've seen her?'
'No, I have not,' responded Legolas, 'I have not met her personally for I have been on patrol for long, but I did hear of her. Folk say she has the personality of a troll. Her name is Harlette, I trust?'
Christine could not help but shriek in joy. 'Yes! That's the name!'
'She is safe in Mirkwood,' Legolas assured.
'Geez! My parents will be so thrilled!' Christine sighed in relief. 'Where can I find this Mirkwood place?' Christine asked.
Legolas pointed straight ahead. Into the horizon there stretched a large shadow formed by a mass of trees; the entrance of an enormous forest.
Christine shrugged. 'Why are you gesticulating towards that dark, damp forest?'
The rain seemed to have stopped, but the clouds were still thick and grey.
'Because that dark, damp forest, my dear, is Mirkwood, my home,' answered Legolas. 'And I was taking you there.' He came to look at her again, 'it seemed all of your fronting was a complete waste of time.'
Christine's mouth popped open. She laughed and clapped. 'Oh I did it!'
Legolas raised a curious brow. 'You did nothing. You only let yourself be guided. You do not even question my words. That could be Mordor for all you know.'
'Well, it's not,' Christine shot back.
'If I had told you it was Mordor, you would have believed me all the same.'
'Well, tough tits, mate!' she shouted at him, hands on her waist. 'Now, let's go. I want to get Harlette back as quick as I can!'
Christine was glad Harlette was in safe hands. Yet, how long would these hands be safe? In no way could the elves discover Harlette's real identity; it would be the death of her. Christine's parents had warned her about Thranduil; he was dangerous. Still, despite Harlette's identity being secret, it seemed the information was leaking; the orcs were searching for The Daughter, Harlette, and they had been tracking her awfully close to Mirkwood. The truth was making itself harder to conceal with each passing day, and Christine only hoped her parents' old friend would show up in time to save both she and her sister from this ordeal.
Christine treaded in the direction of the forest, limping and wincing. The injury on her leg seemed to get worse, and she could feel the blood oozing and drying. Was her skin starting to decay?
She heard Legolas' voice: 'If I look at your wound, do you promise not to try anything on me? You would only be embarrassing yourself.'
Christine's eyes found Gimli and the trolls a distance away, arguing together as they walked at snail's pace. Christine faced the golden-haired elf next to her. He was very attractive.
'I'm not going to try and kill you now that I know we're going in the same direction,' she deadpanned. Legolas shrugged. 'Well, ogres are unreliable,' he commented.
'I am not an ogre! I am a woman!'
'You sure don't look it.'
'It's not because I'm dirty that I am not a woman!' Christine let out. 'You men are all the same! You only check out girls when they look good!'
Legolas smirked boyishly. 'I was not referring to your looks. I was referring to your character which gives you away as a troll at first glance.'
Christine rolled her eyes and could not help but sputter a meager chuckle.
'Do you want me to have a look at your injury?' Legolas asked again.
Silence.
Christine shifted on her feet.
Silence. She felt the elf's strong gaze on her.
'Yeah,' she answered.
Smiling lavishly, Legolas closed his eyes and placed a hand behind his leaf-shaped ear. 'Yeah, what?' he asked mockingly.
'Just do it, okay!' Christine commanded, limping towards him.
Legolas shook his head negatively and drifted away from her. Christine went after him and tripped and emitted a gush of pain and outrage. 'Ey!' she called out. 'Come on, man, be a chum!'
The elf glanced over his shoulder. 'What should you say after making a request?'
Christine puffed at him and crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly. 'I don't know. How much do you want for it? Twenty quid? '
Legolas sighed exasperatedly and kept on walking away from her. 'Let's go. It is a long walk till Mirkwood. And who knows what we may meet on the way. Goblins, spiders, trolls: your kin…' his amused voice trailed off. 'Walking on a bad leg will slow you down, and by the Valars, Spiders are always hungry.'
'Hungry?' Christine whispered warily.
'Yes.'
Christine puffed helplessly. 'Alright, alright… please.' She muttered, blushing.
Legolas gave her a beatific grin. He stepped closer to her, his sapphire eyes dancing with mirth. 'Excellent, now, reformulate your request. I am all ears and feeling rather generous.'
Christine glared at him. There was nothing else she could do but beg. 'Please, will you take a look at my wounds and heal me with you magical Elven hands?'
Legolas clapped. Christine was garnet from shame and anger as she came to sit on the ground, slumping down ungracefully. Legolas copied her movement, drawing close to her. Christine looked into the distance, at the trolls quarreling with Gimli. Gimli raised his hands in the air, and the trolls seemed to taunt him even further by mooning at him.
Christine felt keen eyes studying her form. The gaze was hot and it made her blood boil, and she knew her cheeks were reddening.
'Stop that,' Christine told the elf. Legolas leered. 'Stop what?' he asked with phony innocence.
'That. That thing you are doing.'
'I did not do anything. I was just looking at you,' Legolas replied.
'Well, you were doing something,' Christine claimed. Legolas laughed. 'I did absolutely nothing,' he assured.
'Yes you did. You made me feel funny,' she retorted, her hand touching her heart. Legolas chuckled at her. 'Well, it's not my fault if I send your heart racing,' he nictated.
'You did not do anything of the sort, I guarantee you,' Christine mumbled, looking everywhere but at his mocking self.
'Now,' he said dismissing the subject, 'let's have a look at your leg.'
Christine nodded and extended her leg to him, almost hitting his nose. Legolas cradled it in his palms and set it on his thigh as he examined it. Finding the tattered part of her leather pants oozing with blood, his strong hands pressed lightly on her calf. Christine jerked at the pain. His eyes met hers. They said nothing.
From his leather belt he pulled out a knife, its blade glimmering threateningly. Christine yelped in surprise.
'What are you doing, elf?' Christine asked, but she did not try to budge; too tired and too lazy to do so. Let death have its way with me, she thought absently. Legolas dexterously cut through her leather pant, tearing the fabric up to her knee, thoroughly exposing her bloodied calf.
Christine opened one eye. 'Don't get any ideas,' she warned.
His gaze kissed hers. 'Ideas? Whatever do you mean?'
'I don't want your thoughts to go in a sexual direction as you molest my leg,' she elaborated passively, trying to sound as detached as possible.
Legolas let out a hearty laugh. 'With you looking like that, rest assured nothing of the sort will happen, Emperor of Ogres.'
Christine's cheeks grew hot beneath the thick mud.
'Well, you are not my style anyway,' she shot back.
Legolas chuckled. 'Neither are you.'
Christine looked away from his laughing self. Whatever was happening, she had to bite her lip to control her emotions; this elf was affecting her in a strange and somehow, very exciting way.
Still chuckling to himself, Legolas took out a small bag from his pocket, and from it he pulled out a strange kind of plant; of a dark green color, the plant possessed small yellow petals and a few thorns.
'Ey!' Christine emitted. 'What is that?'
'It's Athelas, a healing herb.'
Before Christine could reply, Legolas had begun to chant, singing Elvish words in earnest. His voice was grave, yet it was not the sound of a solemn, ancient being; it had a rebellious tinge to it.
Christine contemplated the beauty of his face; from his high cheekbones, to the glimmering hair cascading over his shoulders, to the delicate tips of his ears, to the strong chin beneath his whispering lips. His features seemed to glow despite there being no sun, and before she knew it, his lashes fluttered open and she sank into his sapphire eyes.
His smiling gaze shifted downwards, and she followed it, marveling at what she saw; the Athelas plant was melting into her skin, and as it did so, the wound began to mend till it was but a fine scar which would easily fade away in time.
Christine, for once, was stunned. 'You are one hell of a wizard!'
Legolas grinned. 'That was just simple healing.'
'Simple healing? I can't even do that.'
'A witch is not necessarily a healer,' affirmed Legolas.
'Yeah, but I'm not exactly a witch either,' she responded, and extending her hand to him, she opened a palm; at its center a ball of fire was created, its flames flickering. 'That's the only trick I can do,' she admitted. Legolas laughed at her. 'That will not get you very far,' Legolas noted, and gently, his hand came to close around her own, causing the flame to die. 'At least not with me,' he winked.
'Well, I'm practicing a spell that makes you disappear,' Christine could not help but whisper as her eyes drowned into the bright blue jewels of his steady gaze.
Legolas sputtered a mocking chuckle, and he still did not release her hand. 'That too will not get you very far with me.'
Then and there, Christine knew that if she tried a million ways to escape, this complete stranger would always find her.
Christine bit her lip in confusion. Her heart began to race as she rummaged her brain for an answer. 'I will bite you if you get too close,' she warned.
Legolas smirked at her. 'I am not afraid of you,' he said amusedly.
Christine tried to pull her fingers from his grasp, yet he did not let go and only pulled her to him.
Feeling utterly vulnerable under his cunning watch, it dawned upon her that, perhaps, she had at last found a man brave enough to confront her. How could this be?
'Let go of me!' Christine said firmly. Legolas smiled, and waited.
The energy of immortality and magic flowing in his veins sparkled in his eyes, and this made her heart skip a beat.
'What do we say after making a request?' he hinted humorously.
Christine's cheeks bloated and her throat tightened. She frowned, not wanting to utter a single word.
Legolas waited, and she knew he would not let go; he had all the time in the world. Christine's ears vaguely caught the sound of Gimli bickering with the trolls.
'Please,' the witch let out helplessly, her voice timid.
Legolas nodded and released her.
Christine shot up to her feet and dusted herself off. 'Thanks for healing me,' she quipped, and carried on with her usual affirmative tone: 'Now, please, take me to Mirkwood, elf.' Watching her casually, Legolas crossed his arms over his chest and remained seated. 'I have a name. Would you care to know it before we journey?'
Christine shrugged. 'Why should I bother with your name? It's not like you know mine, elf.'
Legolas was stunned by Christine's carelessness. He had heard of Harlette being in his father's, King Thranduil's, care, and if her character was twin to that of Christine, Legolas only hoped his father would be as inclined to patience as he.
Legolas grinned at the dirty woman before him, and his eyes sparkled with mischief. 'My powers can reveal your name to me,' he spoke mysteriously.
Christine tilted her head to the side. 'Oh really now?'
'Yes. And if I pronounce your name, will you promise to grow better manners towards me?'
Christine snorted. Legolas watched her expectantly. Christine's eyes rounded and she said: 'You really wanna play that game? You wanna say my name without even knowing it? I know elves can't read minds. But alright, I'm still curious. If you guess it right, I'll be as gentle and as soft-spoken as a queen,' she laughed boisterously.
'How many tries to I get, Christine?' Legolas asked innocently.
'Dude, you get one. Let's hope your powers don't let you down.'
'I'm afraid to get it wrong, Christine,' Legolas said casually, a little louder.
'Well if you do, tough tits to you, mate! I'll be a real ogre!'
Christine crossed her arms over her chest, and tapping her toes absently to the ground, she waited for him to unveil her name. Legolas was smiling, and then it dawned upon her: he had said it.
Christine yelped. 'Blimey! How? You are sensational!'
'I'm flattered,' replied Legolas, 'though it wasn't magic, it was simple observation: your name is written on the chain around your neck.'
Christine fingered the golden pendant between her collarbones. That gobshite of an elf had read the letters carved on it! She should have known: elves had keen eyes.
She glowered. 'You cheated and lied. And how did you guess it was my name anyway? It could have been someone else's.'
'That would have been highly unlikely. Not to mention, you look like the sort of human who needs written reminders of who they are.'
'Yeah, yeah, well you look like the kind of person who…the kind of person who…yeah….' Christine's voice trailed off, unable to find a term to define his personality.
'Let's go, Christine,' Legolas told her and began to walk, calling out for Gimli and the trolls to end their argument and follow closely.
Christine went after Legolas. 'Ey,' she said. He gave her a sideways glance. 'So umm…what's your name?'
Legolas laughed at her.
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I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Once again, thank you for your positivity; it really makes my day to feel such great vibes from you guys!
The next chapter will be with Thranduil and Harlette; remember, they have to attend the party…oooh, what will happen there? Well, you are all invited to see! See you there!
