Disclaimer: See chapter Two
Chapter Three
Halifirien
As dusk fell, Toketee and Quenture arrived in the village of Halifirien. Toketee showed Quenture the inn where she generally stayed, but explained the fact that she generally slept out in the stable with Chevaux, rather than inside the inn itself. She would dine inside with Quenture, and hang around for the evening's rumpus, then eventually retire to the stable.
"I'd rather not be away from Chevaux, even for a night. He's rather excitable, especially after today. Beside the fact that it's rather a tradition of sorts for me to sleep in the stable, and it makes for a lower bill. Also makes leaving in the morning simpler." She told Quenture as the stable hand came out to take the animals away.
"It's alright lad." she told him. "We shall tend our own creatures."
"Aye, 'tis you again, Toketee. Your usual stall is free. Have you a friend with you tonight? And where will she sleep?"
"Is that truly your concern, Rael?" Toketee asked rhetorically.
"No, suppose it's not. Good evening miss." Rael turned and made his way back into the stable.
Toketee followed him a few steps, and waited for Quenture to catch up.
Quenture stood in the stall next to Toketee, and they both took care of their horses for the night.
"I think I'll stay in the inn, Toketee. Nothing to do with you, just that I'm very weary and in need of a true bed. Besides, "she said, grinning mischeviously, "I like rowdy taverns. Keeps me alert."
They were quiet for a moment, then she said, "Toketee, were you born in this village? If so, why do we not stay with your parents and kin?"
Toketee was quiet as she pondered how to answer Qunture's question. "I was not born in Halifirien." She began slowly, uncertain what to say next. 'She was honest with me,' she told herself, 'Cannot I also do the same?' She bit her lip and gave Chevaux a firm stroke with the currycomb. He whickered to let her know she was just a little too firm. "Sorry old boy," she murmured, patting him absent-mindedly on the wither.
"My parents and kin live in Mirkwood, and I was born there." She told Quenture. "They are there, and I am here. It is the best way for us."
She turned away from Quenture to attend to Chevaux's feeding, for the hay and water were already gone, though she had filled both troughs when she had first brought the horse in. Shaking her head she left the stall and went into the tack room to see where Rael had now hidden the oats.
Quenture said to Toketee, "Can you get some oats for Galen, too?" She continued speaking to her, hoping she was not being rude, and said, "I know someone from Mirkwood. Prince Greenwood, in fact. Do you know him?"
Toketee rushed back into Chevaux's stall, finding the oats long forgotten. "You know Legolas?! Please, can you tell me where he is?" She blurted out, not thinking of the consequences her sudden outburst might create.
Pleadingly, she held Quenture's gaze, silently begging to hear that Legolas might be nearby- yet, almost hoping that he wasn't.
Quenture arched one eyebrow at Toketee. She fought back the urge to smile at her--she'd only just won back Toketee's trust, and didn't want to upset her by laughing at her. Still, there was something in Toketee's eyes that suggested that she was not simply enamored with the handsome Silvan prince...it seemed more important, somehow, than a crush.
"Well, yes, the last time I spoke to him he was in the Entwood, travelling with Gimli the Dwarf. He looked to be staying there for some time, hardly surprising, as the years of elves are countless and the years of dwarves are long in the eyes of men. Did you need to find him for something?"
"I've already been through the Entwood! I could not find him there!" Frustrated, Toketee sighed and slumped against the doorframe. "How long ago was that? Perhaps I was there before him." She asked quietly, stirring the hay with her toe. She hoped Quenture wouldn't remember having asked why she wanted Legolas, she certainly didn't want to have to answer that one.
Quenture frowned. Toketee was certainly worked up about this. "I happen to know that he is currently in the Entwood. I'll take you to him, if you like, but only if you tell me fully and honestly--why do you need to find him? I like that man, and he deserves the rest he is now enjoying, and I would sooner die than bring trouble or pain to him. And if you tell me a lie, and I take you to him and find out otherwise, I will exact punishment on you."
She smiled at Toketee. "I don't mean to sound cruel, just serious, dear. Tell me. You can trust me."
Sighing again, Toketee shook her head. Regaining at least most of her composure, she looked up at Quenture and smiled sadly. "I'm sorry. I have run away from myself again. I simply have not seen him in so long... One misses a brother when he is absent, you know." Singing softly to keep Quenture from asking any more ticklish questions, Toketee again went to find the oats.
"It's a warm wind, the west wind, full of bird's cries;
I never hear the west wind, but tears are in my eyes.
For it comes from the west lands, the old brown hills,
And April's in the west wind and daffodils.
It's a fine land, the west land, for hearts as tired as mine.
Apple orchards blossom there, and the air is like wine.
There is cool grass there, where men may lie at rest,
The thrushes are in song there, flutering from the nest.
'Will you not come home brother? you have been long away.
It's April and blossom time, and white is the spray;
Bright is the sun, brother, and warm is the rain-
Will you not come home, brother, home to us again?"
Quenture narrowed her eyes at Toketee and laughed. "Well then, if he is literally your brother, we are but two Elven princesses travelling together in such a state."
She paused for a moment, thinking, then continued, "I suppose, Toketee, that whether I believe you or not, Legolas and I could handle any trouble you feel like throwing at him...so if you'd like, I'll take you to see him....and I won't ask any more questions, if that's how you'd have it, although it puts myself and my history at a distinct disadvantage to you..."
With a smile and a nod of her head, Toketee left Quenture to find the oats. Returning a moment later, she filled Galen and Chevaux's troughs and motioned for Quenture to follow her to the inn.
Quenture followed Toketee into the inn, bemused and curious...the girl was an odd one, but sweet...and she seemed to really need to find Legolas...
Another disclaimer: Legolas is property of J.R.R. Tolkien. And, is the current plan for Legolas and Gimli to actually be in this story at some point.
Chapter Three
Halifirien
As dusk fell, Toketee and Quenture arrived in the village of Halifirien. Toketee showed Quenture the inn where she generally stayed, but explained the fact that she generally slept out in the stable with Chevaux, rather than inside the inn itself. She would dine inside with Quenture, and hang around for the evening's rumpus, then eventually retire to the stable.
"I'd rather not be away from Chevaux, even for a night. He's rather excitable, especially after today. Beside the fact that it's rather a tradition of sorts for me to sleep in the stable, and it makes for a lower bill. Also makes leaving in the morning simpler." She told Quenture as the stable hand came out to take the animals away.
"It's alright lad." she told him. "We shall tend our own creatures."
"Aye, 'tis you again, Toketee. Your usual stall is free. Have you a friend with you tonight? And where will she sleep?"
"Is that truly your concern, Rael?" Toketee asked rhetorically.
"No, suppose it's not. Good evening miss." Rael turned and made his way back into the stable.
Toketee followed him a few steps, and waited for Quenture to catch up.
Quenture stood in the stall next to Toketee, and they both took care of their horses for the night.
"I think I'll stay in the inn, Toketee. Nothing to do with you, just that I'm very weary and in need of a true bed. Besides, "she said, grinning mischeviously, "I like rowdy taverns. Keeps me alert."
They were quiet for a moment, then she said, "Toketee, were you born in this village? If so, why do we not stay with your parents and kin?"
Toketee was quiet as she pondered how to answer Qunture's question. "I was not born in Halifirien." She began slowly, uncertain what to say next. 'She was honest with me,' she told herself, 'Cannot I also do the same?' She bit her lip and gave Chevaux a firm stroke with the currycomb. He whickered to let her know she was just a little too firm. "Sorry old boy," she murmured, patting him absent-mindedly on the wither.
"My parents and kin live in Mirkwood, and I was born there." She told Quenture. "They are there, and I am here. It is the best way for us."
She turned away from Quenture to attend to Chevaux's feeding, for the hay and water were already gone, though she had filled both troughs when she had first brought the horse in. Shaking her head she left the stall and went into the tack room to see where Rael had now hidden the oats.
Quenture said to Toketee, "Can you get some oats for Galen, too?" She continued speaking to her, hoping she was not being rude, and said, "I know someone from Mirkwood. Prince Greenwood, in fact. Do you know him?"
Toketee rushed back into Chevaux's stall, finding the oats long forgotten. "You know Legolas?! Please, can you tell me where he is?" She blurted out, not thinking of the consequences her sudden outburst might create.
Pleadingly, she held Quenture's gaze, silently begging to hear that Legolas might be nearby- yet, almost hoping that he wasn't.
Quenture arched one eyebrow at Toketee. She fought back the urge to smile at her--she'd only just won back Toketee's trust, and didn't want to upset her by laughing at her. Still, there was something in Toketee's eyes that suggested that she was not simply enamored with the handsome Silvan prince...it seemed more important, somehow, than a crush.
"Well, yes, the last time I spoke to him he was in the Entwood, travelling with Gimli the Dwarf. He looked to be staying there for some time, hardly surprising, as the years of elves are countless and the years of dwarves are long in the eyes of men. Did you need to find him for something?"
"I've already been through the Entwood! I could not find him there!" Frustrated, Toketee sighed and slumped against the doorframe. "How long ago was that? Perhaps I was there before him." She asked quietly, stirring the hay with her toe. She hoped Quenture wouldn't remember having asked why she wanted Legolas, she certainly didn't want to have to answer that one.
Quenture frowned. Toketee was certainly worked up about this. "I happen to know that he is currently in the Entwood. I'll take you to him, if you like, but only if you tell me fully and honestly--why do you need to find him? I like that man, and he deserves the rest he is now enjoying, and I would sooner die than bring trouble or pain to him. And if you tell me a lie, and I take you to him and find out otherwise, I will exact punishment on you."
She smiled at Toketee. "I don't mean to sound cruel, just serious, dear. Tell me. You can trust me."
Sighing again, Toketee shook her head. Regaining at least most of her composure, she looked up at Quenture and smiled sadly. "I'm sorry. I have run away from myself again. I simply have not seen him in so long... One misses a brother when he is absent, you know." Singing softly to keep Quenture from asking any more ticklish questions, Toketee again went to find the oats.
"It's a warm wind, the west wind, full of bird's cries;
I never hear the west wind, but tears are in my eyes.
For it comes from the west lands, the old brown hills,
And April's in the west wind and daffodils.
It's a fine land, the west land, for hearts as tired as mine.
Apple orchards blossom there, and the air is like wine.
There is cool grass there, where men may lie at rest,
The thrushes are in song there, flutering from the nest.
'Will you not come home brother? you have been long away.
It's April and blossom time, and white is the spray;
Bright is the sun, brother, and warm is the rain-
Will you not come home, brother, home to us again?"
Quenture narrowed her eyes at Toketee and laughed. "Well then, if he is literally your brother, we are but two Elven princesses travelling together in such a state."
She paused for a moment, thinking, then continued, "I suppose, Toketee, that whether I believe you or not, Legolas and I could handle any trouble you feel like throwing at him...so if you'd like, I'll take you to see him....and I won't ask any more questions, if that's how you'd have it, although it puts myself and my history at a distinct disadvantage to you..."
With a smile and a nod of her head, Toketee left Quenture to find the oats. Returning a moment later, she filled Galen and Chevaux's troughs and motioned for Quenture to follow her to the inn.
Quenture followed Toketee into the inn, bemused and curious...the girl was an odd one, but sweet...and she seemed to really need to find Legolas...
Another disclaimer: Legolas is property of J.R.R. Tolkien. And, is the current plan for Legolas and Gimli to actually be in this story at some point.