Legolas found himself sulking around one of the many fountains in the
garden after dining with Aragorn and Arwen, awaiting this "councilor" that
Aragorn was sending. Sulking, he thought, who ever heard of an Elf sulking?
"Only when their mind is weighed heavily with a burden," spoke a clear voice from behind him.
Legolas turned quickly to see Arwen. She was dressed all in white, as if the very rays of moonlight were her gown. She smiled knowingly at Legolas.
Legolas dropped to one knee. "Your highness," he said. "I was told to wait here. Your husband is sending a councilor for me."
"Your councilor has arrived," Arwen replied, smiling. "Now, tell me why you are in need of her."
Legolas gaped at the Queen. Then, closing his mouth quickly, he replied. "I am sorry, your highness, I didn't not expect it would be you."
"Would you rather it had been someone else?" she asked in mock repentance.
"No!" Legolas exclaimed. "No, milady. I could have asked for no one better."
She smiled at him and moved forward, taking his hands and guiding him to his feet. "Then come, Elven cousin, and tell me what troubles your heart, for your actions have changed much as of late. Your strong will has weakened."
"Is it so apparent, lady?" Legolas asked, a little ashamed.
"It is. Aragorn knows you well, and he worries so about your recent state." She laughed, and it was like the ringing of silver bells. "But he need not worry! I have guessed what ails your heart. She must be one of unmistakable beauty to win such a heart as yours."
"You have guessed rightly, milady," Legolas replied sheepishly, casting his eyes down. "She is like nothing I've ever seen before. Her eyes are as blue as the sea in my dreams, and her hair is white as sea foam. She moves as light and swift as the wind and speaks fairer then any Elf. And something about her.it calls to me. I don't understand it."
Arwen gazed at him, thoughtfully and knowingly. "I think I know what calls to you."
Legolas looked at her questioningly. "What is it? What is that makes my heart yearn for her?"
Arwen smiled. "All those long years ago, the Lady Galadriel spoke to you her wisdom. She said to you,
Legolas Greenleaf long under tree
In joy thou hast lived. Beware of the Sea!
If thou hearest the cry of the gull on the shore,
Thy heart shall then rest in the forest no more."
Legolas recalled the words spoken to him by Gandalf when the wizard had appeared suddenly when all thought he had perished in Moria. But he was confused.
Arwen saw the confusion in his eyes. "Has this love blinded even your memory?"
"I remember the words, and the warning, and the sound of the gulls while on the Paths of the Dead. But I still don't understand." Legolas replied.
"'Her eyes are as blue as the sea in my dreams, and her hair is white as sea foam.'" Arwen recited. "Don't you see, Legolas? Ever since you heard the cry gulls you have been drawn to the sea. And this maiden so resembles the beauty of the sea that she has drawn you to her."
Legolas said nothing. It all suddenly made sense.
Arwen was silent, allowing him to come to understanding. When at last she spoke, she voiced his thoughts.
"You will depart tomorrow ere the sun the rises. And when you have voiced your love for the maiden, you will bring her back here and the two of you shall be wed."
Legolas was startled by this hastiness at first, but then he nodded.
Arwen smiled and kissed his cheek. "Go now and rest. Tomorrow shall be eventful." With that she left him.
Legolas felt suddenly overwhelmed. He sat on the stone edge of the fountain and did not move for several hours.
"Only when their mind is weighed heavily with a burden," spoke a clear voice from behind him.
Legolas turned quickly to see Arwen. She was dressed all in white, as if the very rays of moonlight were her gown. She smiled knowingly at Legolas.
Legolas dropped to one knee. "Your highness," he said. "I was told to wait here. Your husband is sending a councilor for me."
"Your councilor has arrived," Arwen replied, smiling. "Now, tell me why you are in need of her."
Legolas gaped at the Queen. Then, closing his mouth quickly, he replied. "I am sorry, your highness, I didn't not expect it would be you."
"Would you rather it had been someone else?" she asked in mock repentance.
"No!" Legolas exclaimed. "No, milady. I could have asked for no one better."
She smiled at him and moved forward, taking his hands and guiding him to his feet. "Then come, Elven cousin, and tell me what troubles your heart, for your actions have changed much as of late. Your strong will has weakened."
"Is it so apparent, lady?" Legolas asked, a little ashamed.
"It is. Aragorn knows you well, and he worries so about your recent state." She laughed, and it was like the ringing of silver bells. "But he need not worry! I have guessed what ails your heart. She must be one of unmistakable beauty to win such a heart as yours."
"You have guessed rightly, milady," Legolas replied sheepishly, casting his eyes down. "She is like nothing I've ever seen before. Her eyes are as blue as the sea in my dreams, and her hair is white as sea foam. She moves as light and swift as the wind and speaks fairer then any Elf. And something about her.it calls to me. I don't understand it."
Arwen gazed at him, thoughtfully and knowingly. "I think I know what calls to you."
Legolas looked at her questioningly. "What is it? What is that makes my heart yearn for her?"
Arwen smiled. "All those long years ago, the Lady Galadriel spoke to you her wisdom. She said to you,
Legolas Greenleaf long under tree
In joy thou hast lived. Beware of the Sea!
If thou hearest the cry of the gull on the shore,
Thy heart shall then rest in the forest no more."
Legolas recalled the words spoken to him by Gandalf when the wizard had appeared suddenly when all thought he had perished in Moria. But he was confused.
Arwen saw the confusion in his eyes. "Has this love blinded even your memory?"
"I remember the words, and the warning, and the sound of the gulls while on the Paths of the Dead. But I still don't understand." Legolas replied.
"'Her eyes are as blue as the sea in my dreams, and her hair is white as sea foam.'" Arwen recited. "Don't you see, Legolas? Ever since you heard the cry gulls you have been drawn to the sea. And this maiden so resembles the beauty of the sea that she has drawn you to her."
Legolas said nothing. It all suddenly made sense.
Arwen was silent, allowing him to come to understanding. When at last she spoke, she voiced his thoughts.
"You will depart tomorrow ere the sun the rises. And when you have voiced your love for the maiden, you will bring her back here and the two of you shall be wed."
Legolas was startled by this hastiness at first, but then he nodded.
Arwen smiled and kissed his cheek. "Go now and rest. Tomorrow shall be eventful." With that she left him.
Legolas felt suddenly overwhelmed. He sat on the stone edge of the fountain and did not move for several hours.
