Disclaimer: I don't own any of Tolkin's characters, only
Jenna/Ephraem…don't sue!
A/N: I just want to apologize for this chapter, it ended up being more angsty then I wanted it…but I promise the next one will be better, along with longer!! I've been pretty busy, but I will write again very soon. Again, I was hoping this would sound less angsty, but we'll give it a shot. No flames please… also, thanks to everyone who reviewed, makes me think I'm doing something right ^_^
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I stepped back from the door, but not quickly enough. Ephraem beckoned me over to the table that he and another older man was sitting at.
"Come my dear, I have wonderful news to tell you!" He put his hand on my shoulder and smiled before adding, "I've arranged whom you are to marry."
"Why is it that everyone else knows except for me?!" I blurted out not meaning it as harsh as it sounded.
"You know how rumors fly around, they never stay in one persons mouth very long. I know I should have told you earlier, but I decided perhaps at dinner would be best." He smiled genuinely and I couldn't help but feel upset.
"Have you seen Legolas? I can't find him anywhere in here…" I asked cautiously.
"He was here for a moment, but left quite suddenly, I assumed he was off to look for you."
"Thanks, I'll go see if I can find him," I muttered as I turned and quickly took towards the door. I knew something like this might happen. Why did he have to like me? This made everything so much harder. For him and for me…
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I wandered in and out of the woods and hills around Rivendell but to no avail. What I expected to say to him once I did find him, I didn't know, but I knew I had to talk to him. Dodging over a broken limb, I began to stray towards the log in which we had practiced on earlier that day. Surely enough, there he lay, propped up against the stump, staring up into the stars. He didn't make a sound, although I knew well enough that he had heard me for quite some time. I reached him a bit out of breath and shaking. "Legolas…"
"Why didn't you tell me." This was said with a tone I had never heard him speak before. He had twisted his head in my direction and focused in on my eyes, with a hurt expression coving his usually pleasant face.
"I had no choice in the matter. I didn't even know until a about an hour ago." My face was tight and I could feel myself almost giving way to tears. "It's not as if I did this to hurt you! You're one of my best friends!"
"I don't want to be just your best friend though! I want to be more. You know I care for you a great deal, and finally when I think you might be warming up to me, you're gone from me forever!" His voice was shaky as he said this.
"I'm not sure what exactly is going on yet. Don't blame me as if I had planned for this to happen! I don't want to hurt you, ever!" At this, tears began to roll down my face. Looking at him caused me pain, seeing his face the way it was. I turned on my heel and began to pace quickly away, I knew I couldn't stay and say anything more. All I wanted to do now was be alone, to think of what I was going to do. But the reality of it was that it wasn't going to happen. I heard footsteps behind me and then a hand touch my shoulder.
"Wait, don't leave. I don't want to push you way during what moments I have left with you." His face had a sullen expression, as if after a long and bloody battle.
"I need to think right now. I don't know what to do, I don't even know this man. How could I marry him?!" Tears still streaming down my cheeks; I brushed one away on the edge of my cloak.
"Then don't!" He exclaimed.
"It is not that simple Legolas, you know that as well as I!" Biting my lip, I quickened my pace.
"I can be. Just leave this place. Ephraem will be fine; he can live without you. And your suitor will find another; it's not as if he had ever loved you.
"Fine then, I will tonight." I spurted out before running off. This time he did not follow, but stood silently, watching me run. I raced past the hall, and up to my room. By the time I arrived at my room, I was out of breath and panting. Quickly I began reaching for everything I could find, throwing it into a bag I could carry on my shoulder or rest on a horses back. I picked up my arrows and bow and slung their case over my shoulder. I rummaged my chest for anything that might be of use to me, finally stopping when the bag began to get three quarters of the way up. I took my belongings to one side of my bed and pushed them under. Quietly I slipped back into the great hall and grabbed a few small loaves of bread. After returning to my room, I picked up my belongings and strode to the stables.
"Here goes everything…" I said, peering back at what was once my home.
A/N: I just want to apologize for this chapter, it ended up being more angsty then I wanted it…but I promise the next one will be better, along with longer!! I've been pretty busy, but I will write again very soon. Again, I was hoping this would sound less angsty, but we'll give it a shot. No flames please… also, thanks to everyone who reviewed, makes me think I'm doing something right ^_^
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I stepped back from the door, but not quickly enough. Ephraem beckoned me over to the table that he and another older man was sitting at.
"Come my dear, I have wonderful news to tell you!" He put his hand on my shoulder and smiled before adding, "I've arranged whom you are to marry."
"Why is it that everyone else knows except for me?!" I blurted out not meaning it as harsh as it sounded.
"You know how rumors fly around, they never stay in one persons mouth very long. I know I should have told you earlier, but I decided perhaps at dinner would be best." He smiled genuinely and I couldn't help but feel upset.
"Have you seen Legolas? I can't find him anywhere in here…" I asked cautiously.
"He was here for a moment, but left quite suddenly, I assumed he was off to look for you."
"Thanks, I'll go see if I can find him," I muttered as I turned and quickly took towards the door. I knew something like this might happen. Why did he have to like me? This made everything so much harder. For him and for me…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I wandered in and out of the woods and hills around Rivendell but to no avail. What I expected to say to him once I did find him, I didn't know, but I knew I had to talk to him. Dodging over a broken limb, I began to stray towards the log in which we had practiced on earlier that day. Surely enough, there he lay, propped up against the stump, staring up into the stars. He didn't make a sound, although I knew well enough that he had heard me for quite some time. I reached him a bit out of breath and shaking. "Legolas…"
"Why didn't you tell me." This was said with a tone I had never heard him speak before. He had twisted his head in my direction and focused in on my eyes, with a hurt expression coving his usually pleasant face.
"I had no choice in the matter. I didn't even know until a about an hour ago." My face was tight and I could feel myself almost giving way to tears. "It's not as if I did this to hurt you! You're one of my best friends!"
"I don't want to be just your best friend though! I want to be more. You know I care for you a great deal, and finally when I think you might be warming up to me, you're gone from me forever!" His voice was shaky as he said this.
"I'm not sure what exactly is going on yet. Don't blame me as if I had planned for this to happen! I don't want to hurt you, ever!" At this, tears began to roll down my face. Looking at him caused me pain, seeing his face the way it was. I turned on my heel and began to pace quickly away, I knew I couldn't stay and say anything more. All I wanted to do now was be alone, to think of what I was going to do. But the reality of it was that it wasn't going to happen. I heard footsteps behind me and then a hand touch my shoulder.
"Wait, don't leave. I don't want to push you way during what moments I have left with you." His face had a sullen expression, as if after a long and bloody battle.
"I need to think right now. I don't know what to do, I don't even know this man. How could I marry him?!" Tears still streaming down my cheeks; I brushed one away on the edge of my cloak.
"Then don't!" He exclaimed.
"It is not that simple Legolas, you know that as well as I!" Biting my lip, I quickened my pace.
"I can be. Just leave this place. Ephraem will be fine; he can live without you. And your suitor will find another; it's not as if he had ever loved you.
"Fine then, I will tonight." I spurted out before running off. This time he did not follow, but stood silently, watching me run. I raced past the hall, and up to my room. By the time I arrived at my room, I was out of breath and panting. Quickly I began reaching for everything I could find, throwing it into a bag I could carry on my shoulder or rest on a horses back. I picked up my arrows and bow and slung their case over my shoulder. I rummaged my chest for anything that might be of use to me, finally stopping when the bag began to get three quarters of the way up. I took my belongings to one side of my bed and pushed them under. Quietly I slipped back into the great hall and grabbed a few small loaves of bread. After returning to my room, I picked up my belongings and strode to the stables.
"Here goes everything…" I said, peering back at what was once my home.