Chapter 3:
Gandalf watched the trees in wonder. Their leaves never seemed to fall in any Elvin forest. He turned quietly and faced the castle, knowing very well what the prince was facing in Thranduil's throne room.
"You are a disgrace! A disgrace! My own son, a member of the Fellowship? The 'Eyes and Ears'? Friends with a dwarf? And then returning home because he has gone mad! I have had enough! You are my only heir, and that is the only reason you have not been exiled to Mordor!" It was just as the king took a breath that Legolas darted out of the throne room, still stepping as light as ever. For the first time since Gimli died, Gandalf saw tears in the Elvin prince's eyes. Legolas did not acknowledge Gandalf, but he knew he was there. Gandalf frowned, this was not the elf he knew.
"Legolas?" The elf sighed, not turning.
"Is wanting to help save Middle Earth so horrible? Why is the path to Hell paved with our good intentions?" For once, Gandalf was silent. Legolas turned to face him and found Nazglas standing just beside the rail of the platform. She was watching him carefully, almost wistfully.
"At least your path is paved." She finally said, glancing between Gandalf and Legolas. "Mine was left in front of my brother and I by birthright and by raising." She glared out to the woods. 'My brother and I wish to leave Mirkwood soon. We're grateful for the hospitality, but we don't belong." Legolas made as to move towards her, halted, then re- approached.
"Just because your profession is… different does not mean that you do not belong. Not if someone wishes you to stay." Gandalf raised a gray eyebrow, smiling softly. So the two had begun to realize…
"No one wishes me to stay." Now Gandalf looked to Legolas. If he answered…
"I do." The elf's voice was no louder then the ruffles of the leaves he was named after. 'I wish for you to stay." He gently traced her cheek with his long fingers. "I do not wish to see you leave." Gandalf smiled, gently backing away. The two elves probably would have heard him, if not for the fact they were entrapped within their own world.
"You do?" he nodded, his blonde hair falling over his shoulders. Her was pulled back tightly in a braid. "How can you? I am a thief, you are_"
"It does not matter and I do not care." He let his hand grasp hers. "I wish to kiss you." Nazglas only nodded. Slowly, he pressed his lips to hers. For the longest of moments they remained frozen. But Legolas found himself bring his arms to circle her waist and felt her arms around his neck. The simple kiss intensified and Legolas felt an emotion stirring in his heart. They finally let go, both searching the other's eyes. 'Thank you." The blush tinged his ear tips again and he saw it had manifested itself on her cheeks as well. Suddenly he jumped back. "Gandalf I am…" He stopped, realizing that the wizard was gone. Confusion etched itself on his royal features. Nazglas looked towards the far platform and noticed the wizards silhouette against the moon.
"He is yonder." Legolas followed her gaze; his sharper eyes catching the white and gray of his beard.
"I have the strangest feeling he…" Suddenly the wizard was before him, smiling his knowing smile.
'I am glad you figured out the riddle, Legolas. I knew you would." He looked to a stunned Nazglas. "Fair Elf, a long time I have waited for you to come to Legolas." She just stared at him, her brown eyes wide in shock. Legolas had a similar expression on his normally calm face. Gandalf now looked to Legolas, smiling broader. "Since you joined the Fellowship I knew. Nay, twas not magic, but dreams. Another part is yours to play, Prince." Legolas came out of his shock first, his deep Green- Brown eyes blinking shut for a moment before opening again.
"Gandalf, you are too full of riddles, even for an elf."
Gandalf watched the trees in wonder. Their leaves never seemed to fall in any Elvin forest. He turned quietly and faced the castle, knowing very well what the prince was facing in Thranduil's throne room.
"You are a disgrace! A disgrace! My own son, a member of the Fellowship? The 'Eyes and Ears'? Friends with a dwarf? And then returning home because he has gone mad! I have had enough! You are my only heir, and that is the only reason you have not been exiled to Mordor!" It was just as the king took a breath that Legolas darted out of the throne room, still stepping as light as ever. For the first time since Gimli died, Gandalf saw tears in the Elvin prince's eyes. Legolas did not acknowledge Gandalf, but he knew he was there. Gandalf frowned, this was not the elf he knew.
"Legolas?" The elf sighed, not turning.
"Is wanting to help save Middle Earth so horrible? Why is the path to Hell paved with our good intentions?" For once, Gandalf was silent. Legolas turned to face him and found Nazglas standing just beside the rail of the platform. She was watching him carefully, almost wistfully.
"At least your path is paved." She finally said, glancing between Gandalf and Legolas. "Mine was left in front of my brother and I by birthright and by raising." She glared out to the woods. 'My brother and I wish to leave Mirkwood soon. We're grateful for the hospitality, but we don't belong." Legolas made as to move towards her, halted, then re- approached.
"Just because your profession is… different does not mean that you do not belong. Not if someone wishes you to stay." Gandalf raised a gray eyebrow, smiling softly. So the two had begun to realize…
"No one wishes me to stay." Now Gandalf looked to Legolas. If he answered…
"I do." The elf's voice was no louder then the ruffles of the leaves he was named after. 'I wish for you to stay." He gently traced her cheek with his long fingers. "I do not wish to see you leave." Gandalf smiled, gently backing away. The two elves probably would have heard him, if not for the fact they were entrapped within their own world.
"You do?" he nodded, his blonde hair falling over his shoulders. Her was pulled back tightly in a braid. "How can you? I am a thief, you are_"
"It does not matter and I do not care." He let his hand grasp hers. "I wish to kiss you." Nazglas only nodded. Slowly, he pressed his lips to hers. For the longest of moments they remained frozen. But Legolas found himself bring his arms to circle her waist and felt her arms around his neck. The simple kiss intensified and Legolas felt an emotion stirring in his heart. They finally let go, both searching the other's eyes. 'Thank you." The blush tinged his ear tips again and he saw it had manifested itself on her cheeks as well. Suddenly he jumped back. "Gandalf I am…" He stopped, realizing that the wizard was gone. Confusion etched itself on his royal features. Nazglas looked towards the far platform and noticed the wizards silhouette against the moon.
"He is yonder." Legolas followed her gaze; his sharper eyes catching the white and gray of his beard.
"I have the strangest feeling he…" Suddenly the wizard was before him, smiling his knowing smile.
'I am glad you figured out the riddle, Legolas. I knew you would." He looked to a stunned Nazglas. "Fair Elf, a long time I have waited for you to come to Legolas." She just stared at him, her brown eyes wide in shock. Legolas had a similar expression on his normally calm face. Gandalf now looked to Legolas, smiling broader. "Since you joined the Fellowship I knew. Nay, twas not magic, but dreams. Another part is yours to play, Prince." Legolas came out of his shock first, his deep Green- Brown eyes blinking shut for a moment before opening again.
"Gandalf, you are too full of riddles, even for an elf."