RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)
8.
"Shall we flee?" asked Calen, looking at the prince.
"No time," he replied. "Stay behind us, Ladies."
All mounted their horses and Isabella and Hwestawen obediently fell back with the prince behind the line of Royal Guards. Isabella, however, drew her sword and positioned herself to defend the prince if need be.
When the riders came into view, Prince Legolas came forward. "Stay behind me, Lady Isabella."
"Nay, Your Highness. I will sooner die than let the heir to Mirkwood's throne fall."
There was no time for further argument as the riders thundered toward them at break-neck speed.
"Halt!" shouted Calen over the sound of their hoof beats when they were near enough to hear. The small party pulled their horses up short a mere twenty feet away, raising their hands in the air when the saw the nine Royal guards with arrows nocked.
"Hail, Prince Legolas," said their leader. "We mean you no harm. We are but a small band of warriors from Forest River."
Isabella recognized them at once and she smiled. "They speak the truth, Calen."
"My brother Herudir leads them," added Hwestawen.
"State your business," commanded Calen as the small party's horses danced beneath them.
Herudir came forward, acknowledging the prince with a nod. "My Lord, there are foul rumors afoot in this land. We have come to offer our services to see you and the Ladies safely back to the palace."
"You have with you one of our best fighters, Your Highness," added one of the Elves under Herudir's leadership. "And we are loath to let her leave us without a proper farewell."
Calen glanced back at Legolas who nodded to his guards. They lowered their weapons at once.
"We accept your offer," said Calen, dropping his arrow into the quiver at his back. "Come and join us, for we had just halted for a midday meal."
All dismounted once again and Herudir greeted his cousin with a kiss on the cheek. "Well, cousin! I must say you look absolutely…" he paused to search for a word that would not be found.
"Ridiculous," she finished for him, looking down at herself. "I know."
"No!" he exclaimed, "Not ridiculous. You're lovely, Isa. Absolutely beautiful!"
The others in his party agreed as they helped a laughing Hwestawen down from her horse. "I never thought that I would see the day that Isabella would trade her bow and quiver for the silken gowns of the king's Court," said one of them.
"I have traded nothing," she replied firmly.
Herudir laughed. "The Prince of Mirkwood has impeccable taste, it seems, though I always imagined that we would be escorting her to the palace for training as a Royal Guard, and not as the future Princess." He bowed gracefully to his cousin whose face reddened in embarrassment.
"Please, Herudir…" She had not wanted the prince to know her secret aspirations.
"She is, of course, her father's daughter," replied the prince, noticing his Lady's distress. "I have no doubt that she is a fine warrior. All the more reason for me to admire her."
Calen smiled at that comment. "Well spoken, Your Highness."
The group ate quickly and swiftly took to the forest not an hour later, cantering over the rough terrain. There was not much conversation as they traveled, and only Hwestawen who knew nothing of the threat on Prince Legolas' life was unaffected by the imminent danger. She rode with the free spirit of one who was on a grand adventure while the others were quiet and cautious.
"What think you of the forest of Mirkwood, Hwestawen?" asked the Prince as they slowed to a walk for a few moments.
The Lady looked at her surroundings as if intrigued by them. "It is so very dark," she replied, "and the shadows frighten me, Your Highness. Yet it is quite beautiful. I have never seen so many different shades of green."
"And you, Isabella? What do you think of your new home?" he asked.
She looked at the prince and smiled, for the freedom of a journey almost always lifted Isabella's spirits, no matter how bad her mood. "I shall miss the warmth of the sun shining full and bright upon my face, Prince Legolas. But I feel that with time my heart could grow quite content here."
Calen rode up beside her then as well. "Mirkwood is a lovely place, My Lady, and it is not always so dark. I fear a storm may be approaching. See? The sun has hidden behind the clouds. Perhaps Mirkwood has prayed the sun to do so that she might hide her face."
"And why would Mirkwood wish to hide her face from her prince?" asked Isabella, not daring to look at the Captain.
"She has been shamed by the radiance of your beauty," he replied quietly.
The compliment spoken so near to the ears of her betrothed took Isabella off guard and she was speechless. Her eyes clouded momentarily with tears, which she stubbornly forced back down. Why must he say such things to her? Guiding her horse nearer to the prince, she murmured, "You are too kind, My Lord."
The words stung, but Calen could not blame her. She had done what he asked her to do and accepted the prince's proposal of marriage. Now she valiantly tried to be faithful to that promise because that was the way she was: honest and true to her very heart. This was yet another reason why he loved her so, and he could not bear to see her suffer this way. He backed away in silence, leaving her to converse quietly with his best friend.
Before long, they picked up the pace once again, practically galloping through the ever-darkening Wood. Left alone with her thoughts, Isabella's disposition became downcast. Oh that I could command my heart to do my will, she thought to herself. That I might love the prince with the same intensity that I love Calen. Yet I cannot. I am doomed to a life of sadness and worse; I am doomed to bring Legolas the same. For she knew that the prince loved her, even if he did pay some attention to her cousin. She could see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice when he spoke to her. Almost in a panic, she wondered if he could see her lack of the same when she looked at him. For the next hour, she kept her eyes cast downward, her heart spiraling into despair.
Herudir noticed this and begged a word with the prince. "Your Highness, forgive me, but may I ask a frank question?"
"You may," he replied.
The young warrior looked him right in the eyes. "What have you done to my cousin?"
"I beg your pardon?"
Herudir explained himself. "I suppose you do not know her as I do, My Lord. I have been on many journeys with Lady Isabella and I have never seen her behave as she is doing now. She rides always with a bow or sword at the ready when the situation is dangerous, and she does neither now."
The prince nodded. "She knows not of the danger, my friend."
"Why not?"
"I did not wish to frighten either her or Lady Hwestawen," replied Legolas.
"Your Highness, if you have not yet noticed, Isabella is not a typical Lady. Even if you did not tell her of the danger, she would have sensed it. Yet look at her. She rides as one lost in thought and pays no heed even to the direction of her horse."
Legolas looked back at her in surprise, his heart filling with concern. "Is she really so distraught?"
"Frankly, it frightens me, Prince Legolas. I have seen Elves fade to death because of great sorrow, and this is how it always begins. I do not know what causes her to behave in such a way, but it must be stopped, and soon."
"I quite agree," said the prince.
It was now early evening and a chill wind had begun to blow. Calen called a halt at a small pond to allow the horses time to rest and refresh themselves, and each of the Elves ate a bit of lembas for nourishment.
Isabella practically collapsed beneath a great tree, drawing her knees up to her chest and resting her head upon them. She did not weep, for she had promised herself that she would not, but the pain of her current situation tore brutally at her heart until she felt that she could quite easily curl up there and die. They frightened her, these thoughts of death, and she lifted her head to find some hope in… she did not know what. Something of beauty, perhaps? A shaft of light shining through the leaves?
"My Lady Isabella," said Legolas, coming up beside her and taking her hand. "It is time to start out once again. You look tired. Will you ride with me?"
"I am fine, Your Highness. Just a little bit out-of-sorts. I have never been so far from home."
"Please," he said softly, taking her ice-cold hands in his. "You are much to cold to ride alone and I have some things I would like to say to you in private."
She sighed. "As you wish, Prince Legolas."
Thus their pace was slowed as Calen led Isabella's riderless horse and Legolas settled the future princess in front of him in the saddle. He wrapped one protective arm about her and bade her lean back into his warmth. "I promise I will not take advantage, My Lady," he coaxed quietly. "I have many things to say to you that cannot be shouted over the sound of galloping horses."
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)
8.
"Shall we flee?" asked Calen, looking at the prince.
"No time," he replied. "Stay behind us, Ladies."
All mounted their horses and Isabella and Hwestawen obediently fell back with the prince behind the line of Royal Guards. Isabella, however, drew her sword and positioned herself to defend the prince if need be.
When the riders came into view, Prince Legolas came forward. "Stay behind me, Lady Isabella."
"Nay, Your Highness. I will sooner die than let the heir to Mirkwood's throne fall."
There was no time for further argument as the riders thundered toward them at break-neck speed.
"Halt!" shouted Calen over the sound of their hoof beats when they were near enough to hear. The small party pulled their horses up short a mere twenty feet away, raising their hands in the air when the saw the nine Royal guards with arrows nocked.
"Hail, Prince Legolas," said their leader. "We mean you no harm. We are but a small band of warriors from Forest River."
Isabella recognized them at once and she smiled. "They speak the truth, Calen."
"My brother Herudir leads them," added Hwestawen.
"State your business," commanded Calen as the small party's horses danced beneath them.
Herudir came forward, acknowledging the prince with a nod. "My Lord, there are foul rumors afoot in this land. We have come to offer our services to see you and the Ladies safely back to the palace."
"You have with you one of our best fighters, Your Highness," added one of the Elves under Herudir's leadership. "And we are loath to let her leave us without a proper farewell."
Calen glanced back at Legolas who nodded to his guards. They lowered their weapons at once.
"We accept your offer," said Calen, dropping his arrow into the quiver at his back. "Come and join us, for we had just halted for a midday meal."
All dismounted once again and Herudir greeted his cousin with a kiss on the cheek. "Well, cousin! I must say you look absolutely…" he paused to search for a word that would not be found.
"Ridiculous," she finished for him, looking down at herself. "I know."
"No!" he exclaimed, "Not ridiculous. You're lovely, Isa. Absolutely beautiful!"
The others in his party agreed as they helped a laughing Hwestawen down from her horse. "I never thought that I would see the day that Isabella would trade her bow and quiver for the silken gowns of the king's Court," said one of them.
"I have traded nothing," she replied firmly.
Herudir laughed. "The Prince of Mirkwood has impeccable taste, it seems, though I always imagined that we would be escorting her to the palace for training as a Royal Guard, and not as the future Princess." He bowed gracefully to his cousin whose face reddened in embarrassment.
"Please, Herudir…" She had not wanted the prince to know her secret aspirations.
"She is, of course, her father's daughter," replied the prince, noticing his Lady's distress. "I have no doubt that she is a fine warrior. All the more reason for me to admire her."
Calen smiled at that comment. "Well spoken, Your Highness."
The group ate quickly and swiftly took to the forest not an hour later, cantering over the rough terrain. There was not much conversation as they traveled, and only Hwestawen who knew nothing of the threat on Prince Legolas' life was unaffected by the imminent danger. She rode with the free spirit of one who was on a grand adventure while the others were quiet and cautious.
"What think you of the forest of Mirkwood, Hwestawen?" asked the Prince as they slowed to a walk for a few moments.
The Lady looked at her surroundings as if intrigued by them. "It is so very dark," she replied, "and the shadows frighten me, Your Highness. Yet it is quite beautiful. I have never seen so many different shades of green."
"And you, Isabella? What do you think of your new home?" he asked.
She looked at the prince and smiled, for the freedom of a journey almost always lifted Isabella's spirits, no matter how bad her mood. "I shall miss the warmth of the sun shining full and bright upon my face, Prince Legolas. But I feel that with time my heart could grow quite content here."
Calen rode up beside her then as well. "Mirkwood is a lovely place, My Lady, and it is not always so dark. I fear a storm may be approaching. See? The sun has hidden behind the clouds. Perhaps Mirkwood has prayed the sun to do so that she might hide her face."
"And why would Mirkwood wish to hide her face from her prince?" asked Isabella, not daring to look at the Captain.
"She has been shamed by the radiance of your beauty," he replied quietly.
The compliment spoken so near to the ears of her betrothed took Isabella off guard and she was speechless. Her eyes clouded momentarily with tears, which she stubbornly forced back down. Why must he say such things to her? Guiding her horse nearer to the prince, she murmured, "You are too kind, My Lord."
The words stung, but Calen could not blame her. She had done what he asked her to do and accepted the prince's proposal of marriage. Now she valiantly tried to be faithful to that promise because that was the way she was: honest and true to her very heart. This was yet another reason why he loved her so, and he could not bear to see her suffer this way. He backed away in silence, leaving her to converse quietly with his best friend.
Before long, they picked up the pace once again, practically galloping through the ever-darkening Wood. Left alone with her thoughts, Isabella's disposition became downcast. Oh that I could command my heart to do my will, she thought to herself. That I might love the prince with the same intensity that I love Calen. Yet I cannot. I am doomed to a life of sadness and worse; I am doomed to bring Legolas the same. For she knew that the prince loved her, even if he did pay some attention to her cousin. She could see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice when he spoke to her. Almost in a panic, she wondered if he could see her lack of the same when she looked at him. For the next hour, she kept her eyes cast downward, her heart spiraling into despair.
Herudir noticed this and begged a word with the prince. "Your Highness, forgive me, but may I ask a frank question?"
"You may," he replied.
The young warrior looked him right in the eyes. "What have you done to my cousin?"
"I beg your pardon?"
Herudir explained himself. "I suppose you do not know her as I do, My Lord. I have been on many journeys with Lady Isabella and I have never seen her behave as she is doing now. She rides always with a bow or sword at the ready when the situation is dangerous, and she does neither now."
The prince nodded. "She knows not of the danger, my friend."
"Why not?"
"I did not wish to frighten either her or Lady Hwestawen," replied Legolas.
"Your Highness, if you have not yet noticed, Isabella is not a typical Lady. Even if you did not tell her of the danger, she would have sensed it. Yet look at her. She rides as one lost in thought and pays no heed even to the direction of her horse."
Legolas looked back at her in surprise, his heart filling with concern. "Is she really so distraught?"
"Frankly, it frightens me, Prince Legolas. I have seen Elves fade to death because of great sorrow, and this is how it always begins. I do not know what causes her to behave in such a way, but it must be stopped, and soon."
"I quite agree," said the prince.
It was now early evening and a chill wind had begun to blow. Calen called a halt at a small pond to allow the horses time to rest and refresh themselves, and each of the Elves ate a bit of lembas for nourishment.
Isabella practically collapsed beneath a great tree, drawing her knees up to her chest and resting her head upon them. She did not weep, for she had promised herself that she would not, but the pain of her current situation tore brutally at her heart until she felt that she could quite easily curl up there and die. They frightened her, these thoughts of death, and she lifted her head to find some hope in… she did not know what. Something of beauty, perhaps? A shaft of light shining through the leaves?
"My Lady Isabella," said Legolas, coming up beside her and taking her hand. "It is time to start out once again. You look tired. Will you ride with me?"
"I am fine, Your Highness. Just a little bit out-of-sorts. I have never been so far from home."
"Please," he said softly, taking her ice-cold hands in his. "You are much to cold to ride alone and I have some things I would like to say to you in private."
She sighed. "As you wish, Prince Legolas."
Thus their pace was slowed as Calen led Isabella's riderless horse and Legolas settled the future princess in front of him in the saddle. He wrapped one protective arm about her and bade her lean back into his warmth. "I promise I will not take advantage, My Lady," he coaxed quietly. "I have many things to say to you that cannot be shouted over the sound of galloping horses."