A/N: Thanks for all the great reviews! To answer some of the things on
there, no, I'm not a redhead but always wanted to be. And I'm sorry this
is slow…I told you it'd be long! I just want to really establish their
romance. Also, sorry for the delay; classes have started. Lucky for you,
I have only one class Tuesdays and two classes Thursdays, so I should be
able to write on those days. Here's chapter 8; I didn't intend to stop
where I did but I had to. It's already pretty long and it's late and my
roommate is already asleep and I don't want to keep her up. More soon,
though, I promise!
"I can't believe I'm actually doing this," Elora muttered to herself as she walked down the long royal corridor, careful not to trip over her long skirt. Somewhere down the hall and around the bend she could hear sweet, soft music being performed. It was the night of Legolas' and Fralir's grandparents Fiftieth Millennial Anniversary and, while the whole kingdom had been openly invited to share in the festivities, Elora still wasn't entirely sure how she had wound up there. Certainly attending the ball had been the last thing on her mind less than twenty-four hours ago.
She and Legolas had spent the day before together. Actually, they had spent at least part of each of the fifteen days since her return together. On that day they had taken a canoe and rowed down the river. However, rowing back against the stream had taken longer than expected. By the time they had walked to Elora's tree they were both wet with perspiration and river water- in playful frustration they had taken to splashing each other with their paddles- and the sun was well below the tree line.
"Do you know how to dance?" Legolas phrased the question innocently, but there was no mistaking the mischief playing in his eyes.
"Haven't we had this conversation before?" Elora answered with a question of her own.
Legolas responded with a shrug. "Maybe."
Elora rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically. "Alright Legolas, I'll play along. Why?"
"I was just wondering if you were coming tomorrow. To my grandparents' anniversary ball."
Elora shook her head. "I hadn't planned on it."
"Oh." This was a problem. He had hoped that by just mentioning it to Elora she would get the hint that he wanted her there, but either she had missed the signal or was playing with his head. Now he had to figure out a way to get her to come, but not tip her off as to just how badly he wanted her to attend. "I was just thinking you would want to come. Practically the whole kingdom will be there; it would be a good opportunity for you to see everybody."
"That's true," Elora said. She appeared to be deep in thought. Legolas unconsciously held his breath, waiting nervously for her answer. "I'll think about it," she finally said.
And now here she was, attending her first royal ball since she was a child. She really hadn't intended on coming, but after Legolas had asked her in his roundabout way she knew she couldn't resist. For reasons she didn't quite understand, it was important to him that she attend. Yes, she had caught his subtle hints; she had even heard his breath catch.
Elora finally reached the ballroom. She had forgotten how grand and beautiful the room was. It was huge, with elaborately carved wooden beams running along the ceiling. From these now hung brightly colored banners. Garlands made from fresh summer flora were strung around the perimeter of the room, and the three sets of doors on the left side of the room were open to the balconies.
As she entered she smiled to herself, remembering the last time she had been in this room. She couldn't even remember what the event had been. She and Legolas were still small children. He had been required to attend, and Elora had been invited to serve as his playmate among the many royal dignitaries. They had spent the evening hiding among the great plants that used to line the walls, shooting spitballs at the guests. They had never been officially "caught," but the next day the plants had all been removed.
As she moved through the room she caught a glimpse of Legolas, who was talking to an elderly elf she didn't recognize. Not wanting to interrupt, she walked out to the empty balcony. A light breeze was blowing, and the air smelled faintly of roses and lavender. Elora closed her eyes and breathed in deeply.
"What are you doing?"
The small voice brought her back to the here and now. Fralir was standing next to her, his arm in a sling. She smiled at the small boy and knelt down so she was at his level. "Nothing," she replied. "Just enjoying the night. How's your arm?"
"It itches."
She nodded. "That's the wrapping. Don't worry; it will be off in a few weeks."
He looked at her quizzically for a few moments. "Are you the healer?"
Now it was Elora's turn to look at him strangely. "Yes; didn't you recognize me?"
The young boy shook his head. "You're much prettier in real life," he said. "That's why I came to talk to you."
"Excuse me?" Elora asked, genuinely perplexed.
"Legolas told me to talk to his friend if I didn't see him near you; he didn't want you to be lonely. I didn't know what you looked like, so he told me to find the prettiest person here and that would be you. You are his friend, right?"
She was nodding just as the small boy said, "Oh, there he is." She turned to see Legolas standing right behind them, a slight blush on his cheeks.
"I can't believe I'm actually doing this," Elora muttered to herself as she walked down the long royal corridor, careful not to trip over her long skirt. Somewhere down the hall and around the bend she could hear sweet, soft music being performed. It was the night of Legolas' and Fralir's grandparents Fiftieth Millennial Anniversary and, while the whole kingdom had been openly invited to share in the festivities, Elora still wasn't entirely sure how she had wound up there. Certainly attending the ball had been the last thing on her mind less than twenty-four hours ago.
She and Legolas had spent the day before together. Actually, they had spent at least part of each of the fifteen days since her return together. On that day they had taken a canoe and rowed down the river. However, rowing back against the stream had taken longer than expected. By the time they had walked to Elora's tree they were both wet with perspiration and river water- in playful frustration they had taken to splashing each other with their paddles- and the sun was well below the tree line.
"Do you know how to dance?" Legolas phrased the question innocently, but there was no mistaking the mischief playing in his eyes.
"Haven't we had this conversation before?" Elora answered with a question of her own.
Legolas responded with a shrug. "Maybe."
Elora rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically. "Alright Legolas, I'll play along. Why?"
"I was just wondering if you were coming tomorrow. To my grandparents' anniversary ball."
Elora shook her head. "I hadn't planned on it."
"Oh." This was a problem. He had hoped that by just mentioning it to Elora she would get the hint that he wanted her there, but either she had missed the signal or was playing with his head. Now he had to figure out a way to get her to come, but not tip her off as to just how badly he wanted her to attend. "I was just thinking you would want to come. Practically the whole kingdom will be there; it would be a good opportunity for you to see everybody."
"That's true," Elora said. She appeared to be deep in thought. Legolas unconsciously held his breath, waiting nervously for her answer. "I'll think about it," she finally said.
And now here she was, attending her first royal ball since she was a child. She really hadn't intended on coming, but after Legolas had asked her in his roundabout way she knew she couldn't resist. For reasons she didn't quite understand, it was important to him that she attend. Yes, she had caught his subtle hints; she had even heard his breath catch.
Elora finally reached the ballroom. She had forgotten how grand and beautiful the room was. It was huge, with elaborately carved wooden beams running along the ceiling. From these now hung brightly colored banners. Garlands made from fresh summer flora were strung around the perimeter of the room, and the three sets of doors on the left side of the room were open to the balconies.
As she entered she smiled to herself, remembering the last time she had been in this room. She couldn't even remember what the event had been. She and Legolas were still small children. He had been required to attend, and Elora had been invited to serve as his playmate among the many royal dignitaries. They had spent the evening hiding among the great plants that used to line the walls, shooting spitballs at the guests. They had never been officially "caught," but the next day the plants had all been removed.
As she moved through the room she caught a glimpse of Legolas, who was talking to an elderly elf she didn't recognize. Not wanting to interrupt, she walked out to the empty balcony. A light breeze was blowing, and the air smelled faintly of roses and lavender. Elora closed her eyes and breathed in deeply.
"What are you doing?"
The small voice brought her back to the here and now. Fralir was standing next to her, his arm in a sling. She smiled at the small boy and knelt down so she was at his level. "Nothing," she replied. "Just enjoying the night. How's your arm?"
"It itches."
She nodded. "That's the wrapping. Don't worry; it will be off in a few weeks."
He looked at her quizzically for a few moments. "Are you the healer?"
Now it was Elora's turn to look at him strangely. "Yes; didn't you recognize me?"
The young boy shook his head. "You're much prettier in real life," he said. "That's why I came to talk to you."
"Excuse me?" Elora asked, genuinely perplexed.
"Legolas told me to talk to his friend if I didn't see him near you; he didn't want you to be lonely. I didn't know what you looked like, so he told me to find the prettiest person here and that would be you. You are his friend, right?"
She was nodding just as the small boy said, "Oh, there he is." She turned to see Legolas standing right behind them, a slight blush on his cheeks.