Chapter Two
As they entered the castle, they found it bustling with servants who were preparing for the feast of the first snowfall, which marked the significance of the day. The pair went by unnoticed in all the hustle and bustle, save by one. Thranduil watched from the shadows of the hall as the pair made their way toward Legolas' quarters, his brow knitted with concern.
"Where are we going?" Candria asked as she realized she had never seen the halls that they were winding their way through. She emerged from the folds of his cloak and walked to his side, staring at the various tapestries and woodwork that lined the walls around her.
"If it pleases you, I should very much like for you to see where I live, there is something there I wish to show you." At this she stopped, her mind suddenly taking over her heart. Although she knew his intentions to be honorable and that she could trust him completely, it was not proper for an elf-maiden to see the bedchambers of an elf-Lord. She paused nervously, and Legolas sensing the reason for her hesitancy, quickly assured her that if she did not wish to, he would by no means force her to go.
"Thank you. I hope I have not insulted your trust." She suddenly felt ashamed, but his face broke into a smile that she could not understand.
"You have not wounded me. All you say and do only make me love you more." He picked her up and spun her around, the long folds of her cloak billowing like sails in the wind. Legolas set her down and kissed her, wrapping her again with his arms and his love.
"Come now, wait here and I shall bring it to you." She nodded and he sprinted off, his light elfin feet hardly touching the floor. Candria smiled to herself, touching her lips still warm with his kiss. Her eyes wandered the length of the corridor, unable to see where Legolas had gone, yet suddenly attracted by a tall statue, standing a little way down the hall. It was a woman, the most fair that she had ever seen. She was tall and graceful, her eyes were kind and gentle, and seemed to be looking directly at Candria. Her smile was soft, complemented by the cascade of flowing tresses that fell down her back and beautifully framed her face.
"Do you recognize her?" Candria had not known that Legolas had returned. She shook her head and then suddenly, she knew.
"Luthien. My mother." Candria whispered the words, unable to remove her eyes from the statue. She reached out to touch the sculpture, her hand met not by the coolness of stone, but by warmth that she knew was not her own. She smiled at her mother, and looked down at her necklace, the stone now glowing more brightly than she had ever seen. Candria turned again to face Legolas, her eyes alight with excitement.
"What have you brought me?" She queried, hardly able to contain her giddiness, a sensation that she had never known, but made no effort to control. He smiled and held out before him a small silver crown, decorated only with a single icy blue jewel in the shape of a teardrop. Candria gasped at his beauty, so simplistic and yet so unbelievably enthralling. The single silver band was thin, shining, and untarnished by age; yet the design was ancient.
"It belonged to my mother. She wore it when she and father still lived in Belirand under the rule of Elu Thingol. At the sundering of that blessed realm and the breaking of the power of Morgoth she could no longer bear the struggle and so left for the Gray Havens. Father gave this to me to give to the woman…I meant to marry…" Candria suddenly met his eyes and realized what he was asking of her. She ran through every reason why she should refuse, and then she realized that the heart had reason which reason did not know.
"Gladly will I accept, with my whole heart could I sing of my love for you. That it has given me happiness that I had dared never hope for." Legolas took the band of silver and placed it atop her head, the teardrop falling down her forehead and glowing next to the luster of her skin. Legolas kissed the teardrop and then brought his lips down to hers, just as she reached up to meet his kiss, a low murmur of voices coming around the corner of the hall was heard. They quickly ducked into a darkened cul-de- sac and listened to the passers by.
"The feast must have started, let us tell my father the news, it shall please him immensely." Legolas whispered to Candria as they watched three ladies in light billowing dresses pass by their hiding place on their way to exploring the many halls of the castle. Candria and Legolas emerged and made their way towards the main ballroom chamber. As they walked, they spoke of many things that they had thought of while in the absence of the other. Candria spoke of being married, and all that they would do together; Legolas spoke of children, causing Candria to blush.
"And what shall you name our daughter?" Candria asked, her own happiness at the thought of having Legolas' child grinning through her speech. He looked down at her, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.
"I shall name our son after Limlias, a good friend." Legolas' face was no longer full of grief for his friend, but happiness that his name would live on through a life he would create. Candria seemed happy as well, ignoring his offhanded remark that their first child would be a son. Knowing that the love they had found was rare and beautiful, a sensation they would never know again with such intensity, completed their happiness.
As they entered the castle, they found it bustling with servants who were preparing for the feast of the first snowfall, which marked the significance of the day. The pair went by unnoticed in all the hustle and bustle, save by one. Thranduil watched from the shadows of the hall as the pair made their way toward Legolas' quarters, his brow knitted with concern.
"Where are we going?" Candria asked as she realized she had never seen the halls that they were winding their way through. She emerged from the folds of his cloak and walked to his side, staring at the various tapestries and woodwork that lined the walls around her.
"If it pleases you, I should very much like for you to see where I live, there is something there I wish to show you." At this she stopped, her mind suddenly taking over her heart. Although she knew his intentions to be honorable and that she could trust him completely, it was not proper for an elf-maiden to see the bedchambers of an elf-Lord. She paused nervously, and Legolas sensing the reason for her hesitancy, quickly assured her that if she did not wish to, he would by no means force her to go.
"Thank you. I hope I have not insulted your trust." She suddenly felt ashamed, but his face broke into a smile that she could not understand.
"You have not wounded me. All you say and do only make me love you more." He picked her up and spun her around, the long folds of her cloak billowing like sails in the wind. Legolas set her down and kissed her, wrapping her again with his arms and his love.
"Come now, wait here and I shall bring it to you." She nodded and he sprinted off, his light elfin feet hardly touching the floor. Candria smiled to herself, touching her lips still warm with his kiss. Her eyes wandered the length of the corridor, unable to see where Legolas had gone, yet suddenly attracted by a tall statue, standing a little way down the hall. It was a woman, the most fair that she had ever seen. She was tall and graceful, her eyes were kind and gentle, and seemed to be looking directly at Candria. Her smile was soft, complemented by the cascade of flowing tresses that fell down her back and beautifully framed her face.
"Do you recognize her?" Candria had not known that Legolas had returned. She shook her head and then suddenly, she knew.
"Luthien. My mother." Candria whispered the words, unable to remove her eyes from the statue. She reached out to touch the sculpture, her hand met not by the coolness of stone, but by warmth that she knew was not her own. She smiled at her mother, and looked down at her necklace, the stone now glowing more brightly than she had ever seen. Candria turned again to face Legolas, her eyes alight with excitement.
"What have you brought me?" She queried, hardly able to contain her giddiness, a sensation that she had never known, but made no effort to control. He smiled and held out before him a small silver crown, decorated only with a single icy blue jewel in the shape of a teardrop. Candria gasped at his beauty, so simplistic and yet so unbelievably enthralling. The single silver band was thin, shining, and untarnished by age; yet the design was ancient.
"It belonged to my mother. She wore it when she and father still lived in Belirand under the rule of Elu Thingol. At the sundering of that blessed realm and the breaking of the power of Morgoth she could no longer bear the struggle and so left for the Gray Havens. Father gave this to me to give to the woman…I meant to marry…" Candria suddenly met his eyes and realized what he was asking of her. She ran through every reason why she should refuse, and then she realized that the heart had reason which reason did not know.
"Gladly will I accept, with my whole heart could I sing of my love for you. That it has given me happiness that I had dared never hope for." Legolas took the band of silver and placed it atop her head, the teardrop falling down her forehead and glowing next to the luster of her skin. Legolas kissed the teardrop and then brought his lips down to hers, just as she reached up to meet his kiss, a low murmur of voices coming around the corner of the hall was heard. They quickly ducked into a darkened cul-de- sac and listened to the passers by.
"The feast must have started, let us tell my father the news, it shall please him immensely." Legolas whispered to Candria as they watched three ladies in light billowing dresses pass by their hiding place on their way to exploring the many halls of the castle. Candria and Legolas emerged and made their way towards the main ballroom chamber. As they walked, they spoke of many things that they had thought of while in the absence of the other. Candria spoke of being married, and all that they would do together; Legolas spoke of children, causing Candria to blush.
"And what shall you name our daughter?" Candria asked, her own happiness at the thought of having Legolas' child grinning through her speech. He looked down at her, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.
"I shall name our son after Limlias, a good friend." Legolas' face was no longer full of grief for his friend, but happiness that his name would live on through a life he would create. Candria seemed happy as well, ignoring his offhanded remark that their first child would be a son. Knowing that the love they had found was rare and beautiful, a sensation they would never know again with such intensity, completed their happiness.