1 Chapter Two
Jaena and Tebrilas made it back to their village just in time to hear Legolas start his story. As she listened to Legolas speak, Jaena wondered if Tebrilas had known how right he actually was when his tongue had slipped. She let her attention fall back to Legolas. "He's so beautiful…" she thought. His blue eyes sparkled as he spoke. Jaena couldn't tear her eyes from his. That is, unless he happened to look upon her. When his eyes would meet hers, she would always look away. His gaze was so strong that she could not hold it without feeling weak. "He is a fine Prince," she thought to herself. "A poor girl like me has no chance in Hades." But what she never noticed was that when she would turn away he would continue to hold her in his gaze.
Legolas finished his story and stood up to head home. Though he now lived at the palace, he still enjoyed visiting the village of Silme-Raana. It was like home to him. As he began to walk home, something that had been troubling him laid heavy on his heart. "That girl. Those eyes..." He stopped. He had to sit down. He was almost home, but he was in no rush. He had to think.
After sitting and resting for a while, he stood up and continued on his way home. In a few minutes, he was there. "Halt!" Said the guard at the entrance of the palace. "I am Legolas," replied the prince. "Stand down and allow me to pass." The guard did as he was told and allowed Legolas to enter.
He immediately walked to his room, and stretched out on his bed. He had a lot to think about. He needed to interpret what exactly he felt. How exactly he felt. One thing he did know: he had never before felt this way. He did not know what to make of it. He decided to go to sleep and worry about it tomorrow.
But sleep did not come easily to Legolas that night. He tossed and turned in a fitful doze, with many strange dreams he could not remember.
Across the forest, Jaena was having no better luck at attempted sleep. Somehow, her mind was wide-awake. Her house sounded quiet. In fact, there was no sound to be heard. She suddenly felt very lonely, and decided to go for a walk.
She sat up and shook her head to wake from drowsiness. She put on her sandals and a cape, and walked out of her bedroom into the main living room of her house. She took an apple from an arrangement on her counter-top, and headed out the door. She decided to walk to that tree she had climbed earlier.
But before she walked out her door, she grabbed her bow and quiver. She knew that anywhere can be treacherous at night. Even a forest seemingly rid of evil.
But, what she didn't know was Legolas was also out having himself a midnight walk.
Jaena was walking out towards the village's main entrance/exit when she remembered that there is a night guard. Then she realized that there having not been any commotion for several years, she probably wouldn't have much to worry about. To her luck, but not surprise, the guard was, in fact, asleep. And dreaming of such dreams as most men do.
Jaena made her way out towards the elm tree she had climbed earlier. She stopped suddenly at a sound she heard. She took up her bow and an arrow, "Show thyself!" she called out. She knew it was another being like herself. When Legolas stepped out into her view she bowed and apologized, "I am sorry my lord, I did not know it was you." "Arise, fair maiden," he said in return. "Let us forget our social and political standings for the time being. Let us remember that, though others revere us differently, we both breathe the same air; however difficult it may be, at times." At his bidding, Jaena stood. "Then, may I call you Legolas, Sir?" she asked him, still a little weary to be informal. "Yes, you may," he answered. "And may I know your name, miss?" "My name in Jaena, sir, I mean…" Legolas smiled. "It is alright, dear. You may still say 'Sir'." His smile made Jaena feel better. "Might I ask," he said, "what are you doing out in these woods at this hour of the night?" "I was having trouble sleeping and felt I should go for a walk," she answered him. "And you? It seems an un-natural hour for one to be awake who is awake quite longer than most, already." Legolas answered, "I, too, was having trouble sleeping. I missed just enjoying this forest, so, I felt I should go on a walk. Care to join me?" Jaena did not have to think very long to answer him. "That would be pleasant," she answered. They walked long into the night talking about this and that. When they finally turned around to head back to their homes, Jaena began to feel quite sleepy. In fact, she almost fell asleep while standing. Legolas noticed this, and picked her up, just as she fell into a deep sleep. He carried her to his home, not knowing where she lived, and laid her on his bed. He sat down on one of his chairs and without another thought, fell asleep.
When Jaena awoke that morning, she was in Legolas' bedroom. She, of course, had no idea how she had gotten there and began to feel quite vexed, when she caught sight of Legolas asleep on his chair. She then remembered the walk the night before. Just as she was beginning to wonder again how she came to be on his bed, he stirred and opened his eyes. "Hello, and good morning," Jaena said to him. "Hello," he replied. "Not trying to be rude in the least, sir, but how did I come to be in your room on your bed?" she was still flustered, and hoped nothing happened that she would regret. "We had began to walk home," he replied, "you fell asleep quite standing up. I picked you up, and carried you here, because I do not know where your home is." "Oh," she said. She was very relieved, but sorry that she wasn't awake while he was carrying her. Also a little embarrassed that she had ever assumed any differently than he explained. "Thank you, my dear sir for your courteousness of bringing me here. I will not forget your kindness." She was very thankful that she had been walking with him. She shuddered to think of what might have happened to her if she had been walking alone and dozed off.
"Legolas?" she asked. He looked her in the eyes and for once she was able to hold his gaze. "Would I be too bold in asking if we might have another walk sometime?" She hoped he would say yes. She had greatly enjoyed his company. "That would be lovely," he answered her. "How will I contact you?" he asked. She thought about it for a moment, and answered, "Well…. You always seem to be in town, so, you could come by my home, or, we could come up with a meeting place…" "I would like to see your house. I'm sure you would like to be getting home, and, I have some business in town…. I could follow you home, to see where you live, and then go about my way?" "That would be wonderful! I could use the company," Jaena answered. "When would you like to leave?" "As soon as you're ready to leave," he answered. She stood up and stretched. That was one comfortable bed. She almost had trouble standing up off of it. Jaena then smiled at Legolas. He smiled back. His smile lit up the room. He stood up and they both headed for the door. The two drew few stares as they left the palace, but some were a little skeptical as to how a girl, who did not look quite like a wood elf, came to be in the company of Prince Legolas. They soon forgot it, though, because they had plenty of other things to give their attention to.
Jaena and Legolas headed out of the palace, and on to the path that led back to Silme-Raana. Jaena couldn't help but wonder what the people she knew would think when they see her and Legolas walking into town together, after her being gone all morning…
Jaena and Tebrilas made it back to their village just in time to hear Legolas start his story. As she listened to Legolas speak, Jaena wondered if Tebrilas had known how right he actually was when his tongue had slipped. She let her attention fall back to Legolas. "He's so beautiful…" she thought. His blue eyes sparkled as he spoke. Jaena couldn't tear her eyes from his. That is, unless he happened to look upon her. When his eyes would meet hers, she would always look away. His gaze was so strong that she could not hold it without feeling weak. "He is a fine Prince," she thought to herself. "A poor girl like me has no chance in Hades." But what she never noticed was that when she would turn away he would continue to hold her in his gaze.
Legolas finished his story and stood up to head home. Though he now lived at the palace, he still enjoyed visiting the village of Silme-Raana. It was like home to him. As he began to walk home, something that had been troubling him laid heavy on his heart. "That girl. Those eyes..." He stopped. He had to sit down. He was almost home, but he was in no rush. He had to think.
After sitting and resting for a while, he stood up and continued on his way home. In a few minutes, he was there. "Halt!" Said the guard at the entrance of the palace. "I am Legolas," replied the prince. "Stand down and allow me to pass." The guard did as he was told and allowed Legolas to enter.
He immediately walked to his room, and stretched out on his bed. He had a lot to think about. He needed to interpret what exactly he felt. How exactly he felt. One thing he did know: he had never before felt this way. He did not know what to make of it. He decided to go to sleep and worry about it tomorrow.
But sleep did not come easily to Legolas that night. He tossed and turned in a fitful doze, with many strange dreams he could not remember.
Across the forest, Jaena was having no better luck at attempted sleep. Somehow, her mind was wide-awake. Her house sounded quiet. In fact, there was no sound to be heard. She suddenly felt very lonely, and decided to go for a walk.
She sat up and shook her head to wake from drowsiness. She put on her sandals and a cape, and walked out of her bedroom into the main living room of her house. She took an apple from an arrangement on her counter-top, and headed out the door. She decided to walk to that tree she had climbed earlier.
But before she walked out her door, she grabbed her bow and quiver. She knew that anywhere can be treacherous at night. Even a forest seemingly rid of evil.
But, what she didn't know was Legolas was also out having himself a midnight walk.
Jaena was walking out towards the village's main entrance/exit when she remembered that there is a night guard. Then she realized that there having not been any commotion for several years, she probably wouldn't have much to worry about. To her luck, but not surprise, the guard was, in fact, asleep. And dreaming of such dreams as most men do.
Jaena made her way out towards the elm tree she had climbed earlier. She stopped suddenly at a sound she heard. She took up her bow and an arrow, "Show thyself!" she called out. She knew it was another being like herself. When Legolas stepped out into her view she bowed and apologized, "I am sorry my lord, I did not know it was you." "Arise, fair maiden," he said in return. "Let us forget our social and political standings for the time being. Let us remember that, though others revere us differently, we both breathe the same air; however difficult it may be, at times." At his bidding, Jaena stood. "Then, may I call you Legolas, Sir?" she asked him, still a little weary to be informal. "Yes, you may," he answered. "And may I know your name, miss?" "My name in Jaena, sir, I mean…" Legolas smiled. "It is alright, dear. You may still say 'Sir'." His smile made Jaena feel better. "Might I ask," he said, "what are you doing out in these woods at this hour of the night?" "I was having trouble sleeping and felt I should go for a walk," she answered him. "And you? It seems an un-natural hour for one to be awake who is awake quite longer than most, already." Legolas answered, "I, too, was having trouble sleeping. I missed just enjoying this forest, so, I felt I should go on a walk. Care to join me?" Jaena did not have to think very long to answer him. "That would be pleasant," she answered. They walked long into the night talking about this and that. When they finally turned around to head back to their homes, Jaena began to feel quite sleepy. In fact, she almost fell asleep while standing. Legolas noticed this, and picked her up, just as she fell into a deep sleep. He carried her to his home, not knowing where she lived, and laid her on his bed. He sat down on one of his chairs and without another thought, fell asleep.
When Jaena awoke that morning, she was in Legolas' bedroom. She, of course, had no idea how she had gotten there and began to feel quite vexed, when she caught sight of Legolas asleep on his chair. She then remembered the walk the night before. Just as she was beginning to wonder again how she came to be on his bed, he stirred and opened his eyes. "Hello, and good morning," Jaena said to him. "Hello," he replied. "Not trying to be rude in the least, sir, but how did I come to be in your room on your bed?" she was still flustered, and hoped nothing happened that she would regret. "We had began to walk home," he replied, "you fell asleep quite standing up. I picked you up, and carried you here, because I do not know where your home is." "Oh," she said. She was very relieved, but sorry that she wasn't awake while he was carrying her. Also a little embarrassed that she had ever assumed any differently than he explained. "Thank you, my dear sir for your courteousness of bringing me here. I will not forget your kindness." She was very thankful that she had been walking with him. She shuddered to think of what might have happened to her if she had been walking alone and dozed off.
"Legolas?" she asked. He looked her in the eyes and for once she was able to hold his gaze. "Would I be too bold in asking if we might have another walk sometime?" She hoped he would say yes. She had greatly enjoyed his company. "That would be lovely," he answered her. "How will I contact you?" he asked. She thought about it for a moment, and answered, "Well…. You always seem to be in town, so, you could come by my home, or, we could come up with a meeting place…" "I would like to see your house. I'm sure you would like to be getting home, and, I have some business in town…. I could follow you home, to see where you live, and then go about my way?" "That would be wonderful! I could use the company," Jaena answered. "When would you like to leave?" "As soon as you're ready to leave," he answered. She stood up and stretched. That was one comfortable bed. She almost had trouble standing up off of it. Jaena then smiled at Legolas. He smiled back. His smile lit up the room. He stood up and they both headed for the door. The two drew few stares as they left the palace, but some were a little skeptical as to how a girl, who did not look quite like a wood elf, came to be in the company of Prince Legolas. They soon forgot it, though, because they had plenty of other things to give their attention to.
Jaena and Legolas headed out of the palace, and on to the path that led back to Silme-Raana. Jaena couldn't help but wonder what the people she knew would think when they see her and Legolas walking into town together, after her being gone all morning…