How did you like the last chapter... This one is sweet, but something very, very important happens in the end...you have to read it!!! ^_^

Chapter 6: A picnic in the garden

Caro again lay in Legolas' arms. The soft words he had whispered into her ear warmed her heart and soul. Her thoughts rotated around them and her skin burned like fire where he had touched it with his lips. Slowly she felt her legs lose strength, so she wrapped her arms around his body.

// Hold me forever like this...never let me go...// Caro pleaded silently. She lost herself entirely in his embrace and the decent scent of wood filled her mind. It was the same smell she had noticed, when she had been lying in Legolas' bed, but now it was much more intense and sweet.

Legolas felt strange. He couldn't tell why he had done that, but he regretted nothing. The possibility, that she could leave him was now far away. Like a soft, but strong claiming he felt her arms wrap around his body. Suddenly a blush crept up to his face and reddened his cheeks. He had to pull away from her, though it would cost his whole effort of will to do so.

//The same feeling like yesterday... this something I can't explain, but it is there... deep inside of me...//

Then he pulled her away from him, as gently as possible. Her eyes shone with happiness and trust. He felt, that she was shivering a little, so he took her by her hand and led her to her bed. He showed her to sit down and went to the table in the middle of his room, where he had put the clothes he had brought for her.

"Look! The servants brought a new dress and a coat for you. Try them, please. The new dress is a little bit thicker than the one you are wearing, because I thought, you would like to visit our gardens..." he said and gave her the dress. "Please, also try the coat. I have to look for the servants, because there's something I have to tell them... I'll be back soon..."

And again Legolas exited the room.

// Now he's away again... seems, like he doesn't want to be in the same room with me... maybe he's afraid...// Caro giggled and inspected the new clothes. The dress was indeed out of thicker material, but as elegant as the one she was wearing. It had even golden embroidery around the waist and sleeves. The white coat was made out of the same material, and the button to wear it, looked like a small phiole.

Caro slowly took off the dress she was wearing and put on the new one. Then she tried the coat and found it a bit too long.

// I must look like a bride... all in white... I can take it as an omen, that he had given me these clothes... but it's rather incredible... though... he said he liked me...// she thought while she was searching of a mirror.

Finally she found one behind one of the white curtains, that were decorating the grey walls. She pulled them back and fixed them, that she could look into the mirror. Happy she looked at her reflection. The white cloth glimmered slightly and the button, made of glass, reflected the colours of the windows. It looked like a small rainbow was captured in it. Slowly Caro started to turn around like a model on the catwalk, and after a few seconds she was dancing around the room. She couldn't believe, that she had been home - sick this morning. Though she missed her family and her friends, she enjoyed her 'trip' to Mirkwood.

A knock at the door let her stop the dancing.

" Are you wearing the clothes already?" Legolas asked through the door, and a new blush reddened his face. He had now been arranging a small picnic for him and Caro, because he wanted to show her the beauty of their gardens. He had already made a plan for the whole day to easy his punishment, though he liked the thought of him and Caro walking through big beds of beautiful flowers. His favourite place was also a point of his plan. It was a bed of the plant 'athelas', also known as ' kin's weed'. Athelas was a small plant with small flowers, but it had also a strong curative power. There, at this bed, Legolas wanted to spend his day with Caro, mainly talking.

A loud "Yes!" confirmed, that Caro was already dressed, and Legolas entered the room. She was standing in the middle of the room, and looked, expecting Legolas to say something, in his direction.

Surprised, that she looked that good in the dress and coat, Legolas wanted to make a compliment, but fearing to say more than he wanted to, he just said, "Nice." In addition to his rather small compliment, Legolas put on his best smile. Then he noticed her hair and offered, "If you want to comb your hair, here is one..."

He walked over to a small cupboard in the corner of his room and took a small, silver comb out of one drawer.

"Oh, yes, thank you" Caro accepted the offer and started to comb her hair gently. "But now you have to tell me, what we are going to do. I want to see the palace, but you mentioned the gardens before...so... what shall we do?" she added.

"I would consider the gardens to be more beautiful and interesting than the palace, and, moreover, I have arranged a small picnic... Is that alright?" he suggested.

When Caro heard his plan for the day her heart danced cha-cha-cha and she nodded enthusiastically. To spend the day in the gardens together with him and to have a small picnic was more than she had expected.

// And he has organised all that... so that means, he likes to be together with me...//

Caro wanted to jump around the room and sing aloud because of the happiness she was feeling.

Legolas watched her closely to see her reaction to the plan he had suggested, and he got it. Again his so beloved gleaming filled her eyes and he knew, that the picnic had been a good idea.

When she had finished to comb her hair, soft strands of dark brown hair framed her face and flowed down her shoulders, creating the contrast between black and white again. Then she put the comb back into the drawer, and they left the room together.

Caro was absolutely speechless, when they reached the gardens. A mixture of red, yellow, pink, violet and blue flowers decorated the wide areas in the back of the palace. Huge beds of different plants created small paths, winding right to the wall, that surrounded the place. Sometimes huge trees were standing inside the beds, creating areas of shadow. But one thing held Caro's whole attention. It was a beautiful, white pavilion, protected by smaller trees, that stood in the middle of the garden. She had often seen such pavilions in films, where the man confessed his love to the woman, and in this moment she wanted nothing but being in this pavilion together with Legolas.

But the prince had other plans, though he had thought of the pavilion himself. He took Caro's hand and they strolled around the gardens, until they reached the bed of athelas, Legolas' favourite place.

Caro's heart was still pounding madly, when Legolas released her hand and went over to the basket, that was standing a little away from them.

//He really held my hand... he has taken it all by himself, because he wanted it like that... it's so beautiful around here... a day alone in this place with Legolas, who has held my hand... wonderful...// Caro sighed, but also Legolas' feelings were dancing tango, when he picked up his basket.

// She hasn't refused, when I took her hand... she even seemed to like it... she hasn't even refused my hugs and the kiss I gave her on the cheek... she looks so beautiful in this dress... what am I thinking? Do I really like her that much?... Impossible...I mean... it is possible, but...when she has to go, I wouldn't want to let her... I didn't even want to let her go, when she wanted to leave an hour ago... so what will be after I really know her... and like her?... What if she doesn't feel the same? No, that doesn't matter now. She's here with me, at least for this day...// Legolas thought and took a big silk blanket out of the basket.

Carefully he went into the bed and spread it out on an empty spot, where no plants were growing. With an inviting gesture he bade Caro to pick up the basket and to come to him.

When they were finally sitting on the blanket, Legolas asked Caro, "Are you hungry yet?"

Caro refused, and they started talking about something, until Legolas couldn't hold back his curiosity. There was a question he really wanted to know.

" Is it hard to die? I mean, what do you think about the fact of being mortal? Are you frightened?"

"Yes, sometimes I am..." Caro answered honestly. "Because you can't be sure, if you will experience the next day. There are so many dangers out there... at home we have a proverb: Carpe diem. That means 'Seize the day'. It's a good philosophy and I really try to live it... But I really want to know, really desperately, what it is like to live an immortal live... isn't it sometimes boring?"

"Boring? No, not really... there are days, where you don't know what to do, but these days are rare... You know, sitting in the forest and listening to the trees and birds is wonderful, and it makes you forget the time. Or reading and singing... and hunting, are some things I like to do, though hunting... if it's not really necessary, I don't like it. Killing animals just for fun? I heard that Humans like that. Is it true?"

"I'm afraid, yes... there are some who like, my the majority is against it. Nevertheless, it's hard to stop them..."

"And what about cutting and burning down the forests?"

Caro let out a deep sigh. "Yes, it's also true... but the ones, who do this, don't know the consequences of their actions. Most of them don't even have the most necessary education. Moreover, they just do, what an authority tells them... I'm sorry, Humans aren't a noble people. We are dangerous, even some of us know, and admit that..."

She felt terrible. She had to confirm, that all the bad parts the Elves associated with mortals were true. Every second she felt more uncomfortable, and Legolas, who noticed that, quickly changed the subject.

"Er..." he started, and Caro watched him curiously. "Do you like these flowers? They aren't as big and smelling as the others around the garden, but I think, they are the most beautiful..."

Caro looked around and took a deep breath. They smelled wonderful, though. Carefully she stretched out her hand and brushed over the leaves of a plant. They felt like silk.

"What is it?" she asked finally.

"Athelas. King's weed. It doesn't look as if it was something special, but it bears a strong curative power..." Legolas explained. And Caro knew suddenly, that she had heard the name before.

// It's the plant, that Aragorn uses, when he heals the wounded. But... I think... it would be better, when I don't mention, that I know it. That would cause more questions I can't answer, and I don't want to lie to him...//

" Wonderful..." she decided to answer. And suddenly she had another idea. She wanted to learn Elvish. The noble tongue had always been something she had been fascinated of.

" Legolas, would you mind to teach me your language? Just a little bit... I'm so curious about it... would that be a problem? Just a few words..."

Surprised Legolas stared at Caro. She really wanted to learn Sindarin or Quenya? Surely he could teach her some words, he even found it interesting, that she had asked him.

// A sign, that she wants to know something about us... about me...// he thought and his heart skipped a beat.

"Sure, no problem... what do you want to know?" he answered, and promptly the first question followed.

"What does 'I want to eat.' mean in Elvish?" Caro said with a sheepish look on her face.

"Meran matë..." the answer followed.

"Meran matë." Caro repeated slowly and looked deep into Legolas' green eyes.

After a few seconds he finally realised, what she wanted to tell him. With a smile and a sweet look in his eyes he started to empty the basket. After all the wonderful looking and smelling dishes finally stood in the middle of the blanket, it was silent. The only thing they could hear was the singing of the birds and their pleased sighs. It was the best meal Caro had ever eaten and she hoped, that she would never have to leave this place. But this was impossible, and she knew it. One day, she believed, she would fall asleep, and when she wakes up, she would be at home again. And, she believed, that she would think, that all that had been nothing but a wonderful dream.

After they had finished to eat, they talked until the break of dawn, and the sun was only a red ball in the sky. Caro told Legolas everything he wanted to know about Humans, and she thanked him silently for not asking, where she came from. She had also learned many new words in Elvish, and Legolas had always said, that she was a very good pupil.

"No, I've got a very good teacher..." she had usually answered, and every time they had burst into laughter.

Legolas never regretted, that he had brought her into the palace, not one single minute. He had never laughed that much since the war had been announced, and her company let him forget, at least for this day, that there was something he had to worry about.

But their day hadn't remained unnoticed. From a window an Elf, who looked obviously like a soldier, had spied their little picnic.

//Oh, you don't like her, prince Legolas? She enervates you? You lied to me. You shouldn't do this... or didn't you learn, that lying is wrong? What will your father say, when he hears, that his little punishment isn't even one? I'm so sorry, my little prince, but it's my duty to tell him...// he thought with an evil grin and turned away from the window. Slowly he made his way to the big hall, where Thranduil was sitting on his throne.

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Bad, bad soldier! You mustn't tell the king what you saw... he doesn't obey me * gruml*