LEGOLAS FAN FICTION
TITLE: Where Love May Lead
AUTHOR: Emily Kinsman
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 Kinsman (emi_kins@yahoo.com)
SUMMARY: Prequel to Elenath. Legolas travels to Rivendell to meet his betrothed, but things do not work out as smoothly as his father and Lord Elrond had wished.
10.
"Blue," said Merethiel. "Definitely the blue one."
"Are you sure?" Elenath held the gown up to herself. "The green one seems… I don't know… more formal." She knew nothing of such things, preferring usually to dress in her leggings and tunic and think nothing more of it.
"The blue one matches your eyes."
"Oh," said the princess. "Very well, then. The blue one." She looked at herself in the mirror, regarded her long, almost wild curls, and smiled to herself. Her dear friend Gandalf always told her that she had the hair of a hobbit – most unusual for an Elf. The Wizard never was one to keep his opinions silent, especially when it came to anything having to do with hobbits. Yet, when she took a second look at herself with that hobbit hair falling dark and lustrous far past her bare shoulders, she frowned. "What about my hair?"
"What about it?" asked her cousin. "It's lovely just as it is."
"But it looks so…"
"Feminine?"
Elenath shrugged. "Yes."
Merethiel laughed and whispered conspiratorially in her ear, "That is a good thing when one is trying to capture the heart of the Prince of Mirkwood."
Color rose instantly to the princess' face. "I am not! He is to be your husband, Merethiel! Do you think me so unfaithful as to take him from you? He is –"
"Perfect for you," she interrupted. "I saw the way you looked at each other in Grandfather's throne room, and I know the beginnings of love when I see it. I'll not interfere with that, mark my words. Grandfather can yell and scream all he likes. I care not."
"But I thought that you were going to give him a chance!"
Merethiel shook her head and helped Elenath into the celestial blue empire gown they had chosen. "What chance can I give him when I can tell it is you he desires? And that suits me just fine. I still do not want to leave Rivendell!"
"But, Merethiel, what chance can I give him? Grandfather has all but forbidden it."
"You must still be recovering from the grimleaf, Elenath! What's gotten into you? I of all people should not need to remind you that while I was being a perfect lady and following every whim and command of our grandfather, you were out learning the arts of war – though he expressly forbade it."
She sighed, regarding her cousin with a great deal of respect. It seemed like Merethiel had learned to stand up for herself over night. "This is different."
"How?" asked Merethiel. "How is this different?"
"A warrior is who I am. It is my life."
"But does not love hold as great a place in life as one's vocation?"
Elenath sighed. "I suppose so. But still I am loath to rile Grandfather further than he already is on this matter." She took Merethiel's hands. "Give Legolas more time, I beseech you. He may woo you yet."
Merethiel shrugged. "I am too happy that you are alive to argue, so it will be as you wish. One month should be sufficient. Perhaps by then Grandfather – and you - will have come to your senses. Are you sure you feel well?"
"Just a little tired," she replied, picking up her delicate golden and sapphire circlet from her dresser and placing it on her head.
Merethiel lifted it off again and smoothed Elenath's hair before replacing it. "There. Now you look perfect."
***
Legolas could not believe his ears as he walked among the nobles of Rivendell.
"I escorted her last time," said one, "and I'll not do it again! It is as if I am dancing with my brother."
Dancing with your brother? Legolas thought of the Princess' feminine curves and fair face, and the musical sound of her laughter. A brother she most certainly was not.
"Right you are," said another. "Do not misunderstand. She is a skilled warrior and I would rather have her than anyone next to me in battle. And she can be lovely, I suppose, when she tries…"
When she tries! He almost said something then, for the Prince of Mirkwood had been entranced by her beauty the first moment he had seen her. What was wrong with these Elves? Were they blind?
"But it seems not very romantic to court one with whom you did battle on the practice field only hours before."
The prince sighed. Strength. Elenath had strength; not like most of the other she-Elves who were like delicate flowers: lovely yet easily broken. He could not erase the memory of her standing in her chemise, Calmakil in hand. A more perfectly shaped, smoothly muscled body he could not begin to imagine. She exuded power and confidence, and it had taken every ounce of his self-control to tear his eyes from her.
"I wonder who Lord Elrond will choose this time?" The question seemed to echo among them, their voices full of trepidation.
"Would that he would consider a visiting stranger!" said a familiar voice.
Legolas looked up in surprise to find that the voice belonged to his bodyguard, Dimnarion. Eyebrows arching, the prince spoke. "Do you desire to escort the Princess, my friend?"
The guard nodded respectfully. "Surely you cannot blame me, Your Highness. She intrigues me. I am quickly realizing that the harsh words I spoke at Council about her were completely wrong."
Legolas could see no harm in it. Dimnarion had proven a faithful guard since he had arrived in Mirkwood two hundred years before, critically wounded and having no memory of who he was. "I shall see if it can be arranged, though Elrond is wary of you. Perhaps he will give you his permission."
The prince could not see the scheming glare in Dimnarion's emerald eyes as he turned away. "Your Highness, I would be happy for just one dance, but if Lord Elrond gives his blessing to allow me to escort her, I will be elated."
TITLE: Where Love May Lead
AUTHOR: Emily Kinsman
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 Kinsman (emi_kins@yahoo.com)
SUMMARY: Prequel to Elenath. Legolas travels to Rivendell to meet his betrothed, but things do not work out as smoothly as his father and Lord Elrond had wished.
10.
"Blue," said Merethiel. "Definitely the blue one."
"Are you sure?" Elenath held the gown up to herself. "The green one seems… I don't know… more formal." She knew nothing of such things, preferring usually to dress in her leggings and tunic and think nothing more of it.
"The blue one matches your eyes."
"Oh," said the princess. "Very well, then. The blue one." She looked at herself in the mirror, regarded her long, almost wild curls, and smiled to herself. Her dear friend Gandalf always told her that she had the hair of a hobbit – most unusual for an Elf. The Wizard never was one to keep his opinions silent, especially when it came to anything having to do with hobbits. Yet, when she took a second look at herself with that hobbit hair falling dark and lustrous far past her bare shoulders, she frowned. "What about my hair?"
"What about it?" asked her cousin. "It's lovely just as it is."
"But it looks so…"
"Feminine?"
Elenath shrugged. "Yes."
Merethiel laughed and whispered conspiratorially in her ear, "That is a good thing when one is trying to capture the heart of the Prince of Mirkwood."
Color rose instantly to the princess' face. "I am not! He is to be your husband, Merethiel! Do you think me so unfaithful as to take him from you? He is –"
"Perfect for you," she interrupted. "I saw the way you looked at each other in Grandfather's throne room, and I know the beginnings of love when I see it. I'll not interfere with that, mark my words. Grandfather can yell and scream all he likes. I care not."
"But I thought that you were going to give him a chance!"
Merethiel shook her head and helped Elenath into the celestial blue empire gown they had chosen. "What chance can I give him when I can tell it is you he desires? And that suits me just fine. I still do not want to leave Rivendell!"
"But, Merethiel, what chance can I give him? Grandfather has all but forbidden it."
"You must still be recovering from the grimleaf, Elenath! What's gotten into you? I of all people should not need to remind you that while I was being a perfect lady and following every whim and command of our grandfather, you were out learning the arts of war – though he expressly forbade it."
She sighed, regarding her cousin with a great deal of respect. It seemed like Merethiel had learned to stand up for herself over night. "This is different."
"How?" asked Merethiel. "How is this different?"
"A warrior is who I am. It is my life."
"But does not love hold as great a place in life as one's vocation?"
Elenath sighed. "I suppose so. But still I am loath to rile Grandfather further than he already is on this matter." She took Merethiel's hands. "Give Legolas more time, I beseech you. He may woo you yet."
Merethiel shrugged. "I am too happy that you are alive to argue, so it will be as you wish. One month should be sufficient. Perhaps by then Grandfather – and you - will have come to your senses. Are you sure you feel well?"
"Just a little tired," she replied, picking up her delicate golden and sapphire circlet from her dresser and placing it on her head.
Merethiel lifted it off again and smoothed Elenath's hair before replacing it. "There. Now you look perfect."
***
Legolas could not believe his ears as he walked among the nobles of Rivendell.
"I escorted her last time," said one, "and I'll not do it again! It is as if I am dancing with my brother."
Dancing with your brother? Legolas thought of the Princess' feminine curves and fair face, and the musical sound of her laughter. A brother she most certainly was not.
"Right you are," said another. "Do not misunderstand. She is a skilled warrior and I would rather have her than anyone next to me in battle. And she can be lovely, I suppose, when she tries…"
When she tries! He almost said something then, for the Prince of Mirkwood had been entranced by her beauty the first moment he had seen her. What was wrong with these Elves? Were they blind?
"But it seems not very romantic to court one with whom you did battle on the practice field only hours before."
The prince sighed. Strength. Elenath had strength; not like most of the other she-Elves who were like delicate flowers: lovely yet easily broken. He could not erase the memory of her standing in her chemise, Calmakil in hand. A more perfectly shaped, smoothly muscled body he could not begin to imagine. She exuded power and confidence, and it had taken every ounce of his self-control to tear his eyes from her.
"I wonder who Lord Elrond will choose this time?" The question seemed to echo among them, their voices full of trepidation.
"Would that he would consider a visiting stranger!" said a familiar voice.
Legolas looked up in surprise to find that the voice belonged to his bodyguard, Dimnarion. Eyebrows arching, the prince spoke. "Do you desire to escort the Princess, my friend?"
The guard nodded respectfully. "Surely you cannot blame me, Your Highness. She intrigues me. I am quickly realizing that the harsh words I spoke at Council about her were completely wrong."
Legolas could see no harm in it. Dimnarion had proven a faithful guard since he had arrived in Mirkwood two hundred years before, critically wounded and having no memory of who he was. "I shall see if it can be arranged, though Elrond is wary of you. Perhaps he will give you his permission."
The prince could not see the scheming glare in Dimnarion's emerald eyes as he turned away. "Your Highness, I would be happy for just one dance, but if Lord Elrond gives his blessing to allow me to escort her, I will be elated."
