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.



40.

Elenath would have been proud had she seen the reply that Elrond penned to King Thranduil that very day, attaching it to the leg of a bird and setting it to flight.

To King Thranduil of Mirkwood

Greetings.

Your refusal to allow your son to wed Princess Elenath has broken four hearts today. It is folly to be so merciless. And what shall you gain but a prince and princess who pine for what should have been? No heir will ever come from such a union, and your stubbornness shall be the ruin of them all. Mark my words. There can be no friendship between kingdoms joined by angst and regret.

As for Elenath, you misjudge her, and many a warrior in Rivendell would have taken up arms against you had I made your letter public. Our princess is indeed a great warrior, but she also is the embodiment of the gentility of my court. If you had but taken a few days to meet her, you would know this.

However, I made a promise that I shall now keep. At midday tomorrow I shall send your son home to you. If Lady Merethiel has no objections, she will accompany him as his new wife. But know that as long as one so heartless rules in Mirkwood, there can be no true alliance between our two kingdoms.

Elrond, Lord of Rivendell

Elrond knew that it was harsh, but he had made the situation very clear to King Thranduil in his first letter, describing the love between Legolas and Elenath in depth. It was as immortal as the Elves themselves; their hearts were bound together for all time. No wedding ceremony would change that fact. But Thranduil had responded cruelly, insulting his granddaughter and ruining any chance at friendship that the two kingdoms ever had. Curse him. Mirkwood was not good enough for any of his family, but Elrond would not break his promise.

***

"Merethiel, I would never hurt you…" Legolas spoke softly. "I would try to make you happy."

"I know," replied the Lady, turning away from him. "You are a good friend, Legolas, and I know that I needn't fear to become your wife. But why does your father insist that you marry me? Surely a match with Elenath would further his political goals if friendship with Rivendell is what he seeks."

The prince sighed. "Political goals are secondary in this case, as is friendship with Rivendell. My father has only one thought on his mind when it comes to my marriage."

"And what is that?"

"I am his only son, and he worries for the Royal line of Mirkwood. He wishes me to take a wife who will provide an heir, not one who will fight and die in battle before she ever bears a child."

The color drained from Merethiel's face. "I will not provide an heir. I do not love you, Legolas, and I will never bind myself to you in that way."

"Tell me then, my friend… Do you wish to marry me?"

"Of course not! Legolas, my cousin will die without you beside her!"

"Then say no. Refuse my hand and there will still be hope. I will journey home and speak with my father. Perhaps… he may yet consent."

***

"I worry for you, Haldir." Elenath spoke softly as she walked beside him more deeply into the Wood.

"Do not, Aier. I shall never forget her, but I have other reasons to live."

"Galadriel."

"Yes. It is I who should worry for you. What will you do after Legolas leaves?"

"I know not," she said. Her brow furrowed, but no tears would come. She had shed so many during the past hours that she seemed incapable of it now.

Haldir sighed and stopped in the path. "You will come to Lothlorien with me."

"Come to...I'm sorry?"

"Training hard is the only way I was able to cling to life after Anriwen died. It is the only way I can deal with… this… what is happening now. Perhaps it will help you as well."

Her eyes met his but she said nothing.

"We could be a comfort to each other, Aier." he said, his hand gently brushing her cheek. "I would never presume to take his place in your heart for I know that you could never take Merethiel's place in mine. But I am tired. Tired of being alone. Tired of she-Elves trying to capture my attention. Tired of being mocked for my bachelorhood."

"Haldir, you are my friend and nothing more. I could not be your wife."

"Think about it," he said with a kind, sad smile. "Just consider it. Even if you come to Lothlorien simply to train, my offer shall always stand, for there will never be another."

She forced a small smile and kissed his cheek before he drew away. "Night is falling, my friend, and there is someplace I need to be. I shall see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," he repeated with a nod.

***

The velvet blackness of a cloudy new-moon night enveloped Elenath as she crept silently through the Wood of Rivendell. Despite her distress, her heart raced with anticipation; her skin prickled with the hope of his kiss. She had not known what true love or true beauty was until the prince had arrived from Mirkwood six months ago. Legolas. Even the thought of him made her heart soar as high as it sunk low when she remembered that he was to wed Merethiel at sunrise. How could such a terrible thing have happened? Without him, she had no real desire to live. Yet even with these disturbing thoughts stirring through her mind, the promise of even a moment in Legolas' presence, listening to his sweet voice and feeling his warmth next to her, was enough to spirit her out of her chambers in the middle of the night while all in the House of Elrond lay asleep in their beds.

She made her way to the waterfall – the one that had become their own. The night wind chilled her and sent her hair whipping about her face, but that did not stop her from leaping to the stones perched precariously in the water. It did not stop her from climbing the slippery boulders while spray from the waterfall formed tiny pearls of water on her skin.

She smiled when she found Prince Legolas waiting there in the small hollow behind the protective wall of the waterfall, out of the wind. He was sunlight and summertime, blue sky and music and everything good in the world all wrapped into one Elven body. In his presence she was complete.

"My love," he whispered, drawing her into a warm embrace "I am glad that you came." His lips found her temple, her cheek, the tip of her nose, and finally her lips.

"You are to be married in the morning," she answered sadly, tracing the lines of his face with the tip of her finger and then burying her face in his golden hair. "I could not stay away. I had to see you one last time."

He was resolute. "No, I will not marry tomorrow. The Lady has refused my hand and I refuse to force it. Elenath, it is you who I desire for my wife, if you would have me for a husband."

A lump rose in her throat. "That is what I want more than anything," she said. "But I cannot see how it can ever come to be."

"Perhaps there is still hope. Tomorrow I will ride home and speak with my father. I swear I will return for you. Even if he denies me, Elenath, I will run away with you for a time if I must. I am his only child and he cannot disown me forever if he wishes the line of his rule to continue." Determination creased his brow.

"Legolas, I could not allow that. You came here to wed a maiden of Rivendell, to unite our two kingdoms. If we go against Lord Elrond's and your father's wishes, their wrath would consume us both. Our kingdoms would be driven further apart and nothing would be gained from our union."

"Your grandfather would never harm his beloved granddaughter," he said soothingly. "And kingdoms will do as kingdoms will do."

"Grandfather and I love one another too much," she whispered. "Could I bear to defy him so blatantly? I do not think that I would survive banishment from his presence." Hopelessness flooded her and she sank to the damp floor in despair. "I cannot live without either one of you."

She could see tears welling in his eyes that she knew would remain unshed. Legolas did not weep easily. "Your love for your grandfather is beautiful, Elenath, just like the rest of you is beautiful. Do not lose heart, my love. We will find a way. I'm sure of it…"

***

It took every ounce of strength to part with him three hours before sunrise. She crept back to her bed and fell into the deep slumber of grief, even closing her eyes in her exhaustion. Yet she was awoken scarcely an hour later by the click of a golden cuff around her wrist.

"Forgive me," whispered Elrond. "Seeing him again will only hurt you more."

Elenath looked in disbelief at her wrist. The cuff was attached to a golden chain that had been secured to one of the columns in her room. "Grandfather please…"

He shook his head with great sadness in his eyes. "I am sorry." Then he was gone.