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 (emi_kins@yahoo.com)
46.
Elenath did not meet up with Legolas again until late in the morning when he came to the practice field looking for her.
He smiled in relief. "Melamin my love, I feared I would find you sitting about being lady-like for the sake of my father." He took in the sight of her, once again in her leggings and tunic. She had tucked one single rose bloom into her braid.
"I could not sit idly, Legolas. Your father and my grandfather sit in council to decide our future. Working with the Sword calms me."
"Indeed," said the prince. He reached back and drew his long-knives. "Shall we spar?"
A delighted smile crossed her face. "You are not afraid to be bested by a female?"
"Nay. I do not plan to be bested!"
"On guard, then," she replied, taking her defensive stance.
They stood facing each other with weapons drawn, neither one wishing to make the first move, for a long moment. As they stared at each other, a small crowd gathered including many from Mirkwood.
Elenath heard the shuffle of Legolas' feet as he finally lunged at her and she blocked the blow easily, spinning around to counter. The practice field was quickly filled with the clanging of their weapons and the cheers of the bystanders until,
"Halt! Stand down!"
Elenath obeyed at once, turning quickly to face Captain Thorondil who stood with Lord Elrond and King Thranduil at his side. All of the color drained from her face, and her heart pounded loudly in her chest. Sheathing Calmakil, she sank into a low curtsy. "Your Highnesses."
Thranduil nodded to her. "Princess. Your grandfather thought that we might find you here."
There was no use in lying; no use in pretending she was not a warrior. "Indeed, King Thranduil. I train each day with the Royal Guard."
A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "And do you make it a habit to slash at my son with sharp objects?"
"N-no! No, Your Highness. We have never sparred until today."
Elrond gave her a look that seemed to say, "Why today of all days?" But he remained as calmly silent as usual.
"Father, I challenged her," said Legolas.
"And so now do I challenge you, Elenath, protector of the Elves. Do you accept?" Thranduil stepped forward and drew his sword.
The princess's eyes grew wide and she knew not what to do. But before she could stop to think about it, she heard herself responding. "I do."
The king did not hesitate. As soon as Calmakil was in her hand, he was upon her with a fury even greater than Haldir's had been. Elenath struggled to deflect his blows and began to fear that he truly did want to kill her. There was no cheering crowd now; a dead silence had fallen upon those gathered. Just shy of one minute into the match, her foot slipped from beneath her, and the king had her pinned at the end of his sword to the forest floor.
"Do you yield?" he asked, his eyes glinting.
"Yes. I yield, Your Highness," she answered, slightly out of breath, humiliation spreading through her like wildfire.
Thranduil sheathed his sword and turned to Elrond. "She fights well for one of her age, Elrond. Very well. I am most impressed. But no Elf – Sword- bearer or not – is invincible."
With that the two Elven Lords walked away from the practice field, leaving Legolas to help Elenath up from the ground.
"What was that about, Legolas?" she asked, her eyes wide with worry.
He shook his head. "He was testing you, Elenath. I fear that my father will ask you to yield Calmakil to your grandfather so that a new bearer might be found. He worries that you will fall in battle before you can provide an heir to me."
"That will not happen! Legolas, there will be an heir. We have both seen it. Remember?"
Legolas remembered well the day that he had run to Elenath's aid. The day that Dimnarion had done what he had no right to do. The Sword had drawn him in and he had seen the vision of his wife – Elenath – and his child.
"My father sees the Sword as a weapon of great power for defense, not for prophecy. We can tell my father what we saw, but it will not sway him." The prince took both of her hands into his. "Elenath, you must contemplate seriously the answer you will give when you are asked. Will you give up Calmakil to wed me?"
She looked at the forest floor and turned from him. "Legolas, I love you. I cannot imagine my life without you in it. But I cannot answer that question. Not now."
He wrapped his arms about her from behind and kissed the tip of her ear. "I understand, Melamin my love."
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 (emi_kins@yahoo.com)
46.
Elenath did not meet up with Legolas again until late in the morning when he came to the practice field looking for her.
He smiled in relief. "Melamin my love, I feared I would find you sitting about being lady-like for the sake of my father." He took in the sight of her, once again in her leggings and tunic. She had tucked one single rose bloom into her braid.
"I could not sit idly, Legolas. Your father and my grandfather sit in council to decide our future. Working with the Sword calms me."
"Indeed," said the prince. He reached back and drew his long-knives. "Shall we spar?"
A delighted smile crossed her face. "You are not afraid to be bested by a female?"
"Nay. I do not plan to be bested!"
"On guard, then," she replied, taking her defensive stance.
They stood facing each other with weapons drawn, neither one wishing to make the first move, for a long moment. As they stared at each other, a small crowd gathered including many from Mirkwood.
Elenath heard the shuffle of Legolas' feet as he finally lunged at her and she blocked the blow easily, spinning around to counter. The practice field was quickly filled with the clanging of their weapons and the cheers of the bystanders until,
"Halt! Stand down!"
Elenath obeyed at once, turning quickly to face Captain Thorondil who stood with Lord Elrond and King Thranduil at his side. All of the color drained from her face, and her heart pounded loudly in her chest. Sheathing Calmakil, she sank into a low curtsy. "Your Highnesses."
Thranduil nodded to her. "Princess. Your grandfather thought that we might find you here."
There was no use in lying; no use in pretending she was not a warrior. "Indeed, King Thranduil. I train each day with the Royal Guard."
A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "And do you make it a habit to slash at my son with sharp objects?"
"N-no! No, Your Highness. We have never sparred until today."
Elrond gave her a look that seemed to say, "Why today of all days?" But he remained as calmly silent as usual.
"Father, I challenged her," said Legolas.
"And so now do I challenge you, Elenath, protector of the Elves. Do you accept?" Thranduil stepped forward and drew his sword.
The princess's eyes grew wide and she knew not what to do. But before she could stop to think about it, she heard herself responding. "I do."
The king did not hesitate. As soon as Calmakil was in her hand, he was upon her with a fury even greater than Haldir's had been. Elenath struggled to deflect his blows and began to fear that he truly did want to kill her. There was no cheering crowd now; a dead silence had fallen upon those gathered. Just shy of one minute into the match, her foot slipped from beneath her, and the king had her pinned at the end of his sword to the forest floor.
"Do you yield?" he asked, his eyes glinting.
"Yes. I yield, Your Highness," she answered, slightly out of breath, humiliation spreading through her like wildfire.
Thranduil sheathed his sword and turned to Elrond. "She fights well for one of her age, Elrond. Very well. I am most impressed. But no Elf – Sword- bearer or not – is invincible."
With that the two Elven Lords walked away from the practice field, leaving Legolas to help Elenath up from the ground.
"What was that about, Legolas?" she asked, her eyes wide with worry.
He shook his head. "He was testing you, Elenath. I fear that my father will ask you to yield Calmakil to your grandfather so that a new bearer might be found. He worries that you will fall in battle before you can provide an heir to me."
"That will not happen! Legolas, there will be an heir. We have both seen it. Remember?"
Legolas remembered well the day that he had run to Elenath's aid. The day that Dimnarion had done what he had no right to do. The Sword had drawn him in and he had seen the vision of his wife – Elenath – and his child.
"My father sees the Sword as a weapon of great power for defense, not for prophecy. We can tell my father what we saw, but it will not sway him." The prince took both of her hands into his. "Elenath, you must contemplate seriously the answer you will give when you are asked. Will you give up Calmakil to wed me?"
She looked at the forest floor and turned from him. "Legolas, I love you. I cannot imagine my life without you in it. But I cannot answer that question. Not now."
He wrapped his arms about her from behind and kissed the tip of her ear. "I understand, Melamin my love."
