Chapter Three:
She tried in vain to stop the hot tears from flowing down her face. She had first encountered Gandolf when he had saved her from a wild boar she was hunting. Unarmed, she could not outrun the young boar, and was prepared to fight to the last when he had worked some magic on the animal, causing it to shrink to the size of a mouse. She was indebted to him for this not out of choice, but she had also learned to love him for his kindness.
They rested that night on a riverbank with no fire, as to not attract attention to themselves. Close to Mordor, they were extra cautious, and allotted watching shifts during the night so that one person would be awake at all times. The first was Alatia, who sat still, looking at the star with her ears cocked. Aaragon was talking with Legolas nearby and Alatia listened to their conversation half-heartedly.
"So how old are you now Legolas? And still no woman?" Aaragon inquired.
"If you must know, I'm 2043 and, no, I haven't found anyone that makes my heart jump," Legolas replied curtly.
"You really should try and look harder, Legolas. After all, adventure isn't everything. At the end of the day, you want to have someone there that loves you."
"That's true, but that means that your adventure ends when you accept someone and the life they want you to have," interrupted Alatia.
Aaragon laughed, "I think I've been outnumbered." With that he walked over to where Frodo was sleeping to lie beside him on the bed of pine needles.
"He wouldn't understand, being in love with Arwen Evanstar," Legolas explained. "When you're married, you can't go out on dangerous adventures because you always have to think of the people you leave behind." He rolled over to face Alatia, sitting faced towards his feet.
"And eternal life is a very long time to spend with someone you don't really care for," she said very tenderly. Legolas could tell that she had some bad experience in this area by the weariness in her voice and the expression on her downcast face.
"What makes you say that?" he inquired curiously.
She sighed quietly, and after a long pause, she responded, "My father once wanted me to marry this man I reviled. He was absolutely repulsive, and couldn't stand him even to touch me. When I refused, he told me he wouldn't have me as a daughter without a respectable husband by my side. And now, I lead the life that I couldn't as a woman destined for marriage."
Legolas could tell this was still an open wound, and comforted her with his story:
"I can understand. My mother warned that my love of adventure would be an obstacle to finding love, and so my father tried to marry me off several times, fearing I would never produce an heir. If I had not refused by my life, I fear I would now be standing in a castle with a few dozen children in my arms," he joked, with a smile playing on his face.
The laughter of the pretty elf was a handsome reward for the details of Legolas's love life. When elves laughed, it was truly a sound to be heard. Their soft voices create something like a song in laughter, and Legolas could not help but watch her face as he heard.
"I don't think I could see you as the father of a small nation," she joked with his agreement. Growing serious again she said, "Come, we've a long day tomorrow, and I need some rest, too." It was Legolas's turn to watch over the small group, and she made a soft noise as she laid her head down to rest. Soon she was asleep, but Legolas could not help but examine the troubled elf a little closer without her knowledge.
She had wavy chestnut hair flowing over her shoulders, single hairs dancing across her smooth skin. She had skin the color of porcelain, and full lips stained a dark berry color. Legolas remembered the beautiful color of her eyes, and making sure she was truly asleep before looking into her eyes, as elves sleep with them open by tradition. He was drawn in by their intensity, and wondered how the mud marking parts of her skin and tangling her hair concealed her beauty. Beginning to feel tired himself, he took one last look at her delicate features before turning his gaze towards the starry sky.
She tried in vain to stop the hot tears from flowing down her face. She had first encountered Gandolf when he had saved her from a wild boar she was hunting. Unarmed, she could not outrun the young boar, and was prepared to fight to the last when he had worked some magic on the animal, causing it to shrink to the size of a mouse. She was indebted to him for this not out of choice, but she had also learned to love him for his kindness.
They rested that night on a riverbank with no fire, as to not attract attention to themselves. Close to Mordor, they were extra cautious, and allotted watching shifts during the night so that one person would be awake at all times. The first was Alatia, who sat still, looking at the star with her ears cocked. Aaragon was talking with Legolas nearby and Alatia listened to their conversation half-heartedly.
"So how old are you now Legolas? And still no woman?" Aaragon inquired.
"If you must know, I'm 2043 and, no, I haven't found anyone that makes my heart jump," Legolas replied curtly.
"You really should try and look harder, Legolas. After all, adventure isn't everything. At the end of the day, you want to have someone there that loves you."
"That's true, but that means that your adventure ends when you accept someone and the life they want you to have," interrupted Alatia.
Aaragon laughed, "I think I've been outnumbered." With that he walked over to where Frodo was sleeping to lie beside him on the bed of pine needles.
"He wouldn't understand, being in love with Arwen Evanstar," Legolas explained. "When you're married, you can't go out on dangerous adventures because you always have to think of the people you leave behind." He rolled over to face Alatia, sitting faced towards his feet.
"And eternal life is a very long time to spend with someone you don't really care for," she said very tenderly. Legolas could tell that she had some bad experience in this area by the weariness in her voice and the expression on her downcast face.
"What makes you say that?" he inquired curiously.
She sighed quietly, and after a long pause, she responded, "My father once wanted me to marry this man I reviled. He was absolutely repulsive, and couldn't stand him even to touch me. When I refused, he told me he wouldn't have me as a daughter without a respectable husband by my side. And now, I lead the life that I couldn't as a woman destined for marriage."
Legolas could tell this was still an open wound, and comforted her with his story:
"I can understand. My mother warned that my love of adventure would be an obstacle to finding love, and so my father tried to marry me off several times, fearing I would never produce an heir. If I had not refused by my life, I fear I would now be standing in a castle with a few dozen children in my arms," he joked, with a smile playing on his face.
The laughter of the pretty elf was a handsome reward for the details of Legolas's love life. When elves laughed, it was truly a sound to be heard. Their soft voices create something like a song in laughter, and Legolas could not help but watch her face as he heard.
"I don't think I could see you as the father of a small nation," she joked with his agreement. Growing serious again she said, "Come, we've a long day tomorrow, and I need some rest, too." It was Legolas's turn to watch over the small group, and she made a soft noise as she laid her head down to rest. Soon she was asleep, but Legolas could not help but examine the troubled elf a little closer without her knowledge.
She had wavy chestnut hair flowing over her shoulders, single hairs dancing across her smooth skin. She had skin the color of porcelain, and full lips stained a dark berry color. Legolas remembered the beautiful color of her eyes, and making sure she was truly asleep before looking into her eyes, as elves sleep with them open by tradition. He was drawn in by their intensity, and wondered how the mud marking parts of her skin and tangling her hair concealed her beauty. Beginning to feel tired himself, he took one last look at her delicate features before turning his gaze towards the starry sky.