Disclaimer: As we all know, Tolkien owns all things Middle Earth. The guy
was beyond genius. I am merely borrowing from his estate, and they are
welcome to borrow from mine (though they'll find it amounts to a couple of
movie stubs and dust bunnies).
Chapter 2 – First Ball, Part II
Together they struck up a beautiful waltz, a striking couple whom onlookers thought were made for each other. The couple, though, were lost in their own world gazing into each other's eyes. Legolas looked at this anonymous she-elf with extreme curiosity. All at once unique, mysterious and yet somehow very familiar, he stared into her mirth-filled eyes attempting to figure out who she was. It was obvious to him that she knew exactly who he was, that he had no clue to her identity, and that she enjoyed toying with him. In truth, that he found himself at a disadvantage only added to her allure.
Talariel found herself caught up in one of her own fantasies – being in Legolas's arms, him looking at her with something far more lustful and passionate than simple friendship. She allowed herself to go along with the charade, knowing that it would end as soon as he knew her identity. Talariel could see him attempting to distinguish who she was. His countenance was intense and passionate. Understanding that she had the advantage, she debated telling him who she was. There was one side of her that was enjoying her friend's discomfort but wanted to relieve his confusion, and the other side which knew that his desire would fade when the truth was known and wanted desperately to live in the fantasy a little longer. The smile that had been on her face faltered momentarily at that realization and Legolas noticed.
"Your beautiful smile has faltered. Tell me what I should do to bring it back to its full glory" he said.
Talariel looked up into his eyes at these words in complete surprise. In her entire time as friend to him, never had she known his tongue to be so silken. It was no longer such a wonder why the maidens flocked to him. This was a side to him she had never seen and she was unsure what to make of it. She found herself confused as to how to react to his seducing words.
Legolas could see her confusion plainly in her eyes. They held nothing back and he could read everything she was feeling and thinking in those deep blue depths. He was astonished to see how uncomfortable his compliment had made her, and it made him wonder if this reaction was because it was he who had complimented her or if it was that she was rarely complimented. He couldn't imagine the latter being true as she was far too alluring to never have known a compliment. In either case, he enjoyed it tremendously to know that he was affecting her as much as she affected him and that he now held the advantage.
He pulled her tighter into his embrace as they danced and gloried when she blushed and turned her eyes away. His smile at her reaction would have melted stone. He determined to know her.
"I must have your name" he said.
Talariel began to panic as she realized at how affected she was by him. No longer a game to her, she was appalled to realize her heart had quickened at his compliment and the feelings she had towards him, which she believed had faded, flared anew. When he pulled her closer, she blushed at her body's reaction to the feel of him so close. And now he begged her name and she had no idea how to get out of the situation. Shaking her head and avoiding his eyes, she attempted to push away from him. Talariel desperately needed to get away from him to sort out her thoughts and emotions. He was playing havoc on her senses and she had not been prepared that she would feel this way about him ever again.
Seeing her alarm and that she would go, Legolas gripped her harder. He did not want her to leave. Not when he had only just found her. She would not give her name and he noticed that she had not spoken to him at all, not even a single word. Her pushing became more insistent and he reluctantly loosened his hold, but before she could run off he smiled widely and said "I will know who you are soon enough bain'alphamin. It matters not that you run off now."
Talariel risked a quick glance at him as he spoke. She knew the look in his eyes well enough, as she had seen it many times in the past. He would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. For some reason his resolve petrified her and she fled the ball.
Legolas stood watching her flee. He noted the look of panic in her eyes at his words and wondered what she was hiding. He desperately hoped that she was not already spoken for. He would ask his friends who she was. When he reached Maluil and Flordin and he saw they were laughing, seemingly at his expense.
"What is so funny?" he asked.
"You are, Legolas. Never would I have imagined her flying away from you as though all of Mordor was at her heels. Whatever did you say to her?" answered Maluil with a grin.
"Then you know her Maluil?" asked Legolas anxiously.
At this his two friends laughed even harder as they realized he had no idea that he had just danced with Talariel.
"Of course I know her Legolas. As do you. I cannot believe you do not remember her" said Maluil.
Legolas frowned. His friends were keeping her identity from him and enjoyed tormenting him. "Who is she? I must know."
Flordin recovered from his laughter first. Seeing the ardor in Legolas's eyes as he asked about her, Flordin decided to keep the secret a little longer. There was a reason Talariel had fled and he felt that if she had not told the prince who she was then it certainly wasn't his place to inform Legolas. Further, he and Maluil would enjoy this particular farce tremendously. It had been a very long time since Legolas was the butt of one of their pranks.
Smiling at his friend's frustration Flordin said "If the maiden did not deem it fit to inform you herself of who she was then I do not see why we should. Besides, you seem to have terrified her. It is best that we protect her from such an obviously hideous beast such as yourself. Come Maluil, let us make ourselves scarce before we earn the ire of our prince."
"You would leave me here wondering about her?" asked Legolas incredulously.
"You are an intelligent, worldly elf, Legolas. Surely you can figure out this mystery yourself" teased Maluil.
Sighing, Legolas knew he would get no real information from his friends this evening, but he needed to know one thing. "At least you can tell me if she spoken for. I would not want to find myself chasing someone already bound to another."
Flordin and Maluil noted the resolve in their friend's tone and looked upon him while in thought regarding Talariel's feelings. Finally, Flordin responded and said "No Legolas. She is not spoken for. But I will warn you now, she is not one to merely chase after like a conquest. If you mean to have her then tread carefully or you will find yourself answering to two elves who would not take it kindly to find that her heart was broken."
Before Legolas could question his friend's meaning, the two left him standing alone in the ballroom with only his confusion and desire to keep him company.
********
Translation:
bain'alphamin = my beautiful swan
Reviews are needed like chocolate. Don't make me beg. =)
Chapter 2 – First Ball, Part II
Together they struck up a beautiful waltz, a striking couple whom onlookers thought were made for each other. The couple, though, were lost in their own world gazing into each other's eyes. Legolas looked at this anonymous she-elf with extreme curiosity. All at once unique, mysterious and yet somehow very familiar, he stared into her mirth-filled eyes attempting to figure out who she was. It was obvious to him that she knew exactly who he was, that he had no clue to her identity, and that she enjoyed toying with him. In truth, that he found himself at a disadvantage only added to her allure.
Talariel found herself caught up in one of her own fantasies – being in Legolas's arms, him looking at her with something far more lustful and passionate than simple friendship. She allowed herself to go along with the charade, knowing that it would end as soon as he knew her identity. Talariel could see him attempting to distinguish who she was. His countenance was intense and passionate. Understanding that she had the advantage, she debated telling him who she was. There was one side of her that was enjoying her friend's discomfort but wanted to relieve his confusion, and the other side which knew that his desire would fade when the truth was known and wanted desperately to live in the fantasy a little longer. The smile that had been on her face faltered momentarily at that realization and Legolas noticed.
"Your beautiful smile has faltered. Tell me what I should do to bring it back to its full glory" he said.
Talariel looked up into his eyes at these words in complete surprise. In her entire time as friend to him, never had she known his tongue to be so silken. It was no longer such a wonder why the maidens flocked to him. This was a side to him she had never seen and she was unsure what to make of it. She found herself confused as to how to react to his seducing words.
Legolas could see her confusion plainly in her eyes. They held nothing back and he could read everything she was feeling and thinking in those deep blue depths. He was astonished to see how uncomfortable his compliment had made her, and it made him wonder if this reaction was because it was he who had complimented her or if it was that she was rarely complimented. He couldn't imagine the latter being true as she was far too alluring to never have known a compliment. In either case, he enjoyed it tremendously to know that he was affecting her as much as she affected him and that he now held the advantage.
He pulled her tighter into his embrace as they danced and gloried when she blushed and turned her eyes away. His smile at her reaction would have melted stone. He determined to know her.
"I must have your name" he said.
Talariel began to panic as she realized at how affected she was by him. No longer a game to her, she was appalled to realize her heart had quickened at his compliment and the feelings she had towards him, which she believed had faded, flared anew. When he pulled her closer, she blushed at her body's reaction to the feel of him so close. And now he begged her name and she had no idea how to get out of the situation. Shaking her head and avoiding his eyes, she attempted to push away from him. Talariel desperately needed to get away from him to sort out her thoughts and emotions. He was playing havoc on her senses and she had not been prepared that she would feel this way about him ever again.
Seeing her alarm and that she would go, Legolas gripped her harder. He did not want her to leave. Not when he had only just found her. She would not give her name and he noticed that she had not spoken to him at all, not even a single word. Her pushing became more insistent and he reluctantly loosened his hold, but before she could run off he smiled widely and said "I will know who you are soon enough bain'alphamin. It matters not that you run off now."
Talariel risked a quick glance at him as he spoke. She knew the look in his eyes well enough, as she had seen it many times in the past. He would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. For some reason his resolve petrified her and she fled the ball.
Legolas stood watching her flee. He noted the look of panic in her eyes at his words and wondered what she was hiding. He desperately hoped that she was not already spoken for. He would ask his friends who she was. When he reached Maluil and Flordin and he saw they were laughing, seemingly at his expense.
"What is so funny?" he asked.
"You are, Legolas. Never would I have imagined her flying away from you as though all of Mordor was at her heels. Whatever did you say to her?" answered Maluil with a grin.
"Then you know her Maluil?" asked Legolas anxiously.
At this his two friends laughed even harder as they realized he had no idea that he had just danced with Talariel.
"Of course I know her Legolas. As do you. I cannot believe you do not remember her" said Maluil.
Legolas frowned. His friends were keeping her identity from him and enjoyed tormenting him. "Who is she? I must know."
Flordin recovered from his laughter first. Seeing the ardor in Legolas's eyes as he asked about her, Flordin decided to keep the secret a little longer. There was a reason Talariel had fled and he felt that if she had not told the prince who she was then it certainly wasn't his place to inform Legolas. Further, he and Maluil would enjoy this particular farce tremendously. It had been a very long time since Legolas was the butt of one of their pranks.
Smiling at his friend's frustration Flordin said "If the maiden did not deem it fit to inform you herself of who she was then I do not see why we should. Besides, you seem to have terrified her. It is best that we protect her from such an obviously hideous beast such as yourself. Come Maluil, let us make ourselves scarce before we earn the ire of our prince."
"You would leave me here wondering about her?" asked Legolas incredulously.
"You are an intelligent, worldly elf, Legolas. Surely you can figure out this mystery yourself" teased Maluil.
Sighing, Legolas knew he would get no real information from his friends this evening, but he needed to know one thing. "At least you can tell me if she spoken for. I would not want to find myself chasing someone already bound to another."
Flordin and Maluil noted the resolve in their friend's tone and looked upon him while in thought regarding Talariel's feelings. Finally, Flordin responded and said "No Legolas. She is not spoken for. But I will warn you now, she is not one to merely chase after like a conquest. If you mean to have her then tread carefully or you will find yourself answering to two elves who would not take it kindly to find that her heart was broken."
Before Legolas could question his friend's meaning, the two left him standing alone in the ballroom with only his confusion and desire to keep him company.
********
Translation:
bain'alphamin = my beautiful swan
Reviews are needed like chocolate. Don't make me beg. =)