A/N: Whoooooo!!! I'm not writing uselessly! People are reading this, YAY!!!! Thankyouthankyouthankyou for reviewing, reviewers!! Without you, I would have stopped and forgotten about this whole thing.Anyhoo - here it is, third chapter ... I will not put off the A/L meeting any longer. The time for mush is upon us!
Disclaimer: See chapters one and two, ehem.
Warnings: Below, you will find an entire forest of sap. Thick, sweet, ooey-gooey sap and loads of it! I'm warning you... if you don't have a sweet tooth, you might want to read something bitter before heading south of this warning... Oh yeah, there's also slash, too, so if you're an uptight anti-everything sort of person then you might wanna turn back now. Thanks for dropping by though!
P.S. If you can, you might want to listen to Des'ree's "Kissing You" from the Romeo and Juliet Soundtrack for the following chapter... Dunno, whenever I read these stories, it just feels better when I've got music playing to match the setting. Just a suggestion. =D
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**In the spirit of Shakespeare, let me describe the scene before we get into the story ;) **
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Scene: Twilight, an hour or so before dawn. Legolas has just entered the courtyard that is hidden from the view of those at the party and that has an entrance well-guarded by two elves - who were given strict instructions to let no one, save members of the royal family, enter. All around the little clearing are bushes of the wildest, most beautiful flowers and higher up on the trees are free-hanging lights giving off a bluish glow to everything. In the center of the clearing, is a water fountain divinely spouting crystaline waters like droplets of moonlight in arches facing opposite each other. Estel, unbeknownest to Legolas, has just made his way into the clearing and is crouching in the trees, silenced and frozen for a moment, as he is over-taken by the magnificence of the picture.
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**And now onto the story** (Pssttt!!! Cue the music!! The music!!!)...
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Prince Legolas sighed to himself, as he slowly wandered through the courtyard, maskless. He'd had an exceptional time of dancing, talking and laughing ... but now, he sought a few moments for himself; especially in response to the news he'd just received.
Legolas assumed it was a lucky thing when his father relented to let him come out of the party and be alone without putting up much resistence. The Prince's behavior that night was more satisfactory than usual, so he assumed his father was giving him a break, maybe. Returning the favor, if you will.
*But of course not*, Legolas thought, downcast. His mind ran over his father's words again.
"I will grant you this time to yourself, Legolas, because very soon you will never be alone, again", King Thranduil told him jovially,"This night, my son, a marriage has been accepted on your behalf! Go and think on this with good thoughts!"
Legolas had felt like he'd been struck in the stomach and he could not form a reply. He hadn't said a word, only nodded before he dashed past the guards into the courtyard. It seemed he'd been dreading this day for ages now and it was finally upon him.
Oh, don't misunderstand, the prospect of marriage was no surprise to Legolas. His father had told him ever since he was little that a day would come when someone would make a big enough offer to the King for his son and the King would accept. Legolas would marry at his father's will and fancy. What other choice did he have? As the third Prince, he was entitled to no fortune of his fathers - that was saved for the First Prince, the future King. Any scrapings would surely be given to the Second Prince, the General of the Mirkwood army, who would still stay in the castle.
But what of the Third Prince? Where would he go? What would become of him?
Marriage; that was the answer, according to Thranduil. To strengthen the Kingdom and to keep Legolas in riches.
*Sweet interruption!*
Like a ribbon in a garden of thorns, the creamy voice of Lindë floated into the courtyard from the party, and a smile could not be stopped from creeping upon Legolas's face at the sound of her deep and powerful voice. The Prince paused a moment in his pacing, savoring the rich alto, thick and sweet like caramel, before he progressed to sit on the side of the fountain.
This particular song his favorite minstrel sang always seemed to make him wish, whenever he heard it, that he was in love. And the way she sang the song at the same time somehow made his soul fill with the emptiest feeling, if that makes any sort of sense. Legolas yearned to be loved and to love.
*And no one will love me*, the suddenly melancholy Prince thought to himself, as he splayed his fingertips lightly across the water pooled at the base of the fountain.
*A marriage to a rich noble who knows nothing about me, only what he sees with his eyes. Ugh*
For as long as he'd remembred, people had told him his beauty rivaled that of Rivendell's Evenstar. His face, his hair, his very eyelashes had been compared to a thousand glittering, delicate or other symbolic things of beauty by many nameless, faceless elves but... it somehow always made him feel worse. Would no one ever see past his flesh? Would no one ever truly know who he was and love him for that alone? No, it seemed, this true love he sought was not to be found.
The usual depressing and outlandish thoughts began to re-surface for Legolas, whenever he visited this subject in his mind.
*Maybe good hair is all I have*, he thought bitterly.*Just skin and lips and without it, I would be unendured. Locked away. For what else is there to me? I have nothing else. No one else.*
In sudden anger, Legolas plunged his hand into the water to mar the reflection he loathed to look upon.
"And no one will ever love you, or ever has loved you because deep down... deep down is where you are truly ugly." Legolas spat out-loud to his rippleing reflection. "Too ugly for anyone to love."
A few feet away, silent, undetected and in shock, Estel struggled to control himself; strained to keep from leaping out the trees right then and demanding the Prince explain his words! 'Too ugly for anyone to love'? Ludicrous! Laughable!
But the Prince wasn't finished.
"Why, Elbereth, do you insist on smashing me into the ground as you do? In such contradiction, you make me a Prince and yet a slave!", Legolas glared at the skies, spilling his anger into the air,"I'm imprisoned in a Kingdom from which I will never escape, never be rescued from, and will be bound to until someone has seen fit to sell me, sell me to the highest bidder as my father does!"
Estel felt a tinge of deja vu. Had he not shouted the same thing to Lord Elrond years earlier when a marriage was almost forced upon him?
The Prince continued.
"I am immortal but still dead in every other way.", he ranted to the stars,"What good is life when it is not lived? How long will I be kept in such a mountainous prison before they finally send me off to the halls of Mandos where the dead are supposed to lie, Dear Elbereth, will you tell me that?"
The need for escape wasn't something unknown to Estel, either. In fact, escaping - looking for excitement, for freedom, for life was what he'd been doing that night running off to Mirkwood. It seemed he and the Prince had much in common.
"And worst yet," Legolas said, softening his tone,"Worst yet, you make me beautiful in the reflections of eyes, beautiful in shallow water... But so... so homely and unsightly in hearts. Hearts which are the only mirrors that matter."
Estel could take no more, could endure no more of this scene that made his gut wrench. Throwing off his mask, he leaped out of the tree and grabbed a startled Legolas by his slender wrists.
"Hush, dear prince, and speak no more anguish! I cannot bear to hear such disrespect and foul mockery to one that I hold so high!", Estel blurted.
Legolas gasped, startled and surprised at being sneaked up on. Recovering his wits quick enough, however, he yanked his arms free of Estel's grasp and backed away, apologizing, "Stranger, I am sorry. Forgive my irreverence to Elbereth, you're ri-"
"Elbereth is not who I meant," Estel said, stepping closer to the Legolas, without touching him,"Prince of Mirkwood, I mean you."
A silence followed. 'Hold so high'? Him?
Clarification registered in Legolas's mind, but... "Then I heard wrong," Legolas said,"A mistake. You know you aren't supposed to be in here? How did you get in here?"
"Through the trees. I know my presence is forbidden here and I don't care", Estel smiled,"I just had to meet you."
Legolas blushed and dropped his eyes at the way the handsome stranger was looking at him right then. For the first time, it wasn't 'lust' that clouded someones vision when their eyes locked with his form - it was something else. Something unknown to Legolas. And although we know exactly what it was that so deepend Estel's gaze, the deprived little blonde had not the slightest clue. He did know, however, that the look made him feel a little light-headed and *very* strange - though... it was a good sort of strange.
Estel's smile widened at Legolas's modest reaction.
"Forgive me, beautiful soul, if I make you uncomfortable", he chuckled,"I suppose it's another of Elbereth's contradictions that you should make me feel so at peace, yet I have only the opposite effect on you."
Legolas smiled briefly and found his voice,"You just...um..", he paused a moment and decided to be blunt,"Pardon me, but I am not accustomed to praise-giving strangers leaping out at me from bushes in publicly-forbidden courtyards where I come to be alone."
"That's surprising," Estel said, not thrown off,"I should think there are many who wish to replace your lonliness with their presence and worship."
Legolas could not help but laugh,"You flatter me. Why is this?"
"I can only attempt to return the favor you grant me," Estel explained,"My eyes have never been so enamored, my ears never so blessed with such a sound such as your laughter, and a moment ago, my hands felt nothing so soft and smooth as your skin..."
"Oh, say no more", Legolas interrupted,"I do not wish to hear such shallow praises, so absurd and unimportant..."
"You would call my love for you shallow, absurd and unimportant?"
"What love?", Legolas asked, turning from Estel,"Love for strands of hair or eyes that happen to be of satisfactory shades? Do you know what love is? How unconditional, powerful, and unyielding and how far above frivolous surface pleasantries love be?"
"Before tonight, I did not." Estel answered, almost sadly,"Before I met you, I did not."
Legolas let out an unbelieving and annoyed, "Hah!", before shaking his head and moving to sit near the fountain again, tired of standing.
"I will be honest", Estel appealed, following Legolas,"Earlier tonight, it was your beauty that captured my attention. I won't deny that. But, watching you tonight, hearing your words.... please, do not doubt what I feel now, how serene and yet, tumultuous my heart is now and because of you."
"You were watching me?", Legolas said, looking down at the water after taking his seat on the fountain ledge."What was it then? That makes you love? What did you see? Other than my flesh. Tell me that."
Estel stopped walking and stood a few feet away from Legolas. There wasn't even a pause in his response.
"An open-ness, a friendliness, a willingness for peace even when it goes against your personal wishes.", Estel said,"You endure stares, touches, and words that would make any other mad in anger, yet you retain your composure. You tolerate if it makes your father, your mother or whoever else happy. You're so self-less when any other in your place would be the opposite. Any other with your beauty would use it, manipulate with it's power, and become empty on the inside. But not you."
Legolas bit his lip at Estel's passionate voice and a sudden moisture came to his eyes.
"You're different.", Estel continued, stepping closer to the Prince,"There's something inside of you and it's so good and I can't resist it."
The dark-haired noble of Rivendell kneeled at the Prince's feet, and took the pale and smaller hands in his own darker, courser ones. "If you want proof of my love for you and not your appearance, then use these hands and take my eyes! Take my sight! Take and I will be satisfied with the goodness of your heart, the comfort of your soul, the sound of your voice..." Estel leaned in closer to the Prince, their faces only inches apart, for truly, he could not resist,"... and the taste of your lips."
Before Prince Legolas could react, Estel captured his mouth in an all-powerful, soul-shattering kiss.
Now, a kiss is a very hard thing to describe when it becomes more than just the meeting of two pairs of lips, so I won't bother to try to achieve much detail here. I will say, however, that this kiss was unlike any other either had ever given or received, or dreamed of ever giving or receiving. The heat of their souls and hearts came together in this simple contact, sparked a chain reaction, ignited faster than a match and gasoline, and burned a thousand times hotter than the flame, leaving the two weak, breathless and very blissful moments later, when Legolas pulled away, gasping.
"It's you," Estel breathed, savoring the lingering flavor of the Prince,"I love you."
Legolas felt a little dizzy. He closed his eyes, swallowed and used all of strength and will power to rise to his feet. His universe was suddenly shifted and the ground seemed to tremble below him.
He was visibly shaken as he backed away from Estel,"I-"
"Prince Legolas!", a gruff voice resounded from the entrance of the courtyard. It was a guard.
The two by the fountain froze, but no one appeared. Legolas regained his composure, "You can't be seen here!"
Estel nodded and rose.
"Prince Legolas, your father wishes your presence at this time!", the voice echoed.
"In a moment, tell him, I will come, sir." Legolas called back. He turned to Estel. "I must leave..."
"And as the dawn approaches, so must I.", Estel said. He glanced back towards the entrance to make sure no one was there, before continuing,"I do love you. Please, do not deny me. And if you won't return my heart, then tell me now so that I may go and end this life which would then hold nothing for me to live for."
"I don't even know your name", Legolas smiled, despite himself."But... yes, I love you."
Estel smiled a smile somehow brighter than the sun and giving a relieved sort of laugh, he pulled Legolas into his arms and kissed him again.
"Legolas!", it was Raumiwen's voice this time.
"We must speak again, soon", Legolas said, drawing away again,"I don't know who you are, or from where you come and my father, he wishes..."
"I wish to marry you."
"Then we'll tell my father, and maybe he will have mercy and send the noble who has been granted my hand away..."
"Dear Prince, I... my name. I'm...", Estel searched for the words to explain himself.
"What?", Legolas asked, suddenly worried.
"LEGOLAS! Legolas, you will come this instant or I will come and get you and it will not be pleasant!", Raumiwen threatened.
"My name is Estel Peredhil, of the House of Elrond. A noble of Rivendell," Estel said, closing his eyes at his curse of a name.
Legolas blinked.
"Legolas!", his attendents voice was closer than it was before.
"Come to me again and we'll speak more. I must go." Legolas said turning from Estel.
Before he got more than two paces, though, Legolas turned, dashed back to Estel, threw his arms around him and kissed him one more time. "Don't forget me."
"You have my heart and my life at your beck and call, I will not forget you." Estel whispered in Legolas's ear as the blonde slipped away. Before leaving the courtyard, their eyes met one more time, saying more to each other than the limited power of language ever could, and then Legolas disappeared back into the party and Estel leaped up into the trees again.
~
Dawn's array of colorful beams were shooting across the heavens by the time Estel arrived back at the edge of the clearing where he and his brothers had agreed to meet.
He dropped down from the trees between the two elves, who looked both annoyed and worried.
"Where have you been?! Where is your mask?!", Elrohir whispered fiercly, trying not to attract attention.
"Do you realize our horses have probably been spotted by now? It is morning and so bright already!", Elladan scolded.
"Brothers, let us not tarry any longer. Come," Estel said, dazedly,"I wish not to get us into any more trouble than I fear I already have."
Estel moved to creep back to where their horses were, but the twins looked suspiciously at each other and then back at Estel.
"Already have?", Elladan said,"What have you done? Dear Elbereth, tell me it isn't too bad."
Estel turned back to face them. If he could not tell these two of his predicament, then who *could* he tell? He prepared to give them a swift summary before they were caught idling near the clearing. "Earlier this evening, I met Prince Legolas..."
"Oh say no more.", Elrohir rolled his eyes. "You jeopardize our obscurity to fool around with a pretty head. Of course. They could have recognized you. He could describe you to one of his brothers who would immedietly know you. Have you lost your mind?!"
"No...", Elladan said softly, studying Estel. He tilted his head to the side as the truth came to him."He's lost his heart."
Elrohir scoffed and then looked at the expression on Estel's face. The dreamy-look confirming his twin's words. "Well, much difference that does."
"Look, I fear we've been too long. We should go and I will explain later." Estel said, suddenly afraid that if he stayed a moment longer, he would not be able to control the wild urge in him to rush like a madman back through the trees to be with his love.
Elladan nodded. "Leaving now is an excellent idea, brother. Let's go."
And the three of the House of Elrond crept as silently as they could back to their awaiting horses at the edge of the Mirkwood forest. It was a wonder they were not discovered, with Elrohir's spasmadic explosions of "Un. Be. Leiv. Able." and "Elbereth, you fool!". Estel himself was of no condition to be creeping around as undetected as he did, what with his current state of druggedness induced by the mixing of two hearts in that infernal combination called 'love'. Visions of blue eyes and blonde hair blurred roots and rocks, and Estel had to concentrate very hard on where he was going, so as not to trip.
Only Elladan seemed to be in his right mind, shushing Elrohir and keeping a close eye on Estel, should his brother stumble, fall, and be hurt or give away their presence.
Somehow, though, they made it back to their horses and into their own lands, safe and untraced.
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*PLEASE* review! It makes me really happy and is pretty much the only pushing I get to keep writing this story. What did you think? Am I going too fast? Is it coherent? Maybe I should get a beta-reader... but then, where to find one? Ah well.
And - Thank you so much for your comments in the first two chapters :) :) :)
Disclaimer: See chapters one and two, ehem.
Warnings: Below, you will find an entire forest of sap. Thick, sweet, ooey-gooey sap and loads of it! I'm warning you... if you don't have a sweet tooth, you might want to read something bitter before heading south of this warning... Oh yeah, there's also slash, too, so if you're an uptight anti-everything sort of person then you might wanna turn back now. Thanks for dropping by though!
P.S. If you can, you might want to listen to Des'ree's "Kissing You" from the Romeo and Juliet Soundtrack for the following chapter... Dunno, whenever I read these stories, it just feels better when I've got music playing to match the setting. Just a suggestion. =D
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**In the spirit of Shakespeare, let me describe the scene before we get into the story ;) **
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scene: Twilight, an hour or so before dawn. Legolas has just entered the courtyard that is hidden from the view of those at the party and that has an entrance well-guarded by two elves - who were given strict instructions to let no one, save members of the royal family, enter. All around the little clearing are bushes of the wildest, most beautiful flowers and higher up on the trees are free-hanging lights giving off a bluish glow to everything. In the center of the clearing, is a water fountain divinely spouting crystaline waters like droplets of moonlight in arches facing opposite each other. Estel, unbeknownest to Legolas, has just made his way into the clearing and is crouching in the trees, silenced and frozen for a moment, as he is over-taken by the magnificence of the picture.
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**And now onto the story** (Pssttt!!! Cue the music!! The music!!!)...
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Prince Legolas sighed to himself, as he slowly wandered through the courtyard, maskless. He'd had an exceptional time of dancing, talking and laughing ... but now, he sought a few moments for himself; especially in response to the news he'd just received.
Legolas assumed it was a lucky thing when his father relented to let him come out of the party and be alone without putting up much resistence. The Prince's behavior that night was more satisfactory than usual, so he assumed his father was giving him a break, maybe. Returning the favor, if you will.
*But of course not*, Legolas thought, downcast. His mind ran over his father's words again.
"I will grant you this time to yourself, Legolas, because very soon you will never be alone, again", King Thranduil told him jovially,"This night, my son, a marriage has been accepted on your behalf! Go and think on this with good thoughts!"
Legolas had felt like he'd been struck in the stomach and he could not form a reply. He hadn't said a word, only nodded before he dashed past the guards into the courtyard. It seemed he'd been dreading this day for ages now and it was finally upon him.
Oh, don't misunderstand, the prospect of marriage was no surprise to Legolas. His father had told him ever since he was little that a day would come when someone would make a big enough offer to the King for his son and the King would accept. Legolas would marry at his father's will and fancy. What other choice did he have? As the third Prince, he was entitled to no fortune of his fathers - that was saved for the First Prince, the future King. Any scrapings would surely be given to the Second Prince, the General of the Mirkwood army, who would still stay in the castle.
But what of the Third Prince? Where would he go? What would become of him?
Marriage; that was the answer, according to Thranduil. To strengthen the Kingdom and to keep Legolas in riches.
*Sweet interruption!*
Like a ribbon in a garden of thorns, the creamy voice of Lindë floated into the courtyard from the party, and a smile could not be stopped from creeping upon Legolas's face at the sound of her deep and powerful voice. The Prince paused a moment in his pacing, savoring the rich alto, thick and sweet like caramel, before he progressed to sit on the side of the fountain.
This particular song his favorite minstrel sang always seemed to make him wish, whenever he heard it, that he was in love. And the way she sang the song at the same time somehow made his soul fill with the emptiest feeling, if that makes any sort of sense. Legolas yearned to be loved and to love.
*And no one will love me*, the suddenly melancholy Prince thought to himself, as he splayed his fingertips lightly across the water pooled at the base of the fountain.
*A marriage to a rich noble who knows nothing about me, only what he sees with his eyes. Ugh*
For as long as he'd remembred, people had told him his beauty rivaled that of Rivendell's Evenstar. His face, his hair, his very eyelashes had been compared to a thousand glittering, delicate or other symbolic things of beauty by many nameless, faceless elves but... it somehow always made him feel worse. Would no one ever see past his flesh? Would no one ever truly know who he was and love him for that alone? No, it seemed, this true love he sought was not to be found.
The usual depressing and outlandish thoughts began to re-surface for Legolas, whenever he visited this subject in his mind.
*Maybe good hair is all I have*, he thought bitterly.*Just skin and lips and without it, I would be unendured. Locked away. For what else is there to me? I have nothing else. No one else.*
In sudden anger, Legolas plunged his hand into the water to mar the reflection he loathed to look upon.
"And no one will ever love you, or ever has loved you because deep down... deep down is where you are truly ugly." Legolas spat out-loud to his rippleing reflection. "Too ugly for anyone to love."
A few feet away, silent, undetected and in shock, Estel struggled to control himself; strained to keep from leaping out the trees right then and demanding the Prince explain his words! 'Too ugly for anyone to love'? Ludicrous! Laughable!
But the Prince wasn't finished.
"Why, Elbereth, do you insist on smashing me into the ground as you do? In such contradiction, you make me a Prince and yet a slave!", Legolas glared at the skies, spilling his anger into the air,"I'm imprisoned in a Kingdom from which I will never escape, never be rescued from, and will be bound to until someone has seen fit to sell me, sell me to the highest bidder as my father does!"
Estel felt a tinge of deja vu. Had he not shouted the same thing to Lord Elrond years earlier when a marriage was almost forced upon him?
The Prince continued.
"I am immortal but still dead in every other way.", he ranted to the stars,"What good is life when it is not lived? How long will I be kept in such a mountainous prison before they finally send me off to the halls of Mandos where the dead are supposed to lie, Dear Elbereth, will you tell me that?"
The need for escape wasn't something unknown to Estel, either. In fact, escaping - looking for excitement, for freedom, for life was what he'd been doing that night running off to Mirkwood. It seemed he and the Prince had much in common.
"And worst yet," Legolas said, softening his tone,"Worst yet, you make me beautiful in the reflections of eyes, beautiful in shallow water... But so... so homely and unsightly in hearts. Hearts which are the only mirrors that matter."
Estel could take no more, could endure no more of this scene that made his gut wrench. Throwing off his mask, he leaped out of the tree and grabbed a startled Legolas by his slender wrists.
"Hush, dear prince, and speak no more anguish! I cannot bear to hear such disrespect and foul mockery to one that I hold so high!", Estel blurted.
Legolas gasped, startled and surprised at being sneaked up on. Recovering his wits quick enough, however, he yanked his arms free of Estel's grasp and backed away, apologizing, "Stranger, I am sorry. Forgive my irreverence to Elbereth, you're ri-"
"Elbereth is not who I meant," Estel said, stepping closer to the Legolas, without touching him,"Prince of Mirkwood, I mean you."
A silence followed. 'Hold so high'? Him?
Clarification registered in Legolas's mind, but... "Then I heard wrong," Legolas said,"A mistake. You know you aren't supposed to be in here? How did you get in here?"
"Through the trees. I know my presence is forbidden here and I don't care", Estel smiled,"I just had to meet you."
Legolas blushed and dropped his eyes at the way the handsome stranger was looking at him right then. For the first time, it wasn't 'lust' that clouded someones vision when their eyes locked with his form - it was something else. Something unknown to Legolas. And although we know exactly what it was that so deepend Estel's gaze, the deprived little blonde had not the slightest clue. He did know, however, that the look made him feel a little light-headed and *very* strange - though... it was a good sort of strange.
Estel's smile widened at Legolas's modest reaction.
"Forgive me, beautiful soul, if I make you uncomfortable", he chuckled,"I suppose it's another of Elbereth's contradictions that you should make me feel so at peace, yet I have only the opposite effect on you."
Legolas smiled briefly and found his voice,"You just...um..", he paused a moment and decided to be blunt,"Pardon me, but I am not accustomed to praise-giving strangers leaping out at me from bushes in publicly-forbidden courtyards where I come to be alone."
"That's surprising," Estel said, not thrown off,"I should think there are many who wish to replace your lonliness with their presence and worship."
Legolas could not help but laugh,"You flatter me. Why is this?"
"I can only attempt to return the favor you grant me," Estel explained,"My eyes have never been so enamored, my ears never so blessed with such a sound such as your laughter, and a moment ago, my hands felt nothing so soft and smooth as your skin..."
"Oh, say no more", Legolas interrupted,"I do not wish to hear such shallow praises, so absurd and unimportant..."
"You would call my love for you shallow, absurd and unimportant?"
"What love?", Legolas asked, turning from Estel,"Love for strands of hair or eyes that happen to be of satisfactory shades? Do you know what love is? How unconditional, powerful, and unyielding and how far above frivolous surface pleasantries love be?"
"Before tonight, I did not." Estel answered, almost sadly,"Before I met you, I did not."
Legolas let out an unbelieving and annoyed, "Hah!", before shaking his head and moving to sit near the fountain again, tired of standing.
"I will be honest", Estel appealed, following Legolas,"Earlier tonight, it was your beauty that captured my attention. I won't deny that. But, watching you tonight, hearing your words.... please, do not doubt what I feel now, how serene and yet, tumultuous my heart is now and because of you."
"You were watching me?", Legolas said, looking down at the water after taking his seat on the fountain ledge."What was it then? That makes you love? What did you see? Other than my flesh. Tell me that."
Estel stopped walking and stood a few feet away from Legolas. There wasn't even a pause in his response.
"An open-ness, a friendliness, a willingness for peace even when it goes against your personal wishes.", Estel said,"You endure stares, touches, and words that would make any other mad in anger, yet you retain your composure. You tolerate if it makes your father, your mother or whoever else happy. You're so self-less when any other in your place would be the opposite. Any other with your beauty would use it, manipulate with it's power, and become empty on the inside. But not you."
Legolas bit his lip at Estel's passionate voice and a sudden moisture came to his eyes.
"You're different.", Estel continued, stepping closer to the Prince,"There's something inside of you and it's so good and I can't resist it."
The dark-haired noble of Rivendell kneeled at the Prince's feet, and took the pale and smaller hands in his own darker, courser ones. "If you want proof of my love for you and not your appearance, then use these hands and take my eyes! Take my sight! Take and I will be satisfied with the goodness of your heart, the comfort of your soul, the sound of your voice..." Estel leaned in closer to the Prince, their faces only inches apart, for truly, he could not resist,"... and the taste of your lips."
Before Prince Legolas could react, Estel captured his mouth in an all-powerful, soul-shattering kiss.
Now, a kiss is a very hard thing to describe when it becomes more than just the meeting of two pairs of lips, so I won't bother to try to achieve much detail here. I will say, however, that this kiss was unlike any other either had ever given or received, or dreamed of ever giving or receiving. The heat of their souls and hearts came together in this simple contact, sparked a chain reaction, ignited faster than a match and gasoline, and burned a thousand times hotter than the flame, leaving the two weak, breathless and very blissful moments later, when Legolas pulled away, gasping.
"It's you," Estel breathed, savoring the lingering flavor of the Prince,"I love you."
Legolas felt a little dizzy. He closed his eyes, swallowed and used all of strength and will power to rise to his feet. His universe was suddenly shifted and the ground seemed to tremble below him.
He was visibly shaken as he backed away from Estel,"I-"
"Prince Legolas!", a gruff voice resounded from the entrance of the courtyard. It was a guard.
The two by the fountain froze, but no one appeared. Legolas regained his composure, "You can't be seen here!"
Estel nodded and rose.
"Prince Legolas, your father wishes your presence at this time!", the voice echoed.
"In a moment, tell him, I will come, sir." Legolas called back. He turned to Estel. "I must leave..."
"And as the dawn approaches, so must I.", Estel said. He glanced back towards the entrance to make sure no one was there, before continuing,"I do love you. Please, do not deny me. And if you won't return my heart, then tell me now so that I may go and end this life which would then hold nothing for me to live for."
"I don't even know your name", Legolas smiled, despite himself."But... yes, I love you."
Estel smiled a smile somehow brighter than the sun and giving a relieved sort of laugh, he pulled Legolas into his arms and kissed him again.
"Legolas!", it was Raumiwen's voice this time.
"We must speak again, soon", Legolas said, drawing away again,"I don't know who you are, or from where you come and my father, he wishes..."
"I wish to marry you."
"Then we'll tell my father, and maybe he will have mercy and send the noble who has been granted my hand away..."
"Dear Prince, I... my name. I'm...", Estel searched for the words to explain himself.
"What?", Legolas asked, suddenly worried.
"LEGOLAS! Legolas, you will come this instant or I will come and get you and it will not be pleasant!", Raumiwen threatened.
"My name is Estel Peredhil, of the House of Elrond. A noble of Rivendell," Estel said, closing his eyes at his curse of a name.
Legolas blinked.
"Legolas!", his attendents voice was closer than it was before.
"Come to me again and we'll speak more. I must go." Legolas said turning from Estel.
Before he got more than two paces, though, Legolas turned, dashed back to Estel, threw his arms around him and kissed him one more time. "Don't forget me."
"You have my heart and my life at your beck and call, I will not forget you." Estel whispered in Legolas's ear as the blonde slipped away. Before leaving the courtyard, their eyes met one more time, saying more to each other than the limited power of language ever could, and then Legolas disappeared back into the party and Estel leaped up into the trees again.
~
Dawn's array of colorful beams were shooting across the heavens by the time Estel arrived back at the edge of the clearing where he and his brothers had agreed to meet.
He dropped down from the trees between the two elves, who looked both annoyed and worried.
"Where have you been?! Where is your mask?!", Elrohir whispered fiercly, trying not to attract attention.
"Do you realize our horses have probably been spotted by now? It is morning and so bright already!", Elladan scolded.
"Brothers, let us not tarry any longer. Come," Estel said, dazedly,"I wish not to get us into any more trouble than I fear I already have."
Estel moved to creep back to where their horses were, but the twins looked suspiciously at each other and then back at Estel.
"Already have?", Elladan said,"What have you done? Dear Elbereth, tell me it isn't too bad."
Estel turned back to face them. If he could not tell these two of his predicament, then who *could* he tell? He prepared to give them a swift summary before they were caught idling near the clearing. "Earlier this evening, I met Prince Legolas..."
"Oh say no more.", Elrohir rolled his eyes. "You jeopardize our obscurity to fool around with a pretty head. Of course. They could have recognized you. He could describe you to one of his brothers who would immedietly know you. Have you lost your mind?!"
"No...", Elladan said softly, studying Estel. He tilted his head to the side as the truth came to him."He's lost his heart."
Elrohir scoffed and then looked at the expression on Estel's face. The dreamy-look confirming his twin's words. "Well, much difference that does."
"Look, I fear we've been too long. We should go and I will explain later." Estel said, suddenly afraid that if he stayed a moment longer, he would not be able to control the wild urge in him to rush like a madman back through the trees to be with his love.
Elladan nodded. "Leaving now is an excellent idea, brother. Let's go."
And the three of the House of Elrond crept as silently as they could back to their awaiting horses at the edge of the Mirkwood forest. It was a wonder they were not discovered, with Elrohir's spasmadic explosions of "Un. Be. Leiv. Able." and "Elbereth, you fool!". Estel himself was of no condition to be creeping around as undetected as he did, what with his current state of druggedness induced by the mixing of two hearts in that infernal combination called 'love'. Visions of blue eyes and blonde hair blurred roots and rocks, and Estel had to concentrate very hard on where he was going, so as not to trip.
Only Elladan seemed to be in his right mind, shushing Elrohir and keeping a close eye on Estel, should his brother stumble, fall, and be hurt or give away their presence.
Somehow, though, they made it back to their horses and into their own lands, safe and untraced.
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*PLEASE* review! It makes me really happy and is pretty much the only pushing I get to keep writing this story. What did you think? Am I going too fast? Is it coherent? Maybe I should get a beta-reader... but then, where to find one? Ah well.
And - Thank you so much for your comments in the first two chapters :) :) :)