*~* Legolas is a most "human" Elf: he can be playful or even boyish, he has
a sense of humor; he does not have that remoteness approaching weariness or
that aura of hidden power which characterizes Elrond and some of the
others. ~ Michael N. Stanton "Hobbits, Elves, and Wizards" *~*
THE FAERIE GOBLET
Chapter 2 ~ "Legolas Greenleaf, Son of Thranduil, Prince of Mirkwood, Lord of Ithilien"
"An excellent feast, Ladies. I thank you!" Legolas slid his chair back from the table slightly and saluted his two female companions with his cup of wine.
"And we thank you, our noble protector," Queen Arwen said returning the gesture.
"Protector?" Legolas asked innocently, though he nearly choked on his wine.
Arwen glanced at the Lady Eowyn across the table and together the two women turned amused smiles on him.
"You couldn't possibly think we did not know your purpose here, did you Legolas?" Eowyn asked.
I had certainly hoped so, Legolas thought. But he kept silent, waiting to see how this would play out.
"Its obvious," Arwen nodded, "Aragorn must have asked you to stay with us while he and Lord Faramir were away. He has been anxious about leaving the baby and I with Orcs making occasional border raids. So plainly, he asked you to stay and keep an eye on us."
Before Legolas could think of a suitably evasive reply, Eowyn added her opinion.
"Faramir has also been anxious for me and wishes that I carry out my confinement within the safety of the city," her hand strayed unthinkingly to the slight swell of her belly.
Legolas gathered his wits. "Nay, Ladies. You are mistaken. I would never dream of imposing myself on two such independent and capable women such as yourselves."
"You might not," Arwen said with an amused snort. "But Aragorn would."
Legolas shook his head. "As I told you when I arrived, I am on my way to visit Gimli at the Glittering Caves. I am in need of rest. We have toiled long and hard in Ithilien."
"He is a terrible liar," Eowyn remarked to Arwen.
"Yes," Arwen nodded sagely. "Even I could lie with more conviction."
Legolas threw his hands up in defeat. "Very well, you have caught me out!"
Both women grinned smugly.
"You are unused to the company of women, Legolas," Arwen said. "Else you would not have attempted such subterfuge with us."
Laughing, he replied, "Apparently, I am outwitted."
"And outnumbered," Eowyn added with a smile.
"Yet, I would see you outnumbered even more," Arwen said speculatively. "If you were married, Legolas, you would know more of women's ways and could have fooled us more easily."
"No, thank you," Legolas said, not liking the turn of the conversation. Arwen occasionally tried playing matchmaker with him and he was not eager for her to begin again.
"What hope can there be for me?" he asked disarmingly, hoping to throw her off the subject, "when the two most beautiful women in Gondor are already claimed? I shall have to remain a bachelor. Besides, I am happy as I am," he added.
"Are you?" Arwen asked, turning serious. "A woman's love might ease your pain," she suggested softly.
Legolas' smile faded. "I am afraid that nothing can ease my pain except the sea itself. I would be a gloomy companion for a lady for any length of time."
"Yet, might there not be a woman who could share your burden and love you despite the gloom?"
Legolas glanced away lest Arwen discern too much. He wondered if Aragorn had told her, despite his plea for silence.
There was such a woman of course. But Legolas was afraid that door was closed to him. It had been fourteen years since he had last spoken with her. And though he cared for her deeply, more deeply than he had ever cared about any other woman, he still could not give his love to her. And she deserved love. She deserved love more than anyone he'd ever known because she gave so much of herself.
He hoped that she would forget him. He hoped that his silence might make her look elsewhere for her happiness.
She would have a better life with someone else. Someone who would love and worship her as she deserves. Not someone who listens only for the call of his mistress the sea, Legolas thought bitterly. Picturing her with someone else though brought a pain to his heart that he wished not to examine.
Glancing up at Arwen he wondered if her Elvin sight saw through him. Perhaps even now, she saw that which he was unwilling to admit to himself.
Attempting to make light of the subject, he said, "I'm afraid that even Gimli tires of my company rather quickly of late. If I try the patience of a Dwarf, imagine the agony I would cause a woman."
His words fell into an uncomfortable silence. Fortunately after an awkward pause Eowyn came to his rescue.
"Legolas, would you spar with me again tomorrow? That is." she added with a twinkle of mischief, "if your hand is not too tender."
"Nay, it is fine," he said, grateful for the change of subject. "It was a small bruise and a lucky parry, " he added with a grin.
"Eowyn?" Arwen said slowly. "Did not Faramir forbid you sword play during your pregnancy?"
"A point which I brought up," Legolas interjected.
Eowyn smiled impishly and Legolas was suddenly reminded of another woman with pale, freckled skin and a mischievous smile.
"Yes, Faramir did forbid it," Eowyn said. "But the healer said that I should partake of exercise to stay strong."
"I imagine he meant walking," Legolas interrupted, "not sword fighting."
Eowyn ignored his remark. "And since Legolas was kind enough."
"I was coerced," he pointed out.
".to accompany me," Eowyn continued, "I thought it best to stay with a form of exercise which I know best."
"Attacking me with all the ferocity of one of the King's knights," Legolas grumbled.
Eowyn laughed. "You are just sore because the sword is not your best weapon, Legolas."
"Nay, I am sore because you nearly took my hand off!"
"You did not use real swords, did you?" Arwen asked worriedly.
"Nay, we used wooden ones."
"At my insistence," Legolas added. "Even then I have a handsome bruise to show for it."
"At least I helped pluck out the splinters," Eowyn gave him mischievous smile.
"All one hundred of them," Legolas exaggerated.
Watching Eowyn laugh now, Legolas was amazed by the transformation in her. When he'd first met her, she'd been full of sorrow. But now to see her laughing and smiling, it was as if the shadow had never been. She had overcome her infatuation with Aragorn so completely that she and Arwen were the best of friends. Their children were growing up as close as cousins and Legolas foresaw peaceful and prosperous times for Gondor and Ithilien.
When Eowyn had come to him earlier, begging him to spar with her, he'd been unable to refuse. He'd taken quite a beating from her too because he could not bring himself to fight fully with a pregnant woman. Her skill was very good. And though it was true that the sword was not his favorite of weapons, he could have beaten her easily if he'd chosen too. Much better to see her healthy and smiling and to take a few bruises.
Rising, Arwen bid them to join her in the solar for more wine. Legolas found himself at the center of attention once again as each woman took one of his arms. Listening to the soft rustle of their gowns and looking down at their bright hair and smiling faces, he decided that Aragorn could have asked him to perform a much more disagreeable task.
~ ~ ~ A/N: I hope you'll forgive me for the blunder I made. Since it is 20 years after LOTR it is unlikely that Eowyn would be pregnant. While I felt that it was important to the chapter, it is not important to the story. So, I hope it will not prevent your enjoyment of it. And speaking of chapters. find out what Alede's up to in chapter 3 "Alede the Green" coming soon!
Thanks for all the reviews and encouragement on chapter 1! Its wonderful to see so many of you back again! :D
THE FAERIE GOBLET
Chapter 2 ~ "Legolas Greenleaf, Son of Thranduil, Prince of Mirkwood, Lord of Ithilien"
"An excellent feast, Ladies. I thank you!" Legolas slid his chair back from the table slightly and saluted his two female companions with his cup of wine.
"And we thank you, our noble protector," Queen Arwen said returning the gesture.
"Protector?" Legolas asked innocently, though he nearly choked on his wine.
Arwen glanced at the Lady Eowyn across the table and together the two women turned amused smiles on him.
"You couldn't possibly think we did not know your purpose here, did you Legolas?" Eowyn asked.
I had certainly hoped so, Legolas thought. But he kept silent, waiting to see how this would play out.
"Its obvious," Arwen nodded, "Aragorn must have asked you to stay with us while he and Lord Faramir were away. He has been anxious about leaving the baby and I with Orcs making occasional border raids. So plainly, he asked you to stay and keep an eye on us."
Before Legolas could think of a suitably evasive reply, Eowyn added her opinion.
"Faramir has also been anxious for me and wishes that I carry out my confinement within the safety of the city," her hand strayed unthinkingly to the slight swell of her belly.
Legolas gathered his wits. "Nay, Ladies. You are mistaken. I would never dream of imposing myself on two such independent and capable women such as yourselves."
"You might not," Arwen said with an amused snort. "But Aragorn would."
Legolas shook his head. "As I told you when I arrived, I am on my way to visit Gimli at the Glittering Caves. I am in need of rest. We have toiled long and hard in Ithilien."
"He is a terrible liar," Eowyn remarked to Arwen.
"Yes," Arwen nodded sagely. "Even I could lie with more conviction."
Legolas threw his hands up in defeat. "Very well, you have caught me out!"
Both women grinned smugly.
"You are unused to the company of women, Legolas," Arwen said. "Else you would not have attempted such subterfuge with us."
Laughing, he replied, "Apparently, I am outwitted."
"And outnumbered," Eowyn added with a smile.
"Yet, I would see you outnumbered even more," Arwen said speculatively. "If you were married, Legolas, you would know more of women's ways and could have fooled us more easily."
"No, thank you," Legolas said, not liking the turn of the conversation. Arwen occasionally tried playing matchmaker with him and he was not eager for her to begin again.
"What hope can there be for me?" he asked disarmingly, hoping to throw her off the subject, "when the two most beautiful women in Gondor are already claimed? I shall have to remain a bachelor. Besides, I am happy as I am," he added.
"Are you?" Arwen asked, turning serious. "A woman's love might ease your pain," she suggested softly.
Legolas' smile faded. "I am afraid that nothing can ease my pain except the sea itself. I would be a gloomy companion for a lady for any length of time."
"Yet, might there not be a woman who could share your burden and love you despite the gloom?"
Legolas glanced away lest Arwen discern too much. He wondered if Aragorn had told her, despite his plea for silence.
There was such a woman of course. But Legolas was afraid that door was closed to him. It had been fourteen years since he had last spoken with her. And though he cared for her deeply, more deeply than he had ever cared about any other woman, he still could not give his love to her. And she deserved love. She deserved love more than anyone he'd ever known because she gave so much of herself.
He hoped that she would forget him. He hoped that his silence might make her look elsewhere for her happiness.
She would have a better life with someone else. Someone who would love and worship her as she deserves. Not someone who listens only for the call of his mistress the sea, Legolas thought bitterly. Picturing her with someone else though brought a pain to his heart that he wished not to examine.
Glancing up at Arwen he wondered if her Elvin sight saw through him. Perhaps even now, she saw that which he was unwilling to admit to himself.
Attempting to make light of the subject, he said, "I'm afraid that even Gimli tires of my company rather quickly of late. If I try the patience of a Dwarf, imagine the agony I would cause a woman."
His words fell into an uncomfortable silence. Fortunately after an awkward pause Eowyn came to his rescue.
"Legolas, would you spar with me again tomorrow? That is." she added with a twinkle of mischief, "if your hand is not too tender."
"Nay, it is fine," he said, grateful for the change of subject. "It was a small bruise and a lucky parry, " he added with a grin.
"Eowyn?" Arwen said slowly. "Did not Faramir forbid you sword play during your pregnancy?"
"A point which I brought up," Legolas interjected.
Eowyn smiled impishly and Legolas was suddenly reminded of another woman with pale, freckled skin and a mischievous smile.
"Yes, Faramir did forbid it," Eowyn said. "But the healer said that I should partake of exercise to stay strong."
"I imagine he meant walking," Legolas interrupted, "not sword fighting."
Eowyn ignored his remark. "And since Legolas was kind enough."
"I was coerced," he pointed out.
".to accompany me," Eowyn continued, "I thought it best to stay with a form of exercise which I know best."
"Attacking me with all the ferocity of one of the King's knights," Legolas grumbled.
Eowyn laughed. "You are just sore because the sword is not your best weapon, Legolas."
"Nay, I am sore because you nearly took my hand off!"
"You did not use real swords, did you?" Arwen asked worriedly.
"Nay, we used wooden ones."
"At my insistence," Legolas added. "Even then I have a handsome bruise to show for it."
"At least I helped pluck out the splinters," Eowyn gave him mischievous smile.
"All one hundred of them," Legolas exaggerated.
Watching Eowyn laugh now, Legolas was amazed by the transformation in her. When he'd first met her, she'd been full of sorrow. But now to see her laughing and smiling, it was as if the shadow had never been. She had overcome her infatuation with Aragorn so completely that she and Arwen were the best of friends. Their children were growing up as close as cousins and Legolas foresaw peaceful and prosperous times for Gondor and Ithilien.
When Eowyn had come to him earlier, begging him to spar with her, he'd been unable to refuse. He'd taken quite a beating from her too because he could not bring himself to fight fully with a pregnant woman. Her skill was very good. And though it was true that the sword was not his favorite of weapons, he could have beaten her easily if he'd chosen too. Much better to see her healthy and smiling and to take a few bruises.
Rising, Arwen bid them to join her in the solar for more wine. Legolas found himself at the center of attention once again as each woman took one of his arms. Listening to the soft rustle of their gowns and looking down at their bright hair and smiling faces, he decided that Aragorn could have asked him to perform a much more disagreeable task.
~ ~ ~ A/N: I hope you'll forgive me for the blunder I made. Since it is 20 years after LOTR it is unlikely that Eowyn would be pregnant. While I felt that it was important to the chapter, it is not important to the story. So, I hope it will not prevent your enjoyment of it. And speaking of chapters. find out what Alede's up to in chapter 3 "Alede the Green" coming soon!
Thanks for all the reviews and encouragement on chapter 1! Its wonderful to see so many of you back again! :D