A/N: Here is part 9, and this is DEFINITELY the best chapter so far!!!
*dances around* Hehehe...you'll just have to wait and see what happens!
Poor, poor Legolas...Please keep on reading and reviewing!
Part 9 - An Extremely Unexpected Proposal
Alwyn was still fuming the next day, when her brother showed up at last. She went to the palace doors, intent on telling him everything that Rethnín had related to her, when who should be at Avardo's side but...Legolas himself. Alwyn stood shocked for a moment, but then her fist clenched in anger when she saw them together. Here was her brother, heartbroken and miserable due to Mariyen's withdrawal from their relationship, and it was all Legolas' fault! She fumed silently before curtseying politely to the Prince, and smiling.
"Hello Legolas, it has been so long since I saw you!" she forced a cheery smile. Legolas returned the smile gladly, and he had a caring, almost loving look in his eyes. Alwyn hugged her brother, without noticing Legolas' expression, and then asked a passing maid to take both of their luggages up to a room. Then Elrond came out and Alwyn was able to slip away. She hurried up to her bedroom, her heart beating like a drum and her face hot. How dare he! How dare he come here after all he has done! I'm so angry I could kill someone! Alwyn punched her pillow and a cloud of white feathers exploded all over her. Alwyn swore and chucked the pillow across the room, where it hit the wall and sent even more feathers cascading to the floor. A few tears leaked from her eyes, and she buried her face in the bed cover. She stayed in her room all morning and then only went down to lunch because Elrond had sent up a maid saying if she didn't he would sell her horse Fíahyn to a villager. Alwyn clattered down the steps to the dining room and sat down at the table, shooting Elrond an annoyed glare.
"I suppose Fíahyn can be spared then," he said, and Legolas and Avardo gave him strange looks.
After the meal, Alwyn retired to the library where she sat reading quietly. These days she had taken to spending time alone, not that she enjoyed it, but rather because she didn't really have anyone to talk to. Sometimes she envied how it had once been, parties...visits...she even missed arguing with the vulgar Elsbeth. She missed company. Suddenly a noise over by the door pulled her back into reality.
"Alwyn?"
It was Legolas. Alwyn sank down in her seat, hoping not to be seen, but the Prince saw her, and, his face breaking out into a smile, came over. Alwyn smiled back at him, wondering what on earth he could want. Legolas fervently checked the room for other elves, before coming over to sit by Alwyn. Alwyn looked at him expectantly, but he just sat there looking at her nervously. After about a minute Alwyn looked back down at her book. He was obviously insane, she thought. Soon she noticed him shifting uncomfortably in his seat, and then he got up suddenly. She watched him walk around the room a bit, and then he came and sat back down. Alwyn looked down at her book, pretending not to have noticed him. Then he stood up again, and looked down at her apprehensively.
"Alwyn...I..." he began, and Alwyn looked up with a puzzled expression on her face. Then the Prince abruptly began speaking hastily. "I cannot do it. I cannot conceal my feelings any longer. I have struggled with my heart but nothing can be done."
Alwyn blanched. "I..."
"Wait!" he exclaimed, taking her hand and looking into her eyes. "I love you, Alwyn, however much it seems the opposite. I have loved you since I danced with you all those months ago. Please tell me what I long to hear. I would be so happy if you would...well...consent to be my wife?"
Alwyn did not, could not, say a thing. She simply sat, her eyes fixed on his face, in utter alarm. Then she opened her mouth to speak, but thought better of it, and closed it again.
Legolas' expression slowly became uneasy. "...Alwyn?" he ventured.
"Your Highness," Alwyn said in a deadly calm voice. "Do you think after everything you have done and said to me over the past year...I could love you?"
"What do you mean?"
"First you ignored me, then you humiliated me in front of your sister by calling me 'tolerable, but not attractive enough to tempt you', and then you actually had the nerve to detach your sister from my brother when their marriage was evidently just around the corner!" Alwyn half shouted. Legolas jumped back, looking almost terrified, but also hurt at the same time. "Do you deny that you did it?" Alwyn was on her feet now, pointing at Legolas accusingly.
"I did it because..."
"Don't try to explain, I don't care. I don't want to hear any pathetic excuses."
Legolas swallowed and his eyes travelled downwards to the floor. "So...I suppose you're answer is no."
"I would not marry you if you were the only elf in Middle Earth. There is nothing you could ever say that would make me say yes." Alwyn replied, now somewhat calm again. Legolas stood looking at the floor, and then Alwyn let out a choked sob. Legolas looked up at her, and wanted to comfort her but he knew she would just scream at him again. Tears ran down Alwyn's face and after a second or two she ran from the room as fast as she could and made for her bedroom like she had done so many times before.
Legolas stood for a few moments more before also retreating to his guest room.
Neither of them were seen to venture out all evening.
Part 9 - An Extremely Unexpected Proposal
Alwyn was still fuming the next day, when her brother showed up at last. She went to the palace doors, intent on telling him everything that Rethnín had related to her, when who should be at Avardo's side but...Legolas himself. Alwyn stood shocked for a moment, but then her fist clenched in anger when she saw them together. Here was her brother, heartbroken and miserable due to Mariyen's withdrawal from their relationship, and it was all Legolas' fault! She fumed silently before curtseying politely to the Prince, and smiling.
"Hello Legolas, it has been so long since I saw you!" she forced a cheery smile. Legolas returned the smile gladly, and he had a caring, almost loving look in his eyes. Alwyn hugged her brother, without noticing Legolas' expression, and then asked a passing maid to take both of their luggages up to a room. Then Elrond came out and Alwyn was able to slip away. She hurried up to her bedroom, her heart beating like a drum and her face hot. How dare he! How dare he come here after all he has done! I'm so angry I could kill someone! Alwyn punched her pillow and a cloud of white feathers exploded all over her. Alwyn swore and chucked the pillow across the room, where it hit the wall and sent even more feathers cascading to the floor. A few tears leaked from her eyes, and she buried her face in the bed cover. She stayed in her room all morning and then only went down to lunch because Elrond had sent up a maid saying if she didn't he would sell her horse Fíahyn to a villager. Alwyn clattered down the steps to the dining room and sat down at the table, shooting Elrond an annoyed glare.
"I suppose Fíahyn can be spared then," he said, and Legolas and Avardo gave him strange looks.
After the meal, Alwyn retired to the library where she sat reading quietly. These days she had taken to spending time alone, not that she enjoyed it, but rather because she didn't really have anyone to talk to. Sometimes she envied how it had once been, parties...visits...she even missed arguing with the vulgar Elsbeth. She missed company. Suddenly a noise over by the door pulled her back into reality.
"Alwyn?"
It was Legolas. Alwyn sank down in her seat, hoping not to be seen, but the Prince saw her, and, his face breaking out into a smile, came over. Alwyn smiled back at him, wondering what on earth he could want. Legolas fervently checked the room for other elves, before coming over to sit by Alwyn. Alwyn looked at him expectantly, but he just sat there looking at her nervously. After about a minute Alwyn looked back down at her book. He was obviously insane, she thought. Soon she noticed him shifting uncomfortably in his seat, and then he got up suddenly. She watched him walk around the room a bit, and then he came and sat back down. Alwyn looked down at her book, pretending not to have noticed him. Then he stood up again, and looked down at her apprehensively.
"Alwyn...I..." he began, and Alwyn looked up with a puzzled expression on her face. Then the Prince abruptly began speaking hastily. "I cannot do it. I cannot conceal my feelings any longer. I have struggled with my heart but nothing can be done."
Alwyn blanched. "I..."
"Wait!" he exclaimed, taking her hand and looking into her eyes. "I love you, Alwyn, however much it seems the opposite. I have loved you since I danced with you all those months ago. Please tell me what I long to hear. I would be so happy if you would...well...consent to be my wife?"
Alwyn did not, could not, say a thing. She simply sat, her eyes fixed on his face, in utter alarm. Then she opened her mouth to speak, but thought better of it, and closed it again.
Legolas' expression slowly became uneasy. "...Alwyn?" he ventured.
"Your Highness," Alwyn said in a deadly calm voice. "Do you think after everything you have done and said to me over the past year...I could love you?"
"What do you mean?"
"First you ignored me, then you humiliated me in front of your sister by calling me 'tolerable, but not attractive enough to tempt you', and then you actually had the nerve to detach your sister from my brother when their marriage was evidently just around the corner!" Alwyn half shouted. Legolas jumped back, looking almost terrified, but also hurt at the same time. "Do you deny that you did it?" Alwyn was on her feet now, pointing at Legolas accusingly.
"I did it because..."
"Don't try to explain, I don't care. I don't want to hear any pathetic excuses."
Legolas swallowed and his eyes travelled downwards to the floor. "So...I suppose you're answer is no."
"I would not marry you if you were the only elf in Middle Earth. There is nothing you could ever say that would make me say yes." Alwyn replied, now somewhat calm again. Legolas stood looking at the floor, and then Alwyn let out a choked sob. Legolas looked up at her, and wanted to comfort her but he knew she would just scream at him again. Tears ran down Alwyn's face and after a second or two she ran from the room as fast as she could and made for her bedroom like she had done so many times before.
Legolas stood for a few moments more before also retreating to his guest room.
Neither of them were seen to venture out all evening.