Please R&R. Hope you enjoy.
Only Selien belongs to me, the rest of course are JRR Tolkein's.
Chapter Three
It was Legolas who first caught sight of the female. Selien was no more than a breeze in the branches to those who did not possess her kin's eyesight.
He looked on, his head cocked to one side, trying to understand her expression. She looked far away, distanced from her reality. Her hands played absent mindedly with the loose braids in her hair. Legolas noted they seemed out of place, odd he thought for one whom should have been on guard.
"Selien?" He asked cautiously. The Elf jumped, darting around to meet his gaze. Gone was the mysterious aura and back was that steely glare her hand gripped her curved blade. Legolas felt himself move instinctively backwards.
"Ah." She said, a little more kindly than she thought. "It is you." Her hands released the knife, moving to tuck a braid behind her ear. Her narrowed eyes moved over the Prince. "Why are you out, Princeling? One of your position should not risk his life unnecessarily." The light tone of sarcasm did not go unnoticed.
"I heard a cry." He said plainly. Selien did not falter. He studied her closely, noticing for the first time the slight feline differences between her and her brothers.
"A cry?" Her eyebrows arched. "I see." She moved closer to him, closing in on the gap that separated them. Legolas could smell her scent, earthy moss and leaves with a masculine hint of musk. He frowned.
"You look troubled Princeling. Do not worry, I am here to protect you." The sarcasm was unmistakable. Her head was leaned towards his. He held her gaze for a moment before dropping his eyes. Selien let out a low laugh.
"Ah, Legolas, you came here for protection and look what you have been exposed to." A small smile was spreading on her lips. A feeling of annoyance was festering in his stomach.
"I thought you were meant to be guarding." He said defiantly, stepping back once more.
"Yes of course." Selien replied, her words teasing his ears. "Do not fear Prince, I will not eat you." She looked wicked.
"Nay, I believe someone else has tasted you tonight." Legolas shocked himself with his outburst. He looked quickly up at Selien and to his surprise his gaze was not met.
The Elf looked to the ground to her right. He sensed a sudden vulnerability in the female. She stood still, wondering how to reply.
"I..I'm sorry." Legolas started but was silenced by her face. It was captured by a shot of anger.
"You're a sharp one, Princeling." She said slowly. "A little too sharp, for my liking." Legolas met her eyes, sucking his breath in quickly. Why did her fear her?
He did not understand quite what was going on or why this Elf seemed to have such a passionate hate for so many people. He obviously gave away some of his thoughts on his face as Selien stepped back without question.
"Perhaps you should go back to your companions, Legolas." He could not answer her. Selien peered at him reflectively. His lack of answers annoyed her, one might say unsettled her. "Fine." She blurted out. "I must get back. Goodnight." With that she turned and disappeared deeper into the forest.
She left Legolas looking and feeling puzzled. He was right. These guards were different.
Only Selien belongs to me, the rest of course are JRR Tolkein's.
Chapter Three
It was Legolas who first caught sight of the female. Selien was no more than a breeze in the branches to those who did not possess her kin's eyesight.
He looked on, his head cocked to one side, trying to understand her expression. She looked far away, distanced from her reality. Her hands played absent mindedly with the loose braids in her hair. Legolas noted they seemed out of place, odd he thought for one whom should have been on guard.
"Selien?" He asked cautiously. The Elf jumped, darting around to meet his gaze. Gone was the mysterious aura and back was that steely glare her hand gripped her curved blade. Legolas felt himself move instinctively backwards.
"Ah." She said, a little more kindly than she thought. "It is you." Her hands released the knife, moving to tuck a braid behind her ear. Her narrowed eyes moved over the Prince. "Why are you out, Princeling? One of your position should not risk his life unnecessarily." The light tone of sarcasm did not go unnoticed.
"I heard a cry." He said plainly. Selien did not falter. He studied her closely, noticing for the first time the slight feline differences between her and her brothers.
"A cry?" Her eyebrows arched. "I see." She moved closer to him, closing in on the gap that separated them. Legolas could smell her scent, earthy moss and leaves with a masculine hint of musk. He frowned.
"You look troubled Princeling. Do not worry, I am here to protect you." The sarcasm was unmistakable. Her head was leaned towards his. He held her gaze for a moment before dropping his eyes. Selien let out a low laugh.
"Ah, Legolas, you came here for protection and look what you have been exposed to." A small smile was spreading on her lips. A feeling of annoyance was festering in his stomach.
"I thought you were meant to be guarding." He said defiantly, stepping back once more.
"Yes of course." Selien replied, her words teasing his ears. "Do not fear Prince, I will not eat you." She looked wicked.
"Nay, I believe someone else has tasted you tonight." Legolas shocked himself with his outburst. He looked quickly up at Selien and to his surprise his gaze was not met.
The Elf looked to the ground to her right. He sensed a sudden vulnerability in the female. She stood still, wondering how to reply.
"I..I'm sorry." Legolas started but was silenced by her face. It was captured by a shot of anger.
"You're a sharp one, Princeling." She said slowly. "A little too sharp, for my liking." Legolas met her eyes, sucking his breath in quickly. Why did her fear her?
He did not understand quite what was going on or why this Elf seemed to have such a passionate hate for so many people. He obviously gave away some of his thoughts on his face as Selien stepped back without question.
"Perhaps you should go back to your companions, Legolas." He could not answer her. Selien peered at him reflectively. His lack of answers annoyed her, one might say unsettled her. "Fine." She blurted out. "I must get back. Goodnight." With that she turned and disappeared deeper into the forest.
She left Legolas looking and feeling puzzled. He was right. These guards were different.