The feast had ended, and the handmaidens had retreated back to their
chambers. Once in the safety of it's stone walls, Imahaiel burst out in a
huge fit of laughter.
"You should have SEEN your face!" She burst out between giggles. Firlosswen and Carotheil were holding back their laughter, but smiles were tugging at the corners of their mouths.
"What? What about my face?" Baranalcarien asked, her eyebrow raised archly.
"When Legolas looked at you!" Imahaiel responded, collapsing on a bed dressed in silver blankets.
"I panicked, alright? I'm sorry for not being perfect."
"Oh, but it WAS!" Imahaiel hooted. "That was the most perfect panic that I've EVER seen!" Firlosswen sat down on another bed (dressed in silver as well) and threw yet another pillow at Imahaiel-this time, Imahaiel got hit.
"It was pretty funny, Baranalcarien." Carotheil said apologetically. Baranalcarien responded with a grunt, and flopped down on yet another bed dressed in silver blankets.
"Tomorrow, we begin the stalk!" Imahaiel decreed, still giggling.
"We?" Baranalcarien said sarcastically. Imahaiel sat up, nodding.
"Sorry, no. I stalk this one alone." Baranalcarien responded, grinning. With a discontented aaaargh, Imahaiel laid back on the bed.
"Alright. Time for bed everyone." Carotheil said, blowing out the candles in the room. A collection of grunts and groans ensued in the dark, subsiding into silence.
The first light of morning danced through Legolas' windows. He had slept well, but a vision of bright blue eyes would not leave his mind. With a sigh, he decided to go walk through the gardens near the castle to clear his head. He exited the castle, quickly and quietly in order to not disturb any still sleeping. He could have sworn that he heard footsteps behind him, and turned around. A swish of white cloth in the corner of his eye seemed to prove his theory of being followed, but upon turning around completely, no-one was there. Puzzled, he continued on his way out of the castle.
Unbeknownst to His Majesty, he WAS being followed. The swish of white, and the footprints both belonged to Baranalcarien. She guessed where he was heading, and quickly ran into the gardens to hide, and watch. Upon her arrival in the gardens, she selected a large tree to hide behind. Internally, she snickered. He was almost here.
Now, unbeknownst to Baranalcarien, Legolas had a hunch that he was right about being followed. He moved cautiously through the gardens, coming through a back gate. This, Baranalcarien had not perceived-she was expecting him to come through the front gate, and had positioned herself accordingly. Legolas saw her lithe frame hiding behind the tree, and smiled. He himself took up a hiding spot, but before he could duck out of site, he stepped upon a large stick that he had not noticed (as he was looking at Baranalcarien). The crack resonated through the garden air, catching Baranalcarien's attention. She turned around to see King Legolas with a rather embarrassed look on his face.
"You're stalking me!" Baranalcarien said accusingly.
"You're stalking ME!" Legolas responded, flushed. All of a sudden, both Baranalcarien and Legolas heard a giggle and a rustle from a nearby bush. Legolas raised his eyebrows archly, and looked towards the source of the sound. Three elven maidens-the remaining handmaidens of Arwen-popped up, all now giggling.
"Are you three stalking me too?" He asked, exhaling heavily.
"WE do not stalk." The shortest one, (Imahaiel) said, a large grin on her face. "We actively follow."
"You should have SEEN your face!" She burst out between giggles. Firlosswen and Carotheil were holding back their laughter, but smiles were tugging at the corners of their mouths.
"What? What about my face?" Baranalcarien asked, her eyebrow raised archly.
"When Legolas looked at you!" Imahaiel responded, collapsing on a bed dressed in silver blankets.
"I panicked, alright? I'm sorry for not being perfect."
"Oh, but it WAS!" Imahaiel hooted. "That was the most perfect panic that I've EVER seen!" Firlosswen sat down on another bed (dressed in silver as well) and threw yet another pillow at Imahaiel-this time, Imahaiel got hit.
"It was pretty funny, Baranalcarien." Carotheil said apologetically. Baranalcarien responded with a grunt, and flopped down on yet another bed dressed in silver blankets.
"Tomorrow, we begin the stalk!" Imahaiel decreed, still giggling.
"We?" Baranalcarien said sarcastically. Imahaiel sat up, nodding.
"Sorry, no. I stalk this one alone." Baranalcarien responded, grinning. With a discontented aaaargh, Imahaiel laid back on the bed.
"Alright. Time for bed everyone." Carotheil said, blowing out the candles in the room. A collection of grunts and groans ensued in the dark, subsiding into silence.
The first light of morning danced through Legolas' windows. He had slept well, but a vision of bright blue eyes would not leave his mind. With a sigh, he decided to go walk through the gardens near the castle to clear his head. He exited the castle, quickly and quietly in order to not disturb any still sleeping. He could have sworn that he heard footsteps behind him, and turned around. A swish of white cloth in the corner of his eye seemed to prove his theory of being followed, but upon turning around completely, no-one was there. Puzzled, he continued on his way out of the castle.
Unbeknownst to His Majesty, he WAS being followed. The swish of white, and the footprints both belonged to Baranalcarien. She guessed where he was heading, and quickly ran into the gardens to hide, and watch. Upon her arrival in the gardens, she selected a large tree to hide behind. Internally, she snickered. He was almost here.
Now, unbeknownst to Baranalcarien, Legolas had a hunch that he was right about being followed. He moved cautiously through the gardens, coming through a back gate. This, Baranalcarien had not perceived-she was expecting him to come through the front gate, and had positioned herself accordingly. Legolas saw her lithe frame hiding behind the tree, and smiled. He himself took up a hiding spot, but before he could duck out of site, he stepped upon a large stick that he had not noticed (as he was looking at Baranalcarien). The crack resonated through the garden air, catching Baranalcarien's attention. She turned around to see King Legolas with a rather embarrassed look on his face.
"You're stalking me!" Baranalcarien said accusingly.
"You're stalking ME!" Legolas responded, flushed. All of a sudden, both Baranalcarien and Legolas heard a giggle and a rustle from a nearby bush. Legolas raised his eyebrows archly, and looked towards the source of the sound. Three elven maidens-the remaining handmaidens of Arwen-popped up, all now giggling.
"Are you three stalking me too?" He asked, exhaling heavily.
"WE do not stalk." The shortest one, (Imahaiel) said, a large grin on her face. "We actively follow."