Chapter Eight
"Do you like riding, Lady Linetta? Or would you prefer to walk?"
"Riding? You mean like horseback riding?"
It was the next morning. Linetta was feeling better. Legolas had just finished giving her the grand tour of the palace.
"Yes, Milady. Have you been?"
"Not often. But I'd love to go for a ride with you."
He led her across a large meadow to where the horses roamed. After Legolas whistled, a sparkling white horse galloped over to them.
"This is Moonstar. She is one of my favorite horses," he told her while running his hand through the horse's mane.
He jumped up on the horse with ease and lent a hand to help her up. Once she was settled comfortably in front of him, he whispered something to Moonstar and they were off.
Middle Earth was gorgeous. Thick, green trees covered the planet and there was luscious grass everywhere. They rode for hours and did not see another soul.
The horse slowed to a stop. Legolas slid off and helped her down. He took her hand was they walked.
"Where are we going?" Linetta asked Legolas as they started their walk.
He looked at her and smiled. "I would like to show you one of my favorite places. I have not come for some years."
They walked on. Linetta remembered the question she had been meaning to ask since the morning before.
"Legolas?"
"Yes, Milady."
"What were those creatures who tried to capture me?"
He paused. The happiness drained from his face. "Orcs. They are evil goblins that are an enemy to almost every race on Middle Earth. They have no mercy. They attack anything and everything."
***
Legolas looked over and saw the worry in Linetta's eyes.
"Will they come after me again?" she asked quietly.
He stopped and turned to her. He lifted her chin up and looked into her eyes. "I will not let them come near you. I promise. I am sorry I hadn't prevented this before."
Temptation wanted him to lean down to those fair lips of hers and kiss them. He wanted to give into it, but forced himself not to. He did not want to take any chances ruining the moment for her. She may not even like him.
The truth was he loved her. He wanted to spend every possible moment and more with her.
"Thank you, Legolas." Her eyes sparkled back at him. "I will sleep well knowing you are there to protect me."
~~~
"Oh Legolas! It's beautiful!"
The spot was just as it had been thirty years ago. The waterfall of clear fresh water was surrounded by flowers of all sorts and colors. The sunrays made the water sparkle as it flowed.
"I am glad you agree. I used to come here to get away," he told her while staring into the shallow clear waters.
"Away from what?" she asked him.
"Life," he said simply, but decided he should further explain to her. "I did not want to be a prince. My father was always pushing me to do things. This was the only place I could retreat to that no one knew to come and find me. You are the only one I have brought to this place." He stole a glance at her. She was smiling. "You have a gorgeous smile, Lady Linetta. It is even more beautiful than this place."
Her cheeks reddened and she looked down, but the smile remained.
"Do not turn away." He lifted her face. "I could look upon your beauty all day."
Her smile widened and he smiled back at her.
"You aren't so bad yourself, Prince Charming."
It was his turn to be embarrassed. But instead of turning away as she had, he leaned slowly and reluctantly to touch her lips with his.
He was surprised when she did not pull away. He held the kiss for a few moments. Ending it, he opened his eyes. She showed shock and awe in her eyes. Then he knew he had made a mistake.
"Forgive me. I." He did not know what to say. He was afraid that nothing would save him this time. "I shouldn't have done that."
~~~
The kiss.it was all she could think about the whole ride back.
He didn't even give her a chance to tell him how great it was. How wonderful it was.
As soon as he apologized, he stood up and whistled for his horse. After helping her up, they were off. There was sadness in his voice as he told Moonstar to head back.
She wished he had given her time to kiss him back. Now he would drift away. Send her back home. She wondered whether he would still protect her.
"Do you like riding, Lady Linetta? Or would you prefer to walk?"
"Riding? You mean like horseback riding?"
It was the next morning. Linetta was feeling better. Legolas had just finished giving her the grand tour of the palace.
"Yes, Milady. Have you been?"
"Not often. But I'd love to go for a ride with you."
He led her across a large meadow to where the horses roamed. After Legolas whistled, a sparkling white horse galloped over to them.
"This is Moonstar. She is one of my favorite horses," he told her while running his hand through the horse's mane.
He jumped up on the horse with ease and lent a hand to help her up. Once she was settled comfortably in front of him, he whispered something to Moonstar and they were off.
Middle Earth was gorgeous. Thick, green trees covered the planet and there was luscious grass everywhere. They rode for hours and did not see another soul.
The horse slowed to a stop. Legolas slid off and helped her down. He took her hand was they walked.
"Where are we going?" Linetta asked Legolas as they started their walk.
He looked at her and smiled. "I would like to show you one of my favorite places. I have not come for some years."
They walked on. Linetta remembered the question she had been meaning to ask since the morning before.
"Legolas?"
"Yes, Milady."
"What were those creatures who tried to capture me?"
He paused. The happiness drained from his face. "Orcs. They are evil goblins that are an enemy to almost every race on Middle Earth. They have no mercy. They attack anything and everything."
***
Legolas looked over and saw the worry in Linetta's eyes.
"Will they come after me again?" she asked quietly.
He stopped and turned to her. He lifted her chin up and looked into her eyes. "I will not let them come near you. I promise. I am sorry I hadn't prevented this before."
Temptation wanted him to lean down to those fair lips of hers and kiss them. He wanted to give into it, but forced himself not to. He did not want to take any chances ruining the moment for her. She may not even like him.
The truth was he loved her. He wanted to spend every possible moment and more with her.
"Thank you, Legolas." Her eyes sparkled back at him. "I will sleep well knowing you are there to protect me."
~~~
"Oh Legolas! It's beautiful!"
The spot was just as it had been thirty years ago. The waterfall of clear fresh water was surrounded by flowers of all sorts and colors. The sunrays made the water sparkle as it flowed.
"I am glad you agree. I used to come here to get away," he told her while staring into the shallow clear waters.
"Away from what?" she asked him.
"Life," he said simply, but decided he should further explain to her. "I did not want to be a prince. My father was always pushing me to do things. This was the only place I could retreat to that no one knew to come and find me. You are the only one I have brought to this place." He stole a glance at her. She was smiling. "You have a gorgeous smile, Lady Linetta. It is even more beautiful than this place."
Her cheeks reddened and she looked down, but the smile remained.
"Do not turn away." He lifted her face. "I could look upon your beauty all day."
Her smile widened and he smiled back at her.
"You aren't so bad yourself, Prince Charming."
It was his turn to be embarrassed. But instead of turning away as she had, he leaned slowly and reluctantly to touch her lips with his.
He was surprised when she did not pull away. He held the kiss for a few moments. Ending it, he opened his eyes. She showed shock and awe in her eyes. Then he knew he had made a mistake.
"Forgive me. I." He did not know what to say. He was afraid that nothing would save him this time. "I shouldn't have done that."
~~~
The kiss.it was all she could think about the whole ride back.
He didn't even give her a chance to tell him how great it was. How wonderful it was.
As soon as he apologized, he stood up and whistled for his horse. After helping her up, they were off. There was sadness in his voice as he told Moonstar to head back.
She wished he had given her time to kiss him back. Now he would drift away. Send her back home. She wondered whether he would still protect her.