Chapter Four - The Child's Play
They started out the next day. Melriadora on her black horse she called Mayani. Legolas rode his own white horse, but he noted with amusement the contrast between Mayani and his own.
"Mayani has her own spirit." Melriadora said with a grin when Legolas commented on her horse's wild behavior when he tired to pat her. "She isn't fond of strangers either." She said, placing a calming hand on Mayani's back. The creature immediately responded by calming down and stood still.
She then took Legolas's hand in her own and showed it to Mayani. "Legolas si biyta ami, tira coran day la Mayani." She whispered to the horse as she placed his hand on the horse's back.
Mayani this time didn't respond with the same violent reaction of before. Legolas looked at Melriadora, surprised. "What did you say?"
She had spoken in the tongue of the Isle which he was not familar with. "I told her you are our friend and mean her no harm."
Legolas thought of this moment as they rode. He studied Melriadora out of the corner of his eye. She caught him watching her and smiled. "If you're going to stare at me you can at least tell me a story of some adventure, or something!" She teased.
He gave her an amused look, "Of course, Melri. Only if you tell me of your adventures in return."
She laughed, "It's deal."
And so they traveled together that way. They sang songs of their youth. Melriadora needed some reminder of them. She laughed at herself, "Legolas, it's been over a thousand years since I've sung those songs."
"Oh, and they don't sing on the Isle?" He teased.
Melriadora smiled, "The Isle has its own songs, Legolas of Mirkwood."
He chuckled, "Really? Well, then by all means, let's hear one."
Melriadora smiled, "You wouldn't understand the words. They are in the acient tongue of the Isle." She told him. "But perphas one." And so she sang, it was a beautiful song, the notes misted across the air. He did not understand the words, but he didn't care. He only wished this journey would never end.
Finally, the reached the Lonely Mountain. Melriadora touched his arm gentally, and he noticed how the slightest touch of her hand made his heart leap. He ignored it and looked up, surprised.
"Is this it?" He asked.
"It is." Melriadora told him, her eyes looking up the mountain. "Up there."
He looked up, "Melri, there's no trail up the mountain. How will we get up?"
Melriadora climbed off Mayani and reached into her sack. She pulled out some rope and held it out to him. He blinked, surprised, "You can't be serious."
"I'm always serious." She joked, "Here, take this and turn around, if you will. I need to change."
"Change?"
"You can't expect me to climb in this dress now can you?" She said, cocking an eyebrow.
Legolas felt his face grow hot and then turned away averting his eyes to the mountain. He heard the fabric of her dress as she slipped it off, she was humming to herself. Suddenly, she stopped humming.
"I think, however, we should camp here and climb tomorrow. I see rain is coming our way."
Legolas almost turned to look, but caught himself. "Melriadora, may I turn now?"
Fabric fell on his head, it was her dress. He smiled at her childish behavior.
"Always the gentleman." She teased. "Yes, I am decent."
He turned and found her wearing a simple pants and tunic. Although her clothes were boyish, she did look rather fetching in the clothing. Legolas tore his eyes from her and also saw the rain. "We should find shelter."
"Normally, I would agree." She turned to him, indicating the surroundings. "But where?"
He met her eyes, looking somewhere between annoyance and amusement. "The rain-"
"A bit of water never hurt anyone, Prince Legolas." She teased. "Last time I checked, we Elves do not melt in the rain, even royal ones."
Legolas sighed, in mock annoyance and went to make camp. It was useless to get anything out because of the impending rain. So he turn his attention to making sure they weren't being followed. He noticed a small cave in the side of the mountain, not far away.
"Melri, there is a cave there." He pointed it out to her. "It would be best we waited out the storm there." He told her.
"Very well." She said. "Lead on, your Highness."
Her sharp sarcasm stung him. He knew she was only teasing, but the words hit hard. He turned at looked at her, "Melri, I hope you don't see me as some sobish-"
She blinked, surprised, "Legolas, you know I was joking."
His face broke into a grin, "I know, but it has been so long since we met, I have forgotten how you tease." He offered his hand to her, to lead and she accepted smiling.
Together they went to the cave, and made camp. By a fire he looked over his arrows and then settled into an Elvish sleep.
("Legolas!" The young Prince turned and saw his friend standing with her hands on her hips, glaring at him. "Legolas Greenleaf!" Melriadora ran accross the field toward him, tripping over the hem of her long dress and falling on her face.
Legolas laughed, but offered a hand to help her to her feet. Even though they were just young children, the Prince was expected to be polite.
Melriadora however, refused the help and stood up on her own, brushing the dirt from her dress. She groaned, "Blast these stupid dresses!"
"If you wouldn't run, you wouldn't fall." He commented, turning his attention back to his archery practice. Even at this age, the archery masters praised his performance.
"Easy for you to say." She said, watching him hit the dead center of the target. "All right. My turn." She said reaching out to take the bow.
He hesitated. "You aren't supposed to-"
"Oh please." Her impatient eyes met his. "All day long I'm expected to sit still and work on new gowns with Mother while you romp about and track and do all sorts of exciting things. Please let me have a bit of fun!" She pleaded.
He sighed, handing over the bow. "Fine. You win."
She grinned, and fired, hitting the center of the target.
This surprised him and he looked at his friend who met him with a challenging look in her eyes.
Legolas grinned, "RACE YOU TO THE POND!!!!" He shouted, taking off in a full sprint.
Melriadora scooped up her skirts, "LEGOLAS!!! NOT FAIR! YOU HAVE A HEAD START!" And the young elves chased one another through the Mirkwood paths, giggling happily.)
Legolas drew himself out of his elvish dream to find Melriadora nowhere in site. He called for her, but could not be heard over the rain. He stood and went to the mouth of the cave. It was pouring down rain and there sitting on the ground, was Melriadora. She was letting the rain fall on her, and looked at peace with the water.
"Melri?"
She turned to where he was standing dry, in the cave. She grinned and stood, facing him. "Come join me!" She shouted.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
She ran to him, grabbed his hand, she was completely soaked and he found himself being pulled into the rain. He laughed, "Melriadora, I'll be soaked."
She chuckled, "You see that large rock over there?"
"Yes." He said, wondering what she was doing.
"Race you!" She took off running across the field.
He rolled his eyes, chases after her. She won of course, she had a head start. He turned to her, "Don't you think we are a little old for these games?" He asked.
"You're just sore because you lost." She teased.
"I-" He stopped his protest to smile at his old friend. "Race you back!" He said, taking off across the field.
She chased after him but slipped in the wet mud.
He stopped, and went to assist her, "Are you all right?" He asked, offering his hand.
She took it, and pulled him into the mud as well. He laughed, as he fell and the two began to have a mud fight like children. Legolas couldn't remember the last time he had this much fun. He was filthy, wet, and cold but he didn't care. Laughing, he managed to wrestle Melriadora to the ground.
He could feel her shaking with laughter as he pinned her to the ground. Her blue eyes sparkled as he looked into them. Suddenly he became quite aware of where he was. He put a hand on her cheek, "Melriadora." He said her name softly, his eyes locking with hers. He kissed her on the lips, his hand straying to run through her wet hair.
This time it was her who stopped them. She pulled back suddenly, with a gasp. "Legolas, we can't. You know we can't." She told him.
He knew it was true, though it pained him. He sat up, and released her. He watched as she stood and hesitated for a moment, as if she wanted to turn back, and then started to walk back to the cave.
He couldn't take it anymore, "Melri-"
She stopped, turning back to look at him, waiting for him to speak.
"I love you." He said, uncertain why he was confessing this. "I always have. I could never love another. Only you." He watched her reaction. She looked away for a moment, and then turned back.
"Legolas, I love you too. But you know this could never work." She sighed, pushing her a wet strand of hair out of her eyes, "I have to do this. I have to complete this mission. My place is serving the Isle. Whether I like it or not, this is what I must do." She stepped closer to him. "And you, you are the Prince of Mirkwood. Our lives are different, and I do not think the paths cross."
He looked away, and sighed, "I wish things were different." He muttered.
She sighed, "So do I, but they aren't."
Legolas stood, ready to face her, he forced a small smile. "Melri, I suggest we rest."
"Yes, our climb will not be easy." They both knew that they weren't saying what they wanted to say. But they also both felt they had said too much. Silently they went back to the cave, dried off by the fire, and slipped into elven sleep. Both waiting the dawn.
* * * * * * * * * *
A/N- Awww.... those two kids! Hehe! Anyway, stuff will happen soon! I promise! For some reason it took me a really long time to get rolling on this one.... Anyway! Review! I beg of you! I am on my knees begging!
Morivanim: Yay! A review for this story! Thank you! Hehe, anyway, now that I know someone read it, I'll post more! Anyway, thanks for sticking with me and reading this story :-) I felt sorry for it because it was not being reviewed. It hurt Legolas's feelings! Poor little elf! I had to give him a cookie to make him feel better, and I don't have many cookies left! Anyway, thanks for the kind words :-) Have a great day!
They started out the next day. Melriadora on her black horse she called Mayani. Legolas rode his own white horse, but he noted with amusement the contrast between Mayani and his own.
"Mayani has her own spirit." Melriadora said with a grin when Legolas commented on her horse's wild behavior when he tired to pat her. "She isn't fond of strangers either." She said, placing a calming hand on Mayani's back. The creature immediately responded by calming down and stood still.
She then took Legolas's hand in her own and showed it to Mayani. "Legolas si biyta ami, tira coran day la Mayani." She whispered to the horse as she placed his hand on the horse's back.
Mayani this time didn't respond with the same violent reaction of before. Legolas looked at Melriadora, surprised. "What did you say?"
She had spoken in the tongue of the Isle which he was not familar with. "I told her you are our friend and mean her no harm."
Legolas thought of this moment as they rode. He studied Melriadora out of the corner of his eye. She caught him watching her and smiled. "If you're going to stare at me you can at least tell me a story of some adventure, or something!" She teased.
He gave her an amused look, "Of course, Melri. Only if you tell me of your adventures in return."
She laughed, "It's deal."
And so they traveled together that way. They sang songs of their youth. Melriadora needed some reminder of them. She laughed at herself, "Legolas, it's been over a thousand years since I've sung those songs."
"Oh, and they don't sing on the Isle?" He teased.
Melriadora smiled, "The Isle has its own songs, Legolas of Mirkwood."
He chuckled, "Really? Well, then by all means, let's hear one."
Melriadora smiled, "You wouldn't understand the words. They are in the acient tongue of the Isle." She told him. "But perphas one." And so she sang, it was a beautiful song, the notes misted across the air. He did not understand the words, but he didn't care. He only wished this journey would never end.
Finally, the reached the Lonely Mountain. Melriadora touched his arm gentally, and he noticed how the slightest touch of her hand made his heart leap. He ignored it and looked up, surprised.
"Is this it?" He asked.
"It is." Melriadora told him, her eyes looking up the mountain. "Up there."
He looked up, "Melri, there's no trail up the mountain. How will we get up?"
Melriadora climbed off Mayani and reached into her sack. She pulled out some rope and held it out to him. He blinked, surprised, "You can't be serious."
"I'm always serious." She joked, "Here, take this and turn around, if you will. I need to change."
"Change?"
"You can't expect me to climb in this dress now can you?" She said, cocking an eyebrow.
Legolas felt his face grow hot and then turned away averting his eyes to the mountain. He heard the fabric of her dress as she slipped it off, she was humming to herself. Suddenly, she stopped humming.
"I think, however, we should camp here and climb tomorrow. I see rain is coming our way."
Legolas almost turned to look, but caught himself. "Melriadora, may I turn now?"
Fabric fell on his head, it was her dress. He smiled at her childish behavior.
"Always the gentleman." She teased. "Yes, I am decent."
He turned and found her wearing a simple pants and tunic. Although her clothes were boyish, she did look rather fetching in the clothing. Legolas tore his eyes from her and also saw the rain. "We should find shelter."
"Normally, I would agree." She turned to him, indicating the surroundings. "But where?"
He met her eyes, looking somewhere between annoyance and amusement. "The rain-"
"A bit of water never hurt anyone, Prince Legolas." She teased. "Last time I checked, we Elves do not melt in the rain, even royal ones."
Legolas sighed, in mock annoyance and went to make camp. It was useless to get anything out because of the impending rain. So he turn his attention to making sure they weren't being followed. He noticed a small cave in the side of the mountain, not far away.
"Melri, there is a cave there." He pointed it out to her. "It would be best we waited out the storm there." He told her.
"Very well." She said. "Lead on, your Highness."
Her sharp sarcasm stung him. He knew she was only teasing, but the words hit hard. He turned at looked at her, "Melri, I hope you don't see me as some sobish-"
She blinked, surprised, "Legolas, you know I was joking."
His face broke into a grin, "I know, but it has been so long since we met, I have forgotten how you tease." He offered his hand to her, to lead and she accepted smiling.
Together they went to the cave, and made camp. By a fire he looked over his arrows and then settled into an Elvish sleep.
("Legolas!" The young Prince turned and saw his friend standing with her hands on her hips, glaring at him. "Legolas Greenleaf!" Melriadora ran accross the field toward him, tripping over the hem of her long dress and falling on her face.
Legolas laughed, but offered a hand to help her to her feet. Even though they were just young children, the Prince was expected to be polite.
Melriadora however, refused the help and stood up on her own, brushing the dirt from her dress. She groaned, "Blast these stupid dresses!"
"If you wouldn't run, you wouldn't fall." He commented, turning his attention back to his archery practice. Even at this age, the archery masters praised his performance.
"Easy for you to say." She said, watching him hit the dead center of the target. "All right. My turn." She said reaching out to take the bow.
He hesitated. "You aren't supposed to-"
"Oh please." Her impatient eyes met his. "All day long I'm expected to sit still and work on new gowns with Mother while you romp about and track and do all sorts of exciting things. Please let me have a bit of fun!" She pleaded.
He sighed, handing over the bow. "Fine. You win."
She grinned, and fired, hitting the center of the target.
This surprised him and he looked at his friend who met him with a challenging look in her eyes.
Legolas grinned, "RACE YOU TO THE POND!!!!" He shouted, taking off in a full sprint.
Melriadora scooped up her skirts, "LEGOLAS!!! NOT FAIR! YOU HAVE A HEAD START!" And the young elves chased one another through the Mirkwood paths, giggling happily.)
Legolas drew himself out of his elvish dream to find Melriadora nowhere in site. He called for her, but could not be heard over the rain. He stood and went to the mouth of the cave. It was pouring down rain and there sitting on the ground, was Melriadora. She was letting the rain fall on her, and looked at peace with the water.
"Melri?"
She turned to where he was standing dry, in the cave. She grinned and stood, facing him. "Come join me!" She shouted.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
She ran to him, grabbed his hand, she was completely soaked and he found himself being pulled into the rain. He laughed, "Melriadora, I'll be soaked."
She chuckled, "You see that large rock over there?"
"Yes." He said, wondering what she was doing.
"Race you!" She took off running across the field.
He rolled his eyes, chases after her. She won of course, she had a head start. He turned to her, "Don't you think we are a little old for these games?" He asked.
"You're just sore because you lost." She teased.
"I-" He stopped his protest to smile at his old friend. "Race you back!" He said, taking off across the field.
She chased after him but slipped in the wet mud.
He stopped, and went to assist her, "Are you all right?" He asked, offering his hand.
She took it, and pulled him into the mud as well. He laughed, as he fell and the two began to have a mud fight like children. Legolas couldn't remember the last time he had this much fun. He was filthy, wet, and cold but he didn't care. Laughing, he managed to wrestle Melriadora to the ground.
He could feel her shaking with laughter as he pinned her to the ground. Her blue eyes sparkled as he looked into them. Suddenly he became quite aware of where he was. He put a hand on her cheek, "Melriadora." He said her name softly, his eyes locking with hers. He kissed her on the lips, his hand straying to run through her wet hair.
This time it was her who stopped them. She pulled back suddenly, with a gasp. "Legolas, we can't. You know we can't." She told him.
He knew it was true, though it pained him. He sat up, and released her. He watched as she stood and hesitated for a moment, as if she wanted to turn back, and then started to walk back to the cave.
He couldn't take it anymore, "Melri-"
She stopped, turning back to look at him, waiting for him to speak.
"I love you." He said, uncertain why he was confessing this. "I always have. I could never love another. Only you." He watched her reaction. She looked away for a moment, and then turned back.
"Legolas, I love you too. But you know this could never work." She sighed, pushing her a wet strand of hair out of her eyes, "I have to do this. I have to complete this mission. My place is serving the Isle. Whether I like it or not, this is what I must do." She stepped closer to him. "And you, you are the Prince of Mirkwood. Our lives are different, and I do not think the paths cross."
He looked away, and sighed, "I wish things were different." He muttered.
She sighed, "So do I, but they aren't."
Legolas stood, ready to face her, he forced a small smile. "Melri, I suggest we rest."
"Yes, our climb will not be easy." They both knew that they weren't saying what they wanted to say. But they also both felt they had said too much. Silently they went back to the cave, dried off by the fire, and slipped into elven sleep. Both waiting the dawn.
* * * * * * * * * *
A/N- Awww.... those two kids! Hehe! Anyway, stuff will happen soon! I promise! For some reason it took me a really long time to get rolling on this one.... Anyway! Review! I beg of you! I am on my knees begging!
Morivanim: Yay! A review for this story! Thank you! Hehe, anyway, now that I know someone read it, I'll post more! Anyway, thanks for sticking with me and reading this story :-) I felt sorry for it because it was not being reviewed. It hurt Legolas's feelings! Poor little elf! I had to give him a cookie to make him feel better, and I don't have many cookies left! Anyway, thanks for the kind words :-) Have a great day!