The day of Arwen and Aragorn's depature came and went with great sadness.
Aidyn felt very alone. Legolas had asked permission of King Valon to
remain in Kalwood. And of course the King had agreed. Aidyn had not been
seen all day by anyone in the palace. This worried King Valon and Queen
Niere to a great extent for she had never been this way in all her
centuries.
"I am worried about Aidyn," King Valon said to his Queen as they sat in the throne room.
"As am I. For I know what troubles her heart and it has nothing to do with the leaving of Arwen and Aragorn. I'm afraid our daughter is in love," Niere replied.
A shocked expression crossed Valon's face as he turned to his wife, "In love? With whom?"
"The Prince of the Mirkwood Elves."
"Legolas? I can see why she is distraught so. My darling wife, you do know the reputation the Mirkwood elves have concerning mixed bloods?" Valon asked.
"Of course, and so does Aidyn. However, I think in this one instance it could work out. Aidyn has been trying to harden her heart against Legolas with no succession. She loves him, Valon, and I have seen it in his eyes that Legolas loves her as well," Niere said taking her husband's hand.
"The Prince may love her, but he does not know her heritage. Legolas is Thranduil's son. Tradition is all that is important to him. You know this, my love. I want nothing more than for Aidyn to be happy, even if Legolas is the one she marries, but Thranduil will not allow it."
At this Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood, decided that now was the time to intervene. He had been coming to speak with King Valon and Queen Niere concerning Aidyn, but he had come across them speaking of her already and himself. Legolas knew that it was not polite to eavesdrop and would probably be reprimanded for it, but he now had the answers he was looking for.
"Your highnesses," Legolas said stepping into the throne room.
King Valon and Queen Niere lifted their head in surprise. They sensed immediately that he had heard everything, but did not wish to accuse.
Queen Niere spoke first, "Legolas, how much did you hear?"
"Enough to know why Aidyn pushes me away continuously. But I do not understand how this could be. You both are pure blood elves are you not?"
"We are," Valon replied, "And since you have heard her secret I suppose I shall tell you the rest of her story." Legolas listened to King Valon and Queen Niere tell the story of Aidyn's mother and father and their love. Then their demise and how Aidyn came to be the Princess of Kalwood.
"I did not know. Now I wish for you to forgive me for my intrusion of your conversation, my lady and my lord. It was not purposely. I was just coming to speak with you concerning Aidyn. Now I have something else to say instead."
"Go ahead," Valon said nodding.
"You are correct in your assumptions concerning my father. He does believe that tradition is more important that anything else, however, I am not my father. Do not take this as a misconception, for I love my father deeply, but I do not have the same priorities as he. I love Aidyn, more than life itself. I wish to marry her and spend all eternity with her. For the past three days the princess has kept herself hidden from me which caused me a great deal of pain. I could see it in her eyes every time she looked at me that she was hiding something. I also grieved for the fact that Aidyn could not put her trust in me, but now I see why. And I stand by my conviction. Nothing could ever cause my love for her to cease, never. And in knowing this secret it still does not change. I ask your permission to marry Aidyn."
"My dear sweet child," Niere said with tears in her eyes. She stood and went to embrace Legolas. "You have my blessing. But there is one condition. You must tell your father, for Aidyn refuses to marry into a family who does not know her heritage."
"Thank you, Queen Niere," Legolas said, he then turned to face Valon, "And you sir? Do I have your blessing as well, King Valon?"
"Of course, as long as you agree to tell your father as my wife said. I also have this to say. I do not disrespect your father or you Prince of Mirkwood, but I know where King Thranduil's convictions lie as well. Do not let him belittle my daughter into being ashamed of who she is or where she came from. Do not let my daughter's heart break once or feel an ounce of pain for who she is."
"I will protect her with my life."
Finally, King Valon smiled and also embraced Legolas. Then Queen Niere called one of the guards to find Aidyn and bring her to them immediately.
"I am worried about Aidyn," King Valon said to his Queen as they sat in the throne room.
"As am I. For I know what troubles her heart and it has nothing to do with the leaving of Arwen and Aragorn. I'm afraid our daughter is in love," Niere replied.
A shocked expression crossed Valon's face as he turned to his wife, "In love? With whom?"
"The Prince of the Mirkwood Elves."
"Legolas? I can see why she is distraught so. My darling wife, you do know the reputation the Mirkwood elves have concerning mixed bloods?" Valon asked.
"Of course, and so does Aidyn. However, I think in this one instance it could work out. Aidyn has been trying to harden her heart against Legolas with no succession. She loves him, Valon, and I have seen it in his eyes that Legolas loves her as well," Niere said taking her husband's hand.
"The Prince may love her, but he does not know her heritage. Legolas is Thranduil's son. Tradition is all that is important to him. You know this, my love. I want nothing more than for Aidyn to be happy, even if Legolas is the one she marries, but Thranduil will not allow it."
At this Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood, decided that now was the time to intervene. He had been coming to speak with King Valon and Queen Niere concerning Aidyn, but he had come across them speaking of her already and himself. Legolas knew that it was not polite to eavesdrop and would probably be reprimanded for it, but he now had the answers he was looking for.
"Your highnesses," Legolas said stepping into the throne room.
King Valon and Queen Niere lifted their head in surprise. They sensed immediately that he had heard everything, but did not wish to accuse.
Queen Niere spoke first, "Legolas, how much did you hear?"
"Enough to know why Aidyn pushes me away continuously. But I do not understand how this could be. You both are pure blood elves are you not?"
"We are," Valon replied, "And since you have heard her secret I suppose I shall tell you the rest of her story." Legolas listened to King Valon and Queen Niere tell the story of Aidyn's mother and father and their love. Then their demise and how Aidyn came to be the Princess of Kalwood.
"I did not know. Now I wish for you to forgive me for my intrusion of your conversation, my lady and my lord. It was not purposely. I was just coming to speak with you concerning Aidyn. Now I have something else to say instead."
"Go ahead," Valon said nodding.
"You are correct in your assumptions concerning my father. He does believe that tradition is more important that anything else, however, I am not my father. Do not take this as a misconception, for I love my father deeply, but I do not have the same priorities as he. I love Aidyn, more than life itself. I wish to marry her and spend all eternity with her. For the past three days the princess has kept herself hidden from me which caused me a great deal of pain. I could see it in her eyes every time she looked at me that she was hiding something. I also grieved for the fact that Aidyn could not put her trust in me, but now I see why. And I stand by my conviction. Nothing could ever cause my love for her to cease, never. And in knowing this secret it still does not change. I ask your permission to marry Aidyn."
"My dear sweet child," Niere said with tears in her eyes. She stood and went to embrace Legolas. "You have my blessing. But there is one condition. You must tell your father, for Aidyn refuses to marry into a family who does not know her heritage."
"Thank you, Queen Niere," Legolas said, he then turned to face Valon, "And you sir? Do I have your blessing as well, King Valon?"
"Of course, as long as you agree to tell your father as my wife said. I also have this to say. I do not disrespect your father or you Prince of Mirkwood, but I know where King Thranduil's convictions lie as well. Do not let him belittle my daughter into being ashamed of who she is or where she came from. Do not let my daughter's heart break once or feel an ounce of pain for who she is."
"I will protect her with my life."
Finally, King Valon smiled and also embraced Legolas. Then Queen Niere called one of the guards to find Aidyn and bring her to them immediately.