Later that evening, Legolas entered Azurea's room with a tray of food. As
he neared the bed, he realized she was fast asleep. She looked beautiful
and peaceful, which was a drastic change from the way she looked when she
was awake earlier.
He set the tray down on the wooden table next to her bed. "M'lady," he whispered softly, placing a hand on her cheek.
She slowly opened her eyes and once she saw the Elf, a smile spread across her features. "I brought you some food," he smiled. She tried to prop herself up, but was met, again, by the pain across her stomach. Legolas noticed her grimace and gently took her hand. "Here," he said softly as he wrapped her arm around his neck to give her support.
Her heart must have skipped a thousand beats as he did this. She was surprised, since Elves tend to keep their distance from those whom they've just met.
Aided by the Elf, she set herself up with as little pain as possible. Legolas picked the tray, which contained some fruit and a bowl of soup, up off of the table. "I don't believe I caught your name."
"Azurea," she responded as he brought a spoonful of soup to her lips. She gratefully accepted the liquid, which moistened her dry throat. "You don't have to do this, Master Elf."
"It's quite alright," he smiled softly. He noticed, however, the uncomfortable gaze in her eyes. He set the tray back on the table. "You feel caged, do you not?"
It was as if he was reading her mind. "Yes, to be quite honest. I do not wish to stay in this bed."
He nodded knowingly. "You will only have to stay here but a few days. Then, you're free to go home."
Her eyes met with his for but a moment, but within that short while, he saw pleading. Legolas could see that she did not wish to return home. He realized that the one place she had once felt safe had now become the source of her endless pain and torment. His heart went out to her.
"Or if you're not feeling up to it, you're welcome to stay here for as long as you like."
Azurea smiled, taking solace in his generosity. It had been a long time since anyone had cared about what happened to her.
"Thank you, Master Elf. But I fear I shall be nothing but a burden. I will leave once I have healed."
He shook his head. "You will not be a burden. Stay here for as long as you need," he said placing his hand upon hers.
Just then, there was a soft knock at the door. "Master Legolas," a petite female Elf of fair skin came into view. "Your father wishes to see you."
"Thank you, Sudiana." The young Elf gracefully arose from the bed and bowed lightly. "As the evening grows late, I will bid you good-night. Have a restful slumber, fair Azurea."
"And you as well, Master Elf." She smiled slightly at him and silently wished she could spend time with the Elf. She was in desperate need of someone's company, anyone's company! When he was gone, she picked the tray up off the table and ate silently.
Legolas followed Sudiana to Thranduil's chambers quietly and quickly. He expected the worst, as he always did. It was only when their people where in great danger that the young prince was summoned to the chambers of his father.
The young maid knocked softly. "Master Legolas is here, my Lord."
"Send him in," a somewhat gruff voice responded. Legolas sent Sudiana away and opened the heavy door to the king's chambers.
"What is it, father?" he asked, closing the door behind him.
"Our guards have told me that there are Orcs patrolling our borders," Thranduil said, sounding quite perplexed and concerned.
"Orcs?" Legolas questioned. "Why would they be here? Orcs haven't been around these parts in centuries!"
"I do not know," he paused, turning around to face his son. "What of that girl you brought here earlier?"
"Azurea?" he shook his head. "We have barely uttered a word to each other. I know not where she came from or how she got here. Or what happened to her, for that matter. All I know is that she is afraid of something or someone. I can see it in her eyes."
"Find out as much information about her that you possibly can. She may be a danger to our people."
"I shall, father." Legolas opened the door, which he had been leaning against, and bowed. "Quel du."
Legolas made his way to his bedroom pondering the situation. He doubted very much that Azurea had come here to intentionally inflict harm on anyone. He had an inking, however, that someone was after her and quite possibly wanted something from her.
*Quel du - Good night
He set the tray down on the wooden table next to her bed. "M'lady," he whispered softly, placing a hand on her cheek.
She slowly opened her eyes and once she saw the Elf, a smile spread across her features. "I brought you some food," he smiled. She tried to prop herself up, but was met, again, by the pain across her stomach. Legolas noticed her grimace and gently took her hand. "Here," he said softly as he wrapped her arm around his neck to give her support.
Her heart must have skipped a thousand beats as he did this. She was surprised, since Elves tend to keep their distance from those whom they've just met.
Aided by the Elf, she set herself up with as little pain as possible. Legolas picked the tray, which contained some fruit and a bowl of soup, up off of the table. "I don't believe I caught your name."
"Azurea," she responded as he brought a spoonful of soup to her lips. She gratefully accepted the liquid, which moistened her dry throat. "You don't have to do this, Master Elf."
"It's quite alright," he smiled softly. He noticed, however, the uncomfortable gaze in her eyes. He set the tray back on the table. "You feel caged, do you not?"
It was as if he was reading her mind. "Yes, to be quite honest. I do not wish to stay in this bed."
He nodded knowingly. "You will only have to stay here but a few days. Then, you're free to go home."
Her eyes met with his for but a moment, but within that short while, he saw pleading. Legolas could see that she did not wish to return home. He realized that the one place she had once felt safe had now become the source of her endless pain and torment. His heart went out to her.
"Or if you're not feeling up to it, you're welcome to stay here for as long as you like."
Azurea smiled, taking solace in his generosity. It had been a long time since anyone had cared about what happened to her.
"Thank you, Master Elf. But I fear I shall be nothing but a burden. I will leave once I have healed."
He shook his head. "You will not be a burden. Stay here for as long as you need," he said placing his hand upon hers.
Just then, there was a soft knock at the door. "Master Legolas," a petite female Elf of fair skin came into view. "Your father wishes to see you."
"Thank you, Sudiana." The young Elf gracefully arose from the bed and bowed lightly. "As the evening grows late, I will bid you good-night. Have a restful slumber, fair Azurea."
"And you as well, Master Elf." She smiled slightly at him and silently wished she could spend time with the Elf. She was in desperate need of someone's company, anyone's company! When he was gone, she picked the tray up off the table and ate silently.
Legolas followed Sudiana to Thranduil's chambers quietly and quickly. He expected the worst, as he always did. It was only when their people where in great danger that the young prince was summoned to the chambers of his father.
The young maid knocked softly. "Master Legolas is here, my Lord."
"Send him in," a somewhat gruff voice responded. Legolas sent Sudiana away and opened the heavy door to the king's chambers.
"What is it, father?" he asked, closing the door behind him.
"Our guards have told me that there are Orcs patrolling our borders," Thranduil said, sounding quite perplexed and concerned.
"Orcs?" Legolas questioned. "Why would they be here? Orcs haven't been around these parts in centuries!"
"I do not know," he paused, turning around to face his son. "What of that girl you brought here earlier?"
"Azurea?" he shook his head. "We have barely uttered a word to each other. I know not where she came from or how she got here. Or what happened to her, for that matter. All I know is that she is afraid of something or someone. I can see it in her eyes."
"Find out as much information about her that you possibly can. She may be a danger to our people."
"I shall, father." Legolas opened the door, which he had been leaning against, and bowed. "Quel du."
Legolas made his way to his bedroom pondering the situation. He doubted very much that Azurea had come here to intentionally inflict harm on anyone. He had an inking, however, that someone was after her and quite possibly wanted something from her.
*Quel du - Good night