A/N: Thank you for the wonderful reviews!
The next day, Legolas dressed in a casual tunic and leggings and headed to the gardens, hoping to meet Rhiannon on her daily walk. Fortunately she was there with her handmaid Kaylyn.
Rhiannon was sitting on a stone bench, looking thoughtfully at a young rose. Kaylyn was standing next to the bench, looking troubled at her mistress' oddly silent behavior and tears the night before.
Kaylyn looked away from her mistress and saw Legolas walking down the stone path. She quickly gave a small bow and said, "My prince."
Rhiannon started from her trance and when she looked up to see Legolas staring at her, she quickly stood up, blushed and said, "Your Majesty."
Kaylyn looked at Rhiannon with pure shock. Rhiannon never called Legolas that unless she was joking around or angry at him. 'Probably the latter,' she thought to herself.
Legolas spoke. "I would like to speak to Rhiannon alone," he said in a soft but firm tone without leaving his eyes from Rhiannon's. Kaylyn stared at the two then nodded and backed away. "As you wish."
As soon as she was out of hearing range (for an elf), Legolas started. "Rhiannon, I am sorry about what happened last night at the ball. I am sorry I put so much pressure on you. I should've understood your feelings. Let us not change what was between us before last night. Let us continue to be friends," he said, secretly wishing that that was not to be.
Rhiannon, who had turned away from his piercing blue gaze, looked back up in amazement. Rhiannon's worst fear was that Legolas would shun her and never speak to her again. "Of.of course, Legolas," she smiled as she spoke. "I wouldn't have it any other way." She stopped. "However, you aren't thinking about me still marrying you, are you?
Legolas smiled, though his mind cried, as he looked at the beaming, happy Rhiannon he had always known. "Let us put aside that matter for now." Rhiannon sighed in relief inwardly. "Now come. Let us go to the archery fields where Elihor is waiting for us."
Rhiannon's heart stopped. 'Eli would be there? What am I to say to him? Oh, great Eru, help me!' But Rhiannon calmly let Legolas take her hand and lead her to the archery fields.
Elihor saw the two coming towards him and waved, not knowing whether to be happy or sad. 'Rhiannon probably accepted Legolas' offer. "Oh, great Eru, what am I to do?' he thought to himself as the normal Rhiannon shined the whole field.
Elihor smiled and took Rhiannon's hand. "How are you feeling, Rhia?" he asked as he kissed her hand. Rhiannon felt her heart do flips.
"I am well, Lord Eli. How are you?" she asked smiling sweetly.
"Oh, I am fine as well." There was an awkward silence while the two stared at each other. For a moment, Legolas thought that they liked each other (imagine that!) but quickly shook that idea out of his head as he remembered Eli's words the night before.
Finally, Legolas said, "All right. Let's start with the archery, shall we?" Rhiannon and Elihor broke out of their trance.
"Oh, yes, of course," Elihor said, blushing slightly.
He picked up his bow and arrows and headed toward one of the fields. Legolas followed with Rhiannon following. Elihor stopped at a tree near one of the targets and handed Legolas his bow. He also handed Rhiannon a spare bow. The three of them spent the rest of the morning practicing archery like they did for a long time.
In the afternoon, Legolas, Elihor, and Rhiannon went horsebacking riding and sat in the forest, looking at the wildlife. They had been so caught up in their activities that they failed to notice the time until the Sun was just barely peaking from the horizon.
"Oh! We must get back or we'll miss dinner!" Rhiannon exclaimed when she saw the sun set.
Elihor and Legolas jumped up also. "Yes, we had better hurry. Our fathers would not be pleased if we are late for dinner," Legolas agreed. The trio jumped on their horses and sped off toward the palace. **************************************************************************** ************ King Thranduil was getting impatient. It was customary to wait for the royal family to sit down before letting the meal begin. However, this! This was absurd! They had been waiting for what felt like forever and everyone was waiting for Prince Legolas to sit at the table. They could smell the delicious food from the kitchen and everyone was dying to eat.
Just then, Prince Legolas, Elihor, and Rhiannon burst threw the doors. Everyone glared at them and King Thranduil grimly said, "Ah! Here come the ones responsible for the delay in dinner. Legolas, what should you say?"
Legolas, looking flushed from running, turned to the nobles sitting at the table. "My apologies, ladies and gentlemen. It was most discourteous of me to leave you all to sit here and wonder what is for dinner. I'm sorry."
Finally, King Thranduil said, "Apologies accepted, my son. Here, have a seat and let the feast begin!"
Legolas sat down at an empty seat, while Rhiannon took the seat next to him and Elihor taking the seat across from him. Unfortunately, Rhiannon was sitting across from Naleese.
She smiled as she saw Legolas sitting near her (he did his best to avoid her and her group) and glared at Rhiannon, who was smiling at her. Rhiannon frowned at the look she had just received but Naleese pretended not to notice. "Ah, my dear prince! Where were all day? My friends and I started to worry when everyone did not know where you were. Consequently, Rhiannon went missing too," she said as she gave Rhiannon another cold stare.
Legolas noticed this too and simply said, "I was out with my close friends. Is there something wrong with not telling you where I am every minute of the day?"
Naleese looked shocked at this harsh answer she was given but covered her surprise expertly. "Why, no. But it would help if you did not worry my friends and me so," she said, her voice dripping with honey. Her friends giggled.
Elihor, sensing that Legolas was quickly losing his temper, changed the subject and said, "Legolas, have you decided on the design you wanted for your arrow? I could ask my father to make it for you immediately, if you wish.
Legolas gave his friend a thankful look and said, "Why, yes. I have the design ready. It is up in my room. I shall retrieve it for you once dinner is finished."
They spent the rest of dinner silently staring at each other. Naleese spent her time glaring at Rhiannon and gazing at Legolas. Rhiannon looked at Naleese quizzically and watched Elihor intently. Elihor stared at Rhiannon and looked worriedly at Legolas. Legolas in turn stared at Rhiannon and glanced at Naleese. King Thranduil watched the party in amusement as glares, glances, and stares were given across the table.
The next day, Legolas dressed in a casual tunic and leggings and headed to the gardens, hoping to meet Rhiannon on her daily walk. Fortunately she was there with her handmaid Kaylyn.
Rhiannon was sitting on a stone bench, looking thoughtfully at a young rose. Kaylyn was standing next to the bench, looking troubled at her mistress' oddly silent behavior and tears the night before.
Kaylyn looked away from her mistress and saw Legolas walking down the stone path. She quickly gave a small bow and said, "My prince."
Rhiannon started from her trance and when she looked up to see Legolas staring at her, she quickly stood up, blushed and said, "Your Majesty."
Kaylyn looked at Rhiannon with pure shock. Rhiannon never called Legolas that unless she was joking around or angry at him. 'Probably the latter,' she thought to herself.
Legolas spoke. "I would like to speak to Rhiannon alone," he said in a soft but firm tone without leaving his eyes from Rhiannon's. Kaylyn stared at the two then nodded and backed away. "As you wish."
As soon as she was out of hearing range (for an elf), Legolas started. "Rhiannon, I am sorry about what happened last night at the ball. I am sorry I put so much pressure on you. I should've understood your feelings. Let us not change what was between us before last night. Let us continue to be friends," he said, secretly wishing that that was not to be.
Rhiannon, who had turned away from his piercing blue gaze, looked back up in amazement. Rhiannon's worst fear was that Legolas would shun her and never speak to her again. "Of.of course, Legolas," she smiled as she spoke. "I wouldn't have it any other way." She stopped. "However, you aren't thinking about me still marrying you, are you?
Legolas smiled, though his mind cried, as he looked at the beaming, happy Rhiannon he had always known. "Let us put aside that matter for now." Rhiannon sighed in relief inwardly. "Now come. Let us go to the archery fields where Elihor is waiting for us."
Rhiannon's heart stopped. 'Eli would be there? What am I to say to him? Oh, great Eru, help me!' But Rhiannon calmly let Legolas take her hand and lead her to the archery fields.
Elihor saw the two coming towards him and waved, not knowing whether to be happy or sad. 'Rhiannon probably accepted Legolas' offer. "Oh, great Eru, what am I to do?' he thought to himself as the normal Rhiannon shined the whole field.
Elihor smiled and took Rhiannon's hand. "How are you feeling, Rhia?" he asked as he kissed her hand. Rhiannon felt her heart do flips.
"I am well, Lord Eli. How are you?" she asked smiling sweetly.
"Oh, I am fine as well." There was an awkward silence while the two stared at each other. For a moment, Legolas thought that they liked each other (imagine that!) but quickly shook that idea out of his head as he remembered Eli's words the night before.
Finally, Legolas said, "All right. Let's start with the archery, shall we?" Rhiannon and Elihor broke out of their trance.
"Oh, yes, of course," Elihor said, blushing slightly.
He picked up his bow and arrows and headed toward one of the fields. Legolas followed with Rhiannon following. Elihor stopped at a tree near one of the targets and handed Legolas his bow. He also handed Rhiannon a spare bow. The three of them spent the rest of the morning practicing archery like they did for a long time.
In the afternoon, Legolas, Elihor, and Rhiannon went horsebacking riding and sat in the forest, looking at the wildlife. They had been so caught up in their activities that they failed to notice the time until the Sun was just barely peaking from the horizon.
"Oh! We must get back or we'll miss dinner!" Rhiannon exclaimed when she saw the sun set.
Elihor and Legolas jumped up also. "Yes, we had better hurry. Our fathers would not be pleased if we are late for dinner," Legolas agreed. The trio jumped on their horses and sped off toward the palace. **************************************************************************** ************ King Thranduil was getting impatient. It was customary to wait for the royal family to sit down before letting the meal begin. However, this! This was absurd! They had been waiting for what felt like forever and everyone was waiting for Prince Legolas to sit at the table. They could smell the delicious food from the kitchen and everyone was dying to eat.
Just then, Prince Legolas, Elihor, and Rhiannon burst threw the doors. Everyone glared at them and King Thranduil grimly said, "Ah! Here come the ones responsible for the delay in dinner. Legolas, what should you say?"
Legolas, looking flushed from running, turned to the nobles sitting at the table. "My apologies, ladies and gentlemen. It was most discourteous of me to leave you all to sit here and wonder what is for dinner. I'm sorry."
Finally, King Thranduil said, "Apologies accepted, my son. Here, have a seat and let the feast begin!"
Legolas sat down at an empty seat, while Rhiannon took the seat next to him and Elihor taking the seat across from him. Unfortunately, Rhiannon was sitting across from Naleese.
She smiled as she saw Legolas sitting near her (he did his best to avoid her and her group) and glared at Rhiannon, who was smiling at her. Rhiannon frowned at the look she had just received but Naleese pretended not to notice. "Ah, my dear prince! Where were all day? My friends and I started to worry when everyone did not know where you were. Consequently, Rhiannon went missing too," she said as she gave Rhiannon another cold stare.
Legolas noticed this too and simply said, "I was out with my close friends. Is there something wrong with not telling you where I am every minute of the day?"
Naleese looked shocked at this harsh answer she was given but covered her surprise expertly. "Why, no. But it would help if you did not worry my friends and me so," she said, her voice dripping with honey. Her friends giggled.
Elihor, sensing that Legolas was quickly losing his temper, changed the subject and said, "Legolas, have you decided on the design you wanted for your arrow? I could ask my father to make it for you immediately, if you wish.
Legolas gave his friend a thankful look and said, "Why, yes. I have the design ready. It is up in my room. I shall retrieve it for you once dinner is finished."
They spent the rest of dinner silently staring at each other. Naleese spent her time glaring at Rhiannon and gazing at Legolas. Rhiannon looked at Naleese quizzically and watched Elihor intently. Elihor stared at Rhiannon and looked worriedly at Legolas. Legolas in turn stared at Rhiannon and glanced at Naleese. King Thranduil watched the party in amusement as glares, glances, and stares were given across the table.