"Legolas."
Legolas looked up from the soft grass he'd been walking on besides Iakywn. Many days had passed since Iakywn's first arrival – her arrival had been close to one year prior.
"I am leaving tomorrow."
Legolas' light footsteps stopped. The quiet wind blew her cool breath against his cheek as he stared upon Iakywn's back. She whirled around in a flurry of jet-black hair to face the Prince.
"I had to leave sometime, Legolas!" she exclaimed, her violet eyes searching his, not wanting to hurt him with her upcoming admittance. Iakywn stepped closer to him. "Legolas…the time I have spent here, with you, has been more enjoyable than I had expected. You have been a good companion – and an honest, determined one, virtuous qualities. The day after my welcome, you entered my chambers and requested my accompanying presence on dawn's first light's walk. And we walked. You confessed your love for me, Legolas, and begged me to find a place in my cold heart to let you have a chance to win my love. I agreed – and I almost regret doing so. You persisted, every day, to spend time by my side. We talked long hours, often into the night, past night and into morning. I do not regret our talks, or our blooming close friendship. What I regret is stabbing your kind and gentle heart with my next words." Iakywn paused. "I do not love you, Legolas. You have a dear friend to me, and have melted away the ice covering my heart. But my heart feels no love, other than that of a sister to a brother."
The silence stretched like a strained bowstring, threatening to snap at any moment. Moment…after moment…after moment passed, as the silence was pulled – and as the silence begged to be free – and as the silence –
"You could learn."
- snapped.
Iakywn sighed and turned away. "No, Legolas."
"Tell me of what reason." Legolas stepped in front of the stubborn Elf that his love had enfolded. She was all beauty, all fair…. Legolas reached a hand up to brush away a lock of hair that had fallen over her face. "You learned to love Mirkwood, to love the halls of Thranduil, King. Can you not learn to love me?"
"Nay, I can't, Legolas. Believe me, I've tried. But I can't force myself to love you." Iakywn looked down at the rustling grass, the verdant threads that had been sewed by God's own hands to the rich soil. "Legolas, love is something beautiful. It should never be enforced. For if it is, it is not true love. Would you want a love that is not real?" When she heard no answer, she continued, "Legolas. Do you remember when we first met? The long time ago when I was first received as a guest of this forest?"
"Yes."
"Do you remember how cold I was? How unhappy? I did not want to enjoy my time here." Iakywn lifted her eyes. "But my thoughtless mind was changd, and even my frozen heart, and that is more than anyone can ever expect from me, Prince. Be joyous of my change, and of your role in my transformation."
"I can only be joyous with you by my side."
Iakywn shook her head slowly. Her hand reached forward and placed itself on Legolas' complexion. "I leave tomorrow, Legolas."
"Then I will leave with you."
"No, Legolas." Her hand left his face. "Your home is here, with your kindred. I leave tomorrow, Prince, and I leave alone."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"King Thranduil," a mighty voice echoed through the halls, causing Thranduil to tear his attention away from the son he'd been deep in conversation with. Thranduil watched Kelhéo approach, with Iakywn at his side. Kelhéo bowed low.
"It grieves me to announce my departure, Thranduil, good friend," Kelhéo said, rising from his bow. Iakywn curtsied. "My long stay here has proved to me the hospitality of the courts of Mirkwood. May the bonds and alliances between the Elves of the Maress and of Mirkwood never weaken or fail."
Thranduil gave Kelhéo a ddep nod. When his head rose again, Kelhéo could see a deep pain that stabbed Kelhéo's heart – the hurt was that great.
"Thranduil!" Kelhéo cried. "Do you despair of my leave so enormously?"
Thranduil closed his eyes for a long moment, and then turned to his son. "No, Kelhéo. I am glad you found such enjoyment in the halls of Thranduil. It is of a leave that I despair, but not of yours, beg pardon, but of my son's."
As Kelhéo stared at the king in amazement, Legolas stepped forward. His eyes met Iakywn's sorrowful own as she anticipated the words she knew were coming. He held her gaze as he spoke, calmly and seriously, "I am going with you to the Maress Woodlands, and I mean not to return."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"It was not a jest when I told you I would leave with you."
Iakywn stopped pacing to glare at Legolas. "And it was not a jest when I said I not wanted you to!"
They were standing on a pavilion, where Iaykwn had asked to speak with Legolas in peace after he'd make his proclamation. Golden-tinted leaves, as were common in Mirkwood, danced around them, caught up in the wind's song and invitation. Birds flew past, sharp blurs against the slow sky.
"I am leaving with you." Legolas' decision stood firm.
"You are leaving your family!" Iakywn shouted. "Do you care nothing for your father and king? Did you not see his agony? Was it not as obvious to you as to me?"
"I care more for you."
"More than even the very person that has showered you with love since your birth?"
"Yes."
"No, Legolas!" yelled Iakywn, infuriated. "If you did, you are more of the heartless person than I am thinking you right now. You are just blinded on the hour. You will regret your choice when you realize that there are no showers of love from me, and never will be. I do not love you, mattering not how much you love me."
How could he be so cruel? Iakywn thought to herself. How could he leave his family like that? He was lucky enough to have a wonderful family, a wonderful home. How could he ever want to give that up? Silently, Iakywn screamed at Legolas, Not everyone has been as beloved as you, Prince!
Legolas' voice rose slightly. "You can indeed learn to love, Iakywn, as I have said before!"
Iakywn's old fire, which had not gone but been merely suppressed, flared up again. Her heart turned hard and she became unchanged. The unloving Elf with the lashing tongue reappeared again, fighting away the new Elf that had taken its place, the soft Elf, the inner Elf. Iakywn's shield and armor was on, and with it, four walls on each tender, exposed side. She was completely protected – completely covered – completely cold. Iakywn's tone quieted and a dangerous edge shook her voice.
"Legolas, I speak the truth. I do not love you. I cannot learn to love you. I will never love you. The sun may cease to shine – the farmers made need not the rain, but I will not love you. You may travel the earth and back, but I will not learn. There is nothing you can do, no unimaginable feat of heroism that will make me love you. Life itself may stop – no love will start. Legolas! Lose hope, for it is hopeless. Lose dream, for it is dreamless. You mean next to nothing to me, Legolas, and learn that I mean next to nothing to you."
Iakywn's amethyst eyes lost their shine as they were enveloped in pure fury and rage. She stood firm, staring at Legolas, hands clenched in uncontrollable fists. He moved not, and held her gaze. She blinked, once, and he was gone, dirt swirling where he'd stood, the only remaining clue he'd even been there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Is all resolved, Iakywn?"
"Yes, Father," Iakywn responded, her voice soft. "Shall we depart?"
"The sun is high. It is a bad time to depart, when the heat beats down against our backs. We will leave at twilight. The moon is old tonight, and full. We will have light in the cool evening. Take rest now, Iakywn – there are many leagues of heavy riding."
Iakywn nodded, still silent. Curtsying her leave, she vanished into her chambers.
"Kelhéo…" Thranduil said, putting a hand on Kelhéo's shoulder.
"My heart is heavy, Thranduil. My daughter's heart is saddened."
"My son is the cause, but I cannot even find his, as far as my sight stretches." Thranduil's voice was thick with grief.
"Do not worry yourself, Thranduil. They are both at fault."
"As are we."
"Indeed."
A short silence followed, as the two fathers' friendship grew stronger, bonded by their loss.
Thranduil cleared his throat. "Walk with me, dear friend Kelhéo," Thranduil said. "Let us go."
Iakywn leaned back against the doorpost and sighed. Do you see how your father is suffering, Legolas? Do you not care? How could you not care? She heard Thranduil and Kelhéo's footsteps diminish and then fade away.
"I do not love you…. No, Legolas…. Life itself may stop…. Lose hope…lose dream…."
Her own piercing voice reverberated through her head. Iakywn was feeling something she'd never felt before – guilt.
"My words could have lessened in harshness," she whispered to herself. Iakywn raised a limp hand to her head.
"You mean next to nothing to me…Legolas…"
"Early you awake, Kelhéo…."
What was this new voice, invading her thoughts?
"An early riser I am, as you are, Prince!"
What importance did this memory hold?
"Do early risers run in the family bloodline?"
Yes…that was the memory.