Disclaimer- Refer to Chapter One
Thank you to all who have reviewed my story. It was much appreciated!
A/N- It was so hard to write the ending to this chapter. I know it's a cliffhanger, but I am not sure if I ended it at a good spot. For the next chapter, I am debating whether to be absolutely evil or not. Muwahahahaha! *Clears throat* I seem to be doing that a lot lately. Anyway, until I decide whether I want to be nice to Legolas or not, I am not going to be writing the next chapter. But rest assured, it should be up soon. After all, I did promise to post at least once a week. Happy reading and reviewing!
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The Second Day
Taking in a deep breath, Valia curtsied to Elrond and Celebrian before ascending the steps to the platform. She took her designated seat next to Celebrian and glanced out at the gathering crowd, noticing many eyes turned in her direction with surprise.
It was the second day of the tournament, the day that would determine who would win the right to escort Valia to the banquet that night and receive a kiss from her as well. The sun was high overhead but luckily, a large canopy of cloth hung over the platform, shielding those who sat under it from the intense heat.
Observing her immediate surroundings, Valia discovered an empty chair to her left and Lady Celebrian to her right. Elrond's wife was watching Valia take in everything around her. The deep rise and fall of the Lady of the Star's chest told Celebrian that the maiden was far more nervous than she appeared and when Valia's eyes collided with those Celebrian, the Lady smiled at her warmly.
'You look very lovely today Valia. Who did your hair?'
'My mother insisted on doing it this morning,' replied Valia, fingering one of the curls at the base of her neck.
'She has done an excellent job; it suits your features so well.'
'I will be sure to tell her of your praise.' Valia's hair was pulled up in a complex pattern of braids and twists. Delicate ringlets that looked to be spun of pure gold framed her face, softening her features. A hint of a smile appeared on her face as she thought about her mother arriving at her door with the rising of the sun, insisting that Valia needed to start preparing for the tournament. Valia had groaned and mumbled something about it being too early before snuggling deeper into her covers. Not to be dismissed so easily, Narawen had burst through her daughter's door and dragged the she-elf out of bed to get ready.
'I will not let you set foot outside this house until you are dressed to my satisfaction,' Narawen had said firmly, shocking Valia. Her mother was one of the most kindhearted elves Valia knew and within reason, had never insisted that Valia do something she did not want to. Pursing her lips, Valia had nodded her head to be rewarded with a large smile on her mother's face. The lady had swiftly gone to work, making Valia bathe, helping her dress, brushing her hair and styling it, all the while chattering away so Valia could not get a word in edgewise.
'I do not think I have ever seen you so excited before,' Valia had managed to say when her mother was forced to take a breath to continue speaking.
'That, my dear, is because this is the first time you have ever willingly let me dress you up. Even as an elfling you were always squirming out of my reach when I attempted to braid your hair.'
Celebrian shifted her gaze to the crowd and spoke to Valia, breaking into her reminiscing. 'I see that you received the dress Elrond and I sent you. It compliments your small form, just as I thought it would.'
'Thank you for sending it, my lady. It was very kind of you. I fear that I shall ruin it in the dust though, and be unable to return it to you in the same condition you loaned it to me in.'
'Nonesense, Valia,' retorted Celebrian with a dismissive wave of her hand. An amused smile graced her lips. 'We knew that you would be stubborn and refuse to wear anything that might show your beauty you like to hide so much behind those plain clothes of yours. I told Elrond that I would not let you hide yourself away at the tournament and banquet, and he readily agreed with me, calling a servant to our room immediately. We sent the servant out to find a dress for you and he came back with the one you now wear.'
'You should not have gone to such trouble, my lady. I had other dresses at home and I cannot begin to imagine the expense this one must have cost you.' Valia trailed the dainty silver thread on her dress with her fingertips.
'You are too humble Valia. If I heard those words come from anyone other than you, I would think they were being self righteous. But modesty suits you, my dear. Do not worry about the expense of the dress, it was a trifle, trust me. And I do not want to hear you speak of returning it to Elrond and me. We bought it for you and you alone.'
'Thank you, Celebrian,' Valia said sincerely, dropping her usual formality. She took the elven lady's slender hand in her own and squeezed it.
'That is the first time I have heard you call me simply Celebrian.'
'I am sorry, my lady,' apologized Valia quickly, dipping her head down. 'I was not thinking. Please do not be angry with me.' A wave of horror washed over Valia as soon as she heard herself say Celebrian's name in such an informal manner. She feared the lady would be mad at her for breaking with proper decorum.
'You misunderstand me, Valia.' Celebrain lifted Valia's chin up and held it there until the maiden looked at her. There was mirth in her eyes as she let a sweet laugh escape her lips. 'It pleases me that you are finally listening to all my many requests to call me simply Celebrian.' Celebrian patted Valia's hand to assure the maiden and released it.
Valia turned her attention to the field and watched the archers practice before the competition began. Only the best one hundred from the first day were allowed to compete in today's cometition. Scanning the elves, Valia spotted Isondil. The distinct clothing he had on made him easy to spot among the fashion elves in Lord Elrond's realm wore.
He was garbed in the brown and green of his people who had never changed their traditional colors after leaving the trees of Eryn Lasgalen. The elves of Imladris, however, had always been known for their bright colors. Rich yellows, blues, reds, and purples shone bright next to the subdued tones of Isondil's earthy colors.
'Celebrian, why does no one sit next me?' Valia suddenly asked. Almost all the elves that would be seated on the platform had already come, yet none had even glanced at the chair next to Valia. They appeared to be avoiding it as if Valia were Sauron himself.
'It is because Elrond and I have reserved it for someone already.'
'Who?'
'I believe that is him now.' The Lady gestured with her head, a mischievous sparkle in the depths of her eyes. Valia turned her attention in the direction Celebrian had indicated.
Prince Legolas was walking up the stairs, but Valia grew confused when she noticed he did not have on his typical archery clothing, at least what she thought was his typical archery clothing. After all, she had not seen him more than a handful of times her entire life. He wore a green tunic that looked to be made of silk. The color matched his emerald eyes to perfection and though Valia did not know much about clothing, she could see that the tunic was tailored with great skill. He wore no belt, for the cut of the garment accentuated his agile form without need of one. Brown leggings were tucked into soft leather boots and a silver circlet of vines and leaves was placed on his brow to complete the ensemble.
'I see he meets your approval today,' whispered Celebrain, catching Valia staring at the Prince. 'Has an elf finally had the good fortune to catch the critical eye of Lady Valia?'
'No!' Valia snapped, wiggling deeper into her seat with a moody look on her face. Celebrian smiled knowingly and turned to Elrond, leaving Valia alone with her thoughts.
The Lady of the Stars silently lambasted herself. What do you think you are doing Valia? Why did you not notice you were staring at him like that? And for that matter, what where you doing staring at him in the first place? 'I will not let him effect my emotions, nor any other elf,' Valia swore to the voice in her head. 'I cannot afford to loose a handle on my feelings.' Besides, he had insulted her on several occasions and still had not apologized. Valia felt her anger towards the elf begin to grow again and gave herself a mental pat on the back.
Valia saw Elrond stand, clasping the Prince's left arm in greeting. 'I have taken the liberty of reserving a seat for you, Legolas.'
'Thank you, Lord Elrond. I appreciate your great kindness.'
Elrond indicated the seat next to Valia and Legolas walked towards it, bowing to Lady Celebrian as he passed. Sitting down with all the grace his position in life had taught him to use, he placed his injured wrist on the arm rest and stared at the archery field with an unreadable expression on his face.
Valia was not at all pleased with the arrangements. Why was he not out on the archery field with the other competitors and safely away from her? His nearness annoyed Valia and without think, she scooted to her right to put as much space as she could between herself and him.
'Legolas.' Celebrian leaned in front of Valia to speak with the Prince. Not wanting to interfere, Valia pushed herself as far back into the chair as she could, looking past Celebrian's shoulder and pretending to observe something of interest in the distance.
'Yes, my lady?' asked Legolas, looking past Valia as if she were not there.
'You have not greeted Lady Valia yet. Do not tell me you are the only elf who has not noticed her this afternoon.'
Legolas' eyes drifted to the she-elf sitting in the chair between him and Lady Celebrian. 'Valia?' he asked incredulously and she slowly turned her head his direction. He had not even recognized her in the dress and with her hair up in such a becoming manner. The maiden actually looked pretty, like the normal elven ladies he was so used to seeing. Perhaps that is why he had not glanced her way.
'Is she not beautiful?' continued Celebrian. 'You must convince her to wear these kinds of clothes more often. Her mother and I have prevailed upon her for centuries now to do so, but she had never agreed until now. I think it is to you that we owe the honor of seeing Valia look so charming.'
Valia grit her teeth and openly glared at Celebrian, but the lady just smiled back sweetly and turned her head, effectively excluding herself from the conversation and leaving Valia trapped with the attention of the Prince.
'I am sorry, Valia, I had not observed it to be you sitting there' said Legolas, much to her aggravation. 'You look very lovely. I thought you were someone else.' The words were out of Legolas' mouth before he had time to think about them. Immediately afterwards, the full import of their meaning hit him and he silently groaned as he watched Valia's eyes widen in disbelief and then fill with anger. Why was he always saying such stupid things to her? He knew she would understand his words as an insult; that she did not look pretty on any other day. The thought was confirmed when Valia spoke.
'Do you intentionally try to offend me every time we meet Prince Legolas, or is it merely your daily habit of conversation with everyone?' Valia did not care if he was royalty anymore. She would no longer gracefully accept another insult from the arrogant prince sitting next to her.
'Forgive me, Valia, I did not intend to insult you.' Legolas only received a raised brow in response to his apology before Valia turned her gaze from his to look out at the archery field.
With a sigh, Legolas turned forward as well but was surprised when he heard Valia's soft voice break the silence. 'Why are you not in the tournament today?' Her curiosity always did get the better of her, despite her best efforts.
'I am afraid I injured my wrist and would only do further damage to it if I tried to use my bow.'
This elicited an inquisitive glance from Valia before she looked down at Legolas' wrist. She had not noticed that it was expertly bound with crème colored fabric to prevent any movement.
'What happened?'
'I fell; it was a stupid mistake on my part.'
Celebrian, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation the entire time, saw her opportunity to tout the good qualities of Legolas. 'I think the Prince is too modest, like yourself Valia, so I will inform you of his gallant behavior myself.'
'He rescued an elfling last night trapped up in an ancient tree, but the decaying branch the child was on did not support his weight. When the elfling threw herself into his arms, he fell from the tree, the little one safely wrapped in his arms. The child was alright but Prince Legolas was not so lucky and sprained his wrist in the fall.'
Legolas felt a strange stirring within him when Valia looked from his wrist to his eyes. Her entire demeanor had softened and she was looking at him with a hint of admiration in the deep pools of her blue eyes. Legolas' eyes grew wide with wonder and he felt himself fixed to his seat by her steady gaze.
Taking in all that was transpiring in one glance, Celebrian turned once more and gave Elrond an affectionate peck on the cheek, pretending not to notice what was happening between the two.
'Have you injured it severely?' asked Valia, concern lacing her words.
'No, tis' nothing, really.' Legolas held out the injured wrist for her to see and took pleasure in the sympathy he saw flash across her face. Before she had time to think, Valia reached out and cradled his wrist in her hands, gently feeling the injury herself. Legolas winced at the touch, and Valia, who saw the grimace, recoiled.
'I am sorry. I did not mean too..'
'It is fine Valia. You have done no harm.' He realized that he had enjoyed her hands on him and missed the warmth of the contact. Legolas reached out and took her slim hand in his own, knowing that it was a bold move, but not having the control to stop himself. Gently he rubbed his thumb over the smooth skin and then glanced up into her eyes.
To his confusion, he saw Valia's eyes grow large and fill with fear. She snatched her hand out of his and snapped her body around, growing stiff with tension.
Legolas' found himself filled with confusion. He had thought Valia would respond differently to his touch, but was disappointed to find his assumption wrong. Was he really that repulsive to her? Had he truly offended her that deeply on their first meeting?
Turning himself to the archery field, Legolas scanned the crowd but a movement to his right caught his eye and he looked towards the stairs instead. An elf that seemed vaguely familiar strode up to the platform and was greeted by an embrace from Elrond and Celebrian. Legolas could not make out the words they were saying but it was clear that all three were delighted to see one another.
'Valia!' the stranger exclaimed, turning to the maiden. 'It has been too long since last I saw you. How much you have changed!'
Quickly taking her eyes away from the archery field, Valia looked for the elf that had spoken her name.
'Elrohir!' Valia gasped, standing up from her seat. 'When did you get back? Where is Elladan?' Elrohir pulled Valia into a tight embrace, lifting her feet off the ground and spinning her around before lowering her. 'How was your trip?' she asked, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
'My, we are full of questions today. But look at you. You have gone and gotten pretty on me while I was gone, Valia. For shame. You once swore to me that you would never be caught wearing a dress like the one you wear now.' Elrohir glanced over Valia's shoulder at the elf who sat in the seat next to her and recognized Legolas right away. 'Prince Legolas! I did not expect to see you here, though it explains Valia's sudden transformation,' he teased, with a wink at Valia before looking at Legolas again. 'Tell me, how did you convince our dear Valia to put on some fashionable clothes for once?'
'He had nothing to do with it,' barked Valia. She glowered at the Prince who only gave her a confused expression before resting his eyes on Elrohir.
'Come, come Valia. Do not lie to me,' stated Elrohir. Valia could see the glimmer in his eyes and nearly exploded. 'Just because I am a male does not mean I have not heard all the gossip about Prince Legolas. Every unmarried female in this realm and every other one has her plans well laid to trap the Prince into matrimony, but it seems you have beaten them to it. Am I in need to offer congratulations to the two of you? '
'They are all out to match me up! I will never hear the end of this,' she screamed in her head. A red flush of anger spread across her pale face. Pulling herself away from Elrohir's grasp, Valia sat down in an unladylike huff and crossed her arms, much to the amusement of Elrond and his family.
However Valia was relieved to see that it was time for the tournament to begin and no further comment could be made about her and Legolas.
Standing up, Elrond situated his stately robes and clasped his hands in front of him. He welcomed all the elves to the tournament and with an august wave of his hand, began the competition.
No sooner had the first round began, than Valia heard Legolas speak next to her. 'Valia?' Not making any sign she had heard him, Valia stared at the competition with a rapt gaze.
'Valia?' asked Legolas again, not sure if the maiden had taken notice of him or not. This time, he saw the minute hardening along her jaw line, confirming that she was definitely aware of him, though she did not voice a reply.
If she was not going to have the courtesy to acknowledge him, Legolas decided that he would not bother to speak to her the rest of the day. The maiden was so confusing! He had addressed her to apologize and explain the comments that had so upset her the first time they had met, but Legolas quickly changed his mind.
'Two can play this game!' he mumbled darkly, fleetingly wondering why he was so mad suddenly. It did not matter though; if she was going to be stubborn he would prove that he could be just as resolved in his decisions. He would wait until she came begging to him for forgiveness and only then would he consider being civil to the Lady again. Perhaps not princely behavior, but that did not matter right now.
Valia was occupied with a similar train of thoughts, scolding herself for ever even letting her guard down. She had been foolish and shown the Prince sympathy. He must surely think she had some interest in him now, which was not true in the least. She would redouble the guard around her heart; she could not afford to feel empathetic with this elf.
Much to Celebrian's dismay, the two elves stayed silent for much of the competition, each brooding in their unhappy thoughts, no matter what the great elven lady tried to do.
The sun slowly moved across the sky, casting longer shadows the lower it sank. The competitors were being narrowed down and excitement grew when the last four remained.
In the second day of the tournament, only the top tow elves went to the final round, which the spectators were not surprised when it turned out to be Isondil and Lord Garand. However, the target this time was more challenging then the crafted ones they had previously shot at.
The elves were to shoot at a tree limb, marked with a white cloth for identification. A large stand of trees hemmed in the archery field on the far side and the limb had already been chosen and marked.
Isondil eyed the branch carefully. It would have been better to call it a twig, being only thick enough for an arrow to hit it and not break. At least two hundred and fifty paces of lush grass stood between the target and the archers.
Lord Garand was the first to shoot and Valia straightened in her chair, assuring herself a good view. The tournament had not held much interest for her that day, so consumed was she with her inner thoughts. However this round pulled her away from her musings and captured her full attention.
This was the round that would determine who her escort would be to the banquet that night and also who she would have to kiss. How she wished that she had never let Silia goad her into agreeing to become the Lady of the Stars if asked. She had been so sure that there was no chance she would be chosen, yet here she was, in an extremely uncomfortable situation and she had no one to blame but herself.
With slow precision, Lord Garand checked his bow, his hands running over the wood and string with the same familiarity as if it were a part of him. Satisfied with the inspection, he fitted a bow to the string and looked at the target, his eyes easily seeing the designated branch.
Hitting it would be a different matter though. A ripple of anxiety moved through the crowd as Garand raised the bow up, pulling back the string and taking careful aim.
'Too high,' Valia heard Legolas whisper as the arrow was released. All eyes flew to the branch to see if the arrow had hit its mark. Imbedded in the branch directly above the target, Garand's arrow rested. Polite applause came from the crowd and Lord Garand turned to bow towards the platform before stepping away from the shooting line.
Isondil took a deep breath and walking over, he placed his feet directly behind the line, gliding his fingers along the runes carved into his bow. He felt unnerved, more than he had been in many a fierce battle before. Glancing back, he saw Legolas and Valia sitting next to each other. A few seats away sat Silia, her eyes transfixed on Isondil. He dipped his head to her and was rewarded with a bright smile from the maiden and small wave.
Taking another breath, Isondil released it slowly and cleared his mind. He had the branch in his sight and slowly raised his bow and took aim.
'Lower,' murmured Legolas. 'Lower the bow Isondil.'
As if hearing the advice of his friend, Isondil slightly lowered the angle of his bow. The string twanged when he released the arrow into the air and there was a collective intake of breath.
A resounding thump echoed moments later, followed by the might roar of the spectators when they saw his arrow buried deep into the marked branch. Isondil jumped into the air when he saw it, a grin plastered over his face. With a cheeky smile he bowed to the crowd before moving towards the platform.
Valia could not help but smile at the exuberance of the elf, but she quickly grew nervous when he came to stand at the bottom of the stairs. She was glad it had been Isondil who won. Lord Garand had always ignored Valia with snobbish indifference whenever they were in the same room. He thought himself to good for plain Valia, even though her station in life was higher than his.
Elrond stood after Isondil bowed before him. 'You have an excellent eye, Lord Isondil.'
'Nay, my lord, I merely had an excellent teacher,' replied Isondil merrily, casting a glance at Legolas.
With elven poise, Elrond walked to Valia and offered her his hand. She slipped her cool hand into his warm one and stood up, descending the steps on Elrond's arm. 'Your prize, Lord Isondil, for winning the tournament is a kiss from the Lady of the Stars and the honor of escorting her to the banquet tonight.'
Elrond gently pushed Valia towards Isondil until the two stood face to face, and then inaudibly withdrew to stand beside his wife. All went still as Isondil and Valia faced each other, waiting for the elf to kiss the Lady of the Stars.
Valia was frustrated when she found her legs start to tremble slightly and an uneasy feeling grow in her stomach. She had never had so many eyes on her before, and would not have taken notice to the interest if it were not for the embarrassing situation about to take place.
It was not that Isondil was not a handsome elf. He was very fair to behold and many a maiden would have willingly given him a kiss. Valia simply did not wish to give any elf a kiss; it had been millennium since she had even thought about giving any elf a kiss. And besides all that, she did not want to anger Silia, who she thought had taken a fancy to the elven lord.
Isondil was thinking the same thing. He glanced up at Silia on the platform and noticed her expression was not one of pleasure. Thinking back to last night, he remembered their stolen kiss at the setting of the sun. He had never been believed in love at first sight, but when he felt an immediate longing in his soul at his first glimpse of Silia, he knew he had been wrong. It was with great delight that he had felt her return his kiss last night, meeting his passionate intensity with her own.
He thought she would pull away in shock, after only making his acquaintance a few days ago. And never being one to rush important things himself, he was prepared for her to slap him and leave, but instead she had pulled after several moments, giving his a soft smile before walking away without a word.
Isondil's thoughts then turned to Legolas, who had sat with Valia for the entire tournament. What would his friend do if he kissed the lady? He had a suspicion that Legolas had an interest in Valia, though he did not wish to reveal it.
With a glance up to the platform, he reached out and grasped Valia's hand, pulling the elven maiden to his side, and shocking everyone with what he did next.
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Thank you to all who have reviewed my story. It was much appreciated!
A/N- It was so hard to write the ending to this chapter. I know it's a cliffhanger, but I am not sure if I ended it at a good spot. For the next chapter, I am debating whether to be absolutely evil or not. Muwahahahaha! *Clears throat* I seem to be doing that a lot lately. Anyway, until I decide whether I want to be nice to Legolas or not, I am not going to be writing the next chapter. But rest assured, it should be up soon. After all, I did promise to post at least once a week. Happy reading and reviewing!
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The Second Day
Taking in a deep breath, Valia curtsied to Elrond and Celebrian before ascending the steps to the platform. She took her designated seat next to Celebrian and glanced out at the gathering crowd, noticing many eyes turned in her direction with surprise.
It was the second day of the tournament, the day that would determine who would win the right to escort Valia to the banquet that night and receive a kiss from her as well. The sun was high overhead but luckily, a large canopy of cloth hung over the platform, shielding those who sat under it from the intense heat.
Observing her immediate surroundings, Valia discovered an empty chair to her left and Lady Celebrian to her right. Elrond's wife was watching Valia take in everything around her. The deep rise and fall of the Lady of the Star's chest told Celebrian that the maiden was far more nervous than she appeared and when Valia's eyes collided with those Celebrian, the Lady smiled at her warmly.
'You look very lovely today Valia. Who did your hair?'
'My mother insisted on doing it this morning,' replied Valia, fingering one of the curls at the base of her neck.
'She has done an excellent job; it suits your features so well.'
'I will be sure to tell her of your praise.' Valia's hair was pulled up in a complex pattern of braids and twists. Delicate ringlets that looked to be spun of pure gold framed her face, softening her features. A hint of a smile appeared on her face as she thought about her mother arriving at her door with the rising of the sun, insisting that Valia needed to start preparing for the tournament. Valia had groaned and mumbled something about it being too early before snuggling deeper into her covers. Not to be dismissed so easily, Narawen had burst through her daughter's door and dragged the she-elf out of bed to get ready.
'I will not let you set foot outside this house until you are dressed to my satisfaction,' Narawen had said firmly, shocking Valia. Her mother was one of the most kindhearted elves Valia knew and within reason, had never insisted that Valia do something she did not want to. Pursing her lips, Valia had nodded her head to be rewarded with a large smile on her mother's face. The lady had swiftly gone to work, making Valia bathe, helping her dress, brushing her hair and styling it, all the while chattering away so Valia could not get a word in edgewise.
'I do not think I have ever seen you so excited before,' Valia had managed to say when her mother was forced to take a breath to continue speaking.
'That, my dear, is because this is the first time you have ever willingly let me dress you up. Even as an elfling you were always squirming out of my reach when I attempted to braid your hair.'
Celebrian shifted her gaze to the crowd and spoke to Valia, breaking into her reminiscing. 'I see that you received the dress Elrond and I sent you. It compliments your small form, just as I thought it would.'
'Thank you for sending it, my lady. It was very kind of you. I fear that I shall ruin it in the dust though, and be unable to return it to you in the same condition you loaned it to me in.'
'Nonesense, Valia,' retorted Celebrian with a dismissive wave of her hand. An amused smile graced her lips. 'We knew that you would be stubborn and refuse to wear anything that might show your beauty you like to hide so much behind those plain clothes of yours. I told Elrond that I would not let you hide yourself away at the tournament and banquet, and he readily agreed with me, calling a servant to our room immediately. We sent the servant out to find a dress for you and he came back with the one you now wear.'
'You should not have gone to such trouble, my lady. I had other dresses at home and I cannot begin to imagine the expense this one must have cost you.' Valia trailed the dainty silver thread on her dress with her fingertips.
'You are too humble Valia. If I heard those words come from anyone other than you, I would think they were being self righteous. But modesty suits you, my dear. Do not worry about the expense of the dress, it was a trifle, trust me. And I do not want to hear you speak of returning it to Elrond and me. We bought it for you and you alone.'
'Thank you, Celebrian,' Valia said sincerely, dropping her usual formality. She took the elven lady's slender hand in her own and squeezed it.
'That is the first time I have heard you call me simply Celebrian.'
'I am sorry, my lady,' apologized Valia quickly, dipping her head down. 'I was not thinking. Please do not be angry with me.' A wave of horror washed over Valia as soon as she heard herself say Celebrian's name in such an informal manner. She feared the lady would be mad at her for breaking with proper decorum.
'You misunderstand me, Valia.' Celebrain lifted Valia's chin up and held it there until the maiden looked at her. There was mirth in her eyes as she let a sweet laugh escape her lips. 'It pleases me that you are finally listening to all my many requests to call me simply Celebrian.' Celebrian patted Valia's hand to assure the maiden and released it.
Valia turned her attention to the field and watched the archers practice before the competition began. Only the best one hundred from the first day were allowed to compete in today's cometition. Scanning the elves, Valia spotted Isondil. The distinct clothing he had on made him easy to spot among the fashion elves in Lord Elrond's realm wore.
He was garbed in the brown and green of his people who had never changed their traditional colors after leaving the trees of Eryn Lasgalen. The elves of Imladris, however, had always been known for their bright colors. Rich yellows, blues, reds, and purples shone bright next to the subdued tones of Isondil's earthy colors.
'Celebrian, why does no one sit next me?' Valia suddenly asked. Almost all the elves that would be seated on the platform had already come, yet none had even glanced at the chair next to Valia. They appeared to be avoiding it as if Valia were Sauron himself.
'It is because Elrond and I have reserved it for someone already.'
'Who?'
'I believe that is him now.' The Lady gestured with her head, a mischievous sparkle in the depths of her eyes. Valia turned her attention in the direction Celebrian had indicated.
Prince Legolas was walking up the stairs, but Valia grew confused when she noticed he did not have on his typical archery clothing, at least what she thought was his typical archery clothing. After all, she had not seen him more than a handful of times her entire life. He wore a green tunic that looked to be made of silk. The color matched his emerald eyes to perfection and though Valia did not know much about clothing, she could see that the tunic was tailored with great skill. He wore no belt, for the cut of the garment accentuated his agile form without need of one. Brown leggings were tucked into soft leather boots and a silver circlet of vines and leaves was placed on his brow to complete the ensemble.
'I see he meets your approval today,' whispered Celebrain, catching Valia staring at the Prince. 'Has an elf finally had the good fortune to catch the critical eye of Lady Valia?'
'No!' Valia snapped, wiggling deeper into her seat with a moody look on her face. Celebrian smiled knowingly and turned to Elrond, leaving Valia alone with her thoughts.
The Lady of the Stars silently lambasted herself. What do you think you are doing Valia? Why did you not notice you were staring at him like that? And for that matter, what where you doing staring at him in the first place? 'I will not let him effect my emotions, nor any other elf,' Valia swore to the voice in her head. 'I cannot afford to loose a handle on my feelings.' Besides, he had insulted her on several occasions and still had not apologized. Valia felt her anger towards the elf begin to grow again and gave herself a mental pat on the back.
Valia saw Elrond stand, clasping the Prince's left arm in greeting. 'I have taken the liberty of reserving a seat for you, Legolas.'
'Thank you, Lord Elrond. I appreciate your great kindness.'
Elrond indicated the seat next to Valia and Legolas walked towards it, bowing to Lady Celebrian as he passed. Sitting down with all the grace his position in life had taught him to use, he placed his injured wrist on the arm rest and stared at the archery field with an unreadable expression on his face.
Valia was not at all pleased with the arrangements. Why was he not out on the archery field with the other competitors and safely away from her? His nearness annoyed Valia and without think, she scooted to her right to put as much space as she could between herself and him.
'Legolas.' Celebrian leaned in front of Valia to speak with the Prince. Not wanting to interfere, Valia pushed herself as far back into the chair as she could, looking past Celebrian's shoulder and pretending to observe something of interest in the distance.
'Yes, my lady?' asked Legolas, looking past Valia as if she were not there.
'You have not greeted Lady Valia yet. Do not tell me you are the only elf who has not noticed her this afternoon.'
Legolas' eyes drifted to the she-elf sitting in the chair between him and Lady Celebrian. 'Valia?' he asked incredulously and she slowly turned her head his direction. He had not even recognized her in the dress and with her hair up in such a becoming manner. The maiden actually looked pretty, like the normal elven ladies he was so used to seeing. Perhaps that is why he had not glanced her way.
'Is she not beautiful?' continued Celebrian. 'You must convince her to wear these kinds of clothes more often. Her mother and I have prevailed upon her for centuries now to do so, but she had never agreed until now. I think it is to you that we owe the honor of seeing Valia look so charming.'
Valia grit her teeth and openly glared at Celebrian, but the lady just smiled back sweetly and turned her head, effectively excluding herself from the conversation and leaving Valia trapped with the attention of the Prince.
'I am sorry, Valia, I had not observed it to be you sitting there' said Legolas, much to her aggravation. 'You look very lovely. I thought you were someone else.' The words were out of Legolas' mouth before he had time to think about them. Immediately afterwards, the full import of their meaning hit him and he silently groaned as he watched Valia's eyes widen in disbelief and then fill with anger. Why was he always saying such stupid things to her? He knew she would understand his words as an insult; that she did not look pretty on any other day. The thought was confirmed when Valia spoke.
'Do you intentionally try to offend me every time we meet Prince Legolas, or is it merely your daily habit of conversation with everyone?' Valia did not care if he was royalty anymore. She would no longer gracefully accept another insult from the arrogant prince sitting next to her.
'Forgive me, Valia, I did not intend to insult you.' Legolas only received a raised brow in response to his apology before Valia turned her gaze from his to look out at the archery field.
With a sigh, Legolas turned forward as well but was surprised when he heard Valia's soft voice break the silence. 'Why are you not in the tournament today?' Her curiosity always did get the better of her, despite her best efforts.
'I am afraid I injured my wrist and would only do further damage to it if I tried to use my bow.'
This elicited an inquisitive glance from Valia before she looked down at Legolas' wrist. She had not noticed that it was expertly bound with crème colored fabric to prevent any movement.
'What happened?'
'I fell; it was a stupid mistake on my part.'
Celebrian, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation the entire time, saw her opportunity to tout the good qualities of Legolas. 'I think the Prince is too modest, like yourself Valia, so I will inform you of his gallant behavior myself.'
'He rescued an elfling last night trapped up in an ancient tree, but the decaying branch the child was on did not support his weight. When the elfling threw herself into his arms, he fell from the tree, the little one safely wrapped in his arms. The child was alright but Prince Legolas was not so lucky and sprained his wrist in the fall.'
Legolas felt a strange stirring within him when Valia looked from his wrist to his eyes. Her entire demeanor had softened and she was looking at him with a hint of admiration in the deep pools of her blue eyes. Legolas' eyes grew wide with wonder and he felt himself fixed to his seat by her steady gaze.
Taking in all that was transpiring in one glance, Celebrian turned once more and gave Elrond an affectionate peck on the cheek, pretending not to notice what was happening between the two.
'Have you injured it severely?' asked Valia, concern lacing her words.
'No, tis' nothing, really.' Legolas held out the injured wrist for her to see and took pleasure in the sympathy he saw flash across her face. Before she had time to think, Valia reached out and cradled his wrist in her hands, gently feeling the injury herself. Legolas winced at the touch, and Valia, who saw the grimace, recoiled.
'I am sorry. I did not mean too..'
'It is fine Valia. You have done no harm.' He realized that he had enjoyed her hands on him and missed the warmth of the contact. Legolas reached out and took her slim hand in his own, knowing that it was a bold move, but not having the control to stop himself. Gently he rubbed his thumb over the smooth skin and then glanced up into her eyes.
To his confusion, he saw Valia's eyes grow large and fill with fear. She snatched her hand out of his and snapped her body around, growing stiff with tension.
Legolas' found himself filled with confusion. He had thought Valia would respond differently to his touch, but was disappointed to find his assumption wrong. Was he really that repulsive to her? Had he truly offended her that deeply on their first meeting?
Turning himself to the archery field, Legolas scanned the crowd but a movement to his right caught his eye and he looked towards the stairs instead. An elf that seemed vaguely familiar strode up to the platform and was greeted by an embrace from Elrond and Celebrian. Legolas could not make out the words they were saying but it was clear that all three were delighted to see one another.
'Valia!' the stranger exclaimed, turning to the maiden. 'It has been too long since last I saw you. How much you have changed!'
Quickly taking her eyes away from the archery field, Valia looked for the elf that had spoken her name.
'Elrohir!' Valia gasped, standing up from her seat. 'When did you get back? Where is Elladan?' Elrohir pulled Valia into a tight embrace, lifting her feet off the ground and spinning her around before lowering her. 'How was your trip?' she asked, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
'My, we are full of questions today. But look at you. You have gone and gotten pretty on me while I was gone, Valia. For shame. You once swore to me that you would never be caught wearing a dress like the one you wear now.' Elrohir glanced over Valia's shoulder at the elf who sat in the seat next to her and recognized Legolas right away. 'Prince Legolas! I did not expect to see you here, though it explains Valia's sudden transformation,' he teased, with a wink at Valia before looking at Legolas again. 'Tell me, how did you convince our dear Valia to put on some fashionable clothes for once?'
'He had nothing to do with it,' barked Valia. She glowered at the Prince who only gave her a confused expression before resting his eyes on Elrohir.
'Come, come Valia. Do not lie to me,' stated Elrohir. Valia could see the glimmer in his eyes and nearly exploded. 'Just because I am a male does not mean I have not heard all the gossip about Prince Legolas. Every unmarried female in this realm and every other one has her plans well laid to trap the Prince into matrimony, but it seems you have beaten them to it. Am I in need to offer congratulations to the two of you? '
'They are all out to match me up! I will never hear the end of this,' she screamed in her head. A red flush of anger spread across her pale face. Pulling herself away from Elrohir's grasp, Valia sat down in an unladylike huff and crossed her arms, much to the amusement of Elrond and his family.
However Valia was relieved to see that it was time for the tournament to begin and no further comment could be made about her and Legolas.
Standing up, Elrond situated his stately robes and clasped his hands in front of him. He welcomed all the elves to the tournament and with an august wave of his hand, began the competition.
No sooner had the first round began, than Valia heard Legolas speak next to her. 'Valia?' Not making any sign she had heard him, Valia stared at the competition with a rapt gaze.
'Valia?' asked Legolas again, not sure if the maiden had taken notice of him or not. This time, he saw the minute hardening along her jaw line, confirming that she was definitely aware of him, though she did not voice a reply.
If she was not going to have the courtesy to acknowledge him, Legolas decided that he would not bother to speak to her the rest of the day. The maiden was so confusing! He had addressed her to apologize and explain the comments that had so upset her the first time they had met, but Legolas quickly changed his mind.
'Two can play this game!' he mumbled darkly, fleetingly wondering why he was so mad suddenly. It did not matter though; if she was going to be stubborn he would prove that he could be just as resolved in his decisions. He would wait until she came begging to him for forgiveness and only then would he consider being civil to the Lady again. Perhaps not princely behavior, but that did not matter right now.
Valia was occupied with a similar train of thoughts, scolding herself for ever even letting her guard down. She had been foolish and shown the Prince sympathy. He must surely think she had some interest in him now, which was not true in the least. She would redouble the guard around her heart; she could not afford to feel empathetic with this elf.
Much to Celebrian's dismay, the two elves stayed silent for much of the competition, each brooding in their unhappy thoughts, no matter what the great elven lady tried to do.
The sun slowly moved across the sky, casting longer shadows the lower it sank. The competitors were being narrowed down and excitement grew when the last four remained.
In the second day of the tournament, only the top tow elves went to the final round, which the spectators were not surprised when it turned out to be Isondil and Lord Garand. However, the target this time was more challenging then the crafted ones they had previously shot at.
The elves were to shoot at a tree limb, marked with a white cloth for identification. A large stand of trees hemmed in the archery field on the far side and the limb had already been chosen and marked.
Isondil eyed the branch carefully. It would have been better to call it a twig, being only thick enough for an arrow to hit it and not break. At least two hundred and fifty paces of lush grass stood between the target and the archers.
Lord Garand was the first to shoot and Valia straightened in her chair, assuring herself a good view. The tournament had not held much interest for her that day, so consumed was she with her inner thoughts. However this round pulled her away from her musings and captured her full attention.
This was the round that would determine who her escort would be to the banquet that night and also who she would have to kiss. How she wished that she had never let Silia goad her into agreeing to become the Lady of the Stars if asked. She had been so sure that there was no chance she would be chosen, yet here she was, in an extremely uncomfortable situation and she had no one to blame but herself.
With slow precision, Lord Garand checked his bow, his hands running over the wood and string with the same familiarity as if it were a part of him. Satisfied with the inspection, he fitted a bow to the string and looked at the target, his eyes easily seeing the designated branch.
Hitting it would be a different matter though. A ripple of anxiety moved through the crowd as Garand raised the bow up, pulling back the string and taking careful aim.
'Too high,' Valia heard Legolas whisper as the arrow was released. All eyes flew to the branch to see if the arrow had hit its mark. Imbedded in the branch directly above the target, Garand's arrow rested. Polite applause came from the crowd and Lord Garand turned to bow towards the platform before stepping away from the shooting line.
Isondil took a deep breath and walking over, he placed his feet directly behind the line, gliding his fingers along the runes carved into his bow. He felt unnerved, more than he had been in many a fierce battle before. Glancing back, he saw Legolas and Valia sitting next to each other. A few seats away sat Silia, her eyes transfixed on Isondil. He dipped his head to her and was rewarded with a bright smile from the maiden and small wave.
Taking another breath, Isondil released it slowly and cleared his mind. He had the branch in his sight and slowly raised his bow and took aim.
'Lower,' murmured Legolas. 'Lower the bow Isondil.'
As if hearing the advice of his friend, Isondil slightly lowered the angle of his bow. The string twanged when he released the arrow into the air and there was a collective intake of breath.
A resounding thump echoed moments later, followed by the might roar of the spectators when they saw his arrow buried deep into the marked branch. Isondil jumped into the air when he saw it, a grin plastered over his face. With a cheeky smile he bowed to the crowd before moving towards the platform.
Valia could not help but smile at the exuberance of the elf, but she quickly grew nervous when he came to stand at the bottom of the stairs. She was glad it had been Isondil who won. Lord Garand had always ignored Valia with snobbish indifference whenever they were in the same room. He thought himself to good for plain Valia, even though her station in life was higher than his.
Elrond stood after Isondil bowed before him. 'You have an excellent eye, Lord Isondil.'
'Nay, my lord, I merely had an excellent teacher,' replied Isondil merrily, casting a glance at Legolas.
With elven poise, Elrond walked to Valia and offered her his hand. She slipped her cool hand into his warm one and stood up, descending the steps on Elrond's arm. 'Your prize, Lord Isondil, for winning the tournament is a kiss from the Lady of the Stars and the honor of escorting her to the banquet tonight.'
Elrond gently pushed Valia towards Isondil until the two stood face to face, and then inaudibly withdrew to stand beside his wife. All went still as Isondil and Valia faced each other, waiting for the elf to kiss the Lady of the Stars.
Valia was frustrated when she found her legs start to tremble slightly and an uneasy feeling grow in her stomach. She had never had so many eyes on her before, and would not have taken notice to the interest if it were not for the embarrassing situation about to take place.
It was not that Isondil was not a handsome elf. He was very fair to behold and many a maiden would have willingly given him a kiss. Valia simply did not wish to give any elf a kiss; it had been millennium since she had even thought about giving any elf a kiss. And besides all that, she did not want to anger Silia, who she thought had taken a fancy to the elven lord.
Isondil was thinking the same thing. He glanced up at Silia on the platform and noticed her expression was not one of pleasure. Thinking back to last night, he remembered their stolen kiss at the setting of the sun. He had never been believed in love at first sight, but when he felt an immediate longing in his soul at his first glimpse of Silia, he knew he had been wrong. It was with great delight that he had felt her return his kiss last night, meeting his passionate intensity with her own.
He thought she would pull away in shock, after only making his acquaintance a few days ago. And never being one to rush important things himself, he was prepared for her to slap him and leave, but instead she had pulled after several moments, giving his a soft smile before walking away without a word.
Isondil's thoughts then turned to Legolas, who had sat with Valia for the entire tournament. What would his friend do if he kissed the lady? He had a suspicion that Legolas had an interest in Valia, though he did not wish to reveal it.
With a glance up to the platform, he reached out and grasped Valia's hand, pulling the elven maiden to his side, and shocking everyone with what he did next.
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