Disclaimer: The only thing I really want to own is Legolas..but that's
kind of another issue. Anyways, enjoy the next installment!
Chapter 10
The small sounds of somebody pulling at the large door were enough to immediately snap Legolas out of his light sleep. Without even thinking, Legolas rolled off the bed and crouched low next to it, his hands groping at his back and sides for weapons that were not there. He knew they would come back, but he had not anticipated it to be this soon. Legolas estimated that only about five hours had passed since his last painful encounter.
The door was pulled all the way open, revealing the she-elf. Her eyes blazed momentarily before she smoothed her features and let her expression go blank. She seemed slightly surprised as to why the elf prince was in a defensive crouch, but that passed immediately as well.
She stepped inside a few feet and then stopped, looking down at Legolas impatiently. For himself, Legolas merely remained where he was, not giving an inch. He would not initiate the fight with her, but he swore that this time he would end it.
After a few moments of the she-elf only staring at him and not moving, she finally asked, "What are you waiting for?"
"I shall let you answer that one," Legolas replied lightly, his muscles tightening for the spring should she come closer.
The she-elf looked slightly puzzled again but dropped the expression before Legolas could even be sure it was truly there. "My lord has summoned you again, there is somebody he believes you might be interested in meeting." She bared her teeth in what could have been a smile, but Legolas knew better. He did not want to meet this new tormentor.
"Then you can tell your lord that I am indisposed at the moment," replied Legolas, finally easing out of his crouch when he saw that there was no immediate danger. "And I am sure you can inform him as to why," he added.
"You will come," she insisted, "I care not if you do not feel to be in the mood. You are not in any position to deny my lord anything."
Legolas snorted. "That is not how I view it," he commented.
The she-elf sprang forward at his words, but Legolas had been expecting it, and he grabbed the hand that swept out at him. Holding her by the wrist, Legolas whipped her around until her back was crushed against his chest and he tightened his grip with her own arm around her neck. She cried out softly before bringing her leg up and back down, slamming down into his shin. Legolas hissed in pain but only pulled her arm back more, forcing her head up so that she could breathe.
"I would not do that again if I were you," he told her softly through his teeth. "I do not uphold fighting females, but I can see that you are insistent on being the exception."
The she-elf ignored the quiet fury in his voice. "If I want to be the exception, then you can at least trust that it will be a hard fight."
Legolas let out a short laugh before pushing her away from him, catching her off-balance. The she-elf regained her composure before turning to face him again, her hand rubbing at her neck absently. "My lord requests your presence," was all she spat out at him.
His curiosity slightly peaked, Legolas consented. So far he had come to no harm in the presence of the dark elf-lord, and he did not think that he would now. For whatever reason the elf-lord was playing a game with him, and Legolas would play along as well until he knew what was going on. Without a grim nod, Legolas stepped out and the she-elf turned on him as if he was nothing to her at all, like she was not even leading anybody. She did not even glance back at him the entire time to the chambers of the elf- lord, but Legolas could tell she was listening for him. If he made a move in the wrong direction, she would be upon him.
She pulled open the heavy doors and Legolas found himself in the large room for the second time. The elf-lord was standing in the same spot he had been the first time and a curious sense of deja-vu swept through Legolas. He found his eyes immediately fixed on the elaborate sword held above the mantle of the fireplace and he wondered at it again. His attention was disrupted from it only when the elf-lord cleared his throat.
Legolas glanced at him, and realized that somebody else was in the room as well. The she-elf had said that her lord had wanted him to meet somebody, but he had not particularly believed her. The other elf had his back to Legolas, and he appeared to be staring into the fire. A light grey cloak and hood covered him from investigation, and Legolas could only tell that he was of a slightly larger build than most elves.
"My dear prince of Mirkwood," the elf-lord began, a false smile plastered all over his face. Legolas was still watching the other elf, and he thought he saw the shoulders of the stranger tighten imperceptibly at the mention of his title. "I thought you might enjoy meeting a friend of mine."
The stranger finally began to turn towards Legolas and one slender hand came up from within the depths of the cloak to pull the hood away from his face. The first thing Legolas saw was golden hair that matched his own and then bright blue eyes that gazed back at Legolas. For one horrible instant, Legolas thought that he was gazing at a mirror image of himself. That this was some sort of horrible trick in order to kill him and send an imposter off in his place. But then the image faded somewhat and Legolas could see the elf for who he truly was. An elf that looked very similar to him, and was most likely of his own race, but also one of power beyond any elf Legolas had ever seen.
The dark elf-lord was watching as he saw Legolas take in the other elf. Legolas flicked a glance at him and he smiled broadly. "I am not sure if you have ever met our new guest, young prince, but I am sure that you have heard of him. May I introduce you to a living legend, Glorfindel."
The revelation of the identity of the guest caused a surge of emotions to swell through Legolas, and for the first time in his long life he felt truly young. The one who stood before him was one who had faced a balrog and then returned from the Halls of Mandos, he indeed was a living legend. An elf-lord of power that was acquired only through death.
Yet the awe and admiration quickly died out of Legolas as a new thought dawned on him. There were no marks upon Glorfindel, and he stood comfortably next to the elf-lord. He was here of his own volition, he was a friend.
The elf-lord was continuing, "He is here to help me and my noble elves on our virtuous quest."
Legolas heard no more from the elf-lord, for he only felt his heart sink and sudden despair well up through him.
Chapter 10
The small sounds of somebody pulling at the large door were enough to immediately snap Legolas out of his light sleep. Without even thinking, Legolas rolled off the bed and crouched low next to it, his hands groping at his back and sides for weapons that were not there. He knew they would come back, but he had not anticipated it to be this soon. Legolas estimated that only about five hours had passed since his last painful encounter.
The door was pulled all the way open, revealing the she-elf. Her eyes blazed momentarily before she smoothed her features and let her expression go blank. She seemed slightly surprised as to why the elf prince was in a defensive crouch, but that passed immediately as well.
She stepped inside a few feet and then stopped, looking down at Legolas impatiently. For himself, Legolas merely remained where he was, not giving an inch. He would not initiate the fight with her, but he swore that this time he would end it.
After a few moments of the she-elf only staring at him and not moving, she finally asked, "What are you waiting for?"
"I shall let you answer that one," Legolas replied lightly, his muscles tightening for the spring should she come closer.
The she-elf looked slightly puzzled again but dropped the expression before Legolas could even be sure it was truly there. "My lord has summoned you again, there is somebody he believes you might be interested in meeting." She bared her teeth in what could have been a smile, but Legolas knew better. He did not want to meet this new tormentor.
"Then you can tell your lord that I am indisposed at the moment," replied Legolas, finally easing out of his crouch when he saw that there was no immediate danger. "And I am sure you can inform him as to why," he added.
"You will come," she insisted, "I care not if you do not feel to be in the mood. You are not in any position to deny my lord anything."
Legolas snorted. "That is not how I view it," he commented.
The she-elf sprang forward at his words, but Legolas had been expecting it, and he grabbed the hand that swept out at him. Holding her by the wrist, Legolas whipped her around until her back was crushed against his chest and he tightened his grip with her own arm around her neck. She cried out softly before bringing her leg up and back down, slamming down into his shin. Legolas hissed in pain but only pulled her arm back more, forcing her head up so that she could breathe.
"I would not do that again if I were you," he told her softly through his teeth. "I do not uphold fighting females, but I can see that you are insistent on being the exception."
The she-elf ignored the quiet fury in his voice. "If I want to be the exception, then you can at least trust that it will be a hard fight."
Legolas let out a short laugh before pushing her away from him, catching her off-balance. The she-elf regained her composure before turning to face him again, her hand rubbing at her neck absently. "My lord requests your presence," was all she spat out at him.
His curiosity slightly peaked, Legolas consented. So far he had come to no harm in the presence of the dark elf-lord, and he did not think that he would now. For whatever reason the elf-lord was playing a game with him, and Legolas would play along as well until he knew what was going on. Without a grim nod, Legolas stepped out and the she-elf turned on him as if he was nothing to her at all, like she was not even leading anybody. She did not even glance back at him the entire time to the chambers of the elf- lord, but Legolas could tell she was listening for him. If he made a move in the wrong direction, she would be upon him.
She pulled open the heavy doors and Legolas found himself in the large room for the second time. The elf-lord was standing in the same spot he had been the first time and a curious sense of deja-vu swept through Legolas. He found his eyes immediately fixed on the elaborate sword held above the mantle of the fireplace and he wondered at it again. His attention was disrupted from it only when the elf-lord cleared his throat.
Legolas glanced at him, and realized that somebody else was in the room as well. The she-elf had said that her lord had wanted him to meet somebody, but he had not particularly believed her. The other elf had his back to Legolas, and he appeared to be staring into the fire. A light grey cloak and hood covered him from investigation, and Legolas could only tell that he was of a slightly larger build than most elves.
"My dear prince of Mirkwood," the elf-lord began, a false smile plastered all over his face. Legolas was still watching the other elf, and he thought he saw the shoulders of the stranger tighten imperceptibly at the mention of his title. "I thought you might enjoy meeting a friend of mine."
The stranger finally began to turn towards Legolas and one slender hand came up from within the depths of the cloak to pull the hood away from his face. The first thing Legolas saw was golden hair that matched his own and then bright blue eyes that gazed back at Legolas. For one horrible instant, Legolas thought that he was gazing at a mirror image of himself. That this was some sort of horrible trick in order to kill him and send an imposter off in his place. But then the image faded somewhat and Legolas could see the elf for who he truly was. An elf that looked very similar to him, and was most likely of his own race, but also one of power beyond any elf Legolas had ever seen.
The dark elf-lord was watching as he saw Legolas take in the other elf. Legolas flicked a glance at him and he smiled broadly. "I am not sure if you have ever met our new guest, young prince, but I am sure that you have heard of him. May I introduce you to a living legend, Glorfindel."
The revelation of the identity of the guest caused a surge of emotions to swell through Legolas, and for the first time in his long life he felt truly young. The one who stood before him was one who had faced a balrog and then returned from the Halls of Mandos, he indeed was a living legend. An elf-lord of power that was acquired only through death.
Yet the awe and admiration quickly died out of Legolas as a new thought dawned on him. There were no marks upon Glorfindel, and he stood comfortably next to the elf-lord. He was here of his own volition, he was a friend.
The elf-lord was continuing, "He is here to help me and my noble elves on our virtuous quest."
Legolas heard no more from the elf-lord, for he only felt his heart sink and sudden despair well up through him.