The guests started to arrive and Mirkwood was packed with people from everywhere. There were gossips everywhere. The main topic was the wedding. Legolas' antipathy against the Mirdonost was more than a matter of clandestine remarks. Because everyone knew of his hostility, the announcement of this union marveled the whole realm of Middle Earth.
"What changed his heart?" "Are they in love?" "That not possible, he hates them, they killed his father." "This is not just a normal wedding, there is something behind this."
Many questions had been thrown in, but Legolas could not care less. He knew that after today these people would be gone. The only reason that he invited them all was to maintain his respect and responsibilities. Most of these people were friends of his father and his kingdom.
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"Legolas, the wedding is tomorrow, are you not going to explain anything to them?" Altus asked suspiciously.
"No, my marriage is my business. I could not care less what is on these people's minds. They will be gone by morn." Legolas expressed calmly as he walked around the palace to inspecting the ground for ceremony.
Altus stopped in middle of the hall, and when Legolas realized that he was not following him he too stopped and looked at his friend.
"Something disturbing you, my friend?" Legolas asked.
"You are such a hypocrite, do you know that?" Altus shot back.
Legolas looked at Altus in annoyance, "What did I do wrong now? Lately you seem to be less appreciative of my actions."
"You hate her but look at how much you put into this wedding, the decoration, feast, people, and everything. I would not be surprised at all if you did have a heart for her. You are doing things that are totally opposite from your feelings." Altus explained.
The silence was creeping between them, then Legolas turned back and walked away. Altus followed him. He knew his king since he was born. When something agitated him, he grew very quiet.
Legolas stopped in front of his study. He opened the door slowly as he walked in. The room was dark and gloomy. The young king walked in and did not even bother to lighten up the room. Altus who followed him had to light the torches on the stone cold wall.
Legolas turned his chair toward the window, sat on it, and looked out into the darkness of the forest of the Mirkwood.
"Tell me something Altus, tell me that what I am doing is right, and that I am not going to fail. Can you at least tell me that you agree with me?" Legolas let his heart out without holding it back.
Altus walked slowly toward Legolas, "Legolas, you have come so far and too deep to get out. I do not think that what I say will be matter to you. I know you well. When you set your heart to do something, you will never stop until you get it. Your persistence have driven you this far. What difference does it make if I said that you are doing the most treacherous thing ever in your existence?" Altus walked toward Legolas and stood in front of him blocked his view from the dark forest. Legolas was listening, but his only reaction was to sit still; if Altus hadn't known him well, he would have thought his mind was elsewhere.
Altus looked at the younger elf and continued, "Would you go to Alphelion and tell her that she can go back to Mirdonost and that she will never be perturbed by you again? Would you give up on your revenge? Tell me something, have you ever for one second thought that you are hurting a woman who is so pure and innocent?"
Altus paused for a moment, and sighed softly, "How could you do this to yourself and to her? You both are clearly not in love but you are about to bind yourself to her forever, Legolas, forever you will suffer from what will happen tomorrow. Consider this, think of some other alternative in this revenge of yours."
Legolas got up from his chair slowly, "Then I assume that I cannot stop this now, since it's too late like you said. But I will try to make this as painless as I can. I have to work this out and I will not change my goal. If it will cost me all my life, then I will pay the price. At least I am not the only one who will have to live out this tangled web."
Altus looked at Legolas with bewilderment, and surprised at his king's stubbornness, "I cannot believe this, after what I've just said and this is what you get out of it? You are so unbelievably stubborn. You will regret this. One last thing, the first time you saw her, Alphelion, what did you see in her?"
Legolas turned his head to Altus, "I don't remember, all I know was that this lady was determined to do everything to regain back the wealth of her kingdom. So I just took her up on her offer, that's all. I need to have a word with her, do you want to come with me?"
Altus nodded his head, "I think I'd better go with you, you cannot be in the same room with her for one moment without someone in present."
Legolas chuckled at Altus' comment, "Right then."
They walked out in to the hall and directly towards Alphelion's chamber.
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"I cannot believe that you are getting married tomorrow, are you excited?" Biendis was preparing Alphelion's wedding dress placed it back into the closet.
"You are mocking me, you know how much I do not want that to happen." Alphelion sighed as she walked toward the couch and sat down tiredly.
There was a knock on the door. "I'll get it." Biendis opened the door and to her surprise, Legolas and Altus were right in front of her.
"My lord, it is traditional that you are not allowed to see the bride until tomorrow, what are you doing here?" Biendis tried to block him from getting into the room.
"Well I do not hold with the tradition, I need to speak with her, may I come in?" Legolas asked politely.
Biendis moved away from the door and let Legolas and Altus walked into the chamber. Alphelion got up from the couch.
"May I have a moment with Alphelion?" Legolas asked Biendis and Altus, who exchanged a quizzical look.
"I do not think that is such a good idea. There are at least 1,000 guests in this palace. You are not going to be in here alone. I will not allow you two fighting each other at this moment." Altus shut the door.
Legolas and Alphelion glared at the other two elves in the room. "Do not worry, I will control my anger, I know what is appropriate." Alphelion ushered the two towards the door, and shut it behind them.
"Let get this out and straight, from tomorrow on you will be my wife and the Queen of Mirkwood. These titles will be with you forever. We did not start out on this path very well and I regret that. I do not want to live the rest of my life in agony. The reason that you are here is because I want to make sure that my subsidy will not be spent and worth nothing. I do not know if you know of your brother," he stopped at look at her for a moment.
She held her hand up, "If you are talking about Dealach's habit of gambling then I am aware of it. I do understand that. I am here to make sure that everything goes as it supposed to. I am not here to make your life miserable. Being here is taunting me no less than it is you. If in any case that you think that your aid to my kingdom is being used wrongly, then I will take the full responsibility of it. You can kill me if that is how you wish Mirdonost to repay my brother's mistake. Speaking of my brother, I do not think that he will be here for the ceremony. He is not here yet, I am assuming that he is not coming."
"Do you think I am barbaric enough to kill you? I might be able to kill your brother but I cannot bring myself to kill you. After all you are going to be my wife." Legolas paused for a moment, and considered his next question but he wanted to know so he continued, "Did you notice something about Altus and Biendis? I think that they are in love."
Alphelion surprised by the question and let out giggle, "Yes I have, but do not tell them that we know. They will be so embarrassed. I haven't seen Biendis this happy before. She deserves to be loved."
Legolas nodded in agreement and changed the topic, "Alphelion, you do know that you will have to move into my chamber. I do not want to make you feel uncomfortable but it necessary. Also, the people that are here for our ceremony do not know of the deal between us. They are confused; I need you to help me act out a scene of two people who are in love tomorrow." Legolas glanced at Alphelion who was amazed by his request, "Just for one day, after that we can get back to normal."
"I think I can handle that just fine, is there anything else that you wish to tell me?" She looked at him anxiously.
"As of now this will be all, is there anything you wish to tell me?" He looked back at her.
"Yes, I know that you do not like me much and you want to revenge my kingdom but I cannot live with you like this, so I am asking that may be we could be more peaceful, even better if we can at least be friends." She requested of him nicely.
"I'll think about it. It is late. You should get some rest because tomorrow will be a hard day for you. Goodnight Alphelion." He walked toward the door.
"Goodnight" Alphelion shut the door.
She walked back to her bed and slowly lied down. She thought to herself.
Did I just ask him to be my friend? This is getting bizarre. What was I thinking? Tomorrow will change my whole life. From now on I will have live here with him and be his wife. I wonder how long this will last. There was something about him today. He was nice. For the first time since I met him, I've seen his sensitive side. I wish things were different.
Slowly her thoughts lulled her to sleep.
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Legolas waked back to his own chamber. He undressed and changed into his nightclothes, then walked to his massive bed.
What I am I doing to my life? Why I am putting myself into this mess? I am dragging her down into this pit with me. There is something amiss about this. I feel like this is how my life is destined. It does not matter what I do, I am destined to be with this woman. Even if I did not want to revenge my resentment, there would be a way where I would have to be with her. I can feel it. I was here and she showed up at my gate. I didn't go to her. She offered herself for this.
He placed hand on his forehead, and his mind entered the reverie. Soon he slumbered.