The sun rose and it was morning. Legolas walked sadly to Gimli's bedroom.
"Gimli, do wake up. It's time for breakfast," he said, shaking the dwarf. They walked down to the dining hall, where some elves had prepared a small breakfast. Legolas, however, wasn't very hungry. Being an elf, he didn't eat much anyway, and there were other things on his mind. However, he forced himself to nibble at some bread and drink some wine. His heart was restless once again.
"What is it?" Thranduil asked Legolas, after sitting down next to him. Legolas looked up in surprise, he didn't expect anyone to realize anything was wrong.
"In the night, there was an invader. She left early this morning," Legolas said to his father. Thranduil nodded.
"Besides that, you must go to the land of Esgaroth. There has been a problem in the wine, as you know. Many elves are getting sick from it. I want you to go alert the people of Esgaroth at once."
Legolas nodded, "Until then, father. I expect to be back no later than a week." Gimli and Legolas rose.
"Gimli, please stay-"
"Legolas, I think I should like to back to my people. For only a while, I shall return, in perhaps a month." Legolas nodded. They both got on their horses and went off in their separate ways. After two days of riding his horse, he reached Esgaroth. He dismounted, and led the horse along the stone path to the King.
He sent his message and bid farewell, but the King wouldn't let him leave without a feast. Legolas was still troubled by Lenalaith and just wished to go back to Mirkwood, where he could take his mind off things, but nonetheless stayed for the feast. He sat in the seat of honor, and next to him the King. Everyone from Esgaroth was there. He smiled and forgot about everything, as he feasted happily. After the feast was over, he bid them farewell and got on top his horse. His horse walked calmly out of the city. Halfway to the palace, he felt tired, and heard his horse yawn. He dismounted and lay by the river, looking up at the stars, and a wave of sleep came over him. Suddenly, he woke, and gladly realized his horse was still there- safe. But there was another horse next to his- a brown one. He lay by the edge of the river, wondering what had happened.
"I was beginning to think you would never wake." Legolas whipped his head around, and saw a familiar green cloaked woman.
"Lenalaith!" he whispered, at a loss for words.
"You're lucky I was along here. You can't just sleep here in the middle of an open plain-" Legolas lay down on the grass inching towards Lenalaith, listening to her beautiful voice, "-There was a small band of Orcs. Just three. I slay them all," she told Legolas, proudly stroking the silver handle of her sword- with just one green gem.
"You know how to use a sword? The last human woman that I knew to use a sword was Lady Èowyn of Rohan."
"Yes, I have heard of her-" she sat lay on the ground by Legolas "- she was a very wonderful woman, from what I hear. She was married to Faramir, or so I have heard."
Legolas turned over and balanced himself on his arms, "Yes." As soon as he noticed she had closed her eyes for a moment, to let the warm sun hit her lids, and when she opened them again, Legolas's head was resting atop her stomach. Lenalaith slowly opened her eyes, peering down at the resting Elven prince. She took her hand and placed it on his fair forehead, where his head met his hair. She, without realizing what she was doing, started stroking his long blonde hair. It was soft and beautiful, without a single tangle. She took one of the braids that hung by his ear and curled it around her finger.
"You are a bold one, Legolas," Lenalaith whispered, still stroking his hair. Legolas stood, and gently took her hand. She rose.
"How can I thank you?" Legolas asked with a smile, as an idea came up in his head, "Please... Allow me to give you a gift."
She turned to face him with a puzzled expression upon her face, "I wish for nothing."
"Then please, just give the word."
"I wish for nothing," she repeated.
"Then allow me, to lead you to Mirkwood once again. Please, there shall be a feast, for you."
"It is quite fine," she replied quickly, "I don't ask for anything."
Legolas thought for a moment. A feeling arose in his heart. "Why do you flee from me?" he asked her quietly. She looked him in the eye for a moment, and turned. He smirked, quite a mischievous smile.
"Please, just come along with me," he walked closer to her, taking her hand and bending down to meet it. He gave her a split second to pull her arm away, which she didn't, so he proceeded to lay a gentle kiss on her hand.
She thought for a moment, letting the elf hold her hand a second longer, "If you so desire, I shall go with you." Legolas smiled to himself.
"Please, allow me to lead you back to my halls once more."
"Gimli, do wake up. It's time for breakfast," he said, shaking the dwarf. They walked down to the dining hall, where some elves had prepared a small breakfast. Legolas, however, wasn't very hungry. Being an elf, he didn't eat much anyway, and there were other things on his mind. However, he forced himself to nibble at some bread and drink some wine. His heart was restless once again.
"What is it?" Thranduil asked Legolas, after sitting down next to him. Legolas looked up in surprise, he didn't expect anyone to realize anything was wrong.
"In the night, there was an invader. She left early this morning," Legolas said to his father. Thranduil nodded.
"Besides that, you must go to the land of Esgaroth. There has been a problem in the wine, as you know. Many elves are getting sick from it. I want you to go alert the people of Esgaroth at once."
Legolas nodded, "Until then, father. I expect to be back no later than a week." Gimli and Legolas rose.
"Gimli, please stay-"
"Legolas, I think I should like to back to my people. For only a while, I shall return, in perhaps a month." Legolas nodded. They both got on their horses and went off in their separate ways. After two days of riding his horse, he reached Esgaroth. He dismounted, and led the horse along the stone path to the King.
He sent his message and bid farewell, but the King wouldn't let him leave without a feast. Legolas was still troubled by Lenalaith and just wished to go back to Mirkwood, where he could take his mind off things, but nonetheless stayed for the feast. He sat in the seat of honor, and next to him the King. Everyone from Esgaroth was there. He smiled and forgot about everything, as he feasted happily. After the feast was over, he bid them farewell and got on top his horse. His horse walked calmly out of the city. Halfway to the palace, he felt tired, and heard his horse yawn. He dismounted and lay by the river, looking up at the stars, and a wave of sleep came over him. Suddenly, he woke, and gladly realized his horse was still there- safe. But there was another horse next to his- a brown one. He lay by the edge of the river, wondering what had happened.
"I was beginning to think you would never wake." Legolas whipped his head around, and saw a familiar green cloaked woman.
"Lenalaith!" he whispered, at a loss for words.
"You're lucky I was along here. You can't just sleep here in the middle of an open plain-" Legolas lay down on the grass inching towards Lenalaith, listening to her beautiful voice, "-There was a small band of Orcs. Just three. I slay them all," she told Legolas, proudly stroking the silver handle of her sword- with just one green gem.
"You know how to use a sword? The last human woman that I knew to use a sword was Lady Èowyn of Rohan."
"Yes, I have heard of her-" she sat lay on the ground by Legolas "- she was a very wonderful woman, from what I hear. She was married to Faramir, or so I have heard."
Legolas turned over and balanced himself on his arms, "Yes." As soon as he noticed she had closed her eyes for a moment, to let the warm sun hit her lids, and when she opened them again, Legolas's head was resting atop her stomach. Lenalaith slowly opened her eyes, peering down at the resting Elven prince. She took her hand and placed it on his fair forehead, where his head met his hair. She, without realizing what she was doing, started stroking his long blonde hair. It was soft and beautiful, without a single tangle. She took one of the braids that hung by his ear and curled it around her finger.
"You are a bold one, Legolas," Lenalaith whispered, still stroking his hair. Legolas stood, and gently took her hand. She rose.
"How can I thank you?" Legolas asked with a smile, as an idea came up in his head, "Please... Allow me to give you a gift."
She turned to face him with a puzzled expression upon her face, "I wish for nothing."
"Then please, just give the word."
"I wish for nothing," she repeated.
"Then allow me, to lead you to Mirkwood once again. Please, there shall be a feast, for you."
"It is quite fine," she replied quickly, "I don't ask for anything."
Legolas thought for a moment. A feeling arose in his heart. "Why do you flee from me?" he asked her quietly. She looked him in the eye for a moment, and turned. He smirked, quite a mischievous smile.
"Please, just come along with me," he walked closer to her, taking her hand and bending down to meet it. He gave her a split second to pull her arm away, which she didn't, so he proceeded to lay a gentle kiss on her hand.
She thought for a moment, letting the elf hold her hand a second longer, "If you so desire, I shall go with you." Legolas smiled to himself.
"Please, allow me to lead you back to my halls once more."