Disclaimer: Once again I sadly have to say Tolkien owns all.
Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews. :o) I have found a bit of space and time to update and I hope you'll like this chapter as much as the first one. Legolas is on a journey together with Aragorn and everything seems to go as planned.
Chapter two: A princes duty
"We will ride through towns and villages. Maybe we will stop somewhere so you can get acquainted with it."
"Right."
They rode through stretches of forests and land, without encountering a soul. Aragorn wondered how long it would take for his companion to ask questions. But Legolas was patient and marvelled at the beauty of all they saw and heard. In the evening, when they made camp, he finally spoke.
"How long has it been since you were in Rivendell, Estel?"
"Not so very long, about a year. But they understand that I can't stay with them."
"I think it has been a thousand years since I visited the other elves. How were they when you left?"
"As always, I suppose. You know that you are eternal, Legolas. Eternal beings don't change easily."
With a sad smile Legolas nodded. The next day they travelled through a small town.
"Throw your cloak around you and cover your hair, Legolas."
"W."
"Quickly!"
Legolas pulled the hood over his head and nobody caused them problems. People talked amongst themselves, but left them alone. Legolas' keen elvenhearing picked up most of the conversation. It was about the hunt of the day and how much beer they could consume. Quite odd.
"Why did they call you Strider? One of them said the name and they were all afraid of you."
"It is just a name. You can take the hood off."
"Why was it necessary?"
"The people of Man aren't used to such fair beings as elves, Legolas. Your pointy ears would make you a god or a town freak."
"Men are not so hospitable as I expected."
"Don't worry about it, we will be in Rivendell soon."
And they were. As soon as they had crossed the border, other elves accompanied them, calling out to Estel. When they arrived at the House of Elrond a female Elf was waiting for them.
"Estel! It has been too long, my love."
She stepped to him and gave him a kiss. Legolas was amazed by the act of the Elf. Did she not know Estel was human?
"Legolas? Do you not recognize me, old friend?"
"Arwen? You have changed so much, my little Evenstar!"
They hugged each other like the brother and sister they once were. Legolas was happy he had come with Estel.
"I hope you will feel at home here, Legolas. We still have your old room. Come, Estel."
Aragorn lifted his hands helplessly and followed the Elf. Legolas went to explore Rivendell, the old and the new wonders.
One of those new wonders was to find someone cursing.
"Damned! Why does everything insist on making my life difficult?"
Smiling at the voice he came closer. A young maiden that had searched herbs was now collecting them after her basket had fallen. Legolas couldn't refuse a damsel in distress. He slowly let himself slip on the ground and waited until she noticed him.
"What are you doing here?"
"Helping a lady."
He handed here some of the herbs.
"That's very kind of you, sir, but I don't need your help." She said while taking the herbs from his hands.
"And here I thought maidens were weak."
"Are you mocking me, sir?"
"I do not, my lady. Why are you looking herbs so far from the House when it has its own garden?"
"It is for own consumption and I am not of royal blood. We do not have the permission to use these herbs. If you will excuse me."
She left him standing there and walked deeper into the woods. She waved at him and walked on. Legolas realized he would be late for dinner and sprinted to his rooms.
"Legolas, where have you been?"
"None of your concern, Estel. I am here now. Sir Elrond, how nice to see you again."
"It was time that ou came to visit, my dear Legolas. And on a happy note this time."
Legolas smiled sadly. The last time he had seen Lord Elrond was at the funeral of his mother.
"Yes, so it is, Lord Elrond. How have you been?"
"There has not been a struggle on our borders for years and my daughter has grown into a beautiful woman. I couldn't wish for more."
"And Estel either."
Immediately Legolas got a kick under the table.
"If you want to keep your braids it is wise to shut your mouth."Aragorn whispered.
"There is the Evenstar already. My lady." The three men stood to make a courteous bow."
"Dinner may be served."
Legolas was very relaxed. Every now and then Aragorn warningly glared at him. Legolas couldn't help the smile that was plastered on his face. When the elves brought in the food, Legolas noticed someone different. The girl from the woods served it!
"I hope it will be to your liking, sir." She said without looking at him.
"I'm certail I will. my lady."
A glint of recognition passed in her eyes, but there was no further reaction. When she had disappeared, Legolas lost all appetite. He wanted to know her.
"Lord Elrond, how do you select your servants?"
"They are mostly elves in training. They use the day to learn and practice and help here at night. They work voluntarily. Why do you ask?"
"Just pondering over the meaning of life. May I be excused?"
"Certainly."
After he had left, Elrond silently shook his head.
"Ah Estel, what will become of Mirkwood when this strange Elf gains the throne?"
"It will be alright, my Lord. I know of an Elven king wo was thought strange in his time too. He fought together with Men to prevent a greater evil. Something that was never seen. He even raised an ordinary man as his own blood. But his kingdom is alive and well."
"Ah, that is true. Except that the Man I raised was far from ordinary, my friend. He is a great warrior and I'm proud that I have taught him the elven ways. A glance of understanding passed between the two men. Legolas walked in the garden of the palace. He heard the voices in the kitchen but didn't dare to come closer. In the end, the elven girl came to him.
"Why do you linger here, sir? You should be with our lord and his guests in the great hall."
"I did not feel like eating, my lady."
For the first time since he met her, she looked straight at him.
"Do not call me 'my lady' for I am not one."
"What do you prefer then? My dear, my love. ah, my princess!"
She turned to walk away, but he was faster. Laying his hands lightly on her shoulders, he stopped her.
"What else shall I call you then, if you do not wish to grant me your name?"
"Melisande Narandir."
"Are you of this realm?"
"I am a woodland Elf of Mirkwood."
"Mirkwood?" he asked softly.
"Yes, I am quite far away from home, sir."
"Yes, you are. Do you have time to talk?"
They sat on a nearby bench.
"Why have I never heard of you if you came from Mirkwood?"
"I am one of their best kept secrets, sir. My education began here for I am to marry an Elf from Mirkwood."
"He is lucky then."
"I hope the prince will think the same."
Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews. :o) I have found a bit of space and time to update and I hope you'll like this chapter as much as the first one. Legolas is on a journey together with Aragorn and everything seems to go as planned.
Chapter two: A princes duty
"We will ride through towns and villages. Maybe we will stop somewhere so you can get acquainted with it."
"Right."
They rode through stretches of forests and land, without encountering a soul. Aragorn wondered how long it would take for his companion to ask questions. But Legolas was patient and marvelled at the beauty of all they saw and heard. In the evening, when they made camp, he finally spoke.
"How long has it been since you were in Rivendell, Estel?"
"Not so very long, about a year. But they understand that I can't stay with them."
"I think it has been a thousand years since I visited the other elves. How were they when you left?"
"As always, I suppose. You know that you are eternal, Legolas. Eternal beings don't change easily."
With a sad smile Legolas nodded. The next day they travelled through a small town.
"Throw your cloak around you and cover your hair, Legolas."
"W."
"Quickly!"
Legolas pulled the hood over his head and nobody caused them problems. People talked amongst themselves, but left them alone. Legolas' keen elvenhearing picked up most of the conversation. It was about the hunt of the day and how much beer they could consume. Quite odd.
"Why did they call you Strider? One of them said the name and they were all afraid of you."
"It is just a name. You can take the hood off."
"Why was it necessary?"
"The people of Man aren't used to such fair beings as elves, Legolas. Your pointy ears would make you a god or a town freak."
"Men are not so hospitable as I expected."
"Don't worry about it, we will be in Rivendell soon."
And they were. As soon as they had crossed the border, other elves accompanied them, calling out to Estel. When they arrived at the House of Elrond a female Elf was waiting for them.
"Estel! It has been too long, my love."
She stepped to him and gave him a kiss. Legolas was amazed by the act of the Elf. Did she not know Estel was human?
"Legolas? Do you not recognize me, old friend?"
"Arwen? You have changed so much, my little Evenstar!"
They hugged each other like the brother and sister they once were. Legolas was happy he had come with Estel.
"I hope you will feel at home here, Legolas. We still have your old room. Come, Estel."
Aragorn lifted his hands helplessly and followed the Elf. Legolas went to explore Rivendell, the old and the new wonders.
One of those new wonders was to find someone cursing.
"Damned! Why does everything insist on making my life difficult?"
Smiling at the voice he came closer. A young maiden that had searched herbs was now collecting them after her basket had fallen. Legolas couldn't refuse a damsel in distress. He slowly let himself slip on the ground and waited until she noticed him.
"What are you doing here?"
"Helping a lady."
He handed here some of the herbs.
"That's very kind of you, sir, but I don't need your help." She said while taking the herbs from his hands.
"And here I thought maidens were weak."
"Are you mocking me, sir?"
"I do not, my lady. Why are you looking herbs so far from the House when it has its own garden?"
"It is for own consumption and I am not of royal blood. We do not have the permission to use these herbs. If you will excuse me."
She left him standing there and walked deeper into the woods. She waved at him and walked on. Legolas realized he would be late for dinner and sprinted to his rooms.
"Legolas, where have you been?"
"None of your concern, Estel. I am here now. Sir Elrond, how nice to see you again."
"It was time that ou came to visit, my dear Legolas. And on a happy note this time."
Legolas smiled sadly. The last time he had seen Lord Elrond was at the funeral of his mother.
"Yes, so it is, Lord Elrond. How have you been?"
"There has not been a struggle on our borders for years and my daughter has grown into a beautiful woman. I couldn't wish for more."
"And Estel either."
Immediately Legolas got a kick under the table.
"If you want to keep your braids it is wise to shut your mouth."Aragorn whispered.
"There is the Evenstar already. My lady." The three men stood to make a courteous bow."
"Dinner may be served."
Legolas was very relaxed. Every now and then Aragorn warningly glared at him. Legolas couldn't help the smile that was plastered on his face. When the elves brought in the food, Legolas noticed someone different. The girl from the woods served it!
"I hope it will be to your liking, sir." She said without looking at him.
"I'm certail I will. my lady."
A glint of recognition passed in her eyes, but there was no further reaction. When she had disappeared, Legolas lost all appetite. He wanted to know her.
"Lord Elrond, how do you select your servants?"
"They are mostly elves in training. They use the day to learn and practice and help here at night. They work voluntarily. Why do you ask?"
"Just pondering over the meaning of life. May I be excused?"
"Certainly."
After he had left, Elrond silently shook his head.
"Ah Estel, what will become of Mirkwood when this strange Elf gains the throne?"
"It will be alright, my Lord. I know of an Elven king wo was thought strange in his time too. He fought together with Men to prevent a greater evil. Something that was never seen. He even raised an ordinary man as his own blood. But his kingdom is alive and well."
"Ah, that is true. Except that the Man I raised was far from ordinary, my friend. He is a great warrior and I'm proud that I have taught him the elven ways. A glance of understanding passed between the two men. Legolas walked in the garden of the palace. He heard the voices in the kitchen but didn't dare to come closer. In the end, the elven girl came to him.
"Why do you linger here, sir? You should be with our lord and his guests in the great hall."
"I did not feel like eating, my lady."
For the first time since he met her, she looked straight at him.
"Do not call me 'my lady' for I am not one."
"What do you prefer then? My dear, my love. ah, my princess!"
She turned to walk away, but he was faster. Laying his hands lightly on her shoulders, he stopped her.
"What else shall I call you then, if you do not wish to grant me your name?"
"Melisande Narandir."
"Are you of this realm?"
"I am a woodland Elf of Mirkwood."
"Mirkwood?" he asked softly.
"Yes, I am quite far away from home, sir."
"Yes, you are. Do you have time to talk?"
They sat on a nearby bench.
"Why have I never heard of you if you came from Mirkwood?"
"I am one of their best kept secrets, sir. My education began here for I am to marry an Elf from Mirkwood."
"He is lucky then."
"I hope the prince will think the same."