Ley walked with her parents on either side of her. She remembered Negolas still at the table looked over her shoulder at him.
She sighed. I do have parents that love me, she told herself as she brought her face back in front of her.
"Ainaear, I'm so proud to have you back," Celebear (Ley's mother) exclaimed hugging her daughter around her shoulders. "I missed your childhood, as you grew into a young elf."
"Mom, can't… hardly breathe..." Ley choked, Celebear's grip had been tightening until Ley's last remark. "I missed having birth parents who loved me.
"You weren't loved?!" Celebear's voice grew louder. "How could anyone not love my little Ainaear?!"
"Whoa! You don't understand! I was loved very much but my mother who raised me adopted me from another. When I discovered my legal birth mother I confronted her and then I was treated like I was nothing to her, and that hurt."
"Your mother and I have been talking, why don't you come home to Mirkwood? You will receive all the love and more you missed from that… oh, what's a better word… orc-like birth mother of yours," Sirfalas said as his eyes narrowed.
Stay in Mirkwood? I don't think I could handle that. He just called Jandie an orc, Ley thought. By then they had arrived at her parents room.
Like everywhere else the walls were cream, no glass in the windows, and the floor a polished wood.
"I won't go home," Ley finally said after a while. "What ever my destiny is… I haven't done it yet."
"Then it is not too late!" Celebear exclaimed. "If you come with us, you'll– "
"No! Mom, dad, don't even think like that. I'll come home… when I feel like it. But I'm not leaving my three best friends alone. Besides Negolas already has a home in Fornost," Ley jumped up from her chair,
"Legolas? You're with the prince?" questioned Sirfalas.
"No, Negolas. Negolas is Legolas' double." Ley explained everything about Negolas she could, but laughed when she told them about Pippin. "I'm very thankful for Pippin so I promised to protect him whenever he's in danger."
"But you're still with the prince, if Negolas is Prince Legolas' double. Negolas would still be prince as well." Sirfalas added, "If you were to marry him you would become Queen of Mirkwood."
"Atar, I don't want to sit on a throne all my life, and I won't."
Just then there was knock at the door. Sirfalas opened it and Negolas was standing there.
"Speak of the devil," Ley muttered under her breath. "Negolas, what are you doing here?"
"He just thought he would come and meet us," greeted Celebear.
I think he came to be with me. Ever since that afternoon in the library… we haven't really been away from one another, and in those days we traveled, I learned had to use a bow while riding a horse without a saddle at the same time, Ley thought to her self.
"Ainaear?" Sirfalas put a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Is it all right?"
"I'm sorry, what was it?" Ley looked into the gray eyes of her mother and father. They both had blonde hair and gray eyes, unlike her parents Ley had dark, almost black hair and dark brown eyes that were like her hair.
"I was asked to stay with you, yet I will only do so if you wish," Negolas said.
"Uhh… why are you asking me? It's my parent's room. It's up to them."
"But he's your love– "
Ley's eyes widened at her mother's remark.
"That's umm…" Ley looked towards the sky. "I… maybe."
*
Ley, Negolas, Celebear, and Sirfalas talked well into the night. When Ley started to doze off everyone decided to call it a night. Negolas walked her to her room and as they reached the door Negolas broke the silence.
"You never answered your mother's question," he stated. "Is it true?"
"When she said something like or was going to say, 'but he's your love, it is your decision,'" she looked up into Negolas' blue eyes. "I suppose you caught me," she gave a little sigh.
"You could have told me," he didn't sound offended or angry, Ley could tell the kind of tone or emotion in his voice but it concerned her.
"You never asked and I never found the time to tell you." Ley felt the gentleness of the back of Negolas' hand on her cheek.
"Lle naa vanima, Ley (You are beautiful, Ley)," he said gently.
"I have my answer."
"Your answer?"
"The answer to what my heart has been asking every time we are together. That answer is, I've fallen for you." Ley still looked into his eyes, then she stood on her toes and brushed his lips with hers. She looked at him one last time, sighed, and went into her room.
**
Days passed and Ley's relationship with both her parents and Negolas grew closer.
Today Ley and Negolas were going horseback riding through the woods. Ley was also getting close to Eponza, her horse. Eponza was a beautiful cream and her mane was long and silky.
She met up with Negolas inside the stables. They rode all morning and towards the evening, Ley practiced using the bow without arrows, some of the time, and the rest she spent talking with Negolas.
Eponza was growing tired so the couple took her to the stall to rest.
"Thank you," Ley said softly as she closed the stall door. She turned to leave when Eponza gave a neigh, Ley turned around and faced her faithful horse and kissed her between the eyes.
Negolas walked Ley about Rivendell. Ley loved the beautiful scenery.
Ley's day was going great and she would tell her self that the entire way up the stairs to her room (which she decided to go to after quite a few hours in the forests). She walked to her room in a trance-like state, only for it to be broken by a letter tacked up on her door.
Ley yanked the paper from the door, tearing the edge. It read:
Lady Ley,
It pleases me to know you enjoyed the 'surprise' that was waiting for you here in Rivendell. I do hope received all the love from your parents you wished you always had, yet it shall be short lived as well the love of the Elven Prince. For years I have been faceless, but fear not, for you shall see what none have. Your friends will too, of course. How could I forget your beloved friends? You can hide nowhere, for my eyes see and my ears hear all. You have not long to bid your farewells. All shall see my wrath. And the four of the prophecy shall fall as well 'as the ones that hold their hearts'; they will be the firsts.
Best wishes,
Beleganga
"Negolas!" Ley took off running for Negolas, tears of sadness streaming from her eyes.
***
Ley and Negolas (whom had read the letter Ley received) gathered in Elrond's study.
Ariel's not here, but she went to meet her parents in the Shire, Ley kept telling her self. She was rocking back and forth in her chair while Legolas and Negolas were pacing.
Ley blocked out any conversation, just rocked. What did he mean? I won't let Negolas be killed or hurt. Elves love for eternity and I love Negolas.
The sound of a bookcase falling upon someone snapped Ley out of her thoughts.
Legolas had lunged at Edro. Edro had punched Legolas in the mouth; they were both bloody and bruised.
"Stop them!" Ley gave Negolas a shove and he took the hint to try and pull them apart. In the struggle, Edro had kicked Negolas, and it took everything Ley had not to jump Edro.
Finally after the guards had been called and after who knows how many times Lord Elrond pleaded for the two to stop, they did. They then stopped struggling against the guards.
Elrond excused them and (with Kaysie at Legolas' side and Sarah at Edro's) they departed. The girls' parents had been there as well. Celebear and Negolas were on either side of Ley, with Sirfalas in the lead.
"This is it. You are coming home with us!" Sirfalas said very loudly.
"I told you, I'm not going home to Mirkwood. My letter told me everyone close to me is in danger. There are seven people I care about the most: Negolas, you two, Ariel, Kaysie, and Sarah," Ley said wrapping her arms around Negolas' and resting her head on his shoulder. "Sorry, but the votes are in: it's two for Mirkwood, and five for staying with my friends."
"Why won't you listen to your father? He only wants the best for you."
"Because, I just don't want to. Beleganga wants to hurt my friends and loved ones. It doesn't matter if you go back to Mirkwood, he'll find you. And he also knows where you are at all times. I don't know what to tell you." She hugged Negolas' arm and a tear rolled down her face. "I can't handle knowing Negolas is in danger…"
Negolas reached over with his other arm. "I can assure you, I shall be fine."
"If you insist on having your way," Sirfalas untied the sheath at his waist; it held two elven daggers. "Use these along side your bow."
"Thank you. So, no more begging for me to return home?" Ley said as she unlocked her arms. She took the sheath and tied it around her waist.
"You made your decision," her mother said.
Just then Sarah and Edro walked by. Edro's arm was behind Sarah's neck and they were talking softly.
"Edro!" Ley shouted while running towards the two elves, her father's daggers jingling at her side.
"Don't start!" Sarah snapped.
"Why should I listen to you? Edro shouldn't have pushed Legolas! Maybe none of this would have happened."
"Ashley! I'm not in the mood for this!"
"I agree with Negolas and Legolas. Maybe Edro's the one who gave us those letters."
"Since when do I have to prove myself to anyone," Edro had a piercing gazed and looked at Ley.
"You lay one hand on me and Sarah will have more wounds to take care of," Ley took a hold of the dagger's handles and slid one out of it's sheath.
"Do you even know how to use one of those?" Edro's voice was as cold as ice.
"'A immortal quick to learn…' That's my part of the prophecy. I'll learn. If it is you who gave us those letters, well, someone better protect you. Only Sarah's love for you would stop me, but I'm not so sure about Negolas or Legolas or any other of my elven friends." Ley turned and her heel and went to Negolas. Her parents had continued on to their room.
"You should be careful around him. If he truly is Beleganga, and you anger him, he would attack you first. I have killed many orcs, but never another elf."
Sarah had caught sight of Ley and Negolas this time.
"Ley, what did all that mean?"
"Dolle na lost! Auta miqulla yrch! (Your head is empty! Go kiss an orc!)"