"….my family is one of the very best finders. The berries are rare, and therefore..." Joari stifled a scream. First weaponry, now vegetation! Arg! How can they be so empty-headed? But wait; she thought to herself, elves can't be empty headed. This one in front of me is probably from Abe Lincoln's time! Ugh, scratch that… how can they talk such and actually believe that a girl would be interested in all that? Am I really on a totally different wavelength here? Is this what my life will always be? No, Lord, no! As her thoughts turned bleaker and bleaker in the face of the chatter, she felt a warm presence beside her. She almost groaned out loud. Oh no, not another one! I swear if one more face shows up I'm gonna run around and hack everyone to death… so she turned around, with a murderous glint in her eyes.
Now we all know that Legolas was already nervous enough as it was, and her look didn't make thing any better. Oh-oh, he thought, did I do something wrong? Was she really deep in conversation with him? "Excuse me," he half-stammered, "I was wondering if the lady would like to dance." In a split second, Joari saw her ticket and salvation. "Legolas darling! I thought you'll never ask!" she gushed, in her most air-headed voice she could master. She turned to the elf, disappointment shining clearly in his face. "I'm so sorry, this beloved elf has asked me to dance, and I couldn't possibly refuse him. Maybe some other time!" She gave him the most innocent look she had and then walked off, grabbing Legolas's arms and putting them around her. At this point, Legolas's eyes were as round as saucers, startled not only by her er… bimbotic behavior but also the fact that his arms were like around her.
When they had reached the center of the floor, she wiggled out. "Thanks Legolas! You're a life-saver!" There was a question that Legolas badly wanted to ask, but he felt that now was not the right time and place. Instead, he teasingly bantered, "And now, may I collect my reward?" She laughed, "What would you like? My Disc-man? This gown?" she teased back. "What about a dance?" She stopped laughing. "Hmm… a dance? Here? Well…" she looked at him mock-seriously, "Would a 'yes' count?" Legolas would have yelled and danced a jig, only that… well… elves don't do jigs. Or yelled for that matter. So instead, he held out his arms, waiting for her to fall in position with him.
However, she just stared at the outstretched arms. "Er… sorry if I didn't mention this, but I thought you said that we would be dancing? What's with the hand thing?" He looked at her, equally confused, "To dance, we have to get into a basic position first, am I not right?" Red alert bulbs flashed in her mind. Does he mean an actual dance? Not disco-type type of dance? Uh-uh… she coughed apologetically. "Would you mind like giving me a one o' one on that? I don't think I know how to." She could see the look of surprise on his face, which was quickly concealed. "I thought you were dancing just now at the palace."
Joari looked a little sheepish. "Actually, I just moved along with the elf in front of me. Anyway, most of the time he wouldn't have noticed that I stepped on his toes cause he was too busy talking about himself. Oops… scratch the himself bit…. They were too busy talking." Legolas felt amused at the notion of her stepping on the elves' feet. "I'll be honored to teach you then." He replied.
"Now the first thing that we have to do is, umm... get a little, erm, closer together." Immediately, Joari took two steps forward, and then they were about an inch apart. Actually, they were a little too close, but hey, it wasn't like he actually minded. However, the next part was a little harder
"I'll need your hand," he told her. "Oh." She clued in, lifting her hand, and gripped his. Joari began to blush slightly, she couldn't help it, I mean, how often did she actually hold someone's hand like that? Whether elf, human, man or woman, it all cam down to one answer: never. So she couldn't help but feel a little bit abashed at this experience. He put her other hand on his shoulder, and placed his remaining hand on her waist. Instinctively, she flinched away from his touch. "Why did you do that for?" she asked, guardedly. "It's part of the position we should be in." Legolas quickly explained. "I'm sorry. Do you still want to continue?" Joari silently berated herself for acting so foolish. "It's okay. I just was a little surprised. Let's continue already." She said, flashing a grin at the elf. He nodded. "Now, all you have to do is to follow my rhythm. When I move back, you move in front, and vice versa, and pause when I pause." He decided to provoke her just for once. "So, do you think you'll be able to do it?" he asked, with a challenge in his voice. "What do you mean I'll… you bet your cotton socks I will! Let's start!" And with that, they began.
Step forward, turn, step back, and turn... Finally, after a few tries she began to get the right idea, and they were moving along with the other couples like they had been practising for months. As soon as she stoped actually concentrating on what her feet were doing, Joari looked up at Legolas and smirked, "You were saying, Legolas?" Legolas felt the corners of his mouth twitch upwards. "Lady, I must concede defeat," he declared; mock gravely, "You are indeed a fine dancer." "Do you really think so?" she retorted, as she deliberately stepped lightly on his toes. They halted into a sudden stop, breaking apart as they laughed gaily. When their laughter had subsided, they started dancing again.
"Lady Joari, may I ask you a question?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"The kind of clothes you were, is it common from where you're from?" She looked at him slightly confused. "What do you mean? It's made out of cotton or whatever cloth is made of, just like your's." Seeing that she didn't really understand, Legolas had to explain himself. "What I meant was the", he coughed slightly, "cut of your clothes." She looked at him, astonished, "Yes, it is. You mean that," a thought struck her and she started giggling, "Now I know why most of the elves were so red-faced tonight." She said, between chuckles, "they kept staring at my face, not daring to look down!" She chocked back her laughter in the face of the bemused elf. "Legolas, you mean to say that the elves don't usually wear the kinda clothes I do?" He looked at her, "I don't think that anyone in Middle-Earth wears the clothes you do." "Oh?" she replied impishly, "Then how come you were so, like, unsurprised in that way about my clothes? You didn't seem too uncomfortable with my dress." "Actually, er…" Joari was surprised to see a mixture of chagrin and embarrassment on Legolas face. "I had already seen you in it when we first met!" he blurted out. She looked at him, puzzled, "What's wrong with that? You act like you just committed a capital crime." "It's just that later I saw you a little more… close up on the way back to the palace." He swallowed nervously, wondering what she would do to him. "That's all? Man, you're worse than I thought. You act like you had committed murder or something!" she shook her head. "You elves are nuts, plain as that." He decided not to pursue the topic, relieved.
"Legolas, what's it like? I mean, to be an elf? To live forever?" Joari asked, as they swished along to the music. He gazed away thoughtfully, "Living forever does not always bode good. It means watching the deaths of many eras, the passing of friends." "The passing of friends? I mean, besides people like Aragorn and Gimli, how on earth can that happen?" He smiled, though a little sadly, at her, "Elves are not immune to the sword or the ravages of disease." "But aren't you guys peace-loving or something? And don't you're have medicine around?" "That is not the only way for elves to… pass along," he said, choosing his words carefully, "They become tried of the Middle-Earth, and so a yearning, slowly at first, then overpowering, takes over them to pass over the sea into the Blessed Isles." She looked at him, rather shocked. "You mean they drowned themselves?" "No, no. They just pass over to… something like heaven." He explained, using the theological ideas she had told him earlier. Her eyes looked trouble. "I see. Is it like that for all elves?" "It depends. In the hearts of the Exiles, the yearning for the sea is an unquiet never to be stilled; for the Grey-elves it is dormant, but once awakened, it will never be appeased." "What about you?" He looked at her seriously, "It was at a battle when I first heard the cry of the seagull." His voice sounded vague, "In that cry, I could hear the calling of my people that had gone before me. I have never forgotten that call." His eyes held a faraway look in them.
Joari felt like running. "Legolas, are you with me?" she asked, panic at the edge of her voice. He blinked alert, "I'm sorry? What was it?" she laughed nervously, "I thought I was losing you for a second there. Feeling better now?" he nodded. "Joari, I need to tell you something."
Just then, Legolas felt a tap on his shoulder. A smooth voice rang out, "May I?" The both of them stopped, and turned to face their intruder.
And stared at an elf could have been featured on any elf magazine, if they had such things. He was handsome, no doubts about it. His hair was black, and his eyes were brown. With his chiselled features, he could have easily passed for a model. The uncanny thing was that he looked almost like an image of Joari.
Joari quickly gathered her wits. "Sure. Legolas, do you mind?" flabbergasted, Legolas nodded stiffly and walked away. She quickly fell into position with the elf and was surprised when he took about half a step back. "Sorry, too close" he explained, as they started dancing. Too close? Does that mean that Legolas had purposely…? Joari pushed such thoughts away and decided to concentrate on the dance.
"Are you they Lady Joari?" the elf asked bluntly. She nodded, still a little preoccupied. "I'm Trestar. I've heard so much about you, especially at the palace." "You mean you stay there? What do you do?" "I've an apprentice. I'm learning to be a loremaster." "A loremaster? What's that?" He started off, his explanation fully capturing the attention of his audience.
The rest of the night passed by smoothly. Trestar proved to be charming and witty, and he and Joari could, in a way, connected. Of all the elves she knew, she thought that he was the most 'human' among them. Also, he was the only one who actually called her by name when asked to. "Trestar, your life sounds so fascinating! Do you think I could learn the arts of the elves?" For a moment he looked doubtful. "I can check it out for you, if you want. But no promises," he warned. Straightaway, she leaned over and gave him a hug. "Thanks, you're a sweetie!" she exulted and pecked him on the cheek.
She couldn't help it, after all, that was what she always did when one of her guy-friends back 'home' did something for her. Luckily, she stopped herself before her peck. "I'm so sorry!" she apologised to the pleasantly shocked elf. His expression didn't change. Actually, for him, it was kind of an enjoyable experience for him. "So, do you want to meet up tomorrow? I can give you the answer by then." He said, slowly crossing his arms in front of him. "Okay. By the way, what time is it? I think I had better get going with my friends." "Your friends?" "Yah, they're over there." She pointed at some tables. He looked over, and his eyes widened in recognition, "Joari, you travel with powerful companions, certainly not the kind that you find in every other inn." "Oh, so you know them." "They were announced in the morning." He pointed out.
He gave a theatrical sigh. "I had hoped that you would have been unescorted, them perhaps I could have offered to escort you back to the palace." She lightly punched him, "Maybe some other time," she teased, with a hint of promise. He looked behind her, "I think I'd better go now. One of them is headed this way." Before she could protest, he spun around and walked away.
"Lady Joari, I think it is about time we left." Aragorn's voice came to her. She nodded,
"Alright."
***~~~~~***
okay…. I'm so sorry this took so long! Anyhow, I need all you guys opinion, do you think a sword or a ring would be a better representative for a male elf's immortality? Some how, I don't think they where pendants of crystal or something. Review and tell me what you think^_^!!!!
p.s okay, so what if girls normally don't go around kissing guys? We should!!:):)
