A/N: This chapter is for Lady Katayna, who read my mind and predicted what
was going to happen in the chapter. Good luck with your sophmore year too.
Thanks to all the people that have reviewed so far too, your reviews are
greatly appreciated and inspire me to write more.
Disclaimer: All references to Lord of the Rings Characters and places are the property of J.R.R Tolkien, I have just tried to use them for my own story.
Chapter 16: An Unexpected Visitor
Celebfaer had just finished her meditation, proud of what she had discovered and the amount of organization that she had gotten through and she vaguely heard her servant, Myrelle knocking though it did not register to her. As she came back to herself she sat back closing her eyes and took a deep breath.
Then she got up and became aware as always of the sounds around her, the birds and the noises of the Elves going about their lives. Then she opened her eyes and saw her room, taking it in bit by bit.
When she was ready, Celebfaer got up and draped her cloak loosely around her shoulders, then walked into her bedroom and found a piece of leather to tie her hair back before she had a bath. She started to hum a tune to herself, glad that she had been spared the night of more training.
In fact the Lady had been so kind that she had given her the next day off too and she intended to take Legolas on a grand tour of Lothlorien and save him from the Elves that were trying to marry him off to their daughters.
She smiled at the thought then continued humming her tune, opening the door to the bathroom to see if Myrelle had warmed up the water yet. The water was hot because she saw the steam rising up from it and it made her smile once more, then she turned around going back into her room, shutting the door behind her as she did.
She looked into her room then gasped in shock because there stood Legolas, and she almost cried out but he crossed the distance between them and put his fingers to her lips, silencing her before she could make a sound.
"It took me forever to get past your servant, let alone all the she-elves trying to court me, so please do not spoil my fun." He said softly with a cheeky smile on his face and she nodded, then he removed his hands from her lips and she looked straight into his eyes, not believing that he had managed to sneak in, before she remembered Myrelle.
"Just a moment." She said, then she went back into the bathroom and opened the door that went to the main room.
Myrelle was sitting in her chair continuing her sewing, she was even softly humming a tune and it made Celebfaer smile to hear her and it was a shame that she had to disturb her friend.
"Myrelle." Celebfaer said and the elf jumped. It was rare for most elves to be caught unaware, but Myrelle was becoming old for an Elf, and her senses weren't what they used to be. Though if she was sewing the Myrelle was easy to sneak up on because she became so engrossed in her work.
"Yes, my lady?" She asked, standing up and placing her sewing on her chair.
"Thank you for your assistance today. Did anyone request to see me?" She asked and Myrelle nodded.
"There was one young Elf, he said it was urgent that he saw you and that he was on business from the Lady. He waited for a while but then he must have left."
"Thank you Myrelle. Did he say what his name was?"
"Master Legolas Greenleaf I believe. He is the elf that they all keep talking about isn't he? The prince from Mirkwood that came in with the strange folk." She said and Celebfaer looked at her, unimpressed.
"Myrelle." She said sternly.
"Oh. The people that journeyed into Lorien with you is what I meant to say. I must be getting old and tired is all, forgetting my manners." Myrelle said shaking her head as though in a daze and Celebfaer smiled at her.
"You're too good for me Myrelle. I am glad to have you. But I think you should take the rest of the night off. I shan't be needing someone guarding the door tonight so you are free to go home. Tomorrow also I will be out all day, so do not bother yourself with the cleaning or anything else." She told the dear Elf that she loved like an adopted mother.
"What about breakfast, should I bring that up to you?"
"Don't bother yourself. I will be leaving early for a walk in the woods and I imagine that I shan't return until on dark so you have a day off for yourself, catch up with your friends."
"Thank you my lady. You enjoy your walk now too and I shall see you for your breakfast in two days time." Myrelle said then she bowed before letting herself out.
Celebfaer smiled once more, she really did like the sweet old elf, even if she did gossip a little too much with her friends. Most of Myrelle's friend were always curious as to what she did for Celebfaer, so Celebfaer was careful with what she said to the elf, though she considered the elf to be her friend, despite the mistrust that she had for Myrelle. Then Celebfaer walked back through the bathroom and into her bedroom, still not believing that Legolas had managed to walk through her rooms without her knowing.
"So is it just the four rooms or is there more?" Legolas asked her when she came in and she nodded.
"Just the four rooms. I think it is too much but Galadriel insisted that I have a room where I can meditate in peace, hence the parlor or else I would only have had the three rooms." She said and he nodded. "How did you manage to sneak past my servant?"
"A skill I picked up from my youth." He replied smiling and she laughed, remembering the conversation she had heard him have with Arwen back in Rivendell at the feast. Then Celebfaer looked at him curiously and he looked back at her wondering why she was looking at him so strangely. "Where have you been this past week and a half?"
"With the Lady or meditating. She is rarely letting me have a break in my learning. Though I am amazed at what I have learnt this past week and a bit. She did give me a small break three days ago and I went to see the Fellowship, though you and Gimli were off exploring the trees of Lothlorien." She said and Legolas nodded but smiled.
"Aragorn told me you had dropped by. I was sorry I had not been there though I rarely see much of them except at meals. Gimli I see quite often because we explore together."
"Yes and that is an odd pairing if I ever saw one." She said and Legolas shrugged.
"He sees the Lady as above all other beings. You should hear him talk of her. When I say she works you a little hard he even defends her! It is quite a change to the stiff necked Dwarf from days of old." He said and Celebfaer smiled, knowing it would be hopeless to argue with Legolas about his new best friend.
"I imagine he has come to his senses. But you did not sneak into my rooms without permission when I had told Myrelle that I was not to be disturbed so that we could talk of Gimli, son of Gloin. You are a very slippery Elf Legolas Greenleaf of Mirkwood though Myrelle said you had some urgent news from the Lady. Now that you have seen me you may deliver your news." She said.
"The Lady told me to tell you to take a day off." He said and Celebfaer laughed.
"Funny that she already told me that herself. Legolas you didn't make up a tale so that you could see me did you?" She asked and he looked at her guiltily.
"I told you I would find ways to see you." He said and she smiled once more.
"Legolas, you could make any female of any race very happy." She said sadness appearing in her voice, but Legolas smiled, ignoring her sad tone.
"Good, because I intend to make this girl in front of me happy for as long as I can." He replied then he kissed her lightly.
"Have the ladies been hassling you again?" She asked and he groaned.
"No, this time it is their daughters. The elf called Lurien particularly, she seems to know where I am going to be before I myself know. I don't only just take Gimli with me for his companionship; it keeps the she-elves away because they do not like Dwarves. They have never encountered Dwarves in their lives and yet they sneer on him before they get to know his gentle spirit." Legolas said and Celebfaer cracked up laughing.
"You were in their shoes but two weeks past Master Greenleaf." She said and he shrugged.
"I have learnt."
"Come, let us sit in the main room where it will be a little more comfortable." She said but, as she turned around to walk to the main room, Legolas grabbed her cloak to stop her. Because the cloak was wrapped loosely around her shoulders, when Legolas pulled on it, it was enough pressure to cause the cloak to fall off her shoulders and land in a heap on the ground.
Celebfaer whirled around only to see that Legolas had a shocked expression on his face.
The cloak had fallen to the ground, revealing to Legolas, the two wing-like things that hung loosely at Celebfaer's back. They appeared to be made out of the most extraordinary material, as fine as a spider's web, yet as fragile as a piece of porcelain. But the wings were not as they should be. On the bottoms of the wings, there were massive tears that looked as though a large cat had raked its claws through them. Further up in the middle of the wings there were places that had been torn in a way that it looked as though they had been snagged on a tree as she was running from something. All the tears in the wings had broken up the design that was on them and Legolas imagined that when they had been complete they would have been things of beauty. He had managed to pick up all that detail in the few split seconds that he had seen the wings, because Celebfaer had turned angrily around as soon as she had felt her cloak fall.
"Are those wings?" Legolas asked her as though he were in a dream and she nodded, the anger leaving her eyes instantly, because she knew he had not done it intentionally.
"They were wings." She replied.
"Orcs did that? Do they hurt at all?"
"The wings themselves do not hurt. But if pressure is applied to my back the wings get crushed and damaged further. Orcs did this to my wings, but I am in fact able to survive without them. I was caught unaware and as I was a young fairy, I did not have enough power to defend myself properly nor did I carry any weapons with me."
"Were you hurt badly, other than the damage to your wings?" Legolas asked.
"When Elrond found me I was unconscious and he tells me that I was very close to death and that my spirit would not stay with my body for long. It kept drifting away for I am a Fairy and Fairies know that if they lose their wings then they are better off dead. I was not told the extent of my injuries, but it was beyond Elrond's power to heal, so he brought me here for the Lady to try and heal me further." Celebfaer said, remembering what it had been like when she had awoken in Lothlorien, how confused she had been and how when she remembered that she was in fact a Fairy, she had wanted to die because her wings were useless.
Legolas looked at her as she told her story, knowing that he did not want to see her hurt in the same way again. It was that moment that he swore to himself that he would never let her wonder about by herself when it was not safe, even though he knew she was able to look after herself quite well. He knew then that after he left Lothlorien, he would need to find another Elf, one that he could trust to keep an eye on her so that she was not harmed again.
"From this moment forward, every Orc I kill shall be taking revenge on their savage treatment of such beautiful things." Legolas said, his face dark with anger and she nodded, then went to her wardrobe and took out a blue cloak, then donned it, leaving the hood down though, as she felt no need to hide her face. But she wanted to cover her wings so that Legolas would not talk of them anymore because she did not want to think about the road that she would need to take to cleanse them and restore them to their original beauty.
"Come, let us go to the main room, I cannot have a bath as I had planned anymore because I must entertain, a prince, and surely a bedroom is no place to entertain royalty. So, if it pleases you, we shall return to the main room, for it is more comfortable." She said and Legolas looked at her, debating whether or not to respond to that statement.
He decided not to because he was content just to watch her and hear the sound of her voice. It had been over a week since he had seen her or heard the sound of her voice, and he merely wanted to enjoy her company for the time being because he did not know how much longer he would be staying in Lothlorien. He knew that soon they would need to continue on with their journey south to destroy the ring, so he followed her wordlessly through her parlor and back out to the main room.
Disclaimer: All references to Lord of the Rings Characters and places are the property of J.R.R Tolkien, I have just tried to use them for my own story.
Chapter 16: An Unexpected Visitor
Celebfaer had just finished her meditation, proud of what she had discovered and the amount of organization that she had gotten through and she vaguely heard her servant, Myrelle knocking though it did not register to her. As she came back to herself she sat back closing her eyes and took a deep breath.
Then she got up and became aware as always of the sounds around her, the birds and the noises of the Elves going about their lives. Then she opened her eyes and saw her room, taking it in bit by bit.
When she was ready, Celebfaer got up and draped her cloak loosely around her shoulders, then walked into her bedroom and found a piece of leather to tie her hair back before she had a bath. She started to hum a tune to herself, glad that she had been spared the night of more training.
In fact the Lady had been so kind that she had given her the next day off too and she intended to take Legolas on a grand tour of Lothlorien and save him from the Elves that were trying to marry him off to their daughters.
She smiled at the thought then continued humming her tune, opening the door to the bathroom to see if Myrelle had warmed up the water yet. The water was hot because she saw the steam rising up from it and it made her smile once more, then she turned around going back into her room, shutting the door behind her as she did.
She looked into her room then gasped in shock because there stood Legolas, and she almost cried out but he crossed the distance between them and put his fingers to her lips, silencing her before she could make a sound.
"It took me forever to get past your servant, let alone all the she-elves trying to court me, so please do not spoil my fun." He said softly with a cheeky smile on his face and she nodded, then he removed his hands from her lips and she looked straight into his eyes, not believing that he had managed to sneak in, before she remembered Myrelle.
"Just a moment." She said, then she went back into the bathroom and opened the door that went to the main room.
Myrelle was sitting in her chair continuing her sewing, she was even softly humming a tune and it made Celebfaer smile to hear her and it was a shame that she had to disturb her friend.
"Myrelle." Celebfaer said and the elf jumped. It was rare for most elves to be caught unaware, but Myrelle was becoming old for an Elf, and her senses weren't what they used to be. Though if she was sewing the Myrelle was easy to sneak up on because she became so engrossed in her work.
"Yes, my lady?" She asked, standing up and placing her sewing on her chair.
"Thank you for your assistance today. Did anyone request to see me?" She asked and Myrelle nodded.
"There was one young Elf, he said it was urgent that he saw you and that he was on business from the Lady. He waited for a while but then he must have left."
"Thank you Myrelle. Did he say what his name was?"
"Master Legolas Greenleaf I believe. He is the elf that they all keep talking about isn't he? The prince from Mirkwood that came in with the strange folk." She said and Celebfaer looked at her, unimpressed.
"Myrelle." She said sternly.
"Oh. The people that journeyed into Lorien with you is what I meant to say. I must be getting old and tired is all, forgetting my manners." Myrelle said shaking her head as though in a daze and Celebfaer smiled at her.
"You're too good for me Myrelle. I am glad to have you. But I think you should take the rest of the night off. I shan't be needing someone guarding the door tonight so you are free to go home. Tomorrow also I will be out all day, so do not bother yourself with the cleaning or anything else." She told the dear Elf that she loved like an adopted mother.
"What about breakfast, should I bring that up to you?"
"Don't bother yourself. I will be leaving early for a walk in the woods and I imagine that I shan't return until on dark so you have a day off for yourself, catch up with your friends."
"Thank you my lady. You enjoy your walk now too and I shall see you for your breakfast in two days time." Myrelle said then she bowed before letting herself out.
Celebfaer smiled once more, she really did like the sweet old elf, even if she did gossip a little too much with her friends. Most of Myrelle's friend were always curious as to what she did for Celebfaer, so Celebfaer was careful with what she said to the elf, though she considered the elf to be her friend, despite the mistrust that she had for Myrelle. Then Celebfaer walked back through the bathroom and into her bedroom, still not believing that Legolas had managed to walk through her rooms without her knowing.
"So is it just the four rooms or is there more?" Legolas asked her when she came in and she nodded.
"Just the four rooms. I think it is too much but Galadriel insisted that I have a room where I can meditate in peace, hence the parlor or else I would only have had the three rooms." She said and he nodded. "How did you manage to sneak past my servant?"
"A skill I picked up from my youth." He replied smiling and she laughed, remembering the conversation she had heard him have with Arwen back in Rivendell at the feast. Then Celebfaer looked at him curiously and he looked back at her wondering why she was looking at him so strangely. "Where have you been this past week and a half?"
"With the Lady or meditating. She is rarely letting me have a break in my learning. Though I am amazed at what I have learnt this past week and a bit. She did give me a small break three days ago and I went to see the Fellowship, though you and Gimli were off exploring the trees of Lothlorien." She said and Legolas nodded but smiled.
"Aragorn told me you had dropped by. I was sorry I had not been there though I rarely see much of them except at meals. Gimli I see quite often because we explore together."
"Yes and that is an odd pairing if I ever saw one." She said and Legolas shrugged.
"He sees the Lady as above all other beings. You should hear him talk of her. When I say she works you a little hard he even defends her! It is quite a change to the stiff necked Dwarf from days of old." He said and Celebfaer smiled, knowing it would be hopeless to argue with Legolas about his new best friend.
"I imagine he has come to his senses. But you did not sneak into my rooms without permission when I had told Myrelle that I was not to be disturbed so that we could talk of Gimli, son of Gloin. You are a very slippery Elf Legolas Greenleaf of Mirkwood though Myrelle said you had some urgent news from the Lady. Now that you have seen me you may deliver your news." She said.
"The Lady told me to tell you to take a day off." He said and Celebfaer laughed.
"Funny that she already told me that herself. Legolas you didn't make up a tale so that you could see me did you?" She asked and he looked at her guiltily.
"I told you I would find ways to see you." He said and she smiled once more.
"Legolas, you could make any female of any race very happy." She said sadness appearing in her voice, but Legolas smiled, ignoring her sad tone.
"Good, because I intend to make this girl in front of me happy for as long as I can." He replied then he kissed her lightly.
"Have the ladies been hassling you again?" She asked and he groaned.
"No, this time it is their daughters. The elf called Lurien particularly, she seems to know where I am going to be before I myself know. I don't only just take Gimli with me for his companionship; it keeps the she-elves away because they do not like Dwarves. They have never encountered Dwarves in their lives and yet they sneer on him before they get to know his gentle spirit." Legolas said and Celebfaer cracked up laughing.
"You were in their shoes but two weeks past Master Greenleaf." She said and he shrugged.
"I have learnt."
"Come, let us sit in the main room where it will be a little more comfortable." She said but, as she turned around to walk to the main room, Legolas grabbed her cloak to stop her. Because the cloak was wrapped loosely around her shoulders, when Legolas pulled on it, it was enough pressure to cause the cloak to fall off her shoulders and land in a heap on the ground.
Celebfaer whirled around only to see that Legolas had a shocked expression on his face.
The cloak had fallen to the ground, revealing to Legolas, the two wing-like things that hung loosely at Celebfaer's back. They appeared to be made out of the most extraordinary material, as fine as a spider's web, yet as fragile as a piece of porcelain. But the wings were not as they should be. On the bottoms of the wings, there were massive tears that looked as though a large cat had raked its claws through them. Further up in the middle of the wings there were places that had been torn in a way that it looked as though they had been snagged on a tree as she was running from something. All the tears in the wings had broken up the design that was on them and Legolas imagined that when they had been complete they would have been things of beauty. He had managed to pick up all that detail in the few split seconds that he had seen the wings, because Celebfaer had turned angrily around as soon as she had felt her cloak fall.
"Are those wings?" Legolas asked her as though he were in a dream and she nodded, the anger leaving her eyes instantly, because she knew he had not done it intentionally.
"They were wings." She replied.
"Orcs did that? Do they hurt at all?"
"The wings themselves do not hurt. But if pressure is applied to my back the wings get crushed and damaged further. Orcs did this to my wings, but I am in fact able to survive without them. I was caught unaware and as I was a young fairy, I did not have enough power to defend myself properly nor did I carry any weapons with me."
"Were you hurt badly, other than the damage to your wings?" Legolas asked.
"When Elrond found me I was unconscious and he tells me that I was very close to death and that my spirit would not stay with my body for long. It kept drifting away for I am a Fairy and Fairies know that if they lose their wings then they are better off dead. I was not told the extent of my injuries, but it was beyond Elrond's power to heal, so he brought me here for the Lady to try and heal me further." Celebfaer said, remembering what it had been like when she had awoken in Lothlorien, how confused she had been and how when she remembered that she was in fact a Fairy, she had wanted to die because her wings were useless.
Legolas looked at her as she told her story, knowing that he did not want to see her hurt in the same way again. It was that moment that he swore to himself that he would never let her wonder about by herself when it was not safe, even though he knew she was able to look after herself quite well. He knew then that after he left Lothlorien, he would need to find another Elf, one that he could trust to keep an eye on her so that she was not harmed again.
"From this moment forward, every Orc I kill shall be taking revenge on their savage treatment of such beautiful things." Legolas said, his face dark with anger and she nodded, then went to her wardrobe and took out a blue cloak, then donned it, leaving the hood down though, as she felt no need to hide her face. But she wanted to cover her wings so that Legolas would not talk of them anymore because she did not want to think about the road that she would need to take to cleanse them and restore them to their original beauty.
"Come, let us go to the main room, I cannot have a bath as I had planned anymore because I must entertain, a prince, and surely a bedroom is no place to entertain royalty. So, if it pleases you, we shall return to the main room, for it is more comfortable." She said and Legolas looked at her, debating whether or not to respond to that statement.
He decided not to because he was content just to watch her and hear the sound of her voice. It had been over a week since he had seen her or heard the sound of her voice, and he merely wanted to enjoy her company for the time being because he did not know how much longer he would be staying in Lothlorien. He knew that soon they would need to continue on with their journey south to destroy the ring, so he followed her wordlessly through her parlor and back out to the main room.
