Disclaimer: Me = Strange insomniac. Tolkien = Genius writer. See any similarities? No! Darn.
Chapter 8
Beyond The Palace Walls
Sorry for not updating but relatives came and I didn't really get a chance to go on the computer.
You know when you're a little kid and your sister/cousin/Mum likes to dress you up and all those girly things, well my 18 year old cousin still loves that and I'm her (un) lucky victim. Nothing to do with my story I just want someone to feel my pain or be at least as cold as I am.
Thanks loads to all reviews/readers. I feel loved.
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"Wake up" sang Amothien
"Amothien, I don't care if the birds are hummin', the grass is growin', or the wind is blowin', I don't get up at six a.m." A grouchy Em mumbled under the blankets.
"I know you do not like being woken at six am, so I did not. I advices you to rise ,unless, that is you want the Prince to see you in your nightgown?" Amothien questioned
"Good point. I'm up!" Em sat up as she thought of Legolas seeing her in her normal p.j.'s, granted a silk nightgown is better then a baggy T-shirt and boxer shorts but it is still pajamas. "Wait! What time did you wake me up today at, out of the goodness of your heart?"
"A quarter passed six. I have already prepared the bath for you, and have yet to pick out your garment for day with Prince Legolas."
Em was still glaring at her for the lovely wake up call at a quarter passed six and then flopped back down on the bed. "I'm going to have to have a long talk with you on the meaning of sleeping in and how it is never less then forty five minutes unless it's a school day, NOT FIFTEEN."
"You would have preferred I had called for you at six then?" Asked Amothien in earnest.
"I'II shut up now. Hey how 'bout my jeans and top for my clothes today?" Suggested Em at the thought of wearing another…dress.
Amothien's eyes darted from right to left never settling on Em's eyes until she decide that her hands were very interesting. "I believe the garments you arrived here in are…still be cleaned." She said tensely
"I bet they are…" Em replied skeptically "Think they be done being cleaned sometime soon?"
"I am not sure. They were very dirty when you arrived here after all, and then with the falling into the river…"
"What your ooh so tactfully trying to say is that when it comes to my jeans and top the words 'Bob Hope, No Hope' are best used, huh?"
"I believe…you should take your bath now and then change into a beautiful dress." Amothien said as she scooted Em into the bathroom.
"Artfully dodged." Em commended Amothien
"Yes, yes. Bath first, talk later." Amothien instructed
Em walked into the bathroom and stopped as the door shut behind her. She did not look into the mirror, knowing she already looked more like a half-starved cat then a human girl, also not wanting a repeat of what happened last time.
She moved to the bathtub and dipped her hand into the rose petal covered water, as clouds of steam drifted up from the flower smelling water. Em took off her nightgown and threw it on a chair in the corner of the room and climbed into the bathtub. This time Em washed quickly and was soon done. She left the bathroom, the solitude of being the only one in the room, except her demons, and walked into the bedroom.
"My, you washed quickly this morning, did you not?" Amothien smiled in greeting. "Your dress is set for you on your bed. I shall return presently." Amothien stood up and left Em alone again. Em fidgeted around for a few seconds and then put on the dark purple dress Amothien had left for her; it had odd silver patterns on it that reminded Em of a river.
Amothien returned to find Em sitting placidly in a chair positioned in one corner of the room, Amothien did not see her at first as she was hidden from her view. "Why are you sitting there? Never mind. Come sit at the vanity so I may fix your hair." Em obediently sat down on the stool as Amothien brushed out her long hair. "You were not hungry?" Asked Amothien
"Huh?" was the dim reply from the still slightly drowsy Em, she then remember she had not ate the meal Amothien had left out for her. "O yeah, nope not really hungry, guess I'm still full from the meal last night is all."
"Hmm." Was all Amothien said as she continued brushing Em's hair.
"Are you looking forward to exploring the forest with the Prince?" Asked Amothien
"It's a bunch of trees…Yeah sure! My whole life as been leading up to me…looking at a bunch of trees." Was Em's sarcastic reply.
"Ooh do not utter such pessimistic words, young one. The forest is magnificent sight. More then just a bunch of trees. I am sure you will find this outing highly enjoyable." Amothien said as she continued brushing Em's hair
"Whatever…it's just a glorified nature hike." Em remarked
"You will see." Amothien answered with a knowing smile.
She soon had Em's hair put into two side braids that formed one at the back of her head. Amothien intertwined delicate amethyst coloured flowers in the braids. All too soon a knock was sounded on the door, and Amothien opened it to reveal Legolas standing in wait. "Are you ready?" he asked
"Sure. Yes." Em replied as she saw the smirk begin to show on his face.
"I'II be waiting here for you when you return." Informed Amothien as she led Legolas and Em towards the door. "Let your hearts be content during this day."
"Bye." Waved Em
"Fare well." Bowed Legolas.
The same uncomfortable silence descended upon the hall as the pair walked slowly down the passageway. Neither one of them uttered a word as Em continued to follow Legolas down the maze of a whole new set of corridors.
Suddenly Legolas halted mid-step, half-turned and gently took hold of her arm, leaned in towards her and whispered "My Father and Amothien advised me to show you the gardens and the forest around the castle only, I disagree. I leave the choice up to you, would you rather see the gardens and the surrounding forest or perhaps you would prefer to view the magnificent dwell of creatures great and small, the real forest?" Legolas' eyes twinkled with mirth as he spoke the last few words. "I leave the decision entirely up to you, but I believe you would enjoy the forest to, one might refer to the other as a nature hike."
Em blushed again thinking Legolas must have heard her make fun of the forest last night.
"The real forest then." Answered Em, slightly intrigued.
"Good choice, but first we must get to the forest itself before we can further explore it. We must walk past the King's study, if asked about were we are headed answer to the gardens, then we have a choice between dodging the guards who are meant to accompany us around the gardens for our safety, or we could take the short cut." Instructed Legolas.
"The short cut of course, won't the guards figure out we gave 'em the slip?" questioned Em
"With luck, the guards will simply believe we were delayed on our way to the gardens, by which time we will be in the heart of the forest. Then, also with luck, the guards will search for us and by the time they have finished we will have returned." Instructed Legolas.
"Your leavin' a lot up to chance now, aren't ya?" Em pondered
"Well then, let us pray that fate will shine kindly on us today." Legolas laughed as he gently pulled Em silently tip-toed pasted a half upon door, which was the King's Study, and then through a small alcove, that would have went unnoticed had Legolas not directed Em to it, down a tiny passageway and then up into a small garden with a stone center courtyard.
"Ssh! Be as silent as you are able. The guards are waiting for us yonder, I did not think they would arrive so early." Legolas pointed behind a group of arcs where Em could see a small group of elves talking amongst themselves. "Tread lightly, for an elves ears are that of a fox."
"And that means…?" Em whispered as she followed
Legolas held a finger to his lips at Em's question indicating silence.
Legolas and Em both put their backs against the inner wall and slowly cross-stepped behind arcs, crawling on their hands and knees passed some gaps in the arcs and tumbling passed others. Legolas made not even the ghost of a noise, Em made little enough to go unnoticed, but then again the guards weren't expecting the Prince of Mirkwood and a Lady to be tumbling across the ground in an attempt to give them the slip. It was a miracle that Em had not broken down into a fit of uncontrollable giggles as she hummed, in her head, a odd mixture of the tune from Indiana Jones (when they were tumbling by the gaps) and the Mission Possible tune (when they pressed their backs against the wall when they rose from the tumbles).
Finally, both were behind the main arc were the elves were chatting on the other side.
Legolas whispered in Em's ear. "There is a door yonder on the side wall to our right that leads out to the forest, in three seconds, run, quietly, and low, towards the door. I will lead."
Both waited in silence from the three tension filled seconds, then shared a gaze before running, low, towards the door. Legolas opened it and himself and Em slipped out, but as he pulled in closed a practicable soundless creak of a door's hinges which had not be oiled recently was heard. Both held in their breath as they listen to see if the guards had heard anything.
One spoke up. "Did any of you hear that?"
"Hear what?" another guard questioned.
"Never mind it's gone now." The first guard replied.
Legolas let out his breath audible as the first guard dismissed the creak.
"Wait! Did you hear that?" the first guard asked
Em shot a glare at Legolas who returned it with an apologetic smile.
"No, I suppose it was just your imagination. It was probable just the wind." The second guard wrote off.
Legolas and Em walked into the forest.
"What do you think of the forest as yet?" Legolas asked as he saw the aloof look in her eyes as she looked around the as yet average woodland area
"It's…big." Said Em.
"It would appear to be, the trees are ages old." Mused Legolas.
"Mmm…"Em commented
"The wood is also known as Greenwood, the Great. It is larger then it appears." Legolas continued.
"Not sure how it could seem any bigger." Em mumbled as she noticed the trees slowly get bigger as they walked.
Legolas laughed a little and then continued talking. "That occurrence back there was most likely the oddest episode that I have as yet ever taken part it."
"How can you let your breath out so noisily?" Em butted in
Legolas attempted to put on a wise accent (Think Gandalf or Oxford accent) and placing one hand on his chest the other under his chin and said. "That is an acquired skill, that took me years to develop and perfect."
"To let breath out loudly..." Em smirked as she set a side-gaze at Legolas
"Yes. Perfected and developed." Legolas chuckled as he returned the smirk.
"Your crazy." Em laughed.
"Really, I am only a little misunderstood." Legolas faked an innocent voice that lasted for a microsecond as both broke out laughing at Legolas bad acting.
After this little incident Legolas and Em sat down underneath a tree continued laughing.
"Okay we should stop laughing now." Em choked out as she laughed. " Cause my sides are really started to hurt."
This only made Legolas laugh harder. After a few minutes both had sufficiently decreased their laughter to the odd chuckle. Then both looked up at each other and all their hard work fell away as they broke out into fits of giggles.
Eventually Legolas got to his feet and offered his hand to help Em up. She stretched up her hand to take hold of his outstretched hand, Em slowly began to rise but was pulled up far quicker then she expected by Legolas and collided with his chest. Legolas was also startled at the force that his single heave had on Em and was caught off guard as well. He fell backwards with Em's hand still gripped in his hand.
Legolas landed on the soft grass floor as Em let out a small "Oof!" at the sudden thud of the ground. Em and Legolas both had her eyes held closed for impact. Legolas was the first to open his eyes, he looked down at Em and couldn't help but smile. He reached down and brushed a piece of a twig out of her hair, which made Em open her eyes.
"God, his eyes are extremely blue." Was the only notion that sprung to Em's head as she opened her eyes.
What seem liked five life times later though in reality it was merely five seconds later Em and Legolas realized how exactly they were laying and Em jumped up and mumbled "oops, sorry."
"There is no reason to apologize it was my fault." Legolas mutter in return as he ran a hand through his hair.
Legolas and Em stood facing each other, not meeting each other's gaze, for what seemed like hours, eventually the awkward silence was broken when a call rang out in the wood a little distance behind them.
"Prince Legolas, there you are. We were unsure where yourself and Lady Em had got to. We were instructed to escort you around the gardens but you never arrived, we were just about to search the palace but luckily a gust of wind made a member of our party insist on searching the nearby forest area. What luck, if it had not I am certain we would not have thought of even checking here." The guard chatted happily. "Are you still in the mood for a walk around the gardens. It is getting late and we were instructed by Lady Amothien to make sure Lady Em returned in little less then an hour from now, otherwise she said she would…we must get Lady Em back on time."
"I believe that if we have little less then an hour then the tour should be postponed until another date, perhaps." Legolas glanced at Em as the guard waited for an answer.
"As you will it, My Lord. Myself and the other guards shall wait over yonder until you are ready to depart. We have been ordered to keep a watch on you and we intend to do just that." The guard confirm as he walked over to join the rest of the guards.
"I suppose I will have to show you the forest another time then." Legolas apologized to Em.
"S'okay." Em said. "I wasn't bored out of my head, it was kinda funny." Em smiled.
"Good to know you have found a source of amusement in me." Legolas grinned. "Lady Em, Lady Amothien said you that Em is only a shortened version of your name. What is your real name?" Legolas questioned, hoping that her name might give him some clue to this girl.
"Sorry, I only tell elves I really, really, especially trust my name." Em teased as she led Legolas back to the guards and then back to the fortress.
Does Mirkwood have gardens? I don't really think so but I'm not sure. Anyone know?
Review or I call for the wraith-bunnies. Fearsome warrior bunnies, with the shiniest ice white coats under specially made black capes with the biggest brown eyes you ever did see, that gives a kiss to everyone they see, the kiss of AN UNHEALTHY AMOUNT OF SUGAR. Fearsome, fearsome wraith-bunnies, truly terrifying…your choice.
ROCK ON WRAITH-BUNNIESImpC