As he had promised Legolas was at Rainia's door early the next morning.
Following close behind him was his father's guard, still trying to find out
anything he could about Rainia. But from what he had heard the night
before, he knew it had to be something awful, or else Legolas and Rainia
would have spoke of it. Legolas tapped lightly on the door,
"Go away." Rainia said sleepily as she pulled her blanket over her head.
"Alright, I'll send for Freya and her friends to accompany you today then instead," Legolas smiled as he pretended to leave by walking down the hallway a little ways, making sure she heard his footsteps. Rainia jumped out of her bed and changed in record time running after the annoying elf,
"So where are we going?" She said breathlessly, her mad dash eating up her energy. Again she was dressed in her usual boyish style of clothing, she had vowed to never again wear another dress.
"You'll see." He smiled as he continued to walk down the hallway. Rainia rolled her eyes and held back her urge to punch the elf.
"I hate you, you do know that, right?"
"Loving every minute of it, Rainia, loving every minute of it." A shadow followed the two elves as they made their way down to the main dinning hall. Breakfast was not served in the great hall where dinner was traditionally served, but in a smaller dinning hall where there were several different tables. The one in the far back, evaluated from the rest is where Legolas and his family ate. Being that Legolas's brothers were out on a hunt with several other royal guards, including the ones Rainia had met when she had first met Legolas, only King Thranduil sat with them that morning.
"Ah Legolas, and Lady Rainia, I see you have decided to join me for breakfast after all!" He said joyfully, carefully eyeing Rainia.
"Please, sir, just call me Rainia, for I do not deserve such a title." She said politely.
"Alright then, Rainia. So did you enjoy your first evening in Mirkwood?"
"Yes, Legolas was kind enough to show me some of your beautiful gardens here in the castle." Another personality took over her, she had to be polite and lady-like, two of the things Rainia hated doing most in life. They were only secondary to killing. "But your son has neglected telling me where he is taking me today." She couldn't help but throw in that stinger, but Legolas just smiled,
"But that would ruin the surprise, therefore taking all the joy out of life."
"Your impossible," she rolled her eyes and took a rather large, unlady-like bite out of her food. King Thranduil watched in wonder at the two elves talking. He had never seen a she-elf talk and act in such a way, nor seen his son talk and act in such a way around another she-elf. He was always so devoted to his studies and practice of the bow, he never really ever showed any interest in forming relationships with she-elves. And this Rainia, she had more then just an attitude but a presence about her that separated her from other she-elves. Other she-elves would spend so much time trying to find a husband, and doing things like cooking and cleaning, they barely knew how to use a weapon. But Rainia, she had mastered the art of the sword, and had the basic knowledge in other areas of self-defense. From what he could determine, she didn't want a husband. She was independent. That was probably why Legolas enjoyed her company so much, and why she enjoyed his. They had so much in common with one another, and yet they were both completely different.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"My lord, we have returned successfully from our hunt." The guard, Zedekiah, announced joyfully. The hunters told of the many deer and other animals they had brought back with them, and the king listened with joy.
"Wonderful, wonderful! You must be tired, you shall retire to your chambers until dinner!" The king announced happily. Having good stories of a good hunt always put him in a good mood.
"Thank-you my lord." The guard, Zedekiah, said as they departed from the room.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Legolas and Rainia stood in the middle of the training grounds, both armed with two daggers. This match was beginning to take up interest with the nearby elves, a she-elf fighting the prince. Everyone knew the prince was undefeated, and no one had even seen this she-elf in Mirkwood before.
"Ready to be beaten, Legolas?" Rainia challenged him with her usual cocky voice.
"No, I think the question is are you ready to be beaten?" He laughed musically. Rainia positioned herself and Legolas did the same. They began circling each other, just waiting for the other to make the first move. Rainia lunged at Legolas and he blocked quickly, and only moments later Legolas aimed for Rainia and she too blocked with ease. This pattern went on and on for some time, the onlookers starting to root and bet on who was going to win.
"Go Lady Elf!"
"No go Prince Legolas!" Rainia just rolled her eyes and continued on with the match. Both of the elves were beginning to grow weak, but both refused to show it. Rainia by far had more experience in not showing her weakness then Legolas did, and she had a lot more practice finding out where someone was beginning to grow weak. With three gigantic twists and several daring blocks, she had pushed Legolas over and was lying on top of him, dagger pointed at his throat.
"If I remember correctly I was supposed to, what was it again, 'lose badly'?" Rainia said in a mocking voice as she stood up. She put a hand down for him, as he lay there in disbelief. There was thunderous applause for Rainia terrific victory over the undefeated prince. "Oh yea, and I forgot to mention, I'm undefeated as well." She smiled and bowed for their audience.
"Well I guess we'll just have to have a rematch were I don't let you win!" He laughed as he put away his daggers.
"Oh, right, you let me win." She laughed as she too put away her daggers. "Did I hurt Legolas ego?" Legolas looked down and mumbled something inaudible even for an elf. Rainia just laughed and laughed.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dinnertime approached rapidly as Legolas and Rainia made their way back from the training grounds.
Poor kid, you didn't have to beat him so bad you know." Legolas looked back as a mob of students was practically falling over with laughter while one lay motionless in the center turning a rather odd shade of bright red.
"He was too cocky, I taught him a lesson." She smiled remembering the easy victory for her.
"You could have least made it look a like a challenge for you, he's probably never going to live that one down." Legolas shook his head.
"Oh, you're just sore because I beat you."
"Hey I let you win!"
"Sure you did, Legolas, sure you did." Rainia laughed, "I can't wait to tell your family!"
"Oh, by now I'm sure the whole village knows, that I let you win!"
"Learn this lesson quick, Legolas, start getting used to losing. It's not good for your image." She laughed as she started to walk a little faster then him. Legolas stood there for a second mumbling something under his breath. Rainia looked back for a second, a costly mistake. She would have been able to see what was coming next, but she didn't.
"Halt! By order of King Thranduil of Mirkwood, you are under arrest!" A royal guard grabbed Rainia and bound her hands. Legolas ran up to where she was,
"What the hell are you doing?" He yelled, Rainia looking at him with saddened eyes. A crowd of on lookers gathered around to see what all the commotion was about.
"She is a bounty hunter, she is scum!" The guard yelled at Legolas, shaking Rainia violently.
"Was! Was god dammit!" Rainia yelled in complaint, "and do you mind not shaking me every time you say something, it gets rather annoying!"
"You are in no position to be giving me orders!"
"By order of Legolas Greenleaf, the prince of Mirkwood, I order you to let her go!" Legolas yelled at the guard.
"Don't do it Legolas!" Rainia warned, "I'll be fine, it won't be the first time I have been under arrest, remember?"
"The King's orders oversees yours, Prince Legolas! And you shall address the Prince Legolas as 'Prince Legolas', you do not deserve to speak to him so plainly!" Rainia rolled her eyes,
"You have no control over me, and I shall say and do what I please." The guard grabbed her other arm roughly,
"You won't live long enough to make those decisions!" He said cruelly as he pulled her though the town.
"You can't kill me, that's not what the punishment is, and yes believe it or not, I do know the law!"
"But the King can do whatever he pleases, and it pleases him to see you dead."
"Legolas!" She cried, "Legolas, listen to me!" He ran after her, pushing his way through the crowd,
"What! I'll do anything!"
"You and Boromir get out of here as soon as possible, just forget about me, I'll be fine!"
"What are you talking about! They're going to kill you, I don't classify that as fine!"
"There are more pressing issues at hand, don't worry about me, go on with the fellowship, tell everyone that I am sorry for everything." She said as the guard pulled her up into a waiting wagon with several iron bars.
"Rainia, I'm not leaving you behind!"
"Don't be so stubborn, go!" She yelled as the wagon jerked forwards.
"Rainia." Legolas said softly as he watched the wagon slowly went down to where the dungeons were. He could feel the crowds' eyes bearing down on him, but he didn't care. 'She is right, I have to go, Aragorn is waiting, and there are more pressing issues at hand', he sighed. For what started out as a pain, she had evolved right before his eyes into a friend. And he didn't even realize it until she was gone. It was amazing how much colder it seemed now then before.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I apologize for the may-sueish chapter, but you see it Tuesday afternoon, its raining, and I have nothing better to do with my time then edit in a desperate, yet hopeless, effort to fix my story. Thanks for reading, and I DO NOT OWN LOTR's.
Love ya!
Arwen
"Go away." Rainia said sleepily as she pulled her blanket over her head.
"Alright, I'll send for Freya and her friends to accompany you today then instead," Legolas smiled as he pretended to leave by walking down the hallway a little ways, making sure she heard his footsteps. Rainia jumped out of her bed and changed in record time running after the annoying elf,
"So where are we going?" She said breathlessly, her mad dash eating up her energy. Again she was dressed in her usual boyish style of clothing, she had vowed to never again wear another dress.
"You'll see." He smiled as he continued to walk down the hallway. Rainia rolled her eyes and held back her urge to punch the elf.
"I hate you, you do know that, right?"
"Loving every minute of it, Rainia, loving every minute of it." A shadow followed the two elves as they made their way down to the main dinning hall. Breakfast was not served in the great hall where dinner was traditionally served, but in a smaller dinning hall where there were several different tables. The one in the far back, evaluated from the rest is where Legolas and his family ate. Being that Legolas's brothers were out on a hunt with several other royal guards, including the ones Rainia had met when she had first met Legolas, only King Thranduil sat with them that morning.
"Ah Legolas, and Lady Rainia, I see you have decided to join me for breakfast after all!" He said joyfully, carefully eyeing Rainia.
"Please, sir, just call me Rainia, for I do not deserve such a title." She said politely.
"Alright then, Rainia. So did you enjoy your first evening in Mirkwood?"
"Yes, Legolas was kind enough to show me some of your beautiful gardens here in the castle." Another personality took over her, she had to be polite and lady-like, two of the things Rainia hated doing most in life. They were only secondary to killing. "But your son has neglected telling me where he is taking me today." She couldn't help but throw in that stinger, but Legolas just smiled,
"But that would ruin the surprise, therefore taking all the joy out of life."
"Your impossible," she rolled her eyes and took a rather large, unlady-like bite out of her food. King Thranduil watched in wonder at the two elves talking. He had never seen a she-elf talk and act in such a way, nor seen his son talk and act in such a way around another she-elf. He was always so devoted to his studies and practice of the bow, he never really ever showed any interest in forming relationships with she-elves. And this Rainia, she had more then just an attitude but a presence about her that separated her from other she-elves. Other she-elves would spend so much time trying to find a husband, and doing things like cooking and cleaning, they barely knew how to use a weapon. But Rainia, she had mastered the art of the sword, and had the basic knowledge in other areas of self-defense. From what he could determine, she didn't want a husband. She was independent. That was probably why Legolas enjoyed her company so much, and why she enjoyed his. They had so much in common with one another, and yet they were both completely different.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"My lord, we have returned successfully from our hunt." The guard, Zedekiah, announced joyfully. The hunters told of the many deer and other animals they had brought back with them, and the king listened with joy.
"Wonderful, wonderful! You must be tired, you shall retire to your chambers until dinner!" The king announced happily. Having good stories of a good hunt always put him in a good mood.
"Thank-you my lord." The guard, Zedekiah, said as they departed from the room.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Legolas and Rainia stood in the middle of the training grounds, both armed with two daggers. This match was beginning to take up interest with the nearby elves, a she-elf fighting the prince. Everyone knew the prince was undefeated, and no one had even seen this she-elf in Mirkwood before.
"Ready to be beaten, Legolas?" Rainia challenged him with her usual cocky voice.
"No, I think the question is are you ready to be beaten?" He laughed musically. Rainia positioned herself and Legolas did the same. They began circling each other, just waiting for the other to make the first move. Rainia lunged at Legolas and he blocked quickly, and only moments later Legolas aimed for Rainia and she too blocked with ease. This pattern went on and on for some time, the onlookers starting to root and bet on who was going to win.
"Go Lady Elf!"
"No go Prince Legolas!" Rainia just rolled her eyes and continued on with the match. Both of the elves were beginning to grow weak, but both refused to show it. Rainia by far had more experience in not showing her weakness then Legolas did, and she had a lot more practice finding out where someone was beginning to grow weak. With three gigantic twists and several daring blocks, she had pushed Legolas over and was lying on top of him, dagger pointed at his throat.
"If I remember correctly I was supposed to, what was it again, 'lose badly'?" Rainia said in a mocking voice as she stood up. She put a hand down for him, as he lay there in disbelief. There was thunderous applause for Rainia terrific victory over the undefeated prince. "Oh yea, and I forgot to mention, I'm undefeated as well." She smiled and bowed for their audience.
"Well I guess we'll just have to have a rematch were I don't let you win!" He laughed as he put away his daggers.
"Oh, right, you let me win." She laughed as she too put away her daggers. "Did I hurt Legolas ego?" Legolas looked down and mumbled something inaudible even for an elf. Rainia just laughed and laughed.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dinnertime approached rapidly as Legolas and Rainia made their way back from the training grounds.
Poor kid, you didn't have to beat him so bad you know." Legolas looked back as a mob of students was practically falling over with laughter while one lay motionless in the center turning a rather odd shade of bright red.
"He was too cocky, I taught him a lesson." She smiled remembering the easy victory for her.
"You could have least made it look a like a challenge for you, he's probably never going to live that one down." Legolas shook his head.
"Oh, you're just sore because I beat you."
"Hey I let you win!"
"Sure you did, Legolas, sure you did." Rainia laughed, "I can't wait to tell your family!"
"Oh, by now I'm sure the whole village knows, that I let you win!"
"Learn this lesson quick, Legolas, start getting used to losing. It's not good for your image." She laughed as she started to walk a little faster then him. Legolas stood there for a second mumbling something under his breath. Rainia looked back for a second, a costly mistake. She would have been able to see what was coming next, but she didn't.
"Halt! By order of King Thranduil of Mirkwood, you are under arrest!" A royal guard grabbed Rainia and bound her hands. Legolas ran up to where she was,
"What the hell are you doing?" He yelled, Rainia looking at him with saddened eyes. A crowd of on lookers gathered around to see what all the commotion was about.
"She is a bounty hunter, she is scum!" The guard yelled at Legolas, shaking Rainia violently.
"Was! Was god dammit!" Rainia yelled in complaint, "and do you mind not shaking me every time you say something, it gets rather annoying!"
"You are in no position to be giving me orders!"
"By order of Legolas Greenleaf, the prince of Mirkwood, I order you to let her go!" Legolas yelled at the guard.
"Don't do it Legolas!" Rainia warned, "I'll be fine, it won't be the first time I have been under arrest, remember?"
"The King's orders oversees yours, Prince Legolas! And you shall address the Prince Legolas as 'Prince Legolas', you do not deserve to speak to him so plainly!" Rainia rolled her eyes,
"You have no control over me, and I shall say and do what I please." The guard grabbed her other arm roughly,
"You won't live long enough to make those decisions!" He said cruelly as he pulled her though the town.
"You can't kill me, that's not what the punishment is, and yes believe it or not, I do know the law!"
"But the King can do whatever he pleases, and it pleases him to see you dead."
"Legolas!" She cried, "Legolas, listen to me!" He ran after her, pushing his way through the crowd,
"What! I'll do anything!"
"You and Boromir get out of here as soon as possible, just forget about me, I'll be fine!"
"What are you talking about! They're going to kill you, I don't classify that as fine!"
"There are more pressing issues at hand, don't worry about me, go on with the fellowship, tell everyone that I am sorry for everything." She said as the guard pulled her up into a waiting wagon with several iron bars.
"Rainia, I'm not leaving you behind!"
"Don't be so stubborn, go!" She yelled as the wagon jerked forwards.
"Rainia." Legolas said softly as he watched the wagon slowly went down to where the dungeons were. He could feel the crowds' eyes bearing down on him, but he didn't care. 'She is right, I have to go, Aragorn is waiting, and there are more pressing issues at hand', he sighed. For what started out as a pain, she had evolved right before his eyes into a friend. And he didn't even realize it until she was gone. It was amazing how much colder it seemed now then before.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I apologize for the may-sueish chapter, but you see it Tuesday afternoon, its raining, and I have nothing better to do with my time then edit in a desperate, yet hopeless, effort to fix my story. Thanks for reading, and I DO NOT OWN LOTR's.
Love ya!
Arwen
