Chapter 4
At the first presence of the northern elf, she had felt a great stirring within herself. At last one of them that she could converse with, and clear out all false prejudices of these distant kin. Surly they would simply join them around the campfire, adding protection and numbers as she had seen their own do only weeks ago. But it was not so. Kirel, the leader of their party had greeted the newcomer with polite delicacy. Treating him more like a man, to be dealt with care instead of one of their own. Then the intent of the confrontation had been revealed. Her! It was an intriguing and frightening thought. She had meant to simply talk and watch the northern heritage for the few weeks that they would be passing through their territory. Seeing how Kirel was treating them she was sure that she didn't want to be bound into such a destiny anymore than a betrothal. She thanked her father silently for standing up against the foreigner but a duel? What if one of them died? What would that do to the relations between the north and south? The last time blood had been spilled between elves was under the influence of the dark lord and they felt sorrow still. Such a curse would not befall them again, over such a meager matter either.
She leapt forwards. ~No! Do not fight! I will go with them, just please do not fight!~ She pleaded, placing a pacifying hand over her father's. She looked at him willing him to meet her eyes, but he could not. So she turned to the other. His cool blue eyes locked with hers seeming to measure her words. Her father did not shift but the northern elf did, extending a hand.for hers.
Slowly she withdrew from her father's side, his hands shook and he stared at the ground. Kirel nodded ever so slightly, he had more dealings with the northern elves than almost everyone else so the gesture was not wasted on her. One step, two. she placed her hand in his, which tightened around hers, a gentle yet strong grip. There would be no escape.
~I will not allow it!~
As he led her away from their camp her father made one last lunge. She turned swiftly. An arrow sunk into the ground before his feet, so close that he tripped over it. Two of Kirel's men advanced and restrained him, pulling him back to stand with the rest of the group. He spat curses at the northern elves even as she lost sight of him behind the trees.
They hadn't walked far when other elves joined them. They followed alongside them but not on the ground, instead they gracefully leaped through the tree tops. Using limbs as stepping stones when crossing a river of wind. They reminded her of the water birds back south. Great white cranes that would run across the surface of the water just before they took to flight. The technique to travel so was closely guarded by the northern elves. Many of the southern elves had been injured trying to duplicate their methods.
~I am Legolas.~
She startled, then turned to face him.
He tilted his face down to look at her. ~Legolas, I am Legolas. Legolas Greenleaf.~
One eyebrow arched before she could prevent the reaction. Legolas meant Greenleaf in the high tongue. So his name could be translated as Greenleaf Greenleaf. How odd, it sounded familiar. She continued, realizing it was too late to make a proper reply. She wasn't sure she wanted to tell him her name in any case.
Him. He was taller than her, as most elves were. She was short by elven standards merely the height of the raspberry thicket that grew in the summer, a good hand smaller than most females, a good head shorter than most of the males. He was just above the height of the average elf, one head and a bit above her. He was a rarer honey blond, darker than the white to light gold of most elves. His eyes though, were really rare. Twin soft medium blue gems, not within the usual spectrum that ranged from the ice blue to silvery gray. He was otherwise like most elven warriors that she had known. Lithe and light of step, her own noiseless tread sounded like twin bears compared to his complete silence.
Bow and quiver hung on his back, as well as the two knives that he had brought out to fight with. He wore no sword, and didn't seem to realize that she did. It was an advantage that might let her get back to her party. She knew that they wouldn't dare harm her when a duel was almost fought over possession. They would attempt to detain her though, and she had to be close enough to them to know the way back. No. They would just threaten Kirel's hunters, she didn't want any of them to get hurt. She would have to make her way back south again. They had been only three days into the wood, traveling slow because of two horses that carried supplies. If she ran she could make it across the river in a day and a half. The people of the south would protect her. Northern tradition held no leverage below the river. But between the river and the northern forests was the plains, and men. Plains and Men.
At the first presence of the northern elf, she had felt a great stirring within herself. At last one of them that she could converse with, and clear out all false prejudices of these distant kin. Surly they would simply join them around the campfire, adding protection and numbers as she had seen their own do only weeks ago. But it was not so. Kirel, the leader of their party had greeted the newcomer with polite delicacy. Treating him more like a man, to be dealt with care instead of one of their own. Then the intent of the confrontation had been revealed. Her! It was an intriguing and frightening thought. She had meant to simply talk and watch the northern heritage for the few weeks that they would be passing through their territory. Seeing how Kirel was treating them she was sure that she didn't want to be bound into such a destiny anymore than a betrothal. She thanked her father silently for standing up against the foreigner but a duel? What if one of them died? What would that do to the relations between the north and south? The last time blood had been spilled between elves was under the influence of the dark lord and they felt sorrow still. Such a curse would not befall them again, over such a meager matter either.
She leapt forwards. ~No! Do not fight! I will go with them, just please do not fight!~ She pleaded, placing a pacifying hand over her father's. She looked at him willing him to meet her eyes, but he could not. So she turned to the other. His cool blue eyes locked with hers seeming to measure her words. Her father did not shift but the northern elf did, extending a hand.for hers.
Slowly she withdrew from her father's side, his hands shook and he stared at the ground. Kirel nodded ever so slightly, he had more dealings with the northern elves than almost everyone else so the gesture was not wasted on her. One step, two. she placed her hand in his, which tightened around hers, a gentle yet strong grip. There would be no escape.
~I will not allow it!~
As he led her away from their camp her father made one last lunge. She turned swiftly. An arrow sunk into the ground before his feet, so close that he tripped over it. Two of Kirel's men advanced and restrained him, pulling him back to stand with the rest of the group. He spat curses at the northern elves even as she lost sight of him behind the trees.
They hadn't walked far when other elves joined them. They followed alongside them but not on the ground, instead they gracefully leaped through the tree tops. Using limbs as stepping stones when crossing a river of wind. They reminded her of the water birds back south. Great white cranes that would run across the surface of the water just before they took to flight. The technique to travel so was closely guarded by the northern elves. Many of the southern elves had been injured trying to duplicate their methods.
~I am Legolas.~
She startled, then turned to face him.
He tilted his face down to look at her. ~Legolas, I am Legolas. Legolas Greenleaf.~
One eyebrow arched before she could prevent the reaction. Legolas meant Greenleaf in the high tongue. So his name could be translated as Greenleaf Greenleaf. How odd, it sounded familiar. She continued, realizing it was too late to make a proper reply. She wasn't sure she wanted to tell him her name in any case.
Him. He was taller than her, as most elves were. She was short by elven standards merely the height of the raspberry thicket that grew in the summer, a good hand smaller than most females, a good head shorter than most of the males. He was just above the height of the average elf, one head and a bit above her. He was a rarer honey blond, darker than the white to light gold of most elves. His eyes though, were really rare. Twin soft medium blue gems, not within the usual spectrum that ranged from the ice blue to silvery gray. He was otherwise like most elven warriors that she had known. Lithe and light of step, her own noiseless tread sounded like twin bears compared to his complete silence.
Bow and quiver hung on his back, as well as the two knives that he had brought out to fight with. He wore no sword, and didn't seem to realize that she did. It was an advantage that might let her get back to her party. She knew that they wouldn't dare harm her when a duel was almost fought over possession. They would attempt to detain her though, and she had to be close enough to them to know the way back. No. They would just threaten Kirel's hunters, she didn't want any of them to get hurt. She would have to make her way back south again. They had been only three days into the wood, traveling slow because of two horses that carried supplies. If she ran she could make it across the river in a day and a half. The people of the south would protect her. Northern tradition held no leverage below the river. But between the river and the northern forests was the plains, and men. Plains and Men.