How Legolas Got His Braids
Chapter 3:
To Die for Love
May 26, 116 dawn
Nenimë slowly began to discern dreams from reality. She sat up sharply and looked around to see what time it was. It was still dark, but from the breeze coming in the window she could tell that dawn was near.
She stretched and stood up, throwing off her blue nightdress and grabbing some comfortable turquoise leggings and a matching tunic. The leggings flared slightly at the bottom and the tunic fell only to right above her naval so that her pale flat stomach shown. Her undershirt was black and long sleeved. The sleeves were made of a silky lace so that they flowed around her arm instead of clinging to it.
She walked over to her mirror and pulled her necklace out from under the high-necked shirt so it could be seen. As the moon went down the glow of the stone became pale and weak. Dawn was very near. She threw her long hair into a half ponytail and left one long curl hanging down on the left side of her face.
Nenimë straightened her shirt while she ran down the steps and through the halls to the kitchen. She snatched a piece of lembas bread and unwrapped it from its leaf. She took the honey from the counter and quickly poured some on the bread, grabbed the bread and started to eat as she ran out the door and down the street.
She reached the trees and ran through them a few moments before breaking into the clearing, still holding her breakfast in one hand. She came to a stop and took a few deep breaths before taking another bite of her bread and then looked around.
Not many elves showed up before the sun was raised completely, but a few older elves did just to sit and relax. So there were about ten total elves in the clearing right now but they were all older and just laid in the grass listening to the wind with their eyes closed. Two younger elves that Nenimë knew sat by the river, talking in whispers to each other. Legolas wasn't there yet.
So Nenimë walked over to a small spot where there was a ring of shorter grass and lay down. She finished her lembas and put her hands behind her head, staring up at the slowly brightening sky.
She didn't have to wait very long at all. After only about ten minutes she heard light footsteps approaching and Legolas appeared over her. His hair was tied back halfway again and as he stood over her smiling shyly he pulled some loose hair behind his pointed ears. Nenimë smiled back and he stretched out his hand to help her up. She took it and stood so that she was almost chest-to-chest with him. They froze for a few moments, chest-to- chest, eyes locked in an intense stare.
But Legolas let go of her hand and she took a step back, both of them looking at the ground. They stood there with the awkward silence mounting on their ears as they tried to find something to say.
"Er. 'Quel amrun, Nenimë." Legolas said finally. He took a good long look at Nenimë.
"Indeed it is." She said, smiling slightly and looking up to the sky to take a deep breath.
In the light she was even more beautiful than in the dark. Her silvery blonde hair shimmered in the growing light and her pale skin seemed to darken a bit. He could see her flat stomach showing between the bottom of her shirt and the waistline of her pants. She reached up and twirled her delicate finger around the small curl hanging down in front of her face and looked back down to the ground.
"Amin ve' lle loske sina amrun." (I like your hair this morning) He said before he even thought of saying it. He flinched as soon as he realized it and Nenimë looked up, blushing furiously.
"Diolaor." (Thanks) She muttered. It wasn't uncommon for elf females to wear their hair tied back like this. She smiled up at Legolas, still blushing. "Would you like to sit down? I usually just. lay around in the morning while the sun rises."
"Uma." (Sure) He said, sitting down slowly on the ground. "You come this early every morning?" He asked. It was very early for him to wake up. He wasn't used to it and was quite tired. (a/n: I thought that since the young elves were growing that they should need more sleep than older elves, who don't need very much.)
"Of course! The time just before dawn is the best time of day. It is the time of day when the world is mine and no one can take it from me or tell me what to do or where to go. It is the most peaceful time too and I am glad that I do wake up this early... It is my reflection time." She smiled again and looked around with a glimmer of wonder in her eyes. Legolas just stared at her, he didn't know he was doing it until Nenimë was suddenly staring back.
"Mani ta ve'?" (What's it like?)
"Mani ta mani ve'?" (What's what like?)
"Nataran." (Being a Prince)
"Well it's not very exciting. I live here because father thinks that it is a good thing for me to grow up somewhere other than the palace. I won't move back there until I come of age."
She nodded and they looked at each other for a long while again.
While Legolas was looking at her something suddenly ran up behind her and jumped on her. He instinctively scooted back as she fell to the ground with a small squeal.
The frightened squeal turned into a laugh and Legolas just sat there staring with a confused look on his face. The someone who had jumped on her had reddish-blonde hair and wore a long lavender dress.
"Carad!. n'no en' amin!" (get off of me!) Nenimë cried through the laughter, still face down on the ground.
Carabrethil rolled off of her and sat up, brushing herself off.
"Ahh, ta vanima amrun a're, n'ta?" (It *is* a beautiful morning today, is it not?) Cara said, looking up and taking a deep breath. She didn't seem to notice Legolas at all.
Nenimë sat up and looked at Legolas with an apologizing look. He shrugged his shoulders back at her.
"'Quel amrun, Carabrethil." Legolas said.
Cara looked at him and then did a double take, "Taran Legolas?" (Prince)
Nenimë answered with a smirk, "Yes, we had an encounter in the woods last night when you didn't meet me at the fountain. I don't suppose you know anything about it?"
Cara was still staring at Legolas. She shook her head, dumbfounded.
"I invited him to come to the fields today with us." Cara looked back and forth several times between Legolas and Nenimë.
"Is that a problem for you?" Legolas asked, also smirking now.
Cara stopped her gaze on him and shook her head. "No, of course not." She looked back at Nenimë and winked very pointedly. Nenimë rolled her eyes at Cara. Legolas pretended to ignore it. *****
The three young elves sat and talked cheerfully for most of the morning while the clearing filled up with elves aging from 20 to 200. Some swam around, some climbed trees on the borders, and some chased each other back and forth until they collapsed in exhausted heaps in the long grass.
Young couples sat in the long grass and kissed, not paying attention to anyone but themselves. Nenimë spotted one of these couples and the topic turned to love.
"Do you think there is such a thing as undying love?" Cara asked, also looking over at the couple.
"An elf only truly loves once," Legolas said, "and when that love dies, a part of the elf dies too. Their heart weakens and they become tired and fall into despair. Soon they pass away and their spirit leaves to find the love they lost." He trailed off and looked up, lost in thought. "It is a very sad thing when an elf dies of a broken heart."
"To love someone so completely and so deeply that you physically cannot live without them." Nenimë said softly. When Legolas looked at her she had her brow wrinkled, deep in thought. She didn't even seem to know what was going on around her. "Wouldn't everyone dream for that kind of love.?"
Legolas wrinkled his brow as he continued to watch Nenimë. Her eyes watered up and a tear fell down them but she was still lost in her own world. He looked into her eyes and concentrated until finally he looked deeper and deeper, into her very mind and heart. Suddenly a vision came to his head, but he didn't know what it was.
*A slender blonde female elf was lying in a bed. Her eyes were closed and her skin was pale, she looked very sick.
Suddenly a very tiny elf child ran in. She had wavy light blonde hair and grey eyes.
"Mommy. mommy wake up please!" She pleaded.*
Nenimë jerked her head up and Legolas lost the image that had been forming in his mind. He blinked once and focused his eyes on hers.
She, however, looked away and brushed the tear off of her cheek. She then turned back.
"Legolas, I think it's a bit rude to read another's thoughts without their consent." Her voice was so cold and bitter that it made Legolas shiver for a moment and turn away with guilt.
Nenimë stood up and walked past Legolas and right out of the clearing. She didn't even look back.
Lily turned to look at Legolas.
"What did you do?" she asked.
Legolas didn't answer. He simply stood and walked out of the clearing, back towards home. *****
Next chapter is a time jump so pay attention to the date and year. (I think it is an 85 year skip) This story will finally start to move along now! Yay!
Oh and please review! Tell me everything you like or don't like. I am open to constructive criticism and flames will be thrown into Mount Doom where they belong.
Kuluincartel- Does your name mean orange rose? I like your name. But your review was as bad as you said my story is! Tell me what you don't like if you don't like it!
Brazgirl-thanks for leaving ur email so I can email u (and my other reviewers) if needed. Legolas entered!
Underthesky- I dunno what the 1/4s are about. it might be because it's a .htm file instead of .doc.
Nirobie: A fan? Of me? Wow I'm so honored!
Crystal- I have a drawing (I didn't do it) of a three year old looking Legolas. It's SO cute! But shh. they aren't in love yet!
Thanks to Melia also. (she didn't leave much of a review to comment on)
Next chapter to be put up Friday 9- 12-03
Come back then!
May 26, 116 dawn
Nenimë slowly began to discern dreams from reality. She sat up sharply and looked around to see what time it was. It was still dark, but from the breeze coming in the window she could tell that dawn was near.
She stretched and stood up, throwing off her blue nightdress and grabbing some comfortable turquoise leggings and a matching tunic. The leggings flared slightly at the bottom and the tunic fell only to right above her naval so that her pale flat stomach shown. Her undershirt was black and long sleeved. The sleeves were made of a silky lace so that they flowed around her arm instead of clinging to it.
She walked over to her mirror and pulled her necklace out from under the high-necked shirt so it could be seen. As the moon went down the glow of the stone became pale and weak. Dawn was very near. She threw her long hair into a half ponytail and left one long curl hanging down on the left side of her face.
Nenimë straightened her shirt while she ran down the steps and through the halls to the kitchen. She snatched a piece of lembas bread and unwrapped it from its leaf. She took the honey from the counter and quickly poured some on the bread, grabbed the bread and started to eat as she ran out the door and down the street.
She reached the trees and ran through them a few moments before breaking into the clearing, still holding her breakfast in one hand. She came to a stop and took a few deep breaths before taking another bite of her bread and then looked around.
Not many elves showed up before the sun was raised completely, but a few older elves did just to sit and relax. So there were about ten total elves in the clearing right now but they were all older and just laid in the grass listening to the wind with their eyes closed. Two younger elves that Nenimë knew sat by the river, talking in whispers to each other. Legolas wasn't there yet.
So Nenimë walked over to a small spot where there was a ring of shorter grass and lay down. She finished her lembas and put her hands behind her head, staring up at the slowly brightening sky.
She didn't have to wait very long at all. After only about ten minutes she heard light footsteps approaching and Legolas appeared over her. His hair was tied back halfway again and as he stood over her smiling shyly he pulled some loose hair behind his pointed ears. Nenimë smiled back and he stretched out his hand to help her up. She took it and stood so that she was almost chest-to-chest with him. They froze for a few moments, chest-to- chest, eyes locked in an intense stare.
But Legolas let go of her hand and she took a step back, both of them looking at the ground. They stood there with the awkward silence mounting on their ears as they tried to find something to say.
"Er. 'Quel amrun, Nenimë." Legolas said finally. He took a good long look at Nenimë.
"Indeed it is." She said, smiling slightly and looking up to the sky to take a deep breath.
In the light she was even more beautiful than in the dark. Her silvery blonde hair shimmered in the growing light and her pale skin seemed to darken a bit. He could see her flat stomach showing between the bottom of her shirt and the waistline of her pants. She reached up and twirled her delicate finger around the small curl hanging down in front of her face and looked back down to the ground.
"Amin ve' lle loske sina amrun." (I like your hair this morning) He said before he even thought of saying it. He flinched as soon as he realized it and Nenimë looked up, blushing furiously.
"Diolaor." (Thanks) She muttered. It wasn't uncommon for elf females to wear their hair tied back like this. She smiled up at Legolas, still blushing. "Would you like to sit down? I usually just. lay around in the morning while the sun rises."
"Uma." (Sure) He said, sitting down slowly on the ground. "You come this early every morning?" He asked. It was very early for him to wake up. He wasn't used to it and was quite tired. (a/n: I thought that since the young elves were growing that they should need more sleep than older elves, who don't need very much.)
"Of course! The time just before dawn is the best time of day. It is the time of day when the world is mine and no one can take it from me or tell me what to do or where to go. It is the most peaceful time too and I am glad that I do wake up this early... It is my reflection time." She smiled again and looked around with a glimmer of wonder in her eyes. Legolas just stared at her, he didn't know he was doing it until Nenimë was suddenly staring back.
"Mani ta ve'?" (What's it like?)
"Mani ta mani ve'?" (What's what like?)
"Nataran." (Being a Prince)
"Well it's not very exciting. I live here because father thinks that it is a good thing for me to grow up somewhere other than the palace. I won't move back there until I come of age."
She nodded and they looked at each other for a long while again.
While Legolas was looking at her something suddenly ran up behind her and jumped on her. He instinctively scooted back as she fell to the ground with a small squeal.
The frightened squeal turned into a laugh and Legolas just sat there staring with a confused look on his face. The someone who had jumped on her had reddish-blonde hair and wore a long lavender dress.
"Carad!. n'no en' amin!" (get off of me!) Nenimë cried through the laughter, still face down on the ground.
Carabrethil rolled off of her and sat up, brushing herself off.
"Ahh, ta vanima amrun a're, n'ta?" (It *is* a beautiful morning today, is it not?) Cara said, looking up and taking a deep breath. She didn't seem to notice Legolas at all.
Nenimë sat up and looked at Legolas with an apologizing look. He shrugged his shoulders back at her.
"'Quel amrun, Carabrethil." Legolas said.
Cara looked at him and then did a double take, "Taran Legolas?" (Prince)
Nenimë answered with a smirk, "Yes, we had an encounter in the woods last night when you didn't meet me at the fountain. I don't suppose you know anything about it?"
Cara was still staring at Legolas. She shook her head, dumbfounded.
"I invited him to come to the fields today with us." Cara looked back and forth several times between Legolas and Nenimë.
"Is that a problem for you?" Legolas asked, also smirking now.
Cara stopped her gaze on him and shook her head. "No, of course not." She looked back at Nenimë and winked very pointedly. Nenimë rolled her eyes at Cara. Legolas pretended to ignore it. *****
The three young elves sat and talked cheerfully for most of the morning while the clearing filled up with elves aging from 20 to 200. Some swam around, some climbed trees on the borders, and some chased each other back and forth until they collapsed in exhausted heaps in the long grass.
Young couples sat in the long grass and kissed, not paying attention to anyone but themselves. Nenimë spotted one of these couples and the topic turned to love.
"Do you think there is such a thing as undying love?" Cara asked, also looking over at the couple.
"An elf only truly loves once," Legolas said, "and when that love dies, a part of the elf dies too. Their heart weakens and they become tired and fall into despair. Soon they pass away and their spirit leaves to find the love they lost." He trailed off and looked up, lost in thought. "It is a very sad thing when an elf dies of a broken heart."
"To love someone so completely and so deeply that you physically cannot live without them." Nenimë said softly. When Legolas looked at her she had her brow wrinkled, deep in thought. She didn't even seem to know what was going on around her. "Wouldn't everyone dream for that kind of love.?"
Legolas wrinkled his brow as he continued to watch Nenimë. Her eyes watered up and a tear fell down them but she was still lost in her own world. He looked into her eyes and concentrated until finally he looked deeper and deeper, into her very mind and heart. Suddenly a vision came to his head, but he didn't know what it was.
*A slender blonde female elf was lying in a bed. Her eyes were closed and her skin was pale, she looked very sick.
Suddenly a very tiny elf child ran in. She had wavy light blonde hair and grey eyes.
"Mommy. mommy wake up please!" She pleaded.*
Nenimë jerked her head up and Legolas lost the image that had been forming in his mind. He blinked once and focused his eyes on hers.
She, however, looked away and brushed the tear off of her cheek. She then turned back.
"Legolas, I think it's a bit rude to read another's thoughts without their consent." Her voice was so cold and bitter that it made Legolas shiver for a moment and turn away with guilt.
Nenimë stood up and walked past Legolas and right out of the clearing. She didn't even look back.
Lily turned to look at Legolas.
"What did you do?" she asked.
Legolas didn't answer. He simply stood and walked out of the clearing, back towards home. *****
Next chapter is a time jump so pay attention to the date and year. (I think it is an 85 year skip) This story will finally start to move along now! Yay!
Oh and please review! Tell me everything you like or don't like. I am open to constructive criticism and flames will be thrown into Mount Doom where they belong.
Kuluincartel- Does your name mean orange rose? I like your name. But your review was as bad as you said my story is! Tell me what you don't like if you don't like it!
Brazgirl-thanks for leaving ur email so I can email u (and my other reviewers) if needed. Legolas entered!
Underthesky- I dunno what the 1/4s are about. it might be because it's a .htm file instead of .doc.
Nirobie: A fan? Of me? Wow I'm so honored!
Crystal- I have a drawing (I didn't do it) of a three year old looking Legolas. It's SO cute! But shh. they aren't in love yet!
Thanks to Melia also. (she didn't leave much of a review to comment on)
Next chapter to be put up Friday 9- 12-03
Come back then!