Legolas had allowed himself to despair once, and was determined not
to let it happen again. But it was hard to sit there hour after hour,
knowing there was no escape.
The memory of the maiden of three days before hung over him. It drove him mad, he had no idea why. The nights bought little comfort. He had dreams, but when he woke up all he remembered were insignificant bits and pieces.
This had never happened before.
Young Legolas hated how Sarie was better at everything. Every day he challenged her, and she would win, and her smile was what infuriated him.
Years passed, and Sarie stopped coming. They were now very young adults, and even the youngest adults were expected to stop their games and begin training for what they would do the rest of their lives. Legolas could convince her to come once in a while, but those times became more and more seldom. One day he found her by a small pond.
" Hello, Sarie." Legolas said.
"Oh, hello, prince Legolas." She replied, a bit startled because she had not noticed him.
"What are you doing? And don't call me prince. We've known each other for years, call me by my name." There was nothing interesting at the pond, Legolas thought.
"Thinking."
"About what?" Legolas said, although he was getting a bit exasperated. He did not yet have the patience elves are gifted with, patience that makes an immortal life bearable.
"It's not fair."
"What's not fair?" Legolas said, surprised that her voice was tearful.
She pushed him away. "Don't listen to me, Legolas. It's stupid."
"Even if it is, it's still important. I've never seen you cry. So tell me." Legolas said, moving a little closer.
"Fine. But if you tell anyone, Legolas, I swear I'll -"
"I won't."
"I feel so worthless. I feel that no matter how good I get at something, it's of no use. I'm a girl, which won't change. But it's not fair that even though I can beat everyone at most things, I'll never be better. All of you will go off and be warriors. I will stay and weep for my dear husband. That is all a maiden may do. All I do is for nothing." She said the last part bitterly.
Legolas was now very close to her, and it crossed his mind that he had never been this close to a girl before. But they had become friends, best friends, somehow. Their competitive relationship had just evolved into something deeper. Awkwardly, he put his arms around her. To his surprise, she hugged him back, and buried her face in his chest.
They stood in this way until Sarie stopped crying.
"Thank you, Legolas, for listening to me." She began to leave.
"Wait-"
"What?"
He went up to her and kissed her. She seemed pleasantly surprised when they broke apart.
"That." Legolas said, and left, leaving Sarie in the clearing smiling softly.
The sound of the door brought Legolas back from his peaceful sleep. It was the elf maiden from the first day. She busied herself changing Legolas's bandages. She did it quickly and efficiently. After she finished she gave him food and drink.
"May I ask something?" Legolas said.
"No questions."
"I wanted to know - have you ever been to Mirkwood?"
She looked very surprised. "Why- why do you ask?" She replied in an overly casual manner.
"Just wondering."
" I was born there, and I lived there for a long time. Why do you care?"
" Do you know who I am?"
" No. Unlike you, I don't ask questions. I just do my job." Her sarcastic edge was back.
" I think you may know me - Sarie."
The memory of the maiden of three days before hung over him. It drove him mad, he had no idea why. The nights bought little comfort. He had dreams, but when he woke up all he remembered were insignificant bits and pieces.
This had never happened before.
Young Legolas hated how Sarie was better at everything. Every day he challenged her, and she would win, and her smile was what infuriated him.
Years passed, and Sarie stopped coming. They were now very young adults, and even the youngest adults were expected to stop their games and begin training for what they would do the rest of their lives. Legolas could convince her to come once in a while, but those times became more and more seldom. One day he found her by a small pond.
" Hello, Sarie." Legolas said.
"Oh, hello, prince Legolas." She replied, a bit startled because she had not noticed him.
"What are you doing? And don't call me prince. We've known each other for years, call me by my name." There was nothing interesting at the pond, Legolas thought.
"Thinking."
"About what?" Legolas said, although he was getting a bit exasperated. He did not yet have the patience elves are gifted with, patience that makes an immortal life bearable.
"It's not fair."
"What's not fair?" Legolas said, surprised that her voice was tearful.
She pushed him away. "Don't listen to me, Legolas. It's stupid."
"Even if it is, it's still important. I've never seen you cry. So tell me." Legolas said, moving a little closer.
"Fine. But if you tell anyone, Legolas, I swear I'll -"
"I won't."
"I feel so worthless. I feel that no matter how good I get at something, it's of no use. I'm a girl, which won't change. But it's not fair that even though I can beat everyone at most things, I'll never be better. All of you will go off and be warriors. I will stay and weep for my dear husband. That is all a maiden may do. All I do is for nothing." She said the last part bitterly.
Legolas was now very close to her, and it crossed his mind that he had never been this close to a girl before. But they had become friends, best friends, somehow. Their competitive relationship had just evolved into something deeper. Awkwardly, he put his arms around her. To his surprise, she hugged him back, and buried her face in his chest.
They stood in this way until Sarie stopped crying.
"Thank you, Legolas, for listening to me." She began to leave.
"Wait-"
"What?"
He went up to her and kissed her. She seemed pleasantly surprised when they broke apart.
"That." Legolas said, and left, leaving Sarie in the clearing smiling softly.
The sound of the door brought Legolas back from his peaceful sleep. It was the elf maiden from the first day. She busied herself changing Legolas's bandages. She did it quickly and efficiently. After she finished she gave him food and drink.
"May I ask something?" Legolas said.
"No questions."
"I wanted to know - have you ever been to Mirkwood?"
She looked very surprised. "Why- why do you ask?" She replied in an overly casual manner.
"Just wondering."
" I was born there, and I lived there for a long time. Why do you care?"
" Do you know who I am?"
" No. Unlike you, I don't ask questions. I just do my job." Her sarcastic edge was back.
" I think you may know me - Sarie."