dontpokelmo: The first chapter didn't get as much response as I'd hoped,
but it seems it was received on a good note. I'm glad that it wasn't looked
at as total rubbish. Anyway, thanks so much to all who've read and
reviewed. Sorry I've taken so long to update, it's been a busy few months.
To all my readers, please review, as future chapters will be based on such.
I own nothing but the girl and the horse, with I owned Legolas, but what
girl doesn't? On with the next chapter then.
Chapter 2: Chance Meetings and Apologies
"Elraralia!" My footsteps halted upon hearing the voice of my father echo behind me across the hall, and it seemed from his tone that he was struggling to hold in his anger. He had used my first name, a sure sign that he was less than thrilled with me at the moment. "You have disappointed me, my daughter," he said gravely, with a furrowed brow as I turned to face him. "I would have thought you to know better than to wander off into the woods, telling no one of your going."
"I am sorry father, for I needed a chance to clear my head, and sought the solitude the forest offered. I thought not to inform anyone." My brothers must have spotted me among the trees, as they were always out at dawn keeping watch for intruders, and told father of my location.
"Obviously you thought not at all, to worry me so." I slowly lowered my eyes to stare avidly at my feet, ashamed. He tilted my chin up, returning my gaze to his face, and I was relieved to find a warm smile adorning his face, but as soon as it had come, it fleeted away, leaving a serious expression. "Be more careful of your actions, Ella, for they effect more than just yourself."
I slightly inclined my head in a nod, and noticed a servant swiftly enter the hallway and waited for my father to acknowledge his presence.
"My lord, an urgent message awaits your council." My father nodded, and mentioned for me to accompany him as he turned and followed the servant. Upon entering the room my father held meetings, I caught sight of Legolas's back, he stood staring out the window obviously deep in thought. Fear passed through me as he turned at my father's entrance, and he smiled at seeing me before confusion gained hold of his features. I made to leave the room, but my wrist was captured, my father stopping me of any possible retreat.
"My sons saw you making way here, Legolas Greenleaf, in some haste," amusement came on my father's face, and a smile played with the corners of his lips. "I trust your trip was quite uneventful?" It would seem my brothers had also seen my ride with him, and had informed my father of it as well. Didn't privacy mean anything to anyone anymore? I made a mental note to speak with them on the subject later.
"Actually, Lord Elrond, it was quite eventful. So much so, I almost forgot of my mission. Still, I made it here much earlier than I thought I would, even if I was a bit, distracted." His eyes darted in my direction, and I could tell he wondered what I was doing there. My father, unfortunately, took note of his look as well.
"Pardon my rudeness. Legolas, this is my youngest daughter, Elraralia. Ella, this is Legolas Greenleaf, son of King Thurinduil." My breath ceased a moment. Son of King Thurinduil? Then he was no mere messenger as I had assumed, but the elven prince of Mirkwood. His eyes caught mine, and they'd turned cold and icy, silently asking me why. I could not bear to stand in his presence much longer, and attempted again to excuse myself from the room. "Before you may leave, Ella, would you not show our guest around Rivendale? He has never before had much time to fully enjoy the beauty of our land, which you know so well, daughter."
"It is quite alright, my Lord," Legolas said turning to my father. He seemed just as unpleased with the idea as I was. "I need not a tour of this indeed lovely realm. I have only come to deliver you the message of my father, and then I must leave. Besides, I wouldn't want to be a burden on your lovely daughter." Legolas avoided my gaze, and my father simply waved off his statement.
"Later on a council will be held were you can explain the contents of your message. Until that time, you are free to do as you wish. Surely you would not deny to spend it exploring in the company of my daughter?" I shot my father an angry look.
"Of course not, my Lord, you offer is generous, and I gratefully accept."
"Good, it is settled then. Ella, please accompany Lord Legolas on his journey, and all well be well. I would go along with the two of you as well, but for pressing matters I cannot, thought I'm sure the two of you would have a better time if you were alone." Had my entire family turned against me? "Enjoy the beauty of this forest, Legolas, and we will meet again this afternoon." With that he left and silence fell upon the room.
"We will leave now, my Lord," I said after a few moments, and turned to withdraw into the hall, stopping when I found he did not follow me. "What is the matter?"
He stood perfectly still, staring straight into my eyes. "Why did you lie to me, Ella?"
Unsure of how to answer him, I ignored his question. "Do you not wish to leave? The horses. . ."
"Why," he repeated keeping a calm and even tone, "did you lie to me?"
"I thought," my voice not more than a whisper, "you to be but a messenger of Mirkwood, not a prince."
"You will pardon me, my lady, for not being able to see the relevance of my status." His voice was icy, and it sent shivers down my spine. "No matter my title, I am still the same elf."
"Yet you made no mention of being a Prince, nor any correction to my impression that you were just a messenger."
"I still do not see why that matters. I would have treated you the same were you a servant of this house, and not the daughter of Lord Elrond. Still would I see you as the fairest elf I have ever come to see or know, for never has my heart felt such joy as when speaking with you." His eyes went to rest out the window again, as though nothing had occurred.
My cheeks flushed, and I moved towards him, my hand outstretched, came to rest on his shoulder. "For that I am truly sorry, my lord, for I thought little of your response being such."
"You are sorry that I said it, my lady?" he asked looking down at my hand.
"I am sorry I told not the truth, for I wronged you greatly. Now, if you will excuse me, I will return to my room, for there is much to be done in the coming hours before this afternoon's council." I turned to leave with what was left of my dignity before his voice halted my steps.
"Will you not stay with me, Ella, and right your wrong? Will you not tell me the truth? You cannot spend all of eternity running."
"Running from what?" I asked curiously, not sure of his meaning.
He smiled for the first time since the morning. "Love," he replied, his eyes swimming with emotion.
Chapter 2: Chance Meetings and Apologies
"Elraralia!" My footsteps halted upon hearing the voice of my father echo behind me across the hall, and it seemed from his tone that he was struggling to hold in his anger. He had used my first name, a sure sign that he was less than thrilled with me at the moment. "You have disappointed me, my daughter," he said gravely, with a furrowed brow as I turned to face him. "I would have thought you to know better than to wander off into the woods, telling no one of your going."
"I am sorry father, for I needed a chance to clear my head, and sought the solitude the forest offered. I thought not to inform anyone." My brothers must have spotted me among the trees, as they were always out at dawn keeping watch for intruders, and told father of my location.
"Obviously you thought not at all, to worry me so." I slowly lowered my eyes to stare avidly at my feet, ashamed. He tilted my chin up, returning my gaze to his face, and I was relieved to find a warm smile adorning his face, but as soon as it had come, it fleeted away, leaving a serious expression. "Be more careful of your actions, Ella, for they effect more than just yourself."
I slightly inclined my head in a nod, and noticed a servant swiftly enter the hallway and waited for my father to acknowledge his presence.
"My lord, an urgent message awaits your council." My father nodded, and mentioned for me to accompany him as he turned and followed the servant. Upon entering the room my father held meetings, I caught sight of Legolas's back, he stood staring out the window obviously deep in thought. Fear passed through me as he turned at my father's entrance, and he smiled at seeing me before confusion gained hold of his features. I made to leave the room, but my wrist was captured, my father stopping me of any possible retreat.
"My sons saw you making way here, Legolas Greenleaf, in some haste," amusement came on my father's face, and a smile played with the corners of his lips. "I trust your trip was quite uneventful?" It would seem my brothers had also seen my ride with him, and had informed my father of it as well. Didn't privacy mean anything to anyone anymore? I made a mental note to speak with them on the subject later.
"Actually, Lord Elrond, it was quite eventful. So much so, I almost forgot of my mission. Still, I made it here much earlier than I thought I would, even if I was a bit, distracted." His eyes darted in my direction, and I could tell he wondered what I was doing there. My father, unfortunately, took note of his look as well.
"Pardon my rudeness. Legolas, this is my youngest daughter, Elraralia. Ella, this is Legolas Greenleaf, son of King Thurinduil." My breath ceased a moment. Son of King Thurinduil? Then he was no mere messenger as I had assumed, but the elven prince of Mirkwood. His eyes caught mine, and they'd turned cold and icy, silently asking me why. I could not bear to stand in his presence much longer, and attempted again to excuse myself from the room. "Before you may leave, Ella, would you not show our guest around Rivendale? He has never before had much time to fully enjoy the beauty of our land, which you know so well, daughter."
"It is quite alright, my Lord," Legolas said turning to my father. He seemed just as unpleased with the idea as I was. "I need not a tour of this indeed lovely realm. I have only come to deliver you the message of my father, and then I must leave. Besides, I wouldn't want to be a burden on your lovely daughter." Legolas avoided my gaze, and my father simply waved off his statement.
"Later on a council will be held were you can explain the contents of your message. Until that time, you are free to do as you wish. Surely you would not deny to spend it exploring in the company of my daughter?" I shot my father an angry look.
"Of course not, my Lord, you offer is generous, and I gratefully accept."
"Good, it is settled then. Ella, please accompany Lord Legolas on his journey, and all well be well. I would go along with the two of you as well, but for pressing matters I cannot, thought I'm sure the two of you would have a better time if you were alone." Had my entire family turned against me? "Enjoy the beauty of this forest, Legolas, and we will meet again this afternoon." With that he left and silence fell upon the room.
"We will leave now, my Lord," I said after a few moments, and turned to withdraw into the hall, stopping when I found he did not follow me. "What is the matter?"
He stood perfectly still, staring straight into my eyes. "Why did you lie to me, Ella?"
Unsure of how to answer him, I ignored his question. "Do you not wish to leave? The horses. . ."
"Why," he repeated keeping a calm and even tone, "did you lie to me?"
"I thought," my voice not more than a whisper, "you to be but a messenger of Mirkwood, not a prince."
"You will pardon me, my lady, for not being able to see the relevance of my status." His voice was icy, and it sent shivers down my spine. "No matter my title, I am still the same elf."
"Yet you made no mention of being a Prince, nor any correction to my impression that you were just a messenger."
"I still do not see why that matters. I would have treated you the same were you a servant of this house, and not the daughter of Lord Elrond. Still would I see you as the fairest elf I have ever come to see or know, for never has my heart felt such joy as when speaking with you." His eyes went to rest out the window again, as though nothing had occurred.
My cheeks flushed, and I moved towards him, my hand outstretched, came to rest on his shoulder. "For that I am truly sorry, my lord, for I thought little of your response being such."
"You are sorry that I said it, my lady?" he asked looking down at my hand.
"I am sorry I told not the truth, for I wronged you greatly. Now, if you will excuse me, I will return to my room, for there is much to be done in the coming hours before this afternoon's council." I turned to leave with what was left of my dignity before his voice halted my steps.
"Will you not stay with me, Ella, and right your wrong? Will you not tell me the truth? You cannot spend all of eternity running."
"Running from what?" I asked curiously, not sure of his meaning.
He smiled for the first time since the morning. "Love," he replied, his eyes swimming with emotion.