Second Verse
~
Legolas and Bragolfin met for their archery together and Legolas played her with all the charm he could possibly muster, and at times he can be quite the charmer.
Nuquer went to Flora to explain what was going on and as usual Nilhisie was also there and was let in on the plan.
"What do you think of this?" Nilhisie asked Nuquer after she was done explaining what Legolas was planning to do.
"I don't know, I just can't help but feel that something will go wrong." Nuquer confessed.
"Well, if it works then Bragolfin won't bother Legolas anymore and Thranduil will be happy that you two are together again." Flora pointed out the bright side of the plan.
"Yes, if it all goes accordingly." Nuquer frowned.
~
At dinner that evening Legolas made his entrance and as the other elves looked up to great the prince and his usual lady friend they were very much surprised.
One group of older elven maidens, who had always thought the prince very handsome, were in disbelief.
"What is he doing what her?!" One gasped to her friends.
"What happened to Nuquer? I liked her!" Another exclaimed.
"I know that elf, her names Bragolfin and everything I have to say about her is best kept to myself." A third chimed in.
"I've heard things myself." The first agreed.
"Do you think we should invite darling Nuquer to sit with us today?" The second asked with a sympathetic look.
"I think so, we haven't really introduced ourselves properly yet anyways." The third nodded and watched the door for Nuquer.
~
Nuquer contemplated not going to dinner but she wanted to watch Bragolfin and Legolas together. It was Legolas she was worried about doing something that would make her upset, it was Bragolfin.
Nuquer put on her bravest face and headed into the hall, trying not to make eye contact with Bragolfin.
"Nuquer, darling, come sit with us!" The third elf called as soon as Nuquer entered.
Nuquer was startled by the girls calling to her, she hadn't thought about where she was going to sit until the entered the hall.
"Thank you." Nuquer smiled as she sat down next to the three maidens.
"I'm Elgolth, this is Pelesar, and Runil." One of the maidens smiled sweetly.
"I'm Nuquer." Nuquer smiled and introduced herself.
"We haven't had a chance to talk since you have come here and we thought now is a good chance." Runil smiled and tried not to mention Legolas, in case Nuquer didn't want to talk about it.
"Well, thank you, and I love to meet new people!" Nuquer smiled again, thankful more than she could express for these girls.
Nuquer snuck a glance towards Legolas and Bragolfin.
"So, tell us about yourself, Nuquer." Pelesar urged Nuquer.
"Okay," Nuquer began to tell of brief story of her life that enthralled the three maidens.
~
Legolas looked up when he heard someone call out Nuquer's name. She had been instinctively walking towards their usual table when she was waylaid by three maidens Legolas did not usually talk to. He watched as she sat down and the four began to talk. Legolas was glad that she was making new friends but yearned inside for her to be sitting next to him.
"What do you think, Legolas?" Bragolfin suddenly snapped Legolas out of his daze.
"Uh?"
"Where you listening Legolas?" Bragolfin frowned.
"I'm sorry, I'm a little tired, I didn't sleep well last night." Legolas lied.
"Oh, what was the matter?"
"I was upset from the day before. Since I broke off the courtship between Nuquer and I." Legolas feigned.
Bragolfin had been waiting for Legolas to say something about Nuquer, she had not wanted to bring her up in case he suddenly wanted to run back to her for some reason.
"You broke off you courtship?" Bragolfin asked quietly.
"Yes, I just didn't feel that we were right for each other and after we got into an argument I called everything off." Legolas lied once again.
"That's sad."
"No, I feel better now. I'm ready to find a new maiden to court." Legolas took a drink of his wine and feigned nonchalance to await Bragolfin's reaction.
"Oh." Bragolfin smiled to herself, "That's ironic. I've been looking for someone myself." Bragolfin let out a little laugh.
"Isn't it though." Legolas smiled and inside felt like running for his dear life from the journey he was about to embark on.
~
Nuquer watched as Legolas and Bragolfin headed towards the door to leave. Legolas looked over as Bragolfin continued to talk about herself with a look of regret in his eyes. Nuquer looked back and the two both saw pain in each other's face. Legolas felt horrible for doing this to Nuquer but if it did work our it would be for the best.
Legolas and Nuquer's gaze was broken off all to soon when Bragolfin lead Legolas out the door, quite oblivious to his pain.
Nuquer turned back to the girls and saw they were all giving her looks of sympathy.
"It's really not what it seems." Nuquer smiled.
Elgolth smiled and placed her hand over Nuquer's, "If you want to talk about we are here for you."
"Actually I kind of would like to talk about to someone who is not involved, could we go somewhere else though?" Nuquer didn't know why she was going to tell these girls she had just met this but she wanted to tell someone who didn't know Bragolfin or Legolas very well.
"Of course!" Pelesar and the others stood and lead her back to Runil's house, it was the closest, "Go ahead talk."
"Legolas and I are still together." Nuquer began. The three looked shocked, "His father wants him to 'experience more options' before he makes his decision for marriage,"
"You two are planning to marry?!" Runil exclaimed.
"We haven't talked about that, actually, but I love him." Nuquer smiled and blushed slightly.
"You love him? That's wonderful. Are you sure about it though, is it real love?" Elgolth didn't want to see this sweet maiden ever feel the pain of a broken heart.
"Yes, I'm certain. Otherwise I would be in grief." Nuquer nodded.
"Oh, oh, so you proved your love to one another? You gave yourself to him?" Pelesar understood everything that Nuquer was not saying.
"Yes." Nuquer admitted openly.
"Then what is he doing with Bragolfin?" Elgolth still hadn't quite caught on.
"I know!" Runil said, "He's exploring his other options, or so his father will think so!"
"Yes!" Nuquer smiled, this was a smart girl, "Exactly"
"And what a better candidate than lovely Bragolfin, no one could possibly want her as out future queen!" Elgolth laughed finally understanding.
"That's about it." Nuquer nodded.
"Well, let's hope it doesn't last to long then! Poor Legolas must be dying from listening to Bragolfin talk about herself!" Runil laughed.
"I bet!" Nuquer laughed with them, "Well, I really would love to stay but I'm tired today, I was out late with Legolas last night. I will talk to you all tomorrow though, is that okay?" Nuquer stood and prepared to leave.
"Of course dear! Come anytime!" Elgolth lead Nuquer to the door and waved her off into the night, "She is so nice, I'm glad we finally got to talk to her."
"Yes, I think we should help dear Legolas on his way to showing his father how horrible Bragolfin is and how wonderful Nuquer is!" Pelesar smiled mischievously.
"I think so, after all maybe we could become hand-maidens to the next queen!" Runil smiled, thinking far ahead into the future.
"Oh! That would be wonderful! And such an honour to our families!" Elgolth agreed.
"Ladies, think of what lies ahead of us now! We have to get Bragolfin out of the picture and Nuquer back into Legolas's arms first!" Pelesar reminded her friends.
"We start tomorrow!" Elgolth and Runil exclaimed at the same time
~
~
Legolas and Bragolfin met for their archery together and Legolas played her with all the charm he could possibly muster, and at times he can be quite the charmer.
Nuquer went to Flora to explain what was going on and as usual Nilhisie was also there and was let in on the plan.
"What do you think of this?" Nilhisie asked Nuquer after she was done explaining what Legolas was planning to do.
"I don't know, I just can't help but feel that something will go wrong." Nuquer confessed.
"Well, if it works then Bragolfin won't bother Legolas anymore and Thranduil will be happy that you two are together again." Flora pointed out the bright side of the plan.
"Yes, if it all goes accordingly." Nuquer frowned.
~
At dinner that evening Legolas made his entrance and as the other elves looked up to great the prince and his usual lady friend they were very much surprised.
One group of older elven maidens, who had always thought the prince very handsome, were in disbelief.
"What is he doing what her?!" One gasped to her friends.
"What happened to Nuquer? I liked her!" Another exclaimed.
"I know that elf, her names Bragolfin and everything I have to say about her is best kept to myself." A third chimed in.
"I've heard things myself." The first agreed.
"Do you think we should invite darling Nuquer to sit with us today?" The second asked with a sympathetic look.
"I think so, we haven't really introduced ourselves properly yet anyways." The third nodded and watched the door for Nuquer.
~
Nuquer contemplated not going to dinner but she wanted to watch Bragolfin and Legolas together. It was Legolas she was worried about doing something that would make her upset, it was Bragolfin.
Nuquer put on her bravest face and headed into the hall, trying not to make eye contact with Bragolfin.
"Nuquer, darling, come sit with us!" The third elf called as soon as Nuquer entered.
Nuquer was startled by the girls calling to her, she hadn't thought about where she was going to sit until the entered the hall.
"Thank you." Nuquer smiled as she sat down next to the three maidens.
"I'm Elgolth, this is Pelesar, and Runil." One of the maidens smiled sweetly.
"I'm Nuquer." Nuquer smiled and introduced herself.
"We haven't had a chance to talk since you have come here and we thought now is a good chance." Runil smiled and tried not to mention Legolas, in case Nuquer didn't want to talk about it.
"Well, thank you, and I love to meet new people!" Nuquer smiled again, thankful more than she could express for these girls.
Nuquer snuck a glance towards Legolas and Bragolfin.
"So, tell us about yourself, Nuquer." Pelesar urged Nuquer.
"Okay," Nuquer began to tell of brief story of her life that enthralled the three maidens.
~
Legolas looked up when he heard someone call out Nuquer's name. She had been instinctively walking towards their usual table when she was waylaid by three maidens Legolas did not usually talk to. He watched as she sat down and the four began to talk. Legolas was glad that she was making new friends but yearned inside for her to be sitting next to him.
"What do you think, Legolas?" Bragolfin suddenly snapped Legolas out of his daze.
"Uh?"
"Where you listening Legolas?" Bragolfin frowned.
"I'm sorry, I'm a little tired, I didn't sleep well last night." Legolas lied.
"Oh, what was the matter?"
"I was upset from the day before. Since I broke off the courtship between Nuquer and I." Legolas feigned.
Bragolfin had been waiting for Legolas to say something about Nuquer, she had not wanted to bring her up in case he suddenly wanted to run back to her for some reason.
"You broke off you courtship?" Bragolfin asked quietly.
"Yes, I just didn't feel that we were right for each other and after we got into an argument I called everything off." Legolas lied once again.
"That's sad."
"No, I feel better now. I'm ready to find a new maiden to court." Legolas took a drink of his wine and feigned nonchalance to await Bragolfin's reaction.
"Oh." Bragolfin smiled to herself, "That's ironic. I've been looking for someone myself." Bragolfin let out a little laugh.
"Isn't it though." Legolas smiled and inside felt like running for his dear life from the journey he was about to embark on.
~
Nuquer watched as Legolas and Bragolfin headed towards the door to leave. Legolas looked over as Bragolfin continued to talk about herself with a look of regret in his eyes. Nuquer looked back and the two both saw pain in each other's face. Legolas felt horrible for doing this to Nuquer but if it did work our it would be for the best.
Legolas and Nuquer's gaze was broken off all to soon when Bragolfin lead Legolas out the door, quite oblivious to his pain.
Nuquer turned back to the girls and saw they were all giving her looks of sympathy.
"It's really not what it seems." Nuquer smiled.
Elgolth smiled and placed her hand over Nuquer's, "If you want to talk about we are here for you."
"Actually I kind of would like to talk about to someone who is not involved, could we go somewhere else though?" Nuquer didn't know why she was going to tell these girls she had just met this but she wanted to tell someone who didn't know Bragolfin or Legolas very well.
"Of course!" Pelesar and the others stood and lead her back to Runil's house, it was the closest, "Go ahead talk."
"Legolas and I are still together." Nuquer began. The three looked shocked, "His father wants him to 'experience more options' before he makes his decision for marriage,"
"You two are planning to marry?!" Runil exclaimed.
"We haven't talked about that, actually, but I love him." Nuquer smiled and blushed slightly.
"You love him? That's wonderful. Are you sure about it though, is it real love?" Elgolth didn't want to see this sweet maiden ever feel the pain of a broken heart.
"Yes, I'm certain. Otherwise I would be in grief." Nuquer nodded.
"Oh, oh, so you proved your love to one another? You gave yourself to him?" Pelesar understood everything that Nuquer was not saying.
"Yes." Nuquer admitted openly.
"Then what is he doing with Bragolfin?" Elgolth still hadn't quite caught on.
"I know!" Runil said, "He's exploring his other options, or so his father will think so!"
"Yes!" Nuquer smiled, this was a smart girl, "Exactly"
"And what a better candidate than lovely Bragolfin, no one could possibly want her as out future queen!" Elgolth laughed finally understanding.
"That's about it." Nuquer nodded.
"Well, let's hope it doesn't last to long then! Poor Legolas must be dying from listening to Bragolfin talk about herself!" Runil laughed.
"I bet!" Nuquer laughed with them, "Well, I really would love to stay but I'm tired today, I was out late with Legolas last night. I will talk to you all tomorrow though, is that okay?" Nuquer stood and prepared to leave.
"Of course dear! Come anytime!" Elgolth lead Nuquer to the door and waved her off into the night, "She is so nice, I'm glad we finally got to talk to her."
"Yes, I think we should help dear Legolas on his way to showing his father how horrible Bragolfin is and how wonderful Nuquer is!" Pelesar smiled mischievously.
"I think so, after all maybe we could become hand-maidens to the next queen!" Runil smiled, thinking far ahead into the future.
"Oh! That would be wonderful! And such an honour to our families!" Elgolth agreed.
"Ladies, think of what lies ahead of us now! We have to get Bragolfin out of the picture and Nuquer back into Legolas's arms first!" Pelesar reminded her friends.
"We start tomorrow!" Elgolth and Runil exclaimed at the same time
~