Nearly an hour later, Sevein arrived at the opposite bank of the same
river. "Oh...no...I've been going 'round in circles..."
"Back again," came the call from the tree above. The man sat there as if he hadn't moved. He still had the smirk upon his face.
"You are impossible. You warn me that I might be killed and then you won't even help me to not be."
"That's because I don't like you."
She fumed and then flopped on the ground. "Useless forest. Useless people. Isn't there anywhere in this world where the people are kind and friendly, and don't try to force you to...to..." she trailed off, beginning to cry out of frustration and fear. "See, now look what you've done! I never cry..." she sobbed as she wiped her face on her sleeve.
In an instant, the man was at her side. She hadn't even realized he'd moved...
"Here now...don't cry. I did not mean to upset you so." He placed an arm around her tentatively, and in doing so, his hood fell back, revealing long, fishtail braids...stunning silver-blue eyes...pointed ears...
"You...you're an elf," she said softly, with great reverence.
He smiled and a hint of color came to his pale cheeks. "Yes. I am sorry for troubling you...I was only teasing." His voice washed over her like dark melted chocolate with her newfound awe, and her tears dried up almost immediately.
"No, you have naught to apologize for..." she began to inch away slowly, afraid that she might tarnish his beauty and fairness. "I am the one who insulted your people. Forgive me, Master Elf..." She bowed her head.
"It's Legolas," he said, tilting her chin up with his fingers. "And who might you be?"
"I am Sevein," she said, looking an Elf directly in the eyes for the first time.
He smiled softly and leaned back slightly, relaxing and enjoying the forest. "What are you doing so far from home? And where is home?"
She nodded. "I am from Rohan. Or...at least...I was." Her voice hinted at loss, and Legolas' fair brow furrowed.
"And where are you from now?"
"Nowhere, really."
He nodded and asked no more questions, sitting beside her, gazing across the river.
"You live here?" she inquired.
"Yes. I live here in Mirkwood."
"It is beautiful. Peaceful."
Legolas nodded, continuing his gaze at the trees. He did not know why, when hundreds of humans had wandered into Mirkwood in his many years, this one should arouse a strange feeling of protectiveness, of responsibility in him. "Where are you journeying to?"
Sevein shrugged her shoulders. "I do not know."
The elf was quiet for a moment. "These woods are not safe for a maiden to traverse alone."
"I shall be fine. I have been on my own for quite a while."
Legolas laughed softly. "You are too young to sound so old."
"Sometimes, age has nothing to do with years. It almost never has anything to do with education," she retorted. "How old are you that you have such great knowledge?"
"I have seen eighteen winters," she said.
He sat in silence for a moment. "Where have you been sleeping?"
"I have made my bed in the woods."
"Stay in my palace tonight. Come amongst the company of the Elves."
"Your...palace?"
Legolas held in a smirk. "Yes. I am the Prince of Mirkwood."
"Oh...my goodness...I didn't...no, I couldn't possibly...I'd be a burden- ..." She stood up.
"I insist," Legolas said.
Sevein began to back away, but quickly lost her footing on the bank of the river. Legolas was up and under her fall, but too late, for he only caught her arm and her legs splashed into the murky water before he could stop her. She fell limp and he pulled her up into his arms with a sigh and cursed under his breath in Elvish. After checking her pulse, he whistled soft low note, and a horse emerged to his right. He hoisted Sevein up onto the horse and then climbed up after her.
"Celegsûl, noro!" he said, addressing the horse, and they took off and sped through the trees.
"Back again," came the call from the tree above. The man sat there as if he hadn't moved. He still had the smirk upon his face.
"You are impossible. You warn me that I might be killed and then you won't even help me to not be."
"That's because I don't like you."
She fumed and then flopped on the ground. "Useless forest. Useless people. Isn't there anywhere in this world where the people are kind and friendly, and don't try to force you to...to..." she trailed off, beginning to cry out of frustration and fear. "See, now look what you've done! I never cry..." she sobbed as she wiped her face on her sleeve.
In an instant, the man was at her side. She hadn't even realized he'd moved...
"Here now...don't cry. I did not mean to upset you so." He placed an arm around her tentatively, and in doing so, his hood fell back, revealing long, fishtail braids...stunning silver-blue eyes...pointed ears...
"You...you're an elf," she said softly, with great reverence.
He smiled and a hint of color came to his pale cheeks. "Yes. I am sorry for troubling you...I was only teasing." His voice washed over her like dark melted chocolate with her newfound awe, and her tears dried up almost immediately.
"No, you have naught to apologize for..." she began to inch away slowly, afraid that she might tarnish his beauty and fairness. "I am the one who insulted your people. Forgive me, Master Elf..." She bowed her head.
"It's Legolas," he said, tilting her chin up with his fingers. "And who might you be?"
"I am Sevein," she said, looking an Elf directly in the eyes for the first time.
He smiled softly and leaned back slightly, relaxing and enjoying the forest. "What are you doing so far from home? And where is home?"
She nodded. "I am from Rohan. Or...at least...I was." Her voice hinted at loss, and Legolas' fair brow furrowed.
"And where are you from now?"
"Nowhere, really."
He nodded and asked no more questions, sitting beside her, gazing across the river.
"You live here?" she inquired.
"Yes. I live here in Mirkwood."
"It is beautiful. Peaceful."
Legolas nodded, continuing his gaze at the trees. He did not know why, when hundreds of humans had wandered into Mirkwood in his many years, this one should arouse a strange feeling of protectiveness, of responsibility in him. "Where are you journeying to?"
Sevein shrugged her shoulders. "I do not know."
The elf was quiet for a moment. "These woods are not safe for a maiden to traverse alone."
"I shall be fine. I have been on my own for quite a while."
Legolas laughed softly. "You are too young to sound so old."
"Sometimes, age has nothing to do with years. It almost never has anything to do with education," she retorted. "How old are you that you have such great knowledge?"
"I have seen eighteen winters," she said.
He sat in silence for a moment. "Where have you been sleeping?"
"I have made my bed in the woods."
"Stay in my palace tonight. Come amongst the company of the Elves."
"Your...palace?"
Legolas held in a smirk. "Yes. I am the Prince of Mirkwood."
"Oh...my goodness...I didn't...no, I couldn't possibly...I'd be a burden- ..." She stood up.
"I insist," Legolas said.
Sevein began to back away, but quickly lost her footing on the bank of the river. Legolas was up and under her fall, but too late, for he only caught her arm and her legs splashed into the murky water before he could stop her. She fell limp and he pulled her up into his arms with a sigh and cursed under his breath in Elvish. After checking her pulse, he whistled soft low note, and a horse emerged to his right. He hoisted Sevein up onto the horse and then climbed up after her.
"Celegsûl, noro!" he said, addressing the horse, and they took off and sped through the trees.