Title: Diplomacy 23
Author: Arisma
Rating: R Disclaimer: To the tune of Leslie Gore, "You don't own me"- I don't own it; don't try to claim it in any way. I don't own it; don't hunt me down 'cause I'll never pay! . Feedback: chalice_nazarene@hotmail.com -*--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**-- **--*-
The moon hung low in the sky as he crept from the tent. Strange animal sounds floated around him, placid in the dark of night. He walked slowly, hands thrust into his pockets, thoughts whirring through his mind like flakes in a snowstorm, swirling and coalescing for a mere moment before setting out again in an explosion of confusion.
He had wanted to stay, wanted to hold her as she slept, but his mind worked at him so, tumbling the answers he had received around, still questing for those left untold. His body felt restless, nervous energy tightening his muscles, making him feel jumpy and strange. And so he had left her there, gently lowering her head to the satin pillow, pressing a kiss of infinite tenderness to her smooth brow.
His feet made no sound as he walked, no noise at all to distract from his search for solace. Around him the tents loomed darkly, their occupants sleeping soundly, secure in the familiarity of their homes. "And what of my home?" he thought suddenly. "Will I ever see the great trees again, or feel
the dew on the long grass against my skin? When did my home become a memory, and did I smile as it faded?"
He felt sad and contemplative, his soul weary with new knowledge and burdened with questions as yet unanswered. He found himself at the path they had taken when they entered this place and started walking easily up the sloping lane, the burn in his muscles helping him calm, helping him breathe. With a sigh he picked up the pace, his feet thudding lightly into the hard packed sand, his breathing coming in short puffs.
Finally, his sweat slicked skin beading in the cool night air, he crested the valley. He walked slowly to a large rock and sat upon it, gazing at the horizon, feeling his heart thud in his ears. He heard the soft footfalls approaching and shook his head softly, the familiarity of them comforting. They stopped a short way behind him and he couldn't help but smile when he heard, "How's it going, boss?"
"I've been better," he said, sliding to his left and offering a piece of the rock to his friend.
Kailin settled next to him, running a hand through his hair, following his prince's gaze as it settled again on the horizon. "I bet you have," came the reply, trailed by a light pat on his shoulder, offering comfort with the ease of a long time companion. A comfortable silence stretched between them, and Legolas was content to leave it that way, but Kailin spoke again, concern evident in his tone. "How's your lady?" he asked.
Legolas turned his head sharply, looking at his friend, sensitive at the mere mention of her. "As well as can be expected, I suppose," he answered carefully, shifting his gaze to the horizon once more.
"You don't need to guard her from me, Legolas," his friend's voice was tight, almost angry.
He ran a weary hand through his long blonde locks and nodded, looking down to the sand below him, sighing. "I know, Kailin. I'm just so used to it... I'm sorry, my friend."
Kailin nodded and chuckled dryly, shaking his head in mock consternation. "Apology accepted. Would you mind waiting here while I mark my calendar?"
Legolas chuckled as well, replying, "Come now, that's hardly the first time I've made a mistake."
"That's very true, Leaf, but it is one of the few times you've admitted it."
The two shared another laugh, sitting silently when the sound had faded from their ears. Overhead stars shone and the moon moved in a slow arc, its soft glow adding a touch of mystery to the dunes. Finally, after long minutes, Legolas spoke. "How much do you know, Kailin?"
His friend sighed, settling back against the stone. "I know enough," he thought for a moment and then ran a hand through his short, dark hair, looking at his friend sideways. "I know a damn sight more than I care to, really."
Legolas nodded, his eyes still scanning the horizon as though looking for answers there. They lapsed again into silence, each lost for a moment in his own thoughts.
"Talk to me, Leaf. You can't carry this alone."
The gentle plea broke through his numbness and he thought for just a moment before he began to speak.
"She was a virgin, Kailin. Did you know that?" he watched his friend's face, waiting for the small nod before he continued. "She came to me pure and I took that from her without a thought."
"Legolas, you couldn't have known..." he tried to counter, but his friend met his gaze with suddenly livid eyes.
"Of course I could have! If I would have taken half a second to get to know her I could have. But I didn't. All I saw was flashing eyes and blades, a beautiful maid who wanted me and I took what she gave without even knowing the extent of what she offered."
Legolas stood then, pacing before the rock like a caged tiger. "I love her. Something inside her called to me from the first moment. All I could think of was her eyes, the way she moved. I was so lost in the thought of having her I never stopped to find out who she was. I still don't know her...maybe I never will."
"Leaf, you didn't know. Stop blaming yourself. She made a choice. She had all the facts here, not you. She chose you, doesn't that count for something?" Kailin's voice was plaintive, his brow furrowed as he struggled to get the words out.
"Of course it counts, Kailin. It counts for everything. But she knows me as little as I know her. Where do we go from here? I mean, can we just go back to Mirkwood and pretend none of this happened? Can I give her a normal life, and if I can, can she lead it?"
Legolas watched his friend's face fall. Watched as he wrung his hands, exhaling slowly, his cheeks puffing. "I've been meaning to talk to you about all that," he started, not meeting the prince's gaze.
"All of what?" his brow furrowed in confusion and he waited impatiently as his friend searched for the words.
"I can't exactly go back to Mirkwood, Leaf," his voice was soft, sad.
"Why? What happened?"
"I disobeyed a direct order, I stole from the armories, I broke every rule we ever lived by. I can't go back."
"I'll talk to father, Kailin. It can't be as bad as all that. He'll see reason if I can just speak with him."
Kailin turned, his face full of sorrow, his eyes dull as he spoke. "But you can't. When I said I can't go back, I meant iwe/i can't go back."
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A/N-
This chapter was terrible to write, and much thanks go to Kris the Wonder Beta (Tm) for both her patience and input.
I'm starting a new story and am lacking in good elvish names... any chance you all could help me out? I'll make a note here when the new one goes up, hopefully not too terribly far in the future.
Soon I'll be leaving on vacation but I hope to update more before I go.
More reviews people. Feed that muse. Please?
~Arisma~
Author: Arisma
Rating: R Disclaimer: To the tune of Leslie Gore, "You don't own me"- I don't own it; don't try to claim it in any way. I don't own it; don't hunt me down 'cause I'll never pay! . Feedback: chalice_nazarene@hotmail.com -*--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**-- **--*-
The moon hung low in the sky as he crept from the tent. Strange animal sounds floated around him, placid in the dark of night. He walked slowly, hands thrust into his pockets, thoughts whirring through his mind like flakes in a snowstorm, swirling and coalescing for a mere moment before setting out again in an explosion of confusion.
He had wanted to stay, wanted to hold her as she slept, but his mind worked at him so, tumbling the answers he had received around, still questing for those left untold. His body felt restless, nervous energy tightening his muscles, making him feel jumpy and strange. And so he had left her there, gently lowering her head to the satin pillow, pressing a kiss of infinite tenderness to her smooth brow.
His feet made no sound as he walked, no noise at all to distract from his search for solace. Around him the tents loomed darkly, their occupants sleeping soundly, secure in the familiarity of their homes. "And what of my home?" he thought suddenly. "Will I ever see the great trees again, or feel
the dew on the long grass against my skin? When did my home become a memory, and did I smile as it faded?"
He felt sad and contemplative, his soul weary with new knowledge and burdened with questions as yet unanswered. He found himself at the path they had taken when they entered this place and started walking easily up the sloping lane, the burn in his muscles helping him calm, helping him breathe. With a sigh he picked up the pace, his feet thudding lightly into the hard packed sand, his breathing coming in short puffs.
Finally, his sweat slicked skin beading in the cool night air, he crested the valley. He walked slowly to a large rock and sat upon it, gazing at the horizon, feeling his heart thud in his ears. He heard the soft footfalls approaching and shook his head softly, the familiarity of them comforting. They stopped a short way behind him and he couldn't help but smile when he heard, "How's it going, boss?"
"I've been better," he said, sliding to his left and offering a piece of the rock to his friend.
Kailin settled next to him, running a hand through his hair, following his prince's gaze as it settled again on the horizon. "I bet you have," came the reply, trailed by a light pat on his shoulder, offering comfort with the ease of a long time companion. A comfortable silence stretched between them, and Legolas was content to leave it that way, but Kailin spoke again, concern evident in his tone. "How's your lady?" he asked.
Legolas turned his head sharply, looking at his friend, sensitive at the mere mention of her. "As well as can be expected, I suppose," he answered carefully, shifting his gaze to the horizon once more.
"You don't need to guard her from me, Legolas," his friend's voice was tight, almost angry.
He ran a weary hand through his long blonde locks and nodded, looking down to the sand below him, sighing. "I know, Kailin. I'm just so used to it... I'm sorry, my friend."
Kailin nodded and chuckled dryly, shaking his head in mock consternation. "Apology accepted. Would you mind waiting here while I mark my calendar?"
Legolas chuckled as well, replying, "Come now, that's hardly the first time I've made a mistake."
"That's very true, Leaf, but it is one of the few times you've admitted it."
The two shared another laugh, sitting silently when the sound had faded from their ears. Overhead stars shone and the moon moved in a slow arc, its soft glow adding a touch of mystery to the dunes. Finally, after long minutes, Legolas spoke. "How much do you know, Kailin?"
His friend sighed, settling back against the stone. "I know enough," he thought for a moment and then ran a hand through his short, dark hair, looking at his friend sideways. "I know a damn sight more than I care to, really."
Legolas nodded, his eyes still scanning the horizon as though looking for answers there. They lapsed again into silence, each lost for a moment in his own thoughts.
"Talk to me, Leaf. You can't carry this alone."
The gentle plea broke through his numbness and he thought for just a moment before he began to speak.
"She was a virgin, Kailin. Did you know that?" he watched his friend's face, waiting for the small nod before he continued. "She came to me pure and I took that from her without a thought."
"Legolas, you couldn't have known..." he tried to counter, but his friend met his gaze with suddenly livid eyes.
"Of course I could have! If I would have taken half a second to get to know her I could have. But I didn't. All I saw was flashing eyes and blades, a beautiful maid who wanted me and I took what she gave without even knowing the extent of what she offered."
Legolas stood then, pacing before the rock like a caged tiger. "I love her. Something inside her called to me from the first moment. All I could think of was her eyes, the way she moved. I was so lost in the thought of having her I never stopped to find out who she was. I still don't know her...maybe I never will."
"Leaf, you didn't know. Stop blaming yourself. She made a choice. She had all the facts here, not you. She chose you, doesn't that count for something?" Kailin's voice was plaintive, his brow furrowed as he struggled to get the words out.
"Of course it counts, Kailin. It counts for everything. But she knows me as little as I know her. Where do we go from here? I mean, can we just go back to Mirkwood and pretend none of this happened? Can I give her a normal life, and if I can, can she lead it?"
Legolas watched his friend's face fall. Watched as he wrung his hands, exhaling slowly, his cheeks puffing. "I've been meaning to talk to you about all that," he started, not meeting the prince's gaze.
"All of what?" his brow furrowed in confusion and he waited impatiently as his friend searched for the words.
"I can't exactly go back to Mirkwood, Leaf," his voice was soft, sad.
"Why? What happened?"
"I disobeyed a direct order, I stole from the armories, I broke every rule we ever lived by. I can't go back."
"I'll talk to father, Kailin. It can't be as bad as all that. He'll see reason if I can just speak with him."
Kailin turned, his face full of sorrow, his eyes dull as he spoke. "But you can't. When I said I can't go back, I meant iwe/i can't go back."
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- *-*-*
A/N-
This chapter was terrible to write, and much thanks go to Kris the Wonder Beta (Tm) for both her patience and input.
I'm starting a new story and am lacking in good elvish names... any chance you all could help me out? I'll make a note here when the new one goes up, hopefully not too terribly far in the future.
Soon I'll be leaving on vacation but I hope to update more before I go.
More reviews people. Feed that muse. Please?
~Arisma~