Author's Note: Unfortunately, I don't own any of the characters, they all belong to the lovely JRR Tolkien and Peter Jackson/Newline Cinema…I'm just borrowing them to play with! *evil laughter* hehehe reviews would be much appreciated!!
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During the next few days, Legolas did not see the Princess of Imladris except in passing. He was kept rather busy with meeting with Lord Elrond and his father to speak of his mother. Legolas loathed speaking of that experience with anyone and resisted fiercely, much to the older elves' dismay.
Elrond gave the prince a sleeping tonic to help him sleep at night but there was little else that he could do to ease the prince's terrible pain. Legolas spent much time roaming the gardens and thinking of his mother. It was one such afternoon that Celebrian found him, silvery tears running down his cheeks as he held an asphodel flower in his hands.
"Ai, Legolas, a'maelhin amin, uum-nalla," she said softly as she pulled him into her lap and cradled his head against her chest. "Re sall'kuila e'lle corm ilyamenie." Celebrian stroked his hair as he sobbed brokenly and clutched her dress as if it was a lifeline. (*Ah, Legolas, my beloved child, do not cry…she will live in your heart always)
She could smell the sweet scent of the pale yellow and white flower as it was crushed in Legolas' hand and her elven ears barely picked up the sound of his tear-thickened voice, "Nan're uum'sinome, hiril nin." Celebrian pulled herself away from him just enough to look down into his cobalt eyes. "Amin naa sinome, taren-elle." (*but she is not here, my lady…I am here, little prince)
Legolas looked back at her with swollen eyes and said, "I do not understand." Celebrian stroked his hair again and said, "I knew your mother, Legolas. Lothiriel and I grew up together under the golden trees of Lorien." His azure eyes widened in astonishment and though tears ran down his cheeks, Celebrian continued.
"She was as a sister to me, as I had no siblings. My mother took her as her own, as your grandmother died in childbirth, so Lothiriel was quite literally my gwathel. We were inseparable throughout much of our lives, all the way up until she met your father and fell in love with him. They were married not long before I married Elrond and though we did not see each much over the years, we shared such a strong bond that we could speak to each other in our minds somewhat…a talent we learned from my mother, the Lady of Light."
By this time, Celebrian had tears running freely down her face as well and Legolas reached up to touch the silver queen's delicate face gently. "Lle tyav-re naik…lle sinta iire re hyarya lye ten'i'Marde en'Mandos," he whispered. "Uma," she answered simply. (*you felt her pain…you knew when she left us for the Halls of Mandos, yes)
Legolas pressed himself to Celebrian and she squeezed him tightly to her, their tears mingling. "Amin hiraetha…lle na-il-eller nan'sint-amin lle naik amin-ra, naneth en'amin corm," he said softly. "I am sorry that you had to see your mother taken from you in such a brutal manner, a'maelhin amin, and at such a young age," Celebrian said into the prince's flaxen hair. (*I'm sorry…you were not there, but I know your pain was as great as mine, mother of my heart…my beloved child)
Legolas looked regretfully at the crushed flower in his hands and said, "Naneth used to love these flowers. She said that they reminded her of sunlight and moonlight mingled together and I always loved their sweet smell. We would go out riding and pick them to adorn our rooms." A ghost of a smile graced his face. (*mother)
Celebrian reached down and wiped away the traces of his tears. "Have you ever been to the fair wood of Lorien, elle'er?" she asked him. He nodded and replied, "But a few times, though I would have liked to go more often. They are very beautiful and I would love to visit them again someday."
"You are familiar with the blossoms of elanor and niphredil then," Celebrian smiled faintly, her eyes distant. "They bloom only in Caras Galadhon." Legolas's eyes brightened and he said, "Yes, naneth had a box of pressed sun-stars and niphredils that she gave to me…she always smelled faintly of that, I think, to me."
He grew unexpectedly serious again and the Lady of Rivendell focused back again into the present. "What is troubling you, young one?" she asked lightly. "I am glad that you found me, for you have soothed my pain, my Lady," he hesitated. "But I must ask…would it displease you if I should call you naneth en'amin corm?" (*mother of my heart)
Celebrian felt a tear trickle down her cheek and the finger of the prince brush it away. She looked down into his anxious face and said, "You need only call me naneth, precious Greenleaf." And so it was that the silver lady and the golden boy walked back into the Homely House hand in hand, their grievous pain somewhat lessened by the events that had come to pass.
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Arwen sat under the branches of a great evergreen near the Bruinen, listening to the distant roar of the falls in her father's great settlement. She leaned against the bark and listened to the birds and sounds of the forest around her. This…this was the peace she longed for; the serenity away from the constant thrum of people and noise. Just alone with the wilds.
She closed her eyes and basked in the sunlight that filtered through the trees, as her thoughts lazily drifted to the prince from Greenwood that had arrived a few days prior. He was quite unique and had caught her attention at the feast in their honor, which was rare. Most elven boys were bothersome to her, always with their jokes and immaturity and telling her to 'act like a lady.'
But Legolas seemed to be deeper than that; he was interesting and good company. "You know you're not supposed to be this far out in the woods, hiril nin," a voice said from above her. She jumped to her feet and had her dagger drawn in an instant, her eyes wide. "Who is there? Show yourself!" Arwen demanded, trying not to shake.
Legolas dropped softly to the ground behind her and she whirled around, startled. "It is only me, Legolas. Forgive me, I did not mean to scare you." Arwen glared at him before she stuck her dagger back into her boot and snapped, "What are you doing out here anyway?"
Seemingly ignoring her question, he looked around and said, "We are near the Trollshaws, are we not? Your father would be most displeased, as would mine. We should head closer to home, don't you think?" He met her eyes and smiled.
She still had a scowl fixed on her fair features and said, "How did you find me?" The smile became dazzlingly bright and she couldn't help but smile back at him. "Naneth sent me; she told me that you would be here. I am a wood-elf…we are good hunters," he laughed before he continued. "She wanted me to find you before Lord Elrond realized that you were gone again."
"I didn't even hear you come upon me," she said in awe, before shaking her head. "My father does not understand my desire to run free in the forests like a deer rather than sit in the house like a bird in a cage," she stormed.
"Amin hiraetha," Legolas said; he knew how she felt, for his father sought to keep him caged as well. "He does not want me to learn the ways of the sword and the bow, for I am a princess and my place is that of a lady," she spat the word with a sneer of disgust. "I should learn the ways of healing and cooking and cleaning and all other things of the house, where is a woman's place." (*I'm sorry)
"I will teach you," Legolas offered. The Evenstar turned on him, her eyes narrowed. "What did you say?" she asked. "I will teach you," he replied simply. She advanced like a cat on its prey, circling him and scrutinized him under her intense gaze. He stood still as a statue, waiting patiently for her to finish her inspection.
"Why would you do such a thing? You hardly know me," Arwen finally spoke. Legolas replied evenly, "You wish to learn the ways of battle and tracking, do you not, my lady?" She nodded and rebutted, "You did not answer my question." He frowned at her stubbornness and after a long pause, he looked down to the ground.
"Because my mother died defending my life and every elf, no matter warrior or lady, should know how to handle a sword and bow," Legolas said quietly. Arwen paled and then flushed with embarrassment. "Forgive me, mellon, I did not know…" (*friend)
"Nay, do not apologize, you could not have known. I will teach you all that I know, princess," Legolas said. Arwen interrupted him, "Do not continue with such formalities. Please, call me Arwen." He smiled and said, "As you wish, but you must call me Legolas."
They spent the rest of the afternoon in the forest, Legolas teaching Arwen how to move silently through the trees and underbrush as he had to come upon her unnoticed. When they finally came back to Imladris, they were both covered in twigs and leaves, but flushed with exertion and pleasure.
"You stomp so loud through the leaves that a troll could hear you coming from a quarter-mile off!" Legolas laughed and ducked a swat on the head from Arwen. "I do not!" she retorted. "Aye, you do! How would you ever survive in the wilds? You could not come close enough to anything to ever shoot it!" he replied.
The two elflings dissolved into fits of laughter and didn't even notice the Lord of Imladris standing in front of them until the nearly ran into him. "Ada," Arwen gasped. "My Lord, I can explain," Legolas began. "There is nothing to explain," Elrond said sharply. "It is quite plain from your disheveled appearance what you two have been up to."
Arwen opened her mouth to apologize but Elrond cut her off and said, "I have been looking for you all afternoon, young lady. How many times have I told you not to run off into the woods?" He gave her a stern glance.
"Ada, I am not a child! I was not alone and I wanted to go run in the trees. Who could not want to on such a beautiful day?" Arwen pleaded with her father. Legolas stood silently, hesitant to raise the elf lord's ire any further.
"You have not seen even 100 summers yet Arwen! And look at you, the Evenstar of Imladris, dressed in tattered breeches and a tunic! Go to your chambers immediately and change for the evening meal. I expect to see you looking more yourself at dinner," Elrond fumed at his youngest child, frustration flickering across his face.
"You know nothing of who my true self is! You try to shape me to the mold of who you want me to be and I am not that person, ada! I refuse to be kept in this cage, however gilded, and I will not be bent to someone else's will!" Arwen cried, tears streaming down her face as she fled from them.
Legolas took several steps after her and was halted by Elrond's hand on his shoulder. "Why does she shut me out?" the elder's voice was strained and puzzled. Legolas paused before he answered, "Perhaps because you seek to protect her from that which she cannot and will not be protected from, my lord."
There was a quiet moment where just the birds sang and the leaves danced in the breeze before Elrond released the prince and Legolas went silently through the halls of Rivendell to his chambers to bathe and rest.