A/N: R&R! Advice and tips are quite helpful. Noting any flaws helps me with
the storyline. Oh, and don't worry—the she-elf comes in soon...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Legolas:
"Do we really need saddles?" Taela asked me as she struggled to
buckle the saddle onto her ride. The way her horse whinnied and moved away
from her reminded me of a child playing a game of tag.
"You don't have to use one," I replied in amusement as I slid a
saddle onto my own mare with ease. I myself preferred riding bareback, but
long distances required me to pack supplies in the saddlebags. My hands
worked quickly as I strapped my bow onto the mare's saddle; I would never
go anywhere without it.
"Good," she said with a smile. Her smile was like an afternoon in the
springtime—warm and pleasant. She dropped the saddle on the ground to mount
her stallion. She flushed a light pink to her ears when she couldn't climb
up. I could tell she wished she was taller.
Impulsively, I assisted her by giving her a boost with my cupped
hands. She accepted my help gratefully when she discovered I wasn't teasing
her by offering to help. I noted she was considerably light as she placed
her foot in my hands and climbed onto her horse.
"Thank you," she murmured, as if embarrassed to have had help
mounting her own horse. She waited patiently as I mounted my steed, and
then we were off.
South we rode, further and further with a gentle breeze in our faces.
I couldn't help but glance at Taela every so often as we rode through the
forest. She was watching me carefully—studying me carefully. I could feel
her chartreuse gaze follow my every movement, even as I lifted a hand to
pat the neck of my mare.
"Do you really find me so interesting that you must stare?" I finally
asked after we had left the southern end of the forest miles behind us. We
were now in a plain that seemed to stretch endlessly before us aside from
the shrubbery, trees, and boulders that were scattered here and there.
Her cheeks turned a rosy pink color, and she smiled. It was only then
did I notice the tiny dimples in her cheeks when she smiled. "Actually,
you're one of the first elves I've ever met, so I find you excessively
interesting," she replied, not thwarting her gaze for a moment.
"Is that so?" I mused, slowing my horse to a stop at a nearby tree.
It was old and leaning, but it would provide some cover for that night. The
sun had already sunk below the horizon, and the sky was gradually getting
darker.
"The orcs have found a way of producing Uruk Hai, and there isn't
much time before Minas Tirith falls. Why are we stopping?" Taela queried,
changing the subject. Her face had a puzzled expression, like that of a dog
abandoned in a deserted home.
"I know Aragorn...he and his men can fend them off until help comes.
Believe me, he's done it before," I countered, dismounting the milky white
mare to set up camp. "Besides, the horses need rest; they are not limitless
in energy."
She opened her mouth to protest, but she didn't say a word. Her mouth
closed as she dismounted her stallion, and she gingerly stroked its bare
back knowing that it was, as I had said, tired from the trip. Her small
hands moved in circles, and she whispered words to her horse as if it were
her own child.
The thought made me smile for some reason as I spread a blanket out
on the rock hard ground in hopes to make it feel softer. "When you're done
tending to your horse, I suggest you get some rest," I advised, standing up
straight to get the bow that I had strapped carefully onto my horse's
saddle back at the stables in Mirkwood.
"What about you?" she inquired, idly leaving the stallion to sit down
on the blanket I had prepared. She sat with her legs crossed, hands neatly
folded in her lap. Her gaze never left me.
My eyes drifted about the area, alert for any sign of danger. "That
is not your concern," I responded, lowering my voice. Something was drawing
near. "I'll be back soon...go to sleep," I commanded.
She eyed me suspiciously before obediently laying down and closing
her eyes. She must have fallen asleep, because she didn't stir a bit after
that. I had to smile. Her short and slender figure wasn't quite as small
any hobbit or dwarf, nor was she the same size as most other humans. Her
body didn't even amount to the full length of the blanket she lay on. Then
again, the navy blue blanket was fairly large...
My smile faded as I heard footsteps nearby—footsteps only elf ears
could pick up. Instinctively, I loaded my bow with an arrow from the quiver
I always had strapped around my back and moved away from our camp. My light
steps made no sound as I moved across the field and away from the camp.
At that moment, I saw a figure among a group of boulders just about thirty
yards away. I proceeded forward a few feet, stopping to hide myself behind
a conveniently placed tree. The footsteps began again, coming nearer and
nearer. Just as the owner of the footsteps was about to pass me, I spun
around the tree and aimed my bow at its head. "State your name and why you
are following," I ordered, my voice as firm as iron.
"Legolas, it's me, Eámanë Elensar!" a familiar female voice replied,
obviously surprised I hadn't recognized her.
I stepped back, slowly lowering my bow to gaze upon the fair elvish
face of my childhood friend. Her auburn eyes smiled at me, as did her
scarlet pink lips, revealing teeth as white as the stars. Strands of blonde
hair neatly framed in her face while the rest was braided at the back of
her head. My heart skipped a beat. I hadn't seen her in at least one
thousand years. What was she doing here?
"I heard you were leaving for Gondor, and I wanted to see you," she
explained, as if reading my mind.
I held up a hand, shaking my head. "Eámanë, you cannot come with me,
so don't even ask," I replied quickly.
"I won't, Legolas," she assured me with a slight smile. When did she
get so lovely? "I only came to see you once more, just in case you do not
come back."
I must have looked like a fool just staring at her, because her laughter
filled the silence after her words.
"Good bye then, nin mellon," she said, her voice now serious. It was then
that she did it. She kissed me. She leaned toward me and she pressed her
lips against mine, allowing it to last for only a split second.
Before I could ask why, she left me dumbfounded, standing next to
that tree. 'What was that all about?' I asked myself silently, wiping my
mouth on the sleeve of my tunic.
Lost in thought, I turned and walked back to the camp. As I sat down
underneath the old tree a few feet away from the sleeping Taela, I began to
ponder aimlessly: I knew it didn't mean anything......I hoped it didn't mean
anything......I wished it didn't mean anything.
A/N: Looks like Legolas's problems have already begun...and it's only chapter
three!
the storyline. Oh, and don't worry—the she-elf comes in soon...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Legolas:
"Do we really need saddles?" Taela asked me as she struggled to
buckle the saddle onto her ride. The way her horse whinnied and moved away
from her reminded me of a child playing a game of tag.
"You don't have to use one," I replied in amusement as I slid a
saddle onto my own mare with ease. I myself preferred riding bareback, but
long distances required me to pack supplies in the saddlebags. My hands
worked quickly as I strapped my bow onto the mare's saddle; I would never
go anywhere without it.
"Good," she said with a smile. Her smile was like an afternoon in the
springtime—warm and pleasant. She dropped the saddle on the ground to mount
her stallion. She flushed a light pink to her ears when she couldn't climb
up. I could tell she wished she was taller.
Impulsively, I assisted her by giving her a boost with my cupped
hands. She accepted my help gratefully when she discovered I wasn't teasing
her by offering to help. I noted she was considerably light as she placed
her foot in my hands and climbed onto her horse.
"Thank you," she murmured, as if embarrassed to have had help
mounting her own horse. She waited patiently as I mounted my steed, and
then we were off.
South we rode, further and further with a gentle breeze in our faces.
I couldn't help but glance at Taela every so often as we rode through the
forest. She was watching me carefully—studying me carefully. I could feel
her chartreuse gaze follow my every movement, even as I lifted a hand to
pat the neck of my mare.
"Do you really find me so interesting that you must stare?" I finally
asked after we had left the southern end of the forest miles behind us. We
were now in a plain that seemed to stretch endlessly before us aside from
the shrubbery, trees, and boulders that were scattered here and there.
Her cheeks turned a rosy pink color, and she smiled. It was only then
did I notice the tiny dimples in her cheeks when she smiled. "Actually,
you're one of the first elves I've ever met, so I find you excessively
interesting," she replied, not thwarting her gaze for a moment.
"Is that so?" I mused, slowing my horse to a stop at a nearby tree.
It was old and leaning, but it would provide some cover for that night. The
sun had already sunk below the horizon, and the sky was gradually getting
darker.
"The orcs have found a way of producing Uruk Hai, and there isn't
much time before Minas Tirith falls. Why are we stopping?" Taela queried,
changing the subject. Her face had a puzzled expression, like that of a dog
abandoned in a deserted home.
"I know Aragorn...he and his men can fend them off until help comes.
Believe me, he's done it before," I countered, dismounting the milky white
mare to set up camp. "Besides, the horses need rest; they are not limitless
in energy."
She opened her mouth to protest, but she didn't say a word. Her mouth
closed as she dismounted her stallion, and she gingerly stroked its bare
back knowing that it was, as I had said, tired from the trip. Her small
hands moved in circles, and she whispered words to her horse as if it were
her own child.
The thought made me smile for some reason as I spread a blanket out
on the rock hard ground in hopes to make it feel softer. "When you're done
tending to your horse, I suggest you get some rest," I advised, standing up
straight to get the bow that I had strapped carefully onto my horse's
saddle back at the stables in Mirkwood.
"What about you?" she inquired, idly leaving the stallion to sit down
on the blanket I had prepared. She sat with her legs crossed, hands neatly
folded in her lap. Her gaze never left me.
My eyes drifted about the area, alert for any sign of danger. "That
is not your concern," I responded, lowering my voice. Something was drawing
near. "I'll be back soon...go to sleep," I commanded.
She eyed me suspiciously before obediently laying down and closing
her eyes. She must have fallen asleep, because she didn't stir a bit after
that. I had to smile. Her short and slender figure wasn't quite as small
any hobbit or dwarf, nor was she the same size as most other humans. Her
body didn't even amount to the full length of the blanket she lay on. Then
again, the navy blue blanket was fairly large...
My smile faded as I heard footsteps nearby—footsteps only elf ears
could pick up. Instinctively, I loaded my bow with an arrow from the quiver
I always had strapped around my back and moved away from our camp. My light
steps made no sound as I moved across the field and away from the camp.
At that moment, I saw a figure among a group of boulders just about thirty
yards away. I proceeded forward a few feet, stopping to hide myself behind
a conveniently placed tree. The footsteps began again, coming nearer and
nearer. Just as the owner of the footsteps was about to pass me, I spun
around the tree and aimed my bow at its head. "State your name and why you
are following," I ordered, my voice as firm as iron.
"Legolas, it's me, Eámanë Elensar!" a familiar female voice replied,
obviously surprised I hadn't recognized her.
I stepped back, slowly lowering my bow to gaze upon the fair elvish
face of my childhood friend. Her auburn eyes smiled at me, as did her
scarlet pink lips, revealing teeth as white as the stars. Strands of blonde
hair neatly framed in her face while the rest was braided at the back of
her head. My heart skipped a beat. I hadn't seen her in at least one
thousand years. What was she doing here?
"I heard you were leaving for Gondor, and I wanted to see you," she
explained, as if reading my mind.
I held up a hand, shaking my head. "Eámanë, you cannot come with me,
so don't even ask," I replied quickly.
"I won't, Legolas," she assured me with a slight smile. When did she
get so lovely? "I only came to see you once more, just in case you do not
come back."
I must have looked like a fool just staring at her, because her laughter
filled the silence after her words.
"Good bye then, nin mellon," she said, her voice now serious. It was then
that she did it. She kissed me. She leaned toward me and she pressed her
lips against mine, allowing it to last for only a split second.
Before I could ask why, she left me dumbfounded, standing next to
that tree. 'What was that all about?' I asked myself silently, wiping my
mouth on the sleeve of my tunic.
Lost in thought, I turned and walked back to the camp. As I sat down
underneath the old tree a few feet away from the sleeping Taela, I began to
ponder aimlessly: I knew it didn't mean anything......I hoped it didn't mean
anything......I wished it didn't mean anything.
A/N: Looks like Legolas's problems have already begun...and it's only chapter
three!