Folks, I had to tie up one more loose end before allowing Legolas to ride out through the gates of Rivendell.
Thanks to the following reviewers: Jebb, Melissa, Farflung, Kim, Lyn, Joee, and Dragonfly. Several of you mentioned your forebodings about Isengard. Ai! Legolas still has no proof of Saruman's perfidy, so the visit will take place. This will be great for the plot, but not so great for the health of at least one Elf. Now, having mentioned that, did I also mention that, since Spring Break is drawing to a close, the pace of posting will be slowing considerably? So, um, it might be awhile before I reveal which Elf is imperiled. Mwah hah h—Ooops! (Author ducks as she is bombarded by objects that have come flying out of her computer screen.)
Breakfast the next day was a subdued affair, taken in the dining hall but before most of the Elves had arisen. Only Elrond, Legolas, Elladan, and Elrohir were present at first, joined after awhile by Glorfindel and Erestor. Lastly Thranduil arrived and the other Elves of the household filtered in, including those who were to ride in the escort.
After breakfast, those who were to depart went straight to the stables, where the stable hands had been up since before dawn making ready the horses. Each rider checked to see that his baggage was securely fastened, and then the horses were led out into the stableyard. Few other Elves were about, mainly some of the younger ones who had been Legolas' especial friends over the years—Thoron, Baramagor, Celaithand and Celaimîr, Miluithand, Lendsiniath, and Malthenêl and Malthenrî. Berenmaethor was there as well.
As Legolas stood in the stableyard waiting for all preparations to be concluded, he thought in particular of his last meeting with one of these friends— Malthenrî. He had first spoken to her the night of the celebration in the Hall of Fire that was held after the Elves had returned from a victory over the Orcs Malthenrî. He smiled a little as he remembered how Erestor had helped maneuver them together by suggesting that he fetch her a glass of wine.
After that wondrous night, Malthenrî began to appear in the garden at just about the same time Legolas would go there for a few quiet moments before dinner. She was so soft-spoken at first that Legolas did not feel she detracted from the peacefulness of that place; and afterward he did not care, for he began hastening to the garden more in hopes of seeing her than in reveling in the serenity of nature. Sometimes they walked side by side; sometimes they sat upon a bench or upon the grass. Sometimes they talked; sometimes they did not. Frequently Legolas found himself taking her hand in his, at first under the guise of drawing her to some plant that he wished her to see, later for no reason at all, other than that he wanted to.
Unfortunately, at about the same time that Malthenrî began appearing in the garden, so too did Estel. Legolas bemoaned the ill-fortune that led the little human to suddenly decide that he needed to visit the garden every evening before dinner. At last he resorted to bribing Estel to betake himself elsewhere. Surprisingly, it took quite a lot to persuade Estel to do so. No mere offer of pastries would do. No, Legolas had to promise to take him swimming, riding, shooting. It never occurred to Legolas that mayhap Estel proved hard to bribe because he had to be tempted with rewards that would at least match those someone else was simultaneously offering.
Once Estel had been dispatched, the next vexation proved to be Erestor, who also developed a sudden interest in walking in the garden. "For my health," he growled when Legolas wondered aloud why he was not in the library. Ai! There would be no bribing Erestor. Every evening, soon after Legolas and Malthenrî would arrive, Erestor would materialize and begin stalking the boundaries of the garden as if he were on patrol. Legolas and Malthenrî tried going earlier to the garden, but it did no good. And so they walked and talked and held hands, all within view of Erestor, who did not seem to care as long as that was all they did. Gradually they began to ignore him.
Two evenings ago, Legolas and Malthenrî had met in the garden for the last time. They sat silently upon the grass, their legs curled up, facing one another. Erestor had not yet put in his appearance. Indeed, he seemed to be a little late in doing so. Suddenly Malthenrî leaned forward and took Legolas' face between her hands. Legolas began to bow his head so that she might kiss him upon the forehead. Instead, she raised his head slightly and pressed her lips upon his. When Legolas opened his lips in surprise, the kiss suddenly became rather—complicated. At last, just when Legolas thought that he pass out from want of breath, Malthenrî released him.
"Elrohir said you were bold," gasped Legolas.
"Bolder than you, apparently," came the laughing reply. "However long were you going to wait!?"
"Um, well, we are immortal, so I didn't think there was a hurry."
"As it turns out, there was, wasn't there?"
Legolas had to admit that this was true.
"Now what do we do?" he said helplessly. "I leave soon for Mirkwood, and I do not know when I shall return."
"My sister and I sometimes journey to Lothlórien."
"Yes?" Legolas looked at her inquiringly.
She rolled her eyes.
"I do not know why everyone is always saying that you are wise for your age. I have seen little of it! When I am in Lothlórien, surely you can find some excuse to travel thither from Mirkwood."
Legolas looked a little silly.
"Oh. Of course."
"Haldir has told me that we are welcome to repair to his talan whenever we please."
"How very kind of him. We shall be able to talk in private."
She stared at him in disbelief and shook his head.
"Truly it is as Elrohir has told me: of some things you are utterly innocent. Well, as you have said, we are immortal."
"You have spoken of me to Elrohir?" said Legolas, perplexed.
"Yes. In matters such as these, he is the one to consult. By all accounts, he is not as—inexperienced as you. But come, I think we have time for one more kiss before your chaperone appears."
"My chaperone?"
"Yes. Have you not noticed that Erestor always comes to walk in the garden shortly after you and I enter it?"
"I had noticed but thought it a coincidence."
She shook her head.
"Erestor is no great lover of gardens, and it was not his custom to take a nightly constitutional. He would spend all his free time in the library if he could. No, it is certain that your foster-father has appointed Erestor your guardian in this case, although only after Estel proved to be unreliable. No doubt Lord Elrond wanted to make sure that nothing untoward occurred whilst you were in his care. It is because you are a prince, I think, for my sister has told me that Elrohir has no chaperone and never has had one. Elladan has also been left to his own devices, I hear tell."
"But why would I be treated differently than the sons of Lord Elrond?"
"Princes are held to a higher standard, or it may be that their marriages sometimes are of great import to the future of their kingdoms. At any rate, I am glad that Glorfindel is my uncle, else I should long ago have retired to my chamber to weep in hopeless despair. You have no idea how many tears Celaimîr and Lendsiniath have shed over you."
"Celaimîr and Lendsiniath?"
"Aye, because Celaimîr is the daughter of the Armorer and Lendsiniath is the daughter of the Cook. Their fathers told them many years ago that you were not to be trifled with. It was long before they ceased to look like wraiths, so great was their grief."
"I am sorry," said Legolas. "I did not know."
"Oh, do not trouble yourself overmuch. It took time, but they did recover. Lendsiniath spent so much time commiserating with Celaimîr that she became well acquainted with Celaimîr's brother, Celaithand. Now Lendsiniath and Celaithand are inseparable. As for Celaimîr, Celaithand introduced her to Baramagor, and now those two are likewise inseparable. So, you see, it all worked out in the end. But we are wasting our opportunity to kiss!"
With that Malthenrî leaned forward and seized Legolas, who was still not forward in these matters, but who soon recovered his wits sufficiently so that Elf and Elleth were creatively intertwined when Erestor at last drew near. The older Elf had to give not one, not two, but three discrete coughs before the younger ones reluctantly untangled their limbs.
"Good evening, Erestor," said Legolas, his face flushed both from exertion and embarrassment.
"Apparently so. You have got quite a bit of grass in your hair. As does Malthenrî. You may want to pluck it out before you appear for dinner."
"That will give them something to do with their hands," Erestor muttered as he commenced his circuit round the garden, one that would keep the younger Elves within his sight all the while. His instructions from Elrond had always been quite clear.
As Legolas thought of that evening, he unconsciously touched his fingers to his lips. Then he caught Elrohir and Elladan grinning at him, and he self-consciously dropped his hands to his sides.
There were to be no elaborate farewells this morning, for all the partings had taken place the night before. The escort were all horsed, as was Thranduil. Legolas took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and mounted his own horse. He knew, however, that, unseen behind a drape, Elrond stood watching—aye, and probably Glorfindel and Erestor had each found their own curtains behind which to shelter. He nodded slightly toward the seemingly empty windows and then turned his horse's head toward the gates of Rivendell. Side by side, he and Thranduil led forth the company.