Chapter 6 – Find Your Happy Place
Since the Midsummer Feast, Legolas noticed Lianna had been acting strange. Not the normal, fun strange either. The weird, fruity strange that made people think she had something funky going on upstairs. Legolas knew there was something bothering his friend, but she kept denying it. Sometimes he thought he knew that elf better than she knew herself. He finished her sentences for her and it seemed they were one being at times. Without words, they'd simply look at each other and start laughing, knowing the other's thoughts.
Legolas didn't know what to do for her. He wanted to help, but it seemed she pulled away from him. And he had Katarina now. When they were sitting together, he and Katarina, she'd catch him staring off and ask if he was thinking of Lianna. The question, however many times she asked, never stopped bewildering him. "No! Why would I be?" He'd ask back. Kat would simply shrug. He couldn't let Kat feel ignored. So, he didn't pry into Lianna as much as he would've liked...or as much as Li would've liked.
Lianna awoke early and finished her chores. She sat on her bed and looked at the white dress hanging in her closet. She looked quickly away and closed her eyes tight. "I need to find something to do to take my mind off this." She said, to no one in particular, although her younger brother, by only 100 years, had heard through the wall. "You can do my chores after you stuck me with yours all those times."
Lianna pondered, and shrugged. Might as well. By sunrise, the house was spick and span. She had breakfast set on the table when her family came out of their rooms. They stopped dead and stared at the table, then at Lianna, who was smiling and holding three glasses of milk. "Good morning Ada, Reuben, Ganrin. Sit, and eat, I've already had mine.
"You deserve a break now and then Ada." She said as he sat, and she kissed the top of his head, sitting his milk in front of him. "And you, Reuben, are free of chores today, as are all." She set his milk down and kissed the top of his light brown head of hair. "Ganrin, I shall miss you when you go away. Remember always this morning." She set his milk and wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, kissing his cheek.
Now that she had quite disturbed her family, she set out to talk with Arwen again. It had made her feel much better talking with her the other day, and she could discuss with her, since she was the only one who knew her secret.
As she walked down the hall toward Arwen's room, she heard her name called from a balcony. She followed it and saw Katarina looking hopefully at her. "Lianna, can I talk to you?" Quite dumbfounded at the notion, all Li could say was, "Sure." And walked into the balcony, taking the seat Katarina motioned to. Kat took a deep breath before beginning. "Today I am going to talk to Legolas about marriage. To me. I know it is traditional to wait until proposed to, but I can't anymore! I just wanted to ask you what you thought he'd say. You're his best friend, and you know him better than anyone."
Kat looked hopefully into Li's face. But all she saw was a blank expression. Truthfully, she heard up to the word 'marriage' then went utterly def. She had seen Kat's lips moving, but no sound seemed to come out.
Li felt her heart sink and her stomach turned. "Lianna?" Kat asked when she didn't answer. Li heard Kat whisper her name and realized she wanted her opinion. She cleared her throat and fidgeted. There was no time to think of anything to say, so she went with the truth. "Legolas has always said when he finds the right one he'll know it . And he'll look forward to marriage." Her sense came back to her then, and an idea came. Cruel and deceptive, but she was desperate. Plans came flowing into her head of sabotage.
She said quickly, "But I don't know if he's ready yet. I think you wait for him to say something." Li put on her best supportive face and smiled at Kat, who seemed to be deep in thought. She finally nodded. "Okay. I'll trust you, I'll wait." She smiled back, "Thank you, Lianna. You're such an important part of Legolas's life, and I want you to be in mine, too." Kat placed her hand on Li's for a moment before leaving. Guilt immediately swarmed her. How could she have lied like that? She claims to love Legolas, yet she dreams of sabotaging his happiness for her benefit? What was the matter with her?
Lianna made her way to Arwen's room, only to find her missing. So, looking quite dazed, she started to make her way back to her own house. She was crossing the gardens when she saw a familiar face come around the bend. Fear gripped her. It was Legolas. He smiled warmly at the sight of his missed friend. At this point, they hadn't seen each other for days. Li was too afraid to walk in on Legolas and Katarina smooching in the garden. That would be too much for her to take. She smiled feebly back at him.
"Lianna! You were presumed dead! It's been too long!" He laughed. The sound of his laugh rang in her ears, sweet and musical. "It has, my friend. Pray tell, what news?" She retorted, with a sly smile, suddenly realizing how much she missed him.
Legolas thought he had his friend back. Whatever dark cloud she was struggling with had passed by. He thought it time he spoke with her of his plans. He had long been pondering if it was a good idea, but now that he had his best friend to talk to, the uncertainty seemed to vanish.
"Lianna, I want to ask you something about Katarina." The butterflies in her stomach had evolved into fish, and were violently flopping about. "U- Um..." She stuttered. Legolas saw her becoming uncomfortable and narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Maybe the cloud hadn't passed. Before he could ease her embarrassment, Li mumbled something about chores, and fled to her house.
Through her shut door, Danrin could hear his daughter weeping. He had a slight idea of what was bothering her, but he was not sure enough yet to speak with her about it. He just hoped his little girl would be strong enough to hold out until he figured out how to help.
Lianna refused to come out of her room to eat dinner that night, and had cried herself to sleep. By dawn's light, she had made her decision. The night hadn't been spent sleeping, but thinking, as she had in many past nights. But unlike those nights, this time she came to a conclusion. She made a game plan. She felt like she was getting somewhere, though she dreaded having to carry it out.
To ease her pain, she tried focusing and creating a happy place. She breathed deep and thought of what made her happy. There were flowers and sunshine. A stone bench by a babbling brook. A weeping willow providing shade for a picnic. Legolas sitting on the grass calling to her. Lianna breathed deep and smiled at the picture of him in her mind. 'Lianna' He called to her. 'Lianna come sit with me. I enjoy your company so.' She imagined sitting next to him, looking deep into his lovely blue eyes. The wind played with strands of his light blonde hair and caressed his face with them. She reached out and smoothed the strand behind his ear. He took her hand and pressed it against his cheek. He kissed her palm and looked into her eyes. Then, he took her own face in his hands and gently traced her lips with his thumb. He had just started to lean down when a loud bang came from the front door.
Lianna jerked and cursed at the loss of her perfect moment. But she heard her name being shouted from the front door. It was Katarina's voice. Li rolled her eyes. 'Great.' She thought. 'How awkward will this be?' She came out of her room, and saw her father had let her inside the dining room. Katarina's face was wet from tears. A wide smile pasted on her face. "Katarina, what is it?" The elf nearly bounced off the walls when Li asked her. She started squealing something so fast, it was inaudible. "Whoa! Slow down! Take a breath and tell me what happened." Kat did as she was told and started again. "Legolas..." deep breath, ".....asked me..." little squeal, "...to marry ....him!!!"
Danrin heard his daughter's heart break. He closed his eyes and sighed sorrowfully.
Lianna's mind was muddled. Had she heard right? Legolas was marrying Katarina? That was what he was trying to talk to her about in the garden. He was going to ask her about marrying Katarina. If only she hadn't run off, she might have been able to do something. But now it was too late. She had put off her plan too long.
"I am SO happy!" Katarina gushed, "You were right about holding off that talk!" Kat nearly jumped into Li's arms for a monstrous hug, then bolted out the door, saying on the way, "Thanks again! Talk to you later!"
Lianna would look back on that moment as the single most crushing moment of her entire life. Her knees gave out and she fell to the floor before her father could catch her. She lay on her back, staring at the ceiling, vaguely aware of her father crouching over her, talking to her. The last sound she heard before the darkness swarmed over her was the lonely beating of her crushed heart.
A/N.. so what do you think? Am I any good at this?? Should I continue? AHRGH! Im so conferred. Plz review and put my mind at ease. *puppy eyes.. pouty lip ~Austin B.
Since the Midsummer Feast, Legolas noticed Lianna had been acting strange. Not the normal, fun strange either. The weird, fruity strange that made people think she had something funky going on upstairs. Legolas knew there was something bothering his friend, but she kept denying it. Sometimes he thought he knew that elf better than she knew herself. He finished her sentences for her and it seemed they were one being at times. Without words, they'd simply look at each other and start laughing, knowing the other's thoughts.
Legolas didn't know what to do for her. He wanted to help, but it seemed she pulled away from him. And he had Katarina now. When they were sitting together, he and Katarina, she'd catch him staring off and ask if he was thinking of Lianna. The question, however many times she asked, never stopped bewildering him. "No! Why would I be?" He'd ask back. Kat would simply shrug. He couldn't let Kat feel ignored. So, he didn't pry into Lianna as much as he would've liked...or as much as Li would've liked.
Lianna awoke early and finished her chores. She sat on her bed and looked at the white dress hanging in her closet. She looked quickly away and closed her eyes tight. "I need to find something to do to take my mind off this." She said, to no one in particular, although her younger brother, by only 100 years, had heard through the wall. "You can do my chores after you stuck me with yours all those times."
Lianna pondered, and shrugged. Might as well. By sunrise, the house was spick and span. She had breakfast set on the table when her family came out of their rooms. They stopped dead and stared at the table, then at Lianna, who was smiling and holding three glasses of milk. "Good morning Ada, Reuben, Ganrin. Sit, and eat, I've already had mine.
"You deserve a break now and then Ada." She said as he sat, and she kissed the top of his head, sitting his milk in front of him. "And you, Reuben, are free of chores today, as are all." She set his milk down and kissed the top of his light brown head of hair. "Ganrin, I shall miss you when you go away. Remember always this morning." She set his milk and wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, kissing his cheek.
Now that she had quite disturbed her family, she set out to talk with Arwen again. It had made her feel much better talking with her the other day, and she could discuss with her, since she was the only one who knew her secret.
As she walked down the hall toward Arwen's room, she heard her name called from a balcony. She followed it and saw Katarina looking hopefully at her. "Lianna, can I talk to you?" Quite dumbfounded at the notion, all Li could say was, "Sure." And walked into the balcony, taking the seat Katarina motioned to. Kat took a deep breath before beginning. "Today I am going to talk to Legolas about marriage. To me. I know it is traditional to wait until proposed to, but I can't anymore! I just wanted to ask you what you thought he'd say. You're his best friend, and you know him better than anyone."
Kat looked hopefully into Li's face. But all she saw was a blank expression. Truthfully, she heard up to the word 'marriage' then went utterly def. She had seen Kat's lips moving, but no sound seemed to come out.
Li felt her heart sink and her stomach turned. "Lianna?" Kat asked when she didn't answer. Li heard Kat whisper her name and realized she wanted her opinion. She cleared her throat and fidgeted. There was no time to think of anything to say, so she went with the truth. "Legolas has always said when he finds the right one he'll know it . And he'll look forward to marriage." Her sense came back to her then, and an idea came. Cruel and deceptive, but she was desperate. Plans came flowing into her head of sabotage.
She said quickly, "But I don't know if he's ready yet. I think you wait for him to say something." Li put on her best supportive face and smiled at Kat, who seemed to be deep in thought. She finally nodded. "Okay. I'll trust you, I'll wait." She smiled back, "Thank you, Lianna. You're such an important part of Legolas's life, and I want you to be in mine, too." Kat placed her hand on Li's for a moment before leaving. Guilt immediately swarmed her. How could she have lied like that? She claims to love Legolas, yet she dreams of sabotaging his happiness for her benefit? What was the matter with her?
Lianna made her way to Arwen's room, only to find her missing. So, looking quite dazed, she started to make her way back to her own house. She was crossing the gardens when she saw a familiar face come around the bend. Fear gripped her. It was Legolas. He smiled warmly at the sight of his missed friend. At this point, they hadn't seen each other for days. Li was too afraid to walk in on Legolas and Katarina smooching in the garden. That would be too much for her to take. She smiled feebly back at him.
"Lianna! You were presumed dead! It's been too long!" He laughed. The sound of his laugh rang in her ears, sweet and musical. "It has, my friend. Pray tell, what news?" She retorted, with a sly smile, suddenly realizing how much she missed him.
Legolas thought he had his friend back. Whatever dark cloud she was struggling with had passed by. He thought it time he spoke with her of his plans. He had long been pondering if it was a good idea, but now that he had his best friend to talk to, the uncertainty seemed to vanish.
"Lianna, I want to ask you something about Katarina." The butterflies in her stomach had evolved into fish, and were violently flopping about. "U- Um..." She stuttered. Legolas saw her becoming uncomfortable and narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Maybe the cloud hadn't passed. Before he could ease her embarrassment, Li mumbled something about chores, and fled to her house.
Through her shut door, Danrin could hear his daughter weeping. He had a slight idea of what was bothering her, but he was not sure enough yet to speak with her about it. He just hoped his little girl would be strong enough to hold out until he figured out how to help.
Lianna refused to come out of her room to eat dinner that night, and had cried herself to sleep. By dawn's light, she had made her decision. The night hadn't been spent sleeping, but thinking, as she had in many past nights. But unlike those nights, this time she came to a conclusion. She made a game plan. She felt like she was getting somewhere, though she dreaded having to carry it out.
To ease her pain, she tried focusing and creating a happy place. She breathed deep and thought of what made her happy. There were flowers and sunshine. A stone bench by a babbling brook. A weeping willow providing shade for a picnic. Legolas sitting on the grass calling to her. Lianna breathed deep and smiled at the picture of him in her mind. 'Lianna' He called to her. 'Lianna come sit with me. I enjoy your company so.' She imagined sitting next to him, looking deep into his lovely blue eyes. The wind played with strands of his light blonde hair and caressed his face with them. She reached out and smoothed the strand behind his ear. He took her hand and pressed it against his cheek. He kissed her palm and looked into her eyes. Then, he took her own face in his hands and gently traced her lips with his thumb. He had just started to lean down when a loud bang came from the front door.
Lianna jerked and cursed at the loss of her perfect moment. But she heard her name being shouted from the front door. It was Katarina's voice. Li rolled her eyes. 'Great.' She thought. 'How awkward will this be?' She came out of her room, and saw her father had let her inside the dining room. Katarina's face was wet from tears. A wide smile pasted on her face. "Katarina, what is it?" The elf nearly bounced off the walls when Li asked her. She started squealing something so fast, it was inaudible. "Whoa! Slow down! Take a breath and tell me what happened." Kat did as she was told and started again. "Legolas..." deep breath, ".....asked me..." little squeal, "...to marry ....him!!!"
Danrin heard his daughter's heart break. He closed his eyes and sighed sorrowfully.
Lianna's mind was muddled. Had she heard right? Legolas was marrying Katarina? That was what he was trying to talk to her about in the garden. He was going to ask her about marrying Katarina. If only she hadn't run off, she might have been able to do something. But now it was too late. She had put off her plan too long.
"I am SO happy!" Katarina gushed, "You were right about holding off that talk!" Kat nearly jumped into Li's arms for a monstrous hug, then bolted out the door, saying on the way, "Thanks again! Talk to you later!"
Lianna would look back on that moment as the single most crushing moment of her entire life. Her knees gave out and she fell to the floor before her father could catch her. She lay on her back, staring at the ceiling, vaguely aware of her father crouching over her, talking to her. The last sound she heard before the darkness swarmed over her was the lonely beating of her crushed heart.
A/N.. so what do you think? Am I any good at this?? Should I continue? AHRGH! Im so conferred. Plz review and put my mind at ease. *puppy eyes.. pouty lip ~Austin B.