I had been avoiding Legolas for the past five days. How could I face him?
But I had to see him sooner or later and that was the day of the
competition. Everyone had gathered at a field next to the lake which was in
front of a mountain. The benches we sat on were on the opposite side of the
field to the lake. I was sitting in the front row on the right end. The air
seemed to buzz with excitement but I didn't understand what the commotion
was. What was so special about the tournament? I could care less. In fact,
I almost found it immature.
More elves were coming from the palace. The old man was sitting next to me. Mueyna stood behind me. I really didn't want to waste my time here. What was the point? I didn't want to see who would win. The unfortunate event still dominated my mind and I wouldn't say exactly that this was precisely the correct time to see him again; maybe in a year, perhaps two but definitely not in five days. I had been really polite so far but nothing happened. The witch practically ignored me.
As everyone settled down, the contestants came out of a tent behind the crowd. There were four in total and Earyn and Legolas were two of them. Each of them had a right hand man. I quickly looked away as Legolas came out. God, what was I here?!
"Today's archery competition's participants are Lord Earyn from Lorien, Prince Legolas from Mirkwood, Hallalinde of Imladris, and Lintehuine also from Rivendell. May the best wins!" The elf that was announcing stood on the opposite end of where I sat.
All four of them took their places about 75 meters away from their target. Legolas stood second closest to the crowd with Earyn on his left side.
"Contestants ready," the elf yelled. All of them notched an arrow. "Aim," he instructed. All of them lifted their bows. "Fire!"
I didn't look. Once he said that word, I dropped my gaze to the ground. I waited as the crowd fell silent. I heard the sound of arrows whizzing through the air. I half expected Legolas' name being shouted for owning the first round, but instead I heard gasps as the arrows hit their master's target.
"What happened?" I asked Mueyna without lifting my head.
"Prince Legolas," she stuttered out.
"What? Did he win? Surprise! Surprise!" I said sarcastically.
"No," Mueyna replied softly, "he lost...and by a whole lot."
My eyes widened. I thought he was really good at archery. I could prove it! I saw him with my own eyes shoot orcs even farther away and it would be dead and plus it moves! I looked at the target board and sure enough, Legolas' arrow was at the very edge of it while everyone else's was near the middle. I looked over at Legolas and from this distance I could make out his are-you-happy look. Oh my god...I bit my lip from bursting out laughing with joy.
"Why do you seem happy when Prince Legolas just lost?" Mueyna inquired.
I smirked and beckoned her to come closer.
(Narrator's POV)
"Sir, what happened? Why did you miss? You never miss." Aeire, Legolas' right hand man, questioned.
"It is nerves. Never mind me." Legolas answered curtly.
"It cannot be nerves. Sir, this never happened before unless Lord Earyn asked you to..."
"Aeire! How dare you?!" Legolas looked disapprovingly at him.
"Sorry sir!" Aeire quickly bowed.
"Get up, get up. It is not that." Legolas looked over at Jocelyn.
Aeire caught up with him. "Is it a girl? Is it Lady Jocelyn?"
"Do not mention her name." Legolas grumbled.
Aeire stopped himself from chuckling and straightened himself. He handed Legolas his second arrow. Just then, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Aeire turned around. "Mueyna?"
Mueyna curtsied. "I have word for Prince Legolas from my lady."
Legolas spun around at the mention of Jocelyn. Aeire glanced at him and smirked. Legolas glared at him and the look disappeared. "Yes, yes, I am losing. Is she not watching?"
"No sir, my lady said if you really meant what you said last week, you will not lose. You will win this tournament."
Aeire smiled at this while Legolas scowled. Mueyna curtsied again and left.
"Ready, good sirs."
"Now sir, prove your love." Aeire whispered into his master's ears.
"Aim!"
Legolas lifted his bow and mumbled under his breath. "And how I hate her."
"Fire!"
This time, Jocelyn was watching.
(Jocelyn's POV)
"My lady, I sent your message." Mueyna had come back.
I beamed as Legolas' arrow struck the middle of the target board. I laughed. He really did mean what he said. I was really happy.
"My lady?"
I must've still been laughing. I quickly stopped myself and threw my gaze over to the contestants to them preparing for the last round.
"Third round! Ready, aim, fire!"
Once again, Legolas won the round. "The champion of this archery tournament is Prince Legolas of Mirkwood! May our lord present our winner."
Legolas stepped forward in front of Lord Elrond. He presented Legolas with a silver bow.
"Thank you my lord." Legolas bowed. He turned to the elf next to Elrond and placed a hand on her cheek while she did the same to him.
Who was she? She looked glamorous. She seemed to glow yet by the expression on her face; life felt like it was seeping away.
The movement around me broke my stare. Everyone was leaving now. I stood up too.
"Would you like me to take you back to your chamber?" Mueyna asked me from behind.
I shook my head, "No, I'd like to stay. Perhaps you should go. I want to be alone." Why all of a sudden did my speech sound so formal? I swear these elves have an effect on me.
"Yes, my lady." Mueyna left with the rest of the crowd.
I stood there staring at my hands when finally the last elf was gone. I lifted my head to see Legolas in the middle of the field looking directly at me, leaning on his new silver bow. I smiled and walked over to him.
"How did you enjoy the show, Lady Jocelyn?" Legolas challenged me.
"It could have been better." I smirked at him.
"Uh huh," he voiced before he pulled me into a kiss. As I leaned in, I made his bow drop. "That can cost a fortune." He mumbled, lifting his lips off mine slightly.
I smiled before I pulled him in again. I felt a cool tingle through me as his lips touch mine. Goose bumps formed on my arms and neck. I pulled back and said, "How does it fell to be a champion?"
Legolas laughed and took my hand. We walked together to the edge of the lake. Dusk was approaching fast. He sat me down. "It is nothing more important than having you with me right now."
I could melt like an ice cube right about now. I cuddled up to him. The view was incredible. The sun was sinking down behind the mountain and it reflected off the water, illuminating everything in sight. For once out of this whole trip, I did not regret the choice I made of walking out onto a busy street without looking both ways.
"How have your days been without me?" Legolas wrapped his arms around my waist.
I leaned back and rest on his chest. "Those were the best days of my life."
"Then I wager that you would die for the days coming." He smirked while looking down at me.
"Oh, I bet I would." I closed my eyes and fell into the moment. I would pause time if I could.
'I suggest you not be too caught up in this. You still want to leave right? I thought home was all that mattered.'
Oh god thanks for bringing it up. Could you not just let something good last longer for me?! What did I ever do to you? Yet, she was right. I had to leave some time. It was only a case of whether I wanted to or not and of course I want to and of course I want to. I couldn't stay here forever...could I? "Legolas, what would you do if I told you I had to leave now and never come back?" I opened my eyes.
He looked at me uncertain. "Why do you ask such a question?"
"I just want to know." I insisted.
"I am not sure," he sighed, "but it definitely will not be good."
"You know I will leave eventually." I bargained for his reaction.
"Then I will follow even if it is to death." Legolas gave me a convincing squeeze around the waist.
More elves were coming from the palace. The old man was sitting next to me. Mueyna stood behind me. I really didn't want to waste my time here. What was the point? I didn't want to see who would win. The unfortunate event still dominated my mind and I wouldn't say exactly that this was precisely the correct time to see him again; maybe in a year, perhaps two but definitely not in five days. I had been really polite so far but nothing happened. The witch practically ignored me.
As everyone settled down, the contestants came out of a tent behind the crowd. There were four in total and Earyn and Legolas were two of them. Each of them had a right hand man. I quickly looked away as Legolas came out. God, what was I here?!
"Today's archery competition's participants are Lord Earyn from Lorien, Prince Legolas from Mirkwood, Hallalinde of Imladris, and Lintehuine also from Rivendell. May the best wins!" The elf that was announcing stood on the opposite end of where I sat.
All four of them took their places about 75 meters away from their target. Legolas stood second closest to the crowd with Earyn on his left side.
"Contestants ready," the elf yelled. All of them notched an arrow. "Aim," he instructed. All of them lifted their bows. "Fire!"
I didn't look. Once he said that word, I dropped my gaze to the ground. I waited as the crowd fell silent. I heard the sound of arrows whizzing through the air. I half expected Legolas' name being shouted for owning the first round, but instead I heard gasps as the arrows hit their master's target.
"What happened?" I asked Mueyna without lifting my head.
"Prince Legolas," she stuttered out.
"What? Did he win? Surprise! Surprise!" I said sarcastically.
"No," Mueyna replied softly, "he lost...and by a whole lot."
My eyes widened. I thought he was really good at archery. I could prove it! I saw him with my own eyes shoot orcs even farther away and it would be dead and plus it moves! I looked at the target board and sure enough, Legolas' arrow was at the very edge of it while everyone else's was near the middle. I looked over at Legolas and from this distance I could make out his are-you-happy look. Oh my god...I bit my lip from bursting out laughing with joy.
"Why do you seem happy when Prince Legolas just lost?" Mueyna inquired.
I smirked and beckoned her to come closer.
(Narrator's POV)
"Sir, what happened? Why did you miss? You never miss." Aeire, Legolas' right hand man, questioned.
"It is nerves. Never mind me." Legolas answered curtly.
"It cannot be nerves. Sir, this never happened before unless Lord Earyn asked you to..."
"Aeire! How dare you?!" Legolas looked disapprovingly at him.
"Sorry sir!" Aeire quickly bowed.
"Get up, get up. It is not that." Legolas looked over at Jocelyn.
Aeire caught up with him. "Is it a girl? Is it Lady Jocelyn?"
"Do not mention her name." Legolas grumbled.
Aeire stopped himself from chuckling and straightened himself. He handed Legolas his second arrow. Just then, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Aeire turned around. "Mueyna?"
Mueyna curtsied. "I have word for Prince Legolas from my lady."
Legolas spun around at the mention of Jocelyn. Aeire glanced at him and smirked. Legolas glared at him and the look disappeared. "Yes, yes, I am losing. Is she not watching?"
"No sir, my lady said if you really meant what you said last week, you will not lose. You will win this tournament."
Aeire smiled at this while Legolas scowled. Mueyna curtsied again and left.
"Ready, good sirs."
"Now sir, prove your love." Aeire whispered into his master's ears.
"Aim!"
Legolas lifted his bow and mumbled under his breath. "And how I hate her."
"Fire!"
This time, Jocelyn was watching.
(Jocelyn's POV)
"My lady, I sent your message." Mueyna had come back.
I beamed as Legolas' arrow struck the middle of the target board. I laughed. He really did mean what he said. I was really happy.
"My lady?"
I must've still been laughing. I quickly stopped myself and threw my gaze over to the contestants to them preparing for the last round.
"Third round! Ready, aim, fire!"
Once again, Legolas won the round. "The champion of this archery tournament is Prince Legolas of Mirkwood! May our lord present our winner."
Legolas stepped forward in front of Lord Elrond. He presented Legolas with a silver bow.
"Thank you my lord." Legolas bowed. He turned to the elf next to Elrond and placed a hand on her cheek while she did the same to him.
Who was she? She looked glamorous. She seemed to glow yet by the expression on her face; life felt like it was seeping away.
The movement around me broke my stare. Everyone was leaving now. I stood up too.
"Would you like me to take you back to your chamber?" Mueyna asked me from behind.
I shook my head, "No, I'd like to stay. Perhaps you should go. I want to be alone." Why all of a sudden did my speech sound so formal? I swear these elves have an effect on me.
"Yes, my lady." Mueyna left with the rest of the crowd.
I stood there staring at my hands when finally the last elf was gone. I lifted my head to see Legolas in the middle of the field looking directly at me, leaning on his new silver bow. I smiled and walked over to him.
"How did you enjoy the show, Lady Jocelyn?" Legolas challenged me.
"It could have been better." I smirked at him.
"Uh huh," he voiced before he pulled me into a kiss. As I leaned in, I made his bow drop. "That can cost a fortune." He mumbled, lifting his lips off mine slightly.
I smiled before I pulled him in again. I felt a cool tingle through me as his lips touch mine. Goose bumps formed on my arms and neck. I pulled back and said, "How does it fell to be a champion?"
Legolas laughed and took my hand. We walked together to the edge of the lake. Dusk was approaching fast. He sat me down. "It is nothing more important than having you with me right now."
I could melt like an ice cube right about now. I cuddled up to him. The view was incredible. The sun was sinking down behind the mountain and it reflected off the water, illuminating everything in sight. For once out of this whole trip, I did not regret the choice I made of walking out onto a busy street without looking both ways.
"How have your days been without me?" Legolas wrapped his arms around my waist.
I leaned back and rest on his chest. "Those were the best days of my life."
"Then I wager that you would die for the days coming." He smirked while looking down at me.
"Oh, I bet I would." I closed my eyes and fell into the moment. I would pause time if I could.
'I suggest you not be too caught up in this. You still want to leave right? I thought home was all that mattered.'
Oh god thanks for bringing it up. Could you not just let something good last longer for me?! What did I ever do to you? Yet, she was right. I had to leave some time. It was only a case of whether I wanted to or not and of course I want to and of course I want to. I couldn't stay here forever...could I? "Legolas, what would you do if I told you I had to leave now and never come back?" I opened my eyes.
He looked at me uncertain. "Why do you ask such a question?"
"I just want to know." I insisted.
"I am not sure," he sighed, "but it definitely will not be good."
"You know I will leave eventually." I bargained for his reaction.
"Then I will follow even if it is to death." Legolas gave me a convincing squeeze around the waist.
