DISCLAIMER: I do not own ANYTHING in this story beyond the flimsy plot. No infringement intended.
AUTHORS NOTE: Once again, just want to thank my reviewers. I live and write for you!*grins*
Chapter Seven- In Agreement
When Legolas woke the next morning, he flew through his early routine; eager to get out of the castle before the lady Arwen was awake. He did not wish to risk running into her.
Abandoning any thoughts of breakfast, he slipped on his dusty riding clothes and strode through the gardens, taking the short cut to the stables. He paused, however, to savour the image of the rising sun as he always did. Closing his eyes he drank in its warmth and lost himself to its rays.
It was then that Arwen Undomiel came upon him, though she halted a ways back in order to admire the elf standing among the trees. His head was tilted back slightly, exalting the morning sun, and its light bounced magnificently off his straight golden hair. She marvelled at how different the two of them were- day and night. Legolas seemed to melt under its inviting warmth, and she thought she could see the tension draining from his shoulders.
But this image lasted only an instant, as the elf became aware of her presence, and the tension crept its way back into his stance. He did not face her, but she knew he was certain of who stood behind him; she was no ordinary elf...she was Arwen.
Turning his neck stiffly to face her, he bowed his head, and his soft, 'My Lady,' reached her sensitive elven ears before he moved to continue on his way. But Arwen had not spoken to the elf since before the War of the Ring, and she refused to be brushed off so easily.
'Legolas, wait.' She commanded, knowing he would obey. She approached his back, feeling him stiffen as she caught his hand and turned him to face her. His stormy eyes were drilled into the ground by his feet, and so she did not catch the wave of emotions that flickered across them and were gone. When he finally raised his gaze to hers, his eyes were once again stone, devoid of any emotion.
'Legolas why do you flee from me?' She asked quietly, as though to a spooked horse. His eyes remained veiled.
'I would never run from you, Evenstar.'
'Then tell me why you avoided me all last night! I haven't seen you for more than a year and you couldn't spare a moment to congratulate me on my wedding night?!' Her words had the desired effect; he appeared quite taken aback and she could see faint spots of colour rising on his pale cheekbones.
'Forgive me, Undomiel,' he pleaded sincerely, 'I do wish Aragorn and yourself every happiness. Though,' he added as an after thought, 'I do mourn the loss of the elven peoples Evenstar, my lady, and I am not alone. Your father-'
'My father would do well to remember that he is not 'losing' me. I am married, not dead.' Arwen sad flatly, and sighed in exasperation at the solemn elf before her, but his eyes had a far-away gleam in them as he spoke again.
'Yet who other will grace the Undying Lands with such beauty as the night? For surely twilight's glimmer will ever remain only a memory in the minds of our people. For this we mourn.' His face was filled with the same melancholy emotion that Arwen remembered so well from the first night she had seen him, and she laid her pale hand on his arm. He flinched at her touch and stepped back, a trace of fear on his face. Arwen's brow wrinkled at this reaction and she tried to step closer.
'Legolas-'
'I think,' said Legolas, his eyes clouding, 'that I should be on my way, my lady. No doubt your husband awaits you.' He did not wait for her reply, but turned and strode through the garden, and was lost to her sight. She had an inkling of an idea where his sharp reaction to her touch might have originated. The look on his face was similar to that of the night at the feast and dance, in Rivendell. He recoiled in fear of his passion, and hers. It would not be deemed 'appropriate'. She hardly believed that a few intimate moments amoung fellow elves was unseemly, but apparently, Legolas did.
Sighing in defeat, she realised this was how they're 'meetings' always ended: with her watching in confusion as his back disappeared from her sight. She was determined to not let it happen again.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
As the queen would have it, there was much celebration and rejoicing in the land of Gondor and amoung its people, and every night the halls were filled with happy song and dance and feasting.
Legolas, thus far, had managed to talk his way out of these engagements, but that night, on a direct order from the king and queen, he was told his presence was required. Required. He huffed at this, believing it was Arwen's wish to make him as uncomfortable as possible. Still, knowing his place, he arrived at the long dinner table on time, dressed in clean leggings and his silver elven tunic. Elrond and Galadriel and Celeborn were all present, and they sat with their heads together in deep conversation. Elladan and Elrohir were seated at the table as well, and so Legolas sat down beside them, happy to talk to the Twin Stars. He could feel Arwen's eyes upon him as he spoke to the two elves, but he defied her questioning gaze and continued his conversation.
The meal went well enough, and Legolas noted how happy Arwen seemed to be, seated by Aragorn, her hand entwined with his. Her eyes laughed and shined every time she looked upon her husband, and her pleasant mood cheered those sitting near her as well. Saddened though he was by her decision to stay amoung mortals, he was genuinely pleased to see the lady's delight. He squashed any other emotions down; deep so they might never be known.
At last the guests of the table dispersed, each excusing himself to go to his chambers. When the crowd dwindled, Legolas left the table as well, and was startled when the dark form of Arwen materialised out of the shadows of the corridor.
'What's this then?!' he said in utter surprise. He was not the sort to be startled.
She did not answer but steered him into a quiet room. It was made of unfinished stone, and there was a huge fountain in the center. Vines grew up the sides of the room, and the heady scent of lilac was heavy in the air. The last remnants of the light from the sun outside filtered through a huge open window built in the roof. Legolas arched a brow in surprise at the room, and Arwen waved a hand distractedly.
'It was a wedding gift from Aragorn,' she said, and her face hardened at the thought of the topic she really wanted to discuss.
'You,' she began primly, 'are insufferable.' She turned away from him and began pacing the stone stairs, letting out the occasional snort or huff, in a way most unlike the queen. Finally she stopped and faced the elf, who was standing with a mildly amused expression on his face, watching her anger build.
'That night... that night of the feast and dance, in Imladris...that was when this all started!' She waved her hands wildly, and Legolas struggled to contain his laughter. 'After a perfectly appropriate dance, you shuffled out in a most cowardly fashion, and proceeded to avoid me for the rest of the week! Then, after finally returning from a journey that could have easily cost you your life-' Legolas let out a pompous scoff '-you continue to avoid me, even on my wedding night! Next, after I sought you out rather obviously, you stormed off once again like a magnificent poof and to top it all off; shunned me a final time tonight at dinner!' The usually collected Undomiel's voice had become shrill by the end of her outburst, and she took a deep breath to collect herself.
'And now my father and brothers and grandmother are leaving, and all the places I used to call home will be cold and gray without their presence, and their light fades from my heart already, and still you avoid me.' She said the last part softly, and sat on the edge of her fountain, her fingers trailing in the sparkling water. All traces of anger had escaped her features, and only sadness remained.
'When they have gone, who will light this castle? The elves are leaving, Legolas. I'm sure you've felt the call as well, and are no doubt planning to go with my father.' She looked up at him at last, her falling tears mingling with the swirling water beside her. His heart cried out to comfort her, the passion he had felt That Night rose again, but still he remained rooted where he stood.
'I hadn't thought I'd feel the bitterness of my choice so soon. I love Aragorn- very much -but seeing my people trickle steadily through my fingers is proving to great a strain.' Her eyes were closed now, and Legolas could sense it was taking great effort for her to tell him.
'The point of me telling you this, Legolas, is I'm begging you not to leave. Not yet.' Legolas' cool facade crumbled at these words, and he eyebrows drew together.
'I'm not sure I understand, my lady,' he croaked. At last Arwen smiled.
'Of course you don't. I know you remember that night. I know you felt as I did. We connected, and that's all there is to it. your presence-' her voice faltered, reaching for words. 'You have quite a spectacular effect on my mood, Legolas. I can't help but feel that if you were to stay here, for a little while longer, with Aragorn and I, that I might be able to ride out my feelings of loss, and be the queen I need to be, and be fair to Aragorn, and survive the strain.' She looked at him again, and the light in her dimmed terribly. 'But I see now that this is too great a thing for me to ask, I would never be so selfish as to-'
'Don't be ridiculous.' Breaking out of his stunned silence the blond elf sat shakily beside her. 'I wasn't planning on leaving with Lord Elrond any ways, Evenstar. That feeble excuse for a garden is in dire need of an elven touch, and I plan to do it myself.' He smiled weakly at her, but his previous misgivings turned it into a bit of a grimace. 'But I fear that being so near to you will do me no good, fair one. I haven't the foggiest idea what got into me the night of the feast, but,' he concluded with a wry smile, 'it seems to effect me every time you are near.' He looked away, a delicate blush colouring his fair cheeks. 'Your intoxicating.'
Arwen's bell-like laughter made him snap around to face her again. He thought she was perhaps mocking him, but a moment later his thoughts were put to rest.
'As are you, Legolas,' she replied, her eyes twinkling with delight, 'and there is most certainly nothing wrong with that.'
They left the room that night as friends, their eyes gleaming kindly at the other as they said their good nights. Though friends they were, neither could deny how their hearts had leapt at the prospect of each others company in the days to come.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
AUTHORS NOTE: All I can say is- read and review. I'll be back. --Red Dragon
AUTHORS NOTE: Once again, just want to thank my reviewers. I live and write for you!*grins*
Chapter Seven- In Agreement
When Legolas woke the next morning, he flew through his early routine; eager to get out of the castle before the lady Arwen was awake. He did not wish to risk running into her.
Abandoning any thoughts of breakfast, he slipped on his dusty riding clothes and strode through the gardens, taking the short cut to the stables. He paused, however, to savour the image of the rising sun as he always did. Closing his eyes he drank in its warmth and lost himself to its rays.
It was then that Arwen Undomiel came upon him, though she halted a ways back in order to admire the elf standing among the trees. His head was tilted back slightly, exalting the morning sun, and its light bounced magnificently off his straight golden hair. She marvelled at how different the two of them were- day and night. Legolas seemed to melt under its inviting warmth, and she thought she could see the tension draining from his shoulders.
But this image lasted only an instant, as the elf became aware of her presence, and the tension crept its way back into his stance. He did not face her, but she knew he was certain of who stood behind him; she was no ordinary elf...she was Arwen.
Turning his neck stiffly to face her, he bowed his head, and his soft, 'My Lady,' reached her sensitive elven ears before he moved to continue on his way. But Arwen had not spoken to the elf since before the War of the Ring, and she refused to be brushed off so easily.
'Legolas, wait.' She commanded, knowing he would obey. She approached his back, feeling him stiffen as she caught his hand and turned him to face her. His stormy eyes were drilled into the ground by his feet, and so she did not catch the wave of emotions that flickered across them and were gone. When he finally raised his gaze to hers, his eyes were once again stone, devoid of any emotion.
'Legolas why do you flee from me?' She asked quietly, as though to a spooked horse. His eyes remained veiled.
'I would never run from you, Evenstar.'
'Then tell me why you avoided me all last night! I haven't seen you for more than a year and you couldn't spare a moment to congratulate me on my wedding night?!' Her words had the desired effect; he appeared quite taken aback and she could see faint spots of colour rising on his pale cheekbones.
'Forgive me, Undomiel,' he pleaded sincerely, 'I do wish Aragorn and yourself every happiness. Though,' he added as an after thought, 'I do mourn the loss of the elven peoples Evenstar, my lady, and I am not alone. Your father-'
'My father would do well to remember that he is not 'losing' me. I am married, not dead.' Arwen sad flatly, and sighed in exasperation at the solemn elf before her, but his eyes had a far-away gleam in them as he spoke again.
'Yet who other will grace the Undying Lands with such beauty as the night? For surely twilight's glimmer will ever remain only a memory in the minds of our people. For this we mourn.' His face was filled with the same melancholy emotion that Arwen remembered so well from the first night she had seen him, and she laid her pale hand on his arm. He flinched at her touch and stepped back, a trace of fear on his face. Arwen's brow wrinkled at this reaction and she tried to step closer.
'Legolas-'
'I think,' said Legolas, his eyes clouding, 'that I should be on my way, my lady. No doubt your husband awaits you.' He did not wait for her reply, but turned and strode through the garden, and was lost to her sight. She had an inkling of an idea where his sharp reaction to her touch might have originated. The look on his face was similar to that of the night at the feast and dance, in Rivendell. He recoiled in fear of his passion, and hers. It would not be deemed 'appropriate'. She hardly believed that a few intimate moments amoung fellow elves was unseemly, but apparently, Legolas did.
Sighing in defeat, she realised this was how they're 'meetings' always ended: with her watching in confusion as his back disappeared from her sight. She was determined to not let it happen again.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
As the queen would have it, there was much celebration and rejoicing in the land of Gondor and amoung its people, and every night the halls were filled with happy song and dance and feasting.
Legolas, thus far, had managed to talk his way out of these engagements, but that night, on a direct order from the king and queen, he was told his presence was required. Required. He huffed at this, believing it was Arwen's wish to make him as uncomfortable as possible. Still, knowing his place, he arrived at the long dinner table on time, dressed in clean leggings and his silver elven tunic. Elrond and Galadriel and Celeborn were all present, and they sat with their heads together in deep conversation. Elladan and Elrohir were seated at the table as well, and so Legolas sat down beside them, happy to talk to the Twin Stars. He could feel Arwen's eyes upon him as he spoke to the two elves, but he defied her questioning gaze and continued his conversation.
The meal went well enough, and Legolas noted how happy Arwen seemed to be, seated by Aragorn, her hand entwined with his. Her eyes laughed and shined every time she looked upon her husband, and her pleasant mood cheered those sitting near her as well. Saddened though he was by her decision to stay amoung mortals, he was genuinely pleased to see the lady's delight. He squashed any other emotions down; deep so they might never be known.
At last the guests of the table dispersed, each excusing himself to go to his chambers. When the crowd dwindled, Legolas left the table as well, and was startled when the dark form of Arwen materialised out of the shadows of the corridor.
'What's this then?!' he said in utter surprise. He was not the sort to be startled.
She did not answer but steered him into a quiet room. It was made of unfinished stone, and there was a huge fountain in the center. Vines grew up the sides of the room, and the heady scent of lilac was heavy in the air. The last remnants of the light from the sun outside filtered through a huge open window built in the roof. Legolas arched a brow in surprise at the room, and Arwen waved a hand distractedly.
'It was a wedding gift from Aragorn,' she said, and her face hardened at the thought of the topic she really wanted to discuss.
'You,' she began primly, 'are insufferable.' She turned away from him and began pacing the stone stairs, letting out the occasional snort or huff, in a way most unlike the queen. Finally she stopped and faced the elf, who was standing with a mildly amused expression on his face, watching her anger build.
'That night... that night of the feast and dance, in Imladris...that was when this all started!' She waved her hands wildly, and Legolas struggled to contain his laughter. 'After a perfectly appropriate dance, you shuffled out in a most cowardly fashion, and proceeded to avoid me for the rest of the week! Then, after finally returning from a journey that could have easily cost you your life-' Legolas let out a pompous scoff '-you continue to avoid me, even on my wedding night! Next, after I sought you out rather obviously, you stormed off once again like a magnificent poof and to top it all off; shunned me a final time tonight at dinner!' The usually collected Undomiel's voice had become shrill by the end of her outburst, and she took a deep breath to collect herself.
'And now my father and brothers and grandmother are leaving, and all the places I used to call home will be cold and gray without their presence, and their light fades from my heart already, and still you avoid me.' She said the last part softly, and sat on the edge of her fountain, her fingers trailing in the sparkling water. All traces of anger had escaped her features, and only sadness remained.
'When they have gone, who will light this castle? The elves are leaving, Legolas. I'm sure you've felt the call as well, and are no doubt planning to go with my father.' She looked up at him at last, her falling tears mingling with the swirling water beside her. His heart cried out to comfort her, the passion he had felt That Night rose again, but still he remained rooted where he stood.
'I hadn't thought I'd feel the bitterness of my choice so soon. I love Aragorn- very much -but seeing my people trickle steadily through my fingers is proving to great a strain.' Her eyes were closed now, and Legolas could sense it was taking great effort for her to tell him.
'The point of me telling you this, Legolas, is I'm begging you not to leave. Not yet.' Legolas' cool facade crumbled at these words, and he eyebrows drew together.
'I'm not sure I understand, my lady,' he croaked. At last Arwen smiled.
'Of course you don't. I know you remember that night. I know you felt as I did. We connected, and that's all there is to it. your presence-' her voice faltered, reaching for words. 'You have quite a spectacular effect on my mood, Legolas. I can't help but feel that if you were to stay here, for a little while longer, with Aragorn and I, that I might be able to ride out my feelings of loss, and be the queen I need to be, and be fair to Aragorn, and survive the strain.' She looked at him again, and the light in her dimmed terribly. 'But I see now that this is too great a thing for me to ask, I would never be so selfish as to-'
'Don't be ridiculous.' Breaking out of his stunned silence the blond elf sat shakily beside her. 'I wasn't planning on leaving with Lord Elrond any ways, Evenstar. That feeble excuse for a garden is in dire need of an elven touch, and I plan to do it myself.' He smiled weakly at her, but his previous misgivings turned it into a bit of a grimace. 'But I fear that being so near to you will do me no good, fair one. I haven't the foggiest idea what got into me the night of the feast, but,' he concluded with a wry smile, 'it seems to effect me every time you are near.' He looked away, a delicate blush colouring his fair cheeks. 'Your intoxicating.'
Arwen's bell-like laughter made him snap around to face her again. He thought she was perhaps mocking him, but a moment later his thoughts were put to rest.
'As are you, Legolas,' she replied, her eyes twinkling with delight, 'and there is most certainly nothing wrong with that.'
They left the room that night as friends, their eyes gleaming kindly at the other as they said their good nights. Though friends they were, neither could deny how their hearts had leapt at the prospect of each others company in the days to come.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
AUTHORS NOTE: All I can say is- read and review. I'll be back. --Red Dragon