Chapter 9
"Saris, what are you doing?" Laurelin asked as she saw Saris carrying the last of her wardrobe out of the room.
"M.my Lady, I was taking the rest of your clothes to Legolas's chambers. That is what you wanted isn't it? I was supposed to transfer all of your belongings to his rooms?" she said, her voice shaking slightly at her mistress's tone.
"Of course, of course, I am sorry, I indeed forgot. Proceed." Saris bowed and left.
Laurelin ran her hand along her oak door, thinking of how she had grown to love this bedroom. Now, she would be living in all new surroundings. It was sort of creepy. The balcony to her room was open, and the blue curtains fluttered in the breeze, rippling like clear seawater on a calm day. She noticed a piece of paper on the floor, next to her chair. She bent down and picked it up.
"What's this?" she thought. She opened it and sat down. It read:
Laurelin,
I wanted to apologize for my actions yesterday. I had no right to go off on you like that. I will admit that the wine had something to do with my nastiness, and I am dearly sorry. When I saw you at your wedding, I knew that Totholain deserved to walk you up the aisle. I have not been a father at all to you, and I fear I won't ever be able to. Nevertheless, I was so happy for you that I had to applaud. You got one of the best Elves in Mirkwood. Prince Legolas will be able to love you, something that I do not have the capacity to do, and never will.
I will be brief in this letter, my time has come and I am leaving for Valinor. I know this is an incredible shock, but Thranduil has been aware that I have been planning to depart. In my absence, I leave you my sword, bow and quiver of arrows, along with all of my possessions. You are my heir to everything I have, and I give it away gladly. I hope that you will have a wonderful life, full of many blessings. My fondness for you will always be true, not matter what.
Best Regards,
Your Father
Laurelin choked back a sob. She closed the letter as delicate tears fell and blurred the writing. Her birth father was leaving. He would be joining her mother in Valinor. She smiled sadly, feeling as though her heart was now at peace.
"I love you, Chief Guard," she thought as she went out on to her balcony. She threw the paper up into the air and offered it to the wind. The letter soared higher and higher, up into the never-ending sky. She sighed as all of the hatred and anger that was bottled up inside of her dissolved in the evening's mist.
"I forgive you, Father. I understand." She felt her old energy flow through her and fill her with a sense of remorse.
Knowing what she had to do, she gathered up her courage and went to face Legolas.
****
"Where is my bow?" Legolas said as he threw a pile of clothes aside. Searching frantically through his cupboard, he withdrew a bunch of arrows and his quiver, but no bow. He laid them down on a table and continued to look for it.
"I treasure it," he thought. "It was a present from Lady Galadriel herself. I couldn't have lost it! There is no way!" he thought as he moved an old knife out of the way.
"This is so not fair!" He groaned as he realized his bow was not in his closet. He looked around his entire bedroom, trying to think of a place it might be.
"I hate it!"
"Hate what, my Lord?" Legolas's turned his stare on the soft voice. The voice belonged to Laurelin. She took a step back, as if slapped.
"Everything!" he snapped as he stood up, trying to think clearly. He blinked his eyes a couple times, attempting to get his anger under control.
"My Lord, are you okay?" Laurelin said, as she took another step backwards, not totally trusting him in his rage.
"Yes, yes, I am fine. I just can't find my bow, and I must have it fixed by tomorrow," Legolas breathed, softening his tone. Laurelin approached him cautiously, her head cocked to one side.
"Perhaps if you looked under your bed, you would see it," she said.
Legolas ran over and peeked under his bed. Sure enough, his bow was there, gathering dust despite its gorgeous wood finish. He picked it up and brushed it off.
"Thanks," he said as he placed it with his quiver. "I needed it desperately since the training starts tomorrow."
"Aye, yes the training. That is important," Laurelin said awkwardly. She walked over towards her vanity were the rose was. Its glow was gone from the night before, and it was just a plain white rose. She inhaled its wonderful scent and took a deep breath.
"Everyone is going off to war, and my father is leaving for Valinor. I will be alone."
"He is leaving for Valinor?" Legolas thought. "That is the first I heard of it."
"That's not true. I will be here, along with Thranduil, Retkia, and Lizule. You will have plenty of company."
"You think so?" Legolas raised his eyebrows at the question. It was so similar to the one she had asked last night.
"Yes," he said, "I do."
Laurelin nodded. "I am sorry."
"For what?"
"For accusing you of lying. It was not my place to say that."
"No harm done, my Lady. I understand. It was not right for me to hide the plan from you. I should have been more open."
"It seems we were both at fault. So lets just forget it and move on with our lives, agreed?"
Legolas smiled reassuringly.
"Of course." He grabbed her around the waist and kissed his forgiveness to her.
When they drew away, Laurelin said,
"Yes, yes, I accept. But lets try to never fight about something as stupid as that was. It was very childish on our part."
"It was," Legolas said as he hugged her. She gripped hard on to his tunic, telling herself to never let go.
****
"My Lord, please, we should be heading back. It is becoming really dark, and I fear someone will notice we are not where we are supposed to be."
Glorfindel grinned as he continued to caress her cheek. "Is that a bad thing?'
"Well, no, I guess not. It's just. this cave is very cold and sort of spooky. It doesn't feel right to be doing this."
~ When Gabriel and Retkia did the same thing we are doing now, in this exact spot, while me, Legolas and Laurelin waited outside. ~
"Yes?" Glorfindel said, expecting an answer to the rest of her statement.
"Nothing." Lizule closed her eyes and drifted away from the dreary cave and to a gorgeous place full of laughter and joy.
"What is Rivendell like?" she blurted, suddenly curious about his home.
Glorfindel sat up and sighed wistfully. He stuck his hand inside his tunic and withdrew a beautiful copper leaf. It sparkled as if someone was shining an invisible light on it.
"It is extremely pretty, and the trees are of golden color. All things are green and full of life. There is no sadness."
"Is it as nice as here?'
"Mirkwood is beautiful, but there is a unhappy feeling here that will never leave. Mirkwood Forest used to be evil, as you know. It will take a long time till the treachery is driven out. But, in Rivendell, on the other hand, there is an everlasting love that will stay for all eternity, unless, of course, the Balrog and the Orcs destroy it."
"I hope that does not happen. It would be awful."
"Yes it would. That is why Lord Elrond wants to take as many precautions as possible. You can never be too safe."
Lizule leaned against the hard stone. The coolness stung her back, but she did not move.
"I wish I could see it someday," she whispered. "I wish I could see it in all of its glory."
Glorfindel looked at her thoughtfully. He didn't understand his feelings for her yet, for to love a Silvan was unheard of in Imladris. Each Elf to his own kind was the rule of life. And now he just might break it. "How will I tell her about my power?" he thought. "She might detest me afterwards." Nevertheless, he took a deep breath to fill his lungs with some needed oxygen, and said,
"You could come with me, if you'd like, when I leave with Thranduil's army."
Lizule stared at him in surprise. Never in an Age would she expect him to offer her his home. She smiled gleefully.
"I would LOVE to see Rivendell and live with you. I would absolutely love to. But what would Lord Elrond think?"
"He is more tolerant than you'd might expect. I mean, he let his only daughter marry a mortal. I am positive we could work around him."
They grinned at each other.
"You know what this means?" Glorfindel said, arching his eyebrows.
"Yes, I do. And I couldn't be happier."
****
"Legolas," Laurelin crooned softly in the Elf's ear. "It is time to wake up and start yet another day."
Legolas shook his head, his eyes half-closed. "No my love, you are incorrect. It is time for the world to start another day. It says nothing about us."
"My dear, you missed out last night because you decided to fall asleep. Shame!"
"Well," he groaned as her turned over to face her. "I'll make it up to you tonight."
Laurelin smiled. She kissed him lightly on the lips and then said,
"Deal. Now you might want to get up before Glorfindel has to come in here and reprimand you. I have heard he is quite the drill sergeant."
She kissed him again and then left him to get dressed. He needed time to himself.
****
"Okay this is how it is all going to work. I will split you up into four groups. One for me, one for Isitur, one for Totholain, and one for Legolas. You will work on each specific skill for two hours before moving on to the next one. There are enough of you to divide evenly, so it should all fit into schedule. Good luck and not complaining!" Glorfindel said to the crowd.
Muffled cheers and groans were heard all around. Legolas stood proudly next to Totholain, holding his bow in his hand. He scanned the crowd, and saw a few familiar faces, such as Gabriel and Linduris. But for most of the day, he would be addressing Elves he scarcely knew. It intrigued him but it also scared him.
"Okay. Let's begin. All of you to the left, go with Totholain. The middle goes with Isitur. The right will go with Legolas, and anyone who is doesn't have a group: come with me!"
"Saris, what are you doing?" Laurelin asked as she saw Saris carrying the last of her wardrobe out of the room.
"M.my Lady, I was taking the rest of your clothes to Legolas's chambers. That is what you wanted isn't it? I was supposed to transfer all of your belongings to his rooms?" she said, her voice shaking slightly at her mistress's tone.
"Of course, of course, I am sorry, I indeed forgot. Proceed." Saris bowed and left.
Laurelin ran her hand along her oak door, thinking of how she had grown to love this bedroom. Now, she would be living in all new surroundings. It was sort of creepy. The balcony to her room was open, and the blue curtains fluttered in the breeze, rippling like clear seawater on a calm day. She noticed a piece of paper on the floor, next to her chair. She bent down and picked it up.
"What's this?" she thought. She opened it and sat down. It read:
Laurelin,
I wanted to apologize for my actions yesterday. I had no right to go off on you like that. I will admit that the wine had something to do with my nastiness, and I am dearly sorry. When I saw you at your wedding, I knew that Totholain deserved to walk you up the aisle. I have not been a father at all to you, and I fear I won't ever be able to. Nevertheless, I was so happy for you that I had to applaud. You got one of the best Elves in Mirkwood. Prince Legolas will be able to love you, something that I do not have the capacity to do, and never will.
I will be brief in this letter, my time has come and I am leaving for Valinor. I know this is an incredible shock, but Thranduil has been aware that I have been planning to depart. In my absence, I leave you my sword, bow and quiver of arrows, along with all of my possessions. You are my heir to everything I have, and I give it away gladly. I hope that you will have a wonderful life, full of many blessings. My fondness for you will always be true, not matter what.
Best Regards,
Your Father
Laurelin choked back a sob. She closed the letter as delicate tears fell and blurred the writing. Her birth father was leaving. He would be joining her mother in Valinor. She smiled sadly, feeling as though her heart was now at peace.
"I love you, Chief Guard," she thought as she went out on to her balcony. She threw the paper up into the air and offered it to the wind. The letter soared higher and higher, up into the never-ending sky. She sighed as all of the hatred and anger that was bottled up inside of her dissolved in the evening's mist.
"I forgive you, Father. I understand." She felt her old energy flow through her and fill her with a sense of remorse.
Knowing what she had to do, she gathered up her courage and went to face Legolas.
****
"Where is my bow?" Legolas said as he threw a pile of clothes aside. Searching frantically through his cupboard, he withdrew a bunch of arrows and his quiver, but no bow. He laid them down on a table and continued to look for it.
"I treasure it," he thought. "It was a present from Lady Galadriel herself. I couldn't have lost it! There is no way!" he thought as he moved an old knife out of the way.
"This is so not fair!" He groaned as he realized his bow was not in his closet. He looked around his entire bedroom, trying to think of a place it might be.
"I hate it!"
"Hate what, my Lord?" Legolas's turned his stare on the soft voice. The voice belonged to Laurelin. She took a step back, as if slapped.
"Everything!" he snapped as he stood up, trying to think clearly. He blinked his eyes a couple times, attempting to get his anger under control.
"My Lord, are you okay?" Laurelin said, as she took another step backwards, not totally trusting him in his rage.
"Yes, yes, I am fine. I just can't find my bow, and I must have it fixed by tomorrow," Legolas breathed, softening his tone. Laurelin approached him cautiously, her head cocked to one side.
"Perhaps if you looked under your bed, you would see it," she said.
Legolas ran over and peeked under his bed. Sure enough, his bow was there, gathering dust despite its gorgeous wood finish. He picked it up and brushed it off.
"Thanks," he said as he placed it with his quiver. "I needed it desperately since the training starts tomorrow."
"Aye, yes the training. That is important," Laurelin said awkwardly. She walked over towards her vanity were the rose was. Its glow was gone from the night before, and it was just a plain white rose. She inhaled its wonderful scent and took a deep breath.
"Everyone is going off to war, and my father is leaving for Valinor. I will be alone."
"He is leaving for Valinor?" Legolas thought. "That is the first I heard of it."
"That's not true. I will be here, along with Thranduil, Retkia, and Lizule. You will have plenty of company."
"You think so?" Legolas raised his eyebrows at the question. It was so similar to the one she had asked last night.
"Yes," he said, "I do."
Laurelin nodded. "I am sorry."
"For what?"
"For accusing you of lying. It was not my place to say that."
"No harm done, my Lady. I understand. It was not right for me to hide the plan from you. I should have been more open."
"It seems we were both at fault. So lets just forget it and move on with our lives, agreed?"
Legolas smiled reassuringly.
"Of course." He grabbed her around the waist and kissed his forgiveness to her.
When they drew away, Laurelin said,
"Yes, yes, I accept. But lets try to never fight about something as stupid as that was. It was very childish on our part."
"It was," Legolas said as he hugged her. She gripped hard on to his tunic, telling herself to never let go.
****
"My Lord, please, we should be heading back. It is becoming really dark, and I fear someone will notice we are not where we are supposed to be."
Glorfindel grinned as he continued to caress her cheek. "Is that a bad thing?'
"Well, no, I guess not. It's just. this cave is very cold and sort of spooky. It doesn't feel right to be doing this."
~ When Gabriel and Retkia did the same thing we are doing now, in this exact spot, while me, Legolas and Laurelin waited outside. ~
"Yes?" Glorfindel said, expecting an answer to the rest of her statement.
"Nothing." Lizule closed her eyes and drifted away from the dreary cave and to a gorgeous place full of laughter and joy.
"What is Rivendell like?" she blurted, suddenly curious about his home.
Glorfindel sat up and sighed wistfully. He stuck his hand inside his tunic and withdrew a beautiful copper leaf. It sparkled as if someone was shining an invisible light on it.
"It is extremely pretty, and the trees are of golden color. All things are green and full of life. There is no sadness."
"Is it as nice as here?'
"Mirkwood is beautiful, but there is a unhappy feeling here that will never leave. Mirkwood Forest used to be evil, as you know. It will take a long time till the treachery is driven out. But, in Rivendell, on the other hand, there is an everlasting love that will stay for all eternity, unless, of course, the Balrog and the Orcs destroy it."
"I hope that does not happen. It would be awful."
"Yes it would. That is why Lord Elrond wants to take as many precautions as possible. You can never be too safe."
Lizule leaned against the hard stone. The coolness stung her back, but she did not move.
"I wish I could see it someday," she whispered. "I wish I could see it in all of its glory."
Glorfindel looked at her thoughtfully. He didn't understand his feelings for her yet, for to love a Silvan was unheard of in Imladris. Each Elf to his own kind was the rule of life. And now he just might break it. "How will I tell her about my power?" he thought. "She might detest me afterwards." Nevertheless, he took a deep breath to fill his lungs with some needed oxygen, and said,
"You could come with me, if you'd like, when I leave with Thranduil's army."
Lizule stared at him in surprise. Never in an Age would she expect him to offer her his home. She smiled gleefully.
"I would LOVE to see Rivendell and live with you. I would absolutely love to. But what would Lord Elrond think?"
"He is more tolerant than you'd might expect. I mean, he let his only daughter marry a mortal. I am positive we could work around him."
They grinned at each other.
"You know what this means?" Glorfindel said, arching his eyebrows.
"Yes, I do. And I couldn't be happier."
****
"Legolas," Laurelin crooned softly in the Elf's ear. "It is time to wake up and start yet another day."
Legolas shook his head, his eyes half-closed. "No my love, you are incorrect. It is time for the world to start another day. It says nothing about us."
"My dear, you missed out last night because you decided to fall asleep. Shame!"
"Well," he groaned as her turned over to face her. "I'll make it up to you tonight."
Laurelin smiled. She kissed him lightly on the lips and then said,
"Deal. Now you might want to get up before Glorfindel has to come in here and reprimand you. I have heard he is quite the drill sergeant."
She kissed him again and then left him to get dressed. He needed time to himself.
****
"Okay this is how it is all going to work. I will split you up into four groups. One for me, one for Isitur, one for Totholain, and one for Legolas. You will work on each specific skill for two hours before moving on to the next one. There are enough of you to divide evenly, so it should all fit into schedule. Good luck and not complaining!" Glorfindel said to the crowd.
Muffled cheers and groans were heard all around. Legolas stood proudly next to Totholain, holding his bow in his hand. He scanned the crowd, and saw a few familiar faces, such as Gabriel and Linduris. But for most of the day, he would be addressing Elves he scarcely knew. It intrigued him but it also scared him.
"Okay. Let's begin. All of you to the left, go with Totholain. The middle goes with Isitur. The right will go with Legolas, and anyone who is doesn't have a group: come with me!"