Here's the next chapter in this fic. Hope you like.
I just finished up 'As She Stands There Lonely' recently, so now my attention will be focused on finishing my other two fics in process (go figure, both LOTR's). There are no serious plans for a sequel yet (I have had the idea of following Legolas's and Anarya's time in Mirkwood together, but that's not for sure). Anyways, thanks to everyone who reviewed that fic and continues to review other fics of mine.
Back to this fic, updates are coming slower because I have Midterms and such coming up (that and that fact that I am supposed to be Christmas shopping ::shudders::). Also I am taking a lot more time in the editing process then I did before, because I want this writing quality to be stronger then in my last fic (which by the way I thought the writing was crappy in). This is my way of making myself feel better and less like an idiot (which happens a lot).
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"Nessa, where were you last night? You got in so late, I was getting worried!" Alassea scolded the she-elf like she was her own elfling.
Nessa lowered her head a little, "sorry, Alassea, I just lost track of time." She smiled faintly, and lowered to head in order to escape suspicion.
"Where were you all of yesterday anyways? I mean, leaving early and then coming back well after you promised you'd be home. This is not like the Nessa I came to know in these past few months."
Nessa smiled, "it was nothing. I promise it will not happen again."
"You are still avoiding my question, Nessa."
"No I am not."
"Then you will have no problem answer it, as long as you have nothing to hide."
Nessa nodded uncertainly, not quite sure what to expect. "I suppose so."
Alassea smiled, "now, tell me, where were you all of yesterday?"
Nessa lowered her head, "I met someone," she whispered, hoping that would be enough for Alassea not to ask any more questions. It was going to be hard to explain to Alassea that she had been spending time with the Prince of Mirkwood. In her eyes it would not be correct. Legolas's father was not alone in thinking that elves should marry those of their own class.
Alassea smiled even bigger, "and would this 'someone' happen to be of the male gender?"
Nessa nodded slowly.
"And would you be happening to be seeing him again soon?"
"Possibly."
"Oh! Tell me! What is his name? How long have you known him? What is he like!" Alassea burst out with questions, as Nessa tried hard not to roll her eyes.
"He's sweet."
"And?"
"I am supposed to be meeting him now, so if there are no more further delays," Nessa tried to move out the door.
"Oh you cannot be seeing him today. You have to watch the elflings, remember?"
Nessa nodded, "He has a little sister, darling little thing she is, we thought she could use some playmates so that she will not grow bored as easily."
Alassea shook her head, "bring elflings along is not going to make it easy to start off a courting."
Nessa shook her head, "it is nothing like that! We are just friends, nothing more."
"Alright, just remember to bring the elflings back at a more proper time then when you arrived last night," Alassea stressed her words as she walked off into the cooking area.
Nessa shook her head, and set off to find the three terrors otherwise known as elflings. "Kemen! Envenyala! Arnarmo! Are you three ready?"
"Coming Nessa!" Envenyala, the youngest, called, as she walked gingerly over to the older she-elf.
"Now for the other two," Nessa whispered to herself, this was going to be a challenge within itself.
"Nessa! Arnarmo stole my sword!" Kemen yelled pointing at his older brother and holding up a broken half of a wooden toy sword.
"No! You broke mine!" Arnarmo made his argument and justification all in one breath.
Nessa shook her head and smiled, "Arnarmo, how about you give Kemen back his sword,"
Arnarmo sighed, "but Nessa! That's not fair! He broke mine!"
Nessa put a finger to her lips, "hush now, Arnarmo. How about I buy you a new sword to replace the old one."
Arnarmo smiled wickedly, and stuck his tongue out at his younger brother.
"Hey! That's not fair! How come Arnarmo gets a new sword, and I am stuck with this old one!"
Nessa shook her head, "then I will buy you both new swords, of the finest wood so that they will not break."
Kemen smiled defiantly and stood tall. Arnarmo just rolled his eyes and crossed his arms across his chest.
"Nessa, what about me? Can't I get a new toy too?" Envenyala tugged on Nessa's greenish skirt.
Nessa shook her head, and swore she heard Alassea snort from across the room. With a quick glare at Alassea, she crouched down to the elflings level, "how about this instead, if you all behave today like I know you can, then I will buy each of you a new toy of your choice. Do you understand?"
The elflings nodded excitedly, "anything we want!" They asked with equal excitement.
Nessa nodded, "but only if you behave." She smiled and stood up, "now, we better get going, we have a bit of a walk."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Legolas!" Tyalië whispered to her younger brother.
Legolas turned, "What is it?"
She beckoned him closer, and Legolas followed with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes?" He repeated himself, now in a whisper.
"You are not going to see the she-elf again, are you?"
Legolas nodded, "yes, Ñandelle and I are meeting Nessa and her younger siblings today, why?"
Tyalië sighed, "Legolas, you know Altar would not approve. He wants you to marry a she-elf of status, why bother spending all of this time with a she- elf of none?"
Legolas frowned, "I know you mean well, but I enjoy spending time with her. I would rather be happy and have Altar disapprove of me, then be unhappy and have Altar approve of me."
Tyalië frowned, "you know you cannot carry out this charade forever, Altar is going to notice, that is if by some rare chance little Ñandelle can keep quiet."
Legolas sighed, "I know, but I enjoy spending time with Nessa. I would think that Altar would at least respect the fact that I am happy over the fact that Nessa is not a she-elf of status."
Tyalië sighed, "alright, go. Just listen to me, just be friends and nothing more, things of this nature always become more complicated when Altar catches wind of them."
Legolas smiled, "then he shall not ever hear of word of it," and he walked off picking little Ñandelle up along the way out the door.
Tyalië shook her head, "I should not allow him, but I do not think I have ever seem him this happy before." She smiled, and walked off tending to the day's agenda.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Legolas walked through the marketplace, making his way to the archery fields once again. Ñandelle sat proudly in her brother's arms, carrying out her careful assignment of seeing if she could see Nessa through the crowd.
"Legolas! Legolas! I see her! Nessa!" She jumped up and down excitedly in his arms pointing to a she-elf just to the right of them a few feet.
"Well then, little one, shall we go say hello?"
Ñandelle nodded, as Legolas began to push his way through the crowd to where Nessa and three little elflings were standing.
"Good morning, Nessa!" Ñandelle called out to her.
Nessa turned around and smiled at the little elf perched in Legolas's arms, "Good morning, little one. How are you feeling today? Well, I hope."
Ñandelle nodded, "yep! Legolas said we get to spend the entire day with you!"
Nessa smiled, "well, I do have to get these little ones back around lunchtime," she pointed to the elflings, "This is Kemen, Envenyala, and Arnarmo, Ñandelle, I believe you all shall get along splendidly."
Legolas nodded, "hello there, my name is Legolas, and your sister was kind enough to bring you along with her today so that Ñandelle would not grow bored." He introduced himself, smiling brightly.
"Nessa isn't my sister," Kemen said innocently.
Nessa shook her head, "I am staying with their family, their parents, Alassea and Mablung, were kind enough to take me in when I first came here a few months ago."
"Oh, I am sorry, I didn't know."
"It is alright, really, a lot of elves think the same thing when they first meet us."
"No they don't," Arnarmo matched the innocence of his elder brother.
Kemen hit Arnarmo across the chest, "no, stupid! Nessa was just trying to make Mister Legolas feel better!"
"Oh," Arnarmo frowned, hitting his brother back.
"Hey! What was that for!"
"You hit me!"
Nessa frowned, "Kemen, Arnarmo," she said sharply, "I thought you both promised to behave today."
"We're sorry Nessa," they said at the same time, gently lowering their heads to complete the act.
"I am not mad at you, you just shouldn't go around hitting others and calling them names, alright?"
Both nodded, giving each other a look in the eye promising the other that this battle was far from over.
Nessa sighed, "well then."
Legolas smiled, "you are bribing them with something aren't you?"
Nessa laughed hesitantly, "now, why would you say something like that?"
"Legolas always promises me toys if I behave! Right, big brother?" Ñandelle smiled, proving without doubt that little ones could not keep a secret if their life depended on it.
Legolas laughed just as hesitantly as Nessa raised an eyebrow, "Oh really, Legolas? Is that what you were doing when I met you, bribing your sister? Now, that just is not right."
"Mister Legolas," Envenyala tugged the top of his tunic.
Legolas looked down to the little she-elf below him, "Yes?"
"Whats courting?"
Legolas frowned and looked hesitantly at Nessa, who was equally as confused. "Well little one, it is when two elves love each other very much and begin spending a lot of time with one another, and, hopefully if everything works out, the two elves become married."
"Oh," Envenyala looked sadly over at Nessa, "Nessa you aren't going to leave us are you?"
Nessa looked oddly at the little she-elf, "well little one, eventually I will, as will you someday leave your parents and brothers, but that day is far away from now," she reassured her, "why do you ask?"
"Naneth said that Mister Legolas was courting you," she said innocently.
Nessa's heart stopped and she turned a rather odd shade of red, "now, now,"
Legolas raised an eyebrow.
"She just jumped to conclusions, that is all little one. You have nothing to worry about."
Ñandelle looked at Legolas, "but Linnende and Nindo said that you were courting Nessa too!"
Legolas turned even redder then Nessa, as Kemen and Arnarmo broke out into a lovely rendition of 'Mister Legolas and Nessa sitting in a tree'.
"I think we shall pay them a visit today," Legolas mumbled,
Nessa nodded her head in agreement, "most defiantly. I would love to meet these two."
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Hope you liked this chapter. More are on there way soon, but as I said in my comments at the top, I do have a lot on my plate right now.
Please Review...oh and ummm..MERRY CHRISTMAS!
With Love,
Arwen
I just finished up 'As She Stands There Lonely' recently, so now my attention will be focused on finishing my other two fics in process (go figure, both LOTR's). There are no serious plans for a sequel yet (I have had the idea of following Legolas's and Anarya's time in Mirkwood together, but that's not for sure). Anyways, thanks to everyone who reviewed that fic and continues to review other fics of mine.
Back to this fic, updates are coming slower because I have Midterms and such coming up (that and that fact that I am supposed to be Christmas shopping ::shudders::). Also I am taking a lot more time in the editing process then I did before, because I want this writing quality to be stronger then in my last fic (which by the way I thought the writing was crappy in). This is my way of making myself feel better and less like an idiot (which happens a lot).
********************************************************************
"Nessa, where were you last night? You got in so late, I was getting worried!" Alassea scolded the she-elf like she was her own elfling.
Nessa lowered her head a little, "sorry, Alassea, I just lost track of time." She smiled faintly, and lowered to head in order to escape suspicion.
"Where were you all of yesterday anyways? I mean, leaving early and then coming back well after you promised you'd be home. This is not like the Nessa I came to know in these past few months."
Nessa smiled, "it was nothing. I promise it will not happen again."
"You are still avoiding my question, Nessa."
"No I am not."
"Then you will have no problem answer it, as long as you have nothing to hide."
Nessa nodded uncertainly, not quite sure what to expect. "I suppose so."
Alassea smiled, "now, tell me, where were you all of yesterday?"
Nessa lowered her head, "I met someone," she whispered, hoping that would be enough for Alassea not to ask any more questions. It was going to be hard to explain to Alassea that she had been spending time with the Prince of Mirkwood. In her eyes it would not be correct. Legolas's father was not alone in thinking that elves should marry those of their own class.
Alassea smiled even bigger, "and would this 'someone' happen to be of the male gender?"
Nessa nodded slowly.
"And would you be happening to be seeing him again soon?"
"Possibly."
"Oh! Tell me! What is his name? How long have you known him? What is he like!" Alassea burst out with questions, as Nessa tried hard not to roll her eyes.
"He's sweet."
"And?"
"I am supposed to be meeting him now, so if there are no more further delays," Nessa tried to move out the door.
"Oh you cannot be seeing him today. You have to watch the elflings, remember?"
Nessa nodded, "He has a little sister, darling little thing she is, we thought she could use some playmates so that she will not grow bored as easily."
Alassea shook her head, "bring elflings along is not going to make it easy to start off a courting."
Nessa shook her head, "it is nothing like that! We are just friends, nothing more."
"Alright, just remember to bring the elflings back at a more proper time then when you arrived last night," Alassea stressed her words as she walked off into the cooking area.
Nessa shook her head, and set off to find the three terrors otherwise known as elflings. "Kemen! Envenyala! Arnarmo! Are you three ready?"
"Coming Nessa!" Envenyala, the youngest, called, as she walked gingerly over to the older she-elf.
"Now for the other two," Nessa whispered to herself, this was going to be a challenge within itself.
"Nessa! Arnarmo stole my sword!" Kemen yelled pointing at his older brother and holding up a broken half of a wooden toy sword.
"No! You broke mine!" Arnarmo made his argument and justification all in one breath.
Nessa shook her head and smiled, "Arnarmo, how about you give Kemen back his sword,"
Arnarmo sighed, "but Nessa! That's not fair! He broke mine!"
Nessa put a finger to her lips, "hush now, Arnarmo. How about I buy you a new sword to replace the old one."
Arnarmo smiled wickedly, and stuck his tongue out at his younger brother.
"Hey! That's not fair! How come Arnarmo gets a new sword, and I am stuck with this old one!"
Nessa shook her head, "then I will buy you both new swords, of the finest wood so that they will not break."
Kemen smiled defiantly and stood tall. Arnarmo just rolled his eyes and crossed his arms across his chest.
"Nessa, what about me? Can't I get a new toy too?" Envenyala tugged on Nessa's greenish skirt.
Nessa shook her head, and swore she heard Alassea snort from across the room. With a quick glare at Alassea, she crouched down to the elflings level, "how about this instead, if you all behave today like I know you can, then I will buy each of you a new toy of your choice. Do you understand?"
The elflings nodded excitedly, "anything we want!" They asked with equal excitement.
Nessa nodded, "but only if you behave." She smiled and stood up, "now, we better get going, we have a bit of a walk."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Legolas!" Tyalië whispered to her younger brother.
Legolas turned, "What is it?"
She beckoned him closer, and Legolas followed with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes?" He repeated himself, now in a whisper.
"You are not going to see the she-elf again, are you?"
Legolas nodded, "yes, Ñandelle and I are meeting Nessa and her younger siblings today, why?"
Tyalië sighed, "Legolas, you know Altar would not approve. He wants you to marry a she-elf of status, why bother spending all of this time with a she- elf of none?"
Legolas frowned, "I know you mean well, but I enjoy spending time with her. I would rather be happy and have Altar disapprove of me, then be unhappy and have Altar approve of me."
Tyalië frowned, "you know you cannot carry out this charade forever, Altar is going to notice, that is if by some rare chance little Ñandelle can keep quiet."
Legolas sighed, "I know, but I enjoy spending time with Nessa. I would think that Altar would at least respect the fact that I am happy over the fact that Nessa is not a she-elf of status."
Tyalië sighed, "alright, go. Just listen to me, just be friends and nothing more, things of this nature always become more complicated when Altar catches wind of them."
Legolas smiled, "then he shall not ever hear of word of it," and he walked off picking little Ñandelle up along the way out the door.
Tyalië shook her head, "I should not allow him, but I do not think I have ever seem him this happy before." She smiled, and walked off tending to the day's agenda.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Legolas walked through the marketplace, making his way to the archery fields once again. Ñandelle sat proudly in her brother's arms, carrying out her careful assignment of seeing if she could see Nessa through the crowd.
"Legolas! Legolas! I see her! Nessa!" She jumped up and down excitedly in his arms pointing to a she-elf just to the right of them a few feet.
"Well then, little one, shall we go say hello?"
Ñandelle nodded, as Legolas began to push his way through the crowd to where Nessa and three little elflings were standing.
"Good morning, Nessa!" Ñandelle called out to her.
Nessa turned around and smiled at the little elf perched in Legolas's arms, "Good morning, little one. How are you feeling today? Well, I hope."
Ñandelle nodded, "yep! Legolas said we get to spend the entire day with you!"
Nessa smiled, "well, I do have to get these little ones back around lunchtime," she pointed to the elflings, "This is Kemen, Envenyala, and Arnarmo, Ñandelle, I believe you all shall get along splendidly."
Legolas nodded, "hello there, my name is Legolas, and your sister was kind enough to bring you along with her today so that Ñandelle would not grow bored." He introduced himself, smiling brightly.
"Nessa isn't my sister," Kemen said innocently.
Nessa shook her head, "I am staying with their family, their parents, Alassea and Mablung, were kind enough to take me in when I first came here a few months ago."
"Oh, I am sorry, I didn't know."
"It is alright, really, a lot of elves think the same thing when they first meet us."
"No they don't," Arnarmo matched the innocence of his elder brother.
Kemen hit Arnarmo across the chest, "no, stupid! Nessa was just trying to make Mister Legolas feel better!"
"Oh," Arnarmo frowned, hitting his brother back.
"Hey! What was that for!"
"You hit me!"
Nessa frowned, "Kemen, Arnarmo," she said sharply, "I thought you both promised to behave today."
"We're sorry Nessa," they said at the same time, gently lowering their heads to complete the act.
"I am not mad at you, you just shouldn't go around hitting others and calling them names, alright?"
Both nodded, giving each other a look in the eye promising the other that this battle was far from over.
Nessa sighed, "well then."
Legolas smiled, "you are bribing them with something aren't you?"
Nessa laughed hesitantly, "now, why would you say something like that?"
"Legolas always promises me toys if I behave! Right, big brother?" Ñandelle smiled, proving without doubt that little ones could not keep a secret if their life depended on it.
Legolas laughed just as hesitantly as Nessa raised an eyebrow, "Oh really, Legolas? Is that what you were doing when I met you, bribing your sister? Now, that just is not right."
"Mister Legolas," Envenyala tugged the top of his tunic.
Legolas looked down to the little she-elf below him, "Yes?"
"Whats courting?"
Legolas frowned and looked hesitantly at Nessa, who was equally as confused. "Well little one, it is when two elves love each other very much and begin spending a lot of time with one another, and, hopefully if everything works out, the two elves become married."
"Oh," Envenyala looked sadly over at Nessa, "Nessa you aren't going to leave us are you?"
Nessa looked oddly at the little she-elf, "well little one, eventually I will, as will you someday leave your parents and brothers, but that day is far away from now," she reassured her, "why do you ask?"
"Naneth said that Mister Legolas was courting you," she said innocently.
Nessa's heart stopped and she turned a rather odd shade of red, "now, now,"
Legolas raised an eyebrow.
"She just jumped to conclusions, that is all little one. You have nothing to worry about."
Ñandelle looked at Legolas, "but Linnende and Nindo said that you were courting Nessa too!"
Legolas turned even redder then Nessa, as Kemen and Arnarmo broke out into a lovely rendition of 'Mister Legolas and Nessa sitting in a tree'.
"I think we shall pay them a visit today," Legolas mumbled,
Nessa nodded her head in agreement, "most defiantly. I would love to meet these two."
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**
Hope you liked this chapter. More are on there way soon, but as I said in my comments at the top, I do have a lot on my plate right now.
Please Review...oh and ummm..MERRY CHRISTMAS!
With Love,
Arwen