Sorry this has taken me so long to get up! (I'm being a bad child and
taking a break from studying for you guys! If I fail, I'm blaming you!)
(okay, not really, but you know! People need a break every once and a
while!)
Well, thought I might give you a heads up, Part One is going to end soon! In case you guys have been wondering what's up with the title, you'll start to get it in the next few chapters or however long I prolong it (lol, cliffhanger endings!). Also there is going to be two parts, part one is pretty much told to you in my summary and that quote at the very beginning (okay, then add in the love story, and you've got the story line). Part two will be written a little different, I'm still working on how I'll make it make sense, so when I finally do get around to posting it, commentary will be loved!
Hope you enjoy this chapter! (I tired to make it longer!)
Love Always,
Arwen
(PS: If the format is screwy and the breaks won't show up, blame ff.net. I'll try reposting it with different types of breaks as soon as I can!)
After the last piece of food was eaten, the last glass of wine drunken, and the last guest departed in the early morning hours, the party finally came to an end and Mirkwood was pushed back into a lazy mid-summer slumber.
Nessa lay in her bed, uncomfortable to say the least. It wasn't she bed or the room, just the surroundings that bothered her. There were no elflings climbing into her bed, begging that they stay the night because they are afraid of the storm or that monsters will come and eat them. No loud thumps of things falling from their places, and the movement of uneasy elves and elflings. No. All there was, was silence.
She rolled over uneasily, no doubt most of Mirkwood was probably sound asleep in their beds by now. But with every passing minute, she became more and more unruly.
Finally with a heavy sigh, she climbed out of her bed, grabbing the nearby robe hung on the oak coat hanger, she walked out of her room and began to wander the halls of the grand castle. She walked down through her hallway, through the great hall she had been earlier that evening, where she was rushed out by the servants trying to clean up the mess, and finally down to Legolas's room.
She paused for a moment in front of his larger door. Part of her wanted to go in, see if he was asleep, or if he would stay up and keep her company. With a little smirk, she walked towards the door, knocking lightly so as to not draw attention to herself or wake sleeping elves.
Legolas opened his door almost right after, as if expecting her to come. He smiled warmly, "What could you not stand to be another minute away from me? Am I that great?" He whispered.
"Not only that, but so modest too, Legolas!" She teased back.
He motioned her inside, never taking his eyes off of her. She smiled and accepted, "don't get any ideas, Legolas!" She warned him as she walked into his chamber.
He held his hands up, "I assure you my intentions were nothing but noble to say the least!" He joked, as he closed the door behind her.
She smiled, "sorry if I woke you."
He shook his head and walked towards her, "no, don't be. I promised that I was going to be there for you when ever you needed me, did I not?" He placed his arms around her slender waist, "I don't want you to feel alone anymore, I'll always be here for you."
She smiled and rested her head against his chest, "it's just that it's so different here then back home."
"What do you mean?"
"Couldn't sleep, there were no little elflings climbing to bed with me, no loud noises to put me at ease, nothing."
Legolas laughed quietly, "is that the problem! You couldn't sleep because it was too quiet!"
She glared at him playfully, "you are so mean!"
He smirked, "as I said, it is my gift!"
She smiled, "but in all honesty," she looked away for a moment, "could you just stay with me tonight?"
"What do you mean?"
Her arms flew up, "no! Not that!" She spat out, then whispered, "I just don't want to be alone." She looked down at her toes, rocking her body slowly back and forth, trying her best to not become embarrassed.
He smiled, and hugged her tighter, "and I intend to keep my promise to you, Nessa. I would never want you to be alone."
She rested her head on his shoulder, "you don't have to do much of anything, just this."
"Just what?"
"Just hold me," she smiled warmly, "there is just something so wonderful that I feel when you hold me like you are now. I don't know exactly how to explain it, but I don't want it to go away. I feel so safe and protected, like nothing could ever bad happen while I am in your arms." She sighed heavily, looking away from his face, "I must sound silly, like a little elfling with a crush," she laughed lightly, "but I know you feel the same way," she smiled mischievously, "your heart sped up too."
Legolas smiled, "you caught me, Ness, now you know I'm not perfect."
"What ever gave you that impression?" He smiled, resting his head on hers. It was the moments like these that would stick with him forever. It was so wonderful in it's simplicity, he would never want to forget it.
He watched the sun rise the next morning. The warm colors mixing with an unexplainable sadness. Legolas had kept his promise, he held her all of that night, even as she slept. Sleep didn't come to him at all that night, he just stayed up, watching her sleep so peacefully.
Even while she slept, she was still beautiful to him. He was starting to realize why elves gave up so much for love, why a broken heart could kill you. Love made you so happy, that no matter what was happening to you, you could still smile.
So much had changed since he had met Nessa. He had matured somewhat, but when love comes you have to mature somehow. You can't be an elfling anymore, and you just grow, whether you chose to or not. You never choose love, love chooses you.
He caressed her soft cheek, wiping away a few strands of stay hair. She opened her eyes and looked up at him, smiling. Sometime during that night, she felt sleep begin to overcome her, and they had lain on his giant bed, alongside the pillows and blankets. There, sometime during the night, she had fallen asleep in his warm embrace.
"Morning," he greeted her.
She pulled the sheets over her eyes, "too early," she mumbled out.
Legolas laughed silently, "too early, it's nearly noon! You're going to sleep your live away, Nessa."
She smiled, wrapping her arms around him, "but I'm sleeping next to you, which makes the latter seem more preferable."
He shook his head, "come on, Nessa, someone's bound to notice you missing by now. We mustn't give them the wrong impression about this."
She shook her head and buried herself further into his sheets, "but I thought we didn't care what others thought anymore," she argued, still half- sleeping.
He laughed playfully, "using my own words against me now, are we?"
She mumbled a sort of answer, nothing he could really make out. Legolas smiled, pulling off the sheets from over her head, "come on, what are you going to do, sleep your life away?"
She lifted her head, raising an eyebrow, "yes, yes I am, oh repeater of phrases."
He glared at her playfully, "come on, we have to get you out of here. In all seriousness, my Atar might send someone up soon, and this will not exactly look right in most proper elves eyes."
She grumbled and nodded, "fine, fine, you leave, and I'll head out in a little while. It won't look so suspicious that way."
Legolas smiled, kissing her on the head softly, "alright, I'll see you downstairs then?"
She looked up at him, "can we go to the gardens instead?"
"What?"
She smiled, "it has been so long since I have seen a garden, I miss the scent of flowers every now and again."
He smiled, "sure thing, I'll meet you in the gardens in a couple of minutes." With another quick hug and a kiss, he turned and ran out the door, opening the door just enough to let him through.
She smiled as she watched him go. He seemed so happy, so carefree. Everything that she wanted to be all the time. But her head sometimes got in the way. But she also knew, that everything just seemed right when he held her in his arms. She would forget about her doubts and worries, and just focus on being Nessa.
She turned and walked around his room a little. It was dark the night before, and she really hadn't looked around. All in all, his room wasn't boring, it just didn't look so lived in. She smiled inwardly, he never did seem like the type that would stay cooped up in his room all day. She looked to the desk to her right, he had left out some ink and paper that looked like they hadn't been used in quite sometime.
She frowned a moment, realizing she had neglected to write her brother in quite some time. He always grew worried when she didn't write for long periods of time like this, thought the worst must have happened.
Sitting down, she sighed, grabbing the pen and ink and then a blank sheet, and began to write her brother. She told him of what had happened to her in the past few weeks, about moving into the palace, but mostly about Legolas. About how he read her stories from books, and about his little sister, Ñandelle, and about the party. She smiled as she reminisced about all these beautiful moments. Everything was just so perfect here, that was the one thing she said more then anything else. She repeatedly thanked Narie for telling her of such a place. In this place she had been able to find the one thing she could never find back home, love.
She had to laugh as she thought about this. She never had any intention of ever bothering to find love, but when one comes to you, you best chase after it for all it's worth.
She sighed the letter, folding it into a neat square and enclosing her love for her family with it. With a warm smiled, she pushed the letter into her dress pocket so that she might send it later. Aerandir was going to be proud of her, she knew it.
With a warm sigh, she pushed herself out of the chair and made her way for the doorway. She took one last look around his room, and then made her way out into the hallway.
"Legolas, my son, may I speak with you a moment?" Thranduil stopped his son in the hallway, pulling him aside.
Legolas nodded, "alright, what do you need to speak with me about?"
"Elrond has called for a council in Rivendell. I am afraid I do not have the time to attend, and rather you would go in my place." He looked around him slyly, and added in a whisper, "and I am sure Nessa would like to go home and see her family for a little bit as well."
Legolas smiled brightly, "we do we leave, Atar?"
Thranduil nodded, "tomorrow, at sunrise," he looked around him uneasily for a moment, "but please, be careful my son, there is talk of an evil growing in the east. A nameless fear, they call it. No doubt this is what Elrond's council is attending so, so may I remind you, try not to do anything rash."
Legolas frowned, his Atar may have been changing for the better, but he was still his Atar. Start off with caring for his safety, to reminding him to act princely. Apparently going off on heroic adventures was not something a prince should be spending his time with.
He nodded, "I'll remember that, Atar."
Thranduil nodded, "good, now go and fetch Nessa. Tell her the news, then I would suggest packing. You will have quite an early start tomorrow morning."
"Nessa!" He yelled, running through the gardens, looking for the she-elf. Although, some elves did not quite take a liking to the young prince running around and screaming in a place of solitude.
"Has he no manners!" An elderly she-elf muttered to her friend, "running around and carrying on like that!"
"I've heard he has been mixing around with some she-elf from the villages!" She muttered back, watching the prince keenly, "to think, his Atar must have gone crazy when he heard the news!"
Legolas glared at the two she-elves, hearing the mutters, but just continued on looking for Nessa. He would get back at them later, no doubt Linnende and Nindo would gladly help him in getting his revenge. They always seemed ready for that sort of thing.
"Legolas!" Nessa waved her arms, trying to get him to be a little quieter, "elves are starting to stare!"
With a smile, he picked her up off the ground and whirled her around laughing merrily, "then let them stare, Ness!"
She laughed lightly, "you have gone crazy, Legolas!" She playfully scolded him as he set her down, "what has gotten into you?"
He smiled, "I have great news!"
"And? What is it? Tell me! Or your name will officially become pretty elf boy!" She teased him, smiling brightly.
"Anyways," he playfully glared at her, "my Atar is sending me on a trip."
Nessa frowned, "a trip, for you? What does that have anything to do with me?"
He smiled, "it gets better, you are coming with me!"
"Where are we going?"
"Rivendell!" He shouted.
Nessa let out a hoot and jumped into his arms, "Rivendell!" She shouted, happily, hugging him tightly, "I get to go back to Rivendell!"
He placed his hand behind her head, stroking it lovingly, "yeah, Rivendell, Ness, Rivendell," he whispered back to her.
By now, all eyes fell on Legolas and Nessa, watching them either amused or disgusted by this public display of affection and the shouting.
"Nessa, everyone is staring again," he smiled, "and this time it was not my fault!"
She smiled, snuggling deeper into his arms, "let them stare, Legolas, just let them stare."
They left the next morning, as planned. Nessa was besides her self with happiness. She would be able to see Aerandir and Narie again, see all her nieces and nephews for the first time in almost a year. She would be able to tell Aerandir all about her time in Mirkwood, instead of sending him just another letter. He would be able to meet Legolas for himself, not just guess by what was written in her letter about him.
Legolas, along with two other guards, Enyd and Manveru, and herself, left on horseback just as the sun began to rise in the sky. The colors seemed much happier to her then they had before, the warm pastels enveloped her in a love and warmth so unlike any other.
She smiled and looked over at Legolas, who rode next to her on his horse. "Thank-you Legolas, thank-you so much," she yelled over to him, smiling brightly.
He smiled back, "no, no, thank-you for coming, Ness."
Enyd and Manveru let out an audible gag as they heard Nessa and Legolas talking in front of them.
"What?" Legolas shouted back at them, "at least I have a she-elf to talk to!" He teased both of them.
They looked at each other, and with a smirk said, "at least we don't talk like that!" Enyd laughed, teasing right back at them.
"Oh, Enyd, you are so wonderful!" Manveru laughed, mocking any pair of young lovers.
"Oh, Manveru, do you really mean that!"
"Oh, yes!"
"Oh, I'm blushing!"
Legolas and Nessa were besides themselves with laughter as they watched Enyd and Manveru talk back and forth.
"What do you say, Leggy? Are they perfect for each other, or what?" Nessa teased.
Legolas laughed musically, "I do agree, they are a perfect match!"
"Hey!" Enyd yelled, "that's not fair!"
"And how so?" Nessa raised an eyebrow, "you can tease, but can you take it?"
He mumbled something inaudible, "that's not true!" He finally came out with after his mumbling.
Manveru laughed, "I'd hate to admit it, my friend, but you never did take friendly teasing well."
"And since when have you called me, 'Leggy'?" Legolas finally asked, thinking back about their conversation.
"Well, 'pretty elf boy' did not seem to fit there, so I had to come up with something new. 'Leggy' just seemed to work."
He glared at her playfully, "thanks."
"You're always welcome!" She smiled, holding back even more laughter.
They had reached Rivendell in four days, because of their somewhat slower pace due to all their bantering. Nessa smiled as she came upon the familiar sight, happy to see it once again. She had left her company to walk around alone for awhile, it had been so long since she had last seen it.
She made her way slowly through the main streets, she would visit Aerandir with Legolas later. She wanted them to meet, the time seemed proper.
"By the Valor! Nessa!"
Nessa whipped around to where the voice came from, there, just feet from her stood her Naneth. Not far beyond her stood the rest of her family, all stunned and confused.
Her Naneth was first to run up to her, "Nessa! Nessa! It has been so long!" She grabbed her daughter and pulled her into an embrace.
Nessa just stood there, unsure of what to do. She kept remembering Aerandir's words, to stay away from their family. Their Atar would try and take her back, he would try and force her to marry Oropher again, he would hit her again.
"What is the matter, Nessa, are you not happy to see your Naneth again? Has that much changed that you won't even say a greeting to me anymore?" Her Naneth tried to look her in the eyes, but she turned away. Tears starting to fill her eyes again, everything was going so well.
"Nessa," the stern voice of her Atar caught her attention, "your Naneth is talking to you, you will look at her."
Nessa kept her eyes closed, still looking away from her family.
"Nessa!" Her father grabbed her face, pulling it towards him harshly, "open your eyes, Nessa!"
She kept them shut. She was not apart of this family anymore. She would not follow their rules anymore.
"I said open your eyes!" He shouted her harsher, slapping her across the cheek. She fell backwards, landing in the street, tears falling down her cheeks.
Her cheek began to sting again, he was starting to reopen that old scar.
"Get the elflings out of here," he muttered to his wife, "they need not see this."
Nessa looked up at her Atar, a crazed look in his eyes.
Her Naneth did as she was told, grabbing the elflings and pulling them away with some struggle, but eventually winning them over.
"I came searching for you, Nessa, but you were no where to be found," he muttered at her, kneeling down besides her, "where were you, Nessa? What have you been doing this past year?"
She breathed heavily, tears falling down her face, she looked away from him again, refusing to believe this was happening to her again.
He slapped her against the face again, this time taking blood with him, "answer me child!"
She fell backwards again, but still refused to say a word.
He picked her up again, and prepared to slap her, "I said,"
"HEY!" Legolas ran down to Nessa, "get away from her!" He glared at her Atar, grabbing Nessa's shoulders.
"No, no, Legolas, you don't understand, you don't understand," she mumbled in between sobs, standing up on her own.
"Oh is this what you have been doing? Spending time with some elf, even though you said you would choose not to love over your family!"
She glared at her Atar, a sudden rage taking over her, she couldn't stand to stay silent anymore, "no! I never said I chose not to love! I chose not to be forced into a marriage to an elf I hated!"
"I was merely trying to make you happy! That is all, Nessa! I wanted to see my daughter happy!"
"Happy! Is that why you gave me this scar! Is that why you banished me from my home!" Tears were falling down her face, her shoulders where shaking violently, and her voice came to a loss of words.
Legolas put his arm around her, turning her so that she could cry into his shoulder. He rubbed her back soothingly, and walked her away from this pain.
"Nessa! Nessa! Come back here this instant!" He yelled after her, but she wasn't listening. She just cried, like she did that night. She was losing her family all over again.
Well there you have it, the newest installment of my most popular fic to date. Please review!
Updates up sooner then usual! (Brought to you by summer vacay!)
Love ya!
Arwen
Well, thought I might give you a heads up, Part One is going to end soon! In case you guys have been wondering what's up with the title, you'll start to get it in the next few chapters or however long I prolong it (lol, cliffhanger endings!). Also there is going to be two parts, part one is pretty much told to you in my summary and that quote at the very beginning (okay, then add in the love story, and you've got the story line). Part two will be written a little different, I'm still working on how I'll make it make sense, so when I finally do get around to posting it, commentary will be loved!
Hope you enjoy this chapter! (I tired to make it longer!)
Love Always,
Arwen
(PS: If the format is screwy and the breaks won't show up, blame ff.net. I'll try reposting it with different types of breaks as soon as I can!)
After the last piece of food was eaten, the last glass of wine drunken, and the last guest departed in the early morning hours, the party finally came to an end and Mirkwood was pushed back into a lazy mid-summer slumber.
Nessa lay in her bed, uncomfortable to say the least. It wasn't she bed or the room, just the surroundings that bothered her. There were no elflings climbing into her bed, begging that they stay the night because they are afraid of the storm or that monsters will come and eat them. No loud thumps of things falling from their places, and the movement of uneasy elves and elflings. No. All there was, was silence.
She rolled over uneasily, no doubt most of Mirkwood was probably sound asleep in their beds by now. But with every passing minute, she became more and more unruly.
Finally with a heavy sigh, she climbed out of her bed, grabbing the nearby robe hung on the oak coat hanger, she walked out of her room and began to wander the halls of the grand castle. She walked down through her hallway, through the great hall she had been earlier that evening, where she was rushed out by the servants trying to clean up the mess, and finally down to Legolas's room.
She paused for a moment in front of his larger door. Part of her wanted to go in, see if he was asleep, or if he would stay up and keep her company. With a little smirk, she walked towards the door, knocking lightly so as to not draw attention to herself or wake sleeping elves.
Legolas opened his door almost right after, as if expecting her to come. He smiled warmly, "What could you not stand to be another minute away from me? Am I that great?" He whispered.
"Not only that, but so modest too, Legolas!" She teased back.
He motioned her inside, never taking his eyes off of her. She smiled and accepted, "don't get any ideas, Legolas!" She warned him as she walked into his chamber.
He held his hands up, "I assure you my intentions were nothing but noble to say the least!" He joked, as he closed the door behind her.
She smiled, "sorry if I woke you."
He shook his head and walked towards her, "no, don't be. I promised that I was going to be there for you when ever you needed me, did I not?" He placed his arms around her slender waist, "I don't want you to feel alone anymore, I'll always be here for you."
She smiled and rested her head against his chest, "it's just that it's so different here then back home."
"What do you mean?"
"Couldn't sleep, there were no little elflings climbing to bed with me, no loud noises to put me at ease, nothing."
Legolas laughed quietly, "is that the problem! You couldn't sleep because it was too quiet!"
She glared at him playfully, "you are so mean!"
He smirked, "as I said, it is my gift!"
She smiled, "but in all honesty," she looked away for a moment, "could you just stay with me tonight?"
"What do you mean?"
Her arms flew up, "no! Not that!" She spat out, then whispered, "I just don't want to be alone." She looked down at her toes, rocking her body slowly back and forth, trying her best to not become embarrassed.
He smiled, and hugged her tighter, "and I intend to keep my promise to you, Nessa. I would never want you to be alone."
She rested her head on his shoulder, "you don't have to do much of anything, just this."
"Just what?"
"Just hold me," she smiled warmly, "there is just something so wonderful that I feel when you hold me like you are now. I don't know exactly how to explain it, but I don't want it to go away. I feel so safe and protected, like nothing could ever bad happen while I am in your arms." She sighed heavily, looking away from his face, "I must sound silly, like a little elfling with a crush," she laughed lightly, "but I know you feel the same way," she smiled mischievously, "your heart sped up too."
Legolas smiled, "you caught me, Ness, now you know I'm not perfect."
"What ever gave you that impression?" He smiled, resting his head on hers. It was the moments like these that would stick with him forever. It was so wonderful in it's simplicity, he would never want to forget it.
He watched the sun rise the next morning. The warm colors mixing with an unexplainable sadness. Legolas had kept his promise, he held her all of that night, even as she slept. Sleep didn't come to him at all that night, he just stayed up, watching her sleep so peacefully.
Even while she slept, she was still beautiful to him. He was starting to realize why elves gave up so much for love, why a broken heart could kill you. Love made you so happy, that no matter what was happening to you, you could still smile.
So much had changed since he had met Nessa. He had matured somewhat, but when love comes you have to mature somehow. You can't be an elfling anymore, and you just grow, whether you chose to or not. You never choose love, love chooses you.
He caressed her soft cheek, wiping away a few strands of stay hair. She opened her eyes and looked up at him, smiling. Sometime during that night, she felt sleep begin to overcome her, and they had lain on his giant bed, alongside the pillows and blankets. There, sometime during the night, she had fallen asleep in his warm embrace.
"Morning," he greeted her.
She pulled the sheets over her eyes, "too early," she mumbled out.
Legolas laughed silently, "too early, it's nearly noon! You're going to sleep your live away, Nessa."
She smiled, wrapping her arms around him, "but I'm sleeping next to you, which makes the latter seem more preferable."
He shook his head, "come on, Nessa, someone's bound to notice you missing by now. We mustn't give them the wrong impression about this."
She shook her head and buried herself further into his sheets, "but I thought we didn't care what others thought anymore," she argued, still half- sleeping.
He laughed playfully, "using my own words against me now, are we?"
She mumbled a sort of answer, nothing he could really make out. Legolas smiled, pulling off the sheets from over her head, "come on, what are you going to do, sleep your life away?"
She lifted her head, raising an eyebrow, "yes, yes I am, oh repeater of phrases."
He glared at her playfully, "come on, we have to get you out of here. In all seriousness, my Atar might send someone up soon, and this will not exactly look right in most proper elves eyes."
She grumbled and nodded, "fine, fine, you leave, and I'll head out in a little while. It won't look so suspicious that way."
Legolas smiled, kissing her on the head softly, "alright, I'll see you downstairs then?"
She looked up at him, "can we go to the gardens instead?"
"What?"
She smiled, "it has been so long since I have seen a garden, I miss the scent of flowers every now and again."
He smiled, "sure thing, I'll meet you in the gardens in a couple of minutes." With another quick hug and a kiss, he turned and ran out the door, opening the door just enough to let him through.
She smiled as she watched him go. He seemed so happy, so carefree. Everything that she wanted to be all the time. But her head sometimes got in the way. But she also knew, that everything just seemed right when he held her in his arms. She would forget about her doubts and worries, and just focus on being Nessa.
She turned and walked around his room a little. It was dark the night before, and she really hadn't looked around. All in all, his room wasn't boring, it just didn't look so lived in. She smiled inwardly, he never did seem like the type that would stay cooped up in his room all day. She looked to the desk to her right, he had left out some ink and paper that looked like they hadn't been used in quite sometime.
She frowned a moment, realizing she had neglected to write her brother in quite some time. He always grew worried when she didn't write for long periods of time like this, thought the worst must have happened.
Sitting down, she sighed, grabbing the pen and ink and then a blank sheet, and began to write her brother. She told him of what had happened to her in the past few weeks, about moving into the palace, but mostly about Legolas. About how he read her stories from books, and about his little sister, Ñandelle, and about the party. She smiled as she reminisced about all these beautiful moments. Everything was just so perfect here, that was the one thing she said more then anything else. She repeatedly thanked Narie for telling her of such a place. In this place she had been able to find the one thing she could never find back home, love.
She had to laugh as she thought about this. She never had any intention of ever bothering to find love, but when one comes to you, you best chase after it for all it's worth.
She sighed the letter, folding it into a neat square and enclosing her love for her family with it. With a warm smiled, she pushed the letter into her dress pocket so that she might send it later. Aerandir was going to be proud of her, she knew it.
With a warm sigh, she pushed herself out of the chair and made her way for the doorway. She took one last look around his room, and then made her way out into the hallway.
"Legolas, my son, may I speak with you a moment?" Thranduil stopped his son in the hallway, pulling him aside.
Legolas nodded, "alright, what do you need to speak with me about?"
"Elrond has called for a council in Rivendell. I am afraid I do not have the time to attend, and rather you would go in my place." He looked around him slyly, and added in a whisper, "and I am sure Nessa would like to go home and see her family for a little bit as well."
Legolas smiled brightly, "we do we leave, Atar?"
Thranduil nodded, "tomorrow, at sunrise," he looked around him uneasily for a moment, "but please, be careful my son, there is talk of an evil growing in the east. A nameless fear, they call it. No doubt this is what Elrond's council is attending so, so may I remind you, try not to do anything rash."
Legolas frowned, his Atar may have been changing for the better, but he was still his Atar. Start off with caring for his safety, to reminding him to act princely. Apparently going off on heroic adventures was not something a prince should be spending his time with.
He nodded, "I'll remember that, Atar."
Thranduil nodded, "good, now go and fetch Nessa. Tell her the news, then I would suggest packing. You will have quite an early start tomorrow morning."
"Nessa!" He yelled, running through the gardens, looking for the she-elf. Although, some elves did not quite take a liking to the young prince running around and screaming in a place of solitude.
"Has he no manners!" An elderly she-elf muttered to her friend, "running around and carrying on like that!"
"I've heard he has been mixing around with some she-elf from the villages!" She muttered back, watching the prince keenly, "to think, his Atar must have gone crazy when he heard the news!"
Legolas glared at the two she-elves, hearing the mutters, but just continued on looking for Nessa. He would get back at them later, no doubt Linnende and Nindo would gladly help him in getting his revenge. They always seemed ready for that sort of thing.
"Legolas!" Nessa waved her arms, trying to get him to be a little quieter, "elves are starting to stare!"
With a smile, he picked her up off the ground and whirled her around laughing merrily, "then let them stare, Ness!"
She laughed lightly, "you have gone crazy, Legolas!" She playfully scolded him as he set her down, "what has gotten into you?"
He smiled, "I have great news!"
"And? What is it? Tell me! Or your name will officially become pretty elf boy!" She teased him, smiling brightly.
"Anyways," he playfully glared at her, "my Atar is sending me on a trip."
Nessa frowned, "a trip, for you? What does that have anything to do with me?"
He smiled, "it gets better, you are coming with me!"
"Where are we going?"
"Rivendell!" He shouted.
Nessa let out a hoot and jumped into his arms, "Rivendell!" She shouted, happily, hugging him tightly, "I get to go back to Rivendell!"
He placed his hand behind her head, stroking it lovingly, "yeah, Rivendell, Ness, Rivendell," he whispered back to her.
By now, all eyes fell on Legolas and Nessa, watching them either amused or disgusted by this public display of affection and the shouting.
"Nessa, everyone is staring again," he smiled, "and this time it was not my fault!"
She smiled, snuggling deeper into his arms, "let them stare, Legolas, just let them stare."
They left the next morning, as planned. Nessa was besides her self with happiness. She would be able to see Aerandir and Narie again, see all her nieces and nephews for the first time in almost a year. She would be able to tell Aerandir all about her time in Mirkwood, instead of sending him just another letter. He would be able to meet Legolas for himself, not just guess by what was written in her letter about him.
Legolas, along with two other guards, Enyd and Manveru, and herself, left on horseback just as the sun began to rise in the sky. The colors seemed much happier to her then they had before, the warm pastels enveloped her in a love and warmth so unlike any other.
She smiled and looked over at Legolas, who rode next to her on his horse. "Thank-you Legolas, thank-you so much," she yelled over to him, smiling brightly.
He smiled back, "no, no, thank-you for coming, Ness."
Enyd and Manveru let out an audible gag as they heard Nessa and Legolas talking in front of them.
"What?" Legolas shouted back at them, "at least I have a she-elf to talk to!" He teased both of them.
They looked at each other, and with a smirk said, "at least we don't talk like that!" Enyd laughed, teasing right back at them.
"Oh, Enyd, you are so wonderful!" Manveru laughed, mocking any pair of young lovers.
"Oh, Manveru, do you really mean that!"
"Oh, yes!"
"Oh, I'm blushing!"
Legolas and Nessa were besides themselves with laughter as they watched Enyd and Manveru talk back and forth.
"What do you say, Leggy? Are they perfect for each other, or what?" Nessa teased.
Legolas laughed musically, "I do agree, they are a perfect match!"
"Hey!" Enyd yelled, "that's not fair!"
"And how so?" Nessa raised an eyebrow, "you can tease, but can you take it?"
He mumbled something inaudible, "that's not true!" He finally came out with after his mumbling.
Manveru laughed, "I'd hate to admit it, my friend, but you never did take friendly teasing well."
"And since when have you called me, 'Leggy'?" Legolas finally asked, thinking back about their conversation.
"Well, 'pretty elf boy' did not seem to fit there, so I had to come up with something new. 'Leggy' just seemed to work."
He glared at her playfully, "thanks."
"You're always welcome!" She smiled, holding back even more laughter.
They had reached Rivendell in four days, because of their somewhat slower pace due to all their bantering. Nessa smiled as she came upon the familiar sight, happy to see it once again. She had left her company to walk around alone for awhile, it had been so long since she had last seen it.
She made her way slowly through the main streets, she would visit Aerandir with Legolas later. She wanted them to meet, the time seemed proper.
"By the Valor! Nessa!"
Nessa whipped around to where the voice came from, there, just feet from her stood her Naneth. Not far beyond her stood the rest of her family, all stunned and confused.
Her Naneth was first to run up to her, "Nessa! Nessa! It has been so long!" She grabbed her daughter and pulled her into an embrace.
Nessa just stood there, unsure of what to do. She kept remembering Aerandir's words, to stay away from their family. Their Atar would try and take her back, he would try and force her to marry Oropher again, he would hit her again.
"What is the matter, Nessa, are you not happy to see your Naneth again? Has that much changed that you won't even say a greeting to me anymore?" Her Naneth tried to look her in the eyes, but she turned away. Tears starting to fill her eyes again, everything was going so well.
"Nessa," the stern voice of her Atar caught her attention, "your Naneth is talking to you, you will look at her."
Nessa kept her eyes closed, still looking away from her family.
"Nessa!" Her father grabbed her face, pulling it towards him harshly, "open your eyes, Nessa!"
She kept them shut. She was not apart of this family anymore. She would not follow their rules anymore.
"I said open your eyes!" He shouted her harsher, slapping her across the cheek. She fell backwards, landing in the street, tears falling down her cheeks.
Her cheek began to sting again, he was starting to reopen that old scar.
"Get the elflings out of here," he muttered to his wife, "they need not see this."
Nessa looked up at her Atar, a crazed look in his eyes.
Her Naneth did as she was told, grabbing the elflings and pulling them away with some struggle, but eventually winning them over.
"I came searching for you, Nessa, but you were no where to be found," he muttered at her, kneeling down besides her, "where were you, Nessa? What have you been doing this past year?"
She breathed heavily, tears falling down her face, she looked away from him again, refusing to believe this was happening to her again.
He slapped her against the face again, this time taking blood with him, "answer me child!"
She fell backwards again, but still refused to say a word.
He picked her up again, and prepared to slap her, "I said,"
"HEY!" Legolas ran down to Nessa, "get away from her!" He glared at her Atar, grabbing Nessa's shoulders.
"No, no, Legolas, you don't understand, you don't understand," she mumbled in between sobs, standing up on her own.
"Oh is this what you have been doing? Spending time with some elf, even though you said you would choose not to love over your family!"
She glared at her Atar, a sudden rage taking over her, she couldn't stand to stay silent anymore, "no! I never said I chose not to love! I chose not to be forced into a marriage to an elf I hated!"
"I was merely trying to make you happy! That is all, Nessa! I wanted to see my daughter happy!"
"Happy! Is that why you gave me this scar! Is that why you banished me from my home!" Tears were falling down her face, her shoulders where shaking violently, and her voice came to a loss of words.
Legolas put his arm around her, turning her so that she could cry into his shoulder. He rubbed her back soothingly, and walked her away from this pain.
"Nessa! Nessa! Come back here this instant!" He yelled after her, but she wasn't listening. She just cried, like she did that night. She was losing her family all over again.
Well there you have it, the newest installment of my most popular fic to date. Please review!
Updates up sooner then usual! (Brought to you by summer vacay!)
Love ya!
Arwen