A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I've been procrastinating. This is a short one though…
Tei was never good at climbing trees, but after searching deep into the gardens, he found one that was promising. There was a stump by a tree that had a branch low enough for him to reach. Holding two loaves in his mouth and one in his right hand, Tei managed to clamber onto the log and onto the branch, sitting himself comfortably, leaning against the tree's trunk, one leg dangling over the side. There, he began to consume his meager supper. Tei thought himself lucky to have found such a spot, for even though there were a few trees, he could see the stars clearly. They seem to twinkle merrily against the dark blue sky. Lines of gray could be seen, indicating the clouds. Tei found himself wishing for rain, one of his favorite things. But he knew better than to wish such a thing at this time. Rain would not be a convenience for the fellowship, for their journey was near.
Tei was about to start on his third loaf when voices came to his ears. It was elvish, and flowed out femininely. A familiar male answered her, in the same beautiful, lulling speech. Without realizing it, a slight blush came upon the boy's cheek. He knew what was happening. Behind him, not so far away, stood the lady Arwen and the ranger, Aragorn. Should he move but a finger across the rough bark of the tree, they would hear him, and their moment would be spoiled. Tei shut his eyes, having no wish to take part in this. He was not comfortable with romance.
"You said you'd bind yourself to me." Came the voice of the ranger in the common tongue first. "Forsaking the immortal life of your people.
"And to that I hold." Came the replying answer. "I would rather spend one life time with you than spend all the ages of this world alone."
It was that moment that the oath was taken. Everywhere in the woods, silence reigned.
"I choose a mortal life."
"You cannot give me this." Aragorn protested softly.
"It is mine to give to whom I will, like my heart."
Silence came once more as Tei clenched his fingers. His blush deepened with every minute. A small fear grew in his heart. It would not be well should the pair cross the bridge to his side, for it is doubtless that their eyes would passed him. But he need not have to fear, the elf and the ranger crossed the other way, heading back to the dining hall. Once assured, the boy let of a sigh of relief. He had not been discovered. Slowly, sniggering at first, Whiskers burst into a soft laughter, which soon grew to one that echoed across the forest. It was then that he noticed the air had taken on a bitter chill. Bumps littered his skin as Tei rubbed to warm them. With a last glance at the stars, Tei slid off the tree, landing heavily on the ground.
A snapping twig twirled the boy around. There, with a slender hand upon the tree, stood the prince of Mirkwood. Tei gulped softly, feeling the shadow of a blush reaching his cheeks once more. Their last meeting had not been so successful. The gaze of Legolas was hard and cold. The prince had no time for fun, nor did he know the boy well. Tei backed away slightly, nervously, wishing to escape that icy gaze, to dart behind the tree. Legolas realized this and blinked, icy orbs melted slightly.
"I wondered where you were." Legolas inclined his head slightly in greeting.
"You thought of me, my prince?" Tei managed, unsure of what else he should say. "I must apologize for our first meeting. I did not mean to spy on you."
"Hiding behind shrubbery gives one every thought that you would be spying." Legolas replied. "But I can understand if you were truly curious. Aragorn and his brothers were not so different."
Silence lingered between them for a moment, the breeze traversing across the space between boy and elf. Whiskers kneaded his shoulder in agitation, jus waiting for something to happen. It was the voice of the shire that broke the foreboding silence.
"There you are." The mare trotted up to the boy. "I thought I lost you when you went to fetch that arrow." Apparently, she had not notice Legolas, and went forward to nudge Tei.
Something strange flickered in the elf's expression for a moment. "A friend of yours?"
The boy was takened aback for a moment. "There is no one here other than you and me." He lied, trying to see how much the elf knew. "How can there possibly be anyone else?"
Legolas sighed. Not only did he knew that another presence was with them, he could easily tell that the boy was lying. Paint was took by surprised when the prince spoke, and backed away behind Tei slowly, trying to hide all sense of her being. "It is the nature of elves to know when there is another present." Legolas explained. "Now tell me, who is with you."
It was spoken as a command, and Tei dared not oppose the prince. "She is my friend, a horse from the pigments of my imagination. There is also another upon my shoulder, a fox, still in his youth. The only other I knew to know of them was the lady Galadriel." Tei kept his eyes focused on the ground, not wanting to meet Legolas's eyes. "To me, they are physical in touch and sound."
Legolas took in this information calmly, much more than Tei had expected. "You have not told me about the third one, the one in the dining hall, listening to our tales and stealing food off the tables."
Tei winced inside. So Melina had gotten into a bit of a trouble, and she had not gone unnoticed. "That is Melina the lioness. She can be a bit of trouble sometimes."
"No matter." The prince cut him off. "We should be getting back, before Aragorn worries. Nothing escapes his attention." Legolas walked back to the dining hall, and Tei followed hesitantly. It took a while before his stride became bolder as he came up near the prince. Being in the elf's company daunted him somewhat. Legolas seemed cold to the boy, even though he knew that he was a kind soul, and very loyal to his friends. Perhaps they can be friends one day. The two headed silently back to the house of Elrond.