*A/N*: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any of the names or characters
used in Tolkien's wonderful stories (though none have been used...yet), but
Calathi and all other characters are copyright 2002 Meghan.
****Sorry this took so long guys! I've been really busy lately, but thanks for the reviews! I'm probably going to be posting more sporadically now though, because I'm having surgery next week and won't be able to write for at least a week. After that, I'll try to have my sister post the chapters as I write, because my parents probably won't let me on the computer. Sorry, sorry sorry!
* * * * *
Calathi was seated next to Legolas at the long banquet table, now laden with every kind of elvish food they could think of. "How was your trip to the palace?" he asked her, longing to ask straight away about her experience with the orcs. However, good manners prevented this, and he settled for his original question.
"It was well enough," she answered, not sure if it would be polite to discuss her orcish encounter with the prince. "There was a slight…er…problem we had," she continued, unsure of what exactly to say.
"Go on," the prince said. Calathi glanced at him and saw that he was watching her with genuine interest. She relaxed and told the rest of her story.
"Well, the horses suddenly got nervous, and then we smelled orcs. Telmon and his guards protected us, Nora and I, that is."
"Nora?" he inquired.
"Nora is my friend. She came with me from Ilinar to be sure I was taken care of."
"You need not worry about that, my lady. I assure you, your needs will be tended to in this palace."
"I never doubted that, your highness." Calathi smiled at him. "Anyway, the orcs could not compare to the skills of our warriors, and they fell rapidly. However, a small group of them had sneaked around behind us, and one of them hit me in the head. He held a knife to my throat and ordered our warriors to drop their weapons.
"By that time, I could hardly tell up from down, but when I heard the foul creature demand my friends' lives as a ransom for me, I pulled myself together enough to, uh, escape," Calathi finished lamely.
Legolas asked her, "How, exactly, did you 'escape?'"
"I knocked the knife from his hand and spun away, then kicked him." Her eyes filled with tears. "I…I killed him. And then I fainted, like a weak…a weak elf." Calathi took a deep breath. *I cannot cry in front of the prince, * she thought. *He would never respect me if I did. *
He took her hand in his. "Such bravery I would not have thought possible in an elven maiden, but I have been shown otherwise by your deeds and the testimony of others. You are truly welcome in my court, Lady Calathi. I hope you can make Mirkwood your home, for I shall always enjoy your company."
Calathi's cheeks flushed, for she had never received such compliments from anyone, let alone royalty. "I am honored, your highness."
"Please, my lady, call me Legolas."
"And you, Legolas, may call me Calathi." The two elves gazed at each other. As Calathi looked at the prince, she felt her heart quicken within her breast. Confusion flooded her mind, even as giddiness did. Was she falling in love?
The elves returned to their dinner and the banquet came to a finish. As Calathi stood to leave, Legolas gently took her arm. "May I escort you to your chambers?"
"That would be lovely, Legolas," she answered. Then she gently placed her slender arm on his, and together thy walked through the brightly lit marble halls.
The pair continued in silence, though Calathi could feel his eyes on her. She looked at him, and he continued to gaze intently at her fair face. Suddenly, he stooped and drew her hand toward him, kissing it gently. "I have never met an elf such as you," he told her softly.
"Nor have I met an elf like you," she replied, forcing a tone of confidence into her own voice, though she hardly felt it. Her blood was pulsing anxiously through her veins. She chanced a look behind her and saw that they had actually stopped in front of her room.
The prince continued to hold her hand, all the while searching her eyes as though looking for something. She pulled away quickly, for what reason she knew not. "I-I should go," she stammered.
He stepped away from her. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean…I hadn't realized…" He turned to go, but she grabbed his hand again to stop him.
"Legolas, it is I who is sorry. It's just…I know that we could never court each other. Your father would not allow it, for I am only a minor noble from the small realm of Ilinar; I am neither royalty nor am I in high enough standing even to consider it. But I cannot stop my heart from feeling what it will, and I do not wish for it to be broken when you find another-more suitable-maiden." With that, she turned and fled into her chambers as Legolas stared after her in shocked silence.
Once inside, she stood with her back against the door until she heard Legolas walk away softly. Then she sank to the ground and put her head on her silk-covered knees. *Why did I do that, * she asked herself angrily. *Now he will never pursue me. To him I'm just a meek, average elf, one who thinks too highly of herself. Who am I to him? * Then she wept bitterly, all the while thinking of how childish she was being. She finally nodded off to sleep late into the night.
****Sorry this took so long guys! I've been really busy lately, but thanks for the reviews! I'm probably going to be posting more sporadically now though, because I'm having surgery next week and won't be able to write for at least a week. After that, I'll try to have my sister post the chapters as I write, because my parents probably won't let me on the computer. Sorry, sorry sorry!
* * * * *
Calathi was seated next to Legolas at the long banquet table, now laden with every kind of elvish food they could think of. "How was your trip to the palace?" he asked her, longing to ask straight away about her experience with the orcs. However, good manners prevented this, and he settled for his original question.
"It was well enough," she answered, not sure if it would be polite to discuss her orcish encounter with the prince. "There was a slight…er…problem we had," she continued, unsure of what exactly to say.
"Go on," the prince said. Calathi glanced at him and saw that he was watching her with genuine interest. She relaxed and told the rest of her story.
"Well, the horses suddenly got nervous, and then we smelled orcs. Telmon and his guards protected us, Nora and I, that is."
"Nora?" he inquired.
"Nora is my friend. She came with me from Ilinar to be sure I was taken care of."
"You need not worry about that, my lady. I assure you, your needs will be tended to in this palace."
"I never doubted that, your highness." Calathi smiled at him. "Anyway, the orcs could not compare to the skills of our warriors, and they fell rapidly. However, a small group of them had sneaked around behind us, and one of them hit me in the head. He held a knife to my throat and ordered our warriors to drop their weapons.
"By that time, I could hardly tell up from down, but when I heard the foul creature demand my friends' lives as a ransom for me, I pulled myself together enough to, uh, escape," Calathi finished lamely.
Legolas asked her, "How, exactly, did you 'escape?'"
"I knocked the knife from his hand and spun away, then kicked him." Her eyes filled with tears. "I…I killed him. And then I fainted, like a weak…a weak elf." Calathi took a deep breath. *I cannot cry in front of the prince, * she thought. *He would never respect me if I did. *
He took her hand in his. "Such bravery I would not have thought possible in an elven maiden, but I have been shown otherwise by your deeds and the testimony of others. You are truly welcome in my court, Lady Calathi. I hope you can make Mirkwood your home, for I shall always enjoy your company."
Calathi's cheeks flushed, for she had never received such compliments from anyone, let alone royalty. "I am honored, your highness."
"Please, my lady, call me Legolas."
"And you, Legolas, may call me Calathi." The two elves gazed at each other. As Calathi looked at the prince, she felt her heart quicken within her breast. Confusion flooded her mind, even as giddiness did. Was she falling in love?
The elves returned to their dinner and the banquet came to a finish. As Calathi stood to leave, Legolas gently took her arm. "May I escort you to your chambers?"
"That would be lovely, Legolas," she answered. Then she gently placed her slender arm on his, and together thy walked through the brightly lit marble halls.
The pair continued in silence, though Calathi could feel his eyes on her. She looked at him, and he continued to gaze intently at her fair face. Suddenly, he stooped and drew her hand toward him, kissing it gently. "I have never met an elf such as you," he told her softly.
"Nor have I met an elf like you," she replied, forcing a tone of confidence into her own voice, though she hardly felt it. Her blood was pulsing anxiously through her veins. She chanced a look behind her and saw that they had actually stopped in front of her room.
The prince continued to hold her hand, all the while searching her eyes as though looking for something. She pulled away quickly, for what reason she knew not. "I-I should go," she stammered.
He stepped away from her. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean…I hadn't realized…" He turned to go, but she grabbed his hand again to stop him.
"Legolas, it is I who is sorry. It's just…I know that we could never court each other. Your father would not allow it, for I am only a minor noble from the small realm of Ilinar; I am neither royalty nor am I in high enough standing even to consider it. But I cannot stop my heart from feeling what it will, and I do not wish for it to be broken when you find another-more suitable-maiden." With that, she turned and fled into her chambers as Legolas stared after her in shocked silence.
Once inside, she stood with her back against the door until she heard Legolas walk away softly. Then she sank to the ground and put her head on her silk-covered knees. *Why did I do that, * she asked herself angrily. *Now he will never pursue me. To him I'm just a meek, average elf, one who thinks too highly of herself. Who am I to him? * Then she wept bitterly, all the while thinking of how childish she was being. She finally nodded off to sleep late into the night.