*A/N*: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any of the names or characters
used in Tolkien's wonderful stories, but Calathi and all other characters
are copyright 2002 Meghan.
Sorry this took so long, I know that it has been more than a month since last I posted anything. I haven't been feeling well enough to write, and I hit a major writer's block. I'll try to post again as soon as possible, but I'm not sure I'm completely through the block yet. It may again be a while, but not as long, I promise.
******
Chapter Eleven
Calathi dejectedly returned to her chamber. Since Legolas was occupied, and she had let Nora explore the palace, she had nothing to do. She knew no one else, and felt rather lonely now. Finding the single pair of shirt and leggings that she had brought on her journey, she thought longingly of the practice courts. Of course, that was out of the question - she had to maintain her status as a noble lady, and ladies of the court did not practice with the elf warriors.
She decided to go on a tour of the palace herself. She went first into the gardens that she and Nora had walked through earlier. The whisperings of the trees soothed her somewhat, and she sat on a bench underneath a tall willow to gather her thoughts. The palace was nicer than she had first expected. She was more comfortable surrounded by the forest than she had thought she would be, coming from a fairly open area near the mountains. And of course there was Legolas.
Calathi grinned in spite of herself. Never even in her dreams had her expectations soared so high, and she was sure that her father's own hopes, though higher than her own, did not shoot for such a mark. But now she could not help wishing that the Prince would somehow grow to share her own feelings. She felt that she could truly be happy with him by her side.
Now she stood up and began walking to and fro. *No, * she thought. *I cannot allow my heart to grow so close to his. Such a thing would only end in pain. * This she knew to be true. The Prince, even if he grew more fond of her, would never be allowed to - dare she say it? - marry her, despite what he had said earlier.
As she paced along the path, trying desperately to take her mind off of the Prince, a horn call sounded throughout the palace. Startled out of her meditation, she became fearful, for she had not heard any horn sound yet. She realized that it could only mean one thing: someone, or several someones, were coming. Calathi raced back into the hallways of the palace, figuring that if orcs were attacking she could borrow a weapon from the stores and do her share.
In the hall she found a guard walking calmly in her direction. She approached him and asked, "Sir, what does that call mean? Is the palace being attacked?"
He laughed, an understanding look gleaming in his eyes. "Nay, my Lady. The single horn call simply means that the Captain of the royal guard has returned."
"Oh," she replied meekly. The Captain of the royal guard? Long had she waited to meet the elf that held that title. She knew that he must be brave and strong, as necessity dictated - he was all that she wanted to be.
Hardly able to control her glee, she walked quickly back into her room and ran a brush through her hair. Composing herself, she walked again into the hallway, more calmly this time, and headed toward the palace gate.
When Calathi arrived she found that many other elves had come to welcome the warrior back and were now gathered around the entranceway. She stood toward the back of the crowd and waited anxiously for a glimpse of the Captain.
Suddenly someone behind her whispered into her ear, "So you have come to meet the renowned leader of the royal guard, I see." Calathi whirled quickly around to find Legolas gazing warmly at her. She blushed faintly and looked down.
"Yes, my Lord; long have I greatly wish to meet him."
"Then your wish shall be granted now." Legolas then took her hand and drew her into the crowd before she could protest.
A hush spread suddenly, and she knew that the Captain had entered. Slowly the elves in front of her parted, but Legolas, still holding her arm, stayed where he was in the now open space before the squadron.
"Your highness," a deep voice began, "very glad am I to see you once again."
"Welcome home, Harem," said Legolas in return.
*Harem? * thought Calathi. She gasped and took her eyes off the floor to gaze at the Captain. It was Harem indeed, the same Harem she had known in Ilinar, with dark hair and searching gray-blue eyes, the same Harem who had.
Suddenly she felt weak, as weak and helpless as she had when he had forced himself upon her. Suddenly she felt as a child again, unwise, ignorant, and friendless. He knees trembled, a mist seemed to appear before her eyes. He was back, he had found her. He would finish what he had meant to do so many years before.
Legolas caught her as she suddenly collapsed and eased her onto the ground, looking at her deathly white face with concern. He looked back at Harem, who still stood, motionless, his eyes transfixed on Calathi. His face also seemed a bit pale, though the Prince knew not why it was so. "Have you met before?" he asked the Captain.
Harem came out of a trance and stammered, "Nay - nay, my Lord. I have never met her."
Legolas picked the fallen elf up and glanced at Harem with suspicion. "Never?"
"No."
The Prince nodded and walked back toward Calathi's rooms, holding her trembling figure. Calathi moaned and awoke, finding herself still in the arms of Legolas. She remembered suddenly how she had come there, and could hardly stifle a cry of despair. Harem, the one who had haunted her throughout her life, had returned in form and was at the palace. What was more, he was the Captain of the royal guard. Now that position held no significance to her. If such horrible creatures as him could gain that title, then it must not be worth so much. But as she inhaled Legolas' sweet scent, she relaxed. She felt safe and secure in his hold, and wished now more than ever that Legolas would love her.
Sorry this took so long, I know that it has been more than a month since last I posted anything. I haven't been feeling well enough to write, and I hit a major writer's block. I'll try to post again as soon as possible, but I'm not sure I'm completely through the block yet. It may again be a while, but not as long, I promise.
******
Chapter Eleven
Calathi dejectedly returned to her chamber. Since Legolas was occupied, and she had let Nora explore the palace, she had nothing to do. She knew no one else, and felt rather lonely now. Finding the single pair of shirt and leggings that she had brought on her journey, she thought longingly of the practice courts. Of course, that was out of the question - she had to maintain her status as a noble lady, and ladies of the court did not practice with the elf warriors.
She decided to go on a tour of the palace herself. She went first into the gardens that she and Nora had walked through earlier. The whisperings of the trees soothed her somewhat, and she sat on a bench underneath a tall willow to gather her thoughts. The palace was nicer than she had first expected. She was more comfortable surrounded by the forest than she had thought she would be, coming from a fairly open area near the mountains. And of course there was Legolas.
Calathi grinned in spite of herself. Never even in her dreams had her expectations soared so high, and she was sure that her father's own hopes, though higher than her own, did not shoot for such a mark. But now she could not help wishing that the Prince would somehow grow to share her own feelings. She felt that she could truly be happy with him by her side.
Now she stood up and began walking to and fro. *No, * she thought. *I cannot allow my heart to grow so close to his. Such a thing would only end in pain. * This she knew to be true. The Prince, even if he grew more fond of her, would never be allowed to - dare she say it? - marry her, despite what he had said earlier.
As she paced along the path, trying desperately to take her mind off of the Prince, a horn call sounded throughout the palace. Startled out of her meditation, she became fearful, for she had not heard any horn sound yet. She realized that it could only mean one thing: someone, or several someones, were coming. Calathi raced back into the hallways of the palace, figuring that if orcs were attacking she could borrow a weapon from the stores and do her share.
In the hall she found a guard walking calmly in her direction. She approached him and asked, "Sir, what does that call mean? Is the palace being attacked?"
He laughed, an understanding look gleaming in his eyes. "Nay, my Lady. The single horn call simply means that the Captain of the royal guard has returned."
"Oh," she replied meekly. The Captain of the royal guard? Long had she waited to meet the elf that held that title. She knew that he must be brave and strong, as necessity dictated - he was all that she wanted to be.
Hardly able to control her glee, she walked quickly back into her room and ran a brush through her hair. Composing herself, she walked again into the hallway, more calmly this time, and headed toward the palace gate.
When Calathi arrived she found that many other elves had come to welcome the warrior back and were now gathered around the entranceway. She stood toward the back of the crowd and waited anxiously for a glimpse of the Captain.
Suddenly someone behind her whispered into her ear, "So you have come to meet the renowned leader of the royal guard, I see." Calathi whirled quickly around to find Legolas gazing warmly at her. She blushed faintly and looked down.
"Yes, my Lord; long have I greatly wish to meet him."
"Then your wish shall be granted now." Legolas then took her hand and drew her into the crowd before she could protest.
A hush spread suddenly, and she knew that the Captain had entered. Slowly the elves in front of her parted, but Legolas, still holding her arm, stayed where he was in the now open space before the squadron.
"Your highness," a deep voice began, "very glad am I to see you once again."
"Welcome home, Harem," said Legolas in return.
*Harem? * thought Calathi. She gasped and took her eyes off the floor to gaze at the Captain. It was Harem indeed, the same Harem she had known in Ilinar, with dark hair and searching gray-blue eyes, the same Harem who had.
Suddenly she felt weak, as weak and helpless as she had when he had forced himself upon her. Suddenly she felt as a child again, unwise, ignorant, and friendless. He knees trembled, a mist seemed to appear before her eyes. He was back, he had found her. He would finish what he had meant to do so many years before.
Legolas caught her as she suddenly collapsed and eased her onto the ground, looking at her deathly white face with concern. He looked back at Harem, who still stood, motionless, his eyes transfixed on Calathi. His face also seemed a bit pale, though the Prince knew not why it was so. "Have you met before?" he asked the Captain.
Harem came out of a trance and stammered, "Nay - nay, my Lord. I have never met her."
Legolas picked the fallen elf up and glanced at Harem with suspicion. "Never?"
"No."
The Prince nodded and walked back toward Calathi's rooms, holding her trembling figure. Calathi moaned and awoke, finding herself still in the arms of Legolas. She remembered suddenly how she had come there, and could hardly stifle a cry of despair. Harem, the one who had haunted her throughout her life, had returned in form and was at the palace. What was more, he was the Captain of the royal guard. Now that position held no significance to her. If such horrible creatures as him could gain that title, then it must not be worth so much. But as she inhaled Legolas' sweet scent, she relaxed. She felt safe and secure in his hold, and wished now more than ever that Legolas would love her.