NOTE: Alright, I will keep your choice in mind, Miriellar. When I put up chapter ten, I will change the title, so all of you, beware! I hope you didn't feel that I was asking only Miriellar, I directed the question to all who are reading and enjoying my story. For those who do not know what the question is, here it is again: from the following titles, which do you think is suitable when I rename this story--For the Love of a Half Elf, In Love with a Half Elf, or Love for a Half Elf? Once again, thanks for reading and reviewing, and continue to enjoy! :)

Chapter Seven: Legolas to the Rescue

Several hundred feet away, Legolas heard Síriel scream. He did not know who it was, but he knew the maiden was in distress. He could tell from her scream. Arod picked up speed. Legolas stopped when he saw his friends' horses grazing off the path's side. He dismounted from Arod.

The maiden screamed again, this time more loudly.

What he saw made his stomach lurch. His friends were gathered around Síriel, and they were attempting to do something unpleasant to her. There was no mistaking her. He knew her copper-red hair. He bade his servants to drag the five drunk Elves away from Síriel. Then he approached them, a terrible and fell look on his fair face.

"Legolas!" they said as soon as they recognized him.

"Explain yourselves." he said heatedly.

"We found her—"

"…all alone picking flowers—"

"…dressed like a man—"

"…wanted to know if she really is a man or not—"

Legolas gave them a withering look.

"You are low. You are leaders of your people, and this is how you treat them? I have been waiting many years for a reason to break my friendship with you, and now I have it. You think yourselves high, but you are not. You are a disgrace to yourselves, your families, the whole race of Elves, and our kingdom. The entire race of Men is much worthier than you are put together. You are worthless, like animals. Yet I have even disgraced animals, for they would never do such a thing." he said.

They looked at him, stunned.

"Surely there is some mistake. You must be out of your mind. What does it matter? She is a half-breed." one of them said.

Síriel, who had been quiet, suddenly rose to her feet. She withdrew a small knife from within her tunic, and before Legolas could stop her, she had cut out the Elf's tongue. Her green eyes blazed.

"Síriel!" Legolas cried.

She whirled around to face him.

"Half-breed! Is that all I am to you? Have I no rights because I am half-elven? You are all stiff necked and proud!" she yelled.

Legolas motioned for his servants to remove the drunk Elves. They were tied and led away. Legolas remained alone with Síriel.

"I apologize, ernil. I had no right to do what I did. Yet he deserved it. I do not regret it at all, though." she said after some time.

She dropped the knife to the ground and leaned back against the tree wearily. Legolas saw that she was indeed dressed like a man. She was donned in a brown tunic and matching leggings. He could make out her feminine curves, for her clothing was not very loose.

"It is alright, Síriel. Bargon has always crossed his limits with his tongue, and now he will not be able to do that." he said with a smile.

He approached her carefully. She watched him cautiously.

"How do you know my name?" she asked.

"My sire told me." he replied.

Síriel sighed.

"Then I suppose you know my mother is one of the Beornings and that I help my sire rafting?" she asked.

Legolas nodded.

"And that you are alone, without a friend. You have been mocked and scorned because you are half-elven." he added.

He was standing in front of her now. She had her hands braced against the tree trunk. He did not blame her for being frightened. Her tunic was ripped, and he could see the top of her cleavage. His breath caught in his throat. He saw her emerald eyes searching him.

"Are you injured?" he asked.

Síriel shook her head.

Yet no sooner had she done so than she collapsed. Her thigh was injured, but she did not want to inform him. It had hurt her when she stood earlier to defend herself against Bargon, but she had ignored it then. Now she could not. It was already starting to bleed.

"Are you sure?" Legolas asked as he bent down beside her.

"Do not touch me!" she said, as he reached out a hand.

"I only wish to help you." he told her. "I swear by my honor."

"Do you have any honor?"

Legolas stiffened.

"I am sorry. You must understand, though. Your friends were about to violate me. I am not sure I can trust you." Síriel whispered.

Legolas looked into her emerald eyes.

"You can trust me. Gweston." he told her.

Síriel looked into his eyes as he spoke to her. She noted the honesty in them. Yet there was something else as well.

She nodded. She had no other choice. She watched as he took her knife and slit her legging until he could see the wound. She kept her hand nearby, just in case he tried something. He frowned.

"A piece of bark. I can remove it." he told her. "Here is my hand. If the pain is too much for you, then you can squeeze it as hard as you want. Do not hesitate." he added.

Again she nodded, and bit her lip. He took hold of the exposed part of the bark and pulled. Síriel winced. It was lodged into her thigh pretty good. Legolas pulled again, and he felt Síriel's hand squeezing his. It took several more tries before he managed to remove it. He tore a piece of his tunic and bound it tight against the wound to stem the flow of blood.

"Let me take you home." he said.

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Gil-celeb was worried. It was getting late, and still Síriel did not appear. She was supposedly picking a bouquet of flowers for her friend Celebrindal. He was expecting her anytime now to come home and take the gift she had gotten her. Perhaps she was speaking with someone.

There was a knock at his cottage's door.

"Síriel!" he cried.

Prince Legolas walked in carrying Síriel. The maiden was pale from shock and loss of blood. Gil-celeb was speechless with worry.

"What happened to her, hîr nín?" he asked.

"Some people I thought were my friends tried to violate her, but they did not succeed. It was lucky for her that I arrived in time. The only wound she has is in her thigh from a piece of bark." Legolas replied.

Gil-celeb closed his eyes.

"They will be brought before my sire's court. Yet Síriel taught them a lesson. One of them called her a half-breed, and she managed to cut out his tongue before I could stop her." Legolas said with a smile.

"Rash, yet he deserved it all the same." Gil-celeb said. "Hannon le."

To his surprise, Legolas bowed to him.

"Glassen. It was my honor. I will send one of the healers to attend to her. She is a very beautiful and strong maiden." he said.

Síriel stirred.

"Ernil?" she called from the couch.

Legolas went to her. She was smiling shyly at him.

"I owe you my life, and an apology. When we met at the feast and I spilled the wine on your tunic, I thought you were like all the other high people. But I see you are not. Goheno nin." she said quietly.

Legolas, smiling, took her hands and kissed them.

"You do not owe me an apology. I owe you one. Forgive me for being in the company of such people who tried to harm you. They will pay. I must go now, but I will return tomorrow." he said.

Sindarin Translation:

Gweston: I swear