Chapter 6 Yesel Makes a Choice
One day, Largolas and Thranduil were standing on a balcony watching Yesel, Legolas, and Aragorn in the courtyard below them. Aragorn was teaching Yesel to use a staff while Legolas watched.
"I think our children are fond of each other Largolas," Thranduil observed.
"Indeed," he said dryly. Thranduil laughed.
"Has she said anything to you about how she feels?"
"Yesel keeps her own council and her heart is her own, so I do not know how she feels. However, I can say that I have never seen her like this. Do you know how Legolas feels towards her?"
"Legolas has not confided in me either, but I'd say he loves her. He's been so protective ever since that orc incident last year." They were interrupted by a shout from the courtyard below. They turned in time to see Yesel knock Aragorn's feet out from under him. He lost his balance and fell into the fountain. They saw Legolas start laughing as he walked over to the fountain to help his friend out, and they saw Yesel run over and push him in, but as he was falling he grabbed her and pulled him in to. Thranduil and Largolas could no longer contain themselves. They burst out laughing. The three in the fountain looked up. Yesel waved to them. "Should we go see them," Thranduil asked.
"Yes. I need to talk to my daughter."
"You sound serious my friend. What's wrong?"
"You said that you think Legolas loves my daughter, and I'm afraid that she loves him as well."
"Why afraid?" They exited the room and started down the hall.
"I'm planning on leaving tomorrow or the day after. I have enjoyed my time here, and it was productive, but it's time for me to return home." Thranduil swore softly.
"It gets better. I promised Yesel's mother that I would bring her home with me, but I don't want to have to force her to leave if she's really happy here with Legolas." He was interrupted by a voice crying out, "You can't make her go. I want her to stay her." The turned around and saw that Elisel has come up behind them. She flew at Largolas and began pummeling him with her fists.
"Why don't you just leave? No one wants you here. Yesel wants to stay here with me and Legolas. She loves us." Tears were rolling down her cheeks. Thranduil managed to pull her off of Largolas. She broke free from his grasp, screamed, "I hate you," at Largolas and ran sobbing down the hall.
"I think my daughter is going to have a hard choice to make."
They walked into the courtyard where they found the three young people finally getting out of the fountain and drying off. They were still laughing.
"That's one way to take a bath," Thranduil said.
"Yesel, I'd like to talk to you."
"Sure Father. Let me change my clothes and I'll be right down. We can take a walk." She ran off into the palace. Aragorn and Legolas excused themselves and went to change too. The three of them came back at the same time. To Legolas and Aragorn Yesel said, "I'll see you two later on this evening." She and Largolas left.
"Largolas looked serious Father. Do you know what he wants to talk to Yesel about," Legolas asked.
"Yes my son. He wants to tell her that he's leaving tomorrow." Legolas looked stricken.
"Is Yesel going with him?"
"I don't know. That's one of the things they need to talk over. How do you feel about her?" Legolas was silent a moment, then he said, "She's like no one else I know. She's funny, beautiful, and intelligent. She's a superior archer, and she has a sense of humor to match mine. I've known her for only a few years, but I feel like I've known her forever. I am closer to her than to anyone else, save Aragorn. I can not imagine my life without her."
"Have you told her how you feel my son," Thranduil asked gently.
"No. Not exactly."
"You should tell her. Let her know how you feel. Give her all the information she needs to make a decision."
"And what do I do if she knows how I feel about her and she leaves anyway?"
"You'll just have to deal with the loss my son."
"I don't know if I can," Legolas said with a sigh, as he walked away, leaving Thranduil and Aragorn to exchange concerned looks.
Meanwhile, Yesel and her father were walking in the forest. Largolas turned to his daughter and said, "How do you feel about Legolas."
"I love him Father. In the short time I've known him he's become part of me," she stated simply. "I'm not entirely sure how he feels about me though," she broke off as she saw her father's expression.
"What's wrong Father?"
"I'm leaving Yesel. Tomorrow. And I want you to come with me."
"Leaving," she exclaimed in dismay. "Why are you leaving?"
"My work here is done. I've done all the research I need to do. It's time to return home to your mother. Before we left, she bade me to return with you. She'll be upset if I don't bring you home, and you know your mother's temper," he joked trying to chase the sad look off her face. She didn't even give him a weak smile. She just looked at him mutely. He'd seen a look like hers before but couldn't place it.
"Father, I never thought..." she trailed off.
"You never thought of leaving," he asked. She shook her head.
"I always knew this day would come, I just never admitted it to myself. I need some time to think things over."
"I understand daughter. I'll leave you alone." "He turned to leave but was stopped by his daughter's voice.
"Will you please ask Legolas to meet me by the waterfall? I think I need to talk to him." "Of course Yesel." He watched her walk off into the forest, and then turned to head back to the palace. As he walked, he remembered where he'd seen that look before. He'd seen it on a deer he'd been hunting. He had cornered it in a valley. On its face had been the same look that had just been on Yesel's. It was the look that said they knew they were trapped. He shook his head and continued on.
When he reentered the courtyard, he found Thranduil and Aragorn watching Legolas with worried eyes. Legolas was oblivious to their expressions and he paced back and forth like a caged animal. The three of them looked up as he entered. Legolas looked for Yesel.
"Where's Yesel," he asked.
"She needed some time to think Legolas. She did ask that you meet her at the waterfall." He put a hand on Legolas' arm as Legolas went by him.
"Please hold for a moment. I can see by your actions and by your father's worried look that you know I'm leaving tomorrow. I've told Yesel that I want her to go with me. She did not say yes or no. I know her love for you is playing against her love for me and her family." "She loves me," Legolas interrupted excitedly.
"Yes, she does. She told me she does, and my daughter does not lie. She feels trapped. Just remember that when you talk to her. I do not wish this to be any harder for her than it is already."
"I would never hurt her. I do not make a habit of hurting the ones I love," he said then walked into the woods. Largolas sat down heavily beside Thranduil.
"I do not often regret my actions, but I heartily wish that I had never brought my daughter here, Thranduil. I fear there can be no happy ending for her."
"Have heart my friend. Things may still work out in the end."
"I hope so," Largolas said with a sigh. "I really do hope so."
Legolas walked slowly to the waterfall. Largolas' words kept repeating themselves. For the first time, Legolas was unsure of what to do. If he lied to her, said he didn't care for her, she would go with her father and he would never see her again, and if she did indeed have feelings for him, like her father believed, then she would be hurt even when she left. On the other hand, if he confessed his love for her and convinced her to stay with him, she'd be sad because her father would be gone. As he waked the only two thoughts running through his mind were ask her to stay, or let her go. He was no closer to an answer b y the time he reached the waterfall.
He saw her as soon as he entered the clearing. She was sitting on a rock with her knees drawn up to her chest. She had her arms clasped around them and was watching the setting sun play over the water. Legolas doubted that she saw the water at all.
"Yesel," he said softly from the edge of the clearing. She looked up at him and tonelessly said, "My father is leaving tomorrow and he wants me to go with him," then looked back over the water.
"I know. He told me. I don't want you to leave. I love you," he said almost too softly for Yesel to hear. She looked up at him and gave him a weak smile.
"I know you do. I love you too. I have for a long time. You want to know something? I was sitting here thinking that it might be easier for everyone if I could convince you that I had no feelings for you, and then I'd leave. My father would be happy and you could go on with your life. In time you'd forget about me." She was interrupted by a chuckle from Legolas. She looked at him for clarification.
"While I was walking here I was thinking the same thing. How to convince you that I didn't care for you so you'd go with your father."
"Well, they do say that great minds think alike," she replied with a smile. The smile slipped from her face, and was replaced wit a look of hopelessness that broke Legolas' heart. "There is no choice I can make that will not hurt someone. If I stay, my father will be hurt, and if I leave you'll be hurt. I will be hurt either way because I'll be losing someone I love." She trailed off as she lowered her head to her knees. She murmured something too faintly for even his elven ears to pick up. He walked over to her and sat down beside her.
"What did you say," he asked her. She looked up and with eyes brimming with tears said, "I can't choose between you and my father." He put his arms around her as she laid her head on his shoulder and cried out her grief. He rubbed her back and softly sang a lullaby that Thranduil had often sung to him when he was he was a child and upset. Yesel sat up and wiped her eyes.
"Thank you Legolas." She took a breath. "Can you please leave me for a while? I need some time to think." She smiled at him, as a tear rolled down her cheek. Legolas smiled back at her and gently wiped the tear away, then leaned over and softly kissed her. He pulled away, and then stood up.
"Tell my father that I will give you both an answer in the morning." He nodded and left. He hardly noticed his surroundings as his feet led him home. The only person he saw was Aragorn.
"Where's Largolas," he asked his friend.
"He's in the library with your father." Legolas headed off to the library with Aragorn following behind. When they reached the library, they went in. Largolas looked up from the book he was reading.
"How is my daughter?"
"The choice in front of her is causing her great pain. She has no wish to hurt either on of us. She asked me to tell you that she will give us an answer in the morning," he said rudely then turned and left.
"Legolas come back here," Thranduil called to him down the hall. Legolas just kept on walking. Thranduil shook his head.
"I must apologize for my son's rudeness."
"It is nothing to be sorry for. He is simply young and faced with a situation that he has no control over, and he sees me as the reason for it. Love makes one do stupid things. This is hard on all of us." He watched the empty door for a moment then went back to his book.
The evening passed slowly for everyone. Largolas spent his time with Thranduil, talking about everything but Yesel. Legolas spent the evening with Aragorn in the great hall. Most of the time he paced back and forth. Aragorn tried to keep his mind occupied with tales from Rivendell, but he could tell that Legolas heard only about one out of every five words spoken to him. No one had seen Yesel return, but towards midnight they all heard music from the courtyard below. Thranduil and Largolas went onto the balcony off the library, and Legolas and Aragorn went onto the balcony that ran along the hall. They saw Yesel sitting by the fountain playing her harp. She didn't say a word and didn't look up at them. Instead she let her harp talk for her. From listening to her music, the four of then knew that she had made a decision and was expressing her sadness in the best way she could. Largolas and Legolas met each other's eyes, and each could only wonder what her decision would be.
In the morning, Yesel went to her father's room. She knocked on the door, and then entered when he said "Come in."
"Good morning Father," she said while she hugged him.
"Good morning my daughter. Have you made your decision?" She took a deep breath.
"Yes Father, I have. You always told me to keep my own council and to follow my heart. My heart tells me that I belong at Legolas' side. I wish to remain here."
"I see. Have you told Legolas yet?"
"No. I wanted to tell you first."
"Yesel, Legolas is a fine elf. You have chosen well."
"I never meant to fall in love." Largolas tilted Yesel's head up so she was looking at him.
"Never be sorry for loving someone Yesel. Love is the greatest gift you can give someone. I have been blessed by you loving me."
"I never meant to hurt you Father."
"The only way you could hurt me is by not being happy." She smiled at him.
"Now come. Let us go and put Legolas out of his misery." They went looking for Legolas but couldn't find him anywhere in the palace. They went into the courtyard and found Thranduil.
"Where's Legolas," Yesel asked him.
"He went to the waterfall. He's convinced that you are leaving and he didn't want to be here to watch you go. I sent Aragorn with him so he wouldn't be alone."
"I have to go find him," Yesel cried as she ran off into the forest.
"She has decided to stay here with Legolas," Largolas explained to Thranduil.
"I'm sorry for your sake, although I am happy for my son. Are you alright with her decision?"
"I'll be alright. The important thing is that she is happy."
Yesel arrived at the waterfall. She saw Aragorn and Legolas watching a deer drink from the pond.
"I can't believe you weren't going to say goodbye," she called out, sending the deer running for the trees.
"I don't want to say goodbye. I don't want to watch you leave. I thought this would be best for everyone involved," he said, without looking at her. She laughed.
"You thought wrong. Now come on. My father will be upset if you don't say goodbye before he leaves." With that she turned and ran back towards the palace. It took a minute for her words to penetrate Legolas' mind. He and Aragorn looked at each other and smiled.
"Did she say before he leaves," Legolas questioned.
"Sounds like it to me," Aragorn replied.
"She's staying," Legolas yelled. They both took off after her. She had already reached the courtyard.
"They'll be coming on the run," she told Largolas and Thranduil. A few minutes later, they burst out of the forest. Legolas went directly to where she was standing by her father. He took her hands in his and said, "Say it'" She laughed then said, "I'm staying here with you." He laughed and picked her up and swung her around. He put her down, and gave her a kiss. "Yesel," said an uncertain voice. She turned and saw Elisel. She walked over the girl and knelt down in front of her.
"Are you leaving?" Yesel hugged her and said, "No. I'm staying here," and was rewarded by a smile. Largolas cleared his throat and said, "Yesel. I need to get going." She got up and went to a table and picked up two envelopes. She brought them to her father.
"Will you please take these with you? One is for mother, and one is for Gresson."
"I'll deliver them for you." He put them in his bag then turned and held out his arms to his daughter. She flew into them.
"I don't want you to go Father," she sobbed. "I don't want to lose you."
"You will never lose me Yesel. I will always be with you. There will never be a day when I won't think of you. Always remember that I love you." He kissed her forehead and let her go. Legolas stepped up to him.
"I owe you an apology for my actions and my manner last evening. I behaved badly and am sorry for it."
"As I told your father Legolas, there is nothing to be sorry for. It was a trying evening for all. Although, I can't help but wonder if the only reason you're apologizing is because Yesel is staying here with you," Largolas teased. Legolas blushed slightly as everyone else laughed. Largolas looked down at a tug on his cloak. He saw Elisel looking up at him. He knelt down.
"I'm sorry too," she whispered to him.
"You no longer hate me." She shook her head. He gave her a hug.
"You'll have to help Yesel. She'll be sad for a while. Can you do that?" She nodded again.
"Good." He stood up. He put on his pack, turned to Legolas and said "Take care of my daughter, and keep her happy."
"I will. Safe journey home."
"Goodbye Thranduil, until our next meeting." He gave a nod to everyone, then turned and disappeared into the forest.