A.N Thank you to everyone that reviewed. So here is the next chapter I hope
everyone will enjoy it. I do not own any other the "Lords" characters, you
know who they are, I own my own; you'll see who they are.
Chapter 4
The Encounter
The quaint little town of Hobbiton was buzzing with excitement. Gwenneth watched curiously as Hobbits of all shapes and sizes, mostly small and hearty, scurried here and there. The air smelled of a mixture of freshly baked breads and of the sweet perfumes from the freshly cut wildflowers. A gentle breeze softly rustled Gwennth's raven hair, as she watched the commotion around her. She watched with curiosity as she noticed a group of hobbits trying to roll an old rickety barrel full of ale, up a hill. She quickly turned when she heard two grumpy and grizzled hobbits arguing over which pipe weed was better. She stood in awe as she watched three hobbits carrying a cake, that was bigger then themselves, as it wobbled from side to side. She had to laugh out loud when she observed the baker trying to run after a group of children who had just sampled some of his sweets without asking. Gwenneth daydreamed of her childhood when her and Eowyn would do the same thing.
"Gwenneth come back to the living. Gwenneth!" yelled Eowyn while she waved her hand frantically in front of her friends face. She snickered at Gwenneth when she finally came back to her senses. "We better get back to the camp. We've been gone for over an hour and they are most likely ready to send out a search party for us. They probably think that the evil elves got us!" she laughed as she brushed a long stay blond strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. She turned and looked towards the evening sun, as it was beginning to disappear behind the distant hills. "It is getting late and we have to start getting ready for the Ball."
Taking a long last look around, Gwenneth sighed. "Yeah we better get going. If I know Aragorn, he is sharpening his blade as we speak. And I do want to look my best for tonight - even thought no one will know who we are anyway." She put her arm around her companion's waist and together they walked back to the camp.
When the girls arrived back at the camp, no one seemed to care. There were no frantic brothers telling them that they should not have been gone that long. There was no one scolding them, telling them how they made their brothers worry. Something was truly wrong. Something had happened in their absence. The girls looked around, and when they saw that the men were not fussing over their late arrival they looked at each other in disbelief.
"Is this the right camp?" a confused Eowyn inquired. Her blue eyes scanned the area for any signs of life. Seeing none, she picked up her skirts and headed off to her tent, then she turned to her friend and yelled as she gracefully walked backwards: "I will come over when I am done getting dressed."
"Ok, don't rush on my account. Take your time," replied Gwenneth. "Besides, I'm going to find out what is going on here," she whispered to herself as she huffed off to Aragorn's tent. Just as she arrived at his shelter, she heard cheerful whistling coming from inside. She cocked her head to one side and held her breath to help her hear what she thought she heard. After a few seconds she heard it again. It was just not whistling - it was a happy whistling. 'Oh Valar, the elves kidnapped my brother!' she thought out loud. She slowly reached out and pulled back the heavy curtain that was shielding the door. Light poured out of the tiny opening, highlighting her fair face. When she saw Aragorn dressed in dark blue slacks with a cream colored tunic that came down to his thighs, she was taken aback for a moment, for she never really remembered him wearing anything like that. He always wore his old worn out ranger gear, which in her mind wasn't really very fitting for a would-be king. Her eyes focused on his face and the moment she saw it, she was blown away. He was actually clean-shaven, not scruffy like he always was. This new Aragorn in front of her confused her. And then her ears picked up that sound again, as she did a double take to make sure of what she saw and heard was true. Yes.yes it was! He was whistling! 'What in all of Middle Earth could have caused this?' she thought to herself as she slowly let the curtain fall back into place, before she got caught sneaking around. She quickly stood up and turned to walk away but slammed into a wall - at least that was what it felt like. She looked up to see Eomer, who was standing right behind her. He had a gleam in his eye and there was an enchanting smile on his face. He was dressed all in black, which made his blonde hair seem to glow even brighter. She was not accustomed of seeing him like this either. It was amazing how a bath, a shave, and some clean clothes did for a person. She almost felt attracted to him. "Ah.ah.Eomer what.what are you doing here?" she asked as she quickly shook off the thought.
"I was about to ask you that very same question, my lady," Eomer said as he bowed to Gwenneth. "And why is it that you are not ready for the party? It is set to begin soon and I was on my way to escort you," he said as he held out his arm and waited for her to accept.
Not even noticing Eomer's gesture, she turned to look at Aragorn's tent and then slowly turned back to face him again, "Well I was." she stammered and then she thought of what she just heard. A look of question on her face, she tilted her head and scrunched her face. "Did you hear Aragorn whistling?" she asked as she waved her hand towards the opening of the tent.
"No. I heard nothing," he said shaking his head, his long blond hair flowing with the movement. "Are you certain that it was Aragorn and not some stranger in passing?"
Shaking her head again in disbelief, she said, "No it was him. For I saw it with my own eyes, or else I too would have thought it was a stranger passing by. But it was him!" She looked around the camp, hoping to find some weird explanation. "What is going on here? Where is my brother and who is this imposter?" Then another question popped into her mind: "And why didn't he overreact when I came back so late?" Then a look of realization washed over her face, "He doesn't even know I am back. He knows that I am gone and his is not worrying." Once more confusion took over her senses. "Did he fall and hit his head?"
Holding his hands up, as if surrendering, Eomer tried to ease her mind. "Whoa. slow down! Be still, young one, nothing has happened to Aragorn. He is perfectly fine. And no, he did not fall and hit his head." He then put his gentle hand on her shoulder for comfort.
"No something has happened! Some evil is at work here and I plan to find out," she said shaking her head violently. "When I left here earlier, he was full of rage, like he always is," she added. "And now he's. he's'. happy. That is not like him."
"Well my dear, I don't think that you should worry too much about it. You should be worrying about getting ready for the Ball," he said as he moved his hand from her shoulder to the small of her back and then tenderly started to guide her towards her tent. "I would tell you if there was anything wrong with him, and I know that there is not. Now come, time is wasting," he demanded in a soft and kind voice.
"You would tell me, wouldn't you?" she asked as she snapped her head to look at Eomer. He nodded in agreement, and smiled at her. Then she turned to see where she was being lead. "Ok, I do trust you," she sighed.
When they arrived at her tent he gave a little nudge towards the opening. "Now go woman and get ready before I make you go wearing what you have on now," he said, laughing at her. " I shall wait here for you, so that I may escort you tonight."
She started toward her tent and the stopped to look at Eomer again. "You are a good friend Eomer, thank you," she said, with a dreamy look in her eye. Then she turned and ran into her tent and pulled the drape across the entryway.
"Ah but my beautiful Gwenneth. I want to be more than just a friend, " he said softly to himself with a heavy heart.
Legolas smoothed out the long light blue vest that covered his black tunic. He then ran his fingers through his flaxen blonde hair and let it loosely fall over his shoulders. He was unaccustomed of letting his hair down; it was usually always braided and pulled back. But then again, he was not supposed to be recognized and his hair was his tell tale trait. He then picked up the little mask that was to hide his face from all of Middle Earth. It was covered with gold glitter and there were red tassels hanging on each side. He absent-mindedly ran his long fingers over the mask. Then Aragorn's face came into his thoughts. He felt the blood rush to his face and the pace of his heart quicken. ' Why did I let him get to me so?' he questioned himself. "He is just a man, but if that man ever did anything to harm an elf, he would die by my hand!" he answered out loud to no one but himself. His elf ears heard the voices of his friends as they gathered outside of his tent. He ran his fingers through his hair one last time and went out to join them.
When Legolas got outside he looked at Arwen and studied her for a moment. She looked radiant. Her hair shinny dark brown hair was pulled up on the top of her head, which showed the beautiful oval shape of her face. Her blue eyes seemed to sparkle as if it was a bright sunny day, even though there was only the light from torches. She wore a deep purple gown with gold trim that fit snuggly to her waist, accenting her shapely body. But there was just something different about her tonight. He squinted his eyes to study her more. He stayed like that for a while and coming to no conclusion he boldly asked, "Arwen what's wrong? There is something different about you."
Arwen's eyes turned cold. "What are you talking about, Greenleaf?" she spat. "There is nothing wrong with me. It is you that had the problem. Do not make me break up another confrontation tonight, or I will personally tell my father of your behavior."
"Ouch. Arwen you have a forked tongue," Legolas said as he brought his hands up to mockingly shield himself. "I will control myself tonight, but I think you should tell it to Aragorn." And then he noticed something when he said that man's name. He cocked his head to one side and studied her again. She glowed. She was actually glowing! He had figured it out; she had a fondness for Aragorn! He shook his head quickly in disbelief. He walked over to her and put his face to her ear and whispered. "Well I think that I might have something to tell Elrond." He pulled back and gazed into her confused eyes. Satisfied at what he saw he sneered at her and leaned in again. "Shall I say the name 'Aragorn'?"
Arwen's heart almost came out of her throat. She was stunned to say the least! How could he know? 'Is is that easy to read on my face?' she wondered to herself. She looked Legolas in the eye. Those eyes were no longer the eyes of her friend but those of Sauron himself. "I do not know of what you speak of," she said, trying to find out what he knew.
Legolas gently grabbed her arm and the swishing sound of her skirt could be heard as he guided her away from the group, so no one else could hear their conversation. When they were out of earshot he continued: "Aw come on Arwen, I saw how your face lit up when I mentioned his name. And come to think about it, you were acting strange when we left him this afternoon." She tried to look away but he gently pulled her chin into his stare again. She shuddered when she saw the anger in his eyes. "Tell me that this is not true," he pleaded softly, trying to hold back the rage that was starting to boil in him.
Sighing and letting her shoulders fall she looked up at Legolas. "I do not know what I feel. There is something there, but I can not say for sure." He was about to interrupt her when she held up her hand to stop him: " Do not lecture me on him being a human and me an elf, because I have been through this many times in my head. And I, unlike you, am not foolish enough to do anything without thinking of the repercussions," she stated coldly to him. She looked away for a brief second and then back to him. She had to do something or she knew that he would do something drastic. And then it came to her and an evil smile appeared on the lips. "So I suggest we come to a deal," she offered. Legolas's head tilted to the side inquisitively. "I will say nothing to atar about your little dealing today."
"I will keep quite about your secret," he finished the deal then. Crossing his arms across his chest, he nodded. 'This woman is most certainly cunning' he thought to himself as he decided that it was wiser for him to take the deal. "Very well Arwen. I will accept this deal, but I just hope that nothing more will come out of these foolish feelings you have, for a love between an elf and a human could only bring great pain and sorrow to everyone." Legolas then slid his hand to her back and guided her to greet their friends.
Just as they were nearing the group, Haldir took notice of their arrival and walked over to extend his hand to Arwen. "May I please have the honor, My Lady?" He bowed in honor of her great beauty.
"I shall be so honored to have you escort me," she said as she threaded her arm in his and began to walk towards the little village.
Legolas walked a few steps behind the couple. He heard them laughing happily to each other. He wonder if Arwen would forget about that Aragorn human and instead act on her feelings toward Haldir. He gazed at the lights of Hobbiton before him and decided to forget about Arwen for tonight and try to have a good time. Still. he couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen that would change the rest of his life. But no one should know too much of their own destiny.
The party was being held in a field just outside Hobbiton. Flaming torches were set up everywhere around the area. There were so many, that the light they produced lighted up the night sky as if it were day. Brightly colored banners hung from the trees and stretched over that area that was step up for dancing. Festive music and laughter filled the air as the quest started to arrive. Legolas put on his mask and entered the gates. As his blue eyes peered out from the mask, he was awestruck at how wondrous everything looked. 'The hobbits really outdid themselves,' he thought. He then followed Haldir and Arwen to a quiet table in the corner. He sat down and began searching the crowd for a likely candidate to dance with. Upon seeing none he dug himself deeper into his chair and was perfectly content to just observe his surroundings.
Gwenneth was dressed in an elegant white dress with silver trimmings around the cuffs and the bottom of the skirt. The bodice was form fitting and Aragorn would say that it showed a little too much skin. Around her throat she had a set of black beads that matched her raven black hair. Her mask was silver, with red flowers painted on it. When she held it to her face, she felt like a different person. She felt that she could be strong and independent, not the child the she was always told she was. 'But that is silly. A mask can't make you a different person! Deep down inside you are always a child,' she thought. Just then she felt a hand on her shoulder. Startled she turned to see Eowyn. "You evil woman, you scared me!"
"I am so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you, but I had to get your attention somehow," Eowyn pleaded. "Eomer sent me in her to retrieve you, for he is escorting you. Is there anything I need to know?" she asked in a sheepish voice.
"Eowyn, I swear don't push it! Only just two days ago I found out that he had feelings for me. That is way too soon for me to make such a judgment." She turned around to scan the room to make sure she was not leaving anything behind. "But I am not against the idea."
Eowyn clapped her hands in excitement. "We could be sister-in-laws then!"
"Don't marry us already. Let's just see how it goes, shall we?" she asked as she headed for the door. Eowyn sighed and cheerful skipped behind the other girl.
When Gwenneth exited her tent Eomer was indeed still waiting on her. She walked directly to him, trying to ignore the evil look that she was receiving from Aragorn. Once she was standing beside him and had slipped her arm through his, she turned to the gawking Aragorn. "What? What is wrong now?" she spat.
"Well I think that dress."
"No do not say it. This dress is fine. Not another word about it!" she spat as she turned from him in disgust. "Please Eomer, can we go?"
"As you wish."
When they arrived, the party was in full swing. People were laughing and dancing everywhere. Gandalf was standing near the barrels of ale grinning from ear to ear at the sight of such a joyous occasion. Everyone seemed to have put away their differences and where having a good time. Eomer led Gwenneth to a table near the stage where the hobbit musicians were playing a lively tune. Gwenneth's eyes lit up when she saw and felt the magical atmosphere. She was too excited to sit and begged Eomer to dance with her. When he protested, she grabbed his arm and drug him out into the dancing area. The music filled her brain and she drifted away on the sweet notes. They danced only a couple of songs when Eomer had had enough and started to lead her off the dance floor. She protested fiercely but she was unable to match his battle and finally relented and went to their table to sit and rest.
"All this dancing has made me thirsty. Shall I bring you anything Gwenneth?" Eomer asked as he stood and looked down upon her.
"Yes I think I shall have some ale," she said as she winked to Eowyn who was sitting across the table from her. Having heard this, Eowyn almost spat out the wine that she was drinking.
"That is a. man's drink my lady, I do not think that that is a wise choice," said Eomer shaking his head.
She was just about to change her mind and ask for a wine when she remembered her mask. 'Be who you want to be, you coward!' she hissed to herself in her brain. "No.No I think I will try the ale," she reassured him - and herself, for that matter.
"As you wish," he said as he bowed to her and then turned to leave.
As he walked away, Gwenneth spied the food tables set up at the far end of the dance area. Her stomach then, as if on cue, told her that she was hungry. She rubbed her stomach and turned to Eowyn who was sitting beside Faramir. "Eowyn are you hungry? Why don't you come with me to get us some food? We will get enough for all of us to enjoy," she said as she pulled the girl out of her seat, not waiting for an answer.
"So Legolas, has anyone caught your eye?" asked Haldir with a hint of arrogance in his voice.
Legolas stood and looked at the guests dressed in bright colored clothing and elaborate masks. Seeing nothing of interest he picked up his mask that he had taken off earlier. "No and I don't think that I shall find anyone. Now if you would excuse me, I think I will go get something to eat." He bowed to Arwen and turned to walk away as he put on his mask. He was starting to lose hope that he would find anyone to love; maybe he was destined to be alone. How he wanted desperately to believe that that was not the case!
Gwenneth hurriedly pulled her friend through the crowd, weaving in and out, of stately dressed people. Everything just blurred by as she focused on one thing. food. When they finally reached the tables of food and Eowyn had to stop to catch her breath.
"Slow down woman!" she panted. "What evil spirit has invaded you? You act like you have never eaten," she said, trying to straighten out her green skirt.
Gwenneth's face lit up with laughter at seeing her friend so flustered. "I am sorry, but I just can not seem to control myself in this atmosphere! I mean, look around you! It is so exciting! It just makes me want to be wild and free!" She then held out her arms and spun around, not caring who was in her way as she was suddenly stopped in mid twirl. Startled, she peered out from behind her mask and let her gazed drift upward to meet a pair of enchanting blue orbs. She was lost in his spell. Suddenly the world stopped moving and time stood still. She begged herself to move, but she just couldn't. Her knees suddenly buckled and she felt herself falling, until two strong arms grabbed her and steadied her up and held her tightly. Her heart was racing like the wind and though she tried she couldn't breath. With her hands lightly resting on his chest she slowly brought her eyes up again meet his. Chills went through her body when she felt his hands graze over the bare skin of her back. "This must be a dream," she said, soft under her mask, unable to believe this was happening to her.
Legolas's heart raced as he looked down to the eyes that mirrored his own. These eyes were intoxicating. He felt drunk from their stare alone. Her ebony locks looked so soft and smooth that he almost reached out to run his long fingers through it. He felt her shudder beneath him and he instinctively he pulled her closer to him to comfort her. It feels so natural to hold her this close that he did not want to let her go. He smiled to himself under his mask when he heard her voice. "Then it is a good dream, that we both are sharing," he shyly answered, seeing the shock in her eyes when she realized that he had heard what she had said. He could have stood there like that with her in his arms for an eternity. It was truly magical how her skin felt on his hands. He his whole being tingled, as she press her body against his. He was sure he would never feel these feelings again in all his life. Slowly, he brought his hands up and laid them upon hers. "Are you alright? I did not hurt you?" he asked in a caring and concerned voice. "I am so sorry my lady - I should have seen you. Please forgive me," he added, still holding on to her hands not wanting to let go.
His voice rang in her ears like a sweet melody, then suddenly the earth started to move again as she regained her wits. "No. No. It is I that should be asking for forgiveness. For in my excitement, I lost myself."
"Yes I do agree that this night is exciting, and might I say after running into you, it is magical," he said, without breaking eye contact.
Finally, after neither of them made any effort to move, Legolas realized that he couldn't stand here all night holding hold her like this in his arms, although that is what his heart was telling him to do. He brought one of her hands to his lips when he realized that he still had on his mask. So he dropped her other hand and raised his mask just enough so he could slowly kiss her hand. He let his lips linger on her smooth skin for a few moments felling the warmth that it generated. He then slowly brought her hand down, returned his mask and bowed. "Till we meet again, my lady." And with that, he reluctantly continued on his way.
Gwenneth didn't move for a few moments. Then she turned and watched the stranger walk away as he disappeared into the crowd. "Who. was . that?" she asked almost breathless. She could not stop herself form staring in his direction.
Chapter 4
The Encounter
The quaint little town of Hobbiton was buzzing with excitement. Gwenneth watched curiously as Hobbits of all shapes and sizes, mostly small and hearty, scurried here and there. The air smelled of a mixture of freshly baked breads and of the sweet perfumes from the freshly cut wildflowers. A gentle breeze softly rustled Gwennth's raven hair, as she watched the commotion around her. She watched with curiosity as she noticed a group of hobbits trying to roll an old rickety barrel full of ale, up a hill. She quickly turned when she heard two grumpy and grizzled hobbits arguing over which pipe weed was better. She stood in awe as she watched three hobbits carrying a cake, that was bigger then themselves, as it wobbled from side to side. She had to laugh out loud when she observed the baker trying to run after a group of children who had just sampled some of his sweets without asking. Gwenneth daydreamed of her childhood when her and Eowyn would do the same thing.
"Gwenneth come back to the living. Gwenneth!" yelled Eowyn while she waved her hand frantically in front of her friends face. She snickered at Gwenneth when she finally came back to her senses. "We better get back to the camp. We've been gone for over an hour and they are most likely ready to send out a search party for us. They probably think that the evil elves got us!" she laughed as she brushed a long stay blond strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. She turned and looked towards the evening sun, as it was beginning to disappear behind the distant hills. "It is getting late and we have to start getting ready for the Ball."
Taking a long last look around, Gwenneth sighed. "Yeah we better get going. If I know Aragorn, he is sharpening his blade as we speak. And I do want to look my best for tonight - even thought no one will know who we are anyway." She put her arm around her companion's waist and together they walked back to the camp.
When the girls arrived back at the camp, no one seemed to care. There were no frantic brothers telling them that they should not have been gone that long. There was no one scolding them, telling them how they made their brothers worry. Something was truly wrong. Something had happened in their absence. The girls looked around, and when they saw that the men were not fussing over their late arrival they looked at each other in disbelief.
"Is this the right camp?" a confused Eowyn inquired. Her blue eyes scanned the area for any signs of life. Seeing none, she picked up her skirts and headed off to her tent, then she turned to her friend and yelled as she gracefully walked backwards: "I will come over when I am done getting dressed."
"Ok, don't rush on my account. Take your time," replied Gwenneth. "Besides, I'm going to find out what is going on here," she whispered to herself as she huffed off to Aragorn's tent. Just as she arrived at his shelter, she heard cheerful whistling coming from inside. She cocked her head to one side and held her breath to help her hear what she thought she heard. After a few seconds she heard it again. It was just not whistling - it was a happy whistling. 'Oh Valar, the elves kidnapped my brother!' she thought out loud. She slowly reached out and pulled back the heavy curtain that was shielding the door. Light poured out of the tiny opening, highlighting her fair face. When she saw Aragorn dressed in dark blue slacks with a cream colored tunic that came down to his thighs, she was taken aback for a moment, for she never really remembered him wearing anything like that. He always wore his old worn out ranger gear, which in her mind wasn't really very fitting for a would-be king. Her eyes focused on his face and the moment she saw it, she was blown away. He was actually clean-shaven, not scruffy like he always was. This new Aragorn in front of her confused her. And then her ears picked up that sound again, as she did a double take to make sure of what she saw and heard was true. Yes.yes it was! He was whistling! 'What in all of Middle Earth could have caused this?' she thought to herself as she slowly let the curtain fall back into place, before she got caught sneaking around. She quickly stood up and turned to walk away but slammed into a wall - at least that was what it felt like. She looked up to see Eomer, who was standing right behind her. He had a gleam in his eye and there was an enchanting smile on his face. He was dressed all in black, which made his blonde hair seem to glow even brighter. She was not accustomed of seeing him like this either. It was amazing how a bath, a shave, and some clean clothes did for a person. She almost felt attracted to him. "Ah.ah.Eomer what.what are you doing here?" she asked as she quickly shook off the thought.
"I was about to ask you that very same question, my lady," Eomer said as he bowed to Gwenneth. "And why is it that you are not ready for the party? It is set to begin soon and I was on my way to escort you," he said as he held out his arm and waited for her to accept.
Not even noticing Eomer's gesture, she turned to look at Aragorn's tent and then slowly turned back to face him again, "Well I was." she stammered and then she thought of what she just heard. A look of question on her face, she tilted her head and scrunched her face. "Did you hear Aragorn whistling?" she asked as she waved her hand towards the opening of the tent.
"No. I heard nothing," he said shaking his head, his long blond hair flowing with the movement. "Are you certain that it was Aragorn and not some stranger in passing?"
Shaking her head again in disbelief, she said, "No it was him. For I saw it with my own eyes, or else I too would have thought it was a stranger passing by. But it was him!" She looked around the camp, hoping to find some weird explanation. "What is going on here? Where is my brother and who is this imposter?" Then another question popped into her mind: "And why didn't he overreact when I came back so late?" Then a look of realization washed over her face, "He doesn't even know I am back. He knows that I am gone and his is not worrying." Once more confusion took over her senses. "Did he fall and hit his head?"
Holding his hands up, as if surrendering, Eomer tried to ease her mind. "Whoa. slow down! Be still, young one, nothing has happened to Aragorn. He is perfectly fine. And no, he did not fall and hit his head." He then put his gentle hand on her shoulder for comfort.
"No something has happened! Some evil is at work here and I plan to find out," she said shaking her head violently. "When I left here earlier, he was full of rage, like he always is," she added. "And now he's. he's'. happy. That is not like him."
"Well my dear, I don't think that you should worry too much about it. You should be worrying about getting ready for the Ball," he said as he moved his hand from her shoulder to the small of her back and then tenderly started to guide her towards her tent. "I would tell you if there was anything wrong with him, and I know that there is not. Now come, time is wasting," he demanded in a soft and kind voice.
"You would tell me, wouldn't you?" she asked as she snapped her head to look at Eomer. He nodded in agreement, and smiled at her. Then she turned to see where she was being lead. "Ok, I do trust you," she sighed.
When they arrived at her tent he gave a little nudge towards the opening. "Now go woman and get ready before I make you go wearing what you have on now," he said, laughing at her. " I shall wait here for you, so that I may escort you tonight."
She started toward her tent and the stopped to look at Eomer again. "You are a good friend Eomer, thank you," she said, with a dreamy look in her eye. Then she turned and ran into her tent and pulled the drape across the entryway.
"Ah but my beautiful Gwenneth. I want to be more than just a friend, " he said softly to himself with a heavy heart.
Legolas smoothed out the long light blue vest that covered his black tunic. He then ran his fingers through his flaxen blonde hair and let it loosely fall over his shoulders. He was unaccustomed of letting his hair down; it was usually always braided and pulled back. But then again, he was not supposed to be recognized and his hair was his tell tale trait. He then picked up the little mask that was to hide his face from all of Middle Earth. It was covered with gold glitter and there were red tassels hanging on each side. He absent-mindedly ran his long fingers over the mask. Then Aragorn's face came into his thoughts. He felt the blood rush to his face and the pace of his heart quicken. ' Why did I let him get to me so?' he questioned himself. "He is just a man, but if that man ever did anything to harm an elf, he would die by my hand!" he answered out loud to no one but himself. His elf ears heard the voices of his friends as they gathered outside of his tent. He ran his fingers through his hair one last time and went out to join them.
When Legolas got outside he looked at Arwen and studied her for a moment. She looked radiant. Her hair shinny dark brown hair was pulled up on the top of her head, which showed the beautiful oval shape of her face. Her blue eyes seemed to sparkle as if it was a bright sunny day, even though there was only the light from torches. She wore a deep purple gown with gold trim that fit snuggly to her waist, accenting her shapely body. But there was just something different about her tonight. He squinted his eyes to study her more. He stayed like that for a while and coming to no conclusion he boldly asked, "Arwen what's wrong? There is something different about you."
Arwen's eyes turned cold. "What are you talking about, Greenleaf?" she spat. "There is nothing wrong with me. It is you that had the problem. Do not make me break up another confrontation tonight, or I will personally tell my father of your behavior."
"Ouch. Arwen you have a forked tongue," Legolas said as he brought his hands up to mockingly shield himself. "I will control myself tonight, but I think you should tell it to Aragorn." And then he noticed something when he said that man's name. He cocked his head to one side and studied her again. She glowed. She was actually glowing! He had figured it out; she had a fondness for Aragorn! He shook his head quickly in disbelief. He walked over to her and put his face to her ear and whispered. "Well I think that I might have something to tell Elrond." He pulled back and gazed into her confused eyes. Satisfied at what he saw he sneered at her and leaned in again. "Shall I say the name 'Aragorn'?"
Arwen's heart almost came out of her throat. She was stunned to say the least! How could he know? 'Is is that easy to read on my face?' she wondered to herself. She looked Legolas in the eye. Those eyes were no longer the eyes of her friend but those of Sauron himself. "I do not know of what you speak of," she said, trying to find out what he knew.
Legolas gently grabbed her arm and the swishing sound of her skirt could be heard as he guided her away from the group, so no one else could hear their conversation. When they were out of earshot he continued: "Aw come on Arwen, I saw how your face lit up when I mentioned his name. And come to think about it, you were acting strange when we left him this afternoon." She tried to look away but he gently pulled her chin into his stare again. She shuddered when she saw the anger in his eyes. "Tell me that this is not true," he pleaded softly, trying to hold back the rage that was starting to boil in him.
Sighing and letting her shoulders fall she looked up at Legolas. "I do not know what I feel. There is something there, but I can not say for sure." He was about to interrupt her when she held up her hand to stop him: " Do not lecture me on him being a human and me an elf, because I have been through this many times in my head. And I, unlike you, am not foolish enough to do anything without thinking of the repercussions," she stated coldly to him. She looked away for a brief second and then back to him. She had to do something or she knew that he would do something drastic. And then it came to her and an evil smile appeared on the lips. "So I suggest we come to a deal," she offered. Legolas's head tilted to the side inquisitively. "I will say nothing to atar about your little dealing today."
"I will keep quite about your secret," he finished the deal then. Crossing his arms across his chest, he nodded. 'This woman is most certainly cunning' he thought to himself as he decided that it was wiser for him to take the deal. "Very well Arwen. I will accept this deal, but I just hope that nothing more will come out of these foolish feelings you have, for a love between an elf and a human could only bring great pain and sorrow to everyone." Legolas then slid his hand to her back and guided her to greet their friends.
Just as they were nearing the group, Haldir took notice of their arrival and walked over to extend his hand to Arwen. "May I please have the honor, My Lady?" He bowed in honor of her great beauty.
"I shall be so honored to have you escort me," she said as she threaded her arm in his and began to walk towards the little village.
Legolas walked a few steps behind the couple. He heard them laughing happily to each other. He wonder if Arwen would forget about that Aragorn human and instead act on her feelings toward Haldir. He gazed at the lights of Hobbiton before him and decided to forget about Arwen for tonight and try to have a good time. Still. he couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen that would change the rest of his life. But no one should know too much of their own destiny.
The party was being held in a field just outside Hobbiton. Flaming torches were set up everywhere around the area. There were so many, that the light they produced lighted up the night sky as if it were day. Brightly colored banners hung from the trees and stretched over that area that was step up for dancing. Festive music and laughter filled the air as the quest started to arrive. Legolas put on his mask and entered the gates. As his blue eyes peered out from the mask, he was awestruck at how wondrous everything looked. 'The hobbits really outdid themselves,' he thought. He then followed Haldir and Arwen to a quiet table in the corner. He sat down and began searching the crowd for a likely candidate to dance with. Upon seeing none he dug himself deeper into his chair and was perfectly content to just observe his surroundings.
Gwenneth was dressed in an elegant white dress with silver trimmings around the cuffs and the bottom of the skirt. The bodice was form fitting and Aragorn would say that it showed a little too much skin. Around her throat she had a set of black beads that matched her raven black hair. Her mask was silver, with red flowers painted on it. When she held it to her face, she felt like a different person. She felt that she could be strong and independent, not the child the she was always told she was. 'But that is silly. A mask can't make you a different person! Deep down inside you are always a child,' she thought. Just then she felt a hand on her shoulder. Startled she turned to see Eowyn. "You evil woman, you scared me!"
"I am so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you, but I had to get your attention somehow," Eowyn pleaded. "Eomer sent me in her to retrieve you, for he is escorting you. Is there anything I need to know?" she asked in a sheepish voice.
"Eowyn, I swear don't push it! Only just two days ago I found out that he had feelings for me. That is way too soon for me to make such a judgment." She turned around to scan the room to make sure she was not leaving anything behind. "But I am not against the idea."
Eowyn clapped her hands in excitement. "We could be sister-in-laws then!"
"Don't marry us already. Let's just see how it goes, shall we?" she asked as she headed for the door. Eowyn sighed and cheerful skipped behind the other girl.
When Gwenneth exited her tent Eomer was indeed still waiting on her. She walked directly to him, trying to ignore the evil look that she was receiving from Aragorn. Once she was standing beside him and had slipped her arm through his, she turned to the gawking Aragorn. "What? What is wrong now?" she spat.
"Well I think that dress."
"No do not say it. This dress is fine. Not another word about it!" she spat as she turned from him in disgust. "Please Eomer, can we go?"
"As you wish."
When they arrived, the party was in full swing. People were laughing and dancing everywhere. Gandalf was standing near the barrels of ale grinning from ear to ear at the sight of such a joyous occasion. Everyone seemed to have put away their differences and where having a good time. Eomer led Gwenneth to a table near the stage where the hobbit musicians were playing a lively tune. Gwenneth's eyes lit up when she saw and felt the magical atmosphere. She was too excited to sit and begged Eomer to dance with her. When he protested, she grabbed his arm and drug him out into the dancing area. The music filled her brain and she drifted away on the sweet notes. They danced only a couple of songs when Eomer had had enough and started to lead her off the dance floor. She protested fiercely but she was unable to match his battle and finally relented and went to their table to sit and rest.
"All this dancing has made me thirsty. Shall I bring you anything Gwenneth?" Eomer asked as he stood and looked down upon her.
"Yes I think I shall have some ale," she said as she winked to Eowyn who was sitting across the table from her. Having heard this, Eowyn almost spat out the wine that she was drinking.
"That is a. man's drink my lady, I do not think that that is a wise choice," said Eomer shaking his head.
She was just about to change her mind and ask for a wine when she remembered her mask. 'Be who you want to be, you coward!' she hissed to herself in her brain. "No.No I think I will try the ale," she reassured him - and herself, for that matter.
"As you wish," he said as he bowed to her and then turned to leave.
As he walked away, Gwenneth spied the food tables set up at the far end of the dance area. Her stomach then, as if on cue, told her that she was hungry. She rubbed her stomach and turned to Eowyn who was sitting beside Faramir. "Eowyn are you hungry? Why don't you come with me to get us some food? We will get enough for all of us to enjoy," she said as she pulled the girl out of her seat, not waiting for an answer.
"So Legolas, has anyone caught your eye?" asked Haldir with a hint of arrogance in his voice.
Legolas stood and looked at the guests dressed in bright colored clothing and elaborate masks. Seeing nothing of interest he picked up his mask that he had taken off earlier. "No and I don't think that I shall find anyone. Now if you would excuse me, I think I will go get something to eat." He bowed to Arwen and turned to walk away as he put on his mask. He was starting to lose hope that he would find anyone to love; maybe he was destined to be alone. How he wanted desperately to believe that that was not the case!
Gwenneth hurriedly pulled her friend through the crowd, weaving in and out, of stately dressed people. Everything just blurred by as she focused on one thing. food. When they finally reached the tables of food and Eowyn had to stop to catch her breath.
"Slow down woman!" she panted. "What evil spirit has invaded you? You act like you have never eaten," she said, trying to straighten out her green skirt.
Gwenneth's face lit up with laughter at seeing her friend so flustered. "I am sorry, but I just can not seem to control myself in this atmosphere! I mean, look around you! It is so exciting! It just makes me want to be wild and free!" She then held out her arms and spun around, not caring who was in her way as she was suddenly stopped in mid twirl. Startled, she peered out from behind her mask and let her gazed drift upward to meet a pair of enchanting blue orbs. She was lost in his spell. Suddenly the world stopped moving and time stood still. She begged herself to move, but she just couldn't. Her knees suddenly buckled and she felt herself falling, until two strong arms grabbed her and steadied her up and held her tightly. Her heart was racing like the wind and though she tried she couldn't breath. With her hands lightly resting on his chest she slowly brought her eyes up again meet his. Chills went through her body when she felt his hands graze over the bare skin of her back. "This must be a dream," she said, soft under her mask, unable to believe this was happening to her.
Legolas's heart raced as he looked down to the eyes that mirrored his own. These eyes were intoxicating. He felt drunk from their stare alone. Her ebony locks looked so soft and smooth that he almost reached out to run his long fingers through it. He felt her shudder beneath him and he instinctively he pulled her closer to him to comfort her. It feels so natural to hold her this close that he did not want to let her go. He smiled to himself under his mask when he heard her voice. "Then it is a good dream, that we both are sharing," he shyly answered, seeing the shock in her eyes when she realized that he had heard what she had said. He could have stood there like that with her in his arms for an eternity. It was truly magical how her skin felt on his hands. He his whole being tingled, as she press her body against his. He was sure he would never feel these feelings again in all his life. Slowly, he brought his hands up and laid them upon hers. "Are you alright? I did not hurt you?" he asked in a caring and concerned voice. "I am so sorry my lady - I should have seen you. Please forgive me," he added, still holding on to her hands not wanting to let go.
His voice rang in her ears like a sweet melody, then suddenly the earth started to move again as she regained her wits. "No. No. It is I that should be asking for forgiveness. For in my excitement, I lost myself."
"Yes I do agree that this night is exciting, and might I say after running into you, it is magical," he said, without breaking eye contact.
Finally, after neither of them made any effort to move, Legolas realized that he couldn't stand here all night holding hold her like this in his arms, although that is what his heart was telling him to do. He brought one of her hands to his lips when he realized that he still had on his mask. So he dropped her other hand and raised his mask just enough so he could slowly kiss her hand. He let his lips linger on her smooth skin for a few moments felling the warmth that it generated. He then slowly brought her hand down, returned his mask and bowed. "Till we meet again, my lady." And with that, he reluctantly continued on his way.
Gwenneth didn't move for a few moments. Then she turned and watched the stranger walk away as he disappeared into the crowd. "Who. was . that?" she asked almost breathless. She could not stop herself form staring in his direction.