Disclaimer can be found in the prologue.
A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed the prologue. I know it wasn't very long, but I was just introducing the characters. Hopefully I can make the chapters longer and more interesting!
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As Legolas stared down at Larien, and she stared back up at him, visions of the day she had left swept through his mind.
FLASHBACK
Legolas made his way to Larien's room at the same time he did every morning; just before sunrise, so they could race to the edge of Mirkwood and watch the sun creep over the mountains. He grinned as he silently approached her door, hoping to catch her off-guard and perhaps give her a bit of scare. But as he slowly opened the door, something felt different.
On Larien's bed were a few bags and a knap-sack. Her dresser was bare. Legolas stepped inside the room and felt a heavy sadness hanging in the air. His eyes strayed to the terrace, and there he saw her. He timidly walked towards her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Larien?"
She looked up at him and tried to blink away the tears in her eyes. Legolas' face filled with concern when a tear managed to roll down her cheek. He brushed it away with his thumb and pulled her into a hug. He held her for some time before speaking. "Larien....tell me what troubles you."
Larien pulled away from him so she could look into his face. She attempted to gather her jumbled thoughts before putting them into words. After letting out a heavy sigh and wiping another tear from her cheek, she spoke. "My father....has been asked to return to Rivendell." The tears in her eyes started to fall freely as she continued. "He said he would return and....he does not know when, or if, we will....be able to return here."
A look of shock spread over Legolas' face. His heart sank. Larien was his best friend; he spent every moment of the day with her and had been since they were young. "When are you to leave?"
"This morn." And that was when Larien broke down. She would have fallen if Legolas had not caught her as she collapsed. "I do not wish to go, Legolas. Mirkwood is my home. I do not care if I was born in Rivendell....I have lived here for so long...."
Legolas gently stroked her hair as she wept into his shoulder. Tears began to form in his eyes as thoughts of what his days would be like without her filled his mind. "Shh...I am sure you will return. Your father knows you love it here, he would not keep you from it." He tried to comfort her and hide the sadness in his voice.
Just as he finished, there was a knock at the door. It was one of the maidens of Legolas' home coming to call for Larien. "Excuse me." She said, not wanting to be rude. "It is time for the lady to leave. Her father is waiting for her in the main hall." The maiden said as she walked towards Larien's bed. "I will take some of these bags for you."
Larien looked up at Legolas then gave him a tight hug. "I will always remember you, Legolas." She placed a gentle kiss on his cheek then took her knap-sack from her bed. Legolas watched as she walked to the door. She turned one last time and gave him a forced smile, and then she was gone.
END OF FLASHBACK
Legolas and Larien couldn't take their eyes off of each other, let alone move. They just stared into the other's eyes as thousands of thoughts swarmed their mind. Just as the silence began to grow stronger, Larien cracked a smile and threw her arms around Legolas' neck, pulling him into a warm embrace. Legolas laughed as he wrapped his arms around Larien's middle.
"I can not believe you have returned!" he said as he held her tightly against him. "How did you get yourself into the great halls?"
Larien laughed and pulled her head away from his chest. "Oh you must remember how I have my ways."
The two of them laughed together as Legolas helped Larien to her feet. As Legolas took her hand and led her to the chairs he had in his room, the door burst open and two guards rushed inside. "Grab her!" the one called. They raced towards Larien as she backed away behind Legolas.
"Stop!" Legolas commanded as he spread out his arms to protect her. "She has done me no harm."
"But, Sir, she broke into the great halls. It is against the laws of Mirkwood. It is our duty to arrest her." One of the guards said as he moved towards them.
Larien stepped out from behind Legolas and defended herself. "Excuse me, but I did not break into the halls. I simply walked inside. As far as I saw, there was no one to stop me from doing so."
Legolas glanced at her, and then narrowed his eyes at the guards. "Is that so?"
The guards avoided the prince's eyes and pretended to straighten out their uniforms. "There should have been two guards watching the doors. We will excuse the Lady of her crime and search for the guards who should have been there."
"Yes, you will." Legolas said with a bit of annoyance in his tone. "Now please, leave us."
The guards bowed their heads and quickly left the room, shutting the door behind them. Legolas turned and faced Larien again, a smile of relief on his lips. "Excuse them. The guards are not as well-trained as they used to be."
"Oh, it was my fault. I had not thought it through. If I had just waited until morning none of this trouble would have occurred." She said, returning his smile. "I guess I just could not wait to see you again, Legolas."
Legolas grinned at her when she spoke those words. "I would have done the same if I were your position."