Hey guys tanks for the reviews and the comments!
White roses for me – thank you for your comments and I have taken these on board, hopefully in this chapter we'll see Serena's emotions coming into play as she realise she put more than she bargained for on the line – have to admit maybe I should have thought more into the emotions rather than trying to continue with the story at full pace. And any suggestions on how to get the story looked over by someone else?
Please if any of you got any suggestions, facts, comments or complaints – let me know – they'll be considered!
As usual – don't owe anything to do with Tolkien or LOTR
Return To Innocence
Five o'clock the following morning after Serena has arrived at Leonas stables. The alarm went off shrilling in her ears till she turned it off, its echoes pounding her ear drums as she pull on her clothes and opened the curtains. It has been a frosty night, the grass laid white with ice and icicles hung from windows and ledges. The room had a very definite chill to it and made Serena stamp her feet as she opened her sock draw to pull out a pair of thick, toasty socks. After pulling on her boots and drawing a comb through her hair, she quickly went downstairs and headed into the kitchen which was still quiet at this time of the morning. Cookie smiled and handed her a mug of coffee and some toast with scrambled eggs.
After swallowing the last of the coffee, Serena pulled on her gloves from her pocket and headed outside. The air stun her face as she exhaled, her breath forming a white cloud, its spectre like fingers curling towards her. Heading to the stables and turning the lights on, she walked over to Arod's stall but to see him missing.
Legolas was up.
After feeding the horses, she led the Palomino stallion called Chinco, and reigned him up. Leading him outside, she climbed up into the saddle and urged him forward. The horse's gait was frisky after being cooped up all night and was keen to be given the reign. She followed a track which she had been told surrounded the paddocks to the north of the mansion. For a long period of time, she and the horse roamed free in the dark dawn of that day, the sun slowly rising then lit the countryside with its rays, causing the frost to melt.
It was when she headed back to the stables did she see another rider urging a white horse to ride with all his power. They thundered down the paddock and flew effortlessly over a jump. Serena gasped, this rider was exceptional and upon seeing his blonde hair flying out behind him, she knew it was Legolas.
Not stopping she urged Chinco to trot past and turned into the stables. She dismounted and unbridled the horse, leading him into his stall with some oats in a bucket, she started grooming him.
She heard the unmistakable sound of another horse trotting into the stables and the sounds of a man whispering in a strangely, seductive language that Serena couldn't translate. Legolas was next door to her, busy grooming his horse. The sound of footsteps drawing closer and a loud exclamation broke the tranquil silence.
"Legolas!" a man's voice exclaimed.
"Glorfindel?" Legolas's voice was positively surprised.
"The one and only." Glorfindel's voice teased.
"What are you doing here?" Legolas asked with a note of disbelief in his voice.
"Been sent down by Elrond. Have you seen your visitor yet?"
"Visitor? No, who is it?" Legolas's puzzled voice asked as Serena sucked in her breath, Glorfindel was sent to check up on her.
"Don't think they arrived then." Glorfindel replied, she could positively hear a smile in his voice as she silently cursed him.
"Who are they?" Legolas sceptically asked him, she could hear them shifting around in the stall next door and breathed easily when their footsteps started fading away, signally they were leaving.
"You'll see soon enough." Was Glorfindel's fading words as Serena peered round the edge of the stall to see them walking back into the house. Glorfindel was here, she should have guessed this'll happen. It doesn't seem that the elves trust her just yet.
And as if fate was playing its role, Serena had a fortunate opportunity to meet her one, true opponent in this fiasco of a battle. Anarwen. And she could see how far gone some elves were when it came to living in modern society today. How they have forgotten their roots, their powers and heritage. Where money and greed slowly crept in and corrupted the once most beautiful beings. Where once the concerns for the fragility of nature and admiration for beauty was now replace with stress for falling stocks and shares and desperation for this season's Manolo Blaniks. And Serena could see the one true weakness of that of the elves, they could over time become too self obsessed and become more mortal, easily persuaded, easily gullible and easily hated.
With the evening meal out the way and her jobs completed for the day, Serena had offered to do the washing up, a task she was now regretting as she eyed the huge, expansive pile of cutlery, all stained to the various degree of food residue and grease. The soapy water kept getting cold and she was in the act of refilling the bowl with hot water when someone entered the kitchen to the sound of high heels and a dramatic sigh.
That could only mean one thing.
Turning her head, she saw it was. Anarwen, who was rummaging through the fridge for some un-findable culinary delight, she slammed the door with a curse and looked around to see she wasn't alone.
"Hello, don't think we've met." She politely smiled, but Serena wasn't easily fooled, a woman too, she could see in Anarwen's eyes she was being checked out and from the false, deadly looking smile, she didn't check out right at all.
"No we haven't." Serena wiped her hands on a towel then held out one to her, Anarwen looked down then somewhat reluctantly shook it, "What's your name?"
"Serena. I believe you must be Anarwen." Serena smiled, despite knowing who she was after her little tantrum yesterday in the courtyard.
"Correct, so when did you start?" Anarwen leaned against the counter in obvious interest, she fingered a necklace round her neck that was bedazzled with diamonds and Serena could guess with a bitter thought, who gave her those.
"Yesterday." Serena smiled as she resumed her task of washing up. "Really? I don't recall seeing you." Anarwen frowned. "You may have been busy." Serena suggested tactfully, she turned and watched Anarwen as shrugged and straightened up, "Better get that wine before Legolas starts worrying."
"If you're looking for the Merlot, we've drank the last of it at dinner." Serena indicated to the dinner table where several bottles still remained uncleared, all de-voided of their contents.
"Fuck." Anarwen frowned and stared at the wine cabinet with disinterest.
"I've seen the way you stare at Legolas." Came her next statement, one which halted Serena in the act of washing a plate, she been watching her? Funny. She didn't recall seeing her around. She then belatedly realised that being an elf meant she could be seen when she chose to be and silently cursed.
"I should warn you that I don't take too kindly to employees trying to get close to their boss." Anarwen turned from the cabinet and leaned her elbows on the work counter, eyes surveying the woman before her who turned her green eyes to lock with hers.
"Where do you come from?" Anarwen asked, drumming her fingernails against the counter, exposing the set of talons she was armed with.
"London." Serena simply replied, "I stare because he looks different." She looked at Anarwen who smiled, clearly taking the bait of diverting her accusations.
"He is good looking isn't he?" Anarwen grinned.
"Where did you meet?"
"We're old friends, I give him what he wants and him, me." Anarwen looked out the window, they were interrupted by someone else entering the room, both of them looked over to see Glorfindel who smiled. "Anarwen, Legolas is asking after you."
"Nice to meet you but remember our little conversation." Anarwen smiled but Serena didn't miss the deadly glint in her eyes telling her to stay away. She left the kitchen, leaving the elf and woman alone together.
"Thought you didn't make it down here. What are you doing?" Glorfindel tilted his head to the washing up, Serena frowned, "I'm working."
"Working? Please don't tell me you got a job?" Glorfindel frowned, he groaned out aloud when Serena didn't reply, "Don't make this mess worse than it is."
"How can I? This mess was there to start with!" Serena snapped, "Who the fuck is she?" she angrily indicated to the door which Anarwen departed through seconds ago.
"Quite a character isn't she?" Glorfindel cast Serena a wiry grin, but his humour was lost on the fuming woman who savagely dropped a plate in the water, so much so it snapped in half. She sighed then chucked it in the bin.
"She's a fucking bitch! Why does Legolas put up with her?" she huffed, washing up clearly forgotten as she turned and watched the elf shrug, "Maybe he loves her, despite me telling him she's no good."
"Fuck!" She snarled, emotions swaying her on the spot.
"Don't tell you thought you could walk back in and pick things up from where they stopped?" Glorfindel quietly inquired.
She bit her lower lip, yes. Foolishly she had thought she could do that. Anger faded away to be replaced with one much stronger emotion that almost gagged her with its bitter taste at the back of her throat. Defeat. She, Serena so hell-bent on making Legolas pay for what he done, who let her emotions get in the way was defeated. She pushed past the elf and started up the stairs but she stopped when she heard two voices.
Turning, she could see the lounge door was ajar and the light inside illuminated two figures that were Anarwen and Legolas. Legolas broke off his kiss from her mouth, his lips trailing down her neck, his fingers playing with her gold hair haloed in the light, he obviously found a weak point when Anarwen moaned, throwing back her head, exposing her neck to his lips, allowing him to carry out his ministrations.
Biting back a sob, Serena ran up stairs and slammed her bedroom door, throwing herself down on the bed, she let all those tears flow free.
Anger came over her as she pummelled her pillow with heavy blows of her fists. Then loneliness as she sobbed, her heart breaking at the thought of her lost friends and the life she knew she'll never live again, then bitterness as she called Anarwen every name under the sun. This huge torrential storm of emotions besieged her and all she could do was hold on and ride this out. He had kissed her like that last year, those kisses that promised so much, the way he could ignite a fire in her in one single touch.
And to see a woman like Anarwen in her place in Legolas's arms. She sobbed louder, the pillow now soaked and her face ached but she didn't stop. She cried herself to sleep, unaware that three pairs of elven ears could hear someone under their roof was upset, but none of them explored to find the source.
Though defeated and injured via her emotions, our heroine wasn't down just yet. By the morning she knew she had to speak to Legolas soon. Glorfindel agreed, saying that Anarwen was suspicious and it wouldn't be long till she work out who Serena was. Apparently Legolas was with Anarwen when he slept with Serena that Christmas a year ago. With admirable strength, she resolved that before the day was out, she will speak to Legolas. But how often have we planned to do something and done it for it to turn out not the way we hoped? How many times have we heard things we didn't what to hear but to realise it was the truth and we cannot ever escape the truth, no matter what it is. How many of us put our hearts and souls into one moment of our lives, leaving us open and vulnerable? And we are to find out that Serena is just like us, we can never control our destiny what ever it may bring.
Glorfindel told her that on Thursdays Anarwen goes up to London to see friends and family so would be an ideal time to talk to Legolas uninterrupted. She kept putting it off despite some perfect moments. Like when they were both alone in the kitchen but he was deep in thought and simply pulled on his boots and walked out to ride Arod. Or when she walked past him sitting alone in his office.
Gritting her teeth, she pushed herself to walk up to the lounge but then bolted, she leaned her head against the cool wooden panelling in the corridor, cursing herself for not being able to do the one thing she needed to do. She peered in to see Legolas sitting alone, reading a book. He the got up and walked over to some shelves and this was when she mentally pushed herself to open the door and stand on the threshold, staring at his back with her mind overcrowded with what to say.
"I thought you've gone to bed Glorfindel." Legolas spoke out, not turning round, she could see from the way he bowed his head he was reading.
"I'm not Glorfindel." She softly spoke, her voice wavering as she gripped the door handle, willing herself to stay there. He turned at the sound of her voice and bright blue eyes locked with troubled green ones and he loudly gasped, dropping the book to the floor.
They stood there for what seemed forever, Legolas gapping like a fish upon dry land, trying to breath through it's collapsed gills.
"Serena." He whispered, his stance taunt and his fingers curled into fists. He looked beautiful, exactly as she remembered him and a fleeting image of him naked crossed her mind but it was forgotten when he took one step forward. Then another and another till he reached out with one finger and gently touched her cheek. That one touch confirmed to him that she was really there, not a mirage or a dream.
"We need to talk." Serena whispered, his face was so close to hers, his eyes staring into her soul and she was unnerved at how her emotions were cast aside for that moment leaving nothing but love for the elf she had fallen for.
He nodded and reached behind her, closing the door, his jumper clad arm touching her own and she was aware of the fire that swept throughout her body as she breathed in the heady scent of his skin, the smell she grew so firmly acquainted to. And all too quick, he stood back, "How did you find me?"
And Serena told him everything from how she woke up alone in the hospital, to Glorfindel's fight with the Orcs to meeting Elrond and what he had told her and finally to how she got a job here.
"I'm so sorry." Legolas apologised, they were both still standing, none of them moved at all, so rapped at being in each other's presence.
"I know." Serena whispered, a lone tear slid down her cheek and Legolas winched, knowing how much she had been hurting. "But one question still remains. I know you did what you did as you were under orders but then you did something Elrond didn't tell you to do. You slept with me. Why?"
A long pause existed between the two as Legolas formulated his answer, his eyes never leaving her figure, he could tell from how her shoulders were slumped she was defeated by her emotions and by him.
"I simply did the one thing I didn't think would happen. I cared for you, I wanted you, you could even say I loved you." He answered, she lowered her eyes to the floor as he continued, "I tried, Valar knows I tried. I tried to find you but Elrond didn't tell me anything. I checked all the hospitals but then I realised Elrond must have checked you under a different name. I was hunted by the police so I couldn't hang around. I came down here and I haven't been back to London since. Please believe me, I really tried to find you." Legolas begged but to his horror Serena started crying. "I want to believe you but I'm so confused." She sobbed.
Legolas in three strides was there, his arms gathered her close to him as she cried, clinging to him as if he was her rock and in some way he was.
"What do we do now?" she asked when she calmed down and wiped away her tears, but Legolas's arms wouldn't let her go.
"I don't know, this is a surprise. I'm confused also." Legolas admitted, Serena sighed, she pulled away from his embrace.
"Shall I go?" she looked up to see him shake his head, "No, please stay."
"Legolas...do you still care for me?" she asked, watching him frowned then shrug, "I wasn't expecting to see you again, I tried to push you from my mind and love Anarwen. Well I think I love her. I don't know anymore."
She remained quiet, her hopes were neither high or quashed as she realised this too has came as a big shock to him.
"Give me time." He whispered.
She nodded and stood on tiptoes and kissed his cheek, "For any pain I too caused you, I am sorry."
She pulled away to see Legolas had his eyes shut as if he was trying to memorise this kiss, although so perfectly innocent, it almost made him groan with those memories he allowed to resurrect within him once again. Too long has he forced those sweet thoughts down, of how she smiled. Of how she laughed. Of how she felt.
She stepped back and turned, slowly walking from the room when she reach the door, she looked back at him, capturing his perfect face.
He gave her a small smile as she turned and left the room, staring at the space she existed in a few seconds ago. "Serena." He whispered, not truly believing this moment.
It was later that night that Serena realised that his revelations of trying to find her, never forgetting her was somehow true when she pulled out the red leather bound book he had gave her a year ago and its contents that revealed who he was. She wanted to read in order to take her mind off things but only to find another discovery. She sat with it in her lap and slowly opened the front cover.
There on the first page in some fancy handwriting that could only belong to Legolas was scrawled, "Where ever you'll go, I will find you. All my love, Legolas." She closed the book and placed it by her bedside locker as she stared into the darkness of her room. He had tried to find her, maybe he still holds something for her? The engine of a car pulling up distracted her as she stood up and peered outside, she frowned when she recognised the black Porsche and the driver that stepped out.
Her one true enemy.
Anarwen. He loved Anarwen. She saw him greet her outside and help her carry some bags into the house, all marked with some fancy, expensive designer name. And she truly hated her. Anarwen had everything yet not appreciated his love for her. She laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling, mind swimming with thoughts, memories and emotions as they became one huge blur and she slipped into sleep, her only escape from the living world where nothing could touch her.
Serena is only at the start of her battles, her long journey no where near ending and destiny for her was being written as she treaded its path. Its like a roll of a dice, the odds of getting a even number is fifty-fifty, then rolling to get a three is one in six.
Chances.
How many of them have we ever pasted on?
Would our paths be different if we accepted them?
Would we be a different person if only we took a different path?
Would we change even the smallest of things?
Chances are something Serena is running low on, because she now realised that when love and chance is concerned, you only got one shot. There are so many ways of doing it but it boils down to two points, you either succeed or you don't. That's how fickle love is.
That's how dangerous love is.
White roses for me – thank you for your comments and I have taken these on board, hopefully in this chapter we'll see Serena's emotions coming into play as she realise she put more than she bargained for on the line – have to admit maybe I should have thought more into the emotions rather than trying to continue with the story at full pace. And any suggestions on how to get the story looked over by someone else?
Please if any of you got any suggestions, facts, comments or complaints – let me know – they'll be considered!
As usual – don't owe anything to do with Tolkien or LOTR
Return To Innocence
Five o'clock the following morning after Serena has arrived at Leonas stables. The alarm went off shrilling in her ears till she turned it off, its echoes pounding her ear drums as she pull on her clothes and opened the curtains. It has been a frosty night, the grass laid white with ice and icicles hung from windows and ledges. The room had a very definite chill to it and made Serena stamp her feet as she opened her sock draw to pull out a pair of thick, toasty socks. After pulling on her boots and drawing a comb through her hair, she quickly went downstairs and headed into the kitchen which was still quiet at this time of the morning. Cookie smiled and handed her a mug of coffee and some toast with scrambled eggs.
After swallowing the last of the coffee, Serena pulled on her gloves from her pocket and headed outside. The air stun her face as she exhaled, her breath forming a white cloud, its spectre like fingers curling towards her. Heading to the stables and turning the lights on, she walked over to Arod's stall but to see him missing.
Legolas was up.
After feeding the horses, she led the Palomino stallion called Chinco, and reigned him up. Leading him outside, she climbed up into the saddle and urged him forward. The horse's gait was frisky after being cooped up all night and was keen to be given the reign. She followed a track which she had been told surrounded the paddocks to the north of the mansion. For a long period of time, she and the horse roamed free in the dark dawn of that day, the sun slowly rising then lit the countryside with its rays, causing the frost to melt.
It was when she headed back to the stables did she see another rider urging a white horse to ride with all his power. They thundered down the paddock and flew effortlessly over a jump. Serena gasped, this rider was exceptional and upon seeing his blonde hair flying out behind him, she knew it was Legolas.
Not stopping she urged Chinco to trot past and turned into the stables. She dismounted and unbridled the horse, leading him into his stall with some oats in a bucket, she started grooming him.
She heard the unmistakable sound of another horse trotting into the stables and the sounds of a man whispering in a strangely, seductive language that Serena couldn't translate. Legolas was next door to her, busy grooming his horse. The sound of footsteps drawing closer and a loud exclamation broke the tranquil silence.
"Legolas!" a man's voice exclaimed.
"Glorfindel?" Legolas's voice was positively surprised.
"The one and only." Glorfindel's voice teased.
"What are you doing here?" Legolas asked with a note of disbelief in his voice.
"Been sent down by Elrond. Have you seen your visitor yet?"
"Visitor? No, who is it?" Legolas's puzzled voice asked as Serena sucked in her breath, Glorfindel was sent to check up on her.
"Don't think they arrived then." Glorfindel replied, she could positively hear a smile in his voice as she silently cursed him.
"Who are they?" Legolas sceptically asked him, she could hear them shifting around in the stall next door and breathed easily when their footsteps started fading away, signally they were leaving.
"You'll see soon enough." Was Glorfindel's fading words as Serena peered round the edge of the stall to see them walking back into the house. Glorfindel was here, she should have guessed this'll happen. It doesn't seem that the elves trust her just yet.
And as if fate was playing its role, Serena had a fortunate opportunity to meet her one, true opponent in this fiasco of a battle. Anarwen. And she could see how far gone some elves were when it came to living in modern society today. How they have forgotten their roots, their powers and heritage. Where money and greed slowly crept in and corrupted the once most beautiful beings. Where once the concerns for the fragility of nature and admiration for beauty was now replace with stress for falling stocks and shares and desperation for this season's Manolo Blaniks. And Serena could see the one true weakness of that of the elves, they could over time become too self obsessed and become more mortal, easily persuaded, easily gullible and easily hated.
With the evening meal out the way and her jobs completed for the day, Serena had offered to do the washing up, a task she was now regretting as she eyed the huge, expansive pile of cutlery, all stained to the various degree of food residue and grease. The soapy water kept getting cold and she was in the act of refilling the bowl with hot water when someone entered the kitchen to the sound of high heels and a dramatic sigh.
That could only mean one thing.
Turning her head, she saw it was. Anarwen, who was rummaging through the fridge for some un-findable culinary delight, she slammed the door with a curse and looked around to see she wasn't alone.
"Hello, don't think we've met." She politely smiled, but Serena wasn't easily fooled, a woman too, she could see in Anarwen's eyes she was being checked out and from the false, deadly looking smile, she didn't check out right at all.
"No we haven't." Serena wiped her hands on a towel then held out one to her, Anarwen looked down then somewhat reluctantly shook it, "What's your name?"
"Serena. I believe you must be Anarwen." Serena smiled, despite knowing who she was after her little tantrum yesterday in the courtyard.
"Correct, so when did you start?" Anarwen leaned against the counter in obvious interest, she fingered a necklace round her neck that was bedazzled with diamonds and Serena could guess with a bitter thought, who gave her those.
"Yesterday." Serena smiled as she resumed her task of washing up. "Really? I don't recall seeing you." Anarwen frowned. "You may have been busy." Serena suggested tactfully, she turned and watched Anarwen as shrugged and straightened up, "Better get that wine before Legolas starts worrying."
"If you're looking for the Merlot, we've drank the last of it at dinner." Serena indicated to the dinner table where several bottles still remained uncleared, all de-voided of their contents.
"Fuck." Anarwen frowned and stared at the wine cabinet with disinterest.
"I've seen the way you stare at Legolas." Came her next statement, one which halted Serena in the act of washing a plate, she been watching her? Funny. She didn't recall seeing her around. She then belatedly realised that being an elf meant she could be seen when she chose to be and silently cursed.
"I should warn you that I don't take too kindly to employees trying to get close to their boss." Anarwen turned from the cabinet and leaned her elbows on the work counter, eyes surveying the woman before her who turned her green eyes to lock with hers.
"Where do you come from?" Anarwen asked, drumming her fingernails against the counter, exposing the set of talons she was armed with.
"London." Serena simply replied, "I stare because he looks different." She looked at Anarwen who smiled, clearly taking the bait of diverting her accusations.
"He is good looking isn't he?" Anarwen grinned.
"Where did you meet?"
"We're old friends, I give him what he wants and him, me." Anarwen looked out the window, they were interrupted by someone else entering the room, both of them looked over to see Glorfindel who smiled. "Anarwen, Legolas is asking after you."
"Nice to meet you but remember our little conversation." Anarwen smiled but Serena didn't miss the deadly glint in her eyes telling her to stay away. She left the kitchen, leaving the elf and woman alone together.
"Thought you didn't make it down here. What are you doing?" Glorfindel tilted his head to the washing up, Serena frowned, "I'm working."
"Working? Please don't tell me you got a job?" Glorfindel frowned, he groaned out aloud when Serena didn't reply, "Don't make this mess worse than it is."
"How can I? This mess was there to start with!" Serena snapped, "Who the fuck is she?" she angrily indicated to the door which Anarwen departed through seconds ago.
"Quite a character isn't she?" Glorfindel cast Serena a wiry grin, but his humour was lost on the fuming woman who savagely dropped a plate in the water, so much so it snapped in half. She sighed then chucked it in the bin.
"She's a fucking bitch! Why does Legolas put up with her?" she huffed, washing up clearly forgotten as she turned and watched the elf shrug, "Maybe he loves her, despite me telling him she's no good."
"Fuck!" She snarled, emotions swaying her on the spot.
"Don't tell you thought you could walk back in and pick things up from where they stopped?" Glorfindel quietly inquired.
She bit her lower lip, yes. Foolishly she had thought she could do that. Anger faded away to be replaced with one much stronger emotion that almost gagged her with its bitter taste at the back of her throat. Defeat. She, Serena so hell-bent on making Legolas pay for what he done, who let her emotions get in the way was defeated. She pushed past the elf and started up the stairs but she stopped when she heard two voices.
Turning, she could see the lounge door was ajar and the light inside illuminated two figures that were Anarwen and Legolas. Legolas broke off his kiss from her mouth, his lips trailing down her neck, his fingers playing with her gold hair haloed in the light, he obviously found a weak point when Anarwen moaned, throwing back her head, exposing her neck to his lips, allowing him to carry out his ministrations.
Biting back a sob, Serena ran up stairs and slammed her bedroom door, throwing herself down on the bed, she let all those tears flow free.
Anger came over her as she pummelled her pillow with heavy blows of her fists. Then loneliness as she sobbed, her heart breaking at the thought of her lost friends and the life she knew she'll never live again, then bitterness as she called Anarwen every name under the sun. This huge torrential storm of emotions besieged her and all she could do was hold on and ride this out. He had kissed her like that last year, those kisses that promised so much, the way he could ignite a fire in her in one single touch.
And to see a woman like Anarwen in her place in Legolas's arms. She sobbed louder, the pillow now soaked and her face ached but she didn't stop. She cried herself to sleep, unaware that three pairs of elven ears could hear someone under their roof was upset, but none of them explored to find the source.
Though defeated and injured via her emotions, our heroine wasn't down just yet. By the morning she knew she had to speak to Legolas soon. Glorfindel agreed, saying that Anarwen was suspicious and it wouldn't be long till she work out who Serena was. Apparently Legolas was with Anarwen when he slept with Serena that Christmas a year ago. With admirable strength, she resolved that before the day was out, she will speak to Legolas. But how often have we planned to do something and done it for it to turn out not the way we hoped? How many times have we heard things we didn't what to hear but to realise it was the truth and we cannot ever escape the truth, no matter what it is. How many of us put our hearts and souls into one moment of our lives, leaving us open and vulnerable? And we are to find out that Serena is just like us, we can never control our destiny what ever it may bring.
Glorfindel told her that on Thursdays Anarwen goes up to London to see friends and family so would be an ideal time to talk to Legolas uninterrupted. She kept putting it off despite some perfect moments. Like when they were both alone in the kitchen but he was deep in thought and simply pulled on his boots and walked out to ride Arod. Or when she walked past him sitting alone in his office.
Gritting her teeth, she pushed herself to walk up to the lounge but then bolted, she leaned her head against the cool wooden panelling in the corridor, cursing herself for not being able to do the one thing she needed to do. She peered in to see Legolas sitting alone, reading a book. He the got up and walked over to some shelves and this was when she mentally pushed herself to open the door and stand on the threshold, staring at his back with her mind overcrowded with what to say.
"I thought you've gone to bed Glorfindel." Legolas spoke out, not turning round, she could see from the way he bowed his head he was reading.
"I'm not Glorfindel." She softly spoke, her voice wavering as she gripped the door handle, willing herself to stay there. He turned at the sound of her voice and bright blue eyes locked with troubled green ones and he loudly gasped, dropping the book to the floor.
They stood there for what seemed forever, Legolas gapping like a fish upon dry land, trying to breath through it's collapsed gills.
"Serena." He whispered, his stance taunt and his fingers curled into fists. He looked beautiful, exactly as she remembered him and a fleeting image of him naked crossed her mind but it was forgotten when he took one step forward. Then another and another till he reached out with one finger and gently touched her cheek. That one touch confirmed to him that she was really there, not a mirage or a dream.
"We need to talk." Serena whispered, his face was so close to hers, his eyes staring into her soul and she was unnerved at how her emotions were cast aside for that moment leaving nothing but love for the elf she had fallen for.
He nodded and reached behind her, closing the door, his jumper clad arm touching her own and she was aware of the fire that swept throughout her body as she breathed in the heady scent of his skin, the smell she grew so firmly acquainted to. And all too quick, he stood back, "How did you find me?"
And Serena told him everything from how she woke up alone in the hospital, to Glorfindel's fight with the Orcs to meeting Elrond and what he had told her and finally to how she got a job here.
"I'm so sorry." Legolas apologised, they were both still standing, none of them moved at all, so rapped at being in each other's presence.
"I know." Serena whispered, a lone tear slid down her cheek and Legolas winched, knowing how much she had been hurting. "But one question still remains. I know you did what you did as you were under orders but then you did something Elrond didn't tell you to do. You slept with me. Why?"
A long pause existed between the two as Legolas formulated his answer, his eyes never leaving her figure, he could tell from how her shoulders were slumped she was defeated by her emotions and by him.
"I simply did the one thing I didn't think would happen. I cared for you, I wanted you, you could even say I loved you." He answered, she lowered her eyes to the floor as he continued, "I tried, Valar knows I tried. I tried to find you but Elrond didn't tell me anything. I checked all the hospitals but then I realised Elrond must have checked you under a different name. I was hunted by the police so I couldn't hang around. I came down here and I haven't been back to London since. Please believe me, I really tried to find you." Legolas begged but to his horror Serena started crying. "I want to believe you but I'm so confused." She sobbed.
Legolas in three strides was there, his arms gathered her close to him as she cried, clinging to him as if he was her rock and in some way he was.
"What do we do now?" she asked when she calmed down and wiped away her tears, but Legolas's arms wouldn't let her go.
"I don't know, this is a surprise. I'm confused also." Legolas admitted, Serena sighed, she pulled away from his embrace.
"Shall I go?" she looked up to see him shake his head, "No, please stay."
"Legolas...do you still care for me?" she asked, watching him frowned then shrug, "I wasn't expecting to see you again, I tried to push you from my mind and love Anarwen. Well I think I love her. I don't know anymore."
She remained quiet, her hopes were neither high or quashed as she realised this too has came as a big shock to him.
"Give me time." He whispered.
She nodded and stood on tiptoes and kissed his cheek, "For any pain I too caused you, I am sorry."
She pulled away to see Legolas had his eyes shut as if he was trying to memorise this kiss, although so perfectly innocent, it almost made him groan with those memories he allowed to resurrect within him once again. Too long has he forced those sweet thoughts down, of how she smiled. Of how she laughed. Of how she felt.
She stepped back and turned, slowly walking from the room when she reach the door, she looked back at him, capturing his perfect face.
He gave her a small smile as she turned and left the room, staring at the space she existed in a few seconds ago. "Serena." He whispered, not truly believing this moment.
It was later that night that Serena realised that his revelations of trying to find her, never forgetting her was somehow true when she pulled out the red leather bound book he had gave her a year ago and its contents that revealed who he was. She wanted to read in order to take her mind off things but only to find another discovery. She sat with it in her lap and slowly opened the front cover.
There on the first page in some fancy handwriting that could only belong to Legolas was scrawled, "Where ever you'll go, I will find you. All my love, Legolas." She closed the book and placed it by her bedside locker as she stared into the darkness of her room. He had tried to find her, maybe he still holds something for her? The engine of a car pulling up distracted her as she stood up and peered outside, she frowned when she recognised the black Porsche and the driver that stepped out.
Her one true enemy.
Anarwen. He loved Anarwen. She saw him greet her outside and help her carry some bags into the house, all marked with some fancy, expensive designer name. And she truly hated her. Anarwen had everything yet not appreciated his love for her. She laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling, mind swimming with thoughts, memories and emotions as they became one huge blur and she slipped into sleep, her only escape from the living world where nothing could touch her.
Serena is only at the start of her battles, her long journey no where near ending and destiny for her was being written as she treaded its path. Its like a roll of a dice, the odds of getting a even number is fifty-fifty, then rolling to get a three is one in six.
Chances.
How many of them have we ever pasted on?
Would our paths be different if we accepted them?
Would we be a different person if only we took a different path?
Would we change even the smallest of things?
Chances are something Serena is running low on, because she now realised that when love and chance is concerned, you only got one shot. There are so many ways of doing it but it boils down to two points, you either succeed or you don't. That's how fickle love is.
That's how dangerous love is.
