A/n: Wheee. I decided I had tortured you all enough and y'all
needed something for an early New Year's. Volia!
Disclaimer: .... *sobs hysterically* Leave me alone! You've taken my friends, my family, my hopes and dreams... what more do you want?! You're not satisfied with the fact that I don't own it, you have to come to my house and RUB IT IN. *takes out a shotgun and looks crazed* I'll teach you to leave me alone! WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!!!
Chapter Six: A Necklace
Haldir looked back over at Legolas.
Legolas smiled. "I was trying to die. I didn't want to be married to someone I could never love. But I think I wouldn't mind at all if that person I had to marry was you. My brother caught me. I didn't want him to. For a moment, falling had felt like flying." He looked into the water. "And all I wanted was to fly away."
Haldir looked into the water as well. "I thought you were stupid, maybe crazy. I thought you had just slipped." He looked at his reflection. "But you don't seem like the type to do that, now that I've met you. Are you sure there isn't another reason?" Legolas smiled at him.
"I'll tell you in a while. After we've married. All right?" Haldir nodded slowly with resignation. The two sat there until the sun had grown directly overhead. Legolas walked back over to his horse, and got out the picnic basket and a parasol. His skin was sensitive, and he didn't want to get a sunburn.
Haldir spread out the meal, and they ate in silence. After a while, a bird flew down and landed on the grass next to them. Legolas tossed it a crust of bread. It chirped and flew away.
Haldir leaned back, a bored expression on his face, and took out a book. Legolas frowned, and then decided that he wanted to get wet. He pulled off his riding boots and his stockings, and luckily for him his skirt was not a long one. He waded into the water, and began to splash around, looking for something interesting. Haldir put down his book and gazed bemusedly at the sight of the Princess, wading around like a small child.
Legolas turned to Haldir and stuck out his tongue. Haldir leapt to his feet, and growled, rolling up his leggings and sleeves and removing his shoes. He waded into the pool, and stood there triumphantly. Legolas giggled. But then a shining object underwater caught his eye. He peered closer. It looked like a necklace. He put his hand into the water, but withdrew it when he realized that his sleeves were too long and would get wet.
Legolas frowned, and began to feel about with his toes, trying to grasp it.
Haldir rolled his eyes, and walked over. He reached down, and after a few fumbles, he grasped the necklace in his hands. He slowly brought it back up to the surface. Legolas smiled at him. "Thank you. Adar would have eaten my head off if I messed up my dress." Haldir nodded, and handed it over.
"Does it look familiar?" he asked as Legolas turned it over in his hande. He shook his head. It was a locket. He looked at the clasp, and with a little difficulty pried it open. It had been a dwarven locket, and it was airtight. No water had gotten into it. Unfortunately, the locket was empty. He held it in Haldir's direction.
"Do you want it?" he asked. Haldir took it, and then gestured for Legolas to turn around. Legolas waited patiently as Haldir affixed the locket around his neck. Then Legolas looked into the water at his reflection.
//Not too bad.// He smiled at Haldir. The two of them walked out of the water, and began to pack up the basket again. Overhead, the blue sky swam with clouds, and the birds sang.
Once he had re-entered the palace and taken his leave of Haldir, Legolas went straight to the audience chamber and listened at the door. It sounded as though they had just started their business.
Legolas realized that he was not dressed appropriately to appear in the court, and cursed underneath his breath. He did not want to miss a moment of this. Instead, he simply opened the door a crack, and let the voices drift over his head.
"Lorien would like to send its humblest regards to the kingdom of Thranduil in Mirkwood or Greenwood as it once was called, and requests that an alliance be made between the two countries so that Lorien may benefit from the military expertise of Mirkwood's troops in its present dilemma. And also so that Mirkwood itself may benefit from the alliance with Lorien by having free range of the records kept there and the promised aid of the Lorien troops in their times of need." Legolas wrinkled his nose. //That must be Rumil. I know the voices of everyone else.//
Romul's voice echoed through the halls. "And Mirkwood enquires in turn what this dilemma is, so urgent that Lorien feels need to hurry an alliance between the two countries?"
"Majesties, we are facing an attack from the Celebrant."
"And what is the nature of this attack?"
"It is an enemy force stationed in the Dale of Dimrill, my lords. Their numbers are many, anf the numbers of the Lorien fighters are too few to stand alone before them without heavy losses, which would leave Lorien open to attack from any area for the next several centuries."
There was a pause as the Mirkwood council considered the request, and then a brief moment of discussion. Finally, Thranduil's voice was heard.
"Mirkwood recognizes the request of the Lorien delegates, and will take it into consideration. In the meantime, Mirkwood offers you its hospitality and invites you to stay here for the time being."
There was another, very short pause as the brothers pretended to consider. Then...
"We accept."
"Very well. Meeting adjourned!"
Legolas stood up slowly, wincing at the ache in his back. //Well. There we have it. We're actually moving on at a much faster pace than I would have expected. However, the subject of an alliance marriage or union will not come up for a matter of days, possibly weeks. I have plenty of time to get used to Haldir.// He began to walk swiftly out of the alcove.
//Now I had better scram, or someone will bump into me on their way out of the council.//
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Legolas yawned as he leaned against the wall, looking at the portraits for lack of anything better to do. Rather, that was his excuse if anyone managed to find him. What he really needed was time to think about Haldir.
//Okay. We are as good as engaged, because we both know about the alliance-marriage coming up. We do bonding things. He is polite, and I am polite, and we are both very genteel and would pretend to be shocked by rough talk in front of each other, no matter how dirty we talk with our friends. We're cordial. We're pleasant to each other.//
//But damn it all, I want more than that. Haldir's beautiful. He's smart, he's strong, he's well-versed in law and protocol. He has the unmistakable air of a caring person, but he doesn't care for me.//
//I wish that the ground would just swallow me up now.//
Legolas sighed in frustration, looking up at a tapestry depicting an immense battle. He pouted. //It isn't fair, damn it all. He's my dream man, I'm going to marry him, he likes my personality and not just my looks, he can have an intelligent and often witty conversation with me, and he thinks that I'm a girl. I hate this.//
A small, nagging voice snickered in the back of his mind. //Oh? And why do you hate it? Because you're in-//
//No. I am not in love!//
Legolas stood firmly. A few seconds later he sighed.
//Yes I am.//
//I know Haldir isn't exactly charismatic. But something draws me to him, and makes me want to stay with him forever.//
Legolas bowed his head. "I would give anything..." he whispered sadly.
"For what?"
Legolas forced himself to remain calm as his heart stopped for a few seconds. //Don't worry. It'll start again soon, it'll start again soon... dear Valar, my heart has stopped. Oh, this is just perfect. Haldir, thanks a lot-// A few seconds passed, and it started again. Legolas breathed a sigh of relief. //Thank Manwe.//
"Actually," he remarked to the Elf who had sneaked up behind him, "I would give anything for quite a few things."
He could hear Haldir chuckling. "Oh? I wouldn't be on that list, would I?"
Legolass turned to face him. "You come after the pet wolverine."
Haldir laughed again. "I don't know whether to be insulted or flattered." Legolas grinned.
"No, see, what you really don't want to know is what comes before the wolverine. Then you would know, and you would throttle me." Legolas looked back at the painting he was standing in front of. It was a landscape of Rivendell's city Imladris, complete with the waterfalls. It was very beautiful. Someday, Legolas wanted to see it.
Haldir leaned against the wall, looking at another painting. This one had Eilphdi and Thranduil in it, and they were sitting next to each other. Eilphdi looked very happy in it. Haldir tried to imagine what their own portrait would look like. He couldn't.
Legolas smiled. "The strange thing is," he murmered, "I don't miss her. I never knew her. How could I miss what I never had? But sometimes, when I'm feeling angry, I get mad at her and blame her for leaving me and Romul and adar all alone. It's so strange. I don't even know for sure if she loved me. I don't know if I love her, even now. I wonder what she was like, how she moved, the way she spoke; but it's no use. No one ever wants to talk about her."
Haldir looked at the Princess, but her eyes were distant and full of longing, full of sadness. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "I'm here now," he said softly. Legolas's eyes widened, and he turned with a bewildered look to Haldir.
"Really?" he asked in the same soft voice. Haldir nodded.
"No matter how awful a marriage will be, at least we'll be able to stand each other," Haldir said with a small smile. "There is some good." Legolas nodded. Yes. There was some good in the situation, after all.
//Except I'm really starting to love him. Not pretend love like courtly love and flirting and pretending to like someone. Not Legala. Legolas is the one who loves Haldir, and sooner or later I'm going to tell him. I don't know when, but it's definitely going to happen. //
Haldir didn't notice the matching droplets of water sliding down Legala's face. He was preoccupied with his own turmoil.
*****tbc*****
A/n: *grins evilly* WAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!!!! I'm not coming back until I feel like it!
Disclaimer: .... *sobs hysterically* Leave me alone! You've taken my friends, my family, my hopes and dreams... what more do you want?! You're not satisfied with the fact that I don't own it, you have to come to my house and RUB IT IN. *takes out a shotgun and looks crazed* I'll teach you to leave me alone! WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!!!
Chapter Six: A Necklace
Haldir looked back over at Legolas.
Legolas smiled. "I was trying to die. I didn't want to be married to someone I could never love. But I think I wouldn't mind at all if that person I had to marry was you. My brother caught me. I didn't want him to. For a moment, falling had felt like flying." He looked into the water. "And all I wanted was to fly away."
Haldir looked into the water as well. "I thought you were stupid, maybe crazy. I thought you had just slipped." He looked at his reflection. "But you don't seem like the type to do that, now that I've met you. Are you sure there isn't another reason?" Legolas smiled at him.
"I'll tell you in a while. After we've married. All right?" Haldir nodded slowly with resignation. The two sat there until the sun had grown directly overhead. Legolas walked back over to his horse, and got out the picnic basket and a parasol. His skin was sensitive, and he didn't want to get a sunburn.
Haldir spread out the meal, and they ate in silence. After a while, a bird flew down and landed on the grass next to them. Legolas tossed it a crust of bread. It chirped and flew away.
Haldir leaned back, a bored expression on his face, and took out a book. Legolas frowned, and then decided that he wanted to get wet. He pulled off his riding boots and his stockings, and luckily for him his skirt was not a long one. He waded into the water, and began to splash around, looking for something interesting. Haldir put down his book and gazed bemusedly at the sight of the Princess, wading around like a small child.
Legolas turned to Haldir and stuck out his tongue. Haldir leapt to his feet, and growled, rolling up his leggings and sleeves and removing his shoes. He waded into the pool, and stood there triumphantly. Legolas giggled. But then a shining object underwater caught his eye. He peered closer. It looked like a necklace. He put his hand into the water, but withdrew it when he realized that his sleeves were too long and would get wet.
Legolas frowned, and began to feel about with his toes, trying to grasp it.
Haldir rolled his eyes, and walked over. He reached down, and after a few fumbles, he grasped the necklace in his hands. He slowly brought it back up to the surface. Legolas smiled at him. "Thank you. Adar would have eaten my head off if I messed up my dress." Haldir nodded, and handed it over.
"Does it look familiar?" he asked as Legolas turned it over in his hande. He shook his head. It was a locket. He looked at the clasp, and with a little difficulty pried it open. It had been a dwarven locket, and it was airtight. No water had gotten into it. Unfortunately, the locket was empty. He held it in Haldir's direction.
"Do you want it?" he asked. Haldir took it, and then gestured for Legolas to turn around. Legolas waited patiently as Haldir affixed the locket around his neck. Then Legolas looked into the water at his reflection.
//Not too bad.// He smiled at Haldir. The two of them walked out of the water, and began to pack up the basket again. Overhead, the blue sky swam with clouds, and the birds sang.
Once he had re-entered the palace and taken his leave of Haldir, Legolas went straight to the audience chamber and listened at the door. It sounded as though they had just started their business.
Legolas realized that he was not dressed appropriately to appear in the court, and cursed underneath his breath. He did not want to miss a moment of this. Instead, he simply opened the door a crack, and let the voices drift over his head.
"Lorien would like to send its humblest regards to the kingdom of Thranduil in Mirkwood or Greenwood as it once was called, and requests that an alliance be made between the two countries so that Lorien may benefit from the military expertise of Mirkwood's troops in its present dilemma. And also so that Mirkwood itself may benefit from the alliance with Lorien by having free range of the records kept there and the promised aid of the Lorien troops in their times of need." Legolas wrinkled his nose. //That must be Rumil. I know the voices of everyone else.//
Romul's voice echoed through the halls. "And Mirkwood enquires in turn what this dilemma is, so urgent that Lorien feels need to hurry an alliance between the two countries?"
"Majesties, we are facing an attack from the Celebrant."
"And what is the nature of this attack?"
"It is an enemy force stationed in the Dale of Dimrill, my lords. Their numbers are many, anf the numbers of the Lorien fighters are too few to stand alone before them without heavy losses, which would leave Lorien open to attack from any area for the next several centuries."
There was a pause as the Mirkwood council considered the request, and then a brief moment of discussion. Finally, Thranduil's voice was heard.
"Mirkwood recognizes the request of the Lorien delegates, and will take it into consideration. In the meantime, Mirkwood offers you its hospitality and invites you to stay here for the time being."
There was another, very short pause as the brothers pretended to consider. Then...
"We accept."
"Very well. Meeting adjourned!"
Legolas stood up slowly, wincing at the ache in his back. //Well. There we have it. We're actually moving on at a much faster pace than I would have expected. However, the subject of an alliance marriage or union will not come up for a matter of days, possibly weeks. I have plenty of time to get used to Haldir.// He began to walk swiftly out of the alcove.
//Now I had better scram, or someone will bump into me on their way out of the council.//
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Legolas yawned as he leaned against the wall, looking at the portraits for lack of anything better to do. Rather, that was his excuse if anyone managed to find him. What he really needed was time to think about Haldir.
//Okay. We are as good as engaged, because we both know about the alliance-marriage coming up. We do bonding things. He is polite, and I am polite, and we are both very genteel and would pretend to be shocked by rough talk in front of each other, no matter how dirty we talk with our friends. We're cordial. We're pleasant to each other.//
//But damn it all, I want more than that. Haldir's beautiful. He's smart, he's strong, he's well-versed in law and protocol. He has the unmistakable air of a caring person, but he doesn't care for me.//
//I wish that the ground would just swallow me up now.//
Legolas sighed in frustration, looking up at a tapestry depicting an immense battle. He pouted. //It isn't fair, damn it all. He's my dream man, I'm going to marry him, he likes my personality and not just my looks, he can have an intelligent and often witty conversation with me, and he thinks that I'm a girl. I hate this.//
A small, nagging voice snickered in the back of his mind. //Oh? And why do you hate it? Because you're in-//
//No. I am not in love!//
Legolas stood firmly. A few seconds later he sighed.
//Yes I am.//
//I know Haldir isn't exactly charismatic. But something draws me to him, and makes me want to stay with him forever.//
Legolas bowed his head. "I would give anything..." he whispered sadly.
"For what?"
Legolas forced himself to remain calm as his heart stopped for a few seconds. //Don't worry. It'll start again soon, it'll start again soon... dear Valar, my heart has stopped. Oh, this is just perfect. Haldir, thanks a lot-// A few seconds passed, and it started again. Legolas breathed a sigh of relief. //Thank Manwe.//
"Actually," he remarked to the Elf who had sneaked up behind him, "I would give anything for quite a few things."
He could hear Haldir chuckling. "Oh? I wouldn't be on that list, would I?"
Legolass turned to face him. "You come after the pet wolverine."
Haldir laughed again. "I don't know whether to be insulted or flattered." Legolas grinned.
"No, see, what you really don't want to know is what comes before the wolverine. Then you would know, and you would throttle me." Legolas looked back at the painting he was standing in front of. It was a landscape of Rivendell's city Imladris, complete with the waterfalls. It was very beautiful. Someday, Legolas wanted to see it.
Haldir leaned against the wall, looking at another painting. This one had Eilphdi and Thranduil in it, and they were sitting next to each other. Eilphdi looked very happy in it. Haldir tried to imagine what their own portrait would look like. He couldn't.
Legolas smiled. "The strange thing is," he murmered, "I don't miss her. I never knew her. How could I miss what I never had? But sometimes, when I'm feeling angry, I get mad at her and blame her for leaving me and Romul and adar all alone. It's so strange. I don't even know for sure if she loved me. I don't know if I love her, even now. I wonder what she was like, how she moved, the way she spoke; but it's no use. No one ever wants to talk about her."
Haldir looked at the Princess, but her eyes were distant and full of longing, full of sadness. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "I'm here now," he said softly. Legolas's eyes widened, and he turned with a bewildered look to Haldir.
"Really?" he asked in the same soft voice. Haldir nodded.
"No matter how awful a marriage will be, at least we'll be able to stand each other," Haldir said with a small smile. "There is some good." Legolas nodded. Yes. There was some good in the situation, after all.
//Except I'm really starting to love him. Not pretend love like courtly love and flirting and pretending to like someone. Not Legala. Legolas is the one who loves Haldir, and sooner or later I'm going to tell him. I don't know when, but it's definitely going to happen. //
Haldir didn't notice the matching droplets of water sliding down Legala's face. He was preoccupied with his own turmoil.
*****tbc*****
A/n: *grins evilly* WAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!!!! I'm not coming back until I feel like it!