Chapter 4
Nilalqua.megilien had to unpack all of her gowns to find the one she now stood before the prince in. She smiled to herself as she saw the look of shock on his face it was worth the effort. She had to smother her disappointment when he quickly regained control of his features and formally bowed to her rather than complement her. "My lady, how may I assist you?" Nilalqua.megilien met his eyes with her own wide, innocent ones and sweetly asked as she peered around the empty glen, "Are you alone here Prince Legolas? I thought I heard you speaking with . . . someone."
Legolas paused for a moment wondering weather or not to tell the lady of her, no he would not involve her, she did not deserve to be brought to the attention of this . . . lady. "No my lady, I simply was reciting some poetry that came to mind." Nilalqua.megilien let an easy smile grace her eyes and light up her face as she slid easily onto the same outcropping of rocks, "would you be so kind as to allow me to hear it?" The mighty prince of Mirkwood and warrior of the Fellowship, was trained since he was born to keep his emotions in check under all stress and pain. Now he had to turn his head away from the lady as he took a seat on a nearby rock to hide his eyes rolling skywards. His mind raced and started to recite the first poem that came to his mind the poem that he had many times heard Frodo recite many times during their travels. . .
"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king."
He finished the poem his mind with the fellowship and the times together with them. He smiled wistfully recalling the wonderful days of Aragorn's coronation when everything was right and well in middle earth. Nila's laughter brought him back to reality; he closed his eyes wondering how the sound of laughter like a bubbling brook could be so unappealing to him. But he turned and found her laughing and applauding him happily, the prince slowly exhaled and bowed his head in acceptance of the praise. "That was wonderfully done prince of Mirkwood." As she spoke she allowed one dove-soft hand to fall and indicate the stone seat closer to her. He couldn't refuse her so he sat down and as he did he casually said, "You may call me Legolas Lady Nila." She smiled at that, "Legolas" she breathed it as if it were a prayer. "Do you know much of poetry my lady?" Nilalqua.megilien met his gaze evenly putting the full effect of her deep- green eyes on him, "I have read all of lord Elrond's collection of poetry in his great library." Legolas could not hide his amazement, "that must be over 300 books of poetry in his study alone." Nilalqua.megilien slowly nodded, "yes it took me quite awhile but it was worth it." Legolas looked more intently at this elf he had at first assumed to be completely worthless, "and have you ever traveled my lady?" Nilalqua.megilien raised her eyes to the sky, "I have been to the white city and the lands of Rohan, I have also visited the lady of the wood wishing to learn from her." Legolas nodded, genuinely impressed with this she-elf, "and so you have learned much in your travels?"
At this the she-elf dropped her gaze to her hands, "unfortunately the lady refused to teach me that which I desired most to learn." "And what was that my lady Nila?" Legolas could not imagine Galadriel refusing to give anyone precious knowledge. Nilalqua.megilien looked straight into his eyes; the intensity and hunger in them made him a little ill at ease, "her magic." Legolas laughed, he didn't mean to but it just rang out of his throat before he could contain it. The hurt look in the ladies eyes made him hasten to reply, "forgive me my lady but Galadriel does not practice magic. If it is magic you wish to learn then only Mithrandir may help you." Nilalqua.megilien refused to meet his eyes instead she rose, "I am hungry Legolas, perhaps we could dine?" Legolas hid a smile wondering if she was one of the many that Mithrandir turned away, "of course my lady, we could go to the palace now if you would wish." Nilalqua.megilien held out and white hand to catch his hand as he made to leave, "no Legolas . . . I was hoping perhaps that we may eat here?" Legolas looked at her in disbelief for a moment, no she was in earnest, "my lady what would you propose that we eat out here?" It was then that she looked around and finally realized that he hadn't already packed a basket. There was nothing here to eat; she could not have her perfectly romantic picnic that she had previously envisioned. She gazed helplessly around the meadow, no there was fresh water from the stream but that was all. She turned to Legolas, who was eyeing her curiously. Helplessly she gathered up her skirts and fled the meadow not crying, she would never cry in front of Legolas.
Legolas watched her flee. Slowly he exhaled squatting down next to the stream. He was harsh on her he knew it, but eating with her was not something he was prepared for. As a matter of fact he now had no desire to return to the palace despite the oncoming nighttime. He heard the bushes part and he whirled around, not truly alarmed but still wondering who disrupted his solitude. He let loose a sigh of relief as she stepped into view instead of Nila. He sat down on the grass allowing an easy grin to escape his face. She matched his smile as she crossed the small distance to sit beside him. "And where did you disappear to in order to leave me with my ever charming company?" He rolled his eyes at his own comment. She laughed and gave him an impish smile, "I went back to the fields for awhile for I well knew she wouldn't have liked to see another female in your company, especially in such a secluded place . . ." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and he laughed as she continued, "but I must admit I did eavesdrop a little." Legolas frowned, he didn't' like the idea of her hearing what Nila was saying to him. Legolas however could not keep his frown long as a matter of fact he fell back laughing holding his sides as if they would split when she produced a picnic basket from behind her skirts, "apple?"
Nilalqua.megilien had to unpack all of her gowns to find the one she now stood before the prince in. She smiled to herself as she saw the look of shock on his face it was worth the effort. She had to smother her disappointment when he quickly regained control of his features and formally bowed to her rather than complement her. "My lady, how may I assist you?" Nilalqua.megilien met his eyes with her own wide, innocent ones and sweetly asked as she peered around the empty glen, "Are you alone here Prince Legolas? I thought I heard you speaking with . . . someone."
Legolas paused for a moment wondering weather or not to tell the lady of her, no he would not involve her, she did not deserve to be brought to the attention of this . . . lady. "No my lady, I simply was reciting some poetry that came to mind." Nilalqua.megilien let an easy smile grace her eyes and light up her face as she slid easily onto the same outcropping of rocks, "would you be so kind as to allow me to hear it?" The mighty prince of Mirkwood and warrior of the Fellowship, was trained since he was born to keep his emotions in check under all stress and pain. Now he had to turn his head away from the lady as he took a seat on a nearby rock to hide his eyes rolling skywards. His mind raced and started to recite the first poem that came to his mind the poem that he had many times heard Frodo recite many times during their travels. . .
"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king."
He finished the poem his mind with the fellowship and the times together with them. He smiled wistfully recalling the wonderful days of Aragorn's coronation when everything was right and well in middle earth. Nila's laughter brought him back to reality; he closed his eyes wondering how the sound of laughter like a bubbling brook could be so unappealing to him. But he turned and found her laughing and applauding him happily, the prince slowly exhaled and bowed his head in acceptance of the praise. "That was wonderfully done prince of Mirkwood." As she spoke she allowed one dove-soft hand to fall and indicate the stone seat closer to her. He couldn't refuse her so he sat down and as he did he casually said, "You may call me Legolas Lady Nila." She smiled at that, "Legolas" she breathed it as if it were a prayer. "Do you know much of poetry my lady?" Nilalqua.megilien met his gaze evenly putting the full effect of her deep- green eyes on him, "I have read all of lord Elrond's collection of poetry in his great library." Legolas could not hide his amazement, "that must be over 300 books of poetry in his study alone." Nilalqua.megilien slowly nodded, "yes it took me quite awhile but it was worth it." Legolas looked more intently at this elf he had at first assumed to be completely worthless, "and have you ever traveled my lady?" Nilalqua.megilien raised her eyes to the sky, "I have been to the white city and the lands of Rohan, I have also visited the lady of the wood wishing to learn from her." Legolas nodded, genuinely impressed with this she-elf, "and so you have learned much in your travels?"
At this the she-elf dropped her gaze to her hands, "unfortunately the lady refused to teach me that which I desired most to learn." "And what was that my lady Nila?" Legolas could not imagine Galadriel refusing to give anyone precious knowledge. Nilalqua.megilien looked straight into his eyes; the intensity and hunger in them made him a little ill at ease, "her magic." Legolas laughed, he didn't mean to but it just rang out of his throat before he could contain it. The hurt look in the ladies eyes made him hasten to reply, "forgive me my lady but Galadriel does not practice magic. If it is magic you wish to learn then only Mithrandir may help you." Nilalqua.megilien refused to meet his eyes instead she rose, "I am hungry Legolas, perhaps we could dine?" Legolas hid a smile wondering if she was one of the many that Mithrandir turned away, "of course my lady, we could go to the palace now if you would wish." Nilalqua.megilien held out and white hand to catch his hand as he made to leave, "no Legolas . . . I was hoping perhaps that we may eat here?" Legolas looked at her in disbelief for a moment, no she was in earnest, "my lady what would you propose that we eat out here?" It was then that she looked around and finally realized that he hadn't already packed a basket. There was nothing here to eat; she could not have her perfectly romantic picnic that she had previously envisioned. She gazed helplessly around the meadow, no there was fresh water from the stream but that was all. She turned to Legolas, who was eyeing her curiously. Helplessly she gathered up her skirts and fled the meadow not crying, she would never cry in front of Legolas.
Legolas watched her flee. Slowly he exhaled squatting down next to the stream. He was harsh on her he knew it, but eating with her was not something he was prepared for. As a matter of fact he now had no desire to return to the palace despite the oncoming nighttime. He heard the bushes part and he whirled around, not truly alarmed but still wondering who disrupted his solitude. He let loose a sigh of relief as she stepped into view instead of Nila. He sat down on the grass allowing an easy grin to escape his face. She matched his smile as she crossed the small distance to sit beside him. "And where did you disappear to in order to leave me with my ever charming company?" He rolled his eyes at his own comment. She laughed and gave him an impish smile, "I went back to the fields for awhile for I well knew she wouldn't have liked to see another female in your company, especially in such a secluded place . . ." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and he laughed as she continued, "but I must admit I did eavesdrop a little." Legolas frowned, he didn't' like the idea of her hearing what Nila was saying to him. Legolas however could not keep his frown long as a matter of fact he fell back laughing holding his sides as if they would split when she produced a picnic basket from behind her skirts, "apple?"