The maids had just finished their routine duties in the upper halls and
were enjoying a moment's peace in each others company when he came down the
hall. The maids giggled and slanted their eyes in his direction but Lossen
just smiled at them, nodding his head and giving a mischievous wink to them
as he passed. He was not looking for that type of sport this evening. He
headed to his own dressing rooms to prepare for the feast. Even though the
prince could gracefully bow out of this didn't mean he could.
His chambers lay opposite the prince's. When they were boys and Lossen's lack of rank and title prohibited the two from having nearby rooms Legolas would always creep into his best friend's room late at night and Lossen would creep into Legolas's. Naturally everyone knew of the boy's escapades, everyone save Legolas's father. But when king Thrundril did at last find out he had his son brought to him. "As the heir to the thrown of Mirkwood my son, you must not be friends with someone so below your station" the king told his young son. Legolas being a full ten years of age announced his abdication of the throne so he would not have a station. It was then that the king realized the two were so close that rank and title and station would not keep those two from being close and fast friends. He relented and the two grew up as close as brothers since then.
Lossen knocked on Legolas's door not really expecting him to be there anyway. He shrugged and wondered where he was, probably teaching his new . . . student archery. Lossen left his door open in case his friend decided to answer the door and began to change. He smiled as he pulled his shirt off and began to clean himself of the days work. Yes, he approved of her and hoped that there was more to the two then just the friendship they openly displayed. But this was idle thinking and there was a ball to be attended. Lossen changed into black breeches and his fine black boots, slipping his dirk into his right boot before pulling a blood-red tunic over his head. He was rebraiding his hair when he heard a pound on the door. Frowning he finished his braiding and moved his dark brown hair out of his eyes as he moved towards the door. Lossen looked through his open door to find the ever present manservant of Nila pounding on the prince's door. His hand that wasn't currently occupied in persistently pounding on his friend's door gripped his dagger on his belt. Lossen narrowed his eyes and almost without conscious thought he had his own dirk out holding it forcibly against this elf's throat before he realized it. "So Sour . . . what brings you pounding on Legolas's door so hard at this time at night?" Lossen sneered. Saurheledion's face showed no emotion as he answered, "I am to inform the prince that my mistress shall be attending the feast with him this evening." Lossen released him and disarmed the man as he did still not trusting this strange elf, "and who is it that bids you to tell this to him?" Saurheledion looked at the elf with only a fleeting trace of discomfort, "I will not see my mistress hurt," was his simple reply. Lossen suddenly felt his anger slip slightly, "and if he was otherwise occupied?" Saurheledion said nothing but the feelings he sent to Lossen through his eyes spoke volumes. Lossen sighed as he allowed the last of his rage leave him. "Come, I will lead you to him." Saurheledion looked after the elf and then quickly followed him matching his long stride.
The two went down the main stairs past some more serving maids who Lossen smiled at and Saurheledion scowled at, into the kitchens, past the sculleries and out a back door. The doors lead out of the palace straight onto the fields. Lossen smiled as he saw the pair, Legolas was leaning against a nearby tree while she haphazardly shot her bow. The arrow flew past the mark by a foot. Saurheledion restrained himself from snorting at her poor form. Legolas came up to her and corrected her form starting by turning her hips then her shoulders then readjusting her hold on the bow. All of this was done in the most professional manner and she acted the part of the perfect pupil, eagerly doing as he bid her to improve herself. He smiled and went back to leaning against the tree. Lossen smiled as he continued to stride towards them, he noticed that Legolas placed himself well out of the way of the arrow and danger. Now a little better but still very unsure of herself she loosed the arrow. It landed on the very edge of the target. "I HIT IT!!!!" Her cries of joy carried clearly to where Saurheledion and Lossen stood. She ran over and hugged Legolas who laughed with her, "Indeed you did . . . now that you can hit the target perhaps you may be able to hit within the target's sphere??"
Lossen let out a laugh, partially from the look of horror on her face and partially to alert the prince to their presence. Legolas turned around a look of joy on his face that faded as he spotted Saurheledion right on his friend's heels. Lossen came up and embraced his friend before turning to her and taking her hand to his lips as he wore a mocking smile. She giggled, "Oh save your chivalry for someone who will swoon over it!" Lossen sent a look of mock hurt her way before turning to Saurheledion, "you wished to speak to Legolas?"
Saurheledion, now feeling completely out of place stood looking at the prince for a full minute before speaking, "prince Legolas, I have the honor to tell you that the lady Nilaqua.megilien desires you to escort her to this evenings feast." Legolas did not smile, or become nervous, or laugh, or fall down on one knee and thank the heavens like Saurheledion expected him to. Instead Legolas simply looked at him almost trying to read his thoughts finally he spoke, "thank your mistress for the honor but I shall not be attending tonight." Saurheledion felt his face drop and his mouth come open for half a moment before he managed to whisper, "but why???" Legolas smiled in a comforting way, but not to Sour but to the lady standing beside him, "I have much to teach this one of the bow." Saurheledion turned his eyes on her; she was by no means a flawless beauty like his mistress, or even radiant. She was . . . sweet looking with her brown curls that only fell to her shoulders, her face had a few freckles and even a little mole upon her jaw, what stood out were her eyes. Her eyes were indigo blue on the outer part of her irises and as one got closer to the center they grew lighter and lighter until they were almost white on the very edges of her pupils, she was turning the full effect of those eyes on him now but they did nothing to him. "You?" he scoffed, "and who are you that you so easily jeopardize the princes time, even when he has MUCH better things to do?" Legolas scowled, feeling rage in his heart but before he moved forward he felt her hand on his arm. Legolas looked back to see her smiling at Saurheledion. She moved forward to the elf and very calmly told him all he wanted to know.
His chambers lay opposite the prince's. When they were boys and Lossen's lack of rank and title prohibited the two from having nearby rooms Legolas would always creep into his best friend's room late at night and Lossen would creep into Legolas's. Naturally everyone knew of the boy's escapades, everyone save Legolas's father. But when king Thrundril did at last find out he had his son brought to him. "As the heir to the thrown of Mirkwood my son, you must not be friends with someone so below your station" the king told his young son. Legolas being a full ten years of age announced his abdication of the throne so he would not have a station. It was then that the king realized the two were so close that rank and title and station would not keep those two from being close and fast friends. He relented and the two grew up as close as brothers since then.
Lossen knocked on Legolas's door not really expecting him to be there anyway. He shrugged and wondered where he was, probably teaching his new . . . student archery. Lossen left his door open in case his friend decided to answer the door and began to change. He smiled as he pulled his shirt off and began to clean himself of the days work. Yes, he approved of her and hoped that there was more to the two then just the friendship they openly displayed. But this was idle thinking and there was a ball to be attended. Lossen changed into black breeches and his fine black boots, slipping his dirk into his right boot before pulling a blood-red tunic over his head. He was rebraiding his hair when he heard a pound on the door. Frowning he finished his braiding and moved his dark brown hair out of his eyes as he moved towards the door. Lossen looked through his open door to find the ever present manservant of Nila pounding on the prince's door. His hand that wasn't currently occupied in persistently pounding on his friend's door gripped his dagger on his belt. Lossen narrowed his eyes and almost without conscious thought he had his own dirk out holding it forcibly against this elf's throat before he realized it. "So Sour . . . what brings you pounding on Legolas's door so hard at this time at night?" Lossen sneered. Saurheledion's face showed no emotion as he answered, "I am to inform the prince that my mistress shall be attending the feast with him this evening." Lossen released him and disarmed the man as he did still not trusting this strange elf, "and who is it that bids you to tell this to him?" Saurheledion looked at the elf with only a fleeting trace of discomfort, "I will not see my mistress hurt," was his simple reply. Lossen suddenly felt his anger slip slightly, "and if he was otherwise occupied?" Saurheledion said nothing but the feelings he sent to Lossen through his eyes spoke volumes. Lossen sighed as he allowed the last of his rage leave him. "Come, I will lead you to him." Saurheledion looked after the elf and then quickly followed him matching his long stride.
The two went down the main stairs past some more serving maids who Lossen smiled at and Saurheledion scowled at, into the kitchens, past the sculleries and out a back door. The doors lead out of the palace straight onto the fields. Lossen smiled as he saw the pair, Legolas was leaning against a nearby tree while she haphazardly shot her bow. The arrow flew past the mark by a foot. Saurheledion restrained himself from snorting at her poor form. Legolas came up to her and corrected her form starting by turning her hips then her shoulders then readjusting her hold on the bow. All of this was done in the most professional manner and she acted the part of the perfect pupil, eagerly doing as he bid her to improve herself. He smiled and went back to leaning against the tree. Lossen smiled as he continued to stride towards them, he noticed that Legolas placed himself well out of the way of the arrow and danger. Now a little better but still very unsure of herself she loosed the arrow. It landed on the very edge of the target. "I HIT IT!!!!" Her cries of joy carried clearly to where Saurheledion and Lossen stood. She ran over and hugged Legolas who laughed with her, "Indeed you did . . . now that you can hit the target perhaps you may be able to hit within the target's sphere??"
Lossen let out a laugh, partially from the look of horror on her face and partially to alert the prince to their presence. Legolas turned around a look of joy on his face that faded as he spotted Saurheledion right on his friend's heels. Lossen came up and embraced his friend before turning to her and taking her hand to his lips as he wore a mocking smile. She giggled, "Oh save your chivalry for someone who will swoon over it!" Lossen sent a look of mock hurt her way before turning to Saurheledion, "you wished to speak to Legolas?"
Saurheledion, now feeling completely out of place stood looking at the prince for a full minute before speaking, "prince Legolas, I have the honor to tell you that the lady Nilaqua.megilien desires you to escort her to this evenings feast." Legolas did not smile, or become nervous, or laugh, or fall down on one knee and thank the heavens like Saurheledion expected him to. Instead Legolas simply looked at him almost trying to read his thoughts finally he spoke, "thank your mistress for the honor but I shall not be attending tonight." Saurheledion felt his face drop and his mouth come open for half a moment before he managed to whisper, "but why???" Legolas smiled in a comforting way, but not to Sour but to the lady standing beside him, "I have much to teach this one of the bow." Saurheledion turned his eyes on her; she was by no means a flawless beauty like his mistress, or even radiant. She was . . . sweet looking with her brown curls that only fell to her shoulders, her face had a few freckles and even a little mole upon her jaw, what stood out were her eyes. Her eyes were indigo blue on the outer part of her irises and as one got closer to the center they grew lighter and lighter until they were almost white on the very edges of her pupils, she was turning the full effect of those eyes on him now but they did nothing to him. "You?" he scoffed, "and who are you that you so easily jeopardize the princes time, even when he has MUCH better things to do?" Legolas scowled, feeling rage in his heart but before he moved forward he felt her hand on his arm. Legolas looked back to see her smiling at Saurheledion. She moved forward to the elf and very calmly told him all he wanted to know.