I didn't get many reviews for the last chapter guys. Why not? :(
I GOT 1!!!!!!!
So, could I possibly have a few more for this one? Come on, I've asked nicely!
Angel - I take it you wanted me to update? Well, here you go1 Thanks for reviewing. Your review was greatly appreciated, as it was the only one I got! :(
Thanks for reviewing!
Chapter 2: Thoughts on Love. (And a couple of water fights thrown in.)
(Mirkwood)
"Adar…"
"Yes?" Thranduil could sense his daughter wanted something.
"Could I please, please, please, go to Rivendell?"
"No."
"Oh Adar!" Celeblaith kneeled at her fathers' feet. "Why not?"
"You're too young."
"But I've been before."
"That was with Legolas. He isn't here at the moment. I will not let you go on your own."
"But Adar…"
"No buts Celeblaith! I am not going to continue this conversation."
"But I miss Dolenmíl."
"I am sure she will come back one day. No go on, back to your room or wherever you came from."
Celeblaith scowled at her father, got to her feet, and stormed out of the study.
Thranduil sighed. His daughter had been hard to keep in control of ever since her brother had left to travel for a few months with his friends. Celeblaith loved her brother dearly, and had been extremely miserable since he had left.
He stood and walked over to his study window. It had been a full five centuries now, half a millennium, since the attack by the Dagnir-o Lóre, and Mirkwood was back to normal. Legolas however, was not.
At first he had seemed fine, completely normal. As if the battle had not affected him at all. But when he returned home, straight after his fight, he had been exhausted. Mentally and physically. He had not gone out riding for about four weeks. He just sat in his room, reading or writing to the twins.
But Thranduil knew it was more than just his fight with the Dagnir-o Lóre that had brought this change upon his son. He missed Dolenmíl.
In his heart, Legolas loved the female warrior deeply, but she was not his. Her heart belonged to Elrohir. And it had hurt him. He had known all along that they were not meant to be, but that did not help to ease the pain. He had been torn apart by love before. Thranduil did not wish to see it happen again.
Celeblaith had also just finished an unhappy relationship. The pair had only been together a month or so, but soon, arguments flared up all the time. They had decided to end it, and he had returned to Rivendell, where he was from. Even though she would not admit it, Celeblaith was heartbroken at breaking up with him. Legolas did not even know she was in love with anyone. He had been away throughout the entire thing.
He turned and sat back down. He had many letters to answer, and not much time to answer them. He took a fresh piece of parchment, dipped his quill in a pot of blue ink, and started writing.
Celeblaith marched down the study, ignoring everyone's questioning looks. She came to her room, entered, and slammed the door behind her.
From his study, Thranduil heard the door slam. He smiled to himself.
Girls…
She sat down on the edge of her bed and looked out of her bedroom window. The balcony doors were shut, but the curtains were wide open, letting the beautiful summer sunshine stream in. She stood and walked over.
Opening the doors, she went out onto her balcony and leant on the railings. Looking down over the courtyard, she watched as the people walked around, going about their everyday chores and duties.
Come back Legolas. I miss you. I need you.
She sighed and looked out over the treetops of her home. Her brother was out there somewhere, with a bunch of friends, galloping around in the wild and having fun. It wasn't fair. When would he be home? He had already been gone five months. How much longer was he planning on staying away?
Actually, Legolas was not having that much fun at that particular moment in time. He and his five friends were cornered. By a scout of Wargs.
Backed up against a large rock, they could only hold their knives and bows up to protect themselves. The seven Wargs advanced closer, fangs bared, spittle dripping from the huge teeth.
"Er…Legolas?" Dinnu asked in a hushed voice.
"What?"
"What do we do now?"
"Um…not sure."
"Oh you are so bloody helpful!"
"Shut up! You think of a plan if you're any better at this!"
Dinnu scowled at the Prince. "Can't we just fire arrows at them randomly?"
"That's your plan?"
"Yep."
"Give the order then."
"You're the one in charge!"
"You thought of the idea!"
"Fine." He loaded his bow. "Just fire arrows at them," he told the rest of the group. They all looked at him, then Legolas. He just shrugged and notched an arrow to his own bow.
"Do as he says gentlemen."
They all grinned, fixed arrows to their bows, and fired.
The Wargs roared at them, and charged. Two fell, looking like pincushions with all the arrows embedded in their skin, then another just as they reached the Elves.
Legolas was the first to drop his bow and draw his twin knives. As one launched itself towards him, planning to pin him up against the wall, he thrust his knives upward into the neck of the great beast. It gurgled, frothy blood spilling out of its mouth.
"I think I'll need a bath later," he said dryly as the blood dripped off him. He had no time to say anything more, as another Warg, smelling the fresh blood, lunged at him.
He soon lay dead next to the other Warg.
The fight was over reasonably quickly. All were covered in blood, and a couple had minor cuts. Dinnu whistled for their horses, which had been ordered to bolt when the Wargs had first appeared.
"I won't ride you," Legolas promised his horse when he saw the look of disgust upon her face. He was still dripping with Warg blood.
"Its all in your hair Legs," Flugo told him.
"You don't say?"
"Let's just find a stream or something where you can wash it all off," Dinnu suggested. They led their horses away from the clearing, then proceeded to pile the Wargs in a pile.
"They'll be eaten by carrion later," Legolas told his friends.
"What does Warg taste like?" Thilio asked as they walked away to find a stream where they could wash.
"Don't know, and don't particularly want to know either," Heledir answered.
"Why, are you hungry?" Dinnu asked. The others all made faces.
"No, I was just wondering. What if you were out in the wild, you had run out of food, and had just killed a Warg. Would it be safe to eat it?"
"I seriously doubt it," Legolas told him. "Goodness what they eat."
"And anyway, if you had run out of food, you wouldn't have enough strength to defeat a Warg all by yourself," Asar reminded him.
"Maybe." Thilio made a face. "I bet it tastes disgusting though."
"Well why don't you go and find out?" Dinnu suggested.
Thilio swatted him round the head, making all the others laugh.
They soon came to a pool of clear water. They left their horses to graze, and looked at it suspiciously. "Is it enchanted?" Heledir asked, peering down into it.
"There's only one way to find out," Legolas replied, grinning at the other four.
Suddenly, Heledir found himself waist deep in water. "Not funny!" he yelled at his friends, who were doubled up with laughter on the bank. "Hey, I'm not asleep! It's not enchanted. You can come in." He dived beneath the surface.
The other five ran and jumped in, clothes and all. The water was cool and refreshing, and they were soon engaged in a full-on water fight.
"How deep is it do you reckon?" Asar asked them, floating lazily along on his back a short while later.
"Go down and have a look," Thilio told him.
He nodded and dived down. Opening his eyes underwater, he could see clearly. The pool was about eight feet at the deepest part, sloping in some places to about three feet. He surfaced again.
"It's about eight feet at the deepest," he told them. "Shallowest part is about three feet."
"Let's dive in!" Flugo suggested, clambering out onto the bank. The other five followed suit, laughing at each other when they saw how their clothes were stuck to their skin.
Their kicked their boots to one side, peeled their over-tunics and tunics off, and looked for the deepest part.
"About here," Asar told them. He dived in first, then swam over to the opposite side. "Come on then."
The other five dived all at the same time. Another water fight soon started up.
"That's right Legolas, you stay away and have lots of fun," Celeblaith murmured to herself. She turned and went back inside. "I'm fine all by myself."
She sat down at her dressing table and started unbraiding her hair. She started singing to herself, trying desperately to cheer herself up.
"Love is like the wind, child,
It comes and it goes.
Causing destruction in its wake,
Calming the most daring of foes.
Love is like ice, child,
Cold and cruel unto your heart.
Breaks if you hold it in your hand,
Yet lovely-looking at the start.
Love is like a knife, child,
Protecting you from harm.
But it can cause the most pain,
If wielded by the wrong arm.
Love is like the sun, child,
Lighting up the dullest day.
Warming you, cheering you,
Burning your heart away.
Love is like a flower, child,
Bursting forth from seeds.
Sweet-smelling and attractive,
With thorns that make you bleed.
Love is a danger, child,
Love can be a vice.
Holding you in its coldest grip,
You'll end up paying the harshest price."
"Well that worked," she told herself sarcastically in the mirror. She winced as she brushed through a knot.
Her mother had taught her that song, when telling her how loving another can be dangerous. She had warned her about falling in love too early, and the consequences if she did so.
But she was still unclear on what love actually was. She had thought she loved Rilma, but that had all been over within a month. And Legolas had been away for it all.
Oh, how she had needed him during that time! Someone to lean on, a shoulder to cry on. Legolas would have looked after her. He would have helped her, and given answers to her questions about why it had finished. He understood her. Not that her parents didn't, but she and Legolas were so close. The brother and sister bond between them was unbreakable, and always would be.
The Queen had warned her about the evil and unhappiness love could bring about, but surely it could also cause joy and pleasure. She had seen how Elrohir and Dolenmíl were together, how happy they were, and they were in love. So Legolas said.
Legolas. He would know. Perhaps, when he returned, she could ask him. Then again, ever since the incident with the Dagnir-o Lóre, he had never mentioned the subject of love. Celeblaith knew her brother had had feelings for Dolenmíl, but did not realise just how deep those feelings went. She could see Legolas was in pain whenever they talked about her, yet did not know what caused that pain. She had to talk to him, and soon.
She stood up and closed her balcony doors. She decided to go for a ride. Leaving her hair down, she changed into riding clothes, then made her way down to the stables. She needed to clear her head.
How was that then? If there's anything you want me to change or alter, please tell me in a REVIEW! By the way, if anyone wants to talk to me over MSN, my e-mail is freespirited21hotmail.com (With underscores in between free and spirited and 21. The stupid thing won't show them! Grr...)
Go on, you know you want to.
Lainfaer