I got the extended version of RotK! It rocks! I've already seen it 3 times. Hehehe… I don't know why it was out on the 9th in Singapore but I'm sure not complaining!
Chapter 8 : Magic
"Come, Father, you must dance!"
Sam smiled. "At least let me finish my ale, Elanor! You go along and have your fun first!"
Elanor grinned and gave him a kiss on his cheek before running back to join the dancing crowd. Sam smiled to see his precious daughter so happy. Indeed, it was a joyous scene before his eyes. The music echoed in the night. There were so many people dancing, laughing, singing along to the music. With such a sight before him, Sam could hardly believe that there had once been grief and despair in Minas Tirith.
"Why aren't you dancing?" Legolas asked as he sat down next to Sam. He followed Sam's gaze and smiled at all the dancers. Joy was beautiful, sacred. His eyes immediately spotted Háthien dancing amid the crowd. She was dancing alone with her eyes closed, oblivious to all around her but the steady beat of the music. A contented smile lit her face. To Legolas, she seemed to represent the epitome of happiness. The image made him want to laugh and cry at the same time.
Since that day he had left Háthien in Minas Tirith, he had made up his mind that he would try his very best to forget he had ever loved her as more than a sister, that he would never let anything change the relationship they had. It was far too precious.
"I might join in the dancing after this ale," Sam said, taking a sip. "What about you?"
Legolas laughed and shook his head. "I'm not a good dancer. I don't usually dance." And it was true too. He had hardly joined in any dancing at any parties. To see Legolas dancing was a very rare occasion indeed.
"I'm sure you're not that bad," Sam said good-naturedly.
"Oh, I assure you that I am, Sam," Legolas replied. "Perhaps in my youth I had spent too much time practicing archery and neglected dancing."
Somehow, Sam could believe that. He had never seen Legolas miss a target before. Just then he noticed Rosie coming towards him, wearing that sweet smile that used to get him shy and stuttering. It still affected him in some magical way.
"Elanor hasn't managed to dance, I see," she said, sitting down on his other side. "So now it's my turn to try."
"I told her that I would finish my ale," Sam explained for the third time that night.
Rosie took his mug. "Well, you've finished it, so now you must dance with me." She tugged on his arm. "Come on!"
Sam smiled fondly at his wife. "All right." He turned to Legolas. "Excuse us."
Legolas nodded. "Of course! You two go and have fun dancing your hearts out," he said with a smile.
The two hobbits nodded and disappeared into the crowd. Legolas continued to watch Háthien. After some time, she bumped into someone accidentally. She opened her eyes, turning to the person she had bumped into, and apologised. Then she turned back, and spotted Legolas watching her. A smile spread across her face slowly, and she began to make her way to him, one hand outstretched.
"Oh no…" Legolas began to say with a laugh, holding out his hands in front of him defensively and shaking his head. "You know I can't, Háthien!"
"Come, Legolas! All these years we've been such good friends, I have never seen you dance!" Háthien coaxed. "Surely you can't be that bad?"
"Trust me, I can."
"Well, I want to see it for myself," Háthien went on stubbornly. "You must dance with me! We haven't seen each other for such a while, will you deny me what I want?"
I could never deny her anything. With a sigh, Legolas got to his feet and let Háthien pull him towards the other dancers.
"You aren't that bad," Háthien told him after about five minutes. "You just have to enjoy the music, enjoy yourself!"
"It's hard to enjoy myself when I think that I am embarrassing myself."
Háthien laughed. "You aren't embarrassing yourself! That's the beauty of dancing. You can be anything you want to be, and no one will laugh at you."
A moment later Legolas found himself between Háthien and Rosie in a huge circle, everyone dancing together, laughing and cheering. He could barely even remember how he had got here, only that he really was enjoying himself.
Legolas and Háthien broke away from the crowd laughing and went to stand against the wall to catch their breaths. "See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Háthien asked, flushed from dancing. She watched Legolas, a smile brightening up his whole face. This is the time to tell him…
"You know, it was fun!" Legolas admitted. He gave a happy sigh. "Oh, let nothing ever change the way things are."
Háthien froze. Let nothing ever change the way things are… After that, there was no way she could tell him. Telling him would certainly change things. She swallowed, collecting herself, then laughed. "Yes, let things be this way for always." Her heart pounding, she forced herself to smile and said, "Now, let me try to get Gimli on his feet." She walked away quickly, before she gave way to any tears.
Legolas watched her go, and tried to push away the uneasiness in his heart. He had made up his mind and he would not yield. From that day he had left Háthien in Minas Tirith, he had told himself that he would do his best to forget he loved her as anything but a sister. That was what she needed and that was what he would give. He could not let himself weaken. He watched as she tried to Gimli to his feet. Getting Gimli to dance was probably more difficult than persuading Legolas; that Dwarf favoured drinking games.
That was why Legolas was so surprised when Gimli actually got to his feet obligingly and followed Háthien.
"I never thought I would see the day. Both Legolas and Gimli dancing in one night!"
Legolas turned to see Aragorn coming towards him, grinning. "Yes, I suppose it is a rare sight," he agreed.
"Háthien must have some sort of magic that persuades people to do things they don't usually do," Aragorn said.
Legolas laughed and nodded. "Either that, or we spoil her too much."
"I'd rather believe in her magic."
Going to Italy tomorrow so I probably won't be writing until after Christmas! This is going pretty slow… I'm sorry!