Chapter Five: Vanyaleuthil and Legolas's Kiss
Vanyaleuthil rushed back to her archery fields, not daring to believe what Thranduil had said. Dizzy, she say down on the soft grass. The clouds moved over the sun, and the afternoon became cool.
Vanyaleuthil ran her slender fingers over the jewel stars in her bow and thunder boomed in the distance. Iriador whinnied. Vanyaleuthil stood up and finger-combed the mare's silver-white mane.
"Oh, Iriador," Vanyaleuthil said, softly. She sighed. "Just in a few days, my life has changed so much." Iriador nuzzled Vanyaleuthil to comfort her. "I am destined to save Middle-earth," said Vanyaleuthil, "but at the same time…I think I'm falling in love."
Vanyaleuthil sighed, scooped up her archery stuff, and lead Iriador back to her mansion.
Legolas sat down heavily on his bed. He frowned. It had been eleven days since he had last seen Vanyaleuthil, and he couldn't stop thinking about her. He began to dream. To dream about Vanyaleuthil.
Vanyaleuthil wore sweeping gown of deep indigo that was very low. Sequins covered the collar, sleeves and skirt. Her shimmering light silver-flaxen-blonde waves with streams of gold flew out around her like a halo. He could see her eyes up close; intense baby blue with a star that each contained the most radiant rainbows. Vanyaleuthil's thick, dark silver-and-gold eyelashes batted. The Harma Mela hung around her slender neck. She started to sing. The stars danced. The trees swayed. Aman listened intently. Vanyaleuthil's eyes glittered. She was so beautiful.
Legolas woke with a start. He decided to visit Vanyaleuthil. Changing into a new gold and blue tunic, rebraiding his hair, Legolas decided to bring her a present. A flower! Of course!
Legolas walked through Thranduil's best garden in search of a beautiful flower for Vanyaleuthil. What would he say? Nothing he could think of would impress her. He was not good enough for her!
As he searched for a flower, he rehearsed something to tell Vanyaleuthil.
"'I thought you'd like this'…no, too plain. 'Do you know why I got this for you? It's almost as beautiful as you.' Maybe… 'You outshine all the stars and are more beautiful than the flowers…' Perhaps…"
Finally, Legolas came upon a beautiful sight. A grove of silvery-blue tulips shone in the slight sunlight. They were delicate and beautiful yet Legolas knew they were hearty plants. They reminded him of Vanyaleuthil.
He plucked a few gently as not to kill the plant and wrapped them in a little wet cloth he brought. Then Legolas went off to find Vanyaleuthil.
Vanyaleuthil was writing some of her beautiful Elvish poetry about the love of the sun and moon. She was almost done with it…
The moon and sun, destined to never see each other's tender face
because their lights blind the world when they bond in beautiful love.
They love each other but are doomed to solitude, because of the way of the world.
And they run, run across the sky weeping silver tears, because of the way of the world.
The series of poems was about the way of the world. Some, about the sea, others about the sky, and others about Elves. She sighed and put her quill away, wiping it neatly on a rag.
A knock at the door did not startle Vanyaleuthil, but she hadn't expected anyone. Vanyaleuthil put everything away and got up. She was in a beautiful nightgown. It was pale turquoise and had tiny straps and no sleeves. It was pretty tight, and it went to Vanyaleuthil's tiny ankles. 1 ½-carat diamonds lined the bottom. Her feet were bare. Vanyaleuthil wore a circlet of silver that held a 3-carat diamond on her golden hair. Her beautiful curls were left loose around her small shoulders and spilled to her knees in a trail of dazzling beauty. As always, the Harma Mela dangled from Vanyaleuthil's neck. The diamond's facets flickered brilliantly, the opals gleamed, the pearls shone, and the other jewels twinkled.
She gilded over to the door. Turning the crystal handle, Vanyaleuthil opened it to find a nervous Legolas outside. She was flooded with relief. She had been suspecting some other lord, asking her to marry him. Instead, Legolas held up the silver-blue tulips.
He said, "They are just like you, Vanyaleuthil. Beautiful, graceful, strong, delicate, unique…"
Legolas looked deep into Vanyaleuthil's dazzling eyes. He reached his hand up and brushed her soft hair back. It smelled wonderfully of flowers, like it always did.
"Come in, Prince Legolas," Vanyaleuthil said, "I'll make you a cup of tea."
He walked slowly inside. Vanyaleuthil lead him to a large kitchen. She brought out two bags of herbal raspberry tea. She put a pot of clean river water over a merrily crackling fire. It was just about to boil when Vanyaleuthil pulled it off the fire.
Legolas sat patiently at the table while she dipped the tea bags in the water and the water turned a dark pinkish-brown. She poured sugar into each cup and set them down on the table. Vanyaleuthil waited for Legolas to start, them she slowly sipped her tea.
It remained silent. Legolas gazed at Vanyaleuthil, thoroughly enthralled by her beauty.
Vanyaleuthil smiled kindly. "Sometimes, words just aren't good enough," she said dreamily.
Legolas nodded. "Yeah…"
Without warning, he leaned over the table and kissed Vanyaleuthil on the lips. They kissed passionately for about ten minutes.
Then.
Then Vanyaleuthil realized…she loved him.