Chapter 7
As they walked passed the rooms of the twins, Elrohir emerged from his room. He frowned slightly when he saw Legolas but gave a polite greeting. After all, they were guests here. But both Legolas and Estel were aware of the underlying dislike. Estel noticed that Legolas' clear eyes and face became guarded, and he visibly straightened his shoulders.
'It is as if he expects to be disliked,' thought Estel, slightly puzzled. Legolas intrigued him; the young elf was such a contradiction. The young man wondered how the day would develop.
As they arrived in the main hall where breakfast was served, they found Elladan, Elrond and Thranduil already halfway through their meal. After the required polite greetings, Thranduil addressed his son.
"Legolas, where have you been all night?"
Legolas shifted slightly uncomfortably but then looked straight at his father.
"Estel and I left the celebrations to enjoy the night sky, and we fell asleep in one of the small clearings off the main path. We were both woken by the rising sun, returned and freshened up."
Both Elrond and Thranduil frowned at this answer, but neither continued with the subject. Instead, Thranduil laid out the plans for the following days. He and Elrond had decided that Elrond would start to work with the spider victims this day, which meant that the twins and Estel had to decide what to do with themselves.
Thranduil addressed the twins.
"Later today a party of my warriors is leaving to chase orcs and spiders which are causing increasing problems here. I have heard much of your fighting prowess. If you like, you could join this party."
Elrohir's face lit up, and he answered with passion."King Thranduil, I would be glad to join your warriors on this mission, and I believe Elladan would not mind as well. I am afraid Estel would have to stay, he is much too young and inexperienced for such an expedition."
If Elrohir had looked at his brother's face, he would have noticed that Elladan did not look as if he was very keen on the idea. But he did not, and once Elrohir had spoken for both of them, it became almost impossible for Elladan to withdraw from the arrangement.
Estel opened his mouth in protest at the notion of being too young and inexperienced, but then he remembered that there had been no mention of the prince going on this expedition; and he admitted to himself that he rather looked forward to spending time with Legolas. So he closed his mouth again, and just shook his head slightly. Both twins caught the notion.
"You will get there one day, little brother. But it is to early yet," Elrohir said surprisingly gentle.
Elrond addressed his sons. "I will not prevent you from going – but please remember that killing orcs and spiders will not bring your mother back. I do not wish to lose either of you to a cause that you cannot win. Be careful, my sons."
And so it was decided that later that day, the twins would leave with ten other warriors. They would not return for at least three weeks. Elrond and Estel would either wait for them, or would return earlier to Rivendell, with the twins following later on.
Elrond wanted to start working with the spider victims as soon as possible, and Thranduil had to deal with some other pressing issues. This left Estel and Legolas with a clear day to themselves.
-o-o-o-
Legolas suggested to take some food and their weapons, as not all areas within a day's walk were safe. They collected their weapons and made their way out via the kitchen. Legolas had brought a small pack that he quickly filled in the kitchen.
The day was glorious. It as mid-summer, and even in this northern part of the country it was promising to be a very warm day. Legolas led Estel through the forest, and its beauty amazed the young man. He had not expected Mirkwood to be so green, so full of life. He reminded himself over and over again that this was part of what had been the Great Greenwood. Ancient trees stretched their gnarled branches high into the sky, and the light underneath was soft and green. Occasionally Legolas pointed out sights and plants.
Estel had received extensive healer training by his foster father and was interested in all plants with healing properties. Both Legolas and Estel found that it was easy to talk to each other, but they also simply enjoyed each other's company in silence. As they walked along, they saw and heard many small forest creatures. Sometimes Legolas would stop and lay his hand on one of the trees, as if greeting an old friend.
"Legolas, can wood elves really speak to trees?"
Legolas looked surprised at the question. "We cannot speak to a tree in words, or hear a tree talk. But I can feel a tree's life force, and whether it is healthy or sick, young or old, benevolent or evil. I can tell when the trees are angry or weary. I suppose it is a sharing of feeling rather than of words. Sometimes when I am weary or in need of comfort, I will climb into my favourite tree and it will soothe me. It is like ... just a feeling of comfort, it is hard to describe. Do the elves of Rivendell not have this connection with the trees?"
Estel shook his head. "No, I do not think so. I think this ability, or perhaps the strength of it, is unique to your people. I would like to know what it feels like ..."
Legolas looked at the young man for a moment. "Perhaps I can show you, or at least a little bit of it."
They walked on a little while further and reached a large, sunlight clearing. In the middle of that clearing stood an enormous old beech tree. Legolas went directly to the tree trunk underneath the wide branches.
"Estel? Face the tree and put your hands on the trunk." Slightly puzzled and feeling decidedly odd, Estel complied. Legolas stood directly behind him and put his hands over Estel's. Estel almost gasped at the contact. Legolas stood so close that Estel could feel his breath in his hair and the movements of Legolas' body on his back.
"Concentrate on your hands. Just ... feel the tree's life force." Estel tried hard to focus on his hands, but all that he could think about was how pleasant it was to feel Legolas so near. His body reacted to the almost full-length contact, 'but', he thought, 'at least I am facing the tree, not Legolas'.
"Can you feel it? This is an old tree; it has lived many centuries and has seen much. Yet it is content."
Estel gently pulled his hands from underneath Legolas', and turned to face the elf, who stood still closely behind him.
"Legolas, I ... find it very hard to concentrate on a tree with you standing this close behind me."
Estel half expected the prince to ask why, when he saw something in Legolas' eyes that made him continue. He was now leaning against the tree; Legolas had dropped his arms but had otherwise not moved back.
Estel was struck by the way the green dappled light played on Legolas' light hair and deepened the colour of his skin. The young man finally did what he had wanted to do since he had first seen Legolas. He reached up and touched Legolas' hair, pushing back a few errant strands. For a fleeting moment he thought that this felt just as he had imagined it would do.
Legolas' dark eyes had gone wide in surprise but he did not move away. Encouraged, Estel leaned forward and very briefly kissed Legolas on the lips. Estel had never kissed anyone before, his own action surprised himself almost as much as it did the elf. Then reality hit.
The face of the young elf closed, and his body visibly tensed. "Estel, this goes to far. I do not like to be touched this way." There was ice in the usually melodious voice. He turned away.
Estel winced. "I am so sorry Legolas, I do not know whey I did this ... well, I do know why ... I like you ... I am so sorry for overstepping the boundaries..."
Estel knew he was babbling, trying to rescue a desperate situation. He had done something very silly, and he knew it.
"I will take you back to Lasgalen." With those words, Legolas turned, and with a stiff back, lead Estel back the way they had come. They walked in silence for a long while.
-o-o-o-
Suddenly Legolas stopped. He stopped so unexpectedly that Estel who was walking behind him, bumped straight into the elf. Estel began to apologise again, but Legolas cut him off.
Uncharacteristically, he laid his hands on Estel's shoulders, holding him still. "Estel, stop. This is all my fault ... You did not misread me entirely ..."
He looked down, his dark lashes shielding his eyes. With a sigh, the young elf continued. "Some time ago, someone tried to take what you offered by force from me ... and the memories came flooding back ... I am the one who should be sorry..."
There was a mixture of sympathy and uncertainty in Estel's eyes as he gently lifted Legolas' chin. But the elf refused to look up. "Does this mean ... that I am not repulsive to you?"
Legolas nodded, finally lifting his eyes. And as their eyes met, neither made an effort to conceal their emotions. Estel saw much uncertainty, perhaps even some fear, but also attraction in the dark eyes of his companion. And he knew that he felt much the same. The moment lasted for a long while.
"Estel? ... Would you do it again?" For a moment, Estel was baffled, and then he responded.
"Kiss you? ... I would like to ... but I have not done this before..."
"Neither have I."
Estel was surprised at this statement; he had not expected that from an elf so beautiful and past his majority. But then, Legolas was still very young by elven standards.
The young man leaned forward, and their lips met. He could feel Legolas trembling slightly, and knew that he was shaking with nervousness himself. Legolas' lips were firm and soft at the same time. After a moment, Estel decided to slip his arms around Legolas' waist, and held him in a loose embrace. He felt exhilarated and dizzy with anxiety; and he had never imagined a kiss to feel so good.
After a while they broke apart, and looked at each other. Legolas' eyes had lit up, and their colour reminded Estel of the sky at sunset, when deep blues turn into purples and finally into the dark night sky. He then said what he had wanted to say since he had first seen Legolas.
"You are so beautiful..." Normally Legolas would have winced at that remark, it had been said so many times to him, but not like this. Estel's open admiration pleased him, and he smiled, an unguarded smile that twisted Estel's heart.
"You are not bad looking yourself, Estel."
Estel looked at him quizzically. "I am mortal and clumsy, I cannot possibly be pleasing to your eye!"
"Estel... you are beautiful in your own way. Do not berate yourself for being mortal. Also, I do not know anything about your birth family, but you must have some elven blood. Look at yourself ... your eyes, your hair ... if you were not obviously mortal, you could be Elrond's own son!"
"I do not know much about my birth family either, except that they were of the Dunedain. So there was some elven blood in my family, but a long time ago."
They looked at each other again, and Estel pulled Legolas into another embrace.
"I am very glad I met you, Legolas."
"I am glad, too, that we have met, Estel."
Their eyes locked, and this time it was Legolas who moved forward and initiated another kiss.
Estel had never felt so happy in his entire life.
-o-o-o-
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