OOPS! I accidentally posted this chapter before it was finished. Sorry! Here. It continues.
He raised his fist as if to strike out at her, but the Elf let his hand fall to his side. "Is there any hope at all?"
Melannen nodded and took his larger hand in hers, "There is always hope, Legolas Thranduilion. Do not give in to despair."
Legolas looked at her with eyes filled with confusion, like a child who had been punished severely for something they didn't know they had done wrong. Her heart went out to the Elf and before she could think to do otherwise, Melannen pulled the prince into a tight hug. "Everything will get better, I promise." The look of astonishment and happiness on Legolas' face was impossible not to see.
Legolas rested his head against her shoulder and Melannen soon began to feel his body shake as he cried. This was a big step, she thought to herself as she stroked the Elf's black, matted hair.
Suddenly an idea came to her. Straightening up, she held Legolas an arms length away from her, seeming to study him. "Legolas, mellon nin, you need a bath."
Melannen, though she wasn't sure, thought that she heard Legolas laugh. "This is going to be a lot of work."
"I will send . . ." she paused. "I will send your father in to do the work while I freshen up myself." She smiled and clapped the Elf on his shoulder. "See you later."
"Goodbye." Legolas said, standing.
It seemed like hours since Thranduil had entered Legolas' room, and Melannen's back had begun to bother her from sitting so long. She tried to imagine Legolas without his 'protective grime layer,' a name she had secretly adopted when referring to Legolas' filth. She pictured a dark-haired Elf of normal appearance, not tall on elven standards, but fair. His eyes, she thought, would be brown or grey when he finally got his spirits up. She smiled at her picture of him, for some reason it didn't seem that Legolas would look at all like his dark-haired father, the way she pictured him in her mind. Though that was the only picture she could conjure up of him.
Melannen got up from the bench she sat on in the gardens, they ought to be done by now. She had been strolling for nearly an hour. She bounded up the steps and didn't look where she was going until she bumped into someone.
Melannen looked up to see herself staring up at this incredibly handsome, golden-haired Elf with the most stunningly blue eyes she had ever seen in her life. He was very tall and fair and wore a silver tunic. After thinking for a second she figured that it had to be Glorfindel.
She went to speak, but when she noticed those Valar-given eyes drilling holes in her head, she found no words. She had always figured the Elves of Rivendell to be handsome, but handsome was an understatement. This Elf was incredible.
"What?" he asked, finally getting tired of her gawking.
Melannen blushed, but suddenly, that voice, she knew that voice. Melannen felt her stomach flip. "Legolas?"
He nodded, Melannen blushed even harder. "Are you all right?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
The Elf snorted, "Whatever."
"You look so different I didn't even recognize you. For a moment I thought you were Glorfindel." She smiled.
Legolas smiled back. "When you see Glorfindel, you will know it. He looks more like a Balrog" he laughed, "Than an Elf." Then he leaned forward and whispered in Melannen's ear, she felt his warm breath tickle her skin, "I think he might have some Dwarf blood not that far back the family tree, though."
Melannen smiled, "I never knew you had a sense of humor."
Legolas straightened up to his full height, now towering above Melannen, "I am a natural." Soon they both began to laugh. Legolas looked around, "Do you wish to go for a walk?"
Melannen was amazed at his new love of life, and she wasn't going to spoil the moment for him. "Sure, I'd love to."
