looks at elf cowering under my desk
"No, you certainly do not. You must release me, I have a kingdom to rule."
evil laugh
Nope, you're mine elfypooh.
Ah well, read and review please. :)
Chapter 6 – Riding Lessons, and Wounded Pride.
Laura lie in bed exhausted, she had worked hard with the horses the previous day. She painfully cracked her left eye open. She winced as she was assaulted with the deadly light of morning shining in. She groaned and rolled over onto the stomach, scrunching the pillow up so it would protect her eyes from the light. She heard what sounded like a low chuckle, and soon found a hand on the back of her head, running through her hair. She jumped, startled and a scream escaped her lips.. She groaned as the full light of morning was upon her. She looked to her side to find Legolas staring at her in shock, hands covering his ears.
Laura looked embarrassed for a moment, but couldn't keep herself from laughing. Legolas took his hands from his ears, and placed them at his side on his hips. He stood like that and waited for her to finish laughing at his expense, a disapproving look upon his face. Her laughing faded to giggles, which ended with deep sighs of breath. When she was done, she sat up in her bed and smiled. "I'm terribly sorry Legolas, elf heading. I completely forgot. Forgive me, you only startled me." Legolas said nothing, only nodded his head. "Come, rise. We have the day ahead of us." Laura smiled. "We?" The elf grinned. "Aye, I said I would make time for you. Did I not?" Laura smiled again, and stood up on her bed, and jumped off. "You did! So what are we going to do today then?" She asked and set about getting dressed. Legolas lowered his head when he noticed her taking her night clothing off. He shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "I have several activities in mind Mellcelvalon." "Please, shorten that to Mel or something. It makes me sound like a robot, and don't ask what a robot is." Legolas nodded. "Mel."
Laura noticed then how he stared uncomfortably at the floor, and laughed. She pulled on a tunic and leggings very similar to Legolas'. "I'm decent now elfy." Legolas turned to look at her, and smiled. "I assumed whatever we will be doing wont require my wearing one of those vile dresses I loathe wearing." Legolas nodded. "Aye, you will be dressed appropriately Mel." Legolas led Laura to the dining hall, where they ate a quick breakfast. They then stopped off in Legolas' room where he grabbed his bow, and quiver, and they then set off for the day. "So what have you got planned for today my lil tantric elfy prince?" The elf shook his head. "Legolas is fine, and you will soon learn what you wish to know." Laura sighed. "Pfft, secretive little bugger." They walked in silence until they came to the stables, Laura almost walked past them, and Legolas had to cough to get her attention. "Stables eh? What are you plotting in that evil elfy mind of yours?"
Legolas chuckled. "Riding of course, what else?" Laura grinned. "A romp in the hay sounds good right about now." Legolas, confused, stared at Laura, his mind spinning, trying to figure out what she meant. Suddenly his cheeks blushed slightly, and he looked away. "Aha! And the light goes on!" Laura laughed. Legolas looked back with a hurt look on his face. "You often find great amusement at my expense Mel." She stopped laughing and frowned. "I'm sorry Leggy. Lets just go, have fun, do something." Legolas nodded, and held out his arm for her to take, and they walked into the stables together. Legolas found a saddle, and a bridle, opened a stall, and called Laura over. The horse was a gorgeous grey and white mottled color. "This is Lamarie, you will learn to ride with her today. She is very gentle, and calm."
Laura scritched the horse under the muzzle, and frowned. "She's beautiful as well Legolas. But what about Buckley? Surely he's well enough for me to ride now?" Legolas shook his head. "Aye he is, I would not trust him to bear any rider, let alone an inexperienced, one so soon." Laura frowned. "I trust him." Legolas looked to Buckley, then Laura, and back to the horse again. "I can not get close enough to saddle him milady. Nay, you shall ride Lamarie today." Laura sighed, and went over to visit with Buckley in his stall.
Laura went in, and hugged the horse around the neck. Reaching up, on her toes to reach his ear, she whispered to him. "I wish you could trust that nice elf over there sweety. He wont harm you, I promise." The horse snorted, and nudged Laura with it's muzzle. She chuckled, and pat the horse of Buckleys neck. "Okay, no rush baby." Legolas looked up from what he was doing, and stared with a confused smile. "Do you speak with him milady?" Laura smiled, and closed Buckleys stall, before walking back to stand with Legolas. "No, I just sort of understand his moods. He seemed agitated when I mentioned you, that's all. Almost done there?"
Legolas quickly finished saddling the horse, and nodded. "Aye, come. Take the reins, and I will bridle arod." Laura smiled. "Your horse from during the war." Legolas looked confused again, a feeling he rarely felt in his three thousand years. Yet around Laura, it seemed to be a common occurrence. "How is it you know Arod served as my mount during the war?" He asked, and set about bridling Arod. Laura didn't reply, and silently scolded herself for slipping, and saying something she shouldn't have.
Laura looked to the horse, and noticed how high up the saddle and the horses back were. Sighing she placed her foot in the stirrup, and grabbed a hold of anything she could on the saddle. She pulled herself up for she could mount, but her arms gave out, and she went tumbling backwards. "Oww." She groaned when she hit the ground hard. Legolas heard, and rushed to her side. He crouched down beside her, and Laura turned to face him. The elf had the biggest grin on his face, and he offered her his hand. She rolled her eyes, and stood on her own. "What are you grinning about elfy?" Legolas stood also. "Grinning milady?" Laura let out an exasperated breath, and again attempted to mount the horse. "Feel like giving me a hand here elf?" Legolas helped her up, and got his own horse out. He took her horses reins, and Arods and walked them out of the stable. Legolas spent the whole morning teaching Laura first how to stay on, as she fell quite often. He taught her how to pull the reins to go left and right, how to get the horse to walk, trot, and run at full speed. Once she had everything down, and was riding without falling, they decided to have lunch in the woods.
Legolas pulled her off the horse, and explained what he planned for the afternoon. "Wait here milady, I will be off to the kitchen, and fetch something for us to eat, and then we'll be off to find a nice spot in the woods. I shall return soon." He handed her the reins for both horses, and left her alone with the horses.
Laura stood petting, and talking to Arod when she heard a voice behind her. Someone was speaking to her in elvish. She spun around to face the voice, and was greeted with a beautiful, tall, dark haired, dashing elf in silver and blue. "I, I'm sorry. I don't speak elvish." She managed to choke out. This elf was very handsome, much like every other elf she had come across in her time here, but there was some slight difference in this elf, than in the rest. "I asked milady, why you have taken the princes horse from the stables.
Laura smiled at the elf, who stood with his arms crossed in front of him, and a stern look upon his face. "I'm only waiting for Legolas to return." The elf guard only continued to stare suspiciously at Laura. "You know the prince then?" Laura nodded her head and was about to answer when she heard Legolas' voice. "Aye, she is a friend Celebrimbor, she was only holding Arods reins until I returned." The stern elf's face instantly brightened, and from that Laura could tell they were friends, he and the prince.
Legolas made his way to the guards side, and the two began conversing in elvish. Laura took this time to study the elf closer, he was very animated, and his eyes wide, a clear, crystal, beautiful, blue at all times. After they had spoken for some time, both turned to face Laura, both smiling. "Milady, I would like to present Celebrimbor, an old, and dear friend of mine, and my fathers."
The guard took Laura's hand in his, bowed, and kissed the knuckles. "Milady." Laura smiled, and found herself blushing. "Lord Celebrimbor." Both he and Legolas chuckled. "What?" She asked defensively. "What are you two laughing at? I was just trying to be polite." Celebrimbor smiled. "Nice you were Milady, you've only mispronounced my name." Laura's cheeks pinkened again. "I'm terribly sorry my lord." Celebrimbor gave Laura a big warm smile, and his eyes shone. Legolas shook his head, he recognized that, Celebrimbor was flirting.
Legolas attached the pack her had put the food in to Laura's horses saddle. He turned to face the two again, to find they were staring at each other grinning. "If you will excuse us Celebrimbor. The lady and I were off for a meal in the woods." Neither took their eyes from the other, but Celebrimbor replied. "Indeed Legolas, forgive my interruption. Have a pleasant afternoon." He took Laura's hand again, and this time not taking his eyes from hers he kissed it's knuckles. "Until next we meet my lady."
Legolas' ears perked up at the 'my' and he gave Celebrimbor a look that could kill a balrog. "My Prince, good day." Celebrimbor bowed, and took his leave, and left behind an annoyed, even jealous Legolas, and a rather dazed Laura. "Milady?" He called to her, and she didn't respond or move. "Milady!" This time he shouted, and again she didn't acknowledge his presence. Legolas sighed angrily and thought to himself 'damn his big blue eyes'.
Legolas walked around the horses, and put a hand on Laura's back. "Milady, are you well?" He knew she was, he just had to get her out of her trance. Finally she turned, and her eyes met Legolas'. "Huh? What? Oh, I'm sorry Legolas. Are we ready to go now?" Legolas nodded, and helped her up onto her horse. They rode for some time in silence, each thinking about Celebrimbor – though each in a different light. Laura didn't know what had come over her, she simply could not tear her gaze away from the elf's eyes, they seemed to draw her into them, and never let go.
Those eyes would be permanently etched into her mind for remainder of her life. Then she thought about Legolas, she had behaved so rudely towards him. She would have to apologize, he was being so kind to her today. "Legolas?" Legolas turned to face her. "Yes Milady?" She sighed. "Forgive me, I behaved horribly with your friend. Ignoring you when you were trying to get my attention, and staring at him the way I did. Then being so quiet during our ride. I don't know what's come over me, truly. I am sorry." Legolas smiled. "You are forgiven, just try not to lose yourself in him again, I may not be able to rescue you again, and I may end up jealous." Legolas winked, and Laura giggled.
The remainder of the ride was quite pleasant, and spent talking, and laughing. Legolas would point out plants or trees, and tell her of their names, and memories he had of them. He would ask Laura of her life, her family, friends, and anything to do with her life, and she would repeatedly deny to answer. She would also avert the real question by saying: "Legolas, you already seem to know all there is to know about where I live, as you're telling me more than I could ever imagine knowing." She would smile, and he would shake his head saying "No milady, where you come from, where you were born, not where you live now." That would cause Laura to sigh, and say no, then go quiet for a bit. She hated seeing the look her would give her when she would deny to answer his questions, that she almost gave in several times.
They spent the rest of the afternoon sitting against trees by a small pond, with many other elves around talking amongst themselves, and laughing. Legolas couldn't get the idea that Laura didn't trust him out of his mind. She wouldn't tell him her name, or anything about where she came from. All he knew was of her less than pleasant home life. Laura knew that is what he would think, that she didn't trust him, and she didn't in some ways. She wouldn't tell him, she couldn't. How would he take it if she told him the truth about where she was from? They would think her some sort of evil witch, or a nut job, and she'd be thrown into a real jail cell this time.
When the sun began to set, Legolas stood, and offered her his hand, suggesting they head back. Laura agreed, and took his offered hand, brushing her clothes free of grass, and dirt. They started to walk back to the horses, but Laura turned back for one last look. "It's a beautiful pond Legolas, but it doesn't begin to compare to our pond." Legolas turned and gave her a confused smile. "Our pond milady?" She nodded. "Yes, you know our pond, the pond where we met." Legolas chuckled. "Aye, I know of which pond you speak, but it is hardly our pond. It belongs to the kingdom of Mirkwood." Laura started to blush. "That's not how I meant it Legolas." Legolas just grinned. "I know."