Chapter 8 – Drowned Cat
Legolas and Laura walked slowly to Laura's room, winding their way through halls, and around other elves. Never once breaking the contact their arms had established between them. Laura loved touching the elf, and wished she could do it in another way, but feared how it would affect the comfortable friendship they seemed to be building. She valued his friendship, and wanted to keep him in her life in some form. Granted the only reason she was staying in Middle Earth was the elf, but she also didn't know anything about his views on mortal elf relationships. She knew he probably supported Aragorns choice in marrying Arwen, but would he himself ever choose such a fate? No, a worse fate, as he could not choose mortality. She quickly made the decision to ask him about his opinion on the subject when she could.
Laura looked at the elf, from the corner of her eye, trying not to seem to obvious, but was surprised to find the elf blatantly staring at her. She smiled uncomfortably, and he returned the smile. Looking around at her surroundings, she found they were in her hallway, but found they had passed her door. "Hey, wait. We passed my room." She said turning, taking Legolas' hand to prevent breaking contact. "We did indeed. How did that happen?" The elf being pulled down the hall asked in confusion. Laura laughed. "Maybe it was neither of us were paying much attention to the doors?"
Laura opened her door, and pulled Legolas into her room after her. "Sit." She said, forcing the elf down on her bed. "Relax, I'll get dressed, and be back in a few minutes." She said, disappearing into the wash room. Legolas did as she asked, and sat comfortably on the edge of Laura's bed. He surveyed the room, taking in all the little noticeable, and unnoticeable things Laura had done to make the room hers. From her clothes piled high on a chair by the window, to the diary opened to the first few pages on the desk. Laura had made herself at home in his home, and it made him happy.
In a bold moment, Legolas stood, and made his way to the head of her bed. Taking up a pillow, he buried his face in it, taking in her scent. "Legolas?" He heard her call, and he quickly replaced the pillow to it's previous spot, and rushed to the place he had been when she left. "Milady?" He replied, once he had again taken a seat. "Legolas, I was just curious. I know a bit about Middle Earth, and it's people, as you may have guessed by now. I was just wondering, what did you think of Aragorn marrying Arwen?" Legolas thought a moment about her question. "I support everything my friend Aragorn decides to do milady. He is a wise king, and he suffered greatly before making the decision to wed Arwen. I greatly approved of their decision, as the heart is what makes the decision, and not the mind. He and Arwen made the only choice they could have." Laura smiled to herself. "And if you were faced with the same decision Legolas?" Laura asked feeling bold.
Legolas stared at the closed door to the bathing area. He put a hand to his mouth, and considered her question a moment. "I, I, I don't know. I've never considered it." He stuttered, all confidence lost, and his mind a confused mess with the new possibility that was presenting itself to him. Laura sighed to herself. "I guess it would be a huge deal for any normal full blooded elf. It's kind of a death sentence huh?" She shouted through the door. Legolas cringed. "Aye, it is. As it was for Arwen. She faces that very fate."
Laura appeared suddenly from the bathing room, shocking Legolas from his thoughts. Laura giggled. "Wow, I startled an elf." Legolas' ears turned red, and he gulped. Laura came out dressed in a silvery blue colored gown, with light blue beads lining the waist on a belt. "Shut up, I hate dressed and I don't feel like being made fun of for wearing one. It's for your King buddy, I figured it wouldn't be respectful to show up in a riding outfit." Legolas silently shook his head. "Nay, I was only admiring your dress. You look lovely in it."
Laura looked to the floor and smiled, her cheeks turning red. She wasn't used to being complimented, and especially not by males. Legolas stared on in amusement, then coughed. Stepping closer, he reached his hand out, and using two fingers he lifted her chin up to face him. Their eyes met, and for a short moment, Laura felt completely at ease, and happy to be with him. "Legolas?" She whispered. "We, we, ah. We should go. I'm sure Aragorn, and your father are waiting for you at the dinner. I, I don't think.." She trailed off feeling the heat rising in her body, and no longer able to formulate a sentence. Legolas slowly leaned his face down closer to Laura, and she in turn reached her head up, eyes shut, and leaned in closer to him.
Laura's heart thumped harder, and louder in her chest. She could hear it pumping in her ears, and she held her breath waiting for it. But it didn't come, she cracked her left eye open, and then her right. She stared at the elf who was inches from her face, staring back. She slowly backed away, and turned from him. "We should go." She said, and making her way around him, left for the dining hall.
Once outside the dining hall, she figured she had better wait for Legolas to escort her in. She knew they did that here, and she didn't want to get strange looks coming in alone. She could hear the chatter inside the room, and she closed her eyes in an attempt to steady her beating heart, and slow her breathing. They had come so close to kissing, but what had happened? He stopped, and just stared at her, like a deer caught in headlights. Sighing, she made up her mind to apologize for the misunderstanding, though it wasn't she who had started it. She simply didn't want to lose a friend, and her only friend here.
She felt his presence behind her, she didn't hear him coming, as elves footfalls are of course soundless. Taking a deep breath, she turned to face him. He was staring at her, and their eyes met for a brief moment before Legolas broke their gaze, and offered her his arm. She took the offered arm silently, and the two made their way into the noisy dining hall. Legolas pulled out a chair for Laura to sit in, she nodded, and took a seat. She watched as Legolas looked around the room, then shrugged before taking the seat next to her. She could see he noticed she was staring at him, and he visibly tensed. She sighed, and focused her attention on her empty plate. She heard the king speaking, and then she her applause, and laughter. She never looked up from her plate, and paid no attention to what was being said. She was shocked when a platter of foods was set in front of her on the table. Jumping, the napkin she had placed in her lap slipped off , and to the ground Apologizing to the servant she reached down for her napkin, and found it no where in sight. She frowned in confusion, and looked up to find it dangling in front of her. She closed her eyes, and reached for the napkin, taking it, and replacing it where it had fallen from. "Thank you" She muttered, loud enough she knew for him to hear, but low enough to show her displeasure at the situation.
Dinner was eaten in complete silence for Legolas and Laura, neither even dared look at the other again that night. When Laura had finished her meal, she sat and waited for the king to leave the table, indicating it would be alright for her to leave. When he had she stood, and nodded to a few of the guests, and made her way out of the dining hall. She sighed, and decided she needed some air.
Laura slowly weaved her way through the hallways towards the exit to the gardens. She loved the gardens, it always cleared her head relaxing out there, and reading or simply listening to the sound of the fountain. Finding the door she pushed it open, nodding to an elf coming in from the gardens. Once out in the night air, she took in a deep breath, and ran. She ran for some time until she collapsed beside the fountain, huffing and panting.
Feeling completely relaxed and her stress from the dinner released, she leaned against the fountain to stare in. She loved the way the water from the pump fell into the pool at the bottom. The bubbles, and foam made the water all the more beautiful. She thought of the waterfall where she had met Legolas, and sighed. Swishing her hand around in the water she fell back onto the grass, and stared up at the sky.
Without even thinking about anything she found herself crying, small salty tears slipped from her eyes into the grass. She closed her eyes to fight the tears, and found herself picturing Legolas much like she had the night she found herself in Middle Earth. Picturing his hair blowing in the wind, the way if flowed, and blew over his face, obstructing her view of his eyes, and then it would all go back in a gust and she would have a perfect view of his eyes, and she would be unable to think, or move. They were her key in projecting, they always cleared her mind of all thought and allowed her to slip into the unconscious state needed.
She was about to slip into the unconscious state when she heard the water splash. She sat up, and looked around for what had caused the water to splash, and saw Legolas. He was standing a few feet away, a rock in hand, ready to throw it into the fountain. Laura rolled her eyes, and got to her knees to look into the fountain again. "Can I help you elf?" She asked. Her question was replied with only silence, and she sighed figuring he had left. She closed her eyes again, and rubbed at the tears that had remained in her eyelashes.
She opened her eyes, and saw him, or his reflection rather. He stood behind her, staring down at her. She turned around, and stared up at him, and he stared back. "You left the meal early." He stated. Laura didn't reply, only stared back. "Are you well?" He asked when he realized she wouldn't reply. She nodded her head, and turned back to the fountain. Tears had begun to fall again, and she wanted to hide them from him, she wanted to hide from him.
Legolas saw the tears fall into the fountain, and feeling remorse for his actions earlier placed a hand on her shoulder. Laura jumped at the touch, and grabbed his wrist, and before he knew what was happening she had flipped him into the fountain. He surfaced coughing, and spitting up water. Laura saw the shock on his face, and smirked. Standing, she turned and walked back into the place satisfied with herself, and her actions.
When Legolas entered the palace some time after Laura, he received many comments, and questions. Mostly elves saying he looked like a drowned cat. He sighed, and turned in for the night wondering what he had done to deserve that.