Disclaimer; all LOTR characters belong to Tolkien. I have stolen them but they will be returned in due time.
It was later that evening. Legolas and Gimli had spent all day practising their fighting skills and were now going up to the citadel for supper.
"Don't smirk at me like that elf, I let you win!"
"Oh? It's not just because I'm better than you?"
Legolas laughed to himself as Gimli stomped off, mumbling about pointy-eared-elvish-princelings and their innate ability to be insufferable.
It wasn't until they were all sitting down to dinner that Legolas noticed that Bridget was not present, and he hadn't seen her since that morning. It was far too late for her to be out on her own, but Legolas hoped she was not still with that Harod boy. That would just be indecent.
"Has anyone seen Bridget come in?" he asked casually. No-one had. "If you would excuse me Aragorn, I think I will go look for her."
Legolas decided to go straight to Horods' house. He was pretty certain that Bridget would be there, but he didn't know what he was going to do to her if she was.
Harod answered the door. "Lord Legolas!" he squealed, dropping to his knees in a hasty bow.
"No, Harod, please, stand up. I'm here for Bridget."
"Bridget? She's not here." He said in a bewildered voice.
"But she said she was coming to see you."
"She did. This morning. She's not here now." Now he sounded defensive. "Didn't she go back to the palace?"
"No. I haven't seen her since she left this morning to talk to you. What did you say to her?"
"I didn't do anything! And I don't know where she is! Maybe you should be out looking for her instead of bothering me!" He yelled as he slammed the door in Legolas's face.
Legolas was astounded. And furious. How dare this mortal barely out of nappies speak to him like that! He was a prince of Mirkwood! When he found Bridget he'd tell her what he thought of that little orc-turd. He wasn't good enough for her.
Finding her however proved to be easier said than done. She wasn't at the Houses of Healing, one of the few places where trees grew within the city, she wasn't at any of the other places she liked to go, she wasn't in her room at the palace. Legolas was at a loss. Where could she have gone?
Wandering around the outer-most ring of the city he was stopped by one of the guards at the gate.
"Are you looking for the young lady Bridget, Master elf?"
"Yes! Have you seen her?"
"Aye. She is down by the river. Looked mighty upset when she went out too."
"Thank you sir." Legolas called out as he ran through the gate and out of the city.
Bridget was indeed, as the guard had said, down by the river, sitting on a bolder with her feet in the water. She was wearing only the loose shirt and skirt that she had been wearing that morning, and the water of the river was always icy, she must have been freezing.
"Bridget? What are you doing down here?"
She didn't answer, just continued to sit there, unmoving. Kneeling on the cold rock next to her, he saw her eyes were closed. Taking her gently by the arm, he said again, "Bridget?"
Without opening her eyes, she said in a whisper so soft even he could barely hear it, "Harod is getting married. To some one else. Because his mother said I wasn't good enough. He actually said that, that his mother said I wasn't good enough. I feel like a dope. I actually thought he cared."
"Bridget, I went to see Harod. He isn't good enough for you! He's a spoiled little mommas boy who deserves to be dunked in the river!" Legolas was glad to see that this brought a small smile to her face. "Come on, it is cold out here, and you can't handle it like me."
Bridget looked up at him. In the cold pale light of the moon her eyes were deep pools of darkness, like a forest spring beneath the shade of the trees, they drew him in, and he could feel himself drowning... Then she sighed, breaking the spell. "I'm stupid." She mumbled, taking his proffered hand.
Legolas smiled, kissing her lightly on the top of her head before leading her back to the citadel, glad that she was safe.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed!
Mystic angel of the tarit; you changed your name! Any particular reason why? Or were you just bored? Lol. It sounds cool anyway.
Ssterkty; yay! You like me! I'm glad you like the 'scatteredness', this is the first fanfic I've written and I write it when I'm stressed or bored as a bit of light relief. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Child of Fenris; He'll be here in the next chapter! pushy bastard…or maybe the next, depends on if Bridget fart-arses-around much more...