The Mystery of Love
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Chapter Twenty-Five
Summer Heat, Winter Ice
~~~POV-LEGOLAS GREENLEAF~~~
I woke late in the morning, still wondering if last night was a dream. I could still see Reyna, in her white camisole and red shorts, dancing in the rain like a little girl. She was as innocent as a child, yet the beauty that surrounded her was so ripe. Her laughter resonated in my head as I stood sleepily. The bright sun's rays captivated my eyesight for a few moments. When my eyes adjusted I glanced around. Reyna's door was open and I saw her . . .in a small bra and shorts. I blushed brightly. Her flawless skin was alluring. Her hair was wet from the bath she had just taken. It clung to her back all the way down her the end of her ribs. She was not as thin as I had thought, but muscular. Her six abs were easily noticeable. She ran a silver brush through her dripping locks. I walked out of my room furtively and knocked on her door.
"Who wishes to enter?"
A smile plastered itself on my face, "Prince Legolas. May I enter Lady Cathelle?"
Light laughter filtered through the doorway, "Of course you may. I am expecting someone to help me with the details of my queenship. Come in." I walked in. She was wearing a gossamer blouse that was loose and flowing. It was a soft blue color and clung to her skin at the bodice. The sleeves were loose and billowy. Her light gray leggings matched the shirt well. "I am supposedly going to be given a list of requirements, new responsibilities and things that I cannot change under my rule without overwhelming citizen support. We have a rather false monarchy here."
I smiled, "I can see that."
She raised her eyebrow, "How so Prince?"
"Well, to start, your people do not wait on you. Secondly, they bow or kneel at formal events; but at any other time they regard you as a casual friend. That is what I want. I do not want mad elven maidens chasing me because they desire my crown. I want respect, not fear or submission, from my people."
Her vivacious eyes stared avidly into my own. "You have a good heart Legolas Greenleaf." She set her brush down, "Come with me. I have to go tell Serlia that I am appointing her as my right hand Fae. The position is called a vizier but I think it is too formal. She is going to take care of everything if I leave or if I never bear an heir."
My mouth hung open, "You don't have to bear an heir?"
She looked down at the ground, "Legolas . . .that is not it. I meant that if I die before I bear a child then she would take my place. Of course I am going to have children! I cannot wait to be a mother!"
I smiled halfheartedly, "You will be a terrific mother Cathelle."
A grin crossed her face. "Diola lle, Haryon." I wrapped an arm around her. We walked by Serlia's room and found it empty. "She is probably out gathering herbs, we will talk to her later on."
"Let us go practice archery since we did not last night." She nodded and grabbed her bow. We walked outside together, hand in hand, and stood next to one another. I knocked my bow and shot a clean bull's-eye from two miles away. Cathelle mimicked me easily.
She drew her bow back again with amazing speed and shot. I laughed. "You do not seem to need any practice."
She shrugged, "You can always get better." I laughed and we shot another round of arrows. We both hit dead on.
When our quivers were exhausted we ran down to the targets and withdrew them. There were twelve targets per lane so none of our arrows were split in practice. I looked around at all the tall birch trees. Their lovely leaves were shaded hues of gold, red and orange. I smiled, "This land is so beautiful."
She nodded, "It's like a utopia. Everything my heart could ever desire lies in the boundaries of this land."
'What if I left? Would you still say that?' I tossed the thought away bashfully. Heat rushed to my cheeks lightly and I turned the other direction so she would not notice. I smiled, "I think the beauty of this land is most evident in its people, and even more so in its queen."
Her eyes went wide with an embarrassed surprise and she blushed. "You are feigning me Lord!"
I shook my head, "Why would I lie to you about something like that Cathelle?"
A smile lit her lips; "I suppose you have caught me now." Suddenly her ears perked up and she took a deep breath through her nose, "Can you smell it?"
A/N: If you play 'I will Remember You' by Sara McLachlan right now it will make this scene so much more dramatic! Try it; I was listening to this as I wrote it. I also do not own this song!
I shook my head, "I am not sure what you are speaking of . . ." I raised my nose to the wind and smelled something out of the ordinary but nothing I could pinpoint.
Her lips traced the word 'blood' on them silently. She held a finger to her lips and walked slowly around the targets and over the zenith of the hill behind them. I watched slowly as her face paled drastically and her jaw fell.
She dropped her bow weakly and her knees wobbled. She fell to her knees as she started to disappear from view, "NO! No. . . this can't be happening!" Her voice was pain filled and raging. I ran up to her and saw what made her pale so. She sat on the ground right next to Serlia. The soft white skin of Serlia's body was flecked with bright red blood spatter. A scimitar was embedded in her abdomen and her eyes were wide with terror. Those luminous green eyes that always shined brightly were dulled. I stepped closer to Cathelle as she began to quake with sobs.
I bit my lip hard. "Reyna . . ." I knelt next to her and drew her away from the sight. I shielded her eyes and rocked her trembling body in my arms. She gasped for breath amid her sobs. Her long brown hair cascaded down her shoulders as she coiled up weakly.
"No. . . this isn't happening! Not to a healer! Not to a Fae!" She sobbed and trembled fiercely. I rocked her to and fro as I rubbed her back. Turquoise tears trickled down her pale cheeks. I kissed them away softly.
"N'uma nalla vanya híril." {Do not cry fair lady.} I tried to hush her sobs and I let her rest against me. I brushed my lips against her cheek, kissing the salty trails away.
"I m-made a promise to the Fae as their queen. I am supposed to keep them safe! How can I keep all of them safe if I cannot ever protect my best friend!" She curled up in my arms and took a deep breath. She smelled of vanilla spice and water lilies. It was a sweet scent that lightened the somber moment for an instant. I could feel her body wilt lightly against my chest. I wrapped my arms around her tighter.
"You will protect them Hírilamin {my lady}, do not worry. There was nothing you could have done to save Serlia; we did not even know she was absent." Reyna's sobs subsided slowly.
"I might as well be burying my mother again." I turned her away from Serlia's lifeless body. I shook my head sadly as I looked over Serlia's ravaged body. Her pale green dress was pulled up and disheveled. Everyone knew what Uruk-hai did to women and now Reyna's had to tell Serina what happened this happened to her twin sister.
"Aragorn and I will carry her back to the palace. Go talk with Arwen melamin. You need to talk with someone." She shook her head quickly. I tilted her head up so that I could look into her eyes. Her glittering eyes were duller than they had been.
"I will do this myself. She risked her life for me for over three thousand years. It is my duty to see her to her resting place." She stood weakly.
I rose next, "Allow me to assist you then." She nodded. I picked up Serlia's legs as Reyna grabbed her torso from under her arms. Tears still flowed like rivers down Reyna's light cheeks. We carried Serlia into the mortuary. The kind lady working there said she would have her body ready for burial in three hours.
Shock and emotional numbness were overly apparent in Reyna's overcast eyes. No love of life lingered in those dark pools. Reyna shook her head in dismay, "I was starting to think today would be a good day too."
I put an arm around her, "Do not fret Híril." I kissed the top of her head tenderly, "It will all turn out right in the end."
Her shoulder heaved with each breath she took. She inhaled, her breath quivering. "Not for Serina. I have to go tell her of Serlia's departure."
I nodded, thinking of how hard it would be to break this news to Serlia's twin sister. "I will follow." A halfhearted smile lit upon her mouth. She nodded and we walked towards Serina's shop.
~~~TO BE CONTINUED~~~
Well? I thought that it was a bit too happy go lucky so I threw some angst in there. Where do you think the 'tainted' part of my penname came from? I always include angst. Poor Reyna. Will she recover? Find out in chapter twenty-six: Trying Times for Mirkwood. *Evil laugh * you will all have to wait until I finish it though!! =P Namaarie!
~Tainted Elf~
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Twenty-Five
Summer Heat, Winter Ice
~~~POV-LEGOLAS GREENLEAF~~~
I woke late in the morning, still wondering if last night was a dream. I could still see Reyna, in her white camisole and red shorts, dancing in the rain like a little girl. She was as innocent as a child, yet the beauty that surrounded her was so ripe. Her laughter resonated in my head as I stood sleepily. The bright sun's rays captivated my eyesight for a few moments. When my eyes adjusted I glanced around. Reyna's door was open and I saw her . . .in a small bra and shorts. I blushed brightly. Her flawless skin was alluring. Her hair was wet from the bath she had just taken. It clung to her back all the way down her the end of her ribs. She was not as thin as I had thought, but muscular. Her six abs were easily noticeable. She ran a silver brush through her dripping locks. I walked out of my room furtively and knocked on her door.
"Who wishes to enter?"
A smile plastered itself on my face, "Prince Legolas. May I enter Lady Cathelle?"
Light laughter filtered through the doorway, "Of course you may. I am expecting someone to help me with the details of my queenship. Come in." I walked in. She was wearing a gossamer blouse that was loose and flowing. It was a soft blue color and clung to her skin at the bodice. The sleeves were loose and billowy. Her light gray leggings matched the shirt well. "I am supposedly going to be given a list of requirements, new responsibilities and things that I cannot change under my rule without overwhelming citizen support. We have a rather false monarchy here."
I smiled, "I can see that."
She raised her eyebrow, "How so Prince?"
"Well, to start, your people do not wait on you. Secondly, they bow or kneel at formal events; but at any other time they regard you as a casual friend. That is what I want. I do not want mad elven maidens chasing me because they desire my crown. I want respect, not fear or submission, from my people."
Her vivacious eyes stared avidly into my own. "You have a good heart Legolas Greenleaf." She set her brush down, "Come with me. I have to go tell Serlia that I am appointing her as my right hand Fae. The position is called a vizier but I think it is too formal. She is going to take care of everything if I leave or if I never bear an heir."
My mouth hung open, "You don't have to bear an heir?"
She looked down at the ground, "Legolas . . .that is not it. I meant that if I die before I bear a child then she would take my place. Of course I am going to have children! I cannot wait to be a mother!"
I smiled halfheartedly, "You will be a terrific mother Cathelle."
A grin crossed her face. "Diola lle, Haryon." I wrapped an arm around her. We walked by Serlia's room and found it empty. "She is probably out gathering herbs, we will talk to her later on."
"Let us go practice archery since we did not last night." She nodded and grabbed her bow. We walked outside together, hand in hand, and stood next to one another. I knocked my bow and shot a clean bull's-eye from two miles away. Cathelle mimicked me easily.
She drew her bow back again with amazing speed and shot. I laughed. "You do not seem to need any practice."
She shrugged, "You can always get better." I laughed and we shot another round of arrows. We both hit dead on.
When our quivers were exhausted we ran down to the targets and withdrew them. There were twelve targets per lane so none of our arrows were split in practice. I looked around at all the tall birch trees. Their lovely leaves were shaded hues of gold, red and orange. I smiled, "This land is so beautiful."
She nodded, "It's like a utopia. Everything my heart could ever desire lies in the boundaries of this land."
'What if I left? Would you still say that?' I tossed the thought away bashfully. Heat rushed to my cheeks lightly and I turned the other direction so she would not notice. I smiled, "I think the beauty of this land is most evident in its people, and even more so in its queen."
Her eyes went wide with an embarrassed surprise and she blushed. "You are feigning me Lord!"
I shook my head, "Why would I lie to you about something like that Cathelle?"
A smile lit her lips; "I suppose you have caught me now." Suddenly her ears perked up and she took a deep breath through her nose, "Can you smell it?"
A/N: If you play 'I will Remember You' by Sara McLachlan right now it will make this scene so much more dramatic! Try it; I was listening to this as I wrote it. I also do not own this song!
I shook my head, "I am not sure what you are speaking of . . ." I raised my nose to the wind and smelled something out of the ordinary but nothing I could pinpoint.
Her lips traced the word 'blood' on them silently. She held a finger to her lips and walked slowly around the targets and over the zenith of the hill behind them. I watched slowly as her face paled drastically and her jaw fell.
She dropped her bow weakly and her knees wobbled. She fell to her knees as she started to disappear from view, "NO! No. . . this can't be happening!" Her voice was pain filled and raging. I ran up to her and saw what made her pale so. She sat on the ground right next to Serlia. The soft white skin of Serlia's body was flecked with bright red blood spatter. A scimitar was embedded in her abdomen and her eyes were wide with terror. Those luminous green eyes that always shined brightly were dulled. I stepped closer to Cathelle as she began to quake with sobs.
I bit my lip hard. "Reyna . . ." I knelt next to her and drew her away from the sight. I shielded her eyes and rocked her trembling body in my arms. She gasped for breath amid her sobs. Her long brown hair cascaded down her shoulders as she coiled up weakly.
"No. . . this isn't happening! Not to a healer! Not to a Fae!" She sobbed and trembled fiercely. I rocked her to and fro as I rubbed her back. Turquoise tears trickled down her pale cheeks. I kissed them away softly.
"N'uma nalla vanya híril." {Do not cry fair lady.} I tried to hush her sobs and I let her rest against me. I brushed my lips against her cheek, kissing the salty trails away.
"I m-made a promise to the Fae as their queen. I am supposed to keep them safe! How can I keep all of them safe if I cannot ever protect my best friend!" She curled up in my arms and took a deep breath. She smelled of vanilla spice and water lilies. It was a sweet scent that lightened the somber moment for an instant. I could feel her body wilt lightly against my chest. I wrapped my arms around her tighter.
"You will protect them Hírilamin {my lady}, do not worry. There was nothing you could have done to save Serlia; we did not even know she was absent." Reyna's sobs subsided slowly.
"I might as well be burying my mother again." I turned her away from Serlia's lifeless body. I shook my head sadly as I looked over Serlia's ravaged body. Her pale green dress was pulled up and disheveled. Everyone knew what Uruk-hai did to women and now Reyna's had to tell Serina what happened this happened to her twin sister.
"Aragorn and I will carry her back to the palace. Go talk with Arwen melamin. You need to talk with someone." She shook her head quickly. I tilted her head up so that I could look into her eyes. Her glittering eyes were duller than they had been.
"I will do this myself. She risked her life for me for over three thousand years. It is my duty to see her to her resting place." She stood weakly.
I rose next, "Allow me to assist you then." She nodded. I picked up Serlia's legs as Reyna grabbed her torso from under her arms. Tears still flowed like rivers down Reyna's light cheeks. We carried Serlia into the mortuary. The kind lady working there said she would have her body ready for burial in three hours.
Shock and emotional numbness were overly apparent in Reyna's overcast eyes. No love of life lingered in those dark pools. Reyna shook her head in dismay, "I was starting to think today would be a good day too."
I put an arm around her, "Do not fret Híril." I kissed the top of her head tenderly, "It will all turn out right in the end."
Her shoulder heaved with each breath she took. She inhaled, her breath quivering. "Not for Serina. I have to go tell her of Serlia's departure."
I nodded, thinking of how hard it would be to break this news to Serlia's twin sister. "I will follow." A halfhearted smile lit upon her mouth. She nodded and we walked towards Serina's shop.
~~~TO BE CONTINUED~~~
Well? I thought that it was a bit too happy go lucky so I threw some angst in there. Where do you think the 'tainted' part of my penname came from? I always include angst. Poor Reyna. Will she recover? Find out in chapter twenty-six: Trying Times for Mirkwood. *Evil laugh * you will all have to wait until I finish it though!! =P Namaarie!
~Tainted Elf~