Through A Nightingale's Eyes

Disclaimer I do not own any of Tolkien's creations. I only own my characters and some of the storyline

IMPORTANT

Please DO NOT flame my story, because you have been warned. By the way, I HAVE read the LOTR books. If you have some constructive criticism or tips for me, please e-mail me

Thank you for your consideration. Peace!

Jack-Sparrow-Lover

RATED "R" FOR LANGUAGE AND POSSIBLY OTHER STUFF

Author's Note: OMG! Two chapters in one day! Me-sa so happy! ::dance:: I know I'm kind of evil at times, but that's my job. ::smirk:: I'm actually quite surprised that I finished two chapters for this story today. I can usually only do one. ::shrug:: Oh well…I'm glad I did it.

Chapter 15: Few Know the Truth

Arwen gently took Kayla's hand and led her down the center of the throne room, all eyes following them as they went. Arwen was thrilled, but Kayla on the other hand was freaking out. Her heart was beating even faster than before as her eyes frantically gazed around at everyone there. When her eyes met Elrond's though, he smiled knowingly and she knew that he knew the truth. This wasn't a good sign. She didn't want anyone to know what had truly happened to the real Lúthien. It was too much to bear for her, for the others it would be worse.

Kayla's eyes snapped up to Aragorn's as she stood at the bottom of the steps that led to his throne. She watched as he slowly descended them and stood before her, his eyes never breaking contact with hers. "My love, this is my sister Lúthien. She disappeared years ago and has finally returned," Arwen said gently.

"I see," Aragorn replied as he took Kayla's hand in his, "You are Lúthien." Kayla gave him pleading eyes, begging him not to tell the truth to anyone. Surprisingly, her understood and simply kissed her hand. "I am glad to see you here," he whispered before looking up at all his friends, "Lúthien of Rivendell has returned!" All of the elves clapped and stared at her, while she kept her gaze on the floor, somewhat dazed. "Would you honor me with a dance, my Lady? I have danced with my bride to be…and I would greatly love to waltz with her lovely sister."

"Of course, King Elessar," Kayla said softly as music began to play. Aragorn gently walked her out onto the dance floor and began to dance slowly with her. Many of the elves joined in as well, and Arwen walked over to see her father.

As Kayla finally mustered enough courage to look up into Aragorn's eyes, she found him smiling down at her. "So you did follow, did you?" he asked just above a whisper, so no one else would here.

"King Elessar-"

"You may still call me Aragorn…Kayla…"

"Shh…okay, Aragorn," she replied as she firmly gripped his hand as he spun her around the floor with amazing grace, "Still, I didn't think anyone would notice."

"You look like your mother, and now everyone thinks she had returned to us. We both know how she really died. If anyone finds out the truth it will devastate them." Kayla looked down shamefully at his words. "Does Legolas know that you followed?"

"What do you think?" she answered in her delicate voice as she looked up at him again.

"I would have guessed that he doesn't…"

"I can't tell him now. He's with another maiden."

"They are getting married." Kayla's eyes widened at the comment. "Yes…wonderful isn't it?" There was slight sarcasm in his voice. "That is another reason I disapproved of you both getting emotionally attached in your time."

"I apologize, Aragorn. I can't help how I feel."

"Then I shall keep your secret until you feel it best to tell him." Just then, the song ended and another began. Aragorn was going to keep dancing with her, but he then saw Legolas approaching them. "Legolas," he said gently. He felt Kayla's grip tighten on his hand again.

"Melonin (My friend), may I dance with Lúthien here? It is an honor to have her back with us, though I only met her once."

"Of course," Aragorn said as he took Kayla's hand and handed it to Legolas, who graciously kissed it. Kayla felt warmth rise to her cheeks, but dismissed it and looked to Aragorn once more. He simply smiled and went to dance with Arwen once again.

"My Lady…" Legolas said gently as he turned her around and spun her gracefully before placing his hand on her back and dancing with her. Kayla kept her eyes on Legolas' shoulder, not wanting to look into his eyes. Being with him felt so different now…even just his presence did. "Lúthien, it is good that you have returned." Kayla finally managed to looks up into his eyes, but she noticed that they widened a bit. Legolas was sure that he was seeing things. Every time his eyes met hers, he could have swore he Kayla, yet he thought that was impossible, giving Kayla the advantage, for she did not want to confess yet.

"Hannon le (Thank you), my Lord," she replied, letting her Elvish tongue take a role. If she was going to be an elf, she would have to make it seem that she was. "May I as why you seem so shocked though?"

"Indeed, my Lady. You look so familiar to me, and it is not on the account that I met you many years ago. You remind me of another…" Kayla gulped silently. "It's like I know you so well, yet I don't."

"That doesn't matter, my Lord."

"Please call me Legolas if you address me. Everyone else has the tendency to forget that I am just a regular elf." Kayla nodded and a smiled crept up upon the prince's face, a smile that would make Kayla fall forward if it had been a different time.

"You are royalty though. Others are below you," Kayla said. Legolas instantly felt rigid. Everything seemed to fade into a blur around him and he recalled that day when he met Kayla in her bedroom and she knelt before him. "You are royalty. I am below you." She had said those same words to him. Despite the fact that Lúthien had such a delicate voice and a different appearance than Kayla, she might have well been her. Little did he know that she was. "Legolas?" Lúthien's voice brought him back to reality.

"Yes?"

"Are you alright?" The elf prince nodded and spun her around again, dancing with her until the dance ended. When the next song picked up, Kayla looked into Legolas' eyes again and then to the ground.

"Have you met the rest of the elves?"

"No…"

"Then you must meet my friends," he said with a smile as he led her over to the table where he had been sitting earlier. Gimli had stopped drinking and was now feasting on salted pork and any other meat he could find on the table. "Gimli," Legolas stated. The dwarf turned his head and looked up at him, a mess of food decorating his long beard. "This is Lúthien, Princess of Rivendell." Gimli looked at her for a moment and then turned to Legolas again.

"She reminds me of someone, Leggy."

"Leggy?" Nessa asked as she looked up at her future husband.

"No one is to ever call me that. If anyone does, they will have to answer to my archery skills."

"Legolas, she looks like Kay-" The dwarf stopped speaking when he saw Legolas shook his head as if to say stop. It hurt him too much to hear her name when he knew he could never see her again. Kayla knew it was time to get the hell out of there. Gimli must have known.

"It was nice meeting you, Gimli," she said softly as she took her hand from Legolas' gentle grip and walked swiftly out of the room.

Arwen and her twin brothers, Elrohir and Elladen, all noticed that she left the room and looked at their father. "What's wrong with Lúthien?" Elrohir asked, "She was always so happy."

"That's because it's not her," Elrond stated.

"What?" all three questioned in unison.

"It's her daughter," the Lord of Rivendell said as he stood and walked out after Kayla. He turned down a corridor on his right and saw the young girl sitting on the ground, her knees pulled up to her chest. "Nice to see you, Kayla…"

"What do you want, Elrond?" Kayla asked, slightly depressed, "Have you come here to scold me on how stupid I was to come here?"

"I am not angry with you. I wanted you to have a good life. It was clear that you were unhappy in the modern world. I thought you would be happier in your true home."

"Do I look fucking happy?!"

"Language, please," the elf said as he knelt down next to his granddaughter and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Now why don't you come back to the coronation party."

"I can't. I can't face him."

"You mean Legolas, right?"

"No, I meant Sauron," she stated sarcastically, "Of course Legolas."

"Why can't you face him?"

"I came back here to tell him how much I cared for him, but he's getting married to that blonde she-elf. There's no room for me in his heart…and now there's no place for me to go."

"You can stay with your uncles and me in Imladris."

"Why should I? It's not like you want me there."

"You're my granddaughter. Why wouldn't I want you there? Please…come back to the party and then we'll take you home with us."

"My uncles won't want me there. I don't want to be a burden."

"Who said you were a burden?" Elrohir said as he walked over and knelt down on the other side of Kayla, "Whoever said it will have to deal with me."

"You're looking at the one who said it, Elfboy!"

"Why would you say such things?" he asked.

"Because I shouldn't even be here. I should be sitting at home on my couch with a bowl of popcorn and my big screen TV," Kayla replied with a fake pout as she looked at Elrohir, who burst out laughing. "What, may I ask, is so damn funny?"

"Because you're just like your mother," Elladen said as he strolled over, "You have her quick wit, her bright eyes, and her innocent face."

"Why can't you all just leave me be?"

"Because you're family and we love you," Arwen stated as she stood beside her father, who was still kneeling, "We're not going to leave you here alone…not when you have nothing to go home to. Rivendell will be your home as it still is mine." Elrond looked up at his daughter and smiled slightly. "I may be living with Aragorn now, but Rivendell is always my true home. It's beautiful…you'll love it. Please listen to them."

"I…guess it couldn't hurt…" Kayla whispered as she looked around at her family, "But are you sure this is okay?"

"No doubts are in my mind. None should be in yours."

"Elrohir, that was very deep," Elladen said sarcastically.

"Shut your mouth, brother!" Kayla couldn't help but laugh at the both of them. They were like children. "Great…now she's laughing at me."

"You both are just so funny. You act like kids and it's rather amusing," Kayla replied.

"So…will you stay with us?" Elladen questioned.

"Yes, thank you…but what of who I really am? Everyone in there besides Aragorn and you four think I'm Lúthien of Imladris."

"Then we will keep up that image for the time being."

"Elrond, I don't know how my mother used to act. I don't even know the entire Elvish language or the customs."

"Then we will teach you," her uncles said in unison.

"Should I be afraid?" Kayla asked jokingly.

"Very…" they both replied.

Author's Note: Well, that's the end of another chapter, mates. I'm doing my best here to update whenever I possibly can. I know…Elrond is slightly out of character, but that's okay. ::grin:: I like him better this way. As for Elrohir and Elladen…I don't really know how to portray them, so I'm going with my instincts. Please don't murder me for that.

Oh, and there is going to be PLENTY of story left. I think I might have just made the half way point…not sure though. I have plenty of surprises waiting ahead…

By the way, MP3gurl4life, where's the naked Legolas you promised me? ::smirk::