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Disclaimer: See prologue.
Chapter 16
To Be Loved
THWACK!
"I just don't understand it Celion!" Legolas said, pulling another arrow out of his quiver, and taking aim at the target, many yards away.
THWACK!
"Two days now! She hasn't spoken a word to me! Let alone even look at me! I never see her at mealtimes; she takes them in her room now." the flustered prince said, adjusting his vambrace before taking up another arrow.
Celion, a long-time friend and comrade of Legolas, watched the prince with amusement as he leaned against his strong bow. "Did you send her the flowers?" the silver-haired ellon asked, just as Legolas's seventh arrow split the sixth. The captain had suggested to send flowers when he first heard the dilemma.
"I did, but found them sitting in front of my door an hour later with the card unopened." Legolas shouted, now out of arrows. He leaned his bow against a tree, and sat down ungracefully.
Celion's proud handsome face broke out in a grin to see his friend this distressed over something so small as an elleth. The bright grey-blue eyes sparkled as he laid down his bow, and took up a seat on the grass opposite.
"Perhaps you shouldn't have shouted at her." he suggested, picking a few wild daisies, and weaving them together in boredom.
"She angered me so, I couldn't control my temper! Why won't she see that I care for her so much?" Legolas asked in desperation, leaning his head back against the soft-barked tree in an act of abandonment.
"Legolas, I am not a consultant in the matters of love. I am a warrior. If you haven't noticed, I do not have elleths hanging off my arms, which means that my skills in wooing are slim and few." Celion said.
"Perhaps if you would occasionally make an appearance at the merry-making circles you would see all the elleths queuing up in hopes to court the captain of our guard."
"Aye," Celion rolled his eyes, "right next to the even longer line that stretches halfway to Rivendell of your admirers."
"Celion! You are not helping!" Legolas groaned.
"All right, all right. ... Did you actually try speaking to her?"
"Yes! But Mariel always shoos me away, saying that Arodwen requests 'time and space' to herself." Legolas rubbed his temples, hoping to ease the pounding in his skull.
"She stays away from you, because she does not wish to see you put yourself in danger for her sake." Celion reasoned, "You are the only heir to Mirkwood's throne, Legolas. You must realize how important that is to the people."
"Aye, Celion... Every moment of the day it is gnawing at my mind." Legolas moaned in exasperation, sighing with discontent. "She is not accustomed to this world. After I go to Rivendell, I will have to return home. She will be alone. And the grief, despair, and worry I know she is feeling will surely kill her before Sauron can try."
"You must have faith in her own strength Legolas." the captain warned, tossing the newly made crown of daisies at the prince, landing it perfectly upon his head.
Legolas pulled it off, staring at it as though it would present him with answers he could not see. "She has no hope for herself... I want to restore it in her, but she will not let me."
Celion rolled his eyes. Was he ever going to get the prince's mind off the Lady Arodwen? "Well, you have patrol to look forward to in a few hours. As an added bonus, we get to watch that snarling creature Gollum climb a tree!"
"Oh, the joy in my heart is overwhelming..." Legolas groaned, getting to his feet.
Arodwen sat in her room, reading a long novel written in the Common Speech that Mariel had given her. One who looked at her would think she was deeply immersed in the script, but upon closer scrutiny, they would notice that her eyes did not move from one line to the next.
She was lost in her own thoughts and worries, staring blankly at the curvy writing. Of how Legolas had tried and failed numerous times to see her. And of the impending journey to Rivendell.
Mariel, who was cleaning the room, suddenly spoke. "He asked me again today if he could speak with you..." she said.
"Hm..." Arodwen murmured, deftly flicking to the next page as though the news was of no interest.
Mariel walked over to the young maiden, all thoughts of dusting forgotten, and took the book from her hands. "He-loves-you, Arodwen." she stated clearly, making sure every word would ring through her ears.
"There is a difference between lust, and love Mariel." the elleth snapped, taking the book back and standing up.
"I am aware! And I know the difference. What he feels for you is love!" Mariel argued. She wasn't angry. She just wanted her to see sense.
"He will forget about me a week after he leaves me in Rivendell."
"You will linger in his heart no matter where he is! By the Valar child! Why won't you let yourself be loved?"
Arodwen turned sharply on the maid, shouting, "Because I will not see him die!"
Mariel looked stunned. Her eyes narrowed, boring into the she-elf's before her. "You are an elf now, Arodwen. If you continue to push him away, it will break his heart, and kill him. And slowly, because you never allowed yourself the given right to love, it will kill you too."
The maid turned on her heel, leaving the room in silence, so that the elleth remaining could think deeply on her words.
