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I've Got Moves
The great table had been pushed to the back wall. On one side of the room, chairs had been gathered, and the rest of the space was to be used for a large dance floor. The Lady Galadriel shimmered in the gathering of chairs, smiling and conversing with some of her younger, female subjects. I thought I might as well and try to recruit some of those fair maidens for Ithilien—purely from a non-biased leadership perspective, of course!—and I moved to join them. As we walked across the room, I took delight in seeing elves tune their instruments: lyres, harps, flutes, and yuvitars with long strings and round heavy bottoms.
Just as I neared Lady Galadriel, hoping she would introduce me to her handmaidens, Celeborn intercepted me.
"Legolas, I had no idea that you were interested in the different methods of rune engravings. Tell me, have you ever studied the scrolls of Belthuin, in the house of Elrond?"
"Well, I..." I started.
"They are really something. They compare the Tengwar of Rumil to that of Fëanor and feature a whole section about moon letters. You must come to my study and look at them with Gilgafier and me. We could spend hours comparing the variations in the alphabet of Daeron and how they affect Sindarin etymology."
"I can not claim the knowledge that you and your minister must possess. I fear I could only be a hindrance," I stated flatly.
"Well, of course, you have much more to look toward now that you are planning for the future of Ithilien. Which is exactly why I came over to meet you! Not to ramble on about runes and dialects. I wanted to introduce you to someone who I think will be a great asset to you and your plans for Ithilien." Celeborn steered me to a young group of elves. "Prince Legolas, please allow me the honor of introducing to you one of the finest young hearts of Lorien..."
"Eledhel!" I exclaimed and immediately shook his hand, and clapped him on the back.
"Well, it seems you know each other already," Celeborn said, smiling at the reunion. "Eledhel has been one of the biggest supporters of your project, ever since he first heard mention of it."
"We met during the Fellowship's stop-over during the War. He was one of the first elves I met during our stay and showed great hospitality toward me and Gimli." I added.
"Well as no further introductions are needed, I believe I will join the Lady." Celeborn bowed and left.
"Well, prince, things have been awfully dull since the siege of Dol Guldur. You have met Farothin and Haldir here, but this is Belegil and Sulindal, two brothers who would take the journey with us. They both fought bravely in the battles of our realm."
I bowed to them, for I could easily mark them as elven warriors with hearts forged on the battlefield. "It would be a blessing to have you both." I then turned to Farothin and Haldir. "What of you two, would you take the journey over river, hill, and plains to a new land, both free and wild?"
Farothin nodded. "I would, my prince, if only to guard the fair forests of this new land," he said, enthusiasm ringing in his voice.
"What of you, Haldir? Would you join us?" I asked, anticipating his answer, for I knew Haldir loved the Golden Wood too much.
"Would that I were a millennia younger and not so bound to the great Lord and Lady of Caras Galadhon," he said, his tone less wistful than his words. You undertake a great labor, prince, to forge a new realm in the heart of much darkness."
"Yet it is a challenge I would eagerly suffer," claimed Eledhel. "Now what is this I hear about a challenge of skills between two great archers?"
"Yes, I have spoken to Farothin about that during dinner. Let me assure you, my Lord, that you will hear no more of such silliness from him," Haldir retorted and gave Farothin a pointed look.
"It would only seem like silliness, Haldir, if one of the competitors was not worthy of the challenge." I said smoothly and raised an eyebrow at Eledhel.
"Yes, I am with Legolas on this matter," agreed Eledhel. "It has been too long since the Galadhrim have had the pleasure of seeing sport among champions. I would join this venture."
"As would my brother and I," declared Sulindal. "All of the best archers would agree, unless…" and he slyly looked at Haldir, "they did not feel themselves capable."
Haldir bristled a little. "Are you implying that I am unworthy to compete with the prince, or Eledhel, or any of you for that matter?" the March Warden said and looked sharply at us. "I did not come to be Captain of the Guard on the basis of looks."
"No, that would never have come to pass!" laughed Eledhel and then stopped himself. "So are you willing to join us in a battle of skill?"
"Yes, if only to teach younger elves that they would be better served keeping their mouths shut." Haldir replied grimly, leaving to seek more suitable company than his nephew and his friends.
"Now, did I not tell you that we could get Haldir to join our little scheme?" said Eledhel, eyes gleaming.
Farothin chimed in happily. "That was sheer brilliance, Eledhel!" he said and clasped him on the shoulder. "You were right. He would not back down if his skills were in doubt."
"I can not believe that I have let myself become part of this scheme," I said, shaking my head. feeling pressure to do well, wanting to impress his new subjects.
"We will ask Lord Celeborn if he will allow us to have this tournament next week." Eledhel planned out loud, "When did you want to leave for Ithilien, Legolas?"
"Although I do not yet have Celeborn's agreement on this, I hope to make way toward Eryn Lasgalen in three weeks, pick up more of my people, and from there turn toward Gondor and the Minas Tirith." I replied.
"Oh, enough of this serious business," interrupted Belegil. "Can you not see that we are talking of arrows and tournaments, when there are so many lovely ladies begging for our company on the dance floor?"
"Yes, and Legolas, it is your duty as prince, to convince them of the wonders of Ithilien, for if our party is bereft of young maidens, it will lack my presence as well!" laughed Eledhel. "Come, I can make many introductions. I know that last time you were here, your heart was too weary of the Fellowship's burdens to think of romance, but now all is right in Middle Earth. Many the elf maiden grieved over your reticence."
"They will not find me that way now," I promised. "I will do my best to convince the female population of Lorien to join us on our endeavor."
As we crossed the dance floor, I spotted the elf maiden I met earlier. She stood near an open window chatting with Gilgafier's son, letting the cool night air tease her curls.
"Eledhel, who is she?" I might have been a wee bit curious to know the name of perhaps the only elf maiden in Arda immune to my many charms.
"Who, her?" Eledhel tilted his head toward the window. "Why, do you think her worthy of conquest?" He winked at me and teased, "Love at first sight?"
"Varda, no!" I insisted. "As pretty as she is, she is also as sharp-tongued as an orc."
"Oh, so you have spoken to her. This keeps getting richer. Tell me, you did not find her absolutely charming?"
"She is as beautiful as any, but she pretty much hated me on sight," I admitted. "Why, is she taken?" I leaned in conspiratorially. "Do you love her?"
"I can not help but love her," roared Eledhel, "for she is my sister, Miredhel!" He laughed and slapped me on the back. "And she would not pay you the slightest bit of courtesy? Well, good for her!"
This evening keeps getting better and better. First, I was bored to grief by Gilgafier, then shunned by Miredhel, conned into competing in a tournament, and now I would surely suffer teasing for the rest of the evening from Eledhel.
"Please, Eledhel. Direct my attention to a more gracious recipient than your fair sister, Miredhel," I begged. "Surely you know some eligible young ladies who are tired enough of your antics that they might be interested in mine?"
"Of course, my friend," replied Eledhel in between fits of laughing. The two elves made their way toward Galadriel and her audience of young maidens, stopping to bow before her.
"My Lady, may I introduce the Prince Legolas to these fair ladies, for I fear their vengeance if they were to discover that I kept our guest speaking all evening of tournaments."
"Oh, Eledhel, will there be a tournament of champions? I heard Farothin talking of it earlier this evening," asked one of the elf maidens.
Eledhel winked at her. "Yes, but only if the Lady of the Wood deemed the tournament worthy enough to grace it with her loveliness."
Galadriel smiled at the pair of young elves, her eyes merry. "We have seen much sorrow and toil in the years of late, Eledhel son of Bragoglin. It would be a welcome sight to see our youngest compete in the spirit of competition and skill, rather than on the battlefield in the face of death. Go ahead and organize these games, and I will see that the champion of such a tournament receives a prize worthy of his skill."
Soon I found myself introduced to all of the young maidens in the circle—Tinarien, Lierwen, Alariel, Celedriel, Brenidwen, Finael—each one lovely in her own right. They all leaned in a bit as I greeted them. One looked down and blushed; another curled her hair around her finger and smiled a slow smile at me. Now this was more like it, more like the warm welcome I had imagined from the ladies of Lorien. I offered my arm to Tinarien, the elf maiden who had first spoken to Eledhel, and gallantly led her to dance as the first trilling notes of music signaled a group dance. Tinarien was fair of face and form with the light hair common to most of the Galadhrim, and I could not help but think that perhaps the evening would turn out well after all.
"You have heard, Lady Tinarien, that I would lead some of your people to a new elven kingdom in Ithilien?" I asked, trying to make conversation, but also wanting to hear her opinion of my plans.
"Yes, my lord, it seems that everyone in Caras Galadhon is speaking of naught but Ithilien." She replied and then hesitantly added, "Every worthy young elf desires to follow you into adventure."
"Would you be one of those willing?" I asked, hoping for an affirmative answer. I led her in the promenade with the rest of the elf couples, keeping time to the merry beat of the music.
"It is more difficult for a lady to decide in such things. We would have to leave our homes, the fruits of our labor and the comfort of our souls, to risk everything in an untamed land." Tinarien paused.
"Yes, but we would build a beautiful new realm; everything and more that you deserve or could wish for could be yours in Ithilien."
"I will consent to join the journey, but not for adventure or the new life promised, Prince Legolas. You are stealing the hearts of our young elves, turning their minds from thoughts of settling down to that of adventure. I merely wish to not be left behind," Tinarien said and bowed low. "Thank you for this dance." She turned and joined her friends.
I stared after her, a little unwilling to believe my dance partner had just left me bereft on the dance floor, before the last notes of the music had even faded!
"So Tinarien was resilient to your charms as well, my friend?" It was Eledhel.
"I would not say that she was resilient, but that our efforts on the dance floor tired her," I claimed. "By the end of the night, you will be begging me to make the introductions."
"We shall see!"
So I found another partner, and then later another, and another. I never lacked for quantity of partners, even if the same could not be said for quality. The dancing couples mirrored the spinning of the stars as they slid across the sky into the depths of the night. The music and singing wove solid into the early hours, and the torches burned into ash.
When I finally retired, I wandered the starlit paths of Lorien for a good while before heading to my quarters. I'll admit it—I was tired. Not as exhausted as one gets running for three straight days chasing after a pack of Uruk hai, but I felt drained—it was the sort of bone-deep mental weariness that comes from a long night's watch, that feeling of never being able to let my guard down. I kicked the door to my room closed, peeled off my tunic, and let it drop to the floor; in my haste, my prince's circlet clattered to the ground. I froze at the loud clatter, swooping it from the ground a second later and placing it lightly on my dresser. Glad to be rid of the thing, I sank down on the edge of my bed to pull off my boots, reflecting on the many things that had come to pass, knowing that much more would follow in the morning light. I had heard many promises from elves willing to follow me to build a new life. If I could only steal the hearts of the ladies as well, then my dreams for Ithilien would begin to take shape.
Author's Note: Thank you for reading! Please review, favorite, and follow! Have any questions you'd like to ask Legolas? He's always up for a little Q & A! ;)