Thanks for the reviews, guys! Slowly getting those chapters back up. Made quite a few changes to this one. Happy to know some of you are enjoying re reading the re-edit.
A. x
Aerlaer, with Legolas by her side, entered an open glade with soft grass under foot, surrounded by mallorn trees whose branches stretched overhead; lit up with tinkling, blue lights. Circling the glade were wooden benches and tables of food and drink. The middle was kept clear as a dance area and here the tree branches bowed down; Their tiny, blue lights illuminating the dance area in such an ethereal way for how it dappled by the leaves. To one side, two Elves played harps and a third sung a slow, beautiful song in Quenya.
Many Elves were already in the glade, eating or dancing. Aerlaer quickly scanned about, trying to locate the Fellowship, hoping to reach them before she became noticed. Having no luck, she hedged forward, only to be immediately stopped by a guard she recognized. He bowed, murmuring a reverent greeting before straightening and smiling joyfully. She returned the gesture, minus the bow, instead tipping her head politely. Oh how she despised Lórien etiquette and her ranking!
The guard murmured a formal greeting to Legolas, not addressing his rank or bowing and she envied the fact none would recognize him as King Thranduil's son. As she continued to exchange pleasantries, as they made their way across the glade, she made a point, here and there to introduce Legolas to those she thought should know it was he. It amused her to note, any elleths she knew and introduced him to, seemed utterly dazzled by his presence. He took it all gracefully but Aerlaer did not think he was particularly comfortable in the situation. He does not consider himself royalty, as they consider him.
"Greeting, Lord Legolas." She glanced sideways to see Haldir approaching and smiled warmly as he exchanged formalities before turning to her.
"You look decidedly, cleaner, Princess." He spoke quietly and dryly and she held back a laugh but grinned at him.
"It will not last, I assure you." A small smile twitched at his lips but he merely nodded and continued, on his way. She realized Legolas was gazing at her, frowning in confusion.
"That was Haldir's way of being fun and caring." She elaborated.
"I see." He murmured. Aerlaer did not wish to explain her friendship with Haldir and, how it had begun and simply smirked at him, hoping he would ask no more questions. She needn't have worried for an elleth, she did not know, now curtsied and gushed out a greeting to him, her green eyes shining excitedly. Legolas spoke kindly to her and, within moments, three more elleth had joined her. They looked possibly more in awe of him than anyone she had introduced him to and, slyly, she glanced at their left hands, noting none were likely spoken for. It amused her to no end and she briefly turned away, to stifle a laugh.
Composed, she turned back, noting Legolas was now gesturing to her as he spoke softly yet animatedly. He caught her eye and sent her a smile, his eyes dark yet warm and yet, then, without the three elleth seeing, he rolled his eyes before turning back to them, not breaking his conversation once. With smiles and easy charm like that, it's his own fault he's wound up in such a predicament. Admittedly though, now she paid attention, he looked nice in just a light, silvery-grey tunic.
…
Exclaiming he had not eaten yet and, did not wish to keep Aerlaer starving, Legolas had ended the polite and cheerful but incessant questioning of the three elleths, glad to just have Aerlaer's unobtrusive, familiar company again. They had made their way to the nearest table, laden with food and Legolas surveyed the various dishes, his mouth almost watering. It had been some weeks since he had tasted Elvish food although Sam's cooking had been superb with what little they had to work with.
"Aerlaer! Orophin said you were here!" An overjoyed voice rang out clearly nearby. Legolas turned to see a small group of elleths and ellons smiling and waving towards her excitedly. Aerlaer broke into a wide grin, beside him.
"A moment!" She called to them and turned back toward him.
"Here, I have a plate here for you." He said, holding a silver plate out he had just picked up.
"Thanks." She replied, taking the plate from him and they both turned to the table behind them and busied themselves filling their plates with various foods. He was gladdened to find many of his personal favorites and had no trouble filling his plate. "I will introduce you to my friends who dwell here after we have eaten or if you like you can eat with us?" Aerlaer asked hesitantly and he nodded.
"I would like that." She beamed at him and his heart felt lighter for it. He was not particularly at ease, the knowledge of who he was had spread and more and more Elves were glancing his way. It seemed here, he could not go unnoticed. It meant he could not lie low with Aragorn for he would be expected to converse with the Elves of Lothlórien, typically any who were of higher ranking. Staying close to Aerlaer would hopefully be a way to avoid such tedious conversations with such tedious Elves, without appearing rude. Aerlaer saw him as only Legolas and so, hopefully her friends would too. He followed after her.
"Aerlaer, welcome!" There were five Elves and they leapt up, leaving their drinks and plates on their benches. Excitedly, the two elleths embraced Aerlaer and she hugged them back just as fiercely. Two strong looking ellons who looked quite similar in appearance, embraced her next and the third ellon, to Legolas's unease, was Orophin. The guard took her hand and with a roguish smile, kissed her fingers. To Legolas's relief, although he was not sure why it bothered him so much, Aerlaer laughed off the guard's gesture.
Legolas stood a bit off to the side as Aerlaer shared quick words with each of her friends and then, she turned to him, smiling widely and he was secretly glad she had not forgotten him.
"Legolas, these are my dear friends." She beckoned him forward before gesturing to each of them, starting with the two cool, brown haired ellons who looked alike. "From left to right; Amatthor and Galadanor."
"Yes, we are brothers." The one named Galadanor smiled as they greeted him respectfully. To his relief, they did not bow. He returned the gesture and, begrudgingly now turned the last ellon.
"You have already met, Orophin." Aerlaer said cheerily as the guard gave him a polite nod before Aerlaer pointed to the two, pretty, kind looking, golden haired elleths. "These two fair maidens are Nellad and Celeth." The two elleths laughed cheerily at Aerlaer's complimentary introduction and welcomed him with small curtsies.
"Has Aerlaer been horrid company?" The one named Nellad asked with a twinkle in her sky-blue eyes and he laughed lightly, shaking his head.
"No, she has been welcome company and certainly useful to have near in a skirmish." He noted how the two brothers nodded with small smiles while Orophin's eyes simply narrows and he turned to gaze at the dancers.
"Just you wait until we are up against something more skilled." Aerlaer smirked at him, her own eyes dancing with mischief and a smile tugged at his mouth. He very much did want to see her in action; he just did not like that any such action would equate to danger.
She bit cleanly through a slice of apple, still gazing up at him with those dancing, deep blue eyes and for a moment, he felt as if he were in the past, at another dance. he looked away, focusing on his own plate of food and she turned to speak with the two brothers as the two elleths struck up a conversation with him; regarding just what Mirkwood was like. It was not a topic he would have chosen, but he humored them while slowly trying to eat, around their questions.
"We have heard talk you journeyed the Mines of Moria." Legolas heard one of the brothers exclaim to Aerlaer. However, before she could answer, Orophin had returned. Legolas had not realized he had wandered off. The ellon held out three goblets.
"Aerlaer, here." He offered her one of the drinks and she bestowed a cheery and grateful smile and thanked him. He beamed back looking altogether too pleased for Legolas's liking. Before he could think more on just where his thoughts travelled, Orophin stood before him, the second goblet thrust towards him.
"You'll need this if those two are going to chew your ear off all evening." The Lórien ellon chuckled
"Ah, thank you." Legolas murmured in surprise, accepting the drink. He set the rim to his lips and took a tentative sip. It was a white, Elven wine and he tasted hints of nectar in it, adding to its sweet flavor.
"How do you find Lothlórien? Orophin asked and Legolas lowered the goblet.
"I find the woods beautiful and enchanting." He easily replied. "Aerlaer has been kind enough to show the woods to me in all their splendor."
"Where did she manage to do that?" Orophin, he noticed, looked slightly displeased as he gazed back at him.
"I am not entirely sure. Somewhere near the river." Legolas answered, not wishing to give away the location of Aerlaer's tree. His answer seemed to only cause Orophin's gaze to darken and then, it was gone and he was smirking.
"Well, I am sure you find our woods more accommodating than those Dwarven mines." He chuckled dryly but, there was a self-righteous tone to his voice.
"Well, yes. The mines are no longer accommodating even for Dwarves."
"What were they like, the mines? Are they dirty? I cannot say I have been there or, wish to go but, I am curious."
"No, I do not think they would have been dirty when Dwarves occupied them. They are quite wondrous; great pillared halls of beautiful detail. Unfortunately, they are falling to ruin." He added, feeling a pang of sadness toward Gimli, wherever the Dwarf currently was in the glade. The other elves nodded silently. He had not realized they had all paused to listen to him, their expressions confused. They did not know Dwarves, they had not had dealings with the short race.
Legolas had. Until Gimli, he despised them and, he supposed he probably would still not take kindly to others of his friend's race but, they were not evil. The had similar hopes to his own race, similar feelings. Happiness, hope, fear, greed, sadness, hate, love. He knew all too well they felt love. He shook his head, quickly dispelling memories before they could plague him.
"Legolas?" He searched out the familiar voice. Aerlaer stood before him, a curious gaze upon her face. "Are you well?" He noticed the way the twinkling lights within the trees eliminated the angles of her fine face, how they caused her eyes to sparkle. A smile twitched at his mouth.
"Yes." He murmured,
"Good, I was worried that wine had gone to your head." She grinned then, leaning in conspiringly. "It would be a great shame, I think, if the famed Prince should fall prey to a little, Lórien wine." He felt a slight nudge of her elbow at his side and smirked down at her.
"I think, it would take a lot more than half a goblet to render me inebriated." She laughed and then, deftly took his empty plate and he watched as she practically skipped away to place them on a nearby table. He wanted more of that carefree, playful conversation but before Aerlaer could return, both brothers, snatched up her hands and, laughing, dragged her out towards the dancing Elves.
Holding in a sigh, Legolas took another deep sip of his drink. He supposed he could offer to dance with Aerlaer's two elleth friends. He could probably ask any of the elleth here to dance but, it was not what he wanted. It was just a reminder of the many dances in the Greenwood, elleths coercing him into asking them to dance.
That life was behind him and, although it had crossed his mind to ask Aerlaer, he quickly dashed that thought. She looked to be having enough fun. He smiled, watching as the Hobbits suddenly joined her; Pippin dragging Frodo by the arm. Hopefully the feast would lighten their hearts as it was meant to.
Orophin had wandered off again, only to return with three more goblets; offering another to Legolas. He downed the last of his first and accepted the second gratefully. For some moments, they watched the dancers in silence.
"Will you dance?" Orophin finally asked and Legolas shook his head.
"Nay, I think I will simply observe. I should find my companions." He added, still unsure about the older ellon beside him. From within the dancers there was loud laughter and Legolas recognized the carefree, musical laughter of Aerlaer. She now danced with the Hobbits, trying to copy Merry and Pippin in a quick jig.
"It is a relief to find Aerlaer well and full of cheer." Orophin murmured. "She has been well, yes?" He turned enquiringly to Legolas.
"She seems so, yes." He replied. "I cannot say I know her well enough to know more."
"I heard tale, when she fled her homeland, she ran for a full eight days and then fought a large Orc and slayed him. It seems a bit far-fetched for an elleth to have such strength and stamina, despite the training under my eldest brother." He shrugged, gazing quizzically at Legolas. Aerlaer trained under Haldir? Had he not heard she had trained under Glorfindel? Perhaps he had been right in his assumption there was something deeper between she and the Balrog Slayer. It caused an uncomfortable feeling to settle in his stomach, like how he had felt the eve before. Again, it made no sense to him.
"No, it is true." Legolas replied, keeping his face indifferent to the other Elf's flippant comment on Aerlaer's abilities. Clearly, he had never seen the she elf hold her own during an actual fight. "It was I, riding to Imladris, who saw her as she slayed the Orc to the ground. She had certainly run eight days and was malnourished and her heart labored dangerously when I reached her. Under Lord Elrond's care she recovered quickly although, I see in her eyes, sometimes, the sadness of all she has lost." He finished quietly.
"Hmm," Orophin mused, gazing at her where she danced now with the two elleths and brothers again. "I am surprised she chose to run off for the sake of this quest." Legolas heard the displeasure in the other Elf's voice. "She is putting any continuation of her kin at stake." He shrugged, "But that is Aerlaer, I guess. The herd has made her wild and for that, she is reckless. She needs reining in, but that is not a worry for you." He assured Legolas confidently. "I go to dance with them." The older ellon said, tipping his head before heading towards the dancers.
Legolas, a bad taste in his mouth after talking with Orophin, downed the rest of his goblet and exchanged it for a refill. What a self-righteous, naïve prat of an elf. He thought disdainfully as he sought out the familiar company of Gimli and Aragorn; noticing Boromir had decided to join the hobbits in on their dancing antics.
…
Aragorn nudged Gimli and nodded in the direction he saw Legolas approaching.
"About time, dratted Elf." Gimli grumbled between a mouthful of the wine. "And where might you have been all afternoon hmm?" Gimli asked with an eyebrow raised as Legolas sat down next to him, goblet in hand.
"Watching the sunset over Lothlórien with, Aerlaer." He replied, his voice rather soft in Aragorn's opinion, as if drowned in memory. "It was very beautiful." He added with a small smile.
"I bet it was." Aragorn commented, smirking but Legolas did not seem to notice and he followed his gaze to find it had flit towards the dancers."
"Not dancing, Legolas?" Gimli piped up, asking what Aragorn had been wondering. He could see Aerlaer laughing, dancing with Haldir's youngest brother, Orophin. He glanced quickly to Legolas, catching the ever so slightly tightening of his jawline. The Elf suddenly shrugged, letting out a low, dry laugh of amusement.
"I shall need a few more of these," He held up his now finished goblet and tipped it upside down for emphasis. "before I feel like dancing this evening." Was all the elf said as he held up his now finished goblet and tipped it upside down for emphasis. Surely Legolas was not in a mood? He seemed off. Not angry or sad but certainly off.
"Another drink?" He offered the Elf the full goblet which had been resting on a table behind them.
"Please." He nodded and gratefully took the goblet from Aragorn's hand. He went back to watching the dancers, drinking the goblet swifter than Aragorn expected the Elf to. Something was certainly amiss with him.
"Legolas, are you well?"
"I am perfectly content." He answered immediately, finishing the goblet and Aragorn merely nodded, knowing his friend lied. He had a sneaking suspicion he knew what had gotten his bowstring in a tangle.