As the Tables Turn
"What is the matter now?"
"Nothing is the matter."
"You have been spacing out for the last half hour."
"I have not."
"Trust me...you have."
"What does it matter? I am here, am I not?"
"You might be here physically but the look in your eyes tell me you are in another place."
"And when did you get to be so observant?"
"My prince, I have always been observant. If you were as observant as I was, you would know that," Keldir smirked. As Legolas rolled his eyes, Keldir smiled even wider as he had no clever come back.
"You already know what is on my mind," Legolas gave a stern look off to the mountains.
"But, of course. So, as I said, what is the matter now?"
Legolas leaned comfortably into his horse. "Ever since I decided to better myself and take responsibility for my duties and tend to the needs of the kingdom, I sacrificed time with Le'ariel. I knew she was disappointed whenever I had things to do and could not spend time with her, and although I wish I could abandon my responsibilities for a day, I held firm onto my duties. For feared I would lose her. I cut back on those things to give her what she wanted."
"So, you only did it for her?"
"Well...no. I did it for myself, as well, for I missed seeing her and simply being in her company."
"Then why look so concerned about your decision?" Keldir asked.
The prince straightened his posture again. "The past week has been wonderful. Everything seemed to be as they once were, but ever since the day before yesterday, I felt as if the tables have turned."
"Do explain..."
"She is now the one who has no time for me."
"Feeling neglected, my prince?" Keldir pouted his lips playfully.
"It is not funny," Legolas glared back.
The captain chuckled at the scowl Legolas had. "I do apologize. But, as I have told you before, Le'ariel has her own duties to attend to. She cannot drop her responsibilities as easily as you. If she gets Minar's braids into a bad twist, one of these days she might be doomed for punishment...a lashing perhaps."
"What do you mean?"
Keldir placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Legolas, Le'ariel is a great female and worthy to be with you. But...you must also remember she is not of noble blood—but a servant who has to report to a higher authority. If she does not do her job well and does it poorly, Minar has the right to punish her however she sees fit. Just because you are the Prince of Mirkwood and her beloved, it should not give you the right to go above that authority. I understand you do not want to see her get hurt by anyone, but you must let her continue to be who she is."
Legolas let out a heavy sigh. "I only wish things were different."
"But they are not, my friend. Who she was then is what made you fall for her and who she is now should be no different. Perhaps if you allow the chambermaid to tend to what she needs to take care of, you will avoid harm towards her. You and I both know that Le'ariel is a strong individual."
The prince nodded. "Yes, I—out of all the elves—should know that."
"Then give her the space she needs as she did with you. I am sure it will all work out eventually."
After a long thought, Legolas agreed. "You are right. Not once did she complain whenever I was not around...well, not directly to me anyway. I could see it in her eyes that she was disappointed but she kept a smile for me and was always there when I truly needed her."
"And as you will be when she needs you."
"And when did you get to be so all-knowing?" The elf-prince laughed softly.
Keldir showed an all-knowing smile back. "My dear prince, there is much you do not know about me."
"Apparently so." He gave him a playful nudge.
I I I
"Sirawen, what am I going to do?"
"Le'ariel, you are complaining again."
"I cannot help it. I miss Legolas," she pouted.
"Then do something about it!" Sirawen snapped in frustration.
"I want to...but I promised my mother and myself that I would not let him be a distraction this time, and that I would hold firm onto that promise I made."
"And because you do not want to get scolded by Minar," she added.
Le'ariel rolled her eyes, "Yes, and that, too."
"What have you been doing? Avoiding him?" Sirawen asked confused.
"Well, yes…and no..."
"Meaning?"
"Of course I want to spend as much time as I can with him, yet I do not want to overdo it and forget my chores. I have appeared to be in a hurry lately and because of that. But I do not want him to think that I do not want to spend time with him. He always looks so confused whenever I leave," she frowned.
"There is really nothing I can help you with, Le'ariel. You seem to know what you want and sometimes making sacrifices we do not want to make does not so come easily. Who knows, maybe down the road you both will learn to budget your time together so that you and Legolas with feel satisfied with the time you do have?"
"Yes, perhaps…" Le'ariel then gave her a curious look, "And when did you get to be so all-knowing?"
Sirawen showed an all-knowing smile back. "My dear Le'ariel, there is much you do not know about me..."
"Apparently so." She flicked water from the bucket at her.
"Ahem..."
Both look toward the doorway. "Oh, hello...Velhar," greeted Sirawen.
"What brings you here?" asked Le'ariel.
Velhar took a sealed envelope from his pocket and handed it to the chambermaid. "This just arrived by messenger for you."
"What it is? Who is it from?"
He shrugged. "I do not know. Your mother instructed me to give it to you."
Le'ariel slowly took it from him and examined the embossed seal. "This is a seal from...Rivendell." Her two friends were now quite intrigued of what the letter could contain, most importantly, who might have sent it.
"Well, open it!" Sirawen urged.
"I am! Give me a minute." The female elf carefully opened the envelope and took out the letter. She glanced over it and gasped with her hand over her mouth.
"Who it is from? Who is it from!" Velhar was anxious to know.
"It is from...Adanion."