The First Step

"Just tell him!" she urged.

"I know, I know!" Le'ariel threw her hands in the air. She stood and started pacing around in circles. "I have thought about how to say it in my head many times, yet it still does not sound good enough out loud..."

"Well, it will not until you actually say it to him." Sirawen crossed her arms, "and practicing on me does not count." Le'ariel frowned and gave a look to tell her that she was not helping with the dilemma. "By the way, have you seen Velhar lately? He has been acting quite strange these past few days."

Le'ariel sat back down. "No, not lately. When I do, he still always seems to be in a hurry somewhere or frazzled in some way..." she shrugged, "at least he is no longer bothering me."

"Hmm...I suppose you are right..." Sirawen said blankly.

"But, anyway...back to this!" Le'ariel leaned forward to get back her attention.

Sirawen sat next to her friend. "Look, Le'ariel, you already know what you must do. I cannot hold your hand nor do this for you. The only thing I can do is be a friend to you whatever the outcome may be—good or bad," she said with care in her voice.

"Yes, I know. And a good friend you have been," Le'ariel smiled and places a hand on Sirawen's knee. "I will try to tell Legolas tonight. If I do not do it soon, I am afraid I might not get the nerve before the end of this century."

Sirawen lightly elbowed her on the side and grinned. Le'ariel let out a small laugh and sighed. "Tis settled then?"

"Yes...I suppose," Le'ariel nodded. Sirawen gave her a comforting hug then headed off to do her chores with Le'ariel proceeding to do the same.

Legolas was out in the forest doing his usual routine with Keldir and the elven-children, so Le'ariel already knew he had a busy day as he normally did these days. Hopefully, he would have time later on that night for them to talk. However, it also depended if she could catch him in time to let him know she needed to discuss something with him before he headed off on patrol.

The prince had been covering the late shift while some of the other guards were on a mission elsewhere around their borders. When Le'ariel would enter his chambers he was still either on patrol or sound asleep; during at which time she would sleep alone in her own bed.

I I I

"Mother, have you seen Legolas?"

"Sorry, dear, I have not. But, I will tell him you are looking for him if I do. I actually have not seen him in the kitchens in the last few days."

"Really...?" It was more of an open thought than a reply to her mother.

"Is it something important?" Dalorien looked up from what she was doing.

"No," she smiled as if it was nothing. "Thank you anyway, mother. I will leave you to your work. See you later!" Le'ariel gave her a kiss on the cheek.

A few minutes later, Velhar came rushing in the double doors, panting. "Was Le'ariel here, Lady Dalorien?"

She put down the knife she was using to cut various meats with and placed a hand on her hip. "Yes, why? Why are you looking for her?"

Velhar swallowed to catch his breath. "I need to umm...tell her something..."

"Is it something important?"

"Umm...no," Velhar smiled as if it was nothing.

The cook rolled her eyes at the same words and expression Le'ariel just gave her. "Well then, if I see her again, I will tell her you are looking for her."

"Would you happen to know which way she went?"

"She is off looking for Legolas. You find him and you might find her." The cook resumed her task.

"Really!" his eyes widened.

"Yes, really. Now, any more questions?"

Velhar smiled politely and bowed, "No, milady..." He could tell from the tone in her voice that she was beginning to get annoyed by his presence and thought it was best that he left. "Thank you! See you later!" he said as he rushed back out the doors.

"What on Middle-earth has gotten into those two?" Dalorien shook her head. She smiled to herself thinking it would be amusing if Sirawen popped in looking for Velhar.

"Lady...Dalorien?" she heard a hesitant voice. The cook chuckled out loud.

Sirawen gave her a strange look. "Hello, Sirawen. Are you looking for Velhar? Because if you are, he just left looking for Le'ariel who is looking for Legolas. And no, I do not know which way either one of them went."

The servant was surprised by her answer but it didn't matter. She had the information she needed. "Thank you!" She smiled, and left as quickly as she came.

Dalorien looked up to the heavens shaking her head in amusement. "Who is next?"

I I I

"Good job, Emeron!" Legolas pat him firmly on the back.

"Was that aim good, Legolas?" the little elven-boy looked up at him. The prince didn't care much for formalities so he told them they can call him by his given name. It was also a good way to get them to be more comfortable around him.

"Yes, it was, very close to the center of the target. You are learning very quickly," he congratulated. The elven-boy smiled from ear-to-ear for his accomplishment and ran to the target to take back his arrow.

Legolas walked over to Keldir. "How are things going over here?"

Keldir told the group of elven-children he was responsible for overseeing to keep practicing and walked few feet behind them with the prince so that they wouldn't get distracted or hear their conversation. "Well, aside from a bird almost turning into a moving target, we are making good progress," he said with a crooked smile.

"We were no expert ourselves when we were first learning." The prince grinned.

The captain smiled at the memories. "I believe we were the two worst students Lyolas ever had...and look at us now," he shook his head with a laugh.

"If Lyolas was still in Middle-earth, he probably would still think we were his two worst students," Legolas chuckled to himself.

"And probably tell your father, the king, that he was mad for allowing us to continue to shoot arrows let alone teach others how to do it," Keldir adds to their personal insult.

The two had a good laugh of what it was like when they were young and all the lessons they endured in order to become some of the best elven-warriors Greenwood the Great had seen. Legolas's mother always told him that a warrior must not only be strong and quick, but also as gentle and light on his feet when it came to other important lessons...such as dancing.

She taught him that those qualities were a good balance in life. And so, even ballroom dancing Legolas had to learn. Keldir thought he could get away with it since he was not the queen's son, but Legolas gave a very convincing speech to his mother on how Randir's son would also benefit from it. From then on, whatever lesson or punishment one elf took on, the other was sure to be right there next to him—willing or not.

"Legolas!"

The prince turned his head toward the voice and saw someone waving at him in the distance. He smiled and walked briskly, almost in a light jog, to meet her halfway. He was admiring her, the way she ducked and almost tripped a few times to avoid getting shot at by an arrow.

Le'ariel tried to hide her nervous state under her fraudulent smile and stayed composed, but it was hard to do with random arrows flying overhead. Luckily, they weren't shooting directly at her for this exercise. Legolas had an easier time maneuvering through the field and was able to keep a straight posture as he made his way to his beloved.

He purposely bumped into her for his embrace. Her feet lifted from the ground for a few brief seconds when they finally made contact. "Hello there," he smiled. She smiled back and quickly flinched into his chest from the flying object she thought was going to hit her. Legolas looked up and saw an arrow slowly pass them by making a wide U-shape downward before it landed in the grass. Le'ariel could feel Legolas's chest moving from the laugh he was trying to suppress, which she knew was because of her childish behavior. "Would you like to go somewhere safer?" he asked.

"Yes, please!" Le'ariel replied without hesitation.

Legolas took her by the hand and led her away from the target range where Keldir stood.

"Milady," he bowed his head.

"Good day, captain," she smiled.

"What brings you out here, love?" The prince brushed a strand of curly hair behind her shoulder with one hand still around her waist.

"I need to speak with you." Keldir was about to walk back to the elven-children to give them some privacy when Le'ariel stopped him. "No, tis alright Keldir, please stay." She turned back toward Legolas. "We do not need to speak now since you are busy. I was thinking later tonight is best for the both of us. Will you be patrolling again?"

The prince looked at Keldir then back at her. "I am but I should be able to end my shift early."

"There is not much brewing around our borders lately. I will make sure the prince is done patrolling after supper," the captain assured her with a nod.

"After supper? Why not before?" Legolas whined with a smile.

Le'ariel softly laughed and brought her beloved closer to her for a kiss. "I will see you after supper..." She smiled her farewell to both and this time walked around the targets like she should have done in the first place. The prince and the captain continued with their stories of the past as she headed back inside.

It was now or never... She thought with a worried look in her eyes.

I I I

"Do not dare do it!" She tackled him to the ground.

"She must know!" He tried squirming away from her grip. He was taller than her but much more lanky in stature and easy to pin down.

"What are you up to, Velhar? You tell me everything you know! Now!" she hissed. "Or I swear to Eru I will have you in the Houses of Healing until you decide to depart from Middle-earth!"

He gulped. "I…I..."

"You better tell me what you are plotting, Velhar...for what I will do to you will not compare to what Le'ariel will inflict upon you if she finds out you are hiding other secrets from her."

"You talk as if she is not keeping secrets herself!" he threw back at her, "and I am not plotting anything! This one she must know...I am tired of being a part of this," he said from underneath her, still trying to break his way free. He was surprised on how much stronger Sirawen was than him. Then again, he didn't have much on his bones to fight back with.

Sirawen finally released him. Velhar brushed himself off with a sour look at her and sat himself against a tree trunk. Sirawen sighed. "This is not about you or me, Velhar. This is about Le'ariel and Legolas. If they were both mere servants it would spread among the servant quarters then eventually forgotten, but Legolas is not a servant. He is the Prince of Mirkwood!" she hissed quietly again. She was concerned that others might have heard their little scuffle and decided to investigate the noise. When things seemed clear she continued. "Gossip like this for an elf with Legolas's title could echo across the lands into Rivendell and who knows...the Golden Wood! It is one thing for them to talk about Legolas, but do you really want to subject Le'ariel to that? Your friend?"

"Le'ariel's problem is that she does not listen sometimes," Velhar pointed out and crossed his arms, still brooding. Sirawen finally removed herself from him.

"Well…I am listening..." she said, as her voice softened along with the look in her eyes.

Velhar let out a long sigh, fighting with himself on what to say, and most of all, where to begin. Sirawen had a pleading look in her eyes and she was right. He didn't want to put Le'ariel though a possible nightmare with the nobles and the prince's family. She would never forgive him. He eventually decided to start in the beginning of it all.