Expectations
"Reylien, do be still will you?" Inah begged.
"I am sorry, I am trying!"
"It is just your nerves. I cannot pin your hair up properly if you keep fidgeting."
"Sorry..." she said again quietly.
"I know you are nervous and it is only natural. I would be nervous too if I knew I was going to be the next Queen of Mirkwood."
Reylien turned to her friend. "You are not helping."
Inah gave her an apologetic smile. "Sorry."
The elf-maiden turned back to face the mirror and sighed. "It is a great responsibility. The expectations are indeed nerve-wracking."
"You will do just fine, Reylien. You have Queen Terulien to show you on what it takes to be a great queen. Everyone loves her and I am sure they will all love you, too."
"Thanks..." she smiled at her through the mirror.
Inah returned the smile. "It amazes me on how Legolas has changed so much these last few decades. He seems more like a prince now than he ever did." She grabbed another pin from the dresser and placed it in Reylien's hair.
"Yes, he has," she agreed. "He has slowly molded into a king."
"I am just happy that he chose you and not Varien or one of her wannabe's. This kingdom would be in ruins if she were to ever rule," Inah rolled her eyes at the thought. "I doubt she would last long as queen, anyway."
"What do you mean?"
"Varien has never lifted a finger in her life. She relies on her servants every minute of the day. If war broke out in our kingdom do you really think she would comfort our people and hold strong for us? Of course not! She would most likely run away and hide with the elven-children. A queen who would retreat and leave her people like that is no queen."
"That is true…" Reylien frowned. She adjusted her position so that she was face-to-face with Inah. "How do you think I would be as queen? Be honest."
Inah smiled and gently caressed her cheek. "I think you would make a great queen."
"I said be honest," Reylien gave her a look.
"I am!" Inah laughed. "You are not like Varien or those other elf-maidens. You have a good heart and compassion for others and I see you as a stronghold for our people. It is overwhelming now, but once you settle into your new role and become comfortable with elves looking up to you, I know that you will not disappoint them. You have an inner courage about you, Reylien. You just have to project that a little more, that is all."
"What do you think about Le'ariel?"
Inah stopped concentrating on her hair. "What do you mean? What about Le'ariel?"
"I mean...how do you see her as queen? And again, be honest," she reminded her.
Inah was surprised by the question and wasn't able to respond as quickly. She thought of the right words to describe Le'ariel. "Well...although she is a servant, if she were to become queen, I do not think any of our kin would see a problem with it. Everyone knows it has happened before, in Rivendell, I believe, and it took a while for the elves to adjust to it at first. But they eventually accepted her. In Le'ariel's case, well...most of the elves seem to know and love her already."
"Yes...she is not like most of the servants," Reylien added quietly and let her voice drift away.
"Reylien!" Inah snapped her out of whatever thoughts she was thinking. The elf-maiden blinked as if her friend gave her a wakeup call. "Legolas is not marrying Le'ariel, he is marrying you! And from what I can tell, he has not changed his mind or else if he did, he would be barging down your door right now telling you he cannot go through with the wedding."
Then, a knock came.
The two elf-maidens quickly turned their heads to the door then back at each other. Reylien's heart skipped a beat and continued at a mile a minute. Inah told her to relax and walked over to the door to see who it was. She opened it just enough so she could see the elf on the other side. Reylien tried to get a glimpse but Inah blocked her view. Inah finally faced her and sighed with relief. "It is only Captain Keldir."
Reylien let out the breath she didn't know she was holding in. "He can come in."
Keldir stepped into the room and bowed his head. "Good day, ladies."
"Hello, Keldir, thank you for coming," smiled Reylien.
"Of course, milady. What is it that I can do for you?"
The elf-maiden smiled again. "I was wondering if you could deliver a message to Legolas for me? I have not seen nor spoken to him in days and greatly miss him."
The captain grinned. "Yes, I will deliver your message. You will be able to spend more time together after your wedding, I am sure." Reylien smiled once more and told him what she wanted him to tell the elf-prince. He bowed his head and walked back to the door. "I will let you finish getting ready."
"We will see you shortly."
"Good day, Keldir," Inah also smiled at the captain.
He took her hand and politely kissed it. "Good day, Lady Inah."
"What was that about?" Reylien gently pinched Inah on the arm who only giggled at her when Keldir was out of sight.
"Nothing," she smirked. "Keldir and I had dinner once that is it!"
"Mm-hmm..." Reylien raised an eyebrow. Inah rolled her eyes with a smile and went back to pinning her hair in a partial up-do. Reylien decided to interrogate her friend later so she could finish doing her hair. They both remained in silence with different thoughts on their minds.
After Inah was finished with Reylien's hair, she would then put on the dress that Marien, the seamstress, worked on day and night to look perfect on her. She remembered the day that Legolas took her to see Marien and how disappointed she looked that it was not Le'ariel who she was making the dress for. Marien hid it well from Legolas, but Reylien saw the look in her eyes. Still, she was kind and polite, which Reylien appreciated.
For a long time Reylien felt like she wasn't good enough for Legolas and kept getting the feeling that the elves were disappointed that he was with another elf-maiden, let alone marrying her. Even she thought that Le'ariel would be the one.
The whole kingdom knew of the prince's relationship with the chambermaid and as Inah pointed out, many adored her. And because of this, Reylien felt like she had Le'ariel's 'big shoes' to fill that she never told Legolas or anyone about. The elves did eventually warm up to her the more they saw her out with him. In the end, Reylien believed that their kingdom only wanted their elf-prince to be happy. And so did she.
It was still hard for her to fathom that Legolas even considered taking an interest in her. She thought she was in a dream whenever he showed up on her doorstep—a dream she didn't want to wake up from. Reylien thought she would turn into another elf-maiden in Legolas's bed, no different from the rest, that night she agreed to enter his chambers. But, there was also the Spring Festival that he escorted her to, which he seemed to have enjoyed. Maybe she was different from the rest just like Le'ariel?
In her mind, Reylien accepted she could never really compare or compete with the chambermaid. Le'ariel was a hard worker, a strong individual, very opinionated, and got along with almost anyone she encountered. The one thing Reylien admired most about Le'ariel was that she always seemed so sure and confident in herself. She, on the other hand, was always seen as the shy, timid, and soft spoken elf-maiden. What kind of characteristics are those for a queen?
Reylien's biggest concern was what Inah predicted for Varien—running away with the elven-children during battle. What if she really couldn't cut it as queen? The king held the greatest responsibility in their kingdom, but the queen also had her duties to fulfill. Queen Terulien had many guests from distant realms in their kingdom and conversed with them about various subjects, from politics to the types of flowers she grew in her garden.
The queen was also very intelligent and articulate when she spoke with the nobles. Reylien joined her company once for tea but couldn't keep up with the different subject matters. It was overwhelming just sitting there, and she didn't contribute much to the conversation. In order to do the kingdom proud, she would need to really come out of her shell.
Meeting Le'ariel again was also somewhat strange. They ran into each other at the stables, the least likely place the two female elves thought they would collide. Reylien was there for riding lessons that her father advised her to take while Le'ariel was there accompanying Adamar who wanted to pet the horses. They said their hellos as Le'ariel explained to her that Adamar was Adanion's son. She also made it very clear that she was not the mother of the elf-child.
"Thank you for the invitation. I wish you both much happiness," Le'ariel genuinely smiled.
Reylien saw the hint of disappointment in her eyes although her features were sincere and warm. "Thank you. I know given the circumstances...it is a bit strange and ironic...but, I still do consider you as a friend and hope that there are no ill feelings between us."
"Of course not," Le'ariel assured her with another smile. "Legolas deserves to be happy and I could not imagine a better elf-maiden for him. You have my blessing."
"Thank you, Le'ariel. That truly means a great deal to me."
They exchanged a few stories, Reylien careful about not mentioning Legolas's name directly in anything she said. She didn't want to thicken the air any more than it already was. She was also just as curious as any elf that wanted to ask Le'ariel why she left Mirkwood, but thought it might be inappropriate since it was between her and Legolas.
She asked Legolas once but he danced around the answer, maybe because he didn't really know the answer himself? He never talked about Le'ariel much around her. Reylien figured the elf-prince did that so she wouldn't feel uncomfortable about him talking about another female…especially her.
Reylien also understood that Legolas only asked her to marry him out of obligation. His father constantly nagged him about marriage, and what perfect timing it was on her part. The elf-prince could satisfy his parent's wishes while trying to get over his first love. It was almost like killing two birds with one stone and who wouldn't take that kind of opportunity?
But, of course, Legolas wasn't a cold-hearted elf to merely use her like that. Reylien knew deep down inside he cared for her and didn't want to hurt her. Whatever his real reason is for marrying her—if not out of obligation—it no longer mattered. The only thing that mattered now was that in a couple of hours they would be joined for eternity and that he would love her and only her. If they could mold Legolas into a king, Reylien was sure they could mold her into a queen.
I I I
The palace seemed more hectic than it had been for the past couple of weeks. Servants and wedding preparers whizzed past Legolas left and right. All he wanted to do was get back to his chambers and drown out everything around him before the ceremony began.
Legolas's parents talked with him outside in the garden about how proud and excited they were for this next journey in his life. Even his father apologized for being too overbearing at times, which Legolas told him he didn't need to apologize for. He understood the importance of this day and what it meant to their kingdom.
The king and queen left him alone to soak in the transformed environment around him. A long square platform was placed over the grass with chairs and red carpeting leading up to an elevated altar. The altar was where their vows would take place. Because it was also in the garden, not a lot of flowers were required for decoration as they already surrounded most of the area.
Legolas's formal attire waited for him when he finally arrived in his room. The garment hung in front of his full-length mirror as if he wasn't going to see it if it was placed anywhere else. It was a grayish, light-blue tunic with a hint of silver in its weaving. His royal crown, which was diamond incrusted and made of pure silver, also sat on his desk in its box. Legolas only wore it for special occasions. Normally, his crown was kept in the vault they had deep in their underground caverns where the rest of their kingdom's valuables were stored. One of the treasury servants, he assumed, brought it to his chambers.
The prince unlocked the box and stared at it for a moment. He finally picked up his crown, examining its intricate design. A lot of hard work went into creating it just for him by their kin's best blacksmith. Each crown presented to a royal member of the Greenleaf Family was designed especially for its wearer. No two crowns were alike. Once he was crowned king, a new crown would be made for him. His father, King Thranduil, would keep his until he sailed the Sea. It would then be kept locked in the vault along with the other crowns from previous rulers.
He looked to the heavens again from outside his window. The weather outside was the opposite of what he currently felt deep inside. It was warm and sunny—a perfect day for a wedding. Before the elf-prince came back inside the palace, he looked up at the cloudless sky and pictured it turning dark and harsh, thundering across their lands. But, it was merely his imagination. His heart felt burdened as he brought himself back to reality.
The elf-prince also hadn't seen Le'ariel since the gazebo incident. But, he figured it was best they avoided each other until the wedding, anyway. He didn't want any more confusing thoughts running through his mind with seeing her. It was hard enough not thinking about her. Reylien was nowhere in sight as well since she was busy getting ready herself.
And, as tradition would have it, the prince wasn't allowed to see his elf-maiden until the ceremony, to which Legolas had no qualms with. He didn't want to give Reylien anything to worry about today and seeing the way he was carrying himself might cause her concern.
The happiest day in any elf's life should be today, yet it wasn't for the Prince of Mirkwood. He would go through the motions of what a model elf-prince would do and say, but it would all be scripted, not genuine and real. However, it was too early to determine if that would really be the outcome. Legolas only hoped he wouldn't have to act very much and that his happiness with Reylien would come out naturally.
And on top of everything else, Legolas felt like a jerk. Reylien had no inkling of the things that were going through his mind about her, Le'ariel, and his life. He kept the things that concerned him a secret from her. But, he felt like he had to.
The elf-maiden had been so sheltered for most of her life that he would rather not over-expose her to so many different things so quickly. He knew becoming queen was a big enough concern for her with its overwhelming responsibilities and wanted Reylien to concentrate on overcoming her anxieties first. And that, would also take a while.
The elf-prince needed to be his strongest today. There were many things holding him back, but he knew he must keep moving forward. Legolas reached for his formal tunic when a light knock comes to the door. "Come in."
"How are you, dear?"
Legolas nodded his head. "Fine, mother."
Queen Terulien felt the fabric of his tunic, admiring the material. "They did a very exquisite job."
"As they always do..." Legolas said his dull response. He was over by the window staring outside again, braiding his blonde tresses the way he normally wore them.
His mother sighed at him. "I know you are not happy, Legolas."
"What gives you that idea?" he replied without turning his attention away from the busy market place.
"You have not been yourself since the day Le'ariel arrived."
"Can you really blame me, mother?" he finally looked at her. "I was not the one who invited her here."
"I know, my son. But, I thought seeing her again would benefit you."
"Benefit me?" he scoffed. "How, mother? Seeing her again only makes this situation that much harder for me!"
"And that is why I invited her. This is your test, Legolas. To see if you can truly follow your heart while trying to do the right thing at the same time."
Legolas let out a frustrating sigh and rolled his eyes at the predicament. He sat himself on his bed and looked up at the ceiling. "I know what I want. I just...I do not know if I can do the right thing. I do not even know what the right thing is." He stood again and paced his room.
"What do you want, Legolas?" his mother asked softly.
"I just want everyone to be happy."
"My dear, boy, you know as well as I that pleasing everyone is not easily attainable."
"I know." The prince slouched on his bed. He placed his hands over his face and groaned, "I just want...her…like I always have." His voice was muffled in his hands but the queen understood him perfectly.
"I am sorry you have to go through this, Legolas. But, whatever you decide your father and I will support you."
He lifted his head and gave the queen a skeptical look. "What?"
Terulien gave him a comforting smile. "As we told you many times, we only want you to be happy."
"Today is the day of my wedding," he reminded her.
"Yes, and we have many guests here waiting to see you get married. However, that does not change the fact that whatever happens here today still belongs to you. We are merely spectators."
"I cannot disappoint all those elves..." Legolas frowned, picturing the shock on everyone's face if he didn't appear at his own wedding...especially a broken-hearted Reylien.
He felt his mother place a hand on his shoulder as he was still lost his own reverie. "I love you, Legolas, as you are my only son. I have been proud of you since the day you were old enough to shoot your first arrow. Although you get yourself into trouble from time to time with your…" she paused to find the right words, "…antics, not once have you disappointed me." Queen Terulien stood in front of him and gave him a kiss on the head. "Whatever happens today, I will still be proud of you."
Legolas soaked in his mother's words with a heavy heart as she quietly left his room. His mother's words were sincere and he appreciated her love and support, but he still had a dilemma to face that no one could fix for him. He was still lost in thought when he heard a second knock on his door.
"Enter."
"Did you find your wardrobe?"
Legolas rolled his eyes. "Yes, how could I have missed it?"
Keldir smiled and sat next to him. "Today is the day, my friend. I do not think I need to ask how you are feeling since you wear it so well on your face."
"All the more reason why Reylien should not see me until the ceremony," he replied sarcastically.
The captain nodded. "I ran into your mother as I was coming here."
"Yes, she had a talk with me. Are you here to do the same?" Legolas raised a weary eyebrow.
"No, of course not," he smirked. "I was sent by no one save myself. I just came to see how you were fairing." Keldir slapped him on the knee.
"I thought you were not going to ask?"
"And I will not. I came to see and now I am seeing…see?" the captain grinned.
"Not much to see is there?" Legolas let out a soft chuckle.
"No, not really." Keldir playfully elbowed him. "Look, Legolas, all joking aside…Reylien did send me to check on you."
Legolas looked surprised and bewildered. "She did?"
"Yes. She wanted to see how you were doing with wedding. She misses you."
"I miss her as well," Legolas replied quietly.
"She wanted me to apologize to you for her for not being able to spend more time with you as your wedding has kept her tied up. And, that she cannot wait to hold you again." Keldir paused for a moment to see if he missed any other information he was supposed to give.
"Is that everything?" Legolas grinned at him.
Keldir chuckled. "Yes, I believe so."
"Good. For a moment there I thought you were going to give me a kiss from her also."
"Well, now that you mention it…" Keldir reached out for his face.
Legolas shoved his hands away. "That will not be necessary, thank you. I would rather receive it directly from her once we are wed."
"So…you will go on with the wedding as planned then?" Keldir asked, looking for confirmation.
The elf-prince's features turned subtle again at his friend's question. He seemed to be in a distant place. Keldir waited patiently for his response. Legolas slowly blinked and half-smiled at the captain. "I love Le'ariel but I made a promise to myself that I would make Reylien happy. I am not sure if I will ever love her as I do Le'ariel but for now...all I can do is try."
"And you have an eternity to do so, my friend." Keldir stood with Legolas following in pursuit. He placed his hands on his shoulders. "I know you have toiled with this decision but I believe it to be a wise one. You are a good elf with a good heart. I also know how hard it is to let go of the one you truly love and even though you are moving on, you will always have that special bond with Le'ariel that no one can replace."
Legolas smiled at Keldir's words. "Thank you, my friend." He placed a hand on his shoulder as well.
Keldir pat him on the back and proceeded to leave. "I should say no more. I am already giving half of my speech away that I was planning to save at your wedding. You better get a move on with your wedding attire for I will not help you dress."
"Get out of here then!" Legolas threw a sash at him that he dodged. Keldir laughed and threw it back at him, which he caught. "I will be there shortly."
"Very well. I will go tell your soon-to-be-princess that you are as excited as she is," he winked.
The prince laughed quietly to himself. "You go do that."
So, this was it. Legolas's mind was now clear. He finally made his decision. He took a deep breath, focusing all of his thoughts on Reylien, and began to dress. He would meet the captain and his wedding escorts at the bottom of the stairs.
I I I
Le'ariel kept mentally kicking herself in the head for her behavior in the gazebo. She should have handled that situation better. However, being around Legolas again made her emotions unstable. She went to the gazebo last night because something inside of her told her that Legolas would find her there. She didn't know what to expect from their encounter and didn't think it would ever really happen, but it did.
The female elf tried her best to be genuinely happy for Legolas and Reylien. It was her own fault for losing him. She had to deal with the consequences of her actions and accept the reality of their wedding today.
Like Legolas often did, she stared out the window to watch the marketplace. Because she was considered a guest and not a servant for this occasion, she was placed in one of the guest chambers in the Western Corridor. Adamar's room was right next to hers in case he needed something. He was currently in the courtyard playing with his cousin, Darion. Elenia agreed to watch the two because she felt Le'ariel needed time to herself today before the ceremony.
Adanion could tell she missed her home in Mirkwood but was too stubborn to say anything about it. He appreciated her looking after his son but a babysitter...she was not. He saw it as her excuse to stay so she didn't have to return home and face what she ran away from.
When the invitations arrived Adanion thought it was a good opportunity for Le'ariel to tie up some loose ends with Legolas. He wasn't sure how she would react to the news of Legolas's engagement so he talked to her before showing the invitation.
"Your wife said you wanted to see me?"
"Yes, Le'ariel, come have a seat." He was in the courtyard enjoying the view of the Misty Mountains.
"The mountains look beautiful today," she commented.
Adanion nodded in agreement. "On a nice, clear day like this it is a great sight to see."
Le'ariel gave him a curious look. "It is, however, I do not think that is what you wanted to talk to me about."
He grinned at her keen perception. "You are right. That is not why I asked you out here today."
"Then tell me...what is on your mind?" she said as she took a seat.
"I know we have talked about this before, but...are you sure you do not want to go back and visit Mirkwood again?"
Slouching in her seat, she sighed. "Adanion, please...not again."
"I do not think you hiding here will resolve anything you left behind. That is all."
She turned her attention to the mountains. "So...are you asking me to leave?"
Adanion placed a gentle hand on her arm. "Of course not, Le'ariel. You are welcome to stay for as long as you like. You have become like family to us."
"Then why push me to go?" she looked at him with questioning eyes.
He sighed and slowly took out the invitation from his pocket, sliding it across the table to her. She looked at it then at him. "What is this?" Adanion remained quiet so she opened it to find out for herself. Her bright features turned pale as she read the parchment. She examined it and took a deep breath. "I see...Legolas is to be married. Good for him." Le'ariel slid the invitation back to Adanion, trying to hold in her true emotions.
"Le'ariel? Are you all right?" he asked softly.
"Yes...fine..." she nodded with a half-smile.
"You do not have to pretend with me, Le'ariel. I know how much Legolas means to you. That is why I think you should attend his wedding. By being there you can decide if you can truly let him go. And who knows...maybe you can even try to win him back."
"Win him back?" she gave him a bewildered expression.
Adanion chuckled, "Love can make us do strange things, milady. Things we never dreamed we would do. We both know that. I know there are still answers you are seeking regarding my cousin's feelings for you and this is the best chance to find out if he still feels the same way. Once he is married, that hope you are looking for will forever be lost."
"Legolas is getting married, Adanion. What does that tell you? Of course he is over me," she pointed out in a matter-of-factly voice. She crossed her arms, awaiting his response.
"How can you be so sure? The king and queen have been trying to get him to marry someone for decades! This could merely be an arranged marriage."
"But, you do not know that either. What if Legolas really does love Reylien?"
"But, what if he does not? What if Reylien only presented the second best choice for him? Can you pick any other elf-maiden that Legolas would really consider spending the rest of his life with besides you?"
Le'ariel opened her mouth for a rebuttal, but she was stumped. She sat all way back into her seat and thought about it. "If Legolas had to choose another maiden...yes, he would pick Reylien," she answered, not wanting to admit the fact that it was true.
Legolas's cousin smiled for he was right. "Do you really want to spend the rest of your life wondering and contemplating on these 'what ifs'? Would it not be better to just find out for yourself and confirm these truths?"
"I suppose..." Le'ariel mumbled.
"I will not attend as I have too much work to do here and seeing how things between me and my cousin are not completely patched up yet, I should not be there. He has every right to still be upset with me. I do not want to cause his day to turn sour by my presence," he laughed solemnly.
"And you think it will not by my presence?" Le'ariel rolled her eyes.
"No, I think he will appreciate seeing you. Take Adamar with you to keep you company in case you need be around something familiar. Think of him as your source of comfort. I will ask Elenia to bring Darion as well. My son has never been outside of Rivendell and it would be a good experience for him to travel to another Elven Realm and visit his relatives."
"Very well," she sighed, finally giving in.
"It will be good for you...I promise." Adanion gave her a comforting smile and left her to be alone.
Adanion's words seemed to be worth something at the time, but now Le'ariel started to regret her decision. It was much harder on her than she imagined. Legolas marrying another elf felt like she was losing him. He would be gone, leaving her to grief, thus her own life ending from the pain. She only hoped that the love from her family and friends would keep her going long enough to be content. And, if she were lucky, even find a new love in her life.
Le'ariel's imagination always did have a way of over exaggerating itself sometimes. But could the female elf really sit there and watch them get married without bursting into tears or making a fool of herself somehow in front of everyone? The scene playing in her head ended horribly. She was not strong enough to sit around and do nothing...yet, she didn't want to ruin Legolas's chance at happiness.
If the elf-prince still wanted to be with her he would have done something about it already. But...she knew Legolas, like he said, better than Reylien did. He would go through with the wedding and keep his promise to his new elf-maiden no matter how much it hurt him to let her go. The situation didn't leave Le'ariel with much choice. She gave the marketplace one last look and went in search of her mother.
I I I
"Legolas? Are you ready?" Keldir slowly opened the elf-prince's door without knocking. The captain became concerned when Legolas didn't show up at the landing. He saw him carving a small figurine at his desk.
"As ready as I will ever be, I suppose." He placed his carving knife down and stood, straightening his tunic in the process. Legolas put on his crown and gave the captain a nod. Keldir smiled and was relieved that he found Legolas in his room. He was worried that he might have decided to run away at the last minute. The run-a-way elf-prince he would be known.
"After you, Prince Legolas," Keldir extended his arm toward the door. The captain was to escort him around the front of the kingdom and enter from the side of the garden where his parents and everyone else awaited. "How are your nerves doing?" he asked as they got outside.
"Numb, actually. It has not fully hit me yet."
"What exactly? That you are actually going through with this?"
"Yes," he nodded "But, I am glad to."
Keldir gave him a pat on the back. "So, am I, my friend." Legolas smiled but then suddenly stopped in his tracks when something out of the ordinary caught his attention. Keldir saw a look of concern on his face. "What is it, Legolas?"
"Where is the carriage that was sitting there in that empty stall? It was a Rivendell carriage if I am not mistaken." Legolas remembered because it was the carriage that brought Le'ariel back to Mirkwood. Keldir appeared guilty as if he was withholding information. Legolas looked sternly at him.
"Look, Legolas, it is your wedding day and the only thing you should be concentrating on right now. It is about to beginning in a matter of minutes," he tried to reason.
But Legolas didn't budge. "Tell me, Keldir...tell me now."
The captain sighed at the sight of the missing carriage. "I was on my way to see Dalorien about the food for the reception and how they were coming along, when I bumped into Le'ariel. She looked a bit down so I asked her if her mood had to do with today. She said it did and that it was not right for her to be here so..."
"She decided to leave," Legolas finished. His eyes became distant, picturing her leaving again for Rivendell.
"She did not want to get in the way, Legolas," Keldir explained. "She thought that by being here, you might end up changing your mind. And...well, you must have known how difficult it was for her."
"Yes...I knew," he answered quietly.
"She tried, Legolas. That is all you can ask of her." Keldir placed a hand on his shoulder.
Legolas glanced beyond their palace gates and wondered how long ago she left and how far she had gotten. He slowly nodded with his jaw clenched and turned toward the garden. The captain walked a few paces behind him with a remorseful look on his face.
They had to let go of each other sooner or later.
I I I
Everyone was excited to see the Prince of Mirkwood when he finally made his appearance. He wore his happy façade and waved to the guests. His parents were also in smiles. He approached the altar where Lady Galadriel waited for him and stood to her left with the captain at his side.
She smiled at them both and signaled the musicians to begin playing. The guests stood and turned their attention to the back of the garden where Reylien was supposed to make her entrance with Inah carrying her train and her arm around her father's. Slowly, she appeared, making her way down the aisle, receiving nods and smiles.
The elf-maiden looked beautiful and Legolas couldn't help but keep the smile on his face when they made eye contact. Whatever doubts he had before, they all disappeared. He felt his heart beat faster and faster as she came closer to the altar. As they reached the foot of the altar, Lord Yulor opened her veil and gave her kiss on the cheek, extending her hand to Legolas and bowed. Legolas also returned the gesture and led his soon-to-be bride to the top of the altar to stand next to him.
The Lady Galadriel looked at the crowd with a smile before she began. "It is a grand day as the Prince of Mirkwood has accepted a bride. Long have we waited for this blessed occasion..."
Her speech continued as Legolas noticed the sun slowly disappear from the sky. He didn't think it would rain since they have had the perfect weather the last several weeks. He looked at Reylien who shyly smiled at him, not noticing the changing weather. The elf-prince hoped that the ceremony would finish with everyone still dry.
It was only a matter of minutes until he and Reylien would officially be husband and wife. He would be crowned the new King of Mirkwood in a separate commencement held in his honor with Reylien introduced as his queen once his parents sailed the Sea back to Valinor. Everything finally seemed to fall into place and he was able to keep his promise after all. The promise which at first he wasn't sure he was able to keep.
Normally the crowd would be asked to speak up if there was just cause as to why they should not be married, but because this was a royal wedding, it didn't apply. Galadriel tied a golden rope around their joined hands signifying their eternal bond. "By the grace of the Valar and the wisdom of Eru, I now give you—"
"Wait!"
Gasps were heard in the audience. The king stood in a panic. Queen Terulien placed a hand on his arm to get him to sit back down. "Stay calm," she whispered.
"What is the meaning of this?" Lord Yulor stood, asking in confusion.
"Reylien..." Legolas looked at her, confused as well. He was taken aback by her sudden outburst.
The elf-maiden still had her head bent toward the ground, feeling ashamed. "I am sorry, Legolas..." she finally lifted her head with tears trickling down her cheeks, "I do not think I can do this after all."
Her words felt like a punch to the stomach. Legolas could feel small drops of rain hit his nose. "But, why? I thought is what you wanted?"
"It was, Legolas, it was! And I was so happy that you wanted me. You could have chosen any other elf-maiden, yet, I was the one who you gave your affections to. You have already treated me like a queen and I could not have asked for anything more. But...I do not think I am fit for such a great responsibility. I know in time I can gain these skills but what if I cower and fall apart when I am needed the most by our people? I do not think I am strong enough...and I do not want to disappoint anyone."
He saw how distraught she was by the idea from the look in her eyes. More droplets of rain started falling from the sky. The sun had now completely vanished and was replaced with dark, brooding clouds. Everyone remained where they were, using anything they could find to shield themselves from the foul weather.
"I would have loved you just as much..." Legolas said quietly.
She smiled at Legolas's sincere attempt and stepped closer to him. "I know you would have, my prince. And I would have returned it tenfold. But, I know there is that one percent of your heart that I can never have that will always belong to her no matter how hard you try to give it to me." Reylien caressed his cheek as he remained silent and dismayed. Everyone also stayed quiet to listen to what else might be revealed. "I saw you that night...out by the gazebo with Le'ariel."
"What?" Legolas breathed. He had no clue she was out that night.
"I could not sleep as my nerves kept me up so I decided to take a walk where I thought no elf would be at that hour. But, I guess I was wrong. I hid in the bushes so you would not see me and left after Le'ariel ran off. I know it was wrong of me to eavesdrop and I swear to you that I was not spying! But...I had to know what you still meant to each other."
"I am sorry, Reylien...I did not know."
"No, do not apologize. I know you were trying to love me and that was all I could really ever ask from you," she half-smiled. "You have had many elf-maidens in your lifetime but only one true love. And...you and I both know she still loves you with all of her heart. She may have hurt you in a way that I would never have, but it is only because I am not confident enough to stand up for myself and for what I believe in like she does. I actually commend her for that."
Reylien wiped a strand of hair that was stuck to her forehead from the pouring rain and took his hand. The entire garden and its occupants were soaking wet but still, no one dared to move a muscle. "She is your match, Legolas...in every way possible. Le'ariel is meant to be your queen...not me."
Legolas frowned. "She has already left for Rivendell."
Reylien cupped his chin so that their eyes could meet. "Then go after her," she smiled. "All the way to Rivendell if you have to."
The elf-prince looked around the garden. His mother's eyes were warm, giving him a slight nod of approval. His father's features were stern but agreed nonetheless with his mother and nodded as well. The smiling faces of the elves that came to witness him get married to Reylien even seemed to encourage him to go after Le'ariel.
He looked at Keldir who began to softly laugh. "Well, then? What are you waiting for?" he said. "Go after her!"
Legolas let out a small laugh and took Reylien's hands into his and gave her a firm kiss on the cheek, which made her laugh in return. "You are truly beautiful, Reylien. Any elf that has the privilege of getting to know you as I have should feel like a king because you are like a queen. But, I do have to follow my heart. Although she is a servant, love does not care for such labels or even race as it treats us all as equals when we get tangled in its web. I even called her an Orc," he laughed again.
"You what?" Reylien exclaimed. She missed the part when Legolas told the chambermaid that he didn't care if she were an Orc.
He laughed once more. "Long story...I just hope she will forgive me this time for letting her go."
"Well, you will not know unless you find out."
The prince gave the elf-maiden one last kiss on the cheek and sprinted from the altar down to the walkway, zipping past everyone.
"Legolas!" Galadriel called out before he got too far.
Stopping in his tracks, he looked to her. They exchanged silent words and off he went again. The Lady of the Wood was known to be able to enter one's thoughts and speak of things that could affect your life or the lives of others through a single act.
The guests started to disburse, leaving to find a dryer place when Legolas was out of sight. Reylien slowly made her way down the altar to avoid tripping with Inah still behind her helping her hold her train and dress up so she could see where she was going.
She made her way over to her father. Lord Yulor looked very disappointed. "You did not have to do that, Reylien. Legolas would have eventually forgotten her if you only would have given it time."
The elf-maiden furrowed her eyebrows. "And what about mother? Have you forgotten about her over time? Knowing she was your one true love before she died, could you have accepted another to take her place?"
Lord Yulor clenched his jaw. He looks away briefly and slightly shook his head. "No," he hesitantly admitted. "I loved your mother before she died and thereafter. I could not picture replacing her with another."
Reylien's mother died when they first moved to Northern Mirkwood from the constant attacks of the Orcs when King Thranduil was still building his Underground Kingdom. It was a great tragedy for her father when he lost her mother. He was able to survive the grief by focusing on his daughter and shaping her into the type of elf-maiden she was today.
She took his clenched fist and intertwined their fingers together. "You see, father? Just because someone has long passed or distant from us, it does not always mean that our love for them diminishes."
He thought upon her words and squeezed her hand in return. "The prince was right. You will make any elf feel like a king once they get to know you."
She smiled and hugged her father. "My own elf-prince is out there, I know he is. This one's heart just already belongs to someone else."
Lord Yulor took his daughter's hand and led her inside with the remaining crowd. Inah previously left them to give them their father-daughter moment while Keldir kept her company in the rain. He used his cloak to try to keep them dry as they followed behind.
I I I
Legolas raced through the forest on his horse, urging him to go faster. His horse tried to obey its Master, however, the wet forest made it difficult to go at full speed. Legolas's elven eyes scanned the forest road with his visibility still clear in the rain hoping that he could get a glimpse of the carriage carrying Le'ariel. He didn't know how far she got but he would ride as far as he could to find her.
His heart raced in his chest just as fast as his horse's hooves hit the soft ground. The elf-prince was anxious, excited, and nervous all at the same time. He tried to think of what to say to her but he couldn't concentrate on the right words because he was frantically searching the forest. Legolas told himself that he was not going back to Mirkwood without her.
The plan he had in his mind was to convince Le'ariel that all was forgiven and if he had to, he would make amends with his cousin just to please her. The plan sounded good enough, the details he would work out later.
Suddenly, his horse began to slow down. He kept trying to make him go faster but he wouldn't obey. Legolas put him to halt to see what the matter was. "What is wrong, my friend?" he pet his horse. "Do you not want me to go after Le'ariel?" His horse jerked its head up and down and started stomping one if its hind legs. Legolas walked around the steed and lifted it to see that its shoe was loose. He checked the other three and only found the one causing him discomfort. Legolas sighed. "Well, of course you cannot travel in this condition," he patted him again. The elf-prince put him into a light trot back to the palace.
Legolas needed to get the horseshoe fixed before he could continue to go after Le'ariel. Once he was back in Mirkwood, he planned to gather a few belongings for the three day journey in case he had to stay in Imladris longer than expected.
Taking the horse back to the stables, he told Galthan about the broken shoe and advised it was top priority. The stable master was surprised to see the elf-prince without Le'ariel from what he heard about the wedding, but kept his comments to himself. Galthan figures he came back because of the shoe.
As instructed by Lady Galadriel—before he stormed off from his wedding—the prince headed to the courtyard to enter through there to their underground fortress. Galadriel told him when he returned, there would still be many elves around asking questions.
If he didn't want them prying so soon, it was best to enter from the courtyard where he could avoid them. But he wasn't completely sure if her vision was meant for this return or the return when he had Le'ariel with him. Whichever return she meant, Legolas didn't want to risk it. He was anxious to put on a pair of dry clothes and continue his journey.
Legolas wasn't paying attention and accidentally bumped into someone. "Excuse me," he said. He picked up what appeared to be bed sheets. "My apologies."
"That is the second time I have dropped what I was carrying because you were not paying attention, Prince Legolas."
The voice quickly registered in his ears as he looked up to see the elf smirking at him. "L...Le'ariel?"
She gave him a half-smile and took the bedsheets from him. "Yes, that is my name."
He followed her back outside in the rain as she headed to the well. "I thought...I heard you left this afternoon?"
"I did," she briefly looked at him. She placed the sheets in a bucket that she would wash after it stopped raining and ran back inside with Legolas.
"I do not understand? If you left then how am I walking and talking to you this very moment?"
The female elf stopped for a moment to face him. "Well, actually...I tried to leave but could not."
"And why could you not leave?" he asked curiously. Le'ariel began to walk again without saying anything. "Why will you not tell me?"
She glanced at him and sighed. He stared intently at her as he waited for her reply. "I tried to leave but before the carriage could even make it past the gates, one of the wheels broke again. They took the carriage to the blacksmith's station to be looked at and repaired with something stronger to hold it together," she explained.
It now made sense why the carriage wasn't in the stall when he walked passed it earlier. "So...you attended the wedding after all?"
"I was debating on whether or not to, but then Velhar came looking for me in a panic."
"Velhar? What is the matter with him?"
"Sirawen."
"What about Sirawen?"
"She went into labor and they could not find the mid-wife. We later found out she snuck to your wedding," she said with irritation in her voice. "I could not call on my mother since she was busy with giving orders and preparing for your reception so I ended up helping Sirawen and Velhar myself with their newborn son. I just replaced her sheets so she is more comfortable on fresh ones."
"I see. Well, that is fantastic!" he smiled. "How is the elf-babe?"
"He is well. Would you like to see him?"
Legolas hesitated "Do you think that would be all right?"
"Of course it would. I am sure they would be happy to see you." Le'ariel took him to Sirawen and Velhar's quarters and knocked gently on the door. Velhar opened it and was surprised to see her with Legolas. "It is all right if he sees the baby?"
"Of course...of course...come in, please." Once inside, Velhar opened the bedroom door slowly. "Sirawen? We have some visitors."
"Let them in!" they heard her say. She carried her bundle of joy in her arms watching him sleep. "Beautiful is he not?" she said to them without taking her attention off the elf-babe.
"Yes, he is," replied Legolas.
Sirawen looked up, also surprised to see the elf-prince. "Prince Legolas?"
"I hope you do not mind that I am here."
"No, not at all," she smiled.
"What is your new son's name?" he asked them.
Sirawen smiled at Velhar for him to answer the question. "Voltier...after my father." Velhar gave a proud smile.
"That is a good, strong name," Legolas smiled with a nod.
"Would you like to hold him, Prince Legolas?" Sirawen asked. Legolas looked nervously at her. "He will not bite," she teased. "I trust him in your care. And he is asleep so he should not be that difficult to handle." Legolas slowly walked to the edge of the bed, noticing that Le'ariel was smirking at him. "Just make sure you support his head."
"I will." He gently picked up the elf-babe and cradled him in his arms. Voltier squirmed in his sleep, making Legolas even more nervous about dropping him. But the infant only adjusted himself in a more comfortable position. Legolas smiled at him when he finally settled. "He is quite a sight..."
"If you ever need to practice for your own someday, we can lend you Voltier from time to time," Velhar chuckled.
Legolas laughed along and glanced at Le'ariel whose features become blank. "Maybe I will take you up on that offer," he replied as Voltier finally started to fuss in his arms.
"He must be waking up." Sirawen reached out out for her baby.
"Thank you for letting me hold him."
"You are welcome."
"Please, Prince Legolas," Velhar placed a hand on his shoulder. "Do not feel like a stranger here. You can visit whenever you want to see the baby." Sirawen agreed with a smile.
"Thank you both."
"The same goes for you, Le'ariel," Sirawen told her.
She smiled at her friend. "Thank you, but...I will be departing as soon as the carriage is fixed."
"Can you not stay for a few more days?" Sirawen looked disappointed. Her baby began to quietly sob in her arms.
"He must be hungry," Velhar said.
Le'ariel walked over to her and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Attend to your newborn. We can talk later. I promise I will not leave without saying goodbye first."
"Promise you will consider staying a bit longer," Sirawen begged.
"I promise..." She and Legolas said their goodbyes and headed to the main corridor of the palace.
Legolas stopped her in the middle of the hallway. "Le'ariel...do not go."
She frowned at him. "I must Legolas. I cannot stay here."
"But why?" He sounded whiny.
"You know why, Legolas," Le'ariel replied quietly. "You are married now." When she finally looked at him directly, she saw a smirk on his lips.
"No...I am not married."
"What do you mean you are not married? I saw the guests eating in the Great Hall." But it finally dawned on her that she didn't see him or Reylien at the reception celebrating with the rest of the attendees. The reception was held in the Great Hall so the guests didn't need to worry about the foul weather. "Is this some kind of joke? Because if it is— it is not funny, Legolas."
Le'ariel was about to walk away until he grabbed her by the arms and kisses her forcefully on the lips. He felt her squirming away from his grasp but after a while she finally gave in to his ministrations and returned his kisses. When it seemed safe enough, he let go of her arms and places his hands around her waist.
She let him draw her in closer to his body and found her hands tangled in his hair, drawing him closer to her as well. "Wait! Wait..." Le'ariel finally broke her lips free from his. Both were panting hard. "What do you mean you are not married?"
Legolas smiled again. "Believe it or not, Reylien actually broke it off at the very last second."
"What?" Le'ariel couldn't believe her ears. She hadn't heard anything about his wedding since she was with Sirawen for most of the day in the servant quarters. The mid-wife who came back from the ceremony felt awful about not being there to help deliver Voltier. If she wasn't so busy apologizing to Sirawen, she probably would have told them about what took place.
The prince explained to her the events that happened and how Lady Galadriel most likely already knew the outcome of the wedding. Why else would she tell him to take the courtyard entrance if she knew Le'ariel wasn't going to be there for him to run into knowing he was looking for her? "So...you would have gone all the way to Rivendell for me?" she asked.
"Yes. I would not have come back here without you. If Rivendell is where you want to be then I will stay there with you. I will even forgive and apologize to my cousin if that will make you happy. I already made the mistake of letting you go once and that will not happen again. I am even willing to give up my crown for you if only your heart remained mine. That is how much I love you."
"Legolas, you will do no such thing! Your people here need you. Your imagination has run away again with you," Le'ariel rolled her eyes.
He cupped her cheek. "Do not go, Le'ariel, please. I understand now why you left and I am not angry with you for doing so. I was selfish for not understanding the concerns you had with our relationship and I am willing to do better...to try harder. To give you everything you have ever wanted of me."
"Oh, Legolas..." she sighed and drew his face closer to hers. Le'ariel shook her head at him with a small smile. "I really do not know why you are apologizing to me. If there is anyone to blame for where we stand at this moment it is me. If I was just honest with you from the beginning, none of this would have ever happened."
"You do not know that. Even if you told me about Adanion's letters I probably would have still reacted the same way, and that argument would still have ensued one way or another. You forget how stubborn we both can be," he chuckled. "The important thing is that we now both realize our mistakes. The years have been difficult for me, but it was a lesson well learned. I learned to not let go of the things I love and cherish most in my life. To fight for what I believe in and hold tightly onto it. I still love you, Le'ariel…more now than ever. And I know you still feel the same way about me. Can you honestly say you do not?"
Le'ariel tried to hold back the tears that threatened to trickle down her cheeks. One escaped that Legolas caught and wipes away. She took a deep breath to gather herself. "I already told you, Legolas...my heart has never left you."
He picked her up from the ground into an embrace and kissed her again. He could feel her tears on his own face, which he knew are now tears of joy. Legolas placed her down as she wiped the rest of them away. "So, does this mean you will stay?"
Le'ariel started laughing, "Yes, I suppose so..."
The elf-prince picked her up again and swung her around in circles laughing with her. He finally put her down again and grabbed her hands. "You do know that today is my wedding but unfortunately...I do not have a bride."
"What are you trying to say?" she eyed him. He bent down on one knee. "Legolas..."
"Le'ariel Goldenfig...I have loved you from the first moment you yelled at me," he smirked, "From the first moment you let me show you my true self. The first moment I kissed you. The first moment I woke up next to you. The first moment...you came back to me." He stood, still staring into her eyes. "I want to make you my first and only wife. If you will still accept me as I am with all my faults, and be my wife and my queen, you would make me the happiest living being in all of Arda."
Another tear fell from her cheek. "Oh, Legolas…yes," she whispered, "A million lifetimes yes…"
I I I
In the Great Hall, a message was given to Keldir. The servant said it was urgent and that he needed to be there right away. He followed the instructions Legolas wrote down and waited in the hallway entrance to the servant quarters. He didn't know what the elf-prince had up his sleeves but was most curious to find out.
"Keldir?"
"Your Majesties," he greeted. He was surprised to see them there just as they were to see him. He saw the king also carried a note in his hand.
"What are you doing here?" Thranduil asked.
"Most likely the same as you, sire." He held up his own piece of paper.
The king looked concerned. "What is that boy up to now?"
"You will soon find out, father." Legolas appeared around the corner.
"Where is Le'ariel?" his mother asked. "Were you able to catch up to her?"
"Please, no questions until we reach our destination. Follow me, please."
The three gave each other glances. The only thing they knew was that he was leading them to the servant quarters. When they got there, Legolas opened one of the doors and asked them all to enter. Once inside, they saw Dalorien.
"Dalorien? What are you doing here?" the king asked. He was getting more confused by the minute.
"I would like to know the same thing," the head cook crossed her arms. "I received a note from Legolas telling me to come here. He said it was urgent. I do not have time to sit here and wait all day for an explanation." She turned to the elf-prince. "You may not have gotten married today, but all the food we prepared cannot go to waste."
"And I promise it will not," he smiled. "Velhar?" he called him from the other room.
He came out and smiled at everyone. "We are ready."
"Ready for what?" Keldir asked.
Velhar smiled again and asked everyone to quietly enter the next room. They were all shocked to see Sirawen sitting on the bed that was pushed against the wall with a sleeping elf-babe in her arms. The entire room was rearranged to give everyone space to stand comfortably.
"Lady Galadriel? You are here as well?" The queen looked astonished.
"Yes, I am," she smiled at the confused faces in the room. She stepped to her right revealing Le'ariel behind her.
Dalorien gasped at what she wore. "Le'ariel…" She went over to her daughter and examined the beautiful cream gown she wore and the flowers woven into her hair. "Where did you get this dress?"
"Marien, the seamstress, made it for me as a gift a long time ago. But, I had already left before she was able to finish it," she said.
"I promised her that I would keep it safe until Le'ariel returned," added Legolas. He didn't know if Le'ariel was ever going to get the chance to wear it but he didn't feel right if it were to be worn by anyone else. He kept it in a gold velvet box with a brown ribbon tied around it and kept it hidden in his room. After she said yes, he presented her with the dress which she absolutely adored.
"Can someone please explain to me what is going on here? The guests upstairs are most likely wondering where we are," King Thranduil interrupted.
"Do not worry, my king. Your guests are fine," Galadriel assured him.
"Father...mother..." Legolas looked at them both. "You wanted a wedding and I am sorry that it did not turn out quite as planned and so I am making it up to you. Le'ariel has agreed to marry me."
"I apologize if this seems a bit odd—getting married in Sirawen and Velhar's bedroom—but Sirawen as you can see just had her baby and is not fit to move around yet," Le'ariel said. "The only elves we wanted to witness our union were family and close friends, and we could not picture getting married without any of you here."
"That is very sweet of you, dear." The queen was touched and squeezed her husband's hand.
Thranduil cleared his throat. "Well then, let us have a wedding," he smiled.
Dalorien gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek and moved to the side of the room where Velhar was with Sirawen and their newborn. On the other wall were the king, queen, and Keldir. Galadriel smiled at everyone and began her ceremonial speech again. Legolas and Le'ariel received congratulatory hugs and kisses when it was over.
The formal announcement was made in the Great Hall when they returned to join the guests. They all cheered for the newlyweds and congratulated the Prince of Mirkwood on winning back the love of his life. Even Adamar was happy for her. However, he was sad that she wasn't going to back to Rivendell with them. But Le'ariel promised to visit as often as she could. The celebration went on late into the night and neither elf could be happier.
"So...Lady Greenleaf, Princess Le'ariel, Your Highness, soon-to-be Queen of Mirkwood, my beautiful wife..." Legolas smirked at her while they dance. "What is first on your agenda in your new role?"
"Lady Greenleaf...hmm...I kind of like that. The first thing on my agenda is to get to know my husband better," she smirked back. Legolas's grin turned mischievous and made her laugh out loud. She gave him a hug and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Legolas Greenleaf," she whispered in his ear.
"And I love you, Le'ariel Greenleaf..." He kissed her lovingly as they continued to sway to the music.