Chapter 3

Later that night Legolas made his way to Manquárë 's room and gently tapped on the door.

"Who is it?" he heard her call out.

"It is I Legolas, May I come in?" he said.

"Come in" she said.

He entered the room to find her in her nightgown getting ready for bed.

"I'm sorry to bother you but I feel I should apologize for ignoring you most of the night at the dance"

"Oh Legolas it's ok. It's not as if we are a couple or anything" Manquárë said.

"Yeah" Legolas said.

Manquárë sensed that something was bothering Legolas from the tone of his voice.

"What's wrong Legolas, something's bothering you"

"It doesn't matter" Legolas said.

"Yes it does" Manquárë said.

"I just wish we…just wish we…"

"Just wish we what?" Manquárë asked.

"Were a couple," Legolas blurted out.

"I do too," Manquárë said softly.

Legolas' head snapped up when he heard her.

"Really?" Legolas asked.

"Yes I've liked you since we met but never believed until now that you were interested in me in that way"

"Likewise" Legolas said.

He leaned closer to her and she realized he was going to kiss her but suddenly he heard his name called and had to go so wishing her goodnight left her room. Manquárë went to bed her thoughts on Legolas. She still found it hard to believe that he wanted a relationship with her. She slept well and the next morning joined the others in final preparations for the journey. Legolas joined her and asked her if she was ready for the journey ahead.

"Yeah. I'm ready and rearing to go," she said.

The fellowship then set out and Manquárë walked alongside Legolas. She kept darting glances at him to try and read how he was feeling. The party traveled steadily and didn't stop until lunchtime. Manquárë and Legolas talked quietly as they walked. He told her that he felt that the others didn't need to know that they cared for each other.

"I agree Manquárë said.

That night when they camped Legolas suggested they go for a stroll. Manquárë let him take her hand and the two of them darted into the bush. They found a clearing and flopped down in it laughing and talking.

"Manquárë there is something I want to do which I should have done some time ago" Legolas said.

"And that is?"

"This" Legolas said, leaning forward and brushing her lips with his.

She responded eagerly to his kiss and when they came up for air smiled shyly at him.

After that they just talked and kissed until it began to get late.

"I think we should be getting back," Manquárë shyly ventured.

"Yes I think so melamin" (my love)

They scrambled to their feet and taking hands began making their way back to the camp.

When they got back the other members of the fellowship looked up.

"Where did you two elves get to?" Aragorn asked?

"We just went for a walk that's all" Legolas said.

"I think you did more than that. You like her don't you Legolas?"

"Maybe I do but so what?"

"Don't let your feelings for her get in the way of completing our task"

"I won't" Legolas said.

At the same time Manquárë felt Boromir's eyes on her and turning her head saw him checking her out. The look in his eyes wasn't a pleasant one either and she shuddered and moved closer to Legolas.

"Legolas I don't like the way Boromir is looking at me" she said just loudly enough for him only to hear.

"Relax melamin. I won't let him hurt you in any way" Legolas said.

They spent the rest of the evening talking with the other members of the fellowship and eventually settled down for the night Legolas insisting that Manquárë sleep near him. Manquárë managed to get to sleep but was woken by rustling noises. She sat up with a start when she felt a hand on her leg and saw figures creeping round the camp. Suddenly she realized she was looking at Orcs so she leant over and shook Legolas. He woke and realized the danger straight away. Both elves quietly grabbed their bows and arrows and before the Orcs knew what had hit them they were dead.

"Lle ume quell" (you did well) Legolas told her.

"As did you a'maelamin. (my beloved)

The twanging of their bows and the shouts of the Orcs had roused the rest of the fellowship and they wanted to know what had happened. Between them they quickly explained.

"Well done you two" Aragorn said.

Everyone managed to go back to sleep and the next morning the fellowship continued on its way to the mountain pass. They hadn't traveled very far when they ran into an Orc ambush and had to fight for their lives. Manquárë found herself fighting next to Boromir and in the confusion of the battle the two of them found themselves separated from the rest of the fellowship. Finally they had dispatched their opponents and were alone.

"What's a pretty elf maiden like you doing with the fellowship?"

"Legolas asked me to come" Manquárë said.

"Oh did he now?" Boromir said.

Suddenly he shot a hand out and had pinned her to a tree.

"Cut it out Boromir you're frightening me" she said bravely.

" I like you little elf. What say we spend a little time getting to know each other?"

"What do you mean?" Manquárë said.

As if to answer her he kissed her. She closed her eyes as he continued to kiss her. Suddenly an arrow whistled past her head.

"Get away from her or the next one won't miss" an angry elfin voice warned.

She opened her eyes to see Legolas standing a few meters away an arrow notched to his bowstring, which was drawn back. She realized that he had deliberately aimed to miss Boromir. Upon seeing that Boromir had let her go he lowered his bow and put the arrow back in his quiver.

Boromir turned and ran hurling insults at Legolas as he did so.

"Are you ok melamin?" Legolas asked her.

"Yes thanks to you" she said.

"I would have killed him if he hadn't let you go. I wasn't kidding" Legolas said.

"I would have killed him myself if he'd gone any further" Manquárë said.

"After I'd finished with him" Legolas said grimly.

"Anyway it doesn't matter now because he's gone," Manquárë said.

Legolas drew her close and met her lips with his.

"Let's say we just stay here for awhile," he said winking at her.

"Yeah lets," she said.

They removed their weapons and put them in a pile by a tree within easy reach then sat down and talked and kissed.

"Lle ne vanima" (You are very beautiful) Legolas told her.

Manquárë 's face relaxed into a smile and she cuddled into him.

"Amin mela lle Legolas" (I love you Legolas) she said.

Tipping her head up Legolas guided her lips to his and they shared another tender kiss. When they came up for air Legolas got to his feet and grabbing a clump of grass playfully dumped it in her hair. He was already running as she got to her feet. A fun chase ensued with her finally catching him and putting the grass in his hair. She started running again as soon as she'd put the grass in his hair. After she had been running for a while she glanced around to see that she was all alone. Suddenly there were Orcs everywhere.

Frightened she prepared to fight. As the Orcs surrounded her she dropped into a fighting stance wishing she had her weapons. However she was soon overpowered and taken before the leader of the party. He wanted to know what she was doing there but she refused to talk. He shoved his face into hers and told her that they had ways of making prisoners talk. She bravely remained silent knowing that Legolas would be looking for her. The leader gestured to the Orcs holding her and they dragged her over to a large tree, which had low branches. Manquárë knew that Legolas would be looking for her so had made up her mind to remain silent no matter what they did to her. However she did hope he would rescue her sooner rather than later.

At the same time Legolas had realized that he had become separated from her and raced back to the clearing and grabbed his weapons and hers. A sound caught his attention and it wasn't long before he realized that there were Orcs about. He hoped that he she hadn't been captured but soon came to the conclusion that this was the case. Silently Legolas moved through the woods searching. Finally he heard voices and carefully making his way though the bush finally found the source of them. His blood boiled when he saw the scene in the clearing. Manquárë was hanging by her wrists from a low branch of a tree naked, her back a mess of torn and bleeding flesh, blood running down her legs. Legolas had no doubt in his mind as to what had taken place there. He loaded his bow and began methodically killing the Orcs. Finally he had killed them all and dashing over to the tree let Manquárë down, gently placing her face down on the ground. She was unconscious so being careful not to compromise her privacy he removed his cloak and spread it over her from the waist down. He then used the water in his flask and one of the Orcs shirts to gently clean her wounds. She groaned as he tended to her and he spoke gentle words of comfort to let her know that it was ok. Once he had cleaned her wounds he got some more Orc shirts and used them to bind her wounds. Then he wrapped his cloak around her and lifting her in his arms carried her back to the fellowship.

"Legolas, where have you been? We've been getting worried about you?"

"No time for questions. Manquárë is hurt", "Badly" he added when they didn't move.

"Right Gimli, do you know what athelas looks like?" Aragorn asked

"Aye I do" Gimli said.

"Can you go and find some? And hurry!" he said.

Gimli left on his task and Aragorn came over to Legolas.

"Lets have a look at her wounds," he said.

Legolas placed Manquárë down on the ground on a blanket provided by Aragorn and carefully uncovered her back. Aragorn whistled.

"Nasty! What happened to her?"

"Orcs" Legolas said.

"What? I didn't know that there were Orcs about"

"There were but not anymore. I killed them all. No one does that to the one I care about and gets away with it" Legolas spat, his anger at what had happened returning.

Gimli returned carrying a handful of athelas and Aragorn silently prepared a healing paste then dabbed it on Manquárë's back. She groaned when he touched her wounds, as the flesh on her back was raw meaning that it stung horrendously when touched. Finally Aragorn rebandaged her wounds using fresh hastily made bandages. By this time she was fully conscious. The pain from her back caused her to break into sobs.

"Oh melamin it's ok, you're safe now. I killed those who did this to you" Legolas said taking her hand.

Manquárë sat up pulling Legolas' cloak around her to hide her nakedness.

"Where's my gown?" she asked uncertainly.

Legolas quickly explained the situation to her.

"In my bag there is a change of clothes. Could you bring it to me melamin?" Manquárë asked him.

Legolas nodded and going over to her things got her bag and bought it over.

"Um, I need some privacy here melamin" Manquárë said.

"All right everyone, go for a walk or something," Legolas said.

Everyone got to their feet and headed off into the bush chatting quietly leaving Manquárë and Legolas alone.

"Could you go for a walk too please melamin?" Manquárë asked Legolas.

"I'm not keen on leaving you alone" Legolas replied.

"Damn it Legolas you're a male and I'm a female. Do I have to spell it out to you?" Manquárë snapped at him, her tolerance down due to the pain in her back.

"Ok I'll go over there and turn my back" Legolas conceded, pointing to a grove of trees on one side of the clearing. Manquárë waited until he had done as he said before scrambling to her feet and quickly getting into her spare clothes, being careful of her back as she did so.

"Ok a'maelamin you can come back now" she called out to him once she was dressed.

However Legolas had disappeared into the bush. Suddenly he re-appeared, pushing Boromir in front of him an arrow at his back.

"I caught him spying on you melamin," Legolas said.

"And what did you see" Manquárë inquired in a dangerous tone.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing, your boyfriend here was too damn quick for me. Curse him" Boromir spat.

Legolas put the arrow back in his quiver then quick as lightning smashed Boromir in the small of his back with his bow.

"Lasta lalaithamin (Listen to my laughter), as if I would let you look at her. I heard you as soon as you came back you filthy maggot" Legolas snarled at Boromir

"And what are you going to do about it pretty boy?" Boromir sneered.

He got his answer very quickly as Legolas whipped one of his knives out and flipping it around threw it at him. However Boromir ducked and the knife thudded into a tree trunk

"Amin feuya ten' lle"(You disgust me) Legolas spat, dropping into a fighting stance.

"Antolle ulua sulrim" (Much wind pours from your mouth) Boromir said quietly.

"Come here and say that you nadorhuan," (cowardly dog) Legolas said circling Boromir.

"With pleasure scumbag" Boromir said rushing Legolas.

Manquárë watched as Boromir slammed Legolas into a tree. Legolas let out a low growl, as Boromir flung himself on top of him and began punching him. Finally the rest of the fellowship returned. Aragorn and Gandalf quickly separated Legolas and Boromir. Legolas had gotten the upper hand and was beating Boromir up.

"Just what the devil was going on here?" Aragorn asked angrily.

Legolas quietly explained the situation and Aragorn turned to Boromir and angrily backhanded him across the face.

"Don't ever let me hear of you engaging in that sort of behavior again or I'll kill you myself," Aragorn snarled at him, "Now apologize to Manquárë then get out of my sight"

"Sorry Manquárë " Boromir muttered.

He was aware of Legolas staring at him coldly arms folded as he stalked past him and silently vowed that he'd get even with him.

Chapter4