Chapter 7

A short while later Lhundol regained consciousness. He was confused and disoriented at first but gradually his mind cleared and he recalled the events that had caused him to be knocked out.

"Amin autien a' ndegina lle Legolas" (I am going to kill you Legolas) Lhundol muttered as he stormed out of the room. The other elves there had been staring at him and making comments about how he could have dared to dispute their prince's intended with him. Of course Legolas wouldn't stand for it and they believed in their prince.

"Taren lle sundo" (Prince my butt) Lhundol sneered under his breath"

At the same time Legolas and Manquárë were sitting in Manquárë's quarters talking.

"Oh Legolas I love no elf but you" Manquárë said.

"I know and it irritates me to know that that bonehead wasn't killed by those Orcs. I wish they had killed him," Legolas said.

"Well he's alive and well so what shall we do about it"

"Ignore him" Legolas said firmly.

"He has a point though melamin," (my love) Manquárë said, "We were betrothed so he does have a legitimate claim on me"

"So do I a'maelamin," (my beloved) Legolas replied, "After all we are betrothed and you wear my ring"

"I know and to be honest I'd rather marry you than him. I don't love him but I'm deeply in love with you"

"Oh Manquárë you don't know how happy that makes me feel" Legolas said.

He dropped his head and their lips met in a sweet and tender kiss. At that precise moment Lhundol walked into Manquárë's room without knocking expecting her to be alone catching them kissing.

"Get away from my intended ugly" he spat at Legolas.

He and Manquárë flew apart at the sound of his voice.

"Lasta lalithamin, Manquárë mela amin il lle" (Listen to my laughter, Manquárë loves me not you) Legolas sneered laughing in Lhundol's face.

Lhundol saw red and launched himself at Legolas and the two elves grappled and exchanged insults. Manquárë ran from the room directly to Thranduil's quarters and quickly explained the situation to him. He sent two elves to separate Legolas and Lhundol and being them to him. Not long after the elves returned along with Legolas and Lhundol. Lhundol had blood dripping from his nose and his right eye was rapidly turning black and swelling.

Thranduil glared at both of them then told them he wouldn't tolerate such disgraceful behaviour from adult elves especially his son who was a prince and had to set an example for the other elves in the community.

"Well we had to settle this somehow" Lhundol burst out. "After all Manquárë is rightfully mine"

"Manquárë, is it true that you were/are betrothed to this elf?"

"Yes but I was forced into the betrothal. I wanted no part of it. It was our parents who wanted us to marry so it was to be an arranged marriage so to speak"

"Lhundol is this true" Thranduil asked.

"Yes" Lhundol muttered, "But I love her" he burst out.

Thranduil turned to Legolas. You don't need to tell me about you and Manquárë as I already know about the two of you"

"So what is to be done Father?" Legolas asked.

"I think it only fair that Manquárë choose whom she marry," Thranduil said.

"I want to marry Legolas" Manquárë said with no hesitation, moving to stand next to Legolas.

He slipped his arm around her shoulders and met her lips with his.

"Thank you Manquárë" he whispered to her.

Thranduil declared the matter closed and ordered Lhundol banished from Mirkwood never to show his face there again. Lhundol sulkily left and Legolas and Manquárë retired to a communal area. They talked and socialized with the elves there for a while. Then Manquárë decided to go for a walk and left Legolas talking with some friends. Manquárë strolled to a clearing and sat against a tree and thought about the whole Legolas/Lhundol situation. She knew that Lhundol was pretty upset but it was his own fault for insisting she continue with the arranged betrothal. Suddenly a rustling in the bush disturbed her. To her surprise Lhundol emerged.

"I thought you had been banished" Manquárë said.

"I circled back and hid," Lhundol told her.

He had moved very close to her and the next thing she knew he had taken her in his arms and met her lips with his. She struggled and tried to push him away. At the same time Legolas was perched in a tree above them watching them in amazement. He couldn't believe his eyes when he saw them kissing. Silently he descended from the tree and returned to his dwelling hurt and angry.

Manquárë finally managed to extract herself from Lhundol's embrace and slapping him across the face, gathered her skirts and ran back to her dwelling shaking. She locked the door behind her then went to bed and fell into a disturbed sleep. The next morning a pounding at her door waked her. Checking she saw that it was Legolas.

"Quel amrun melamin" (Good morning my love) Manquárë called out to him as she opened the door.

"I know what you're up to Manquárë" Legolas greeted her coldly.

"Amin hiraetha? Amin n'rangwa" "I'm sorry? I don't understand" Manquárë said confused.

" I saw you kissing that nadorhuan," (cowardly dog) Legolas growled.

"It's not what it looked like and anyway why did you follow me"

"I didn't follow you" Legolas snapped. "I just happened to be nearby and I heard his voice so naturally I wanted to know what he was up to and boy was I surprised"

"Dammit Legolas I was trying to push him away. Didn't you see that?"

"No I didn't" Legolas said getting up.

"Legolas wait, please you have to believe me" Manquárë said tears in her eyes"

"I'm sorry but I don't believe you". Oh and before I go I'll have my ring back thanks. It's over Manquárë. I can't marry an elf who cheats on me"

Sobbing Manquárë tore his ring from her finger and threw it at him.

"Get out" she screamed at him as he scrambled to catch it.

"Amin feuya ten lle" (You disgust me) Legolas said as he left.

Manquárë flung herself on to her bed and sobbed. She couldn't believe what had just happened. Not long after Lhundol turned up and naturally he attempted to console her. She turned on him in a fury and began clawing and scratching at his face. He was much stronger than her and quickly subdued her. However she slammed her knee into his elfhood and he gasped and fell back his eyes wide.

"Get the heck out of my room before I kill you" Manquárë hissed at him.

He ignored her and getting to his feet advanced towards her. She turned to run but he caught her by her hair and jerked her close to him.

"Listen to me Manquárë, you might as well come with me and marry me. I mean he won't marry you now so what course is there for you?"

"I'd rather die than marry you!" Manquárë declared.

At the same time Legolas was socializing with some of his friends.

"Legolas manke naa Manquárë?" (Legolas where is Manquárë?) his friends asked.

"Amin caela n'noa ar'amin umma malia" (I don't know and I don't care) Legolas said.

"Have you two had a fight?" his friends asked.

"Suffice to say I called off the wedding" Legolas said.

"Oh why?" his friends asked.

"I caught Manquárë kissing that scum Lhundol" Legolas said grimly.

"No just wait a minute idiot, I might not know Manquárë very well but I do know that she loves you Legolas and would never do anything to intentionally hurt you. Did she tell you what happened?" one of his friends interjected.

"First of all I'm not an idiot and secondly yes she did but I don't believe her. She said she was trying to push him away but I don't think so!"

"For your information Legolas I was there too and she was very unhappy with what he was doing and put up quite a fight before he let her go" another of his friends said.

"What?" Legolas asked in horror.

"You heard me. He was kissing her and she didn't want him to" his friend explained.

"Oh no what have I done?" Legolas burst out.

"Whatever it is if you hurry you may be able to put it right" his friends said.

Legolas turned and dashed out of the communal area and down to Manquárë's quarters.

Knocking he entered to find her struggling with Lhundol who was holding her by her hair and telling her that he, Legolas wouldn't marry her.

"That's where you're wrong you tosser," Legolas said.

"Legolas? I thought you were mad at me" Manquárë said cautiously.

"I was but my friends told me a thing or two and set me straight. One of them saw what happened the other night and got through to me that you were telling the truth. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Of course I can melamin," Manquárë said.

"And as for you Lhundol, I believe my father ordered you to leave. You shall leave and I will ensure that you do" Legolas said in an I'm not in the mood to be mucked around with tone.

Lhundol glared defiantly at Legolas.

"Going to make me?" Lhundol asked.

"If that's what it takes then yes," Legolas declared.

Lhundol refused to move so Legolas took a step towards him and yanked him away from Manquárë. Lhundol jerked away from Legolas then pushed him so hard he fell over backwards.

"I'm not going anyway you bastard. You stole Manquárë from me and I intend to get her back no matter what it takes" Lhundol said determinedly.

Legolas was back on his feet in an instant an angry look on his face.

"Lhundol, why can't you get it through your thick head that she doesn't want you" he asked.

"Because her parents decreed that she had to marry me and marry me she will" Lhundol declared.

"Like heck she will. I fully intend to marry her"

"Over my dead body you so called prince"

Manquárë saw Legolas turn purple with rage.

"Lhundol, don't ever call me that again" he said through clenched teeth, one hand straying to his bow before he checked it.

"Pah I'll marry her see if I don't" Lhundol snarled then abruptly turned and stalked out of the room.

Legolas turned to Manquárë who had been silently listening to their exchange.

"Manquárë, I owe you a huge apology. I don't know why I didn't realise that it was he kissing you not the other way around. I was a fool and I'm so embarrassed. I should have known that you wouldn't have kissed him since it's obvious you don't love him"

"It's ok Legolas. I knew you'd come to your senses eventually"

"So I'm forgiven then?"

"Of course you are a'maelamin. I love you so I couldn't stay mad at you for long" Manquárë said smiling softly.

Legolas drew her against him and found her lips with his. Their kiss lasted an endless minute and as they came up for air Legolas looked at her.

"I want you to have this again," he said slipping his ring off.

Manquárë beamed as he slipped it on to her finger. Once again she was wearing his ring showing their intention to marry and their wedding was back on!

The two of them got to their feet and exited Manquárë's room and rejoined Legolas' friends. When they reached the communal area they stopped short. Lhundol was there and Legolas' friends had surrounded him. He looked very uncomfortable as Legolas' friends were hurling insults at him. He looked up and seeing Legolas and Manquárë pushed his way through Legolas' friends to meet them.

"Huan! (Dog!) She's mine and you know it" Lhundol snarled.

"We shall just see about that" Legolas sneered.

Lhundol began to answer him but Thranduil striding into the communal area interrupted him.

Chapter 8