Chapter 4! Enjoy! Oh, and I'll be posting the first chapter for a new Legolas story this weekend to see how people will like it. I have a couple I am going to test out.
"So are we going to spend the day Saturday in the fields?" Balamaethor asked, looking over his book at Thranduil, who was staring off into space.
"Can't," Thranduil said. "I'm busy Saturday afternoon. How about Friday?"
"As long as I get out of this library, I don't care when we go," Balamaethor said, looking back down at his book. After a moment, he looked up again. "What are you doing Saturday afternoon?"
"I'm taking Ellissiel out for a ride on Arandil," Thranduil replied, still staring out the window with a glazed look on his face.
"Oh ho, so you have a date?" Balamaethor said, grinning widely. "Can I come watch?"
"No you may not," Thranduil said, looking around at his friend with a scowl. "She is just very fond of Arandil and I thought she might enjoy a ride. I'd rather be there for it than to have her borrow him without me around."
"Come on, I haven't even seen what she looks like yet," Balamaethor protested. "Can I at least be there when you meet her?"
"Shouldn't you be spending the afternoon with Raina?" Thranduil asked, trying to distract his friend.
"She's visiting relatives up north for a couple weeks. Please, can I come?"
"No, you can't. I don't want her to disappear again like she did when Novathin and Lithiavas burst into the stable the night of the festival."
"Alright fine," Balamaethor relented.
"How is the studying going?" Both elves looked up to see Lord Celeborn walking towards them.
"Good," they both said automatically. Celeborn had no trouble seeing through this lie.
"I find that hard to believe," Lord Celeborn said, picking up a book and looking at it curiously. "So you found Lady Ellissiel after all?" Unable to escape, seeing as how Lord Celeborn had apparently heard most of the conversation, Thranduil gave in.
"Yes, I did. She was watching stars instead of going to the festival."
"Well if you are going to spend Saturday afternoon with her," Lord Celeborn said, putting the book back down. "I suggest you study extra hard this week. If you don't get something done I will lock you in here over the weekend so you have no choice but to study. Good day."
With that, Celeborn walked away, leaving Thranduil and Balamaethor to their work.
During lunch on Saturday, Thranduil shoveled food rapidly into his mouth as his friends watched in awe.
"You're going to make yourself sick, eating like that," Novathin said, eyeing the nearly empty plate of food in front of Thranduil. His own had barely been touched, as they had sat down only two minutes before.
"I'll be fine," Thranduil said, finishing up his plate. "See you all later."
"And I thought you were bad, Balamaethor," Lithiavas said, shaking his head as the prince dashed out of the dining hall. "This girl better tell Thranduil she loves him soon, or he is going to kill himself."
"No doubt about it," Novathin said, looking down at his own plate. "He is in love."
Thranduil raced through the halls and grounds until he reached the stables. He slowed down once he got there, running his fingers through his hair and straightening his tunic before walking towards Arandil's stall. He found Ellissiel there already, whispering to the stallion and scratching his ears.
"Good afternoon, Ellissiel," he said with a smile. She looked up at him and returned it.
"Good afternoon, my lord," she said, curtseying. "How are you?"
"Quite well," he said, fetching his tack. "And you?"
"Excited," Ellissiel said, looking up at Arandil again. This made Thranduil beam at her, though she couldn't see it.
"Good," he said, getting Arandil saddled and bridled. "How much riding have you done before?"
"I've been a few times," Ellissiel said, watching him put the saddle on. "I don't have my own horse, I just borrow my brother-in-law's when I can."
"I see," Thranduil said, thinking it was better not to bring up the fact that he knew she'd gone on rides without permission as well. "Well unfortunately I do not have a sidesaddle for you, so this might be a little uncomfortable."
"Not to worry, I wore leggings so I could ride normally," Ellissiel said, pulling up the hem of her skirt so he could see the boots and brown leggings she wore. "I know it's not entirely appropriate, but I don't have a tunic to wear."
"You should be alright," Thranduil said, trying to keep his mind from wandering where it shouldn't. "I will ride with you until we get out to the pasture."
"Okay," Ellissiel said, moving out of the way as he led Arandil out of the stall and mounted. He held out his hand to pull Ellissiel up behind him. When she slid her hand into his, he felt a tingling run up his arm, and he had to fight the urge to shiver at her touch.
"All set?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at her as she settled into the saddle behind him.
"I'm ready," she said, sliding her hands around his waist. He really did shiver that time, but hid it by shifting in the saddle and urging Arandil forward.
The ride to the pasture was not nearly long enough for Thranduil, but when they arrived, he got off and looked up at Ellissiel.
"Arandil will do pretty much anything you ask him to, so you don't have to just walk if you feel comfortable trotting or something," Thranduil said, handing her the reins. Ellissiel nodded, swinging her right leg over Arandil's back so she was sitting astride him, and scooted forward to sit comfortably in the saddle. Thranduil tried very hard not to focus on her exposed legs. "Do you have any questions?"
"I don't think so," Ellissiel said, biting her lip as she thought about it. "I think I'm good."
"Alright then. Just take him around the paddock a few times."
Thranduil went over to the fence and climbed up on it, where he could sit and watch. Ellissiel started out walking, before breaking into a trot as she rode around in a circle. Thranduil watched as her smile grew as she sped up.
"Be careful!" he called as Arandil entered a gallop. Ellissiel didn't acknowledge him. She steered Arandil towards a fallen log, which Thranduil only noticed in time to jump off the fence, prepared to race towards Ellissiel if she fell. He was stunned as the horse and his rider cleared the log with a foot to spare, and landed easily on the other side. Grinning broadly, Ellissiel brought Arandil back to a trot, and stopped in front of Thranduil.
"I don't think you were completely honest with me," he said, walking over to stand beside her. "You obviously have done more riding then you admit to."
"I really haven't," Ellissiel said, patting Arandil's neck. "Arandil is just a very good horse."
"You haven't ridden him before, have you?" Thranduil asked before he could stop himself. To his relief, Ellissiel didn't seem offended by the question.
"No, I haven't. I've ridden lots of other horses I wasn't supposed to when I was little though."
"Really?" Thranduil said, trying to act surprised by the news. "Do tell."
"I'm sure by now you've heard that I'm a horse thief," she said, looking down at him. "I just couldn't help it, I love horses and Ada wouldn't give me one. I always brought them back, though."
"Someone might have mentioned it to me," Thranduil said, trying to act indifferent. "I suppose we all do things we shouldn't from time to time."
"Can we go for a trail ride?" Ellissiel asked, looking down at him with pleading eyes. There was no possible way for Thranduil to say no when he saw that look.
"Of course we can," he said, beaming. He swung himself up behind her, putting his hands on her waist, feeling like he was going to burst with happiness at the situation he found himself in. "You are in charge, Lady Ellissiel." As they started forward, heading out of the pasture towards the trees, Ellissiel giggled. Thranduil looked down at her, confused, but found her laughter enchanting. "What's so funny?"
"Only Ada calls me Ellissiel," she said, urging Arandil into a trot.
"What do you normally go by?"
"My friends and family call me Lissi," she replied. "Ellissiel is too formal."
"Do we know each other well enough yet to where I can also call you that?" Thranduil asked eagerly.
"Of course, your majesty. I think it would feel strange to have you always refer to me as Lady Ellissiel."
"Then if that is the case, I insist you just call me Thranduil."
"Very well," Ellissiel said.
Ellissiel and Thranduil returned from their trail ride several hours later. They had had a pleasant ride, with pleasant conversation.
"If you are not busy tonight, I would like you to join me for dinner later."
"Thank you, but I am afraid I have plans. I had forgotten that I had promised to go to the beach with a friend this afternoon, so I have to go do that as soon as we get back."
"You should have told me. I didn't intend to pull you away from your friends."
"It's okay, he understands." Thranduil felt a lump in his throat when she said this. The "he" she had included in her sentence had triggered something Thranduil was not expecting: jealousy.
"Still, I feel guilty now," Thranduil continued, trying to let go of this new emotion. "How can I make it up to you?"
"Can we go for another ride next weekend?" she asked, looking down at him as he dismounted outside Arandil's stall.
"Of course. I hope you don't have plans that evening, because I must insist you join me for dinner then."
"Alright," Ellissiel said, allowing him to help her off of Arandil. "I will join you then."
"Lissi, I've been looking for you."
Thranduil and Ellissiel looked around to see Althirn walking towards them. The two male elves exchanged dark looks. Thranduil still had not taken his hands off of Ellissiel's waist, and it was clear that Althirn was not happy about it.
"Oh, hello Althirn. This is Prince Thranduil. Thranduil, this is my friend Althirn."
"A pleasure to meet you, my lord," Althirn said, bowing stiffly. Thranduil nodded his head in acknowledgement, feeling his jealousy stirring angrily.
"I'm sorry to have taken so long, Althirn. We went for a trail ride."
"That's okay, it's just getting late and I wanted to make sure we made it to the beach before sunset."
"It's the middle of summer," Ellissiel said, laughing. "We have quite a long time before sunset."
"Well I was hoping to have a picnic on the beach for dinner," he said, looking down at her, holding out a basket. Thranduil felt his jealousy boil as Ellissiel moved away from him towards the other elf.
"That is so sweet, Althirn. Alright, let's go. I will see you next weekend, Thranduil," she said, looking back at him with a smile. Thranduil bowed his head, smiling back at her.
"I look forward to it," he said, his smile turning into a frown as Ellissiel turned away with Althirn. He glared at the elf's back until they both turned a corner and were gone.
Sighing, Thranduil led Arandil into his stall.
"And the afternoon had been going so well," he muttered, stroking the stallion's nose.
"You seem quite friendly with the prince," Althirn said, watching Ellissiel as they sat on the beach, enjoying their sandwiches.
"He is really very sweet," Ellissiel said, looking out over the waves. "We had a wonderful conversation while we were riding through the woods."
"Doesn't it bother you that he's got a herd of ladies following him around all the time?"
"He didn't today," she said. "I suppose he can't really help it. Why does it matter?"
"He just seems rather full of himself to me," Althirn said, turning to look at the ocean. "I am just surprised you'd want to be friends with someone so arrogant."
"I know I haven't talked to him much, but he doesn't seem arrogant at all," Ellissiel said, looking around at her friend. Althirn turned back to her, frowning.
"Exactly. You don't know him very well. I've seen him strutting around the place like he owns it, enjoying the fawning of ladies everywhere he goes."
"Well I don't know what you're talking about. He is very nice and I wish you could be happy for me. You know I don't have many friends, and he is kind enough to let me ride Arandil."
"I just don't want you to get hurt, mellonamin," he said seriously.
"I won't. I am a good enough rider. I can take care of myself."
"That is not what I meant."
"What did you mean?"
"I mean that I don't want you getting too attached to Prince Thranduil so you are hurt when he reverts to his normal self."
"Normal self? How do you know what his normal self is?" Ellissiel said, starting to get angry.
"I know better than you do," Althirn said, his own angry rising. "You are naïve and will get hurt if you stay friends with him."
"I've heard enough," Ellissiel said, standing up. "When you want to apologize, come find me. I'm not going to sit here and listen to you insult Thranduil and myself."
She stalked away, leaving Althirn alone on the shore, feeling angry and bitter.
"So how did it go?" Balamaethor asked as Thranduil sat beside him at dinner.
"Really well, until she left with some friend of hers," he said, his tone betraying his resentment.
"I take it from your jealous tone that it was a male friend?"
"Yes, it was," Thranduil said, taking a large swig of wine. "He took her to dinner on the beach."
"Ouch," Novathin said, having been listening intently from across the table. "That's rough."
"Maybe they are just friends," Balamaethor offered, trying to be supportive. "She's entitled to friends, you know."
"She may only see him as a friend, but that is not what he wants," Thranduil said, remembering the angry look in Althirn's eyes when he saw Thranduil with Ellissiel.
"Well you are a prince, I'm sure you can do a better job courting her than he can."
"He knows her better than I do," Thranduil said sulkily. "I'm sure he knows exactly what will make her happy."
"Don't count yourself out just yet," Lithiavas interjected. "You know she likes horses and stars, That is a pretty good start. Especially when she is so attached to Arandil."
"I suppose," Thranduil said, cheering up slightly. "I'm supposed to take her riding next weekend, too. At least she enjoyed her ride today."
"That's the spirit!" Balamaethor said, clapping him on the back. "You'll do just fine."
When Ellissiel opened her door the next day to find Althirn standing there, she just crossed her arms and glared up at him.
"I'm sorry, Lissi," he said, looking down at his feet. "I didn't mean to be rude. I just don't want to see you get hurt."
"Oh, I know," Ellissiel said, hugging him. "I forgive you."
"Thank you, mellonamin," he said, hugging her back with a smile. "Can we try another picnic next Saturday?"
"I'm sorry, Althirn, but I already made plans with Thranduil," she said, taking a step back and looking up at him. "How about Friday instead?"
"I can't, I have to help Ada replant trees Friday," he said, looking down sadly. "Maybe just dinner?"
"I promised I would go to dinner with Thranduil, since I couldn't last night," she said. "Why don't you come to dinner after you are done with planting Friday?"
"Alright," Althirn said with a smile, but not at all happy inside. "I will see you then."