Chapter 32 - Meeting
Vezely's fingers parted a piece of Legolas's golden hair into three small strands and began braiding them with a small smile and blush gracing her face, as she was embarrassed by her sudden desire to do so. The two Elves lounged next to each other under the shade of a great tree in Ithilien, having left Minas Tirith before sunrise to spend the day within the abandoned forests. They had taken a different route that day, finding a new stream to follow, stopping momentarily to eat the lunch they packed and to relax from their exploring.
"I remember when I was a child, my blood father would braid my hair," Vez spoke contently of a past only recently returned to her as she kept her eyes fixed on her finger's task. "About a year before I was taken my hair was as long as yours and I was thrilled the first time he braided it for me. Afterwards I raced to show my mother who immediately told me that I looked lovely. But I told her I did not, that these were warrior braids that father put in my hair." She finished her braiding and ran her fingers down the strand before turning her eyes to his who looked upon her enchanted as she continued, "I had seen some Woodland Guard pass by our small cottage that week and it was then my father told me about King Thranduil and his grand guards who were protectors of the realm. I noted their braids and requested that from that day on, I should also wear braids in my hair. And I did. My father could not go through a morning without braiding my hair."
Warmed by such shared memories, Legolas took her hand and kissed the back of her fingers, saying endearingly with a subtle hint of teasing, "It sounds like you never lost your determination."
She grinned, adding mirthfully, "Or my stubbornness. I liked to run barefoot from the front door straight into this open glen that was around twenty meters from our home. This place reminds me of it. In the fall the whole ground would be littered in leaves and I wanted nothing more than jump in the piles and hide under them all day. Mother would call me home and I would not go," she laughed slightly, getting caught in remembrance which caused Legolas to widen his grin in pure endearment seeing her this way. "She would scold me good when I did come back with my feet filthy, my clothes tattered, and my cold supper yet waiting for me. Bellethiel, she'd say, you are absolutely hopeless." [Bellethiel = the strong one]
"Bellethiel?" Legolas asked surprised, turning his head to the side slightly after hearing her call herself that, immediately halting Vez's revelry.
Her face grew pallid, for she was unaware she let it slip, "It was my name," she replied quietly with a brief smile, "The name my blood parents gave me."
Legolas had never thought to ask what her Elf-given name was; its meaning prompted him to say softly, "It is a name well-suited."
She shook her head slightly, not wishing to think the same. Vez had not felt attached to the name upon first remembering it; these memories from her childhood felt distant and unclear. Yet recently moments such as these became more vivid in her recollection and sharing them somehow brought her closer to accepting their reality. "I often wondered if they knew what was going to happen to me, that I was doomed from the start," she said without heavy concern. She knew her father had wanted to depart Middle Earth for the Undying Lands, though Vezely's mother was not yet prepared to leave her homeland. She was a Silvan Elf, not descended from the High Elves for whom it was more common to hear the call to return to Valinor. Despite her father's desire and growing trepidation of staying, the couple would not be put asunder while Vezely was yet a child. "I could sense his fear," she added remembering, "That year I was no longer allowed to go to that glen alone."
"Even if your father knew, no future is ever set," he added encouragingly, "Yours could have been different. Perhaps you would have been a warrior of the Woodland Guard, for there are women who serve."
Vez smirked, saying with slight sarcasm at the thought of this alternate reality, "You mean serve as one of your father's body guards?"
"We are not body guards," he protested, narrowing his eyes on hers in mild contempt of the attribution.
"Alright," she raised her eyebrow before pressing the tip of her index finger playfully to his chest, saying slyly, "But would I have to take orders from you?"
"That you would," he said smugly, tilting his head up slight higher.
"I have never been good at following orders," she remarked mischievously, her hand again finding the braid in his hair.
"You are hopeless," he said mildly teasing.
"Completely," she whispered back biting her lip while again running her finger tips down the braid contemplating something before revealing her thoughts, her eyes yet diverted from his, "Do you think we would have still fallen in love?"
He had just been contemplating this as well, "Perhaps we would already be married," he replied, only desiring to think pleasant thoughts, his eyes roaming her face for her reaction.
A smile formed immediately as she added amused, "With less complications," though behind her amusement she also held some disappointment that it could not be so.
He tilted her chin up to have her eyes on his, having read this hidden regret in her reply, "Not everything is complicated..."
They would continue exploring that section of the forest into the afternoon, again following the stream up current to its source, a tall waterfall that fell from the rock face several meters up. They heard the soothing sound of water crashing into water well before seeing it - a pristine pool with the clouded sky above reflected in its rippling surface.
"This place is beautiful," the words escaped Vezely's mouth hastily, for she had never simply happened upon such a perfect oasis before on her many travels. "I'm going in," she added adamant a moment later, as if the simple joys she experienced that day alongside her partner suddenly made her more carefree and adventurous. She removed her scarf and jacket, dropping them to the ground beside her. When she began unbuttoning her blouse, Legolas, in realization of her plans to fully undress, quickly turned around embarrassed.
"You are not serious?" he inquired shocked by her rash actions while keeping his eyes averted.
Vezely was not deterred by his modesty and removed both her shirt and her trousers, but she decided to leave on her undergarment - a cream-colored, sleeveless slip that covered her to mid-thigh, just for minor decency. Her bare feet effortlessly glided down the large rocks which lined the shore before she quickly jumped into the lukewarm water below.
The sound of the splash caused Legolas to turn back around, only to see her swim to the center of the pool and for her head followed by her bare shoulders to rise above the water. She turned to face him, pushing her now wet hair back from her forehead. "What are you waiting for?" she called to him with a wide smile, noting his awkwardness and indecision on whether to join her, "The water is perfect. I promise you won't regret it!"
"You desire that I lose my honor?" he called back to her unsure, and while he noted she was not completely undressed, what she wore did not do much to cover her, especially when wet.
Vezely's mirthful face suddenly grew serious; she was well aware what she requested of him verged on impropriety for their courtship. But undeterred by these archaic rules of dating, she responded proudly, "Legolas Thranduilion, one of the nine, great warrior of the Third Age, it is impossible for you to lose your honor!" She then grinned once more before turning away from him, hoping the allotted privacy might prompt him to overcome his fear.
Hesitant, Legolas eventually obliged and removed his boots and tunic, but he left his pants on before going in after her.
Vez waited patiently until she heard the splash to turn and face him. As he swam closer to her, she giggled slightly after deciding her intentions. "I doubt you could catch me," she called to him mischievously before taking off towards the waterfall.
He smirked, knowing she desired a chase and that he would never decline a challenge. "Do not think you are the faster swimmer," he replied before following her.
"I am," she added smugly, as she kicked her feet faster, finding her ability to swim again, for it had been ages since doing so. As he caught up to her, she decided to dive below the water and attempt to swim up behind him. He discovered her plan quickly, but instead of using it as an opportunity to catch her, he surrendered, allowing her to put her arms around him from behind. She pressed herself against his back, "I think I caught you," she whispered amused in his ear. He quickly turned and grabbed her waist, but she splashed him in the face, laughing immediately after.
"Oh, so that is how you play?" he smirked with his eyes closed from being splashed, as she swam away laughing.
"Well, I never play fair," she called back to him.
The cat and mouse game ended with Vezely being caught by the foot, and albeit losing she had a wide grin on her face as Legolas lured her in. He noted how youthful and carefree she looked, as if her dark history had been erased and she knew no hardships or troubles aside from a dark cloud and a rainy day. "I surrender," she declared as she allowed herself to be pulled closer to him.
"Say it," his eyes implored hers.
She gave him a smart look before saying only part of what he wanted to hear, "You are a fast swimmer."
"You mean faster," he urged her to admit it.
She then placed her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist, "Perhaps I desired for you to catch me all along," she said slyly, throwing him off-guard by her closeness that he couldn't immediately reply to her. A moment of silence more and she asked quietly, "Do I make you uncomfortable?"
He shook his head and pulled her closer to him as his feet worked to keep them both above water. She ran her fingers down his shoulders and around his bare back, feeling the muscles she knew his tunic had hidden. They stared longingly into each other's eyes, breathing heavily before their lips met, the intensity of the connection making Legolas suddenly forget to keep treading to keep them afloat, so they sunk slowly underwater, their bodies still locked together.
They would resurface a few seconds later, grinning and laughing at themselves for such behavior, before looking back into each other's eyes would make them succumb to the desire to be close again. Legolas reached out his hand from the water to push her hair to the side of her forehead before running his fingers over the earrings in her ear and around to the back of her head, swimming closer to her as he did. He then pressed his forehead against hers and whispered regretfully, "We should head back," his nose lighting touching hers.
She nodded slightly, the tip of her nose nuzzling his, adding with quiet regret, "Before the sun goes down," knowing they had told their companions they would return by nightfall and if they did not do as mentioned, it could have prompted unnecessary concern. Both of them, however, desired to remain in Ithilien that night, in each other's arms, away from all other thoughts and responsibilities.
Legolas did not fully avert his eyes from her wet form as she emerged ahead of him from the pool, the slip clinging to her skin, the black ink of her tattoos all apparent on her backside, bearing text of a language he would never learn to read. He noted the undeniable curves of her female form; a woman, not a warrior. She confidently walked in front of him unashamed to be seen with sparse covering. She turned her head slightly and from the corner of her eye she could see him watching her, making her grateful he had moved past his prior discomfort to do so.
"The sun should still be warm enough to dry us," she said turning to him with his dry tunic outstretched in her hand, having picked up a bundle of their clothes from the ground they left them on.
He averted his eyes quickly, and cleared his throat before adding as if undeterred, "Perhaps in the open field." She smiled at his sudden embarrassment, though knowing what she currently was wearing did not leave much to the imagination.
After dressing, they returned to Arod. The white horse stood patiently awaiting their arrival, having grazed all day on green grasses. Once perched behind him, Vezely ran her fingers through Legolas's damp hair and smoothed it back behind his ears, noting it had surprisingly not gotten badly tangled from swimming. His pants were still wet, for not having removed them.
"You do not need these next time," Vez spoke softly in his ear, grabbing hold of the sides of his hips and running her hands down his thighs.
"You are forward," he replied with slight reprimand, looking at her from the corner of his eye, but noting the heat rushing to his cheeks at her implication and touch. He could not deny crossing these boundaries with her intrigued him. They had taken another step in solidifying their relationship, finding the day fulfilling and needed before any guests would arrive in Minas Tirith. Legolas knew the change in population would take him away from being able to spend quality time with her, and she would leave the West shortly after, with a return date unset.
They rode a half hour before spotting a caravan of travelers far off in the distance, heading on the same route. "It cannot be," Legolas stated in disbelief, for his keen eyes could make out the sigil and colors of his kin.
"Elves?" Vez asked uncertain, her eyes squinting as she tried to make out their forms, having no idea where they hailed from.
"It is our kin," Legolas said in elated surprise, having not expected to cross their path or to be so soon reunited with them.
As Legolas prompted Arod to quickly ride towards them, Vezely subconsciously placed her scarf over her head as one would the hood of a cloak, suddenly desiring the anonymity she once had when first crossing West of Rhovanion. The uncomfortable knot in her stomach grew as she could make out their appearances more clearly: the way the late day sun made their long hair shine, how their velvet riding cloaks draped like cascading waterfalls over their slender forms, and the perfection of their posture as they rode; Elves were majestic beings.
Two Elven riders would come to greet them; guards dressed in the perfection that was proper Elven armor. "Lord Legolas," they harkened him, their voices crisp and clear, "It is a joy to see you well."
They would be escorted to the rest of the party, who had halted their trek in order to greet the triumphant prince properly; for tales of his exploits in the fellowship and during the war had traveled home to all his kin. The small group had dismounted their horses, prompting Vezely and Legolas to do the same. Vezely took Arod's reins, lingering close to the white horse's side while Legolas walked ahead of her to be greeted. They all placed the palm of their hands on their chest before slowly extending them forward; an Elvish greeting Vezely had seen before when Haldir and his troops arrived at Helm's Deep. Legolas approach each of them and placed his hand on the side of their shoulder, stopping momentarily and exchanging a more personal recognition and greeting, stating each of their names endearingly as they spoke honoring words to him.
At the end of the line stood his father, a small but undoubtedly proud smile gracing his strong features. On his head, which bore golden locks of a length surpassing Legolas's, he wore a simple silver circlet, while his long coat of bluish silver threads bore a more intricate design - a geometric brocade of branches and stylized leaves. On his side he carried a long sword with a handle of gold inlay, while his hand held onto a carved staff; his fingers also fashioned large rings that looked as twisted branches made of gold.
"Father," Legolas stopped in front of him, placing his hand to his chest and bowing as he brought his hand forward, properly greeting the king of the Woodland Realm. His father then placed a hand to his son's cheek, looking into his son's eyes before embracing him in joyous reunion.
"Son," he said holding him close, grateful to see him alive and well for so much had been uncertain over the past year, "You have honored the realm and made your father very proud."
Vezely, who decidedly remained stationary by Arod's side, was warmed to see these interactions, proving to her that not only did Legolas hold great respect amongst his kin, but there was a great deal of love between father and son.
Thranduil added wondering, "I had not expected to meet you on our path. You have strayed from Minas Tirith with what business at hand?" His blue eyes finally shifted to Legolas's quiet traveling companion, whose distance was not enough to hide his speech from Elven ears; though he was unaware she could now understand the Elven tongue since she had no comprehension of it the last time they met.
"I have spent the day exploring the forests of Ithilien," Legolas began to explain, still elated from having rejoined his kin, "For I have decided to aid Lord Aragorn in its needed restoration," he then turned to the source of his father's other interest, to Vezely, whose eyes were drawn in by Thranduil's stolid stare; his father knew who she was despite the hood covering her Elven features. "Father, this is..."
"Vezely of Rhun," he declared loudly to his people, prompting Vez to swallow the spit in her mouth, before proceeding to remove the hooded scarf from her head, slowly revealing her foreign appearance to those in attendance; they would not be accustomed to seeing an Elf dressed in foreign clothing, with hair shorn extremely short, and gold earrings lining both ears.
"The Elf once banished from our homeland has returned West. Perhaps it needs to be asked whether she would accept retribution for breaking these terms," Thranduil added solidly, saying the latter not expecting her to understand their language.
"I returned by order of the Blue Wizards," Vezely spoke in fluent Elvish, however her slight accent was apparent to them. She released Arod's reins and moved towards him as she explained, "To bear information on the fall of the Easterling Resistance and of the armies amassing for Western campaigns." Once in front of him, she placed her fist on her chest and bowed her head down in Easterling greeting. "I have not forgotten the kindness the king of the Woodland Realm undeservedly showed me, or the terms of my banishment. Death is yet what I deserve," she proceeded to go down on one knee, "I do not ask for forgiveness, but I request pardon for my presence, and continued leave to walk in the West for yet another week before returning from where I came."
Thranduil's eyes narrowed on her kowtowing form, "It appears your fate is not for me to decide," he stated holding his head high, partially grateful to hear she would be returning East, "For such leave you have been given by those I would not question," he was referring to the White Council and Istari, who aided in her release from Dol Guldur and her recovery following.
Vezely bowed her head courteously before returning to her feet, her eyes mark by concern and her breathing suddenly labored as the king stared coldly upon her, for he knew well her past and the dark deeds committed by her hands. It was as if he was telling her he knew she was evil and that she would not be forgiven.
"Father," Legolas interrupted politely; his voice taking his father's harsh eyes away from her.
"We continue our path," Thranduil called out to his companions, not desiring to allot the Easterling Elf anymore time. As the company returned to their horses, Thranduil placed an arm around his son's shoulder, turning him from Vezely and saying personally, "Son, ride by my side and warm me with stories I have only heard second hand. But first," he asked curiously, "You must let me know, why are your pants wet?"
Legolas stalled, uncertain how to word the truth of the past incident; he also suddenly realized he did not know how to divulge the truth of his relationship with Vezely. And introducing they were together by revealing his pants were wet from a half-naked rendezvous in a forest pond perhaps was not the most appropriate way to do so.
"It is my fault," Vezely interrupted from behind them, for she was yet close enough to hear, turning the king's eyes back on her as she briefly exchanged a glance with Legolas. "For crossing a ford with a horse that is not receptive to me. Legolas had to go in the water and pull the animal through."
Thranduil's eyes narrowed, knowing it was an unlikely story from any Elf, who would not only be able to judge nature but also keep in control of a horse regardless. He let it slide, however, caring nothing but to hear his son's voice again. After he turned his eyes from her, Legolas gave Vezely a wide eyed look while Vez tried to communicate back to him that it was better than telling the truth - that they went swimming half naked together.
Vezely returned to Arod, taking the horse's reins and bringing her forward. Legolas jumped upon her saddle, afterwards offering Vezely a hand to sit behind him.
"I will walk," Vez said pleasantly, her demeanor trying to hide any discomfort from before, "Be by your father's side." He looked at her uncertain as she stepped back from the horse, "Go," she added with determination.
Vez watched him ride off to his father's side, and she again lifted her scarf up as a hood over her head. The Elven lords had also mounted their horses and began following their king and prince. She received several brief nods of greeting from them, which she returned in kind; a simple politeness shown to strangers. But she could tell behind the pomp, each of them held a certain amount of suspicion for the corrupted Elf. She allowed herself to fall behind the group, walking alongside the cart at the back, which contained their possessions and personal comforts for their brief stay in Minas Tirith. Legolas looked back at her when he reached his father's side and she returned his glance with a warm smile; hoping to relay that she was content to walk, to not be concerned, and to enjoy catching up with his father. The sun was soon to set, and the travel was slow. It was unlikely they would arrive at Minas Tirith in sunlight.
A/N: Please take a moment to review now or later as you hopefully keep reading. I would love to hear your thoughts. Thank you!