Seas: Chapter 9

Hey everyone! Chapter 8 may have seemed weird because I thought I had posted it on Friday night, but it turns out I didn't, and it was..just strange stuff :P. Thanks kykyxstandlerfor your review and follow! I love the support from all of you! Here's chapter 9, I hope you enjoy!

King Thranduil was in the same position he had been in the first time I had stood before him. Though this time, we were alone, he and I. Legolas was not by my side, nor was my father standing next to the seated king. Why was Father not here? Had King Thranduil sent him off? I continued wondering while I stood in front of the King, both of us silent. He had closed his eyes and it looked to me like he had also clenched his jaw. Was he angry with me? If so, why?

"Olórëdes," he finally said, and I looked up to gaze at his nose. I had learned very early in my life never to look at the King or even a noble directly in the eyes. I was surprised that he actually said my name instead of "girl" or something like it. Though, he had said my name multiple times at our last meeting. "Legolas and I...spoke...," King Thranduil continued slowly. The way he said "spoke"... I believe it was more of an argument. Are they now warring with each other? I instantly felt a jolt of realization. Had I caused a rift between Legolas and the King?

The King sighed and I left my thoughts. "He made me rethink my previous decision conerning your...punishment. I have decided now to relieve you of it. You are free to enter the Greenwood whenever you wish," he declared. My knees almost gave beneath me and a wobbled dangerously before a guard quickly reached out his arm to steady me. I dropped my chin to my chest. "Thank you, ever so much, Your Majesty," I said weakly. "You do understand, though, that this does not mean you may meet with my son while in the forest. You are still not allowed to speak to him," The King added. I nodded, then at his dismissing nod I turned and left.

I walked swiftly back to my room, excited to enter the forest again after so long. Once reaching my room, I quickly took off my outfit and dressed in my outside clothing, almost immediately leaving to go into the Greenwood. I walked, trying to keep myself from running, to the front gate, but was stopped before I could exit.

"Daro!" I heard, and turned to see one of the multiple guards of the gate striding towards me. "Are you not Olórëdes, whom his Majesty the King had barred from leaving the kingdom?" the guard inquired. Oh, wonderful. Word of my punishment beginning certainly flew around throughout the guards, but news of its cancellation had not. "I just left a meeting with the King, in which he repealed the punishment," I answered. "How can I be sure that you do not lie?" the guard accused. I opened my mouth to speak in defence of my honesty when I was interrupeted my a servant that entered to my left.

"Let her go, Hadron. His Majesty has sent me to tell all guards that her punishment has been canceled," the servant said. The guard, Hadron apparently, turned to look back at me, then went back to his post with a "Hmph." I smiled in thanks at the servant, then continued to exit into the forest. I was immediately intranced by the cool, clean scents of fall turning into winter. Some of the trees had begun to shed their leaves, but not all. My boots crunched annoyingly on the forest floor, prompting me to swing into a tree and continue above the ground. I wove my way through the branches, letting wherever they curved guide me.

Eventually, the branches stopped, as did the trees themselves. I paused as far out as the branch I was on could hold, and looked out into the small clearing before me. I almost fell out of the tree. It was our clearing. How I came here I do not know, but I stood, staring down at the place that I had not seen for weeks, months..and I was reminded once again of the man I had not seen for the same amount of time. I felt a tear slide out of the corner of my eye, and I reached up to grab a branch for support.

It was good fortune that I had done so, for when I gazed down at the clearing again, a figure was slowly inching into the middle of the clearing. I dug my fingers into the supporting branch and clamped the other across my mouth. The blond Elf suddenly stopped, his knees gave and he fell forward, hunching over the ground beneath him. An outstretched hand crushed the blades of grass within its fist, then ripped them out from their roots. The Elf flung back his head in anguish and yelled into the sky, "WHY DOES HE NOT UNDERSTAND?!"

It was Legolas. I had recognized him simply by the back of his head. I could hardly bear watching him in this pain, and my heart twisted inside of me because of it. I do not know why I continued to stand there, tears running down my face, watching him endure it instead of going to him. Legolas fell backwards and stared up to the sky, his chest rising and falling heavily. I had never seen him so...distressed before. What had happened? Why was he so incredibly angered?

"Olórëdes...," I heard Legolas say, and I thought he had seen me. It sounded as if he was talking directly to me, but I saw that his eyes were shut. I squinted and gasped as I saw thin tear streaks down his cheeks, and then a new tear slide over his temple. An accidental broken, sobbing sound escaped my throat, and his eyes flashed open. I instantly turned and bolted back through the trees, moving as fast as I could. But I was not quiet. And neither was Legolas. I heard his feet hit a branch above me, but I did not look up. I realized that he was gaining on me quickly as his steps fell only moments after mine on the same branch.

He caught my arm and pulled me backwards. I felt my shoulderblades and the back of my head hit his upper chest before he spun me around. " Olórëdes!" he said, relief flooding through his voice, and he crushed me into an embrace, which I only partially returned, and hesitantly at that. He eventually pulled away to look at my face, and his eyebrows crinkled with worry. "You have been crying...," Legolas said. I nodded. "So have you," I answered. He gave a pained smile, his face slightly blushing at the knowledge that I had seen him. "Only a little. How did you know?" he asked. "I saw you...i-in the clearing. I was in the tree the entire time. I-I watched you walk in," I answered, giving a single sighing chuckle.

Legolas cocked his head to one side, so I continued. "King Thranduil relieved me of my punishment just hours ago. I immediately came outside, but I did not mean to go to the clearing. My feet led me there...they should not have done so. I started- It brought back too many memories..and I could not bear them. I had been crying only a few moments before you entered, which began a whole seperate river. I could not withstand seeing you in so much pain. Then I saw the tears on your face—and I – I –," I choked off, feeling my eyes moisten once again before Legolas pulled me to him again, my face crushed against his chest, and I began sobbing into him. "Olórëdes, please stop. I cannot bear to see you cry. You must stop, for me," Legolas said gently. I pulled away from him to look up at his face. He smiled, then wiped the tears off of my face with the back on his hand.

Suddenly I pulled away from him. "Olórëdes?" he said concernedly. I began to back away slowly. "I-I have to leave. I am not allowed to meet with you...I can't be here," I said, terrified at what King Thranduil would do if he found out about this. But before I could turn and run back to the kingdom, Legolas grabbed my arms and refused to let go. "Legolas, please, if your father finds out about this, I do not know-" I was cut off by Legolas placing his fingers to my mouth, silencing me. "I do not care whether Father finds out or not. Let him see how much I love you. I can and will protect you from any punishment that he can possibly place upon you," he tried to reassure me. It only worked some.

I sighed, and we stood silently for a time before I spoke. "..On the topic of your father...I- well, the King said to me earlier that you had 'talked' to him, though it sounded like he wished to say argued. Is it my fault?" I asked. If I was causing strife between them...I do not know what I would do. Having Legolas and King Thranduil argue about me...it was a horrible thing to do. Legolas did not answer my question immediately. I looked up at him and he was biting his lower lip, thinking. "No...at least not directly. I feel as if it is my fault. If I could just...not love you, than there would be no arguments, but of course I cannot do that. Perhaps it is both of our faults," he answered, seemingly to himself.

"Legolas!" A voice called through the forest. Both of us turned our heads towards the direction that it came from. It was a male voice, but not that of the king, or any that I knew. I looked back at Legolas, about to ask who was calling for him, but stopped when I saw that Legolas's face had broken into a grin. "Olórëdes, come. He cannot see you, but you can watch us if you wish," Legolas said quietly, still smiling. He took my hand and led us through the trees, until he came to a stop and whispered, "He is Aeglosdir, a close friend of mine since we were both young. He decided to join the royal guard, thus I almost never see him anymore." He then pointed down, and I peered through the lower branches to see an Elf with light brown hair walking through the trees. I turned to look back at Legolas, but he was dropping silently through the bracnhes.

I watched as he positioned himself above Aeglosdir, ahead of him by a few feet. When he was directly under Legolas, he dropped down and landed on his shoulders. Aeglosdir reacted immediately to the assault, and backflipped, catching Legolas's leg halfway through the air and slamming him to the ground by it. I put a hand to my mouth. Friend? He seemed more of an enemy by this! I was about to drop down to make sure Legolas was alright, and to send Aeglosdir running, when I saw Legolas laughing on the ground. Aeglosdir joined in an reached down a hand to pull Legolas to his feet, and they embraced each other, still laughing. I smiled.

I had never seen Legolas so casual before. I quietly followed them as they strolled under the trees, watching Legolas constantly smiling and chuckling as they spoke. He looked...like any normal Elf. Not like a Prince or the son of a King, he looked like an Elf that was having a good time with his friend.

I watched as they stopped and Legolas put a hand on Aeglosdir's shoulder. Aeglosdir cocked his head to one side as Legolas spoke, and I noticed that Legolas was not looking at him in the eyes. What were they saying? I tried to get as close as possible without becoming visible to Aeglosdir, but I still could not hear their words. Suddenly, Legolas looked straight up at me. His eyes met mine through the branches and he nodded towards the ground. 'Come down?' I mouthed to him. He smiled and nodded. My eyes widened. He had told Aeglosdir about us? Well, I could not abandon Legolas now.

I slowly descended from the tree and dropped to the ground a few feet from the two. Aeglosdir tensed at the sound of my feet hitting the leaves, but he relaxed once again. I walked up to them and stood next to Legolas. "Olórëdes, meet Aeglosdir. And Aeglosdir, this is Olórëdes," Legolas introduced. Aeglosdir smiled and bowed. "It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady," he said, as if I were noble. Legolas nudged him. "Stop that," he hissed. I laughed. "Thank you," I said shyly. Legolas had us begin walking again, and I studied Aeglosdir.

He had a thin face with almond shaped green eyes. His nose came to a soft point and he had prominent cheek bones. His hair was not braided, but fell freely over his shoulders. He was not wearing the usual garb of royal guards, as I was expecting, but casual outdoor clothing. He had a sweet smile. He, Legolas, and I all chatted together as we walked, Aeglosdir asking endless questions about me and my life, all of it. Eventually he asked "How long have you been in a relationship?" to the both of us. I did not answer. Legolas turned to him. "Only a few months. This is the first time we have seen each other for many weeks," he responded. Aeglosdir stopped walking, and we turned to face him. "We should not even be seeing each other right now. King Thranduil would do something unspeakable if he found out. We were forbidden from meeting...," I continued.

Aeglosdir's eyes shifted from me to Legolas and back to me. "You would defy the King's orders?" he questioned. I shook my head. "I did not mean for us to meet. I tried to leave as soon as Legolas noticed me, but he kept me with him," I answered. Aeglosdir shifted back to Legolas. "Honestly?" Legolas nodded. "I know..but I could not miss the opportunity to see her," he said slowly, turning to look at me. I looked back and gave him a pained smile. "You cannot tell anyone, Aeglosdir, please," I said. He smiled. "Of course not. I swear on my life that I will tell no one," Aeglosdir answered.

We all looked up as the forest suddenly darkened, signalling the sun falling below the horizon. Aeglosdir looked back at us. "I must be going. It is almost my shift once more," he said in parting. "I shall go as well. It is probably best that the three of us are not seen walking in together," Legolas added. I nodded in agreement. "Goodbye, Aeglosdir. It was wonderful meeting you. Goodbye, Legolas. Gi melin," I said. Legolas returned the 'I love you', then left with Aeglosdir. I turned the other way to wander around the forest for a while before walking back to the gates.

This was kind of a filler chapter, but you all were introduced to Aeglosdir! He's like, the really cool best friend guy that everyone wants :P. I got really sad at making Legolas cry, but I felt like it was necessary. ^-^ Thank you guys so much for reading, I GOT OVER 200 VIEWS TODAY WHICH IS, LIKE, CRAZY! I seriously can't thank all of you enough! I love you all!

Daro= stop

Gi melin= I love you