Chapter 17
Legolas watched Arri and the difference in her. He missed the dancing eyes that were different from other elves and now she seemed to look into the distance with a hollow glare.
Legolas found the entrance to the castle and hugged her to him lightly, "shall we begin to right the wrongs?"
"You mean to tell of Xander?" She cocked her head with a small sigh.
"Yes, we will but I meant to bind our lives and souls as one," he brushed his lips to her forehead. "I do not worry over Xander's death."
"How can you not?"
"Would he not have had his way with you? killed you, Arri?" he felt angry at the memory of finding him with her and how the man's perverted notions had him breaking into her bedroom.
"He attempted to take you and from Jared's words that is not something Loredell will condone."
"Jared has a plan?" She felt there was more to him. "Would you meet your hobbits and I shall meet you back in the room." She kissed him lightly on the lips feeling alive for minute as the electricity between them grew.
"Do you turn me down?" He said half jokingly and kissed her neck lightly. "You have my heart. What shall you do with it?" He let his fingers move over her hands and arms letting the tingle between them increase.
Her heart skipped, "Binding our hearts? Formally?" She felt his hands dancing on her lightly as he came closer and felt her pulse race as well as her mind. "If you will have my heart given to you before our friends and family," She felt him let his breath go as his mouth found hers and she surrendered quickly to his embrace.
He looked to her and rubbed her cheek to his lightly. Touching her belly in silent attempt to bound with their unborn but at the least allowed them to remember the joy told him the child was. All too soon they both heard and felt somebody near. He withdrew from her side quickly and to his feet yet her hand lingered in his. Legolas was focused upon hearing them draw near with sword at the ready.
The bush was pushed enough to reveal Eosin looking at them quite red faced now.
Eosin's gaze was fixed and on Arri flushed from the obvious scent in the air She looked beautiful, her face tinge red her hair wind swept and her eyes open wide with reddened lips from kissing. He could see her bare legs where her gown had moved up and his eyes moved up and down her until her found an angry Legolas with a sword in hand.
Eosin gave them a cautious gaze telling them with his eyes to stay still and cleared his throat, "it was but a wild animal, Giles." He said looking at them as he stood pushing the bushes together and moving away slowly as he spoke hoping to give them an idea of where they were.
Arri tidied her gown as Eosin left them and Legolas tidied his own clothing as well. They both knew it had seemed risky given how prudent the people had been with them before but they both seemed to need the closeness after Xander or perhaps it was the outside's smells but they couldn't help themselves and now reaped the after effects.
They could both hear Eosin leading Giles and the rest away from them but remained still until the heard the last footfall. Legolas replaced his quiver over his shoulder and his took Arri's hand as he stood, helping her to her feet. He looked at her blushing face and smiled that they weren't caught and tilted his head down to kiss her lightly. He chuckled lightly, "so which union are we to have tonight, Elvish or human?"
Her eyes lit up with the idea, "Human but there is to be a coronation too." She sighed thinking about it.
He wrapped an arm around her waist and felt her exhale as they walked but could not resist breathing with sweet word by her ear. She would feel the tickle and wave him away in apparent giggles. It did them both good to smile some and he knew she would need good feelings as well, "we will go through this together." He lead her into the castle courtyard and handed her back her dagger, composing themselves quickly. "Keep this with you." He felt eyes upon them and turned to see Sam and Frodo running to them excitedly.
Sam was more reserved but Frodo ran forward tossing himself into Legolas with a strong laugh, knowing full well he would catch him.
"You didn't say goodbye," Frodo moved from Legolas who couldn't help but to smile at the charismatic hobbit. Frodo folded his arms in mock sadness looking into their eyes but now up close he could see the lady that had Legolas 'goofy' back in Rivendell. Looking her up and down he thought she was indeed beautiful, much taller than a hobbit but beautiful.
"Time was of the essence, Frodo," Legolas said seriously but then smiled as he noticed them looking at Arri, "it would seem you have found us anyway."
Sam's gaze kept wandering back to Arri awestruck, "We had to find you." He pointed back to the other elves that stood at the gate surrendering their weapons to the men at the gate but one elf stood apart from the others, certainly could not ever be lost in a crowd. Lord Elrond stood speaking to one of the guards quietly and with the eloquence he was known for when dealing 'politics', "We came with Lord Elrond to warn you."
"Warn us?" Arri looked at them she looked around slightly alarmed.
"Some of elves found orcs near here and Lord Elrond thought it best to come and tell you," Frodo said nervously.
"We came along to see you," Sam said quickly once again staring at Arri but once Legolas seemed to notice he would look to the ground then steal glance of her. Instead, Legolas introduced them much like the elves to do that. Just when you thought you could offend them to point they would cute off your very head they found the joy in the offense or found it was not so grievous as you thought.
Legolas shook his head knowing there was more to this and then noticed Sam's gaze to Arri. He smiled and placed his hand on Sam's shoulder. "Arri this is Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins of the shire." He gestured to Frodo with a smile, "both of the fellowship."
"The ring bearer," Arri smiled and gave them both a small courtesy.
Sam cleared his throat loudly and nudged Frodo who caught the hint quickly. Frodo laughed at Sam's infatuation with Arri, "Sam was a bearer of the ring for a short time too."
Arri raised an eyebrow and smiled at Sam and seemed to reconsider him with the news.
Legolas rolled his eyes at the young hobbits who seemed taken with Arri as they had been with Arwen. "This is my Arri," he offered to the shorter friends as Sam snatched Arri's hand in a welcoming gesture, "we are to be united today."
Sam was taken back a little and Frodo smiled brightly, "really?" Frodo looked between the elves and tossed himself at Legolas again, happy for his friend.
Elrond was moving to them slowly and they all became quiet waiting for him to explain why he was there. He swept his riding cloak behind him with a simple flip of the wrist but the cloak began a to float as the butterflies they had seen earlier. As he was in earshot he nodded his head to them. Elrond looked from Sam to Frodo, "I was sure they would sniff you out." He called out with half jest.
Legolas stood straighter as the elder elf seemed to obviously be on a diplomatic mission, "Frodo and Sam said you have come to warn us."
"Yes, orcs are making their way," Elrond looked pointedly at Legolas, "You father will arrive in a day as well."
"For orcs?" Arri didn't hide her surprise and she looked to Legolas as if he would know.
"These humans are frightened of elves and to help protect them might help them to trust us," Elrond said simply. "We wish to see peace here as well."
"Legolas is getting married," Frodo said quickly with pride.
"Indeed," Elrond said as if he had expected it. "A human bond?"
They nodded as Elrond exhaled, "Elvish binds should be finalized at well." Elrond gave them a small stare hearing the young prince's words and then smiled to see the necklace that Arri wore. Easily it was for Elrond to see the blush Arri held for some things and the other times she just seemed to blush for no reason. Yet he had to notice how reddened were he lips and to his best guess he would say from kissing her mate.
"Are there that many orcs to require elves from Rivendell and Mirkwood?" Legolas asked falling in step with Elrond as he moved and the others all followed. Over his shoulder he glanced to see if Arri was keeping up but what he saw was Frodo and Sam seemed to be tripping each other up for her attention as well themselves.
"Elves from both kingdoms would show that it is not just Rivendell that are kind or merciful," Elrond, "It was your father's idea." He glanced at Legolas hoping he understood his father's acceptance of this fate.
Legolas nodded as they walked inside of the castle and his eyes fell on Jared who stood there dirty and tired looking.
He bowed to the Elrond and looked to Legolas pointedly, "I have just been discussing your plans to wed and the coronation with Aine and she is readying Arri's dress."
Arri caught her breath a little overwhelmed, "one is to follow the other?"
"First you may wed and then take the throne," Jared said quickly
Legolas had a small smile on his feet but Arri looked dazed. Not so long ago it seemed he had been fighting along her father working with swords and then his death. A whirlwind romance with the Prince of Mirkwood and she was to wed him and take a throne, not to mention his unborn that would show in the later months. She was scarcely aware of Jared's hand on her arm gently urging her to the rooms.
"Arri," Legolas looked at her with silent questions and he lowered his breath, "are you ill?"
Rarely did Elrond miss a thing and so it was when he heard them now, he heard Legolas worry of only Arri being. He was denying his own smile as he realized why a newly bound lady might be ill and as if to confirm it she tried to press the idea aside.
She stood straight again, "I'm fine." She tossed her head back and smiled at him with the courage and strength elves were known for.
Jared nodded as she followed him quietly away from the all who seemed to continue to ask Legolas questions.
Jared cleared his throat, "you are not quite ready for this are you?"
She narrowed her eyes, "where did you learn to speak Elvish?"
He smiled, "languages are not that hard to learn."
"And who was your teacher then?" She kept her gaze cocking an eyebrow, "Jareth."
He stopped dead in his tracks and looked at her with his mouth open and raised a finger to say something then shook his head. He began to walk with her again and he met her eye, "how did you know?" He asked her in Elvish.
"How can anybody who does not have an Elvish teacher learn such a trait?" She smiled. "You are my cousin and I gather you knew my mother or kin as well."
He nodded, "I did." He would offer no more.
"Why do you hide?"
"The same reason I take it you were hidden," he looked at her pointedly, "Safety."
"Take the crown," she said quickly. Such a wonderful answer to so many prayers.
"I wish I could," he sighed. "Giles has built my name into one of a cowards and the people would not take to me lightly. Giles made himself out as the savior here and my brother and I as the traitors. The people are whom need to be won over, Arri."
She nodded watching his face become bright and passionate for the first time she had ever seen. She was proud to call such a compassionate friend her cousin.
"The plans of the Elves and Gandalf to bring peace between the elves and Loredell might be good. If they had not surely Loredell might not be left." he looked at her horrified face. "We cannot fight an army and why their sights are set on Loredell."
"Giles," Arri already seemed to know. "He sent them here."
Jared/Jareth stopped touching her arm, "who said that?"
"It is but a feeling," She gave him a rueful smile. "Still a strong feeling."
"Why would he?" he asked wondering if her feelings were as correct as her mother's. The instincts elves had never stopped to amaze him.
"Perhaps to tell them the 'bad luck' elves brought them," she exhaled.
Jared's mouth dropped, "Arri, we can't let him."
"Lord Elrond is here and I am sure he has this idea too," she sighed lightly. "The elves would not let Loredell 's people suffer."
"I see the dilemma," he sighed heavily. "If you and the other elves hadn't come to bring peace then Giles wouldn't not have summoned orcs to threaten you." He was glad he followed what she was getting at. "If you had not come he would have gone to war against the elves and probably siding with Gondor."
"I doubt Aragorn would allow that," she said quickly.
"He does not have the crown yet, Arri and if he hadn't known Giles he may have believed him as do many others," Jared sighed. "I stayed with the castle's guards to stay close to the crown if I would have to contest it I would but I knew I needed to watch a snake."
She smiled happy to know another man like Aragorn, "I am glad you are here."
He opened the door to small room where Aine waited for her, "I am grateful you are too." He gave her a smile.