Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord Of The Rings or any of its characters or places.
A/N:Chapter Seven is here! Hope you like it, thanks for reading and please please please leave a quick review!
Kieana's POV.
"Who wants some wine?" I ask in an attempt to put an end to the scuffle taking place on the other side of the table, fearing that someone will end up falling out of the tree and not particularly wanting to explain to either Lord Elrond or King Thranduil that their sons fell out of a tree and are unable to walk.
Upon hearing the word wine the five elves pause in their scuffle the twins and Legolas still keeping hold of my brothers. "Call it even?" Elrohir asks.
"Sure." Orophin says.
"Great." Elladan says releasing Rumil at the same moment as Elrohir releases Orophin. Legolas rises to his feet and winds the rope back up handing it to Elrohir before all five of them return to their seats.
"So can I take this to mean that you would like some wine?" I ask.
"Wine would be great thanks." Elladan says smiling warmly at me.
"Red or white?" I ask.
"Red for me please." Elrohir answers.
"And me too." his twin agrees.
"So that's red for the twins and Haldir, and white for Rumil and Orophin."I say getting up pouring four glasses of wine and handing them round. "And what can I get for you Prince Legolas?" I ask.
"White for me please, and call me Legolas there's no need for titles among friends." he replies flashing me a smile that makes my heart skip a beat.
"C-coming right up." I say turning to the drinks table, pouring him a glass of wine and handing it too him.
"Thank-you." he says taking the glass from me his hand brushing mine as he does so, and just as it did at the archery range heat spreads up my arm from where hands came into contact.
I hastily turn away from him trying to hide the blush rising in my cheeks. "So umm what are we eating tonight?" I ask.
"Fish freshly caught this afternoon and vegetables grown right here in the Lothlorien." Rumil says.
"And then for dessert we have a wild berry and cream tart topped with spun sugar and slivered almonds." Haldir adds.
"Sounds delicious." Elladan says.
"Please tell me you three had nothing to do with the cooking of the meal. Because if you did I am afraid I will have to respectfully refrain from consuming any of it." Legolas says earning himself three identical glares from my brothers.
"We can cook!" Haldir protests.
"Really? Because unless I am mistaken I believe that last time the three of you attempted to cook you started a fire in the palace kitchens." Legolas says with a grin.
"That wasn't our fault, the ceiling is too close to the stove." Rumil protests.
"You were cooking marshmallows on toasting forks in the fire on the opposite side of the kitchen to the stove. If Gaeron hadn't been there you could have burnt the whole kitchen down instead of just the kitchen counter." Legolas says.
"You three burnt the kitchen counter? Why have I never been informed of this! How long ago was it!" I ask.
"It must be about a century ago now if memory serves." Legolas says.
"I can't believe you three never told me about this! All those times I've asked you if anything interesting happened in Mirkwood and you fail to mention that you almost set fire to the palace kitchen." I say
"We didn't think it was worth mentioning." Orophin says.
"You knew I'd never let you live it down more like. So are there any other incidents you want to inform me of?" I ask narrowing my eyes and looking around at them all.
"Nope not at all, that's the only one. No other incidents at all none at all! Not one." Rumil says.
"There are plenty more of them. Your brothers are bigger pranksters than we are."Elrohir says.
"Really? Would you like to share some of those stories with me?" I ask.
"No they wouldn't. Not at all." Haldir says.
"I was asking the twins." I say poking my tongue out at him.
"There really is nothing to tell." Rumil says.
"Ok fine, there's nothing to tell." I say. "So what do you think of the Golden wood Legolas?" I ask.
"It's beautiful here, the trees are full of memory and wisdom. I have learnt much from them since we arrived." Legolas says.
"Is it much different from Mirkwood?" I ask.
"Yes and no. I feel more at home here than I have since setting out from Mirkwood. I miss conversing with the trees and walking through the forest listening to their voices." he explains.
"What's it like living there? Is it just constant fighting against spiders and orcs all the time?" I ask.
"Not at all, we usually only have one or two attacks a week the rest of the time is just general patrol of the borders, training and for me mountains of paperwork." he says.
"Do you ever get to just I don't have fun?" I ask.
"Of course we get to have fun. We have feasts, and festivals throughout the year not to mention coming of age ceremonies which occur every month." he says.
"What's it like being a Prince?" I ask.
"Well I don't really know what it's like not to be a Prince, but like everything it has its good and bad points. As a member of the Royal family everyone in the realm knows who I am so even if I'm meeting someone for the first time they have this pre-conceived idea of what I'm going to be like so that can be frustrating. But I have had the opportunity to meet some great people that I might never have met had I not been a Prince, and I have learned a lot about myself through my responsibilities so all in all the good outweighs the bad." he says.
"Are you and your parents close?" I ask.
"My father and I are very close, we don't always see eye to eye and on some matters our opinions differ greatly but I love him very much and would do anything in my power to protect him." he says.
"What about your mother?" I ask.
"She is no longer with us." he says so quietly I can barely hear it.
"She sailed to Valinor?" I ask.
"Nay, she was slain in battle at Gundabad." he says.
"I'm sorry." I say unable keep the look of shock from my face at his words.
"It happened a long time ago." he says sadly. "We do not speak of it my father and I."
"So how's life in Lothlorien? Is there anything exciting coming up that we should stick around for?" Elladan asks changing the subject for which I am grateful. I cannot even begin to imagine the pain Legolas and is father have had to endure since the loss of one so close to them.
"Life here is good, we are for the moment able to keep the darkness from crossing our borders." Haldir says. "And as for the latter part of your question, I believe Kieana should be the one to answer that."
The sound of my name brings me abruptly back to the present and I look around to see six pairs of eyes on me. "Umm I'm sorry I didn't quite catch that could you repeat it please?" I ask a slight blush colouring my cheeks.
"Elladan asked if there is anything exciting coming up in Lothlorien, and I suggested that you may be the best person to answer that question." Haldir says.
"Why would I be the best person to answer that question?" I ask.
"Because of your future plans." Haldir says.
"Oh right. Well I guess this is as good a time as any to announce my plans. I'm joining the fellowship on the journey to Mordor to destroy the Ring."I say.
"Wow, joining the Fellowship huh? What brought on this decision?" Elrohir asks.
"Your grandmother actually." I say.
"Galadriel told you to go on the quest?" Elladan asks.
"No, she asked me to stay behind for a chat after we brought the Fellowship before her and Lord Celeborn, so I stayed and she told me that she had foreseen that eight companions should accompany the ring bearer on his quest to destroy the ring. Nine to match the nine ring-wraiths of Sauron. So when news of Mithrandirs passing reached us she felt it would be best if another companion joined the quest to bring the number back up to nine and she suggested that I might be the person to take that position. So I took some time, discussed it with a few people that I trust and decided that I would join the quest when the Fellowship sets out from Lothlorien ." I say.
"You're replacing Gandalf?" Elrohir asks.
"Replacing Gandalf? No, none can replace Gandalf, he's irreplaceable. I am merely joining the quest to bring the number back up to nine and to offer my services such as they are to Frodo as he sets out to destroy the ring and rid the world of Saurons dominion of evil." I say.
"I guess we're going to be spending more time together then." Legolas says smiling at me.
"I guess so." I reply returning his smile, and silently praying he can't hear my heart trying to beat its way out of my chest at the prospect of spending more time with him.
"Perhaps I can help you work on your archery some more, teach you some of the techniques we use in Mirkwood" he says.
"That would be great, your first lesson helped me so much." I say enthusiastically.
"I am glad I could be of service." he replies flashing me another smile that make my knees feel like jelly.
"So umm do you know when Aragorn wants to set out?" I ask hoping no one noticed me staring at Legolas.
"He wants to set out ere the end of the month." he says.
"So within the week then?" Elladan asks.
"Yeah, at least that's the plan." Legolas says.
"Which gives us plenty of time to plan a farewell party." Elrohir says.
"Just bear in mind that most members of the Fellowship are mortal and not used to Elvish wine." Legolas says.
"So we'll have it on the ground then, to avoid any one accidentally falling out of trees after drinking too much." Elladan says.
"That's probably the safest option, we don't want to be responsible for any of them plummeting to their deaths." I say.
"No killing the heir to the throne of Gondor would not be very wise." Legolas comments.
"Drunk Aragorn is highly amusing though, I remember one time in Imaldris a few years ago he drank two bottles of fathers finest wine and ran around the courtyard naked. Right when father was leading a delegation from Mirkwood on a tour." Elrohir says.
"Oh yes I remember that day, Lord Elrond was not impressed. He assured us that Aragorn was usually a very well behaved young man and begged us not to judge him based on his actions that night." Legolas says with a chuckle.
"He woke with quite a headache the next morning, for some reason he was not overly appreciative of our method of awakening him for breakfast." Elladan comments.
"And what exactly was this awakening method?" I ask.
"We came into his room, crept quietly over to his bed and banged two pan lids together over his head." Elrohir says.
"Oh well he's clearly got an attitude problem. I mean who WOULDN'T want to be woken up by two idiots banging pan lids together?" I ask poking my tongue out at the twins.
"Exactly! Mortals are so rude. It's a wonder we put up with them really." Elladan says.
"Who wants more wine?" I ask reaching for the bottle and pouring myself another glass.
"Is that really a question?" Elrohir asks.
"Oh right sorry, I momentarily forgot with whom I was dining." I say standing up walking over to him and pouring more wine into his glass.
"So Legolas how did your father take the news of your joining the Fellowships quest to destroy the Ring?" Rumil asks.
"I know not what his feelings are on the subject, but I believe he would agree that destroying the Ring is a noble quest and that he would wish for the Elves to be represented." he says.
"You didn't consult him before deciding to join the quest?" I ask.
"There was not time, the decision was made at the Council, none who pledged their allegiance to Frodo had time to consult with others on their decision." he says.
"But surely your father knows of your decision by now. Has he not sent word to you of his thoughts on the quest?" I ask.
"I am sure he has heard about the quest and my decision to join the Fellowship, but how could he send word when our whereabouts at any given time is unknown?" he asks.
"You didn't discuss the route you would take ere setting out from Imaldris?" I ask.
"Nay we did not, for we were not sure ourselves of what path we would take, we are still unsure of what path we will take." he says.
"You haven't planned the journey?" I ask.
"Other than ending up in Mordor and throwing the Ring into the fires of Mount Doom no, we decided it is best not to plot a route for we do not know what perils may await us on the road that would cause us to change course." he says.
"Plus the fact that not having any planned route eliminates the possibility of said route plan falling into the hands of the enemy enabling him to ambush you all and take the ring by stealth." Elladan says.
I nod in agreement before turning to Legolas "Can I ask you a question?" I ask hesitantly.
"Fire away." he says smiling encouragingly at me.
"D-do you think any of your companions will object to having a woman join the Fellowship?"I ask.
"I don't see why they would, there are many female warriors in Mirkwood and they're treated the same way as the male ones." he says.
"Yeah but maybe it's different for mortals, men in particular seem to prefer their women to stay at home rather than to fight." I say.
"Well if any of them give you a hard time let me know and I'll set them straight." he says "or we can spar and give them a demonstration of your fighting skills."
"Ok sounds like a plan." I say.
"You're going to be a great addition to our company, another capable warrior especially one of the Galadhrim is a great asset and everyone in the Fellowship knows that." Legolas says.
Chapter sevens all done! Thanks for the reviews, follows and favs they mean so much to me! Keep them coming! Thanks for reading hope you enjoyed the chapter!