Chapter 16

As Legolas and Thranduil neared Long Lake, scattered shoreline residences came into view. Legolas remembered that one of these houses had belonged to Narinya's family, from what she had told him about her life there. He dismounted and approached the cottages in view, hoping she might have simply returned to her former home, but she was nowhere to be found.

Legolas inquired at the cluster of cabins while Thranduil had begun to ask for the residence of Calanon and finally found the information that he sought. Calanon also lived in a shoreline home, but much further down the lakefront. Legolas and Thranduil rode with haste until they came upon what was likely his door, the last cottage in a row of modest homes. Legolas knocked with determination.

"Who is it?" A male voice asked curiously.

"The king and prince of the Woodland Realm; we come on official business. We are seeking the residence of someone named Calanon," Thranduil answered with authority, though he had no claim over Lake-town or its people.

"Well you have found it." A man with slightly pointed features and dark, shoulder length hair swung the door open. He was a bit taller than the men of the lake typically were, likely due to the elven side of his parentage, and his face was friendly but confused, "What might I do for your highnesses?" he asked, suddenly remembering to half-heartedly bow.

"We were hoping we might find Lady Narinya here with you, for we have heard that you were friends before she left Lake-town," Legolas answered evenly, without letting on that he knew anything further.

"Looking for her? Is she missing?" He was visibly alarmed, but Thranduil especially was not about to accept the apparent ignorance so quickly.

"Yes, but as of now we have no cause for concern. She left willingly from her home in Greenwood and traveled on a safe road."

"Are you... her husband?" Calanon assessed Legolas. "She never told me who she was marrying, but I learned from my own sources that it was someone highborn."

Legolas nodded quickly, "Yes, and I would very much like to find her; there's a matter we need to discuss. If she is not here with you, and not in her former home, do you know where else in Lake-town she might be? Where has her sister moved to?"

"She has long been my friend, so I might ask you why she was forced to flee from Greenwood. What happened for her to need to escape from there, or from you?" Calanon now regarded Legolas and Thranduil with suspicion, his face looking far less friendly than it had previously.

"She can tell you what she wishes you to know. You may accompany us if it is her safety that you are concerned about," Legolas offered, forcing himself to remain cordial. He knew he should be grateful for another's concern for Narinya's well-being, but the fact that this particular individual was the one questioning his intentions incensed him.

Calanon disappeared in his house for few moments, leaving the door ajar long enough for the elven visitors to glance around the interior of the small cottage, confirming that Narinya was not inside.

"I will go with you. Her sister, Riniel, lives out on the lake now. I can show you to her home." Calanon led the elves to the beginning of the docks. The horses remained grazing on the shore while their masters walked out onto the wide planks of wood that marked the entrance of the floating town.

The water gently lapped against the pilings that supported the walkway the elves and man now strode across. The sun was starting its descent, warm hues lighting up the sky and reflecting off the water. The town was settling in for the night ahead.

Legolas was more than glad that they had not found Narinya at Calanon's. He would not want to give his father that satisfaction, but the relief he felt went deeper than that. It suggested that perhaps there was less between Narinya and Calanon than he had supposed.

Calanon led the elves to the end of one of the residential piers. A long line of homes was floating there and the small group stopped at the third door. Calanon knocked with purpose, though he could not fully mask his nervousness. He had had little interaction with Narinya's family since the incident and he was not sure how he would be received.

"Yes?" The door opened and a tall ellon stood before them, Riniel's husband. He recognized the king and prince of Greenwood, "Pardon me, my lords, and come in, if it pleases you."

"Thank you, we are looking for Lady Riniel," Calanon spoke first, following the elf into the house, with Legolas and Thranduil on his heels.

Legolas stopped abruptly when his eyes met Narinya's across the room.

Her breath caught in her throat. She had not expected him to come for her, not after everything. Her eyes drifted to Thranduil and then finally to Calanon, confusion filling her features.

"What are you doing here!?" She asked. Though the question was nonspecific, it seemed to be directed at Calanon. But Legolas answered first, "I had to find you."

"And in trying to do so, you went to him? Did you really think that I would make the same mistake again?" She asked, her voice quietly revealing her hurt.

Calanon winced, now realizing that Legolas knew far more than he had said.

"My father expected you to have gone to him. I did not think that you would, and I can see that I was right," Legolas replied gently, as if only the two of them were in the room.

Thranduil was surprised, and pleasantly. Perhaps Narinya had indeed learned something.

Just then, Riniel rushed into the room, "What is going on?"

Upon seeing who her unexpected visitors were, she briefly bowed her head to them before speaking, "Please, my lords, you are most welcome, but I cannot allow anyone to attack my sister's honor while in my household. I love her, and I of course would have loved her child, regardless of..." She stopped short, seeing the look of confusion settle on Calanon's face.

Silence fell over the room as Riniel realized she had said too much. Narinya gave her a sharp look, and then turned to face an obviously puzzled Calanon, "May we speak privately?" He nodded in response.

Legolas stepped aside so that Narinya could lead Calanon out the door.

As they walked along the docks, Calanon spoke first. "What's this about a child?"

Narinya continued walking until they had reached the very end of one of the nearby piers. She sat down and pulled her dark dress up to her knees, letting her legs dangle off the edge, her toes just submerged in the cold water they had so often swam in as children.

"Calanon, there are things I neglected to tell you. Things I could not tell you, nor anyone else." She paused before continuing. "After that night we spent together… as you know, I did what my father demanded of me and went to live in Greenwood. I did not know at the time that… that you had impregnated me." She sighed, the many emotions of the ordeal swirling again.

"What!?" The color had drained from Calanon's face.

"It was not until I was already married that I was certain of it, and by then there was little that could be done."

Calanon appeared to be turning this over in his mind, counting the months since their night together. He looked at her with renewed confusion.

"I lost the child," Narinya added somberly.

"You never contacted me, never bothered to tell me that I was going to be a father? Would you have played it off as the prince's, then?" Calanon's voice sounded wounded.

"I truly do not know what would have been done." Narinya looked away, tears stinging at her eyes, "I never meant to hurt you, Calanon. You always were a loyal friend, but you never could be more, not in the way you desired. I think that I always made that clear, but I am sorry for the pain I have caused you."

Calanon was silent for a few moments, gazing into the dark water beneath them. "I am sorry, too, Narinya. For not listening, and for taking things too far."

"Thank you."

"But why have you come back to Lake-town now? It must be months now since you lost the child. The prince said you left Greenwood on your own accord; has he been unkind to you, or worse?"

"No, not at all. He's been perfectly kind and polite, despite everything." Her heart warmed a bit with her own affection for Legolas, but she quickly remembered again that the kind, polite, and guarded standstill their relationship had come to was part of why she had to leave. She added, "The king has been the one intent on punishing me, though only with cruel words."

"Will you stay here in Lake-town, then?"

"I imagine so, though it seems there may still be some things to discuss. I had not anticipated the prince or the king seeking me out in this way. I thought they would both be relieved to let me go, after my transgression, and that any necessary formalities to relieve my title would move forward without my presence being required. But, I think I would still prefer for things not to end on bad terms, if it can be helped."

Calanon was thoughtful before speaking again, "I see. Well, if it is any help in the matter, I should apologize to the king and prince for what transpired between you and I." He stood and, without waiting for a response, walked back in the direction of Riniel's home.

Narinya might have moved to stop him from further involving himself, as she found it vexing that he would make such a decision without her input, but she realized it would do no harm now for Calanon to speak with them, even if it was unlikely to salvage whatever honor she had left.

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When Calanon arrived back to Riniel's, Legolas was notably absent. Riniel had busied herself in the kitchen preparing tea for her unexpected guests. He found himself alone in the small living space with only King Thranduil.

The king was silent and Calanon shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. He was not sure if what he had done with Narinya, and the fact that she had apparently married into the Greenwood royal family carrying his child, could be considered treason. He considered how to go about speaking with the king, but was not sure how to proceed now that he faced his icy glare.

Thranduil was first to break the silence. "Were you aware that she was intended for my son?"

Calanon cleared his throat before responding in a sheepish tone, "I was not - all she told me was that her father had decided it was time for her to be married, but not that there was already an arrangement in place." He hoped that would be enough to spare him any formal retribution.

"And you thought perhaps you could convince her it should be you that she marry?"

"I did not think I ever could. She has never felt that way for me."

"So you only wanted to bed her, then?"

Calanon looked bothered by the suggestion, "No, I did hope that she'd relent and choose me, if she had to choose someone at all."

He broke eye contact before continuing, "But there was clearly not much thought put into the decision, on either of our parts. We made a mistake, and it would certainly not have happened at all if I had not been so eager. She did not refuse, but she was also vulnerable - I did not know that her father had informed her of the marriage arrangement that day, but I admit I could still sense her distress when she arrived on my doorstep. I did not intend to take advantage."

"There was nothing, before or after?"

"We had not spoken in months, maybe even years, before that night, and have not spoken since, until today. She made it clear a long time ago that she never wanted something more with me, and I really ought to have listened. I've realized that in the time since, and let go of the hopes I once had. We were never a fit in that way."

"I have apologized to her, and I offer my apology to you now as well," Calanon added. He knew he also should apologize directly to the prince, but he was rather relieved that Legolas had not been present for the conversation. The idea of facing Narinya's husband directly was even worse than being under the scrutiny of King Thranduil.

Thranduil nodded once. He had expected there to be far more deep-seated and lingering feelings between Calanon and Narinya, but he had learned much that day about the two of them and about Narinya's choices.

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Darkness had covered the town and all was quiet, save the gentle waves washing against the pilings. After Calanon took his leave, Narinya had remained seated at the end of the pier, thinking over all that had happened. So lost in thought was she that she failed to hear light footsteps approaching.

"May I sit with you?"

She looked up to see Legolas standing there, waiting patiently for her response. She took a moment to observe him. His features were lit by the soft evening light, his hair radiant in the moonlight reflecting off the surface of the lake. If this was to end, she wanted to preserve this vision of him in her memory. She finally found her words, "Yes, of course."

He sat down next to her, "You had asked me if there was anything else I wanted to know about." He paused, uncharacteristic uncertainty in his eyes, "There is, but I did not know how to ask."

She stared straight ahead at the lake before them, waiting for him to continue. When he did not, she looked over to meet his blue eyes. They looked as dark as the water. "You can ask me anything, Legolas. I will answer truthfully."

Finally, he spoke. "Did you love him?"

"What?"

"Did you ever love Calanon, then or now?"

"No, I never did. There was never anything romantic between us, before or after that night, at least for my part. It was only the one time, Legolas."

"Why did you go to him, then?"

"I did not know where else to go; he was familiar, something to hold onto from my home. I was so upset at the betrothal, I really did not think it through. But it was foolish and I regretted it immediately."

She was glad he had asked, the heaviness of that particular unanswered question felt as though it had finally lifted. She could not deny how glad she was that he had come after her, but she was not sure if he was simply seeking closure or something else entirely. She did not know what might happen next.

Narinya looked back out at the expanse of water before them, "I hope I have not lost whatever was left of his friendship, and whatever was left of yours, but I understand if I have."

Before Legolas could respond, the king approached behind them, interrupting. He had considered the new information he had learned and made a decision. "Narinya, Legolas, join me inside."

Legolas stood up and extended his hand to Narinya. She accepted and he lifted her to her feet. She was surprised when he did not let go of her hand as they walked together toward Riniel's house.

Thank you for reading - apologies for the gap between the last chapter and this one! Next one will be up faster.

Reviews are very appreciated!