Disclaimers: I don't own any of the characters or settings from Lord of the Rings or Xena the Warrior Princess

Author's Note:

This is a LegoRomance (slow-burn)

A brief chapter leading up to the momentous beginning of the wedding ceremony.

Act II

Belonging

Chapter 124: Braids, Tiaras, and Banter

White City, 3019 TA, July 21th

The late afternoon sun cast its golden glow over Minas Tirith, the city alive with anticipation for the royal wedding. The streets were decorated with flowers, banners fluttered in the warm summer breeze, and a sense of joy permeated every corner. Legolas and Xena had arrived just in time, their journey behind them, but their pace still brisk as they hurried through the alleys with their packs slung over their shoulders.

The two finally reached the chambers assigned to Legolas, situated near the royal quarters. Xena paused at the doorway, raising an eyebrow as she took in their surroundings. "Wait a minute," she said, looking at him. "Are we… sharing this chamber?"

Legolas, already placing his pack on a nearby chair, glanced at her casually. "Yes."

Xena crossed her arms, giving him a questioning look. "And that's not going to cause a stir? You do realize people love to gossip, right?"

Legolas turned to face her fully, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Let them gossip," he said simply. "We are bonded, Xena. In the eyes of my people—and Aragorn's court—we are as one. Staying apart would only seem strange."

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Bonded or not, I'm still not used to all this elvish tradition. But fine—no time to argue. Let's just get ready for this wedding."

"Thank you," Legolas said with a small smile, stepping closer to place a quick kiss on her forehead

Xena rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling. Before they stepped inside the chamber, they nearly collided with Gimli, who was hurrying down the hall, his beard slightly frazzled and his gait unusually quick.

"Ah, there you are!" Gimli exclaimed, his face lighting up at the sight of them. "About time you two showed up! I thought I'd have to go searching the entire city."

Xena smirked. "Good to see you too, Gimli. What's the rush?"

"The rush? The rush?" Gimli huffed, adjusting his belt as he led them toward their chambers. "You've no idea the chaos this morning has been. Aragorn's late to get ready, Arwen's nerves are fraying, and those blasted twins—Elladan and Elrohir—are making things worse instead of better!"

Legolas raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching in amusement. "How exactly are they making things worse?"

Gimli chuckled darkly, shaking his head. "Oh, let me tell you. It seems our dear Arwen was trying to decide between two sets of jewelry this morning—one gifted by her grandmother and the other from her father. The twins, being the wise folk they are, decided to 'help.'"

Xena's interest piqued, and she nudged Gimli. "Go on. What did they do?"

"They started arguing, of course!" Gimli grumbled. "Elladan claimed the jewelry from Galadriel was the most fitting, while Elrohir insisted on Elrond's gift. It turned into such a spectacle that poor Arwen had to yell at them to stop. 'It's my wedding, and I'll choose what I wear!' she said."

Xena burst out laughing. "Good for her. Did she end up choosing?"

"Oh, she did," Gimli said, his grin widening. "She chose both. She's wearing the necklace from her grandmother and the circlet from her father. And the twins? They were stuck carrying the extra jewelry to the hall."

Legolas shook his head, his eyes glinting with humor. "I suppose it's no surprise. The sons of Elrond have always found a way to turn even the simplest matters into a debate."

As they finally stepped into their chambers, Gimli gave them a quick once-over. "You'd better hurry. The ceremony's at sunset, and knowing Aragorn, he'll expect you both to be on time."

"We'll be there," Legolas assured him with a nod.

"And Xena," Gimli added, a mischievous twinkle in his eye, "don't let Legolas take too long braiding his hair. You might miss the entire wedding."

Xena smirked. "Don't worry, Gimli. If he takes too long, I'll cut the braids myself."

Legolas glanced at her, feigning offense. "You wouldn't dare."

"Try me," she shot back with a grin as they stepped into their chamber to prepare. "No more braids for any of us!"

The golden light of the setting sun streamed through the tall windows of their chamber, casting warm hues of gold, pink, and orange across the room. The White City was alive with celebration, and from their vantage point, they could hear faint music and laughter echoing from below. Inside, Legolas and Xena were making their final preparations for Aragorn and Arwen's wedding.

Xena stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the deep blue gown Arwen had gifted her. Its edges were delicately embroidered with silver, its simple yet elegant design enhancing her warrior's poise. She ran her hands over the soft fabric, her reflection catching the faint smirk on her lips. "You know," she said, glancing over her shoulder at Legolas, "for a gown, this isn't bad. Arwen's got taste."

Legolas, dressed in a finely woven long silver robe, smiled faintly as he fastened the clasps at his collar. His hair, for once, was unbraided, falling freely in golden waves around his shoulders.

Xena turned fully to face him, raising an eyebrow. "But what's going on with the hair?" she teased, pointing at his unbraided locks. "Is this a new look for you? No braids?"

Legolas gave her a knowing look. "I thought it appropriate," he replied lightly. "It seems I've been influenced by someone's opinions about braids recently."

Her smirk widened as she crossed her arms, leaning against the edge of the table. "Oh, are we bringing this up again? Because I still think it's ridiculous that you wanted me to wear those braids—what was it? Princess of Mirkwood?"

He sighed, the corners of his mouth twitching in amusement. "Xena, it's tradition. The braids have meaning."

"They also scream, 'I'm royalty, look at me,'" she shot back, grinning. "And no offense, mushroom prince, but I'm not walking into Aragorn's wedding like that. If you like the title so much, you can wear the braids."

Legolas tilted his head, feigning deep consideration. "Hmm. Perhaps I should. A prince and his royal braids."

"Exactly," she quipped. "You'd look stunning."

They both laughed, the tension nonexistent as they exchanged playful banter.

"Fine," Legolas conceded, stepping closer to her. "No braids, for either of us. But know this, Xena—you're only delaying the inevitable. My people will see you as they see me, no matter what you wear."

Xena smirked, lightly poking his chest. "Let them see what they want. But no braids tonight."

"Very well," he replied with mock seriousness. "No braids tonight."

Xena turned back to the mirror, smoothing her gown one last time. Legolas came to stand behind her, his hands gently resting on her shoulders. Their reflections caught each other's gaze, and for a moment, neither spoke.

"You look…" Legolas began softly, his voice trailing off as he searched for the right word.

"Don't say stunning," she interrupted, grinning as she glanced at him in the mirror. "It's overused."

"Radiant," he corrected, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "You look radiant."

Xena's smirk softened as her eyes caught Legolas's reflection in the mirror. She reached up, placing her hand over his and giving him a warm smile. "You're not bad yourself, mushroom prince," she said, her voice light with affection.

Legolas arched an elegant brow, confused by her sudden change in tone. "What is what?" she said, pointing at the delicate circlet resting on his head. "The tiara."

Legolas straightened slightly, lifting his chin as though she had just paid him a compliment. "It's a circlet, not a tiara," he corrected, his tone calm but with a hint of playful pride.

Xena rolled her eyes, her smirk returning. "Call it whatever you want, Princess of Mirkwood, but it's still a tiara."

Legolas sighed theatrically, stepping back as if wounded by her words. "I'll have you know," he began, "this 'circlet' is a symbol of my station. And as my bonded, you'll be expected to wear one too someday."

Xena's eyes widened as she held up her hands. "Oh, no. Nope. Absolutely not. You can keep your braids and your tiaras—I'm not wearing anything on my head that sparkles more than my sword."

Legolas tilted his head, his lips twitching with amusement. "But it would suit you, meleth nîn. I can already imagine how radiant you'd look with a finely crafted circlet, adorned with the symbols of Mirkwood—"

"Stop right there," Xena interrupted, crossing her arms. "You can braid my hair, fine. But if you try to put a tiara on me, I'll show you just how well a chakram flies indoors."

Legolas chuckled, shaking his head as he adjusted the circlet on his own head. "You're missing out, Xena. There's nothing wrong with a bit of elven elegance."

She laughed, leaning against the table. "You know, sometimes I wonder why I fell in love with you. It definitely wasn't because of your hair-braiding skills or your tiara collection."

Legolas gave her a faux-wounded look, pressing a hand to his chest. "And here I thought those were my finest qualities."

"Keep dreaming, mushroom princess," she quipped, nudging him lightly as she grabbed her pack.

He grinned, offering her his arm. "Come, let's not keep the king and queen waiting. And don't worry—I'll resist the urge to crown you tonight."

"Better," she muttered, though her teasing smile lingered as they stepped out of the chamber. The quiet laughter they shared carried down the hall, a testament to the easy humor that bound them as tightly as their love. As they stepped out into the corridor, their unbraided hair flowing freely and their laughter echoing faintly behind them, the sunset bathed them in its glow—a fitting beginning to a night they would not forget.

As they stepped onto the terrace of Minas Tirith, the view of the city and the lands beyond took their breath away. The wedding would take place at the highest level of the city, with the sunset as its backdrop. Guests were already gathered, their laughter and chatter filling the air.

Legolas offered his arm to Xena, and she took it with a small smile. "Well," she said, "we made it. Let's hope Aragorn hasn't started without us."

Legolas chuckled, his expression warm. "Knowing Aragorn, he's probably waiting."

Xena laughed, nudging him playfully. "Let's not keep him waiting, then."

Together, they descended toward the gathering, their presence blending seamlessly into the celebration that marked the union of a king and his elven queen—and the beginning of a new era of peace.

((Upcoming Chapter One-Hundred-Twenty-Five))

Thank you for taking the time to read this! Feel free to Review - Follow - Favorite!