Wanderlust (Legolas LOTR)

The Arrow or the Hart

The elves rose with the red-tipped sun, and the Royal Guard hastened to rejoin their king at Dale. Legolas and Thaliniel could scarcely keep up, and neither noticed as the Rivendell elves ever so slightly began to fall behind and then disappeared altogether. Elrohir and Elladan certainly had no intentions of attempting to explain or justify their actions at the Withered Heath to King Thranduil, and as for any possible drugging of the crown prince, well, that topic was to be avoided at all cost. The twins knew better than to cross the King's path if it could be avoided!

Upon reaching the outskirts of town, Captain Beriadan moved to the forefront of the group, proudly leading the members of his guard as well as the prince and Thaliniel through the winding streets of the city until they arrived at a trim and extremely well-appointed town home in one of the finer sections of Dale.

Legolas looked confused, but Beriadan waved at him to dismount. "Your father's temporary residence," the captain called to the prince, and in the next moment, the king's porter had hustled out to the lane with a curious stable boy in tow who looked wide-eyed at all of these battle-hardened warrior elves. He had never before seen so many.

Next to Legolas, Thaliniel gaped at the house and then down the street with its pert little row of austere residences. "Did-did your father buy...?"

The prince nodded and stifled a groan. Had his father really bought a house in Dale, just to avoid staying at one of the inns? Traveling with his own personal linens was one thing, but this-this purchase really defied sensibility.

Still feeling very frazzled from all his exertions on behalf of the king's comforts, Hebion, the king's porter, gestured for the group to follow him inside, reminding them all to wipe their travel-stained boots on the mat. Then he called for Beriadan and the guards to join the King in the downstairs parlor. Legolas moved to follow them inside, but Hebion actually had the nerve to stop him at the door.

"No, not you, young sire," Hebion tutted, quickly pulling the door shut in front of the prince. "Your father gave implicit directions that he wanted to meet with you later-after hearing what Beriadan had to say. "

Legolas may not have buried his face in his hands and wept at the promise of a private audience with his father, but the thought certainly occurred to him. Instead, he sank down on one of the nearby settees lining the hall and tried, without luck, to listen in on Beriadan's report. It was perhaps not the most princely course of action, but neither was vomiting into one of the potted plants-and Legolas' anxiety had multiplied to the point of nausea.

Unfortunately, the quick patter of slippered feet interrupted his ill-conceived attempt at eavesdropping, as Narylfiel bounded around the corner and flung herself at her sister.

Thaliniel pulled Narylfiel into her arms and hugged her tightly, her eyes tearing up as she glanced up at Legolas and attempted a smile. In that moment, the gratitude and unbridled joy in Thaliniel's eyes reminded Legolas why he made the journey in the first place-it was for her; and he feared that he was o She kissed her sister on top of her head fiercely and then pulled her back at arms' length.

"Do you know how worried I was?" Thaliniel choked out, her voice thick with emotion. "How wrong your actions were?"

Shamefaced, Narylfiel nodded, and truly she did look penitent. "Trust me," she said earnestly, "I heard plenty of that from King Thranduil, and I am sorry for what I did. I understand now that my actions may have placed you and Legolas in terrible danger or at the very least caused many people a great inconvenience."

Thaliniel exchanged a glance with Legolas beside her. "King Thranduil?" the older sister repeated suspiciously. "How did you come here, Narylfiel?"