An arranged marriage could solve everything: Legolas' post-war melancholy, Lasriel's dream of freedom and a family, her mother's exile, King Thranduil's dark secret. But turning childhood friendship into love is not as easy as they thought - and nei...
~Lasriel gets another scolding but also a soft caress. Back in Greenwood Thuriniel and Thranduil has a tent tête-à-tête.~
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"Being brave doesn't mean you go looking for trouble."
– Mufasa, The Lion King
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18. Braids
Lasriel had expected to be yelled at and reprimanded by Legolas on his return that evening, but despite his grim face he didn't say one word. He just silently went to wash himself and change clothes before stiffly sitting down to dinner, fingers clutching the eating knife like he wanted to stab something other than the food with it.
They ate in silence, the most horrible kind, teeming with unsaid words. Lasriel's mouth was so dry she could hardly swallow the food.
"I'm sorry," she blurted at last, unable to stand the sullen silence any longer. "I didn't mean to embarrass you in front of your friends. I should have chosen another day."
"Another day!" His head whipped up. "As if that–" He cut off his words abruptly and took a deep breath.
When he began again his voice was less agitated – but no less angry. "Not long ago we killed a pack of wild wargs at the Cross-roads. Was I happy to find my wife in a tree, dressed in mudstained ellyn's clothes? Nay, but at least I found you there alive. You could have been killed. Devoured by a wild beast and lost without a trace." He tiredly rubbed his forehead. "I told you you couldn't come. I told you it's not safe."
Lasriel bit her lip to refrain from crying again. Wargs... She had never seen one but knew they were twice as big as wolves and probably five times as ferocious. When she left the colony her own safety had never crossed her mind at all.
She wanted to explain that but as usual nothing came out. Not when Legolas was staring at her like that, eyes full of affronted reproach.
"What were you doing out there?"
"I just wanted to climb trees," she mumbled unsteadily.
He narrowed his eyes and his voice turned silky. "Climb trees. Right. Just like you were 'out' and not in Osgiliath the other day?"
"Well, I..." Her voice faltered.
"Why do you make me worry over you? I have enough to worry about as it is."
Again she found no reply and she turned her gaze down. If he had not sounded so angry his concern might have soothed her, but somehow she found it hard to believe he had truly worried. Was this not just his need to control her? She never asked where he was, why must he know wherever she went? Osgiliath was hardly a dangerous place. There were people everywhere to chase away potential monsters.
