The Forbidden Child

Blooming Romance

"You are telling me that your father-" Legolas was cut off by Eve's interjection.

"Strider," she amended.

"Strider only found you recently?"

"Yes exactly. I have been living in the Gap of Rohan in a small village called Broadacres with my mother Gwyndolyn. She's a widow but I do remember her husband Edulard. I don't really know what happened, only that Strider was separated from me at birth."

"Why?" Legolas asked.

"I don't know," Eve repeated.

"Don't you wonder?"

"I meant to ask but I never did. I got this," she gestured to her wound, "shortly after Strider and I were acquainted."

"What about your mother?"

"Gwyndolyn is my mother."

"Yes, but what about your real mother?"

Eve looked at Legolas with hurt in her eyes. "My birthmother was the one who abandoned me, not the other way around. Gwyndolyn was the one to raise me the past seventeen years."

Legolas's eyebrows rose. "Seventeen?" As though he was surprised.

"Eighteen almost. You surely can't be too much older than myself by the looks of you, not that I care anymore, especially with your rude inquiries."

"I did not mean to pry," he apologized.

"Well, you did. Far more than was appropriate."

"Eve, I'm sorry."

"It doesn't mean anything. You're no one really," Eve replied matter of factly.

"Oh."

The girl was so young and headstrong she often never noticed how very rude she was, especially to an elf who was used to everyone being prim. She felt a little bad but definitely not too much. Just because he was a little older did not mean he could be so intrusive.

What she didn't know was that Legolas was over two thousand years old.

-

After a few more minutes of awkward talk, Eve was having a hard time liking this handsome elf. Her interest in Legolas was slowly spiraling. He was very attractive and spoke in a soft voice. He was also very clever and had many interesting things to say outside of being annoyingly nosy. He was very tall, taller than Eve, which she wasn't too used to. He did have gorgeous blue eyes and she did love his blond hair. Legolas was pretty, if a man could be called pretty, but she supposed any elf could be called that because of their characteristics. He was a good listener too, which was something Eve also wasn't used to either, because boys' favorite past times seemed to be talking about themselves.

But don't get that confused. She didn't like him. Not in the slightest.

As they walked shoulder to shoulder, their hands brushed against each other. Eve blushed and put her hand in her trouser's pocket. She cleared her throat, finding herself blushing despite it all.

Eve had a feeling he wanted to hold her hand. I was the prettiest girl in the Broadacres, she thought to herself and then quickly blushed at her prideful notion. Besides, she thought holding hands was childish.

Especially with someone who was so rude.

Suddenly, there was a searing pain in her side. Eve quickly crippled over, pressing her hand to her wound. "Agh!" she murmured.

"Are you alright?" Legolas inquired, worry written on his brow.

Eve stated, "Yes, I'm fine."

With that statement, she almost collapsed but Legolas caught her by her arms and put one over her shoulder. Her skin was hot to the touch. "Come along. Let us have your father check your wound."

Eve huffed and stood alone. "I'm fine," she insisted.

Her independence had Legolas stunned and also heightened his attraction to her. He had never met anyone like Eve.

-

"Where in the world have you been?" Strider inquired upon her arrival.

Eve was very out of breath and her heart was loudly beating in her chest as she roughly sat down in the single chair. "I think I need a new bandage," she gasped.

"You're burning up!" Strider exclaimed as he put his hand to her forehead. He barely even noticed Legolas standing in the corner who was wearing guilt all over his face.

Eve lifted her tunic slightly and saw the wrap around her torso and how she was bleeding through.

Strider carefully pressed his hand against it and sighed as he began to take it off. As he observed, he could tell it had reopened, but nothing more. Still, the anger on his face was apparent.

"What did you do?" he interrogated, glancing Legolas's way.

"I didn't mean to," he started.

"I tripped. That is all," Eve claimed. She recalled when she had pinned Legolas against a tree but it was sort of on accident.

Strider shook his head and pressed a cloth against the wound to clean it and then rewrapped it again. "Be careful," he said and rolled his eyes. "What have you two up to all this time?"

"I just thought fresh air would do me come good," Eve explained. She felt as though her and Legolas had been caught in some sort of act.

"Hm," was all Strider would murmur.

Eve shot right up to her and grimaced a little. "Let's go, Legolas," and headed for the door, grabbing his hand instinctually to lead him out.

Strider looked down to their clasped hands. "Now where do you think you're going?"

"Legolas mentioned something about teaching me to shoot."

"Are you out of your mind? Minimal moving, Eve. I swear it. You will keep reopening your wounds and with your luck it will get infected. Just let it heal!" Strider exclaimed. "Get your ideas out of here," he added, pointing to Legolas.

Eve quickly dropped his hand and scowled. "You said we were training, though, and I mean to have Legolas join in instruction."

"Why?" Strider interrogated.

"Um," Eve stumbled. "I think it would be nice to have variety."

"Well, I would agree. We would start training today but you went and got yourself stabbed."

"You're being awfully hotheaded," Eve exclaimed.

"You must get it from someone."

With the argument slightly settling down, Eve gave in, a little embarrassed. The two of them had been so engaged in conversation that they hadn't noticed that Legolas had left.

Eve couldn't blame him.

"It wasn't my fault but I suppose I will listen to you anyway," she resigned.