One-shots/Short Stories

Legolas

Being Different
Mirkwood was a lovely realm to live in. . .apart from the spiders that lurked around in the forests.
   But nonetheless, Nandariel loved the realm. She's lived there her whole life, not once leaving her home. Her parents had sailed off when she turned one hundred, leaving her all alone.
   But not only that, Nandariel happened to fall in love with the Prince of Mirkwood. An ellon who happened to not even know she existed. From what she could see, he liked Tauriel, captain of the guards. Nandariel was jealous about that.
   But what could she do? She didn't have the guts to tell him - or even approach him! She simply admired him from afar. . .as creepy as that sounded.
   She was walking around the forests one day when she stumbled upon an old friend. "Mithrandir!" Nandariel exclaimed.
   Gandalf gave out a low chuckle, accepting her hug. "Young Nandariel," he greeted her, "just the elf I wanted to see."
   "Really?" she tilted her head at him curiously.
   "How would you like to go on a quest?" he asked her, watching as her eyes lit up with excitement.
   "Really?" she asked again.
   "Really." he confirmed.
   "Oh my - of course! Of course I'll come!" She always wanted to go on a quest, but was too shy to sign up to be a soldier. "I'll just get my stuff quickly!"
   "Off you pop."

***

"Dwarves?" Nandariel hissed to Gandalf. "And a hobbit? What's going on? And doesn't the dwarves loathe my kin?"
   The were at a place called the Shire, in a little hobbit's home. And dwarves keep coming in to the place. And when they see her, they'd grimace and send a look to Gandalf as if saying, "Why the hell is an elf here?"
   "Trust me, Nandariel." Gandal said, smoking on his pipe. "You will become a great asset to the quest, and new friends you will create."

   "Blunt the knives, bend the forks!
   Smash the bottles and burn the corks!
   Chip the glasses and crack the plates. . .
   THAT'S WHAT BILBO BAGGINS HATES!" the dwarves sang.

Nandariel smile at their joy and fun, slowly accepting them.
   "Okay." she told Gandalf. "I'll tolerate them."

***

"Do not think I won't kill you dwarf, it would be my pleasure."
   Feeling protective of her new companions, Nandariel jumped out of her hiding spot in the trees, aiming her bow and arrow at the elf who spoke. "Over my dead body you will." she hissed, only to gasp that she had just threaten her Prince. But still, she held her weapon at him. The dwarves stared at her with respect for defying her kin to protect them.
   Legolas stared at her in disbelief, along with the other elves. "What are you doing with dwarves, elleth?" Legolas demanded.
   Nandariel tightened her hold on her weapon. "What I am here for doesn't concern you." she said bravely.
   Tauriel stepped beside Legolas. "That's quite brave of you to defy the Prince." Tauriel told her, narrowing her eyes at Nandariel.
   "I am merely just protecting my new friends." Nandariel shrugged. Legolas lowered his bow, a small respect for her bravery to protect her friends.
   "Take them to the dungeons except the leader and elleth." Legolas told the guards. "I'm sure the King would like to speak with them." Legolas turned to her. "Especially an elleth."
   "Over my dead body!" Kili exclaimed, Fili agreeing. The two brothers had especially grown close to Nandariel, becoming the best of friends. Nandariel smiled at their protectiveness.
   "That can be arranged -"
   "No!" Nandariel stood in front of her friends protectively. "You will have to kill me before you harm them!" Legolas stared at her in shock. Nandariel was feeling shock as well. She never expected herself to do all these things to the elf she loved from afar. Maybe she didn't really love him. . .
   "Very well." Legolas huffed. He turned to the guards. "Hurry now, the King awaits for us."

***

Nandariel was shoved into a cell near the dwarves, the sound of her small friends yelling out, demanding to be released.
   Thranduil asked her questions, and offered her a deal of setting her free, only for her to refuse. She made a vow to herself and Gandalf that she'd stay with the dwarves. Besides, they were her friends. She wouldn't leave them alone hair to live in a boring life again.
   "Did he offer you a deal?" Thorin asked from his cell beside hers.
   "He did." Nandariel nodded. "He said I can be free if I tell him why we're here. I said no, because I don't want my boring life. I don't want to be free while all of you are stuck here." Even though she couldn't see him, Thorin smiled at her words, gaining respect from him.
   It was late at night when the dwarves were sleeping did Nandariel get company. She was sitting in the corner when someone stopped in front of her cell. She looked up, startled to see the Prince of Mirkwood staring at her. "Heruamin. . ." she murmured, slowly making her way to him. "Why are you here?"
   "I. . .I don't know." Legolas admitted quietly. He stared at her with furrowed brows. "You are an elleth I have never seen before."
   "I. . ." she looked away embarrassed. "I live far away from the kingdom. That's probably why you've never seen me before."
   "Of course." Legolas cleared his throat. "Do you know how much of a treason this is? Accompanying our enemies, defying the King?"
   "They're my friends." Nandariel said bravely.
   "And we are your kin."
   "Yes, that never noticed me until now." They stared at each other for a couple of minutes in silence. Legolas broke the silence.
   "What is your name, elleth?"
   "Nandariel."
   "Nandariel," Legolas repeated, "a lovely name." Nandariel looked away with a blush. "I am sorry that you are here instead of in your home."
   "My home was boring." she shrugged. "I always wanted to go on a quest." Legolas smile at her words.
   "You like adventure?"
   "Of course. I learnt the bow and arrow and many other weapons in case I get to go on an adventure. Or to just protect myself." She raised an eyebrow at him. "You know how the spiders are in the forests. I have to bring a weapon with me whenever I go in the forest."
   "You're the one that leaves a trail of spiders?" Legolas stared at her impressed. "That's impressive. I have been trying to find who they were getting killed by."
   "Oh. Sorry for giving you that investigation."
   "Nonsense." Legolas waved off. "It was fun for me to try and find who were killing the spiders."
   It was silent again. "It is an honour to meet you, Prince Legolas." Nandariel broke the silence. "It's a shame we had to meet this way."
   "I don't mind." Legolas told her. "I'm glad we met."
   "Even though you threatened to kill my friends." she added casually. He laughed sheepishly, scratching behind his head. A noise suddenly came from near them.
   "I must go." Legolas told her. She nodded in understanding. "It was lovely to meet you."
   "It was lovely to meet you too, Prince Legolas."
   "Please, just Legolas." he told her, walking away. She tilted her head at him.
   "Why?"
   He stopped walking away from her, and turned to her with furrowed brows. "I. . .I don't know." he gave a small shrug. "You're different. I like that."
   "Really?"
   "Really." he confirmed. He quickly walked back to her, his hands overlapping hers on the bars of her cell. "Even though we've only met, it feels like I have known you my whole life." He placed a chaste kiss on her knuckles. "Don't do anything rash."
   "No promises." she smiled, a light pink on her cheeks. He placed a hand on one of her blushing cheeks.
   "Beautiful." he murmured. He pulled away quickly when he realised he said it out loud. "Until next time, Nandariel."
   "I'll be waiting." she smiled at his retreating figure.
   "Get in there, Nandariel." Kili's voice was suddenly heard.
   "Kili!"

The End

Translations:
Ellon: male elf
Elleth: female elf
Mithrandir: Gandalf or Grey Wanderer
Heruamin: my Prince