Building Ithilien [Legolas] LOTR

Unexpected

Legolas stopped in his path and silently ran his finger along his bottom lip. She had kissed him. He had not expected that! The stars hung low and bright as they had for the past millennia, and the tall beeches held their ever silent vigil, yet all seemed more vivid, brighter, bolder, darker—a world of contrasts, of opposites: dark, light; cold, hot; strength, frailty; pain, bliss. Miredhel. Legolas. Difference perfected in combination. The elf's breath hung in the cold night air as he clasped the small violet flower that she had pressed in his hand before he left, and he gently placed it in his pocket. Legolas leaned against the nearest tree trunk and clapped his hands to his burning cheeks to cool them and then to his chest as if to calm his heart.

Oh, that he might return to her, to secure her feelings once more, for truly his heart lingered there in that tent with her. She trusted him, even to returning his affection. She had kissed him; again, he marveled at her daring and at his surprise. Of course, he had hoped, even imagined that she would respond to him in such a way, but Legolas had not anticipated that the dreamt of event would occur this very evening. Now he had to leave her to go to some infernal council meeting. What if she changed her mind in his absence? Or regretted her actions? He should not have left her.

"If only I could have stayed there with her, held her, kissed her," Legolas murmured to himself. He glanced backwards with regret and combed his fingers through his hair. There was so much he wanted to tell her, to show her, so that she could understand the depths of his feeling.

He felt everything as he walked: the scent of fresh fir tinged with smoke, the feel of the small pebbles and pine straw beneath his feat, the cold air burning his lungs, and he cared for none of these things as his mind's eye strained towards her—the light brown flecks in her green eyes, the way one look from those eyes had made him feel, the bliss from knowing the touch of her lips, and the excruciating pain of parting from them. For a fleeting second, Legolas considered the possibility of ignoring his father's summons, and a lesser elf might have done as much; however, Legolas was an elf of duty. He took his responsibilities seriously. Despite his surfeited anger towards his father, he would always owe allegiance to Thranduil, the king. The large canopy of his father loomed ahead. Legolas was not one to turn back.

He slipped into his father's council meeting, quietly observing that Belegil and Sulindal had been asked to join as well. Some of the captains of the forest guard, including Adrendil, numbered among the circle. No on really talked, but whispered hushed speculations. Legolas evaded his father's eyes and instead of taking his place in the empty seat next to the king, he slid into one of the empty chairs by Sulindal. His friend permitted himself the smallest of smiles upon seeing the prince's bright cheeks and eyes.

"How fares her ladyship?" asked Sulindal.

"Still frightened, but feeling better," Legolas replied, wondering how much Sulindal had seen. However much, it was too much for his comfort. His tent needed a lock on the door.

"So I should think," Sulindal said, his eyes twinkling.

Legolas ignored the amused tone in his friend's voice. He asked, "Has her brother been informed of the incident?"

"To which incident do you refer? The one with the orc or the one where you—"

Legolas shot him a dirty look, and Sulindal smugly swallowed his words to become serious once more. "No, he does not know, but he is on his way here now, I believe."

Legolas nodded in approval. "He will not be pleased."

"To say the very least," Sulindal agreed.

The prince looked about and then lowered his voice to say, "Something more must have happened for my father to call such a council. He would not do this for the sighting of one measly orc."