Another World

Chapter 60

Legolas regarded her with eerie stillness, his face a beautifully painted mask as he stared down at her with electric blue eyes; eyes that were the exact replica of his father's. It really was unnerving how much he resembled Thranduil at first glance, yet the subtle differences were distinct enough that Charlotte felt a fool for having mistaken him as Thranduil in the first place.

Though, to be fair, she had been trapped under a spider and hadn't been able to get a proper look. All she had seen was a flash of silver-white hair and had assumed he was Thranduil. That was her excuse and she was sticking to it.

Charlotte gawped up at him from her position on the hard ground, distantly noting that Legolas had inherited his father's lustrous platinum hair, blue eyes and dark brows (though not as pronounced as Thranduil's).

Where Thranduil exuded poise, grace and maturity that bordered on haughtiness, Legolas, on the other hand, radiated a certain warmth that leaned towards a boyish charm.

Legolas, she concluded, was a perfect combination of both his mother and father.

"Are you hurt?" Legolas enquired; his tone soft yet aloof.

"Only my pride," Charlotte quipped as she struggled to her feet, dusting herself off in the process. "Not exactly how I pictured us meeting," she said, grimacing at the memory. This story would probably live on for years of how Legolas first met his step mommy while she was pinned under a spider. It certainly didn't make for a first good impression.

She glanced up to see Legolas regarding her pensively, no doubt drawing up his own conclusions about her. Though he stood utterly still, his piercing eyes followed her every move. He wore an earth toned tunic, the hue warm and rich against his pale skin, and on his legs he wore greige leggings and tan supple leather boots. Leather arm guards adorned his forearms and strung across his back were his infamous bow and quiver. In this moment, he looked very much the elvish warrior from the movies.

Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God! her mind squealed, going into full fangirl mode as the reality of her situation hit her. I'm finally meeting Legolas!

Legolas, in question, arched a brow – a trait that was unnervingly similar to that of his father's – at the toothy grin that suddenly found its way on Charlotte's face as she stared back at him.

She smiles at me almost as though she knows me, he thought with irritation.

"You must be Charlotte," he finally said, breaking the silence that had stretched on for longer than was comfortable, the human woman still grinning foolishly at him.

She gave an eager bob of her head.

Legolas studied her for a moment longer, his eyes narrowing fractionally. She looked as though she wanted to run up to him and give him a hug – a disconcerting thought in itself.

"So you are the human woman who is to be wed to my Ada?" he asked, a touch of tetchiness tinting his voice.

Her smile dimmed around the edges at his tone. It wasn't hostile, but it wasn't exactly friendly either.

Charlotte now regarded Legolas with a certain amount of trepidation. She hadn't expected to things to go smoothly between them when they finally met face to face, and had, in her mind, prepared for some resistance. Though, honestly, she had figured she would at least have some more time before that meeting ever happened. But the hour was now upon her and she was going to have to deal with it as best she could.

"I take it your Ada sent news of...me?" she asked uneasily.

Legolas gave a curt nod. "That he did. Speaking of which, where is he?" he asked, scanning the surrounding area for any signs of Thranduil. He could not comprehend why his Ada would leave his betrothed alone and wandering the woods when it was clearly not safe to do so.