XIV. Out in the Open

            It did not take me long to settle into my room in Greenwood. While I was getting used to my surroundings, I was mainly left alone. I assumed Legolas and Nikita were trying to convince the king to let them marry. My mood did dip at times, seeing as Legolas could not find the time to check in on me. Though, I was fine without seeing him. I had Halian to talk to. She had this aura about her that told me that I could talk to her and trust her.

            Normally, to Elves, a few weeks were only a second. However, to me, they were painfully long. While I bonded with Halian, my friendship with Legolas seemed to be fading. It had to be because of Nikita, I could see no other culprit. She obviously guarded her beloved a little too much. Surely Legolas can think for himself. He may take her words into consideration, but he and I share a connection. He cannot throw other bonds away solely for her. She would be controlling him. Was that what was going on now? Was Nikita keeping Legolas close by, taking away his privileges?

            If she was paranoid, I was going to have to talk Legolas out of marrying her. If he was not blinded by love, he would see what Nikita was trying to do to him. Of course, I had to get him alone first before I could even tell him what Nikita had said to me back in the forest.

            Since I was not happy to be confined within the kingdom walls, I often found myself stepping outside. The first few times, I had been skeptical due to the nagging thought in the back of my head about the Men. But, as the time passed, the thought all but disappeared. I would find myself wandering almost the entire day, admiring the nature, calling to the chattering birds.

            That was where I was currently, outside. Lately, I had developed an interest in climbing trees. Even though it was hardly appropriate to climb in a dress, I still did so anyway. The height did not bother me, as I knew that if I fell, I had plenty branches below to catch myself on. I would sometimes find bird nests, some with eggs that had yet to be hatched.

            I sat against the bark of the tree, letting the cool breeze ruffle the leaves, branches, and my hair around me. This forest had a more lively air compared to Lórien. Maybe it was because there was a greater presence of guards around that I took notice of. Though they mainly stood guard and did little action, they looked ready to fight at a second’s notice.

            My heart ached at the thought of my home. I exhaled slowly through my nostrils, trying to push away the disastrous day from my mind. I was thankful that no one had been taken. They are not smart enough to think of that, they are so focused on finding me to kill me.

            I was not so worried about the Men finding Greenwood as I was about Nikita. Though she did not look physically intimidating, her words were hurting me. She had to be the reason why Legolas was not seeking me out to talk to me. I had not been on any rides with him since I arrived; I had not ridden Thalias since we had gotten here. I was missing my riding partner.

            I let one leg dangle over the side of the branch I sat on, swinging it gently. I rested my head against the bark, closing my eyes. If I did not know any better, with what noises I was hearing, I could have easily thought I was back home in Lórien. But I could tell some differences even though my eyes were closed. Here in Greenwood, the trees were not as close together, so more sunlight was able to peek through and reach the ground. The Elves here did not sing either; those at home did sometimes while I stayed there.

            My ears picked up something different than the usual forest noises: footsteps. They had to be an Elf’s, only because we were very light on our feet. If it were Men, they would be loud and obnoxious, not very sneaky. I opened my eyes and cast them down towards the ground to see if I could find the said Elf.

            It was not Halian searching for me; he was actually a long-awaited sight. I could not help the smile that came upon my lips. It was the first time I had seen him since we had arrived in Greenwood. Curious, I slid on my stomach on the branch, peering down.

            My eyes widened in interest as he pulled out two particularly long daggers. I did not know he even had those. I watched as he mock-fought the air, as though he was engaging an opponent in battle. I thought back to his past during the War of the Ring. I tried to place Orcs coming after him, one right after the other, with him disposing of them with ease.

            If anything were to breach this defense, and if he happened to spot the intruder, they would not know who they were dealing with.

            Since I did not want to remain unnoticed, I regained my footing and leapt down from the tree. The moment my feet hit the grass and I looked up, he had already spun around in a defensive position, with both daggers placed out in front of him, ready to block attacks. He relaxed once he realized who I was.

            “How much did you see?” Legolas asked, tucking away his long daggers.

            “Enough,” I noted. “I have not seen you in some time.”

            “I have been busy.”

            “With Nikita?”

            “With the wedding.”

            I blinked in puzzlement. “Your father agreed to the wedding?”

            Legolas nodded. “It is strange to think, I know. Nikita convinced him, somehow. She has to have a gift, because I was sure he would not allow it. I thought he would banish her.”

            “Really?” I raised an eyebrow. I wished that had happened.

            “You should know how a royal marriage should go.”

            “You speak as though I am royalty. I am not, so I would not know.”

            “He expects me to marry someone of royal blood; Nikita is made up of anything but.”

            “Yes, I gathered that. But banishing her if you two are together sounds a little extreme if you ask me. Your father would not be that harsh…would he?”

            “What do you think?”

“How did she persuade him to let you two marry if he has that idea stuck in his head?”

            “I do not know. All she told me was that she talked him with frequently, and he gave his approval.”

            “Maybe she kept repeating her words to annoy him.” I giggled. “Maybe she got him so flustered that he had no choice but to give her what she wanted, like a spoiled child.”

            “Maybe so, but we will never know. How have you been, Nimalia?”

            “I cannot complain.” I smiled. “I have had no worries for almost a month now, and I have found a new friend while here. She acts like the servant I have never wanted or needed.” I shifted my weight around. “I cannot deny that I have missed your company. I was beginning to wonder if you had forgotten me.”

            “Forgotten you? Why?”

            “Like you said, you have been busy with the wedding. You never came to find me, so I began to fear the worst.”

            Legolas shook his head, a soft look in his blue eyes. “Nimalia, I could be the busiest being in all of Middle-earth, but I would never forget about you.” A smile crept onto his face. “What do you say about a ride later tonight? Just you and me?”

            “I thought you would never ask.”

*      *      *

            Before long, night had fallen. Since tack was not needed, we rode the horses bareback. We did not race each other; we just took a relaxed stroll anywhere we saw fit. Legolas was the guide, as I had no idea where we were going. I did not feel bad about leaving Nikita out of this; this was something that I felt I could only do with Legolas.

            “I hate to keep bringing it up,” I said, breaking the silence, “but when is the wedding?”

            “In a few months’ time.”

            “Just like last time.” I sighed.

            “It will not be like last time, Nimalia. Nothing will go wrong. If the Men have not breached Greenwood by now, they have surely given up.”

            “Or they are backing off and planning something. You cannot assume that they give up easily, Legolas.” I fingered Thalias’ mane. “I do not think they would come so far only to turn around and forget about me.” I halted Thalias, sliding off his back.

            “What is wrong?”

            “I need to walk around.” I stretched out my lazy legs. The rushing water caught my ears’ attention. I crept my way to the water’s edge, seeing how rapid and violent it was. It looked more menacing in the moonlight. I swallowed, taking a step or two back. “If the water had been like this when they had died, their deaths would have been so much worse.”

            “I would not recommend getting any closer with your fear of water.” I felt Legolas’ presence just behind me.

I could not tear my gaze from the roaring water before me. It was like I could hear the victims crying out for me to save them, for the Men to spare them. I bit down on my lower lip, holding back the sobs in my chest. If only I possessed a gift that could make me control water. If I did, their lives would have been saved. The Men’s lives would have been mine to take. But would I have used the gift in the wrong way? Would I have really stooped to that low level of murder?

I turned to Legolas, he looked at me pitifully. I could not conceal the tremors that rocked my body, nor could I stop my lower lip from quaking as well. I looked down at the grass as though it would help clear my head.

I did not expect Legolas to comfort me in the way that he did. He carefully took me in an embrace, holding me firmly. His hold was the very thing that unleashed my tears. He held me through every minute of my mourning of the innocent lives taken because of the Men. Though I did not feel responsible for them, I cried for them. They did not deserve to die; the little girl I could have saved did not deserve to drown.

I had held in my guilt long enough, kept it inside me. This release was liberating, and if I let anyone see it, it would be Legolas. Though he could not understand my pain and guilt, he knew what I had gone through. My anger was swallowed up by the pain in my heart.

“I was wondering when this would happen,” Legolas said quietly. “I am surprised you did not do this sooner.”

“I have learned to not show what I feel.” I sniffled. “It only brought me trouble when in their capture.”

“Well, you are not with them anymore, you are in Greenwood. You will not get into trouble if you let your emotions show, Nimalia. It does not do well to hold such things in any way; it can change you in a bad way.”

“You sound as though you know this from experience.”

“I do not; I just know this is a good piece of advice.”

“I am not sorry that you have to see this. You are the only one who I would ever let see me breakdown like I am.” I picked my head up, sniffing once again. “I-I think we should go back inside. If we linger any longer, I fear it will be a long night for us both. As much as I appreciate you being here with me, Legolas, you do not deserve a restless night because of me. You have had far too many when war raged on in Middle-earth.”

I took some time to collect myself before I gently got out of Legolas’ embrace. We walked back to the horses. Thalias acknowledged my return and came to me, lowering his massive head. I giggled tiredly at him, gently scratching his one cheek. Animals were special creatures. It was rare if you bonded with one and had such a deep connection. I had that with Thalias; it was like he knew what was going on. It was as though he were almost a being, whether Elf, Man, or even Dwarf.

Even if the said connection between Legolas and I faded, I would always still have Thalias, and Halian too—I could not forget about the Elf.

I rested my forehead on Thalias’ soft muzzle, letting his nostrils blow hot air on me. I smiled, enjoying that he did not move away from me. He just stood still, offering what comfort he could to me.

I pulled away from Thalias to see Legolas watching us thoughtfully. I felt heat rise in my cheeks, a foreign feeling. My eyes quickly fell to the moonlit grass. I was nudged from behind, nearly going head-first into the ground. Like the lithe Elf he was, Legolas was right there to catch me. I threw a curious look over at Thalias, who was bobbing his head.

“What has gotten him so excited?” I wondered aloud. I turned my head around, ready to thank Legolas for the catch—

But something happened in that moment, something that would change us forever.

Now, we both should have known better, considering the circumstances. It just sort of came about, and I had no time to react or pull away from the situation. I could only, stupidly, keep my eyes open, wide like an owl’s, as the Prince of Greenwood and I kissed. This did not stop time for me, it stopped all bodily function. I could not think, breathe, speak, or move.

I pulled myself away. Legolas looked at me strangely, and then understood my reaction. Before he could get a hold of me or even speak a word to me, I ran to Thalias, swung myself upon his back, grabbed a fistful of his mane, wheeled him around, and galloped back towards the kingdom.

What is wrong with me? What just happened? It is something that can never be! These were just a few of the hundreds of thoughts running through my mind.

I knew I had a very restless night ahead of me. 

**Finally, the moment you've all been waiting for! The kiss has finally happened. What is this going to mean for our characters? *cue dramatic music***