Footsteps to Rivendell

A Sequel to Golden Leaves of Lórien

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Chapter One: Recollection

"There you are!"

The Elf turned around and saw the little girl standing behind him, waving a message back and forth. He knelt to take the small slip of parchment.

"Why hello, Arulwen. What have you brought me today?" He smiled, the sharp features on his face lighting up, and his eyes twinkled darkly.

Arulwen—that is, one of the Elven children of the forest kingdom of Mirkwood, grinned and then shuffled her feet restlessly. "It's from the King, you know…"

"Oh." He had already figured that by the handwriting. His father's signature was scribbled neatly at the bottom of the small parchment. Legolas shrugged as his eyes scanned over the message.

"Well?"

He averted his eyes and looked down at Arulwen's eager shining face. "Well, what?"

"What does it say?" The girl's eyes were brimmed with curiosity.

Legolas grinned. "It says that my father is requesting that I ask—no, beg--you to marry me, fairest of all maidens, Arulwen. You are the morning star of my heart and I would wish no other!"

Arulwen giggled, a merry sound that nearly brought light into Legolas' heart again. With an effort he shoved the troubling thoughts in the back of his mind further back. He was glad the child had interrupted his silent reverie, yet a part of him felt the only way he could get rid of his feelings was if he faced them.

"Oh, my fair Arulwen, would you do me the kindness?"

"Oh, yes, my prince! But first I have to go gather wood for my mama…"

"Of course." He straightened and tucked the message into his tunic. "Run along and play, my morning star. I am sure your fair lady friends are lamenting your absence. You know I shall wait forever."

The little girl grinned again and he reached down to tousle her soft hair, not yet full grown and only reaching the top of her back. But she did not turn to leave as he expected she would. Instead, her mirthful expression changed quicker than summer becomes fall and she looked up at him inquisitively. Legolas saw with surprise the Elvish wisdom in her eyes that had been concealed before by her supposed naïveté.

"Why the glum face, Arulwen?" he asked in a more subdued tone.

She looked up at him and her blue eyes searched his face. "Legolas, why are you so sad sometimes?"

He faltered, at a loss for words. It was no surprise that the Elven child was so perceptive, for he had known her to say or do something completely unexpected from time to time. But he thought he hid it well. After all, it had been so many years, and the people around him had yet to remark on its presence.

"Why do you say so?" His voice was quiet, like a whisper, on the verge of cracking away with the breeze. Legolas felt ashamed that he could so suddenly lose grasp of his emotions, but he did not say so.

"Sometimes you just stop talking and your face gets all stony and you get this faraway look in it. …Then a shadow falls over your eyes—almost like you've seen the black lands and its monsters right in front of your eyes. What happened to you?"

A smile touched Legolas' lips and he knelt down to her. "An ache of my heart, Arulwen. Perhaps someday when you are older I shall tell you the entire story. But it is of no great importance…merely a lingering memory that I should have forgotten years ago."

"But you haven't forgotten, have you? You remember it because it hurt you a lot." It wasn't a question. She just knew.

Legolas straightened without answering. "Arulwen, go play," he muttered tersely. His head was beginning to hurt a little.

She dashed off with a sudden eagerness befitting a child and he again was taken aback by her sudden change of emotion. She might be a child, he thought, but she was wise and she had considerable control over the masking of her emotions.

Legolas repeated the words of the message in his mind. 'My son, I have just received word that a council shall be held in Rivendell. My kinsman Lord Elrond has requested the presence of a representative of our people. I dare not send one of the aristocrats of my halls. And what better than to send my one son? Legolas, something tells me that this is a serious matter, one that forbodes ill. –Thranduil'

What could possibly be going on? The last event of any importance had ended abruptly perhaps three seasons ago, when the strange creature Gollum had ventured upon Mirkwood. Legolas remembered grimly the night that the Orcs attacked their village. He had been leading the defense against the invading Orcs and recalled a feeling of victory at the easily won battle. But then the word got around that Gollum had disappeared with the fleeing band of Orcs…

And since then things had been quiet in the woods. Time was abundant and without something to occupy him, Legolas found his thoughts unwillingly turning to something in his memory. It had been nearly two thousand years since his last visit to the Golden Woods.

Legolas felt that familiar pain tightening in his chest and berated himself for mourning over something that happened so long ago. Although it seemed unusual, it was not a shock to him that the pain in his heart was still as poignant as it had been so long ago.

He shook his head suddenly as if to shake himself out of his stupor, and then went in the direction of his father's halls.

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Disclaimer: The usual. All Lord of the Rings plots, characters, and trademarks are the rightful property of Saul Zaentz and Co. and J.R.R. Tolkien. Other plots/characters/stuff are…I suppose…property of me.

A/N: First chapter, finally posted! There is more to come—at least 3 more chapters but I have yet to write more. A bit busy these days (which is why chapters are significantly shorter! Oh well, all the easier for you to read quickly ^^)…but hopefully this one won't be delayed too long. Please review!!!

Questions? Email to: [email protected]