Wanderlust (Legolas LOTR)

Tonight Changes Everything

Legolas stopped by the Great Hall on his way to escort Thaliniel and her sister to the feast. He just wanted to make sure everything would be perfect for their evening together. He had been looking forward to seeing her all day, to hold her in his arms, to dance with her before the entire court's watching eyes, including his father's. Tonight he would claim her publically as his beloved.

The prince spied the main table and observed that his father, up to his usual intrigues, had directed Galion, his butler, to set name cards around the table. In the past, Thranduil had used the seating arrangements at such affairs as a general might arrange his troops on the field-the king secretly enjoyed creating interesting groupings of his courtiers and guests at these functions and then observing the outcomes from his high end of the table, whether it be to note which families were friendly and which were feuding or to try his hand at matchmaking with unlikely couples.

At the head of the table, Legolas' own seat was to the right of his father's, but Thaliniel's name card was nowhere near his own. No, his father had arranged for Thaliniel and her sister to be half way down the table, far removed from their royal hosts. Legolas scowled and then glanced warily around the hall. The servants had already finished their preparations for the evening, and the hall was quiet. Deep forest green cloths covered all the tables, forming the perfect backdrop for the tall, graceful candlesticks, golden and elven wrought from the days of Doriath. Despite his temporary annoyance at his father's meddling, Legolas was pleased with the amount of care and preparation that had gone into this latest feast to be hosted by the king to honor his entrance into the Forest Guard. He knew his father was proud and cared deeply for him, but Legolas could not tolerate his interference where Thaliniel was concerned. He had suspected that his father would try this sort of thing with the table settings.

With another glance around the hall, Legolas discreetly picked up his name card from the head of the table and switched it with Narylfiel's. At least she would be ecstatic with the arrangement, and he would be able to stay by Thaliniel's side all night.

He hummed a little under his breath as he strode toward the wing where her room was located, anxious to be near her. Tonight would change everything.

Thaliniel stared morosely at her reflection in the mirror for the tenth time that evening. Vanity had nothing to do with her current stance in the room, rather her own worry over the agreement she had made with the king kept her locked in place, practicing the wretched lines she had come up with in order to tell her prince goodbye. The maiden was more nervous now than she had been in the Gray Mountains in the goblin tunnels. Only then had Legolas been on her side, golden and valiant, ready to protect her at any cost. He had not hesitated in jumping between her and the Grand Goblin, but now she would have to throw all of his chivalry, his commitment, and friendship back in his face, to turn her back on him and walk away.

Thranduil said he would know if she did not deliver the cutting lines believably, and Thaliniel did not doubt his words for a moment. The elvenking's power over this realm permeated in these halls, almost a tangible presence in every room. No, if she really wanted to prove herself and hopefully reveal the prince's commitment to her, then she would have to be extremely convincing, convincing enough to make Legolas believe she did not want to be with him. Telling him goodbye would be one of the hardest things she would ever have to do. Tonight would change everything.

Legolas arrived at her door as the last light of day faded from the skylights high above the halls. Thaliniel could hear Narylfiel's eager voice as she greeted the prince and proceeded to give a demonstration of how swirly her new dress was-apparently a servant had delivered the garment earlier as a gift from his majesty. When Thaliniel rounded the corner into the sitting room, she spotted the prince long before he noticed her entrance, so caught up was he in Narylfiel's exuberant display. Thaliniel's heart thudded painfully at the sight of him-fair and incomparable in more formal clothes than she had ever seen him don.