Wanderlust (Legolas LOTR)

Deleted Scene #1

Deleted scene #1: In which Narylfiel convinces the Elven King that her sister and Prince Legolas are meant to be together. I originally wrote this scene but then cut it because I wanted to keep the element of surprise regarding Thranduil's position on Legolas' relationship with Thaliniel.
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"And what did I see, but a horde of goblins, each with a cruel blade in his hand and murder in his heart," Thranduil described aloud to his young guest. He had invited the irrepressible Narylfiel for breakfast, and he could not be more pleased with her company.

The king's eyes gleamed as he watched Narylfiel take a dainty bite of her breakfast tart and eagerly lean forward in her seat, her eyes wider than the tea cup in her hand. When the young maiden first plied him for a story, he had recounted a happy version of the founding of his realm and the building of his palace. Narylfiel politely informed him that she had been hoping for a story with, ahem, a little more action to it. The girl certainly liked a good adventure tale, and so far Thranduil had been pleasantly surprised by her. To say that she kept him guessing would be an understatement, and the king generally prided himself on his ability to read other people. In short, she amused him to no end.

"I drew my sword, softly so I might sneak up on them," Thanduil lowered his voice, and Narylfiel set her tea cup down and leaned a little closer.

"I was close enough that I could hear the nearest goblin's heartbeat, and then I-"

"Your majesty," a voice from the door startled Narylfiel so much that she jumped in her seat.

"I am sorry to interrupt, but the Royal Guard has been spotted heading over the ridge toward Dale," the king's porter informed them. "Prince Legolas has been identified among them."

Thranduil's eyes drifted toward his young guest. She had become very still upon hearing the news of the guards' return. "And were there any additional members to their party?" he inquired with a tilt of his head toward Narylfiel.

The porter smiled knowingly. "Yes, Your Majesty, a single elleth riding a brown horse."

The king's young guest drooped relievedly back on her cushions at this news and then smiled a dazzling grin at her host.

"I cannot wait to hear about their adventures," she exclaimed. "I am glad to hear that they are safe. I knew Legolas would never let anything happen to Thaliniel." She fixed her eyes on the king, knowing that this is her moment to convince him. "They are soul mates- I just know they are." She paused to gauge the king's expression; the corners of his mouth curved up ever so slightly, and he bade her continue with an inquisitive arch of a single eyebrow.

Narylfiel continued, "Your majesty, sir, call it what you will, a gift or something-Thaliniel says it's just a lot of nosiness on my part-but somehow I can just tell these things about people-like puzzle pieces-and I am telling you now, Legolas and Thaliniel match. They just do." She was just so earnest, and the way she spoke, completely serious, with absolute surety of herself!

"So if I wanted to play along with your little scheme," Thranduil wondered aloud, "just to see what might come of it. What might our first move be?"

Narylfiel steepled her fingers as if in deep thought. "Well, we would both observe the couple to determine their level of interest." She perked up and fixed her gaze at the king. "You should tell the prince that he is not allowed to court Thaliniel under any circumstances."

Thranduil nodded as if listening, and then snapped his eyes to the young maiden before him. "What?" He exclaimed disbelievingly. "I thought you wanted them together."

"I do," Narylfiel said and clasped her hands together with a dreamy look in her eyes, but in less than a second a business like demeanor overcame that far off look. "This works- you tell the prince that he cannot see her, so of course that makes him want to see her even more. And, you can judge his level of interest, because if he doesn't really seem to care about it in the first place, then clearly he is not interested enough to make Thaliniel happy."

"How? How do you know this works?" queried Thranduil.

Narylfiel shrugged. "Oh, I read about it In a book."

The king frowned. "And how did the idea work out in this book of yours?" He doubted that Legolas would ever have the temerity to go against the king's word.

Narylfiel smiled and took a slow sip of tea, her eyes dancing over the rim of her teacup.

"Oh, in the story? They lived happily ever after," she assured the king.

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Author's Note: So maybe you were wanting to see what happened when Barathion found out that Thaliniel was going to marry Legolas? ...Coming soon!