the moon and stars (legolas x oc)

Chapter Twenty-Four

"So," Eldarion said as I bought some time by pretending I spotted kings foil at the base of a tree. I'm crouching at the roots, trying not to ruin my dress. He was, of course, grinning again. Annoyingly. In fact he hadn't stopped grinning for the past God knows how long. 

"Can you stop that?!" I finally said in frustration, twisting around.

 "Stop what?" He's still grinning. 

"Stop smiling like this whole thing is a joke!" 

"Why, how presumptuous of you," he said with a fake look of righteous hurt on his face, "why wouldn't a man smile when he's enjoying a stroll with a beautiful girl?"

Eurgh. I hate how disgusting that made me feel! 

"Man." I scoff. "Now, that WAS a joke. No matter how old you get you'll still act like a - like a spoilt little boy!" 

That wipes the smile off his face. His eyes narrow. "That's not a very nice way to take a compliment."

 "Compliment?!" My voice, temperature, and heck probably my blood pressure at this point, are rising. "Sorry I must have been unable to hear what you were saying through the THICK LAYER of sarcastic egotistical unsympathetic—"

 "Unsympathetic?" He says coldly. "I think not. In fact im doing you a favour here by even bothering to be here."

 I jump to my feet, furious. "What's that supposed to mean?" 

He shrugs. Maybe he looks a little ashamed at what he said but I don't care. I stride towards him angrily, my finger in his face. 

"I don't NEED. YOUR. CHARITY!" 

He steps back, hands up placatingly. "Look, I'm really sorry, i don't know why i said that, I just meant—" 

"I don't want any of this!" I yell. "But most of all I don't want to be anywhere near YOU! You're the most disgusting human being I've ever known! Maybe if you were a better person this would be more bearable but no!!! How could we EVER have been friends when you're a heartless, soul sucking monster, a pig headed brute, an ignorant FOOL, a stupid, useless, talentless, shallow—"

"Is everything alright?" Says a cool voice, cutting calmly through my tirade. I turn. It's Legolas. Oh, for the love of God, of course it's Legolas, and of course he looks perfect as always, and of course I'm all muddy and flushed and sweaty and my hair is coming out of my braid and... "

Everything's fine, thanks," says Eldarion, equally cooly, but he can't hide a hint of anger that lurks beneath his tone. 

He and Legolas stare at each other for a moment. Coolly. Everyone is cool and calm and collected and I'm hot and sweaty and out of control and for a moment oh, the irony, the juxtaposition (A/N did I use that word right!?! Ive been meaning to use it for AAAGES hehehe xD)!! I feel out of place. Inelegant. 

"I heard shouting," Legolas says. He gripped his bow in his hand, I noticed. For a moment I helped myself to a vivid imagination of him shooting Eldarion through the head. 

Before I can reply to him, Eldarion says again, "Don't worry, it certainly wasn't from here! We're having a good time, aren't we Sapphire?"

 I open my mouth to hotly disagree, to say no, we're having the worst time EVER, and Legolas could you please, please get rid of this vermin. And then I remember my mum's pleading face, her words. By ruining this, I ruin our family. Well. Probably. But this was our best chance.

 It takes a few moments for me to push down my pride, alongside all my complaints of too much responsibility at once, and at this being so hard on me. 

"We're fine," I tell Legolas. The words burn as they come out. I don't meet his eyes because then he'll see what I'm really feeling. 

"What are you doing here anyway?" Says Legolas curiously. 

My brain works furiously. If we don't tell him what we're actually doing here, maybe I could go on a few more 'arranged dates' with Eldarion, then tell Mama it doesn't work, a dn then she won't force me, she'll let it go. And Legolas doesn't need to know. 

But then Eldarion says. "We are betrothed, you know," he says lazily, "or at least, soon to be, it's really the formalities left I suppose." 

And Legolas looks shocked. No. No! No, no no no no no....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!