Concerning Us

Chapter Six: Unrequited Love

It was a few days before the ceremony and Dartha was uncontrollably unnerved. With any free time she receive she would retreat into her hiding place. If anyone needed her they would seek the help of her brother Oneth, for he and she were nearest in age and closest among all of Barathon's children. Only he would know where to find her gathering her thoughts and preparing her mind for the betrothal day. "Ailin still asks of you each morning, mid-day, and evening," Oneth said as he leaned against the edge of an abandoned well in their forest. When he heard no response he pared in to see his sister sitting cross-legged at the bottom. He echoed, "I'm coming down", before he carefully descended the well's walls made of joint stones. When his feet reached the well's depth he turned to find his sister still sitting and he went to sit with her. "He has asked me for the millionth time and I'm afraid he is beginning to receive the impression that you are hiding from him".  Her friend Ailin had been fond of her ever since she came of age. It was noe evident that he loves her, truly. To make things more difficult, he was one of the few elves that went with her brothers to fight in the war, all the princes approved of him. Though Dartha does not love him back, it breaks her because she has known since the beginning that she one day she would. "Does he still not know?" Dartha awaited her brother's response. "He still does not know. None of us have the heart to tell him," Oneth said as he plucked a few of the flowers that grew at the bottom of the well, "He still asks what ceremony we prepare for. He sees the decorations being constructed and he believes it is a festival..."

The news of Dartha's engagement was still being kept from anyone outside the royal family and their advisers. The princess bit down on her lip, "Then he will find out in three days time with the rest of Harlond". At hearing that, Oneth threw the flowers he had picked into his sister's face, "Have you misplaced your wisdom! That would kill him!" the prince half yelled, "He must find out from you prior to the ceremony!" Dartha leaned out of her sitting position to lay on her stomach, "I rather drown by this well being filled of water with me inside, than deliver such news to his wonderful soul". Oneth began to rub her back, something he had always done for her ever since she was an efling because he knew it soothed her, "I'll go get our brothers to help me with the water". He caused Dartha to shoot her head up in alarm at what he had uttered, "I only poke fun at the idea", he teased with a light chuckle as he continued to massage her back. After a moment of silence had gone by, he said "You need to tell him".

Dartha looked over the palace balcony down unto the outside court in which her betrothal was going to take place in three days. Many servants down there were busy weaving together flowers, tying ribbons, and hanging banners. She was just beginning to admire the yellow centerpiece when she heard someone call out to her from below. "Princess!" the voice cried out again. Dartha scanned the grounds in search of  the elf that continued to called for her. Finally her elf eyes locked on Ailin  while he ran, pushing  past servants. Dartha's heart sank like a stone in her chest as Ailin started climbing up the steps to meet her. Frightened that she would run, she threw her head down to look at her feet. "Stay right where you are!" she commanded herself, but when she looked back up at Ailin quickly approaching the place that she stood, her legs disobeyed her. She bolted through the doors behind her and fled into the halls. An injured expression sprung unto Ailin's face but her flight did not discourage him from pursuing after her, "Dartha!"

The princess allowed her legs to carry her through the palace without slowing down, she only had one place on her mind to go. Her hiding place. She looked back in panic to find the elf still shadowing her. He was getting nearer. She would have been able to run faster if it not for her gown weighing her down with it's long sleeves. Ailin, from upon his back, withdrew his bow and extracted an arrow from his quiver. He then came to a still to aim as Dartha continued in motion. Ailin released the arrow and it soared through the hall and struck Dartha's gown in the sleeve, pinning it to the palace wall. Caught in place by Ailin's sharp aim, Dartha forcefully yanked her sleeve in one swift motion, tearing it from the arrow. She could not get herself to look back as she continued to run from the elf that only wanted her to stay. 

She kept running not knowing if he was still chasing her or not because she knew she  wasn't safe until she was in the well. The trees she approached were beginning to grow thicker, signifying that she was getting near her refuge. Her chest heaved as her legs ran and leaped and jumped in order to by pass the forest's natural obstacles. It was when she convinced herself to look back again that she ran into something and tumbled over. For no more than a second, she blacked out, but regained her consciousness to find that what she had collided with was alive and now beneath her. "Legolas!" she shouted as she looked down into his pained face. "Why were you running..." he groaned. Before she could form her next thought, Ailin broke through the branches and saw the two collapsed on the ground in the intimate position. "Ailin!" Dartha screamed next. Ailin stared at them before slowly looking around at their surroundings, "What is going...on...?" He questioned. Dartha laid frozen atop Legolas's body, unable to conjure words. In the room of their silence, Thranduil broke through the trees on his magnificent Elk and a number of guards followed. He had not yet noticed Ailin when he looked down at the Prince and Princess and said, "The forest floor isn't the most comfortable of places to perform such activity". Quickly separating from each other, Legolas and Dartha yelled in unison, "It is not as it appears!" Thranduil looked bored and unconvinced until his elk drew his attention to Ailin who has sunk back into the brush. "And who are you?" The Mirkwood king questioned.

"I am Ailin," Ailin said as he removed himself from hiding. Thranduil suddenly got interested, "Are you one of Dartha's remaining brothers?" Ailin looked at Thranduil while having his own questions present themselves in his eyes, "No, I am son of Aearon. Who are you?" Thranduil lost interest again just as quickly as he had found it a few moments ago, "So your father is 'Ocean' and you are 'Large Lake'..." he interpreted their elvish names as he ignored Ailin's question to him. "Come," Thranduil addressed all that travelled with him, "Let us continue to Barathon's palace". Everyone of Mirkwood followed in obedience, including Legolas after he had collected from the collision his spilled arrows. When he had departed, Dartha and Ailin were left alone among the trees.

"Who are those elves?" was the first thing that came from Ailin's mouth in their isolation. Dartha parted her lips to speak, but Ailin had interrupted her with another question, "Why did you run from me?"  Dartha attempted once more to say something, yet again Ailin questioned her, "Will you not say why you have avoided an encounter with me ever since you returned home?" In nervous frustration Dartha screamed, "I will say!" before Ailin posed his final inquiry, "Will anyone tell me of the festival we prepare for?" The princess took in a deep breath, as she closed her eyes she answered all of his questions in the order of which they were asked, "The elf I collided with is Legolas, the one that rides upon an elk is his father King Thranduil of Mirkwood and they travel with guards. I ran from you because you chased me. I avoided you because I was afraid of hurting you, but it appears I've done exactly that without yet telling you the worst news..." her shoulders fell as she paused, "We prepare because in three days time I will be betrothed to Legolas."

Ailin grew pale as if he had just seen his great grandfather's ghost as he took everything in. He drew out his bow and extracted an arrow, "You speak lies", he said as he pointed his aim at Dartha who only stood put a few feet from him. His arm trembled the slightest as emotions drowned his eyes. The point of his arrow was aligned with her heart as he tried to convince himself and she that there was no truth in what was just confessed, "You speak lies..." Dartha held his stare, and though gravely frightened, she knew this elf. She chose to believe that he would not hurt her when she said, "I speak honestly, mellon". Ailin shut his eyes in agony as he released the arrow. It soared into the ground between his own two feet and he collapsed to his knees to join it in the soil as he began to weep. Dartha made the few steps it took to reach him and embraced his body, shedding her own tears because she felt herself begin to love him.