Darkest Nights | Love of Royals: Book II

XXIV: Too Late

Fíria's POV

Elena was baiting me.  Offering sympathy, advice, then pushing me over the edge.  Triggering me.  She wanted me to be angry, so I would follow my heart. 

Find a way to be with Legolas; stand against my father who has lied and hurt me for my whole life. 

Evening finally falls, and from the balcony of my room I can see a stream of guards begin to pour out of the halls towards their homes or their posts—hundreds of them who've been missing all day.  They went out, out without me, despite me being allowed my weapons back again.  I thought Legolas, Tauriel and Ílren would have let me come with them this time.

That's where they've been all day.  Not just a meeting, but a mission.  Legolas disappeared as soon as we rose from bed, and—and he didn't even say where they were going.  Nor did either of my friends.

Alright.  They can have it their way.  They won't be getting the incredibly skilled assassin on their spider-killing missions any time soon.

The air instantly becomes sour as Legolas enters the room behind me, closing the door with a little more force than necessary.  I tread carefully over to him while he hangs his weapons up on the wall, and he—he ignores me.  'Legolas?' I say tentatively, 'what's wrong?'

'Shouldn't you be the one telling me?' he says bitterly, striding past me to face the wide window, through which the orange and lilac flares of sunset reduce his tall figure to a silhouette.

'Telling you what?  I've been alone all day, waiting for some kind of message about where you were, but there was nothing.  Nothing from you, or Ílren, or Tauriel—'

'I needed some time to process, Fíria.  To decide how I was going to tell you.'  He pauses, sighing deeply, and my stomach lurches.  'I know you're hiding something from me, and I know the King and Queen both know what it is.  How could you tell them but not me?  Do you not trust me?'

'I do trust you, Legolas,' I say, coming to his side, 'and I told Thranduil and Elena nothing about me.'

'For all I know, you could be lying.  For all I know, you could have told Ílren on one of your little nighttime talks.'  I open my mouth, but he presses on, shaking his head.  'Yes, I know that's what you're doing.  You climb into bed with me only to slip out once you think I'm asleep.  Are you and him—'

How does he know—Valar, how does he know—

'No!  No, of course not.'  Did he really think Ílren and I were—oh, Valar.  What have I done?  'It's complicated, but I swear, he and I are in no way what you think.  We both love different people.  I love you—'

'Then why have you been keeping secrets from me?' he interjects, rounding on me with hurt in his ocean eyes.  'Sneaking around at night behind my back?  What are you that you haven't told me?'

'It's all just to protect you—' I begin, but Legolas starts walking away.

'I have had enough of being protected,' he fumes, pacing across to the door and back, 'the word sickens me.  My father and Elena have been treating me as though I am as young as Erainiel, and now you and Ílren are too.  I do not need to be protected from whatever danger you fear will hurt me.  I can look after myself just as well as you, and I deserve to know everything.  And so does Tauriel.'

'Your father and Elena have been trying their hardest lately.  You do not understand what they are going through.'

'And now you defend them like you are one of them yourself... I should have known.  Do not bother getting into bed with me tonight.  You are free to do whatever nightly wandering you and that ranger do, without me holding you back.'