Only Time

Ch. 11 ~ Forgive Me (Legolas' POV)

I had lost Bolg in the forest after chasing him from Laketown. I knew my father expected me back home so without waiting for Tauriel, I galloped back to Mirkwood totally lost in thought about how Tauriel was fairing. It took me a day or so to arrive back home and immediately I noticed something different in the air. For starters, there were new horses at the stables which were never there before not to mention an honor guard of elves. When I asked what was going on, one of the caretakers who took my steed from me as I got off, said that Lord Elrond had arrived along with a member of his kin. It was true then; war was coming if Lord Elrond himself came here to speak with my father.

I strode into the main house and ran into one of my brothers. He looked ashen and his eyes were as wide as full moons. I was afraid for an instant something had happened to my kin and I looked around but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I had to place my hand on his shoulder to get him to look at me.

"Elros, brother mine, what is it?" I asked him.

"I have never seen anything or anyone like her." Elros replied stammering.

"Her?" I asked confused.

"Lord Elrond did not arrive alone. He came with a female who at first we thought was his daughter but she looked different. When it was time for her to meet father, he was a little arrogant toward her, questioning her ability to fight alongside of us. Something about lack of skills with the bow and arrow."

"And?" My heart started pounding a little bit faster for I realized exactly who had come to Mirkwood with Lord Elrond; Hedraliel.

"What happened next, no one saw coming. She was so fast. Faster than any elf or creature I had seen. She unsheathed her sword and had it under father's neck in under an instant. She told him not to underestimate her and that she was not here for his approval. That she was connected to this war more than he was and that HE was lucky they were on the same side or his head would be rolling near his guards' legs! It was incredible."

Now I could understand why every elf in Mirkwood was walking around dazed. I felt the same way when I first saw her fighting goblins. She was one of a kind and that is what made me fall in love with her; that and her loving heart and soul. Now my father, who had a trademark to be quite pompous, got a taste of his own medicine. By the fact that the door to my father's main chamber was closed, I had deduced that he was still in a meeting with Lord Elrond. Which meant Hedraliel was somewhere on our lands. I looked back at Elros who was waiting for a response from me to his story.

"Where is she now?" I asked him.

"Where is who?" He asked confused.

"Hedraliel; the princess that came with Lord Elrond." I said impatiently.

"Wait, you know her name? You know her?" Elros asked incredulously.

"I do yes, I will explain it all later. Please brother mine, where is she?"

"Last anyone saw, she was headed toward the garden by the river."

"Thank you!" I said before rushing out toward the garden; leaving my brother behind speechless.

Walking out of the back pathway, the sun had just started to set and the sunset was beautiful. The air was fresh like that of a passing rain storm. I walked slowly and turned right. It was as if my heart was showing me the way toward the one it was seeking the most. Then finally, there she was. She was standing against the railing gazing out onto the river. The breeze was blowing her hair backwards as well as her cloak. Her face seemed different somehow, harder. Even with our keen elven hearing, she had not heard me approach which meant, she was lost in thought. I did not want to scare her so I stopped a few feet away and said: