The Heart of the Forest

Chapter Five - Feast of Starlight

"Lútharían, do you want to dance?" Legolas looks at me and I nod excitedly: "I would love to!" I take his hand and he leads me out on the dancefloor. He takes my hand in his and places the other one on my waist. I put my free hand on his shoulder and we start swaying to the music. I dearly love dancing so I decide to remember this because I know that it may be a long time until the next time. Many elves look at us, wondering who is dancing with the Prince but I could not care less. Although may ellith look at me with a jealous expression, if only they knew that there was nothing to worry about. The thought makes me chuckle and Legolas looks at me confused. I just shake my head: "you did not tell me you were this popular." I tease him and nods my head in their direction. His eyes follow and he chuckles. "I haven't really noticed", I give him a disbelieving look. "No seriously, I don't really dance that much anymore..." There was a hint of sadness in his voice and I knew why. "However, I dance ten times more than my adar." That was true, the Prince was always dancing with someone, seldom more than one or two but he was still dancing. The King however had not been seen dancing since the wedding with the passed Queen. As the music finished Legolas let go of me and we began walking back. "Hannon le (thank you)" he turns to look at me and gives me one of his biggest smiles. "Of course, I know how much you love to dance, and I don't think my Ada would dare to ask you" I chuckle wondering what he means by that, but before I have a chance to ask a young ellon comes up to me. "Forgive me, My Lady, my name is Beinion. I was wondering if you would do me the honor of letting me lead you in the next dance?" I look at the elf. He is tall and has long dark brown hair. His features are soft yet defined and his eyes are honest and kind. I would normally not dance with strangers, but seeing as the one I actually wishes to dance with won't ask me I decide that I can at least take the opportunity to do something I love. "I would like that" I smile at him and his face light up. Legolas gives him my arm and we walk back out on the floor. Beinion turns out to be the first of several ellyn who asks me to dance that evening, and I spend most of the remainder of the evening dancing to my heart's content. Only I wish someone else would ask. There is nothing I desire more than to be held in his arms and lead across the floor of the great hall.

Legolas P.O.V

I hand Lútharían's arm over to the dark-haired ellon and walk back to the table alone. My adar looks at me with a questioning look, and I nod my head in the direction of the dance floor. He follows my directions and must have seen her dancing with the young elf, because his expression hardens. Then he looks back at me with a questioning look. "He asked her to dance" I shrug my shoulder "She is most definitely the most beautiful elleth here, so unless you keep her for yourself the entire night she is bound to have many dance partners." I know that she will most probably not accept more than the one she is dancing with now, and perhaps one other but I decide to play it up. 'Maybe I can use this to get Ada to ask her to dance with him.' He looks at me, clearly very displeased and I add: "But I am sure no one would dare to ask her if she had been dancing with the King." By my Adar's look I know I have achieved what I had hoped to. He sits drinking his wine until the song I had given her to Beinion was over, and at the end of the following song, he rises from his seat and walks down towards the dance floor. This did not go unnoticed by any of the others at the table, as Lady Galadriel looks at me with a smile that shows that she is very aware of what I was doing. I had come across Lady Galadriel and Lútharían in the garden yesterday evening, and Lútharían must have told her of the recent events between them because Galadriel has been very sly ever since. I look out over the dance floor and sees that he has now approached her and the poor ellon she had started dancing with. The ellon quickly leaves and Lútharían bows to Adar before taking the hand he has extended towards him. There is not a single soul who has not turned to look at this woman that has caught the King's attention, and I can't help but smile. Proud that I have gotten my stubborn father to do something about this situation.