Trees & Memories

9

"Lainor, Arwen is over next to Lumorniel. She is most shy in these sort of festivities. You should go ask her to dance." He shoved his mellon.

"Won't your adar and brothers strangle me?" Lainor asked with a very serious worried expression all over his face.

Estel laughed even harder before reassuring his friend. "Arwen could steal your weapon, your heart, and your dignity, before you even knew what hit you. They know she can take care of herself. You are safe. That is, unless you offend Arwen herself. Then you'd be the furthest thing from safe."

Lainor stared at Estel with fear filled rounded eyes.

"Don't worry, mellon nin. Legolas adores her already." Estel told him, grasping his shoulders.

Lainor realized how silly he was being and laughed before going and asking Arwen to dance.

Estel wandered through the groups of people, occasionally stopping to talk to someone he knew. For the most part, though, he just waited for the party to be over. He wanted to make good on his promise to return to Legolas. This had been the longest he had spent away from him since he first saw him.

He decided that he would soon sneak out of the feast. As he circled back around to where Elrond and Thranduil were seated, he was stopped by Arwen. "I'm surprised you are still here, brother."

"Funny, I was just going to talk to ada as to not raise suspicion when I sneak out." Estel said with a smile.

"Dance with me first? Please?" his sister asked.

"Of course, Arwen. I never could tell you no." He laughed.

As they danced around the floor Arwen made a confession. "I think I like Lainor." She said blushing, hoping her cheeks simply looked flushed from all the dancing.

"I knew you would. That is why I told him to ask you to dance. He wanted to before, but I could see his fear of ada keeping him from doing so." Estel laughed remembering the look on Lainor's face. "I also may have told him that you are much scarier than ada."

Arwen punched her brother before continuing the dance. "He is a good elf. Brave and loyal. I wonder if another has captured his heart." She said.

"My dear Arwen, he has only had eyes for you since you walked through the palace doors. He is indeed a good elf with a good heart. You two are well matched. Tell ada of your feelings. I'm sure Lainor has told Thranduil." He responded as the song ended.

"Go find Legolas. I'll cover for you, brother." Arwen said before kissing his forehead and searching out Elrond.

Estel had gathered supplies from the kitchen and had walked as quickly as he could to their secret place. When he got there he could see no sign of Legolas anywhere. He wasn't up in the branches or in the underground room. He wasn't by the river or in a nearby clearing.

Thinking that maybe he had traveled out to the waterfall, Estel consolidated his supplies into a sack he could carry on his back. He grabbed his cloak and a blanket as well as his normal traveling supplies.

It took a while to get to the waterfall under the moon, but he found it okay. Estel had seen signs of Legolas passing through the path they had forged, but he had yet to actually see Legolas.

When he had thoroughly searched the area surrounding the waterfall without finding him, Estel realized that the broken branches and light footprints led beyond the waterfall. *Where did you go?* Estel thought to himself.

Estel followed the barely discernible tracks for hours before he found where Legolas had fallen to the ground. He looked up into the trees and finally spotted him. He was covered in dirt and his clothes were torn. *Why didn't I hurry? Why didn't I run?* he was mad at himself.