Ni mestathol? // Legolas (Discontinued)

6- Iris

Legolas P.O.V
Tauriel and I road at the front of the group. I could feel the handkerchief in my breast pocket. I smiled as I thought of it. The design was that of an iris. The meaning of an iris was that faith, love, and hope. I wasn't sure if Rayne had given the design much thought but it gave me some hope of my own.

"You seem in a good mood," Tauriel commented.

"It is nothing. I'm just glad to be back in the forest."

She brushed it off. "What is she like?"

She was referring to Rayne. "She's a free spirit and she's unpredictable. We went to the market last month and she wanted to see everything thing. At the shooting range she was determined to show her strength. Rayne has this love for books and a curiosity for new things. Even if we are roughly the same age she seems to see the world in a different light." Her eyes look so innocent and pure. A smile is like a breath of fresh air, hair as warm and beautiful as the sun.

"Sounds like you've found your match. Now we should keep our guard up. We're reaching the spiders nests."

Sure enough just as she said that we were attacked by spiders. Tauriel took the west side, two of the others took the north, the others the south, and I the east.

The spiders kept coming but we managed to hold them off. Once the last one was killed we destroyed what was left of their nest and moved on to the next one. This continued until noon when we decided to take a break and eat some lembas bread.

"About how many nests are in the forest?" Jimmy asks.

"Around fifty six, if we destroy at least eight a day we will be back in time for the New Years feast," Andrew replied.

"We've already destroyed at least three or four this morning."

"They seem hopeful." Tauriel sat next to me.

"They can't wait to go home and celebrate with their wives and children. Everyone of them." I take a sip of water.

"Are you not the same now? You have someone waiting for you back at home."

"We aren't married yet Tauriel. It's different. They know that a loving home is waiting. I'm not sure if that's the case for me. My father isn't really the affectionate type and I'm not so sure about Rayne. I know she will be waiting for me to return but that is all."

"But there is hope Legolas. If it is meant to be you will know with time. Get to know her. It seems like you have more in common than you think. Give it a chance and if it doesn't work then talk with your father and tell him to call it off."

"I'm trying. I just don't know how to. I'm a warrior, not a poet. How do you charm a woman?"

"You're looking at it the wrong way. Get to know her and then act. Build on trust and then move up." She laughed. "I can't believe I'm giving you love advice."

"I never said I was in love."

"You say that now but I hear wedding bells. Come on, we should get moving. It's not safe to stay in one place for too long."

We road for hours searching for nests. The thing about these missions wasn't the fighting but the searching that took the longest. The spiders weren't much of an opponent if you knew how to fight. They mainly attacked in groups at a time.

It was out last day in the forest when we heard voices and shouting. "Legolas," Tauriel whispered making me know that she had heard it too.

I gestured for the men to follow me. We had left our horses so we could walk in the trees. The horses knew to return to the gates where the guards would have them taken to stables. I could hear screaming and panicking. A spider attack.

I was the first to move and jumped down from the tree via a spider thread. The  dwarves had no time to think before we had them surrounded. I pointed my bow at one.

"Don't think I won't shot you dwarf," I threaten. "It would be my pleasure."

There was a yell for help. "Kili!" One of the dwarves yelled.

Tauriel came to his rescue killing the spiders that remained.

"If you think I'm giving you a weapon dwarf then you are mistaken," I hear Tauriel tell Kili.

"Search them!" I yelled.

We rummaged through their things while the other half of the guard kept a close eye on the dwarves.

I was handed one of their swords. "This is an ancient elvish blade. Forged by my kin. Where did you get this?"

"It was given to me," Thorin replied.

"You're bit just a thief, but a liar as well. Take them!"

We arrived back to castle and immediately locked them in the dungeon. One of them kept looking at Tauriel.

"Why does that dwarf stare at you, Tauriel?"

"Who can say? He's quite tall for a dwarf. Don't you think?"

"Taller than some but no less ugly," I spat.

I walked away from Tauriel. I couldn't wait to see if Rayne was alright. How she had been doing this past week. To hear about the books she read or the places she visited.

I almost laughed at this. Since when did I start wondering these things? Maybe I've gone mad.

I walked to my room and opened the door to find Rayne fast asleep sittting in a chair with a book in her lap. Just as I was walked into the room I saw one of the maidens that worked in the castle at the doorway. It was Arden, the one who I had asked to keep an eye on Rayne.

"How was she?" I ask Arden, still keeping my eyes on Rayne.

"She missed you, never said it but I saw it in her eyes. King Thranduil kept her busy so she didn't have much time to mope around."

"Thank you Arden, I appreciate it. You can take the evening off to spend the feast with your family."

"Thank you my prince." I could tell she was happy.

I walked over to Rayne and placed her book on a cabinet and carefully carried her to the bed. I didn't want her to hurt herself from sleeping in a chair. I felt her shift in my arms.

She began to mutter words I couldn't make out or understand, except for one, "Legolas." Why was she saying my name in her sleep?

After putting her down on the bed I decide to take a quick bath and change into some nicer clothes. Once I had finished with that I decided to wake up Rayne.

I gently shook her. "Rayne, you should wake up. You need to eat something."

She woke up and looked at me as if I was some ghost. "Legolas? You're back already? I didn't think you would come home until nightfall."

"So you didn't miss me?" I questioned.

She jumped up and hugged me. "Of course I did. Arden kept me busy. I practically had no time to rest. Then you're father wanted to spend some time together while you were gone. If I have to hear one more comment about how we should have a son as soon as we get married I am going to kill someone," she ranted.

I laughed. Oh how I had missed her humor. I decided to tease her. "And what is wrong with that. Surely we can't let down the king," I tease as I lean in to kiss her.

She dodges it and pushes me to the side. "Stop with your jokes Legolas."

I just continued laughing as she exits the room. The way I act around her still surprises myself. I always find myself trying to make her smile or just trying to see how she'd react. Everything about her is so interesting. She isn't like any lady I've ever met. She's proper, but still loves to get her hands dirty. Rayne was unique to say the least.

A/N: 4/24/17
Word Count: 1,388