Part 2:- the story of Legolas and Belegwen

Part 2:- the story of Legolas and Belegwen

Elboron at once guessed what he must be thinking. He cut in, "Legolas, my friend, do not be surprised at her command of your tongue. She is Aielen, the daughter of Evenstar, and of your dear friend, our noble King."

Legolas nodded. Now, that explains it. Her name was a question in his mind too, it meant 'strong maiden' in elvish. Only parents acquainted with the ancient tongue would have named a daughter thus. So this is the daughter of Aragorn and Arwen Undomiel. Her appearance  seemed to him as a testament to the fact that he hasn't been to meet his dear friend in many years. The last time he had been to Minas Tirith, she wasn't even born. Suddenly Legolas felt old, older than the oak trees surrounding them, which was quite fitting since he had seen many an acorn reach a ruinous age. 

As they made their way further into the clearing, Belegwen realized that what she had thought of as a meadow through the trees was actually an array of shrubs that bound an orchard of Mellyrn trees. There were platforms high upon the trees as the elves favoured.  She hadn't realised how high up on the mountain they had climbed, for the orchard sat upon a cliff, overlooking the clear waters of Anduin. A soothing music was reverberating through the glittering lights above. Although it was not yet midday, it seemed like night time. The air was calm and a cool breeze washed over them. They seemed to have stepped into an earlier era, an age when time stood still. It seemed altogether other-worldly to Belegwen. Her mother would have told her that it was the very image of the orchard where her parents had met almost a century ago. 

She noticed that the elves around them seemed different from the only other ones she had met, her mother and her uncles Elladan and Elrohir. They seemed more antiquated, earthy even and perhaps a little less civilised. But she couldn't dispute that they were a jolly folk. There was much laughter and lighthearted conversation about. There were perhaps fifty of them, but it seemed like much more. She turned around to ask Legolas a question and found him watching her intently. She thought she detected a note of sadness in his eyes. But it was gone the next moment, and a mask of merriment descended. 

Suddenly was heard a horn from the path whence they had come. It was the horn call of Gondor. It had to be on account of Elboron. "I wonder what it is, Father wouldn't summon me unless it was urgent. I should go and see what it is about", said Elboron. He looked around at Belegwen and saw that she was enchanted by the elven colony much as he was when he first set eyes on it.  He asked Legolas, "Would it be appropriate if I left for a little while? I will be back before sundown for her." Legolas nodded. "She will be safe here, as she would be nowhere else", said he. Elboron left  down the hill.

"Lady Belegwen, shall I have the pleasure of showing you around our small settlement?" enquired Legolas.

"Why, of course. What are these tree-platforms called?", asked Belegwen.

"They are called 'Talan'. We, are wood elves. We prefer to sleep in trees unlike our kin of the North. Would you like to climb up to one?" 

"I thought you would never ask", replied Belegwen.

Legolas climbed upon a Mellyrn right at the edge of the cliff with the utmost ease. Then he set down a ladder of Hithlain for her to climb upon. It looked sturdy despite it's lightness. As she climbed up, Belegwen felt as if she had left the earth, never to return. The tree was far taller than she had thought. When she reached the pinnacle where the Talan was set, she could see for miles on all sides, save one.  The view was breathtaking. "This cannot be real, such a world could exist only in stories", exclaimed she. "This is my world", said Legolas. 

As they were sitting there looking beyond, Belegwen studied Legolas' profile carefully. She knew he must me at least as old as her mother, but it seemed as if age had flown by him without leaving any marks. He could  pass for someone Elboron's age, if you discounted the elven ears and the unusual eyes. She wondered how it felt to standby and let millennia pass, seeing birth and death and pain and love, yet know that none of those would leave a mark on oneself. She wondered if he ever felt old, if he ever looked at a man and thought, 'What a child!'

It was almost twilight. The reddish sun was turning the green waters of Anduin into golden snakes. Suddenly Legolas tensed up, and then relaxed again. "I believe Elboron is here to escort you back. We should go down". They climbed down the tree just in time to see Elboron panting up the hill. "You are right on time, my friend. It is just before sundown", said Legolas. "Yes, indeed. I would never hear the end of it, if I lost the Princess in the woods. Her father and mine would quite gladly wring my neck". 

"My Lady, Aielen, I know your heart protests, but it is time we left. It is of course, not prudent for you to ride to Minas Tirith at this hour. I have sent word to your father that you shall rest at Amyn Arnen today",  said Elboron.

"Yes, of course. Namaarie, Legolas. Saesa omentien le. (Farewell Legolas. It was a pleasure meeting you.)".

"My Lady, Belegwen, seasa amin (my pleasure). Namaarie", said Legolas with a bow.

With that Elboron and Belegwen set off down the hill leaving Legolas in his home.

End of part two.