CHAPTER 6 (PT1)

"Pleaaaasseee..." I whined in a long exhale. I wasn't even attempting to sound enthused any longer. I was bored and just figured I'd keep asking over and over until I nodded off into a nap, or until he gave in. Either way, I wasn't taking no for an answer just yet. It was only the hundredth time or so I was asking, after all! And I was no quitter.

"No, m'lady."

"Pleaaasseeee..." "N-No, m'lady, please..." "Pleeaaaassseeee." "M'lady! Enough!"

"..."

Finally Hûron spoke up, I could hear his easily distinguishable gruff voice from the outside of the door. It was deep and thick with some sort of accent I hadn't heard from any of the other elves within the Mirkwood Kingdom. "I think she's finally given up. I must say I applaud your tenacity."

Oh, we couldn't have that.

"Plleeeaaasseee!~" I wailed.

Finally a click, and a red faced Faerveren was seen sticking his head into the room through the widening crack in the door. "My word, my lady! I think that is enough out of you." He leaned in further, extending an arm out and wagging a finger at me. I pouted, sticking my tongue out at him while I peered towards him from my upside down position on the bed.

I was sprawled out on my back, dangling my head off the side. "But it's only one story. And you've only read me one in the five days I've been stuck in this room... It's not like I can read Elvish.. And where do you get off talking to me like I'm a child?" I whined. I was hoping to bother him to the point of submission, but it didn't seem like I was getting anywhere. His face mellowed into one of slight annoyance. "Lady Xue, I am old enough to be your great, great, great, great -" "Okay, okay, I get it."

I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest and holding my pout. I rolled over to my side as a thought came to my mind. A sly grin playing across my lips. "How about something else instead of a story then?" Faerveren tilted his head to the side and arched a brow in question.

"You." I raised one index finger into the air. "And Hûron." My other index finger raised into the air. I brought them together and crossed them around one another, entangling them. "Have a fencing battle. Or a fight to the death, whichever suits your preference, in order to amuse me."

"That is most improper, m'lady!"

I huffed in annoyance and flopped sideways onto the bed again. "What am I supposed to do to entertain myself then? Thranduil wants to bore me to death, doesn't he? And you intend on helping him with his cruel plans. I thought I could trust you, Faerveren! Woe is me!" I placed the back of my palm to my forehead theatrically.

I heard a click, and looked up, the door had shut behind the elven guard and he paced slowly towards me, his halberd leaning casually against the wall. Standing before me in his armoured glory with his arms stiff at his sides. The usually unsure and confused look on his face placed with one much more stern.

"My Lady, please.. listen to what I have to say." I blinked, sitting up and resting my weight on my hands behind me as I leaned back. He moved to sit on the edge of the bed, but seemed to stop himself from being too casual. Straightening up once more before he spoke.

"We are your guards, Lady Xue. And although Lord Thranduil can be harsh - " I scoffed at his words. His face softened slightly as he continued. "- more than harsh, then; he is still a mighty ruler. And his word is law. And his rule is just. He has not yet steered our people wrong. He rides true into battle head first. There is a reason we all heed his words, and it is not his wrath alone that persuades us to follow his every command."

Neither his gaze nor his voice wavered as he spoke. I was honestly surprised with the amount of conviction he held when speaking of his King. My cheeks tinged pink in a bit of embarassment. "Fae, you know I'm not purposely trying to badmouth your King..."

The redhead released a sigh I'm sure neither of us knew he was holding. "I know, m'lady. I just wanted you to be aware. Even if you are not in the most desirable of positions, the King has a purpose and reasoning behind it."

It took everything in me not to roll my eyes at that one.

"If you say so Fae... I can trust you, can't I?" "Yes, m'lady." A solid clasp of his hard gaunleted hand pressed to my shoulder in comroderery. "Just remember what I have said, okay?" I nodded in return and he gave a casual bow, standing straight up and pacing out of the room. Not before grabbing his halberd and tossing me a chummy smile, of course.

The door clicked again, and I was once more locked inside the room. Rolling to my other side, I pulled a plush satin pillow underneath my head, staring out of the large window on the outside wall of the room.

Thranduil truly did have all these people under his spell. I just wished I could see what they saw when it came to him.

"You belong to me..."

His words made me shudder as I recalled how close he was. Close enough to feel whisps of his silky hair on my skin, and the smell of faint eucalyptus, sandalwood, and patchouli. A fresh, earthy scent. He was so close I could see the lines of thin golden flecks in his bright blue eyes, and the soft air of his breath against my lips...

With a groan I sank my face into my pillow. What the hell was I thinking? I shouldn't be recanting that moment in the way I was. It wasn't intimate, no, it was just him invading my personal space, and that's all there was to it. Please, let sleep take me now. Let it take me hard, and take me fast...

Damnit there I went again..

Tap tap tap

I fluttered my eyes open, still heavy with sleep and eyesight relatively blurry at the sound of rapping coming from the window. I covered my mouth as I yawned wide, my free hand balling into a fist to rub the sleep from my eyes. With a squint I could make out the upper part of a figure outside my window.

What in the world...

I tossed a quick glance towards my door. My guards were there, all I had to do was scream and they would be in here in a matter of moments. Right? Looking back at the window just as lightning flashed in the sky outside, the shoulder-length platinum hair of the person outside my window shone brightly.

Those braids did look familiar...

I swung my feet over my bed, the soles of my feet somewhat cold against the stony floor as I made my way towards the window.

I unlatched the switch that held them together and the window immediately flung open, loudly hitting the sides of the wall from the sudden gust of wind. With an arm quickly swung in over the railing, followed by a second, the elven man heaved himself up so that he was at least waist-high in my sights.

"Legolas, what the fuck are you doing? Do you know what your dad would do if he found out you were sneaking around like a bandit or something?"

The elven Prince smiled gently, chin tilting upwards in a challenge to the mention of his father. "His words hold no sway over me. If you knew me as well as you claim to know of our world, you would know this, at least."

I couldn't help but shake my head, a smile spreading to my lips. "I guess you're right. But why are you here? Come to be my savior again like you were back in the cells?"

His head cocked to the side, pausing before he spoke. "Truth be told I only came to see if you were still sane after being locked up once more. It seems to be my fathers new favorite hobby." He chuckled slightly, before continuing in answer to my question. "And if I were to say that I am?"

"Then I'd say free me from my prison, my knight in shining armour!" I couldn't stifle my giggle. This was rather silly. I was quite sure Legolas only did things he was doing simply to spite his father. Even so, he was a welcome sight. "So, how are you gonna bust me outta here?"

"Down the window, of course. I'm sure you can scale the vines easily." I walked closer, leaning over the banister and glancing downwards. All I could see was darkness, not even more than a couple of feet before it faded into pitch blackness. Where the hell were the lights in this joint? "Err.. in case you didn't remember. I'm not an elf, Legolas. I can't see that well in the dark."

He seemed to ponder for a moment, "Well, you can climb on my back. Just don't slip and fall, aye?" "I'm not a spider-monkey, Legolas!" Even at my protest, he swung himself through the window in a rather elogant flip, turning around immediately and squatting into position for a piggy back ride. His arms coming up to his side. "Hurry up, we can't be out for too long. I've got dinner with my father this eve and I wouldn't want to miss that again. Lest he have my head."

I snorted, "Oh, I'm so sure. Now, Legolas I -"

Creeeaaakk...

I sucked in a breath, standing completely still. Legolas also seemed to tense ever so slightly in his shoulders at the sound of the door behind us opening. It was only now occuring to me that we probably should have been whispering. Goddamnit.

"Prince Legolas!" Faerveren's voice whispered loudly from behind. I glanced over my shoulder with an awkward smile on my face. "Eheheh.. it's not what it looks like.."

"Lady Xue! What is going on here? No one is supposed to be near you!" Faerveren glanced back before turning into the room again, "Hûron is in the latrine, and you're damned lucky about that. Now if you just leave to where you came, my Prince, I won't have to report this to your father."

Legolas frowned, seeming to think of his options before he stood and faced Faerveren. Standing boldly as he spoke to the guard. "Now, Faerveren, why would you do that?" My guard clicked his tongue in respite, "You cannot smooth talk your way out of this one, my liege. I give you my sincerest of apologies, but your fathers words outrank your own in this matter."

"And what is it, exactly, my father has said?"

Faerveren's eyes narrowed in suspicion, "He said that no one, by any circumstance, is to enter or leave through this door. Aside from myself, Hûron, and the King himself. And... Oh, do not give me that look."

"As you can clearly see," Legolas said in mild amusement as he gestured towards the window.

"You know as well as I what your father meant."

"Swear to silence, just on this one matter. Won't you?" Legolas pressed his lips together, eyes widening in feigned innocence. I stood aside him, hands clasped together and under my chin. "Yeah, Fae, won't you please? Just this once? I've been cooped up here forever, and I just wanna get out for a bit. Please? Please, please, please with a cherry on top?"

I gave my best pout, and Faerveren looked as though he was weighing his options. After a few moments of silence, he huffed, head hanging slightly. "Lord Thranduil will have my head on a pike for this... fine. I saw nothing. I heard nothing. And this conversation never happened."

"Oh, thank you so much, Fae!" I squealed happily, skipping up to him and throwing my arms around him in a tight hug. He flushed, patting me uncomfortably on the shoulder in return until I pulled from him. "Hurry up, Hûron will return soon," he warned.

I placed a quick peck to the tip of his nose and moved back towards the awaiting prince. The door shut behind me and I smiled widely at Legolas. "Well? Shall we, my noble steed?" Legolas laughed light-heartedly before turning his back towards me again, crouching and remaining steady as I clambered onto his back. With a slight hop, he easily tucked his arms beneath my knees and thighs, balancing my weight on him. A high step up, and we were suddenly standing on the window payne.

My stomach went queasy almost instantly, and the sound of thunder rumbled in the distance. "W-wait... I thought you were just going to climb down with me on your back, what are you doing?"

"Hang on, Xue." He said, grinning over his shoulder before taking a leap, and plunging us both down into the darkness below. Me screaming into his shoulder to muffle the sound as I awaited our death against the hard ground far below us.

A/N: I'm baaaaaccckk. Taiwan is awesome. Thanks for sticking through my moving break. I hope everyone is enjoying this first bit of the story.
I'm not sure how fast paced I want this story to last, but I know I don't want the romance to take FOREVER to get to. Or at least throw in some steamy bits before the actual romance launches. If you have any suggestions, or if there's something specific that YOU want to see in the story, leave comments and you just might see it in the story! Love your feedback, thanks baes.