Title: The Way of the Ring
Author: Romenloth
Rating: R
Summary: Legolas meets his dream Elf weeks before leaving for the Council of Elrond in Rivendell. Sorry, I'm not good at summaries, but please read!



Chapter Three

Legolas watched the Orcs' slow approach. They were grinning and leering at their luck. Yes, an Elf was a lucky find to catch alone, much less two.
"Elenwen," Legolas murmured. "Elenwen, wake up."
"Hmm?" moaned Elenwen as she woke from a comfortable sleep. "What is it? How long have we been here?"
"Long enough," Legolas answered. He pulled a knife from his boot and handed it to Elenwen. She stared at it with confusion. "Take this. You may need it."
"Why? Legolas, what is going on?" She followed Legolas's gaze towards the Orcs. Her pretty brown eyes widened. "Legolas…"
"How fast can you mount a horse?" he asked.
"Very fast."
"Good. Here's what I want you to do. While I distract them, run for the ponies. Do not wait for me. Ride your pony to the north. With any luck, you will run into my brothers."
"But, what about you?"
"Don't worry, I'll be alright."
"But…"
"And do not wait for me. Once you're on that pony, ride!" Legolas's voice softened. "I'll be fine." 
But he wasn't sure what he was going to do with fifteen Orcs.
"When I say go, run… GO!"
Elenwen gracefully stood up and ran towards her pony. Legolas ran the other way, pulling an arrow from his quiver and shooting at an Orc. One fell. He aimed again. Two down, thirteen more. The Orcs, however, were not as dumb as the looked. A few chased after Elenwen as she ran for the pony. Legolas shot two of them, but one still remained.
Elenwen's breath caught in her throat as the Orc grabbed her ankle when she was finally mounted on her pony. She struggled to be free, but the creature would not let go. "Aah! Let me go!" Elenwen cried. Legolas's small knife caught her eye. She's forgotten about it! She slashed downward, slitting the Orc's throat.
The Orc gurgled, and black blood spurted onto the beautiful white dress Elenwen wore. She kicked her mount into a gallop and turned around to see Legolas still fighting behind her. She started to slow the pony, but Legolas yelled, "Keep going! Don't stop!"
Elenwen had no choice.


Legolas watched as the Elf maiden disappeared over a hill. He was tiring, and there were still eight Orcs left. Legolas had to get to his frightened steed. He sprinted as fast as he could past two Orcs, and around three more. He made a leap…
…. And landed on his trusted white pony.
"Yah!" he yelled, and the pony burst into speed. The Orcs moaned and growled their disgust for letting the Elf get away. Legolas steered his pony in the direction he last saw Elenwen.
Legolas's pony snorted in disgust at the fact that Legolas was running away from a battle. "I know, I know," Legolas murmured to his faithful friend. "It irks me also." He scanned the grassy ground for a trail left by Elenwen's pony. He quickly found the galloping footsteps in the crushed grass. He led his pony to where he knew Elenwen would be.


Elenwen looked nervously around. She wanted to go back and help Legolas, but knew she shouldn't. She sighed in impatience. Where was he? Why wasn't he here by now? What if he was… No, Legolas was not dead! He was too good a warrior to be dead! She had seen him fight herself. So if the Elf Prince wasn't dead… Where was he?
"Elenwen?"
She turned around. Her eyes opened wide. She'd never seen a more beautiful sight. Legolas's hair was slightly mussed, his eyes were dark from the battle. The moon was shining behind him, and shone off his skin and hair. Elenwen's breath caught in her throat.
"Yes?" she asked.
"Are you alright?" He noticed the blood on her dress. Legolas's eyes narrowed. "What happened? Are you hurt?" He rode his pony to her.
Elenwen looked down at her ruined dress. The black Orc blood stained the pretty white, causing tears to come to Elenwen's eyes. Tears ran down her face. "I don't know why I'm crying," she sniffled.
"Your hands are shaking," Legolas murmured. "Dismount and sit down. You just had a really bad scare." He swung his leg over his pony's rump and swung down. He took Elenwen's hand and helped her, shakily, get to the ground. Legolas say down beside her, rubbing her hand. It was so soft and smooth, not used to the weapons of a warrior.
"Hmm," sighed Elenwen. She liked the feel of Legolas's strong, hard hand on hers. "I don't know why I feel like this. I feel so… tired."
"You had an adrenaline rush and you're not used to it," said Legolas, enjoying how close he was to Elenwen. Her scent was tantalizing, goading him to lean closer to her. He wanted to run his hands through her glossily thick, dark black hair. "The rush set you down pretty hard."
Elenwen nodded, just starting to notice how close Legolas was. He wrapped an arm around her waist as she started shivering. "You don't have to do this," she whispered.
"I do, so you will not collapse when we are riding back to the palace," Legolas explained. He looked down at her. Elenwen's eyes were shining, almost black. Her lips were full, seemingly just begging to be kissed.
And before Legolas could tell himself not to, that's just what he did. The Elf Prince tilted Elenwen's head up, and slowly, gently, brushed his lips over hers. He pressed harder, parting those sweet tasting lips. He felt her gasp as he tentatively moved his tongue  across her lips, and pushed it through. She leaned into him, causing him to pull her closer to him. Her soft, feminine body met tough, hard, lean muscles. He ran his hand through that mass of dark hair. Both moaned as he pressed his tongue to her teeth, and she carefully played her tongue with his.
And as quickly it had started, the kiss was over.
Legolas was the first to pull away, breathing heavily. "I should not have done that. It was wrong of me to do that to you." He let Elenwen go.
"But…"
"No, I took advantage of the situation. You were on an adrenaline letdown. You were scared… That was just wrong of me. I'm sorry. I will not touch you again."
Elenwen felt a slight tug of pain. Here Legolas was, telling her he would never touch her again, and she wanted him to!
Legolas held out his hand to help her up. "We should he getting back," he said, in a strained polite voice. "My father and brothers should know of the Orc party."



Chapter 3

       "How many were there again?" King Thranduil asked for the fifth time.
       Legolas sighed. "Fifteen, but now only eight."
       "What were you two doing alone?" asked Kalheru. His grin was sly, goading on his little brother.
       "Looking at the stars." Legolas answered truthfully, glaring at his older brother. Nardil snuck a glance at Elenwen, who's guilty _expression confirmed both twin's thoughts. 
       "We'll send out scouts on the morn," Thranduil said, not noticing the glances of his sons. "For now, go to your rooms and rest. We may have few battles on our hands tomorrow."
       His sons nodded, and left with Elenwen. Once outside the King's chambers, Legolas's older brothers turned on him.
       "Well, what were you really doing when those Orcs found you?" asked Nardil. 
       Kalheru grinned slyly at his little brother and Elenwen. "Yes, we're very curious, Legolas. Very curious."
       Legolas glared at his older brothers. "We were not doing anything. We were looking at the stars." Well, that and a kiss.
       Elenwen nodded. "That's true. I missed the stars over the Sea, and Legolas was very kind in showing me a place where the stars are just as bright as at home."
       Nardil looked at Kalheru. "Why don't I believe them?"
       "Must be those guilty little looks they have on their faces," laughed Kalheru. He laughed. "Gods, I wish I was you, Legolas!"
       Legolas stalked over to Kalheru and grabbed his older brother's tunic in a death grip.  "Do. Not. Talk. About. Elenwen. Like. That," he growled. 
       Kalheru glared at Legolas. "Let go," he said, his voice dangerously low. Legolas released him, and Kalheru shared a knowing glance with his twin.
       "Well, when you're ready to admit what you have been doing…" Nardil grinned. "And don't even think of trying to punch me Legolas, because I'll just beat you."
       Legolas glared at his brothers' retreating backs. Then he turned to Elenwen, who was blushing furiously. "I'm sorry."
       "For what?" she asked.
       "I don't know… My brothers, I guess."
       Elenwen shrugged. "It does not matter. They were right that we did something other than watching the stars."
       Legolas stared intently at Elenwen. "It was worth it. Kissing you was worth it."
       "Was I really that good?" Elenwen asked shyly.
       Legolas nodded. "You have never been kissed before, have you?"
       Elenwen shook her head, blushing. "No, you were my first."
       "There are probably so many Elves at your home vying for your attention."
       Elenwen shrugged. "I guess. I usually don't like those Elves… They want… Well, they want, you know." The Elvish maiden blushed again. "I always seem to be attracting those kinds of beings."
       "Is that why you acted uninterested in me?" asked Legolas.
       "No, you are quite stuck up, and full of yourself." Elenwen looked into Legolas's eyes. "That didn't attract me at all."
       "I am not stuck up or full of myself!" Legolas exclaimed angrily. 
       "You are too!"
       Legolas smiled sardonically. "You dare contradict a prince?"
       "There you go again!"
       Legolas frowned. He cocked his head in puzzlement. "I only seem to do that when you're around. I do not know why."
       Elenwen swallowed. "Is it because you're trying to impress me?"
       Legolas thought for a moment. "Maybe subconsciously."
       "Why?"
       "I don't know…" Legolas shrugged. "So I'll see you tomorrow then?"
       Elenwen smiled. "I'd like that," she said shyly.
       Legolas's head popped up from staring at the ground. His eyebrows lowered in an almost frown. "You would? Even though I…"
       Elenwen laughed. "If you hadn't noticed, I did nothing to stop you."
       Legolas swallowed. "You didn't, did you?" He mentally cursed himself.
       Elenwen smiled flirtatiously. "Good night, Your Highness," she said, primly.
       Legolas watched with his jaw dropped, as Elenwen walked away, her hips swaying in that sexy little dress stained with Orc blood. He hoped that some of the blood from below his waist returned to his head soon, because otherwise he would be staring all night.