Upon Earth's Opening

Chapter 6 : An Obvious Attraction

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Legolas was strolling through the gardens when he saw her sitting on the fountain. She was dangling her hand into the water, stirring it around with thin fingers. She looked lost in thought, in memory, and Legolas simply watched her for a while, fascinated by the change of her expression. She, like everyone else, did not guard her emotions when she thought nobody was watching. Legolas watched her eyes light up with happiness, then darken with hatred, and then soften slightly as the hatred faded into resentment... and was that longing?

What was she thinking about so deeply? And why did she resent it? What was it that she longed for?

Legolas stood there pondering these questions and Caen sat on the fountain staring at the sky and remembering. Neither elf noticed the other until,

“Oh, Caen! There you are!”

“Good afternoon, Arwen,” Caen said, snapping out of her reverie and drying her wet hand in the folds of her skirt.

“Did you see who’s over there?” Arwen hinted bluntly.

“Who? Oh, you,” Caen spotted Legolas. “Are you following me or something?”

“Actually I am. Care to join me for a walk? I’m in desperate need of fresh air and interesting conversation,” Legolas smiled, knowing that Caen was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Her face, full of animosity towards him, (or was it Arwen?) told him all he needed to know.

“She’d love to!” Arwen said, pulling her sister up and pushing her toward Legolas, who offered Caen his arm. “Go on,” Legolas saw Arwen mouth.

Caen glared at the both of them, took Legolas’ arm, smiled sarcastically at Arwen, and walked away with Legolas.

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“You know I don’t really want to be walking with you,” Caen muttered as they walked at a polite speed away from the daughter of Elrond.

“You know I don’t really want to be walking with you?” Legolas replied.

“So why did you even ask?”

“I thought you might need rescuing,” Legolas said. Caen dropped his arm because they were out of sight of Arwen.

“Rescuing? From what?” Caen snorted.

“I should have realized you’re a strong woman. You didn’t need rescuing. I offer my apologies,” Legolas said, picking a pink flower and handing it to her in an exaggerated gesture.

“Rescuing from what?” Caen repeated, ignoring the flower.

“Your sister? Yourself? Me?”

“You thought that by asking me to walk with you, you’d be rescuing me from you?” Caen said, amused.

“No, I just felt like adding me onto the list,” Legolas smirked.

“You are arrogant,” Caen shot, crossing her arms.

“And I’m good at it, too!”

“I bet you just love this conversation. Spending all the time talking about yourself must be a real boost to your ego.”

“My ego does not need boosting,” Legolas countered.

“Your intelligence, however...” Caen faded off.

“Is higher than yours.”

“Are you saying that I’m unintelligent?” Caen and Legolas stopped walking, and Caen faced him off.

“You said it, not me!” Legolas held his hands up in defense.

“You’ll stop at nothing, will you?” Caen narrowed her eyes at who was quickly finding a place as both her favorite and least favorite elf in Rivendell.

“No, Lady Water Nymph, I won’t.”

“Will you stop calling me that?” Caen exclaimed.

“I will if you tell me you love me,” Legolas replied with an arrogant smirk.

“You’re behaving like a child, Legolas!”

“No more than you, Caen.”

“I am not a child!”

“And I am not a prince,” Legolas raised his eyebrows.

“If I’m a child, then what are you? An orc? You’re certainly ugly enough to be one.”

“Oh that’s an arrow straight to the heart,” Legolas said sarcastically. “And original. I commend your brilliance.”

“Forget about your heart, I’m going to stab you in the back!” Caen yelled.

“Another original comeback.”

“And your comebacks are original, then?”

“Why yes, in fact, they-”

“Please. Spare me the sermon!”

“This isn’t the way you should be treating a guest, you know. Has Lord Elrond taught you nothing?”

“Obviously your father hasn’t done his job either! You’re not exactly treating me like a lady,” Caen replied.

“I’ll treat you how I want to,” Legolas said with his nose in the air.

“Which-”

Caen wasn’t able to finish her sentence because somebody started laughing. Elladan and Elrohir rounded a bend and Elrohir was applauding. The twins had identical smirks on their faces and their eyes were sparkling mischievously. Elladan had a loaf of bread in his hand that he was munching on as he walked.

“Oh, excellent. Dinner and a show!” he said happily.

“Yes, wonderful show, sister. Certainly entertaining!” Elrohir added. “Only all of Rivendell can hear you two lovebirds bickering.”

“And how amusing it is... but don’t mind us! Carry on!” Elladan waved and the twins passed Legolas and Caen, who were wearing the same expressions of shock.

“LOVEBIRDS!” Caen exclaimed. “We are not lovebirds. We are the farthest thing from lovebirds, Elrohir!”

“You two are already bickering like an old couple,” Elrohir said, still walking away. “It’s obvious there is an attraction between the two of you.”

“THERE IS NOT!” both Caen and Legolas roared at his back.

“My point is proven,” Elrohir said to his brother.

“Yes, it certainly is.”