Lim Aear

Author's Note: Hi everyone! Thank you for your reviews! I decided to post 2 chapters since I've started some SERIOUS studying for my exams and I won't be able to update for some time... I hope you will enjoy them!

Disclaimer: See Prologue.

italics: thoughts


Chapter 10


The sweet scent of flowers filled her nostrils and the gentle breeze caressed her face. She stretched, smiling. Never had her bed been so soft and comfortable. Her ears welcomed the singing of the birds that were calling for her to wake up.

“Okay, I’m up…!” she mumbled in a groggy voice and lazily opened her eyes.

She did not have a bed with a canopy. Or a fireplace. Or a wall full of weapons.

She sat up abruptly and looked around her terrified. Her mind started registering where she was as the events of the previous night rolled before her eyes like a movie. She moaned in dismay and covered her face with her hands. She had fallen asleep in Lim Aear! In the Prince’s room, no less! How could she be such an idiot! Sleeping in a stranger’s room??

Thank God Legolas is not some perverted psycho-killer!! But then again… you can never be sure!

Elaine pulled the covers back and stepped on the brown fur on the floor. She walked barefoot to the balcony and looked below. The streets of the city were full of elves, females in beautiful gowns and handsome males walking, chatting, laughing… Living a normal life.

An endless one.

She tried to look at the top of the cave, but the bright light made her squint her eyes and look away.

Where in the world is this light coming from??

It was shining as bright as the sun! What a strange place Lim Aear was!

“Good morning, Lady Elaine. I trust you slept well?”

She turned around startled and her gaze met with a female elf who was smiling at her. She had never heard her come in! The elf set down the tray with the food she held on a table gracefully and approached her. She was as tall as she was and…

Wow… She’s BEAUTIFUL.

“My name is Belwen”, the elf continued when she saw that the girl would not answer. “Prince Legolas has asked me to bring your breakfast and accompany you for the time being, since he had some pressing matters to attend to this morning.” She took Elaine’s hand and lead her to a chair in front of the table. “Please, take a seat.”

Elaine was still speechless. She looked at the tray which was full of fruit, freshly baked bread, cheese and wine.

“Would you like something else?”

Elaine looked at Belwen blankly for a second, then blinked and said in a barely audible voice, “No thank you.” She always did that when she was embarrassed, as if speaking in a small voice would make her invisible.

Belwen smiled and sat down at the other side of the table. Elaine picked up her fork and started eating hesitantly.

The elf looked at the young mortal opposite of her. She was indeed as beautiful as the rumours had said. And what a strange colour her hair was! She had so many questions to ask her about the ‘upper world’, but decided to remain silent. She could tell the girl in front of her was very shy and she would only succeed in making her feel more uncomfortably.

“Prince Legolas also requested that I help you bathe” –Elaine almost choked on her food at that- “and bring you clothes to change into.”

She got up and disappeared in the room that Elaine could not figure out what it was the previous night. She now figured it should be the bathroom. She put a little more food in her stomach, all the while thinking how she would get out of that mess. A dream, yes. But a dream in which she did not fit in.

Belwen appeared at the door a few minutes later. “Your bath is ready. I also brought a dress for you, while you were sleeping. I know it does not suit the way you dress in the upper world, but it will do until your clothes are clean. I hope it’s to your liking.”

She picked up the dress which was carefully laid on a chair and held it up for her to see. Elaine was speechless. She thought her graduation white dress was beautiful, but that one was just… amazing. She was not used to being pampered like that. She realized Belwen waited for her approval.

“Um… thank you. It’s very beautiful. Although… I was thinking I should just go home. You have done so much for me already…”

She played with the hem of her T-shirt and looked down her cheeks flushing. Belwen put down the dress. She was very sweet, indeed. And very well-mannered as far as she could tell.

“Nonsense my lady! It’s the least we can do for your lovely company! Come, before the water gets cold!”

Elaine sighed and got up to follow Belwen to the door. Once inside the room, she stood awe-struck at the sight. The room was covered with deep green marble. On the walls there were several selves with small bottles, towels, brushes and other objects for grooming. There was a large basin with an equally large mirror on top and the biggest tub -no, actually it was a bathing pool- she had seen. She could see the water steaming, covered with rose petals and emanating a sweet scent.

Yes, that is certainly a Prince’s room.

What was she doing there? Who was she to use it? She felt the cold grip of panic and turned around.

“I… I don’t think… I have to go.”

Belwen’s hand stopped her.

“Why do you keep running away?”

Bull’s eye. Now that was a question worth pondering at. Why was she running away? Why didn’t she face her problems? Why didn’t she let herself free? When would she pull down the walls she had built around her? What if he was the ‘Prince’ she had been waiting for and she lost her chance to love forever? Why didn’t she believe it possible?

“I am no one”, she said more to herself than to Belwen.

I am no one.

It echoed in her mind and engraved itself in her memory. The last time she felt she was important, it had been fatal. Belwen’s voice brought her out of her thoughts.

“How can you say you are no one when you make the most beloved elf’s heart sing and his joy brighten the whole kingdom?”

No, no, no. Don’t let yourself hope Elaine. It’s just a game. Don’t fall for it so easily again, you promised.

One part of her wanted desperately to believe that Legolas was her ‘Prince’. But the other part could not let her hope. She didn’t want to get hurt again. She had to protect herself and keep a distance. But how can anyone control their heart?

“Don’t deny what you already know, lady Elaine. For many years our Prince has devoted his life to us, to his people. He was very lonely and such a gentle being as his Highness does not deserve loneliness. Then you came brightening his heart and now the whole kingdom shines as bright as his love for you. Do not leave us again, my lady. We truly love our Prince and the few past days were as painful to us as they were to him.”

Elaine stood for a moment speechless. She had never encountered such devotion to anyone. Legolas was loved so much by his people. She didn’t wonder why. The previous night had been enough proof. Just a few hours and she had already missed his mesmerizing voice, his gentle eyes and his heart-breaking smile. How could his people not love him when he had put their needs above all else?

“You use such strong words so easily, Belwen. How can you talk about love between two people who have just met?”

Belwen almost winced at the bitterness of her voice. “We are elves, my lady. Our soul recognizes our other half the moment we see it.”

She stubbornly refused to believe any of her words. It was too much. Too good to be true. Tears formed in her eyes and they slowly slid down her cheeks. Belwen raised her head with a slender hand under her chin to find so much hurt and pain in her eyes, that it stole her breath. How could anyone so young suffer so much pain? She was only a young girl!

“He cannot love me…” Elaine said in a weak voice. “He is a Prince and I am someone who is not worth to even be looked upon after what I have done…”

Belwen furrowed her brows in confusion.

“You cannot have done anything so terrible to be worth the words you just uttered, child. Do not look for importance in a title. I had to just look into your heart and I could see that such a heart certainly deserves to be loved by our fair Prince.”

“This is nonsense, Belwen!” Elaine laughed in frustration and shook her head. “He is immortal, I am mortal. I cannot be his other half!”

“Do not question fate, my lady. Just meet it.”

Elaine froze. She had heard those words before. And it freaked her out to realize that.

“Now I think it is time for your bath…”

She was glad for Belwen’s persistence. Maybe she needed that bath after all.