Sapphire Eyes

Ch 18

The four eldar’s exchanged
worried glances and Elrond sighed “Well, some sort of compromise will have to
be formed, I am sure everything will work out…Faramir, the room you were
assigned is yours for the duration of your stay, but you do realize this is not
prince Legolas’s home” Thranduil leaned forward “Yes young adan, our home is
Mirkwood and therefore, if you insist on following thru on this debt, you will
be coming to live there when we leave. Now I understand perfectly why you are
doing this and respect it, however, Legolas is very independent and will see
you as a hindrance. I for one, think Legolas would benefit from a personal
servant, he needs to learn how to deal with those he will rule”

Glorfindel smirked “Well, count
yourself lucky that it was not Elladan and Elrohir that saved you. If you were their
personal servant you would more then likely never have to leave their chamber”
Faramir lowered his head “Well, I just hope the prince does not hold resentment
towards me, but regardless, I will serve him well and in whatever capacity he
wishes”

Several weeks later, Faramir
walked out of the trees, looked over, and quietly joined Elrond and Thranduil
on the archery field. As he approached, Thranduil smiled “Ai, good afternoon
Faramir, stalking your new master?” “Good afternoon my lords…yes I have been
following him all week…from a distance of course, in case he needed anything.
You were quite right, he is very independent, I’m afraid my services will be
solely that of a stalker” “You do realize he knows you are following him, and I
would guarantee he knows you are here now”

Faramir sighed and looked at
Legolas and the twins as they practiced “My lord, being his father…please…is
there anything I could…” “Go pick him some flowers” “Flowers my lord?” “Yes,
and when you return, we will call for them to break for refreshments, I will
give you his glass and you will hand it to him…understood?” “Yes my lord, I
have read that wood elves like flowers, but the book did not specify what kind”
Thranduil waved his hand “Any flowers will do” As the young adan left, Elrond
leaned over “Thran…flowers?” “Old friend, there are a few choice things that
put an instant smile on my sons face” “And they are?” “Flowers, cherry pie, a
hot bath with scented oils and his hair being brushed” Elrond nodded “They
sound nice, however I prefer peach” Thranduil laughed “And I blueberry” Elrond
snorted “You know, one of the only times I can tell my sons apart, is when they
reach for desert…Elladan loves rhubarb pie and Elrohir always goes for the
bread pudding”

When Faramir returned, Elrond
called for the youths to stop. Legolas stilled, sniffed, dropped his head and
sighed as he laid down his bow and leisurely walked back. The twins ran up to
their father “You both did superbly my sons, I could not be more proud” Elladan
rolled his eyes “Adar saes! Legolas is sightless and still hit the targets dead
center every time” Elrohir nudged his brother and motioned. Elladan smiled
“Well well well hello there, you must be Faramir, I am Elladan
and this…is Elrohir” “Hello there lirimaer”

Faramir lightly bowed and made
a mental note to find out what lirimaer meant “Good afternoon my lords”
“Legolas told us he had a shadow…I personally would not mind you
following me around all day” “Me neither…you are quite fair for an adan don’t
you think brother” “Yes brother quite fair, perhaps the prince would share?”
“Ooo, one can hope!” Elrond frowned “Boys!” Simultaneously they lowered their
heads “Sorry Adar”.

Thranduil began to pour the
lemon water when he noticed Legolas returning slowly. As the prince came close,
he sniffed and shook his head again “Mmm…afternoon Faramir, did you need
something?” “No master Legolas” “Stop calling me that” “I do have something for
you though” “What” Faramir took the princes hand and place the collected
flowers in it. Legolas blinked surprised “F…flowers?” “Yes master, I thought
you may enjoy them, I have read that wood elves are especially fond of flowers”

Legolas placed his face within
the bouquet and moved it around in them, when he drew his head up, he was
smiling ear to ear “Thank you Faramir, they are perfect” “I am glad you like
them” The prince singled out a flower, sniffed it longingly, opened his mouth,
bit off the top and practically purred as he chewed and swallowed it “Mmm
delicious” Thranduil and Elrond tried hard not to laugh but the twins lost it
and laughed hysterically. Legolas knitted his brow “What is so funny?” “Well
friend Legolas, Faramir has the most adorable shocked look on his face” “Yes
quite bewildered, I don’t think he was expecting you to eat the flowers”

Faramir cleared his throat
“I…the books never said anything about you eating them, only that you were
quite fond of them” Thranduil drew his attention and handed him the glass. The
twins seemed confused and were about to comment when Elrond put his finger to
his lips. The twins nodded in silent understanding and watched as the adan
offered it to the prince. “Here, its lemon water”. As he caressed his cheek
with the flowers, Legolas slowly took the glass from the adan. “Hannon le
Ath-nin” Faramir gave a confused look to the king “He said, thank you my
shadow”

Faramir chuckled “Your welcome
master Legolas” The prince, still smiling, handed back the empty glass “Stop calling
me that” and turned to return to his archery with the twins. Thranduil leaned
back “Progress” “Yes old friend well done” “Well, I know my son, Faramir, I
will speak with you later, I have another idea” “Yes my lord”. Thranduil leaned
close to Elrond “Would it be alright if I had Legolas moved to a larger room
down the hall?” “Of course, let Erestor know” The elf king smirked and made his
way back to the homely house.

Creeping up on the study, he
saw Erestor sitting at his desk and writing on some document. Turning his gaze,
he saw Genderel at an adjacent desk sorting papers and marking his progress.
Thranduil smirked as he listened to the scratching of the quills completely
unnoticed. Suddenly, he bellowed with his arms stretched out wide “Ah! My love,
my sweet, my pet!” Both advisers nearly jumped out of their skin. Genderel
smiled warmly “Melanin, what brings you here?”

Thranduil relayed what had just
transpired between Legolas and Faramir, and his new plan. Erestor rolled his
eyes “Thranduil, I believe from now on, I shall thank the Valar daily that you
were not my father!”

Two days later, Legolas walked
to his room and thought ‘Uh…what I would not give for a long hot bath’
as he entered his chamber, the first thing he noticed was the sound…it sounded
empty. Feeling about the room, his thoughts were confirmed, all his belongings
were gone. Making his way to his fathers door, he nervously knocked “Adar,
Atar?” Thranduil opened the door “Nai ion-nin we are here”

The prince looked sad and
worried “Adar, my room…its empty…saes, we are not leaving for home are we?”
“Nay ion, you had complained to us that our coupling was to loud, so we toned
it down a bit. I am tired of holding back on your Atar and wish to have at him
in the manner I wish so…” Legolas held out his hand and shook his head “Eww
Adar to much information!” “Quiet now, I had your things moved to a chamber
down the hall, it is actually a larger room…it will be easy to find, I placed a
tie band on the handle…enjoy”

Legolas smiled “Hannon le Adar,
Atar” Thranduil caressed his sons face, then playfully smacked his cheek “Your
welcome, now go away, I wish to have at your Naneth” “Naneth! Thran! I told you
before I…Ooo don’t you look at me that way…nay!” Legolas heard Genderel scurry
backwards and Thranduil let out a sly chuckle “Go and find your room, I am
about to be very busy”

His father closed the door, but
Legolas could hear laughter and what sounded like chairs being knocked
over…then…dead silence. The prince backed away from the door, shuddered and
whispered “Eww”.

As he made his way down the
hall, he felt the handle of each door and mumbled “Tie band? On what
side…urgh!” “Master Legolas?” the prince jumped “Ah! Ooo careful Faramir, I
could have spun and hit you out of reflex…and stop calling me that damit!” “Are
you searching for your new room?” “Yes, Adar said he put a tie band on the
handle but I am not finding it” Faramir took the princes hand and led his down
the hall a bit “Well this explains it, the band fell from the handle, this is
the room master”

Legolas yanked his hand from
the adan and began to walk thru the door “I’m fine now…you may go” then
proceeded to fall face first to the floor “Ai! Warg piss!!!” then reached for
his ankle and winced. “Master! Are…how can I help” “Ow! What did I trip over!”
“A bag…here…let me help, I already had a bath drawn for you, it should help
your ankle” As Faramir made to lift the prince, he was met with several whacks
to the face, shoulders and chest “Don’t you dare try and carry me!”

Faramir removed his hands
“Would you like me to get your father?” “Yes!” As he made to stand, Legolas
thought about what his fathers were doing, and how furious his Adar would be if
they were interrupted. “Wait! Wait, nay, they are…busy” Legolas shook his head
and chewed his lip. Faramir knelt back down and gently placed his hand on the
princes shoulder “Please master, let me help you” “Oh and how are you to help?”
“I will carry you to the bath, undress you and lower you into the water”
Legolas’s eyes widened “Naaay you are not undressing me!” “Fine, you
undress yourself and I will lower you into the water” “Uh…that is you still
seeing me naked” “Well, are elves bodies that different form an adans? I
haven’t read that they were” “Well nay but…” the prince let out an exasperated
sigh, flopped backwards, laid flat on his back and groaned “Fine Faramir, take
me to the bath and…and help me”.

As Faramir scooped him up, he
glanced toward the still open door, smiled, and carried the prince further into
the room. Thranduil, Genderel, Elrond and Glorfindel silently closed the
chamber door and receded down the hall. “Well melanin, shall we go and make
those noises for real this time?” Genderel smirked and Elrond shook his head
“Thran, you just injured your own son on purpose so he would have to
accept Faramir's assistance, it makes me glad we are friends again. I do not
even want to entertain the thought of what you would have done to an
enemy…and don’t think I’m not going to check his ankle in the morning!”

Thranduil sighed, “Elrond,
Legolas is very independent but…he needs to learn when to ask for help. Having
Faramir around, he will learn how to rely and trust those around him…that
asking for assistance does not mean he has lost independence”.

TBC……………………

Translations:

Adar----------------------Father

Atar----------------------Father
(Quenya)

Nai-----------------------Yes
(Quenya)

Saes----------------------Please

Ath-nin-------------------My
shadow

Ion-nin-------------------My
son

Lirimaer------------------Lovely
one

Hannon Le---------------Thank
you