Blue swords|| Legolas

17

Luin was halfway through a goblet of wine when someone approached him. (It was his second goblet and it was good stuff, Mirkwood elves really knew how to choose their alcohol). Everyone at this feast had been giving him a wide birth since the whole time he had been there. They merely pointed and whispered from afar. So Luin had had a few glasses, grateful for his golden core which was able to filter out the alcohol in his blood stream.

He was leaning back against the stone wall, watching the dancers as he drank. Trying to stay as inconspicuous as possible, which was impossible due to his dark hair and blue robes. He turned to his left as a she-elf walked over. Luin recognised her as the red haired elf who had rescued Kili from the spiders yesterday. The captain of the guard and Legolas' friend. She was wearing a fancier version of her uniform, the green bringing out the colour in her hair. She smiled at Luin politely, maybe even kindly.

"Tauriel", she stared in greeting, not bothering with a bland sentence about the party or a fake compliment. Luin appreciated her bluntness.

"Luin", he replied with a nod. Tauriel also nodded.

"May I join you?" She asked in the human tongue. He doubted that many of the common elf citizens spoke anything other than elvish. Speaking in human tongue gave them a bit of privacy.

"If you wish to", Luin muttered with a shrug. This amused her and she laughed. She leaned against the wall next to him and turned her face towards the dancers. There was some sort of slow dance going on that Luin had no idea about. But it looked pretty to watch. The spinning of glittering material and the long light hair of elves fanning out in the candle light. Luin could see how elves embodied gracefulness and beauty.

"Why are you helping the dwarves?" Tauriel asked suddenly. Luin took a long gulp of his drink.

"Why not?" He stared at her calmly. Tauriel met his gaze for a moment before looking away. She seemed shifty, uncertain about something.

"The dwarf you saved. His name is Kili", Luin said with a slight smile. Tauriel's eyes widened for a moment. A answer to a unspoken question. Luin knew that he had said the right thing.

"I didn't"- she broke off with a sigh. "What do you know of the spiders in our forest?"

Luin raised an eyebrow at the change of topic. "Why are you asking and not your king?" He frowned at his now empty goblet with disappointment. The wine was pretty good and he wondered if he should get another glass.

"I am the captain of the guard. It is my responsibility to ask", Tauriel stared firmly. Luin gave her a side long glance and sighed, deciding to throw her a bone to easy her concerns. It was obvious she cared more for Mirkwood than Thranduil.

"Gandalf the grey is looking into it with Radagast the brown. That is all I will be able to tell you". Tauriel huffed at the vague answer. She didn't look happy about it but she nodded.

She turned to walk away but turned around at the last minute. "Those braids", she said with a smile. She gestured to Luin's hair with one hand. "They're pretty". Luin felt his cheeks redden as he reflexively traced his fingers along one plait. Tauriel laughed and disappeared back into the crowd.

Luin didn't quite know what to make of her. She seemed intelligent and aware as well as compassionate. It made her a good captain of the guard. There was definitely something going on there between her and Kili which was interesting. He wondered how it would play out. A dwarf and a Elf.

Further musings were spared by a sudden dip in noise. Thranduil had risen to his feet and lifted his goblet up into the air. Everyone had stopped talking and turned to look at him. "My fellow people" , he said with a slight smile. "Welcome to our celebration. It is nearing midnight and as I promised, we will have a performance from our esteemed guest". Thranduil turned and gestured to Luin. "Come and play for us Luin the blue". He made hand movement like calling a dog.