NOTES: Legolas's POV

A Secret Revealed - Chapter 10

Tatharan listened intently as I began to confess the place in which my heart lay, and spoke of the predicament Aragorn and I faced, nodding occasionally, an understanding expression in his eyes.

"So as you can see, we have few places where we can be together, away from the prying eyes of others," I said.

Cerilion chipped in, "I thought you may be able to help them with this, Tath."

Tatharan nodded, taking it all in, "It is true, I may be able to help you," he said.

"This house is empty during the night, for I am on duty then. You may come here if you wish to be alone together." He smiled warmly at us.

"Thank you, Tatharan, and I apologise for waking you," I said, suddenly feeling guilty to awaken my friend. He worked at the palace, which was how I knew him; his duty was a night sentry outside the palace doors.

"It does not matter, Legolas, anything for a friend," he grinned "I leave the house an hour after sunset, be here then and you shall have the house to yourself."

"Well we shall leave you to get back sleep then," I said, glancing over to Aragorn, "We shall see you later."

Aragorn and I stood up. "Thank you for your kindness," Aragorn said to Tatharan, who gave him another of his warm smiles.

"Goodbye Legolas, Aragorn," he said, nodding to us.

And with that Aragorn and I left the house and made our way back to the palace to ready ourselves for dinner. I was very hungry, and realised that what with the events of the day so far, we had forgotten to go to lunch.

I knew my Father would ask questions about this later, and told Aragorn that if he was asked, to say that we took lunch with my friends.

Dinner was quiet, and I felt as if everyone was watching us. From across the table, Aragorn raised his eyebrows at me questioningly, before returning to his food.
After dinner, my Father beckoned to me.

"Legolas, come, speak with me."

I followed him wordlessly into one of the many rooms off the dining hall, and stood waiting whilst he sat, as regal as ever.

"Have you spoken with Valrodiel Aerandir and her father yet? Have you proposed the marriage?" he asked earnestly.

"No," I answered, staring at the ground.

"Well, why ever not?" Thranduil exclaimed, frowning across at me.

"I am not going to wed Valrodiel Aerandir."

"Son, if you do not propose the marriage, I shall do it myself," he stated.

"I shall not be wed to someone I do not love, nor will she."

"What does love have to do with marriage? This betrothal is to keep our family line alive, Legolas, and the family is *everything!*" My father was getting angrier.

"My Lord, I refuse to be wed to one whom I have no feelings for beyond friendship; to do so would be against the ways of our people, you and I know well that marriage is not something taken lightly," I said levelly, remembering my earlier discussion with the elf maiden. "If the people of Mirkwood were to discover that my marriage to Valrodiel was not to do with love, but keeping the family line alive, it would be most frowned upon, and you would lose all the respect the people have for you."

My father stood up in anger. "How *dare* you!" he shouted. "You *shall* be wed to Valrodiel Aerandir, you shall like it, and you shall produce many offspring."

"You cannot force me!" I said defiantly.

"I can, and I will."

"If you do, the people of Mirkwood will hear about it being nothing but a deception...a mockery of their beliefs and traditions," I reasoned. "I shall not marry her."

Furious, my father called in the guards.

"Take him to the dungeon," he said, his voice cold and hard.

"You cannot do this!" I shouted, as the guards dragged me bodily away.

"I believe I am," he called after me.

I sat in the corner of my cell, filled with fury at the way my Father had treated me.

"Guards!" I shouted out.

Footsteps drew near, and a face appeared.

"What?"

"You know who I am," I said, putting on a voice that sounded as commanding as possible. "I am your Prince and your master, now let me out of this cell now!"

"Sorry My Lord, I cannot. It is the wish if His Highness that you are kept here until he decides otherwise, nobody can overrule that; not even you," with that, the guard turned and left, shooting an apologetic glance over his shoulder as he walked away.

"Wait," I called out.

"We have been ordered not to speak with you My Lord," the guards voice echoed back along the passage, and his footsteps disappeared into the distance.

It was long past sunset. I should be away form here, in Tatharan's home, with Aragorn.

But instead I am here, locked up. Alone.