the Queen may roam

[ogrins]

Circe walked along, her slim figure parading through the mist proudly. But she was not alone. Kieran, her mount, walked along behind her, calmly and seemingly almost lazily. Circe ceased her walking though, and stared down the path she was strolling along.

"Kieran my friend, perhaps today was not the best of days to go walking?"

Circe spoke to the horse, who snorted in reply. Once more the elf glanced up the path, listening hard. She heard no other steps, and so she mounted Kieran. Kieran tossed her head, raising her neck into 'riding' position as her breed was used to. Circe smiled and urged the mare onward. And so the two walked along the misty morning calmly. what shall we do today? Circe thought. Her mind often raced with the many things she could -and would- do. But today her mind was blank. I wonder what Legolas is up to. for indeed she and her husband hadn't seen much of each other recently. But he was always somewhere in the castle and she was always somewhere outside, enjoying the freedom of her land.

but... i do wonder whats going on up at the castle.and so she turned Kieran toward the castle and made her way there.

[Snarky]

Legolas stood, his hand on one of the stone columns that held up his castle. He was lucky, really, that they had not yet collapsed upon him. It seemed as if the way his mind had traveled lately, the castle itself would have surely given up on him and hit the ground in a loud crunch of stone. Well, it seemed as if they were safe another day. He patted the stone with a fair-skinned hand and stepped forward, now leaning on the marble banister.

From his new spot he had a fair view of his kingdom. The trees were swaying slightly although there was no wind, and Legolas realized they were quite content. It would be odd to anyone not of elven blood to hear that trees had emotions, but elves were raised differently. They knew. People walked slowly here and there, some children running around in a game they had invented. Their raised voices reached him occasionally, but the snippets he caught were not enough to discern the identity of their fun.

Now he turned in a different direction. The braids that kept the sides of his hair away from his face held tight, pulling against his skull whenever his head moved. His icy blue eyes blinked when he saw a very familiar mare dancing alongside her master, who to him was equally familiar. More so, in fact. He could not help the smile that broke out over his face. He had had less time to spend with his wife lately, and it seemed to take over his heart much like a disease. He missed her. He had not been married when he had inherited Mirkwood, and had so not planned to be burdened in such a way.

But what a glorious burden it was. And now, in this moment of peace and stillness, he hoped to have a moment alone with Circe. He watched her, content to wait her out until she climbed the many stories to reach him where he stood.

[ogrins]

Circe slowed Kieran down, finally halting her altogether. She felt watched suddenly, but not tracked. She felt protected... and faint.

"Heir Kieran."

Kieran's willful pistons sidestepped to the left, as Circe had asked. Circe smiled with slight effort. The tounges of old had never lied, and Kieran loved being whispered to in them. Elvish, men would call their language. But it was more than a language to the Elves and creatures that shared their lives alongside elves. Circe reached out, her sunkissed hand stroking the tree she had come up to. Her dizziness faded, the mist that had surronded her that morning was fading, each and every little detail was becoming more and more clear. Her mind was also suddenly waking up from her late morning stroll.

Thin elven legs hugged Kieran and the mare stepped forward. The trees thined out a little, and soon the castle came into view. The few elves gaurding smiled as she halted Kieran, dismounted and stroked the horse calmly and graciously. With a slight nod to them in return, Circe led the grulla quarter horse mare down a side path that led to a small, open pasture; Right outside the castle. She removed the saddle, paying no mind to the girth that wasnt there. Perhaps thats why they didn't want me riding today, so early in the morning, alone. Placing the saddle on a strong arm of castle wall she turned back to face Kieran again. The mare smiled as Circe removed the bridle, and Circe smiled in return. A strong hand stroked the short, proud neck of a quarter horse as the horse turned and ran out in joy. Circe watched her for awhile. Kieran slowed down from her romp, and her neck imediately dropped to the lush, green carpet that blanketed almost everything in their kingdom.

But, thankfully, Circe did not lead Mirkwood alone. There was her husband, Legolas. Circe had not seen him in quite awhile, her adventures leading her to the ends of her kingdom only, but almost never to its center, its castle full of high elves, providing the safty of Mirkwood for those who seek it.

And so Circe turned and walked forward, through the stable enterance. Even though Mirkwood had no stable. Elven horses would come when called for in the native tounge. Through the many hallways, she made her way to the north face of the castle, her hand stroking the strong walls, looking dark against the pale stone. And then she came to stairs. The breeze pushed through her light blonde hair and caressed her skull, and the smell of morning reached Circe's nose. Inhaling deeply, she relaxed, and started to climb the many stories up to the high tower.

The walls along the stairside gently sloped together, aiming to give the impresion of closing at some eventual point. But soon a landing came into view, to look out over the land. The view itself wasn't all that bad, but one could not see very far away from the castle. And so Circe continued to climb up the stairs. To look out over the kingdom? No, not really. More like to see Legolas. It had been so long scince they had really enjoyed each others company. And you could say most of the blame was on her, with her need to roam so important. But she was sure Legolas understood her. She could stay if she was needed, and she would always return when called. The stairs grew steeper, with small landings every once in awhile. But her hand travled up the banistar as he feet followed, traveling up the stairs evenly, if not quickly.

The walls began to open up, after being almost stuck in an unceasingly straight distance apart from each other. Suddenly the left wall fell away and sunlight was cast upon the white stone stairs. The right wall sloped downward, creating a hallway on the right. This stairway, if walked in the center the whole time, would slope into that hallway and not be continued. Circe had taken the hidden stiarway, for most only used it at night, and it could be completely enclosed if need be, except for at the top; where the view of the land was like no other. But the need for hiding was not right now and at the top of the stairway, looking down, was Legolas.

Circe smiled as she looked up at her husband, who presently watched the land calmly, noting every little thing. She climbed up the remaining few steps, so now she stood only a couple steps away. Her gaze followed his, and for a moment both the King and Queen of Mirkwood happily watched over their land. But Circe turned. Her need to speak to Legolas was becoming important. She missed his company.

"Legolas."

[Snarky]

Legolas waited for a calm moment, having prepared himself for his wife's approach. He thought about telling her she should be more concerned for her own safety, that she needed to stop riding out alone so early in the morning, but it all faded when he turned and took in her appearance. She was as beautiful to him as the day he had met her, and he couldn't even pretend to be angry with her. He smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling with the motion as he held out his arms to beckon her forward.

He could smell her from where he stood; a subtle mix of the wood, horse, and something hidden underneath that was uniquely her own. It was how he always knew when she walked into a room before he saw her. She was his solid ground, and he trusted her with a trust he had not for others. Even some of his closest friends did not earn the type of trust he reserved for Circe. She was special to him in every way, and he would die before he saw her hurt.

But now he only wanted to talk to her, to hold her, and to catch up.

[ogrins]

Circe smiled as Legolas turned to face her. His arms held out, beckoning her foreward and into his grasp. And she walked forward without delay, for she missed his company and good charm, his friendly nature and silent wisdom. She felt so foolish and young compared to him. He was so much more wiser. And she knew that they completed each other, her impulses and his wisdom always balancing each other.

Circe halted in her husbands arms, closing her eyes and relaxing. When her eyes opened, she looked out over her kingdom, over their kingdom. Smiling, she looked into Legolas's face and saw pure joy. Pure joy in her, in their partnership, in their lives. Time seemed to halt, if only for a moment, and sunshine burst through the clouds of the morning and shone down upon the King and Queen of Mirkwood, who stood together, calm and proud.