InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Maintenance reprogramming."

r (keoughr) wrote in labyrinth_rpg,
@ 2009-03-15 18:13:00

Entry tags:

complete, day three, giselle, legolas greenleaf

Day 3
Who: Giselle and Legolas
What: Gettin' Jiggy Wit' It
When: Afternoon
Where: Music Tent
Warnings: None
Status: Complete

Day three in this new place and still no sign of Legolas. She wasn't sure if she would ever see him again and it broke her heart into little pieces. She was certainly enamored with the elf. He had been very kind to her, had sung with her and had been a good friend. It didn't hurt that he was also a prince, but that paled in comparison to all his other qualities. After leaving Marcus to his own devices the day before, she'd done a bit more exploring and had come upon a large tent with more musical instruments than she had ever seen in her entire life.

She would have gone in that instant and played with some of them if someone else hadn't been in there, and if her stomach hadn't chosen that moment to growl annoyance at being neglected since breakfast. She had promised herself that she would return the following day, and she had kept that promise. She walked toward it swiftly, her eye on the tent. She didn't notice anything else around her, so concentrated on getting there. Her excitement was genuine and she'd hardly slept a wink last night. Well, she'd slept, but it had taken a while to get there.

She pushed aside the flap of the tent and found that she was alone. Free to make all the noise she wished and experiment with any of the instruments available to her. As it whooshed closed behind her, she found that light filtered in only from the spaces between the tent flaps. She lit standalone lamps and clapped, delighted. She sat down behind an instrument propped in a stand and lifted it onto her lap. She thrummed the strings and listened to the sound reverberate around the room. It was a heavenly sound and she couldn't resist adding her own hum to it.

It was a huge instrument, the body of it easily the size of her torso. But the fret on it was short and had about twelve strings on it. She read a sign that called the instrument a lute. It was lightweight and she liked the way it felt. She pulled the back of it against her chest the way she had seen guitar players hold their instruments and slung her arm over the body of it. She strummed, trying to pick out notes she could sing along with. She found that moving her fingers over different strings and then strumming all of them made different sounds. She couldn't help but giggle every time she struck a new chord. She was so enthralled with her playing that she didn't even notice when the tent flap moved and someone stepped inside.

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princegreenleaf
2009-03-15 11:34 pm UTC (link)

The elf had had an eventful few days, but he had yet to meet anyone he knew from either Mirage or Middle Earth. It was a little annoying. He enjoyed making new friends, it was always a lot of fun, but he also felt the desire for the company of someone he'd met before. But there was no point in getting worked up about it, he decided. In fact, the better option would be to go out and explore. Not only would he learn the lay of the land, which as a tracker, he knew was important, but he would have a chance to meet people, whether new friends or old.

So, with that decided, he got dressed in his typical brown tunic and green leggings, braided his hair back, and was soon ready to go. He slipped out into the day, which felt colder than usual. Not that it bothered him, he simply added a cloak and barely felt the difference. Elves are very resistent to that sort of thing. In very little time, he was wandering among the tents, peering in and everything.

There was one, however, which was closed. But the flaps didn't seem to be tied shut, and his curiousity took him over. He pulled one of the flaps aside. He could hear music coming from within, and that was something he was just incapable of ignoring. He peered inside, sky blue eyes scanning the entire place before he entered. There was someone else here, of course, but they were playing a large lute. It was a woman, with a long spill of fiery hair down her back...

His first reaction was surprise, but it was quickly followed by delight. A wide smile lit up his face, and he crossed the tent swiftly to kneel by her side. He had to be sure it was her... and soon he was. The fact was very familiar to him. The elven prince bowed his head as he continued to kneel by her side. He would have taken her hand in his, if they hadn't been occupied. "My Lady Bright-Star! You are here as well!"

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keoughr
2009-03-16 06:45 pm UTC (link)

She looked down in shocked surprise to find that a blond man was kneeling at her side, head bowed. She leaned back a bit and set the lute back on its stand, trying to figure out just who was talking to her. Finally, it dawned on her. The long blond hair, the tone of the voice, the quality of the words. It was Legolas! "Prince Greenleaf!" She reached down to lift his face with two of her fingers. She grinned in utter delight, her eyes sparkling with forming tears of joy. She blinked them back and stared at him.

"I cannot believe this! I had hoped you would be here, too, but I had no such expectations. When did you arrive?" She suddenly felt bad for wishing him here and wondered if it was her doing. Her shame was so great that it washed through her like a tidal wave, quieting her and causing her own head to drop, her chin touching her chest lightly. The turmoil of emotions, ecstatic that he was there and sadness at possibly being the catalyst for his journey to this realm was difficult to deal with, and her eyes began to brim.

"I'm so sorry, Legolas! I must have wished you here. I did not mean to bring you to another land that is not your home. How you must hate me!" She wept, salty tears making tracks down her cheeks. Both hands flew to her face and she cried behind them. Marcus had told her that Legolas had not been on Mirage for months, and Giselle had assumed that he had been allowed to go home.

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princegreenleaf
2009-03-16 10:44 pm UTC (link)

As the lute was put away, he found that her hands were free as he had wanted. He reached up and gently took one, holding it lightly in hers and smiling up at the pretty redhead. He lowered his head to place a kiss to her knuckles, and then looked up at her for a moment before setting her hand back on her land, very gently.

"It is good to see you. I had not yet given up hope that I would, but I am very glad you are here." He watched her as she sat there, staring at him in disbelief. He was doing much the same thing. He'd asked the people he met if they'd seen her, and been pretty sure by the end that no one had. It was nice, in this case, to be proven wrong. Giselle had made a very positive impression on the elf, and he was very, very glad to see her.

But when she looked sad, he became anxious. His eyes, which had been a brilliant blue, darkened slightly as she thought. When she came out with her exclamation and apology, he blinked for a second. But he quickly rallied, and rose up so that he was more on the same level as her. "No, Giselle, do not do yourself the dishonor of... I want to be here, if you are. Do you understand?" He looked at her intently and then reached out to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "It could well be that I, in my desire to see you, brought you here!"

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keoughr
2009-03-18 10:05 pm UTC (link)

She looked at him through streaming eyes, the feel of his kiss still on her knuckles. He was real, at least. Not a figment of her poor imagination. She tried to stem the flow of her tears, but was unsuccessful.

"Oh, Legolas, I am so glad that you are here as well. But I did not mean to bring you here." She hadn't contemplated the idea that he might have brought her here for his wanting to see her, but now that he'd instilled the thought in her head it was having a calming effect on her. She wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand and sniffed. She was so glad to see him. She nodded when he asked if she understood, and a small smile broke over her face.

"I'm sorry to cry." She felt rather foolish about it now, but she was a girl and crying was expected of girls. Her eyes were fairly clear now and she looked on the blond elf in awe. He was even more handsome than she remembered and she had the good sense to blush slightly under his gaze. "When.. when did you arrive?" She wanted to move on to a subject other than her stupidity. A shuddering breath later and there were no signs that any tears had ever been present. She was beaming and reached out to take his hands, happier than she'd been in the days since her arrival.

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princegreenleaf
2009-03-19 08:50 pm UTC (link)

Once her tears were gone, he gently tucked her brilliant hair behind her ears. He really did have a great deal of affection for the pretty, bubbly human girl, which surprised him a bit. Of course, he didn't particularly like seeing anyone hurt, and certainly not crying, but he was more gentle with her than he would be with most. It was probably just that she was too innocent to feel bad things.

Soon enough, the storm was over, and Legolas smiled at her and backed off a bit. She'd been comforted, and he was glad to think he had some part in it. "It is so. I wished to see you again, for who else would sing to the morning with me?"

"There is no need to apologize, my Lady." He returned the look, a slight smile still lingering on his lips. "I only arrived yesterday." He gave her his hands, holding hers gently and with infinite care. "And you, when did you arrive? Do you know anyone else here?" Legolas hadn't seen anyone he'd recognized, but then, he hadn't really been on Mirage that long.

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keoughr
2009-03-23 08:18 pm UTC (link)

She beamed at him. She had so enjoyed their morning serenade and had hoped that he did as well. It was clear from the way he spoke about it that he had. Her brilliant smile was so wide she felt the tug at her facial muscles. She smiled quite a bit, but very rarely this enormously. She turned toward him in the chair, crossing her ankles and tucking them back beneath her sunny yellow dress.

"Marcus said that you haven't been on Mirage for months and I just thought that you'd been able to go home. But he said he hadn't seen me for months although I was just there three days ago. I arrived the day before yesterday. It was so strange. All of the sudden I was just standing in an area out there with a group of others and this strange man with big hair was telling us that we couldn't leave. I think we are his prisoners." Her tone dropped at the end of her sentence. It sounded horrible to her and she tried to lighten it by nearly whispering.

She looked down at her hands, cradled gently in his grip. It made her smile again and she looked up with clear blue eyes. "Marcus is the only one I recognize although I never met him in Mirage. I met a real princess the first day, but she wasn't very happy to be here." No one was, really, but Giselle was a bit oblivious to that. She had no real home anymore, so she didn't particularly have a desire to go anywhere. Especially as long as she was able to spend time with Legolas.

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princegreenleaf
2009-03-23 10:35 pm UTC (link)

The elf frowned thoughtfully. "Marcus? I know of him, though I do not think I have ever met him. Why would such as he know of my disappearance?" But he shrugged, deciding it was likely just one of those things that is too weird to completely understand. There had been many of those things recently, ever since he'd been pulled from Middle Earth. They wouldn't stop being wonderous, but they were becoming somewhat commonplace.

"A real princess?" He raised an eyebrow, not finding that so very miraculous. After all, he'd met at least two, plus a queen, in his time. But it was clearly a big deal to her, so he kept most of his amusement to himself. "I met a man, an archer as I am. He is good." he admitted it with a laugh. "But not as good as I."

He smiled at her, a delightful idea taking him over. Well, why not? She was as good a choice as any, and better than most. "Lady Giselle, I would ask a great honor of you. Would you come with me and be a princess for an evening? If you will it so, I would have you come to this ball with me." He looked at her with twinkling eyes, though slightly anxiously. "Unless another has claimed you for that great honor?"

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keoughr
2009-03-25 08:34 am UTC (link)

"He said that he has been there for five months. I was only there five days when I was taken but he said that was months ago." She shrugged lightly, not understanding it herself. She really didn't try all that hard to understand it, either. It wasn't worth the effort. All it did was serve to confuse her and she had enough confusion to last her a lifetime, what with all the travels she'd done in the last while.

"Yes, isn't it glorious?!" She grinned. She had been pining to be a princess since her birth, practically. She found anyone who was a princess to be perfectly wonderful. She longed to join their ranks and was happy to be in their presence at any point. "Did you really?" She laughed then, not because what he said was pompous, but because it was true. She knew Legolas to be the best. If he said it, it must be right.

She listened to his recitation and her mouth opened slightly. Her lips moved in an effort to speak, but she could seem to say nothing. Finally, she gained control of her wits and grinned. He'd just asked her to a ball! Of course she would go! "I would be delighted to accept your invitation, Prince Greenleaf. No one else has asked. I thank you." She bowed her head in as much of a curtsy as she could manage sitting down.

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princegreenleaf
2009-03-25 12:35 pm UTC (link)

The question of Marcus could be thought about later. Probably by seeking the dark-haired Ranger out and enlisting his help in the matter. But for now, there were really much more interesting things to focus on. He kept smiling, just glad to be with her. It had been a little terrifying, actually, being torn from another world, and feeling like he'd have to start all over again.

Legolas shrugged slightly, basically unable to help it. He was a gallant creature, really quite flirtatious. "I am sure that no princess could be so beautiful as you are, Lady Bright-Star." He laughed softly and then nodded. "Yes, I did. He and I are to have an archery competition in a few days, once we're both settled in. He shot an arrow at my head...well, very near."

The smile only widened when she accepted his offer. Reverently, he leaned down and kissed her hand, only to straighten up and look into her eyes. "I will come for you in your room, and we can go from there?" He'd already been looking forward to the ball, truth to be told, and now that he was going with her, he knew a good time would be had.

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keoughr
2009-03-26 09:34 pm UTC (link)

He certainly knew how to flatter her, and with his latest comment, she blushed slightly and grinned. "Thank you." Her eyes brightened at the mention of his competition. "That sounds like such fun. I do hope you win!" She squeezed his hands and then her eyes widened. "He shot at you...? Oh dear. That is not good at all." It was evident that Legolas was unharmed, however, so it mustn't have struck him.

She lifted her hand to meet his lips and tilted her head to watch him. His lips on her skin sent tingles up her spine. "I will be waiting." She was more than excited to be going to a ball with Legolas. She loved to dance, loved balls and loved getting dressed up. She didn't even care that they were being forced to attend it. Fun was fun, forced or not.

Now that they had that settled, she glanced around them at all the instruments. "Do you know how to play any of these? I was just experimenting with this lute." She gestured toward the guitar-like instrument she'd been holding when he came in.

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princegreenleaf
2009-03-27 12:04 am UTC (link)

The ball question was settled, and very much to his satisfaction. Though he didn't know Giselle very well, he had very much enjoyed the time they'd spent together, in a sort of vague, amused way. She was very sweet, had a lot of life to her, and these qualities were intruiging to him. He found himself wanting to be around her, just to see what she'd do next.

At her question, however, he rose to his feet and glanced around, letting her hands fall gently into her lap. He saw many that looked familiar, although some that elves didn't play and only humans did. Gracefully, he moved over to a small hand harp that was on a table and picked it up.

"This one, I know." He nodded. "And others as well, drums, the lute is often used by the humans, and of course, flutes and recorders..." He seated himself nearby her, and idly started plucking the strings of the small instrument, tuning it. "My voice is my instrument of choice, but I can play this. At least well enough to not deafen you, I should hope."

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keoughr
2009-03-28 10:47 pm UTC (link)

Giselle's big blue eyes followed him in mild fascination. He seemed so sure and so confident so much of the time. She truly envied him. Perhaps it was a trait of his race to be this way, but whatever it was, she wished it would rub off on her. It wasn't that she couldn't be confident, but she had nothing on elves. Legolas was exciting to be around and Giselle found herself simply watching him walk around the tent, looking at the instruments within.

He picked up a harp and came to sit near her once more. She wasn't surprised, for some reason, to see him pick it up. Somehow she knew the sound the instrument made would complement his voice beautifully. Although she was not at all well practiced on the lute, she picked it up again and cradled it in her lap. When he plucked at certain strings, she tried to harmonize with her own plucking.

"Well I can't promise that I won't deafen you with my inexperience on the lute, but I'll try not to play too loudly, either." Like Legolas, her voice was also her instrument of choice. Because it came from her, she knew how to control it and work it to be as beautiful as possible. It would take much practice on the lute to achieve the level of confidence she had with her voice.

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princegreenleaf
2009-03-29 11:07 pm UTC (link)

The prince was completely unaware of her regard as he seated himself and set the harp in his lap. He had enough experience with the instrument to accompany himself in a fairly simple fashion. It had a sort of beauty, but he wouldn't win any bardic competitions with his playing. Still, he didn't need to, really. He was just playing music with a friend. Also, he was pretty sure she wouldn't mind if it wasn't perfect."

"I have heard you sing. I do not think you could deafen me with music if you tried." He smiled at her, his fingers running over the harp, getting a feel for the instrument, and at first, that's all he did. But when she started matching the notes he was plucking, and a chance chord progression occured, he smiled suddenly and nodded to her.

The first time they had met, when she showed him around, they had joined in song. Oddly enough, though from different worlds, the song they'd chosen was the same. His was in elven, of course, but the tune was somehow exactly the same. He wondered if she'd remember, but was pretty sure she would know it as he started playing the first chords to the song. Chances were good that she would, though, since it was one she often hummed.

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keoughr
2009-03-30 08:47 pm UTC (link)

She laughed softly. "Using my voice as an instrument is much different than using an actual instrument." She plucked lightly at the strings and then when he was more familiar with the harp, she started to experiment more with the various notes on the lute. It was then when she noticed that the notes had changed and she recognized the song. A slow smile slid over her pink lips and she lifted her attention from the lute to his face. She watched him, amazed for a moment before she began to pluck out the same tune on the lute.

Her eyes dropped back down to watch her fingers as they drifted across the strings. She struck an odd chord now and then, but for the most part the melodies drifted up and around their heads, intertwining and meshing to make a beautiful song. She began to hum along for a few lines of the song before she began to actually sing softly. She didn't want to mute the sound of the instruments with her voice, so she kept it low, almost near a whisper.

Now and then, when she was more sure with her fingering on the lute, she would look up at the elf and smile. She loved that they had an appreciation for music in common. It made him that much more handsome in her eyes. She glanced back down and reverted back to humming as the song neared its end. She surely could sit in this music tent for hours and play with Legolas, but she wasn't sure if he could or not.

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princegreenleaf
2009-03-31 02:10 pm UTC (link)

The harp and lute brought a whole new dimension to the simple tune, and her humming only increased it. By the end, he was smiling widely, beyond pleased with what they had created together. It wasn't flashy, it wasn't stunningly beautiful, but it was quite pretty and, considering they were mostly limited to instruments that they were unused to, it wasn't bad.

When she began to sing, he followed, but stuck to harmony parts and let her take the lead. The elven counterpoint should have sounded odd, but somehow didn't. It all worked. At the end, he laughed delightedly and set the pretty little lap harp aside.

"I would not do so well with a lute, Lady Giselle. You are indeed musically gifted." He was really practically glowing with delight, the whole thing just lifting him up as only music could. The inside of the tent had a timeless air about it that was compelling, as it locked the rest of the world out, but Legolas was sure that they'd been at it awhile.

Gracefully, he rose to his feet and glanced outside, before turning back to the redhead with a smile. "The hour grows late. I think it will soon be time to dine. Would you perhaps consent to join me?"

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keoughr
2009-04-01 08:25 am UTC (link)

Giselle was also pleased with the sound they made, and when the song was finished and the harp had been set aside, she followed suit and set the lute back on its stand. She smiled at the elf and folded her hands in her lap. "That was wonderful, wasn't it?" She had her mind made up that she would return to this tent at least every other day, if not more, to practice more with the lute and try out some of the other interesting instruments. She loved music and it had always dismayed her that she wasn't more adept with instruments.

She smiled at his compliment and ducked her head. "Thank you, as are you." He seemed very at ease with the harp and she was mildly jealous that he'd been given so much time with which to practice his musical prowess. Hundreds of years compared to her short stint in the world didn't seem fair in a way. Especially when it translated into experience with more musical instruments, dances and songs than she could ever imagine.

With the lighting inside the tent she hadn't even noticed the waning light outside. She followed his glance and noticed that it was more grey and dim than it had been when she'd entered the tent earlier. "Oh, my. It is late." She smiled, and found that she was pleased that her time had been spent, not only in song and music, but with Legolas by her side. She had to laugh lightly when he asked if she would join him for dinner, however. As if he had to ask. "Of course, I would love to join you."

The night before she'd dined with Marcus after showing him around a bit. Then, she hadn't known Legolas was already in the City. She hoped that Tonks would wind up here, if only for Marcus' sake. She really didn't want to wish anyone here, but the ranger had seemed so lost and unhappy without her. She knew the feeling on a slightly more muted level and didn't wish it on anyone. "There are a few places we could go, I think. There are some food tents and a restaurant inside the center building." She spoke as she walked to the flap in the tent and lifted it to step out.

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princegreenleaf
2009-04-02 12:46 am UTC (link)

There were so many intruments here that were unlike anything the elven prince had ever seen before. He looked around one more time, and privatly, came to the same conclusion that she had. This would be a place that he would return, and quite often. Many of the instruments seemed to be variations on the ones he had played or seen played. It was enough for any lover of music, especially with the others that were like nothing he'd ever seen before.

"It is." He nodded slightly, and then smiled. "It seems that each time we meet, there is song and music." Which wasn't as odd to him as it might be to some people. But he'd seen enough of human culture to realize that this was unusual for most humans, and he was pleased to have found the exception. Giselle continued to interest him, in a vague sort of way. She was full of life, which was something he found compelling. But though he was quick to make friends, he was not as ready to decide fully about people at first. Humans, especially kept him on guard a bit.

But, of course, none of this showed. And he was remarkably glad to see her. She was a familiar face, and a lovely one. And her outlook was so much better than any of the humans he'd met. So he was more than willing to dine with her. With a bow, he held aside the flap of the tent so that she could pass by him, and out into the larger world of the Faire.

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