Prompt - You are given a red rose by a secret admirer. Legolas walks in, seeing the rose, which then leads to him helping you find your secret admirer.

Warnings- some language

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As a Royal Guard, you are aware of the royal protocol and such. The very first lesson to be learned when in training to be a Royal Guard is the protocol. You simply never form an intimate relationship with the king or prince, as it is deemed unjust. A guard is below the king and prince in the caste. To meddle with royalty is simply unheard of—unless you are simply protecting them from harm.

Alas, protocol is broken many a times, and nothing is done to stop it. For instance, the Captain of the Guard became friends with the prince. Sure, she was banished from Mirkwood, but it wasn't because of their friendship—it was due to her disobeying the King's orders. He said for no-one to step outside, and all to be inside. She did more than step outside. She fell in love with a dwarf. Technically, that could be considered an act of treason.

But, something that almost never happens in Mirkwood is when royalty falls in love with a commoner. Yes, Legolas fell in love with Tauriel, but he didn't tell her, his father did; Tauriel never reciprocated the feelings. This is totally different, though; the king and a commoner. In this case, the feelings were reciprocated. Both parties didn't know of it yet.

So, as you casually walked to your post, you thought out many fantasies about the king telling you of his feelings toward you. You wore your signature expressionless look, warding off unwanted elves.

You stood outside of the throne room, holding your sword and shield at your side. You were just in time, for, after you arrived, the King did as well. He gave you a curt nod—he did so every morning—and entered the room. He couldn't see it for your helmet, but every time he made this motion, your cheeks would tint pink.

The day was off to a good start so far.

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After getting off duty, you retired to your chambers. This was a typical action that became habit long ago. Only, this evening would not be typical.

You bathed in the lilac-scented water, clearing your skin of the dirty feel. You scrubbed your hair, getting it nice and clean; you ran your fingers through it for good measure. You rinsed, stood, wrapped a towel around you, and slipped into your peony-coloured nightgown with a lace neckline.

Finally, you were content. Now to fall into the arms of slumber.

Only, you couldn't go to sleep. Not yet, anyway. There was something red on your bed. Upon closer examination, you saw that it was a crimson rose. You lightly picked it up—carefully, so as not to prick yourself; the thorns were still on it— and saw that a piece of paper was wrapped around it.

At that moment, a knock sounded on the door to your bedchamber. You sighed, startled and annoyed, but moved to open it.

Behind the door was a smiling Legolas. Frowning, you stepped back. "What are you doing up, Legolas? Your Ada would be worried if he saw your disappearance from your bedchamber," you chided.

Legolas only smiled wider, noticing the crimson rose in your fingers. "Where'd you get that, Y/N?" he asked, avoiding your query. You rose an eyebrow. "It was on my bed," you said suspiciously.

He took the rose from your hand, looking at the paper. His smile grew wider—if possible—and he handed the rose back to you. "Who is this... secret admirer?" Legolas asked, entering the room and closing the door behind him. You frowned even more, knitting your brows and looking at the paper.

"I don't know," you said, almost as if you were far away. Legolas chuckled. "Whomever it may be should be prideful to have you as their secret crush," he said wiggling his eyebrows. You rolled your eyes. "Legolas, what are you doing?" you asked as he took the rose again, and smelled it.

"It smells really good," he said. You raised a brow. "Legolas, why are you here? You know that the King would not approve of you in my chambers at this time," you said. Legolas avoided your queries further. "Has it ever occurred to you that this could be fun?" Legolas asked, looking at the rose wistfully. You raised your eyebrow once again.

"Wha-Legolas! I am not going on a hunt to find my 'Secret Admirer xxx'. It could be a simple joke," you said, practically begging for Legolas to go away. He chuckled. "What is so bad about an Ellon admiring you? Nothing! You know, it could be my father, now that I think about it. He speaks very highly of you, you know," he said.

You rolled your eyes. "Legolas, I don't know what you're talking about," you said as Legolas gave the rose back to you. You grasped it between your thumb and index finger. Legolas sighed and plopped down in a red chair, beside your bed. "I'm going to help you find your admirer; whether you want me to or not. I'm curious, and I know that you have got to be," Legolas said.

You sighed. "Of course I'm curious, but I'm also tired. I need sleep," you said. Legolas just sat there, staring at you. By this time, you were livid. "Why are you here?" you asked.

Legolas snapped out of his daze, smiling. "I was going to ask how old you are... for a friend, of course," Legolas said. You growled. "You may be a Prince, but I'm going to tell you something. NEVER ask an Elleth how old they are," you said.

Legolas stood, heading to the door. "Four thousand it is," he said. You scowled. "Try three thousand, four hundred, twenty-five," you said, crossing your arms. Legolas smirked, coming nearer to you. "Great! I'll let my friend know," Legolas said, wrapping an arm around you.

You raised an eyebrow at the gesture. What the bloody hell is going on?

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Emerging from your chambers, you took a look around, to see a red rose strung on a hook outside the door. Sighing, you took the rose and looked at the paper on it. 'I am higher than high, and yet lower than low,' was all it said. You sighed, looking up at the ceiling. "I'm going to get in serious trouble for this," you murmured to no one.

"For what?" a deep, familiar voice asked. "What are you going to get in trouble for?" Legolas asked. You turned around, clutching the rose to your chest. "For not going to my post. I was about to let the Captain know that I won't be attending my post. I have a serious errand that I must perform," you said.

Legolas raised a brow. "The Secret Admirer errand?" he asked, smirking. You nodded, taking the paper off the stem of the rose, and giving it to Legolas. "It is vital that I find out who is doing this. If I don't, I will go senile," you said. Legolas smiled, giving the paper back to you. "I'll tell the Captain that you are going on an errand for me. Meanwhile, you can figure out the riddle."

You nodded, going back into your chambers. How hard could this riddle be?

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Legolas returned to your chambers, humming a tune. "What have you got so far?" he asked. You sighed, discouraged. "Without another riddle, I don't have anything," you said, running a hand down your face. Legolas knitted his brows. "'Higher than high' ... what if they are referring to their height?" Legolas asked. You raised an eyebrow, pursing your lips.

"Many Ellons are tall," you said, crossing your arms. Legolas sighed. "We need another riddle. Desperately," he said. You nodded in agreement. "We need Bilbo..." you trailed off. Legolas raised an eyebrow. "We don't need a Hobbit! Not when we've got two minds working together," Legolas said. You smiled slightly.

Then, a knock sounded on the door to your chambers. You sighed, rolling your eyes. "How did they know I was in here?" you murmured. Legolas shrugged. You opened the door, seeing nothing but a crimson rose with paper wrapped around the emerald stem.

You picked it up, taking the paper off. Smiling, you held it up for Legolas to see. He smiled slightly, sitting up.

"Finally! Another riddle," Legolas said. "'I can ride, I can sing, and happiness I can bring, but when I feel betrayed, in the dungeon's where you'll stay, ' is all it says," you read. Legolas got a gleam in his eyes.

"Perhaps if we consider that the first riddle mentions 'higher than high, yet lower than low' and the second says '... when I feel betrayed, in the dungeon's where you'll stay' then we are getting somewhere," Legolas said. You nod, placing the two papers together.

After thinking for a minute, you curled the corners of your lips into a smile. "The 'higher than high' refers to authority, as does the '... when I feel betrayed, in the dungeon...' part. The only people with the authority to order people in the dungeon are you and your father. But, the 'higher than high' means that it can't be you, so it must be..." you trailed off.

Legolas' eyes widened. He rose from his seat, astonished. "My father," he finished. You nodded. "Oh Elbereth, how did I not see this?" he asked to no one in particular. "You did mention that it could be your Ada. You said that he talks about me," you countered. Legolas smiled. "Shall I tell him that the riddles have been solved?" Legolas asked.

You shook your head. "We should plan something out; put thought into this. These roses are sentimental gifts that he obviously put thought into. We should do the same," you proposed. Legolas nodded in agreement. "Alright. What shall we do?" he asked.

After a bit of thought, you had devised a plan. "Okay, so I need you to..."

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The following day, you were at your post, shield in the right hand, and sword in the left. The King arrived just after you, as usual, and made his usual nod in your direction. You nodded in return, blush rising to your cheeks, as always.

This time, Legolas followed him, giving you a wink as he entered. You gave him a curt nod. And so the plan began.

You stood, silent and stoic, when Legolas exited the throne room. He walked to your right side, and stood against the wall, leaning leisurely.

"I told him that there would be someone in the garden for him to meet. Of course, I gave him the time of an hour after you resign your post for the night," Legolas whispered. You nodded, smiling slightly. "Good. You will escort me as planned, correct?" you asked silently. He nodded. "Great. It's set, then," you said. Legolas smiled slightly, and headed off.

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You met Legolas in the hall, just outside of your chambers. Smiling, Legolas held his arm out for you to take. You placed a hand on his arm, lips curling upwards in a smile. "I believe my father will find you vexing," Legolas said. You raised a brow, looking into his eyes. "You are strange," you said.

Legolas feigned offense. "I am not. My father informed me that a Prince must never be strange, therefore I am not," Legolas said, mocking the one of whom you spoke. You rolled your eyes. "You are like him in more ways than one," you muttered. Legolas chuckled. "Not," he countered.

Suddenly, the doors of the garden came into view. You stopped walking, smile fading, and took a deep breath. Legolas raised a brow. "You act like you're marrying him," he said, smiling slightly. You squinted your eyes at him. "I've never been married, so I wouldn't know what that's like," you said, looking straight ahead.

Legolas chuckled as you released your grip from his arm. He stood in front of you, hands on the doors. "Ready?" he asked. "Ready," you answered.

He opened the doors of the garden, smiling widely. "Father is in the very centre of it. I shall lead you," Legolas said. You rolled your eyes. "Lead the way, O gallant Prince Legolas," you said sarcastically. Legolas looked back at you, narrowing his eyes. You smiled, waving. Legolas rolled his eyes and led the way into the garden.

You smiled at the sweet smell of fresh flowers, earth, and the former after rain. Oh Elbereth, it smelled good. It relaxed you; calmed your shaking nerves.

Legolas looked back at you. "We're almost there," he said, looking back to the path. You nodded. Finally, he stopped, standing directly in front of you.

You casually looked around. Birds and bugs of every colour were flying around, stopping at the colourful flowers. Your eyes made their way to Legolas' back, which was the only thing between you and the King. You sighed, peeking out from behind Legolas at his amazingly handsome father; King Thranduil.

You moved back into your original position, and waited until Legolas moved. After he finally moved, you stepped forward. The king smiled, giving you a nod.

Legolas exited the gardens, leaving you and the King alone. You bowed in respect, as protocol says to do. "You don't have to bow to me," Thranduil said. You quickly noticed that he held something behind his back.

"What, may I ask, is behind your back Aran nin?" you asked. The King smiled, stepping closer. He pulled a single red rose from behind his back, and held it between your bodies.

"For you, the most beautiful elleth in Middle Earth," the King said. You blushed pink. "Thank you, my Lord," you said, accepting the rose. He smiled wider. "Just call me Thranduil, while it's just us," he said. You smiled. "Thank you, Thranduil. It is very kind of you to give me such beautiful roses," you said.

The king smiled even wider. "I'm so very glad that you translated the riddles. I was going to just confront you, but decided not to, as it may push you away," he admitted.

You clutched the rose to your chest. "Anyway, I didn't put the paper on the rose this time. I figured that I am a king, and I should just tell you instead of writing, so here I go. Ever since I first saw you, I have felt this feeling that I've only felt once before. If you don't feel it as well, I understand, but by your expression, I can tell that you must..." he trailed off.

You snorted unintentionally. "Who wouldn't? " you asked, smiling. He took your hand in his. "Wonderful. Shall we stroll around the gardens?" he asked. "That would be wonderful," you replied.