She knew what she wanted. She had always known. She repressed it, fought it down, denied it until she had almost convinced herself.
Almost.
All the denial came crashing down in this one solitary moment. One seemingly insignificant split second in the eternity that was immortal life. But she knew that this would be seared into her memory until the end of time. Because, after several millennia of denunciating her feelings, her true feelings, he was returning them.
He had remembered.
He had promised he would, decades and decades ago. She had believed him. She desperately clung to the hope, even after her departure from him, from a world of disapproving faces who could not bring themselves to accept someone who was a little different. She shuddered at the memory of their snarled insults, the ugly lines that had creased their faces in unwarranted hatred.
His was the only face that was twisted in grief. She kept her face passive, trying to be brave. I'll never forget you, that's what he had assured her as his people pushed her out, the threat of violence saturating the air. She had nodded, biting back the torrent of emotions that fought to escape. She had fled, far from their eyesight and hearing for days and days before she had succumb. She recalled her body, broken and abandoned, huddled beneath the trees. She had watered the ground that day with her constant stream of tears.
But here, right now, it had all been made worth it. He remembered. She locked eyes with those ferociously soulful baby blues. She found they mirrored the emotion in her own. His reflected a silent apology and a plea for forgiveness. Hers reflected acceptance. She moved forward, into his already open and warm embrace.
No words were needed. There was eternity for that. All that mattered now was this, his arms around her, her hands twisted in the softness of his golden hair. His lips as the gently caressed hers. The motion of the two of them moving together, in an unconscious rhythm, deeper into the forest to be alone. No family, no prejudices, just a love, put on hold but never forgotten. He had promised.
There was time tomorrow, or the day after that, to explain it all. The outcome would not be the same as before, nothing would come between them now. They were all gone, sailing off in ships to a land where her people ruled, where perhaps they would face the same trials they had forced upon her, upon their love.
She did not wish that, not now, not ever. She would not wish the pain of separation on her most bitter of enemies. All coherent thought subsided as he lowered her to the ground, nestling them on the forest floor.
"I am sorry it took so long," he whispered so low that human ears would not have perceived it. But she did.
"It does not matter. You remembered after time."
"I should never have forgotten. At first I didn't want to. But after a few thousand years had passed, it was easier to forget." His eyes burned with shame as he admitted this.
"You never took a wife." the statement was simple, but had plagued her during their long separation.
"No. I was waiting. After a while I did not know for what I was waiting, but I waited all the same. I know now."
"I am glad." she had feared when she had returned and his eyes did not hold the spark of recognition. She had waited so long, for all of his people, from the wood folk to the people of Rivendale, to leave in their boats. At long last, Galadrial had left. She had watched them arrive, one by one, the hulls of their ships slicing through the silver glass of the sea. To say that they had been surprised by what they found in the Undying lands, would be an understatement. She could have taken the moment to gloat, to turn the tables, to take revenge for the pain they had caused. Instead she immediately began preparations for returning to Middle Earth. To find him. His people told her that he had chosen to remain until the king of Gondor left this world. She could not wait for that to occur. She could not wait any longer.
And so she returned. Middle Earth had found peace at long last. The filth of Mordor's reign was dissipating and the earth flourished. She had found him, as promised, in Gondor. He was accompanied by a dwarf. This gave her hope, he never had harbored the prejudices of his people. But her hopes had died, like a glowing ember smothered in sand, when he had not recognized her.
It had taken the song. Their song. The sweet, low melody she used to whisper to him in the dead of the night, when they had stolen away and he was in need of comfort. Ironically, she sought comfort and had been singing it to herself, near the stream in the woods, and he had heard. It had only taken minutes for him to locate her, she had scarcely finished the tune. She had heard him coming. One look and she knew.
They could be together now, she and her elf, away from prying eyes. When it came time to return to the Valinor, it would be together.
She and Legolas, for eternity.
And in that moment of remembrance, nothing else mattered.
A/N: This was just a short story floating around in my brain trying to get out. I re-watched the movies and was feeling pretty romantic (as usual) and this sort of formed in my head. It is just a drabble and I hope it makes sense. The girl is whoever you want it to be, I leave it up for your intepretation. Please Enjoy and drop a review if you are so inclined. :)