I only own my character, Larien…the rest unfortunately aren't mine…
It was late at night, and Legolas, and Aragorn had just finished a very filling meal. It was peaceful, and know one spoke. The stars shined over head in the sky, and Aragorn could tell Legolas was thinking of something very thoughtfully. The candle nearby flickered as Aragorn moved up to ask Legolas what exactly he was thinking of.
"Legolas, what is it on your mind that has put you in such a trance?" Legolas continued to gaze at the stars, and took a deep breath before answering Aragorn with only a smile at first.
"I was just thinking…..about her…" Aragorn looked up a bit surprised at Legolas's different attitude this night. Legolas could feel Aragorn's curios expression behind him, and decided to tell his tale.
"Long ago, when I was much younger, I traveled around my home. Patrolling my area, and I came across a beautiful woman…..a human at that. I can still remember how I felt the first time I saw her….the first time I saw her smile. I knew, love at first sight, was what it only could be. Even though she wasn't an elf, she was radiant. It was as if she shined everywhere she went, and I could feel her presence near me, even if she wasn't even close. I eventually decided to talk to her. I found out she had an Elven name for some reason. Larien…" Legolas trailed off and closed his eyes, thoroughly enjoying his moment, but he continued after a few seconds.
"I got to know her very well, learned everything about her, what her favorite food is, what she loves to do, what she hates, how old she was…..and her favorite color…."
FLASHBACK
Larien and Legolas were on their horses at dawn trotting off on the path that would lead to the hills. There was an old house that stood at the very top of the hill, and nobody lived there, yet nobody had the heart to take it down. It was so peaceful looking, like it was watching over the valleys, the matriarch of the woodlands, for it had been there longer than anybody could remember.
"You know Legolas, I used to play in that little house when I was younger. I loved making little crafts, and bags all day long. It was like my little work place. But what I loved about this house so much was….this…" Larien was glaring into the horizon, and Legolas had just looked over to see what she was looking at. It was the sun rising, and a most spectacular sun rise it was. The sun had just risen over the hills on the other side, and painted the valley orange.
Legolas smiled and looked over at Larien. She acted so much like an elf, but it hurt him to know that she actually wasn't. She looked over at him and they gazed in each others' eyes until Larien broke the silence.
She looked back at the sunrise, "I love the sunrise…it's so peaceful, and the colors are amazing. I think, this part of the day is like a new beginning…another chance, to get rid of the bad, and only good lives…..It's so beautiful, orange." She smiled and continued, "That's my favorite color you know. I love all colors…there's and infinite amount of colors…you can never run out, but orange…..It's bright, beautiful, and most of all, peaceful." Legolas couldn't help saying it, "Just like you…"
They smiled and watched the sunrise until Larien suggested that Legolas saw some of the crafts she made in the small house. There were all sorts of things, but mostly bags. Different looking bags, with different colors. There was a green bag, with a beautiful tree design on it, detailed to perfection. "You did this?" Legolas looked over at Larien who seemed a bit embarrassed. "Yes, but that one was one of my later works…I still like to come here every once and a while." Legolas smiled and continued inspecting the crafts until they were ready to leave.
END FLASHBACK
"Sounds like she was a wonderful woman…sounds more like an elf to me," Aragorn had been listening very thoughtfully, but noticed the sad expression Legolas had taken after he had said that.
"I can assure you, she wasn't…" Legolas continued with his story. "About a year afterwards she fell ill with a deadly disease….I stayed by her side the whole time…I don't even remember how long it was, but she was in pain….I could tell all she wished for, was to die…" A tear ran down his cheek as he continued, "She was still able to move around for the first months of her illness, and she gave me something on my birthday…"
FLASHBACK
Legolas woke up to a weary, but familiar voice calling his name, "Legolas?" He turned around to find Larien on the other side of the bed, smiling and holding something behind her back. "Guess what?" Legolas got a little confused at why she was so happy all of the sudden, but decided to play along, "What?"
She walked around to his side of the bed and put in his hand the green bag with the tree on it. "I want you to have it….there's also something in there for you.." Legolas carefully opened the pouch, and inside he found an arrowhead, carefully carved with the finest detail he had ever seen. It had two leaves on it, with the stems coming together, and forming a very deadly point. He was very grateful for this gift, and promised to keep it safe.
END FLASHBACK
Legolas looked down, with more tears streaming down his face. "What happened?" Aragorn looked up completely engulfed in the story. Legolas took a deep breath and continued, "I was with her during her last night. She was weak, and we had given up on her and decided to let her die in peace. I held her hand the last few minutes of her life. We looked at each other in silence until once again, she spoke…her voice was weary, but I could still understand her…I still remember….she said, I love you Legolas, don't you forget…" He was cut off by the tears that had formed into sobbing, but he continued anyways, almost forgetting Aragorn was even there, "I looked into her eyes one last time, and I promised her……then she died"
There was a moment where Legolas had stopped the story to get his sobbing under control, but he went on with the story, "I thought she was gone forever, but I suppose love never really dies out….." He looked over at Aragorn and gave him a weak smile, "Exactly 5 years after she died, I woke up early for some strange reason…just before dawn. I looked over on the other side of my bed, and found a beautiful hand made bag with a tree on it…it was a light blue color….I looked inside, and found an arrow head, with two snakes rapping around each other into a point…but there was something else…a note, and it read: "I love you Legolas, don't you forget…"
He began sobbing again, but this time with a smile on his face….. "And to this day, every 5 years I get a different color bag…with a different detailed arrow head….and the same note…."
It was the end of Legolas's story, and Aragorn was amazed…actually speechless. Legolas simply smiled and said, "I think it's time we go to sleep." And so it was, the end of the story for Aragorn, but as Legolas lay down in his bed, he whispered to himself, "I wonder what I'll get tomorrow…."
He woke up early next morning to a beautiful sunrise, and rolled over to look at the other side of the bed. He smiled as he saw a new bag……it was orange.
The End