Chapter 4: Perfection

To my great distress, Maglor did not come back soon. It was a full nine days before I saw him again. During that time I was so stressed out that even Maple didn't want anything to do with me. Animals don't really get lovesick, I've noticed. What a lot they miss. But I swear, it was extremely distressing. I kept worrying that he'd gotten mad at me for some reason, or that something awful had happened.

When he finally showed up nine horrible days later, it was all I could do not to faint from relief.

"Where have you been?" I demanded. "I've been worried sick."

"Have you?" Maglor asked, grinning. "Excellent. That makes two people who actually give a crap about my well-being."

"Who's the other?"

"My mom. You'd like her; she's totally cool."

"Oh. So why didn't you come sooner? I thought maybe you'd been recalled to Tirion."

"Gods forbid! That would be a tragedy, wouldn't it?" laughed Maglor. "Actually, Delroch here hurt his ankle, so I figured that he'd be less furious with me if we didn't go anywhere for a while. Ask him if he's grateful towards me."

"Hey, Delroch," I said. "How's your ankle?"

"It's fine, thank you for asking," he replied. "I suppose I should be grateful towards Maglor for not dragging me here sooner, though he certainly wanted to. He was none too pleased with me for getting injured. As if it was my fault!"

"You mean…he wanted to come and see me?" I said, delighted.

"Are you kidding? It's pretty much all the boy thinks about these days. I'm surprised those brothers of his don't start to suspect something, though of course none of them care about anything other than themselves. A more self-centered bunch I've never met!"

"What'd he say?" asked Maglor.

Turning quickly, I smiled. "He's grateful." As an afterthought, I added, "He also thinks that your brothers are the most self-centered bunch he's ever met."

"An acute observation," said Maglor. "It comes from my dad's side of the family."

"I don't think I'd get on very well with your dad," I remarked.

"Oh, I think you might. Didn't you say you can talk to animals?"

We looked at each other for a few seconds, and then burst into laughter. Delroch rolled his eyes but said nothing.

"Hey, Maglor?" I said when we finally stopped laughing.

"What's up?"

"I love you."

He stared at me, and a smile spread across his face. "So what happens now?"

I shrugged. "Dunno. This, I guess." I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him.

"I love you, Anduril," said Maglor when we pulled apart.

"I KNEW this would happen sooner or later!" complained Delroch.