Disclaimer: Some dude called J.R.R. Tolkien owns Elaria, Skye, Estragon and Amleth. I own everything else ... Okay, okay, so I lied, sue me! Er, on second thoughts, don't...
Authoress' Note: My sincerest apologies for making everyone wait more than a year for an update. All I have to say in my defence is that university totally sidetracked me. I hope the length of this chapter as well as my new website will make up for it. To make sure something like this doesn't happen again, I've got myself a LiveJournal. I'll be updating regularly with my progress, so go straight there if you're wondering when the next chapter will be out.
A big thank you to Telmerethiel, once just a reviewer, now my new beta reader. You've made it much easier for me with your encouraging words :)
Make sure to check my profile for the links to my website and LJ. Again, very sorry for testing your patience, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Chapter 10
Over the course of the following week, when Legolas was not helping with the plans for the upcoming war, he could usually be found with Elaria, training her on the practice grounds or discussing Elvish customs in the library. If he thought no one noticed how much time they spent together, he was very much mistaken. People certainly did notice and some, like Aragorn and Faramir, were more than a little concerned, though for very different reasons. Gandalf seemed to be the only one who was actually pleased with the whole arrangement.
This didn't bother Elaria much. She was more concerned with improving her accuracy with a bow and trying to get her tongue around the tricky syllables that made up the language of the Elves. Or rather, languages, what with Quenya and Sindarin, and who knew what else. Elvish history, society, songs, legends, runes... There was a lot more to Elves than Elaria had expected. Yet she was determined to learn it all.
With Elaria thus occupied, Skye found herself alone, and had soon become bored and restless. That is, until she was recruited by Aragorn as a messenger, along with Merry, Pippin and Aragorn's cousin, Estragon. This suited her perfectly. In between bursts of dashing from one location to another, she could get up to mischief with the Hobbits while chatting up a storm with a now much bolder Estragon. They were friends now, but both were too young and inexperienced to make an attempt at progressing any further.
As for Aragorn, Gandalf's arrival had solved a major obstacle in his war plans. The wizard had the perfect tool to make communication between Gondor and other distant cities possible - the Eagles of the Mountains, swift, mighty birds who could bear the weight of a man on their backs. In this way, messages were sent out to possible allies, and though many of the replies received were in the negative, enough interest was shown to indicate that they would have a formidable army in the end.
Most importantly, the Men of Rohan had vouched their support for the cause. Théoden, King of the Riddermark, hadn't come to this decision easily, but in the end, he had known it was the honourable thing to do. Anyone who stood on the same side as you was a friend, despite what past relations might have to say about it. There was also the added motive to repay the personal debt he owed Aragorn for his aid during the Battle of Helm's Deep. The King of Gondor thus found himself with a powerful ally he could truly count on.
Faramir had been successfully reinstated as Captain of the White City. However, he found the position a lot more demanding than when he had last held it. Not only did he have to follow a never ending list of orders from his superior, he was also spending a few hours each day coaching the young men of the city (along with two Hobbits and a girl) to parry, thrust and block with aged swords scavenged from the armoury. This left him little free time to pursue Elaria more actively than he had done so far. He could only look on helplessly as her friendship with Legolas blossomed.
With endless patience and a quiet enthusiasm for the topics he was discussing, Legolas proved to be an excellent teacher. Yet he never resorted to the usual behaviour of one who held this role. He didn't treat her like she was a clueless infant, or scold or yell at her when she made mistakes. Nor did he treat her as just a student. There was no professional barrier to prevent him from also being her friend. Both were content to remain at this stage of their relationship. Yet that would all change, in only a matter of days.
On this particular morning though, they were oblivious to anything other than the present, and a future no further than the coming evening. They were putting in an hour or two of archery practice before Legolas had to be back by Aragorn's side. The King had come to rely on him heavily, and he was especially needed today. The Lords of Rohan were expected to arrive some time in the afternoon, but much had to be done before then.
At the moment, Legolas was sitting on the ground with his legs bent in front of him, his arms resting on his knees. He watched as Elaria held the bow-string taut against her cheek, narrowed her eyes at the target, and in a controlled and precise movement, released her arrow. It whistled through the air and landed with a thunk in the outermost circle of the board.
"Try pulling back further," he suggested, smiling slightly at the annoyed look on her face.
"Sorry, but that's rather hard to do - my strength is nowhere near yours," Elaria grumbled, one hand reaching in the quiver strapped on her back.
Legolas watched silently as she prepared to launch a second arrow.
"Sut naa lle sina re, Elaria?" he asked suddenly in Elvish. (A/N: 'How are you today, Elaria?')
"Amin naa quel," she replied smoothly. (A/N: 'I am good')
This was one of Legolas' many tactics. He would speak to her in Elvish at random, supposedly to get her accustomed to the language outside of formal lessons. It made sense though, to put her in a situation where she actually had to think for herself rather than just copy what he said. It would still be a long time before she was fluent though.
"Lle quena I'lambe tel' Eldalie?" he continued. (A/N: 'Do you speak elvish?')
Elaria had to smile at that. What was the chance of someone asking her that question?
"Uma," she replied with a straight face. (A/N: 'Yes')
She raised her bow again when he didn't ask anything else. Refocusing her aim, she carefully released the string. Score! Elaria thought happily as the arrow landed near the bulls-eye. She turned to Legolas, smiling in delight, and found him looking at her intently.
"Lle naa vanima," he said. (A/N: 'You are beautiful')
Elaria's grin faded slightly. Apparently Legolas wasn't done with the Elvish lesson.
"Lle rangwa amin?" Legolas asked, his eyes still trained on her. (A/N: 'Do you understand me?')
"N'uma," she replied, slightly annoyed. (A/N: 'No')
He did this sometimes, speaking to her in Elvish using words she didn't know. He never taught her what they meant either, yet it always seemed like he wanted her so desperately to understand. But how could she if he didn't explain properly?
Legolas sighed at the look of irritation on Elaria's face. It was one he saw every time he tried to speak about his admiration for her. That was only because he lacked the courage to ever tell her in anything other than his native tongue, a language she could not fully comprehend yet. Perhaps that would change in time...
"Take up your bow again, Elaria," he said, looking away from her. "Elvish can always come later."
Elaria huffed, but did as she was told. Will Legolas ever cease to be a mystery? she wondered, as she absentmindedly shot an arrow.
"Elaria, you hit the centre!"
"Huh?"
---
"Let me get this straight... you got a bulls eye when you weren't even looking at the target?"
Elaria looked around furtively, and then nodded slightly.
"That is bloody hilarious!" Skye shouted in mirth, causing several people around them to glance at her sharply.
The girl laughed uproariously for a whole minute, before quieting down to a mild fit of giggles, much to the relief of her sister and the surrounding crowd.
"Trust you to do something that stupid..." Skye said, shaking her head in disbelief. "What did Legolas say?"
"Well, he was much nicer about it than you, that's for sure," Elaria said stiffly. "But I know he secretly found it really funny as well."
"How?" asked an interested Skye.
"You know that look he gets when he insults Gimli? How his whole face goes blank, but his top lip twitches slightly? Well, he had that blank expression on his face and his mouth was twitching a lot."
"My, aren't we playing such close attention to Legolas' lips," Skye said slyly.
"Oh grow up," Elaria said, willing herself not to blush.
"Never," Skye declared. "I will stay young and beautiful forever!"
"Drama queen," her sister muttered, rolling her eyes.
"Hey, not as though it's actually going to happen anyway," Skye grumbled. "I'm not the Elf here, remember?"
Elaria frowned and looked away. Mortality was one issue she didn't want to think about yet. It was simple really - she was immortal, Skye wasn't. What could they do about it? They would lose each other in the end. Already, they were drifting apart, too different now to stay together for long. Earth would always be Skye's home - she would return some day, with or without her older sister.
"Hello, Elaria. Are you listening to me?"
Elaria blinked and focused on the hand waving in front of her face.
"What? What did you say?" she asked the owner of said hand.
"Aragorn wants us to come to the gates," Skye said patiently. "Guess we're important enough to meet these horse people, huh?"
"You mean the Rohirrim," Elaria said automatically. "The Horse-lords of Rohan."
"Okaay," Skye said slowly. "You scare me sometimes, you know... Well, at least it shows Legolas is doing a good job."
Elaria shrugged and refrained from pointing out that Legolas was mostly teaching her about Elves, not the other races inhabiting Middle-earth.
"Come on, let's go," Skye said eagerly, tugging on her sister's sleeve.
Elaria was half-dragged by Skye all the way to the front of the city, who dumped her next to Legolas before making a beeline to Aragorn's cousin, Estragon, and his best friend, Isidore.
"Vedui' Elaria," Legolas said pleasantly, inclining his head slightly. (A/N: 'Greetings Elaria')
"Vedui'," she returned. (A/N: 'Greetings')
She looked around at the small group gathered near the Gates of Gondor. She could see all the members of the Fellowship, many of the guards, but not...
"My heart thrills to hear you speak the beautiful language of the Elves," a voice suddenly murmured in her ear.
She turned around, startled, and blushed when she saw who it was. Faramir. Of course.
"Legolas speaks it much better than me," she whispered back.
Faramir glanced at the Elf mentioned and was met with a stony look.
"Somehow, I think not," he said softly.
Elaria stared at the Captain of Gondor, and found, to her mortification, that her cheeks were getting warm. Very warm. Damn, was she really this weak? She wasn't becoming like Skye was she, falling for anything that was remotely male?
Someone cleared their throat loudly. Elaria tore herself away from Faramir's eyes and gave a sigh of relief. Ah, Legolas, her saviour... What? Saviour? Legolas? Since when? Arrgh, what was happening to her?
"I... I'm going to find Skye," she mumbled, and dashed off quickly.
As soon as she saw Skye though, she regretted having run away from Legolas and Faramir. Being caught in the middle of their feud was better than watching her younger sister flirting. She looked on with horror as Skye giggled and gazed up at a lovesick Estragon with puppy dog eyes. Totally disgusting. Time for a hasty retreat.
She quickly spun around and ploughed forward blindly. Not looking where she was going, she walked straight into somebody. A very warm and solid somebody to be precise.
"Elaria," the surprised person said. "Manke naa lle autien?" (A/N: 'Where are you going?')
"I don't know," she replied distractedly. "Just away from here."
A pair of strong hands on her shoulders stopped her from escaping.
"Elaria, do you realise you understood me, even though this question has never been asked of you before?"
Elaria looked up at Legolas to find him gazing at her intently. She had never seen him this close up before. What nice eyelashes, he had, so long and fine...
"Gandalf was right - the Elf inside you is beginning to emerge," he continued softly.
Elaria just stared at him without realising she was doing so. The warmth of Legolas' hands enclosed her in what felt like a little bubble and she vaguely hoped he wouldn't let go. He didn't, and lost in their own private sphere in the crowd, they missed the grand entrance of the Rohirrim, the Horse-lords of Rohan.
---
Faramir craned his neck and looked around one more time before giving up. Elaria was nowhere to be seen.
"Probably composing poetry with Legolas," he muttered darkly to himself.
That Elf had given him such a hard stare he'd been forced to stay, leaving that arrogant creature free to chase after Elaria. Why was he always giving way to Legolas? He was the Captain of Gondor after all.
"Time to live up to that title," he sighed as Théoden, King of the Golden Hall, dismounted his horse and approached Aragorn with hands extended.
As the usual courtesies were exchanged, Faramir found himself comparing the two kings. They were both so imposing in their own manner it was hard to say who was the better man. Strength, determination and despair were written in both their faces. It would be a very powerful, though volatile, alliance.
"The Captain of Gondor?" Aragorn motioned for Faramir to step forward. "Here he is, Lord Faramir."
"Well met, Lord Faramir." Théoden shook his hand firmly. "Éowyn, come meet the Captain."
The king beckoned to someone behind him.
"Lady Éowyn is my niece, my late sister's daughter," Théoden explained.
A tall, slender woman with long golden hair approached him demurely and curtsied. Faramir bowed politely and as he straightened up, he met her eyes. What he saw in them proved that she was not as meek as she appeared. There resided a will, stronger than in many men he had encountered, even in the heat of battle. He thought her formidable to behold, and fair, very fair indeed.
His infatuation with Elaria (for that was all it had been) forgotten, he smiled at the beautiful woman, only to find her shining eyes seeking another. The man standing next to him in fact, his master and king. Faramir's joy fled at the intensity of the look she gave Aragorn. He gazed at her sadly, with hurt and jealousy in his heart, but she was not paying any attention. In fact, nobody noticed that Faramir, the Captain of Gondor, had fallen in love with Éowyn, Shield-maiden of Rohan.
---
"I'm getting sick of the sound of trumpets," Skye grumbled, ripping up blades of grass vigorously.
"At least it means more people are coming to help us," Elaria murmured drowsily, lying in the shade near her sister.
"They don't all need an hour long introduction, do they?"
"It only goes on for a few minutes..."
"But when there's someone new arriving every half hour, it can get really repetitive and annoying."
"You mean like you?"
"Shut up." Skye threw her pieces of grass at Elaria.
"Ha, missed me."
"Damn!"
Skye hunted around the base of the tree they were under but couldn't find anything more substantial to use against her sister.
"Where are you going?" Elaria asked, raising her head slightly to see Skye walking away.
"To get more ammo!" Skye called back.
"Give it up," Elaria said, rolling her eyes. "I'm leaving soon anyway."
A disappointed Skye wandered back and collapsed on the ground.
"Still having lessons?" she asked, rolling over onto her side. "Are you that bad at archery?"
"No," Elaria shot back. "It's more about learning to be an Elf."
"Sure," Skye said airily. "I suppose you need all the training you can get if you're gonna challenge me later."
"I thought you forgot about that stupid bet," Elaria groaned. "Do you seriously want to have an archery and sword fighting contest?"
"Yes," Skye said emphatically. "I want to see you serenade Gimli!"
"I suppose I wouldn't mind being carried around all day by you either," Elaria mused.
"Yay, it's still on," Skye cheered.
"You're too competitive for your own good," Elaria sighed.
"Hey, I'm a Leo," her sister said as though this explained everything.
"Star signs don't apply in Middle-earth, you know."
"Are you sure?"
"Well, Legolas said he hadn't heard of them before."
"Hmmph, should have guessed," Skye said, miffed. "What else has Legolas been saying, huh?"
"Oh, some very interesting things," Elaria smirked. "Very interesting indeed."
"I don't want to hear any mushy details, okay," Skye said, covering her ears in alarm.
"No, it's nothing like that," Elaria said, scowling. "It's about Aragorn."
"Phew, that doesn't sound so bad," said a relieved Skye, wiping her brow jokingly. "What is it?"
"Do you know how old he is?" Elaria asked, sitting up suddenly.
"He looks about 40 to me... why?" Skye asked suspiciously.
"Well, you're wrong," replied a beaming Elaria. "He's actually more than 80 years old."
Just as she predicted, Skye blanched, and to Elaria's amusement, started choking. She gave Skye a hearty pat on the back long after the girl had already calmed down.
"Bye Skye," she said sweetly. "Off to meet Legolas now."
Elaria hopped up and sauntered off happily, leaving a fuming Skye behind. It probably didn't reflect on her well that she took such joy in infuriating her sister, but it had put her in a good mood at least. Hot weather usually made her grumpy and irritable.
"Legolas," she called out brightly as she spotted the Elf waiting on the castle steps.
He turned at the sound of her voice and she saw he was already fully prepared for archery.
"Can we have an Elvish lesson instead?" Elaria asked him hopefully. "It's so hot outside."
"The bow is calling to me and I am afraid I must yield, no matter the heat," Legolas said.
"Oh," said Elaria, trying not to look disappointed.
"If you study alone now, I can always join you later," he suggested.
"Alright..." Elaria agreed reluctantly. "Tenna' telwan." (A/N: 'Until later')
"Tenna' san'." (A/N: 'Until then')
As Legolas walked gracefully away, Elaria couldn't help admiring the way his golden hair shone in the light. What exactly did Elves put in their shampoo? She giggled to herself, imagining Legolas instructing her solemnly about the art of Elvish hair care.
"May I ask what you find so amusing, my lady?" a gentle voice inquired softly.
Elaria looked up in surprise and saw Faramir dressed rather casually for a Captain – no fancy embroidery or elaborate decorations here.
"Uh... nothing," she stammered in reply. "I... have to go inside now."
She made to dash away, but he was too quick for her.
"I will escort you then," he stated, firmly taking her arm.
Elaria thought to protest but too late - Faramir was already marching her into the castle.
"I have been given leave for the afternoon," he said nonchalantly. "I thought to seek out your company."
"But... I need to go to the library," she mumbled.
"You can spare a few minutes, can you not?" he asked. "There is a matter I wish to discuss with you."
Little alarm bells started ringing in Elaria's head. What exactly did he want to tell her?
"I... suppose I have some time," she said weakly, unable to refuse.
"Then let us find somewhere secluded for our talk," Faramir said cheerfully.
Elaria's sense of dread deepened at the word 'secluded'. However, she still followed him dutifully to a small bench in a little used corridor. She made sure to leave a gap, and to her relief, he didn't scoot over to try and fill it.
"Elaria," he began.
She glanced at him nervously, but he was looking at his hands.
"I remember feeling admiration the first time I laid eyes on you," he said delicately. "I am sure you realised this."
Elaria remained silent, too alarmed to respond. She shouldn't have agreed to talk to him. She should have said she was too busy. You knew this was going to happen, she berated herself. You knew...
"But alas, I can only confess this now, when it has lost its strength," Faramir continued, surprising her. "For you see, Elaria... another has captured my heart."
What? Elaria thought in shock. All he had wanted to tell her was that he liked someone else? She almost laughed out loud, but settled for a mental 'ha'. Did he have any idea how relieved she was to hear that?
"Who is she?" Elaria asked, smiling at him happily.
She felt more favourably towards him now than ever before.
"Lady Éowyn," he sighed. "She is the niece of the King of Rohan."
"Does she have long hair?" Elaria asked, trying to recall the image of the woman who was always by Théoden's side.
"Like a river of gold," Faramir replied in an uncharacteristically sappy manner. "Her beauty leaves me speechless..."
I hope he never talked about me like that, Elaria thought, mortified.
"That is why I need your help," he said, back to his grave self.
"Me? But what can I do?" asked Elaria.
"Speak to her on my behalf," he said earnestly. "Find out what she thinks of me."
"She doesn't know me though," Elaria protested.
"I thought she might be more willing to speak to a fellow woman," he said. "Even if you are an Elf."
He gave her such an imploring look she didn't have the heart to say no.
"Alright, I'll talk to her for you..." Elaria said reluctantly.
"I thank you with all my heart!" Faramir looked ready to explode with joy at her words.
"No problem," she mumbled. "Well, I'm off to the library so-"
"You are leaving?" Faramir looked startled. "But what about Éowyn?"
"You mean I'm supposed to speak with her now?"
"Yes! We must be swift, whilst I know her current location," he said, practically hauling her off the seat in his panic.
"Where is Éowyn though?" she asked, trying not to feel annoyed.
"The library," he said simply.
To his great puzzlement, Elaria just looked at him in exasperation before trudging wearily off.
---
Elaria hesitated outside the entrance to the library, studying the broad, arched doorway. It looked like patterns had once been engraved into the wine-red wood, but they had eroded with time, leaving behind faint impressions. She had never noticed this before, despite her many trips here with Legolas.
She blinked. Man, she must really want to avoid this conversation.
With no idea what she was going to say to Éowyn, she took a deep breath and pushed the heavy mahogany door open. It was cool inside the slightly musty smelling room, cramped as it was by shelf upon shelf of books and scrolls. Though the small round windows set high on the walls provided natural light, there were always lit lamps sitting on the tables scattered hazardously throughout the area.
As usual, there weren't many people around, only a few "lore-masters" as Legolas called them, poring over ancient texts, and muttering in foreign tongues to themselves. They tended to ignore everyone, dressed in rumpled robes, and were always scribbling frantically. It seemed like academics were the same, no matter where you came from.
It wasn't hard to spot Éowyn, the only bright spark in the drab room. She was wandering around by herself, looking lost and a little bored. She was indeed as striking as Faramir had said, her golden hair gleaming in the light. Even a simple brown gown couldn't detract from her beauty.
Unsure of how to approach her, Elaria discreetly followed the shield maiden through the narrow aisles. Different opening lines ran through her head as Éowyn browsed the shelves, but none seemed appropriate. Just when the situation was starting to get desperate, her quarry stopped by the section devoted to Elvish texts. The right moment had finally come.
Elaria slowly approached Éowyn, pretending she was engrossed in a book she had randomly picked off the shelf. Only when she was standing right next to the woman did she look up.
"Good day, Lady Éowyn," she said politely, closing her book.
"Good day," Éowyn returned, with a wary, but not unfriendly expression on her face.
"I'm Elaria, in case you've forgotten…"
"I have not forgotten," was the cool reply.
"I see you're interested in Elves?" Elaria ventured tentatively after a short pause.
"I am interested in all the races of Middle-earth."
"Oh," was all Elaria managed to come up with.
A long silence followed, during which she frantically tried to think of something to say. Just as she was about to slink away in embarrassment, Éowyn stepped in and saved the conversation.
"I do... admire the elven folk greatly," she said reluctantly.
Elaria almost hugged the woman, so great was her relief. Instead, she adopted an expression of extreme interest, hoping it would encourage Éowyn to keep talking. Which it did. Éowyn was hesitant at first, but as she warmed to the subject, she started to talk more openly. It didn't hurt that she had such an attentive listener, letting her passionately express her views without interrupting.
Their positions soon changed though, as Éowyn began questioning Elaria instead. It was an enlightening experience for both. To her surprise, Elaria found she remembered almost everything that Legolas had taught her, while Éowyn learned, to her shame, that she had a very limited knowledge of Elves.
When that topic was thoroughly exhausted, they moved onto others in quick succession – Éowyn's hometown, their impressions of Gondor, the coming war, their skills with weapons, and so on. Elaria was pleased at how well they were getting along, but a little nostalgic. She missed her friends back at home. The only girl she had for company now was her sister, which didn't really count. The prospect of another female to talk to was more than welcome, no matter how serious the conversation was.
The only thing that had been troubling Elaria was the occasional reference to Aragorn. Every time one of them said his name, she was reminded of Faramir and the task he had set her. She knew she was supposed to find out Éowyn's thoughts about the man, but how? She couldn't just ask the woman directly, not when they had only been talking for an hour or so.
When they began discussing the defence of Gondor, she decided she should casually mention Faramir, just to see how the maiden would respond.
"The Captain of Gondor, Faramir... He's the one to praise for the city's strong defence," Elaria said in what she hoped was an offhand manner.
"Mmm," Éowyn replied noncommittally. "Though he is probably only acting on the orders of his superior, Lord Aragorn."
Not exactly encouraging, but Elaria wasn't going to give up that easily. She asked if Éowyn had met the Captain, hoping the woman would share her first impressions of him. A bland "I have" was all she got. One last try, she decided, and then she would change the subject.
"Did you not think Faramir was handsome?" she asked, thinking that a straight question might get her the response she wanted.
"He is indeed striking," Éowyn said slowly, causing Elaria's hopes to rise, only to come crashing down a moment later. "But there are men more handsome than he in this city."
Elaria's disappointment turned to dismay as the shield maiden fixed her with a suspicious look. Okay, so maybe she had been a little too obvious.
"Why do you ask?" Éowyn kept her tone light, but there was a clear warning in her voice.
Elaria could sense the woman tensing up, and got a bit flustered. She was definitely horrible at this whole subtle thing. Now Éowyn was going to freeze her out and she would have nothing to tell Faramir. Worse, she might lose her only chance to make a female friend in Middle-earth.
"Because I thought he was," she blurted desperately.
Maybe she could fix this situation if she pretended she liked Faramir. She held her breath as Éowyn took a step back and viewed her coolly.
"What about Legolas?" the maiden asked quietly.
Elaria's heart nearly stopped. She had not been expecting this at all. Stunned, shocked, she stammered a denial, while a little voice in her head whispered, Liar, even a stranger sees what you cannot.
And Legolas, with the excellent timing he always had, chose that exact moment to materialise silently by her side. His intense eyes sought hers, looking for an explanation she could not give. A polite farewell from Éowyn brought their attention back to the shield maiden. She walked away swiftly, but not before giving Elaria a pointed look, one which Legolas could not fail to miss. Feeling like a complete fool, she gazed forlornly up at him. His eyes glinted, as though he knew exactly what had happened.
---
It was one of those perfect autumn days, the sun shining brightly with a cool breeze whispering through the trees. The leaves were just starting to change colour, from the deep green of summer to a dramatic array of yellow, orange and red. A peaceful silence had descended over the forest, broken only by the occasional birdcall or the drone of passing insects. There was a clean, fresh scent in the air, which drifted through the city, rousing those feeling drowsy in the mid-afternoon lull.
Elaria wandered through these scenic woods alone, thinking about the events of yesterday. After Éowyn had left, she had been afraid that Legolas would ask her what they had been talking about. However, all he had said was that Faramir wanted to speak with her. He had even escorted her out the door, to her surprise. It seemed Legolas disliked Faramir no longer.
So she had gone in search of the Captain, though it was the last thing she had felt like doing. He had immediately started drilling her, making her tell him everything she had talked about with Éowyn. Faramir had been disappointed that she hadn't managed to find out anything useful. Thankfully, he hadn't wanted a repeat performance.
She found herself reflecting on Éowyn's last words. What about Legolas? What about Legolas indeed... Of course, she hadn't told Faramir about that part. He seemed to think that Éowyn had felt uneasy talking to her with Legolas around, and so had left. She sure wasn't going to correct that impression either.
It was only when she nearly ran into a tree did Elaria remember the valuable lesson she had learned from her adventure – pay attention to your surroundings. The beauty of the forest began to affect her, as she passed through the dappled shade of the trees. Everything was so quiet, so very peaceful... She felt like she was slowly falling into a dream, only vaguely aware of what was happening.
Even Legolas' sudden arrival didn't disturb her. He watched her silently as she drifted from tree to tree, her fingers tracing the smooth patterns on their trunks. A lone leaf, tinged red, floated down softly to land by his feet.
"Autumn has come at last," he said quietly, bending down to pick the leaf up. "Summer's reign is over..."
Elaria paused, remembering a poem she had once read, a poignant tribute to autumn's beauty.
"Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness," she murmured to herself.
Legolas smiled gently. He began to approach her slowly, step by careful step, as though she was a butterfly that might take wing if he moved too quickly.
"I came here because I wished to talk to you about something," he said softly once he faced her.
"What about?" she asked, still in a dreamy mood.
"Love," he said simply.
The word brought her firmly back to the present.
"Love?" she repeated, struggling to keep her voice even.
Strange how a single word could excite her emotions so much. Her chest seemed to have tightened and there was a fluttery sensation in her stomach. She swallowed nervously, as Legolas looked at her with unreadable eyes. She sincerely hoped he hadn't noticed anything.
"Yes, love," he said gently. "Elves love too, Elaria."
Completely melting at the way he had said her name, she let his calm voice wash over, speaking of an emotion she had yet to experience.
"Mortals may love with the heart, but they focus too much on the body. For Elves, it is always soul. That is why they can die from grief. For if the heart is broken, the soul dies... and the body does too..."
Elaria knew she would remember this for as long as she lived. The graceful way Legolas twirled a leaf between his long fingers as he spoke. Her heart threatening to jump out of her chest with his every word. The hush of the forest, as though it was listening as well.
Legolas' voice became softer and softer, until it gradually faded into the wind. They were left gazing at each other, as something unseen but powerful passed between them. Legolas took a step forward, looking at her intently. She couldn't back away, not now when he was leaning towards her, his lips slightly parted. Trembling with anticipation, she closed her eyes...
...only for them to flutter open again as the sound of trumpets rang clearly through the woods. Another visitor had arrived.
They both stood perfectly still for a moment, thinking of what could have been. Legolas was the first to move. He turned and walked slowly away, his footfalls barely perceptible on the leaf-strewn ground. He stopped only to let Elaria catch up to him. They walked side by side, each preoccupied with their own thoughts.
The two of them had almost reached the palace when someone on a magnificent white horse galloped by at great speed. They exchanged meaningful looks, and hurried forward. Even from a brief glimpse, the rider had been unmistakably elven.
They arrived just in time to see the visitor swiftly dismount from his horse and stride towards Aragorn, who has just appeared in the doorway.
"I bring word from Galadriel," said the unknown Elf. "Elaria and Skye must come to Lothlórien immediately."
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Authoress' Note:
The line 'Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness' comes from the poem "To Autumn" by John Keats. There's quite an unusual story as to how I discovered it – if you're interested, check out my LJ.
Thank you to the following people who reviewed Chapter 9:
legless (Long review!), ReeMarie Yukimo LeBeau, Ellena, Kaitland, DeMoNiC AnGeL666, Sayanna The Rover (Not entirely sure we're talking about the same thing, but it should be 'soft drink'), secretstarlyte (Dream hobbit? So funny!), elrohir lover, Yin/Yang demon (I'll keep your offer in mind!), PointlessRamblings (Hmm, that's an idea.. feel special now?), Aladdin (Hopefully not a whole lifetime!), Kyandoru, Lady Fae, Telmerethiel (You reviewed for the wrong chapter, but never mind!), Just Me, insanitorian, sorrowrath, ouchie, iluvschool (Do you seriously love school?) and beautyqueen44 (Sorry about making you wait!).
Oh, please disregard what I said about the competition before. I've decided that everyone should get to see that scene at the same time. If you don't know what I'm talking about, never mind :) Hope you enjoyed the longest chapter yet and will come back for more!