Epilogue
A new story Unfolds
Juliana Eareliath woke up to the sounds of birds chirping outside the window and the sun shining down upon her face. Ever since Sauron was defeated, the sun had been shining brighter and clearer than it had since the last peace had come. Not that she didn't appreciate that peace has come and all, but she was never really a morning person. It must be because of living in dim places in her past life. It didn't help also that the male beside her seemed to be his brightest at the early day and awoke far too early. Far too early for Juliana that is.
Just like now, as she shifted to her other side, her back to the sun and chirping birds, to meet the deep blue eyes of the most infuriating yet the most important man in Juliana's life.
'What time is it?' she asked groggily, blinking in a couple of times to see his face better. He was smiling down at her, a smile so cheerful that she found herself more irritated than glad.
'Early enough for you to be awake,' he chirped, his tone as bright as the singing birds behind her.
Good for him to be so cheerful. She grumbled to herself. Legolas tapped her nose. 'I heard that.'
'What?' she asked out loud. She had forgotten about that link they had. She couldn't understand it herself. They would hear the most intense emotion each was feeling when they concentrated, but it was far easier for Legolas to read Juliana than her reading him. He had been trained to keep his emotions in check and it would be a while before they shared that ultimate link that binds most Elven couples together.
'How early have you been awake?' She asked him, ready to go back to sleep once again. Legolas was looking at her, his elbow propped up on the bed.
The strand of a thought passed through Juliana's head that wasn't hers. She opened her eyes and looked at Legolas dubiously. 'You have been watching me sleep again?' she demanded.
Legolas just smiled at her again. She was beginning to hate that smile. She grumbled again and snuggled back into the covers. She had caught him watching her sleep in a previous occasion and it had touched her, but today was something totally different.
It was true; he had been watching her sleep. He had awoken earlier and couldn't go back to sleep so he found other things to occupy his mind.
Another thought passed through her head. 'Why exactly do you watch me sleep?' she demanded, turning on her back again and facing him. 'I mean, why I always wake up with you already up?' she glared at him. 'And I know you know the answer, so spill it.'
Legolas shrugged, still very much amused by her morning attitude. 'I am an elf.' he began casually. 'This also leads me to become a light sleeper most of the time.'
Juliana seemed baffled by the answer. 'But that means something woke you.' her tone was softer now.
Legolas seemed tentative to answer her remark. But he knew if he didn't answer her, she would be in a bad mood all day. It was all right for him, but he would like to spare his friends that treatment. 'It's just that…' he paused, reaching for her hand that lay on top of the covers.
'What?' she demanded, her voice rising a little in volume.
'It's just that…you snore a little.' Legolas said not meeting her eyes but looking at her hand.
'What?!" she demanded, jerking her hand away from him. 'I do not!' she was quick to deny. Did she really snore?
Legolas gave a laugh at her obviously appalled expression. 'Yes, you do. And don't get me wrong, I think it's charming that so big a noise could come out of such a small person, but it does sometimes deprive me of a few more minutes of sleep.' He smiled and kissed her lightly to comfort her because he felt that she was really horrified to learn of this news.
She was comforted but she felt ashamed. When Legolas pulled away to smile at her again, her cheeks were still flushed. 'It's not that bad, Nithiel.' he said smoothing her hair back. 'Do not trouble yourself over it.'
Her green eyes met his blue ones, and he saw how it was really bothering her. 'You could have told me earlier so I could have fixed it or something.' Her voice was small.
Legolas shook his head, amused. 'And how exactly could you have fixed it?' he asked her.
Juliana just shrugged and knew he was not taking her seriously. She turned away from him, facing the other way. Suddenly, she was feeling very awake, and no matter how hard she tried to go back to sleep, she couldn't. Not if she was going to snore again.
'Nithiel?' Legolas whispered, his breath tickling the exposed flesh of her shoulder.
She made a non-committal noise. 'I lied…' he continued. 'You don't snore.'
He didn't see it coming, Juliana's reaction, no matter how much caution he would take. For when the moment those words escaped his lips, Juliana grabbed the pillow under her head and started whacking him.
'Why you little…!' she cried twisting around to get better aim. Legolas had raised his arms in front of him to ward off most of her attacks.
'That was not humorous in the least!' She kneeled on the bed now to get more momentum, her cheeks red in anger and embarrassment and trying to whack Legolas with the pillow as hard as she could despite his laughing protests.
'How could you say such a thing?' she demanded still whacking him, but Legolas managed to dodge most of her attacks.
'I…' he dodged a whack that was aimed for his head. 'Did not know…' ducked as she swiped the soft white pillow on top of his head. 'You would take it so hard!" the swipe for his head did not miss this time because he was too distracted at trying to still his laughter to pay attention to her attacks.
Juliana continued to whack him, if it was even possible harder. She pounded the pillow onto his head, one after another until Legolas reached out and tickled her waist. It earned him a sharp squeal from her and she tried to push him away by whacking him again, but she missed by several inches because she was above laughing herself.
Legolas continued to tickle her, in spots he had discovered only now, watching with satisfaction as the flush in her cheeks became of laughter instead of anger.
'Legolas!' she squealed in a pitch that reminded him so much of her back when she was but a child. 'Stop it!'
Legolas gave a triumphant cry as he rose over but did not desist in his assault. 'I will not stop my lady, until you have apologized for that un-called for attack.'
'Uncalled for?'...Fits of laughter…'What do you mean uncalled for?" breathless laughter still. 'You told me I snored!' Squeals mixed with more laughter… 'Do you know how damaging that is to my pride?'
Legolas laughed but straightened up now. 'I didn't know you had such pride.' He remarked with mock-innocence.
Juliana sat up now, her face still flushed with all the laughter and her eyes shining with mirth. 'I assure you, I do have some pride.' She was still breathing hard from all her laughter. 'It was cruel of you to taunt me so.'
Legolas smiled and pulled her closer to him. 'Then allow me to apologize to you.' There was a twinkle in his eyes that reminded Juliana of how infuriating he could be when he got his way.
Nevertheless, Juliana allowed Legolas to pull her again towards him and meet her lips with his own. If anyone had told her in the beginning of her journey with Gandalf and the others, that she would be kissing and falling in love with the immortal one in The Fellowship of the Ring, she would have thrown her head back in abandon and laughed heartily. But now she knew how foolish she was of fearing her love for him.
'Legolas,' she murmured when she finally managed to push away from him. 'I think we should stop.'
'Why?' she heard him reply huskily as he proceeded to pull the sleeve of her nightgown to kiss that little part at the crook of her neck. A moan escaped her lips but she managed to gently push him away.
'We are to prepare to leave today.' Juliana said regrettably. Now both their cheeks were flushed. 'Or have you forgotten?'
Legolas just looked at her thoughtfully and cocked his head to one side. Juliana wrapped her arms around herself as if shielding herself from view. 'Stop looking at me like that!' she demanded, her cheeks flamed up once more. She had a feeling of what he was thinking when he looked at her like that.
'Like what?' Legolas asked pleasantly enough as if he didn't know his effect on her, the rogue.
'Like you have seen me naked!' she reached out and slapped his arm before moving off the bed. Legolas laughed but followed her off the bed nevertheless. 'Do I need to point out I have seen you naked?'
Juliana glared as she flung the fallen beddings towards him, which he dodged expertly of course.
'That is not funny. And besides, that was during the night, in which I managed to hided most of my misgivings.'
Legolas could not help make a sound when she mentioned 'misgivings'.
'You are too self-conscious.' He chided as he watched her pick up her clothes. She was wearing a nightgown the White City had provided her and she was eager to get back onto her tunic and leggings.
'I am not self-conscious.' She said absently, as she ushered him aside so she could look for her other boot. She threw him a glance. 'Only when I am with you.'
'Why should you be self-conscious with me?' Legolas asked as he found the boot lying at the base of his dresser. 'Of all people, you should be most comfortable with me.' He handed her the boot.
'Because,' she said scuttling over the divider that provided some shade for her to dress. 'What you said is true, therefore I am more self-conscious with whom I am more comfortable with.' She poked her head out of the divider to look at him. 'And also because I think you can make me do things that I would not like.'
Legolas refrained from laughing at her remark, despite how funny it was. 'I apologize.' He said gravely. 'I had no idea that I can be so manipulative.'
Juliana stepped out from the divider dressed like her normal self. This time her hair was braided in Elven fashion. Legolas had shown her how to do it, and though it had been awkward at the start, the lesson eventually ended with fits of laughter. She gazed at him skeptically and promptly handed him an outer tunic.
'Are you this eager to be off?' Legolas looked at the clothing he gave her. He was not eager to leave the White City, though he knew that the summons of Thranduil had already come. He and Juliana, along with the rest of the Fellowship had been staying at the City ever since Aragorn's return to the throne, and that was a month ago. Since then, the two Elves had helped out as much as they could in order to get Aragorn and the rest of the people accustomed to having a King in Gondor. Legolas had been helping Aragorn along with Faramir and Gandalf, while Juliana along with Eowyn, had been responsible with most of the invitations for Aragorn's coronation which had ended to a wedding thanks to the surprise the Fellowship had planned for Aragorn.
The King did not know that Arwen Undomiel, his beloved was still in Middle-earth. He had not known, until she along with the rest of the Rivendell elves, including Lord Elrond himself had appeared at his coronation. Legolas felt himself glad for his friend that he could be reunited with Arwen at last.
Today was their last day in the City. Legolas knew that sooner or later this day would come, but he would have liked it if it were later. Because, despite his desire to see and behold Mirkwood and its King again, he was not looking forward to leaving his friends whom had treated him as an equal and return to becoming the Crown Prince Legolas once more.
But looking at Juliana, whom he knew would follow him if he asked her to, he was comforted a little knowing she'd be there. Despite the growing fear in his heart, that Mirkwood would nevertheless change this stalwart and outgoing woman he had grown to love.
'Please change,' she said politely, urging him to take his tunic.
When he did, he smiled at her again. 'You turning into an Elf have done wonders.'
Juliana looked over her shoulder as she walked over to his bureau to borrow his hairbrush. 'Oh?' she asked, adopting his casual tone. 'What wonders would that be?'
Legolas did not answer right away, since he was busy with his tunic. Once he was done however, he walked over to Juliana who was watching her reflection in the mirror.
'One,' he spoke, his breath tickling her pointed ear. 'You have taken it into yourself to act as my mother, with all your hustling and bustling. Two,' he moved back abruptly because Juliana aimed a swipe towards his head when he spoke those words. 'You do not have the scruffiness of the Ranger in you anymore. And three,' he side-stepped another attack. As he did so, he captured her wrist and pulled her to him, trapping her with his other arm. 'You have replaced that scruffiness with a look of pure happiness I had wished for you at the beginning of our relationship.'
Juliana stopped struggling now because she knew his last remark was serious. She gave him a half-smile. 'Hmm…Perhaps I becoming an Elf have worked wonders on you too. Would you also like me to tell you what they are?' her grin could only be described as evil incarnate.
Legolas closed in and gave her one last kiss. 'Perhaps some other time when I tend to get too 'manipulative'.' He straightened up, released her and left the room with one last smile.
Juliana continued to watch the door even after Legolas disappeared through it. He really had this effect on her. She sighed. An effect which made her act like a virginal maid and some lovesick courtier. She had told herself to act like her usual self and not act so vulnerable when with him, but just staring at his eyes and feeling his arms around her forced even her strongest defenses to melt.
Why shouldn't she feel good about the way Legolas made her feel? She had all the right to feel so! Juliana picked up the sheets and threw them on the bed. She wanted to leave the room already before the maid got in and saw her there, but she had no intention of being caught be Legolas in a deserted corridor and be seduced by him though he perhaps had no idea that he did so. She didn't know if she should be glad at this kind of vulnerability, or should she be cautious.
What was she thinking! Juliana slapped the heel of her hand to her forehead. This was Legolas she was thinking about! She knew perfectly well how much he loved her and would never take advantage of her.
She sighed now and sat on one of the comfortable chairs that stood before his desk. Legolas' room was big, bigger perhaps than her own, but she liked it that way. A month had passed since she became an elf and already it was starting to wear her down. Sure, she and Legolas had an unspoken agreement about not making love again, she was not entirely sure why, but Juliana knew she was actually waiting for the two of them to get married. She had been eagerly waiting for the proposal, allowing herself to love surprises, Just as a woman in love should suppose to be, but she could not. The more weeks that passed, the more she grew afraid that Legolas would never propose. So far, he hadn't yet but Juliana knew somehow that he was planning to surprise her when she least expected, so she put it out of her thoughts indefinitely.
Juliana lazily rummaged around Legolas desk, very impressed how Legolas could be so neat. Juliana had always the impression, perhaps because of her late mortal father and Hadrod's messy habits, that males in general lacked organization and neatness. She had subconsciously thought the same for Elves too. She was glad however that she was disapproved. She liked neat people.
A letter caught Juliana's attention as she opened one of his drawers. It's seal was already broken, but she recognized the seal and the emblem upon the paper. The House of Thranduil. She mused. Legolas' father, King Thranduil of Mirkwood had written to him? The date was a week after Sauron had fallen.She was curious of course, and she was contemplating if she should read it. Why should she? It was nothing of her business and she was sure Legolas would not appreciate it if she went around reading his private things.
But it looked harmless enough. And what matter of urgency could Thranduil write to him when it would have gotten to them by now that there was much to be celebrated. So she took it from the drawer. It didn't feel so thick, but not so light either to suggest Thranduil had written to him in haste. Deciding therefore, she opened the letter and leaned back on the chair to catch more light.
From the Royal House of Thranduil
King of Mirkwood
To: Legolas Greenleaf
Crown Prince of Mirkwood:
My dearest son,
First let me greet you as your father first. I rejoice to know that you are well and alive. I am extremely proud of you, not only because you have survived this whole ordeal, but because you have brought glory to the Elven folk once more, especially to our people and I am very proud.
I am sorry if this missive was long in coming, but I assure you Legolas, that I am as impatient as you are to receive this letter.
Allow me to pay my deepest congratulations to King Elessar Telecontari and all your companions who have aided you in your quest. Allow me also to extend my best wishes to Arwen Undomiel, daughter of Lord Elrond of Rivendell for her coronation as Queen of Gondor and her wedding to King Elessar.
Now, my son, I must speak like your king once more. You see, news has reached me that everything is well now in Gondor and therefore your services may no longer be required. I want you home. Your king asks it of you. As much as your father does too. I also must confess of another reason for desiring your presence her in Mirkwood once more. News has also reached me of your female companion. I will say no more against her, for I do not know her name, in this letter, but allow me to offer you advice, as I am both your king and father.
Do not make the mistake of falling in love with the wrong sort, Legolas. Trust me also; that any woman you meet in battle would definitely not meet the requirements of a woman commendable of your regard or your title. Therefore, I also hope you had not given 'her' any inclinations of your so-called regard.
Come home and be free of her, Legolas. Allow your king to choose the most eligible elleth to be your bride, just as my father had chosen for me when I was your age.
May the Valar watch over you safely, Crown Prince
Sincerely,
Your Father
Juliana gaped at the page. She read it and gaped at it again. She had to let go of the parchment in her hands to prevent them from being crushed as she clenched her fists in anger. How could King Thranduil say such a thing? She stood up from the chair, because she needed to digest the contents of the letter.
How? King Thranduil had always been something that got respect from her. She remembered that in her childhood, King Thranduil had always been kind to her as long as she behaved properly, and she did, at least whenever he was around. Therefore she could not fathom the thought that King Thranduil objected to her relationship with Legolas!
Just as she was thinking this, a new thought struck her. What exactly did Legolas feel when he received this letter? Had he been disturbed just as she was when he received it?
She tried to remember how he had acted the first week after the war. Strangely, she could not detect any outward confusion or change in his manner towards her and their relationship. In fact, she even remembered him being the source of most of their mischief both inside the bedroom and out. He was the first one who snuck into her bedroom at night, not to make love to her, but to feel her beside him as they slept.
Juliana tugged at one of her locks, a habit since acquiring the pointy ears. What now?
Juliana felt the happy bubble inside of her, the happy feeling that had been there for a month, slowly deflate. She tried not to think that the letter Thranduil had sent was perhaps the real reason why Legolas had hindered from asking her hand in marriage or mentioning anything about it.
She felt upset. How could this be? But before she could contemplate what she should do next further, she became aware of the doorknob being slowly turned and it was not Legolas' presence on the other side.
Hastily, she placed the letter back on the drawer and jumped out of the balcony into the garden just as the maid went inside, whistling.
XOXOXOXO
Legolas felt another thought pass his mind as he walked towards Aragorn's office. Another thought that was not his. He wondered what Juliana was doing now, what exactly she was feeling. He knew he could probably discern her exact feelings at that moment, but sometimes the intensity of her emotions was too powerful for him to penetrate. A trait he was sure she was not even aware of.
He was willing to leave Gondor and finally go to Mirkwood with her; he had promised her that in the first night since both of them were reborn. She had been sleeping in his arms then, and now he was not even sure she had heard it. Nevertheless, he would like it if she came along. After all, what life was there for her?
Legolas could not imagine being anywhere now without Juliana. Likewise, he couldn't imagine her being anywhere without him. Had they so made a bind that they've become inseparable?
He liked the thought. It was good to feel that they belonged to someone, a feeling he had longed for so much ever since he felt the loneliness in his heart.
'Legolas, there you are.' A feminine voice spoke in Elvish.
He looked up to meet the eyes of Arwen Undomiel, as she walked towards him. Arwen had always been a close friend of his, back when all seemed well. Legolas could still remember the first day he had met Arwen and his twin brothers, Elladan and Elrohir.
Thranduil had visited Rivendell with his family, young Legolas in tow. It was 10 yearS after Isildur was made king and Sauron had been first defeated. Thranduil had been demanded by his advisors to visit other Elven realms, at least for a while. It had been Arwen's tenth birthday and Elrond was very proud. Rivendell had been bustling then, Legolas wanted to go out and explore the trees and get away from his father who was constantly demanding that he act like the proper prince. His mother on the other hand had been kind and even helped him escape from such ordeal because she understood what he was feeling.
So off exploring did he go. He was fascinated that most of the trees in Rivendell could not be found in Mirkwood and he promptly picked which one to climb. He had chosen a large oak tree, bigger than any Elf he had seen, at least that was what young Legolas had thought then. Deciding he would want to climb the tree and show his father that a prince could do even that, he removed his long ceremonial robe and grabbed the lowest branch.
Legolas remembered climbing higher and higher. Then when he looked down to see if Thranduil had come looking for him, he was surprised to see that he was up higher than he expected. He wanted to get down on his own, but he couldn't move his feet to go down. He did not want to call for his Father, because he knew exactly what he would think. So little Legolas began to cry, his arms wrapped tightly around the branch. His cries brought the attention of another little Elf who had been walking around the garden before her party.
It was the birthday celebrant Arwen, dressed prettily in a royal purple frock, her hair adorned with purple ribbon. She looked very pretty, her raven black hair flying whenever she skipped. Then she heard a noise somewhere in her favorite oak tree. She had looked up at the bottom of the tree and was surprised to see an Elfling she did not know, crying.
'How did you get way up there?' she asked him matter-of-factly ignoring his tears.
'I…climbed,' he answered through his hiccups.
'Come down and play with me.' She demanded placing her hands on her hips and tried to sound like her daddy when he was mad. 'It's my birthday, so come down.'
'I…can't.' he whispered, crying again.
Arwen looked up and couldn't understand. 'Do you want me to come up and get you?'
Legolas had been horrified. 'No! You will get stuck up here too!'
Arwen had sighed, a grown-up noise, she had decided. 'Do you want me to come get your Daddy?'
'No!' Legolas had cried out again. 'Do not call Father.'
Arwen continued to watch him, wondering what she should do. Then and idea came to her. 'Wait here! I know someone who can help you! She made to run back into the house, but Legolas gave one last cry.
'Don't get Father!'
'I won't!'
Minutes later, Arwen came back leading her brothers to the oak tree. 'There's someone inside the oak tree. He wants to come down, but he can't.'
'Arwen,' an older voice had answered. 'Are you sure this not another of your games?'
'No!" she said angrily stomping her foot. 'This is real Elladan! Just come with me please.'
Legolas, who had been sitting on the tree for the longest time wanted to help Arwen . So he yelled loud. 'Help me!"
That made the three Elves come running towards the tree. 'See!" Arwen pointed above to Legolas. 'You can see his golden hair.'
It wasn't long before Elladan climbed up and helped Legolas come down. Elrohir had found his tunic and helped him wear it again, and Legolas had liked them more than any Elfling he had met in Mirkwood. They had been friends ever since.
Legolas looked up now at Arwen who bore all the signs of a young woman in love and newlywed. She smiled at him, though he could detect a new sadness in her eyes that he had not recalled he had seen since she came into the White City. A sadness perhaps for the departure of her dearest friends and family.
'How fares the Queen of Gondor?' Legolas asked teasingly as Arwen came and embraced him.
'Better than you would think.' Answered Arwen. She moved back and smiled at him again. 'What is it?" Legolas asked, suspecting something else in her smile.
'You look happy.' She answered touching his cheek in a sisterly gesture. Once, after Thranduil and Elrond had gotten wind of their friendship, tried to betroth them into marriage, but the two Elves had looked upon each other more as sister and brother to even consider. Legolas had tried to convince Thranduil to cancel the engagement, but his king would not hear it. Thank goodness, that Arwen had managed to convince her father, Lord Elrond, who seemed to take his daughter's best interests rather than a convenient proposal.
'I have always been happy.' Legolas answered as she slipped her arm over his and they proceeded to walk over to where Aragorn was at the moment. It seemed since Aragorn became King, he was off in different parts of the palace, with either Gandalf, or Lord Elrond, or Faramir and Eomer, or all of them at once. Arwen was not offended, she knew her Estel was doing everything he could to make his people feel safe again.
'No you have not.' Promptly answered Arwen. 'You have not been happy since my 10th birthday when I saw you stuck up that tree.'
Legolas gave her a side-long glance. 'Does it matter when I became happy, or should one be gladder that one is feeling happy?'
Arwen gave a laugh but nodded. 'True, very true.' She slowed her pace a bit so they could talk longer. 'How fares Juliana Eareliath?' she asked. Like him, Arwen knew Juliana because of her visits to Rivendell. And like him, Arwen had grown fond of the little girl that would rather like to play with the male Elves rather than with the elleth. 'It seems strange to find out, that all these years, she has been an elf.'
Arwen continued.
Legolas was careful not to react to that. Juliana and he had agreed about what they should tell Aragorn and the others about their return from the dead. The two figured that neither of their friends would believe it if they told them that they were friends with the Valar, also the fact that the Valar would nor appreciate the two of them telling everybody they had met them. So they merely said that since his wound had been deep, lithilanthilis had a hard time healing it, that's why Juliana thought he was dead. And when Juliana rose to avenge him, she had been knocked unconscious and had been saved only by Legolas who had recovered just in time to rescue her.
Her ears were much more difficult to explain. They could not come up with a more logical reason for Juliana to suddenly have pointed ears. In the end, Juliana told them she had been keeping it a secret from everyone because her father had asked her to. Moreover, Droug had taken Juliana in all his trips to Elven territory was not only for her to see new places, but to see her people whenever she could. So far, there had been no questions about their explanations.
'Not so strange, for she is a great keeper of secrets.' Legolas mused now.
Arwen had looked at him amused. 'No doubt, there are some that even you have not discovered.' Legolas had laughed at that. 'Rest assured, Undomiel, I have secrets myself.'
Arwen had stared at him thoughtfully. 'Perhaps she will discover them sooner than you think. Already you have become much more transparent than usual.'
That remark earned Arwen a starled look from the Elf prince. She patted his arm to assure him. 'Do not worry, I am sure she will not mean ill by it.'
The two soon turned to the discussion they dreaded the most, where they will go next after they depart from the White City.
'You have not asked her to marry you.' Arwen had stated, rather than asked. Legolas had shaken his head. Arwen continued to stare at him, as if to discern his exact reason for not doing so when all of their company knew how much they loved each other.
Legolas looked up now, an embarrassed look in his eyes. 'If you recall, I can be so indifferent when it comes to romancing women, but at often times I believe I can even romance myself and I will be convinced.' A glimmer of a smile appeared and Arwen rolled her eyes in mock-annoyance. 'Do go on, please.'
He looked embarrassed once again. A sheepish grin seemed to pass over his face. Arwen understood the look and smiled now. 'You want it to be perfect.' She said simply.
Legolas nodded. 'I suppose if you put it that way, yes. Another is that she doesn't seem to like surprises, which is why I want to catch her unawares.'
Arwen laughed again. 'Oh, I never thought I'd see the day in which Legolas Greenleaf would go al this trouble just to impress a young maiden. I would not have thought it possible!'
Legolas merely shook his head. It was true, he had refrained from asking her to marry him, because he was sure she would not accept. Not until he was sure she would be entirely surprised. 'Let us not dwell on the matter of impending marriage anymore Arwen. I would like to spend this remaining day with all my friends.'
XOXOXXOX
That night, Juliana waited for Legolas to sneak into her room, It was his turn after all, and she believed she wouldn't have the heart to confront him of the letter until they were alone and she was in check of her emotions.
Until she was sure she will not burst into tears.
She waited, still dressed in her dinner things, their last dinner in the White City had been a festive one and she acted like her normal self, making sure her thoughts were guarded and safe. The big dinner had a lot of drinking and a lot of food, thanks to the hobbits' appetites, and it ended with a fantastic fireworks display, courtesy of Gandalf. She even remembered laughing with Legolas and the others as Gimli tripped over one of the fireworks which catapulted him underneath the dinner table. Hadrod, who had come at Aragorn's coronation, kindly helped him out of his predicament.
Now here she was again, she had postponed thinking about the letter for the rest of the day, a task difficult for her to manage. She barely managed to talk about Mirkwood with Eowyn, who knew they were planning to go there. She had avoided talking about leaving the rest of the day. She was sure none of her friends had suspected, after all, all of them avoided of talking about leaving.
A rustle of the curtains made Juliana look up from her place at the chair. Her legs were tucked in with the chair and she was hugging her knees as Legolas stepped into the room from the balcony, also dressed in his dinner attire. Usually, he carried a bundle of clothes with him to change for the morning, but she was surprised that he did not.
He looked about the room, which was dark because Juliana had not bothered to light the candles and only the moon provided light. Juliana watched as a puzzled look came about his face before spotting her sitting at the chair, in which a smile lit his face. How could she say that he was planning to abandon her at Mirkwood's gates with such a sincere and warm smile on his face?
'Did you miss me?' he teased as he came over towards her and planted a soft kiss on her cheek. She must be strong, she must not crumble, she told herself.
'Where's your things?' she asked him as he move to prepare for bed.
Legolas looked up from his task. 'Oh, I though I wouldn't bother returning to my room in the morning.' His smile was suggestive. Juliana just sighed and shook her head.
'What's wrong?' Legolas immediately asked, noticing the look on her face and the thought that passed her face. He noticed how she looked away, as if not wanting to look him in the eyes of fear she would falter. 'Nithiel,' he whispered now. 'Something has bothered you, what is it?'
To his utter surprise, Juliana's shoulders started heaving as she buried her head in her arms. It didn't take him long to discover she was sobbing.
Worry etched his face. He had not heard her cry like this for a long time, and he was sure that after all the awful things that had happened, she would not have any need to cry like that again. He swiftly moved towards her to envelop her in his arms but she pushed away.
He was shocked. Had Juliana somehow changed his mind? Did she think she could not love him anymore.
'Juliana…' he started, his throat unable to relinquish the words.
Juliana held out a hand to stop him. 'Just answer this question for me, please. Just answer it.'
Legolas stood staring at her and could not answer with words so he merely nodded. She stood up when he did and straightened up in front of him so she could meet his eyes. Confused blue eyes met determined green ones.
'Do you even want to marry me?' she gasped out loud, her words breaking.
Legolas gasped out loud, not sure if her words were true. But Juliana stood there, biting her lip to stem her tears and he couldn't bear to laugh at her. Instead he moved to embrace her, whether he wanted to or not.
'Father does not know what he is talking about in his letter.' He spoke softly gripping her tighter as she fought for release. 'He does not know how beautiful you are and how special you are. He does not know yet that you are the only elleth for me. 'He looked at her eyes now, pleading her to believe them, because now he knew the reason for her tears. She was after all too curious for her own good. 'I want you to come with me to Mirkwood and prove him wrong, Nithiel. I want us to go and prove him wrong together. If you would want to.' He stroked her hair back now, soothing her once again. 'I want to ask you to marry me, if you would want me.' Legolas was apprehensive because he was sure she was expecting it. But when Juliana gave a gasp of her own and an enchanting blush crept across her cheeks, Legolas knew whatever he did she would love him, and he would love her too. Legolas knew that their story as a company was over, but the real story in which he and Juliana would do, has rarely begun, and was only beginning to unfold. Nevertheless, Legolas would welcome anything as long as they had each other, even when hours later after that conversation, a rumbling noise escaped Juliana as they slept in bed side by side, their arms and love entwined.
Drumroll!!! Tada!!! The wait is finally over!! I have finished it!!! I hope you like the ending, and if it leaves you hanging forgive me!! Please...I'm dying to know what you guys think! Send word or reviews!!! Thanks and stay with me as we follow more of Juliana and Legolas...already they are bugging me to write...hahaha...Namarie! Cheers!! -Comet- (",)