Disclaimer: Not mine.

Dearest Aragorn,

My pen shakes as I write this – as I am in the coach. Not a fraction of a day has passed, yet I regret that I did not say farewell to you, more than I thought possible. I know that it will not be long before I am back in your arms, but we can not tell. I wanted to wrap you in my hold tight, kiss you, and tell you everything that I am feeling right now in words. My fear, my love, my misery.

I did not want it to come to this – hopelessly grasping at straws to find the right help for Cariad, but I will try whatever works to pull him back from the shadows which cloud his eyes, and bring pallor to his cheek and forehead, but even the mere act of bringing him out of his bedroom has exhausted him! He shakes in his sleep. He lays not under the benches of the carriage, the spot usually reserved for luggage and dogs. He says he feels safer there in the corner, which means that I must sit on the floor next to him – making writing this even more difficult that I first predicted. For this reason alone, I keep this letter short.

I love you, Aragorn. Do not work yourself to exhaustion because there is no one to keep your bed warm for you or hold you in the night. You will get ill. Tell the children how much I love them. Look after the ones who need you, as they will care for you when you are in need of it too.

Legolas

Evan a script as untidy as that, made my heart leap. I had started several letters to you in the night hours, but had been unable to complete even one. It has been too difficult to find the words, and I struggle with the same problem now. It is easier when you are here – when our conversations can wind on into the eternity that you have. Even the occasions when we are quite happy to let the world pass by, in our silence, are bliss. We only seem to be broken from those moments by the need for food or other such necessity, or by the intrusion of a person. There is no person to break in on me now, I have time to reply, yet I can only look to a half page letter for my inspiration. You know that I do not mean to pick at the length of the letter that you wrote to me, or to slight you at all, but that I feel restricted to the utmost by the sheet of parchment.

But I digress. My original aim was to tell you that I love you too, and I miss your company desperately. But this not like the last time we were on our own in these places, dear one. We can not think like that at all, though the distinctions are blurred. My letters will not be begging. Yours will not be angry, cold and distant. That argument is over now. I know you to well to think that will ever happen again.

I ask you to present Cariad with smiles as much as I will with Liana and Rilluin. Liantasse has been asking for you. I think she expects you to be there when she wakes up each time, and I have been trying to tell her how you will be back soon enough, yet she does not understand. She remembers only that you told her you were here to stay after you rescued Cariad. To make it up to her, I have been having her in the office - mostly on my knee – when I am not in meetings. She keeps me company, and when I missing you the most I can look down to see the point of her ears from out of her curls, and I remember that you are still here in our children. Sometimes, though, I find Rilluin's eyes difficult to look into. They are too much like yours

I wish that I could tell you that he has been pining for you too, yet I fear that would be a lie. He has reverted to finding himself reaching the time in his life when he moves from his childhood and into what he believes to be adulthood. He has an answer for everything these past few days and it pains me to see such insolence to the elves in our company in particular. They do so much for us that he owes them respect at the least. Yet it will pass, and they excused such misbehaviour in me in my youth. He will remember who loves him the most soon enough.

Give my love to Cariad and tell me news of you and him.

Aragorn

It is a sign that we are not too far away from each other that I can send a letter and receive the reply three days later. Let that thought cheer you. I know that I can return to you quick enough if something happens. Valar forbid. I will write hastily now, that I refuse to think again of the time when we were parted. It hurts too much and I have much shame of my words, actions and emotions in that period. Please put it from your mind as I wish to put it from mine.

Thank you for telling me about the children. Ask Liana perhaps to draw something for me. Send it with your next letter and I will put it on my wall. I need some cheer in here, and it will help her to remember me. As for Rilluin, you will have to put up with him, or threaten him with no dog. He made a promise to me and he ought to keep it.

It is quiet and - frankly and coarsely - boring here in Ithilien. I have noticed since habiting for so long with humans that I have spent so much more time living. Éowyn was wrong. I could languish here forever, but I would take much less pleasure in it that I would have done a decade ago. Singing, composing, dancing, reading. Though the things that are done are beautiful, and healing for Cariad and those others whose hearts are in distress, I would rather celebrate life with you and the children every day as they do in Minas Tirith. That is the life for me now, and already I miss it. However, Cariad has come to life a little bit listening to the music. His eyes focus on the musicians' movements with a sort of fascination, so something goes in and connects with him. At the moment, I can not. He does not speak to me much at all. I thought we had broken through a little when I threatened him with leaving. He makes me pay for it, yet I persist. He can not hurt me more than it does to see him as listless as a doll.

The first night here was hellish. He made me board the windows up, which pained me – it was not right to block out the sunlight and the hills and the sparkling streams which trail over the land like veins. Before, he wanted to know what was outside his blindfold. Now the enormity of it terrifies and overwhelms him. As for sleeping, I was ordered to sleep in front of the door, a barrier between him and the guards ad the rest of the world. The builders of the place are, in my opinion, fools. I do not mean to insult your kin, Aragorn, but who would create the floors from such freezing stone? I lived in Mirkwood and know the cold that emanates from rocks, but I had forgotten it. The cold from the floor seeped through the blankets, and I could not sleep for chill and thought of you, warm in our bed, but alone.

I wish you were here to help me, I do not think I can fight off all the evils of the world and his mind on my own.

I love you

Legolas

Your last letter reminded me so much of how privileged I am to be so close to you. You hide so much behind your alabaster skin, and reveal it only to me – and on occasion your closest friends. The vulnerability you show sometimes makes you so beautiful to me. The elf I thought I met first, would never admit that he needed help or that he wanted someone by his side. I have said it before, but must say again, that I adore you and feel honoured by your trust.

As for news of home – life rolls on as it must. Whilst before, Rilluin was enjoying observing the work of the Kingdom, absorbing the lessons and politics, now he says it bores him. I will admit – only to you – that he reminds me of when I was pregnant and my moods swung so violently. I need help with him Legolas! Tell me what to do.

Speaking of pregnancies, there is news from Éowyn and Faramir. Faramir has been convinced to start some work again, so Éowyn is looking after her children once more, yet I have reports from the guards of how she struggles. They have been substituting for Faramir, and she is grateful for them. I also help her as much as we can, as Rilluin and Théo play together. They make good use of their toy weapons and occasionally their real ones, but I presume it is all good practice. Liana and Boromir keep each other occupied, and whoever is looking after them, but then there is still Betiath. The boys get bored of her and the little ones bore her to, and she demands attention from her mother. But be assured, dearest Legolas, that we do our best. Faramir's desperation to return to his wife is most painful for me to watch.

You are the best at dealing with situations like this. I am no good balancing the two of them, and everything else.

Other than that, all is alright here. It will be even better when you return home. Yet now it is dark and I am tired. I know that you have it inside you to do this, Legolas. You can tap into the core of inner strength that I know is inside you. It will blaze - as you do every time that I see you. I do not want to admit it, but we both know the truth.... Cariad has a stronger bond with you that I have with him. He came out of the curtain that first time for you alone, and only stayed with me because you leant up and confused him by kissing me. No one could pull him out of his misery the first time. It will be different this time.

I promise you that you will be returned to the real world in time enough.

Aragorn

A week has come and gone in this place, and my body aches for you. Your letters are the only things which break the monotony of the days. Changes are slow in Cariad, yet I do not allow him to fall into the trap we did before. I turn my heart to polished stone, which is cold and hard – how I know it well…- to reflect the pleas he makes, and force him to leave the room, when all I want to do is break down and sob with him. We visit the musicians and I made it with him to a small garden outside, however reluctantly, but it was small and enclosed. I yearned to see the whole sky and the beautiful landscape, yet I could not for the walls. He protested too much when I went to scale a tree to reach true nature. It is too hard, Aragorn. Help me to be a good father.

Last time, you were there too and we worked together. Cariad would not have been whole for the time he was without you there too. I miss that support and I think he does too. But we strive onwards without it.

Atar has begun telling Cariad of my misadventures in my adolescence, along with anyone else in the vicinity. The elves all around me are too interested in learning of them, and many have their own tales to tell, including Cithan who tends to fills in the details of more recent ones – I did not know he paid so much attention to me even centuries ago. I feel shame that it took so long for him to even reveal his name to me that day in the Healer's office.

As for Rilluin's behaviour, soon enough, Théo will be feeling the same things as he does now, and they will confide those feelings in each other. It is good that they are playing together now. On the note of our children, tell Liantasse that her drawing of… that which she drew was very impressive and it is on the wall in my room, in pride of place, bringing life and colour into the room. I am very grateful for it and love it.

I am also very grateful for the news you supply me with. Please continue to keep me informed, in as much detail as you have time to write so, for a little while, I can pretend I am home with you and everything is normal again.

Rereading your letter now, I want you to tell Éowyn and Faramir that we will find a solution for their problems in time enough, and that I am thinking of them. Do not tell them that I have nought to do but write at this moment in time. That would not be fair on them. Tell him to keep his fears from her, and let her take her time. Neither of them should be rushing in anything at the moment. We know very well that relationships must take time for them to survive.

What of the twins and the other Uncles? Tell me everything please. Bring me sunshine inside whilst I am not permitted to step outside.

All my love, always.

Legolas

I love you enough to tell you that your last letter disappointed me. I know you will not mind me telling you that, because it is just how I felt upon receiving it. I am selfish enough to admit that I wanted reams of your wisdom to do with Rilluin. If I can not have you, I can surely have your words. I feel like I am begging, but I adore you and the words that you give to me. They soothe me when I can not sleep at night and remain on my nightstand and in my office, waiting for the moment when I need you and can treat myself to a little of you.

Tell me more next time, please my love. Until then I shall take a deep breath and whet my quill, as I tell you of what occurs in my life and home now. Elrohir has been well, and a confidant to me when letters are not enough. We both miss those we live with, although Elrohir receives slightly more infrequent letters from Elladan. Yet neither of you mentions the other in their letters. Are things alright between you? I know you have had conflicts with each other in the past. For Cariad's sake I hope you are not having one now.

In better news, Glorfindel and Erestor are well yet I can not help but feel some jealousy at the seeming perfection of their relationship and how they do not face as much bad luck and as many troubles as we seem to. Yet I keep those thoughts to myself and for you. Sinclair is a sweet boy, and he and Liantasse get on well enough. Glorfindel and Erestor have made some comment about perhaps a future marriage between the two of them already. I refuted that Liana may not wish to marry a man, and Sinclair may not wish to marry a woman, yet they did not seem to appreciate that. They are cheeky elves that is all, trying to secure a royal partnership for their child, even in jest. My little girl is going nowhere. I will beat the next person to jest about marriage for her with the flat of my sword. Whilst the issue of marriage was raised, Faramir mentioned that he had made a list of future possible partners for Rilluin. I threw him from my office, you will be glad to know. We married for love, he married for love and position, and I will not have hypocrisy in my household. You will also be pleased to know that the subject of betrothals has not been raised again.

Éowyn and Faramir remain in much the same position as the last time, in a sort of deadlock.

Both children here are doing well, although Liana cause me some upset yesterday. A very distressed Elrohir ripped me from the meeting I was in with a most offended Baron, and rushed me to Liana's room. She lay on the floor, screaming and beating her tiny firsts on the floor in a temper. I misunderstood at first, and thought she was hurt in some way, until she hit my hold away and I realised that this was a tantrum. She was red in the face with yelling, and tears poured from her eyes though there was little chance for sobbing. I knew from Rilluin that all I could do was kneel some distance away and wait for her, to calculate whether she would want her father's comfort at the end of it, but it was torture to do so. All I wanted to do was lift her in my arms and kiss it better, like I could with a grazed knee, yet I could do nothing but pretend to ignore her. Yet she was howling for you Legolas. It was all I could do not to join her. Eventually of course, she crawled into my lap with a few hiccups, and calmed down. It is an image that will not leave my mind.

I notice that you mention Cithan in your letter. I am telling you now in the firmest handwriting I can that I do not want him near you. Tell him I said, as the King of the land he lives in, that that is all the choice he is given. No one can stroke your lips with their own but me. You are very much mine and no one else's. That is my last word.

Aragorn

Meleth nin, forgive me for my failings in my last letter. It was not fair of me to not help you with Rilluin, but I fear there was not much I could recommend. This is the first time we have had a young man to raise, and I trust you to be able to manage it. As you barely mention Rilluin in your last letter, I presume that some of the troubles have passed?

You tell me of others, and I appreciate that greatly, but what of you, melda? I need to know that too, far more in fact than I need to know of Uncles and friends. I love you more than them by a great amount. As for me, if you wish to know, I am well enough, though I miss you so much it hurts me. I wish that you would pay Cariad and myself a visit soon. We both need you here. Cariad has asked me for you, perhaps not in the same way as Liana does. It grieves me to read that description. I wish I could take her in my arms and tell her how much I adore her. I can not help but think 'my poor girl'.

Yes I mentioned Cithan's presence here, as I thought that you would need to know. But I promise you that he has made no improper advances towards me. He knows that I love you and am never going to leave you. Yet I will not refuse to see him. We parted last time on a painful night, and that is not fair. I know the agony that occurs when you love someone, and pine over them, when your heart leaps whenever they walk into a room and you can not make them feel the same, for you can not have them. Eventually, however, I got you .He never will get the object of his desires. Father made a joke that Cithan is waiting for you to die and believes that my grief for your death will drive me into his arms. I did not laugh.

I make the decision to continue, allowing Cithan to at least see me. It is only fair, as he was the one who made me realise who it is that I truly adore. My heart belongs to you and to you alone, as well you know. Do not doubt it, love. You also have spoken of the twins. I fear that I can not write of Elladan with any favour at the moment. He has irritated me to an extreme. We are at odds and I do not expect that to change. Both he and Atar claim that I am too soft in my approach to caring for Cariad. My only argument to them is that neither of them have had children - or at least not for a long time. They can not then pass judgement on how I look after my own. And neither I nor Laurient went through any trauma even close to what Cariad suffered, so father can not claim to know best. Yet that is what he does. It is outrageous to me. I know that Elladan is your brother and I ought not and I ought not insult him, and that he is a Healer so probably knows best, yet he has never cared emotionally for a child. He does not know the burden I am under, nor that utter joy I felt when I saw Cariad smile for a fleeting second this morning. I must admit that it is father's harsh words which beat me down the most. What am I to do Aragorn?

All I have to say in regards to Glorfindel, Erestor, and Faramir, is to tell them to take their eyes off our children. Let them be children whilst they can and not wives and husbands before their time. In fact I may write to them to tell them as much.

I ask you, my husband to forget the picture of Liana's distress. She has forgotten it already. You must also.

Dream of me tonight and come and visit me soon.

Legolas

You do make it difficult for me, husband mine. I do not want to stay away from you. I can not bear this forced separation anymore than you can. Yet I can not possibly work if I visit you. Not a small amount of that fact is because I plan to be far too busy with the most beautiful elf created, for work to intrude its ugly head.

….

Forgive me, Legolas, I was called away and must begin this letter anew. I have spoken to Faramir, and he is willing to release me from my duties for four days and no more. That means I will be with you for two afternoons, one blissful night and one morning. You know that Liana is desperate to see you, and Rilluin passed a casual comment that indicated he may be missing you too but do not ask him to repeat it for he will not, even under pain of death. So we shall pack this and be with you soon if we leave tomorrow. Do not write, for I will be with you soon enough. You can tell me how much I am yours and yours alone, in person. In a few nights, I will be able to sleep in your arms again for the first time in too long. I miss you too much. I will be able to tell Cariad how well he does. I shall meet Cithan for the first time in many years and show him exactly who you belong to, even if it does upset him, or you scold me for it, I shall not find myself regretting it. As for Elladan and your father, I shall remind them who the father is.

Eager to be with you, and always dreaming of you.

Aragorn

Where are you? You were supposed to be home yesterday. You worry me.

Legolas

Forgive me melda, my absence is not my fault. Elrohir will not allow me to leave the house as I have been a little ill for a few days, yet yesterday morning, it truly hit me hard. My writing blurs on this page, my head spins so fast. Thankfully Faramir had not prepared work for me this morn. No one is more disappointed than me to not be there.

I love you so much. Forgive me. I promise we will be with each other soon enough.

Aragorn

A/N: Don't kill me! I'll explain in due course. Thank you to the faithful few who review and make me smile :)