A/N: If I promise the next chapter will be long, can I get away with
this one being short? Also, can I be evil here if I promise it'll all work
out in the end?
It was a clear night in the glade; every star, including Legolas' mother's, was shinning bright. The September air was a bit chilly, but other than that it was a perfect late summer eve.
Legolas and Elora were stargazing again, as they had done countless times since her return. Legolas was sitting with his back against an old tree situated at the edge of the glade, his arms wrapped around Elora's; her own head had found its way to his chest, just over his heart. They were sitting in comfortable silence, Legolas' thumb gently passing over Elora's knuckles. Oddly enough, it appeared that stargazing was all that was on the agenda for the evening.
"So, Legolas," Elora teased, breaking the quiet. "Are we actually going to watch the stars tonight?"
Usually, they're stargazing evenings turned to other activities. After about a quarter of an hour one of them-more often than not Legolas, but sometimes Elora surprised him- would find the other a more interesting subject to examine.
This hadn't happened tonight, though. They had been sitting for close to an hour, and Legolas hadn't tried any of his normal tricks yet. In fact, he had been acting strange for the past few days. Not distant, really; just suddenly shy around her.
When he didn't respond to her jest, she shifted slightly so she could see his face. "Are you alright?"
He looked down at her. "I'm fine, why?"
She shrugged. "You've just been acting weird the past few days. Are you sure everything is ok?"
He gave her a smile, albeit a weak one. "I'm sure."
Elora eyed him worriedly before lowering her head back to its place of rest. "Alright," she said. "But you know I'm here if you ever need to talk about anything."
"I know." How could he talk to her about this, when she was the subject of his dilemma? Ever since that day when he realized just how deep his feelings for her ran, he had been on pins and needles around her. Should he tell her? Keep it locked away inside? If he did tell her, and she didn't reciprocate his feelings, would he be able to live like that? But, by the same token, could he live without knowing how she felt about him? Without her knowing how much he loved her?
"I just have to think some things through," he said softly into her hair.
Elora gave a small chuckle. "Thinking? That's a pretty dangerous activity for a dumb blonde like you." She had said it to try to lighten the mood, but when his normal response didn't come, it only made her panic. She sat up and turned to face him, gathering his hands in hers, concern etched across face. "Legolas, something is wrong…why won't you tell me? Why won't you let me help you? You've been so distant these past few days."
Legolas looked into her eyes and saw the ever-present mix of fear and pain. But this time it was different; this time it wasn't directed internally, but towards him. He couldn't bear to think he was causing her any pain. Slowly, he reached out and tucked a stray piece of her hair behind her ear, allowing his fingers to linger over her cheek as he pulled back and retook her hand in his. There was no other way around it but to simply say it, whatever the consequences. Without any preamble or set-up, he simply looked into her eyes and spoke.
"I love you."
She flinched as if he had hit her and closed her eyes. "Take it back."
"I can't, and I won't. Elora, I love you…"
"Stop saying that," she pleaded. "If you knew what I had done you wouldn't say such things. I don't deserve your love."
"Are you talking about Lothlorien?" When he said those words her eyes flew open. She tried to get away but he held fast to her hands. "Elora, what happened there?"
"You promised you would never ask me that!"
"Elora, I promise, whatever happened there, whatever you think you have done, it won't matter; it won't change how I feel about you."
"Yes," she was on the verge of tears. "Yes, it will…"
He cupped her face, laying a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Please," he whispered. "Tell me."
This was Elora's breaking point. She jerked out of his hold. "I killed a man!" she cried. "I have his blood stained on my soul." Legolas looked at her in shock. "Are you satisfied, now that you know?" When Legolas didn't answer, she nodded. "It is as I said."
Before Legolas could make a move or word to stop her, she was gone.
It was a clear night in the glade; every star, including Legolas' mother's, was shinning bright. The September air was a bit chilly, but other than that it was a perfect late summer eve.
Legolas and Elora were stargazing again, as they had done countless times since her return. Legolas was sitting with his back against an old tree situated at the edge of the glade, his arms wrapped around Elora's; her own head had found its way to his chest, just over his heart. They were sitting in comfortable silence, Legolas' thumb gently passing over Elora's knuckles. Oddly enough, it appeared that stargazing was all that was on the agenda for the evening.
"So, Legolas," Elora teased, breaking the quiet. "Are we actually going to watch the stars tonight?"
Usually, they're stargazing evenings turned to other activities. After about a quarter of an hour one of them-more often than not Legolas, but sometimes Elora surprised him- would find the other a more interesting subject to examine.
This hadn't happened tonight, though. They had been sitting for close to an hour, and Legolas hadn't tried any of his normal tricks yet. In fact, he had been acting strange for the past few days. Not distant, really; just suddenly shy around her.
When he didn't respond to her jest, she shifted slightly so she could see his face. "Are you alright?"
He looked down at her. "I'm fine, why?"
She shrugged. "You've just been acting weird the past few days. Are you sure everything is ok?"
He gave her a smile, albeit a weak one. "I'm sure."
Elora eyed him worriedly before lowering her head back to its place of rest. "Alright," she said. "But you know I'm here if you ever need to talk about anything."
"I know." How could he talk to her about this, when she was the subject of his dilemma? Ever since that day when he realized just how deep his feelings for her ran, he had been on pins and needles around her. Should he tell her? Keep it locked away inside? If he did tell her, and she didn't reciprocate his feelings, would he be able to live like that? But, by the same token, could he live without knowing how she felt about him? Without her knowing how much he loved her?
"I just have to think some things through," he said softly into her hair.
Elora gave a small chuckle. "Thinking? That's a pretty dangerous activity for a dumb blonde like you." She had said it to try to lighten the mood, but when his normal response didn't come, it only made her panic. She sat up and turned to face him, gathering his hands in hers, concern etched across face. "Legolas, something is wrong…why won't you tell me? Why won't you let me help you? You've been so distant these past few days."
Legolas looked into her eyes and saw the ever-present mix of fear and pain. But this time it was different; this time it wasn't directed internally, but towards him. He couldn't bear to think he was causing her any pain. Slowly, he reached out and tucked a stray piece of her hair behind her ear, allowing his fingers to linger over her cheek as he pulled back and retook her hand in his. There was no other way around it but to simply say it, whatever the consequences. Without any preamble or set-up, he simply looked into her eyes and spoke.
"I love you."
She flinched as if he had hit her and closed her eyes. "Take it back."
"I can't, and I won't. Elora, I love you…"
"Stop saying that," she pleaded. "If you knew what I had done you wouldn't say such things. I don't deserve your love."
"Are you talking about Lothlorien?" When he said those words her eyes flew open. She tried to get away but he held fast to her hands. "Elora, what happened there?"
"You promised you would never ask me that!"
"Elora, I promise, whatever happened there, whatever you think you have done, it won't matter; it won't change how I feel about you."
"Yes," she was on the verge of tears. "Yes, it will…"
He cupped her face, laying a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Please," he whispered. "Tell me."
This was Elora's breaking point. She jerked out of his hold. "I killed a man!" she cried. "I have his blood stained on my soul." Legolas looked at her in shock. "Are you satisfied, now that you know?" When Legolas didn't answer, she nodded. "It is as I said."
Before Legolas could make a move or word to stop her, she was gone.