A/N - Okay. I had to spend half an hour researching different types of tree bark for this chapter, but don't let that put you off. This is a very important chapter for me and I would really like to hear your thoughts on it.

Chapter Eight, The Trees Sing.

Fangorn had loomed before them throughout the day's ride, spreading and rising until all the horizon was filled with it's dark, leafy sprawl. The horses cleared it's borders in the late afternoon and were tethered by the banks of the Entwash where it ran under the eaves of the trees. The beasts were glad of the dappled shade after long exposure to the hot afternoon sun.

The riders walked deeper into the forest, enjoying the peace they found there.

Ah, this is a changed place! Legolas exclaimed happily, No more do the trees dwell on old hurts and wrongs. All is mended now and they sing of new life and fresh growth. It is a pretty melody.

It is indeed a world away from the dark, mournful place that once it was. Elladan agreed, placing his hand upon the trunk of an aged oak, grown knotted and twisted over the years. Old as the rivers, its heart was still full of the song of youth.

Time moves slower for trees than it does even for elves. Elrohir told Aewen, One of their songs can stretch over many centuries.

Aewen was removing her shoes, wanting to walk barefoot on the thick, springy grass that carpeted the ground beneath the trees. It is more splendid than I ever imagined. She said, these ancient trees are far more majestic than anything built by men's hands. I feel the peace here. I feel the history, but I hear not the songs of which you speak. Perhaps I have dwelt too long in the City for the voice of nature to speak to me.

You are just unused to listening. Legolas told her kindly, Our ancestors taught language to the trees and it is our gift to hear their words. All things have voices if you will but listen. Come, I will show you. He took Aewen's arm and lead her deeper into the forest, where the oldest, most powerful trees could be found.

Elrohir moved to follow where Legolas lead, but found himself restrained by his Brother, who caught hold of his arm and pulled him back. We have all evening to walk among the trees, perhaps for now it would be wise to see to the horses. Elladan suggested, and a knowing look passed between the sons of Elrond.

As Legolas and Aewen walked further into the Forest, the trees around them grew taller and closer. They were soon winding their way between ancient trunks of all types and descriptions, thick hoary Oak trees, delicate silvery Birches, grey Limes and lithe, papery barked Poplars.

They stopped, finally, in a tiny, circular clearing, overhung with trailing Willow limbs and dark Ash boughs. Legolas turned Aewen to face him and took hold of both her hands.

Close your eyes. he instructed, now, tell me what you can hear.

I, I don't believe I can hear anything, save now the sound of my voice. The young elf said at long last, and Legolas struggled to hide his smile at the look of sincere concentration upon her face.

You try too hard, Lady, he said, These things cannot be forced. Relax and let the peace of this place overtake you. Leave thoughts of the trees for the moment and focus inside yourself. Now, what do you hear?

I hear...my heartbeat.

Good, now spread your focus a little wider, make a circle about yourself and listen only within it. What do you hear?

I hear your heartbeat. I hear the murmur of the wind in the branches above us, I hear rustles in the grass below.

Legolas' voice was barely a whisper, his breath was warm against her cheek. Widen your focus in another circle, and another. Send your thoughts into the ground and up through the trees. Listen to what is in their hearts. What do you hear, Aewen?

I hear my heartbeat. I hear yours. I hear rustles in the grass, murmurs in the branches. I hear birdsong. I hear....Oh! She clutched his hands tightly in hers as a deeper, older, richer music flowed through her. First one tree raised it's voice in song, a melody sad and sweet of the endless seasons, then other trees joined their words to the harmony, each song different but in some way complementary. The language had once been elvish and now was grown slow and stretched, but the music spoke to her heart and she understood every word.

Oh...it is like nothing I have ever heard, Legolas! She whispered, Every tree, every voice is unique and yet part of the same song. I can hear a willow, it mourns the loss of the birds that once made their homes it it, and hopes for their return in Springtime. There is a tree that sings only of its joys, every note a celebration. Somewhere, far off, there is a tree whose heart is turned rotten, and it whispers its discontent. Its neighbours tell it to remember the strength it once had, and take heart. Her grey eyes flickered open and found themselves mirrored in eyes of blue. Everything has a voice, She told him, Saplings newly emerged from the Earth sing, the grass sings songs short and high, even the rocks have voices. Do you hear it?

I hear it, Legolas murmured, I hear it all.

It is beautiful.

As are you.

Aewen's lips parted in surprise, but Legolas stopped her words with a kiss, chastely pressing his mouth to hers, withdrawing but for a moment, then kissing her again, longer, deeper. She tasted sweet as berries.

Suddenly, hands pressed against his chest, pushing him away. Aewen looked wildly about her for a moment, as if the trees had closed in around them and had left no route for escape, then, seeing a gap, she was through it and running, her pale form soon lost from sight beneath the shadows of the trees.

Legolas cursed himself loudly, his fists so tightly clenched that his short nails drew blood from his palms. What had he presumed! What arrogance had he to force his advances upon one not half his age and inexperienced in the ways of the World? She filled his senses, he could still feel her, smell her, taste her. But she was gone, and now he could never look upon her again without knowing what he had done, without seeing the distrust in her eyes. How could he have been such a fool?

He ran into the Forest, the way she had gone, clinging to some small hope that an apology might be a start at fixing what he had broken.

The sky darkened over Fangorn and Elladan and Elrohir busied themselves collecting dead wood for a fire that would see them through the night. It was an unwritten rule that living wood should never be cut and used for kindling in this Forest, but there was plenty to be found on the ground.

Elrohir returned to the camp, his arms full of bracken, and laid it down near where his Brother was building a fire. The light from the newly lit flame reflected off some object in the pile, and Elladan gingerly picked it out between his thumb and forefinger. This is no twig, it is metal. He muttered, holding it up to the light for the briefest of moments before slinging it to the ground in disgust. Tis part of an Orc blade! What business had those foul creatures here, I wonder.

It carried the debris of many days upon it, Brother, Elrohir said, Whatever creatures may have passed here, they will be long gone now. The Forest is not friendly to their kind.

I still would know their purpose. Elladan said grimly, We shall check for tracks and leavings in the morning. Elladan never forgot what the Orcs had once taken from him, and he was merciless and unresting in his vengeance.

As you wish. Elrohir agreed, before attempting to change where the conversation lead. The wood elf has been gone an age in the company of our niece. He observed, smiling, I do hope we will not have to defend her honour on their return.

Legolas could not make unwanted advances upon her if a knife were at his throat. Elladan said. No doubt Aewen heard the trees and is even now talking endlessly about the wonder of her experience. I love her dearly, but have met no other who can talk at such length about the sweetness of apples, or how the sky is blue.

Elrohir laughed, And yet I suspect Legolas could listen to her until the ends of the Earth.

Aewen sat silently on the steep bank of the Entwash, her feet trailing in the water. She could still hear the song of the trees in the darkness of the Forest, but her mind dwelt on other things.

Eventually she heard movement, footsteps in the wood behind her, and looked round to see Legolas, bearing a fallen branch which he used as a makeshift torch. The starlight did not penetrate the trees this deep in the Forest. The Prince drove the torch into the ground and sat down beside her. He did not speak for several moments, and his expression was troubled.

I am sorry, he said at last, I am so sorry for any upset I caused you. I was rash and thoughtless in my advances. I never meant to offend...

You did not offend my honour. Aewen said quickly.

Legolas did not understand. I forced my unwanted attentions on you. I who should have known better. The words rose like bile in his throat.

Not unwanted.

But you ran from me! The wood elf began.

Not unwanted. Aewen sighed.

How so?

Turning her body to face him, Aewen watched for his reaction as she spoke. You return to Eryn Lasgalen.



You told me before that you return there because you must know how your kingdom fares before you sail West.

Legolas nodded again, unsure as to where this lead.

Legolas, I have no plans to sail to the Blessed Realm. I do not know if I shall ever make the journey, and if I do it will not be soon. I was born a child of men, and I cannot yet put myself beyond their reach. For all the wonders Valinor no doubt holds, it is not where I was born, and this land has strong ties upon my soul. I cannot, then, lead you on with kisses and soft words, for I could not bear the separation that would inevitably come.

Legolas drew in a long breath at these words, and then he smiled. I spoke words not unlike those to Mithrandir not more than a season ago. He said. I was asked if I yet desired to sail the straight road, and I answered no, that my heart rests here, in the land of my birth. He took her hand, Now does my heart give me yet another reason to stay. I believe that old man had this very motive for sending me to Gondor.

Aewen studied him closely. Then you have no plan to leave?

I have no plan or desire to.

And what of the sea?

The sea?

Does it not call to you still?

Legolas considered this for a moment before he replied, Aewen, tell me what you see when you look into my eyes.

Your eyes? I see blue, sometimes translucent and pale as ice, sometimes almost violet in hue. Sometimes I believe I can see your thoughts reflected there, but they are unreadable to me at this moment.

Legolas drew her closer to him then, searching her eyes with his gaze.

When I look into your eyes, I see the Ocean. He said, Sometimes it is still and calm, and in other moments a storm moves in them and the foamy waves crash against rocks. But the sea is always there, in your eyes. I can taste it's salt. I hear the cry of gulls on the shore. It is you, and not the waters of the world, who steals my heart from the woods.

I steal your heart?

I would give it freely. He whispered.

What do you think will become of the world, when the last of our kin have gone? She asked,

I believe it will be a darker place without the light of our people. He told her, his hands trailing in the soft waves of her hair, gently separating the gold strands from the dark, as night from day.



The whispered conversation continued.

If I were to kiss you now, would you run from me?

If I were to run from you, would you catch me?

Im geditha le.

When their lips met this time, neither pulled away. Aewen's arms wound about his waist, and the blond elf gathered her into his embrace. To Legolas it seemed that a part of his soul that had always been missing was finally returned to him. They held each other, there on the banks of the Entwash, until their torch was nothing but ash beside them, and the only light in the darkness was their own.

When at last they returned to the camp, hand in hand and full of new blossomed feelings, a glance passed between the two Brothers who waited there, but nothing was yet said.

The stars looked down upon the small group, settled under the eaves of Fangorn Forest, as, one by one, they fell asleep.


Notes on this chapter:

Im geditha le - I would catch you.

You need to know Galadriel's message to Legolas in TTT to understand why the ocean in Aewen's eyes is important. - Legolas Greenleaf long under tree, In joy thou hast lived. Beware of the Sea! If thou hearest the cry of the gull on the shore, Thy heart shall then rest in the forest no more. The lady often has more than one meaning to her words, so that is where the inspiration came from.

So yes, as well as the tree bark research, there was the whole kissing thing. I'm new to romance writing and that is why you need to let me know how I got on. I'm not a graphic writer, and anyway nothing more than kissing was shared between them in this chapter, but I tried to make the emotions real.