Chapter 12: Bitter Sweet Reunions.
" P…..Princess Aireromen?!" Haldir exclaimed. He bowed low and the others did the same. Haldir was nervous, he had just insulted his princess, and he felt horrible.
Aireromen slid down from Morwing's back, she came to Haldir and stood before him.
"Please Haldir, rise. I do not wish for you to bow down to me. I am just another elf, as are you." She extended her hand to his face, he took it and rose, he was over a foot taller than she, about the same height as Legolas was, and his liquid blue-Grey eyes shone with wisdom and courage. She smiled and embraced the caption of the guard in a friendly hug.
"It is wonderful to see you again Haldir!" Aire smiled, and stood up on her tiptoes to kiss his forehead.
"Aye, as it is a blessing to see you Princess. Forgive me if I have offended you in anyway." He said senserly, his blue-Grey eyes looking down into her bright blue ones.
Aire brushed the apology away. " Oh Haldir, please, there is no need, all is forgiven" she said with a smirk.
Legolas dismounted hand came to stand beside Aireromen. "Hello Haldir." He said.
A bright smile came to Haldir's fair face. "By the stars! Legolas! It has been so long since last I saw you! Why if my memory serves me right, the last I looked upon you was-"
He broke off suddenly upon seeing the look on Legolas's face. The last time has been when they brought the body of Aireromen back to Lothlorien, and to bring news of her death the Lord and Lady. It was a topic that, even though Aire was now here, was still one the young Prince did not wish to speak of. Haldir quickly changed the subject.
"Come, we shall escort you back to Lothlorien." He bowed to Aireromen and Legolas, (who was now holding her hand) and turned to lead them on.
"This is it" Aire whispered to Legolas, pressing herself onto his chest.
He allowed this and she felt his strong arms wrap around her, she closed her eyes and breathed in his sweet-smelling scent.
"This is it." She repeated, more to herself than to anyone else.
"Shhhhhhhhhh." Legolas soothed, hr moved back so that he could see her face. He cupped her chin in is hand, and looked deep into her eyes. " Do not fear, love. I am here with you, you are not alone. Now, smile, and go into Lothlorien with joy in your heart." He smiled down at her. How beautiful she was, he thought. And how he loved her so, it pained him to see her so worried and upset.
Aireromen said nothing but hugged him and kissed his cheek. He assisted her onto Morwing, (though she really did not need help) and mounted his own horse.
Together they rode, in back of Haldir, who walked in front of them, followed by Aragorn and Gandalf.
The tall trees of the city of Lothlorien came slowly into view, by now it was evening and the sky was thick with stars.
Elves stood and watched in awe as Aireromen rode by, hand in hand with Legolas. Many bowed, while others nearly fainted. They came at last to the oldest, tallest, and by far the most beautiful of all the trees in the city, it was here at the bottom of the stairs that wound around the gigantic trunk that the company stopped and dismounted.
"This is where we part I'm afraid." Said Gandalf to Aire. "I will not go up with you, for this is where it no longer has anything to do with me. It is a family matter."
"I will wait with you Gandalf," said Aragorn.
Aireromen nodded and hugged them both before turning to Legolas who smiled at her and extended his arm towards her. She took it gratefully and together they walked gracefully up the long steps.
The city glowed in a silver light; the moon was rising higher in the sky. Legolas looked to Aireromen, who kept her eyes looking up the stairs. She felt his stare and squeezed his hand a bit tighter. Aire breathed in deep, the top was coming closer, they were becoming more and more even with the platforms and walkways above. She held her breath; a few more steps and she would be at the top.
She let the air out as her feet touched the top platform and left the last step on the stairs. They went down a short open corridor and there a guard stood waiting. He looked at them both and stepped aside quickly. It was then that Aireromen saw them.
Sitting in two finally carved chairs, sat two elves, one was a tall and handsome male elf, clad in silver, with his hair much the same color, only there was more white in it than silver, yet he did not look old, in fact he looked quite young, only in his Grey eyes could you tell that he was indeed very old. Beside him, sat a beautiful Elven woman, long blond wavy hair, and piercing bright blue eyes. She was clad entirely in white, a light shone from her.
They rose slowly from where they sat, Aire felt her knees going weak, Legolas placed an arm around her waist, helping to support her up.
She stopped. She could go no further without Legolas having to carry her to them.
Celeborn and Galadriel came to her instead, on swift and agile feet. A bright white light enveloped around them and made the faces of Legolas and Aireromen shine.
Galadriel smiled her eyes watery with fresh tears. Celeborn stood with head high, and it was he who spoke first.
"Greetings, my little one." His voice was deep and cool. Yet she could sense the love and tenderness in it. "It has been a long time, my little wanderer."
Aireromen said nothing, she merely stared in awe, drinking in everything about them, she looked so much like them, she knew where she came from.
Galadriel said nothing but reached out her arms, as if on impulse, Aire let go of Legolas and sank into the arms of her mother. She clung to her, and her body trembled as she cried, the emotions flowing from within her. Galadriel wrapped her arms around her child, rocking the trembling body gently back and forth.
"My daughter" she whispered soothingly. "My sweet daughter"
Aireromen looked up into the bright blue eyes of her mother. HER mother. She thought, her REAL mother.
Galadriel placed a slender hand upon Aire's cheek, she smiled and kissed her forehead, and she pulled Aire from her chest and turned her gently to Celeborn, who opened his arms and received her gladly. He laughed softly as Aire began to cry again. He looked down into her beautiful face that was now stained with tears.
"I have waited so long for this, I had always hoped I would look upon your face again. Welcome home….my daughter." He held her face in his hands as he said this.
Legolas stood off to the side, his arms folded across his chest, smiling. It eased his heart to see his love so happy.
Celeborn looked to him. "Welcome, son of Thranduil." He said to Legolas.
Legolas bowed in respect. "My Lord" he said.
They Lord and Lady each embraced him in a hug, Aireromen went to him and kissed him ever so softly on the lips.
"Thank you" she said to him.
The visit in Lorien was only for a few days, as Legolas, and Gandalf needed to get back to Mirkwood. Though during that time, Aire spent many long hours talking with Celeborn and Galadriel every chance she got. Legolas, Gandalf, and Aragorn hardly ever saw her for more than a few moments during their stay. She learned many things that she had once forgotten, and went to many places in the fair city that she had once gone before. She understood more, and remembered many things that were once lost to her.
Aireromen was saddened to go, but knew she could not keep the others waiting. On the day of their parting, Galadriel gave to her a silver necklace, a beautiful star was set upon it, and in its center was a clear diamond. She placed it around her daughter's neck, and kissed her cheek.
"Namarie, my sweet one" she whispered.
Aire bowed and hugged her mother. She did the same for Celeborn.
"Go," he said lovingly. "And may the wind speed you ever home again."
Aire hugged them both again, she did not wish to leave. She turned around; the others sat on their horses awaiting her. Morwing tossed his head and neighed, he was eager to go.
With a last look at the Lord and Lady, she mounted swiftly onto Morwing, and waves to them as she and the others rode off. Haldir bowed as they passed and smiled at her. She nodded in return.
'Farewell' she thought as they left the fair city.
" P…..Princess Aireromen?!" Haldir exclaimed. He bowed low and the others did the same. Haldir was nervous, he had just insulted his princess, and he felt horrible.
Aireromen slid down from Morwing's back, she came to Haldir and stood before him.
"Please Haldir, rise. I do not wish for you to bow down to me. I am just another elf, as are you." She extended her hand to his face, he took it and rose, he was over a foot taller than she, about the same height as Legolas was, and his liquid blue-Grey eyes shone with wisdom and courage. She smiled and embraced the caption of the guard in a friendly hug.
"It is wonderful to see you again Haldir!" Aire smiled, and stood up on her tiptoes to kiss his forehead.
"Aye, as it is a blessing to see you Princess. Forgive me if I have offended you in anyway." He said senserly, his blue-Grey eyes looking down into her bright blue ones.
Aire brushed the apology away. " Oh Haldir, please, there is no need, all is forgiven" she said with a smirk.
Legolas dismounted hand came to stand beside Aireromen. "Hello Haldir." He said.
A bright smile came to Haldir's fair face. "By the stars! Legolas! It has been so long since last I saw you! Why if my memory serves me right, the last I looked upon you was-"
He broke off suddenly upon seeing the look on Legolas's face. The last time has been when they brought the body of Aireromen back to Lothlorien, and to bring news of her death the Lord and Lady. It was a topic that, even though Aire was now here, was still one the young Prince did not wish to speak of. Haldir quickly changed the subject.
"Come, we shall escort you back to Lothlorien." He bowed to Aireromen and Legolas, (who was now holding her hand) and turned to lead them on.
"This is it" Aire whispered to Legolas, pressing herself onto his chest.
He allowed this and she felt his strong arms wrap around her, she closed her eyes and breathed in his sweet-smelling scent.
"This is it." She repeated, more to herself than to anyone else.
"Shhhhhhhhhh." Legolas soothed, hr moved back so that he could see her face. He cupped her chin in is hand, and looked deep into her eyes. " Do not fear, love. I am here with you, you are not alone. Now, smile, and go into Lothlorien with joy in your heart." He smiled down at her. How beautiful she was, he thought. And how he loved her so, it pained him to see her so worried and upset.
Aireromen said nothing but hugged him and kissed his cheek. He assisted her onto Morwing, (though she really did not need help) and mounted his own horse.
Together they rode, in back of Haldir, who walked in front of them, followed by Aragorn and Gandalf.
The tall trees of the city of Lothlorien came slowly into view, by now it was evening and the sky was thick with stars.
Elves stood and watched in awe as Aireromen rode by, hand in hand with Legolas. Many bowed, while others nearly fainted. They came at last to the oldest, tallest, and by far the most beautiful of all the trees in the city, it was here at the bottom of the stairs that wound around the gigantic trunk that the company stopped and dismounted.
"This is where we part I'm afraid." Said Gandalf to Aire. "I will not go up with you, for this is where it no longer has anything to do with me. It is a family matter."
"I will wait with you Gandalf," said Aragorn.
Aireromen nodded and hugged them both before turning to Legolas who smiled at her and extended his arm towards her. She took it gratefully and together they walked gracefully up the long steps.
The city glowed in a silver light; the moon was rising higher in the sky. Legolas looked to Aireromen, who kept her eyes looking up the stairs. She felt his stare and squeezed his hand a bit tighter. Aire breathed in deep, the top was coming closer, they were becoming more and more even with the platforms and walkways above. She held her breath; a few more steps and she would be at the top.
She let the air out as her feet touched the top platform and left the last step on the stairs. They went down a short open corridor and there a guard stood waiting. He looked at them both and stepped aside quickly. It was then that Aireromen saw them.
Sitting in two finally carved chairs, sat two elves, one was a tall and handsome male elf, clad in silver, with his hair much the same color, only there was more white in it than silver, yet he did not look old, in fact he looked quite young, only in his Grey eyes could you tell that he was indeed very old. Beside him, sat a beautiful Elven woman, long blond wavy hair, and piercing bright blue eyes. She was clad entirely in white, a light shone from her.
They rose slowly from where they sat, Aire felt her knees going weak, Legolas placed an arm around her waist, helping to support her up.
She stopped. She could go no further without Legolas having to carry her to them.
Celeborn and Galadriel came to her instead, on swift and agile feet. A bright white light enveloped around them and made the faces of Legolas and Aireromen shine.
Galadriel smiled her eyes watery with fresh tears. Celeborn stood with head high, and it was he who spoke first.
"Greetings, my little one." His voice was deep and cool. Yet she could sense the love and tenderness in it. "It has been a long time, my little wanderer."
Aireromen said nothing, she merely stared in awe, drinking in everything about them, she looked so much like them, she knew where she came from.
Galadriel said nothing but reached out her arms, as if on impulse, Aire let go of Legolas and sank into the arms of her mother. She clung to her, and her body trembled as she cried, the emotions flowing from within her. Galadriel wrapped her arms around her child, rocking the trembling body gently back and forth.
"My daughter" she whispered soothingly. "My sweet daughter"
Aireromen looked up into the bright blue eyes of her mother. HER mother. She thought, her REAL mother.
Galadriel placed a slender hand upon Aire's cheek, she smiled and kissed her forehead, and she pulled Aire from her chest and turned her gently to Celeborn, who opened his arms and received her gladly. He laughed softly as Aire began to cry again. He looked down into her beautiful face that was now stained with tears.
"I have waited so long for this, I had always hoped I would look upon your face again. Welcome home….my daughter." He held her face in his hands as he said this.
Legolas stood off to the side, his arms folded across his chest, smiling. It eased his heart to see his love so happy.
Celeborn looked to him. "Welcome, son of Thranduil." He said to Legolas.
Legolas bowed in respect. "My Lord" he said.
They Lord and Lady each embraced him in a hug, Aireromen went to him and kissed him ever so softly on the lips.
"Thank you" she said to him.
The visit in Lorien was only for a few days, as Legolas, and Gandalf needed to get back to Mirkwood. Though during that time, Aire spent many long hours talking with Celeborn and Galadriel every chance she got. Legolas, Gandalf, and Aragorn hardly ever saw her for more than a few moments during their stay. She learned many things that she had once forgotten, and went to many places in the fair city that she had once gone before. She understood more, and remembered many things that were once lost to her.
Aireromen was saddened to go, but knew she could not keep the others waiting. On the day of their parting, Galadriel gave to her a silver necklace, a beautiful star was set upon it, and in its center was a clear diamond. She placed it around her daughter's neck, and kissed her cheek.
"Namarie, my sweet one" she whispered.
Aire bowed and hugged her mother. She did the same for Celeborn.
"Go," he said lovingly. "And may the wind speed you ever home again."
Aire hugged them both again, she did not wish to leave. She turned around; the others sat on their horses awaiting her. Morwing tossed his head and neighed, he was eager to go.
With a last look at the Lord and Lady, she mounted swiftly onto Morwing, and waves to them as she and the others rode off. Haldir bowed as they passed and smiled at her. She nodded in return.
'Farewell' she thought as they left the fair city.