Author's Note : It's a Happy chapter…honestly…I think…Well! I tried anyway! For Elerrina and Mindel! J Who were running out of tissues.J Hmp. Where's Sam…hm. Resting.J I think I mentioned that in the original chapter when they got to Minas Tirith… but not sure. Sam is worn out just about as much as Frodo…he's a Ring Bearer too. Its only been a couple of nights since he's sick anyway. I'll work it into the next chapter when Frodo's feeling better. There's only going to be maybe two more chapters I think…then I'll work more on Dreams and Rings. There's only so much more I can write about this one. But I'll at least make sure you all know what happens to Merilas.
MERILAS POV
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CHAPTER 31 : Come home…
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He was lying curled up like an angel between us, resting peacefully for once. He was still too warm to the touch…but at least his body stopped shaking. Legolas' hand was over mine still and when Frodo finally fell to sleep I withdrew my hand and stroked the Hobbit's curls while he slept, looking away from the Elven Prince.
"He's right you know…" Legolas said softly, his voice carefully guarded. He did not want to frighten me…I could tell.
"What about?" It was unsettling…the way he seemed to be looking -into- me, and not at me.
"I want you to come back with me. To come home." he took a deep breath. "There is magic…and herbs and…"
"Legolas." I shook my head and looked at him. "There is no magic that will make me forget." and for some reason he flinched.
"Even love? Do you….do you still …" Legolas tried to continue, but he found that he lacked the courage to really ask. But I knew what his question was.
"Love you?" I looked seriously at him still soothing the hobbit as he slept.
He nodded, holding my vision.
"Yes." I said simply, "I never stopped loving you. That is not the issue."
"Then what is?" His voice rose a touch and then fell as he remembered Frodo. :"Merilas…I know it wasn't perfect before…we were fighting a lot…and I never seemed to really want to do anything with you. But…I wanted you to grow up…to experience life before…before tying yourself."
I laughed softly, a dry sound…it wasn't really laughter. "And now that I have experienced life? Legolas… I can't go home with you." I shook my head. "Its over for me in the Elven World. I'm going to the Gray Havens. Then to Valinor. I will step away from the lands of Middle earth never to be seen again. My wounds are deep…deeper than flesh. There are things…things that I have done…I don't think I could ever tell you."
"No." he shook his head. "No…not yet…Please…stay a while…at least? Then…" He took a deep breath. "Then if you must leave I will not stand in your way." It was with great pain that he said those words, I could tell. I hated hurting him…but…it just simply would not work out…not with everything that had happened. I could not forget. I did not even know if I could let him love me in a physical way. "I will take you there…when you have to go…but I cannot leave my people."
"I know, Legolas." I reached over and touched his cheek this time, wiping away a tear that was trickling down it.
"Bestow upon me a year…" he looked at me. "One … out of all the ages. That's all I ask of you….and I will ask no more. Let me take care of you…make you happy again…Let me…be with you."
We looked at eachother then and I knew it was killing him to agree to let me go. He'd spent the last 15 years looking for me. I relented and smiled softly and nodded. "You shall have it." And he kissed the palm of my hand. "But I make no guarantees of what you shall have from me."
"I love you. All I want…is for you to be with me." The Prince assured me…and I knew that he did. No one who loved another so well as he…would agree to such terms as I had laid before him.
Frodo's eyes fluttered open a little, when he witness Legolas kissing my hand his lips curved into a smile. "May I…May I have something to drink please?" he begged softly.
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MERILAS POV
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CHAPTER 31 : Come home…
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He was lying curled up like an angel between us, resting peacefully for once. He was still too warm to the touch…but at least his body stopped shaking. Legolas' hand was over mine still and when Frodo finally fell to sleep I withdrew my hand and stroked the Hobbit's curls while he slept, looking away from the Elven Prince.
"He's right you know…" Legolas said softly, his voice carefully guarded. He did not want to frighten me…I could tell.
"What about?" It was unsettling…the way he seemed to be looking -into- me, and not at me.
"I want you to come back with me. To come home." he took a deep breath. "There is magic…and herbs and…"
"Legolas." I shook my head and looked at him. "There is no magic that will make me forget." and for some reason he flinched.
"Even love? Do you….do you still …" Legolas tried to continue, but he found that he lacked the courage to really ask. But I knew what his question was.
"Love you?" I looked seriously at him still soothing the hobbit as he slept.
He nodded, holding my vision.
"Yes." I said simply, "I never stopped loving you. That is not the issue."
"Then what is?" His voice rose a touch and then fell as he remembered Frodo. :"Merilas…I know it wasn't perfect before…we were fighting a lot…and I never seemed to really want to do anything with you. But…I wanted you to grow up…to experience life before…before tying yourself."
I laughed softly, a dry sound…it wasn't really laughter. "And now that I have experienced life? Legolas… I can't go home with you." I shook my head. "Its over for me in the Elven World. I'm going to the Gray Havens. Then to Valinor. I will step away from the lands of Middle earth never to be seen again. My wounds are deep…deeper than flesh. There are things…things that I have done…I don't think I could ever tell you."
"No." he shook his head. "No…not yet…Please…stay a while…at least? Then…" He took a deep breath. "Then if you must leave I will not stand in your way." It was with great pain that he said those words, I could tell. I hated hurting him…but…it just simply would not work out…not with everything that had happened. I could not forget. I did not even know if I could let him love me in a physical way. "I will take you there…when you have to go…but I cannot leave my people."
"I know, Legolas." I reached over and touched his cheek this time, wiping away a tear that was trickling down it.
"Bestow upon me a year…" he looked at me. "One … out of all the ages. That's all I ask of you….and I will ask no more. Let me take care of you…make you happy again…Let me…be with you."
We looked at eachother then and I knew it was killing him to agree to let me go. He'd spent the last 15 years looking for me. I relented and smiled softly and nodded. "You shall have it." And he kissed the palm of my hand. "But I make no guarantees of what you shall have from me."
"I love you. All I want…is for you to be with me." The Prince assured me…and I knew that he did. No one who loved another so well as he…would agree to such terms as I had laid before him.
Frodo's eyes fluttered open a little, when he witness Legolas kissing my hand his lips curved into a smile. "May I…May I have something to drink please?" he begged softly.
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