Legolas knelt beside Aniarel, afraid to touch her for fear she might break.
Galadriel had told him that only he could wake her, but he didn't know
where to begin. It was early, before dawn. He had been sitting in the same
place all night, talking softly to the sleeping form. The night watch had
given him plenty of space, trying to ignore the quiet pleading and the sobs
that wracked his body. The girl sighed in her sleep, and turned over, a
single tear leaking out from under her closed eyelids. He couldn't bear to
see her unhappy. Before he could stop himself, Legolas leant over and
brushed the tear away.
As his hand touched her cheek, she stirred. Legolas stared at his hand, wondering what it was he had done. He touched her hand, resting against her stomach. She made a girlish sound in her throat, turning her head towards him. Gripping her hand gently, Legolas cupped her cheek with his free hand, hope written clearly on his handsome face. Aniarel's eyes fluttered, her fingers squeezed his lightly.
Slowly she woke, gazing about her with wonder. When her eyes came to rest on Legolas, she gave a small cry of joy, sitting up to wrap her arms about him. He held her tight, hardly daring to believe that it had happened. Pulling back slightly, he brushed her hair from her face, gazing into her green eyes. Their tears mingled as she pressed her lips to his, falling into his embrace.
Suddenly a loud voice broke the quiet.
'Lady? Lady is awake!' Graac shouted, waking the others.
Gimli growled at the ecstatic goblin who paid him no mind, glad to see Aniarel awake. Amid the good-natured grumbling and laughing that accompanied their friends' awakening, Galadriel drew Aniarel to her, clearing her mind of the pain she had endured over the past weeks. The girl nestled into her arms, glad to be back among friends. She returned to Legolas' side, wrapping her arm about his waist.
'Look!' Haldir said, pointing to the East. 'The sun is rising.'
As they watched the sun rise, silhouetting the fort that had been her home for so long, Aniarel laid her head against Legolas' chest, hoping that, this time, they would stay together for eternity.
*~*~*
What do you think? Be honest, I'll know if you're lying! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed me, your names escape me but you have kept me on the straight and narrow all the while. I hope you like the ending!
Love to all, Ildera
As his hand touched her cheek, she stirred. Legolas stared at his hand, wondering what it was he had done. He touched her hand, resting against her stomach. She made a girlish sound in her throat, turning her head towards him. Gripping her hand gently, Legolas cupped her cheek with his free hand, hope written clearly on his handsome face. Aniarel's eyes fluttered, her fingers squeezed his lightly.
Slowly she woke, gazing about her with wonder. When her eyes came to rest on Legolas, she gave a small cry of joy, sitting up to wrap her arms about him. He held her tight, hardly daring to believe that it had happened. Pulling back slightly, he brushed her hair from her face, gazing into her green eyes. Their tears mingled as she pressed her lips to his, falling into his embrace.
Suddenly a loud voice broke the quiet.
'Lady? Lady is awake!' Graac shouted, waking the others.
Gimli growled at the ecstatic goblin who paid him no mind, glad to see Aniarel awake. Amid the good-natured grumbling and laughing that accompanied their friends' awakening, Galadriel drew Aniarel to her, clearing her mind of the pain she had endured over the past weeks. The girl nestled into her arms, glad to be back among friends. She returned to Legolas' side, wrapping her arm about his waist.
'Look!' Haldir said, pointing to the East. 'The sun is rising.'
As they watched the sun rise, silhouetting the fort that had been her home for so long, Aniarel laid her head against Legolas' chest, hoping that, this time, they would stay together for eternity.
*~*~*
What do you think? Be honest, I'll know if you're lying! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed me, your names escape me but you have kept me on the straight and narrow all the while. I hope you like the ending!
Love to all, Ildera