A/N: Cool! I never believed I'd get as many reviews as this. I'm so
grateful you have no idea. I thought I'd get loads of flames saying 'this
is awful' or 'Alwyn is a mary-sue' and things like that - so thank you so
much for being nice! Please keep reading, I beg you!
Part 18 - Back Home To Rivendell
Alwyn stood on her bedroom balcony in the pattering rain with a half-smile on her face. She gazed out over the Mirkwood palace grounds, at the rippling lake, the dripping trees and the rolling hills. Her hair hung long, black and soaking, framing her porcelain white face and contrasting with her icy blue eyes. She didn't care about the rain, however. Today she was going home, back to Rivendell, and she was both delighted and miserable at the same time.
Over the last month Legolas had become almost a friend to her, helping her cope with the problems Dantir had caused, and supporting her when she needed it the most. Alwyn blushed with shame when she recalled what she had said to him in the library of Rivendell almost half a year ago.
"I would not marry you if you were the last elf on Middle Earth..." the words swam around in her head. Her mind went back to the night before, Legolas had said something odd. She had obviously said something to her in the midst of all the pain and fever, but she couldn't for the life of her figure out what it was. It had meant something to him, obviously, because otherwise he wouldn't have mentioned it...
Alwyn pushed the thoughts from her head and went back inside to dry off and get ready for the journey home. She grabbed a large towel and rubbed her hair dry, then pulled on some boots and a hooded cloak. Ten minutes later, she was just going to leave the room when someone knocked on it. Alwyn opened it, and there stood Aribeth. Her elbow-length brown hair hung in soft waves and her large doe-like eyes were fixed on Alwyn.
"Alwyn, I was wondering if we could talk?" she said, looking past Alwyn into the room. "If you're not busy?"
"No, of course, I was about to leave...but come in," Alwyn replied, and they sat on her bed. Aribeth twirled a lock of hair around one finger nervously.
"I wanted to say I feel terrible for you...about Dantir and everything," Aribeth said.
Alwyn smiled. "It's not your fault. Legolas was the one to blame really," Alwyn laughed, "I hinted to him but he was just too wool-headed to realise what was going on!"
Aribeth stared at Alwyn, and then stood up and moved closer to her. "I know he cares about you very much," she said, and Alwyn just sat, her eyes slightly wide. "But..." Aribeth's voice became a whisper. "Does he love you?"
Alwyn's cheeks turned a tiny bit pink. "...Wouldn't it be more prudent to ask him that? If you dare ask it at all." Her voice was quite hard. Aribeth blushed and took a step backwards.
"I...I'm sorry," she muttered, and then someone pushed open Alwyn's door. Legolas stepped into the room and looked at the two women with a smile.
"Hello you two!" he said cheerfully, and they both stared at him.
"I shant bother you any longer," said Aribeth, and she pushed past Legolas and walked out. Legolas tried to go after her but she darted away and he came back into Alwyn's room.
"What did she want?"
"She...she wanted to be sure..." Alwyn said hesitantly.
"She wanted to be sure you were alright?" Legolas questioned.
Alwyn paused. "Yes, I suppose so," she said quietly, and Legolas stopped to look at her. Alwyn's bottom lip quivered a little and then she, too, walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her and hurrying off down the corridor.
***
Alwyn was standing outside the palace doors when Legolas found her. Her carraige waited at the bottom of the steps and her luggage was being loaded onto it. Alwyn jumped slightly when Legolas put a hand on her shoulder, and she took a step away from him.
"You are leaving?" he said, pained.
Alwyn nodded. "I could not stay. Things are too...complicated. Avardo is Prince now, and Elrond will not want to be left alone."
"So, you heard about it?" Legolas said.
"The engagement? Yes. I thought he would never ask her!" she added with a smile. Then her face became grim. "Legolas?"
"Yes, Alwyn?"
"I just wanted to say, thank you for...for supporting me during...that time. I am very grateful." Legolas dipped his head and smiled slightly. "Stay here with...with Aribeth," she said, and smiled. Legolas frowned a little and took a step towards her.
"Alwyn, you don't...you don't think I love her do you?" he asked, and Alwyn gave a nervous laugh.
"Of course you do, Legolas, I see it daily. It is plain for all to comprehend."
Legolas' eyes widened a little, but then he shook his head once. "I do not know what to make of my feelings at this moment in time," he said, and gave Alwyn one last, penetrating stare. "Will I ever see you again?"
"It is unlikely, Legolas. Goodbye," Alwyn said and hurried down the steps. She got into the carraige and called for the driver to leave. She could feel the Prince's eyes on her back, but she didn't turn around.
Part 18 - Back Home To Rivendell
Alwyn stood on her bedroom balcony in the pattering rain with a half-smile on her face. She gazed out over the Mirkwood palace grounds, at the rippling lake, the dripping trees and the rolling hills. Her hair hung long, black and soaking, framing her porcelain white face and contrasting with her icy blue eyes. She didn't care about the rain, however. Today she was going home, back to Rivendell, and she was both delighted and miserable at the same time.
Over the last month Legolas had become almost a friend to her, helping her cope with the problems Dantir had caused, and supporting her when she needed it the most. Alwyn blushed with shame when she recalled what she had said to him in the library of Rivendell almost half a year ago.
"I would not marry you if you were the last elf on Middle Earth..." the words swam around in her head. Her mind went back to the night before, Legolas had said something odd. She had obviously said something to her in the midst of all the pain and fever, but she couldn't for the life of her figure out what it was. It had meant something to him, obviously, because otherwise he wouldn't have mentioned it...
Alwyn pushed the thoughts from her head and went back inside to dry off and get ready for the journey home. She grabbed a large towel and rubbed her hair dry, then pulled on some boots and a hooded cloak. Ten minutes later, she was just going to leave the room when someone knocked on it. Alwyn opened it, and there stood Aribeth. Her elbow-length brown hair hung in soft waves and her large doe-like eyes were fixed on Alwyn.
"Alwyn, I was wondering if we could talk?" she said, looking past Alwyn into the room. "If you're not busy?"
"No, of course, I was about to leave...but come in," Alwyn replied, and they sat on her bed. Aribeth twirled a lock of hair around one finger nervously.
"I wanted to say I feel terrible for you...about Dantir and everything," Aribeth said.
Alwyn smiled. "It's not your fault. Legolas was the one to blame really," Alwyn laughed, "I hinted to him but he was just too wool-headed to realise what was going on!"
Aribeth stared at Alwyn, and then stood up and moved closer to her. "I know he cares about you very much," she said, and Alwyn just sat, her eyes slightly wide. "But..." Aribeth's voice became a whisper. "Does he love you?"
Alwyn's cheeks turned a tiny bit pink. "...Wouldn't it be more prudent to ask him that? If you dare ask it at all." Her voice was quite hard. Aribeth blushed and took a step backwards.
"I...I'm sorry," she muttered, and then someone pushed open Alwyn's door. Legolas stepped into the room and looked at the two women with a smile.
"Hello you two!" he said cheerfully, and they both stared at him.
"I shant bother you any longer," said Aribeth, and she pushed past Legolas and walked out. Legolas tried to go after her but she darted away and he came back into Alwyn's room.
"What did she want?"
"She...she wanted to be sure..." Alwyn said hesitantly.
"She wanted to be sure you were alright?" Legolas questioned.
Alwyn paused. "Yes, I suppose so," she said quietly, and Legolas stopped to look at her. Alwyn's bottom lip quivered a little and then she, too, walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her and hurrying off down the corridor.
***
Alwyn was standing outside the palace doors when Legolas found her. Her carraige waited at the bottom of the steps and her luggage was being loaded onto it. Alwyn jumped slightly when Legolas put a hand on her shoulder, and she took a step away from him.
"You are leaving?" he said, pained.
Alwyn nodded. "I could not stay. Things are too...complicated. Avardo is Prince now, and Elrond will not want to be left alone."
"So, you heard about it?" Legolas said.
"The engagement? Yes. I thought he would never ask her!" she added with a smile. Then her face became grim. "Legolas?"
"Yes, Alwyn?"
"I just wanted to say, thank you for...for supporting me during...that time. I am very grateful." Legolas dipped his head and smiled slightly. "Stay here with...with Aribeth," she said, and smiled. Legolas frowned a little and took a step towards her.
"Alwyn, you don't...you don't think I love her do you?" he asked, and Alwyn gave a nervous laugh.
"Of course you do, Legolas, I see it daily. It is plain for all to comprehend."
Legolas' eyes widened a little, but then he shook his head once. "I do not know what to make of my feelings at this moment in time," he said, and gave Alwyn one last, penetrating stare. "Will I ever see you again?"
"It is unlikely, Legolas. Goodbye," Alwyn said and hurried down the steps. She got into the carraige and called for the driver to leave. She could feel the Prince's eyes on her back, but she didn't turn around.