CHAPTER 23
SURVIVING TOGETHER
Dawn. The light of the new day rose from the east, filtering though the lush vegetation of the forest surrounding them. Legolas stayed still and quiet, contemplating with amazement the spectacle that was the birth of the new day. The light of the young sun reflected on the myriads of water drops still hanging from the trees above, causing them to appear as tiny diamonds, shining all around him.
He smiled at the innocent beauty of nature. A small miracle such as the one he was observing seemed to be immense then, and made him reflect about the great complexity of creation, about the abysmal and infinitesimal power and detail behind the fashion and design of such a vision. It had been so long since he had been in close contact with nature, and right then he realized how much he had missed it.
He inhaled deeply, taking in all the amazing scents that a new day brings; fresh, warm, musky, sweet; they all mingled together and formed the real scent of a forest, one that he had learned to recognize and love along the years.
The angel in his arms still slept and he was glad, for that way he could marvel in both serene beauties, her blissful expression as she slept peacefully; and the perfect nature around her. He broadened his smile, thinking that if he had a choice, he would stay there contemplating her forever, marveling century after century on the perfect image in front of him. A low growl coming from her tummy awoke him from his musings. His lady was hungry, and to be honest, so was he. A louder sound from her belly made him giggle with amusement. - "So, I see you are demanding food at once" - he whispered at her - "I shall bring you breakfast to the bed my Lady." He carefully disentangled himself from her embrace and sat up on the ground beside her.
.............................
The warmth comfort that enveloped her suddenly disappeared. She groaned; it was a sensation she knew all too well. Being a first-class sleepyhead, she had experienced the same feeling many times before, and she never liked it. Before opening her eyes, he opened her mouth in protest - " Estel it is still early, please stay with me for while."
He froze, suddenly finding himself disturbed by her confusion. How could she think he was Aragorn? A spark of anger flashed inside of him; no, it wasn't anger; it was frustration, mixed with a bit of jealousy. He turned his back to her, hoping that she wouldn't see how upset he was.
When she didn't get the response she expected, she finally opened her eyes and saw a perfectly muscled back and a golden mane right in front of her; that was definitely not Aragorn. Realizing her mistake, she felt terribly embarrassed.
"Legolas, I.I thought.I am so."
He saved them both from the awkward moment. Without turning around he swallowed his frustration, stood up and calmly cut her nervous apology. - "Good morning Arwen, did you rest well?"
She hesitated for a moment before answering - "Good morning, I did sleep very well; Legolas I ."
He cut her off again - "I am glad. Look, I am going to explore the surroundings to see if I can find something to eat; you can stay here and sleep a little longer if you want, it won't take long and I promise that I won't go far. Is that all right?"
"Sure, I can use some breakfast" - she said now more relieved.
"Indeed" - he said - "I'll be right back" - and with that he started to walk into the forest.
"Legolas" - she called.
He stopped but didn't turn around - "Yes"
"Thank you"
"Sure"
..........................
As he walked through the forest he started to feel sympathy for her. He realized that she had been sleeping with the same man for decades now; and not any man, but her rightful husband; off course she was accustomed to wake up by his side.
"I am such an idiot. How can I feel jealous?" - he said to himself while slapping his forehead. - " Oh well! Right now what matters is to find something to eat, I just hope she didn't notice"
He kept on walking silently, his eyes wide open and listening to the sounds of the forest; searching for something, anything good enough to eat. A throaty caw coming from the bushes to his left made him stop. - "Well what do we have here? - He wondered, while turning around to better listen to the sound. Another caw left no doubt in him; now he knew that it was a wild goose, a female, and probably nesting.
He smiled mischievously - "Goody, I am in the mood for a little protein."
He sneaked closer to the nest and pushed away some branches, finding a very upset mama Goose guarding the coveted eggs. As he was about to ransack the poor goose's nest, an obvious fact came to his mind. - "Wait a minute! What is a wild goose doing nesting here in the middle of a forest?. If I know something about geese there should be."
He straightened, lifted up his head and sniffed the air, searching for a familiar scent, which he eventually found - "Aha!" - he shouted, startling the already puffed up goose; then he started running towards the source of the scent. He ran up a soft hill, gracefully dodging the bushes and rocks on the natural path, and as he reached the top, the view of a gorgeous landscape opened up for him to contemplate.
It was a small lake, nestled between tree-lined hills. The crystalline water reflected the clear sky above and the snowy peaks that rose north from there.
He spotted some wild berry bushes scattered at the shores of the lake below and smiled, proud of himself. - "I knew it!" - he said cockily - "Wild geese always nest near large bodies of water. That little friend showed me the exact way to it and for that I will spare her eggs. But I bet it is nesting season, lets see if her friends left a few eggs laying around for me" - And with that, he patiently walked down the hill towards the lake.
..............................
She stretched lazily on the ground for a while before getting up, thinking about what she had done. For some reason she still felt bad for calling him Estel, but what was she to do? She missed her husband so much. A cold emptiness overcame her stomach as she thought about him. She didn't know where he was or how he was. She couldn't even tell if he was alive, for the connection with him disappeared ever since the fatidic attack. She searched for him with all her spirit, concentrating in his presence, but she quickly gave up; she felt so far away from everything in the world, her home, her family., him. A single tear fell from her eyes, What if he was dead? She couldn't even say goodbye to him.
She pushed the thought aside, for it was too painful to bear - " No! You are not death, I won't accept it" - she shouted to the wind, expecting a response that never came. - "I will see you again Aragorn, I know I will." - she whispered with calmed conviction, while sitting up to face the new day.
A mild pinch on her leg reminded her of her wounds, so she proceeded to examine her legs and shoulder. To her own surprise and amusement, the wounds were almost mended already; the swell was gone and so was the infection, and the scars left were almost invisible. She stretched her legs and touched the wounds, testing them; they still hurt a little when she touched them, but not enough to keep her from standing up. She carefully rose to her feet, and feeling fit enough to walk she took a few hesitating steps.
.......................
He ran through the forest merrily, thinking of how good things were turning out. The frustration he felt earlier was gone, erased by all his happy findings and achievements. He remembered exactly where he had left Arwen, and there was where he was going. When he finally found the place, he was surprised to find that she wasn't there. He stopped right where he had left her and saw the slight print that her body left in the moss, but not a sign of her. For a split second he panicked, but then he saw her footprints on the ground and knew that she had walked away by herself and that she was certainly not in danger; he sighed relieved and wondered about where she was.
Quickly and silently, he followed the track among the trees until he reached a small clearing; there, he found her. She was sitting on a sun- bathed rock in the middle of the clearing, humming a soft melody he had never heard before, and combing her shiny hair with her fingers. His breath caught in his throat at the sight; he unconsciously leant against a sturdy tree and contemplated her for endless minutes, marveling at a beauty he'd forgotten she possessed. She looked peaceful, serene and timeless; as if she had been sitting on that rock for centuries.
She felt his presence and turned around, startling him with her voice - "Legolas? You are back. What are you doing standing there?" - she asked puzzled. Legolas straightened and almost fell forward as he was running to her side.
"Ehh. Nothing! . Well, I was watching you, you look unbelievably beautiful today" - he heard himself say upon reaching her side.
"Well, thank you Legolas" - she said blushing slightly - "Oh! Look at me blushing, you just made me feel like a school girl."
"It is just that you look truly splendid; I've never seen you so radiant; I."
She cut him off - "Oh stop! You are giving me a big head, besides, I know I don't look like I use to, mortality has taken much from me and I've looked myself in a mirror you know." - her last words had an accent of sadness, and Legolas could swear that there was even sorrow in them.
"Well, I have to admit that you look different, but I must say that that you've never looked so beautiful in your life" - his soft words made her blush furiously.
"Alright, that is enough! Weren't you supposed to be looking for breakfast?"
Legolas face brightened - "Right! I totally forgot, you have to come with me, I found the most amazing place." - he said cheerfully, while he helped her to stand and started dragging her through the forest. She was amused to see him so excited, but he was dragging her a little bit too fast.
"Legolas slow down! What is the matter with you?"
"Nothing. You are going to love this place. Hurry up!" - he quickened his pace.
"Legolas, I can't go faster, my leg still hurts." - He stopped immediately and as he turned around, she noticed how his face had dropped; his voice sounded concerned and ashamed as he apologized. - "I am so sorry Arwen, I completely forgot about your wounds. Let me check you now."
She interrupted - "No, no; don't worry! I am alright."
He looked at her skeptically, his face contorted by concern
"Legolas for heaven's sake cheer up! I am alright. see" - she said while showing him her shoulder. He grabbed her by the arm and, carefully but firmly, pulled her closer to him to examine the wound. It was then that she noted how he looked very clean and tidy; his hair was clean and shiny; he had braided a few strands and it rested neatly over his shoulders; she also noted that he smelled very nice and fresh, like a combination of aromatic herbs - "mmm, you smell nice, what have you been doing? What are you up to?" - But he was to busy to respond; as he examined her wound he found out that it was indeed mended, not swollen or infected anymore. He smiled at her knowingly, but she noted that his smile suddenly became a devious smirk; and without warning or notice, he took her in his arms and launched off running.
She wailed and groaned in protest for the sudden outburst, but her complaints quickly became laughs and chirps of delight as he carried her effortlessly through the forest. She marveled in his strength and his enthusiasm, for he had a boyish grin all over his face as he ran to a destination unknown to her. She let out a startled cry as he quickly jumped a fallen tree and upon landing on the other side, took off running again.
"Gee up Asfaloth! Noro Lim!" - she shouted mockingly, but he didn't mind; he sped up until she was screaming in a very high-pitched tone, bouncing up and down in his arms.
"Legolas stop, I am getting dizzy!" - she managed to chirp between laughs, her eyes tightly shut. She didn't realize that they had reached the top of a soft hill, and so she didn't expect him to actually stop; but then she noticed that their joyful ride was over and that they'd stopped moving. She slowly opened her eyes to find his handsome face looking down at her, a sincere smile gracing his already lovely features, and she smiled back. Then, when she saw him lifting up his eyes to gaze at the horizon, she did the same and found the reason for his enthusiasm.
It was a lake, small and secluded, surrounded by all kinds of trees and bushes, some covered with fruits, and some covered with colorful flowers. The blue sky above reflected in its crystalline water; and every cloud above found it's perfect reflection on the glassy mirror below. She gasped in awe, for decades had passed since she had seen something remotely similar to this place.
"It looks like the lake in Lasgalen, the one we used to play in" - she said, memories flooding her mind. - "How did you find it?"
"Well, let's just say that a bird told me"
...........................
They came down the hill to a rock formation at the lakeshore. There, on a flat rock was a selection of berries, roots and a couple of eggs carefully arranged on big leaves. Around the food there were all kinds of herbs and flowers tied up together with fine reeds, forming aromatic bundles that emitted various aromas, all inviting and alluring. Arwen was astonished.
"You did all this?"
"Yes, off course; remember that I am a wood elf, we are quite skillful in this sort of business, aren't we?"
"I am very impressed" - she responded, while lifting up one of the herbal bundles to her nose - "So this is why you smelled so nice"
"Oh, you noticed?"
"Off course, and I also noticed that you fixed your hair and cleaned your self. I must say you look great"
"Thank you, I didn't think you'd notice; but on second thoughts, it had been a while since I cleaned myself conscientiously, I probably smelled like a death rat before" - he shuddered at the thought..
She laughed willingly at his expression, lifting up her face to the sky - "Death rat? No! Maybe like a rat, but not death."
He frowned - "Well that is encouraging, specially since you were pressing yourself so enthusiastically against my rat-smelling body last night"
"Hey! I was cold"
"Excuses, excuses."
"HEY!" - she proceeded to slap his arms and chest, leaving red marks all over his pale skin.
"Alright, alright!! I am sorry" - he said while grabbing her by the wrists - "Now would you like to clean yourself first or would you prefer to eat now"
She gave it little thought - "clean, definitely clean, I desperately need a good bath"
"Alright then, grab one of those herb things and go wash yourself, I'll go into the forest to get some dry wood to lit up a fire later; and don't worry, I'll sing so you know where I am." - and with that he turned around and walked into the forest, singing an old lullaby tune with clear voice.
"Legolas" - she called.
"Yes"
"Thank you"
"What ever for?"
"Just, thank you"
"Sure"
.................................
Was that too boring? Too long?
I am sorry if it was, is just that I needed sort of an light interlude to continue the plot. I think that this was necessary for the development of the story.
Well, next chapter will be better, I promise.
Remember to review.
SURVIVING TOGETHER
Dawn. The light of the new day rose from the east, filtering though the lush vegetation of the forest surrounding them. Legolas stayed still and quiet, contemplating with amazement the spectacle that was the birth of the new day. The light of the young sun reflected on the myriads of water drops still hanging from the trees above, causing them to appear as tiny diamonds, shining all around him.
He smiled at the innocent beauty of nature. A small miracle such as the one he was observing seemed to be immense then, and made him reflect about the great complexity of creation, about the abysmal and infinitesimal power and detail behind the fashion and design of such a vision. It had been so long since he had been in close contact with nature, and right then he realized how much he had missed it.
He inhaled deeply, taking in all the amazing scents that a new day brings; fresh, warm, musky, sweet; they all mingled together and formed the real scent of a forest, one that he had learned to recognize and love along the years.
The angel in his arms still slept and he was glad, for that way he could marvel in both serene beauties, her blissful expression as she slept peacefully; and the perfect nature around her. He broadened his smile, thinking that if he had a choice, he would stay there contemplating her forever, marveling century after century on the perfect image in front of him. A low growl coming from her tummy awoke him from his musings. His lady was hungry, and to be honest, so was he. A louder sound from her belly made him giggle with amusement. - "So, I see you are demanding food at once" - he whispered at her - "I shall bring you breakfast to the bed my Lady." He carefully disentangled himself from her embrace and sat up on the ground beside her.
.............................
The warmth comfort that enveloped her suddenly disappeared. She groaned; it was a sensation she knew all too well. Being a first-class sleepyhead, she had experienced the same feeling many times before, and she never liked it. Before opening her eyes, he opened her mouth in protest - " Estel it is still early, please stay with me for while."
He froze, suddenly finding himself disturbed by her confusion. How could she think he was Aragorn? A spark of anger flashed inside of him; no, it wasn't anger; it was frustration, mixed with a bit of jealousy. He turned his back to her, hoping that she wouldn't see how upset he was.
When she didn't get the response she expected, she finally opened her eyes and saw a perfectly muscled back and a golden mane right in front of her; that was definitely not Aragorn. Realizing her mistake, she felt terribly embarrassed.
"Legolas, I.I thought.I am so."
He saved them both from the awkward moment. Without turning around he swallowed his frustration, stood up and calmly cut her nervous apology. - "Good morning Arwen, did you rest well?"
She hesitated for a moment before answering - "Good morning, I did sleep very well; Legolas I ."
He cut her off again - "I am glad. Look, I am going to explore the surroundings to see if I can find something to eat; you can stay here and sleep a little longer if you want, it won't take long and I promise that I won't go far. Is that all right?"
"Sure, I can use some breakfast" - she said now more relieved.
"Indeed" - he said - "I'll be right back" - and with that he started to walk into the forest.
"Legolas" - she called.
He stopped but didn't turn around - "Yes"
"Thank you"
"Sure"
..........................
As he walked through the forest he started to feel sympathy for her. He realized that she had been sleeping with the same man for decades now; and not any man, but her rightful husband; off course she was accustomed to wake up by his side.
"I am such an idiot. How can I feel jealous?" - he said to himself while slapping his forehead. - " Oh well! Right now what matters is to find something to eat, I just hope she didn't notice"
He kept on walking silently, his eyes wide open and listening to the sounds of the forest; searching for something, anything good enough to eat. A throaty caw coming from the bushes to his left made him stop. - "Well what do we have here? - He wondered, while turning around to better listen to the sound. Another caw left no doubt in him; now he knew that it was a wild goose, a female, and probably nesting.
He smiled mischievously - "Goody, I am in the mood for a little protein."
He sneaked closer to the nest and pushed away some branches, finding a very upset mama Goose guarding the coveted eggs. As he was about to ransack the poor goose's nest, an obvious fact came to his mind. - "Wait a minute! What is a wild goose doing nesting here in the middle of a forest?. If I know something about geese there should be."
He straightened, lifted up his head and sniffed the air, searching for a familiar scent, which he eventually found - "Aha!" - he shouted, startling the already puffed up goose; then he started running towards the source of the scent. He ran up a soft hill, gracefully dodging the bushes and rocks on the natural path, and as he reached the top, the view of a gorgeous landscape opened up for him to contemplate.
It was a small lake, nestled between tree-lined hills. The crystalline water reflected the clear sky above and the snowy peaks that rose north from there.
He spotted some wild berry bushes scattered at the shores of the lake below and smiled, proud of himself. - "I knew it!" - he said cockily - "Wild geese always nest near large bodies of water. That little friend showed me the exact way to it and for that I will spare her eggs. But I bet it is nesting season, lets see if her friends left a few eggs laying around for me" - And with that, he patiently walked down the hill towards the lake.
..............................
She stretched lazily on the ground for a while before getting up, thinking about what she had done. For some reason she still felt bad for calling him Estel, but what was she to do? She missed her husband so much. A cold emptiness overcame her stomach as she thought about him. She didn't know where he was or how he was. She couldn't even tell if he was alive, for the connection with him disappeared ever since the fatidic attack. She searched for him with all her spirit, concentrating in his presence, but she quickly gave up; she felt so far away from everything in the world, her home, her family., him. A single tear fell from her eyes, What if he was dead? She couldn't even say goodbye to him.
She pushed the thought aside, for it was too painful to bear - " No! You are not death, I won't accept it" - she shouted to the wind, expecting a response that never came. - "I will see you again Aragorn, I know I will." - she whispered with calmed conviction, while sitting up to face the new day.
A mild pinch on her leg reminded her of her wounds, so she proceeded to examine her legs and shoulder. To her own surprise and amusement, the wounds were almost mended already; the swell was gone and so was the infection, and the scars left were almost invisible. She stretched her legs and touched the wounds, testing them; they still hurt a little when she touched them, but not enough to keep her from standing up. She carefully rose to her feet, and feeling fit enough to walk she took a few hesitating steps.
.......................
He ran through the forest merrily, thinking of how good things were turning out. The frustration he felt earlier was gone, erased by all his happy findings and achievements. He remembered exactly where he had left Arwen, and there was where he was going. When he finally found the place, he was surprised to find that she wasn't there. He stopped right where he had left her and saw the slight print that her body left in the moss, but not a sign of her. For a split second he panicked, but then he saw her footprints on the ground and knew that she had walked away by herself and that she was certainly not in danger; he sighed relieved and wondered about where she was.
Quickly and silently, he followed the track among the trees until he reached a small clearing; there, he found her. She was sitting on a sun- bathed rock in the middle of the clearing, humming a soft melody he had never heard before, and combing her shiny hair with her fingers. His breath caught in his throat at the sight; he unconsciously leant against a sturdy tree and contemplated her for endless minutes, marveling at a beauty he'd forgotten she possessed. She looked peaceful, serene and timeless; as if she had been sitting on that rock for centuries.
She felt his presence and turned around, startling him with her voice - "Legolas? You are back. What are you doing standing there?" - she asked puzzled. Legolas straightened and almost fell forward as he was running to her side.
"Ehh. Nothing! . Well, I was watching you, you look unbelievably beautiful today" - he heard himself say upon reaching her side.
"Well, thank you Legolas" - she said blushing slightly - "Oh! Look at me blushing, you just made me feel like a school girl."
"It is just that you look truly splendid; I've never seen you so radiant; I."
She cut him off - "Oh stop! You are giving me a big head, besides, I know I don't look like I use to, mortality has taken much from me and I've looked myself in a mirror you know." - her last words had an accent of sadness, and Legolas could swear that there was even sorrow in them.
"Well, I have to admit that you look different, but I must say that that you've never looked so beautiful in your life" - his soft words made her blush furiously.
"Alright, that is enough! Weren't you supposed to be looking for breakfast?"
Legolas face brightened - "Right! I totally forgot, you have to come with me, I found the most amazing place." - he said cheerfully, while he helped her to stand and started dragging her through the forest. She was amused to see him so excited, but he was dragging her a little bit too fast.
"Legolas slow down! What is the matter with you?"
"Nothing. You are going to love this place. Hurry up!" - he quickened his pace.
"Legolas, I can't go faster, my leg still hurts." - He stopped immediately and as he turned around, she noticed how his face had dropped; his voice sounded concerned and ashamed as he apologized. - "I am so sorry Arwen, I completely forgot about your wounds. Let me check you now."
She interrupted - "No, no; don't worry! I am alright."
He looked at her skeptically, his face contorted by concern
"Legolas for heaven's sake cheer up! I am alright. see" - she said while showing him her shoulder. He grabbed her by the arm and, carefully but firmly, pulled her closer to him to examine the wound. It was then that she noted how he looked very clean and tidy; his hair was clean and shiny; he had braided a few strands and it rested neatly over his shoulders; she also noted that he smelled very nice and fresh, like a combination of aromatic herbs - "mmm, you smell nice, what have you been doing? What are you up to?" - But he was to busy to respond; as he examined her wound he found out that it was indeed mended, not swollen or infected anymore. He smiled at her knowingly, but she noted that his smile suddenly became a devious smirk; and without warning or notice, he took her in his arms and launched off running.
She wailed and groaned in protest for the sudden outburst, but her complaints quickly became laughs and chirps of delight as he carried her effortlessly through the forest. She marveled in his strength and his enthusiasm, for he had a boyish grin all over his face as he ran to a destination unknown to her. She let out a startled cry as he quickly jumped a fallen tree and upon landing on the other side, took off running again.
"Gee up Asfaloth! Noro Lim!" - she shouted mockingly, but he didn't mind; he sped up until she was screaming in a very high-pitched tone, bouncing up and down in his arms.
"Legolas stop, I am getting dizzy!" - she managed to chirp between laughs, her eyes tightly shut. She didn't realize that they had reached the top of a soft hill, and so she didn't expect him to actually stop; but then she noticed that their joyful ride was over and that they'd stopped moving. She slowly opened her eyes to find his handsome face looking down at her, a sincere smile gracing his already lovely features, and she smiled back. Then, when she saw him lifting up his eyes to gaze at the horizon, she did the same and found the reason for his enthusiasm.
It was a lake, small and secluded, surrounded by all kinds of trees and bushes, some covered with fruits, and some covered with colorful flowers. The blue sky above reflected in its crystalline water; and every cloud above found it's perfect reflection on the glassy mirror below. She gasped in awe, for decades had passed since she had seen something remotely similar to this place.
"It looks like the lake in Lasgalen, the one we used to play in" - she said, memories flooding her mind. - "How did you find it?"
"Well, let's just say that a bird told me"
...........................
They came down the hill to a rock formation at the lakeshore. There, on a flat rock was a selection of berries, roots and a couple of eggs carefully arranged on big leaves. Around the food there were all kinds of herbs and flowers tied up together with fine reeds, forming aromatic bundles that emitted various aromas, all inviting and alluring. Arwen was astonished.
"You did all this?"
"Yes, off course; remember that I am a wood elf, we are quite skillful in this sort of business, aren't we?"
"I am very impressed" - she responded, while lifting up one of the herbal bundles to her nose - "So this is why you smelled so nice"
"Oh, you noticed?"
"Off course, and I also noticed that you fixed your hair and cleaned your self. I must say you look great"
"Thank you, I didn't think you'd notice; but on second thoughts, it had been a while since I cleaned myself conscientiously, I probably smelled like a death rat before" - he shuddered at the thought..
She laughed willingly at his expression, lifting up her face to the sky - "Death rat? No! Maybe like a rat, but not death."
He frowned - "Well that is encouraging, specially since you were pressing yourself so enthusiastically against my rat-smelling body last night"
"Hey! I was cold"
"Excuses, excuses."
"HEY!" - she proceeded to slap his arms and chest, leaving red marks all over his pale skin.
"Alright, alright!! I am sorry" - he said while grabbing her by the wrists - "Now would you like to clean yourself first or would you prefer to eat now"
She gave it little thought - "clean, definitely clean, I desperately need a good bath"
"Alright then, grab one of those herb things and go wash yourself, I'll go into the forest to get some dry wood to lit up a fire later; and don't worry, I'll sing so you know where I am." - and with that he turned around and walked into the forest, singing an old lullaby tune with clear voice.
"Legolas" - she called.
"Yes"
"Thank you"
"What ever for?"
"Just, thank you"
"Sure"
.................................
Was that too boring? Too long?
I am sorry if it was, is just that I needed sort of an light interlude to continue the plot. I think that this was necessary for the development of the story.
Well, next chapter will be better, I promise.
Remember to review.