DISCLAIMER: Same as before. You know what's mine and what isn't.
A/N: There seems to be some concern over the name of my main character. Never fear, it will be explained in time.
***
The tall, fair haired man stepped forward, gently brushing a lock of hair that had fallen into her face away from it. His touch sent shivers down her spine, and she found herself yearning for more of it. His lips looked so soft and inviting. Suddenly, there was a loud knocking sound. Waves of sound seemed to take over her vision of the lovely creature before her, until eventually, all was black once again, and she was left feeling very cold.
Zuri found herself with her head on her arm, which was draped over journal that she had kept for centuries now. She must have fallen asleep there not long before. She sat up straight, noting that there was indeed a loud knocking on the other side of her chamber doors. Wondering who could possibly knocking so urgently, she moved quickly toward them. She had barely opened them when Aragorn practically leapt through them, stumbling a bit on his landing.
"Estel!" She cried, throwing her arms around the man that she had missed so.
"Zuri! My Sister," He exclaimed, hugging her close to him.
She pulled away then, wiping at the tears in her eyes with the back of her hand. Holding at him at arms length, she carefully examined him.
"Well, you seem to have been returned to me in one peace, Estel. And for that, I am eternally grateful. I must thank the rest of your party for returning my Brother to me at last."
Aragorn smiled at Zuri, though he noticed the sadness in her now glistening green eyes. He placed a hand to her cheek.
"Zuri, was is it that troubles you so?"
"Why, Estel, what would make you think anything wrong?" She asked, looking away slightly.
"It is your eyes, my Riva [my dreamer]. They give you away, as they always have."
She laughed slightly, "I assure you it is nothing to worry about. Especially on such a joyous occasion. Now tell me, have you spoken to your Evenstar yet? She eagerly awaits the ball tonight, so that she may dance in your arms yet again."
Aragorn smiled, letting Zuri know that her tactics to change the subject had indeed worked.
"Not yet, my sister. It was you that I ran through the palace halls to greet first. Arwen I will wait for the ball to see," He hugged her close once more. "I have missed you, sister."
"And I you, brother."
***
Legolas stood, Gimli at his side, in the grand hall of Elrond's palace later that evening. The feast was about to begin, and the guests of honour had yet to take their seats. They waited for Lord Elrond to first make his appearance, along with the Lady Evenstar. He shifted slightly in place, wishing that the blue and silver tunic he wore did not itch so, and wondered why in Middle Earth his Mother had insisted that he wear the night of the ball. He had no inkling of the fact that it brought out the cerulean color in his eyes even more so. Legolas did not pay mind to things such as that.
He then noticed that the hall had suddenly quieted, and stood straight as he noticed that the Lord had made his appearance at the doors of the hall. With Arwen at his side, Elrond greeted those in attendance with a regal smile, nodding to where the members of the Fellowship had gathered. He then looked down at his daughter, releasing her arm as she moved toward where Aragorn stood. Legolas glanced over at his friend, noting the bright smile that took up his face.
Everyone then moved to the tables, taking their seats only after Lord Elrond himself had been seated. Arwen at to his left, Aragorn beside her, her hand atop his. The seat to Elrond's right remained empty, but the hobbits occupied the next few, followed by Legolas himself, Gimli beside him. Elrond had just stood to begin his welcome speech, when suddenly the doors to the grand hall flew open once again.
Legolas looked up, along with the rest of those in attendance. No one else, however, was quite so taken with the sight before their eyes.
It was her. She wore a glimmering white gown, a fiery halo erupted around her face, coming from the light entering the window in the foyer behind her. Her cheeks tinted slightly in embarrassment, and her eyes flickered, letting him know of her frustration with herself. This is all took less than a moment, as she soon gained her composure. She bowed slightly, then lifted her head to Elrond.
"I am sorry, my Lord. I do hope that you shall forgive my tardiness," Her voice rang out softly, but quite clear.
"Zuri, my child, your absence is forgiven, and now forgotten. Please, take your seat beside me," Elrond gestured to the empty chair to his right.
Legolas could not believe what he was seeing. He had thought surely that the maiden of which he dreamed was just that. A dream, and nothing more. He knew now, though, as soon as her eyes had come into view. There was no mistaking that the one Lord Elrond so loving referred to as his child, and the maiden in his dreams were one in the same.
***
Zuri silently cursed herself for being late. It was not like her to be so. She kissed Elrond's cheek as she went to sit beside him, showing him her thanks for not being angry with her for her actions.
Suddenly, as she looked around the hall, at the faces of all the guests, she felt out of place. as she usually did at these gatherings. She looked to her left at Elrond, then over to where Arwen and Aragorn sat. They seemed so happy, and though Aragorn was not of full elven blood, even he seemed to blend in more than she ever would. Looking out at all the elves of the kingdom that had gathered, she took note of how their complexions were all just a bit darker than hers, as well as the fact that none of them possessed the same crimson intensity in their hair as she did, and most had blue eyes.
She froze for a brief moment two she-elfs glanced up at her, quickly turning to another, whispering words unheard by any other. They continued to look up at her from time to time. Zuri felt uncomfortable, but knew she would just have to bear the rest of the night. She decided to then take the time to look around at the members of the Fellowship that had brought her Estel back to her.
To her right were seated the four hobbits that had journeyed throughout Middle Earth on the quest to destroy the One Ring. She knew of their names only, never having even met a hobbit herself. She paused, in thought over which of these tiny heroes the ringbearer could have been.
"How could one so small take on such a great task?" She thought to herself.
A/N: There seems to be some concern over the name of my main character. Never fear, it will be explained in time.
***
The tall, fair haired man stepped forward, gently brushing a lock of hair that had fallen into her face away from it. His touch sent shivers down her spine, and she found herself yearning for more of it. His lips looked so soft and inviting. Suddenly, there was a loud knocking sound. Waves of sound seemed to take over her vision of the lovely creature before her, until eventually, all was black once again, and she was left feeling very cold.
Zuri found herself with her head on her arm, which was draped over journal that she had kept for centuries now. She must have fallen asleep there not long before. She sat up straight, noting that there was indeed a loud knocking on the other side of her chamber doors. Wondering who could possibly knocking so urgently, she moved quickly toward them. She had barely opened them when Aragorn practically leapt through them, stumbling a bit on his landing.
"Estel!" She cried, throwing her arms around the man that she had missed so.
"Zuri! My Sister," He exclaimed, hugging her close to him.
She pulled away then, wiping at the tears in her eyes with the back of her hand. Holding at him at arms length, she carefully examined him.
"Well, you seem to have been returned to me in one peace, Estel. And for that, I am eternally grateful. I must thank the rest of your party for returning my Brother to me at last."
Aragorn smiled at Zuri, though he noticed the sadness in her now glistening green eyes. He placed a hand to her cheek.
"Zuri, was is it that troubles you so?"
"Why, Estel, what would make you think anything wrong?" She asked, looking away slightly.
"It is your eyes, my Riva [my dreamer]. They give you away, as they always have."
She laughed slightly, "I assure you it is nothing to worry about. Especially on such a joyous occasion. Now tell me, have you spoken to your Evenstar yet? She eagerly awaits the ball tonight, so that she may dance in your arms yet again."
Aragorn smiled, letting Zuri know that her tactics to change the subject had indeed worked.
"Not yet, my sister. It was you that I ran through the palace halls to greet first. Arwen I will wait for the ball to see," He hugged her close once more. "I have missed you, sister."
"And I you, brother."
***
Legolas stood, Gimli at his side, in the grand hall of Elrond's palace later that evening. The feast was about to begin, and the guests of honour had yet to take their seats. They waited for Lord Elrond to first make his appearance, along with the Lady Evenstar. He shifted slightly in place, wishing that the blue and silver tunic he wore did not itch so, and wondered why in Middle Earth his Mother had insisted that he wear the night of the ball. He had no inkling of the fact that it brought out the cerulean color in his eyes even more so. Legolas did not pay mind to things such as that.
He then noticed that the hall had suddenly quieted, and stood straight as he noticed that the Lord had made his appearance at the doors of the hall. With Arwen at his side, Elrond greeted those in attendance with a regal smile, nodding to where the members of the Fellowship had gathered. He then looked down at his daughter, releasing her arm as she moved toward where Aragorn stood. Legolas glanced over at his friend, noting the bright smile that took up his face.
Everyone then moved to the tables, taking their seats only after Lord Elrond himself had been seated. Arwen at to his left, Aragorn beside her, her hand atop his. The seat to Elrond's right remained empty, but the hobbits occupied the next few, followed by Legolas himself, Gimli beside him. Elrond had just stood to begin his welcome speech, when suddenly the doors to the grand hall flew open once again.
Legolas looked up, along with the rest of those in attendance. No one else, however, was quite so taken with the sight before their eyes.
It was her. She wore a glimmering white gown, a fiery halo erupted around her face, coming from the light entering the window in the foyer behind her. Her cheeks tinted slightly in embarrassment, and her eyes flickered, letting him know of her frustration with herself. This is all took less than a moment, as she soon gained her composure. She bowed slightly, then lifted her head to Elrond.
"I am sorry, my Lord. I do hope that you shall forgive my tardiness," Her voice rang out softly, but quite clear.
"Zuri, my child, your absence is forgiven, and now forgotten. Please, take your seat beside me," Elrond gestured to the empty chair to his right.
Legolas could not believe what he was seeing. He had thought surely that the maiden of which he dreamed was just that. A dream, and nothing more. He knew now, though, as soon as her eyes had come into view. There was no mistaking that the one Lord Elrond so loving referred to as his child, and the maiden in his dreams were one in the same.
***
Zuri silently cursed herself for being late. It was not like her to be so. She kissed Elrond's cheek as she went to sit beside him, showing him her thanks for not being angry with her for her actions.
Suddenly, as she looked around the hall, at the faces of all the guests, she felt out of place. as she usually did at these gatherings. She looked to her left at Elrond, then over to where Arwen and Aragorn sat. They seemed so happy, and though Aragorn was not of full elven blood, even he seemed to blend in more than she ever would. Looking out at all the elves of the kingdom that had gathered, she took note of how their complexions were all just a bit darker than hers, as well as the fact that none of them possessed the same crimson intensity in their hair as she did, and most had blue eyes.
She froze for a brief moment two she-elfs glanced up at her, quickly turning to another, whispering words unheard by any other. They continued to look up at her from time to time. Zuri felt uncomfortable, but knew she would just have to bear the rest of the night. She decided to then take the time to look around at the members of the Fellowship that had brought her Estel back to her.
To her right were seated the four hobbits that had journeyed throughout Middle Earth on the quest to destroy the One Ring. She knew of their names only, never having even met a hobbit herself. She paused, in thought over which of these tiny heroes the ringbearer could have been.
"How could one so small take on such a great task?" She thought to herself.
