"Lenalaith," he whispered. She jumped up, running to take her sword, which
was never far away from her.
"Who are you? Show yourself!" she commanded, drawing her sword, placing it in front of her face so it touched her nose but she could still see her opponent. Legolas stood up obeying her command.
"How do you know my name?" she demanded in a rage, staring intently at him as she prepared to attack. He slowly raised his hand to the rim of his hood and guided it back off his head. Lenalaith's eyes widened and she dropped her sword on the ground, causing a loud clonking sound. She stood there, unable to do anything, frozen. Legolas closed his lips tight together. They stood together in silence.
"Please, Lenalaith," he replied after thinking a moment, "I love you more than anything in the world." She sighed, closing her eyes and shaking her head looking up at the ceiling, crying. She looked back down.
"Legolas, if you love me...."
"Then what?" his voice now harsh.
"Don't. I am a mortal. Find someone else, who you can love for all eternity- and who can love you back forever and beyond."
"I don't care about that!" he shouted. "You are a mortal, and I am immortal. I do not care! I shan't die of grief if you return my love, but I shall if I never get the chance to experience it."
At this, Lenalaith fell silent, crystal tears falling down her face. Her breathing came hard and jagged, her chest beating up, and up more- trying to catch her breath- tears falling ever faster. Legolas ran over to her instinctively, accidentally stepping on the sword which made a slight click, and took her in his arms, holding the slender shaking girl, who just cried into his shoulder. He smiled gravely, for now he understood Men more. They were greedy creatures, yet thankful for the life they received. They were completely void of any magic, yet knew more tricks than any Hobbit. They were fearless, yet always knowing of the death that waited for them. He held her tighter.
She wiped his tears with her sleeve and sighed, just as fresh tears emerged. She couldn't say anything- it would ruin the moment. Instead, she led him up the stairs.
"Where are we going?" he asked softly, but she did not answer. There was a soft silver colored rope, which was connected to a board of wood on the ceiling, she pulled it down and the ceiling door fell, letting a small rope ladder fall. Lenalaith climbed up it, followed shortly by Legolas. After he climbed up, she pulled the ladder up and reached down for the ceiling door.
"Careful!" Legolas rashly said, worried that Lenalaith would fall, as he took her legs. She closed the door and stood up straight, walking to the end of the room, where a door was. She opened the door and stood on the little platform, just over her head was the roof. She climbed up the ladder near the door, on top to the flat part of the roof. Legolas followed her quickly. She lay on the roof, looking up at the Moon.
"Come, lay down with me. Look at Ithil, and the stars," she said. Legolas quickly lay down next to her. They smiled. He took her hand, and this time she didn't pull away. Lenalaith fell asleep, at peace at last. Legolas slept for only a little, he was too happy to sleep. They rose to the Sun and smiled, happy to be starting their life together.
"I wish I could fly," Lenalaith naively said that morning, looking down at the green meadow that surrounded her house.
"Don't even try," Legolas replied, though not serious at all- smiling, and then thinking again, "I'm going first!" Legolas took a flying jump from the roof, and landed neatly on his feet.
"Lenalaith, are you coming?" Legolas called up. As soon as she heard this, she jumped from the roof, to be caught by Legolas. They laughed and he leaned in for a kiss, which he gladly accepted. Then, Lenalaith hopped out of Legolas's arms and ran out of her gate.
"I bet you can't catch me!" she taunted, knowing fully well that he was quicker than any human. Legolas laughed though, chasing her, though not trying at all. They ran until they reached the river, which wasn't too far from her home. She was running so fast and couldn't stop herself and she fell into the river, flowing down stream quickly in the small rapids. Legolas's eyes filled with worry as he ran to her as quickly as his elven legs would carry him, talking as he ran.
"Lenalaith, are you all right?"
"Yes, help me out!" Legolas took her arm and pulled her out of the cold water after about an hour of trying to reach the girl- everything moving in slow motion. Legolas was a quick and nimble elf, but the ways of the river were wicked, pulling her down and under, and out of his reach just as he was going to take her hand until finally he beat the river.
"It's quite cold," she shivered, her face turning pale. Legolas's eyes widened and he picked her up, running toward her house. He hastily opened the doors and put her on the sofa. He walked across the small room and lit up the fireplace, warming the whole room. He cradled her in his arms as he sat on the sofa.
"Lenalaith, Lenalaith... are you all right?" he asked, squeezing her hand.
"Yes, yes..." she shivered, and then smiled.
"Wouldn't this be just a horrible way to die?" she said, smiling insanely.
Legolas's eyes turned angry. "Stop! Don't think of things like that," he said, holding her cold limp body closer.
She smiled more- even more paranormally than the last time, "I should like to die in your arms."
"Stop it! Lenalaith, what is the matter with you?" he shouted, letting a tear fall, his face still angry.
"Legolas, do not waste your time. I am dying-" she replied slowly and calmly now, in her normal voice.
"You are not! Stop it!"
She smiled, with an insane look in her eyes, "The River has won."
"I was too late," he interrupted.
She smiled more, showing imperfect white teeth, "It was not your fault. The river is a cruel one. You cannot stop it. Humans are not perfect- they are physically weak. You could not do anything to stop it, but I accept my death in this body."
"I don't!" he yelled, a tear falling on her beautiful face, "Lenalaith, I love you."
She smiled sadly, "Legolas, I shall miss you so. We had just begun our life together, but they were cruel... Perhaps they have something ready for us. I shall only leave for a little bit, promise me, you'll find me again."
"Where will you be?" he asked, worried.
"I shall be in the Undying Lands, a different body perhaps, but the same person."
"Are you sure you'll be there?"
She grinned gravely, "Legolas, one can never be sure of anything. However, I shall try..." He stayed silent for a moment.
"How will you- you are a human!"
She glared up at him a little angry, "I am a human- you say it as if it is a bad thing," he fell silent, "I shouldn't like to be mad at you before I die...." then Lenalaith thought for a moment, "Leave that up to me. Worry about getting yourself there- I hear its quite hard to cross the Great Sea now-a-days."
He pulled her so she was sitting in an upright position. He cradled her in one arm, and gently tilted her head towards his with the other. He looked into her green eyes and she gently gazed at his pale blue ones. He kissed her gently, and then stood up, still holding her in just one arm.
She laughed, "Normally, I'd be mad."
He smiled sadly, and pulled a necklace out of his pocket. Lenalaith's eyes widened as he sat back down on the sofa. He let go of her, and Lenalaith could feel herself getting cold. He gently unclasped the necklace chain, made of mithril, with a small mithril charm covered in ithildin in the shape of an elanor flower and tinted gently gold, the petals flowing in a star shape, and clasped it onto Lenalaith's neck.
"It's beautiful," she cried.
"Not as much as you," he said, letting a tear fall.
"Promise me," she coughed, worry in her eyes, "That you'll find me. If you don't, then find someone else." She slowly fell from her sitting position, now lying on the sofa. Legolas jumped up immediately, and kneeled by her head, kissing her gently and squeezing her hand. He removed his lips from hers and she smiled.
"It's hard... to breathe," she choked out, Legolas squeezing her hand still harder, and she squeezing back, until it was only him squeezing, and her hand had fallen limp.
That night he wept, placing her dead body in a small boat he found and sent her body down the river. The next morning, he set out to Mirkwood, where he met Gimli, bid farewell to his father, and was off to the Belegaer Sea, in a boat that Legolas made himself, along with Gimli. They crossed the Sea in IV 120.
"Who are you? Show yourself!" she commanded, drawing her sword, placing it in front of her face so it touched her nose but she could still see her opponent. Legolas stood up obeying her command.
"How do you know my name?" she demanded in a rage, staring intently at him as she prepared to attack. He slowly raised his hand to the rim of his hood and guided it back off his head. Lenalaith's eyes widened and she dropped her sword on the ground, causing a loud clonking sound. She stood there, unable to do anything, frozen. Legolas closed his lips tight together. They stood together in silence.
"Please, Lenalaith," he replied after thinking a moment, "I love you more than anything in the world." She sighed, closing her eyes and shaking her head looking up at the ceiling, crying. She looked back down.
"Legolas, if you love me...."
"Then what?" his voice now harsh.
"Don't. I am a mortal. Find someone else, who you can love for all eternity- and who can love you back forever and beyond."
"I don't care about that!" he shouted. "You are a mortal, and I am immortal. I do not care! I shan't die of grief if you return my love, but I shall if I never get the chance to experience it."
At this, Lenalaith fell silent, crystal tears falling down her face. Her breathing came hard and jagged, her chest beating up, and up more- trying to catch her breath- tears falling ever faster. Legolas ran over to her instinctively, accidentally stepping on the sword which made a slight click, and took her in his arms, holding the slender shaking girl, who just cried into his shoulder. He smiled gravely, for now he understood Men more. They were greedy creatures, yet thankful for the life they received. They were completely void of any magic, yet knew more tricks than any Hobbit. They were fearless, yet always knowing of the death that waited for them. He held her tighter.
She wiped his tears with her sleeve and sighed, just as fresh tears emerged. She couldn't say anything- it would ruin the moment. Instead, she led him up the stairs.
"Where are we going?" he asked softly, but she did not answer. There was a soft silver colored rope, which was connected to a board of wood on the ceiling, she pulled it down and the ceiling door fell, letting a small rope ladder fall. Lenalaith climbed up it, followed shortly by Legolas. After he climbed up, she pulled the ladder up and reached down for the ceiling door.
"Careful!" Legolas rashly said, worried that Lenalaith would fall, as he took her legs. She closed the door and stood up straight, walking to the end of the room, where a door was. She opened the door and stood on the little platform, just over her head was the roof. She climbed up the ladder near the door, on top to the flat part of the roof. Legolas followed her quickly. She lay on the roof, looking up at the Moon.
"Come, lay down with me. Look at Ithil, and the stars," she said. Legolas quickly lay down next to her. They smiled. He took her hand, and this time she didn't pull away. Lenalaith fell asleep, at peace at last. Legolas slept for only a little, he was too happy to sleep. They rose to the Sun and smiled, happy to be starting their life together.
"I wish I could fly," Lenalaith naively said that morning, looking down at the green meadow that surrounded her house.
"Don't even try," Legolas replied, though not serious at all- smiling, and then thinking again, "I'm going first!" Legolas took a flying jump from the roof, and landed neatly on his feet.
"Lenalaith, are you coming?" Legolas called up. As soon as she heard this, she jumped from the roof, to be caught by Legolas. They laughed and he leaned in for a kiss, which he gladly accepted. Then, Lenalaith hopped out of Legolas's arms and ran out of her gate.
"I bet you can't catch me!" she taunted, knowing fully well that he was quicker than any human. Legolas laughed though, chasing her, though not trying at all. They ran until they reached the river, which wasn't too far from her home. She was running so fast and couldn't stop herself and she fell into the river, flowing down stream quickly in the small rapids. Legolas's eyes filled with worry as he ran to her as quickly as his elven legs would carry him, talking as he ran.
"Lenalaith, are you all right?"
"Yes, help me out!" Legolas took her arm and pulled her out of the cold water after about an hour of trying to reach the girl- everything moving in slow motion. Legolas was a quick and nimble elf, but the ways of the river were wicked, pulling her down and under, and out of his reach just as he was going to take her hand until finally he beat the river.
"It's quite cold," she shivered, her face turning pale. Legolas's eyes widened and he picked her up, running toward her house. He hastily opened the doors and put her on the sofa. He walked across the small room and lit up the fireplace, warming the whole room. He cradled her in his arms as he sat on the sofa.
"Lenalaith, Lenalaith... are you all right?" he asked, squeezing her hand.
"Yes, yes..." she shivered, and then smiled.
"Wouldn't this be just a horrible way to die?" she said, smiling insanely.
Legolas's eyes turned angry. "Stop! Don't think of things like that," he said, holding her cold limp body closer.
She smiled more- even more paranormally than the last time, "I should like to die in your arms."
"Stop it! Lenalaith, what is the matter with you?" he shouted, letting a tear fall, his face still angry.
"Legolas, do not waste your time. I am dying-" she replied slowly and calmly now, in her normal voice.
"You are not! Stop it!"
She smiled, with an insane look in her eyes, "The River has won."
"I was too late," he interrupted.
She smiled more, showing imperfect white teeth, "It was not your fault. The river is a cruel one. You cannot stop it. Humans are not perfect- they are physically weak. You could not do anything to stop it, but I accept my death in this body."
"I don't!" he yelled, a tear falling on her beautiful face, "Lenalaith, I love you."
She smiled sadly, "Legolas, I shall miss you so. We had just begun our life together, but they were cruel... Perhaps they have something ready for us. I shall only leave for a little bit, promise me, you'll find me again."
"Where will you be?" he asked, worried.
"I shall be in the Undying Lands, a different body perhaps, but the same person."
"Are you sure you'll be there?"
She grinned gravely, "Legolas, one can never be sure of anything. However, I shall try..." He stayed silent for a moment.
"How will you- you are a human!"
She glared up at him a little angry, "I am a human- you say it as if it is a bad thing," he fell silent, "I shouldn't like to be mad at you before I die...." then Lenalaith thought for a moment, "Leave that up to me. Worry about getting yourself there- I hear its quite hard to cross the Great Sea now-a-days."
He pulled her so she was sitting in an upright position. He cradled her in one arm, and gently tilted her head towards his with the other. He looked into her green eyes and she gently gazed at his pale blue ones. He kissed her gently, and then stood up, still holding her in just one arm.
She laughed, "Normally, I'd be mad."
He smiled sadly, and pulled a necklace out of his pocket. Lenalaith's eyes widened as he sat back down on the sofa. He let go of her, and Lenalaith could feel herself getting cold. He gently unclasped the necklace chain, made of mithril, with a small mithril charm covered in ithildin in the shape of an elanor flower and tinted gently gold, the petals flowing in a star shape, and clasped it onto Lenalaith's neck.
"It's beautiful," she cried.
"Not as much as you," he said, letting a tear fall.
"Promise me," she coughed, worry in her eyes, "That you'll find me. If you don't, then find someone else." She slowly fell from her sitting position, now lying on the sofa. Legolas jumped up immediately, and kneeled by her head, kissing her gently and squeezing her hand. He removed his lips from hers and she smiled.
"It's hard... to breathe," she choked out, Legolas squeezing her hand still harder, and she squeezing back, until it was only him squeezing, and her hand had fallen limp.
That night he wept, placing her dead body in a small boat he found and sent her body down the river. The next morning, he set out to Mirkwood, where he met Gimli, bid farewell to his father, and was off to the Belegaer Sea, in a boat that Legolas made himself, along with Gimli. They crossed the Sea in IV 120.