Chapter 21: Reconciliation

            The next morning, Seven rode with the Rohirrim.  The streets were lined with well-wishers as they left the city.  They returned to Edoras and set to putting together lives that had been torn apart by the war.  There were homes to be rebuilt and families that had lost fathers, husbands, sons.  What crops hadn't been burned needed to be tended.  Helm's Deep would have to be rebuilt, but that could wait.  Seven fell easily into a role as an assistant and advisor to Éomer.  She and Éowyn worked as hard as any of the men, and Seven learned from Éowyn much about the healing herbs that grew in Middle Earth.  Éowyn had learned well in her time at the Houses of Healing, and she passed on as much as she could to Seven.

            After approximately two months, Éomer prepared an éored to ride to Minas Tirith.  Seven might have gone at another time, but there was still too much to do in Edoras for her to be absent, so she stayed while the king when to fetch his uncle's body.  A few weeks later, he returned, bringing the body of Théoden King.  With Éomer was a great company.  King Elessar was there, and his queen, Arwen.  Seven had seen Arwen at her marriage to Aragorn, and apparently Éomer and Gimli had argued over whether she or her grandmother, Galadriel, was the more beautiful.  As she greeted both of them, Seven was glad she did not have to make that decision.  Galadriel was fair while Arwen had dark hair, but both were stunningly beautiful.  Galadriel and her husband Celeborn came, along with their entourage, and Elrond and his sons.  Elladan and Elrohir greeted Seven warmly.  She had never known them well, but they had fought together in the War.  Also with them were Faramir, Imrahil, and the rest of the Fellowship: Gandalf, Legolas, Gimli, and the four hobbits.

            The great company rested for a week in Edoras.  Seven and Éowyn scrambled to arrange lodging for all of them, and when all were settled both women fell into their beds, exhausted.  With Éomer gone, they had been working harder than ever.  Still, Seven woke early, and slipped out of the room they shared in the early hours of the morning, intending to get a head start on the day.

            She almost laughed when she saw Legolas wandering around the city.  He smiled broadly as she approached and pulled her into a hug.  After a moment, he pulled away just far enough to kiss her.  After they broke the kiss, Seven kept one arm around his waist, turning to face the same direction as him, and rested her head on his shoulder.  Now that she was standing there with him, she realized how much she'd missed him.  She'd buried herself in her work again and managed not to think of anything else, but now she finally relaxed.

            "How have you been?" Legolas asked.

            "I have been well.  We have worked hard to put the city back to order."

            "You looked exhausted earlier."

            "I had not slept for two days."

            "You barely slept this night."

            "I have had sufficient rest."

            "You push yourself too hard."  Legolas looked down at her, trying to keep a scolding expression on his face, but not succeeding.

            "It has been difficult with Éomer gone, but things are finally beginning to settle.  It will become easier soon.  The crops have been tended and there will not be much work again until harvest.  By that time, we will have gathered sufficient strength to manage."

            "We?"

            "If I am still here, I will assist.  I do not know when Éowyn plans to leave.  I will leave when she does.  It will likely be soon."

            "She must be grateful for your assistance."

            "I have only done what I could."

            "Seven!"  Éowyn called.

            "Over here!" Seven called, not bothering to step away from Legolas.  Éowyn turned a corner to see them, stopping abruptly.

            "Lord Legolas.  Forgive the interruption."

            "What is it, Éowyn?" Seven finally straightened.

            "I woke up and you weren't there, so I assumed you were starting preparations for the day."

            "I was going to, then I stopped to speak to Legolas.  I will be there shortly."

            Éowyn nodded, feeling awkward, then turned and walked away.

            "We made her rather uncomfortable."

            "She was surprised.  I had not told her about our relationship."

            "No?  Why not?"

            Seven searched for the words.  "I was not ready to discuss it yet."

            Legolas frowned, not sure how to take her comment.  Was she ashamed of him?  Uncomfortable with their relationship?  "I should let you get to your work."  He turned and walked off, leaving Seven confused.

            Seven walked off to find Éowyn, still trying to understand what had just happened between her and Legolas.  She had obviously offended him, but she wasn't certain how or why.  After a couple minutes, she found Éowyn.  Throughout the day, Éowyn got Seven to tell her the story of her relationship with Legolas, including their last conversation—and the story of her relationship with Chakotay and his death.  Seven could relate any conversation word for word.  That evening, after dinner, Éowyn found Legolas.

            "Lord Legolas!"  The Elf turned to look at her.  "A word, my lord?"

            "Of course.  What is it, lady Éowyn?"

            "I talked to Seven today.  She's afraid she's offended you accidentally.  Forgive me for prying, but she's rather upset."

            "I can't imagine her very upset over anything."

            "You know as well as me that she's hard to read.  She feels things more deeply than she lets on.  I imagine the fact that she didn't tell me about you is the reason you're upset?"

            "It forces me to wonder why she didn't tell you."

            That was as close to an admission as she would get.  "She's very uncertain about her future, especially where it concerns you.  She also has trouble expressing herself."

            Legolas nodded.  "I've noticed."

            Éowyn continued.  "I think she didn't want to say anything until she was more certain what her future holds.  She didn't want to assume anything on your part and possibly be wrong.  I don't think she even realizes it herself, but I think she's scared she'll lose you and if she told me about your relationship, it would make it harder when she loses you.  It sounds odd, but before she came here, she was close to someone, and he died, less than a year ago."

            Legolas nodded.  "She told me about him, but I didn't realize it was so recent.  I think I should probably talk to her.  Thank you, Lady Éowyn."

            Legolas found Seven later that night.  She was sitting over her notes, scratching more notes with a feather pen she obviously wasn't accustomed to using.  A few candles lit the notes, but she had to lean close to see them clearly.  He came up behind her quietly, then waited for her to lift the pen to dip it in the ink.  He didn't want to cause her to ruin her writing.  When she did, he laid his hands on her shoulders lightly.  She jumped fractionally, then laid the pen down and turned in her chair to look up at him.

            "I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have run off on you earlier."

            "I must have misled you with my words."

            "Éowyn told me about your conversation earlier."  Seven dropped her eyes, not looking at him.  "I'm not going to disappear, Seven.  I'm not going to die or leave you."  He lifted her chin with a finger.  "I'm not going to die."

            "How can you be sure?" The words sounded more like a little child than Seven of Nine.

            "There's too much to live for.  I'm not going to let myself die on you."  He dropped to his knees in front of her and took her hands.  "I have waited for thousands of years to find you.  I will not leave you now."

            Whatever emotional control Seven had left seemed to dissolve.  Legolas rose as she stood up from the chair.  He pulled her against him and let her cry.  Eventually, she cried herself to sleep.  If not for the pain, it would have been funny to see her asleep on her feet.  Legolas almost picked her up to carry her back to her room, but then remembered she shared quarters with Éowyn.  He nudged her gently to wake her, but she was sound asleep on her feet, leaning against him.  With a small smile, he shifted her in his arms and kissed her lightly.  Seven woke up, blinking.

            "You fell asleep."  Legolas smiled down at her.

            "Thank you."  The words were plain enough, but held a lot of significance for both of them.

            The two of them stood there for a moment.  There was still a lot unsaid between them, but it could wait.  Legolas kissed her lightly.  "Good night, my love."  With that, he slipped off into the night.

            My love.  The words seemed to echo through Seven's mind as she made her way back to her room and tried to rest.  She wondered how long she had slept in his arms.  It was long enough that her feet were complaining.  Try as she might, Seven couldn't sleep.  She finally dropped off an hour before dawn.