Chapter 6

Memories

A/N:: Sorry for our long period of absence. We've had MAJOR writer's block and we have been struggling with this chapter. So, here you go and enjoy! Oh yeah, this happens a couple of years before the Ring business came about. Arwen and Aragorn are just friends. Now that that is clarified… read on!

***Night descended upon Rivendell and Arwen gazed out of her window anxiously, hoping to catch a glimpse of a certain Elven maid running up the path. Surely Legolas would have found her by now? Perhaps Laera… no… she would not allow herself to think of it. A hand rose to cover her lips as the lump rose ever higher in her throat.

"I am sure she is alright…" a comforting voice said behind her. Turning, she faced Aragorn with anguished eyes.

"It is my fault. I should not have let her go… I…" her voice broke as at last the tears she had kept from falling slid down her cheeks. Aragorn hastily came over to her and gathered the weeping Elf in his arms.

"Laera is well," he soothed, slowly stroking her hair. "Legolas will not let anything happen to her." Arwen said nothing more, but chose instead to cry softly on the shoulder of the young ranger.

Aragorn could feel his affection for the Elf in his heart once more. The affection that often spilled over the borders of friendship grew ever stronger as he held Arwen in his arms. Would an Elf, especially one as beautiful as she, ever bring herself to care for a human? Somehow he knew he had to tell her of his feelings. He knew he must let her know that she was like no other he had ever met. Someday…

***

It was a little over midday and still they rode swiftly over the Plain. Too swiftly, Laera thought unhappily; the scenery literally flew by. They were going so fast she felt she hadn't had enough time to let it all sink in.

They soon came upon the edge of a wood and Legolas slowed down his horse. He jumped off and upon doing so she turned to him questioningly. "Why have we stopped?"

"The horse cannot carry us both, Laera. It is tired. One of us has to go on foot." Laera stepped away from the horse as if it repelled her greatly.

"I will continue on foot," she said, her chin raised.

Legolas sighed exasperatedly. "Laera, do not be foolish. You are injured."

"So what if I am?" she replied stubbornly. She studied the 'no argument' look in his eyes and slowly, she allowed him to help her climb back on. Taking the reins, Legolas led the horse into the wood, a silence descending upon the pair.

Laera took a deep breath. No, this forest was not as beautiful as Elhite Vale… but it was different and she couldn't be happier. The trees of the little wood stood as tall as any other tree Laera had seen. They also certainly looked quite ancient. Yet, old as they were, their leaves still shone with an emerald radiance… some detaching from their host to drift lazily to the forest floor. It was also quiet in the woods. Not eerily quiet like the Vale had been, but a peaceful silence blanketed the wood. Laera felt her eyes begin to droop. The forest was so calming and serene it was putting her to sleep! Determined not to fall off the horse and make an even bigger fool of herself, Laera struggled to keep her eyes open.

"How is the shoulder?" Legolas asked quietly, his voice sounding quite loud and unnatural in the stillness.

"It is healing nicely, thank you." She smiled in relief. Thank the Valar he is speaking! Maybe then I will not fall asleep… "That salve really worked wonders." She rotated her shoulder blade and found that the soreness had gone down quite a bit.

"Hmm… good."

"I am sorry," Laera blurted out. "For being so rude to you earlier. I know how dangerous

and foolish an idea it was to come."

Legolas glanced over his shoulder, an eyebrow raised in surprise. "Well, it is good to see you finally see it my way. But, yes, I understand."

"Understand?"

"How being royalty can be stifling and dull." That was not so hard, he thought. "I know how strong and overwhelming the need to see a world beyond the one you know can be."

Laera smiled at the back of his head. She reflected on how…nice… Legolas seemed. "I knew you had a nice side under all of that horridness," she mused.

Legolas laughed to himself. He really did not know how he had been horrible to her since their reunion, but he didn't want to ruffle any feathers by stating so. "I was that bad?"

Despite of herself, Laera threw back her head in laughter. "Oh my, worse!"

"Do you remember the last day I saw you?" asked Legolas quietly.

She frowned, remembering. "The day you shot me in the eye with a toy arrow…"

"Was that all you remember?"

"Well, to be honest… yes. Did anything else happen that day?"

Legolas threw her an anxious glance. She really did not remember? "It was nearly night and you were in your clearing…."

***

A nightingale lit on the branch of a birch and sang softly to the little girl talking quietly to herself. She looked different from the other nights… perhaps it was due to a little patch over one of her pretty dark eyes. The clearing was aglow with soft moonlight… crickets sang their sweet songs… night flowers opened and released hidden fragrances. The nightingale felt as if it were in a dream… until, that is, the harsh noise of bushes and twigs breaking under hasty feet crashed into the scene. Disgruntled, the nightingale flew off… in search of quieter places.

Laera's head flew up and she waited for the intruder to show himself. She frowned when she saw who it was. "I am not speaking to you, Legolas," she said, preparing to make her exit.

"Come on, Laera. I said I was sorry!" She sniffed and turned away. How she hated him!

"Look, I have something to tell you, Laera." She looked at him, with interest. Bold, cocky Legolas looked all of a sudden uncomfortable and uneasy. Shifting from one foot to another, he continued. "I am not coming back anymore, after this. I'm staying in Mirkwood to begin my training."

Her brow furrowed in thought. Was this supposed to be good news or bad? Somehow… to her… it seemed bad. "Not coming back?" she said slowly.

"No… I came to say goodbye." He took a few steps toward her and stopped when she was mere inches away. He fiddled with something in his pocket. She looked into at his eyes… he seemed to be trying to decide upon something. He sighed, and took his hand out of his pocket …empty. "I will miss you," he said instead, his eyes earnest.

Was she going to miss him? She felt so confused. Her nine-year-old heart was beating unusually hard and her breathing had suddenly become quick and uneven. "I will miss you too," she replied quietly.

Legolas smiled and pursed his lips in grim determination. Taking a deep breath, he leant forward and kissed Laera briefly on her satin cheek. When he stepped back, her eyes -or eye, rather- sparkled and she gazed at him, as if seeing him for the first time. Giving her one last smile, he turned and ran quickly in the direction in which he came.

A few moments passed before Laera allowed a hand to rise and gently touch the spot where his lips had been only moments before. A small, regretful sigh escaped her own lips as she left the clearing.

***

Laera gasped as it all came back to her. It seemed such an important thing to have happened; yet she had blocked it from her memory. Perhaps it was her pride that locked that memory away in the dark recesses of her subconscious. "That happened so long ago…" she whispered.

"Seems like only yesterday, Laera," Legolas replied softly. She looked down at him, suddenly confused. He obviously remembered the event in great detail. Was the memory something he treasured? Somehow, it made her uneasy to think of Legolas as anything but a chum. Until recently, even considering him as a friend was hard. Shrugging her shoulders, she supposed she had just imagined the tone of his voice as he told her of that evening, centuries ago… the tone, which implied so much under what was being said.

"Are these woods safe?" she said, attempting to change the subject.

"No," he replied… all the softness gone from his voice. "These are unclaimed lands. We should be free to pass through here." She sighed in relief. Laera didn't think she could take another misadventure.

***

A/N:: Booyah! Another chapter done! Woohoo! Again, sorry for my really really long absence from ff.net. But exams are done! (Thank God!) So we'll update a lot more quickly ^_^!!! Anyways, feedback is always welcome! And you flamers… do not be shy! I enjoy a good flame!