This chapter is pretty self-explanatory. Nothing much to say here. Just read, review, enjoy. The usual stuff.
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Gimli didn't speak to Legolas until they were well away from the camp; and heading deep into the Hornburg cave-system. As he was about to show Legolas, it was not merely a few caves behind Helm's Deep; but an architectural wonder from long ago. The dwarf reached over and drew his gnarly hand along the smooth-cut stone, reveling at the sensations. Legolas looked at him askance. He knew dwarves rarely married, and only they themselves knew if they felt love; but it appeared to him that maybe – if it was so possible – they did not need it like the other peoples of Middle Earth. The way Gimli touched the stone was as loving and respectful as the caress of any lover. Legolas adored the woods and wild places, more than most elves because of his mother's wood-elf blood, but he did not know if his emotions could rival the dwarf's for the stone and deep places of the world.
'Hadhodrim, ti mîl sarn,' he recited to break the silence. It was an old saying among elven-folk; and one well-merited, for it meant dwarves, them that love stone.
'What did you say, elf?' Asked Gimli, turning fiercely on his dear friend. 'What did you say of the dwarves?'
'How do you know I spoke of dwarves, friend?' Asked Legolas with a chuckle, smiling at his companion.
'I am no fool,' retorted Gimli angrily. 'The Elven tongue appeals to me not, but I know at least one word in it: hadhodrim, the name of my people. And rarely is it that an Elf uses that name kindly.'
'Then I am the exception, friend,' said Legolas truthfully. 'I merely said that dwarves were the lovers of stone; even as elves are the lovers of stars.'
'Well,' said Gimli with a cough, 'that's true enough, I suppose. You can be forgiven – for that.'
'Oh can I now!' Laughed Legolas, springing forward so he could stand before the dwarf and walk agilely backwards. 'And what else am I not forgiven for?'
Gimli prodded him in the stomach with a stubby finger, worn from years circled around an axe-handle. 'Stop nancing about first, and then I'll tell you!'
'I don't nance, dwarf, and watch your words,' warned Legolas, suddenly alert and tense. He could not help but be mildly angry: despite his intense love for his friend Gimli, their cultures were incredibly different and rarely on good terms. They sometimes said things to each other that were not meant to hurt, and should have been but a joke; but offended in some deep way that was unforeseen. It was then, they had agreed, that they must show the other just how offensive it had been.
'Sorry, my friend,' said Gimli, genuinely grieved. 'I meant not to anger you…'
'And you did not, hadhod [dwarf],' replied Legolas genially, smiling again. Gimli nodded gratefully, proving that he understood the Elvish word – if he did not like it, as was shown by the even more pronounced wrinkling of his nose. 'But I beg you,' he asked, peering with an intense, intelligent look at his friends deeply sunken eyes, 'tell me what I am not yet forgiven for?'
'You were late to leave this morning,' said Gimli; trying to sound annoyed and not let slip that he no longer really cared. 'Where were you? It is unlike an Elf Prince to be unpunctual; let alone you, Legolas Greenleaf the Courteous.'
Legolas turned around and dropped his pace so he was walking on Gimli's right side again. 'I am sorry indeed for that, my good dwarven-friend,' he said in a soft, lilting voice that was deeply apologetic. 'I was caught unawares by some business that needed my attention momentarily…'
Gimli scowled up at him, not unkindly. 'The girl, ye mean?'
'She's a woman, not a girl!' Burst out Legolas before he could stop himself.
'I shall take that,' said Gimli slowly and calculatingly, 'as a "yes".'
'Gimli, I wasn't choosing her over you. It's just that I won't see her for a while…' For once, the usual Legolas lost his elegant articulation, and struggled to find the right words. 'I had to say goodbye, and we had to be alone…' He grasped Gimli's thick arm with delicate fingers, turning the dwarf to him. 'Gimli? Do you understand? I love her, and I had to see her before I went. It doesn't mean I like you any less, my friend! Please forgive me.' His bright blue eyes showed wells of sorrow. 'I hate to have hurt you so…'
Gimli stared at him emotionlessly for a few seconds.
Suddenly Legolas felt strong, smith-working arms wrap around his waist, and the dwarf drew him into a brotherly embrace that must have looked patently ridiculous to any spectator. 'Of course I forgive ye, Elf! How could I not? I know how much she means to you; and I won't be the one to take your future wife-and-lady away from ye,' he said loudly; his voice choking on some unidentifiable emotion. 'As long as ye don't forget your friendship with Gimli the dwarf in your love for her, I shall give you all my blessing.'
Legolas bent down so he could hold the dwarf close in a more comfortable way. 'Of course, my friend,' he said happily, before letting go of the short form and standing up to his full height; still looking down in fondness. Gimli was blushing, obviously embarrassed at his spontaneous display of affection. He grumbled once or twice, and Legolas was forced to speak over him:
'I shall never, ever deny my dearest friend-love for you because of my feelings for Mithmír.' He said solemnly. 'I swear this to you, Gimli. I never thought I could like a dwarf… But now I am proved wrong, by you.'
'And you have proved my views on elves wrong also,' said Gimili gruffly. He disliked openly showing his emotions; and Legolas' easy statements of friendship and love put him off balance. He did try, though. 'I shall never look at Elves in quite the same light.'
'Then we are even,' said Legolas, bursting into a joyful laugh. 'And may we ever be so, my friend!'
'I agree,' said Gimli in a rough voice; before breaking into a half-shout, 'can't you walk any faster, elf? If you want to get to the best caves you'll need to walk at twice this speed!'
'Yes, master dwarf!' replied Legolas with a deep bow, and then began to jog into the darkness of the caves, taking the only torch with him. 'But you had better keep up if you want to be able to see your way to these caves that you are to show me!'
