Disclaimer: All you recognize is J.R.R. Tolkien's. What is mine starts where his claims end.



8. Dawn



It was just before sunrise and a new morning was about to break in Minas Tirith. The city was still sleeping when a horse and its rider silently past the eastern gate.

Not so much later Arwen met Legolas in the hallway. They were not surprised to see each other up already, as most elves tend to be up before dawn. Legolas had spent his night stargazing from the branch of the tree near the training field and later he finally had the training he promised himself. Afterwards he had been lying in a bath and now just came out of it. His hair was still wet and tangled.

"Bain minuial, Arwen Undómiel" Legolas greeted her. "Bain minuial, mellon" [Fair dawn, friend]. They both looked out of a large window on one site of the hallway when the sun just touched the peak of Mindolluin. "Estel a glass an i arad" [Hope and joy for the day], they exchanged the common elven morning's greeting. "I'm going to the gardens and have breakfast there, would you please me with your company?" Arwen asked. "The pleasure would be all mine," Legolas answered. They started to stroll down the hallway. "You are happy here aren't you Undómiel?" Legolas stated. Arwen smiled: "So very happy. Up to this day, I had no regrets of my decision whatsoever, being with the love of my life." There was a short silence. Then he said: "Arwen... about Thûlocuil..." Arwen looked up and saw in his brown eyes love before it was love: "Yes..." I knew it! I just know elves, don't I? Not a coincidence, me talking of Aragorn, he of Thûlocuil, she thought.

"What about Thûlocuil Legolas?" That seemed to bring him back to earth again. For a moment he had been wondering why he got so interested in this she-elf. I've never been on a hunt, or in a battle or in her company for more than two hours. A short smile crossed his face. Although he would not dislike any of those three. "What... I mean where, when.... Well, last night I saw..."

Legolas had a hard time making up a phrase because he was thinking at the same time: Why? And then in wonder: I'm not feeling lost anymore, for the first time in all these years. But I have been in Gondor before, what is so different this time? What happened?

Arwen stopped because Legolas had done so. She was looking curiously at him: "You were saying?" Legolas focussed on Arwen again. "Yes, well, I thought maybe you could tell me..." Arwen saw his eyes become dreamy again and then widen as he gasped for breath. "Are you alright Legolas?" she asked concerned. His smile went on and on from one ear to another. Just a little bit more and his face will crack, she thought. "Never been better in eh... all my life actually" she could hear the surprise in his voice when uttering that last part of the sentence. "Feels like I could kill at least a dozen of orcs with one finger! Sorry, but I have to leave..." and with that he just jumped out of a window into a tree and was out of her sight in no time.



"Ooooh, Elves!" Arwen let out frustrated and then laughed at herself. She definitely had grown more towards mankind than she thought. Surprised, a bit concerned and still softly laughing was how Aragorn found her. He pulled her backwards to his chest and wrapped his arms around her. "Estel a glass an i arad, nîn mîr (my jewel), although your day is already filled with joy I see" he said before kissing her neck. She chuckled (this time from his kiss). "And what has made my love so joyful this morning?" He just had to kiss her again. She turned in his embrace and said: "Elves in general and Legolas in particular." She kissed him now. "What about Legolas?", his thoughts went to the two conversations he had had last night. Arwen kissed his frowned forehead and said: "He just jumped out of the window." His mouth fell open but she just smiled at him and said: "Let's have breakfast my dearest since your mouth is already open."



Down in the garden Legolas was whistling, sitting on a branch which offered him a view of the city and the mountains behind it. He still felt the fire in his heart, pumping hot blood through all his veins. He knew why he no longer felt half now and never a morn had looked more beautiful to him.



A/N: 13 September 2003: changed some spelling.