A/N: Hated the first chapter for this. Rewrote it. This is it. Remember it ain't mine, don't sue.
Bound to You
Thirteen long years had passed in Mirkwood. Barely a blink of the eye for the Elves that lived there, but for Arathia it was a very long time. She was no longer the young woman she once was. Now she was older and wiser. But fortunately the years did not show themselves on her face and if one were to see her they would think her no older then her mid twenties when she was truly in her late thirties. The years had been long and filled with happiness for each passing day she loved Legolas more then before. And in turn he loved her so much that he wondered if he could contain his love for her. And in this way they lived together in happiness.
It was during this year that Arathia decided to return to Imladris to visit Gilraen and, if he was there, her brother. So Arathia bid farewell to Legolas and departed to the land of her birth. It took Arathia only a month to get to Rivendell for she was quick and had good weather during the trip. Even the pass over the Misty Mountains had gone well. When Arathia arrived, Gilraen was overjoyed to see her and their reunion was a happy one. Elladan and Elrohir were out scouting at the time, so Arathia did not get to see them or Aragorn who was still doing "Eru knows what" as Gilraen said. Lord Elrond welcomed his foster daughter back to Rivendell and was happy to see her. Arathia stayed for a month telling her mother of her many adventures and all the things she had seen and done. But she never once mentioned Legolas or the fact that she had been living in Mirkwood for thirteen years. It was towards the end of Arathia's visit that Gilraen mentioned a change she had seen in her daughter.
"I remember when I fell in love with your father. My mother said that I was like a new person with a whole new look on life. That I was happier and lighter then I had ever been. I never understood what she meant until I saw Aragorn fall in love with Lady Arwen."
"Mother, what are you trying to say?" Arathia had asked hesitantly. She had believed that she was concealing her secret very well.
"I am saying that you now have the same persona. Now tell me, who is he? And how long have you been with him? I believe that whoever he is, he is the reason for you only sending obscure letters to me that you are well. Now don't try to fib. You never could keep anything from me."
Arathia sighed. Her mother was right. Arathia was a horrible liar anyway. So she told Gilraen everything. From the moment she met Legolas to gaining King Thranduil's favor. Gilraen's face became grimmer and grimmer as Arathia spoke.
"My daughter you suffer the fate of your brother. To love one whom is above you and in turn for them to love you. A bitter fate have my children found themselves in."
"But Mother! If all Lord Elrond said is true, then shouldn't we be allowed to aim above all others?"
"That was in Elder Days and it was never meant to be that the Firstborn and Secondborn should wed. Please Arathia, when you return to Mirkwood, tell the Prince what you will and then return to Rivendell. Let your love live in him forever."
Arathia was saddened at her mother's words, but understood them well. How could she ever ask Legolas to give up the immortal life he was born to? She loved him too much to ever ask him for that sacrifice. So with a heavy heart, Arathia returned to Mirkwood to tell Legolas what she would and then to leave forever.
While Arathia was gone Legolas had been up to a bit of mischief. He had asked for two golden rings to be made. Wedding rings. When Arathia returned he was going to ask her to marry him. He had told Thalionsul and Calawen of his plan and even though they were saddened that he would be mortal and forced to suffer death, they supported him and promised to be witnesses.
"But what of your father mellon?" Thalionsul had asked. "For you to be mortal you need his blessing."
"I am the last of my father's sons. He may deny me. If I ask him after I wed Arathia, he cannot deny me."
Thalionsul agreed with his friend, but did not mention that he thought the plan to be rather unwise for an elf of 2,877 years.
Legolas did not have long to wait to set his plan in motion. Arathia returned after three months and asked Legolas to meet her as soon as possible. Legolas wasted no time in this matter. He brought the wedding rings and asked Calawen and Thalionsul to be ready when he came for them. Arathia was waiting outside for him by the giant boulder on the east side of the clearing. Legolas was surprised at how she looked. She seemed as though she had been crying for some time and her voice shook as she spoke.
"Legolas, you know that I love you more than I could love anyone else, but," her voice faltered and she bent her head down. She did not Legolas to see her tears. She continued after a moment. "You were born to immortality. I was not. I cannot, no; I will not ask you to give that up for a mortal whose life expectancy is short and merely a blink of the eye for the Elves. Our time together would be short and then you would be alone. I will not leave you alone. I only ask you to remember your love for me and to take it with you when you pass over the sea as is the fate of your people."
Legolas took Arathia's face in his hands and kissed her before speaking. Arathia's words had surprised him, but he would not let them keep him from what he wanted.
"I fully understand the consequences of mortality and I accept them. My life is mine to give to whom I will. And I give it to you. I couldn't live an immortal life if I wanted to anymore. I would die with longing for you." With that Legolas took out the two slim bands of gold and handed one to Arathia.
"Please Arathia daughter of Arathorn, marry me."
Arathia buried her face in her hands as Legolas waited for her answer. Slowly her tears became laughter and as she revealed a smile like the sun she had been named for and embraced her love. Gilraen had to be wrong. Love would see Arathia and Legolas through for of all the forces in this world, it was the greatest. Arathia ran off to get Calawen and Legolas went for Thalionsul. Arathia and Calawen were waiting for Legolas and Thalionsul when they had returned. Arathia wore a crown of daisies and was dressed in a simple white wedding dress. It was the same dress Calawen had worn on the day of her marriage to Firithlas. Legolas had dressed into his court robes and he wore the emblem of the House of Thranduil, the Tree of Gold and the Tree of Silver with a great tree of green in front of them. The ceremony began immediately with a simple feast that was quickly over for all members of the party were anxious for the main part of the ceremony. When they were done Legolas and Arathia stood forth. Calawen was acting as Arathia's mother and Thalionsul acted as father to Legolas. Calawen and Thalionsul joined the hands of Arathia and Legolas and blessed them with words that no mortal, save Arathia, has ever heard. When the ceremony was completed the wedding party celebrated long into the night rejoicing the marriage of the Prince of Mirkwood to the Lady of the Dunedain.
TBC...
Bound to You
Thirteen long years had passed in Mirkwood. Barely a blink of the eye for the Elves that lived there, but for Arathia it was a very long time. She was no longer the young woman she once was. Now she was older and wiser. But fortunately the years did not show themselves on her face and if one were to see her they would think her no older then her mid twenties when she was truly in her late thirties. The years had been long and filled with happiness for each passing day she loved Legolas more then before. And in turn he loved her so much that he wondered if he could contain his love for her. And in this way they lived together in happiness.
It was during this year that Arathia decided to return to Imladris to visit Gilraen and, if he was there, her brother. So Arathia bid farewell to Legolas and departed to the land of her birth. It took Arathia only a month to get to Rivendell for she was quick and had good weather during the trip. Even the pass over the Misty Mountains had gone well. When Arathia arrived, Gilraen was overjoyed to see her and their reunion was a happy one. Elladan and Elrohir were out scouting at the time, so Arathia did not get to see them or Aragorn who was still doing "Eru knows what" as Gilraen said. Lord Elrond welcomed his foster daughter back to Rivendell and was happy to see her. Arathia stayed for a month telling her mother of her many adventures and all the things she had seen and done. But she never once mentioned Legolas or the fact that she had been living in Mirkwood for thirteen years. It was towards the end of Arathia's visit that Gilraen mentioned a change she had seen in her daughter.
"I remember when I fell in love with your father. My mother said that I was like a new person with a whole new look on life. That I was happier and lighter then I had ever been. I never understood what she meant until I saw Aragorn fall in love with Lady Arwen."
"Mother, what are you trying to say?" Arathia had asked hesitantly. She had believed that she was concealing her secret very well.
"I am saying that you now have the same persona. Now tell me, who is he? And how long have you been with him? I believe that whoever he is, he is the reason for you only sending obscure letters to me that you are well. Now don't try to fib. You never could keep anything from me."
Arathia sighed. Her mother was right. Arathia was a horrible liar anyway. So she told Gilraen everything. From the moment she met Legolas to gaining King Thranduil's favor. Gilraen's face became grimmer and grimmer as Arathia spoke.
"My daughter you suffer the fate of your brother. To love one whom is above you and in turn for them to love you. A bitter fate have my children found themselves in."
"But Mother! If all Lord Elrond said is true, then shouldn't we be allowed to aim above all others?"
"That was in Elder Days and it was never meant to be that the Firstborn and Secondborn should wed. Please Arathia, when you return to Mirkwood, tell the Prince what you will and then return to Rivendell. Let your love live in him forever."
Arathia was saddened at her mother's words, but understood them well. How could she ever ask Legolas to give up the immortal life he was born to? She loved him too much to ever ask him for that sacrifice. So with a heavy heart, Arathia returned to Mirkwood to tell Legolas what she would and then to leave forever.
While Arathia was gone Legolas had been up to a bit of mischief. He had asked for two golden rings to be made. Wedding rings. When Arathia returned he was going to ask her to marry him. He had told Thalionsul and Calawen of his plan and even though they were saddened that he would be mortal and forced to suffer death, they supported him and promised to be witnesses.
"But what of your father mellon?" Thalionsul had asked. "For you to be mortal you need his blessing."
"I am the last of my father's sons. He may deny me. If I ask him after I wed Arathia, he cannot deny me."
Thalionsul agreed with his friend, but did not mention that he thought the plan to be rather unwise for an elf of 2,877 years.
Legolas did not have long to wait to set his plan in motion. Arathia returned after three months and asked Legolas to meet her as soon as possible. Legolas wasted no time in this matter. He brought the wedding rings and asked Calawen and Thalionsul to be ready when he came for them. Arathia was waiting outside for him by the giant boulder on the east side of the clearing. Legolas was surprised at how she looked. She seemed as though she had been crying for some time and her voice shook as she spoke.
"Legolas, you know that I love you more than I could love anyone else, but," her voice faltered and she bent her head down. She did not Legolas to see her tears. She continued after a moment. "You were born to immortality. I was not. I cannot, no; I will not ask you to give that up for a mortal whose life expectancy is short and merely a blink of the eye for the Elves. Our time together would be short and then you would be alone. I will not leave you alone. I only ask you to remember your love for me and to take it with you when you pass over the sea as is the fate of your people."
Legolas took Arathia's face in his hands and kissed her before speaking. Arathia's words had surprised him, but he would not let them keep him from what he wanted.
"I fully understand the consequences of mortality and I accept them. My life is mine to give to whom I will. And I give it to you. I couldn't live an immortal life if I wanted to anymore. I would die with longing for you." With that Legolas took out the two slim bands of gold and handed one to Arathia.
"Please Arathia daughter of Arathorn, marry me."
Arathia buried her face in her hands as Legolas waited for her answer. Slowly her tears became laughter and as she revealed a smile like the sun she had been named for and embraced her love. Gilraen had to be wrong. Love would see Arathia and Legolas through for of all the forces in this world, it was the greatest. Arathia ran off to get Calawen and Legolas went for Thalionsul. Arathia and Calawen were waiting for Legolas and Thalionsul when they had returned. Arathia wore a crown of daisies and was dressed in a simple white wedding dress. It was the same dress Calawen had worn on the day of her marriage to Firithlas. Legolas had dressed into his court robes and he wore the emblem of the House of Thranduil, the Tree of Gold and the Tree of Silver with a great tree of green in front of them. The ceremony began immediately with a simple feast that was quickly over for all members of the party were anxious for the main part of the ceremony. When they were done Legolas and Arathia stood forth. Calawen was acting as Arathia's mother and Thalionsul acted as father to Legolas. Calawen and Thalionsul joined the hands of Arathia and Legolas and blessed them with words that no mortal, save Arathia, has ever heard. When the ceremony was completed the wedding party celebrated long into the night rejoicing the marriage of the Prince of Mirkwood to the Lady of the Dunedain.
TBC...