A/N: Not mine. All stories in the series are independent of each other.
Legolas/Arwen appear to be 10 years old.
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Clouds
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"Rabbit."
"Tree, definitely."
"Horse."
"Mushroom."
"You always think they look like something out of the forest."
"I do not."
"Yes, you do."
"No I don't. okay, maybe just sometimes."
Satisfied that she had won the argument, Arwen returned her focus to the massive white clouds in the warm summer sky. She and Legolas were sprawled out on some isolated field, just staring as the clouds shifted and moved into shapes and objects of their imagination.
"Legolas, what do you want to be when you grow up?" Arwen asked and as an afterthought she added, "And you can't mention archery."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, how do you see yourself when you're older?"
"How old?"
"Oh, I don't know. say, 3000 years old!"
Legolas rolled over onto his stomach, propped himself up on his elbows and idly twirled long pieces of wild grass while thinking in earnest about the proposed question. Arwen noticed that he had a far away look in his eyes when he finally spoke, as if he were recalling some remembered secret that he alone only knew.
"Well, sometimes, " he hesitated before choosing to continue, "sometimes I see myself being very honorable and rich in wisdom and all those things that are becoming of elf kind. Very well respected and everything. But more than anything, I also see myself being a brave warrior whose name is well learned by the peoples of Middle-Earth. And I stand for what is good and just and true. My adventures would never cease as I would defeat any foe who dared to stand in my path...I want my life to be the stuff of legend..."
"Wow," she said breathlessly after he had finished.
"It is but a dream.I do not know where my path shall lead me," he said rather sadly. "Therefore you must promise not to tell a living soul. It shall be our own secret."
"I promise you I shall not tell any soul. And I believe you shall be all those wonderful things you dream," Arwen gave him a slight smile for encouragement, "I believe it with all my heart."
"Do you ever think about being Queen?" he asked her after a while.
"My dear Legolas, we both know that I shall not ever rise to that title."
"Well, don't you ever think about what it would be like?"
"I used to," Arwen turned to her side to face him, "I mean, to be so lucky as to become a leader of elves... to be so well loved and admired! I used to think that I would become Queen of the greatest nation of Middle-Earth. But then I realized that with such power comes such great responsibility, I do not think I could do it."
"Well, if it means anything, I think you would be a great Queen."
"It's better this way, I think. Above all I desire the love of my family and my people and this I have. So I am happy. Bird..." she pointed back to the sky.
"You could be."
"Could be what?" she asked. Arwen had thought the conversation was over.
"Become a Queen. You just have to marry a king...or a king in waiting," Legolas cheekily grinned at her.
"I'm so sure. Though, I do not think I know any decent kings in waiting..." she teased back.
"Yes, and who would ever want to marry you? I feel pity for the poor soul."
"At least I would be married! Unlike a certain prince I know..."
"I would, you know." Legolas tone became unusually serious.
"What are you talking about now?"
"If I ever became King, I'd marry you."
Arwen was speechless. Legolas avoided eye contact with her.
"But not because I'd LOVE you or anything... I just think you'd make a good Queen, that's all," he added meekly.
"Legolas?"
He looked up at Arwen expectantly. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently, "I am glad you are my friend."
He returned her smile then turned to the sky, "So what do you think of that one?" he asked.
"Tree, definitely."
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Fin
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Clouds
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"Rabbit."
"Tree, definitely."
"Horse."
"Mushroom."
"You always think they look like something out of the forest."
"I do not."
"Yes, you do."
"No I don't. okay, maybe just sometimes."
Satisfied that she had won the argument, Arwen returned her focus to the massive white clouds in the warm summer sky. She and Legolas were sprawled out on some isolated field, just staring as the clouds shifted and moved into shapes and objects of their imagination.
"Legolas, what do you want to be when you grow up?" Arwen asked and as an afterthought she added, "And you can't mention archery."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, how do you see yourself when you're older?"
"How old?"
"Oh, I don't know. say, 3000 years old!"
Legolas rolled over onto his stomach, propped himself up on his elbows and idly twirled long pieces of wild grass while thinking in earnest about the proposed question. Arwen noticed that he had a far away look in his eyes when he finally spoke, as if he were recalling some remembered secret that he alone only knew.
"Well, sometimes, " he hesitated before choosing to continue, "sometimes I see myself being very honorable and rich in wisdom and all those things that are becoming of elf kind. Very well respected and everything. But more than anything, I also see myself being a brave warrior whose name is well learned by the peoples of Middle-Earth. And I stand for what is good and just and true. My adventures would never cease as I would defeat any foe who dared to stand in my path...I want my life to be the stuff of legend..."
"Wow," she said breathlessly after he had finished.
"It is but a dream.I do not know where my path shall lead me," he said rather sadly. "Therefore you must promise not to tell a living soul. It shall be our own secret."
"I promise you I shall not tell any soul. And I believe you shall be all those wonderful things you dream," Arwen gave him a slight smile for encouragement, "I believe it with all my heart."
"Do you ever think about being Queen?" he asked her after a while.
"My dear Legolas, we both know that I shall not ever rise to that title."
"Well, don't you ever think about what it would be like?"
"I used to," Arwen turned to her side to face him, "I mean, to be so lucky as to become a leader of elves... to be so well loved and admired! I used to think that I would become Queen of the greatest nation of Middle-Earth. But then I realized that with such power comes such great responsibility, I do not think I could do it."
"Well, if it means anything, I think you would be a great Queen."
"It's better this way, I think. Above all I desire the love of my family and my people and this I have. So I am happy. Bird..." she pointed back to the sky.
"You could be."
"Could be what?" she asked. Arwen had thought the conversation was over.
"Become a Queen. You just have to marry a king...or a king in waiting," Legolas cheekily grinned at her.
"I'm so sure. Though, I do not think I know any decent kings in waiting..." she teased back.
"Yes, and who would ever want to marry you? I feel pity for the poor soul."
"At least I would be married! Unlike a certain prince I know..."
"I would, you know." Legolas tone became unusually serious.
"What are you talking about now?"
"If I ever became King, I'd marry you."
Arwen was speechless. Legolas avoided eye contact with her.
"But not because I'd LOVE you or anything... I just think you'd make a good Queen, that's all," he added meekly.
"Legolas?"
He looked up at Arwen expectantly. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently, "I am glad you are my friend."
He returned her smile then turned to the sky, "So what do you think of that one?" he asked.
"Tree, definitely."
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Fin
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