We lie together, curled close in each other's arms. Tonight is his last
night. I prepare myself for the worst. I hate this, I hate this, I hate
this, my heart cries. Yet I cannot stop him from leaving.
I want to tell him how much I love him. Should I? I don't want him to think I'm using that love as a tool to stop him from going. He is the Prince, after all. And that means he must go where he is needed.
"Legolas?"
He stirs.
I realize that he has been sleeping. I didn't mean to wake him, yet how could I not? I'm going to miss him, I realize as dawn streams through the thin curtains. He could be gone days, weeks, months, years. And I have no control over that. I don't even have any control over whether or not I might ever see him again.
"Hmm?"
"I.." I don't finish the sentence. He curls his arms around me, and for the moment, it's enough. I can't stand day filtering into the room, can't stand everything happening around us.
It's the Ring of power. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them. That is what all the fuss is about - one piece of jewellery.
Yet it consumed my father, King of Hardane, once, and I know how powerful it can be. Because of that, I know why he must go. The reason why the one I love with all my heart must leave me.
"Eden?"
He says my name and it sounds like a prayer. I snuggle close to him and pray that this morning will not be the last time I see him. For this morning he rides to Rivendell, and to his fate.
He tells me he must see to this One Ring, and then he will return to me. I dare not ask how long it will take. I don't want him to feel trapped here. I lift my hand, trace a battle scar that lies on the left side if his chest, and feel tears prick my eyes.
"I am immortal, you know," he teases, stroking away the stray tear. "And I promise you, Princess Eden of Hardane, my love, I will return to you. I will always return to you."
"What if I am not here when you return?"
"Then I will find you." He turns to me, his piercing blue eyes serious. "I will find you, Eden. I will always find you." With that, he holds me close and together we watch the sun rise. Each moment that passes, we come a moment closer to the time he has to leave.
"One more kiss," I ask of him.
"Just one," he agrees readily, and his lips meet mine. I lose my hands in his thick blonde hair. Some part of me knows that is we never see each other again, my father will be happy. Because our love is like the love Arwen Evenstar and Aragorn, sone of Arathorn, share. Our marriage would be of mixed race. I am human, He is elfkind.
He will live forever, while I will grow old and die.
Someday, we will find a way. Perhaps I will go to Valinor and plead my case. Other than that, without him, I don't know how I will pass my days. Outside, we hear someone calling, and Legolas stiffens. I know it is time for him to leave.
"I must get my armour," he tells me. "I will see you in the courtyard." And he tells me he loves me in Elvish, a language that I always find gorgeous when it passes through his lips.
I want to tell him how much I love him. Should I? I don't want him to think I'm using that love as a tool to stop him from going. He is the Prince, after all. And that means he must go where he is needed.
"Legolas?"
He stirs.
I realize that he has been sleeping. I didn't mean to wake him, yet how could I not? I'm going to miss him, I realize as dawn streams through the thin curtains. He could be gone days, weeks, months, years. And I have no control over that. I don't even have any control over whether or not I might ever see him again.
"Hmm?"
"I.." I don't finish the sentence. He curls his arms around me, and for the moment, it's enough. I can't stand day filtering into the room, can't stand everything happening around us.
It's the Ring of power. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them. That is what all the fuss is about - one piece of jewellery.
Yet it consumed my father, King of Hardane, once, and I know how powerful it can be. Because of that, I know why he must go. The reason why the one I love with all my heart must leave me.
"Eden?"
He says my name and it sounds like a prayer. I snuggle close to him and pray that this morning will not be the last time I see him. For this morning he rides to Rivendell, and to his fate.
He tells me he must see to this One Ring, and then he will return to me. I dare not ask how long it will take. I don't want him to feel trapped here. I lift my hand, trace a battle scar that lies on the left side if his chest, and feel tears prick my eyes.
"I am immortal, you know," he teases, stroking away the stray tear. "And I promise you, Princess Eden of Hardane, my love, I will return to you. I will always return to you."
"What if I am not here when you return?"
"Then I will find you." He turns to me, his piercing blue eyes serious. "I will find you, Eden. I will always find you." With that, he holds me close and together we watch the sun rise. Each moment that passes, we come a moment closer to the time he has to leave.
"One more kiss," I ask of him.
"Just one," he agrees readily, and his lips meet mine. I lose my hands in his thick blonde hair. Some part of me knows that is we never see each other again, my father will be happy. Because our love is like the love Arwen Evenstar and Aragorn, sone of Arathorn, share. Our marriage would be of mixed race. I am human, He is elfkind.
He will live forever, while I will grow old and die.
Someday, we will find a way. Perhaps I will go to Valinor and plead my case. Other than that, without him, I don't know how I will pass my days. Outside, we hear someone calling, and Legolas stiffens. I know it is time for him to leave.
"I must get my armour," he tells me. "I will see you in the courtyard." And he tells me he loves me in Elvish, a language that I always find gorgeous when it passes through his lips.