Disclaimer: Refer to Chapter One
Title: The Heart's True Home
Author: Lady Silma
Rating: PG-13
A/N: Important! No, this is not the last chapter, so beware of that before you read please. There are still three chapters left after this one. Secondly, the rating of this story is now increased for this chapter and the remaining four chapters to come (just to be safe).
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A Time for Everything
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A week later found the weather in Laiquarille much changed from the night of the masquerade. Ominous clouds, piled tall and black in the sky, loomed over the land below. This was the weather the inhabitants of Laiquarille were the most used to during the winter months, and after such fine conditions during the feast, a little rain was looked forward to by many.
For the small entourage of friends that had planned to journey to the nearby city, however, the promise of rain was something more of a threat. Legolas had insisted that they not go, for the sake of Silia, who wished to accompany her husband and friends on the journey. Not to mention, she wished to be in attendance to see the first unveiling of the toy chest that King Thranduil and Queen Elowen had graciously ordered Legolas' chief advisor and wife upon hearing that Silia was with child. It was for this reason that Legolas and Isondil had first decided to make the planned trip. A wagon would be brought to haul the chest from the city it currently resided in back to Laiquarille.
Yet now, with the portentous weather gathering itself in the sky to top the snow white peaks of the Pelori in a dark crown of clouds, both Legolas and Isondil thought that their plans could be set aside for a few more weeks till spring's influence began to make itself felt throughout the land.
Silia, on the other hand, was displaying a bit more motherly impatience in the whole matter, and it was only when Isondil had agreed to go for the toy chest, despite the foreboding weather, that she was satisfied. He, on the other hand, had wrestled an equally demanding promise out of her before he would acquiesce to her pleadings.
While everyone else began the journey, Silia was bundled under thick covers in her bed, fast asleep like her husband had requested. If he was going to have to go and get their child's toy chest in such weather, he had told her, then he wanted her resting, something she had not done much of during the celebration.
When Valia, Glorfindel, and Cithien arrived outside, clad in thick clothing and fur lined cloaks to fight the chill in the air, a team of sturdy horses had all ready been hitched to a wagon. It stood ready on the hard dirt path in front of them, an attendant sitting at attention with the reins held loosely in his relaxed hands.
There was no sign of Legolas or Isondil, however, at least not until the soft knickers of horses were heard coming from the direction of the stables, and Isondil emerged from the open doors, leading his and Glorfindel's horse outside.
It had been arranged the day before that Isondil, Glorfindel, and Legolas would each bring their own horses on the trip and that Cithien and Valia could sit in the wagon, or in Cithien's case, with Glorfindel on his horse if she wished.
Valia and her companions had descended the palace steps at the sight of Isondil emerging from the stable. Glorfindel and Cithien walked over to Isondil to retrieve their horse, Cithien having decided that she would ride with Glorfindel on the trip to the city. With the assistance of the attendant, Valia was seated comfortably beside him along the spacious length of bench.
She craned her neck at the sound of another set of hooves clacking upon the hard dirt of the stable, and Legolas emerged from the concealing shadows immediately afterwards leading Arod out with a hand curled under the steed's white neck. However, it was not this sight that caused Valia's mouth to part in a thin line of surprise.
It was Hadrielia, all ready perched happily atop Arod and looking for all of Arda like she was to accompany them on their day trip.
Once Legolas had mounted his horse, seating himself in front of Hadrielia, it became apparent that she was indeed going to travel with them. Valia felt a prick of annoyance at the unexpected addition to their party, but was neither too immature to suddenly change her mind and politely back down from accompanying them or sit in brooding silence the whole time. So she adjusted her skirts and cloak about her, raising her chin high as she determined to enjoy herself no matter what.
Not many words were spared as the small party set out at a brisk pace, wishing to make it to the next city where the toy chest was, and then back to the palace before the storm broke overhead. All seemed to be in a spirit of contemplation, except for Glorfindel and Cithien, who spoke in hushed undertones with each other, and Hadrielia, who was attempting to carry on a conversation with Legolas, though she only seemed to be receiving monosyllabic replies from him.
The air was cool, blowing softly against Valia as they rode forward, and she had to bundle her cloak closely around her to fight off the chill seeping through her skin to her very bones. She did her best to avoid glancing to Legolas and Hadrielia on the journey there, but it was made difficult when Valia's throat and chest constricted tightly with each delicate laugh that floated from Hadrielia's lips at one of Legolas' comments. Thankfully, Isondil guided his horse alongside the wagon sometime after the small group was well on its way, and made light conversation with Valia as Glorfindel and Legolas were both busy entertaining their own ladies.
The journey passed swiftly, however, with Isondil traveling beside her, and soon Valia was feeling much better. She knew he was trying his best to distract her, and for that she was grateful. They spoke quietly of many things, mostly catching each other up on four centuries of absence.
By the time they reached the new city, the storm clouds were black overhead, shadowing the land below in a strange twilight. The song of birds had died in the trees, and all the animals and winged creatures sought out shelter till all that could be heard or seen were the trees and bushes, rustling in the wind with foreboding.
The store that held the chest was quickly sought out, and the toy chest was rapidly loaded into the wagon, strapped down securely with an oiled animal skin thrown over it to protect the chest from the rain that would surely come on the trip back to the palace. In the meantime, Legolas and his company were welcomed with delight into the home of one of the residents of the city, who swiftly prepared a warm meal for the Prince and his guests.
Valia had been impressed with the way the elves seemed to love and respect their Prince, knowing that Legolas had done much to earn their trust in such a way. The meal had been pleasant, Hadrielia being remarkably docile and undemanding during that time. The simple homemade meal was delicious, and Valia particularly enjoyed it since the local berries and fruit used in preparing the food were a novelty to that area of Laiquarille. Conversation flowed in abundance, just as their cups were never lacking in the rich wine that the mistress of the house was attentive in seeing refilled whenever needed.
It was not until rain began to fall in heavy sheets outside, pattering in a natural music against the roof of the home that the spirits of everyone plummeted. Legolas declared that the weather would only worsen, instead of abating, the longer that they lingered in the city.
Thanking the elven family for their generous hospitality, Valia and the others wrapped their cloaks tightly around themselves, which had been warmed by the fire in anticipation of their imminent departure, and went outside. Legolas, for some reason that Valia did not understand, insisted that Hadrielia sit in the wagon on the ride back. Valia was not sure whether she should be satisfied that the he did not want Hadrielia riding with him, or if she should be annoyed that she was now forced into being an intimate traveling companion with Hadrielia. The elf lady, to Valia's surprise, launched a conversation as soon as they started out on the return trip, apparently deciding to make the journey as pleasant as possible since the elements were all ready making the situation disagreeable. Valia resolved it best to be civil with Hadrielia, and she held calm, even if it was a bit strained, conversation while they traveled.
Much to everyone's consternation, the weather seemed to take great delight in making the return trip as miserable as possible. All the travelers were quickly becoming soaked. Cithien probably less than anyone else, Valia noted with a small smile, as the elf lady was comfortably wrapped in her own cloak, as well as being sheltered underneath Glorfindel's, which he had wrapped around himself and her.
The roads were extremely muddy by the time the royal city came into view. It made the going slower since they were now forced to travel uphill where the palace was situated at the exact top of the rolling hill. The wagon kept slipping upon the muddied road, fishtailing back and forth if the pace became faster than a slow plodding from the horses.
Cloaks were pulled closer around everyone's forms as the rain persisted, soaking to the skin, and an ominous rumbling began to sound in the distance, followed invariably by a flash of light in the distance.
Climbing higher, an eerie stilling occurred amidst the group half way up the hill, even with the rain still falling heavily around them. Expectancy was rife through the group, and muscles tensed in an unconscious preparation.
Energy was suddenly thick in the air, so much so that it was nearly tangible to the small party of elves. Rumbling thunder abruptly growled low and deafening overhead and a burst of hot, white light shot across the sky instantaneously afterwards.
Spooked by the sudden display of the storm's power manifesting itself directly over their heads, the horses hitched to the heavily laden wagon snorted and whinnied in fear, surging forward to escape the danger.
Hadrielia's frightened scream tore through the air as she clutched to the side of the wagon.
The attendant tried to rein the terrified horses in, but the power of the storm breaking overhead was too much for the poor beasts. Jolting forward, they pulled the wagon dangerously fast up the road. Mud flew around them in dark sprays of brown, and the wagon shook in protest at the breakneck speed.
Valia clutched at her seat, desperately trying to hold on as the wagon jerked over bumps in the road that sent her airborne with the startling force. Sparing a frightened look backwards, she could just make out the three horses of Legolas, Isondil, and Glorfindel sprinting towards the out of control wagon to catch up. The rain lashed at her eyes, blurring the world around her so that colors blended into a confusing image.
Her head lurched frontward when she heard a loud crack, the sound of splintering wood and not the rumbling of thunder. The wagon jolted downward at the same instant, tilting at an odd angle to the left as it was suddenly hindered from moving forward by some unseen object. With the combination of the sudden stop and violent jerk downwards, Valia, Hadrielia, and the attendant were thrown from the wagon, not having enough strength to hold themselves on.
Valia landed hard on the ground, though not far from the stopped wagon. Immediately she scrambled into a sitting position, ignoring the mud that was now thickly caked all over her form from the road. She brushed her hair back from her face, quickly assessing herself for any injury. Nothing felt horribly wrong, other than a dull ache that throbbed in the muscles that had taken the largest part of the impact when she fell. She glanced around, noting that both Hadrielia and the attendant appeared fairly well, despite being thrown, and let herself relax a little. Wiping her dress sleeve across her face, she attempted to rid herself of the mud she could feel spattered across her skin before she attempted to rise.
At the sight of their Prince's traveling party in trouble, many of the nearby inhabitants of the royal city braved the adverse weather themselves, issuing out of houses with lighted windows, to offer their aid in any way they could. A crowd was swiftly growing around the odd tilted wagon by the time Legolas and Isondil were able to dismount their horses. Some of the elves went to calm the horses, grasping the frightened creatures' reins and placing their hands on the animals' heads. Soft words were whispered into the horses' ears, and with the gentle strokes of comfort the animals calmed. There were a handful of elves who began to examine the damaged wagon, which had become caught on a large stump along the side of the road. That was what had caused the sudden stop of the wagon, it was decided.
Amazingly enough, the toy chest was still lashed safely, and unharmed, to the broken wagon. It was quickly transferred to a new one that one of the residents had brought out and then sent on its way up to the palace to complete its journey.
Seeing that things were well in the capable hands of his people, Legolas swiftly weaved around the few elves standing in his way to reach Valia's side. 'Are you alright?' he asked after he had knelt beside her on the muddy ground, not caring in the least that it would ruin his clothes. He grasped her upper arm with his hand, scanning her figure for any visible signs of broken bones or blood. He could not tell much, however, since most of her was covered in thick fabric coated with a spray of mud from the rain soaked road.
'I am fine,' Valia assured. 'Only a little sore, perhaps.' She rubbed her lower back, a rueful laugh bubbling its way out of her mouth. 'I seem to have a strange perchance for such mishaps, do I not? Or perhaps it is only when I am around you,' she added as Legolas took it upon himself to begin examining her ankles and then moved on to her wrists for signs of sprain. 'I think you are dangerous to my health, Prince Legolas.'
He only spared enough time to cast a frown her way before he went back to testing the bones and muscles of her right wrist. When he was done, he looked up again. 'You appear to be fine,' he breathed out in relief, daring to cup her cheek for a moment before pulling back.
His fingers left a muddy mark against her just cleaned face.
'Yes,' Valia agreed in amusement, despite her current circumstance. 'I do believe I said that earlier.' She bestowed a bright smile upon him as he growled, though in good humor, and rose before offering her a hand for a help up.
She had just risen to her feet, pulled close to Legolas so that she was partially sheltered from the falling rain that was coming down in fat drops, when she became aware of a stilling in the crowd around them. Turning away from him to brave the elements, Valia saw that Hadrielia stood nearby, looking absolutely miserable from her soaked hair to her mud stained lower half.
'Are you well?' Legolas asked his betrothed, remembering her presence among them for the first time, though he did not release his hands from Valia's arms. For some reason he needed to touch her, make sure that she really was whole and unbroken after her fall. Hadrielia would simply have to accept that fact. He was tired of pretending he felt nothing for Valia. At the most, he should simply be allowed to worry for her as a past friend.
The crowd began to disperse slowly when they saw that all was well in the hands of a select few who stayed behind. Interest was prevalent in the eyes of those who remained, and all pretensions of help were abandoned to watch the scene play out between the Prince and the two ladies beside him.
'Yes, I am fine, thank you for asking,' Hadrielia bit out, her ivory cheeks red from the sting of the rain and her anger. She walked forward so that she stood close to Legolas, her eyes clearly displaying all the irritation she felt.
In an unspoken reaction, Legolas tightened his hold on Valia and frowned down at Hadrielia. Most of the time, he was able to control his reaction to her childish outbursts, but today it grated on his nerves. 'I would take heed to where you are and whom you speak with, my lady,' he replied with an icy warning that sent a small shiver of fear through Valia. Feeling her shake, Legolas loosed his hold on her slightly, gently rubbing his thumbs up and down her arms in reassurance.
Yet for all his warnings, Hadrielia would not be daunted, crowd or no crowd.
Prince or not.
'It is you who should heed your own advice, Prince Legolas,' she spat.
'I beg your pardon?' Legolas questioned, anger blooming rapidly within him.
Seeing what was happening, Isondil swiftly stepped in, only to have Legolas deposit a soaked Valia into his arms, sending him a clear look that told Isondil he was not to interfere further than taking Valia a few paces away and making sure that she was as comfortable as possible.
'You have ignored me since your arrival here, after discovering Valia was present at the palace,' Hadrielia accused, shocking the observers at her lack of discretion. The claim also elicited a gasp of protest from Valia, who took a step forward to say something in her own defense. Isondil, however, was faster than she, and deftly grasped her arm and held her back. He motioned with his head for her to be patient and watch.
Legolas, who did not like it in the least that Hadrielia had brought Valia into the argument, slanted his eyes into slits of brilliant green. 'You mistake your place, my lady.'
'No, you mistake yours, my lord. The ring that you wear is a promise to me. I will not sit by and watch passively as you favor that elf lady over me,' she ground out, pointing a shaking finger at Valia. 'I will not share a place in your life and heart with her after we wed.'
'Then perhaps it is best that we do not marry.'
The clipped words of the Prince, loud enough even with the raging storm above them, sent everyone who was left into an unnatural stilling of movements and thought.
Valia was sure that for once her face was a perfect mirror of Hadrielia's, who was looking at her betrothed with wide eyes and a slightly parted mouth.
'What?' she asked him in disbelief, swallowing softly as Legolas' face hardened.
'I do not wish to marry you,' he clarified slowly, making sure there would be no questions left as to his intent.
'But,' Hadrielia gasped, her brow starting to furrow with anger. How dare he do this to her, humiliate her so, in the middle of a crowd! 'You cannot do this!'
'I most certainly can,' he countered evenly. His face remained deceptively calm, belying none of the emotions Hadrielia's did as he slipped the silver betrothal ring from his finger. Extending it to her, he waited for her to do the same as he spoke again. 'My lady, I wish to break our betrothal right now, with those that are present as our public witness.' He gestured to the small crowd watching the proceedings in unmoving silence, now required to stay because tradition and law demanded it.
While it was entirely acceptable for the Secondborn to absolve a betrothal in privacy, away from the gawking eyes of their peers, for the Eldar this was not the case. To end a betrothal among elves, it was required to be publicly performed, which both discouraged the weighty decision from being made lightly and made the break undisputable. The remaining crowd knew this, which was the only reason that they had stayed in the first place to brave the anger of the storm and their Prince.
And Hadrielia knew that she could do nothing but comply, for while the Eldar sometimes entered a marriage of arrangement when both parties agreed to do so, no elven marriage could ever occur when one or both were not willing.
Valia was extremely grateful for the arm Isondil offered her as she watched Hadrielia take off her silver ring and exchange betrothal bands with Legolas. She felt such a raging mix of emotions, much stronger than the storm that was sending down large drops of icy rain onto her form, that if Valia did not know better, she would have thought that she would be torn apart in the aftermath.
Relief.
Amazement.
Shock, joy, and dread. They were all present in the churning mass of emotion within her.
It was not till she was engulfed in the shelter of Isondil's arms, her cheek pressed to his tunic as he gently stroked her back and whispered soothing words to her, that she became aware of the tears of utter relief that were coursing down her face.
'He is not marrying her?' she asked in wonder, clutching the front of Isondil's tunic. Her voice sounded like that of a tiny elfling, even to her own ears, but she did not care.
'No, it would seem not,' Isondil whispered into her ear, a soft smile illuminating his face as he continued rubbing gentle circles onto Valia's back, ignoring the mud that was slowly transferring itself from her to him. 'It would seem not,' he murmured again softly, placing a kiss in her hair before he coaxed her over to the side of his horse.
His chestnut horse was well trained and docile, and the creature nickered, nudging Valia with its nose when she came to stand at its side. Despite the rain that had long ago soaked through her clothes to her skin, and the miserable state she was in after falling and becoming muddied, Valia bestowed an affectionate smile on the horse, rubbing her hand down the horse's velvety nose.
Isondil helped her up onto the animal's back, deftly mounting onto the bare back behind her.
All that was needed was a wordless glance that passed between Isondil and Legolas, before Isondil urged his horse forward, the animal's strides quickly eating up the distance left to the palace. Soon, Valia would be safe and comfortable within its walls and her disarrayed state tended to.
However, Valia was not sure if all the attending in the world could calm the tumult of her emotions after the scene she had just witnessed.
Her hands, she noticed, were shaking slightly, and not from her chilled condition either.
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The hall was dim, having no windows and lit only by the candles and sconces that were placed at intervals along the wall. It was obvious that this wing of the palace belonged to the royal family. Paintings that lined the walls told the story of the royal family's life, and ornate statues, furniture, and rugs graced the length of the hallway.
Valia's hands clenched and unclenched in an uneven rhythm as she stood before one of the several ornate doors. She reached out a curled fist, prepared to knock, but then her arm fell to her side again in indecision. Pressing her leaf tipped ear to the wood, much the way she had done as an elfling when she wanted to hear if her parent's were in the next room, she listened carefully. Soft rustling could be heard through the thick wood of the door, and Valia pulled back, knowing that there was no way she could use the excuse that she had not been able to find him.
No.
She needed to talk with him beforehand. He deserved an explanation.
And of course, she did not want him to find out and come to the wrong conclusion on his own. He would if he was left to his own imaginings, especially after their previous parting four centuries ago.
Yesterday's events had left her with little options in the matter, anyway. When the palace had heard that the Prince had broken his betrothal with Hadrielia, the news quickly spread, and with it, the rumors. Hadrielia had left that same day with her family staying with her at the palace, declining the offered hospitality of the King and Queen who told Hadrielia that she could stay for as long as it took her to move back to Earsilme. The quick departure of Legolas' former betrothed only fanned the speculations among Laiquarille's residents.
Lifting her hand up again, Valia's curled fist rapped firmly against the solid door in front of her. A silence followed from within, as if he was surprised that someone was at his door, and then as Valia lowered her arm to her side she heard his light footsteps moving towards her.
Her pulse began to race in spite of her mind reassuring her that everything was fine, and she sucked in a deep breath of cool air when the golden handle turned.
The door opened, and Legolas appeared in front of her, bathed in a golden backlighting of sunbeams that poured from inside his room and out into the windowless hall.
'Valia?' he questioned in surprise, taking in her form in a sweeping glance that finished when he met her azure eyes. 'Is something wrong?' he asked in worry, stepping forward hesitantly at the sight of fingers clenching the fabric of her skirt.
'I need to speak with you about something,' she told him in a rush, glancing down either side of the hall, which she was happy to note, still held no one else save her. She pushed past him and into his front room before there was time for anyone else to enter the hall with her.
'By all means, do come in,' Legolas smiled amusedly at her back which was fast retreating into his room. Mindful of decency but not overly disposed to agree with it at the moment, Legolas left the front door to his rooms open only a tiny slit. When Valia stopped in front of one of his windows and stood still there, Legolas was relieved that whatever it was that Valia wished to talk with him about was apparently not as urgent as he had first thought it to be.
That was until she turned on her heels quite abruptly and icy fingers of dread seemed to tickle their way down his spine at the peculiar glint in her eyes.
'I am leaving this afternoon.'
She had said it with such apparent ease that it took Legolas a moment to comprehend the meaning of her words. They hit him a few heartbeats later, and he stopped his walk to her side.
He was left standing in the middle of his sitting room, entirely immobile so that he looked like a finely sculpted statue.
She was leaving?
She was leaving him again?
'No surely it cannot be. I have heard her wrong,' a voice inside his head argued. The hollow feeling that her words had created inside his chest slowly began to crack, and a strong current of emotions began to trickle in to fill the empty gap when he looked to Valia in question. Her facial expression confirmed that she had indeed said what he had heard.
'You are what?' he demanded, his tongue remembering its job again after the shock had passed. He did not understand how she could leave him yet again; run away like she had before.
The whole situation was sickeningly familiar.
He did not want to think that she was even capable of doing such a thing again, of hurting him like she had before. The anger that bubbled within him was just as much because of him as it was her. Why had he made himself vulnerable to her once more only to have her tear his heart apart again?
Valia flinched as the anger and hurt that laced his words found their intended mark deep within her. 'I am leaving,' she repeated again, quieter this time, her words shaking slightly as her thick lashes drooped to shutter her eyes.
Before she had time to explain further, he uttered a low elvish curse. 'I should have known,' he told her, not bothering to cover the pain that was nearly tangible in his voice. In a few swift strides he made his way to a side door in the room, flinging it open and stalking in without any explanation. It was simply too painful to look at her at the moment. If he stayed, he feared that he would do something drastic or desperate, and he refused to risk his heart any further if she was only going to so characteristically reject it.
Valia was left alone, her wide eyes staring uncertainly at the open doorway. She did not know what she had expected when she came to tell him of her decision, but this was certainly not it. In fact, she could never remember seeing him so angry and hurt in all their time together before.
Was she responsible for that? A stab of guilt tore through her heart, though anger quickly followed on its heels.
He had not even given her time to explain! If he would only have given her time to explain everything instead of jumping to conclusions, there would have been nothing to be angry about. She was not rejecting him. Surely he knew that.
At least, that was what she hoped.
She stayed beside the window a little longer, not moving as her ears strained to hear what he was doing in the other room. Nibbling worriedly at her lower lip, she heard what she thought to be him sitting down on something and then all was quiet again. She waited for him to say something, call for her to either come in or leave, but he did neither.
Uncertainty suddenly settled over her.
Gliding through his sitting room with a swift pace, Valia followed his steps through the door he had entered. She did not even care at the moment that they were now alone in his bedroom or that anyone from a palace attendant to the King himself might walk in on them. All she wanted was to make him listen to her, to understand that she was not running away from him like she had before. It was different this time. He had to understand that; he had to realize that she wanted what he did.
'Legolas?' she asked softly, reining in her temper as she moved to his side.
He did not spare her a glance from his seated position on his bed. Instead, he simply continued to gaze out one of the curtained windows, rich material pulled back to reveal the view outside, cocking his head to one side in silent acknowledgment of her presence.
There was a rustle of fabric as Valia knelt at his feet, training her eyes on the soft leather of his booted calves to order her words before she spoke.
At the noise of Legolas shifting before her, breaking the hushed silence between them, Valia started and peered up at him in question. His face was shadowed in the golden curtain of his hair, but his emerald eyes flashed brightly at her, fixing her to her spot and rendering her incapable of saying anything.
'It is funny, you know,' he began quietly, finding that he felt suddenly deflated again, almost thin when he saw her kneeling before him and looking pleadingly up at him with those eyes that he loved so well. He fixed his gaze upon her hands that rested on the bed space beside him, and took one of them up between his hands, cradling it in his lap with such tenderness that Valia's lips parted slightly in wonder. She watched in concentration as he enfolded her hands atop his legs.
It was with sudden revelation that all that had happened yesterday became very real to her. Looking down at his hands, she noted that there was no longer a silver ring circling his index finger, glinting up at her with a taunting light of promises that were not made to her.
He gently played with her fingers as he spoke, tracing his fingertips along the planes of her smooth flesh in an action that strangely comforted him. 'I will not say that I was entirely content when I agreed to marry Hadrielia, but I had given the choice into the hands of my parents and so I did not object.'
Valia shifted into a more comfortable position at his feet while she listened to him speak with rapt attention. This was what she had wanted to hear from him ever since she had learned he was engaged to Hadrielia, an explanation.
'It was with open eyes that I bound myself to her. Freely did I tie my hands and fasten myself. It was not until you came,' he told her, briefly clasping her hand tightly in his own, 'that I found that the bindings that were of my own creating had become a prison. I had shackled myself voluntarily. It did not matter that I grew to dislike my situation. It should not have since it was I who willingly accepted the consequences when I agreed to the betrothal. Why then, with your coming, should I protest to my self imposed confinement? Why was it suddenly so terribly unbearable to think that I was binding myself to someone I did not love? Why did my heart cry out in protest every time I looked at you and some voice within me whispered of sweet things that were not possible? '
He fixed a questioning gaze upon her and an answering call of empathy and understanding rose within her. She scooted closer to him, allowing him to guide her head to rest against his knees as his hands found her free hair and combed through the soft strands.
'I had not looked for yesterday's events to happen, dared not hope for a freedom from my cage,' he continued softly. 'Yet now I find that suddenly I am released, and my heart has rejoiced with the freedom, the possibilities. There are so many possibilities for us Valia. Would you then leave me now, and bind me once again with a new grief? All I ask is that you stay by my side for now. Stay in the palace until the end of your stay and we can work through what problems may arise as they come.' His hands stilled in her hair, burrowing deep within the cascade of silken tresses as if to hold her there, whatever her answer was.
Angling her head to look up at him, her head still resting in his lap, she observed his face that was bent downwards towards her. 'I would wish you to always be free, Legolas,' she whispered and reached up to touch his cheek before placing her hand next to her head.
'Then stay with me,' he breathed out, reaching down to lift her up beside him. Once she was settled in the vacant spot next to him, he curled an arm around her shoulders, nestling her to his side. 'Do not abandon me here, Valia. I do not think I could bear to be left alone again.'
She sighed softly in return while she rested her head against his solid shoulder and her body melted against his frame. 'I am not abandoning you, Legolas,' she explained calmly; placidly.
He observed her keenly, watching the details and curves of her face in rapt attention. 'When last we parted…' he spoke carefully, playing with the excess fabric of her sleeve.
'We both held many secret longings in our hearts, many hidden hurts and wants,' Valia finished for him. 'I think,' she began slowly, her delicate brow knitting together, 'that it was perhaps for the best that you left. We were not ready for the possibility of a life together, or at the very least, I was not ready.'
His hand reached up to brush back a wisp of her hair and tuck it in place behind her ear. 'Do you mean to say that you might be ready now? What of your objection to our union in the first place?' He chose his words carefully, hoping not to cause any discomfort for her, but needing an answer.
Her form remained prone against him, though he felt, or perhaps sensed, some stirring in her. 'I have had long years to think on your words and on my own protests. Things have become clear to me over that time that were not so before. Time has given me an appreciation for your views and reasoning.'
A frown marred the pink hues of his lips. It was obvious that she had meant to say more but had refrained. 'But…?' he prodded gently.
'But I must leave you right now all the same.' Valia held up a hand to stem the flow of words from Legolas, knowing that they would fall in a torrent in she did not explain things to him immediately. Lifting her head from his shoulder, she inhaled a breath of air, calming herself before she continued. 'I do not think that it would look well for either of us to be much in each others company so soon after you have broken the betrothal. It is unwise for many obvious reasons. You cannot honestly say that by doing so, questions will not be raised as to our relationship. I do not want either of us to have to deal with suspicion that would surround each and every one of our actions. I am not leaving you, Legolas,' she stressed, winding her arms around his waist and burrowing into his comforting warmth. 'You must see that I am not leaving you,' she whispered with a desperate edge to her words. 'I am just returning home for a time, until all the shock of your broken betrothal is put to rest and your people are ready for you to move on again.'
'I do not think I can let you go,' admitted Legolas, feeling a strange euphoria from her nearness and admission. Hope soared on wings of victory within him. Valia, his Valia, loved him. There was no doubt of that fact left within him, no nagging questions that perhaps she was only fond of him. Both his arms found their way around her to hold her tightly against him, as if his arms alone would be able to forever keep her at his side.
And then she did the strangest thing ever.
At first he was rather worried when he felt her shoulders begin to shake, thinking that he had somehow brought on a flood of tears by stubbornly refusing to relinquish her. But then he heard her sweet laughter ringing like silver chimes in his ear, which perhaps worried him even more.
Why in all of Arda was she laughing? His brow furrowed into a deep valley of concern and puzzlement as he pulled her away slightly.
'Valia?' he questioned gently, repeating her name soon after with more force when she did not seem to hear him.
'I am sorry,' she gasped out, shaking her head and sending honey strands of hair dancing around her. After she slowly gained mastery over herself again, dashing away the wetness that had begun to form in her eyes, she raised her gaze to meet Legolas'. 'I think that you shall find me cruel to do this to you now, but I wish to use my 'right', so to speak, over you from winning our duel the other day.'
She sobered suddenly, the merry light of her face dimming as she looked earnestly at Legolas. 'Let me leave here, Legolas. Please let me go from here without having to bear the weight of your displeasure with me.'
And for some strange reason, the fact that she had asked his permission in the matter meant more to him than anything else ever had. In the gesture of respect for him, he saw that she truly did love him. There was a fluttering of anticipation that arose in him with that thought, a stirring of hope that sent tingles of energy through him. 'You will wait for me?' he asked her, not able to stop himself.
He held his breath after the question had been put to her, waiting in both silent agony and expectation for her answer.
Slowly, ever so slowly, her hand reached up to trace its way over his cheek, along the firm line of his jaw, and down the column of his neck to rest against his pulse. 'I will wait till the end of Arda for you if I must,' she told him firmly, and in so doing, binding her fate to his.
A beautiful smile curled the corners of his lips, and he rested his forehead against hers. 'Is that a promise, Valia?'
She smiled back, sighing in pleasure. 'It is.'
They sat for a while that way, both not wanting their new found contentment to be interrupted. One of Legolas' hands found its way back to her hair again and began to play with the curled ends.
'I think we should seal this agreement between us,' he told her.
'Seal it?' Valia asked in confusion. 'What do you mean?' She turned to look at him in puzzlement.
There was a glimmer of playfulness in his eyes, and Valia suddenly understood before he even spoke. 'To make sure we are both serious,' he explained with an amazingly solemn expression on his face for all the mischievousness lighting his eyes.
'I see,' Valia replied as her fingers busily teased at one of the fastenings to the tunic he was wearing. 'And what is it that you suggest we seal our promises with?' She did not need to ask such a question, knowing very well what it was that he had in mind. And while she was more than willing to comply, she was not about to throw herself at him either.
'A kiss, perhaps?' he suggested, while he continued to finger her hair. 'It would be rather appropriate given the circumstances,' he slowly rationalized.
'Oh, do you think so?' she questioned, lacing her words with just enough skepticism to make her sound half convinced in her words. 'I am not so sure that given our present circumstances, that it would be very appropriate at all,' she teased, glancing to her left at the unoccupied expanse of his bed.
A low growl of displeasure rumbled at the back of his throat, and light laughter escaped her before he cut it off by effectively covering her lips with his own.
It was a short and sweet meeting, but it left neither of them with any doubts as to the others absolute affections.
'I love you, my Valia,' he told her anyway.
'And I love you,' she easily echoed back. Sitting up straight, she softly swung her legs back and forth over the side of the bed. 'Glorfindel will stay behind for the remained of our scheduled stay. He and Cithien need the time together, anyway. I have all ready packed my things, but need to go eat before I leave.'
'Do you mind if I join you?' Legolas asked.
'No,' she shook her head. 'Of course not.' Her hand sought out his, and fingers entwined together as they met. 'I will write you as soon as I am back.'
He nodded silently and stood, pulling her up with him, gently guiding her out his bedroom door and back into the sitting room.
'You will write me?' he heard her ask in a sudden rush, tightening her hold on his hand.
'Every day if it will make you happy,' he promised.
She relaxed at that, the last of her worries fading for the moment. It would not always be sunshine and roses for them. She knew that. Such an unrealistic expectation would hardly have been a sensible one. Yet, right then, she was sure that somehow, despite all that could and would happen in their future, things would work out in the end.
And of course, they both had the time to wait.