Disclaimer: Refer to Chapter One
Title: The Heart's True Home
Author: Silmarien
Rating: PG-13
A/N- I am so sorry this took so long to get out. My computer died and I couldn't work on it until Tuesday. *passes out conciliatory kisses from Legolas* Please do forgive me.
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Epilogue: Part 1
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Valia sat in her garden, her legs stretched out in front of her on the long couch that she had ordered to be moved outside for her enjoyment of the mild spring weather. With her back reclined against the arm rest, cushioned with pillows to take away the discomfort of the wood, she sat contentedly. She glanced around her alcove with a soft smile. Many in Earsilme had been more than eager to inform her that her garden, as she called it, was not a garden at all. But she liked it all the same, with its touch of nature left uninhibited.
Opening her book to the page where she had last left off at, Valia settled deeper into her cushioned seat, enjoying the feel of the sun as it warmed her skin. The breeze played gently with the loose wisps of hair that was left unbound at the base of her neck. They tickled her sensitive flesh, and one of her hands rose to absently push it away, though the hair fell back a moment later only to resume its former activity.
Spring had been too long in coming that year, causing an anxiousness to rise within Valia that had not been there for many years. She had long ago become accustomed to the fickleness that the seasons sometimes displayed, but it did nothing to control her desire to see the bright colors and warm weather of spring that year.
Awhile later, she glanced over the top of her book when she felt something brushing softly over her feet. She found the gauzy blue fabric of her dress was rustling gently against her ankles in the warm breeze, and smiled softly. The mild temperature had mellowed Valia's stubborn temperament that day, and she had agreed to her mother's request for her to put on a more 'elegant' dress than what she normally wore.
Elrond and Celebrian would be joining them for dinner, her mother had told Valia by way of explanation, along with a few visiting guest that had just arrived in Earsilme and were staying with the lord and lady of the land. Valia had been in too agreeable a mood to refuse such a simple request, and merely accepted the proffered dress from her mother without argument, slipping it on before she had run a brush through her hair and grabbed the book she had almost finished. Quietly, she left the house proper and escaped to the solitude of her personal garden before the pre-dinner frenzy began. It would be especially hectic tonight with the Lord and Lady of Earsilme coming to dine with the family.
A pink flower petal fell onto the open page of her book that had been lowered onto her lap, momentarily forgotten in her musings. Noticing, Valia brushed it away, her eyes following its final descent to the ground which was already littered with a pink snow of flowers. Her eyes lifted upwards with appreciation to the blossoming trees around her. Branches were dressed in thick coverings of soft pinks and whites from the abundance of flowers that spring had donned them in. The breeze was just strong enough to dislodge loose petals from amidst the branches, causing a soft rain of flowers to fall gently to the ground. It was a peaceful sight to watch, and Valia smiled before returning her attention to her book once again.
She lost track of the time while she sat out in her garden, and it was only the waning of Anor's light that reminded her dinner would soon start. However, she was determined to finish the few pages she had left before moving inside to be subjected to the bustle that would be reaching a feverish pitch by that time. Things had been calmer in the house since Earuviel had married and moved out to live with her husband, but her brother still lived in the house with his small family, and Tandir and Gléwiel were expecting another child that was to be born in the fall sometime.
Finishing her book, Valia closed it with a care that could almost be called tenderness as she gently set the volume in her lap and ran her fingers lightly over the cover. Her life had settled into a dull monotony after coming back from Laiquarille. There had been the small excitement when Glorfindel had returned a week after she did with a silver betrothal ring glinting on his index finger. Valia had been overjoyed to learn that Glorfindel and Cithien were to be wed next winter. He had even brought home a long letter that Cithien had written to her, and Valia and she had faithfully kept up a correspondence with each other ever since.
But after the excitement of Glorfindel's betrothal had died down, Valia was left with doubts about her own relationship, or lack of one. It has been five months since she had returned home. In the first few weeks that had followed her homecoming, she waited expectantly for a letter to arrive from Legolas, but none ever came. After a month of not hearing anything from him, Valia had finally worked up enough courage to write her own letter to him. She had breathed easier when his reply came, though it had been long in coming even after her own letter was sent. The letter was filled with words of assurance and love, however, putting Valia's worries at ease.
For a while.
The months had passed by slowly with letters traveling consistently back and forth between Laiquarille and Earsilme. Winter had slowly relinquished its hold on the land to the mild rule of spring, which had blossomed in a glorious showing of colors that year.
The flowers were now in full bloom, and yet still Legolas did not say anything in his letters that hinted at marriage or, at the very least, betrothal. Valia began to think that perhaps he had changed his mind after all, but did not have the heart to tell her otherwise. She did not know what other conclusion she was to come to based on his behavior. Others close to her had seen the way hope had slowly died in within her, robbing her eyes of the bright glitter that had twinkled like starlight in her eyes since returning from Laiquarille. Everyone had firmly told her that Legolas loved her, and that she only had to be patient for him to resolve lingering problems in Laiquarille before he came for her.
But surely it would not take him five months to do that.
Sighing softly, the sound lost on the gentle breeze, Valia squeezed her eyes closed tightly and let herself grow lost in her surroundings. With her eyes closed, the smell of the flowers became sweeter and the bird songs grew clearer. She could feel the golden light of the sun caressing her skin, mellowed in its strength by its declining path to meet the horizon.
'One could only wish that the Valar would grant them such a lovely sight every time they walked outside,' a voice came from somewhere near, suddenly breaking Valia's peaceful solitude.
She could feel a tingle spread across her skin, almost before she even had time to understand whose voice it was speaking to her.
'That voice…' she whispered softly to herself.
The lilting notes of the speaker were well known to Valia. They should have been. Sometimes during the day sometimes, when she grew restless and nothing could satisfy the odd ache she felt growing within her, she would think about that voice. Its soft syllables would soothe her, dull the looming ache that threatened to engulf her.
She squeezed her eyes shut tighter, not daring to open them to the painful reality that would greet her. There would be no Prince of Laiquarille standing in her garden, real, and before her. Better to simply keep her eyes close and wait for the intangible voice to stop its torment. Her brow furrowed downward, creating a deep valley of displeasure across the smooth lines of her forehead.
There came a light laugh from the direction his voice had spoken before, and Valia could here faint footsteps approach her. Another tingle passed down her spine and her brow knit together further.
'Such a look of displeasure, Valia!' His voice was close now, standing near enough for her to reach out and touch had he truly been there. Amusement was thick in his words. 'Will you not look at me, love? Have I offended you so much in my absence?'
A weight settled on the edge of her couch, pushing down the cushion. Valia's eyes flew open in surprise, and the book that was resting quietly on her lap slipped to the ground with a soft thump of protest as Valia quickly sat upright.
'Legolas?' she asked in disbelief, looking at the very real figure of the Prince sitting beside her.
He flashed her a bright smile of amusement, coaxing out the dimples that indented his cheeks before he leaned over to pick up the fallen book. He placed it on the couch beside them, quickly turning his attention back to Valia who still appeared shocked that he was sitting before her.
Laughter rang in silvery notes from him again.
The pleasant sound served to loose Valia's tongue. 'What are you doing here?' Her hand began to creep forward across the small distance that rested between them and Legolas' hand met hers, bestowing a gentle squeeze before he entwined his fingers with hers.
She looked down at their tangled hands, a soft smile curling her lips upwards. He was here, really here and sitting in front of her. No letter or word had reached her that he would be arriving in Earsilme, but it was obvious that others knew. He must be one of the guests that Elrond and Celebrian were bringing to dinner that night, which meant that her family had known.
They had known and had not told her.
As her smile slowly began to fade from her lips, Legolas squeezed her hand again and reached up with his other hand to stroke her cheek. 'I came as soon as I could, Valia. Your family knew that I would be coming, but I wished for my arrival to be a surprise to you. You are not angry are you?' He dropped the hand that had cupped her cheek to take her free hand.
'Of course I am not angry,' Valia quickly assured. 'I am only surprised that you are suddenly here. You did not write of coming. I had thought…'
She allowed whatever it was she had been thinking to go unsaid, and Legolas decided it best to not press the matter. A comfortable silence settled between them as both adjusted to finally seeing each other after five months of separation. It had by no means been a long period of time, but for the both of them, it had seemed like an inordinately lengthy separation. Their first parting had seemed easier than this second one had been.
Legolas' thumbs circled their way upwards, finding the pulse that beat strong in her wrists. He gently ran his thumbs over the areas, drawing comfort from the sign of life which meant that she really was sitting before him.
'You seemed to be well in all your letters,' Legolas began tentatively, scanning her form. She was clad in a gossamer blue that caught the warm light of the sun and glinted with a silver sheen. The color was a perfect match with her eyes, which Legolas found were smiling back at him with their own light when he met her steady gaze. Deep affection was clear in her eyes, and Legolas found himself leaning forward to steal a short kiss from her before he had time to stop himself.
'I have missed you,' he admitted as he pulled away. 'With the coming of spring, I became tied down with the affairs of Laiquarille. I had wished for us to be reunited much sooner than this.'
A hand freed itself from Legolas' grasp and one of its slim fingers pressed gently to his lips before any more of his apology could be heard. Valia offered him an understanding smile, running her hand along the high bone of his cheek before she lowered her hand. 'You are here now. That is all that matters,' she told him firmly.
Relief clearly flooded his features as he looked at her and saw the sincerity in her eyes. When he had written her parents to tell them that he planned on journeying to Earsilme, he had not been certain how well he would be received by Valia. Yes, they had written letters back and forth to each other, but due to his busy schedule and other matters, he had not written her as promptly as she did him. At times it had taken two weeks or more for him to respond. He feared that she would take his delay in answering to mean something that it did not, and so he was sure to fill each of his letters with assurances that he deeply loved her and hoped to be able to see her soon. At first she had seemed to take his word as the truth, and her letters had come back to him rife with the anticipation of him coming to Earsilme, even if for a short time, to visit her as he had promised her when she had left Laiquarille.
But as time passed, the tone of her letters had seemed to change like the seasons around him were doing. Only, while the weather had started to warm and grow sunny, her letters had slowly taken a different direction. She grew slowly remote, and it was obvious to Legolas, though not glaringly so, that she had begun to choose her words more carefully, wording her love in such a way that if he wished to, he could interpret her feelings as only a strong affection for him. Alarmed by the increasing change in the tone of her letters, Legolas had spoken with his Adar and Naneth, laying before them all that was in his heart. With their counsel, he had decided to come to Earsilme as soon as possible.
Looking at her now, her features seeming to glow under his appearance and attentions, Legolas was glad that he had made haste in coming.
'I had not dared to hope that you would come,' confessed Valia. 'I tried to convince myself that I had interpreted your feelings wrong or that you had changed your mind.' She paused for a moment, taking a steadying breath before she continued. 'None of that matters now, though. You are here,' she whispered in lingering amazement, while reaching up to capture a strand of his hair and run it through her fingers. It glided through with the ease of water, and when his golden hair slipped from her grasp, she moved closer to him on the couch.
'How long are you here for?' she dared to ask.
He tipped his head to one side, smiling at her as he plucked a pink flower out of her hair that had fallen from above before he answered. 'That would depend on you, Valia.'
'Me?' she questioned softly, her brow wrinkling in confusion. 'What does that mean?'
Softly, he released the hand that still remained clasped in his own, closing his eyes afterwards to gain the steady composure he needed. The very air around him seemed to still in expectation of his answer. The breeze gentled till it existed no more, and the flowers stopped their fall to the ground. Slowly, he opened his eyes again, reaching beside him and lifting a small box in his hands to place in his lap.
The tingle of anticipation that had settled itself over her skin suddenly concentrated in Valia's stomach, creating a fluttering there that rivaled even the sensation of what the wings of trapped butterflies could create. 'Oh Legolas,' she breathed out quietly. 'You kept it.'
It was her box he cradled in his hands, the one that he had offered to her in Earsilme when he had proposed so long ago. The same detailed pictures, exquisitely carved by his own hand, still adorned the sides and top of the box. They had not changed at all in four hundred years, still looking as fresh and new as they had before.
A smile of pleasure spread across Legolas' face at her instant recognition of the box. He pushed it into her lap, watching with held breath as she looked down at it before taking off the lid. She dumped the contents into her palm, setting the lid and empty box on the couch beside her. Two silver rings gleamed bright in the sun against her flesh, one band crafted larger than the other.
She ran her tongue over her dry lips, and then lifted her gaze to meet his.
'Will you bind yourself to me, Valia?' he asked softly.
Oh how she wanted to simply say yes and forget everything else, but she had to ask him nonetheless. 'What of children, Legolas?'
He had been anticipating such a question, and so was prepared with his answer this time. Settling closer to her, he reached up to cup her cheek with one of his hands, running his fingers soothingly over her skin. 'I do not need children, Valia. What need have I for an heir now that we are in the Blessed Realm? If you cannot bear a child, it matters not to me as long as you will bind yourself to me and walk by my side till the end of Arda.' He leaned forward to press a kiss into her hairline. 'Besides, you yourself said that Lord Elrond does not know whether you are able to have children or not. Perhaps there is a chance that we will be able to have children, but either way I still want your hand in marriage.'
From the moment in Laiquarille when she had realized that she loved Legolas and wished to marry him, Valia had come to a conclusion. It no longer mattered to her that she could not have children. Having Legolas as a husband was what mattered the most. Children, she could live without, but she was not sure that she could live without Legolas anymore. Never the less, she had to ask him, in case he had changed his mind.
At his response to her question, a sigh of pure relief escaped her lips. Picking up the smaller of the two rings, she placed it tenderly into his hand, taking up his other one and slipping his silver ring onto his index finger. 'I will bind myself to you, Legolas. Nothing that all of Aman has to offer would make me happier than to be your wife.'
Joy was bright in both their eyes as Legolas leaned down to catch her lips in a warm kiss, both conveying their deep affection and desire for each other through the action. Somehow, Legolas found Valia's hand during the kiss, slipping her ring onto her finger before he reached up to twine his fingers around the hair at the base of her neck.
'I love you,' he whispered after he pulled back and his forehead settled against hers.
She smiled up at him in wonder.
Her very own Prince. 'Mine,' she marveled to herself in awe. He was truly hers now. 'I love you, too,' she repeated firmly, allowing him to gather her in his arms and hold her close. She rested her head against his chest, feeling the steady, though slightly rapid, beat of his heart under her ear.
They sat in quiet contentment upon the couch, the sun slowly sinking in its path till it hung low in the sky, just touching the hills that rose on the horizon. They exchanged soft words with each other, their comments inconsequential, but both wanting nothing more than that, to sit together and speak of unimportant things.
A servant was sent from the house to bid them come to dinner when the sun was lingering just above the horizon. Legolas helped Valia up from her couch, waiting patiently as she gathered her book and box into one of her hands. He occupied her free hand with his own, entwining their fingers together before he lifted up her hand to kiss the back.
'Distance is not our friend during our betrothal time,' Legolas began, walking close beside her. 'My parents await us at your house so that we may hold the betrothal feast before I must return to Laiquarille.'
The fluttering warred with the sinking feeling that began in her stomach for domination within her. 'You must leave soon?' she asked, biting her lower lip after the question was aired.
Legolas squeezed her hand in assurance, his thumb beginning to stroke soothingly. 'My parents are staying for a week's time, and I will linger for another week before I must go back.'
Sighing in acceptance, Valia rested her head on Legolas' shoulder as her house came into view, the windows blinking brightly against the darkness that was descending. 'We will have to make the most of your stay, then,' she told him softly.
'I am simply content to be with you, even for a short while,' Legolas admitted, though he was not sure if his resolve would hold after he returned to Laiquarille once again.
Valia nodded happily, looking down at her hand on which a silver ring now rested around her index finger. For the first time in several centuries, she felt that all would be well.