Chapter 21 ~ To Lothlorien

Three or four days after Túveren's marriage Legolas, with his stewards and Gimli accompanying him, returned to Ithilen to make arrangements there both for while he was away and also for his return since he would, of course, be bringing the Lady of the Halls with him when he next saw them again and the very thought thrilled him. In Ithilien there was much excitement (though little surprise) at his news. A week and a half later he returned, Naril and Gimli with him once more, to collect his bride-to-be, her brother and his wife and set out North a few days later.

Túveren had been against Elsbeth coming on the journey at first but she had refused point blank in his leaving her behind so soon after they were married, nor would she hear of him staying with her and not attending his own sister's wedding. As Fuineth had always said, Elsbeth was a strong character who knew her own mind and Túveren had little choice but give in to her.

They made good time, passing as soon as they could over the Entwash and then heading North over the East Emnet and then the Wold. Far to the West the dark green of Fangorn nestled against the feet of the mountains.

Legolas said to Fuineth, "I shall take you there on our return, meleth nín."

He and Gimli both pointed out landmarks on the way: places in the distance that they had traversed in their hunt for the hobbits.

At last, eight days after leaving Minas Tirith, they crossed the Limlight and set up camp for the night. Lorien was a day's ride ahead of them. Naril and Túveren started a fire while Elsbeth and Fuineth prepared the food. After their meal, Legolas took Fuineth for a walk so they could have a little time alone. There was a copse on some higher ground nearby and they headed in there, relishing the darkness and privacy it gave them.

Hand in hand they walked in silence till at last they reached a clearing, almost a hill, in the middle of the group of trees. The sky was clear and the moonlight shone bright on the rocks and grass here. Flowers, newly blossomed now spring was come, were visible among the stones.

Fuineth hitched her skirts and ran up the slope, standing at the top, eyes closed, basking in the moonlight. The smell of the wood was all around her and the air crisp and clear. Legolas joined her and stood behind her wrapping his arms about her. She leaned back into him so her head was against his shoulder. He kissed her cheek. They both gazed out at the moon, still low in the sky above the trees.

"I am so looking forward to seeing Lorien at last," Fuineth said finally.

Legolas smiled, "I know."

"Do you remember when you first described it to me? That day by the Anduin? I have dreamed of going ever since then."

He nodded. "I know," he repeated.

She turned in his arms, then, looking up at him and he could see her eyes glinting with excitement. It gladdened his heart to know that by such a simple thing – they had to pass through Lorien as it was – he was able to please her so much.

"Thank you, Legolas."

He smiled, "You are welcome, Fuineth. From that time I described it to you, even though then we had decided nothing would occur between us, I still held in my heart a secret hope I might bring you there one day."

She smiled, "You have never told me that before."

He grinned, "There are many things I have not told you yet, Fuineth."

She laughed, "Yes, so I realise," and she grinned mischievously before adding, "But I do not think you would have *ever* told me of 'the barrel incident'!"

Legolas flushed, "What?! How do you..?" Then he glowered, "Gimli!"

She laughed again, "Actually it was King Elessar, but it was Gimli who reminded him of it."

Legolas shook his head and groaned, "Ai, I dread to think what else they have told you. What they were repeating in my presence was bad enough."

"Not as much as you might think, my lord. Indeed most of the time they were singing your praises to me, not that they needed to." Her voice was softer now and she had her hand on his cheek as she smiled up at him. "Much of what they told me concerned the War but also of other times, other kindnesses or bravery you have shown. Nothing they told me surprised me, if I did not know the stories already. I loved you long ago precisely because I could see those things in you."

He smiled and bent down to meet her mouth. His lips moved against hers, rhythmically now, pressing his open mouth against hers again and again as her lips parted to him. He kissed first one reddened lip then the other, near sucking on them, till he could hear her moan quietly in her throat.

Elbereth, how that sound, heard for the first time, spurred him on!

He lightly traced the space between her parted lips with his tongue, then grazed her teeth with it. He could feel hers come to meet his and give him the permission he sought. He pushed his mouth on hers now, tongues fighting, as they tasted and savoured each other for the first time. He kissed her deeply, showing her his passion and love for her, holding her tightly round her back while his other hand grasped her neck through her hair, and she returned his passion, both her hands around him now, clutching at him as if she would have him closer to her if she could.

Eventually, after languidly taking one of her lips into his mouth once more, he tenderly kissed her full on the mouth, then the chin, her cheek, her jaw. Feathery kisses tracing along her jawbone till he found her ear and nipped the lobe there. He could hear her breath, ragged, in his ear and feel it against his neck. He moved lower, to that spot just below the ear at the top of the neck and kissed, tenderly but fully, and heard her gasp. He stayed there, pressing his lips against it, grazing his tongue and teeth on the spot and relishing her breathy gasps and the feel of her arms tightly about him. He slowly kissed a line back along her jaw and to her mouth once more and was taken aback by the passion there which met his soft kiss. She pressed her mouth against his in a way he had never known her to before. In the end she responded to his softness: the tempo slowed and he was able to kiss her lightly and look at her at last.

What he saw set his heart racing.

Her breath was shallow and quickened, her cheeks flushed, her pupils large and dark, and she was biting her bottom lip as she looked at him and struggled to control the feelings rising within her. The sight of her teeth holding her lip and the ragged breath she then drew in excited him beyond belief.

"Ai, Elbereth," he murmured.

She looked at him as he held a hand against her neck and gently dragged his thumb across her bottom lip, then kissed it, then looked at her once more. He did not want to move, nor release his arms from around her. He loved the look upon her face, to see the excitement in her, though of a very different kind now than any he had seen in her before, and know that it was because of him and the very little, in truth, that he had done to her.

"Meleth nín," he whispered into her ear as he pulled her head against his chest.

"I love you," she replied into his shoulder.

At last they moved, realising they had been away some time and the others would be wondering where they were. As they walked back through the trees Legolas stopped briefly to look at her once more. She smiled, a little shyly, as he took the hand he was holding and tenderly kissed first the fingertips then her palm, both of them silently acknowledging the passion they had shared just now and revealed to each other for the first time. He grinned and pulled her to him so that they walked back to the others with their arms about each other.

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They were expected at Lorien and were met on its' borders just after sundown the next day by Rúmil and Haldir. They dismounted and led their horses from then on to join the two Galadhrim on foot. As they walked through the tall, grey trunks the first few fallen golden leaves of spring lay scattered on the ground, though the boughs were yet to fill with their yellow flowers. Túveren, his wife and sister remained silent as they walked nearer to the wood's heart, so overawed were they at its beauty.

At last they reached the white paved road with the trench and wall of trees on one side. Coming from the South as they were they soon reached the bridge and the gates to Calas Galathon beyond and Fuineth gasped in wonder at their beauty. Haldir knocked and spoke, the gates were opened and they entered. They walked for some time before they were met by some elves who took their horses for them. The four elves now walked in front, leading the other four along paths and up stairs till they reached somewhere near the centre of the city. Fuineth found herself so overcome she could not speak. At last they reached a clearing where some awnings had been set up with food and cushions.

"Please take some refreshment," said Haldir, "I shall inform Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel of your arrival."

They nodded and thanked him.

Fuineth could not eat but instead wandered away a little from the rest gazing up into the trees that towered high above her. Her hand trailed lightly against the bole of a trunk as she walked, tears beginning to fill her eyes.

Legolas, concerned to see her so distracted, watched her from where he sat. As she disappeared from his view he stood to follow her. At first he could not see her then spotted her, a little distance away now, seated by the side of a nearby stream. He approached quietly, not wishing to disturb her, but quickened his pace when he saw her shoulders shaking and heard her sobs.

He crouched down beside her.

"Fuineth? Fuineth, meleth nín? Amman nallach, Fuineth nín?"

She reached out for him and he held her, still not knowing what all this was about, as she wept into his neck. At last she pulled back to look at him, tears streaming down her face.

"It is so beautiful here."

His brow was still furrowed and he was utterly at a loss as to the cause of her distress. "Fuineth? Tell me what ails you, my love."

She shook her head and turned away from him now, spreading one arm wide to indicate everything around her while holding his hand in hers, "All this. All this beauty and wonder. It will go. It will fade. There will be no elves on Middle Earth. Man will no longer know their song, their beauty, the light they spread." She was sobbing again, "Soon children will be born who will never know the gifts that elves could teach us. They will go West," she turned to him now, "*You* will go West. And the rest will fade till they are no more. It will all be lost." She pulled her hand from his and dropped her head into her hands, "And you will lose me. You will go West but I will not come with you. I am sorry. I am so sorry, Legolas. I wish so much that you would not have to go through that for my sake."

He was weeping as he listened to her, moved by what she was saying but sharing her sorrow also. He folded his arms about her and kissed her hair, "Ai Fuineth. It is what was written. Some might say the elves should never have stayed, or once gone should never had returned. Perhaps we stayed overlong." He took her face and turned it so she might look at him, "You grieve for a loss you cannot change, nor can I. It was inevitable the moment we won the War, and if we had not... well then it would not have mattered. Be happy, Fuineth, that you at least have had a chance to experience something of it, that you are here, here in Lothlorien before the Lady leaves and its light begins to fade." She nodded, unable to speak. "And as for me, Fuineth, do not weep for me. We battled long and hard against it but we have decided. *I* have decided. Nor will I be swayed. And *never* will I regret it. Yes, I will lose you..," and she looked up at him, shocked to hear him say it so bluntly, but he smiled, sadly, the tears falling now and his voice thick with emotion. "Yes, my love, I will lose you, and I cannot bear to think of it, nor imagine how my heart will break, but I have you here with me now."

And he held her face as he looked into her eyes and said in his own tongue, "I will have the memory of you in my heart to carry with me West and that I will never lose." With a sob she threw her arms about him and they held each other while both wept silent tears.

At last he felt her growing calmer, and he pulled back a little to look at her. "Ai Fuineth," and he shook his head at her, smiled, and kissed her tenderly for a little while feeling her tears still wet upon her cheek. When he felt her responding to him at last and knew she was more herself he stopped and turned slightly so he could put his arm around her shoulder and they were sat side by side beside the stream. She bent her head against his shoulder and neck.

After a little while she said quietly, "Forgive me, Legolas. I should not have reacted so. I distressed you, I know, and I am sorry."

He kissed her head, "No, Fuineth. You moved my heart with your words, and you spoke truly. I understand your sorrow and feel it too as you well know." He paused, and then held her once more, "That you can move me so is why I love you, meleth nín."

When they walked back to join the others they found Haldir and both his brothers had joined them.

Haldir rose when he saw them approach, "Ah, at last. The Lord and Lady wish to see you now."

They were led up stairs till Fuineth became near dizzy with the thought of how high up they must be. At last they reached the talan and the hall there and Fuineth had her first sight of one of the most beautiful and powerful elves in all Middle Earth. They were given warm welcome by the Lord and Lady. Galadriel was particularly gracious to Gimli who Fuineth was astonished to see blush to his ears at her words.

As they were greeted Fuineth heard Galadriel's voice in her head.

"Do not fear. He will head West it is true, but he will never lose you from his heart. He will be grieved at the loss but glad beyond measure that he had this time with you. You both chose well. You both chose right."

She could feel the tears well once more at her words and she wanted to thank her but knew not how. She looked towards her and it seemed to her that Lady Galadriel smiled and nodded her head as if acknowledging her unspoken gratitude.

Back on the ground once more they found bedding and more cushions were in the tents and awnings. Gimli, Fuineth, Túveren and Elsbeth were to stay here. Both Naril and Legolas were given talans on which to stay during their visit, and they would not be staying long, a few days at most.

That night, as she lay in her tent, the blankets under her chin, Fuineth considered what the Lady had said to her. Legolas had told her that she could speak without talking like that so she had not been surprised when it had happened even if it was a little unnerving. What had been said to her had pleased her much and had eased her heart greatly. She had not said anything to Legolas, was not sure if she should, though she knew not why. It was a private thing, somehow, even though it concerned him.

She would tell him. But not yet.

She smiled and had a peaceful sleep.

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Those few days in Lothlorien Fuineth spent entirely in Legolas's company. Often Gimli was with them or they were with her brother, but they managed to get a lot of time also when they were entirely alone together. He showed her everywhere, it seemed to her, leading her up to talans, through paths, across streams, into glades. He was taking great delight in teaching her and showing her everything he had described to her so many times before so making her dream come true though it was so much greater than she ever could have imagined.

Legolas did wonder if the Lady had spoken to her and he was a little surprised that Fuineth had not said anything to him if that was the case but he did not press her since he was simply happy to see that the melancholy of when they had first arrived seemed entirely lifted from her.

Fuineth did not see the Lord or Lady of Lothlorien again till the last day. She and Legolas were summoned to them, though this time it was not formally in the halls but in a clearing on the forest floor.

As they entered the clearing Galadriel came forward and took Fuineth's hand, "Come, my dear, and sit."

Fuineth followed her and only once she was seated on a bench beside her did she realise Legolas was conversing with Lord Celeborn and the elf that had fetched them on the other side of the clearing.

Galadriel smiled at Fuineth, "Have you enjoyed your stay here?"

"Very much, I thank you, my lady. It has been an honour and a pleasure to visit the fair Caras Galadhon and to meet the Lady of the Wood."

Galadriel nodded her head at the compliment, "You are most welcome."

Fuineth was about to speak, then hesitated, and Galadriel looked at her, "I know what you would say, Fuineth, and there is no need to thank me. I only spoke what I saw in your heart and what I know will come to pass. You and Lord Legolas have chosen a difficult path, for him more so than for you, perhaps, as I know you are well aware. But what you will have together will be beautiful and worth having, even if but for a brief moment as it shall seem to him."

Fuineth felt a tear roll down her cheek.

"Do not weep, my child. Be happy. You will give him the sweetest memories of his life and he will never regret his decision."

"Thank you for your kind words, my lady. They move me much and give me great comfort."

Galadriel smiled and nodded. "I called you here because I wished to give you a wedding gift if I may?"

Fuineth gasped, flushed, and looked up surprised. "My lady, you do me too much honour."

Galadriel laughed, "No, indeed. Lord Legolas is a friend here and one of the Fellowship no less. He is to be honoured, as is his bride. Please, let me do this for you."

Galadriel rose, offering her hand to Fuineth and she led her from the clearing and down some stairs cut into a slope nearby. The path wound round some trees and came at last to an awning strung between two trees under which a group of elves, all ladies-in-waiting, were sat chattering, sewing and weaving. They inclined their heads and greeted Fuineth warmly and she they. One or two she had met already during her stay and knew by name. Lady Galadriel spoke to one she knew and the elf stood and fetched something from a chest behind her. It was a garment, folded neatly and which Galadriel now presented to Fuineth.

"I trust it will fit, though I am sure it will. Please, take it. You have not had time, I know, to make a dress, nor will there be time in Eryn Lasgalen for one to be made that would be fitting enough. Here is one, if you will accept it, that you may wear."

Fuineth was moved deeply by this gesture. She had worried about a dress and discussed it long with Elsbeth. They had come to the conclusion that she should take a good dress with her – one she had worn for a dance before – and perhaps hope she might find one in Eryn Lasgalen that would be better. To be given such a thing from the elves of Lothlorien, from Lady Galadriel herself indeed, was extraordinary and she was touched beyond measure. By this gesture, also, she fully understood the standing in which Legolas was held by all who knew him. She had not the words adequate to express her thanks. She did her best, but felt anything she could say was woefully inadequate. Lady Galadriel was gracious and kind, and after a while returned her to the glade and to Legolas.

As she and Legolas walked back to join the others he looked sideways at her.

"Why did Lady Galadriel wish to see you? And what is that you have with you?"

"A dress for me to wear at our wedding. It is a gift from her to me in honour of the elf I am to marry."

He flushed in pleasure and embarrassment, "That is what she said to you?"

She nodded. He too was now moved beyond words and fell silent.

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melleth nín = my love

amman nallach?= why do you weep?