Disclaimer just in case LOTR belongs to Tolkien and his heirs.
However like in Cassia and Sio not-so-little but wonderful universe,
Aragorn was raised in the house of Elrond, and it means he considered him
his father and Elladan and Elrohir his siblings.
Big thank you to Mimi, giveGodtheglory, Alexandre Williams for reviews, and yes I am so sorry that some of my sentences are far too long and it gets quite confusing. I will try to find a beta or write shorter phrases. :)
Special thanks to Down the Rabbit Hole, oui je sais que ça fait un bail que je suis membre, mais je n'écrivais rien au début, je me suis décidée avec une fanfic de Harry Potter que je déteste presque et une fanfic de Buffy dont j'ai tout perdu a cause de mon ordi. Oh Galadriel wasn't really the queen, well, she was as good as. Maybe things changed in the Havens and they elected her prom queen or something. And you are welcome for the dedication, reading your story made me write this one, it keeps me going. So don't you dare stop posting and I will continue for this story.
Please note that I did not invent the term Lego-lulu; it is the endearment that my sister use and since it is such a sisterly comment I have used it in my story. Big thanks to Araanaz for her two long review and Sidekicks pasta.
Chapter 3
.But You've Got No Destination.
They stopped in front of a building with red brick that had paled with the harshness of the sun and appeared pink, the parking lot was almost empty as were the park and the soccer field at the left. They both sat in the car, Legolas had a notebook in his hands and read for the fifth time in the last two minutes the information noted in his curvy scrawl.
-"So that's it, right?" asked Arwen her eyes on the door of the main staircase.
-"That's what it said on the paper." Legolas countered sounding a bit sarcastic but as Arwen spoke again he realise she did not pay any attention to his tone.
-"It looks small." She commented squinting her eyes and titling her face to the right. The building was two story high, long in a shape of a square hat.
-"It is what it is." Legolas snorted at Arwen's seemingly princess comment, of course compared to Rivendell's logging it was small but almost everything paled in comparison.
-"Are you nervous?" She asked quietly giving him a short look.
-"Why would I be, he's not there."
-"He could, but you are right, he is not." Arwen replied, years and years ago they decided to face every situation as if they would be disappointed, considering that it almost always was the case, the hurt seemed to be less painful.
-"Lets make sure. " Legolas said smiling a little.
Legolas jumped out of the car as soon as the motor shut off, he trotted faster than Arwen arriving at the doors before her as if he was racing against her.
-"Wait for me Lego-lulu." Arwen said in a sing-song voice, they both felt almost giddy at the prospect of possibly seeing Estel.
At that Legolas stopped moving as if he had suffered a spell and became a granite statue, he waited until Arwen was merely foot away to growl between his almost close lips.
-"Never. Mention. That. Name. To. Me. " Legolas said forcefully against his gritted teeth and throwing a most hateful glare at his companion. Arwen shrugged passing him as he stood in quiet fury behind trying to keep the giggles down. It was a nickname given to Legolas in his childhood and unfortunately for him, Arwen came to learn of the humiliating story and vowed never to forget that weapon against her friend.
They walked to the main doors and stepped in carefully, the corridors were empty since it was after school hours for the kids. They learn through a very detailed conversation with a teacher a few years back about the scholarly system which was quite useful given the facts that Aragorn was a born leader and gentle man that enjoyed the company of children. They walked in the hall and saw the sign for the receptionist which they halted and slowly cranked their neck to see the person without being seen.
-"Is it a boy or a girl ?" Asked Arwen in a bare whisper that she knew human ears couldn't pick up.
-"It's a girl." Legolas replied after a second, the difference of gender was sometimes a blurred line with humans, especially since some men decided to dress and act as women and vice-versa. Still Eomer had once remarked that all Elves had long hair and frail looks so it was maybe a bit hypocrite to talk about the hardness at differentiate gender in Edain.
-"Okay, so you go." Ordered Arwen looking at her knee length skirt and short sleeves shirt, she pushed her long hair from her shoulders and crossed her arms waiting for Legolas to contradict her.
-"Why me ?" He asked ignoring the alarm bell at the annoyed looks on his friend's face.
-"Because we can't waste anything, go give her the hardcore Thranduil charm." She snapped back raising her arm to point at the reception area.
-"Oomph." Sighed Legolas between his closed lips before marching to the lady in question who was no doubt about it in her forties, a pleasant looking round face with brownish hair falling straight into locks next to her pink cheeks. Legolas pressed his shirt flat against his chest hoping he looked normal enough, he pressed his lips hard hoping his little cover story would work. It was harder in this time since everybody was suspicious, but still with his face that was tanner then usual to hide the marks with foundation, a powdery make up women used for facial decoration. Though the marks that had already paled; he had nothing to fear with ladies.
-"Excuse me." He said, wincing at the startled look on her face, she pushed down her papers and took a pen that she twirled between her fingers.
-"Can I help you ?" She asked politely yet in an automatic response, she looked a bit tense and defensive. Legolas cursed inside his head, he still forgot after all this time to force each step to be heavier, of course it was not an easy task considering that he had still thousand of years learning to be a light as wind and as soundless.
-"Yes, I was looking for the geography teacher. I'm sorry I forgot his name, " Legolas paused and placed a guilty frown on his face before laughing gently, "He is supposed to review my university paper. My teacher gave me his co-ordinates but I misplaced them, and I have to meet with him. " She listened until he finished his story and gave a blank stare at first before her eyes flickered down to a list before her.
-"It's Robert Macmillan, you will find him in his classroom; it's the brown and red door on the first floor, go back a few steps you will find the other corridor. It will be on your left." She answered matter of fact, her face still and neutral.
-"Thank you kindly ma'am." Legolas replied in his honey voice, winking once, he saw a little blush crept on her round cheeks but she nodded and put her nose back into her work. He walked back his step and met up with Arwen.
-"So ?" She asked her arms still cross tightened on her chest.
-"So." He echoed walking slowly to come face to face with the Evenstar.
-"What did she say ?" Arwen asked sounding quite, well crossed.
-"That I still had the.what did you call it. Thranduil hardcore charms. " Replied Legolas with a smug smile watching Arwen's eyes burn with a little flame of hatred.
-"Oh, you are impossible sometimes !" She almost screamed, Legolas could easily feel her roar inside her chest waiting, yearning to come out.
-"Sometimes?" Legolas whispered leaning a bit into her, his breath close to her ear.
-"Always." Countered Arwen letting the word come out in a long drawl, her voice echoed into the empty corridor carrying a musical quality to her soft voice.
They walked slowly in silence watching for the brown and red door into an amid of rainbow coloured classroom door. The designer seemed to have given each door two colours but with children paintings on the walls and coloured decoration it was giving them both a eye ache to see so much intense red, blue, yellow and green in one place. It was Legolas who spotted the door first and he held out his hand to Arwen's torso keeping her in place. They stood unmoving breathing in and out, knowing they were going to be disappointed, preparing in case it was him and trying to crush the little glade of excitement growing amid the ashes.
-"What's your name?" Legolas asked his voice sounding a bit hoarse to Arwen's ears.
-"Uriel Fatima. " She answered after a pause. They had come to understand that they couldn't run around the Globe without identity in a world rules of administration and paperwork. It disappointed them to use illegal means for their quest, it made them feel as if something negative always floated around.
-"It's the name of an angel." Continued Arwen looking at the blank look in Legolas' eyes.
-"Yes, I know. I was a priest remember." Muttered Legolas, his eyes still unfocused at some dot on the wall a few meters away in front of him.
-"Oh yes, I remember that phase. You know, a number a maiden would have killed you to hear that coming from your mouth." Arwen said with a knowing smile on her face.
-"What do you mean ?" Asked Legolas looking at her.
-"Two words Legolas : chastity vows." She said raising her finely sculpted eyebrow.
-"Shall we proceed ?" He asked and she knew then he still ignored the full effect he had on women. He knew he was a charmer but he was so focused on being a great archer and spending so much time with his gang of friends that he sometime remained clueless. The number of maidens that came to her for advice on seducing the Mirkwood Prince were far greater then Legolas could imagine. Of course every one of them received no satisfaction for their demands, what did she know about seducing Legolas ? They never were an item and neither of them were in a hurry until Estel came into their lives.
Arwen did not answer, she marched to the classroom and opened the door, she closed her eyes for a second and held her breath. A man was sitting at the desk with brown hair falling to his eyes, deep into thought he jerked at the sound of the door opening but did not look up. Legolas came to stand behind her and cleared his throat. The man looked up surprised, he straightened up and passing a hand on his blond-ish beard. He had a rugged look of a man that spend a lot of time outdoor, a man that meant business with a square jaw and strong shoulders.
It was not him.
Legolas heard a choked sob coming from Arwen's throat, he put his hand on her shoulder squeezing hard before swallowing thickly the emotions boiling in his stomach.
-"Sorry wrong classroom." Legolas said loud enough for the man to hear and pulled Arwen back with him and closed the door.
They walked or more precisely Legolas pushed Arwen until they were out of the building and guided her to a bench park
-"For half a second I thought it was him." Legolas nodded unsure of what to reply.
-"And for half a second I had this certainty that I was never to see him again." Arwen said wiping her tears from her cheeks, she gave him a little nervous laugh. It seemed all the strength she had evaporated into thin air, her shoulders were slumped. Legolas took one of arms and helped her up, he gently manoeuvred her into the back seat. He took his seat in the drivers, putting his hands on the wheel. He breathed in and out a few times, closing his eyes trying to focus his energy. He was desperately in need of a forest, there was one not far from here but he knew he had to take care of Arwen first and they needed a place to stay.
He started the car and drove to find one hotel in the neighbourhood, perhaps he could convince Arwen to rent a small cabin in the far north, even if he knew it would never equal Mirkwood still it was his natural element. He found a small resort that looked clean and white, he left Arwen in the backseat, took his wallet and identification papers.
He entered the lobby and found it filled with green plants, he smiled to himself and waited to be answered by the receptionist, he asked a room with a queen bed (it had started as a private joke between the two of them) and two keys. When he walked out she was waiting for him outside the car sitting on the hood, the temperature was quite warm and comfortable. They took their luggage from the truck and walked to their room, it looked exactly like every other room they had rent in the past 30 or 40 years. The receptionist had mentioned a nice pool that Legolas was sure would relax Arwen. He led her outside and followed the indications, the pool was in the middle of the hotel with no roof, it was like a square donut. A few long chairs laid around, Arwen walked directly to one and let herself fall against the soft mattress. Legolas lunged a bit farther away to take a drink from the small bar/restaurant to one corner. He sat next to a very large green plant and faced it, trying to imagine himself back home, he was started to come off his emotional high when he heard a cry not far away.
He sprung to his feet and saw a woman, probably another customer pointing at Arwen sleeping with her eyes wide open and her face ivory pale. Legolas couldn't help remembering when.
-------
He found her laying there, her white dress dirtied by the leaves and the grass. She was so pale he had wondered at first if a statue had not fallen on the ground, but there she was dying. She wasn't supposed to die, it wasn't how it was supposed to end. Though they never gave it much thought they had talked two or three times in their moments together about their future when they were mere children. Their idea involved fights, monsters, palaces and horses, or more accurately Legolas fighting monsters on a horse with a prized bow conquering a palace and if it pleased her, Arwen would help him. How strange that they never discussed marriage when every member of their family mentioned it to them at least once. Most elves married early in their lives to enjoy the most of the relationship and to have the energy to raise infants, but the understanding between them was clear; they were not romantically involved and neither will they ever be.
But seeing her, giving up on life, if he knew that early on in his life, he would have asked her to marry him if that would have saved her from the pain she was feeling. He knew of course it wasn't fair to Aragorn nor Arwen to think that way, but he couldn't help it. He walked slowly to her, his feet light against the dead leaves barely crunching under the weight. She didn't seem to hear him, he crept a bit closer and being at arms reach; he saw how clearly ill she was. Her skin was white that coloured a bit toward the blue, she looked like she didn't eat anything since the last time he saw her, at the funeral. Her thin arms were wrapped around her chest as if she was in her coffin.
Legolas bent on his knees and brushed his fingers against her ice cold skin hoping to wake her. He touched lightly her wrist but it had no effect at all, He touched pressing harder on her hands, and then he tried again by cupping her chin, warming her cheek with what was left of his warmth. Her eyelids fluttered like wings of a butterfly but it took a very pregnant pause before she succeeded at opening them. Her blue eyes locked with Legolas surprised and confused at the same time. Her pale pink tongue ran over her cracked lips as the wind played with the grey hairs that was just another painful reminder of her newly found mortality.
-"Legolas." She whispered in a question.
-"Yes it is I. Take your time, I will give you some water."
-"What are you doing here?" She asked frowning ignoring the silver flask in the Mirkwood elf's hand.
-"I was told I could find you here. " Answered Legolas smiling faintly at the comment.
-"Why are you here?" Arwen stressed on the why her eyes focused on him.
Legolas paused unsure whether or not he should lie, it was tempting to make up some reason, but the truth no matter how hurtful could give her the will to live and perhaps even overcome her chosen mortal state to return to her immortal state.
-"I had a vision of Aragorn." He began, he knew just that word would make her sit up, and so she did, springing up, her hands found Legolas forearms and she clung tightly. Legolas winced before continuing, he bent slowly to touch his warm forehead with her cold clammy one; he couldn't bring himself to look at her directly.
-"I saw him, I was about to disembark from the boat to Valinor when I saw him, sitting on a rock. He looked at me then he fell into the water. I felt him drown Arwen, I do NOT know why but I think he's still alive. I swam back and arrive on the shore and I was told you left. I need your help, I do not think we have seen the last of Estel. "
-"I thought you heard the gulls cry." Arwen whispered so faintly that it was with the movement of her lips that he guessed what she said.
-"I did." Legolas confessed.
-"Oh." Arwen said her voice full of pity and sadness. She had not heard the cry with the same intensity as the others elves because of her partly mortal state. But she knew what it meant, she wrapped her arms around Legolas and they both clung to one another beneath the whimpering sounds of the trees of Cerin Amroth.
---------
-"It is nothing madam, she was meditating." Legolas said walking toward Arwen and slapping her arm hard, Arwen blinked twice before closing her eyes.
-"Oh I feel so silly." The woman said putting her hand on her chest and breathing loudly, the other customers alerted to her cry returned to their own business.
-"It is alright." Legolas said sitting next to Arwen, they had come across this problem a few times in this lifetime, humans still were not use to see them sleep with their eyes open probably because it was associated with lifelessness but as the woman walked to the bar and chatted happily with the barmaid he knew it could have gone worst.
Still he had a feeling things would, Arwen's mental state was worsening with time, he had thought several time that time away from one another would help, yet he was frightened by the idea of being separated from her. They had been each other's lifeline for so long, he feared that if they departed they wouldn't find each other again. He knew her like he knew himself, she had became his little voice of the heart, like he was her conscience. But each of them were near the end of their respective rope.
They were so far away from the beginning.
-----------
Big thank you to Mimi, giveGodtheglory, Alexandre Williams for reviews, and yes I am so sorry that some of my sentences are far too long and it gets quite confusing. I will try to find a beta or write shorter phrases. :)
Special thanks to Down the Rabbit Hole, oui je sais que ça fait un bail que je suis membre, mais je n'écrivais rien au début, je me suis décidée avec une fanfic de Harry Potter que je déteste presque et une fanfic de Buffy dont j'ai tout perdu a cause de mon ordi. Oh Galadriel wasn't really the queen, well, she was as good as. Maybe things changed in the Havens and they elected her prom queen or something. And you are welcome for the dedication, reading your story made me write this one, it keeps me going. So don't you dare stop posting and I will continue for this story.
Please note that I did not invent the term Lego-lulu; it is the endearment that my sister use and since it is such a sisterly comment I have used it in my story. Big thanks to Araanaz for her two long review and Sidekicks pasta.
Chapter 3
.But You've Got No Destination.
They stopped in front of a building with red brick that had paled with the harshness of the sun and appeared pink, the parking lot was almost empty as were the park and the soccer field at the left. They both sat in the car, Legolas had a notebook in his hands and read for the fifth time in the last two minutes the information noted in his curvy scrawl.
-"So that's it, right?" asked Arwen her eyes on the door of the main staircase.
-"That's what it said on the paper." Legolas countered sounding a bit sarcastic but as Arwen spoke again he realise she did not pay any attention to his tone.
-"It looks small." She commented squinting her eyes and titling her face to the right. The building was two story high, long in a shape of a square hat.
-"It is what it is." Legolas snorted at Arwen's seemingly princess comment, of course compared to Rivendell's logging it was small but almost everything paled in comparison.
-"Are you nervous?" She asked quietly giving him a short look.
-"Why would I be, he's not there."
-"He could, but you are right, he is not." Arwen replied, years and years ago they decided to face every situation as if they would be disappointed, considering that it almost always was the case, the hurt seemed to be less painful.
-"Lets make sure. " Legolas said smiling a little.
Legolas jumped out of the car as soon as the motor shut off, he trotted faster than Arwen arriving at the doors before her as if he was racing against her.
-"Wait for me Lego-lulu." Arwen said in a sing-song voice, they both felt almost giddy at the prospect of possibly seeing Estel.
At that Legolas stopped moving as if he had suffered a spell and became a granite statue, he waited until Arwen was merely foot away to growl between his almost close lips.
-"Never. Mention. That. Name. To. Me. " Legolas said forcefully against his gritted teeth and throwing a most hateful glare at his companion. Arwen shrugged passing him as he stood in quiet fury behind trying to keep the giggles down. It was a nickname given to Legolas in his childhood and unfortunately for him, Arwen came to learn of the humiliating story and vowed never to forget that weapon against her friend.
They walked to the main doors and stepped in carefully, the corridors were empty since it was after school hours for the kids. They learn through a very detailed conversation with a teacher a few years back about the scholarly system which was quite useful given the facts that Aragorn was a born leader and gentle man that enjoyed the company of children. They walked in the hall and saw the sign for the receptionist which they halted and slowly cranked their neck to see the person without being seen.
-"Is it a boy or a girl ?" Asked Arwen in a bare whisper that she knew human ears couldn't pick up.
-"It's a girl." Legolas replied after a second, the difference of gender was sometimes a blurred line with humans, especially since some men decided to dress and act as women and vice-versa. Still Eomer had once remarked that all Elves had long hair and frail looks so it was maybe a bit hypocrite to talk about the hardness at differentiate gender in Edain.
-"Okay, so you go." Ordered Arwen looking at her knee length skirt and short sleeves shirt, she pushed her long hair from her shoulders and crossed her arms waiting for Legolas to contradict her.
-"Why me ?" He asked ignoring the alarm bell at the annoyed looks on his friend's face.
-"Because we can't waste anything, go give her the hardcore Thranduil charm." She snapped back raising her arm to point at the reception area.
-"Oomph." Sighed Legolas between his closed lips before marching to the lady in question who was no doubt about it in her forties, a pleasant looking round face with brownish hair falling straight into locks next to her pink cheeks. Legolas pressed his shirt flat against his chest hoping he looked normal enough, he pressed his lips hard hoping his little cover story would work. It was harder in this time since everybody was suspicious, but still with his face that was tanner then usual to hide the marks with foundation, a powdery make up women used for facial decoration. Though the marks that had already paled; he had nothing to fear with ladies.
-"Excuse me." He said, wincing at the startled look on her face, she pushed down her papers and took a pen that she twirled between her fingers.
-"Can I help you ?" She asked politely yet in an automatic response, she looked a bit tense and defensive. Legolas cursed inside his head, he still forgot after all this time to force each step to be heavier, of course it was not an easy task considering that he had still thousand of years learning to be a light as wind and as soundless.
-"Yes, I was looking for the geography teacher. I'm sorry I forgot his name, " Legolas paused and placed a guilty frown on his face before laughing gently, "He is supposed to review my university paper. My teacher gave me his co-ordinates but I misplaced them, and I have to meet with him. " She listened until he finished his story and gave a blank stare at first before her eyes flickered down to a list before her.
-"It's Robert Macmillan, you will find him in his classroom; it's the brown and red door on the first floor, go back a few steps you will find the other corridor. It will be on your left." She answered matter of fact, her face still and neutral.
-"Thank you kindly ma'am." Legolas replied in his honey voice, winking once, he saw a little blush crept on her round cheeks but she nodded and put her nose back into her work. He walked back his step and met up with Arwen.
-"So ?" She asked her arms still cross tightened on her chest.
-"So." He echoed walking slowly to come face to face with the Evenstar.
-"What did she say ?" Arwen asked sounding quite, well crossed.
-"That I still had the.what did you call it. Thranduil hardcore charms. " Replied Legolas with a smug smile watching Arwen's eyes burn with a little flame of hatred.
-"Oh, you are impossible sometimes !" She almost screamed, Legolas could easily feel her roar inside her chest waiting, yearning to come out.
-"Sometimes?" Legolas whispered leaning a bit into her, his breath close to her ear.
-"Always." Countered Arwen letting the word come out in a long drawl, her voice echoed into the empty corridor carrying a musical quality to her soft voice.
They walked slowly in silence watching for the brown and red door into an amid of rainbow coloured classroom door. The designer seemed to have given each door two colours but with children paintings on the walls and coloured decoration it was giving them both a eye ache to see so much intense red, blue, yellow and green in one place. It was Legolas who spotted the door first and he held out his hand to Arwen's torso keeping her in place. They stood unmoving breathing in and out, knowing they were going to be disappointed, preparing in case it was him and trying to crush the little glade of excitement growing amid the ashes.
-"What's your name?" Legolas asked his voice sounding a bit hoarse to Arwen's ears.
-"Uriel Fatima. " She answered after a pause. They had come to understand that they couldn't run around the Globe without identity in a world rules of administration and paperwork. It disappointed them to use illegal means for their quest, it made them feel as if something negative always floated around.
-"It's the name of an angel." Continued Arwen looking at the blank look in Legolas' eyes.
-"Yes, I know. I was a priest remember." Muttered Legolas, his eyes still unfocused at some dot on the wall a few meters away in front of him.
-"Oh yes, I remember that phase. You know, a number a maiden would have killed you to hear that coming from your mouth." Arwen said with a knowing smile on her face.
-"What do you mean ?" Asked Legolas looking at her.
-"Two words Legolas : chastity vows." She said raising her finely sculpted eyebrow.
-"Shall we proceed ?" He asked and she knew then he still ignored the full effect he had on women. He knew he was a charmer but he was so focused on being a great archer and spending so much time with his gang of friends that he sometime remained clueless. The number of maidens that came to her for advice on seducing the Mirkwood Prince were far greater then Legolas could imagine. Of course every one of them received no satisfaction for their demands, what did she know about seducing Legolas ? They never were an item and neither of them were in a hurry until Estel came into their lives.
Arwen did not answer, she marched to the classroom and opened the door, she closed her eyes for a second and held her breath. A man was sitting at the desk with brown hair falling to his eyes, deep into thought he jerked at the sound of the door opening but did not look up. Legolas came to stand behind her and cleared his throat. The man looked up surprised, he straightened up and passing a hand on his blond-ish beard. He had a rugged look of a man that spend a lot of time outdoor, a man that meant business with a square jaw and strong shoulders.
It was not him.
Legolas heard a choked sob coming from Arwen's throat, he put his hand on her shoulder squeezing hard before swallowing thickly the emotions boiling in his stomach.
-"Sorry wrong classroom." Legolas said loud enough for the man to hear and pulled Arwen back with him and closed the door.
They walked or more precisely Legolas pushed Arwen until they were out of the building and guided her to a bench park
-"For half a second I thought it was him." Legolas nodded unsure of what to reply.
-"And for half a second I had this certainty that I was never to see him again." Arwen said wiping her tears from her cheeks, she gave him a little nervous laugh. It seemed all the strength she had evaporated into thin air, her shoulders were slumped. Legolas took one of arms and helped her up, he gently manoeuvred her into the back seat. He took his seat in the drivers, putting his hands on the wheel. He breathed in and out a few times, closing his eyes trying to focus his energy. He was desperately in need of a forest, there was one not far from here but he knew he had to take care of Arwen first and they needed a place to stay.
He started the car and drove to find one hotel in the neighbourhood, perhaps he could convince Arwen to rent a small cabin in the far north, even if he knew it would never equal Mirkwood still it was his natural element. He found a small resort that looked clean and white, he left Arwen in the backseat, took his wallet and identification papers.
He entered the lobby and found it filled with green plants, he smiled to himself and waited to be answered by the receptionist, he asked a room with a queen bed (it had started as a private joke between the two of them) and two keys. When he walked out she was waiting for him outside the car sitting on the hood, the temperature was quite warm and comfortable. They took their luggage from the truck and walked to their room, it looked exactly like every other room they had rent in the past 30 or 40 years. The receptionist had mentioned a nice pool that Legolas was sure would relax Arwen. He led her outside and followed the indications, the pool was in the middle of the hotel with no roof, it was like a square donut. A few long chairs laid around, Arwen walked directly to one and let herself fall against the soft mattress. Legolas lunged a bit farther away to take a drink from the small bar/restaurant to one corner. He sat next to a very large green plant and faced it, trying to imagine himself back home, he was started to come off his emotional high when he heard a cry not far away.
He sprung to his feet and saw a woman, probably another customer pointing at Arwen sleeping with her eyes wide open and her face ivory pale. Legolas couldn't help remembering when.
-------
He found her laying there, her white dress dirtied by the leaves and the grass. She was so pale he had wondered at first if a statue had not fallen on the ground, but there she was dying. She wasn't supposed to die, it wasn't how it was supposed to end. Though they never gave it much thought they had talked two or three times in their moments together about their future when they were mere children. Their idea involved fights, monsters, palaces and horses, or more accurately Legolas fighting monsters on a horse with a prized bow conquering a palace and if it pleased her, Arwen would help him. How strange that they never discussed marriage when every member of their family mentioned it to them at least once. Most elves married early in their lives to enjoy the most of the relationship and to have the energy to raise infants, but the understanding between them was clear; they were not romantically involved and neither will they ever be.
But seeing her, giving up on life, if he knew that early on in his life, he would have asked her to marry him if that would have saved her from the pain she was feeling. He knew of course it wasn't fair to Aragorn nor Arwen to think that way, but he couldn't help it. He walked slowly to her, his feet light against the dead leaves barely crunching under the weight. She didn't seem to hear him, he crept a bit closer and being at arms reach; he saw how clearly ill she was. Her skin was white that coloured a bit toward the blue, she looked like she didn't eat anything since the last time he saw her, at the funeral. Her thin arms were wrapped around her chest as if she was in her coffin.
Legolas bent on his knees and brushed his fingers against her ice cold skin hoping to wake her. He touched lightly her wrist but it had no effect at all, He touched pressing harder on her hands, and then he tried again by cupping her chin, warming her cheek with what was left of his warmth. Her eyelids fluttered like wings of a butterfly but it took a very pregnant pause before she succeeded at opening them. Her blue eyes locked with Legolas surprised and confused at the same time. Her pale pink tongue ran over her cracked lips as the wind played with the grey hairs that was just another painful reminder of her newly found mortality.
-"Legolas." She whispered in a question.
-"Yes it is I. Take your time, I will give you some water."
-"What are you doing here?" She asked frowning ignoring the silver flask in the Mirkwood elf's hand.
-"I was told I could find you here. " Answered Legolas smiling faintly at the comment.
-"Why are you here?" Arwen stressed on the why her eyes focused on him.
Legolas paused unsure whether or not he should lie, it was tempting to make up some reason, but the truth no matter how hurtful could give her the will to live and perhaps even overcome her chosen mortal state to return to her immortal state.
-"I had a vision of Aragorn." He began, he knew just that word would make her sit up, and so she did, springing up, her hands found Legolas forearms and she clung tightly. Legolas winced before continuing, he bent slowly to touch his warm forehead with her cold clammy one; he couldn't bring himself to look at her directly.
-"I saw him, I was about to disembark from the boat to Valinor when I saw him, sitting on a rock. He looked at me then he fell into the water. I felt him drown Arwen, I do NOT know why but I think he's still alive. I swam back and arrive on the shore and I was told you left. I need your help, I do not think we have seen the last of Estel. "
-"I thought you heard the gulls cry." Arwen whispered so faintly that it was with the movement of her lips that he guessed what she said.
-"I did." Legolas confessed.
-"Oh." Arwen said her voice full of pity and sadness. She had not heard the cry with the same intensity as the others elves because of her partly mortal state. But she knew what it meant, she wrapped her arms around Legolas and they both clung to one another beneath the whimpering sounds of the trees of Cerin Amroth.
---------
-"It is nothing madam, she was meditating." Legolas said walking toward Arwen and slapping her arm hard, Arwen blinked twice before closing her eyes.
-"Oh I feel so silly." The woman said putting her hand on her chest and breathing loudly, the other customers alerted to her cry returned to their own business.
-"It is alright." Legolas said sitting next to Arwen, they had come across this problem a few times in this lifetime, humans still were not use to see them sleep with their eyes open probably because it was associated with lifelessness but as the woman walked to the bar and chatted happily with the barmaid he knew it could have gone worst.
Still he had a feeling things would, Arwen's mental state was worsening with time, he had thought several time that time away from one another would help, yet he was frightened by the idea of being separated from her. They had been each other's lifeline for so long, he feared that if they departed they wouldn't find each other again. He knew her like he knew himself, she had became his little voice of the heart, like he was her conscience. But each of them were near the end of their respective rope.
They were so far away from the beginning.
-----------
