Anne had left for the night and Gavin had already turned in by the time Elentir found Legolas sitting on the fire escape, gazing adoringly at the sky. Elentir struggled for his footing at first, but soon found a place to perch next to his dear friend. Legolas smiled ever so sweetly at the moon, his precious moon, eyes narrowing in mysterious thought of all the things he usually wondered late at night. Elentir placed his arm about his dear friend and sighed, more than elated at how his stay had been so far. The prince faced his first companion and smiled in greeting. There was an odd silence before he finally spoke, in his flowing, native tongue. "When I was away from the forest, I would always look at the moon and think of you," he confessed. Elentir's eyes fell as he finally trusted the old staircase loft with his weight. "Just as the stars sew the sky, your soul is knit with mine."
"I'm so glad that you came, Legolas," Elentir thanked. "For a while, I felt as if this were all some horrible mistake. Everyone back home though was so…impressed that I had traveled so far, I…I just couldn't go back…" Legolas smiled again and pointed to the silver eye above them.
"One month until the big day," the prince excitedly announced. Elentir forced a smile although tears were filling his bright eyes. "She makes a beautiful bride, Elentir," Legolas continued while facing his host, "if only words could fit such a vision."
"Was it only a few years ago she was…just a child…"
"You'll be back for the wedding, won't you?" Legolas asked eagerly. There was a silence where Elentir's gaze fell in shame. The soft smile faded and Legolas lifted his eyes in stern hurt. "Your only sister becomes a wife, and you will not be there."
"I wish I could, but I can't. I just can't leave."
"You wouldn't be leaving, Elentir," Legolas corrected in his cool tone, "you'd be coming back." Now they faced with the younger's confusion.
"I don't understand."
"You've proved to everyone you can live with the humans," Legolas explained, "now come back home. Be a hero!" He motioned to the brick around him and then to the sky. "Come back to Mirkwood with me and get away from this stone forest. You don't belong here, no Elf belongs here." Elentir's fallen expression dimmed even deeper.
"I…I have friends here, Legolas."
"Your friends that will someday leave you alone? They will pass away…"
"Not for a long time," Elentir snapped, "and I don't care. The time we have is well spent." Legolas's shoulders fell deeply and he scowled in the dark. "I'm sorry," Elentir quietly added. He shyly tugged at the prince's pale robe.
"Everyone is waiting for you back home," he replied softly. "Your proud parents, your beautiful sister…all of your friends and everyone you love. I do not understand how you can just leave them…"
"There are a lot of things you don't understand about this place, Legolas," Elentir comforted. "I'm still learning. I can't go back home saying that I left because I could not understand, or wished not to know of different things. Can you trust that this is for the best, Legolas? Can you trust me?" After a deep thought, the prince faced him and smiled, pale eyes filled with confidence once more.
"Of course." Elentir beamed back, both now radiant once more beneath the starlight. Legolas took the other's hand and brought it close to his own heart. "Forever shall the moon and stars shine together. So be our souls, Elentir." Elentir nodded and looked to the great blanket of black and silver sparkling above them.
"So be our souls."