DISCLAIMER: I don't claim to own any of the character's portrayed in my story. They all belong to JRR Tolkien...I'm only making up a situation. Don't sue!
AUTHOR NOTES: Thank you SO much to all who reviewed. I really, really appreciate hearing from you- you have no idea how much a few words can affect and encourage me. So keep them coming..they make me want to write!^__^
Chapter Four- Farewell
The remainder of the week flew by all too soon, and the morning dawned on which the fellowship would begin their journey. Arwen hadn't seen Legolas since the dance, and his horse was always gone from the stables, so she assumed he spent his days riding. For this reason she stuck close to Rivendell, avoiding a confrontation, forfeiting her daily ride. Something had passed between the two elves that night, a feeling of passion she had never experienced- not even with Aragorn. As the songs mournful notes had ended, Legolas had drawn back to look at her face. Her gaze latched onto his and she saw it, passions fire burning as brightly in the depths of his eyes as she knew it was in hers.
'We should not have done that,' Legolas whispered, dread filling his gaze.
'It was only a dance,' Arwen lied, trying to convince herself. Legolas shook his head and stepped back, his hands raised as if to fend her off.
'We should not have done that,' he repeated, and turned, weaving his way through the crowd, fists clenched. His absence left her cold, and she watched his retreating back with confusion.
Arwen shook her head, trying to rid her mind of that memory. That night she had been troubled; had barely slept. Aragorn had asked her what was wrong, but she hadn't answered, because she didn't know herself. She had felt safe and loved and desired in Legolas' arms- feelings she had only ever felt when she was with Aragorn. She knew she must have misread them. And so she locked them up, and tried to enjoy her last days with Aragorn. Since the feast he had ceased to avoid her, and she spent much of her waking hours wrapped in his embrace.
The night before they left Arwen approached Aragorn and pressed the silver-wrought Evenstar into his hand; in that moment she gave up her right to Immortality. It felt good to have made her decision; no boat would take her now, and she accepted her future life with Aragorn with open arms. She knew the bitterness would come later.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The inevitable morning came at last, and Arwen braced herself for the pain of seeing her love leave. The possibility that he might die, and leave her alone on Middle-Earth, was far too much to bear. She needed to speak to Aragorn, a last time, to kiss him and reassure herself of his love. He was not among her people at breakfast. The stables were empty. At last she entered the gardens, but found a different figure standing under the shade of the swaying trees. Legolas. After brief hesitation, she approached him, wincing as he startled at her presence. His eyes darted to the sides, deciding the best escape, but her soft voice stopped him short.
'Legolas, we must talk.' She saw him gulp, but a moment later he turned to her, and his face had turned to stone; she marvelled at this...never did his emotions slip past his iron grip. It was rather depressing. Only his eyes held any feeling- sadness. Great sadness that tore at her soul and quickened her heart. But seconds later he steeled his eyes as well, and she felt that perhaps she was talking to a tree, and there was no elf standing there at all.
'Whatever passed between us,' she said quietly,' lasted but an instant. Don't grudge yourself a moment of passion, Legolas, for passion is never a sin.'
She stood a moment longer, memorising his face, before she turned and exited the gardens. She waited for him to call after her, to run after her, to ask her to stay awhile, but no such response came.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Legolas watched her as she glided from his sight; his cool facade faded, and his stone shell crumbled, and he was only an elf again, standing alone among the trees.
'Arwen.' He spoke it like a prayer, but his choked voice was lost on the morning breeze.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Arwen stood, with her twin brothers flanking her, and bid the company farewell. Legolas knew she was holding back her tears; her eyes shone, and her ivory skin was marred by faded red blotches about her eyes. She spoke softly to each of the fellowship, her words for them alone. She came at last to Legolas, and for the first time in a week he met her eyes. They were guarded, but still she reached out and softly touched his cheek, and closed her eyes as she felt his hand brush her own. It was a traditional parting among elves, but Aragorn watched them still, a curious look upon his face.
'Travel well.' Her words were barely above a whisper, and none heard her save Legolas. Bowing slightly, he stepped back away from her, and took his place beside the fellowship. He towered above them all.
She spoke lastly with Aragorn, and their words were too soft to be heard by the company, but all could see the tears streaming down the Evenstar's cheeks. All could see Aragorn brush them away with infinite gentleness, contradicting his calloused hands. All could see their love. At last Aragorn re-joined the group, and they set out through the gates of Imladris. Legolas felt an enormous weight lift from his shoulders (even as one settled about Aragorn's) as he left the elven city, and he stepped lighter as he accepted the knowledge that he might never face the Evenstar again.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Well, sort of a short chapter this time...I warn you, the next chapter is going to be even shorter. But they are necessary, so we just have to suffer through them, lol. Anyways, please review..I really need it!! I want to know if you like or hate the way I'm going about this story. Talk to you guys later..
--Red Dragon
AUTHOR NOTES: Thank you SO much to all who reviewed. I really, really appreciate hearing from you- you have no idea how much a few words can affect and encourage me. So keep them coming..they make me want to write!^__^
Chapter Four- Farewell
The remainder of the week flew by all too soon, and the morning dawned on which the fellowship would begin their journey. Arwen hadn't seen Legolas since the dance, and his horse was always gone from the stables, so she assumed he spent his days riding. For this reason she stuck close to Rivendell, avoiding a confrontation, forfeiting her daily ride. Something had passed between the two elves that night, a feeling of passion she had never experienced- not even with Aragorn. As the songs mournful notes had ended, Legolas had drawn back to look at her face. Her gaze latched onto his and she saw it, passions fire burning as brightly in the depths of his eyes as she knew it was in hers.
'We should not have done that,' Legolas whispered, dread filling his gaze.
'It was only a dance,' Arwen lied, trying to convince herself. Legolas shook his head and stepped back, his hands raised as if to fend her off.
'We should not have done that,' he repeated, and turned, weaving his way through the crowd, fists clenched. His absence left her cold, and she watched his retreating back with confusion.
Arwen shook her head, trying to rid her mind of that memory. That night she had been troubled; had barely slept. Aragorn had asked her what was wrong, but she hadn't answered, because she didn't know herself. She had felt safe and loved and desired in Legolas' arms- feelings she had only ever felt when she was with Aragorn. She knew she must have misread them. And so she locked them up, and tried to enjoy her last days with Aragorn. Since the feast he had ceased to avoid her, and she spent much of her waking hours wrapped in his embrace.
The night before they left Arwen approached Aragorn and pressed the silver-wrought Evenstar into his hand; in that moment she gave up her right to Immortality. It felt good to have made her decision; no boat would take her now, and she accepted her future life with Aragorn with open arms. She knew the bitterness would come later.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The inevitable morning came at last, and Arwen braced herself for the pain of seeing her love leave. The possibility that he might die, and leave her alone on Middle-Earth, was far too much to bear. She needed to speak to Aragorn, a last time, to kiss him and reassure herself of his love. He was not among her people at breakfast. The stables were empty. At last she entered the gardens, but found a different figure standing under the shade of the swaying trees. Legolas. After brief hesitation, she approached him, wincing as he startled at her presence. His eyes darted to the sides, deciding the best escape, but her soft voice stopped him short.
'Legolas, we must talk.' She saw him gulp, but a moment later he turned to her, and his face had turned to stone; she marvelled at this...never did his emotions slip past his iron grip. It was rather depressing. Only his eyes held any feeling- sadness. Great sadness that tore at her soul and quickened her heart. But seconds later he steeled his eyes as well, and she felt that perhaps she was talking to a tree, and there was no elf standing there at all.
'Whatever passed between us,' she said quietly,' lasted but an instant. Don't grudge yourself a moment of passion, Legolas, for passion is never a sin.'
She stood a moment longer, memorising his face, before she turned and exited the gardens. She waited for him to call after her, to run after her, to ask her to stay awhile, but no such response came.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Legolas watched her as she glided from his sight; his cool facade faded, and his stone shell crumbled, and he was only an elf again, standing alone among the trees.
'Arwen.' He spoke it like a prayer, but his choked voice was lost on the morning breeze.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Arwen stood, with her twin brothers flanking her, and bid the company farewell. Legolas knew she was holding back her tears; her eyes shone, and her ivory skin was marred by faded red blotches about her eyes. She spoke softly to each of the fellowship, her words for them alone. She came at last to Legolas, and for the first time in a week he met her eyes. They were guarded, but still she reached out and softly touched his cheek, and closed her eyes as she felt his hand brush her own. It was a traditional parting among elves, but Aragorn watched them still, a curious look upon his face.
'Travel well.' Her words were barely above a whisper, and none heard her save Legolas. Bowing slightly, he stepped back away from her, and took his place beside the fellowship. He towered above them all.
She spoke lastly with Aragorn, and their words were too soft to be heard by the company, but all could see the tears streaming down the Evenstar's cheeks. All could see Aragorn brush them away with infinite gentleness, contradicting his calloused hands. All could see their love. At last Aragorn re-joined the group, and they set out through the gates of Imladris. Legolas felt an enormous weight lift from his shoulders (even as one settled about Aragorn's) as he left the elven city, and he stepped lighter as he accepted the knowledge that he might never face the Evenstar again.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Well, sort of a short chapter this time...I warn you, the next chapter is going to be even shorter. But they are necessary, so we just have to suffer through them, lol. Anyways, please review..I really need it!! I want to know if you like or hate the way I'm going about this story. Talk to you guys later..
--Red Dragon