Chapter 19:

Legolas was strolling through the gardens, touching the frostbitten limbs of the trees and remembering back to the day that he first met her in this garden. As he walked, he hummed the Ley of Lúthien and looked around him in awe at the view. Seeing an elleth standing on the wall, he approached and smiled as she turned but his smile soon disappeared as he realised that she was not the one he was looking for. She looked vaguely familiar to him but he couldn't place it in his memory. Bowing, she looked at him with beautiful black eyes and spoke in a lilting voice as she fingered a necklace near her bosom.

"Maer arad, nin caun. Who are you seeking?"

"Goheno nin, hiril nin. I seek your cousin."

"She is with Adar now, brannon. You must wait until she feels she can face you. She has been wounded by you much, for it is in her eyes. She has lost her inner strength because of your lack of love for her. You brought this upon her, so I will not speak to you again." With that, she flounced off and left Legolas standing there by himself, still trying to figure out what he had done to her.

As he sat there, he looked up and saw her staring down at him silently. As he looked back, she disappeared from the window and drew the curtains to block her view of him. Taking a deep breath to reassure himself, he walked into the Homely House and to her chambers. Knocking on the door, he waited until she opened it and stared silently at him. Bowing, he held out his hand and as she took it, they walked out to the pavilion, where she sat and listened to him pace. Bending down on one knee, Legolas took her hand and looked deep into her eyes.

'Hiril nin, I have wronged you greatly," spoke Legolas. "I should have known that what we had was too good to last. You say you cannot love me, yet your heart has grown still and cold with ice. You despair of the darkness in Mordor, the presence of the Enemy because you have been tortured by him. Your soul has been laid bare, and the sickness you overcome has clouded your thoughts. My love is strong but I cannot love you, tis true. However, you and I were friends once many years ago. Though we cannot be together in body or cleave to one another like your cousin and her love, we can still love each other as the purest of friends. Guren min gaim lin."

As he kissed her hand with passion, the anger and hurt in Morié's heart began to disappear as she felt her eyes turn teary. Sobbing, she launched herself at him and cried on his shoulder as he held her. As she sniffed and blew her nose on her handkerchief, the inner light returned to her eyes and her beauty was restored to him. Smiling, he flashed her eyes at the giggles coming from the bushes that sounded just like the twins. Handing Legolas a bucket of ice water, they crept up and poured the waiter all over the twins. As they gasped at the temperature, the pair giggled and ran off to hide.

Looking down at the pair, Elrond, Aragorn and Arwen smiled at each other and pulled out buckets. Then, they laughed with glee and ran out to find some more ice water to fill them and join the fun...

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Maer arad, nin caun - Good day, my Prince

Goheno nin, hiril nin - Forgive me, my Lady

She is with nin Adar now, brannon. She is with my father now, my Lord

Hiril nin - My Lady

Guren min gaim lin - My heart is in your hands