A/N: I hope everyone had a good New Year's! A giant thank you to "Niki"
"Christina" (YOU ROCK!!!) "Squeaky Peanut" (your constructive criticism was
greatly appreciated and I'm glad you don't think she's a Mary Sue!) "Kail
Ceannai" (the suggestion has and will be taken in later chapters, including
this one) and a giant thank you to Matilda (the bestest buddy in the whole
wide world!)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Memories and the Question Answered
Legolas leaned against one of the pillars that stood in front of the Hornburg. A cold night breeze met his face and stirred his hair into his eyes. He lightly brushed the golden-white tendrils back and breathed in a faint scent of alfirin.* "There must be a burial mound somewhere nearby . . ." he thought.
As Legolas dismissed the strands of hair, his fingers brushed against one of his two braids that were braced against the sides of his head. Immediately his mind recalled fondly how they got there.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Legolas, can you spare a moment before you depart?"
Legolas turned at the light sound of a beloved voice. "Muinthel, why are you not sleeping?" (sister)
"If I missed your departure to Imladris, I would have regretted it for eternity! Or until you came home."
"Well, I have a half-hour to spare, Undulárë, before I must join the party to Imladris."
His little sister clapped her hands in glee. "Then, come," she said, "I want to put archer's braids your hair!"
Legolas rolled his eyes as he followed Undulárë. The last of three children, and was only sixty years of age. The beauty of the Eldar made her impeccably cute, a weapon, which she masterfully utilized to get what she wanted.
Spoiled she could have easily been if her brothers were not so easily susceptible to it as were their parents. Still, there was no doubt that Legolas and his elder brother, Nimril, loved her beyond measure.
Legolas gave a sideways smile as he sat down at the foot of Undulárë's bed.
His sister gleefully jumped up on her knees behind him and began to run her small fingers through his blond hair.
"Will you be gone long?" Asked Undulárë.
"I am not sure. It depends . . ."
"On what?"
"On how things fare at the Council."
Legolas could picture the pout that was forming on his sister's face.
"That is not going to work Undulárë, not this time, anyway."
"But," she sniffed as she worked on the last braid, "what if a spider or something worse crosses your path . . .?"
"Thêl-" (sister)
"Ai, do not turn around! You will mess up the braid."
Legolas stopped his motion and resigned himself to staring straight ahead.
"You know very well that I can defend myself, Undulárë. If I could not why would I be giving you lessons in it?"
"I know, tôr nín, but I cannot help my worry." Legolas then felt Undulárë cease her braiding. "I am done," she announced.
"Hannaid," (thanks) Legolas said as he stood up. Taking his baby sister's hand he led her out to the hall. Legolas took her gently by her small shoulders. "Now, listen, Undulárë, thêl nín, I must go now. I want no tears. Heniach nin?" (Do you understand me?)
Undulárë nodded her head, pitifully, trying to push back what she was ordered not to shed. Legolas leaned down to place a kiss on the top of her head.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you, too!" Unduárë exclaimed, wrapping her arms around his neck, forcing him to stay in a bent position a bit longer. The Prince picked up the elfling and hugged her.
"Avo 'osto. I will return." (Don't worry)
"You had better."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Aragorn came out of the Hornburg and stood beside the silent elf for some time before Legolas acknowledged his presence.
"How is she?" He asked quietly.
"Faring no better," Aragorn answered.
Legolas clenched his fists. Aragorn put a calming hand on his shoulder and the elf immedietly unclenched them.
"Have you figured out the answer?" Aragorn asked, hoping to divert his thoughts.
"No."
"Do not worry, it will come to you soon enough."
"No word of Frodo and Sam?"
"None."
Legolas turned his gaze to the East.
"Its curious that all of Middle-Earth's heroes have been grand, noble men and elves but now its fate rests in the hands of the least looked upon race."
Aragorn nodded his head and gave a small smile. He then left the Prince of Mirkwood to his musings.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
When Legolas had left Lórien, he thought nothing of Elwen's reaction to when he took her hand to tell her how grateful he was for her beautiful singing before she ran from him in tears or how she acted when the Fellowship departed from the Golden Wood.
But now the answer hit him. It shocked his very being, like the time Nimril tossed him into a cold lake one summer's day:
Elwen loved him!
Legolas felt his legs give way and he grasped the gray stone pillar to regain his balance.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
*Alfirin- one of the two elvish names for the simblemynë.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Memories and the Question Answered
Legolas leaned against one of the pillars that stood in front of the Hornburg. A cold night breeze met his face and stirred his hair into his eyes. He lightly brushed the golden-white tendrils back and breathed in a faint scent of alfirin.* "There must be a burial mound somewhere nearby . . ." he thought.
As Legolas dismissed the strands of hair, his fingers brushed against one of his two braids that were braced against the sides of his head. Immediately his mind recalled fondly how they got there.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Legolas, can you spare a moment before you depart?"
Legolas turned at the light sound of a beloved voice. "Muinthel, why are you not sleeping?" (sister)
"If I missed your departure to Imladris, I would have regretted it for eternity! Or until you came home."
"Well, I have a half-hour to spare, Undulárë, before I must join the party to Imladris."
His little sister clapped her hands in glee. "Then, come," she said, "I want to put archer's braids your hair!"
Legolas rolled his eyes as he followed Undulárë. The last of three children, and was only sixty years of age. The beauty of the Eldar made her impeccably cute, a weapon, which she masterfully utilized to get what she wanted.
Spoiled she could have easily been if her brothers were not so easily susceptible to it as were their parents. Still, there was no doubt that Legolas and his elder brother, Nimril, loved her beyond measure.
Legolas gave a sideways smile as he sat down at the foot of Undulárë's bed.
His sister gleefully jumped up on her knees behind him and began to run her small fingers through his blond hair.
"Will you be gone long?" Asked Undulárë.
"I am not sure. It depends . . ."
"On what?"
"On how things fare at the Council."
Legolas could picture the pout that was forming on his sister's face.
"That is not going to work Undulárë, not this time, anyway."
"But," she sniffed as she worked on the last braid, "what if a spider or something worse crosses your path . . .?"
"Thêl-" (sister)
"Ai, do not turn around! You will mess up the braid."
Legolas stopped his motion and resigned himself to staring straight ahead.
"You know very well that I can defend myself, Undulárë. If I could not why would I be giving you lessons in it?"
"I know, tôr nín, but I cannot help my worry." Legolas then felt Undulárë cease her braiding. "I am done," she announced.
"Hannaid," (thanks) Legolas said as he stood up. Taking his baby sister's hand he led her out to the hall. Legolas took her gently by her small shoulders. "Now, listen, Undulárë, thêl nín, I must go now. I want no tears. Heniach nin?" (Do you understand me?)
Undulárë nodded her head, pitifully, trying to push back what she was ordered not to shed. Legolas leaned down to place a kiss on the top of her head.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you, too!" Unduárë exclaimed, wrapping her arms around his neck, forcing him to stay in a bent position a bit longer. The Prince picked up the elfling and hugged her.
"Avo 'osto. I will return." (Don't worry)
"You had better."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Aragorn came out of the Hornburg and stood beside the silent elf for some time before Legolas acknowledged his presence.
"How is she?" He asked quietly.
"Faring no better," Aragorn answered.
Legolas clenched his fists. Aragorn put a calming hand on his shoulder and the elf immedietly unclenched them.
"Have you figured out the answer?" Aragorn asked, hoping to divert his thoughts.
"No."
"Do not worry, it will come to you soon enough."
"No word of Frodo and Sam?"
"None."
Legolas turned his gaze to the East.
"Its curious that all of Middle-Earth's heroes have been grand, noble men and elves but now its fate rests in the hands of the least looked upon race."
Aragorn nodded his head and gave a small smile. He then left the Prince of Mirkwood to his musings.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
When Legolas had left Lórien, he thought nothing of Elwen's reaction to when he took her hand to tell her how grateful he was for her beautiful singing before she ran from him in tears or how she acted when the Fellowship departed from the Golden Wood.
But now the answer hit him. It shocked his very being, like the time Nimril tossed him into a cold lake one summer's day:
Elwen loved him!
Legolas felt his legs give way and he grasped the gray stone pillar to regain his balance.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
*Alfirin- one of the two elvish names for the simblemynë.