The afternoon sun shone over Mirkwood as Legolas walked through his country. Everywhere he went people greeted him. He did not mind, because he liked to talk to his people, and many were his friends. He often got frustrated when a gaggle of young elven ladies would follow him, but today it didn't bother him. He was searching for one elf maiden in particular and could think of nothing else...
"Yes, I saw her walking that way." Some one had said. So now Legolas walked "that way", hoping to find Anánia.
He spotted her from quite a distance. She was standing at the far end of the highest garden in Mirkwood. She was leaning against the marble railing that ran around the edge and was looking up at the sky intently. Legolas approached quietly and was standing next to her before she noticed he was there. She barely acknowledged him; she was so engrossed in whatever she was looking at. Legolas leaned on the banister next to her, the sounds of the fountains of the garden gently splashing in the background, and looked up at whatever she was looking at.
"It's Astor." She explained. "Your elven healers healed his wing, and now he is flying again."
They watched the birdman wheeling through the sky. He moved with such grace and elegance that he looked like the very wind caught under his feathers and blew him along, like a leaf flitting in an autumn wind.
Legolas noticed for the first time that Anánia was standing comfortably without any stiffness in her neck, and that the bandage on her arm had been removed.
"The healers here are indeed talented." He agreed. She nodded, still not looking at him, but now he noticed that she wasn't really watching Astor either. A sneaking suspicion came to him that she was being so aloof because she was hurting, and didn't want anyone to see her pain. "Are you afraid that the spell will go wrong?" He asked finally, looking straight at her with his shining blue eyes. She didn't look at him when she spoke, but her eyes with shining with tears.
"No, I'm sure we shall succeed." She said.
"Then why do your eyes think that it is raining?" Legolas asked.
She sighed deeply and a tear ran down her cheek, but Legolas did not see it because it was on the cheek furthest away from him, which he could not see.
"Because until now I never thought of what would happen after we bring Lady Arwen back." She said. "I truly believed we would all return to our normal lives, but now I know that this can not be."
"How so?" Legolas asked. Anánia turned to face him and he saw the tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Because when Arwen comes back she and Aragorn will want Eldarion back, and I shall never see him again." She said, her voice cracking as tears flowed freely down her face. "We shall all return to our normal lives, and I shall return to Lothlorien without the child that I love as my own. Eldarion will never love me as a mother, he may never even know me." She confessed. "I never thought when I adopted him that I would have to give him back, and now I have fallen so deeply in love with him that it will break my heart to let him go."
Legolas looked at her with compassion. Seeing her cry so was breaking his heart that very moment. "Do not grieve so." He said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I do not know how to comfort you, except to say that Aragorn would not cut you out of Eldarion's life. I am sure of that."
"But Eldarion will never come to me when he is sad." Anánia poured her heart out to Legolas. "It will not be me who hugs him close when he is scared at night. I will not be the proud mother collecting him from his schooling and hearing how wonderful my son is from the teacher. I will never watch him bring home his wife, and my grandchildren, because he will not consider me to be his mother." She spoke bitterly through tears. "I will just be the nice lady who sends a pretty present on his birthday and occasionally visits." Overcome with emotion she fell into Legolas's arms and wept against his shoulder.
He wrapped his arms around her comfortingly, but at the back of his mind he was disappointed. He had not imagined holding her to him in this way. He had imagined holding her, but not to comfort her. But now her sobbing brought him back to reality, and he realised that whatever feelings he had would have to be put aside for now, for her.
He whispered soft words in elven into her ear, stroking her hair and back whilst he soothed her. Eventually she began to calm down, and broke away from him, apologising for being so emotional.
"I'm sorry." She said. "I just never imagined...how hard it would be to see someone I love have to leave me." She sighed. "When this is over I will go back to Lorien a much more mature person...then my father will be happy to marry me off to one of his officers, and I suppose I will be happy to do that, just to fill the void left by Eldarion."
"Do you have to go back to Lorien?" Legolas asked.
"Where else do I have?"
"You could..." Legolas shrugged nonchalantly. "You could come back here if you wanted."
"Why would I want to do that?" She asked.
"I would want you to do that." Legolas whispered, but Anánia heard what he said.
"Would you?" She asked. "You would really like me to stay here?"
"I can think of nothing I would like more." He replied truthfully.
Anánia did not reply, and Legolas found he had no more he was able to say. He had a lot more that he wanted to say, but it all seemed to come back to the words "I love you" and he wasn't sure that these words would be appropriate now.
Luckily they were saved from any awkward silence because Astor landed a few feet away from them at that moment.
"My wing is as good as new." He announced. "Better in fact. Did you see me fly?"
"You were spectacular!" Anánia said, grateful of the diversion. She took Astor's arm and began to walk away. "Could you take me up there sometime? I would love to fly like that!"
She walked away, chattering animatedly to Astor, but looking over her shoulder. Legolas stood by the banister, the wind blowing his long hair, and for the first time Anánia saw him in a different light...
AN – sorry, that chapter was really slushy, but I'm in a slushy mood at the moment. I'm sorry if anyone hates Legomances, but as this is not the main pot of the story I hope you don't mind too much. Please read and review, even if you are just telling me how much you hate Legolas! (How can you hate him though? I know he is a really boring character most of the time, but that makes it even more challenging to write him a good storyline!)
Response to reviewers
Lilwhitelighter – well, I haven't let them die yet, and I wrote another chapter, so your wish is fulfilled!
Gemma – lol, I take it you aren't a fan of Anánia? Bet you hated this chapter then. Oh well, I can't please everyone; hope you enjoy the story even with Anánia still in it.
The True Evenstar – no, don't kill me. Please! I won't kill them...yet! Or will I? Mwahahaha. Just a hint, there are about 8 more chapters to go, so if I kill them all off soon there won't be much of a story. Answer, I won't be killing them off!
Maggie Black – sorry about the late update on this one. Glad you liked it!
Imithwennyere – sorry about that little mistake, I didn't even notice it. Again, the reason that Aragorn seems out of character is because he is so mad with grief at the loss of Arwen, he gets back oin character later on as his sorrow fades.
Leggy/Orlando's Queen – Always and Forever is not one of my stories, it is by The True Evenstar, but it is really good. As for Leggy and Anánia, hope you liked this chapter, I think you might have done!
Cerridwen – glad you liked it, again!
Crazy-haldir-fancier – wow, its nice to know that someone will still like me if I kill them all. I am so happy that you like this fanfic so much! Thank you for reading!
Queen Arwen – I don't think Aragorn could take the grief if they failed. Thanks for reviewing though!
Rose – I thought that the twist would just add a bit of mystery to the story, thanks for the review!
ArwenQueenofGondor – Orlando Bloom is sooooooo sexy, but not with elf ears. He is luvly in Pirates of the Caribbean. Damn Keira Knightley to eternity! Lol.
Keindra – thanks for your review, I will check out that story when I have time! I'm glad you liked it.
Ringmarciel – they will journey on after a brief rest in Mirkwood, the last leg of their journey approaches...will they save Arwen??? (drum roll)
Moonbeams–stardust – sorry about the slow update, I'll try to get the next chapter out quicker!
Terreis – I suppose it is difficult to think up good storylines with angst for Legolas, he is so boring in the film and in the books, no romances or anything. Just arrow action! Personally, if I was a beautiful elf like Arwen (damn Liv Tyler's beauty) I would rather go for Legolas than Aragorn. Or both....yummy!
Alasse – glad to here you will let me kill Legolas! I think everyone else would hate me though!
Ciel-Undomiel – hahaha, I loved your review again. A load of rambling, but it kept me entertained! Please keep up the hilarious ramblings!
"Yes, I saw her walking that way." Some one had said. So now Legolas walked "that way", hoping to find Anánia.
He spotted her from quite a distance. She was standing at the far end of the highest garden in Mirkwood. She was leaning against the marble railing that ran around the edge and was looking up at the sky intently. Legolas approached quietly and was standing next to her before she noticed he was there. She barely acknowledged him; she was so engrossed in whatever she was looking at. Legolas leaned on the banister next to her, the sounds of the fountains of the garden gently splashing in the background, and looked up at whatever she was looking at.
"It's Astor." She explained. "Your elven healers healed his wing, and now he is flying again."
They watched the birdman wheeling through the sky. He moved with such grace and elegance that he looked like the very wind caught under his feathers and blew him along, like a leaf flitting in an autumn wind.
Legolas noticed for the first time that Anánia was standing comfortably without any stiffness in her neck, and that the bandage on her arm had been removed.
"The healers here are indeed talented." He agreed. She nodded, still not looking at him, but now he noticed that she wasn't really watching Astor either. A sneaking suspicion came to him that she was being so aloof because she was hurting, and didn't want anyone to see her pain. "Are you afraid that the spell will go wrong?" He asked finally, looking straight at her with his shining blue eyes. She didn't look at him when she spoke, but her eyes with shining with tears.
"No, I'm sure we shall succeed." She said.
"Then why do your eyes think that it is raining?" Legolas asked.
She sighed deeply and a tear ran down her cheek, but Legolas did not see it because it was on the cheek furthest away from him, which he could not see.
"Because until now I never thought of what would happen after we bring Lady Arwen back." She said. "I truly believed we would all return to our normal lives, but now I know that this can not be."
"How so?" Legolas asked. Anánia turned to face him and he saw the tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Because when Arwen comes back she and Aragorn will want Eldarion back, and I shall never see him again." She said, her voice cracking as tears flowed freely down her face. "We shall all return to our normal lives, and I shall return to Lothlorien without the child that I love as my own. Eldarion will never love me as a mother, he may never even know me." She confessed. "I never thought when I adopted him that I would have to give him back, and now I have fallen so deeply in love with him that it will break my heart to let him go."
Legolas looked at her with compassion. Seeing her cry so was breaking his heart that very moment. "Do not grieve so." He said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I do not know how to comfort you, except to say that Aragorn would not cut you out of Eldarion's life. I am sure of that."
"But Eldarion will never come to me when he is sad." Anánia poured her heart out to Legolas. "It will not be me who hugs him close when he is scared at night. I will not be the proud mother collecting him from his schooling and hearing how wonderful my son is from the teacher. I will never watch him bring home his wife, and my grandchildren, because he will not consider me to be his mother." She spoke bitterly through tears. "I will just be the nice lady who sends a pretty present on his birthday and occasionally visits." Overcome with emotion she fell into Legolas's arms and wept against his shoulder.
He wrapped his arms around her comfortingly, but at the back of his mind he was disappointed. He had not imagined holding her to him in this way. He had imagined holding her, but not to comfort her. But now her sobbing brought him back to reality, and he realised that whatever feelings he had would have to be put aside for now, for her.
He whispered soft words in elven into her ear, stroking her hair and back whilst he soothed her. Eventually she began to calm down, and broke away from him, apologising for being so emotional.
"I'm sorry." She said. "I just never imagined...how hard it would be to see someone I love have to leave me." She sighed. "When this is over I will go back to Lorien a much more mature person...then my father will be happy to marry me off to one of his officers, and I suppose I will be happy to do that, just to fill the void left by Eldarion."
"Do you have to go back to Lorien?" Legolas asked.
"Where else do I have?"
"You could..." Legolas shrugged nonchalantly. "You could come back here if you wanted."
"Why would I want to do that?" She asked.
"I would want you to do that." Legolas whispered, but Anánia heard what he said.
"Would you?" She asked. "You would really like me to stay here?"
"I can think of nothing I would like more." He replied truthfully.
Anánia did not reply, and Legolas found he had no more he was able to say. He had a lot more that he wanted to say, but it all seemed to come back to the words "I love you" and he wasn't sure that these words would be appropriate now.
Luckily they were saved from any awkward silence because Astor landed a few feet away from them at that moment.
"My wing is as good as new." He announced. "Better in fact. Did you see me fly?"
"You were spectacular!" Anánia said, grateful of the diversion. She took Astor's arm and began to walk away. "Could you take me up there sometime? I would love to fly like that!"
She walked away, chattering animatedly to Astor, but looking over her shoulder. Legolas stood by the banister, the wind blowing his long hair, and for the first time Anánia saw him in a different light...
AN – sorry, that chapter was really slushy, but I'm in a slushy mood at the moment. I'm sorry if anyone hates Legomances, but as this is not the main pot of the story I hope you don't mind too much. Please read and review, even if you are just telling me how much you hate Legolas! (How can you hate him though? I know he is a really boring character most of the time, but that makes it even more challenging to write him a good storyline!)
Response to reviewers
Lilwhitelighter – well, I haven't let them die yet, and I wrote another chapter, so your wish is fulfilled!
Gemma – lol, I take it you aren't a fan of Anánia? Bet you hated this chapter then. Oh well, I can't please everyone; hope you enjoy the story even with Anánia still in it.
The True Evenstar – no, don't kill me. Please! I won't kill them...yet! Or will I? Mwahahaha. Just a hint, there are about 8 more chapters to go, so if I kill them all off soon there won't be much of a story. Answer, I won't be killing them off!
Maggie Black – sorry about the late update on this one. Glad you liked it!
Imithwennyere – sorry about that little mistake, I didn't even notice it. Again, the reason that Aragorn seems out of character is because he is so mad with grief at the loss of Arwen, he gets back oin character later on as his sorrow fades.
Leggy/Orlando's Queen – Always and Forever is not one of my stories, it is by The True Evenstar, but it is really good. As for Leggy and Anánia, hope you liked this chapter, I think you might have done!
Cerridwen – glad you liked it, again!
Crazy-haldir-fancier – wow, its nice to know that someone will still like me if I kill them all. I am so happy that you like this fanfic so much! Thank you for reading!
Queen Arwen – I don't think Aragorn could take the grief if they failed. Thanks for reviewing though!
Rose – I thought that the twist would just add a bit of mystery to the story, thanks for the review!
ArwenQueenofGondor – Orlando Bloom is sooooooo sexy, but not with elf ears. He is luvly in Pirates of the Caribbean. Damn Keira Knightley to eternity! Lol.
Keindra – thanks for your review, I will check out that story when I have time! I'm glad you liked it.
Ringmarciel – they will journey on after a brief rest in Mirkwood, the last leg of their journey approaches...will they save Arwen??? (drum roll)
Moonbeams–stardust – sorry about the slow update, I'll try to get the next chapter out quicker!
Terreis – I suppose it is difficult to think up good storylines with angst for Legolas, he is so boring in the film and in the books, no romances or anything. Just arrow action! Personally, if I was a beautiful elf like Arwen (damn Liv Tyler's beauty) I would rather go for Legolas than Aragorn. Or both....yummy!
Alasse – glad to here you will let me kill Legolas! I think everyone else would hate me though!
Ciel-Undomiel – hahaha, I loved your review again. A load of rambling, but it kept me entertained! Please keep up the hilarious ramblings!