A/N: More chapters to come, never fear.
Chapter 42--Confessions
Legolas's face swam in her rapidly flickering vision. At first, she thought she was delusional. But no, it was really him, really his hand wiping sweat-soaked hair from her face, from her eyes. His eyes were full of worry.
"Rosellyn, are you okay? Sweet Valar, are you wounded?" She shook her head weakly. She forced the words out of her throat.
"No. Do you have...antidote? Poisoned--weapons. Throat." Legolas shook his head. Was her vision clouding more? No, it was tears making his eyes blurry. She felt one drop onto her cheek.
"I don't have anything, Rose, anything. But...I'll take you home, it'll be all right."
"I won't last. It's been too long. It's now or...never. Legolas...I love you."
There. She had said it. It was out there. She--was she crazy? Even now, she couldn't believe she had confessed. For awhile, there was silence. She didn't have the courage to look Legolas in the eye, afraid of what she might see in his face. Rejection, disgust, or...something else?
She felt his hand cup her cheek, and she finally got the nerve to look at him. He had an odd expression on his face, one she didn't recognize right off. But it wasn't disdain, that was a start.
"You--what?" She really didn't have time for this; he had to understand before she...before she died.
"Love you. I love you. If I was going to live past tonight, I would want to be with you forever. I love you, Legolas." She had said it again. And again. She'd say it forever, she'd say it as long as she still had breath, she didn't care what he thought anymore. Why hadn't she said this before? It was all so stupid, being afraid of him. She should have confessed a long time ago.
"Me--what about Benvenue?" He would bring that up, wouldn't he?
"He kissed me. He...loves Tracie, now. And she loves him. I've only ever loved you, Legolas. Honest." He cupped her face in both hands, and she stared unashamedly into his eyes. Beautiful eyes, every part of him was beautiful. Where was Della? She should have piped up by now. Rose wanted her opinion about all this.
Where had her sense gone? She didn't mean to sound callous, but right now, Della could jump off a cliff. Rose was busy confessing her innermost emotions.
"Oh...Legolas? In Awaren's house...I was writing a book...I want you to read it. It's about a whole different world."
"Rosellyn, Awaren's house is in flames. Nothing could be saved. Your book is gone." She winced. Della (who she didn't care about right now) was going to be furious.
"What about everyone inside?"
"Some managed to escape. I don't know how many."
"Ellie? Meira?"
"Safe, the both of them. They were retaken easily. The Warlord?" She heaved a relieved sigh.
"Dead. Burned alive." Now it was his turn to sigh.
"Only fitting." She nodded weakly. She could barely see his face, now, her vision was coming and going, and she was beginning to feel light-headed. "Wait, Rose, you can't die, you just can't!"
"It's a bit late for that, I'm sorry. I can't last much longer." She was starting to black out, and she could think of so many more things she wanted to say. But she couldn't find her voice anymore. Every movement became lethargic. Just before she simply...faded...she heard Legolas's voice, as though from far away, in a broken tone,
"I love you, Rosellyn."
Chapter 42--Confessions
Legolas's face swam in her rapidly flickering vision. At first, she thought she was delusional. But no, it was really him, really his hand wiping sweat-soaked hair from her face, from her eyes. His eyes were full of worry.
"Rosellyn, are you okay? Sweet Valar, are you wounded?" She shook her head weakly. She forced the words out of her throat.
"No. Do you have...antidote? Poisoned--weapons. Throat." Legolas shook his head. Was her vision clouding more? No, it was tears making his eyes blurry. She felt one drop onto her cheek.
"I don't have anything, Rose, anything. But...I'll take you home, it'll be all right."
"I won't last. It's been too long. It's now or...never. Legolas...I love you."
There. She had said it. It was out there. She--was she crazy? Even now, she couldn't believe she had confessed. For awhile, there was silence. She didn't have the courage to look Legolas in the eye, afraid of what she might see in his face. Rejection, disgust, or...something else?
She felt his hand cup her cheek, and she finally got the nerve to look at him. He had an odd expression on his face, one she didn't recognize right off. But it wasn't disdain, that was a start.
"You--what?" She really didn't have time for this; he had to understand before she...before she died.
"Love you. I love you. If I was going to live past tonight, I would want to be with you forever. I love you, Legolas." She had said it again. And again. She'd say it forever, she'd say it as long as she still had breath, she didn't care what he thought anymore. Why hadn't she said this before? It was all so stupid, being afraid of him. She should have confessed a long time ago.
"Me--what about Benvenue?" He would bring that up, wouldn't he?
"He kissed me. He...loves Tracie, now. And she loves him. I've only ever loved you, Legolas. Honest." He cupped her face in both hands, and she stared unashamedly into his eyes. Beautiful eyes, every part of him was beautiful. Where was Della? She should have piped up by now. Rose wanted her opinion about all this.
Where had her sense gone? She didn't mean to sound callous, but right now, Della could jump off a cliff. Rose was busy confessing her innermost emotions.
"Oh...Legolas? In Awaren's house...I was writing a book...I want you to read it. It's about a whole different world."
"Rosellyn, Awaren's house is in flames. Nothing could be saved. Your book is gone." She winced. Della (who she didn't care about right now) was going to be furious.
"What about everyone inside?"
"Some managed to escape. I don't know how many."
"Ellie? Meira?"
"Safe, the both of them. They were retaken easily. The Warlord?" She heaved a relieved sigh.
"Dead. Burned alive." Now it was his turn to sigh.
"Only fitting." She nodded weakly. She could barely see his face, now, her vision was coming and going, and she was beginning to feel light-headed. "Wait, Rose, you can't die, you just can't!"
"It's a bit late for that, I'm sorry. I can't last much longer." She was starting to black out, and she could think of so many more things she wanted to say. But she couldn't find her voice anymore. Every movement became lethargic. Just before she simply...faded...she heard Legolas's voice, as though from far away, in a broken tone,
"I love you, Rosellyn."