Disclaimer: Please see chapter one
Moment
This is my moment,
This is my perfect moment with you
This is what God meant,
This is my perfect moment with you,
I wish I could keep this space in time,
The way that I feel for you inside,
This is my moment
This is my perfect moment with you.
I somehow stop myself from staring at the beauty by my side. And no, I do not mean Gimli. No, this beauty is just that. Her smile shines as a new sun and sets my heart beating so fast that I think it will run away from me.
I tell an implausible story about Boromir just to hear that magical laugh once more. I never thought I could feel like this, so light and as if I were on cloud nine. Is this love?
I really do not know. The only person that I ever really had any love from was Boromir. My father seemed to think I was beneath that. My youth was spent trying every day for some sign that he loved me, that he never regretted the day I was born. But I know deep down that he did. Regret my birth that is.
He always treated me with anger and contempt. It hurt, how could it not to see your brother being fawned upon while you receive cold disinterest. I could never win and I suppose I never really had a chance. Looking back his madness must have started long ago. If only we had seen it then for what it was. So many of our men died in that Orc attack, I can never forgive him for that, such senseless deaths.
Still that is all in the past. It stopped the minute that I found Boromir's horn in the River Anduin. It brought home to me that I could never, ever be what Boromir was to our father. Sad but true.
Then it happened, I woke up next to this beauty and all I want to do is make her laugh and smile. If I can do that for the rest of my life I would be happy and complete.
But would she even look at me? She is after all a Princess in her own right. Her brother is the King of Rohan. My place in life is probably too lowly and I should not get my hopes up. No, I will just be happy to hear her laugh and to see that wonderful smile.
That will have to be the best thing, to make her smile this night and not think of tomorrow.
Enjoy tonight and take the memory with me into tomorrow. Aragorn has already asked me to be his Steward and I have agreed. It will be my honour to serve such a wonderful man and I know he will be a wonderful King, and just what Gondor needs at this time. I will be by his side to see that our Kingdom will be returned to how it was.
I will do what my father failed to. Serve Gondor and make sure that I do it to the best of my ability. I would never let her down in the way that he did. I will make that vow now and never regret it.
I shake myself. Tonight is a night of celebration. We have finally beaten Sauron and Middle Earth is full of light. No more will there be darkness.
The chamber is full of rowdy people for we do have much to rejoice about and new friends to celebrate with. Yes, tonight is the night for happiness.
I share another stupid story just to hear that laugh even if it is somewhat drowned out by Gimli's rumble. We all look up as Aragorn joins us and I am about to welcome him when I realise that he looks worried. His first words confirm it.
"Have you seen Legolas?" I blink and look around as I know I saw him earlier. I find both Eowyn and Gimli doing the same.
Aragorn nods as if to thank us and makes his way back out of the chamber and towards the open doors that leads to the battlement. Only he does not make it. He is stopped by Gandalf. I can tell that Aragorn is not listening to the wizard; he only nods now and again as he looks around. Finally he says something, I can not hear and he makes for the door successfully this time.
We follow closely behind for we have all come to be friend's with this wonderful Elf. So many times he was needed and I never once have heard that he left others wanting, often at detriment of his own health. Yes I know that Elves can not fall ill. I grew up fascinated by them and longed to meet one. They can suffer wounds and exhaustion, though.
I will never for the rest of my days forget the look on Eomer's face as he found out that Legolas was not just 'Legolas of the Woodland Realm' but it's Crown Prince. I still want to laugh out loud as he described how he held the prince at spear point. I do so wish I had been there to see that!
Gandalf looks up as we draw level to him; his usual twinkling eyes are serious and full of worry as he asks. "Is something wrong?"
Eowyn answers for us, she really is wonderful you know, and she more than deserves the name Shield Maiden, it is after all not everyone who can claim to kill the Witch King of Angmar.
"We can not fine Legolas. Aragorn is looking for him."
"Is he injured?" Yes, we forget that Legolas and Gandalf are old friend's, probably far older than even our great, great, great, great grandsires.
Gimli answers and I feel pity for the Prince if he is injured and has not told us. "Not that I am aware of." The Dwarves voice is gruff with worry, yes they are good friends, but then the best friendships are formed when faced with adversity.
We stop just short of the door and look out across the battlement. Aragorn stands just outside of the door. I some how hold in the gasp that wants so much to escape. The night is dark; eerily dark no stars, no moon. Just dark. The feeble light that shines from the chamber behind us. Has Legolas always been this thin? It looks for all of Arda as if a single brush of wind will blow him right out of sight.
Gimli makes as if to move when Gandalf stops him, he does not look happy at that. But Aragorn has finally made to move towards Legolas.
He stops by his side and at his first words I feel Eowyn tense, his words obviously are not what she expects to hear. How I love this feisty Lady!
I wish I could freeze this space in time,
All that I feel for you inside,
This is my moment
This is my perfect moment with you.
"Are you alright, Legolas?" I could groan myself at that, look at him Aragorn; he is supposed to be your old friend. How could you not know that he is not alright?
"Yes, Aragorn I just needed some quiet and respite from your foul smoke." I agree with you, my friend it is foul, how anyone can smoke is beyond me, it leaves your clothes reeking and it cannot do you any good. I know Eowyn has the same feelings as I on this.
"You have been out here for sometime; I was getting worried about you." I agree silently with that having seen Legolas as he is I am worried too. "Gimli asked me to ask if you would like to join him in a drinking game. I think he wants his revenge."
I almost groan at that. Let them play their games they will never, ever get me to join them. Once was bad enough. I think I must look green just at the thought. I have never been so drunk in my life before, and that is saying something.
No, I will never let them talk me into another drink with them. It was almost unnatural the way that Legolas was still completely sober and I seem to recall, although it is vague, that Elves have a high alcohol tolerance. I wish I had remembered that before.
Legolas laughs at that, a real laugh
The next thing that leaves Aragorn's lips has me wanting to hit my head in frustration. I wish he would make sense. "The night is veiled."
"Yes, it should be clear and not dull as this. The heavens should be celebrating." There is wistfulness at this in Legolas' voice. The heavens should not be the only one celebrating, so should my friend. Mirkwood has been dark for many years more than every where else. They have lived under such pressures, they have my admiration.
"Are you going to join us?" I should be paying attention, but Eowyn is too close to me, I can almost smell her and the urge to touch her hair is almost too much of a temptation.
"In a while." That gets my attention. Legolas has no intention of joining us it is in his voice. There is far more going on here than I think we realise. There is something very wrong with our friend.
It is confirmed with Aragorn's next words and I feel my heart drop.
"Legolas, I am here for you when your longing gets too much."
No, not our friend. By the God's please tell me I heard wrongly. Legolas will leave us before we even get to really know him. I want that chance; he is and could be a very, very good friend. This is not fair, after all he has gone through he will not be here to see the bounty. If I could I would cry. I realise that Eowyn does not understand and I take her hand in mine.
It is a little forward but as she is in front of me I have no choice. She squeezes my hand in reply. I lean forward and whisper in her ear. "I will explain later, but for know just know that we may loose the Prince to the Haven's." She shivers as my breath touches her ear and I can feel her pounding heart even from here.
Could she feel the way that I do? Could I be that blessed? I know in an instant when she moves back so that she is pressed against me and even though I feel as if my heart could break for my friend I could sing my happiness to the wind.
Tell me you love me
When you leave
It's more than a shadow
That's what I believe,
You take me to places
I never thought I'd see
Minute by minute
You're the world to me
This is my moment
This is my perfect moment
With you.
Legolas speaks then and he sounds as if he is trying not to choke on the words. They are sincere though.
"Hannon lle, Mellon-nin."
Aragorn turns to walk back into the chamber and he blinks as we all look at him. Then he smiles, he knows we care for Legolas, may be not as much as he does, but we care all the same. He claps Gimli's shoulder as he passes and then a sound causes us all to turn once more.
My heart beats faster as I realise that Legolas is singing. It is pure and light and like nothing I have ever heard before. We need to have our friend sing more often. I think it is then that I know that Legolas will be alright. It will not be easy for him, but he has us to help.
As I watch and with Eowyn's hand in mine the Moon begins to shine, very weakly. It seems to make Legolas shine. Never have I seen such pure beauty. If I see it only this once and with the woman I intend to have as my life partner, then I have truly been blessed.
To be continued.
Thank you to all my reviewers, you are the greatest.
Replies to reviews:
Lulu belle: Thank you for your kind reviews, I'm glad that it has you captivated. This started off as a one may be two chapter story. It seems to have grown!
Laer4572: Blushes, bright red from her usual pasty white. Thank you. And your comment about Tolkein, blushes. Thank you.
Jennifer57: Thank you so much.
Lulu Belle: I'm glad you like the humour in chapter three, it seemed to write itself. I won't let you be sent to the loony bin. (Shell, who spent twenty minutes last night chortling at a review she received.)
Deana: You made me laugh so much last night that the neighbours came to see if I saw alright. (They keep an eye on me whilst Nick is in Kuala Lumpur.) I would have liked to see you choke, LOL! I hope you were alone and did not have to explain what you were laughing at!
Blue September Rain: Thank you. To me I liken it to being without Nick and how empty I feel at times, longing to jump on a plane to join him. Sad, huh? How did school go?
Barbara Kennedy: Glad you liked Eowyn's point of view and yes, you can just kill them some times when they come out with the most inappropriate things and then expect you to cover for them.