"You knew and you didn't say anything!"
Morithawen planted her fists on her hips and raised one eyebrow at her foster brother. Aragorn actually looked angry with her. Her expression must have cued him that he was treading dangerous ground so he ducked his head a little and looked remorseful. She sighed.
"I thought it would be a nice surprise, Estel. Is this why you've been avoiding me for a week?"
"It is a nice surprise. It's just...oh, I'm being childish," he said, suddenly looking more dejected than angry or remorseful. She moved closer to him and took his face in her hands, turning his eyes to hers.
"It's just what, Estel?" she asked gently. He sighed.
"You told Legolas," he said softly, a blush rising on his cheeks. Morithawen couldn't help the amused smile that curved her mouth.
"You are jealous, Estel. Jealous of your best friend," she said in amazement. He grumbled something too quiet for even her to hear and she kissed his nose.
"There is nothing to be jealous about, Estel. I did not tell Legolas. If he knew, it was not by my telling. Though he did mention Frodo and Sam. My reaction may have given him enough suspicion to guess they were alive," she said softly. It was endearing to her that Aragorn actually felt comfortable enough with her to express jealousy and fear. He was right, however, that it was childish of him. But she had been a mother figure for him and he hadn't grown out of leaning on her emotionally. She wasn't going to complain. It was good to have people in your life that you felt comfortable leaning on.
"Oh. Now I feel even worse," he said with a sigh. She pulled him into a hug and chuckled.
"Well you should. But this was truly something that I should have told you as soon as I met you. I apologize," she said wryly. He grunted a bit and didn't let her go for a long moment.
"So that means you won't be springing anymore 'nice surprises' on me in the near future?"
"Don't count on it," she said happily. He pushed her away playfully and turned to look at the newly planted White Tree. He had found a sapling growing in the mountains beyond the city and she had helped Legolas plant it. Between the two of them, they had managed to coax it into joyous health. It had already grown beyond their expectations and it was going to blossom in the next few days. It would be beautiful on Coronation day. And on the wedding day. She was fairly certain the wedding would follow the coronation fairly quickly. Arwen would make sure of that if Aragorn did not.
"So, have you set a date for the wedding yet?"
Morithawen was startled, glancing over at Aragorn in surprise. Odd that he chosen to talk about something that was on her mind as well. There were times when she was suspect of the man's emphatic abilities. That might explain his excellent diplomatic skills.
"We have to make the decision where to have it first. Legolas wants his father here and I want Ada and you and the twins there. Thranduil has much to do in Mirkwood and you have so much to do here. We will just have to wait until there is time for everyone to get together," she said. She tried to keep the wistful tone out of her voice but she knew he picked it up, because he pulled her into another hug.
"We'll work something out, muinthel. Don't worry. Legolas has been a bachelor for far too long," he said. Morithawen smiled a bit and laid her head on his shoulder.
"I could not agree more, muindor."
Morithawen's screams brought Legolas running from the balcony. He had been watching the stars while Morithawen rested in her dreams. He caught himself short when he saw her, sitting up in the bed with a knife in her hand, poised to throw. Her face was a mask of terror and pain that tore his heart in two. He had been so amazed by her seeming perfect recovery from her recent trauma. Now he knew that she still had shadows in her soul that only time and love could help soothe away. He could only imagine what memories had invaded her dreams to make her wake like this. "Put down the knife, mela-nin. I will not harm you," he said softly.
"Aiya, Legolas. Do not come near. Hide, my prince. Hide!" she whispered desparately, eyes still unfocused and unseeing. He realized that she was still dreaming.
"Morithawen, come back to the light, sweet lover. Wake up and see that you are safe," he said softly as he leaned across the bed and touched her face. She flinched from him and slashed out with the knife. Luckily, he had been expecting such a response and was able to jump back with no more than a slice in his silk tunic. He had to bring her out of her dreams before she managed to hurt him or worse, herself. He moved back towards her and managed to grab her wrist this time. Now that he was touching her, he could reach out mentally, slipping into her mind. It was an invasion that he had never tried before and hoped never to do again, not without express permission. The touch of Morithawen's mind made him want to recoil. It was dark with pain, fear and despair. Instead of drawing back, he wrapped himself around the dark feelings and slipped into them, into the dreams that haunted Morithawen.
"No, no, mela-nin. Do not come here," she pleaded with him. He ignored her and found himself surrounded by dark shadows that lashed out with fiery lances. He jerked in pain as one of them touched his skin. He growled in frustration, turning to Morithawen. He ignored the terror and pain and took her face in his hands, looking into eyes so dark they seemed black. He stroked her cheek with his thumb, ignoring the fact that it felt warm and sticky, as if he were smearing blood. He ignored the red stain and the gasp of pain as well.
"Morithawen, this is a dream. Look at me, little feather. It is only a dream. Trust me, my love, and come back with me. I won't let them hurt you any more," he said gently, ignoring the fact that the fiery lances were still biting at his skin. She finally focused completely on him and to his great relief, the fiery lances disappeared and the shadows cleared. Her eyes filled with tears and she collapsed against him. He cradled her to himself and whispered soothing words. Once he was sure she was calm, he stepped out of her dreams and 'pulled' her with him. He was surprised to find them both kneeling on the floor, her knife pinning his sleeve to the small wooden table beside the bed. He tore the silk away from the knife so that he could stand, tugging Morithawen up with him. She hadn't lifted her face from his neck and the dampness of her tears soaked his collar. He stroked her back tenderly and whispered in her ear.
"Are you alright, mela-nin?"
"I will be," she mumbled softly, her lips moving like butterflies on his skin.
"Why now, little feather? You always seem to rest peacefully. What triggered this dreaming?" he asked carefully. She lifted her face then, looking at his eyes. Her own eyes were wet with tears and her sigh was deep and troubled.
"I spoke with Frodo and Sam yesterday, for the chronicles. There is such pain and shadow in Frodo now, Legolas. The Ring tried so hard to corrupt his soul. I fear for him," she said quietly. Legolas thought for a moment about his response. He had seen the shadow on Frodo himself, but it hadn't affected him as deeply as it had Morithawen. Perhaps she saw in Frodo what she feared was in herself.
"He has Sam to see him through, and many other friends who love him dearly. No shadow can block out the sun forever, my love, as long as you seek for the light. Are you seeking for the light, meleth-nin?," he asked softly. "I have found my light, Legolas. I'm just so afraid that I have too many shadows for my light to drive away," she said brokenly. He realized in that moment that he was her light, just as she was his. He murmured a tender vow in her ear.
"Give it a century or two, Morithawen. Our love will burn away all of your doubts and fears until the shadows have nowhere left to hide," he said gently. At those words, she wrapped herself around him and clung for a very long time.
"Satisfied?"
"No, try on the veil, too. I want to see how it's all going to look. Oh, Morithawen, you are so very beautiful," Luthawen breathed as she stepped back after adjusting the misty golden veil. Evidently Luthawen hadn't been able to sleep and she had asked Morithawen to try on her wedding gown. Morithawen had been a little exasperated to be woken from pleasant dreams before daybreak, but she hadn't seen Luthawen in months. It wouldn't kill her to keep the elf company. She actually blushed when her friend stared at her with sparkling eyes.
"Don't, Luthawen. You will inflate my ego to the size of Elladan's," she stated softly. Luthawen giggled and then took her friend's hands in her own.
"I don't think you could ever have an ego like Elladan. Do you have any slippers to go with this dress, Mori? No? Well, I have the perfect pair. Come with me," Luthawen said with a happy smile, drawing her friend from the room and down the corridor. Morithawen protested.
"Luthawen, there is no need to try on slippers. I will be getting married with my bare feet touching the earth," she said firmly. Luthawen chuckled softly.
"You always were too stubborn to know when shoes were appropriate, mellon-nin. Alright then. No shoes. But I think we should go walk in the gardens and watch the sunrise," she said, not slowing down as they moved through the quiet, marble corridors. Morithawen just let herself be pulled along, slightly bemused by her friend's behavior. She had been so thrilled when Luthawen arrived in the group of elves accompanying Elrond and Arwen a little less than a week ago. Since that time, Luthawen had been a walking contridiction. She was overjoyed to be with Mori one moment and seemed distracted and depressed the next. So, a walk in the gardens did sound nice, especially if it would make Luthawen happy. The gardens would be quiet this morning, a pleasant change from the hustle and bustle of the Royal Wedding Reception the day before. She hadn't been able to hear herself think, much less what the trees were saying. As they approached the doors to the gardens, Morithawen could actually hear the trees. That was fairly unusual. They were excited about something but she couldn't tell what. Sometimes reading the trees could be difficult, especially when they were all talking at once. Perhaps it was just the presence of so many elves in the city.
When they reached the doors, Morithawen was startled to see them open before they reached them. Elrond stood framed in the early dawn light, dressed in full ceremonial robes, much as he had been the day before. Morithawen would have thought he hadn't changed from the night before, but his robes the day before had been green and silver. Today they were russet and gold. Luthawen gave Elrond a small curtsey and ducked around the elven lord into the gardens. Elrond reached out and ran his hand down Mori's veil, a tender smile on his face.
"Good morning, sella-nin."
"Good morning, Ada. What brings you out so early?" she asked with a somewhat bemused smile. Elrond chuckled softly but didn't respond. He simply took both of her hands in his own, drawing her out into the gardens. She sighed softly as her bare feet were bathed in the dewy green grass and the tendrils of hazy morning sunlight fell on her face. Only after she had welcomed the morning did she notice the other elves in the gardens, gathered under the trees. They were all dressed in their finest and stood watching her with smiles of encouragement and joy. Then her father stepped to the side and she saw a beautiful archway of vines and flowers framing her betrothed in full ceremonial robes of green and gold. Behind him stood his father Thranduil, Aragorn, Gimli and the twins, Elladan and Elrohir. There were a handful of mortals in the garden besides Aragorn. The hobbits, Faramir and Eowyn, Eomer and even Mirtha from the Houses of Healing were there. She only noticed them in passing, however, because she had eyes only for her beloved.
'Meleth-nin?' she questioned silently. His answering smile was enough to make her fae blaze like the mid day sun. The hobbits gaped, Mirtha gasped and even a few of the elves gazed at her in amazement. Even when Galadriel stepped forward in silver white finery, all eyes followed Morithawen forward. It wasn't until Galadriel stepped between her and Legolas that Morithawen stopped. She was upset that her view of Legolas was blocked, but Galadriel caught her chin in one hand and gazed into her eyes.
'Do not fear the darkness, for you have found the purest light in your love for Legolas. Your life together will be blessed with light and laughter, my child.'
With those words, Galadriel reached up and placed a crown of tiny white blossoms on her head. Then she stepped away again, leaving a clear path to Legolas once more. Elrond didn't seem inclined to hurry, however, and she was forced to walk slowly. When she finally reached the archway, Elrond leaned in and kissed her forehead.
"I am so proud of you, my daughter. Just let me know if he ever makes you unhappy," he said softly, touching her face gently. Morithawen hugged him tightly for a moment and then he pulled away, taking her hand and placing it in Legolas'. As the two elves stood side by side, the flowers blooming overhead seemed to rustle in the wind, bending to get closer to the combined glow of the couple on the dais. Morithawen reached up to touch Legolas' face, her smile of joy reflected in his eyes.
'Forever, meleth-nin?'
'Forever and always, A'mael-nin."
Back to Becky's Fan Fiction