A/N: A bit of the book and movie here
After all accounts had been settled, Theoden urged them to return to Edoras with him. Annowe was not about to be parted from Legolas again until the two of them had the opportunity to resolve their relationship once and for all.
Deka, however, surprisingly hesitated at the offer. She wanted to remain with Legolas as well but knew that Annowe would be keeping a close eye on him so she decided to remain with the dryads and Ents in Isengard.
Several of the Ents had been wounded in the battle and she could help heal them. Healing the forest and the Ents was her first priority and she must not stray from that. Annowe could look after Legolas in whatever crazy plan the two of them were involved in. No, she preferred to remain with her own kind and tend to their needs.
Annowe was shocked at her decision but agreed to it.
"Don't let anything happen to him!" Deka warned Annowe at their parting.
"I won't. I promised his father I would bring him home safely," Annowe said and she was determined to do just that.
Gimli had gallantly offered to let her ride with Legolas but she refused. She sensed that the two of them had grown into rather close friends on their adventure and she did not want to come between them. Instead, she rode behind Eomer.
The party started toward Edoras. Annowe turned around to watch Isengard retreat in the distance and waved to Deka who was standing by the felled gate looking very small beside the ruins.
"Who is that, lass?" Gimli inquired. That was one interesting female.
"My cousin, Deka. She's a wood nymph," Annowe explained. "And an old friend of Legolas'."
Legolas grunted noncommittally and rolled his eyes. Annowe giggled at the sight.
"Cousin, eh?" Gimli mused. "hmmm." But he said no more on the subject.
As they rode, Annowe peppered the rest of the party with questions on what had happened since she had last seen them. Every answer prompted more questions but none grew tired of answering them.
The Hobbits were beside themselves with joy at seeing their friends and especially Gandalf again. They kept up a constant stream of chatter so that anyone within earshot could gather their entire adventure if they desired.
Legolas was reluctant to speak to Annowe about the battle of Helm's Deep. He knew she would be horrified to find out that they had been so outnumbered. But he also wanted to know how she had managed to cope with many of the barbarities she had witnessed during her battles against the corsairs.
He was having a difficult time coping with the memories of all the fallen elves and men. Especially Haldir. The two of them had not been fond of each other and maybe that is why Legolas found his death to be particularly disturbing. In an odd way, he felt almost guilty although he had nothing to do with it. At the time all he could think of was the strange connection to Annowe, but now the after effects of the battle were catching up with him and he did not like it.
She was smiling at him and he smiled faintly back, his mind elsewhere. Now that they were together again, a strange feeling of uncertainty came over him. He was anxious to talk to her alone but it would be days before they would reach Edoras and he did not want to wait that long.
Aragorn turned slightly toward her and began asking her about the battle at Isengard as well. He wanted to know the strength of the Ents and the Huorns. Legolas knew what his friend was thinking – how much strength could they muster against Sauron if Frodo did not succeed – but he still wished he could be alone with her. She was his desire and he wanted all of her attention so that he could confess his feelings. It seemed that everyone knew how he felt but Annowe.
Gimli placed his hand on the elf's shoulder to get his attention. Legolas leaned slightly back and turned his head toward his friend.
"Ride next to Eomer. I need to speak to the lass," the dwarf requested with a twinkle in his eye.
Legolas nodded and urged Arod to catch the two. As they rode up, Annowe looked over her shoulder and grinned happily back at them and Legolas felt his heart soar. Her braid was swinging from side to side in rhythm with the horse's steps and her dark eyes twinkled.
She was not beautiful by elven standards – few creatures were – but there was something about her that he found incredibly irresistible. Perhaps it was the way she could like up a room just by entering it or the way she completely and utterly accepted him no matter how foolish or stubborn he was.
As they drew abreast of Eomer and Annowe, she reached out and lightly ran her fingers over his arm, sending chills up his back. He grinned and squeezed her hand in reply. Somehow they would find a way to talk before they reached Edoras. He knew that she would not waste any time in finding a way to see him alone and made up his mind that he would do his part.
Gimli smiled at the exchange. He hadn't really needed to speak to her he just wanted to see the two of them together. The elf had been acting anxiously since they had set off for Edoras and Gimli suspected that he was anxious to be alone with her as soon as possible.
They rode until it became too dark to see then dismounted and began to make camp for the night. Everyone agreed that it was relatively safe enough to build a small fire as the threat of Saruman had been ended.
As they prepared their camp, Annowe stayed close to Legolas and periodically the two would exchange secret smiles or light touches when they thought no one was looking. They were fooling naught but themselves, as everyone had noticed the longing glances and furtive touches that passed between them at every opportunity.
Once the fire had been started, Annowe slipped off to "gather more firewood". It was not long after that Aragorn noticed that the elf had disappeared as well. Theoden seemed to be the only one who was not aware of the budding romance under his nose. Everyone else sat around the fire eating and exchanging knowing grins and veiled comments.
Surprisingly, Annowe returned shortly bearing an armload of firewood that she put down near the fire. Gimli looked at her questioningly and she squeezed his shoulder and winked. The dwarf smiled back. No wonder the elf is smitten, he chuckled to himself as she disappeared back into the woods.
Legolas materialized next to her as she broke through the tree line, startling her.
"Would you please stop appearing like that?" She hissed playfully after she had recovered from the initial fright.
He smiled at her and she tentatively reached out for him, anxious to be near him again. He took her hand and pulled her close to him, raising her wrist to his lips and tenderly kissing the inside of it. She let out a small gasp of pleasure as her fingers involuntarily curled against his cheek.
His eyes never left hers and he began to slowly kiss his way up the inside of her arm. Annowe's heart flipped in her chest and she fought the urge to ravish him on the spot.
"What are you doing?" She whispered to him, her voice straining. What had gotten into him? He was never so bold when there were others about!
"Would you like me to stop?" He asked devilishly, taking his lips from her skin but still keeping a firm grip on her wrist.
"No," she admitted. "But . . . what are your intentions, young one?" She managed to ask, thankful that her mind hadn't totally abandoned her.
He laughed quietly at her question, his teeth flashing in the pale moonlight.
"You truly do not know?" He teased.
Annowe narrowed her eyes at him, wondering what he was up to. "I have an idea but I've been wrong before," she admitted ruefully.
Legolas said nothing but drew her into his arms and tilted her chin up to him. Gently, he stroked her cheekbone with his thumb as he studied her features. He had never known a female quite like her before and wondered why it had taken him so long to realize his feelings for her.
"I desire you above all others," he whispered quietly to her.
Annowe's eyes grew wide with surprise at his revelation but she was too stunned to speak. She stood there, gazing up at his dark eyes, completely overwhelmed by his presence and the knowledge that he wanted her. It took her several moments to recover her senses.
"But?" She asked suspiciously, thinking that this was too good to be true.
He laughed. "No butts," he said firmly.
"No butts?" She repeated, unable to believe what she was hearing.
He shook his head, still smiling at her.
"Oh, Legolas," she managed to say, wrapping her arms around his waist and holding him close. She could hear his heart beating steadily in her ear.
He held her tightly, resting his chin on her head. He had seen the look of disbelief and then joy play across her face and felt as if a huge weight had been taken off of his shoulders. He had told her. She had accepted it.
They held each other in silence, enjoying their solitude until Legolas felt Annowe stifling a yawn against his chest. It was getting late and she needed to get some sleep. Gently, he pulled back from her.
"You need some sleep," he told her.
She blinked up at him, her eye lids heavy with sleep. "Yes, but its so nice here with you," she murmured.
He smiled and kissed her lightly. "We can meet again at the same time tomorrow," he promised.
"And after that?" She asked.
He chuckled. "Every night until we reach Edoras," he confirmed.
"And after that?" She grinned.
He raised an eyebrow at her, his eyes twinkling. "After that, we shall see," he teased.
"You will not escape me again so easily, young one!" She laughingly informed him.
"And why would I want to escape?" He murmured on her lips before he smothered her answer with a deep kiss and a delicate caress.
When he finally let her go, she gasped from his overwhelming sensuality. She had no idea that he was so physically passionate. Of course, he had kissed her before but not like that! It was positively roguish! She giggled at the thought.
He grinned impishly and led her back to the fire so she could get some sleep. Now how am I supposed to sleep after a kiss like that? She wondered.
Most of the others had already fallen asleep or were very nearly asleep when they reached the dying fire. Annowe chose a spot between Merry and Gimli and lay down. Legolas knelt down next to her and covered her with a blanket. Quietly, he stroked her hair and watched her fall into a deep sleep.
He stood up and looked at her for several moments, struck by how small she truly was. When awake, she seemed much larger since she was so vivacious. Lying on the ground next to the dwarf and the hobbits, Legolas could see that Gimli stood nearly to her chest. Strange how he had never noticed how physically small she was. It didn't seem to matter since her heart and spirit were so large.
So much passion and life in one small body, he thought wonderingly. If I had lived even half of my life with as much reckless abandon and emotional intensity as she does, I would have been dead of exhaustion long ago!
Contemplating this, he slipped back off into the trees as Pippin secretly watched him.