Okay, new chapter, but I only have ten minutes to write all responses for both stories, so it may be a bit brief.

bratprincess: Sorry, but I just couldn't figure out what she and the tree would say together. I'll let you fill in for them.

The Luckiest: Well, sorry... but this had to happen sometime.

Animir: Yup, it's 'explained'. As for why they couldn't see her... she's a wood elf, who was in (sort of) a tree. They weren't looking, and as long as she didn't move and they didn't look directly at her, she would be hidden. In part by her clothing, in part by her stillness, but also, in part, by the tree. Aragorn knew about her presence only because she moved. He moved to keep Legolas from noticing her, though she doesn't realize that. As for Legolas finding out... who do you think is going to tell him? Alyeni? Aragorn?

Amberle Elessedil: The Leaf that was cannot be any longer, though Alyeni is only realizing that. He's still in there, but Legolas has been forced by centuries of cicumstance and situation to be something a bit harder, more unyielding... Originally the story was going to end with him following her and Joy when they left Gondor. He would have caught up when she turned back, where she instead has met Eomer. I was considering an epilogue to add to that end, but it just wasn't right. And so, on we go!

sarah: Yeah. Some kind of reconciliation.

Lady Anck-su-namun: I thought that was rather amusing myself, but you're the only one to comment on it. Oh well. Maybe we just have odd senses of humor.

iria-86: we'll get there eventually...

Chapter 41

"Eomer, what are you thinking? We saw that one from—"

"You have a different perspective, Eowyn, dear sister," he panted, dodging again before blocking, his tone still a bit sharp despite that. "I can assure you it is much harder from here!"

I laughed, losing my concentration long enough for him to topple me to the ground.

"You know, for being so slight, you elves are strong."

"How else," I laughed, "could we endure life with humans around us?" I teased. Through the golden curtain of my unbound hair I saw a hand extended to me. As soon as I took it, I knew it wasn't Eomer's. The fingers were longer, the palm not as broad or thick, and the fingers curled around mine with a familiar, gently tempered strength.

Once on my feet, the hand moved to brush my hair back, tucking it behind my ears without touching skin. Legolas looked at me, his head tilted to one side. Slowly he bowed slightly. "Good morning. I am Legolas, of Thranduil. Your name, fair lady?"

I blinked at him, stunned by the words he chose after he had seemingly ignored my existence for weeks. While I may not be the sharpest elf, I figured out what he was doing after an awkward moment.

A clean break, then.

I bowed my head to him—I always felt ridiculous curtseying in leggings—and offered him a small smile. "Alyeni, my lord."

"Alyeni," he murmured, holding it as he had the first time he heard it. "A beautiful name. Fitting."

"Thank you, my lord."

"Legolas, please. Could I convince you to walk with me?"

I nodded and walked beside him. Finally, my curiosity got the better of me. "Legolas?"

"Hmm?" he murmured, glancing at me. He paused, then motioned for me to wait. He took my hand and led me to one of the—no doubt—many places I hadn't been. I didn't really have an interest in exploring the city, or even Estel's hall. This place had two benches carved into the stone, facing each other. There wouldn't be much space between us, which Legolas solved by crossing his legs on one bench. I turned so my back was on the far edge of the other, giving us a semblance of space to go with the privacy we were afforded. "You want to know why?" he asked wearily.

"I think it's a reasonable desire."

"Yes," he mused, drawing a knee to his chest. I hadn't seen him do that since our five hundreds. It was an unconsciously self-comforting and guarding move. "Alye… when we met in Haradan's shop, we acted as if there had been but a few days between that one and our goodbye. That isn't so. Over a thousand years had passed—more time than we knew each other before parting. Those intervening years are still much a blank. You know who I am, as I know what you do, but the people we grew into… we don't really know."

I opened my mouth to protest, but he held up a hand.

"It doesn't change anything that's happened, I know. I love you…" His eyes grew slightly vacant for a moment, but he quickly shook himself back. "And we do know a lot more about each other than anyone not a part of our group ever could. But it wasn't enough, Alye. We've changed enough that we no longer know how to simply be together as we once did if we try for anything deeper than what we had… Even a closer friendship. I thought… it would be… less painful," he finally admitted, grimacing at his words, "if we tried being good friends again."

I broke the silence after a while. "Do you think we can?"

He made a face. "I think we have to. We can never get beyond this if you always use my name as a curse, if you despise my title."

I dropped my eyes. "I don't…"

"Don't?" he prompted, tilting his head slightly.

I sighed. "I don't despise your title."

"Just what it makes me."

I shook my head. "No. What you make it."

"A shield?" he suggested bitterly, his eyes dark.

I sighed, and thought about all he had said. "You may be right," I murmured eventually. "The name 'Legolas' isn't favorable, in my mind, because it is… not Leaf."

"As I am not Leaf. Not truly, not anymore." He watched me intently, body poised as if expecting me to bolt.

"No," I murmured slowly. "You couldn't be, could you?"

He shook his head. "There is much I am no longer allowed to do, things I have no time for… I am the prince, and have duties to attend to."

I smiled faintly. "I'll have to find a new profession, I suppose. Until I do, I'm as carefree as the—" I stopped.

He smiled crookedly. "Wind," he finished. The smile faded. "Can we?"

I looked at him, really looked. His eyes were much the same as I remembered, but the solemn light they held would likely be present through his laughter, if one cared to look. He looked… weary… and sad.

I closed my eyes on the sight, wondering why I hadn't let myself see it before. I started to reach up to offer him some comfort if I could, but pulled myself back. Just friends.

With an ironic smile I considered the situation at hand—there was more to his life than he had let me see, but now he was reaching for someone. Before, he'd reached with one hand and pushed with the other. If he was going to be open… I would have no reason to want the distance he was now insisting on!

Fool though I knew I was, I made up my mind, though it would likely wind up causing me nothing but pain, as our relationship had tended to do thus far. "Yes."

His eyes lit up, sparkling. I looked hard, and found what I had feared—even when happy, the awareness of his responsibilities weighed upon his mind.