Morning, everyone! I have a little while before I have to start running around like a chicken with my head cut off--again--so I thought I'd update real quick.
LadyJadePerendhil: Yup. She's really his daughter this time.
I think that covers all the questions, if not, just let me know, and I'll answer next time. Right now, I have to scram!
Chapter 16
"What's the matter, Lunian?"
She smiled faintly, turning from the window to look at her friend. "Just wondering about things, trying to puzzle them into place."
"Well, if talking would help, I'm here, but you know I can't say anything."
"I know," she agreed ruefully. "Believe me, Legolas has made that more than clear on numerous occasions."
"You miss him," Nallina murmured, smiling slightly.
"Yes." Lunian smiled, glancing back out the window. "He always knows what to say to make me feel better."
"He will be back before long."
"Yes, he will. But what about the one I've forgotten?"
"What do you mean? You've forgotten everything."
With a sigh, Lunian turned from the window. "I've remembered some things. I suppose I should be glad you don't know. Having Legolas telling everyone every time I remember something would be quite embarrassing, not to mention annoying."
Nallina laughed. "Lord Legolas wouldn't do that, not to you. Not to anyone, for that matter."
Lunian smiled. "I know. But I suppose I thought he would have told them what I've recalled."
"Perhaps your father, but no one else, and that only if he felt it was something Elrohir would need to know."
Lunian smiled again at Nallina's undying defense of anything Legolas said or did. "Lina?"
"Hmm?"
"Did you know him?"
Nallina lifted a brow. "I know you know I knew Legolas, so who are you talking about?"
"The one I loved. He's taller than me, enough I remember a crick in the neck from looking up when we were close. Eyes so bright, brilliant blue, golden hair in warrior braids when I can even see his hair in what I recall."
Nallina bit her lower lip. "I… I know of him, I suppose I should say. No one has ever known him as well as you have, and I doubt anyone else ever shall."
"Then could you tell me if I spent a lot of time with Legolas? I've remembered so many things that I did with the lover whose face I can't see, but I recall nothing with Legolas. I know him, I love him, but…" she shook her head. "I don't remember him."
"You and your… lover," she made a face at the term, "were inseparable as long as I knew you."
"What of Legolas, then?"
Nallina sighed and shook her head. "You should speak with him for such answers."
"Hard to do when he's not here, isn't it?" Lunian asked dryly.
"I suppose so," Nallina agreed sadly. "Do you want to talk about it? Tell me what you've remembered, perhaps? I've hear that if you do, it might help solidify the memories in your mind, help clear up some of the unclear details."
"I think much of what I've got floating about in my brain would make you blush, Lina."
"Surely that's not the only thing you've remembered."
Lunian laughed as Nallina colored predictably, some of the color seeping into her cheeks. "No, it's not. Much of what I do remember—walks in gardens, talks before a fire, curling up against him at night—does not require retelling. I see it all well, save for his face. That irritation need not be complained about more than it already is."
"And you remember nothing about Legolas?"
"No. Not even when he taught me archery, though I remembered Estel teaching me some sword play." Lunian sighed and shook her head. "Thank you, Nallina, but talking will not help, unless you're willing to be the one talking. I know you aren't," she interrupted Nallina's uncertain grimace. She offered her friend a weary smile.
Nallina frowned at her worriedly. "Then shouldn't we do something?"
"Something?"
"Anything. We could go riding, swimming, running through the woods… anything."
After a while Lunian nodded. "Swimming?"
Nallina smiled and nodded her agreement. "Good. Let's go."
Lunian laughed softly and shook her head at the other's enthusiasm, following Nallina out to the deep, slow moving river that was closer than the pond, and so was usually what they swam in. They dived in together, letting the lazy current sweep them down a ways before swimming further upstream, then floating down, tossing teasing comments at each other and laughing the day away as they had done so often before.
After swimming as far upstream as they ever did, Lunian closed her eyes, drifting along, content for a long while.
"Come on, little one, you can do it."
"No."
"Yes you can." A slightly younger Elrohir was standing beside her, his hair dripping down his shoulders. He smiled faintly. "Go down and touch the bottom."
"No," she pouted. Obviously she was quite small, because as she stomped her foot she was barely at his waist. "Too far."
"You can do it, Lunian."
"It's too far. I'll run out of breath."
"I wouldn't let that happen."
"No." Her lower lip jutted out, and she stared resolutely at the dripping grass under her feet.
A small plunk got her attention, making her look out at the water. Elrohir was on the edge, looking sadly down at the water.
She frowned, moving to tug on his arm. "Why are you sad, Rhohir?"
"I guess you're right. And I just lost my favorite rock."
"What?" Lunian stared at the water below them. "Where?"
"See that silvery one? That's it."
"You can get it," she insisted, tugging his arm again.
He shook his head, getting to his feet. "No. It's gone. Come on, Lunian. Let's go get dried off for dinner."
She stared at the stone for a long while, then determinedly took a deep breath and jumped noisily in. Slowly she turned herself around in the water, opening her eyes to see the silver stone far below her. She began kicking like he had taught her, and it began coming closer and closer. She reached her small fingers out, finally closing them around it, taking a few other stones along as she turned herself around with a little bit of trouble. When she got to the surface she swam to him, holding out the stone. "I got it!"
"I knew you could do it!"
She looked up, blinking as she realized he didn't want his rock back. She remembered the stone had been flat on the bottom with all the others—Estel had said once that was a good way to know something had been there for a while. Her hands curled into fists, and she glared angrily at him before turning and running off, racing to her room, slamming the door shut before putting her back to the wall where she was mostly hidden by the bed. She looked down at her hand, and saw the stone was still there.
She threw it from her, crossing her arms over her chest in order to better fix a terrifying glare on the offending rock.
She ignored the knocks and calls coming from the door, even when the offered her food if she came out. She was hungry… but he had tricked her! She snorted and turned her head from the door, so she didn't see when it opened.
"What is the matter, little sister?"
She looked up, and saw her favorite she-elf. "Arwen!" She jumped up, leaping at the elf who bent to hold her. "You're back!"
"Yes, I have returned," Arwen agreed. "So what is the matter? I've heard you wouldn't come to dinner."
"Rhohir tricked me."
"He just wanted to prove you could do it."
"But he tricked me!" she insisted.
"I know. Do you have the stone?"
Lunian pointed at it as one would a nasty creature of unknown origins and dubious positive qualities.
Arwen bent and retrieved it. She studied it for a long moment, and then smiled. "It will serve you well, little sister."
"Huh?"
"It will make a very good worry stone," the she-elf explained.
"Worry stone?"
"Yes. Whenever you are worried or upset, you rub its surface."
"What good does that do?"
"You shall have to try it to truly understand, little sister. But for now, why don't you come to my room so we can have supper together?"
Lunian took the grey stone and tilted her head at it, but her stomach demanded attention. She took Arwen's hand and let her lead her away.
"Lunian! Lunian!"
Lunian shook her head, distorting her balance, making her sink under the water. After a moment she regained her sense of direction and kicked to the surface, looking around to see a very worried Nallina running on the bank beside her.
"Lunian? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," she agreed, getting out quickly. She looked around in some confusion. "Where are we?"
"Quite a ways from where we're supposed to be."
"Indeed." Both dripping she-elves turned at the voice.
Lunian laughed. "Somehow, I'm not surprised," she teased before launching herself against him.
"Lunian, what are you doing here? You shouldn't have walked so far—"
"We didn't walk. I remembered something… the longest memory yet, actually, and I just… kind of… floated here."
Legolas let his eyes roll to the sky before shaking his head at her. "Come on. You need to get dried off, and then I'll escort you both back so I know you get there in one piece."
It was only when he let go that she realized how tightly he had been holding her.
