Thanks for your support of this fic. I appreciate it. Short and sweet little A/N.
So here me be…
Disclaimer: I don't own anything the Man-man has created. Short and sweet…I hate stuff like that…
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Ch.5
Marriage! Anarion was out in the garden, currently throwing pebbles into the pond to dispel some of her frustration. She stopped when she realized her actions, and wondered how she had stooped so low as to hurl harmless stones into an equally harmless pond? What had they ever done to her?
She nearly shouted at the sky to further vent her anger, but she held herself. This was not how her father or mother would want her to act if they saw her now. Anarion's dear sister was getting married to Elladan, a good match in her opinion. But there was a problem.
What ever happened to Gil-Galad's daughters needing each other? What happened to Anarion's protective, loving, overbearing, older sister? When did Anariel start abandoning her younger sibling for love?
The frustration was too much for Anarion, so she collapsed onto a bench, hunched over and pitiful.
Suddenly she felt a warm coat over her shoulders and her head spun around so fast she though she heard it snap. "Ai, you frightened me, milord." she said, and took a shaky breath.
"You must like your privacy." Legolas said, and his smile froze on his face and turned down in a frown. "You are troubled." It wasn't a question.
Should she tell him about her sister? No, it was not her lot to dump problems of her own on someone else; especially with someone who has more immediate problems of his own. And besides, it was none of his business.
But it spilled out anyway…
"My-my sister is getting married." was all she said, as she held the cloak tighter to her shoulders.
"Is that such a terrible thing?" Legolas replied.
"No, it isn't. And I am very glad for her." Anarion would have yelled it, had she not been so practiced in holding her emotions. Why didn't he just go away?
But it didn't look like he would, for he sat down on the bench next to her. "But…?" She scowled at him inwardly and looked out over the pond.
"But she doesn't seem to notice how much I've missed her lately."
"Have you told her your feelings?"
Ha! She would have laughed at his accurate wording. She was the exact person who she wouldn't go to for words of advice, because words were exactly the problem. She wasn't ever going to enjoy words, and she never would. They were merely a necessity for communication; nothing more.
"I am not well with words." she replied, simply. Legolas seemed to understand, so he dropped the subject. Good, take the hint and leave!
They sat in silence for several moments, and Anarion felt the tension; well, the one-sided tension, anyway. He must enjoy company, for he simply sat with a soft smile on his lips, like he was laughing at some joke only he could hear. She looked down at the pond again and noticed a lily pad with a budding flower growing on top of it. How quaint for you, you lucky flower…
"You love her very much, do you not?" The sudden break of silence surprised Anarion and she jumped.
"What?" she asked, intelligently.
"You love her. Your sister," Legolas said, and watched her become uneasy under his gaze.
"Yes, I do." Go away, you
"I understand what you are going through. My cousin got married several years ago, and we were great friends until he met his future-wife."
Anarion was startled at his frankness. Why share such personal things with her?
Because you went and spilled your life story to him, you ninny. That is what one would call personal, correct?
She smiled, despite herself. "Thank you, my lord. You have…helped me more than you know."
Legolas returned the smile and said. "What are friends for?"
Surprisingly, she didn't find herself shocked at his bluntness. It felt good to be called friend, she realized. She had few, but they had never once told her in words that she was indeed a friend. "Yes." she replied, and they shared an understanding look.
"Anarion? There you are!" The two Elves turned to see Anariel racing towards them. She snatched her younger sister's hand and pulled the stunned she-Elf to her feet. "Come, Lord Elrond wishes to see us."
Anariel hardly noticed Legolas, and gave him a half-hearted nod, then she pulled Anarion with her as she ran back towards the dining hall; the younger she-Elf sister silently thanking her.
Legolas watched the scene with amused eyes, and he laughed aloud when they had left. They made quite a sight, those two.
……………
The Fellowship left the next morning. All of Imladris was present to see them off; including the sisters. Truth be told, Anariel had to literally drag her younger sibling along, but in the end the eldest won again, saying Anarion would regret it if she didn't go.
The harpist longed for the comfort of her dear instrument, to transfer her anxiousness from her fingertips to the harp's wood; but she had left it behind. It was no foolish action, for who was to know she wouldn't stumble, and drop the instrument to the ground where it would shatter into scrap firewood?
Anariel, who was listening with a half-ear to Lord Elrond's of wisdom to the Company, turned to her sister. Anarion was busy watching a pebble, as though expecting it to shoot outa pair of feet and run away.
The youngerhad been thinking along the lines of that exact ludicrous thought, though she had been the lucky pebble.
"I think it is safe to say you are no social creature, my sister." Anariel said suddenly. Her sibling looked up with an expressionless gaze.
"Why do you bring me to such outings? You know how I dislike them." Anarion said, and looked out over the throng of Elves.
"That couch and your stupid harp are going to turn you to stone, sister, if you have not already." Anariel hissed, quietly. "You need to learn to be a living being, not a rotting corpse."
Anarion listened to her sister's lecture quietly. Elrond had finally said farewell to the Fellowship, andthey were reading to leave. Now was her chance…
"What is that you are carrying?" Anariel said, her hard tone gone as she eyed the velvet, tan cloth in her sibling's arms. She must have not realized that she had just stabbed her younger sister with harsh words moments before.
The younger was forced to look down at the cloak she held. "It is for a friend. I have to find them now, so excuse…" her voice trailed off as she saw Anariel spot Elladan.
"That is nice, sister. Have a good day." the eldest replied, then was off. At least she had announced she was leaving. Sort of…
Anarion spared a glance at her retreating sister's back, thenturned and found Legolas, who was pulling on his quiver of arrows. When he saw her, he inclined his head her way in hello.
"Here, my lord Legolas." she said, and extended his strange cloak. The Elf before her didn't take it, just smiled.
"Thank you. You've finally said my name,I see. I was beginning to think you were trying to insult me." he joked; she ignored him.
"I thought you would be needing your cloak, so I've brought it to you." Again, she held out the bundle to him, and, again, he neglected to take it.
"I hope to see you again, someday. You are a friend I would like to know better, but it seems that will have to wait."
Anarion hardly heard him, and pressed the cloak to his chest. "Will you stop ignoring it?" she said, miffed. He did love his words…
"I must be going, Anarion." he said, "Namarië ." Legolas gave one final grin, and handed back the bundle at his chest. "I have another with me, and that one is just for show."
"It is an ugly cloak." she countered, dully.
"Then it is for you to have, if you want me to be blunt about it." he replied. She narrowed her eyes at him.
"You are a strange one." she said, before she could catch herself.
"So I have been told." he said, and bowed his head to her. Anarion sighed took thesimple thread bracelet off of her wrist.
"Here. Since you will not give take back your cloak, you may take this from me." Legolas took it and grinned. "Thank you." He tied it around his bow, and nodded to her. "Namarië , nya mellon." farewell, my friend.> he said finally and turned away, as she did the same.
Anarion stayed in the courtyard only long enough to watch the Company depart, then she headed to the main garden.
Not surprisingly, it was empty of occupants, and soshe found herself a bench near the pond and watched it with unseeing eyes. She took a deep breath, to steady her blood, and smiled in victory. He is gone!
She couldn't believe how much relief and weight was lifted from her shoulders as soon as he left her sight; likely for good. Now she could return to her music and her peaceful, normal days.
Yet when she returned to her room, she hadn't discarded Legolas' cloak. She had taken it to her couch, pulled it over her head, and played her harp, enjoying the way this particular cloak had no sleeves to get in the way of her quick fingers.
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Thank you, thank you. I wasn't expecting to write such a stupid near-sue with Legolas and Anarion. so forgive me. Please review and tell me if that was too much. Ugh, now my room is covered with fluffy things that keep flashing big eyes, and saying, "you are a mary-sue author, ha ha!" I will take a blowtorch to them now…
Thanks
