Disclaimer: I hate disclaimers! Hate, hate, hate, hate! (sulking) I don't own any personages or places from "LotR"… :op
Author's note: Just a little lyrical digression. :o) Relax, take a cup of coffee. (if you like it, of course). Thanks for staying with me.
Deana: Wow! Such a pity that I couldn't see it. :o)) Poor me… Let's go on? ;o)
escape5: You're always welcome. And thank you, too. :o))) I hope you'll keep in touch.
Inwe Tasartir Hola! I missed your comments. :o)) Welcome back and thank you very much.
Faerlas: Be careful not to fall down. It would be sad to lose such a nice reader. :o))
Chapter eleven.
Is it…?
The glade in front of the house bore no signs of yesterday's skirmish – even the grass was as thick and green as ever. No bodies, no arrows, nothing… It gave Rexia a strange feeling of irreality - if it were not for a scratch still burning on her shoulder, she would doubt, whether she had dreamt of that or really got over a deadly danger.
As for the rest of the day, there was no evidence of the verity of her recollections.
She woke up idle and happy, stretching herself under the hot rays, which were dancing on her bed. One of them climbed onto her lips and she chuckled, but immediately blushed and covered her head with a pillow. The warmth inside her was so light, yet so overwhelming, that she felt a dandelion, eager to scatter in the air, kissed by the invisible mouth of the wind.
Who said love was pain? Hasty, affected words!
All day long she was walking in the clouds. Everything seemed different. Pure colours of her life gained millions of hues. It was as if intending to cure his blindness she cured her own one instead.
She even found out that she had dimples… Barely visible dimples on her cheeks, appearing when she smiled, and not smirked.
And yet she realized that nothing had changed. She was the same – serious, self-disciplined, a bit cynical. But her mind and soul revealed a new facet, as a crystal under a casual beam of light, which refracted and reflected on her face with a vague sheen of evenness and softness, so unusual for her.
She could have wended there, to him, the very moment she left her house. But something made her linger… She visited all her patients, even those, who were waiting for her some other day. She wanted to savour each moment of keeping this blissful mystery to herself. To revel in being expected.
And now the same reason kept her standing on the threshold, suddenly indecisive to come in. She tried not to allow doubts to creep in, yet they were bothering her more and more insistently… What if everything wasn't as bright as she thought?
She reached out for the door handle... In for a penny, in for a pound…
Rexia didn't manage to enter, because the door opened on its own, and she was almost knocked down by a hurried elf. She immediately recognized the stubborn guard, who was going to strangle her during their last meeting in here. At the sight of her his face fell.
"Hello!" said Rexia friendly, to demonstrate her placability, "May I come in?"
"Of course, milady," the elf bowed low and stepped aside to make way. Already in the house, she was stopped by his quiet call, "Milady?"
"Yes?"
He uncomfortably shifted from one foot to the other.
"Will you forgive my behaviour that day?" asked he at last, not taking his eyes from the ground, "I was unpardonably rude. I just … We all thought you are powerless to help Prince Legolas and were…"
"…going to get rid of me?" finished the girl, smiling.
"We didn't want him to suffer." said the elf plainly , "But I see that we were mistaken. Thanks to you he almost recovered."
Earlier Rexia would flare up at one thought that someone was evaluating her behind her back and attempting to manage her life, but now she just wasn't capable of spiteful thoughts and feelings.
"Let's say I forgot it."
A smile lit up on his lips and he nodded to her, quite reassured. Having returned a nod Rexia came upstairs.
The first thing that arrested her attention was the emptiness of the chair, in which she used to see Legolas.
The elf himself was standing – tall, slim, with his shoulders proudly straightened. For a moment she was just gazing at him, forgetful to everything but majestic aureole of calm power and nobleness, surrounding his lithe silhouette. Then it suddenly occurred to her what in that scene was so disturbing. Legolas was standing at the window… Looking outside.
Her throat got dry, and she swallowed hard to overcome a wave of panic, which came from nowhere at the thought that now he would look around and see her. What if he … What if he would regret about what happened yesterday? She realized that she had no idea what she would do in this case. How she would live then…
His head slightly turned, and Rexia instinctively started back to the door.
"Rexia?" asked he hesitatingly. She nodded, completely paralyzed, inwardly chanting "Please, please, please", her heart keeping time with this stupid prayer, useless and obsessive.
"Rexia, is that you?" repeated the elf, stepping to her.
"Yes," she could barely force one word through a stone named her breast. Please…
Legolas smiled, and Rexia almost sobbed of relief. Eru, a moment ago she was ready to die… Her legs quite against her will carried her to the elf so quickly, as if she flew over the room. The next second she found herself hiding her face in his chest, searching for his protection from the fears similar to the one she got over just a breath ago.
"Where have you been for so long?" asked he, his voice soft and tender. Rexia looked up to say something, anything, and her eyes met his…
He didn't see her. She fathomed it at once. He didn't see.
Sweet Valar…
"What's the matter?" his face became confused and suspicious, "Rexia? Please, say something."
"It's all right," she carefully released herself from his arms to wipe away tears of disappointment, which were going to well up. Who cares, if he wouldn't notice it?
"Are you crying?" he seemed frightened, "My love, why?"
"I thought you don't see me," muttered Rexia uncomprehendingly. Perhaps she had been mistaken and got upset for no reason?
"But I don't," answered Legolas, obviously puzzled, "I mean I can see, but only light spots, like yesterday. I woke up this morning and understood that I can."
She made a deep sign, ordering herself to calm down. Everything fell into place. She just hastened with her conclusions. Everything is going the way it must go. Soon he will recover, not now, but soon. Yet why did she, who must be the most delighted by this, feel disenchantment so deep that she seemed to be cut and bleeding in the very bottom of her being?
"It's wonderful," feigned she, hating herself as she saw his shining smile.
She knew he was waiting that she would embrace him… She sorely wanted to ignore persistent pangs in her heart and give into the temptation to feel the tenderness and ardour of his kiss again. But she couldn't, curse her twisted mind!
She was hurriedly examining the room, seeking for a subject, which was suitable to begin a hollow talk. Her glance fell on a bunch of white flowers, lying on the table in the corner.
"How beautiful…" said she almost sincerely. And they really were - each a fragile star with snowy rays and a drop of crimson inside, bold and eye-catching against the innocent colour of the petals. Rexia absentmindedly moved to the table to stroke these small wonders.
"Do you like them?" murmured Legolas behind the girl, leaning to her so that his breath ghosted against her ear. His arms wound around her, making her recline at him, "They are for you."
"Oh," somehow she got even more upset.
It still felt right to be in his embrace, but the carefree euphoria that filled her soul in the morning evaporated, giving way to uneasiness.
"Legolas!" called Rexia, yielding to a pungent impulse to share her unrest with him, to be soothed, to feel safe again.
"With you," she heard him smile. No, she wouldn't bring herself to do it…
"Thank you for the flowers."
She carefully took a fragrant bouquet and was going to bury her face in it, when her attention was caught by a tiny thing, which had been lying on the table under her flowers. A piece of silvery metal… A ring…
"What's this?" whispered she in surprise, forgetting about the bouquet in her hands. Legolas strained and slowly let her go.
"It's for you, too," his voice was hoarse. He made several steps aside and turned away from her, folding his arms. His cheerfulness vanished, he seemed to be nervous. It was not a good omen. Rexia felt a lump rising in her throat…
"Why?" asked she faint-heartedly.
"I thought I must thank you."
She had a striking sensation of deja-vu. What did she tell him then? Wait until I finish the cure and then begin to feel grateful… So that's how he imagines being grateful. A couple of kisses and a jewel…
"You shouldn't have," Rexia put the flowers back, biting her lip. What a shame…
"You don't like it?" Legolas swiftly whipped round, his face pale.
"It's beautiful," muttered she for the second time this day, "But I won't take it. I don't think I must. Flowers are quite enough."
The elf swallowed, looking dismayed and downcast.
"Enough?" echoed he, "Rexia, I don't understand… What's happening?"
"I'm accepting your gratitude. Isn't it what you wanted?"
Legolas impetuously approached her and tried to cup her cheek, but she jerked back.
"I want you to take this ring," said he on note of a plead, "And I crave for your taking one more thing together with it."
His tone was so desperate, that Rexia came to herself and looked at him more closely. Was she missing something?
"And what is it?" asked she quietly, not taking her eyes way from his worried face.
"Me," uttered Legolas simply. She gave a start, astonished, unbelieving…
"What?"
He attempted to touch her once more, and this time she made no resistance. His fingers gingerly slid down her shoulder and weaved around her hand.
"I beg you to let me into your heart and into your life," his words reverberated in her head, depriving her of her will with the intensity of emotion ringing in them, "for my heart and my life always belonged to you. I implore you, my love, don't deny me. Will you…"
"I will," interrupted Rexia in undertones. She had no heart to listen to his question up to the end. It was too sweet and too painful… Legolas took a long heavy breath, as she stood on her tiptoes and placed a careful kiss on a corner of his mouth. His lips moved, responding to her endearment… For a second they were one. Then the elf slightly bent back to whisper a single voiceless phrase, before yielding to her kisses and her touch again. "Thank you".
A/n:(wiping away a tear )If you think that it's all, you're terribly mistaken…
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"Have a nice day!" for you and "Have a nice night!" for me, because as far as I can see when you are reading it I'm peacefully snoring in my bed.