Chapter 9: Meeting the Past

It was the night of the celebration, the music was merry and everything seemed bright. Leila and Arwen went with the few touch-ups in the buffet table with the roses Lailomeiel picked that night in the garden.

"You really look beautiful tonight Lailomeiel, you shouldn't went alone at night in the gardens you know."

"Arwen, I can take care of myself." She said defensively.

Arwen looked at Leila and admired how she looked that night.

"Not pretty much the Lailomeiel I know." Arwen said, eyeing her. Lailomeiel gave off one of her silent giggles and looked around when she caught Thranduil looking at her while talking to Elrond, curious of what they are talking about, she decided to walk right through the both of them.

"Arwen, would you excuse me for a minute." As she walked towards Elrond and Thranduil's direction.

"Hello you two."

Thranduil looked at Lailomé then to Elrond and nodded, this very act gave Lailomeiel shudders.

"Oh no, last time I saw you two with that look changed my entire life." She exclaimed.

Elrond smiled at Lailomeiel and told her it has nothing to do with changing her life.

"Elrond's right dear, nothing much."

"Then why are you two giving off confidential stuff while looking at me with that… That look!"

"Believe me dear Leila, this has nothing to do with you now."

"You have to be sure with that predicament King Thranduil." With her arms crossed, she eyed both Elrond and Thranduil liked two bratty elves.

Arwen looked around the crowded hall in search of Aragorn when she caught sight of him sitting in the corner with Legolas and Gimli.

"Aragorn, where were you? I've been looking ages for you."

Arwen almost dragged Aragorn if not for Elrond starting his speech diverted her attention.

"Fellow elves, friends… Tonight is a special night. Tonight we celebrate the arrival of our heroes." The hall burst with cheers as the crowd parted to make way for Aragorn, Legolas, Gandalf and the four hobbits to Elrond. Elrond presented the fellowship with pride as everyone in the hall was filled with delight as it was very palpable in their faces.

Elrond coughed.

"Also, this night is very special, not only because of the fellowship, but for another person, since she had been very busy the last few centuries… I am proud to introduce the Lady of the Great Lands, Lady Ainaladriel Lailomeiel Silverwind."

Lailomeiel stood up and bowed as she said thanks to everyone.

"I am very proud to be here in this special night…" was all the words who've said that ever had the chance of entering Legolas' stunned brain. All Legolas could do was to stare at her in disbelief, she was the elf he saw in the garden earlier that night although he noticed a familiarity, it never crossed his mind that she was his former sister, correction, former sister.

It was late when he realized she too was staring at him with disbelief.

Lailomeiel walked to Legolas and just stared at him with the utmost disbelief.

"Well look at you." Was all she could say.

Legolas was about to say the same thing but was interrupted with the noise in the hall; he then took Leila's hand and led her out the hall and into the gardens.

"Legolas?" Lailomeiel, as if she wasn't sure if it was really Legolas who she was staring at the moment.

"Lailomeiel?"

Both of them stared at each other, neither anyone of them know which question and admiration would come first, true, it was half their lifetimes they've seen each other, so long, enough to change both of them from what they were before. The staring game went for quite a long time when Lailomeiel decided to break the silence.

"You have changed, Legolas." She said softly.

"So did you."

Legolas stepped closer to her, he couldn't make up of what he is feeling when he saw her, that moment he saw her in the garden earlier and when she was introduced… Until he couldn't take it anymore and just held her tight which took her by surprise.

"Legolas…" Lailomeiel tried to wriggle out of his grasp but she knew he wouldn't let her go anywhere.

"Oh how long has it been Lei?" his breath felt like the warm glow of the sunset, Lailomeiel felt like she just had found what she was looking for.

"Almost 1,500 years perhaps." As she draped her arms around him, receiving him wholly. There is no point in denying that she didn't miss him.

Their sweet embrace lasted for quite a long time.

Lailomeiel let go of Legolas and smiled, "At least, Mrs. Dewberry isn't here to disturb our reunion." She then remembered Mrs. Dewberry, their female butler who gave them the thought… oh not thought, the feeling of always being watched. She smiled at the thought, it all seemed to come back to her.

Legolas looked down at the elf in front of him, he then ran his fingers on her soft rosy cheek, her eyes sparkled in the moonlight. "Lle na vanima."

Lailomeiel blushed at his compliment. He too, had changed, as if he wasn't the Legolas she used to pick on when they were little, he was handsome. Indeed handsome, his blond hair now thicker and longer and seem to glow as the moonlight touches it, the contours of his face… his eyes… oh yes, his eyes seemed darker and lighter at the same time, Leila's thoughts were interrupted when Legolas swooped down to kiss her cheek.

This act of Legolas seemed to startle her and cause her to took a step back from him.

"Lailomeiel, is there anything wrong? Did I cause you harm?"

Leila shook her head. "No, No Legolas, you didn't. You naughty elf, still didn't change did you huh?"

"And you, did you change?" He answered back.

"No, still the same old Lailomé- she stopped, maybe I did. That I cannot tell under my own judgment."

Legolas knew he was taking it too fast and a little bit too far. Also, he had second thoughts about her, she was no longer Leila, she is Ainaladriel, and that was the fact he already had dealt with, or will be dealing with. He then took a step closer to her then he took her graceful hand and kissed it, her hands, he thought, still smells like the roses she had picked earlier that night.

She then blushed again, she was thinking the same as what Legolas was thinking, They were both very different persons, as what time and destiny had decided to their fate.

Legolas and Lailomeiel can still hear the loud merry music coming from the hall, from all the laughter and the joy they heard, it still didn't bother the both of them. Then it was when the music turned soft and romantic, "Perfect." Legolas thought.

The light of the stars and the moon, the music from the violin, and the soft breeze perfected the occasion.

"May I have this dance?" He asked with the softest, most romantic tone of his voice.

Looking straightly at her light grey eyes, her eyes said everything he needed to know.

Lailomeiel gave him her hand and Legolas took it with pleasure. He put his arm around her waist and the other holding her hand.

As the soft warm music filled the sweet night air, Leila rested her head to his chest and Legolas rested his chin on her forehead as they dance. Both of them relishing the ardent moment as if to remember it forever.

Time stood still for the both of them until they heard a rustling sound from behind.

Legolas instinctively turned to where the sound came from and stepped in front of Lailomeiel as to protect her from whatever danger it was.

As the sound came near, Lailomeiel tugged Legolas' sleeve, a sign to "take care". It was always been in Lailomeiel body language to tugged someone's sleeve, a way to tell that person be careful, Legolas smiled inwardly, it was also coming back to him, but this was no time to think about that.

"Who's there?"

"Who's there?" Legolas asked again. Lailomeiel was about to walk to the direction where the sound came from but Legolas stopped her.

"Show yourself." Legolas said, he already pulled out his dagger, since it's the only weapon he can hide in his outfit, also since it was inappropriate to bring his bow in a celebration like this.

"Ilweth?" Lailomeiel blurted out as blonde elf stepped out from where the sound came from.

"Lailomeiel! I've been looking all over for you!" She said as she smoothed her dress.

"And you?" she said as she looked at Legolas, giving him a fervent look, a look Legolas didn't liked at all.

"Oh Ilweth, this is Legolas, and Legolas, this is Ilweth." Lailomeiel introduced them to each other, Legolas tried to take Ilweth's hand to kiss it but as his hand was a few centimeters from hers she hid hers behind her back and kissed him squarely in the cheek. Legolas was flabbergasted with her actions and took a step back. He can tell Lailomeiel also had her surprised look.

"I don't let people kiss my hand." Ilweth said defensively.

* Lle na vanima – You are beautiful.