"Erestor?" She asked curiously, unsure whether her assumptions had been correct.
"Yes, it is I. How are you Melannen?" He said, taking off his hood.
She smiled, "I am good."
"All is well, I presume, with the young lad?" The Elf beckoned for her to sit across from him.
She nodded, "Yes, but he is getting more curious every day."
"Like you."
She gave him a dubious look, "How so?"
The older Elf smiled, "With you and Glorfindel, I don't know what I will ever do!" Though he instantly regretted his words when a look of sorrow crossed her face.
"I miss him, every day I wonder why the Valar brought him back if only to take him back again. I see no point in it."
"Legolas is still alive, Melannen, you have only to find him. He is out there, my heart tells me this. For some strange reason I know that he is still alive, wandering perhaps, scarred and lost, but alive. The only thing that keeps him going is the thought of returning to you. He knows, in his heart, that you will never forget him." The advisor to Elrond said.
Melannen wanted to believe it but she knew otherwise. "Legolas is dead, Erestor."
"He is only dead in your heart because you stopped believing that he could live. When you gave up hope, the thought of his return vanished. I have not yet lost hope."
Elros having heard that it was Erestor (whom he had learned much about from the twins) he walked over to the table and sat beside his mother.
"Lost hope of what?" He asked.
"The return of your father." Erestor said plainly.
The Elf child looked confused, "But you said my father is dead." He said, turning to Melannen.
Melannen felt tears working to overflow from her eyes, "He is Elros, to not listen to Erestor's drivel. It is nothing, only false hope."
They left Bree the next morning and arrived at Rivendell two days later. Elros had stayed somewhat quiet, thought Melannen knew that he was only contemplating about what Erestor had said.
Though the years passed by quickly once again, and there was still no sign of Legolas or of any news of his fate. Melannen knew that with time, she too would forget all about the prince that had once meant so much to her.
Melannen stood on the stool as the maids measured her dress. Glorfindel, as usual, had expected her to have the fine blue fabric measured so that she would wear it to the upcoming summer celebration.
Melannen looked up when she heard the door behind her open. The tall, lean Elf standing at the door looked at her with a questioning expression, his bright blue eyes darting from her face to the fabric she wore.
"Glorfindel?" He asked, with a cocked eyebrow.
Melannen pretended to be annoyed, "As usual."
The Elf ran his slender fingers through his golden hair. "Why am I not surprised?"
"Why should you be, there is nothing surprising about Glorfindel's actions, is there?"
"Knowing him, absolutely not." The blonde Elf walked briskly over and sat on the floor beside Melannen. "I think it looks nice. I also think that he fancies you, either that or you fancy him, one of the two." his words got stifled giggles from the maids trimming the dress.
Melannen went crimson. "Since when, child, have I wanted your advice about Glorfindel? Hmm?"
Elros stroked his chin, "Ahh, ever since I was, say, eight." More stifled laughter.
"Trim!" Melannen scolded the giggling maids, all of which she knew where smitten with her son.
Elros stood up, "Excellent job, ladies, before long she'll look like Erestor got a hold of a butcher knife!" he joked then darting out of the room before his mother could say anything.
Then within a couple minutes Glorfindel entered, "You look better than ever, Melannen." He said placing a kiss on her hand.
"Meow."
Glorfindel glanced around the room, "Elladan I know you're here!" Then he looked up to see the twins perched in the rafters. "Get down here!"
He only got them to laugh, "Meow." Elladan said again.
Finally Glorfindel got an idea. "Woof!"
Taking the hint, the twins fled. "Interesting." Melannen said, looking at Glorfindel.
"They are crazy, those two. I just wonder how they've lived so long and no one yet has had the nerve to strangle them!" Though his words sounded harsh, everyone knew that the Balrog-Slayer was fond of the twins.
Once Melannen's dress had been measured, she and Glorfindel decided they would go on a walk through the gardens. Though once they had toured the gardens, the two went on out of the walls of the city.
Glorfindel took her hand, "Follow me." He took her to where one of the largest waterfalls was, the grass and leaves were richly colored green and the flowers where of many bright colors. The smooth black rock to their right looked polished, though in fact it was only because of the condensation from the waterfall to their right, there was only a narrow path between the two. The churning water thundered in their ears though neither minded it much.
Then Melannen saw a small nook in the rock face, in it was carved a seat that had a tunnel behind it, just tall enough for an Elf to stand. "Here." Glorfindel hopped up on the seat and held out his hand. Melannen smiled and too it. He lead her down the darkening passage, Melannen could hear water dripping down the sides of the walls. Melannen felt the slick rock to either side of her, though Glorfindel seemed to know where he was going.
Then suddenly the passage lead into a great cavern that had great pillars of rock spiraling upward to the ceiling which had a couple small holes where light was filtered through. The light bounced off the water on the walls and off the slick pillars of rock causing an illusion.
"Glorfindel . . . ." Melannen said in awe. "It's beautiful."
"I thought you'd like it." He said, wrapping his arm around her waist.
"How could I not?"
He laughed, "You can be picky. Sometime you even–."
Melannen placed her hand against his lips, silencing him. "Glorfindel, you talk too much." Then she leaned towards him and their lips met in a fiery kiss.
The Balrog Slayer brought Melannen to her knees and then she found herself staring up at him as she lay on the ground. He trailed kisses down her neck and his tongue flickered along the edge of her pointed ear. Glorfindel moaned when Melannen pressed herself against him, then he nipped gently at her neck before massaging it with his tongue.
They stayed in the underground fortress for a few more hours, laying there under the sparkling stone. Glorfindel turned to her, "I love you, Melannen. I always have."
His words hit with a sudden starkness, Legolas was gone and know, as the Prince had told her, Glorfindel would never leave her. He loved her, and would never leave.
Melannen turned in his arms, "I love you too, Glorfindel."
He smiled, "Love before duty."
"But love is duty, Glorfindel."
"Have thought that I had possibly forgotten that?" He asked flirtatiously.
She kissed him lightly, "No."
Author's note: kinda fluff there. Hope nobody minds fluff. Oh, and to my reviewers that didn't like me writing like I do. Well, here's to you, you actually expect someone to be able to write a fanfic as good as Tolkien wrote the stories themselves? It is nearly impossible to do that, especially when comparing MY work to Tolkien's. I know I cant write as well as the master. I don't try to.
