The Meaning of Forever
Melannen lay awake that night, unable to sleep. The darkness which surrounded her was stifling. She could hear the wind as it blew through the trees outside, howling melancholically, and Legolas' even breathing beside her. The last seven days had gone by in a flash, five of which had been spent in silence. Legolas had refused to speak to her, and Maggie was in a pondering muteness.
All the things that she had been so sure about in the past suddenly became startlingly clear, and she realized that perhaps she had not been so right as she had thought. All of the possibilities came to mind, alternative paths that she could have taken, things she could have done. Though of all the things she had done, only one truly bothered her. That was, her short little jaunt with Legolas. Not because it was particularly unenjoyable, or that she regretted it, but because no matter how hard she thought, Melannen could not think of any reason why she should have done anything different than what she did.
Though slowly sleep overcame her and all her troubles became dormant until the morning.
"Cormamin indua ele le, meleth nin." My heart sings to see you, my love He kissed her forehead lightly before tilting her head to look at him. "Melannen, nalye vanima." Melannen, you are beautiful
"Hantanyel, ernil nin." Thank you, my prince
"Melinyel." He said. I love you
"Ve melan le." As I love you
Legolas smiled and laughed, a wonderful sound, like a bright dawn after a night of despair. "Ore nin denelye, amanril." You have taken my heart, blessed brillance
"Im?" she asked, suprised. I?
"Tancave, el." Yes, you
"Caitalye?" Do you lie?
"Er ar elye." Only beside you
"Nalye ar estel." She said. You are hopeless
"Im? I
"Tancave!" Yes She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.
"Ar el, i hiril oreo nin, sinome! Quaresse nin!" And you, the woman of my heart, here! In my hands!
"Tancave, sinome nan." Yes, here I am
"Melannen, naimet ve er, iluve yeni." Melannen, may we be as one forever
She rested her head on his chest, sighing contentedly. "Tancave, iluve yeni." Yes, forever
The memories were bittersweet, though even as she remembered, darker thoughts invaded.
Legolas' eyes were filled with wrath, "Tiralye lalaithan?" Do you see me laughing
"Legolas . . . . merin quete." Legolas, I wish to speak
"La! Tiralye im? Lalaith nan?" No! Do you see me? Am I laughing?
She shook her head, "Legolas, tulelye?" Legolas, why have you come?
"Ion nin tiran! Ar el!" To see my son! And you!
"Nan ar Glorfindel, u-lye. U-tiralye hi?" She said, touching Glorfindel's arm sofly. "Kelmet, meleva met na quelle." She sighed, "Nayes firn." I am beside Glorfindel, not you. Can you not see this? We are gone, our love is fading. It is dead
"Nan i atar ioneva el!" I am the father of your son!
"Glorfindel na ve i atar si. U-nelye sinome! Nelye eth, ranelye!" Glorfindel is as the father now. You were not here! You were out, wandering!
Legolas' eyes flashed, "Nen mando esse! Mi nari Morannaneva!" I was in prison! In the fires of Morannon!
"U-tulelye!" You did not come!
He shook his head, "Namarie, meleth nin, iluve yeni." Goodbye, my love, forever
"Legolas!"
He lept upon his horse and road off, towards the Grey Havens, and then to the Sea.
Still, though, she could hear his voice, calling her.
Melannen awoke with a start, Legolas was leaning over her, he appeared worried. It was still dark, but he had dimmed the lights to a soft glow.
"Melannen, are you alright? You were calling out in your sleep."
She shook herself, ridding her mind of the dreams. Yet they had not been dreams, but memories. Ones that she was not keen on thinking of again. "I am fine, Legolas." He gave her a dubious look. "Really I am."
He smiled, but did not say anything, instead reached over her and turned off the lights. They lay there in an awkward silence, both waiting for the other to say something. After what seemed like forever, he laughed.
"Goodnight." he leaned in and kissed her cheek lightly. It was a very clumsy kiss, noses bumping and faces turning bright red.
After a few minutes, Melannen burst out laughing. "What is so funny?" he asked.
"You're such a pathetic kisser!"
"I beg your pardon, but I do believe I am quite skilled."
His remark just made her laugh harder. "Who did you learn that one from? Erestor?"
Legolas snorted defiantly, "First, I never lived in Rivendell, and second Erestor preferred other men . . . . ."
"You know this how?"
"You are disgusting!"
"I wonder who I learned that from?"
He feigned shock, "Remnul, perhaps?"
"Legolas . . . that wasn't funny." the humorousness of the situation faded at the tone of her voice.
"Ani apsene." forgive me
"It's alright." she smiled wickedly. "But you are still an awful kisser."
Legolas groaned, he just could not let her get away with that. Something else, maybe he could condone it, but not that. "Go to sleep." He said, knowing it was in vain, she was having far too much fun taunting him.
"So you admit it?"
"No, I never said that."
"You may not have said it, but just because you didn't, doesn't mean it's not true."
"Do you find annoying me amusing?" he mumbled, rolling away from her. "Just for the record, I am a very good kisser!"
"Prove it."
Legolas could not help but cough. "Look who's flirting now."
Melannen did not have a planned comeback for that. Not for a few seconds at least. "You still haven't proven it."
Legolas glanced up at the clock on the dresser, 2:13 shone brightly in the dark. "It's late, go to sleep, in the name of Iluvatar!"
"Prove it."
Legolas growled, he was about to slap some sense into her when another idea came to mind. In one swift movement he had covered the small space between them, and kissed her deeply.
Legolas pulled away, and gently freed his hands from her hair. He avoided eye contact, in fear of what he would see. The Prince lay back down, wondering why in the world he had just done what he had.
"Legolas . . . ." she whispered after a while.
"What?" he asked, slightly irritated.
"Do you ever think about it?"
"About what?" he asked bluntly.
"What would have happened had things been different."
Legolas rolled back over to face her. "Between us . . . .?" it was more a statement than a question.
"I guess."
He propped himself up on his elbow and studied her, his eyes shining in the shadows. "Yeah, sometimes."
"Do ever think about what your life would have been like without me screwing it up?"
Legolas reached over and ran his fingers threw her silken hair. "That would be too terrible to contemplate."
Melannen was a little taken aback by his response. She reached up and grabbed his hand, "You don't mean that."
"Yes I do." he said, running his thumb over the back of her hand. "Melinyel, Melannen." I love you, Melannen Legolas drew her up close to him. "I always have."
Melannen lay in the warmth of his embrace, relaxed in his strong arms. More nervous than she had ever been, but relaxed. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Melannen exhaled slowly, afraid the aura of the moment would be shattered. She lay in the curve of his body, their arms entwined.
"Ar melan el." And I love you she whispered softly, praying that the moment was not a dream and that she would not wake up in the morning only to be alone again.
He brushed her hair back and gently kissed her neck. She faced him and for the first time in a very long time, neither was thinking about the past, only the present.
Elladan put his arm around the young, blonde elleth who he sat beside. Elrohir was next to him, holding hands with a darker haired elven maiden.
"Legolas and Melannen don't know we're watching them, do they?" Elladan inquired as if it were a perfectly normal thing to ask.
Elrohir stared at his older twin as if he were mad. "No, not that I'm aware of . . . ."
"And they don't know that I have a video camera, do they?" Elladan glanced at his brother and smiled mischievously.
Elrohir faced his twin. "A video camera!" He looked at his brother, a look of complete bewilderment in his eyes, but reluctantly grinned. "You are wicked."
"Perhaps." He chuckled and turned the camera on.
Legolas shed his shirt and quickly helped Melannen remove her own, an ardent fire burning in his eyes. His fervent kisses took her breath away as the flames licked higher with each touch. They made love like two stars burning in the night sky, with not a care in the world.
Glorfindel set his goblet on the table with a slight thud. He glanced over Cirdan's shoulder and shook his head.
"What are they doing?" he asked.
The Shipwright turned in his seat and looked at the dark haired twins and their newest prizes. "For some reason I do believe we may not want to know."
The Balrog Slayer shook his head and got up, "I had better find out before Mandos does."
"I fear that will be to no avail, mellon. After all, he is the All-Knowing."
Glorfindel smirked, "I feel bad for him." Then he strode over to where the twins were.
Author's note: sorry that took a long time to post, but is is longer. I always wanted Elladan to get the last laugh.
