Elrohir smiled in greeting, his eyes twinkling in laughter. "You stumped her with that letter, Legolas."

"She's not getting off as easy as that," Legolas smiled back, his bright eyes taking in the slight hints of snow still on the ground in the shadows and on the mountainside. "Does she expect me?"

"Not today, or she would have gone into hiding," Elrohir laughed. "She'll be in the garden when we arrive."

"Perfect," Legolas murmured, contentment filling him, overflowing as he thought about seeing Lunian again. "Father believes I have lost my senses."

"Perhaps you have."

He couldn't help but smile at that and turned his horse towards Imladris, following Elrohir quickly. When they entered the courtyard he didn't wait, merely went straight into the gardens, winding his way through the plants and trees to the glen where he expected she was.

Sure enough, she was sitting upon the large flat stone that jetted out into the water, watching little bits of ice float by, carried beside auburn leaves left over from the autumn. Her hair fell over her shoulders as she leaned forward, her hands clasped around the knee brought to her chest. A small, distant smile played on her lips, a contented look in her eyes.

"Milady?"

She turned her head and her eyes went wide. In the next instant she was on her feet, looking ready to run away from him. She held still, however, as he approached, caught in his eyes, perhaps, or by her own confusion. "Legolas?" When he was directly in front of her he held out a hand, offering her assistance to the ground. The surprise slowly melted from her eyes as she watched him, succeeded by such pure sorrow he tightened his hold on her hand even though she was safely on the ground.

Already she was rolling the stone in her hand. He caught that hand with his free one before bringing both to his lips. Then he kissed her forehead and turned, drawing her with him for a walk.

When it was time for dinner he led her back to the hall, releasing her to her room before going to his own. He smiled faintly after changing from his travel clothes as he knocked lightly on her door.

"Just a moment!" Then the door flew open and instead of walking into the hall as she had obviously intended, after coming to a dead and somewhat stiff halt she reversed her path, retreating into her room. "Legolas?"

"Milady?" he asked, smiling slightly at the way she refused to look up at him. She had since getting off the rock. He cupped her chin in his hand, drawing it up slightly. "Look at me, Lunian," he murmured.

She shivered and shook her head. "No."

"Why not?"

"I can't."

He smiled again as he heard the pain in her voice. Pain he would have heard the last time they spoke if he had only been thinking instead of reacting. "Then I'll look at you," he declared, pulling her head up while letting his other hand smooth her hair back, the combined touch doing exactly what he had expected it to. Her eyes flew open, catching on his. As her gaze tangled with his he let his fingers twine in her hair, wrapping the golden length around his fingers.

She frowned after a moment, and began earnestly searching his eyes for a sign of the emotions she was expecting to find. Finally, daunted, she reached up, laying her palms against his cheeks, tilting his head down a few degrees. Her frown grew, her brow furrowed when he smiled. "Legolas?"

"Yes, Milady?" he asked.

She blinked at his teasing tone, before closing her eyes as realization hit her. She dropped her head and backed up. "I had to try."

"I know, and I understand." He kissed her temple before drawing her firmly into the hall. "But you cannot stop it."

"There must be a way."

"It's far too late."

"No!"

He turned to face her, saw the distress draining the gold from her eyes as she halted in shadows. He sighed and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "Do not be troubled for me, Lunian. I would rather die than live forever never having found love."

"But you cannot find it with me!"

"I already have."

"No! I shan't love you back."

"It doesn't matter, because I love you. That is all. I love you."

Tears gathered in her eyes, and she turned around, walking back to her room. "How can you love me? I'm mortal."

"I know."

"How? How can you possibly love me? It does not make sense."

"It does not matter, my love. The simple fact remains that I do love you."

She sighed and wiped at her cheeks, brushing away the tears that had overflowed. "I will not be the cause of your death. I refuse to be! One elf has already died because of me." With that, she slammed the door in his face an instant before he heard the lock click home.

'One elf has already died because of me.' What did that mean? Frowning, he decided it was high time he pinned Elrohir down on a few matters.

After the dinner that Lunian avoided, he had no problem pulling Elrohir aside. As the library door closed behind them, Elrohir looked at him, suspicion and amusement in his eyes. "What did you say to her?"

"I told her what she already knew."

Elrohir frowned. "And then you left her alone?"

"A locked door in the face isn't exactly a subtle hint, Elrohir."

The frown deepened. "Doesn't she understand she can't stop it?"

"She said she refuses to be the death of me."

Elrohir sighed and leaned back in his chair, shaking his head slightly.

Legolas pressed ruthlessly on. "And that an elf had already died because of her."

Elrohir's eye brow's lifted. "She said no more on the matter?"

"Nothing." Unless you count a resounding slam.

The elf frowned, and then sighed. His eyes grew distant as he became lost in memory.

Lenaith smiling happily at him in their glen, lifting her hand for a butterfly that was flying nearby, one of the few that had survived the chill of the previous nights. Suddenly a grimace contorted Lenaith's fair face, her hand moving to her bulging abdomen. "Elrohir… the child!"

He knelt beside her at once, and started to help her to her feet, but she gave up, remaining where she was with a soft grunt.

"Well, here shall have to do," she panted, pain etching lines in her face that age never had and never would. A sharp cry escaped her not long later. "Elrohir, do you still accept this child?"

"With all my heart. She is part of you."

"Good. Take good care of her, until I can assist you," she murmured. "I love you," she whispered before she screamed again. It was the last thing she said, though the screams continued for a long while. The birth was a difficult one, the child being partially born as the sun finished rising, but not fully for a few more hours. Once the child was truly free of Lenaith's form, he found she had indeed born a daughter as she had always predicted, and reported the news to her.

She smiled faintly but closed her eyes, pain contorting her face again as the afterbirth began emerging. He set the child aside, amazed she made no sound as her mother lay screaming beside her. The day wore on, and though others came and went, both the child and Lenaith were left in his care. The mother because it was plain to all that she had very little time left on this earth, the child because it would be up to him to decide if they were to keep it or find it a place in a human house somewhere else.

As the sun set, Lenaith closed her eyes after one final scream, her body slumping lifelessly to the ground. As he stared blankly at her, the child's small face puckered up, reddened, and a cry of seeming pain erupted from her at an incredible pitch, as if she wished to deafen every elf in a hundred league radius. Picking her up, he tried to soothe her, promising he would be there for her until she no longer needed him. She—her need for him—had kept him from giving into heartbreak and grief.

"Legolas, Lunian's mother was Lenaith."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Okay… (evil grin) that should hold you for a while… right? Ah… the declaration, the door in the face… the ever-lovely moment of having some tings cleared up… Sigh. ;}

Hope this sounds right. I was knocked out with the flu all weekend, so I don't know how coherent it sounds. I read through it once, and nothing jumped out at me.