Chapter 36

Legolas's POV

I rode Herenvardo, holding onto the reigns loosely as the pain in my shoulder began to worsen. It wasn't unbearable it was just painful enough to interrupt my thoughts. I moved one hand to massage my shoulder, wishing there was someone else there to do it for me…

FLASHBACK

Adette had helped me to get dressed after I got up. She gently tucked my arm inside of the tunic sleeve, minding my shoulder and the wrap. As long as I didn't move my arm too quickly I was able to move it without feeling pain. She still eyed me worriedly as I pulled on my leggings.

"Aragorn is meeting us in the throne room." She fetched my boots, kneeling down and putting the first one on for me.

"Adette," I took the other boot from her, "you don't have to do that."

"You really shouldn't be moving your arm Legolas. You still need time to heal."

"Do not worry about me, I am a fast healer." I pulled on the other boot and ironically hissed in pain. Adette raised her eyebrows and put her hands on her hips.

"Really?" She got to her feet and extended a hand to me. I got to my feet with her help and linked my arm through hers as we left the room and made for the stairs.

When we reached the throne room Aragorn was waiting for us. He had many maps and papers spread out over a long table that extended from one end of the room to the other. He seemed deep in thought when we entered, but quickly came out of whatever he had been thinking about.

"Legolas how are you feeling?" He asked, circling the table and coming towards us on the other end. He placed a hand on my other shoulder.

"I feel fine." I insisted, knowing that both he and Adette probably felt the same way about my being up and around. But I couldn't just lie back anymore. My father and my people were suffering and I needed to help them.

"Adette has told me that the Uruk-hai invaded Mirkwood and destroyed most of it. I am terribly sorry mellon. You should have come to me for aid sooner." He removed his hand, his face sorrowful.

"I wanted to Aragorn but the men seemed confident that we would be safe. They did not heed my warning."

"Aragorn we need to form an army. From what I saw most of the elves are dead. We wouldn't have a chance against the Uruk-hai if they came again." Adette said what I intended on saying.

"I understand. First things first," Aragorn looked from me to Adette, "someone must return to Mirkwood and collect the survivors. We cannot leave them to the mercy of the Uruk-hai if they pass through again to finish the job."

"I will go. I need to find my father and…" I didn't bother to finish my sentence for I knew that Aragorn knew why I needed to return. I needed to find my father and my friends myself. I needed to know who was still living and who had fallen.

"I will send with you my guards."

"No," I shook my head, "I must go alone."

"Legolas I will come with you. You cannot make the journey alone." Adette said from beside me, turning her body towards mine. I grew horrified at the thought and turned towards her as well, grasping her arms.

"No Adette you mustn't come. You cannot risk your life or the life of our child." My voice was firm but I tried to be gentle at the same time. I knew that Adette would not like being left behind. "You must stay in your brother's protection."

"Lín haru Legolas. If something were to happen to you no one would ever know." She protested, her voice filled with anger.

(Your wound Legolas.)

"I will…go and have Herenvardo readied for you." Aragorn excused himself, walking around us and heading out through the castle doors.

"Adette, my love, please understand why I cannot bring you with me. If something happened to you or the baby I would never forgive myself dúlinn. Im estel le hán."

(I hope you understand.)

"But if something happens to you then what? Will you leave me a widow and leave Eruanna to be fatherless?" At her words I felt my eyebrows wrinkle and I shook her meaningfully, my hands still grasping her arms.

"Never. Never do you hear me?" I loosened my grip and relaxed my face when I realized that I was getting angry at the wrong person. "I would never do that to you. I will return and I will do so as soon as I can."

Knowing it was time to go I hugged her close to me, moving my cheek against her soft hair. I breathed in the scent of her skin and her hair, trying to get as much of it on me as I could in that moment. When I pulled away I brushed my lips against hers but she kissed me deeper.

"Be safe. Return soon." She murmured against my lips.

"I promise." I then placed my hand over her belly. "Cabed an ada nin ield."

(Leap for daddy my daughter.)

The castle doors opened but I kept my hand in place. My hand was growing warm and felt as though it had been blessed by an angel.

(Not in anyone's POV)

Aragorn waited patiently by the doors, watching the couple. He had never seen a sight as touching as the one before him. Legolas had told him about elven fathers connecting with their unborn children after Adette had conceived. He watched as Legolas's lips twitched into a wide grin and heard his sister giggle softly. He could only imagine what that felt like, and hoped that one day he and Arwen would be experiencing the same thing.

"I love you." Adette whispered. I kissed her once more.

"Im míl le dúlinn."

(I love you nightingale.)

I then knew it was time to go and walked away from Adette towards the doors where Aragorn stood waiting. He led me out into the sunlight and walked me to Herenvardo who was saddled and bridled.

"Are you sure you want to travel alone?" Aragorn asked, resting a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm sure. Don't worry mellon I will return before you know it." I patted his arm reassuringly, smiling. He returned it. "Watch over Adette for me."

"Of course."

I mounted Herenvardo, looking back to see Adette standing on the steps. She kissed her fingers and held them out in midair. I smiled and returned her gesture, mouthing the words, "I love you."

END OF FLASHBACK

Adette's POV

The second I watched him ride away I felt a gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach. It nagged at me and would not silence itself. Aragorn turned to me, walking up the steps towards me.

"Perhaps you should rest sister. I am sure you did not get enough sleep last night." He said gently, rubbing my arms.

"No I am fine." I smiled. "Come, let us take a walk around the castle. We have not seen each other in many weeks."

"I would love to." He seemed pleased and offered me his elbow. I slipped my arm through his and we walked down the steps and started our walk through the archway and into the garden.

"How is Arwen? I expect that she is in Rivendell preparing for the wedding in the spring?"

"She is well. Yes she is in Rivendell. She will return to Minas Tirith during the winter and stay here with me until spring comes. Then we will go back to Rivendell." He explained.

His voice was filled with excitement and I smiled even wider. My brother loved Arwen more than anything else, even more than me I suspected. Ever since I had first been introduced to her I had seen the love blossom between the couple. Although there were whispers about them, they ignored them.

"I never really realized just how alike we are." I said suddenly. He looked down at me, his eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Well we both fell in love with elves although we are human. We are both married…well you will be married to an elf. We both went against those who told us our relationships were wrong and followed our hearts."

He smiled and nodded in agreement. I spied the trellis and laughed. Aragorn looked around and spotted what had made me laugh and joined in.

"That trellis has served us well in the past."

"It has. Promise me you'll never take it down even when it begins to rot."

"I promise. I would never take it down." He sounded very serious about it too. I was glad that I was not alone in holding on to old memories.

When our walk ended, Aragorn took me inside so that we could review maps and papers together. He had a maid bring me a chair although I told him it wasn't necessary, but once I sat down I realized that the nagging pain deep in my stomach was still there.

"The Uruk-hai have not dared to set foot in Minas Tirith. Had they done so, they would no longer be alive. They seem to prowl only on the small villages and settlements." Aragorn pointed to small villages on the map.

"Where would be the best place to attack them?"

"I believe the best thing to do is to simply ride out and wherever we find them attack them there." He went to point at something else on the map when I inhaled sharply and touched my stomach. He circled the table. "Adette? What is wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong. I think I am just hungry." I looked away to hide the pained expression I knew was settling in on my features. It was really starting to hurt.

"I will have something brought to you right away." He placed his hand on my shoulder before he quickly departed. As he did I suddenly remembered something.

"I imagine it will be hard to get away."

"What do you mean?"

"My father told me that when he was away from my mother when she was pregnant, she would feel a pain in her stomach until he returned."

Legolas's POV

When night had fallen I continued to ride. Something was bothering me and I didn't know what it was. It was not the dulling pain in my shoulder or the thoughts of Mirkwood. Although I was troubled by that as well, something was shouting at me from the back of my head and I grew frustrated.

Before I could think anymore on the matter, my eyes caught sight of the glow of fire. I halted Herenvardo and dismounted him quietly, readying an arrow in my bow. I glided towards the place where the fire was, keeping quiet and moving on fast feet. When I reached the fire I was met with four cloaked figures whom I immediately knew.

My father looked up and met my eyes, his expression grim. I quickly made my way to his side and hesitantly reached for him. He hugged me, squeezing me tightly before letting go of me.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked him, and then turned to see the others. Dínendal and Alassë were seated beside each other, Dínendal's arm wrapped around Alassë's shoulders. Lenwë was staring into the flames. "Where is everyone else?"

"We are all that wished to continue on. The rest of the elves did not wish to follow us to Minas Tirith and so they stayed behind in the ruins of Mirkwood." My father answered.

"Lenwë, where is Silmarwen?" When I said this he slowly got to his feet and moved away from the fire. He disappeared further into the trees.

"She was killed in the attack." Dínendal said sadly. He pulled Alassë a bit closer to him. "He has not spoken since."

"Should I go to him?"

"No," Dínendal shook his head, "he will not speak to any of us. We just allow him his time to be alone."

A gloomy silence passed over us then. When one of us would open our mouths to speak we closed them shut and instead decided to wait for someone else to speak first. My father finally broke the silence.

"Legolas, did you ask Aragorn for aid?"

"I did. He and Adette are waiting for us at Minas Tirith. We should rest tonight and leave first thing in the morning. I have only one horse, upon which Alassë will ride. The journey should last us a day and a half."

"I agree." My father then turned to me. "How is Adette?"

Before I could answer I remembered what had been troubling me. I remembered telling Adette about the pain she would feel whenever I was far from her. I cursed myself.

"She probably hates me right now." I whispered.