"I love you." Eomer's words echoed throughout Legolas' mind as the elf lay in bed one spring morning. "I love you." He rolled over onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. "I love you." He might have been tempted to try to go back to sleep to escape them but he knew that it wouldn't work. Those three words had been haunting his dreams just as often – if not more – as they had his waking life in the few weeks that had passed since Eomer had whispered them. "I love you." "I love you." "I love you."

Why had he said that? What did he mean by it? What did he want from Legolas because of it? The elf slapped his hand over his eyes and felt guilty about selfishly considering waking Caladel up early so that he could focus on getting the boy ready for breakfast and not have so much time to mull over Eomer's declaration. When he was up and about Legolas was able to convince himself that the Man's words had only been a figure of speech, a slip of the tongue, something only uttered because of the passionate and intense encounter that had just happened between the two of them – in other words, absolutely nothing that he would have to worry about. During the day he let himself believe that Eomer loved him in that way that a person loves a friend who had become something a bit more. It was when Legolas was in bed with nothing to do but think that he was forced to remember how Eomer had always looked at him, how the Man acted when he was around, the tenderness and devotion he displayed every time he touched the prince, and he had to admit to himself that Eomer had meant every word that he had said: he was in love with Legolas.

Legolas' only comfort at the time was even though he alternated between being unsure of the answers to his first two questions and afraid of the answers' implications he never doubted the answer to the third: Eomer wanted nothing that the elf wasn't willing to give. Oh, he may desire to know if the person he loved was able to return the feelings but he wouldn't want to pressure him into saying or feeling anything. He hadn't said the words to his face loud enough so that he was certain that Legolas could hear them, after all; he'd whispered them at a volume that he obviously hadn't expected anyone to hear. However, that didn't change the fact that the words had been said, they had been heard, and now they were driving Legolas out of his mind with worry over what was going to happen next.

Normally Legolas would have made himself confront Eomer about it at once as soon as he realized how much the Man's declaration was troubling him. He had no doubt that Eomer would be understanding; honest but respectful as the two of them talked it over and figured out how to carry on. It had worked so well in the past, but this time…this time was different. This time Legolas, to his great uneasiness, wasn't sure how he felt and it was difficult to have a discussion about your feelings if one didn't know what they were yet.

'Oh, why couldn't things had stayed as they had been?' wondered Legolas forlornly. It would have been nice if he could turn back time to a place where he was sure beyond a doubt about how he felt about both Eomer and love. He loved Eomer as a dear friend and as someone who had the potential to be something more. That wasn't a terrible thing by a long shot, for it was the same happy, full-hearted feeling that he had for other people and places that he loved: Caladel for one, whom it seemed like Legolas was born to love. His father also ranked high on the list of people that the elf loved. Legolas also loved Gimli (although it wasn't something that he liked to admit to the dwarf) and the dear hobbits that he missed more and more each passing day. Elladan, Elrohir, and Arwen were dear in his heart as well and it pained him that he wasn't ready to face them yet. Elbereth, Legolas loved the realms of Eryn Lasgalan and the people belonging to them, Fangorn Forest and the Ents, trees of all types, and his loyal horse Arod. He did not love them all in the same way, of course, it all of it was love nonetheless and it was a powerful emotion that Legolas knew he was blessed to feel so abundantly. Legolas cherished that kind of love. Legolas could handle that kind of love.

Being in love was an entirely different thing altogether. Being in love required so much from a soul that it left it changed no matter what the outcome of that love was. The last time he'd let himself fall in love Legolas had forfeited everything that he previously was and had invested in building a different version of himself in the context of his relationship. When that failed so spectacularly he'd been left with the devastating task of taking the pieces that he had left and using them as a foundation to rebuild himself. Legolas had been in love with Aragorn and when he was completely truthful with himself he had to acknowledge that a number of those feelings for that Man still lingered even when he had every reason to hate him – a testament to how powerful being in love was. Being in love petrified the elf more than he could say.

Now, after years of rebuilding himself to the point where he felt like a complete person at last, he was faced with the emotion of in love once more. Could he ever be ready to fall in love again? It had been such a disaster the first time around; would he be able to survive it if it didn't work out again?

Maybe…maybe he was already in love with Eomer. In all of his musings Legolas hadn't failed to see that he was obsessing over the complications of being in love and if he was ready for it, not that he didn't feel it at all for the Man. True, the two of them had only been an official couple for a little over three months but then again that was about as much time as it had taken him and Aragorn to fall in love all those decades ago. In addition to that he and Eomer had been together as friends and parents for about four times that many months and it was clear now that their relationship had been progressively growing since the moment the king had pulled him off of Elfhelm's horse that first night in Edoras. There were many times as well when Legolas felt something in his heart and soul that gave him pause and made him happier than he'd been in a long time.

Did all of this amount to the elusive in love feeling? Legolas couldn't figure out a way to answer that. All he knew for certain was that, for Eomer and Caladel's sakes as well as his own, he couldn't allow himself to feel it if it was that until he knew that he was ready and he didn't yet know how he would be able to determine when that was.

'Maybe I should just dump all of this in Eomer's lap,' thought Legolas sardonically. 'If nothing else it might just make this whole situation go away. Eomer might be convinced to love me a little less if he saw how truly messed up I am.'

It would certainly uncomplicated matters if he and Eomer could just go back to loving each other in that first, nice way. So why was that that every time he thought about how Eomer felt about him the elf felt a burst of bliss before the panic set in? Why did the mere thought of the Man not being in love with him anymore make him feel so miserable?

Legolas let out a deep cleansing breath, rested his hands on his chest, and closed his eyes. Perhaps if he could just clear his mind of all of the complicated emotions, both negative and positive, he could find a way to get a better grasp on the situation. Yes, what he needed was stillness both of the body and of the mind and he would know what he needed to do. If only there wasn't that part of him that didn't want to stop hearing Eomer whispering: "I love you." "I love you." "I love you."...

He had been like that for several minutes; flat on his back with his eyes closed and lying perfectly still when he heard the connecting door between his and Caladel's bedchambers creak open. What was his son doing out of bed already? They had a little while before they had to be awake! Legolas listened carefully to the almost non-existent sound of small feet tip-toeing across the floor toward his bed. A few seconds later the footsteps ceased and the elf felt eyes on him, studying him intently, right before the mild air hit his body. Caladel had pulled back the covers, he realized; and before he could ask what was going on he felt the pressure of something heavier than most objects climbing up into bed with him. The covers were then replaced and Caladel moved Legolas' hands so that he could wrap one of the arms around himself and snuggle his little body against his ada, resting his head on his chest as if he was listening to his heart beating.

Legolas cracked an eye open and peered down at his oblivious child. "Ion nin?" he whispered in a calm voice, not wanting to startle him.

Caladel's head instantly shot up at the sound of his ada's voice. "Ada?" he asked as if amazed.

"Who else would it be in my bed?" teased Legolas gently.

"No one – it's just," Caladel stammered for the right thing to say. "You're awake!"

Why did that seem to excite the boy so? "Yes, I'm awake; I was just lying here thinking," Legolas told him, not untruthfully. Caladel didn't need to know the details of what he'd been thinking about and be burdened by his father's dilemmas when it came to love. Elbereth, knowing the elfling he wouldn't stop worrying about it himself. "And I should be the one who's amazed that you're awake! Usually it's all I can do to drag you out of bed. What are you doing up so early?"

"You don't know?" asked Caladel slowly, as if he'd expected his father to already understand.

"No," replied Legolas honestly, sifting desperately through his memory to see if he'd forgotten anything important happening in his son's life that day. Did he have an important play date? Had he and Eomer promised the boy that they would ride out to the newly planted tree grove in the afternoon? Nothing was coming to mind, but then again he'd had so much on it lately that it would have been easy to omit something. Damn! How could he let his worrying lead to him neglecting his child? "Are you excited about something that's happening today?"

"I wasn't excited about anything," replied Caladel earnestly.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Legolas continued to inquire.

The boy stared at him with an odd expression on his face before smiling and snuggling back down against him. "I just wanted to be with you," he declared in a quiet voice.

"Well, I can't imagine a better way to start the day than this," proclaimed Legolas, drawing his son into a huge embrace, kissing the top of his head, and nuzzling his hair with his cheek. "But I'm afraid that all good things must come to an end. We both have to get ready before we're late."

"Where are we going?" Caladel seemed to be very confused and even a little alarmed.

"To the same place that we go to every morning: the dining hall to have breakfast with your papa," Legolas told him. He might have sounded like he was teasing him again if it hadn't been for the increasing concern in his tone. He placed a hand on Caladel's forehead and didn't feel any hint that the boy had a fever. "Are you feeling well? You're acting a bit strange this morning."

"I'm fine," Caladel assured him. Although Legolas couldn't help but believe him on that he wasn't totally convinced that there was nothing more to it.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Good morning," greeted Eomer jovially as the dining hall door opened. He looked up and beheld an unexpected sight: it was Legolas and Caladel – which was not the unexpected part – but instead of bounding in on his own two feet as he normally did, the elfling was in his ada's arms. As if that wasn't enough, Caladel was clinging to Legolas like an extension of his body with his arms firmly around the elf's neck and his legs wrapped around his upper body. He couldn't help grinning. "What's this all about?"

Legolas dramatically hefted the load of child in his arms. "Our son insisted that I carry him all the day down here," he explained, shooting Caladel a wry half-smile as he gave the boy a big bear hug. "I see – or rather, I feel – that he's been doing some growing since the last time I carried him around like this for so long. What have we been feeding you, child?"

"Feeding me?" repeated Caladel. His eyes widened in realization and he began to squirm. "Put me down, Ada! I have to go talk to Fredwyn for a minute."

"All right," agreed Legolas, uncertain as to what triggered the sudden mood swing. He set him down and stared, perplexed, as Caladel took off like a shooting arrow. What in Middle-earth could possibly be so urgent? "But come back soon!" he could after him while the boy was still in earshot. "I don't want you bothering her while she'd cooking and running the kitchen!"

Eomer blinked as the door to the kitchen slammed shut. He looked across the table to where Legolas was sitting down. "I feel the need to repeat: what's this all about?" he inquired.

"I have no idea," replied Legolas, shaking his head. Eomer could tell that the elf was just as confused as he was and more than a little worried. "Something's gotten into him, that's for sure. He crawled into bed with me this morning before he had to wake up."

"A miracle," noted Eomer in astonishment, "or else a sign of the ending of the world."

"And that's not even all there is to it!" exclaimed Legolas. "He's been clinging to me so much since then. I had to pick him up and carry him all the way down here from our suite because he wouldn't let go of my leg. I don't understand – he had moments when all he wants to do is cuddle but he's never been this clingy before. I can't find a reason for it either – he doesn't appear to be ill and he keeps insisting that he's fine."

"That's strange," commented Eomer with a frown.

Before they could continue their discussion about their son's odd behavior, however, Caladel burst back into the dining hall, appearing decidedly more at peace than he had been when he left. Two harried-looking servants were at his heels, each carrying a tray with pastries, fruit, sausages, and drinks for breakfast. The boy wasted no time getting to the table (as he was wont to do when he was about to be fed) but instead of sliding into his usual place beside Legolas he scrambled into his ada's lap. The servants wordlessly set down his plate within reaching distance and handed him his fork before tending to the king and prince and leaving them to enjoy their meal.

There the child stayed, paying no heed to the concerned way that his parents' exchanged glances or the assessing looks that the servants gave the royal family before they departed, and did not move from his spot either during the meal or when the servants came back to clear away the empty plates and glasses at the end of breakfast. Through it all Caladel acted as if absolutely nothing was out of the ordinary. Though his parents tried to get him to open up he deflected their questions and comments with a mixture of childlike charm and avoidance. In fact, his mood was such that had he not been sitting on Legolas' lap neither the elf nor Eomer would have thought that anything was wrong.

Only when it was time to leave did the boy slip more into the odd behavior that he'd been displaying earlier. "All right, Caladel," announced Legolas, patting his son on the back. "It's that time once again for tutors and classmates and all that. I can want you to your lesson if you want."

"No," said Caladel matter-of-factly.

"As you wish," said Legolas in a purposefully light tone. Maybe it had just been a phase, a short reprieve in which his son wanted to spend as much time as he could with him once more. He understood that Caladel was growing up and that he needed to let him do that; and most fathers probably didn't get to be a little spoiled by their son's unwavering attention and affections every once and awhile like he had been that morning. Still, it stung a bit when the boy asserted his independence so bluntly. "In that case you'd best hurry off or you're going to be late."

"I didn't mean that I don't want you to walk me there," Caladel told him, throwing his arms around his ada and holding him in a vice-like hug. "I meant no, you don't have to walk me to my lessons because I'm not going to them today. I don't want to! I want to stay with you."

This was definitely not right. Caladel always looked forward to going to his lessons! Even if he didn't enjoy what was being taught itself there was not one tutoring session that he didn't have friends in. "I know that they can get a little boring at times, but they're important," Legolas said persuasively. "Besides, don't you want to see your friends?"

"I don't want them! I want you!" cried Caladel stubbornly, holding onto his ada tighter. "Please don't make me go and leave you."

His plea broke Legolas' heart. "Oh Caladel, please tell me what's wrong!" he begged, rocking his son slightly just like he used to when he was crying as a baby or a toddler. "Your papa and I want so badly to help you but we can't do anything until we know what the problem is."

"Has someone been mean to you?" pressed Eomer as he walked around to the pair and placed soothing hands on the boy's back. He felt a bit ridiculous for getting so enraged at some phantom five-year-old who might be picking on his son but maybe there was something more sinister at the root of Caladel's behavior. It could be that the elfling was afraid of the tutor he had that day: perhaps the Man had been too cruel in his punishments or maybe (Eomer's mood darkened and he growled silently at the thought) he had taken certain liberties with Caladel that no adult should take with a child. "Has anyone done anything to you to make you feel uncomfortable? You can tell us, my son. Even if you think – or someone told you – that we would get angry at you for telling us, we swear that we will not."

"It's none of those things, really," insisted Caladel, not letting go of Legolas. "I just think that Ada needs me more than I need to see my friends or go to some silly lesson."

"But I'm all right," Legolas told him. "If I'm the only reason why you don't want to go to your lessons then that's no excuse. Those lessons are very important. I don't understand, Caladel; you've always liked them before…"

As Legolas continued to coax Caladel into going to his lessons – a difficult feat, but he eventually managed to do so – Eomer quietly excused himself and walked to the door to the main corridor. Opening it he found the guards assigned to protect him, Legolas, and Caladel standing attentively at their duties. "Trumwine," he commanded, gesturing to Caladel's guard to come to him. The Man obeyed and leaned forward to hear his king's order. "You are to keep a very close eye on Lord Caladel today. That means going into his lesson instead of waiting outside – but make sure that your presence is unobtrusive, better yet unnoticed, so that you can observe things as they would be if you weren't in there. Never let him out of your sight. Report back to the me and the prince about anything negative, like someone being cruel to him, or unusual, like someone paying him a little too much attention; I don't care if you think it's minor, or maybe just your imagination, or something that happens to all children. Most importantly, pull him out of there at once if you even suspect that something destructive is happening to him."

"Has something happened already?" asked Trumwine in alarm.

"I can't say for certain," answered Eomer, letting a bit of his fear and frustration come through for a second as he glanced back at his child. He accidentally caught Legolas' eye as he hugged Caladel again and Eomer knew that his love understood what orders he was giving to the guard. "But he's definitely hiding something and I want to know what it is."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Eomer leaned back in his office chair, willing himself not to obsess over what was happening to Caladel. The guard would follow his instructions to the letter, he was sure, so the boy was safe in his charge. What he needed was a distraction that was almost as worrisome; something like…the sealed message that had been sitting on his desk since yesterday afternoon. One of the soldiers assigned to patrolling the southern border had delivered it, which confused Eomer as to why his soldiers were doing the job of another realm's messenger until he saw the familiar handwriting of the delivery instructions on the piece of parchment. He'd gratefully thanked the soldier for his quick thinking and set it aside, telling himself that he'd get to it – if he had the time – after he took care of Rohan's business but knowing that he really didn't want to read it.

Well, that would keep his mind off of other matters that he couldn't control yet. The Man summoned up all of his resolve, snatched the letter off of the desk, and broke the seal before he could talk himself out of doing it yet again. Very slowly he unfolded it and read:

Friend Eomer,

Forgive me for not keeping in touch as of late. My only excuse is that the past year has been very eventful. The Valar have blessed me with my new daughter, Miriel, as you well know. I trust that the official card reached you, but I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you again for your congratulations and gift. She spoke her first word last month; which, I am pleased to announce, was 'dada'. She is truly her father's child and I could not love her more.

Elladan and Elrohir (my foster brothers) have been in Minas Tirith since late last fall and will continue their visit until the end of the summer at the latest. They have promised my son that they will at least stay until his birthday celebration and I will see to it that they keep their word. You, of course, are invited to my Eldarion's party, as always; I know that you are a busy Man but I continue to hope that one year you will be able to find the time to attend.

How have you been faring since our last correspondence? I inquired after you last week when I had the opportunity to dine with your sister and her husband. Eowyn informed me that she's found your last letters to her rather elusive but that she could tell that you were very happy. Faramir also mentioned to me on another occasion that he might be asking to take temporary leave of his duties as steward in the next few months so that he can accompany Eowyn on a visit to your fine country. Knowing how much you love your sister, I'm sure that you can't wait.

The only other news on my end is no news, I'm afraid. Legolas is still missing and no one has yet to find any clues as to why he disappeared or where he might be. I refuse to give up on him, though, and continue to do what I am able to find him. If you hear or see anything, no matter how unlikely or ambiguous, please contact me immediately.

Your friend and brethren-in-arms,

Aragorn

Sighing, Eomer refolded the letter neatly and placed it back on his desk. It was nothing more than what he typically got from Aragorn; just a brief, friendly note, filled with pleasant news and ending with a plea for aid in the search for Legolas. Thankfully the king of Gondor hadn't had much time to write in the last year or so, as this note filled Eomer with so many mixed emotions that it was hard to see straight. Besides his obvious difficulties in communicating with Aragorn, it was particularly troubling in another way, as it told of a complicated matter to come: his sister and Faramir were planning a possible visit.

He'd never told Eowyn about Legolas and Caladel, not wanting to put her in the position of being torn between her loyalties to her brother; her loyalties to her husband who in turn owed his allegiance to the king of Gondor; and to her own loyalties to Aragorn, whom she admired even though she no longer felt any romantic feelings for him. His problem in doing this had apparently come through in his letters: pretty much all of his private life revolved around the elf and their son that he had to check himself to make sure that he didn't accidentally let something spill. Now his letters had been so mysterious that it made Eowyn very motivated to visit.

Eomer couldn't stop her from coming; nor did he want to, as he missed his beloved sister dearly and was eager to see if she was still as happy in her marriage to Faramir as she claimed to be. At the same time he wouldn't be able to hide the fact that Legolas and Caladel lived there once she arrived at Meduseld. Even if the two were to go to Fangorn or Eryn Lasgalan during her visit, it was too close: some clue would be left behind or someone would unintentionally let something slip. Things would get dicey if that happened because it would look as if Eomer had, at best, maliciously kept the truth from Aragorn, and, at worst, had been responsible for Legolas' disappearance in the first place, keeping the elf in Rohan for so long that he'd managed to brainwash his captive into thinking that he was staying there of his own will. It was the cold, liberating, frightening truth: they simply wouldn't be able to hide Legolas' whereabouts and Eomer's claims to be his child's sire for much longer.

The Man pinched the bridge of his nose as a knock sounded on his door. "Yes?" he called.

"It's Legolas," the elf answered from the other side. "May I ask you for a favor?"

"You can even come in and ask me for it face-to-face," replied Eomer with a smile, unable to worry about Aragorn, his sister, and secrets when he heard the voice of the one he loved so much. He quickly tucked Aragorn's letter under a pile of miscellaneous parchment as Legolas entered the office. With all that was going on with Caladel that day there would be no harm in delaying another source of stress until tomorrow. "Have a seat and tell me what I can do for you."

"I've been writing some letters to keep from driving myself crazy about what could be bothering Caladel," explained Legolas. Eomer had filled him in on the details of his commands to the boy's guard as soon as Caladel left with Trumwine to his lesson and Legolas had agreed that it was the best course of action to take. "Now I find myself in need of the services of a messenger."

"To Eryn Lasgalan?" questioned Eomer with a confused expression on his face. Even if he could talk one of his Men into going into the forbidding Woodland Realm there shouldn't have been a need for it. "But I thought that your father had someone whose main responsibility it was to keep the lines of communications between you open by carrying all of your messages. I mean, he's here so often that elf is practically a Rohirrim."

"They're not to Ada or anyone else in his realm," said Legolas, fingering the arms of the chairs anxiously. "They're for Merry, Sam, and Pippin in the Shire. The time has come for me to reconnect with the hobbits."

Eomer had not been expecting this. "Why?" he wondered aloud. Legolas looked slightly taken aback. "It's not that I'm not happy about it; it's just that you haven't initiated contact with anyone from your life before until now. What helped you make this decision now?"

"I've been thinking a lot lately about the people I care about," Legolas told him wistfully. "It's just that I lost so many years with all of them except Caladel and the Ents while I was hiding in Fangorn Forest and I don't want to lose any more. You've told me stories about them from time to time, especially about Merry, but those only make me miss them more. Now Frodo's gone forever before I got the chance to tell him how dear he was to me and I don't want that to happen with the other three."

"That's understandable," said Eomer. "I must admit that I was surprised when you didn't send word to them after you reconnected with your father."

"I didn't want to have to ask them to keep it a secret from Aragorn," explained Legolas sheepishly. "But the time has come for me to rebuild the bridges that I've burned."

The Man's eyes strayed for a second to a certain pile of parchment on his desk. "That means you're also going to have to tell Aragorn," he pointed out hopefully. The next few months would go so much better if Legolas was completely willing to reveal his whereabouts to the other king. "The hobbits won't be able to keep it a secret from him for long even if they tried. Are you ready for that?"

"No?" Legolas laughed a little. "But I'm not going to let that stop me from reclaiming my friends any longer. I'm going to ask the hobbits to let me tell Aragorn myself. With how long it will take for the messages to get to the Shire and how long it would take for any messages to be written and sent out from there to either me or Aragorn I guess I have about two months to find a way to tell Aragorn where I am and to do it."

"That's good," Eomer cleared his throat, deciding it would be all right to let him know his news now, "because I found out today that my sister is thinking about paying me a visit this summer."

Legolas smiled warmly at him. "Wonderful; I know how much you've missed her," he said sincerely. He would have to clear the air soon, then; he didn't want his issues interfering any more in Eomer's relationships as they had in his own. It was a horrible fate to inflict on anyone, especially one he cared so deeply ('How deeply? In love deeply?') about.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Morning lessons had come and gone too slowly for the tastes of each member of the royal family but at last Caladel had been released to the dining hall to have lunch with his fathers'. While he again ate from Legolas' lap Eomer had taken Trumwine aside once more and asked for his report. He was both relieved and strangely disappointed when the guard informed him that nothing bad or unusual had happened to the boy, who'd acted distracted but otherwise all right during his lessons; at least now Eomer and Legolas had some reassurances about that, but it also meant that they were no closer to discovering the reason behind Caladel's out-of-character behavior. Reluctantly the king had gone back to work and the elfling in question had spent his lessons-free afternoon with his ada. In that time if Caladel wasn't on Legolas' lap he was never more than two steps away. The prince continued to try to get some explanation out of him but none was forthcoming. Legolas did notice, however, that in the last hour before dinner Caladel became increasingly bouncy.

Now as the family sat in the dining hall awaiting their food Caladel was back in his usual seat, squirming with a broad grin on his face. "Ion nin," Legolas tried once more. "Why have you been acting as you have been today?"

"I know something you don't know," squealed the boy excitedly. "It's a surprise!"

"What sur" –

"Happy anniversary!"

Eomer and Legolas whipped around to see Fredwyn and the kitchen staff pouring out into the dining hall, each with a tray laden with all the makings of a grand feast. "Anniversary?" repeated the Man.

"Yes!" nodded the cook enthusiastically as she set down her tray. She looked between her king and the two elves and beamed. "It's been one year to the day – well, it was night I suppose – that Prince Legolas and Lord Caladel came to Edoras. I can't believe that you two forgot; the lord certainly didn't! We had a big feast planned for breakfast but he came running in, asking that we wait until dinner for some reason."

"You didn't remember, Ada," explained Caladel. "The bad stuff that always makes you sick on this day each year, I mean. I thought that you were sick this morning until you started talking to me and that's when I knew you didn't remember and I didn't want to remind you in case it made you sick again. That's why I needed to be with you today, Ada: because you needed me to take care of you and make sure that the bad stuff didn't hurt you again."

Legolas was visibly shaking. It was six years to the day that he had to stand there and watch Aragorn marry Arwen. For the past five years he'd spent that awful anniversary in a senseless, grief-induced fit no matter how much he tried to ward it off and today it would have passed without him knowing it if he hadn't just been reminded. The grief of losing Aragorn no longer held such debilitating power over him and he understood why at last. "My goodness," he breathed.

Eomer rushed around the table, seized the elf's hands, and knelt before him. "What is it?" he asked. "Are you all right?"

"I'm better than all right!" proclaimed Legolas happily. "For the past five years I've been filled with so much grief and fear that this day always drove me into a fit like the one I was in last year but today those emotions have been tamed and held back by all the joy I've been given this last year. I have Ada and Gimli back in my life and am taking steps to get more friends back too. I have the people of Rohan all around me making me feel welcome, an archery class that gives me friendly companionship and a sense of usefulness, and a place to call home. I've seen my sweet Caladel grow so much into an even more remarkable person, with more people to love and be loved by in return as he finally got to take his place in the world outside of Fangorn Forest. And I have you, Eomer; the strong, kind, wise, handsome, and attentive Man who accepts me, helps me grow stronger by both supporting and challenging me, and loves me."

"You know…you know that I'm in love with you?" asked Eomer in shock before realization set in. "You heard me."

"I know and I heard," confirmed Legolas, almost bursting with his emotions and certainty. "Now it's time for you to know and hear that I feel the same way about you. I love you, Eomer; I am in love with you."

To be continued…

A/N: Last chapter saw this story's 400th review (and beyond). Thank you so much to everyone who takes the time to give me feedback!