Chapter 5: I Know Your Eyes

Chapter Synopsis: Valaina watches over Henduluin, who was knocked unconscious after the spell was complete. She wonders about what will change when he awakes. When he finally comes to he must decide what to do.

& Key Points: In this chapter, underlined stand for Nandorin. &

amrawo: You're one of those reviewers who reviews every chapter aren't you? Well great because I could use a faithful reader! Haha. Well I appreciate your reading and again, this update is for you.

The sun finally began to set on that draining day. Both the elf and the she-elf were exhausted though it had spent Henduluin far more than it had her.

Legolas. She corrected herself with a heavy heart. His name was Legolas. Prince of Mirkwood, of the Woodland Realm, to be exact. She remembered the comment she had made, that if he were of noble blood than he would not have been wandering. But he was of noble blood. A prince by the Valar! She had fallen in love with a prince and what was worse, she was almost certain that he returned the feelings. It would have hurt her had he not loved her in return but it would kill her if though he loved her he could not be with her.

She re-wet the rag that she had used for his forehead. She then rang it out, placing it on his head again. He looked peaceful enough and he was silent, unmoving. She had seen him like this before but this time around made her uneasy. She did not know what he would say or think upon waking.

"Legolas when will you open your eyes? Will they still be blue? Your blue? Or will they be strange to me?" She asked as though he would answer. She wished that he would.

She remembered feeling very dizzy and weak, nearly falling to her knees when he had caught her. He had cradled the back of her head with her face pressed into his shoulder. She felt safe and secure in his hold. But then he had fallen to his knees and she had gone down with him.

"Valaina." He had whispered before beginning to fall away from her. She had reacted quickly though still weak herself. She had been holding his shirt in her fists and pulled him upright, crying out in desperation from the effort. Staggering to her feet she held him under the arms, dragging royalty back into the house.

Once she had yanked him up onto her bed she had collapsed to the floor in tearless sobs. She was tired and could feel the lightheadedness drifting away and being replaced by an uncomfortable migraine that tightened her skull as if to break it into tiny pieces. But she was concerned for Legolas who was still unconscious and had remained that way even as the sun began to set.

She leaned forward on her knees beside the bed, taking Legolas's hand into her own. She studied it in her own, palm facing upward. She traced the lines, the faint and the deep, with her fingertips as delicately as if his hand were beautiful lace. She tried to memorize each one for she knew not if she would see him again. He would surely leave, there was no doubt in her mind.

She felt the calluses, signs that he had wielded the bow even before he used her father's, and smiled when she looked down at her other hand. She too had calluses marring her hands from all of the work she did. In that aspect they were alike, both hard working. But he was a prince.

"Darkness has come. Believe and you will find your way. Darkness has fallen." She murmured solemnly, replacing his hand and getting to her feet. She would not deny her fatigued body any longer, depositing herself beside the elf. She dared not nestle up to him though she wanted to, but lying beside him was enough. "Darkness has come. I hope that you will find your way, wherever it may be. Darkness has come…and has fallen on me."

"Greenleaf. Greenleaf. Greenleaf. GREENLEAF."

Legolas awoke with a start, sitting straight up. The forehead fell off of his forehead and into his lap. He picked it up in his hand and held it in front of his face to see.

The underground kingdom. The other elves and she-elves of Mirkwood. His father and his younger brother. His title. His name. Images continued to flash through his mind and re-remind him of who he was. Of what he had forgotten over the past few weeks. So it had not been a dream. He really had recovered his past.

He could remember his father. His fading brown hair sprinkled with silver, just dusting his broad shoulders. His strong physique, able to outmuscle any elf or human he met, wrestling with his two sons when they were elflings. Their mother would watch them playing together with a smile just as lovely as she was. How his father missed her. How he missed his father, and his brother.

He looked to his side and saw a she-elf sleeping beside him. She looked peaceful, her face stoic and her eyes closed to reveal that she was exhausted for elves slept with their eyes open. But her breathing was deep and heavy as though she had not been able too in quite some time, as though she were afraid that her next breath would be the last. She must have been very tired.

Valaina. He knew her. She had restored his memories to him. She had taken care of him. She had stolen from him but he was glad that she had. She had stolen his heart. He was sure of it, more sure of it than anything ever before.

She moaned just then, wrinkles disrupting the evenness of her face. Both arms were positioned the same way, one stretched up further than the other. Palms facing upward and fingers curled just slightly. One rested against her cheek while the other was nested in the pillow. But as she moaned her arms twitched as if to move but they remained in their places.

Legolas shooshed her softly, leaning down towards her. He moved slowly, cautiously, so as not to wake her. His fingers brushed over the freckle he had seen just as she was casting the spell, the one dotting her shoulder. Her skin was warm against his. He allowed his fingers to move past her shoulder, skimming her collar bone. He pulled his fingertips back and hesitated before cupping her face. He was surprised when she leaned into his touch, rubbing her cheek deep into his palm. Stray hairs that had fallen from her braid twisted into his fingers.

He was pleased with her reaction to him and a smile crept across his features. When she had stopped him before he could tell her he loved her, he had become worried that she did not think of him that way. But the emotions mirrored in her eyes told him differently. They told him that she did care for him in the same way but that she was afraid. And he knew why. She had been afraid to lose him if his memories caused him to forget. But how could he forget her?

Valaina who had saved his life and had cared for him. Valaina whose blush never failed to bring a smile to his face. Valaina who had the cutest dimples that brought out her contagious smile, which was even cuter when she tried to cover it up with her hand. Valaina who would often read to him from her books or tell him stories as they sat at the table or lay in bed unable to sleep. Valaina.

He could name off hundreds of reasons as to why he had fallen for her and yet they didn't seem to matter. Just looking down at her, holding her face, feeling her skin against his, was enough. He was sure that had he known from the beginning that he was Prince Legolas of Mirkwood he would have fallen in love with her. He felt that strongly and he wanted very badly to tell her. And he would when she woke. But for now he would let her sleep.

He made sure that he did nothing that would be disrespectful to her as he carefully lowered himself to lie with her. He moved his arms about her waist and gently laid his head upon her chest. He sighed in contentment, falling asleep with the beating of her heart as his lullaby.

The sun's rays shone through the circular hole in the ceiling, falling in on the sleeping couple to wake them for the day. It had risen three hours before and was calling out to them to rise. It feared that perhaps they were dead for they slept so soundly and so peacefully. Like stones, but they breathed.

Valaina was first to awaken from her slumber. Her eyes slowly opened to the day and she sighed, stretching her arms over her head. But she then became aware of a weight resting on her chest. It was not uncomfortable by any means but she wondered what it could be. She yawned and looked down, her eyes widening upon seeing what it was. Or rather who it was.

Legolas's chin was resting on her breastbone. His eyes were open, staring at her. She had not the time to wonder how long he had been watching her sleep or ask him why he was lying so close for she was so startled that she let out a weak scream. This worried him that she might be angry with him and so he lifted his head, watching as she fell to the floor.

"Valaina!" He exclaimed, throwing back the covers. He crouched down on the floor over her, the both of them simply studying each other. He cocked his head to the side and watched her face and the warring emotions volleying each other back and forth in her eyes. She in turn watched him though she was trying to tell her body to curtsy or bow her head or do something. She wasn't sure what to do around royalty and so she decided that averting her eyes was enough. This made him curious.

"Forgive me Prince Legolas, I know not how to address you in the appropriate way. I hope that I have not offended you." She said softly. With every word Legolas's frown deepened. He shook his head at her apologies and kneeled down out of his crouch.

"You can address me as Legolas. There is no 'proper' way to address me so you have not offended me." He said simply. She raised her eyes and her face seemed a bit angry but he didn't let that faze him. "Or you can call me Henduluin. That kind of grew on me."

She shook her head, getting to her feet and heading for the door. She couldn't believe he wasn't taking this seriously. He was supposed to tell her to call him Prince Legolas and leave her to go back to his kingdom.

…so why wasn't he?

"Valaina!" He called after her, scrambling to his own feet. He chased after her as she stomped deeper into the forest, muttering angry curses under her breath. He couldn't understand her and so he decided that she was speaking Nandorin. He caught up to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I did not know you spoke Nandorin."

She whirled around, his hands flying back from her. Her honey colored hues were angry and swirling with confusion. She appeared frustrated and he could feel it attacking him, blaming him for the way she felt.

"Damn it. Why is this happening? By the Valar why? Why did you have to come here if you were just going to be a prince? I wish you had never come here. Damn it." She spoke so quickly that he barely saw her lips moving, her words were frantic and ran together. It didn't help that she was speaking another language either.

"Valaina-"

"Why by the Valar did I have to fall in love with you? Why?" She realized all too late that she had spoken Sindarin and not Nandorin. But instead of dwelling on that she went to continue but couldn't.

Legolas had understood her. He had heard what she said and though he saw the desperate look on her face, he was happy that she felt the same way for him. He watched her trying to form words while she balled up her fists and raised them, attempting to say what she needed to.

"I just…I just…" She tried each time but her voice cracked. He stepped in, holding her shoulders fast and shaking her slightly. "If it weren't for your stupid blue eyes or your…your smile or…"

"Valaina be quiet. I do not know what the Nandorin words you said meant but I know that they were bad from the way you said them. Valaina I do not care if I am a prince. I would not care if I were a king. You are in my life now and I thank the Valar that you are."

He looked into her eyes, still holding onto her shoulders. She saw the passion in his eyes for her and loved the way his blue eyes shined. She wasn't imagining it. His eyes were for her. The look in them was for her. She felt his hands release her, only to move to her face. One hand cupped her cheek while the other raised her chin, holding it there as he slowly leaned in. She did the same, watching him through half lidded eyes.

"I love you." He whispered just loud enough for her to hear. Though he could hear the trees snickering and jesting all around them, as could she, he captured her lips with his own. Hers were soft and full beneath his, the feeling of silk. She moved her fingers into his blonde mane as he deepened the kiss, inviting himself into her mouth though she gladly accepted.

It lasted for what seemed like forever but ended all too soon. The couple pulled away, Legolas keeping his face at her level while she continued to tangle her fingers in his hair. They moved about his face, tracing his nose and mouth, lingering beneath his eyes and over the lids. She smiled.

"Damn your eyes Legolas Thranduilion." She murmured, continuing her inspection of his face. He smiled and took her fingers, kissing the tips of them.

"You will not call me Henduluin then?" To this she laughed and he found he loved the sound more than even the sounds of the trees speaking. It was wonderfully close in proximity and the sound rippled through him pleasantly.