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Chapter 20

After meeting with the king for a brief time, they were allowed to retire. Carita walked behind the golden haired woman she had learned was the king's niece, Éowyn. "Our extra rooms are not much," Éowyn said and Carita smiled as she shook her head.

"I do not require much, my lady," Carita said and the woman turned her blue eyes to her. "All I require is a bed, and hopefully the opportunity to bathe." Éowyn gave her a smile and she nodded her head.

"I shall have a wash tub and hot water brought into your chamber for you to bathe."

"Thank you," Carita said. She was suddenly thankful she had kept her pack and spare clothes with her when they had ran from the riverbank and after their friends.

"Here you are," Éowyn said as she opened a chamber door to reveal a small room with a bed, chair, and a fire already burning brightly in the fireplace. "It should not be long for the maids to bring in the wash tub."

"Thank you again, this is more than adequate." Éowyn nodded and quickly left Carita as she walked into the room. The shutters of the window were closed, but she could feel a slight breeze filter in through the wood. She sighed and unclasped her cloak. She took it off and draped it over the chair. She then placed her back on the chair and once again unbuckled her sword. She propped it up against the wall and moved over to the fireplace. She held her hands out and took in the slight warmth of the flames although she was not cold.

After a moment, Carita moved her long braid over her shoulder and untied the leather tie from her hair and slowly unbraided her hair. As she tossed her binding onto her pack, there was a swift knock on the door.

"Come in," she called and the door opened to reveal several women.

"Excuse us, my lady," one of the first women said. "Lady Éowyn requested that we bring you a wash tub and water." Carita nodded and quickly went over to help. "It is alright, we can manage." Carita shook her head.

"Do not be silly," Carita chided as she helped the two women carrying the heavy tub. "I know that these things are heavy." The women sighed as they put the tub down by the fireplace. "Thank you," she said and the women nodded as four more came into the room and poured steaming water into the tub.

"We shall come in two hours to retrieve the wash tub." Carita nodded.

"Alright, thank you again," she said and the women nodded before they quickly left the room. The water looked inviting but she wondered what she could use to wash her self with when she spotted a small metal bucket one of the maids left that held a bottle of soap with a small cloth for washing and a larger piece of cloth for Carita to dry herself with. Carita smiled and quickly ridded herself of her clothes and then taking the small piece of cloth and soap in hand climbed into the hot water.

Soon, her hair and body were washed and she was just letting her body relax and soak in the still warm water. She laid her head against the tub and sighed as she closed her eyes. There was a knock at her door, but she figured whoever it was could come back, she just wanted peace. However, she had not counted on the person knocking opening the door and coming inside her chamber.

"Carita?" came Legolas' voice and she gasped quietly as she quickly folded her arms over her chest and looked at the elf wide eyed. Legolas had frozen when he had spotted Carita in the tub, and his eyes were locked on her.

"I think it wise that you leave and come back later," she said briskly when Legolas had not moved and only stared at her. She felt her cheeks blazing from embarrassment and the fact that Legolas still had yet to move from where he stood. "Legolas!" she hissed and the elf jerked his head and looked away from her before he cleared his throat.

"I am sorry, Carita," he said quickly. "I . . . I shall come back later," he said before he stepped away and closed the door tightly behind him. Taking a deep breath Legolas let go of the doorknob and ran his hand down his face. From that moment on whenever Carita did not answer the door, he would never assume that she was asleep.

Carita laughed softly as she moved her hands to her mouth. Aside from the fact that she was completely mortified at Legolas walking in on her, she couldn't help but giggle at the look that had graced his face. In a way she felt very satisfied in the fact that she had that effect on him, even though he saw nothing more than her bare shoulders, neck and face.

After Carita had dressed in her last fully clean white tunic and black leggings, she sat upon her bed, her knees drawn to her chest and her arms wrapped around her shins as she watched the flames of the fire dance happily. The maids had emptied and taken away the wash tub, and shortly after they had left there was yet another knock on her door.

"Come in," she called knowing full well who it had to have been and when Legolas stepped into the room and his eyes quickly adverted from hers she smiled. "It is alright, Legolas," she teased as she lowered her legs and moved so she was cross legged and looking up at him.

"I am sorry," he said again as he glanced at her, but then held her gaze at the smile on her face.

"I know you did not see anything that would dishonor me," she said and Legolas nodded, but he could not help the light blush that graced his cheeks as he looked at her. "What is it you wanted?" Carita was surprising herself the calm she was showing, but inside she was fighting a battle in her heart on whether or not to tell him what she had tried to so many times.

"I was hoping to speak with you," he said quietly and slowly walked over to where she sat. She nodded and gestured to the bed.

"Sit," she said and Legolas nodded as he did so, on the edge of the bed and some distance from Carita. She laughed and shook her head, her still damp hair moving over her shoulder as she did so. "I will not bite." Legolas smiled and seemed to relax at her comment because he too chuckled. "Now, what did you want to speak about?" she asked and Legolas sighed. She tilted her head when he looked away and in the embers. "Legolas?" she asked softly.

"I cannot do this," he said softly and Carita frowned.

"Do what?" she asked and he turned his eyes to her.

"I've realized something, Carita," he said.

"What's that?" she asked. He sighed quietly and stood, grasping her hands as he did so and pulled her from the bed and onto her feet. Startled, she met his gaze evenly and frowned.

"I . . .," he trailed off and sighed heavily before he pulled his hands away from her and turned around. Carita knew something was wrong. Something had to have been wrong for him to act so strangely. Shaking her head she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she slowly opened her eyes and looked at his back.

"I love you," she said and saw his shoulders stiffen before he slowly turned around and looked at her, surprise clear in his blue eyes. "That is what I have been trying to tell you since before we sent Boromir off to his forefathers. That is what I had been about to tell you in the stable. I realized it long ago, and I do not wish to be parted from you without you knowing." She had spoken so quickly she was not certain if he understood her, because she herself was uncertain of her own words, but when he closed the distance between them and captured her lips in a searing kiss she knew that he understood.

She whimpered softly against his lips as he pressed her body so tightly against his with one hand and then buried the fingers of his other hand in her hair. Carita wrapped her arms around him and he deepened the kiss. Carita pulled her lips from Legolas because air was much needed. Her eyes met his and the large smile that was on his face. He slowly moved his hand from her hair and ran his fingers down her face. Their bodies were still pressed tightly against each other, but Carita did not mind in the very least.

"What was your realization?" she asked quietly before she cleared her throat. Legolas chuckled and leaned into her and kissed her softly on the lips before his lips moved down to her chin, along, her jaw and then down her neck. Carita sighed and gripped onto his back tightly.

"That I love you," he whispered across her neck before he placed another kiss on her neck. Carita felt her entire body tremble and she let her head loll back and another sigh escape. His lips slowly retraced their path and yet again reclaimed her lips, but much more gently than they had claimed them the first time. As they stood there, yet another knock sounded at the door and Legolas slowly pulled his lips away and sighed as he rested his forehead against hers.

"The world is against us," she whispered teasingly and Legolas chuckled as he raised both his hands to her face and tucked her hair behind her ears, letting his fingers linger on the roundness of hear ears. "We are lucky we even got to speak our words to each other."

"Its true, Carita," he said softly his smile gone from his lips. "I love you." Carita nodded her head and smiled up at him teary eyed.

"I know," she whispered, "and I you." Legolas smiled and leaned into her again, but before his lips could touch hers the person outside her door grew impatient and knocked once more. She sighed and moved away from his arms and over to the door. She opened it and saw Éowyn standing on the other side.

"Forgive me, were you asleep?" she asked and Carita smiled and shook her head thankful the woman couldn't see her flushed face thanks to the limited torchlight in the corridor.

"No, I was not," she said softly and Éowyn nodded. "I wanted to bring you a bit to eat, I realized that you had not come for a meal with the others and I thought you might be hungry." Carita smiled and took the tray of a small plate of dried meat and bread and a goblet of water.

"Thank you," Carita said. "In truth I am rather hungry," she said and Éowyn smiled with a nod.

"When you are finished, just leave the tray outside the door and the maids will take it." Carita nodded. "Rest well."

"You too," she said and closed the door turning to see Legolas staring into the fire. He looked at her and she smiled at him.

"I should go," he said softly and Carita moved over to the chair and took her pack from it before sitting the tray down and then turning to Legolas.

"So soon?" she asked in a whisper and Legolas smiled.

"Aye, you must rest and so should I," Legolas said. "But I will sleep well knowing what I now know." Carita smiled at him before she moved over to him and embraced him.

"As will I," she whispered into his chest and he ran his hand down the back of her head.

"Does this mean we have broken our promise?" he asked and she looked up at him as his hand left her head.

"Hmm?" she asked confused and he smiled.

"We promised to explore our hearts after this war," he said simply and Carita smiled.

"You will see before this journey ends that you need him more than you will ever know," Galadriel's words echoed in her mind and she shrugged her shoulders before she kissed him again. Legolas sighed when he pulled his lips away and looked down at her.

"I must go," he said again, but that time his voice was laced with something she could not quite deceiver. She nodded and he kissed her once more before he slipped silently from the room. Carita sighed and placed her hand over her heart to still its rapid beating before she let out a small laugh and spun around. Forgetting the food and water on the chair, she laid upon her bed and closed her eyes. For the first time in many, many years she was truly and utterly happy.