Disclaimer: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work.

Chapter 28 – What is love?

Third Age 2804

(84 years later)

Rumil could not take his eyes off her. They spent the entire morning and half of the afternoon at their special spot beside the falls. He'd managed to convince Eruanna to join him for a swim…though convince might be too generous a word. He helped her into the water, against her better judgment. She was not too happy at first but it took Rumil only a few minutes of pleading and several dozen kisses to convince her to remain in the clear, cool water. They spent the morning playing beneath the falls and the afternoon lounging on the shore. Or more specifically, Rumil lounged on the shore while Eruanna spent the time sketching in her journal, a pastime she had come to enjoy greatly. Rumil would sit quietly by for hours while she captured the life of the Golden Words.

He wasn't quite sure how she'd managed to fall asleep without him noticing. She'd been lying on her side, drawing a picture of a clump of weeds growing out of some nearby rocks. Now, her head lie cradled in the crook of her arm, pencil still in hand. Rumil could not keep himself from staring. Her eyes fluttered beneath closed lids. He'd seen Eruanna like this only a handful of times in the years they'd spent together. The first time, she'd fallen asleep in his arms while they were watching the stars. A wave of terror washed over him when he noticed her eyelids had fallen shut. He took her by the shoulders and shook her awake. In his panic, he would not heed her calming words and proceeded to drag Eruanna to the healer's talan. The only people he'd ever seen asleep with closed eyes were wardens- gravely injured in battle.

In that fraction of a second before her eyes opened, he believed Eruanna dead, and it nearly destroyed him.

"What are you doing?"

A quiet voice brought Rumil back from that terrible memory. His gaze focused on the source. Eruanna's eyes were no longer closed, and her expression was one of careful concern.

Rumil's heart lifted at the sight of those beautiful eyes. He laughed lightly, driving away the concern he saw reflected there. "I was watching you sleep."

Eruanna sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes as she did. She had not forgotten the fear that possessed him the first time she'd fallen asleep in his company. He refused to believe her when she told him all was well. Even after the healer deemed her in perfect health, Rumil refused to leave her side. It had taken Erestor's firm assurances to quell the warden's fears.

Eruanna lifted a hand to stifle a yawn. Rumil's eyes were still upon her, a curious expression on his face. "You must find it odd," she managed to say, before another yawn took her.

Rumil would not lie to her, though a part of him was ashamed that anything about Eruanna could unnerve him. "It is somewhat disconcerting. Elves only close their eyes in sleep when injured."

Eruanna nodded at that and offered the ellon a playful smile. "Were you concerned for my health, my dear warden?"

Rumil shook his head. "No," he knew better now. It was not the threat of illness that sparked his concern. "However, you do appear quite vulnerable, sleeping thus." He crawled across the blanket that lay spread out beneath them and reaching Eruanna's side, leaned in to whisper in her ear. "It makes me wish to stay at your side, so that I may protect you forever."

Rumil's words tickled her ear. She turned wide, mirthful eyes upon him. "So that is what you desire…to protect me from harm?"

"Hmmm," was all the reply she received before Rumil's lips captured hers. His hands traced the lines of her face and danced through her hair.

Eruanna's mind refused to work whenever Rumil kissed her. In the years since their lips first touched, Eruanna had grown to cherish these gentle moments together. And yet, she could not forget Marilla's ardent words. Rumil's kisses made her heart flutter, but none had ever come close to Marilla's description of breathless passion. Only once or twice had Eruanna glimpsed in Rumil's eyes the fire of which Marilla spoke, but each time Rumil would pull back and the emotion within them would fade away.

Eruanna understood his fear. She was not a fool. And even if she were…Elrohir had made sure to inform her of Rumil's concerns before he and his brother departed.

"He loves you, little one, but he is afraid," Elrohir whispered.

The seriousness in Elrohir's voice disturbed Eruanna greatly, for it rarely boded well. "Afraid? I thought elven warriors possessed no fear."

Eruanna's stab at humor caught the ellon off guard. He smiled, but little of the expression reached his eyes. "He knows you have not decided if you will sail."

A tired sigh escaped Eruanna. It was true. She'd said as much to Rumil when the pair discussed her mother. Eruanna's fate remained undecided and such uncertainty was bound to weigh heavily upon him. "I understand."

Elrohir watched his companion's eyes grow distant. Where her thoughts wandered, he knew not. He had one last question for her…the same question Rumil had been unable to answer. "Do you love him?

Eruanna's eyes came back into focus but the answer to Elrohir's question eluded her. "I...,"she looked up to Elrohir with questioning eyes, as if he might possess the answer.

Elrohir saw the confusion in Eruanna's eyes, she looked to him for an answer, but he had none. "I've been told the only person who can tell you that you are in love is you."

Eruanna could not suppress a smile. "Wise words…worthy of Lord Erestor."

Elrohir's eyes grew wide at the unexpected…was it a compliment? "I'll remember to tell him you said so," he quipped.

Elrohir's thoughts returned to Rumil. The warden was his friend and had saved him from both orcs and Haldir's wrath on more than one occasion. He wanted to be sure Eruanna understood what her decisions would mean for him. "You cannot love Rumil and remain in Middle Earth. That choice would doom him. It would be better to walk away now."

Eruanna agreed wholeheartedly, and yet a thought plagued her…one she had not courage enough to share with Arwen. "And if I discover I do not love him?"

Elrohir shrugged, "Then you are free to make any choice without guilt or burden."

With those words a sudden fear rose within Eruanna, a fear that had been building since Arwen first declared Rumil's love for her. "What if I turn away, only to find that no one else shall ever love me again?"

Elrohir's heart constricted at the fear lacing Eruanna's words. How can she believe such? "It is not so," Elrohir stated firmly.

"How do you know?" Eruanna's eyes glistened with unshed tears. She wished so much to believe him.

Elrohir turned away from those pain filled eyes. The answer buried within him shouted to be freed. Before he could stop himself, Elrohir leaned closer to Eruanna and placed a kiss on the edge of her mouth. The gesture startled Eruanna, and she lifted a hand to her face, her eyes wide. "I know," was all he said to her before picking himself up and vanishing into the darkening wood.

Eruanna broke away from Rumil and turned her face up to see the sun. "The hour grows late. Do you not have a warden meeting soon?"

Rumil followed Eruanna's gaze and noted the time. They really should be getting back. "Yes," he sighed in dismay. "I'm afraid Haldir has come up with new border assignments and I must be there to challenge his decisions…"

Eruanna gave Rumil a meaningful look that told him he should not cause the Marchwarden undo trouble.

"…when appropriate," he added quickly, not wishing to incur the Lady's wrath.

Eruanna stood then and brushed the bits of leaf and twig off of her skirt. "I suppose that means I should escort you back to town. I wouldn't want you to get lost along the way."

Rumil jumped to his feet and with a grand flourish, bowed before Eruanna. "You are too kind, my Lady."

Eruanna laughed merrily at the elaborate gesture and returned it with a sweeping curtsy. They laughed at each other while hurriedly packing their picnic basket and other belongings before heading back to town.