She perked up immediately, "'The others'? You mean there are other people who have come here already? I am not the first?"
"No, you're not, Jeanna." Legolas said as they came into the flap and sat down at a small mat, where he gave her a jug of water to drink. She took it and drank deep draughts of water, because her training and sparring has made her very thirsty, "Other women have come here before, all leaving after realizing that what they had in their hearts was lifted. Whether it was pain or fear, they left this world without it. Hebo estel (Have hope), I am sure it would happen to you as well."
She shrugged as she sat down the rug, "I am not too sure about that."
Legolas peered into her eyes again, "I am. The pain you feel, it is not forever. As Elves, having lived decades of mortal years, we have known this. Although for us, having a broken heart can be quite fatal…"
"What do you mean?" She asked, looking intently at him.
He shifted to a more comfortable position, yet leaning close to her, "For us elves, there are only two ways we could die… if we are slain in battle, or if we fall to grief or weariness. Elves also fall in love, Jeanna, and when we do, we mean it. If we are heartbroken and have lost all our will to live, we will… perish."
Silence reigned in the tent when Legolas finished his explanation. Jeanna looked down at her jug, seeing her refection at the water's surface, before finally saying, "I… don't want you to perish, Legolas."
He smiled beautifully at her, "Le hannon. And do not wish to see you perish as well, Lady Jeanna."
She smiled, her cheeks flaming into a blush, but she shifted her body to lean like him and said, "But you know, I don't think that Elves are the only ones who can die because of a broken heart. That happens to humans too, take me for example…"
His eyebrows rose, "You? But you seem healthy…"
"No, that's not what I meant." She said, shaking her head, "Humans die of a broken heart too, but sometimes it's not visible. Sometimes, it's in here." She rose a hand to her chest, where her heart was beating. "Their hearts feel dead. It beats, true, but it would seem like it's beating the same beat every day. It will not go fast, like we're in love or excited. It's just… the same." Her hand clenched into a fist by her chest, "Also, we feel like our souls are lost. Our meaning of existence, our life… gone. It's like our body is alive and functioning, but our souls are nonexistent."
Legolas nodded, "And… you feel this way, Jeanna?"
She smiled sadly, "Yes, a bit."
"Tell me more about this mortal you are in love with."
She sighed, "I… he was a friend of mine for almost three years." She started, "But the first time I met him, I loved him immediately. When I saw him, I felt like he was the reason I existed. He has lost so much in his life, and my heart ached to comfort him. But, I was just his friend, so I couldn't." She shrugged, "I strived hard to make myself worthy of his love, of his affection or even just his attention, but still it was the same. For the past three years, I have witnessed him loving another woman, and another, and another. But each time, he gets his heart broken. It made me want to say, 'do you not wish to love me? I, who has loved you for almost three years?' But I couldn't say it. I never had the courage to."
Legolas looked at her and asked, "Why?"
It made Jeanna think hard, even if it was just a one-word question. She thought first before saying, "I… was afraid. He was my friend, and I did not wish to lose him. His friendship means a lot to me, and I was afraid that if I confessed, he would turn away from me because of disgust or embarrassment. I do not wish to lose him. I feel that if I lose him, I shall die." She looked up at him and smiled sadly, tears forming at the corner of her eyes. "Pathetic of me, isn't it? My fear of insects had nothing against my fear of losing my friendship with someone. Not to mention I am willing to torture myself for the sake of friendship…"
He kept looking at her, his green eyes scanning her face, and his scrutiny made her self-conscious. She wiped the tears on her eyes with the back of her hand, when suddenly, she felt herself being embraced.
Legolas held her tight, his face buried in her hair as he embraced her. Jeanna's body became rigid with shock, but soon, she softened and embraced him return.
"It is not pathetic at all, Jeanna." Legolas whispered against her hair, "It is, of all things, human and… very romantic. It only shows how selfless you are that you are willing to hurt inside just for someone's happiness. And I… I find that beautiful about you."
She sniffed. It has been a very long time since anyone said something beautiful about her. "Hannon lle (Thank you), Legolas."
She felt him kiss the back of her ear, and he started to pull away, but soon, he felt some part of his shirt get caught. They both looked down, and saw that the Elven brooch that Galadriel gave to them before got caught in a button hole of Jeanna's shirt.
They both laughed, "Goheno nin (Forgive me)… I didn't see…" Legolas started, but Jeanna waved his apology away and said, "Ú-moe edhored (There is nothing to forgive), just try and separate them."
Suddenly, an idea came to Legolas, and he smirked. Slowly, he reached up, and instead of removing the tangle on his brooch, he started to undo the button on Jeanna's blouse instead. She noticed this, and immediately her face burned bright red with embarrassment. "Legolas… what… what are you doing?"
"I believe I made a promise before, that I shall help you with your pain." Legolas said, his voice barely a whisper, before he brought his lips close to her ear, "I shall fulfill it now, if you wish so."
Something about Legolas made Jeanna feel like not refusing. Perhaps it was the scent of his body which smelled like a forest, or maybe his eyes, which seemed to burn with wanting and strange enough, filled with love, or his fingers, which were now gently caressing her collarbone while the other drew her close. Jeanna lost all sense of thought, and all she could do was whisper back. "Yes, I wish it…"
Legolas smiled at her, took her face in his hands and lightly kissed her lips. For her it was like a feather caressing her, and she raised her hands to hold on to him. His kiss became more passionate and more intense, as he embraced her more tightly to him.
Outside, Gandalf continued to grin, as the older man caught a glimpse of the elf's mind, and promptly withdrew from his thoughts as to not embarrass the relatively young elf.