✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
"And softness came from the starlight and filled me full to the bone."
― W.B. Yeats
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
Mirkwood Part 1
A little over a year ago, Adrienne Woods had considered home to be a dingy apartment off campus, complete with a broken dishwasher and approximately twelve bottles of liquor in the cupboard. And now? Now she lives in Middle Earth and finds home in an elf prince with blond hair and a bow and arrow.
You could say life has changed for her quite a bit. And for that, she has no complaint.
Well, maybe just one.
"Are we there yet?" Adrienne asks her husband for the third time.
Atop a white horse, they ride through the forest known as Mirkwood–or Eryn Galen, as the elves prefer.
A sigh sounds from Legolas, whom she has her arms wrapped around.
"I feel I should remind you that your asking that question doesn't speed up the time it'll take to reach my home."
"Sorry," she says with a grimace he can't see. "I'm just nervous is all."
And nervous she is. She hasn't had to Meet the Parents of a partner since high school, which seems like a lifetime ago. And this time is sure to be worse, for a multitude of reasons. For one, Legolas isn't just her boyfriend, he's her husband. For another, he's a beloved prince and one of an entirely different, generally-considered-to-be-superior race. Oh, and his dad–the King–is known to be…intimidating. And he's protective of his only son. Who she married without him knowing.
So, to summarize: she's fucked.
"I am as well," he quietly admits, not helping in the slightest. Then he offers more encouraging words. "But it doesn't matter in the least, because we're together and that's all we need. My father and my people love me and they'll soon come to love you too. I think I am more excited than anything else."
She gives him a squeeze. "I am too. I mean, this is your home and I can't wait to–"
A soft gasp escapes her lips as the Elvenking's Halls come into view. It looks absolutely magnificent on the outside, she can't imagine how the interior will be.
"Dilthen uglui firen," Legolas breathes, and Adrienne can feel the utter elation radiating from him.
Warmth spreads through her as she shares in his joy, touched to see him so comforted by his home.
They ride up to the gate, where guards are waiting to meet them.
"Vedui' bar, nin hir," one of the guards greets as he takes the horse's reigns.
"Mae govannen," Legolas replies happily, climbing down himself before helping Adrienne do the same.
Her brow furrows at the exchange, wishing she understood what they said, but the feeling of Legolas' hands at her waist, as he helps her to the ground, fills her with butterflies and consumes all other thoughts.
When he turns to her with his blue eyes sparkling, her heart melts. "Come."
The inside of the palace exceeds her expectations tenfold; the high ceilings and the combination of wood and rock are a delight. Their first stop is the throne room, which is even more impressive–as is the King.
King Thranduil is just as daunting as she'd been led to believe. He has a cold countenance and an impenetrable gaze. His stature is mighty and his crown dramatic. Adrienne gets goosebumps just being in his presence.
But the carefully guarded mask he wears falters a bit as he takes in the sight of his son. He goes to meet him, and while they don't hug (it's not the elvish way, apparently), there's still warmth evident in their greeting. It's clear from the tenderness peaking through his eyes, if nothing else, that he cares deeply for his son.
They speak to one another in their native tongue, and while Adrienne's curiosity wishes otherwise, she knows that, in this case, it's for the better. They should be allowed some semblance of privacy in this moment of reunion. And so, she quietly stands off to the side, letting them talk without being uninterrupted. Throughout the entire conversation, Thranduil never once glances her way. It's as though she's invisible to him.
That is, until Legolas shines the spotlight directly on her.
"I want to introduce you to someone, Adar," he says with a smile, leading Thranduil over. His father follows, maintaining a small smile on his face out of politeness. "This is Adrienne Woods, my wife."
The smile drops from the older elf's face. "I'm sorry, what was that?"
Adrienne squirms in discomfort.
Here it comes…
"She accompanied us in our quest to destroy the One Ring," Legolas explains patiently. "We fell in love and were bonded in Minas Tirith. And now I bring her home with me."
There's a beat and then he grins. "Surely you jest," he says, but when he's met with solemnity he frowns, his brow furrowed. "Legolas…she's mortal."
From the pain in his voice, Adrienne guesses that's more of the issue than her race itself–her mortality. And she has an idea as to why that is.
As such, she fully expects Legolas to inform his father that she is in fact not mortal, not anymore at least, and end the conversation that way. Instead, he gives a firm, three-word response, as if it needs no other explanation. "She's my wife."
He sighs. "My son–"
Legolas cuts off whatever words of protest he was about to speak, his voice clearly saying this is non-negotiable. "I love her, and I would appreciate it if you would extend to her the same welcome as you would to me."
His father holds his gaze for a tense moment.
"Very well," he says in a thinly laced 'we'll talk about this more later' tone before turning to Adrienne with a dazzling smile. "Welcome to my realm, Adrienne Woods. I trust you'll find it satisfactory."
"Oh definitely! It's gorgeous," she reassures him. "It's great to finally meet you, Mr–uh I mean King Thranduil. Your Highness."
She thrusts out her sweaty hand in an offering of a handshake but when the elven king only stares down at it in distaste, she quickly realizes her mistake. "Uhh shit, you don't really do that, do you?" She opts to stumble into a bow instead. She straightens up when Legolas puts a hand on her shoulder, attempting to lead her away.
"I will show her to our room, now, Adar," he says, urging her away as he tries to keep a straight face.
As they exit the room, Adrienne glances over her shoulder to see Thranduil watching them with a carefully blank expression.
"I kinda fucked that up, huh?" she asks once they're a safe distance away.
"Nonsense," Legolas replies, swooping to plant a swift kiss on her cheek.
She gives him a wry look. "Oh, come on. You don't have to lie to me."
"I'll admit it was rather humorous, but I'd hardly consider that a bad thing."
She stops walking, turning to face him. "Legolas, I'm serious. That didn't go well, and not just on my part. Your dad isn't happy about us."
All traces of humor are gone, his face now grim. "Yes, I know. It was nothing we didn't expect, though."
"That doesn't mean I have to be okay with it," she grumbles. "I want him to like me."
"He'll come around, I'm sure," he says, squeezing her shoulder. "It'll just take some time."
"Yeah, which for elves could mean five hundred years." She purses her lips. "And speaking of which, why didn't you just tell him I'm not mortal?"
Legolas keeps his now hardened gaze fixated straight ahead. "Because it shouldn't matter. It doesn't matter. I told you I loved you and wanted to be with you before I knew the Valar granted you a long life."
"Okay yes, but it does matter to your dad, clearly," she points out. "So why didn't you just tell him?"
"He shouldn't require knowing that in order to accept you. Should it not merely depend on whether I care for you?"
"No…I guess not."
.。.:*・° .。.:*・° .。.:*・° .。.:*・°
As Legolas leads Adrienne through the halls, many elves stop to greet their returned prince. He responds in kind, exchanging words Adrienne cannot understand, but she can tell they're polite if not tender. All the while, she witnesses how happy he is to be home again, how easily he falls back into this role. Something about it nags at her heart.
He shows her to his–now their –room ("Dude, your bedroom is like, the size of my entire apartment") and then reluctantly parts ways, saying he has many matters to attend to now that he's back. In the meantime, he encourages her to explore the grounds. She eagerly agrees to the idea, though she'd much rather have him by her side while she does so.
Adrienne wanders around with her eyes taking in as much as they can. She soon gets a crick in her neck from craning it up to see the cavernous walls and winding trees. The magnificence of the place is truly beautiful, it's overwhelming to say the very least. The atmosphere itself is alluring and unearthly, it's clear that the Elves don't simply live among nature, but with it, in harmony.
As she takes in the fantastical grandeur of the place that will serve as her home for the foreseen future, she feels that tug at her heart again, a pang of melancholy, but she shoves it aside for the moment. She can unpack that later, with Legolas, her best friend. For now, she has a first impression to uphold.
It seems word of the prince's return, including the part about who he brought back, got around fast. All throughout the woodland palace, elves stop and stare at her.
I must stick out like a sore thumb. Without radiant skin and tangleless hair and all that.
Forcing a smile on her face, she nods politely. Most return the gesture, while others still seem unsure of what to make of her and how to act. Adrienne doesn't take it too personally; she's aware the Woodland realm is rather secluded.
One elleth in particular, however, outright glares at her, unashamedly. Like all elves, this one is beautiful, though some might say she's more plain than most of her species. Her facial features are less defined, and her hair is mousy brown.
Adrienne tries to ignore it as she browses the library, where she'd found herself in, but every time she glances over, there the elleth is, glowering.
Time to nip this in the bud. I want these people to like me, after all.
"Um hi," Adrienne says as she approaches. "Can I help you?"
"You cannot," she states flatly.
"Okay…" she glances awkwardly to the side, struggling to keep her smile genuine. "Well, my name's Adrienne. What's yours?"
There's a beat before she answers, as if she's reluctant to tell her her name at all. "Melgal-hi."
"Nice to meet you, Melgal-hi."
"I wish I could say the same."
Okay, nice mode deactivated.
"Look Mel, if you have a problem with me just come out and say it," Adrienne states bluntly. She's new here but she doesn't deserve to be bullied for it, and she certainly won't take this shit from anyone. "I've only just gotten here so I'm not sure what I could've done to offend you, but I can't correct it if you won't tell me what it is."
Her eyes flash and she stands up to slowly circle around Adrienne, assessing her from head to toe with a scrutinizing eye. "A human girl speaking to an elleth with such conviction, here in her own home of Eryn Galen." She clicks her tongue disapprovingly. "The gall."
Ah, so it's some casual racism. Cool.
"I hate to break it to you, but this is my home too now, like it or not. So it's probably in our best interests to get along."
"Your home?" She barks out a bitter laugh. "Make no mistake, mortal. This is not your home, nor will it ever be."
Her chest heaves as she glowers back at the rude elf.
The elleth steps forward, up close into Adrienne's space, and tilts her head to look down at her.
Swallowing hard, Adrienne has to crane her neck to stare up at the figure towering over her. Damn elves and their stupidly tall height. If she weren't royally pissed off at the moment, Adrienne would likely be very much turned on.
"How exactly does my being here affect you?" she manages to say without her voice shaking. "Are you so insecure that a human simply sharing this–very large, mind you–space makes you feel threatened? Does it somehow take away from your special elfness?"
Her lip curls. "You could never put a damper on such a thing, you have naught the power. Not even from marrying into the royal line."
She cracks a proud grin. "Marrying Legolas has nothing to do with it. I'm worthy on my own."
Melgal-hi cocks her head. "You really think you deserve him, don't you? You, who are humankind and commonfolk, worthy of an elvish prince." She scoffs.
Racist and classist. This girl's sure a peach.
"You know, for someone who is presumedly thousands of years old, you really don't have the slightest grasp on the concept of love. It's not something that's earned, and it's certainly not something that's limited by things like race and class."
Something in the other woman snaps. "I know more of love than you could ever imagine! I know the worst parts of it. I know the unforgiving ache of loving someone who does not love you in return, and what it is like to be torn up from the inside when–" she falters and suddenly it all becomes clear to Adrienne.
"You're jealous of me," she stately dumbly. "Because I'm with Legolas…and you're not."
Her chin trembles and when she replies, it comes out in an angry, pained whisper. "Why would he choose you?"
Adrienne shakes her head. "He didn't. Love is something that just happens upon you, you don't exactly control it. It chooses you. And I'll be honest with you, I don't think I deserve him. I think he deserves better–the very best. But it's not my fault he loves me, and it's definitely not my fault he doesn't love you, so maybe dial it back a bit, yeah?"
The elf girl stares at her with fiery but wet eyes that do not understand. She turns on her heel, long hair whipping behind her, and storms out of the library.
.。.:*・° .。.:*・° .。.:*・° .。.:*・°
Nestled under the covers that night, Adrienne lies awake with a full mind. That pesky little melancholy feeling is back, deafeningly loud in the quiet darkness as she stares up at the ceiling.
Sighing, she turns on her side to face the man sleeping beside her. The sight of his peaceful form eases her heart and she props her head up on her elbow to get a better view. She smiles softly, wondering how she ever got so lucky to have him.
Melgal-hi's words come back to her now, whispering in her ear.
"Why would he choose you?"
She's not sure why Legolas was drawn to her and not any of the gorgeous female elves here, but she's eternally grateful that he was. It took her a while to accept, herself. The idea that he wants her, flaws and all, is difficult to grasp even now. But, as she told her lovely new friend Mel, love is something that chooses you; you only have to learn to accept it for what it is.
Legolas' voice rumbles softly and her eyes snap to his, finding them now open and watching her watching him. "Adrienne, love, please try to sleep. We've traveled for many days."
Whoops. Guess he wasn't asleep after all.
"Can you blame me for wanting to admire my husband?" she asks cheekily, using her free hand to slide on top of his chest.
He eyes her. "Your flattery is endearing, though unconvincing."
"You don't believe me?" she challenges, raising her eyebrows.
Does she really have to remind him of how she'd admired him just a couple of hours prior, in this very bed?
"I'm saying there's something on your mind, something other than my good looks."
"You know me so well, don't you?"
"Don't avoid the question."
She flops back onto her back in a huff. "Okay okay, you're right. There are a lot of things on my mind–but can you really blame me? It's a lot to take in."
He doesn't respond, leaving Adrienne still staring at the ceiling with a pinched expression on her face. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees him get out of bed. She turns her head just in time to get an appreciative glimpse of his backside before he slips on a pair of pants.
Curious, she props herself up. "Where are you going?"
He reaches her side in a few short strides, offering out a hand. "Come on."
The bed covers are hastily cast aside as Adrienne jumps out of bed without a second thought, throwing on a long nightshirt.
Taking Legolas' hand, she allows him to lead her through the palace, creeping down halls and up winding stairs until they come upon a secluded balcony with the loveliest view of the night sky. Out in the open air, under the starry expanse above, Adrienne closes her eyes and inhales deeply, finding comfort in the familiarity. No matter where-or when-she is in the world, the stars will always be there.
When she opens her eyes, she turns her head to smile at Legolas. "Thank you."
He only smiles back in response before going over to sit along the edge, his legs dangling over the platform. With his arms open wide, he gestures for her to join him.
Despite the danger most people would feel from sitting on the edge at such a great height, she does not hesitate.
She is no longer afraid to fall.
She settles on Legolas' lap, enjoying the way he wraps his arms around her middle and holds her close, his chin resting atop her shoulder. They sit like that for several minutes, basking in the gentle glow of the moon as they listen to nature's symphony.
The peace the night provides Adrienne gives her the strength to voice her troubles.
"Your home is beautiful, and I feel blessed that I get to share it with you. It was amazing getting to see you here in your element, among your people and all the wonderful things you love about this place. It makes me so happy for you." She pauses, shutting her eyes. "...But I can't help but feel a little bit sad, too. For me. It's gonna take a while before I actually start to, you know, fit in around here. And until then, everything just reminds me of the fact that I'm never going to experience the comforts of my home again. You grew up here, lived here for God knows how long, and now after being away for a while, you get to come home and go back to all the things you missed. I don't. I'll never be able to experience the things I miss from home ever again."
She waits for a response with bated breath, hoping he won't think her ungrateful. From their position, she cannot see his face, but she can hear the compassion in his voice when he speaks.
"I apologize for not noticing your homesickness. It seems that in the midst of all that has transpired, I failed to consider you might be longing for your old world."
Shaking her head, she reassures him. "You don't have to apologize. I didn't even realize how much I missed the comforts of home until we came here and I saw how nice it was for you to return to yours."
He's quiet for a moment, considering. "Perhaps speaking of these comforts would ease the pain of their absence. I would be happy to listen."
Adrienne cracks an amused grin as she places her hands over where Legolas' rest around her middle. "I've already explained my beloved hoodies to you, if you remember."
He plants a kiss on the bare skin of her shoulder where her shirt fell enough to leave it exposed. "Then explain them again, in greater detail."
An unbridled laugh bubbles from her throat before she does just that, doing her best to solidify the concept of the comforting garment in his mind. Once she's satisfied that he has fully grasped the image in his mind does she move onto something else as her mind flows from one long-lost luxury to another. It unlocked the floodgates of nostalgic memories and the waters won't dissipate until they've run their course. Luckily, Legolas doesn't seem to mind in the slightest as he continues to listen. He hangs on to every word she speaks, letting her ramble passionately about the things she misses.
Her mind conjures of fond memories of little day-to-day things she never appreciated to this extent until now, in the wake of their absence. Coffee dates with friends, interior design apps, singing along to the radio on long drives, going to the movies, Mexican restaurants, amusement parks…the list is endless.
In the retelling of a time when she and Claire stayed up all night watching Avatar the Last Airbender and eating junk food after the latter's boyfriend cheated on her, Adrienne finds herself crying–and boy, does it feel good. She cries and cries, letting the tears flow as more mundane but precious memories resurface.
Her husband's arms tighten around her and her cries slowly subside into mere sniffles. Spent, she leans her head back against him with her eyes closed and her face wet with tears–but she smiles in contentment.
"I'm never going to experience those things again," she muses quietly, "but now I get to experience things I never would've gotten to otherwise. How lucky am I, that I got the chance to live in two completely different worlds?"
Legolas carefully shifts her so that she now faces him while still straddling his lap. His hand brushes back the curtain of hair that falls over her shoulder and buries his fingers in the locks at the back. "How lucky indeed," he whispers his agreement before kissing her, tasting her bittersweet tears as well as her love.
She smiles against his lips, knowing she wouldn't trade this for the coziest hoodie in the world.
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧
A/N:
hey! its been a couple months, huh? i was a tad bit depressed ngl, which put me in a creative funk. but then I realized part of why I was depressed was BECAUSE I wasn't writing. funny funny. so anyway, comments give me a boost of motivation (as well as serotonin) so if you'd be so kind, id love to hear your thoughts!
also, I'm doing the translations a bit differently in this one, for now, only bc I want to emphasize the fact that adrienne can't understand elvish and its frustrating for her. And so:
Dilthen uglui firen: it has been too long
Vedui' bar, nin hir: greetings/welcome home, my lord
Mae govannen: well met
*as always, I apologize for any inaccurate translations. I get by on what I can find online lol*