I fell into a restless sleep that night. Haunted my memories and visions from Sauron. I woke up screaming. My door burst open, Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas burst in weapons drawn. They scattered around my room, checking, looking for any possible threat. I was panting, shaken from my dream.
"Clear!" Gimli said walking out of my bathroom and towards the foot of my bed, Aragorn stood at the far side of the room, looking out of the window and back at me. Legolas at the right side of the bed, he ripped the blanket off my form, my thin chemise was soaked in blood. My chest was a bright red, which contrasted greatly with the light thin fabric.
"Aragorn He na- negr- " [she is injured] Legolas looked very pale. Aragorn strode to the other side of my bed.
"Gimli fetch a woman healer!" Aragorn ordered quickly, Aragorn could tend to me, but wanted to protect my modesty. My hands were bloodstained as well; dried blood coated my nails and tips of my fingers. He squatted down next to my bed and grabbed one of my hands in his gently. Not seeming to care about the sticky blood that coated them. "Verity can you tell us what happened?" he said the words with care and slowly.
"I did not mean to wake you, forgive me." I said trying to steady my breath
My voice was wavering as if any moment it'd crack and break into a sob. Legolas had grabbed my other hand as I spoke, rubbing circles with his thumb on the sticky blood.
"How are you injured?" Aragorn asked still thinking I fought off an assailant in my sleep.
"She tried to cut it out in her sleep." Legolas replied his voice quiet almost a whisper. The reality of the situation dawned on Aragorn then and his expression changed to one of pity. Before he could reply a healer entered the room with Gimli. My companions refused to leave the room as I was being tended to; instead they stood with their backs turned. All besides Legolas, he stood to move to the side to allow the healer access; I reacted by gripping his hand tightly. He stood frozen for a moment. The healer didn't skip a beat instead going to the side of the bed Aragorn had been at instead. Legolas squatted back down beside me staring at my face, as the healer cut away the front of my chemise, revealing claw marks on my chest.
Legolas never looked down, he kept his eyes fixed on mine watching me silently. I squinted my eyes in pain, squeezing Legolas's hand as the healer cleaned my wounds with alcohol. The wounds weren't deep, but they were plenteous, and burned. Legolas rubbed my hand vigorously as he stared into my eyes. He looked pained as if he were the one with the clawed chest. He never once broke our gaze, protecting my modesty and dignity. My chest was bandaged and I was changed into a new chemise. All while Legolas held my hand so tenderly, he let go of my hand once when the healer had to lift the sleeve off over my head, but his eyes never looked down. When I was in a new chemise, I reached out and grabbed his hand again. He seemed distraught when the healer took it out of his to clean it; he rubbed nervous circles into the side of the bed, his hands discolored with dried blood.
The healer left and the other two turned around to me, my eyes stayed locked into Legolas, I was lost in them I couldn't look away. I had thought I would never see them again. The ocean blue was vibrant making me want to swim in them. Aragorn and Legolas spoke to each other in elvish, while Gimli muttered at the end of my bed to himself. Then Aragorn turned to Gimli and nodded they exited the room, silently. Legolas didn't make to move, his eyes bore into mine.
"I will guard your rest, meleth nin close your eyes, I will wake you if you have a nightmare." [My beloved] He said grabbing for my hand again. I felt so comforted and whole, yet deeply embarrassed. "I can't expect you to stay here all night! " I said exasperated "that isn't fair to you, you've already comforted me so much this day. You never left my side." I let go of his hand but he still held tightly to it, I turned my head no longer facing him. "I don't deserve your kindness." He didn't make to leave, or reply to what I said. I scooted away from him on the bed, now my arm fully extended towards him squatting at the edge. "At least get off the floor if you will not relent!" I said frustrated. He smirked in victory; I patted the bed gently with my other hand, now lying on my side facing him. He climbed onto the bed letting go of my hand, sitting on top of the blanket with his back leaning on the headboard. He sat with his legs outstretched and again reached for my hand, holding it in his lap rubbing it gently staring down at me, as if waiting for me to close my eyes.
"Would your bonded take offense to you being here?" I asked not looking at his face, instead gazing at the fabric and texture of his leggings. If his bonded would take offense then perchance he returns my feelings. But that would mean he's forsaking his one true love. That's silly he wouldn't do that.
"Do you take offense to my being here?" he asked in reply. I didn't understand what he was implying.
Would I have taken offense if I were his bonded and he help another woman sleep? Would my heart twist in jealousy at the tenderness he shown her? Or would I understand they are merely friends, comrades, and he was comforting her through the trials of war. Elves are noble and true, his bonded would not have feelings of jealously towards me. Legolas has never been impure in his conduct towards me, taking care in his civilities. At the feast I never saw him stand to dance or speak to any of the women there, except for a polite hello.
"I do not think I would if I were her." I said quietly. He began singing softly in Elvish, his hand still holding mine. I drifted off into a dreamless sleep. I woke up and Legolas was still there holding my hand, leaning on the headboard, except now his head was hung slightly to the side, resting on his shoulder. His eyes were wide open. I stared at him waiting for him to blink and he did not. Is he dead? Am I in the tower still?! I carefully sat up removing my hand from his and steadied myself on the bed before crawling closer to him to investigate.
I raised my hand to rest on his chest, feeling the rise and fall as he breathed, the gentle pulse underneath. I sighed with relief, but did not retreat my hand right away. It laid there, resting on his chest, rising and falling, his chest felt thick and hard even atop his tunic he wore.
"Good morning Dilthen lóth " [Little flower] I gasped at the sound of his deep morning voice, feeling it rumble through his chest with my hand. I pulled my hand away "I thought you were dead!" I said embarrassed I was just touching his chest. He chuckled "forgive me, I had fallen asleep." He sleeps with his eyes open?
My face fell, this felt strangely more intimate than him simply sitting next to me while I slept. We had both fallen asleep, holding hands. Would I have been upset if I were his bonded and I knew of this? No he was simply there for a comrade, he must have been exhausted.