Gwaedh [Legolas Love Story] - COMPLETED

VI.

On the following morning, just before dawn, Elarinya waits for her companions outside the palace doors. She braids her hair in her usual side fishtail braid as she watches the sun rise and the people in the town step outside their homes. She remembers her early teenage years, when everything was peaceful in their little village along the Langflood, and Elarinya would wake up with the sunrise, walk towards the borders of Mirkwood where she would pick the most amount of berries she could get, only to return and trade them for warm bread. Then she would return home, where the smell of fresh bread would fill the hut for the entire morning, and her father would go hunting or fishing while her mother trained with her how to read, write and speak in both Westron and Sindarin. Athelas, more of a night owl than a morning person even since her childhood, would join them before noon. 

Her memories were interrupted with the approaching steps of Gimli, and she was sure the elf would be at his side, even though she could never hear his steps. She turns around and greets them "Good morning."

"Morning, lass. You didn't join us for dinner." 

Elarinya shrugs and states simply "You were with your friends," then turns around and walks towards the stables "I've already fed the horses and gave them a good brush. If it would please you, we are ready to leave." 

Though the ride to Fangorn could be done in a day, they decide the horses should be spared a little from all the galloping and will take two days to reach the forest. They cross the middle of Rohan and by night they are halfway to their destination. In the west, the mountains where Helm's Deep and the Glitterig Caves stand cover the horizon. This time they do not light a fire, as they start to get closer to orc territory. 

Gimli tells Elarinya of the beauty of his caves, and how his family has come to help embelish it and collect some gems. Then he tells how Lady Éowyn was the one who showed him the Caves after the Battle of Helm's Deep, which he recalls fondly as it was the time he beat his friend in their orc killing competition. 

Elarinya smirks "Are you still counting?"

"Oh no, those days of competition are on the past."

Legolas comments "No need to define which of us is the best," then adds teasingly "Though I am winning." 

Gimli huffs and murmurs something in what she assumes to be Khuzdul and probably some curse. Elarinya laughs openly, and the sweetness of her laugh surprises the two friends. She shakes her head, still smiling kindly "I will close my eyes for a while, wake me when it's my turn to take watch." 

After a while she is breathing slowly and deeply. Gimli stands and walks around, searching for any threat, while Legolas looks at the woman. She is most complicated, as she seems kind and caring yet remains cold and distanced, keeps too many secrets and prefers quietude and isolation. It has been bothering him ever since the beginning of this journey and Legolas can't quite figure out why. Then it hits him, he was just like this decades ago, when he threatened his own position for Tauriel, who didn't return his feelings. Was that it, had Umbra been heartbroken? He remembers what she had said, that she lost much to Sauron. Was it a lover, her family? Did she have any family left, was she alone in this world just like he was all those years until Aragorn joined him?

The woman shivers with the cold breeze, even though she uses her cape to cover herself from waist down. Legolas takes his own cape from his shoulders and places it over her. The warmth of elven capes does its wonders as she stops trembling shortly after. Legolas returns to his place and lays down for a while, stargazing. Soon enough, Gimli returns to sleep a little, Legolas takes the second watch and decides there is no need to wake up the woman for hers, who had woken up early to take care of their horses and prepare supplies. 

The sun rises and Elarinya wakes with the light, confused as to why she hasn't taken watch and why is something over her shoulders. Gimli snores, so she is in the right place, and Legolas stands far from them, gazing the horizon. It angers her that she didn't get to do her part, and the idea that the elf must think she is weak infuriates her even more. She folds his cape and places it along his things, and then takes an apple from her pack and eats. 

Her biting sound must warn Legolas, who turns around and walks towards them. He bids her good morning, though the woman says nothing in return, her eyebrows are furrowed, though her expression remains blank, and she bites hardly on the apple. Is she annoyed? Legolas isn't sure of what to do, his cape is neatly folded next to his things. She finishes her apple and leaves the seeds and the stem on the ground, still not mentioning a word.

Elarinya raises, taking two apples from her pack and turns to feed the horses. But first she looks at the elf and speaks in fluent Sindarin "Next time I would appreciate if you called me for my watch, my lord."

Legolas stands in his place as she walks away, dumbfounded and amazed. If seconds ago he didn't know what to say, he most certainly is at loss of words after hearing her. Her Sindarin is impressive, as most people only know how to say basic greetings and isolated words, not form a quote so complex, and she has a bit of a Lórien accent. He stands looking at her for a while, and as he decides to walk towards her, she walks towards the trees and bushes nearby, probably to relieve her needs. It sends a message: she does not want to talk to him. 

Gimli wakes in the mean time, and Elarinya returns and pets the horses. They all arrange their belongings and leave shortly after. Gimli notices the sour mood from her part and the usual silence of the elf and ponders that today should be a silent travel day. 

In the afternoon they reach Fangorn and finally eat. As the horses do not enjoy crossing the interior of the woods, they ride alongside the border and only head inside the woods to sleep, still keeping the horses at glazing range. 

Elarinya takes the first watch and Legolas the second, and as time to shift comes, he takes the moment to speak to her, also in Sindarin "You speak very well my tongue," there is no answer though she doesn't leave his side either, so Legolas continues "Who taught you?"

Elarinya should have seen it coming. It was completely her fault, but she was feeling angry at the time and couldn't avoid the pettiness. But now she is calmer and concedes that it is a situation she got herself into and must respond. She replies in Sindarin too "My mother."

Legolas is curious "Is she a Lórien elleth?" Elarinya looks at him impressed, and he smiles "You have a bit of an accent," Elarinya repeats his last word, andaith, and Legolas realizes she doesn't know what it means "Accent." 

"Hmm," Elarinya repeats the word again and then continues "No, simply a human. Though she did grew up in the Lórien woods. Had a young elleth friend that taught her Sindarin, and mother taught me. That might justify my accent," she accentuates her last word.

Legolas nods and smiles, to assure she got the word right. He finally looks at her with an honest expression "I apologize for before. You were in a deep slumber and had woken up sooner than us. I know how much traveling tires humans, and elves do not need much sleep anyway."

Elarinya looks at him defiantly, her eyes burying deep into his "I am not weak."

Legolas nods and states honestly "I know."

She keeps staring at him for a while. At some point she forgets why she stares and only remembers her mother saying that the beauty of elves is unmatched. Elarinya has seen Thranduil twice before, once in her childhood and later in that fateful day in the battlefield. Had she not been filled with grief, she would have melted before the king's handsome and regal looks. Now that she looks at Legolas, she realizes he looks much like his father, less cold and authoritarian, but still a regal way in everything he does. And amidst the moonlight and the woods, and his eyes looking at her, she had never seen anything this beautiful.

She forces the thoughts out of her head, remembering the whole ordeal, and decides she must resolve it before she goes to sleep, for the sake of the journey. She extends her hand to him "Truce?"

Legolas smiles, nods and shakes her hand in return. Elarinya silently steps back to where Gimli sleeps, lays down and lets herself slip into the darkness of the night. 

_______

I hope you're enjoying this ride! Don't forget to vote and comment your favorite parts!