Between Two Worlds

31

"Was that yours as well?"

I think... "Actually yes."

Back in my world, people you were attracted to came scarcely so no one really cared. But I did. I had too many morals to just share that intense experience with just anyone. I was going to save it for my husband. And I have. I think it would have made it less sacred if I hadn't, and the fact that he felt the same only made us both cherish what we have together.

"...So will you tell me more about your story now?" he asks.

"My story's not interesting like yours... not full of adventures or exciting tales of different races and history."

"I think your husband deserves to know everything about you even if it is tiresome like you suggest."

I sigh. "Fine if you wanna pull the 'husband' card now."

He smiles.

So I tell him everything else I haven't previously shared about my life... worse than I thought about in my head. There wasn't much to say but I told him about the Great War and what it did to my world. And I told him about my brief and struggling childhood. The days of playing games in the ash and finding old toys and electric games in abandoned homes that only worked as long as the sun was out. But most of what we did was just running... and learning in schools for a few years when I was age five... but then no one dedicated to teaching. No one helped each other. We turned on each other and soon my small family of four was on our own, hiding and running from even our own; humanity. We survived from small fires in dim places. As time went on, days got darker and darker, the world got emptier... and the demons crept up on us like a lingering disease and slowly took everyone... my whole family... died... and then at age sixteen I as on my own.

I told him especially about how and when I met Ryohnin. Which was at age seventeen. He and I became partners... and we travelled together. Though we never seemed to be interested in one another romantically. Something about the grim weather, constant danger, and empty eye sockets of loved ones wasn't too idealistic...

"You've only lived twenty-three years..." he breathes.

"Must seem like only a couple days to you."

He looks at me with a slight sorrow in his eyes and pulls me close to him, my cheek resting on his collarbone as he kisses my head softly.

I close my eyes and sigh...

We stay there in silence...

Just then a knocking makes me gasp. It wasn't loud but I push away from him and my eyes dart to the door and then to my undergarments strung across the floor.

My mind panics and Legolas and I exchange a frantic look.

He throws the sheets off him to get up and I leap to the other side, my ankle catching in the fabric and causing me to fall dramatically to the concrete floor on my arms with a loud thud.

I cringe and wheeze the word "Ow," in a high pitched strain but then I just want to laugh.

He doesn't say anything knowing that whoever at the door could hear but I'm fine. Just embarrassed. I scramble on the ground and leap to my feet.

I grab my lace pants and bra hysterically from the floor and look at my husband who has his trousers back on already and he slips on his tunic quickly.

I throw on my underwear and my bra but he grabs my arms and pushes me aside to where the door will open and our guest will not see me.

I just pray it is not Thranduil who would enter the room even if he wasn't formally invited to do so.