Eilonwy
I laugh loudly as Estrith pins a baby blue colored bow in Legolas's silky blonde hair. She's been doing this for at least an hour, placing bow after bow in his hair. She asked me for my opinion on what bow she should pin in his hair next, and I mentioned the blue one because it reminds me of his eyes. I adore his eyes.
Legolas sits cross legged on the floor of Estrith's room, enduring the makeover, and I sit back and watch how adorable he is. He looks utterly miserable, but when Estrith looks at him, a smile brighter than all of the stars outside in the night sky lights his handsome face. She talks to both of us constantly, rattling on cutely about her two sisters Roshi and Sylmae.
Legolas's eyes stay rested on me whenever Estrith isn't trying to get his attention, and my heart flutters in my chest. His gaze is as intense ever, and I try my hardest not to blush. His gaze is much the same as it was that day at the spring, and as I think of that particular memory, heat spreads throughout my veins. I wish he would touch me that way again, the way that he brushed his thumb across my jaw. I wish he would kiss me the way that I have daydreamed about so often since that day. I know that I shouldn't become too attached to him, but I think I am far past the point of no return now.
"How does he look?" Estrith asks with a proud grin as she finishes her final touches on Legolas's hair. She brushes her hair away from her eyes and sighs as if she just got finished doing a hard day's work.
My gaze lands on Legolas who is looking at me with an uncomfortable smile. I fight the urge to laugh at him. I look at Estrith. "You did very well, Estrith. Legolas looks so pretty," I say, unable to contain a slight laugh.
She beams at me. "I know! Legolas will surely get the attention of an elleth now!"
If I'm not mistaken, I am almost positive that Legolas's cheeks turn a bit pink at Estrith's words, only adding to the list of things I find adorable about him. He looks awkward as he sits there, and my heart fills with warmth as I watch him. He is so sweet to allow Estrith to put bows in his hair, and I know that he must love her very much.
Legolas suddenly shakes his head, a few of the bows flying out of his hair, and he grabs Estrith, pulling her into his lap and tickling her. Her giggles fill the air as she yells at him to stop tickling her, and I double over in laughter as I watch her try to escape.
"Help me, Lady Eilonwy!" she shrieks in between fits of laughter, "Legolas is mental!" Legolas laughs at her words, continuing to tickle her relentlessly.
I stand, laughing crazily along with them, and I pull on Legolas's shoulders in order to look as if I'm 'saving' little Estrith. What I wasn't prepared for was Legolas's reaction. He stops tickling Estrith, and she scampers away. In the mere seconds it took for her to scamper away, Legolas's fingers wrap around my wrist, pulling me onto the floor, and I grab onto his tunic in order to soften my fall, accidentally pulling him with me. I land on my back with him hovering over me, and he then begins to tickle me. A shriek of surprise escapes my lips before I break into fits of laughter.
"Stop it, Legolas!" I exclaim breathlessly as I fight to breath in between laughter.
I hear his boyish laugh from above me like music to my ears, but my eyes are closed as I fight against him. I try to push his shoulders as he continues to tickle my waist, but my attempts to push him off are futile.
I hear Estrith's giggles coming from somewhere off to the right. By now I am gasping for breath and tears have formed in my eyes from laughing so hard. He finally stops tickling me, and I sigh in relief, my muscles relaxing almost instantly. My breathing is heavy as I try to regain oxygen in my lungs, and another light laugh escapes my lips. I open my eyes and immediately meet Legolas's gaze. I feel my cheeks warm when I understand that he is practically laying on top of me. His hands are on either side of my head, and he looks down at me intently. His body is pressed against mine, and his face is close to my own. Time seems to slow down, as it always does when he looks into my eyes, and I can feel his breath brushing my skin lightly. The look in his eyes is hard to describe, but it is passionate and smoldering. So many emotions swirl through his eyes that it is hard to understand what they are. His eyebrows are furrowed as he looks down at me in thought, and my heart beats erratically in my chest. I smile lightly in amusement and reach up, slowly taking the blue bow from his hair. With my touch, he leans closer to me as if some invisible force is pulling him.
We are broken from our own little world when Estrith suddenly exclaims, "Daddy!"
Legolas immediately separates himself from me and looks toward the door, and I sit up and look also. Aragorn is leaned against the doorframe, arms folded across his chest and a smirk on his lips. He stares at both Legolas and I with a knowing look in his eyes, not missing what just happened between us.
He looks at me, the smirk still on his lips. "Please excuse me for intruding. It seems I have interrupted," he says, "Eilonwy, my wife is feeling well and wants to speak with you."
I nod, my cheeks burning like a flame, "Of course, my king," I answer quietly. I stand, not daring to look at Legolas, and walk to the door.
Aragorn makes no sign of moving. "Legolas, it is late. You should get some sleep, mellon nin, but, first, will you tuck Estrith in for me?" he asks.
"Of course," Legolas replies, and Estrith whines about not being tired.
Aragorn gestures for me to follow him, so we leave the room. The walk to the Houses of Healing is awkward for me, but Aragorn acts as if nothing is amiss. We are silent, except for the few times Aragorn tells me the history behind a certain painting we pass in the hallway.
My body is moving, but I feel as if my heart was left in Estrith's room with Legolas. I have not known him long at all, but I know undoubtedly that I have developed feelings for him. He is kind and gentlemanly, and he treats everyone around him with love and care. He is so perfect in my eyes.
Aragorn opens a door and leads me into a nicely designed room. Creamy silk curtains hang from an open window on the far side of the room. In the middle of the room sits a large bed with an oaken bedframe, and in that bed lies one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. I recognize her as Queen Arwen. She smiles kindly, but exhaustion is evident on her beautiful facial features. Her ink black hair falls in tousled waves down her shoulders and across the pillow she is propped up against. I look like toad compared to her.
"Lady Eilonwy," she breathes out happily, "It is so wonderful to finally meet you. Everyone has been talking about you so much. I felt left out."
I walk toward her along with Aragorn and stand beside her bed hesitantly. "I have heard much about you, also, mostly from your husband and Estrith," I say with a smile directed toward Aragorn, "And I am honored to meet you, my lady."
"Just call me Arwen," she says with a sweet smile and then pats the bed beside her, "Oh, please, sit down. I am sorry for not looking more presentable for our first meeting, but I was anxious to meet you so I called on you right when I was feeling better."
I am startled by her offer for me to sit beside her, but I do so nonetheless. Aragorn walks to the other side of the bed and sits down beside his wife, kissing her softly on the temple.
"Are you positive that you are feeling well?" he asks her quietly, worry filling his soft gaze as he looks upon her.
She immediately brushes off his worried question. "Yes, Mela en' coiamin," she says to him before her gaze returns to me, "So, tell me the story of how you came to be in Middle Earth." An excited grin makes its way to her lips as she looks at me expectantly.
"It is a long story," I tell her with a small, amused smile.
She opens her arms slightly, gesturing toward the room. "I have plenty of time," she says.
I give a short nod and begin to tell her my story, and both she and Aragorn listen intently to every detail. I tell them of my life on Earth, of my family and friends, and of the day I learned that I had cancer. I try my hardest to describe each person's personality and appearance in detail, and I tell them of all the happy memories that come to mind. I even tell them of the books of Lord of the Rings, and their eyes widen in surprise and wonder when I tell them that I knew of the events that played out in the War of the Ring.
"You see, I knew of all of you. Your name was Strider," I say to Aragorn and his eyes become even wider, "I knew of Lady Galadriel, Lord Celeborn, Lord Elrond and his family, and King Thranduil and Legolas." I try not to blush when Arwen raises her eyebrow slightly at the breathless tone I accidentally let slip when I said Legolas's name.
I continue before either of them can tease me. "I did not know of Glosseth, Gwilithon, or Queen Nithroel, though. They were never mentioned in the stories," I say.
"Does anyone else know of this?" Aragorn asks, and I shake my head.
"I have only ever told the two of you," I answer honestly, "Though I am sure Lady Galadriel knows. She knows everything that goes through my mind." They both laugh at my slightly annoyed tone.
"It is horrible sometimes, to have someone who knows you better than you know yourself," Arwen says and giggles lightly.
'"Your story is very interesting. Thank you for sharing it with me. I feel as if you have brightened the spirits of everyone with your presence," she continues and smirks slightly at Aragorn, "Especially Legolas."
Aragorn chuckles and looks at me with an amused grin. "Arwen, you did not witness what I did just moments ago," he says.
My eyes widen and my cheeks burn in embarrassment. "Please, it was nothing!" I exclaim and both of them burst into laughter.
"I think not," Aragorn says with a smirk.
"What happened?" Arwen asks, "Surely it must be something juicy in order to earn such a reaction." She grins at me.
"Well," Aragorn says, and I quickly cut him off.
"No! Nothing happened!" I say frantically.
Aragorn continues speaking, and I give up on trying to stop him. He is proving to be a very stubborn man.
"I walked to Estrith's room to tuck her in for bed, but I was not in any way prepared for what I saw," he says, stopping as chuckles overtake him for a moment, "Legolas was tickling Estrith, as he often does, but he suddenly pulled Eilonwy onto the floor and began to tickle her. When he finally stopped, he was practically lying on top of her. Both of them better be happy that it was I who found them and not King Thranduil. I fear he would not find such impropriety amusing as I do. Then again, he might find it amusing. Thranduil is very hard to figure out."
My cheeks will eventually melt off. I am sure of it.
Arwen covers her lips with her hand daintily as she laughs. "I wish I could have seen you," she says with a grin, "Legolas has never shown preference for an elleth before, but I believe that times are changing."
Confusion sweeps through me like a hurricane. "What ever do you mean?" I ask her.
Another laugh escapes her lips as if the answer to my question is the most obvious fact in the world. "Legolas likes you! It is very obvious," she says.
Doubt clouds my heart. "No, Legolas could never feel that way about me," I reply, "He is a prince, and I know next to nothing of my parents. I am nowhere near worthy of him."
Aragorn looks at me seriously. "Titles mean nothing to Legolas. He has always been very stubborn. When he wants something, he will do everything in his power to get it."
"I still do not think that he cares for me," I say, "Such an idea seems impossible!"
Arwen smiles. "Well, do you care for him?"
Surprisingly, I do not blush this time. I fall deep into thought for a moment. Throughout my whole life on Earth, I read love stories like Pride & Prejudice and Emma and Jane Eyre, looked at wedding dresses on Pinterest, and dreamed of what my future would bring when I found the man I loved. I never really felt drawn toward anyone before. Sure, I thought certain guys were cute, but I never really liked their personalities. With Legolas, it is completely different. He has all of the qualities that I have always dreamed my future husband would have: kindness, patience, loyalty, and love for others. Everytime I look at him, it is as if I am staring my future right in the face, or gorgeous blue eyes I should say. I saw him in the Mirror of Galadriel, and he caressed my cheek in the vision in almost the same way he did at the spring in Lothlorien. I have feelings for Legolas. There is no doubt about that.
I look into Arwen's clear grayish blue eyes and then meet Aragorn's silver ones. "Yes," I reply without hesitation, "I care for Legolas very much."
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A/N: Bum ba da da!! Yay! She finally confessed... but not to Legolas. What's gonna happen next? Guess you'll have to find out next chapter! Hope you liked this chapter with its fluffiness! Please comment! Blow up the comments if ya feel like it! ;) <3
Love y'all,
Josie :D