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For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self control. - 2 Timothy 1:7
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Eilonwy
The next week races by quickly, both Legolas and I anxiously awaiting a letter from his parents. We are side by side almost every waking moment-except when Lady Celebrian and Glosseth pull me away from him in order to quiz me on how exactly I want my dress to look. The feeling is indescribable when we are together now. He looks at me in a way that makes me blush right down to my toes, and it seems that it is harder than ever before for him to keep his hands to himself.
The day after Legolas proposed to me, I sat down at my desk and scribbled out a letter to Aragorn. My thoughts were so jumbled, I only hope I was able to convey the extent of my happiness to him. The letter was several pages long, detailing every little thought and feeling I have had since coming to Rivendell... so the letter was mostly about Legolas.
I asked Aragorn and his family to travel to Rivendell if Thranduil and Nithroel allow us to marry, and I told him of how I wish desperately for Estrith to be the flower girl in our wedding. If we do get permission to marry, I intend to invite Galadriel and Celeborn, also. All I want is a small wedding with just Legolas's family and our friends, and I will be happy.
"What are you thinking of, Mell nín (My beloved)?"
Legolas twirls a lock of my hair around his finger. We both lie on a soft chaise in his room. I lie wrapped in his arms, my back against his chest, and I can feel his heart beating beneath me. I turn my head slightly to look up at him. "Our wedding," I tell him quietly, turning my gaze away from him in slight embarrassment, "I am nervous."
He chuckles slightly. "I would be a fool to claim that I am not nervous," he says, sighing slightly, "But you should not worry. 'Twill only be our family and friends watching."
I shift slightly. "I know," I whisper, not wanting to tell him why I am truly nervous. In all honesty, I am terrified of our wedding night. To finally be his in such a soul binding way- to become one with him- frightens me. I am very shy, and the thought makes me cringe. But at the same time, I want him more than anything in the world. I want to be his wife, in spirit and in body. I want to experience what it feels like to wake up to his sleepy smile and his loving, bright blue eyes. The thought sends butterflies fluttering in my stomach, but Legolas rubs my arm soothingly, breaking me from my thoughts.
"You are hiding something from me," he says lowly, his lips brushing my ear, "If you are having second thoughts... if you do not wish to marry me then-"
"Legolas," I cut him off quickly, turning around in his lap to face him, "Do not be ridiculous."
He does not answer, only reaching up to touch my face softly. His eyes are soft and slightly sad, and I stare at him in astonishment. "You really think that?" I breathe out, slightly hurt by his assumption, "You think I do not wish to marry you?"
He lets his fingers fall, running down the skin of my neck and across my collarbone. He does not meet my gaze. "I do not know," he says quietly, "You seem unhappy, and I do not wish for you to be. If I have pressured you in anyway-"
I close my eyes tightly, and he trails off. "I love you," I tell him, my voice thick with emotion, and I open my eyes and meet his gaze, "I love you, and I want nothing more than to be your wife. I just... I am afraid."
His eyebrows furrow deeply as he stares at me. "Afraid? Why are you afraid?"
I sigh, my heart picking up speed in my chest as he brushes a strand of hair behind my ear. I divert my gaze. "I do not know how to be a princess or a queen. I get nervous in crowds, and speaking in front of them terrifies me. I am not a leader, nor do I know how to rule a kingdom. And I do not know how to be a wife," I say quietly, my voice wavering on my last sentence, and I become nervous to explain why I am truly scared, "Also, y-you know that I am shy... and, well-"
"Is this going where I think it is?" Legolas questions, cutting me off, and I look up, meeting his clouded gaze.
I do not respond, blushing in embarrassment and shame.
"Eilonwy," he states sharply, not in a cruel way, but disapprovingly, worriedly, "This is why you are hesitant to marry me?"
I nod sheepishly, and his hands travel up to cup my warm cheeks. "Eilonwy, Meleth nín (My love), you need not be afraid. I know not what I am doing, just as you. But we will learn together, and I think that is the way it is supposed to be. If it makes you feel any better, I am nervous, too. Do you not remember how scared we were the very first time we kissed?" he questions, grinning slightly, and I laugh, nodding softly, "And you see how far we have come since then."
I roll my eyes at his joking statement, laughing brightly. His grin widens as he looks at me with his shining, loving gaze. "Alright, alright," I say, sighing, "You have made me feel better, as always, and made me see reason. I am still nervous and will probably be a trembling wreck on our wedding night, but I love you and that is enough for me."
He leans forward, kissing my shoulder softly as his chest rumbles with laughter. "I love you," he replies, tightening his arms around my waist.
A knock sounds at the door, and Legolas turns to look at it, still holding me to him tightly. "Enter," he calls.
The door swings open, and Glosseth enters, smiling at us happily.
"Sister!" Legolas exclaims boisterously, and I burst into laughter.
"Brother!" she exclaims teasingly, holding up her hand to reveal a letter grasped carefully in her slender fingers, "Ada and Naneth have sent a reply."
I look at Legolas quickly, and our gazes meet, our anxiety and excitement clearly written in our eyes. I swallow thickly, turning to look at her. Legolas holds his hand out to her. "Then please end our agony," he jokes.
She shakes her head, clutching the letter to her chest. "We must wait for Lord Elrond and Lady Celebrian. They wanted to hear the news," she says, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet, her blonde hair swishing around her like a waterfall.
Not a moment later, the lord and lady of Rivendell enter the room, Gwilithon and Elrohir trailing behind them with smirks.
Elladan is not with them.
"Open it! Open it!" Glosseth says with a merry laugh, handing Legolas the letter as his hold on my waist disappears.
Legolas breaks the Mirkwoodian wax seal, gingerly unfolding the letter that holds our fate in its hands. His eyes scan over the words for a few moments, a deafening silence filling the room before his eyes flicker up to meet mine. His clear blue eyes are filled with tears as he looks at me, a smile forming on his lips as he nods disbelievingly. "Ada and Naneth approve of the marriage," he states with a breathy laugh, and the others in the room release happy laughter as they clap, "They only have one condition, and that is Eilonwy and I must wait to marry until my parents arrive in Rivendell. The letter says they will be arriving only a few days after the messenger who brought it to us."
"Oh, I can barely contain my happiness!" Glosseth exclaims joyfully, floating over to Legolas and I and kissing our cheeks. She crouches down in front of me, taking my hands in hers. "I would not have anyone other than you as a sister. You have brightened all of our spirits," she says, and I thank her, my heart feeling as if it will burst from happiness.
"Alright, it is my turn," Lady Celebrian says teasingly, her eyes filled with tears, and Glosseth moves to let the lady take her spot, "The two of you just melt my heart. I am so very happy for you both, and I wish you all the happiness in Arda. I know you will do well together."
"Thank you, my lady," I respond as she kisses our cheeks the way Glosseth did.
"So you will finally be my sister," Gwilithon says with a smirk, and Elrohir laughs loudly.
I nod, smiling at him as he gazes at me with his dark green eyes. "And you will finally be my brother," I say with a small smirk of my own, "Truly, I do not know whether this is a blessing or a curse."
Everyone laughs at my statement, and Gwilithon only squints slightly, looking as if he is proud of my comeback.
My gaze meets Lord Elrond's all-knowing eyes, and I am surprised to see the fatherly, almost sorrowful, look in them. He smiles genuinely, though, and he approaches us. He grasps my hand in his, crouching down in front of me slowly. His eyes travel to meet Legolas's as he speaks to us. "Now that we have your parent's blessing, I will be more than happy to proceed with the preparations for your marriage. I want you both to know how great this news is to hear. I am very happy for you," he states slowly, before meeting my gaze, "I must ask you, Eilonwy, who will escort you down the aisle since you do not have your father to do so?"
I pause in surprise. "I have not thought of it. Everything has happened so quickly that the problem never crossed my mind," I say, looking to Legolas for a moment, "I am inviting Aragorn and his family. Would it be appropriate for Aragorn to walk me down the aisle? He is like a father to me, after all, and I love him as such."
Lord Elrond nods. "I think that is a wonderful idea," he says with a smile before sighing and patting my hand, and he stands, "Well, I think we ought to leave them be for a while. They need time to let this information sink in."
Elrohir smirks at Gwilithon. "Or they just want time to kiss," he says, and Gwilithon snorts.
Lord Elrond shoots his son a disapproving look, trying not to smile, and Elrohir smiles innocently. Everyone follows Lord Elrond out of the room, giving us one last 'congratulations', and the door shuts behind them, leaving us alone.
"I must write to Aragorn and Lady Galadriel," I tell him, my voice practically shaking in excitement. The feeling of knowing for certain that we are to marry soon is so overwhelming that I feel like I might burst of happiness at any moment.
Legolas chuckles deeply, placing a chaste kiss to my head before releasing me. "Do what you must," he says, watching me amusedly as I race to his desk, pulling out a piece of parchment, a quill, and a bottle of ink.
I glance over my shoulder at him, smiling when I see that he is now sprawled across the chaise with his eyes closed tiredly. I turn back to the blank parchment, picking up the quill and dipping it in the ink before beginning to write.
My dearest friend,
Legolas and I just received a letter from Thranduil and Nithroel. They have approved of our marriage and are on their way to Rivendell. Their only condition was that we wait to marry until they arrive, but I am dragging the wedding date out until you and your family can get here. I am most anxious to be married to Legolas, but I cannot do so without you here. It would not feel right.
Since my father has passed on, I am in need of a good, honorable substitute to walk me down the aisle, and you are the only man that I deem worthy of such an action. You have been so kind and loving to me, the way a father is to his child, and I want nothing more than to have you walk me down the aisle.
Please accept my invitation and travel to us as soon as you possibly can. Oh, and please remember to ask dear, little Estrith to be my flowergirl.
I cannot wait to see your smiling faces again.
With love,
Eilonwy
I read over the letter before nodding in satisfaction. I quickly fold it up, sealing it with a dot of wax. I scrawl out a second letter for Lady Galadriel, sealing it in the same way. I stand from the desk, walking to the door. After walking down a few hallways, I find a servant who promises to have the letters sent to Gondor and Lothlorien with a messenger at once, and I then find my way back to Legolas's room.
I smile softly, approaching the chaise and sitting down beside Legolas's sleeping figure. I reach up, brushing a strand of his silky hair from his forehead. After speaking with him, I am not so afraid of marrying him. Of course, I am still insanely nervous, but it is no longer the stomach lurching, toe curling kind of nervousness. No, now it is the kind of nerves that sends my stomach fluttering and a blush spreading from my head down to my toes. It is a good kind of anticipation that makes my heart feel light as if it will grow wings and take flight at any moment it deems necessary.
To think that I will be his bride whenever our family and friends arrive is like a dream. It seems so unreal to think that I will be a princess. I feel like I have been thrown into a fairytale, but I have always been told that fairytales do not exist. All of this seems almost too good to be true, but I decide to remain positive, for I have always believed in fairytales and goodness despite harsh realities.
And our impending, fairytale wedding is almost enough to make me forget about the woman who is out to kill me.
Almost.
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A/N: Hey, y'all! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! Sorry for the wait (as always haha!). I am relieved/sad/happy/terrified to tell y'all that this story will be coming to a close pretty soon! As you can see, my emotions are all over the place. I still have many, many loose ends to tie up and action to throw in, but we are steadily approaching the end, I think. I do change my mind a lot, so who knows what could happen, but I just wanted to give a little warning! Please comment if you enjoyed this chapter, and you can begin sending me any ideas for future stories if you want (like sequels, prequels, or entirely different story ideas). I'm open to hearing any ideas you might have in your amazing, creative minds! And please go check out my Elladan story When the Sun Rises <3
Love y'all to the Moon and back! Hope y'all have a wonderful, blessed spring break (mine is actually next week, but I know a lot of people start theirs this week).
Love,
Josie