[Leane POV]
Boromir didn't join us for lunch, and now he was missing dinner. I went bringing some bread and fruits to offer and found him brooding all by himself under a mellorn tree, isolating himself from the others.
I came to him and started a small talk. When I touched his shoulder in greeting, I could sense that he was bothered by the Ring's constant taunts and temptations– more so than the others. The Ring used his longing to save his beloved city to tempt him.
"Good evening, Boromir," I smiled as I touched his shoulder. He looked up, giving me a reluctant smile.
"I brought you some food," I muttered, putting the basket on his hands. "I didn't see you today at lunch and at the dinner. I'm worried about you. Are you feeling alright?"
"I will not be until we get out of this place," he said grimly.
"The Lady of Light... She talked to your mind too?" He was surprised at my exact guess. I shrugged and continued, "She talked to my mind too. And I bet at the others too. By now she knows all the dirty secrets that I have," I said lightly, shaking my head and pouted. Boromir's lips upturned in a small smile and spoke.
"Pray, do tell. What kind of dirty secrets you might be hiding?" he said with an eyebrow arched. I hesitated for a moment before I answered.
"Like... How I was the one who put a spider in Gimli's cloak when he slept the other day. Please don't tell anyone. He deserved it after endlessly teasing me and Legolas," I said seriously. Boromir chuckled and shook his head in disbelief.
"That explains why he was screaming all of a sudden in the middle of the night, probably waking the whole Lothlorien," he smiled and continued, "Though you and the elf looked incredibly... close these days."
I rolled my eyes and waved him, "That will be because we're like best friends, I think. I dare to say that he cared for me like a brother to a sister, though considering he's probably thousands years old, he's probably old enough to be my grandpa," I muttered distractedly, storing that thought for later use in case I need to tease Legolas, "It's nothing romantic, really," I said matter of factly.
"I see," he replied seemingly not buying my explanation. Why the heck can't a guy and a girl be buddies in Middle Earth?
Boromir went back to his grim expression as he stared at nothing in particular. His dark mood went back and I didn't need to touch him to feel it.
"Do you have someone waiting for you back in your world, Leane?"
"Not really," I said hesitantly before deciding to open up to him about some of my predicament (though he didn't know about my knowledge of the fate of the Fellowship), hoping that he would open up to me too.
"I saw Lady Galadriel four days ago, and I saw into the magic mirror. In my world..." I sighed, "I died, Boromir. And my family, they mourned for me but they moved on."
Boromir looked at me with shock and sympathy. I smiled wistfully and shrugged.
"I can't begin to even express how sorry I am to hear that," he said carefully with a nod, "It must be hard," I smiled a little.
"It definitely is not easy, but I'm accepting it and dealing with it. One day at a time," I said smiling, "I can't help but notice that you missed your home too."
"Yes, Leane. I missed the bustling streets and its chatter. Life teeming out of my hometown, the people, the familiarity... Everything." I nodded and saw the longing in his eyes.
"So... is there a lady waiting for you back home?" I said half teasingly, hoping to cheer him up.
"I would like to say yes but, I do not know, honestly. We are close, but I haven't told her my desire to court her yet so..." His face fell and I put a comforting hand on his broad shoulder.
"What's her name?" I asked softly.
"Melinda, daughter of Lord Namrond," he said with a wistful smile. "I had a crush on her since we were little."
"I bet she must be very lovely. She's truly lucky to have a great man and a great warrior like you to bear such a special feelings for her," I said honestly. He frowned.
"Great man?" he replied with a sudden anger laced in his tone, "Are you sure?" he gritted his teeth. I looked into his eyes and I saw anger, but I knew that anger was directed towards himself.
"Yes you are! You stood by us and protected us this far! You even saved my life back in the mines of Moria!" I retorted with questioning look on my face, "Why are you doubting yourself?"
"Because the Ring and its temptation showed me how weak I am!" he spat and I flinched at his frustrated outburst. He seemed to realize his tone and looked away from me in shame.
"What did the Ring promised you with?" I asked with a still level tone.
"It promised me that its power can save my city. My homeland," he muttered softer this time, his head turned away in shame and guilt.
"The Ring knows your heart, Boromir. It knows how much you love your city and used it against you," I pointed confidently and added, "Just how it used my world and my family against me. But that doesn't make you or me a bad person for being tempted." His head jerked at me.
"It spoke to you too?" he asked in bewilderment.
"Yeah! For all I know, it spoke to the others too, even though they don't say anything," I replied shrugging, "Don't let the Ring and its condemnation steal your peace. Remember that no matter what, you're still a great man, a great warrior and a great friend. Do not doubt yourself. All that promises and judgments from the Ring are lies. It doesn't bow to another but the dark lord himself."
Boromir smiled a smile that reached his eyes for the first time in a week and I smiled widely in return.
"Thank you, my friend, for your consolation relieved me greatly."
"Anytime!" I beamed. "Next time you hear the Ring speak lies to you again, remember that I am always here, to tell you how wrong its lies are."
We smiled widely at each other and Boromir started to eat his food. My heart was glad as I felt his spirit lightened up. We were chatting and talking about his city, Gondor, when we saw Merry and Pippin, with Gimli tailing behind them, ran towards us.
"Miss Leane!" shouted Pippin excitedly, "Look what we've got!"
"Hey there, fellas. How many times I told you to just call me Leane?" I replied grinning at the hobbits and Gimli. My eyes widen at what Pippin bear in his hands. A guitar!
"I remembered you said that you know how to play this," he chirped as he gave me the elven guitar.
"Ohh... It's so beautiful," I sighed dreamily as I picked the strings to test the sound. I gasped at the initial sound. My eyes widen in wonder, "...and it sounds as beautiful as it looks..."
Merry and Pippin nodded excitedly and exclaimed, "Play something!"
I grinned and began playing the guitar. The sound was beautiful as I played random cheerful songs with the guitar, wanting to cheer Boromir and the hobbits. Soon Aragorn, Frodo, Sam and Legolas joined us as I played a song to which Merry and Pippin were singing. As the song ended, all of the others was clapping (including some elves who passed by and stopped to hear the foreign song).
"That was a merry song to hear, it was exquisite," praised Haldir.
"You can always count on the hobbits to light up the mood," I said smiling at the Merry and Pippin, in which they smiled smugly.
"Yet you played skillfully, mellon nin," said Legolas, "Can you play and sing, too?"
"I can. But I'm not that great of a singer," I warned him, "What kind of song do you want?"
"How many kind of songs back in your... home are there?" Aragorn asked, not mentioning my world as to not alerted the unknowing elves around us.
"Many. About life, friendship, love, food..." the hobbits perked up at the mention of food, and I added to just tease them, "...heartbreaks, sadness, death..." I continued, and the hobbits' face curled in disgust at the mention of the last three.
I avoided talking about genres, as I was so not going to make a fool of myself when trying to explain about hip hop or rap songs.
"They have love songs there? Could you play one of them?" asked Sam with hopeful eyes. I smirked at the thought of Rosie, the lady hobbit that he had a crush on.
"Love song it is! Please don't judge my voice, alright," I said playfully and seriously at the same time. I began playing my guitar randomly as I thought for a moment to choose my song and finally sang.
"Every time our eyes meet
This feeling inside me
Is almost more than I can take
Baby when you touch me
I can feel how much you love me
And it just blows me away
I've never been this close
to anyone or anything
I can hear your thoughts
I can see your dreams
I don't know why you do what you do
I'm so in love with you
It just keeps getting better
I wanna spend the rest of my life
With you by my side
Forever and ever
Every little thing that you do
Baby I'm amazed by you
The smell of your skin
The taste of your kiss
The way you whisper in the dark
Your hair all around me
Baby you surround me
You touch every place in my heart
Oh it feels like the first time every time
I wanna spend the whole night in your eyes
I don't know why you do what you do
I'm so in love with you
It just keeps getting better
I wanna spend the rest of my life
With you by my side
Forever and ever
Every little thing that you do
Baby I'm amazed by you."
I bowed my head and said my thanks theatrically as I strummed the last note on my guitar. I blushed as the hobbits and the others were clapping their hands at me enthusiastically. I still couldn't believe I could impress these people with this simple thing.
"That was quite different... but beautiful, lassie," said Gimli in which the others nodded and spoke their aye's. Haldir added, "You sang with so much passion and feelings, I could not help but wonder if there's a man waiting for you, somewhere," he said.
I noticed Legolas tensed in front of me, for some reason unknown to me. It was fleeting and I forgot about it soon as I replied Haldir's question.
"Hmm... not really. I was too engrossed in work back then at home, that I barely had time to think or even have a relationship, let alone much time for my family, so..." I trailed as my mind wander about my family, about how it would be if things were different back then in DC, about things I haven't experienced back at home. The thought struck my heart painfully, reminding me of the hollow in my chest.
Aragorn squeezed my shoulder comfortingly snapping me back to the present. I saw Legolas' concerned face and I chuckled to cover my slip (goddamn, I zoned out in front of my friends and elves) and continued, "What about some other songs? I'm still accepting requests," I said cheerfully for their sakes.
One of the elves request some other love song to which I sang 'Nothing's Gonna Change My Love' which was old and in every sense fitting for the elves. I'd rather stay away from modern songs that would describe too much about my world, as it would raise questions from the elves.
Time flew as I strummed my guitar at different requests of songs. As I apologetically told my audiences that I grew tired, Haldir and the elves thanked me for my songs and went about their own ways, while my friends went up to their talans and bid each other goodnight.
Legolas stayed behind and smiled at me as he moved to sit beside me.
"You sang beautifully, Leane. It lifted everyone's spirits," he praised genuinely, "And what you did for Boromir, it was very kind of you."
"What? How did you..." I asked in alarm but then realization came.
"I wasn't very far when you spoke with him. I couldn't help it," he explained apologetically.
I shook my head, "Legolas! Eavesdropping is not polite," I told him with mock seriousness, but he didn't notice it and instead look to the ground in shame. I abruptly calmed him down and pat his arm, laughing lightly.
"Oh Legolas, I was just teasing you! I'm sorry, please don't take it seriously," I said and he smiled bashfully at me.
Dang, he looked so cute and childlike this way.
"It was wrong still. I should have gotten away, but I couldn't bring myself to leave after Boromir raised his voice at you. I feared something would happen..."
The last bit surprised me–he was protecting me. Sometimes I wonder how a guy as sweet as Legolas could ever exist.
"Hannon le, Legolas. That was so sweet of you to worry about me," I thanked him honestly and added, "But Boromir won't hurt me. He's a perfect gentleman," I said comforting him in a hushed voice. He nodded.
"I know, mellon nin. But his mind is greatly affected by the Ring and I couldn't help but being paranoid. Forgive me," he said.
"There's nothing to forgive," I replied hugging his left arm and put my head on it.
He was so warm and he smelled so good...
I jolted awake out of nothing and I heard Legolas laughed lightly beside me. I looked up at his twinkling eyes and I sighed with a smile. Turned out I dozed off on his arm.
"How long have I been out?"
"About ten minutes," he said softly.
"I'm sorry," I said guiltily, "You should've woken me up. You must be tired."
"Nay, do not feel sorry, Leane. Having you beside me is quite comforting to me," he said matter of factly. I raised my eyebrows in mild surprise.
"Really?"
"Aye," he replied solemnly as he tucked a strand hair out of my face and smiled.
"Shall I escort you to your talan? You need to sleep."
My mood darkened at the mention of sleep. These three days straight I always woke up tired as my dreams were haunted by the memory of my captivity by the North Koreans. The fear and the pain was so vivid that one day Genellith had to wake me up as I was sobbing and trashing madly in my dreams. As if reading my mind, Legolas put a comforting hand on mine, pulling me out of my thoughts.
"Do you have nightmares, Leane?" he asked softly, concern swimming in his eyes.
"Uh... yes," I admitted. There's no use lying to Legolas as he could see right through me.
"Tell me about your dreams."
"It's..." I wavered as I opened my mouth and closed it again, letting Legolas' arm go. I don't want to think about it let alone talk about it. I couldn't. It scared me shitless. I hated it. But the disappointment look in Legolas' face startled me and stirred guilt inside of me. I looked away. My eyes stung; my lips pressed together, jaw clenched in order to suppress my feelings. I closed my eyes, tried to breath in and out, in and out as I try to find excuses not to share my dreams...
A pair of arms encircled me in warm embrace and my attempt to suppress my tears failed. I buried my face in Legolas' shirt and hugged him back, giving in to him. Fat tears fell silently on my cheek, wetting his silver elven shirt as I clutched on the fabric of his top. Only occasional sobs slipped past me as I let a bit of my emotion burst out for him to see.
I didn't know how long we stayed like that, but it didn't stop the tears. Instead, his warm embrace combined with his pain and his longing to comfort me only made me want to cry even more. It was an endless cycle. To stop it, I finally forced myself to pull away, brushing my tears away.
"I'm sorry about your shirt," I muttered with shaky voice, tugging lightly at his shirt, avoiding his eyes. Legolas didn't say anything back and only move his soft fingers to wipe my stray tears away. My eyes went back up to gaze at him.
"Do not worry about my shirt, mellon nin," he said oh-so-softly, almost careful as if afraid I'd cry again if he speak louder than that, "And it is perfectly alright if you wish not to tell me about your nightmares or the problems you have, but know that I will always be here for you, Leane," he said, kissing my temple, saying, "I wish only to see you smile again."
I smiled and breathed out at that, in which he smiled back and said, "There it is, my most favorite smile," he said smiling, brushing my cheeks lightly, his eyes soft. I snorted.
"Of course it is your favorite smile," I commented sarcastically, in which he arched his brow attractively.
"I am being truthful," he said innocently at my sarcastic notes.
I embraced Legolas again and whispered to his pointy ear, "Thank you for always being here for me every time," I said honestly and buried my face in his shoulder. His smell engulfed me; calming me. He replied by squeezing me a little tighter in his arms and after some moment, I pulled my head back to look up at him, smiling.
"You must be tired. I'm sorry for keeping you up," I said apologetically.
"Nay!" he said quickly, "I am more than happy that you keep me up," he added as a grin graced his handsome face and I chuckled.
"Yeah, yeah. Elves do not sleep as much as us mere mortals do," I mumbled, "That is so unfair, by the way."
Legolas smiled and brushed my hair before planting another kiss on my head. My cheek burned as I realized that we were still in each other's arms and his action made this seem rather intimate for me.
He looked down at me, giving me a smug smile, undoubtedly saw my flushed cheek. He brought his hand up and brushed my cheek gently.
Damnit! I couldn't believe he picked this time to tease me.
"Do not be shy, Leane," he said half teasingly, but he added seriously, his eyes saddened as smugness drained away from his expression, "I'd rather see you like this than to see you suffer."
Warmth spread in my heart at hearing his genuine remarks and I hugged him again. I didn't deserve him. I pulled away again and smiled gratefully.
"Now, Leane, you need to rest still. Let me escort you to your talan," he insisted and I nodded.
We reluctantly released each other's arm and walked to my talan that resembled a tree house. I bid him goodnight but he followed me inside. I threw him a rather scandalous look. He only smiled, but said nothing until I reached my bed (which I frowned deeply at this point, earning an elvish chuckle from him). He told me to sit down.
He knelt down in front of me and put both hands on the sides of face before he started chanting in an old elvish language. Gently, darkness overtook me. As I closed my heavy eyelids he whispered,
"Losto, pen vain."
And that night was spent in a comfortable, dreamless sleep.
***
[Author's Note: Finally some fluff again with our favorite elf (that has made finding a boyfriend so goddamn hard because our standard now is nothing less than an elven prince that the men in this world are out of the league for) before the Fellowship's journey continues. Hope this made up for a couple of dark chapters ago! The song lyric was probably too long and cheesy af but I couldn't resist, I loved that song a lot! Enjoy and thank you again to my awesome readers for the love and support! Gi melin, (I love you) Preciousssssss ♥️ GOLLUM! GOLLUM!
Losto, pen vain = Goodnight, beautiful one.
(Song by Shane Filan - Amazed)]