[LEANE POV]
I was sitting on the chair in front of a table in my room, my fingers conjured out words as well as I'm able, making sure that I poured everything in my mind into the paper before me.
I had been writing a lot since the day I looked into the mirror in Lothlorien. I was determined not to ever forget where I came from and all the good things that came with it. Genellith, the elf who took care of me back in Lothlorien had gifted me with this book that I had been carrying wherever I went. In it, I wrote and drew everything that I could and would like to remember about my previous home.
My fingers scribbled furiously on the thin paper made of animal skin, writing a lyric that I remembered using a quill and an ink.
Have you ever tried writing using a quill? As gloriously vintage that might sound, it was so frustratingly hard to do, not to mention not practical at all. I made a mental note to make a pencil later when I got the chance; probably try to figure out how to produce papers without having to kill...whatever this paper made of. I could probably sell them and start a business here.
I smirked, knowing that if I do, I would monopolize the stationary business in Middle Earth.
My entrepreneur daydream was rudely interrupted by the quill in my hand that kept on dragging and drying out. I grudgingly dipped the tip into the ink again and tried hard to not crush my only writing instrument.
As maddening as it was to write, it beats talking to the pictures on the walls– hang in there, Joan!
If I'm Anna, would that make Legolas Elsa? Or is it the other way around since I'm the one with unwanted superpower here? I shook my head as Frozen songs began to echo in my head.
Go away, Anna.
My mind traveled back home when I wrote this particular song sang by Gwyneth Paltrouw, titled Coming Home. As vague as the title was, the song really made me homesick.
I missed my family. I missed my apartment. I missed Domino's Pizza. I missed McD. I missed ice cream and burger. Chinese. Italians. Taco Bell. Jelly beans. Coffee. Milkshake. Chocolate. iPhone. Google. Planes. KFC. Donna Karan. Coke. Sprite. Subway. R&B. Jazz. Heck, I even missed Justin Bieber and I never even liked him.
As I wrote, I could feel my fingers and eyes started to lose its functions. My mind wandered and my body demanded sleep. I yawned but kept on writing, putting my head lazily on the table.
***
[LEGOLAS POV]
I smiled when I saw Leane's room lit up as I walked on the ledge toward its opened window. I hopped inside silently, my eyes trained on the bed, but she wasn't there.
She was fast asleep in a sitting position on the table. A quill lay limply in her hand, and a book laid open in front of her. She must have been writing before falling asleep.
I smiled as I saw her sleeping form. Her dark hair fanned all around her back, shoulders, and on the table, partially covering her face.
I brushed her dark hair away from her face, tucking it lightly behind her ear. Then my eyes caught on the words written on the page. I carefully pulled the book out of Leane's hand, curiosity led me to read its content.
There were several paragraphs that looked like a poem. I understood its general idea, but not all of the details. The list underneath it, however, were completely alien to me.
The poem was what intrigued me the most. It reminded me of where Leane came from. Sometimes, having her with us like a family this long sometimes made us forget that she was not of this world. A foreigner.
I glanced at Leane sleeping form, wondering how she worked her way around the loneliness and the knowledge that her world was no longer hers.
'Magic always comes with a price, ion nin,' I remembered my adar once said.
I was beyond grateful that the Valar brought her to me, but too often I was being ignorant. I was blessed with her presence, yet she paid a costly price for it.
I closed the book and placed it back on the table. I kissed her hair softly and brushed her dark hair absently. By the looks of it, she would wake up sore tomorrow if I let her sleep in this position. So I decided to gently lift her up to place her on the bed.
She stirred as I put her down. Once she was settled, I went to disarm myself and put my bow and quiver carefully on the table beside the bed. I removed my cloak, arm brace and boots before climbing up the bed next to her.
I glanced at Leane, my mind wandered off by itself. My thoughts was pulled into a halt when she stirred again. I raised my brow with amusement as I heard her mumble, her hands searched around her and found my waist. I felt my stomach fluttered as she leaned her head on my chest, and I couldn't contain the smile that threatened to rip my face in two.
Her delicate form radiated warmth, the faint smell of roses filling my nostrils. Having her around never failed to make me feel content and safe. I felt my body relaxed around her.
I guess being forced to sneak into her room every night was not a bad idea.
I smiled again at the thought. I couldn't wait to see her wake up tomorrow morning and see her reaction at what I had in mind for her.
My stomach churned nervously and I focused myself on the steady breathing of the woman in my arms, willing her presence to calm me once again.
***
[LEANE POV]
The sunlight seeped through the blinds and entered my eyes pleasantly.
No, it wasn't the sunlight that pleased me. Waking up in Legolas' arms and being surrounded by his warmth was the best thing a girl could ever ask for. I looked up at him, finding him staring ahead.
"Good morning, Legolas," I chirped softly with a lazy smile.
Oddly Legolas didn't respond right away. His eyes were focused on something up on the wall on the opposite of our bed.
"Pretty boy," I sang softly.
He didn't budge. He kept on focusing at the wall as of finding something on it. In fact, he wasn't focused on anything at all. His icy blue eyes were glazed and seemed empty. It looks...
Dead.
Fear and horror crept up my spine. Tears suddenly threaten to well up in my eyes as I jumped at the realization.
"Legolas!"
In a blink of an eye, Legolas was already sitting up, his hands flew on the weapon on the nightstand beside him. With an unnatural speed, an arrow was already nocked on his bow, preparing to shoot to kill. His eyes glanced at me warily before scanning the room, searching for a target.
My mouth hung open at his sudden movement.
Finding no hostile around the premises, Legolas stared back at me, but not even once lowering his guard down.
"Leane! What's wrong?" he demanded, glancing at me sideways.
At other circumstances, with his eyes piercing in his hunting state, smoldering and ready to kill, I would've thought that he looked so hot– smoldering. But given my shock, it took me a while before finding my voice again.
"Just... put down your weapon. At ease, it was a false alarm," I said as I let out the breath that I didn't realize was holding.
Legolas placed his bow and arrow slowly back on the table and looked at me questioningly.
I stared at Legolas as the aftermath of the little heart attack still had its effect on me. It was baffling, the way his eyes shone now compared to the emptiness it held just a few seconds earlier.
Legolas pulled me into an embrace, noticing my inner turmoil. He tensed for a split second before tightening his arms around me, rocking my body gently like one would to calm a child.
"You're shaking," he said softly. "Did you have a nightmare? I thought the tea Lord Elrond gave you should rid you of any dreams."
I pulled away and looked up into his eyes.
"I thought you were dead. Your eyes were..."
Understanding dawned across his face. He smiled and let out a small chuckle.
"I did not die, melleth nin. I was sleeping. I just realized now that I have never told you about my sleeping behavior."
"I thought only Gandalf slept like that," I replied, remembering the vision back in Edoras with the palantir.
"All elves slept with their eyes wide open," he explained.
I didn't say anything back. My mind stubbornly traveled back to the memory of seeing Legolas dying in the field.
"Forgive me for not informing you about this. It never crossed my mind before," he added. "I am sorry for scaring you."
Legolas pulled me down into his arms again. I pressed my face on his shoulder and inhaled on his signature scent, letting it calm my nerves.
"It's so silly of me," I said in a small voice. "You always slept later and woke up earlier than me. I never really put much thought about it. I thought someone came into our room and poisoned you or something."
"Nay, melleth nin. Not silly. I think I might be just too comfortable that I slept deeper and longer this time than I normally would– hence you saw me sleep for the very first time."
"Too comfortable? Does it have something to do with me being around you?" I asked lightly as I relished the warmth radiating off of him.
"Nay," he said looking down at me. "It has everything to do with you being around me."
I smiled and kissed him softly. I wanted to pull away after some time but he held the back of my neck and deepened the kiss instead. Not that I complained.
I felt his comforting warm hands around my back and my neck as his kisses turned more searing and demanding. I snaked my fingers through his silky blond hair and massaged his scalp.
Unexpectedly, a small moan escaped his lips. I chuckled lightly; it was surprising for me that I was able to make him moan.
Legolas. Moaning!
Legolas stopped kissing me and I saw him blush. Was he embarrassed?
I kissed him hard this time, but he was quick to place a hand on my face, slowing the pace of our kiss. I smiled sheepishly when he pulled away from me and broke the kiss. I pouted.
"Why are you stopping? I see how much you enjoyed it earlier," I teased him with a low tone.
"Aye. I enjoyed it. Only too much. If I don't slow down I might not be able to stop," he answered with a bashful grin. I hummed.
"You seem shy. That's a first," I wondered.
Legolas sighed, not the happy kind, but the wistful kind of sigh. "Aye. So much for elf self-control," he mumbled.
I laughed.
Aw. He was embarrassed just because he moaned into our kiss. Legolas stroke my arm absently and brushed my hair as I laughed. He grinned cheekily.
"I am happy as long as you happy," he mumbled. "Even if it hurts my pride ever so slightly," Legolas added in a mock hurt.
"Oh, my Legolas. Don't feel bad for enjoying yourself. I'm just glad that I could draw such a reaction from you," I told him honestly.
Legolas snorted. He didn't say anything in response and I lifted my eyebrows in inquiry.
"You did not know how many times I have been holding myself back with you. 'T'was a slip up today," he admitted.
I blushed furiously at that. I thought today was the only time I ever drew such reaction from him, save for the ear nibbling the other day. The thought that I could make him feel that way amazed me.
Legolas smirked as he saw the crimson on my face and brushed my cheek lightly. His gaze turned soft and loving as I kissed his palm.
Without warning he flipped me onto my back. I squealed in surprise and he grinned down at me.
"Wait here, love. Don't move."
Legolas pecked my lips and moved away from me. He walked towards the direction of the chair across the room and reached for his outer tunic. Soon he went back onto the bed.
The handsome elf pulled me into a hug and kissed my cheek audibly. I giggled at his adorable cheerfulness as he looked down at me with a grin.
The next words spilling out of his lips were unexpected.
"Marry me, Leane Andrews," Legolas said in a soft, steady voice.
My giggle was brought to a halt. I stared at him as he gracefully got on one knee while I sat on the bed. Something glinted in his finger–an antique looking golden ring with an elliptical emerald green stone adorning it. White tiny gems that looked like diamonds rimming around it, reflecting the sunlight.
Without warning a squeal escaped out of me and I threw my arms around his neck, embracing him tightly– never mind the fact I probably just turn Legolas deaf with my banshee approved squeal of happiness. But being a perfect gentleman that he always was, he only chuckled and hugged me back.
"That sounds like a good sign to me," he commented.
"Legolas," I said after the squealing party was over, puling away to look at his eyes. "You already know that I will marry you eventually. You don't have to do this just to follow the custom of my people. It doesn't matter to me."
"But it matters to me. At least your reaction was worth it," he teased. "I would like to at least have the honor of proposing you according to the custom of your people," he said smilingly.
I glanced at the ring and smiled widely at him. "It's beautiful, Legolas."
He beamed. "I am delighted to know that you like it. It was my mother's. I asked for it from my adar just two days ago. My mother left it to him for me to give to my future wife."
Oh my heart.
"It's perfect. It's beautiful," I said, lacking better words to describe my feelings.
Legolas smiled widely and his eyes twinkled with excitement.
"So, what say you, my love? Will you marry me?" he asked as he stroke my arm softly.
"You already know the answer."
"I need to hear it from you. Humor me."
"Hell yes!" I exclaimed excitedly and we both laughed in delight like a couple of silly teenagers.
He gently took my hand and slid the ring on my finger.
"It looked so beautiful on you. A perfect fit," he said softly.
I kissed him and we continued laughing with joy.
I couldn't understand why many people cried when being proposed. I'd rather laugh like this with him and shared this immense joy with my lover.
*coughs* Fiancé.
"Hannon le, Legolas," I told him wholeheartedly, but he shook his head.
"Hannon le, for letting me have you," he said as he placed a kiss on my hand. "'Tis such an honor to know that you accepted to marry me."
"When are we going to marry?" I asked suddenly. "Now?"
Heat crept up to my neck with record breaking speed at the thought of 'consummation' that marked elvish marriage. Legolas broke out laughing as he saw my reddened face.
"Nay, Leane. I do not think I want to marry you now at the risk of being caught by your appointed maid servant," he teased. I punched him playfully and he continued.
"This ring," he said, caressing my fingers softly, "...is nothing but a promise," he cradled my face and kissed me sweetly. Upon gazing at his face again, I noticed how the playfulness had begun to leave his expression. "I will marry you, but not now. And certainly not at war. I hope that when the time comes, then we need not to worry about our lives or the darkness that lurk in the shadow. If we are going to make a home together... I wish for nothing, but a good home for us."
"That means a world without Sauron."
"Aye," he said with a small smile.
"That certainly will make our marriage more enjoyable then," I replied lightly. "No evil, prying eye around the corner." Legolas chuckled.
"Indeed, melleth nin. Indeed."
We kissed some more for a few minutes, enjoying the bliss we had at the moment, savoring the feeling we both shared. I was at the point where I was in the middle of trying to wordlessly convince Legolas into marrying me right away, but alas, mother nature was being a buzzkill as always.
Legolas jumped out of the window at the sound of approaching footsteps, making me feeling the spontaneous urge to sing My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean– with a slight modification and change the word Bonnie into Lego.
I stared in admiration at the beautiful ring on my finger and couldn't wipe the stupid smile on my face, until a thought came darkening my mood.
I was engaged to Legolas today, but tomorrow, we will all be engaged in a war in which we had no way of winning. But hope– I wished hope would be enough to let us come out of it alive.
***
[Author's Note: Soo did you guys see the ring coming? Ehehehehehehe too bad they didn't get married right away and seal the deal tho. I enjoyed writing this chapter a lot. There was silliness in it, and also joy. I love that they both laugh together! By the way thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoy it, because next chapter is gonna be a little turbulent, but fun with a little twist in it. Also wanna thank all of you who leaves frequent comments on the material you read. I love seeing them probably more than the votes itself! Enjoy, precioussss ♥️]