~ The peace treaty gets signed but Wynne is more interested in getting a moment alone with Legolas. He has a suggestion. ~
32. A Tempting Suggestion
The following days Legolas steadily got better. The bandages were changed regularly and the bleeding slowly subsided until finally the healer said it was time to stitch his stomach up too. He still took seed of the poppy to ease the pain but in a much lesser amount that mostly made him sleepy, and soon he needed only willow bark tea, a much less potent painkiller.
His friends took turns sitting with him, singing, playing music or just talking, and every night Thranduil slept there in the other bed.
When they weren't keeping Legolas company, Wynne and the elves went outdoors as much as possible to hunt, bathe in the small pool and look after the horses who still roamed the heather moor.
Neither of them liked to be in the tunnels for long; it was somehow dark and sinister in there despite the painted walls, many oil lanterns and candles. Wynne could easily understand that Sidra and the babies had had to leave that place.
Every time she came out in the sunlight she felt relieved, like the heavy rock of the hill had been weighing her down, and she was very sorry for Legolas who had no choice but to stay. She longed for the day they could finally get out of there for good.
She slept fairly well in the store room despite being underground. It was admittedly a bit uncomfortable to share it with three males but they had arranged a shelf between them so she could have some privacy.
During the meals in the hall she usually sat with Sidra's family, still shy around the tall and dangerous looking uruk-hai. Galion, Nodir and Bronedir seemed to make many new friends, however, each day moving to a new table, while Thranduil for his part spent most of the time bickering with Goltur.
The peace treaty was at last coming to its completion, after Goltur and Thranduil had spent many long hours arguing about its contents. Thranduil had agreed to speak with the human kings, like he had said, and furthermore ask them to speak with the dwarves – a compromise they both could accept. As for other elven realms, he would ask Lord Celeborn in Lothlórien to spread the word to them since he had more connections than Thranduil.
Then there had been the question of the ents. The uruk-hai were wary about the tree-herders; many of them had narrowly escaped an army of moving trees from Fangorn after the defeat in Helm's Deep, but to ask ents to be friendly to orcs when that race had killed so many trees would be a hard task. Even the Elvenking, with his love of trees and knowledge of them, couldn't guarantee they would listen.
"We shall try, at least, on that you have my word. Lord Celeborn is powerful and might convince them."
With this, the old orc healer had to make do.
As for the orcs' obligations, that list was equally long and detailed. They were of course not allowed to steal or kill, that was obvious and easily agreed upon, but the matter of hunting was more complicated. In the end, it was decided they were allowed to hunt but only in their own vicinity, or with the permission of the landowner if they wished to do it elsewhere. The same went for farming, or the harvesting of any herb, fruit or berry in the land.
Another issue was the remaining orc bandits in the area. Goltur had admitted there were several groups in Emyn Muil that he knew of, as had been the case in the Brown Lands. Thranduil wanted it written in the treaty that he should be allowed to kill them, but Goltur was determined that if this was to be his people's lands, they should be the ones responsible for keeping the area safe.
"How can I trust you to slay your own kind?" asked Thranduil suspiciously.
"If need be, they shall be executed, on that you have my word. But I wish to pursue a gentler way. I have cells deep in the caves below where I will imprison them and try to make them see reason. As we have."
"Weakness," he sneered contemptuously.
"Maybe. Or compassion?"
In the end Thranduil agreed but with the addition that if Goltur failed, and those roaming orcs did any damage outside the hills, that too would be considered a breach of the treaty.
After many more such clauses were written, King Thranduil of the Woodland Realm and Goltur of the First Free Orctown in Emyn Muil could shake hands a second time, and solemnly sign the stack of parchment, witnessed by all the inhabitants of the cave. The ensuing cheer nearly threatened to crumble the rock into pieces and make the ceiling crash down upon them.
The uruk-hai were free at last.
They held a huge feast after this grand event, but Wynne didn't stay long and hardly tasted any of the food. As soon as she could, she excused herself and went to bring Legolas his usual bleak dinner. He was still not allowed anything solid, only soup, gruel and tea, because the poppy medicine could make him constipated which was not a good idea when one was wounded near the bowels.
For once, Legolas was alone in the small room, which suited her well. It was ages since they had a chance to talk just the two of them.
When he saw her he brightened up. "Finally. I thought I would be alone all night. Such party-lovers, you are! I take it that the peace treaty was signed to their liking?"
"It was." She maneuvered the tray with one hand and closed the door, cutting out the sound of music and cheerful conversation from the hall.
"Soup again? I had hoped for lembas." Legolas grinned impishly at her.
He really must feel a lot better if he threw his favorite joke at her, and it made her warm and happy with relief.
"You look good." She sat beside him. "Not so pale anymore."
"You think I look good, my fair lady? I am flattered!" He winked.
He had winked. And called her fair. Was he flirting?
"Yes." Wynne busied herself with the tray to hide her face, not daring to meet his gaze. Surely he must remember why he couldn't talk that way, why he should not do it. They were past this, weren't they?
"My apologies. I did not mean to make you uncomfortable." He sounded serious now and took her hand, squeezing it.
His touch gave her butterflies and the feelings she had tried so hard to suppress returned in full power. "Legolas... don't do this. I can't..." She broke off, chest constricting.
"Wait... please. Just hear me out. I have been thinking... I have had a lot of time to think lately." He swallowed thickly. "I have wanted to talk to you for a while but there were always others around."
She glanced at him. His face was flustered and he looked uncharacteristically nervous.
"I know my father spoke to you too that time, about why... why I could not, uh, pursue you. Ada intends for me to find myself some fine elf lady, who is, in his words, 'queen material'."
He had made a perfect imitation of Thranduil's voice and Wynne's lips turned up despite her embarrassment.
"He can be quite stubborn, as you know, and slow to change his ideas and opinions. And it takes a long time for him to warm up to others. But I was thinking... if we were subtle about it. Well. In time, he might... I think he would understand."
She puzzled his somewhat incoherent sentence together. "You mean for us to be seeing each other... secretly?" Her heart began to beat faster at the thought.
"Aye. If... you agree to it?" His hand that still enclosed hers was tense.
Oh how she wanted to say yes. She envisioned the secluded cottage from her daydream and kissing Legolas in the four poster bed.
But what of her mortality? Had Thranduil not talked to him about that? If so, he must understand why it wouldn't work in the long run.
She hesitated to bring that up, however. Wasn't it too early to discuss a long lasting relationship? Maybe he only meant for it to be something brief.
She settled for a hint. "But you're an elf and I'm human... we're different. There will be... uh, problems."
"My friend Aragorn married an elf. Or, half-elven, rather." Legolas sounded unconcerned, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Had he not thought about the implications of that marriage? Had Aragorn and Arwen not thought of it?
"What will Arwen do after her husband's demise?"
"Oh... you mean, will she mourn him forever and be miserable for the rest of her immortal life?"
"Yes." The word came out like a sigh.
"So it was that Ada told you. I wondered about it." To her surprise he brought her hand to his lips. The kiss was light as a feather, making her skin tingle. "Your consideration for my feelings makes me think even higher of you."
"Doesn't that worry you, then?"
"Not at all. Aragorn has given her a son now; she will have the baby to remember him by, and of course eventual future children."
"But what when they die?"
"Half-elven children are immortal too, like Arwen and her brothers. And their father Elrond, for that matter."
She peered at him. Was that really true? Why hadn't Thranduil known it, if so? But she supposed he had lived very secluded in his forest whereas Legolas had traveled the world.
"You don't even like children." She tried to smile but her lips quivered. Could this really work? Could she allow herself to hope again?
"True." He chuckled. "However, I have yet to meet my own child, and if it bears any resemblance with you I am sure I shall adore it."
His eyes locked with hers, no longer nervous. He seemed so earnest, like he really had meant everything he said. He even wanted to have children with her – that was not something one would say lightly.
His large, expressive eyes spoke clearly of his feelings. Losing herself in the deep blue wells, her apprehensions melted away into nothingness.
"Then... in that case... I say yes."
Speaking those words was at the same time the most terrifying and the most wonderful she had ever done.
A/N:
This was fun to write. :D Next chapter will be... fluffy. But safe for work, no worries, this is the Medieval era after all. ;)
A note about Arwen, the half-elven and immortality... Legolas is not entirely correct in his assumptions as we shall see later. (I figured I should mention it myself before anyone goes umm-actchually at me lol)
Also, the epithet "half-elven" refers to anyone who's part elvish though it can be more or less than 50%. Arwen is something like 78% elf with some Maia genes in the mix as well. :)
Image Credits:
Source: https://screenrant.com/lord-of-the-rings-best-funniest-legolas-quotes/