When The Trees Sang: Part XII
by Nicole
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Legolas stood across the table from Garania for several moments, as if waiting for her to make the first move, not daring to say or do anything that could put worsen his condition with her. She watched him, and then turned to walk towards the woods, not caring whether he stayed or followed. He fell into step behind her, staying as close to her as he thought safe. He feared her right now, and what she could do to him if angered. Although he knew that she would never intentionally hurt him, that is he he once knew that, now he was not so sure. She was capable of unbelievable power, enough to remove any trace of him from Middle Earth all together. He watched her back as she walked gracefully in front of him. Suddenly, she stopped, but kept her back to him.

"You wish to speak with me, yet you do not talk. You continue to confuse me, Legolas."

He caught his breath, the sound of her voice suprising him. He had not thought that she would speak a word to him throughout their entire walk.

"I....Talk to me, Garania. What pains you so that you cannot bear to see the sight of my face?"

She turned her head slightly, so as only her gently pointed ears were visible to him.

"Why is there need for me to speak? I know that Gandalf has told you everything. What is left to be said?"

He walked closer to her, getting a sudden burst of courage.

"He has told my your thoughts, yes, but I wish to hear them from you. I will not allow you to let your pride destroy our love, just because you fear your own heart."

She turned again, now fully facing him.

"I do not fear my heart, I fear yours. Why did you do what you did Legolas? I can scarcely remember a thing. Tell me this, and ease my fears."

He reached down tentatively and took her hand in his, looking deep into her eyes.

"Melamin, believe me, I was not aware of what I was doing. I thought you still to be held by your father's blood. I fought you only to keep the santity of Middle Earth. Do you not remember the words I spoke to you only weeks ago?"

She nodded, looking down.

"Yes, I remember them."

"Then speak them."

She gazed up at his eyes, her own now filled with tears. This shocked him.

"You told me that you would not turn your back on me, and that you would stay with me still, not matter what was to come."

"Then why would you think that I no longer felt love for you?"

She shook her head, lacking an answer.

"I fear my pride will one day get the best of me. If it has not already done so." She looked up at him, the tears now pouring freely down her face. "Can you forgive me?"

He smiled, the light now fully returned to his eyes. He answered her with a gentle kiss to her lips. When they pulled away, the smile had once again returned to her own face.

"Shall we take advantage of the opportunity that we have to endulge in some privacy, or shall we return to the palace?" asked Legolas with a mischievious grin.

She cast a sideways glance at him, and then sprinted off into the forest, leaving him to follow her, laughing.

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Hours later, the two returned, the happiness once again restored to them. Aragorn saw them coming down the path towards the palace and smiled. Instead of greeting them, however, he walked quietly back into the castle to leave them to themselves, and to inform Galadriel of their return.

Moonlight was beginning to cast its spell over the wood, and the starlight reflected off of Garania's hair, leaving it glimmering like thousands of crystals in the sunlight. Legolas looked down at her, his eyes taking her in fully. The gown she wore was of a gentle blue, like the color of the morning sky when it was not yet tarnished by clouds. It fell over her like water, fitting to her form perfectly. The back of it trailed behind her when she walked, sweeping the ground with her movement. Around her neck hung a golden chain, adorned with a single diamond, given to her by Elrond on her first visit to Rivendell. Her hair was hanging loosely down her back in gentle waves, held back from her face with a few flowers that had been made into a rope and elegantly weaved throughout it. Her eyes glowed their brightest in the starlight, each one shining like emeralds in the night. He let out a gentle sigh, amazed at her beauty. He often wondered how he came to be so lucky as to win such a wonderous creature as his wife. She noticed his sigh and looked up at him.

"What is it?"

He shrugged his shoulders, and smiled at her.

"Nothing, I was just admiring you."

A slight pink spread across her cheeks, and she lowered her eyes from his, smiling.

"One would think after so many years you would have grown quite used to my reflection by now."

He smiled again. She had never been one to accept compliments well.

"How could I grow used to it, when your beauty grows more with every passing day? I never have the chance to tire of it in one day, for it always surpasses itself by the next."

She turned a deeper shade of crimson, and looked at the ground before her.

"Legolas, please stop, before my cheeks turn the color of the flower on that tree over there."

He laughed, and he felt relieved, as it had been to long since he had last done so. He sighed again, this one one of unwillingness.

"I suppose we must go back to the rest of them now. They will be wondering what has become of us."

Garania smiled, her eyes again meeting his.

"No, I think that they will not question our whereabouts too much."

He returned her smile, and then led her up the path and into the palace.

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