Into the West (A Lord of the Rings Fan Fic)

Chapter Twenty Seven

The night was settling in, an inky sky which was broken only by the myriad pinpricks of light which winked in the heavens stretching out over Amaruil’s head as she leaned out of the window of her room, letting the faint scent of oranges and jasmine which floated along on the cool night’s breath soothe her, rushing into her very soul as she sighed. The breeze played with her hair as it dangled over the side of the small balcony, mischievously tugging on it as she watched the flaming pinks of the sun fade as it sank behind the horizon, the fiery colours lingering in the sky a little longer as if they couldn’t bear to leave so soon; beneath her fingers the stone was cool and she ran them along it absentmindedly as her thoughts drifted through the darkness, hanging uncollected and unconcerned in the silence of the evening.

Her door opened so softly that she didn’t hear it; she was so absorbed in her contemplations that she had no idea that anyone was in the room with her until she heard a whisper in her ear. “Amaruil?” Legolas asked as he came to stand beside her, leaning his elbows on the balcony edge and looking out at the landscape spread out below them.

“Mae govannen Legolas,” she murmured, still looking straight ahead. Silence hung between them once more until she finally said, “How is Frodo?”

“He is well, it will not be long before he is released from the Houses of Healing,” he replied.

“And the others? How are they?”

“They are well too,” Legolas said as he examined her profile, the high cheekbones which were illuminated by the soft lights shining from other windows, the full lips which were set into a firm line, the eyes with lashes which caught the stray drops of light that floated through the night and glimmered and the hair which was gently tousled by the breeze, strands swaying slightly, curling around her ears and over her shoulders. As if subconsciously aware of his gaze one of her pale hands flitted up to her head, tucking a stray lock behind her ear before returning to the cool stone like before.

“Good, I am glad,” she murmured, her words lost to the night.

“Are you well Amaruil? You do not seem yourself today,” Legolas frowned as she remained motionless for a moment before shaking herself out of her reverie and turning to him.

“Forgive me Legolas, I was just… thinking,” she said.

“About things good or bad?”

“I know not, my mind was somewhere else entirely. About what has happened I suppose and what is still to come though it is useless to attempt to divine any meaning from it until it has happened.”

“It is done Amaruil, the worst is over,” he said as he laced their fingers together. “Now comes peace and Aragorn’s reign.”

“Strange that something so good can contain little hurts in it which prick at the heart nonetheless,” she frowned.

“Do not be sad Amaruil for there is much to be happy about,” he said as he pulled her to him, relishing in the feel of her against him, something which he had dreamt of for the past year, the thought of her keeping him going through everything he had experienced. All he wanted to do for the rest of his life was to hold her and whether that was in happiness or in sadness he would be happy with it.

“To what are you referring?” she asked curiously. “I am sorry Legolas, I seem to be in rather a melancholy mood tonight.”

“It is fine, I would rather have you here with me and melancholy than not with me at all,” he said as he rested his nose against her head, nestling it in her hair and tightening his arms around her. “To what am I referring? Well I know not but I am sure that there will be much to rejoice over in the coming years.”