Hope ↠ LOTR

XII. Adventure

The remainder of the Fellowship stayed in Gondor for many days, aiding in its rebuilding and growth. They were free to roam the lands as they so wished and Athena had feared most of all that Minei would not be accepted into society, but her fears had been for naught. It took time for the people to become accustomed to their enemy becoming their friend but it became a part of their everyday lives. Athena would watch the tenders to market stalls throw Minei any meat that they had to spare when they passed, they'd greet the both of them together and sometimes she even found the four Hobbits spending time with her—mainly Merry and Pippin. The Riders of Rohan returned to Rohan after some time but Aragorn refused to let his other companions leave. He wanted them at his wedding. It was a beautiful ceremony filled with love and harmony and a grand feast was held afterwards to celebrate the marriage of Aragorn and Arwen.

During the feast Athena found herself standing in the Court of the Fountain, a mug of ale clasped in her hands while she looked at the White Tree. Aragorn had found a sapling and removed the old tree that once stood there, a new one now blossoming in its place. Gentle footsteps approached her and she smiled at the familiar presence that stopped beside her. Not only were they sisters at heart, but now they were sisters by marriage.

"Do you remember what you said to me before the council was held?" Arwen asked her, coming to a stop beside her. Her words confused Athena and she glanced over at her with her eyebrows furrowed together, slightly shaking her head. "The story may not necessarily have a happy ending, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have to have a happy everything else."

"I see my brother's spoken to you," she responded with a dry chuckle, shaking her head with more conviction. "I am hardly in the same situation that you were in."

"Perhaps not, yet still I think the same words apply."

"I will only break his heart."

"I fear you will break his heart regardless. It is then your decision whether you'll break his heart by making him spend the rest of his life wondering what could have been, or whether you leave him with the memories of love you shared together," Arwen whispered and sent her a comforting smile, raising a hand to very gently brush a stray strand of hair behind Athena's ear, "I believe that he has already chosen, for better or for worse. The only choice left to make is your own."

Those were the last words that she whispered before she headed back inside, Athena vaguely being able to hear Pippin and Gimli's joyous laughter from inside until the sounds were blocked out by the closing of the door, leaving her alone with her thoughts in the night. She had always known what she had wanted since first she developed feelings for Legolas, and she knew that it was selfish of her to go ahead with what she wanted, but maybe she wanted to be selfish this time.

Athena marched back into Merethrond where tables had been laid out for the celebration, discarding her mug on the first table that she saw before searching the crowd for a familiar head of blonde. As soon as she found him leaning against one of the many pillars she made her way to him and gained his attention by tapping on his shoulder. When he turned to face her she spoke the words that she had wanted to say for so long.

"I wish to spend the rest of my life with you, if you will have me."

Legolas stared at her for a moment, allowing the words to sink in. She had always been so adamant on not staying with him because of her mortality but now she had changed her mind, and he hadn't seen her speaking with Arwen so he didn't know what had brought about the change of heart. He noticed when her hands clasped themselves together, her eyes slowly turning to the side when she took his silence as a rejection rather than shock. He himself didn't know what to say, so instead he reached out to take her face in his hands and pressed his lips lovingly against hers. Her eyes fluttered shut immediately and she smiled against his lips, feeling him do the same when he had felt her own smile. Her arms wound their way around his neck, not liking that there was even the smallest gap between the both of them while their kiss became more passionate, the both of them revelling in the love and warmth of the other.