Only Time

Ch. 20 ~ Strider

            Holding that first letter to my heart and smiling, I took a deep breath and then unrolled it and began to read it. I knew even before I read the first word that he was safe and that was what mattered most to me. So I was able to read the rest of it with a smile and sure enough just as he said he would, he had found the Dunedain and Strider along with them. He wrote that he was surprised Strider was very fluent in Elvish and knew a lot of the Elvish ways though he did not know why. They were still getting to know each other. But they were traveling a lot and Strider seemed a very wise young man. Well then again, to us elves all humans even the elder ones were young.

            See, we lived for thousands if not millions of years--like my aunt Galadriel who was older then the moon itself--we were immortal in a sense though not invincible as that was proven by our ability of getting hurt and killed in the last war. I rubbed the left side of my head where I had been wounded nearly half a century ago. It seemed to me that Legolas was content with being among the human men. He was learning from them and they from him. Mostly though, he seemed to stick with Strider. The two were developing a bond. I could see it as I looked out over the water. My gift of sight just as pronounced as that of my aunt and uncle, was growing stronger with the passing of time.

            But my love was happy. He was far away from me and that seemed to be his only ache. Unless he did not wish to share it with me in the letter but he not once mentioned his father or his home in the Woodland Realm. Perhaps the mission had made him focus. But he did write how much he missed me and our quiet nights in Lorien. He was very impressed by Strider; the Ranger was skilled with both horse and sword and could shoot a bow and arrow if need be. I smiled as I finished the letter. I hesitated only briefly before grabbing a quill and parchment to write one in return.

            I told him just how much I missed him and how empty my heart felt. Then I told him about what happened with Melchel. I felt that I owed it to tell him the whole story even though he had yet to come to Rivendell. But telling him about it allowed me to tell him more about myself too. I knew he would be surprised about uncle Elrond's decision to banish her and even more so by where I chose the soldiers to take her. But all that was better than my taking her life. I wondered how much this Strider fellow knew about Rivendell and whether or not Legolas told him he was betrothed.

            I ended my own letter then. And ran down to the night courier who once I explained where it needed to go, took it immediately. Usually on long journeys, we would send our day couriers but the one on duty tonight, said he needed a long trip and so he left with it immediately. I knew the elf well and he was an experienced swordsman so I knew he would be safe in his travels even though they were taking him half way up Middle Earth. He also knew the lay of the land and how to avoid goblins and mindless orcs.

            I need not wait long as Legolas' letters continued to arrive and mine were sent to him. The same courier would take them back and forth sometimes spending a couple of hours or even a couple of days with the Dunedain while Legolas would write his own letter back to me. The courier was none other than Lindir who was of council to my uncle but since these were peaceful times, he took on other jobs. He looked young as many elves did and was a quiet man though often unnerved. When the dwarves came to Rivendell before the great battle, he was quite nervous, but he seemed to be alright amongst men now. He felt honored to be chosen time and time again by me to be my courier. What I did not know, was that uncle Elrond had also placed Lindir strategically into that position so he himself would know the job was done properly. That and ask Lindir from time to time where the Dunedain were located.

            I laughed to myself when reading the letter from Legolas regarding his reaction to the whole Melchel issue. He was quite a bit stunned I would say. He did not expect things to be so dramatic when I got home. Then in his 4th letter, he stunned me. He said the Dunedain were going to stay in place for a bit and he could leave and meet me half way for a day and a night. I agreed without hesitation and a week later, rode out to meet him. We met on a plain halfway just as promised. He was already there when I got there; had a tent set up and a fire going. I hopped off of Sunset as soon as I rode in and he grabbed me into a long, tight hug. He swung me around as I laughed and laughed.