𝐈𝐋𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐄̈ || A.

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝟗

..••°°°°••..
.·:*¨༺ 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 9 ༻¨*:·.
°°••....••°°

THE RETURN OF THE KING

Iladya could feel a weight on her body, but where she couldn't tell. She squeezes her eyes before slowly opening them. The light is too bright for her eyes to take in, causing her to grunt. She feels the weight shift and a familiar face comes into sight. ''I know that face,'' she whispers, ''I believe it belongs to whom who captured my heart moons ago.'' Aragorn softly chuckles and he lays a hand on her cheek. Iladya could see the tears in his eyes. ''I thought I lost you,'' he whispers, his voice trembles. Iladya slowly sits up straight and places her hand over his wrist, the one who is holding her face. Aragorn rests his forehead against hers, feeling a wave of peace engulfing his body. The void within him has disappeared and is never to return. His bringer of peace has returned to him. ''How could I leave you behind? Someone needs to steady the King,'' she smiles, ''besides, what is a King without his Queen?''
     Aragorn chuckles and he pulls away. Iladya sees the concerned gaze in his eyes, causing her to cup his cheeks with both hands. ''The war is over,'' she whispers, ''a new era to start, in peace.'' Her thumbs caress his cheekbones, wiping away fallen tears. Aragorn gazes into her eyes but his eyes wander to her lips. Iladya sees his eyes lit up. His hand still touches her cheek, his thumb caresses her bottom lip. Aragorn slowly closes the distance between them. The tension between them feels familiar, yet Aragorn feels like he was going to kiss her for the first time ever. ''I am yours, Elessar,'' Iladya whispers. Aragorn crashes his lips onto hers as if it was the confirmation he needed. Iladya's hands roam up and entangle with his hair while Aragorn applies pressure behind her neck, pulling her closer than she has ever been before.
     The kiss feels familiar, safe so to say. Aragorn never wants to let her go. Those partings had been a torment but never again. Never would he stray away from her side. "I love you, Iladya," he whispers, gazing in her eyes, "my love for you goes beyond the foundations of Middle-Earth." Iladya allows a tear to roll down her cheek and chuckles. "There hasn't been a day where my love for you goes unnoticed," she whispers, "I think of you every day. I wake up with the thought of you and I go to sleep, dreaming of you." Iladya sees the tears in the corners of his eyes, but these tears are tears of happiness. They both chuckle before Iladya presses her lips on his once again.

Legolas walks in, hoping his sister would be awake. He had shared his concern with his Dwarfish friend. ''I might not be an elf, but there is something wrong with yeh,'' Gimli said. Legolas looked at him and sighed. "Iladya hasn't returned from battle," he said. Gimli sat up straight as he suddenly noticed. He too got attached to the Elf and felt shocked. "What do you fear?" he asked. Legolas looked aside, "she has been taken by the enemy but she is not dead. I feel it." "She is a strong elf," Gimli replied, "strong spirit. We mustn't linger in the dark but look forward.''
     Legolas sees what he has walked into and smiles. He leans against the doorway, waiting for them to be finished. As they finally pull apart, it was his sister who noticed him. He can see the blush forming on her face. It was until then that Aragorn too noticed. He stood up and he opened his mouth but Legolas held up his hand. He walks towards his sister and embraces her in a firm hug. "Next time," he breathes, "next time, you are not going anywhere but my or his side." Legolas pulls away and a tear runs down his cheek. He sniffs and violently wipes it away. "It is okay to cry," she whispers, "I wept in that tower of Cirith Ungol. It wasn't only pain but also concern. You all feared for me and I feared for you. I sent Gandalf and Pippin away. I chose to go to Minas Tirith, thinking it would be for the best if Aragorn and I were separated." Aragorn smiles and reaches for her hand, entangling their fingers. "As I said," Legolas sniffs, "you and he are never separating again." The three start giggling and chuckling while some tears form in their eyes. All three gaze at the door when another voice joins the conversation.
     "Bless you, laddie!"