Of Futures Past (Legolas)

46

As the sun began to set and rations were passed around, Alana was quite finished being embarrassed and she made her way to where Legolas was sitting, meditating, outside his tent, far from the crowds of soldiers around the fires.

He eyed her tentatively, as if expecting her to run away at the slightest sound. He breathed out a sigh of relief when she just sat next to him, taking his hand.

"You know, I would not have pressured you to tell me what your vision was knowing you were embarrassed. I do not want to make you run away from me." Legolas's voice was solemn, and Alana suddenly remembered both how she had once treated him, and the fact that they did not have much time before the battle. Her own face fell in morose realization, and suddenly, she moved closer to Legolas, tightening her grip on his hand.

"I am so used to constantly being haunted by evil visions that I forgot we are in a time of war. I am sorry for wasting time we could've had with each other." Alana murmured. "And I am sorry I avoided you."

Legolas brought her hand to his lips and waited for her to look at him. "And I am sorry if you felt pressured to tell me."

Alana shook her head vehemently. "There's no need for you to apologize, I'm the one being ridiculous here. I am shy for no reason, there's truthfully no harm in you knowing."

The curiosity burning in Legolas's eyes was undeniable, but, despite his obvious difficulties, he managed to stop himself from asking.

Alana looked away nervously. "I had planned on telling you we had to be properly engaged before I told you, but I suppose that will be happening after the war."

"Would you like me to wait until after the war to ask you?" Legolas wondered, brushing a stray hair behind her ear gently.

"I meant what I said the other day." Alana smiled, her nerves seemed to be washing away. "I just imagine it would be difficult to find rings right now."

"I have rings." Legolas immediately supplied. Alana didn't recognize what he'd said for a few moments, then her posture snapped straight and her eyes widened.

"Since when?"

"After the Battle of Helms Deep. The day after the party, I commissioned them from a blacksmith." As he spoke, Alana felt a slow smile stretch across her face and her heart was a hummingbird in her chest.

"You did?" 

Legolas reached into a pocket in his tunic and pulled out a small leather coin purse. He pulled Alana's hand towards him, face up, then emptied the purse onto it. Alana felt two small, cold objects fall onto her palm, and sure enough, there were two silver rings, one larger than the other.

Legolas took the smaller one, and Alana took the larger, nerves and hope written on both their faces. Gently, Legolas slid the smaller one on Alana's left ring finger.

"Marry me, Alana." He whispered, hopefully and in a way, terrified.

Alana smiled back at him, sliding his ring on his left ring finger and leaning closer to him. "I would love to, Legolas." Then, she pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

As she pulled away, she saw him grin widely, as if disbelieving of his own luck. He pulled her in for another kiss swiftly, his hands cupping her face lovingly. As they kissed, Alana could feel his thumb brush along her cheekbone, and her arms slowly wound around his neck.

They stopped to breathe, but their lips stayed within an inch of each other. 

"I love you." Legolas whispered, his lips brushing against hers as he spoke.

"I love you, too." Alana whispered back, her hands knotted in his long hair.

As they leaned in to kiss again, a throat was cleared. 

"Pardon me for the interruption, but I need to access the tent." Aragorn said, smirking as he raised a brow at the couple.

Alana glared at him as they stood up and stopped blocking the entrance. When Aragorn came back out, he gave them the same infuriating look as before, and Alana crossed her arms in response, pouting angrily at him. He definitely was not sorry for interrupting. Aragorn's eyes narrowed in on Alana's hand and a smile spread on his face. When he looked at Legolas to confirm, the elf nodded, a proud smile on his face.

"Congratulations, dear sister." Aragorn pulled Alana into a hug first, before doing the same with Legolas. "Your happiness makes me glad."

Giving Alana one more hug, Aragorn took his leave, grinning happily, and Alana felt a giddy smile overtake her face.

"It is wrong to be so happy and surrounded by so much moroseness. I feel as though we are at a grand party and I am breathless from my seventh dance of the night, not under the shadow of an evil mountain." Alana rambled out, and her body swayed, unable to contain her happiness to just her face.

Legolas's right hand found her waist and his left held hers, holding her closer than what would be decent at said grand party. "Let's dance then, meleth nin, if that's what you want."

"You don't think it's too silly to dance without music?" Alana asked, though the gesture had her already racing heart speeding up.

"Nothing my beautiful fiancée asks of me is too silly." The words obviously made Legolas as happy as they did Alana, as both of them wore matching giddy smiles. "If you'd like to sing, none would ever complain of hearing your voice."

"For someone so serious all the time, you're very skilled at romance." Alana commented, pressing a kiss to his cheek, then starting to hum to the beat of their movements.

Legolas spun her once, and as he caught her again, she let herself move closer to him, and their bodies touched, swaying to the symphony of their humming.

Seeing his smile reminded Alana of the deal she'd made.

"She has your smile." Alana said quietly, her cheeks burning. At first Legolas looked confused, then Alana added, "The vision."

Alana watched as the realization hit him. His eyes widened, and his smile was wider than she'd ever seen on him, and his arm pulled her even closer so they weren't just touching, they were pressed against each other. 

"You mean?" Legolas started, unable to form more words.

Alana nodded. "Our daughter. Her eyes are yours, and she looks more like me until she smiles, and then she's all you, the same spark and irresistible grin."

Legolas pressed his forehead to hers. "I love you beyond what anyone could imagine. You have consumed my entire soul, you, my greatest destroyer and my greatest comfort. The sun and stars can only lust over your beauty, but never attain it."

Alana's eyes were wide throughout Legolas's profession, clouded with unending love. "I am truly the luckiest person to exist in the world. I only wish I could explain as eloquently as you how deep my love for you is, but I do not know what words could describe something so ineffable." 

"I love you."

"I love you."

Foreheads leaned against one another, bodies pressed together, and hands clasped, they continued swaying to nonexistent music, letting their love overtake them.