The Lady of Rivendell

Chapter 17

"What is she doing?" Theoden asked as he came across the Lady of the Woodland Realm sitting cross-legged atop the stone wall, her eyes closed and her hands resting on her knees as she chanted in Elvish.

"The Lady Allora prays," Legolas spoke from where he stood attentively at her side as the Riddenmark began herding every able-bodied man and young boy to be fitted for armour and a weapon as they prepared for war.

"She prays?" Theoden questioned. "We are on the brink of war! What good will that do?"

"Please do not insult Her Highness, Theoden King," Legolas warned as politely as he could. "For she prays for our victory in battle, she prays for our friends, she prays for our fallen, but most of all, the Lady Allora prays for -"

Legolas was cut off as the wind blew cold and light emanated from Allora's necklace as a spectral bird, an eagle made of pure light burst free as it circled around the Elven Lady before flapping its wings in front of her and her blue eyes opened. Allora spoke more in Elvish as the bird cawed and took flight, disappearing into the clouds.

Legolas was instantly at her side, his arms around her as he helped ease her off the wall.

"A witch!"

"She's a witch!"

"An Elf-witch!" Theoden's men cried out.

"The Lady Allora is no witch!" Legolas defended. "She is trying to save you all."

"The eagle is a bird of hope amongst our people," Allora explained. "I hope to call the Elves to our aide."

"Why do you hope? Are you not their princess? Do they not answer to you?" one of the men said and Legolas' disdain for these ignorant fools grew.

"Lord Elrond has evacuated his people from this land. They leave for the Undying Lands as we speak. The Lady Allora hopes that those still here will heed her call," he reasoned. "Now, if you would excuse us, we have a great deal more to prepare for."

Legolas then went on to escort Allora away from the wall and into a small alcove beneath a stairwell, people walking past but never noticing them even in the midday sun.

"Are you alright?" he said under the cover of darkness, brushing the hair from her face as he held her close.

"I am. Summoning the eagle is a simple task compared to what Gandalf wished me to do."

"Most things are simple tasks compared to what Gandalf has asked of you," Legolas returned, holding her face after he'd tucked her hair behind her ears, revealing their points. "Are you sure nothing ails you?" he asked, her blue eyes shining bright even in the dark.

Her eyes scrunched together, and his heart kicked up pace out of nerves when she said, "Actually, there may be something."

"What is it? What do you require? What can I do?"

"This," she answered as she closed the distance between them and joined their lips together. It took but a moment before the tension flowed out of Legolas as he kissed her back with everything he had, time seeming to stand still in their tiny alcove as war loomed on the horizon. It was only them, only the electric feeling of their lips upon each other as they kissed hungrily, begging for more time that they did not have.

"Do you take joy in making me worry for no good reason?" Legolas gasped as he pulled away and she grinned at him, her arms still braced on his shoulders as he held her hips.

"I take joy in watching you care, for now, I can appreciate all that you do for me, now that I know the true meaning of your actions." And her forehead pressed against his, Legolas caring not for the crown that also decorated her brow as their eyes closed and they simply embraced one another. "To think that had all this business with Sauron not come to pass, we may have spent a thousand more not admitting the true depth of our feelings for one another."

"I would have waited a thousand years more to be with you. I would have waited however long it took. And even if I am only able to be with you for the few moments we have shared thus far, I will die gladly, for it is more time with you than I ever thought possible."

Allora bit her lips as she was overwhelmed with emotion by his words, by words kinder than any male had ever spoken to her, words the warrior Lady thought she'd never hear.

"Arwen has told me of love before," she spoke. "That when you are in love with a person, they are the air that you breathe, the blood that you bleed. They are the reason your heart beats for it calls their name, their soul is kindred to yours, they are the fire that burns within you." She inhaled a breath, the two of them still with their eyes closed as they relished in the touch of each other. "I used to never understand what she spoke of, but I believe the meaning became clear, as Galadriel had said, that night, before the waterfall."

"Allora," Legolas gasped, his fingers tense but not hard on her as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing, as if he was worried that this was all a dream.

"Legolas, I-"

But just like every other moment they had, it ended far too quickly. However, this time, the reason they were interrupted was not entirely unpleasant. It was quite the opposite in fact.

It was another reason why Allora had unfailing hope that they could do this.

For Aragorn had arrived at Helm's Deep, battered and bruised but ultimately alive as the sun began to sink into the horizon.

Naturally, even this miracle, Gimli grumbled about.

"Where is he?! Where is he?! I'm gonna kill him!" the Dwarf swore as he pushed through the crowd, but his anger faded the instant he saw Aragorn. "You are the luckiest, canniest and the most reckless man I ever knew," he remarked before hugging the human king. "Bless you, laddie."

"Gimli, where is the king?" Aragorn asked when reunions were over and he only nodded in a direction as Aragorn patted his shoulder and went off in search.

But he only made it a few steps before two beings were standing in his path.

"You're late," Legolas said by way of greeting before he observed the fresh wounds on mortal skin. "You look terrible."

And Aragorn only chuckled as he embraced the Elf who moved out of the way to let Allora say her hellos.

"Aragorn," she said.

"Allora," he returned with a bow of his head.

"I believe I have something that belongs to you."

And as she reached behind her neck, the Lady Eowyn watched as Alora removed a necklace that was near identical to the one already on her neck and dropped it into Aragorn's palm.

"My sister gave this to you, therefore, it is only fitting that it is returned to you now as you have returned to us, a symbol of hope and peace."

Aragorn looked from the necklace to Allora. "Thank you, your highness."

"You are welcome," she replied before bringing him into a hug because not only was it the closest either of them could get to Arwen right now, but it was because they were good friends as well.

"Come," Aragorn then said as he pulled away. "I bring grave news. We must act quickly."