Dilthen Ae || Legolas Greenleaf

|0.4| Estel the Boy. Aragorn the Man

My Dearest Elaria,

As I sit beneath the boughs of our beloved Greenwood, the whispers of the leaves carry your name like a gentle breeze. It has been far too long since we last parted, and I cannot help but reflect on how our last meeting ended. The weight of unspoken words lingers in my heart, and I wish for nothing more than the chance to rewrite that moment. The distance between us feels unbearable, a shadow over my thoughts.

The past thirteen years have been a journey of both challenge and growth for me. I have spent countless hours training and patrolling the borders of our realm, ever watchful against the darkness that threatens to infringe upon our peace. Yet, amidst the trials, I find solace in the memories of our shared laughter and the warmth of your presence.

Please know that you are deeply missed, and I look forward to the day when we can reunite. Until then, I will cherish the thought of you and hold you close in my heart.

With all my affection,

Legolas

Elaria read the letter once more, the words etched in her memory. She hadn't been deliberately avoiding Legolas; it had simply been a long time since her last visit. Like him, she had responsibilities to fulfill, and she needed to remain where she was. Estel still relied on her.

"You should go," Estel urged, approaching with a teasing grin. Elaria placed the letter in her lap and met his gaze, a smile tugging at her lips. "The letter arrived two weeks ago, and I don't think I've seen you put it down since you got it."

"And leave you?" Elaria arched an eyebrow, her tone playful. "You'd be so lost without me."

Estel rolled his eyes dramatically and plopped down beside her, the elf he'd grown to see as a sister. "I think it's you who'd be lost without me. Who else would keep you from staring off into space all day?"

"Oh, please! I have plenty to occupy my time," she retorted, nudging him lightly. "And my knowledge is far more useful than your endless chatter."

"Useful? You mean boring!" he shot back, grinning. "I'll take my witty banter over anything you could come up with. What would you do without my charming company to brighten your long days here?"

"Witty banter? More like a constant stream of nonsense," she laughed, shaking her head. "Remember when you tried to impress me with your 'expert' knowledge of sword fighting? I thought I was going to faint from laughter!"

Estel feigned offense, placing a hand over his heart. "That was a valuable life lesson! You can't underestimate the power of creativity in battle. You'll thank me when you're facing an army of goats!"

Elaria raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "An army of goats? What on Middle-earth are you talking about?"

"Don't you remember?" Estel exclaimed, leaning in with a conspiratorial whisper. "The last time we were out near the fields, those goats got loose from the pen. I single-handedly led a heroic charge to round them up. It was epic!"

"Oh, it was something, alright," Elaria remembered, trying to suppress her laughter. "You were more like a flailing octopus than a brave hero. I still can't believe you thought yelling 'Shoo!' at them would work."

He grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "I was trying to be diplomatic! You can't just rush in swinging your sword—"

"—when you can trip over your own feet instead?" Elaria interrupted, unable to hold back her laughter. "I think you startled them more than anything. Those poor creatures must have thought the sky was falling!"

"Hey, at least I didn't get butted! Remember that one goat? The one that looked like it was plotting against me?" he added, puffing out his chest dramatically. "I swear it was staring me down like a warrior!"