𝐄𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐘━︎━︎L. Greenleaf

❝CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE❞

▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐞 ━︎━︎ 𝐀 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 ▌

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐉𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐘 𝐓𝐎 Helm's Deep began. Ellaria rode beside Aragorn, a handful of small acorns in her hand. She began lightly tossing them at Aragorn, a childish smile pulling on her lips as each one hit his shoulder. The Ranger turned his head to look at her just as she's tossed another one, her eyes widening when it hit him in the forehead. She pressed her lips together to keep herself from laughing. "Are you quite done, Princess?" He asked.

     "No," Ellaria answered. She tossed her last one at him and he caught it. "Now I am." He smiled at her, shaking his head before playfully tossing it back. Ellaria shieled her face, a soft laugh falling from her lips. She was trying to distract herself from the heavy situation at hand and Aragorn let her.

     Aragorn moved his horse closer to her, giving them a better chance at speaking privately. "Are you alright, Ellaria?"

     Ellaria took a breath. "Well, as alright as one can be in these circumstances. I'm not very fond of the way the king has already denied me because of who I am." Her eyes looked over to Legolas, his blue eyes instantly catch hers. His voice echoed in her head. You didn't care about what I thought, or what anyone thought. You were just you.

     Aragorn instantly noticed the way she looked at his closest friend, glancing down at the reigns of his horse as he smile to himself. Ellaria frowned. "What are you smiling about?" He looked forwards, shaking his head. She reached over, nudging him with her hand. "What is it?"

     "I am simply wondering when you will admit your feelings for our dear blonde haired friend over there."

      Ellaria's eyes widened, her face turning a shade of red. "Aragorn!" She hissed his name. "I have no such thing. Why would you even suggest that? Especially out loud when he is right there."

     Aragorn gave her a look. "You are my dearest friend, Ellaria. However, that will not stop me from telling you when you are doing something dangerous or when you simply deny the feelings that you clearly have."

     "Stop speaking." Ellaria muttered.

     Aragorn chuckled. "Your sister is right, you know."

     "Oh, do not bring my sister into this." She groaned. "I cannot even fathom what she has told you."

     "Only your most recent conversation." Aragorn hummed. "You make yourself ill at the thought of being happy. What frightens you, Princess?"

     Ellaria glanced towards Legolas, watching as he tried to hide his amused smile at something Gimli was saying from beside him. A frown pulled on her lips as she looked away before meeting Aragorn's eyes. "That my feelings are not matched. I could not burden someone with having to love me. I have my scars, ones that would make even the kindest of person to turn away."