"Welcome my kin, friends and my sworn brothers. We gather together today to witness and celebrate the union of a beloved daughter with another, one whom we have come to recognize as our own.
My contemplation prior to this event, led me to ponder that it is rare that a daughter of the Dúnedain is married outwith our kindred, and almost unheard for our kin to marry among elf-kind. However, as I witnessed Wren's approach towards us today, I was struck by the thought that perhaps in this instance, this particular daughter was never fully ours, but merely lent to us for a time."
Strider looked at directly at Wren as he said this and smiled, his face full of warmth and affection.
"Today Legolas, Prince of the Greenwood, son of Thranduil, son of Oropher will be united in body and spirit with Aletheîa, Ranger of the Dúnedain, daughter of Nerwen, descendent of Númenor."
Strider then nodded gently toward Nerwen. Nerwen turned towards Wren and tenderly held her daughter's face in both hands, before lightly kissing her forehead. Then she took up a position in front of the couple, and laid Wren's hand in the hand of Legolas. From her pocket, Nerwen took an interwoven-silken cord and wrapped it twice around the pair's clasped hands. As she did so, she spoke a blessing in Adûnaic, her voice wavering only momentarily as she began.
"What is to be joined here today, let nothing force or tear apart. Today you become one flesh, cleaving from your families unto each other. May your days together be long and your union blessed."
Nerwen looked to them both and smiled, her eyes almost indiscernible glassy, before she took her place between the sons of Elrond. Strider resumed the Adûnaic blessing, his tone solemn but sincere, his voice resounding around the clearing.
"As you are bound one to the other, with a bond not easy to break.
Learn from each other, grow in wisdom and love.
So that your marriage will be strong and your love will last,
In this life and beyond."
Strider then held their joined hands in and looked at each one of them in turn as he announced "Legolas and Wren..." He stopped and corrected himself "Aletheîa and Legolas..." as a smile crept around the edge of his lips and his grey eyes twinkled.
He continued in flawless Sindarin.
"Will you pledge to take one another as your constant friend, partner in life, and your true love,
Will you love each other without reservation, honor and respect one another, from the rising of the sun till the setting of the stars,
Will you protect each from harm, comfort one another in times of distress, through all that may come and all the days of your lives together?"
Legolas looked towards Wren, as she stood resplendent on her grown, her simple beauty made his soul ache. Her unfettered happiness radiated from her, so much so that she appeared to shimmer in the sunlight. He looked deep into Wren's luminous brown eyes and they stilled his pounding heart and all but captured his breath.
She grinned at him and gave him reason to speak, and so they answered in unison.
"We pledge it. Till the setting of the stars."
"Then let it be so." Strider announced with an authority that only confirmed his unknown, yet unequivocal stature and echelon.
Strider then cocked his head to one side and beamed at Legolas.
"Gwador nín*, you may now kiss your wife!"
As Legolas kissed her, the clearing erupted with loud cheers and whistles, but the elf prince did not care. He kissed her long and passionately. When he finally relented, Wren was left breathless and he felt her use his arm around to steady herself. They both the turned together to look upon those that they loved. Their hands inextricably linked, the hearts and souls now irrevocably and infinitely bound.
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Unspoken ( A Legolas Love Story )
FanfictionAFTER the Battle of Five Armies, an elf prince journeys to the north of Middle Earth in search of the mysterious Strider. But to also escape the grief of a 'love unspoken' as well as the oppressive regime of his father, King Thranduil. There among t...
