Infinity Ring (Legolas Love Story)

19. Blushes

[Leane POV]

Boromir didn't join us for lunch, and now he was missing dinner. I went bringing some bread and fruits to offer and found him brooding all by himself under a mellorn tree, isolating himself from the others.

I came to him and started a small talk. When I touched his shoulder in greeting, I could sense that he was bothered by the Ring's constant taunts and temptations– more so than the others. The Ring used his longing to save his beloved city to tempt him.

"Good evening, Boromir," I smiled as I touched his shoulder. He looked up, giving me a reluctant smile.

"I brought you some food," I muttered, putting the basket on his hands. "I didn't see you today at lunch and at the dinner. I'm worried about you. Are you feeling alright?"

"I will not be until we get out of this place," he said grimly.

"The Lady of Light... She talked to your mind too?" He was surprised at my exact guess. I shrugged and continued, "She talked to my mind too. And I bet at the others too. By now she knows all the dirty secrets that I have," I said lightly, shaking my head and pouted. Boromir's lips upturned in a small smile and spoke.

"Pray, do tell. What kind of dirty secrets you might be hiding?" he said with an eyebrow arched. I hesitated for a moment before I answered.

"Like... How I was the one who put a spider in Gimli's cloak when he slept the other day. Please don't tell anyone. He deserved it after endlessly teasing me and Legolas," I said seriously. Boromir chuckled and shook his head in disbelief.

"That explains why he was screaming all of a sudden in the middle of the night, probably waking the whole Lothlorien," he smiled and continued, "Though you and the elf looked incredibly... close these days."

I rolled my eyes and waved him, "That will be because we're like best friends, I think. I dare to say that he cared for me like a brother to a sister, though considering he's probably thousands years old, he's probably old enough to be my grandpa," I muttered distractedly, storing that thought for later use in case I need to tease Legolas, "It's nothing romantic, really," I said matter of factly.

"I see," he replied seemingly not buying my explanation. Why the heck can't a guy and a girl be buddies in Middle Earth?

Boromir went back to his grim expression as he stared at nothing in particular. His dark mood went back and I didn't need to touch him to feel it.

"Do you have someone waiting for you back in your world, Leane?"

"Not really," I said hesitantly before deciding to open up to him about some of my predicament (though he didn't know about my knowledge of the fate of the Fellowship), hoping that he would open up to me too.

"I saw Lady Galadriel four days ago, and I saw into the magic mirror. In my world..." I sighed, "I died, Boromir. And my family, they mourned for me but they moved on."

Boromir looked at me with shock and sympathy. I smiled wistfully and shrugged.

"I can't begin to even express how sorry I am to hear that," he said carefully with a nod, "It must be hard," I smiled a little.

"It definitely is not easy, but I'm accepting it and dealing with it. One day at a time," I said smiling, "I can't help but notice that you missed your home too."

"Yes, Leane. I missed the bustling streets and its chatter. Life teeming out of my hometown, the people, the familiarity... Everything." I nodded and saw the longing in his eyes.

"So... is there a lady waiting for you back home?" I said half teasingly, hoping to cheer him up.

"I would like to say yes but, I do not know, honestly. We are close, but I haven't told her my desire to court her yet so..." His face fell and I put a comforting hand on his broad shoulder.