Between Two Worlds

36

The quiet sound of car doors opening and whispering wakes me from a deep and pleasant sleep. Though it seems I am still dreaming, thoughts have yet not returned as natural. But I can hear two pairs of feet walk around the back of their car and stop, low whispers muttering for a split second to tell one something. It's Aragorn and Thranduil.

And I can hear a smile on Aragorn's lips. I can also tell that from their voices they are both facing Legolas and I...

I let my eye hidden by shadow flutter open just barely, for a second to see Aragorn holding a smile back as he turns away from discovering my husband and I sleeping together on the pickup bed, me curled in the elf's arms like a child.

Thranduil keeps there, staring at us with a smile that he regrets letting come forth.

I try to keep indifferent to make sure he doesn't find out that I am not still asleep.

But he retreats for a short time to talk in the early morning light, almost rolling his eyes and shaking his head after he takes his eyes off us.

The smile I had been holding back finally spreads on my lips as I lie there. My fingers rest on the muscles of the chest of my husband, feeling how it moves slowly up... and then down with each peaceful breath.

I lie that way until I feel one breath a bit shorter as the muscles of his mid section flex to allow him to move just a tad. His chin moves to my direction as I still pretend to be sleeping.

                    . 

THRANDUIL:

      . 

I saunter to the back of the stationary carriage where the two lie and catch the opened eyes of my leaf that returns my gaze. He looks at me with some form of nervous and embarrassment hidden in his expression.

But then his eyes fall upon the sleeping angel coiled against his body with sensitivity.

To the left of where I stand, Aragorn shares a bite of waybread with Lady Éowyn under the dim light of the peeking sun.

The king's eyes say that we should keep moving, but my gaze falls back on Legolas with Vilora sleeping so gently on his chest.

I don't have the heart to wake her. And it seems the others do not either. It is a fact that we are losing time and daylight. But we make sure there is nothing left to be done before we must move on.

I leave my trapped son and stand a distance away to speak to Aragorn quietly about our route. He says we should take this road until we see signs of orc. I suggest we follow them until they lead us to the dark lord.

Éowyn talks to us for a few short moments before we get prepared to journey on.

And I return to what Vilora calls "vehicles".

As I approach my two children nestled together I notice something precarious on my leaf's left arm.

Hinting a frown I ask, "Legolas what is on your arm?" quietly.

I see him look up, about to speak but his eyes flash back down to little Vilora, a grin appearing on his lips almost as he watches her.

From here I can tell that she just smiled after my question.

I hold back one of my own and walk to Aragorn, informing the man that the child is awake and we can continue.

.

VIL:

.

Legolas's chest twitches subtly to let me know that he's chuckling under his breath. I open my eyes and look into his.