The Light of Valinor

Chapter 2

Days passed and, in a beautiful woodland area on the isle of Eressea, further away from the seashore, Legolas was spending time with Eliniel. They were both sitting on the high branches of an old tree, Legolas having his arms hung from another branch above his head and sitting in a relaxed manner, while Eliniel was completely stretched across the thick branch next to him, looking up towards the sky from under the coronary with a serene smile, her black hair falling down like a curtain of dark silk. 

As they talked and then kept silent, taking in the beauty of the place with all of their senses, Legolas' gaze lingered on Eliniel, like he enjoyed observing her. It seemed as though she knew that very well, as her glance would catch his eyes and she would smile.

'Is this forest to your liking?', she asked playfully. 'I used to come here very often with my family. Is it similar to your Greenwood?'

'Not quite. Greenwood was bigger.', Legolas replied, also with a playful smile. 'But it does remind me of home, somehow.'

It was Eliniel's turn to study him.

'Do you miss it?', she asked. 

'In some ways, I will always miss it. Elves do not forget anything, as you know. Greenwood will always be a part of me.'

'I suppose your kingdom was truly beautiful.'

Legolas smiled.

'Yes...and no. There was a time when it was a daunting place. Our realm was not safe anymore. That's when the forest started to be known as Mirkwood. There were giant spiders everywhere and enemies all around. Nothing was growing anymore.'

Legolas let his gaze down for a moment as if remembering those dark days.

'But in the end', he continued, 'after Sauron's fall, Lady Galadriel purged it and my people worked to restore its beauty. When I left, the forest was green and beautiful once again.'

'Lady Galadriel...', Eliniel muttered. 'I remember my father telling me about her. She was Feanor's niece. At first, my father wanted to follow them.'

Legolas turned her head again towards her, intrigued.

'But then he turned back. He decided not to follow Feanor after all. I am glad he didn't.'

Legolas smiled.

'I am sure it spared both him and you from a lot of misery.', he said.

Eliniel stood quiet, looking up, a shadow passing across her greenish eyes, as the sun rays were playing upon her face from between the branches. 

'Feanor brought a lot of misery to Middle-Earth.'

She sat up, her long, dark hair falling now like a thick curtain of waves upon her shoulders, looking at Legolas.

'I remember when the Sindars started coming here from Middle-Earth after Morgoth was cast into the void. They first looked at us, the Noldors that remained here, with coldness. They lived separately, they did not want to interact with us. With time, this changed. Many Sindars were coming back with physical and emotional scars, heading to Aqualonde. As they passed by this island, whether they chose to stay here or not, I offered them healing for both their bodies and spirits. In return, they told me of the plunging of Doriath and of them fleeing to Sirion to escape the sons of Feanor.'

'There have been tense relations between Sindars and Noldors for a very long time, but not anymore.', Legolas said, standing up also and looking at her with intensity. 'It is not your fault for what some of your kin did. It was all Morgoth's doing, he is the only one to blame for distorting Eru's music. And all the suffering is now in the past. He is in the past.'