Shades Of Darkness (Legolas/LotR) Book 2 ✔️

XX

To AnadrielKane - because virtual hugs 

Arya woke up as the sun hit her face, and scrunching up her face she turned around, burrowing her head into Legolas' chest to block out the light.

"Good morning," Legolas said softly, tightening his embrace on her slightly before pulling back to look down at her.

"No!" She whined, "too bright!"

He laughed before pulling the blanket further up, until it was covering their heads, and then grinned brightly at her as she finally opened her eyes. She squinted at him, before she smiled too, "good morning."

"This was not what I meant when I said that we should move slowly."

"Do you regret any of it?" Legolas asked softly, brushing some stray hairs away from her face as he gazed at her. He looked neither angry nor disappointed in her, and she could not stop the smile that spilled onto her face.

"Not a single second of it."

* * *

"We need to get back," she said after they had spent some more time quietly chatting. He made a sound in the back of his throat that sounded much like whining, making her chuckle gently.

"Come on, I need to pack up my stuff." Pulling away from him she sat up, glancing to the side where her dress was lying in a heap. Picking it up, she pulled it over her head, struggling to find the appropriate holes to stick her head and arms through. Cursing the dress in every language she could think off she finally managed to push her head through the neckline; only to be met with Legolas' amused face.

"Stop laughing at me," she grumbled, as he burst out in laughter. "I would," he chuckled; "but you've got your dress on backwards."

"What?" Looking down she frowned when she saw the lacing, "no!" She whined, getting to her feet and pulling her arms into the dress before wriggling until it was the right way. Reaching back she started to tie the back off the dress up only to have Legolas warm hands envelop hers and pull them away so that he could finish it. As he tightened the laces he pulled her backwards, his lips pressing briefly against her neck; "I don't want you to leave."

Turning around she met his eyes, offering him a small smile; "you know I have to go, besides; it is for the best for both of us."

"I know," he grumbled, pulling her closer until he could rest his forehead on hers, eyes searching hers for answers to questions he had not asked. She pulled away after a while, bending down and picking up his tunic, so that he could pull it on over his undershirt. She watched him fasten his shirt, before he started to lace up his shoes as she tried to untangle her hair. He looked up and chuckled as she grumbled at a particularly large knot.

Walking over to her and pushing her down until she was sitting on a stone he meticulously started to work through her knots. He was humming a tune as he worked on her hair – the gentle tugging making along with the soft hums making her close her eyes in content. She was about to get up when she thought he was finished, only to have him push her down again, pulling her hair back slightly as he started to braid two small braids along her scalp on the right side, before pulling the hair on top of her head backwards - swiftly tying together a fishbraid that hung down her back.

"There you go," he said as he finished, walking around her and offering her a hand to pull her off the stone. She thanked him and picked up the blankets, reaching out to take his hand and start walking back to the camp.