Within Dreams [A Legolas love story]

One Ring

Legolas gestured to a guard near the stables as we passed, and a groom came, leading Eärlin and Arod with no halter or lead.

"Hey," I said softly, as Eärlin nudged me insistently with his velvet muzzle, most likely trying to find a treat that would justify his leaving the stables. "Are we going somewhere?" I asked, turning to Legolas.

"No, I thought we would just stare at the horses and them put them back," he said airily, catching me by surprise with his evident sarcasm.

"Well," I muttered, raising my eyebrows.

The prince smiled roguishly and mounted Arod. I followed, and we and rode off into the trees, Eärlin following closely behind him.

Legolas slowed after not fifteen minutes, looking around into the trees. "Gianna, I want you to see this," he called back to me.

Curious, I slid off Eärlin and walked up to where he was standing. We looked upon a scene that was so like a professional photograph in National Geographic that I had to stop myself from asking if it was real.

Carpets of moss curled delicately around dark grey stones which glistened with water droplets. The air was thick and cool, dew hanging off the ferns like glass décor. The water whispered and rushed in a graceful tumult, a beautiful paradox between strength and grace. The air itself seemed to shimmer. 

"What is this place?" I asked, stupidly. Anyone could see it was a waterfall in the middle of the forest.

"It is one of the great falls of the Taurduin, the Forest River," Legolas said thoughtfully. "It is rumored that Yavanna herself frequents this place. It has never died or withered, even when most of the forest was in ruin during the War of the Ring."

"An understandable assumption," I agreed, taking in the supremely photogenic shrubs and grasses which flanked the water.

"Gianna..." He turned to me suddenly, his voice serious.

Interestingly, Arod nudged Eärlin, and the two horses casually meandered farther away, as if they were worried about eavesdropping.

Suddenly nervous, I faced him.

"Gianna, when you leave, I do not ever want you to doubt how much I--that I--" --he hesitated.

I had always seen him so eloquent, so impenetrably steadfast, and seeing him unable to finish his sentence was more than a little unnerving.

"Gianna, I care for you more than words can express," he said finally. "My heart has been, and will be always, solely yours."

"A dangerous commitment," I said quietly. "Given the present situation."

"It is not dangerous to me to admit that I love you," said Legolas, his voice softening as he looked at me.

I turned to him. "Do not pledge yourself to a fleeting wind," I begged him. "A star may come which will burn forever."

"You are my star," he said simply. "Others may come and go, but no maiden elf, dwarf, or man could ever steal my heart as you have done."  In that moment, I did not doubt his words in the slightest.

"What will you do?" I murmured, leaning against his strong shoulder.

"I will not stay in Middle-earth for long," he said, looking out into the mist above the waterfall. "I have felt the sea calling, calling me to its farthest shores. The only one that could stop me... will leave me forever."

"I do not have to," I said, my heart aching.

"No," he said. "But you will. Nothing is worth giving up your impact on your world or the people in it. That is why I brought you here."