Thorns & Roses (Legolas Love Story)

30. Another Deal

[Author's Note: So I decided that from now on I'm going to put link to music that helps me into mood as I write every chapter. Feel free to listen to them as you read on. Let me know what you think! Happy Reading]

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In the moment we’re born, we’re drawn to form a union with others. An abiding drive to connect, to love, to belong. In a perfect union, we find the strength we cannot find in ourselves. But the strength of the union cannot be known until it is tested.

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The Fellowship rode along with the soldier of Rohan and the Rohirrim Riders on our way to aid Gondor. The ride should take only two days, but it took longer since we had to set up a camp at Dwimorberg mountain, beyond Dunharrow to wait for reinforcements.

Silence and amxiety hung above the air. Only hushed chatters could be heard among the soldiers. They knew that they would be outnumbered by the force from Mordor. The war that we were marching into was suicidal. There were six thousands strong Cavalry army that answered Theoden King’s call, yet we knew Mordor will bring upon us an army ten times than Rohan and Gondor army combined.

The men’s hope were hanging by a thread–a thread that happened to be inspired by Theoden King and Aragorn. Even then I could see that they were burdened with such a weight.

I seek solitary, busying myself with Arod, Legolas’ stallion. The white horse eyed me with curiosity as I came to him, brushing his mane lightly. I had been riding him several times since Edoras, seeing him on my spare time in Helm’s Deep, finding myself bonded with the creature well over the course of weeks. I crouched down, taking some oats that I have brought to feed the beautiful horse. Arod neighed and began eating as I absently looked into his eyes.

The animal had somehow curious and intelligent eyes, but also innocence. There was something deep in the way Arod looked at me.

“Do you ever missed your previous rider?” I asked softly, my heart saddened a bit as I remembered that Arod was previously belonged to a fallen Rohirrim rider before being given by Eomer to us.

As if understanding my question, the animal hung his head low, his behavior seemed to be less cheerful as before. I swallowed thickly, realizing that maybe, just maybe, the horse could really understand me.

“I lost someone too,” I admitted softly, my eyes got misty at the thought of my father. Of Boromir. “And I’m scared of losing more.”

The horse was silent, instead looking at me with a rather saddened look deep from within his dark, russet eyes. I fought back a wave of emotion and closed my eyes, pressing my forehead on the bridge of his nose. I didn’t know how long I stood there, cuddling the horse.

“It never occurs to me that I would ever be jealous with Arod,” said a soft, melodious voice from behind me.

I smiled at hearing the elf’s voice. I planted a small kiss on the horse’s nose, silently thanking the horse for being my silent listener. I released Arod and turned my body to look at the handsome archer, and the moment I did, Legolas already wrapped his arms around my waist.

He smiled down at me, his expression a mixture of serene and a playfulness. I gazed up at him, taking in every inch of his face. His glowing, alabaster skin; his perfectly sculpted jaw and cheekbone; his tempting lips. And most of all, his brilliant blue eyes that were studying me with admiration and curiosity.

The elf’s smile faded a bit the moment his eyes flickered to Arod. A small, almost undetected frown graced his brows before he trained his gaze back to me.

“What have you two been talking about?” he asked. “I can feel that Arod is a little sad,” he said as he brought a hand to brush the horse’ snout comfortingly, “And so are you.”