The Quest

The Quest Chapter 41

           

"Mae govannen Legolas y Alannah!" Aragorn exclaimed as the couple entered the throne room in the great city of Gondor. Legolas and Alannah bowed to their friend who immediately shook his head and waved for them to end the formality. "Don't bow to me my friends, we are far too close for such." Aragorn said as he and Legolas embraced one another. Aragorn stepped to Alannah, taking her in his arms and noticed the change in her complexion since he had last seen her, also noticing her obvious exhaustion from their long travels. Legolas turned to Alannah and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"Meleth nin, go rest. I know its been a difficult journey for you." He suggested softly. Alannah nodded as she began to drudge herself towards her old quarters, hardly able to keep her eyes open much longer. Her body ached and her throat burned from vomiting, causing them to have to stop many times than normal on the way.

"Is she alright?" Aragorn asked worriedly as the two watched Alannah walk away until out of sight.

"Very much so, Aragorn. We've been blessed." Legolas answered with a smile. Aragorn's worried expression quickly turned into one of joy and excitement as the realization hit him.

"That is the most amazing news you could have brought me my friend. I'll see to it she needs and wants for nothing tonight, for tomorrow I'll ride out with the both of you to your new home in Ithilien." Aragorn explained as he and Legolas began to walk towards the small library Alannah frequented during her time of solitude months before.

"Perhaps a few days rest is wiser." Arwen's voice softly called out as she closed a book she had been reading. Legolas smiled at her now round belly, overjoyed at the new life growing around him. "It is harder than it appears."

"We wouldn't want to impose." Legolas replied humbly as he bowed his head to the Queen of Gondor.

"You speak of the impossible. The two of you are family." Aragorn interjected. Legolas nodded his head and bowed to both of them before excusing himself to tend to Alannah.

~

Alannah flopped onto the bed, caring not that she was still in her riding clothes which were still covered in a fine layer of dirt from their travels. The grumbles in her stomach were growing louder after not being able to keep any food down but she ignored it, desperate to rest. Aside from the sickness and tiredness brought on from growing new life inside her, her mind was troubled by leaving the elven king alone. Although they did not have the best start in their relationship, she had grown to love him as a father and the thought of him sitting on the throne with nothing but his wine to comfort him broke her heart. The door creaked open, no footsteps heard, but she knew it was Legolas in her spirit that was the one appearing.

"Meleth nin," Legolas called out as he walked quietly into the room. "you're troubled. Have been since we left the woodland realm."

Alannah couldn't help but roll her eyes as she turned her head to look at him.

"I am exhausted, starving and constantly nauseous, Legolas. I just want to rest." She answered, trying to quell the sound of annoyance in her voice. Legolas smiled softly as he moved closer to the bed and removed her boots.

"Come, I'll give you a bath and you can rest as much as you want, and when you wake I'll bring you anything you desire to eat." He offered, pulling her hand in the direction of the bathroom. Alannah yanked her hand away, leaving a confused expression on Legolas's face.

"Forgive me for not being the perfect elf, Legolas." She snapped. "But you're hearing I know is much better than mine. I want to rest so please, my Lord, permit me this." She asserted, her words coming out harsher and more sarcastic than she had intended. Legolas said nothing as he turned and walked out of the room, closing the door shut behind him. Alannah felt immediate regret as she sat alone in the silenced room his absence had created. Yet, between early pregnancy fatigue and the long ride to Gondor, sleep finally overtook her.

~

"Always slumbering your life away, sweet girl. Although it is nice to see nothing has changed." Gandalf's voice rang out in the bedroom. Alannah's eyes shot open as she heard the old wizard, causing her to nearly jump out of the bed from pure excitement. He sat on the edge of her bed, puffing on the same pipe as he always did.

"Gandalf!" She exclaimed as she leapt forward in his embrace.

"Not too much excitement my dear." He said calmly as he pat her gently on the back. "Resting is best in your state. Legolas told me the grand news as he left this morning." Gandalf explained through a wide smile while Alannah's smile faded from her face. She all too quickly remembered the harsh words she had with Legolas the night prior and suddenly felt sicker than she had felt in weeks.

"Where did he go, Gandalf? I must go to him." Alannah stammered as she pushed herself from the bed. Gandalf shook his head as he gnawed on the end of his pipe.

"He's left for Ithilien to see to it that your new home is ready for you, about a day's ride away. He will be back tomorrow evening to retrieve you." Gandalf explained. Alannah quickly grabbed her boots before Gandalf stood and waved her to sit back on the bed. "Tomorrow, Alannah. Your body needs rest for your little one. In the meantime, I must tell you that you must be nicer to Legolas."

"I know Gandalf, I.." Alannah tried to explain before Gandalf interrupted.

"Alannah, I know child. You're exhausted and didn't mean to hurt his feelings, but still, he is your husband." He said softly. Alannah wanted to say so many things to Gandalf. How she felt more than exhausted; she felt weak, ill, nothing like how a normal elf felt. How she felt immense sadness over abandoning Thranduil in his kingdom alone and how find she had grown of the woodland realm. Instead she remained silent as Gandalf pressed a soft kiss on her forehead and left the room.

~

"Keep your eyes closed meleth nin." Legolas whispered in Alannah's ear. She smiled at the sound of his voice, those being the first words he had said to her since he retrieved her from Minas Tirith. Guilt plagued her the entire ride as she tried to find the words to apologize to him. He kept his slender hands over her eyes as he led her through various grassy paths, eager to surprise her.

"I can't see anything, I promise." Alannah squeezed his forearm tightly with one hand as she allowed him to lead her way. Her heart ached with each step she took, no longer able to remain silent any longer. "Legolas, can we talk, before we go any farther." She could feel him release a deep breath on her neck before they stopped walking, still keeping his hands over her eyes.

"You are carrying our child meleth nin. Such a task can be a burden on the body. There is no nee for you to apologize." Legolas explained calmly. Alannah felt the tears building up in her eyes.

"I hate that we left him all alone." Alannah blurted out. There was silence between them for a moment. A palpable type of silence that made the air they tried to breathe thicker with each inhale. "I know what it feels like to be alone and I feel horrible."

"Alannah, please." Legolas sighed, his hands still gently placed over her eyes. "I assure you, ada is fine. We will visit as often as you like and even after we say here for some time and still your heart calls you back to the woodland realm, we will return. I promise you." He kissed her hair, his lips lingering on her for some time before finally pulling away.

"To new beginnings?" Legolas asked, the smile evident in his voice. Alannah couldn't help but smile in return as she nodded her head. Slowly Legolas lifted his hands from her eyes, revealing their new home in Ithilien. She gasped when she saw a beautiful home before her situated amongst the trees. It resembled Rivendell, much smaller but still large and grand on its own. Instead of waterfalls cascading around it were the many plants and flowers that she had selected in the woodland realm, lovingly and carefully planted for her. Legolas quickly picked Alannah up in his arms and carried her inside the treeshed and took her straight to their large bedroom where he made love to her throughout the night. Whispers and promises of love could be heard throughout their new home, the home they would live in as long as they resided in Middle Earth.