Psalm 30:5

"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."

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Legolas

I aim my arrow at the unsuspecting buck, watching carefully as it grazes. I admire the way the sunlight shining through the thick branches and leaves of the trees above casts haphazard patterns of light on the animal's soft fur. Its antlers stretch high into the air, curling as if they are trying to catch the early morning light and save it for dark and lonely times. I smile slightly to myself. Twelve points. It has twelve points on its rack, meaning that it will sell for a high price at the markets in Minas Tirith. Deer skin is used for making blankets or coats, antlers are highly valued for their beauty, and deer meat is a luxury to Men.

I wait, hoping that it will come closer to me so that I can get a better shot. As I am waiting, Eilonwy's voice cuts through my concentration as I remember last night. "I love you, Legolas," she had whispered to me when I kissed her as we stood in front of her bedroom door. Her kiss had pulled me under, and I had a very difficult time leaving her for the night. But her confession of love for me had given me a new strength and hope, and I knew that I would see her today and the day after. And hopefully I will be able to be by her side for the rest of my life.

A flood of emotions breaks through the dam in my mind and soul, and I suddenly forget where I am as I remember the touch of her skin and the feel of her lips against mine. We shared many kisses last night, more than we ever have, and it was glorious, like being in our own secret world where no one would discover us. The way her eyes lit up when I told her I love her made my heart soar with happiness. The way she kissed me left me with her silent promise that she would stay by my side no matter what happens. I wanted to ask her right then. I wanted to ask her to be my bride, my loving wife and best friend, but I knew that I had to wait. I have had this feeling in my heart for a long while that something bad is going to happen. It is such a prominent suspicion that I can literally feel the anxiety deep within my bones. Whenever this feeling goes away, when I know for a fact that Middle Earth is still at peace, I will ask her to marry me.

I snap back to reality when the deer's head shoots up in alarm upon hearing the snap of a twig somewhere behind me. Its big, round eyes meet mine for a moment, and I cannot bring myself to shoot the beautiful creature. Pride rolls off the animal in waves as it stands straight, leveling its wise, all-knowing gaze on me. Somehow, I feel as if I am not meant to shoot it. I feel as if this creature was sent to warn me of something by using its unnaturally clever eyes to send the message. Elves believe that animals have spirits as well. We believe that in times of trouble, Eru Ilúvatar sends animal spirit guides to watch over us or help us in these situations. Obviously, this buck has been sent to me to warn me of something, and worry pulses through my veins at the possibilities of what could happen. I stand quickly, and the deer tilts its head toward me, as if bowing, before it dashes away deeper into the forest.

I turn, facing the others who accompanied me on the hunt to see that they are resting against their packs or large tree trunks.

"Legolas, you are not doing very well today," my father says with a chuckle.

I look at him, urgency leaking into my tone. "We must depart at once."

Aragorn's eyebrows furrow, and he looks at me from his place on the ground as if I have lost my mind. "Why? We still have all morning and afternoon until the feast begins."

"I have a horrible feeling that something bad is going to happen. We must travel back to Minas Tirith immediately. We cannot leave the ladies unprotected," I say quickly, and I run past them, heading toward the mouth of the forest where we tied up our horses.

I guess bringing up the subject of their wives and children pushed them into following me because the others appear behind me as I mount my horse. No further questions are asked as Lord Elrond and the twins, Lord Celeborn, my father and Gwilithon, and Aragorn all mount their horses and urge them into a gallop behind me. We race over the rolling green hills, all of us worried and anxious to get back to the castle. As we approach Minas Tirith, the massive gates open for us, and we race through them and up the cobblestone streets. People move out of our way as we race by them, all wearing confused expressions. Luckily, it is early in the morning, so the streets are not as crowded as they usually are.

When we reach the castle, I pull back on the reins of my horse, bringing him to a complete stop before jumping off and racing to the door. I burst through the doors of the palace, not quite sure where I am heading. After a moment of hesitation, I decide to check Eilonwy's room to make sure that she is safe. I run through the halls, distantly thinking how much Aragorn would disapprove of me sprinting in his castle on any other day, and the thought almost makes me laugh. I race through the stone hallways, noting suspiciously that there are no guards or servants to be seen. I come to a sudden halt when I hear panicked voices that are quickly coming nearer to me.

"She will be alright?" I hear the voice of Arwen ask, her tone one of worry and anxiety.

"Yes, she will be perfectly fine," Galadriel says soothingly, "After we get her to the healer's wing, I will summon Elrond to check for any unseen injuries that might have been caused by the magic. The males have returned from their trip early."

I feel my skin pale at her words, and I begin walking toward the sound of their worried voices and quickened footsteps. I stop short when they pass by, not noticing me where I am standing far down the opposite hallway. My heart begins pounding painfully in my chest when I see Galadriel carrying Estrith, the child's small body motionless and skin pale with illness. Arwen, my mother, and Celebrian follow behind her anxiously. I am left standing in shock and worry as they all disappear out of sight.

"Legolas," comes Aragorn's voice from behind me. I turn to see him just now rounding the corner.

"It is Estrith," I say quietly as he comes to stand in front of me. His eyes flash with worry and pain. "I overheard Galadriel speaking. She is going to be fine, but she needs Lord Elrond to check her; something about the possibility of unseen wounds caused by magic."

Aragorn shakes his head. "I do not understand. The only other person in this castle besides Galadriel who was present and possesses magic is-."

"-Eilonwy," I finish for him, my voice grave. I clutch my head, feeling a headache beginning to form.

Aragorn places his hand on my shoulder in comfort. "Legolas, do not fret. You and I both know how deeply she cares for my daughter. Whatever happened was surely an accident. Go and find her, and I will check on Estrith and try to find out what exactly happened."

"What is wrong with Estrith?"

I turn to see the others who came on the hunting trip walking toward us silently, worry etched onto their features. My father's eyes are rested on me, and I know that the apprehension must be clearly showing on my face. Elladan and Elrohir walk behind Lord Celeborn, their movements stiff and on edge. Lord Elrond, the one who had spoken, stops in front of us and Aragorn answers him. "I am not yet sure. We must go and see at once. Please, follow me."

With that statement, all of the others hurry away, leaving me standing alone in the hallway. I run my fingers through my hair worriedly. Why does Eilonwy always become caught up in situations such as these?

The sound of sniffling and rushed footsteps alerts me to the presence of a quickly approaching, very upset Eilonwy. She rounds the corner and when her wide, tear filled eyes land on me, she stops in her tracks. Neither of us say anything for a moment, and my heart thumps painfully in my chest as I look at her. She looks so vulnerable and sad, almost childlike with her arms wrapped around her torso as if holding herself together so that she will not fall apart. Her hair falls around her tear streaked face and her shoulders in wild and fiery, windblown curls.

"Oh, Legolas," she says quietly, her voice breaking.

I open my arms for her, and she walks quickly toward me, placing herself in my embrace. I wrap my arms tightly around her shaking body as she lays her head in the crook of my neck and wraps her arms around my waist. I stroke her hair softly as she cries, the sound echoing through the cold castle walls and the dark, caliginous corridors of my distressed mind. I want nothing more than to be able to comfort her somehow, but without knowing the full story of what happened, I have no idea how to do so. I remain silent as my soul unconsciously takes on the burden of her grief as its own.

When her crying ceases, I pull away a bit to look into her eyes. I place my hands on both sides of her small face, and I look into her misty eyes. "Come," I tell her softly, taking her hand. I lead her to my room, and she follows silently.

When we reach the door to my room, I open it and allow her to walk through first before closing it behind us. I turn to face her as she sits down upon my bed, and she fixes me with her silent gaze as she wipes the tears away from her flushed cheeks.

I walk over to my bed and sit down next to her. I do not ask what happened, knowing that she will tell me when she feels like it, so we sit in silence for a few moments before her lips part to speak.

"I have hurt Estrith." Her sentence is blunt, guilt and anxiety suffocating her tone of voice.

"Estrith is going to be perfectly fine," I tell her softly, remembering Galadriel's words.

Eilonwy looks at me like a wounded animal. "It matters not. I hurt her, Legolas. I will never be able to forgive myself."

I open my mouth, but then I close it, not sure what to say to her. "If you told me what happened, I would better understand the situation at hand."

She sighs, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs. She places her chin on her knees and stares blankly in front of her. "I took Estrith and her sisters to the gardens this morning. I was not paying attention, and Estrith wandered off. Roshi, Sylmae, and I went looking for her. I was running through the maze of the garden. I had this- this horrible feeling in my chest that something bad was going to happen. I heard a lady singing somewhere in the garden. There was something about her voice that instantly set me on edge. She was singing a song about a girl in a garden who was tempted by a snake to eat a poisonous apple, and I heard Estrith laughing and telling her that she loved the song. Estrith did not understand the meaning of the words, apparently. As I got closer to the voices, the lady said that she had to leave, but she told Estrith that she can sing that song at anytime and she will come. She said, "I am everywhere". When I came to the clearing where they were, the lady was gone, but Estrith was standing in the middle alone. Her eyes were dazed and glowing as she held an unnaturally bright apple in front of her lips. I was so afraid! I screamed at her to stop and reached out to her, but I felt this overwhelming heat surge through my veins. I did not mean to do it, but she went flying backwards through the air. She was knocked unconscious by the force of the blow," Eilonwy explains, fear sparking like lightning in her eyes, and I know that her mind is still stuck in the memories of the garden as she speaks to me.

Ice runs down my spine. Who is this lady? Why would she target poor Estrith? Questions swirl through my mind as I stare at Eilonwy. "So, you never saw the lady?" I ask her.

"No," she shakes her head, affirming my worst fears, "She just... disappeared I guess. There is no other way she could have left the garden so quickly and without being seen."

I take her hand in mine, and she finally looks at me with her beautiful green eyes. "What happened is not your fault," I tell her.

She opens her mouth to argue, but I take her shoulders in my firm grip and shake her slightly. "You did nothing wrong, Eilonwy," I say sternly, and she closes her mouth, the tenseness leaving her body, "You saved her."

She nods slightly. "I love Estrith so much. I think of her as a daughter, and I cannot stand the thought of her being injured because of me," she says softly, "I made up my mind the second I saw her lying on the ground that I am going to ask Lord Elrond and Galadriel to begin my lessons on magic as soon as possible. I will not allow myself to hurt anyone else."

"I think that would be best. Lord Elrond is very wise. He will know how to help you," I tell her, and I fall silent for a moment before speaking again, "Will you promise me something?"

She nods slightly.

"Promise me that no matter what happens, you will always confide in me."

Her eyes search mine for a moment before she smiles slightly. "You know that I tell you everything anyway," she says, "But if it will put your mind at ease, then I promise."

I smile, her small promise leaving her small, pink lips and sinking into my lovesick heart. "Thank you," I whisper to her.

Her smile grows, the sparkle of happiness that I love so much beginning to reappear in her lovely eyes. My eyes soften, and I lean toward her, tenderly kissing the soft skin under her ear. I place my hands on the bed on either side of her body as I kiss her neck again. "I love you," I say against her soft skin.

I feel her hand travel up my back, stopping to stroke the ends of my hair as I continue to kiss her irresistible skin. I breathe in her natural flowery scent, feeling like a young boy tasting wine for the very first time. "I love you," she replies quietly, innocently, and I have to fight against the overwhelming, irrational side of my mind that wants nothing more than to make love to her right here and now and hear her whisper those words to me again and again. But I know that I cannot-will not- do such a thing to her.

I go to pull away from her, but she takes ahold of my shoulders and looks at me confusedly. "What is wrong?" she asks, her eyes wide with innocence and naivety. I swallow hard as she continues to stare at me. Her lips lift into a small grin. "You are allowed to kiss me, Legolas. I do not mind," she says teasingly, not understanding.

I clear my throat, horrified when I realize that my cheeks are burning in embarrassment. She places her hand over her lips as she giggles. "I think this is the first time since meeting you that I am not the one blushing," she says as she continues to laugh at me.

I clear my throat once again. "Believe me, Eilonwy, I am very much aware that I am allowed to kiss you," I answer in reply to her previous statement.

She leans closer to me. "Then why will you not?"

I stare at her intently, wondering whether or not to test my level of self control which has already begun to dwindle. The thought of her soft lips is enough to make the decision for me. I lean in, capturing her lips with a hunger I never knew I possessed, and when Eilonwy tenses for a moment, I know that I have taken her by surprise as well. As her lips move deliciously against mine, her body melts against my own, and I pull her against me. Without really thinking, I end up slowly pushing her body back until she is resting against the bed, and I am hovering over her. Her fingers tangle in my hair at the back of my neck as I kiss her heatedly. I become overly aware of little things like the feeling of her chest rising and falling rapidly against mine and the way our bodies move as if they are in sync with the movement of our lips. I kiss her with the intention of showing her just how strongly I feel about her without going any further than is appropriate, but I know that I must pull away soon because she is like an intoxicating drink that I cannot get enough of. I know that kissing her this way is already crossing the line of propriety and gentlemanliness, though.

I slow the kiss, one hand caressing her cheek as I pull away to catch my breath. I open my eyes slowly, waiting anxiously to see her reaction. Her eyelids flutter open slowly, her green eyes looking into mine in wonder, love swimming in their depths. She smiles dazedly up at me, and I cannot fight down the grin that forms on my own lips.

"And I thought your past kisses were perfect," she whispers breathlessly. I laugh boyishly at her, and she giggles, her cheeks finally turning the brilliant shade of red that I love so much.

I lean down to kiss her once again, knowing that even though I desire to learn the art of making love with her now, these moments are enough for me simply because I respect her and love her. I refuse to take away the pureness that she possesses before the day she is married and bound to me forever. So, I just kiss her softly, wanting to make her forget about what happened with Estrith earlier.

I just want my Eilonwy to be happy.

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A/N: Okay, so I'd like to go ahead and say that in this story, even though there is going to be a whole bunch of action and adventure, there will be even more romance. I feel like with books today, authors are more focused on the action part and will only put teeny tiny romantic parts in the book and BAM it's a 'romance story'. I'm a HUGE romantic, so I really hate that. This story, as you can already tell since the action didn't get introduced until chapter 27, is focused mainly on the love and romance between Legolas and Eilonwy. If you are looking for an erotic fanfic, this is NOT the book for you. I believe in waiting until marriage, and I put my beliefs in each and every one of my stories. So, that being said, Legolas & Eilonwy will not have any frickle frackle scenes until they are happily married. Many lotr fanfics have the two main characters having sex before marriage, and in my opinion, I don't think that is very true to the world of Middle Earth. Tolkien's books are so pure and innocent and overall modest in that perspective, but again, that is just my opinion. I am not trying to offend anyone! I am just explaining my reasoning behind the decisions I make when writing stories.

Phew! I just had to say that so everyone knows the vague direction this story is heading. Thanks for being such amazing readers! My birthday was the 4th of Sept. so I am officially 17! Whooo! Remember to R&R but as always, remember to be nice! Love y'all, and see you next chapter! <3 <3

Love,

Josie