LOTR || ⤜𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙩 → [Legolas x OC]

⤜ 22 → a fine pearl

[Rosa]

Night fell upon Lothlorien. Thin streaks of silver moonlight danced through the trees and Talans overhead. The areas and alcoves which were not illuminated by the light of the moon were instead illuminated by faelight.

I trailed towards the edge of the Talan. Lothlorien had no railings separating the elevated platforms from the hundred feet drop below. It was disconcerting, to say the least. But I guessed elves did not need such precautionary measures.

Carefully, I lowered myself to the floor, allowing my legs to hang over the sides. Then I took a deep breath. The air was cool and comforting, slipping into my lungs and calming my senses. From here, I could see the pavilion below me in clear view. Soft golden light emanated from within. Gimli was probably inside, likely devouring the rest of the evening meal and whatever was left that could fill the bottomless pit of his stomach.

A decision had been made, I was informed.

We would depart tomorrow, setting forth on the journey that I both awaited and dreaded. As I tried to organise the tangle of thoughts inside my head, my face settled into a small frown. If all went to plan and we were able to summon the Passageways, I could be back home within the safe clutches of my father's embrace.

But if the plan went amiss, not only would I be trapped within this realm, but I'd also witness its destruction if the Bloodstone managed to fall into the hands of the enemy. My frown deepened at that.

An unannounced presence behind me interrupted my thoughts. They quietly approached, taking a seat to my left and letting their legs swing over the sides of the Talan in the same manner mine were currently dangling in the air.

Then Legolas's voice broke the silence surrounding us. "Hard thinking or hardly thinking?" he asked quietly.

I glanced at him, then looked ahead again.

"Why are you here?" I mumbled, subconsciously pulling my wings in tighter around my body. From my peripheral view I could see his eyes follow the movement.

Currently, I was holding a grudge, and rightfully so.

When I allowed myself to confide in him and the others, I thought I was making the right decision. But as soon as I lay vulnerable before them with my newly-discovered wings, Legolas had harshly turned against me in suspicion. But he wasn't the only one confused and frightened that night. I was too.

So, If he hadn't come here to apologise, I saw no reason to indulge in a conversation.

"I came here to apologise," Legolas said.

Oh.

I turned to face him, keeping my features indifferent. He took my silence as an indication to continue.

"I know you must still remember what happened, and I realise now the imprudent asininity of my behaviour," he said, slowly, carefully, trying to gauge my reaction. "I will not deny that my actions were of my own volition. They were instinctive, but by no means am I trying to excuse them, I only wished to explain."

A beat of silence. Then...

"I have no idea what half of the words you just used mean," I said.

Legolas regarded me with a blank look. Then his mouth twitched upwards. Not quite a smile. "It means I made a mistake," he said. "And for that I apologise."

"Oh." I gave a curt nod. "Well... apology accepted."

The smile he gave now was tentative but firm.

Under the grandeur of the Mallorns, we sat in a companionable silence. The breeze brushed through my hair, pulling free a few strands that tickled my face. I reached up to move them back when my fingers brushed over the pearl around my neck. Gently, I grasped the necklace and tucked it away under the collar of my dress. Again, I felt Legolas's eyes follow the movement. He looked up to meet my gaze.