1. Ethereal Night
Éowyn gazed out of the window, unaware of the chilly air of the night. The breeze was playing within her blonde locks but she didn't care. Her heart was so heavy that she had to fight the tears which were threatening to fall from her eyes at any moment. Tonight, Dunharrow seemed empty. The lord Aragorn had told her he was going to take the Paths of the Dead, and she knew he would not let her go with them. She had seen that on his serious face. She had also seen something else. She swallowed hard in order to catch some fresh air. She needed to calm down. Shieldmaiden she was, body and spirit made of steel, and an unrequited love will not bring her down ! Even if she had to admit that the pain she was feeling was too real for her own taste.
A soft noise at the corner of the hall made her whirl round.
"Who is here?" she called in the darkness.
"I'm truly sorry if I have disturbed you Milady," responded a soft voice, as Éowyn saw a well-shaped form approaching her. "But I was wondering who could be awake by this dark night."
"Legolas," whispered Éowyn, looking straight in his blue eyes. "You couldn't find rest, my lord?"
The blond elf chuckled softly before answering.
"We of the Elven kind do not really sleep, Milady. We dream of the Grey Havens, wandering in its immortal fields. Our eyes are always wide open."
The rohirric princess looked at her companion in astonishment. Her knowledge of the Elves was rather superficial, but she was pleased to hear of their culture and habits. The First-Borns had always seemed out of her reach. She jerked out of her reverie, and noticed that Legolas was staring at her intently.
"Is there something wrong, my lord?"
"You should not grieve over things that will never come, Princess. I fear that you will never have the love you are dreaming of."
Éowyn felt rather upset by this statement. The coolness of the elf was unnerving and she could sense her temper rising.
"Why?" she exclaimed, her voice shaking with anger. "Am I not good enough?"
Legolas looked at her, his eyes full of compassion and he smiled lightly at her.
"Nay, Milady. You are fair, close even to the elven beauty, and strong, for you are the protectress of your people. But Aragorn's heart is already taken. There is nothing you could do to change that. However, I do think you are an amazing woman, like few I have met in my long life."
It seemed to Éowyn that her heart was suddenly lighter.
"You really think so?" she muttered, more for herself than him.
"Yes."
Legolas locked his eyes with Éowyn's, then leaned a little and put a light kiss on her lips.
"I think you should get some sleep Milady," he said. " Tomorrow is another day. Our conversation and this kiss will fade with the dawn, like some kind of dream. Good Night Milady."
He bowed and departed swiftly, with a last smile for the young woman.
Éowyn stayed motionless for a few seconds, her delicate fingers on her ruby lips. Then she smiled and returned to her chambers.
"A dream", she thought before drifting into sleep. "A very sweet dream."
A soft noise at the corner of the hall made her whirl round.
"Who is here?" she called in the darkness.
"I'm truly sorry if I have disturbed you Milady," responded a soft voice, as Éowyn saw a well-shaped form approaching her. "But I was wondering who could be awake by this dark night."
"Legolas," whispered Éowyn, looking straight in his blue eyes. "You couldn't find rest, my lord?"
The blond elf chuckled softly before answering.
"We of the Elven kind do not really sleep, Milady. We dream of the Grey Havens, wandering in its immortal fields. Our eyes are always wide open."
The rohirric princess looked at her companion in astonishment. Her knowledge of the Elves was rather superficial, but she was pleased to hear of their culture and habits. The First-Borns had always seemed out of her reach. She jerked out of her reverie, and noticed that Legolas was staring at her intently.
"Is there something wrong, my lord?"
"You should not grieve over things that will never come, Princess. I fear that you will never have the love you are dreaming of."
Éowyn felt rather upset by this statement. The coolness of the elf was unnerving and she could sense her temper rising.
"Why?" she exclaimed, her voice shaking with anger. "Am I not good enough?"
Legolas looked at her, his eyes full of compassion and he smiled lightly at her.
"Nay, Milady. You are fair, close even to the elven beauty, and strong, for you are the protectress of your people. But Aragorn's heart is already taken. There is nothing you could do to change that. However, I do think you are an amazing woman, like few I have met in my long life."
It seemed to Éowyn that her heart was suddenly lighter.
"You really think so?" she muttered, more for herself than him.
"Yes."
Legolas locked his eyes with Éowyn's, then leaned a little and put a light kiss on her lips.
"I think you should get some sleep Milady," he said. " Tomorrow is another day. Our conversation and this kiss will fade with the dawn, like some kind of dream. Good Night Milady."
He bowed and departed swiftly, with a last smile for the young woman.
Éowyn stayed motionless for a few seconds, her delicate fingers on her ruby lips. Then she smiled and returned to her chambers.
"A dream", she thought before drifting into sleep. "A very sweet dream."
This is a work of fan fiction, written because the author has an abiding love for the works of J R R Tolkien. The characters, settings, places, and languages used in this work are the property of the Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Enterprises, and possibly New Line Cinema, except for certain original characters who belong to the author of the said work. The author will not receive any money or other remuneration for presenting the work on this archive site. The work is the intellectual property of the author, is available solely for the enjoyment of Henneth Annûn Story Archive readers, and may not be copied or redistributed by any means without the explicit written consent of the author.
