Days had passed since the day I awoke on the bed in healing tent in Helm's Deep. Legolas didn't hate me or despised me for my crazy emotional outburst that day. Instead, he had shown me great understanding and appreciation for my openness.

My companions were going to have a short travel to Isengard. Legolas offered to stay behind and accompany me instead, but I refused, knowing that he had an important task to do there.

"You have a role here. You have an obligation to be with the Fellowship. You need to go with the others," I said to him, shooting him my knowing-thy-fate look.

Legolas sighed. "It will be almost a week until I see you again. What if something happens to you when I am not around? I will never forgive myself if I am not present when you need me," he said worriedly.

I smiled at his protectiveness that seemed to be magnified these days. I shook my head and hugged his side.

"You still have the coin I gave you?" I asked, looking up to him.

"Aye," he smiled as he dug into a pocket in his tunic and showed me the glistening coin under the moonlight. 

"I have mine too," I said showing him my coin. "These items might not be magical, but have faith that wherever we go, as long as we still have the coins with us, it will bring us back together again."

Legolas eyes softened as he pecked on my temple and looked at me affectionately.

"Wasn't it proven already?" I asked him with a grin. 

"Aye. We were reunited together again, but with you almost bleeding to death," he said frowning. I laughed and I kissed his cheek. I thought he blushed a bit at that and I giggled.

"I promise the next time we meet, I will not bleed to death or dying. I will try to look pretty for you and very much alive," I promised him and he sighed, smiling. "I heard there will be a feast once we all arrive in Edoras. It's a great occasion to play dress up."

"You always are pretty and beautiful, melleth nin," he said as he brushed a strand of my dark hair behind my ears.

It embarrassed me. How could he said such nice things and looked at me like that, as if I was the most beautiful girl in the whole world while I knew that I looked terrible, with scratches and fading bruises on the side of my face?

Especially with him looking like that. He looked like he jumped out of a magazine's cover, all with his perfect glowing skin, soft hair, tall and lean posture and immaculate elven appearance. He was like Adonis and I was like that supporting actor that worked at the background of the scene being the random, sad gardener.

I forced a smile and let go of his arm to look away. I pretended to gaze intently at the stars above us as I suddenly felt inadequate to be beside him.

"What's bothering you, my love?" he asked me and I could feel his eyes boring a hole to the side of my head.

"Nothing," I answered nonchalantly.

"You lied," he said softly, disappointment flashed in his eyes, "You promised me that you will tell me if anything ever bothers you. Do you remember?"

I paused for a moment, forming words in my head before answering him.

"You ever said that an ellon would court an elleth for some time before deciding to marry her, didn't you?" I said before looking at him.

Legolas lips upturned into a smile, amusement twinkled in his eyes. I wondered what he was thinking, but ignored it and continued.

"Is it possible that during the uh, courtship... he change his mind along the way and court another elleth?"

Legolas smile faltered as his shoulder tensed. His face turned cold and unreadable. I blinked at his sudden change of demeanor. Did I somehow offended him?

"Why are you asking this?" he asked me back. "Are you having a second thought about us?"

My eyes widened in horror and I quickly answered him a little too loud.

"What? No!" I exclaimed, shaking my head eagerly. Hurt swam in his icy blue eyes as he gazed at me intently.

"It's just that, you're an elf and a prince! You can get any elleth you want. I saw a lot of them already and they're beautiful and they will be too eager to have you," I explained quickly. "You should hear what they were saying about you in Lothlorien."

I remembered the sounds of melodious elvish giggles at the mention of the presence of the single, crown prince of Mirkwood in Lothlorien.

Legolas released a breath of relief and relaxed. 

"Why do you... Why me? I mean, I'm not an elf and anything special about me comes only from the Infinity ring," I admitted, now his face was one of the confused one, "Is it possible that you're just sympathized at me and or... you feel somehow responsible for me because I'm your best friend and I'm a woman? Could it be that what you feel towards me, it's just a temporary thing?"

The thought horrified me; what if it was true, what if what he felt towards me wasn't real? What if he decided to leave me and marry another, an elleth, one that was the same kind as him and more worthy of his title?

Legolas looked taken aback by my question. I rubbed the back of my neck, a habit I had developed since I was a kid every time I was nervous or unsure of something.

Then he snorted loudly before shaking his head in disbelief. He scooted closer to me and held my arms, rocking it gently as he spoke solemnly.

"I love you and only you. Everything about you is enchanting me. You, not the Infinity ring. Can't you see it?" he asked, searching my eyes. "You have ensnared my heart. Now it is yours forever."

Heat crept to my cheek at hearing those words escaping his lips. I bit my lip, trying to hide my shy smile.

Legolas looked at me as his blue eyes darkened. He glanced behind us briefly to see if anyone was around, before he slid his hand on my waist and neck, pulling me into a heated kiss.

I pulled away a moment later when I heard footsteps walked past behind us and disappeared again.

My eyes traveled from his red, swollen lips and to his overall expression. Annoyance graced his glowing face and I laughed in amusement; my previous doubt forgotten.

Legolas squinted his eyes at me when I laughed before he joined me. His laughter was boyish and carefree, it lit his face up like a Christmas tree.

"Do not ever doubt my love for you ever again, mir nin. You are beautiful and precious in my eyes. 'Tis an honor that you accepted my love for you."

"I love you, Legolas."

He kissed me again deeply, smiling as he did.

"And I, you," he replied, nudging my nose with his lightly. I smiled with my eyes closed momentarily.

"It is late. Let me escort you to your chamber."

I nodded, smiling. I linked my arm in his, walking to my room. I entered my room and frowned at him when he refrained from coming in and stood at the entrance.

"Uh... Will you stay with me again tonight?"

He stared at me blankly, seemingly about to reject my request.

"Come on. I won't be seeing you again for many days," I cooed. "You can just slip away through the window in the morning," I pleaded, pouting at him.

He chuckled lightly and shook his head at me.

"What have you done to me?" he asked to himself before looking around and slipped into my room, closing the curtain that served as the door. I put my hand on my mouth and giggled.

"You are a naughty girl, Leane. You are a bad influence on me, just like Elladan and Elrohir," he said jokingly.

"I am an amateur compared to those two," I retorted and he chuckled in delight.

"Actually, you are correct."

Legolas smiled in agreement and moved to disarm himself and put his stuff on the table beside the head of the bed while I dug in my bag to look for a my sleeping clothes that consisted of a loose tunic shirt and loose pants.

I found Legolas staring at me as I turned back to him. I smiled.

"I'm going to change. Turn around," I ordered and he grinned as he turned his back on me.

I thoroughly enjoyed changing my clothes. I got a front row seat on seeing Legolas' glorious backside. 

His partially braided golden hair cascaded down like silk between the blades of his shoulder. He was now left only with his ivory silky tunic, and the thinness of the fabric let me see the shape of his perfectly sculptured muscles on his shoulders and back. He was tall and lean, but hard and muscly. 

My eyes landed on his tight bottom and I looked away before my imagination go wild.

"Done," I said as I climbed onto the bed and slid beneath the blanket.

Unlike the last time, on our first night in Helm's Deep, Legolas seemed more relaxed. He lay on the bed beside me, on top of the blanket.

"You don't want to get into the blanket?" I asked him.

"Nay, I do not need it."

I smiled at his gentlemanly manner as I scooted closer to him and put my head on his arm that encircled me. He kissed my hair several times before he spoke.

"Would you tell me a bedtime story?" he asked. "Think of it as a price for seducing me into spending the night with you."

I looked up at him and smiled at his unexpected request. How could I ever reject him with that innocent look he gave me?

I thought for a moment for any fairytale story and started with a soft voice.

"Once upon a time, there lived a little girl in a land faraway. Her name was Little Red Riding Hood, for she was little and always wore her red riding hood over her clothes.

One day, Little Red Riding Hood’s mother said to her, “Take this basket of goodies to your grandma’s cottage, but don’t talk to strangers on the way!” 

Promising not to, Little Red Riding Hood skipped off. On her way she met the Big Bad Wolf who asked, “Where are you going, little girl?” 

“To my grandma’s, Mr. Wolf!”"

I exclaimed mimicking what I thought Little Red would sound like. Legolas laughed lightly, brushing my hand on his chest. I continued.

"The Big Bad Wolf then ran to her grandmother’s cottage much before Little Red Riding Hood, and knocked on the door. When Grandma opened the door, he grabbed her and locked her up in the cupboard. The wicked wolf then wore Grandma’s clothes and lay on her bed, waiting for Little Red Riding Hood.

When Little Red Riding Hood reached the cottage, she entered and went to Grandma’s bedside, surprised to see her unusual appearance."

I said before I looked up to see Legolas' blue eyes and widened my eyes in exaggeration, mimicking Little Red's surprised tone.

"“My! What big eyes you have, Grandma!”" I said as I propped myself on my elbow and cupped Legolas' face as I stared at him with faked surprise. Legolas laughed in amusement at my dramatic storytelling. I grinned cheekily before mimicking the wolf.

"The wolf replied, “All the better to see you with, my dear!”"

It was such a delight to hear Legolas laughed and chuckled at hearing my faked deep voice. I could stare and hear his carefree laughter forever. Then I moved my hand on his chest up to his pointy ear and turned my voice to Little Red's.

"“My! What big ears you have, Grandma!”" I exclaimed, brushing his ear lightly. He tensed slightly before his eyes fluttered close. I smiled and pecked his lips lightly.

""All the better to hear you with, my dear!” said the wolf."" I narrated in a soft voice and let go of Legolas' soft pointy ear. His eyes opened lazily and I smiled at him as my hand brushed his chin.

""What big teeth you have, Grandma!” said Little Red Riding Hood. 

“All the better to eat you with!”" I exclaimed with made up menacing snarl and Legolas' eyes widened in slight surprise at the twist of the story. Smiling all the way.

"The wolf growled, pouncing on her. Little Red Riding Hood screamed and a woodcutter that happened to be in the forest came running to the cottage at hearing the scream of Little Red Riding Hood. Together they beat the Big Bad Wolf and rescued Grandma from the cupboard. 

Grandma hugged Little Red Riding Hood with joy. The Big Bad Wolf ran away never to be seen again. Little Red Riding Hood had learnt her lesson and never spoke to strangers ever again," I said, ending the story.

"And so Little Red Riding Hood and Grandma lived happily ever after, along with the woodcutter who became their lifelong friend. The end."

Legolas smiled wider in satisfaction of hearing the end of the story. I continued one last time just like I always did after ending a story.

"And the moral message from the story is: Being careful is good, but sometimes we messed up. However, in such troubled times, it is likelier that true company might be found from the most unexpected places and time. And that good will always win."

His eyes soft as he gazed at me. Adoration was evident in his eyes, making me blush. I looked down on my fingers on his chest.

His right hand clasped on mine that was on his chest and his other arm moved as he placed his hand behind my neck and pulled me down to kiss him.

His lips was soft and warm as they grazed mine. His kiss was full of affection and I sighed happily as he lifted his head a bit to deepen the kiss, though I could feel he was holding himself back. 

Ever the gentleman.

After a moment he pushed me on my back lightly and pecked my lips one last time before pulling away.

"T'was an exciting story that I have never heard before. It is childlike, innocent and simple. Yet when you tell it, it became much more enjoyable and I discovered a much wise message behind it," he commented.

"I'm happy you enjoyed the story," I said. "To be honest, you reminded me of Little Red Riding Hood. And the woodcutter, of Gimli."

Legolas laughed heartily at me and asked me, "Why, do tell, melleth nin, do you think of me as a little girl in a red hood and Gimli as the woodcutter, hm?" he demanded with a brow arched in amusement.

I smirked before answering, "Because like Little Red Riding Hood, you were sent merely as a messenger from Mirkwood, intended to only represent your home in a secret council. Yet here you are, in an adventure to save the world. Finding an unexpected friendship with the one you once despised– Gimli."

Legolas smiled as he brushed my hair.

"I was blind," he muttered, "Back in Rivendell you were trying hard to make me and Gimli to become friends and put our differences aside. Now I know why," he said softly as I felt the soft rumble of his chest as he spoke.

"Forgive me for my ignorance. I was not seeing it before and even acted impulsively that day in Rivendell's dining hall."

I giggled as I recalled that day when they both bickered at each other, one by one leaving the table without a word, fuming, leaving me frustrated.

A yawn escaped my lips as I covered my mouth with my hand. Legolas pulled my blanket under my chin.

"Losto vae, Leane. Elei velui (Sleep well. Sweet dreams)," he whispered as he nudged my nose gently.

"Losto vae, aur nin. Gi melin."

I said with a sleepy smile and closed my eyes, letting sleep overcame me.

"Gi melin, pen vain."

***

[Author's Note: Losto vae, aur nin = Sleep well, my sunshine. Gi melin, pen vain = I love you, beautiful one. FYI, this book is actually written and completed years ago. I originally posted it on another site, but this one right here is the revamped version of the said book. If you happen to stumble across this book on another site, yay, you've found the completed version of this book without having to wait for updates. The only downside to that is that that version was my first fanfic ever which contains tons and heaps of spelling and grammatical errors. I suggest if you want to read it easier, stick to this one on Wattpad as I will be updating frequently (could be 2-3 chapter or more a day, depending on my availability). As usual, I'd like to express my deepest gratitude for you who read this far, either you who vote or not, comment or not, I appreciate all of your support. Love y'all, preciousss ♥️]