The way to Gondor (Aragorn and Legolas fanfic)

Linden tree

Legolas POV

I love you. 

Aragorn still looked at me, worry filling his eyes. He seemed anxious, exposed. I could neither move nor answer. My mind was racing through all happenings of the last two days, and tried to make sense of it all. If he really loved me, I knew he wouldn't lie about it. However, my heart still refused to believe it. Too much grief had already weakened it, and it would be hard to heal this wound. Elrond was a wise man, and he was totally right. A dying elf, a grieving elf, is almost impossible to heal.

"Im ar mell-cin, Estel (I love you too)", I answered, my voice quivering. "And I want to believe you when you say you do. I really want to... . But my wound won't be easy to heal. It will take time, and I don't know if I can manage it."

My last words almost vanished completely, because my voice refused to carry them. The strength had almost left me. Aragorn's answer was pained, but determined.

"I will do everything to prove to you that I speak the truth", he said and leaned closer. "I will never again hurt you, never!"

He gently took my hand in both of his and smiled at me. "Let me prove it to you."

He leaned closer still, until his face was just inches away from mine. 

"I love you."

And after all the pain I had gone through the last few days, his kiss came like a call from heaven. It was gentle and sweet and I closed my eyes to savour the feeling of it. My mind drowned in happiness, and my heart was filled with bright colours. It felt like Aragorn gave me back my life. 

Therefore, when he ended the kiss, the fall was much longer than I expected it to be. In an instance, the blackness returned to my mind, and my heart froze again. It wouldn't be easy to banish the coldness from my soul. 

Aragorn noticed my change of emotion and gently stroked my hair. His eyes were the most loving I had ever seen, and my brain told me he really cared for me. But my heart still believed, that all of this was just some kind of conspiracy to make me miserable. 

"You are so beautiful, Legolas Greenleaf", Aragorn said. "Every time I look at you, I want to prove to you that I am worthy of your love. And I will keep trying, as long as I live."

He paused and watched me. I smiled slightly, enjoying his love. I wanted to tell him too, how I felt about him, but I couldn't. Not yet. My heart wasn't ready yet.

"You know", the man continued, lost in memories, "You remind me of something. I once climbed an old abandoned fortress in the mountains. The wind howled over it, and all life had fled from there. I could see no animals, no flowers, no grass. But there was one linden tree, that still resisted the adversity of this place. It grew right on the former throne of an ancient king of men, proud and high, as if no force in the world could destroy it. I always remembered this tree, because it was the most beautiful and perfect tree I had ever seen, and is still until this day. And yet, it lived where none else could endure, right in the wings of evil. 

You are like that linden tree, Legolas. Even in the darkest places and biggest perils you stand upright and proud, and I ask myself: How can you be so beautiful? And it strikes me everyday, my love just grows with every moment I spend with you. Will I ever deserve to claim this linden tree for myself?"

I felt that my cheeks were wet from tears, but I didn't care. The question really was, was I able to be Aragorn's linden tree?