Return to Mirkwood COMPLETE

Title: Return To Mirkwood
Chapter Twenty Two
Author: Sarah
Pairing: Legolas/Gimli
Rating: PG this chapter.
Disclaimer: I love them and thank Tolkien for them. They are not mine. I owe nothing that belongs to Tolkien. I do claim the original characters and ideas. Please ask if you want something from my story. Many people have been generous with me, I will probably share.
Archive: Axe and Bow. Others please ask.
Feedback: Please. sarah@arizonaanne@hotpop.com
Author notes: Thank you to everyone who gave me fb. The encouragement helps me more than I can say. Thank you to erobey for the wonderful guidance. Thank you, Marigold, for the wonderful beta work and nice additions. I'm proud to be one of yours. Any mistakes left are mine.

Gimli scowled. He felt as if he had suddenly gone deaf. He had been walking along the forest path for a few minutes now with Tasar and had heard no music. Gimli knew the absence of Legolas was the cause and that he should be grateful that he could perceive the music so well when Legolas was near.

Instead, Gimli felt irritated. He had forgotten what it was like for his people in so short of a time. *This was how the forest first appeared to me,* he reminded himself. *Tall trees with roots along the paths and dimmed sunlight.* He frowned.

"Is something wrong?" Tasar's voice cut through his thoughts.

Gimli smiled up at the uncertain elf. "Forest is too silent and I miss Legolas." He watched with amusement the mixture of emotions across Tasar's face. *Clearly believes it impolite to tell me of the song. He is also wondering if I'm incapable of hearing the elflings playing hide-and-seek nearby.*

"It sounds as though the young ones are having fun." Gimli glanced away to keep from laughing at the relief on Tasar's face.

"You shouldn't start missing Legolas so soon." Tasar teased. "I can go for a quarter of an hour at least before missing Lisse." He grinned. "I want you to know that I'm happy about the bonding despite my fears for the future. In fact, I am very pleased. I wasn't at first. I was too worried about what Legolas will face later. You were talking about the Glittering Caves and how Legolas' ease will be a consideration in all that is done. I think of that and realise how loved he is. The only elf ever to have cave work by dwarves done with his comfort in mind."

Gimli tried to view the forest with a renewed perspective. He could recall the music even if he could not discern it at the moment, and that was far more than any of his people could do. He could hear and enjoy the bird song. Some of the trees were wearing beautiful yellow leaves. The sunlight cast patterns along the leaves. A squirrel was moving among the branches of a tree.

Gimli concluded he could learn to like the forest even without Legolas. His elf had told him the name of that tree with golden leaves. It was a... a... Gimli frowned again. Aware that he was probably affirming to Tasar that dwarves were a grumpy race he said, "Has it been a quarter of hour yet?"

Tasar laughed. "I believe it is close to that. You do comfort me. I was worried that a dwarf might find the closeness of an elven bond stifling."

Gimli answered, "I enjoy the closeness. Legolas is teaching me Sindarin but there is one word I want to know. Yet I don't desire to ask him. How does one say treasure?"

A smile flashed across Tasar's face. "Treasure is mir. It's not a difficult word."

"Mir." Gimli repeated and Tasar nodded.

"Ada is going to encourage other bonded couples to plant seedlings there so all the trees will represent a love. We will fill the whole place with love but your beech will be placed in the middle. It is to be given prominence, for love between a dwarf and an elf is a marvellous wonder.

"Father said he met you in the library one night and you told him of your idea. Your row at the library has been gaining quite a few books. Librarian calls it Gimli's aisle."

"It is kind of your Lord to have books moved for my ease. We saw Celduil in the library last night. Legolas informed me about Celduil and Lastand's situation. I noticed that she does not come to the parties. Do you know if she will be at the ceremony tonight?"

"Yes. I know. Celduil ought to but I don't believe he does. She loves Legolas and will attend. I'm surprised you noticed her absence. Every party the two of you have been at, you sit with your pipe, and I would have sworn your eyes never leave Legolas. If you pay attention tonight, you'll see how foolish two elves can be. Celduil constantly has to wrench his gaze from her and she is continually glancing at him. Why he can't just apologise and get it over with I can't begin to guess. Makes me want to shake some sense into him but Ada says he has his pride. Pride! It doesn't share a bed with..."

Gimli watched as a look of shock crossed Tasar's face. "I am sorry, Gimli. I didn't intend to burden you with our concerns and I certainly did not mean to speak of private matters."

Gimli replied, "I have no discomfort over your words. To a mortal, wasting all those years seems incredibly wrong."

Understanding blue eyes met his. "It is wrong."

Gimli led Tasar to the small seedling. "Legolas says it will be a fine tree one day if moved into the sunlight." He watched as Tasar examined the beech.


"Legolas is right. It is perfect for what you want. I am happy about this, too. It will ease my sorrow over Essian's passing. It is not so hard to transplant a seedling, either."

Gimli listened carefully to Tasar's instructions. Lastly Tasar said, "We will leave a bucket and the burlap here. Remember to be gentle and go slowly. A circle will be drawn in the dirt showing you the area to dig around. Now you have to do the first part. You must talk to the tree."

Gimli said nothing. He had long since foreseen that this might prove inevitable. He glanced at the beech. He would soon be the only dwarf to converse with trees. Gimli was certain that he would be the only one of Durin's children to ever have a discussion with a plant. He was going to develop all sorts of odd habits and be considered a strange dwarf by his own people as well as Legolas' race.

Tasar continued, "Tell the little one what you are going to do and how you will be careful to insure no damage is done. Explain to the seedling the love that it is to represent for you. Ada has told everyone that you are not to be disturbed so no one will hear your words. I shall leave you with the little one. “He smiled.” I’m missing Lisse."

After he left, Gimli sat down by the seedling. "This is what happens to a dwarf who loves a wood elf." he started. He began to talk repeating the instructions Tasar had given him so that the small tree would understand what would happen later, with the addition of emphasising the care he would take. He explained why the move was necessary, first in relation to the well-being of the tree itself, and then he spoke of what it would mean to himself and Legolas.

"I love Legolas and there's nothing more certain to me. Still, it is not so easy to explain. There is so much to my love for him that telling one part could not begin to show it."

Gimli spoke of chasing the orcs after they took Merry and Pippin. "When it was over, I felt it all was in vain. The ceaseless running, yet the young rascals had managed to survive without our assistance. Legolas, though, he declares to me that no labour done for love is worthless. He will suffer, loving us mortals as he does, and I sorrow for him. But I also admire his willingness to love those that must someday leave him. It takes courage to face a battle like the one at Helm's Deep but a greater bravery it is to give one's heart away knowing you will face loss. Especially for an elf."

Gimli paused. "I call him my crazy elf but between you and me, I think I'm the crazy one. I even love his feet. Like the rest of him, they are. Smooth and silky. You couldn't tell by touching how much running and walking that elf has done.

"He puts his arms around me and holds me with all his strength and nothing else matters. My whole world is wrapped in him.

"When we first met, I believed him to be the most serious being there ever was. Legolas tells me he was lonely before us and I know it's true. Now his eyes sparkle and are filled with happiness more often than not. I am the reason for that joy and it humbles. Who am I really, to be able to make someone so wonderful that happy?

"He, sometimes, fears his need for me will become a burden but to be able to bring such joy to someone is better than the finest wine. No. It's more like water to a thirsty dwarf. Water is essential for one's being and so is he essential to me.

"His lips are finer than any wine and sweeter than honey. His eyes shine with a light and colour that I could swear was plucked from a summer sky." Gimli chuckled. "The same sky he thinks I never bother to glance at. I'm not sure why but I enjoy it when he says, 'Gimli, you haven't even looked and it is beautiful.' I just happen to prefer losing myself in his eyes."

Gimli was silent for a moment, dwelling in his thoughts, and then he continued. "Legolas is intelligent and his skill in battle is wonderful. His hair captures the sun's rays and outshines them. Even the moonlight cannot compare. His voice amazes me. Not just the beauty of his singing but its range, too. He may not be able to lower his voice as deep as mine, but he can go from speaking love in a husky voice filled with passion to a high wail in a heartbeat."

Gimli sighed. He reached out and touched the seedling gently. "I'm not an elf. I don't have fancy words to tell you of my love for him. I cherish every inch of my elf but that's not the reason for my love. None of what I've said tells why I love him. I love him because he is Legolas. Trying to say why is like attempting to describe a gem by its facets alone when it's the beauty of the jewel in its entirely that captivates. Or maybe..." Gimli glanced down at the seedling. "It would be like trying to describe a magnificent tree by its individual leaves.

"The best thing that ever happened to me is his love for me. He speaks to me about how he praises Mahal for me. I know about love. There are those who I love and who love me in return but this betwixt Legolas and me...it is beyond all that. Nothing compares to the feeling.

"Tonight I shall move you to a place where there has been much sorrow. I shall do so because I've given my heart to a wood elf and you will be a living symbol of that love. I need him as you need sunlight. You will have companions who will also be a celebration of love but you will be given a special place. I want you to grow strong as a pledge to my love that we, too, will grow strong."

The sun was setting, so with a promise to return shortly to the seedling, Gimli hurried back.

Tbc.