Author's Note: To answer the pronunciation question…I made up the name-I have two possible pronunciations. (ace-loo-wen) or (eyes-la-wen) I prefer the latter.

Chapter 2~
A Brother Lost

All was relatively quiet in the White City, just like the late hour would be in Lothlorien, Mirkwood or Rivendale.

Aisllewyn wandered about her chamber in silent restlessness as she considered the elven realms in comparison to what she'd seen thus far of human kind. Although she envied her cousin Arwen-for despite her surprise arrival-she had been enthusiastically welcomed by her beloved. No longer was Arwen Undomiel alone, but her price had been great. Would she make a similar choice if warranted. For henceforth-having sacrificed her immortality-Arwen was to be beside the one she loved for as long as their mortal lives would allow.

Lord Elrond-her uncle-had generously invited her for an extended stay in Rivendale-for it was closer to Minas Tirith than Mirkwood and she could at least be closer to Legolas there. Aisllewyn had not been to Rivendale for many, many years.

Mirkwood was also lovely, it people welcoming her as future consort to their prince, Thranduil and his wife had treated her kindly, but her stay there after the betrothal ceremony-while pleasant-had been empty without Legolas there to make her smile, to keep laughter in the air.

That was why she'd pleaded to come to Minas Tirith. She had to reassure herself that he had come through the great war safely and even so one thought still lingered uppermost in her mind. How would she have ever borne the grief if Legolas had succumbed to death in the face of such overwhelming odds?

And so here she was, far from everything she'd even known, having to be content with seeing Legolas from a distance. Having to push the longing to rush to him aside-she could not do such a thing surrounded by so many of the humankind, the halflings-even a dwarf. Beings she had heard of, of course, but in her previously sheltered existence she had little first-hand knowledge.

She'd also been afraid-for he knew not that she was coming here-and he had not sent for her. Would he be angry with her? It was reassuring enough today that he lived and it was almost enough to have seen his mischievous smile, the loving twinkle in his eye for the brief moment that he'd acknowledged her today. He knew and he seemed pleased and all the worries of his being angry with her faded into nothing.

She did not find it amiss that he had not found the time to seek her, he was occupied with other things. Impatience was not an elvish trait and they had much time to be together. Instead her heart swelled the joy that he lived, and she could at last lay aside the dark nightmares that had persisted haunted her dreams all these long months.

Time that was now and forever lost to them. As lost as the life of her beloved brother at Helm's Deep. She was even now truly unable to fathom Haldir's death; the pain of it was so overwhelming that it was like her heart was shattered into a million pieces.

And she could never put it back together fully for the piece that belonged to her brother was no more and although she'd felt the shadow of passing at the time of his death, it was not until actual confirmation had come to her in Mirkwood that she'd allowed herself to accept it and the greath emptiness that swept over her. It was then that the truly horrifying nightmares that Legolas too would be taken from her forever began to occur with almost nightly frequency.

No longer did she have the strong shoulders of her brother to lean on, his ear to confide in, or the sound of his voice to reassure her about her lifemate-reminding her repeatedly what a skilled warrior Legolas was-just like he'd done in those first few months Legolas was gone-having come to visit her frequently in Mirkwood. Telling her again and again about the wonderful life she and Legolas would have before them when he finally returned.

Now there was the only the silence of a voice stilled forever, the loss of a comforting embrace that would never hold her again, the knowing and loving looks of a brother who could read her face and know her thoughts almost before she thought them. Always ready with a reassuring embrace or quick smile.

It was thoughts like this very one she having now that he'd tried to tease her out of, and no amount of wishing would bring him back. It was why she could not return to Lothlorien-to go there knowing that one who made the place so special to her would never return.

Galadriel had made no objection after the letter she'd sent explaining why she could not face her home again right now. Away from Lothlorien she could put on a braver face, try to convince herself that he was just away.

She moved to the window, looking out over the land, Death was so foreign to her people and yet human-kind faced it almost every day. The humans had to be strong of spirit to deal with that kind of sorrow.

The deep voice came from behind her, "Aisllewyn, you should be abed."

She sighed, turning to the voice, "I know, Uncle, but so much has happened today. So much to think about. So many new things to think about."

Elrond arched his brow, she couldn't fool him any more than Arwen could.
"It is not new things that keeps you from sleep, is it?"

"No, I suppose not." Aisllewyn shrugged and turned back toward the window, looking out at the darkness. "How does human-kind bear it-death-that is. How does anyone bear it?"

Elrond moved closer, his hands closing on her shoulders, "The same as humans, one moment at a time."

A rush of emotion resembling guilt moved through him. It was he who'd sent Haldir and all those others to their deaths at Helm's Deep. Still knowing the outcome, given the ultimate result of their sacrifice, he would not hesitate to send them again. The creeping evil of Mordor had been stopped forever, and for that he would not apologize.

Aisllewyn leaned back against him, letting Elrond offer her what comfort he could, knowing he, too, was grieving, not just for Haldir's death, but the eventual, inescapable loss of Arwen to mortality.