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Note: Thanks for the reviews. This is the paths of the dead. Let's begin.
The dead kept their secret places well. It was said that none would or could escape unchanged from the places where the dead lingered. The people before her knew this and yet they went willingly. Castiel looked up when a chilling wind ruffled her blond locks. High rocks rose around her, keeping the people at bay that should not enter.
The wind howled softly and the few trees that stood close by swayed. The horses whinnied softly and Legolas urged his horse faster, much to the annoyance of Gimli who was strangely silent. Aragorn rode ahead, his silence a beacon to they did not have to turn back.
Castiel swallowed thickly but she urged her horse faster as well, allowing it to follow Legolas' horse. The elf prince glanced her way and she forced a smile on her face. "Are you unhappy that you came along? You could have gone home to Glorfindel."
"To return home is no longer an option to me. I will face my father's anger when this war is over, for good or for bad." She sighed, knowing Glorfindel's anger would not be a nice thing to face.
The golden warrior was usually reversed and hard to read but when he was angry it seemed like the very air around him shimmered with his rage. His blue eyes sparkled to the colour of thunderstorms and the light in Valinor that always shone through his eyes had suddenly increased.
Glorfindel was hard to ignore when he was happy but when he was angry it seemed like the whole of Rivendell held its breath. Castiel knew that she was as stubborn as her father was and therefore many times they had clashed. She was too much like him and it had done her no good.
She sighed once more, wondering if Glorfindel would have gone after her if things were not as dangerous. The Dark Lord had not forgotten him and any connection to him might be fatal. She startled when she felt a warm hand on her own hand. The gloved hand connected to a mail covered wrist and Gimli, son of Gloin said to her with a smile. "I am sure that lord Glorfindel loves you, Castiel. He would be proud to know that his daughter fought in a war. I am sure his anger will diminish when he sees you again."
She smiled at the dwarf, green eyes sparkling and Gimli blushed, hiding his gaze. "Thank you, Gimli. I am sure it will work out well in the end." She turned her gaze more to the right to find Legolas looking at her.
A sudden feeling to kiss the elven prince came over her and she ducked her gaze. Why did these feelings assault her so much? They confused her, leaving her shuddering when they passed. She could not fall in love with Legolas or Legolas with her. Why would the Mirkwood prince want her anyway?
She bowed her head, focussing upon her horse. She did desire Legolas; there was no doubt about it. He was so different from the elves in Rivendell. He was used to fighting the darkness without the aid of magic rings or anything else alike.
Yet the elf was full of light, his blue eyes seemingly caught the colours around them. The sun kissed blond hair was soft as silk as was any elven hair yet it seemed like it made him stand out even more. The blue eyes sparkled with the smile that she had come to known and love.
Legolas was looking forward once more and it seemed time stood still for the eternally youthful looking prince. Yet one could see the passing of centuries in the elven eyes. But he was still young, still full of hope and he was so unlike her father.
Quick to anger and loving at the same time. Gentle when he needed to be but quick to defend his friends or loved ones. He was passionate and he demanded it of those around him. She knew that loving him would mean to lose herself fully and give herself fully to him.
Castiel glanced at Legolas and she wondered if she could give herself to him. She had never done so and it frightened her. Yet as she gathered her courage, she took a deep breath, knowing what she had to know of the prince.
The hours passed slower still but she was determent to say what she had to say to Legolas tonight. She needed to know an answer so if she was correct in her assumptions that she need not bother with getting to know the prince better.
Finally they made camp, the last camp that they would make underneath the starry sky. Gimli managed to get a low fire going with the wood they had collected. The trees around them were dead but it would not be very well to burn them. They would draw towards their camp different and evil things. Thing less foul then in Mordor but foul enough that they did not want them close.
Aragorn paced the length of the floor, his nervousness getting the better of him as he tried to form a plan to go through the mountain. Yet those who looked to him could see that the man was not thinking further then the actual mountain as if Aragorn was afraid that they could not go through the mountain.
Legolas was standing close to the horses, who fidgeted with nervousness at being so close to the paths of the dead. The Mirkwood elf was speaking in a low voice to them, calming them with touching upon the flanks and the velvet noses.
She went to join the other elf, hoping that their voices would not be overheard by Gimli and Aragorn. She was not sure how she would react when she would get an answer. If the answer was the wrong one, well she might want to go away but she could not go back alone. There was no going back now.
So she steeled her mind, her thread becoming lighter and more confident as she walked to join Legolas. She placed her hand on Arod's nose, the horse snorting softly as the dark eyes landed on. The horse sniffed at her hand, pushing it with his nose as if to ask for something to eat.
She felt a smile tug at her lips and searched the pockets of her tunic for something to eat. Only a small piece of bread remained and the horse ate it willingly, happily chewing it up. "If he is given something every time he snorts, then he is the fattest horse in Middle Earth."
Legolas reached one slender hand up to brush the horse's ears. Arod flickered his ears and he nudged the male elf with his nose, catching him in the middle of his chest. "I am not sure if Arod would be very fat. He is not the only horse well cared for. I am sure that you care for your own horse well."
"Arod is my own horse. The one I rode from Mirkwood is still in Rivendell and I believe it is quite happy to be there. There are many horses in Mirkwood that I can use. I hand picked some myself and trained them when I had the time to do so. Arod was a gift from Eomer."
If Legolas felt any remorse about Eomer, it did not show in his eyes or voice. The prince continued to smile as if they were discussing something as simple as the weather. Looking at the handsome elf beside her, Castiel knew that the moment was now or never. She had to know.
"Legolas, there is something I need to know. You may not have an answer for me but there is something I need to tell you. It might seem soon but if you allow me to speak freely, I would be very happy. I must ask of you not to interrupt me then and to wait until I finish speaking for I am afraid that I am not able to summon my courage once more if I am interrupted." She took a deep breath, looking at Legolas who was regarding her with an open curiosity.
"Go ahead then, my lady. I shall not interrupt you." He bowed briefly, earning himself a laugh from her.
"Lately I find myself feeling strange feelings when I look at you. I do not really know how to describe them without embasarring myself. I may be wrong but I think that sometimes you look at me with; well what it seems is a look of desire. I could just be imagine things because I would like for you to look at me with desire for that is how I find myself looking at you. But I think it is more then desire that I feel for you. I am falling in love with you." Finally she took a deep breath, seeing the blank face of the elf before her was nearly her undoing.
Yet she kept silent, her green eyes trained on the elf before her. Legolas revealed nothing of what he was feeling or thinking and the silence between them became heavier with each passing moment.
Legolas did not move and the very air around them seemed to still as she gazed at him. He was looking at her with those blue eyes that revealed nothing and she finally broke the stillness to say. "I am sorry, Legolas. I assumed things that are not here. I am sorry for wasting your time."
She turned when his hand caught her arm. She took a deep breath past the lump in her throat and forced the burning feeling in her eyes away as she turned to face him. He had listened patiently to her and she could only return the favour, even if she did not wish to be here or hear it.
"Would you say these words in front of Glorfindel as well?" The question caught her off guard but she nodded, voicing her thoughts. "Yes, I would. But it depends on what we could become."
"What do you feel that we could become, Castiel?"
"I think that we can become a lot of things. I do not know if we are meant to be lovers, Legolas, but I willing to lay everything on the line, even risk my father's disproval to find out. My feelings for you are strong enough to leave me terrified. I am afraid that I can lose my heart to you but I want to know if what I am getting in return is worth my sacrifice."
The hand that stroked her hair startled her but she smiled when she saw the softness of his gaze as it passed over her face. "I cannot offer you a safe life, Castiel. I demand of those who think they love me to walk side by side with me. To live in the good and the bad times with me and to not shun themselves away. Do you think you can do that, regardless of my feelings?" His voice was hard as steel.
She took a moment to think, saying. "Yes, I can and more importantly I want to. I do not want to shun away my love for you for if you accept my love, you need to accept me as well."
The hand travelled down to rest upon her cheek and she relaxed into the warmth. Yet her eyes remained fixed upon Legolas' face. The smile that had swayed countless maidens was there but finally he said. "I have told you before that I am falling in love with you. My feelings have not changed, only grown stronger. If you are willing, then I wish to exploit these feelings."
She only smiled and then leaned against him, resting her head against his chest for a moment. She did not dare to do anymore but when she felt his arms close around her, she was happy.
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