CHAPTER TEN.
The day was drawing to an end as Corlia approached Celeborn in a beautiful clearing not too far from where Corlia had rested with the fellowship during their time at Lothlórien.
"Did you wish to see me Celeborn?" she asked in her strong but light voice, eyeing up the Lord as she stood nearby.
"Yes Corlia" he replied without turning to gaze at her, instead he kept his eyes fixed up ahead, out into the darkening shadows that lingered around the tall trees. Corlia kept silent, wondering what the Lord was to say.
"Galadriel told me that he has seen you, is this true?" Celeborn asked and in his voice Corlia noticed a bit of sadness in his voice.
"Legolas?" she asked, referring to what happened moments before but Celeborn shook his head, his long light hair falling into his face.
"Nay, Gil-galad" he slowly whispered and Corlia gulped; the memory still clear in her mind.
"Aye he came to see me" she carefully told him, eyeing him up. Celeborn kept still and silent for several moments before parting his lips once more.
"I am to assume he spoke wise words with you for you are much like the Corlia I once knew but there is still a lot to let free. Something important lays close to your heart, has it crossed your mind to let it go?" Celeborn carefully said and questioned and the woman quickly shot her eyes at him, angered at his suggestion; the item he spoke of, Gil-galad's flag, was the last thing Gil-galad had given to her. It was something so important that she could never, ever throw it away. Celeborn must have seen the anger in her, probably expecting it, and he softly smiled, his head tilting down so their eyes locked onto one another's.
"I merely told you to let it go, not to be rid of it. Think of what I have spoken for something else close to your heart leaves soon… Corlia, I wish you to travel with Haldir to the boarders to reclaim something of importance tonight at midnight. He will come to collect you where the fellowship rest in an hour's time" Celeborn said and, with those words, he left the clearing, leaving Corlia in confusion.
Corlia knew that Celeborn wished her to let go of Gil-galad's flag but not to get rid of it; did that mean that she should not destroy it and, instead, leave it to fall as she strolled one day and never turn around to pick it up again? The flag had so much meaning behind it and so much history that she could not simply drop it or let it fly away… yet would giving it away be any better? She could not give it to someone she hardly knew for, in her heart, it wouldn't be right and she could not hand it over to Celeborn or Haldir… With a sigh of frustration she turned around, heading back to camp to give her farewells to the fellowship. As she walked she pondered over the other thing Celeborn had spoken about; what was this 'something else' that was close to her heart? Gil-galad had already left her side years ago and Haldir, as close as ever, was not leaving any time soon. Did Celeborn mean one of the fellowship? Did he speak of Legolas?
As Corlia entered the clearing the whole fellowship sat, slowly eating their evening meals. Aragorn, noticing her appearance straight after Legolas, got straight to his feet, walking over to her with a strange expression; it was as if he had lost something of great importance…
"Legolas has told me that you do not travel with us tomorrow" Aragorn stated, a sense of losing something deep in his eyes.
"That is correct for much more important things must be done beforehand" she carefully told him, keeping the information between herself and Celeborn hidden for Celeborn knew the words Gandalf had told Corlia and decided that she should remain in Lothlórien until the right moment to leave. Celeborn also informed her that she was to embark on a small journey to claim something special although he refused to tell her what this item was.
Boromir, overhearing Corlia and Aragorn, leapt to his feet, storming over to glare at the much shorter woman.
"And what is more important than the destruction of the One Ring?" he asked in anger.
"You desert us as if you care not about the path we must tread. Was Gandalf's sacrifice pointless?" Boromir continued to say in anger and Legolas quickly darted out of his seat in an attempt to come over and defend Corlia but she merely stood tall, giving Boromir a look that not even Sauron could look at without flinching.
"I do not desert you for once my job is done I shall return to you. There are more evil things than the One Ring, Man of Gondor, and to defeat them one must have the right equipment" she told him, skilfully holding in her anger as she silently patted herself on the back for remembering the words Celeborn had told her to say. Celeborn had informed her that what she was to collect would help the fellowship in completing their quest; he wisely said that in order to destroy the One Ring the fellowship would have to get through many battles that contained many orcs and trolls. Boromir was slightly shocked and confused at her replied but she lightly smiled at him, resting a hand on his shoulder.
"I will return Boromir, I promise" she told him but, in her heart, she felt as if this would be the last time she would ever see him. She tried to ignored those feelings as she gazed at the others, a tight but forced smile on her face. Legolas had returned to his seat and sat alone to one side, his expression unreadable for he too looked like he had lost his favourite bow. Corlia walked across to everyone, whispering words of comfort and farewells to the hobbits and giving Gimli a tight hug that made him blush and stumble over his own words.
Finally she reached Legolas who looked up at her in sorrow; at this time Haldir arrived into the clearing, clearly a lot earlier than he should have been.
"Corlia it is time to leave" Haldir ordered, giving a dirty look towards Legolas that Corlia caught and she sent Haldir a warning glare, straightening herself up.
'I thought that Haldir was close to Legolas? Had something happened between the two?' she asked herself but she shook her head, imagining that Haldir was only trying to protect her in his brotherly way.
"Will you give me a moment Haldir" she gently, looking at Legolas for a split second.
"We must go" Haldir urged.
"You are early" she noted and Haldir sighed, nodding before settling himself next to Boromir who gave the ellon a shifty look.
"Make it quick, the Lord wishes us to be on our way" Haldir instructed her and the woman nodded, grateful that the ellon had given her some time.
"Legolas, come with me for a second" Corlia requested in a quiet voice that only he and Gimli heard and Legolas nodded his head in acceptance, walking by Corlia's side as the pair left the clearing, out of the hearing range of the others who would ears-drop on their conversation… cheeky things.
"I do not know how long I will be away…" Corlia awkwardly said after several footsteps, her eyes firmly set in front as Legolas kept his fixed on her form, wanting nothing more than to see her emotions.
"Why do you stay?" he gently questioned and Corlia sighed, knowing that she couldn't tell him the words Gandalf spoke of for he, along with the fellowship, believed him to be dead but deep in her soul she knew that Gandalf was still alive and fighting. She could only hope that Legolas and the fellowship thought the same…
"I must do something important for Celeborn before leaving. It is important though I know not what he wishes me to do" she quietly told him, partly telling the truth, and Legolas hummed from beside her, accepting her words. The pair continued to walk, a small silence settling between them but Corlia paused in her step, looking deep into Legolas's eyes.
"I fear that you will be attacked before I return" she quietly confessed to him, the feeling of losing Boromir settling back into her heart making it fall. Legolas gravely nodded, bowing his head down but she placed a hand underneath his chin making him raise it once more. Corlia removed her hand and placed it under her shirt, pulling out the shining flag that once belonged to Gil-galad.
"Take this with you" she told him, taking Legolas's hand and placing the flag into it.
"I-I cannot Corlia, it is special to you… and it belonged to Gil-galad" Legolas stuttered, trying to hand it back but Corlia refused to take it back, believing this was the right thing to do.
"Yes, it is special to me, which is why I wish for you to have it. Gil-galad would have wanted me to give it to you, Legolas, for he would have wished me to give it to someone I care for dearly. Gil-galad will no longer be close to my heart, but close to my side instead" she gently him with a smile.
Legolas clenched onto the flag in wonder and love and he carefully placed the folded flag next to his heart, a dazed look upon his face before recovering himself. He could see a great weight be lifted from Corlia's shoulders but, with his sharp elven eyes, he could see that she was vulnerable.
"What do you mean that he will be close to your side?" Legolas asked her in confusion, his brows knotting together. At this Corlia pulled out the newly fixed Tyarel, showing it to him as Legolas's mouth fell open yet he didn't manage to utter a word, not even when she returned Tyarel back into its sheath. One last time she looked deeply into Legolas eyes; different shades of blue sparkled with life and hope as he looked back at her, a smile playing on his lips. Once again the connection was felt between them, a connection that could easily rival the connection between both Gil-galad and Corlia but the connection was different now, it didn't clash. Approaching footsteps were heard and Corlia gently smiled to the ellon, certain that this was the one Gil-galad spoke of.
"Keep safe" she told him and with those words she turned, leaving Legolas alone as Corlia approached the feet, knowing only too well that they belonged to Haldir.
"Let us go, my friend, we have work to do" she told him and together they 'disappeared' into the forest, embarking on a small journey that, unknown to her, would make her stronger or weaker…