Sorry for the delayed post! Busy week!

Happy reading!

Chapter 21

As Kelsey made her way through the wood in the night, she could never recall a time when she had been happier. She had mastered her new found skill, she was in a place she had never dreamed she would be privy of seeing, and she had her dear friend Legolas at her side. There could be no greater happiness, she thought.

It was not until her head rested on her pillow and her eyes were shut that her dreams brought the memory of the pending change that was to occur. In the mist of her dreams, she was holding hands with Legolas and facing him, smiling up at him. As he looked down upon her, she suddenly saw a shiny object fly through the air between them. After her eyes came to focus, she saw the ring, the One Ring, floating delicately in the air between their faces. Legolas's attention was drawn to it, and he suddenly pulled away from her. As the ring glided away from her through the air, Legolas followed, as if in a trance. Kelsey was screaming his name over and over, but her cries fell upon deaf ears. He faded away into the distance, and Kelsey collapsed to the ground in sadness. As quickly as he left, the light around her changed from dim and peaceful to fiery and bright. Kelsey could see before her, the Great Eye; burning its fury at her and the dark tongue of Mordor filled the air.

Kelsey woke suddenly; her body covered in a dew of sweat. Her breath was quickened and she could hear a deafening scream in the air. It wasn't until Erubadhriel rushed into the room that she realized it was her own scream she was hearing. Erubadhriel was followed by several guards and Eraisuithon, who all looked quickly around the room to find the source of Kelsey's terror.

"My Lady!", Erubadhriel said breathlessly as she rushed to her side, "what is the matter?"

"Nightmare...", Kelsey struggled to say. She had ceased from screaming, but her screams were replaced by heaving sobs that rattled her chest.

Eraisuithon was now at her side, looking at her with a brow furrowed in concern. He gently touched her sweat covered hand to console her.

"What was the dream about, Kelsey?" Eraisuithon pressingly asked.

Kelsey wouldn't dare tell anyone about her dream; even in her distraught state she knew it would reveal too much. She knew what her dream meant, it was the haunting reminder that her happiness was soon coming to an end. How foolish could she have been, to think that this wouldn't have happened? Nine were in the fellowship, not eight. It was selfish for her to think that the fate of the ring would be changed for her own gain. Legolas would be one of the nine, and he would no longer be with her or accompany her on her travels. She would lose him, possibly indefinitely, if she did not succeed. The thought of this ached her heart.

"My Lady?" Eraisuithon said sternly, looking into her far-away eyes.

Her focus quickly came to her, and she looked at Eraisuithon. "It was nothing, I saw Sauron, and the ring, that is all".

Eraisuithon looked at her skeptically, as if he knew there was something she was withholding from his knowledge.

Before another question left his lips, she heard another elf enter her chambers in a rush. She looked to see Legolas, the one person she regretted to see, enter the room. Her tears had stopped before, but his presence made the the tears well in her eyes.

Legolas quickly crossed the room to sit beside her; his face riddled with concern and a hint of determination. Before he took his place next to her, he seemed to remember who was present; he halted quickly beside her and looked at her, trying to mask his expression.

"I heard screams, what has happened?" Legolas asked authoritatively.

"Kelsey had a nightmare, my Prince" Eraisuithon answered, "she says she saw the Eye of Sauron".

Legolas quickly looked at her, as if to ask for more. She looked purposefully at him, as if to tell him there was more. He seemed to understand, and looked at Eraisuithon once again.

"Eraisuithon, take these guards to the outermost walls of the city and make sure all is well", Legolas said, "I will see to Lady Willow's protection. Erubadhriel please fetch the Lady something to drink".

Eraisuithon nodded in acknowledgement, and led the guards to their assigned posts. Erubadhriel quietly left Kelsey's side and did as Legolas had asked. As quickly as it had happened, only her and Legolas were left in the room.

Legolas waited until he was sure the guards were well on their way, and he sat next to her on her bed. He grasped her hand with one of his and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear with the other. Kelsey's tears began steadily cascading down her cheeks and he gently wiped them away.

"Tell me, what was this dream about?" Legolas said gently to her as she cried silently.

Kelsey was consumed with her thoughts; she had to make a decision that could change the fate of the Ring and the Fellowship. Would she be selfish, and not tell Legolas of his pending journey? She knew that if the choice was put before him, he would decide to accompany her, and the balance of fate would be askew. If she were to do this, the Ring could potentially never reach Mordor; she could never live knowing that she were responsible changing the fate of Middle Earth and leading it to its doom. She would have to do the unthinkable; she would have to encourage Legolas to leave her, and go with the Fellowship.

It wasn't for quite some time that Kelsey said words to Legolas; thought he dutifully waited patiently for her response.

"You must do something for me", Kelsey said, her voice hoarse from the screams.

"Anything", Legolas said delicately, "tell me".

"There will come a time", Kelsey said, carefully choosing her words and trying hard to hold her tears, "that you will have to choose between what assisting me with my retrieval of the dragons, or to leave on your own journey. You must promise me that you will not follow me; it is not your destiny".

Legolas looked at her, abashed by her words. "Why would you say this?" he said.

"My dream told me of your destiny, and I cannot deny it any longer", Kelsey said, "the Council will meet tomorrow, and decide the only way to vanquish the evil power of Sauron will be to destroy the ring in the fires it was forged in. It will be decided that a company of people must go with the ring bearer to the Mordor and protect him. This task will be appointed to you, and you must go with them".

Legolas looked more bewildered by the second; she could see his eyes were filled with anguish, as if her words were piercing his heart.

"I would wish, more than anything, for you to come with me to the eastern lands", Kelsey continued, her voice wavering in sorrow, "but I cannot prevent your fate".

Legolas's pained expression made Kelsey's heartache. He rose from his seat and stared vacantly out the window.

"I must go with you", he said, "it is my duty to protect you, the Fainauriel, no matter where you may travel. I have an obligation to my people, to Middle Earth, to...you".

At his last words, he slowly looked upon Kelsey where she sat on her bed. His eyes told of the pain he felt, and Kelsey could not help but feel fault for his pain.

She crossed the room so she stood next to him. As he returned his gaze to aimlessly stare out her window, and she moved to rest her head on his shoulder and looked out into the distance with him. She clasped her hands around his hand and held it in hers delicately.

"You mean more to me than anyone ever has in this lifetime", she said, faintly in a whisper, "and I grieve the day our fates will lead us down opposite paths. Our paths will soon cross again, and we will be happy once again".

Kelsey felt Legolas's head turn sharply to look down at her, and she lifted her head. His eyes were an icy blue and bore into her soul, his brow was furrowed in frustration.

"I cannot leave you", he said, his voice strained, "I cannot let you risk your life without me by your side, to protect you from death. I am...devoted to you".

At this, Kelsey felt her innards twist. Could this be what had been addling her mind this whole time? Did her friendship with Legolas mean more to her because it went past the bonds of friendship, because they were love? Her mind raced and her hands shook like a leaf in the wind.

"What are you saying?" she said, her voice caught up in her throat.

"I love you", he said, his voice no louder than a whisper, and his piercing blue eyes softening as he looked upon her face.

Kelsey's mouth hung open in shock. The word that answered all of her questions and that made everything clear to her had left his lips. She stood before him, trembling with nerves, and breathed in to say her next words.

"I...love you", she said, looking up at him. She could hardly believe the words she had just uttered.

And then he moved close to her, until his face was inches from hers. She could feel his warm breath on her face, and she closed her eyes; her head was swimming, intoxicated by his closeness. Then she felt him move and touch his lips to hers, and he kissed her.