Okay guys, yay for another chapter! Thank you all for the amazing reviews! I am so elated because of all the publicity this story is getting. I never really thought that I would get this far so thank you guys:) Okay here's another chapter in "Holding a Heart". Enjoy and don't forget to review:)

Note: All elvish, flashbacks, and thoughts are in italics.

Chapter 21

Heidi

"No, I am quite alright now and besides, we need to hurry and depart for Lórien. Rivendell is under attack!" I said as Arwen urged me to go to her father.

The sensation I had felt was very queer and different from anything I had ever experienced before. I felt nauseated and faint, as though my legs were going to give out beneath me at any moment.

"Are you certain?" she pressed, We still have time. I want to make sure that you are alright. Lórien is far from here and I would not want you to be ill on the way there."

I shook my head, "I am fine, we need to move fast if we are going to get there safely, I do not know how much longer the city's defences will hold."

Arwen nodded and we rushed out of the room and headed down to the stables. The stalls were cluttered with hay and the smell was enough to bring back my wave of nausea but nevertheless I mounted my horse, Aelor, and swung my leg over the saddle. My pack was strapped across my back and I looked over to Arwen.

"Are you ready?" Asked Arwen.

I nodded and we urged our horses onward in an urgent gallop away from the city of Rivendell in attempt to get out of harm's way. When we were finally at safe enough distance, I turned back to look at the beautiful, white city and I hoped that Lord Elrond and the others were going to be alright.

"Come, we must make haste, "Arwen said sadly and I knew she was thinking of her family.

I tore my eyes from the view of the city and the black smoke that had begun to rise from it as the attack raged on, and we headed into the depths of the forest for safety.

It had been hours since we stopped and every moment we spent riding the horses sent me into further exhaustion and pain. I was feeling drained of energy; somehow more than usual and I looked to Arwen who also looked as though she could benefit from some rest.

"Do you want to stop soon?" I asked looking over to her.

"Yes, I think we both have had a long day." She replied and we both began scouting for places to make camp for the night.

My back ached and I longed for the comfort of my bed back in Rivendell as well as the comforting warmth of Legolas' embrace. I I wished that evil could be forever vanquished, never to return, and that we could all live in a time of peace. I sighed heavily as I tried to stretch out my stiff back and those thoughts swirled through my mind.

"There is a brook about a mile ahead of us. That will be our resting place for tonight." Arwen said as she her horse forward.

I nodded and shook Aelor's reigns so that we could catch up to Arwen's mount. As we rode, I looked around me at the scenery and forced a small smile. The sun was hanging low in the deep purple sky and the burning yellow was a distant memory. Cool winds swept through the valley and moments later, we had entered the forest.

I breathed in the crisp air, letting it fill my lungs. Under the sound of hooves clicking on the ground, I heard the small sound of rushing water and was instantly filled with relief. We were approaching our resting area and I would finally get to lie down and sleep.

As our horses came to a halt, I dismounted Aelor and found that my legs felt like jelly for a few moments but eventually the feeling disappeared. Everything was okay except for the discomfort in my lower back, I tried bending backwards to stretch out my aching muscles but nothing worked. When I realized it was no use, I sighed and reached into my pack to grab an apple. I fed it to Aelor and he munched on it silently as I gently stoked his mane.

I looked to Arwen who was trying to set up a fire.

"When do you think we will arrive in Lothlórien?" I asked as I moved closer to her.

"Probably in a few days. The road is long but we made very good progress today," She replied as she turned around to face me, "You are fatigued and I can sense it. Heidi you need to rest."

I was not going to argue with that so I left with a nod of my head to set up my sleeping roll. As I laid out the small blanket I felt something rising in my throat. Nausea swept over me and I dashed to the bushes to retch. I started to cough when I felt a tender hand on my shoulder and I only had time to realize it was Arwen before throwing up again.

Soon my stomach was settled a bit more and I no longer felt the urge to double over.

When I was done I wiped my mouth and felt weakened.

"I think I am going to take a small bath." I said shakily, ignoring Arwen's look of concern as I headed towards the brook.

I left Arwen speechless as thoughts raced through my mind. Why did I throw up? Was I sick? How long have I been sick? Was I running a fever? Could this be life-threatening? How did I get this sickness? Was I pregnant?

That last thought made me stop in my tracks. No, that was impossible. The doctor's had said that I would never be able to bear children and I had accepted this fate long ago.

I drew a deep breath and stripped my clothes off as I slipped into the cool water. I waded silently as I listened to the sounds of nature surrounding me. I floated to the top of the water and closed my eyes, the peaceful aura lulling me into a tranquil state.

After a few minutes I washed myself off and stepped out of the calm waters. I dried myself off and slipped on my clothes and squeezed some of the water out of my hair.

I stepped out of the underbrush and saw the small glow of the fire that Arwen had mananged to get going. She was sitting beside it staring into the whipping flames. When she heard the sounds of my footsteps through the brush of the forest she looked at me and I could see the worry marring her face.

"Are you alright? You should have told me if you were feeling sickly."

I shook my head and gave her a small smile, "I am fine now. Please do not blame yourself, the feelings of illness were sudden and there was nothing to be done. I was simply glad to have you with me."

Arwen nodded, "When we arrive in Lothlórien we should take you to the healers but for now I think you should rest. I've noticed that you seem drained of energy as of late and it has been made more apparent since we fled Rivendell."

I nodded knowing she was probably right, I needed to rest. "I do not know how it is that I caught such an ailment, elves do not fall ill..."

"That is precisely why I worry for you." Arwen said worriedly.

I stepped towards my bed roll and lie down on the rocky surface of the ground. It had been years since I had slept on the cold hard terrain and it felt all too uncomfortable. I shifted in my position and looked down at the gold band that was on my finger. It glinted slightly in the firelight and it brought back the sweet memories of the times that Legolas and I had spent together before he left.

Thinking of the wondrous times, I was lulled into an uncomfortable yet peaceful sleep.

The next morning I awoke feeling somewhat revived but as soon as I got up from my bed roll, I felt the nausea sweeping over me again. My head throbbed and my stomach ached as I stood up to release the bile in my throat. A few minutes passed and all of the contents of my stomach were spilt on the ground. I coughed and saw that Arwen was very concerned. She helped me out of my hunched over position and rubbed smooth circles on my back.

"We need to try and get to Lórien as quick as we can. I am very worried about your condition; we need to try and get you to there by tomorrow."

I nodded and Arwen swiftly mounted her horse as I slowly climbed onto mine. I was certainly weakened from the lack of sleep and constant vomiting and as I made my horse gallop a true feeling of discomfort set in. As we raced through the fields again, I knew that we had to reach the borders of Lórien quickly.

Legolas

Our company was nearing a rocky terrain and I sensed something evil lurking though I did not voice my concerns. It did not seem right to ruin such a happy moment, especially a veil of deep melancholy had dampened the morale of the fellowship since we'd set off on our quest. Boromir was teaching the hobbits how to fight using swords while Gimli and Gandalf were immersed in a deep conversation about which path to take.

Aragorn and I were sitting on the edge of one of the grey colored rocks and that was when I felt something. I knew it was from my bond with Heidi too. I sensed that she was somehow in danger or even sickly. This caused me to worry and my mind filled with numerous questions. I supposed that Aragorn had noticed my mood because his forehead was creased with worry and he was giving me a look of concern.

"Legolas, mellon nin, you appear anxious," The ranger asked.

I perked up and shook my head slightly, "It is nothing, Estel. I am simply having mixed feelings about the quest."

He nodded and continued to smoke his pip-weed and I saw a small smile appear on his face when Boromir was being pinned down by the hobbits. I almost started to laugh when I looked to my right only to see a black cloud. Stepping onto the dull colored rocks, I looked into the distance and it became clear to me that this was not a mere cloud; they were Crebain, spies of the enemy.

"Crebain from Dunland!" I declared as everyone started to hide in the rocks.

Quickly, I dove into the bushes to keep myself well hidden. I looked through the underbrush and saw the black birds swoop over us, trying to find any evidence that we had been there. Luckily, we were kept hidden and it seemed as if the birds didn't notice us. When the birds left, everyone crept from their hiding places and Gandalf spoke to us about going to the Pass of Caradhras. It would be long, hard journey, and I worried for the safety of the hobbits who would be far more susceptible to the harsh climate of the mountains.

It was not our chosen path that worried me, it was the discomfort and worry that I felt about Heidi's distress. I could feel it through our bond but I was powerless to do anything and that was the worst of any feeling.

Heidi

It had been a day since I first started to become ill and I only got worse. It seemed that if I even tried to think about food I would started to get sick to my stomach. Arwen and I were so close to Lorien and we were approaching the border swiftly. I could tell that she was worried about me; I too was very confused as to why this was happening to me and I wanted answers.

We entered the woods and were met by some of the guards of Lothlórien to whom Arwen explained the reason for our sudden arrival in the Golden Wood. As we reached Caras Galadhon,The trees seemed to glow against the softly lit lanterns and the spiraling staircases were adorned with shimmering lights. Many of the elves that lived here had golden hair and blue eyes, which only reminded me of Legolas.

I sighed as I dismounted my horse and walked up to Arwen slowly. I had not eaten anything since my illness the previous night because I could not keep down any food. Weak and tired, I strode next to her and together we approached the Lady of the Wood.

Her hair was as golden as the sun and her skin was as pale and beautiful as the moon. Her eyes were like precious sapphire jewels and I was in awe of her beauty. Arwen and I bowed and she motioned for us to raise up.

"Welcome, grand-daughter, I hope you had a safe journey."

Arwen nodded, "I am well, but I am afraid that Heidi is not. She had been taken with sudden illness and I worry for her. This is why we hastened, we wanted to seek your council.

Galadriel's eyes shifted over to me and she smiled coyly, "I am pleased to make your acquaintance, my dear. Tell me, what ails you?"

I shifted slightly under the gaze of the Lady and spoke shakily, "The past couple of days I have been getting sick at my stomach. Though I have no idea why."

Galadriel beamed slightly, "Well these are one of the many symptoms of pregnancy."

My face grew red and my eyebrows knit as I stuttered almost incoherently in my attempt to make sense of what I had just been told. "What? That's impossible. I can't be...No"

She grinned and stepped towards me, "My dear, I have sensed the child's feä the moment you entered my halls."

I looked up at her in disbelief and brought a hand to my mouth. "I am pregnant?"

Ahh! Omg, so what did you guys think? Onto reviews! Doctor Legolas, Haha! Sorry about the cliffe and the one in this chapter as well. Haha! Thanks for the review:) SparklingDolphin, Thanks for the review and I was so glad that they finally were married:) SleepyHollow 5, Thanks for the review and they might meet in Lorien, haha! Thanks again:) DancingChestnut, Thank you so much:) I really appreciate it.

Elvish

Mellon nin = my friend

feä = soul

Thanks for all of the awesome reviews and I hope you liked this chapter in "Holding a Heart".

Also a HUGE thank you to my beta SleepyHollow 5. If you want to read an amazing Legolas story go check out her fic, 'Worlds Apart'.

Happy Halloween:)