Chapter 36

I Will Always Love You

When I woke up I was lying on something soft. I sat up and looked around. I was in a tent and my wounds had been bandaged. Legolas was sitting next to me.

"Oh Maetharanel!"

He hugged me and I hugged him, thankful he was alright.

"I thought I lost you."

"No you have not, but where is my papa?"

He looked over my shoulder and I saw several people gathered around. I stood up and walked forward. The dwarves cleared the way and I found my father lying there. I fell to my knees and my father looked at me, he smiled.

"Maetharanel! My beloved daughter."

"Shhh! Papa do not speak. You need your strength."

Tears were streaming down my face.

"Maetharanel….I am beyond healing. You know that."

"No! No I cannot lose you! Please!"

"No crying! You must be strong! You are my heir and the throne now falls to you."

I was shaking my head and he put his hand on my face.

"I have said my farewells to everyone else already…..I know you will make me proud. I go now to be with your mother. I love you so much! You were right, you were right about everything. At least now I can try to make amends…"

He closed his eyes in pain.

"Papa I do not how to be a queen! You still have so much to teach me! I still need you!"

"No Maetharanel….it was I who always needed you! Now it is time for you to become who you were born to be. You have a duty to our people! And I will always be with you, I will always love you."

"Papa you will live! I can….I can…."

"Farewell." he whispered.

His hand fell from my face.

"No! NO! Papa come back! Please!"

My father was gone. I cried out in pain and anger, I had no parents now.

"You promised you would never leave me!" I cried.

I started hitting him and Legolas pulled me away. I cried harder than I ever had in my whole life. Then Dain walked forward.

"I will understand if you should choose not to take your father's throne…."

I glared at him and he jumped back.

"How dare you! My father just died! And you think I would betray his last wish and give you the throne!? You make me sick! I will do what he has asked me! I will be the queen of Erebor! The throne will never be your Dain!"

He glared at me and then left. I looked at Legolas.

"You know I love you…but a dwarf must always be king of Erebor."

He nodded.

"I know. And I knew you would say such, which is why I think it best that I return to Mirkwood."

I did not like it but I knew he was right. For the queen to have an elf for a husband….it may cause problems. I kissed him as hard as I could and then hugged him.

"I will always love you Legolas! I shall never love or be with anyone else."

I felt his tears on my skin and I stood there with him.

"Maetharanel…I can always take the throne. Then you can be with him." Fili said.

"No, papa wanted me to be queen. Even though I have to lose the one person I live for, I have to do it. It is my duty."

He nodded.

Two days after my father's death, we held a funeral. Gandalf had crowned me queen and I walked forward.

"You raised on your own, and even though sometimes I hated you, you were right. You raised me better than anyone could have, and I will never forget that. You were meant to be the greatest king Erebor ever saw, but you were robbed of that. So I will do everything I can to make you proud papa. I love you."

We closed the tomb and I put my hand on the wall.

"Maetharanel."

I did not look at Legolas.

"I came to say my last good-bye to your father….and to you."

I turned and ran into his arms.

"You can stay, I can find a way to pacify any problems that may come from us….."

"Shhh-hhh! No, you are right. This is your fate, to be the queen of the greatest kingdom of dwarves. I know you can do it, and I will always love you and no one else."

I looked up and he kissed me. We stayed there as long as we could. When Thranduil called for him I held onto his hand as he left. Tears fell down my face as I watched the only one I would ever love leave. I ran to the great balcony and watched him ride away.

"Amin mela lle Legolas."

I saw him look back at me and I held up my hand in farewell.

"Maetharanel."

I looked at my grandfather.

"There would be no problem with him being king, elf or not."

I looked back out and shook my head.

"No, I have to do this on my own. At least for now."

"You are never alone."

He put his hand on my back and I held back the tears.

"So long as the rivers run to the sea, the seasons come and go, my heart will always be yours and your alone. Until the end of time." I whispered.

That was the last time I would see Legolas for many years. But in a way he was not gone. Only a month later I learned I was with child. I gave birth to a daughter with his eyes and my hair. I called her Merida.

After two years, Merida would start to ask me where her father was. I told he was far away, but one day she would meet him. I raised Merida as best I could all by myself. She reminded me of my father and myself. She was so stubborn. I did not know how to tell Legolas he had a daughter, I never knew how to tell him I was pregnant. We had both decided it was best to go separate way for now, but he had to know. So on Merida's 3rd birthday, I wrote him a letter, telling him to come to the mountain.

Just so you all know, I chose the name Merida before I ever saw that movie Brave. But i still like the name.