Author's Note:

Ah. Chapter Thirty-Six. Had a spot of trouble writing this one. I was stuck. I did some re-arranging of things, and I got back on track. I know, the last chapter was a bit... "HOW COULD SHE!?" But, do not worry... really, don't. As usual, thank you to my favoriters and followers. Also, thank you to the amazing Stardust63 and Lady Viola Delesseps! This is all your fault! Now, before you read on, raise a glass to the Professor!

Chapter Thirty-Six: Love

Haldir's hurt ran deep. The very first time he makes love, and Glineth whispers the name of another. Her husband. Still, he could not bring himself to to release her from his arms. His love for Glineth was now complete, and nearly all consuming. As he held his love in his arms, he found himself massaging her stomach, and asking the valar for a child of his own. Following the departure of his parents to the Undying Lands, Haldir had taken to the role of caring for his two younger brothers. As much as he loved him, they were not his children. He truly wished for children of his own. A son to call Malgelir, or a daughter to call Hissaelil.
Glineth stirred lightly in his arms, and she looked up to see Haldir looking off into the distance. "Are you well? she asked.

"What? Oh. Yes, quite well. And you?"

"I am fine. Who are Malgelir and Hissaelil? I heard you speak their names...I-are they the names of your parents?" she asked.

Embarrassed, Haldir said "No. Those are the names I had chosen for my children."

"They are beautiful names, Haldir." she smiled, sitting up in the bed.

"Thank you, my Queen." he said, taking her hand in his and kissing it lightly. "I wa- thank you...last night was, I never thought that I could love someone that way, or so completely."

Glineth reached to her bedside table and took her brush in her hand, as she began to brush out her golden hair she said, "I trust you enjoyed yourself."

"What? Of course I did...I felt pleasure like none that I have felt before. But it was the merging of our two souls that I enjoyed the most. I...pray that we have created a new life. " he said, looking to Glineth with tenderness.

Glineth suddenly stopped brushing her hair and narrowed her eyes at Haldir. "I do not wish to have another child." she said with a tone of finality.

"Ever?" he asked, his heart sinking to his stomach.

"Ever. I have brought two lives into this world. One, I have lost. The other, is just as lost to me. I cannot have another child. I have not the room in my heart to love and lose another."

"I mourn for you. I was foolish to allow myself to hope that...you..."

"That I would have your child?" she said, interrupting him. "Haldir. I will bear no children but those of my husband. I owe him that much loyalty, at least. We can be happy, can we not?" she said, running her hand across his bare chest.

"Of course. A child would complete my happiness."

"I understand, Haldir. Thranduil was the same. Though he never told me, he truly wanted a child. " she said.

"And you were given Nurel."

"Yes. A year later, I had Nurel. She was so beautiful. Too beautiful for this world. " Glineth said, her voice thick with emotion.

"Of course she was. She was your daughter." Haldir said, kissing her forehead.

"She had the look of her father. Nurel, that precious little child. She changed him." Glineth said, recalling the love and devotion Thranduil had shown their daughter.

"You created her soon after your bonding, did you not?" Haldir asked.

"I...what? Why do you ask this? We...yes, we created her on the night of our wedding, if you must know." Glineth said, becoming the tiniest bit irritated with his question.

Strangely, Haldir felt ashamed that he did not create a child with Glineth the previous night. He sighed loudly and said, "Come. We cannot lay in bed all day. You leave for Calas Galadhon this morning."

Gineth groaned as she placed her head on Haldir's shoulder, "I wish that I never had to leave this bed." she kissed his neck lightly, but was gently pushed away.

"No, Glineth. We cannot let physical love distract us. " he said in a serious tone.

"Very well." Glineth said.

Glineth quickly got out of the bed and began to quickly dress herself. Haldir lingered in the bed for a few moments, appreciating her bare form then dressed himself as well. "I did not mean to hurt you, again Glineth."

Glineth turned to Haldir and smiled. "I know. I do not want this to become lust driven lunacy." she laughed. "Come here." she said, holding out her arms.
Haldir and Glineth spent a few moments in each others arms before a soft knock was heard on the wall.

"Do come in, Rumil." Glineth cheerfully said.

As Rumil entered the room he looked to his brother and smiled warmly at him. Haldir looked to his brother, with a telling look on his face. Rumil laughed to himself and said, "I can come back later, if you wish."

"No, that's fine. We're...I don't...I am ready to leave when you are, Rumil." Glineth said smiling.

"Wonderful, my Lady." Rumil said as he bowed and left the room.

Haldir turned to Glineth, taking her in his arms once again and said, "I do not wish for you to leave. I..."

"Hush, I will return in a few days. All will be well." she said as she hurriedly stuffed some of her clothing into her bag.

"Take care of Rumil, Glineth." Haldir said as they hugged one another.

"Farewell, Haldir." she said, allowing his lips to press lightly against hers.

Rumil and Glineth slowly made their way back to Calas Galadhon. Before the entered the city, Rumil stopped Glineth to speak.
"Haldir-he...loved you last night."
Glineth nodded slowly, looking towards the ground.

"Child?" he asked.

"I hope not." Glineth admitted, as she broke into a run into the city, leaving Rumil far behind her. She ran without stopping all the way up the winding stairs, and into the dwelling she stayed in when she resided within the city. As she entered her small room, she was shocked to see that someone was already sitting on the bed.

"My Lady!" she exclaimed, as she went to her knees.

"Rise, Glineth. You need now bow, for we are friends, are we not?" Galadriel slowly said.

"Yes, of course. I am honored, my Lady." Glineth said as she rose to her feet, and placed her bag on the floor.

"I can sense that your heart is troubled. You miss Thranduil, and your son, Legolas."

"Very much. I, I am weary with grief. You must miss your child as well." Glineth saw the Lady falter, allowing Glineth to see her true emotion at the thought of her daughter, Celebrian.

"Of course, I miss my daughter. She left of her own free-will, and I am sure that she is happy and well."

"Just as I know that my son is well." Glineth smiled.

"I greatly look forward to when he and I will meet.' Galadriel said, smiling.

"Forgive me my Lady, but, is there something you wish of me?" Glineth asked, as she sat on her bed.

Galadriel then looked to Glineth, attempting to penetrate her mind, to read her soul. Unable to do so, Galadriel said, "Come. I wish to show you my personal garden, and my mirror."

Glineth rose slowly and said, "Very well."

Galadriel lead Glineth down to her famed garden. Few ever saw this place without being lead there by the Lady herself. It was truly, one of the greatest honors.
Galadriel walked towards a stone basin,in the center of her garden. Beside it lay a silver vessel, filled with the purest of water.

"What is this, my Lady?" Glineth nervously asked, as she watched Galadriel pour the water into the basin.

"It is a mirror." Galadriel said, her voice becoming light, and as cold as the air that surrounded them.

"It is beautiful." Glineth said, slowly stepping towards the mirror.

"Will you look into the mirror, Glineth, Queen of Mirkwood?" Galadriel asked, her eyes fixed on Glineth's.

Fear in her voice, Glineth said "W-what will I see?"

"Come my Lady, even the wisest cannot tell."

"I will look." Glineth said, as she walked towards the mirror. She gripped the edge of the basin with her ringed hand and leaned her face towards the water. As the water began to mist and swirl, Galadriel stepped back and pressed her back against the nearest tree.

Glineth was not prepared for all the she saw before her. As she inhaled the mist that rose around her head she saw the image of her son and husband before her, speaking in the clearing.

' "Ada, I miss mother. Can we go find her? "
"Oh my son, I miss her too. Very much." Thranduil said, kissing his son on his head.
Legolas began to sob quietly against his father's shoulder and said, "Will we ever see her again?"
"I do not know, little leaf."
"But, we love her. I thought she loved us." he said, his lower lip still quivering.
"She does love us my son. Now, sleep. You must rest."
The small elven child fell asleep in the arms of his father, as he watched his son fall into a heavy rest, Thranduil looked off into the distance and softly said, "Oh Glineth, my Northern Star. Please, come back to me. Please." Thranduil said as tears formed in his eyes. '

Glineth was now crying openly, her chest felt hollow...she longed to pull away from the mirror, but the more she struggled, the closer she was pulled towards the mirror.

'Glineth was laying alone in the Wood. Struggling, screaming, bleeding. Her belly was swollen with the promise of a new life, but all she felt was the promise of pain. Glineth roared into the night, and gripped the earth below her and bore down upon herself. As she cursed the name of the father of this babe, the child sprang forth from her, bloody and wailing. Glineth with shaking hands reached down towards the source of the crying, and held in her arms a son. Glineth felt hatred mixed with love welling up inside of her, as she saw the child blink his eyes slowly and search for her breast. 'I cannot love you, my child. I cannot love you.'

Again, as Glineth tried to pull herself from the mirror, but she was again pulled closer to the misting water.

'The sound of wings, and terror filled the air. The heat of a thousand furnaces enveloped the small armies...all watching as the great serpent quickly flew away. Their attention was called back to the sad scene before them as Thranduil held his charred wife in his arms.

"Noooo! Not Glineth. Fight this! Come back to us! Please!" A horrified Haldir shouted. He made to run towards her, but was stopped by the arm of his brother, Rumil.

"No, brother. Let them perish in peace. Stay back. "

Thranduil held his wife in his arms, his shock and heartbreak not allowing himself to speak any words of comfort to her, or their near grown son who stood behind him. As his wife writhed in agony in his arms, screeching in pain...his armor fell.

Glineth coughed, and summoned her remaining strength to speak to her husband.

"I go now to my ancestors whomever they may be, my King. My love. Please watch over our sons, love them, protect them. Do not let them become las we are." she rasped, grasping Thranduil's hand.

Through his tears and fear of the charred thing his wife has now become, he spoke looking into her eyes:

"I promise Glineth. They will be the best of us."

" We must now part, Thranduil. I leave you my sons, my heart, and my spirit."

"It will be forever and a day until we meet again, my Queen."

Glineth smiled, and a tear fell down her charred cheek. "I am patient. I can wait."

Glineth looked beyond the shoulder of her husband and to her son with pleading eyes. She weakly nodded, and Legolas walked around his father and knelt at the side of his mother. As his father turned his head, Legolas drew the curved dagger of his mother from his belt and drew it lightly, and with love across her throat, thus ending her suffering.
Thranduil, along with Haldir let out cries of pain that echoed throughout the valley. '

"Oh, my poor son. My poor, poor child." Glineth whispered, her tears falling into the mirror. This time, she did not resist the mirror, and allowed it to further look into her future.

'Haldir battled the orc lines atop the fortress of Helm's Deep in shining armor. Before he made his final charge, he looked to the young blue eyed elven warrior beside him and said, "Glineth."
"For my mother." the youth whispered, placing his hand on the shoulder of Haldir.
Next, Haldir saw the youth fall beside him. Haldir let out a battle shout and used all of his remaining energy felling the beast that slew the young one beside him.
As a vicious blow brought him to his knees, he saw the fallen bodies of his kin. His brothers. He lead them, and this young one to their deaths. He fell with a final thought as he clutched at the crimson cloak, a gift from the only one her ever loved,"Glineth."

The water in the basin became calm, and Glineth fell to her knees. She cried out, and began to tear at her hair. Galadirle rushed towards the broken Glineth and took her hands in hers. "I know what it is you saw." she whispered, helping Glineth to her feet.

""Is there no escape? Can any of this...I do not...please, tell me that there is hope!" Glineth cried out.

"There is little hope. For these events were set in motion the night your mother birthed you so long ago." Galadriel said, her heart heavy with her own sadness.

Glineth sobbed quietly as she began to walk up the stone steps that lead into the garden. With a heartbreaking look to the Lady of Light, she asked, "That youth...my son...is there...I wish him to live. Can it be done?"

"Yes." Galadriel simply said.

"Please, I beg you, tell me how!" Glineth begged.

"Love." Galadriel said, as she vanished into the night.

A/N:

Well, this one was a tough one. What do you make of what Glineth saw?

I hope that this chapter was not too confusing for anyone. If you do have any questions, do not be afraid to ask! As always, thank you for reading! -M