Note: All unknown characters are mine! The rest are not! This story focuses on a romance between Aradia and Seiren. Some A/L SLASH is in this fic, as well. Elvish speech is in ''. Review if you want more chapters. Read 'Return of the Fellowship' and 'The Darkest Night' for reference. Sorry for the delay! Takes place a day or two later.

Waiting

Part 4

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Rivendell

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Legolas and Aragorn burst through the borders of Rivendell, galloping hard on their Elvish steeds. The two lovers didn't even stop to speak to the guards, who shouted after them in Elvish. They'd been riding nonstop for most of the day, to cut off the extra days of their journey.

Elrond was informed of the breech in the borders. When he was told of what they looked like, the Elven lord was certain that it was Aragorn and Legolas. Elrond knew something had to be wrong for them to ignore common courtesy, so he went out to meet them.

Legolas and Aragorn dismounted, and walked swiftly to where Elrond stood waiting.

'Forgive our intrusion, Lord Elrond, but we come on a matter of urgency,' Aragorn told him.

'What has happened?' the Elven lord questioned sharply. 'Is Aradia all right?'

'She is fine, but Seiren is not. Gekidoku races in his veins, seeking to kill him. Do you know of any cure?' Legolas said, his face slightly pale.

Elrond gasped. 'A cure? I do not know of one, myself, but Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn may.'

Legolas sighed in defeat. 'We must depart, then, and go to Lothlorien. Seiren cannot hold out forever against this poison.'

'But you are both exhausted, as are your steeds,' Elrond protested. 'You need to rest.'

'We cannot, for the life of a friend hangs in the balance, Lord Elrond,' Aragorn said firmly.

'Then be careful, both of you,' the Elven lord said, as the two mounted.

'We will,' Legolas said, before spurring his tired steed into a gallop. Aragorn was right behind him.

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Mirkwood

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Aradia watched helplessly as Seiren grew worse. His fever was dangerously high, and if it did not lower soon, Aradia knew that Seiren would die. She wiped his forehead with a wet cloth, and soothed him when he cried out.

Her thoughts were partly focused, however, on what had happened between them a few hours before.

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Flashback

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Aradia kissed Seiren softly, and closed her eyes in the pleasure it brought her. Seiren's lips returned the kiss tenderly and she realized that he was awake.

A blush crept up Aradia's face, as Seiren's amethyst eyes met her grey one's.

'Why, princess?' he whispered.

'I- I wanted to,' Aradia said softly. 'Why did you kiss me back?'

Seiren brought his weak, shaking hand up to caress Aradia's face. 'Because I wanted to.'

Aradia was surprised, as his gentle touch on her face sent shivers through her. It was very warm to the touch.

'Save your strength,' Aradia pleaded. A tear glimmered in her eyes. 'I don't want you to die.'

'I do not wish to die, either, princess,' Seiren murmured. 'But if I am to die, there is something I would tell you first.'

Aradia took his larger hand in hers, not caring about the searing heat. 'What is it?'

'I…I care for you,' he whispered, as he closed his eyes. 'I always have.'

Joy sang in her heart. 'I cared about you when I thought you were Ullin, and I care about you now. You've always been there when I needed you. Why didn't you say anything?'

Seiren weakly shook his head. 'Your feelings for me then were that of a child admiring an older elf. I wanted you to have a chance to look at the real me. Not as an adult, but as an equal.'

Aradia paled as a flinch crossed his face. 'Seiren?' she whispered, drawing on the resolve of her mother. She would not let him die now.

A soft groan was her answer, as Seiren sank back into darkness.

And Aradia was left alone to think on what he had said.

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Aradia was surprised to see a tear drip out of Seiren's closed eyes. She wiped it away, as she heard him whisper something that stunned her.

'No more, please…'

Aradia frowned, not understanding, as he continued. The fever was forcing him back into painful memories, to a time that Seiren wanted to forget. A little over one-hundred-years ago, to be exact.

The red-haired elf tossed and turned in his feverish sleep. 'Legolas… he's hurting me so badly… I can't… Help me…'

Aradia's face turned pale. What was Seiren talking about? She didn't want to think it possible.

'Seiren, wake up,' Aradia whispered, trying to bring him out of his nightmare.

Seiren let out a soft, pleading cry. Aradia gently touched his face, and tried to wake him again.

A shudder went through him, as his eyes returned to normal. 'What happened?'

'You were having a nightmare,' Aradia told him quietly. 'You were crying out in your sleep.' She bit her lower lip, which she had learned from Legolas. 'Your fever is getting worse.'

'I know,' Seiren murmured. A strange look came into his eyes when he saw how pale Aradia was. 'What's wrong?'

Aradia was uncertain of how to tell him of her question, and she licked her lips, slightly nervous. 'What you were saying, while you were asleep…'

Seiren's eyes turned a darker shade of amethyst. He had a feeling of what he'd been saying, judging from the way she was reacting to it. The red-haired elf was not ashamed of what had happened to him; it had been over a century ago, after all. But Seiren was not sure how he felt about Aradia knowing about it.

'What was I saying?' he prompted quietly.

'Was it real, or was it just a nightmare?' Aradia finally blurted out. And then she felt like kicking herself. That was certainly a bit blunt.

To be continued