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 ''. Sorry, no slash in this chapter.

Actions And Words

Part 6

Aradia kept her composure, as her mother would have done. Only one person had ever seen her weak, and that person now needed to be protected.

'Who is attacking?' she questioned, showing her inner strength when there was no fear in her voice.

'Strange, black creatures,' the guard told her. He was distracted somewhat by the unfamiliar Elf laying in his Captain's room. 'Ullin is missing as well.'

'Ullin went with my father and Legolas on a sudden Quest,' Aradia told him. It was Seiren's choice to tell others of his true identity, and she would respect that. 'This is his brother, Seiren.'

The guard nodded slowly. 'You must escape, princess, and be safe. The borders are breached already.'

'I will not run away. My father would not have done so, and I will stay here and defend my second home,' Aradia said, lifting her chin slightly.

'Aradia, no,' Seiren whispered. 'Those…' He winced. 'Those creatures attacking… they may be the ones who poisoned me.'

'I have made my decision, Seiren.' The daughter of Aragorn looked at the guard. 'Warn the fighters to beware, for they can somehow poison Elves, as they did to Seiren.'

The guard nodded slowly. He could not overrule the Princess of Gondor when her father had such high favor with his king. 'If the kingdom falls, escape into the secret passages,' the guard finally told her.

Aradia nodded. She knew where the passages where, for she had spent many happy hours playing in them with her friends, and occasionally her father, Legolas, or Ullin. No, Seiren, she sternly corrected herself. 'Evacuate the children and those who cannot fight. I will remain here, should any intruders attempt to take the castle.'

Seiren knew her better than anyone. Nothing would change Aradia's mind, not even him. He'd always been the best at convincing her to do things that she had not wanted to.

The guard bowed and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Aradia crossed to the side of the bed where Seiren's sword-sheath was. She carefully drew the sword and tested it.

'Aradia, you cannot protect me like this. They will be drawn to me, just as they would be drawn to Legolas if he was here,' Seiren told her weakly.

Aradia met his gaze. 'I will not abandon you. I might not have the magic that you and Legolas do, but I am not incapable of protecting myself or you. You taught me everything I know.'

'Even I barely defeated them,' Seiren said softly. Distress shone in his amethyst eyes. 'My magic keeps me alive now, so I can do very little spells with it.'

The beautiful Princess looked at him. 'Continue to fight for your life, for I would not lose you now. We haven't known each other long enough for it to end yet.' Grey eyes met amethyst ones. 'I would learn more about you,' she told him as she shifted the sword in her hands. 'Promise me that if you survive, you will tell me.'

'If I can, I will. I swear it,' Seiren tenderly whispered. 'I will tell you of my past, for I know all of yours. All of your tears and laughter were shared with me. From the time you were a small child, I knew you. It seems I have always known you.'

'You do not see me as a child anymore?' Aradia questioned, hiding her pleased reaction to his words.

'Nay. My feelings for you then were that of love for an adorable and sweet child,' Seiren murmured.

'And now?' she pressed, enjoying the slight blush on his face. Aradia was trying to relax the tension that she felt, as she kept her diluted Elven senses sharp, listening.

The sounds of a fight in the hallway drew Aradia's attention. She gripped the hilt of Seiren's sword more tightly, and brought it up in a defensive position.

The door was flung open, and three dark creatures entered. Their gaze took in the sight of the half-Elven princess, before turning to the red-haired Elf that lay on the bed. They started towards him, but Aradia stood in front of them.

"Stand aside!" one snapped. "We only want the Bearer of Light."

Aradia shook her head. "You will not have him. I, the daughter of Aragorn, ruler of Gondor, vow this." The sword felt natural in her hands.

The creature struck at her, expecting to defeat her easily. Instead, Aradia countered with the sword, before bringing the sword back and stabbing through the dark creature. Blood splattered, as the creature gurgled and died.

Aradia frowned. She wondered how a simple cut from this sword could kill it so easily. There must be more to it than met the eye, she decided, as she circled towards the other two.

The second jumped at her, and Aradia stepped aside, and swung the sword at its shoulder. It deflected the sword with its claws, and struck again. The half Elf attempted to gut it. The creature blocked the blow, and might have gashed her arm open, if a faint and weak blue ball of fire had not distracted it.

Aradia quickly swung the sword up and slit its throat, before whirling. She stabbed at the third creature, which had tried to sneak up behind her. It avoided it, and Aradia struck again, sliding the blade into the creature's chest.

She then turned to Seiren, who had turned an even paler shade. He was murmuring a spell in Elvish, and Aradia faintly felt the spell be cast.

'Come back, Legolas… I will die soon without the antidote and Mirkwood will fall,' Seiren whispered, using a summoning spell. He then passed out.

Aradia ran to the bed, and took a hold of one of Seiren's pale, clammy hands. 'He's so close to death,' she whispered, feeling silvery tears start to run down her face. 'Don't give in… Please… I need you…'

Seiren lay unconscious, for his magic and life-force were nearly gone. He had risked his life to save Aradia's, casting a very weak fire spell to distract the creature, and Seiren had called to his best friend, warning him to return.

The only thing that kept him here was the faint sound of the gentle, sweet voice whispering to him to stay, reminding him of his promise. It echoed in his mind, though he was too exhausted to respond to it.

Someone approached the door, and Aradia had only moments to act.

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Lothlorien, a short time later

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Legolas and Aragorn were greatly relieved, as they prepared to leave 'Lorien. Legolas had used his magic to speed up their journey, so they had reached it quickly.

Galadriel had already known of their plight, and had handed them a crystal vial with a shimmering potion inside it when they arrived. She then insisted that they take the time to eat and be merry for a few hours.

Legolas had only agreed when he saw how fatigued Aragorn looked. But his lover looked much better now.

Galadriel bid them farewell, and watched the two ride off. Sorrow shone in her eyes, for she had seen a vision of Mirkwood destroyed. But she had not told them, fearing that it might be the reason the Elven kingdom perished.

Galadriel faintly hoped that what she had seen would not come to pass, for she had seen Aradia and Seiren murdered by figures that hid in the shadows. It was a second vision that was more tragic than the first. The great-grandmother of the daughter of Aragorn did not want to lose her only link to Arwen.

'Be swift, Legolas, and avert the tragedy. Or two that are family to you will die,' Galadriel whispered, before she turned and went back inside.

Legolas and Aragorn rode hard for Mirkwood.

The crystal vial was in Aragorn's pack, wrapped in cloths to protect it. Everything else that had been in there had been discarded, to keep the vial from being broken.

Aragorn saw the look of grim determination in his Elven lover's eyes, as they galloped along. But he said nothing and rode beside the one he loved, giving him support silently.

Legolas was grateful to Aragorn for his support. The Elven king placed more demands on himself than anyone else normally would. Only Aragorn could relieve his pain and he was very skilled with it, the blond Elf mused.

A voice suddenly whispered inside of Legolas's head, and he stopped riding and listened.

'Come back, Legolas… I will die soon without the antidote and Mirkwood will fall,' Seiren's gentle, wise voice whispered.

Aragorn turned to face Legolas when he realized that the Elf had stopped. 'What's wrong?' he questioned.

Legolas looked at Aragorn. 'Seiren was speaking to me. Something's wrong at Mirkwood, and he sounds much worse, Aragorn. I fear he is dying even now. We must not rest until we reach my kingdom.'

Aragorn paled and nodded in agreement.

The two began to ride once more, and Legolas shouted out Elvish words, using a spell that made their journey much faster. Anyone looking at the two riders would have seen naught but a blur as they went by.

Legolas prayed that they wouldn't be too late.

To be continued