Chapter 7
Days went by and Halin kept close eye on Legolas and his actions around Lorelein. Though he showed nothing more than friendship in the time they spent together, Halin still feared what might come ahead. Time had past quickly while they stayed in Lorien and only so many days remained before all would leave the beautiful wood. The final days were depressing and silent as the Elves packed their belongings and prepared for their long journey. It was the day before their departure that Legolas and Lorelein managed to escape from the solemn atmosphere around them.
"Legolas?" Lorelein finally broke the silence between the two as they walked down a path that was abandoned long ago. Legolas looked down at her and waited for her to continue.
"What will happen to Lothlorien when all the Elves leave?" she asked. Her eyes scanned the scenery about them. She grew fond of the forest in her short stay. Everything there seemed so peaceful to her and she was resentful in leaving it.
"I suppose the Mortals will soon explore it and turn it into whatever they please. It will become another simple forest in the land of men." Legolas responded, his eyes showed that his thoughts were elsewhere and Lorelein was worried. He seemed to become more silent and secluded as the days went by and it was as if he was ignoring the reality and world around him.
"What's wrong, Legolas?"
"What do you mean?" the look on his face showed sincerity but his voice was monotone.
"You're not yourself. It's like you're off in your own little world."
"I've just been thinking."
"Well that's obvious. But whatever it is your thinking about has you acting really strange."
"I just feel like no matter where I go I'll never feel at home. Now that I've left I can never go back to Mirkwood and I don't think that homesick feeling will ever go away."
Lorelein nodded in understanding.
"I know that feeling. I've never felt at home. Not even before my memory was taken away from me. How I know this, I don't know. It's just that every time I hear someone tell me I'm going to 'return to my people' or 'return to the people of the Valleys', I don't feel as if it's going back to where I belong. I feel as if I don't belong there either. I've felt more at home here with you and Halin then I do with anyone anywhere. I don't know if that makes any sense to you but I really don't know how to explain it."
Legolas flinched at her words. He knew exactly what she meant. She was right in the fact that she didn't belong there. She belonged with either Elrond's people or his own. True she was raised in the Valley's but they were not her people much less her family. She belonged with her true blood and that meant she was to stay with the Elves of Rivendell or his people of Mirkwood. It was then he finally came to realize that soon she would have to make that decision. That was why Halin was there. Those who knew the truth behind Lorelein's heritage weren't going to keep it a secret and when someone with authority hears about it there was no doubt that she would be forced to choose whether to live with her mother or her father. Both of which she claims to have no recollection of.
"I know all too well." His voice was too confident about that statement and she gave him a questioning look for it.
"How is that?"
Legolas looked down at her and sighed. Taking her hand he led her to a soft patch of grass and sat down. Leaning against the trunk of a great tree that stood behind him, he looked her in the eye.
"Lorelein, I think it's time you know. I'm still not sure if you're ready for this or not but it's better that you know now than-"
"Legolas! Lorelein! There you are. Halin is looking for you both." Haldir stepped out of the wood behind them. Legolas looked up at him with anger and disbelief. He knew Haldir well enough to know that he was spying. He wouldn't have interrupted Legolas in mid-sentence if he just happened to find him on the path. He knew Legolas was of higher ranking and wouldn't dare interrupt him while he was speaking unless he had been ordered to.
"Haldir. Why were you hiding yourself? You have no reason to fear us. Who sent you to slink behind our trail and spy? For surely you wouldn't do so unless commanded to." Legolas stood, his voice solid and strict like his father's.
"I'm sorry, Prince. I beg of your forgiveness for Halin was very insistent on me keeping an eye on you two while he was not around. He said it was extremely important that he knows of your actions and whereabouts."
Legolas glared. Halin was taking things too far this time.
"My greatest apologies, Prince Legolas. Please do not put me at fault. I was only following orders. Halin said your father wanted to keep you under close eye."
"I'm sure my father did not mean to have me stalked when wanting privacy. Now if you would, tell Halin I would like to speak to him before we leave tomorrow."
"Yes sir." Haldir replied before running off in search of Halin.
"What were you saying before, Legolas?" Lorelein looked up at him from her place on the grass. She didn't plan on dropping the subject.
"I'll tell you later. I don't want to risk any more ears hearing what I have to say."
"Is it bad?"
"That I cannot tell you. Only you can answer that."
"I don't understand."
"There's a lot of things you don't understand Lorelein. This time though, I wish you didn't have to."
"Please tell me, Legolas."
Looking down at her once more he motioned for her to get up.
"Follow me. We'll go back to the flat. Hopefully no one will overhear us there."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Why is it so important that no one knows?" Lorelein asked as they climbed the ladder to the flat that became their home in the time they spent there.
"Because the longer we keep this secret, the longer time you have to decide what you would choose if forced to."
"Choose what?"
"I'll explain that in a minute." He replied as they walked down a hall. Legolas, after peering into a room, waved for Lorelein to follow him. They entered what seemed to be a study and Legolas turned to lock the door.
"Legolas, what is it?"
"Do you remember when Calinril called you a mutt?" he asked, turning to her.
"Yes. What about it? What did he mean by that?"
"He was speaking of your heritage. You're what they call a mixed breed. You are of both my people and Elrond's. You in no way belong to the Valleys. You were only raised there because your parents weren't able to keep and take care of you."
"So you're telling me that my parents weren't aloud to raise me so I was sent off to live with people I don't know?" the look on Lorelein's face was that of disbelief.
"Yes."
"I'm starting to think I don't even want my memory back. My life was much easier to understand when I lived at the castle."
"Lorelein, please stop referring to your time with humans."
"I'm sorry. But why is this such a big deal now?"
"Because others now know of your heritage and they will tell someone of high ranking. If and when this happens you will have to choose to live with either Elrond's people or my people."
"So which should I choose?"
"I don't know. Whichever life you would rather live."
"Okay…what's the difference?"
"Lorelein, this isn't as simple of a matter as you make it out to be."
"What's so difficult about it?"
"Lorelein! You are choosing your fate. When the time comes you will have to make a decision between living a life laid out by either your father or your mother. It's a life-altering decision and it's one you must make."
"Will you help me make it?"
"I cannot choose your fate for you."
"I'm not asking you to tell me which parent to follow, I'm asking you to help me decide which path is best."
"I don't know what type of life you would rather live. I wouldn't be of much help."
Lorelein sighed and left the matter alone. It didn't seem like that big of an issue to her and she decided to wait until the time comes to decide.
She had no clue that Legolas left out one great detail. And it's this mistake that may ruin both their lives forever.
Days went by and Halin kept close eye on Legolas and his actions around Lorelein. Though he showed nothing more than friendship in the time they spent together, Halin still feared what might come ahead. Time had past quickly while they stayed in Lorien and only so many days remained before all would leave the beautiful wood. The final days were depressing and silent as the Elves packed their belongings and prepared for their long journey. It was the day before their departure that Legolas and Lorelein managed to escape from the solemn atmosphere around them.
"Legolas?" Lorelein finally broke the silence between the two as they walked down a path that was abandoned long ago. Legolas looked down at her and waited for her to continue.
"What will happen to Lothlorien when all the Elves leave?" she asked. Her eyes scanned the scenery about them. She grew fond of the forest in her short stay. Everything there seemed so peaceful to her and she was resentful in leaving it.
"I suppose the Mortals will soon explore it and turn it into whatever they please. It will become another simple forest in the land of men." Legolas responded, his eyes showed that his thoughts were elsewhere and Lorelein was worried. He seemed to become more silent and secluded as the days went by and it was as if he was ignoring the reality and world around him.
"What's wrong, Legolas?"
"What do you mean?" the look on his face showed sincerity but his voice was monotone.
"You're not yourself. It's like you're off in your own little world."
"I've just been thinking."
"Well that's obvious. But whatever it is your thinking about has you acting really strange."
"I just feel like no matter where I go I'll never feel at home. Now that I've left I can never go back to Mirkwood and I don't think that homesick feeling will ever go away."
Lorelein nodded in understanding.
"I know that feeling. I've never felt at home. Not even before my memory was taken away from me. How I know this, I don't know. It's just that every time I hear someone tell me I'm going to 'return to my people' or 'return to the people of the Valleys', I don't feel as if it's going back to where I belong. I feel as if I don't belong there either. I've felt more at home here with you and Halin then I do with anyone anywhere. I don't know if that makes any sense to you but I really don't know how to explain it."
Legolas flinched at her words. He knew exactly what she meant. She was right in the fact that she didn't belong there. She belonged with either Elrond's people or his own. True she was raised in the Valley's but they were not her people much less her family. She belonged with her true blood and that meant she was to stay with the Elves of Rivendell or his people of Mirkwood. It was then he finally came to realize that soon she would have to make that decision. That was why Halin was there. Those who knew the truth behind Lorelein's heritage weren't going to keep it a secret and when someone with authority hears about it there was no doubt that she would be forced to choose whether to live with her mother or her father. Both of which she claims to have no recollection of.
"I know all too well." His voice was too confident about that statement and she gave him a questioning look for it.
"How is that?"
Legolas looked down at her and sighed. Taking her hand he led her to a soft patch of grass and sat down. Leaning against the trunk of a great tree that stood behind him, he looked her in the eye.
"Lorelein, I think it's time you know. I'm still not sure if you're ready for this or not but it's better that you know now than-"
"Legolas! Lorelein! There you are. Halin is looking for you both." Haldir stepped out of the wood behind them. Legolas looked up at him with anger and disbelief. He knew Haldir well enough to know that he was spying. He wouldn't have interrupted Legolas in mid-sentence if he just happened to find him on the path. He knew Legolas was of higher ranking and wouldn't dare interrupt him while he was speaking unless he had been ordered to.
"Haldir. Why were you hiding yourself? You have no reason to fear us. Who sent you to slink behind our trail and spy? For surely you wouldn't do so unless commanded to." Legolas stood, his voice solid and strict like his father's.
"I'm sorry, Prince. I beg of your forgiveness for Halin was very insistent on me keeping an eye on you two while he was not around. He said it was extremely important that he knows of your actions and whereabouts."
Legolas glared. Halin was taking things too far this time.
"My greatest apologies, Prince Legolas. Please do not put me at fault. I was only following orders. Halin said your father wanted to keep you under close eye."
"I'm sure my father did not mean to have me stalked when wanting privacy. Now if you would, tell Halin I would like to speak to him before we leave tomorrow."
"Yes sir." Haldir replied before running off in search of Halin.
"What were you saying before, Legolas?" Lorelein looked up at him from her place on the grass. She didn't plan on dropping the subject.
"I'll tell you later. I don't want to risk any more ears hearing what I have to say."
"Is it bad?"
"That I cannot tell you. Only you can answer that."
"I don't understand."
"There's a lot of things you don't understand Lorelein. This time though, I wish you didn't have to."
"Please tell me, Legolas."
Looking down at her once more he motioned for her to get up.
"Follow me. We'll go back to the flat. Hopefully no one will overhear us there."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Why is it so important that no one knows?" Lorelein asked as they climbed the ladder to the flat that became their home in the time they spent there.
"Because the longer we keep this secret, the longer time you have to decide what you would choose if forced to."
"Choose what?"
"I'll explain that in a minute." He replied as they walked down a hall. Legolas, after peering into a room, waved for Lorelein to follow him. They entered what seemed to be a study and Legolas turned to lock the door.
"Legolas, what is it?"
"Do you remember when Calinril called you a mutt?" he asked, turning to her.
"Yes. What about it? What did he mean by that?"
"He was speaking of your heritage. You're what they call a mixed breed. You are of both my people and Elrond's. You in no way belong to the Valleys. You were only raised there because your parents weren't able to keep and take care of you."
"So you're telling me that my parents weren't aloud to raise me so I was sent off to live with people I don't know?" the look on Lorelein's face was that of disbelief.
"Yes."
"I'm starting to think I don't even want my memory back. My life was much easier to understand when I lived at the castle."
"Lorelein, please stop referring to your time with humans."
"I'm sorry. But why is this such a big deal now?"
"Because others now know of your heritage and they will tell someone of high ranking. If and when this happens you will have to choose to live with either Elrond's people or my people."
"So which should I choose?"
"I don't know. Whichever life you would rather live."
"Okay…what's the difference?"
"Lorelein, this isn't as simple of a matter as you make it out to be."
"What's so difficult about it?"
"Lorelein! You are choosing your fate. When the time comes you will have to make a decision between living a life laid out by either your father or your mother. It's a life-altering decision and it's one you must make."
"Will you help me make it?"
"I cannot choose your fate for you."
"I'm not asking you to tell me which parent to follow, I'm asking you to help me decide which path is best."
"I don't know what type of life you would rather live. I wouldn't be of much help."
Lorelein sighed and left the matter alone. It didn't seem like that big of an issue to her and she decided to wait until the time comes to decide.
She had no clue that Legolas left out one great detail. And it's this mistake that may ruin both their lives forever.