*drum roll please!* And here it is, the second or third (i havent decided yet) to last installment of Lian! *crickets chirp* okay okay, not a bd, but i like to pretend that it is!!! anywhoo--- so, i am coming to an end soon, and i promise that in this chapter i will most definitely have... the wedding!!!! hip hip hooray!!! im so excited to write this chapter.... it's going to be a lot of fun i think! i hope it meets the approval of my faithful and loyal reviewers! Speaking of which...
sabercrazy-- u love my story?! thank u thank u thank u!!! a million thanks 2 u!!!!!!!! u have brightened a day that was not going very well!! pasta-head-- i know the chapters r 2 short---- the first 1 was really long cause i'd been writing it before i even became a member of ff.n, and so i put the entire thing as one chapter. i like to post often, and so far have not had the patience or attention span to write longer chapters. thats why i try to post quickly, so even though they r short, they dont take to long 4 u to get them! tanzina-- i will keep writing!! i promise!! here it is ( i think u will like what happens!!) Sarai-IceElf-- dont worry, i barely even felt that dart. and i think it worked 2!!! last nite i finally figured out what i wanted to do in this chapter!!! thank u, that inspiration dart really works!! (and as for tolkien... well, u'll see. i think im wearing him down though!!) T.H.-- yes, i got to the toilet part and i was like "what the heck am i gonna do?!" oh well, no1 has really seemed to mind it. and ta-da! heres the next chapter u were looking 4!! hope it wasnt that hard to find. if u run a search for "Lian" i think u should b able to find it.... oh wait, if ur reading this now then im sure u already know how! nvm! (and i luv ur stories!!!!) Lani-- ah, my good friend, so nice to hear from u again!!! im so glad that u aprove of how i wrote faith.... it was very difficult!! i reread AtRHNA like, a million times trying to get her exactly rite! yaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!i have some story recommendations!!!! firstly, u must read And the Road Holds No Answers by faithfubeyondfear.... not only is it wonderful, it also tells the story of Lian's aunt, Faith.
and i have recently started reading some of the stories written by T.H. ---- my opinion.... well, lets just say i read the first chapters of two of T.H's stories..... i am totally and completely hooked. the stories (and, there r like, 50 million!) are sooooooo good, well, dont take my word for it.... read them!!!
disclaimer: *voice of some famous game show host (doesnt matter who, take ur pick)* a hush has fallen over the crowd. hollie has offered a prize package of Lord of the Rings memorabilia with a cash value of approximately $500, in exchange for the rights to Gondor, Rivendell and Rohan. And Mr. Tolkien sir, your answer is.................................................???
"What is she nuts??!!? She thinks im gonna give her three of the most important powerful kingdoms of Middle Earth for some cheep trinkets that i could get for free if i asked?!!?!? ha!!!" *falls to the ground laughing* *laughing so hard is crying* *has wet his trousers, cause of extreme laughter* *is about to---* WE GET IT!!!!!!!!!!!! AARGH!!!!! well, that was just my opening offer. dont worry, i've got a backup plan.... somewhere. um, as i ponder this dilemma, i will let u get on with reading the tenth chapter of Lian that takes place in a land i dont own, in a time that's not mine and with people that i cannot control. for now.... *evil grin*
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"Well Aragorn, I would say that you have outdone yourself. This wedding must be the finest that has come to pass in many ages of the world. In your skills, it seems that some works of the elves have finally met competition."
"Yes, I must agree Estel, it's beautiful!" Faith agreed.
"Alas, friends, this credit I cannot take in full. For without the cleverness of my Queen here," Aragorn gently grasped Arwen's hand and massaged it lovingly, "this wedding would seem but the work of a child to you." The four friends laughed gaily as they took their seats in the wedding hall.
"Of course. Arwen, you were always a creative soul."
"My thanks, sister, for the compliment," Arwen paused, and looked around them, "Where, Legolas, is Lady Mirel? She is not to miss such an occasion, is she?" Legolas looked around to see if she was yet in the large hall, "She will be here. I am surprised that she is not already. She went to give a gift to Princess Lian, a token that we have been asked to present to her by Galen, if it chanced that he did not return in time to be at this joyous occasion himself."
Faith bit her lip and twirled a stray lock of her hair around her finger.
"Something the matter Faith?" Aragorn asked.
"Um, no. No. I'm just, um, so excited for Lian and Ga," Faith's eyes went wide as she realized what she had started to say and to cover it up she began a fake hacking fit.
"Faith, are you alright?!" Arwen cried.
"I'm, *cough cough* fine. Oh, I don't know what happened, I think I started choking, but I can't fathom why! Oh well, it has passed now," she took a deep breath before she continued, "but as I was saying, I am so happy for Lian and Eower, two children I love dearly," Faith smiled reassuringly at Arwen, Aragorn and Legolas, "really."
Lying on the bed, Lian clutched Galen's necklace tight in her hand. Her mind drifted into the woods and glades of the Golden Wood, for she had by then realized that the images she saw did indeed come from that enchanted place. Her thoughts were disrupted however by a sharp 'tap tap' on her door. Wrenching herself from the visions, Lian got up and opened the door. The elegant Lady Mirel stood before her, smiling genially at her.
"Princess," she looked down at her, "you look beautiful." Lian thanked her and smoothed the soft fabric of her gown.
"I've come to see you because I was asked to deliver this to you. It if from my son, and I am sure that he rues the fact that he cannot be here today." Lian stood for a moment, pondering as to how she should answer the Lady's words.
"Here," Mirel said, handing Lian a package, "and I wish you well in your marriage." With that she departed as gracefully and suddenly as she had come, leaving Lian alone in the doorway. Closing the wooden structure, Lian made her way slowly back to her bed and sat down, setting the large, oddly shaped package in her lap. Carefully undoing the delicate packaging, Lian first withdrew an assiduously folded letter that revealed a familiar script.
"Dear Lian,
If you are reading this now, then I am not yet back in time for your wedding. If that has undoubtedly come to pass, then I am deeply grieved and beg you accept my sincerest apologies. Nevertheless, I have said some untruths, or, more correctly, not said the complete truth. I have told you that I was called back to Mirkwood on royal business. The truth of the matter is, I have been called back to choose a bride. I concealed this information from you at the first due to my feelings that I had for you, and that I still have. But now that I know that my love is not returned, or at least, will not be allowed to be returned, I must go to Mirkwood and choose my bride."
At this Lian began to weep. "They are returned Galen! They are!" she yelled out at the parchment, her tears beginning to cause the ink to bleed. Dabbing the paper with a bed cloth, she continued reading.
"I am sorry for any discomfort I might have caused you, and I ask once again for you to forgive me. Perhaps we shall meet again some day, perhaps not. Wherever our paths lead us, I wish you all the happiness the world has to give. Never shall you leave my memories, and I hope to remain fondly in yours as well. I leave you this gift to remember me by, I pray you like it.
Fondly,
Prince Galen"
Lian's grief was beyond tears. She had had love in her grasp and had pushed it away. "And why?" she thought, "Did I even have a reasonable answer? No, it was fear that led me astray. I fooled myself into thinking that it was because he was an elf, a high elf at that, and that I was aiming at something too high and great for my reaches, but I was wrong. He was right there the whole time, I was just too afraid to love." Lian cradled her aching head in her hands, then fell back and cried dry tears.
Soon, she drifted back into her thoughts and her hand reached up to grasp Galen's necklace so she could be swept far from her misery and into peace and bliss. The thought of Galen's gift brought her back to the present and she recalled that Galen had left her one last parting item.
She sat back up and reached a shaking hand for the soft packaging. There she withdrew a long bow, perfectly shaped with smooth, slender wood the likes of which Lian had never before laid eyes on. It was light but strong, and just holding it made Lian feel empowered, as thought if she were to use it, she could shoot a hundred bull's-eyes in a row. There was another note pinned to it, shorter than the other, but just as dear to her.
"I know that you have a fine bow already, but this is an elven bow that comes from the land of Lothlorien. It was my father's, and he passed it down to me, and now I to you. I hope it brings you great fortune in archery.
Fondly,
Prince Galen"
"What am I to do," Lian though miserably, "what?"
Mirel walked quickly back to the wedding hall and took her place besides her husband.
"There you are darling," Legolas greeted her, "we were beginning to worry."
"So sorry, I had a slight problem trying to find the Princess's room. But I am here now," she laid her head gently on her husband's shoulder, "This reminds me slightly of our wedding. The excitement, the joyous feeling in the air. It is so wonderful."
"Mmm," the king of Mirkwood murmured his agreement.
Suddenly the kings and queens of Mirkwood and Gondor and the princess of Rivendell were joined by a gruff looking clan of dwarves. Faith shifted a little in her seat, for she had never been overly fond of dwarves, but this group she tollerated for the leader, Gimli, was an old acquaintance of hers.
"Gimli," Legolas cried out, clasping his old friend's hand, "how wonderful to see you again."
"Aye, tis a great thing to see you Master elf, after our long parting. I don't believe that you have met my family yet?" The stout little dwarf introduced his wife and children, who nodded politely as their names were spoken. Faith almost laughed when she saw that the young dwarves were barely two feet high. In fact, she let out a brief chuckle, which caused Gimli to turn and address her.
"Princess Faith! I did not even notice you there, begging you pardon. It has been long years since you and I have spoken as well."
"Ah yes Gimli, at Arwen and Aragorn's wedding I believe was the last time we had speech together."
"Such is the way with friends separated by long distance," Aragorn broke in, "it takes a momentous occasion to bring them together again."
"But not only for good, as we well know," Legolas stated, his voice barely above a whisper. For a moment, they all sat in silence, remembering the dark reasons that had brought them together in the first. Only the dwarf wife and children, who knew little of the dark past, were unaffected. A shadow passed over, but as quick as it had come it was gone.
Then the company turned back to themselves again, forgetting the horror of the past. And they turned their talk once again to happier things, to the wedding, and to the well being of each member's homeland.
Time passed quickly among them and soon it was time for the wedding to begin. Aragorn excused himself and went to find Lian, as he was to walk her down the aisle. (A/N: once again, I don't know exactally how things work back in ME, so I am just making this a traditional catholic wedding. sorries if im messing with their culture)
Aragorn found Lian sitting on her bed in her room. She looked up and without a word, they walked back to the wedding hall. Holding her father's arm tightly, they began to walk slowly down to the priest. Looking down at his daughter, Aragorn could find no words to say. He simply smiled at her, and that was enough. Lian knew how deeply her father loved her, and he need not say so for it to be true. She often had said that it was in the eyes where truth lies. Not a very good rhyme, she had deemed it, but true enough. The love and caring she saw reflected in the eyes of her father brought tears to her own. She smiled reassuringly at him and they embraced once before he left her and returned to Arwen.
Lian felt her heart pulse, as she stood before the priest, and next to her stood Eower, who, though she did not know it, had a furious battle going on in his mind.
"What am I doing?" Lian though, "This is foolish! Just because I cannot be with Galen doesn't mean that I must marry someone else!" She began talking to herself in her mind, trying to think, while the priest began the wedding.
"Dearly beloved," he started.
"But even though I don't love him, he still seems to want to marry me, and that is unfair to him if I were to break this up. But it is unfair to me if I let this continue, and even more unfair to Eower because he will be marrying a woman who doesn't love him. But maybe I could learn to love him? No, that's impossible, my hearts already been given away. For me I can have Galen or no one, and it looks as though I'm faced with no one, because I already lost Galen. But if I do something now, then I could shame my entire family, all of Gondor. And, oh! I hadn't even though of this, but the ties between Gondor and Rohan would be weakened, this could even cause great problems if the princess of Gondor were to refuse the prince of Rohan. Oh no! How can I....? What should I....?" The voice of the priest suddenly broke through Lian's thoughts.
"If anyone believes that these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace."
Then, as Lian was contemplating whether or not to say anything, she received the surprise of all surprises. A clear, familiar voice suddenly rang out through the hall,
"I do."
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dun dun dun! muh ha ha.... my version of a cliff hanger!!!
so, who do you think it was???
Galen, returned from Mirkwood?
Aunt Faith, who knows many secrets?
or perhaps someone else......?
All will be answered in the next chapter of Lian! (which unfortunately will not be posted by the earliest sunday because i am going on vacation until then (and gasp! there rnt ne computers there!!!)
so, im sorry that i wont b posting 4 a couple of days, but i hope this satisfies u all for a while.
ta ta!
hollie