Author's note: Thanks Elenya, Dwendilwen, and Little Amazon! Your reviews were wonderful! But I'm afraid that after this chapter it may all change! O_O Read and find out! Oh, and should I mention Legolas vs. Boromir? ^.~
Elenya by Shelly
CHAPTER ELEVEN
She cried until she could cry no more, her eyes dry and sore, and her chest hurt from the sobs that had been wrenched from her. How she missed him now that he was gone. Never had she imagined that she would feel so much pain when she had thought she would feel only happiness at finally being free to pursue a relationship with Legolas. But now she knew better as her heart had been torn to shreds at her parting from Boromir, and there was nothing now for her to offer Legolas but a broken heart that may never be mended.
She rose to her feet slowly and walked back to her room, relieved to see it empty as she wished to be alone for now. She pulled the braids in her hair loose, not caring that she injured her hair in the process, and changed back into her green and brown shirt and breeches before sitting on the bed and nursing her wounded heart.
That was how Legolas found her when he arrived at her room, his relief at finding her here written clearly on his face as he had searched everywhere around Elrond's house for her and thought she may have returned here. Then he saw the state she was in and wondered if he hadn't done more harm to her by convincing her to leave Boromir than what could've been done if she had stayed with him. He sat down on the bed beside her, his own heart aching when he saw what her bouts of crying had done to her. "Lilli, I am sorry."
"Do not be," she answered. "I ended things between us as I had wished, but never did I think my heart would be so destroyed. And I cannot ever return to him after what I have done." She laid her hand on his, but there was no warmth there to comfort him with. "And although I thought that maybe you and I had a chance together, I know now that there is nothing there except friendship as I can never love another as I have loved him."
He fought against the tears that welled in his eyes as he realized that he had destroyed the very thing in her that he had loved. The fiery passion she had lived life with had been snuffed out to leave a mere shadow of what it once was. And although she had said differently, he knew that he had a small part to blame as well as he had placed the doubts in her that had led up to this. "What will you do now?" he whispered.
She shrugged as she removed her hand from his. "I think it is time for me to leave for Lorien. I cannot remain here if he stays as it will only be more salt added to the wound."
He wished she would not leave as the scouts still had not returned, but he couldn't stop her from doing what she felt was best for her. "Just please be careful," he said. "Perhaps we will see each other soon."
She smiled. "Perhaps," she replied, sliding off the bed and beginning to gather what few things she had. She heard footsteps suddenly stop at her doorway, and she turned to see Frodo standing there, his eyes wide.
"You're leaving?" he asked.
Remembering he wasn't supposed to be so close to her ring, she stepped outside. "Yes, Frodo, I am," she answered.
"But you haven't said goodbye to the others," he protested.
She knelt down in front of him. "You can tell them for me as I wish to leave as soon as possible."
"But I thought that you and--"
"Frodo, my heart is too broken to be mended by another. I am sorry."
He looked solemnly into her eyes as he saw for himself that she was no longer who she once was. "I'm sorry, too," he said then hugged her, tears coming to his eyes. "I never wanted this to happen, Lilli," he whispered. "All I wanted was for you to be happy."
Her eyes filled with tears although she had believed them gone. "I know, my friend. And I thought I could, but parting from him hurt me more than I thought possible." Then she drew back away from him, brushing the tears away that had fallen down his cheeks. "I wish you luck on your journey, my friend. Perhaps Legolas will be right and we will see each other again."
He smiled and it was like the sun coming from behind the clouds. "I will count the days until then."
"And I shall wait there until I see you again, if the path you take passes by Lorien."
Satisfied by this, he left her alone with Legolas to finish her packing, not that there were many things for her to take as she had come here with only a few things in her possession. They walked together in the moonlight to the stables which weren't far from Elrond's house where the feasting was still going on, and she gazed at it with an almost audible sigh of longing as she wished she could tell everyone farewell. But if she took the time, she knew she would be here well into the morning as they would all try to get her to stay a little longer.
She selected a mount from the many that were housed in the stables and took the time to fit a saddle to it while Legolas left for a moment. She heard a familiar greeting from the stall next to her and stepped over to see Boromir's horse sticking out its nose to her, and she returned the greeting by rubbing its soft nose. The horse's scent carried to her on a stray breeze, evoking memories of how Boromir smelled when he returned from a leisurely ride, and she fought against yet another bout of tears that threatened to overtake her.
She was saved by the return of Legolas bearing her a full quiver of arrows as well as a package filled with provisions she would need on her way to Lorien. "I wish I could come with you on your journey, but since I cannot I will give you a small piece of advice. When you come to the High Pass it is best to travel by night as there are goblins in the area and they will no doubt be patrolling their territories at night, although I ran across few on my way here."
She smiled. "Thank you, Legolas, for everything. I only wish I could do more for you."
"Just get to Lorien safely, that's all I ask."
They embraced then, holding each other tightly, then walked out from the stables where he stayed with her until they reached the edges of Rivendell where she disappeared into the darkness and didn't look back from her eastward course. Legolas watched her until she disappeared from his sight and only then did he turn to walk back the way he had come, his heart heavy with sorrow.
With the dawn came the emergence of Boromir's good sense, and he cursed himself a fool a thousand times over for letting Lillisandra go like that without at least fighting for what they meant to each other. And so he set out on a search for her as he looked everywhere he could think to look and couldn't find her, hoping all the while that she hadn't left after he had seen her room empty of her belongings. But deep down he knew that she had left and hadn't even bothered to say farewell to him before leaving, although he couldn't blame her for not doing so after last night.
Then his luck took a turn for the better as he came across Legolas during his search, and he knew that if anyone knew where she was he surely would. The elven prince, however, already knew for whom he searched.
"What do you mean she's gone?" he exploded.
"I meant exactly what I said. She's on her way to Lorien as she left last night shortly after..." He stopped then a light of contempt came into his eyes. "Well you know better than I about what happened between you both last night."
He fought to keep a firm hold on his temper. "I realize that I am partially to blame for this," he began.
"Partially?" Legolas scoffed. "I would say that the blame is all yours. Did you really expect her to hang around while you made up your mind as to whether she deserved to receive your full attention or not?"
"I am fully aware of how she felt about me in regards to the ring," he returned. "I was seeking her out to let her know that from now on I am forsaking any temptation the ring might throw at me. And I have kicked myself a dozen times for letting the ring keep me from seeing how much she meant to me."
"As if you could ever lose sight of that if you truly loved her? The ring is by no means a good enough excuse for ripping out her heart like you did--"
"She was the one who felt the need to end it, not I!" Boromir's enraged voice echoed through the trees.
"Legolas! Boromir!" a voice cracked at them. "Stop this right now!"
Both turned to see Gandalf approaching them. "Fighting with each other won't bring her back. She chose to leave on her own and it is probably a good idea that she did so as she will need all the time she can afford to become accustomed to Elenya's power once it is fully awakened.
"Legolas, you are being a little too harsh where Boromir is concerned as the race of men has always been more susceptible to the One Ring than elves have so it is quite understandable that it would have come between them and eventually caused them to part from one another. I have come to believe that in time the ring would've eventually caused Boromir to try and keep her from coming to Lorien, which is another reason why I am glad she left when she did."
Boromir was disturbed at this. "If you are suggesting what I think you are, you are mad indeed. Never would I do anything to harm her."
"I am sure you wouldn't," he assured him. "But through you the ring will do whatever it can to keep from being destroyed, even if it means killing the person you love." He stared thoughtfully at Boromir for a moment. "Tell me, have you heard voices tell you things that will turn you against her?"
He nodded. "I have. Just last night."
Gandalf nodded. "That was only the beginning. If you had remained together then it would've kept up the pressure on you until you were filled with an unreasoning hatred, and what's worse you would have no idea where it was coming from."
Boromir became quiet as he suddenly realized how dangerous he had become to her, and he was glad that things had happened the way they had before he had become even more out of control.
*********************
*dodges flying garbage and anything else readers throw* Just wait until she meets up with them in Lorien, as you know she will! Then it's anybody's guess who she stays with as even she can't make up her mind! Or is something influencing her feelings? Hmm... Keep reading and find out! And please review!
Elenya by Shelly
CHAPTER ELEVEN
She cried until she could cry no more, her eyes dry and sore, and her chest hurt from the sobs that had been wrenched from her. How she missed him now that he was gone. Never had she imagined that she would feel so much pain when she had thought she would feel only happiness at finally being free to pursue a relationship with Legolas. But now she knew better as her heart had been torn to shreds at her parting from Boromir, and there was nothing now for her to offer Legolas but a broken heart that may never be mended.
She rose to her feet slowly and walked back to her room, relieved to see it empty as she wished to be alone for now. She pulled the braids in her hair loose, not caring that she injured her hair in the process, and changed back into her green and brown shirt and breeches before sitting on the bed and nursing her wounded heart.
That was how Legolas found her when he arrived at her room, his relief at finding her here written clearly on his face as he had searched everywhere around Elrond's house for her and thought she may have returned here. Then he saw the state she was in and wondered if he hadn't done more harm to her by convincing her to leave Boromir than what could've been done if she had stayed with him. He sat down on the bed beside her, his own heart aching when he saw what her bouts of crying had done to her. "Lilli, I am sorry."
"Do not be," she answered. "I ended things between us as I had wished, but never did I think my heart would be so destroyed. And I cannot ever return to him after what I have done." She laid her hand on his, but there was no warmth there to comfort him with. "And although I thought that maybe you and I had a chance together, I know now that there is nothing there except friendship as I can never love another as I have loved him."
He fought against the tears that welled in his eyes as he realized that he had destroyed the very thing in her that he had loved. The fiery passion she had lived life with had been snuffed out to leave a mere shadow of what it once was. And although she had said differently, he knew that he had a small part to blame as well as he had placed the doubts in her that had led up to this. "What will you do now?" he whispered.
She shrugged as she removed her hand from his. "I think it is time for me to leave for Lorien. I cannot remain here if he stays as it will only be more salt added to the wound."
He wished she would not leave as the scouts still had not returned, but he couldn't stop her from doing what she felt was best for her. "Just please be careful," he said. "Perhaps we will see each other soon."
She smiled. "Perhaps," she replied, sliding off the bed and beginning to gather what few things she had. She heard footsteps suddenly stop at her doorway, and she turned to see Frodo standing there, his eyes wide.
"You're leaving?" he asked.
Remembering he wasn't supposed to be so close to her ring, she stepped outside. "Yes, Frodo, I am," she answered.
"But you haven't said goodbye to the others," he protested.
She knelt down in front of him. "You can tell them for me as I wish to leave as soon as possible."
"But I thought that you and--"
"Frodo, my heart is too broken to be mended by another. I am sorry."
He looked solemnly into her eyes as he saw for himself that she was no longer who she once was. "I'm sorry, too," he said then hugged her, tears coming to his eyes. "I never wanted this to happen, Lilli," he whispered. "All I wanted was for you to be happy."
Her eyes filled with tears although she had believed them gone. "I know, my friend. And I thought I could, but parting from him hurt me more than I thought possible." Then she drew back away from him, brushing the tears away that had fallen down his cheeks. "I wish you luck on your journey, my friend. Perhaps Legolas will be right and we will see each other again."
He smiled and it was like the sun coming from behind the clouds. "I will count the days until then."
"And I shall wait there until I see you again, if the path you take passes by Lorien."
Satisfied by this, he left her alone with Legolas to finish her packing, not that there were many things for her to take as she had come here with only a few things in her possession. They walked together in the moonlight to the stables which weren't far from Elrond's house where the feasting was still going on, and she gazed at it with an almost audible sigh of longing as she wished she could tell everyone farewell. But if she took the time, she knew she would be here well into the morning as they would all try to get her to stay a little longer.
She selected a mount from the many that were housed in the stables and took the time to fit a saddle to it while Legolas left for a moment. She heard a familiar greeting from the stall next to her and stepped over to see Boromir's horse sticking out its nose to her, and she returned the greeting by rubbing its soft nose. The horse's scent carried to her on a stray breeze, evoking memories of how Boromir smelled when he returned from a leisurely ride, and she fought against yet another bout of tears that threatened to overtake her.
She was saved by the return of Legolas bearing her a full quiver of arrows as well as a package filled with provisions she would need on her way to Lorien. "I wish I could come with you on your journey, but since I cannot I will give you a small piece of advice. When you come to the High Pass it is best to travel by night as there are goblins in the area and they will no doubt be patrolling their territories at night, although I ran across few on my way here."
She smiled. "Thank you, Legolas, for everything. I only wish I could do more for you."
"Just get to Lorien safely, that's all I ask."
They embraced then, holding each other tightly, then walked out from the stables where he stayed with her until they reached the edges of Rivendell where she disappeared into the darkness and didn't look back from her eastward course. Legolas watched her until she disappeared from his sight and only then did he turn to walk back the way he had come, his heart heavy with sorrow.
With the dawn came the emergence of Boromir's good sense, and he cursed himself a fool a thousand times over for letting Lillisandra go like that without at least fighting for what they meant to each other. And so he set out on a search for her as he looked everywhere he could think to look and couldn't find her, hoping all the while that she hadn't left after he had seen her room empty of her belongings. But deep down he knew that she had left and hadn't even bothered to say farewell to him before leaving, although he couldn't blame her for not doing so after last night.
Then his luck took a turn for the better as he came across Legolas during his search, and he knew that if anyone knew where she was he surely would. The elven prince, however, already knew for whom he searched.
"What do you mean she's gone?" he exploded.
"I meant exactly what I said. She's on her way to Lorien as she left last night shortly after..." He stopped then a light of contempt came into his eyes. "Well you know better than I about what happened between you both last night."
He fought to keep a firm hold on his temper. "I realize that I am partially to blame for this," he began.
"Partially?" Legolas scoffed. "I would say that the blame is all yours. Did you really expect her to hang around while you made up your mind as to whether she deserved to receive your full attention or not?"
"I am fully aware of how she felt about me in regards to the ring," he returned. "I was seeking her out to let her know that from now on I am forsaking any temptation the ring might throw at me. And I have kicked myself a dozen times for letting the ring keep me from seeing how much she meant to me."
"As if you could ever lose sight of that if you truly loved her? The ring is by no means a good enough excuse for ripping out her heart like you did--"
"She was the one who felt the need to end it, not I!" Boromir's enraged voice echoed through the trees.
"Legolas! Boromir!" a voice cracked at them. "Stop this right now!"
Both turned to see Gandalf approaching them. "Fighting with each other won't bring her back. She chose to leave on her own and it is probably a good idea that she did so as she will need all the time she can afford to become accustomed to Elenya's power once it is fully awakened.
"Legolas, you are being a little too harsh where Boromir is concerned as the race of men has always been more susceptible to the One Ring than elves have so it is quite understandable that it would have come between them and eventually caused them to part from one another. I have come to believe that in time the ring would've eventually caused Boromir to try and keep her from coming to Lorien, which is another reason why I am glad she left when she did."
Boromir was disturbed at this. "If you are suggesting what I think you are, you are mad indeed. Never would I do anything to harm her."
"I am sure you wouldn't," he assured him. "But through you the ring will do whatever it can to keep from being destroyed, even if it means killing the person you love." He stared thoughtfully at Boromir for a moment. "Tell me, have you heard voices tell you things that will turn you against her?"
He nodded. "I have. Just last night."
Gandalf nodded. "That was only the beginning. If you had remained together then it would've kept up the pressure on you until you were filled with an unreasoning hatred, and what's worse you would have no idea where it was coming from."
Boromir became quiet as he suddenly realized how dangerous he had become to her, and he was glad that things had happened the way they had before he had become even more out of control.
*********************
*dodges flying garbage and anything else readers throw* Just wait until she meets up with them in Lorien, as you know she will! Then it's anybody's guess who she stays with as even she can't make up her mind! Or is something influencing her feelings? Hmm... Keep reading and find out! And please review!
