Part 7

Wow- thanks a million for all the reviews. I can't believe you're all liking this so much! Well, comments again:

Fancyface: Was? Past tense? Haha, I'm not done yet! And of course I will continue, I can't exactly say no to an extremely cute puppy face now can I?

Egyptianecho: Wonderful, my story? Wow, thank you. Me thinks you're getting a little impatient my dear- two reviews for the same chapter- hehe. It's not that addictive is it? You're not gonna start sufferin withdrawal symptoms when it finally ends are you?

Exoticman: aka Manda's imaginary friend, Hey! Ya caninta prata svenska, men yag forstore uten gren. Det erre un mickifint clocker! Well, come on, he is from Sweden! And if any of you are wondering, yes it is actually swedish, yes I am multi talented! Heh, nah grandparents lived there for a while.

All my lovely wintercherrys: I know I am completin the challenge. She set me a challenge and basically by the end of the story I have to make her fall in love with Leggy (stupid weirdo of a child isn't already). I also have to make her cry, which won't be hard.

*Just a quick announcement to make everyone squirm, the two people above, Wintercherry (Becky) and Exoticman (Manda) both know what's going to happen! Hehe- lol. Especially Wintercherry who knows this story inside out and still successfully manages to cry at it. Hehe, well I think it's funny anyway.

Midnight Daughter: Not forced? Ooh thanks; I happen to think that it is rather forced, but perhaps Wintercherry was right when she said that I see my story differently to everyone else. Okay, you just about made sense at the end there, the way my words were strung together, ho hum I think I understand. Rhiannon- is that your name? Cos if it is I might just nick it, that's a really beautiful name. Wanna switch- Alex ain't that bad really. okay I'll do you a deal, I'll switch my story for your name- is it a deal? :)

Okay, moving on. god really long comments section. My ass is stiff :p

Parting

*Please note this is not the morning after where the last chapter ended, it's a few days after- hope that makes sense. *

Legolas woke to the glare of the sun forcing its way through the bedroom window and into his face. He held up a hand to shield the rays, his stomach clenching forcefully as he realized what today was going to bring. He and the rest of the fellowship were due to leave at noon. The weight that had been lifted from his heart during sleep now returned with a painful thump. Soon he'd be gone, travelling ever further away from the one he loved and uncertain as to when he'd return. Which of course he was going to- Legolas had put up a strong mental block on the thought that troubled Fahrwen's mind greatly. He refused to accept the fact that he might not come back from his journey, it just wasn't an option.

He turned his gaze towards Fahrwen in an attempt to abolish the fear that was trying to break down his mind barrier. She lay next to him, her face an image of beauty and peace, free of the lines of worry that Legolas so often noticed these days. He lay looking at her for a long time, trying to insert every little detail into memory, for he knew that soon his powers of remembrance were going to be his food, his water- and the very air he breathed.

After some time, Fahrwen began to stir. Her eyes opened slowly, to find Legolas at her side, gazing at her lovingly. Legolas! Her heart jumped, waking up next to him was one of the things she now began to look forward to at night.

And while one was so happy, the other was the opposite. A sad smile had spread itself over Legolas' face- this was the last time he would see Fahrwen wake next to him, the last time he would see her face free of worry and her eyes shining with one of the many smiles that melted his heart.

Fahrwen could immediately detect the sadness and pain in her lover's eyes and as she realized why it was there, her face crushed. Her heart became instantly heavy- she longed to slip back into the world of dreams where she could forever hold Legolas close, for it felt almost a chore to be awake.

Legolas watched on painfully, he thought he might cry but then realized that no tears could express the sick, empty feeling in his heart. Fahrwen was also on the brink of crying, but a promise she had made to herself the night before, when watching Legolas drift into sleep, entered her mind.

'I will try with everything that I am to be strong for him. I don't want him to leave me sobbing like a housewife, I want him to leave me knowing that I love him and will be perfectly fine here whilst he is gone.'

She took a deep refreshing breath. I can do this, she thought.

*

*Later on*

(A/N- this probably doesn't match up to the way they left in the book, but hey, Leggy doesn't have a lover in the book so I don't suppose it matters).

Legolas seated himself towards the middle of the long table, opposite Fahrwen. It was time for the great feast, the feast before the departure. Many different types of food- meats, vegetables, elven specialties none had ever seen before- were laid out in front of him. It all looked so wonderful and yet he was sure that not much of it was going to be eaten. Not even Pippin, who's stomach was infamous around Rivendell, had taken much.

Elrond looked on at his guests, most were pale and anxious. The veil of worry mixed with fear was settling quickly over all. Hobbits, dwarves, men, elves and wizards were united- bound by the fear of the ring and the consequences of failing their task. As soon as the feast was finished, the nine would set out to begin the journey that would either end their lives, or end the darkness. The shadow that reigned supreme where terror and pain were concerned, the spirit of malice, greed, corruption, torture and above all, power rolled into one being.

Elrond's eyes scanned the crowd in front of him for the nine. They were seated together, Gandalf nearest him followed by Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and the hobbits. Their faces mirrors of each other, for they all showed the weight that was carried upon their hearts. Yet some were a little less pained, all hobbits- except Frodo- seemed a little more hopeful than the rest. Most probably due to lack of understanding, Elrond thought to himself, they probably do not see what is before them. Though they soon will.

Elrond was also sad for Aragorn and Legolas, for he of course knew the love that Aragorn shared with his daughter, and guessed it caused him much hurt to leave her. The same for Legolas, he had watched over the past months as love had blossomed, and he hoped with all his heart that the pain of separating would not be too great for the man and elf to bear.

* Legolas stepped out into the hazy sunshine that fell upon the gardens of Rivendell, normally the sight of everything glowing and golden would have lifted his heart. But not today, today it seemed that every movement was hard, for the burden on his shoulders was weighing him down. And he was about to face the toughest challenge of them all, saying goodbye. The time had come, the time that he had been dreading ever since he had realized he was in love with Fahrwen, though it had only been at the very back of his mind at the time.

Everyone around him was feeling the same pain; he could feel it for the air was thick with tension. Yet he could not imagine that any of them, except perhaps Aragorn, were experiencing the immense ache that engrossed his body. His eyes stung with tears and he wasn't even looking at Fahrwen (who was standing quietly by his side), he was trying to avoid it, for he knew that when he did look at her- his love, his shining star- the tears would come. He was about to turn towards her, when he spotted Elrond walking towards them.

Legolas bowed his head in respect. Elrond smiled sadly at him.

"Good luck, master elf. May your burden not be too heavy." Then he leant forward and whispered in his ear,

"She is staying here with Arwen, do not worry for her, she is strong and will cope." He then moved on to someone else.

Legolas knew of whom he spoke of, and although it was meant to ease his pain, it did not. He finally turned towards Fahrwen, his stomach tightening and his heart painfully jolting as his eyes rested on the one he loved so dearly. She was not looking at him; she was regarding Elrond's talk with Aragorn, trying to prepare herself for the parting that could easily be the last time she'd ever speak with Legolas.

She turned to face him. No words can describe the feeling that pulsed through their veins as their blue eyes met. Pain, fear, anxiety, love, and above all, immense sadness coursed through them. Weakening them to the point where they almost collapsed into one another as Legolas put his arms around her. They clutched onto each other as if they would never let go, the pain of separating radiated from them in waves, effecting strongly all that looked upon them. Tears streamed down both faces, despite Fahrwen's promise to herself. She had known that her resolution would fail as soon as she stepped outside. The fear of losing the one thing that had made her happier than anyone could have ever imagined, was too hard to bottle up, even for an elf- who was supposedly the strongest being in the whole of Middle Earth. Also the most unlucky perhaps in this circumstance, for elves feel their emotions much stronger than other beings, and as the world is balanced- darkness where there is light, night where there is day, so there is immense pain where there is immense happiness.

Every emotion the two had ever experienced with each other- wonder when they first met, the fire when they had first kissed, love- stronger than anything they had ever come across when they looked in each others eyes. Passion in those long nights they had spent together.all of this swirled round in their heads. They were caught in a painful world of their own, holding each other with as much strength as they could muster, Legolas already felt as though he had travelled to Mordor and back. The pain that had overcome him had exhausted what little strength he had to start off with.

All had finished saying their good-byes and were watching on as the most difficult sacrifice ever to be made was being carried out. Many were tearful, some looked away as it was too awful to even watch, Aragorn thought his parting felt terrible, he couldn't even imagine what the other couple were going through.

Finally, after what seemed like centuries, they pulled away from each other. Legolas leant forward and kissed Fahrwen on the forehead, more tears escaped her as she thought of the time that lay ahead of her, without Legolas.

Their lips met for what they both knew would be their final kiss, and into this kiss they poured their love, their passion, their trust and every ounce of happiness they had ever experienced with each other.

"I love you," Legolas said softly, "more than anything else in the world, and I'll be back before you know it. Wait for me."

"I love you too."

They both knew there was nothing else left to say.

Legolas gently let go of her hand and began walking away, the hardest steps he would ever have to take. His legs felt like lead and his face stung as the wind caught the tracks his tears had made. More tears fell but he did not look back, for if he did, he knew he would not be able to leave.

Aragorn walked towards him,

"She'll be okay. She's strong." He said gently.

Legolas could do nothing but nod, and as the party began to take the first steps of their journey, he felt his heart being wrenched from his body and dropped at Fahrwen's feet. He trusted her to keep it safe till he returned.

Fahrwen watched his back as he walked slowly away from her, walking away and taking her heart with him. Safe in his keeping until the day of return.

*

That night a lady elf was lying in her bed, holding a gold and ruby necklace and crying herself to sleep. And somewhere else far away, an elf was lying on the ground trying to sleep, but failing, feeling lost, empty, and with tiny tears escaping his eyes.

*Somewhere there's someone who dreams of your smile, and finds in your presence that life is worthwhile, so when you are lonely remember its true, somebody somewhere is dreaming of you. *

*