Author's note: Thanks for the reviews everyone! Sorry this has taken so long, but there two reasons why. One, my darn cable keeps going out except for certain times, so I have a small window of opportunity to do this. It's enough to make you want to go back to dial-up. :p
Secondly, from here on out, I will be writing this as I go along. Before I had already had it written, but now it's fresh from my mind so I apologize if there's a difference in style or whatever. Hope you enjoy!
Elenya by Shelly
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
The remaining members of the fellowship helped carry the remaining boat down the North Stair to the foot of the falls where she would resume her journey from there. She said her goodbyes to Gimli then Aragorn next as they embraced as friends. "Perhaps I will see you soon in Minas Tirith," she said as she stood back from him.
"I hope so," he replied. "Who knows what will happen from here?"
She nodded her agreement. "Just be careful, my friend. I do not wish for Arwen to go through the same pain that I have."
He smiled sadly. "I am sorry, Lilli," he whispered. "I know you both loved each other very much. In all my years, never have I seen a love as strong as the one you both shared."
She returned his smile then shared one last embrace before they parted, leaving only Legolas to say her farewells to. She approached him slowly as she had had plenty of time to think upon her words to him from earlier and now regretted what she had said. The last thing she had ever wanted to do to him was hurt him and she had done just that with a few words. She laid her hand on his arm and he looked into her eyes where she saw for herself how much he still loved her. "Legolas," she began, "I wanted to apologize for the things I said earlier. I vowed to myself never to hurt you, but I did."
She quieted as he held a finger to her lips then touched her cheek. "Do not apologize," he whispered. "We all do what we must to protect those we love, and I know you worry about Silmarion."
"I do, but that still doesn't excuse me from hurting someone I care about very much."
He gazed into her eyes for what seemed like forever then reached out to pull her into his arms, the feel of her bringing back memories of when he thought they had been happy together. Little did he know that she was having the same thoughts about when they had been together, and when she pulled away she did so only far enough for her to stay within the circle of his arms.
"I am sorry that we never got the chance to talk longer that night. I felt so bad for hurting you like I did, especially after all that we had shared in our short time together. I just want to make sure you know that I do love you, only not in the same way."
"You do not need to explain anything to me," he replied. "Over the past few days, I had gotten a glimpse of the intensity of the love you had for him. And I know now that I never stood a chance of living up to that kind of love. I believe that you were both born to be together."
She smiled. "Only now that can never be," she sighed. "I hope to see you all soon in good health, though, whenever our paths happen to cross again."
"I believe they will," he replied, smiling as he brushed away a strand of hair that had blown across her face. "Even if they didn't I would still make an effort to come see you."
Her smile faded slowly as she tilted her head up to join their lips together in a soft kiss, his arms holding her close against him. They broke apart and rested their foreheads against one another's, she wondering why she had done that when her heart still ached over the loss of her beloved. "I will miss you, Legolas," she whispered.
"As will I," he answered. "Very much." Then he released her to step back from her before things progressed any further. "I wish you a safe journey."
"You, also," she replied.
Lillisandra watched from her boat as the three companions ascended the North Stair to find the orcs that had taken Merry and Pippin. She was worried for them as well as Frodo and Sam for their journey was by far the most dangerous. But then she turned her eyes towards the south and Minas Tirith where she would take up the rest of her journey on land.
After about an hour had passed, she saw on the riverbank a boat that looked exactly like the one she was in, and her first thought was that it may have been Frodo's boat that had been washed ahead of hers. But she was certain that she had seen it on the opposite shore where they had left it, and she directed her boat over to the other one, pulling up alongside it and risking a glance inside, her eyes widening at what she saw.
It was Boromir's funeral boat, only he wasn't in it. However, all his gear they had sent with him was still in there, and she wondered what was going on. Better yet to ask who would do such a thing.
Stepping out of her boat, she pulled it far enough onto the bank to ensure it didn't float away and quietly made her way inland towards the treeline, keeping an eye peeled for any sudden movement around her that might signal an ambush. She knew that if Legolas or Aragorn were here, she would receive a thorough tongue-lashing from them on being so careless as to investigate something on her own when danger lurked so near.
Once under cover of the trees, she stopped and looked around for any signs that might tell her the enemy was near, but a flash of sunlight on white clothing caught her attention quick enough, and she made her way towards the source. Her footsteps were quiet on the forest floor, and she was thankful for the pine needles which helped to soften them as she kept her breathing steady and soft, trying her best to calm the beating of her heart.
Soon she was near enough to see what it was, and she was surprised to see that it was actually someone dressed all in white. It was obvious they were doing something as they were moving about and her sensitive ears could pick out whispered words, but she couldn't tell what was being said as she had never heard the language before in her life.
Creeping closer, she drew her dagger and approached the figure as she watched it for any sign of movement, her breathing stilled as she was ready just in case. The person sat up straight as if becoming aware of her approach, and she stopped in her tracks, wondering if they had heard her and how when she had been so careful.
"I see you have finally made it, Lillisandra," the figure spoke in a male voice, one that spoke of the wisdom and patience he had learned during his many years in Middle-Earth.
She thought the voice sounded familiar but refused to think of who it belonged to as he was supposed to be dead, not sitting here in front of her like he had been anticipating her arrival. But when he turned his head towards her, she gasped as she finally saw it was who she thought it was, and she fell to her knees on the ground in complete shock and disbelief. "Gandalf? But you--Frodo said you--"
His gentle smile silenced her. "I know, Lilli. Let's just say that I didn't die but was instead reawakened to who I once was a long time ago."
Her eyes widened as she had heard from her father of who he suspected Gandalf to be. "Olorin?" she breathed, unable to even think that the Gandalf she had known for many years was actually one of the Maiar that lived in the West so long ago.
He chuckled. "That's between you and me," he said, suddenly becoming serious. "Our time grows short, Lilli, and there's much to be done if Sauron is to be defeated. There is something you must do, and only you can do it if you have the strength."
"What is it?" she asked, his words confusing her.
"It seems fate has brought you a guardian, if you would take him," he replied.
Her eyebrows narrowed close together. "What do you mean?"
"If you would come closer and look, you will understand what I speak of," he said.
She swallowed deeply and slowly drew closer, nervous for some reason and not knowing why. But as she stepped to his side, her eyes widened once more and her hand flew up to cover her mouth after seeing what lie before her.
It was Boromir lying on the ground with his back propped up by the tree behind him, and no longer was he so pale as she remembered. In fact she could see the rise and fall of his chest well enough, and she almost fainted on the spot as she breathed quickly to try and regain control of herself. But it was hard after seeing someone who she had seen die in her arms breathing like a living being, and when she touched his hand it was warm to the touch. "Oh, Boromir," she whispered as tears once again fell from her cheeks.
*****************
Ahhhh!!!!! Boromir isn't dead? Shelly, that is the most blatant blasphemy you can do to Tolkein's work! Oh well, Dwen did it, so can I! Hee-hee! Love the fic, by the way, Dwen! And thanks for reading everyone!
Secondly, from here on out, I will be writing this as I go along. Before I had already had it written, but now it's fresh from my mind so I apologize if there's a difference in style or whatever. Hope you enjoy!
Elenya by Shelly
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
The remaining members of the fellowship helped carry the remaining boat down the North Stair to the foot of the falls where she would resume her journey from there. She said her goodbyes to Gimli then Aragorn next as they embraced as friends. "Perhaps I will see you soon in Minas Tirith," she said as she stood back from him.
"I hope so," he replied. "Who knows what will happen from here?"
She nodded her agreement. "Just be careful, my friend. I do not wish for Arwen to go through the same pain that I have."
He smiled sadly. "I am sorry, Lilli," he whispered. "I know you both loved each other very much. In all my years, never have I seen a love as strong as the one you both shared."
She returned his smile then shared one last embrace before they parted, leaving only Legolas to say her farewells to. She approached him slowly as she had had plenty of time to think upon her words to him from earlier and now regretted what she had said. The last thing she had ever wanted to do to him was hurt him and she had done just that with a few words. She laid her hand on his arm and he looked into her eyes where she saw for herself how much he still loved her. "Legolas," she began, "I wanted to apologize for the things I said earlier. I vowed to myself never to hurt you, but I did."
She quieted as he held a finger to her lips then touched her cheek. "Do not apologize," he whispered. "We all do what we must to protect those we love, and I know you worry about Silmarion."
"I do, but that still doesn't excuse me from hurting someone I care about very much."
He gazed into her eyes for what seemed like forever then reached out to pull her into his arms, the feel of her bringing back memories of when he thought they had been happy together. Little did he know that she was having the same thoughts about when they had been together, and when she pulled away she did so only far enough for her to stay within the circle of his arms.
"I am sorry that we never got the chance to talk longer that night. I felt so bad for hurting you like I did, especially after all that we had shared in our short time together. I just want to make sure you know that I do love you, only not in the same way."
"You do not need to explain anything to me," he replied. "Over the past few days, I had gotten a glimpse of the intensity of the love you had for him. And I know now that I never stood a chance of living up to that kind of love. I believe that you were both born to be together."
She smiled. "Only now that can never be," she sighed. "I hope to see you all soon in good health, though, whenever our paths happen to cross again."
"I believe they will," he replied, smiling as he brushed away a strand of hair that had blown across her face. "Even if they didn't I would still make an effort to come see you."
Her smile faded slowly as she tilted her head up to join their lips together in a soft kiss, his arms holding her close against him. They broke apart and rested their foreheads against one another's, she wondering why she had done that when her heart still ached over the loss of her beloved. "I will miss you, Legolas," she whispered.
"As will I," he answered. "Very much." Then he released her to step back from her before things progressed any further. "I wish you a safe journey."
"You, also," she replied.
Lillisandra watched from her boat as the three companions ascended the North Stair to find the orcs that had taken Merry and Pippin. She was worried for them as well as Frodo and Sam for their journey was by far the most dangerous. But then she turned her eyes towards the south and Minas Tirith where she would take up the rest of her journey on land.
After about an hour had passed, she saw on the riverbank a boat that looked exactly like the one she was in, and her first thought was that it may have been Frodo's boat that had been washed ahead of hers. But she was certain that she had seen it on the opposite shore where they had left it, and she directed her boat over to the other one, pulling up alongside it and risking a glance inside, her eyes widening at what she saw.
It was Boromir's funeral boat, only he wasn't in it. However, all his gear they had sent with him was still in there, and she wondered what was going on. Better yet to ask who would do such a thing.
Stepping out of her boat, she pulled it far enough onto the bank to ensure it didn't float away and quietly made her way inland towards the treeline, keeping an eye peeled for any sudden movement around her that might signal an ambush. She knew that if Legolas or Aragorn were here, she would receive a thorough tongue-lashing from them on being so careless as to investigate something on her own when danger lurked so near.
Once under cover of the trees, she stopped and looked around for any signs that might tell her the enemy was near, but a flash of sunlight on white clothing caught her attention quick enough, and she made her way towards the source. Her footsteps were quiet on the forest floor, and she was thankful for the pine needles which helped to soften them as she kept her breathing steady and soft, trying her best to calm the beating of her heart.
Soon she was near enough to see what it was, and she was surprised to see that it was actually someone dressed all in white. It was obvious they were doing something as they were moving about and her sensitive ears could pick out whispered words, but she couldn't tell what was being said as she had never heard the language before in her life.
Creeping closer, she drew her dagger and approached the figure as she watched it for any sign of movement, her breathing stilled as she was ready just in case. The person sat up straight as if becoming aware of her approach, and she stopped in her tracks, wondering if they had heard her and how when she had been so careful.
"I see you have finally made it, Lillisandra," the figure spoke in a male voice, one that spoke of the wisdom and patience he had learned during his many years in Middle-Earth.
She thought the voice sounded familiar but refused to think of who it belonged to as he was supposed to be dead, not sitting here in front of her like he had been anticipating her arrival. But when he turned his head towards her, she gasped as she finally saw it was who she thought it was, and she fell to her knees on the ground in complete shock and disbelief. "Gandalf? But you--Frodo said you--"
His gentle smile silenced her. "I know, Lilli. Let's just say that I didn't die but was instead reawakened to who I once was a long time ago."
Her eyes widened as she had heard from her father of who he suspected Gandalf to be. "Olorin?" she breathed, unable to even think that the Gandalf she had known for many years was actually one of the Maiar that lived in the West so long ago.
He chuckled. "That's between you and me," he said, suddenly becoming serious. "Our time grows short, Lilli, and there's much to be done if Sauron is to be defeated. There is something you must do, and only you can do it if you have the strength."
"What is it?" she asked, his words confusing her.
"It seems fate has brought you a guardian, if you would take him," he replied.
Her eyebrows narrowed close together. "What do you mean?"
"If you would come closer and look, you will understand what I speak of," he said.
She swallowed deeply and slowly drew closer, nervous for some reason and not knowing why. But as she stepped to his side, her eyes widened once more and her hand flew up to cover her mouth after seeing what lie before her.
It was Boromir lying on the ground with his back propped up by the tree behind him, and no longer was he so pale as she remembered. In fact she could see the rise and fall of his chest well enough, and she almost fainted on the spot as she breathed quickly to try and regain control of herself. But it was hard after seeing someone who she had seen die in her arms breathing like a living being, and when she touched his hand it was warm to the touch. "Oh, Boromir," she whispered as tears once again fell from her cheeks.
*****************
Ahhhh!!!!! Boromir isn't dead? Shelly, that is the most blatant blasphemy you can do to Tolkein's work! Oh well, Dwen did it, so can I! Hee-hee! Love the fic, by the way, Dwen! And thanks for reading everyone!
