DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of Tolkien's characters…..
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The song lyrics are from Michelle Branch's "Here with Me" and "I'll stand by you" by the Pretenders…
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ALIYA
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I know you had to go away
I died just a little
And I feel it now
You're the one I need
I believe that I
Would cry just a little
Just to have you back now
Here with me
~~~
The borders of Lothlorien were no place for a disheveled, weak, disheartened young woman, and that's what I was. But I had nowhere else to go. This was the only other home I knew.
My dazed mind did not realize that none of the border patrols stopped my entrance to the forest, even though my appearance was less than acceptable.
My once braid hair was now matted and a mess. My dress was far from resembling the white color it once did, and the black cloak Legolas has given me had its fair share of mud on it. My eyes were ashen from no rest and my body, starved.
For only a fleeting second I wondered what the Lady Galadriel would think, but the thought left my mind as I came down a hill overlooking the Silver-Gold city of Lothlorien, its Malleron leaves yellow and falling and it's gardens in bloom for the end of the summer months.
I sighed, leading my horse down and into the City's center courtyard. A young Elven woman there greeted me, and took the reigns of my horse while helping me shakily down from my horse. I wondered then where I would find my mentor, the Lady, but it seems that she had found me.
"Welcome Home, daughter…" came a voice from behind. Her voice.
I spun, trembling, and looked into her sky-blue eyes. Her whole body seemed to glow gold, illuminated my the single candle she held in her right hand. With her left she beckoned for me to come to her and I did.
She brought me into a soft embrace and comforted me as I cried. Finally, I pulled away from her, and she smiled.
"Come…" she said, turning up the stairs behind, and leading me to a small room at the top of the tree roots. It was her room, one of them anyways.
"Where are we going, Lady?" I said, my voice choked with sobs.
She did not answer, she only walked through the arched doorway into the darkened room and I followed.
The candle did not light the large space, on the contrary, much was still in the shadows. The Lady only gazed at me, and when she finally spoke, breaking my sorrowful thoughts, her voice was low and comforting.
"Tell me, Aliya." she asked, "Tell me what brings you back to me so broken and unhappy. I see you though. There is a dark spot on your heart, much like there was when you first came to my home. Why?"
I remained silent for a moment. It seemed there was something she was not mentioning. Something else, but I could not place it.
It took all of my strength to finally speak to her. It seemed that my voice was changed. I had not heard it in so long. The words came out sullen, in between tears.
"I did what you told me not to, Lady…" I said, my chest heaving, "I reached too high. I reached too high and I fell again. I really tried. I thought that I could succeed, but I was wrong. I was so very wrong…and I did not listen. I did not listen to you or Thranduil or Legolas. I was careless. I let you down. I let them down…"
She shook her head, her lips tight, and said, with an air of understanding and acceptance,
"Someone very wise once said 'The wise gain wisdom on their own paths…they cannot give it to others, they can only direct them to the path of wisdom…' Nobody can tell you what will happen. You have to find that out yourself, through good and bad, be that as it may."
"I gained no wisdom, only failure." I replied, feeling her words pierce my heart. Thranduil had said that to me before, "Because of my foolishness, people have died! And more will. I have let down those I love. I have paid the price."
"For what, My Dear?" she questioned, raising her eyebrows.
I backed away against the wall, my voice shaking, "For trusting. For loving. Nothing should have ever happened. I should have died. Maybe if I had, none of this would have happened. I let down Legolas. I betrayed his love. He tried so hard, and so did I, but it was not meant to be. I wish we had never met."
She looked at me with sorrowful eyes. Her lips moved as though she was about to speak, but she was cut off.
"I hope you don't mean what you say." came a quiet voice from the shadows, "For it would pain me to see that you wish not to have my love…"
It was Legolas.
I felt my head spin and my breathing tighten. How had he gotten here? What was he doing here?
"Legolas…" I murmured, looking away from his blazing eyes. By the light of the candle I knew he had been crying. I knew why he had come. And I wanted him away.
"Aliya…" he said, coming forward, "Why do you say such things? My life would be empty without you. It would be nothing. You are what I have to live for. I couldn't let you go. Not again. Never again."
"You know what you are doing?" I asked quietly, "You know that if you are with me, you will be an exile. I am a murderer in your land, Legolas! I can never go back. And neither can you."
"I would rather live my life with you, alone, than have an entire Kingdom to myself. I will never love another. I love you." His words bit into me like that of Galadriel's.
"Why do you love me?" I asked, although I did not know where the question came from. I just wanted to know, I wanted to hear him not be able to answer.
He hesitated just a moment, but then his words came, and they did not waver, "I could not live without you. You were there for me when no others were, when no others could be. You listened, you spoke. I love you for you, for how unique you are. How strong. How fragile. I could love you like I loved, and never will love another. I can never leave you."
I was surprised at his answer to my absurd question. I was overwhelmed to know that he could say that. That it was true.
"Please," he said, coming to me. He stopped short of my trembling body, "Please. Let me love you. Let me have you…"
~~~
Oh, why you look so sad?
Tears are in your eyes
Come on and come to me now
Don't be ashamed to cry
Let me see you through
Because I've seen the dark side too
When the night falls on you
You don't know what to do
Nothing you confess
Could make me love you less
I'll stand by you
~~~
I looked at the Lady Galadriel over Legolas's shoulder. She was smiling, the candle still casting a soft glow on her face. She nodded her head to me, giving me confidence.
I stepped forward, only slightly, just enough to stand directly in front of Legolas. I did not have time to look at him, though, for he pulled me into an embrace and would not let me go. I noticed he was crying. It was something I had almost never seen him do. I was crying as well.
"I love you so much, Aliya…" he crooned, "I always will, no matter what…"
"And I you…" I whispered back, resting my head against his chest, "Legolas, you gave your life for me… You can never have it back… why?"
"What is life without love?" he said, cradling me tighter.
"Nothing…" I answered, knowing it was true. As hard as I might have tried, I could not have lived without him.
"Aliya?" Legolas said, and I pulled away to look him in the eye, "Will you be my wife?"
I smiled, the first time in a while, "Do you even have to ask?" I said softly, and he pulled me back against his chest.
We were together. Forever.
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NOT THE END!!!!!! MORE COMING!!!!!!! REVIEW!!!!!!!!!
