Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds or bends with the remover to remove.

-------William Shakespeare.

Chapter 11: Truth Hurts

Galadriel could feel her heart break as she saw the dismayed eyes of Legolas ere he fled. She knew perfectly well how shocked and disgusted he was after he listened to the story. It pained her to such extent she could no longer fight it and she mourned whilst she was in Limiel's embrace.

Limiel felt Galadriel slightly trembling and knew that she desperately hid her tears, for the one who was the closest and dearest to her among them had left her. Limiel threw a meaningful gaze at Aeglos who nodded in agreement, and ran to the wood to find Legolas. She sighed softly, for she did not know what to say and do. Though she had comforted many people, she had never encountered any High Elves with such wisdom and strength in such a vulnerable state. Limiel felt guilty, as she was the one who urged Galadriel to reveal her secret.

Galadriel noticed her thought and broke apart from her embrace and smiled sweetly at her. "Do not trouble yourself by guilt, Limiel. This is not your fault."

Limiel replied regretfully, "If I didn't advise Aeglos to question you, Legolas would not have judged you ill, Lady Galadriel."

"It is good that he finally comes to know me as who I am, and he is free to react as he thinks best. And please call me muinthel as always, Limiel. I am still the Lady Nerwen you used to know, and I really wish nothing I disclosed would hinder our friendship. You are as dear as a sister, or even a daughter to me."

Limiel smiled comfortingly and said, "Don't worry muinthel, I haven't found any reason which make me dislike you, and if this is the worst of you then I don't think I will ever dislike you."

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"Legolas! Legolas!" Aeglos had spent hours searching for him in vain. He had known that any attempt to look for a Wood-Elf who didn't wish to be found in his most familiar forest was a futile task, and it had not been proven otherwise. He wondered why he had even yielded to Limiel's silent order, but then, he trusted his beloved's judgment deeply, even more than his own.

"In here, Aeglos," Aeglos startled as the voice came unexpectedly. He looked up and found that his youngest brother was sitting on a high branch above him. 'Alas!' he cursed. 'Don't call me Warrior of Mirkwood for I cannot even spot my brother above me.'

He climbed the tree and sat beside his brother who was chewing a blade of grass absentmindedly. "Why did you run?" he asked softly.

"I don't know, muindor. I think I am disappointed in Lady Galadriel's explanation of herself, though I should have known it as she had warned me many times before about her flawed past. I used to think I was ready to hear anything and still love her, but now…I really don't know." He turned to Aeglos and his eyes shone with his desperation. "Please give me your counsel over this matter, elder brother."

Aeglos answered, "Why do you ask me? Older I am, but not wiser. Even an Elf maid can surpass my understanding. Alas! Mirkwood is doomed for having us as Princes."

"It might be, it might be not. But that is not what I am thinking about. I need someone's advice, Aeglos, or I'll go mad."

Aeglos looked at Legolas' eyes probingly ere he replied, "For good or ill Langolin's words should have been enough to warn us about her, and you said she has given you hints of her imperfect past. Still you choose to fall in love with her, a very stupid thing to do in my opinion. And now, after you heard the truth, you run. I don't like the Lady, at least not in the way you do, but I think you are being irresponsible to your own choice and inconsiderate to her. She was crying after you left."

Legolas looked down as he felt shame creep in, but he hadn't let go of his defense. "Why should she cry? She doesn't even love me."

Aeglos shrugged, "Who can tell? But even an unwise one like me could see her affection for you. Please little brother! Spare yourself from such self-denial. Do you truly expect her to be able to answer your infatuation? By the name of Valar, she is married and hundreds of centuries older than our father! Isn't it enough if she cares for you as a friend, or even a son?"

Legolas did not speak as he had guessed such answer would come. He could no longer deny the truth that he was being selfish. And by his childish attitude, he had caused Galadriel another pain, this time to the point of tears. "What must I do now?" he said slowly.

"I will go back. Limiel is waiting. As for you, you must decide on your own, but this time, choose responsibly." With the words, he turned from Legolas and climbed down from the tree, leaving Legolas with his own thoughts.

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