By the time Aidyn got to where she was going darkness had fallen. She had
come to her favorite spot in all of Kalwood. The giant weeping willow. It
sat alone in the middle of the forest surrounded by nothing. The long
branches touched the ground and the leaves were many. On the outside of
the tree you could tell it was very old and had seen its share of history.
Stepping through the leaves and branches like a curtain was always like stepping into another world for Aidyn. Behind the secrecy of it's branches the willow held many things. White roses grew at the bottom of the tree and fireflies created light during the nighttime hours for those who decided to step inside. It was always breathtaking for Aidyn. And this was her place when she needed to think. The willow usually calmed her, but anger and sadness remained.
"Why must things be this way?" she yelled! "WHY? What did I do to deserve this? How could you send me someone who despises my kind? How could you let me fall in love with someone who could never love me?" Aidyn had no idea who she was yelling at. She didn't care at this point either. Nothing mattered anymore. As much as she tried to harden her heart against Legolas, nothing would work.
Aidyn took her bow that she had still been carrying when she had run from Legolas and broke it in half. The breaking of her arrows followed that. All the aggravation, frustration, anger, sadness, and heartache boiled over and Aidyn screamed at the top of her lungs. The birds and animals that had entered the safety of the weeping willow scattered and ran away. After what seemed like forever, Aidyn fell to her knees and began sobbing uncontrollably. Eventually she cried herself to sleep.
When Aidyn awoke she thought it would be morning, but it wasn't. She figured she hadn't slept that long and that she had better get home to the palace before anyone noticed she was gone.
Quietly she crept back into the castle. She passed Aragorn and Arwen's room hoping they didn't hear her and to her relief they did not. Next, she was about to walk by Legolas' room, but instead stopped right in front of his door. Oh, how she wanted to be wrapped up in his arms and give herself to him. Without realizing it she lifted her hand to knock, but caught herself before her hand made contact with the door. Aidyn quickly walked to her room and noticed that her door was already open.
"Hello?" she called.
"It's just me darling," Queen Niere's voice said from the darkness.
"Mother, you scared me. What are you doing up?" Aidyn asked lighting some candles.
"I should ask you the same question, my daughter," Niere replied. She stood up and lit the fireplace.
"I went to the weeping willow and fell asleep. I hope I did not worry you. If I did, I am very sorry."
"It's quite alright child. I came to speak with you because something is troubling your heart. I can see it."
"Yes, something does trouble my heart. More than I can bear anymore. I feel that I am slow dying inside."
Niere stroked her daughter's cheek, "Do not say such things. Come sit by the fire and tell me what ails you."
Sighing heavily, Aidyn did as her mother said. "I am in love mother."
Smiling Niere nodded for Aidyn to continue.
"He has captured my heart and I am afraid that he has given me his as well. But nothing could ever come of it. He knows not of my heritage and if he did, I know that he would consider me a monster. I keep trying to push him away, but it hurts so much mother, it hurts so much," Aidyn said and tears fell for the second time that night.
"Oh my dear child," Niere whispered. Aidyn gently laid her head in Niere's lap and her mother played with her hair, "I am so sorry, but I think that you should give the Prince of Mirkwood a chance."
"You knew?" Aidyn said looking up.
"Of course. I could see it in your eyes. I know the traditions of Mirkwood, but I don't think Legolas will pass over love because of tradition. True, his father would prefer that, but Legolas is not his father Aidyn. I have seen the light in his eyes when he looks at you."
"Oh mother. I am so confused. I know not what to do."
"I have one important piece of advice to give you and that is to follow your heart. Loving someone means taking risks Aidyn, and giving your heart to someone whom you trust not to break it is a big risk."
Aidyn met Niere's gaze and she smiled. "I love you mother, very much. Thank you." Niere kissed Aidyn's forehead and when she made sure Aidyn was okay she left to go back to sleep.
"Please Elbereth, do not let a broken heart befall my child," Niere whispered as she walked down the hall back to her chambers.
Stepping through the leaves and branches like a curtain was always like stepping into another world for Aidyn. Behind the secrecy of it's branches the willow held many things. White roses grew at the bottom of the tree and fireflies created light during the nighttime hours for those who decided to step inside. It was always breathtaking for Aidyn. And this was her place when she needed to think. The willow usually calmed her, but anger and sadness remained.
"Why must things be this way?" she yelled! "WHY? What did I do to deserve this? How could you send me someone who despises my kind? How could you let me fall in love with someone who could never love me?" Aidyn had no idea who she was yelling at. She didn't care at this point either. Nothing mattered anymore. As much as she tried to harden her heart against Legolas, nothing would work.
Aidyn took her bow that she had still been carrying when she had run from Legolas and broke it in half. The breaking of her arrows followed that. All the aggravation, frustration, anger, sadness, and heartache boiled over and Aidyn screamed at the top of her lungs. The birds and animals that had entered the safety of the weeping willow scattered and ran away. After what seemed like forever, Aidyn fell to her knees and began sobbing uncontrollably. Eventually she cried herself to sleep.
When Aidyn awoke she thought it would be morning, but it wasn't. She figured she hadn't slept that long and that she had better get home to the palace before anyone noticed she was gone.
Quietly she crept back into the castle. She passed Aragorn and Arwen's room hoping they didn't hear her and to her relief they did not. Next, she was about to walk by Legolas' room, but instead stopped right in front of his door. Oh, how she wanted to be wrapped up in his arms and give herself to him. Without realizing it she lifted her hand to knock, but caught herself before her hand made contact with the door. Aidyn quickly walked to her room and noticed that her door was already open.
"Hello?" she called.
"It's just me darling," Queen Niere's voice said from the darkness.
"Mother, you scared me. What are you doing up?" Aidyn asked lighting some candles.
"I should ask you the same question, my daughter," Niere replied. She stood up and lit the fireplace.
"I went to the weeping willow and fell asleep. I hope I did not worry you. If I did, I am very sorry."
"It's quite alright child. I came to speak with you because something is troubling your heart. I can see it."
"Yes, something does trouble my heart. More than I can bear anymore. I feel that I am slow dying inside."
Niere stroked her daughter's cheek, "Do not say such things. Come sit by the fire and tell me what ails you."
Sighing heavily, Aidyn did as her mother said. "I am in love mother."
Smiling Niere nodded for Aidyn to continue.
"He has captured my heart and I am afraid that he has given me his as well. But nothing could ever come of it. He knows not of my heritage and if he did, I know that he would consider me a monster. I keep trying to push him away, but it hurts so much mother, it hurts so much," Aidyn said and tears fell for the second time that night.
"Oh my dear child," Niere whispered. Aidyn gently laid her head in Niere's lap and her mother played with her hair, "I am so sorry, but I think that you should give the Prince of Mirkwood a chance."
"You knew?" Aidyn said looking up.
"Of course. I could see it in your eyes. I know the traditions of Mirkwood, but I don't think Legolas will pass over love because of tradition. True, his father would prefer that, but Legolas is not his father Aidyn. I have seen the light in his eyes when he looks at you."
"Oh mother. I am so confused. I know not what to do."
"I have one important piece of advice to give you and that is to follow your heart. Loving someone means taking risks Aidyn, and giving your heart to someone whom you trust not to break it is a big risk."
Aidyn met Niere's gaze and she smiled. "I love you mother, very much. Thank you." Niere kissed Aidyn's forehead and when she made sure Aidyn was okay she left to go back to sleep.
"Please Elbereth, do not let a broken heart befall my child," Niere whispered as she walked down the hall back to her chambers.