Torn by: Leia Grace

Disclaimer: I would be very famous if I owned TLOTR characters, and as much as I wish I was famous, I only own Elenalyn, Lithana, Claramelia, and Gildron.

Thank you for all of the great reviews! I didn't realize people would like my story so much! Just to warn you, I am a HUGE Aragorn, Sam, and Frodo! BTW: I don't think Legolas is all that every girl in the world thinks he is…nothing against him, and I hope I don't make him look bad in my story. Don't worry, everyone is happy in the end…cause I just HATE unhappy endings!

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CHAPTER 2

When Elenalyn got back to her suite, she tried to pry her mother for information.
"Mother, do you know something I do not?"
Arwen smiled, "I know many things you know not."
She sighed, "I mean, about our visit here, to Lothlórien."
Arwen hid her amusement, looking at her daughter curiously, "No, why should there be something to hide about us being here?"
"Not us being here…but, oh, never mind."
"Elenalyn."
Elenalyn didn't know why she had such a hard time trying to ask her mother. It was only about what Frodo had said. "Frodo said something to me when we were bidding farewell."
"Oh?"
"Yes…he said, 'See you in Lothlórien.'"
"So?"
"Well, is he…meeting us, or…visiting Legolas…?"
Arwen smiled as she brushed her hair, preparing for the feast to be held that evening. "I extended an invitation to the Hobbit to come and join us for the last part of our journey. He agreed to meet us on our last day in Lothlórien."
Elenalyn gave a small smile.
Arwen looked at her daughter curiously, "Does that suite you?"
"Oh, I'm perfectly fine with him visiting us, joining us, journey or whatever…"
"Good."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The six days in Lothlórien passed quickly and eventfully. Elenalyn and Arwen enjoyed spending time with Claramelia. Elenalyn always felt strange whenever Legolas was around, not knowing how she felt or what she wanted. She felt it was too much for an 18-year old girl to have to deal with. Her mother hadn't married until she was in her 2,000s. She decided to put all of her worries behind her, and happily wait for Frodo to meet them.
It was just as they were sitting down to dinner when Frodo arrived in Lothlórien. He came through the forest on his pony, _____. The Elves with trumpets hailed his arrival, and the royal family in Lothlórien hurried to meet with him.
Claramelia tried to pick up Frodo every single time she saw him, but he was awfully strong for a Hobbit, and only succeeded in straining her arms and making Frodo stand on his toes. Everyone greeted him warmly, and Legolas was especially excited to see him. They actually hadn't seen each other in 6 years. They all went into the Grand Hall to eat, while trying to catch up on news and events.
The second Frodo had arrived, Elenalyn felt that strange feeling again. Claramelia had told her earlier that that was how she felt around Glorfindel's son Gildron. Elenalyn refused to believe that she liked Frodo that way.
When dessert was finished, Frodo wanted to look around, but everyone was tired. A little anxious to explore, Elenalyn offered to take him on a tour. They walked through the enchantments of the Mirkwood forests, listening to the exotic and rare birds, feeling the soft breezes. At one point Frodo recognized a certain area, and beckoned for Elenalyn to follow him. He led her down into her Great-grandmother, Galadriel's Glade. This was were the still cared-for, but never used, Mirror was.
"I had the One Ring, when I looked into this mirror." He stared into it, recalling what it had been like to see the images, and feel the Eye of Sauron pulling at the Ring. He shook his head. Elenalyn stepped up to the Mirror. She had heard of it, of course, but had never been shown it, and had never witnessed its powers.
"Does it still work?" She had no idea how it worked.
"I have no idea," he said truthfully, looking at her. She spotted the silver water pitcher. She walked over to it, picking it up.
"How did my Great-grandmother do it?"
He took a deep breath. "She filled it with water, of course, and asked me if I would look into the Mirror. I asked her what I would see. She said, "Even the wisest cannot tell, for the Mirror shows many things. Things that were, things that are…and some things that have not yet come to pass." I stepped up to it, not having any idea what I would see. I ended up seeing the future."
She looked at the Mirror, and then the pitcher. "I wonder…" she murmured. Frodo watched her, curious about what she was going to do, and at the same time understanding exactly what her intentions were. She filled the pitcher, walked over the Mirror, and started to slowly pour it in, imagining that she was Galadriel, with her long golden hair, as she had stood in front of Frodo nearly 12 years earlier. "Things that were…things that are…and some things that have not yet come to pass…" she murmured again. She wondered what she would see, and if it would work at all. She slowly poured the entire pitcher of water in. She could feel Frodo staring at her, and wondered if she should look at him for reassurance. Somehow, she could not tear her eyes from the Mirror.
She slowly peered into it, waiting for something to happen. The water remained still. She held her breath, willing it to work. Nothing was happening. She looked up at Frodo, desperately, wondering if he knew something about it that she did not.
"Maybe, it only worked for Galadriel." Was all Frodo could say. She sighed, disappointed. He shook his head anyway, looking at her, "Come, let us continue our exploration." She nodded as she walked around the Mirror. "There are some things I'd rather not remember anyway." Elenalyn looked at him curiously when he said that. He was frowning into the distance. He shook his head, turned to her, smiled, and took her hand. She smiled back as they walked out of the Glade.
Silently in back of them, the Mirror awoke to the magic that had been stirring about it. It could still feel the powerful presence of a young Half-elven Maiden looking into it, willing it to work. The water in it started to ripple, and images slowly started to appear.

~*~ image ~*~

Frodo and Elenalyn walking away from the Glade as they had moments before.

~*~ image ~*~

A much taller Frodo, falling to the forest ground, clutching his chest, in obvious pain.

~*~ image ~*~

The shocked faces of Legolas and Gimli, which melted into the shocked and guilty face of Sam, and then an angry Rose and Elanor.

~*~ image ~*~

Frodo standing very proud, but sad on a ship, looking down at the ground, with the image seeming to be drifting away, going farther and farther, until all that can be seen in the Mirror is the still, dark, water.

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Elenalyn and Frodo continued to walk aimlessly. They couldn't understand the strange connection they had with each other. Of all the handmaidens and guards to watch over her, Elenalyn felt most comfortable when looking into Frodo's impassioned eyes and hearing the excitement in his voice when he talked about the Great Years with the Fellowship. Frodo felt it was strange that of all his friends living with him, and with the closeness of the Hobbit community, that he would feel as close to Elenalyn as he did with Sam. Watching her soft, happy face, react to his stories, and hearing her laughter in the air.
They walked up a tall hill, and Elenalyn stopped suddenly. She sat down, a far-off look on her face. Frodo watched her curiously, as she closed her eyes, and then laid on the smooth grass, spreading her arms out like wings. A small smile appeared on his face.
"Communing with nature, Elenalyn?"
Eyes still closed, but a smile quickly spreading, she took in a deep breath of the sweet, pure air. "I just realized which hill we are on."
He looked around, "Is there something special about this hill?"
She nodded, taking in another deep breath, as the tension eased out of her body, "This is Cerin Amroth, the hill that my parents first proclaimed their love for each other."
Frodo smiled, almost picturing the bittersweet moment in his mind, as he thought about the most wonderful, completely in love couple he had ever met. He barely even noticed a quirky smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
"I also heard that this was the hill where Eldarion was conceived!"
Frodo's eyes widened. "That was not an image I wanted to think of!"
She grinned, "That is for the image of Sam and Rose you gave me earlier!"
They both laughed, and he sank to his knees next to her. She opened her eyes, looking into his. She liked the way that his smile reached his eyes. She knew it must be very difficult for him to be happy any more, after all he had been through.
Frodo looked out over the valley, contemplating, "I like watching your parents…their goodness and love is so strong, that it - it…I can't even describe it. It's just like…"
"They have created a magic all their own." She whispered.
He nodded. "Few people in this world are as lucky as they."
She propped herself on her elbows. "Let's see, my parents, Sam and Rose, Faramir and Éowyn, my Great-grandparents…"
He smiled, "But, not many. It's sad how some are perfectly content with their marriages, but don't have that spark."
She nodded bitterly, "And how some are forced into a marriage that they know will be only 'content'."
Frodo looked at her sharply, "You speak as though you are experienced."
Elenalyn looked away, "Not from experience in the marriage…but I have been betrothed to Legolas."
Frodo stood up quickly, disbelief registering on his face. "No! You can't be…he wouldn't…no…!"
Elenalyn looked down sadly, nodding.
Frodo sighed, "Did he ask for your hand? I know you parents wouldn't have just…arrange this without consent!"
She looked up at him, "He asked for my hand, and my father deemed us a good and worthy match."
He huffed, "Well, I'm just going to have to speak to Aragorn, son of Arathorn about this."
Her eyes showed surprise. She sat up quickly, "Why? Why would it matter to a Hobbit, who a Princess of Gondor marries?"
Frodo looked around quickly, desperately searching for the answer in the air. What was he supposed to tell her? A man wouldn't just come out and say it. Not even an Elf would. They would think of something clever to say. But, he was a Hobbit. He didn't think like that. Nor were his feelings that complicated. He looked at her with a sad, determined expression.
"Because I love you."
She smiled, "I know you love me, Frodo. I love you too."
Frodo looked at her earnestly, "No, I don't just love you. I'm in love with you."
Her mouth opened slightly in surprise. He couldn't love her! He was a Hobbit, and she was a ¼ Elf, ¼ Human, ½ Numenorean. She looked down at the ground; for the first time, not being able to look into his eyes. She felt they would see deeper into herself than she could. He couldn't love her, but he couldn't mistake his feelings either. Hobbit's feel simply and purely. If he said he was in love with her, he was. She quickly stood up, still not looking at him.
"I - I must go, my mother will be wondering about me." She quickly pranced down the hill and back into the Golden Wood. Frodo just watched her sadly, then closed his eyes and sighed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Arwen knocked on the door between her bedroom and her daughter's.
"Elenalyn?" She asked quietly. She had heard her daughter coming back, but she had slammed the door. That was a quality that definitely came from her father's side, as it was most unusual for an Elf to act so temperamental. She slowly opened the door. Elenalyn was sitting on the bed, in a daze, looking down at the floor.
"Elenalyn." Arwen said again. Elenalyn moved her head slightly to show she understood. Arwen frowned in worry as she sat down next to her daughter.
"Umme lyaa saira?" Elenalyn asked quietly.
'Did you know?'
"Umme im saira man?"
'Did I know what?'
"Umme lyaa saira Frodo uu meles o im?"
'Did you know Frodo is in love with me?'
Arwen looked down this time. "I realized his feelings for you, yes."
Elenalyn looked at her mother in confusion. "I thought you wanted me to love Legolas."
Arwen took a deep breath, "It's true we want you to marry him…whether you love him or not is purely up to you."
Elenalyn stood up, looking at her mother angrily, "Why would you set me up in a situation in which I would learn about Frodo's feelings, only to remind me that I am not allowed to return them!"
"Umme lyaa?" Arwen asked sharply, almost too quickly.
Do you?
Elenalyn opened her mouth to reply, but could not. "Im - Im ua saira."
'I - I do not know.'
"I just feel you are being cruel. You of all beings would want me to love the one I am supposed to marry! Then, you let me find out that Frodo is in love with me, knowing full well that Hobbits fall in love truly and completely. Therefore, I should love him as he loves me! What is it that you want from me, Mother!?"
Arwen sighed, "I want you to be happy - "
"Every parent does."
Arwen looked at her sharply, " - and if being with Frodo makes you happy, than your father and I betrothed you to the wrong suitor. You should be with Frodo."
Elenalyn sat down, sadly, "But you know I cannot. I cannot because of Legolas. Even more so, I cannot because I am full sized, and Frodo is not! Lyaa ista avaquet."
'You know I cannot.'
Arwen stood up, looked at her daughter for a while. She then held Elenalyn's head up with her hand, and smiling, said, "O anwa meles en ullume wande."
'With true love there is always a way.'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

So I guess the fortune teller's right.
I should have seen just what was there, and not some Holy Light.
But you crawled beneath my veins and now;
I don't care, I have no luck. I don't miss it all that much.
There's just so many things,
That I can't touch, I'm torn; I'm all out of faith;
This is how I feel, I'm cold and I am ashamed,
Lying naked on the floor.
Illusion never changed, into something real.
I'm wide awake and I can see the perfect sky is torn.
You're a little late, and I'm already torn.
Torn.

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The next day seemed to match Elenalyn's mood. The sky was a dull gray, and Arwen even tried to cheer her up by claiming that Gandalf must be anointing a new Wizard as the "Gray." She was not amused. She looked resentfully at her mother after saying that. Claramelia's personality normally cheered her, but today, she only seemed childish. She shot Legolas a look of steel when he came to the table for breakfast. She wouldn't even look at Frodo.
Legolas cleared his voice to make an announcement. "I will be leaving Lothlórien today. I'm going back to my home, Mirkwood." He quickly glanced at Elenalyn. She looked at him disconcertingly.
"We hope that you will delay your leaving for as long as possible." Arwen said.
Legolas replied, "I will be leaving, actually, as soon as Gimli the Dwarf arrives. He is journeying with me, and staying as a special guest in my house." He glanced again at Elenalyn. "I was hoping Elenalyn would also like to come…as a 'special' guest."
Arwen turned sharply to her daughter. Elenalyn felt as though she had just heard that the sky was raining horses. Elenalyn chose to ignore the last comment.
"Gimli is coming?" She asked, eagerly.
Legolas nodded, "Yes."
She relaxed a little, smiling, "Good. I haven't seen him in quite some time." She promptly stood up from the table, and left.
All four of them watched as she left. Arwen turned to Claramelia, and motioned for them to follow her. They got up and went after Elenalyn.
Legolas turned to Frodo, confused. "I'm confused. What just happened?"
Frodo looked down at his food, pushing it around on his plate. "You invited Elenalyn to come live with you, marry you, have your children, become Queen of Mirkwood, and make you a Crown Prince."
Legolas' eyes widened, "I did not do all that! I invited her to visit for a while."
Frodo stopped pushing his food, "We all know the plans you have made."
Legolas sighed, standing up, "Why do my plans seem so awful to her?"
"Because she doesn't love you."
"She could learn to love me! I have waited for nearly 2 and ½ thousand years for someone like her! Can you think of a better offer for her?"
Frodo sighed, "No."
Legolas looked at Frodo curiously. "You're not telling me something, Frodo."
"I don't tell you a lot of things."
Legolas walked over to pour himself more water, "Do almost 10 years of friendship, and living in the Fellowship through the Great Years mean nothing to you?"
"No, but things have changed since then. I've grown wiser. Maybe more wise then your 2,000 years, when we first met. I have learned the true value of life."
Legolas turned to look at him.
Frodo looked up slowly, his eyes glistening. He whispered, for he felt if he talked any louder, he would break one of his dearest friend's heart. "I'm in love with Elenalyn."
All Legolas could do was look shocked.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

All could hear the trumpets heralding Gimli's return to Lothlórien. Everyone greeted him happily, and he was especially excited to see Frodo, as it had been a little longer than Legolas had seen him. Claramelia tried to pick up Gimli, as she had tried with Frodo, but was even less successful.
Gimli came looking for Elenalyn, as she had not come to greet him when he arrived. If found her in Galadriel's Glade, filling the pitcher with water.
"I think no one but the Lady Galadriel could make that Mirror work it's magic." He stated.
Elenalyn just looked at him. She had heard and felt him coming, from her keen Elvish/Numenorean sense. She just shook her head.
"I will try to make it work for me. I desperately need to see what is too become of me - what could become of me."
"Even the wisest cannot tell what will come to pass." Gimli was very gentle. He knew that Elenalyn was a contradiction in terms. She was stronger than one would think, but weaker than she let on.
Elenalyn blinked back a tear. "I need to see…"
Gimli walked up to her, putting his hand on her shoulder. He was a little less than a foot shorter than she. "What is it that is troubling you, Princess?"
She turned to him, letting the tears fall, "Legolas wants to marry me, though I do not love him; and Frodo loves me, which makes me scared as I do not know how I feel." She collapsed into a small chair next to the natural fountain. He leaned down, taking her hands in his.
"Do not worry, Princess. You are the Golden Starflower. The light will come to you, and you will know the answer to what is in your heart." He smiled at her encouragingly. She looked at him gratefully, giving a small smile.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Elenalyn decided to go to Mirkwood with Gimli and Legolas. They traveled quickly by horseback, and arrived by morning two days later.
"Stay close, you do not want to wonder off the paths of Mirkwood." Legolas cautioned them. They followed closely behind, and found themselves surrounded by trees with their branches weaving in and out of each other to make the different levels and ground to walk upon. She and Gimli both settled in their rooms at the Palace, and came to join Legolas down a path to a wide open area of sweet grass, surrounded, like everything else, with trees. There were targets a good distance in front of them, at different levels of difficulty. Some Elves presented them with beautifully carved and hewn practice bows, and several arrows each.
"Let us see if you have learned the art of archery by watching me, Master Dwarf!" Legolas spoke with a merry grin on his face. Gimli grunted as he took the bow.
"I am not built for archery, Master Elf. I feel though, that I would strike a target farther than you on your best days, while blinded!" Gimli boasted this as he strung an arrow to the bow. He stood in position, the arm guard too large for him, and the bow just fairly so. He took aim carefully, Elenalyn and Legolas stayed still and quiet as the night. Pulling it back, he plucked the string, and the arrow sailed through the air, striking the top of the target.
Legolas and Elenalyn laughed while Gimli scowled. Elenalyn then took up the bow proffered to her. She did exactly what Gimli had down; stood in position, squared her shoulders, locked her arms straight, putting all the weight centered on her torso. Pulling back the string, she relaxed her fingers. The arrow shot straight through the air, burying itself in the eye of the circle.
"That was very good!" Legolas cried out in amazement. "Where did you learn how to shoot a bow and arrow like that?"
Elenalyn just smiled, "My father taught me."
Gimli commented, "That was nearly as talented as you are, Legolas! I had no idea that Aragorn was almost as good as you!"
She nodded, "My father and I practice archery and fencing every day. I am glad I had this chance at archery, as I have missed a months work of practice!"
"Perhaps you could tell Gimli what it was that he did wrong." Legolas looked at Gimli with raised eyebrows.
She smiled, and jesting, said, "I will offer my words if the kind Dwarf wishes for something other than sweet music."
Gimli narrowed his eyes, and looked at her, thinking. Finally, he spoke, "I can endure even the dreaded language of Mordor in my ears, if it comes from the tongue of the youngest beauty of Elessar."
Legolas gave Elenalyn a look that told her to watch out. He knew Gimli liked to trick words.
"You plucked the bow from the arrow. That sends the arrow in too much of an arch. When you pull back the string, only let your fingers relax around the arrow, thus sending it to strike true." She gave a small smile.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Frodo had grown very restless after Elenalyn left. He was very worried that she would choose Legolas. Frodo had none but the highest respect for Legolas, and he certainly could understand the Wood Elf's mind when it came to Elenalyn. He just felt like he couldn't sit in the Enchanted Golden Wood, when the love of his life might be swept off her feet by another!
"I can see your restless behavior, Frodo." Claramelia's voice broke through his thoughts as she walked up to him.
"I'm quite fine." Frodo was polite, but did not feel like talking to anyone.
"You should go to her." Claramelia obviously did not pick up the hint.
"There is no great need for me to see your sister."
Claramelia just shook her head, a knowing smile on her face, "My sister does not realize how stubborn she can let herself be. One would think there is Dwarvish blood coursing through her veins! All can see just by watching the two of you together, that you share a special bond."
Frodo just laughed, "A special bond does not mean she loves me as I love her."
She nodded, "That would be true, if it weren't for the fact that she has too much of the Numenorean side in her, to realize how she feels."
Frodo quickly turned to her, his brow furrowed, wondering what the seemingly flighty mind of Claramelia had come to acknowledge.
She smiled at him, realizing that he would catch on quickly. "If you saw her, and have broken through to her heart, as I believe you have; you will find that she loves you absolutely as much as you love her."
Frodo looked into the distance, searching for some tangible evidence to support her words. "Do you truly believe that?"
Claramelia just gave him a soft smile, "I do." She then leaned down, kissed Frodo on the forehead, and whispered, "Namarië."

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