Elven Decisions

Haldir held on for his life. He had been attacked from behind. And even then he had seen Aragorn running towards him. He needed to see Isilme one last time. At this moment, he hated her, his queen, for ordering him here. The elves had no business here, what was it for? To justify a treaty made a thousand or so years ago?

No, the soldier in him said it had been an order that could not have been disobeyed. But the man in him, told him, it had been a fruitless effort.

Now as he glanced slowly around whilst falling to his knees. He saw his fallen comrades, all killed in the way that mortals die. Without honor.

He closed his eyes, a wave of pain washed over him.

He reached for her.

"Isilme".

"I am coming, wait for me".

"he waits". Legolas told Aragorn as they both reached Haldir.

"for what?" Aragorn asks.

"for her". Was all the elf prince said, he kneeled by haldir's side and took his hand. And began to whisper to him in elvish, so low that Aragorn could not hear.

"she is my guiding light legolas, she is coming". Haldir told him haltingly. Legolas nodded.

"she will come, I think the time has come".

"time? For what?" Aragorn asked. Legolas looked at him, the future king of gondor.

"a decision to be made, she will make that decision". Legolas answered.

They waited for a day and a half. When she arrived, her horse tired, nearly collapsing, it was not like elven horses. She knelt by his side.

"my love, I am here". She told him in elvish. He looked at her. So dark, so light, so beautiful.

"I am sorry Isilme". He told her.

"do not be, our moments, that we had, I will always treasure them". She whispered back. Aragorn looked at legolas who met his gaze.

"she was his mate". Legolas whispered to Aragorn "she was not fated to be with faramir".

"I will keep you in my heart forever my love, we will meet again in our lands, far from mortals, where we were meant to be thousands of years ago". She told him. Haldir closed his eyes. It was nearly time.

He opened his eyes one last time. And focused on her. "one kiss my beloved". she heard his voice in her mind. She reached forward and softly kissed him. With his last breath on her, he passed.

She bent her head and held him close.

Elven warriors arrived, to take him to a pyre. There they would light it and release his spirit into the heavens where the valar dwelt.

Isilme watched the fires, consume him. Tears in her eyes. "Isilme, we are going to Gondor". Legolas told her. She faced him.

"and what would make you think that I would give him gondor now?" she asked softly. Anger tainted her words. Legolas was taken aback. He did not think she would go back on her words of promise to her father. "it is your fathers wish, you held it entrusted until Aragorn came - ".

"he only takes it now because it is the right thing to do, not because he wishes it, my father bequeathed me gondor because he knew, that I would hold her for life or death, I did not wander the countryside making choices and tossing my options into the air to see what I would do today or tomorrow, no legolas, gondor is mine, and as such, I will give her to those who will value her and protect her, her people have suffered much, and if we as elves are to leave these lands, we will leave the weak protected and safe, that is what Haldir died for". She responded.

"if you understood my reasons Isilme - ". Aragorn started.

"if I understood your reasons estel, I would of killed you on the spot, we do not have the luxury of putting children on death sentence, they needed a king, but there was no king, instead there was only an she-elf who had to make gondor live, I will not sacrifice them who have given me much to you". With that she walked away.

Legolas held him back when he went to follow her. Gandalf watched from the distance. But he met with her on her way out of helms deep.

"you speak foolish words child".

"and you speak out of turn old man, what have the istari ever done for us?, you are much like Galadriel, you sacrifice those who serve you and yet do not shed a tear if they die for it, you knew my father, he went to war with the armies, where was celeborn or Galadriel?".

"I cannot answer that child, your heart is heavy with grief, and although it pains me for the way you speak to me, I cannot blame you, elves give themselves completely to what they believe in, love, hatred, war, hunger, sacrifices, but haldir's death was not in vain".

"can you bring him back Mithrandir?, no you can't for his body no longer exists, but I will not live without his thoughts, he is inside me and forever be a part of me, noone knew Haldir as I did, and for that you shall regret not having known who he truly was".

"your duty to gondor is done Isilme, do you not wish to live the rest of your days with your kin?"

silence met that question. She looked away. At legolas.

"I am sending the armies back to Lorien, with word that the elves time has passed, as for myself I will go to gondor". She looked at Gandalf.

He waited for the answer he sought. Isilme looked over towards Aragorn.

"do you believe he will make her a good king old man?"

"he will do what is best for her, as you did, you did a marvelous job Isilme, your father will be proud".

"I miss him Gandalf, he always had wise words for me, even as a child, nothing he said was in vain".

"that was Gil-Galad's way, never speak in riddle always speak in truth, you are like him, I think Aragorn thought you would kill him".

"do you think I would win?"

Gandalf hooted with laughter. "no, but if Aragorn so much as scratched you, I'm sure legolas would kill him for you".

"is it so wrong?, to love 2 men the same if not more then the other?"

"do you speak of legolas and Haldir, or Haldir and faramir?" he asked.

"faramir is not for me, he is to be united with a mortal woman, I have seen the visions that the valar have granted me, I speak of legolas". Gandalf sighed. He placed a hand on her shoulder, somehow trying to comfort her.

"Isilme, there are many paths in this world, even for elves, I have never known you to be afraid of anything and this old man is proud of what you have done for the mortals". He told her softly. Her eyes filled with tears.

"I miss him old man, Haldir knew how to ground me".

"he did that to many child, now another choice lies before you, which path would you choose?" he asked.

She looked at legolas and Aragorn. The answer came to her unbidden.

She knew what had to be done.