May it Be By Siren
Hey guys! Well, I know the last chapter was a bit confusing, but it gets more fast-paced from here. Lily now doubts her relationship with Legolas, (thanks a lot Saruman!) and is now unsure of her presence in Middle Earth. There will be some more Lily torture ahead, as well as some fights between the remaining Fellowship. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lily opened her eyes to see her companions rushing toward her. Feeling something move beneath her, she realized she was on a horse. "Where am I?" she asked. Eomer smiled. "Ah, you're awake. We found you in the forest, hysterical. How are you feeling?" Lily closed her eyes. "Honestly? Like shit." Eomer chuckled. "That's to be expected." Seeing the group of men approaching them, the Rider of Rohan frowned. "There are strangers approaching! Be on your guard!"

Lily shook her head. "Don't worry about them. They're my friends." Eomer frowned. "And they just left you in the forest wounded and alone?" Lily rolled her eyes. "Of course not. I was taken by the Uruk-Hai, along with two of my friends." The Rider nodded. "Alright." They came to a stop in front of her friends. "Lily!" Legolas ran up to her, and pulled her off of the horse. He took her into his arms and hugged her tightly. "Thank the Valar! I was so worried, mellon!"

He buried his face in her hair, shutting his eyes tightly. She was finally in his arms again. "Everything is going to be alright mellon. Everything's going to be alright," he whispered. Lily blinked back the tears. "I'm not so sure about that," she said. Frowning, Legolas pulled away. She looked up at him with wide eyes, her bottom lip trembling. "What did they do to you?" Lily just shook her head and buried her face in his shirt. He stroked her hair. "It's alright now. I'm here."

Aragorn stepped forward. "Thank you for finding her. We had been tracking the Uruk-Hai for three days, and were beginning to despair." Eomer nodded. "We killed the Uruk-Hai, but found your maiden about two miles away from the scene. She is badly injured, both in body and spirit. I would like to take her to Rohan to see a healer." Legolas tightened his hold on her. "I won't let her go anywhere without me." Pulling away from him, she stepped back. "Maybe I should. You don't have the skills needed to heal me."

Legolas looked a bit hurt, but nodded. "Alright, than I'll come with you." Lily shook her head and took another step back. "No, you'll only be wasting your time. Besides, Merry and Pippin are still out there. They'll need your help to find them." Legolas frowned a bit. "I'm sure that they can find the hobbits without me. You need me more," he argued. Lily looked away, ignoring his pleading eyes. "You do need me, don't you?" Lily lifted her gaze, pained. "Legolas..." She sighed and turned to Eomer. "I'd like to go with you to Rohan."

Eomer noticed the tension between the elf and human, and nodded. She moved to the horse, but Legolas stopped her. He grabbed her hand and she turned around. "Lily, don't push me away like this. Whatever happened to you...I want to help." Her eyes softened, but she pulled her hand away. "If you want to help me than find Merry and Pippin." That said, Eomer helped her onto the horse. "I swear to protect her, Master Elf. Worry not, she'll be fine." Legolas frowned. "She better be." Looking at the odd group, Eomer whistled. Two horses walked to him, and he smiled.

"I have noticed that you are all traveling on foot. I lend you two of my horses. Their riders are no more. I pray they shall service you better. And as for your friends, we slaughtered the orcs and burned their remains. We did not see any captives, but than again, we were not looking for any. Search for your friends but do not hope. I will pray for you." Wrapping one arm around Lily's waist, he turned his horse towards Rohan, not noticing the elf's jealous face. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After a few hours of riding, Lily dared to ask the question that had been plaguing her mind. "Is it true that you didn't see two hobbits?" Eomer nodded. "I'm afraid so. But as I said before, we were not looking for any hobbits. They may have been killed by mistake." Lily felt her breath catch in her throat. "W-what?" her voice trembled as she spoke. Eomer noticed this and frowned. "I'm sorry milady. If it is true that your friends are dead, than you have my deepest sympathies."

Lily opened her mouth to speak, but she could not find the words. 'Do not hope.' Eomer's words to Aragorn echoed in her mind. Feeling tears rise in her eyes, she blinked them away. Merry and Pippin couldn't be dead. She didn't care what he said, she refused to believe it. They were her friends, her family. If they were dead, than what did she have to hope for? She had promised Pippin that she would be next to him when he woke up. She had broken her promise to him, just to follow her 'father'.

Closing her eyes, she bit back a sob. She had failed them. First Gandalf, now Merry and Pippin. Everyone around her was dying and she was powerless to stop it. 'Stupid visions! Why show me things if I can't even save two hobbits? Why?' As the tears began to fall from her eyes, she felt two arms wrap around her. "Don't cry Lady Lily. Your friends would not want to see you sad," Eomer soothed. Lily leaned against him and cried. 'That man was right. If I loved my friends, than I should have jumped. What good am I? And Legolas...we could never be together. I should have jumped!'

'Just wait until Rohan. Than I'll make things right. I won't be a burden anymore.' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sun fell and the moon rose high. "We will stop here for the night," Eomer announced. He got off the horse, and helped Lily down. Once she her feet met the ground, she moved away from Eomer and sat down. His men built a small fire, and sat around it. They swapped stories, both of battle and of love. Normally, Lily would be intrigued. But now she felt nothing. She was hollow and distant. She felt a blanket draped over her shoulders and saw Eomer smile warmly.

"I promised the elf that you would be fine and I intend to keep my word." Lily forced a small smile and nodded. The Rider of Rohan sat down in front of her. "It is strange to see an elf so taken with a mortal." She stared at the fire, never blinking. After a moment, he spoke again. "Tell me Lady Lily, how do you fare?" Once again, Lily made no comment. He sighed and looked away. "I know it is none of my business milady, but the elf cares for you and I would hate to make him angry. Please tell me how you feel, for I am becoming worried."

Lily blinked and looked away from the fire. "I feel dead inside," she answered quietly. Eomer looked at her in surprise. "Why? Why would anyone feel that way?" Lily let the blanket slip from her shoulders. "I have been nothing but a burden. I let three of my companions die, and now the others may die as well." She frowned, and a distant look filled her eyes. "I feel so confused. I don't know who to believe anymore. Am I Lily the human, or am I still a creature of the heavens?" Eomer frowned. 'What is she talking about?'

Lily looked up at the full moon, her gray eyes pained. "What good is an angel who can't save the lives of those she loves? What good am I? What is my purpose? Is this all part of my punishment?" She closed her eyes and sighed. "And why do the visions come to me now? Where were they when my family needed me? My mother...she told me to live. But I don't see the point. I was never meant to come here. I was never meant to exist."

Eomer stared at her in wonder and touched her face. "So this is the face of an angel? I have heard of such creatures, but I have never...but you are mortal. I do not understand!" Lily took his hand and gently pushed it away from her face. "It is a long story, one that I don't particularly want to tell." Eomer studied her face with awe in his eyes. She looked so young, but her eyes...her eyes were ancient. So ancient...and so hollow. "An angel without hope is a sad sight indeed." Lily's eyes flashed with anger.

"I was an angel, but now I'm human. I've been human my whole life!" "You're whole mortal life," he corrected. Growling, Lily looked away from him. "And what an amazing mortal I am. I just sit back while my friends die." She snorted. "But that's what I've always done, both as an angel and as a human. My whole purpose circles around the death of those I love." Eomer shook his head, and took her hand. "Each of us has a purpose. I do not believe that your's lies with death."

Lily tore her hand away and looked at him furiously. "No, my purpose is to suffer!" Standing up, she walked away from him. Once she was away from the camp, she hit the nearest tree. "Damn you!" she shouted and struck it again. "Damn you! I am suffering! Do you hear me? I am suffering, just as you wanted!" She hit the tree again, feeling the skin above her knuckles tearing. Crying out, she continued to vent her anger. "Are you laughing now? Does my suffering please you? Or will my death please you more?" she shouted. Knuckles bloodied and torn, she collapsed against the tree and slid to her knees.

Still hitting the tree weakly, she began to cry. She cried for those she had lost. Her mother, her father, Tom, Gandalf, Merry and Pippin. All lost. Slamming her fists into the ground, she winced as the dirt got into her cuts. Bowing her head, she cried. Eomer watched her with pained eyes. She looked so defeated...so hurt. He moved to go to her, but a sudden light stopped him. A warm presence filled the area, and he watched in awe as it covered Lily. He tried to move, but his body wouldn't listen to him.

Lily's cries were stopped by a warm hand on her shoulder. She tensed, and looked up. It was a woman she had never seen before. Her eyes were gray, like Lily's and full of warmth. "Who are you?" she asked shakily. The woman smiled. 'I have no name,' a voice answered. She couldn't tell if the voice was male or female. "What do you want?" The woman lifted Lily's shirt, and placed a hand over her wound. 'To heal you,' the voice replied. Lily gasped as her skin became hot, and the wound disappeared, leaving only a scar.

Lily looked up at the woman with wide eyes. "Why have you come to me?" The woman touched her cheek, and Lily gasped. She was in a place of infinite warmth and light. She was safe and loved. Nothing could hurt her, and she was loved. And the light...oh the beautiful light! A voice echoed in her mind. 'He loves you. He wants to give you a choice. To become the creature you once were, or to live a mortal life.' Lily gasped as the light disappeared, and she was in the forest again.

"You ask me to be an angel again?" The woman tilted her head. 'That is your choice to make.' Lily looked down for a moment. "And the visions? They will continue?" The woman nodded. 'Yes.' Lily's eyes widened for a moment. "Will the visions kill me?" The woman's eyes saddened. 'Mortals were never meant to see the future. If you remain in Middle Earth, than the visions will continue and you will die.' Lily's eyes darkened. "If I stay...can I save people?" The woman smiled. 'All things remain undecided. Each choice you make can alter the future.'

Lily felt fresh tears rise. "And Legolas and I? We can never be together?" The woman traced Lily's cheek. 'The greatest gift that could ever be given and received is love. Love has become a rare occurrence in this world and your own. Treasure that love, no matter how short it is.' Lily shook her head. "But I'm a mortal and he is not!" The woman smiled. 'Do not abandon hope. Love will always find a way.'

The woman stood up. 'You must decide quickly. Do you want to become what you once were, or do you wish to remain human?' Lily stood up. "I don't know." The woman frowned. 'You must decide.' Lily swallowed and shook her head. Everyone around her was dying, and the man she cared for might not survive the quest. And than it dawned on her. Her soul had been crying out for salvation, for happiness. And that was why she was brought here. Here is where her happiness lied.

She looked up at the woman. "I won't leave them. I can't abandon the people I love." The woman smiled warmly. 'So you wish to remain human despite the possibility that you might die?' Lily nodded. "I want nothing more than to remain here." The woman nodded. 'Than you shall. Goodbye, Lily.' The woman kissed her temple gently, and faded away. Lily wiped her tears away, and forced herself to stop shaking. She had just refused as chance to be what she once was. There was no turning back now.

Eomer finally regained his senses, and stumbled into the clearing. He couldn't believe what he had just seen! An angel! A real angel! "Lily, are you alright?" The young woman looked at him and smiled faintly. "I'm fine." The man looked at where the woman had once been standing. "Was that...?" Lily nodded. "It was." Taking his arm, she led him back to the camp. "Don't tell anyone of what you saw. Especially not the elf." Eomer nodded, dazed, and sat down.

Lily sat down next to him. "Are you sure you made the right decision?" Lily looked over at him. "I guess we'll find out." She gazed into the fire, her mind drifting back to thoughts of Legolas. 'Love will always find a way,' the woman had said. Sighing, she drew her knees to her chest. 'There had better be a way.' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Legolas was still upset as he gazed into the fire. Lily had not only chosen to go to Rohan, but she had asked him not to go with her. Aragorn, Gimli and Boromir would have been fine without him. Lily was injured in more ways than one. He had seen the guarded look in her eyes and the way she was slowly pulling away from him. It was as though she were building a wall between them. What had happened to her to cause her to do that?

'What happened when those Uruk-Hai took her? What happened when I wasn't there to protect her?' He shuddered, still remembering the look of shock on her face when the cold blade pierced her skin. He was terrified that she would die. The very thought of her death made him nauseous and on the brink of tears. And now he had to find Merry and Pippin. He knew that Lily was just as worried about the hobbits, if not more. He sighed. Everything was falling apart.

Here at night

In a lost and lonely part of town

Held in time

In a wad of tears I slowly drown

"You worry for her." Legolas tensed and turned to see Aragorn. The elf nodded. "How can I not be? She is injured and alone!" The ranger sat down next to him. "She is not alone. She's with the Riders of Rohan." The human watched as a flicker of jealousy lit the young elf's eyes. "Yes, the Riders of Rohan. She chose to go with them...and without me." Aragorn shook his head. "She wanted you to come with us to help find the little ones. She is just concerned about them." Legolas glared at him. "I am not blind Aragorn! She is distancing herself from me!"

Aragorn looked at the fire. "She doesn't want me," the elf said quietly. Aragorn looked up. "Than you really are blind. She does want you Legolas. You are very dear to her. I am not the only one that sees this." Legolas looked away. "I was the first to find her," he said after a moment. Aragorn smiled. "Tell me of her adventures before I met her." Legolas smiled slightly. "I found her in the woods. It appeared that she had been asleep. She was dressed in the strangest clothes I had ever seen. And her hair was shorter than any maiden's."

The ranger smiled. "I did not know if she was an enemy, so I did what any respectable elf would do." Aragorn blinked. "You aimed a weapon at her?" The elf cringed. "Yes. I asked her who she was, and she told me. I had never heard of the name 'Lily' before. She said she was from a country that I had never heard of. So I took her to Mirkwood to see my father. On the way we were attacked by orcs. She tore a muscle in her side, so I resorted to carrying her." Aragorn's eyes widened. "You were attacked?" Legolas nodded.

"She refused to slow me down though. She ended up pulling my hair until I dropped her." Aragorn laughed. "It must have been quite a sight!" Legolas smiled and nodded. "I outran the orcs and returned for her at night. She was in pain. She denied it of course, but I wasn't blind. So I took her to Mirkwood. It was in Mirkwood that I began to get to know her better. She guarded her secrets fiercely, never letting me in.

"Until one day I took her to the gardens. It was there that she began to open up to me. She told me a little bit about her past. I hadn't told her about my lineage though. When she found out, she was furious with me. She didn't really talk to me for almost a day. We headed to Rivendell, and were crossing the Misty Mountains when..." Legolas shook his head. "When she almost froze to death. I tried to warm her up the best I could, and I noticed a strange mark on her shoulder. It was a moon with intricate markings around it. After she woke up though, I forgot about it. And the rest you know."

Legolas sighed and looked up at the moon. "I'm worried about her Aragorn. I was always by her side, and now I'm not. I can't keep an eye on her." Aragorn looked at his friend in sympathy.

Going home

I just can't make it all alone

I really should be holding you

Holding you, loving you

Loving you

Except for two men, Eomer and the other riders were asleep. But Lily was restless. Despite her renewed hope, she couldn't help but doubt her decision. She had a chance to go home. To go back to where she came from. But she couldn't just leave her friends to die at the hands of Sauron. Feeling a familiar ache in her chest, she wrapped her arms around herself. 'I really wish Legolas was here right now.'

Tragedy

When the feeling's gone

And you can't go on

It's tragedy

Closing her eyes, she imagined that he was sitting behind her, holding her. 'I miss you,' she thought to herself. She could imagine him smiling softly, the touch of his skin warming her. Tears escaped her eyes and she took a shaky breath. 'I'm scared. What if I made a mistake? What if I fail them?' Drawing her knees to her chest, she bowed her head.

When the morning cries

And you don't know why it's

Hard to bear

With no one to love you

You're going nowhere

Tragedy
Eomer watched her from his place on the ground. She looked so small, so fragile. Her small shoulders were shaking with each cry, and at the moment he wanted to console her. But he knew that she would not accept it. She needed the elf at the moment, or at least someone familiar. With pained eyes, he watched the angel weep.

When you lose control

And you've got no soul it's

Tragedy

When the morning cries

And you don't know why it's

Hard to bear

With no one beside you

You're going nowhere
Aragorn put his hand on the elf's shoulder. "Be at ease, my friend. Lily is safe, and you will see her again soon." Legolas avoided the ranger's gaze. "And if she avoids me?" He smiled. "Than use the elvish grace to corner her," he teased. Legolas smiled. "Sleep, Aragorn. I'll keep watch tonight. I fear I am not able to rest without her by my side." The ranger touched the pendant around his neck. "I know how you feel. Goodnight my friend." Legolas nodded.

Night and day

There's a burning down inside of me

Burning love

With a yearning that won't let me be

Exhausted, Lily laid down and curled into a ball. This was the second night that she had slept without Legolas by her side. She missed him dearly. She missed his soft voice, the touch of his skin...she missed the way he made her feel safe. Closing her eyes, she smiled a bit. "Goodnight mellon," she whispered.

Down I go

And I just can't take it all alone

I really should be holding you

Holding you, loving you

Loving you

Legolas closed his eyes and felt the breeze caress his face. 'Goodnight mellon.' He opened his eyes and smiled. He could've sworn it was Lily's voice. His smile widened. "Quel du, mellon."

I really should be holding you

Holding you, loving you

Loving you

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*That bit of elvish at the end means 'goodnight friend.' And as for the song, it's 'Tragedy' by STEPS. I've never heard the song, but the lyrics seemed to fit the chapter. In the next chapter, Legolas and Lily will be reunited, and Gandalf returns.