Part 4: Miracle Romance?

I'm sorry that I'm not honest. I can say that in my dreams. My thoughts are about to short circuit. I want to see you right now…

--Sailor Moon SuperS Opening Theme

Legolas watched from a short distance as Elenaithil plucked at the cloak of Lothlorien again before letting it rest and then touching the river and smiling. The cold river seemed to interest her a great deal more then some of the things they were putting into the boats.

'She feels at home near water. She is its ruler. I should realize this by now and stop looking at her every ten seconds.'

A discovery of lembas, food of the Elves that took only a small bite to fill a grown man caused that, but he saw Elenaithil watching him out of the corner of his eyes and listened as she walked over to where the two Halflings were sitting in the boat before putting her hands on her hips, her cloak making only a small sound so his elfin ears could hear.

"And how many did you eat, Gu-tachi?"

"Four." Came Pippin's reply, and it took a minute for Legolas to realize he meant four whole lembas, not just four bites. Elenaithil's laughter trickled like the water of the river itself. For a moment Legolas thought back to the gifts that Galadriel was giving to each of the members of the Fellowship.

"And for you, daughter of water? What do you wish?" Galadriel asked.

Elenaithil blushed slightly, then said, "Nothing much, Lady of the Woods. Really."

"There must be something that we can give you, child."

The girl had blushed and seemingly whispered something in her own language before saying, "I'll ask only for a…a rod of some sort. Any metal will do. I don't know why, but…please?"

Galadriel had smiled, though she obviously was only a little confused by the request, and the rod of gold-tinted metal now was besides Elenaithil's lyre, the knife she sometimes used hanging on the other side.

'Why do you torment yourself, Legolas? She has someone back in her world. She must. She speaks of one that she seems willing to die for, that she loves with all her heart. How could you compare to that?'

The boats were ready, and Legolas was surprised to see Elenaithil sitting next to Boromir and Merry in one boat. The group pushed off and started down, the two in the next boat over talking their small banter that Legolas only made out slightly.

We will kill, we will eat manflesh!

Legolas turned towards the shore, trying to see what there was, and for a moment thought he saw a face that was ugly and made for killing, but only almost that of an orcs, not quite…

They landed, and slowly everyone settled down. Legolas kept a watch on the woods, feeling unnerved by the face and the thought he had on the river. Nearby, the two humans argued, and Boromir moved over to where Elenaithil sat, leaning against a rock and touching her lyre, seeming to think of what could be done and what could be said or sung at such a time.

"You always fight with your king, Boromir-baka?"

"Will you stop calling me that? I don't even know what it means."

"That's a good thing, one wouldn't what is called our friendship to fall because you know I'm calling you a jackass and an idiot."

Boromir glared at the girl, then sighed. "He is my king, yes, but he left when he should have stayed."

"Ah. Boromir," she looked up at the moon above, "do you about the rabbit in the moon?"

"Rabbit?"

"Long ago, there was a man who created a potion to make himself immortal. He was mean, evil, and cruel, though not always he had been. His wise wife, who didn't want such a man to live forever, stole the potion and asked the gods to save her. She was sent to the moon with her pet rabbit, who was shown in the moon pounding mochi, a type of food where I'm from, or some magical ingredients. Once, long ago and a former lifetime aways, I heard the story and told it to my princess during a study lesson. The princess laughed and asked if she was the rabbit, and I told her that no, she was the woman who saved the world from such an evil man. My princess is not perfect." Elenaithil leaned forward to see Boromir's face more clearly. "She never wanted to become a princess, for when it happened she faced much heartache and loss. She never wanted to lose us, because she would be alone and didn't know what she would do without us. She fought for us and for her family. Without that, though, she only had the idea of saving us. When that was taken from her…she nearly failed. She was ready to die, when she realized she had to fight, she had to so she could possibly see us in the future, or at least be with us at one point and not let us down." Elenaithil paused and the two looked over to where Aragon was now asleep, his face towards Frodo's sleeping form and his hand on a sword. Boromir turned back to Elenaithil. "You would die for her, wouldn't you?"

Elenaithil sighed. "Boromir-san, I already have. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't again. I think, though, you should try and accept him as king, instead of wishing for it another way. He is good and kind, but he is not ready. I have seen such things, Boromir. I have watched my hime grow from a crybaby, a girl who cannot raise her grades, who has trouble in school and who cannot spell right, to a wonderful champion who is a crybaby, cannot raise her grades and has trouble in school, and still cannot spell right. But no one would think those problems on a future queen, would they?"

Boromir smiled, then chuckled, "You are right, Ami. No one would think such things of a lady. Why don't you put a spell on her?"

"We have tried, but nothing works! Either way, Boromir-baka, get some sleep."

"Ami-baka."

Elenaithil laughed lightly, then moved to her side of camp. Alone in the darkness of watch, Legolas felt a pang of jealousy towards Boromir for making Elenaithil laugh when he couldn't even find the ability to speak to her and tell her any of the feeling that were tearing him up inside.

*

The green hillside rolled down to show a shimmering city that seemed made of crystal and glass. Legolas felt himself running towards the city, unsure why he was and unsure who he was pursuing, but knowing he wanted to catch her.

Her? Who was this? Elenaithil?

"The guardian of Time is gone!" someone yelled, and Legolas felt himself stop as he saw the shadow move away towards a darkened alley. Legolas slowly walked forward, unsure as to who it was he was following and who it was that turned this way.

"Puu is gone, but something has taken her spot." The voice was that of a child, not yet grown to be a woman but closing in fast. "One that is with you shall leave and protect the closed door."

"What?" Legolas asked.

The child walked forward, showing a girl with pink hair and an odd hairstyle. "One who will leave you shall protect the gates from the evil that has capture Puu. Please protect the lady of water, for she is the one who will help lead you to the Undying Lands. Water flows through your veins, and in the end, you will see the waters that give longevity and life to us all. The Galaxy Cauldron."

A huge expanse of twirling stars appeared now in front of Legolas, and the girl was no longer there. Legolas felt something odd calling him in.

"What is this place?"

"Zero Star, Sagittarius. The final resting place of all stars." A new voice, this one colder then the girl's.

"Why am I here?"

The voice chuckled, and Legolas felt like he was being dragged underneath a huge well of water and sand. "To see your destiny, elf."

Across the river he was being sucked into, he saw darkness slowly seeming to engulf the Fellowship party members, starting with Boromir and Frodo…

*

Elenaithil rode once more with Boromir to the new shore, and sat down near the river as the group began to plan their next move. They had passed the Argonath a few moments earlier, something that had caused wonder to everyone, and now rested slightly from their day's journey.

"We should leave…now," Legolas told Aragon as the two stepped away from the grumbling dwarf and the two hobbits that were eating, Merry going over to hand Elenaithil her share of the food.

"No. Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for cover of darkness," Aragon answered, but that didn't help to ease Legolas.

"It is not the eastern shore that worries me. A shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind. Something draws near…I can feel it."

"Where's Frodo?" Merry asked, causing everyone to turn to look for some sign of the Ringbearer, but Aragon spotted something he didn't like. Boromir's shield lay where his half-made roll was, and Elenaithil seemed sadder then usual. What caused her sadness?

Does she know our fate?

Aragon headed off with the rest of find Frodo, but almost as if he could feel a pull, he walked up and soon found Frodo near a huge ruin with steps and statues that were more in tact then most. Frodo was scared. The Ring had tried to take Boromir, and he had been attacked by someone he trusted.

"Would you take it?" his question caused Aragon to search himself as he knelt down and looked at the gold band. It seemed to whisper his ancestor's name to him, trying to stir something, but over that, and under it, was a cool idea of Arwen, of his duties, and of Elenaithil's voice.

The Ring wants a human hand. We are easier to take, easier to convince that we must do something to help others. I have seen those give up immortality and peace because they believed it was blasphemy and that we should always be at war. Those are the ones who make the tools of evil easier to touch good people and hurt them.

"I would have followed you to the very fires of Mount Doom." Aragon answered, closing Frodo's hand. Frodo nodded.

"I know. Take care of Sam. I'm not sure he'll understand."

Aragon started to nod, but stopped as he stood up and pulled out his own sword. Frodo pulled on Sting's hilt to show the blade glowing blue.

"Run. Now!" Aragon commanded, only watching long enough to see Frodo leave before the battle began. Orcs came and died on his sword, very few gaining any advantage over him. Soon, Legolas' arrow pierced an orc, and Gimli joined in the fray. A second later, the sound of someone's lyre played and a voice yelling out, "Aqua Mirage!" came, showing that Elenaithil had come as well.

The four battled until they heard a horn. Aragon knew it. The Horn of Gondor. The one that Boromir held for all his life.

The one that called people for help or to battle.

"This way!" Aragon shouted, cutting down more orcs and heading for the place where Boromir's horn had attracted the orcs as well. The group followed, Elenaithil yelling out more attacks and using her sword whenever possible.

Aragon, though, was faster then Elenaithil, and reached the ground with enough time to push away a very large orc that had been preparing to fire an arrow into Boromir. The huge thing growled and lunged at him, causing Aragon to fight more then he had in his life as he tried to defeat the monster. He got himself stuck under an orc shield to a tree, but freed himself quickly and finally cut off the thing's arm before cutting off the head.

"Boromir-san! Ie!" Elenaithil was kneeling next to the fallen warrior, looking at his white face and the three black arrows sticking out of him. "You cannot shin! Ie, Boromir-san no Gondor! We need you!"

"It is too late. I tried to take the Ring from Frodo. This is my punishment. But the orcs…they have taken the others. You must…"

"I am sorry for not helping you sooner, Boromir," Aragon told him, feeling tears come to his eyes.

"The White City will fall, and our people will die…Aragon…" Boromir said, holding his sword close to his chest, "please…my king…don't let that happen."

"Boromir," Elenaithil said, touching his forehead before continuing, tears also in her eyes. "May Serenity protect you, and let you into her utopia, where all live for as long as they desire and very little is evil."

"Ami…thank you." Boromir said, and with that, the great warrior died. Nearby, Legolas and Gimli stood, seeming ready to cry, Gimli sniffing a little. They had lost a member of the Fellowship, and now had only two ways to go.

Towards Mordor with Frodo and Sam, or to save Merry and Pippin from Isengard.

*

Ami watched the boat go over the falls, and felt more tears in her eyes. 'Boromir-baka, you shouldn't have tried such a thing. Now who can I tease? I hope that Serenity heard my prayer.'

The group was ready to leave, and Ami got her light things before running along with them. They would find her Gu-tachi, and if she was lucky, Pluto would come to bring her back after all this was done, with nothing bad happening to any of them.

'They are all within my hearts, but…why must I love him so? He cannot come with me, and I cannot stay here. Why did I have to fall in love?'

*

Far away, across the fields of time and space, two separate entities awoke. One was still on Middle Earth, coming back with more power and knowledge then any of his order before him or after him.

The other was in an odd home, built more for comfort and such rather then living, and as he gasped his breaths of new life he realized that he had been killed, and shouldn't be alive. Where was he?

"The home of Pluto, guardian of the fourth dimension, Time," a voice said, "do you want any tea right now?"