Greatest Risk

Part 2

Isilmeriel sat alone in the gardens singing softly to the elements around her. Flowers of every kind released their sweet fragrance in the spring air. Birds chirped in the rejoice of the fresh season and the bounty it brought to them. A small brook flowed throughout the garden, the sound of its water harmonizing with the birds and the trees they rested in.

Legolas had left Estel's side soon after Isilmeriel had left and had followed her to the gardens. Taking a deep breath he sat down next to her; she would know how he felt and he would find out why she was pushing him away.

Isilmeriel stopped singing and looked over her shoulder. "Is there something you wanted?"

"Yes," Legolas replied, "I want. I need to tell you something."

Isilmeriel's heart jumped into her throat. He couldn't love her. If he loved her, then it would only make it harder for her to fight what she felt. "Yes, what is it?" There was no need to ask she knew the answer.

"I love you," he blurted out, "I don't know how are why but I do. And I don't know how or why, but I know you love me too."

Isilmeriel stood up and began to quickly walk away. No, no, no, this couldn't be happening. He knew; somehow he knew.

Legolas stood and grabbed her hands topping her flight, "Why do you run away from me?"

"Because," she had to think fast, had to come up with some sort of lie to tell him, "because, I don't love you and you don't love me. You just think you do. It must have been that bump on your head."

"Isilmeriel, stop it," Isilmeriel tried to pull away from him but to no avail. With his other hand he grabbed her free hand, forcing her to face him. "Why are you afraid to love me?"

Isilmeriel struggled now. She couldn't bear this. Couldn't bear lying to him, but she had to, it was the only way it could be.

"I'm not afraid of anything!" she yelled at him.

Legolas moved his hands up to Isilmeriel's shoulders and held her still. He was far too strong for her to break away now.

"Look at me," He said sternly, "You love me, I can see it in your eyes," Isilmeriel shook her head not allowing the tears that threatened her eyes to fall. "Look into my eyes and tell me you do not feel for me as I for you. Tell me!"

There was silence for a long while as the elf prince searched through Isilmeriel's eyes seeing a clouded strength in their depths. He could not fight it any more. He had wanted to hold her from the very moment they had met. He leaned down and passionately kissed Isilmeriel's shaking lips.

Isilmeriel pushed away and swallowed hard trying to fight back her emotions. Her voice was soft but firm as she lied. "I do not love you, Legolas." She turned and walked away acting proud. When she knew Legolas could no longer see her, she ran as fast as she could to the edge of the far gardens and hid herself under a large willow where her tears could fall and be conceal under the tree's low hanging bows.

~*~*~*~

I can't take it,

I don't understand

If I'm not made for you

Then why does my heart tell me that I am?

~Daniel Bedingfield

~*~*~*~

Legolas stood for a long moment in disbelief. He just had a feeling deep inside him that he knew was shared by someone he loved. But why was Isilmeriel refusing to love him?

Slowing he walked back to the main house. Inside, he went to the balcony that overlooked the large garden. He leapt up onto the ledge, hugging one knee to his chest and letting his other leg swing over into the open air.

Long minutes passed. Isilmeriel had finally come out from where ever she had run off to and was now sitting in front of a statue of two elves standing together, hand-in-hand, staring up at the sky. He wanted to go down to be with her, but thought the better of it. Her words earlier had nearly broken his heart and even though he wanted to be down to the gardens and hold her, he knew he could not. He had seen the hazy look of love in her eyes, but that was clouded by pain and fear.

"Is that the way you sit in your home?" Lord Elrond asked with a slight chuckle as he joined Legolas on the balcony.

"As a matter of fact, Lord Elrond," he replied still keeping his grey-blue eyes on Isilmeriel, "I do."

Elrond clapped his hand on Legolas' shoulder pulling him down from the ledge, "Well, Prince Legolas, this is my home and I would prefer if you did not dangle yourself off of my balcony."

Legolas managed a light laugh, "Yes, sir."

"Now," Elrond placed his hand on the cool marble and peered out over the gardens, "What was it that you were looking at so attentively?"

Legolas leaned his back against the railing, "Isilmeriel."

Lord Elrond caught the sadness the prince held in his voice. "Oh," his eyes drifted over to his niece, "and why does that make you sound so sad and hopeless?"

Legolas took a deep breath. He was in no mood for the elf lord's banter, but he understood why Elrond was playing this game. He had seen it be played many times with Elrond's sons. "Because, I love her, Lord Elrond."

"I know," Elrond said simply. "I was checking on my herbs in the garden and I overheard the two of you talking."

"Oh," Legolas moaned. "You did?"

"Yes, I did." Elrond smiled at the young prince. "I hope you realized she was not telling you the truth." Legolas turned away and did not reply, "Legolas, look out over the ledge one more time at the one you love. Look at what is in her eyes and heart and what she is looking at."

Legolas complied. "I see what I've seen since I've been out here."

"Then you see why she is afraid to love you?"

"What do you mean, sir?" Legolas raised his eyebrow inquisitively.

"That statue is the grave of her parents. Laurelwen of Rivendell, my sister, and Ravion of Lorien." The elf lord began to explain slowly.

"Why would that make her afraid?"

"Because," Elrond sighed remembering the pain and hardship his sister and brother-in-law had gone through. "Her father was not really from Lorien. He was a Silvan elf, but, for some reason I still do not know, he was exiled from Mirkwood. Ravion managed to find a home in Lorien, and soon became captian of their army. He and my sister met during the last alliance, fighting side by side. They fell in love just as fast and hard as you and Isilmeriel. Their love was not very highly looked upon by many. They could not understand why an once exiled Silvan soldier could love a noble Noldor elf and have her return his love. But their love overcame the disapproval of others. They were married and Isilmeriel was born years after.

"What happened to them?" Legolas asked softly.

"Laurelwen and the Lady Galadriel were very close friends and my sister insisted that as soon as Isilmeriel was able to travel, they would go to Lorien to present their first born to the people of Lorien. It was early evening on the Northern Pass and a pack of orcs ambushed them. They were killed." The ancient elf replied solemnly, "Killed by the one thing in all of Middle Earth that can overcome love if strong enough, hatred.

"Weeks later Elladan and Elrohir were traveling on the Northern Pass, they had just turned five-hundred and were on their first long hunt without an older companion." Elrond paused for a moment choking back tears, he had not relived this nightmare in some time, " They found stains of blood upon the rocks and heard a distant cry in the bushes. Isilmeriel was half starved, wet, cold, and very ill. Elladan and Elrohir raced home with her along with heavy hearts."

" Isilmeriel never knew. I refused to tell her for fear of breaking her heart like it broke my sons', all of Rivendell's and Lorien's, and mine. I kept the truth from her for so long. When I finally told her she lost almost everything she believed in. She had to get away, so she took sanctuary under the golden trees of Lothlorien."

Elrond paused and looked at Legolas, his eyes bright with tears that would never fall. "I will never forgive myself, Legolas, for what I did to my beloved niece. Because of my foolish longing to protect her from pain, I caused her an entire world of it. She fears loving you will ultimately wind up hurting you, it is her greatest risk."

Legolas stood, his mouth opened slightly in shock. After a few moments Lord Elrond spoke again. "You love her and she loves you. But it is you who must make her believe again. You must show her love without letting her give into her fear. You must give her time for her wounds to heal. As for now, let your heart guide you and do not give up on your feelings nor give up on her."

"Lord Elrond, I could never give up on Isilmeriel," Legolas whispered.

"None of us can, Legolas," Elrond smiled, "Trust me, one day she will be willing to take that risk and risk everything else for it."