A/N: I have absolutely no idea why those blank spaces in the last chapter
are so huge! It's probably got something to do with the fact that I was
using a different computer. Anyways, everybody, LISTEN UP BECAUSE THIS IS
VEEEEWY IMPORTANT! : by the time I have this posted I will probably be
ready to go back and edit all my previous chapters. Don't get scared! I'm
not really changing anything, just a few adjustments here and there that I
want to make now that I am more experienced in the world of fanfiction but
bare in mind that I might make some additions (like descriptions of
scenery, items, etc) just to make my story richer. I really am a
perfectionist so this has been bugging the hell out of me for some time. I
hate to make you guys do this but if you really do want to, go back and
read the story from the beginning (you don't have to!). Not now though! I
haven't started yet:) Well I guess that was my main announcement for now,
enjoy this next chapter and pleeeeeaaaase review because I need to know
what you guys are thinking- or else there really is no point in writing,
now is there?
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Dileriyen looked at the short letter she had written. Thranduil was going to have a fit when he saw the word 'Mordor' but there really wasn't anything that could be done about it now. She realized that he would be very concerned and would probably want more details as to the circumstances but she really was in no mood to write anymore and besides, she hardly knew anything herself. She sighed frustratedly as she looked about her room, searching for answers it could not give her. Things had become so confusing that Dileriyen was having a hard time focusing on things. Legolas was off to Mordor, she was in Rivendell and Thranduil awaited their return in Mirkwood, oblivious to anything that was going on. No, he certainly would not be pleased with this new turn of events.
Dileriyen stretched out comfortably on her quilted bed, letting the rays of the sun that seeped into the room caress her skin. She had taken for granted the many times she and Legolas shared a bed, not as lovers of course, but that mattered not. The point was that she missed the comfort of his warmth, not to mention his mindless and humorous babbling in his sleep. She missed these things in such a way that it nearly drove her to madness. Memories came back to her of watching him sleep, making her wonder if he had ever watched her sleep. He always looked like an angel at perfect peace with the world, the light of the heavens dancing on his very being.
She hugged a pillow tightly, letting a few more tears fall, cursing herself for her ill-fortunes. Why was it that nothing ever turned right for her? *Well,* she said out loud *should nothing else go right in my life I -will- find Legolas... I -will- tell you that I love you.*
A faint knocking on the door beckoned her and she was told that Elrond was waiting for her in his study. Drying her eyes with the sleeve of her dress, she sniffed a few times before leaving the room, letter in hand. The stairs wound every which way as she slowly walked downstairs. There she stood, facing the door of the study. But, before going in, she promised herself one thing: *I will not let him talk me into staying.*
*knock knock*
"Come in Dileriyen" he said in his usual serious tone. Dileriyen made her way into the room and sat down on a comfortable chair. She dared not look at him though for he was staring at her, obviously sensing her pain and Dileriyen cared not to reveal her emotions just yet. He sighed heavily, letting her know that he obviously had a lot on his mind and even more to say. This conversation would probably last a few hours and Dileriyen just hoped that she could keep her wits about her that long.
"I see you have written a letter," he said, "it is for Legolas I presume?"
"No, actually I wrote it for Father and I hope you have someone available to send it."
"Hmm..yes I am glad you mention that. I was in fact thinking of sending a few messengers out, more specifically: two to Mirkwood and two to Lothlorien."
"Lothlorien?" she asked confused, "Why Lothlorien?"
"Well, first of all, I send men to Mirkwood to let your father know in full detail all that has happened since the Council until now and secondly I send men to Lothlorien because that is where the Fellowship ought to be headed."
This made Dileriyen jump up in her seat and she started to throw several questions at her uncle all at once.
"When are they to reach there?! By what road do they travel?! How long do you think it will take me to get there?! Which- "
But she was cut off as Elrond held his hand up, motioning for her to settle down so that he could explain. It was going to be a tough fight: trying to get her to stay, but for her safety it was necessary. Besides, Legolas had cautioned him before leaving that something like this might happen and he had promised to keep Dileriyen out of harm's way. It would not be easy.
"Dileriyen, I want you to calm down and listen to me patiently and without interruption for there are matters we must discuss. Do you promise to stay settled until I have finished?"
"Alright uncle, you have my promise." She replied hesitantly.
"I really do not know how to fully emphasize this but Dileriyen, you are not leaving Imladris. Ah-ah! Sit! Listen before you argue, mind you I have your promise! You are not leaving because of two reasons: number one, I gave Legolas my word to keep you here and out of harm's way, should you have come here at all, that is. And number two, you are absolutely out of your mind if you think that I will let you go after the Fellowship all the way to Mordor when war could break out any moment. Do you not realize that there are orcs and other foul beings running around everywhere? You would be killed by the time you got past the Bruinen! These are not times for young ladies to be running around. You must wait for Legolas' return. Arwen should be an example to you in this situation." He concluded sadly, obviously bringing up a painful subject.
Dileriyen sat there, angry, upset and confused but the only thing she could think of saying was:
"Then you know of Arwen and..." she said softly, forgetting her own troubles for a moment.
"Yes, of course" he answered, now even quieter and sadder. She knew not what to say to him now but Elrond looked deeply into her eyes and spoke.
"What do you think it does to me Dileriyen, to know that I give up my daughter to death; to a mortal life... She has a choice before her: to leave this world and be with her family forever or to stay and give up her immortality for love and death. Is it not painfully obvious which road she will choose? You know of an elf's love..." he said as a tear snaked down his cheek. Dileriyen, now crying herself, had not been aware of how grave the situation actually was and that other people besides herself had problems. She did not want to leave Middle-Earth, as did not many others, but the time would come for that event and yes, Arwen's choice was very clear to her as well.
"She may yet choose differently..." she spoke softly, trying to bring at least some hope to her uncle. Elrond smiled faintly at his niece trying to lift his heart but his smile soon melted away.
"Thank you child, but you know that that is not likely. Her mother, the twins and... I... shall miss her very much...Oh my Undomiel..." He said as he turned away to the window and gazed at the setting sun. Dileriyen could only look down at the wooden floor beneath her feet, a few wet drops here and there. At length she heard Elrond turn back around to face her so she looked up and once again could not speak. Her heart had so much to say and yet her mouth could form no words.
Elrond walked up to her and pulled a chair so that he was sitting directly in front of her. He took her hand in his hands and spoke very seriously, his gaze fixated on her eyes.
"We are all concerned for your safety and well-being Dileriyen, please do not ask it of me to let you go for I can not and I shall not. Give the Fellowship time and they will be back. Legolas will be back. I expect they shall make it to Lothlorien in a few months' time so I suggest that you write out another letter, to him, and the messengers will hand it to him when they reach the Golden Wood."
This time, there was no way out. She could go against the wishes of her father and her uncle but not against Legolas'. He had twice made it clear that he did not want her to follow him; once in his letter to her and then to Elrond. Her heart shattered into a thousand pieces but she gave in.
"Dileriyen, do I have your word that you shall stay here?"
"Yes," she said facing him. Her jaw clenched and her eyes glazed but she would not shed tears once more. "You have my word."
***************************
Meanwhile, Elladan and Elrohir practice their archery at the range.
Elrohir silently pulled another arrow out of his quiver and placed it on his bow. He tried to maintain control but Elladan was having a lot of fun poking questions at him.
"So brother, I take it that you will now admit defeat?"
Elrohir let go of the arrow and it went completely off target, disappearing into the woods.
"Next time I shall aim for your head Elladan." He said, utterly annoyed.
"What have I said 'til now that is not true? She has refused your affections and has stated her love for Legolas quite openly. Why not just give up?"
"Watch your mouth Elladan..." he growled. His brother was treading on very thin ice and already their two friends Celerin and Celurifen (also brothers), who were practicing archery next to them, were getting ready to hold Elrohir should he suddenly jump his brother.
"Or what?" smiled Elladan, still taking everything as a big joke, not realizing how sensitive his brother really was when it came to this subject. "Legolas may be away for the time being but when he gets back Dileriyen and he will no doubt get married within the month. I wonder where you will be by then!"
All of a sudden Elrohir sprang on Elladan with the speed of lightening and the sounds of fists coming in contact with faces was heard. Celerin and Celurifen found it hard to tear the two apart but Celerin was stronger than Elrohir and held onto him tightly. Finally Elrohir managed to calm down and had the last word after Elladan and he stopped screaming at each other. Bruised and battered,he made his designs very clear to all who heard.
"I promise you *dear brother* that Dileriyen will marry ME. I will be damned if she wears not my ring by the end of this month. Legolas can jump into Mount Doom for all I care. He is out of her life and I will do everything in my power to keep him that way. That I promise you. Out of my way!" he said as he yanked himself away from Celerin and stormed off. This had definitely been an unforgettable episode for all involved but they re- gathered themselves quickly as Elrond approached them.
His father looked Elladan up and down, agitated with his appearance.
"Have you and your brother been at it again boy?" Elladan knew better than to lie to his father.
"Father, really it was not my fault. I was merely having a little fun but he went berserk and attacked me! Honestly, sometimes I wonder where you and mother found him." He grumbled, managing to get a bit of a laugh out of his father.
"Alright, enough of that. You and Celurifen run along now for I need a word with Celerin."
They removed themselves quietly to the far end of the range where they could practice sword-fighting a bit. They would have to sharpen their skills for they might be needed at any given time.
"You request my service, milord?" Celerin asked.
"Yes son, I do. I have already spoken with Ralen and I was wondering how you would feel about accompanying him to Lothlorien. I need you two to deliver a few messages to the Lord and Lady and stay until the Fellowship arrives. I will have a few messages for them as well and when they leave the Golden Wood you may return with news of their progress. Are you up to the challenge boy?"
Celerin's eyes sparkled at this opportunity to prove himself to his Lord and he immediately leapt at the chance to go to Lothlorien.
"I readily accept this responsibility and thank you, milord!" he said a bit too eagerly, getting another smile out of Elrond.
"Very well then, be ready to leave tomorrow afternoon son."
**********************
Dileriyen's hands ached for her to stop writing for they felt about ready to fall off. She had been writing for hours and this was perhaps her fiftieth letter to Legolas (the others lying scrunched up on the floor, a sea of paper). Finally, she felt as if she had written everything she wanted to say in the way she wanted to say it. She reread the letter carefully:
I can not begin to express my pain in being torn from you. It seems that my heart grows weaker everyday, only the thought of your return is what keeps me alive. I am in Imladris and under strict orders to remain here. Do not be mad at Father for letting me leave home, he could only detain me for so long. Also know that it is not under his or my Uncle's request that I stay but only because you have asked it of me. So I do not follow you, my angel. I sit and I wait. My tears have run dry by now but it is not for myself that I worry. Will I never see your sweet face again my love? You ask if I can find it in my heart to forgive you; nay, it is I who needs to be forgiven. I failed to see you for the Prince you have become before my very eyes. You can not know how proud I am of you. I do not ask it of you to leave your responsibilities but only beg of you to hasten your return so that I may look into your eyes once again. There is no need to ask me to wait for you. Don't you know by now that my heart beats for you only? Indeed, I challenge even the great Luthien to rival it with hers...
Come back to me, I die inside... Dileriyen
***********************
Dileriyen ran all over the range, her eyes searching for Celerin. When she spotted him, she couldn't help but groan a bit for he was talking with Elrohir and she really didn't feel like interfacing with him at the moment. Unfortunately, there was no choice. She could not risk missing Celerin in the morning and not giving him her letter and Ralen was nowhere to be found. It was now or never. She walked up to them slowly and both stopped speaking as she neared.
"Milady," said Celerin but Elrohir simply stood there, trying not to look into her eyes. They hadn't spoken at all since the fight.
"Hello. Celerin, please make sure that this letter reaches Prince Legolas the moment he arrives in Lorien, is that understood? It is of the utmost importance."
"Yes milady, I will see to it personally."
"Thank you, good day and be careful!" She eyed Elrohir suspiciously before heading off, wondering where those bruises all over his face had come from.
As soon as she was out of sight, Elrohir snatched the letter out of Celerin's hands and untied the blue ribbon around it.
"Give me that!"
"Elrohir please, give it back. That is not meant for your eyes!" pleaded Celerin but it was no use. Elrohir had already taken in every word of the letter and was absolutely furious with what he read. He slowly breathed in and out and crumpled the letter between his two hands.
"What on earth are you doing!" screamed Celerin, thinking for sure that his friend had finally gone mad.
Now Elrohir had one last trick up his sleeve and this was his chance to put it into effect. Lucky for him, Celerin was a very kind-hearted elf and trusted Elrohir far too much.
"Oh dear me I did not realize it! Oh dear oh dear... The beautiful letter is ruined. What to do? Dileriyen will be furious... But wait, I have an idea! I shall rewrite it for her and give it back to you to deliver Celerin, and then she will have no reason to be upset with me." Elrohir said very casually.
"Well...I don't know Elrohir... should we invade her privacy in such a manner?"
"Celerin! I destroyed her letter without realizing it, I am trying to win the lady's affections, how upset with me do you think she will be if she finds out what I've done?"
"Well-"
"Exactly! Just give me half an hour and I shall have it rewritten and ready to be taken to Lothlorien. Even better, she will have no reason to be angry. Besides, I think she is finally beginning to warm up to me. In fact, in this letter it is quite evident that she is trying to break off her relationship with Legolas."
"Wait, let me see that-"
"No need dear friend for I must hurry!" he said running off to his room. "Wait here for me and I shall return with a fresh copy of the letter in a few minutes," he called back.
In his room with a blank page in front of him, Elrohir pondered the most effective way to destroy any hopes of a relationship between Dileriyen and Legolas. He wanted it short and sweet. Ten minutes later, this is what he had written:
Legolas
It is very unfair of you to ask me to wait for you. You have gone off and left me to die of a broken heart. You are a heartless creature indeed. I am now in Imladris and a new world has opened up to me. There is someone here who is ready to offer me the world. Most important of all, he has not left me as you have. He is someone I have known almost all my life and he will make me happy. I apologize for having to disappoint you in this manner but you leave me no choice. My heart is now with someone else, I hope you find your happiness elsewhere. Journey safe,
Dileriyen
"Perfect!" he shouted to himself as he retied the letter with the blue ribbon. He made sure to make Dileriyen's signature exactly the same so that no suspicions would arise, and it worked. They looked identical. Feeling very proud of himself he ran off in search of Celerin. When he found him, he handed him the letter and spoke so casually that his friend thought nothing of it and thought not of the incident later on. The messengers left the next day and Dileriyen watched them ride off into the unknown, too slow for the quickened pace of her heart. There was nothing left to do but wait.
********************** Several months and many tears later
None but Eru alone could have known the hell that Legolas had been and was still going through. It was not just the physical pain but also the longing in his heart to be away from all this and back at home, in Dileriyen's arms. The incident at Moria had topped everything. Losing Mithrandir, seeing him vanish into the abyss with that hideous creature was too much for his already weakened heart and once out of Moria, he let his emotions flow. True everyone else was also crying but he cried not for Mithrandir alone. He cried also for himself, and for her. And so, finally finding their way to Lothlorien was a blessing for him. His mind, his body and not to mention his heart, desperately needed the rest.
The light of the Golden Wood shone on him and it reminded him so much of his own home that his thoughts always tarried in that direction. When the Lord and Lady presented themselves, he could tell that Galadriel was happy to see a familliar face. She looked into everyone's faces and then her eyes spoke to Legolas.
"She has sent a letter for you. Find Celerin of Imladris." She said.
After everything had been settled, and everyone was free to wander at will, Legolas decided to take this opportunity to seek out Celerin, his hopes resting in the salvation that was Dileriyen's letter. But finding this elf was no easy matter. Two hours later, Legolas finally saw this messenger and walked up to him.
"Hello sir, are you Celerin of Imladris?"
"That I am. I saw you come in with the Fellowship, milord. You must be Prince Legolas."
"Yes, I am he. I believe you have a letter for me."
"Indeed I do sir, here it is, from the Lady Dileriyen."
Legolas excitedly snatched the letter from Celerin's hands and quickly unraveled it, not caring about still being in Celerin's presence. But, the letter's contents were nothing like what he had expected.
*Legolas
It is very unfair of you to ask me to wait for you. You have gone off and left me to die of a broken heart. You are a heartless creature indeed. I am now in Imladris and a new world has opened up to me. There is someone here who is ready to offer me the world. Most important of all, he has not left me as you have. He is someone I have known almost all my life and he will make me happy. I apologize for having to disappoint you in this manner but you leave me no choice. My heart is now with someone else, I hope you find your happiness elsewhere. Journey safe,
Dileriyen*
His heart sank at every word and his eyes scanned every inch of the letter, hoping that this was just a cruel joke. But it wasn't and it felt like a million arrows had slowly been forced into him, one by one. For a moment he could not speak and turned his back to Celerin, miserably trying to hide his pain. Once he spoke, he did so ever so softly that it was barely audible.
"And she handed you this with her own hands?"
"Yes milord, is something wrong?"
"Tell me Celerin, has the Lady someone new in her life?"
"Do you refer to Master Elrohir, milord? Well..."
"Thank you Celerin...that is all I needed to hear..."
And with that he walked off silently into the shadows, a broken elf with a broken heart...
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A/N: Wow, that was long. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Review, review, review! That note at the end of my last chapter, well, I haven't gotten to it yet as you may have noticed. I thought things should be a bit more detailed so I took my time writing this one. What do you guys think? I loved writing this chapter. Another thing, Elrohir isn't evil. Not at all. He is just fighting for his love...unfortunately at the expense of our two heroes. Shame...
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Dileriyen looked at the short letter she had written. Thranduil was going to have a fit when he saw the word 'Mordor' but there really wasn't anything that could be done about it now. She realized that he would be very concerned and would probably want more details as to the circumstances but she really was in no mood to write anymore and besides, she hardly knew anything herself. She sighed frustratedly as she looked about her room, searching for answers it could not give her. Things had become so confusing that Dileriyen was having a hard time focusing on things. Legolas was off to Mordor, she was in Rivendell and Thranduil awaited their return in Mirkwood, oblivious to anything that was going on. No, he certainly would not be pleased with this new turn of events.
Dileriyen stretched out comfortably on her quilted bed, letting the rays of the sun that seeped into the room caress her skin. She had taken for granted the many times she and Legolas shared a bed, not as lovers of course, but that mattered not. The point was that she missed the comfort of his warmth, not to mention his mindless and humorous babbling in his sleep. She missed these things in such a way that it nearly drove her to madness. Memories came back to her of watching him sleep, making her wonder if he had ever watched her sleep. He always looked like an angel at perfect peace with the world, the light of the heavens dancing on his very being.
She hugged a pillow tightly, letting a few more tears fall, cursing herself for her ill-fortunes. Why was it that nothing ever turned right for her? *Well,* she said out loud *should nothing else go right in my life I -will- find Legolas... I -will- tell you that I love you.*
A faint knocking on the door beckoned her and she was told that Elrond was waiting for her in his study. Drying her eyes with the sleeve of her dress, she sniffed a few times before leaving the room, letter in hand. The stairs wound every which way as she slowly walked downstairs. There she stood, facing the door of the study. But, before going in, she promised herself one thing: *I will not let him talk me into staying.*
*knock knock*
"Come in Dileriyen" he said in his usual serious tone. Dileriyen made her way into the room and sat down on a comfortable chair. She dared not look at him though for he was staring at her, obviously sensing her pain and Dileriyen cared not to reveal her emotions just yet. He sighed heavily, letting her know that he obviously had a lot on his mind and even more to say. This conversation would probably last a few hours and Dileriyen just hoped that she could keep her wits about her that long.
"I see you have written a letter," he said, "it is for Legolas I presume?"
"No, actually I wrote it for Father and I hope you have someone available to send it."
"Hmm..yes I am glad you mention that. I was in fact thinking of sending a few messengers out, more specifically: two to Mirkwood and two to Lothlorien."
"Lothlorien?" she asked confused, "Why Lothlorien?"
"Well, first of all, I send men to Mirkwood to let your father know in full detail all that has happened since the Council until now and secondly I send men to Lothlorien because that is where the Fellowship ought to be headed."
This made Dileriyen jump up in her seat and she started to throw several questions at her uncle all at once.
"When are they to reach there?! By what road do they travel?! How long do you think it will take me to get there?! Which- "
But she was cut off as Elrond held his hand up, motioning for her to settle down so that he could explain. It was going to be a tough fight: trying to get her to stay, but for her safety it was necessary. Besides, Legolas had cautioned him before leaving that something like this might happen and he had promised to keep Dileriyen out of harm's way. It would not be easy.
"Dileriyen, I want you to calm down and listen to me patiently and without interruption for there are matters we must discuss. Do you promise to stay settled until I have finished?"
"Alright uncle, you have my promise." She replied hesitantly.
"I really do not know how to fully emphasize this but Dileriyen, you are not leaving Imladris. Ah-ah! Sit! Listen before you argue, mind you I have your promise! You are not leaving because of two reasons: number one, I gave Legolas my word to keep you here and out of harm's way, should you have come here at all, that is. And number two, you are absolutely out of your mind if you think that I will let you go after the Fellowship all the way to Mordor when war could break out any moment. Do you not realize that there are orcs and other foul beings running around everywhere? You would be killed by the time you got past the Bruinen! These are not times for young ladies to be running around. You must wait for Legolas' return. Arwen should be an example to you in this situation." He concluded sadly, obviously bringing up a painful subject.
Dileriyen sat there, angry, upset and confused but the only thing she could think of saying was:
"Then you know of Arwen and..." she said softly, forgetting her own troubles for a moment.
"Yes, of course" he answered, now even quieter and sadder. She knew not what to say to him now but Elrond looked deeply into her eyes and spoke.
"What do you think it does to me Dileriyen, to know that I give up my daughter to death; to a mortal life... She has a choice before her: to leave this world and be with her family forever or to stay and give up her immortality for love and death. Is it not painfully obvious which road she will choose? You know of an elf's love..." he said as a tear snaked down his cheek. Dileriyen, now crying herself, had not been aware of how grave the situation actually was and that other people besides herself had problems. She did not want to leave Middle-Earth, as did not many others, but the time would come for that event and yes, Arwen's choice was very clear to her as well.
"She may yet choose differently..." she spoke softly, trying to bring at least some hope to her uncle. Elrond smiled faintly at his niece trying to lift his heart but his smile soon melted away.
"Thank you child, but you know that that is not likely. Her mother, the twins and... I... shall miss her very much...Oh my Undomiel..." He said as he turned away to the window and gazed at the setting sun. Dileriyen could only look down at the wooden floor beneath her feet, a few wet drops here and there. At length she heard Elrond turn back around to face her so she looked up and once again could not speak. Her heart had so much to say and yet her mouth could form no words.
Elrond walked up to her and pulled a chair so that he was sitting directly in front of her. He took her hand in his hands and spoke very seriously, his gaze fixated on her eyes.
"We are all concerned for your safety and well-being Dileriyen, please do not ask it of me to let you go for I can not and I shall not. Give the Fellowship time and they will be back. Legolas will be back. I expect they shall make it to Lothlorien in a few months' time so I suggest that you write out another letter, to him, and the messengers will hand it to him when they reach the Golden Wood."
This time, there was no way out. She could go against the wishes of her father and her uncle but not against Legolas'. He had twice made it clear that he did not want her to follow him; once in his letter to her and then to Elrond. Her heart shattered into a thousand pieces but she gave in.
"Dileriyen, do I have your word that you shall stay here?"
"Yes," she said facing him. Her jaw clenched and her eyes glazed but she would not shed tears once more. "You have my word."
***************************
Meanwhile, Elladan and Elrohir practice their archery at the range.
Elrohir silently pulled another arrow out of his quiver and placed it on his bow. He tried to maintain control but Elladan was having a lot of fun poking questions at him.
"So brother, I take it that you will now admit defeat?"
Elrohir let go of the arrow and it went completely off target, disappearing into the woods.
"Next time I shall aim for your head Elladan." He said, utterly annoyed.
"What have I said 'til now that is not true? She has refused your affections and has stated her love for Legolas quite openly. Why not just give up?"
"Watch your mouth Elladan..." he growled. His brother was treading on very thin ice and already their two friends Celerin and Celurifen (also brothers), who were practicing archery next to them, were getting ready to hold Elrohir should he suddenly jump his brother.
"Or what?" smiled Elladan, still taking everything as a big joke, not realizing how sensitive his brother really was when it came to this subject. "Legolas may be away for the time being but when he gets back Dileriyen and he will no doubt get married within the month. I wonder where you will be by then!"
All of a sudden Elrohir sprang on Elladan with the speed of lightening and the sounds of fists coming in contact with faces was heard. Celerin and Celurifen found it hard to tear the two apart but Celerin was stronger than Elrohir and held onto him tightly. Finally Elrohir managed to calm down and had the last word after Elladan and he stopped screaming at each other. Bruised and battered,he made his designs very clear to all who heard.
"I promise you *dear brother* that Dileriyen will marry ME. I will be damned if she wears not my ring by the end of this month. Legolas can jump into Mount Doom for all I care. He is out of her life and I will do everything in my power to keep him that way. That I promise you. Out of my way!" he said as he yanked himself away from Celerin and stormed off. This had definitely been an unforgettable episode for all involved but they re- gathered themselves quickly as Elrond approached them.
His father looked Elladan up and down, agitated with his appearance.
"Have you and your brother been at it again boy?" Elladan knew better than to lie to his father.
"Father, really it was not my fault. I was merely having a little fun but he went berserk and attacked me! Honestly, sometimes I wonder where you and mother found him." He grumbled, managing to get a bit of a laugh out of his father.
"Alright, enough of that. You and Celurifen run along now for I need a word with Celerin."
They removed themselves quietly to the far end of the range where they could practice sword-fighting a bit. They would have to sharpen their skills for they might be needed at any given time.
"You request my service, milord?" Celerin asked.
"Yes son, I do. I have already spoken with Ralen and I was wondering how you would feel about accompanying him to Lothlorien. I need you two to deliver a few messages to the Lord and Lady and stay until the Fellowship arrives. I will have a few messages for them as well and when they leave the Golden Wood you may return with news of their progress. Are you up to the challenge boy?"
Celerin's eyes sparkled at this opportunity to prove himself to his Lord and he immediately leapt at the chance to go to Lothlorien.
"I readily accept this responsibility and thank you, milord!" he said a bit too eagerly, getting another smile out of Elrond.
"Very well then, be ready to leave tomorrow afternoon son."
**********************
Dileriyen's hands ached for her to stop writing for they felt about ready to fall off. She had been writing for hours and this was perhaps her fiftieth letter to Legolas (the others lying scrunched up on the floor, a sea of paper). Finally, she felt as if she had written everything she wanted to say in the way she wanted to say it. She reread the letter carefully:
I can not begin to express my pain in being torn from you. It seems that my heart grows weaker everyday, only the thought of your return is what keeps me alive. I am in Imladris and under strict orders to remain here. Do not be mad at Father for letting me leave home, he could only detain me for so long. Also know that it is not under his or my Uncle's request that I stay but only because you have asked it of me. So I do not follow you, my angel. I sit and I wait. My tears have run dry by now but it is not for myself that I worry. Will I never see your sweet face again my love? You ask if I can find it in my heart to forgive you; nay, it is I who needs to be forgiven. I failed to see you for the Prince you have become before my very eyes. You can not know how proud I am of you. I do not ask it of you to leave your responsibilities but only beg of you to hasten your return so that I may look into your eyes once again. There is no need to ask me to wait for you. Don't you know by now that my heart beats for you only? Indeed, I challenge even the great Luthien to rival it with hers...
Come back to me, I die inside... Dileriyen
***********************
Dileriyen ran all over the range, her eyes searching for Celerin. When she spotted him, she couldn't help but groan a bit for he was talking with Elrohir and she really didn't feel like interfacing with him at the moment. Unfortunately, there was no choice. She could not risk missing Celerin in the morning and not giving him her letter and Ralen was nowhere to be found. It was now or never. She walked up to them slowly and both stopped speaking as she neared.
"Milady," said Celerin but Elrohir simply stood there, trying not to look into her eyes. They hadn't spoken at all since the fight.
"Hello. Celerin, please make sure that this letter reaches Prince Legolas the moment he arrives in Lorien, is that understood? It is of the utmost importance."
"Yes milady, I will see to it personally."
"Thank you, good day and be careful!" She eyed Elrohir suspiciously before heading off, wondering where those bruises all over his face had come from.
As soon as she was out of sight, Elrohir snatched the letter out of Celerin's hands and untied the blue ribbon around it.
"Give me that!"
"Elrohir please, give it back. That is not meant for your eyes!" pleaded Celerin but it was no use. Elrohir had already taken in every word of the letter and was absolutely furious with what he read. He slowly breathed in and out and crumpled the letter between his two hands.
"What on earth are you doing!" screamed Celerin, thinking for sure that his friend had finally gone mad.
Now Elrohir had one last trick up his sleeve and this was his chance to put it into effect. Lucky for him, Celerin was a very kind-hearted elf and trusted Elrohir far too much.
"Oh dear me I did not realize it! Oh dear oh dear... The beautiful letter is ruined. What to do? Dileriyen will be furious... But wait, I have an idea! I shall rewrite it for her and give it back to you to deliver Celerin, and then she will have no reason to be upset with me." Elrohir said very casually.
"Well...I don't know Elrohir... should we invade her privacy in such a manner?"
"Celerin! I destroyed her letter without realizing it, I am trying to win the lady's affections, how upset with me do you think she will be if she finds out what I've done?"
"Well-"
"Exactly! Just give me half an hour and I shall have it rewritten and ready to be taken to Lothlorien. Even better, she will have no reason to be angry. Besides, I think she is finally beginning to warm up to me. In fact, in this letter it is quite evident that she is trying to break off her relationship with Legolas."
"Wait, let me see that-"
"No need dear friend for I must hurry!" he said running off to his room. "Wait here for me and I shall return with a fresh copy of the letter in a few minutes," he called back.
In his room with a blank page in front of him, Elrohir pondered the most effective way to destroy any hopes of a relationship between Dileriyen and Legolas. He wanted it short and sweet. Ten minutes later, this is what he had written:
Legolas
It is very unfair of you to ask me to wait for you. You have gone off and left me to die of a broken heart. You are a heartless creature indeed. I am now in Imladris and a new world has opened up to me. There is someone here who is ready to offer me the world. Most important of all, he has not left me as you have. He is someone I have known almost all my life and he will make me happy. I apologize for having to disappoint you in this manner but you leave me no choice. My heart is now with someone else, I hope you find your happiness elsewhere. Journey safe,
Dileriyen
"Perfect!" he shouted to himself as he retied the letter with the blue ribbon. He made sure to make Dileriyen's signature exactly the same so that no suspicions would arise, and it worked. They looked identical. Feeling very proud of himself he ran off in search of Celerin. When he found him, he handed him the letter and spoke so casually that his friend thought nothing of it and thought not of the incident later on. The messengers left the next day and Dileriyen watched them ride off into the unknown, too slow for the quickened pace of her heart. There was nothing left to do but wait.
********************** Several months and many tears later
None but Eru alone could have known the hell that Legolas had been and was still going through. It was not just the physical pain but also the longing in his heart to be away from all this and back at home, in Dileriyen's arms. The incident at Moria had topped everything. Losing Mithrandir, seeing him vanish into the abyss with that hideous creature was too much for his already weakened heart and once out of Moria, he let his emotions flow. True everyone else was also crying but he cried not for Mithrandir alone. He cried also for himself, and for her. And so, finally finding their way to Lothlorien was a blessing for him. His mind, his body and not to mention his heart, desperately needed the rest.
The light of the Golden Wood shone on him and it reminded him so much of his own home that his thoughts always tarried in that direction. When the Lord and Lady presented themselves, he could tell that Galadriel was happy to see a familliar face. She looked into everyone's faces and then her eyes spoke to Legolas.
"She has sent a letter for you. Find Celerin of Imladris." She said.
After everything had been settled, and everyone was free to wander at will, Legolas decided to take this opportunity to seek out Celerin, his hopes resting in the salvation that was Dileriyen's letter. But finding this elf was no easy matter. Two hours later, Legolas finally saw this messenger and walked up to him.
"Hello sir, are you Celerin of Imladris?"
"That I am. I saw you come in with the Fellowship, milord. You must be Prince Legolas."
"Yes, I am he. I believe you have a letter for me."
"Indeed I do sir, here it is, from the Lady Dileriyen."
Legolas excitedly snatched the letter from Celerin's hands and quickly unraveled it, not caring about still being in Celerin's presence. But, the letter's contents were nothing like what he had expected.
*Legolas
It is very unfair of you to ask me to wait for you. You have gone off and left me to die of a broken heart. You are a heartless creature indeed. I am now in Imladris and a new world has opened up to me. There is someone here who is ready to offer me the world. Most important of all, he has not left me as you have. He is someone I have known almost all my life and he will make me happy. I apologize for having to disappoint you in this manner but you leave me no choice. My heart is now with someone else, I hope you find your happiness elsewhere. Journey safe,
Dileriyen*
His heart sank at every word and his eyes scanned every inch of the letter, hoping that this was just a cruel joke. But it wasn't and it felt like a million arrows had slowly been forced into him, one by one. For a moment he could not speak and turned his back to Celerin, miserably trying to hide his pain. Once he spoke, he did so ever so softly that it was barely audible.
"And she handed you this with her own hands?"
"Yes milord, is something wrong?"
"Tell me Celerin, has the Lady someone new in her life?"
"Do you refer to Master Elrohir, milord? Well..."
"Thank you Celerin...that is all I needed to hear..."
And with that he walked off silently into the shadows, a broken elf with a broken heart...
*************************
A/N: Wow, that was long. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Review, review, review! That note at the end of my last chapter, well, I haven't gotten to it yet as you may have noticed. I thought things should be a bit more detailed so I took my time writing this one. What do you guys think? I loved writing this chapter. Another thing, Elrohir isn't evil. Not at all. He is just fighting for his love...unfortunately at the expense of our two heroes. Shame...
