A/N: Writing this story has become one of the joys of my life, and it's all thanks to you guys: my readers. I've said it a million times and I'll say it again: I love you ALL! Plus, I got the idea for my second story (if I ever do finish this one:) but I'll hold off on that for now. I'm very upset that one of my favorite stories got pulled off the site (probably because it was NC-17) and I practically cried when I noticed that it was no longer on my favorites list. I need to find that story but I can't remember the author's name or anything. The story's name was Morwen (Daughter of Darkness). Sure it had its weak points but I loved it and I'm terribly upset. If anyone can give me any info as to this story's author please do so! Also, another one of my favorite story's was Halin's Child but the author for some reason decided not to complete it:( Oh it has been a sad week in the world of fanfic. ATTENTION-IMPORTANT!!!! I have gone back and re-done every single chapter. That just means that I did some editing and made some additions! I hope that shows that I really do care about my story and I want you all to get a clear idea of exactly how I want to portray things. They might seem like small changes but if you have the time, please re-read it because I took the time to re-do it. I do believe it's become richer. But, of course there's a downside. Chapter 15 is putting me through hell. The spacing is all messed up for some reason and I'm still trying to get it to function properly so don't mind that and bare with me cause I'll get it right one of these days. Well, I've held you guys up long enough, thanx for reading this notice. *.-*NjOy*-.*

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Lothlorien was a place of beauty and peace. It meant rest and relaxation for the Fellowship from their sorrows. It meant forgetting, if even for a short while, the troubles that they had left behind them, the sadness and the pain. It meant all these things for the Fellowship, minus one. Legolas so desperately wanted to destroy that letter, tear it to tiny pieces and throw it into a fire. Or maybe he could just forget that he ever read it and go on with the hopes of returning after the quest to her arms. But he could not and he would not. Who could ever forget such cruelty? Legolas did not want to believe, and yet how could he not? It was all there, her signature exactly the way she wrote it as he had witnessed a thousand times before in the past. And thus he was torn. Should he not believe all his eyes had seen and upon his return face the reality of seeing Dileriyen in someone else's arms, kissing someone else's lips? Or should he deny what he believed in his heart to simply be a cruel mistake and wait for the day when he could return to hold her in his embrace for all time...Two roads, two choices. But which one to take?

And so while the Fellowship enjoyed their stay in the realm of the Golden Wood, Legolas kept mostly to himself, drifting away from them every night. He wanted to be left alone to think things through and always there were two choices and zero solutions. Aragorn noticed the change in his friends' behavior and once tried to approach him. This was their conversation:



"Legolas, my friend, what is it that troubles you? You entered the Wood a different Elf yet now it seems you have altered completely."



"Indeed you speak true dear friend. I was a different Elf. A better Elf. But he has been left behind and he lingers now somewhere unknown; somewhere outside the Wood, away from all that he has seen. Maybe he is back home, forgetful of all that has happened."



"Now I am truly worried. Legolas please tell me what grieves you so."



Legolas cracked a weak smile. He honestly did not know how to answer so he worded his response in a way that he knew Aragorn would understand.



"My heart has been ripped out of my body and my soul has left me for something better..."



Aragorn stood there for a moment and tried to register what he had heard. He, too, did not want to believe.



"But surely you cannot mean-"



"Here...I want it no longer. It is my death sentence written out in perfect form." He handed Aragorn the letter and walked off again. Aragorn opened the letter and read the whole thing in seconds. He still did not want to believe. Legolas meant everything to Dileriyen and vice versa, how could it be possible for her to have written this? But it was all there before his eyes, so clear that even Aragorn could not deny. He let Legolas walk off and troubled him no more with this subject or anything else, for that matter. He needed time to think things through and draw his own conclusions. Aragorn would be there for support if he needed it.



The saddest thing in this whole situation was the fact that Legolas had been doing brilliantly in the Fellowship. Sure, he had his moments where he seemed to falter a bit as he did not know what to do but so did the rest of them. He was a vital part of the Company and something like this could not have had worse timing. If anything, Legolas deserved a letter of love and encouragement, not rejection. Aragorn tried to put himself in Legolas' position. What would he have done if Arwen had sent him such a letter? He shuddered at the thought and for one brief moment, he seemed to comprehend *exactly* how his friend felt.



Legolas could think of nothing else to do other than reply to her cruel letter. He did not know what to believe so writing out an answer was very difficult. He was angry, yes, but he was more heart-broken than angry. Also, his anger was more towards himself. He cursed himself for ever leaving home but he couldn't turn back now. Not when so much depended on the Fellowship. Thus he thought and wrote and handed his letter to Celerin to take back to Rivendell when he left. This was what the letter read:

Send me no more letters Lady for I shall read them not. My concentration is needed here. There are things more important for me now, I trust you understand,

Prince Legolas Greenleaf



A week after he gave him the letter, Celerin and Ralen left the Golden Wood and headed back home. A few days after that, the Fellowship also left. And so the months passed... Leaving Lothlorien proved to be harder than it was to actually get there. But Legolas cared not anymore. He gave his full concentration to the quest and thought of nothing more. In the battles, he fought long and hard but it no longer mattered to him if he made it through or was killed in combat. Aragorn noticed the decay of his friend day by day but could offer him no real comfort. These were terrible times to be dealing with the matters of the heart but he was really proud of the fact that Legolas did not let it interfere with his priority, which was the quest and Fellowship. Once the Ring was destroyed, everything would be set right again.



Many days, nights and battles later, we come upon the day of the scattering of the Fellowship. It seemed that all was lost. Frodo and Sam were gone, Merry and Pippin had been taken and Boromir had passed on. That got him crying. Boromir was a good man with a true heart. He had not deserved to die in such a manner. And so Legolas sang along with Aragorn. They sang for their friend, slow and sad...



From the mouths of the Sea the South Wind flies, from the sandhills and the stones; The wailing of the gulls it bears, and at the gate it moans. 'What news from the South, O sighing wind, do you bring to me at eve? Where now is Boromir the Fair? He tarries and I grieve.' 'Ask not of me where he doth dwell -- so many bones there lie. On the white shores and the dark shores under the stormy sky; So many have passed down Anduin to find the flowing Sea. Ask of the North Wind news of them the North Wind sends to me!' 'O Boromir! Beyond the gate the seaward road runs south, But you came not with the ailing gulls from the grey sea's mouth.'



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Going back a bit...

Dileriyen sat every single day in view of the gate, awaiting Celerin's return. Things had gotten way out of hand but she no longer cared. Arwen could think whatever she wanted to for it mattered not as Elrohir was very aware of her feelings. In fact, Elladan was probably the only one Dileriyen could stand right now and even he became a nuisance to her sometimes. She had become impatient and irritable, waiting everyday for Celerin to come back with news of and even hopefully from Legolas.

*And when I do get my letter I shall wave it in your face Elrohir. Engaged to an Elf from Lorien, indeed! Fool...* she thought as she sort of huffed to herself. Oh yes, she would have the time of her life proving Elrohir wrong. But a few weeks later Celerin did return and Dileriyen did get her letter;



"Send me no more letters Lady for I shall read them not. My concentration is needed here. There are things more important for me now, I trust you understand,

Prince Legolas Greenleaf"



Dileriyen's smile stayed glued to her face but she simply froze and did not blink. Not once. Her eyes watered until they were ready to gush out tears and yet she still did not blink. She remained standing, clutching the letter in her hands, feet planted on the ground, eyes scanning the paper. Now Elrohir had been watching her from afar and he sensed that something was just not right. But he dared not move. He just watched. Dileriyen snapped back into reality as she very calmly refolded the letter in her hands. Then, she did something Elrohir did not understand. She dropped the letter on the ground and simply walked away, staring at nothing in particular, showing no sign of emotion. Not one. Little did he know that she had gone off in search of him. But the moment she was out of sight he ran and picked up the letter. What he read he could not believe. It had worked. His plan had actually worked. They were through. So why did he feel so miserable?



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Dileriyen walked around for about an hour, doing nothing in particular other than looking for Elrohir. She was dead. Simply dead. It was an hour later when she did come across him, standing about, doing nothing. He noticed her arrival and turned to face her. They stood there for a moment; neither one saying anything until she smiled very sadly and finally broke the dreadful silence.



"I just wanted to tell you that you were right."



"About what?"



"When you first said it I rejected it instantly. I see things more clearly now. An Elf from Lorien. Huh. I apologize to you cousin. You saw things for what they were. It is I who has been blind. I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive me."



She began to turn away but he walked up behind her and held her hand. She turned around and was now crying and shivering uncontrollably. He wrapped her in his strong embrace and this time she returned it, much grateful for the comfort and support. He hugged her as if holding on for dear life but all he could say was:



"Oh Dil...I am sorry. I am so very sorry..."



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And as the days passed, Elrohir and Dileriyen started to spend more time together, that is, Dileriyen desperately needed support and a way to take her mind off of things and Elrohir always seemed ready and eager to provide the comfort. He was always there when she needed a shoulder to cry on, which was pretty often and he always listened to her, even when she rambled broken sentences amidst tears. He often stayed in her room even after she fell asleep and held her hand, just to let her know that he was there and that he cared. He was being a very good friend and that was just what she needed at the moment. He kept her sane and always thought of new ways to try and get her to smile. He began to succeed more and more as the time passed.



Days became weeks, weeks became months and the name Legolas was barely mentioned. Dileriyen tried to spend an equal amount of time with her cousins but seeing the way things were going, Elladan and Arwen always seemed to have things to do or were too tired to join her and Elrohir. The days were fun, the nights were warm and their friendship grew ever stronger. Alas, those who remembered Elrohir's words and those who witnessed the two together got wrapped up with their own versions of things. Of this gossip Dileriyen was unaware but sooner or later false word spread from mistaken mouths all the way from Rivendell to Mirkwood and to Lothlorien of the upcoming marriage of the son of Elrond to the daughter of Thranduil. Practically all the world was aware of the goings-on at Rivendell except for Dileriyen for she hardly ever interacted with anyone other than her cousins, her uncle (who kept quiet for he was very confused with all this) and Elrohir whom she spent ninety percent of her time with. Little did she know that Thranduil was not too pleased and he would be writing to her very soon...



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It was late one night as Dileriyen and Elrohir were sitting on the grass in front of the lake. It was still very warm and the Moon shone down on the water, creating a beautiful reflection. The stars had also put in an appearance. Elrohir was chatting about something or other but Dileriyen wasn't really in the mood to listen. He noticed this and decided to get her attention back to where it should be for he had things to say that his heart could no longer take. *She must be over him by now,* he thought.



"You are not listening to a word I am saying..." he smiled as she snapped her head back to face him and could only say:



"Huh?"



"I thought so..." he laughed.



"I am sorry...my mind just seems to be wandering off tonight."



"It's all right. I understand..."



"Thank you Elrohir. I know you do. Do you know how lucky I consider myself for having you with me through these hard times?"



"You do not have to thank me Dil. You know I would do anything for you..."



Dileriyen smiled and turned away but he was expecting that so he lifted his hand and turned her chin slowly back toward him. He then held her hand within his and they simply stared into each other's eyes. He breathed in and out slowly and nervously. Now was the time.



"Dileriyen, my Lady," he said slowly, "I have something very important to ask you..."



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A/N: hahahaha:)) Don't have a hissy fit!!! I know exactly what I'm doing. And besides, we have no idea what Dileriyen is thinking. Well, I do but you guys don't. Do not worry for all shall reveal itself in due course! In the meantime, review please!!:)