Back to Rachael's POV
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As I saw Scarlet on the ground, I dropped the glass of water I was carrying and sped across the lawn to her. When I reached her, I threw myself down on my knees at her side, helpless, holding her hand. She smiled weakly at me, and I was so choked with tears none of them could come.
I pulled her hair back from her face with shaking hands, trying to make her comfortable. "I...I always wanted to see Rivendell." She whispered hoarsely. I squeezed her hand again, and it took her several tries to get out what she was going to say.
"It wasn't your fault. And I want you to know, I would rather be doing this than you."
"But...you can't go yet! We still have so much to do!!!! Please Scarlet!" I begged, because I could see she was fading fast.
"Don't leave! NO!!!" I cried at the skies as she drew at last long, lingering breath, and ceased, a faint smile on her lips. I kissed her forehead, then turned and ran to my room, the tears finally spilling down my cheeks for the person I had loved so dearly.
As I ran, the air whipping past me, I heard Lord Elrond say, "Auta ale' he Legolas!" *go after her Legolas*
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Back in Rachael's room
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As I lay sobbing on my bed, I heard someone's soft footsteps coming up behind me, and a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned to see Legolas, and I could see the tears shining in his eyes. I sat up, and wrapped my arms round him, and made his tunic all wet.
"I'm sorry." I sniffed, trying to wipe the wet patch. He smoothed my hair, and patted my hand. Just then, an elf appeared in the doorway.
"Lord Elrond wishes to see you. He says you should bury your friend before nightfall." I nodded and they left, followed closely by Legolas.
When we reached the garden, I noticed someone had placed a flower in Scarlet's hands. She looked like she was just sleeping, but I knew it was an eternal sleep, from which there is no waking.
"Do you wish to bury her?" Enquired Lord Elrond, snapping me out of my daze.
"I...I don't know." I thought about it, and my face hardened. "No. I will do something else for her." I motioned with my hand, and her body rose up in the air. I whistled, and Runya galloped over to me. I mounted him, and walked off into the woods, Scarlet's form floating behind me.
I searched through the wood, until I found what I was searching for. Before me stood a small clearing, cut off from the world of pain and suffering. This would be Scarlet's final resting place.
I thought hard, and the body floated past me, and hovered by my side. A stone block rose up in the middle of the clearing, and the body rested gently on this. I put her on folded white silk, and then made the clearing round her invisible to everyone except good friends. What else could I do?
Oh yes. This clearing would remain untouched by the world, so in here time would not matter, and in the deepest, coldest winter there would still be green leaves on the trees, and no rain would fall.
Finished, I let Runya gallop all the way back, and practically fell off before returning to my room.
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I fell asleep as soon as my head touched the pillow, and I began to dream.
I was in a large, dark place, all on my own. I didn't know what was happening. Suddenly, Scarlet appeared in front of me, and I wept for joy.
"Come with me!" She urged. She took my hand, and tried to lead me away. "What waits for you back there? Just misery, and pain, and sadness, and fear. If you come with me, you'll never grow old, and every day will be beautiful. And we'll be together forever." I nodded, and realised she was right.
I turned, but heard a voice calling my name, and I realised it was Frodo. I knew I couldn't go with Scarlet, not when Frodo needed my help. But I couldn't go with him either, because it was my selfishness that got my best friend killed.
"I must go back. Middle Earth needs my help. I cannot go with you Frodo, because my secret has been discovered, and I must help with the war. I will go, and I will fight until my death or until we win. You know I am right Scarlet."
She looked at me, and nodded slowly. Frodo looked heartbroken. I made myself hobbit sized, and gave him one last lingering kiss, where both our tears mingled.
"You must go back, and finish your quest. And when we meet here again, we will stay, and never part with each other." He hugged me fiercely, then turned around and left. I looked back at Scarlet again.
"You're going to leave me." She said, on the verge of tears.
"Yes. But no. We may meet again." She looked puzzled, and as I turned to go back, I woke up, to find Legolas peering at me.
"I am going to do one last thing with my magic powers." I told him, "For tomorrow morning I will leave with Elladan and Elrohir."
"Where will you go?" Legolas asked me.
"To become a Ranger. Tell Frodo I love him." My voice cracked slightly. Legolas nodded. And together we went for a last walk round Rivendell, stopping where Scarlet was.
I stepped up to her and went down on my knees, and closed my eyes, then prayed to the gods of Middle Earth to exchange Scarlet's life for my powers. I felt them agree, and the magic began to drain out of me. I love you more than life itself Frodo! I yelled desperately inside my head, and then it was gone, and I slumped to the ground.
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As I saw Scarlet on the ground, I dropped the glass of water I was carrying and sped across the lawn to her. When I reached her, I threw myself down on my knees at her side, helpless, holding her hand. She smiled weakly at me, and I was so choked with tears none of them could come.
I pulled her hair back from her face with shaking hands, trying to make her comfortable. "I...I always wanted to see Rivendell." She whispered hoarsely. I squeezed her hand again, and it took her several tries to get out what she was going to say.
"It wasn't your fault. And I want you to know, I would rather be doing this than you."
"But...you can't go yet! We still have so much to do!!!! Please Scarlet!" I begged, because I could see she was fading fast.
"Don't leave! NO!!!" I cried at the skies as she drew at last long, lingering breath, and ceased, a faint smile on her lips. I kissed her forehead, then turned and ran to my room, the tears finally spilling down my cheeks for the person I had loved so dearly.
As I ran, the air whipping past me, I heard Lord Elrond say, "Auta ale' he Legolas!" *go after her Legolas*
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Back in Rachael's room
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As I lay sobbing on my bed, I heard someone's soft footsteps coming up behind me, and a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned to see Legolas, and I could see the tears shining in his eyes. I sat up, and wrapped my arms round him, and made his tunic all wet.
"I'm sorry." I sniffed, trying to wipe the wet patch. He smoothed my hair, and patted my hand. Just then, an elf appeared in the doorway.
"Lord Elrond wishes to see you. He says you should bury your friend before nightfall." I nodded and they left, followed closely by Legolas.
When we reached the garden, I noticed someone had placed a flower in Scarlet's hands. She looked like she was just sleeping, but I knew it was an eternal sleep, from which there is no waking.
"Do you wish to bury her?" Enquired Lord Elrond, snapping me out of my daze.
"I...I don't know." I thought about it, and my face hardened. "No. I will do something else for her." I motioned with my hand, and her body rose up in the air. I whistled, and Runya galloped over to me. I mounted him, and walked off into the woods, Scarlet's form floating behind me.
I searched through the wood, until I found what I was searching for. Before me stood a small clearing, cut off from the world of pain and suffering. This would be Scarlet's final resting place.
I thought hard, and the body floated past me, and hovered by my side. A stone block rose up in the middle of the clearing, and the body rested gently on this. I put her on folded white silk, and then made the clearing round her invisible to everyone except good friends. What else could I do?
Oh yes. This clearing would remain untouched by the world, so in here time would not matter, and in the deepest, coldest winter there would still be green leaves on the trees, and no rain would fall.
Finished, I let Runya gallop all the way back, and practically fell off before returning to my room.
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I fell asleep as soon as my head touched the pillow, and I began to dream.
I was in a large, dark place, all on my own. I didn't know what was happening. Suddenly, Scarlet appeared in front of me, and I wept for joy.
"Come with me!" She urged. She took my hand, and tried to lead me away. "What waits for you back there? Just misery, and pain, and sadness, and fear. If you come with me, you'll never grow old, and every day will be beautiful. And we'll be together forever." I nodded, and realised she was right.
I turned, but heard a voice calling my name, and I realised it was Frodo. I knew I couldn't go with Scarlet, not when Frodo needed my help. But I couldn't go with him either, because it was my selfishness that got my best friend killed.
"I must go back. Middle Earth needs my help. I cannot go with you Frodo, because my secret has been discovered, and I must help with the war. I will go, and I will fight until my death or until we win. You know I am right Scarlet."
She looked at me, and nodded slowly. Frodo looked heartbroken. I made myself hobbit sized, and gave him one last lingering kiss, where both our tears mingled.
"You must go back, and finish your quest. And when we meet here again, we will stay, and never part with each other." He hugged me fiercely, then turned around and left. I looked back at Scarlet again.
"You're going to leave me." She said, on the verge of tears.
"Yes. But no. We may meet again." She looked puzzled, and as I turned to go back, I woke up, to find Legolas peering at me.
"I am going to do one last thing with my magic powers." I told him, "For tomorrow morning I will leave with Elladan and Elrohir."
"Where will you go?" Legolas asked me.
"To become a Ranger. Tell Frodo I love him." My voice cracked slightly. Legolas nodded. And together we went for a last walk round Rivendell, stopping where Scarlet was.
I stepped up to her and went down on my knees, and closed my eyes, then prayed to the gods of Middle Earth to exchange Scarlet's life for my powers. I felt them agree, and the magic began to drain out of me. I love you more than life itself Frodo! I yelled desperately inside my head, and then it was gone, and I slumped to the ground.
