A/N: Okay before I you read this chapter I think I have to explain a few
things so that everything may seem a little clearer.
Firstly, Celebfaer was stubborn when she was with the Elves, because she knew a lot about the Elves and she felt comfortable around them. With the Fairies, she feels out of place and she is unsure of how to act around them, so she becomes shy and reserved. However, when her mother tells her to do something, she does it without questions, because her mother is THE Queen of the fairies. Also Celebfaer does not know her mother very well, (she hasn't seen her for over 2200 years remember) so she treats her mother as she would treat a queen or king from Middle Earth (one that she does not know). I suppose it would be a bit like knowing you were adopted for about 40 years and then one day meeting your real parents, it would most likely be a bit awkward. But if your parents were the rulers of their kingdoms, then you would probably feel obliged to agree with them right (especially if they were a LOT older than you)? But when Celebfaer is around most people such as Sabin, Mildred and any other normal fairy she would act like her normal self once she gets to know them a little more.
Secondly this is the last chapter in the Fairy Realm - I know it's been boring because in the last few chapters there has been no real plot but it all comes together in this chapter. I needed to go into the detail I did with most of the new characters - mainly Mildred but partly the Queen - because now Mildred will play a vital role in the rest of the story. I've tried to be quick with it all, but the last time I was quick in my descriptions I was told to put more description in. I'm sorry that it dragged out so long, as I did not intend for the bit in the fairy realm to take as long as it did. Celebfaer will be back with the Elves and in the real Middle Earth soon.
I just want to say as well that I let the book run it's course and Legolas is not dead, Celebfaer merely assumed that he was dead. I timed it so that she left Lothlorien just before Arwen came for her escort that would take her to Gondor to marry Aragorn, so Celebfaer had no news of them when she left. So Legolas will be entering the fic again soon.
Okay, one more thing before I finish this long A/N. In the first chapter (and a few of the past chapters) I pointed out that Fairies are able to talk to one another telepathically. So normal talking will be shown as "I cannot...." and words that are sent or spoken to another in the mind will be shown as 'I cannot....'. Hope that makes this chapter a little clearer!!! Enjoy and thanks to all my reviewers, I hope things make a little more sense now.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything that J.R.R Tolkien created aka Middle Earth and anything associated with it.
Chapter 27: Mildred
A few days later, Celebfaer had seen neither her mother nor Mildred, so she decided to go to the practice yard and borrow a horse as she did some times when she needed to think. Her teachings had been slackened a little, so now she got a day off every three to four days.
Mildred was there in the yard, practicing forms by himself and when he saw her approach he stopped, then bowed deeply to her.
"My Lady." He said, then he replaced his sword back into its scabbard. "What brings one of your beauty out here on this fine day?"
"I wish to go for a ride." She said and Mildred nodded then bowed to her once more.
"Would you allow me to join you as I would like to get to know you better, if you shall permit it." He said a little awkwardly and she laughed. This was not easy for him either.
"I guess you do not like the fact that my mother has chosen you for my suitor as well. But, if we are to be forced together then we may as well try to be friends, so I shall permit you to accompany me on a ride through the woods." She said and he opened the yard and they both went to their horses.
Mildred threw a saddle on his, but Celebfaer just whispered a few words to her horse before she jumped up onto its bareback.
"You ride bareback? Then surely you have been enchanted by the Elves." He said, jumping up onto his own horse. Mildred was one of the people that believed the Elves wanted to draw the Fairies out and try to kill them. Celebfaer knew different, but none listened to her as they had formed their opinions already and would not see any reason beyond what they thought. Although Mildred disliked elves, he had never held the fact that she had dwelt with them so long against her.
"Master Mildred, you have a lot to learn about the Elves for they merely trained me to ride like this and the horses themselves do not like saddles."
"As you wish my lady." He said and then she spoke quietly to her horse and it took off, letting Mildred follow her if he wished.
So they rode through the woods and Mildred showed her some of his favourite places. One of which was by a small stream that Celebfaer had never seen. They stopped there for a time and talked of things they had done in their life.
"What happened to your parents?" She asked him suddenly and he sighed.
"I do not know except that they were either exiled or killed, for no one wishes to tell me about it and I dare not ask anymore. They told me that they were killed when the City was attacked, but I do not believe that to be the truth for my fighting skills are superior to most of the younger fairies and I could only have inherited that from my father. But your mother, the Queen will not permit me to ask any about it." He said and then a small silence fell. "Now that you have asked a personal question of me, let me ask one of you." He announced and she looked at him, questioning for a few seconds before she nodded. "How did your wings get so badly damaged?"
"Orcs attacked me. They left me to die and I lost all memory I had." She said and then she looked at him, the serious look on her face and they both laughed.
'I think I could start to enjoy your company.' She heard Mildred's voice in her head and she smiled, then nodded.
"So could I Mildred. So could I."
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Celebfaer had only been living with the Fairies for ten years and that day was when Mildred became her first real friend, though he held back much, as did she, they were often seen walking together and deep in conversation. Most of their conversations were her asking for him to teach her more with her knives, but he always refused because he did not believe that a female Fairy should be trained in such things or about the world outside the realm. Mildred asked her sometimes of the Elves and she willingly told him all he wished to know in a hope that he would learn to think that the Elves were not cold-hearted people.
In her 17th year with the Fairies, Mildred came to her room early one morning.
"Princess Rydia, I have asked your mother for permission to steal you away for the day and she has granted it, so I come to escort you to your horse so that we may ride together." He called through the door and she laughed, then she opened the door because she had been awake and gotten dressed already. It was a habit she had picked up from being with the Lady as they were always up at dawn ready to walk through the woods.
"Well then, you know I could not decline such a kind offer Mildred." She said and then she closed the door behind her as Mildred took her hand and he set off running through the castle, with Celebfaer following behind as best as she could.
Less than five minutes later, they were on their horses and in the outskirts of the City.
They rode to her favourite spot in all of the realm, the small stream that he had taken her to 7 years ago and when they got there, she jumped off her horse and ran to the water, suddenly longing to bathe.
The water was just at her knees, when Mildred caught up with her and he stopped her, putting his arms around her waist and making her look into his eyes.
"Mildred, what are you.......?" She started laughter in her eyes, but he placed a finger to her lips stopping any laughter that may have come from them.
"Rydia, you are my savior." He said softly. "Before I met you I would occupy my empty days with endless training of the sword, and hunting Orcs, hoping that one day I would be killed so that I would no longer have to walk the earth alone. I could be with my parents then and I would never have to endure the terrible loneliness that sits inside my heart." He said and she saw the passion in his eyes that she had only seen when he talked about killing Orcs. "When I was told that I must court you, I was angry because I feared that the Queen questioned my loyalty and that she thought I would not ever die for her. But now that I know you, I feel that she was just trying to throw me a line so that I could swim to safety instead of drowning in endless sorrow. Rydia you have saved me and I know now that I love something more than I love my sword. I keep living each day just to see your smile or hear your laugh. You are my world and you complete me." He said and Celebfaer looked up at him, not believing what he had just said.
"Mildred, what do you mean?" She asked rather shocked at this sudden confession for she had not seen it coming.
"I love you Rydia, and I want you to accept me so that I can start my challenge and then we shall be wedded." He said softly and she stopped breathing for a few seconds.
'Mildred, I cannot accept your love.' She sent to his mind, after a rather long silence, then she turned and walked out of the water and over to her horse, where she climbed onto it's back then she rode off, hoping that he did not see her tears.
Riding through the woods calmed her down a lot, but she felt terrible. She knew that she would never love another as much as she loved Legolas, and although Mildred was her closest friend, she could not see him as her husband. She did not want to hurt him, or offend her mother even so she had been nice to him because she did enjoy his company. But she could not pledge herself to him yet. She was not ready to open her heart once more. That she knew, she just needed time to heal old wounds before she would allow herself to accept Mildred as anything more than a friend.
Mildred was confused, but he gave Celebfaer a day before he came to her once more in her room.
When she opened the door, she let him in but before he could speak, she put her fingertips to his lips.
"Shh." She said softly. "Mildred, I meant no offence, but what I mean is that I am not yet ready to accept your love. I care for you but I am not sure if it is love just yet. You will need to give me time before I can accept your love and then ask my mother to issue you a challenge. I hope you understand." She said and he nodded.
"Rydia, I shall wait until the day that you do. I do not care if I have to wait forever, you can believe that I will wait until you are ready. You are unlike anyone else I have ever met." He said, his blue eyes flashing with a smile and her heart was torn in two.
"I do not mean for you to stay away from me. I am just not yet ready to accept you as my husband yet." She told him and he nodded.
"Then we shall continue on the way we always have until the day that you decide that you can." He said and she smiled.
"Thank you for understanding." She said.
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3 years later, Celebfaer was celebrating her 20th year with the Fairies and she looked at Mildred while at the feast that her mother had thrown in her honor and she realised that he would be the closest she would ever get to love. It was his eyes that captivated her from the very start. His eyes were blue and they were so much like Legolas' that she could not help but like Mildred.
But he knew that it was his eyes that were what made him an outcast among the fairies, because his eyes looked like elven eyes. The colour was very elven and that was the main reason that he disliked elves, for he believed himself to be half-elven and his eyes were what he obtained from the Elves. But no matter where he asked, no one would tell him anything about his parents.
Celebfaer knew that if it weren't for his eyes she would never have given him a chance. He really was a nice fairy, but he was driven by his anger at the world when he battled, and Rumil had taught her once that passion is what makes a fighter good. He had taught her to fight for the passion and love of the people that you were to protect. Not for anger or the thrill of the kill as Mildred fought. Celebfaer knew that an angry Mildred would not be one she would like to face.
So, that night Celebfaer spent most of it talking only to Mildred and he could tell then that she would accept him soon. This made him happy and Celebfaer noticed that he had started to smile a lot more, which she was glad to see.
The day after the feast, Celebfaer went searching for her mother and she finally found her in her private gardens, sitting on a chair looking around at her garden.
"Queen Asura, I come with good news." Celebfaer said when she saw her mother.
"What news daughter?"
"I wish to ask you to issue a challenge to Mildred so that he may prove himself worthy of marriage to me, for the time has come." She told her mother and the Queen nodded with a smile on her face.
"I shall call a court tomorrow and he shall get his challenge." She said.
Happy, yet still a little sad, Celebfaer thanked her mother and then she walked off to search for the man that would be her future husband. She found him, as always in the training yard, practicing with another Fairy that was his age.
Celebfaer waited, watching the two, still amazed, as she always was at how fast Mildred could move whilst fighting. Mildred obviously had the upper hand, but he was just waiting until the other fairy became tired before he would defeat the man.
Sure enough a few minutes later, the fairy that had been fighting Mildred was caught and with a slight shove from Mildred, the other fairy was sent flying. He hit the ground quite hard and landed on his back, but then Mildred walked over to him and helped him up, a smile on his face.
When both were on their feet they turned around and seeing Celebfaer, both bowed deeply to her.
"Princess Rydia, once again you have decided to grace the training field with your presence. Grateful we are to see you." Mildred said and she nodded in response.
"If you will excuse me Princess, I must go and practice my skills further." The other fairy said bowing to her, and the he turned to Mildred. "I shall beat you one day Mildred and I too shall be seen worthy to be in the Queens Guard." Having said that he walked away and Mildred turned to Celebfaer, putting his sword back in its place.
"What brings you here Rydia?" He asked her, his blue eyes searching her face.
In the past twenty years she had gotten used to everyone calling her Rydia, but she could not think of herself as a fairy princess. To her, she was still Celebfaer, scholar of the Lady of the Wood, Lady Galadriel, who no doubt would have traveled to the west already. There wasn't a day that went past when she didn't think of the Elves and wish she could see them just once more. But she had accepted that she would live with the Fairies for the rest of her days otherwise she would have a lonely existence, wondering around Middle Earth, trying to find Withered Heath.
"The Queen will see you and give you your quest tomorrow." Celebfaer said to Mildred in reply to his question and he smiled, then he pulled her closer to him and kissed her lightly. It was the first time he had dared to try and kiss her and Celebfaer felt strange letting him do that.
"Rydia, I will prove myself worthy to marry the heir to the throne, for I am the best swordsman in all the realm." He said and she smiled at him.
"I do not think you will fail." She said and he his eyes flashed proudly and stubbornly.
"I do not mean to." He said and then she returned to her rooms, while Mildred continued his practice.
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The next day most of the city was at the court, eager to see what task the Queen would give Mildred to gain Celebfaer as a wife. Most knew of the courtship and many wondered why it had been drawn out for so long. Ten years was slightly longer than normal. Fairies believed that eight years was sufficient enough before you would go to the Queen to be issued a challenge so ten was rather abnormal.
They waited for everyone to be seated before the Queen walked in ready to give her judgment. Celebfaer and Mildred stood before the Queen, both dressed for riding, with hooded cloaks, that covered their wings. It was part of tradition that the bride to be go with her future husband on whatever challenge that had been issued. And the Queen's eyes searched the crowd; amusement evident in them and then her eyes finally came to her daughter and her chosen suitor.
Both Celebfaer and Mildred had bowed deeply, waiting to be addressed before they rose as was right with tradition. Celebfaer had been taught how to act in a time such as this when her mother had first chosen Mildred to court her.
"You may be at ease." The Queen said eventually, so both Celebfaer and Mildred stood up and looked at the Queen. "My daughter tells me that you wish to wed her. Is this true?" Queen Asura asked Mildred.
"Indeed it is, my Queen." Mildred said, bowing his head once more.
"Well, let this challenge be known to all then for it is one that shall require great strength and courage. It is well known already that Rydia's wings are damaged. Her wings can only be cleansed by one road and the road is dangerous." The Queen said to the people watching, then she turned to Mildred. "I challenge you then Mildred. If you wish to prove yourself worthy of her love, you must travel with Rydia to the top of Withered Heath in the north east from here and there she will bathe her wings while you keep a watch out and make sure no harm comes to her. If you can bring her back here safe and with fully restored wings within a year and a half of your quest starting out, you shall be deemed worthy of my daughter and the two of you will be wedded the night of the first full moon after you return."
A gasp went through the crowd that had gathered and Celebfaer saw Elysa smile triumphantly. Her sister thought that Celebfaer and Mildred would surely die on this quest and Elysa would then be free to take the throne after her mother. Her sister had always been jealous of her and any chance that would place Elysa on the throne was always something that she rejoiced in.
"Do you accept these terms?" The Queen asked.
Mildred bowed deeply then still bowing he nodded. "I shall take her to Withered Heath and she will cleanse her wings. Then I shall return her too you healed and her normal charming self." Mildred said and Celebfaer was still looking at her mother in shock so she missed Mildred's last comment. He was hoping that in cleansing her wings, all of her memory would come back and she would no longer act as though she were an Elf and act more like a Fairy.
'Mother, that is impossible!' She sent to the Queen and the Queen smiled.
'My child, you cannot be Queen with your wings in their current state and the challenge will stand for any that wish to wed you. If they can let you cleanse your wings and get you back here safely then they are worthy of the love of a Queen.' Was what the Queen replied.
"You shall leave at dusk." The Queen announced, then she stood up and walked out of the courtyard.
Celebfaer turned to Mildred then. 'This is suicide.' She sent to him and he laughed.
'Well then if I die, I shall finally be at peace with myself.' He sent, then he bowed to her. "I shall see you at sundown, my love." He said then he turned and walked off and Celebfaer felt herself remembering when Legolas had first called her 'my love' and her heart ached.
Thinking of Legolas triggered a memory in Celebfaer's mind, so she headed off to the library to look at maps and her worst fear was confirmed. They would have to travel through Mirkwood forest and would draw near to the dwelling of the wood-elves where Thranduil was king. Legolas' father and his kindred the wood elves.
Feeling numb, Celebfaer sat in front of the map thinking. That was how her mother found her an hour later, sitting deep in thought in front of a map of Middle Earth.
"I am sorry my daughter, but it had to be done." Her mother said and Celebfaer came out of her thoughts and looked up at her mother, a vague and confused look in her eyes.
"And so it shall. We will return sooner than you think mother." Celebfaer said.
"I do not doubt that you will. Mildred is our best fighter, but there is something about him that is not often spoken for if any knew, he would be an outcast of the Fairies. I tell you now for it may help you to know and make you more forgiving." She said and Celebfaer nodded.
'You notice his blue eyes, for I see that is what you love about him. No other Fairy except for his mother has ever had blue eyes.' Her mother sent to her.
'Yes mother. His eyes I believe are beautiful and different. The mystery about his parents would clear up the confusion about them.' Celebfaer sent, wondering if what she suspected was true. 'One of his parents was an Elf, were they not?'
'Nay. His mother's father was an Elf and that is where he gets his blue eyes. He must never know for he does not like the Elves all that much as you are well aware. The reason he is such a good warrior is because his skills are half-elven and half-fairy. This is a secret that you must keep my daughter for the results of anyone, particularly him, knowing could be disastrous.'
'I shall not utter a word about it mother.' Celebfaer said and then her mother nodded and stood up, leaving her daughter in the library.
Celebfaer could not believe it. Even when she had come back to her own realm she had become bound to someone with elven blood. She had educated him a little on the ways of Elves and he no longer hated them as much as he did but he was still likely to kill an Elf if he ever saw one.
She only sat for a short while, before she retracted to her room. Only once she was there did she let her tears fall. But her tears were not for herself; they were for Mildred, who would never know the truth about his origins. And she wept also because she knew that Mildred would have been the perfect Elf, but for his wings and she knew that the Elves would have made him a great warrior.
Firstly, Celebfaer was stubborn when she was with the Elves, because she knew a lot about the Elves and she felt comfortable around them. With the Fairies, she feels out of place and she is unsure of how to act around them, so she becomes shy and reserved. However, when her mother tells her to do something, she does it without questions, because her mother is THE Queen of the fairies. Also Celebfaer does not know her mother very well, (she hasn't seen her for over 2200 years remember) so she treats her mother as she would treat a queen or king from Middle Earth (one that she does not know). I suppose it would be a bit like knowing you were adopted for about 40 years and then one day meeting your real parents, it would most likely be a bit awkward. But if your parents were the rulers of their kingdoms, then you would probably feel obliged to agree with them right (especially if they were a LOT older than you)? But when Celebfaer is around most people such as Sabin, Mildred and any other normal fairy she would act like her normal self once she gets to know them a little more.
Secondly this is the last chapter in the Fairy Realm - I know it's been boring because in the last few chapters there has been no real plot but it all comes together in this chapter. I needed to go into the detail I did with most of the new characters - mainly Mildred but partly the Queen - because now Mildred will play a vital role in the rest of the story. I've tried to be quick with it all, but the last time I was quick in my descriptions I was told to put more description in. I'm sorry that it dragged out so long, as I did not intend for the bit in the fairy realm to take as long as it did. Celebfaer will be back with the Elves and in the real Middle Earth soon.
I just want to say as well that I let the book run it's course and Legolas is not dead, Celebfaer merely assumed that he was dead. I timed it so that she left Lothlorien just before Arwen came for her escort that would take her to Gondor to marry Aragorn, so Celebfaer had no news of them when she left. So Legolas will be entering the fic again soon.
Okay, one more thing before I finish this long A/N. In the first chapter (and a few of the past chapters) I pointed out that Fairies are able to talk to one another telepathically. So normal talking will be shown as "I cannot...." and words that are sent or spoken to another in the mind will be shown as 'I cannot....'. Hope that makes this chapter a little clearer!!! Enjoy and thanks to all my reviewers, I hope things make a little more sense now.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything that J.R.R Tolkien created aka Middle Earth and anything associated with it.
Chapter 27: Mildred
A few days later, Celebfaer had seen neither her mother nor Mildred, so she decided to go to the practice yard and borrow a horse as she did some times when she needed to think. Her teachings had been slackened a little, so now she got a day off every three to four days.
Mildred was there in the yard, practicing forms by himself and when he saw her approach he stopped, then bowed deeply to her.
"My Lady." He said, then he replaced his sword back into its scabbard. "What brings one of your beauty out here on this fine day?"
"I wish to go for a ride." She said and Mildred nodded then bowed to her once more.
"Would you allow me to join you as I would like to get to know you better, if you shall permit it." He said a little awkwardly and she laughed. This was not easy for him either.
"I guess you do not like the fact that my mother has chosen you for my suitor as well. But, if we are to be forced together then we may as well try to be friends, so I shall permit you to accompany me on a ride through the woods." She said and he opened the yard and they both went to their horses.
Mildred threw a saddle on his, but Celebfaer just whispered a few words to her horse before she jumped up onto its bareback.
"You ride bareback? Then surely you have been enchanted by the Elves." He said, jumping up onto his own horse. Mildred was one of the people that believed the Elves wanted to draw the Fairies out and try to kill them. Celebfaer knew different, but none listened to her as they had formed their opinions already and would not see any reason beyond what they thought. Although Mildred disliked elves, he had never held the fact that she had dwelt with them so long against her.
"Master Mildred, you have a lot to learn about the Elves for they merely trained me to ride like this and the horses themselves do not like saddles."
"As you wish my lady." He said and then she spoke quietly to her horse and it took off, letting Mildred follow her if he wished.
So they rode through the woods and Mildred showed her some of his favourite places. One of which was by a small stream that Celebfaer had never seen. They stopped there for a time and talked of things they had done in their life.
"What happened to your parents?" She asked him suddenly and he sighed.
"I do not know except that they were either exiled or killed, for no one wishes to tell me about it and I dare not ask anymore. They told me that they were killed when the City was attacked, but I do not believe that to be the truth for my fighting skills are superior to most of the younger fairies and I could only have inherited that from my father. But your mother, the Queen will not permit me to ask any about it." He said and then a small silence fell. "Now that you have asked a personal question of me, let me ask one of you." He announced and she looked at him, questioning for a few seconds before she nodded. "How did your wings get so badly damaged?"
"Orcs attacked me. They left me to die and I lost all memory I had." She said and then she looked at him, the serious look on her face and they both laughed.
'I think I could start to enjoy your company.' She heard Mildred's voice in her head and she smiled, then nodded.
"So could I Mildred. So could I."
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Celebfaer had only been living with the Fairies for ten years and that day was when Mildred became her first real friend, though he held back much, as did she, they were often seen walking together and deep in conversation. Most of their conversations were her asking for him to teach her more with her knives, but he always refused because he did not believe that a female Fairy should be trained in such things or about the world outside the realm. Mildred asked her sometimes of the Elves and she willingly told him all he wished to know in a hope that he would learn to think that the Elves were not cold-hearted people.
In her 17th year with the Fairies, Mildred came to her room early one morning.
"Princess Rydia, I have asked your mother for permission to steal you away for the day and she has granted it, so I come to escort you to your horse so that we may ride together." He called through the door and she laughed, then she opened the door because she had been awake and gotten dressed already. It was a habit she had picked up from being with the Lady as they were always up at dawn ready to walk through the woods.
"Well then, you know I could not decline such a kind offer Mildred." She said and then she closed the door behind her as Mildred took her hand and he set off running through the castle, with Celebfaer following behind as best as she could.
Less than five minutes later, they were on their horses and in the outskirts of the City.
They rode to her favourite spot in all of the realm, the small stream that he had taken her to 7 years ago and when they got there, she jumped off her horse and ran to the water, suddenly longing to bathe.
The water was just at her knees, when Mildred caught up with her and he stopped her, putting his arms around her waist and making her look into his eyes.
"Mildred, what are you.......?" She started laughter in her eyes, but he placed a finger to her lips stopping any laughter that may have come from them.
"Rydia, you are my savior." He said softly. "Before I met you I would occupy my empty days with endless training of the sword, and hunting Orcs, hoping that one day I would be killed so that I would no longer have to walk the earth alone. I could be with my parents then and I would never have to endure the terrible loneliness that sits inside my heart." He said and she saw the passion in his eyes that she had only seen when he talked about killing Orcs. "When I was told that I must court you, I was angry because I feared that the Queen questioned my loyalty and that she thought I would not ever die for her. But now that I know you, I feel that she was just trying to throw me a line so that I could swim to safety instead of drowning in endless sorrow. Rydia you have saved me and I know now that I love something more than I love my sword. I keep living each day just to see your smile or hear your laugh. You are my world and you complete me." He said and Celebfaer looked up at him, not believing what he had just said.
"Mildred, what do you mean?" She asked rather shocked at this sudden confession for she had not seen it coming.
"I love you Rydia, and I want you to accept me so that I can start my challenge and then we shall be wedded." He said softly and she stopped breathing for a few seconds.
'Mildred, I cannot accept your love.' She sent to his mind, after a rather long silence, then she turned and walked out of the water and over to her horse, where she climbed onto it's back then she rode off, hoping that he did not see her tears.
Riding through the woods calmed her down a lot, but she felt terrible. She knew that she would never love another as much as she loved Legolas, and although Mildred was her closest friend, she could not see him as her husband. She did not want to hurt him, or offend her mother even so she had been nice to him because she did enjoy his company. But she could not pledge herself to him yet. She was not ready to open her heart once more. That she knew, she just needed time to heal old wounds before she would allow herself to accept Mildred as anything more than a friend.
Mildred was confused, but he gave Celebfaer a day before he came to her once more in her room.
When she opened the door, she let him in but before he could speak, she put her fingertips to his lips.
"Shh." She said softly. "Mildred, I meant no offence, but what I mean is that I am not yet ready to accept your love. I care for you but I am not sure if it is love just yet. You will need to give me time before I can accept your love and then ask my mother to issue you a challenge. I hope you understand." She said and he nodded.
"Rydia, I shall wait until the day that you do. I do not care if I have to wait forever, you can believe that I will wait until you are ready. You are unlike anyone else I have ever met." He said, his blue eyes flashing with a smile and her heart was torn in two.
"I do not mean for you to stay away from me. I am just not yet ready to accept you as my husband yet." She told him and he nodded.
"Then we shall continue on the way we always have until the day that you decide that you can." He said and she smiled.
"Thank you for understanding." She said.
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3 years later, Celebfaer was celebrating her 20th year with the Fairies and she looked at Mildred while at the feast that her mother had thrown in her honor and she realised that he would be the closest she would ever get to love. It was his eyes that captivated her from the very start. His eyes were blue and they were so much like Legolas' that she could not help but like Mildred.
But he knew that it was his eyes that were what made him an outcast among the fairies, because his eyes looked like elven eyes. The colour was very elven and that was the main reason that he disliked elves, for he believed himself to be half-elven and his eyes were what he obtained from the Elves. But no matter where he asked, no one would tell him anything about his parents.
Celebfaer knew that if it weren't for his eyes she would never have given him a chance. He really was a nice fairy, but he was driven by his anger at the world when he battled, and Rumil had taught her once that passion is what makes a fighter good. He had taught her to fight for the passion and love of the people that you were to protect. Not for anger or the thrill of the kill as Mildred fought. Celebfaer knew that an angry Mildred would not be one she would like to face.
So, that night Celebfaer spent most of it talking only to Mildred and he could tell then that she would accept him soon. This made him happy and Celebfaer noticed that he had started to smile a lot more, which she was glad to see.
The day after the feast, Celebfaer went searching for her mother and she finally found her in her private gardens, sitting on a chair looking around at her garden.
"Queen Asura, I come with good news." Celebfaer said when she saw her mother.
"What news daughter?"
"I wish to ask you to issue a challenge to Mildred so that he may prove himself worthy of marriage to me, for the time has come." She told her mother and the Queen nodded with a smile on her face.
"I shall call a court tomorrow and he shall get his challenge." She said.
Happy, yet still a little sad, Celebfaer thanked her mother and then she walked off to search for the man that would be her future husband. She found him, as always in the training yard, practicing with another Fairy that was his age.
Celebfaer waited, watching the two, still amazed, as she always was at how fast Mildred could move whilst fighting. Mildred obviously had the upper hand, but he was just waiting until the other fairy became tired before he would defeat the man.
Sure enough a few minutes later, the fairy that had been fighting Mildred was caught and with a slight shove from Mildred, the other fairy was sent flying. He hit the ground quite hard and landed on his back, but then Mildred walked over to him and helped him up, a smile on his face.
When both were on their feet they turned around and seeing Celebfaer, both bowed deeply to her.
"Princess Rydia, once again you have decided to grace the training field with your presence. Grateful we are to see you." Mildred said and she nodded in response.
"If you will excuse me Princess, I must go and practice my skills further." The other fairy said bowing to her, and the he turned to Mildred. "I shall beat you one day Mildred and I too shall be seen worthy to be in the Queens Guard." Having said that he walked away and Mildred turned to Celebfaer, putting his sword back in its place.
"What brings you here Rydia?" He asked her, his blue eyes searching her face.
In the past twenty years she had gotten used to everyone calling her Rydia, but she could not think of herself as a fairy princess. To her, she was still Celebfaer, scholar of the Lady of the Wood, Lady Galadriel, who no doubt would have traveled to the west already. There wasn't a day that went past when she didn't think of the Elves and wish she could see them just once more. But she had accepted that she would live with the Fairies for the rest of her days otherwise she would have a lonely existence, wondering around Middle Earth, trying to find Withered Heath.
"The Queen will see you and give you your quest tomorrow." Celebfaer said to Mildred in reply to his question and he smiled, then he pulled her closer to him and kissed her lightly. It was the first time he had dared to try and kiss her and Celebfaer felt strange letting him do that.
"Rydia, I will prove myself worthy to marry the heir to the throne, for I am the best swordsman in all the realm." He said and she smiled at him.
"I do not think you will fail." She said and he his eyes flashed proudly and stubbornly.
"I do not mean to." He said and then she returned to her rooms, while Mildred continued his practice.
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The next day most of the city was at the court, eager to see what task the Queen would give Mildred to gain Celebfaer as a wife. Most knew of the courtship and many wondered why it had been drawn out for so long. Ten years was slightly longer than normal. Fairies believed that eight years was sufficient enough before you would go to the Queen to be issued a challenge so ten was rather abnormal.
They waited for everyone to be seated before the Queen walked in ready to give her judgment. Celebfaer and Mildred stood before the Queen, both dressed for riding, with hooded cloaks, that covered their wings. It was part of tradition that the bride to be go with her future husband on whatever challenge that had been issued. And the Queen's eyes searched the crowd; amusement evident in them and then her eyes finally came to her daughter and her chosen suitor.
Both Celebfaer and Mildred had bowed deeply, waiting to be addressed before they rose as was right with tradition. Celebfaer had been taught how to act in a time such as this when her mother had first chosen Mildred to court her.
"You may be at ease." The Queen said eventually, so both Celebfaer and Mildred stood up and looked at the Queen. "My daughter tells me that you wish to wed her. Is this true?" Queen Asura asked Mildred.
"Indeed it is, my Queen." Mildred said, bowing his head once more.
"Well, let this challenge be known to all then for it is one that shall require great strength and courage. It is well known already that Rydia's wings are damaged. Her wings can only be cleansed by one road and the road is dangerous." The Queen said to the people watching, then she turned to Mildred. "I challenge you then Mildred. If you wish to prove yourself worthy of her love, you must travel with Rydia to the top of Withered Heath in the north east from here and there she will bathe her wings while you keep a watch out and make sure no harm comes to her. If you can bring her back here safe and with fully restored wings within a year and a half of your quest starting out, you shall be deemed worthy of my daughter and the two of you will be wedded the night of the first full moon after you return."
A gasp went through the crowd that had gathered and Celebfaer saw Elysa smile triumphantly. Her sister thought that Celebfaer and Mildred would surely die on this quest and Elysa would then be free to take the throne after her mother. Her sister had always been jealous of her and any chance that would place Elysa on the throne was always something that she rejoiced in.
"Do you accept these terms?" The Queen asked.
Mildred bowed deeply then still bowing he nodded. "I shall take her to Withered Heath and she will cleanse her wings. Then I shall return her too you healed and her normal charming self." Mildred said and Celebfaer was still looking at her mother in shock so she missed Mildred's last comment. He was hoping that in cleansing her wings, all of her memory would come back and she would no longer act as though she were an Elf and act more like a Fairy.
'Mother, that is impossible!' She sent to the Queen and the Queen smiled.
'My child, you cannot be Queen with your wings in their current state and the challenge will stand for any that wish to wed you. If they can let you cleanse your wings and get you back here safely then they are worthy of the love of a Queen.' Was what the Queen replied.
"You shall leave at dusk." The Queen announced, then she stood up and walked out of the courtyard.
Celebfaer turned to Mildred then. 'This is suicide.' She sent to him and he laughed.
'Well then if I die, I shall finally be at peace with myself.' He sent, then he bowed to her. "I shall see you at sundown, my love." He said then he turned and walked off and Celebfaer felt herself remembering when Legolas had first called her 'my love' and her heart ached.
Thinking of Legolas triggered a memory in Celebfaer's mind, so she headed off to the library to look at maps and her worst fear was confirmed. They would have to travel through Mirkwood forest and would draw near to the dwelling of the wood-elves where Thranduil was king. Legolas' father and his kindred the wood elves.
Feeling numb, Celebfaer sat in front of the map thinking. That was how her mother found her an hour later, sitting deep in thought in front of a map of Middle Earth.
"I am sorry my daughter, but it had to be done." Her mother said and Celebfaer came out of her thoughts and looked up at her mother, a vague and confused look in her eyes.
"And so it shall. We will return sooner than you think mother." Celebfaer said.
"I do not doubt that you will. Mildred is our best fighter, but there is something about him that is not often spoken for if any knew, he would be an outcast of the Fairies. I tell you now for it may help you to know and make you more forgiving." She said and Celebfaer nodded.
'You notice his blue eyes, for I see that is what you love about him. No other Fairy except for his mother has ever had blue eyes.' Her mother sent to her.
'Yes mother. His eyes I believe are beautiful and different. The mystery about his parents would clear up the confusion about them.' Celebfaer sent, wondering if what she suspected was true. 'One of his parents was an Elf, were they not?'
'Nay. His mother's father was an Elf and that is where he gets his blue eyes. He must never know for he does not like the Elves all that much as you are well aware. The reason he is such a good warrior is because his skills are half-elven and half-fairy. This is a secret that you must keep my daughter for the results of anyone, particularly him, knowing could be disastrous.'
'I shall not utter a word about it mother.' Celebfaer said and then her mother nodded and stood up, leaving her daughter in the library.
Celebfaer could not believe it. Even when she had come back to her own realm she had become bound to someone with elven blood. She had educated him a little on the ways of Elves and he no longer hated them as much as he did but he was still likely to kill an Elf if he ever saw one.
She only sat for a short while, before she retracted to her room. Only once she was there did she let her tears fall. But her tears were not for herself; they were for Mildred, who would never know the truth about his origins. And she wept also because she knew that Mildred would have been the perfect Elf, but for his wings and she knew that the Elves would have made him a great warrior.
