A/N: For this chapter, just remember that 20 years have passed since the war of the ring and a lot of things have changed in Middle Earth. The Elves have started departing for Valinor some have stayed and are going to wait for the last boat before they leave as there are not many Elves left and the last boat will be departing in a few years time. (Elves are immortal so they do not rush things!!)

Once again thanks to all the people that reviewed and for all your comments!



Disclaimer: Everything related to Middle Earth is purely the property of J.R.R Tolkien or whoever inherited it after his death. Hopefully my manipulation of his characters and places is not too bad.

Chapter 28: Leavetakings

At sundown, Celebfaer was at the stables, the backpack that Galadriel had given her on her back and the cloaks that she loved also with her. She had managed to convince her mother that she would need the cloaks on the journey, so her mother had given them to her. Now that she had them, Celebfaer did not intend to let them be taken from her again they were the only things besides her weapons that she had that reminded her of her times with the Elves. She carried also, her bow and arrows and her knife at her side, not wanting to leave them behind. When Mildred saw the weapons, he frowned at her.

"You carry weapons, my Lady?"

"I may be able to be of some assistance. Besides, if you are caught from behind you might welcome my skills with the knife or the bow." She said and he nodded though he did not like the idea of her carrying weapons as it was his challenge and he was supposed to protect her.

Then she went into the stables, bringing her horse out, saddleless as was her way and Mildred shook his head when he saw it. He had led his horse out, with a saddle, the heavy saddlebags behind the saddle.

"You are Elven trained and it appears as though you are more Elven than you are Fairy." He said and she looked at him.

"You mock my ways, yet you yourself are weird among the fairies. I am only outcast because I had lived most of my life with the Elves. You are outcast because your eyes are unlike those that any fairy ever possessed." She said but before Mildred could open his mouth to speak, she continued. "I do not wish to start a fight with you. If you are to be my husband you shall have to accept that there are things about me that I shall not change." She added and he sighed then readied his horse.

As no one was there to see them off, they made sure they had everything, checking their supplies and various other things. But before they could leave Sabin approached the stables and he stopped in front of Celebfaer.

"Be careful on your journey." He said to her, looking at her weapons, obviously in disapproval, but he did not comment about them for which she was thankful.

"I shall, and you look after my sister."

"I always do." He replied protectively and Celebfaer laughed then Sabin walked to where Mildred was still checking his horse. "Mildred, you must look after the heir for I would not put it past her running back the Elves." He said and Celebfaer pretended that she did not hear it. "And I am sure you will succeed. If you do not another will take your place until one does." Sabin said and Mildred nodded, he understood.

"I shall not let anything happen to her Sabin." He said and then Sabin muttered something to Mildred, who just nodded in response. "I shall remember Sabin. Thank you for all your advice, I believe I shall need some of it before this journey is over." Mildred added, before he looked at Celebfaer. "Are you ready to depart my love?" He asked her and she nodded.

"Let us start." She said then they both mounted their horses, and Celebfaer muttered a word of command to her horse and it moved forward, as did Mildred's. 'Farewell Sabin, till we meet again.' She sent to him and Sabin laughed in her head in response.

Halfway through the night they reached the borders of the Fairy Realm and Mildred brought his horse up to the wall of rock and stopped. Wondering what was going on, Celebfaer watched with interest as Mildred muttered a word and the walk of rock opened, to reveal the rocky face of the Misty Mountains. Once they were through, Mildred said another word and the door to the Fairy Realm closed.

He saw Celebfaer looking at him with interest, so he taught her the word that would open the rock wall that they were hidden behind, in case he did not return with her.

So, they rode onwards, with little breaks and chatting telepathically to each other for there was no need for them to talk much. They rode wearing cloaks that hid their wings, but the hoods they did not wear, for they wished to pass as Mortals.

As they came to the base of the Misty Mountains, near Drimrill Dale, Celebfaer looked to her right and saw in the distance the Golden wood of Lothlorien. The wood appeared as though it had not changed since she last dwelt there and she was glad to see it. Her thoughts wondered and with a smile she looked down at the pendant that Galadriel had given her. Taking a deep breath and remembering all the times when Galadriel had given her advice she wondered whether the Lady still graced the wood with her presence, or if she and Elrond had finally traveled west to Valinor. Her thoughts had a mind of their own as she remembered things from the wood and she hoped that all the people that she knew were safe. Haldir, Rumil and Orophin, Galadriel, Celeborn and Myrelle her faithful maid, she hoped they were all safe and peaceful in Valinor, if they were indeed there.

Mildred had continued on and did not notice that Celebfaer had stopped. So he was about ten meters ahead of her before he realised she was not behind him. Turning to face her he saw a sad yet happy smile on her face and he instantly scanned the area around to see if there was any danger about but he saw none.

'Rydia, what is it?' He sent to her and she shook her head.

'Nothing. Let us continue and we shall enter the wood that was once known as Mirkwood in a few days time.' She sent back still not looking at him.

Celebfaer took one last look at the wood, wishing it farewell then she turned her horse and headed off across the plain, towards Mildred. When she was level with him, they continued on.

Within two months, they were traveling near the Mountains of Mirkwood and neither had spoken much for they did not need speech and if they were to speak they normally used telepathy. Celebfaer enjoyed the peace as she looked around at the wood that had been home to the Elf that she loved.

The wood itself was creepy and neither Fairy wanted to be there for longer than they needed to be as the feeling in the air was foul so they kept their senses ever alert. She wondered how the Elves could stand to live in such a terrible place as all the elves that she had known had been graceful and beautiful, but she could not comprehend how one could live in the wood and still be as beautiful and light-hearted as most elves were.

Celebfaer placed her hood on her head, so that her curly hair and human- like ears were hidden by her green cloak as they rode through the wood. Mildred did not need to place the hood on his head, for he could pass as a Man, as long as none saw underneath his cloak and saw his wings. If the two were careful enough they would be able to pass as two mortals, the Lady and her manservant, merely wanting to pass through the wood and be on their way.

Even when the sun was shining there seemed to be shadows in the now called Eryn Lasgalen and Celebfaer realised how dangerous it really was and why Legolas had warned her from traveling alone in the wood. She dreaded to think what would happen if they came across one of the spiders, that Legolas had told her about all those years ago and she shivered at the thought. Although some of the evil had been driven from the wood when Galadriel walked through Dol Guldur and cleansed it - the same day that the wood had been renamed Eyrn Lasgalen - it would still take many years before all of the evil was driven from the wood.

Suddenly a voice called down to them from above and Celebfaer was pulled out her thoughts as she looked up to see where the voice had come from.

"Halt! Who are you are what is your business in Eryn Lasgalen?" The voice said in Elvish and she looked up, wondering whether she should be happy or feel dread at meeting a Mirkwood wood-elf.

"We are friends. We simply wish to travel through Eryn Lasgalen as quickly as we can and we do not wish to be hindered. We are on a quest of great importance to us." She said in Elvish and one of the Elves dropped from the tree in front of her horse.

Celebfaer felt Mildred tense when the Elf in front of her had dropped down and she almost smiled but she paid attention to the elf.

He had long blonde hair, as most Elves did. His eyes were green though and she thought of Thranduil when she saw them. She could not smile at that thought as she needed to try and negotiate so that she and Mildred could pass through the forest without having to go to the City where Thranduil, if he was still indeed King, ruled.

"You speak the language of the Elves. Remove your hood and show us your face for it has been many years that any that spoke Elvish that were not Elves walked through our wood."

'Rydia, what are they saying?' Mildred sent to her.

'Elvish. It is okay, they are friends.' She sent back and then she removed her hood. 'Follow my lead and do as I do and we will be out of this wood within a few days.' She added and she felt him nod in her mind.

"You are not an Elf?" The Elf in front of her said and she noticed that his hand was resting on the hilt of his knife that hung by his side.

"Nay I am not, and neither is my companion. We wish to pass through the wood unhindered for we must make haste on our quest." She said, in the Common Tongue, so that Mildred would understand her also.

"All who walk through our wood must be taken to the King first and he shall then judge whether or not you can travel through Eryn Lasgalen." The Elf in front of her said in the Common Tongue as well, examining their faces closely.

"We do not have time to delay...." Mildred started, but Celebfaer cut him off for she knew it would be impolite to deny this offer and no doubt they would probably be killed if they did refuse.

"We shall see the King, for we intend no harm and we shall be on our way once he has given us permission to travel through his wood." She said and the Elf nodded, then whistled and another three Elves jumped from the trees as a horse came up from behind.

"I shall escort you through the wood to the King's dwelling. My name is Operon." He said and she nodded to him, a little shocked at his name. Hadn't Operon been one of the Elves from Mirkwood that had been in Rivendell for the Council all those years ago? She did not let her shock show and she kept her face serene and showed no emotion. She was thankful that he did not recognise her.

"We thank you Operon." She said and then he said a few things to the other elves before he mounted his horse and mentioned for them to follow him, which they did.

As each step of the horse took her closer to the Elves, Celebfaer felt nervous. She had not seen Legolas for 20 years and she was nervous. Then her thoughts were snapped back to reality, for she had thought Legolas dead, so there was no way that he could be in Eryn Lasgalen, instead he probably lay in the earth near Mordor in a nameless grave. But despite her feeling that he was dead she could not shake the nerves she was feeling at heading towards the dwelling of the wood-elves.