Disclaimer: Everything from Middle Earth - Gondor, Minas Tirith, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Arwen etc. - are copyright of JRR Tolkien.



Chapter 43: Six Months

When Arwen and Celebfaer were in the hallway and out of earshot of the court Arwen stopped then hugged Celebfaer, wiping tears away from her eyes. She was so happy to see the Fairy that she could not contain her excitement. She had thought that Celebfaer had been dead, but to see her alive made Arwen unbelievably happy. She had not had many reasons to be happy of late so seeing Celebfaer was a good thing.

"It has been long indeed my friend and I believed that you were dead." Arwen said and Celebfaer nodded, happy to see Arwen as well.

"My people found me and I have something to show you when we reach my room." She said and Arwen nodded, but before she could ask another question, Celebfaer spoke once more. "Arwen is Legolas in Minas Tirith? It is urgent that I speak with him."

Arwen paused, thinking about how best to tell her, before she answered. "He is in Minas Tirith, but he is not well Celebfaer."

"Not well?"

"He is dying."

"What? Why is he dying?" Celebfaer asked, shocked that he would be dying, when eight months ago she had seen him and he had been in perfect health. She would not believe it until she saw it and after her long search for him it was not what she wanted to hear.

"Sorrow. Gimli and he have traveled from Eryn Lasgalen down to Minas Tirith because I received a message from a friend telling me he was ill. And now he wishes to travel over to the heavens before he does indeed die."

"He cannot die!" Celebfaer called and Arwen nodded.

"That is what I keep telling him." Arwen said sadly. So, they walked the rest of the way to the guestroom in silence, each thinking their own thoughts.

When they got to Celebfaer's room and Arwen showed her in. It was a small, but lovely room, furnished with a desk and chair, a bed and a wardrobe for her clothes. The window looked out over the city, but it was small and only gave a glimpse of the city. Celebfaer did not mind; she had been expecting to be thrown into the dungeons so this room was much better than that.

"I am sorry it is so small Celebfaer, but it is all we have that we can spare." Arwen said and Celebfaer nodded, but she was thinking other things.

"It is fine Arwen." Celebfaer said absently, then she looked up and placing a hand on Arwen's arm to get her attention, she continued. "I must see him." She said and Arwen was shocked at the commanding tone she used.

"You shall, once Aragorn has spoken with you." Arwen said, then she shook her head. "You have changed much Celebfaer. You must tell me about all of your travels since I last saw you. It has been too long Celebfaer and old wounds are now cured." She said and Celebfaer smiled.

"They are tales for later Arwen, but you do not understand my urgency." She said and Arwen looked away from Celebfaer.

"What was it that you were to show me spirit child?" Arwen asked, changing the subject, so Celebfaer went along with it, sensing that she did not want to talk about Legolas. Though Celebfaer could not sense why Arwen did not want to talk about him. Maybe it was worse than Celebfaer had first thought.

"This." Celebfaer said smiling happily as she threw off her cloak and opened her wings.

Arwen's eyes opened wide and a gasp escaped her lips, which made Celebfaer laugh.

"Celebfaer, your wings!"

"They are restored. With thanks to Legolas." She said and Arwen smiled, happily.

"All is well then." Arwen said, still looking at the magnificent wings. Then she lowered her eyes to look straight into Celebfaer's. "But Legolas did not speak of you."

"I shan't imagine he would have." Celebfaer said sadly, and Arwen frowned, but left the topic.

"Well, I shall have a servant bring you your meal and later on I shall come and we can walk in the gardens. I have much to tell you Celebfaer." Arwen said and Celebfaer smiled.

"And I you." She said, then Arwen left and Celebfaer settled into her room.

That night Arwen was true to her word and she came back then took Celebfaer for a walk around the gardens. The two told each other tales of what they had been up to during their time spent apart and their friendship was remembered once again.

Arwen had traveled to Minas Tirith and she and Aragorn had been wedded two days before Aragorn had been crowned King of Gondor. Since then she had been helping Aragorn rebuild the city and had already borne him two children, which she assured Celebfaer she would meet the next day.

Eventually it grew late and though Arwen never tired of walking out underneath the stars, Aragorn came out into the gardens, seeking his wife.

"I am sorry Celebfaer, but it is getting late, and my wife shall need some rest in order to carry out her duties as queen, tomorrow." Aragorn said and Arwen sighed, looking up at the stars once more.

"Aragorn, you are right. I shall just show Celebfaer back to her room." Arwen said and Aragorn nodded, then took her hand and kissed the top of it lightly.

"Farewell, melamin." Aragorn said softly, then he turned and walked away.

Celebfaer felt her heart breaking at the mention of 'melamin' for Legolas had called her by that name once, and she had denied him, requesting that he not call her that. She longed to see him because there were many things that she needed to say to him.

Arwen was smiling when she turned back to Celebfaer and Celebfaer smiled at Arwen.

"The love he carries for you shall never fade." Celebfaer said softly and Arwen nodded.

"Nor will the love that I have for him." Arwen said. "To spend but one lifetime with the one that I love, is more than I could ever ask of the Valar and I thank them every night for the gift they gave." She added and Celebfaer smiled.

"Come, do not keep him waiting." Celebfaer said and so the two walked up to Celebfaer's room together. Once there, Celebfaer thanked Arwen for being so kind, then she bid her goodnight.

"Tomorrow, I shall show you around properly, and you shall meet our children." Arwen said with a smile, then she walked off, heading back to her husband.

**************************

It was a few days before Celebfaer was allowed a few minutes to herself, and the moment she got more than an hour to herself, she went down to the gardens, hoping to find a quiet place to think. She had still not seen Legolas or heard anything about him, so she guessed that Aragorn and Arwen were trying to keep her busy so that she would not see him.

Wondering around in the gardens admiring their beauty, for the Elves had built them also she searched for a place to sit quietly and be alone with her thoughts. As she wondered she found a pond and she smiled then started to head over there when she saw that someone was sitting there.

The person had long blonde coloured hair and at first glance, Celebfaer thought it was one of the servants, taking a break. But the attire of the person was not that of a servant. They were wearing elvish style clothes and once Celebfaer noticed that, she realised that it was Legolas and her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. He looked sad and as if he was in deep thought, so Celebfaer started to approach the place where he was sitting, not wanting to disturb his thoughts.

But his keen Elven hearing allowed him to hear her approach before she was too close and he looked up at her, then watched her approach not sure if he was just dreaming or if it was indeed Celebfaer walking towards himself. It was not until she was close enough to hear his voice that he spoke to her, uncertain.

"Celebfaer?" He asked confusion in his eyes and she smiled at the sound of his voice.

"Legolas!" She cried happily, then she walked up and sat down next to him. But as soon as she sat down there was an awkward silence that she did not like.

Eventually she broke the silence. "These gardens are beautiful, I heard you had a say in the design." She said and he nodded.

"Why are you in Minas Tirith?"

"For you." She said softly.

"What about Mildred and your people?" He asked, his voice was emotionless and she could not figure out why it was.

"We got back to the Realm and my mother came to tell me that I was released of all my duties as an heir and free to roam where I will."

"First Galadriel frees you and now the Queen of the Fairies as well? There must be conditions." He said harshly and she wondered what was wrong with him.

"There are conditions on my freedom, but we shall not speak of them here. All you need to know is that my mother is a wise woman and believes that some things are stronger than duty and birthright." She told him and he didn't reply, just sat there looking into the pond.

So, again they sat in silence, Celebfaer did not know what to say and Legolas was busy thinking deeply about how he could tell her what she needed to know. Eventually it was Legolas that broke the silence this time and when he did, the words hit Celebfaer hard.

"I am dying Celebfaer." He said and she looked up at him.

"Arwen mentioned that but is there some way that you could be healed?" She asked. She firmly believed that she would be able to heal him somehow and then she would be able to tell him why she was there. But hearing him say it himself had made it more real than hearing Arwen say it.

"I'm dying of sorrow, or so Arwen tells me. Elves can die from grief and loss of losing something that means a lot to them."

"What happens if that thing they lost comes back to them?" She asked hopefully and he shrugged.

"When I look at you Celebfaer, all I feel is a deep pain within my heart and it makes me feel weaker and very sad. I see you and I feel my life shortening more."

"What are you saying?"

"I don't think I am capable of recovery. Unless something captures my heart once more."

"I will think of a way to help you Legolas. I cannot let you go so easily this time. If there is not a way to be found then I shall stick by you until the end."

"My heart shrinks and my life slowly shortens. I wish to travel to the heavens before my last breath Celebfaer and you cannot follow there." He said bluntly and she looked at him, slightly hurt.

"Legolas, hear me now and believe the words for I speak the truth." She said and he looked at her, his eyes looked as though they did not see her and appeared to look straight through her. "I will capture your heart once more and when I do, I wish to show you where my people dwell."

"I shall give you six months for I do not wish to wait any longer than that in fear that I will die before I make it to the heavens." He said and then she sighed but stood up. She knew a dismissal when she heard one.

"Thank you Legolas." She said then she bowed and she walked away.