The morning dawned cold and gray and Celalcien stood at the edge of the woods looking toward Bagshot Row. She would not be there for breakfest this morning, nor ever again. The night before had proved painful and horrid as she saw so many scenes from her past.
Silently she looked down at the band of silver in her hand with hatred before clutching it in her fist. No matter how much it hurt her she would not allow her father's legacy to fall into the hands of Sauron. Taking a deep breath she turned to leave and began to walk through the woods toward Buckland and the border of the Shire. The ring slowly found its way to her finger and remained there.
***
Merry sat with his head in his hands and yawned as Sam walked up behind him.
"Tired, Mr. Merry?"
"Yes, Sam. I guess the party kept me up too late last night."
Sam laughed a bit, "That's the first time I've ever heard you say such a thing, ifin' you know what I mean."
"Any sign of Celalcien yet?" Merry asked turning to Frodo.
The Baggins shook his head, "No, cousin, the road's clear. The same as it's been all morning...for the past three hours."
"Wonder if she's coming at all?" Sam whispered casting Merry a weary glance.
Meriadoc looked at Sam with wide eyes, as a sudden realization hit him. "Sam, you're right. She's leaving! I knew something wasn't right last night." With that Merry lept to his feet and headed down the road, yelling over his shoulder, "I've got to stop her."
Frodo shook his head as he watched his cousin leave, "why do I have the feeling that even he won't be able to stop her."
***
The going was slow for Celalcien as she treaded through the trees near the Bywater, frustration fiiling her.
"Celalcien!", Lal heard a voice behind her call. It was a voice she knew too well.
"Merry.", she thought.
"Celalcien! Where are you going?"
The girl sighed and turned to face Merry. "I'm leaving.", she stated flatly.
"You're what?", the Hobbit's face showed dispair.
"You heard me," she kept her tone steady, her throat beginning to go dry.
"Why?! Lal, you can't leave. You...you just can't!"
"Oh really?", she heard her voice tighten with pent up emotions. "Why not? It's not like Hobbiton's ever been my home. What reason do I have to stay here?" Her mind screamed the answer to the last question, "He's the reason for you to stay." Silence filled the air for a moment. Then it was broken by Meriadoc's soft voice.
"Because," he began. "Because I care for you, more than anything else. I could almost say I loved you, but I don't think your ready to be loved," the words came pouring out if his mouth as fast as flowing water.
Celalcien tightened her grip on her pack. "Merry, I have to leave. I can't stay. I can't...I can't love you. It's too risky."
Merry couldn't believe his ears. Had she really just said that?
"Lal..."
She cut him off with a wave of her hand, her silver ring catching a glint of the Sun as she did. Without another word she turned her back on him. Swallowing hard he prepared to try again, but before a word escaped his lips Celalcien began to run. Merry ran after her but the chase was hopeless, she picked up speed and was soon out of sight. She had disappeared into the woods, her feet carrying her as fast as the wind. Blast her Elven blood line! He continued to stare after her, unsure of how this moment had come to be. The wind ran through the trees and Merry thought he heard Lal's laughter on it.
Finally he sat on the leaf covered ground. His eyes began to blur as confusion overcame him. For the first time since he was a child Meriadoc Brandybuck cried.
***
Celalcien sat in a tree watching Merry, a still, small figure on the ground.
How could she have dared to love him? She knew the burden her ring held!
She knew that bearing it meant not involving herself with others. It was too dangerous!
She ceased her thoughts and sighed. It was time to move on from here. Though, this was a time she would never forget.
As Celalcien slipped silently down from her perch she began to walk on. She would return to her forset for a while and then begin other journies in other places. But while her feet may carry her far away she had a feeling that her heart would remain here, in Merry's hands.
Walking from the woods the lined Hobbiton Celalcien looked back once more and with a whisper wished the young Hobbit a long life and love.
The End
Silently she looked down at the band of silver in her hand with hatred before clutching it in her fist. No matter how much it hurt her she would not allow her father's legacy to fall into the hands of Sauron. Taking a deep breath she turned to leave and began to walk through the woods toward Buckland and the border of the Shire. The ring slowly found its way to her finger and remained there.
***
Merry sat with his head in his hands and yawned as Sam walked up behind him.
"Tired, Mr. Merry?"
"Yes, Sam. I guess the party kept me up too late last night."
Sam laughed a bit, "That's the first time I've ever heard you say such a thing, ifin' you know what I mean."
"Any sign of Celalcien yet?" Merry asked turning to Frodo.
The Baggins shook his head, "No, cousin, the road's clear. The same as it's been all morning...for the past three hours."
"Wonder if she's coming at all?" Sam whispered casting Merry a weary glance.
Meriadoc looked at Sam with wide eyes, as a sudden realization hit him. "Sam, you're right. She's leaving! I knew something wasn't right last night." With that Merry lept to his feet and headed down the road, yelling over his shoulder, "I've got to stop her."
Frodo shook his head as he watched his cousin leave, "why do I have the feeling that even he won't be able to stop her."
***
The going was slow for Celalcien as she treaded through the trees near the Bywater, frustration fiiling her.
"Celalcien!", Lal heard a voice behind her call. It was a voice she knew too well.
"Merry.", she thought.
"Celalcien! Where are you going?"
The girl sighed and turned to face Merry. "I'm leaving.", she stated flatly.
"You're what?", the Hobbit's face showed dispair.
"You heard me," she kept her tone steady, her throat beginning to go dry.
"Why?! Lal, you can't leave. You...you just can't!"
"Oh really?", she heard her voice tighten with pent up emotions. "Why not? It's not like Hobbiton's ever been my home. What reason do I have to stay here?" Her mind screamed the answer to the last question, "He's the reason for you to stay." Silence filled the air for a moment. Then it was broken by Meriadoc's soft voice.
"Because," he began. "Because I care for you, more than anything else. I could almost say I loved you, but I don't think your ready to be loved," the words came pouring out if his mouth as fast as flowing water.
Celalcien tightened her grip on her pack. "Merry, I have to leave. I can't stay. I can't...I can't love you. It's too risky."
Merry couldn't believe his ears. Had she really just said that?
"Lal..."
She cut him off with a wave of her hand, her silver ring catching a glint of the Sun as she did. Without another word she turned her back on him. Swallowing hard he prepared to try again, but before a word escaped his lips Celalcien began to run. Merry ran after her but the chase was hopeless, she picked up speed and was soon out of sight. She had disappeared into the woods, her feet carrying her as fast as the wind. Blast her Elven blood line! He continued to stare after her, unsure of how this moment had come to be. The wind ran through the trees and Merry thought he heard Lal's laughter on it.
Finally he sat on the leaf covered ground. His eyes began to blur as confusion overcame him. For the first time since he was a child Meriadoc Brandybuck cried.
***
Celalcien sat in a tree watching Merry, a still, small figure on the ground.
How could she have dared to love him? She knew the burden her ring held!
She knew that bearing it meant not involving herself with others. It was too dangerous!
She ceased her thoughts and sighed. It was time to move on from here. Though, this was a time she would never forget.
As Celalcien slipped silently down from her perch she began to walk on. She would return to her forset for a while and then begin other journies in other places. But while her feet may carry her far away she had a feeling that her heart would remain here, in Merry's hands.
Walking from the woods the lined Hobbiton Celalcien looked back once more and with a whisper wished the young Hobbit a long life and love.
The End