Chapter Twenty-Four: Promises of Cerin Amroth
A/N: My sincerest wish is that everyone is glad that I posted chapters 22 and 23 on the same day. Aren't I awesome? PRE-WRITING RULES! I was going to finish writing the entire story before I posted it, but then I figured: Where's my motivation? 'Cause you guys are, and I know that all the authors out there know the feeling they get when they get a good review. Anyway, I almost had chap. 24 the EXACT SAME as 23, not remembering that I even HAD a twenty three, so I was like REPLACING IT, and DUPLICATING that freaking chapter, so lucky you guys that I noticed it. HA, I'm so smart. Anyway, I've got to start working on my original novel again, so maybe I'll fall back more and more on my pre-writing. I'm currently stuck at them entering Rohan … so that's where I am, just so you know, the story will at least progress to there without a break … Je t'aime pas! I love you! (No, I'm really not French, I'm learning Spanish …)
Disclaimer: Oh, this trash again? Okay, I don't own anything (yes, proper grammar, I've got Lang. Arts again! Bah, the securities of the English language).
Let it begin!
…
Legolas felt his world crash down around his pointed ears and sorrow enveloped his soul. He released her and pulled himself from her arms. Standing up, he looked down at her, still sitting forlornly on the flet. Sadness filled his bright eyes, dimming them dramatically.
"I am sorry, mellonim," she said. And then she repeated, "I cannot promise that. I do not know myself." Sadly, Legolas turned around and continued his descent down the rope ladder. Aila did not follow him immediately, angry at herself for causing him hurt. She stood, tears streaming down her face, as she looked northward, to southern Mirkwood. There lay Legolas' realm, his princedom. The reminder only sent her into further tears.
"How can I assume though," she asked herself aloud, "if I will live or die? How I feel the fact that I am not supposed to be here!"
"Light Bearer!" she heard Haldir call from below. Obviously, Legolas had already gotten all the way down the ladder. "Come down now, we are about to march on to Lorien." Sighing, not wanting to confront any of the Company anytime soon, Aila began to slowly make her way down the rope ladder.
…
The Company resumed their march to Lorien and Aila walked with Haldir at the head of the group, not wanting to hang back and speak with Aragorn, who also had Legolas at his side. At the moment, she was shamelessly avoiding Legolas, not sure what he thought of her after their little "scene" on the talan.
"Why do you not walk with Legolas, Light Bearer?" asked Haldir, in the middle of their conversation. "Are you not great friends with him?"
"Yes, I am," said Aila softly, more to herself than to Haldir, so that she could hear the words herself. "He is my best friend here in middle earth, besides Arwen. I don't think he's very pleased with me right now."
"Why is that, Lady Aila?"
"I refused to promise him that I would not die. I do not know myself."
"No one knows if they will die, Light Bearer," said Haldir wisely. "But it is nice to promise to good friends, to ease their hearts, whether it is true or not." In an undertone, Haldir added, "I hope you realize soon how much her cares for you."
"What was that?" Aila asked, having not the hearing of an elf.
"It was nothing, Light Bearer." Frustrated and sick of being called "Light Bearer," Aila retreated back to talk to the hobbits,
"Why is Legolas mad at you, Aila?" asked Pippin, maintaining his "deer caught in the headlights" face.
"Did he say he was mad at me?" Furrowing his brow for a second, Pippin though, and then shook his head, before running off to Legolas, before Aila could stop him.
"Legolas?"
"Yes, Pippin?"
"Why are you mad at Aila?" Legolas was caught off guard by the hobbit's innocent question. He took a moment to think about how he answered, not looking up at Aila, who pretended to have a conversation with Merry and Frodo while she half-listened.
"I am not mad at Aila, Pippin. But she has told me something, or should I say, NOT told me something that has troubled me greatly." His eyes widening further, if that was even possible, he continued to question Legolas, while Aragorn laughed beside the elf.
"Why don't you go ask Aila these things, Pippin. She can explain to you why she could not tell me this better than I can."
"Oh, she won't say anything," said Pippin, disappointed. He stuck out his bottom lip and pouted, stripped of a chance for juicy gossip. Still pouting, he stomped back over to Merry and told him everything that he had said. Aila laughed several times when Pippin persisted, but said nothing more.
…
…
They came to a grand tree by the edge of a pavilion, with a fountain near its center, gurgling and chuckling merrily in the soft evening light, the sun's harsh rays filtered by the golden leaves. Two elves clad in elven mail and white cloaks lounged about at the bottom of a stairway that led up the tree, encircling it. The guards leapt to their feet as the Company approached and stood threateningly at the base of the stair.
"Here dwell Celeborn and Galadriel," said Haldir, turning to them. "It is their wish that you should ascend and speak with them." Aila took a step back in surprise, almost crashing into Boromir, who put a hand to her shoulder, when one of the elf wardens blew a loud, clear note on his trumpet. "I will go first," said Haldir, who was unphased. In fact, only Aila had been surprised, as she had only somewhat been paying attention, her thoughts deep in the subject of what Legolas had wanted her to promise. *If only I could promise that truthfully,* she sighed. "Let Frodo come next and with him Legolas. Behind Legolas shall come Aila. The others may follow as the wish. It is a long climb for those that are not accustomed to such stairs, but you may rest upon the way."
With that, Haldir turned and took the first steps up the stair. Frodo followed obediently behind him, and then came Legolas, and herself. She felt guilty, staring at her friend's back, because she had caused him so much trouble. However, he seemed not to mind so much anymore, at least he didn't show it, as he turned around several times during the climb, to offer he assistance and to speak with her. It was indeed a long climb and when they come to the enormous talan at the top, Aila was well out of breath and red in the face.
Sitting upon the talan was a house built, large enough to serve as a hall for the men, but much more regal than that. They entered a chamber filled with soft light, its walls painted decorative, but royal, colors. Seated side by side, were the Lord and Lady of Lorien. They stood to greet their guests, as was the fashion with elves, and Celeborn greeted each politely by name as they entered.
"Sit now beside my chair, Frodo of the Shire!" he said when the hobbit entered. "When all have come we will speak together."
"Welcome son of Thranduil! Too seldom do my kindred journey hither from the North."
"Welcome Gimli son of Gloin! It is long indeed since we saw one of Durin's folk in Caras Caladhon. But today we have broken our long law. Maybe it is a sign that through the world is now dark better days are at hand, and that friendship shall be renewed between our people."
"Of you," Celeborn said as Aila entered, breathing heavily, "I have no tidings of. I know not who you are or what importance you hold." Before Aila could respond, Galadriel spoke for the last time.
"I know of her," she said, and her voice was light and musical, but deeper than the normal woman's wont, as Aila's was. "Come, sit by me aier," "and we shall speak when this is all done with."
A/N: My sincerest wish is that everyone is glad that I posted chapters 22 and 23 on the same day. Aren't I awesome? PRE-WRITING RULES! I was going to finish writing the entire story before I posted it, but then I figured: Where's my motivation? 'Cause you guys are, and I know that all the authors out there know the feeling they get when they get a good review. Anyway, I almost had chap. 24 the EXACT SAME as 23, not remembering that I even HAD a twenty three, so I was like REPLACING IT, and DUPLICATING that freaking chapter, so lucky you guys that I noticed it. HA, I'm so smart. Anyway, I've got to start working on my original novel again, so maybe I'll fall back more and more on my pre-writing. I'm currently stuck at them entering Rohan … so that's where I am, just so you know, the story will at least progress to there without a break … Je t'aime pas! I love you! (No, I'm really not French, I'm learning Spanish …)
Disclaimer: Oh, this trash again? Okay, I don't own anything (yes, proper grammar, I've got Lang. Arts again! Bah, the securities of the English language).
Let it begin!
…
Legolas felt his world crash down around his pointed ears and sorrow enveloped his soul. He released her and pulled himself from her arms. Standing up, he looked down at her, still sitting forlornly on the flet. Sadness filled his bright eyes, dimming them dramatically.
"I am sorry, mellonim," she said. And then she repeated, "I cannot promise that. I do not know myself." Sadly, Legolas turned around and continued his descent down the rope ladder. Aila did not follow him immediately, angry at herself for causing him hurt. She stood, tears streaming down her face, as she looked northward, to southern Mirkwood. There lay Legolas' realm, his princedom. The reminder only sent her into further tears.
"How can I assume though," she asked herself aloud, "if I will live or die? How I feel the fact that I am not supposed to be here!"
"Light Bearer!" she heard Haldir call from below. Obviously, Legolas had already gotten all the way down the ladder. "Come down now, we are about to march on to Lorien." Sighing, not wanting to confront any of the Company anytime soon, Aila began to slowly make her way down the rope ladder.
…
The Company resumed their march to Lorien and Aila walked with Haldir at the head of the group, not wanting to hang back and speak with Aragorn, who also had Legolas at his side. At the moment, she was shamelessly avoiding Legolas, not sure what he thought of her after their little "scene" on the talan.
"Why do you not walk with Legolas, Light Bearer?" asked Haldir, in the middle of their conversation. "Are you not great friends with him?"
"Yes, I am," said Aila softly, more to herself than to Haldir, so that she could hear the words herself. "He is my best friend here in middle earth, besides Arwen. I don't think he's very pleased with me right now."
"Why is that, Lady Aila?"
"I refused to promise him that I would not die. I do not know myself."
"No one knows if they will die, Light Bearer," said Haldir wisely. "But it is nice to promise to good friends, to ease their hearts, whether it is true or not." In an undertone, Haldir added, "I hope you realize soon how much her cares for you."
"What was that?" Aila asked, having not the hearing of an elf.
"It was nothing, Light Bearer." Frustrated and sick of being called "Light Bearer," Aila retreated back to talk to the hobbits,
"Why is Legolas mad at you, Aila?" asked Pippin, maintaining his "deer caught in the headlights" face.
"Did he say he was mad at me?" Furrowing his brow for a second, Pippin though, and then shook his head, before running off to Legolas, before Aila could stop him.
"Legolas?"
"Yes, Pippin?"
"Why are you mad at Aila?" Legolas was caught off guard by the hobbit's innocent question. He took a moment to think about how he answered, not looking up at Aila, who pretended to have a conversation with Merry and Frodo while she half-listened.
"I am not mad at Aila, Pippin. But she has told me something, or should I say, NOT told me something that has troubled me greatly." His eyes widening further, if that was even possible, he continued to question Legolas, while Aragorn laughed beside the elf.
"Why don't you go ask Aila these things, Pippin. She can explain to you why she could not tell me this better than I can."
"Oh, she won't say anything," said Pippin, disappointed. He stuck out his bottom lip and pouted, stripped of a chance for juicy gossip. Still pouting, he stomped back over to Merry and told him everything that he had said. Aila laughed several times when Pippin persisted, but said nothing more.
…
…
They came to a grand tree by the edge of a pavilion, with a fountain near its center, gurgling and chuckling merrily in the soft evening light, the sun's harsh rays filtered by the golden leaves. Two elves clad in elven mail and white cloaks lounged about at the bottom of a stairway that led up the tree, encircling it. The guards leapt to their feet as the Company approached and stood threateningly at the base of the stair.
"Here dwell Celeborn and Galadriel," said Haldir, turning to them. "It is their wish that you should ascend and speak with them." Aila took a step back in surprise, almost crashing into Boromir, who put a hand to her shoulder, when one of the elf wardens blew a loud, clear note on his trumpet. "I will go first," said Haldir, who was unphased. In fact, only Aila had been surprised, as she had only somewhat been paying attention, her thoughts deep in the subject of what Legolas had wanted her to promise. *If only I could promise that truthfully,* she sighed. "Let Frodo come next and with him Legolas. Behind Legolas shall come Aila. The others may follow as the wish. It is a long climb for those that are not accustomed to such stairs, but you may rest upon the way."
With that, Haldir turned and took the first steps up the stair. Frodo followed obediently behind him, and then came Legolas, and herself. She felt guilty, staring at her friend's back, because she had caused him so much trouble. However, he seemed not to mind so much anymore, at least he didn't show it, as he turned around several times during the climb, to offer he assistance and to speak with her. It was indeed a long climb and when they come to the enormous talan at the top, Aila was well out of breath and red in the face.
Sitting upon the talan was a house built, large enough to serve as a hall for the men, but much more regal than that. They entered a chamber filled with soft light, its walls painted decorative, but royal, colors. Seated side by side, were the Lord and Lady of Lorien. They stood to greet their guests, as was the fashion with elves, and Celeborn greeted each politely by name as they entered.
"Sit now beside my chair, Frodo of the Shire!" he said when the hobbit entered. "When all have come we will speak together."
"Welcome son of Thranduil! Too seldom do my kindred journey hither from the North."
"Welcome Gimli son of Gloin! It is long indeed since we saw one of Durin's folk in Caras Caladhon. But today we have broken our long law. Maybe it is a sign that through the world is now dark better days are at hand, and that friendship shall be renewed between our people."
"Of you," Celeborn said as Aila entered, breathing heavily, "I have no tidings of. I know not who you are or what importance you hold." Before Aila could respond, Galadriel spoke for the last time.
"I know of her," she said, and her voice was light and musical, but deeper than the normal woman's wont, as Aila's was. "Come, sit by me aier," "and we shall speak when this is all done with."