MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!

"Over there", where I live, we celebrate Christmas today (December 24th) so I decided to give you a small Christmas gift disguised as a new chapter. Hope you enjoy!

And to THE who reviewed: I know that Ithiel takes a lot of space, but I fear she has to, since she's got some rather important things to accomplish. But I'll try to make her more "invisible". And I'm a sucker for romance fic, you make what you want from that….

Thank you so much for reviewing and letting me know that at least someone reads this. I wish you the best Christmas ever!

Please leave a review!

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

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

They had stopped to set camp during the night and Ithiel began to feel slightly uncomfortable. It was not that she distrusted Keyn, he had been nothing but a gentleman to her, although they had spoken very little it was because she knew nothing about him, where he was from, why he was there and where he was taking her. And she had no idea why she had not asked. He had lit a small fire, but it only gave light to few feet around.

' Here', he said, giving her a grey fur. ' You can lie on this.'

She caressed the fur slowly, wondering what animal it came from, looking at Keyn from the corner of her eye.

' Where are we going?'

He did not answer, just pointed on the ground beside her. With a sigh, she did as "told", laying the fur out flat on the dry ground.

' It is getting cold', she said to herself as she looked up into the darks sky. The stars was shining bright that night, their dark background crystal clear. Although there was no wind, a chill ran up her spine, causing her to look over her shoulder. She thought she saw something move in the darkness, but there was no trees or bushes to hide behind, and since Darenwa stood quiet and seemingly asleep, Ithiel shrugged it off as imagination.

' Yes.' Hearing Keyn speak after his deep silence, Ithiel jumped and felt herself blush again. Her constant embarrassment was making her angry, though she was grateful he could not see her this time.

' Yes, what?'

' It is getting cold. Winter is nearing.' He sat down on his fur and gave her a smile. ' You need some sleep. We have quite a long journey ahead of us.'

Ithiel sat down, wrapping the blanket she had been intelligent enough to pack, around her.

' I do not want to sleep, I want to know where we are going. And if you are not going to tell me, I am continuing on my own tomorrow.'

Keyn pursed his lips thoughtfully and Ithiel sighed. Apparently, stubbornness was not restricted to Lothlórien-elves. As she lay down, she was certain she heard a faint rustle of leaves, but even with her most persistent peering into the darkness, she could see nothing.

' We are heading to where I live.'

She rolled over to face him, forgetting all about the mysterious sound.

' Where is that?'

' Over there', he said, pointing east in the black. ' Is a chain of mountains. There is a pass called Rehindharas, and there is where we are going.'

' Why? I do not think it is the way to Mirkwood.'

She heard him chuckle, but could not see his face since he was staring up into space.

' It is nowhere near Mirkwood, but I never told you I would take you there.'

Suddenly very alarmed, Ithiel stood up, letting the blanket fall off her shoulders but too agitated to notice it.

' Then you can take your damned fur and continue to your pass all by yourself!' She said, collecting her things and walked over to Darenwa who buffed her gently with her head. Behind her she heard Keyn get to his feet with a heavy sigh and come closer.

' Ithiel…'

' No! I go now.' She untied Darenwas reins swallowed the lump in her throat. The thought of heading into complete blackness by herself in unknown territory was frightening beyond her wildest imagination. She was suddenly reminded by the sound she had heard earlier. What if they were not alone?

' Do you know where you are?'

She could not see him, but glared in the direction his voice was coming from. Who knew, he might see better in darkness than she could? Just as she was about to mount her horse, she felt his hand on her shoulder.

' Please', he said, turning her around. ' I am sorry.'

' You should be, for a lot of things, but could you be more specific?'

He took the reins from her and retied them around the tree. ' I did not realize you could misunderstand. I never said I would take you to Mirkwood, but I promise I will lead you on the right path. All I want you to do, is come see where I live.'

There had to be some ulterior motive behind his soft words, but she was too tired to bother thinking about it. Her blood was pumping hard and her breathing was ragged as he lead her back to her fur.

' Fine, but I warn you of trying anything with me.'

' The thought never crossed my mind.'

***

As soon as he had found Galadriel gone, Celeborn had the entire Caras Galadhon in a frenzy. Every Marchwarden on guard was called back to regroup and hunt down the fleeing queen. The two guards that had been supposed to be on duty outside her room was nowhere to be found, only adding to the theory of a long planned escape. What bothered him more was that Haldirs two brothers was missing as well, causing him to think that maybe this was bigger than first thought.

' Your highness', a messenger stepped in front of him, bowing deep.

' I have no time, come back later.'

' But, your highness!'

' Did you not hear me? Leave!'

For a moment, the youngling stood staring at him, before grabbing a hold of himself and bowed as he exited.

Celeborn felt his blood on the verge of boiling. That damned witch, how dared she? Caressing Nenya with his thumb, the cool metal calming him down and making him think rationally again. Only a few minutes had passed since Galadriel had broken the barrier, and she could not have gotten far. There were no horses in Lothlórien but no one knew the terrain like the Marchwardens, she could not escape them.

' But what if she has some of them with her?' he heard a soft whispering voice in the back of his head. ' And more importantly, where is she going?'

' I know where she passed, when they follow her there, her tracks should be easy to find. And if she is not alone, the more tracks there will be to follow.'

' Marchwardens do not leave tracks, Celeborn my darling and Galadriel knows what tracks she leaves behind and can easily manipulate them. If she gets far enough, your bind on her gift will be cut and that we cannot let happen.'

' I know', he growled, trying to rub the voice away. He could not remember when he had first heard it, and he could not determine whether it was female or male. Sometimes it seemed to shift mid-sentence, become lower and more masculine before returning to a more pulsating tone, but always purring. The voice usually gave him advice, let him know of conspiracies against him and how to destroy them. Galadriels sentence had been the voice's idea.

But sometimes, like now, it only taunted him when things got out of his hands. ' I will solve it.'

' Your highness, the first search team is out, the second is about to set off.' The General, filling in for Haldir while he was away, stood silent after his report.

' Yes?'

' Forgive me, your highness, but why will you not meet with the scouts the army sent out? They are about to cross our borders, and you wanted to know the minute they gave word.'

Celeborn temporarily forgot about Galadriel and turned to the General. ' They are coming?'

' Yes, the advance team is only hours away, the main body of the army should be here within the night. They are downstairs if you wish to see them.'

The entire army was returning? Had they won so soon? He did not doubt the efficiency of the Galadhrim, but he had counted on at least a month.

' I want to speak to them, bring them here.'

' Yes, your highness.'

Moments later, two tall young elves, their hair not in braids, only pulled back in a tail, entered and bowed.

' Your highness', they echoed each other and Celeborn nodded.

' What news do you have.'

' The army is soon to return.'

' How did it go?'

He walked closer, for the first time noticing their haunted looks. Something was wrong. One of the two looked at the other and when not finding any comfort, he cleared his throat and stood taller. A trace of sweat began to show at his temples.

' Your highness, the army was ordered to return without any massive fighting.'

' What?' Celeborns insides twitched and he needed to turn away to fight the urge to push the boy against the wall and feeling his racing pulse beat against his fingers while strangling him.

' Captain Haldir send the army back after an encounter with the Men, highness.'

' I thought you said there was no fighting.'

' Yes, your highness. No, only arrows were fired. Prince Legolas of Mirkwood intervened and was seriously wounded, Captain Haldir and King Aragorn brought him Minas Tirith.'

Spinning around so fast that the two couriers jumped back a step, Celeborn glared at them with blazing eyes.

' Haldir went inside the walls of Minas Tirith?!'

***

Elrohir found it hard to sleep so close to the waterfall and the rippling waves that washed up almost came up to his head. The two silent elves that had met him had dumped him off at the shore and then gone away for a couple of hours, leaving behind a very confused and irritated Elrohir, who had no idea what he was supposed to do.

By dinnertime, they had returned with boiled fish and water. They said nothing, just gave him the food only to disappear again. When the descending sun had cast long shadows over the ground and made the water seem like a lake of human blood, they had given him a pair of blankets, escorted him to a spot on the ground where they left him to sleep. He could hear a few guards move somewhere around him, people snoring and talking in their sleep. Apparently they did not bother much with security.

Just when he had managed to ignore the clucking water enough to maybe get some sleep, he felt someone gently shake him.

' Wake up.'

' I did not sleep', he muttered, sitting up. The same girl that had met him, sat squatting next to him, the moon showed her smile. ' What is it?'

Her smile widened and held out her hand.

' Come. I have a surprise.'

He took her hand hesitantly and stood up. He had pretty good night vision, but all he could see was the water to his left, grassy plains to the right and a half naked girl right in front of him.

' What kind of surprise?'

' A good surprise.' She giggled and tugged at his arm to get him to follow. Somehow he doubted that these peculiar beings had any good surprises.

He found it hard to accept that he far back in the bloodlines, was related to them. They were so strange and different from himself and any elf he had ever met. Well, maybe if you excluded Legolas, who had to be nuts. But he was not like these elves either. They had no modesty. The more important you were, the less you wore, he had learned the hard way. Spears had been pointed at him as he tried to ask a man with barely nothing but a cloth hanging over his crotch, for directions. He hoped he had not insulted anyone too much.

After walking for a very long time, Elrohir stopped and sniffed the air.

' Is that salt?'

' Yes. We are close.'

' Close to what, exactly?'

' Water.'

A high-pitched cry somewhere above him, made Elrohirs skin crawl. Not only due to the ghostlike sound, but also because he knew that the bird that cried like that only lived one place.

' Seagulls.'

' Beautiful birds.'

He had only been told stories about the ocean, all of them seemed exaggerated and with the purpose of scaring young elves away from it. He had never believed them, no one had been close enough to get them confirmed and return to tell about it. But some of those stories must have had some affect on Elrohir, because he could not bring himself to take another step. Not that he wanted to.

' What is wrong?'

' I cannot continue.'

' Why?"

The girl - he wondered briefly why he had never asked her name - looked both disappointed and worried. That must be what he would look like if someone said they did not want to see Rivendell.

' When my people get called to the ocean, that means we are leaving this world. I am not ready to leave yet. Please understand.'

She looked at him closely without blinking for a long time before a hint of a smile appeared on her face.

' I understand.'

No matter how relived Elrohir was to head back to the camp and his rocky bed, he could not help himself to feel the urge to take a closer look. And it was not all because of childish curiosity.

***

For a long time he could do nothing but stare into Aragorns eyes. His friend swallowed deeply and leant back a little, to give him some room.

' Please do not ask why I did that or what it was for.' Aragorns voice was more rough and husky than usual and Legolas wondered if it might just have been a spur of the moment. He doubted it, since Aragorn never did anything without careful planning. But then again, Legolas had little experience of the Mans mind outside of battle strategies and youthful playfulness and could therefore not decide what Aragorns reasons was.

But that did not change the fact that his heart was beating hard and that the room suddenly seemed smaller.

' Is it because you do not know or do not wish to tell me?'

Aragorn closed his eyes and shook his head.

' Legolas', he whispered, the name so soft and tender, the voice so pleading and weak. Sitting there, unable to move for so many different reasons, Legolas' doubts made themselves noticeable. For so many years - decades - he had told himself that he had no chance with Aragorn. First there was Arwen, he could never hurt the beautiful raven starlight, knowing that her pain would reflect on both himself and Aragorn, creating an obstacle impossible to overcome. Then there was Aragorn himself, not only his responsibilities, but also his heart and emotions. Legolas was never sure what Aragorn felt, the Mans heritage making the reading of his feelings difficult and uncertain. Could Aragorn ever truly love him? Last, but also the reason Legolas' hesitated the most; himself. Elves was not known for their selfishness, but Legolas valued his life and everything in it. If - and when - Aragorn died, he knew he would be heartbroken, and after that fateful incident in Minas Tiriths dungeons, Legolas had a fairly good idea what that would be like. Dying of sorrow.

' Aragorn, there is a tomorrow', he started, his eyes averted from the confused look he knew Aragorn would show. ' Have you thought this through?'

Hearing a sigh - disappointed but realistic - Legolas dared to sneak a glance at his friend. Aragorn sat staring at something in his hands and Legolas leant down to see. It was Arwens evenstar and it gave off a soft silvery daze that Legolas always associated with the early mornings shimmering mist.

" Only every minute I breathe. I do not want this," he indicated the jewel in his hand. " to happen again. I did this to Arwen as you are doing it to me."

' Do what?'

" Haunting my dreams, echo in my mind, follow my heart. I can never be complete…" He paused and looked up at Legolas with eyes brimmed of tears - tears that he would never shed. " I am sorry, Legolas, but I have to hurt you." Aragorn placed the Evenstar in Legolas trembling hand, closing it around it. " I need to."

When he looked down at their entwined hands, Legolas came to the conclusion that he was a fool of he passed up a chance to be truly happy in fear of losing it later on. Thinking too much of the future had never been his melody anyway.

' You cannot hurt me unless you leave me.'

" That I will never do freely. The day I have to part from you will be by force."

Smiling at the mental picture in his head of Aragorn being forced to his death - Aragorn would chase death, begging for its ruthless hand to take his life if it meant saving someone else - Legolas grasped the necklace tighter. Its sharp edges cut into his skin, letting some of his valuable Elven blood run down its smooth shapes and figures.

' Until then', Legolas said, his smiling broadened when Aragorn looked up. ' You can hurt me all you like.'

He thought he hinted a trace of redness on Aragorn cheeks as he said it, the Man coughing uncomfortably but with a grin on his lips. The grin soon faded when he met his eyes again and Aragorn gave off an air of content.

" Legolas", he breathed as their faces was suddenly only inches apart, each others love calling seductively at the other, pulling them nearer, taunting them with their closeness.

' Yes?' The word only mouthed but nonetheless received.

" Again."

He did not need further instructions as he also craved physical touch, their hands union no longer enough. Leaning in close enough for their lips to touch - briefly - Legolas stopped. He heard Aragorn mutter a curse as he placed a finger between them.

' There is one more thing I want you to say before I grant your wish.'

" What?"

' Take back what you said about me being a childish and immature elf.'

It had been long ago, before the Ring ever came into Frodos possession, when Bilbo had no plans of ever leaving Bag End or the Shire. They had been young - and younger - shooting for glory in the woods of Mirkwood. Legolas would have won, had his last arrow not been broken in half on impact and fallen off, Legolas claiming it was a valid point while Aragorn objected that the arrow had to stick to count. Being an expert on holding a grudge, Legolas had refused to speak to Aragorn after that and it lasted all day and the following night, while Aragorn never missed an opportunity to call him childish and immature. He even went so far as to call him human, something that Legolas had ever since gone out of his way to prove untrue.

" My urge to kiss you might make me lie, is that what you want?" Laughing at Aragorn stubbornness as well as his honesty, Legolas let their lips swiftly touch, drawing a groan from his mortal friend.

' Do not push your luck, Aragorn. Have in mind all the things I can do for you… '

This time Aragorn violently grabbed Legolas hindering finger and moved it out of the way before biting into the Elfs lower lip.

" I already have them in mind."

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

Oh my! *wiping the sweat off my forehead* I don't know if the tension got through to you people, but I certainly felt it while writing! And don't even think for a second that this will be smooth sailing from now on.