NOTE: Didn't want to "kill" Faramir in the previous chapter. But it's for the timeline's sake, actually. Because Faramir is obviously not immortal, and doesn't have the long life that Aragorn has. And he died in the 82nd year of the Fourth Age, and that's about when my story lies. So yup, gotta do it. Didn't want to, but had to.

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Chapter 7 : Parting

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"Good shot!" Fenwë nodded approvingly at Gwynna. "That was a very good shot."

Gwynna beamed. "Practice makes perfect, you said it yourself, Fenwë." Fenwë laughed and nodded, picking up his bow. He signalled that it was time to go, and began to walk ahead. Legolas and Gwynna followed behind in silence. Gwynna slipped her hand in Legolas'. I have to stop behaving like a lovesick child, she thought to herself. Stop giggling and acting like a little girl. But she couldn't help herself, couldn't stop herself from acting this way. Was this really what love did to everyone? She hated acting so childishly, but part of her rejoiced in it as well, enjoyed it to the fullest.

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Fenwë noticed the two behind him holding hands, and could not help smiling. They seemed so happy together. He had known Legolas since he was a child, and he had never seen Legolas smile so brightly before. They were perfect for each other. It was a pity that Gwynna was not an Elf.

A shadow passed over Fenwë's face for a moment. No matter how happy they were together, Gwynna was still only a mortal. One day they would be forced apart, and there would be nothing that could be done to prevent it. Just like Aragorn and Arwen, their story would not have a happy ending. He sighed, wishing that there was something he could do. He loved them both, and Gwynna was now to him the daughter he never had. If there was any chance that giving up his life would allow them to be together forever, he would do it. Just for them.

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Legolas sat in his study with a book open in front of him, but he was barely reading. He was spending more time thinking about Gwynna. Thinking about her brought a smile to his face more often than not. He looked forward to dining with her (and Fenwë) later. He laughed to himself, thinking of the strange things Gwynna had blurted out the night before.

Someone knocked on the door. "Enter," Legolas called out immediately, expecting it to be Fenwë. Gwynna never knocked; he had told her that there was no need to.

A Man slipped into the room. Legolas recognised him as one of Aragorn's messengers. The man spoke clearly, and politely. "I bring news for Gwynna, daughter of Leorian."

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A moment later, Legolas was hurrying towards Gwynna's room, the messenger at his heels. He pushed open the door, forgetting in his haste, to knock.

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"Don't worry too much, dear, your father will be all right. He will have a limp for the rest of his days, and perhaps an ache now and then, but these are things that he can bear with." The healing woman patted Gwynna's shoulder. "Your father is a very lucky man, to have escaped greater injury."

Gwynna put a hand over her sleeping father's forehead. A riding accident. He had broken his leg, and the healing woman suspected that he had cracked his hipbone as well. Injuries that he would heal from, but Gwynna could not shake away the thought that she had almost lost her father. He would need someone to care for him now. This was not something that she would trust to the healing women. This was something she would attend to herself.

She pulled the blanket over her father, and stepped out of the room. Legolas stood before the fireplace, and looked at her anxiously when she came out. "How is he?" he asked.

She gave him a small smile. "He is safe from harm now. But he needs someone to take care of him."

Legolas nodded, understanding. "Yes, you should stay and care for him. You could always return to Ithilien when he has recovered."

Gwynna shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. "I almost lost my father… I don't think I can leave him again, Legolas. I don't know if I can go back to Ithilien without him again." Saying the words hurt more than she thought they would, and she let herself lean against Legolas when he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her.

"I understand, Gwynna. Don't worry, we will still be able to see each other. I will love you forever," he whispered to her.

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Legolas rode away from Minas Tirith the next morning, feeling strange without Gwynna riding by his side. He looked back, and saw Gwynna standing outside the gate, watching him go. He sighed. He had known that riding away would be difficult, but knowing that still didn't prepare him for it. Even now he wanted to ride back to Gwynna, and tell her that he would stay with her until the day they were forced to part. But he couldn't leave his people, not just like that. They both had their responsibilities, things that they could never run away from. The least they could do for each other was to love. And he would love her, love her with all his heart, forever.

Still, he wished that he could stay.

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Gwynna watched as Legolas disappeared from sight, but still refused to move. Perhaps he was out of sight to her, but to his elf eyes, she was sure that he could still make her out in the distance. And so she remained.

She had never thought that she would find someone (other than her father, of course) so important to her. She had daydreamed about romantic episodes, of knights in shining armour coming to sweep her off her feet, but she had never expected it to happen for real. She had never expected that a simple girl like herself would fall in love. Would know how to fall in love.

She closed her eyes. "I will love you forever," she whispered, letting the wind carry her promise.

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NOTE: All righty! Chinese New Year break is coming but I will be at Hyatt and therefore possibly will have no Internet connection so this might be the last chapter for the week!