Chapter 25

"Okay we must spread out and look for Halirien. She could be anywhere," Elladan instructed as they reach Lothlorien.

Elrond said," You kids go and look for her while I speak to your grandmother. We'll meet back at here."

They nodded and each went their way in search for their target.

Fate has it that it was Elladan who had found Halirien in the garden.

"Lirien?" he started. He looked at her and noticed that she was wearing the ring on her finger.

Halirien narrowed her eyes at him and asked," What do YOU want?"

Elladan cleared his throat and said," I want the ring back, Lirien."

"What makes you think I would give it to you?"

"It was not yours to begin with. Give it back to me now," Elladan said.

Halirien rose from the bench that she was sitting on and walked towards Elladan.

"I guess you could have it back since you no longer have the prince. It is after all the only thing left to remind you of him," Halirien said as she took off the ring and held it in her hand. She continued," Do you honestly think that I would hand it over to you so easily. After all the hard work that I've done?"

Elladan snapped," Give it back!"

"Why didn't you leave him?! After all the things I did?! You should've left him already?! He was a disgrace!" Halirien yelled at him.

"What are you talking about, Lirien?" Elladan asked.

"What was I talking about?! I'll tell you what I was talking about! Do you remember the welcoming feast? I drugged his wine to let him a fool out of himself. Since when do you fall for fools?" she started.

"Only fools fall in love," Elladan said with a straight face.

Halirien smiled and continued," Then I spread the rumors about you and him, 'joining' together that night of the feast. Not my fault that some elves tried to 'attack' him. But I can't say I was sorry that happened. How could you fall in love with a pathetic weakling?"

Elladan was boiling with rage. "How dare you?!" he yelled as he made as if to hit Halirien but he could not do it.

Suddenly, Halirien was thrown forward as Arwen lunged towards her from behind. Both she-elf fell to the ground with Arwen on top of Halirien. Pulling Halirien to face her, Arwen slapped the she-elf across the face for a few times.

"How dare you do that to Legolas?! You witch! You witch!" Arwen yelled as she slapped Halirien. Elrohir and Haldir were there too, but they only stared at the scene before their eyes. None made any attempt to help Halirien.

The ring had rolled off Halirien's hand to the ground. Elladan picked it up and wore it on his finger. Then he proceed

Then Elladan proceed to pull Arwen off Halirien but Arwen refused to move. "Stop it! That's enough! We have the ring!" Elladan yelled at Arwen.

When Arwen refused to stop, Elladan gestured to Elrohir and Haldir to help him with her. Together, Elrohir and Haldir managed to pull the still kicking and screaming Arwen off Halirien.

"SHUT UP!" Elrohir shouted to his sister and almost immediately Arwen quiet down but she was panting now as she was out of breath.

"You should be ashamed of yourself, Lirien," Elrohir said as he turned to go with Arwen and Haldir. Elladan followed them.

"If I should be ashamed of myself then the three of you should too. For the bet that you played on Legolas," Halirien said.

But she did not know they WERE ashamed of the prank they pulled.

Elladan stopped and turned around to face Halirien. She was still sitting on the ground.

"I am truly sorry that this had to happened between us. I never imagined it would come to this. We would've been great friends," Elladan said softly.

Halirien snorted and laughed a little. "YOU chose it to be this way, Ell."

Elladan snapped," I did not want it to be like this." Then he calmed down and said," What really happened between us, Lirien? Why does it have to be this way?"

"I loved you, Ell. I love you and you threw that right back to my face," Halirien said.

Elladan stared at her for a while before he said," You don't love me, Lirien. You only want me as a possession. Like I had I wanted you when we were together. That was what we were to each other. A catch. A good catch, actually. Don't you see? It was merely a game to us. And I don't want to play anymore."

When Halirien did not say anything, Elladan continued," It was nothing like that between me and Legolas. It might have started out as a bet but along the way, I realized that I do love him. So much that it hurts now to know that I could loose him to my stupid mistake for forever."

Neither said anything for a while. Then Halirien broke the silence in a soft voice," Would you have gotten back with me if he didn't come along?"

Elldan thought for a moment and then he answered," Truthfully I might have. But I know this for sure, in the end, we would not have been together. We would have been miserable, doubting the love that never existed between us."

"But how do you know that you love him?" Halirien asked again.

Elladan smile widely and explained," I just do. All the little things he did brighten up my days. His smile brighten up my life. And just thinking of him makes me feel alive. And I would do anything to protect him from any harm. Anything," Elladan said.

"What about him? Are you sure he loves you? That he would do the same for you?" Halirien asked with a doubt.

"I care not whether he would do the same for me. I know he love me. I do not doubt his love nor do I deserve his love. But I want him safe again. I want to see him smiling again. And I really want to hold him in my arms again. It felt so right you know? Like we were meant to be with each other. I missed him so much, Lirien," Elladan said as he tried to control the choke in his throat and the tears that were threatening to fall.

Halirien nodded as she finally understood Elladan. " I'm sorry for everything that I've done," she said regretfully.

Elladan gave her a sad smile and said," I forgive you. I know Legolas do too. He doesn't hold grudges."

As Elladan turned to go, Halirien said to him," Do you know what I think? I think you grew up."

Then Elladan said," I think so too."

As he ran towards the others that were waiting for him, he heard Halirien yelled out to him," I hope you find him!"

Deep inside his heart, he hoped so too.

"Have you got the ring?" Elrond asked as they approached him. He was waiting for them at the main gate.

Elladan nodded and said," Right here." He was wearing it on a chain around his neck.

Elrond smiled and sighed with relief," Good then. Let's go." He did not asked what had happened with Halirien for he believed that his son could handle the situation the best that he could. And frankly, he did not want to know.

The five of them begin their journey again towards Mirkwood.

As they were walking, Elladan asked," Adar, why did you looked so surprised when you heard that I had Legolas' ring?"

Elrond hesitated for a while and then he said," It just didn't occur to me that he would have given something that important to the first one he come to love."

Elladan smiled and said," I was his first love? I was the first one he come to love?" Then he added," He was the first person I truly love too."

He wanted to asked something but hesitated but soon curiosity got the better of him, " Adar, has Legolas taken other lovers before? I mean, I know he's still an innocent but did he ever been with anyone before? Even if he didn't bedded with them?"

"He wasn't able to love before," that came out too quickly. Elrond hoped Elladan did not heard what he said but he did.

"What do you mean? Why wasn't he able to love?" Elladan asked quickly.

Elrond kept quiet. He did not know how to answer that question.

"Adar, please. I need to know. I know something is wrong with Legolas but what is it? Adar... TELL ME!" Elladan yelled at the last sentence. The three other riders was shocked when Elladan suddenly yelled. All five of them stopped.

"What's going on here?" Elrohir asked with a raised eyebrow.

Elrond sighed and said," I told you before. It was not my secret to tell. Legolas wished not for you to know. Then so be it."

"Adar, please. You are making us worried. If something is wrong with Legolas, then let us know. I honestly believe that he would not have blamed you if you told us. Please Adar, spare Ell of his misery," Arwen tried to reason with her father.

Elrond looked at the faces of the younger elves and found that he was in for a losing battle. He sighed again and said," Legolas is dying of grief."

The others gasped. "Of grief? But... but... I'm still here. I could've made it all better for him. How can he die because of a simple misunderstanding?" Elladan asked with terror in his eyes.

"If it was a common case of break up, I'd believe that he would be okay. But this is different. He's upset no doubt but he isn't grieving. He did not want to die of grief. He just had to. He can't stop it," Elrond explained. Then he told them about the curse that Larsius had put upon Legolas and the royal family.

"You mean... you mean... you mean he was risking his life when he took up with me. When he declared that he loves me. Oh Valar! What have I done?" Elladan stuttered and trembled.

"You mean what have WE done?" Haldir said in a soft voice.

Then Elrohir spoke," We've destroyed him. That's what we've done."

"It's not your fault. You didn't know," Arwen tried to soothe them.

Elrond shook his head and said sadly," If anyone's at fault, it should be me. I knew about this and still I let hin walked into his death. If anyone's to blame, it should be me."

"Will you just listen to yourself! Legolas is not even dead and you're speaking as if he is beyond help! If you guys keep sitting here blaming yourself instead of helping Legolas, then all of you ARE to blame!" Arwen yelled at them.

All of them were shocked at her outburst but they knew she was right. It was not the time to blame themselves, rather it was time to continue on with their quest to save Legolas.

No one said anything or even moved. "LET'S GO!" Arwen yelled yet again to get them going.

They came out of their reverie and continue on with their journey.

"I don't mean to interrupt our journey but how do we know if we're going the right way," Elrohir asked softly, afraid of another outburst by his sister.

Elrond begin to speak but Elladan beat him to it," Just follow my lead."

Ever since he had put on the ring and asked for the forest to helped him to find Legolas, the magic of the forest had responded. He had been leading them along the way without the knowledge of the others.

It was strange really, even to him. There were nothing along the way that pointed out to him the path to Mirkwood, but deep in his heart, he knew which route to take. It was simply, magical.

"But how do you know which route to take?" Haldir asked.

Elladan only smiled and said," I just do."

No one contest his words or argue with him. If anyone could Legolas, it was Elladan. He was his love after all.

"Stop, strangers of Mirkwood. You are trespassing this woods. Identify yourself and speak your business. Quickly!"

They halted their horses as a group of elves jumped in front of them with arrows aimed towards them.

The elf that spoke came forward towards them.

"Halt, my friend. I am Lord Elrond of Rivendell and I wish to speak to your king," Elrond came forward and smiled at the elf.

"Lord Elrond? You must have come for our dear prince then," the elf said sadly. He gestured to the his companions to lower their bows.

Noticing the expression on the elf's face, Elrond and the others realized that the expression on the faces of the elves that stopped them were sad and grim.

"What happened to your prince? Why are you all so sad?" Arwen asked.

The elf that spoke to them sighed while his companions refused to look at them.

"We are mourning, my lady," was the reply.

TBC...

Oooopppsss... Should I hide????

Review, please?