Title: No turning back
Author: B-witched83uk (bwitched83uk@aol.com)
Rating: PG
Summary: Sequel to Luthien's flute. Aragorn, Arwen and the family visit Rivendell.
Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings. The whole of Middle Earth belongs to Tolkien.
A/N: I may have been inspired by a couple of movies for this chapter. Particularly the dialog between Legolas and Galadwen. If you can spot which ones you win a Mirkwood Elf of your very own, or a ranger from the North if you are my SJC girls.
Chapter 6
The right thing
Halbarad, the lord of Arnor, arrived early in the morning, accompanied by seven rangers. After the war of the ring, when Aragorn was crowned as the rightful King of both Gondor and Arnor, he had appointed his dear friend, and fellow ranger, to Lord over his Kingdom in the North.
"Halbarad!" Aragorn embraced his old friend warmly, the memories of simpler days coming back to him. "You of course remember Legolas."
Halbarad nodded to the Elf. "It was an honour to fight with you sir."
Legolas smiled and nodded back, before excusing himself from the room. Aragorn noticed how unusual it was for Legolas to be so rude but turned his attention to his family, who had just entered.
"You have meet my wife Arwen, and my son and daughter" He motioned towards Eldarion and Galadwen. "And these are their spouses, Ithiliwen and Lothvain."
Aragorn looked at his wife. "Where are the others?"
Arwen glided forward and took her husband's hand, before turning to face Halbarad. "You must excuse them, we did not expect you so early in the day. They have gone for a walk in the gardens."
Calen, a ranger of 25 years, couldn't take his eyes off of the Queen and her daughter. He had never seen such beauty in one room before. He thought to himself, that many a man must have suffered a broken heart due to the women of this family.
The men went to sit in the parlour, where they talked of old times whilst drinking ale and smoking Hobbit weed. "Ahh, they simply do not grow it like this in Gondor." Aragorn was extremely relaxed as he finished off his fourth ale.
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Celebriel was more then a little fed up at her sister and Astald. Once again they had left her to be on their own. She had strayed from the trail she usually took, and as the sun was behind the clouds, she had no direction. She decided to follow the stream, as she was sure she had been told it flowed North. For the past fifteen minutes she had not been sure if she could hear something behind her, but now she was certain. Her father had trained her to hone her tracking abilities and heighten her senses. Someone or something was defiantly behind her. Whoever it was, was sneaking up on her on purpose.
Calen couldn't take his eyes off the woman before him; she was so clearly a daughter of the Queen, for she had the same look. He wanted to be able to continue watching her without her knowing, so he walked behind her out of sight. He walked for a while but as she stopped to look in to the stream, he realised that he had to talk to her, to hear her voice. He walked slowly up to her and was about to introduce himself, when she turned round and punched him, right on the nose.
"Aww." He stumbled back and fell down hard. Celebriel's eyes widened as she realised that the man caused no threat to her.
"Oh, I am sorry. You really shouldn't sneak up on a person, it was your own fault really."
He slowly got to his feet, aided by her, and pulled his hand away from his nose.
"Oh my, you are bleeding. Here." She tore a strip from her under dress and held it gently against his nose. He looked at her silver eyes, clearly worried about what she had done. He tried to assure her that no real damage had been done.
"I have heard of beautiful women before, but I have never met one that could literally knock you off your feet." He smiled, despite the sting in his nose. Celebriel laughed and held out her hand.
"I am the lady Celebriel, daughter of Elesser."
He took her hand and attempted to kiss it but winced in pain and gave up, making them both laugh.
"I am Calen, son of Calbon. I am a ranger from Arnor. I am here accompanying Lord Halbarad." He held out his arm for her to take, and together they made their way back.
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Lothvain was sat under a tree. His head had been worried of late and he knew not why. His eyes scanned the grounds, so lovely, so peaceful. He saw his wife, looking the picture of beauty. She was clearly looking for him. He stood up and began to make his way over to her, when he saw Legolas, the Elf, approach her. Something happened then that made him stay where he was, and observe the two.
"Galadwen?" Legolas placed his hand on her shoulder, before running it down the length of her arm. "It kills me to see you unhappy."
She moved away from him slightly and looked at the ground as she spoke. "You are the cause of my unhappiness! I was happy until you came back in to my life."
Legolas walked towards her and placed his fingers under her chin. "That is another lie."
She didn't move. She let his hand stay where it was and for a brief moment closed her eyes, expecting him to kiss her. He noticed this and stroked his thumb over her lips.
"Ask me." His voice was almost a husky whisper. "Ask me to kiss you. Ask me to take your pain."
Galadwen's eyes opened and looked at him deeply. "I can not." She moved further away from him, only to have him move even closer.
"Why do you peruse me like this? Why can you not leave me be?" Galadwen looked at him with pleading eyes, feeling the stinging of tears threatening to spill.
"I can not do this Legolas. I have made a vow and to it I will hold. I am sorry for your pain, I truly am. However it is your own doing, for you cursed yourself in to this as you did also curse me. I can not save you from your pain Legolas, for I am already drowning in my own."
Legolas simply looked at her, his heart thudding out of his chest. "Do not say that Galadwen." To know he had caused her such misery was a torture like no other. "Do not kill me with your words."
She left in such a hurry that any observer could see that she was clearly upset.
Lothvain felt his heart rip in to a thousand peaces. His fists bawled at his sides and his mouth went as dry as a wasteland.
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Eldarion grabbed Ithiliwen around the waist, as they watched their daughter sleep. "Not a care in the world." Eldarion turned his wife in his arms and kissed her deeply.
Ithiliwen giggled and placed her finger tips over his mouth. "Can you believe that she is ours, can you believe that we made her!"
Eldarion nuzzled his wife and whispered, "Want to try for another?"
"Mmm, or we could simply get in some practice before hand."
The two continued to kiss and love one another.
Eldarion heard foot steps go past their door and he went to look out, to see who it was. "I'll be right back, I just need a quick word with Legolas."
Eldarion stood outside his door watching the solemn looking Elf make his way up the stairs. Had he done the right thing? Should he have told her?
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*Flashback*
Eldarion held his sister's hand. "Are you certain this is what you want?"
Galadwen was so tired of having to explain herself to everyone. "Yes Eldarion, I love Lothvain. I want to be his wife more then anything." Deep down she knew she was lying.
She placed her hands either side of his cheeks and smiled to reassure him.
"I know what you are thinking, what of Legolas. I promise you that if I still loved him then I wouldn't be marrying Lothvain. Besides now that I have Lothvain I wonder if I ever really loved Legolas at all. Please be happy for me brother, for this is the happiest day of my life." The words even sounded convincing to her.
Eldarion then left his sister to finish getting ready, he was certain that she was telling the truth and that she really loved Lothvain.
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Legolas's horse came pounding up to the palace, the determination on his face was set.
He dismounted his stead and ran towards the hall.
Eldarion could not believe his eyes as he watched the man that had broken his sister's heart approach. "Legolas what are you doing here?"
Legolas walked right past him. "You know why I am here, where is she?"
Eldarion grabbed Legolas's wrist and pulled him out of the way of the guests, that were beginning to stare.
"Eldarion I will find her on my own if need be." Never had Eldarion heard Legolas' voice so filled with dark emotion.
"Just wait for a second and hear me out. If after what I say, you still think it best to see her, then I will not stand in your way. But you will have to fight me to get through without hearing my council."
Legolas didn't want to fight Eldarion and Galadwen would not marry without her brother present, so they had time.
They came to sit on a stone wall, in front of the great fountain.
"Well?" Legolas was impatient to get to her and confess to how he felt.
"Do you love my sister?"
"Of course I love her, more then anything else in this world."
Eldarion hung his head. "That is grievous to hear. Had you come here earlier I would have urged you to confess your love to my sister. But after speaking with her just now, I think it best you just leave, and so will you once you have heard my words."
Legolas sat still waiting for Eldarion to speak again.
"I asked her outright, if she still loved you."
Legolas's eyes widened as he waited to hear her answer.
"She said that she did not, that now she had met Lothvain she wondered if she ever really did." Eldarion looked at his friend with pity, as he saw the Elf's heart begin to brake.
Legolas lifted his eyes to meet Eldarion's. "She never loved me?"
"No"
Eldarion was telling the truth, Legolas could tell. It was as though a thousand spears had just pierced his heart. He looked towards the hall and then back to his horse. He stood abruptly and began walking away from Eldarion, before turning back.
"Eldarion, promise me you will not tell her I came. I do not wish to bring back painful memories, of what we once shared. Not on her wedding day."
Eldarion nodded and walked back in to the hall.
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Eldarion went back in the room to his wife, who was lying on their bed. "Practice makes perfect." She smiled warmly at him, holding out her hand.
Eldarion felt his heart beat faster for the woman he loved. He walked to the bed and took her in his arms. "Do you think that Galadwen is as happy in her marriage as we are in ours?"
Ithiliwen stroked his face. "What a funny question to ask. Galadwen has become a dear friend to me, I am sure she would have said so if she were not."
Eldarion nodded in agreement. He had done the right thing, he was sure of it.
