Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to LOTR… or LOTR itself…
A/N: please r/r… and don't flame if it's bad… I put a lot of effort into writing this… =) here's the chapter that's the catalyst to the rest of the story… (If that makes sense)
Thanks to baby-bubblz and Kristy for being my beta-readers… - you two are awesome!!!…
By the way: this story's theme is kind of like that of "my immortal" by evanescence… so if you play that song while reading this story… maybe it'll make a bit more sense…
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I Bury You
Back in Rivendell, Arwen couldn't stop pacing around her room. Twice already, two people passing by her room in the hallway had entered to check that she was all right. Arwen was downright bored, and there wasn't a reason for her not to be. Her father was busy preparing for the Elves to leave Middle-Earth, and there wasn't much Arwen could do to help out, so she confined herself to her room as to not get into the way of those who were helping. She was in her room thinking about the past, staring at the ceiling, when she fell asleep. A strange dream was slowly making its way into her mind.
Four puppies, a cat, an armadillo, a snake, and a lion were standing at the foot of a hill. Suddenly a huge host of ants came tumbling down the hill. The snake and lion began fighting against the ants, and had finally been successful in destroying them all. At last the snake led the lion into the heart of the forest, and the two began conversing. That was when the two creatures turned into men, of which Arwen did not know because they were facing away from her. They began speaking in common-tongue, until one of the men turned away. And Arwen saw a red river flowing across the scenery. Then she saw those hands, hands that carried a sword also soaked in blood. She screamed at the top of her lungs, but no sound came out. The figure that lay upon the ground was none other than her beloved, Aragorn.
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Aragorn opened his eyes one last time, and blocked out his ears. He wanted to die as peacefully as possible, but apparently that wasn't going to be his wish. He had a fatal wound near his heart, but that wasn't what he was worried about. He was more worried about that fact that Boromir wouldn't stop shouting at him. The only thought that Aragorn had running through his head right now, was "Why, Boromir, Mankoi mellon nin [my friend]? I trusted you,"
Legolas was extremely confused, and he had no idea where everyone was. He had gotten a bit worried when Aragorn had run off with no explanation, and hadn't returned yet. He had finally figured out who was missing, and that was Boromir. He knew that that only meant trouble. He had already finished off the Uruk-Hai who had rushed at him, and was now standing in the open. His elven senses picked up some screaming and shouting not so far away. Legolas ran towards the commotion.
The moment he reached his destination, he collapsed to his knees. He could not believe what was happening before his eyes. His eyes moved to the bloody sword that Boromir had grasped in his hands and they narrowed. Boromir immediately sensed his presence and whipped around. Boromir was getting both frantic and frightened.
"You will not tell anyone," he muttered quickly, while moving hastily to Legolas' side, and prodding him with his sword.
"And why shouldn't I, Boromir? You just killed my best friend, robbed the world of its hope, and destroyed the dream of the Evenstar, and you act as if nothing has happened," he gently pushed Boromir's sword away.
"You, Elf-Boy, shouldn't say one more word to provoke me. One more peep from you and I'll cut your throat," He brought his sword close to Legolas' throat, cutting into the flesh, but Legolas did not cry out. He was used to this pain, and a little more didn't hurt.
"I've been living for nearly three thousand years, man! Do you think life matters that much to me anymore? I'm only doing this for the sake of Middle-Earth," Boromir brought his hands up, grabbed the elf, and hurled him onto a rock nearby. Legolas felt his ears beginning to ring, his head began to throb, and a hot substance trickled down the side of his face.
"Do you want some more?" Boromir asked in a threatening way.
"You can kill me today if you want to Boromir, I'm getting tired of life; but on second thought, since the fellowship no longer has any archers, I will stay. I am only doing this for the sake of the fellowship, but if you, Boromir, are on your deathbed, and you cry out for me, remember that I will not be the one to save you. What fools you mortals be," and Legolas shoved Boromir away. "Get your grubby, guilt-lined hands off of me! Your treachery is contagious and I don't want any of it!" After saying this, Legolas crouched down over Aragorn as he breathed his last breath, uttering words only Legolas could hear.
"Legolas, mellon nin [my friend], I'm sorry… and please tell Arwen that I love her," and he closed his eyes, drifting away from the living world. Legolas kissed his brow as to pay his final respects to the dead man, and laid Andruil in his hands. And Legolas ran off into the trees to gather the rest of the fellowship, but little did he know that while he was talking to Boromir, Boromir had stolen his bow, his quiver of arrows, and his elven daggers.
The fellowship continued their journey, but little did they know that Boromir wasn't leading them to Mordor. He was leading them to their doom. Saruman saw what was happening with the fellowship, and this only made him smile. He began to work his magic on the mind of Boromir, and in time Boromir would no longer know who he was. He commanded Boromir to lead them to Isengard, and Boromir obeyed without question.
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Arwen awoke from her nightmare as she started screaming. She knew that it was no dream, and it was reality, for Elven dreams were never false. And she sat in a corner, head in her hands, and cried the afternoon away. Elrond had seen what had happened before, and he knew it would happen. The one who would gather all the armies of the free peoples of middle-earth was no longer alive. The world would fall to doom now, and there was nothing anyone could do. It was completely hopeless. It was time to leave this place.
"Arwen, my daughter, our people are leaving these shores. Our time is over," Elrond sighed, and walked slowly to the form of his daughter sitting in the corner. She looked up at him as he called her name, and he could see that her eyes were red from crying. She cleared her throat, and confidently told him of her choice, though her voice was still sounded a bit shaky as she tried to maintain her emotions.
"I made up my mind long ago, Ada, and I hold true to my word. I am staying,"
"What?! You are not lying, are you?"
"No, Ada,"
"He is dead, Arwen,"
"I know, Ada,"
"And still you do not wish to leave? What part of dead do you not understand? Dead! Deceased! Gone! Faded away! Erased from our li-"
"Ada, stop it. I know what has happened to Aragorn, and I have accepted this, but I still wish to stay. I made a promise, and I do not break my promises, "
"He's dead,"
"I know, but I love him Ada,"
"Love? What would you know of love? You're just a child with the youth of the Eldar. Many years would still have to pass you by in order for you to understand what love really is, daughter. For love I took in Gilraen and Aragorn. Without my love, there wouldn't even be an Aragorn for you to throw what you call love upon. Yet my daughter is not thankful, but choose to defy the wish of her people,"
"Thank you… Ada… Yet even in your anger, and in my sorrow, I must comment: You think that because of all the years that have passed you by, that you are wise and powerful, yet even being Elven-wise you could not retain mother's presence in life,"
"Do not attempt to talk about what you don't know about,"
"Do unto others as you would have done on yourself. My love for you will never die, Ada, but sometimes you have let me try to do things on my own. If I never taste the bitterness of failure, than I will never know what it is to succeed. If I never really lived life, than I would never know what it is to be alive,"
"Do you think the boy really loves you, Arwen?"
"Under these circumstances, and according to my heart, yes, Ada, yes,"
"What has he given up for you, my daughter? His life? His family? His title? Nothing, Arwen, nothing! While you, my daughter, have give up everything that has ever been of any meaning to you. Your immortality, your kin, your life away from here in the Undying lands, your childhood… You've given up everything for him Arwen,"
"It is only because I love him, Ada. And love isn't about what you expect someone else to give up for you; it's what you're willing to give up for someone else. I have proven my love to him, and I've given up everything, and if he wants me to give up the nothingness with it as well, I would," and Elrond was speechless as he walked away. His daughter had definitely matured.
And Arwen returned to her room to drown in her own sea of muse.
