...:: Passion ::...
Angel and Haldir walked alongside each other through Lorien's Wood
silently. As they walked on, they came to a clearing where the
waterfall was along with the bridge that was used to go across the
river there. They both noticed that they were not the only ones there,
but the others did not know they were. Buffy and Legolas. The two were
embracing and Angel understood now what had changed with Haldir since
his last visit. Buffy had left him an empty shell, this Angel only
understood all too well. She had done the same to him a year and a
half ago. "I see now why you remorse not for Gandalf but for the loss
of a loved one. I am truly sorry." Never once had Angel's eyes left
his former lover, embracing and kissing another man, as he extended
his hand to place it on the Guardian's shoulder in comfort. "She never
loved me, only pretended so, promising never to hurt me... Only if she
knew how much she actually broke that vow!" Angel frowned hearing
this. "You know why she did it." Haldir nodded gravely. "I had no
idea. She held it out until she just could not take it anymore."
Haldir's glance was on Angel now, waiting for a response. Angel simply
took hold of Haldir's arm and pulled him in the opposite direction,
back to the Lorien city.
A few moments later, Buffy, along with Legolas, submerged from the
dark forest of Lorien and headed toward Aragorn, Boromir, and the
Hobbits. All of the hobbits were present, except Frodo. "From where
did you both come from?" Boromir greeted them with a straight-to-the-
point question. Buffy and Legolas simply exchanged glances and then
turned their attention back toward the ones in front of them. "We were
by the waterfall. I was discussing with Legolas why I will no longer
remain on this journey with you all. That is the matter that we have
come to speak to you all." Aragorn nodded solemnly while the Pippin
and Merry gave each other shocked looks of hurt. Sam simply sat there,
deep in thought and his own troubles about Frodo and the Ring. Boromir
stood up and walked toward Buffy. "Why are you disbanding from the
Fellowship?" It wasn't an angry question, it was simply a question.
"My place is here with my people. I must help them in their battle to
keep Lothlorien free of evil." Again, Aragorn and Sam remained silent.
The other two hobbits had other things to say while Boromir threw up
his hands in frustration grabbing his hair while he walked away
yelling out things no one made out except Legolas, which caused him to
follow Boromir.
"Do you not like us?" Pippin asked seriously. Merry jabbed him in the
side, giving him the evil eye and then looking up at Buffy sincerely.
"Pip, did you not hear what she just said?! She is going to devote her
skills to her people. But I do not understand why your people mean
more to you than Frodo and the Ring... It must be destroyed and
Saruman is still out there." Buffy nodded, she held out her arms,
hinting for the two hobbits to hug her. They ran into her arms without
a second thought. "I'm going to miss you all. But I know we shall meet
again, young hobbits. Do not fear." The hobbits embraced Buffy for a
good long while before letting go and talking about a bit more non-
sense before leaving to go to sleep. That was when Sam stood up and
walked toward Buffy, staring her in the eye even after she knelt down
to look him in the eye. "I am not fearful for Frodo, I know that he is
in good hands." Sam smiled as Buffy poked his tummy gently. "'Til we
meet again, Samwise the Brave." The chubby hobbit embraced with the
woman Galadhrim before saying his good-byes and goodnights. Buffy knew
she needn't say anything to Aragorn for she could read his mind and
she knew he was fine with her departure. She kissed his cheek and told
him she'd miss him, saying goodnight and waving as she walked off to
find Legolas.
Nowhere, he was nowhere! Buffy began to weep in frustration. She could
not find Legolas anywhere. She began to run, the tears streaming down
her face. BOOM! She looked up, seeing the person she ran into. Angel's
brooding eyes staring straight into her tear-filled ones. "Why are you
so upset, Buffy?" Buffy quickly wiped her tears of frustration. "I
cannot find someone. I am just frustrated." Angel nodded, giving her a
look as if to say 'I know whom it is you speak of'. "What?" Angel
pulled Buffy into a hug, wrapping his arms around her and resting his
chin on her head. "I saw him following Haldir. They went into the
forest, after that, I am unsure." Buffy pulled away, but his arms were
still across her waist and she stared into his eyes. "Now I remember
why I fell in love with you. Thank you!" She kissed him and hugged him
once more. She knew exactly where to find him.
The Waterfall
"I am sorry you do not understand that I did not take her away from
you!" Buffy edged closer to the clearing in the forest, hearing two
voices yelling at each other. She recognized Legolas's melodic voice
and Haldir's harmonic one, they both had anger and sorrow in their
voices. She listened hard, their dark figures coming into clear view
from where she stood. "Yes you did! Before you came, Buffy loved me!
She wanted me! And you took the only thing I had to live for away!"
Buffy's brow furrowed. Legolas was right, Haldir was upset and now he
had gotten Legolas right in the position to be upset too. This will
never work. Two guys constantly at each other's throats, no way. She
was so deep into her thoughts that she did not hear the foot steps
behind her. Noticing a feeling of great evil, Buffy turned around to
find Saruman standing behind her. "How did you-?" Saruman held his
hand up to silence her. "Silence! If you do not come out to meet me, I
can assure you, someone you love and cherish will suffer a terrible
death." Buffy cocked her head to the side. "So you're just a projected
image?" Saruman nodded, as Faith's image appeared behind him. "Come
on, B. Are you scared?"
The Border of the Forest of Lothlorien
Buffy searched for Saruman and Faith but could find them no where. "So
much for wasting magics, hmm?" It had been almost half an hour and
still no sign of anything or anyone. Buffy began to wonder if this was
even a real summons. Her eyes searched the dark corners of the far
away mountains that loomed high beside Lothlorien. "So peaceful..."
Buffy paused, listening to make sure no foot steps were heading her
way. "So it seems." Suddenly, a white figure followed by a dark one
came swiftly toward here. There. Saruman and Faith stood before Buffy,
smiling tauntingly. "Hello, B. I wasn't sure you'd come." Buffy
sneered. As if they didn't think they're little trick hadn't caught
her attention. She knew it wasn't smart being by herself with these
too. Mainly Saruman. But she did not want to disturb Legolas and
Haldir and let them know she knew about what she'd seen. "After your
immolation-o-gram? Come on, I had to show. Shouldn't you both be out
destroying the world right now, making orcs and destroying all of man
kind, or however that went?" Saruman raised his hand in dismissal to
her suggestion. "There's time enough." Faith smiled and perked up
beside Saruman. "I wanted to say goodbye first. You are the one thing
I will truly miss."
"This is a beautiful moment we're having. Can we please fight?" Faith
pretended to look all hurt as Saruman faded into the background. He
was letting her have room if she needed it, so she could handle her
business. "I didn't come here to fight." Buffy raised her eyebrows.
"No?" Faith put on an innocent and wondering glance, clasping her
hands and pretending to look nervous. "Gosh, B.... I was hoping we
could become friends again. What do you think? Do we still have a
chance?" Buffy looked at Faith curiously and then gave her a look to
say 'hell no'. "Alright. We'll fight." Faith rushed toward Buffy and
they began to fight. A scream broke out from in Lorien's wood by the
clearing. Buffy turned in the direction, getting hit in the face while
she turned back around. "Jeez, is it me, or is your heart not in
this?" Buffy pulled out her sword, holding it out threateningly to
Faith. "Maybe I'll just go home, destroy the world." Buffy winced her
eyes, glaring. "Let's finish this. You and me." Faith laughed, poking
the tip of Buffy's sword as if it were a mere toy. "You never learn do
you? This wasn't about you. This was never about you." She went on
laughing hysterically as Buffy's face changed to realization that the
reason Saruman went to so much trouble to call her out was so Haldir
and Legolas could go at it and destroy each other. Buffy took off
running back into Lorien, rushing back to the clearing where Haldir
and Legolas had been fighting.
Lorien (Angel's voice over)
"Passion. It lies in all of us. Sleeping... Waiting..."
Haldir and Legolas swung at each other with swords clanking. Haldir
turned as he swung his sword around, bringing it hard down onto
Legolas's but missing his mark and almost faltering. Legolas jumped up
as Haldir's sword swung below him.
"And though unwanted... unbidden... it will stir... open its jaws and
howl."
Buffy raced through the woods, she wanted to reach Haldir and Legolas
before anyone hurt each other. The trees flew by as if they were the
ones running.
"It speaks to us, guides us.... Passion rules us all. And we obey.
What other choice do we have?"
Haldir ran over and alongside a tree nearby. Legolas followed him with
great speed and agility. Their swords clanked again once Haldir
reached the ground. Haldir threw his up high, and Legolas followed.
This Elf is quick, Haldir thought. "She is mine." Legolas's face
contorted into that of great anger. "She's MINE!"
"Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love..."
Buffy bit her lip nervously and kept racing through the woods. She was
hoping she'd reach them in time, but it seemed as if her legs weren't
taking her fast enough.
"...the clarity of hatred..."
Buffy rounded a corner, nearing to the clearing where she could hear
the two Elves swords clanking together hard. Oh No! Time seemed to
stand still as it seemed Buffy ran in slow motion. As the two came
into her sight she watched Legolas cry out in pain as Haldir's sword
slid into him, deep. Buffy let loose a scream and Legolas and Haldir
both turned to look at Buffy. She ran into the clearing just as
Legolas dropped to his knees, wincing in pain and holding his abdomen
as the blood spilled out. She dropped beside Legolas, holding his side
with him, kissing his forehead. The Galadhrim, the Lord and Lady,
Aragorn, Boromir, all of the hobbits, and Gimli filled the surrounding
woods gasping at the sight before them. Haldir stood staring at Buffy,
watching her caress Legolas's forehead and brush kisses over his face,
crying.
"...the ecstasy of grief. It hurts sometimes more than we can bear."
Aragorn and Boromir, the hobbits, and Gimli ran into the clearing
pulling Legolas up and carrying him back to Lorien City. Everyone
walked back. Celeborn motioned for them to take hold of Haldir and two
Galadhrim did just that. Haldir went without a fight. He was ashamed
of himself.
Caras Galadhon
Legolas laid in a bed, sleeping. Buffy kneeled beside him, holding his
hand. She sniffled, tears streaming down her face. She whispered in
his ear, lovingly. "Legolas... I love you...."
"If we could live without passion, maybe then we'd know some kind of
peace."
The Galadhrim escorted Haldir into a cell and locked him up. Celeborn
and Galadriel stood at the bars telling him why he remained in the
cell and what would take place next. The judging of his character and
what would happen to him. But Haldir paid no attention, his eyes and
thoughts were on Buffy and Legolas. He was truly sorry, knowing from
that moment on that Buffy would never forgive him for what he did
tonight.
"But we would be hollow. Empty rooms, shuttered and dank...."
Legolas opened his eyes and caressed Buffy's face, smiling wearily.
Buffy smiled seeing him awake. Galadriel walked up to them, smiling,
grateful that Legolas was not dead. "He is going to make it, but he
will need to rest." Buffy nodded, her eyes on Legolas. Haldir watched
from afar as they kissed each other and Aragorn, Boromir, Gimli, and
the hobbits came up, celebrating the fact that Legolas was still
alive. Everyone smiled, and so did Haldir. A smile filled with sorrow.
"Without passion, we'd truly be dead."
Buffy turned to look at Haldir and found his eyes on her. She walked
over to him stopping a few inches away from the bars. His eyes shifted
down in shame. "I-I'm sorry... I really am. I never meant to act this
way tonight." Buffy held her hand up and took his. "I forgive you."
Haldir went on as if she hadn't even said anything. "I mean, I
understand if you never forgive -.... What?" His eyes locked onto
hers, uncertain. "Really?" She nodded, smiling softly. "It was
partially my fault. I'm the one who is sorry Haldir. I should have
never done that to you. Never lead you on and lied to you about my
feelings. I really do love you, but as a friend." He nodded, a bit sad
to hear that but happy that she didn't hate him. "Are we all right
then?" Buffy said nothing, simply smiled and walked away, back to
Legolas's side.
Angel and Haldir walked alongside each other through Lorien's Wood
silently. As they walked on, they came to a clearing where the
waterfall was along with the bridge that was used to go across the
river there. They both noticed that they were not the only ones there,
but the others did not know they were. Buffy and Legolas. The two were
embracing and Angel understood now what had changed with Haldir since
his last visit. Buffy had left him an empty shell, this Angel only
understood all too well. She had done the same to him a year and a
half ago. "I see now why you remorse not for Gandalf but for the loss
of a loved one. I am truly sorry." Never once had Angel's eyes left
his former lover, embracing and kissing another man, as he extended
his hand to place it on the Guardian's shoulder in comfort. "She never
loved me, only pretended so, promising never to hurt me... Only if she
knew how much she actually broke that vow!" Angel frowned hearing
this. "You know why she did it." Haldir nodded gravely. "I had no
idea. She held it out until she just could not take it anymore."
Haldir's glance was on Angel now, waiting for a response. Angel simply
took hold of Haldir's arm and pulled him in the opposite direction,
back to the Lorien city.
A few moments later, Buffy, along with Legolas, submerged from the
dark forest of Lorien and headed toward Aragorn, Boromir, and the
Hobbits. All of the hobbits were present, except Frodo. "From where
did you both come from?" Boromir greeted them with a straight-to-the-
point question. Buffy and Legolas simply exchanged glances and then
turned their attention back toward the ones in front of them. "We were
by the waterfall. I was discussing with Legolas why I will no longer
remain on this journey with you all. That is the matter that we have
come to speak to you all." Aragorn nodded solemnly while the Pippin
and Merry gave each other shocked looks of hurt. Sam simply sat there,
deep in thought and his own troubles about Frodo and the Ring. Boromir
stood up and walked toward Buffy. "Why are you disbanding from the
Fellowship?" It wasn't an angry question, it was simply a question.
"My place is here with my people. I must help them in their battle to
keep Lothlorien free of evil." Again, Aragorn and Sam remained silent.
The other two hobbits had other things to say while Boromir threw up
his hands in frustration grabbing his hair while he walked away
yelling out things no one made out except Legolas, which caused him to
follow Boromir.
"Do you not like us?" Pippin asked seriously. Merry jabbed him in the
side, giving him the evil eye and then looking up at Buffy sincerely.
"Pip, did you not hear what she just said?! She is going to devote her
skills to her people. But I do not understand why your people mean
more to you than Frodo and the Ring... It must be destroyed and
Saruman is still out there." Buffy nodded, she held out her arms,
hinting for the two hobbits to hug her. They ran into her arms without
a second thought. "I'm going to miss you all. But I know we shall meet
again, young hobbits. Do not fear." The hobbits embraced Buffy for a
good long while before letting go and talking about a bit more non-
sense before leaving to go to sleep. That was when Sam stood up and
walked toward Buffy, staring her in the eye even after she knelt down
to look him in the eye. "I am not fearful for Frodo, I know that he is
in good hands." Sam smiled as Buffy poked his tummy gently. "'Til we
meet again, Samwise the Brave." The chubby hobbit embraced with the
woman Galadhrim before saying his good-byes and goodnights. Buffy knew
she needn't say anything to Aragorn for she could read his mind and
she knew he was fine with her departure. She kissed his cheek and told
him she'd miss him, saying goodnight and waving as she walked off to
find Legolas.
Nowhere, he was nowhere! Buffy began to weep in frustration. She could
not find Legolas anywhere. She began to run, the tears streaming down
her face. BOOM! She looked up, seeing the person she ran into. Angel's
brooding eyes staring straight into her tear-filled ones. "Why are you
so upset, Buffy?" Buffy quickly wiped her tears of frustration. "I
cannot find someone. I am just frustrated." Angel nodded, giving her a
look as if to say 'I know whom it is you speak of'. "What?" Angel
pulled Buffy into a hug, wrapping his arms around her and resting his
chin on her head. "I saw him following Haldir. They went into the
forest, after that, I am unsure." Buffy pulled away, but his arms were
still across her waist and she stared into his eyes. "Now I remember
why I fell in love with you. Thank you!" She kissed him and hugged him
once more. She knew exactly where to find him.
The Waterfall
"I am sorry you do not understand that I did not take her away from
you!" Buffy edged closer to the clearing in the forest, hearing two
voices yelling at each other. She recognized Legolas's melodic voice
and Haldir's harmonic one, they both had anger and sorrow in their
voices. She listened hard, their dark figures coming into clear view
from where she stood. "Yes you did! Before you came, Buffy loved me!
She wanted me! And you took the only thing I had to live for away!"
Buffy's brow furrowed. Legolas was right, Haldir was upset and now he
had gotten Legolas right in the position to be upset too. This will
never work. Two guys constantly at each other's throats, no way. She
was so deep into her thoughts that she did not hear the foot steps
behind her. Noticing a feeling of great evil, Buffy turned around to
find Saruman standing behind her. "How did you-?" Saruman held his
hand up to silence her. "Silence! If you do not come out to meet me, I
can assure you, someone you love and cherish will suffer a terrible
death." Buffy cocked her head to the side. "So you're just a projected
image?" Saruman nodded, as Faith's image appeared behind him. "Come
on, B. Are you scared?"
The Border of the Forest of Lothlorien
Buffy searched for Saruman and Faith but could find them no where. "So
much for wasting magics, hmm?" It had been almost half an hour and
still no sign of anything or anyone. Buffy began to wonder if this was
even a real summons. Her eyes searched the dark corners of the far
away mountains that loomed high beside Lothlorien. "So peaceful..."
Buffy paused, listening to make sure no foot steps were heading her
way. "So it seems." Suddenly, a white figure followed by a dark one
came swiftly toward here. There. Saruman and Faith stood before Buffy,
smiling tauntingly. "Hello, B. I wasn't sure you'd come." Buffy
sneered. As if they didn't think they're little trick hadn't caught
her attention. She knew it wasn't smart being by herself with these
too. Mainly Saruman. But she did not want to disturb Legolas and
Haldir and let them know she knew about what she'd seen. "After your
immolation-o-gram? Come on, I had to show. Shouldn't you both be out
destroying the world right now, making orcs and destroying all of man
kind, or however that went?" Saruman raised his hand in dismissal to
her suggestion. "There's time enough." Faith smiled and perked up
beside Saruman. "I wanted to say goodbye first. You are the one thing
I will truly miss."
"This is a beautiful moment we're having. Can we please fight?" Faith
pretended to look all hurt as Saruman faded into the background. He
was letting her have room if she needed it, so she could handle her
business. "I didn't come here to fight." Buffy raised her eyebrows.
"No?" Faith put on an innocent and wondering glance, clasping her
hands and pretending to look nervous. "Gosh, B.... I was hoping we
could become friends again. What do you think? Do we still have a
chance?" Buffy looked at Faith curiously and then gave her a look to
say 'hell no'. "Alright. We'll fight." Faith rushed toward Buffy and
they began to fight. A scream broke out from in Lorien's wood by the
clearing. Buffy turned in the direction, getting hit in the face while
she turned back around. "Jeez, is it me, or is your heart not in
this?" Buffy pulled out her sword, holding it out threateningly to
Faith. "Maybe I'll just go home, destroy the world." Buffy winced her
eyes, glaring. "Let's finish this. You and me." Faith laughed, poking
the tip of Buffy's sword as if it were a mere toy. "You never learn do
you? This wasn't about you. This was never about you." She went on
laughing hysterically as Buffy's face changed to realization that the
reason Saruman went to so much trouble to call her out was so Haldir
and Legolas could go at it and destroy each other. Buffy took off
running back into Lorien, rushing back to the clearing where Haldir
and Legolas had been fighting.
Lorien (Angel's voice over)
"Passion. It lies in all of us. Sleeping... Waiting..."
Haldir and Legolas swung at each other with swords clanking. Haldir
turned as he swung his sword around, bringing it hard down onto
Legolas's but missing his mark and almost faltering. Legolas jumped up
as Haldir's sword swung below him.
"And though unwanted... unbidden... it will stir... open its jaws and
howl."
Buffy raced through the woods, she wanted to reach Haldir and Legolas
before anyone hurt each other. The trees flew by as if they were the
ones running.
"It speaks to us, guides us.... Passion rules us all. And we obey.
What other choice do we have?"
Haldir ran over and alongside a tree nearby. Legolas followed him with
great speed and agility. Their swords clanked again once Haldir
reached the ground. Haldir threw his up high, and Legolas followed.
This Elf is quick, Haldir thought. "She is mine." Legolas's face
contorted into that of great anger. "She's MINE!"
"Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love..."
Buffy bit her lip nervously and kept racing through the woods. She was
hoping she'd reach them in time, but it seemed as if her legs weren't
taking her fast enough.
"...the clarity of hatred..."
Buffy rounded a corner, nearing to the clearing where she could hear
the two Elves swords clanking together hard. Oh No! Time seemed to
stand still as it seemed Buffy ran in slow motion. As the two came
into her sight she watched Legolas cry out in pain as Haldir's sword
slid into him, deep. Buffy let loose a scream and Legolas and Haldir
both turned to look at Buffy. She ran into the clearing just as
Legolas dropped to his knees, wincing in pain and holding his abdomen
as the blood spilled out. She dropped beside Legolas, holding his side
with him, kissing his forehead. The Galadhrim, the Lord and Lady,
Aragorn, Boromir, all of the hobbits, and Gimli filled the surrounding
woods gasping at the sight before them. Haldir stood staring at Buffy,
watching her caress Legolas's forehead and brush kisses over his face,
crying.
"...the ecstasy of grief. It hurts sometimes more than we can bear."
Aragorn and Boromir, the hobbits, and Gimli ran into the clearing
pulling Legolas up and carrying him back to Lorien City. Everyone
walked back. Celeborn motioned for them to take hold of Haldir and two
Galadhrim did just that. Haldir went without a fight. He was ashamed
of himself.
Caras Galadhon
Legolas laid in a bed, sleeping. Buffy kneeled beside him, holding his
hand. She sniffled, tears streaming down her face. She whispered in
his ear, lovingly. "Legolas... I love you...."
"If we could live without passion, maybe then we'd know some kind of
peace."
The Galadhrim escorted Haldir into a cell and locked him up. Celeborn
and Galadriel stood at the bars telling him why he remained in the
cell and what would take place next. The judging of his character and
what would happen to him. But Haldir paid no attention, his eyes and
thoughts were on Buffy and Legolas. He was truly sorry, knowing from
that moment on that Buffy would never forgive him for what he did
tonight.
"But we would be hollow. Empty rooms, shuttered and dank...."
Legolas opened his eyes and caressed Buffy's face, smiling wearily.
Buffy smiled seeing him awake. Galadriel walked up to them, smiling,
grateful that Legolas was not dead. "He is going to make it, but he
will need to rest." Buffy nodded, her eyes on Legolas. Haldir watched
from afar as they kissed each other and Aragorn, Boromir, Gimli, and
the hobbits came up, celebrating the fact that Legolas was still
alive. Everyone smiled, and so did Haldir. A smile filled with sorrow.
"Without passion, we'd truly be dead."
Buffy turned to look at Haldir and found his eyes on her. She walked
over to him stopping a few inches away from the bars. His eyes shifted
down in shame. "I-I'm sorry... I really am. I never meant to act this
way tonight." Buffy held her hand up and took his. "I forgive you."
Haldir went on as if she hadn't even said anything. "I mean, I
understand if you never forgive -.... What?" His eyes locked onto
hers, uncertain. "Really?" She nodded, smiling softly. "It was
partially my fault. I'm the one who is sorry Haldir. I should have
never done that to you. Never lead you on and lied to you about my
feelings. I really do love you, but as a friend." He nodded, a bit sad
to hear that but happy that she didn't hate him. "Are we all right
then?" Buffy said nothing, simply smiled and walked away, back to
Legolas's side.