Chapter Eight: Forbidden Secrets
"It's near I can sense it, she's near me her very presence makes me sick!" Caspia said aloud.
Lord Elrond and Caspia are brother and sister half of course. Little does Lord Elrond know that the only reason for this is his father's love for Cassiopeia, Caspia's mother, there never was a spell it has all been a lie. Lord Elrond lusted for Cassiopeia in his heart and in his mind; finally he pursued her knowing that it was wrong in all aspects of life and love. Cassiopeia never wanted to be with Atticus or loved him for that matter. The spell was placed on her; you see Cassiopeia never was evil or cruel until Atticus forced himself upon her. Atticus placed a spell on her that would make her look like her fiancé Darien. Once Darien learned of what had happened he called the wedding off, leaving Cassiopeia alone in the world, never learning that her adultery was unstoppable.
Lord Elrond explained to Ariella that Legolas that the celeb loki was created before the birth of Caspia, this is not true. Cassiopeia created the jewel after the fact, you see after Atticus robbed her of her virginity her innocence she became infuriated. She became so angry that from that anger formed the jewel, regretting its creation Cassiopeia sought the help of Andrasia high elf and wife to Atticus. Poor Cassiopeia knew that the child formed within her body was Atticus's but she never told Andrasia. Arranging so that Andrasia would receive the jewel, it would remain in her safekeeping until she passed it down to another chosen elf. Cassiopeia died giving birth to her one and only daughter she never even saw Caspia's face. Andrasia could see her husbands face in the newborn baby, and became angry and began to hate her husband with a passion like no other. This hate diminished when she realized that the hate in her heart would take hold of her and the jewel.
Sending the baby away to a place where she would be taken care of Andrasia often visited the young child and claimed to be her aunt from a far away place, never revealing that she was an elf. On the other hand, she never revealed to the young half elven half-sorceress child what she was either. So, it came to pass when Caspia turned two thousand years old, and on her leave to the Havens Andrasia revealed all the lies that had been told to Caspia over the years begging for her forgiveness, forgiveness for her husband and for herself. Unfortunately for Andrasia and Cassiopeia Caspia was born with the same emotion to hate so easily, Caspia forgave Andrasia for she had shown Caspia nothing but love and kindness. Atticus was another matter though, she found his home and murdered him, that same anger and hate flows in her veins. However, his death was not enough for her she wanted and still wants more she learned of the celeb loki from the elven history books, and who possessed it.
The power that it holds and gives seems like a blessing to Caspia and all she yearns for is revenge on Atticus's descendents. She killed Ariella's parents because they refused to give her the jewel, they had learned of the death of Atticus and the reason. Giving Caspia the jewel would have been suicide, no matter if they had listened or not she still would have killed them. Now she seeks Ariella the last high elf that lives in Middle-Earth there is no one next in her line so killing her would end all possibilities to destroy the jewel.
Sitting on the ground, Ariella smiles and feels the warmth of the sun, the cool breeze and the scent of the wild flowers. Her happiness fade away when the blood curdling screams of the hobbits breaks loose. A sonic boom heard throughout the forest, Legolas is running to save her from what she doesn't know though. Turning Ariella sees the women with pale skin raven hair and midnight blue eyes, Caspia. A giant silver orb forms in her hand growing larger and larger, using her power of telekinesis Ariella forms a protective shield around her friends. Throwing the orb Caspia misses, and she is caught off guard. Ariella thinking on her toes uses her gift to grab the jewel. Placing the last shard onto the jewel, it becomes whole and returns to Ariella's body.
"Caspia stop all of this there is no need for it please I beg of you stop all this madness!" Ariella begged for the mercy of her world.
"Stop! Stop! My mother begged for you grandfather to stop, but no he kept on pushing himself on her! He raped my mother and from that rape came a child me. She died giving birth to me that jewel was created from the hate that my mother had for your grandfather. It is rightfully mine now give it to me!" Caspia's power somehow been weakened by her lack of the jewel and Ariella's presence.
"Your mother would not want you to do all this please Caspia believe me when I say that I am so sorry for my grandfather and the pain he has caused you. However, you have done no better you have murdered my parents and the parents of the one I love." Ariella points to Legolas. "They had done nothing to you but because of your blind hatred you killed them. End it all hear Caspia and be in peace," Ariella's voice would not be heard.
"Atticus raped my mother not only did he do that he sent me away to live in the mountains with an elderly couple who left me because they died of old age. The only people who ever loved me were those people and Atticus's wife Andrasia, and even she too left me. Do you know what its like to have no one, to live in the world alone with no one to call your own?" Caspia asked tears shed from her eyes.
"You murdered my parents all for the sake or some stupid jewel, and you have the nerve to ask me if I know what it feels like to be alone and have nothing to call my own. All the waking hours of my life I am constantly reminded that I'm never going to see them again, my parents were murdered, your mother died giving you life. There is quiet a difference Caspia, what about Legolas did you think about him when you killed his father and mother? He loved you Caspia and you broke his heart doesn't that mean anything to you?" Ariella becomes angrier at each word that escapes her mouth. "Your killings are all in vain because no matter what you'll never have this jewel, and to that I promise you!" Ariella said releasing all the power of the jewel within her body a burst of light come from her heart hitting Caspia.
At this moment, Caspia is free from hate and anger seeing the error of her ways Caspia feels the love that Legolas and Ariella share, the love that Ariella's father and mother had shared. Now she wishes to take all her evil doings back seeking forgiveness she finds it, she finds it in God and the people that she has caused pain too. Ariella falls to the ground the jewel is now out of her body, the once beautiful jewel tainted with cruelty and evil is now grey and dull. Lying there, Ariella feels her energy leaving her body, her very life taken away. Running to her Legolas cries over her body screaming for her to come back hoping that she will come back to life, but her lips are cold and her eyes lifeless.
"Are you happy now? Is this what you wanted? It wasn't enough to take away the two people I loved the most you have to take away the love of my life as well?" Legolas yelled at Caspia.
"I am truly sorry Legolas forgive me for all the pain I have caused you but here I can give her this," Caspia pulls out a vile full of water. "My aunt gave this to me as a young child, she told me that a dear friend of mine would die for me and the rest of this world to protect it, and in doing so I was to give her this to save her. However if I do this I will die for the life force of this water is tied to my own" Caspia said smiling to her elven friend. "I would ask this one favor of you Legolas," Legolas nodded. "That I would be able to kiss your lips once more before I leave? Although all these years you always thought my declaration of love was untrue I lied I have always loved you. But you and I are not destined to be and somehow I think I knew that so lied to you. More heartache in my life was the last thing that I needed, but I am sorry for the heartache that I caused you" Legolas leaned in and gave her a small innocent kiss on the lips.
Caspia slips the vile of water into Ariella's mouth, lying beside her, she closes her eyes and her breathing slowly stops, but as her breathing stops, Ariella's begins once more. The injured fellowship surrounds her bruises cover their bodies from the blast. Ariella awakens, telling her friends and her love Legolas, of the horrible things she endured for those five minutes. When Ariella released the power of the jewel, she had to purify it first and all its evil went into her soul, she had felt every evil thought emotion that Caspia ever thought or had done.
"That is why you had to see Saurman," Gandalf said smiling. "You learn something new everyday whether by your own hands or someone else's," the old wizard said.
"So what now Ella, do we leave or do we stay here?" Pippin asked the question all the others had so longingly wanted to ask.
"Now, we go home" was all she said.
They buried Caspia in the high mountains of her childhood, Gandalf placed a simple but powerful spell over the grave so that Caspia's body would remain as it did when she died decay and rot will never find her. Ariella dressed her in the finest elven clothing, made by her own hands. A royal crown placed upon Caspia's head, a crystal box is her coffin. Gimli has mined the finest jewels, so that they will be embedded around Caspia. Pippin sang a lovely song for her, while Frodo, Sam and Merry picked flowers that are to adorn her. Lastly, Legolas left her his daggers, and promised that he will always protect her, for she is now a dear friend to him. All wrongdoing has been forgiven, and forgotten as if nothing ever happened.
Legolas and Ariella returned to Mirkwood with more love in their hearts then when they left. They married shortly after all of Mirkwood attended and a very special group that consisted of hobbits, a wizard and two humans. Of course, all their families were there, it would not be a wedding without them. Three years later Ariella gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, she named her Acacia. Although the jewel is no longer in existence, there are times when Ariella feels her heart burdened with it, but she simply remembers that it's gone never to return, she's found the light beyond the darkness.