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Remembering Leaving

When they got back they were bombarded with questions. They both just laughed and shook their heads denying any accusations they threw at them. After a few minutes, though they did settle down and sit by the fire where they roasted up dinner and ate while having nice, friendly little conversations.

After everyone had finished eating everyone sat together tonight, which was unusual. They all talked and shared a little about their past and future, answered questions and asked questions. This was the best night they had had since the beginning of the journey. Even Frodo's mood seemed to have improved slightly. Boramir was the one who stayed distant as though something was haunting him; a great longing which wasn't being fulfilled. Everyone noticed it and everyone knew what it was that haunted him, though everyone was too busy having a good time to say anything or be terribly concerned.

As for the Aradel and Legolas situation it went from awkward to not awkward then to awkward again as everyone fell asleep around the fire when Legolas brought up the fight again.

"It's just I was so sure that you were hiding something that you didn't want me to know. I was so sure you didn't trust me but did everyone else and that made me, I don't know, insecure or something. I'm not sure the reason, I'm not a psychologist." He had said.

Aradel lowered her gaze into the fire. "That must be a nice feeling."

Legolas looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

She looked him strait in the eye while she replied. "Being sure of yourself. I'm never sure of anything lately."

He raised an eyebrow. "The girl I knew was never hesitant or self-conscious of anything, ever. Since when are you not sure of your self?"

"Since you left." She replied bluntly staring at the fire again with a blank look upon her face, orange in the firelight.

There were several long moments of silence as lost memories filled the air and washed over their minds.

Begin Flashback

The young, or at least younger, Aradel stood in the crisp, cold forest just outside the gates of the Mirkwood royal palace waiting for Legolas who had told her to meet him their exactly five minutes ago. She rubbed her arms under her dark green casual-wear tunic to keep the circulation going and have half a chance at staying warm. Finally she heard him approach from behind her and whipped around, almost whipping him with her hair.

He was wearing the traditional deep metallic blue armor and held a bow in his hand. "Sshh. I don't have much time." He said putting a finger to his lips and lowering them quickly. "You know the small war that's been going on right? Well I've been called in to fight at the last minute and I have to leave tonight. Right now in fact. I've just got something really important I have to tell you before I go."

She looked stunned, appalled, and scared all at the same time but he continued. "It's just…I…you…we…" he stuttered rubbing his hand against the back of his neck in discomfort as she looked expectantly at him. "You see…" he started but was cut off by the yell from behind him.

"Legolas! Hurry up your already late." Thranduil yelled urgently.

He looked frustrated and yelled back to his father. "All right, I'm coming!"

He turned back to Aradel as his father threw his arms in the air and let them drop with a slap to his sides. Legolas started to say something but was cut off by Aradel. "You'll be killed almost certainly. Why do you have to go, again?" she questioned a little more harshly then she had meant. He was her only real friend at the moment.

"Because they need me. If I don't fight who will?" Seeing that the look of worry in her eyes masked by her harsh expression was not fading, but increasing he sighed and reached into his shirt and pulled out one of the two necklaces he wore. "Take this. If I die you keep it and try to feel better. If I live and return here then you keep it and give it to me when I'm worried about you." He handed the silver jewelry to her.

She took it looking astonished and held it against her heart with both hands. "All right fine. But I reserve the rights to sulk until you get back." She smiled weakly though her eyes were filled with sorrow. That was what Legolas really saw. "Don't die, OK?" she said bluntly before threw her arms around his neck and hugged him good-bye. He hugged back and released as he saw his father waving for him to hurry up.

He opened his mouth to say something but didn't and closed it and walked off reluctant to leave. Aradel watched with tears welling up in her eyes as he marched off with the nameless others. She put the necklace he had given her around her neck and silently vowed never to lose it or throw it away. He turned back to look at her and yelled something back just as they exited through the gates so she didn't hear it.

Sobbing silently she jumped as she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. It was Thranduil. "I'm sorry, it must be hard for you, you have to loose a friend for a short time. I have to loose a son to a short time. But we will get over it and when you return you will be welcomed with open arms just as Legolas and we will have a grand party with a wonderful feast." He said encouragingly.

She looked at him quizzically. "When I return from where?"

"From Lothlorien. Didn't anyone tell you? I told someone to tell you. By order of Lord Celeborn of Lothlorien during the war you shall be traveling to Lothlorien for cause of danger of injury or death by assault on the palace or otherwise." He replied looking again very sorry.

She looked utterly shocked. "What?! I can't go. I have to stay here. This is my home. I can't leave, I just can't." she choked, furious and terrified at the same time.

"You must I'm afraid. I'm sorry but I cannot stop it." He replied. "You leave tomorrow afternoon." A solemn look on his face he turned away and headed back for the palace to leave her alone with her horrified thoughts.

Instead of bolting into the woods which was her first instinct, she thought. A skill she had learned while living with Legolas. After standing on the spot, shocked she ran into the house, bolted up several flights of stairs and sprinted down various hallways and burst threw the doors of her bedroom, they hit the wall with alarming force and bounced back. She quickly pulled a bag out from under her bed and began to fill it with clothes and other necessities.

She ran down to the kitchen and hurriedly shoved some Lambas bread and some dried pasta into separate bags which she shoved into the big bag. She quickly scribbled a note to Thranduil saying what she had done, run away, and hurried to the weaponry room. She grabbed two short knives, which were a favorite sword type of elves, her own regularly sized sword, two daggers, a nicely constructed bow, and quivers of arrows. She strapped them in the appropriate places and ran out the large double doors of the palace.

She paused for a moment just outside the huge doors

Looking around to see the cost was clear she ran for the forest. She jumped over upturned roots, dodged through the trees, and ducked under low hanging branches. The weight of all she was carrying seemed to have no effect on her. She ran her fastest and didn't stop until she was sure she was out of Mirkwood which took a long time.

She slowed to a walk and only then did the full impact of what she had just done set in. She had just abandoned the only place where she had had friends. The only places where she had felt normal and fit in. The only place where she had ever considered a real home. The only place where she had a family. She leant against the trunk of a tree and sunk to sit at its base. She covered her face and her muscles twitched slightly. When she had regained the will to continue walking she stood and did so until she grew tired again and sat for hours and hours until she finally escaped into the sweet, blissfully unaware, oblivion of sleep.

She awoke the next day, sore and tear stained. She got up and picked a direction she was sure wasn't heading back to Mirkwood and walked strait, beginning the hardest, harshest and loneliest part of her life to date. When Legolas returned after the war he was mortified to find that his absolute best friend had left and was now left feeling incredibly rejected and alone. He too started the hardest, harshest, and loneliest part of his life to date.

End Flashback

They looked up from the fire, into each other's eyes and smiled almost laughed. Silently, they got up and rearranged themselves so they could sleep comfortably.

Aradel fell asleep quickly a few feet from Legolas and fell into a dream. It was a strange dream. She was walking, well more like running, through a thick fog, which seemed to only cover blackness. She spotted a light, a light of hope and happiness. She ran faster towards it but once she had gotten closer it turned into a ball of fire, hot and dangerous. She didn't want it and looked back into the darkness, which now looked like home and comfort. She woke up suddenly and looked around, she felt as though she were being watched. She fell back again and fell asleep instantly.

Pippin was the first to wake very early in the morning the next day, he and Merry were the one's who were morning people. It was after all around five thirty in the morning. He started the fire and started to cook breakfast for everyone. Merry had woken up with him and started to eat some of the Lambas bread and talked loudly with Pippin. Their loud conversation had woken Aradel rudely and she sat up looking disgruntled.

"What could you possibly be doing at this ungodly hour of the morning that requires you to talk and fry sausage and eat bread so loudly?" she asked maliciously.

"Sorry, we were hungry. We made you some if you want it. Come on, you can have Frodo's share, he never eats much anyway." Pippin replied with a huge grin.

She paused for a moment then said, "All right then, what are you making." She got up and joined them sitting around the fire. It was quite cold that morning though they didn't notice because of the fire, nor did they notice the fog surrounding them, as they were too occupied with their food.

"This morning we've got some lovely sausage with, you guessed it, Lambas bread." He said as he dished out three sausages for himself two for Merry and one for Aradel.

Merry smiled and looked fondly at his plate. "Ah, the simple pleasures of life. They never get old do they, Pip?" he nudged Pippin in the ribs almost causing him to spit out his food.

"Nope." He replied through a mouthful of bread. Merry patted him on the back and continued to shove food into his mouth.

Aradel laughed and picked at her small but rich breakfast. "So where do you two come from?" she asked just trying to make conversation.

Merry answered proudly, "We are Hobbits of the Shire. It's somewhere up North." He nodded proudly as he spoke.

"How I miss the Shire." Pippin added fondly.

"It sounds beautiful there. What's it like?" she asked taking a bite of her sausage.

"Oh, it's wonderful! There are so many nice folk around and your family and friends are all around. We have many parties for various occasions and feasts for anything we can think up an excuse for." Merry told her enthusiastically.

"And the food is so lovely. Endless feasts, we have. Every week there's something to celebrate, someone's birthday or anniversary or … Tuesday." Pippin added, ecstatic with the thought of that much food.

"Well that sounds like a wonderful place to live. I must visit sometime." She said thoughtfully, thinking of when in the world she might actually visit.

"And when you do you must look us up and we will show you around. To all the good pubs and everything." Merry told her smiling fondly. Pippins elbowed him in the ribs and gave him the up and down eyebrow look. Merry looked at him in mock disgust and turned back to him food blushing slightly.

"So where are you from, Aradel?" Pippin asked still sniggering at Merry.

Aradel grinned and decided to amuse them. "A place where a name is not needed. There is so much wonderful food, great people, great pubs and parties to plan that no one has time to think up a name. Everyone is like your family and we have no currency because everyone just trades instead. The farmers farm lovely good vegetables and fruits and meats and breads and every other kind of food you can think of." She smiled at them practically drooling over the mere thought of food as plentiful and good as she made it sound.

She continued to tell them of the non-existent place where she supposedly came from. When she was finished they all shared storied and memories of things back home. All of Aradel's of course were fake but the idea was still sincere. Gimli awoke to the sounds of them talking and laughing and jumped in. Telling them of the mines where he came from and some memories he had of when he was younger. Boramir woke up and told them he was to go and collect more firewood, as they were running low. Frodo woke up and slipped away without the majority of them noticing, though Aradel's keen ears heard the dead, dried leaves under his feet. Aragorn woke and ate breakfast with them talking though not nearly as much as Pippin and Merry who didn't seem to know how to shut their mouths. Legolas was the last to wake up and stood up stretching and walked over.

"You're not limping!" Gimli exclaimed through a mouthful of sausage.

He looked at his leg as though seeing them for the first time and looked back at them, "Look at that I'm not. And it doesn't hurt in the slightest."

Aragorn stood up excitedly. "Good! Then as soon as we can get organized we can leave and be on our way."

"I like this place. It's so peaceful and naturalistic." Aradel said, absent-mindedly. Everyone looked at her like she was crazy. "Well it's better then in Moria." With that everyone nodded and looked back at Legolas where they had been looking before.

Legolas suddenly looked puzzled. "Where are Frodo and Boramir?"

"Boramir went to get more firewood and Frodo just went." Aradel replied.

"Frodo went? Did he say where he was going or when he'd be back?" Aragorn said concerned. It was not safe for anyone to be out by themselves, especially Frodo.

"Not a word, just got up and left. No one else heard him I don't think." She answered.

He looked worried but didn't say anything, just sat back and looked at the sky thinking. They proceeded to pack a lot of the stuff up into portable portions that could be shared by them all. As they did they sort of migrated up the hill and away from the river; in fact it was now out of site. When they returned to see if they had forgotten anything they found on boat at the other side of the river, Sam gone, presumed with Frodo, and Boramir up the hill and around the corner bleeding.

They rushed over to him, Aragorn in the lead. He bent over his bloody body. "What happened? How have you been hurt?" he asked hurriedly

"I tried to take it, Aragorn. I tried to take the ring from Frodo. I lunged at him and caught his legs, he pulled out my dagger and stabbed me in self defense." Boramir sobbed, "If I could have one last wish it would be to not blame him, he has more than enough worries on his head right now. Good bye." His head dropped and his eyes closed his flesh turned cold. Everyone hung their heads in respect.

They said a few words to each other that no one else heard and stood silent for a moment or two. Then still draped in despair they put his cold, dead body into one of the two remaining boats in the traditional position, both hands grasping a sword over his chest, and sent him down the river where her plunged over the waterfall and into the afterlife. This effected pippin and Merry the most probably because, being simple Hobbits, they were never exposed to such sad partings of the world.

"Don't worry, he's gone on to a better place." Aradel said laying a comforting hand on Pippin's shoulder. He didn't replied as his tear stained face showed too much pain of loss to talk much. He simply nodded.

They gathered their stuff and went on their way over the small hill and back down the other side, through the thick forest.

The trail was wide and easy to follow at first. The fog that now veiled them was making it harder to see. Within fifteen minutes the trail was lost, though, because of the thick layer of fog that had planted itself around them, limiting visibility severely so that the could scarcely see a foot in front of them. They wondered still, sure they were on the right track with Aragorn leading them, through the dense fog and forest. They traveled without rest until just after nightfall.

"I can't see anything, and it's cold. And I'm hungry." Merry said.

Pippin nodded in agreement. "I agree, couldn't we stop for a little while? Just a few minutes, Strider?" he whined.

Aragorn stopped and turned towards them. "I suppose we should. I'm not even sure we are on the right track, the trail is hard to follow in this fog and I fear we may be delayed an hour or so." He sat down on a fallen tree trunk, as did the rest. Rubbing their aching feet for comfort and their hands for warmth, for with the fog came a terrible chill.

"This place seems familiar. Not as though I've seen it, but as though I've had it described to me. In a dream maybe. It is a very strange feeling indeed." Legolas said distantly looking up at the canopy, damp and dripping slightly.

"It was probably nothing more than a dream, Legolas, get over it. I don't think any of us have been this far out of the way in our lives. And who would want to be if the weather's always like this?" Gimli snapped. Dwarves preferred the warm, confined spaces of mines to the cool, spacious area of the forest.

Aradel grinned amused though no one knew why, but Legolas was pretty sure he did. The grin was wiped off of her face quickly though, by a shiver creeping up her spine and causing the muscles of her face to convulse slightly. They continued to sit, rest, and shiver in the cold for a half-hour while Aragorn scouted ahead by only tens of feet at a time. He left for two minutes then came back and went out in another direction, repeating as necessary.

The most recently, however, he came back and stared at a point just above Legolas' head as though he were hypnotized. Slowly and steadily he stepped forward, eyes glazed over.

"Aragorn?" Aradel said eyeing him strangely.

A/N: The title is for the flashback. I wonder what wrong with Aragorn, maybe he's been smoking a little to much of the Hobbit's pipeweed. By the way, yes I know Pippin and Merry are supposed to get captured by Orcs but that wouldn't fit to well with the story line so I'm just gonna leave that out.