A/N: I can only apologize for the huge delay, life and health issues as well as UNI have prevented me from updating, but I am still here, and still writing, I am halfway through a Legolas/Gimli epic and a new chapter of Something of Beauty should be up tomorrow. Many thanks to loyal supporters and the countless inspiring authors!

Chapter 7

Even breathing was a shock to the system as Legolas fought to come round, the piercing scream that had signaled his return to the land of the living still ringing in his ears. The sight that greeted him was a mass of faces; similar to the scene he had just left. Only now the expressions told of concern, love and joy rather than the inexplicable hatred of those prior.

All at once the spell was broken and the elf was bombarded with familiar and desperate voices, the chaos too much, he signaled silence with a hand. He was instantly obeyed and the new quiet seemed to present him with a clarity that had been sorely lacking.

"I must leave." The frail figure made to rise and a strong palm was led flat on his chest.

"You have just returned from the brink of death. A moment of stillness if you please." The soft voice of the Lady left on room for debate. As Legolas blinked and turned to face her he saw her expression held concern, but her countenance held not the warmth it normally did for him. Galadriel seemed puzzled and bit her lip as if to stave her words. Legolas moved to prompt her, with some persuasion she spoke of her worry.

"You have long been my friend and ally, though as of late I had found you. . . ." She faltered through a fear of implication. Gandalf seemed to suggest a continuation. The Lady nodded and once again moved beside Legolas. "You have been decidedly out of character. I have sensed occasional changes in our aura, some of which appear malevolent. When I moved to question you, you resisted mental conversation, something I had employed to save you discomfort."

Legolas could respond with nothing but silence, but this in turn spoke volumes to the Lady, she began to turn from him, and he tugged at her long sleeve weakly.

"For many days now I have accused of crimes, barely defined, of which I know nothing, it has led to the complete destruction of all that is good in my life and the near loss of it. All have turned from me and surely if you do also I shall walk the Halls I so narrowly avoided."

"I will admit to a sense of unease, but in this world, this can be contributed to anything, and has haunted me for many years. The facts, Greenleaf, are stacked against you." She finished sadly.

The icy despair he had expected, but also a decisiveness that surprised even him gripped Legolas. He had grown tired of playing the victim and rose to his feet despite the flurry of objections. The homely faces of the halflings looked on mournfully as Legolas straightened out his clothing with a sense of purpose.

"I will leave now, where I am headed I do not know, the quest is largely out of my hands, and I doubt it will be easy for me to continue. However none present must ever doubt my love for them, or my desire to save and protect our world." A solitary silver tear worked its way down a pale cheek.

The hobbits objected with the most vigor, Gimli even rushing to his feet. Both the wizard and the Lady seemed to accept the decision with a morose defeat.

Merry and Pippin spoke hurriedly of Aragorn, the talan they shared and the possessions and love Legolas would be leaving with such a sudden departure.

Gimli spoke of the friendship he and the elf shared, and asked how the elf could possibly desert him in such a way.

Legolas answered quickly bent down and faced the hobbits. "Alas there is nothing waiting for me in my talan, nothing of any material value, or the priceless love of my beloved Aragorn. He has made it very what he thinks of me, and I would not wish to encounter him. I have no shortage of enemies, and do not need another."

"Gimli, it is true you shall forever hold a place in my heart, however, friendship is based on complete trust and faith. I see from your eyes you have been swayed by deceptive appearances and the indecision of the good Lady." The beautiful voice held no malice. "Your trust is gone, in this you have deserted me first." The elf rose without his customary grace and for the first time in millennia, he appeared old.

Not knowing what to say, Legolas merely nodded at the two larger figures and turned from them all, ready to begin his journey with a single step.

He had barely escaped the sight of the group, all of which had slumped to the ground, when he was stopped by the mental call of Galadriel, he whirled, startled to face her once again.

"How?" came the question. The she-elf began to elaborate. "How did you escape the Halls of Mandos? You were so close, how is it you are back?"

Legolas drank in the sight of the Lady, gripped by some realization, some urgency that had suddenly descended, shattering the shocked calm. Still, he had no desire for conversation or pity that had come far too late. He turned his back on her and walked with difficulty to the edge of the great forest. He glanced back to see the figure he had so long admired still awaiting a reply.

"I was sent back, I was not meant to be there."

The Crown Prince disappeared without once looking back again. If he had, he would have seen Galadriel turn with a whirl of shirts and flee in a desperate plea to reach her husband.

She did reach him. Her brilliant mind was awash with questions and half- formulated answers. What could the higher powers possibly have known? What force could interfere with such fundamentals as life and death? She was feet from the central plateau of Lothlorien when a sight greeted her that instantly confirmed all of her fears. The shocked shriek that tumbled from her lips attracted the attention of many around. Celeborn ran to her closely followed by the soon to be King of Men.

"What is wrong my love?" He asked with apprehension.

Before Galadriel could even articulate a reply, Aragorn moved defensively between the Lady and the figure of his now former lover.

"You should not be here, and are not welcome, how dare you trouble our host so! Leave before -"

"Peace Aragorn at once, you presume too much." She addressed Grima in his fairer form. The foul snake was now feeling ill at ease; he had avoided this she-elf earlier but would struggle to do so in the presence of such an audience. "Tell me young one, how it is I and many others have just witnessed Legolas Greenleaf of Mirkwood leave this woods in an entirely opposing direction?"

Aragorn was unable to hide his reaction to the revelation.

Grima squirmed and stammered amidst the scrutiny. "I came back." The answer seemed more of a feeble suggestion.

Galadriel stepped forward to the man. "Did you honestly believe your shining lover was capable of such betrayal and unkindness? You believe he to be deserving of the punishment he has endured?"

"I saw him!" Aragorn bit out bitterly, expecting the Lady to back down from her questioning. But she did not.

The elves that surrounded the main group, drawn by the commotion, gasped and whispered conspiratorially amongst themselves. Galadriel observed with disdain how quickly the young elf was judged as the story unraveled.

No longer to share this with the gathering hoard, the Lady took the bedraggled man aside.

"You saw what happened to Legolas and you moved not to prevent it, yes?"

Aragorn rushed to defend himself but was cut off.

"You saw Haldir beat him to the ground did you not?"

Aragorn nodded shamefully. The crowd straightened instantly as their Lady gestured to them. Their Lord stood in support of his wife, finally speaking up as he realized what she was trying to get across. His regal voice boomed throughout the clearing and his people were quick to reply.

"How many of you saw Legolas Greenleaf attacked here in this clearing not three candle marks ago?"

Some raised their hands, others shouted.

"Then pray tell by what miracle of elven healing is his face unmarred?"

At last silence spread across the scene, and Aragorn fell hard to his knees.

A/N: Please let me know what you think, update ASAP.