...:: Burn ::...
(Lyrics for Achaia's spell is "Black Hole Sun" by Soundgarden)

Achaia searched quietly and quickly through Haldir's belongings,
looking for any clues that would give her some idea about who Buffy
was. The ornately carved chest that Haldir kept in his talan held a
lot of priceless things as well as stuff that must be worth a fortune.
She kept finding beautiful belongings; a silver comb, which had a pink
and white tiger lily on the top edge of it, a beautiful flask and in
it a lovely smelling fragrance. "These must have belonged to the woman
in his life." Achaia had been researching for weeks and weeks, she had
nothing better to do. But besides that, she wanted to do something
extra wonderful for the elf that saved her life, no questions asked.
Suddenly, bells rang in her mind as she pulled out from underneath so
much more beautiful belongings, a painted picture. She recognized
Haldir in the picture immediately, but whom she didn't recognize was
the woman who sat beside him smiling brightly. The woman was an elf,
Achaia recognized, and she was immensely beautiful. She had blond hair
at which length, Achaia could not tell; green eyes, fair skin, and the
most beautiful smile anyone could ever possess.
"Beautiful, isn't she?" Achaia whirled around to find Rumil standing
behind her. Quickly, she placed the picture back inside the chest and
closed it, then stood up. "I was just... uh..." Rumil gave her a
reassuring smile, letting her know that he wasn't upset and he
wouldn't tell his brother. "Do not fear, Achaia, I will not tell
Haldir that you went through her things." Achaia slumped in relief but
was on alert again because Rumil had given her a new clue. "Whose?"
Again, another coy smile from him. "Buffy's." Achaia looked down at
the chest. "She was very beautiful." Rumil nodded, staring at her
deeply. "Yes.... She was the love of his life. The only one he let in.
It's a shame that it ended the way it did... especially because of all
they had to go through just to be with each other." She glanced back
up at the Elven man before her. "What happened to her?"
Haldir stood outside on the balcony listening up until this point. He
knew about Achaia going through Buffy's belongings for the past couple
of weeks. Walking into the talan, Rumil and Achaia turned their heads
surprised to see him standing there. Haldir was close to tears but he
knew it was the right time to tell this woman why he was so sad even
after ten years. "She died in the great battle." He could tell that
Achaia had suspected that. "So she was a warrior?" Haldir nodded.
Rumil looked down and then swallowed deeply. "I shall take my leave.
Tis really my brother's business to share." He turned and left them
standing there in silence.
"I can see that you loved her dearly." Haldir turned his head away,
just stammering there. "I love her still." Achaia nodded,
understanding and taking into clarity the pain she could see etched in
Haldir's face and although he was to be beautiful and young for all
eternity, he looked extremely old and dying. "What did Rumil mean by
everything that you both did to be together?" Walking over to the
chair in the corner, Haldir sat down and brought his face to his hand,
rubbing his temples. "She had to sacrifice everything to be with me in
the beginning because she was a princess and I, a mere Galadhrim. It
was confusing for her because she wanted the love of her father above
anything else. She was betrothed to Legolas, the Prince of Mirkwood
and for a while, I believed that she was indeed going to go through
with the marriage. But she didn't... Everyone found out our feelings for
each other and it was then we were able to be together... the happiest
day of my life. I loved her with every part of my soul... my being. Her
loss is still fresh for me."
Achaia had tears in her eyes with the visualization she had of Haldir
and the woman she had seen in the picture with Haldir. Buffy.... She was
in his arms, dying and Haldir's eyes were filled with tears that would
and could never be quenched. "I... I'm sorry." She didn't know what else
she could say. The loss of Buffy, even though she hadn't even known
the princess, was now fresh for her as well. In response, Haldir waved
a hand, silently weeping behind the shield of his hand. She knew she
must do something to help Haldir deal with this.... Suddenly an idea
popped up in her mind and Achaia's lips formed a sly smile. "I know
just what to do." Even though the words came out in a whisper, Haldir
heard them. "What?" Achaia quickly opted to change the subject.
"Nothing." Walking over to the doorway, she opened it and then turned
to give an explanation. "I'll be back soon, I just want to go for a
walk." On her way out she picked up the picture of Haldir and Buffy.
Out in the thick forest that was Lothlorien, Achaia stood in the
clearing holding the picture she had taken from Haldir's talan. The
moon was shining brightly down upon her, bidding her to do her will.
"In my eyes, indisposed, undisguised. As no one knows hides the face,
lies the snake: The Sun." A fire shot up from the ground and though it
wasn't a huge burn-down-the-forest type of fire, it burn brightly and
amazingly thick. Achaia looked at the picture with Buffy and Haldir.
"In my disgrace, boiling heat. Summer stench beneath the black, the
sky looks dead. Call my name and through the cream, I shall hear you
scream." Tearing the picture in half, she held Haldir's half inside
her hand tightly and then discarded Buffy's into the flames. "Black
hole sun, won't you come and wash away the rain? Black hole sun, won't
you come? Won't you come?" The flames rose higher, turning a deeper
red. "Stuttering... cold and damp, steal the warm wind, tired friend.
Times are gone for honest men and sometimes far too long for snakes.
In my shoes, a walking sleep and my youth, I pray to keep. Heaven send
Hell away, no one sings like you anymore." The fire arose high over
the trees, casting an eerie yellow light over the land until it lay
bathed in ghostly day.
Far through the trees, just below Haldir's balcony view, lay Buffy's
grave. Deep under the ground, Buffy's body laid their, decaying,
rotting. Suddenly, Buffy's rotted fingers winced and her hand gripped
tight. "Black hole sun, won't you come? Won't you come?" A red mist
swirled around Buffy, bringing her up and through the dirt. Her corpse
floated along the way of the river, which separated Mirkwood and
Lothlorien. "Come now." Still floating, it went through the forest
once it reached the middle and floated through to where Achaia stood
by the fire. Achaia's eyes widened as she saw the rotted corpse
floating her way. Pulling out Haldir's half of the photograph, she
studied it closely; looking at the way his eyes glittered in the
presence of the woman he loved. "Haldir, come to the heart of the
forest... come to your beloved."
Haldir sat inside his bedroom, looking out at the moon in all its
beauty. Achaia now knew the truth about what happened between Buffy
and himself. He couldn't explain it, but somehow it felt as if now
that she knew, everything would be right. Everything. Where was
Achaia? She had been gone for almost an hour and it was getting pretty
late. He stood and walked out onto the balcony, grasping the railing
and staring out into the woods, for some reason he was drawn there
tonight. Through the wind a whisper was carried. "Haldir... come to the
heart of the forest... come to your beloved." Eyes widened, Haldir
listened again but heard only sighing of the wind. Compelled to find
out what was happening and why he was called, he set out for the heart
of Lothlorien's vast forest.
Achaia cast Haldir's picture back into her skirts so that it wouldn't
fall into the fire. Buffy's body was now inside the fire but
astonishingly enough it wasn't burning her flesh. Achaia didn't know
what else to say! Everything was actually working and this had never
happened before! "Buffy, please come back... come back to Middle-Earth.
Your love is missed greatly." Buffy's body still stood straight up in
the fire and although it was burning her flesh, it certainly wasn't
creating more flesh. Achaia's hands dropped. This was it and the spell
wasn't going to go any further. Disappointment reigned. Frustrated
tears spilled and Achaia, again, grabbed and looked at Haldir's half
of the picture. "I'm sorry, Haldir... sorry that I couldn't bring her
back for you."
Haldir walked directly through the woods, knowing his way easily. It
was also easy because a red mist was guiding him to where it wanted
him to be. This was very intriguing for Haldir because magical things
like this had never happened without Buffy. Well, this was it! He
reached the heart of the forest and saw a red fire blazing high in the
night sky. "What...?" He edged closer, pushed by the red mist. He could
hear it talking to him. "Here... I'm here...." Whispers! They were
terribly confusing, Haldir didn't know what to do except do as they
said.
Entering the clearing, Haldir had a great view of the blazing fire and
the person who had started it. He saw Achaia holding something in her
hand and crying. "Achaia?" The woman turned her head quickly, not
surprised that he was there but surprised that she knew he was going
to be upset with her. She said nothing and Haldir turned his attention
back on the fire. Inside the fire, he could see that a person was
floating stiffly and upright in it. "Oh my..." There were no words to
describe how scared Haldir was now. Achaia was practicing witchcraft
and he was invited to witness! "Achaia... what is going on?!" The person
in the fire turned her head to face Haldir, and he couldn't see any of
the eyes or the nose... all had rotted away. The hair was blond with
dirt in it, dirt and insects. It was ratty looking, frayed. The skin
was blue, almost black looking. But there was one thing Haldir
recognized. Around the corpses ring finger, a beautiful silver ring
with a rare gem swirled in with the silver stood. The ring he had
given to Buffy when they were able to be together. "Oh no... oh no!"
Achaia could see the look of extreme horror on his face. It wasn't
hard to see that he knew who was in the fire now. "Everything went
well up until now. I'm sorry." She watched his eyes as the glossed
over. He was just staring horridly at the decayed body of the woman he
loved. "Make it stop!" Tears streamed down his fair skin. Achaia's
voice came out cracked. "I can't!" Haldir turned to face the witch
now. "What do you mean you can't?" Achaia looked back at the fire.
"Once a spell is begun, it cannot be undone until it finds its
finish." Haldir threw his hands up, frustrated. "Wonderful." The red
mist that had led him to the clearing swirled around him, entangling
him. It pushed him closer to the fire. Achaia noticed it and was
excited again! The spell had decided to continue!
Haldir now stood in front of the fire beside Achaia. The red mist
wasn't satisfied just yet, it continued pulling Haldir up into the
flames with Buffy's body. Buffy's arms reached out to grab a hold of
Haldir, pulling him in with it. Haldir screamed, horrified. He was now
inside the fire in the arms of Buffy's corpse. "Achaia! Do something!"
Achaia raised her hands. "I already told you that I could not. Let the
spell finish. Oh, and relax a little. This isn't evil magic, you're
not going to die." Haldir was a little relieved to here that he wasn't
going to be sacrificed for anything. The red mist rose through and
around the fire. Haldir could only see flames for a moment, but it
passed by him and he saw what Achaia was holding tightly in her hands.
A picture of him! She tossed it into the flames.
Haldir couldn't express how he felt at this exact moment, only that he
wanted to get far away from this place... far away from this witch. The
red mist engulfed the flames, and Haldir could only see flames again.
He looked over beside him, where Buffy's body was and saw a gold mist
circulating around her. Slowly, he could see that her body was
rejuvenating itself. Her frayed, dirty, blond hair became what it once
was; long, healthy, and shiny blond hair. Her green eyes rolled back
into her head and her nose grew back. Her skin became fair again. The
gold mist engulfed her, finishing its magic.
It suddenly became dark as they were under the night stars now. Achaia
stood above them, looking at the two laying beside each other. They
look so good together, she thought. Both were unconscious. "We're even
now." Achaia walked back to Lorien happy with the good she had just
done.
Haldir woke up, his head hurt badly. He noticed that the fire was gone
and that he was now in the night. "Buffy!" He turned around quickly
and was so glad to see that she was lying beside him, her eyes shut.
Standing up, he picked her up in his arms. She was warm and that was
such a good thing to know. "Buffy." Her eyes opened as he whispered
her name. Looking around for a moment, she was disoriented. "Where am
I?" She didn't know just yet whose arms she was in. Tossing and
turning around in his arms, Buffy got frantic. "What? Where am I?"
Haldir held her tightly, forcing her to be still. "Buffy, you're here
now. You're back." Buffy turned her head, now seeing who was holding
so tightly onto her. "Haldir?" A smile formed on her face. "Oh my God!
I am so happy to see you!" She wrapped her arms around his neck,
holding him close. Haldir set her down lightly and then wrapped his
arms around her. "I am happy to see you..."