'Nuver chapter! Only a few more to go!

I'm 15! And a very big thank you to everyone who wished me a Happy Birthday! It was very happy! As an extra special treat, I'm updating every story, and putting a new one up! All in the same night! Phew! Too many ! marks!

Right, onto review replies now.

Faerlain.

DaydreamingTurtle – Got it in one! And a boring story is absolutely AWFUL! Trust me, I've written plenty… Thanks for reviewing.

Tiara Shin – We're talking as I'm writing! Feels kinda straaaange. And you KNOW I love writing about him! And having Leggy as a big bruvver kinda appeals to me. Though as a husband is MUCH BETTER! Has…certain…advantages…

I should have married him aaaaagggggeeeeesssssssss ago! And you wished me happy birthday the day before! Lol. Protection spell with the puppy-dog eyes? DAMN!

Thanks for reviewing.

Lindele – Yup, he knows! And more will be discovered in this chapter, I promise! Thanks for reviewing.

Chapter 11: The Truth.

Oh. Crap.

Two of the simplest words in my dictionary. And they can mean a lot of things.

When something bad happens, I often say them. For example, if I'm getting attacked by a bunch of Orcs.

When I have discovered something I don't particularly like. Like a bunch of Orcs having a party underneath my flet in Mirkwood.

When I hurt myself accidentally. Like walking into a door, or falling off Rodmín.

Or…when my father arrives in Lothlórien!

Yes, my dear old daddy has decided to come and take me home himself. So no doubt I'll get a good tongue-lashing once he gets me on my own, away from Lady Galadriel and Celille.

Oh. Crap.

I am looking forward to seeing him again. But then again…

I'm sat with Celille at the moment, braiding her hair for her. She wants it done like Naneth's. She saw it at the feast, and really liked it, so I said I'd do it for her.

And Adar will be here in just under a week.

We've already been here for two. And for the entire time, I've been thinking about the baby.

Boy or girl?

Nice or nasty?

Looks like me.

Looks ugly.

Name?

So I've had a constant headache. Celille has tried to talk to me, but I'm in a world of my own most of the time. Last night, I was lying in bed, just staring at the ceiling. Celille had come round earlier to talk, but I had said I wasn't in the mood, maybe later.

So, at about midnight, there's a knock at the door. Before I have chance to answer, it swings open, and Celille storms in and sits on the end of my bed.

"It's later," she announces.

I just stared at her for a moment, then went back to looking at the ceiling. Very interesting patterns it has…

"Legolas!"

"What?" I mumble. I don't even bother looking at her.

"Stop ignoring me."

"I'm not."

"You are. Talk to me. I'm lonely."

I finally sit up and look at her. She looks sad, certainly lonely. I sigh and hold out my arms. She crawls up to me and nestles into my grip, clinging onto my arm.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, kissing the top of her head. "But I've got a lot on my mind."

"I know that," she replies. "But why don't you talk to me about it? Get it off your chest. Is about the baby?"

I nod. "I'm worried about Naneth. With me running away…it can't have helped. She must have been pregnant when I left."

"She'll be fine," she assures me, slipping her arms round my body. "And you might have a real little sister to look after."

"No one can replace you Celille."

She looks up at me, her eyes watery. "I want my papa," she whispers.

I give in. As her first tears fall, mine join them. I hold her close, stroking her back and whispering to her in Elvish. Sobs rack her tiny body, and she clings tighter to me.

I cry silently. For the first time in my life, I'm crying and I have no mother to soothe me. Whenever I've shed tears before, she's been there, whispering to me, comforting me, just as I am doing for Celille now.

But I'm miles away from home. Naneth is in Mirkwood, my home.

And I'm going to go back to her…

"Legolas," Celille says, shaking me out of my daydream.

"Yes?"

"Where will I go?"

"Back to Befret I expect."

I can tell she scowls when I say that. "But I don't want to go back there," she moans.

"Why not?"

"Because I have no family left."

I grin and tie a knot to secure the braid. I start on the next one. "We've been through this."

"I know, but I mean it. I don't want to live with Gaenry."

"I doubt you'll have much choice in the matter. Adar's going to kill me for not taking you straight back there anyway. And if he finds out what happened in Fangorn…"

"Oh, but I don't want to go back there!"

"Stop fidgeting!"

"Sorry," she mumbles.

Thranduil smiled at the scene before him. "They have become very close," Galadriel murmured beside him.

"I know, and that is what worries me."

"Legolas will be fine. When it is time for Celille to leave this world, he will be strong. He will have plenty of people around him to look after him."

He looked at the Queen. "You're certain?"

She nodded, a faint smile on her face. "He understands what being friends with a mortal will eventually bring about. He'll be ready."

"I need to talk to him."

"Go on then."

Thranduil took a deep breath, and stepped into the clearing…

"Here, have this." I take off the necklace from around my neck, and slip it over her head. She fingers the tiny sapphire leaf gently, her eyes wide.

"Legolas…it's beautiful. I can't take it…"

"Of course you can. It's a gift. A thank you."

"Thank you for what?"

"For everything. Sticking by me, helping me." I kiss her cheek, and she grins. She turns and looks in the mirror, inspecting her braids. I'm stood a little way behind her, grinning. She twirled round to face me, still smiling, and her face pales.

"What? What is it?" I turn around, and feel my heart stop.

"Legolas," says my father, inclining his head to me.

Oh. Crap…

Thranduil couldn't help but smile at the horrified expression on his sons' face. He walked up to him. "It is good to see you safe and well and having a good time," he said.

Legolas gulped, but managed a nervous smile back. "Hannon lle…Adar."

"I'll see you later Legolas," Celille murmured. She ran off, leaving father and son to talk.

They stared at each other for a while, not having a clue on what to say. Legolas dropped his gaze to the floor, scuffing his feet on the grass. He was wringing his hands behind his back. Thranduil was early…

Suddenly, he felt himself enveloped in his father's arms. He flung his own arms round Thranduil, and clung onto the back of his tunic, sobbing into his chest.

"I'm so sorry Adar," he choked through his tears. "I'm so sorry..."

"Hush Greenleaf, its ok," Thranduil soothed. "Its ok, it's over now. I'm taking you home."

Legolas nodded. "Take me home…"

"I will, I will." He sank to his knees, pulling his son with him. He wiped the tears away. "Don't cry," he whispered. "There's no need for tears."

"Naneth…"

"She's fine. Frantic about you, but she's fine."

"I should never have left…the baby…"

"Hasn't even arrived yet, and won't till August or September." Thranduil pulled back a little. He looked Legolas up and down. "You've grown," he noted.

Legolas laughed. "Have I?"

"Yes, I'm sure of it."

"No Adar, you're just on your knees."

"So are you."

"How can you tell then?"

Thranduil grinned cheekily, and Legolas laughed again. They held each other, and then Legolas took the King back to his flet.

Celille held back her sobs as she saw them walk by. She was hidden in a clump of bushes along the path. She had a sudden desperate wish to have her own father there too.

And her mother.

She turned and ran, back to her camp, and there, collapsed onto her bed, crying her heart out.

Thranduil looked over at his son as they rode home. Legolas was riding beside Celille, talking earnestly to her. But Celille didn't seem to be responding much. She would nod or shake her head, or just give one-word answers.

He sighed. She had been quiet ever since they had left Lothlórien. That was a week ago, and they were drawing near to North Mirkwood again.

Why wasn't she talking? He hardly knew the girl; yet realised that she shouldn't be this quiet. Was she annoyed with Legolas for deciding to go back home? Or was she worried about having to return to Befret?

"And then I can take you right down to the waterfall. It is so lovely there. And you can stay in the palace with us! You don't have to go back to Befret if you don't want to." Legolas told her this in a hushed tone, so his father did not overhear.

"Hmm."

"And you can learn to ride a stallion. And I'll teach you how to use a bow and arrow. It's going to be fun Celille. Celille, please just talk to me!"

Celille stayed silent.

"Celille!" He glared at her. "This is hopeless! I try to talk to you, and you just ignore me. What have I done that has upset you so?"

Celille just shook her head.

Legolas sighed and looked down at the floor. "Fine," he whispered. He steered Rodmín over to ride beside his father, leaving Celille alone.

"Well?" Thranduil asked.

Legolas shook his head. "She's not saying a word."

"Do you know why? Any ideas at all?"

"None. I just don't understand what I could have done to make her hate me."

"Oh Legolas, I'm sure she doesn't hate you. She probably just doesn't want to go back to Befret."

"I've told her that she doesn't have to go back there, that she can stay with us, but she still doesn't reply!"

Thranduil frowned. "Legolas…"

"I know, I know, but I don't want her to go back there either. She really doesn't like it Adar. She has no family, no friends…"

"Of course she has friends. And Gaenry will look after her."

"She wants her father. But he's dead. She feels lonely, and…"

"And…?"

Legolas sighed. "Nothing."

"No, what is it?"

"She said…she said I was like…an older brother to her. And that she never wanted us to be apart. And I told her…that she was just like a younger sister. And that we would never be apart." He bit his lip and looked at his father.

Thranduil was smiling gently. "Do not worry about it Greenleaf," he assured him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We'll sort it all out once we're home."

Legolas nodded, and they carried on their way.

We're right on the borders of the forest. But it's dark and Adar says it isn't safe to enter the woods at this time of night.

So we have to make camp here.

And I need to talk to Celille.

As everyone wanders round, checking the fires and having small bites to eat, I look for her. I haven't spoken to her since yesterday, when I sort of…shouted at her.

But I was annoyed!

She won't reply to anything I say, and doesn't speak to anyone. She must have frozen last night. Normally, I sleep next to her, and we share a blanket, so she won't get too cold. But she slept alone last night.

I saw her today, and she was just the same. Even more miserable if possible.

So I have to find her.

I've been wandering around for ages, but she seems to have hidden herself away very well. I can't see her anywhere. Perhaps she'll be near the horses, near to Star-mane…

Yes, there she is. Grooming Star-mane's coat. I walk over, and stand behind her until she notices me. Even when she does, she doesn't say anything.

"I need to talk to you," I say.

"I'm busy," she replies.

Busy? You're grooming a horse!

"Please Celille. I'm worried about you."

"You have no need to be."

"Celille…"

"No, not Celille!"

She's mimicking me…

"Why aren't you talking to me? You ignore everything I say. And I want to know why!"

"Well I don't want to tell you!" she shouts, flinging the brush down and storming off. I give Star-mane an apologetic glance, then run after her.

"Celille, stop!" I yell. But she continues to ignore me. She doesn't know where she's heading to…

I catch up with her, and wrestle her to the ground. She struggles, but I'm stronger than she is. I pin her arms down and straddle her. She glares at me for a second, then bursts into tears.

I let her go and take her into my arms, holding her as tight as I can. I rock her gently, stroking her back soothingly.

"Shh, Celille, its ok," I whisper. "Shh, everything's going to be ok."

"I want Papa," she sobs. "I want Papa back."

Oh no…

"I'm sorry Celille, but…your Papa's dead…"

"I know!" She pulls away angrily and wipes her eyes. "It isn't fair! You've got the perfect life. A loving family, a warm home, a mother, a father, friends…what have I got? Nothing!"

"Of course you have! You have friends. Me, for one. Or aren't I your friend anymore? Because I apparently have this 'perfect life'?"

"But it isn't fair! There was absolutely no need for you to run away. You had everything a child could wish for. Compared to you, I have nothing. You had nothing to run away for, whereas I…I…"

"You?"

"I was running away from my future life. A life without a father, without a mother. Living with a guardian, and people who called me friend, but who didn't think me as one really. Living a life of sadness, confinement, and injustice. I was running away, because I had to. Because I was scared of that life that was threatening to come any day. You…you don't even know what it like. To grow up without a mother. And then to lose your father as well! No, you have no idea!" She hugged her knees up to her chest, and laid her head upon them, looking away from me.

"I…." What was I supposed to say now?

"No, don't say anything Legolas. There's no point. I've said what I've had to say, what you wanted to me to say. The truth. I'm going to bed." She stood up, and started to walk off.

So, naturally, I followed.

I took hold of her hand, and when she tried to shrug out of my grasp, I gripped it even tighter. "No Celille, wait, please." She stopped and turned to me.

"I'm sorry," I started. "I had no idea you felt that way. If you had said something before…"

"It wouldn't have made any difference," she said in a softer voice. At least her anger seems to have ebbed away. "You're going back to your life, and I've got to go and face mine."

"No," I tell her. "You don't have to go back. You can come back with me. Live with us, in the palace. You never have to see Befret again."

She laughs. "No Legolas, I don't belong there. I belong in Befret. And Befret is where I have to go." She gets out of my grip, and runs off into the darkness.

Ooooooooh dear! Silly Celille, poor Leggy. Always running away.

See ya next chapter!

Faerlain.