A/N: So I lied. More chapters. Studying for finals will just have to wait until the end of the week. I knew this would happen, because once I get an idea, I just have to write it out to it's completion. Anyway, thank you reviewers for your reviews.

Chapter 23- Interlude 1 ½ : Faith In Love

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3 Laer 3019 of the Third Age

Shores of the Havens

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Silaerín stood overlooking the Sea once more, watching the churning waves as they lulled her into a state of calm. She was not looking forward to this trip across the Sea for many reasons, but the one that made her feel unwell the most was the possibilities of storms that could do great damage to the ship. It was quite humorous for her to think that her father and grandfather were both great mariners of their time, loving the Sea and all of the Sea's moods. She being of the Falathrim, and not liking to sail was nearly blasphemous. She loved it as long as she could stay on solid ground, or at least wade out to swim. Her grandfather said there was nothing to worry about, but she found sitting in a huge ship with no land in sight to be the scariest thing in her life.

Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, trying to memorize the smell of this place. Her home. Her land. She sighed heavily, and tuned her eyes once more to the rolling of the waves. She would miss this tranquility, though she imagine that Aman would be much like this as it was a small island compared to Arda. Her mind traveled to Arwen and her wedding, hoping that the messenger would make it in time for the wedding festivities. What would Elladan say to her letter? What would he think, and not say? Would he feel guilt, or would he be glad that she was gone so he no longer had to worry about her? Did he love her?

"I miss you, meleth," she said under her breath.

"Who are talking to, Silaerín?"

Her eyes flew open and glanced to her side, finding her Bainon standing beside her. She smiled slightly and turned her eyes back to the Sea. "No one."

Bainon sighed heavily and clasped his hands behind his back, gazing at her intently, "Silaerín, you know you could never love me like you did him."

"Why do you bring this up now?" she questioned quietly, glancing down at her feet and burying her toes deeper into the sand.

"Because I think you are making a mistake going with me to Aman," Bainon said frankly.

Silaerín glanced at him, raising curious eyebrows, "Are you not supposed to be wooing me into staying with you, or do I misunderstand the rules of courtship?

Bainon chuckled lightly, "Silaerín, we have become good friends of late, and hardly what I would call lovers in any regard. Your mind is always on him."

"I am sorry, Bainon," she sighed. "I should have been a better friend…"

He smiled gently and took her into his arms, placing a soft kiss on her brow, and saying, "I could never live up to Elladan, and I do not plan on ever being able to soothe the woes that not having him has given you. I would try my hardest, but he is the only one who could be right in your mind's eye."

"I think you are much wiser than I," she said quietly.

"And from all that you have told me, I believe he still loves you," Bainon continued. "You should not be going to Aman. You should go to Gondor to find him, and convince him that he is being quite a lack wit, not running from everything that has happened between you two."

"I have always wanted to stand up for myself, since I was a small elleth… do what I believed was right. I wanted to be able to make my own decisions," she said. "But I have never truly done that. I have not stood up to my father, demanding that he allow me to go to Imladris or Lórien. In a way, I suppose I am still scared of what he would do if I were to stand up to him. Moreover, I suppose I could even be to blame for what has happened. I let Elladan make the decisions for me when he left, just like Ada has kept here forever. All I did when Elladan left was stay here, and not fight for what I wanted, trying to change his mind or convincing my father it was fine that I go to Imladris to stay for good."

Bainon was quiet for a few moments, gazing down at her, "Your father has pushed me along, trying to make something grow between you and me for many years now. You know that. After Elladan left, he started again trying to talk me into courting you. I was not one to complain, given full permission with an elleth like yourself. Your father is pushy and he will always be pushy. It is up to you, however, to stand up to your father and not yield. Your yielding after putting up good arguments gives him the idea he still maintains power over you. He has kept you here long enough, away from the world. And I believe probably has a great deal of influence now and your trip to Aman."

"That is very true, now that I think about it," Silaerín nodded slightly. Bainon was much wiser than she gave him credit for, but he made very good points. That was what she had done all her life… let everything pass before her eyes without taking too much of an active role. If she had really wanted to see Elladan all those times, she should have stood up against her father and done it herself. There others who would have gotten her to Imladris safely. After a while, her father would come to realize that the relationship with Elladan was something that would remain for a long while.

Things were different now, though, and she had no idea if Elladan still truly loved her. She felt their connection all the time, but she was never able to decide if it was only her mind wishing for these things to happen, or if it was alive and well.

Together they both gazed out at the Sea and after a long while, Bainon looked down at her, "I shall ride ahead and alert them."

Silaerín jerked her head to the side, looking into his eyes for a few moments. All of her worries and thoughts going through her mind one last time, as she quickly tried to make a decision.

"Shall I ride ahead, my lady?" Bainon questioned.

"Nay, if I go, I wish this to be a surprise. I do not want him knowing in advance so that he may prepare," she replied. "You should continue to Aman, Bainon. Celin will ride with me, if Adar does not."

Bainon nodded and sighed, "I will await your arrival in Aman, then, my lady."

"I will look forward to it," she smiled.

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Silaerín spent the good part of her day trying to plan what exactly she was going to say to her father in regards to her leaving, but deciding what arguments were best to use with her father was a completely impossible thing to undertake. Still unprepared by the afternoon, she walked along the corridors, toward her father's study. She would just have to tell him outright, and be done with it. As she went by her grandfather's study, she heard the angry voice of her grandfather and the even, deceptively clam voice of her father. She paused by the door, knowing she should not listen into the conversation, but could not help herself. After a few moments of listening in, though, she was glad she decided to stay as the discussion was about her.

"Nenvír, you cannot let her make this mistake," her grandfather said.

"It was her choice," her father said. "The choice I have wanted for a long while now, granted, but it was hers alone. And if you wish to blame anyone for doing this to her it was that peredhel you have placed so much confidence in."

She heard the angry sigh, one she heard only a few times before from her grandfather, and he said, "I still place much confidence in him, Nenvír. Elladan is a good Elf, he only got a little lost long the way. Everyone can get lost along the way, you should know that first hand."

"He is no Elf," Nenvír said. "We do not even know if he has chosen Elves or Men. How could I let her make the choice of hurting herself again, because she again became involved, only to find out he has chosen Men?"

Círdan grumbled, "He has not chosen yet. I have not seen it."

"Perhaps your mind has been clouded," Nenvír said, though it was not in an over sarcastic way.

"My mind is not clouded!" the elder exclaimed. "They are meant to bind with each other… it has been decided before they were even born into this world by the Valar. Just like they are meant to have children, and rule the remaining Elves of Lórien, Imladris and Mithlond together. What the Valar do not account for are the decisions made once walking Arda."

Nenvír guffawed at that, "But he has done everything but tell her he does not love her. What makes you think he will accept her if she were to stay here and not sail to Aman?"

Círdan sighed again, "We must have faith that he will see the error if his ways. We must have faith that their love is strong enough to over come the separation Elladan asked for so long ago."

Silaerín thought about what was being said, and he mind traveled to the messages inscribed within the betrothal rings and foreboding nature in which Galadriel had told her about them. Elladan had always maintained a dominion of her heart, as she was never able to fully feel as though he did not hold her heart. In some moments she could even sense his thoughts through their bond, though they had grown weaker as of late. Did that mean, then, he was faithful to her, even though they were parted like this?

"Besides, Bainon has taken an interest in her," Nenvír said.

"It is not love, Nenvír. She and Elladan are so bound, though not officially, that she will never love another ellon as she should love," Círdan replied.

There was silence between them, and that was when she decided that it was now or never. She straightened herself, and took a deep breath, raising her hand to knock on the door.

"Who is it?" her grandfather called.

"Silaerín," she called.

"Come in."

Silaerín stepped inside the study, finding her father sitting on a lounge with her grandfather pacing the room. He stopped his pacing though, and looked at her. Their eyes met briefly. It was simple to tell that he knew what she had come for, especially now that a smile was on his face. Nenvír cleared his throat then, garnering her attention, and questioned, "What do you need, Silaerín?"

"I have come to say that I am going to Minas Tirith," she said, not hesitating for a moment with the words. However, she was quite surprised at the ease in which it had come from her mouth.

Nenvír stood quickly, completely stunned at the news, "You cannot possibly go. You are meant to sail to Aman with Bainon."

"I was wrong to make that decision," she said. "Ada, I am going. I must go to know if there truly is nothing between us."

"You cannot go alone," her grandfather said before her father had the chance. "The dangers are still too great for you travel alone."

Nenvír, still sputtering at this, walked to her, "Silaerín, he will only hurt you again."

"You do not know that," she replied. "Whether you like it or not, Ada, I am going."

Círdan smiled, "We will all travel together."

Silaerín looked at her father and sighed, "I will go with or without you, but I would like you travel with me, Ada. I love him more than anything, despite what has happened. Just as I love you, even though you have been suppressive all my life."

Nenvír moved away from her and walked to a side window, seemingly trying to calm his emotions before doing anything he would regret. After a few long moments, he turned to her and sighed heavily, "I will go tell Celin to ready the horses."

She felt the large weight lifted from her shoulders, and smiled triumphantly to herself. She was to go to Minas Tirith, hopefully to find a peredhel that was still in love with her. And she had conquered her biggest fear yet… facing her father.

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Ada- Dad

Meleth- love