Chapter two Arrival.

There were people waiting on the dock. The dwarf wondered how they knew that anyone was arriving today, then gave a mental shrug. The elves were a mysterious race and no man or dwarf would ever be able to understand them. Gimli recognised some of the faces before him, Lord Elrond stood beside a woman he did not recognise and king Thrandiul Legolas's father stood there to, but what caught his eye was an elfin woman standing back from the crowd, her hair was the colour of copper, a colour that he knew to be unusual as most elves that he had meet were mainly blond or dark, her eyes were green and held no particular warmth.

"Son allow others to secure your ship," Thrandiul shouted to them. "You and Gimli must be tired from your journey," Both he and Legolas jumped across the small space to the dock. Thrandiul came forward and embraced his son. "It is good to see you at last,"

"And to see you again," Legolas said to him.

"I trust you left everything well?" He asked his son. Legolas smiled it was obvious that his fathers former kingdom still weighed on his mind.

"Yes father," he replied. He turned and bowed to Lord Elrond and the woman by his side.

"Lord Elrond, Lady Celebrain," Gimli looked at the woman and realised that he should of guessed who she was.

"Prince Legolas," She said softly. " it is good to see you again," she gave a sad smile as Legolas tired to search for the words to tell her that her daughter was gone. "We know of Arwen death,"

"We thank you for keeping your promise to Aragorn, it gave us much comfort to know that you cared for her," Elrond told him softly. Celebrain placed her hand on his arm.

"Now," She told him softly, "It is time for you keep another promise,"

Legolas turned to female elf that Gimli had noticed on their arrival. He took a step towards her and bowed to her. Gimli could feel a tension in the air and wondered what the cause of it was. As Legolas rose he took hold of her hand and raised it to his lips. As he did a conflict of emotions ran across her beautiful face. Then the dwarf noticed that the ring that he had seen so many times during danger was now on her finger. She lifted her hand to her face then abruptly turned and fled. Gimli saw his friend make a move to follow her but Elrond stopped him.

"Allow Celebrain to talk to her," He told him.

"She'll never forgive me," He said softly. Thrandiul came forward and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Give her time my son," Legolas looked up at his father with an anguished face. Elrond made his way to where Gimli stood. He noted the puzzled look on the dwarfs face.

"Who is she?" He asked when Legolas and his father where out of hearing.

"Her name is Miawynn," Elrond replied. Gimli could still see the anguish on his friends face.

"What is she to him?" He asked then added with a defensive tone. "To cause such grief to him,"

"You have to understand Master Gimli," Lord Elrond told him quietly. "Miawynn is his wife," Gimli looked up at Elrond his face clearly surprised.

"He never said to me," He said hurt that his friend had not told him of his marriage. Elrond sighed and looked to where Legolas had gone, Thrandiul was talking to his son, Lady Celebrain had left and followed Miawynn.

"Estel knew, I doubt that Legolas would mind if I told you the story," Elrond looked for somewhere to sit and found a bench further up the dock and motioned for Gimli to follow him. "Miawynn and Legolas met when he was delivering a message to her father. You would have been hard pressed to find to Elves in love as much as they," Elrond looked out to sea his eyes distant. "But Sauron threatened everything that all of us held dear at that time. We all knew that war was coming again and that Sauron may win especially if he managed to regain the ring," His gaze returned to Thrandiul and his son. "Legolas made her leave,"

"Promising her he would join her when it was over?" Gimli said softly. Elrond nodded.

"Aragorn was a good friend to both of them, they both knew that he would be closely involved in the war, that's one of the reasons why he came to the council at Rivendell," Elrond stood. "she was upset when he didn't come with us,"

Thrandiul turned to them.

"Come let us continue the conversations in the great hall," He said. "After all we have much to discuss," Gimli was sure that something seemed to pass between the two elves. Looking at Elrond.

"I have a feeling that something is not right," The dwarf said. Elrond nodded his head to the dwarf.

"Here is not the place to discuss it,"

Miawynn need a quiet place to think. She felt many emotions anger coupled with happiness that he was now with her the anger because he had delayed their reunion. But thinking of Arwen lessened the anger. Miawynn was aware that lady Celebrain had entered the garden.

Lady Celebrain came and sat at Miawynn's side and sighed.

"Anger can be soul destroying Miawynn," She told the younger elf at her side.

"He broke his promise to me," She said softly.

"Yes that is true," she told her. "But his reasons where genuine and honourable,"

"He put them above me," She said anger in her voice. "And now he is here I'm suppose to just forgive him just like that," Again Celebrain sighed.

"do you not think that when he hears what has been going on here that it alone will be punishment enough," Miawynn looked at the older elf. She had not thought of what Legolas would do when he heard about the disappearance of the other elves. Celebrain looked at her and realised that her remark had made an impression on her "I fear that times that are coming may be worse than those that have passed," She stood and turned to leave. "Think well on what I have said," Miawynn watched the older elf leave. With a sigh she lifted her hand and looked at the ring that now adorned her finger it felt good to have it back where it belonged, she smiled and stood and made her way to the great hall she was sure that is where they would have gone.

A hush started as Miawynn entered the room, many stared anxiously at her. With great dignity she made her way through the now parted crowd towards Legolas who was talking with his father and Elrond. Legolas knew that she had entered the room the hush that had descended could have had no other cause, his jaw clenched. He expected harsh words from her, but all he felt was her hand on his shoulder. He turned towards her.

"Welcome husband," She said it softly but Gimli knew that the whole room had heard what she had said. He then saw the cloud that had descended on his friend earlier lift. Legolas pulled Miawynn to him.

My love he whispered to her. Gimli looked around the room and noticed that there was not many dry eyes in the room, even his own checks felt suspiciously wet. The talking returned to the room. Legolas broke his embrace though his arm did not leave her, he turned to Gimli.

"Miawynn this is my friend Gimli," Miawynn turned to the dwarf and smiled at him. That smile rocked him back on his heels.

"It is good to meet such a close friend of my husband," She gave a graceful bow towards the dwarf. Everyone in the hall was so preoccupied with the meeting between the two of them that they did not notice another arrival.

"It is good that such a reunion has come to a happy ending," A musical voice drifted

Across the hall. Gimli looked across and saw again at least part of the reason why he had came, Lady Galadriel made her way towards them. Legolas gave Miawynn's hand a quick squeeze then moved forward with Gimli when reaching her both bowed deeply to her.

"No," She told them gently. "Members of the fellowship bow to no one my friends," Legolas smiled remembering a very similar comment made to a group of hobbits. Lady Galadriel embraced Legolas warmly then turned to the dwarf. "I'm glad master Gimli that you have chosen to accompany Prince Legolas, as I fear that you will both be needed," Legolas looked puzzled at her.

"What do you mean?" Legolas asked puzzled. Elrond and Thrandiul came up to their sides.

"I think this something that needs to be discussed in private," Elrond said. Thrandiul nodded his head in agreement, then led the way to a smaller room.

As Gimli sat in a chair next to friend Miawynn sat on the other side of him her face grave. Legolas looked towards his fathers face and noticed the care worn face and was sure that there was lines on that face that had not been present before.

"What is wrong Ada ?"He asked him. Thrandiul looked at his son and said softly.

"Valar has abandoned us," He said to him.

"Now come now Thrandiul," Elrond protested. "We do not know that for sure,"

"Well what other explanation is there we do not feel their presence," Galadriel looked towards them noting the shock on both Legolas face and on the dwarfs features.

"Mithrandir and Frodo are trying to find out what is going on," She said softly trying to calm the former king of Mirkwood. "could you feel anything in middle earth?" She asked her question straight of Legolas.

" The power of Valar seamed more distant, but we all put it down to the fact that most now lived here," Elrond sighed knowing the distress that his words would bring for the prince.

"It started not long after we arrived," He sighed. "At first we didn't take much note of it not until numbers of elves started to vanish,"

"Vanish how?" Legolas exclaimed. His arm tightened around Miawynn.

"That we do not know," Elrond sighed.

"At times it only takes one from a single house and at others takes the whole family," Thrandiul told them. "No one seems able to stop it,"

"We appealed to Valar but they did not answer us," Galadriel said softly to them.

"Why not send back to middle earth for help?" Legolas asked them. Elrond looked to him.

" You came through a serious storm on your way here?" He asked. Both Legolas and Gimli nodded. "That storm will only allow us one way through it. Believe me we tired to send for help but the storm wrecked the ships that we sent,"

"Mithrandir was sure that some form sorcery was in use," Thrandiul sighed. "But we haven't heard from him for a while,"

"He said that we should all remain here until he returns," Galadriel told them.

"How long has he been gone?" Gimli asked.

"Some months now,"

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First of all I apologise for not up dating sooner , I will explain better when finished,

Thanks to those who reviewed and I hope you will continue.

Alison.