Here's another much longer chapter! And I'm not trying to bribe you...much.
Note: I am NO expert on Sindarin. Legolas calls Buffy "dagnir nîn" because it's my best guess at the Sindarin for "My Slayer". Buffy calls Legolas "My Pest" and Legolas calls Buffy "My Slayer". I am deeply sorry if that is wrong and I am offending any language scholars.
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Chapter Seventeen
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Buffy leaned against the balcony and glared over the dark forest. This was too much. She couldn't deal with this crap right now. Why did this have to happen now?
"Buffy?"
She flinched. Hearing him speak her name was both pleasure and pain. Why couldn't he leave her alone? Everything inside her was all messed up right now.
"I - I am sorry, dagnir nîn. I should have told you sooner." He paused. "I was...afraid. I did not wish to push you away."
Tears stung Buffy's eyes and she shook her head. She did not turn to face him. She just couldn't right now. "I'm not mad about that, Legolas. I get the afraid part. I just..." Her voice trailed away as she fought to control her emotions. After a few tense moments of silence, she cleared her throat and tried again. "This soul-thing is permanent? We'll be bonded like this forever?"
"Yes."
"And you said it grows stronger with time?"
She heard his sigh. "The bond grows stronger as we grow closer, Buffy."
"And if we don't? If we end this now?" Her heart ached at the thought.
There was a long pause and Buffy felt fear rise within her. Then she realized with a stunned kind of wonder that the emotion was not her own. She winced. She was hurting him and she couldn't stand it.
"The bond will still exist. It cannot be completely broken."
He sounded so low - so beaten. Buffy couldn't stand it. She just couldn't... "I have to...I have to go right now." She spun around. She tried to meet his eyes, but couldn't. She stared over his shoulder instead. "I need to be alone right now, Legolas. I have to think. I...I'm sorry." She hurried for the path down from the talan, but stopped herself at the edge. "I'll be back."
His voice was carefully neutral. "I'll be waiting."
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She didn't know where she was until she saw it.
The Mirror - Galadriel's Mirror...
Buffy sighed and approached the round basin. Would it hold the answers she needed? Did she even want to know anyway?
"A common concern."
The slayer jerked and turned to face the owner of the voice. Galadriel was beautiful - as always - and a serene smile curved her lips. Buffy felt anything but serene. Still, she held her temper in check. She was almost certain this wasn't Galadriel's fault. "I'm sorry to disturb you. I didn't know where I was heading."
"Worry not." Galadriel's voice soothed. "I felt your turmoil, Arato, and led your here."
Buffy didn't understand. "Why?"
The Lady walked forward to stand beside her. "Because I would help you if it is within my power to do so. Much peace have you and your sisters brought to my heart, Arato, and I would gladly return the favor."
"What peace?" Buffy questioned.
Galadriel smiled again. She lifted one hand to lightly stroke a strand of hair away from the slayer's face. Buffy found that she could not look away. The Lady's eyes were ancient and so blue - so knowing and loving and at peace. What wouldn't she give to know that peace?
"All comes in time."
Buffy pulled her eyes away and looked back down at the empty Mirror. "What peace?"
"Peace born of hope." Galadriel answered. "Your knowledge brings us hope. The Light can prevail."
And Buffy understood. "You read my mind - my knowledge of how the War can end."
Galadriel tilted her head in confirmation. "And the burden on my heart is now lightened."
Buffy sighed. "Well, I'm glad it makes you feel better, but it's far from a done deal. Gandalf said things can change. My sisters and I are evidence of that. We're changing little things left and right. We're trying to keep as close to the path as possible, but we're not perfect."
"And none ask it of you." Galadriel assured her. "The War has only begun and I am aware of this. Yet peace I have still, for you bring a flame of hope where there was little. It can be done and my heart rejoices with the knowledge."
Buffy nodded. Holding on desperately to that last spark of hope she could certainly understand.
"Yet your heart is troubled still, Arato. Lighten this load - share it with me."
Smirking Buffy looked up briefly to catch those powerful eyes. "What? You can't just read my mind again?" Galadriel's smile was answer enough. Buffy sighed. "I - I suppose you know that Legolas and I have this soul bond thing?"
"It did not escape my notice."
"Then you know my problem." Buffy frowned hard as she looked out into the surrounding forest. "I don't think I can do this love thing again, okay? It just doesn't work for me."
"The soul bond is a gift from the Valar." Galadriel told her gently.
Buffy felt her eyes sting as she turned to glare at the beautiful elleth. "Then have them take it back! I can't do this, Galadriel. I SUCK at love. Give me a big bad, a battle, a war and I'm your girl - but don't make me love again. The Powers cannot do this to me! They have to take it back." Tears escaped to trail down her cheeks. "I won't survive it. I can't."
The Lady reached out and wiped away the slayer's tears. "Why?"
"Because they always leave." Buffy hated that her voice sounded so small, so lost, but she couldn't find the strength to change it. "Everything starts out great and then they can't handle it - they can't handle ME - and they leave. I can't go through that again. It'll break me and they'll be nothing left."
Galadriel's eyes were sad and understanding. "Much pain have you suffered at the hands of fate, Arato - so much more than you should have been forced to endure. You have born it as few could and you have gone on ever stronger than before." She paused and smiled. "Yet now your time of pain and loss are coming to an end. Fate owns you no longer. Your future is your own and it is bright with peace and love. Do not reject them when they are given."
Buffy's heart lightened at the words, but the old pain and betrayal ran deep. She laughed and the sound was bitter. "I've heard of happily-ever-afters before, Galadriel, but they're not meant for me. The Powers will never allow it. I am their tool and they will do with me what they will." She turned away. "Tell them they can take their Gift back. The Slayer doesn't want or need it."
"You misunderstand me, Arato. This gift is from the Valar...not the Powers."
Now she was lost. Buffy turned back around. "Huh?"
Galadriel smiled. "They are not one and the same. The Powers, as you call them, are the Voices - the guardians - of your former realm. The Valar are the guardians of your new realm. When Ilúvatar, in all his wisdom, created the realms he created with each a distinct set of guardians. These guardians owe no loyalty to each other. They answer only to the One, Ilúvatar. Where once you were child of the Powers, now you are child of the Valar. The two are quite different."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Oh. So now I've got new bosses. Oh goody."
The Lady's gaze turned firm. "Do not lightly dismiss the Valar or judge them with the actions of the Powers. The Valar take care of their children, Arato. You are not only tool in their eyes. The soul bond is evidence of this. Only those greatly honored by the Valar receive such a bond."
Buffy fought tears again and looked down at her feet. "It won't work, Galadriel. They can try, but it just won't work with me. The men I love always leave me. Legolas will too."
Galadriel's smile returned. "Ah, but Legolas is no man." Buffy smiled at the teasing. The elleth grew serious once more. "Think you that the Powers had no hand in this familiar outcome, Arato?"
The slayer's eyes widened. "What?"
The Lady sighed. Her eyes glowed and it was as if she watched something far away. "Neither your lovers, nor yourself, stand blameless in these matters, but the path was ever set against you. The Slayer was not meant to be attached. Love, contentment, peace - these were not Gifts allotted to the Slayer during life. Only through death were they achieved. The Slayer was to stand alone." Galadriel seemed to come back to the present and met Buffy's eyes again. "Time and again you refused this path, Arato, and in doing so you gained both their respect and their wrath. Your lovers were strong, but not strong enough to withstand the odds set against them."
Helpless rage flooded through Buffy as the truth was revealed. She'd never stood a chance. All of it - all of the fighting and pain for love - it was for nothing. They'd never intended to allow her happiness.
The slayer jerked as Galadriel's hand rested lightly on her cheek again. Buffy felt soothing calm pour from the touch. The Lady's eyes were a swirling mixture of sad understanding and hope. "But you are theirs no longer. They no longer hold you in their sway. You are child of the Valar. Here you are respected and loved. Here you begin anew."
A new hope began to awaken within Buffy, but the shadow on her heart could not be completely erased. "It doesn't make it right - what the Powers did - nothing will ever make that right."
"True," now Galadriel's eyes turned mischievous, "but you did defeat them in the end."
Buffy's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What?"
Galadriel's smile was radiant. "You and Tasere and your Scooby Gang - your spell? You awakened all of the slayers, Arato, and irrevocably destroyed all the plans they set down since the beginning. They must now start anew as well. Never again will the Slayer be forced to fight alone." She stroked Buffy's cheek. "This you have done. This is your legacy."
And the Slayer found herself grinning despite herself. "Wicked."
Galadriel smiled back. "Quite."
Buffy stepped away from the Lady's soothing touch and frowned again. "This actually getting information from the Bosses instead of bumbling my way through without a clue? This is cool and all, Galadriel, but it doesn't solve my original problem. Legolas and I do have a soul bond and he will leave me anyway." She shrugged. "For Valinor if nothing else."
Buffy could almost swear the regal powerful elleth rolled her eyes in frustration, but that couldn't be, right?
"Arato do you assume to foresee Legolas' future or do you hold still to the doubts and loss of your past?"
Buffy shrugged. "Okay, I might still have some relationship issues, but the Valinor thing is pretty much a given. He has to go eventually. THAT was part of the written."
Galadriel lifted one perfectly arched brow. "Is it? If it comes to that, I suppose we shall see. But why do you believe that it would?"
The slayer was back to confused. "What do you mean? How could it not? I can't exactly go with him. Humans aren't allowed on Valinor, Galadriel."
Now the beautiful elleth was definitely smirking. "And are you human, Arato?"
Buffy's eyes widened. "You mean..."
"I can say no more." The Lady cut her off. "The future has yet to truly unfold even for me. We must travel our current path to its conclusion before looking to the next."
The slayer nodded. "I understand."
Galadriel's eyes twinkled. "Yes, I would imagine you do."
The slayer and the Lady stood in a thoughtful silence for several minutes. At length the Lady walked forward to stand beside her mirror. She picked up a silver pitcher full of water and poured it into the empty basin. Then she looked once again at the slayer.
Buffy frowned. "Are you going to make me look into that?"
Galadriel laughed and it was a sound so beautiful that the slayer shivered. "No, Arato, that task is not for you."
Buffy gave a sigh of relief. "Good. I could so do without seeing a big fiery eyeball tonight."
The beautiful elleth shook her head. "Your past and present are no mystery to you, Arato, and you now know more than you should of your future. Tonight the Mirror serves another purpose." She moved slightly to the side. "Step forward please."
Still frowning suspiciously at the powerful elleth, Buffy walked forward to stand beside the Mirror. She knew she could trust Galadriel, which was a new concept for Buffy, but she didn't look forward to any more surprises tonight.
"Close your eyes."
Buffy did as she was told.
"Now lower your hands into the water."
The slayer hesitated. "But...you told Frodo not to touch it."
Another sigh - definitely frustrated this time. "Arato..."
"Okay, okay," Buffy muttered and slowly lowered her hands. The water was cool, but not unpleasant. Buffy frowned. What was the point of this again? Then she felt it. She just knew. Sliding her hands further under the water, Buffy gripped the object calling to her. Even with closed eyes, she knew what it was. It wasn't possible for a few reasons. It was somewhere else, it was needed in that somewhere else, and unless her eyes were off before then it wouldn't fit in that basin. Yet she knew it was here, it was in her hands, and it belonged to her.
"Pull it out, Buffy."
Hearing her real name gave Buffy a jolt and she pulled the object out of the water. She was afraid to open her eyes - afraid it wouldn't be real.
"Fear not." Galadriel reassured her. "It is also a gift."
Finally, Buffy forced herself to open her eyes. It was still there. A true smile curved the slayer's lips. The scythe - her weapon. "Now this is my kind of gift."
Galadriel's smile was teasing. "Are you certain you do not wish to give it back?"
Buffy hugged the mystical weapon to her chest. "Mine."
The beautiful sound of Galadriel's laugh filled the air again. "Very well."
Giving in to her instincts, Buffy stepped away into a clear space and swung the scythe in a series of familiar perfectly executed moves. She reveled in the power, the rightness, of the weapon. None other would ever feel the same in her hands. And it was hers. The scythe was an extension of herself and she could feel its call.
Galadriel watched the slayer with an indulgent smile. Then her eyes flickered to something in the shadows. The smile grew. Moving silently, the beautiful elleth turned to leave. She had taken only a few steps when the singing of the scythe faded and the slayer's voice rang out again. "So, how's the whole soul bond thing working out for you, Galadriel?"
The Lady laughed again before she answered. "I have no complaints, Buffy."
The slayer smirked. "Cool." Leaving the elleth to finish her exit, Buffy turned her attention back to her favorite gift ever.
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Buffy sighed as she finished running through a kata with her scythe. She reached up and wiped a thin layer of sweat from her brow. Then she smirked and looked out into the shadows. "You can come out anytime now. I almost promise I won't slice and dice you."
Her soulmate - her Pest - walked silently out to join her. He tilted his head in greeting. "I felt your distress earlier. I know I promised to wait..."
Buffy waved his words away. "It's cool. I would've done the same thing and I know I had to be sending out some majorly wigged vibes. Galadriel had quite a few little revelations for me." She frowned at the scythe. "Really makes me wish I could take this baby after the Powers, but..." she shrugged, "I'm mostly over it."
"I am glad." She tried to met his gaze, but he looked away. "I will give you your privacy." He turned to leave.
"Legolas, wait." He stopped. Buffy walked around to face him. He still avoided her gaze. "I'm sorry I freaked on your earlier and I'm sorry I hurt you. I just - I have uber-relationship issues. I'm like a walking relationship disaster. I've been hurt a lot in the past and if something happened and we didn't work...I don't know what that would do to me." She took a deep breath. "I'm scared and I never do scared well. I either run away or turn psychotically bossy." She snorted dryly. "You're lucky I didn't order you to do push ups."
Legolas reached out and lifted her chin gently with his finger. Their eyes met and Buffy gasped at the depth of love she saw shining there. "I will never hurt you."
Buffy smiled softly. "Yes you will." Legolas looked confused. "You will hurt me, Legolas, and I'll hurt you. That's a part of being in love. It hurts sometimes." She paused thoughtfully, then her smile widened and her eyes glowed. "And if we're going to give this thing a go then you have to accept that. Love hurts so bad you think you can't stand it. Love feels so good you think you can't stand it. It's horrible and wonderful. It's hard and gentle. It's a curse and a gift. Love is everything and yet sometimes it isn't enough." Buffy sighed. She thought back over her past, her relationships and loves, and finally accepted that she could let them go and start again. "One thing I can promise is that love with me will almost never be easy, Pest. Our love is going be a ride - and...and I think I'm ready for it."
Her Prince leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips. "As am I."
"Hmm..." Buffy savored his taste and the duel emotions pouring through their bond at the connection. This she could definitely get used to. She wrapped her free hand around his neck and pulled him deeper into the kiss.
Eventually the weight in her other hand caught her attention and she pulled back. "Oh!" She stepped away from Legolas and then proudly held up her Gift. "Look! It's the scythe. They gave me the scythe!"
He smiled and nodded. "I saw. I watched your practice. You are beautiful, Buffy."
She beamed a happy smile at him, but her attention could not be swayed. She twisted the scythe in her hands. "I REALLY missed this baby. This is a mystical weapon that was created for the Slayer line. This baby is SO mine." Legolas nodded and tried to look interested but his thoughts did not revolve around weapons at the moment. Buffy wasn't fooled. She shot him a mock-glare. "Just pretend it's your longbow, okay? This is my longbow - my very special favorite longbow."
"Of course." Legolas agreed.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Fine. Ruin my moment." She found herself fighting a yawn and frowned. She hadn't realized it was THAT late. She looked back up to meet her Pest's eyes. "You ready for bed?" Now he shot her a huge grin. Buffy snorted. Typical. She strutted off toward the exit of the private glade and left Legolas to follow. Then she threw a mischievous grin over her shoulder. "I'm sure Haldir will like my scythe. I'll have to show it to him tomorrow."
Legolas felt much more aware and secure in their bond now. He read the teasing mischief in his slayer's intent. Still, there was no need to take chances. "I'm sure he will appreciate its beauty while he watches you spar with me."
Buffy continued to grin. "We'll see. I have to have a partner who can keep up with me, Pest. I mean, you're pretty enough, but can you really cut it when it counts?"
"You have yet to complain." He purred.
Buffy snickered. "Why Legolas, Pointy Eared Prince of Mirkwood, I do believe you have a dirty mind. There may be hope for you yet."
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End of Chapter Seventeen!
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Well? Am I forgiven? Did you like? PLEASE?
Hope to hear from you soon,
Ring Red
Note: I am NO expert on Sindarin. Legolas calls Buffy "dagnir nîn" because it's my best guess at the Sindarin for "My Slayer". Buffy calls Legolas "My Pest" and Legolas calls Buffy "My Slayer". I am deeply sorry if that is wrong and I am offending any language scholars.
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Chapter Seventeen
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Buffy leaned against the balcony and glared over the dark forest. This was too much. She couldn't deal with this crap right now. Why did this have to happen now?
"Buffy?"
She flinched. Hearing him speak her name was both pleasure and pain. Why couldn't he leave her alone? Everything inside her was all messed up right now.
"I - I am sorry, dagnir nîn. I should have told you sooner." He paused. "I was...afraid. I did not wish to push you away."
Tears stung Buffy's eyes and she shook her head. She did not turn to face him. She just couldn't right now. "I'm not mad about that, Legolas. I get the afraid part. I just..." Her voice trailed away as she fought to control her emotions. After a few tense moments of silence, she cleared her throat and tried again. "This soul-thing is permanent? We'll be bonded like this forever?"
"Yes."
"And you said it grows stronger with time?"
She heard his sigh. "The bond grows stronger as we grow closer, Buffy."
"And if we don't? If we end this now?" Her heart ached at the thought.
There was a long pause and Buffy felt fear rise within her. Then she realized with a stunned kind of wonder that the emotion was not her own. She winced. She was hurting him and she couldn't stand it.
"The bond will still exist. It cannot be completely broken."
He sounded so low - so beaten. Buffy couldn't stand it. She just couldn't... "I have to...I have to go right now." She spun around. She tried to meet his eyes, but couldn't. She stared over his shoulder instead. "I need to be alone right now, Legolas. I have to think. I...I'm sorry." She hurried for the path down from the talan, but stopped herself at the edge. "I'll be back."
His voice was carefully neutral. "I'll be waiting."
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She didn't know where she was until she saw it.
The Mirror - Galadriel's Mirror...
Buffy sighed and approached the round basin. Would it hold the answers she needed? Did she even want to know anyway?
"A common concern."
The slayer jerked and turned to face the owner of the voice. Galadriel was beautiful - as always - and a serene smile curved her lips. Buffy felt anything but serene. Still, she held her temper in check. She was almost certain this wasn't Galadriel's fault. "I'm sorry to disturb you. I didn't know where I was heading."
"Worry not." Galadriel's voice soothed. "I felt your turmoil, Arato, and led your here."
Buffy didn't understand. "Why?"
The Lady walked forward to stand beside her. "Because I would help you if it is within my power to do so. Much peace have you and your sisters brought to my heart, Arato, and I would gladly return the favor."
"What peace?" Buffy questioned.
Galadriel smiled again. She lifted one hand to lightly stroke a strand of hair away from the slayer's face. Buffy found that she could not look away. The Lady's eyes were ancient and so blue - so knowing and loving and at peace. What wouldn't she give to know that peace?
"All comes in time."
Buffy pulled her eyes away and looked back down at the empty Mirror. "What peace?"
"Peace born of hope." Galadriel answered. "Your knowledge brings us hope. The Light can prevail."
And Buffy understood. "You read my mind - my knowledge of how the War can end."
Galadriel tilted her head in confirmation. "And the burden on my heart is now lightened."
Buffy sighed. "Well, I'm glad it makes you feel better, but it's far from a done deal. Gandalf said things can change. My sisters and I are evidence of that. We're changing little things left and right. We're trying to keep as close to the path as possible, but we're not perfect."
"And none ask it of you." Galadriel assured her. "The War has only begun and I am aware of this. Yet peace I have still, for you bring a flame of hope where there was little. It can be done and my heart rejoices with the knowledge."
Buffy nodded. Holding on desperately to that last spark of hope she could certainly understand.
"Yet your heart is troubled still, Arato. Lighten this load - share it with me."
Smirking Buffy looked up briefly to catch those powerful eyes. "What? You can't just read my mind again?" Galadriel's smile was answer enough. Buffy sighed. "I - I suppose you know that Legolas and I have this soul bond thing?"
"It did not escape my notice."
"Then you know my problem." Buffy frowned hard as she looked out into the surrounding forest. "I don't think I can do this love thing again, okay? It just doesn't work for me."
"The soul bond is a gift from the Valar." Galadriel told her gently.
Buffy felt her eyes sting as she turned to glare at the beautiful elleth. "Then have them take it back! I can't do this, Galadriel. I SUCK at love. Give me a big bad, a battle, a war and I'm your girl - but don't make me love again. The Powers cannot do this to me! They have to take it back." Tears escaped to trail down her cheeks. "I won't survive it. I can't."
The Lady reached out and wiped away the slayer's tears. "Why?"
"Because they always leave." Buffy hated that her voice sounded so small, so lost, but she couldn't find the strength to change it. "Everything starts out great and then they can't handle it - they can't handle ME - and they leave. I can't go through that again. It'll break me and they'll be nothing left."
Galadriel's eyes were sad and understanding. "Much pain have you suffered at the hands of fate, Arato - so much more than you should have been forced to endure. You have born it as few could and you have gone on ever stronger than before." She paused and smiled. "Yet now your time of pain and loss are coming to an end. Fate owns you no longer. Your future is your own and it is bright with peace and love. Do not reject them when they are given."
Buffy's heart lightened at the words, but the old pain and betrayal ran deep. She laughed and the sound was bitter. "I've heard of happily-ever-afters before, Galadriel, but they're not meant for me. The Powers will never allow it. I am their tool and they will do with me what they will." She turned away. "Tell them they can take their Gift back. The Slayer doesn't want or need it."
"You misunderstand me, Arato. This gift is from the Valar...not the Powers."
Now she was lost. Buffy turned back around. "Huh?"
Galadriel smiled. "They are not one and the same. The Powers, as you call them, are the Voices - the guardians - of your former realm. The Valar are the guardians of your new realm. When Ilúvatar, in all his wisdom, created the realms he created with each a distinct set of guardians. These guardians owe no loyalty to each other. They answer only to the One, Ilúvatar. Where once you were child of the Powers, now you are child of the Valar. The two are quite different."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Oh. So now I've got new bosses. Oh goody."
The Lady's gaze turned firm. "Do not lightly dismiss the Valar or judge them with the actions of the Powers. The Valar take care of their children, Arato. You are not only tool in their eyes. The soul bond is evidence of this. Only those greatly honored by the Valar receive such a bond."
Buffy fought tears again and looked down at her feet. "It won't work, Galadriel. They can try, but it just won't work with me. The men I love always leave me. Legolas will too."
Galadriel's smile returned. "Ah, but Legolas is no man." Buffy smiled at the teasing. The elleth grew serious once more. "Think you that the Powers had no hand in this familiar outcome, Arato?"
The slayer's eyes widened. "What?"
The Lady sighed. Her eyes glowed and it was as if she watched something far away. "Neither your lovers, nor yourself, stand blameless in these matters, but the path was ever set against you. The Slayer was not meant to be attached. Love, contentment, peace - these were not Gifts allotted to the Slayer during life. Only through death were they achieved. The Slayer was to stand alone." Galadriel seemed to come back to the present and met Buffy's eyes again. "Time and again you refused this path, Arato, and in doing so you gained both their respect and their wrath. Your lovers were strong, but not strong enough to withstand the odds set against them."
Helpless rage flooded through Buffy as the truth was revealed. She'd never stood a chance. All of it - all of the fighting and pain for love - it was for nothing. They'd never intended to allow her happiness.
The slayer jerked as Galadriel's hand rested lightly on her cheek again. Buffy felt soothing calm pour from the touch. The Lady's eyes were a swirling mixture of sad understanding and hope. "But you are theirs no longer. They no longer hold you in their sway. You are child of the Valar. Here you are respected and loved. Here you begin anew."
A new hope began to awaken within Buffy, but the shadow on her heart could not be completely erased. "It doesn't make it right - what the Powers did - nothing will ever make that right."
"True," now Galadriel's eyes turned mischievous, "but you did defeat them in the end."
Buffy's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What?"
Galadriel's smile was radiant. "You and Tasere and your Scooby Gang - your spell? You awakened all of the slayers, Arato, and irrevocably destroyed all the plans they set down since the beginning. They must now start anew as well. Never again will the Slayer be forced to fight alone." She stroked Buffy's cheek. "This you have done. This is your legacy."
And the Slayer found herself grinning despite herself. "Wicked."
Galadriel smiled back. "Quite."
Buffy stepped away from the Lady's soothing touch and frowned again. "This actually getting information from the Bosses instead of bumbling my way through without a clue? This is cool and all, Galadriel, but it doesn't solve my original problem. Legolas and I do have a soul bond and he will leave me anyway." She shrugged. "For Valinor if nothing else."
Buffy could almost swear the regal powerful elleth rolled her eyes in frustration, but that couldn't be, right?
"Arato do you assume to foresee Legolas' future or do you hold still to the doubts and loss of your past?"
Buffy shrugged. "Okay, I might still have some relationship issues, but the Valinor thing is pretty much a given. He has to go eventually. THAT was part of the written."
Galadriel lifted one perfectly arched brow. "Is it? If it comes to that, I suppose we shall see. But why do you believe that it would?"
The slayer was back to confused. "What do you mean? How could it not? I can't exactly go with him. Humans aren't allowed on Valinor, Galadriel."
Now the beautiful elleth was definitely smirking. "And are you human, Arato?"
Buffy's eyes widened. "You mean..."
"I can say no more." The Lady cut her off. "The future has yet to truly unfold even for me. We must travel our current path to its conclusion before looking to the next."
The slayer nodded. "I understand."
Galadriel's eyes twinkled. "Yes, I would imagine you do."
The slayer and the Lady stood in a thoughtful silence for several minutes. At length the Lady walked forward to stand beside her mirror. She picked up a silver pitcher full of water and poured it into the empty basin. Then she looked once again at the slayer.
Buffy frowned. "Are you going to make me look into that?"
Galadriel laughed and it was a sound so beautiful that the slayer shivered. "No, Arato, that task is not for you."
Buffy gave a sigh of relief. "Good. I could so do without seeing a big fiery eyeball tonight."
The beautiful elleth shook her head. "Your past and present are no mystery to you, Arato, and you now know more than you should of your future. Tonight the Mirror serves another purpose." She moved slightly to the side. "Step forward please."
Still frowning suspiciously at the powerful elleth, Buffy walked forward to stand beside the Mirror. She knew she could trust Galadriel, which was a new concept for Buffy, but she didn't look forward to any more surprises tonight.
"Close your eyes."
Buffy did as she was told.
"Now lower your hands into the water."
The slayer hesitated. "But...you told Frodo not to touch it."
Another sigh - definitely frustrated this time. "Arato..."
"Okay, okay," Buffy muttered and slowly lowered her hands. The water was cool, but not unpleasant. Buffy frowned. What was the point of this again? Then she felt it. She just knew. Sliding her hands further under the water, Buffy gripped the object calling to her. Even with closed eyes, she knew what it was. It wasn't possible for a few reasons. It was somewhere else, it was needed in that somewhere else, and unless her eyes were off before then it wouldn't fit in that basin. Yet she knew it was here, it was in her hands, and it belonged to her.
"Pull it out, Buffy."
Hearing her real name gave Buffy a jolt and she pulled the object out of the water. She was afraid to open her eyes - afraid it wouldn't be real.
"Fear not." Galadriel reassured her. "It is also a gift."
Finally, Buffy forced herself to open her eyes. It was still there. A true smile curved the slayer's lips. The scythe - her weapon. "Now this is my kind of gift."
Galadriel's smile was teasing. "Are you certain you do not wish to give it back?"
Buffy hugged the mystical weapon to her chest. "Mine."
The beautiful sound of Galadriel's laugh filled the air again. "Very well."
Giving in to her instincts, Buffy stepped away into a clear space and swung the scythe in a series of familiar perfectly executed moves. She reveled in the power, the rightness, of the weapon. None other would ever feel the same in her hands. And it was hers. The scythe was an extension of herself and she could feel its call.
Galadriel watched the slayer with an indulgent smile. Then her eyes flickered to something in the shadows. The smile grew. Moving silently, the beautiful elleth turned to leave. She had taken only a few steps when the singing of the scythe faded and the slayer's voice rang out again. "So, how's the whole soul bond thing working out for you, Galadriel?"
The Lady laughed again before she answered. "I have no complaints, Buffy."
The slayer smirked. "Cool." Leaving the elleth to finish her exit, Buffy turned her attention back to her favorite gift ever.
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Buffy sighed as she finished running through a kata with her scythe. She reached up and wiped a thin layer of sweat from her brow. Then she smirked and looked out into the shadows. "You can come out anytime now. I almost promise I won't slice and dice you."
Her soulmate - her Pest - walked silently out to join her. He tilted his head in greeting. "I felt your distress earlier. I know I promised to wait..."
Buffy waved his words away. "It's cool. I would've done the same thing and I know I had to be sending out some majorly wigged vibes. Galadriel had quite a few little revelations for me." She frowned at the scythe. "Really makes me wish I could take this baby after the Powers, but..." she shrugged, "I'm mostly over it."
"I am glad." She tried to met his gaze, but he looked away. "I will give you your privacy." He turned to leave.
"Legolas, wait." He stopped. Buffy walked around to face him. He still avoided her gaze. "I'm sorry I freaked on your earlier and I'm sorry I hurt you. I just - I have uber-relationship issues. I'm like a walking relationship disaster. I've been hurt a lot in the past and if something happened and we didn't work...I don't know what that would do to me." She took a deep breath. "I'm scared and I never do scared well. I either run away or turn psychotically bossy." She snorted dryly. "You're lucky I didn't order you to do push ups."
Legolas reached out and lifted her chin gently with his finger. Their eyes met and Buffy gasped at the depth of love she saw shining there. "I will never hurt you."
Buffy smiled softly. "Yes you will." Legolas looked confused. "You will hurt me, Legolas, and I'll hurt you. That's a part of being in love. It hurts sometimes." She paused thoughtfully, then her smile widened and her eyes glowed. "And if we're going to give this thing a go then you have to accept that. Love hurts so bad you think you can't stand it. Love feels so good you think you can't stand it. It's horrible and wonderful. It's hard and gentle. It's a curse and a gift. Love is everything and yet sometimes it isn't enough." Buffy sighed. She thought back over her past, her relationships and loves, and finally accepted that she could let them go and start again. "One thing I can promise is that love with me will almost never be easy, Pest. Our love is going be a ride - and...and I think I'm ready for it."
Her Prince leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips. "As am I."
"Hmm..." Buffy savored his taste and the duel emotions pouring through their bond at the connection. This she could definitely get used to. She wrapped her free hand around his neck and pulled him deeper into the kiss.
Eventually the weight in her other hand caught her attention and she pulled back. "Oh!" She stepped away from Legolas and then proudly held up her Gift. "Look! It's the scythe. They gave me the scythe!"
He smiled and nodded. "I saw. I watched your practice. You are beautiful, Buffy."
She beamed a happy smile at him, but her attention could not be swayed. She twisted the scythe in her hands. "I REALLY missed this baby. This is a mystical weapon that was created for the Slayer line. This baby is SO mine." Legolas nodded and tried to look interested but his thoughts did not revolve around weapons at the moment. Buffy wasn't fooled. She shot him a mock-glare. "Just pretend it's your longbow, okay? This is my longbow - my very special favorite longbow."
"Of course." Legolas agreed.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Fine. Ruin my moment." She found herself fighting a yawn and frowned. She hadn't realized it was THAT late. She looked back up to meet her Pest's eyes. "You ready for bed?" Now he shot her a huge grin. Buffy snorted. Typical. She strutted off toward the exit of the private glade and left Legolas to follow. Then she threw a mischievous grin over her shoulder. "I'm sure Haldir will like my scythe. I'll have to show it to him tomorrow."
Legolas felt much more aware and secure in their bond now. He read the teasing mischief in his slayer's intent. Still, there was no need to take chances. "I'm sure he will appreciate its beauty while he watches you spar with me."
Buffy continued to grin. "We'll see. I have to have a partner who can keep up with me, Pest. I mean, you're pretty enough, but can you really cut it when it counts?"
"You have yet to complain." He purred.
Buffy snickered. "Why Legolas, Pointy Eared Prince of Mirkwood, I do believe you have a dirty mind. There may be hope for you yet."
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End of Chapter Seventeen!
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Well? Am I forgiven? Did you like? PLEASE?
Hope to hear from you soon,
Ring Red
