A/N: Well, you're in luck Celtic. I've updated again. :D We've only got two more chapters until the next story!
Chapter 17: Always
Valia sat beside the river, her eyes gazing unseeing. She and Frodo had stayed up most of the night talking, and he wouldn't leave her side even while sleeping. Because she was expected to stay, Lady Galadriel had given her a room in the main "castle." Frodo had stayed with her, and she had left him there when she left early this morning to bathe and think. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply. The air was fresh and clean and wonderfully refreshing. She smiled as she felt arms wrap around her.
"Good morning," Frodo whispered in her ear before kissing the side of her head.
"Yes, it is," Valia agreed, opening her eyes and leaning her head back to look at him.
She felt sad that he would leave her soon, but Frodo had insisted she not dwell on that so they could enjoy the little time they had together in Lothlorien. It was far too beautiful a land to be wasting on sad thoughts.
"Why would Lady Galadriel request you stay behind?" Aragorn asked when Frodo and Valia spoke to him later. "It doesn't seem like her."
"She fears my father may use me against Frodo," Valia explained. "She knows Frodo would give up everything for my safety."
Frodo nodded in agreement. "I would readily give my life for Valia's."
"I believe you would, but I also believe it is the love you hold for each other that has caused the Ring to have such little effect on you, Frodo." Aragorn sighed. "When we are brought before the Lord and Lady once more, we will speak with her."
Frodo and Valia spent the passing weeks together. Haldir, in attempts to help, often spoke of their love for each other to Galadriel in hopes of encouraging her to let Valia go.
"Galadriel will call for us tomorrow," Valia whispered, her head resting on Frodo's chest.
He tenderly kissed her. "We will speak with her then."
She looked up, her eyes clouded in fear. "Tomorrow she will speak of leaving, and you will leave to finish the quest while I remain behind."
"I will not leave without you."
"You will if the Lady insists." She looked away. "And you will forget me."
"Valia, listen to me." He brushed a stray hair away from her face. "I'm not going to leave you. I made a promise to you, and I will keep that promise. I will not abandon you."
She nodded, her eyes shining with tears. "But if you do leave, remember that my heart and soul belong to you, Frodo. They will always belong to you. Always."
A/N: Sap, sap, sap, sap, sap…. Ah, the sappiness of young love.