Daelon stood on the bank of the Anduin River staring at the break in the mountains that led to Minas Morgul. She wondered what it would be like to cross the river and make her way to that dark place. Dreams of the Witch-king had plagued her sleep since she had been sick with the fever from the arrow wound. Would it help to revisit such a place of nightmare?
"Are you all right?" Legolas asked as he came to stand beside her. She looks tired, he thought.
"Yes. Where are the others?" She asked, turning to look. Eowyn, Faramir and the group of girls they had brought to pick flowers were loading their baskets into the little cart and starting to make their way back to the city. It was almost midmorning and there was plenty to be done before the wedding the next day.
Looking back at the dark mountains where Minas Morgul nestled, she sighed heavily and made her way to where she and Legolas' horses were grazing.
Legolas stared at the dark mountains for a moment longer wondering what Daelon had been thinking as she stared across the river. He then turned and joined her; they rode along side the little cart.
"What were you thinking back there?" Legolas asked as they rode along. The girls in the cart chattered, giggled, and every occasionally a delighted squeal rang out.
"I was wondering what it would be like to return to the dark city," Daelon said. She watched his face for any reaction.
"Why would you want to return?" He stared at her. "You were tortured and almost killed there." His emotions made themselves evident in his voice.
"It is not as if there is really any danger there, Sauron is gone. So is the Witch-king." Daelon pointed out.
"Then why return?" Legolas asked. He could see in her eyes what Aragorn probably saw the night she had disappeared from Rivendell she was a restless soul.
"I do not know, I just know I must," she answered, staring down at her hands holding the reins.
"Be careful you do not just seek adventure, Daelon. Your soul is a free one but you must keep it under control or it could get you into trouble." Legolas told her, he did not want her to get hurt. Yet, how would he stop her if she had it in her head she was going to go back?
"I do not seek adventure, Legolas; I seek what is troubling me. I have nightmares haunting me every night; I need to make them stop."
"Your dreams will stop in time..."
Daelon did not finish listening to what Legolas had to say; instead, she spurred her horse into a trot. She caught up to the little cart that had pulled away from them while they talked. Eowyn and the girls smiled at her and held up their handy work as she rode beside them.
"Here, Ranger," One girl, about sixteen, said. She held a crown of white and yellow flowers out to Daelon. Daelon scooted her horse over and leaned down so the girl could put the crown on her head.
"Thank you," Daelon said. Legolas had just ridden up beside her.
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Back at the King's house they were entice into the great hall be the smell of fresh bread. The table was set so that they could grab a bite and continue with the decorating. The girls all grabbed a chunk of hot bread and headed for a corner with Eowyn so that they could continue braiding the flowers together.
"Daelon, grab some food and come help us," Eowyn called. Daelon smiled, grabbed a chunk of bread and moved to sit with the girls and Eowyn. She had not braided flowers since she was just little. She laughed; remembering how Elrond looked when she placed flower crowns upon his dark head.
"What is it?" Eowyn asked smiling at the laugh Daelon had just produced.
"Just a fond memory," Daelon replied.
Aragorn was trying to hang a banner across the hall. Everyone was busy except Legolas who stood watching Daelon.
"Legolas," Aragorn called. He got no response. Picking up a piece of bread he had not yet eaten, he threw it at the elf, hitting him in the back of the head. "A little help, please."
"Sorry, I was..."
"Distracted, yes I saw that," Aragorn replied. He watched the young ranger for a moment also. She sat braiding flowers and laughing with Eowyn and the young girls. He face was the one he remembered seeing at the many festivities Elrond hosted in Rivendell. "Does she have any idea he is here?" Aragorn asked.
"No she has her mind set on going back to Minas Morgul. She would not know he was here unless he walked up to her and tapped her on the shoulder." Legolas said. His anger at the ranger apparent in the last few words he spoke.
"Why would she want to return to Minas Morgul?" Aragorn asked as Legolas climbed up onto a table to help him hang the banner.
"She seems to think she has left something there. I do not know, Aragorn, you know her better than I."
"Perhaps my elf friend it is time you got to know her better yourself."
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Legolas was not the only one watching Daelon; the Rohirrim captain watched also, she intrigued him. Eomer's blood heated up thinking about the ranger. To think he had almost gotten her into his tent that night. It would not have really been fair to go through with it, he thought, knowing the Gondor captain and his ranger second had just gotten into an argument about bedding one another. He would not be the one to reveal that secret to his sister.
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As evening approached the girls went home, their hard work was hanging all around the hall. The hall was ready for Faramir and Eowyn's marriage celebration.
With the hall decorated, the King's house residents decided to dine outside in the cool evening breeze. The kitchen servants had brought out small table to set the food on. The diners would have to sit on the veranda of the house or on the ground.
"You look tired, Daelon. Is something bothering you?" Faramir asked as he strode across the courtyard from looking in on his men
"Why do you not tell him what you want to do, Daelon?" Legolas asked walking up to them with two plates of food.
"What is it you want to do? Legolas sounds as if he does not agree with it." Faramir said. Looking at the young woman he had ridden with on so many dangerous missions, the same young woman he had made love not so very long ago, he knew she had something rash and completely like her in mind.
"I want to go back to Minas Morgul," Daelon, answered.
"What for? Is that not where you were tortured and almost killed? No, you will not return there, that is an order." Faramir's anger made him revert to being the Captain that Daelon had always loved.
"What will you do if I disobey your order?" Daelon asked. She stood to face Faramir. Ah, she is in one of those moods.
"Daelon," a strong commanding voice behind her made her stop. Daelon stared at Faramir for a moment. His eyes told her they had all known about this. She took a deep breath and turned.
"Father," she greeted, she swallowed and looked around at the others. Yes, she could see it on their faces, they had known.
"I thought you were going to sail for the Undying lands," Daelon said. She glanced to where Arwen and Aragorn stood. He deep green eyes met the paler ones of Aragorn. His smirk told her he was the reason Elrond was there.
"I am going to. There was unfinished business to attend to before I departed. When I received Estel's message I knew I must come and see for myself that you were alive and well." Elrond said.
"I have missed you," he said, stepping closer to the young woman.
"I have missed you also...Father." Daelon paused. "I never meant to hurt you," she continued, a tear rolled down her cheek.
"There is something I must tell you," Elrond said. "Let us walk." He held his arm out for her to take. They walked toward the citadel and then out to the point overlooking the fields. They stood for a long time looking out across the expanse.
"...So much I could not do for you through the dreams," Elrond spoke, so quietly Daelon barely heard him.
"It was you in my dreams?" She looked into his dark eyes, seeing the truth there; he had actually come to her in her dreams while she was captive. Daelon had dreamt that Elrond would come and take her away from the searing, hot pain of the torture. She had known it was not real but she did not realize that Elrond had really been there in spirit. He had felt everything she had.
"I could not leave a child of mine in that hell alone," Elrond said. He had been there after every beating, after every cut. After the morgul wounds had been afflicted, he was with her in the dreams for days it seemed, holding her, soothing her, in the cool, blue light.
"If it had not been for you, I might have given up," Daelon said.
"I do not believe you would have, not with your spirit," Elrond told her. He turned away from her staring once again out across the empty fields.
"Daelon, do you realize you are part elf?" Elrond asked, still looking out across the dark plains."I have heard comments," Daelon said staring at the elf. He finally looked at her, his dark eyes so sad it seemed.
"I am your father, Daelon," Elrond said.
"You, are my father?" Daelon asked. Tears stood in her eyes.
"Yes child, I am. I wanted to tell you for so long. I could not bring myself to do it. I made a fool of myself with your mother. I chased her away. By the time she came back to me, she was near to having you and she was hurt. She died giving you life. No one knew of us. She did not want anyone to know, she did not want the role of Lady." Elrond paused and drew Daelon into an embrace. She had never seen him show this much emotion.
"What is this now that I hear from Aragorn? You and Prince Legolas are lovers?" Elrond asked.
"Aragorn is stretching it a bit, Father. Legolas and I are falling for one another I think. So far, all we have been able to do is catch a kiss here and there. We have had no time to be alone." As Daelon told her father this, her face flushed hot.
"If love him, you must take things into your own hands and make time to be with him. That is how you came to be." Elrond kissed the top of her head and they walked back to the King's house.
Legolas waited for Daelon to return, he wanted to be sure she was all right. He sat on the steps alone, the others having gone inside. Elrond hugged his young daughter once again then moved up the steps into the King's house. Daelon watched him go.
"Gimli said he knew you had elven blood. He did not however expect it to be Lord Elrond," Legolas said.
"Nor did I," Daelon said.
"Shall we join the others?" Legolas asked. Daelon stared at him, looking him over. Shaking her head, she stepped up close to him, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
"Stay with me tonight, Legolas," she whispered into his ear. She stepped back, looking at him.
Legolas cleared his throat and swallowed. Her soft, dark, green eyes stared into the depths of his soul. He had been waiting for this moment since their first kiss.
"Are you certain?" he asked.
"I would not have said it if I was not." Daelon said, turning. She made her way up the steps disappearing into the building.
Legolas stood there catching his breath this had been unexpected. He made his way up the steps and into the hall. He looked to the table where the others were sitting, Daelon was not there, and then he glanced up the stairs to where their rooms were. He took those steps two at time.
Daelon leaned against the door to her room; he strode up to her, took her in his arms and kissed her. Daelon reached behind her and unlatched the door. As it swung open Legolas moved them both through the door and pushed it shut with a little kick from his boot.