Thank you, thank you to all of you who are reading and reviewing this story. I hope the affects of the Silmaril are not too confusing for anyone. My idea is that the Silmaril in itself is not evil. It is the Sons of Feanor whose spirits cannot move on to the Halls of Mandos as they are obsessed with the Silmaril in death as they were in life. Their spirits are tied to the Silmaril, so to speak. Hope that helps clear that up.

Haunted Desire

"Are you ready for this?" Eldarion asked as he put his shoulder down for Elfwine to brace himself on.

"More than ready," Elfwine replied as he put his hand on Eldarion's shoulder and pulled himself to a painful standing position. "I will not be left behind on a day such as this."

Mendir stood on his opposite side and watched Elfwine's face carefully for any show of discomfort. But Elfwine was careful not to show it as he very much wanted to be a part of the day's festivities. He was tired of being cooped up in his room and he also felt it was time to start using his leg again before he forgot how.

Eleven year old Celebrian skipped through the door as they were making their way towards it. She came to an abrupt halt before she bumped into the trio of young men. "Oh!"

"Bree, what do you here?" Eldarion grumped at her. Though he loved his sister, she had ever been a rascal of a child. He had been the victim of many of her pranks. "Do you not know that it is not proper for you to be in men's bedrooms?"

"Well Gilraen has been here. I have seen her many times," Celebrian protested.

Eldarion and Mendir both looked at Elfwine's face in consternation. Elfwine realized how delicate this situation was becoming as he looked from one to the other.

"She has been telling me stories to pass the time of my convalescence," he stated. Still they looked at him askew. "Would you like me to recite the thousands of years of elvish history I have learned? I guarantee it is quite considerable."

Eldarion looked somewhat appeased and now turned to look at his sister. "It is wrong to speak of the doings of others when it does not concern you," Eldarion told her. "You must learn to control what you say Celebrian."

Celebrian's face fell with the reprimand. She did not like for her brother to speak to her like this in front of Elfwine. "You must learn to control what you say as well!" she stated and fled from the room.

Eldarion let out a little laugh as he continued to help Elfwine towards the tower stairs. "She is so different from Gilraen. It is hard to believe they came from the same parents."

"I have found that out for myself," Elfwine laughed with him. "Yesterday I awoke and found five cats had been let into my room. The door had been shut and I wondered who would put them in."

"You think it was Bree?" Eldarion asked.

"I did not suspect until a few moments ago when I saw those scratches on her arms," Elfwine smiled.

"Serves her right!" Eldarion laughed. "Sounds like you're her new target."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

It was a glorious day for the long awaited fair of Annuminas. Merchants and entertainers had set up their stands and stages the evening before. Musicians played in various locations throughout the city streets while food and merchandise vendors called out to tempt others to their wares. Actors and dancers reveled and delighted their audiences with frivolous fun and acrobatics. Any one person could find numerous distractions to fill their time in Annuminas on this day.

A large picnic area had been assembled for the royal family in a wooded glade where cooks were now roasting meats of all kinds and bakers had set out many kinds of breads and cakes to be enjoyed.

Gilraen and Teslan strolled down the main thoroughfare, stopping to admire the many crafts and sweet treats offered. They paused when they came to a man selling hot roasted chestnuts, wondering if they should spoil their appetites before supper. Suddenly a coin flew over their heads and the vendor caught it easily in his hand.

"Two for the ladies," a male voice said. Gilraen and Teslan turned to see Elfwine sitting atop his horse, smiling at them.

They gave him a small bow and Gilraen said, "Thank you my Lord. It is good to see you out today."

"I had almost forgotten what the sun felt like," he smiled. Elfwine was truly happy to be out again, it lifted his spirits as nothing else could. His horse had missed him as well.

"Well, I shall see you in the glade. I will be the one hobbling about."

As Elfwine rode off towards the picnic grounds, Teslan turned to look at her cousin. "What shall you do about him Gilraen?"

Gilraen gave her a confused look. "Whatever do you mean?"

"He loves you, but you love Legolas," Teslan stated.

Gilraen looked disturbed at her cousin's words. "Do not speak of such matters Teslan. You do not know everything." Gilraen turned her head and her sight found Legolas standing across the lane. He was looking at her with concern on his face and a question in his eyes. She had been avoiding him ever since she had made her accusations and he had been waiting for his chance to speak with her. But he could never seem to find her alone.

Gilraen cast her eyes away from him and took Teslan's hand. "Come, let's go to the glade," she said as she quickened her steps.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Later that afternoon Mendir went in search of Gilraen and Teslan. They had left to go for a walk in the woods near the picnic glade over an hour ago and had not yet returned. His senses told him that they were not far and he headed towards the river. When he came upon them he saw Teslan signal to him to be quiet. He approached quietly to notice that Gilraen had fallen asleep on the forest floor and Teslan had surrounded her with wild flowers which she had picked nearby. A circle of flowers had been made around Gilraen and petals had also been strewn over her hair.

What have you done to her?

What does it look like?

Mendir's face filled with understanding when he noticed Gilraen's gown had been pulled above her ankles. He looked at his sister in question.

You can't do this without her knowledge! She will not be pleased about this. And Elfwine will not understand what it means.

Elfwine? Who has said anything about Elfwine?

Teslan turned to walk back to the picnic glade as Mendir trailed after her, scolding her in her mind.

Teslan! Stop! What are you doing? This is wrong!

She will thank me later for this.

When they reached the glade, Teslan stopped and looked around at the groups of people relaxing and talking. Her eyes fell on Legolas as he stood talking to Elladan.

Legolas, Gilraen would like to see you. She is by the river.

Legolas heard Teslan's message in his head and he turned and looked in her direction. A fresh hope filled him as he anticipated a private conversation with Gilraen. It was a good sign to him that she had initiated this meeting as he had felt she would have turned down a request from him. He pardoned himself from Elladan's presence and made his way towards Teslan. Mendir looked at her sharply.

What are you doing Teslan?

Teslan ignored her brother as she pointed the way for Legolas to go. Legolas gave her a small nod as he passed her and made his way into the forest. Teslan now looked at her brother and smiled.

They are in love.

Mendir looked at Legolas's retreating back and then back at his sister.

You are sure?

Yes.

Mendir looked over at a bench on which Elfwine sat talking to Eldarion and felt pity for the Prince of Rohan. He had grown to be friends with Elfwine and had been hoping that Gilraen would return Elfwine's love someday. He decided that he would not be the one to tell this news to the prince.

Legolas walked carefully in the direction Teslan had indicated. He sensed that Gilraen was near, but there was something different in the air as well. He walked along the bank of the river, glancing around for Gilraen and finally spotted her sleeping figure inside the ring of white flowers. How beautiful she appeared and how innocent. He did not want to disturb this vision of perfection. Her chest rose softly with every breath and the petals were strewn over her carefully placed hair. Had she been waiting so very long for him that she had fallen asleep? He knew that she had not been sleeping well at night. Perhaps she was overly tired.

His eyes traveled down the length of her body and his heart quickened when he saw her bare ankles. Her gown had been purposely tucked under at the calves and he knew exactly what this meant. This was an elf maiden's way of indicating that she wanted you to be her lover. Could she have realized that she had been wrong? Was this her way of telling him that she wanted him still? Why else would she have told Teslan to fetch him?

With his heart pounding he stepped into the circle of flowers and lay down carefully at her side, placing his own body on its side facing her. He watched her face, not wanting to disturb her serenity, yet wishing she would open her eyes and look at him with love once more.

After a long while, he picked a flower petal from her hair and ran its silky softness over her cheek, hoping she would soon stir. A cold breeze suddenly blew over him and made him pause a moment at such a wind coming on so warm a day. But these thoughts were distracted by the movement of Gilraen's head as she began to wake. He propped himself up higher so that she would see his face when she awoke fully.

Excitement filled him as she took a deep breath and her eyes flew open and looked directly at Legolas. He smiled gently at her and waited for her to speak.

His smile faded a little when he noticed that something was different about her eyes. They appeared darker and the expression that was growing on her face did not seem her own.

"Gilraen?" he said in growing alarm.

Her arms came about his neck and pulled his head down for a rough kiss. Legolas was filled with shock and surprise as he tried to pull his face away.

Gilraen!

Take me! Make me yours!

He managed to push up on his arms. "Stop Gilraen! Why do you do this?" he said. But now she had grabbed at the belt of his tunic and was trying to tug it off. "Gilraen!"

She was frustrated at his resistance and her face became red with anger. She slapped him hard across the cheek and yelled, "Coward!"

Legolas grabbed both of her hands and pinned them to the ground over her head. "Stop this Gilraen!" he yelled. Then the breath seemed to go out of her as she collapsed into a sleeping state once again leaving Legolas bewildered and cautious.

The cold breeze covered them once again and Legolas felt stunned this time as the feeling of ice crawled through his veins. His body collapsed on top of hers as the strange sensation took over all his senses.

Gilraen awoke to the feel of pressure on her and knew that someone was lying on top of her. She struggled and pushed to free herself from this captured position until she realized that it was Legolas on top of her. What had happened? Why did he appear to be asleep on her? She was very confused and her mind felt foggy as she tried to turn her body out from under him.

As she finally managed to roll to her side she found she could not sit up. Legolas's arm was no longer limp. It was solid and firm and it was clamped about her waist. She looked back at him as she tried to dislodge his arm and now noticed that he was awake and looking at her with a malevolent smirk. What was wrong with him? How had they come to be here together?

"Let me rise!" she said now as he made no move to let her go. But his grin only grew and she gasped as she felt him pull her on top of him. "What are you doing? Stop!" she struggled. Legolas laughed in a manner she had never heard from him before as he tore at her gown and pushed her down beside him.

"It has been long since I have had the pleasures of the flesh!" he said as he pawed at her bodice. Gilraen pushed at his hand and began to cry. This could not be happening! Legolas would never do such a thing!

He seemed to have some unnatural strength as he held her down, tearing away at the material of her dress. Gilraen screamed loudly and he put one of his hands over her mouth to muffle her.

"Yes!" he said. "It is much better to be in this body. It is stronger than yours."

Gilraen looked at him with eyes wide in horror. Something had taken over Legolas's body! She screamed again against his hand and fainted in fright as Legolas once again collapsed on top of her.

Standing over the pair stood Mendir, a hefty branch in his hand. He looked now at the blood staining Legolas's hair where he had struck him. He wanted to keep beating him and beating him. He wanted to kill him for trying to rape Gilraen. But he held himself back. He just couldn't bring himself to do it. Teslan had now run into view and stood looking at him with a horrified expression.

Go get our uncle.

Teslan turned and hurried back to the glade. Something had gone terribly, terribly wrong!

Ouch! LOL I know, I know, it's a shocking turn of events. But do not worry dear readers. It's all part of the story.

Please send me your thoughts! Thanks!