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Here we go again.

Sorrow Too Great

Aragorn sat next to Arwen in the hall outside of Gilraen's room while he waited for Radagast to complete his journey to the land of shadow. His body slumped in sadness and worry. His mind kept replaying the dreadful news of Legolas's crime and he just couldn't fathom how all this could have occurred. He stood up in his agitation and walked over to the alcove in which Lord Celeborn was seated. Sitting across from him he asked, "Tell me, for I respect your opinion above many others, what is it I should do about Legolas. If he were but a stranger my judgment would be easy. But he and I have shared much together and it pains me to consider this problem."

"Elessar, I see that you have a secret wish to find Legolas innocent," Celeborn said as he studied the King's face. "But I have seen Mendir's memories. There was no mistaking what he saw."

Aragorn ran a hand threw his hair and said, "What do I do?"

"It would not bode well for you to punish him here. Thranduil would not take well to such swift justice on his son. My decision would be to send him home in shame to his father and let Thranduil decide on what is to be done. But this is for you to decide."

Aragorn nodded and thought about this. It did sound like a better solution to him as well. He certainly did not want to deal with Legolas himself. Better to let Thranduil do so.

All heads turned suddenly at the sound of Gilraen's door being thrown open and the brown robed old wizard stepping out into the hall. Arwen stood up and looked at him in question. Aragorn and Celeborn rose as well.

Radagast looked around the crowd in the hall but did not see the one he wanted. Then he looked at the King and said, "Fetch me Gimli, son of Gloin."

Eldarion looked at his father in question and when Aragorn nodded to him he took off at a run to find Gimli.

"What is happening Radagast? Why do you need Gimli? Were you able to find her?" Aragorn questioned. Aragorn and Arwen both approached the wizard and glanced into the open door behind him. They could see that Gilraen was still lying on her bed as she had been before. They studied the face of the old wizard and noticed a slight tremble. He appeared to be frightened of something.

Radagast looked at the King with wide eyes. "I found her, yes. But she is unable to come back."

Arwen grasped Aragorn's arm for support as she felt a pang of terror fill her heart. Aragorn rasped out, "Why?"

Radagast looked around the hall at the many faces watching him speak. He did not think it was the time for lengthy explanations. "Forgive me," Radagast said, "but I must ask you to wait for the answers you seek. There may be a way to save her but I cannot be the one to do so."

"I shall do so then," Celeborn said as he stepped up to the side of Aragorn.

"No, you cannot either. It is only a dwarf that can do so," Radagast said causing everyone to look at him in confusion. "Do not ask me to explain right now as I wish to help Gilraen in all haste."

Gimli came barreling up the stairs and striding quickly down the hall towards them with Eldarion following close behind. "I am here wizard," Gimli announced. "If there is something I can do to help then let's get to it."

"Good," Radagast said as he placed a hand on Gimli's shoulder and guided him through Gilraen's bedroom door. When the others wanted to follow too, Radagast held out his arm and said, "No one else may enter. Not yet."

Aragorn looked at him a few moments and then nodded as the door was closed once more.

Gimli looked about Gilraen's room and noticed that all of the princesses' belongings had been strewn about the floor. "What has been going on here?" Gimli asked.

"I have been searching her room," Radagast said. "Listen to me Gimli. There is an ancient jewel in this room that has been tainted by a vow made long ago."

Gimli whipped his head in all directions. "Where is this jewel?"

Radagast put his hand on Gimli's shoulder to gain his attention. "I have found it. It is in that chest over there." The old wizard pointed at the closed chest in the corner. Then he closed his eyes and sighed, "I cannot spend too much time in its presence Gimli. I dare not pick it up. Aule created the dwarves to be resistant to evil and so I must ask a great favor of you."

"Tell me what to do," Gimli said, ready to help in anyway he could.

Radagast turned to a table and took a golden box with a golden lid. "I have emptied this trinket box of Gilraen's. You must place the jewel in this box and fasten the lid tightly. The metal shall prevent the taint from leaving the jewel. Take the box to the smithy and have him melt the lid to the box. Do not let him or anyone else open it. Then return it to me."

Gimli nodded and took the box from the hands of Radagast. He approached the wooden chest in the corner and knelt down. As he opened the lid the bright glare of the Silmaril struck his eyes and he had to squint until his vision adjusted. When he finally beheld the brilliant jewel he said, "By Gods, this is the loveliest gem I have ever seen! And I have seen many." Like most dwarves, Gimli was a lover of gems.

"Do not marvel at it overlong Gimli, son of Gloin. Do as I asked for it is this object which harms the princess," Radagast reminded him as he watched from across the room.

Gimli tentatively grasped the jewel and held it up to admire it for a few moments. Then he placed it in the golden box and closed the lid over it. He felt great disappointment when the light no longer shined.

"Go now," reminded Radagast, "to the smithy. Hurry and do not bring the box near this room again. Meet me by the front gate of the city at dawn. Remember, do not let anyone open it and guard it well. Also, do not speak to anyone about the jewel, not even the King."

Gimli nodded and cast one last hopeful glance at Gilraen as he strode from the room.

When Gimli left the room everyone looked at him in question. Their eyes fell on the golden box that he held. "Gimli?" Aragorn prompted.

"I'm sorry my friend," Gimli said to him, "but there is an urgent task I must perform." The dwarf hurried away and left everyone confused and brimming with curiosity.

Radagast stepped out of the room once more and said, "Come, you may start your prayers once more. You must try to call Gilraen forth again." Radagast knew that the voices most dear to Gilraen would be most effective in reaching her. He hoped that with the Silmaril gone and contained within metal, the specters would no longer be able to penetrate into the land of shadow.

Arwen, Aragorn, Celeborn and Elladan took their places once more around the bed of Gilraen. The herbs were lit and their chanting began. They knew they would get no answers from Radagast right now so they did not bother to question him further. Hope flared as the darkness descended outside the window of Gilraen's room.

At the smithy, Gimli watched as the man melted the gold of the lid shut. The box was held between two clamps as the smithy held a fiery hot coal in a tong and moved it along all sides of the lid, melting the opening closed.

As the very last crack of the lid was melted to the box Gilraen let out a gasp and her lungs pulled in a deep breath of air. The chanting in her room stopped as Arwen and Aragorn leaned over her bed and held onto her arm in anticipation. As her eyes flew open the joyful faces of her parents came into focus. "Gilraen!" cried Aragorn as a tear fell from the corner of his eye.

"Ada?" she rasped out. Her throat felt dry and her body heavy. Aragorn and Arwen placed their heads on their daughter and embraced her from both sides of her bed crying in happiness.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The next morning Legolas was led to the reception room of the tower. Everyone in the royal court of Annuminas was present and the room became hushed as he was ushered through the doorway with chains binding his wrists together behind his back. He paused as he looked at everyone present. At the end of the long aisle sat the King and Queen on their thrones. They looked at him with faces of stone and Legolas finally felt the gravity of their condemnation.

The guards behind him poked Legolas in the back and he began his slow journey up the aisle whilst everyone on all sides looked upon him with scorn.

When he reached the front of the room he was halted and the guards now stood on both sides of him.

Aragorn looked at him and said in a stiff, formal voice, "Prince Legolas Greenleaf, son of King Thranduil of Mirkwood, I address you now. For the crimes you have committed against the Princess Gilraen I decree that you return home to the Kingdom of your father in shame. You will travel under guard until you have been placed in the hands of King Thranduil to await his judgment. Have you anything to say in your behalf?"

Legolas could not believe what he was hearing. After all he had been through with Aragorn, he was now being treated like a criminal and enemy. "I did not do these things I am accused of Aragorn," he pleaded, "I would never do such a thing. Do you not know this to be true?"

Aragorn was warned that Legolas would deny his part in the crime and he had prepared to show Legolas the proof. He now turned his head to Mendir who was standing off to the side of the room and nodded. Mendir had already been told what would be expected of him and he strode over to the middle of the room and stood before Legolas.

"See now what Mendir saw," the King ordered.

Legolas looked in Mendir's eyes as Mendir recalled the memory of everything he saw that day. The expression on Legolas's face grew incredulous as he now saw himself doing things he did not recall doing at all. He shook his head in disbelief and said, "No! No! That cannot be!"

"Recalled memories cannot be false," Celeborn stated from where he sat.

"Take him away," Aragorn stated coldly. "And may I never see your face again." Legolas looked at Aragorn in shock as the guards began to pull him backwards.

"Aragorn! Please!" Legolas yelled. "Aragorn!" The guards pulled him out of the reception hall and back towards his rooms until the men escorting him to Mirkwood could be made ready for the long journey.

The King and Queen hung their heads in sorrow and all who looked upon them grew quiet. Slowly people left the hall making as little sound as possible and still Aragorn and Arwen sat in grief for the friend they had lost.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Gilraen had spent the whole day in bed recovering her strength and nourishing her body. Fireal attended to her every need and made sure that no visitors disturbed Gilraen this day as the Queen had ordered. This was well as Gilraen did not want to speak much to anyone. She sat near her window and gaze out in meditation as her mind processed all that she had been through.

Radagast had spoken to her just before dawn and explained about the Silmaril. This he did when all others had left the room. She nodded her agreement when he told her that he would be taking it for now and he requested that she not speak of it to anyone just yet. "I must attempt to remove the taint," he told her. "I must send the sons of Feanor where they belong."

Now she looked at the clouds floating by in the sky and marveled at how wonderful it felt to breath in the fresh air blowing into her room. She remembered what it was like to not have a body, a physical form. Now she felt fortunate to do such a simple thing like breathing again.

Fireal came up behind her and began brushing her hair for comfort. She had been terribly worried about Gilraen and was now so relieved to be able to care for her again. She hummed a soothing song while she made the long strokes.

After awhile a commotion from the courtyard below Gilraen's window was heard. Gilraen awoke from her meditation and shifted her gaze downwards to notice guards and horses gathering below. Many people had begun to gather around the courtyard as well.

"Fireal, what is happening down below?" Gilraen asked.

Fireal did not really want to tell Gilraen that Legolas was being taken back to Mirkwood in shame. She thought that it would remind her of what had happened. But neither could she lie to her mistress. Everyone had been so very careful not to speak of Legolas around Gilraen for fear of adding to her sorrows.

"Fireal?" Gilraen asked again when her maid did not speak.

"They are sending him to his father," Fireal said softly while she continued brushing.

"Who do you speak of?" Gilraen asked.

"Legolas," Fireal said so softly that Gilraen barely heard.

Gilraen turned her head around quickly and looked at her worried maid. "What say you? Legolas? Why would they send Legolas to his father?"

She stood up from her chair and grasped the window sill as the memories from the land of shadow filled her mind. In the fog of her recovery she had not yet pondered her discoveries of the innocence of Legolas. Now at the mention of his name the thoughts came rushing to her consciousness.

"Why my lady?" Fireal asked. She was surprised that Gilraen would not know why. "For the harm he has done you."

"No! He has not!" cried Gilraen. She turned and pushed past a confused Fireal, making her way to the door of her chamber.

"My Lady," Fireal moved behind her, "you must not go out! You must…"

But Gilraen did not listen as she swung the door open and ran down the hall. It did not concern her that she wore only her long white sleeping gown and that her feet were bare. She could not let Legolas take the blame for what had happened!

Fireal ran behind her as Gilraen practically flew down the stairs. "My Lady," she called out to her. Fireal feared that Gilraen would trip and fall as she had not had much time to recover yet.

But nothing could stop Gilraen as she descended to the bottom of the long spiraling stairs and towards the front doors of the tower. She spotted Eldarion standing at the door looking towards the riding party as they made ready to leave. He was startled when Gilraen grasped his arm and yelled, "Stop them! Oh Eldarion, stop them!"

"Gilraen? Are you well? What are you doing out of bed?" Eldarion examined her quickly with his eyes.

"Where is father? Take me to him immediately!" she pleaded.

"Why?"

"He is innocent! He is innocent!" she yelled. "Do not take him away from me. Do not!" Tears rolled down her cheeks as she pleaded to Eldarion.

Eldarion stared at her with surprise and shock. "Gilraen? He was seen. He cannot be innocent."

Aragorn had heard his daughters distressed voice from the reception room and strode quickly towards her. "Gilraen, what do you here?"

Gilraen quickly grasped her fathers arm and said, "He did not harm me! He is innocent."

"Gilraen," Aragorn said sadly, "it has been proven already."

"No! Listen to me father. It was not him! It was not Legolas hurting me," Gilraen explained. She remembered that Radagast had told her to say nothing about the Silmaril yet but she knew that she would if it would save Legolas from being accused of a terrible crime. "There was a jewel that I brought back from Falcroun's tower. It was cursed. There were spirits which guarded this jewel. They were they ones who had kept me from returning to you from the land of shadow and they are also the ones who took over Legolas's body to make him hurt me. Radagast has taken this jewel away. That is how I was able to come back to you."

Aragorn remembered now the golden box in which Gimli had removed from Gilraen's room. So that was what was in it, he thought, it was this cursed jewel!

Aragorn stared at Gilraen with wide eyes as he realized how he had publicly shamed Legolas for naught. Regret slammed into his heart as he ran into the courtyard followed by Gilraen and Eldarion.

Legolas sat upon his horse with his hands still bound and guards surrounding him on all sides. They had started to leave the courtyard when the sound of the King's voice filled the air.

"Halt!" yelled Aragorn. "Halt!"

The procession stopped as the guards looked at the King in question. Legolas turned his head as well and noticed that Gilraen walked behind Aragorn. Relief flooded into his heart that she was well again.

When they drew near, Aragorn said, "Unchain him, he is innocent." The guards looked at Legolas in surprise and then dismounted to do their King's bidding.

Legolas slipped off his horse and faced in the opposite direction as a guard unbound his hands. When he was free he turned to face Aragorn, but his face was a mask of hurt and heartbreak. Aragorn walked up to him and looked at him with deep regret. "Legolas, my friend, my brother, can you ever forgive me? For I do not think I can forgive myself for the mistake that has been made."

Legolas studied Aragorn's face and then his eyes shifted to Gilraen. His heart was still heavy and he could not find words to say to Aragorn. So he spoke to Gilraen instead. "You are well?" he said softly.

With love shinning in her eyes she nodded.

"Then that is all that matters," Legolas said as he turned away and walked off towards the lake.

Aragorn was crushed by Legolas's rejection of his apology and took a step towards following him but was stopped by Eldarion's hand on his arm. "I think he needs some time alone father," Eldarion said. Aragorn looked at his son and nodded. Then he turned and made his way back into the tower with a heavy heart.

Eldarion turned to see his sister standing there gazing at Legolas as he walked away, her sleeping gown and long brown tresses blowing in the breeze. He walked up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Come. Back to bed for you."

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sigh… I don't know about you but that chapter has left me in a somber mood. Well, please… please… let me hear from you. Love, Misty