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Author's note: Ok, there are probably few people who are interested in this anymore, but I realized that it is almost finished, so I should try to complete it.
As always: NO FLAMES!
Chapter 27: Company of Lord Elrond
The breeze was chill and rain fell softly over Naomie as she walked threw the gardens. There was a strange stillness to the air. All was quiet in the palace. Arwen had traveled back to the city of man, to rejoin her husband; both Elladan and Elrohir were gone off on diplomatic ventures to Mirkwood and Lorien. Naomie had never in her life felt so alone, but in that instant of listening to the pitter patter of rain, the forlorn sound of distant thunder, she felt like the only one in all the worlds. Her physical strength had returned and now she was that of once she was, outside. Her thoughts never lingered off of Haldir. He consumed every waking and sleeping notion of her existence. Her heart wept at the though of him. It made her sick, just to know of what she lost. She had herd that elves could die of heart ache, but had never really belived it. It felt, certainly, that she was dieing of just that, but she vowed that she would not let that come to pass.
Taking her normal seat on an ivy covered bench under an arch of willow branches, Naomie studied the beautiful garden. Pulling her black cloak tight around her, Naomie thought of how funny it was that elves could just travel to the grey havens and from there back to Valanor and leave all this behind. The city of Imladris was truly a beautiful one. A small brook trickled through the garden of willow and roses. The sent of rain and the delicate fog hung over the red stone walkways and gardening of the palace like the mist of time. As she watched the rain fall sadly to the brook next to her feet, the princess's thoughts drifted on to Haldir.
Her heart cried out for her to stop thinking of him, it would just hurt worse. But she could not. Every breath of wind against her cheeks linked her to his sweet breath, every laugh reminded her of the very few ones that he let slip. A stag snapped a branch under hoof as it approached the stream, its head high … event that reminded her of the elf's arrogance and pride. In everything she could see notations of Haldir.
These feelings were killing her inside. The memories of those happy moments were like wolves, tearing through her body, demolishing everything in there path. Everything bared down on the she elf's mind making her cry out softly. "You must not think of things of this nature! You are a princess, soon to be queen. It is not in your nature to allow something so self absorbed, such as the Captain to bother you." Naomie hissed to herself.
"My Lady, do you feel well?" Lord Elrond's voice broke Naomie free of her sadness.
"Very Well." She said nodding her head in a salute.
Elrond did the same as he stood. Naomie held her hand out in a gesture of desire for the lord to sit with her.
"Thank you." Elrond said as he took the seat.
"It is your kingdom after all, my lord. I only am taking residence here." Naomie pointed out, making Elrond laugh. He then turned serious again and looked at the disheartened elf next to him.
"You think of the March Warden, do you not?" he asked.
"Yes. I cannot seem to drive him from my mind." Naomie admitted.
Elrond gave the princess a worried stair. He did not know if he should continue on this path of conversation or not. Elrond had always hated making decisions such as these. Taking a deep breath, the lord quickly chose his words and continued.
"You can not drive him from your mind?" Elrond repeated with the raise of an eyebrow.
No words escaped the she elf, just a sad shake of the head.
"It is because you love him." Elrond pointed out after a moment of silence. He could see the angry tears of his acquaintance threatening to break within her eyes.
"I don't understand." Naomie finally growled as she fixed a small lily with a poisoned glare.
"Why?" Elrond persisted.
"There is no simple way for me to love him, I cannot." She said bitterly.
"You still have not answered my question. Why? Why can you not love him? What do you not understand?" Elrond whispered.
"He left. He tried to kill me! I should not "still" love him. I do not understand why I still hurt at the thought of his absence. It is illogical and rather stupid." Naomie let every word slip in a hatred of words.
The two sat as the rain grew harder and the water strummed. Neither willing to talk. Naomie's tears faded and she had turned a lighter color, if that was possible. Elrond studied her. In all of his years of healing the lord had lost only five elves in turn to heart break, he did not wish to see the Avalonian princess falter in such a way. She looked as if she had recovered, but in truth Elrond could see the dieing embers of her soul, fading. His heart went out to her. He wondered how Haldir was taking the separation.
"I feel as if I am being torn inside." Naomie finally said.
"Every thought of him tears a little more from my heart. With every day my heart has become weaker, there is less of it. I tell myself that I will not die of heart ache, and not die for him, but I can feel everything ending. I am dieing, and I don't wish to. It is not fair! Why does he effect me this way?" She asked looking back up at the lord. Her eyes shone with new tears but before they could fall the princess whipped them away.
"You love him. 'Tis as simple as that. No one wishes to die. Do not be afraid. I will not allow you to fade because of him, but I cannot stop your hearts natural process. My advice is for you to travel to Lorien, speak to him. He had some reason for journeying here. Perhaps you both can come to a sort of agreement?" Elrond offered but his words were no use, the saddened thing just shook her head.
"No. No, I can not do that. Tis a good idea, I give that to you, but we both agreed to never see one another again." Naomie said flatly.
"But what happens when you must see each other? You will always see him when you travel to your family, he will always be in the foreground. He is an imperial guard; hence he will be at every diplomatic event, everywhere." Elrond approached the problem from a different angle.
"But those events are when we will be in the company of others. That prospect does not bother me." She said.
"I understand. All I hope is that one day, you will be able to call each other friend." Elrond said with the sad shake of a head. Slowly the lord rose and, with one last glance, left the princess sitting in the garden to ponder her own thoughts.
Naomie sat in silence as she thought of the lords words; she vowed to herself that she would not allow Haldir to win.
There it is! Another chapter. Five more to go.