Chapter 38

Adette's POV

When I felt the sunlight pouring through the windows I moaned softly, moving my arm to cover my eyes. Slowly I opened them against the protection of my skin and squinted through the blinding light as I pulled my arm away. I knew not how long I had been asleep or how I had ended up in my room. That was when I remembered the pain.

I sat up instantly, looking down at my stomach. Was the baby alright? I began to panic, wondering if I had indeed miscarried again. The pain had been so similar to the pain I had felt when I had miscarried. What if something happened?

Quickly I threw the covers back and rushed towards the wardrobe, pulling out the crimson colored robe Arwen had gotten for me. It seemed so long ago that I had put it on the day of the meeting to discuss the fate of the Ring. Once I had the robe wrapped securely around me I hurried out of the room.

I could hear voices in the throne room as I descended the stairs. I turned the corner and saw that Legolas, Thranduil, Aragorn, and Dínendal were all gathered around the long table. They were looking over the same maps and papers that Aragorn and I had been studying.

"We must ride out to these villages. The Uruk-hai are bound to be pillaging one of them." Aragorn said, pointing to a map he had placed in front of him.

"But we know not where they are. Are we to go on a wild goose chase to find them? Why not wait until they come to Minas Tirith?"

"The Uruk-hai may never come to Minas Tirith, and even if they do by the time they come, Middle Earth will be in ruins."

As I took a step, Legolas's head jerked in my direction. He dropped whatever paper he had been holding and flew to my side. Thranduil, Aragorn, and Dínendal all turned to look at me.

"Adette how are you feeling?" Legolas asked gently, cupping my cheek with a calloused hand. His eyes searched mine and I wondered if he even wanted to hear what I had to say.

"Legolas, the baby. Is she alright?" His eyes became pained as he looked on and I knew it was because I was in such distress. My breathing was uneven and shallow and it seemed to concern him.

"Shh, thuio dúlinn. He's tríw melamin." He whispered, stroking my cheek with his thumb.

(Shh, breathe nightingale. She's fine my love.)

"Adette perhaps you should sit down." Aragorn pulled out a chair, motioning to it. Legolas led me to it and I sat down.

It was quite annoying how everyone continued to stare at me. It was as if I were a piece of glass and they were just waiting for me to shatter.

"Dínendal, where is everyone?" I asked, searching the room for more of the elves. There was no way that he and Thranduil were the only survivors. At my words his eyes darkened.

"Alassë is sleeping upstairs and so is Lenwë. We are the only ones who wanted to leave Mirkwood." He explained, his tone clearly telling me that that was all he would say on the matter. I was troubled when he did not mention Silmarwen.

Legolas and Thranduil seemed troubled as well, their eyes averted and their faces stone. I glanced back up at Aragorn who proceeded to lay a hand on my shoulder.

"In the end," Thranduil finally broke the silence that had settled upon us, "the decision lies with you Aragorn. You are king of Gondor and therefore you must decide what we do."

I felt Aragorn's hand tense on my shoulder. I knew that he wanted to make the right decision and that he needed to consider both ideas and their consequences. He had the welfare of Mirkwood and Gondor on his plate for the time being.

"Adette, why don't you return to bed. I will join you soon." Legolas suggested, although I knew by the way he spoke that he was not suggesting it. I knew he had a lot on his mind as well with the downfall of Mirkwood and so I did not argue and he seemed fairly grateful when I slowly got up and started up the stairs once more.

When I reached the next level I decided to find Lenwë. If Silmarwen was dead I wanted to comfort him or at least sit by him. The rooms for those who were guests at the castle stayed on the second level. I peeked my head in every door, finding them empty. When I peeked into one I saw Alassë fast asleep in the bed.

I continued down the corridor and finally found Lenwë's room to be second from the last. I knew already that he was grieving for he chose to stay in a room far from the others. I quietly closed the door behind me and saw that he was not in bed but sitting in a chair facing the window.

"Lenwë?" I asked softly, taking a half step. When he did not answer I said his name once more, taking two steps. "It's Adette."

I was shocked when I neared him. His head was leaning backwards over the back of the chair, both his eyes and his mouth wide open. Seeing his face frozen in this way troubled me and frightened me. I reached out a hand to his shoulder and shook it gently. His arm fell limply from his lap. By this time I was greatly distressed and shook him harder. His body fell to the ground.

"Lenwë!" I hissed, rushing to his side. I shook him harder, his head shaking from side to side. It was then that I stopped and realized that I could not hear his breath. With trembling fingers I felt for a pulse on his neck. When I felt nothing I screamed, tears falling from my eyes in torrents. "Lenwë!"

"Adette!" Legolas shouted.

Suddenly Dínendal was kneeling next to Lenwë, shaking him just as I had been. He then felt for a pulse too, his eyes widening when he felt nothing. I watched as he tipped Lenwë's head back and pressed his mouth over his.

"Lenwë!" I choked, sobbing uncontrollably. There were two arms around me and I was turned. I buried myself into Legolas's body as he rocked me. I could hear Dínendal yelling at Lenwë's lifeless body and sobbed even more.

"Thuio! Thuio Lenwë, thuio!"

(Breathe! Breathe Lenwë, breathe!)

"Dínendal, ho's gwand nin mellon." Aragorn's voice came from in front of Legolas and me. I felt Legolas tense up when Aragorn said this but he continued to rock me, holding me tightly in his arms.

(Dínendal, he's dead my friend.)

"Uich gwennen na 'wanath ah na dhín. An uich gwennen na ringyrn ambar hen. Boe naid bain gwannathar, boe cuil ban firitha. Boe naer gwannathach." I was very careful to sing with a clear voice.

(You are not bound to loss and silence. For you are not bound to the circles of this world. All things must pass away, all life is doomed to fade. Sorrowing you must go on.)

The clouds were heavy with rain as if reflecting our moods. The sky was dark, as if a painting made by dark colored charcoal. The rain would come soon and so the service for Lenwë was held beneath a canopy in the courtyard.

The day before we had sent his body down the river on a small boat. Dínendal had been the one to push it from the shore. Alassë had tried to comfort him as best as she could but he was simply drowning in grief for his friend.

I tugged at my tunic, trying to stop my tears. I looked up from the steps and saw the tear streaked, sad faces in front of me. Thranduil had a hand on Legolas's shoulder, who stared down at the ground. Alassë had her arms around Dínendal's waist while he stared up at the sky. Aragorn watched me carefully from beside Legolas.

"I remember the day over five years ago that Lenwë found me in the forest. He came upon me as I lay on the forest floor, violated and beaten. I remember the way he picked me up so tenderly and carried me back to Mirkwood. He was not disgusted by my horrid appearance. It did not matter to him.

Lenwë was that kind of friend. He was always there for all of us no matter what the circumstances. Even if we were not on the best of terms he was there. I will never forget him. And-" My voice cracked and I closed my eyes as silent tears escaped.

"It is alright sister." Aragorn whispered, hugging me quickly.

I opened my eyes and saw everyone looking at me.

"I have something to say." Dínendal said suddenly, his voice husky. Alassë removed her arms from around him and watched as he walked up the steps. Aragorn guided me to the side. "Lenwë was my best friend, and yet I let him die. I knew he was hurting because of Silmarwen and still I said nothing. Now he is dead of a broken heart and I am to blame."

"Dínendal no," I laid a hand on his arm, "it is not your fault. Lenwë was overcome with grief and gave up on living because he missed his wife. He had no will to live even if we had tried to comfort him."

"But I could have tried." He then went forward, walking right past Alassë and heading down the steps leading down to the lower level. She turned and followed after him.

Later that night I carried both Legolas's cloak and a tray filled with dinner outside. The night was still and quiet except for the faint whinny or snort from the stables. I walked down the steps and down the walk to where Legolas leaned against one of the statues guarding the entrance.

His arms were folded over his chest and his legs were crossed over one another. He did not move even when I stood beside him. He could have passed off as one of the statues the way he stood if his blonde hair did not blow in the wind.

"I brought you dinner and your cloak." I said softly, bending over to set the tray on the ground so that I could wrap the cloak around his shoulders. He still did not turn his head to look at me. Once the cloak was around his shoulders I waited for him to move. "I'll leave the tray there for you."

Without another word I crossed over to the other statue and leaned against it, looking up at the stars. I closed my eyes, my head still tilted up, and leaned the back of my head against the statue. I sighed heavily.

This time was supposed to be joyous. Aragorn and Arwen were to be wed in the spring, I was going to have a baby, and the Ring had finally been destroyed. Yet evil seemed to overshadow the good things.

I was surprised when I felt arms slip around my waist and something came to rest in the middle of my chest. I opened my eyes and looked down to see that Legolas had buried his head into my chest.

"What is it Legolas?" I asked gently, moving an arm around his shoulders and using the other to stroke his hair. I felt his lips part through the material of my tunic and his hot breath against me.

"I feel as much to blame as Dínendal." He said in a muffled voice.

"Oh Legolas-"

"It will happen to me." His body shook against mine and I knew he was crying. I gently lowered us to the ground, sitting cross legged as he laid against me. I wrapped both arms around him and rocked him slowly.

"Shh, Legolas what do you mean?" I whispered.

"When age claims your life dúlinn, I will surely die of a broken heart. I will not be able to live life without you."

"Oh nin bein maethor, cár al pedo tó. A strong heart beats within you Legolas, it will not give up so easily."

(Oh my handsome warrior, do not say that.)

"It will without you dúlinn. I cannot live without you Adette. I love you." He leaned up and kissed me gently.

"I love you too Legolas." I murmured against his lips. "Hi mád."

(Now eat.)