Disclaimer: I do not own lord of the Rings! J.R.R Tolkien does!

Chapter 22: Emptiness

She was in his room when he opened the door, he recognised her familiar silhouette by the window and stopped in the doorway, taking her in. Aranel looked frail and tired and yet to Legolas she was still the most beautiful sight he had even seen and his stomach tightened as he saw her quickly wipe the tears out of her eyes.

"Your early." Aranel said quietly.

"My father took pity on me and ended the council early, I hadn't realised you were expecting me." Legolas replied, trying to put some jest into his words but failing, he had a horrible feeling that he knew why she was here, the pit of his stomach dropped suddenly in fear at the thought.

Aranel, unable to watch him as he moved into the room and shut the door gently behind him, looked out of the window again, desperately trying not to think about what she was about to do. Finally the silence had stretched to breaking point, each not wanting to hear what the other had to say, Legolas sighing heavily as he lent against the bedpost, making Aranel turn and finally face him.

"Why are you here?" he asked quietly, all the while wanting to take her into his arms and make the pain of the entire ordeal go away once and for all but knowing that he could not.

Aranel remained silent for another moment, gathering what little strength she had left to get through this final blow. Legolas saw her come to her resolve, her face hardening slightly as she hardened her heart against him for the last time.

"I've come to a decision." She said quite clearly, lifting her head high with a confidence she did not feel. Legolas only nodded in response, waiting for her to continue.

"After the past days events it has finally become clear to me where my duty lies, without the support of the Fay I would not be here today, I owe them more than I can ever repay them, so I have decided to take my place as their Princess as my Father wishes and do what I can with the time I have hear." Aranel paused briefly, locking eyes with Legolas, trying to read his thoughts. Legolas did not need to hear what else she had to say, the forced formality of it all, the pain of her crushed spirit radiating off her through a mask she had not yet mastered was all he needed. And yet, even though he knew what her next words would be, he also knew he could not avoid the crushing blow she was about to deal, no matter how he prepared himself.

Finally Aranel continued. "It has also made me see where my affections should lie." Aranel stopped, her eyes flicking away briefly as she took a deep breathe before gazing back at Legolas. "Evandar has done nothing but support me in this, and I shall repay him by supporting him in whatever he chooses to undertake. I will leave with the Fay in the next coming days, and upon my return to our kingdom I will become Evandar's wife and Queen."

Legolas, who had been preparing for pain and anger to name a few, was surprised by the complete numbness he felt, the emptiness that seemed to wash over him and he wondered whether he would ever be able to feel anything again. Aranel stood before him, he noticed she was shaking slightly with suppressed emotion, and somewhere in the emptiness he admired her for it, she would make a strong and just Queen.

Legolas looked away and stood in silence, coming to his own resolve. He took in the complete lack of emotion, knowing he was in shock and it would hit him eventually, but happy for the moment in its mocking security, letting her words seep slowly into his soul. Finally he sighed and looked back at her, she draw her breathe in slightly and he wondered uncaringly what she saw, but continued on, saying simply, "If that is your wish than I shall not stand in your way."

Aranel felt her resolve start to crumble at his seemingly uncaring words. That's it! You're not going to fight for me? For us! she thought, unsure whether she was upset or angry or perhaps both, but sure this was not the response she wanted. She wanted Legolas to show her what she meant to him, to yell, to scream his anger and defiance at her, even to cry and beg for her to reconsider, anything but this impersonal acceptance of something that was shattering her into a million pieces.

They both stared at each other then, for what seemed to be an age, hurt, anger and above all fear eating away at both as they took the other in. What each saw almost broke them. Almost. Aranel, though she had never been very good at reading Legolas recognised the difference in him immediately. He had hardened his heart against her just as she had to him. He was shutting her out for the final time. Legolas was now a stranger to her. Legolas saw much the same in her. At his words Aranel had finally overcome her difficultly with hiding her emotions from him, he had watched as her eyes, the window into her very soul had suddenly gone blank, even dull and he wondered briefly if she felt the same emptiness as he did. There was one thing her knew for certain, she had ruthlessly cut him out of her life, shut him out of her heart. She, like him, was a stranger.

They remained like this for a moment longer, Aranel silently willing Legolas do something, anything to tell her that he loved her, wanted her, needed her, knowing if he did the last of her resolve would vanish and she would never be able to turn her back on him again, Legolas desperately restraining himself from doing anything of the kind, trying to abide by her wishes. Finally, when neither made any move nor uttered another word, Aranel looked away with unseeing eyes as the end slowly settled around them much like dust settling after a devastating storm, each afraid to even move for fear of disturbing it.

Finally Aranel nodded, glancing back at Legolas and catching his eyes one last time. After amount she nodded slightly again before heading out the door without a word, the slight thud as she closed it gently even seeming too loud in the calm after the storm.

Her feet lead her back to her room unconsciously and she closed the door on the world she had come to know, on the one person that meant so much to her she would never have the right words to tell them so, and sat in the dark empty room that reflected her emotions exactly and stared at her hands, wondering why they were shaking as if she'd just faced her deepest fear.

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I know it's short, and I know it's not happy like a lot you guys are so desperately wanting it to be, but it's not over yet, there's still quite a bit to come, a few more things that need to happen so yeah, it will get happier! I promise! Anyway sorry about the wait, back at uni, final year, things are hectic etc. etc. Please Read and Review!