Ta-da, another chapter, hope you like it. Read to find out what secrets Legolas has been hiding. Also, I am still quite busy with school, although I won't be riding so much since my car wen caput and died on me this weekend! (Waahhhh!) So at least that will clear up another three hours every Tuesday...whatever. So anyway, I am pretty busy, closing of the semester, so how fast I update really depends on how bad you wnat it. Review and let me know, and maybe I will post two more chapters tomorrow...maybe! YOU have to let me know: ) Bye!

Don't own it! But I can dream! (Hey, I am going larping this weekend, so I won't have to dream, I can live it, hahahahahahahaha! I love larping!)

Letting It Go

It was the same place as last time, only they took a more direct route to get there. And the waterfall looked just as gorgeous as before, only now it would soon be dusk and the scarce light gave it a different kind of beauty. Again they climbed up to the top of the rocks and stared out over the water and the trees.

Eriathwen rubbed her shoulder lightly. It was still a bit tender and it had hindered her climbing but not so much as to cause a problem. She was hoping Legolas wouldn't notice but to her displeasure, he did.

"Is your arm still bothering you?"

"No," she said a little too quickly, "not at all."

"Somehow I can always tell when you are lying to me."

"Can you swim in this water? I mean, did you ever swim in it?" She changed the subject hastily not wanting to feel weak. I hate being hurt, especially in front of other people.

"Sure. Actually, if you climb down about ten feet or so, there is an outcropping in the rocks that you can dive off of, but only on the left side. The water is deep there and you won't hit the rocks. I have done it several times, I find it quite enjoyable."

"Most excellent. I will have to try it" before he could reply, she was already halfway to the diving spot and when he stood and looked down, she was sitting on the point removing her boots. He sat back and smiled looking at the stars that were fast coming out as he did. A second later he heard a whoop and a splash and his smile broke out into a large grin. I think she knows exactly how to be a kid, she just didn't realize it. Or perhaps she just wouldn't let it show before. He waited for her to surface and start yelling like a child but he never heard a thing.

He was troubled when he didn't hear anything except the constant gurgle of the water rushing over the edge and hitting the rocks below and he stood again and looked over the edge, apprehensive of what he would see. He held back his breath at the sight; nothing, there was nothing but the rocks, and the water. He climbed down to the outcropping to scan the water.

Just as he was stepping out on it he heard a noise and he looked down to see her surface on the other side of the small lake.

"You had me worried, what were you doing?"

"Swimming silly. I love being in the water, particularly under it. I can hold my breath for a few minutes. Are you going to join me?"

He sighed in relief. How strange it is, for me to be concerned with the safety of an elf that just a few days ago I was shooting at with my bow. And stranger still for me to have asked her to stay. Why did I ask her? The sound of her laughter floated up to him and he saw her swimming on her back in the water, her long hair flowing about her having come loose from the sloppy braid she had put it in. Because she is so beautiful when she is at one with nature and her laugh sounds like the bird's very springtime song, is that why? Am I attracted to her? I can't be, she is ignorant and selfish, and rude and, and wonderfully fun to be around when she isn't so sour. No, I swore to myself I wouldn't ever again, not after…no.

"Well, are you coming in or not?" she gazed up at him where he stood on the rocks seemingly deep in thought. Funny, I didn't know he could think so much without hurting himself. Why is he staring at me? I wish I had my bow, I would wipe that smirk off his face and, no, I couldn't shoot him. I would be put back in that awful room again! I don't want that…wow.

Legolas stripped his boots off and took off his shirt. He then stood at the edge and flexed his arms for a dive. The light of the rising moon reflected off the water accenting his every move as he dived perfectly into the water and surfaced some fifteen seconds later. He swam delicately over to her and out his hands on her shoulders.

"Happy, I am in the lake swimming, and I am wet. But I daresay you could use a bit more water."

"What are you talking abo…" he swiftly dunked her and held her under for a few seconds before letting her come up gasping for breath.

"I thought you could hold your breath a long time?"

"Don't ever do that again? No one is to dunk me, no one!" she caught her breath back and swam a few strokes away before standing on a rock. "I don't like being dunked."

He got the feeling that he shouldn't press her for more information but from what he could gather, in all probability it had something to do with the first few years of her life with that woman. "Sorry. I am going to get out now, ok? No more dunking, I promise," he assured her as he swam past her to get out on the shallow banked side.

She watched as he climbed back up the cliff and grabbed his boots and shirt before going to the top again and sat down to air dry. Why? Why did he do that? Why did he ask me to come here, to stay? Why? Why everything? Why is he so annoying! She sighed and swam a few laps.

She accidentally struck her foot off a rock near the falls and when she leaned down to grab the sore foot, the force of the churning water falling over powered her and sucked her under. She didn't pay attention to where she was going, so long as she got above the water, no matter what. She hated being forced under water, she couldn't cope with it. She swam as hard as she could, she was under the falls though and it was hard. Luckily it wasn't a very hard current and she surfaced within a few more seconds.

As last time, she surfaced, gasping for breath and, finding, that she could stand, she put a hand on her chest and panted until she realized that though it was growing dark, it wasn't quite this dark before. She looked up and was taken aback at what she saw. She was behind the waterfall. She was now in a shallow cave behind the falls, a small pull of water contained in it and some very curious items.

She stared up at the wall. There was a long elvish blade on the wall hung ornately from two decorative hooks. There was also a bound chest on the ground below the sword. She stepped to the chest, opened it, and held her breath. A lone white dress was folded in the chest and under closer examination she saw that it was very extravagant, like a wedding gown. She picked the sword up off the hooks and pulled it from its sheath. She couldn't resist as she held it and she swung it around, having a make believe mini battle by herself in the mysterious cave she discovered.

"Eriathwen? Eriathwen where are you?" she put the sword back in the sheath hastily and nervously put it back on the hooks, almost dropping it as she hurried, not wanting to be caught in the cave. As she grabbed the sword before it hit the ground, she saw something she hadn't noticed before; a simple yet beautiful ring hanging on a chain from a spike in the wall. Mesmerized she put the sword back and held her hand out fingering the delicate ring on the wall.

She turned it around and looked at the mithril band with a tiny star sapphire in the middle. Engraved in elvish runes it had two names. "Meleth and…" She never got to read the second name though.

"Eriathwen!" she spun around as she was caught red handed by the very person she knew wouldn't want her to be in there.

"What are you doing?" he strode forward angrily, hurt written upon his face.

"I, I found it by accident, I swear. I didn't mean to find it but, what is all this stuff? Is it yours? I mean, not the dress but…"

He could have gotten angry and yelled, or he could have hit her. But instead he sat down with his feet in the water and stared out at the back of the falls.

She came closer to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, though he barely seemed to notice it.

"Legolas?"

"One year, one month, and three days."

"What? What was one year, one month and three days?"

"She died."

"Who?" she was getting somewhere, slowly, but she was getting there, where ever there was.

"My truest and most loyal companion; my sister. She was engaged to my best friend, Aradir. "

One year, one month and three days ago…oh no, his friend that died, that was his sister? What have I done now? "Legolas, I'm sorry, I didn't know, I'll, I'll leave, I am so sorry."

"No. Its ok, it isn't your fault. I shouldn't have this here. I guess I just couldn't let her go, not completely. Perhaps it is time." He looked down at his feet and splashed them around in the water like a child. Laughing to himself he added, "She always loved this spot; behind the waterfall."

"I thought you found it a month ago?"

"I lied; it wasn't until a month after her death that I could bring my self to return here though. Perhaps it really is time to let her go. She would want to be free; I can't keep holding onto her like this, it isn't right. I should let her go, let her be free."

Although not entirely sure of what he was speaking of, she was still moved by his words. He loved this woman, whoever she was, and she was…killed, in front of him. How horrible of that to have happened.

He walked up and ripped the ring from the wall. Standing at the edge of the water he gripped it in his hand and strode out under the falls disappearing from Eriathwen's sight.

"Legolas!" she quickly followed him out, cursing the pain in her foot that had caused her to find the cave in the first place. "Legolas!" she yelled as she hobbled after him. He was climbing up the rocks to the top. She scurried after him as best she could. She was near the top when she saw him standing there on the edge looking down over the edge warily, a though he were thinking over in his mind the hardest and most painful decision that had ever come to his mind. She watched him bow his head and clench his fists at his sides.

"Legolas, no!" she actually thought he was going to jump.

He raised his hand and threw the ring as far as he could into the water. She watched it leave his hand and as she clung to the rocks she saw it disappear into the water on the far edge of the lake. Her Elvin eyes allowed her the privilege of seeing a small splash as it hit and promptly sank, catching the moon light as it did.

Legolas turned and closed his eyes, climbing down the cliff past her without seeming to notice her.

"Legolas?"

"It was time Eriathwen, sometimes you just can't hold on forever. Let's go back."

Eriathwen watched him climb down the face of the cliff and mount his horse, waiting for her to come down. She began her descent, grabbing her boots on the way, and got on her horse after taking the time to meticulously put her high black boots back on.

He clucked to his horse and they started walking forward but again, she felt it was too soon and she found herself glancing back once more at the serene pool that held so many secrets. As they passed the lake, she saw a gleam in the water. She could only guess that it was the ring. She closed her eyes and looked away. Marriage. Love is for fools who are too blind to see it leads to heartache. Fools who don't know what to do with themselves so they get married. I never want to get married. She looked ahead to Legolas who was sitting straight in his saddle unaffected by the night's events. But what is it that I do want?