Author's Note: Hello everyone! Welcome to 23! Thank you for your reviews, and we hope to see the reviews keep on rolling in! This chapter's gonna be a long one, but we're quite proud of it, as well, and we think you'll like it. And if you do, tell us - review! Enjoy your reading!

But we carry on our backs the burden

Time always reveals...

The wound that would not heal

It's the bitter taste of losing everything

That I have held so dear. - 'Fallen' by Sarah McLachlan

Chapter 23

" I am sorry if I have offended you or hurt you in any way, Nevada," Boromir said tightly, his eyes still locked with Aragorn's." I will take my leave now." With a swift turn, Boromir stalked out of the area and towards their campsite without a backward glance. Aragorn's body still thrummed with anger and his eyes were still dark, but when they focused on Nevada, the deep blue lightened to its normal color.

" Nevada, are you all right?" he asked softly.

To his surprise, instead of giving an answer she turned on her heel and walked the other way. Blinking, Aragorn stood for a second, then strode swiftly after her, determined not to let her leave until he spoke with her. Even though her gait was brisk to the point of a light jog, he had no trouble catching up with her because she didn't seem to know where she was going, or have any particular destination in mind." Nev," he began, and when he placed a hand on her right arm she jerked it away.

She stopped walking, but refused to turn around, so Aragorn paced over to her side and peered into her face. Her black hair covered it like a curtain, and from what he could see, her jaw was set and her mouth in a thin, firm line. Her breathing came out quick and almost painful, and Aragorn's eyes darkened again with worry.

" Nevada?" he asked her again, gently. He placed two fingers under her chin and drew it up. She met his gaze for a brief moment, eyes so dark with emotion the vivid purple in them almost looked black. To his astonishment, her eyes were shiny and wet; filled with tears that threatened to spill, and when she saw his reaction, she tilted her head away from his fingers and looked the other way, her fingers clutching the velvet sides of her gown tightly.

" I just want to be alone, Aragorn," she told him in a low, strangled voice." Just leave me alone." The quiet pleading in her voice pulled at him, and he shook his head firmly.

" I cannot do that until I find out what is wrong," he told her quietly." Your pain makes me worry, Nevada."

Why can't you just leave me alone? Nevada screamed at him in her mind. She bit her lip and fought back another wave of despair and sorrow that burned its way down her throat and made the moisture in her eyes even thicker to the point where her vision blurred. She dug her fingers into the dress in an effort to dispel the shakes running up and down her spine in the effort not to sob her eyes out, although she felt that at any given moment, she would lost her self control and do it anyway. When she felt Aragorn's fingers on her arm again, she stiffened and took in a silent breath. How she fervently wished he wasn't here so she could get this crying business over with and relieve some of the misery weighing down her heart. Why couldn't the man take a hint?

" Nevada," his voice rolled over her, and she clenched her teeth at his soothing tone." Stop ignoring me and face me."

Snarling silently to herself, she whipped her head around and met his concerned blue eyes." Do you take pleasure out of watching people lose it?" On the last part her voice broke and quivered, and she cursed to herself mentally and swallowed a few times before continuing." Leave me in peace, Aragorn! Go back into camp and I will come when I am ready!"

She tried to walk past him, but he gently placed his hands on her shoulders and stopped her. When he moved his hands to her upper arms, she hissed in a breath at the contact of the throbbing spot where Boromir had placed the weight of his hand.

Freezing, Aragorn immediately knew the cause and his jaw tightened." Let me see it," he ordered quietly.

" No."

" Please, let me see it," he said to her again. There was anger simmering in his eyes, but she knew it was for Boromir. Reluctant to make him angrier, she merely stared up at him, breath still coming in short, soft bursts that would have been undetectable if Aragorn hadn't known she was already upset. When she continued to stare, neither saying no or yes, he took it as a yes and grasped the velvet sleeve of her gown. Slowly, he pulled it up over the skin, and her eyes went from him to her arm. The skin was an angry red color, in the shape of four fingers around its slim width with the five lower on the back side. Fury flooded through the man again as he pulled it back down, and he had to take a couple of minutes to gather himself.

" Satisfied?" she asked him, colder than she had intended." Now if you'll excuse me." She turned to leave and Aragorn only hesitated a second before unclenching his fists and catching up to her.

" Tell me what really troubles you, Nevada," he coaxed, his voice slightly hoarse from anger and worry." Please."

The silent pleading in his voice made her stop walking. His empathy towards her, the tone of his voice, made her lip quiver and her eyes fill again. Blinking them back profusely, she sniffed and tried to regain control, but it wasn't working. Already, she felt so alone, and he was offering to listen...Taking in a loud breath, Nevada made one last half-hearted attempt to hold her tears back, then let the dam break.

" My," she started, caught herself before she sobbed, swallowed, and tried again." My life...has been shot to hell." She let the tears roll down her face, and her body shook as she started to cry." Valar, I am so alone," she cried, then placed her hand on her face as she started to silently sob.

Completely undone, all Aragorn could do for a few seconds was stare in utter awe and disbelief as he watched the strongest woman he knew break down. Her back still facing him, Aragorn felt it tear at his own heart as it wrenched at her grief, and he moved forward. He slowly turned her around and gathered her in his arms tightly. She slowly wrapped her arms around his waist and held on, and felt his hands tighten comfortingly around her upper back.

For long minutes, the only sound was Aragorn's murmurs of comfort in both Elvish and Westron, and Nevada's deep sobs that shook her small frame to the core. Each shudder of her body tore through Aragorn, and he held on to her tightly, tucking her head onto his chest so she could cry on his tunic. He rested his chin on the top of her head and reached up to stroke her dark hair. Frantically, he tried to think of what else could be making her cry like this so he could make it better. He had to get her to stop crying; it made him feel terrible inside. He knew it had something to do with Boromir, but the foremost thing he could think of was Gandalf. Aragorn's brow furrowed in thought, but he continued to whisper to her soothingly, words neither of them could understand, but nevertheless seemed to have a slightly good effect on Nevada. Gandalf's death had hit them all hard, and the memory of it made his own heart ache with grief, but he knew the wizard was more to Nevada than she let on. Sighing to himself, he closed his eyes and continued to hold her, wishing he could make her pain go away.

" This is about Gandalf," he said solemnly in her ear.

Nevada squeezed her eyes shut and wrapped slim fingers in a fist around his tunic. She nodded wordlessly, still unable to speak since most of her breath was spent on crying. She cried healthily for another few minutes before, slowly, it started to subside. She reduced her tears to a few hiccups and broken sighs, but continued to clutch onto Aragorn as if he were her only lifeline. Her eyes were open and unfocused, caught up in memory, and she stayed quiet for a moment more, feeling the man stroke her hair like he would a child which, truthfully, she did not mind one bit.

" I have never known fear like I knew it when he fell," she whispered, and Aragorn had to lean his head in to catch all the words." Or horror. It felt like, for the longest time, that he was indestructible. Nothing could happen to Gandalf; he was a damn wizard, he'd stop anything from happening." She bit her lip to keep it from trembling, and her eyes filled again. She sniffed a few times before continuing with," And then this happens, and I realize that even he can die. Even he can be taken away. From the time it took to get here, and up until earlier today, I didn't let it bother me. I was used to seeing him leave, because he always went on trips all over Middle Earth." She took in a shaky breath and her voice changed in pitch periodically to keep herself from crying." But it's not the same, because I know he's not coming back from this trip. Valar only knows how long he fell, and he was alone." Her fists clenched again into Aragorn's tunic tightly." No one deserves to die like that, especially not him. And especially not in that place."

Aragorn listened quietly, his eyes sad as he remembered Gandalf's fall into Shadow himself." You know that was not your fault," he told her, trying to be as comforting as he could, but his voice was coming out gruffer than he intended; she sounded so sorrowful." None of us could have prevented the likes of that happening."

She nodded." I know."

" His death was not in vain," Aragorn continued, almost to himself this time." Nor will he be forgotten." He felt her nod again, and dropped into silence for a moment. He then asked the question that he had been pondering for so many weeks." What was Gandalf to you, Nevada?"

She let out another breath before holding the air out for a moment. Taking in another, she responded so softly he again had to strain to hear," Like a father. Or grandfather, whichever you prefer. I have no memory of my mother and father; they're not dead, as far as I know, but I've never met them. No one seems to know where they are."

" He raised you, then?" Aragorn asked, curious now.

Nevada slowly let go of Aragorn's tunic and lifted her head from his chest. He took the cue to loosen his grip on her, and Nevada stepped back slightly, looking up into his face. The tears had dried on her cheeks, and her eyelashes were still wet." Not quite," she denied, clearing her throat slightly. Her eyes were still deeply sad, but it looked as if she had control of her tears now. Briefly, Nev looked around, and Aragorn caught on.

" Let's sit down," he said, and she nodded. They chose a low log to their right, and sat down next to each other. Nevada placed her hands in her lap, and her form was slightly hunched over as she stared at an unknown spot in the distance while she continued to speak." When I was young, around 400, he would visit frequently to the family that had taken me in, and a little later he started taking me with him on brief trips. Minas Tirith, Osgiliath, Orthanc," her voice turned distasteful as she spoke the word," before Saruman utterly ruined it; Dale, Esgaroth." Nevada's lips curved into a faint smile at the memories, and a stray chuckle made Aragorn smile." He wanted to teach me, and I quote," Things I would never learn from a superstitious old couple who refused to travel more than two steps away from their country." Later, he told me that he sort of took me in because he saw potential in me to be something greater. He said that he foresaw many things in my future, and he wanted me to be ready for them. That I would not learn those things without experience. I suppose I was a sort of project for him," her smile returned," perhaps to see if he could do the parenting thing right." The smile turned sad, and her eyes grew suspiciously misty again." He did it right. I don't recall if I ever thanked him for it."

Aragorn allowed her a few moments to collect herself, which consisted of a lot of blinking and slow breathing, before she continued." The trips grew much longer, to the point that I was only in Deimos for a few months every few years, and I spent the majority of my time learning, everything from basic school lessons, to adjusting to foreign places, learning new languages, and fighting. Fighting was important, mostly because Gandalf found out that I was quite talented and decided to run with that knowledge. Our kingdom, as you know, have countless female fighters, and Gandalf knew that the vaster my knowledge was in different ways of fighting, the better chance I had of working my way up the ranks in Deimos. Making something of myself."

Aragorn nodded slowly, able to identify with her strongly. Her background touched lightly upon his, mostly due to the intense traveling she must have done over the centuries." How did you and Liana meet?"

Nevada's brows furrowed as she thought about the day's events and how Liana played in them, and her heart sank even further." When I was 500, Gandalf took her under his wing. Her parents had been killed, and there was a lot of controversy about their death. She had nowhere else to go, so Gandalf brought her along with us. We didn't get along much at first," Nev smiled sadly at the new rush of memories," but soon we were closer than sisters. We went on those trips with him, and it was so much more fun with her around. Neither of us could identify with any of the other children we met, because although we looked like them, we were far above them intellectually, and that made us clash with them. All we had was Gandalf. He was like a mentor, a stern but loving grandfather." She shook her head slowly as memories flooded her, and grief along with it." Now, he's gone."

Aragorn wrapped his arm around her shoulder, but her gaze stayed on an area in the distance. He allowed himself a moment to digest all this new information, and while he did, he began to feel deeply thankful that she had told him. He felt like he understood her more now. However, Nevada continued to look just as bothered, but by something different. Aragorn thought carefully, than remembered how she looked when he mentioned Liana. His heart turned cold as he remembered the day's previous events, and he almost dreaded to ask Nevada what happened with Liana." What is the matter concerning Liana?"

Her face fell, and for the first time she turned to look at Aragorn. The dismal look in the dark purple depths made Aragorn's instincts plummet to a warning that he was not going like this news.

" Liana's leaving," she said, her voice just above a whisper." And I have no idea if she will return."

Aragorn blinked, then confusion, worry, and anger flooded him." Why would she be leaving? Is this about the Faeries that showed up?" She nodded." What did they say to her?" He did not have the slightest idea, but he knew that he would not sit back and watch her leave without either a good explanation or a fight.

" Her country, Ciel, was attacked." Nevada's mood went down even further, to the blackest recesses of her mind, as she recalled their argument and felt ashamed at some of the things she said." About a week ago. They wanted her to come back and, well, pick up the pieces. She couldn't refuse, so she's leaving tomorrow morning to see how much damage was done." It was almost painful to say.

Aragorn's eyes darkened at the dreary news. Mordor was slowly spreading its power, to even some of the center kingdoms of the Fae. It was a harrowing truth, and it sobered him to the task that they were performing. He closed his eyes briefly, and Frodo flashed before his mind's eye. He did not want Liana to leave, especially at this point in the journey, but he knew she had to. He understood that it was her duty, no matter how much it hurt her and them." I take it the others have not been informed."

" I don't know," Nevada shrugged her shoulders." She's probably telling them now. We...We met up before I came here and...got into an argument about her leaving. Neither of us were very nice about it."

Aragorn nodded, imagining the words that could have been said about that." It is something that is out of our control, but I am deeply saddened by her leaving. She was a valuable member of the fellowship, and she will be missed." When he said, he then realized just how much: Legolas flashed through his mind, and he winced. Her leave taking was not going to be a pretty one.

" That's not half of the point," Nevada said, and she shifted her gaze off of Aragorn for a moment, trying again to collect herself." Once she leaves, everything is suddenly unclear. I will have no idea what will happen to her from that point. What if there is still fighting going on in Ciel?" She looked back to Aragorn, her eyes suddenly fierce and worried." She could die, and I would never know it until this is over. I could never see her again, and that thought..." her voice broke, and she fought to control her rapid breathing of panic." That thought terrifies me. Gandalf was all I had to look for as a parent, aye, but Liana is my family now. One of the only people I truly trust, and I could not bear to lose her. I can't. She means so much to me, and I'm horrified at the thought of anything killing her over there." Nevada's hands shook where they were clasped tightly together in her lap." The fighting has gotten so much harder over there," she whispered." Anything could happen."

Aragorn shook his head and reached over with his hands. He grasped her shoulders and peered into her face, only speaking when she looked at him." Liana is a strong fighter. She will be all right, Nevada. You cannot worry about things you have no control over. You have to believe she will be all right, and have faith in her abilities. Do you understand?"

Nevada stared into his bottomless, imploring blue eyes. She understood, but it did not stop her heart from not being sure.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Liana's steps were slow and deliberately noisy through the paths of Lothlorien's woods. She kept her gaze to her feet, and occasionally let her hands trail along the slim trunks of the silver trees to her left and right, catching leaves here and there as she went. Her mind whirred over the day's events, and her eyes darkened with worry, sadness, and guilt. She was intensely worried about Ciel, and no matter how much she wanted to stay here, she could not wait to get back home and help in whatever way she could. She was sick with grief over leaving; it killed her to leave Frodo, whom had so faithfully put his trust in her and the rest of them to help him throughout this journey. Frodo, please forgive me for this, she thought sadly. I hope he understands.

The guilt changed over to someone else, and she sighed again. She felt ashamed for some of the things she had said to Nevada. She's just as angry as I am that I have to leave, and I don't blame her, Liana thought. I really need to apologize for that. Liana blinked back a few tears burning in the back of her eyelids. I'm already missing her, she thought shakily.

Liana tired of trailing her hands along the foilage, and she let her hands drop to her side. She lifted her eyes to the break in the path in front of her that led to her encampment, and paused before going in. She wanted to run in the other direction, and with her heart squeezing painfully in her chest, she nearly did. You have to tell them, she thought miserably. They deserve to hear it from you. She took in an agonized breath, and with heavy legs made her way over to them. It looked like the hobbits were enjoying a late dinner, which made Liana smile slightly. She recognized Pippin's curly head, happily eating away at mushrooms, and Sam's right next to him, talking to Frodo in earnest. She didn't see the others until she drew closer, and she felt her heart tighten in her chest with each step.

They all paused from what they were doing when Liana came into view, and she felt the heavy weight of their curious, concerned gazes. When her eyes met with Legolas's, the reality of the situation hit her hard, and she had to look away and blink back the tears burning her eyes again.

" How did it go?" Pippin chirped up in his high voice.

Frodo watched the Faerie solemnly, and his heart sank at the look in her eyes. I don't think the news is going to be very well at all, he thought. No, he confirmed in his head when she met eyes with him and he read sadness, guilt and apology there. They were not going to like this.

" What is the matter?" Merry asked, his thoughts paralleling Frodo's. His sharp hobbit gaze pinned hers, and she walked closer, fighting the urge to wring her hands in nervousness.

" Diana, Gabriella and Eolis brought me word back from my home, Ciel," she spoke, and surprised herself at how calm she sounded." It was attacked about a week ago, and rode with all haste to bring me the news."

The hobbit's eyes widened, Gimli frowned immensely, and Legolas and Boromir's brows furrowed in concern." How badly?" Boromir asked.

She shook her head slightly." I am not sure what the extent is, and neither are they since they left to come here when it started." Instead of continuing, she took a deep breath, then another. Her eyes kept darting to each member of the Fellowship, and her sense of guilt increased until she could hardly bear it.

Legolas studied her emotions, and found his heart slowly sinking in his chest. He loathed what she would say next, and hoped that his guesses wouldn't prove to be true, but the way she kept avoiding looking at him, he feared the worst. It made his heart tighten in his chest, and he wanted to shake his head in denial of his thoughts. She opened her mouth to speak again, and his hands clenched tightly as she spoke.

" They came to bring me back to Ciel to help, and I agreed." It was almost painful to say, and inwardly she blanched at the increasingly crestfallen look on the hobbits' faces, mostly Frodo's. I'm so sorry, she wanted to cry to him. " I have to go back and help my people. It's bad enough that I have been gone this long, and I was absent when it started. I feel terrible about leaving." She had to swallow to keep her composure, which she was able to do well enough - outwardly, she was just pale and her eyes were a bit misty. " And I truly am sorry, but I have to depart from here in the morning to aide my country. Please understand that I don't want to leave, but...right now, my primary duty is to my country, no matter how much I want to stay." She watched the disbelief etch across their faces, and surprisingly she found understanding in the eyes of Boromir, and an unreadable expression in Gimli's. When she looked at Legolas, however, she found it hard to breathe. From weeks of traveling with him and being able to spot certain telltale signs of his moods, she knew he was deeply upset. His jaw was clenched, and his face was expressionless, but his eyes were dark and the emotions in them were unreadable. They drilled holes in her, and she couldn't stand to look in them any longer.

" My apologies. I must go and take care of a few other loose ends. I will be back in a little while," she told the rest of them somewhat shakily, and all they could do was watch her turn around and walk back through the brush.

It was quiet for a long moment before Pippin's soft voice cut through it." Miss Liana's leaving?"

" I don't believe this," Frodo shook his head.

Merry looked at Pippin, and Pippin's eyes filled. " This is terrible," the hobbit informed his older cousin." Why does she have to leave now?"

" You heard her," Merry explained patiently, although the thought of the pretty, kind Faerie leaving them in the morning made him terribly sad inside. " There's nothing we can do, Pip, although I really don't want to see her go."

" She made an oath to Mr. Frodo," Sam declared somewhat angrily, trying to find reasons to be mad with her leaving. " She shouldn't have to leave now. Couldn't they do without her?"

" Her country needs its leader, Sam," Boromir defended, his voice somewhat comforting. " She will be able to aide and soothe her people, and fix the damage done. No one else can do that but her." Frodo's mournful eyes moved from Boromir to Legolas at his rustle of movement, and they all looked up when the Elf wordlessly walked briskly away from them and in the direction Liana went.

" He's going to take this hard," Frodo said softly, almost to himself. The hobbits nodded in agreement, and Pippin sighed sadly.

" I'm going to miss her."

Liana could feel him following her a few yards back. He moved soundlessly through the woods, but she knew he was there, and it made her slow down. She was not ready to face him yet, but she knew she had to, so she came to a complete stop in a small clearing of trees near one of the Elven staircases to the talans. Her arms were folded across her stomach, and her fingers curled tightly into the velvet cloth of her dress. He stopped just behind her, close enough for her to feel his body heat, and Liana really did not want to turn around and face him.

" You don't know how terrible this makes me feel," she said, and he stayed silent." I know what this is doing to you, and I'm sorry. But I can't stay." She squeezed her eyes shut, and her heart broke at what he must be feeling. Biting her lip, Liana took a deep breath in and turned around to look up at Legolas.

His face was still expressionless, his mouth a thin line, but his eyes burned with sadness and regret. She met his gray-blue eyes with a grief of her own, and he let his face fall slightly, holding some of the sorrow he felt.

" You won't be back for the rest of the journey." The words were not a question, but spoken as a fact. The air she breathed felt heavy, and she shook her head slowly.

" It doesn't look that way." She felt her eyes fill again, and looked away from him. " I can't look at you when you look like that. It's breaking my heart."

Legolas's mind had been a whirlwind of loss, grudging acceptance, and deep misery - she was leaving, and he had no idea when he would see her again. Anything could happen to her, a voice whispered in his head. She could be killed in battle over there. That thought lanced through his heart painfully, and he forcefully shoved such negative thoughts from his mind. When she spoke last, the agony in her voice reminded him that this was not easy for her at all, either. She was having just as much difficulty accepting her leaving as the rest of them were.

" I am sorry," he said at length. " I do not mean to make you any more uncomfortable than you already are." When she didn't speak, he continued. " I understand why you have to leave. I'm not angry with you." Stepping closer, Legolas hesitated before bringing up his hand to brush her cheek. She almost reared her head back away, but apparently changed her mind. With a weary sigh, she leaned her head into his touch and visibly swallowed before bringing up her own hand and covering his with it. He felt her stroke the skin of his hand lovingly, and he wasn't able to fight back the ache in his heart her touch brought.

" I know you're not," she responded finally. Her eyes opened, and tears threatened to spill out of their tawny depths. " I don't want to leave," she admitted, and in that moment she sounded and looked incredibly young and insecure. Legolas's facade broke, and he sighed sadly and gathered her in his arms. He held onto her tightly, unwilling to let go, and he felt her slender arms wrap around his waist and squeeze tightly. Her face was buried in his chest, and her shoulders shook as she cried silently. He stroked her hair and whispered to her in elvish, and although she didn't understand it, it comforted her in ways she couldn't describe.

The Elf swallowed hard, and while the prospect of losing her now, when he had just fully realized how much she meant to him, killed him inside, he knew he would have to let her go. And that hurt the most. At the moment, he just patiently waited out her tears and did the best he could to comfort both her and himself. Legolas buried his face in her shoulder and took in the scent of her hair and skin, and contented himself with the feel of her near him, for he knew in a short while he wouldn't be able to feel it again for a long time. This can't be happening, he thought to himself desperately. Not now. But it is.

Liana managed to stop the tears a short while into it, but the terrible feeling weighing down her heart didn't go away. She didn't want to move away from him, and for a few minutes she marveled at how he made her feel just by being near. Fancy me realizing this now, she thought dryly to herself, but she knew she had always known. He was...warmth. Life. Affection. The most wonderful person to talk with, and just be near. He made her heart race, and even now, she really had no idea why he had such a impact on her. He was an Elf, for crying out loud.

But right then, she would rather be with no one else.

And she had no idea how she was going to be able to leave him.

" This isn't goodbye," Liana whispered fiercely, to herself and to him.

" No, it isn't," Legolas agreed. They pulled away slightly, but still kept their arms around each other. The Elf closed his eyes briefly, and leaned in to rest his forehead against hers. " I hate it that you are leaving," he admitted in a soft voice, and the turmoil in his eyes spoke volumes." I know you have to, but I do not have to like it."

A ghost of a smile fleeted across her face, and she sniffed. " I'm going to be just as miserable. I feel so bad for leaving all of you, and especially for leaving Frodo. I feel like I've betrayed him."

" Frodo realizes your situation," Legolas informed her, still keeping her closer with both of them speaking in near whispers to each other. " I do not think he will hold you accountable. He understands duty." She nodded almost imperceptibly, and he smiled tenderly at the forlorn look on her face. " Now, Liana, do not feel bad. We need you, yes, but your country needs you most." She frowned and looked at him, and he smiled slightly." I suppose you didn't want to hear that."

" Not really, but it is true." She was silent for a moment, calming herself with his presence before speaking again. " I had spoken about it with Nevada first. We had...words with each other, and it didn't go entirely too well. I know she's worried something will happen to me," the arms around her waist tightened and Legolas's back stiffened, " but of course, nothing will," she added hurriedly.

" She is just upset," Legolas answered," and we all deal with fear for the safety of another in different ways. The two of you will make amends before you depart, I know you will."

Liana nodded. She lifted her forehead from his to stare into his eyes. " Look after her," she pleaded quietly. " I love her more than anything, and I want to make sure she's safe."

Legolas agreed with a swift nod, feeling as if a final, thick door had been swung shut at her words as a permanent reminder that she really was leaving in the morning to participate in war in another country. " I will. And you will be safe," he added vehemently.

" Of course," she agreed, wishing desperately she took away the sorrow from his gaze. " I will come back."

" To me," he finished, and although a little surprised, she agreed. It wasn't enough, Legolas decided, and brought a hand to cup the back of her neck and bring her in closer to he could speak in her ear. " You will come back to me alive, Liana. I will not settle for anything less. For if anything should happen to you..." he shook his head in comprehension. " It would be the end of me."

Her breath stopped at his words, and her mind tried to comprehend the depth of that statement. She stared at him for a long while, expression serious, then said, " I won't let anything happen to me, if it will do that to you." Her smile was bittersweet. " I couldn't bear to cause you more pain than I am now."

His fingers delved into her hair, and its silkiness felt wonderful to his fingertips. " This pain is my problem, I'm afraid. By all rights, I should not be bothered since you will only be gone for months, maybe more. But..."He closed his eyes and drew her head to his. " The thought of being away from you even that long is close to unbearable."

" I feel the same way," she stated in almost amazement, realizing faintly that she really did feel that way. And that he did, too...It was getting a tad harder to breathe, Liana suspected, and she lifted her head from his for a moment. His approximate closeness finally registered, and she was suddenly aware of his body against hers. His gorgeous face was mere inches from her own, and she could feel the muscles in his arms around her and his hands in her hair and on her waist. Heady with the new visualization, she looked back up at him, almost in a daze, and his eyes had darkened to a stormy blue.

" I have waited far too long to do this," he told her softly, and before she could much else but widen her eyes and part her lips, his head came down and his lips caressed hers. Instinctively, Liana's hands curled into Legolas's tunic, and she was stunned at the new sensations brought on by the feel of him against her. His lips tasted lovely and the kiss was soft, tender and slow at first, so achingly sweet that she couldn't help but respond. He was overwhelming, and the depth of the feelings pouring out of him both enthralled her and frightened her, but she couldn't pull back.

Legolas poured himself into what he had been wanting to do for weeks now, and gratifyingly felt her respond back just as eagerly. Within seconds, he deepened the kiss until they were all but consuming each other, deprived of a simple act they had denied themselves of for far too long. Liana strove to keep up with him, and her grip on his tunic tightened just as his hands moved up to tighten on her shoulders. Incredibly joy burst through them both, and the kiss continued on possessively and passionately until they both had to stop for air.

Liana fought to catch her breath, and felt absolutely drunk with emotion as she stared at the Elf in bewilderment. She noted, with brief satisfaction, that he seemed a bit shaken himself. " We," she began breathlessly, " we did indeed wait too long for that." He nodded and smiled with satisfaction, making her smile. The urge to kiss him again, just for the sake of him being so beautiful at that moment, arose, but she quelled it with more sobering thoughts. " I still have to leave," she blurted out sadly.

His smile turned tender and sad, and he stroked the side of her face. " It will hurt to see you go, but I know someday you will be back."

The time frame of 'someday' put a lump in Liana's throat, and she blinked back tears again. What they had now was so new, it seemed incredibly unfair to have to put it on hold; to put him on hold. " I don't know how I'm going to leave you tomorrow," she whispered.

He smiled again, then fought back a strange bout of nervousness. He had to tell her now, rather than later. She needed to know. " Liana," he said tentatively. She looked up at him, and their gazes locked. The look in his eyes took her breath away more than it had before. " I never anticipated on feeling this way about you, and not only because you are Fae. I knew that we would become friends, due to the circumstances, but I never expected my feelings towards you to go deeper." He cupped her face with his hand, and his eyes bore into her unsuspecting, wondering golden ones. " They did. You never cease to amaze me, and you've held my fascination from the beginning. I love watching you, speaking to you, making you laugh, and my dependence on seeing you everyday has grown so great it has begun to frighten even me." He hesitated for the barest of seconds, then leaned his head in towards hers. " Liana, I love you," he whispered, certain yet uncertain at what her reaction would be. " I love you completely, more than I ever thought I would. I never realized I was capable of loving someone as much as I do you." He waited a breath for her reaction, but her eyes were unreadable." Do you understand?" He didn't know what he would do on the slim chance she would reject him, but he was sure, sure in his heart that she wouldn't.

Liana stared at him numbly. At first, his words frightened her, then she felt oddly flattered and her heart seemed to burst with unending joy at his words. He loved her, she thought, tasting the surprise that brought with it. This wonderful, beautiful being loved *her*. She almost didn't believe it if he hadn't been speaking so earnestly, and it filled her with wonderful joy. Then, just as abruptly, grief flooded her. What if something really happened to her, or to him? Inside, she started to panic, and her breath quickened. Oh, Valar, she thought, for the first time being able to recognize the love making his eyes fairly glow, and again it terrified her. I don't need this, not now, she cried to him in her head. Of all times, you tell me the day before I have to leave you? Am I even ready to love someone? Can I? Do I love him? Liana felt the sudden urge to run away from him and beat her head against a wall in frustration and panic. Why now, she groaned to herself. She didn't want to ruin that perfect look in his eyes, but she just wasn't sure...

Legolas watched the many rapid emotions fly through her eyes, and although it made his heart hurt, he knew she needed time right now. He had to admit it was sudden, and she looked fairly overwhelmed. He gave her shoulders a squeeze, then brought her to him to kiss her lips tenderly. " I will be at camp," he told her quietly, although he could not hide the disappointment in his voice. " I will see you in the morning, melamin." Liana watched him go, and his retreating, melancholy form made her want to weep.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

" I realized that now, once Liana leaves, I will be utterly alone." Nevada's tone was hollow, and she spoke without breaking eye contact to Aragorn." I have no home to go back to, no family to speak of. The couple that I had originally stayed with are dead. I just...I started crying earlier because it all came to me in a rush. I had this empty, sinking feeling of being so *alone* that it frightened me. I've always dreaded something like this." Her face continued to be a mask of sinking depression that was starting to frighten Aragorn himself. To see her submerge into such feelings troubled him greatly, and he was at a loss as to how to make her feel better. He knew in his heart, however, that he could not. He also knew that it should help her by talking about it, so he stayed silent as she continued to pour her soul out to him.

" This feeling," she said shakily, and gestured to her own heart with a fist," just consumes me. It's such a hateful feeling. The thought of being totally alone, I...I *hate* it," she expressed viciously." I want to rip it out and not feel this way, tear and scream at this pit in my stomach that won't go away." She felt herself spiral into it, anyhow, until her breath came out harsh and short and her chest heave in and out to accommodate it." My home..."

One of the visiting Faerie's previous words on Nevada's surprised survival came back to Aragorn, and he asked gently," What exactly happened there, Nevada?"

Her eyes widened slightly, expression mystified, and let her hands raise then drop in a confused gesture." I truly do not know." Frustrated with her emotions, she lifted her hands again and ran them through her hair, pulling a bit before letting go." Charon was under attack, and their commander died in battle. My country is closest to Charon, and they requested that I come in immediately to fill in, so I did. I was there but a week, and the fighting had just started to go down, when I...got word." She swallowed a hard lump in her throat before continuing." I got word that Deimos had been attacked while I was away. Since we were getting the fighting under control, I left, drove my horse as hard as I could to get home. I almost...didn't want to go. I didn't want to see what I knew I would find. It would hurt." Aragorn watched her eyes glaze over in memory, and he could only imagine what she must be thinking about.

Nevada's mind filtered back to that terrible day, and she began to speak of it monotonely as her mind relived every second.

* ~ *

The tears had long since dried on her face when she looked up from her kneeled position on the ground, her mind not believing what her eyes were registering. She couldn't fathom this. All of them...they took out every last one. A wind rippled through and stirred the charred clothing of comrades, men, women and children, some of which she could recognize, and others she could not. Some of the bodies were unidentifiable because they had been burnt so badly, and it took another moment for the smell in the air to set in. Once it hit her nose, she wanted to gag at the foul odor.

The smell of burning flesh.

They burned it all, she realized, as her vision took an abrupt turn to the tree stumps and the jungle trees in the distance still moldering. This clearing was never here before, Nevada thought dumbly. They took all the trees down. Another few minutes of listening, and she realized there were no birds chirping, nor crickets or frogs of any kind. Just silence that was so loud to her ears. Bright green caught Nevada's eye, and she looked over to find the body of a Quetzal a few feet away. Its once lustrous, vivid green tailfeathers had been ripped off, and the dark eyes of the bird were glazed over in death, beak open as if crying for help.

The body of a male Fae warrior was near it, and looking at his face, Nevada remembered him. Daithi. He had just been promoted to lieutenant mere months ago, and Nevada had conducted the ceremony. He was quick on his feet, had a clever smile, and fought well. Her chest hurt to think of how he died. Fists clenched, Nev got to her feet and walked ungracefully toward him. His eyes were still open, and she couldn't bear the sight of the blue irises staring sightless into the sky. She reached down and closed his eyelids, then searched around for his sword. When she found it, she knelt down and reached for his hand. She curved his stuff fingers around the sword, and placed it on his chest. Her cheeks were wet again, and she was sure those pitiful sniffles were coming from her.

Nevada's gaze swept over to the palace again, and her chest tightened painfully. She didn't want to see what would be in there - more bodies, and the body of her princess. Nev's fists shook in a sudden wave of anger.

" It's not fair!" she burst out desperately, and her voice echoed harshly throughout the area. The only reply she got was the breeze and her own quick, rapid breathing. Her eyes filled again, and the bodies littering the ground began to grow blurry. She nearly stepped on an Orc on her way back to Arabia, and stopped when she looked down at it. With a strangled yell, she gave it a swift, vicious kick in the side, and kicked it a few more times out of pure anger. She used every curse word he knew on it, and kept beating it with her boot until she finally wore herself out.

Feeling no better, Nevada spit on the Orc then turned away from it. She let out a sigh, which ended in a soft sob. Nevada tucked loose strands of hair behind her ears, and once again looked around." I hate you," she said darkly, her voice trembling with emotion like the rest of her body. Her gaze landed on a few more Orcs, but what caught her attention was the body next to one of them, still clutching a spear. We hardly ever used spears, she thought, vaguely puzzled, then realized the garb he wore was entirely different. She struggled to remember what country she had seen wear that same style of clothing, and it took her grief ridden mind another few minutes to realize who it was lying on the ground, and the dozens of others she now spotted scattered everywhere. Harad. They were Easterlings.

Nevada's lip curled in disgust, and she regarded the body with utmost rancor. Humans helping Orcs." It would figure," she muttered somberly. Arabia watched her mistress with sad eyes but stayed put, cutting quite the figure as the only living animal in the area. Her mane and tail fluttered in the breeze, and she snorted and pawed at the ground, uneasy at all the bodies around her.

Nevada's arm dropped to her side, and she ran her fingers through the side of her hair, pulling briefly before letting go. She walked slowly away from one scene of carnage to another, and a part of her mind; the peaceful, blithe part, died with each bloody step. The color in her face dropped to a mere shell of itself, and the paleness made the purple irises of her dilated eyes stand out starkly. She stepped up to Arabia, met her horse's eyes, and reached over and wrapped her arms around the horse's back. She rested her cheek against the bristled black fur, and stroked the side of Arabia's face as she fought back another sob. It hurt to breathe here. She couldn't look at their bodies any longer.

" We're alone, Arabia," she whispered to the horse." They're all dead."

The horse whinnied softly and shifted uncomfortably again. Nevada knew the mare wanted out of there, and the Faerie agreed with her. She climbed back up on Arabia and took one last look at all the bodies, her face contorting into anguish." Lotfaen maenu' bebaekhsh*." She uttered another prayer for everyone she knew, her voice cracking every other word, then urged Arabia to leave so she could breathe again.

* ~ *

" I rode out of there as fast as my horse could take me," Nevada finished in a quiet tone, her eyes far away with memory, unmindful of the few tears making their way down her cheeks." A part of me knew there were no survivors, and it would have been futile to search for them anyway, since it was only me. There were too many bodies."

Aragorn knew how she was feeling - he sympathized, but could never fully understand the depth of an immortal's pain when she had lost her people. He remembered times when his foster brothers, Elladan and Elrohir, would lose an Elf dear to them, and their pain. It was twice as hard for them because their people lived so long, and death was unnatural to them. His heart wrenched for her, and he did the only thing he could think of for her - he drew her to him and hugged her.

" There was nothing more you could have done, Nevada," he murmured to her." You did all you could."

" I could've been there," she whispered, closing her eyes and basking in how comfortable it felt to be hugged by him at that moment.

" You would've died with them," Aragorn told her matter of factly." These things happen for a reason - you were not meant to be there at that time."

For some reason, the comment made her angry again, and the throbbing ache in her heart began again in earnest." Of course, I had to continue on and be miserable about it for years. This isn't something I'm just going to forget. Gandalf didn't help any by getting himself killed, either." The grief set in again, and she pulled away from him. She turned angry, bitter glimmering eyes to Aragorn, who watched her with an unreadable expression." You should've let me fall," she said desperately.

He blinked at her, trying to think of what she could be referring to, then remembering. His expression sobered, and he shook his head slowly.

She nodded in defiance, trying to fight back another onslaught of tears hopelessly." You shouldn't have just let me fall in Moria - it would have saved us all a lot of grief. I wouldn't have to feel this way!"

" You do not mean that," Aragorn told her sternly.

" How do you know what I mean?" she cried, and edged away from him to turn and face him. She wiped at her eyes with a hand viciously." You have no idea what this feels like! I have known Gandalf for *sixteen hundred years*, and now he's dead! All of the Faeries I knew in Deimos for centuries, were burned simply for Orc sport! Liana is leaving me, and if I lose her, too, I will have no one! I have nothing left!" Her voice broke, and she hid her face in her hands as her body shook to expel a few harsh sobs. She quickly quelled them, however, and settled for breathing in and out brokenly." Right now, I truly wish I had just died."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She didn't want him to leave. She wanted to shout for him to come back, but Liana knew it would accomplish nothing for him to come back right then. She was still a mess from what he told her, and that accompanied with the disappointment in his voice and the weariness in his proud shoulders made her even more depressed.

Why couldn't she say it back? Liana's brow furrowed as her thoughts ran a mile a minute, then she decided she needed to sit down for this. Looking around, she didn't see any benches or tree stumps, so instead she walked over to the nearest large tree and sat down with her back against it, knees up and her arms folded on top of them.

She felt awful for disappointing him, but she hadn't done it intentionally. For some reason, she never saw something like that coming, but now she realized that she should have known. There were so many signs spread out over the weeks, and especially since they had been in Lorien. He had always been affectionate with her, but recently...When he carried her tirelessly down the mountain and made sure she was comfortable; when he consoled her after she heard the other Elves speaking ill of her race; how angry he had gotten that she hurt herself over them, and his words that had made so much sense to her. He is so beautiful, she thought painfully, his body and his soul. I don't deserve to have someone like him love me. His eyes, the intensity of his feelings, both frightened and thrilled her, and made her feel incredibly warm inside. And his kiss made her shudder with emotion she thought she would never end up feeling. She touched her lips briefly and marveled at the myriad of emotions that kiss brought, and she couldn't help but blush and smile slightly at how wonderful it felt to kiss him.

So what was the problem? Did she not love him? Liana frowned. That couldn't be it. She cared for him very deeply, but was it really love? She didn't have much experience to go by since she had never been in love before, but no one else had made her heart race like Legolas did when he merely looked at her. The brush of his hand across hers or when he stroked her hair made her feel...cherished. His devotion was endearing and it made her heart ache. How could she leave him now? Could she love him back with the knowledge that she was leaving in the morning, and could very well never come back?

Liana groaned and let her head fall back against the tree trunk rather painfully." Why did you do this to me now?" she whispered into the air. Would it have been better if he had not told her, and left their relationship as it was when she left? She wasn't sure if she would have like that better or not. To wonder...But this, knowing he loved her 'completely', as he put it...mind boggled her. What had she done to deserve this? She didn't doubt him, by any means, but that made it all the more real. Did she trust him? Oh yes - with her life. He was a definite friend, for they were able to carry on conversations for hours, and they loved making the other laugh. He treated her...well, like a princess, but it was different this time - she cared what he thought, and he mattered. He was a prince himself, but he never acted like it - in fact, he had quite perfected the 'I'm-just-a-plain-old-wood-Elf' persona, and he happened to be a damn good fighter. She would have been daunted by him being an elven prince because of his father, King Thranduil, but that was so far away from her thoughts right now that it didn't matter. All she thought about was him. Legolas was indeed incredibly handsome, and he had such a mysterious personality that it made him nigh unpredictable, but she loved him that way...

Liana took in a deep breath in, then slapped her forehead with a hand and made a weird sound in the back of her throat. Oh, Valar..." I'm in love with him," she whispered shakily." Oh...oh, Valar, I love him. I am an idiot!" She had to laugh out of sheer wonder, and at this terrible realization that was so astonishing that it staggered her." I am in love with a bloody Elf," she said out loud, and felt better for saying it, as if a weight lifted off of her chest. She knew it all along, but she just wasn't ready to realize it, and now that she did, it was both elating and petrifying...and she had to tell him.

The Faerie bounded to her feet, cheeks flushed with this new understanding, and she fairly flew back to the encampment. When she arrived there, Frodo, Pippin and Gimli were already asleep...and Legolas was gone.

Her heart dropped in her stomach, and she looked around in disbelief. When she spotted Boromir, she asked him quickly," Have you seen Legolas?"

He looked up, and shook his head at her." He never came back to camp. We do not know where he went."

Liana tried hard not to let her disappointment show, but Boromir caught it." Oh," she said simply, not knowing what else to say.

" Perhaps, whatever it is you are wanting to speak to him about, can wait until tomorrow. You will need rest before your journey on the morrow, and it is late," Boromir suggested gently.

She looked at him oddly, not used to hearing such comforting words from him, but nodded reluctantly. He was right. Going on a hunt for Legolas would result in less sleep for her trip tomorrow. Biting her lip in frustration at her thwarted plans, she simple sighed and turned towards her pallet." I think I will. Thank you, Boromir."

He nodded towards her, and she smiled sadly before walking over to her bedroll. Merry and Sam watched her sit down next to them, and she in turn watched them. She couldn't mistake the almost betrayed look in Sam's eyes, and it made her feel guilty all over them. Liana scooted closer to the hobbits, and looked at Sam with a serious face.

" When I decided to come on this journey," she told him in a low, quiet voice," I was more than willing to follow Frodo to the Gates of Mordor and past that, if it meant keeping him safe and seeing the Ring destroyed." Sam shifted a little under the Faerie's searching, intense gaze." When I was thirteen hundred, I made a pledge that I would always be there for my country, first and foremost. I have to hold unto that promise, especially since it was attacked under my absence. My country needs its leader now more than ever if it is to stay free from Mordor's hold on it." She paused and pursed her lips, as if trying to find the words to say." I feel almost as if there is nothing more I can do for Frodo. He doesn't need me anymore." She smiled sadly, and reached over to cup Sam's cheek." Especially when he has such devoted friends as you to be with him. There was not much I could do for him before, besides be an aide in battle, and I feel that he will be all right with you and the others to look out for him. Although I still do feel terrible about leaving all of you. You have become..." Her face lifted in another, brighter smile." Family."

Sam and Merry both looked touched, and Sam fumbled for a response, face red, for a few moments before producing," Well, then. Th-thank you, Miss Liana. We..." he looked at Merry for a moment, who nodded, then continued, gathering the courage to look her in the face again." You're a part of our family, too. And we understand why you have to leave. No one's angry. Just sad."

She smiled, and reached over and gave Sam a hug, much to the blushing hobbit's surprise. She gave Merry one, too, who smiled warmly at her.

" We'll see you again though, right?" Merry asked.

She nodded." Oh, yes." She sighed, and briefly rubbed a hand over Merry's curls, making him smile cheekily." We should sleep."

" We'll have a big going away breakfast in the morning," Merry told her excitedly, and she laughed softly so as not to wake the others. As she readied for bed, the little hobbit made her laugh with his quirky suggestions for the morning's breakfast. With a heavy heart, she realized just how much she was going to miss the little hobbits that made such an impact on her life.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

" And cause everyone else grief?" Aragorn fairly exploded." Do not talk so selfishly! I honestly feel terrible for you, Nevada, and right now, I would give anything to take away your pain, but nothing is worth wanting to die over. You still have Liana - she is not dead, nor will she be anytime soon! You have the Fellowship, and we have the Quest to fulfill." When she didn't look at him, he pursed his lips in frustration, and leaned in to look at her." Gandalf would not want to hear you speak in such a way. Neither would Liana. It would break her heart just as much to lose you as you would imagine it would be to lose her. I do not want to hear you speak like that again."

Nevada gave a watery snort and glanced over at him, her mouth in a faint glimmer of her usual smirk." Yes, father."

Aragorn gave an exasperated sigh, and she gave in and had to laugh at him a little." You are sorely pushing my sympathy levels, Nevada."

" I'm sure I am." The misery still resounding her voice compelled Aragorn to put his arm around her shoulder once more, and she sighed tiredly and leaned her head against his shoulder. She wouldn't admit it to him, but he managed to make her feel a lot better by just doing that." This doesn't change the past."

Aragorn shook his dark, wavy head, his silver blue eyes sympathetic." No, it doesn't."

She looked up at him and met his eyes for a moment, her face thoughtful and his meaningful. She studied his face for a moment, and for one the first times realized just how smart he was. Wise. Just by looking at his face, he looked young, handsome; but she knew he was much older - all she had to do was look in his eyes and see how much he had already seen. As if seeing him in a new light, Nevada narrowed her eyes at him as she pondered this enigmatic human, and at his slightly offended expression, she laughed and rubbed at her face." I do that when I'm thinking hard about something." She gave a sigh and felt the cold remnants of tear tracks on her face." I can imagine I look frightening."

Aragorn smiled gently." Nay. Just weary, as you should be. I hope this made you feel better."

" This?"

" Talking about it."

She pursed her lips thoughtfully and found, surprisingly, that she did feel a great deal better. More at peace. Talking about it had helped her come to terms more with what she had been holding in for days; nay, months." Yeah. I suppose it did help some. It didn't make all the pain go away, but..."

" Pain takes more time to get over," he reminded her.

She nodded, and gave him a sardonic smile." Believe me, I know." Now that she was focused on his face again, and since she had been regressing so much over the past few hours, she recalled his face from another time. He had mentioned it briefly at an earlier time in the journey, but now she really thought about that original meeting." I remember you vividly from that meeting."

The sudden change of subject made Aragorn tilt his head slightly, but he followed what she was talking about." I remember you just as clearly. You were with Liana."

"Mm-hmm." She pictured his face in her mind, surprised at how much younger he looked back then, although he had to have been in his thirties." What a twist of fate it was that we should meet again. I never thought I would see you after that."

" Neither did I," he shook his head." I had no idea who you were, nor your name, but when I saw you again I did remember you."

She felt strangely touched by his admission, then shook it off just as quickly." I remembered you because only three of you came in; Gandalf, Ecthelion and yourself, and you were the only one with normal dark hair." He chuckled." You were a captain with Gondor, I believe." She closed one eye and watched him steadily while trying to think of his name being brought up in the conversation. The name Aragorn was never mentioned, but another one was...When she thought of it, she laughed." Thorongil! You called yourself by that name!" He grinned and looked down for a moment." Why Thorongil?" she chuckled." And where did you come up with it?"

" I couldn't very well use my real name," he answered with a soft chuckle of his own." It would be my death if I went around parading my heritage. Thorongil means 'the Eagle of the Star', and I quite liked it," he sniffed when she laughed again." I used it as an alias while I was at Gondor and Rohan."

" You served under the Rohirrim?" Nevada asked, surprised.

He nodded slowly." I was a captain there, as well."

" That would have been under King Thengel."

" Yes."

Nevada's face took on one of concentration, and she studied Aragorn for a long moment." I knew that you had traveled much, but you really seem to have gotten around."

Aragorn agreed with a dip of his head." Yes, I have traveled to many places."

Her eyes narrowed." Well, come on then - tell me. I practically told you my life story, now it's your turn."

He smiled and broke his gaze with her, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees and prop folded hands under his chin thoughtfully. He was quiet for a few minutes as he collected his thoughts, than he began." My father, Arathorn, died during an attack when I was very young. I have no memory of him, either. My mother, Gilraen, brought me to Rivendell, partially due to my heritage and because she knew I would be safe there. She died, as well, and I have memories of her, but they are few."

" Did you stay in Rivendell?" Nevada asked.

Aragorn grinned." Yes, and I lived there until I became an adult. Elrond became my father, much as Gandalf became yours." Nevada's eyes widened at this new piece of information." He was an excellent father to me, and I feel lucky to have been brought into his care. Being raised by Elves was no easy thing, but it certainly had its benefits. I was taught by him, and trained - although, much of my talents as a ranger was brought through experience."

" Wow." Nevada's eyebrows were raised, and she tried to recall any moment she might've seen Aragorn and Elrond together, although she couldn't remember one." Sorry, continue."

Aragorn waved off her apology." When I was in my twenties I began to travel with the Eriadoran rangers, thus taking in the name of Strider."

Nevada's smile widened into a grin." Sam calls you that, doesn't he?" She chuckled again." Valar, how many names do you have?"

" Too many," he responded with a smile of his own." I traveled to many parts of Middle Earth through the Dunedain, and through my service to the Rohirrim and Gondor, as well; many places, like Harad and Umbar."

Nevada's face darkened for a moment." Not the most wonderful places to travel to."

He agreed wholeheartedly." Nay, not at all."

She tilted her head back at him and placed her hands on either side of her." How old *are* you?"

Aragorn slowly smiled, then laughed." Eighty-seven. And I think the question is, how old are *you*, my lady?"

Nevada snickered, then paused. Her eyes grew thoughtful." I have to think about this one." He laughed at her, and she shot him a warning look." Two thousand..." Her brow furrowed." Seventy..." She looked up at the sky while counting the numbers on her fingers." Seventy-five was a few years back...six...eight!" Nodding, her expression turned pleased." Yes, I believe that was the number of my last birthday."

Aragorn shook his head at the sobering number, then told himself he knew she was immortal, thus he knew she would end up being pretty old." When is your birthday?"

" April twelfth," she responded." Yours?"

" March first."

Nevada grinned." Bet you don't feel so old now, do you?"

He laughed." No, not at all."

The two continued to converse about places they had been to, and things they experienced in their lives for hours, never ceasing to find things to talk about and laugh over. The night deepened as their companionable conversation continued, and only when there was a lapse after all their talking did Nevada's thoughts turn more serious." After we leave Lothlorien..." Without Liana, she added to herself sadly." What is our course from there?"

Aragorn's face turned grave, as well." We will take the river Anduin, past Amon Hen, the gap of Rohan, and eventually get off the river and into the Dead Marshes." Nevada's nose crinkled at the mention of the dead, stinking place." From there, we will come to the Black Gate."

The Faerie shuddered and closed her eyes." Lovely."

" You knew we would end up there," Aragorn mentioned.

" I know, I just like to feign ignorance and pretend I don't know where we're going to end up," Nevada responded dryly.

Aragorn nodded. He knew how she was feeling." It will not be pleasant, but it must be done." He was quiet for a moment, recalling how close some of the Faerie countries were to Mordor. Three had already fallen; Lo, Triton, and Deimos, and now two more were under heavy attack; Charon, and Ciel. Half of their kingdom were already in peril, and the prospect blackened his mood considerably." Have you seen the Black Gate, Nevada?"

She nodded slowly." Once. When Liana and I were with Gandalf. It was when there wasn't that great of a threat coming through the Gate, but he wanted us to see it. A sort of reminder that that is where the evil comes from, and that is what we must avoid at all costs. I'll never forgot how tall and dark it was, and how forbidding its presence was. It was like neither of us could breathe the air around it, it was so thick and unclean."

" Hot, and the stench makes your stomach roll," Aragorn finished. They exchanged a glance.

" You know what it's like," Nevada commented, and he nodded." Will the hobbits be able to deal with that?"

Aragorn's face was grim." They will have to. However, from what I have seen out of those four, especially Frodo, they are extremely hardy, well adapted creatures. I have faith in them."

Nevada gave him a small smile." You have faith in a lot of people." Blinking, a weird look crossed her face. Did she say that out loud?

Aragorn laughed at her expression, then clapped her on the shoulder, catching her by surprise." I don't know if you have noticed, Nevada, but it has gotten incredibly late."

Nevada looked around their darkened surroundings, only lit by the hanging lanterns here and there - one of which that provided them with light." Yes it has. We should go back."

He nodded, and before standing up, turned to her again and lifted her chin up to look at him." Thank you for telling me," he told her sincerely." I understand now, and I feel that I know you better because of it. Take comfort in knowing that, although you may feel alone, you are not. You will still have Liana, the Fellowship, and you will have me." Aragorn drew her head down and kissed her forehead gently. He then stood up and lended a hand down to her.

She stared at it for a moment, and then took the hand offered and stood up. They walked silently back to the encampment, where everyone had already long been asleep, and it did not take Nevada long to spot Liana's pale brown and blonde head. Her heart tugged painfully, and Aragorn gestured for her to go on ahead as he made his way towards where Legolas and Gimli slept. Nev nodded and gave him a grateful smile, which he returned before walking towards his own bed. She turned around and was about to walk over, when she realized she hadn't changed into nightclothes yet. Feeling silly, she shook her head at herself and hurried over to grab the nightgown. Nev walked briskly over to the opposite side of the large tree their shelter was under, and changed into it as quickly as possible.

When she came back, she set the velvet gown down and made her way silently to the pallet next to Liana's. With a small sigh, she knelt down and pulled it closer to her friend before climbing on it and sliding under the sheet and blankets. She rested her head near Liana's, and pulled a few strands of her friend's hair out of her face. She watched Liana for long minutes, mulling over everything and feeling increasingly sadder about her leaving. She almost wished Liana would wake up so Nev could apologize, but the Faerie was sleeping too deeply, and it looked like she'd had a rough night herself. She will be there in the morning, Nev told herself, and forcefully shut her eyes. I can see her in the morning.

Lotfaen maenu' bebaekhsh - Please forgive me

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