For disclaimer please view Chapter 1.

Note to Readers: Sorry for the wait and the short chappy. Italics meanswhen in large groupings means that Sindarin is being spoken. I feel that I keep coming up with excuses, but it's the end of term and lots of other work is taking up my time. I didn't want to go more than two weeks without a post, so here it is! Read and Enjoy!

Kersi-

p.s. Thank you for all your reviews, they are greatly appreciated.:o)

Chapter 24: A Thousand Deaths

"I am sorry I was not able to find you anything more suitable than that…" said Eowyn looking at the way that Aurel was dressed. Unfortunately, Aurel's clothes had been damaged without any possibility of repair, and Aurel had been forced to wear human clothing, that somehow looked to plain for the noble Elf. Eowyn was surprised that Aurel had not one complaint and just carried on as normal, she had expected a look, a sigh, something to note her discomfort, but nothing escaped from Aurel's mouth except a small reply of thanks as she draped the cloak of Lothlorien over her shoulders.

"I have heard whispers that we plan to move out soon." said Aurel pulling her hair back and tying it so that it hid behind the folds of her hood. She looked at Eowyn who seemed to be concentrating on something else. It was her ears; Eowyn seemed to be fixed on the exposure of Aurel's ears... "Lady Eowyn?"

Eowyn had never seen them so close and seemed to be in a trance. The strange way that her name was said snapped her out of her prolonged glance, and she blushed.

"Is there something that interests you?" asked Aurel with a smirk on her face; she walked closer to Eowyn, who turned her head away in embarrassment. "Perhaps there is something you would like to ask me?"

She shook her head and backed away, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by the way Aurel towered over her.

"No?" asked Aurel one more time, crossing her arms.

It was then that Eowyn faced her once more, and straightened her posture. "I have been told that you… you have talent with the blade."

Aurel's smile widened and she nodded, "Some."

"I have many years behind me as a shield maiden of Rohan; I would like to see what talent you possess, for I too have been told I have talent."

Aurel's arms dropped and she suppressed a laugh, what talent could this human have compared to her? "Is what I hear correct? A spar? With you?"

"Yes, with me." responded Eowyn, who was not liking the way Aurel was looking down upon her.

After a moment of uneasy silence, Aurel shrugged her shoulders; a human gesture which she had learned from Estel and had never dismissed much to the dismay of her family who thought it uncultured for an Elf. "If you wish, I do not see why not."

"Excellent. I very much look forward to this."

Aurel nodded, lacking enthusiasm and cast the subject aside. "May we speak of other things now?"

Eowyn seemed intrigued; they had never spent much time together. "Of course." She gestured for them to leave the small chamber they had been in and they walked out into the courtyards.


"There is not much I can help you with. All that I have told you is about this quest, and our mission here. I am sorry." said Aragorn, having finished telling him of how he came to be in Rohan, and the quest that they had embarked upon.

Legolas shook his head in disagreement. "You have done more than enough for me, slowly, small pieces of my life are returning. There are many questions that I still have unanswered. I find it curious that I do not remember you…but I remember the dwarf, I remember Boromir…the hobbits, I remember small things of them."

"It will all come back to you with time."

"Who is Lothluin? I remember that name, but not who she is."

Aragorn frowned. "I think that perhaps you should trust in the return of your memory, I regret to say that I do not know much of your life."

"Can you not tell me who she is?"

Aragorn sighed and looked at him with heavy eyes. "She was your betrothed."

His brows furrowed in confusion.

"She was injured during the battle of Helm's Deep…" He struggled to say the words that came to mind… "Legolas… She fell. Not long after your injuries in battle, there was nothing we could do for her. I am sorry."

Legolas put his hands to his face not really knowing how to react to the news that he had just been told. He did not remember any feelings for her, and it confused him. How could he not remember any feelings for his betrothed? There was sadness for the loss, yes, but where was the pain of losing the Elf he was going to marry? He had vague memories of those who had lost their lovers, many would nearly fade, some would fade completely, why was he still breathing? He shook his head. "I would have remembered her. How could this be? How could I not remember her?"

"You will with time, there is much you have yet to recall."

"Even if my memories are hidden from me, the feelings would still be strong, the fall of my betrothed should and would have me near death, the soul does not forget its mate."

Aragorn did not know what to say, what Legolas had said was true, the soul would remember its mate and be lost without it. He hoped that Legolas would understand why he was not fading, he had answered the question himself, did he not realize yet his connection to Aurel? "I know this is a difficult time for you, but I need to know if you can continue with the promise you swore to keep, if you can continue on this quest. For if you cannot, we need to move on, our friends are still out there, and we must do all we can to help them."

His eyes were dark, and he had let go of any emotion that could be shown. His face stoic, he answered, "I have pledged an oath, whether I remember or not, I will follow it through until the end."

Aragorn nodded in thanks, "We plan to move in a few days time." He stood from where he had been sitting and looked down at Legolas, who remained seated. "You should accustom yourself to your weapons in the mean time, remember what is it like to hold a bow in your hands, perhaps it will trigger some more of your hidden memories." When the Elf still did not respond or move, he spoke once more, "Do not dwell too deeply on Lothluin, Legolas. Believe me when I say that understanding will come to you in time."

"You are not what you appear to be Aragorn. My first instincts of you were correct, you have wisdom beyond your years…but you are not an Elf of any kind."

"No, indeed not."

"Where did you learn to speak our tongue?" Legolas looked up at him.

"Imladris. I was raised there under Lord Elrond's care."

He looked past Aragorn and towards the door, catching images that flashed through his mind. "Yes. I remember him slightly. His sons I knew well, I believe…and his eldest daughter, not as well. As for Aurel, the resemblance is there, but she too is a blank, except for…"

"Estel." said Aurel walking into the room interrupting their conversation. "I sensed something was wrong. Are you unwell?" She placed her hands on his arm.

The corner of Aragorn's mouth tilted upwards into half a smile. "You worry too much for me." The half smile disappeared and he looked towards Legolas who was looking towards them both. "I have told him of Lothluin."

She frowned, knowing now that she had sensed the confusion and uneasiness of Legolas, her hands left Aragorn's arm and they fell to her sides. She thought of Lothluin and for a moment she let sadness imprint itself on her face, before casting her gaze to Legolas. Aragorn lightly brushed her hand before retreating from the room without another word.

"Would you prefer to be alone?" asked Aurel, hoping he would want her company.

He shook his head no. "I do not mourn as a lover should. Even when images of Lothluin come to my mind now, there is nothing there."

She sat next to him. "You do not mourn as a lover should because you were not lovers."

He raised his head to look at her in surprise.

Aurel agreed with a nod of her head. "Many things are returning to you Legolas, your memory loss in only temporary, trust your feelings; they are truth that cannot be erased. Many were lost in the battle of Hornburg, and many will mourn because of that loss. If you do not mourn as a lover, then mourn as a friend, for you did care deeply for her and were always concerned for her well-being."

"I am still here, though she is dead. She was not my mate, I know that much to be true." said Legolas.

Aurel said nothing.

An image of Lothluin crying creeped into Legolas's head and he stood immediately. "She cried….she suffered….because of me."

"Have you remembered something?"

He shot her a cold look, "I think you should leave."

Aurel's hands began to tremble as she pushed herself up to stand. The demeanour in which he had spoken brought fear into Aurel's soul, what exactly had he remembered? "I am sorry Legolas." She walked past him, trying to calm the trembling of her hands.

He watched her hands, they had not trembled before. "Wait."

She stopped her retreat, her back facing him.

"This seems familiar."

"Does it?" asked Aurel quietly.

Legolas approached Aurel slowly, and she turned around to face him. "I feel desperation when you leave…why is that?"

Her eyes widened. "I cannot tell you why you feel the things you do..."

He picked her hands up, lifted them, and held them tightly within his own, the trembling calmed. "Why do your hands tremble?"

She looked down at her hands entwined with his. "I am not as fortunate as you, to be able to only remember little of what has happened."

"I do not see it as fortunate at all. I feel emotions without memories. Forgive me for my harsh tone before." She gave a quick bow of the head, accepting his apology. He kept his hold on her hands. "Tell me, why is it that I feel more for you, of whom I remember nearly nothing of, than I feel for anyone else I have encountered? Why the desperation at the thought of you leaving, why do I feel that there is something between us that you do not speak of?"

"I cannot answer those questions for you."

He sighed in frustration. "I may not remember you, but your voice still rings clearly in my head, was it a dream or did you beg for those who attacked us to spare me and take your life instead?"

"What?" She took a step back and pulled her hands away.

"It was you then. Why would you do that?"

Being confronted with the reality of what happened that night sent her into confusion, her shoulders slumped forward and she began to shed tears.

"What would compel you to commit such an act?"

She shook her head. "There was no other choice. They were going to kill you."

"And you thought your life in exchange would be a fair deal? Do the others know of what you have done?"

Her eyes darkened as she looked at him, "They did not know you were a Prince, I could distract their desire to murder you by convincing them I was of a higher rank, a more desirable kill."

"But why would you do that?"

"Oh Legolas…"

"Why?"

"Do you not know? Can you not feel it?" Her hands began to tremble again.

"I feel everything that emanates from you! This is what is confusing me!"

"Then you know why I did it."

"I want to hear you say it, I want you to tell me!" It was his eyes now that darkened and he stepped closer to her. "Say it."

"To what purpose, so that you can hear that I love you? You know that I do, I always have, I always will, no matter how hard I try to fight it." Her anger subsided and her eyes returned to their normal colour. Her voice quieted, and the tears continued to stream down her face. "But it was never I who could not admit to love… it was you. That is my punishment for my past; that is what I have accepted. I accepted it when I learned of your betrothal; I accepted it every time I felt you denied me in your heart; I will accept it all my life. What I could not accept was watching you die Legolas. You are my mate; I would die a thousand deaths for you."