For Disclaimer please view chapter one.
Author's note: Sorry for the Delay, hope you enjoy this! I know I did. Love all you guys for sticking with me and this story and for not giving up! Read and Enjoy.
Kersi
Chapter 33: Just Follow Your Heart
It had been days since Gandalf had departed, leaving with Aurel in his arms and disappearing. Days that would bring unmistakeable consequence to Legolas, who still seemed crazed, and near death himself. Elrohir had somehow found the courage to regain his composure, but inside he worried deeply, where was Gandalf? Why was no word sent forth of Aurel's fate?
The ride back to the broken city of Minas Tirith was a sad one, no one spoke, and no one wanted to speak for fear of what might be said. The loss of Aurel was one thing, but Mount Doom had been destroyed, and as molten lava had exploded everywhere, they were reminded that the lives of Frodo and Sam might also have been extinguished; the lives of those who were pure and true were being sacrificed for those of lesser value. No news was sent of their fate as Eagles come forth from the sky, swooping down, seeming to carry two lifeless bodies.
Aragorn was the first to enter the city as shouts of praise were hailed forth. He found it hard to find anything meaningful, he had been weak, and in that moment Aurel had come to rescue him, only to sacrifice her life for his. If he had only been more careful, less willing to put himself in such a situation, Aurel would have had no need to protect him, and she would be there with him by his side, like she always had been. Entering the city without her felt empty, but on the outside, he had to remain strong, for the will of the people was still frail, especially now. The war was over, but the reconstruction to greatness would take time, there was still evil to be purged.
Elrohir and Elladan had not come back to the White City with Aragorn; instead they had chosen to return to Imladris to be with their father and Arwen, and to let them know of what had happened. Elrond would not take to the news well.
Gimli rode with Eomer as they entered the city and something in his eyes could not wait until they could get past the crowds of people who had awaited their new king's return.
Eomer was greeted by a smiling Eowyn, who was still recovering, but was able to stand. She looked around for those who had returned. Her smile faded when she realized how few had returned. "Lady Aurel?" She whispered, but the frown on her brother's face told all. "No. Please tell me that she did not fall."
Aragorn passed them at that very moment, and he helped Legolas walk up the few broken steps before them, she took in the Elf's composure, he seemed broken, his eyes spoke of sadness.
Her eyes welled up with tears. "What has happened…?"
But Eomer could not respond, not there, and he only passed his sister by in sorrow. Eowyn stood there for a great while, until the very last person entered the white city. Gandalf had not returned, and neither had the twin elves, no one spoke, and although they had been victorious in their war, it seemed like all was lost in those first few hours. She must have stood there for hours waiting for more to return, but to no avail, it was only when Faramir went to look for her that she noticed that it was already night time.
"You have been standing here for a long time." said Faramir quietly.
She turned around to face him. The tears that had run down her cheeks were now dry, but the paths they took could still be seen. "Have you learnt anything about what has happened?"
"A few men were speaking of it."
Her eyes lit up and she put both her hands on his shoulders, pleading with him to tell her. "What of it then?"
"Eowyn, do you really want to hear what I have to say? For it is not good news."
For a moment you could see that she was contemplating whether or not she wanted to hear what Faramir had to say. She gave a quick nod. "Tell me."
Faramir sighed. "Aurel has fallen, she was struck down by an orc…I do not know if I have heard this correctly, but it happened in an attempt to save Lord Aragorn."
"Oh no…" The words escaped Eowyn's lips before she could stop them.
"But for some reason, which the men do not know of, Gandalf has taken her away, he and she both have disappeared, this is all I know, all that I heard. I am confused myself…" He paused to take in her composure. "I am sorry Eowyn. I know from what you have told me that she was…"
"I hated her."
Faramir was a little surprised.
Eowyn nodded, noting Faramir's response to her comment. "I hated her. For being an Elf, for being able to fight, for almost everything." She dropped her arms to the side. "But she did not hate me, though I knew she held contempt for my actions. Every time I tried to prove that humans were not inferior to Elves, it only made things worse between us; I only ended in proving that she was right to hold herself in higher respects than me, a lowly human…"
"Eowyn." said Faramir trying to stop her.
"And see, throughout all that, there was something that was very alike between us. I do not hate her anymore, but I am sad for Master Legolas, for Aragorn, for her family, for myself. What is one more death now?"
"It is everything." responded Faramir. "We must not despair; Gandalf has taken her, that must mean something."
"And it could mean nothing."
"Hope for something rather than nothing, love."
She looked up at Faramir's eyes.
"We have been victorious, the darkness is no more." He urged, and he wrapped his arms around her and held her closely.
"Legolas you must eat something!" pleaded Aragorn.
Legolas had been in the same place that they had left him hours before to get some rest. He had not moved, nor had the expression on his face changed. He was dying.
Aragorn came up closer to him. "What if she has not fallen? What if Gandalf was right?"
Legolas moved his lips for the first time, but said nothing.
"Legolas." He hushed his tone of voice. "You are my friend, and I care for you deeply, there is still hope."
Legolas turned his head away from the gaze of Aragorn. Aragorn sighed in defeat, and was going to leave the room, but Legolas began to speak.
"You speak of hope, what do you know of it, human?" Legolas's tone of voice was low and harsh, it did not seem like he was speaking Sindarin.
Aragorn just stood there staring at him. "I know that without it you will not survive."
"Survive… Think of what you ask of me. Think of how you would be if it had been Arwen who was lost. Think beyond yourself and leave me be."
"I have. Aurel was a mother to me, she was a sister to me, she was a companion, and I too, loved her. Do you not think that I tremble with the thought of her loss? Do you think that I stand here before you and am not in pain? She might have fallen because she was trying to help me, and how do you think it will be if I know she is dead because of that!" Aragorn's face turned red and tears welled up in his eyes. "I would rather hope that she lives, because that is all I have, that is all any of us have."
Legolas continued to look away from him, he could hear the pain in Aragorn's voice, it mirrored his own pain, but it did not matter to him. "But you will live beyond all of this no matter what the outcome, and I will not…because in the end if she is not here, then neither am I."
"And what of your family? Your father?"
Legolas turned to look at him viciously. "What of them? Do you see them here beside me?"
"Surely they would not want to go through this again with you."
"You do not know what you speak of. You underestimate the connection I had with your sister."
"You underestimate my knowledge of your past, friend. I know what has happened in the past between Aurel and yourself, I know that if an Elf falls, they can be reborn, in their true form. I know that fading is a choice."
Tears that Aragorn had not even noticed where there began to fall down Legolas's face. He was angry. "You make it sound so simple."
"You need to stay alive, you need to have hope, if she lives and you are not here, what then?"
"You speak as if you did not see her on that field! Did you not notice she was not breathing, that she was cold! There was no life in her…" Legolas covered his face with his hands. "What are you trying to do to me?" The question was muffled by his hands.
Aragorn went to him and sat across from him in a different chair. "I am trying to make you see, that she may very well still be alive. If Gandalf held the belief… he is wiser than any of us, trust him, trust that he will bring her back to you."
Legolas's hands dropped from his face and he looked at Aragorn. "I hope for your sake, that you are right."
It was misty where she was, there was nothing around her, and yet she felt a strange presence. How had she gotten here…to this land of fog and mist? It was light, and it reminded her of the song that Pippin once sang of mist and shadow, it rang clearly in her mind as she walked through the fog. "…mist and shadow…cloud and shade…moon shall fade…all…shall…fade." She stopped. Had everything faded now? Why could she not remember anything? And there it was again, the strange yet familiar presence.
"Home is behind…the world ahead…and there are many paths to tread…through shadow…to the edge of night…"
"Pippin?"
"Until the stars are all alight..."
"Pippin are you there?" Aurel began to panic.
"…mist and shadow…cloud and shade…moon shall fade…all…shade…fade…"
Aurel's breathing became irregular. "Please, someone answer me…"
"And what would you have me say?"
She jumped as she saw the person in front of her, and suddenly the mist and fog were gone and they seemed to be in a very familiar setting, it reminded her of Lothlorien, places were she used to play with her siblings as a young elfling. She squinted her eyes at the person before her. "Tirn?"
"Aurel." He replied and smiled.
She smiled and jumped on him, wrapping her arms around him. "Oh Tirn! What is happening?"
Haldir held her for a moment and let her go. "You have chosen to be here. You tell me what is happening."
She pulled herself away in confusion. "What did you mean I have chosen to be here? I do not know where 'here' is." She furrowed her eyebrows in thought. "Where am I?"
Haldir's smile faded. "Somewhere you are not meant to be yet."
"Enough riddles! How is this possible, for me to see you?"
"Because you have fallen, just as I have."
Aurel clutched her chest as it was suddenly in pain and all the memory of what had happened returned to her. She could taste the blood in her mouth. "Tirn…" She fell to her knees.
"You are remembering." He only stood there watching her.
"I…am…in pain."
"No, you are not. That is just a memory. As you are right now, it is not possible to feel real pain."
"But I feel it." It was becoming unbearable.
"Then you are still clutching to life…" He squatted down to face her. "Why did you come here?"
"It was not my choice!" She closed her eyes.
"But part of you still lives, still connects…" He smiled at her. "I can make the pain go…"
She opened her eyes. "Please!"
"But then, you cannot return to where you came from, you must remain here."
She fell back and now was facing the bluest sky she had ever seen in all her long years of life, she was still in pain, now she could feel the blood on her chest.
Haldir looked over her, his long blonde hair covering part of his face. "You can return and face pain, or you can stay, and live a painless existence…your choice…"
"Legolas." She said in one long breath.
"Yes. Poor Legolas. You have put him through much heartache. He will not be able to join you here."
A jolt of pain made her cry out.
Haldir did not seem moved by it. He still smiled and towered over her. "There is not much time before this choice is taken from you, make your decision now."
"But…Tirn!"
"No time for over indulgence little one…you must decide, either way, it is not the last you see of me, no one will judge you…just follow your heart."
Tears fell down to the grass beneath her as she nodded her head and made her choice. Haldir was gone, so was the blue sky, and the green grass, even thelovely trees that she loved. Instead it was Gandalf's face she now saw hovering over her, and the only thing that had not gone was the pain.
"Welcome back Aurel…I knew you would make the right choice!" said Gandalf with a triumphant smile on his face.
Legolas cried out from where he sat and he fell to the ground. Aragorn and Gimli had been close enough to hear and they ran into the chamber he was in.
"Legolas!" said Aragorn and he went to him, trying to lift him. "What is wrong!"
Legolas began to cry. Gimli turned his head away, not able to stand seeing his friend in that state.
"Tell me! What is wrong!" cried Aragorn.
And then, Legolas began to laugh, an uncontrollable laugh.
Gimli turned his head in surprise and saw his friend crying with laughter. "The poor lad has gone mad." He said.
Legolas looked up at his two friends, still laughing and smiled. "I have felt her!" He laughed, and tears of joy streamed down his face. "I have felt her! She lives! Aurel lives!"
