A/N: Holy Molly! I am BACK! REVISED FROM HERE ON OUT!

Earlinde sat silently on the chair and stared at the floor. Haldir stood next to her looking stoic at the King as he cried desperately in the arms of one of the Mirkwood Sentinel.

Earlinde let her foot tap the floor as she pondered the rescue mission. Just then Aragorn walked in, sweat drenched and bloodied. And behind him walked the regal, beautiful prince.

Earlinde stood up and rushed to the smiling prince.

"Legolas?"

"Hello there," he beamed

Haldir jumped over the chair and walked threateningly toward the prince wagging his finger at him, "You! We thought you were captured!"

"He was," Aragorn replied casually, "But he was being guarded by two orcs on the outskirts of the land. On my way in I spotted him and offed them."

Throughout the whole exchange between Aragorn and the Wardens Thranduil had his son in a bear hug until the prince turned a little blue.

Earlinde, exhausted, rolled her eyes and ripped off her cloak and walked speedily towards her room and her warm bed.

HOURS LATER

Haldir stood looking at the Oak door. He shifted his weight again and scratched his head. He turned around and walked a few feet away and hesitated. He turned to look at the oak door again. It was probably the 20th time he'd done it in the past 4 minutes alone. He sighed and shook his head. Then suddenly the door flew open and out stepped the Wardeness herself. She crashed into the Warden, and then took a step back and looked into his eyes.

"Haldir…"

"Earlinde…"

"What are you doing here?"

"Uh… I was…. Um … Well I wanted to talk to you Earlinde."

"Good, walk with me to the gardens, I was just going to look for you." Haldir complied

They walked in silence until they reached the Gardens.

Earlinde sat down and shifted over to accommodate Haldir. She then held his hand and looked up at him.

"Haldir, The one ring has been found."

"Yes,"

"Sauron will come for it."

"He will, Earlinde, no doubt."

Haldir remained stoic facing the woods and staring far off. Earlinde scooted closer to him and put her head on his arm.

"The ring is headed to Imladris as we speak."

Haldir tensed, then relaxed. "I see."

Earlinde sighed. It wasn't the way she had planned things. She expected Haldir to at least show some feelings. She felt like they had drifted apart in the past few days and it made her ache.

She let out a sad sigh, and then stood up. It was then that Haldir looked into her eyes. He had a sad look in his eyes as he pulled her close and kissed her stomach. She stroked his hair as he inhaled her perfect smell and then she pushed gently away from him.

"I am returning now….to Imladris." She said softly.

He nodded and let his hands drop from her hips. He didn't turn around as she walked away from him, and he didn't appear at the stables later to send her away. She had told Lord Elrond of her means to return before the Imladris party and he had understood.

HALF A DAY LATER

Earlinde sat on a log looking at the ground. She hadn't gotten far before she decide to stop. She was many miles out of the forest, so she decided to sit for a while.

'Baby, my baby…it's written on your face…you still wonder…if we made a big mistake…' she sang in her mind. Unshed tears clouded her vision as she mounted her steed and traveled swiftly home.

WEEK LATER

Earlinde had taken her time to get back to Imladris, taking the longest way possible. She walked into the guard post on the outskirts of her land and resumed her Warden business. She called her men together and told them to ready for the arrival of Elessar, and Gandalf.

The Lord arrived a little after the guard had disbanded and walked into the Guard Post.

"I thought I might find you here, riddled in work."

"Lord Elrond," she paused as she bowed, "What can I do for you today, my lord?"

"Relax….You're stress shows on your face."

She nodded. "You are relieved for the day Warden." She nodded again a followed Elrond with slumped shoulders.

LATER THAT NIGHT

Earlinde sat in the middle of Fire Hall, her fingers touching the piano keys.

FLASHBACK

"Ada! Play another pretty song!"

"Linde, its time for bed daughter."

"Please…."

"Okay, just a little one."

END FLASHBACK

She closed her eyes and began to play her favorite song. Her shoulder's swayed as she played. Unbeknownst to her a tall figure stood in the shadows watching her.

"… when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance, I hope you dance…. Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter, when you come close to selling out reconsider, give the heavens above more than just a pasting glance and when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, Dance…. Dance, I hope you dance…."

She continued playing, unaware of Haldir in the shadows, trembling. He wiped at unshed tears and quietly slipped into darkness.

He rode home swiftly that night, making the 100 day journey in 4 long nights.

NEXT DAY, IMLADRIS

Representatives of all of Middle Earth's Races sat on the Imladris Gazebo. Frodo, Gandalf's ring bearer hobbit sat in on the council too. Earlinde shifted her weight on the branch she was sitting on, perfect for seeing and hearing the council but not being discovered herself.

Elrond began, "Strangers from distant lands, friends of old. You have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle Earth stands on the brink of destruction none can escape it, you will unite or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom; bring forth the ring, Frodo."

Earlinde watched as the story of the dwarves was told. She listened to the man from Gondor, the elves of Mirkwood, Legolas, and the council fight. And finally she watched as the 9 companions for the Fellowship were chosen.

Earlinde rushed into the branches until she reached her room and jumped into balcony.

-So it is what it is… Many of these brave souls will die on this quest…Dear Legolas, what have you done?-

LORIEN, MONTHES LATER

"The dwarf breathes so heavy we could have shot him in the dark." The March Warden snuffed. Standing before him was 8 of the 9 original companions.

(A/N: I am not really going to follow the fellowship, because we all know what happens with them... Instead I will be focusing on the Wardens and their lives….book version, kind of movie…. Haldir doesn't die...)

IMLADRIS, SAME MOMENT

Earlinde turned around on her horse. She was leading the Last of the Imladris Elves to the grey ships, leaving for Valinor. Her heart broke as she watched Arwen crying, she didn't want to leave Aragorn…or her father… Earlinde sighed. Earlinde looked at the last of her guard with their families too, holding sons and daughters and wives. Tears broke her vision as she realized that she would never have that happiness. When she wanted to sail west, she could not, and when she wanted love it was taken from her.

Arwen suddenly turned on her horse and rode toward Imladris again. Earlinde let her go, and wondered how lonely and grave Imladris would be with just Elrond, Arwen and herself.

HOUR LATER

Earlinde sat on her horse on the dock. The ships had been gone for a while now, and the sun was setting, it cast an orange glow on the dock, and distance sails. Earlinde sat feeling immense sorrow, tears flowing from her eyes as she watched her ship leave. She was stuck. Doomed to live under the Imladris waterfalls until sorrow over took her soul, or Sauron's hand stretch over her and forced her into slavery.

The elf cried as she watched life fail before her, and wondered why she was so destined to suffer.

She turned and walked her horse to Imladris.

MONTHES LATER, LORIEN

Haldir sat solemnly in his talan. All that was left in Lothlorien were the Lord and Lady, himself and his brothers.

Nobody to protect, nothing to do. Haldir watched the trees go barren in his beautiful home and sighed.

He got up and walked to cove with the Lady's mirror. She was there a lot lately, watching everything. As he descended the stone steps, he saw her there.

"My Lady," he bowed and she nodded.

She turned and looked at the mirror. "Will you look?"

He nodded and moved forward as she stepped away.

He saw Imladris, dull, quiet and dead. Then the picture shifted to Earlinde at the docks loading the elves. The picture shifted again, Lorien besieged with Orcs, Lady Galadriel surrounded by goblins.

The mirror flashed and then darkened. Haldir stood staring into the darkness of the mirror until his reflection remained. He shuddered slightly and looked into Galadriel's eyes.

"My Lady, I will do what I can to protect this land. My loyalties lie with you, ever the same as the day I first took them as your High Warden." He bowed respectively and let his eyes drop to the ground.

In his heart Haldir grieved. He thought that she left him, that she sailed away. The one elleth who stole his heart had gone from this world and perhaps she would settle her pains now, but that did not stop the pain in his heart.

After the lady dismissed him, Haldir rushed to the borders and sat watch with his brothers careful to kept his gaze averted from theirs lest they see the pain he could not conceal within himself.

IMLADRIS

Earlinde sat on her mount in the courtyard. She felt useless now. Maybe she would ask to be transferred to an active guard, but how could she leave Imladris? Where would she go? She sat looking upon her land her eyes scanning the homes and the trees and the waters and was saddened by the unexpected silence.

Elrond stepped out from his study and walled down a bridge to the courtyard.

"My Warden," he began as she lowered her gaze to his, "your pain is evident in your eyes, you should have gone with them, the time of the elves is ending."

She sighed and bowed her head, "My Lord, as your high warden, and currently the last of the guard present in Imladris, I feel it would be best to stay here and fulfill the oath that I have taken so long ago. I am bound to your will my lord, and only live to do what you command."

Elrond's heart ripped to hear the resigned pain in her voice, words that she wouldn't have spoken unless in pain.

"If you allow yourself to succumb to this pain, Earlinde, you will fade, and that is not what I wish."

"Nay my lord, I shall not fade, my will is too strong for that…" and with that she swung herself off the horse and landed lithely on the ground before him.

"My lord, I will be returning to my post if you need me." She bowed and led her mount to the outskirt posts of Imladris. She climbed up and tree and notched her arrow, watching the floor of the small wood.

A/N: (05/17/2006) I've decided that I love this story, and I rushed the ending, so I am going to go back and redo the ending and make it a bit more… how shall I say… romantically inclined and not so rushed… I hope someone reads this and reviews! Puh leaaaaze!