I do apologize for the delay in updating. I haven't been home to upload anything. School and the fact that I'm starting to have some semblence of a social life preventing that. I do apologize though, I didn't forget the story...just mulled things over in my head.

I am going to include two of my LOTR inspired poems in this chapter. The first "Into the Far West Lands" has been published (in my college's literary magazine) and the second should be in next Spring's. Both are copyrighted by me and may not be used without my express permission (which I'm afraid I cannot grant as I am hoping to get a small tome put together next year).

Elzar has mentioned some things to Legolas after the bout with Lothien (who, btw, is dead...being skewered by an angry elleth and having your neck broken by a Valar will do that to you...though I kinda feel sorry Varda didn't get a blow in there somewhere) and Legolas will have to speak with Arianell about them, though in a sense he doesn't want to know at the same time that he does. He's afraid of her rejection, already willing to accept her for anything.

Story Start

Clearing his throat Legolas began to read, his strong voice filling the room.

Into the Far West Lands

We tread on paths past the setting sun

Our time has come, our reign is done.

We weep with clear, farseeing eyes,

Lament the passings of crystal skies.

We long to breathe the fair west air

To hold the kin already there.

The sea calls from that last shore

We feel the pull, stronger than before.

Our steps are saddened

But our hearts are true,

There is nothing left that we can do.

We walk the forests and cross the plains;

Never again will we feel these rains,

Or breathe this heavily scented air,

We leave these lands to other's care.

Our minds are troubled though our step is light,

We mourn our passing into night.

Legolas shuddered, involuntarily. Elzar had told him that Arianell knew not of what she wrote. He wondered how that could be, assuming her to be a woodland elf of course she could not have been expected to hear the call of Ulumo but yet surely she had heard of the elves sailing? How else could she have written so?

He watched her sleeping face, her eyes oddly closed. Elzar had said she was not entirely elven, what had that meant? He looked at the curve of her chin and the points of her ears, she seemed completely elven to him...was there human in her ancestry? And if so why had Elzar asked that he deal gently with her, surely she could not be held responsible for her lineage.

Legolas sighed and leaned towards Arianell's form "Please awake Meleth, we have much to discuss. Know that if given any answer I will still love you Arianell, I could never not love you."

As Legolas leaned back to his former position the book slid from his lap. Slender Elven fingers picked it up as soft eyes read the lines. Legolas again found himself reading aloud:

Autumn's Butterfly

The pain in my body echoes the pain in my soul

Like this last, crestfallen butterfly

The thorns on my wings have left but a hole

A shorn visage for you to remember me by

And as I flutter there in your palm

-desperately

My wing beats whisper so feebly

Leaving the kiss of stardusts' gold

And a prayer that you would never grow old

...or fade so as I do,

Autumn's Butterfly.

As the last words echoed through the air Legolas heard a soft voice that filled him with hope and despair at the same time.

"M'Lord, I am cold."

The voice was so weak it made him shiver inwardly. "Arianell, by the Valar what did he do to you?"

Arianell looked at him, dazed, as he moved over her. He looked down at the woman lying in his bed.

"Arianell are you alright?"

Arianell smiled though her eyes remained lifeless "I am fine Meleth. I am cold."

Legolas pulled the blanket back and slid under next to her. She had been telling the truth, she was very cold. That fact concerned him, temperature did not usually effect elves.

Arianell sighed. "The Valar have allowed me to stay here Legolas, nothing can ever make me go back." He wondered what she spoke of but said nothing "For that I am eternally gratefull."

"As am I Meleth" Legolas echoed, though he could not help but feel a little more concern as her eyes so suddenly unfocused and glazed over "As am I."

888

When Legolas awoke suddenly that night it was because he realized that Arianell was no longer beside him. He focused and looked for her in the moonlight shinning from his open balcony doors. Legolas could hear her light breathing and turned his attention towards the balcony, where Arianell stood with her face upturned and her eyes closed...soaking up the moon's rays.

"Arianell."

Legolas softened his voice, not wishing to startle her revelry.

"Yes M'Lord" her voice still sounded tired though her face glowed elven as she turned to face him "Legolas" she smiled softly.

Legolas sighed and released the smile that had been playing at his lips.

"What are you doing up Meleth?"

"The moon called me Legolas." Arianell smiled. "I could not lie abed and let her go unanswered."

Legolas shook his head, "Your parents should have named you Elbereth."

Arianell's face fell "My parents never named me Arianell."