{Chapter Six}

Aragorn watched his friend's sharp eyes linger on Siladhiel's form from the distance. Long had he seen the signs of his friend becoming attached to the Elleth. Though, his eyes had not left her form for long since the mountain pass. There was a look in his eyes that confirmed what he had wondered for some time, Legolas was falling for Siladhiel. There was a connection between the two of them, one he knew all too well from his own with Arwen. He touched the everstar with sadness in his heart.

"Your soul calls to her my friend" Aragorn whispered as he took a seat next to his friend

"I will not deny that I am drawn to her, I have never known another such as her" Legolas whispers in reply knowing that he could not lie to his closest friend

"It is more than that" Aragorn commented softly "It is what I shared with Arwen"

"I have never known a pull so strong on my soul, I know not the extend of it" Legolas said honestly watching with interest as Siladhiel braided her hair "Her every movement memorizes me"

"This is the pull of the true match" Aragorn explained knowingly "She is your match my friend"

"It matters not" Legolas said with a hint of sadness "My father would not approve of such a match"

"Do not deny your happiness my friend, your father even as a king cares for your happiness and I believe will approve of this match based off that alone" Aragorn said wisely

"My father would destroy anything I would attempt with her" Legolas said seriously knowing from experience that his father would stop at nothing to get his way

"Do not doubt her, win her heart and she will take on the Valar if need be to stand at your side" Aragorn said honestly knowing that Siladhiel never backed down from a battle of the heart

"I shall think on your words my friend" Legolas said after a long moment of thought

"I wish you luck my friend" Aragorn said softly touching his shoulder before walking off

Aragorn waited under everyone was asleep before approaching the Elleth that he had known most of his life. She was staring off into the darkness on guard for any threats, protecting everyone as she did best. Legolas worried about his father more than anything else, but he knew that upon learning the truth of her nobility that even the King of Mirkwood would happily accept the match. He had seen her reluctance and how she would draw away from Legolas, it was only by knowing her so well that he could see that she was holding back.

"I see you have found your match" Aragorn whispered to her causing her eyes to widen at the information "Surely, you can't deny the connection"

"Aragorn, I do not wish to speak of this" She whispered brokenly not wishing to accept this as truth

"Long have we been friends, speak your heart to me" Aragorn said seriously seeing the fear in her eyes, she was terrified of the connection she felt to Legolas

"I will deny this connection, now is not the time for this Aragorn" Siladhiel whispered angrily for him bringing this up

"He is your true match, you cannot deny what your soul has spoken" Aragorn whispered seriously as she thought for several moments before taking a deep breath looking off into the distance and her mind going elsewhere

"I fear losing him if I allow such a connection" Siladhiel spoke honestly taking Aragorn by surprise, he would have never thought it would be that "I cannot deny that my connection to Legolas is strong, but I have walked this path before and suffered greatly for it"

Aragorn frowned looking at her as she closed her eyes allowing a tear to fall and a piece of him broke at the sight. In the many years, he had known her he had never see her cry or show weakness of any kind. The memories she was facing were strong and had almost broken her. There was much more to her story than others knew.

"Love has no place in war" Siladhiel said softly "As you know and have accepted"

"Arwen would have perished if she was to remain, but my soul remains hers to claim" Aragorn said honestly "I would gladly do anything to protect her. You will not even try"

"You know nothing" Siladhiel said suddenly feeling the pain of losing someone that could have been a match if fate was not so cruel, she barely survived that lose and losing a true match would destroy her

"I am here and willing to listen my friend" Aragorn whispered softly, he would not back down from this conversation

"Long ago, I believed a promise made to me. He was my dearest friend and closed companion during the years I fought Sauron. He shined in battle in a way that he could almost contend with my father, which was not an easy feat. He had come to cherished me and even gave his final breath to me alone." Siladhiel said brokenly unaware of those listening in as she was no longer whispering

"My friend" Aragorn whispered brokenly upon hearing this "You cannot hold Legolas to the same fate"

"You misunderstand! I believed him when he said he would not fall to Sauron and remain by my side during battle always, but he didn't keep it. I watched unable to help as those closest to me perished at Sauron's hand. That battle has long since haunted me and tormented me, the smell of their burning flesh and the sound of them hitting the ground. I cannot allow such a connection now Aragorn, not when I still owe a debt that will not be fulfilled until the death of Sauron. I cannot allow myself to find such hope only to lose it again to him, Sauron will not allow another to have me" Siladhiel said to her dear friend not caring of the tears in her eyes or the open display of the pain she concealed years before

"None of us would allow Sauron to take you, Legolas would not allow such a fate" Aragorn whispered sternly knowing that even he would lay his life down for Siladhiel

"I can't" Siladhiel whispered brokenly before bringing brought into comforting arms as she cried for the first time in someone's arms since the fall of her father and Glorfindel.

Unknowingly to her, it was not Aragorn's arms she found herself in. Legolas tightened his arms around the Elleth unable to help the breaking of his soul at the sound of her sobs. He had known that she held pain deep within her, but never would have known that she had seen the fall of one she held close before her. He had come to her when she began to cry, unable to stand by and not attempt to sooth her. She should never be sad, and never should a tear fall her deep purple eyes. He knew now that he could not fight this connection, he would do anything the Elleth that became his light in this journey. He would prove her wrong, their connection was true.

"Long have I lived watching others find their true match and long have I suffered the path I have walked. I know not the future but do not deny me the connection I feel or deny me the happiness that being near you fills my soul when I walk the same path of darkness, Melamin" Legolas spoke in a whisper to her as she stilled in surprise in the statement feeling it in her soul

Siladhiel could feel her soul responding before she could as he renamed her. Renaming of elves was a powerful thing, one that was not to be taken lightly. He had spoken the name his soul has given her, and her soul had just accepted the connection. She relaxed in his arms as he tightened his arms around her again. Everyone was awaiting her response to him. She could not respond, she did not know her answer or the path she would choose.

"I do not expect the answer" He whispered to her "I am more than willing to wait, I have waited many centuries for you Melamin. Now that I have found you, I will wait forever if I must until you are ready"

She nodded in understanding giving a sad smile "I wish that fate was not so cruel, I shall think on this. I shall not hide from you, you are very dear to me" Siladhiel said honestly

"That is more than enough for now Melamin" Legolas said honestly pulling her into his arms feeling the weariness in her soul "Rest"

Siladhiel nodded and attempted to move out of his arms but the strong arms prevented her "I shall protect you through the night, allow me the honor of holding you" Legolas whispered softly in her ear

Siladhiel nodded unable to deny him anything as she allowed him to settle her down in his lap as he sat. She closed her eyes and started to fall asleep under the gentle hum of his heart beat. Never has she slept in the arms of another that was not her father. She allowed the comfort she had not felt in centuries to surround her and the weariness she felt to fade before darkness took her. Dreams of the Father that loved her blended and of images of the male holding her in the distant future, images she was not ready to understand.

Legolas gently held her through the night becoming overwhelmed as her soul reached out to him touching his true self. Never has he ever sensed so much emotion from another or another so deep within his soul. He could feel her soul searching him as if to heal any harm that he had obtained during the travels and soothing the bruises from the rocks falling at the entrance to the mines. He had never known an elf like her and never would have imagined the connection feeling so completing. He nodded at Aragorn with a smile in thanks as the Ranger went to bed.

~The Next Morning~

Siladhiel woke up from her nightmare in a gasp choking back on the fear and immediately sat up as Legolas moved quickly to release her. She fell to the ground and emptied her stomach contents on the ground. She tried with all her might to calm her breathing and clear the spinning from the nightmare she had just had. Sauron was so clear and vivid, so alive in this dream that the panic she felt was taunting her.

"Melamin" Legolas whispered worriedly placing a hand on her back to allowing his true self to sooth her

"Forgive me for startling you, it was not my intention" Siladhiel whispered back leaning against him "My thanks Legolas"

"I only wish to see you well" Legolas said softly wrapping an arm around her to hold her close while the other ran gently through her hair "What has caused such a reaction from you?"

"It matters not Legolas, do not fret over my own wellbeing" Siladhiel said seriously before sighing "I do not wish to speak of such things in such a dark place"

"Come Melamin, the Hobbit has made breakfast and you must fill your stomach" Legolas said assisting her to her feet with his eyes vowing to not forget that she owes him an explanation for her sudden sickness.

Siladhiel nodded slightly before allowing him to move seeing that he would demand a explanation for her actions earlier. She honestly didn't know how to begin to explain her past to this elf Prince. How did she explain the worse and darkest memories that came back to taunt her in the night? How did she explain to him or even to the group that she was Queen thanks to the death of the greatest warrior that ever breathed? How did she explain her fear that she didn't have the strength to step from that shadow?

"No one would fault you" Gandalf whispered taking a seat next to her drawing her from her frantic thoughts "None would hold the secrets you keep against you"

"That is my fear Gandalf, my fear is taking hold of the past and the legend then finding myself still not strong enough for the fate I face now" Siladhiel said honestly as Frodo nervously approach

"There is something down there" He whispered staring off in the darkness

"It's Gollum" Gandalf explain quietly "he's been following us for days"

"He escaped the dungeons of Barad'dur?" Frodo questioned startled at the information

"Escaped or was set loose. And now the Ring has drawn him here. He will never be rid of his need for it. He hates and loves the ring, as he hates and loves himself. Sméagol's life is a sad story" Gandalf explains surprising Frodo as Siladhiel glances at the darkness in sadness "yes, Sméagol he was once called before the ring came to him, before it drove him mad"

"it's a pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance" Frodo said in response causing Siladhiel to frown

"Pity?" Gandalf questions "It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death, and some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo?"

"Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or ill, before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many" Siladhiel continued seriously seeing Frodo confused over the earlier statement

"I wish the ring had never come to me, I wish none of this had happened" Frodo whispered brokenly

"So, do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we must decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the ring. In which case, you also were meant to have it and that is an encouraging thought" Gandalf said seriously before pointing at a tunnel with his right hand "Ah! That it's that way!"

"He's remembered!" Merry said in relief as the others readied to move

"No, but the air doesn't smell so foul down there. If in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose!" Gandalf said with a laugh causing Siladhiel to shake her head in amusement

"let's hope you sense of smell has not faded in your old age" Siladhiel said with a laugh before pushing Frodo forward to follow Gandalf