Irdes refused to take the ship to Valinor.
She wouldn't. She couldn't. Even when her father begged her to abandon all hope and feelings she had for Legolas, she couldn't.
"Irdes," Thedis' voice was laced with absolute despair, "I cannot depart these lands without you. You are all I have left."
Guilt was creeping into every crevice of Irdes and her entire being. She felt like a terrible daughter for putting her father in this dilemma. She was being selfish and she knew it. But no matter how much she tried, the thought of departing middle-earth for good without Legolas—the thought that she might not ever see him again—she could not bear it.
She watched from her view at her balcony at her kin down below, the ones departing already beginning to form organized lines in preparation for the departure to the seas. All were cloaked and together they sang a haunting hymn that seemed to echo all throughout Lothlorien. Her father's voice broke her thoughts once more.
"Legolas has not answered any of your attempts to contact him. He no longer cares, Irdes."
"That's not true Ada, and you know it."
Irdes turned around to face her father. In all her life, her father had kept the same wise, calm and all-knowing demeanor that elves were so well known for. But at this moment, he was deduced to a complete worrisome state, his eyes filled with fear and anxiety. His hands gripped tightly at the hilt of his sword and his shoulders were squared. Despite this, Irdes breathed evenly and kept her ground.
"He ignores me because he thinks he's doing what's best for me."
"And he is right to do so. He wants you to leave this world. It will not be long now…I sense the power of Sauron growing stronger by the day. The world of men will fall, Irdes. It is time for our people to go."
"And what of Legolas? What of those in his company that work to rekindle hope?" Irdes could feel tears burning her eyes but she blinked them away fiercely. Her father remained silent.
"I love him, Ada. I cannot retreat to Valinor like a coward and forsake him."
Father and daughter stood at the impass they had reached and as he stared at his daughter and the strong person she had become, he could not help but smile. Irdes watched him wearily, not entirely sure how to interpret it.
"You have always been a reminder to me of your mother." Thedis whispered softly, "The same passion that ignites in your eyes burned within hers." His callused hand reached to tuck a long strand of dark hair behind his daughter's ears, and Irdes watched her father's eyes, knowing they were reminiscing lost memories of her mother.
Irdes had very few memories of her, but all who knew her spoke of her as the fairest of mortals. Her father often claimed she was a splitting image of her mother, aside from the golden eyes she inherited from himself.
Lothlorien, Third Age
"Legolas…do you recall memories of your mother?" Irdes asked softly as her hands grazed the cold stone of her own mother's grave. Her name was etched in elven letters and a statue carved in white marble stood tall before them.
"I do not. I was so young when she passed."
Since they had met, it had been Legolas' sixth trip to Lothlorien. Despite his father's warnings of her betrothal to Haldir, Legolas had continued to seek her out, taking many side trips to Lothlorien when his father would send him on journeys with various errands and political moves.
Irdes bent down and placed a lone jasmine flower at the feet of her mother's statue, slowly looking up into her stone carved face. She had barely known her mother but the emptiness her loss brought was always present.
She felt Legolas grip lightly at her shoulder.
"Come. Let us go before we are late for dinner."
The depressing afternoon soon turned back into cheer and laughter as they ate together in the dining halls. The lady Galadriel sat at the head of the room as usual and Legolas could not tell if she had merely blinked or winked at him briefly when their eyes met from across the room. He flinched when he felt a piece of bread hit his cheek and he turned to glare at Irdes, who was feigning innocence poorly.
As night came, the two of them sat atop the balcony of her chambers, their feet dangling at the ledge. The stars were bright. Irdes was clad in a light lavender dress and barefoot, her hair moving softly with the breeze. Legolas had removed most of his traveling garments and changed into a dark blue tunic, which he made look more regal than it really was. She often forgot he was royalty as he rarely wore anything but what was necessary for battle or travel.
Legolas moved his hand atop hers and she did not retract his gesture. They had refrained from speaking of the feelings they both knew existed between them, but it was moments like this Legolas took as confirmation that is was indeed real and not one-sided. They were both in comfortable silence admiring the view below them when Irdes spoke out.
"My mother disobeyed her parents and married my father."
Legolas peered down at her at his side curiously.
"They knew that he would outlive her and they did not wish for her to become depressed at this inevitability."
"Understandable." Legolas nodded his head, "Although, I do not know if they ever took into account that your father would suffer too. He would endure her loss long after she was gone. I'm sure he still does to this day."
"She fought to be with who she truly loved despite the consequences. I wish to be as she was."
Legolas didn't know if she knew, but he understood the hidden context of her statement. Her marriage to Haldir was drawing near. Perhaps this was the reason neither had the heart to speak of their feelings towards one another. Was he a masochist for coming to see her again and again knowing she was promised to another?
She felt his lingering gaze on her and she looked up to meet it. His eyes were swirling with mixed emotions—they suddenly darkened as they lowered to her parted lips that beckoned him, taunted him.
Before he realized, he leaned in and chose to ignore the clouds of doubt that loomed over him. As he captured her lips for the first time in one swift motion, his being sighed in content as he felt her kiss him back with the same want he felt. His arm looped around her waist to draw her nearer to him, his other arm lifting up and with his callused hand, he held her face possessively in place. As they parted, their foreheads touched and Irdes dared not open her eyes—for if she were to look at him once more, she could not hold back her inhibitions any longer. There, under the stars, she cherished this moment and she knew she would never forget it.
Present Day
Thedis held his daughter's face in his hand and leaned down to kiss her temple.
"If you choose to stay, I shall honor your decision."
Irdes widened her eyes in surprise. "Truly?"
"Truly. But I shall not depart for Valinor either. I will stay with you here along with the few of our kin who choose to remain."
Irdes felt both joy and sorrow at once. She knew that if he were to stay, he would have to join the battle at Minas Tirith. Although Haldir was not the one she truly loved, news of her husband's death at Helm's Deep had saddened her greatly. Her eyes filled with tears at the thought of both Legolas and now her father having to be in such danger. Her father took her into his arms at once, for he knew what his daughter's fears were.
"I love you, my daughter. More than life."
The breeze that flew in from the open window of her chamber caused Irdes to shiver, but in her father's arms she felt at peace.
The fate of the world was uncertain…but what little hope she had still burned strong.