Irime had not seen much of Elrohir in the past three days, if she did it was only a fleeting glimpse. He had seemed to bury himself in work, probably so he had an excuse not to see her, she thought to herself. There were so many things he was doing to avoid her, taking longer routes that did not involve going down the hall where her bedroom was. Everything, it was just driving her mad.

It was late at night and she was tired, she put on a nightgown and was about to blow out the candle that provided light for the room when Glorfindel and Erestor came in with solemn faces, they hadn't even knocked. How rude, she thought.

"Milady." Erestor bowed. "We have a message for you, we can only guess at what is says." he said holding out a piece of parchment sealed with green wax.

"Who is it from?" She inquired, taking the letter.

"From Mirkwood, herinya." (My lady) Glorfindel said, his words carrying the weight of an executioner's axe.

Irime felt her heart sink, her worst fears could be in this little note. She opened the letter with shaky fingers.

Lady Irime,

I was informed that Legolas Thranduilion, heir to the throne of Northern Mirkwood, has been killed in battle. He sent a letter to his father and Thranduil was told by his son to give you this.

My Regrets.

Irime noticed then the ring that sat precariously in the bottom curl of the paper, ready to fall out. She picked it up and saw that it was the ring that Legolas' mother had once worn before she passed into the Undying Lands when the Prince was very young. Irime picked it up and slipped in onto her finger, it fit perfectly. Then her thoughts strayed back to the letter, Legolas was dead.

Irime felt her heart plummet and she could not seem to breath, her mind was racing. It could not be true, she said to herself in denial, but there it was plain in ink.

"NO!" She screamed, her knees buckling underneath her. "NO!" Tears sprang from her eyes and flowed down her face like rivers, Legolas was dead. Her love was dead. Glorfindel and Erestor needed not conformation to know what was written, they already knew. They picked her up and set her on her bed. She thrashed around, trying to kick them. Though they both knew that they had to somehow restrain her, or else she may do harm to herself.

Elrohir sat in his study, pouring over mounds of papers, continuously becoming more and more frustrated. He was not meant for the life of a scholar, that was his brother. All of the papers annoyed him greatly.

Suddenly he heard an ear-splitting scream coming from Irime's room. He knew that it was probably nothing, but the tone that she had screamed forced the Elf into action, it reminded him of the time when they were young and the elleth had come upon a lone warg, she was frightened, terrified even. He stood up and quickly strode from the study. Then there was another scream, he quickened his pace, his dark robes billowing around his feet. Then he broke into a run, all of the Elves he passed in the halls turned their heads to see where he was going.

When he reached her room and opened Irime's door, he saw Erestor and Glorfindel trying to hold her down. Immediately he took control. He motioned for them to leave and they did as he had ordered without a word.

He grabbed her fists when she tried to punch at him. "Irime, Irime, tis I, Elrohir." She stopped suddenly and her breathing slowed slightly and she seemed to calm down. Then she buried her face in his velvety cloak and just wept, whimpering pitifully. "Hush, hush Irime. Quiet." Soon she collapsed against him and just lay in his arms, her body shaking. He then saw that she had something balled up in her hand, gently he opened up her fist and straightened out the parchment. After reading it, he too felt immense sorrow in his heart, for he and the prince had always been very good friends.

Elrohir did not know how long they had sat like that, with her in his lap with his arms wrapped protectively around her. He knew that nothing he could say would make Legolas' passing any softer. Then he noticed that she had fallen asleep, and no longer plagued by sorrow she slept peacefully. The peredhil picked her up and gently lay her down on the bed and tucked her in.

"Ro, do not leave me. Everyone has left me." She said sadly when he went to leave.

He smiled, "Then I will not." He knew that what he was about to do would probably bring rumors galore to Imladris, but Irime was right, he could not leave her. He took off his cloak and shirt until he only had on his undergarments and then he climbed in beside her. Before he could get totally comfortable she had already snuggled against him. Elrohir smiled, he was glad to see that she was happy, soon he too was asleep.