Disclaimer: We own the new characters and the plot.
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Special thanks:
Legolas girl: thanks for giving your opinion, though it wasn't really clarifying. Hope you enjoy the solution I've come up with.
JJ-8-4-8-9: thanks a lot for your idea, but as I'm writing this fic with a friend of mine which is represented by Inwë, I'm not sure yet if that should happen (I think she would kill me if I put her character with Milanil). Anyway, hope you enjoy this.
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Chapter 6: Milanil's Dilemma
As Inwë approached Eowáthiel, she saw that her sister's face was pale, revealing that the outcome of the conversation with Milanil had been a shock to the blonde elleth.
Eowáthiel's brown eyes were staring at the empty space, and when Inwë sat beside her, she continued to stare, as if she hadn't noticed her sister's presence.
No words escaped from their rosy lips for what seemed an eternity, and the only sound present in the forest was the trees' whispers. As night kept falling around them and the darkness spread its arms over that small part of the world, candles were lighted inside the house.
Not even this, made Eowáthiel move. Though her slim body was trapped within the forest, her mind was running free, like a river running to find its way to the sea.
When Inwë realised her sister's mind was far from reality, she decided to return home. But when she was about to leave, Eowáthiel asked her:
"How long have you know about this?"
The green eyed elleth shrugged, looking straight into her sibling's brown eyes.
"What does that matter for? Whatever my answer is, nothing will change." she answered, not knowing for sure if she should tell her the entire truth. "Anyway, what did Milanil tell you to make you react like that?"
Inwë was not yet aware of the extension of Milanil's confession, and she didn't want to reveal things that the elf didn't want the blonde elleth to know.
"To begin, he told me he wanted to leave Middle-Earth and sail away to Valinor, which for itself is bad enough. But he didn't stop there." Eowáthiel replied, her eyes searching her older sister's expression for a change.
'Has he told her everything?' Inwë thought. 'That would explain the sadness in her voice.'
"I could never imagine what he feels about me. I always thought that his feelings towards me were the feelings of a brother towards a sister. If he only has told me..." the brown eyed elleth trailed off, a single tear appearing in the corner of her eye.
"And what if he had told you, Eowá? Would that change anything?" Inwë quickly asked, holding her sister's cold hands.
"I don't know, but I can't stand the idea of loosing him Inwë. Although I haven't been by his side lately and by yours as well, I'm not selfish. I love my family!" Eowáthiel replied, letting go of the black haired elleth's hands.
"When Milanil told me about his decision, I really believed he was speaking without thinking rationally. I see now I've made a mistake. But one thing is for sure Eowáthiel: he is not bluffing. Milanil is going to leave, and he'll only stay if something serious happens." Inwë stated, while getting
up.
The two siblings didn't look at each other for a brief moment, and when Eowáthiel raised her shinning brown eyes in a rather defiant way towards the other elleth, Inwë knew that it was time to leave; an argument would make things get worse.
Turning around in a graceful way, the oldest elleth made her way back to the wooden house, where a candle's flame dancing with the soft breeze of the night could be seen through an open window.
The blonde elleth observed as her sister approached the entrance door, and after seeing her green dress disappearing inside the house, she finally let the tears stream down her beautiful face.
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Against her sisters' orders Léssien got up from her bed ignoring the small dizziness she had felt as soon as her sparkling blue eyes fluttered open. She was dying to play with Milanil since she hadn't been doing such thing for a long time, mainly because the little elleth also loved to play with Legolas and listening to him telling her stories about his adventures.
With a pensive frown on her pale face Léssien fell down on her knees, and looked at the small wooden house her father had made for her when she was born. The reddish elleth loved that house dearly, and she loved the small dolls made of cloth as well for those had been made by her mother.
With a smile gracing her features Léssien put two of her four dolls aside, and was about to leave the room to ask for Eowáthiel's help to get dressed when a knock was heard.
"Come in!" the blue eyed elleth exclaimed standing up, and the wooden door was slowly opened only to reveal a brownish haired elf, with dark grey eyes "Milanil!"
Before Milanil had time to react, Léssien run towards him only to jump slightly, and at same time the elf grabbed her by the waist the young elleth wrapped her tiny arms around his neck.
"I think you can read minds, because I was going to call you." Léssien joked with a giggle, and Milanil's lips curled into a tiny smile as he put the elleth down "I want to play with you, but I need to get dressed first."
In silence Milanil watched as Léssien opened the doors of her closet, and stared at her clothes, but the elf noticed how pale the reddish haired elleth looked. Even though she seemed as energetic and bouncy as ever, Milanil understood something was wrong. He just hoped his words would not affect Léssien's condition; he would never forgive himself if something happened to her.
"Swallow, come here." Milanil heard himself saying as he walked towards the bed, and sat on the mattress, and the reddish haired elleth looked at him, a white dress on her hands.
"What's wrong?" Léssien confusedly asked as she put the dress back inside the closet, and slowly made her way towards the elf "I want to go play."
"I know sweet, but I need to talk with you." Milanil replied, and with a sigh Léssien sat on the bed, and crossed her tiny arms against her chest "What I have to tell you its really important."
"Does it have to do with Eowáthiel?" Léssien inquired suddenly, and the grey eyed elf stared at her in silence, before sighing, and standing up only to kneel in front of the young elleth afterwards.
"Honey, I need you to understand something." Milanil started as he took Léssien's hands in his "Your sister Eowáthiel...she finally has what she wanted, and you know what that is, don't you?"
"Legolas." Léssien quickly answered with a short nod, and Milanil nodded back before looking at the elleth's hands trying hard to think of a way to explain what he was about to do and why.
"Well, I...now that Legolas is here, I...well, first of all you know I love you and your sisters more than anything in the world; you know that, don't you?" Milanil inquired, and Léssien nodded as reply "And you know I would never do something that could hurt you, right?"
"Did you do something bad?" Léssien asked suddenly, her blue eyes opening wide in alarm, and the brown haired elf blinked in surprise and confusion, before shaking his head.
"No Léssi, I didn't do anything...yet." Milanil decided to add, and Léssien entitled her head to the side not understanding what he meat "I...I need to leave."
"Are you going on a trip?" Léssien asked in her innocent way, and Milanil looked down trying hard to think of a way to speak without making the young elleth despairing.
"Yes, I'm going on a trip," Milanil finally said after a few seconds, and the blue eyed elleth nodded shortly "but this trip...I don't think I'll be able to come back."
"What!" Léssien asked in a rather loud voice, and Milanil looked away not finding the courage to face the young elleth "Why! Why are you not coming back! What did I do!"
"You didn't do anything." Milanil spoke as soon as he heard the last question, and he looked at Léssien only to feel his breathe get stuck in his throat when he saw tears dwelling in the elleth's once brilliant blue eyes "Please sweetie, don't cry."
"You can't leave!" Léssien exclaimed as she took her hands off Milanil's grasp, tears threatening to fall down her eyes "You can't! I need you here!"
"Léssien, please, you need to understan-"
"No!" the reddish elleth shouted closing her eyes shut, one single tear making it's way down Léssien's pale cheek "I don't want you to leave! You can't abandon me like my parents did!"
"I'm not going to abandon you." Milanil said as he looked at Léssien's face, his heart clutching at the elleth's tears "Please Léssien, you need to understand that's not because I'm leaving that I'm going to forget about you."
"You are!" Léssien exclaimed between sobs "You are going to forget me just like my parents did! I know it! Why are you leaving!"
"Léssi..." slowly standing up, Milanil was about to hug Léssien when the young elleth started coughing though tears were still streaming down her cheeks "Léssien, you need to calm down."
"I don't want you to leave!" Léssien managed to say between coughs, her eyes pleading for Milanil to change his mind "Please, I want you to stay; with whom am I going to play with?"
"Léssien calm down." Milanil instructed as Léssien started coughing harder than before, a hand now grasping the front of her pinkish nightgown "C'mon darling, lay down and breathe slowly. I'm going to call your sisters."
After making sure Léssien was lying on the bed, and though he didn't like the painful coughs that kept escaping from her pink lips, Milanil left the room only to find Inwë on the living-room, staring at the window.
"Inwë, its Léssien!" Milanil exclaimed, and that was more than enough for the black haired elleth to stand up from the windowsill, and literally run towards her younger sister's room only to find Léssien trying to sit on the mattress, coughing as she had never coughed before.
"Léssien lay down." Inwë told her sister as she sat beside her, before turning to Milanil "I need her medicine, and go call Eowáthiel; she's outside."
With a short nod, Milanil ran out of the house only to find Eowáthiel under a tree, sat in the middle of the roots, hugging Legolas as if he was going to disappear forever. However, the thought of Léssien made the brown haired elf forget his jealousy, and it didn't take long for Milanil to reach the two elves' side.
"Eowáthiel, I need your help." Milanil panted, sweat running down his now flushed face, and the blonde haired elleth looked up at him only to find bloodshot eyes "It's Léssien; she's having another attack."
When those words reached her ears Eowáthiel released Legolas, and ran towards the house leaving the two male elves outside, staring at each other. Strangely, Milanil was not feeling rage for Legolas, but before he could think twice about it the brown haired elf turned his back to the Prince, and walked inside the house at a rather fast rate.
After a long time trying to make Léssien drink her medicine and take a nap everything ended all right, and everyone was now watching the reddish elleth sleeping soundly on her bed, hugging her pillow while Inwë continued sat beside her, running a hand through her sister's hair red hair.
"I think we should leave her now." Eowáthiel whispered, and after a nod Inwë pulled the covers up so only Léssien's head and neck could be seen, and in silence the black haired elleth stepped out of the room.
Milanil was about to follow Inwë when a hand on his shoulder made him stop his tracks, and with a deep breathe the grey eyed elf looked to his side.
"What are you going to do now, Milanil?" Eowáthiel questioned a couple of seconds later, but the elf didn't answer her "Are you going to leave us knowing Léssien's condition?"
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After leaving the young elleth sleeping in her bed, the adult elves gathered in the cosy kitchen to discuss the latest events.
Milanil was still thinking about Eowáthiel's words: what should he do now? His mind was telling him to leave, that he was no longer needed in Middle-Earth; nevertheless, his heart could not bear the mere thought of leaving Léssien behind, especially in such a difficult moment.
As the two elleth and the blue-eyed elf occupied their seats at table, Milanil opened the window and rested his elbows over the window-sill.
The fresh air filled the warm kitchen, and the candles lights' trembled with the gentle wind. The Leagallow family was much shaken due to the unexpected return of Léssien's coughing.
"She looked so pale…" Legolas muttered his right arm over Eowáthiel's shoulders. "I have never seen her like that before."
No replies come for a long time, and the silence inside the house started to become really intolerable. The four elves kept shifting uncomfortably at each other, and Inwë was the one breaking the icy silence:
"There's no point in pretending nothing is wrong, and we all know that. I believe we're mature enough to have a civilized conversation, and I truly hope you agree with me."
At this moment, she paused, looking straight into the other elves' eyes. Milanil was now approaching the table, realising it was time to do it.
As he sat in one of the chairs, his grey eyes meet a pair of brown ones, and a torrent of thoughts crossed his tired mind.
"Inwë and Eowáthiel, I want to apologize for taking Léssi to play outside every day. I should have known that she was still to weak; I'm sorry." Said the Prince of Mirkwood, feeling rather disturbed with the red-haired elleth's fragility.
When he left in his mission to protect the ring bearer, Léssien was not yet being attacked by that strange illness. So, of all the elves inside that house, he was the most surprised and shocked one.
"Well Legolas, for once what happens with this family is not your fault. I went to Léssien's room to tell her about my decision, and at the sudden news her body collapsed. If there is anyone to blame, that would be me."
"Please stop, both of you! I'm tired of seeing you two trying to show who the best is, trying to take the blame for every little thing that happens." Eowáthiel yelled, her voice shaking uncontrollably.
"Calm down, Eowá. We're not going to solve anything by arguing and blaming ourselves for what have happened. Legolas, if we thought that Léssien was spending too much time outside, we would have told you. And Milanil, Léssi was indeed overwhelmed by your decision, but it was her weak body who betrayed her in the end. There is no need to loose our minds now, we must stay together." The green-eyed elleth said.
"Inwë is right. Milanil, I know that we have never been friends, but I believe now is a good time to avoid any conflicts", Legolas stated, stretching his hand towards the brown-haired elf.
Under the approval look in Inwë's face, the two elves shook their hands, though not facing each other directly. Milanil remained still for a moment, then rose from his chair, and walked towards the open window. Staring into the starry sky, he said:
"I decided to delay my journey to Valinor, just until Léssien is fully recovered. I want to leave with inner peace and I know that is not possible at the moment. As soon as I believe she is better, I would no longer remain here."
"That is a great joy to us, Milanil and we hope that meanwhile you give up of that silly idea." Inwë quickly replied, nudging her sister as a way to make her say something.
"I agree, you know you're part of this family." She said, standing up.
Then, Eowáthiel and Legolas left the room, holding their hands, not glancing a second time at the tall figure by the window.
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A few days went by, and Léssien was slowly recovering from the cough. If Inwë and Eowáthiel hadn't been by the little elleth's bedside day and night, she would probably have tried to escape from bed.
The two male elves seemed to have forgotten their personal conflict, putting all of their efforts in cleaning and cooking. But as the blue-eyed elleth continued to get better, Milanil's determination in leaving only grew stronger.
Eowáthiel had not spoken to him since that day in the kitchen. She was still confused about his feeling's confession and angry because we wanted to abandon them.
One day, when the blonde elleth was setting the table for dinner, Milanil approached silently. His grey eyes stood still for a moment when Eowáthiel raised her head.
"I'll call for dinner in just some minutes", she stated.
"I… just wanted to say I'll be leaving in a couple of weeks. Léssi is not really happy about it, but she is starting to understand my motivations." Milanil replied.
"As you wish", was the only reply coming from a pair of rosy lips.
Sighing, Milanil exited the kitchen, failing to see the elleth's deep eyes' watching is every move.
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"Eowá…" Legolas whispered to the night.
But no response came, since the two elves didn't sleep in the same room. Sighing deeply, he opened his blue eyes only to be embraced by the sweet darkness.
Uncovering himself, the elf rose from the bed and grabbed a grey cloak that was laying in an armchair. Walking in the silent and graceful way so familiar to the elves, Legolas crossed the long corridor that lead to the living-room.
As the elf come closer the room, he noticed a hooded figure entering through the front door. Being extra careful, Legolas waited in the dark, all of his senses sharpened.
When the figure removed the hood, a long, curly, black hair was revealed by the moonlight. The blond elf widened his eyes in surprise, and holding his breath, he watched as Inwë removed her cloak.
'What in the world has she been doing so late in the forest?' Legolas wondered. Turning around to return to his room, the blue-eyed elf couldn't stop thinking how awkward that situation was.
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Important note: I'm sorry for taking so long to post, but I'm in holidays now. It may take a bit long for me to post again, but I hope you understand. Oh, I almost forgot, don't loose the next chapter, it will be full of surprises!