Soriel was actually relieved that preparations to leave Helm's Deep were finally in full swing. As Éowyn's helper, she was kept busy, which meant putting her feelings aside and helping others for a while. Ever since her pregnancy and miscarriage, she had been feeling incredibly useless, and she was determined to make up for it. Even more than that, the more time she spent with the women and children, the less chance of her running into Éomer, who was kept extremely busy with meetings with Théoden, Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas, and Gimli, along with several other military leaders of Rohan.
Finally, when everything was in order, the people of Rohan set off back across the plains toward the capitol, Edoras. The return journey was far less stressful than the journey there. In fact, this time it was almost fun. Leila, Soriel, and Éowyn took up the rear of the group and they laughed and joked as such friends do.
They rested once the sun started to descend, as the road back to Edoras was a long one, and the children grew weary. Soriel and Leila set up a tent to share, and Leila decided to strike up a conversation which Soriel deeply wished to avoid.
"Have you spoken to Émoer since he kissed you?" Leila asked.
Soriel paused and her eyebrows narrowed before she answered. "No."
"No need to be offended, I was only asking," Leila teased. "Why haven't you spoken to him? Surely your heart has told you he's really the one."
"Do not be so ridiculous," snapped Soriel, turning away so that her friend would not see her cheeks go scarlet. That was when she decided to fight fire with fire. "Anyway, I see you have yet to discover that your heart has deemed Legolas the one for you."
Leila suddenly became very serious as Soriel gathered herself and faced her friend again. "What are you talking about?"
"Oh, surely you have realized that he is, indeed your soulmate," Soriel continued, rolling her eyes. "Has your heart neglected to inform you of this? Or are you just unwilling to admit it?"
Leila's face went a deep shade of red as she glared at her friend. For some absurd reason, Soriel took notice of how different the two she-elves were. They both had the traditional elven grace and beauty, but there was much that set them apart. Soriel was on the tall side and was rather slender. Her eyes were deep, ocean colored blue and her golden hair was stick straight and trailed all the way to the small of her back. She had high eyebrows and a proud look about her. Leila was a little shorter, but she still had a striking figure. She had a soft look in her face, with icy, piercing blue eyes that were actually rather gentle. Her hair was a darker shade of blonde, and it was tremendously curly. The tresses went all the way past the small of her back, but it was so messy (Leila often referred to is as "the beast") it appeared that it was shorter than it actually was. The dissimilarity between them was remarkable.
Soriel let a smirk crack upon her face as they resumed pitching their tent, only this time in silence.
Soriel fell asleep quickly. An evening of taunting Leila had exhausted her. She lay down on her cot and sleep claimed her in its shadowy clutches.
She stood knee deep in salty water. She heard the distant roar of waves crashing onto a pure white shore. The smell of sea salt was overwhelming, filling almost every pore in her porcelain skin. She closed her eyes to the coolness of the waves as they lapped at her legs and the feel of the warm ocean breeze. She allowed it to wrap around her body, only to be swept away in an instant. It was the most peaceful she had ever felt in her long elven life.
"Hello there," said a voice from behind her.
"Boromir!" she gasped as she spun around and flung herself into his arms. He chuckled as he kissed her cheek.
"I see you have acquired feelings for this man of Rohan?" he inquired. He did not sound angry, just genuinely curious.
"Well…yes," she admitted. "I would understand if you are angry with me. I realize I am betraying you and your memory. I am not desperately in love with him, but we do have a deep friendship, and I am beginning to feel something more…I am so sorry, Boromir."
"Apologize not, my love," he said. "I am happy for you."
He smiled. Then Soriel noticed how god-like he looked. Clad in white, his eyes were bright and his smile was wide. He had a soft glow about him. His hair did not move in the wind and his clothes were not water stained despite standing in the water.
"It is no crime to fall in love again, Soriel," he continued. "You carry the weight of so much sadness. Suffer not on my account any longer. Make yourself happy."
"Are you certain?" she asked sheepishly, not meeting his gaze.
"When have you ever done what I asked of you?" he joked, a grin forming upon his lips. "Just because you love someone else, does not mean you care any less for me or that what we had meant nothing. Give Éomer a chance."
They both heard a scream that sounded five hundred leagues away. They recognized the voice of Pippin.
"It appears you are needed elsewhere," said Boromir. "Farewell, Soriel; and I mean it, for I believe we will not meet again."
"Farewell," she whispered gloomily as he kissed her sweetly on the forehead.
With that, he turned and walked toward the white shore. She saw him meet a small boy there and take his hand. It was their son; the one she had lost.
Soriel awoke to find tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes. She tried to wipe them away before Leila saw, but it was too late. Leila had also heard Pippin scream, and was about to go see what was happening when she noticed Soriel's condition.
"What hurts you, Soriel?" she inquired, her naïve soprano filling Soriel's ears like an empty cup. "Why are you weeping?"
"Boromir," replied Soriel, her voice shaky from restricted sobs. She felt the tears threatening to burst forth like a broken dam.
Leila, in her silly way, gasped "Where?" and looked around frantically for a few moments. Soriel giggled lightly at her friend's foolishness. "I don't see him," Leila said, staring at her friend.
"That is just it," Soriel said solemnly. "He is gone. Really gone. I no longer feel his presence."
"Will you be alright?" Leila asked. "I would not judge you if you wish for me to stay with you and let the men handle Pippin."
Soriel shook her head, and her long tresses swayed with the movement. "No, I think I will be just fine. Let us not waste any more time here. Pippin needs help!"
With that the two she elves sprang from their beds and hurtled toward the poor Halfling now being tended to by Gandalf and Aragorn.