Authors Note: Alright so just a heads up, I'm not entirely sure how the whole, half elfs choose mortality works, but I just finished watching LOTR so I have a half idea about it. So I'm doing it with the best idea I have of it anyway, so please no hate. There's one last chapter before we gotta wait for the movie. Which I might publish in the next 48 hours since I have it all written out already. The movie is closing in quickly, so much excite!
Disclaimer: I only own Sylwen and Lucy, etc etc.
"My child, tell me, do you love this man?"
The voice was as soft as a gentle breeze, dancing across the back of her subconscious. Sylwen couldn't tell if she was awake or not, confusion sweeping over her being.
Did she love who? Bard?
The darkness was broken by a tiny light in the distance, causing Sylwen to squint in response, seeing the outline of a figure.
A white gown clung to her form, flowing perfectly as if it was a part of her. Pale blonde hair flowed down her shoulders, her eyes were a striking blue.
A soft smile played on her lips, gazing at the young elf. "You are still dreaming, worry not." She told her, lifting a hand as she gently brushed it across the young elf's cheek.
The soft image of a lake slowly came into view, the moon high in the sky as it reflected onto the still water.
Sylwen glanced up at the woman again, her emerald orbs scanning her face. She looked so young, yet she could see the years in her eyes. She was wise beyond her appearance. She knew her..
"Galadriel?" Sylwen spoke softly, recalling meeting her once when she was in Rivendell.
Galadriel smiled softly, tucking Sylwen's hair behind her ear. "Yes child, but I only come to you in a dream." She said, gently placing both hands on either side of her face. "You are worried, about what is to come. And what will happen, are you not?"
Sylwen nodded, casting her gaze downwards as she bit her lip slightly. "I fear of what is to come. I love him, more than I could have thought. He gave me a home and a family, where I had left my own. But I'm scared for the future. Even though I am only half elf, I will still long outlive his own." She shut her eyes tightly, reaching up as she grasped Galadriel's arms gently before looking at him again. "I do not want to sit back and watch him grow old and die while I still look the same as the day I met him."
Galadriel listened to her speak, leaning down as she pressed a gentle kiss against her forehead. "You have the choice." She spoke softly. "As you are half elven, you may choose the path of a mortal life if you so wish to be with him.."
The feeling of the blankets rustling startled Sylwen out of her sleep, sitting up in a start as her head collided with something hard, pain blossoming in her skull. The sound of a groan reached her ears, opening her eyes as she waited for her vision to focus before she saw Bard, sitting beside the bed and holding his head.
"I feel like this has happened before." Bard mused, a small smile tugging at his lips as he looked at Sylwen. "Morning." He greeted her.
"I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed, inching to the edge of the bed as she placed her hands on his head. "I didn't mean to, I just had a weird dream and woke up.." She stopped her rambling, leaning down as she kissed his head softly.
Bard wasn't expecting such affection from her so suddenly, though gladly accepted it as he let out an airy laugh. "I'm just glad to see you up." He said, looking at her once she relinquished her hold on his head. "Do you remember what happened last night?" He asked her.
Sylwen had to stop at his question, trying to recall the previous nights events. So much had happened during that point and now. The rush of memories returning to her, her dream. Speaking of which, she still couldn't understand what Galadriel had meant.
You only need let it happen..
Let what happen?
Sylwen shook her head a bit. "Not much, I remember the Dwarves at the town center.." She began, pausing for a moment. "And then I remembered something and after that nothing." She sighed softly, looking at Bard again.
Bard stayed silent, letting her speak and recall what she could. "What did you remember?" He asked, standing up as he took a seat on the edge of the bed beside her.
Sylwen pressed her lips together, sitting there quietly as she tried to find a way to explain it to him. She knew she needed to tell him.
"I..I didn't remember everything." She began slowly, jumping slightly as Bard enclosed his hands around her own. Lifting her gaze, green met with brown once again, making her nervous and relaxed all at once.
"I was there, when Dale was attacked." Sylwen began slowly, feeling the warmth radiating off his hands as she struggled to maintain eye contact. She was afraid to see the emotions in his eyes as she recalled her past.
"I met Girion, the Lord of Dale.." She finally broke their gaze, focusing on their hands instead as she gently brushed her thumb across his hand. "The firestorm, was something I never imagined. I saw Thorin as well, though I didn't know who he was at the time." She shook her head slightly. "I wanted to help, so I tried entering the mountain to find whoever was left behind.." Her voice trailed off, the silence hanging heavily in the air as she took a shaky breath.
Past the curtains though, Sigrid was about to go in and check when Lucy stopped her. "They need this time." Lucy said, shaking her head slightly as she offered her a small smile. "I'm sure they have alot to talk about."
Sigrid hesitated for a moment, hearing the hushed voices in the room before she nodded, stepping back as she sat down beside Lucy. "What's going to happen now.."
Lucy sat there for a moment, mulling her question over in her mind for a few moments before she sighed. "I don't know.." She finally answered, looking at Sigrid. "Something life changing though, so I'd best prepare yourself." She told Sigrid.
Sigrid looked at Lucy, laughing softly as she nodded. Even though she was older than the others, even she didn't have all the answers. Not to mention Lucy always seemed older than she actually was..
Bard waited for her to continue, but when she didn't, it didn't take him long to put the rest of the puzzle pieces together. "He kept you in the mountain.." His voice was barely above a whisper as he watched her head nod slowly.
Sylwen sat in the after silence, waiting for Bard to say something as she slid her fingers between his own, grasping them tightly. "I'm sorry.." She whispered, her voice straining as she could feel her throat tighten.
Bard let the information sink in as he sat quietly with her, the sun peeking into the bedroom window. He had let Sylwen sleep in his own bed that night, after he had come home to find Lucy passed out on Sylwen's bed. He had slept on the chair beside it, waiting for her to wake. He had had his suspicions of what her memories held, after she held such interest in the Mountain in the distance. Hearing it from her own mouth, was a whole other story.
His gaze searched her face, recognizing the worry and the fear as she awaited his answer. "There is nothing to apologize for." He finally spoke, brushing a hand over her head as he pressed down her bed head gently. "Things happened that were out of your control," His palm pressed against her cheek, causing her to look up at him. "You are here now, and here is where you belong."
Sylwen's heart leap into her throat, feeling it tighten in response to his words. Belong. "Thank you.." She whispered, letting herself fall into him as she wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "Thank you so much Bard."
Bard couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips, one arm falling around her waist and the other burying into her ginger locks, holding her tightly against him. "You're home now Syl." He told her, pressing a kiss against the side of her head. He could feel her small frame shaking beneath his hold, but not once did she allow herself to cry.
"Bard!" A voice called from the kitchen suddenly, a knock on the door following shortly after the call. He closed his eyes, letting out a drawn out breath before he slowly separated from Sylwen. "Sorry..duty calls." He offered a small smile.
Sylwen let the quiet laugh roll off her lips. "As always." She said, nodding once as she watched him get up, leaving the bedroom. It wasn't until then that she realized that she wasn't in her own bed, but rather Bard's. The heat traveled to her cheeks, shaking her head once before she slid out of the bed.
Home.
When Bard opened the door to find the Dwarves standing on his porch, he was far from pleased. If he ever saw a Dwarf again, it'd be far too soon. This being it.
"No." He shook his head, refusing anything they were about to seek. "I'm done with Dwarves. Go away." He stated sharply, pulling the door closed but one of them stopped him, looking pleadingly.
"No, no, no! Please!" Bofur pleaded, struggling to keep the door open. "No one will help us! Kili's sick." He said, stepping back as he glanced at Kili, who was leaning against his brother and looking as pale as death itself.
As if to confirm it once again, Bofur turned back to Bard. "He's very sick."
Bard stared down at the group, the younger Dwarf tried to keep up a tough act, but it was clear he was in a lot of pain. Feeling something brush against his arm, he glanced down to find Sylwen at his side.
"We have to help them." She spoke softly, looking up at Bard as he was silent for a moment before stepping aside, allowing the Dwarves into his home. As much as he wanted to be done with Dwarves, he couldn't turn away a sick person. It wasn't in his nature.
"Certainly never a dull moment over here." Lucy commented to herself, getting up from the chair she was residing on as she cleared the small table across the room, setting up a makeshift pillow with the closest thing she could find. Walnuts. "Put him over here."
Kili was carried over and placed onto the table, a groan passing his lips. "You're an elf aren't you? Can't you use your healing magic and heal him?" The Dwarf addressed Sylwen, all eyes in the room turning to her.
Sylwen felt herself tense up slightly at the mention, pressing her lips together as she stood there. Healing magic wasn't her greatest forte, it never had been. "I-I'm only half elven." She admitted, fiddling with her fingers slightly. "The most I can do with healing magic is a surface wound." She explained, walking over to where Kili was as she carefully unwrapped the cloth that bound his leg. The skin around the wound was turned black, smearing with the dark blood.
"It's poison." Sylwen observed, swallowing hard as she glanced up at the other Dwarves.
Alfrid leaned against the table as a bottle rested in his hand, his dark eyes cast upon a single photo beside him. The photo was of a woman, soft black hair falling in perfect curls down her shoulders, her dark brown eyes matching her complexion. Lucy was the spitting image of her mother, even more so as she grew.
He was a horrible father, that much he knew. When his wife died 9 years ago, he couldn't bring himself to lay eyes on his daughter. Lucy looked far too much like her mother for him to bear, and thus he turned his back on her. Leaving her to fend for herself, pretending the small girl he had cared so much for, didn't exist.
Once Alfrid had found himself able to once again look at his daughter, it was already far too late. The girl had grown to hate and despise him, disowning him from the title of father. And he couldn't even bring himself to blame her for it either.
No one knew just what was to come, now that the Dwarves were headed for Erabor. They could awaken the Dragon's wrath for all he knew, it could come and destroy the city. He could very well loose what family he had left, without ever offering an explanation for his actions. Not that she would listen to it.
Heaving a sigh, Alfrid sat up in his chair, lifting the bottle to his lips once again as he allowed the alcohol to drown out his sorrows.