Legolas watched as Adessa made her way towards Galadriel's private library, when she was well out of earshot he turned back to Artemis who had closed the book she was reading and was watching him expression unreadable. He took a breath then hesitated unsure where to begin. Artemis gave him a small sympathetic smile. "It's never easy to come out and ask someone to stand aside is it?"
He blinked, surprised that she'd been able to read him so easily and Artemis smiled more broadly. "Oh come on Legolas, I'm human not blind deaf and stupid. You love Adessa, more than love her you're a part of her now. You don't want that to end, gods you can't want it to end, it would be like dieing wouldn't it?"
He slumped a little and nodded. "It would be." He replied and looked at her, blue eyes meeting nearly black. "I… I want you to tell her she doesn't need to go with you when you leave. I want you to tell her she doesn't need to be a part of whatever mission you've been sent here for."
Artemis leaned back in her chair and considered him her eyes boring into his before she spoke again. "If I could I would. If I thought it was just up to me I would let her stay here with you as Adessa or even as Tracey if she suddenly regained her memories. But it's not up to me."
His fist closed on the tabletop and his eyes flashed. "You have power, I have seen it, Gandalf has seen it. You can change the outcome of things. You must."
Artemis didn't react to his outburst, her face was impassive and that made him angrier. "What good is power if you do not use it. What good is your friendship if you would allow us to be parted." He railed against her, against the injustice of it and at some point his hand clamped around her wrist gripping her tight as he tried frantically to talk her into leaving without Adessa.
After several minutes he wound down and seemed to realize that he was squeezing her wrist hard. She hadn't looked away from him, her face showed no fear, or anger or pain and he released her slowly shocked at his own outburst and sat back breathing hard. He knew that after Bonding with Adessa he would be more aggressive for a while but he had shocked even himself. Artemis spoke quietly her voice steady but his ears could detect a quickening of her heart but he was sure it wasn't from fear. "You have had Adessa for a handful of months and this is the pain you feel at the possibility of losing her. Imagine that after years." Her voice caught and she paused then kept going her voice steady again. "I would let her stay, I would do anything I could, anything in my power to let her stay here with you if I thought it was my choice. But it isn't. I do not have the power to stop whatever happens."
She pinned him with her dark eyes and he felt small for the first time, ashamed of his outburst and after a moment she looked away her jaw clenching. "Even if she regains her memory of being Tracey she'll still love you and leaving will break her heart. More than break it if the Bond remains, it will be like she's lost a limb, it will sap her will and drain her spirit and I don't want to see her in that kind of pain. She's my best friend, practically my sister in all but blood. We've helped each other through heartbreak, we started a business together, laughter, tears, hopes and dreams and I do not want to see the light in her soul dimmed by the loss of you." She looked back at him and her eyes were bright. "I do not want her to go through what I am."
He frowned. "What do you mean?"
She took a deep breath and blinked rapidly. "Do you remember the story I told in the fire?"
He nodded. "I fell in love with the Hunter. And I had to leave him, with all the things we hoped for, all the things we dreamed of undone. And we were not Bonded."
He considered that for a few minutes while she regained her composure. "I'm sorry." He said finally. "I'm sorry I hurt you."
She understood that he wasn't just talking about her wrist and inclined her head. "I'd rather you didn't tell her. As far as she knows both as Adessa and Tracey I am fine and I want to keep it that way."
"I understand." He replied.
They sat in silence for a moment then Artemis picked up the book and stood, she put a hand on his shoulder surprising him, her touch was gentle and warm as she looked down at him. "Enjoy every minute with her. Cherish it and store every second in your mind and heart because that's what's going to sustain you."
She left him sitting alone as she walked away and he watched her go suddenly understanding her better. He glanced towards the tree where Galadriel's private library sat in the branches and wondered what Galadriel and Adessa were talking about.