Disclaimer: The characters and places from LOTR belong to Tolkien. Many of the scenes and lines from the movie are the creation of Peter Jackson and his amazing team who created the LOTR trilogy movies. The added characters and some events are of my creation. Credit should be given if you plan to use them.
Chapter 42 Navaer (Farewell)
Legolas could not seem to keep his hands to himself. His fingers were always in her hair, his hands moved up and down her arms or drew her closer to him. His love for her felt surreal at times. He had waited so very long for her. The warmth of her, the feel of her breathing was confirmation that this was real and she was real. How was he to bid her Navear when it was time?(Farewell)
Kaitlyn had fallen asleep in his arms on the crude cot within his tent. They sat upright and her cheek was pressed against his chest, directly above his heart. A heart that was so full of love, he feared it might burst. They had kissed until their mouths were too sore to kiss anymore. There had been no need for words. Their love for one another had been spoken in the language of touch.
Now, more than ever, he desperately wished for the end of this war and the destruction of Sauron.
He wanted and needed peace in his life as they all did.
He was weary of fighting. His entire life had been battles with giant spiders, fighting off orcs near Mirkwood and fighting to keep Sauron's forces at bay as he grew in power. In his youth, he had fought for his father's affection after the death of his mother. He was tired mentally and physically and craved a quiet life.
The woodland elf wanted nothing more than to build a home for himself and Kaitlyn. He wondered if Ithilien would become a good place to start. They could help rebuild the city in the shadow of Gondor where Aragorn would rule justly. He heard the forest there had once been the crown jewel of the land.
There he and Kaitlyn could marry and he would make her his wife in every way possible. While her lifetime would pass in the blink of an eye in comparison to his, he planned to enjoy every moment of their time together. To be loved, even if their time would be short, would be better than never loving at all.
Never in all his long years had time seemed to pass so slowly and yet also so quickly.
He ran his hands down her arms to her hands where he lightly touched her long thin fingers. He heard her breathing change. He looked to her face and saw her green eyes watching him.
"You should sleep. Though I am certain I am keeping you awake," his voice was almost unrecognizable to himself. It was deep and hoarse.
She shook her head. "I'm amazed I fell asleep at all."
"You are weary. I can see it in your eyes. I can feel it radiating from you."
She did not tell him it was her heart that was weary. She was certain he knew this.
She lifted her head from his shoulder todrown herself in the depths of his blue eyes.
"I can sleep when I return to Edoras. I don't want to waste my last night with you with my eyes closed. I want to get drunk with the sight of you."
He laughed softly. Something he did not do enough of these days. She smiled at the sound.
"I have never heard that expression before. It intrigues me. If I were to get any more inhibited with the sight of you, I would not be able to ride Arod."
She smiled sadly and broke their eye contact
"Goheno nin" ( Forgive me) he ducked his head, and silently berated himself for breaking the moment.
"I know that you have to leave," her voice sounded small and far away. She looked up at him. "I've been doing everything I can not to think about it."
He sighed and his fingers caressed her hair.
"Bain i find lîn" (Beautiful is your hair.) "It is a weakness of mine."
She smiled. Did he realize how often he stated the obvious? She thought of the times before they realized they were in love, how often he would touch her hair. It had grown very long since she had been here. It was nearly to her waist now.
"I'm glad you will always have some of it with you." And she was happy to have given him some of her hair.
He gathered her tightly against him and released a deep breath.
After a few moments he lifted his head and it broke him to see tears shining in her eyes.
Then he became very still.
"Someone is approaching…" he whispered. His body was rigid with alertness.
"Legolas…"
It was Gimli.
"I do not wish to bother you both," the dwarf called out softly. There was a nervousness that could be heard in his tone. "But Aragorn is saddling his horse. I am certain he plans on leaving."
Legolas and Kaitlyn got to their feet immediately. Legolas rushed to the door of the tent and opened the flap.
Gimli pursed his lips. He stood facing the tent in full armor leaning on his battle axe. "The very last thing I wanted to do was bother you." His tone was full of regret.
"It is alright, Gimli. This is important," Legolas reassured him. "Tell us what you know."
"Aragorn gathered supplies and his saddle. He led Brego away not far from that retched road to saddle him."
"Let us get Arod ready to leave at once."
He turned to Kaitlyn but she was already beside him.
"Let's go," she ordered softly.
Her fingers trembled and slipped on the leather and buckles as she helped Legolas saddle Arod. She had insisted on helping. She had told him she needed the practice so she could saddle Hasufel. In truth she needed a task, any task to keep her mind off him leaving.
His fingers covered her trembling ones. "Let me," he whispered. The feel of his warm breath washed over her.
She shook her head, her grip tightened. She took a deep steadying breath and composed herself.
"This is not goodbye," Gimli's deep gravelly voice interrupted their silent interlude. Both Kaitlyn and Legolas looked to him. "A wise wizard once told me, it is farewell for now. We will see one another again. I am certain of it."
Kaitlyn released the tack, stepped away and hugged Gimli. The dwarf returned her embrace. They both realized they would miss each other. They had formed a kinship over the last few months.
"Stay safe, lass." Then he lowered his mouth to her ear. "I will not forget my promise."
She hugged him tighter.
Aragorn led Brego quietly through the camp. He swallowed hard. He had just crushed Lady Eowyn's hopes when she caught him trying to leave and she tried to admit she loved him.
Now he attempted to slip away without his companions knowing. This was his task alone. It would be better if they rode with King Theoden instead of him leading them to their deaths if he failed.
"And just where do you think that you are off to?"
The ranger startled at the site of Gimli sitting outside a tent smoking.
"Not this time… this time you must stay, Gimli."
"Have you learned nothing of the stubbornness of dwarves?" Legolas tasked him, leading Arod.
"You might as well accept it. We're going with you, laddie."Gimli told him, getting to this feet.
It was then that Aragorn noticed Kaitlyn. She was standing further back from Legolas, her hands were entwined in front of her. She looked like a lost soul, but Aragorn also saw strength in her. How many women could be thrust into a world and war not their own and survive? While she would never be a great warrior, she was good, kind, smart and she tried her best to learn. She had also saved his life. That was something he would never forget.
"So this is it then?" Aragorn asked her. "We will be parted until the war has ended."
"A wise dwarf told me, it's not goodbye but farewell for now," she smiled sadly, amazed her voice had not trembled.
Aragorn nodded and took a few steps toward Kaitlyn.
"I wish you well, Aragorn. I have faith in you." She held out her hand for him to shake.
The ranger looked her over for a moment. Then he pulled her against him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. He would miss her and her strange ways. He felt she was similar to a younger sister if he would have been blessed with one. "Thank you for your faith in me, nethig". It will help give me strength and courage in the days that lay ahead."
Kaitlyn raised her head from Aragorn's chest in surprise. He had called her little sister in Sindarin.
"I will look after him for you," he whispered in her ear.
She drew back and smiled. "I asked the same of Gimli. Thank you…hanar." (Brother)
Aragorn smiled warmly and gently released her.
"It shall be done." The future king told her.
Aragorn gathered Brego's reins and leapt onto the bay horse's back in one swift movement.
"The road to the Dimholt. You could not have chosen a safer way?" She asked turning her gaze to the narrow, mist filled road through the mountain.
Aragorn shook his head. "There is no safe road to war. My destiny is at the end of this road."
"Be careful. All of you." Her gaze fell upon each of them. They were some of the only family she had here.
Gimli patted her shoulder and gave her a grin. He had given his farewells earlier and did not think he could stomach another. He took Arod's reins from Legolas.
"Don't drag it on, eh?" He playfully elbowed Legolas in the ribs. "It will only do more harm than good," he told the Elf in seriousness. He raised his bushy eyebrows at the blond warrior as he stepped away with their gray horse and followed Aragorn a short distance away.
Legolas stepped in front of Kaitlyn. How did one say farewell to the one they loved above all else?
"I will return as soon as I am able."
Her green eyes sought his blue ones. "I will be waiting for you."
He took her hand and pulled her toward him. He pressed his lips to hers and buried his hands into her hair for the last time before he went to war.
He broke the kiss with a shuddering breath and stepped away. One hand slowly released hers, the other slipped from her hair as he moved away toward the mountain.
He sprang up into Arod's saddle and pulled Gimli up behind him.
He glanced back at her, burning the image of her standing in Dunharrow in his mind. She stood straight and tall in her green tunic and brown leggings, her long dark hair blowing around her. Her green eyes were focused solely on him. The white, gold and burgundy tents of war were the background behind her. He nodded his head to her, taking a last look and tapped Arod with his heels.
Soon the two horses and their riders were gone, swallowed up by the mist and fog on the road to Dimholt.
Author's notes: (bear with me, they are lengthy!)
Thank you again to those who have taken the time to read and leave a review. It honestly means so much! Some of you have left such lengthy reviews. They are so appreciated!
Some may ask why I have chosen to start deviating away from the books and movie with this chapter.
When I outlined this story in the spring of 2003, this was my plan. At some point in the story, Kaitlyn would be separated from her friends. I wanted to branch out, but still follow Tolkien's storyline in a way. I LOVE the books and the movies and you will see in the coming chapters which direction I am going!
Also when I wrote this, phones and technology was MUCH different. I have decided to leave the story as is with that ancient CD player and an artist that uses an actual sketchbook. There isn't social media or smart phones in the time she is from. At the time I wrote this, none of the hobbit movies had come out. So there was no Tauriel etc. I do not plan to add anything from the Hobbit movies into my story. I plan to keep to my original character outlines.
I have had several people message and contact me that there is a story that uses my scenes and has changed some character names. Upon doing some research I found the following information.
The story Invitus that is posted on Ao3 by Birdofpray is an uploaded copy of a story called Invictus by TigrisIgnis from both fanfic dot net and Ao3. The version posted by Bird of Pray does not mention or credit my story as the original inspiration anywhere. Upon reading it is obvious that adding a few sentences and changing a few names, the story is almost an exact copy for many chapters of my story.
I found in my PMs that in 2015 the author named TigrisIgnis contacted me to say that she loved my story and wanted to finish it and would change my original character names, add her own, add additional chapters and post it with credit to my story on every chapter. She asked for permission and noted that if I was not okay with this, that she would be happy to remove the story. I never answered because I was not active on ff dot net and therefore did not see the PM. She posted the story on the site, which gathered a following. She deleted all of her stories from the site, but posted some of the chapters to A03. She gave full credit for the story idea, wording etc all over her story and mentioned my story and my pen name.
I have contacted Ao3 to see if they would be willing to have the author Bird of Pray add the credit that TigrisIgnis used and they did not add. That way people will understand that Mysterious Fate was written first, (started in 2003) and continued in 2024.
I was fairly upset at first, but I see that TigrisIgnis did make an effort to contact me and ask for permission and she credited me everywhere she posted. Just as I am using Tolkien's characters and Peter Jackson and his amazing team's story lines etc, this author did the same and credited me as I have been crediting them. I am upset Bird of Pray chose not to add any credit to me, but they honestly might never have heard of my story and didn't pay attention to the credits posted by TigrisIgnis originally.
We shall see what happens.
I will be updating my story on A03 as well. It's currently archived there from a move from LOTRfanfiction dot net when I had it there years ago. I'm just waiting to be able to have an account there.
I hope you enjoyed this quick update. It may be another few weeks with the holidays coming up before I can add chapter 43, but I'll do my best to update quickly. I'm currently working on chapter 44. I like having a buffer of a chapter or two already written before I post.
Hope everyone has a wonderful Halloween (if you are celebrating where you live)