Ooooof

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The gray light of morning filtered through musty windows, setting Legolas's hair glittering. With only one night separated from the insidious Ring he already looked revived. His skin tone returned to its normal radiance, his hair reflected his mother's and had its gleeful bounce back, his eyes held their classic Legolas light.

I couldn't have been more relieved. Every moment my eyes catch a glimpse of him, revived and new, my stomach did flips and my eyes threatened to overflow. But he wasn't the same, and I feared he never would be.

Sam, on the other hand, was unusually quiet. It wasn't hard to imagine why. And I couldn't blame Legolas for sitting as far from Sam—the Ring—as he could. At the moment, he's leaning against the wall in the entrance to the main room. His eyes wandered over everyone in the room, assessing the situation. He seems to not be listening to anything being said. Maybe his mind is still caught in the moment his soldiers shouted out their rage towards him, wishing him death.

"But that would split us up!" Pippin cried.

Aragorn shook his head. "I'm sorry, but having you hobbits travel with us to Helm's Deep would only take you farther from Mordor."

"That's the way it should be," Merry stated.

"Or... maybe Merry and I could stay with you...?" Pippin innocently inquired, throwing glances Sam's way apologetically.

"Sam will need his friends with him on his journey." Apparently, Legolas was listening in. "Now more than ever."

Aragorn warily eyed Legolas but eventually nodded. "I agree with him."

Gandalf spoke from where he sat in thought. "I do not think it is wise to leave the hobbits to themselves. Perhaps we can bypass Helm's Deep altogether and head for Mt. Doom."

Merry and Pippin nodded in sync.

But I was shaking my head.

"But that means we cannot help the survivors of the massacre." The two close hobbits gave me an irritated look.

"I won't leave them. They might need all the help they can get." When no one spoke, I continued. "Look, my mission is to help Middle-Earth, right? That means I don't leave those who might need me behind."

"But by helping the hobbits destroy the Ring, you'll be helping all," Gimli stated.

"If we all go to Mordor as a group, then none of us will be able to get through. We'll get caught. I thought we already discussed this!"

Still, none spoke. I twisted around. "Legolas?" Maybe he'll help.

He shrugged, "I'll go along with anything that'll get me as far away from that ring as possible."

"So, you agree with me?"

"If that is what your plan calls for."

I scowled, "typical elf. Neither saying yes or no."

He gave me a quirky grin.

Turning back to the group, I said, "if I were to tell you that I feel an inexplicable urge to go to Helm's Deep, one caused by a higher being, would you believe me?"

Mithrandir grunted his agreement, so did Gimli. And of course, Aragorn and Legolas did too. "Of course, my Lady," the hobbits all echoed.

"Okay, then believe me when I say that lately, that is exactly what I've been feeling. There is some unknown business I need to answer to at Helm's Deep. And Aragorn, I feel like you need to go to. I don't know why, but you do."

Aragorn assessed me for a moment. "If this is the will of the Valar then I will go."

"Thank you," I breathed. I turned to Leggy Dear.

"Legolas?"

He walked up to me and brushed a strand of my hair behind my ear. His fingers left a trail of warmth on my cheek. "I go wherever you go."

I looked away, thinking of his father, knowing he'll greatly disapprove of us being... together.

"Melnare?" All I received was a nod.

"Gimli?"

"I follow Aragorn and the elf-boy."

"I will go as well," Mithrandir stated. "If the Valar are behind this, then I wish to see it done."

"Thank you," my shoulders slackened. "All of you."

Nods all around.

"So, when is this merry group leaving?" Gimli said.

Mithrandir answered. "After a quick meal. Then we'll part ways."

Solemn nods ensued, every eye of the opposite party eyeing the other, desperately trying to memorize every moment. After all, this could be the last time we see each other.

*********

"Remember your courage, Samwise," Mithrandir reminded.

Sam nodded. "If Mr. Frodo could do it, so can I." Sam's rosy cheeks lifted as he smiled. Sam is such a courageous hobbit. If everyone had the courage and good intentions he has then the world would be a much better place.

Merry and Pippin stood by him. They all wore matching green-gray cloaks from Lothlorien and their colorful hobbit tunics underneath. Their burly feet stood out from the dark floor. I found it slightly amusing that Merry and Pippin stood a little less than a foot taller than Sam. I had inquired about their unusual growth spurt during our journey here. I got an interesting account of an Ent and an Ent-draught.

I smile at Sam and his mischievous friends. "I wish you the luck of the Valar, my hobbit friends."

Sam placed his fist over his heart and bowed, "hannon le, huril vuin."

When he rose, he beheld the amazement spread across my face. A blush rose to his cheeks.

"Mr. Frodo taught me some elvish," he explained.

I shook my head in wonder, my silver hair brushing my face. "Well 'Mr. Frodo' taught you well."

"I hope that I can do as good as he did."

I smiled at him. He's so naïve. Sam is an excellent candidate for Ring Bearer, although I wish it were not true. I wish that the Ring was never made.

But now is not the time for wishing, otherwise, I might never stop.

"Stay true to yourself and friends, halfling. Have a strong will and rebellion burning in your fea and you will succeed," Legolas counseled. What do they say? Hardships make a person wiser?

To my surprise, Sam looked Legolas in the eye and nodded. "Thank you, Your Highness."

A small smile touched Legolas's soft lips and he shook his head. "You may call me mellon. I wish you all the luck of the Valar, mellon pîn."

His brows furrowed for a half a second. But he nodded like he understood the last two words anyways.

Aragorn knelt in front the hobbits and gave his farewell. "Go, and stay strong."

After the last of us said goodbye, we watched the cloaked backs of our small friends turn and disappear around the corner. We had offered them horses to ride, but they declined. Maybe they would find some ponies to ride on their way.

"Aa' menle nauva calen ar' ta hwesta e' ale'quenle." The Quenyan phrase slid easily from my tongue

And hopefully, they wouldn't get lost. Pippin seems like the kind of hobbit that would accidentally lead them astray because he thought he saw a patch of delicious mushrooms growing. And there are still orcs out there. What if they are captured? Or even worse, tortured or killed?

I pushed the gruesome image from my mind and turned to Legolas. "Let's go raid the kitchen for supplies," I mumbled as I brushed by him, my shoulder bumping his.

Most of the perishable food had gone bad weeks ago, but I found dried meats (Gimli would love that) and dried fruits. Opening the lid to a barrel in the corner, I found grain that had not yet molded.

"Legolas? Can you get me some kind of container?" I asked, rubbing at the headache that had been building since yesterday.

He silently handed me one and watched as I filled it. "What's wrong?"

I set the grain on the table and went back to searching in the cabinets. Without Sam our food won't be as appetizing, so we'll have to improvise with salt. If I can find the darn thing, that is!

"Nothing," I answered without looking at him.

"Don't lie," he said softly. "Is it..." the deaths you saw?

My shoulders slumped in defeat and my head hung. I placed my hands on the cool countertop and stared at them.

"It's not... that." Even though all I could see in my dreams last night was the will to live going out in Legolas's eyes. "I wish Sam didn't have to take the Ring. I wish you would not have had to. It's all my fault both of you had to do that. If only I could've saved Frodo, then none of this would've happened."

He placed his hand on my shoulder, but I refused to turn around and face him. "Don't blame yourself. What's in the past has happened and you need to accept it."

I immediately rebutted with, "have you accepted everything you have done in the past?"

It wasn't fair that I said that. I knew he hasn't, that terrible memory is proof.

He said nothing.

"I can't stop blaming myself for Frodo's death. I always will." The weight of that burden will follow me my entire life.

"Then we share that burden together. For the past months, I have also blamed myself for his death. And Boromir's. I was right there—and I did nothing."

"Because you couldn't—you were locked in battle."

He shook his head, "I could've tried."

"You know that's a silly reason. If you would've tried then you would have most likely died."

"Then maybe I should've. The Fellowship doesn't need a murderer in their midst."

I turned around, warm emotion covering my face. In his eyes, I saw that he wasn't lying.

"Don't say that! You did not end their lives! And I need you as much as your people do!"

And then I stood there breathing in the musty air heavily, watching as he assessed and searched my face. I watched as something shifted in his eyes. His gaze dropped.

And then he was kissing me. His soft lips were warm against mine and it took me a moment to realize what was happening. But then my lips were moving against his in sync, wondering if I was doing this right. Strong arms encircled my waist and he pulled me against him. Little harmless shock waves pressed into his skin under my fingers. Time and air stilled around us as everything dropped away. Stars and worlds collided underneath my closed eyes until it was just us, me clinging to him either in shock or amazement. Probably both.

He broke away first, his forehead coming to rest on mine, his hair shielding us from the world. Our heavy breathing filled the air as the only sound. Blue, blue eyes found mine, an unrecognizable emotion swirling in them. My heart thumped wildly and despite myself, I felt at home in his embrace.

Warm fingers came up to brush my hair away from my face. "I need you too."

****

"I would rather spend one lifetime with you, than face all the ages of this world alone"

--Arwen

Aa' menle nauva calen ar' ta hwesta e' ale'quenle == May thy paths be green and the breeze on thy back

mellon pîn == small friend

Thoughts? Theories/predictions? Constructive criticism? Feelzzz?

THE FLASH IS COMING BACK ON TOMORROW!! If you couldn't tell, I'm 'bit' excited.

So how 'bout that snow and ice out there? Did any of you get any? Crossing my fingers right now for a two hour delay tomorrow.

I feel like I have something to tell y'all (I love saying that word; y'all)... But I don't remember what it was...

Novaer, mellyn!
~awatin~