Legolas:

I watched Ella walk to the edge of camp. Though I was too far away to see them, I knew tears had arrived. Why, Ella? Why won't you let me comfort you? I frowned. I respected Ella and wanted to honor her decisions, but...

Turwethiel had slipped away, needing time alone after our talk. I had no reason not to do what my heart told me I should. None but my pride.

I walked to her. "Ella?"

Ella:

He came. I could always count on him to come when I needed him. It's one of the many things I love about him. I turned to face him. He'd seen me cry before; I didn't care if he knew.

A look of something more comforting than sympathy crossed his face, and he wrapped me in his arms. My heart beat frantically, and my will split in two. Part wanted to stay in his arms forever; the other to pull away. Surely he could feel me shaking, could hear my heartbeat, could guess the reason......

I sighed. Oh dear, Nes, you really haven't got it bad....see? Look at all these lovesick people.... That made me giggle. If only they would tell each other! It would all turn out then!

I wonder how Mama and Papa are...

I watched Legolas and Turwethiel and sighed. I missed his friendship. And more than that...I wanted him to know my feelings. Why, oh why, did I have to pick the most unobservant man to fall in love with?

I kicked at a pebble and walked to the edge of the camp, tears finding their way down my cheeks.

Turwethiel's past

I hurriedly climbed a tree, as if trying to escape from something, or rather memories that were like wolves about to devour their prey.

I did not mean to eavesdrop, I just happened to be passing by when I heard Aldarion talking with Rosriel, and it was perfectly obvious to me that...they were in love. That was too much; those simple words broke the wall I had carefully built around my memories, and now they came pouring in like an angry ocean.

“I can’t stand it! I…I…,” I just sobbed as if my heart would break.

My sweet family, my dear Eruadan; never again would I ever see their faces, or hear their voices call my name, or walk through the forest hand in hand with Eruadan. All because of some @#$% orcs! The filth and plague of Middle Earth that destroyed people’s happiness. What wouldn’t I have given to be there, and die alongside my family?

“You couldn’t have saved them Tury,” Legolas said from the base of the tree. I had been talking out loud and not realized it.

“Don’t call me that! That’s his name for me,” I sobbed.

Legolas climbed up beside me and put his arm around me. “Ready to talk about it?”

I nodded my head. “I…I was out on a ride with a friend. It was such a glorious day, but my four brothers could not come with me because they had chores to help Father with. We were gone all day. We came home right before sunset, and saw. I saw my brothers and father slain and my sweet mother shot with a foul, ocr arrow. Everything was destroyed, and the house on fire.” I shuddered, “I ran to them, and was there the whole night, just looking in agony and shock.”

“What about Eruadan?”

“We never found his body, but his sword, shirt, and dagger were found among the ruins. I feel in my heart that he is dead.” I took a deep breath and leaned back against the tree.

Legolas was silent for a while, just letting me think. “I think you are a brave woman, Turwethiel.”

I gave a short laugh, “More like a weak, pathetic, and emotional she-elf.”

“No, you have bourn this burden for almost a year, and yet you did not pull into yourself. You have been grieving, but you gave yourself to helping others. You are strong.”

“Hannon le, Legolas. I feel a little relieved, but still sad. I suppose that will never go away.” With that, I leaned my head against his shoulder, glad that I had some family by me, even though we were only distantly related.

~Turwethiel

(This is most likely my last post, keep me in if you can. Thanks.)

Friends... and Maybe More

The return trip to the rest of the fellowship was quiet, or so it seemed to me. As the camp came in sight, I found my feet moving slower and slower. It had been a few days, but I still did not want to see Aldarion and feel the hurt again.

We drew near and were spotted by our friends. Elanor, Vila and Raewyn ran to meet us and escorted us the rest of the way. They were chattering on about a prank of Lira's and some soup when I saw Aldarion waiting. I tried to ignore him and focus my attention on the story.

"And then we looked at the soup and it was just glowing!" Raewyn giggled. "You should have seen Samdo's face when he went to stir the soup!"

Elenatintil approached us with a smile, "Why don't you girls let them sit down a bit and then continue your story?" She turned to Ella. "Ella, I am so glad you are back. And you, Edroliel," she turned to where the girl was sitting in the hastily constructed wheel chair. "Aldarion has told us about you. I hope you will be better soon."

Edroliel smiled and we moved around the campfire. I said little, doing my best to stay away from Aldarion. My efforts were in vain, and I turned to find him standing close beside me. I looked away.

"Lady Rosriel," he spoke softly. "May I please speak with you for a moment?"

I wanted to turn away, give him a cold shoulder as he had done to me, but I could not. Only when I was very angry could I deliberatly hurt someone. Slowly I met his eyes.

"It will only be for a moment," he looked so pleadingly at me that I could not refuse. I nodded and followed him towards the tents, out of the ear shot of the others. He stopped and took my hand.

"First I wish to make an apology to you. I left without saying good-bye - no, I did worse than that. I deliberatly ignored you, one whom I consider to be a good friend." He sighed. "I would not be surprised if you did not consider me your friend any more."

I looked away. "I was not angry, just... hurt."

Aldarion nodded. "You had every right to be. I wish to ask for your forgiveness, and to give you an explanation as to why I did not want you to question me," he paused, "as well as to answer those questions, if you still want to know."

I drew my hand back and looked at him. "I do wish to know." I tried to laugh. "Curiousity has always been one of my weaknesses. But you do not have to tell me, if you do not..."

"I do wish to tell you." He stopped, as if thinking how to begin. "As I think you guessed Ne- Edroliel and I have met before, in Gondor as we said when we first saw each other back where you found her. My father is Elboron, the son of Faramir, Prince of Ithilian and Eowyn the White Lady of Rohan." He looked at me, as if to gauge my reaction. "All my life, my brothers and I have been judged not by who we are, but who our grandparents are." He gave a short laugh. "'You can do better than that! You are the grandson of Faramir!' 'Master Aldarion, would your grandfather daydream during his history studies? No! Of course not!'"

He paused, and I waited patiently for him to continue.

"It was especially that way with friends. Not so much when we were younger, boys do not care about rank and all that, but as we got older it grew worse. My father is a valiant man in his own right, as well as second in command of the Rangers of Ithilian. All the boys our age wanted to be our friends and then expect us to somehow get them a good position with the Rangers. If we did not or could not, that was it. Friends no longer." He scowled. "Needless to say, we got quite tired of that. It is frustrating... wanting to make a friend, but not knowing if that friend is a true friend or only out for your "influence". Anarion and I finally decided we had had enough and left. Our younger brother, Barahir, stayed behing. Said he would just make friends with the scrolls in the archives." Aldarion looked at me. "That is why Anarion kept our background a secret, when we met up with you. For once we wanted to have friends who liked us for who we are. Anarion was able to convince me that it is alright if we tell you now, that you shall still be our true friends."

I touched his shoulder hesitantly. "I at least, will always be a friend, Aldarion. I forgive you. Thank you... for telling me."

His eyes lit up, "Le hannon, Rosriel." He raised my hand to his lips, and kissed it. "I am honored to be counted amoung your friends." He smiled. "Shall we return to the others?"

My heart was fluttering wildly. "Y- you can." I stammered. "I am going to freshen up, in my tent first."

"Of course." Aldarion bowed, then walked away.

In a daze, I stumbled to the nearest tent, pulled aside the flap and stepped in. I looked down at my hand and touched the spot where Aldarion had kissed me. Finally my head understood what my heart had been trying to tell me for weeks.

I loved him.

~ Rosriel

A Talk

Aldarion stood in front of Anarion, a thin crease between his eyebrows revealing what lay behind his carefully smooth expression.

Anarion half grinned, obviously trying to hide his discomfort. "Of course, Aldarion."

Aldarion led the way, stopping behind one of the tents. He turned and faced his younger brother. "So would you care to explain how the stew ended up to be glowing? Do not deny it, I know you were involved."

"Does it really matter?" Anarion protested. "It's not like it was something harmful! Just a bit of fun!"

"A bit of fun?" Aldarion could feel his temper rising. "Yes, but you did not come up with it. You were put up to it by that Lira."

Anarion flushed. "She happens to be a very nice girl."

"Oh yes, and very nice girls go around dying peoples hair, kidnapping them and making stew glow! You know as well as I do the tales they tell back home of the pranks those two play." Aldarion said sarcastically. "Already she is having a bad influence on you, dragging you into her plots. Who knows what she will come up with next to disgrace our family?"

"If you care so much about are family then why do you keep them a secret from everyone?" Anarion snapped back. "I am sick of all this hiding and secrecy, we have nothing to be ashamed of. And as for Lira, I see no harm in befriending her. She has very few friends!"

Aldarion scowled. "You know why I do not wish to speak of them, and you agreed with me. If Lira has no friends then that is quite clearly her own fault!"

"You may be my older brother Aldarion, but you are not my father. You cannot tell me who I can and whom I cannot befriend! I will make friends with whom I will and thereby honor my family by heeding the teachings of our parents."

"And those would be?"

"By making friends with anyone we come across, especially those who need ones." Anarion looked his brother in the eye. "Can't you see that those girls need a friend? Maybe a friend who did not give them up would help tame them!" He lowered his voice. "I want to help Lira, to be her friend."

Aldarion did not answer. "Very well," he said at last. "I can see that you are right."

Anarion smiled. "Thank you, brother." He hesitated, then went on. "As long as we are on the subject of friends...."

"Yes?" Aldarion looked at him warily.

"Why can we not tell our friends who are parents are? We have been with them long enough, they like us for who we are. Do we really need to hide any longer?"

Uncertain, Aldarion studied his brother's face. "That is so..." he said slowly. "You are right, again." He gave a look of mock resignation, before he grew serious again. "But there is someone who I wish to tell first, before we tell the rest of the company."

Anarion looked curious. "Who?"

Aldarion looked off towards the distant tree line. "Someone who deserves an explanation."

"Anarion, we must talk."

Anarion nearly jumped out of his skin, and reflected wryly that whoever had invented that little cliche had been pretty acurate.

Aldarion stood in front of him, a thin crease between his eyebrows revealing what lay behind his carefully smooth expression.

This could be bad.

(Oh. I have to get off, I'll finish this later, all right?)

"Edrolliel..."

I started. Hush Nessa...you must get used to hearing yourself called this.... "Rosriel!" I tried to smile. I'm sure it must have been a very lopsided one. "Just call me Edlliel...I don't mind. It's much shorter." Rosriel grinned.

"Alright Edlliel. But I came to talk to you about something important. We are going to leave today. We will build you a chair...Legolas knows how."

I nodded and gulped. "Thank you."

Ella:

Legolas stayed on the opposite side of the camp. When I walked close, he walked farther. I sighed. Was there no in-between with him?

I sat down in a huff. Men.

Legolas:

Was I ever to understand Ella? When I was near her, she grew angry. Now, when I was giving her her requested space, she seemed to want to be close to me! Around but not hounding, that's what she'd requested, and what I'd given her. But she seemed even angrier today than she'd been last night.

Ugh. Women.

Returning

The early morning sun was peeking up over the tops of the mountains as I bent down near Edrolliel. I felt her forehead, noting with relief that her fever had disappeared. Standing, I went to find Elladan. He glanced up as I came near.

"Good morning, Rosriel."

"Good morning."

"How is Edrolliel this morning?"

"Much better," I replied. "Her fever is gone."

Elladan nodded with a smile. "I am glad to hear it. I have never gotten sick myself, being an elf you know, but I certainly can feel sorry for those who can become ill."

I smiled. "Yes, with human descent, I have gotten sick once, and it was not pleasent."

"Do you think Edrolliel can travel now then? It is about time that we rejoined the others and continued on our way."

Rejoin the others... Aldarion. My heart flinched. I was not angry at him for not speaking to me - I never had been able to hold a grudge - but I still felt hurt. But Elladan was right, we had been away for long enough. "I will see if she thinks she would be able to travel, if someone helped her walk."

Elladan nodded. "Yes, or we could build a chair for her, the way we did when Ella sprained her ankle."

I smiled. "I will go and see what she says."

~ Rosriel