Thrain received word that his daughter had died in the battle of Greenwood and was told her body would be sent to the Lonely Mountain, where it should rest. Thrain was grieved beyond measure, but he did not blame Lillianna for her death, as he might have done earlier. However, some of the dwarves resented the Mirkwood elves for it.
"It was her choice to go." Thrain told Lillianna when she arrived "She knew the danger, and she would do anything to help you." And there they stood mourning the loss of Nim, daughter of Thrain. No words could express their sorrow.
In Greenwood, there was a celebration of the victory over Sauron, yet many felt as if his presence had remaind.
"There are now scores of orcs who were not at the battle roaming the forest's dark parts." Meldon said despairingly to Legolas "It is now not safe to walk abroad beyond the realm of Thranduil. We will be fighting this battle for years to come." Legolas nodded in agreement, but his mind was elsewhere.
"Legolas! I see that you are here, and it would appear you are listening, but it would seem your thoughts take other paths." Meldon accusingly stated.
"You are right my friend" Legolas said apologetically, "It is presently engaged in the meditation on the eyes and face of a beautiful lady who has healed this pathetic being you see before you." Meldon laughed, "I probably should have known that much. Come now, you judge yourself too harshly, yet you do aim high." Legolas felt the sting of his words, though they were kindly stated, and said no more.
Legolas soon heard that Lillianna had returned from the Lonely Mountain and desperately wished to see her. He approached Galadriel as to where she might be found.
"I cannot say for sure, for she has lost one she called a friend." Legolas nodded and lowered his head in reverence. Galadriel knew how much Legolas loved her adopted daughter and so naturally she was concerned about how he would conduct himself should she return those feelings.
"You love Lillianna very much, do you not?" Legolas knew his feelings could not be hidden from the Lady and so answered "Yes my Lady, more than I will ever know."
"Do you love her enough to let her go? Will you let your heart too easily rule your head?" Galadriel asked gently, "You are very noble Legolas, but your actions will define your character. The greatest love is one that will love without any thought of being loved in return. Will you sacrifice that which you love most so that others may yet live by her hand?"
Legolas did not quaver under her gaze but answered with conviction and strength,
"Heaven forbid I should keep her from her path. I would not pull her away from it, rather encourage her in it. Though my love be unrequited, it will not die away. And if she should love me, it will not seem so long, when I realize what should await me. The greatest treasure can be found by those who have longsuffering."
"A very wise answer, Legolas son of Thranduil" Galadriel said, her voice low and musical "You have proven yourself worthy of a queen's devotion, yet what you have said of waiting will most likely come to pass."
He bowed and then continued to search for Lillianna. He found her underneath a mallorn tree sitting apon a marble desk, her face held in her hands, and the sun shining apon her hair like black gold. He drew near and she sensed his presence. She hastily lifted her face and Legolas saw it was wet from crying.
"Legolas" she said relieved "It is only you. I had hoped you might come." Legolas sat down beside her and grasped both her hands.
"Why are you weeping so bitterly, and why are you here alone?" He asked, thinking it was still the grief from loosing Nim that distressed her so. She looked in his blue eyes and decided to tell him truthfully the reason.
"There is a lady" She began "Who feels for another an unquenchable love. She did not know she could love someone so much, or that such a person could exist. But he does not know she loves him, and she cannot tell him, for she would not want him to feel a burden or think ill of her. She feels the world's sorrow is placed apon her and cannot turn from the souls who call out for her. In such a way she is torn, for she feels she cannot both have love and the noble path she has taken. That is why she weeps so, that is why he must never know." Legolas as she said these things began to draw closer, and he was starting to feel frightened that he would awake from this dream.
"Does he dry her tears?" he said as he cupped her face in his hands. She nodded as a few more tears fell down her cheeks onto his hands.
"Has he proven himself to be worthy of her?"
"There has not been a day he hasn't" She said again as she knew he was asking about himself.
"What if he were to tell her that his love for her made him desire to be with her and love her until the end of time? What would she say if he told her he would wait until this might happen, no matter how long it took? What if he told her that he needed her above anything else, though in his life he had not been in want of anything?" Lillianna's eyes shone for she could barely believe all that she had just heard. He was very close to her now, and she simply said with unsurpassing joy,
"Her life would be complete." Legolas smiled the happiest smile a living person could achieve at her answer and kissed her long on the lips before she could say anything else. They were not alone, and Glorfindol's eyes gleamed with jealousy as he watched this passionate declaration. He was not ready to loose Lillianna.
Legolas and Lillianna were now walking hand and hand in the forest until Legolas stopped and faced her. "I have not told you all that has occurred in my past, and I should do that now before I say anything else." He took pulled out a concealed, carved stone smooth and dark on a chain about his neck and showed it to Lillianna. "This belonged to my grandfather, King Oropher, who was slain at the last alliance." he explained "My father can never forget what he saw there, and I cannot forget the memory of him. Because of this, I had a distorted view of life and what we were supposed to accomplish in it until I met you. I felt bitter at the world, much like you did, and sought to drive all my attention into the false realization that I was in love. Uruviel was Meldon's sister, and I thought she could be the one to ease my heart. It was not so, I did not know love until you came and sang to my soul. Indeed after she had been killed by orcs, I was pushed into further bitterness, and swore I would never love again, thinking I would never find a more lovely lady in the world. You saved me from a life of despair, and there has never been one in my life who I have strived to be like more than you. Uruviel's beauty was from the outside only, but yours trandscends beyond anything she could be, for your soul and body are equally beautiful."
Lillianna now understood how he had felt when she first had known him.
"Then I was correct in thinking we would both heal each other." She said as she gave back his necklace. Legolas took her hand and asked, "Why do you love me as you do, Lillianna? You could have anyone else in the world, and yet you choose me."
Lillianna's scarlet lips parted with a slight smile, "Because you were the first to truly understand me. You loved me for who I was, and not who you wanted me to be. Your persistance and gentle acts of kindness tore down the walls of my heart. I could not help but to love you." Legolas kissed her again and held her close, feeling himself once more not worthy of her affections, but wanting nothing else.
Glorfindol in the meanwhile had been trying to quell his feelings of jealousy, but could not overcome them. He wanted to get Legolas away from Lillianna for as long as possible, so that he might try to win her at last. He intentionally meant not to grieve her by doing this in secret, but his jealousy and foolish behavior controlled him. He found his opportunity to be rid of Legolas for a time when the news of a breach of orcs within Thranduil's realm had occurred.
Glorfindol approached Thranduil and said it would be in the best interest for Legolas to join Thranduil in attending to this, for he proclaimed Legolas to be of great valour. Thranduil agreed to this, seeing no ill will in Glorfindol, and because Legolas was the prince of Mirkwood, it was his duty to protect it. A messenger from Thranduil found Legolas and Lillianna sitting together under a tree talking softly to one another. He did not want to interrupt them, but the matter was urgent.
"Legolas" Raisilin called out "Your father has an important message for you." Legolas followed Raisilin reluctantly, and Lillianna with him and then they learned of what Legolas had to do. It grieved him to leave, but he thought it would be resolved quickly, and he then could return to Lillianna.
"I will be in Lothlorien" Lillianna said to him as he mounted his horse. "And then I do not know where I may travel to. I have not yet lived among the world of men, so my path may lead to them."
"I should hope not too soon." Legolas said as he gently carressed her face. Then he bent down and kissed her long and held her softly for the last time.
"Nemarie mellamin" he said and she watched him ride away until he was out of sight.
Meldon, Legolas, Raisilin, and Thranduil were some of the few elves who went to the cause of trouble. They were not looking forward to more fighting, and they realized that their forest had become more dangerous than they had perceived. What they did not realize was that the orcs had been waiting for them for some time, wanting to seek revenge on their kind who had been slain. When they heard that the "maiden of terrible light" had not been in the group, they were overjoyed and felt confidant they would succeed.
Under cover of darkness, they attacked, much earlier than the host of elves had expected. However, they were not caught unawares, and the lightning quick reflexes of the elves came soon to their aid. There were many more than Thranduil had expected, and he was grieved that he had not taken more of his kind. The elves fought bravely, killing many of the orcs which made them attack with even more fury. Raisilin fell underneath several of them and Legolas cried out in distress. He let off his guard to save his friend, and was knocked out by an orc club. When the orc raised it to end Legolas' life, one of the chief orcs told him to hold back, "This one's the king's son" the leader, Ishbak spat "He'll be not killed, but used as a device for ransom from the dwarves."
"What about this one?" the orc who had almost killed Legolas growled, pointing at the fallen Raisilin.
"He's not worth anything. Do what you like with him." Ishbak replied. So ended the life of a dear friend of Thranduil's house.
The orcs now were beginning to retreat, having got what they had come for, and Thranduil despaired when he saw his son being dragged along with them.
"AI ELBERETH!!" he roared, and Meldon too saw his the cause for his cry and chased after Legolas, but Thranduil having more wisdom, stopped him.
"No Meldon. There are too many." He said painfully as he struggled to hold the maddened elf back. He scanned the ground and saw a dark stone on a chain - the pendant of his father that belonged to Legolas. He picked it up and wept bitterly.
"My son, my son!" he cried out in desperation. He and Meldon were the only elves standing on that now acursed ground.
