May it Be | THE LORD OF THE RINGS 🖋

.26. Let the World Burn

Hello everyone!
I'M BACK!
I am so sorry for how long this has taken but for a while, I really wasn't happy with these chapters. But now I've decided to just release them and you guys can judge if they are good or not.
This chapter is a little filler to get back into the story and I'll aim for the next chapter to be up by the end of the week.
This book is almost finished and I have already drafted the second book so you should be seeing more of Deirde's adventures soon.

Thanks for being so patient. Xxx

*UNEDITED*

Deirdre's POV

As I stood there, locked in Aragorn's arms, with his lips firmly planted on mine, I felt my body begin to relax and melt into his embrace.

His hold on my body was firm yet gentle; caring and sweet yet brimming with desire. And as I let him take over my senses I felt myself become completely at peace with the world.

....Until something within me began to come alive, and then my head began to scream.

It wasn't an audible scream, but rather an internal one, meant for me and me alone.

No! A voice in my head yelled.

NO!

Startled, I tried to distance myself from Aragorn's embrace but his arms caged me in and his lips remained on mine.

Beren! The voice shouted again.

Stop!

NO!

BEREN!

I ripped away from Aragorn with a gasp.

'No!' I screamed audibly, taking Aragorn by surprise.

He stared at me wide-eyed as we both panted as the realisation of what had happened fully begun set in.

'I can't,' I whispered in a small broken voice. I looked up at his still shocked face and felt hot tears roll down my ice-cold cheeks, 'I'm sorry...I can't do this.'

And without looking back once, I ran, leaving Aragorn and the sweetness of his kiss far behind me.

*

I ended up in an empty courtyard where I fell to my knees and wept. The endless stream of tears stained my white dress as I buried my face in my hands.

'Beren, please' I whispered to myself in my hysteria, 'Beren, please, help me...I can't do this.'

'You can do anything,' A soft male voice broke through the serenity of the courtyard and I was instantly on my feet to face the invader.

I had feared it was Aragorn but as I took in the all too familiar white hair and pointed ears of Lord Celeborn, my body relaxed slightly. He had obviously heard me with the use of his superior elvish hearing.

'Naerwen,' He whispered, 'What troubles you so?' The great Elvish Lord soundlessly stepped towards me until he was only mere inches away, 'What causes you to doubt yourself so?'

'My life is a lie,' I replied softly, 'I am not who I have always believe myself to be.'

Celeborn nodded slightly then raised his hand to wipe my tears away with the back of his fingers. He touch was as light as a feather and with every tear he removed, a fresh one quickly took its place.

'You know who you are, Naerwen. Your past does not change that.' 

'I chose evil!' I almost yelled.

'You chose love,' Celeborn corrected, 'Had it been me begging for Galadriel's life, I would have done the same.'

'You would have bound yourself to our enemies?' I asked startled at his confession.

'If it meant seeing my beloved Galadriel again...yes, I would.'

My head was reeling, 'Then love is a cruel and harsh mistress and I wish to have nothing to do with it from henceforth and forevermore.'

Celeborn shook his head, 'You only speak of love with such bitterness and scorn because you only know of what your love for Beren cost you. But you do not remember the joy and the happiness which that love also brought into your life.'

'You don't understand!' I yelled, becoming increasingly frustrated, 'Lúthien did unspeakable things in the name of love! I did unspeakable things. There is blood on my hands from ghastly deeds which I committed...and yet I have no memory of any of them. Why should my crimes go unpunished just because I can not recall actually committing them?'

Celeborn stood perfectly still as I ranted, my voice getting higher and higher the more I spoke.

'And to make matters worse, now I have to learn to love another to finally be rid of the evil that lurks within me. To love him would be to risk his life and he is too good a man to be tainted by my darkness.'

My chest was heaving and tears were still leaking from eyes, 'I can't...,' I whispered now feeling utterly drained of energy, 'I can't let myself love him...I just...I can't do it.'

'Is all of Middle-Earth worth one mans life?' Lord Celeborn asked calmly.

'It should be,' I replied, 'Why should one man suffer for millions to live?'

'If the man is willing to pay the price-'

'I will not let that happened,' I interrupted; my voice thick with anger.

Lord Celeborn was not offended by the interruption, he simply gave me a small smile.

'I know I have not always been the most affectionate person towards you but I have watched over you these last few decades and have seen the brave, strong and loyal woman you have become,' he stepped closer and grabbed my hands in his, 'and I know that you are not the kind of woman to let the world burn to save just one man.'

'What if that one man is worth saving?' My voice was quiet, inaudible to anyone without Elvish hearing.

'The very fact that you so readily believe that of him...means that you have already taken the first step towards loving him,' Celeborn said softly.

'If this is truly the beginning of love...why does it hurt so very much?'

'It is the way of our kind to love fiercely and unconditionally. My dear Naerwen, love hurts for nothing in this world, worth holding on to, comes without some form of sacrifice.' Lord Celeborn took a final step towards her before wrapping his slender arms around her slight frame in a tender embrace.

Deirdre relaxed into the Lord's arms as she continued to weep. Never before had she been embraced by the Elf who held her so tenderly at that moment.

'Though I wish I could shield you from the darkness of our world, I am afraid that you will face many evils before your journey ends.' Lord Celeborn continued, 'But wherever your path may lead you, know that you are so deeply loved, Naerwen, and by so very many. You are never alone, for we are always with you.'

Moved and overwhelmed by the affection in Celeborn's voice, Deirdre tentatively raised her arms and returned the Lord's embrace in kind as she allowed Celeborn's calming nature to wash over her.

'Thank you...Adar (Father).'