GALADRIEL was right when she said Felina wouldn't be awake until late afternoon. In fact she hasn't woken up for a day now. Felina hasn't been seen by anyone of the Fellowship nor by Galadriel, Celeborn, or the guards being stuck in her room in a peaceful long rest. The Fellowship had taken their time in Lothlorien to rest and to grieve. Legolas was kept in a healing tent not so far away from where the others were staying. They all ate lunch together, including Lou and they wondered where the half elf was.
"Where's Princess Felina? We haven't seen her for almost two nights" Pippin asked looking around and up on the higher branches in hopes of seeing her.
"She's probably sleeping in the palace Pip. That is where she lives after all" Lou answered.
"The lass is still asleep until now?!" Gimli incredously asked.
Lou nodded nonchalantly picking on her food. "She has a bad habit of oversleeping too much. I think she's also very tired from her fight with the Balrog. It also doesn't help that the Balrog is full of darkness. I can tell shes probably knocked out by now"
"Will she be alright?" Legolas asked in concern.
Lou nodded. "She'll be just fine. Don't worry"
Legolas looked up the branches to where the palace was, standing in all its glory, and hoped Felina was okay. Last he saw her, she was going to have a conversation with her mother. He wondered what they talked about and how it went.
After lunch, Legolas returned to the healing tent to rest some more as he was advised. He lied down staring at the roof of the tent finding himself unable to sleep. He felt much better now and much stronger. The poison had been completely removed from his body with good sleep and medical care. The healers said it was good that the wound had been tended to before they arrived in Lothlorien or else the poison may have reached his heart. Felina was right. He sighed heavily as he lay in bed. The healer told him he should be lying down and resting the whole day but he saw no point in having to immobilize himself. He got up and went for a walk around Lothlorien. It was more lively than when they have arrived at night.
Guards were patrolling everywhere ensuring the safety and peace. There were archers and swordsmen on the training field being trained by Haldir. Elves went about with their daily lives bustling up and down the spiral staircase. The sun shone brightly through the branches of the great giant tree they lived in giving a golden glow as opposed to the silvery glow at night.
He spotted children playing, little elleths and ellons chasing each other while laughing joyfully and shouting teases at each other and playfully shoving each other around as they ran and leapt in the air.
Amidst them was a woman who wore a blue and white dress. It had white long sleeves and was also white in the middle but was dark blue at the sides and at the back. She wore an intricate silver circlet with a moon stone in the middle. Her beautiful wavy golden hair danced along with the gentle breeze.
She laughed and played with them as if she was their age. She even picked one young elleth up and spun her round and round making the child giggle uncontrollably. The children's mothers who were watching by the side couldn't help but smile at the sight and neither could Legolas. Sensing someone staring at her, the blonde's metallic silver grey eyes look up and meet Legolas' icy blue eyes.
She shot him a wide smile and Legolas smiled back. He made his way over to Felina and the children. They were currently play fighting and wrestling and trying to pin each other down. Legolas took note that even though bigger than the children and a trained assassin, Felina was gentle and careful with her movements when it came to the kids. How she made a bridge between stone cold assassin and a gentle princess playing with children, Legolas still couldn't comprehend. She took it easy on them and let them tackle her to the ground in a not so graceful manner. This made Legolas laugh out loud.
The children began to playfully shove her on the ground and pretend to beat her commanding her to surrender. "You must surrender Princess!" They shouted at her in Elvish. "Never!" Felina would reply in between giggles while avoiding their small harmless hands pretending it actually did damage to her.
By now Legolas had been standing with his shadow covering over them. "I think it would be wise if you surrender to these brave little warriors Princess. You stand no chance against them" he spoke up making the children and Felina look up at him.
Felina chuckles. "Indeed I do not. Alright then, you all win. I surrender"
The children cheered and got off Felina jumping in joy. Felina laughed seeing how genuinely happy they were to have beat her. She helped herself up and dusted her dress off and fixed her hair. A curious ellon tugged on her skirt.
"What is it little one?" She asked in Elvish knowing most of the children here weren't familiar with the common tongue yet.
The ellon pointed to Legolas. "Who is he Princess?"
"Oh. Children this is Prince Legolas of the Woodland Realm" Felina introduced him. The children all gawked at him especially the ellons who aspired in their little minds to grow as tall and strong looking as him.
"Are you betrothed to him?" An elleth asked.
The question made Felina freeze and painted Legolas' cheeks red. For a solid few seconds neither of them could say anything in sheer shock and embarrassment. Legolas was thinking about how he could even be lucky enough to actually be betrothed to such a beautiful maiden such as Felina and Felina was thinking about her oath. How she vowed to never fall in love ever again. The mere thought of her ever being involved with romance made her scowl inside but she remained friendly to the little elleth.
"No he is not little one. We are just good friends" Felina replied.
Legolas stopped short. She just called him friend. He always considered her to be one ever since the hug but he didn't know if she considered him as such or just thought of him as a good warrior or a worthy member of the Fellowship. To hear from her that she also saw him as a friend was quite something. Yet he can't help but feel something odd when she called him friend. It didn't sound right to him. Not that he didn't want her to be a friend, but...
The next moment, the mothers called their children telling them its time for their lessons. The children obediently went to their mothers. Some apologized to Felina about their kids bothering her, but Felina shook her head and said it was no problem. When they all went off, Felina turned back to Legolas. She had an unreadable face. Not exactly emotionless but unpredictable.
"You should be resting" Felina said to him in a slightly scolding manner.
"I am well. I have rested enough, Princess" Legolas replied with a teasing smile making Felina shake her head at him and turn her head the other way to hide the fact that she was silently laughing but it didn't go unnoticed by Legolas.
"Are you feeling well? Lou told us you've been asleep for a day" he asked her.
"I am well now Legolas. All it took was sleep"
"A lot of it I reckon" Legolas teased her. Felina gave a small chuckle.
She went off walking and Legolas followed after her. "When you introduced yourself, you told me you had no titles" Legolas reminded her.
They went down the staircase and strolled around the kingdom. Felina shrugged. "And I don't" she replied.
"You do. You are the daughter of the Lady of Light" Legolas argued.
"With or without title, I am still just Felina. It doesn't change anything. I'm still me"
Legolas nodded at her wise words. "Lady Galadriel said they have been searching for you for years. She must have been overjoyed when she found that you have returned" Legolas said.
Felina nodded. "I'm not even exaggerating, the first month I was here, I had guards following me around all day. Haldir wouldn't leave me alone either. They were too overprotective. I figure they forgot I'm no longer a baby like the last time they saw me but I am a full grown woman who is an assassin"
Then he remembered to ask her the question. "If you are from a different world, how come you are the daughter of Lady Galadriel?" Legolas asked.
"Well it's a complicated story" Felina started. "My father was transported to Middle Earth when he was in his early years. He met my mother. They fell in love, got married, then had me. But one day tragedy struck. There was an Orc attack. Mother and Father were separated. Dad ushered me to safety. I remember nothing of that day, I was too young, merely a babe. When we were running away, Naneth said that was the last time she saw us. I figure by some way, we disappeared back to our world. Time passed by. I grew up in my world thinking my mother was dead by some accident as my father told me. He never revealed to me the truth that my mother was from a different realm. When I was younger I always remember being curious about what he was stressing about on his strange maps, which its geography is none existent in our world. Now that I know, it all makes sense. Having not found us for a thousand years, mother knew father was already dead. If not by battle then by old age and mortality. He was human after all. Knowing that he is dead, mother remarried. Which I know is quite rare for elves"
Legolas had been listening to her in silence and concentration. He nodded his head. "Yes it is. Most of us marry only once in our life. Cases of elven
couples breaking their marriage is very rare, in fact I believe it may have never happened before unless one of them was unfaithful but that rarely happens either. It is fortunate that your mother did not die of a broken heart"
Felina nodded. "Indeed it is. I have no grudge against Lord Celeborn for being my stepfather. He was there to comfort my mother and he was there in the times my father wasn't and for that I am grateful. How come elves mostly marry only once?"
"Well we are immortal. When you have to choose who to spend the rest of your life with you must choose carefully and wisely" Legolas answered and then paused. He looked to Felina who was walking beside him and gazing around the kingdom. He hesitated with his next words but said them anyway.
"Have you chosen?"
Felina's eyes jump to Legolas and she gave him a small glance before sighing and looking away. "Legolas you heard what I said in the mines. I do not want to choose and I do not have to"
"But why don't you?" At his question, Felina visibly tensed up. Her shoulders sagged, she clenched her fists, and her jaw tightened. Upon seeing this Legolas realized the mistake he made. He immediately said "I apologize"
Felina sighed heavily and let the tension leave her body through that sigh. She pat Legolas on his shoulder and gave him a chaste smile. "It's alright. I've already considered you a friend. You have my loyalty and my trust. But that is something I do not like to talk about. Do not feel bad though that you do not know about it. Neither does Lou or anyone else in this realm"
Legolas lowly bowed his head at her. "I am ever grateful for your friendship Princess Felina" he says with a smile. Felina returns this smile and replies "And I am ever grateful for yours Prince Legolas"
LATER that evening, the Fellowship were gathered in the palace dining room of Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel for dinner. Everything was just so elegant and fancy. The said dining room hung by a big strong branch stretching outward from the palace given good cover from the leaves above them. It gave an astonishing view of the peaceful kingdom below. From there you can gaze upon almost the whole of Lothlorien.
The silverware and plates looked like they could buy the Stark Tower Lou thought to herself the first time she's seen it. They of course served vegetables, fruits, and green food but there was also some meat. They had stocked up on it ever since Lou and Felina arrived because Lou did eat meat and so does Felina but not as much as she ate vegetables.
They all sat by a long rectangular table with Lord Celeborn on one end, to his right the Lady Galadriel and to his left Felina. Beside Felina was Lou and beside Lou was Aragorn then Boromir and Gimli. Across Felina, beside Lady Galadriel was Legolas and next to him was Frodo, then Sam, then Merry and Pippin. The seat at the other end of the table was empty.
"Gandalf could have been sitting there" was everyone's unified thought. They all missed him dearly. Nothing was the same without him. Sometimes, they half expected him to pop out of nowhere and say it was all a joke but no. He was really gone. He wasn't there anymore and it will be long before they can see him again.
Everyone ate silently and not much conversation was made except for Lady Galadriel asking about their journey and how it was all going so far. The fair elleth made very sure to avoid the discussion of Moria knowing where that conversation would lead. Then suddenly Lou asked "My lady, I would like to ask if you have by any chance found a way for me and Felina to go home to our world?"
At her question, Felina perked up as well. Her mother had promised to do everything she can to find a way to bring them home. They have tried almost everything. Every spell in the book, and every trick up their sleeve. When they went to Rivendelle, it was to seek Lord Elrond's help. They had Gandalf's help and Radagast the Brown also gave his assistance. They even went to Saruman when he was not yet on the evil side. Nothing worked.
The rest of the Fellowship froze up and exchanged anxious glances. If they did have a way back now, would they leave them to finish the quest alone? Even Boromir had to admit it, they were a wonderful asset to the Fellowship. Lou then turned back to them as if sensing their worries and said "Don't worry guys. We will finish the quest with you and if fate would have it, we will take the way back to our world after all of this is over"
There was a unanimous sigh of relief. Yet Legolas and Aragorn exchanged a troubled glance. Would they even really want them to go back at all?
Lou turned back to Lady Galadriel and awaited the answer for her question. She was met with Galadriel's sad sympathetic look. The hope drained from Lou's face and Felina gave her a worried glance. Felina's gaze shifted back and forth from Lou to her mother. The anticipation and anxiety began to rise in the room for whatever Lady Galadriel's answer was. The Lady of Light seemed hesitant.
"I deeply apologize Lou and Felina my child, there is no way for you to return to your world"
As soon as Galadriel said those words a pindrop silence engulfed the room. None knew what to say. It was awkward and the Fellowship shifted uncomfortably in their seats. They all exchanged glances as some type of conversation by eye contact. They awaited whatever reaction the two might have in never being able to go back to their home realm. They have spoken fondly of the people in it. How would they respond to never being able to see those people again?
Felina took it quite well. She sighed and let her shoulders drop down. Disappointment and a tint of sadness was seen on her face but there was also acceptance and resignation. She seemed pretty calm given the news. "Well, what else would we have expected? We've been here for a year with no way back found until now. We should've sensed earlier that we were never going to go back" she said in a tone of acceptance.
This made Lou flare up. She was the one not taking it well. Her whole body burned up in anger and disappointment as if it was set on fire. It was on a heat hotter than whatever explosion her body had absorbed. Her eyebrows frowned so deeply it could've been burying itself into her forehead. She slammed the table making its contents shake causing a clatter of silverware. She stood up abruptly making her chair skid back behind her.
"So that's it? You're just giving up?! You're such a quitter!" She screamed at Felina. She couldn't comprehend that Felina was just going to give up on trying to go back to their world.
Felina met her outburst with a sharp glare of her own yet remained composed.
"I'm not giving up Lou" she replied with her voice stern and crystal clear, every syllable and intonation emphasized. "Don't you dare call me a quitter! I know when it's worth it to put my efforts into something and when it's not! We've been here for a year Lou. Might as well have accepted we are never going to get back to our world a lot earlier! We CAN'T go back alright? Well go cry a river! You learn to suck it up and move on with life!"
The anger was heard in Felina's voice. She was irritated that Lou, her best friend of all people would call her a quitter when she knew almost all the crap thats happened in Felina's life. After all that hell she's been through Lou had the audacity to call her a quitter. Almost synonymous to being called a coward.
"Easy for you to say!" Lou spat back pointing an accusing finger at Felina who didn't even flinch the slightest when the finger was so close to her face. "You're a princess here! You have a kingdom and a home! What do I have here huh? Yeah thats right! NOTHING!"
Without another word, Lou gathered fistful of her skirt in her clenched hands and ran out of the dining room close to tears. Felina stood up in an attempt to chase after her when her mother reached out for her from across the table and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"I think your friend needs some time to herself Felina. Leave her be" Galadriel says to her. Felina sighs and sits down once more. The table had no conversation after that and kept in a tense silence. No one had anything to say after that and no one dared to say anything after that. From all the angst and drama, their appetites were lost and they all decided they were full.