The Forbidden Child

Hello and Goodbye

Lessien found herself intensely annoyed, which contrasted with the lightened mood of the Fellowship, most of which were at awe over their gifts.

Everyone's faces were a scale of different emotions. Legolas looked blank as usual, Merry and Pippin cheery with Boromir laughing along, Gimli prideful, Sam down trodden, and Aragorn and Frodo were distant.

Surprisingly, Legolas was the one to speak to Lessien. "You seem annoyed. What happened?"

She only shrugged. "You didn't tell me why you were annoyed last night so I think it would be better if I kept it to myself. I see you got a new bow?"

"I did, Galadriel said that it would help me in battles to come. And, well, isn't she your great grandmother? Was anything said about that?"

"When are we to depart?" Lessien asked, avoiding the question.

Currently they stood on the banks of a still river.

Legolas sighed.

"Noon," he replied coldly.

Lessien quietly shook her head. He is so closed-off, I do not see how I ever loved him. She decided to dismiss how passive aggressive she herself was.

Sick of talking to Legolas, Lessien sat by Samwise. "So what did you get for your gift?"

"Some rope," he glumly reported, and Lessien caught his sidelong glance aimed at Merry and Pippin, who were admiring their newly-acquired daggers.

"You envy them? Them with some plain daggers? Don't you understand, weapons are easily acquired. You could get a dagger from any trader, granted it might not have as pure a blade as Merry's and Pippin's. Rope, and Elven rope for that matter, is much more rare."

Sam kept his disappointed face on so Lessien continued on. She did not think she would convince him but she was determined to make him see how much meaning his gift had.

"Here." Lessien put her hand out for the rope.

When she received it, she rubbed her hands up and down it. "Sam, this is amazing. You could climb it without burning your hands! And every time you look at it, you'll remember the elves. Besides, weren't you complaining about how you didn't have rope as we were leaving Rivendell? I think Galadriel has different reasons unknown to ourselves for her gifts," Lessien assured him.

Sam smiled and now went to brag to Merry and Pippin about his gift.

"You're very good with him."

Lessien turned.

It was Boromir.

She sat down and fingered her long tunic, as she often did when she was nervous, and humbly she replied, "Oh, I wouldn't say that. He just needs the right approach. What are friends for, after all?"

"Merry and Pippin, they're easy to befriend. Sam not so much. He's an isolated person, especially for a hobbit. I swear his only loyalties lie with Frodo," Boromir insisted.

"I mean, he just needs accepting friends. People who won't joke about things he takes seriously. And that's a lot of subjects, mind you."

Boromir grimaced. "Still, I admire you."

Lessien simply didn't reply, as she often didn't.

Merry and Pippin both were eager to show their friend the gifts they had received.

Lessien drifted off as she watched the hobbits talk amongst themselves and practice sparring eagerly.

After the cold incident with Legolas, Lessien was starting to think how far they drifted apart whenever they spoke. The half-conversation with Boromir felt patronizing.

Hoping to escape it all, she sought out for Arwen in her Dreamworld. She walked about the rose gardens calling her name but received no answer. She knew that her relationship with Arwen was almost nonexistent, but that did not stop Arwen's motherly love for Lessien.

Maybe, Lessien thought, Maybe she will have some answers.

But Lessien did not feel Arwen's presence whatsoever. She tried to credit it to the fact that it hadn't been until very recently that she had started to exercise her skill to pull people into her Dreamworld and speak to them.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

She is growing weak. The light of the Evenstar is almost dimmed.

It was Galadriel's voice but it didn't sound like it was her talking. It sounded like an echo. A ghost.

Visions of Arwen weeping filled Lessien's mind. It scared her. Such a strong soul say there pathetically, crying like there was no hope left.

A hand was placed on Lessien's shoulder in reality, and she snapped back to the world around her, looking up to see Gimli.

"It is time for us to go on, lass."

Lessien couldn't help but remember Arwen now. What did Galadriel mean? What would come of Arwen?

Lessien decided that it would be a matter to discuss with her father later on.

Rather somberly and emotionless, the Fellowship
moved on. To the boats they would head, for it had been previously decided they would take journey on water.

As they emerged from the mysterious forest, Lessien was expecting a blast of light and colours, the way she liked things. She wished to leave the place Lothlorien.

But she was mistaken in her assumptions of how the atmosphere would change, for it remained grey, dull, and soothing.

The water seemed black, and the stark boats drifted like white swans.

Silently, they rowed out and glided across the black, cool water.

As they departed, Lessien caught a glimpse of Galadriel. She waved at Lessien and all she could manage was a bow of her head. She still resented the woman for the lack of answers she had provided.

This will be your last time here. This will be the last time you see me.

"Hello and goodbye," Lessien whispered snidely  to herself.

Pippin, who was her boat mate, failed to note the sarcasm in her voice. He looked back at Lessien with a huge drunken smile spread across his lips.

Agreeing he whispered, "Hello and Goodbye."

And so once again, the Fellowship set out. Narrowed down to nine and energy gone, hope seemed a bleak subject.

Mount Doom was far away and Middle Earth at its end.