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The moment the door was closed, Legede collapsed. He leaned against the smooth wood, his head in his hands as he tried to collect himself. Looking up, he watched the curtains of his balcony doors sway with the wind outside. A cold chill settled into the room, but the Elf could not feel it. He had picked up his fallen dagger before leaving Talli's room and now, held it gently in his hand. The captain's eyes locked with the gleaming blade and it seemed to speak to him.
It was all over...
Everything that Legede had ever known or loved, was over.
Legolas had his wife back. Thranduil would be leaving for Valinor in the not too distant future.
What good would Legede be to them? He had no family and now... he no longer had love.
A tear found it's way down his cheek as he contemplated his decision...

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Sario had felt it even before she reached his room. She only stopped momentarily to ask a wandering servant as to which direction Legede went into. The elf was quiet and wary, but complied with her request and did not question the actions the two were showing.
With that, she had ran as fast as she could to Legede. Her bare feet were pounding against the cold floor, soft padding echoing down the hallway as she turned the corner and slid into the wall. Gasping, she stopped there, almost close to her destination but knew she was too late.
Legede...
She had messed up, and she had hurt the one person she cared about. Yet she knew, she knew he was gone and that scared her. That brought panic and the edge of hysteria to settle upon the woman.
Fear driving her, she dashed right into the room but did not stop as she swung the door open and came inside. It was dark, and her eyes struggled to peer through it, adjusting as quickly as possible.
She saw him a second later, on the balcony with his boots set beside the curtain. The elf was on his side, back facing her as she came up behind him.
She gasped again, a hand over her mouth as she could clearly see his form, and the dagger clutched in his hand which had been planted into his chest. The Maia gripped the door, feeling a cool breeze settle over her flushed face. Crying, she shook her head and fell to her knees next to him.
"No...No...No..." Sario turned him over on his back, staring at his glistening cheeks as her hands moved over his chest.
Her betrayal drove him to commit suicide, and it was all her fault. Grief stricken, she hugged the elven captain close, sobbing into his shoulder as she cradled his upper half.
What happened? In a series of events, first happening with their agreement to be seperated, it all ended with her cheating and his death.
This was her fault.
"Valar...What have I done? My failing in devotion has driven my love to his own death and all this time I could have prevent it. Why didn't I? Why did I let Talli destroy us?" she cried, tilting her head back to stare at the starry sky. "His death has left me weakened and surely now Melkor will win. I cannot fight alone, and everyone cannot fight without Legede's guidance...Please! What do I do?! I have no strength left to bring him to life!"
No answer came, and Sario kept her head turned to the night. A breeze picked up, causing the necklace she was wearing to swing across her chest. Catching it, she stilled the movements of the pendant as she realized that the answer lied within her.
She could not follow Legede into his death, nor will she trade places with him. All Sario could do was bring him back to show that she still loved him and spend the rest of her existence proving her love, gaining back his trust and cleansing of her sin.
Taking a deep breath to ease her shakes, the Maia used her other hand to remove the dagger. She held it tightly before setting it down next to his head. Closing her eyes, Sario gathered what energy she had left, along with her immortality and added it with the life force coming from around. With Sallia's necklace, she could draw unlimited ammount of power from nature.
With this, she placed her hand over Legede's heart. Her body glowed gently, dimmly like the starlight. Then it grew in intensity, covering up the white haired elf.
"Dehino, meleth nin," the woman whispered, finishing up the spell, "but I don't think Mandos had this planned for you."
As the light died away, she could feel Legede's heart beat against his chest on her palm of her hand. She breathed a sigh of relief, pulling away.
"I'm sorry," she repeated, carassing the side of his face and wiping away the tears. "I did not mean to hurt you," her voice spoke, quietly to the sleeping elf now. "I don't even mean to be selfish but you would be greatly missed by everyone. I take the blame, all of it, if it makes up for what I've done...I know it won't though, nothing will until I show that I love you."
It was at this time she noticed the white scarf that had been tied around his wrist. Tears flooded her vision, as she removed the fabric and instead used it to take back his hair, head still in her lap.
"Talli...I don't know, and I don't even think I will know what overcame me. But what's hurting me more is knowing that my actions have caused you so much pain, and will continue to do so but I don't...I don't want you to die on me. Please don't give up, just when all seems grim and lost."
She leaned over and kissed his forehead, brushing away the few strands of white hair she missed.
"I've lost you so many times before, but this time I hold myself at account for every mistake I've made, from the first moment I've caused you pain up till now."
Gently moving his head back onto the balcony floor, she picked up the dagger and stood, wobbly. Making a painful trip back to the door, she did her best to hurry incase Legede would wake soon. At the door, she turned back to gaze at him sadly, more tears falling down her shining face.
"I love you, and that won't change...No matter what happens. I just pray you find peace if anything."
And she was gone.

(((OOC: The following text is actually pieced together from a section intro by Drizzt Do'Urden in the R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms book, "Sea of Swords". To read the whole thing, scroll down to the bottom. Also, the journal-ish entry, is kind of more Legede's thoughts than anything. It's how he thought before he realized what Talli and Sario had done, when he was kind of beginning to accept the rogue.)))

~~~

As I came to understand that Tallison is climbing out of his dark hole, is truly resurfacing into the Elf he had once been, I have to admit a bit of fear, a bit of jealousy. Would he come back as the Elf who once stole Sario's heart? Or had he, in fact, ever really done that? Was their traveling together more a matter of convenience on both parts, a logical joining of the only two magic gifted Elves, matched in age and beauty, among their realm?
I think it was a little of both, and hence my jealousy. For though I understand that I have become special to Sario in ways I had never before imagined, there is a part of me that wishes no one else ever had. For though I am certain that we two share many feelings that are new and exciting to both of us, I do not like to consider the possibility that she ever shared such emotions with another.
But even as I admit all this, I know that I must take a deep breath and blow all of my fears and jealousies away. I must remind myself that I love this woman, Sario, and that this woman is who she is because of a combination of all the experiences that brought her to this point. Would I prefer that her parents had never sailed? On the one hand, of course! But if they hadn't, Sario would not have wound up as Mithrandi's pupil, would likely not have come to reside in Eden Cuil at all. Given that, it is unlikely that we would have ever met. Beyond that, if she had been raised in a traditional Elven manner, she never would have become the warrior that she now is, the person who can best share my sense of adventure, who can accept the hardships of the road with good humor and risk, and allow me to risk - everything! - when going against the elements and the evils of the world.
Hindsight, I think, is a useless tool. We, each of us, are at a place in our lives because of innumerable circumstances and we, each of us, have a responsibility (if we do not like where we are) to move along life's road, to find a better path if this one does not suit, or to walk happily along this one if it is indeed our life's way. Changing even the bad things that have gone before would fundamentally change who we now are, and whether or not that would be a good thing, I believe, is impossible to predict.
So I take my past experiences and let Sario take hers and try to regret nothing for either. I just try to blend our current existence into something grander and more beautiful together.
What of Tallison, then? He has a new body and a second chance at life. I think the same must be true of Tallison because, despite the trials, despite the more recent behaviors, I know who he is, deep down, beneath his cocky exterior.
I know that he once loved Sario, and still loves her.
What of this mystery, love? What is it that brings about this most elusive of magic? So many times I have heard people proclaim that their partner is their only love, the only possible completion to their soul, and surely I feel that way about Sario, and I expect that she feels the same about me. But logically, is that possible? Is there one other person out there who can complete the soul of another? Is it really one for one, or is it rather a matter of circumstance?
Or do reasoning beings have the capacity to love many, and situation instead of fate brings them together?
Logically, I know the answer to be the latter. I know that if Tallison, or Sario, or myself resided in another part of the world, we would all likely find that special completion to our soul, and with another. Logically, in a world of varying races and huge populations, that must be the case, or how, then, would true lovers ever meet? I am a thinking creature, a rational being, and so I know this to be the truth.
Why is it, then,that when I look at Sario, all of those logical arguments make little sense? I remember our first meeting, when she was younger and I saw her in Eden Cuil. I remember looking into her green eyes on that occasion, feeling the warmth of her smile and the openness of her heart and feeling a definite bond there, a magic I could not explain. And as I watched her over the trials, that bond only strengthened.
So was it situation or fate? I know what logic says.
But I know, too, what my heart tells me.
It was fate. She is the one.
Perhaps situation allows for some, even most, people to find a suitable partnet, but there is much more to it than finding just that. Perhaps some people are just more fortunate than others.
When I look into Sario's green eyes, when I feel the warmth of her smile and the openness of her heart, I know that I am.


-Legede Rumilion


~~~

I am alive.
I did not ask to be returned to this world, not this time, for I willingly left it. I sought to end my pain, and I thought I had.
But someone brought me back.
Someone gave me life again, only for the pain to return to my heart once more.
Mandos will not aid me. The Valar will but watch and, though they may feel pity for one of their faithful servants, they will do nothing to ease my pain.
I will tell none what Sario has done to me.
No one will know that I tried to destroy myself, that I succeeded... if but for a short time, in ending my life.
None will know.
But I will kill Talli.
If it takes an eternity, I will make sure the rogue pays for the pain he has caused me. For the grief and the terror, for the agony and the heartache, for every little scratch upon my mind.
He has done more harm than any other enemy to me... and I hate him for it.
I had been ready to accept him, for he was fighting for our cause now. He had rennounced his dark paths, left Morgoth and Nufeniel and decided to aid us.
Only to betray me...
He tortured me, and I know he took pleasure in it. He has ripped my heart, my mind, to mere shreds and he will pay dearly for his actions.
I will kill him... but not today.
Today, I will see no one.
Today, I will sit within my chamber and plan my next course.
I will not stay in Eden Cuil, of that I am certain. I will leave with dawn's first light and I will never return.
I will not say farewell to Legolas or to Thranduil or any others whom I have counted among my closest friends throughout my immortal life.
I will simply disappear and leave Sario to pick up the pieces.
It is the least she deserves for her treachery.
I can not forgive her... for I loved her more than life itself. I have bled and died for her... and now I can not bear to look upon her, to even speak her name.
Yes, I will leave... and I will have my revenge...

~~~

(((OOC: This is the part from "Sea of Swords". It's the intro to Part III of the book, on Page 193-195.)))

Once again Cattie-brie shows me that she knows me better than I know myself. As we came to understand that Wulfgar was climbing out of his dark hole, was truly resurfacing into the warrior he had once been, I have to admit a bit of fear, a bit of jealousy. Would he come back as the man who once stole Cattie-brie's heart? Or had he, in fact, ever really done that? Was their planned marriage more a matter of convenience on both parts, a logical joining of the only two humans, matched in age and beauty, among our little band?
I think it was a little of both, and hence my jealousy. For though I understand that I have become special to Cattie-brie in ways I had never before imagined, there is a part of me that wishes no one else ever had. For though I am certain that we two share many feelings that are new and exciting to both of us, I do not like to consider the possibility that she ever shared such emotions with another, even one who is so dear a friend.
Perhaps especially one who is so dear a friend!
But even as I admit all this, I know that I must take a deep breath and blow all of my fears and jealousies away. I must remind myself that I love this woman, Cattie-brie, and that this woman is who she is because of a combination of all the experiences that brought her to this point. Would I prefer that her human parents had never died? On the one hand, of course! But if they hadn't, Cattie-brie would not have wound up as Bruenor's adopted daughter, would likely not have come to reside in Icewind Dale at all. Given that, it is unlikely that we would have ever met. Beyond that, if she had been raised in a traditional human manner, she never would have become the warrior that she now is, the person who can best share my sense of adventure, who can accept the hardships of the road with good humor and risk, and allow me to risk - everything! - when going against the elements and the monsters of the world.
Hindsight, I think, is a useless tool. We, each of us, are at a place in our lives because of innumerable circumstances and we, each of us, have a responsibility (if we do not like where we are) to move along life's road, to find a better path if this one does not suit, or to walk happily along this one if it is indeed our life's way. Changing even the bad things that have gone before would fundamentally change who we now are, and whether or not that would be a good thing, I believe, is impossible to predict.
So I take my past experiences and let Cattie-brie take hers and try to regret nothing for either. I just try to blend our current existence into something grander and more beautiful together.
What of Wulfgar, then? He has a new bride and a child who is neither his nor hers naturally. And yet, it was obvious from Delly Curtie's face, and from her willingness to give herself if only the child would be unharmed that she loves the babe as if it was her own. I think the same must be true of Wulfgar because, despite the trials, despite the more recent behaviors, I know who he is, deep down, beneath crusted, emotionally hardened exterior.
I know from her words that he loves this woman, Delly Curtie, and yet I know that he once loved Cattie-brie as well.
What of this mystery, love? What is it that brings about this most elusive of magic? So many times I have heard people proclaim that their partner is their only love, the only possible completion to their soul, and surely I feel that way about Cattie-brie, and I expect that she feels the same about me. But logically, is that possible? Is there one other person out there who can complete the soul of another? Is it really one for one, or is it rather a matter of circumstance?
Or do reaasoning beings have the capacity to love many, and situation instead of fate brings them together?
Logically, I know the answer to be the latter. I know that if Wulfgar, or Cattie-brie, or myself resided in another part of the world, we would all likely find that special completion to our soul, and with another. Logically, in a world of varying races and huge populations, that must be the case, or how, then, would true lovers ever meet? I am a thinking creature, a rational being, and so I know this to be the truth.
Why is it, then,that when I look at Cattie-brie, all of those logical arguments make little sense? I remember our first meeting, when she was barely a young woman - more a girl, actually - and I saw her on the side of Kelvin's Cairn. I remember looking into her blue eyes on that occasion, feeling the warmth of her smile and the openness of her heart - something I had not much encountered since coming to the surface world - and feeling a definite bond there, a magic I could not explain. And as I watched her grow, that bond only strengthened.
So was it situation or fate? I know what logic says.
But I know, too, what my heart tells me.
It was fate. She is the one.
Perhaps situation allows for some, even most, people to find a suitable partnet, but there is much more to it than finding just that. Perhaps some people are just more fortunate than others.
When I look into Catti-brie's blue eyes, when I feel the warmth of her smile and the openness of her heart, I know that I am.


-Drizzt Do'Urden


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