Notes: Right, normally I don't write notes to a chapter, but in this case I've to make an exception. This chapter is entitled "Star-crossed Lovers" and you may guess where I got that term from. Yes! Shakespeare :) Always loved the Bard of Stratford. After I figured that one of my many couples is very much like "Romeo and Juliet" I just thought it would be a fitting title for this chapter... Oh, and while I'm at it, thanks to everyone who's been reviewing so far *wink*

Translation of Elvish: Seron vell - beloved. Melethen - my love.

Chapter 7 - Star-crossed Lovers

"Thranduil will not be happy about this," Haldir tried to reason with her once again, but Éowyn simply refused to listen. "He will take it out on Legolas, and who knows what he will do to Gimli. He cannot be tricked as easily as..." Éowyn's eyes had grown large and now she was grinning at him expectantly. "He can't be tricked as easily as who, Haldir? Please, what was it you wanted to say?" The blond Lórien elf just glared at her.

"Haldir, they fought together in the Battle of the Five Armies, the Elves of Mirkwood and the Dwarves of Erebor. They had, and still have, common enemies. It would be folly if they kept up this animosity." Sighing deeply, Haldir shook his head. "Humans, always thinking they can solve each and every problem. We have come to accept that there are certain things that cannot be changed..." Éowyn interrupted impatiently, "Because you don't want them to change! You above all should know that some of your ideas are simply wrong! Only a few months ago you wouldn't even talk to Gimli. And now? You are on the best way of becoming real friends."

"Is this your grand plan? Are you going to stand in front of the King of Calen Glad telling him that his ideas are wrong? That would be suicide! Do you not understand? He will not even listen to what you have to say. He will see Gimli and find that his son has disobeyed him. I thought Legolas meant something to you. Can you seriously desire for him to be hurt even more?" His voice had been raised just like hers, but now he had calmed himself again, gently taking her hand in his. "I will not let you do this."

"We are going in circles here, and I have other matters to think about right now." Pulling her hand free, she stood and walked towards the door. "Gimli will stay, it is too late now anyway."

Haldir's reply was interrupted by a knock at the door. A palace servant walked into the room, bowing first to Éowyn and then to the seated elf. Turning back to the woman he held out a scroll, handing it over to her. "This had arrived for you, my Lady. It is bearing the royal seal of Gondor..." Éowyn stared at the scroll in puzzlement. "Has Prince Legolas received a message as well?" The servant shook his head. "No, my Lady. If you will excuse me now."

As soon as the door had closed again, Haldir was by Éowyn's side, gazing at the scroll. "He writes you but not Legolas? You seem determined to see my friend get hurt..." Trying to console her lover, Éowyn whispered, "Please, don't start this again. I had thought..." But Haldir stopped her, "If you hurt him, you will have to face me."

Turning once again towards the door, she snapped, "Fine, think what you will. See where your foolishness will get you." Slamming the door shut behind her, she left the Caverns to find a quiet place to read Aragorn's message.

---

Éowyn sat beneath one of the large trees surrounding the Caverns. The message had dropped to the forest floor, and Éowyn gazed up into the sky. Parts of Aragorn's message kept repeating themselves in her mind, 'The Queen is with child', 'I can't lose him', 'You must help him'. So the King of Men would have an heir. But he was terrified of Legolas' reaction to the news. True, Legolas had encouraged Aragorn to wed. And yet, this was different. Especially now, that the thought of their love was the only thing that kept the Prince alive.

'You must help him.' Oh, she would love to, but how? For the past two weeks she had asked herself this one question, over and over again. The only answer she had been able to find so far was not to deprive him of yet another friend. So she had convinced Gimli to stay, no matter what Thranduil had said. It had shocked her to see Legolas reaction, or rather the lack thereof. It seemed that the Prince had lost all his passion, the passion that had been driving him onwards. His eyes were dulled by a shadow, a shadow that darkened his beautiful soul.

He was suffering quietly, tearing out the hearts of everyone who saw him. And still Éowyn did not really understand. No matter how many servants she would ask, how many courtiers she would interrogate, no one seemed willing to enlighten her. Haldir's tale had only told her one thing, the King was fading and his son... No, it couldn't be. She would not allow this gentle spirit to waste away.

And yet, with Aragorn's message... She was certain that Legolas was in no condition to face the news. First she had to find a way to re-unite father and son. After all, she had killed a Nazgûl, so this should be no problem at all. 'Yes, but you nearly died then,' her mind provided. So? She had survived. And no matter what, she knew that it hadn't been Aragorn alone. Haldir had held her back. His love had been a thin ray of hope in the dark shadows that had tried to swallow her.

His love... Yes, his love that had just caused him to fall back into old patterns. For a moment all worries escaped her and blinding fury took over her thoughts again. How could he? How could he even think for one second that she would betray both him and Legolas in such a manner? "Haughty Haldir they call you. Wouldn't something like, 'foolish Haldir' be more adequate?" she questioned aloud.

Behind her a voice answered, "Yes it would be." Rising instantly from the soft grass and whirling around her eyes met with Haldir's. "I ... I was just so ... worried because of Legolas..." Nodding, she reached down and handed the scroll to the elf. "And your worries will not lessen I'm afraid."

---

"Gods, Legolas." They had returned to their quarters, and Haldir had finished reading the message for the third time. "He must not know. Éowyn, he must not!" Smiling weakly, Éowyn nodded in affirmation. "I wish I could, no, we could help him. But he refuses to tell me anything. He thinks that for some reason he deserves Thranduil's treatment. Why?"

Starting to pace in front of the fireplace, Haldir began to speak, "I do not know if I should tell you, tell anyone. But..." he suddenly stopped, turning towards Éowyn, "I cannot bear to see him like this anymore." Drawing a deep breath he continued, "This is not only about Thranduil, but also about Serinde. Thranduil is not the only one with a sad history, Éowyn. But Serinde was too gentle a person to bear it for this long, for five hundred years. She was the daughter of one of Oropher's advisors. A fair maiden as far as I understand it. Quite adventurous but with a fragile soul. She was the confidante of Thranduil with whom she grew up. However, he was never in her heart as, as you are in mine..."

Éowyn swallowed hard. She had known her feelings for the proud March Warden ran deeper that anything she had ever known. Yet, until now she had never known if it really meant they were... "Do you understand what I mean?" Looking at him with teary eyes she responded, "He wasn't her soulmate, was he?"

"No, he was not. But she had found her soulmate nevertheless. I do not know who it was, but he was apparently unable to be with her, for some reason or another. He encouraged the marriage between her and Thranduil, who knew of their love. He was a warrior, it seems, as he went into battle against Sauron. He fell. Together with thousands of elves and men. Together with Oropher. On that fateful day, Thranduil became King of Calen Glad." Éowyn had heard tales of the Battle of the Last Alliance, but only now understood that for Haldir at least it was part of his life and not just something that happened a long way back in time.

"Serinde almost died of a broken heart, but the King kept her alive. And they shared the greatest treasure imaginable. Legolas. He became Serinde's lifeline as much as Thranduil's." Fragments of the story came together and Éowyn began to understand. "But then he met that elf-maiden. And when he lost her, it was not only his soulmate but also their child that were taken from him."

"His world tumbled down upon him and he found himself in its ruins. Part of him followed her beyond the Havens, his heart. He must have thought that every time he showed his feelings to someone, he would lose that person. So..." Éowyn finished for him, "So he turned cold towards his Queen and his son, and everyone else."

"Serinde could not bear to see her son fighting for his father's affection and being pushed away every time. She ... she took her own life to escape the pain and misery. She only forgot that by doing so, she would leave Legolas behind, alone, defenceless against his fathers wrath." Lowering himself onto their bedding, he went on, "That terrible night, Legolas fled from Mirkwood. He arrived at Caras Galadhon after only two days. He was drunk, almost tumbling over the edge of my talan. That was the only time he told me, or anyone else. Aragorn knows nothing of this..."

"Thranduil had no right to do this! He should have followed her rather than torturing his own son in such a cruel manner." Cold laughter filled the room for a moment, "Follow her? Yes, I am sure he would have liked to do that. But he could not. She was bound to him, but still belonged to another. And he would not set her free. What they did here in Arda might have angered the Valar. But in Valinor... They would have been together, but in the same moment further apart than ever before. He could not follow..."

---

The next day found the Caverns bustling with life. Thranduil would return from the southern borders. But the news he brought with him were not pleasant. True, the looming shadow of Dol Guldur had been destroyed once and for all. But now human raiders were crossing the borders of Thranduil's realm, torching every house they came upon, torturing every man and raping every woman. Young elflings came to the Caverns, faces tearstained, weeping over their dead parents.

Memories of Edoras began to overwhelm Éowyn. In Rohan it had been Saruman's orcs, but here it were humans who caused terror. Eyes turned away from her in fear, as if she was just like those men. A voice inside of her longed to scream out, "But I'm not like them. I have known the same fear you feel right now..." Even now, as she stood by Legolas' side, people were whispering while pointing at her. Were they expecting her to launch herself at one of them within the next minute?

The sound of trumpets announced the arrival of the King. Éowyn could see the shining armour of Thranduil. She felt both Legolas and Haldir tense beside her, while she herself was trying hard to control the fast beating of her heart. Urging his horse onwards, the King was standing in front of them before long, looking down at them with the coldest gaze he could muster.

"You dare to defy me, my son? I told you that I want this..." once again his hand shot forward, pointing at Gimli, "creature out of my realm by the time I return. But I see that you are not even capable of following simple orders. It is a pity that you are my only heir..." His voice wavered. 'He must remember his lost child,' Éowyn mused. In the bright light of the sun she could clearly see that he was a mere shadow of the elf he must have been in the past. Dark shadows under his eyes, his hair almost grey, and his eyes ... his eyes that must have held so much passion once ... they were all but dead.

Dismounting, he pushed Legolas backwards and went into his palace. The Prince once again had tears in his eyes, his hand covering his heart. Oblivious of his surroundings he whispered, "Sweet Elbereth, please no. Not yet, not yet..." Leaving his friends behind, he followed his father into the Caverns.

---

"I'll give his Lordship a piece of my mind. How dare he..." Gimli was angrily pacing around the lounge he shared with Haldir and Éowyn. "Please, sit down for a moment. You're making me nervous." Éowyn pleaded with him. But the dwarf apparently hadn't heard her because he was just withdrawing his axe for the twelfth time within the last hour. "Gimli, please..."

Legolas had disappeared two hours before and had not been seen since. It was not hard to imagine where he was, and with whom. Haldir was the one who broke the silence. "He is dying. He has not much time left. He must have stopped fighting." Gimli stopped dead in his tracks, turning towards the elf. "Mind if I ask what you mean by that?"

Éowyn sighed and walked to the door. "Yes, explain everything to our friend. I need ... I need some fresh air." Before Haldir could make any kind of response, she had closed the door behind her. 'Seron vell, what are you up to this time?' Shaking his head, he beckoned the dwarf to sit down and began his tale.

---

The last thing on Éowyn's mind was fresh air. The truth was that she was going to speak to the King. She was going to make him see reason, no matter what the cost. She would not stand aside and let him drown in self-pity, in the end die of it. Not if there was no more doubt as to what this would mean for Legolas.

As she entered the Throne Room, she realised two things at once. There were no servants around and Thranduil seemed to have been drinking since he came here. His glassy eyes fell upon her, apparently not really recognizing her. He raised himself onto his shaking legs, which could hardly hold him up. Slowly he drew nearer and she could smell that indeed he had been drinking heavily.

When his hand reached out to her, gently touching her cheek, she was stunned. What was going on? His cold eyes were suddenly alight with hope and love, and his softly whispered "Melethen" made her catch her breath. His free hand had snaked behind her, now caressing her back, pulling her to him. Éowyn was too shocked to put up any kind of defence as he lowered his head to hers, his lips brushing hers...

"Father, no!" An arm yanked Thranduil backwards, and suddenly Éowyn saw Legolas' pained face. The King had lost his footing and had crashed to the floor. "Legolas what..." The Prince shook his head, "Later. I will explain everything later... Please, help me with him. We have to get him to his chambers." The expression on the Prince's face almost broke her heart. Slowly they helped the King to his feet, leading him to his private rooms.

---

"But how can it be?" Legolas had just finished his explanations and Éowyn could hardly comprehend what she had just heard. Together with everything Haldir had told her it made so much sense. The heartbreak, the grief ... it was too much for anyone to bear. And Thranduil had been able to fight it, fight himself for so long... Not for himself, but for Legolas. During his tale, both Legolas and Éowyn had discovered one thing: Every harsh word he had bestowed upon his son had only one aim. Thranduil had one goal and to achieve it, he was prepared to hurt Legolas as deeply as possible, 'He has to learn to hate me, so that he will be able to hold on when I lose the battle...'

"There is only one thing that could save him. And believe me, it will never happen. He is too proud and hurt to even consider setting her free. If only he would have found someone else... Maybe then things would be different..." Legolas had lost all hope; it had been foolish to ever hope at all. No, he would lose his father, and lose him soon. All hope was lost.

"If someone was to speak to him, maybe..." Legolas cut her short. "Who? There is only one person, who might be able to change his mind, and I assure you, she will not do anything like that. For them, father is the one guilty of all of this. They refuse to see the truth. The fact that they bonded without anyone knowing..."

"Yes, it was a betrayal of the worst kind in their eyes. Even though it was meant to be..." There was no way out of this, and no more time. Hope was, indeed, lost.

---

No one had seen the rider arrive in the early morning hours. No one had seen the tears that were shed, tears of joy to replace the tears of sorrow. No one saw father and son embrace for the first time in years.

Miles away, an elf awoke with a start, a smile on his face. "Now you are free," he whispered before burying his face in the raven hair of his lover. "Now we all are free..."