Title: Moving On
Author: Wildecate
Email: Wildecate@hotmail.com
Rating: G - just fluff
Notes: First attempt at BtVS/LOTR crossover. Don't flame me.
Pairing: Willow/Legolas (of course!)
Credits: We all know who created the characters - songs by Avril Lavigne/Daniel Bedingfield
Dedication: For Lara

Years passed by before Legolas Greenleaf had reason to venture out of the Forest of Mirkwood and into the openess of Middle Earth again. He was unchanged by the time that had gone by except perhaps more withdrawn than ever he was. His friends, Aragorn and Gimli noted the change grimly but said not a word to him, knowing the cause of it and not trusting themselves to speak of it as he did not. And yet Fate governs the lives of all, not just men but elves and dwarves fall under his heavy hand also. Legolas Greenleaf was left to Fate one last time.

"Rivendell?"

"Is there a problem?" King Thranduil raised an eyebrow enquiringly.

"You want me to go to Rivendell?" Legolas repeated.

"I have much that needs to be made known to Elrond. Your brother is otherwise engaged in Minas Tirith and I believe that leaves you."

"Yes my Lord" Legolas bowed his head for a moment and as he was about to leave his Father's room, he was called back.

"Legolas, I am trusting you with this"

"Yes my Lord"

His father's intentions had been made completely clear in that sentence. To carry the messages, to greet Elrond in his father's name, to stay as long as he was required to and to return. Alone. And not to see her, not to touch her, not even to ask after her and, if he did see her, to be polite and but remote. He was reminding Legolas of his duties as Prince. Legolas wondered about her, how could he not but had not dared ask after her beyond "politeness". He had thrown himself into his position with an energy that had belied his aching heart. Elves seldom find their soulmate, their lifemate and it was even rarer to find it in a different race. He knew that his father did not hate humans and had behaved purely out of love for his son, not wanting him to be in pain or experience the sorrow that he may have done. He had forgiven his father long ago for what seemed like harsh action at the time and hoped that she had too.

Three days later he escaped the Forest and after what seemed like a long and uneventful journey arrived at Rivendell. It was every bit as beautiful as he remembered it to be, the sunlight slanting down through the trees and the echoing sounds of the music. In comparison to his previous visit, the House of Elrond seemed deserted as many elves had left to travel to the Havens but there were still elves to stable his horse, to show him through to see Elrond, to serve them wine and food. Legolas passed the papers entrusted to him by his father to Elrond and answered questions until nightfall. Elrond smiled at Legolas who had seated himself so that he could observe the comings and goings below him.

"My daughter and her husband are due to join us shortly - I know that they would be happy to see you again, Legolas"

Legolas nodded "I would be happy to see them too"

"And another?" a blush stained Legolas' pale cheeks "Your forced absence has not changed your feelings for Willow I see."

"I am that obvious?"

"Love is always hard to hide" Elrond smiled at him "I saw the same look upon my daughter for Aragorn. Legolas, love is not always happy ever after. Humans age and die and are not immortal. You understand why your father did as he did, why he acted as he did?"

Legolas moved his gaze to Elrond "I do. But it has not changed anything. And daily I miss her presence, like a hole in my heart."

"I shall write to your father and tell him I require you to stay for some time. And perhaps feelings and hearts that are broken can be mended in this time. Your chamber has been appointed, Tahthar will show you the way."

The elf maid who showed Legolas his quarters kept her eyes firmly fixed on the floor throughout but hummed quietly under her breath. As she turned to leave he called her "Wait, that song - it sounds familiar."

"It's a Sunnydale song.

"You know Willow?"

"I do" Tahthar laughed "for we share the name. She will be in attendance at the feast tonight. You will see her then."

Legolas tried to ignore the quickening of his heart at the thought that he would see her but managed to keep himself together long enough to nod to Tahthar who gave him a brief smile and left him.

She was here, sweet Elbereth she was here, breathing the same air, seeing the same sky. He wanted to run out of the room and search Rivendell for her but held himself in check. He would be obedient to his father and he would stay where he was. Elves were patient, he would wait until tonight.

Willow entered the feast and glanced around her listlessly. Tahthar beckoned her over and Willow brightened up seeing her. She took her seat and looked around her again and stopped breathing.

"I meant to tell you but it slipped my mind. Legolas from Mirkwood is here. He was asking after you.

"Oh?"

"I didn't know you knew each other."

"Not as well as I thought I did"

Willow watched him move gracefully across the hall to take his seat along with Elrond. Willow and Tahthar were hidden behind a pillar and Willow blessed the fact that she had covered her long red hair which marked her apart from the elves. She no longer stood out among them besides her height if she had covered her hair up. Her elvish was fluent now, unaccented and she knew the customs, the songs, the stories and returned the favour and told her own. It was the only way she could remember Sunnydale, by telling the stories of Buffy and the Master, the tragic story of Buffy and Angel, the kindly mentor Giles, the songs that she remembered were well known and occasionally sung by the elves but they tended towards sweet harmony rather than thrash guitar and somehow it was not the same.

She had tried very hard not to think of him over the last few years. He had been put in the same part of her mind as Sunnydale and Buffy and Oz. It was only at night when the stars shone that thoughts of him flooded her mind. She could not escape him in her dreams and release only came with the rising of the sun.

After the banquet the music began for the dancing which would continue most of the night well into the early hours of the morning. Willow had learned to pace herself so she appeared to have the stamina of an elf and slept when she could. But for the moment she escaped outside and wandered through the gardens, unconsciously taking the same route she had done so many years before.

He watched her leave, the flash of red hair catching his eye despite the veil she wore. He took his leave of Elrond who watched him follow the girl out of the hall. Elrond knew that the King of Mirkwood had not even considered the fact that his son would still care for the girl but Elrond knew otherwise. Willow had grown up, passing her twenty second season only recently and with every year that passed she grew more beautiful. She had allowed her hair to grow long and held herself gracefully and moved as well as any elf. Were it not for her obvious human features, the hair, the glowing eyes, she could pass as an elf. He was proud of her, the way that she had come to terms with her life in his house and the understanding she had shown Legolas so long ago.

"You are avoiding me" Willow knew that he had followed her and did not jump this time.

"I am not. Sitting at a different table with my friends hardly constitutes avoidance my Lord." She used his title to distance herself from him. She was going to start this off correctly even if he wasn't.

"I remember when it was A'mael." He moved closer and clasped his hands on her shoulders but still she did not face him.

"It is no longer so." Her voice was flat and she started to walk away from him towards the water garden.

"I remember a night like one not so long ago. You sang for me."

"Five years ago my Lord. Perhaps the blink of an eye for an elf but substantially more for me." She carried on walking and Legolas found himself at a loss to find words to make her talk to him.

"Willow, please?"

She turned to face him, all pretence of serenity and calm gone - her hurt and pain flooding back over her as if it had been freshly inflicted and the five years which had numbed the pain were ripped away.

"What do you expect of me Legolas?" she whispered angrily "Would you have me allow myself to believe that you are here to stay and that I should pledge myself to you? Would you have me pine away for you, longing for you as I have done, as you disappear into the distance back to your homeland?"

"I would have you talk to me"

"What do you want me to say? That I didn't forget you? Every moment we were together is seared into my memory" Willow turned away from him again and started walking.

"Do you remember my promise?"

"You made me no promises and even if you had, you could not have kept them. You have a life as Prince now in a world where humans are forbidden. Perhaps we will meet in Valinor." She heard him catch his breath and smiled slightly.

"There is a place for me there now, Elrond assures me. I shall follow the elves to the Havens and live out my time there."

They had wandered on to the island in the centre of the glimmering lakes and Legolas laid a hand on her shoulder turning her back towards him.

"I should ask for forgiveness for the cruelty my father inflicted upon you but I cannot. My father thought he was doing the right thing and I cannot hold that against him. You have grown even lovelier that Galadriel herself and I cannot deny that I long for the closeness that once existed between us." He lifted her hands to his mouth and although she tried to pull them away he kept a firm hold of them.

"Legolas, please don't. I can't do this again." Those damn tears again, thought Willow, as they pooled in her eyes and overflowed, spilling down her cheeks.

"A'mael", his name for her, Beloved. "This time I will not leave." He bent his head to her and kissed her tears away. He let her hands go and she slid them around his waist, his hands going to her face, stroking her cheeks, her lips, sliding the veil from her hair and running his fingers through her thick silky red hair.

"I have missed you so much" he murmured into her hair "Nothing will make me leave you again."




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