Daughter of Arathorn

True Grief

The Fellowship stayed in Lothlorien or a week recovering from their loss and their strength. By their final day, Boromir helped the elves load their boats with supplies. He heard laughter and looked over to see Elia playing with some of the elven children. There was one little boy in particular that favored her greatly as she held him on her hip and his head rested on her shoulder. Elia spoke with one of the maidens, possibly the boy's mother, with a gentle smile on her face. She was obviously natural with children.

Legolas saw the man watching his wife and approached the boats with more supplies. "I am unable to help but notice your eyes on Elia as of late," he said.

Boromir looked at the elf. "Envy isn't becoming of you, Legolas," he said.

"It is not envy, envy would mean I question my wife's loyalty, and I do not," Legolas replied firmly.

Boromir frowned as the prince placed food into the boats. "Your wife left you once before," he said.

"She left because my father manipulated a situation that made her look like a selfish woman loving an elf," Legolas replied, "It had nothing to do with her loyalty to me." The two of them stared at other. "Elia has made it clear to you about her choices, and as her husband I am respectfully asking you to respect her boundaries that she has put in place."

Boromir frowned and looked over at Elia again to see that she was watching them. He walked by Legolas and the elf looked at his wife. He gave her a reassuring look before getting back to work.

Later, Elia prepared herself for their journey along the river when she became aware of someone in the room with her. She turned around to see Boromir standing there. "I thought you would be helping Merry and Pippin with the boats," She said.

"I had to speak to you while I had the chance," he said.

Elia frowned. "Trapping me in a conversation, Boromir?" she asked.

"I just have to know, with everything that has happened I just need an answer to one question,' he said.

The woman put her pack down and looked at him. "All right, what is your question?" she asked.

"If it weren't or Legolas, would things be different between us?" he asked.

Her dark blue eyes grew wide at the question and cleared her throat. "You should not ask me such things," She replied as she grabbed her daggers.

"What if?" he asked.

Letting out a breath, Elia looked back at him. "Even if I had not given my heart to another, I just do not love you the way you desire me to. Even if in another time we had a chance, your father will discard me just as Legolas's father had," she explained.

Now Boromir was confused. "My father loved you like a daughter," he said.

"I do not believe you would have fought for me as Legolas did," she said.

"Why would I have to fight for you when my father would've approved?" he asked.

Realizing that she finally had to tell him the truth, just as Galadriel warned her about, her eyes were on the floor. She twisted Legolas's mother's ring on her right hand and let out a heavy breath. "I am unable to bear children," she said, "I will never be able to carry on your bloodline. Will your father approve of me then? Do you still want me now?"

The room was silent and Boromir stared. His eyes told her everything as she grabbed her bags. She felt the familiar sting that rejection brought. "That's the difference between you and my husband," she said.