The Last Dreamwalker

Broken Promises

Lessien drifted off into a restless sleep, overwhelmed with darkness and nightmares and a terrible anxiety.

A white tree with a burning White City overrun by Orcs. The Tower of Barad-Dur so close.

Lessien brushed off the vision.

What in the world was she going to tell Legolas? How had she managed to expose that one secret?

Every bone in her body longed to tell him the whole explanation. To let him stay near so she could protect her and she could protect him. So they could protect one another but that was selfish of her to even fantasize.

The problem was that both of them would end up dead if he stayed with her, she told herself over again. One of them should survive and the better of the two at that. Legolas was the better one.

Lessien paced the grounds of her Dreamworld, contemplating, wondering who she had to turn to. Around her, the roses were slowly blackening, the garden looked withered and dying, the flowers in her hair weren't as vibrant as they usually were, and the sky wasn't as blue.

Everything was so different.

Though Lessien did not notice. She never noticed anything anymore. She walked aimlessly in circles, still trying to think about the crisis that lie at hand.

She had a sudden realization and remembered Arwen. It was the last person she wanted to talk to but she was one of the only ones left.

"Arwen!" Lessien called.

She reached out, sensing Arwen's presence but it felt blocked. Grabbing onto that presence, she latched on, and began clawing for it. She was clawing for Arwen and scraping her way through a thousand miles simply for advice.

As her mind struggled to come in contact with Arwen's, Lessien contained the anger she felt, setting aside her feelings and prioritizing. Arwen better have a good reason for blocking her out.

Then, there she was with no warning and no resistance. She was standing in the gazebo that was the center of the garden, looking as forlorn as Lessien did.

Lessien couldn't help herself with the thought of some advice at last so she ran forward to the gazebo, and came face to face with her. "Arwen, I need your help!" Lessien took her hands in her own. "I need your advice!"

Lessien was so desperate she didn't see her mother's empty, lost expression. She pretended not to see that Arwen was troubled, as long as the woman would help her. As long as Lessien could get through it.

There had been such a long gap of silence that she grew impatient. "Arwen!"

Arwen's expression looked so grave as she reached up and cupped Lessien's cheek briefly before dropping her hand. Slowly, she shook her head no. "Not this time," her lips read but no sounds came out. She looked so severe. Her eyes unreadable.

It made Lessien even more upset. "What do you mean not this time? You are never there for me. You have never been there for me. Not when I was sad, alone, angry, afraid, or desperate. Not when I had my first kiss. Not when I first fell in love. Not to help me through growing up. Not to soothe my fevers as a child or whenever I tripped and fell. Right now is a time for you  to be my mother and help me. Right now."

Arwen shook her head again and her expression remained still very blank.

She felt her mother pushing her away mentally but Lessien would not let go. She held firmly.
"No. Stay."

Arwen let go of her daughter's hands and Lessien's fury weakened her mind.

She took the advantage and the already faded version of Arwen began to disappear and then.