"Your teacher tried to kill my Lady?!"

"I cannot tell you how sorry I am that it is the truth, Haldir of Lorien, but rest assured that he repented his deed in proper timing and saved your Lady. No permanent damage has been done to your Lady, though she is a bit weak now."

"I insist on judging that myself, Prince Legolas." Haldir spoke with firm tone, refusing any further argument.

Legolas sighed and led him to Galadriel's room, hoping that they wouldn't awake the Lady.

Once they reached Limiel's chamber which Galadriel had been using, Legolas and Aeglos were taken by surprise at the scene they saw. Langolin was kneeling in front of the Lady, pledging allegiance to her. Galadriel herself was smiling and offering her right hand to help him stand up, signaling her approval of Langolin's Oath of Loyalty.

Aeglos and Legolas were speechless, though the younger Elf had known that Galadriel had forgiven his teacher. Still, it was confusing to see her trusting her former enemy so easily.

"My Lady, who is he? Why did he pledge his loyalty to you?" Haldir asked, confused by Aeglos and Legolas' reaction.

Galadriel smiled and turned to her faithful guard.  "This is Langolin, Haldir. He will become one of my personal guards."

"Personal guard? After he tried to kill you?" Legolas said incredulously.

"Kill you!? Milady, is this the one who…?"

"Yes, yes. But now he has repented and understands the foolishness of his deed."

The three young Elves were totally bewildered by the Noldor's behavior. How could they change their attitudes so fast? How could Galadriel trust the one who had attempted to murder her only few days ago? How could a lifetime grudge suddenly be erased, hardly without a reason, and transformed into loyalty? How could they make peace so easily?

Seeing their unconcealed confusion, Galadriel laughed. "It is not as if Sauron has come to pledge his undying love for me."

"Nay, my Lady. But after what has taken place before my eyes, I won't say I'd feel surprised anymore," Legolas said, while Aeglos silently agreed with his youngest brother.

"You don't understand," said the Lady half ruefully. She was clearly remembering her youthful grudge against the Feanorians. She was certain that she would not let Langolin became one of them, forever consumed by darkness of their Oath, though Langolin's "oath" was of a different kind. Revenge had never settled any matter, only worsened them. People said that Eol's death, which was a revenge from Turgon for Aredhel, caused Maeglin to hold grudges and therefore betray Gondolin. 

"What don't we understand, milady?" asked Haldir. "Clearly he tried to kill you. He deserves punishment."

Galadriel sighed. "You are still young and haven't seen as much as tragedy as I have. Trust me, half of the destruction of Elven realms could be avoided if only we learned to let go of our useless grudges. He," Galadriel pointed to Langolin, "had repented right after he realized what he had done; I believe that he had never known the depth of the words  "murder" and "taking away an immortal life" before he wished to kill me. If there is a proper punishment for him, it is assigning him a completely opposite task: to protect a life, the life of the one he tried to kill, my life specifically. Do you understand?" The last word was said gently as Galadriel looked intently into Langolin's eyes, probing his mind.

"Yes," the Noldor Elf whispered. An understanding dawned in him about the value of an Elf's life, of why the Valar were so angry for the Kinslayings, and of why the only redemption was to do the opposite: protecting and cherishing a life.

"Good." Galadriel smiled. She, for one, had never agreed on the Valar's punishment for the Noldor. It had caused more harm than good, and not only to the ones intended. The banishment and the ban to enter the West had caused the Wood Elves and Men to suffer  a great deal. It was a hypocritical of her to exact the same kind of punishment to her enemy when she clearly disagreed with it.

"Haldir, we will leave tomorrow. Now I need to rest, please," she politely asked.

They nodded, bowed, and left.

***********

"Limiel, I thank you for the kindness you have shown me in my time of need. I am most honored to have a chance to know you, muinthel," Galadriel bowed in front of the Sindarin Lady.

"Please don't praise me so, Lady Galadriel. It is *my* honor to meet you," Limiel  bowed too, before embracing Galadriel warmly.

"I will dearly miss you, my sister," said Galadriel in her embrace.

"I will too. Will we meet again?"

They parted. "Time will tell, Limiel. Time will tell," Galadriel smiled mysteriously.

"Aeglos, words cannot say how much I and the rest of the Elven realms appreciate your conscientiousness to deliver the sacred "thing" safely to my husband." Galadriel bowed. Aeglos felt very uncomfortable.

"It is my duty to do so, my Lady. It is the only way I can make amend of my folly."

Galadriel smiled and turned to Legolas. "And you, young Prince," Galadriel said to Legolas. "This is not goodbye, for our fate shall entwine once more. We shall meet again when darkness falls and your spirit needs peace. On that day you will uphold those who have lost hope, and you shall not fail." She smiled enigmatically, refusing to answer Legolas' perplexed gaze.

"Shall we go now, Haldir?"

Haldir nodded and helped Galadriel mount a horse that had been given to them by King Thranduil. He mounted his own horse, followed by Langolin. In few minutes, they were gone from sight as they entered the forest. They rode away from Mirkwood with a lot lighter spirit than when they came. Haldir, for finding his Lady safe. Galadriel, for knowing that her sins, at least part of them, had been forgiven. Langolin, for he was heading for a new beginning, a new life. Life without grudge and hatred.

************

(finished).

Finally!!! This fic is my first and longest project ever! I am sorry it took me so long to update.

Responses to Reviewer:

Treehugger: *sniff* Words cannot say how I appreciate your unfaltering support on this fic and my other fics. You are truly a remarkable friend and the best a writer can hope for.

Alliwantisanelfforchristmas: thanks for beta reading almost the entire WHOLE fic! Thank you thank you.

Oboe-wan: for beta reading and supporting this fic continuously. Thank you very much, you are such a great friend.

Jastaelf and Madwriter: thanks for putting this fic in your favorite story list. I am so honored to have my fic liked by such great writers.

Nickels, Deborah, Finch, psyco101, tetris, Galadriel, nestrik, and many many other nice reviewers I can't name one by one: THANK YOU!