Destiny's Ring

The rain began pouring just as Kendall Malloy exited the tour bus. With a glance of frustration at the heavens above her, she held her purse over her head, providing what meager protection she could, and darted across the street, toward the row of shops on the other side. Each one appeared welcoming, as any shelter from the sudden storm would, but she hurried for the nearest door, letting out a sigh of relief as the door closed behind her and the cold rain no longer touched her.

Still in all, she was already soaked to the bone, a fitting tribute to her last day in Scotland, she figured. From the onset, the trip had been less than stellar. Shortly after she had arrived, her wallet had been stolen in the airport and she was forced to call home for money and cancel her credit cards. Her hotel reservations had somehow gotten mixed up and she had ended up having to stay at a little hole-in-the-wall where she shared one bathroom with her entire floor and rarely was lucky enough to get hot water. The bed was lumpy, the neighbors next door much rowdier at night than she would have preferred and the heat only occasionally worked. If it was not for the majesty of the beauty of Scotland which surrounded her, Kendall would have considered this trip the biggest mistake of her life.

"Ya seem a bit late for that," the man chuckled, coming around from behind the counter. "Since this is my shop, I am not much minding that ya'd use it to come in from outta the rain. Names McGregor." He appeared to be in his late sixties, a friendly grandfather-type, with kind blue eyes and stark white hair that was just a bit too long around the ears. "Here's a towel to dry yourself, lassie, before ya keep dripping on me rug."

The shopkeeper ignored her, stooping over to fumble through a drawer beside him. Turning back to her, he now had a pair of prongs and a lighter. Kendall found herself wondering if he was not now going to attempt to perform some ridiculous magic trick and make a rabbit appear out of a hat, or something else entirely silly. She watched with growing impatience as he carefully set the ring into the prongs, lifting it up before her, then holding the lighter beneath it. Kendall could not help but wonder how he would possibly think to convince her to buy it once it had burn marks all over it when he flicked the flame to life, holding it steadily beneath the gold band. Rolling her eyes, Kendall turned her attention back to the ruby necklace briefly, before her gaze slowly strayed back to the ring. For some reason, she was drawn to the oddity of it; the absurdity of this old man burning a plain gold band which he claimed to be magical.

Kendall pursed her lips, refusing to reply what she thought of that comment. Regardless of its age, the ring did fascinate her, as well as strike a chord in her memory. She frowned for a moment then sighed in resignation. "Is this a typical scheme of yours, Mr. McGregor? To suck in the unsuspecting American? Next you're going to charge me some outrageous amount for that bauble. It may have been years ago, and I may not remember the story word for word, but I did read 'Lord of the Rings'. And this is not amusing in the slightest. You people should be ashamed of yourselves!" Grabbing her purse to go, Kendall only stopped when the Scotsman called out:

The storm has lessened in its severity enough to allow Kendall to make it safely back to the motel. Once there, she was pleased to discover that most of the guests were out on tours or shopping, so she quickly took possession of the shower, enjoying the hot water so much that she remained under the showerhead until the water began to run to its familiar cold. Getting comfortable in her flannel pajama bottoms and heavy green t-shirt, Kendall returned to her room where she sat on the lumpy mattress and carefully combed the tangles out of her hair. It was a long process that usually required more patience than she normally had, for her hair was inordinately thick, fell to her waist and had natural, fat curls throughout. People that met her always commented how they wished they were as lucky but Kendall could not help but wish her hair was thin, straight and blonde and only took a few strokes of the brush to make it look presentable.

As darkness fell, Kendall finished with her hair, braiding it into a long plait that fell down her back, then scooted down beneath the blankets, fighting with the pillow for the next few moments until it resembled something she could sleep on. Closed her eyes, she prepared herself for the next morning when she would be flying back to the States. Unfortunately, sleep would not come, and she spent the next hour remembering everything she would have to do when she returned from her trip, the least of which was returning to a job she could not stand. Two years out of college and still she had no idea what she wanted to do. Her degrees, which were in Theatre and Equestrian Studies, left her options few and far between. Her friends often teased that she could train horses for Hollywood, which Kendall flatly rejected with the answer that they never pay the poor beasts enough. The truth was, Kendall often wished she was independently wealthy so that she never had to truly do anything. She could travel and play, read up on history or write a book. She could spend entire days doing absolutely nothing and never feel guilty about it, or she could travel around the country with the Renaissance Sword Theatre and participate in every and all Renaissance Festival produced. She laughed to herself at the thought, wondering what kind of strange life it would be to daily live outside of reality.

Kendall frowned suddenly, her thoughts quickly moving from everything that awaited her at home, to the ring. Sitting up in bed, she stared over at the dresser, where she had placed the gold band earlier after returning to the motel. As impossible as it should have been, she could see the ring clearly, as if the room were lighted and not dark. It seemed to stare back at her. And strangely enough, it called to her.

Tossing back the covers, Kendall climbed out of bed and padded over to the dresser, silently cursing the cold floor beneath her bare feet. When she reached for the ring, she hesitated, her brow furrowing. It appeared larger suddenly, as if it had somehow grown in size. Reaching out for it, Kendal scooped it into her hand, marveling at the weight and warmth she felt from it in her palm. Gazing down at it, she could not help but believe it would, for some unknown reason, now fit her. Slowly and smoothly she slipped it onto her left ring finger. A perfect fit. As Alice once said "Stranger and stranger," Kendall thought silently.

Wandering over to the window where the moon cast its light into the room, Kendall held her hand before her, staring at the plain gold band. She thought long and hard for the next few moments, back to her middle school days when she had been forced by her English teacher to read 'Lord of the Rings'. It was something she had never recalled in years, and now her memories were dusty and worn, like the pages of a forgotten diary.

"What were the words?" She asked aloud to the empty room. "One ring... One ring to find them... Yes, but not in that order." She sighed, searching her mind again, her frown deepening. "One ring to rule them... to rule them all. Okay. One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bind... no. There was more." She began pacing, an unexplainable panic building within her. For she suddenly felt as if she had to remember the words - she simply had to!

She clapped happily, pleased with herself for remembering something she had scarcely glanced at in middle school, when boys and Duran Duran had seemed much more important. Fisting the hand that wore the ring, Kendal started back to bed when a sudden wave of dizziness washed over her. She halted, swaying uneasily in the center of the room. Knowing she should make it make to the bed before she fell and possibly injured herself, Kendall forced her feet forward, only there was nothing there to step toward. All around her, darkness closed in, as if an enormous void had suddenly appeared in the center of her room.

The morning sounds of birds was the first to reach Kendall's consciousness as she slowly roused herself from sleep. The second was the pain that seemed to pulsate throughout her entire body, as if she had taken a particularly nasty fall from one of her horses. She lay unmoving for a long while, wondering why the alarm had not yet gone off and hoping she had not missed her plane. It was long moments before it registered to her that as lumpy as the mattress was in the motel, it was certainly softer than whatever she was currently laying on. And the air in the room was usually much staler.

Opening her eyes, Kendall blinked for a moment against the brightness of the morning. Around her birds chirped and the sound of leaves rustling in a soft breeze broke through the fog of her mind. Sitting up quickly, then cursing herself at the sudden action for the wave of nausea that roiled through her, Kendall rubbed her brow for a moment then glanced around in complete bewilderment. Where the hell was she?

She glanced down at her hand. The ring was no longer there. So it had been thieves! But how had they gotten into her room? And why didn't she remember any of it? Gingerly climbing to her feet, which felt tender and bruised against the rock and brush beneath them, Kendall glanced around the glade in which she way, carefully deciding in which direction she should begin walking. The sun was behind her, and had only recently risen, so at least she had her bearings for the moment. What she wouldn't give for her watch!

Starting toward the west, since she remembered there was a copse of woods east of the village she had been staying in, Kendall quickly discovered that getting anywhere was going to take a very long while. Not only was it difficult footing in her bare feet, but the brush was thick and she could swear that when she was not looking, the trees around her seemed to move. Knowing she was most likely being needlessly paranoid, she forced her gaze to remain forward and pushed on.

After walking for over an hour, Kendall was close to admitting defeat, sitting down in the middle of the forest and having a good cry. Coming to Scotland by herself had truly been the biggest mistake of her life. If she somehow survived it all, it would make one hell of a book warning sole travelers of what not to do. Her mind was so focused on how good simply sitting down and bawling would feel that she paid little attention to where she was walking and promptly stepped into a slight incline in the ground, effectively twisting her ankle. She gave a cry and dropped to the ground and the tears welled up and she sniffled in despair, knowing that if she gave way to the flood that threatened, she might as well give up altogether.

Kendall had no idea what he was talking about and found herself wishing he would step out of fairyland and come back to reality. The pointed ears were a little much. At least he was not wearing a spandex uniform and communicator. Glancing at her shoulders, she saw that he had draped a short cloak around her. It was not much, but it did serve to cover her arms and she pulled it more tightly around her. It was hard not to laugh at the sight they must have presented together - he dressed like an Elf and she wearing her pajamas.

Legolas only shook his head, growing more confused by the woman he had found as the moments passed. She spoke strangely, dressed strangely and behaved as strangely as anyone he had ever met. Somehow though, that did not cause him to dismiss Kendall from his mind, but added to her mystery, colliding with the color of her hair, which he could only liken to fire, and her dark green eyes that reminded him of the forest after a storm.

Kendall followed her guide silently through the wood, no closer to discovering the truth of what had happened to her but at least she was no longer alone. Though he called himself by the strange name of Legolas (where did she know that from?) and walked around in pointed ears with a bow and arrow, she did not feel overly threatened by him. He seemed like much more of a protector than a danger. As they walked, she took the time to regard him, quietly wondering if his pale blonde hair was as soft to the touch as it appeared. He was tall, and had the build of an athlete - trim and powerfully built from his long, muscular legs to his broad, straight shoulders. Kendall could honestly admit to never having met such a specimen before among any of the men she had known. Too bad he was obviously out of his mind.

Relaxing against him, Kendall glanced up at his ears and found herself staring hard when she realized she could find no seams or glue that would point as to where they were attached. Frowning, she leaned nearer, paying little attention to the fact that they had safely crossed the stream and Legolas was gently setting her back on her feet. Without consideration of what she was doing, Kendall reached out suddenly, grabbing his ear and yanked on it hard.

"Only perhaps I have already died," Kendall commented softly to herself, her mind running in circles in her head. She was beginning to piece everything together and though the puzzle made little sense, everything seemed to fit neatly. Her memories of 'Lord of the Rings' was surging forth. If she was now at Rivendell, that meant the Council of Elrond was soon to be, or had already met. And just what was she doing there? Kendall had no idea. But if - when! - she made it back to Scotland, she was going to pay Mr. McGregor a little visit.

The tub and hot water arrived promptly and Kendall soaked until the water turned cold, all the while considering her situation, as strange as it was. She realized she could not mention the Ring, to anyone, for here in Middle Earth it was considered evil, and anyone who asked for it would not be trusted. Deep inside, though, she also knew it was her only chance of returning to the world that she knew. So all that was left was for Kendall to seek out Frodo the Hobbit and take the Ring from him. Then all would be well.

Something nagged at her but she could not figure out what it was. As she dressed and brushed out her hair, she continued to wonder what strange forces had brought her into this fantasy world and why. Certainly, Tolkien's story was simply that, an entertaining story forged together by a talented writer. It certainly was not history nor fact. And yet, here she was. It was hard getting around that one very important point.

Standing back to observe herself in the full length mirror, Kendall was surprised to find that any trace of the farm girl from Kearney, Missouri was gone. The gown she was given was made of a heavy fabric of the darkest green and trimmed in shimmering gold. It fell off of her shoulders, closed in tightly around her waist and then fell in soft folds to the ground. Kendall had to admit she felt more feminine in this outfit than anything had ever made her feel. Luckily, Arwen had also left her with a pair of green slippers, which she was more than happy to put on.

The Elf nodded and turned, leading her down the corridor. All around her were wondrous sights and smells and noises that were too numerous for her to hope to carry with her in memory. Again, she despaired of not having a camera. Her step was light as she followed the Elf, and she wondered if it were simply because she now understood where she was and what needed to be done or because of the beauty and serenity around her. If this was the Middle Earth that Tolkien envisioned, it certainly beat the hell out of any Utopia she could imagine on her own.

Kendall was led into the main hall where she was dismayed to find what seemed to be the entire population of Middle Earth. There were creatures all around her, most of which were Elves, but other beings as well. Suddenly, Kendall felt very alone and very out of place. She found herself taking a step back, hoping for somewhere to run to, when a presence moved up beside her and a steadying hand took her elbow. Turning her head, Kendall discovered Legolas now standing beside her.

Moving forward, he pulled her with him deeper into the enormous room. All around them were the buzz of voices, singing, laughter, music, the clatter of dishes. Quietly, Legolas began to point out certain people in the room, those he knew, giving her names to put with the faces. He found a quiet corner, away from many of the others, where he motioned for her to sit at the long table, that was laden with food. Sitting beside her, he filled plates for both of them and Kendall quietly accepted the food, nibbling at it as she continued to scan the room and its occupants.

Inwardly, Kendall sighed. The meeting was tomorrow. She would have to act quickly. Taking another bite of the sweet fruit Legolas gave to her, Kendall froze for a brief moment when the feeling of being watched swept over her. Looking up, her eyes scanned the crowd until she reached the dais where a long table sat. There, an old man sat regarding her, not bothering to look away when she caught his gaze. He appeared old beyond what she could reckon, and his gaze pierced right through her, as if he knew who she was and her purpose there. Sucking back a sharp breath, Kendall tugged on Legolas' sleeve.

Kendall smiled and drank from the goblet he set before her. It was unlike any wine she had tasted, sweet and smooth on her tongue. She finished the glass before she knew what she was doing and Legolas smiled, refilling it. Had she been in her own world, Kendall would have sworn the Elf was trying to get her drunk. But being that this was Middle Earth... She took a few more sips of the tasty beverage before setting it down.

Legolas leaned back and regarded the woman before him. She no longer resembled the being he had found in the woods, in her ragged clothes and tightly bound hair. Indeed, Kendall as she was now seemed more at home in the setting of Rivendell than even her hosts. In the colors of the woods, she sparkled like a new cut gem, her hair flashing like fire in the candlelight. With her eyes reflecting the color of her gown, they almost resembled to obsidian pools, so dark was the green. Her creamy complexion was flawless, her figure shapely, her bearing tall and straight. Legolas found himself wondering if she were not of Royal blood in the land from which she hailed.

Following Legolas, Kendall found the room they entered was warm and inviting. A bright fire was burning in a cavernous hearth and minstrels began to play their sweet music. Voices soon rose in chorus and Kendall could not help but laugh in delight as Legolas led her toward a group of Elves. She sat beside him on the floor and listened quietly as they sang their tales, some which she understood, others which she did not, but none of it mattered because the voices were exquisite and the sentiment behind the words was easy to discern. She applauded and laughed and felt the sting of tears at just the appropriate moments. It became quickly evident to her that Legolas was the perfect companion, for he would quietly translate some of the Elvish language for her when needed, or tell her the story that was being sung. Kendall was enjoying herself so much that she soon forgot how she had come to be there and what she needed to do in order to return home. Nothing seemed to matter at that moment except enjoying herself in the company of these delightful beings.

She was laughing when Legolas grabbed her around the waist and spun her in a dance around the room. Thinking she had certainly had too much to drink at dinner, she allowed him to carry her with him, ignoring the fact that she should have grown dizzy, which she did not, and that they were spinning much faster than should have been possible. But Kendall was lost in the moment and the beings around her and she swore later that night as she lay in her bed that being held in Legolas' arms was like being wrapped in a warm security blanket through which nothing could touch her. For the briefest of moments, Kendall found herself wanting to stay in this land of make-believe.

Everywhere she went she was greeted in a friendly manner, recognizing many faces from the evening before, and having some of them call out her as "The Songstress". Kendall laughed at the absurdity of it and continued on her way, feeling light of heart and certain that today she would be able to find her way back home. Rounding a corner, she stopped as she came upon a porch where were gathered an assortment of men from many races. A commanding voice spoke out around them while the others listened in silence. This then was the Council of Elrond. Slowing her speed, Kendall moved quietly along the walkway, praying that her movements would be drowned out by the bubbling river behind them. Searching for a place where she could hide without notice, she spied two of the Hobbits sneaking glances around the porch columns, hidden from the notice of the others.

Sam flashed her a disbelieving look but settled down and they both quietly listened to the conversation above them. Much of it Kendall recalled from 'Lord of the Rings' but there were details and pieces she had been missing. If she remembered correctly, after Elrond would make the announcement that the Ring was to be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom, he would take yet another two months before his decision of who would be included in the Fellowship was made. That would give Kendall plenty of time to befriend Frodo and get the Ring from him. The sooner the better anyway.

Luckily for Kendall, at least in her opinion, the meeting with Elrond was to be postponed as he sat in closed quarters with messengers that were to be sent off through the lands, searching for information regarding the coming Darkness from Mordor. Legolas had wandered off sometime during the afternoon and Kendall was left to her own devices throughout the evening. Arwen joined her at supper and they spoke of family and life and Kendall soon realized that had she time to stay, she could easily accept the beautiful Elf as a friend. Music and revelry was as it had been the night before, only this time Kendall did not enjoy it as much. Legolas' absence from her side was distinctly felt.

"Were you not the one to place the Ring on your finger?" Gandalf stood, fixing her with his steady gaze. Kendall looked away from him and he nodded. "We choose our own paths to walk, Kendall Malloy. These are not predestined, no matter what you may think. When you come upon a fork in the road, it is your decision to go right or left, no matter if one of those paths may lead to death and the other to life eternal."

Kendall sighed. "Thanks for all your help," she commented softly, not knowing if her sarcasm reached his ears or not. She shivered suddenly, as if a great shadow passed over the garden in which she stood. Shaking away the feeling that she was being watched, Kendall felt weariness stealing over her and decided the best course of action for the moment would be to get some sleep. Following her feet along the path, Kendall returned to the House.

Kendall soon discovered that beyond being perhaps the most beautiful being she had ever beheld, the Elf who had befriended her was also fiercely loyal, bright and yet, like her, yearned for something more, something unspoken. It was strange but during all of their time together, Kendall had never once wished for something more. There was no denying he was incredibly desirable - she could stare at him for hours. Everything about Legolas was the stuff that romantic novels were made of, a true hero in living breathing form. And perhaps that was exactly the reason that Kendall accepted him as a friend only, not wanting anything else - because, in truth, she felt he was out of her reach. Here she was, a simple riding instructor from a completely different world where the closest humans could come to understanding nature was planting a sapling in the middle of a busy intersection and attempting to prevent the extermination of species that humans had alone been responsible for. She had been dropped in this beautiful world with its beautiful people and she felt like an intruder, like anything that she touched would whither and die. The truth was, the thought of staying too long frightened her. Her coming could certainly not bring anything good with it.

Kendall wanted more than anything to say yes. The thought of spending weeks in his company, riding through the beauty of the land around her was tempting beyond any offer she had received. And yet... she knew she could not say yes. She had to get home. The longer she stayed... Well, she was beginning to forget little bits and pieces of her life. The day before she could not remember the name of the city she was born in nor could she recall the current President of the United States. It was almost as if the longer she stayed in this make-believe world , it was overshadowing the real world that she knew. Last night Elrond had asked her how she believed it would all end; unfortunately, Kendall realized she no longer knew.

Legolas cocked his head slightly to the side, curious that anyone could feel pain within the realm of Rivendell. Even Kendall realized that her lie had made little sense and she quickly began worrying her lower lip, attempting to think of another excuse to get away without hurting the Elf's feelings. Knowing that nothing she said would now make sense, Kendall took the coward's way out and dashed away without another word, hurrying back to the safety of her room, where she could ponder these unexpected feelings that were suddenly assailing her without warning.

Silently, the Elf watched her disappear. He could not explain, to himself let alone anyone else, what it was that drew him to Kendall Malloy. She was beautiful, yes. But no more beautiful than the dark sky filled with the stars on a moonless night or the whisper of a light spring breeze through the blossoming trees. He had seen and experienced beauty before. No, there was something in Kendall's soul that drew him, like a starving man to a feast. She was different from any being he had ever met, a contradictory creature by nature, at once innocent and worldly, pure yet stained, mysterious but still honest in both reactions and emotions. Legolas knew instinctively that there was more to her story than she was telling him, more that was hidden between her and Mithrandir than either appeared willing to share. And for the life of him, he wanted to learn what that was. He wanted to learn all there was to know of her, if it took him eternity to do so.

At the thought, Legolas sobered quickly. She was mortal and would therefore not be there for him to take his time to get to know, to spend millennia understanding. For the first in all his almost 3,000 years, Legolas was beginning to understand what it meant to be immortal. Pushing the terrible thoughts aside, he hurried back toward the hall, determined to spend the night with his kinsman and banish any unpleasant thoughts from his mind.

Spending most of the previous night tossing and turning, unwilling to think and yet unable to keep herself from doing so, Kendall roused herself early from bed that morning to greet the dawn. She had a small bite to eat beneath the trees before setting out in the pursuit of finding and befriending the Ring-bearer. Kendall had come to the conclusion, late in the night after laying awake long with the image of haunting blue eyes in her mind, that if she were to ever return home, she had to begin searching for that way immediately. She would decide how to do what she must when the time came. But first, she must build the path that would guide her on her way.

A perfect way to begin to get to know Frodo! Kendall smiled and nodded and allowed the Hobbit to lead her toward Rivendell's main gates. She was greeted kindly by Elrond who was near, as well as Gandalf who yet watched her with a guarded -- sometimes suspicious, sometimes knowing -- expression. She allowed Sam to lead her over to Frodo, who greeted her with a soft smile before returning his attention to the group of riders who were leaving.

The words were beautiful, though she did not understand them. Kendall suddenly wished that he would continue to speak in Elvish to her. She could spend days upon days listening to him speak. And yet, she would very likely never see him again after this moment, because she was determined to use the Ring and return home long before his journey to Mirkwood concluded. The realization was a painful one. How she wished she could take him with her or at least remain in his presence for a little while longer.

Kendall watched with Frodo and Sam as the riders exited from Rivendell, each departing in their respectful directions to learn what they could of the Black Riders and the ensuing threat from Mordor. She bade a silent farewell to Legolas, wishing for all the world she could see him one last time before she left but knowing it was impossible. Turning, she glanced down to find Frodo regarding her thoughtfully. His intense expression was a little more than unnerving.

Kendall had been steadily teaching herself how to respond to such questions. She knew the end of the tale that was written by J.R.R Tolkien in her world but that did not necessarily mean that the journey would have the same natural conclusion in this world. And, if Gandalf were correct, her taking the Ring to use in order to return to her own world could change things dramatically. Or it might not. If she thought about it all too hard, Kendall would begin to feel that she was stuck in an episode of Star Trek.

True to his silent promise, Sam did all that he could to keep his Master from spending too much time in the company of the woman known as Kendall Malloy. Though Gandalf had assured him that she was to be trusted, the Hobbit was not so certain. In truth, she had never done anything to give him cause to be suspicious, but a small voice inside of him insisted that he be wary. She posed a threat, though what that threat was, he could not honestly say.

And so it was a frustrated Kendall that watched her two month anniversary in Middle-earth dawn. More than once she had gone in desperation to Frodo's room late in the night, determined to take the Ring at any cost and use it to return home. But always she reached his door and hesitated, hating herself for her selfish thoughts and hating herself again for not being able to go through with them. And slowly she began to withdraw from those around her, though the Elves continued to be kindly and the Hobbits known as Merry and Pippin continued in their attempt to befriend her.

Kendall was terrified. She now remembered little of her life before - could not recall the names and faces of her family, her pets, her friends. She could barely recall what an airplane was, or its use. She knew nothing of her world's history, and very little was left of her own. Only one day continued to stick out in her mind - the day she was given the Ring by Mr. McGregor. She remembered his shop vividly, could recall the rain and the calling of the Ring to her in her hotel room. But little else prevailed. She felt homeless, set adrift without a future or a past, uncertain what her purpose was or why she even existed. When Gandalf attempted to speak with her, she refused to reply, burrowing ever deeper within her own solitude until even the Wizard began to worry. When he quizzed her regarding the coming journey, she would mumble that she now knew little of what was to come, and that more often than not she could remember none of it at all. It was only in the dead of night, when silence and peace surrounded her, that Kendall could recall the tale of the Ring and at these times she would take bits and pieces of it, storing it deeply within her memory, so that if it were ever needed - if she could ever finally discover that clue that would take her home - she had it at her disposal.

The scouts slowly began to return and though there seemed to be no sign of the Black Riders, the news throughout Middle-earth was still grim. Time was growing short and the Fellowship would soon need to set out and destroy the Ring. Likewise, Kendall began to realize that her time was growing short as well. She had a choice to make, she had a course to follow and she had little time left to make her decisions. She knew she had only a few days left to either take the Ring from Frodo or say goodbye to her world forever.

She was sitting alone amidst the trees when Legolas found her. He had only recently ridden in from Mirkwood and when he had learned that Kendall was still in Rivendell, he had rushed immediately to find her. He stood silently for a long while and watched her. She was thinner than he remembered, and pale, with a sorrow in her eyes that made him want to weep. How was it that one could be so miserable among the Elves of Rivendell? What was it that caused her to stubbornly refuse the light and beauty around her to penetrate the dark shell into which she had immersed herself?

Kendall sighed. She certainly could not tell him the truth, not when she was little by little questioning her own sanity and the truth about how she got there. Gandalf felt that her fading memories was no more than a passing symptom of her traveling between worlds and that eventually it would all return to her. But Kendall was not so certain. And worse yet, being in Legolas' presence made her question her desire to return at all. She had no memory of what it was she would return to, so why not stay where her heart most desired? Even she was not so foolish as to not realize that with the Elf's simple return, she felt better than she had in all the time since he had left. Was she simply being a foolish child? Should she not take Gandalf's advice and accept the adventure placed before her, cherish every moment of the wonders around her and wait to see what fate had in store?

Thought of him? He was never far from her thoughts or her dreams. And yet, Kendall could not help but feel insignificant and wretched in his presence. Standing near Legolas was like standing beside a roaring fire, full of both beauty and danger, a heat that promised warmth and comfort but would only burn you in the process. After all, he was an Elf. One of the First Born. Far beyond her reach and aspirations. She might as well be a Dwarf for all that she was comparable to him.

Taking her hand, Legolas led Kendall across the bridges and past the spanning terraces of Rivendell until they reached the courtyard where already assembled were Elrond, the Hobbits, Gandalf, and Aragorn. Staying close to Legolas, Kendall listened silently as Elrond informed Frodo of his decision with regards to who would travel with him and Sam to Mordor. They seemed pleased with the choice of Gandalf and Aragorn and Legolas appeared surprised when it was announced that he was to represent the Elves. Inwardly, Kendall smiled when Merry and Pippin learned they were not to attend and argued their case until Elrond was forced to relent. Also included in the Fellowship were Boromir from Gondor and Gimli, son of Gloin, for the Dwarves. The Fellowship of Nine had been chosen.

And so it was, by dusk that evening, that the Fellowship of the Ring set out for Mordor, plus one sulking female. Kendall had silently promised herself not to forgive any of those who believed she was somehow less than them, and decided not to speak to them whatsoever. It made the first few hours a bit lonely since Gandalf was not one for lengthy conversation. She was able to share with him the small journal she had started, in which she had been writing down those few memories she had of the Quest before them. Most of it was incidental and she doubted was very important but Gandalf seemed pleased with her attempt to give what assistance that she could and took the journal from her, tucking it quietly within his cloak.

Kendall walked next to the Wizard for the first dozen or so miles that they covered. As the sun sank beyond the hills and darkness consumed the land, she found she was grateful for having so many companions. The beauty of Middle-earth that she had come to know was slowly overtaken by a haunting wariness. Sounds which she was not accustomed to caused her to more than once peer into the darkness in trepidation. She hugged the broad sword, gifted to her by Elrond, close to her body. It was a beautiful sword, crafted by the Elves, light enough for her to swing easily and yet still long and deadly. When it had first been handed to her, Kendall had happily experienced a brief memory of home - the vision had been one of her practicing broad sword fighting with other friends, dressed in colorful garb, laughing in a park somewhere near her home. She could only hope that everything she had learned had not left her as well. The sooner she had a chance to practice, the better.

On they walked and true to her word, Kendall did not allow a yawn to escape her lips nor any sort of hobble to impede her walk. In fact, she figured she had to credit the comfortable boots she had received from Arwen for the lack of soreness to her feet. The outfit she wore was likewise created for traveling great distances. Though she had originally requested trousers and a tunic like the Men, she had only received blank stares in reply. She was, after all, female. And it was apparent that the sexual revolution had yet to take place in Middle-earth. Luckily, the traveling costume they chose for her was acceptable by her terms. The skirt of the gown was slit on either side to her hips, creating more of a full-length tunic than proper dress and beneath this she wore matching leggings with her boots. The material felt like velvet in texture, allowing free movement through her upper torso and arms, and though it did not appear heavy, she was comfortable when the sun sank behind the horizon and a chill set in. Over the gown she was wore a matching cloak, with hood, that barely brushed the tops of the grasses over which they traveled. The entire outfit was colored a leafy-green, offering camouflage against the woods. Topping it off were her scabbard and sword, a pair of thick gloves and a pack in which to carry food.

Kendall looked up to see light approaching the horizon. They had entered the hills, beyond which a steady rise of mountains stemmed, the highest peaks blanketed in glistening snow. Kendall frowned, thinking there was something significant about the snow that she should remember, but for the life of her she could not recall the exact plot point. Too bad she had not been holding her copy of 'Lord of the Rings' in hand when the Ring had decided to displace her. It would have made everything much easier.

An hour later they finally stopped to rest at the top of a boulder-strewn hill. To their backs rose the snow covered peaks and before them a low valley. Kendall stretched a bit before sitting, determined not to get any cramps. She removed her scabbard, setting the prized sword delicately on the rock beside her, then tucked her knees up under her chin, wrapping her arms around her calves, and stared out at her companions as they dispersed among the rocks.

Sam immediately set about to cooking up something for them to eat, and Kendall felt her stomach growl indiscreetly at the thought. She knew Hobbits ate well and hoped that out of his "magic" pack he would be able to cook up quite a feast. Inwardly, she told her stomach to hush and stop it meanderings - she certainly was not going to be the first to ask for food, no matter that she had forgotten to eat before they left.

He laughed again, the sharp, sweet sound echoing through the canyon. Kendall glanced up at him, squinting against the sun that glinted off his pale hair. He was bathed in golden light and it seemed to cling to him, as if it loved him, which Kendall was more than certain it did. Everything within nature seemed to love Legolas. Looking away from the sight, Kendall sighed. Always her thoughts returned to him. And that was not supposed to be the focus of her attention. She should concentrate on... well, hell. What was she supposed to concentrate on?

"You are teaching me Elven as well as archery?" She asked with a smile, allowing him to pull her before him and position her in the correct stance. She attempted to concentrate on everything he was telling her with regards to how to properly hold the bow and position the arrow. But the feeling of his hands on her body - first her shoulders, then her arms, her hips and her waist - left her more than slightly disoriented. The first arrow she let fly was a good two hundred feet off its mark. She was mortified.

Kendall did as he bid, forcing herself to ignore the rampant tremors that were running through her at his nearness and focus on the lesson. She allowed him full control of her arms, leaning back into him, feeling his warmth and strength take over. Intently she memorized the exact tightness of the string as he drew it back, the level at which he held their arms, the grip he pressed on her hands around the bow. Pressing his cheek to hers, Legolas slowly positioned her gaze so that it was equal to his.

Sam piled it high with biscuits, sausages and bacon and Kendall instinctively knew she had never had a more unhealthy meal in her life but neither had she ever had one that smelled and tasted so good. Climbing her way among the rocks, she found Gandalf sitting by himself, quietly smoking his pipe, and she took a seat beside him. Her first bite of sausage was sheer bliss. After that, she did not remember eating, finishing her meal as quickly as she did. The Wizard watched her silently, continuing to puff away on his pipe, the wisp of a smile on his face.

"Oh." It was all she could think to say. My love. Why would Legolas give her such an enchanting endearment, let alone any endearment at all? The realization that he had given her one, expected or not, warmed her thoroughly. She glanced away, searching for the Elf, smiling when she finally found him, standing like a sentinel among the rocks, protecting the Fellowship. As if he felt her gaze, he turned to her and flashed a quick smile before his gaze once more settled on the area around them.

Kendall awoke abruptly at the call and had only begun to regain her senses when Legolas grabbed her hand and pulled her quickly to her feet. Before she could get a word out, he pulled her down the slope of a boulder, urging her to hide herself under a copse of bushes nearby. Without question she did as he instructed, crawling through the twigs and leaves, cutting herself on the thorns, until she was well hidden beneath the shrubs. Remaining silent, Kendall watched as Legolas ducked for cover on top of her, pressing her into the rock and out of sight. His body was stretched out fully over hers, and she could feel his heartbeat drumming against her breast. For moments it was the only sound around them, then the flapping and squawking of a great many birds overhead interrupted the silence.

Kendall glanced up through the trees, her curiosity getting the best of her. An enormous flock of black, mean-looking birds were flying through the sky above them. They circled the area as if searching for something. She flashed a questioning glance at the Elf above her, but he only shook his head and motioned her to silence. Nodding discreetly, Kendall remained motionless beneath him, contemplating the sharp pain of a rock digging into the small of her back. She fought the urge to shift, focusing instead on the soft caress of her right wrist by Legolas' hand. She had no idea if he even knew that he was doing it, but his fingers continued to stroke over her skin lightly, almost soothingly. His touch was silken and warm. In moments, Kendall forgot about the rock.

After their narrow escape from being seen by the crebain, Gandalf had informed them that they would not be allowed to rest any longer and must quickly disappear into the mountains. At the wretched expressions on the Hobbit's faces, he had quickly added that they would rest again once they had reached Caradhras. It had sounded like a great idea, until Kendall realized that meant attempting to sleep in sub zero temperatures. She knew they would not be allowed a fire, since it would be too easily seen, and doubted the Hobbit's had considered that.

The snow was deep but the climb was worse still. It seemed to continue to go up and up, and the Hobbits were having difficulty struggling along, even though they followed in the tracks of the steps already made by their larger companions. More than once, Kendall had reached out a helping hand to Merry or Pippin who had trudged along beside her for the past few hours. They talked softly, telling her about the Shire and their lives there, sharing amusing stories of growing up together and the troubles they had caused. Kendall discovered that she was very quickly developing a maternal need to protect the four small beings who so courageously had set out on this dangerous quest. Especially adorable Pippin, who was constantly at her side and always brought a smile to her face. Eventually they dropped back though, and Kendall was left alone with her musings.

A blush immediately descended over Kendall's cheeks and Legolas laughed, placing a soft kiss near her temple. Before she could respond, he leapt ahead of her, moving closer to the front of the line, his light step leaving no mark behind him in the snow. Kendall clenched her hands into fists at her side, digging the nails deeply into her palms, praying that no one around her noticed the little interplay between them. She wished the entire company could be offered a moment of levity, just so that she could at least plant a firm snowball in the square of Legolas' broad back. The tease.

The sun was still shining high above when they began their last deep ascent up the mountain. Once they reached the next rise, Gandalf promised that they would rest. From there they would move their way around the mountain pass, which he warned them would be filled with narrow passages and steep cliffs. Kendall was slowly dropping behind, whether she was tired or because she did not think she could withstand much more of Legolas' gentle teasing, she did not know. Boromir and Gimli walked beside her for a brief time, during which the Man spoke for a while of Gondor and Gimli offered her tales of his cousin's dwelling in the Mines of Moria, which he had unsuccessfully convinced Gandalf to travel through. Behind them Frodo and Aragorn followed silently.

They had not traveled much further when behind her Kendall heard a small gasp and "Umph!" and she turned to see Frodo tumbling back down the path they had just climbed, his exhaustion finally overtaking him. Luckily, Aragorn caught him before he tumbled much further and lifted the Hobbit back to his feet. Thinking to herself that perhaps she should make a suggestion to Gandalf that they stop for a rest now, Kendall's attention wavered when she saw Frodo reach for his neck, then pause. His gaze widened and he looked back up at them, to the point where he had fallen. Following his gaze, Kendall quickly spied what it was that had set the look of panic upon the Hobbit's face.

Boromir was speaking softly to himself but she could not discern his words. He barely held the Ring. It would be easy to snatch from him, he would not be able to stop her. None of them could reach her in time. It would be on her finger and she would be home, back to safety and warmth and perhaps her memory of Middle-earth would fade as quickly as that of her home. Just two steps more. It was all she needed. Already, her hand was stretching before her.

She had lost her chance. The chain was quickly replaced around Frodo's neck and they all resumed their course. As Kendall turned, she found Gandalf silently watching her from the front of the line. He was frowning, both at her and then at Boromir. She looked away, guilt suffusing her. She had almost done it. She had almost betrayed the entire Fellowship by taking the Ring and selfishly returning home. She could have destroyed Middle-earth in one simple action.

It was another hour before Gandalf finally called the travelers to a halt. Behind them rose a tall rock outcropping under which they would receive at least minor protection from the wind, which had seemed to steadily increase the higher they climbed. The snowfall had reached blizzard conditions and their progress had slowed. Even the spirits of their pack pony, Bill, had seemed to decline the further their journey took them.

Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn set off in opposite directions to perform a quick check of the surrounding area. Kendall stomped around in a circle for the first five minutes, attempting to regain feeling in her feet, while Boromir argued with Gandalf that they needed to at least attempt a fire or the Hobbits (and at this there had been a pause and Kendall could feel his glance on her back but he did not speak her name) would freeze to death. For the first time since they set out from Rivendell, Kendall was not quite so stubborn as to not be able to admit she would gladly welcome the warmth of a fire. She could not remember a time in her life that she had ever been so cold. Her cheeks and ears were burning. Her limbs were numb. And her nose was running. She felt positively dreadful.

Kendall laughed, the brief thought flashing through her mind that she would soon be "huddling with Hobbits". It had a certain rhymn to it, if nothing else. She scooted in between Merry and Pippin, while Frodo and Sam remained on her far right. Truthfully, Frodo should have been sitting a little further away for her to completely relax. Every time she glanced at him, she remembered the Ring and her desire to take it from Boromir. The entire episode only added to her wretchedness.

Leaning back against the rock wall, she focused her attention on Pippin, who was generally complaining about the snow and describing the lush green of the Shire. Twice Merry told him to hush, that his musings were only serving to depress the lot of them, but Pippin argued this, saying that they could pretend to be warm by thinking warm thoughts. His companions scoffed at the comment but Kendall gave his tiny shoulders an encouraging squeeze and he turned his full charm on her, ignoring the naysayers.

Restless, and unwilling to settle down for fear of frostbite setting in, Kendall continued to pace in the confines of the outcropping. Darkness had overtaken the mountain and the winds howled violently around them, a wall of snow beginning to form before them, closing them in against the rock. If nothing else, it would create protection from the wind, though it would not be pleasant to excavate themselves out of in a few hours time.

Sighing, Kendall did as he commanded, moving to the far corner of the shelter and sitting back against it. She closed her eyes but she could still hear the roaring of the wind around her. And that only served to make her colder still. She tried to take Pippin's advice and think warm thoughts but she always came back to images of sleet and snow. As tired as she truly was, sleep just would not come and she soon found herself silently reciting the Elven words Legolas had taught her earlier.

Kendall opened her eyes to find Legolas kneeling before her, leaning into her, his eyes only inches from hers. His skin was pale, almost iridescent in the snow-reflected light, and his eyes flashed silver. She suddenly had the most irrational desire to have a mirror, just to see how truly frightening she must look with her nose red and running. "Not restless, just cold." She attempted to smile but it came out as more of a grimace.

Kendall moved against him without hesitation. His arm came around her and he pulled her close to his body, which was surprisingly warm. So warm in fact that she found herself unconsciously snuggling against him, burying her stinging cheeks against his shoulder. He smelled good, too, like the forest after a rainstorm or a dew covered dawn. She did not resist as he took her hands into his, removing her gloves and soothingly rubbing her cold fingers, enfolding them protectively into his palms. Within moments the horrible chill left her and a comforting heat was settling through her body.

He leaned over her once more and this time his lips brushed lightly across hers. Once, twice, three times. If given a million years, Kendall could not have properly described the feeling of his silken lips against hers. The touch of winter's first snowflakes against your cheek. A fuzzy kitten cuddling in your palm, purring. The hug of a beloved friend when you needed it most. None of those compared to the most brief of kisses from Legolas. Kendall no longer cared if she died on the snow-covered mountain, not with a memory so sweet to hold to her.

A thick fog surrounded her, enveloped her with its icy fingers, seemingly holding her captive to its will. Around her she could see nothing. In the distance came the sound of the sea, of waves lapping against the shore, but she did not know from what direction the sound reached her. She was disoriented, lost and terribly alone. Worse still was the deep-rooted despondency. She knew that if she were to call out for help, none would come. At least not in time. She was truly alone... and she could not reach the sea.

The suffocating blanket of fog grew thicker, more ominous. It seemed to wrap around her like a vise, closing in on her throat, choking her. She tried to scream but words would not come, no sound was emitted. She was helpless against the overwhelming power, given in to the sorrow and pain it seemed to convey to her. The sounds of the sea slowly began to fade. Silence consumed. The void stretched before her, trapped her. She would die this way. Alone. Unnoticed....

Feeling like a child after a nightmare, Kendall allowed the Elf to continue to soothe her as the camp was packed up and they prepared to make their way across the mountain once more. Soon, all memory of the nightmare left her and she regained her bearings. It had only been hours since Legolas had lulled her to sleep. The Hobbits appeared groggy as well, but the others seemed well rested. Boromir, Aragorn and Gimli had already cleared most of the snow that had billowed into a wall around the rock. The sight left to them was disheartening. In those few hours, many feet of snow had fallen. The journey ahead would be even more difficult than that of the day before.

If possible, the storm raged ever more fiercely. Kendall could only watch in disbelieving horror as the flurry continued to accumulate around them. In front of her, Gandalf pushed through the snow, creating some semblance of a path with his staff. It did not seem to help. As he passed by, the snow seemed to cave in, forcing Kendall to dig her own way through. More than a few times she only succeeded in falling forward and receiving a mouthful of icy snow for her troubles. Boromir followed behind, carrying Merry and Pippin with Aragorn behind him, likewise carrying Frodo and Sam. Kendall could not help but feel slightly jealous, wishing she were small enough to carry. Gimli was left to lead poor Bill and Legolas walked quietly behind, skirting along the edge of the path they created, never once sinking beneath the wet cold.

Even more treacherous was the course that they were forced to take. On one side the mountain loomed above them, its peak far out of both reach and sight. On the other side, a canyon wall loomed, its drop steep and deadly. The narrow path on which they walked was only wide enough for single file movement. In this way only were the walls of snow around them a comfort; they provided a much-needed buffer from the looming edge beside them.

Once more slipping on the snow beneath her feet, Kendall fell back, only to have Merry and Pippin reach their hands out, from their perch in Boromir's arms, to catch her. Steadying herself, she cast a grateful smile back to them, her gaze then wandering to Legolas, who walked lightly across the snow past her and Gandalf, towards the front of the line. They halted, watching him warily as he appeared to scan the canyons in front of them.

As if on cue, a thundering roiled overhead and a barrage of rocks and ice fell past them, tumbling into the abyss. Kendall threw herself back against the wall, the very real threat of a landslide foremost in her mind. She watched as the Wizard clamored his way up over the snow, gaining a foothold on a jutting rock that positioned itself over the canyon. He began chanting words into the wind that she did not understand but quietly hoped would somehow help the situation. He was a Wizard, after all. Certainly he would be able to make things better.

It only got worse. Amidst the winds and snow, lightning leapt out from an ominous cloud, hitting the cliffs above, loosening tons of the newly accumulated snowfall. Kendall only had a moment to see Legolas grab Gandalf from his perch and pull him to safety as the snow and ice tumbled down on top of the party, burying them beneath it. She fell back and slipped as it hit, falling to her knees, face first into the already steep snow before her. The avalanche continued until no trace of the party or the path they had created was left visible.

Seconds passed. Legolas was the first to climb his way out of the avalanche. He glanced in panic at the rest of the party, relief filling him when he saw hands begin to gain the surface, and the others began clawing their way up out of the snow. He searched, waiting to see the telltale red curls of Kendall surface, but there was nothing. The others were beginning to argue about what must be done, that they must get off the mountain before it consumed them, but the Elf's thoughts were only for the Woman who had yet to appear.

Leaping up from the pile of snow around him, Legolas hurried his way across the path to where he had last seen Kendall. He pushed his way through the snow, digging frantically, silently telling himself that she was all right. She was a Woman, but she was strong. She had proven this to them again and again. He would not lose her in the snow. He would not give her over to Caradhras. Legolas wanted to hold her again, another night, during a time when they were at peace, when he could teach her what it was to be loved by an Elf.

Gandalf called out to him but he ignored the Wizard, pushing deeper into the snow. The Wizard was soon at his side, having realized what had happened. Between the two of them, Legolas finally felt Kendall's cloak beneath his fingers. With a cry he struggled deeper still, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her free from the icy coffin. She was unconscious but breathing. The Elf held her against him, fighting to stem the strange emotions of panic and fear that filled him. He was not supposed to feel that way. He had loved before, but not to the point of pain. And at this moment, it was pain he was feeling, and the Woman he held in his arms was the cause of it.

Dawn passed, the sun seemed to fly by overhead and nighttime covered Middle-earth once more as they approached the walls of Moria. Legolas had refused to allow Kendall to walk on her own until they were halfway down Caradhras and had stopped to rest for the day, and though she had protested against him carrying her so far, it had been done half-heartedly. The rest had felt good after her harrowing experience; being so close to Legolas had felt even better.

The west road to Moria was a barren country of red stones. Although Gandalf has assured them that a stream followed the course there, they were unable to find it nor any sound of water. Everything around them was bleak and dry, a stark contrast to the path they had just traveled from. Kendall's mind was allowed the time to wander, her thoughts continually turning back to Legolas and his care for her on Caradhras. She remembered little of the avalanche beyond waking safe and warm in his arms. He had spoken little to her during their descent down the mountain but she knew he had been exceedingly aware of every nuance of her comfort and emotions. When she felt a chill, he had held her closer. When she had grown tired, he had insisted that she lay her head on his shoulder and sleep. Through his silent strength he had continued to amaze her, his stride never faltering as he led the way back down the mountain and out of the snow, carrying her every step.

"I fear that if the need came upon me, I will have forgotten how to use this sword that feels so uselessly strapped to my side. That I will not know how to ride a horse, though I distinctly remember having quite a bit of contact with them. At first it was little things... faces, places, names. But all of my past seems to have become jumbled together into a massive collection of broken puzzle pieces, none of which I can seem to sort out." She kicked at the ground beneath her.

Kendall was uncomfortable with this but said nothing. She had to trust that Gandalf knew what was best; he was, after all, a Wizard. Until the time came that he felt they were safe enough to actively seek how to return her, she would have to concentrate on getting the others to trust her, to become a true member of the Fellowship. But how was she to do that and keep their trust in the end, when the truth was finally revealed?

Taking it from him, Kendall pulled it close, trying to read her own scribbles in the fading light. "Darkness... flame... something that grows as it consumes the shadows... I do not understand it. It came to me in my dreams last night and I blocked it from my mind when I awoke. I wish I could understand. Is it about the end? Does it have to do with home? Or is it... something else? Something my mind refuses to understand?" She glanced up at Gandalf. "I remember writing this. After I awoke, I couldn't go back to sleep. I wrote it very early in the morning, before the sun rose. I remember being frightened and... alone."

Sighing, Kendall fell back into the line once more, pausing to tease Pippin who moaned loudly that he was hungry. She walked behind the Hobbits, in front of Boromir, watching as Gimli hurried past to catch up to Gandalf. Accordingly, the Dwarf seemed to be the only one excited about reaching the mines. Reaching into her pack, Kendall removed a piece of stale bread and took a small bite, chewing it thoughtfully. She missed the fresh meals served at Rivendell and the clear, cool wine of the Elves.

The briefest of contact and yet it was like the dawn of a new day to Kendall. Her step lightened, her hunger diminished and the weight of the world seem to lift from her shoulders. Kendall watched as he moved in the night, his very being seemed to glow with moonlight and starlight. The entire world appeared to awaken as he passed through it, welcoming him into it's embrace. Kendall allowed a smile. He was the essence of beauty.

To reach the entrance into the mines, the party was forced to skirt a lake of dark, still waters -- Sirannon, the Gate-stream as Gandalf had referred to it -- that appeared black and endless in the twilight. Kendall found herself instinctively holding her skirts and cloak out of reach of the water, her steps careful not to touch it. There was something ultimately disturbing about the lake, that was obviously felt by the entire party, for no one wished to near it. Even the cold stars in the sky above refused to reflect their light on the surface of the dark waters. At some point, Pippin had taken hold of Kendall's hand and walked with her on the opposite side of the water, as if purposely keeping her between him and the lake.

The party stopped. Kendall glanced ahead to see Gandalf touching the face of the rising cliffs which stood before them, searching for something in the darkness. He stood back just as the moon broke through the clouds and as one the party stood in wonder as faint lines began to appear, like veins of silver and gold etched into the rock. Slowly, they became broader, wider, detailing an intricate picture, surrounded by Elven characters. Kendall quietly studied the artwork, the center of which shown a single star with many rays, surrounded by an anvil and hammer and a crown with seven stars. On either side, each bearing crescent moons, were two trees.

She had been careful to note in her time since arriving to Middle-earth that there was no love lost between Elves and Dwarves. This fact had only been compounded by the time she had spent in the Fellowship's company, watching the interaction between Gimli and Legolas. Though neither of them had actually come out and said it during their journey, there was obvious distrust between them. Kendall had done her best not to take sides in the matter, especially not knowing the details of their people's history.

Grunting, Gandalf stepped forward, pressing the edge of his staff into the doors, speaking another incantation. Still nothing. The Wizard began pushing against the doors with his shoulders, as if thinking he could somehow make the massive stone walls move through force of will. Kendall had to bite her lower lip to keep from laughing at the sight. She glanced down at Gimli who had a similar bemused expression on his face.

Minutes passed without progress. The company soon turned away from the Wizard's attempts and settled themselves in the area, preparing for what could be a very long wait. Legolas drifted over to the only tree - a gnarled, forbidding icon of nature that stood as a lonely sentinel amid the rock and cold waters. He felt its sorrow, and it seemed to silently warn him that the darkness was only a shadow in which evil could hide. His eyes and ears ever watchful, he scanned the area quietly, certain that each member of the Fellowship was present and accounted for, when his gaze drifted over to Kendall.

She sat near Boromir, on a grouping of knotted, twisted roots and fallen trees, and Merry and Pippin stood near, chatting excitedly to her and the Man. She turned her gaze to Boromir when he spoke, awarding him with her undivided attention and smile and Legolas felt a strange stirring of anger and discomfort within him. It was a feeling he was unused to and he shifted his position uncomfortably against the tree, casting his gaze out toward the quiet lake. And yet, why should he feel any misgivings of Kendall's reactions toward the Man? They were, after all, more alike and well-suited than she would be with an Elf. He would never completely understand her, just as she could never understand him. He would live forever; she would age and die and he would only be able to sit by and watch. It would be right of him to turn his attention away from her, to encourage her acceptance of a warrior such as Boromir.

Without conscious thought his gaze drifted back to her. He knew so little about Kendall and where she was from and yet it did not seem to matter. He knew that she chewed on her lower lip when she was anxious or thoughtful. She did not shy away from laughter but gave over to it freely. She did not back down from a challenge, whether she was capable of meeting it or not. She loved the sound of rushing water and a soft breeze rustling the leaves of Autumn. Though she was daily faced with derision among many of the members of the company, she did not falter in her promise to make their journey her own.

Her thick tresses were a tangled mass of red curls more often than not. Her hands were small, and fit within his perfectly. Her lips felt like rose petals and she smelled of spice and honey. Her eyes glittered in the moonlight and became translucent in the sun. She was stubborn and mysterious and flighty and moody and he did not doubt that she harbored both the best and worst traits that plagued Men. She was an innocent, a new-born compared to him, and she would never understand the true evil and beauty of the world. More often than not her choices would be pure folly and she would stumble while he would fly.

Curious, Kendall moved up between Gimli and Legolas, her eyes refusing to adjust to the dark, as they passed through the doorway. Gimli was proclaiming proudly beside her that now the Elf would now enjoy the hospitality of the Dwarves. She tripped over something on the floor, Legolas reaching out to grab and steady her before she could fall. She became more cautious then, taking furtive steps while just ahead, a light began to show from Gandalf's staff.

Unable to tear her eyes from the carnage before them, Kendall hesitated from exiting the cavern, only to hear the Hobbits scream out from behind her. Turning, Kendall was knocked out of the way as Boromir rushed past her to the edge of the lake where it appeared a large tentacle had reached out and grabbed hold of Frodo. More tentacles quickly emerged and a growing nightmare was soon appearing outside the mountain. Kendall started to help as well but Gandalf reached her side and took hold of her arm.

Kendall was about to protest but at his steady gaze she backed down. He was right, after all. Even Legolas remained near the entrance where he could fire his arrows in rapid succession without getting in the way of Boromir, Aragorn and Gimli who chopped madly at the tentacles with swords and axe. Kendall gingerly clasped the hilt of her sword, doubt plaguing her. In truth, she was relieved that Gandalf had held her back. In the past few days, she had begun to worry that perhaps her loss of memory of home had extended to learned knowledge as well as physical detail. What if she no longer knew how to wield a sword? Besides, it was not as if she had ever used one beyond that of entertainment purposes. Could she really have cleaved through one of those tentacles if the need had arisen?

The Wizard grabbed her arm at the shout and they headed deeper into the cavern, the Hobbits and warriors close on their heels. Behind them, a great cacophony of falling stone and collapsing earth stretched forth, reaching toward them. Dust encapsulated them and darkness quickly descended. Kendall came to a halt, unable to move any further because she could not see. Gandalf has stepped out of her reach. Someone was beside her and upon reaching out she realized it was Boromir.

The first day has consisted mostly of narrow bridges carved into the mountain that seemed at first to take them down toward the center of the earth, before they gradually evened out into a more level path. In the darkness, the journey was fraught with perils, for the road was filled with holes and pit falls, dark wells and fissures and chasms in the walls and floors that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Occasionally, a crack would open at their very feet and they

It was during their first rest that Kendall had realized sleeping would be difficult as well - everything around her was much too quiet. Without the sound of a breeze or unseen animals moving around the perimeter of their encampment, let alone the crackling of a fire and the cheerful camaraderie of the Hobbits - who had been told very sternly by Gandalf to remain silent -- Kendall could not help but feel that someone had locked her away in solitary confinement. She had finally settled for eating another bite of stale bread and taking a swallow of the cordial miruvor, which the Wizard had brought from Rivendell, and which thankfully served to both fill and relax her. Legolas had joined her sometime later, saying nothing, but once more offering his embrace as place of rest. Kendall had happily curled against him, and allowed the rhythmic, soft beating of his heart to lull her to sleep.

Hours into it, Kendall was positive that the staircase they ascended would lead them straight into the heavens. They would come out, perched on top of some fluffy clouds and all around below them they would enjoy a panoramic view of Middle-earth. What madness had driven the Dwarves to build up, instead of straight through? More than once, Kendall was driven with the desire to kick their Dwarven companion simply because of his relation to the creators of Moria.

They had traveled a few more hours before reaching a landing large enough to make camp. Eating was the last thing on Kendall's mind as she slid down the rock wall, grateful only to be off her feet. She doubted her shaky legs could have carried her much further. Yawning, she glanced up to see Legolas coming toward her, his presence ever a beacon in the darkness. He crouched before her, reaching out to run a light caress across her cheek.

Legolas awoke her and the Hobbits and they started off once again. Higher and higher they climbed. For hours there was only silence and the sounds of their footfalls. The dull stamp of the Dwarf; the barely-noticeable steps of the Elf; the patter of four pairs of Hobbit feet; the slow, firm pace of the Men and the soft tread of Kendall; the brushing of Gandalf's robes across the rock. The rhythm created by the marching of the party soon lulled Kendall into a daydream

state; her body moved of its own accord because that was what it was used to doing, while her mind wandered. She remembered Rivendell and the soothing sounds of the falls, the songs of the Elves drifting through the night. There was a peace among Legolas' people that she could not seem to find in the others. While the Hobbits loved life and food and merriment, they were only at peace when these luxuries were given to them. When confronted with the unexpected, all peace was quickly forgotten. As for the Men... Kendall sighed. She had lived around her own people long enough to know that the Human heart was never at peace. There was always more to be had, more to be done, more to be sacrificed for glory and riches. Then again, Men had so little time in the world compared to the Elves. One was born and sent into the world with the immediate purpose of finding complete happiness. And for each individual this differed. Perhaps, if she were given the opportunity to live for thousands of years, she could find peace as well.

Kendall should have been worried by this comment. Instead, she was happy to take the opportunity to rest. The others seemed inclined to agree, each quickly securing a place to sit and take the burden off of their legs. Legolas watched as they dispersed, thoughtfully regarding Kendall as she found a rock on which to climb, curling her legs behind her and settling in for the wait. Certain that she was comfortable, the Elf turned and sprinted up the last few steps to where Gandalf sat, staring at the doorways in front of him.

"Elves are usually quite surprised and a little disconcerted when they discover they care for a mortal," Gandalf commented, turning his gaze once more to the doorways. "After thousands of year of life, you feel you understand the world and the interaction of the beings around you. You have never given your heart to another of your kind, therefore you willingly share your love with all, paying no heed to the thought that someday someone might come along who would steal it. Your life goes on while the mortals pass from it in an instant. Why, then, should you care when one of them enters your life quite unexpectedly?'

Time stretched on. At some point, Kendall had given up attempting to stay awake and leaned against Legolas, resting. Merry and Pippin sat at her feet with Sam, while Boromir and Gimli sat on the other side of the landing. Aragorn stood by, peering into the darkness warily, ever on guard. Frodo seemed restless, looking into the chasm from which they had emerged, gazing at his comrades, then turning to look once more over his shoulder.

Kendall fell in line beside Legolas as they began walking -- thankfully -- down the flight of stairs. It was dark, and difficult to see, but the Elf held her hand as they crept along in silence and steadied her. There were times that she thought she heard scratching noises behind them, movements in the walls. Legolas too, would occasionally cock his head to one side, listening. He apparently felt assured though that all things around them were safe for he made

Kendall sucked in a sharp breath at the amazing sight before them. As far as the eye could see, columns of rock carved straight from the mountain rose hundreds of feet above them. They were intricately carved, shaped to match one another, perfectly spaced. It was the most amazing accomplishment that Kendall believed she had ever glimpsed and her respect for Gimli's people shot up tenfold. Flashing a smile at the Dwarf, she followed Legolas down the stairs, her gaze still beholden to the sights that surrounded them.

She made a face, but said nothing, knowing he was simply being gallant. Certainly she had her misgivings about their journey through the mountain, even Gandalf seemed to fear more than he was saying. But she had not backed down yet and she certainly believed she had more than enough strength to make it through. Perhaps she only needed to prove it to the Elf. I've made it this far, she thought to herself, raising her chin defiantly. The rest of the way should be relatively simple.

Kendall was pulled from her musings when Gimli cried out and ran away from the party, heading toward a doorway in the wall that ran to their right. Gandalf yelled out his name but the Dwarf did not seem to notice, disappearing quickly into the room. The party broke into a quick sprint, hurrying after their companion, slowing only when they passed through the archway into a large square chamber. Wisps of dust stirred across the floor as they moved and more corpses,

A shiver stole through Kendall at his words, and she inched ever closer to Legolas, her eyes roaming the silent room around them. Unfortunately, it was at that moment that a Hobbit's curiosity got the best of them. A crack and the sound of something falling drew the entire party's attention to the back of the chamber where Pippin stood near a low well. A skeleton sat at its edge, headless, its skull having toppled back into the pit behind it when the Hobbit had touched it. Soon, the entire corpse began to shake and quickly tumbled backwards, following its head into the well. It was attached to a thick chain, which screeched in protest as it dragged along the rounded wall of rock after the bones to which it was attached. The bucket it was fixed to soon followed.

In a daze, Kendall wandered over to where the Hobbits stood, their eyes round as saucers. Outside the doors a high-pitched screeching could be heard; in the distance, a dull roar. The moment they got the room secured, the Orcs arrived and began pounding away at the doors. Unfortunately, they were comprised of wood -- old wood that was rotting and unsteady -- and the barricade quickly began to fall away. Legolas shot a perfect arrow through the first hole and the strangled death cry of an Orc could be heard. This only seemed to increase the fury of the others, and the pounding reached a new height.

Worrying her lower lip, Kendall slowly withdrew her sword from its scabbard, her heart thudding duly in her chest. Her palms were sweating and her legs unsteady; she doubted she would be able to hold the light sword in her grip much longer. She did not even know what an Orc was! But the cries from the other side of the door and the look of panic on the faces of those around her was enough to convince her that she should not have been there. She was no warrior. She had never killed anything in her life - that she knew with the same certainty that she had never been confronted by an Orc before. But the Hobbits beside her drew their swords and if they could face the horror that was about to come, then so could she.

The doors burst open and the creatures rushed inside, those in front instantly plucked off by Leoglas' and Aragorn's arrows. Kendall froze in disbelieving terror as those beside her charged into the fray. Swords clashed, their sharp clangs ringing through the air. The high-pitched wailing of the dark creatures before her grew in pitch. They were hairless and gray, like rotted and decomposing beings come to life. Their teeth were sharp and pointed and they attacked in a frenzy, without plan or thought beyond that of mayhem and death.

Her sword clattered to the floor at her feet. We're going to die here! Her mind screamed in a panic. I want to go home! Real tears burned at her eyes as a consuming fear swept over her. There was no escape. She backed further and further into the room as around her the battle continued. She watched helplessly as the cave troll mindlessly swept creatures and rocks aside as he moved the room, having no care as to whether they were Orcs or Dwarves or Hobbits. Aragorn and Legolas had been right, she realized with a panic. She had no place in the Fellowship.

Her gaze swept the room, searching for the Elf, positive that she would find him squished under the foot of the giant or lying face down with arrows protruding from his back. Relief swept over her when she found him standing tall, firing his bow with a rapidity that was barely noticeable to the naked eye. Out of the corner of her gaze though, she glimpsed an Orc running toward him from behind, an axe raised to strike. Without thought, Kendall reached down, sweeping her sword back into her hand, and ran for the fell creature. She reached Legolas just in time, bringing her sword up to intercept the blow as the axe came down toward the Elf's head. The blow reverberated through her bones all the way to her toes and she had to clamp her teeth together to keep from biting her tongue off.

Now that she was in it, Kendall barely had time to register what had happened when another Orc came at her. This one had a sword as well and she fought to keep from thinking too hard about what she was doing as blow after blow reigned down against her weapon. She reacted without thought, meeting each thrust, swinging up to block each strike, twisting to the side to oppose every swipe. She quickly learned that she had an advantage of speed and quick footing, and

Kendall thought she would be sick. In fact, Kendall would have been sick if she had not been immediately attacked by two more Orcs and quickly put on the defensive. They drove her back, ringing blow after blow upon her sword until her arms began to protest under the onslaught. She knew she would not hold out much longer when Gimli suddenly appeared at her side, hacking away at the legs of one of her attackers. Heaving a grateful sigh, Kendall was able to turn her full concentration on the other and soon severed his head from his shoulders. Forcing herself not to think about it, she chased after Gimli back towards the center of the room, jumping into the skirmish where a few Orcs still stood.

She did as told, though she wanted to know if Merry was alright, her gaze moving to Legolas, watching as he took aim, firing an arrow into the creature's mouth. The troll seemed to stop, then stumble, wavering in place, the expression on its face clearly stating that it did not expect to be brought down. Legolas grabbed hold of Kendall, sweeping her out of the way as the troll crashed to the floor, Pippin falling hard with a cry.

Legolas grabbed Kendall's hand and pulled her along as they raced out of the chamber and back into the enormous structure of Dwarrowdelf. Gandalf led with Boromir, Legolas, Kendall and Gimli close behind him, the Hobbits following with Aragorn bringing up the rear. They all still held weapons at the ready, knowing that they would most likely need them again soon. It was too much to hope that they would reach the bridge without being rediscovered.

Kendall was squeezed in between Boromir and Legolas, and she was glad of their close proximity for fear that she would not have been able to hold herself up. There were hundreds of Orcs around them, many more than they would ever defeat, no matter how quick Legolas' bow or how fiercely Boromir and Aragorn fought. To fight would have been futile and each member of the Fellowship knew it. But that did not mean they would not do so. Even Kendall knew that she would much prefer to take a few of the nasty creatures out with her, than to go down without at least attempting to survive. Much later she would be able to acknowledge that this feeling stemmed from sheer adrenalin but for the moment she knew only that she wanted to live.

A sudden tremor echoed through the depths of the halls. The Orcs before them dropped into silence and then began chattering excitedly once more, though the sound seemed to stem more from fear than bloodlust. Kendall prepared herself for their charge, clasping her sword more tightly in her hand. But instead of rushing them, the Orcs began retreating. Disappearing back into the depths of the mountain, they dispersed as quickly as they had appeared. The ground beneath their feet rumbled and shook. Slowly, the gazes of the company turned to the left, down a great hallway.

Racing through an archway, Legolas and Kendall followed Boromir who led the company out of the realm of Dwarrowdelf. Behind them, the roaring continued to echo through the caverns, growing ever nearer. The ground and walls shook, cracks thundering through the rock as the foundations around them began to falter and crumble. Releasing Kendall's hand, Legolas raced forward down the steps. She was about to call out to him when she realized why he had raced away from her - the staircase they were descending suddenly ended and Boromir was swaying unsteadily at the edge. Legolas got to him just in time to wrap a secure arm around his waist and pull the big Man back. Kendall stopped a few steps from the edge, glancing to her right where another staircase led outward. As the others came up behind her, she directed them that way, stepping aside as Boromir hurried past then quickly followed, with Legolas close on her heels.

Enormous fissures were appearing in the staircase that they descended. It made their movement treacherous, especially without the security of walls on either side of them. Legolas moved ahead, leading the group with his sure-footing. Kendall glanced quickly over her shoulder as the archway through which they had just exited trembled, cracked and began to crumble. She turned back just in time to see the others come up short.

I can't! She thought in a panic. Below her there seemed to be no end to the drop. The Elf stood seven feet away, motioning her to jump. The gap seemed impossible to cross. She looked up once more, her eyes meeting Legolas'. He won't let me fall. Taking a deep breath, Kendall closed her eyes and jumped. For a moment she sailed through the air, then she felt her body fall against his, his arms wrapping around her, securing her footing before setting her behind him and calling to Gandalf.

Snapping out of her fugue, Kendall did as instructed, grabbing an arrow from the pack at his back, then notching it into the bow and taking aim. She was not so talented as the Elf, but she did succeed in loosing an arrow into one of the archer's stomachs. She continued to fire, missing a few but stopping the volley that was being sent toward them while the others crossed the gap. A deep crack and rumbling drew her attention away from her work and she watched in muted shock as the first set of steps where Frodo and Aragorn still stood - the only ones who had not crossed - fell away. The gap widened, almost tripling. They would never make it across.

It began to teeter dangerously, preparing to break away into the chasm below. Aragorn grabbed hold of Frodo, steadying the Hobbit, calling something to him that in the din Kendall could not make out. But then they both leaned forward and the precarious ledge they stood on moved with them, tumbling fast toward the others. Legolas and Boromir reached out, grabbing hold of the Hobbit and Man as the falling ledge slammed into their own, then crumpled and fell away.

Legolas grabbed his bow from Kendall and pushed her ahead, holding her by the elbow as he followed behind, as if assuring both himself and her that she would remain by his side. They flew down the last hundred steps, finally reaching another floor, to which Gandalf pointed and shouted, making it known that the bridge was just ahead. The Wizard urged the others on, Boromir leading the way across the narrow passage, followed by the Hobbits, Aragorn, Gimli, Kendall - who was repeatedly telling herself not to look down -- and the Elf.

Gandalf came to a stop halfway across the bridge, turning back to face the approaching demon. Kendall's heart was slamming into her chest as she watched him. Something was wrong. Something nagged at the back of her mind. Something... She blinked. The Wizard was not going to make it. She suddenly knew this; knew it for a certainty. And she made to go back to him, to tell him to get away from there but Legolas grabbed her before she could get away. She struggled against the Elf's grasp, screaming out incoherently, unable to tell him why he had to let go.

Gandalf brought his sword and staff down and a loud crack followed by a bright light extended throughout the cavern. The demon roared angrily, almost laughing at the being before him, then took a step out onto the bridge. Immediately it crumbled beneath him, tossing the ancient world creature into the fiery chasm below. It cried out as it fell and Kendall felt a brief wave of relief roll through her. Until the unthinkable happened.

The demon's whip snapped up out of the abyss, wrapping itself around Gandalf's ankle and yanking him backwards, towards the edge of the destroyed bridge. Kendall and Frodo both screamed out Gandalf's name. Boromir grabbed the Hobbit as he tried to run for the Wizard, lifting him into his arms and carrying him up the steps. Even Aragorn seemed to hesitate in indecision, tempted to run towards the bridge. Later, Kendall would remember little of those moments. She screamed for Gandalf, struggling heartily within the Elf's embrace, fighting to get free. She could not lose Gandalf. If she lost him now, she would be there forever. Her gaze swept to the Wizard's as he slowly lost his grasp on the stone.

Calmly, she sat back on her heels, staring vacantly at the cuts on her palms that she had received from the sharp rock. There were small drops of blood, mixed with the dried, black blood of the Orcs. She saw none of this. Her mind was in turmoil. I will never get home now. Gandalf had said he would help me. Gandalf is gone. I am on my own. I can not tell the others the truth; Gandalf had made me promise. There is no going back.

Aragorn moved over to the Hobbit protectively, his hand on his sword, watching in grim silence as Legolas fought to hold onto the frenzied female. She continued to scream about needing the Ring, about not being able to go home without it. It will be wisest to leave Kendall behind; safest for Frodo as well as the rest of the Fellowship, he thought coldly. But it would also be cruelty beyond measure. It was a decision that Aragorn could not consciously make. Squeezing the shoulder of Frodo reassuringly, he called out to the Elf:

Kendall could admit when she was beaten. But that for a while there she had allowed her fear to take over was beyond her understanding. She had never considered herself a weak person and yet she attacked Frodo, had every intention of taking the Ring from him no matter what cost. And she knew what the destruction of the Ring meant to the people of Middle-earth. Could she stand to see the Hobbits destroyed? The Elves? And Legolas...she sucked in a sharp breath at the mere thought of his death at her hands. They would never trust her now and they had no reason to. She was truly alone.

Angrily, Kendall swiped at a tear that dared to appear on her cheek. It was her own fault for not remembering, for not having known that Gandalf was to die in Moria. She should have been able to save him. What was her purpose if not to help the Fellowship? Why was she made to suffer their fate if she was not to share in it as well? Gandalf had told her repeatedly that she would not have been there without reason but she could find no answer to the puzzle. She was no warrior, that much was certain. She was no smarter than Legolas or Aragorn. Her courage had failed her twice now. What was she doing there?

The sun was slowly beginning to set when they reached an open field. Motioning that they needed to make haste, Aragorn broke into a run at the front of the Fellowship and the rest followed. The woods were only a few hundred yards away and from what Kendall understood they would be safe once they reached them. She hoped that this was so. She suddenly wanted nothing more than to lay down, close her eyes, maybe even have a good cry all to herself. She was tired, in both body and spirit. She had to convince herself tomorrow would be better. IF she could make her heart believe that, then continuing on might not be so difficult.

Unfortunately, she found herself wondering what kind of peace was to be offered. Entering the wood, Kendall slowed to a walk, her gaze taking in the area surrounding them. An involuntary shudder stole through her. Silence seemed to scream at her from all around. The trees, gray and towering, appeared ancient, as if they had witnessed the beginnings of the ages. There was something otherworldly and all-together forbidding about these woods and for a brief moment Kendall thought she would much prepare to face the Orcs than whatever might face her here. Up ahead, Gimli was telling Frodo to stay close, that a great Elf Witch lived within these woods. Kendall was more than ready to believe it.

The words reverberated through her mind, sending shock waves down her spine, pinning her where she stood. She felt suddenly as if someone had stepped inside her mind and saw everything of who and what she was. The sensation made her stomach roil. She swayed unsteadily as a blinding pain seized her head, pushing down her neck and into her back. She heard Legolas called out her name only moments before darkness descended.

Kendall sighed. Most likely. Yes, why would he wish to stay there in her company - she who had attempted to betray the Fellowship? No, wait. That isn't, right, Kendall thought with a shake of her head. What was it he had said to me? 'Do you think an Elf's heart so inconstant?' Had that been his way of saying he did not hold her actions against her? She could not understand how he had so much faith in her or why. She had not given him reason to. Had Gandalf said something? She wondered.

She shook her head. She did not feel well. Her hands burned; the cuts from the rock had become dirty and infected. Kendall grimaced at the sight of the dried Orc's blood that yet remained on her skin and clothing. It was only now beginning to hit her that she had been in battle. That she had killed; that she could have been killed. And what had it all been for? They had lost Gandalf. She was stuck in Middle-earth, in this world where creatures such as Orcs and ancient demons existed, and she would never see her home again. Maybe she would never feel safe again.

Not noticing the Hobbit's concern for her regard, Kendall wandered off across the glade, ignoring the beauty that surrounded her. She felt as if a pall of gloom had descended over her, taking with it any joy or happiness she may have known. Was death to be all that awaited her? She could not bear the thought of any harm coming to the surviving members of the Fellowship - and yet she had been more than willing to dole that fate out herself in those moments after escaping Moria. Would the Ring take hold of her again? Would her fear? She shuddered violently at the thought, wrapping her arms around her waist in a tight hug.

Glancing up, Kendall slowly began to take in her surroundings. The trees around her looked as they had when the Fellowship had first entered the forest - ancient, forbidding. But they also seemed covered in light, alive and warm. In fact, everything around her appeared filled with light, stars seemed to wink within the leaves of the foliage. The air was filled with the heady scent of floral and haunting voices raised in Elven song danced on the wind. Finding a spot just on the edge of the trees, Kendall sank down to the ground and, closing her eyes, attempted to find some of the peace and solace she knew encapsulated the realm around her. It took her only moments to realize that the effort was futile as tears quietly made their way down her cheeks.

Not knowing what he meant, Kendall trustingly placed her hand in his and allowed him to pull her to her feet. He pulled her close, one hand lingering at her waist while the other lay against her cheek. Lifting the hand he held, he turned it over, palm up, and placed a delicate kiss against the ravaged skin. She sighed at the touch and Legolas smiled softly. He leaned over her and she was overwhelmed by the scent of fresh rain, flowers and fertile earth. The Elf locked her gaze with his own and she was startled by the fire she saw burning there. She trembled as his lips barely brushed across her own.

Kendall remained silent as Legolas led her deeper into the wood, her mind whirling with the words he had spoken to her. Give her heart to him? Could he not see that she had already done so? So much had happened in the past week that they had little time to themselves, especially in the mines when they all had to remain alert. Kendall could easily admit to herself that she was a little afraid of giving her heart completely to the enigmatic Elf. After all, there was always the possibility, however minute, that she would be allowed to return home. Not that such a thing should matter to Legolas; he was, after all, immortal. They could never truly be together anyway. The brief acknowledgement depressed her and so she forced herself to concentrate on his hand holding hers, the warmth and softness of his skin, the instinctive way his thumb gently caressed her palm.

Removing her hand from his, Kendall stooped under the branches he held and moved forward, her eyes widening as she scanned the glade that opened before her. Walled in by the mysterious and ancient trees, a small hot spring sent steam drifting into the air from the center of the glade, surrounded by rock, a carpeted floor of white and purple flowers, moss, ivy and ferns. A canopy of stars hung above them is stars and moonlight reflected off the water and leaves, making all it touched magical and enchanted. Somewhere, off in the distance, came the sound of the Elves voices raised in song.

Legolas placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her back so that her body rested against his. With one arm wrapped around her waist, as if holding her up, the other swept her hair over her shoulder, exposing her neck. Kendall sucked in a sharp breath as his lips claimed the skin there, moving down her neck softly, over her shoulder, alternately kissing and nipping with his teeth. A thousand tremors seemed to course through her at once and Kendall was glad for his secure embrace around her waist. The muscles in her legs quickly dissolved to jelly, the feeling of Legolas' hard body pressed against her back wiping out any memory from the past few days. She closed her eyes as his mouth moved back up her neck, over her ear, his breath hot against her skin.

His kiss was all-encompassing in its intensity - a far cry from the tender brushes they had shared in the past. Legolas seemed to be silently claiming her for his own, branding the feel of his mouth on her lips, his heat and strength washing over her in waves. His mouth slanted over hers and she gave way beneath the onslaught, her lips parting to allow his tongue entrance. The taste of him was intoxicating, like a fresh summer peach, crisp mountain water, the finest wine that sent warmth and fire spiraling from lips to belly. Kendall felt as if she were drowning in him and had no wish to be rescued.

Legolas smiled, kissed her brow, then turned her back to him once more, his fingers working along the buttons of her gown. He parted the material, his hands brushing across the skin of her back lightly before he pushed the gown from her shoulders. Modest by nature, Kendall felt nothing but a soothing peace as the Elf carefully undressed her, his hands and fingers caressing her skin as he did so, touching, teasing, ever so skillfully sending her senses into oblivion.

He had removed the blue-silver tunic and his torso gleamed in the moonlight, pale, flawless, like some statue of a god. His arms were toned and shapely, tapering down to his long, slim hands. Holding her gaze with his own, Legolas tugged off first his boots then removed his breeches. He stood silently above her for a long moment, as if awaiting her approval - which Kendall thought was completely ridiculous considering he was perfect in every way imaginable - before moving toward the spring. Kendall continued to allow her gaze to sweep over him, from his smooth and muscular legs to the ample length of him, which stood erect and proud. He is so perfect, so beautiful, she thought to herself, wanting to weep at the sight of him. And he has chosen me... me! It was an almost impossible concept for her mind and heart to accept and she finally had to push the thought away, wanting to think of nothing more than the creature that was moving toward her and how it would feel to be in his arms.

His hands moved over her, exploring, teasing, coaxing, awakening. He cupped her breasts, teasing the nipples into tight buds, receiving a faint moan in reply to the contact. Catching her mouth once more with his, Legolas pushed past her lips, playfully teasing her with his tongue, silently conveying the ancient ritual he wanted to explore with her. Kendall surrendered fully to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing against him, as if attempting to mold their forms into one.

Legolas grasped her around the waist, lifting her up to straddle him, then slowly, ever so slowly, brought her down onto him, easing the length of himself within her. Their motions immediately fell into sync with one another, as if they had been created to be together, to know each other. Kendall gasped at the sensation of his girth filling her, digging her fingers into the Elf's shoulders as if she could somehow permeate herself with him completely. Her mind was a cacophony of images and words, things she wanted to say to him, things she wanted to hear and as she covered his face in kisses, rocking against him as he held her, she asked:

Kendall knew without a doubt this was the most intense sexual experience she had ever experienced. Legolas understood just where to touch her, just what to say, just how to move within her, to send her senses spiraling. She was on fire, so many different sensations building within her that she was certain she would soon die from pleasure. His hands and mouth continued to be everywhere at once, while deep within her he continued to move, the fabulous friction creating spasm upon spasm.

As her muscles clenched around him, Legolas called out her name, spilling his essence into her, clasping her to him as violent shudders racked them both. He held her for a long moment, his face buried in the depths of her thick red tresses, attempting to calm his wildly pounding heart. He was momentarily uncertain of what to do or what to say. He had loved many times throughout his almost three-thousand years of existence and yet never before had anyone quite so encapsulated him. Never had there been a moment that he would have been quite happy to die, as he had been a few moments before. Even now, in the aftermath, Legolas knew he was happier than he had ever been.

She saw her family and friends and they missed her and wanted her back. She smelled the fresh cropped hay of summer and saw herself riding her favorite Arab gelding, Sultan, in the arena back home. She remembered the taste of nachos bell grande, apple pie, cold pizza and room-temperature Coors. Late night bar-hopping with friends, laughing at women who wore too much make-up and perfume, in smoke-filled dance halls with flashing neon lights. Her first boyfriend, and her latest ex who still called her late at night, claiming he could not live without her and that the blonde exotic dancer was just a one-time thing.

Her words hit him hard. 'Home'. It was all she ever spoke of. Was there someone she left behind there that she loved very much? The thought hurt, much more than Legolas cared to admit to. He turned his gaze away from her, unwilling for her to see that her words, so easily spoken, had shaken him to his very core. He focused his gaze on the woods that spread around them, trying to grasp the fact that even after the bliss that had been shared between them, he would still lose her in the end. Years of experience had taught him how to shut pain away, to ignore it. The sun would rise again and life would continue. For him, it would continue eternally.

Legolas would have broke out in song, but for the moment all words escaped him. With nothing else left, he bent his head down and kissed her, gently, deeply, conveying with actions what he could not put into words. He laid her back against the flet, held her tightly within his arms, loved her with all the tenderness and need that he felt welling up inside of him. Gandalf had warned him that Elves were always most surprised when they realized a mortal had stolen their heart. He was no exception.

Kendall next awoke when the sun was high in the sky above her. She stretched contentedly, her body filled with that deliciously languorous feeling of having been well and thoroughly loved. Wrapping the blanket around her, Kendall sat up only to find that she was alone on the talan. She was momentarily disappointed that Legolas was not there to greet her with a 'good morning', then glanced to her right to find a small plate of fruit set out and a folded pile of clothing. Smiling, she grabbed a shiny red apple, biting into it hungrily, then crawled her way over to the edge of the platform and sat with her legs dangling over the edge, examining the forest around her, while she ate.

Perhaps it was because of the events of the night before and she was just in a particularly happy mood, but everything around her seemed to be colored with beauty and peace. The white of the blossoms was brighter than any she had ever seen; the birds that called out as they flew by overhead carried the sweetest of tunes; and Kendall had certainly never eaten an apple that was quite so tasty. Of course, she was in the middle of an Elven realm, even more glorious than Rivendell according to Legolas, so that could have been a part of it too.

Licking the last of the apple's juice off of her fingers, Kendall returned to the pile of clothing, peering through it, her smile broadening as she did so. Legolas knows me too well, she thought with an inner laugh. She would never quite be sure how and where he had found them, but he had procured for her comfort a pair of soft brown breeches, light pale green tunic and matching brown over-tunic. There were also a pair of brown boots and stockings. Kendall knew without a doubt she would be much more comfortable traveling in these clothes than what she had been wearing. With a grimace, she realized it would be easier to fight as well. Silently, she hoped she would not have to find out.

After dressing, and eating another apple, Kendall found that a ladder led down from the talan to the forest floor so she quickly descended it and began meandering her way through the woods, hoping she was going the right direction to lead her back to where the Fellowship had been given shelter. She hummed softly to herself, stopping here and there to gaze in wonder at the beauty of the trees and ferns and flowers around her. She could not quite put it into words - at least any that made sense to her - but she felt as if time had come to a stand still in the realm of Lothlorien, as if the mark of Time had no effect or presence on it. Perhaps that was the Elves' secret, she pondered thoughtfully, gazing at the azure blue sky high overhead. They simply ignored Time, as if it did not exist and certainly held no sway over them.

Aragorn waved his hand, interrupting her. "I would rather not discuss that. It was a difficult time for all of us and... " He trailed off, sighing heavily. Rubbing the back of his neck as if to relieve tension, he turned to meet her gaze. "Gandalf felt you had purpose in the Fellowship. I have never had reason to doubt him and I will not begin now." He stopped and faced her fully. "If it is asked of me, I will die to make certain that the Ring is destroyed, do you understand?"

"Oh." She looked away for a moment, wondering what her response would have been had he asked her this same question yesterday afternoon. Turning her gaze back to him, she smiled. "My intentions, Aragorn, are my own, and I do not wish to share them right at this moment. But know this: I would not, for the life of me, harm any member of the Fellowship, for you are each dear to me in your own way. I want only what is best for... " She trailed off, thinking to herself "Legolas" but finished, "Middle-earth... for it is here that I most feel at home."

Following the Ranger's instructions, and still curious as to how he knew she was looking for Legolas (though mentally she chided herself to stop being so damned naïve), Kendall listened for the voices of the Elves that carried on the wind. She wound her way up an enormous staircase formed of branches, that seemed to climb into the very trees themselves. It finally opened onto a wide platform where various tables and chairs were set about and more than a dozen Elves were gathered, singing, laughing, sharing stories. Gimli stood off to the side, watching silently, his expression unreadable. Kendall was surprised at his presence but glad to see that the Elves had seemed to have welcomed his company.

Returning her gaze to the fair and stunning creatures in the center of the platform, Kendall allowed herself a small smile. Even among his own kind, Legolas seemed to stand out. He was, without a doubt, the most beautiful being there, and she did not think it was bias on her part for thinking so. Beyond his perfect features, there was an inner strength about him that seemed to touch whoever he was near. When others spoke, he gave them his undivided attention. His eyes took in everything. Though Kendall knew there were others in the room undoubtedly much older than him, he seemed the wisest and strongest of them all.

Kendall started from her reverie, realizing he had just called to her and yet, he had not spoken. He was watching her, a soft smile playing at his lips, his hand held out to her, but otherwise unmoving. It felt completely natural and right to Kendall as she moved over to join him and he took her hand in his and pulled her close, wrapping his arm around her waist and leaning his chin on her shoulder. And it all seemed to be one fluid motion, moving from two separate entities into one, and his attention never seemed to waiver from the Elf who was singing at that moment in a high, crisp voice. And yet, Kendall also instinctively knew that all his thoughts and senses were focused on her, even as he simply stood there, holding her, listening to the song, knowing that she only wanted to be at his side and granting her this simple wish. It felt right to Kendall that she be there, that her body fit so perfectly against his, that she could feel his heartbeat against her back, and that it beat in sync with her own. Legolas' thumb rubbed absently against her waist and she swore she could feel his touch to the very marrow of her bones. His breath against her neck warmed her all over and sent tiny shivers spiraling throughout her limbs. She felt more alive in that moment than ever before.

Kendall wanted to thank him for finding the clothes that she was wearing but knew that even a whisper spoken to him would be heard by all of the Elves and so she remained silent. The truth was, there were many things she wanted to say to him, and no matter how mundane some of them may have been, she did not like the idea of sharing her words to him with others. Especially the Elves. They had already had him to themselves for thousands of years, was it wrong of her to wish for some time of her own?

Legolas began softly humming the tune that the others around him were singing. He turned his head slightly to watch the face of the woman beside him, as her eyes carefully took in everything and everyone around her. He watched her redden slightly under his scrutiny though she refused to turn and meet his gaze and a smile stole across his features. My innocent and young mortal, he thought to himself, realizing suddenly that he did not want to share her company with others. There is so much yet I have to teach you, to show you. Would that we could have all the hours of eternity to spend together.

They joined the rest of the Fellowship just in time for supper. Either because of the rest they had all experienced or the simple peace that surrounded them in the realm of Lothlorien, every member seemed at ease and open throughout the meal. Kendall spent the time laughing with the Hobbits, even sharing a few moments with Frodo and Sam, discussing the Shire and Hobbiton. There were no recriminations over what occurred at Moria, nor any talk whatsoever of their impending journey. Even Aragorn and Boromir appeared to relax, allowing smiles at Merry and Pippin's descriptions of what they had seen and done throughout the day. Kendall found herself silently wondering if either Hobbit would ever be allowed in Lorien again, but she laughed and ruffled Pippin's hair and told him what he deserved was a good spanking. The entire party laughed even harder when Pippin, with a wicked grin, agreed with her.

She and Legolas spoke little throughout the meal, though he remained at her side and she knew his attention was always focused on her. Occasionally, there would be a casual brush of arm against arm or thigh against thigh and Kendall would quickly lose all recollection of what she was currently discussing. If the others noticed her distraction, they made no mention of it. In fact, though she was certain they all knew of the relationship shared between her and the Elf, Kendall was pleased to discover that she sensed no condemnation extended toward them.

Except for Boromir. She could not have explained if her life had depended on it, but all throughout the meal, Kendall felt him watching her, watching Legolas. Occasionally his eyes would wander back to whoever was speaking and he would laugh appropriately or offer a word or two to the conversation. Without fail though, his attention would wander back to her and she felt herself quickly becoming restless under his watchful gaze. Kendall wanted to ask him what his problem was but she knew better than to confront him in front of the others.

When the food had diminished and the laughter died down, Legolas finally stood and offered his hand to Kendall, a silent question in his eyes. She smiled, took it, allowing him to pull her to her feet and lead her back toward the woods. Out of the corner of her eyes though, Kendall caught Boromir watching them from where he stood, leaning against a mallorn tree. She hesitated and the Elf stopped, turning his gaze to her.

Unfortunately, Kendall found the thought of returning to Legolas with the doubts that Boromir had surfaced in her heart difficult. She wandered around the woods for over an hour, trying to still the silent questions in her mind, wanting to return to the Elf with her heart and mind free from worry. He deserved no less from her. It was when her feet unconsciously brought her to the base of the mallorn tree where the talan was located that Kendall realized she could not run from her fears. Not when every path led her to Legolas.

The Elf said nothing, but continued to watch her steadily. Kendall had left her hair down that day, the thick curls hanging in marvelous disarray to her waist, like glorious flames of sunrise clinging to her shoulders. When she had come to him among the other Elves, Legolas had found himself hating the thought of sharing her. He had wanted to steal her away from there, love her throughout the afternoon and evening, take her to heights of ecstasy that she did not yet understand were possible. But he knew her mind well; he knew that she was terribly self-conscious, cared too much for what others thought. He would not willingly cause her any amount of discomfort. It was because of this that he had made certain they tarried over supper with the others, so that Kendall could feel comfortable among the other members of the Fellowship while he was also at her side. Later, when she became used to the idea of the bond shared between them and allowing others to delight in it as well, then he would be free to love her morning, noon and night as she deserved.

Unfortunately, the Woman who now sat before him was troubled, though she tried valiantly not to let it show. Legolas felt it as keenly as he would have felt a flame against his skin. He wanted to know what Boromir had said to her, but he would not ask. If she wished to share with him the contents of their conversation then she would do so. In her own time. Until then, it was up to Legolas to make her forget whatever it was that clouded the sparkle he longed to see once more in her leaf-green eyes.

With a soft smile, Kendall leaned over him and did as he bid her. The Elf was reticent beneath her, gently forcing her to take the dominant role. She seemed to warm to his malleability immediately, her kiss becoming more insistent, her tongue pushing past his lips to tease his own before retreating. Kendall's hands cupped his face, lifting him to her, holding him still, bending him to what she desired. Legolas' hands ached to touch her, to bury themselves in her curls, to pull her beneath him, but he forced himself to remain still.

Kendall sighed against his mouth, her hands moving down his neck to the toggles at his tunic, which she quickly slipped through the holes, brushing the fabric aside. Her fingers danced lightly over his chest as inwardly she admired how alike to silk his skin felt. She delighted at how his muscles flexed beneath her touch, at the tremors she could elicit from him. Moving from his mouth, Kendall inhaled the scent of him at his neck, traced the pattern of his collar bone with her tongue, moved at a leisurely pace down his chest. Using both hands and lips, she continued to caress the Elf, learning his most sensitive spots, memorizing the taste of him. She captured a nipple gently between her teeth as Legolas sucked in a sharp breath beneath her, then laved it completely with her tongue before casting the same attention to its twin.

Had Kendall been given a moment to consider her uninhibited behavior, she would have turned a bright scarlet in color before quickly ending the pleasure she was both giving and receiving. As it was, her mind and body were consumed with the taste and feel of Legolas, the scent of him, the soft moans issuing from low in his throat. She rained kisses across his stomach, discovering with delight that he was slightly ticklish on his left side. Her hands brushed across the front of his breeches, against the hard length of him that was straining beneath the fabric for her touch.

The Elf wanted to feel her lips against his but she would not respond to his gentle tugs. He gasped sharply when she pushed past the fastenings into his breeches, taking him into her hand, her fingers stroking, teasing. He felt the breeze of the night air wash over his skin as she pushed his breeches past his hips... and then her lips. Legolas closed his eyes, losing himself in the warmth of her mouth covering him, tasting him, pushing him ever closer to the edge of reason, where reality and fantasy mingle into one. Her tongue stroked him, her teeth gently grazed him - he thought he would go mad from the sensations assailing him. Legolas had been loved many times in his life, but this was Kendall, his beloved mortal, his heart.

Unable to further withstand her attentive ministrations, Legolas sat up, pulling her roughly and gently by the hair to him, taking her mouth, devouring her sweet taste hungrily. She moaned softly at his onslaught, which only made him ache more painfully with need. The need to bury himself deeply within her, to feel her engulfing warmth, to feel her tremble and shudder beneath him. He tore none too gently at her clothing, silently cursing himself for dressing her in breeches instead of a gown. The moment he felt the heat of her skin beneath his hands, Legolas lost the last vestiges of his patience, pushing her back against the pillows and taking her swiftly, ravenously. He buried his face against her neck as Kendall responded to his need, wrapping her legs around him, holding him to her, bucking against him as he drove into her. He grasped her hips into his hands, lifting her against him, knowing he would soon die if he could not find a way to crawl inside her, become as much a part of her as her own heart. The need and pressure continued to build inside of him at a dizzying pace until he heard her cry out his name, as her muscles clenched around him, coaxing him, begging him to join her. And then Legolas found his own release, a momentary leap into the heavens, where blinding light and beauty mix and he was certain that no greater joy or sweeter pain could exist. He fell against her, his breathing ragged, unsteady, his heart hammering within his breast, joyful music lifting in chorus in his mind.

The next few days - or was it weeks? Moments? Kendall could not tell - passed in a haze of blessed euphoria. She and Legolas continued to share their meals with the Fellowship. After breakfast, they would gather Gimli and explore the realm of Lorien, sometimes spending time with the Galadhrim, or choosing to wander the woods on their own, talking, sharing tales or simply spending the time together in silence. Kendall was pleased with the surprising friendship that grew between the Dwarf and the Elf. As different as two creatures could be and yet they seemed to fascinate one another, forming a strangely beautiful bond.

The nights were for Kendall and Legolas. They spent this time in seclusion, forgetting about the world and its troubles around them, laughing, sharing their dreams and hopes, loving one another until little else existed. More than once, Kendall had considered telling Legolas the truth, revealing to him everything she could remember of her true home. Late a night, after a bath in the spring together, when Legolas would gently brush out the tangles in her hair until it shone with the starlight, she would be tempted to tell him everything. To admit every secret. But always Gandalf's words would come back to her and she feared that by telling him, she might also endanger his life. And she would gladly go to her own death long before she ever became the cause of his.

Every moment Kendall spent with him, Legolas seemed to teach her something new about love and being loved. And every night he took her to heights she did not believe possible. They explored and learned of one another completely, until they reached the point where it was difficult to delineate where one began and the other ended. Kendall knew that when she found Legolas staring up at the sky late at night, it was best to simply go to him, wrap her arms around him and sit there with him quietly until he turned to her in need. Legolas learned that sometimes Kendall was childish and spoilt and that it was best to ignore her instead of giving in to her demands or arguing, for she always came back to her senses within a few moments of silence. She learned what it took to make him laugh, and found herself pulling the most foolish antics possible to hear him give way to that magnificent sound. He learned that she was inordinately ticklish and so took every opportunity to send her into a bout of outraged squeals.

On the morning of the Fellowships' departure, it was this laughter that led Haldir to the mallorn that held their taran. Emerging through the tangle of branches that gave the area its solitude, he found Legolas waiting at the bottom of a rope ladder as the Human female, Kendall, climbed down. When she was about five rungs from the forest floor, Legolas reached up and tickled her sides. She squealed, letting go of the ladder and falling back into the Elf's arms. They both laughed as he swung her around until it was obvious she was becoming dizzy and then kicked against him until he set her down. She wavered unsteadily and he caught her and kissed her, for which he received in return a hard tug on his ear. In a whisper he called her "Amin urite rerauko <My fiery she-demon>" and they both laughed again and she threw her arms over his neck and they lost themselves in another kiss. With a frown, Haldir moved forward.

She knew very well and proper who the Lady was, for Legolas had spent a good deal of time familiarizing her with the Elves of Lorien. But Haldir did not know this and Kendall watched with silent amusement as the arrogant Elf ahead of them came to a sudden halt, glancing over his shoulder to flash her the haughtiest look of derision she had ever witnessed. When Haldir turned away and moved off once more through the thicket, Kendall pressed her face into Legolas' shoulder in an attempt to hide the laughter that had taken hold of her.

Their comrades were packed and ready to depart from the sunlit glade when Legolas and Kendall joined them. Some of the Galadhrim met with them, bringing them little cakes they referred to as lembas to take with them on their travels. The lembas were to be eaten lightly, for just a few bites would fortify a person for a day. They were golden on the outside and cream-colored inside and when Kendall took a small bite of one, she thought she had never tasted anything so wonderful in her life. Gimli ate an entire cake and was badgered good-naturedly by the Galadhrim for doing so. Along with the lembas, the members of the Fellowship were also gifted with Elven cloaks, wonderful garments that appeared to reflect the environment they were in. Near rocks the color of the material appeared gray, near the water blue, near the trees brown and green. Each was held closed with a leaf-shaped clasp. Between the tunic and breeches Legolas had given her and the new cloak, Kendall figured all she needed now were pointed ears and she would be an Elf. She whispered the thought to Legolas and he laughed and kissed her mouth delightedly.

Very quickly, Haldir led them out of the city of the Galadhrim and through the forest toward the River. Awaiting them were three small boats built by the Elves for the Fellowship to use. With their belongings packed away, they were ready to resume their journey when an enormous swan-shaped boat glided over the River toward them. Seated inside were Celeborn and Galadriel. This was Kendall's first glimpse of their hosts and she realized later that there were no words to describe their beauty, their presence. The light of ages seemed to surround them and in their eyes were held all the mysteries of life. She felt humbled and unworthy in their presence and few words escaped her as the Fellowship was taken to the banks where a farewell feast was held. If Legolas found her silence peculiar, he did not comment, only continued to touch her throughout the meal, as if quietly offering her his strength.

Kendall watched curiously as each member received their gift. She marveled over the beautiful bow given to Legolas, and smiled at Gimli's unexpected request and reception of three strands of Galadriel's golden hair. When the Lady turned to her, Kendall was suddenly uncertain and just a little nervous. She still remembered the voice in her head when they had first entered the woods of Lorien and its effect on her. Not wanting to appear ungracious, and yet not wanting to approach Galadriel, Kendall found herself inching closer to Legolas. Noting her trepidation, Legolas reached out and placed his hand at the small of her back, gently pushing her forward.

Galadriel silently watched the young mortal woman before her as she seemed to gather up her courage and move forward. It would have been impossible to not see the love shared between the mortal and Elf of Mirkwood. They were so full of the light of each other that it reflected onto those around them, touching them, enveloping them in it's warmth and beauty. Even now, as the woman approached her, Galadriel could see that she was merely an extension of Legolas, as he was of her. Sorrow filled the Lady of the Wood. It was a cruel trick of Fate for such love to exist that could truly never be.

Now the Lady did smile. She lifted her hands, holding between them a gold chain, attached to which was a tiny vial filled with an amber liquid. "Because sometimes we do not possess the strength needed within us to say goodbye." She slipped the chain over Kendall's head, the vial resting against the hollow of her neck. Then Galadriel leaned forward, whispering softly, her tone filled with sadness, "Be careful, Kendall Malloy. Even though we do not mean to, we can often bring inexplicable pain to those we love the most."

Kendall was silent as the Lady of the Wood moved away. She remained unmoving, her mind focused on those last words spoken until Legolas came to her, telling her it was time to go. She nodded, allowing him to lead her back to the River, where she climbed into the boat with him and Gimli. Looking back at the shore, she saw Galadriel standing beside the bank, watching her. Unable to bring herself to say goodbye, Kendall turned away, focusing on the River ahead as Legolas pushed the oar through the water. As they left the waters of Lothlorien, the Lady's sweet voice whispered through Kendall's mind Sometimes forever is too much, and not enough.

The trip down the River was to be a long one. They traveled during the day, well into the evening before Aragorn would call them to a halt, stopping along the banks where they would make a small camp and rest before setting out the next day at dawn. While Gimli shared the boat with Legolas and Kendall, his presence did not keep them from growing ever closer with each passing day. When she grew weary, Kendall would rest against the Elf as he effortlessly drew the paddle through the water, guiding them along the River. Unfortunately for Kendall, these long periods of simply sitting with nothing to do was a task she was unused to, and Legolas would smile to himself as he watched her grow restless each day, a few hours into the journey, wriggling about in the boat, occasionally heaving a heavy sigh before finally turning her attention to Gimli.

Legolas watched silently on the third day of their journey as Kendall sat up near the Dwarf, braiding his hair and speaking in low tones with him about the wonders of Lorien. The Elf tried not to listen in on what they were saying to one another, preferring to allow them a private conversation while he focused his attention on the banks around them. Since the day before, something had been prowling at the back of his mind, like an ominous cloud slowly stretching its hand across the sun. Something was... following them? He could not tell but things were not right. He knew he would have to be cautious during their journey but he did not want to alarm the others until he knew for certain that there was a danger. His fears could just as easily have been drawn from the fact that in Lorien, Kendall had been safe from all the dangers of the world. Now they were beyond the protection of the Elves and the depth of his feelings for her were foremost in his mind. To lose her now...

"Hmph." Gimli folded his arms over his chest and chose to ignore the question while behind him Kendall laughed again. She had taken to calling him ai'ataramin, or "Little father", since one day in Lorien when she had been splashing Legolas with the water from the fountain and Gimli had warned her not to get too wet or she would become ill. Of course, the Dwarf would rather never see a cave again than to admit he was actually rather found of the endearment.

They made camp along the shore a few hours after darkness had fallen across the land. Sam cooked their meal and they gathered around the fire in silence, speaking little, each lost within their own thoughts. Kendall cast her gaze to Legolas, knowing that soon he would move off to guard the camp, remaining their stalwart vigil against the darkness, while she and the others would try to find a comfortable spot to sleep. Kendall knew she would sleep a few hours then Legolas would come, quietly waking her, taking her hand and leading her away from the camp where they would have the chance to spend a few precious hours in solitude. The sun would begin to rise and they would set off down the River once more.

As expected, Legolas soon rose, bending over to brush a quick kiss on the top of her head before disappearing into the darkness. Kendall watched until she could no longer see him then sighed, crawling over to a space among the trees where Merry and Pippin were already curled up asleep. She laid down next to them, longing for sleep to come quickly because it would bring her Elf to her that much sooner. Closing her eyes, Kendall allowed a small smile when she felt Pippin's hand curl comfortingly around her fingers.

Legolas did not stray far from camp, remaining near the perimeter, his eyes and ears scanning the surrounding woods. The River was silent and he felt no danger from it. But the forest... He could not shake the feeling that something was drawing near to them. Unfortunately, he could delineate little else from his senses. It could be have been little more than a storm that was gathering, or some other significant change in the weather. Then again...

Legolas turned to face the Man, recalling once more the strange expression he had caught on his face earlier that day. He could not help but remember the immediate disliking he had taken to the Man from Gondor during the Council at Rivendell. The way Boromir had spoken to Aragorn, the disdain and lack of respect he had shown. And though Boromir had proven a valiant member of the Fellowship throughout their travels, Legolas still could not find the will within him to trust the Man completely.

"Do not think I would hesitate to kill you, son of Gondor," Legolas said, his voice soft, menacing. The arrow seemed to draw nearer to Boromir's neck, gently pricking the skin there. "I will ask you once to stay away from Kendall. I will ask you once to understand that which you cannot: I love her. She has chosen me and I will not walk willingly away from her. Cause her one moment of grief, Boromir, son of Gondor, and you will feel the sting of my arrow pierce through you. I ask all this of you once... and never again. Is this understood?"

The Elf and Man remained unmoving as Kendall appeared out of the trees. She stared at the scene before her wide-eyed, questioning, as Legolas stepped back from Boromir, replacing the arrow into its quiver and slinging the bow over his shoulder. A tense silence hung in the air around them before Legolas finally cast a glance to Kendall. There was no censure in her gaze, only confusion, but Legolas found that he could not calm the anger which still burned within him. Without another word to either of the mortals before him, the Elf quickly disappeared into the woods.

"Aiya! <Oh!> Curse all men and their stupidity!" Kendall replied, her hand itching to grab her sword and beat the man before her over the head with the flat of its blade. "When are you going to get it through that overly thick skull of yours that my destiny does not lay within yours, Boromir? I have made my choice and, good or bad, it is something which you have to accept. Even if Legolas were not here, there is no guarantee that I would have ever come to love you. Why do you try then to sow dissension between us? Is there not enough on this journey that we must face together? Can you not allow me some happiness?"

Kendall watched silently as the Man nodded and turned away with a heavy sigh, moving back toward the camp. Funny how in another time and another place she most likely would have gladly accepted his attention. Shaking her head, Kendall scanned the woods through which Legolas had disappeared. She knew that if he did not wish to be found, she most likely would not be able to do so, but that did not mean she would not try. Even if it took the last few hours before dawn. Her mind fretting over what Boromir had said to the Elf, Kendall began searching her way through the darkness.

It took little more than an hour before Kendall finally broke through the trees where Legolas stood on the bank, staring out at the River. He had led her on a merry chase, she could admit that. She had been pricked by thorns, tripped more than once over uneven ground and hidden roots and been left to wonder more than once how terribly lost and far she was from camp. From her vantage point now, Kendall could see that they were only a few hundred yards north of camp and she could easily find her way back to camp by herself should she be left by Legolas to do so.

"N'uma <No>!" Legolas turned and grabbed her roughly by the arms, scaring Kendall with the suddenness of his action, with the tight grip that he held her by. As if realizing he was hurting and frightening her, the Elf loosened his hold. "No, melamin. That is what you do not understand. After you, there cannot be another... My heart is bound to you. My soul. You have become the air I breathe, the water that quenches my thirst, the food that nourishes me. To lose you... " He broke off and for the first time in hundreds of years, Legolas felt the threat of tears. He swallowed them away. He would make her understand. "To lose you would mean to lose myself. And I'm afraid, Kendall. I am afraid of facing that, of facing what loving you means."

Kendall was silent and uncertain of what comfort to offer. She had not taken the time to consider what her mortality would mean to Legolas. When Boromir had forced her to consider what it meant to love an immortal, she had faced it only from her point of view. But now she understood. Now that Boromir had confronted Legolas as well, had forced them both to face the inevitable future of their love, they could not turn away from it. She would die, there was no way around that. And he would live forever, remembering. Kendall suddenly realized she was the lucky one. She could not imagine what the pain would be in losing Legolas or how she would even face the idea of continuing to live without him.

"Melamin," Kendall said softly, reaching up to touch his cheek, to trail her fingers across the silken skin. She felt an errant tear stray down her cheek. "I do not know what words of comfort I can offer you. All of this time I have foolishly worried that I would be the one in pain, that once my youth faded you would turn away from me. I feared loving you because I feared losing your love. But now I see that losing your love would be nothing compared to losing you - to knowing that you no longer walked this earth." Her tears fell freely now and she went willingly into the Elf's arms as he pulled her close.

Now he stood within the camp, staring down at Kendall as she slumbered beside Merry and Pippin. Since the confrontation with Boromir, since his admission of his fear of loving her, their relationship had become uncomfortably strained, no small amount of which was his fault. He had remained away from her in the evenings, not coming to her as he had before, leaving her to sleep with the others until dawn. Kendall, in her usual manner, had said nothing to him regarding it, inherently understanding that he needed time and solitude to think. She continued to greet him with a smile each morning, snuggled against him each afternoon when she grew weary. But her laughter was less carefree and sorrow more often than not touched her eyes. And Legolas knew that it was his fault.

The Elf was pulled from his reverie when Kendall sighed softly in her sleep, unconsciously moving closer to Pippin as if seeking his warmth and companionship. Legolas felt the stirrings of a smile touch his lips. Kendall, Merry and Pippin had formed a strong friendship throughout the journey, one that appeared based on mutual adoration and nurturing. While they were each equally protective of one another, they also had a flair for playfulness, such as the water fight they had gotten into earlier that day which had ultimately left Legolas, Boromir and Gimli wetter than the three instigators. Expecting some sort of reprisal from Aragorn for the raucous that was made, the Elf had been surprised to find that the future King of Men was fighting hard not to burst into laughter at the sight before him. Frodo and Sam had already given over to the temptation, pointing fingers and chuckling over what a sight the bedraggled Elf, Dwarf and Man made. Gimli had threatened to toss Kendall overboard should she try anything of the like again and Legolas and Boromir had quickly agreed to offer their assistance.

When they had made camp, Kendall had quickly become subdued once more and Legolas had known she watched him, her heart silently crying out for his touch though she refrained from speaking of her need. He had not meant to hurt her. He too was feeling the strain of the forced separation, longing for nothing more than to lose himself in the smell of her skin, the whisper of her voice against his ear, the feel of her touch. But he had decisions to make, important choices concerning their future together, and Legolas wanted to be completely certain of each one before he shared them with her.

Legolas led Kendall eastward through the trees and brush until they reached an open field. It was a full moon that night and all around them the world was alive with the sights and sounds of nocturnal life. Starlight danced in the leaves of the trees behind them and winked off of the knee-high grasses of the field. The entire landscape was dotted with blossoms of every color and fragrance, all swaying gently with the night breeze. Kendall smiled to see that Legolas had already spread his cloak upon the soft ground and decided to tease him about his impetuosity.

Kendall's mouth fell in open in mock outrage and Legolas laughed when she cuffed him playfully upside the head. Ducking her next attack, he grabbed her around the waist and promptly began tickling her, eliciting squeals of outrage that only made him laugh harder. When Legolas decided Kendall had had enough, her cheeks wet with happy tears, he pulled her back against him, burying his face against her neck. He nuzzled her skin gently, breathing in the scent of her, a mixture of apples and spice, before placing a kiss below her ear.

Silence fell between them while Legolas continued to place feather-light kisses over her face, his fingers gently kneading her neck. Leaning into him, Kendall laid her head against his chest, losing herself in the peaceful cadence of his heartbeat. His hands moved over her back, touching, caressing, awakening her skin with little ripples of pleasure that coursed through her from head to foot. Knowing she needed to speak before she became too lost in what his hands were doing to her, Kendall asked quietly:

Kendall moved to shake her head but he kissed her to silence, his hands roaming delicately over her breasts, his palms encircling her nipples until they hardened into tight buds. Sighing, she leaned into his touch, her arms wrapping around his neck to pull him closer. He continued to caress her, whispering softly to her in Elven, before moving to rid her of the rest of her clothing. Once Kendall stood bare before him, Legolas stepped back to view her beauty. Her legs were long and shapely leading up to gently flared hips, small waist and full breasts. She blushed under his steady gaze and Legolas thought the slight coloring over her body was enchanting. There was a tiny beauty mark on the left side of her ribs and Legolas knelt before her to kiss it lightly. Kendall inhaled a sharp breath at his touch, her hands moving to wrap themselves in his pale hair as he moved his mouth across her stomach, alternately kissing and licking at her with his tongue. Her legs trembled at the exquisite touch, threatening to give out on her, but Legolas held her firmly and steadily by the hips.

His hand crept to the juncture at her thighs, moving in circular motions through the curls until he finally slipped a finger within her, running it along the cleft before withdrawing to return to her hips while his mouth danced across her ribs, worshipping her skin with his tongue. She writhed against him, arching to meet him, all thought leaving her when his mouth had reached her thighs and he alternately nipped with his teeth then licked the brief pain away.

Legolas positioned himself between her legs, continually caressing her hips softly, moving his hands between her thighs, parting them gently. He cast a surreptitious glance up at the mortal, noting the glazing of her eyes, the slight sheen of perspiration on her skin. The moonlight played across her body, causing her to appear all silver and pale and as immortal as he. His beautiful mortal. With gentleness and love, he took her with his mouth. He laved her with his tongue, teasing the already swollen nub as Kendall pushed against him, her attempts at stifling her cries failing. He burrowed his tongue deeply within her, leaving no part of her unmolested, before taking the nub into his mouth and suckling at it until he felt Kendall's muscles begin to clench around him. He held her as he felt her collapse against him, her body trembling with the force of her climax, her fingers digging into his shoulders like a lifeline. When he was certain she had regained some of her strength, he stood and kissed her forehead, her cheek, her mouth, lingering over her lips. He kissed her deeply, allowing all of the love he felt for her to rush forth, his tongue teasing hers playfully, the taste of her still lingering. His hands moved over her skin, stroking her back and hip, before brushing lightly across her breast. She moved into his touch, moaning low in her throat as he teased her nipple into a tight bud. He continued to fondle her breast tenderly, his lips moving away from hers to travel down her throat and across her breastbone to take her nipple into his mouth. He drew on it delicately at first, gauging her reaction until she arched forward to meet him, then he sucked on it voraciously, holding Kendall against him as she writhed from the sensations that ran rampant through her. He moved from one breast to the other, lavishing each in an ancient form of worship, his touch gentle and unthreatening. Lifting her into his arms, Legolas carried her over to his cloak where he laid her carefully on the ground before divesting himself of his own clothing.

Reaching out, the Elf gently cupped her breast, relishing the weight of it in his hand, teasing the nipple with his thumb until it hardened once more into a tight bud. He heard the faint moan issue low in Kendall's throat, felt her tremble at his touch. He leaned over and licked at the nipple once, twice, stilling as she wriggled under him, her breath turning to soft sighs. He blew on the wet bud, teasing it once more with his thumb before finally taking it into his mouth, sucking on it forcefully before drawing back and licking it again. Kendall let out a loud gasp, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer to her. He turned his attentions to the other orb, teasing the nipple as he had its twin, sucking on it greedily like a starved child.

Closing her eyes, Kendall lost herself to the exquisite feelings running rampant throughout her. It had been only days away from his exquisite touch and yet it seemed like eons, and now she felt as if she would explode under Legolas' ministrations. His mouth was insistent on her, at times bordering on pain before gentling back to a tender suckling. While one hand continued to pet her breast, the other moved slowly down her stomach, lingering over her abdomen then moving to caress her hip, teasing as he neared the apex of her thighs. His attention to her body was torturous, his touch leisurely. He continued to play with her nipple lightly between his teeth, while his hand lingered at her thighs, which automatically opened at his touch, and he slid a finger excruciatingly slowly within her wet warmth. She arched her hips against his hand, searching for more, only to have him withdraw and return to gently caressing her hips. She whimpered at the loss but quickly forgot her disappointment as he moved his mouth across her belly once more, pausing to tickle her belly button with his tongue before moving back across her thighs. Over the next few minutes, Legolas bathed her body with his tongue, flipping her onto her stomach so that he could pay special attention to the sensitive spot at the small of her back, lingering over the fragile lines of her ankles, nipping the soft skin at the back of her knees.

By the time Legolas had left no portion of her skin untouched, Kendall thought she would weep with the intensity of the need that burned through her. His purposeful ministrations had left her a trembling mass beneath him, a rag doll simply waiting for the next sweet torture that he would visit upon her. She had become so used to his pulling away, leaving her bereft of his touch, that when he did so again she simply accepted it, unable to form the words needed to beg for release. But this time Kendall's breath escaped her as Legolas entered her, the girth of him filling her until she thought she would burst. Her body seemed made to mold to him, so tightly did he fit within her, and she quickly found herself arching up to meet his thrusts. He pulsed and throbbed inside her until her head began to whirl. He continued to drive into her, never once hesitating even as she shook and trembled beneath him, the spasms of her consuming climax taking over her. Kendall thought she had surely died from splendor when her conscious barely registered that Legolas had not reached that pinnacle with her. Instead, his hand reached between them, stroking the embers in her to burning again until she was once more calling out his name, her legs wrapping around his torso. She seemed to explode inside, but as he moved on her, the excitement began to build again until she was unable to tell the real from the unreal. She was soaring, yet melting away. Again Legolas brought her to climax, all the while continuing to stroke her relentlessly, never giving in to his own pleasure until Kendall finally lay exhausted beneath him. She had little enough strength left to keep her arms around him, her hands hovering over the marks her nails had made in his shoulders. The sound of Legolas calling out her name brought her slowly back to reality, enough to enjoy the feel of his essence pouring into her, the wild thudding of his heartbeat against her chest. He caught himself before dropping his weight on her, rolling to his side and pulling her with him into his arms.

They fell into a comfortable silence. Legolas stroked Kendall's back for the moment, enjoying the simple feel of her bare skin against his. He caressed her cheek, kissed her softly. Foremost in his mind was how very much he loved her and how often he would tell her so daily, so that she would never be left to doubt. For it was easy to see, for anyone who truly looked, that her place was and always would be, at his side. Turning to his side, Legolas cupped her face in his hands, holding her before him.

The next morning the Fellowship set out once more before the sun had peaked over the horizon. Little was said throughout the day, for everyone seemed to feel the pressing stillness that covered the shores surrounding them. Something hung in the air... a danger, an omen, it could not be named but it left its mark on the company that day. The woods that rose on either side of them seemed shadowy, threatening. Even the blue sky above clouded over and the waters through which they glided appeared darker and murky. Aragorn was as wary as the others of the surrounding area and pushed them on well into the night, before finally calling out that it was time to pull ashore to rest. By then they had traveled well away from the woods and the collective mood around them had lightened.

The ninth evening of their journey, all hearts had lightened and a general camaraderie was felt around the encampment. While Sam was busy cooking up their meal and Legolas and Aragorn had moved on to scout the perimeter, Boromir and Kendall offered to spar for a bit with Merry and Pippin. The two Hobbits eagerly agreed, as they were all beginning the feel the strain of the confinement in the boats, and they quickly found an open glade in which to practice. Gimli and Frodo followed out of curiosity, sitting at the edge of the woods to watch.

The sparring continued for the next half hour, their swords clanging in the twilight, matched in volume only by the occasional shout and laughter. They finally broke into teams, Boromir and Merry against Pippin and Kendall. Gimli and Frodo shouted encouragement from the sidelines, each choosing their own pair to root for -- Gimli went with Boromir and Merry because they were comparably stronger, but Frodo chose Kendall and Pippin exactly because they were smaller, and unexpected. It was during their last match that the larger of the two teams was prepared to finally declare a victory, after Boromir and Merry had conspired quietly together on a strategy. They ended up maneuvering Kendall and Pippin into the exact position that they wanted, Pippin and Boromir battling up and behind Kendall, who was facing off with Merry. Taking the chance of possibly being cut by Pippin's sword, Boromir kicked his leg out, knocking the Hobbit off his feet, then lunging over to Kendall, who he quickly grasped around the waist and lifted into the air. Merry tossed himself under Kendall's flailing feet to tackle Pippin who was just attempting to climb back to his feet and both Man and Hobbit quickly claimed victory.

It was four against three and, in the end, Boromir, Kendall and Legolas gave over to the onslaught of their shorter companions. It was this sight which greeted Aragorn and Sam as they entered the glade in search of the others, where the Elf was being stood on by the Dwarf, Kendall was being mercilessly tickled by Pippin and Frodo, and Merry was kneeling on Boromir's chest, threatening him with the dagger he had pilfered off of Legolas.

Their meal around the fire that night was filled with laughter and song and stories. Legolas led them all in a round of "American Pie", the song Kendall had taught the Elves when she had first arrived at Rivendell and Sam recited a scary story told to him as a child by the Gaffer, which Kendall was quick to point out to Pippin when it was done made him "scream like a girl". Pippin argued this while the others laughed and he finally gave up, left with no reply but sticking his tongue out at the female. She had laughed and kissed his curly head before getting up and following Legolas away from the camp.

Hours later, Kendall leaned back against the Elf's chest, his arms and legs wrapped around her, keeping her warm and safe, as they sat on a small hillside, staring up at the stars. Silence enveloped them, leaving each to their own thoughts, their hearts beating in sync with one another, their breathing low and mellifluous. Legolas held Kendall's hands within his, absently stroking his thumb over her palm, caressing the underside of her wrist. Occasionally she would close her eyes and drift into a light sleep, that slip of Time where everything seems to freeze in an instant and one is not wholly asleep nor wholly awake but aware of both worlds at once. She found herself wanting to memorize this moment, this place in Time where it seemed nothing could touch them. Her friends were safely sleeping not far away; the other half of her soul sat quietly holding her against him. All was at peace. All was perfect. The future did not matter.

The tenth day of their journey had been relatively unremarkable, save for the morning when they had passed by the Argonath, the Pillars of the Kings. Like giants they had risen on either side of the River, towering, silent yet somehow threatening gray figures. They stood upon great pillars of stone, facing the North, their left hands raised, palm out, in a gesture of warning. In their right hands they each held an axe, their heads covered with helm and crown. They signified all that was powerful and majestic of the Kings of Men and instilled in Kendall feelings of awe and humility. She noticed that even Boromir bowed his head silently as they drifted by and the Hobbits cowered almost fearfully within the boats. No one had spoken a word since.

Kendall frowned, but sat back in the boat as Legolas guided it to the shores of Amon Hen. She did not like the idea of the Fellowship splitting up at all. Either they all go to Mordor or they all go to Gondor. That was her thought on the matter, but she doubted they would listen. She suddenly wished fervently that she could remember what happened in the tale she knew from home, but there was nothing left of it in her memory. It seemed that Middle-earth had swallowed her up completely, making her as much a part of it as if she had been born there. Around her the others seemed to fall into a shadow of despair as well and Kendall found herself missing the easy camaraderie of a few nights before.

Kendall followed Gimli onto the shore a few feet up the bank where he sat down to build a fire. She pulled her last apple from her pack, tossing it to Pippin as he moved up to sit beside her. He flashed her a grateful smile before biting into it and chewing happily, a contented smile on his face. Digging through her pack once more, Kendall broke off a piece of one of her lembas cakes, and tossed it into her mouth. Her gaze strayed once more to Legolas who stood not far away, his eyes searching the woods around them, his manner and stance tense. She considered going to him when Aragorn announced:

Kendall moved away from the Hobbits to pace in front of the River, waiting for the return of the others. Her gaze continually strayed to the forest as the minutes ticked by, her heart heavy with worry. She tried to blame it on the concern which, she had noted, had hung around Legolas all that day. But something caused her to believe that her fears were real. Repeatedly her hand swept to the hilt of her sword, and at its touch her heartbeat would steadily increase. Kendall doubted she had it in her to participate in another battle. She had barely made it through the last, and certainly almost lost complete hold on her sanity. She could readily confess that she was not cut out for this “hero's journey”, but she knew it was too late to admit defeat. Succeed or fail she would see it through to the end, beside Legolas.

The Hobbit handed her a plate while across the fire, Pippin kept casting his gaze from the food on his plate back to the forest behind them. A disturbing silence seemed to settle around them until even the small fire seemed to quietly begin to die away. None of them touched their food nor spoke a word to one another. The minutes continued to tick by without word or sign from the others. The three companions sat unmoving, watching one another, their senses slowly awakening to everything around them. Kendall felt the hairs on the nape of her neck prickle and stand on end; she clutched the edge of her plate. Across from her, Pippin's eyes suddenly widened, as if he too felt something in the air.

Merry and Pippin broke into a run after Kendall as she darted into the woods and up the hill. From far above, the sounds of battle were increasing. The Hobbits glanced at one another as the growls and snarls of Orcs reached them. They too still harbored vivid memories of Moria. The Company had been together then, able to fight as one. Now they were separated, possibly each in a different area of the forest. How were they to hold off their attackers in pockets of two or three?

First and foremost in Kendall's mind was the safety of the two Hobbits following her. After all, she had been charged with their care. Though she knew she needed to join in the battle, she knew also that she had to protect Merry and Pippin. And when she found Sam, she would give him a sound thrashing for running off on her. Slowing to a jog, Kendall spotted an area up ahead that provided her with at least an ounce of relief. Waving to the Hobbits to follow her, she led them to a formation in the ground where a felled tree and some brush growth has created a hidden grotto within the side of the hill. Stopping beside it, she pointed to Merry and Pippin.

“Oh, Pip.” Kendall knelt down beside her two friends. “Neither of you could ever be in the way. You're a sight more courageous than I am and personally I would like nothing more than to crawl into that little hole there and wait until Aragorn calls out that all is well. But he asked me to protect you and I am going to do that first and foremost. And then I'll… “ She looked away worrying her lower lip, her gaze following the sounds of battle.

Unfortunately, Kendall did not reach the summit of Amon Hen. Halfway up the wooded hillside, her first attacker broke through the trees. She barely had time to stumble out of the way and draw her sword before he was upon her, and then she was not at all prepared for the force of his hit. When his weapon slammed into hers, she fell back, her teeth snapping together, the power of his strike ringing through her bones. For a brief moment, she was in shock. She remembered battling the Orcs in Moria. She had not been prepared then but still her attackers had not been so strong. The creature before her…

Kendall was more prepared for his next blow, securing her footing as he came at her. Knowing she needed to gain the upper ground if she were to beat him, she carefully danced her way around him, meeting his blows and remaining on the defensive until she acquired the proper momentum over him. Then she mentally recalled some of her sparring matches with Boromir and the tips she had learned from Legolas before she finally cut her attacker's legs from under him. Not waiting to see what damage she caused, Kendall broke away immediately back up the hill, only to find that more of the same were headed toward her.

It took her third attack before Kendall began to realize that something was not quite right. The creatures were all around her, though only three had taken the time to stop and fight her. The others raced by without glancing her way, as if she were unimportant. Their actions left her confused and frustrated. It was as if they were there for something specific, instead of a random attack or with the purpose of killing the party. With a hard swing, Kendall dispatched her attacker in a quick decapitation, turning away before she had to witness the actual toppling of his head from his shoulders. That was when Merry's voice reached her.

Whirling around, Kendall felt her heart leap into her throat as Merry and Pippin raced down the hill, followed closely by their attackers. Realization hit her. They were there for the Hobbits alone. Blinking herself back into the moment, Kendall started down the hill when footsteps behind her caused her to jump out of the way just in time not to be skewered through her back. The creature -- she had already decided these were not Orcs, at least not the garden variety - leapt at her then, taking her down to the ground where they rolled a few feet, fighting for dominance. Kendall knew that in hand to hand combat she would be lucky to last a minute or two, so she quickly searched her mind for a solution to defeating the brute that was currently attempting to get his hands wrapped around her throat. Then she remembered the small dagger that Legolas had told her to carry in her boot back in Lothlorien.

Getting to it was another matter entirely. Her attacker had her pinned on her back, while he sat on her chest, preparing to suffocate and crush her in one instance. Not really understanding the anatomy of the creatures that were attacking, Kendall silently reminded herself that nothing ventured, nothing gained, and after closing her eyes, she punched forward as hard as she could at her attacker's groin. He barked in pain, releasing his grip around her neck and rolling off of her. Not thinking twice about what she was doing, Kendall snatched the dagger from her boot and plunged it into his neck. Leaping to her feet, she ran back for her sword, which had been lost during the tumble a few feet up the hill. Once she had it back in hand, Kendall broke into a run.

More of their attackers flooded around her, as if the Horn were drawing them forth out of nowhere. She skirted the edge of the growing crowd, hoping to move in front of them, turn to face them as they were on coming, but instead she was continually forced further to the outside. The clang of swords rang out from just ahead and she looked up to find Boromir battling bravely, protecting Merry and Pippin who stood behind him. During a brief lapse, he put the Horn to his mouth and blew it loudly once more.

She nodded, knowing that she could reach his back by circling around the edge of the hill, and then perhaps the four of them would have an advantage together. Unfortunately, their attackers sensed her intentions and quickly began to converge on her. Kendall was growing tired, her arms screaming in protest each time she left them to deflect another blow. Where was Legolas? Where were Aragorn and Gimli? Slicing through the neck of her current opponent, Kendall broke into a quick sprint, trying to beat the sole creature that followed her over the last ridge.

A sudden cry from one of the Hobbits broke her attention, and Kendall skidded to a stop, watching in abject horror as Boromir dropped to his knees, an arrow projecting from his chest. Panic filled her. Without Boromir, she would be unable to protect the Hobbits. They would all be killed. Relief filled her as the Man struggled to his feet, meeting his next attacker. Quietly she prayed that it was only a shoulder wound as she swung her blade up to meet the next blow aimed her direction. Frustration and anger were beginning to fill her, tears stinging her eyes. Just how many of them were there? As she brought her blade down one last time, slicing the throat of her current attacker, Kendall watched in sudden bemusement as her sword tumbled to the ground at her feet. She stared at it blankly for a moment, wondering how she could have dropped it, when her gaze was drawn to her left hand… and the arrow that was lodged in the center of it.

Time seemed to stand still and all Kendall could do was continue to stare in disbelief at the unreal sight before her. It was the second cry that galvanized her; the sight of Boromir falling to his knees once more, a second arrow piercing his torso. She would never remember how she did it or what drove her at that moment, but Kendall seemed to step outside of herself, watching calmly as she snapped the sharp tip off of the arrow and then, grasping the hilt, pulled it from her hand. A scream echoed off the trees, though she could not be certain it was her own voice that made it. Bending over, she picked up her sword, knowing she could now reach Boromir and the Hobbits and perhaps provide the support needed.

Whirling around to head their direction, Kendall realized she was too late. She was left to watch helplessly as Boromir fell one last time to his knees, a third arrow protruding from his stomach. The scream she wanted to utter stuck in her throat. Everything suddenly happened at once. Merry and Pippin, rage and sorrow claiming them, grabbed their swords, and screaming charged into the foray. But they only made it a few feet before they were gathered up into the arms of their attackers, slung like sacks of vegetables over their shoulders and carried off into the forest.

“Kendall has a good head start on us,” Aragorn said softly. “But she's smart. She's only doing what she knows we will do as well. We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment to death. Not while we have strength left.” Aragorn waited until Legolas met his gaze once again before starting up into the woods behind them, retrieving his dagger from the body of one of his victims. “Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light. Let's hunt some orc!”

Kendall gratefully slid to the ground behind the trunk of an enormous tree, her shaking legs almost giving out on her during the descent. Merry and Pippin's captors had traveled without resting for the past day and Kendall, knowing she would lose them if she stopped, had done the same. Unfortunately, she was getting tired. Leaning her head back against the tree, she closed her eyes for a brief moment's rest, knowing she could not remain still too long or she would likely fall asleep. Her left hand, wrapped hastily in a strip of her tunic, had gone from severe pain to a blessed numbness. She wondered how long she had to get it treated before a serious infection decided to set in.

Like her hand, Kendall had succeeded in numbing her heart as well. She tried desperately not to think of Boromir, laying there as his life's blood seeped onto the cold, hard ground, knowing she could have provided him some happiness in the last of his days if she had not been so selfish. If she had not thought only of her own heart and her love for Legolas... Biting her lip against the sob that threatened, Kendall tried to turn her mind elsewhere.

For the past day she had been trying to reach an understanding as to why Merry and Pippin had blatantly ignored her instructions. The only reasonable explanation was Frodo. He must have been somewhere nearby and she knew that they would have done anything to protect their friend. It was just the way that they were, having no consideration for their own safety. So they had sacrificed themselves for Frodo and Frodo had... Here was where Kendall found herself wondering just how split the Fellowship had become after Amon Hen. Already Frodo had to deal with her attempt to take the Ring and Boromir's comments at the Council about using the Ring for Gondor. If he had any worries whatsoever about his safety among the Fellowship... well, if Kendall were Frodo, she would have struck out on her own long ago. But then, she doubted Sam would ever allow such a thing.

Sighing, Kendall cast a painful glance at her hand for a moment then craned her head around the side of the trunk to make certain everyone was still where they were supposed to be. About twelve hours ago, they had stopped briefly when a horde of about one hundred Orcs had joined them. It was thanks to the newcomers that she now understood she had been correct in her assumptions that their attackers had not been the garden-variety Orcs. Especially when one watched the two of them beside each other. The Orcs were smaller in stature, hunched over with long arms. The Uruk-hai, as she heard them called, were massive in size, erect and extremely strong. From the conversation she overheard, Kendall was led to believe that these Uruk-hai belonged to Saruman, while the Orcs which recently joined them were loyal to Sauron. She knew she would have to be careful. Things could begin to be very interesting with those two groups together. Luckily, the Uruk-hai, who were intent on taking Merry and Pippin to Saruman, were stronger and Kendall did not worry too much that the Orcs would have a chance to kill them, as they wished to do.

Leaning back once more, Kendall allowed all of her thoughts to drift to Legolas. She knew he was most likely angry with her for running off, but at the time she had no choice. Someone needed to follow, and she knew she could not have taken the Uruk-hai who had killed Boromir. She had no choice but to run. In her heart, she knew that her Elf was all right. He would have survived the battle, or she would have felt it. A presence as beautiful and powerful as his could not be extinguished from the universe without everything within nature feeling it. So he was out there, most likely even now heading in her direction, and Kendall knew without a doubt she would gladly put up with his anger to have him there beside her.

I am going to marry him. A smile touched her face. She could not help but wonder what Mirkwood was like and whether or not his family would accept her. What would his father, the King, think of his son marrying a mortal? Which life would their children choose? Kendall's eyes widened at the thought and she quickly shook her head with a silent laugh. Now she was getting ahead of herself. Children, indeed. They still had two Hobbits to rescue and a Ring to destroy and Middle-earth to save from certain doom. She frowned. Putting it that way, she would rather dwell on her future life as the wife of an Elf Prince then the present situation.

Behind her, the Orcs and Uruk-hai seemed to be gathering once more and she knew it was the end of her rest. Climbing to her feet, Kendall reached into her pack for a small bit of lembas, chewing it quietly as her gaze scanned the crowd ahead. She finally found the two small bundles she was searching for, who were forced to stand now and continue on foot. She sighed with relief, pleased to know that Merry and Pippin were still unharmed enough to be capable to walk on their own. With one last glance behind her, silently hoping to catch a glimpse of golden hair, Kendall turned and began continued following the Hobbit's captors.

Legolas closed his eyes as the thought filtered through his mind yet again. The fear within him steadily mounted each moment that she remained out of his sight. Did she know he was coming for her? Or had she abandoned hope, believing she was on her own? The Elf's jaw clenched as he opened his eyes, once more scanning the horizon, the silent hope budding in his heart that he would see her out there, safe, waiting for him.

None of them had wanted to stop and rest but there had been no choice left. After the battle at Amon Hen, they had set out on foot, intent on finding Kendall and rescuing Merry and Pippin. When Legolas had last been able to glimpse the horde of Orcs, he had estimated them to be a good twelve leagues ahead. Aragorn had wanted to continue; Gimli had wanted to continue; Legolas could have continued. But they were exhausted and tracking was near impossible to do in the dark, so Aragorn made the decision to stop and rest until dawn. Knowing that to continue alone and break up the Fellowship once more would be folly, Legolas had not argued. They had to remain together. They had to find Kendall together. They had to rescue the Hobbits together. So while Gimli and Aragorn slept, Legolas stood watch.

The night sky was just beginning to turn a shade of gray and soon they would be able to set out once more. Not far behind them, they had reached a heavily trampled area, containing footprints of both the large creatures which had attacked them at Amon Hen and the smaller ones of Orcs. There had been no sign of the Hobbits or of Kendall. Now Legolas found that all he wanted was some hint that she was alright, some clue that they were on the right track, that she was not far ahead of them. He was no fool. He knew that deep down inside what he really wanted was to be able to see her, to touch her, to hold her against him and assure her that he would never leave her side again. But a small sign, anything, would have sustained him for the moment.

Legolas had tried singing during the night, but had found no joy in it. He missed her warmth, when she pressed against him, resting her head on his shoulder, sighing against his neck. He wanted to hear her speak his name. Most of all, he wanted to hear her laughter. He needed it. Legolas was having difficulty finding joy at the moment, even the trees around them seemed to hang their branches in torment. Nothing seemed alive. Not without her.

While Aragorn and Gimli each had a quick bite of lembas and cool drink of water, Legolas remained on the knoll, his eyes continually scanning the horizon as night lightened into morning. They had tried to get him to eat but he could not think of food. He wanted to be away from there. He wanted to find her. He wanted to tell her about his decision and he wanted to hear her argue with him, as he knew she would. Legolas would ultimately ignore her points of contention but that did not mean he could not look forward to the dispute with her. He knew her eyes would lighten in color, to the point of transparency and her cheeks would redden with her anger. She would become likely become caustic and heated and he would finally laugh and kiss her anger away, telling her that he had no intention of living life without her and no matter how much she argued, she would not change his mind. He loved her, and that was all there was to it.

Silence and darkness surrounded the thicket. A dead Orc lay just within the copse of trees that sheltered the glade from the open field beyond. Here and there leaves, and the ground they were scattered upon, were speckled with drops of blood, testimony to the fight which had occurred there earlier. A doe stepped in through the trees, her sleek nose raised in warning at the scent of the death that hung in the air. Large black eyes focused on the immobile form laying amidst the leaves. The animal took a tentative step forward before suddenly wheeling about and disappearing back into the woods.

Kendall opened her eyes at the sound. At first her heart raced in anticipation but after a moment it slowed once more into a dull beat. She was cold, and it was no longer from the breeze that brushed across her bruised and battered skin. This chill swept over her from somewhere deep inside, gnawing into her bones. It lulled her toward a blissful sleep, no matter how hard she fought against it. At first there had been too much pain to do little more than lay there, crying in agony. Then she had fallen unconscious. When next she woke, the pain had lessened, her body was growing colder, edging her towards sleep. But she was afraid to close her eyes, afraid that she would never open them again.

Kendall had only slipped off to sleep for a few moments when the Orcs had found her. The group had stopped once more and Kendall had not known that the Northern Orcs which had originally ran off were coming back around behind them. She had sat down to rest and wait, wondering if a chance would ever present itself for her to attempt to rescue Merry and Pippin. Her gaze still searched the distance for a glimpse of Legolas.

She had fought, killing one, wounding a few others, before they finally wrestled her sword away from her. It was the Uruk-hai who had taken over from there, curious about the Woman they now held captive. They had quickly decided that since she was not a Hobbit, she was not needed or wanted by Saruman, which gave them leave to do with her as they pleased. As so they had taken their time doling out their punishment, beating and molesting her in increasingly aberrant ways, her body bruised and lacerated where they had both bitten her and ripped at her flesh with their nails. What remained of her clothing was torn and bloody, doing little to cover her nakedness. Her skin showed signs of deep bruising and severe cuts, her left arm twisted and broken. Through all that she had suffered, one memory stood out in her mind - that of Pippin screaming her name as they carried him and Merry off, leaving her to die. Even now, Kendall could still hear him calling to her and the remembered sound mixed with their rancid smell, a mixture that reminded her only of decay and death, assailing her memory, forcing Kendall to close her eyes against it, fighting back the need to scream. A ragged sob escaped her and she suddenly realized that she would not be able to say goodbye to Legolas.

It was all she wanted. To see him once more, to hear his beautiful Elven voice, to smell his scent which held within it the promise of Spring, to feel his touch... Tears that she thought were all spent began to fall once more. She was dying, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Legolas would be too late. Or perhaps pass by without even knowing she was there. And then she would never be able to tell him again how much she loved him, how happy he had made her, how she had wanted so very much to be his Princess.

Kendall's eyes flew open as the voice of the Lady of the Wood drifted through her mind. Suddenly, she knew what the little vial of amber liquid was for. Strength. Lifting her head painfully, Kendall's gaze searched the ground around her. She remembered one of the Uruk-hai ripping the gold chain from her neck and tossing it... There! It was a few feet away, out of reach of her grasp, but she knew she had to get to it, if for no other reason than to be able to see Legolas one last time.

It took almost all of what was left in her to drag herself across the leaves to the chain, but Kendall finally clenched the tiny vial into her hand. She struggled to open it one-handed, then quickly put it to her lips and drank the amber liquid. It was thick, like syrup, and had a citrus flavor to it. Almost instantaneously, she felt strength move through her limbs. Her heart beat just a little stronger, her breathing was just a little more regular. Warmth infused the cold. She rested her head against the ground once more, closing her eyes, picturing Legolas, his clear blue gaze, the dimple that appeared when he smiled. She would see him again. She was strong now.

Ten hours later, Aragorn finally came to a halt, his eyes searching the copse of trees on either side of the field. Instinctively, something had caused him to stop and he glanced uncertainly at Legolas, whose fair face had become more and more strained as the day progressed. Shadows seemed to hover around him and Aragorn silently hoped that they would find Kendall soon, if only to relieve his solitary suffering. Kneeling down, the Man checked the ground, noting trampled leaves and recently distressed ground.

Pushing past the branches, the Man almost tripped over the dead body of the Orc that lay in his path. Relief filled him and he knelt, checking the body for clues to what had happened until his gaze strayed to the sword that lay nearby. Reaching out and grabbing it by the hilt, Aragorn hefted Kendall's sword into his hand with a grimace. She would not have left it here by choice. He stood, holding it still, wondering if she too were now a captive along with Merry and Pippin when he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye.

Mind refusing to accept what appeared apparent before him, Aragorn slowly knelt beside Kendall's broken and bloody form. Snatching the cloak from his shoulders, he gently laid it over her before reaching out to delicately roll her over. The Ranger started when her eyes flickered open. One was bruised and almost swollen completely shut but the other looked up at him with full lucidity. She searched his face for a long moment before speaking.

Stepping through the branches of the trees around him, Legolas had barely entered the glade before his gaze found Aragorn and Kendall, confirming to him the horror that had slowly built itself within his heart. For a moment he stood frozen to the ground, unable to move forward, unable to make a sound or react in any fashion. He could only stare, his legs trembling beneath him, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. His vision blurred. He would kill who did this. He would hunt them down and kill them, one by one, if it took him forever, he would do this.

But he was shaking his head. "No. You're going to be fine. I will take you to Lorien by myself if I have to." He started to gather Kendall into his arms when she cried out from the pain. Instantly, the Elf crumpled against her, the first tears he had shed in hundreds of years, falling from his eyes. "Amin haraetha, melamin <Forgive me, my love>. Amin haraetha <Forgive me>. Seas uuma lembuva amin <Please don't leave me>. Amin il'coie avaena lle <I cannot live without you>. Saes <Please>..."

The copper taste of blood was filling her mouth. Kendall knew she did not have much longer. Cupping Legolas' chin, she raised his head to meet her gaze. In sorrow he only appeared more beautiful. She hated being the cause of his pain. Hated that they did not have more time together, that she would never get to see Mirkwood or meet his father, that she would never again be able to make him laugh or feel his gentle kiss awaken her in the morning. She wondered who he would find to love him when she was gone, then told herself not to think about it.

No. It wasn't possible. It couldn't have all been a dream! Her mind screamed. She had been there - she had been in Middle-earth! And Legolas loved her - they were going to be married. But then the Uruk-hai had attacked and taken Merry and Pippin and she had... Shaking her head fiercely, both refusing the idea of a dream and the memory of what she had gone through, Kendall pushed herself back to her feet, moving to the dresser where the gold chain lay. Her heart sank when she reached it. The Ring was no longer there.

Kendall ran with breathtaking speed the opposite direction she had run the night before. She found the same street easily and hurried down it, toward the awning that she housed the antique shop. Unfortunately, as she came to a halt in front of it, she realized it was not the same. Not the same at all. The sign read "Kassandra's Kitchen" and through the windows she could see a number of small tables and chairs set about a homey, warm room. Needing answers to questions she could barely begin to formulate, Kendall forced herself to approach the door.

Kendall exited the café and broke into a run once more, splashing through the puddles across the streets, narrowly skirting other shoppers and tourists, until she reached the antique shop. She came to a halt in front of it, disappointment flooding through her. She knew instantly that this was not the shop she was searching for. The store before her was very modern, and very clean, more like a museum than a collector's paradise of antiquities. She glanced down at the empty chain she still clenched in her hand, a chain that had been given to her by Mr. McGregor; a chain that had carried the One Ring. With a sigh, she turned and moved away.

For the next few hours, Kendall wandered the town, trying to piece together in her mind what might be left of her sanity. She could have blamed it all on a very elaborate and realistic dream, except for the chain she carried and the fact that she could still speak Elven. Normally, if she could speak a foreign language in a dream, she could not remember a syllable of it when she awoke. Unfortunately, the world around her was also attempting to intrude. 'Lord of the Rings' was just a book and Middle-earth did not exist, even though she had once read that Tolkien considered Middle-earth a part of the world, ages before written history was recorded. If Kendall allowed herself to believe that Tolkien was actually some know-more-than-anyone historian, than she could also believe that what she had actually done was travel through time. But such a thing was not possible and even if it were, where was Mr. McGregor? How did he figure into it all?

One by one, images of the people she had grown to love began to appear before her. Gandalf and his pointy hat, puffing away on his pipe while he flashed her that all-so-knowing look which never really told her anything. Frodo and his haunted eyes, which made you willing to pledge your undying loyalty without as second thought. Brave, gentle Sam, who could whip up a meal in the middle of nowhere that would challenge Emeril himself. Dear Merry and Pippin, two of the sweetest beings she could ever have hoped to know and love. Gimli, whose rough exterior only served to hide a kind heart and love for all things in nature. Boromir, a loyal Man of Gondor, who loved her in his way and yet sacrificed himself for two tiny beings. Aragorn, the exiled King who was too afraid of himself to acknowledge the good that existed within him.

Kendall wept for the loss of his touch, the feelings that ran through her when he held her, the whisper of his voice against her ear. She wept because she would never get to see Mirkwood at his side or meet his father or know if she would be accepted among his people. She wept for the time lost between them, for those wonderful nights spent in Lothlorien, for his rescue of her on Caradhras and the love that had shone in his eyes when he had held her before her death. Most of all, Kendall wept because it very possibly had all been a dream and she may have never really known Legolas' love, and that such a thing might never have existed, except in her subconscious.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Kendall glanced into the water once more, this time to see someone moving up behind her in the mist. Figuring it was most likely a local officer wondering what some crazy American was doing sobbing in the park, she turned her head to watch him approach. Her gaze traveled over the boots, faded jeans, black Navy p-coat and blue turtleneck to the long blond hair pulled back into a low ponytail. Breath catching, Kendall slowly climbed to her feet, her gaze never leaving the stranger as he stepped from the mist. Mind and heart fusing together in an overwhelming sensation of hope and disbelief, as Kendall took an unsteady step forward.

With a cry, Kendall flew into his arms, not caring if he were real or fantasy, not caring how he got there or that this moment might simply be an extension of the dream. She clung to him, afraid to let go, afraid to speak only to find it was not him. But the arms that held her were so familiar, the hand that stroked her hair just as gentle, the voice that whispered nonsensical words into her ear just as dear. A scent, the mixture of forest and ocean, assailed her senses. She trembled, the sensation that this too might simply disappear on her still too pervading.

"After you... " He seemed unable to speak for a moment, then forced a half smile and continued, "After your death, I thought my world had ended. I no longer wished to continue to live, Kendall. Why face eternity when the one I loved would not face it with me? Aragorn and Gimli had a time of it, forcing me to continue on." He smiled in memory of those two dear friends before returning his gaze to the much-missed face before him. "One day we came upon Gandalf, or he came up on us --"

Legolas took her hand in his, kissed it. "When Gandalf learned of your death he told me the truth. He told me that you were from another time, millennia away from the realities of Middle-earth and that if my love for you were strong enough, then perhaps one day, I would find you again..." He cupped her face, cradling it gently in his hands, losing himself in her forest-green eyes. "And so I have waited... until I knew I would see you again."

"And I thought I would go mad from being without you less than a day." Kendall buried her face against his neck, holding tightly to him. She stroked his soft hair, inhaling his scent, slowly convincing herself that he was real and that he would not disappear. Tucking her hands inside his coat, she laid her palm over his heart, feeling its steady beat through the turtleneck. She sighed, then her brow furrowed. "Wait... How did you know where to look for me?" Kendall sat up.

Taking her hands into his, Legolas leaned his forehead against hers. "Once upon a time, long ago, in a world quite different from the one that is built up around us, a Prince was going to take his Princess with him back to his Kingdom. But, in the end, he knew that ultimately she would not be happy there. And he knew that though he was immortal, and she was not, he could not bear to live without her. So he made the decision to build her a castle elsewhere. To take her where she would be happiest, and where they could share a lifetime of love. Sadly, his Princess was taken from him before he could give her this gift of his..."

"Shh." He kissed her nose. "The story isn't finished yet... Now, there was this wise old Wizard that promised the Prince should his love be strong and true, he would find his Princess again. And so the Prince waited. Years passed, leaving him lonely and cold and without her laughter, only the memory of her smile and her scent and the whisper of his name on her lips, to carry him on. Then, one day, thousands of years later, the Prince found his Princess. And joy and beauty and love such as he thought he would never again experience filled his life. And he vowed he would never spend another lonely year without her.