She coughed, spitting the salted water from her mouth. Willow groaned. She was hungry, she was thirsty and her head hurted like hell. Slowly lifting up her head, she closed her eyes a little. The sun was shinning down on her heavily and she was starting to get hot... or totally toasted truth is. She was laying on golden sand and she could see the shadows of the trees a couple of meters ahead.

Willow tried to remember what happened. She could clearly remember the fog ; that she couldn't forget because they had been stuck in it for five hours. She and Faith had run upstairs when they'd heard the storm coming ahead. There had been a higher wave and she had been thrown overboard. After that, she couldn't remember much. Her dress was too heavy and she hadn't been able to swin very long. She had finally thought about giving up when she had seen some piece of wood float ahead. With the last of her strenght, she had grabbed it tightly, never letting it go.

[Why was there a piece of wood anyway?] Then it clicked. "Oh. My. God. Faith!" The redhead looked back at the ocean behind her and she felt tears flood her eyes. Either her theory was wrong and her friend was far away from her with Alexander, thinking she was dead, or she had died along with the man she loved in a shipwreck. "Let them be ok," she whispered, hoping that her God would hear her.

Sighing, Willow stood up slowly, still weak from her misadventure. She walked to the trees, hoping for a moment without sun. She was burning and wouldn't mind a spot of non-steaming air. "I wish daddy was here. He'd know what to do."

"Because you don't?" a soft voice asked next to her.

The redhead screamed as she startled. She turned back quickly and didn't saw the blond man standing a bit *too* near from her.

She slugged him accidently.

The man stumbled back, holding his jaw and groaning in pain. "You have a strong arm." He stood up slowly, not wanting to frightened the small redhead more than she was already.

Willow was looking at him wearily. Her hands were shaking slightly from the adrenaline and her eyes had widened considerably. "W-who...who are you?" She jumped back as he took a step toward her. "Where..." Her sentence was left there when he pushed his long blond hair back. She could clearly see the pointy ears. "What are you?" she asked quickly.

"I'm an Elf."

"Elves don't exist. Y-you're just some kinf of... of freak." Her voice was trembling and she stood shakily on her legs. Her hands were crisped into fists.

The Elf cocked his head to the side. "You're scared. Don't be. Give me your hand."

When he advanced toward her in a quick stride, she reacted. She took a step back, then jumped forward, punching him right on the nose. She heard him curse as she jumped over his slumped form. Without a backward glance, she ran in the forest.

* * *

"Please sit down. Someone will come and get you soon." Haldir turned back and left the beautiful white and silver living room.

Faith sat down heavily on a wooden chair. She dropped her head in her hands, her elbows resting on her knees. "I can't belive she's gone," she whispered. She startled when she felt a hand on the top of her head. "I miss her already, Alexander." He pulled her gently in his arms.

The both of them were so preoccupied, they didn't heard the light footsteps of the new Elf in the room. "Are you so unhappy on Nislynn?" a teasing voice asked.

Faith looked up at the smiling face of a blond woman with a long white silk dress. "I'm sorry for breaking down like this. We just lost a friend." She smiled weakly, a tear rolling down her cheek. She felt the captain squeeze her hand reassuringly.

"All will go well, Faith. You worry too much. Live the day. Don't think about the futur and stop looking in the past."

"Wait. How did you know my name?"

The blond Elf smiled. "I know many things even some that were not told."

"Galadriel, stop scaring my guests." A dark haired Elf strode toward them. The two humans were quite surprised as he had been the first being with dark hair they had seen on Nislynn. "Celeborn is waiting for you in the gardens."

Galadriel nodded thankfully at him. "It's been a pleasure. See you later, Elrond." She exited the room.

"Follow me. I'll guide you to your room for the time of your stay. We see that you and your crew get what is needed to build back your ship. You can't stay on our island too long."

"Why's that?" Alexander asked.

"Nothing ages on Nislynn. You are as immortal as I am on this island." He guided them to a single room with two beds. The sun made the floor shimer. Everything was in white and silver, making it seem even more ethereal. "Someone will come fetch you for dinner."

Faith looked outside. "I wonder is she suffered. I wish she hadn't drowned last night."

"Faith," Alexander warned. "Forget it. I'm sure it was quick. Let her rest in peace." He put his arms around her shoulders and held her close. He sighed and hoped the young woman would get better soon.

* * *

"Ugh! I wish I *had* drowned last night."

Willow screamed in rage. She was completly lost in the woods. The sun was high in the sky, meaning it was around noon. She had ran away from the blond Elf about two hours ago. [An Elf! What is this island?!]

"Stupid branches," she muttered. She kicked the tree she was battling against and a sleeve of her dress was torn. "Great."

With a heavy sigh, she started walking again. No need running. She couldn't hear any kind of footsteps behind her and she doubted the El... the creature was following. [Why would he bother with me? Especially when I punched him!] Willow was quite proud with herself. It was the first time she had to defend herself and she did quite well. She had learn some tricks from Faith in secret. It wasn't *proper* for a lady to know how to fight.

Suddenly, Willow heard something coming from behind her. She quickly looked back, trying to see through the tick branches of the trees. She couldn't see anything, but she could swear she had heard someone walking not far away.

Not taking any chances, the redhead broke into a wild run again. She jumped over fallen trees and rocks. She breathed heavily. She took her skirts in her hands, lifting her dress to her knees. It wouldn't do to fall down because she stepped on her own dress.

Willow stopped running and put her hand on a near by tree, steadying her up. She tried to catch her breath, looking behind her, just in case she saw something. She took a couple of steps forward and never saw the hole.

With a scream, the redhead fell down in the hole, scratching her arms and her face against roots and rocks. She landed on her back. Her head was spinning and she could see spots of lights. "Ugh!" She could vaguely see the branches and the green leeves over her head with some ray of light coming down through them. She was in a hole of about three meters large and the ground level was two meters above. It was high and she thought she could climb up without problems.

A scream escaped her lips when she try to stand up. Her right ankle hurted like hell. "Great. Twisted my ankle, stuck in a dirty hole and nothing to help me get out of it."

Panick crept up in her mind. She didn't know where she was, she was hurt and for all she knew, she could be stuck there until she died. A sob shook her small body. "Help!" She cried. Her heartbeat had increased and she was breathing heavily. Once more, she tried to stand up, but all she could do was scream in pain and let herself fall back down again.

She shivered. Her arms, neck and left cheek were covered in blood from her fall. The earth was cold and her body seemed hotter than usual. She was building a fever from her night in the ocean and her wounds healing very slowly.

Still frightened, Willow curled on herself the best she could, trying to forget the pain.