Days past that I stayed in Lorien, slowly opening up to the elves that reside here; I became quite good friends with Aeliel, she became very interested in my race and asked if I could teach her our ways of healing after she witnessed me healing an elf with a sparing wound and so I began to teach her everything I knew; somethings she couldn't achieve do to the language barrier and she didn't hold the magic inside her because she wasn't a shifter so I taught her things she didn't need magic or the language for. Weeks turned to months and soon a year had gone by since the massacre happened to my people I soon began to train again so I spent most of my time in the practice arena. Its where I was now I held my two Sai daggers in my hands and I began to move rhythmically; my moves seeming like I was dancing and not training to kill someone. My mind went elsewhere I began to picture my enemy as I moved around the arena my daggers spinning in my hands my movements became quicker as I anticipated my enemy's moves, I don't know how much time past that I was in the arena but when my enemy faded and my mind cleared the moon was shining bright casting a silvery glow across the land. I turned around to leave the arena when I saw Haldir leaning against a pillar with his arms crossed watching me,

"Can I help you Haldir?" I asked, as I walked towards him, I came to stand in front of him,

"I see you are recovering well" he replied, his eyes drifting to my side, I placed my hand over the slowly healing wound, a dull throb was all that was left,

"Slowly, it's never taken me this long to heal" I replied, I put my daggers back into their sheathes, Haldir stood up straight with a frown on his angelic features,

"Why is that Kahlan?" his confusion filled his voice,

"Because Haldir; I'm not surrounded by the trees of my people, the woodland that surrounded us protected us from harm and healed us if we needed it; the trees bloomed a flower that was used to heal shifters, you pick the flower pull the petals off and you mix with your normal healing herbs and a bit of honey and water turning it into a paste and smother it onto the wound or wounds bind it and before long you are healed and all that remains is a scar" I told him he looked generally interested in what I was saying,

"What would you do when you were away at war?" he asked; we began walking along the pathways before we came across a bench seat in one of the gardens,

"Well if we were to go to war healers were to go pick some of the flowers, we never picked a lot, so we picked what was necessary and when we went to war we would lose a lot of shifters due to not a lot of flowers we had to pick and choose who received it, we had only just returned home from war we left with two thousand shifters and returned with just over five hundred this war nearly ruined us nearly destroyed us we thought we survived the worst only to return home and be slaughtered by orcs, we weren't ready for this attack, most of us were still recovering from the wounds we received from battle others were just too drunk to function, we never stood a chance" I said, my hands were clenched in my lap, I could feel tears filling my eyes but I wasn't going to let them fall, I did not want to appear weak in front of Haldir an elf whose emotions never showed, he was a march warden he had to be strong for his men, soon hands placed themselves over my clenched ones, I looked at the hands before slowly looking up at Haldir his bright blue eyes stared into mine it felt like he was staring into my soul, I stared back I'm an alpha we'd never back down, I could see Haldir beginning to get uncomfortable though he hid it well but it still showed in his eyes, soon he looked away clearing his throat he gave my hands a squeeze before releasing them,

"You must let go of the grief Kahlan before it consumes and destroys you" his smooth voice told me before standing giving me a small bow and walking away. I continued to sit on the bench seat a little while longer thinking over what Haldir had told me really taking it to heart, I really needed to let go and start living my life but all I could think of is that god awful night at times it was like I was there all over again the smell of smoke and death wafting into my nostrils at the memories the tears returned to my eyes and this time they slowly rolled down my face leaving tracks behind, I dropped my face into my hands and cried letting all the devastation and grief out letting the pain of what happened go, I sat there for a while longer before the tears slowed and eventually stopped I wiped the tears away and regained my composure; I stood up and began to walk back to my chambers.

I was walking up the stairs to my chambers when a beautiful elleth came towards me,

"Lady Kahlan; My Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn wish for you to see them in the throne room" she said, she had long pin straight hair and bright green eyes she was dressed in a light blue dress,

"Thank you I will see to them immediately" I replied, she gave a small bow before turning and going back the way she came, I turned away and began along the path that lead towards the throne room, I came along to the big wooden doors that lead towards the room two elleon guards stood in front of the door, they bowed slightly to me before opening the doors for me, I gave them a small bow of the head and walked through the doors and they were closed behind me I came to stand in front of the lord and lady of the golden woods, I bowed to them before coming to stand up straight,

"You wished to see me" I said, I looked between the two; Lady Galadriel stood from her wooden throne and walked down the steps towards me,

"We are sending some soldiers to your village of Valcon (pronounced Falcon) to see if the orcs still resided there; we would like for you to join the league of soldiers, it might bring you some closure to return to the place that brought you so much horror and grief" the lady's voice was so calm and soft and her eyes held so much sincerity when she spoke to me,

"If you would excuse me my Lady my Lord I need to think about this" I said, I bowed to them before turning away and walking towards the huge oak doors and left and started my journey back towards my chambers so I could think about what the Lady was asking of me. I made it back to my quarters and I began climbing the staircase to my door, I placed my hand on the brass doorknob and pushed the door open, I felt numb like I wasn't a part of the world at the moment before I knew it I was at my bed chambers, it was late at night so I collapsed on the bed after stripping myself of my clothing; maybe a good night sleep will make things more clearer tomorrow.

As I awoke the next morning the sun was just beginning to rise, I have always been an early riser normally I'm up before the sun is up or as its beginning to rise into the sky illuminating the land with its glow; I rose from my bed and began dressing myself in the clean dress that was prepared for me during the night it had a black leather corset top and a black satin skirt that let me move freely; I ran a comb through my long black hair that fell just past my bust I then turned around picking up the belt that hung around my waist that held my sword I sheathed my sword and then began placing my weapons in their rightful places after I placed my dagger into its rightful place in my boot. I stood up straight and walked out my own door and then down the stairs I needed to speak to Haldir I needed his opinion on this whole ordeal. He's become like my best friend since I've been in Lorien and I valued his opinion above all else. It took me a bit to find him but I eventually found him he was talking with a few soldiers at the entrance of Lorien. It looked like a deep discussion I didn't want to disturb him so I began to turn away and begin walking away I will speak to him later after he had finished his duties, before I could walk even two steps my name was called out,

"Kahlan!" I turned around to see Haldir walking towards me leaving the soldiers to do what was asked of them, he had a frown on his face which wasn't really anything new for Haldir he always seemed to have some sort of brooding expression on his face you couldn't expect anything else from him he was a Marchwarden his duties were stressful he was in charge of keeping all of Lothlorien safe,

"Kahlan, is everything okay?" his smooth angelic voice broke me from my thoughts,

"Yes, everything is fine Haldir, I came to speak with you but I saw you with the soldiers so I thought I'd come find you after your duties" I replied, I looked up to him and his eyes his beautiful blue eyes sparkled in the haze of the sun,

"What is it you wish to speak of?" he asked, he stared down at me it felt like he was staring right through me I had to turn away, I looked ahead of us at the tall trees that held our homes in them I watched as elves bustled past us to continue on their daily routines,

"The Lord and Lady have asked me to join a battalion to go to Valcon to see what is left and if the orcs have moved on, I don't know what to do Haldir it has been so long since I've been to Valcon I couldn't possibly be able to witness what has become of the place, to see my tribe's bones scattered the forest floors, tell me what to do Haldir" I sighed, Haldirs rough hand grabbed my arm and lead me to a bench seat not too far from where we were standing, we sat down and I dropped my head into my hands, his hand sat upon my back,

"I cannot tell you what to do Kahlan, you must decide what to do on your own, but my opinion is that you should go if the orcs are still there slaughter them and gain your closure and if they are not you may bury your tribe so they are at peace" he replied, I knew what he was saying is the right thing to do and I knew if I didn't go then I would regret it and it would drag me down for the remainder of my life, I looked up at him and nodded telling him that I understood what he was saying and agreeing with his words,

"Looks like I'm going back to my birthplace" I said to him, I stood up from the seat and turned to Haldir, "Thank you Haldir" I turned away after receiving a nod from Haldir and began making my way towards the home stead of the Lady and Lord, I came to the huge doors that held the Thrones on the other side and before I could knock the doors swung open to reveal that Lady Galadriel was standing up near the thrones she was the only one in the room,

"I see you have made your decision" her soft voice called out to me, I bowed lightly to her before coming to stand up straight and by hands clasped behind my back,

"That I have mi'lady, with the help of Haldir I have made my choice to join the league to Valcon" I replied, she began walking towards me though it seemed she was simply gliding above the floor,

"That is good news Kahlan, the battalion will dispatch within the next few months giving you time to train and get everyone ready and prepare for the long journey ahead of you" she spoke clearly and softly, I simply nodded my head bowed lightly then turned away and walked back the way I came and I followed the windy path until I came upon a crossroads I turned left and began following that path and it led me deep into the forest to which I then came across the training grounds, I saw multiple elves already here training one of them so happened to be Haldir who was actually teaching the new young elves that just joined the guard.

I leant again a stone pillar and just watched as Haldir taught the young soldiers I could see he was struggling to keep his cool and I could see the elves were struggling to even hold up their swords as Haldir was about to snap another March warden came and interrupting allowing the elves a break while he spoke with Haldir it seemed really important due to the tone that was being used and also the expressions that came across their faces as they spoke, they both looked worried though Haldir you couldn't really tell his emotions don't really show, this made me stand up straight and begin walking towards the two elves in their heavy discussion, they noticed I was walked towards them and immediately stopped talking Haldir turned towards me fully,

"Kahlan what brings you here to the training field?" he asks like nothing was wrong,

"Cut the shit Haldir what the hell's going on?" I demanded, you could see for a split second his shoulders just drop in defeat before he was back to being the stone cold emotionless soldier,

"Nothing you should concern yourself with Kahlan" he replied, staring me down,

"Oh, bullshit Haldir I saw the look in your eyes Hell I can smell the fear radiating off your friend here so tell me what the fuck's going on, Now!" I snarled glaring him down, I could see the other march warden flinch slightly had the tone of my voice it radiated authority and power I am an alpha after all, Haldir glared right back at me, he grabbed my arm in a tight grip and dragged me off to a secluded area within the training field,

"A league of orcs has been spotted coming this way, they should reach us in a couple of weeks" he hissed, frustration and worry seeping through his voice as he spoke,

"What do you need Haldir?" I asked, I could tell he needed all the help he could get, this wasn't just a small group of orcs it was an army of at least fifty, this wasn't going to be easy especially when most of our guard is off safely transporting Lord Elrond's daughter Arwen back to Rivendell,

"I need soldiers Kahlan and the way this lot is going I need all the help I can get" he sighed in defeat, which wasn't like Haldir at all,

"Then I will help you" I stated, he began shaking his head,

"Kahlan I-" I cut him off before he could say any more,

"Haldir you need help and you need soldiers, I'm a soldier Haldir a shifter at that fighting is what I was born to do it's my duty to fight" I said, I stood tall looking up at him I see he was thinking before he closed his eyes sighed and then nodded,

"Okay fine you can fight but please don't get yourself killed" I let a grin cross my face as I looked up at him,

"I'll try now you need to go back and finish training the new recruits and please try and not kill them they're not like us Haldir they weren't raised as fighters okay teach them not command them" I said, he nodded, I gave Haldir a hug before letting him return to his training.