I do not own the works of Tolkien. Enjoy.

Rachel - I didn't thank you for your kind words in your second review so thank you! I really love writing and I am so glad it is enjoyed by others!

Legolas listened as Calaer read and he felt contented for a while, something he could not remember last being. Every once in a while the girl would cough quietly as if she was clearing her throat and he could not understand it. She seemed as content as he felt and so he just listened, the sea calm in his mind, he could breathe. Eventually Calaer paused in her reading and looked across to him.

"I am sorry Legolas I need to have a break from speaking so much, you can keep reading it if you like?" She offered the book to him but he shook his head with a small smile. "You would rather wait until I can read again?" She asked hesitantly and he smiled again and nodded for it was helping and somehow he wanted her to know that. "Okay then." She gave him a bright smile and placed the book down between them. "We can watch the parrots a while through the windows, Meril leaves cut up fruit out in the morning for them. I do not think you have met Meril yet, she is our cook." Legolas was struck again how easily Calaer had referred to the dwelling as theirs again. he looked up towards the window and his heart sank and the sea started swirling again. It was still a prison. He concentrated on the brightly feathered birds as they surrounded the platter of remaining fruit, flying hither and thither before landing again. Calaer had ceased speaking and he hoped she would read again soon for the sea was threatening to overwhelm him again. He looked across to her and found her to be asleep, curled up, her blonde head resting upon the arm of the chair. The late morning sunlight filtering down through the window and Legolas wondered at her for the sun made her skin seem to glow. He was unsure if he should stay or go, but go where? Find his way back to his own quarters to only do nothing? He fought to keep the tide back in his mind although the rushing sound had returned. He picked up the book and stared down at the page but he did not understand the symbols. He could only read the symbols of tengwar. He tried harder, staring down intently at the page but it was useless, he just did not know. Defeated he cast the book aside and buried his head in his hands as the sea rose up around him.

…

Slowly, reluctantly Calaer opened her eyes, her vision clearing to see the few remaining birds on the other side of the full window. No, I was not meant to fall asleep! She slowly sat up, back muscles protesting and then remembered she had been reading to Legolas. She quickly turned to see if he remained and was shocked to see he sat hunched, head in hands, silvery-blonde hair hanging limply around him. She had to cough, oh how she hated the repercussions of falling asleep. She could not wait to get back to her own chambers but she didn't want to cough in front of the Elf but she couldn't swallow it down or fight it and so she turned away, hunching automatically into herself as a fit of coughing wracked her body. It was over quickly which she was glad for and she drew in air quickly, replenishing the air to her lungs although it never seemed to be enough. Slowly as her heart slowed again she turned nervously back to Legolas, scared by his reaction. The Elf watched her but he looked immensely confused and there was that lost-ness in his eyes again. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep, you should not have had to see that." She mumbled but he did not seem to really hear her. "Legolas?" There was a flicker of something, recognition of his name possibly. She needed to go outside to begin her late morning exercise which she was now a little late with and she was unsure what to do with Legolas. Should she simply leave him here? It was truly cruel he had to be trapped within the house like this. She would have to find out more things he enjoyed doing. She had enjoyed reading to him, he had seemed content and there had been interest in his eyes which she had not seen in them since he had arrived. It was not there now, they were listless and lost. She internally sighed sadly and stood up. "Legolas, I am going to take you back to your quarters okay and then I have to go outside for a little while but I will return for lunch." He nodded but she was unsure if her words registered with him or not. Nonetheless she took his hand and lightly tugged on it, urging him to stand and once he had, led him back through the house to his own chambers. The windows in his chamber were open and she noticed how he immediately looked towards it, breathing in deeply. To breath so deep… She let go of his hand and watched as he walked swiftly towards the window and brought his hands up to rest against the bars. The action brought unshed tears to her eyes and sadly she turned away and retreated to her own quarters to go to the exact place the Elf yearned to, the sea.

…

The water was a pleasant coolness and Calaer swam back and forth in the shallows where she was safe. To make up for lost time she pushed herself harder, her lungs straining as she dragged in each breath of the salty air as her arms and legs cut through the water, her eye on the rocks she was striving to reach. The waves rocked at her and she spluttered as she ended up with a mouthful of salty water, spitting it out. The task of taking on the sea, of swimming back and forth like this on an angle to the gentle waves and current was a difficult one but one she did every single day. The air directly above the water was the saltiest and it somehow made her lungs better, made the ever present muck which formed within them every single day easier to rid herself of. The muck the healers called phlegm but she hated that clinical word, the sea somehow loosened it, made it bearable, kept her going and so the sea she had to remain by for she had tried going inland and the further she had gone, the harder to breathe, the more control she lost of her lungs, the more she drowned inside. She reached the rocks, grasping onto them and stopped, lungs screaming as she drew in gulps of air, her heart erratic as it thundered under her ribs as they expanded in and out, causing their own ripples around her in the water. She glanced back towards the house and saw still Legolas's figure at his window. She had been out here nearly an hour and he had not moved. She wondered if he would hate her for she was where he wished to be. To gaze upon this wonderful cove yet not be allowed to set foot into the inviting ocean, was this really a better place for him? Her heart filled again with sorrow. She bit it back and turned and pushed off the rocks, determined to swim her final lap as swiftly as she could as the sun was now at its peak signalling it was lunch time. Many moments later she staggered from the water, gasping for air and bent down, refusing to sit although her body wanted to, and picked up her towel, wrapping it about her. she saw a couple shells which had washed up onto the shore and picked them up. Legolas may not be able to come out to the sea but I can bring the sea to him. Slowly she made her way back towards the house, letting the stability return to her legs as she wrung out the excess water from her long hair.

She unlocked the door and then guiltily locked it behind her and left a light trail of sand and water towards her quarters. Once there she changed from the fitted dark blue tunic she had made along with others specifically for swimming in and pulled of the knee length, loose trousers. Her lungs felt expanded and wonderful and she grinned at that. In an hour the effects of the salty air would be in full swing and she hoped having lunch before that happened would not be an absolute disaster. She changed into a light grey cotton dress which fell just below her knees and then began the task of untangling her hair and drying it more with another towel. She then padded down the corridor and knocked on the door she had left half open to Legolas's chambers. "Legolas?" She waited but he did not come to the door and so she peered through the door and her heart sank to find he had not left the window where she had left him an hour before. She walked up to him. His hands were still against the bars and he rested his forehead against the middle bar, head slightly bowed, eyes closed. There were tearstains upon his cheeks. She swallowed nervously and gently placed a hand on his arm. He barely moved. "Legolas I brought you something back from the sea." She said quietly and watched as he slowly opened his eyes and she nearly broke down at the sorrow in their grey depths as he looked at her, still half lost. "Come sit on the couch and I will show you." He let her lead him to sit down and she opened up his hand and placed the two shells she had been holding onto his palm. "Seashells. They must have washed up during the night when the tide had come in." His face became intrigued as he stared down at his hand and then carefully touched one with his other hand. "Sometimes little crabs live in them." She explained as he picked the greyish shell up and looked at it curiously before he put it back down and looked at the second one which was a creamy colour with brown flecks. Suddenly he turned to her and gave her a wide smile and she took this to mean he was happy and thankful. She smiled back at him. "I am glad you like them." She said and stood. "You can bring them with you to lunch if you wish, we should go now though or Meril will come looking for us.

…

Legolas held the shells carefully as Calaer led him by the other hand towards the dining hall and to his seat. He placed his two shells on the table and again marvelled at their delicate shape. They were so beautiful. They even had a little sand in them and he had rolled it curiously under his fingers. He looked up to Calaer and smiled again as she gave him a cheerful grin. The moment he had stood beside her and he had dragged himself back, he had noticed something different about her, she seemed freer somehow and the light in her eyes was brighter, they were warmer. He suddenly felt another presence enter the hall and turned his head to see a slightly tubby and short woman, her hair in a messy bun, wearing a long dark blue cotton dress stride purposefully towards the table.

"Greetings my Lord." She gave him a polite nod which he returned as she placed a dish of cut up fruits and nuts upon the table along with two plates and a pitcher and two cups. "Calaer, lassie, are you quite well this morning, I see you swam late." She turned and asked the girl with concern. Swim? Is that where she had gone when she had left him.

"Oh yes I feel good, I fell asleep reading which put me behind." She answered and Legolas wondered what she was behind with. "I just hope lunch beforehand will not be too bad." She added worriedly and the woman gave her a considering frown. "Well if it does and you need me, ring for me." The woman said and Calaer nodded. Legolas was confused by the entire conversation. "Oh Legolas, this is Meril, she is wonderful and makes sure we do not starve and such and keeps things in order here."

"Calaer you are too kind." The woman chuckled and looked at him with kind eyes. "It is good to meet you my Lord." She said politely before leaving the hall humming a tune.

"It looks like Meril has brought more coconut water." Calaer laughed lightly and poured two cups before sliding one across to him. He grinned at her and eagerly took a sip before placing it down and copied her, placing the fruit on the plate before him. Some of the fruits were strange to him but he wanted to try them, they might be as wonderful as the drink. The nuts he recognised and placed almonds upon his plate two with walnuts and hazelnuts. He was not hungry but he was curious to try the strange cuts of fruit he had taken from the platter and so he picked up a yellow fruit on the end of his fork, noticing how the juice watered from it and tentivley tried it. Its tanginess hit his senses immediately but it was sweet too. It was not tangy like some berries were, it was different. He decided he liked it and then tried a deep yellow slice of another he did not recognise but it smelt wonderful. He tried it, the flesh was soft and almost creamy and it had a sweet taste with none of the tanginess of the lighter yellow fruit. He looked up and noticed Calaer was watching him curiously and smiled at her.

"You have not tried those fruits before have you?" He shook his head, still smiling. "You like them?" He nodded and she grinned at him. "The first one you tried, that is a pineapple and the other is mango. Have you tried the others you selected?" He shook his head. "Well the round sliced yellow pieces are banana and the orangey pink pieces are papaya." He tried the one Calaer had called papaya and found he really liked it and then tried a slice of banana. It had a strong taste and it was even creamier in texture than the mango had been. "Papaya is my favourite." Calaer commented as she ate a piece. "Do you like them?" He nodded again and she smiled, happily pleased. He drank the rest of the coconut water and with a light laugh which was more musical than the laugh he remembered from earlier, she refilled his cup and passed it back across to him and he nodded his head in thanks. She remained silent for a while as she finished eating and he studied her and wondered again at how similar she was in appearance to a young Elf. She had brought him shells and it had helped, she had helped and so when she spoke again his heart sank.

"Legolas I need to retire for perhaps an hour in my own quarters, perhaps you could explore the house if you like?" She said apologetically and he nodded. "I am sorry, if you like, you can continue reading that book if you like." He shook his head and she laughed again, quiet but sweet. "Or I could read it again later in the afternoon." He nodded eagerly. With a grin she stood up and left the hall. He watched her go and then her turned back to the two shells and picked them up. He would explore the house just like she suggested.

…

Her lungs were already reacting to all the salty air she had inhaled and although she felt bad simply leaving Legolas, but she had too. She closed her chamber door behind her and walked quickly to her bathing chambers and sank down onto the wooden chair beside her low wash basin. She closed her eyes and concentrated, breathing in slowly, ignoring the feeling of muck which crackled and moved and made her want to instantly cough. She breathed out, slower. Feeling the same muck move; slowly forced along by the air she expelled. Suddenly her body reacted and her hand flew to her mouth, a reflex action as if she could smother the cough that tried to rip from her lungs. She partially succeeded and with a smile to herself she repeated the entire concentrated process. She managed to breath in and out five times before finally her lungs could no longer tolerate the irritation and she threw herself over the basin as a fit of coughing ripped through her, hand fumbling to turn on the third tap and seawater gushed from the copper spout washing away the evidence of the muck which drowned her more than the sea ever could. She sighed as the last, near uncontrollable cough left her and began to slowly breathe and repeat the entire wearisome process another ten times.

Tired, but finally able to breathe even easier than after her swim; Calaer returned to her lounge chambers and sank down onto the lounge by her window, resting her head back against throw pillows to rest a little before finding out if Legolas did explore the house. She smiled, he had seemed better at lunch and he had liked the shells. Tomorrow she would find something else to bring back to him.

…

Legolas had taken his shells, holding them carefully, and explored the house, discovering a study, an entertaining hall which seemed disused and a washing room and the kitchens. He did not go into the kitchens, feeling unsure of how the woman, Meril, would react if he simply walked into her kitchen. The Elves who worked in the kitchens of his father's caverns never took kindly to the times he would barge in and interrupt their work and help himself to food to take out into the woods. He had discovered there six smaller guest chambers and another one similar to his own. It felt strange to him that the house was all on the one level, so used to multiple levels in the Woodland, Minas Tirith, even in Imladris. He wondered if it was normal the people who dwelt here. Undecided what to do once he had explored enough, he made his way to the informal lounge chamber and walked towards the wide window. It was then he realised it was not a window but folding glass doors which were hidden behind the tall, strong bars. He did not have to reach between to try the handle for he knew it would be locked because all prisons were locked. He sighed, feeling the beginning stirrings of the sea welling up in his mind. Please no. He tried pushing it away and looked again at the shells he still carried in his hand, touching the rippling pattern on the cream and brown one. The waters rose and the rushing waves and wind swirled in his mind trying to drag him down. No. I don't want this. He sank to his knees fighting to remain, focusing on the shells. He made to pick one up in his other hand and dropped it. No. He looked but he could not see it and so he held on tightly to the one which remained, held on to it for it was the only thing holding him there and then it caved in on itself into nothing within his hand, shattered. No! His resistance shattered with the shell and the sea came crashing in.

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