"Curse the world." Taralom murmured under her breath. The sun was almost fully overhead and still the forest was calm and cool. She sat with her back against the truck of the tree with on leg hanging off the branch. She wore a light green tunic and hazel-color legging. Her hair was pinned back, partly up and partly down. Her horse grazed under the tree and nickered once in a while for attention. Taralom ignored her horse's pleas for attention and continue to let her rage boil.

She glanced down at her horse to see that the horse stood completely still with its ears perked towards the left. "A wild stallion? In these parts?…. no… must …. Someone's following me…" she concluded. She pulled out her knife she hid in her legging and dropped out of the tree. The leaves ruffled and some even followed behind her as she landed lightly on her horse. She remained in a crouching position, ready to pounce, and leaned her body forward urging the horse into a silent walk. She listened intently, never loosening her grip on the knife. She looked up to see a horse walking past with a rider on it about 60 feet away. The stallion was a sliver-gray and the rider was to far off to be recognized.

She quickly jumped into the trees and stood on a branch. The horse continued to walk as though it had never had a rider.

The rider mounted on the stallion turned and rode towards Taralom's horse. When the rider was 10 feet away she tensed up and let energy surge through her body. She remained still and waited for her moment to attack. The rider called for her mare to come, but the horse stopped and tensed up. The horse back away and nickered for her owner, she knocked her head back and forth and finally gave a large nah for Taralom.

She remained silent and calm, as she stared down at the rider. Still she could not tell who it was but she knew he was male. She felt the branch crack and weaken, but she did not move from her place. Suddenly she lost her footing and feel forward to the rider. She hit the rider hard, pushing him to the ground. He rolled Taralom over and pinned her arm holding in the knife down. His legs were wrapped around her waist and he leaned over her slightly.

'Lady Taralom?" He asked, it was Haldir

"Lord Haldir…" she said staring back at him. Her voice was soft and warm. "Why are you still on top of me?" she said then suddenly pushed him off. She got up and put the knife away. She walked over to her horse and calmed her.

"Is this your mare?" He asked, petting his own horse.

"Yes.. this is Seren. Very jumping around new stallions. I haven't allowed her to get 'close' with one yet, as well." She mounted the horse and began to ride off.

"M'Lady." He paused.

Taralom stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Oh, Lord Haldir… Do not address me as a lady, for am not one."

"I don't believe that." He said back. He smiled slightly.

Taralom laughed out of pity. "Believe it or not it makes no difference." She said and forced her horse into a full gallop.

"It makes a big difference…" Haldir trailed off.





Taralom came to a peaceful spot by the river and decided to take a swim. She slid of Seren and climbed onto a rock. She stood for a moment staring down at the water to see how deep it was. She took a deep breath and dove in. After a few minute she returned to the surface and floated for a while. He horses grazed and watched Taralom out of one eye.

"Hello there." Taralom turned to see Legolas watching her from atop a horse.

"Lord Legolas?" She said staring. "What are you doing here?" She spoke with a bitter bite in her tongue.

"Aw, yes. There a many people searching for you. Haldir included."

"And what of it? I do not care for Lord Haldir." She said as she swam further into the river.

"My apogees." Legolas said dismounting. "I meant nothing of it."

"You expect me to believe that?" She said bitterly.

Legolas walked over to her horse. "This is a fine mare you have." He said petting the horse. Taralom held onto a rock in the middle of the river and watched Legolas. "Well even though we are looking for you, it seems you do not want to be found."

"It looks like I've already been found. You better walk away and speak nothing of me." She called from the rock.

"I might have to go in after you, you know… in case you might drown." He said stripping of his tunic.

"Came into this water and I will most defiantly cut something off of you and it won't be your hand." She said, pulling the blade from her legging.

"You seem to threaten people a lot… well maybe you only threaten me."

"Maybe most have better sense then to cross me twice." She shrugged.

Legolas smirked and dove in. Soon he was right up to Taralom. She jumped onto the rock and held out her knife. Legolas grabbed her by the feet and pulls her in. She dropped the knife into the water and was pulled in. They fought for a while then Taralom was caught in an under toe and dragged down to the bottom. She slammed her head on a rock. She fell unconscious and floated back to the surface. Blood streamed from her wound and swirled and mixed with the water.

"Taralom?" Legolas asked. "Are you alright?… Taralom?" He dragged her out of the river and called for help.

There was no answer.

He flung her over her horse and mounted his. He led them back to the city, where Veborion, Haldir, Lord Elrond and his sons and daughter waited.

"Legolas, what has happened?" Arwen asked.

"Yes, and why are you soaking wet?" Haldir commented.

"Don't you think we have to help her first?" Legolas asked back. The all nodded and agreed. Legolas explained… well almost everything. He left out the park where they 'played' in the water.

Veborion, Haldir, and Legolas stayed and watched over her well into the night. None of them left for a second. Dinner was brought up for them and some was even left for Taralom, but it didn't seem likely that she would be eating any time soon.