A/N: I do not own the works of Tolkien. Enjoy

Dola - Thanks for your encouraging review.

Calaer awoke lying on her side and kept very still. One move, one small move and she would erupt into a fit of coughing. Her breathing felt heavy and she could feel too the horrible muck which had crept up and settled overnight until she could barely breath air into them. It did not seem to matter what she did the day before, the next day she was simply back at the beginning, having to repeat the entire process of clearing her airways again. She quickly flung back her bedding and rushed into her bathing chamber and slammed herself down on the chair, leaning over the basin as thick, crackling, evil coughs wracked through her body as it instinctively expelled the source which was blocking up her airways, preventing enough air to go to where it was needed; her blood, to keep her body alive. "This used to be so much easier." She muttered to herself between catching her breath. She yawned before coughing again expelling more from her lungs. Does it ever stop? She asked herself that question every single day and she knew the answer; it did not stop, not for anything. She lent back against the chair, purposely pulling her shoulders back. Oh how they ached, each wracking cough from each day tightening the muscles. It was worst in the morning, she would stretch them and swimming helped and so did archery but they were always sore and so was her back sometimes too. She'd grown used to it. She hoped Legolas had rested well and he had not fallen into the despair which is what the Sea Longing seemed to her to be. She started her breathing exercises, determined to get through them quickly so she could be ready sooner to ensure he was okay. In just one day they had become friends and it was a wonderful feeling. She did not mind that he did not talk; the young ladies she had grown up around in the court and had socialized with were gossipy and sometimes degrading. She was an outsider amongst them and she had sometimes caught conversations, hurriedly stopped with eyes cast warily towards her and fake or worse, pitiful smiles sent her way. That life she did not miss but she was glad she now had a friend although; she did worry that when Legolas found out about the evil muck which constantly plagued her lungs or ever saw her cough as she just had now, that he would act strangely around her too. That he would not wish to be her friend and instead only show pity. There was nothing she hated more than pity. Determinedly she continued clearing her lungs, each breath becoming a little easier.

...

Legolas had started from his rest from a dark dream of a field of blood, the dead lying upon the churned up turf. He had been awake since, lying and listening to the sea outside. It sounded so close and he had fought the urge to leap up and go to the open window. He had some control! A hazy light had begun to creep in through the windows and he wondered at what the day would bring. It must have been an hour later when he heard it, wracking coughing which went on. He sat up immediately worried. Is that Calaer? It must be for we are the only two here, she said the cook lives in the smaller housing building. He lept up but as he reached his main door, the coughing suddenly stopped. His hand hesitated, hovering on the elegant brass handle of the door. Aragorn reassured me this was normal. But why? How can this possibly be normal? Humans only coughed if they were choking or...sick. But Calaer is not sick... Deeply confused he turned and sat down heavily on a chair only to hear the coughing commence again. Aragorn said not to worry. But he was worried. Something was wrong which he did not understand. The waves in his mind stirred uneasily and he suddenly feared they would return. His mind was clear enough still he could do things, he could think. It was a new day, he needed to wash. Determined to beat the waves, he lept up and rushed to the bathing chamber only to stare surprised by the taps. He had forgotten them. He turned one and then the other but the bath did not fill. Oh the stopper. He found the cork stopper and then smiled as the bath began to fill. Aragorn would be happy with him. He walked back out to his main chamber listening intently but the sound of coughing had subsided and he felt relieved by that. The sea swirled in his mind but he could still think through it. It felt such a relief which he dearly hoped would last.

...

Calaer finished combing through her nearly dried hair. She was tired already and the day had barely begun. She stood, smoothing out her dark green dress and left her chambers, closing the door behind her to see Legolas leaning against the closed door to his own chambers down the corridor.

"Good morning Legolas." She called to him, surprised to see he was waiting and he walked towards her. "Did you rest well?" He nodded with a brief smile but then his face clouded with concern and his grey eyes looked down searchingly into hers. Suddenly she felt nervous for it felt as if he could see right into her very soul. "Is everything alright?" She asked quietly and he shrugged looking confused before indicating to her with a sharp nod. Had he heard her when she had awoken? "Me?" Her voice quavered. He nodded, concern shown plainly. "I am well." She gave him a reassuring smile to which he frowned quizzically at her, eventually nodding. "Shall we have breakfast?" She said hurriedly with a flash of a smile and beckoned him to follow her to the dining hall. Gosh this is not good; he suspects something is wrong. The worry settled in the pit of her stomach and nagged at her during breakfast. Her worry was so that she felt self-conscious as she sprinkled the powdered medicine onto a spoonful of the porridge Meril had served them. Legolas however did not indicate any more suspicion and so after they had eaten, Calaer settled in the lounge chamber and she continued reading the book to the Elf .

She had been reading for over half of an hour when she heard footsteps in the corridor and a figure appeared at the double doors.

"I wondered where I might find you both, good morning Legolas, Calaer." Her father said cheerily and she out the book down as Legolas turned and nodded a greeting to her father.

"Greetings Father." Calaer beckoned him into the chamber and he took a seat across from them.

"I cannot stay long, I thought I would see how Legolas fared his first day?" He looked to the Elf who to Calaer's relief, gave him a bright grin. "I take that to mean it was well enough?" Legolas nodded.

"Excellent, I am very glad." Her father answered. "What are you reading?" He gestured to the book and Calaer sheepishly held it up. "That book will fall apart one of these days." He said with a chuckle. "I will not interrupt your reading; I must head inland for a few days to speak with crop owners." Calaer's heart sank at his words. "I trust you will both be well?" She and Legolas both nodded. "Excellent, your Grandfather is seeing over Dol Amroth in my absence if you need anything." Calaer simply nodded again, not trusting her voice. Her father stood up and bent down to place a kiss upon her head. "You look tired, are you sleeping well enough."

"Yes, well enough." She quickly replied.

"Good, I will see you both in a few days." He inclined his head as to did Legolas in return before he left the chamber. Calaer stared at the empty doorway for a while before sighing and returning to the book. She noticed Legolas watching her sadly and allowed him a smile.

"I just wish I could go inland too sometimes." She murmured and he gave her a confused look but nodded nonetheless. "Now where were we." She found where she had abruptly stopped reading and resumed the tale.

Eventually she had to cough but she had managed to read an entire hour and now she needed to head out for her morning swim. She could therefore avoid any suspicion from Legolas but would today be a repeat of the day before, would he fall back into the bitter Sea Longing. She just had to hope it did not today. "Legolas I need to head outside for an hour like I did yesterday, you will be alright?" She watched worriedly as his face fell but still he nodded. "I don't want to leave you, I must though." He nodded again. "I, I will bring you something back." She promised as she stood up and he gave her a small smile which she returned before leaving and hurrying to her quarters to cough in private and to change.

…

Legolas stared at the entrance trying not to panic, he was alone. He didn't want to be left alone. An hour. Calaer said she would return in an hour. Where had she gone the day before? Why did she leave and what was wrong with her? This worried him the most, she was keeping something from him and it left him with a foreboding feeling. He'd seen the shadow again which seemed to hover over her bright soul and he just could not understand it. He wished he could speak to her but he did not trust himself. The last time he had spoken, his words had been dark and cruel and he feared he would only inflict them again if he should speak. He had absolutely no idea what to do for an hour to somehow occupy himself and keep the sea at bay. He stood and made his way back to his own chambers and automatically made his way to the barred window; inhaling in the salty air deeply. Oh to be out there in those waves. He sighed as he lent against the bars, pressing his face against them, the salty breeze touching his face. He ran his tongue over his lips and tasted salt. Suddenly anger ripped through him. He should be allowed to sail not remain imprisoned like this! It was his father's doing keeping him here. He remembered that now and grit his teeth and grasped the bars and tried their strength. They did not budge. He remained here a prisoner at his father's whim! His father who had never bothered to visit him in Minas Tirith. He felt the waves crash from afar before him and within him too. He wanted to be out there, to feel the waters about him. He tested the bars again, gasping as the sea seemed to swirl and then realised he was losing control. No, not this. He fought to push it away. He thought of the story Calaer had been telling but it did not work. Will this ever end? He knew the answer and it lay across the sea. While he remained here, it would never end. The waves swirled and crashed in dark despair around him.

"Legolas?" He heard a voice from afar, somewhere above the waves. "Legolas come back." There was that same voice again, soft but urgent. Was there somewhere he needed to be? Where was he? The voice was so far away. "Legolas come back and see what I have brought you." The voice spoke again and he felt hands upon his shoulders and smelt the sea. Was he at the sea, it smelt so very close. He blinked trying to discern where he was and eventually a face full of worry became clear before him. Calaer. He sighed in relief. She has found me. He felt gentle hands upon his cheeks wiping at them and realised they were wiping away tears. What have I become, crying before an elleth. No, Calaer is not an elleth. He shook his head confused. She smelt of the sea, her hair right before him smelt like the sea. He reached up and touched it wondrously. It was a strange softness, slightly damp, yet rough. Damp and roughly tousled from the sea. A hand took his and he felt something pressed into it. He looked down and at a strange black, brown and cream, rounded object. Was this from the sea? "It is a sea urchin shell. They don't wash up very often. They are more delicate than other shells too." Calaer explained softly and he held it up and inspected it carefully. It was very fine. He traced his hands over its rough surface curiously before handing it back. She laughed lightly. "I brought it back for you." She placed it back in his hand with a smile and he found himself smiling back. "Now what shall we do for the next hour?" She asked cheerily and he shrugged. He would do whatever she wanted to do, she somehow made everything better.

So Legolas fell into a pattern of sorts, his days beginning in worry as he heard Calaer choke and cough only for her to seem fine and as if nothing was wrong when she appeared from her chambers and he always made sure he waited in the corridor for her to go to breakfast. She then read and although he enjoyed it he now knew that she would leave him for an hour afterwards and that was when the sea took over again only for her to return and bring him back again. He now had a collection of things she had brought him back from the sea which he cherished and kept upon the drawer beside his bed. It always seemed though before long Calaer would then retire a while to her chambers leaving him alone again and when she left he could sometimes hear her coughing and it worried him greatly, so greatly he would push the sea away viciously. Worried to become lost when there was something wrong he just did not understand. But then she would appear again seemingly fine, a smile upon her face and beckon him to come to lunch. He still had little appetite during meals but he did enjoy the fruits and after dinner he and Calaer would play games of dice or she would read to him.

It was now the sixth night since he had first arrived with Aragorn and Legolas rested quietly upon his bed, listening to the sound of the waves from his open windows, eyes half closed, hands resting crossed over his chest. Suddenly a sense of foreboding came over him and he opened his eyes fully, confused. He was safe here. There were no dangers. He heard a sudden crash of sorts and lept up, automatically swiping his two long white knives from where Aragorn had placed them the day he had unpacked. He stalked out of his chambers, senses alert and was met by the sound of Calaer gasping and choking. Someone had broken in and was attacking her! He raced down the corridor and ripped open the door to her chambers and the sound of choking intensified. Someone was chocking her! He ran through the chamber and burst into her bedchamber, shocked to find she was alone. Where was the assailant. Still she chocked and gasped and he rushed to her side, placing a hand on her arm and then realising she was choking on something, placed a hand on her back, patting it, trying to help.

"Legolas." She gasped. "No, you shouldn't be here." She wheezed the words out through gasps of air. "You shouldn't see this." His heart pounded fearfully in his chest as she managed to pull away from him and to the side and suddenly great, wracking and painful coughs ripped from her truly scaring him. Her shoulders shook from the effort as she choked and coughed and then gasped for air. He kept his hand upon her back, still patting it lightly, unsure if it helped, unsure if he could do anything to help. Unsure what was going on but knowing deep down that this was what she had been hiding. Slowly the coughing lessened and her breathing became easier although it was quick breaths she drew in until finally she fell silent. He stopped patting her back but kept his hand rested upon it. She did not turn around and after quite some moments he realised she wouldn't but he needed to see her face, needed to know what had happened. Tentivley he grasped her shoulder and tried to turn her to face him. She resisted and so he simply walked around to the other side of her bed to the way she was facing. It was now he saw she was hunched over something, her long hair hiding her face as she looked down not facing him. Gently he reached out and lifted her chin and sad, tearful eyes met his shocking him. "You must be horrified; I understand if you no longer wish to be friends." She whispered and he looked at her confused. She made to move and he noticed then it was a steel pot she held protectively in her hand, her other hand covering it. He placed a hand over hers. "No, don't you don't want to see." She said warily but he ignored her and moved her hand anyway and his heart froze. It was not someone trying to choke her but a something. He looked down upon a copious amount of what was surely what healers called phlegm but this was darker, this was foreboding and evil. This was the shadow which lingered by her soul. Calaer was sick. Suddenly she pulled the pot away from him, covering it again. "I'm sorry, you don't have to stay here, I can have the King take you back to Minas Tirith." She mumbled through tears and he shook his head still confused by her words. He did not want to go anywhere and he did not want to leave her. Before she could protest or stop him, he deftly snatched up the pot and placed it on the side table and began wiping away her tears. She did not speak but just gazed at him with confusion. She had not abandoned him and so he would not abandon her. He sat down upon the bed and without a second thought, pulled her to rest against his chest and breathed in the smell of the sea in her hair. "You don't despise me?" She gazed at him, dark eyes still confused and he smiled and shook his head. Slowly she too smiled as she looked up at him. If anything she should despise him as his own kin did. Did her own kin despise her for this? Was this why she lived here by herself. Were they in a strange sense more alike than he realised? He shook his head firmly and she gave a relieved sigh. "I am glad." She sounded tired and soon her body slumped and he realised she had fallen to sleep. Tomorrow he would learn the truth but for now he would guard her though the remainder of the night.

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