Hello! It has been too long my friends, too long. Thank you all for the very nice reviews. I don't know what I'd do without you. This past, well, past day actually, I came up with an idea. I hope that you all don't kill me, but I have already thought up an ending. The ending will NOT come soon, but I do know it. And I have an idea for a twist. I'm going to use an idea from a movie I saw a couple years ago and sort of weave it into the story. Basically, my story will have one matter in common with that movie. But I am not saying which movie. If I did, then you all would know the ending as I speak!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Rating: PG

P.S. Sorry about the length! I have lots of homework tonight to get to! Enjoy and review!

It had been three days since Calin and Legolas had left Minas Tirith. The journey had been pleasant so far, except for a few unnerving moments here and there. There was a thick intensity that constantly hung between Calin and Legolas as they sat by the fireside, eating or resting. When one would look away, the other would stare and search for answers that seemed hidden in stone. The two had trouble talking ever since Calin had reminded Legolas on the first night on the journey, that they were taking their relationship slower. Legolas hung his head in unease as Calin only looked away, pretending to forget the whole happening. And after a short time of staring into the fire, each would roll out their packs and lay upon them. Hours Calin and Legolas would lay there, sleepless – until sleep would finally evade their mind-boggling thoughts.

The riding hours of the day were quiet. For the only sound that would echo into each ones' ears was the clatter of hooves on rough ground. Calin would often drift off into her own thoughts, as Legolas would ride near her side, watching her as he questioned her behavior. It was as if cold chills were constantly sweeping over Calin's body - as one would while having a severe temperature. And this made Legolas nervous – nervous for Calin's health. She had become unexplainably pale and tired the third day of the trip when they finally came into hours reach of Edoras. Droplets of sweat began to form on her forehead, as she fought to keep her eyes peeled open. This was enough. Legolas was worried enough. He had to know she was all right. "Calin?" he asked, worry filling his voice. Calin's eyes shot open once again and she slowly turned her head to look at Legolas. Her eyes' were glossed over and bloodshot as she wiped her forehead with her free arm. "Calin are you all right?" Legolas added. She slowly shook her head up and down then side to side. "Stop your horse," he said, his voice tearing through the wind.

When the two horses came to a stop, Legolas jumped off of his own and ran straight away to Calin's. He gently put his arms around her small waist and lifted her from the horse. "Calin, you are not well," he said in haste as he lay her down on a smooth patch of grass. Calin lazily cracked her eyes' open to see a worried Legolas looming over her and dark green trees all around. She turned her head to the side to take a better look at where she was, but was stopped when Legolas' hand guided her face to look at him. "Calin, how are you feeling?" he asked, becoming panicky. Calin blinked slowly, her eyes' rolling in her head. "Calin! You must be malnourished!" he stated, running to his pack to pull out a piece of elven bread.

Once at Calin's side again, he broke it up into small pieces and sat by Calin's head, urging her to eat the elven bread. Calin made no sign of movement, so he brought it up to her mouth and put it in gently, while moving her jaw up and down. After that, he poured a bit of water from his canteen into her mouth as she slowly swallowed it down. With his thumb, he brushed a loose strand of blonde hair from her face as she blinked her eyes' open again and opened her mouth to speak. Her throat was rough as she swallowed hard and tried again. "Legolas?" she asked, her voice raspy. Legolas smiled.

"Yes? I am here," he answered, stroking the side of her cheek with the back of his hand. Calin swallowed again and closed her eyes.'

"You were......right, Legolas," she said slowly. Legolas heart pained to see her in such conditions as she lay on the forest floor, having a hard time at such a simple thing.

"Yes. You should feel better soon. You just needed some nutrients," he said, not being aware of what was to come.

"No, Legolas, before. You were right before," she said, blinking away the tears of pain. His face then turned to utter confusion as he examined her pale facial features.

"I do not understand, Calin," he replied softly. Calin let her head fall to the side as she closed her eyes' and held them shut tightly. Her mind was swirling and she had no idea what to tell him. Should she tell him? It would definitely change their relationship. But at this point, they needed some change. "Calin, please......what is the matter?" he asked, putting his hand on her cheek and moving her head to face him once again.

"I......I......am sick."

"Yes, Calin. Malnourished is all. You will be feeling better soon," he said, while rubbing her cheek. Calin gulped and shut her eyes' tight again, wanting to fall into the earth at this very moment.

"No......Legolas, I am sick. You must get me to Edoras as soon as possible," she said between shaky breaths. Legolas halted his movement and stared at her wide-eyed. His heart could have stopped beating and he wouldn't even of noticed. He was so wrapped up in his worry for Calin that he lost all measure of time and place. "Please, Legolas," she added, her forehead sweating and her eyes' watering. Legolas nodded and picked her up, placing her on the horse. He swiftly jumped up and mounted behind her, holding her tight as he galloped towards Edoras.

With every minute that passed, he found himself kicking the horse – urging it to go faster. His whole body became tense as he tightened his grip on the limp form before him. Minutes seemed to be hours and hours, days. Legolas' mind was jumbled around as he pulled on the reigns, guiding the horse around the trees. What was wrong with her? What did she mean? Deciding to throw away the terrible thoughts, Legolas looked straight upon Edoras with a gleeful expression as he rode across the plains before it.

Once he was inside the town, surrounded by people walking with baskets and hand in hand with children, he found relief. Being very careful, Legolas slid off the horse and pulled Calin down with him – his grip tight. "I need aide!" Legolas called, to the people around him. "Please, I need to know where there are healers!" he asked. An old woman dressed in a long black cloak, pointed to a small cabin down the path and kept walking. Forgetting about the horse entirely, Legolas shouted in thanks and picked Calin up, carrying her towards his destination. His steps were light and quick as he made his way to the front door of the healers. And without knocking, he pushed the door open and walked in. "Excuse me! Please, she is sick!" he said in haste. Just then, a short woman with long black hair, came out of the back room and motioned her hand, telling Legolas to follow. Without hesitation, Legolas followed her into the room and set Calin down on the bed – her body limp as she breathed slowly.

After washing her hands in a small basin, the woman walked over to the bed and sat upon a chair. "My name is Unadia." Legolas nodded curtly. "Could you please explain to me how she got like this?" she asked nicely. Legolas breathed deep and began.

"This is Calin. I am not sure how this started, but we are on a journey to Mirkwood. Just a few hours ago she began to sweat terribly. Her eyes' would roll back into her head and I thought that she was merely malnourished, but I assume that I am wrong. She told me that she was sick and that I needed to get her to a healer as soon as possible. So I came here." The woman put her finger to her chin and tapped and she looked up to him once more.

"Has this ever happened to your wife before?" she asked, assuming they were a married couple. Legolas looked to the ground and rest his hands on his knees.

"She is just a......friend," he answered, pain flickering in his voice. "But I have never known of her doing this," Legolas finished. After feeling Calin's forehead and hands, Unadia nodded softly and stood up, taking a washcloth from the basin of water.

"Since we have no record of anything happening......it seems as if it's merely a high temperature," she said, placing wet washcloth Calin's forehead. Unadia then pulled a blanket up around Calin and looked to Legolas. "I believe all we can do right now is simply keep her warm. Her hands are utterly cold and her forehead is very warm, leading me to think what I do – a fever." Legolas nodded once again as Unadia walked out of the room. Legolas' hand soon found Calin's as she blinked her eyes' open slowly. She breathed deep, her voice shaky as she began to talk.

"Legolas......I should of told you before......I am sick," she stated. Legolas heart felt as if it had been stabbed with a dagger as his grip tightened on her hand and her words became relevant to his ears. Calin blinked back a few tears slowly as she watched Legolas horrified face become pale. It was all starting to connect now. Her constant and unusually pale face, her very thin body, her need to be alone – she was sick – she was always sick. "Legolas, ever since I was born......I have found myself with terrible fevers every once in a while. It's terrible and it's my problem," she added, tears falling freely now. "I think I may have some bigger problems......diseases......" Legolas shook his head from side to side with a pained face and moved forward, taking Calin into a tight and warm embrace. He felt her weak breaths as he pulled away and kissed her brow.

"I'm so sorry, Calin," he whispered.

"No, it's not your fault," she said, as he stroked the side of her cheek, painfully smiling down at her. Before he could hug her once more, a knock came at the door. Legolas turned to the door and sighed.

"Come in," he said. A young man then popped his head into the room and walked in shutting the door behind him. His eyes' widened as he ran up to the bed and took hold of Calin hugging her with all his might. Legolas looked on in shock and waited until the boy let go so he could get a look at him. "Excuse me......who are you?"

"This is Seon," Calin said, her voice faltering. Legolas heart turned to stone as he nodded and looked to Seon blankly.

"Oh Calin, I came as soon as I heard! Word gets around fast here in Edoras. Luckily I was just around the corner!" he said, taking hold of her hand, only to see Legolas holding the other. Seon slowly moved his gaze up to Legolas and blinked in confusion when he saw that the man before him was an elf. "And you are?" he asked.

"Legolas of Mirkwood," he stated flatly. Seon nodded and widened his eyes' when he came to realize that the elf before him was the son of the king. Though, that didn't change Seon's actions. Seon stood there, motionless and expressionless, looking to Legolas.

"Why are you here?" Seon asked then – becoming very rude.

"Calin and I have become close friends," Legolas said, drawing her hand closer to his body. Seon saw his movement and nodded slightly. "She and I were on a journey to Mirkwood – today she became sickly."

"I see," he said – still blank as ever. Calin watched on through thick eyes' as the man and elf before her seemed to be both fighting their own inner battles. Both were being oddly protective as she examined each ones actions.

"Legolas, can I please speak to Seon alone?" she asked. Legolas closed his eyes shut tight and nodded. After kissing her brow once again – causing much anger to Seon – he stood up and left the room. Calin looked up to Seon nervously as he watched the door close. Then after Legolas was out of sight, he moved his gaze to Calins.'

"Who is he to you?" Seon asked, his voice tinged with anger. Calin sighed and lay her head back again.

"Legolas is my friend. And maybe more......" she said, wishing to get this dreaded conversation over with as soon as possible. Seon huffed quietly and let his gaze drop to the floor.

"You are like a sister to me, Calin," he started. "I fear for you."

"You need not fear for me, Seon. I am quite all right. Legolas is the sweetest and kindest person I have ever met," she said, her eyelids becoming heavy again. "And not to mention......he is an elf. I really do not think that poses a threat," she said, her voice raspy, but the amusement still sensible.

"He didn't seem to friendly," Seon said quietly.

"Well, were not exactly friendly to him, charming," she replied, closing her eyes' to get some rest. Seon hugged her once more and stood up after minutes of just watching her lay.

"I assume you would like to be seeing him again," he said, but when he turned to look back at Calin for an answer, he found her sleeping peacefully. Seon smiled and grasped her hand, squeezing it in his own. "Sleep well, dear friend," he whispered, letting go of her hand and taking a step back to walk away. Calin shifted.

"Legolas, do not leave me," she pleaded in her sleep. Seon hung his head, looking to the ground and walked to the door – feeling extremely helpless. With one last look back he walked out of the room and while passing by Legolas, gave him the news.

"She called out for you in her sleep," he said flatly, while passing by Legolas and walking out of the healers cabin. Legolas heart skipped a beat, as he comprehended what Seon had just said. And before he realized it, he was at Calin's side, holding her hand. He watched her body shake slightly as she breathed in and out. Not being able to keep the want down any longer, he reached out and wiped a strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear just for the sake of touching her soft hair and smooth skin.

"Len annon guren."

Elvish Translation

Len annon guren: I give you my heart. I wanted to dress the words - I love you - up a little bit.

Finally another chapter done! I am so happy to get this one up! Again, I'm sorry about the length. I know this chapter is definitely the shortest so far. But I hope that you all liked it! Do you know the movie that sort of inspired me now? If you really think about it, the story sort of resembles it from the beginning – somewhat.

Review please!

.:kris:.