Willow sighed as she placed her feet into the cooling water of the sparkling spring, a sigh of peace blowing past her lips. With her back slumped and her arms reaching down; her fingers flicked through the water as a smile graced her features. It was going on about two months since she and Evelyn were found and brought to this beautiful place. Since awakening and getting used to moving once more, she couldn't contain the wonderment and curiosity that pumped through her veins; she just couldn't sit still.

Aching feelings in her bones made her want to walk and explore, bask in the beauty that was around her. That was mostly it, Willow frowned. Bask in the beauty. Since the fire and her awakening, the scarring of her appearance was starting to take a slight toll on her. She would sit in front of the mirror in her and her sister's new little home, comb in hand and just stare and wish that hair would magically appear for her to play with. Her hair never really grew back and to her; it possibly never would. The feeling of the bouncy curls around her face, tickling her neck and back, she would never feel that again.

Breathing through her nose, she straightened her back and brought her left hand up to her eyes. Her fingers were long and thin, bitten nail beds growled at her and then she stared at the biggest ailment. A pink and wrinkly scar covered the entire front of her hand with its jagged edges. She flipped her hand to her palm and traced the scar with her eyes as it slithered up the limb then disappeared into the sleeve of her dress where a bigger scar waited.

Dropping her hand to her lap, she leaned over to the still water and once again saw another ailment. With her hair so short, everyone had easy access to gaze upon her. The left side of her neck was pink and wrinkled as well as on her shoulder and around her collar bone. She even had a slight scar on her face, making it appear that she had a permanent blush to her nose and cheeks. The only downfall was that it paused her left eye into a slight squint.

This was the new Willow and she just couldn't bring herself to accept it. She's felt the stares and heard the whispers; even though not in English she knew they were directed toward her as the smirks revealed it. Being amongst the mythical elves and their forever beauty and grace, she felt like Frankenstein in the middle of the town square.

The upside was that Evelyn wasn't as badly scarred as she. Her right arm did have a large pink and wrinkly scar that stretched from her wrist to her elbow; making Willow happy that she wasn't hurt any more than that. Since being here for the time they've had, Evelyn was like a different child. She was running and laughing and smiling; her hair bouncing and eyes sparkling. She was particularly fond of Orophin, the elf that carried her. Talking and asking questions to him every chance she could and when he got back from doing a patrol, Evelyn was there being the first to greet him. Evelyn loved it here, her face showed it every day; Willow just wished she could be just as happy as the bubbly teen.

Even back at home she hated being stared at, keeping her eyes downcast and briskly walking to where she was meant to be and now she laughs at how foolish she had been. She would have gladly let people stare all they liked back then if she knew what would be her fate this present second. She could only wish.

Willow groaned. She was being ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous. She was self-pitying herself about how the scars made her look, even going as far as being jealous about Evelyn but she just couldn't stop herself. Her hands flew to her temples and rubbed them hard as her brow furrowed in agitation. Pulling her feet from the water, she brought her knees to her chin and wrapped her arms around them tightly; eyes gazing far over the wide lake and watching as swan carved boats floated by. A tiny part of her whispered to her that she didn't belong here; living amongst the most fairest and beautiful of creatures. She felt like a caterpillar among butterflies with no hope of becoming an idea of beauty amongst those most glorious. She had once dreamed of being married, having little ones call her momma but now. Willow blew a tiny leaf from her face and watched it float to the water. Those dreams were scorched away by cackling heat.

Her thinking was scaring her. Willow tucked her chin and rested her forehead on her knees. She was starting to scare herself.

Evelyn twirled her fingers into the hem of her silver dress, brows furrowed and lip in her teeth. Her elven friend, Derenil, sighed and switched arms that held a slip of paper with written Elvish speak scribbled upon it. Since being found and living amongst these being for almost three months, Evelyn really wanted to learn the language. Orophin usually taught her but with his increasing time at the borders, she wasn't learning as fast as she wished. Then she met Derenil.

The first two weeks that she and her sister had been living in Lothlorien, she noticed that her sister was starting to go off on her own and just sit. It worried her greatly but every time she confronted her about it, Willow would just smile and wave her off to either go explore or find Orophin, which she would do and leave her to her thoughts. She had met Derenil very shortly after that, finding her sitting in a gazebo with a book in her hands. Evelyn was surprised that she was brave enough to go and introduce herself and even more surprised with the elf spoke English very well.

Evelyn groaned and rubbed her cheeks as she eyeballed the script once more. Sut naa lle umien sina rewas written on the card.She recognized it, Orophin always said when she would go and greet him at the front gate but why couldn't she place it?

"Uh is it…" She tapped her lips as a greeting flowed through her mind. "How are you?"

Derenil was pleased and smiled before placing the card down. "You were close." She said. "It's 'how are you doing today?' Umienis 'doing' and Sina reis 'today'. You were very close,mellonamin." Derenil placed the card in the very large pile and stretched her back. They've been practicing for the past hour and sitting cross-legged with a slumped back was beginning to become painful.

"How is your sister fairing?" Derenil inquired as Evelyn stretched her arms above her head with a moan. How was her sister fairing? She honestly didn't know. Evelyn placed her fingers in her lap and played with them once more.

"She's been kind of sad, I guess." She mumbled.

Derenil's shoulders slumped at the solemn gaze in her friends eyes. "What do you mean 'sad'? Does she not like it here?"

Evelyn shook her head. "No of course not, she loves it here. It's just…" Evelyn sighed and turned her gaze from her dress to her friend. "She's been getting looks from people; you know, because of her scars, some not very friendly. I guess she picks up on it and it degrades her."

Derenil nodded her head to Evelyn's words and her heart ached for young Willow. "She just needs time I suppose." Derenil inquired as she reached over and grasped Evelyn's hands. "Some of the ellons and elleths here, though not all, are very vain. Nothing will change that." Evelyn sighed and nodded. She has met some very aloof elves since she been here but Willow was the one getting the brunt of their aloofness.

"I guess you're right." Evelyn sighed. "She was so pretty, back home. Long hair, clear skin, a smile that blinded." Evelyn smiled. "I still see her like she was; she hasn't changed at all in my eyes."

Derenil smiled at her friends words and in her few hundred years, she has never heard words like hers. These sisters were special. Both of the girls head jolted upward as the sound of a horn sounded at the opening of the forest. It was the horn of the wardens when they returned from patrol. Evelyn smiled and bolted to her feet, arm swinging behind her and grasping Derenil's hand.

"They're back." Evelyn smiled and the girls took off once more toward the entrance with tiny spark of a plan swimming through her head regarding her sister