Chapter Ten: Surprised?

"Is she alright?" I heard someone ask from above me. It was a familiar voice but I can't place it.

"She should be," some one else said. I know that one. That's Aragorn.

"What happened to her?" Maybe it's Merry or Pippin.

"She was struck on the head by flying debris," Aragorn replied.

"Will she be alright?" one of the hobbits asked.

"Yes. Her head will hurt, but she'll be fine," He replied again.

My head does hurt. A lot. I opened my eyes and flinched at the sudden brightness. "Where am I?" I asked.

"Lorien," Aragorn replied.

"Lorien?" I asked. He nodded simply. Why is that so familiar?

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

I looked around Merry and Pippin were both in here as well. "I'm fine. My head hurts a bit though," I replied. A lot actually, but I've had worse.

"Are you sure?" Aragorn asked.

I nodded and started to get up. Aragorn took my arm and helped me up. "What happened?" I asked. "How'd I get hurt?"

"In Moria, during the battle, the cave troll smashed some of the stone. It flew everywhere and you were unlucky enough to be hit," Aragorn replied.

"Of course I was," I muttered. "I seem to be getting hurt a lot lately." I heard them all snicker. "Where are we staying?"

"I'm not sure you should be joining us. Not if your head still hurts, you'd be better off up here," Aragorn replied.

"But it's not very fair that I get a bed and the rest of you don't," I replied. Aragorn sighed. I looked at him to see what he was going to say. "Please."

He smiled. "Alright. You may change your mind later. Anyway I think there's someone who wants to see you," Aragorn replied.

"Who?" I asked.

"He asked that I not tell you. He would like to know if you remember him," he said.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Come on. You'll see," He said leading me down a very long and winding staircase.

"Do either of you know?" I asked Merry and Pippin.

"Sorry Belle. He told us not to tell," Merry replied.

I looked over at Pippin. "Sorry," He said.

Who could it possibly be? Someone who wants to see if I remember him? I don't understand.

Aragorn lead us down to a place provided for them to sleep. At first I don't see anyone who wasn't here before, although I don't see Gandalf among anyone.

"Where is Gandalf?" I asked.

Merry and Pippin sadly look down at the ground. Aragorn turned to me. "He fell. In Moria," He said. "He was taken by shadow and flame."

I feel like I was just punched. "He-he's gone?" I asked. Aragorn nodded sadly. I looked down at the ground holding my stomach.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I nodded and swallowed the lump forming in my throat. If I can keep myself from crying in Isengard I can keep myself from crying here. "Who is it that wanted to see me?" I asked.

Aragorn pointed over to where Legolas and another elf were speaking. That was the first time I noticed the new elf. He had blonde hair like Legolas'. There was something familiar about him. Legolas gestured over to me and the elf turned. I gasped as I saw his face. I know that face. Of all the things I have forgotten about my life before Isengard he is the one I never forgot. Haldir.

"Haldir!" I said running to him. Before I could stop myself I jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly. He hugged me back just as tightly. "I thought I'd never see you again," I whispered. I couldn't keep the tears back this time.

"I didn't think I'd see you again," He said. We broke our embrace and looked at each other. I had almost forgotten him. Over the last few years in Isengard I had given up all hopes of ever seeing him again. "What happened to you?" he whispered.

I shook my head. "That's not a good story. I don't want to tell it right now," I said hugging him again. "I've missed so much."

"As have I," He said. He pulled away again. "Will you come with me? I want to show you something." I nodded and he took my hand and I followed him through the forest, completely forgetting everyone else.

"Where are we going?" I asked him.

"Legolas said you'd forgotten almost everything. I want you to remember something," He said.

"I haven't forgotten everything. I remember you, and I just started to remember my parents," I argued.

He stopped and turned to me. "Please tell me what happened to you. No one would," he said.

"Only four of them knew. One is gone now. Haldir, it's not a very pleasant story," I replied.

"Please tell me," He pleaded.

I nodded and sat down on the ground. Haldir joined me and sat across from me. I took a deep breath. "Well my parents and I were attacked by orcs. I don't remember where we were going or what we were doing and I don't remember much of the battle. I remember my mother hiding me in the bushes and telling me to stay there until it was safe. She gave me her necklace and told me that both her and my father loved me. After the battle no one came back for me. I must've been found my orcs or someone who took me to Isengard."

I stopped and looked at Haldir's face. Shock was registered on it. He didn't say anything so I continued. "Saruman decided to keep me there. As a slave. At first I tried to escape everyday. I never succeeded. I stopped trying everyday and waited until they didn't watch me so closely. I ended up falling into a routine. I'd do my chores everyday like I was told. I was even given a list, but I couldn't read it. I had for…"

"Belle, you never learned how to read the common tongue. You were just beginning to learn how to speak it when it happened," Haldir said interrupting me.

"Then how is it I don't know anything about the elven culture? Or how to speak elvish anymore?" I asked.

"You had forgotten. You didn't use any knowledge that you learned here. And you never spoke elvish. You seemed to have been forced to use the common tongue," Haldir replied. "You've always been able to read and write. Just not the way Saruman wanted you to."

"Saruman said I believe everything he had ever told me," I said remembering the day he locked me in the dungeon.

"You've always been trusting. You've always trusted everyone," Haldir said. "It was one of your faults." He pushed a lock of hair behind my ear. "Please continue."

"Well I did everything I was told, but I was always getting into trouble. I don't think I've ever gone an entire week with out getting beaten by them," I said. I saw Haldir grimace when I spoke the last part. "I tried all the time to escape and I've always been punished for it. I guess in my heart I started to believe I'd never be free and stopped thinking about what had happened and my life before that. But I kept trying and trying and over time I forgot everything. Everything."

Haldir reached over and took my hand. "I started to make up excuses for why I had forgotten things," I said.

"How did you get away?" he asked.

"On the night I got away I found everything I had with me when they brought me here. I found my old dress, a cloak, my father's dagger, and my mother's necklace. I decided I was going succeed the next time I tried or I was going to die trying. I ended up telling Saruman I would help rid Isengard of the trees and I'd stop trying. In the end I found Gandalf's horse and I rode away. I rode and rode until I was attacked by orcs that had followed me. But that was when I found them," I gestured back to where we had left my friends.

"You found good people," he said.

"I know I did," I replied.

"So how much did you forget?" He asked. "Did you remember me at all?"

I nodded. "I tried to forget though. Every time I thought of you I ended up crying. I remember a lot about us," I replied.

"Do you remember the stream?" he asked.

"Hardly. Please take me," I looked at him ready to beg.

He took my hand and helped me up. "Of course I will," he replied.

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