Disclaimer: I don't own the LotR.

After the council concluded, Legolas stalked angrily from the clearing.

I had to bolt after him to catch up.

"Legolas. Wait!"

His steps did not waver. His back was tense with anger.

"Legolas!"

I felt the stares of the many individuals on me as I passed through the hall. I stripped off my slippers, discarding them hastily before sprinting with bare feet after him. Irritation flooded my body. My face grew hot.

The prince took multiple paths, attempting to throw me off his trail. Tears welled up in my eyes. I lost him moments later, after he weaved through a crowd.

"What did I do wrong?"

"Indeed. What did you do?"

I twirled at the deep tenor resonating from the man entering the hall. It was Aragorn. He was certainly handsome now that he had cleaned himself up. He was proportionately built, with muscled arms crossed over his broad chest. Dark hair waved to his shoulders. He held a regal air.

"You are the heir to the throne of Gondor," I whispered, hastily wiping my tears from my eyes. I remembered many of the names from the books I'd been studying.

The man flinched imperceptibly. "And your words are that of a blunt battle axe."

I flushed a deep red.

His expression softened. "I turned from that path long ago. Just because one is the ancestor of a King, it does not make him a king himself."

I nodded. "I feel exactly the same way."

"Perhaps it is not your destiny to join us on this quest then."

I looked at him in alarm. "Are you saying this because I am a woman?!"

"No, no-" he waved his hands in surrender.

"I was a soldier in my own land, Aragorn. I'm more than qualified."

"I was not refuting that. All I am saying is that it will be dangerous-"

"I've probably seen worse than anything you have to offer in this world," I spat. I thought back to my deployments in Afghanistan. How many people were taken hostage and murdered. "One night, I went on patrol in the armored truck. My regiment and I were just talking about what were going to have for breakfast. Our car... it ran over a roadside bomb," I swallowed. "I... um I was the only one who survived. The doctors said there was a ninety percent chance I was going to be paralyzed for the rest of my life..." I exhaled shakily. "They called me a 'miracle'.

Aragorn's brow creased in confusion at most of her fantastical words, but he didn't ask what they meant.

"I've seen death Aragorn. This... I need to do this."

He nodded. "Very well. We leave at dawn."

I thanked him and ran from the corridor.

My chest with tight as I jogged away from the city.

I had never explained what'd happened to me to any of my friends back at home. They knew I'd been injured. But seeing all of that death... it does something to a person.

I stumbled across the waterfall. I felt as though I needed time alone to clear my thoughts before the journey began. Sitting down in the tall grass, I sighed and thought about how much I missed being home. I missed the military. The guys... were like brothers to me. If they saw me gallivanting around with elves, they'd never let me live it down. I smiled as I thought of them, laying back in the grass, just looking up at the clear blue autumn sky.

I wondered why Legolas had run from me. Did he think that just because we'd kissed, I wouldn't go on the quest? That in some twisted way, he owned me?

For hours I sat by the waterfall. I watched the crystalline curtain of the water crash to the rocks below.

Soon it was night and the stars pulled away from the blanket of darkness to shine bright in the sky. I propped myself against a smooth boulder, sitting in the soft grass. I closed my eyes.

Then there were voices.

" Lady Alanna!"

"Milady!"

"Alanna! Stop this now! Where are you?"

I sat up, alarmed. Were they searching for me? What was going on?

I wiped my eyes drowsily. I must have fallen asleep.

I stood, brushing off my dress. Needing more time to just be alone, I walked further from the voices until I reached the line of forest surrounding Imladris. There, I found a wide field of long grass which looked delectably soothing for my sore back. I laid down, adjusted my dress till it flowed around me, before quickly falling into a dreamless sleep.

It was early when I woke. The stars were still visible through the crown of thick trees. The air was chilled with the bite of early winter.

Getting to my feet, I stretched and the vertebrae cracked satisfyingly one at a time.

My bare feet felt free in the tall grass. The noises of the early morning were sweet in Imladris. Insects and songbirds announcing their presence along with the crashing water of the falls and the whistling wind through the trees. I lifted the hem of my skirt from the ground; unable to deal with the possibility of the beautiful dress becoming soiled with the evening dew which clung to the grass.

I didn't want to wake anyone that was still sleeping.

I thought back to the large window in my bedroom.

I grinned cheekily and rushed for the outside wall. Thankfully, the surface of the wall was covered with a thick ivy that seemed strong enough to climb. I hoisted the skirt of my dress to mid thigh, leaving my long legs completely exposed, before tying it up at my waist to keep it from harm.

The climb was quick. My arms and legs were strong from years in the military. The only problem was my bare feet. My newfound elvish abilities allowed me to climb lightly, but there were knots and thorns on the ivy that stabbed bloody gashes into my feet. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from crying out in pain. Finally arriving at the window, I slipped into the room.

Sighing triumphantly, I made my way to the restroom to have a bath.

I stopped in my tracks. There was a wall where the bathroom was supposed to be. I turned around in confusion. I recognised the room.

I spun around with a gasp.

Sitting on the bed was a blonde elf. His clear blue eyes glared at me.

"Where have you been?"

Tee heee :D