Chapter 10

Elaine lowered her head, and looked into the mirror. She saw herself hunted by the righwraiths. She saw herself with Legolas, her arms wrapped around him as they kissed. And Sauron. Her heart being cut out. Sauron having her and the ring.

She looked up, away from the mirror, gasping, her hand flying to her heart. She looked wide-eyed at Galadriel.

"I know what you have seen," Galadriel told her. "You must be careful, Elenwen. If Sauron gets the ring, Middle Earth will fall to shadow. But if he gets you as well, it will be even worse. From what you have told me, having the heart of a star will only increase his power." Elaine nodded.

"I will be careful," she promised. But her mind was on what she had seen of her and Legolas. Would that really happen? She wasn't sure, and somehow doubted it.

Galadriel smiled. "Good. Now go and rest. You must be tired."

Elaine smiled back. "I'll try." She doubted she'd be able to sleep. She'd barely slept since arriving in Middle Earth. She'd been forced to be awake most days, and she couldn't sleep right at night, being a star.

She walked back to where the Fellowship was staying. Her mind was swirling with thoughts of what she'd seen. Her and Legolas? Together? Not possible! It couldn't be! Could it? No. lthough they were getting along now, she still strongly disliked him.

The part that disturbed her most was Sauron. Cutting her heart out. If Sauron got her or the Ring, either would be terrible, but both her and the Ring, the thought was disastrous. Middle Earth would be doomed. True, it wasn't her world, the sky was her world, but she had friends there now.

Merry, and Pippin, and Boromir, and Aragorn, and Sam and Frodo. Gimli, too, along with Gandalf... Gandalf. Why did he have to die? She then thought of the elves in Rivendell. They'd shown her kindness.

Her thoughts then strayed back to Legolas. She guessed he wasn't too bad, but he had terrified her and hadn't believed her. They had certainly gotten off on the wrong foot. But now he seemed different.

No, it wasn't real. Her current thoughts were just because of what she'd seen in the mirror. Nothing else. She had no feelings for the irritating elf. Or did she? No. She didn't.

"Elaine?" She turned to see Legolas looking at her. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she assured him.

"What did the Lady Galadriel want with you?" he asked her.

"Simply to ask me about my home, stuff like that," she told him, leaving out the mirror and what she'd seen. The last thing she needed was for him to know that.

Legolas looked doubtful, but relaxed when she smiled in an attempt to remove doubt.

"Does she know of a way for you to return to the sky?" he asked.

"No, this has apparently never happened here before," Elaine replied. She tensed slightly, remembering another part of the conversation. "Oh, and we have a problem."

"What problem?" asked Legolas, looking concerned.

"Well, remember what I told you about my mother, and the witches?" Elaine asked hesitantly.

"No. No, you can't be serious?"

Elaine sighed. "If you're thinking along the lines of Sauron finding out about me and trying to hunt me to cut out my heart and eat it to increase his power, then yes, I 'm serious. But there is every chance he doesn't know yet."

Legolas sighed. "This isn't good. If he gets you and the ring, or even on of the two, then we could be in serious trouble."

"Well, well, well, look who's more intelligent than they seemed!" Elaine said, trying to be serious, but her smmile gave her away.

"Why, thank you for the compliment. You're quite intelligent yourself."

"Thank you!"

"And you have nothing to worry about," Legolas assured her.

Elaine looked at him in mock annoyance. "Excuse me, but I can take care of myself quite well!" She tossed her head in indifference. "You are so annoying!"

"Oh, really?" said Legolas, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course!" Elaine looked at him with an expression of clear annoyance. "I don't need protecting!"

"Can you use a sword?" asked Legolas. "Or a bow, or an axe?"

elaine blinked. She hadn't thought of that. "Erm..."

"Because if not, an or would kill you in minutes. Although, they'd actually leave you alive, then they'd bring back Sauron, and he'd cut out your heart and eat it. Then you'd be dead."

"Oh. Good point. However, I'm not completely helpless!" she retorted.

"Which means...?"

Elaine smiled. "I'm sure you'll find out eventually." She felt her heart flutter for a moment as he looked at her intently with his bright blue eyes. She resisted the sudden urge to run into his arms. Why she had the urge, she didn't know, but she didn't like it. It made her feel weak.

Legolas looked like he was going to say something for a moment, but he didn't. The star and teh elf stood there for a few moments, simply looking at each other.

"I-" Legolas started, then he fell silent.

"Yes?" Elaine responded, curious, wondering what he was going to say.

"I- its nothing," he turned and began to walk away.

Elaine hesitated a moment before following, quickly catching up. "You can tell me whatever it was that you were bout to say. I won't be mad. Unless, of course, it was an insult."

"It wasn't an insult," Legolas muttered.

"Then what were you going to say?" Elaine gazed at him intently.

Her heart pounded as their eyes met, she felt butterflies in her stomach. But Legolas didn't respond. At least, not with words. He leaned towards her, and gently kissed her cheek. Then, without a word, he turned and walked away, back to where the fellowship was staying, leaving Elaine in stunned silence.