Two months later

Helix watched Web walk around the room. The elfling seemed to have regained most of his strength but the bruises on his face and neck still looked truly horrible; the stuff of an old nightmare. Web's eyes had grown gradually accustomed to the light.

"You are free to walk wherever you wish," Helix said. "As long as you return before dark and if you lose your way, you can ask any of the elves to help you come home. Do you understand?"

Web nodded.

Helix waved toward the door and turned to make the bed.

Web walked from the room he had spent many weeks in, the only place he knew of in his new home. He wandered in the long halls, shrinking back into the shadows whenever an elf passed. He knew not what the elves might do to him if he happened to obscure their path, so he stayed silent and inched along the walls until they were gone. The palace lay stretched out before him, bigger then anything he could imagine. He found his way out onto the winding platforms and stopped to look at Thranduil's throne. He forgot the great chair as he spotted sunlight and followed it outside.

The two guards he passed on either sides of the door did nothing to stop him but cast curious looks in his direction. Web crossed the arching bridge beyond the doors, stopping to look down at the water. Web followed the footpath into the trees. He passed large, flat rocks covered with moss where elves sat, laughing. He spotted many little clearings where neat houses rested. Web followed the footpath until it forked left and right. He took the left fork and kept walking.

The air smelled clean and fresh, not like the damp, musty smell of his old prison. He liked the smell of the trees, and the sound of his wind. The sunlight felt warm on his face, sort of like the candle Eigil had given him sometimes but the sunlight was much nicer.

Web trailed his hands over the tree trunks as he passed, staring down at the soft grass beneath his feet. He bumped into a warm body and looked up in horror as the elf gave a startled cry. Web stumbled back, stammering and stuttering. Before the elf could utter a word, Web fled into the trees, gasping as he ran. His breath hammered against his ribs and bruised his insides as he fled, afraid the elf was chasing him to punish him for bumping against him. He sank down to his knees, wrapping his arms around his waist and gasped for breath, sucking the cold air into his hot lungs. A frantic look around revealed his only company was the trees and birds.

Web climbed to his feet, his heart stilling in his chest as he heard the sound of laughter. Curiosity coming to life inside him, he followed the sound as the wind carried it closer. The trees ended, replaced by a long field of open grass. Web lay down on his stomach, his eyes wide as he beheld the sight before him. He loved his new world but the sight before him was like a wonderful dream.

The field ahead of him was full of elflings and their smiling parents. The elflings stood in a long row the length of the field, facing bales of golden hay. The curved sticks in their hands projected flying missiles toward the bales. The adult elves stood in clustered groups, watching and, in some cases, helping their offspring handle their bows. The archery master walked up and down the row of students, correcting stances. While the activities of the elves were something new to Web, it was not the archery he was interested in. He rested his chin on the moss between his hands and watched the parents interacting with the children. And it was not just their own children; none of the parents were being mean to any of the elflings. Web could not believe his eyes. Accustomed to and having grown up chained to a dirt wall, beaten every day for being weak, seeing only words of encouragement, hugs, and gentle touches was something new and amazing. Even when the straw bales were missed, no voices were raised in fury and no blows struck upon the disappointed face of the bow wielder.

And as he watched, Web felt a lonely hole open in heart. A tear trickled down his cheek as he thought of Thranduil and Legolas and his quadruplets. He had never viewed Eigil as being a person who cared for him. But now he wished he had someone like Thranduil; someone like all the elflings in the field had. He blinked and wiped his eyes. It felt good to watch the field but he felt alone and rejected by it.

Web's eyes slipped shut. He shifted on the warm moss and curled on it to sleep, his sadness bringing to life his sudden exhaustion. The frantic run had drained his energy and his body cried out for rest. The moss made a nice pillow beneath him and the sunlight warmed him, casting dappled shadows over the bruises on his face.

And when Web opened his eyes, he shivered, wondering why the air felt cold and heavy. He curled tighter to stay warm but flew to his feet, eyes wide as a loud crash sounded overhead and an evil blue glow flashed through the night. He spun around in horror, seeing dark shadows all around him. A cold, wet mist fell around him, pattering over leaves. Another loud crash sounded and the rain increased to a heavy pouring. Web cringed back against a tree trunk, shivering and wet. He screamed as a pair of glowing eyes looked down at him from the tree and ran. He knew not where he would run but he fled, his feet tripping over roots, his body knocking against tree trunks. The resulting bruises hurt but he cared little for his heart was overcome with uncontrollable terror and he ran until he slipped on mud and collapsed in a puddle of misery.

He felt like crying but he was too frightening, wondering if the thing with red eyes had chased hi. He crawled forward and bumped against something solid. He felt it with his hands and relief washed over him. It was a house! He found the doorknob and turned it, stumbling into the dark warmth within. The cold rain stopped drenching him as he staggered to the warm red glow at the opposite end of the room, burning in the hearth and collapsed on the floor. Safe from the rain and the glowing red eyes, he slept, not one thought going to what the owners of the house would say when they found him; it had slipped his mind houses had owners and he was too cold and wet to care.

But what will they say?

And to those of you who are reading this and have given Benders a glance, I have a new poll up on my profile that involves Elladan and Elrohir. I was thinking about giving them some bending but I am having some trouble deciding what element or elements best represents them so I would appreciate it if you would vote on the poll to share your opinion. It would help me more then you know.