Legolas awoke early in the morning. But then again, so had Mist. The older elf had, admittedly, been the cause for his wakefulness. It wasn't that she had been the one to wake him, but he just simply woke up on his own and, finding her awake as well, couldn't go back to sleep.

Who was she? Why was she here? Where did she come from? Why was she alone? There were so many answers that had yet to be revealed.

Eldandil was still sleeping, curled around the baby rabbits that Elhadril had saved, so Legolas was careful to keep quiet as he pushed himself up from the hard floor. Mist payed him no heed from where she was browsing the different objects hung around the smithy, some partially melted. There were very few if any weapons. Most of these objects were horseshoes or axes or maybe a plow. One thing was certain: there wasn't much iron to work with, and therefore not many iron tools.

"Modron wants me to train them," Mist murmured, so softly that Legolas was unsure if he was meant to hear. The question was answered when the elven woman turned to him and gestured to the display of craftsmanship, "They want to fight. But they have so few weapons. Marroc has a few, though I doubt that he could use one, and I have only been able to find two swords in here."

If he were being honest with himself, Legolas didn't know why she was telling him this. After all, he didn't know what to do about the lack of weapons. He himself had lost all of his. Only Eldandil's dagger remained of the trio's arms. The bow they were currently using belonged to Mist! What was he to do about any of this?

Angry voices saved him from a response, and with a quickly shared look the two elves raced out of the smithy and towards the source of the commotion. What they found was a shock.

"I do not know what has happened! I saw her last night, but she went back to the storeroom to rest. If she is not there, then I have no knowledge of her whereabouts," Elhadril was telling a particularly ill-looking fellow. He was not ugly, in fact he must once have been considered pleasant enough, but he had the aura of one who was constantly sick. He was ever so slightly bulging at the stomach, and his face somewhat resembled Sarf. Legolas quickly recognized him as the man that hadn't liked him playing with Dera the previous day.

"Aha! So you were the last to see her! I knew elves could never be trusted!" the man exclaimed, an odd look of triumph crossing his face. Mist spoke before Elhadril could, "Marroc, Elhadril, tell me what has happened."

Legolas had the feeling that she already knew and did not require Marroc's immediate accusation, "This she-elf has done something to my daughter! I can not find her anywhere!"

Legolas was quick to defend his friend, his anger suddenly flaring, "Elhadril would do no such thing!"

"Legolas, please, people are resting. Even the sun has yet to fully rise. Lower your voice and tell me what proof you have, Marroc," Mist spoke calmly, with deliberation. The man smiled and began, "I woke up last night and saw her preparing to slip out of the storeroom. I asked her why, and she said to relieve herself. But she never came back. Oh, my dear Sarf, victim to this she-devil!"

Legolas was thankful that Elhadril currently possessed their bow and not him. Only Mist's warning glare kept him from retorting to this man. Elhadril's expression was defiantly calm as she spoke, "And what proof do you have that it was me?"

"You were on guard duty. You were responsible for watching us in our sleep. Whatever happened, you would have seen it. No alarm meant that you did it. Plus, you have a bow and a knife."

"Elhadril, do you really possess these weapons?" Mist asked, remaining way too calm. Legolas began to wonder whether she was just humoring Marroc or actually considering his claim.

"Yes. The bow is yours, and the knife belongs to my sister," Elhadril answered, handing both weapons to the older elf.

"You were brandishing that knife when I came to ask you about my daughter's whereabouts!"

"I was carving a flute for my sister!" Elhadril growled back, holding up a piece of charred wood that didn't remotely resemble a flute. Actually, if he squinted at it, Legolas could sort of see… Nope, not a flute.

"Or perhaps the murder device!" Marroc yelled, pointing. His loud voice was beginning to wake the other villagers. Legolas could see little Dera's wide eyes peeking around the corner of the building.

"If it was a murder device, then it clearly was not complete, for I was still carving this when you accused me!"

Tensions were running high, and a few villagers were beginning to gather around, appearing curious and uneasy. Mist did her best to brush off the situation, "Marroc, have you indeed looked everywhere for Sarf?"

The man's face fell for a fraction of a second. Aha, so he hadn't checked everywhere! But before anyone could catch more than a glimpse, he continued strongly, "Yes, I have! And she is lost, I fear forever!"

"Mist, what has happened?" a well-built, tan man asked. To no one's surprise, Marroc answered first, "This elf has murdered my daughter!"

A collective gasp echoed through the gathered crowd. They didn't particularly like Sarf or her father, but such a serious accusation wasn't to be taken lightly.

Legolas and Elhadril exchanged a look. This clearly wasn't going to end well.

"Please, please, calm yourselves," Mist tried, her steady voice having some affect on the agitated villagers. "Now, according to Marroc, Sarf left the storeroom last night to relieve herself and did not return. Can anyone confirm or disprove this?"

The gathered crowd, which was by now most of the village, was silent. Each person looked at his or her neighbor, waiting for someone to speak. But either no one saw anything or no one wanted to single themselves out. Legolas, disappointed in these people, spoke up truthfully, "I saw her last night, before Elhadril took over the night watch. Eldandil was there, too."

Mist looked shocked. Why hadn't he spoken up earlier? Didn't he realize what sort of shade this could potentially throw upon him? And Eldandil as well? And the elven race in general? Didn't he realize that by not giving his evidence immediately, it subjected him to the questioning of the villagers?

"Why did you not say this before? And where is your other accomplice?" Marroc challenged immediately. Mist addressed him before anyone else could, "Marroc, you behave as if they have been confirmed as killers. This will not be tolerated. Not once has this village seen such an unprecedented, questionable claim as the one you now make. If something has happened to your daughter, we shall find her and discover who is responsible. But until then, pray keep your opinions to yourself."

Marroc stood there, gaping like a fish at the elf's stern reprimand. The villagers calmed down a little, knowing the Mist would get them through this. She always has.

Sure enough, she began to give out commands, "Sadoc, Cadarn, search the woods for any sign of Sarf. Take two separate teams with you. Brac, you and your daughter Sath may search for any clues within the village. Everyone else, stay out of the way and yield any information that may aid our search. Modron, I require your assistance with interrogation."

Several men quickly grouped together and split into two teams, each heading into opposite sides of the desecrated forest. A man and a girl who looked around the age of fourteen also broke away from the crowd, heading back to the storeroom. An old woman, Modron, slowly made her way to Mist. Everyone else stayed together, unsure of where to go or what to do.

"Legolas, I need you to go wake Eldandil. We shall need to hear what she has to say," Mist ordered. Legolas nodded and, with a quick glance at Elhadril, headed towards the smithy.

Inside, Eldandil was sitting upright, fully awake and alert. She cradled the bunnies in her lap as Legolas entered. Her eyes were wide and fearful as she hesitantly asked, "What is happening? I heard people screaming, but I can't understand…"

"Sarf is missing. Her father in convinced that Elhadril is the murderer. Mist needs to hear about last night," he briskly informed. Eldandil looked as if he had struck her and was about to say something, but Legolas stopped her, "He wants trouble. Mist knows it. We have nothing to fear."

'I hope.'

Still, this seemed to calm the elleth down. Eldandil carefully arranged a spare blanket to serve as a nest, gently set the bunnies in, and followed Legolas outside.

They met with Mist, Modron, and Elhadril shortly after, quite a distance away from the group of villagers, who were now being questioned by Brac and Sath. Elhadril looked close to tears, and Modron was doing her best to comfort her. Eldandil ran to her side and began to do the same.

"I just… never should have said such a thing to her. If she is gone, it would be my fault, would it not? If she is dead by her own hand, will her spilled blood be on mine?" the brown-haired elleth asked glumly. She seemed to be rapidly sinking into a state of melancholy, from which her sister was desperately trying to pull her out of. Eldandil softly rubbed her back, "It is ok. Tis' not your fault. She will not be dead, you shall see."

"But- but what if she is?"

"Her blood was hers to spill."

"But if my words drove her to it… am I not guilty? Everything happens for a reason. There is no effect without a cause. What if I was the cause?"

"Then you would surely be one among many," Legolas spoke up. "You saw how the village despised her."

"Were we really cruel?" Modron asked, apparently understanding enough Elvish to keep up with their conversation. "Was Cadi ever mean? Was Caradoc ever unkind? And Dera, was she ever guilty of anything but happiness and joy?"

Mist looked at her old friend. Legolas felt how apologetic and sad she was when she spoke, "My dear friend, if you do not include someone, you choose to exclude her."

Everyone was silent as those words sunk in. The village did nothing to include either her or her father. In fact, they did what they could to keep away from them. Such an act would create a distinct feeling of isolation - a poison to humankind that ate away at communities and families. All she would have required was one friend, one companion. If Sarf did commit suicide, then it was not solely Elhadril's words that drove her to it. Everyone was responsible.

"Now," Mist announced quietly, turning her eyes on Legolas. "Tell me what happened."

So they did, beginning with Legolas's encounter and ending with Elhadril's insistence to be left alone. Mist and Modron listened patiently, only interrupting to ask an occasional question or request whoever was currently speaking to translate a particularly confusing part into Westron. Eventually, they were done, and Legolas was anxious to hear their verdict, still unsure if Mist truly was on their side.

"Their story does not agree with Marroc's. However, I believe that they have spoken truthfully," Modron decided. Mist nodded, relieved, "As do I, but now we are faced with the task of convincing the others. We must not appear to take anyone for their word. We must have proof."

"For that, we will have to wait and see what Sadoc and Cadarn find," Modron sighed before walking back to the villagers. Mist walked with her, leaving the younger three elves alone to discuss what had just happened.

"So… we are not being blamed?" Eldandil asked, hopeful. Her sister shook her head, "We need proof. They must not pretend that we never lie, although the villagers might believe it for a time."

"What kind of proof will we need?"

"Her body," Legolas answered. "So for now, we must wait."

It was late in the afternoon when one of the two search parties came back. Brac and Sath's investigation had turned up no clues and no final verdict had been reached, so everyone gathered at the edge of the burnt forest when the group was spotted. The leader of the party had a grim expression on his face, and several men behind him held cloth-wrapped bundles of varying shapes and sizes. Legolas instantly knew what that meant, and so did Mist. On her command, every woman and child not yet of age ran inside the storeroom. Even Eldandil and Elhadril were sent back to the smithy. Only the men, Legolas, and Mist remained.

Sure enough, the first bundle was opened, its contents made known to all who had not suspected what was inside: Sarf's mangled head. The sound of retching mingled with cries of horror and shock - and these were the grown men who had slaughtered beasts since an early age!

Mist gave Legolas a look that let him know that she regretted not sending him with the girls. For a moment, Legolas shared that same opinion.

"Orcs. The orcs are to blame," the leader of the search party claimed. Mist nodded sadly, "It would appear so. Thank you, Cadarn. We shall hold a burial for her tonight."

"The rest of her is still in the forest. We gathered what we could, but the crows got there first," Cadarn informed with some degree of regret lacing his deep voice. It was at this point that Marroc began to wail, "Oh, my dear daughter! Someone take pity, take pity…"

No one paid him any heed as the second party came charging in, out of breath. The few that noticed the dead girl's severed head flat-out fainted, but most of the group could do no more than rest their hands on their knees and gasp for air. At once, Mist was alert, "Sadoc, what has happened?"

"They… they are coming," he wheezed. Legolas took a step forward, "Who?"

"The orcs."

Dunnn dunnn duuuuuuuuuunnnnnnn! ... Have I begun an author's note like that already? Whatever. So, anyways, sorry (as always) that this was late! I got lazy last week and procrastinated, and then this weekend was pretty busy, so I pretty much just now finished. So I hope you enjoy it!

I got two reviews for the last chapter, so my thanks goes to Uruviel Phoenix and Lord Illyren! Honestly, you guys have stuck with this story like hobbits and mushrooms. I'm so, so thankful for you guys. Like, you don't even know.

To Lord Illyren: Yay, I wasn't predictable. :) Hahaha, she was a bit warped, wasn't she? But people have done stupider things... *cough* youtube *cough*

ALSO! Only about seven more chapters left! I'm so happy! But I need you to go to my profile and VOTE FOR MY NEXT FANFIC! Seriously, I'm at a loss, and I keep coming up with new ideas and adding to the poll but I won't anymore until I start on the next one. Actually, I'll probably have two going on... SO VOTE TWICE! Reeeeaaaallllyyyy need your help...

So... everyone keep being awesome and have a great week!