Tani gave a small cry as Eland appeared suddenly before her. He dropped to his knees before Raali and held his head in his hands.

They both sat in silence.

"What have you done?" Eland finally spoke.

"It was- we got into an argument," Tani said meekly, tears rolling down her dirt smeared cheeks. "I don't know. It all just happened so fast. Eland, what do I do?"

Eland moved to hold her as her body dissolved into uncontrollable sobbing. But then suddenly, he drew back.

She sniffed, and looked up at him through reddened, tear-filled eyes. "Eland?"

"What are you doing out here?" he asked, moving away from her suddenly. "There is no reason for you to be out here."

He looked down at her. "Where did you get that uniform…and that sword with her blood on it?" He continued to back away. "What have you done?"

Tani whimpered and then turned away from him, still crying. Her eyes moved to Raali's body and her hand had moved to her sword lying a few feet away. Reaching for it, she cradled it in her arms. Eland watched in shock, as Tani began to read from a book that she had lying next to her. It was in a language that he could not understand, but the sound of it made his blood run cold. And then in an instant, Tani drove the sword into herself, screaming more of the foreign language.

Eland's breath came out uneven and raspy. He doubled over and vomited. His head felt light and everything seemed surreal. Wiping his mouth, he stumbled up and began to run as fast as he could towards the base.

'This isn't real,' he told himself. 'None of this is real.'

He ran wildly into the encampment, straight to the March Warden. As he ran he caught the attention of everyone he passed. He did not realize that he was screaming.

Haldir and a few other soldiers followed Eland as he navigated them towards the bodies of Raali and Tani. When they finally arrived, all (with the exception of Eland) were surprised to see the March Warden rush over to Raali and hold her to him. He clasped her hand to his and held it against his chest. He jumped back as she squeezed his hand in return. All watched with a mixture of shock and fear, as Raali's eyes opened and she struggled to sit up.

Her head turned to Tani, whose body had decayed quickly beyond recognition. Nobody dared to speak, until Haldir drew Raali against him and embraced her, whispering lovingly in her ear and kissing the top of her head. Raali responded by wrapping her arms around his waist and smiling to herself. Through this gesture, their love was revealed to the Galadhrim and no one dared speak against them.

"What happened?" Haldir asked when they were back at the base. Everyone drew in close to hear her explanation.

"Tani saved me," she said, her voice cracking. "Tani sacrificed herself to save me. She gave her life for me."

"What do you mean?" Eland strode forward. "She said, you two got into an argument. What were you arguing over?"

"What does it matter now?" Raali said with a sigh, turning her head towards the March Warden. "It was practically over nothing. She bested me in a fair fight. Tani was actually a very powerful warrior. I don't know why she hadn't been allowed into the guard, but she fought valiantly and defeated me. And then, she gave her life to spare mine. She should be honored and celebrated."

"As she will be," Haldir reassured, stroking her dark hair.

"But this does not make any sense!" Eland insisted. All eyes turned to him.

"What about it doesn't make sense?" Raali asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Why would you have fought her like that?" he demanded. "She would not just stab you without a reason!"

Before Raali could reply, Haldir held his hand up. "Enough of your questions," he said firmly, "Can you not see how you exhaust her? She has been through much and needs rest. Londas, send word of what has happened here. I will accompany Raali back to the city." Gently, he lifted Raali in his arms and began to walk back to the base. The rest of the soldiers followed him, leaving Eland standing alone in the clearing with the quickly decaying corpse of Tani.

Something was wrong. He could feel it. Walking over to Tani's body, he dropped to his knees and looked helplessly at his friend. He found it strange that her body had begun to decompose so rapidly. Why hadn't anyone else noticed?

And Tani had been acting strange as of late. Could it have been due to the argument? Looking down, he suddenly noticed a book in her hand. It looked as if it was partially burned.

'This was the book that she was reading from when she killed herself,' he realized.

Tucking it in his uniform, he said his farewell to his friend and hoped that she was in a peaceful place.

Raali smiled mischievously as Haldir swept her off her feet and carried her to the bedroom of his talan. Settling into his bed, she was somewhat disconcerted by how hard it was and how it reeked of his sweat. She of course, knew she could not object to such things. After all, being who she was, she certainly should not mind in the least bit.

He gracefully climbed on top of her, and gently caressed her cheek.

"I am glad we no longer have to hide," he murmured.

"Me too," she said, leaning her face into his hand. That hand started to travel down, until it had reached the edges of her tunic at which point, the other hand joined in to help her ease out of it.

He kissed her then and she let out a squeal of joy. This is what she had always wanted.

He paused suddenly and drew back, looking down at her. With innocent eyes, she gazed back up at him.

"What?"

Haldir shook his head and smiled, descending to capture her mouth in a kiss.

"Nothing."

Several months had passed and relations had become strained between Raali and Eland. Even at Tani's funeral procession, Eland did not approach her to comfort, even as she sobbed against the March Warden's shoulder. She was still very good friends with Merel, but Eland now treated her with cool indifference. She had tried to befriend him once more, to warm herself to him, but it was in vain. He rejected her and she knew he was suspicious. She knew she had to be careful around him and be ready to deal with him properly lest he go sticking his nose in matters which did not concern him.

Eland had not touched the partially burned yellow booklet. He had been afraid to open it, seeing the strange, twisted alphabet on the cover.

He had not opened it.

Until today.

Today, for the first time in many months, he was back from the border and had more than a bit of spare time on his hands. He used his thumb to gently open the book, flipping through it carefully so as not to damage it further. Strange and dark illustrations mixed in with the alphabet greeted his eyes and he knew this was not a book to be easily toyed with. Closing it, he knew what he had to do and with book in tow, he hurried off down the stairs of his talan as quickly as his legs would carry him.

With the palace in sight, he hurried along the familiar paths. However, just as he reached the bend, he was stopped in his tracks.

Raali smiled coldly at him, wearing a white gown similar to those of Galadriel. Her taste in clothing had completely changed and she now wore these kinds of gowns regularly.

"I see you have my book," She said softly. "I should very much like to have it back." She outstretched her hand.

Tightening his grip on the book, he answered, "I'd like to show it to the Lady first, if you do not mind."

"Mind?" her lips broke into a smile. "Of course I do not mind! It is just rather personal. You would not want to show your private journal to the Lady, would you?"

"What language is this?" Eland asked suddenly.

"My own," she said, laughing. "I made it up. Do you honestly think us peasants are so dull-witted?"

"Tani read from it before she killed herself." Her laughing suddenly stopped.

"Why do you bring her up?" Raali's eyes became sad and she looked away. "You know how upset it makes me."

He stalked towards her, shaking the book in her face. "If this is your own made up tongue, then how could she read it? What did she read from this book? Why did she read from it before she killed herself?"

She did not move at his sudden approach. "I taught it to her. We were so very close. She also wrote in the journal as well. She may have very well been reading something that she herself wrote."

"I don't believe you," Eland said coolly.

Raali looked up at him, her eyes narrowed.

"I don't care if you don't believe me. Everyone else does and that is all that matters. You took what is not yours. Now give me the book."

"No!" he cried, pushing past her. "I'm going to show this to the Lady!"

"You will do no such thing!" she roared. The sound of her voice vibrated through his bones and he fell to the ground. He looked back at her, terrified.

"You're not Raali," he whispered to himself.

"How very keen of you," Raali smiled, nodding. She gracefully walked over to him and knelt down beside him. He struggled to move away, but found himself unbearably weak and unable to call for help. He grabbed at his throat. He could not speak.

"I grow weary of you," she drawled, examining her fingernails. "You truly are a pest. You always have been. Even when I was….myself."

Recognition dawned in his eyes. 'This is Tani!' he screamed inwardly. 'May the Valar save us all…..'

She snatched the book away from him and held it to her nose, inhaling its scent. She giggled.

"It still smells like me."

A/N: Hey at least, I updated! :-) Sorry it's so short, but I just wanted to get something out there to let you all know, I'm still here. I'm just stuck with a bit of writer's block. :-\