Chapter 24: Return to Edoras

*NEW* A/N: So this is actually a very Legolas/Valaina centered chapter (in the second half of the chapter, mind you), but I ADORE the edit in this chapter. ADORE it! I think it came out SPLENDIDLY! Enjoy!

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"I've got to stretch my own legs," Valaina grumbled as they were getting ready to run the horses once more after a good hour walking to give them time to catch their breath.

"Well, then get off your horse and stretch," Gandalf replied as Valaina was doing just that.

"What are you doing?" Merry asked in curiosity as Valaina tied up the stirrups of the saddle and Lacan's reins causing the horse to dance in excitement knowing what the lycan was about to do.

"We are about to keep moving," Théoden added rather sternly.

"Don't worry," Valaina said as she stroked Lacan's nose with a sly glint in her eyes. "I can keep up just fine."

"You are going to try and run with the horses," came the incredulous reply.

"Um…yes," Valaina said as if that was an obvious answer.

Gandalf made some kind of noise that sounded like he finally caught on to what Valaina actually wanted to do. "I would like to be at Edoras as soon as possible," Théoden kept going as the company urged their horses into a faster pace leaving the lycan behind as Lacan also joined them closer to the back of the "V" formation.

The lycan stepped back, and gave a stretch before bursting into her wolf as the horses left her behind. She gave a cat like stretch before testing her paws and then jumping after her companions. "Where did Valaina go?" Merry asked from behind Éomer as he caught sight of Lacan's empty saddle.

"Right next to you, Merry," Valaina said to Merry's right.

Merry gave a start before smiling at the white wolf keeping pace with Firefoot, the horse obviously perfectly fine with the large beast next to him. "What are you—holy–," Éomer started as he turned to look at the lycan but was met with a large white wolf instead causing him to become quite startled at the moment.

Éomer steadied himself in the saddle before looking over to Valaina. "I'm sorry, did I frighten you?" she asked sarcastically.

"I was not expecting you to be…well…that."

Valaina gave a chocking laugh at Éomer's reply to her being a wolf. "You stayed in the saddle," she said as she cocked her head to the side. "That's what counts, right?"

"Where is the lycan now? Did she fall off?" Théoden asked roughly as he, too, caught sight of Lacan's empty saddle.

"No, Théoden, I'm right here," Valaina said as she sped up past the horses just enough for the Rohan King to catch sight of her.

Gandalf shook his head at the lycan as Théoden gave a slight start to seeing the wolf. Aragorn shook his head as well, though he had a smile on his face rather than a frown like the cranky old wizard. "How fast can you go exactly?" Pippin asked.

"I can keep pace with Lacan."

"Can we see?" the hobbit asked with wide eyes.

Valaina gave a wolfish smile as she moved around toward the liver bay stallion. "How about it, Lacan? See who can reach that outcropping of rocks there first?"

The horse gave a snort and then took off at a gallop, his hooves digging into the ground and propelling him forward with speed that not even Éomer expected the horse to have mostly due to the fact that the horse always had a rider on his back. Valaina gave a small growl before taking off after the horse with just as much speed, her legs bunching up underneath her before springing out from under her as she stretched out to grab the ground and then leave it. The company watched as the lycan and the horse raced for the outcropping side by side, neither gaining nor losing ground as they came upon the outcropping of rocks making it a tie. They stopped and waited for the rest of the company to join them as they caught their breath from the short bursting sprint. "We'll take a short break here," Gandalf said as they slowed to a walk at the outcropping, and dismounted their horses to allow them another break.

"What's it like running as a wolf?" Merry asked Valaina as she gave another cat like stretch, the white wolf looking oddly out of place amongst the horses.

"It's kind of like riding a horse, although you are on four legs and doing the work yourself," she responded. "It's difficult to explain."

"Do you get the same rush as a wolf?" Pippin piped up.

Valaina shrugged. "I've never really thought about it. Why don't you hop on and tell me yourself?" she said as she laid down on the ground.

"Really?" Pippin asked with wide eyes as if he had just been told he could have a butt load of free food.

"Sure. Just don't rip out my fur if you can help it. It actually does hurt," Valaina said as Pippin moved and clambered onto the large wolf's back. "Ready?"

"Um…I believe so," Pippin said as he clung onto the wolf's fur.

"Just…hang on…"

Valaina stood up and then jumped into a run almost immediately causing the hobbit to let out a yell of surprise that quickly turned into one of exhilaration. Valaina ran around for a few minutes with the hobbit on her back before she came to a skidding to a stop in front of Merry. "You got to try that, Merry," Pippin said as he slid off of Valaina's furry back in an unsteady fashion. "That was…fun!"

Valaina cocked her head to the side as Merry looked hesitantly at the wolf before giving a nod. "Alright," he said as he climbed onto Valaina's back in the same manner as Pippin, though he was more comfortable with being on the wolf's back than his cousin.

"Hang on," Valaina said as she stood before jumping into a run.

Valaina raced around the area for the same amount of time as Pippin, and found Merry could have been quite the little horse rider if he was given a pony for his size for he sat comfortably on Valaina's back and didn't seem as nervous as Pippin was. Valaina came to a stop once more and let Merry off her back before moving into a sitting position so that she was eyelevel with her taller companions. "Anyone else care for a ride?" she joked.

"Really?" Éomer asked interestedly and then cleared his throat at the amused and astounded look from those around him. "I was joking," he said as he crossed his arms over his chest to hide his embarrassment.

"I don't see what the big deal is," Gimli grumbled from his spot on a rock. "Horses have a smoother gait than the big, furred dog."

"You're just upset that I threw you onto my back to get you out of the water at Helm's Deep," Valaina said as she cocked her head to the side.

"It is a matter of staying on rather than what the gait is like," Aragorn spoke up. "It's almost like riding a soaking wet horse bareback."

"Right," Legolas added. "Except a wolf's movements are actually quite smooth and easily flow from one to another. It is interesting nonetheless."

Valaina stretched herself once more before she stood to face the others. "Gimli just doesn't like leaving the ground," she stated the obvious.

"That is true, lass, that is true," Gimli nodded. "I prefer to have my feet planted on solid ground."

Valaina shifted back and strode over to Lacan to reposition the stirrups and untie the reins as the company began to mount back up. Once everyone was seated on their horses, they took off at a lope rather than a gallop, much to Lacan and Valaina's disappointment.

The company arrived back at Edoras around midday the next day just as Gandalf had said they would. They rode through Edoras up to the Golden Hall, many people shouting out greetings to them as they did so to which the company returned wholeheartedly, minus Valaina who could have cared less. As the stopped at the stairs to the Golden Hall a few stable hands raced out of the stable to take the horses as the company dismounted. "Thank you," Valaina said to one boy of fifteen, "but I shall take care of Lacan myself."

"As you wish," the boy mumbled with a bow and moved on to the next horse.

"Thank you, my boy, but I shall join Valaina as well," Éomer said as he watched the lycan take her horse into the stable to his stall. "Firefoot has certain quirks when it comes to stabling him, and he really only trusts me."

Legolas gave the horse-lord an odd, untrustworthy look, and went to refuse the stable boy that came to take care of Arod when a certain wizard stopped him from doing so. "Legolas, may I have a word?" Gandalf asked the elf prince.

Legolas reluctantly nodded and followed Gandalf up the stairs along with Aragorn as they entered the Golden Hall. Valaina placed Lacan in his stall before retrieving the horse some fresh water from outside passing Éomer and Firefoot as she did so. She came back with two buckets of water and placed one by Lacan's stable, the horse giving Valaina a look as if to say she needed to take care of him first before helping others, and handed the second to Éomer who happened to have a stall right across from Lacan. "I could have gotten Firefoot water on my own, but thank you," he said as he took the bucket.

"I was already out there," Valaina shrugged before turning to her large horse who gave a huff and stamped his hoof in agitation of the lycan helping another. "Hey, I'm coming. Just have some patience."

The horse snorted as Valaina walked in and filled his water trough.

"Yes, I know you don't have any patience just like myself," Valaina amended before she removed the bridle and then the saddle.

As soon as the saddle came off a giant sigh escaped the horse before he began to take a drink, relaxing as Valaina began to brush him down. "He seems very at ease with you, Valaina," Éomer said as he, too, removed Firefoot's own tack and placed it on the wall of the stall for the time being.

"I have given him nothing to fear from me. He trusts me, and I him," Valaina said as she scratched the base of the horse's withers causing him to stretch his neck out in joy. "It's an odd fate that brought us together. I don't often ride horses as I can travel on my own, and I've forgotten how much company they give," she said as she resumed brushing his coat out.

"He is a good horse, Lacan. No one but his original rider could ride him. I will not lie, but I had given the horse to you in hopes that he would be set out to find his own land to graze on for I did not think he would ever accept another rider. As soon as you took his reins, I saw in his eyes that he had found another after his own heart."

Valaina stroked the horse's forehead fondly. "I'm glad he did," she whispered. "He is quite the spirited fighter as well. It took all I could to keep him from going after the Uruk-hai that ran into the forest."

"He hates them with a passion, and that is not just because they killed his old rider," Éomer said as he finished brushing down Firefoot.

The door to Firefoot's stall opened and closed as Éomer made his way over to Lacan's stall. The horse's ears flashed back briefly in warning to the horse-lord as he came close before relaxing at Valaina's rebuking voice. The horse-lord entered the stall and moved over to Lacan's left side beckoning Valaina over to him. "Come here, I will show you," Éomer said.

Valaina moved to Éomer's side and watched as he moved the horse's mane up out of the way to reveal a long, jagged scar ran from the very base of his left ear to just before the mane ended at his withers. "His mane always covers this side, so the scar is usually hidden from view," Éomer said as Valaina stroked the horrid scar knowing just how much pain came from those as she unconsciously touched her own chest, which did not go unnoticed by the horse-lord next to her. "He got that when he was about three years old. He was being broken on a small farm when the Uruk's attacked the village in the area. He barely missed the sword, but still got caught by it. We found him running scared straight out of his mind on the plains. His previous owner was able to calm him down enough to break him and ride him, but only he could ride the horse after that for Lacan never trusted anyone else. He is a fighter, this horse, and he will protect you with his life."

"That is why he tried to break out of Helm's Deep several times when I was missing," Valaina said with a fond tone to her voice as she smoothed out his mane once more. "Aragorn told me that they had trouble stabling him, and I had ironically arrived just as they were about to drag him back to the stables once more."

"He's a remarkable horse, for a remarkable lady."

Valaina turned cold eyes onto the horse-lord while Lacan whipped his head about to give the man a horse-like glare in warning. "I do hope you meant that as a compliment and no more," she said in a joking manner though Éomer did not miss the slight shock behind the words.

Éomer smiled at the reaction and backed away at Lacan's warning tone. "I meant it as a compliment, my lady. No need to get all cold and angry. You are very interesting, Valaina…"

"Oh…am I now? Interesting is one word to describe me…" Valaina grumbled as she glared at the man out of the corner of her eye. "Anything else you would like to know about me?"

"How close are you and your elven companion?"

The question hit Valaina like the troll that hit her back in Moria, and she froze to the spot. "We are close. God friends," she answered sheepishly before giving the smallest of sighs that the horse-lord missed, "nothing more and nothing less. He has been there for me in my darkest times and I cannot thank him enough, even though he is a pain in the ass at times. Why do you ask?"

Éomer just gave the lycan a knowing smile and left leaving the poor lycan to her thoughts and questions as she finished brushing down Lacan before heading back up to the Golden Hall, the horse not amused that his rider had to leave him. As she entered the hall, she noticed the bustling about of setting up tables and the bringing out of barrels of ale, much to her delight, and wondered what kind of surprises the night would hold. She stood there watching the people move about placing tables and benches when a lady in waiting noticed the lycan. "Lady Valaina," the woman said as she came up to the lycan and gave a small bow of her head, though she was wary of the lycan with the scarlet red eyes and visibly shrunk a bit as Valaina turned to her fully, "a room as been set up for you so that you may prepare for the feast tonight in privacy. If you will follow me I will lead you to the room."

"Prepare…for what? A feast? I'm fine as…I…am?" Valaina started to protest but found the woman was not interested in taking "no" for an answer as she stood her ground somewhat, though she was quite terrified. "Fine…I'm coming…" Valaina relinquished.

Valaina had no other choice but to follow the woman as she made her way down a hall, and stopped almost at the end of the hall by a door. "Here we are. It is not much, but Lady Éowyn figured you would like some form of privacy from the men so that you could clean up and change. I will take your clothes to be washed while you bathe. Just change behind the screen there," the woman said as they entered and pointed to the standing screen that had a towel draped over the top.

"Thank you…um…" Valaina started before she realized that she did not know this woman's name.

"Lara," the woman said with a slight bow of her head.

"Thank you, Lara. No need for titles."

Valaina removed her dual blades and visible daggers, and placed them on a table near the bed. She removed her boots as well, taking the daggers out first, before she removed her leather jerkin and surprised Lara by unhooking the hidden daggers on each forearm and then removing two from a back sheath and placing those on the table as well. "You are…rather prepared, Lady Valaina," Lara said, disregarding the 'no titles' as the lycan disappeared behind the screen.

"And for a good reason. If I am relieved of the weapons that are visible on me, then what would I have to fight with?"

"Um…your fists?"

Valaina chuckled with the lady in waiting at the response. As she removed the rest of her clothes, the tatters of them at least, taking in the last remnants of any kind of injury she had on her as she looked at herself making sure everything was healing properly, though her scars was still rather visible, as she turned to the mirror that was in the room. True to her word, she now had a scar on her left side from the dagger that almost killed her back when she attempted to take on the Uruks. Her massive bruising had diminished to a brown color, and her jagged scar over her eye that had been reopened was healing over once more. As she looked at the scar on her side, she realized that it was not just a simple stab wound from a dagger, but it sort of looked as if the warg she had attacked had also managed to rip her side open as well. "Wonderful," Valaina breathed in agitation as she looked at the scar thinking it was rather ugly at the moment.

She wrapped the towel about her and took her discarded yet neatly folded dirty, tattered clothes with her as she walked around the screen. Lara's eyes widened as she saw parts of the mace scar on Valaina's shoulder and the top of her bare chest. "Did you get that in battle as well?" she asked motioning her head to the scars on Valaina's shoulder and chest and then to her eye as she had enough courage to fully look at the lycan.

"I…did," Valaina said as she handed the clothes to the lady in waiting. "It's a long story, one that I will, no doubt, be telling to the soldiers tonight."

"I am sure it will be interesting. I will take your clothes and have them cleaned up for you. Your extra provisions have been placed in the wardrobe."

"Extra provisions…I didn't bring any, though," Valaina said confused.

"When you first came to Edoras, Lady Éowyn had an extra set of clothes made for you as she had found that you only had one set."

Valaina was shocked that the Shield Maiden of Rohan, someone she did not get along with at all, had actually procured for her suitable clothes when she first came to Edoras. "Out of curiosity," Valaina started as Lara began to make her way to the door, "why did she do that? We do not exactly…get along…"

"We all have heard that neither of you get along well," Lara said as she stopped at the door, "but she did so to more or less impress the Ranger from the North. Aragorn, as he is named. She seems to take a fancy to him and may wish to win his heart and tried to make a rather appealing attempt to help you."

"Ah," Valaina said with a knowing smile as she held back a small chuckle. "That'd explain it then. Thank you, Lara," Valaina said as the woman left the room shutting the door behind her.

Valaina stepped carefully into the bath that had been prepared for her and let out a sigh of content as the water warmed her muscles and relaxed the aching in her body, something she had not had the luxury to do in a very long time. She undid her hair from the somewhat neat plait, if it could be called that, before dunking her head under the water as well for a moment. She then proceeded to scrub off every speck of dirt, blood, and sweat from her body and hair leaving the lycan feeling clean and relaxed as she sat in the hot water soaking up the warmth as much as possible and relishing in the luxury she could only wish for half the time she was on the road.

Rather reluctantly, the lycan got out of the tub and dried off leaving her towel on the screen before making her way over to the wardrobe for her clothes. She found that Éowyn had indeed gotten the lycan another outfit, or two, much like her usual one, though this one was different colors and more feminine in style before. Valaina pulled the clothes from the wardrobe and was about to change when a knock sounded on her door. "Um…hold on!" she called out to whoever it was at the door.

She took in a deep breath through her nose to catch scent of who it was behind the door, and an awkward throat clearing also confirmed her suspicions as to who it was that wanted to talk to her. "I just wanted to talk," Legolas said through the door.

"Oh…shit…" Valaina cursed quietly before moving behind the screen with some of her clothes in hand.

"Valaina?" Legolas called through the door again.

"Come in," Valaina said as she successfully hid behind the screen.

Legolas slowly opened the door and peaked inside as if the lycan would jump out and kill him almost instantly. "Valaina?" a confused Legolas asked the seemingly empty room.

"Hold on…ow! Damn it…" Valaina said as she pulled on her undergarments and scratched herself in the process as she hurriedly pulled on the shorts and top over her undergarments.

"Um…where are you?"

"Changing," Valaina stated as she quickly pulled on light brown feminine breeches. "Oof," she let out a huff as she fell back on the floor. "Or at least trying to change quickly…"

"I am really sorry. I shall…um…"

"It's fine," Valaina said as she picked herself up from the ground.

She walked around the screen causing Legolas to turn slightly pink as he realized she did not have her shirt on at the moment yet again. Valaina cocked her head to one side as the elf prince frowned at the mace scar on her torso. "Has something caught your eye, my prince?" she joked as she looked for her white, long sleeved undershirt.

"Actually, yes," Legolas said as he caught sight of Valaina's newest scar on her left side with a frown upon his face.

Valaina turned cold eyes to the elf prince who flinched as he realized what he said probably wasn't exactly overly appropriate in the lycan's eyes at the moment. "I-I meant your…um…side," he flustered before pointing to Valaina's scarred side.

The lycan's face fell from cold to embarrassed as she turned and looked down at her side while Legolas grabbed her undershirt off the bed and moved closer to the lycan to hand it to her. "Oh…that…it's from when I disappeared…" Valaina said as she looked at the scar.

"It looks bad," Legolas said as sat on the edge of Valaina's bed and looked over the scar with a frown as well, now somewhat comfortable with the third time he has seen the lycan dressed improperly.

Valaina looked up from the scar on her left side and felt the butterflies dance in her stomach at the close proximity of the princeling in front of her. She reached out to gently take the shirt from his hand only to stop as his frown deepened. "What's on your back?" Legolas asked freezing Valaina in her tracks.

"U-um…" she stammered not knowing what to say as she pulled her arm back as if bitten by a snake as Legolas's eyes roamed over her side to what he could see of the lycan's nearly bare back. "It-it's nothing…really…"

"Nothing?" Legolas repeated as he cautiously reached out and to place his hands on Valaina's bare sides causing the lycan to give a start in shock as she felt his warm hands gently touch her skin. "I just want to see," he explained softly before gently turning the lycan around so that he could see her back.

Valaina flinched at the intake of breath that came from the princeling as he saw just what was on her back. Three large scars in varying sizes ran across the length of her back from her right shoulder to her left hip as if she had been scratched by a warg, but these were too uniform to really be from a warg, and to clean looking. "It's from…um…battles," Valaina tried desperately to lie.

"You only get scars if you come close to dying while in your Rage, despite the one on your eye," Legolas said causing Valaina to turn a confused frown onto the elf as she wondered how he knew that. "Aragorn told me when I asked."

"Of course he did," she muttered.

"Who did this to you?"

The fierce tone in the elf prince's voice really made Valaina flinch, a not so subtle flinch. "No one-"

"Valaina, who did this to you?" Legolas said gently.

"It was a long time ago, so there is really no need for you to dig deeper…" Valaina tried to weasel her way out of her situation to no avail.

Legolas frowned and gave Valaina a rather stale looking face as the lycan turned to face him. "Valaina…"

"Please, I don't want to talk about it…" the lycan grumbled as she tried to snatch her shirt from the princeling only to have him move out of the way from her. "Legolas –"

"I want to know," he responded as he held the shirt away from Valaina knowing that the lycan was probably not quite comfortable with leaning over him to get her shirt while she barely had anything on her torso despite how she wasn't shy about her less than proper dressing ordeals.

"Maybe I don't want to tell you," Valaina retorted as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"But you are going to have to tell me if you want your shirt."

"I…you…I don't like you," Valaina stammered as she realized that she was shirtless at the moment.

"How did you get those scars on your back? They are too…clean to be battle scars," Legolas said as he moved Valaina's shirt away from her once more as she tried to vainly reach for it.

"Daeron gave them to me, okay?!" Valaina rushed and made to grab her shirt once more.

Legolas moved the shirt out of her way again as he frowned at the mention of the elf's name knowing all too well who he was courtesy of a certain two half-elven twin sons of Elrond. "What do you mean?"

"Back when I was at Rivendell traveling with the group of dwarves, I ran into Daeron, an old friend of mine from the past," Valaina started. "Apparently he had fallen in love with me, so when I up and left to find Rygó I broke his heart. I warned him that I would never stay in one place for anyone, and that Rivendell's safety had nothing to offer me, and neither did he. Of course, he didn't heed my warning, and he fell. Hard."

"And Daeron did that to you because you broke his heart?"

"Well…sort of. It may have been the second time I ripped his heart apart. But I warned him."

"How?" Legolas asked after a few moments of thought.

"How what?"

"How did those happen exactly?"

"We were simply sparring in Rivendell during our two week visit. It was during the start of the second week I believe. The smaller of the three was an accident, while the other two were on purpose. I refused to stay with him in Rivendell, and I told him I never loved him…" Valaina trailed off as her tone began to become slightly angry. "He turned dark as I broke his heart again, and tried to kill me. I was stunned, I let my guard down, and I got scarred from it."

"And…what happened to him?" came the hesitant question as Legolas was concerned at what happened to the elf, and the wondered if he even still lived."

"The twins and Aragorn tried to stop me and Daeron. But, before they could take him far away from everyone, he…said something I'll never forget…"

"…and…?" Legolas prompted, clearly needing to know what happened to the other elf.

"I already told you how I got the scars," she grumbled as she began to reach for the shirt once more. "Now can I have my shirt?"

"What did he say, Valaina…?"

"He told me I was nothing more than the dirt I had come from and that I should be put down just as Sauron had been…" came the growl as she reached again for her shirt.

"He said what?" Legolas asked in such a cold voice that even Valaina paused for a second to make sure she heard his tone right.

"May I just have my shirt back?!"

Legolas breathed a slight sigh of agitation and relief though as he realized that the lycan took care of the dark elf herself. But, as he continued to look at the lycan he realized that she was rather close to him at the moment, mostly from trying to reach her shirt. Out of whatever impulse that seized him at the moment, he gave Valaina a small smile and shook his head. "Can you reach your shirt?" he asked as he held the shirt way out of comfortable reaching distance from the lycan.

Valaina glared at the princeling before making a move for her shirt. "Just…by the Valar, give it!" Valaina said with a small laugh as Legolas moved the shirt away from her once more, the rather touchy and dark conversation all but leaving her mind now.

"You aren't doing a very good job at trying to get it now."

Valaina, who was now really wanting her shirt before anyone else could step in on the two, reached desperately for the shirt by leaning over the bed and Legolas to try to grab it. She lost her balance in the process and ended up falling right on top of the princeling. Legolas, half sitting half lying on the edge of the bed now, looked up at a rather embarrassed Valaina who was now laying more or less across his stomach in the middle of reaching for her shirt. Finding herself already in the predicament, Valaina figured she couldn't have her pride hurt anymore, unless a certain dwarf walked in on them at the moment which she was praying to the Valar that it wouldn't happen, and reached over the elf to grab her shirt. "You are actually really light," Legolas said. "For a little lycan."

"Why don't I shift and see how much I weigh then?" Valaina snapped as she moved for her shirt and failed to grab it yet again. "Little lycan my ass…"

"Will you still be able to get your shirt then?"

"You're horrible," she sniffed as she gave up and quite literally collapsed on Legolas causing the elf to almost fall completely on the bed as he propped himself up with his elbows. "I give up then."

"What? Valaina, the lycan who never gives up, gives up in trying to retrieve a simple shirt?" Legolas said in astonishment.

Valaina sighed as she placed her head on the bed. "Yes, I give up," came the muffled reply. "Are you happy now?"

Legolas shook his head as he shifted slightly. "I will give you your shirt back if you get off of me."

"Deal," Valaina said rather quickly causing the princeling to chuckle.

Valaina moved off of Legolas rather hurriedly and sat at the edge of the bed next to him as he handed her shirt back to her. The lycan quickly pulled the shirt back over her head before anything else could happen that would cause her more embarrassment. Valaina looked over to Legolas whose smiling face had turned into a frown once more. "What's wrong?" Valaina asked in concern.

"I was speaking with Aragorn and Gandalf about you when we got back," Legolas started causing Valaina's interest to perk up at the topic.

"Why would you guys be talking about me? I mean, I know I am an interesting person to say the least…" Valaina trailed off as she saw Legolas's frown deepen causing her to now worry what exactly went on between the three.

"It has to do with what happened at Isengard," Legolas said with a sigh as though he really didn't want to tell her yet wanted to let her know all the same. "You were greatly affected by the Palantír, and the words that Saruman had said."

"It set everyone on edge, though."

"But you were the most affected by them."

"Yes, but-"

"Gandalf said that you might have something within you, something dark," Legolas informed the lycan as he looked at her red eyes as a slightly worried look came upon his face. "He fears it may be connected with Sauron. Aragorn and I saw the look you had in your eyes during the battle of Helm's Deep. It wasn't…natural so to say. At least, not for you."

"Look? What look?" asked in general confusion.

"It was a bloodthirsty, barbaric look that I have never seen on you before. It was not only in your eyes but also in your actions. You killed so many Uruk-hai, and did not think twice about any of the injuries you sustained while doing so."

"I am always like that," Valaina said with a frown. "Especially when I succumb to the Rage."

"This was different. You were not yourself, Valaina and-"

"Is this why you wanted to talk to me?" Valaina asked as her anger slowly grew with her annoyance. "To contemplate at how I acted during a battle that would have either ensured or ended the lives of the men of Rohan? Of course I didn't care how injured I was! I was focused on killing those bastards before they could kill anyone else."

"The way you acted at Isengard was also different," Legolas went on calmly. "You wanted Saruman dead no matter what by any means. That is not the Valaina I know."

"Then you don't know me well enough. He was pissing me off and he insulted my friends. Of course I wanted to kill him! I was not about to sit around as that stupid wizard insulted and made a fool out of those I call friends! Not only that, but he tried to kill us countless times and was the end of Boromir!"

"Valaina, calm down. Please," Legolas asked as Valaina's eyes darkened in anger as she remembered the wizard as he insulted those around her, and their fallen comrade.

"You are telling…" Valaina slowly paused as her eyes opened in wonder and then in pain as she growled uneasily before she looked away from Legolas's frightened eyes. "I'm sorry," she mumbled.

"You are uneasy and angered, and I understand," Legolas said in a soft voice.

"No, you are right. I need to calm down and take a few deep breaths," Valaina said before she did just that.

"Gandalf said that you may be…" Legolas trailed off, unsure of how to talk with the lycan without her growing angry or mad at him for saying what was on his mind.

Valaina turned away from the elven prince as her face became an almost neutral mask. "I may be going dark, but not in the way that most do. I grow more and more unpredictable every day, whether I am angry or not. That is what he said, is it not?"

Legolas watched as Valaina pulled one knee up to her body as she continually avoided his eyes, the hurt of knowing that her friends now knew that she was becoming darker and more unpredictable showing in her slightly hunched form. "Yes," Legolas said softly causing Valaina to visibly flinch at the single word, "but I do not think that will be your path. I am here for you, mellon nim."

"But am I here for you? Or am I just a ticking clock waiting to explode when time runs out or when I have no more fight left in me? What then? What if I turn…on everyone?"

"Valaina…" Legolas started as he placed a hand Valaina's shoulder yet she still did not turn to look at him as she continually stared at the floor.

"Rygó warned me once," she began slowly, "that I may have more darkness inside of my heart than anyone could possibly imagine."

"Valaina-"

"What does he want with me?" she asked suddenly in a quiet whisper.

"What? Who wants what from you?" Legolas asked in great concern and worry.

"Sauron. He was in my head back at Isengard when Saruman pulled out that damn Palantír. I blocked him out the best I could, but that wasn't enough to stop the fragments of his sentences from reaching me."

"What did he say?"

"Something along the lines of 'you are mine' as well as some other words…"

"Why didn't you tell us this before?" Legolas asked hurriedly.

"I didn't want to dwell on it and…"

Legolas waited as he looked at Valaina's rather upset form, but she said no more. "I must speak with Gandalf about this, Valaina," Legolas said as he rushed out the door before Valaina could stop him.

As soon as Legolas disappeared Lara walked in with Valaina's cleaned clothes. She placed them beside the lycan before moving to the door. "Here are your clothes, Lady Valaina. I shall leave you now. If you ever need anything just send word for me," Lara said with a small bow before moving to the door.

"Thank you," came the absentminded reply.

Lara disappeared and shut the door behind her leaving Valaina to her thoughts, her unfinished sentence to Legolas hanging in the air about her. "I didn't want to dwell on it and…" Valaina mumbled before a single tear fell from each eye, "…and I'm afraid of what you will think of me in the end if I really am dark…"