How Time Flies

Ryder felt refreshed as the light against her eyes woke her. She stretched her limbs, the pain in her leg reduced to a dull discomfort. Getting her bearings, she opened her eyes and sat up. The room was warm and the fireplace in the corner crackled quietly. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she saw the bandage covering her entire calf and instinctively touched it. Ryder also noticed her clothes were replaced by a long sleeping gown. Who dressed me?

Peering out the curtains, it was snowing. The white flurries covered Elessar Manor in a soft blanket. So, I made it home after all.

It'd be too cold and difficult to fight outside in this weather. Thoughts of what she went through to get home and what condition the school must be in made her tired and uneasy.

"Good morning," someone said by the doorway.

Turning, Ryder was happy to see the face holding a tray of food. Not because they brought her something to eat, but because it was the first comforting face she'd seen in what felt like forever that didn't want to strike a bargain, eat, or kill her. "Good morning." She limped to the small table where he put down the meal.

He stood in front of her, rubbing her arms as if to warm her, although the fireplace made it very comfortable in the room. "How are you feeling, darling?"

"Better," she gave him a weak smile. "My leg doesn't hurt as much anymore."

"I'm glad to hear. You lost quite a bit of blood. Luckily, Lord Elrond was able to treat your wound before…" There was a pained look in her father's eyes. Seeing the concern she had on her face, he changed the mood and smiled instead. "All that matters is that you're home safe now."

"What happened exactly…when I came back? Where did you find me?"

"Why don't you eat something first? When you're ready, come down to my study. You and I can share stories then." Aragorn gave her a light kiss on the forehead and proceeded to leave. "There are fresh clothes for you to wear in the closet if you prefer to change." With another relieved smile a parent gave their child knowing that they were safe, Aragorn quietly closed the door behind him.

Where's Legolas? She wanted to ask, but it didn't seem fitting to do so. Not when they've just been reunited. Once they got a chance to talk in detail, Ryder would ask where the Elf-prince was.

After eating all the food on her plate with utter appreciation, she wiped her mouth with the neatly folded napkin. Ryder hadn't realized how starved she was. There was also water and another drink in a small cup that looked like green tea. She drank the water first and saved the second beverage for last since she wasn't sure what it was. It smelled of herbs. Taking a tentative sip, the bitterness on Ryder's tongue almost made her gag.

Aragorn's daughter put down the cup in disgust, sticking her tongue out hoping to get rid of the horrid taste from her mouth. From the small sip, her body tingled. She felt light and relaxed. She assumed her father gave it to her to ease her nerves, which worked.

The closet in the guestroom was filled with her clothes, more than the ones she originally brought with her. Looking around the enormous space, Ryder suddenly wondered why she was housed in a guestroom and not in her in her own bedroom. However, the the sudden thought of returning to the place where Declan kidnapped her wasn't a place she wanted to revisit anytime soon. Or Midsummer Forest for that matter, so she was glad to be where she was.

Small things like taking a shower, drying her hair, and picking out something warm to wear, even though the Manor was at a cozy temperature, felt like luxuries. Her time spent away opened Ryder's eyes to the hardships still to come. Anything could happen and she'd rather be prepared to face the elements if she had to run outside and a sweater was a safer bet than a t-shirt. Ryder redid the bandage around her leg, seeing the stitches in place, and slowly walked downstairs.

x x x

"Dad?" She knocked on Aragorn's study door. Calling him what any daughter would call a parent finally started to feel…normal. The memory of Henry Grayson would always be with her—her other, loving adoptive father.

"Come in, dear," he said though the door. She opened it a crack and peeked inside. He had just sent a message and put his phone away when she entered.

"Hi," she said awkwardly. He smiled and told her to take a seat anywhere, choosing a comfy chair with a throw pillow and blanket.

Aragorn sat at his desk. The last time they really talked about anything in his study was when he told her she was a princess of Gondor. A story that seemed so long ago. Ryder felt like she aged a hundred years since then. "Are you comfortable?" Surprisingly she was. Even her father looked at ease.

"So…what's happened since I've been gone?"

He sighed, recalling the events after her disappearance. "Shortly after Declan took you, there was another attack on the school. We weren't prepared. We lost many good people. But so did their group."

"How's Mirkwood University holding up? How's…Legolas?" Ryder clutched the blanket even higher around her shoulders. There was no reason to be cold, but she felt a chill in the air.

Scratching his chin, Aragorn shook his head. "Most of the school is unrecognizable. They hit us hard. But we hit back harder. The rest of our forces arrived at the last minute, allowing us to save what we could of the school. Rebuilding it is underway but it will still take some time. Classes have been postponed indefinitely. As for Legolas…"

Ryder leaned forward, her eyes big and heart pounding. "Yes?" Was he hurt in the second attack?

Different scenarios ran through Ryder's mind on what could have happened to him. All of them she shook away. The Elf-prince was too strong, too fast, to let the Stewards faction get the better of him. He couldn't be…dead.

"He's alive and looking forward to seeing you," the Chieftain smiled with assurance. His daughter relaxed back in her seat. "He's been at your side since you returned. However, duty called—or the king, his father, anyway. Thranduil had him return to the school yesterday evening."

"How long have I been asleep? Where was I when you found me?"

"We were in the middle of our strategics when we heard a loud noise. We thought it was an enemy that broke through the wards again. But then I saw you on the floor in the foyer. And a shattered vase by your side. I thought you were a mere illusion at first. You were unconscious and losing a lot of blood from the gash on your leg. Legolas was able to stop the bleeding from the athelas plants I grow in the garden."

"Athelas?"

"It's a type of weed found in Middle-earth, which is also known as Kingsfoil. I brought some over when I established the Manor. The healing properties in its leaves, I've found, come in very handy."

"Did you give me some of that to drink?" Ryder rubbed her leg and felt the tingling sensation that lingered. The bitter taste on her tongue was also still unwelcomed.

"Yes," Aragorn said sheepishly. "I know it's not very smooth on the pallet, but it should help you with the soreness. You should be able to walk a little easier in a few days."

"That's good to know," Ryder sighed, still getting used to the fact that she made it home barely alive.

"Do you recall where Declan took you?" Aragorn's voice was calm and patient. He knew it might have been too soon to ask her to recall the events of what she went through, but they needed to know what kind of information she knew about Declan's plans.

"I was in Midsummer Forest," she said.

"What?" Her father leaned forward in his chair, looking at her in disbelief.

"That's why we couldn't find Declan or Sard or any of the faction members. They were hiding out in the Grey Lands, using transference orbs to teleport to certain places around the school. That's also how Declan got into the Manor."

"How many of them were there?"

"Including Declan, about half a dozen. I didn't see Sard, but his friends Colin and Luka were there as well."

His gaze was stern. "How many orbs did you see?" he asked concerned.

"More than two dozen. I think I used the last one that teleports to the property. I don't know where the others lead to." Ryder didn't know what happened to the bronze chest either. Colin and Luka would have returned to see the condition of the campsite and the blood in the tent. They most likely hid the chest in a safer place after what happened.

Aragorn took out a sheet of parchment paper and scribbled something on it with a feathered pen. "We have to let the other know of this." Taking out a black candle from the drawer, he lit it. The flame was a strange green. He let one of the ends of the paper burn until the entire thing quickly caught on fire and was consumed by the by flames. "Wow, where did it…go?" It was as if the candle sucked up the paper like a vacuum.

"That was a fire message sent to Middle-earth. It should reach everyone it needs to," her father explained. "Now, Ryder. I need you to tell me everything. Every little detail you remember, even the minor ones."

It felt like déjà vu all over again. "Okay," she said quietly. She took deep breath and dove into her story, from what she first remembered waking up tied to a tree in Midsummer Forest, to losing consciousness in the tent at Declan's campsite.

While Ryder told him how Nyphadora saved her from the redcap and brought her to Boldgren's treehouse to find Declan and his men, she left out the part where she almost wanted to kill the piskie. A gut feeling told her that For some reason she felt that the faery had something to do with her final escape from Oberon's realm. The hardest part to explain was how she believed that Queen Titania was working with the Stewards.

Her father didn't laugh at her or tell her she was crazy for thinking the Faery queen was out for revenge. Instead, he remained cool and calm without interrupting until she finished. "What became of Declan?"

Ryder frowned. "He lost consciousness like I did…but he's not dead. I was only able to temporarily mimic the feeling of his lungs collapsing. But if I had any strength left, he would have been dead."

However, with the condition she was in, all she wanted to do was escape. Dying there was not an option for her. Ryder still had too much to do, too much fight left in her to die in a place away from the real battle. Every encounter was a close call and each one made her more aware of her surroundings.

Getting up from his seat, Aragorn joined her on the opposite couch. He gently placed a hand on her leg. "You've grown up so much stronger than I could have ever hoped for. I will always be in Henrick's debt." Tears threatened the corner of her eyes. She was afraid her shaky voice would betray her so she just nodded.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. It echoed in the hallway like a wind chime. "Who could that be?" Ryder turned her head toward the study door.

"Someone who has been very anxious to see you," he smiled. Ryder stood up after the Chieftain and followed him into the foyer.

Her heart skipped a beat. Was it Legolas? Her hands suddenly grew clammy and Ryder tried not to seem like she was in a hurry to the door. He'd been watching over her this whole time and she couldn't even talk to him or…hold his hand in return. The only thing Ryder could think about in her last moments before she lost consciousness in the tent was the Elf-prince's face and how there was a chance she'd never see him again.

But why would he ring the doorbell? Knowing Legolas's friendship with her father, he'd just enter Elessar Manor without thinking it rude. Maybe he didn't want to startle her after all that she'd been through?

"Please, come in," Aragorn smiled at the person on the other side of the door. Ryder couldn't see them from where she stood until they stepped inside.

Their features was full of happiness and concern. "Emi?" Ryder couldn't believe her eyes. Aragorn stepped out of their way. Emi extended her arms to her, which Ryder immediately ran into. Tears streamed down both their faces. "I'm so happy that you're okay!" The blue eyed-girl hugged her fiercely.

"I should say the same about you," her roommate chuckled. Emi finally pulled away to get a better look at Ryder, squeezing her hands. "Oh, Ryder. I'm so sorry I wasn't around to protect you."

"What are you talking about? It was my fault Declan tried to hold you as a hostage. If it weren't for me you wouldn't have fallen under that spell."

"If it weren't for you, I would be in a far worst state than that spell I was in," she smiled wearily.

"Forgive me, ladies, I don't mean to interrupt your reunion," Aragorn broke in, "but Gustav has made you some hot chocolate in the living room. I'm sure you'll be much more comfortable there, and it comes with more privacy than the hallway."

They both chuckled. "Thank you," Ryder smiled her appreciation.

x x x

After taking a small sip of the chocolaty liquid, Ryder sighed. She missed the small things she often took for granted. Emi sat on the opposite couch and tucked her legs under her and smiled at her friend. "So…Lord Aragorn tells me you know your true self now."

"I do," she nodded. "It was a lot to take in—learning about myself and the other realms—but I'm slowly adjusting. I would say I wish you could have told me you were an Elf, but I understand the need for secrecy."

"I wanted to tell you everything, Ryder, believe me. But it wasn't my place to. Lord Aragorn assigned me as your roommate to try and keep you safe in case someone found out who you really were before you did. All I had to do was keep an eye on you. Make sure no one caused you any trouble. I kind of failed at that given your little scuffle with Sardenus," Emi rolled her eyes amusingly. "Nonetheless, I'm glad he chose me to protect you because I've made a great friend," Emi smiled.

"So am I," Ryder smiled in return. "I'm just so sorry about Declan. I can only imagine how you must feel."

Emi solemnly shook her head. "I really thought he would choose a different path. He showed no signs of taking after his father and the Stewards' ridiculous thirst for power. Turns out he merely hid it well, even from me. Declan had great potential to rise above the chaos of his bloodline but…I suppose we all have our own destinies." She shrugged and took a sip of the hot chocolate in her hands, her thoughts travelling to a distant place. "I, too, am sorry about Declan and everything he's put you through. Family or not, kill him if you must. I will not mourn his loss." The hard look in Emi's emerald eyes gave Ryder the confidence she needed in carrying out the task if it fell on her hands.

Aragorn's daughter recapped what Emi hadn't already been told while she slept in her enchantment. She said how her friend, Nyphadora, was responsible for helping her get home. Emi listened with different disbelieving expressions as Ryder gave her roommate more details than her father. Even the bargain she made with Boldgren that she hadn't yet mentioned. "I'm still working on how to tell my father that."

"Those blades are rare, indeed. It takes quite some time to forge one. However, not impossible to make. As for Nyphadora, her smart mouth and aloofness can be a lot to take in sometimes," Emi smiled sympathetically. "But those are the nature of Faeries."

"How do you deal with her?" Ryder gave her an exasperated look. "I mean, I appreciate what she did but it was no picnic spending time with her."

"She's more unfriendly to mortals," the ginger-haired girl smirked. "She gives the Firstborn a little more respect than the other races because we're immortal and looked upon by many as ethereal beings."

"Of course you are," Ryder rolled her eyes in good humor. "So, now, it's your turn. How were you able to wake up? And I just now realized this, but…how did you get back here? I thought all the portals between the realms were closed?" The last time she saw her friend was after the first attack on Mirkwood University when Lord Emthrel carried his daughter back to Rivendell.

"Lord Elrond was better able to wake me from the trance I was in back home where his healing abilities are stronger. It took some time and lot of hours watching over me, but I finally awoke. It was a dreamless sleep I was in. The last thing I remembered was the fight in the science lab. I was frantic, calling out for you, not knowing where I was." Emi shifted her position on the couch, putting her empty mug on the table.

"Oh, Emi…"

"When I found out what happened, I demanded to return to your world. My father, of course, wouldn't allow it. Nor did your father or Legolas. But—I can be very persuasive," she winked. "Or at least, very stubborn and annoying when I need to be. I pleaded every day for hours on end to Legolas and Lord Aragorn to let me come back. I wanted to be here when they…found you or you returned."

Pondering on the idea, she couldn't have been gone that long. Could she? Time in Middle-earth was different, so for Emi it could have been weeks, while only days for Ryder. But Ryder also had to remember that she was in Oberon's realm where the passage of time moved differently as well.

"How did you know that I…would?" Ryder asked quietly. There was a moment in her journey when she almost gave up hope.

Emi placed a hand on top of hers. "Because I believe in you. And I know you're a lot stronger than you look."

Ryder scoffed. "Tell that to everyone else."

Her roommate also finally told her that all those nights she was out with her study group weren't a complete lie. She was, in fact, with the group, although they weren't studying for exams. They were doing locating spells on the Stewards faction members. There were reports that some were hiding around the campus grounds and they wanted to find them before they caused any real trouble. But something kept blocking their attempts.

"After what you said about Queen Titania," Emi sighed, "she might have been behind the cloaking spells on the members. That's why we couldn't track and expose any of them."

"Do you think my father believes me?"

"I think he trusts your assessment. I do. And I'm sure Legolas would as well." Emi's ears suddenly perked up, her gaze straying to the entrance of the living room. Ryder followed her line of sight, unsure of what caught her attention. "Has Legolas seen you today?"

"My father said he was called back to the school last night, so…no." Ryder was happy to see Emi but a part of her wished Legolas came with her.

"Ah, I see," she smiled with a twinkle in her eyes. "I hope I brought over enough clothes for you from our dorm room."

"So it was you then? I wondered who dressed me."

"Well, no else was going to do it," she teased. "The day is getting late and I should go. I'll visit again tomorrow."

"You're leaving already?" Ryder stood as she did. She couldn't help the disappointment in her voice.

Emi only smiled again. "I would stay longer but it appears that you have another visitor."

"Another…visitor? Who?" The blue-eyed girl looked toward the entrance of living room again and saw Legolas slowly reveal himself.

A startled, excited gasp escaped her. They stared at each other as if they were the only two people in the universe. She barely registered Emi squeezing her arm to say goodbye. Legolas gave Emi a curt nod as she moved past him, then focused his attention back to Ryder. He walked down the short two steps into the living room, stopping still at a good distance away. She wanted to go to him but she was frozen in place.

Ryder thought her legs were going to melt at the sight of him. The Elf-prince was as handsome as ever with his piercing blue eyes, soft thin lips, narrow face, silky blonde hair, and strong, slender body. He never gave too much away unless he wanted to. And right now he looked longingly toward her.

"Legolas," she whispered.

Tears suddenly made her vision blurry. He ran to her in one swift motion that Ryder barely registered, Legolas crushing her against his chest. The Elf-prince held her too tightly but she didn't complain. Ryder buried her face in the crook of his neck, gripping his shirt tightly. She had no idea how emotional she would be upon seeing him again.

"I am never letting you out of my sights again, Ryder Grayson," he said against her hair. He missed the scent of her and how fragile and strong she felt in his arms.

"I thought I'd never see you again," she said, her words muffled against his solid chest. The feel of her, wrapped in his arms was like a puzzle piece that he had been missing. She fit perfectly against him.

"I did."

"You did?" She looked up at him. His bright blue eyes were warm and full of love. Behind them was also a worried cloud that lifted now that she was finally awake.

"I know you to be resourceful, resilient, and by far, the strongest will of anyone I know," Legolas smiled, wiping her tears away.

She played with the design on his tunic. "While I was looking for a way home, I heard Colin mention how you changed. How you…didn't seem yourself while I was gone." Ryder felt his body stiffen by a fraction at her concerned gaze. "Is it true?" He looked away, his brows knotted. "Legolas, talk to me."

"You don't know what it felt like to see you be taken away by someone you loath and helpless to do anything about it. Or even know where you were taken." The pain ion his features was almost too much for Ryder to bear. "I went out looking for blood and interrogated as many of their forces as I could for information on your whereabouts. Those who resisted or provided information I wasn't satisfied with, I…dealt with through the anger and frustration inside of me."

"Oh, Legolas," she whispered and cupped his face. If Ryder's presence, knowing she was alive and in better condition eased the pain he carried, then she would shoulder the rest for him until he was no longer troubled.

Legolas gave her a hard stare. "I make no apologies for my actions. Those who chose to participate in this war know the outcome isn't always a pleasant one."

"I know," Ryder replied quietly, giving him a comforting hug. "All that matters now is that I'm back and hopefully, my father will make use of the information I gave him to win it."

"I hope so as well," Legolas sighed, his chest rising against her cheek. Amongst everything, his heart was a steady beat, sure and strong.

"I can only imagine what kind of damaged you've done while I was in Midsummer Forest the last couple of days," she said, somewhat amused given the situation.

"Days?" Legolas furrowed his eyebrows. Ryder looked up at him, straightening herself so she could address him better. "Ryder…did they not tell you?"

"Tell me what?" The look on his face told her it was something important that her father and Emi failed to mention. "Legolas. Tell me," she demanded.

"You have been gone for almost a month."

"A month?" she breathed. "A month! But, how…how is that possible?" Her knees felt weak again. Ryder leaned heavily against the Elf-prince for support. He held her firmly and moved her back to the couch. Still grasping the fact that she'd been gone for weeks, she could barely gather her scattered thoughts. "I swear only two days or so had passed while I was in Midsummer Forest."

He rubbed her back. "I understand if it might appear that way to you, but time has no real meaning in Oberon's realm. The way time is perceived in each world is different. No two realms are ever in alignment. You've also experienced this in Middle-earth. Mortals from your world are oblivious to this knowledge because other races are either immortal or age very slowly by nature; much slower than that of your kind. What seemed like days or weeks to you could have been decades or centuries in another place."

When her father mentioned the attacks and the damage to Mirkwood University, he meant they happened within the last several weeks, not days. Why didn't he tell her? Was he afraid she'd freak out knowing how long she was missing in action? If that was the case, then he hit that right in the eye of an ugly Troll. That would also mean that Emi had been waiting for her all this time.

"Hey," Legolas said quietly, snapping Ryder back to the present. "Was it not you who said that all that matters now is that you're back?"

She nodded.

"Then…come back to me. Do not dwell on the past. What's done is done. All we can do is move forward."

His words were all Ryder needed to hear. Thranduil's son was right. No matter what they'd been through, today and the rest of the days going forward were all that mattered. Legolas assured her that Faramir and those who were injured in the attacks by the Stewards faction were slowly healing. She insisted on seeing the Ithilien prince as soon as he was allowed to entertain visitors.

"I want to see what Mirkwood University looks like." The tone in Ryder's voice suggested that she wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer.

With a weary sigh, Legolas agreed. "I must warn you that the University is nothing like it was when you last saw it."

x x x

"Oh, my."

Most of the school was in rubble., stone Stone and brick pieces were scattered in heaps across the campus. Some buildings that still stood had missing windows or gaping holes in their sides. The school staff and the other races fighting the war helped each other clean up pieces off the walkways and carried in new materials to rebuild what was damaged.

"It might not seem like it, but we're making progress," said Legolas told her. "The school took quite a beating, but I swear this establishment that my father built will stand again and be greater than it used to be once this is all over."

"Aragorn told me you were called by your father last night. Is he here?"

"Yes, he is. He has taken up residence in my quarters with his advisors and a few generals. Most of my father's responsibilities in the Woodland Realm have been delegated out to his other generals that remain there. We can't afford to leave our Underground Kingdom unprotected, although this place also means a great deal to the Elven-king."

"Finally. He's participating," Ryder replied in a quiet, bitter tone.

If King Thranduil took earlier actions in helping defend Mirkwood University, the outcome could have been different. Legolas was capable of handling the situation with his tactical and weaponry skills, but the Elven-king refused to give him more Elven warriors when they were needed the most; thinking that the Stewards faction wouldn't have a force big enough to be reckoned with.

What his father failed to add to the equation was the use of magic.

"He is trying to make amends. In his own way."

"I would hope so."

After a thorough look at the property, Ryder chose to head back to Elessar Manor than to greet King Thranduil. She was in no mood to play a well-behaved princess. She'd rather listen in on the conversation between Aragorn and those advising him, and perhaps even weigh in on their plans.

There were no arguments from Legolas, only that she allowed him to stay with her, which she was more than happy to let him. If the Elf-prince's father needed him, Legolas knew he wouldn't hesitate to summon him.

Ryder said it to herself it before and she would say it again. Declan would pay for what he'd done.

x x x

"Lord Elrond!" Ryder ran to him for a hug. He was taken aback by her suddenness, but he quickly relaxed and returned her embrace. When she finally pulled away, he smiled at her, amused. "Thank you for healing Emi."

"It was my duty and my pleasure."

By the time she and Legolas returned to Elessar Manor, Elrond and Aragorn's military tacticians were already in another meeting. Sir Gandalf and Lady Galadriel also joined the group. Ryder imagined a room full of loud people, giving her father suggestions left and right, but the room was full of silent, pensive minds.

Aragorn gave her a brief hug and a nod toward the Elf-prince. "I've told them about your encounter with the faction in Midsummer Forest."

"I spoke with Lord Oberon who had no inkling that trespassers were in his domain," Galadriel added. Her regal presence always stunned Ryder. Everywhere she went, white light surrounded the Elf-sorceress as if it was a part of her. Ryder wondered if anyone else could see it. The power the Lady held was palpable as she spoke and Ryder still couldn't believe they were related by blood on her mother's side. "He was quite furious to learn this. However, I excluded the mention of Boldgren, the ancient satyr, to save him from his Master's wrath. Boldgren should have informed the Erlking as soon as he knew of the intruders but he did not."

"Did Oberon find traces of Fenlock and his men?" asked Ryder.

The name Declan Finn no longer existed in her Ryder's mind. The boy she used to know was gone. Her old classmate finally fully embraced his true nature and the name of the leader of the Stewards faction. All Ryder saw now was a heartless, manipulative monster who would kill to obtain power, regardless of who stood in his way. The satyr helped her get home and she was thankful that his life was spared. When the time was right, Ryder would fulfill the bargains made with Boldgren and Nyphadora.

Galadriel gracefully walked around the long table. "Only the abandoned campsite you spoke of. The orbs and the faction members were long gone. The Erlking destroyed whatever else remained. From these events, he has put the Grey Lands back on his watch."

"What about…Queen Titania?" Ryder hesitated to ask. Did they think her speculations were ridiculous or did they actually believe her? The last thing she wanted was to seem naïve in front of some of most powerful rulers in Middle-earth.

An indistinct smirk appeared was on the Lady's lips. "She denies the accusations, of course. Although her king has told her many times that we are close acquaintances that span millennia, she always had a temper about it. To be safe, he has prohibited her from leaving Arcadia or using her magic until this matter is resolved."

"Will he help us?" Aragorn's daughter was hopeful. Oberon had to involve himself now that his domain was compromised. Legolas quietly snorted. Ryder wanted to glare at him but she continued, "Now that he knows intruders had entered his realm, I'm sure he wants to see them punished."

"Of course he does," Galadriel replied. "But the Erlking wants no part in this conflict."

"What?"

The Elf-sorceress sat herself down on one of the seats. "You have much to learn about politics and the attitudes of sovereigns when it comes to war, young one."

"But…I—" Before Ryder could formulate her frustration into words she was silenced by the voice in her head. You did well to bring this to our attention. No matter the aid we receive…you know , only one can end this tug of war for power. Galadriel's quiet gaze was so intense that a cold shiver ran up Ryder's spine.

"Ryder?" Legolas asked. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm…fine." She shook the feeling away. "I guess we're on our own."

x x x


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