Theodred was dead. Poor King Théoden had an incredibly hard time accepting that his son had just been alive only weeks before.

His funeral was around an hour later, and the mourners had requested Noelle wear a black dress for the occasion. She of course wasn't happy about it, but wore it out of respect.

Noelle didn't even want to go. She felt like she was back at the Jedi temple. The last couple of funerals she had been to had just been...

Bad. She hated the bad memories.

Gandalf stayed behind with King Théoden as he mourned his son in private, while the rest of them went back to Meduseld, the Golden Hall.

Noelle almost tripped on the hem of her dress, climbing up the stairs. She gave a groan of annoyance.

"Are you alright?" asked a concerned Aragorn, bending down to offer her his hand.

Noelle waved him off. "Yes. I just hate this thing! I'm not clumsy- I just ain't used to it!" she said between clenched teeth.

Aragorn actually chuckled. "You certainly are not like most women I have ever met. Even the esteemed Lady of Rohan," he said under his breath so Éowyn wouldn't hear him up ahead.

"I second that statement laddie," Gimli commented.

Noelle snorted. "Should I take that as a compliment or an insult?"

"Whichever you want lass," Gimli replied amusedly. "Although I am sure the Elf would have meant it as a compliment. He seems to have a soft spot for you for whatever reason."

Noelle inwardly flinched for a second. So the others had noticed huh? She figured it was becoming kind of obvious how protective Legolas was of her. She didn't even understand why herself, but the last thing she wanted was for everyone else to call attention to that fact.

She glanced over her shoulder at Legolas, who was trailing far behind amongst the crowd. There was no indication that he had overheard her conversation with Gimli and Aragorn.

She breathed out a sigh of relief. Then she saw Aragorn giving her a smirk. "What?" she asked defensively.

Aragorn shook his head. "Nothing."

Which means something, Noelle mused with a sigh. To be honest, she didn't really know why exactly Legolas acted the way he did around her. She knew he was an old friend and she was the only girl, which was maybe part of the reason he was so protective, but sometimes he just acted... different around her.

Noelle couldn't really put a finger to it.

"I'm gonna find something to eat, lass," said Gimli, tapping her arm and interrupting her thoughts. "You'll know where to find me."

Noelle finally got changed back into her normal gear and found everyone else in the Golden Hall.

Gandalf was sitting next to Théoden by his throne talking quietly to him. Lady Éowyn was with two young children, a boy and a girl who both looked a little worse for wear. Legolas was standing next to Aragorn, who was smoking his pipe, and Gimli was of course eating. They were all apparently arguing about something.

"What'd I miss?" Noelle asked Gimli in a low voice as she sat down next to him.

"Well," Gimli began to explain in a slightly louder tone. "These two youngin's village got pillaged by that filth of a wizard, and Gandalf is arguing with the King on what to do about it." He wiped his mouth with his beard as Noelle tried to hold back a disgusted look.

Éowyn stood up. "They had no warning. They were unarmed," she pleaded. "Now the wild men are moving through the Westfold- burning as they go."

Aragorn and Legolas exchanged a look as Noelle stood up and crossed her arms with a very concerned look in her blue eyes.

"Where's mama?" squeaked the little girl. Éowyn shushed her and wrapped a green blanket around her shoulders.

Noelle wandered over to the side of the room, lost in thought. She had seen plenty of this during the Clone Wars. The Separatists had plundered hundreds of worlds and killed millions of innocent people. Sometimes for no reason, sometimes to pull the Republic and the Jedi into a trap. How was what Saruman was doing any different?

Out of the corner of her eye Noelle could see the man who had grabbed her wrist at the gate this morning eyeing her across the room in the way a predator would stalk its prey.

Noelle shifted uncomfortably and avoided his glare.

"Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not," Aragorn was saying.

Theoden gave Aragorn an irritated glare. "When last I looked, Theoden, not Aragorn, was king of Rohan," he snapped back sarcastically.

"When last I looked, Wormtongue, not Theoden was king of Rohan," Noelle muttered under her breath. She then glanced up to see Legolas giving her an amused look- as if he was trying hard not to laugh. Noelle rolled her eyes at him and smiled back. He had obviously heard her comment.

Sighing, she decided to head outside on the front steps for a few minutes to clear her head. She gazed out into the distance. The snowy mountains surrounded the whole landscape and the sky was as blue as her lightsaber had been.

My lightsaber. Noelle closed her eyes.

She heard someone beside her and half expected it to be Legolas, but it was actually Gandalf.

"Something troubling your mind?" he asked almost matter-of-factly.

"Yep," Noelle answered. She decided to be honest this time.

"Care to share." Gandalf pulled out his pipe.

Noelle folded her arms again. "I've seen this kind of thing happen so many times in the Clone Wars. The killing. The merciless plundering... I just... maybe I can't handle remembering the war."

"Or perhaps it's something else?" Gandalf nudged.

Noelle frowned, looking down at her hands. "I just wish I had been there- at the Westfold. I'm not blaming myself- I just wish I had been there."

Gandalf nodded in understanding. "Sometimes it is not within our power to save every single life."

"I know," said Noelle. "But that's the problem. When I first found the crystal of my lightsaber on Ilum, Master Yoda asked me what the lightsaber was meant to be used for. He told me it was to protect others, never to attack. That's what's wrong, Gandalf. When the war started, the Jedi didn't hesitate to jump straight into the front lines. They forgot about protecting the innocent and focused on fighting a war."

"And what will you do?" Gandalf asked gently.

"I don't know yet, but getting caught up in another war is not what I had in mind." Noelle sighed again and kicked a small stone out into the distance off the stairs. "And what is King Théoden's decision?"

"Helms Deep," said Gandalf. "He leaves first thing in the morning."

Noelle couldn't sleep. Again. For starters she had all the events of the day replaying themselves over and over again in her head.

And then there was that guy who kept creeping her the heck out.

That bothered her even more than Gimli's obnoxiously loud snoring. Noelle told him he sounded like a ship at a docking bay, but he didn't know what she was talking about.

Noelle had to get up and do something.

Pulling on the Lothlórien cloak and strapping her sword around her waist, she snuck out of the Golden Hall. She stopped short when she saw that one particular guard standing on the edge of the front steps. She froze. He hadn't seen her yet.

Noelle glanced to the side of the terrace. She could easily just hop off the side of the stairs- about a fifteen foot drop.

Taking one last look over her shoulder, she gave herself a running start and leapt off the side of the patio of Meduseld, using the Force to cushion the impact of the land.

She looked up to see Legolas pointing an arrow into her face. "Oh it's you," he said in a clearly relieved voice. "I heard a sound and you startled me."

"Sorry." Noelle breathed a sigh of relief too. He moved so fast. Faster than her, which was what kind of unsettled her. "Yeah, it's me. What are you doing down here? Couldn't sleep either?"

"No..." Legolas' voice trailed off when he noticed her sword. "Where are you going? You are not leaving are you?"

Noelle hadn't thought of that. It did kind of look like she was sneaking away in the middle of the night. But Legolas had posed a good question after the conversation with Gandalf this afternoon. She now had an indication at least of what she didn't want to do.

"Noelle?"

Noelle snapped back to reality, realizing she had never answered his question. "No, I'm not leaving. I just couldn't sleep is all." She lowered her voice. "Plus, that one guy is giving me the creeps."

Legolas's eyes darkened. "I've learned his name is Náedran. I heard someone call him that."

"Oh yeah?" Noelle shivered. Something about Náedran bothered her badly, like worse than Wormtongue. Maybe she was just still unsettled about when he had grabbed her.

"If he touches you again, I'll take off his head," Legolas said under his breath. "I mean it," he added, seeing Noelle's expression.

"I know you do," Noelle whispered, feeling her heartbeat speed up. She wasn't exactly sure where this conversation was going to go, but there were already butterflies in her stomach. Legolas was just so... so caring in a way she wasn't used to since being with the Jedi. And she cared for him too- deeply. He was probably the oldest friend she had here aside from Gandalf. Flash didn't count.

Legolas looked like he was pondering something. He studied her for a painfully long moment. "I know I already told you this, but if you ever need to talk or want to tell me what happened- I'm here." His eyes searched hers.

Noelle gave a small sigh and looked away, shaking her head slightly, turning away from him. There was just too much. Too much to worry about. The dreams, the Quest, Legolas, the Jedi, Earth, her family, now Náedran...

It was all beginning to take its toll on her.

"Noelle, what is bothering you?" Legolas followed her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "You can trust me. I only wish to help you."

Noelle closed her eyes, feeling her throat swell with emotion at how caring he was. She reached up and touched his hand that was still on her shoulder and took a deep breath. "Ok." She turned around to face him. "I'll tell you," she whispered.

Even though it was dark, she saw something that was a mix of surprise and relief cross Legolas's face. His warm hand slid down from her shoulder to her arm. "Would you like to go someplace quiet?"

"It's already pretty quiet here," Noelle said with a shrug, looking down at the ground.

"Somewhere we won't be heard or disturbed?" Legolas suggested.

"Ok." Noelle gave in. "Where did you have in mind?"

"Follow me."

Legolas led her to what could technically be the side of the hill. Edoras was on a very steep hill, but buildings weren't on the steep parts where there were some rocks. Legolas and Noelle sat down on the cool grass on the side of the hill.

Noelle glanced up at the night sky, savoring the fact that she was actually able to see the stars. Back at home or on Coruscant, there was too much artificial light to see the beauty of the sky.

Legolas was watching her. "Is that where your home is?" he asked gently.

Noelle nodded. "It was. I traveled to so many worlds through the stars but Earth will always have a special place in my heart."

"You traveled to other worlds? I thought you didn't know about the Nine Worlds."

"I didn't know there were Nine connected with Middle-earth," Noelle explained.

There was a moment of comfortable silence, when Noelle finally spoke. "I suppose I should start from the very beginning."

Legolas squeezed her hand. "Take your time. I'm here."

Noelle took another deep breath. "You know that I have powers, am from another world and was trained by Gandalf. I also mentioned the Jedi right?"

"Yes."

Noelle took a deep breath. "When I was nine years old, Gandalf came to my home on Earth and told me I had 'special abilities.' I didn't know what he meant at the time, but he spent the next seven years of my childhood training me various skills. He taught me the history and geography of Middle-earth, some Elvish, sword fighting, archery, and more. But the one thing he didn't teach me was to use the Force."

"Why?" Legolas asked.

Noelle shook her head. "I never knew. I think… that maybe he wanted me to discover my powers for myself. He wanted me to learn about them differently than the Jedi had. The Jedi took young children from their families and raised them at the Temple."

"That's abhorrent…" Legolas sounded shocked.

Noelle nodded. "It was," she agreed, thinking of what Ahsoka had once said to her. About how she had never known her family and didn't miss something she had never known.

Noelle sighed. "One Wednesday morning when I was sixteen, practicing archery in my backyard with my cousin, Gandalf came and told me it was time for my first mission in Middle-earth. I think you know what happened next."

"The Quest of Thorin Oakenshield," Legolas realized. "Where did you go afterwards? You disappeared and I didn't see you again after…" his voice faltered.

Noelle froze, realizing he was probably remembering…

When he had given her a light kiss on the cheek after the Battle of Five Armies.

Noelle felt the heat rise to her face at the memory. She hoped Legolas didn't notice.

"Gandalf took me to live with the Jedi," she whispered, trying to forget it. This was possibly the worst time to remember that.

Legolas didn't respond

When Noelle turned to look at him, he was giving her an odd look. "Legolas?" she whispered.

Legolas cleared his throat. "It's nothing. I'm sorry. Please continue."

"I joined the Jedi not knowing what I was getting myself into," Noelle fingered with the end of her belt. "Yes, they taught me how to use the Force, but not what it really was. They kept secrets. They went against their own values." Her eyes darkened and she felt her stomach tighten in anger as she tossed a small rock away from her. "And they betrayed my friend."

She felt Legolas's hand on her arm. "I'm so sorry, Noelle."

Noelle looked down, as she remembered what Anakin had said about Ahsoka leaving the Order.

"Well, what choice did we give her?" he had snapped at Obi-wan Kenobi, who had pointed out that Ahsoka chose to leave. "The moment there were any suspicions about her loyalty the council turned their back on her!"

Understatement of the century, if those even existed anymore.

Noelle looked up finally, meeting Legolas's eyes. "After that, I knew I didn't want to be a part of the Jedi any longer."

"Do you regret your decision?" Legolas asked quietly. "Leaving?"

Noelle squirmed. "I don't know," she replied honestly. "Ever since I joined the Jedi, I've been second-guessing all my decisions. I don't see where this path is leading me."

"Have you ever considered staying here?"

Noelle almost laughed- but didn't, because it was a serious question.

No, absolutely not. She had no plans to stay in Middle-earth. She missed the normal, modern world. She couldn't live in medieval times the rest of her life. But what if she did get stuck here?

Instead of laughing, she gave Legolas a slight smile. "It would have to be something pretty important to keep me here."

Legolas smiled back. "Noted. But Noelle, why did you come back here?"

Noelle shifted. There was the part she was leaving out: the war. Order 66. Rex. Maul. Sidious. Anakin. Her dreams.

"Because of the war we never should have fought," she whispered. "Our troops turned against the Jedi..." She paused and took a deep breath. Talking about this was harder than she had imagined it would be and right now, in the middle of the night at the top of the hill next to Legolas, it was all coming back to haunt her.

And she could never say out loud what Maul had said about Anakin.

"What were your friends' names?" Legolas asked her softly.

"Obi-wan, Rex, Ahsoka... Anakin." Her voice cracked. When was the last time she had said those names aloud? She closed her eyes waiting for the tears that never came.

Legolas looked worried. "Noelle. We can stop... I did not mean to upset you."

Noelle nodded silently. Why was this so hard?

"We can talk about something else?" he suggested carefully, watching her.

Noelle exhaled a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. "Alright," she paused. "You can keep your end of the bargain," she suggested quietly.

Legolas looked confused. "Bargain?"

"Yes..." Noelle wasn't sure how exactly to say this politely. "Why did you want to know about... everything that happened to me."

Silence. Noelle could feel Legolas' hesitation. For once when he was around her, he seemed at a loss for words. Finally after a long and uncomfortable moment, he responded, but wouldn't meet her eyes.

"Do you not know?"

Noelle felt her heart skip a beat. "No. I don't... I really don't."

"I-"

"What?" Noelle urged him gently.

All she could feel from Legolas was anxiety and internal conflict. She didn't need to be a Force-user to sense that. Legolas looked torn, as if he was struggling to find the right words.

"Legolas, what's wrong?" Now she was starting to sound like him.

Legolas finally looked at her. His eyes deep and wistful. "If I tell you, I fear I will say the wrong thing."

"Wha- What do you mean?" Noelle cleared her throat.

"I mean," said Legolas, choosing his words carefully. "I do not want you to think wrongly of me." His hand slid over to hers.

Why would I...

Noelle suddenly felt her breath catch in her throat as she became distinctly aware of just how close Legolas's face was to hers- just inches.

"Legolas..."

He reached up and gently traced her jaw with his fingers.

Noelle closed her eyes.

And saw him.

She must have inhaled sharply or gasped. She heard Legolas frantically calling her name in the background as the dark figure raised his red lightsaber towards her head. But it was not just her- Ahsoka was there too. She heard someone else unfamiliar shouting Ahsoka's name. Then everything went black and she opened her eyes.

"Ahsoka!" Noelle gasped.

Legolas's eyes were in a panic. "Noelle! Speak to me! Are you alright!?" he demanded.

Noelle turned away. "No. No I'm not ok," she choked. The tears were threatening to come now. "This doesn't make any sense."

"Tell me what's wrong."

"I can't explain something I don't understand myself," Noelle whispered.

Because it was true. With each passing day, and every passing vision. Noelle was less and less certain what she was going to do. She stood up. "I'm gonna try and get some sleep," she sighed, knowing it was pointless. She just needed to be alone for a while.