Now, Evelyn thought that she had prepared herself for whatever Glorfindel's reaction would be to waking up in his cell. She was ready for rage; to hear him yanking on his chains and demanding his freedom. She was ready for him to attempt to bargain; to twist words and claim that Imladris would be a proper home for her if only she would go back. She was ready for pleadings; for she was rather convinced that he would try what he did when they fought, that he would try to garner sympathy and show remorse for his betrayal. What she did not expect however... was the amused commentary and incessant chatter.

"Oh wow, only one chain instead of all those ropes... quite lovely, thank you!" Evelyn and Nightshade both paused and turned to look at the locked door. It was the first sound that they had heard to indicate that Glorfindel was awake. If anyone else were to say those words, they would sound like the epitome of sarcasm, but somehow Glorfindel managed to make them filled with delight... as if he were actually pleased to find himself chained.

"And look, a lovely lamp. Although I must admit that I'd prefer a window, I truly do appreciate the light," despite the cheer in Glorfindel's words, Evelyn felt herself tensing. Somehow, his cheer was worse than anything she had prepared for. "Look at all this, I have my own room with facilities! This is quite the upgrade Elenya."

Even Nightshade appeared puzzled by the annoyingly cheerful tone and Evelyn decided that it was best to just ignore him. Perhaps, if she never responded then he would give up and leave her in peace. She didn't think that she was quite ready to face him just yet and so instead, she occupied herself with skinning the deer that Nightshade caught and preparing the meat. She cut the majority of the meat into thin strips which she brined in salt before handing in the small smokehouse right outside. She already had several earthenware jars filled with dried herbs and pickled vegetables, but she was glad to be adding to her stores nonetheless.

With the remaining venison she began to prepare a stew, all the while doing her best to tune out Glorfindel's incessant chatter.

"I must say, this cell is far more roomy than my previous arrangement."

"Say, is Asfoloth still around? That old boy is certainly clingy though I think he dislikes Nightshade."

"It's been too long, really Elenya. We must catch up."

"Is your hair longer than the last we met? Your hair must grow far quicker than the Eldar's."

"Now I'll admit, you got me with my hair. Erestor is always pestering me to pull it back when I ride out but I find it too annoying and cumbersome. You'd think that I'd learn though."

"Oh, is that venison? It smells wonderful!"

Evelyn closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. When she opened them, she was met with Nightshade who had the slightest twinkle of mirth in her eyes.

I told you this wasn't a good idea, the wolf projected to Evelyn.

Well I'm glad you're enjoying this, Evelyn snapped back.

If you hate him, kill him. If you don't then let him go.

If only things were that simple.

It is how wolves live.

But neither he nor I are wolves.

Nightshade obviously didn't like Evelyn's response, but she was let it go at that. Either way, the stew was finished and Evelyn had to decide what to do next. She really didn't want to face Glorfindel yet... but she had to feed him. Thus, she found herself walking over to his cell. She knew that he could hear her as he suddenly fell silent as she stood there, working up the courage to face the elf who she... well she didn't know what she felt about him.

She opened the door and was greeted by Glorfindel's smile.

"Hello," he said simply.

Evelyn wordlessly placed a bowl of stew with a spoon on the floor, sliding it over to him.

"Will you at least talk to me?" He asked.

Evelyn froze, but she quickly recovered and was about to leave, she had one hand on the door when he stopped her again. His earlier smile was gone and that cheerful tone left his voice. Instead, something like desperation colored his expression as he leaned forward.

"Please- I... I missed you. I missed the days we spent together," when he spoke, he looked so sincere that Evelyn could feel a piece of her heart aching.

"You were the one who threw it away," her voice came out cold, but she didn't care at that moment.

"Yes and- I'm sorry. And I know that sorry doesn't do anything to change the past but still, I'm sorry. I cannot change that which has passed... but please-" he paused for a moment, his lips still parted and his eyes glimmering. "Just- leave the door open. I won't ask you to remove these chains, I won't ask for your trust yet... but I cannot bare to sit here in the darkness and the silence."

Memories of her own imprisonment flooded Evelyn and she nodded once, moving to sit down near the hearth, curled up alongside Nightshade. She was several bites into her own bowl of stew when Glorfindel began talking again.

"Might I ask... one question," his tone seemed sincere so Evelyn reluctantly nodded. "Where is Asfoloth? He is a very loyal steed... and I-"

"He is home."

"Pardon?"

"I sent him back to Imladris... I told him to return to his herd and that he had done all he could for his master... he didn't want to go but he eventually relented." Evelyn offered Glorfindel his first smile as she recalled the actions of the proud stallion. "He is a loyal companion. You're lucky."

"Indeed I am... thank you."

For a while that seemed to placate the elf and bth continued to eat their dinner in silence. Evelyn was firmly wedged into Nightshade's side whilst the wolf occupied herself by chewing on the deer's femur. For a while the only sounds to be heard were the thrushes and crickets outside along with the persistent gnawing of Nightshade inside. Moonlight was filtering into the cabin and Evelyn was doing her best to ignore how Glorfindel was glowing in the white beams when he decided to break the tense silence.

"The fair weather is waning... soon it shall be autumn." He paused and looked at Evelyn expectantly, but the girl continued to eat and ignore him. "I can hardly wait for the changing of the leaves... every year the banks of the Bruinen turn a thousand shades of copper and gold... it's a beautiful sight."

"I'm not used to the leaves turning and falling," Evelyn found herself speaking without quite thinking.

"Oh?"

"Where I'm- was once from... I was so near the coast that the weather was always mild... the trees were evergreens that never dropped their leaves or massive palms that never change," she said with a sad smile on her face. Home seemed so far off, she had given up on being homesick. Now it was more like a place from a dream or an old movie... a memory of a fictional place.

"The shores of Valinor?" Glorfindel asked with curiosity tinging his voice.

"No," she chuckled a bit. "Somewhere farther... it wasn't paradise... but it was home."

"Tell me about it, please."

Evelyn paused for a moment. She couldn't- wasn't ready to speak aloud about her world filled with planes and cars- electricity that the elves would think of as magic. No matter how much time had passed, no matter what she did to them, she still couldn't get the that feeling of horror and desperation when she begged Thranduil to believe her out of her head. That was the last time she spoke about her home aloud. It was the last time she dared to.

But, when she looked over at Glorfindel she found an open and honest expression. He was precious and unguarded... so she began to talk. She shared with him stories of her childhood home, redacting of course any information that he wouldn't understand. So, she talked out the beaches, about how she would sprint from the yellow sand that was burning hot into the cool blue waves; how the trees were massive palms, long thin trunks that swayed in the gentlest of breezes. She spoke of tide pools and strange little sea creatures, of gulls and feral cats wandering the shores.

And all the while she talked, Glorfindel listened. He never interrupted, never seemed to doze off... but remained entranced by her words until she realized how tired she was. That night, Evelyn kept Glorfindel's door open because she wasn't sure she could bare shutting him away in the darkness again... it awoke too many painful memories for her.

Glorfindel was laid out on his little pallet. Feigning sleep is a simple feat when elves are already known to sleep with their eyes open. He watched as Elenya readied herself and her wolf for bed. He knew that his "capture" would prove a problem to Lord Elrond's plan for him to fetch the Ringbearer, but between his dreams and the feeling of rightness when around the strange girl... he just knew that the Valar had a hand in all that was occurring. Thus, he was exactly where he was meant to be.

Asfoloth was the fastest steed in Imladris and he knew that his stallion could outrun the Nine. There was no doubt in Glorfindel's mind that the Ringbearer would make it safely to the Last Homely House. Asfoloth knew his task as well as Glorifindel... and the stallion would see it done.

Instead, his task was his Elenya... his mysterious savior who was slipping eerily close to darkness. He knew that she wasn't evil... he just knew it. She was lost, afraid, and hurt... so just like any creature beaten so low she fought back and did what it took to survive. He knew that the house they were in was not built by her hands... in fact after examining the chains he had a pretty good idea on who built this structure. Between the house, his capture, and the fact that Nightshade was alive and perfectly well... was putting the pieces together.

But now, there was one more clue about Elenya... about what she may be.

Glorfindel watched as she carefully maneuvered around the cabin, cleaning up from her earlier cooking and walking back and forth, crossing the threshold of the window several times. He wasn't sure how he had never noticed it earlier... probably because he never called on her at night... but every time she passed the window, every time the moonlight hit her, she glowed. The light of the stars and moon bathed her in a beautiful white glow that shimmered all around her... brighter than any elf.

He had never before seen such a thing.

Oh my dear Elenya, he thought as he settled down to actually sleep. What are you?

Aragorn was tucked into a table in the corner of the room, a hood pulled down low over his eyes. In these parts of Middle Earth, he went by the name Strider, the name of a Ranger who was feared and avoided. Often times he disliked the reputation that Rangers often held for it made finding lodgings and supplies difficult, but this night he was incredibly grateful. No one dared to approach him or sit at his table and thus, he had time to think.

Gandalf was supposed to meet him several days ago and the wizard was missing. Such was an unsettling thought, especially with the knowledge that the Halfling- or Halflings as Gandalf had explained that the Ringbearer was bringing a companion, were supposed to be arriving soon. Something dark was stirring in the air and Aragorn could feel it.

He took another slow sip of his beer as his mind wandered back to his home, to Imladris. Just as Raven had hinted, his reveal to Lord Elrond of his feelings for Arwen were mildly disastrous. His foster father had demanded that if any were to take Arwen's hadn't in marriage, to steal her immortality, then he would accept such a thing from no less than a King. Lord Elrond wanted him to take up the destiny that he despised from the moment it was revealed to him... the destiny to become King of Gondor.

Aragorn chuckled a little at the thought. There, sitting in the back corner of a dingy inn with his travel worn leather and hood pulled low over his eyes, he looked more like your average bandit than any king.

But, the days were shortening and he knew it was only a matter of time before the Halflings appeared. Then, Gandalf or no Gandalf, they would have to make their way to Imladris. If all went well, Glorfindel would meet them halfway through their journey and once the Ringbearer was safe, they would call a council together to decide the fate of the One. Aragorn would be happy to see it destroyed for a part of him still felt that it was his burden, the failings of his bloodline allowed the One to still exist... it would be fitting for him to see it destroyed.

And, when Elrond calls the council, Aragorn knew that Mirkwood would be among the invited realms. Legolas would certainly come as the representative of the Woodland Realm as he has guarded the creature Gollum since Aragorn and Gandalf dropped it off. Aragorn knew that his friend's heart still ached over his actions... that the elf knew that his treatment of the child turned her away from them. He also had a feeling... just as certain as the one about darkness brewing... that he hadn't seen the last of Raven.

Middle Earth was becoming a darkening place. Soon there would be many unexpected individuals forced to make a stand on one side or the other. Such is that fate of war.