Disclaimer: I own Kirilla. I do not own the Lord of the Rings or any of the characters in the Lord of the Rings. Thank you. Please don't sue me!

Author's Note: Oiye.. Okie, I did another chapter for ya'll. Stayed up late last night writing it, then even later reading a bit of LoTR. Please enjoy, and tell me what you think! Good, bad, don't understand? I promise, if there's anything, it'll be explained later on :) I will be switching between POVs fairly often, by the way, now. At least until Legolas finds Rilla, then we'll stay in Rilla's 1st person POV :)

I had let myself fall into a dreamworld, and there I stayed for a long time. I knew when we had reached Rivendell once again, and I knew when Legolas brought me before Elrond. The wise old elf spoke to my heart, as elven folk are able.

~ Why do you hide your trueness, the Snow Lady of the Forests? ~

~ You know well why, Lord Elrond. ~

~ If Legolas does not know... wars have been fought over simple misunderstandings. ~

~ What Legolas doesn't know cannot hurt him. He does not need to know I am part unicorn, or my father's home. ~

I began ignoring him then. There were others who attempted to speak with me, but I refused. Legolas never left my side, save for a time or two. He pleaded with me always, trying to persuade me to reply. But I knew that if he knew.. if his father knew.. who he loved.. who loved him.. Thourin would not be happy. My father would not either.

After only a few days, I knew I needed to leave Rivendell. I could feel myself beginning to give in to their persuasions. It had to stop. So while I was in my dark state, I planned. I knew some of the older elves could feel that I was planning something.

In the dark of the night, when Legolas was called away and the one watching over me was napping on the job, I woke myself from the dreamworld and fled with my quiver, a bow Legolas had made for me, and my dagger. Flipping my cloak over myself, I tried to hide my limp to those who looked curiously after me.

I snuck to the stables and tacked up a steed of Legolas's own. I felt bad to be taking the stallion named Namárië, but he seemed aptly named for my motives. The golden buckskin churned beneath me, not certain with the one who'd only ridden twice.. both times doubled.

"Come on, beauty.. please go well for me," I murmured, stroking his coal mane and curling a bit around my fingers. Breaking a hair or two off, I took some of my own silvery locks and braided them together with pine needles. Then I whispered softly to the braided necklace, then took off a locket I'd always worn.. it beheld the truth of my being, a pure white unicorn in flight. I linked the unicorn charm onto the braid, then turned to the pine trees nearby and steered Namárië beside them so that I could put a hand against the tree and speak quietly. I told the trees what they were to tell my love, should he realize the hints I'd left. Afterwords, I walked Namárië further away from other elven folk and stopped the nearest elven child.

"Please take this to Legolas.. tell him it is from Rilla. No need to hurry," I smiled gently at the girl, who looked positively estatic at being spoken to by a woman atop the noble steed belonging to Legolas. I gave her another encouragement, and she scurried away. Not sure she would take her time, I wheeled Namárië. The stallion was agreeable for the time being, and set off at a gallop. Passing the river, I grinned widely and allowed him to stop and take a sip. Now I was gone from Rivendell completely.

"Thank you, dear horse. Now, let us make way to the mountains. We're going to.. well. somewhere," I stroked his neck, gleaming in the moonlight, then urged him to continue at a canter.


~*~ Legolas's Point Of View ~*~


The elven man reclined in his chair and smiled at Arwen. "Very nice meal"

"Indeed, my dear, it was splendid," Aragorn grinned, then turned toward Legolas, "Now don't you have somewhere to be?"

Legolas snorted. "I can take a hint," he muttered, then rose and turned to return to Kirilla. As he began to leave, a young elven girl rushed up, brandishing a necklace, then tossed it toward him, trying to catch her breath. "Hm? What've you got here?"

"For.. you.. she.. said.. said.. not.. to.. hurry.. but," suddenly the girl caught her breath," but she was leaving! She was upon your steed Namárië!"

At that precise moment, his stomach plummeted. At the same time, it felt as though something was disappearing from his heart. "NO!"

Aragorn was on his feet and by his side, pulling him up by his upper arm. Legolas hadn't realized he'd fallen. Aragorn eyed his elven friend. "What's this, Legolas?"

"She's gone! Kirilla! She's left!" great anguish filled his soul. He didn't understand why she wouldn't speak, and now why she had left. The elven girl had since made her quick depart. He peered down at the necklace.. "Pine.. her hair.. my horse.. a unicorn?"

Staring for awhile, he then realized something. She left me a hint.. pine.. pine trees! There is perhaps other hints.. but I must find pine trees! Muttering to himself, he ignored Aragorn and the others and raced outside, dashing to the trees. Pressing a hand to a pine, he listened, pleading for an answer. Indeed, there was an answer, in the musical form trees had. The wind blew, their leaves whispered. Pressing an ear to the trunk, he concentrated, hoping to make out the message.

~ She has gone. Farewell to Rivendell.. you should not find her, Prince. Everything is safer if you are apart ~

"No! It is not, pine!" he barely contained the urge to thrust his fist at the tree. Yet he knew he would get trees and elves alike angry at him if he pulled a stunt like that. He would be mad at himself for allowing it to happen. "Please.. did she tell you anything more?"

~ Far.. far away.. she goes.. and goes fast. Namárië will now follow her anywhere she goes.. ~

Sighing as the trees refused to say more, other than repeating what they had already said, Legolas made his way to the stables and tacked up another of his steeds. As he was there, two other elves came.

"Legolas? You are leaving?"

"That obvious? I must go after her," Legolas said evenly.

"Not alone, I hope!" Miran, a tall, dark-haired elf, muttered.

"Yes, alone."

The first to speak shook his head. "We will go with you, Prince."

"Fine. But one thing's clear. I'm not stopping for frivalous adventures. We are going to find Kirilla. I will not stop until I find her."

"Of course. We will meet you at the gates in ten minutes," the slightly shorter elf said promptly.

"Good. See that you do, Viro and Miran," Legolas led his mount out of the stable and mounted, then road to the gates to wait.



~*~ Back to Kirilla ~*~


As we moved, I let Namárië out to a strong pace. Afternoon led into evening, and I made camp nearby a river. It easy to move around, but I was able to set up my bed and a fire. Leaving Namárië with words to help him guard, I searched for special herbs to hurry my healing along. Finding them, I spent the most part of the evening preparing them, though I paused to eat berries growing around the grove I had chosen. Namárië nibbled on grasses, watching idly.

After my brew was finished, I enchanted it with elven magic, then both drank a thinned variety and slathered the rest, a bit thicker, on my ankle and the leg opposite. To speed the healing process, I transformed into unicorn and touched my horn to my hind legs. Not an easy task, to say the least, but I managed it. Namárië seemed much easier in my presence as a unicorn, and stood closer to the fire and myself.

I took comfort in the big buckskin's presence. He was a talented fighter, and I knew from what Legolas had told me that he was special. Bred in Lothlorien, he was able to live longer than most equin as well as defend himself and his rider well. I settled down for the night, curled up beside the fire, Namárië standing almost right over me.


~*~


In the morning, I found that my brew had worked, and when I unfolded my limbs, it was ever easier to move. I transformed to my elven form and cleaned the camp, leaving not a trace of my presence. After packing my items atop Namárië, I transformed into a unicorn once again and shared a breakfast of berries and grasses with the buckskin.

We were off by ten, and the two of us flew swiftly across the landscape. For the next week or so, we travelled in thus fashion as I described. By day and travelling, we were equine, soaring toward the mountains that separated Rivendell and Lothlorien. I spent dawn and dusk elven, and slept as a unicorn. Some days I rode Namárië, but he much liked freedom, with his bridle off, tucked away in the saddle bags.

There was always a feeling of urgency upon the air, as if I could not escape fast enough. Namárië followed me, as I knew he would. All followed unicorns, for unicorns held the promise of richness in more ways than one.

One day, however, as I cleaned camp, strange voices grew on the air. The trees blew warnings, but I had been playing my pipes, which I kept with me always. Perhaps that is what drew them to the campsite. When I began to hear, I shuddered, for they were ugly voices. They spoke words I did not understand, but the words were filled with menace.

I tucked my pipes away and shivered fearfully, not sure whether it was safe or not to become a unicorn. Namárië seemed just as wary of what was happening. My elven ears picked up on the footfalls of many men, closing in from all directions. I backed against Namárië, and a squeak escaped me. I had no time to decide what to do, for in just a moment, my fears were revealed.

Bandits! Many of them, thought perhaps it seemed more than there really were. "Náie!" I cried, leaping up upon Namárië and urging the steed to jump and race. "Go, my darling!"

"Elven, she is! Get her, Margol!" one of them cried. Another, also mounted, charged Namárië. The buckskin reared up to meet the clash of the dappled gray. The man atop, a burly man, yelled some sort of signal, and the dapple gray twisted, flank to flank with Namárië, leg to leg, shoulder to shoulder. I shouted in Elven again and tried to heel Namárië away.

"Come on, Namárië! Go. Go!" I pleaded, pressing him on either side. The buckskin managed to break free from the press of the dapple grey. But it was too late, for Margol had an arm around my waist and was pulling me off of Namárië quicker than I could cry for help. Namárië jumped, just as I had asked. He stopped when he realized I was gone from his back, but some of the other bandits began closing in on the buckskin.

I told him to go as quick as he could. I did not have a moment to say where for he was gone in an instant. Margol tightened his grip, taking my arms within it, tossing me across the saddle of the dapple gray. I tried to wriggle my way out, but he was quicker, and had me positioned so that I could not escape in short notice.

I did not want to give in, but also did not want to get hurt any further. I relaxed. He seemed to take this as defeat, and let down his guard, urging the horse to move. His big mistake. I was fast and nimble when I leapt from the horse and into the trees above. Yells of anger followed me as I jumped from tree to tree. It was truely taxing on my energy, but I managed to get out of reach and sight within the quarter hour.

I found a spot atop a sturdy branch and curled up against the trunk, wrapping my arms around myself and sleeping fitfully.