I had never dreamed that if I got into another relationship it would be with a hobbit. I smiled remembering the night before. Of course, my first worry the height difference, but everything was so perfect. I'd never felt this way about anyone. His touches were straight of a dream and his kisses were magic. I gave a sigh and pulled the cloak tighter around me, Allanon's scent invading my senses. A sudden pang of curiosity hit my heart. Allanon's cloak meant that he had been here, seen us. No, Allanon couldn't be spying on us . . . .

"No, your right,"

"Even separated you can still pick out my thoughts," I said softly as Rash materialized beside me.

"Only when were close," He said as if were a different matter entirely. "I don't understand your druid at all,"

"He's not mine," I said, looking over at Rash, "Did you two get into a fight?"

Rash shrugged, "Call it what you want," He sat beside my copying my position by drawing his slender legs up to his pointed chin, "I tried to get you two back together, Thought I'd try to help. You all he ever wanted, he could take you so easily, but he refused,"

I looked at Rash with happiness in my eyes, "He-he wouldn't. . . "

"He said he knew the price of forsaking your love, but he said he'll still protect you. " Rash's eyes locked on mine, " You are one lucky shell, you know that,"

I couldn't speak. I had been afraid the bond between me and the druid had been shattered in the mines, but to know he was still at least my protector, if not my friend, was more than I could have hoped for.

Neither us spoke and it seemed a long time before Frodo and Sam appeared in the clearing again, the sun rising in the east, brilliant and golden. Frodo and Sam didn't seem to notice Rash but Frodo came over to me and gathered me in his arms in a fierce hug.

"Frodo, what happened? What did she show you?" I asked but he didn't say anything, burring his face in my hair.

"We're leaving today, come," He said softly, taking the cloak from my shoulders. I rose and followed him, Sam walking beside me.

We near the edge of a great ring of tree stumps, each still glimmered with silver bark and inside were flowers of every color and inside every flower was a butterfly of almost crystalline quality.

"Its like the essence of spring," Tay whispered.

"These," Everyone spun around, hearing the lady's voice, "Were the first trees in the Lothlorien and inside are the first flowers and the descendants of the first inhabitant of these woods, before even us elves." She walked through the group and up to Tay, who bowed lowed to her.

"We are here for your gift, Tay,"

"Gift, Lady?" He asked cautiously and she reached inside the ring and said something the elves' musical language and plucked a flower. The butterfly fluttered away and she handed the flower to Tay.

"Drink," She said. The flower's petals were curved up ward and formed almost a cup, inside was the dew of who knows how many mornings and seasons. Tay did as the Lady said and he found the dew cold, freezing his inside up to his pale fingertips and then he looked and saw the world anew. He said nothing but walked up beside the Lady and placed the flower back to its broken stem and when he took his hand away the flower stood on its own. His powers had been restored.