Next chapter up! This chapter is like a cold hamburger: fluffy - weird - fluffy ^_^ Don't bother if you don't understand this - it's only my strange humour. Just read it!

Chapter 5: Annoying Humans and lying Elves

Caro wanted to stay in Legolas' strong arms forever. His warmth surrounded her and made her fell saver than ever. His soft brath brushed her hot cheek and from time to time she heard him whisper words of comfort into her ear. Though it felt like an eternity, Legolas slowly pulled away from her after a few seconds.

Caro was back in reality. Still holding her at her waist, Legolas wiped away her last tears with his thumb. Soft fingers brushed over wet cheeks, and Caro wanted to hug him again, and never let him go. He was the only person she knew, who would care for her. She had felt it in the way he had hugged her.

"Caro?" Legolas asked, looking into her green eyes, that were just as green as his. "Do you feel better?"

As an answer he received a smile from her; the first smile ever since she had 'arrived' in Mirkwood.

"Well, cause I have to go... getting your clothes. I asked the servants to bring some clothes and shoes to the healer's chamber. I suppose, they already brought them there, since they don't know you are sleeping here, in my room. So, please wait a minute, I'll be back soon."

Caro watched him walking through his big, beautiful room, making his way towards his door. His Elven grace made his movements look like the ones of a cat.

After Legolas had closed the door behind him, she turned back to watch the forest, and then her eyes wandered further, looking at the horizon. Far away she could see dark clouds drifting through the sky.

Suddenly the door was reopened again and Legolas said, "I forgot to tell you. Please, don't leave this room. Alright?"

"Alright!" she answered, not even turning around to him. It seemed, that the dark shadow had somehow hypnotised her. Only after hearing the door being closed a second time, she could force herself to look away.

//Strange, it feels like these clouds bear something evil...nonsense...Caro...you watch too much TV!// she giggled at these thoughts. She knew this last sentence very well. Her mother had always said that, after she had again dreamed something weird and had told it to her.

Caro turned away from the forest and walked into the room. Though she had lain in a bed for enough time the last day, she wanted to test her new bed. It was beautiful, like Legolas' bed, but somehow looked like one, that had been mad for a child. Slowly she lay herself down onto the soft mattress. It felt terribly good and when she closed her eyes it was like she would float on a cloud through the sky. Caro let out a relieved sigh. She didn't want to fall asleep, but this bed felt just too good. But then another idea came to her mind.

//Let me see, if his fed feels the same way. He won't notice anything, when I'm careful...//

So she got up from her bed and slowly crept into Legolas' much large one. It felt indescribable wonderful, but it wasn't the mattress. It was something else, that she realized only after a few seconds. It was Legolas' scent, that covered the blanket and the pillow, and that made Caro fell somehow different.

// I love this smell... like wood and resin...hmmm... I could lie in this bed forever...//

When Caro finally noticed what she was thinking, she jumped out of the bed and blushed deep red. She had to leave this room, for it made her think strange things and permitted her fantasy to make up weird stories. But then she remembered Legolas' words: * Please don't leave this room... * he had said, and * I'll be back soon ...*

//When did he leave?// Caro asked herself and wondered if he should be back already.

//It can't take him that long to bring my clothes from the healer's chamber to his room... Maybe I should search for him...but he said I should stay here...no, what can happen if I leave this room?// she concluded and opened the door.

Caro couldn't see or hear anybody walking down the corridors. Happy she let out a sigh, for she didn't want to meet anybody. The other Elves always looked at her in a strange way she didn't like.

"Maybe I won't meet anybody..." she said to herself and let out another sigh. Then she turned left and followed the corridors where Legolas and her had come from some time ago.

Suddenly she heard voices speaking from around a corner. Caro tensed in fear, but then that they didn't com nearer. Curious she crept further until she reached the edge of the corner and spied around it. Surprised she saw, that Legolas was talking to another Elf, who looked like soldier, maybe a captain.

Caro didn't hear much of the conversation, but what she heard made her angry.

"...about this girl, I wanted to ask you something, Legolas. I heard she's mortal, right? Why did you pick her up in the woods, can you tell me a reason, for I can't find one?"

"She was ill. Why do you want a reason?"

"Ill? How is she now? I suppose she's lying in her bed, nearly dying..."

"No, she's well again..."

"Ah, well again...And what about this punishment? You have to play baby-sitter for her? Poor prince, now that she's awake it must be annoying to look after her. Am I right?"

"Er... Yes, it is. Look! I have to bring her some clothes, cause she was only wearing a strange dirty something. I can't tell waht it was..." Legolas answered after he hesitated a few seconds.

Caro felt betrayed and lost, but moreover she felt lonely. The safety she had felt a few moments ago was gone and replaced by a rising anger. She couldn't think properly anymore and her hands were formed into fists. Why had he hugged her then? If she enervated him like that, why had he then been concerned about her? He had told her about his 'punishment' but she hadn't thought, that he felt unhappy about it.

Finally she got up from the ground, where she had been sitting the last few minutes and headed back to Legolas' room. She didn't want to see him right now, she wanted to be alone with her thoughts. When she reached the door again she let out her entire anger and pulled the door open that it crashed into the wall. The noise of the crash wasn't that loud, but the door vibrated a little afterwards. A little bit softer she closed the door behind her and crawled into her bed. She managed to lie under the blanket so that also her head was covered and for the second time that day a tear rolled down her cheek. But this time there was no Legolas to stop it.

Legolas said good-bye to the captain and made his way back to his room. Though he believed Caro hadn't heard his cruel words, he felt guilty. Guilty for every syllable that had come out of his mouth. He really liked Caro, but what should he say? That he liked his punishment? That he thought of it as a chance to know her better, to become friends with her? He knew, if he had told the other Elf his real feelings, his father would soon know everything about their conversation and would forbid him to see her.

//* An Elf and a mortal being friends? Impossible...* he would say...// Legolas thought and let out a deep sigh.

Suddenly he remembered, that he had heard footsteps during their conversation and wondered, who it might have been, because he hadn't noticed anyone go past them.

//It might have been a servand...// he finally thought , reaching the door, that led into his room. After he had met the captain he had nearly forgotten the clothes he had gone out to search for. A smile lit up his face , when he imagined Caro wearing the white cape and the thicker, white dress he would give her in a few seconds.

Slowly he opened the door and looked around the room. Finally he noticed that Caro lay in her bed, entirely covered by her blanket.

//She can't be seeping again...// he sighed and gently pulled the blanket away from her.

Caro lay on the bed, staring at the wall and ignored Legolas so far. But Legolas, not knowing the reason for her reaction, sat down beside her and looked down at her.

"What have I done? Don't you want to speak with me?" he asked her finally after an eternity in silence.

In a sudden movement Caro directed her stare in Legolas' direction and let out an accusing sigh.

"What have I done?" he asked again, noticing the angry look in her eyes, miked with a hint of sadness.

In a wave of fury Caro sat up in her bed and kicked the blanket onto the floor.

"* What have I done? * Is that the only thing you can say? Huh? Ten minutes before I heard you speaking more fluently. Am I really that enervating? Tell me! Does it cause that much annoyance to play 'baby-sitter' for a Human? I thought I can trust you and that you wouldn't be like the others. Do you think I didn't realize the weird lookes and the whispers of the servants when you brought me here? That hurt, and now I have to find out, that you're just the same. Yes, I left the room, though you said I shouldn't. Who cares? Nobody! Not even you! So if I'm that stupid I can leave right now..."

Caro's eyes were slowly filled with tears while she was speaking, and after the last sentence her voice broke down. Everything she could do was just crying and sobbing. Inside herself she cursed her weakness and decided to do what she just had said.

But when she wanted to stand up from her bed she was held back by Legolas' strong arms. The prince hadn't said anything during her accusing speech and felt nothing but guilty. So she had been the person he had heard running away.

//I could kick myself...she has heard it and now she thinks I mean it...// he thought.

"Please hear my words! Believe me, I didn't mean it. It was all a big misunderstanding. I...I had to say that to him. Otherwise my father would find out, that I like to be in your company. He would think of another punishment for me and you would have to leave. I didn't want to risk that. Believe me..." Legolas pleaded.

Caro stared at him in disbelief. She didn't want to trust his words, for she feared he could only tell lies to her.

" How will I know you don't lie at me again? I'm not sure if you ever spoke the truth. You can't play around with me. I'll go if you want me to, but don't say you like me, even if you don't really. That wouldn't be fair, neither to me nor to you."

Caro jerked free of Legolas' arms and headed for the door. But Legolas immediately was behind her and grabbed her around her waist. Gently he turned her around to him and looked into her eyes.

Caro could see the apologetic look in his wonderful green eyes and couldn't do anything but believe his words. Nevertheless she didn't give up so soon. She always told herself, that she couldn't be sure about him, that she couldn't trust him again.

Suddenly Legolas took her face into one hand and slowly bent his head down to her. He brushed a light kiss onto her cheek.

"Do you think I'd do this if I wouldn't like you?" he whispered into her ear. "But I do like you, for it's the truth I told you before. So, please, stay..."

Caro felt like pudding in his hands. Now he had convinced her... totally.

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* sigh* I hope you feel the same way I feel now...