Disclaimer and notes in the Prologue.

More apologies for errors again! Same reason as before. Oh! And crazy me made a cover for this fic.. rofl..

Here's the link:

http://www.marua.com/silence/pics/confessionscoverfin.jpg

It's silly, but I was bored. Lol.

----------

Chapter 2 - Songs and Stories

We started the journey towards Mordor rather well. Meaning I was ignored for the most part.

Oh! I had a weapon now. Someone was nice enough to ask the elves to give me something. So now I had a beautifully carved.. staff. No one seemed to trust me with sharp objects after something Mary said. Did I do something wrong? It's not like I cut her hair while she slept. With her own dagger. Not much of it any way.

I had the feeling it was either Aragorn or Boromir who requested I get something. They were the only ones who ever acknowledged my presence. Aragorn acknowledged everyone though. Even so, the polite nod and greeting was a nice change from the avoidance.

Boromir however took it a step further. I've had conversations! Doesn't it just figure that the person who talks to me is the one that's going to die?

At the moment however, he was up front and I was somewhere in the middle. I was watching Mary and her slightly sheered, but still immaculate curls, flirting with Legolas. Yes I was jealous. Yes I wanted the elf's attention. Even if it was a moment of "Will you stop following me like a puppy!" type thing.

I chose then to look around the Fellowship. Just in time to see Sue talking to Aragorn. Her eyes were wide and filled with innocence. Or at least that's what I'm assuming.

"The Lands Beyond are full of your kind." Sue said with a smile. "Rangers are a welcome sight as our land is filled with the dark of Orcs."

I couldn't hear Aragorn's reply, but I could read his expression well enough. It was the polite kind a leader would, or rather, should, take when speaking to someone they were tolerating out of necessity. I felt the corner of my lips curl into a smirk.

Some things, even a Sue can't change.

"What are you smiling at?"

I blinked and turned around with a groan. "Nothing, Mar.. Nerissa."

Yes, Mary's name was Lady Nerissa Kaioh. Such originality. I bet her computer screen is covered in Sailor Neptune stuff when not Legolas oriented. Come to think of it, she does remind me of a red haired version of her.

Yes, I finally found out what they were calling themselves. Sue was Lady Amalthea Winterheart. Both were the leaders of these two factions of the military in the 'Lands Beyond'. They were also nice enough to tell me exactly what to say about myself before we left Rivendell.

I was supposed to be Lysette of the fallen house of Calavaras, now bound to servitude to these two fine warriors due to family obligations.

That's when I.. borrowed Mary's dagger. Servitude my ass. I have to work a crappy job in a hot kitchen every day, if they thought I was going to wait on them, well then they have one severe reality check coming. Courtesy of me, my violent mood swings, and my staff connecting to their heads.

Mary narrowed her eyes at me, but quickly smiled as Sue joined her. They went back to ignoring me and tried a tag team of impressing our resident elf.

With song.

They sang Colors of the Wind from Pocahontas. Naturally everyone was amazed and in awe. Except Aragorn, who was too serious to be taken in by the evil whores.

As they worked their magic, I began humming a small tune that popped into my head. It was off key, but it fit my thoughts.

"What is that song you hum?" Boromir asked as he stepped along side me. Apparently he was unaffected by them as well. "I do not recognize it."

"It's called Man Eater." I said with a nod towards the girls, not bothering to hide my disdain.

"There is something from your tone that tells me you do not refer to a cannibal." Boromir said and let out a chuckle at the look on my face. In his own way he knew what I was talking about. "You do not trust your friends?"

"They aren't my friends." I muttered with a shake of my head. "We shouldn't be here. This is all wrong."

"How is it wrong to fight and protect your home? Your family?" Boromir asked, his face suddenly tense. "Would you not do whatever you could to see an end to needless deaths?"

I frowned. This wasn't going well at all. I had struck a nerve on what could be my only friend. "I didn't mean it like that, my lord. It's one thing to fight to protect, but the ladies I came with are here for their own needs." I narrowed my eyes again as Mary reached out towards Legolas. "What they want has nothing to do with any ideals of protecting or honor."

He followed my gaze and watched the bimbos at work and his tense composure changed into understanding and disgust. "Aye. I believe I understand what you say. They are rather obvious, are they not?"

"They have as much subtlety as an orc in a dress." I said with a sneer. "I wish I'd cut her hair completely off."

"Tis you who did that?" Boromir asked me. He smirked. "You are one who should not be trifled with."

"She demanded that I be her servant." I explained. "Meaning I'm less then they are. What do they know? I'm not the one forcing my way into a place I don't belong. I'm not the one who's pretending to be something I'm not. Been there done that. Wrote the book. Sold the movie rights."

I think I confused him with my rambling, as the Steward of Gondor merely nodded and changed the subject. He motioned towards my staff. "Do you know how to wield your weapon?"

I shrugged. "Sure. Who doesn't?" Total bullshit. The only things I knew, was what I had learned from watching Xena. No way I was saying it out loud though. I didn't want to be coddled. Besides it's not my story. If I say no, he'd take the time to teach me, and that would steal him from Merry and Pippin. So I lied. It's a special gift. I can lie better then Mary and Sue do on a first date.

I'm being mean. After all, I don't know them, so I could be wrong.

Oh screw it. Like I care either way.

-------

Hours passed and we finally stopped to make camp. After everyone was settled and eating, I received more proof that I was here just to make them look good.

"It is such a beautiful evening." Sue said softly, her voice no doubt mesmerizing the men. "It reminds me of home."

Mary nodded eagerly. "Yes it does. For in our lands, we take the time to listen to our storytellers on nights such as this."

Pippin looked eager. "What kind of stories do you have? Will you tell us one?"

Sue chuckled. "Oh we are not storytellers, little one."

"But.." Mary began and glanced at me. Her eyes flickered in anger at my refusal to use the name she had made me. "Lacey," Her voice was filled with venom underneath the honey, "is a grand storyteller. Before her family died, she learned many a tale from them." Those green pools of slime she called eyes gleamed. She thought she had cornered me. Make me roast in the spotlight.

I smiled. Wanna bet, bitch? I may work in a crappy job for rent, but one thing I am is a storyteller. My writing may be crap and unfinished, but it's still my only real skill that I enjoy. I'd show her if it killed me.

"She's right." I said sweetly. Unlike them, I didn't bother to change the way I spoke. "As a matter of fact, I think I'll tell one of my favorites.. It's about a girl who has given up hope."

The Fellowship sat quietly as they listened to my story. A girl loses what she believes to be her only connection to life and gives up and retreats into a shell. Then one day she's pulled into a conflict that is not hers, but by watching everyone around her, it makes her realize how even with the darkest of problems, hope can take you anywhere. In the end she not only regains her faith, but finds something more.. Herself. Something she had thought was always out of her grasp.

Of course it was set in a war torn fantasy realm, and she saves the world, but what can I say, I love fantasy.

When I finished my story, I waited in apprehension for negative comments. I should have known better. The Fellowship was filled with far too many good hearted men.

"That was a beautiful tale." Boromir said with a smile.

Aragorn nodded slowly. "Indeed it was. Between the underlining tones was more then one moral. Well done."

"I liked it." Sam quietly commented.

Frodo agreed with a smile. "I have never heard of that tale. I think Bilbo would have liked it very much."

Pippin snored softly and Merry rolled his eyes. "Ignore him. I know I enjoyed it."

Gandalf sat quietly and smoked his pipe, but gave me an encouraging nod. "Well told."

"Did they slay the dragon or not?" Gimli asked gruffly.

"I believe the dragon was the girl." Legolas explained. "You are not meant to find out until the end, and only then if you were paying close attention."

I couldn't help it. I was beaming. I hadn't gotten positive feedback like this since.. a long time ago. They LIKED it. I was giddy.

Not even the murderous looks Mary and Sue were giving me could bring me down.

I enjoyed that night as much as possible, because in my gut, I knew it would be a rare moment.

How right I was.

The next morning it was back to the usual ignoring Lacey routine.

The only one to talk to me was Boromir. As wonderful as it was to have at least one person talking to me..

I was feeling more alone then I had in years.