A/N: Okay, now I'm really nervous knowing that people are actually reading and reviewing this fic (not that I'm complaining! I adore you all for it!) I'm afraid that I won't live up to everyone's standards.... but I am very thankful to those of you who are bearing with me on my first LotR piece.

If I get anything wrong (grammatically or contextually) please tell me. I'd really like to get the details right and whatever information I don't have at hand, I make up. I apologize for this. I'm sure that matches didn't exist in M.E. but I didn't want Legolas rubbing two sticks together to make a fire for the candle. It seems... well, crude. So I just threw in a match instead.

And the lullaby in Ch. 5 is mine... all mine. ( Can't you tell? It's pretty horrid =/ )

So enough rambling.... on with the tale!

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Chapter 6: Twilight and Misunderstandings

Karalynn opened her eyes sometime between twilight and the coming of dawn when the land seemed on the brink of waking up.

For a moment she was cast in shadows and silence but the air around her felt warm and safe. She sat up and was amazed at how much better she felt. She reached up and touched her head tentatively to make sure that it was still attached to her body. The pounding was gone, for now, at least and for that she was grateful.

Then she looked around and frowned.

Through the shadows, she could just make out shapes and figures that looked vaguely familiar. She narrowed her eyes instinctively and scanned the room.

Her hopes fell as she realized that the past two days had not been a dream.

She was still in the kingdom of elves.

She rubbed her eyes and yawned, feeling the fingers of sleep still beckoning to her but she fought its tantalizing touch and forced her eyes open. Her next breath turned into a small gasp when she saw the figure at her bedside.

Karalynn kicked her covers aside and shifted over to her right side, trying to figure out if it was a man or woman or... well, something else. Her eyesight slowly began to sharpen and she caught a glimpse of gold on white and then a sparkle of blue in the moonlight.

She leaned forward, hands clutching the mattress underneath her for leverage and saw a face.

His face.

Golden hair against pale skin and...

Legolas? she thought, confused.

What was he doing in her room? And why wasn't he speaking to her? Hadn't he seen her wake up?

She shivered.

His blue eyes were open!

Panic, bright and sharp bubbled up inside of her and the calm that protected her when she had woken up was slowly disappearing. She drew back hastily and was about to open her mouth to cry out when Legolas blinked.

She almost screamed, the wind rushed up from her lungs and flowed up into her throat, but as quick as lightning, Legolas had flown from his chair and covered her mouth with his hand, pinning her body down on the bed with his weight. Her aborted cry stuck in her throat and her eyes grew wide at the sight of him.

"Shh." he said quietly, looking intently down in her face. "I have frightened you. I'm sorry. Most humans are unnerved by the way elves sleep but I thought that I would wake before you. I didn't intend for you to wake up and find me in such a state."

She blinked.

"Are you calm now?" he asked after a moment. "Do you no longer feel the need to scream?"

Karalynn nodded and he removed his hand from her mouth. Her mouth felt dry and cold and she ran her tongue over her lips, trying to bring moisture and warmth to her skin. His eyes seemed to widen slightly as he watched her and she thought it odd. Her body was slowly beginning to become warm again too and for a split second it felt... nice.

And then she realized the reason why.

Karalynn looked away from Legolas' face and shifted her body uncomfortably from underneath him. She felt his breath quicken in surprise and he quickly got up, releasing his hold on her.

"I'm sorry." he said quietly. "I meant no..."

"I know." she said, not really seeming to hear him. She sat up again and looked around. "Have I been asleep since yesterday?"

"Yes." Legolas answered. "You needed your rest."

"I haven't been doing anything except sleeping." she said. "You must think I'm some kind of a... well, you must think that all I do is sleep."

"You've been through a lot." he said simply. "How do you feel?"

She paused. "Good." she said. "Surprisingly good, actually."

Her stomach growled and her cheeks grew hot with embarrassment.

"And hungry, it seems." he said.

"Well, I won't lie to you." she muttered.

He walked silently across the room to a small corner table and picked up a match. He struck the head against the edge of the stone next to it and when it sparked a flame, he brought it to the tip of the large, tall candle in the middle of the table. He picked up the candle and began to light all of the candles around the room, until the room was lit up with an eerie sort of warmth.

Legolas set the candle back down on its table and turned to her. His blue eyes seemed deeper somehow, darker- perhaps because it was candlelight that was reflected in their depths and not sunlight. In any case, Karalynn was unnerved but fascinated by the way the flames seemed to dance in his eyes. He stared at her for a long time, his face expressionless and still and Karalynn found that she had to look away after a few seconds.

"I shall have the servants prepare a meal for you." he said quietly. "You haven't eaten since yesterday morning and even that was nothing more than a few bites...."

Karalynn's cheeks grew hotter and she moaned softly, covering her face with her hands. Suddenly, she remembered exactly what had happened yesterday morning, in painful detail.

"Oh no." she muttered into her fingers. "I threw up on you, didn't I? I'm so sorry. I don't know why I did... well, I guess it was because I was nervous but that's no..."

She felt his warm fingers gently tugging on her hands and she lowered them reluctantly. She stared at the covers, at her legs, at her hands- anything but his face as he drew closer to her.

"Do not apologize for being ill, Karalynn." he said kindly but firmly. His fingers stroked the tops of her hands slowly as he spoke. "If anyone should be apologizing, it should be me."

"But..."

"I will accept no apologies from you." he said in a tone that left no room for argument. "I am the eldest son of the King and my word is as good as his decree."

She raised her eyes and saw that a faint trace of a smile was playing on his lips. His eyes were large and... and did they seem almost black now?

Deep and dark and...

( ...as dark as the rabbit hole...)

She pushed that unpleasant thought out of her mind. In the flickering light, Karalynn found that it was easier to look at him up close. His features seemed softer, kinder as the shadows and light fought for status on his face. He looked more human, perhaps, and that made all the difference. She studied him without fear and though it was still strange to her- the perfect lines and curves of his features- she found that she could bear the weight of his gaze with a significantly reduced amount of unease. His skin was so smooth it was like silk- poreless and radiant. Without being conscious of it, she frowned and reached up to his face, curious about the feel of his skin. Her eyes met his briefly, in question, and he nodded slightly at her request.

Her fingertips glided gently down the curve of his cheek and traced a line to his chin, stopping at a point just below his lower lip where his flesh curved inwards. His skin was unfamiliar, strange but pleasant. She felt a thrill go down her body as if she were exploring new territory and had discovered something unusual.

"Weird." she muttered, meaning the sensation she felt. "This is very weird."

Legolas blinked and drew back slightly. Karalynn dropped her hand and looked up at him, surprised that he had moved at all. A faint air of distaste surrounded him and she saw a sad light enter into his eyes as he looked down at her.

"I will go rouse the servants, my lady." he said, a bit stiffly. "I shall be back in a moment's time."

He turned around and before she could say another word, he stepped out of her room and closed the door.

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He had been called many things in his lifetime.

Beautiful, enthralling, ethereal.

Weird was not one of them.

Weird was a common human word. Not something the elfin ear was used to.

She found him weird- which, in his mind, was simply another word for foul or... or offensive.

But it was not her words but her actions, her face, that had caused him to pull away from her.

As Legolas walked down the hallway to the servant's quarters, he found himself remembering the way her eyes had looked as she touched him. She had been surprised, but that was to be expected. Elf skin was far smoother than human skin, or any other creature for that matter. But the way her mouth had curved down, and the lines on her brow had indicated a faint revulsion on her part. He remembered the first time his brother Lohr had touched the slimy flesh of a forest snail. He had been young, nearly still a baby when Legolas had held out the snail for him to touch.

Karalynn's expression had been nearly identical to Lohr's.

And he had actually begun to think that she was growing comfortable around him. He knew rationally that he should not take it to heart- that perhaps it was because he was male that she reacted so negatively to him. She had acted the same way towards the other male elves. And maybe elf skin in general was a peculiar phenomenon to her. But he could not help feeling a little upset at her expression- which alarmed him. Why should a human expression bother him so? Why should anything about her bother him so? He was an elf- one of the First Born and the son of a King. Feelings of this nature were foreign and unwelcome to creatures like him.

But.... why did she exhibit disgust at the feel of his skin?

After all, he had calmed her with his hands not once, but twice.

Shouldn't she be aware of his touch by now? Though she had been unconscious both times- shouldn't her body have known him by now?

And when would she stop looking at him with that strange look in her eyes?

He walked up to a simple, polished wooden door and knocked once.

An elf in plain clothing opened the door and blinked at the prince. For a moment, he stood there, blinking before realizing with a start who it was.

"Your majesty!" the elf said and bowed his head. "Is something the matter?"

"Nay, Durion." Legolas said quietly. "I apologize for coming to you at such an early hour but I need a small meal prepared as soon as possible."

"Yes, your majesty." the elf said, bowing again. "What sort of meal would you have?"

Legolas paused.

"It isn't for me." he said after a moment. "It's for the hum- a guest who has been ill. Some soup and bread would be well but I leave the rest to you."

"Yes, your majesty."

"Have it taken to the blue guest room when you're finished." Legolas said, stepping back from the door. "Be careful not to disturb her but do not sneak up on her. Make her aware of your presence at all times, is that understood?"

The elf man bowed again but Legolas did not miss the look of confusion in his eyes.

"The guest has a bit of a nervous disposition and does not like to be surprised." Legolas said simply.

"Yes, your majesty."

Legolas walked away and went further down the hallway to where the larger suites were. He passed his father's room, his room, his brother's rooms and continued on down the hallway to where the lesser members of the royal court dwelled.

He stopped at one particularly exquisite carved door and knocked on it twice.

Kythe opened it instantly, frowning when she saw who it was.

"What happened?" she asked before he could say a word. "Did Karalynn...."

"Kythe, please." Legolas said, holding up his hand. "I ask a favor from you."

Her green eyes searched his face worriedly and nodded.

"Yes, old friend. Anything."

"Go to her bedroom and help her eat." he said. "She has woken and she may need help."

Kythe's frown grew deeper. "Legolas, I thought that you wanted to stay with her." she said. "I thought that you..."

"She feels more comfortable with you, Kythe." he said flatly. "Besides, I am tired. I have gotten no rest since I came back with the brothers and I have many things to do when the dawn breaks. Will you do this for me?"

"Legolas, of course." Kythe said quickly. "And not just for you but for her, as well. She is a strange little creature but sweet."

She tilted her head and looked at him.

"But Legolas, I thought that you and..."

"Kythe, please." he said quietly.

Kythe remained silent for a moment and then nodded once.

"Aye, Legolas. I shall go there at once."

"Thank you." he said.

He turned around and walked down the hallway to his own room.