A/N: Okay before anyone jumps on my back about how this has now turned into the ultimate Mary- Sue fic... I ask you to be patient until the very end of the story. I admit, what Karalynn did is... well, typical but I'll throw this in as well- her apparent "gift" will also be her downfall. It's what she can do that ultimately robs her of... well, okay that would be divulging too much! =) I hope everyone enjoys this chapter :: crosses fingers :: It's not one of my best but it had to be done! And thank you all once again for reading and reviewing. Reading the comments is what links me to everyone else and I'm grateful for that connection.

To Jazz and Catherine: I hope the both of you received my emails regarding your questions! I should have written "article" and not "essay" :: bad writer, bad bad writer ::

And this is where I disappear and the tale continues....

Chapter 13: Elements in Keeping

The attack came on the sixth day.

They were now past the midpoint of Mirkwood but at the very darkest of areas. The web strands were as thick as coiled ropes and it was getting harder and harder to pass through them, even though they followed the path.

The wind had stopped helping them, it seemed, and though it was a source of tension for them before, they all missed its presence.

Strange and evil voices tittered close by and the darkness was now almost complete. It was difficult for even Legolas to see clearly and he knew this meant that Karalynn could barely see at all.

She was scared.

Ever since the day the logs had "rolled" off of their own accord, she had remained quiet and withdrawn from the rest of the group. She no longer chatted or sang or even looked anyone in the eye. It was as if she were too ashamed to lift up her head and Legolas was sore-hearted over this. He tried to sing to her, tell her stories in an effort to get a reaction from her but she seemed to be in a deep trance of her own doing. Faran seemed to sense the feeling in her and he tried his best to speak frequently with the girl, trying to draw her out. Fortinbas tried to make her laugh though the thick and heavy air weighed down on his chest too but she refused all of them. Instead, she withdrew deeper and deeper into herself. During their rides, she kept her hands firmly on Belleth's mane which struck Legolas as odd. She was usually so active and playful, carving pictures in the air with her graceful hands. Now she seemed sullen and Legolas could only hold her tightly to feel some sense of their former closeness.

She showed signs of life only when they made fire each night and even that was in the form of a small, wordless smile.

Now it was morning and they had packed up quickly for they only had three more days left in their journey and were eager to be gone. Legolas had just finished closing the pack of food they had when he heard it. The soft tip-tap-tapping of a dozen feet on bark. A swoosh of air above him. But still, even with his keen senses, Legolas had barely enough to time to look up when a strong, sticky length of thread wrapped itself around his hand and jerked him roughly back. It was then he heard a cry of anger and fright- Fortinbas!- and Legolas moved swiftly to free himself. The attack was expected after all- they could not possibly get through Mirkwood without some idiot creature trying to drag them back to its lair for lunch.

With his other hand, he grabbed at the blade in his side and sliced through the spider string. He grabbed the bow at the side of his pack and then pushed his horse to run off into safety. It was followed by the other steeds.

He whirled around and found his friends being attacked by four large creatures. They hung down from the tall limbs and were spinning webs around the surrounding trees, trying to trap the five of them in a small space. One of the spiders was trying to snatch at Faran with two of its spindle-like limbs and Faran was struggling to keep it away from him but his legs were coated with its sticky thread. One of Nuratar's hands had also been wrapped with the thread and he was fighting to free himself as one spider made its way towards him.

Legolas grabbed his bow and took an arrow from his quiver, notching it and releasing it within seconds at the spider that was nearing Nuratar. His aim was true and lethal for it fell down dead a mere distance away from Nuratar.

"Nuratar, my blade!" Legolas cried out and threw it at Nuratar, who caught it and cut himself loose quickly. He scrambled to his feet to help Faran fight.

More large shadows filled the space above them and the tittering voices grew louder.

The spiders were growing in number.

Legolas' eyes searched the area frantically for Karalynn and Fortinbas and found them at the base of a tree. Fortinbas had pushed the girl against the trunk and was valiantly trying to protect her as two of the spiders made its way at them. He looked to be bleeding from his side and he was clutching at his wound with one hand as he swung his sword in the other. Karalynn, though trembling and crouched down on the ground, looked unhurt. She was whimpering softly into the sleeves of her cloak out of fright.

One particularly large spider was slowly crawling down the web that hung between the trees where Fortinbas and Karalynn were and Legolas aimed at and struck the creature before quickly running towards them.

"Away from the trees!" he cried. "Away from the webs! Fortinbas! Karalynn! Away from the webs!"

Fortinbas glanced at Legolas grimly and without a word, turned and grabbed the girl, dragging her away from the tree. With one fierce thrust, he shoved her into Legolas and turned around to fight the spiders that were following them.

Legolas quickly decided that giving her a weapon would not help for she was without the knowledge of defense. He clutched her arm and made her run with him to the center of the clearing, far away from any trees or limbs and forced her down onto the ground. She was shivering violently and she turned her tear-filled eyes to Legolas in a silent plea for safety. Legolas gritted his teeth and forced himself to harden his heart against her fear.

"Scream out if anything threatens to take you!" Legolas cried out at her and without waiting for a response, turned around and began to fire his arrows, one after the other. When his arrows ran out, he threw down his bow and drew out his other blade.

The spiders were beaten off again and again but they came back just the same. It would have been an easy battle if there had just been the four creatures. Even ten spiders would have been fairly easy to deal with. But the elves were surrounded. They would not stop fighting though it was clear that the odds were far against them. His arms were becoming heavy and painful and there were gashes on his limbs where the strings had burned through his clothing.... but still, Legolas would not give up.

Hopelessness crashed down on him when he heard a horrible cry of pain.

Fortinbas screamed in anguish as one of the spiders thrust its limb through the open wound at his side. His sword fell to the ground as he struggled to break off its leg but he was impaled.

Legolas watched in horror as the spider began to drag his friend away like a piece of meat stuck on a skewer. He tried to move towards him but his legs were now stuck to the spot by the deadly thread at his feet.

Fortinbas' blood splattered across the small distance between them and onto his face. It was then Legolas realized that his screams were mingled with another.

Karalynn was screaming.

With a sinking heart, he glanced down at the girl and cried out in dismay. Her face was smeared with crimson and gore and her clothing was splattered with blood. But it was Fortinbas' blood and his own that had fallen on her.

She was still unhurt.

It was not a scream of fear that wrenched itself from her lips, it was one of fury.

Her gray eyes were focused on Fortinbas and her emotions seemed to grow to frantic heights in their depths. Karalynn looked crazed at that moment; insane with rage and incomprehension. In that split second- she was not child-like nor even beautiful. She looked dangerous- like a wild animal that had been trapped in a cage for too long and had just escaped. She stood up and it was as if time had slowed to a crawl. Every detail seemed to stand out clearly in Legolas' mind- the way her eyes had flashed as she looked on at the carnage around her. The way the drops of blood on her face were almost black against her white skin. The way her fingers were stretched out, long and thin, as she raised her arms towards the tops of the trees.

"In this hour of grief and sorrow , I call on Heaven with all its power!
And Earth below in all its glory. And the heat of the fire and the shade of the dark.
And the powers of wind and air and storm. Rain and snow and waters weeping.
Elements now, I have in keeping-
Hear me now!"

Her voice seemed to fill up the air around them. It was commanding and harsh and everything that his Karalynn was not. Legolas lowered his blade in surprise and awe and he almost heard an audible snap! as his mind latched itself onto her fierce, pale face. For one split second, all was quiet.

The spiders were frozen in place and Faran and Nuratar looked back at Legolas and Karalynn in surprise.

And then everything moved.

The earth below them began to shake violently and Legolas felt himself being thrown off of his feet. He looked up at the space around them and heard the horrific high pitched screams of the spiders as they burst into flames. One by one, the spiders began to burn and fall from their places. Before they reached the ground, a vicious wind cooled them off and they broke into mere ashes filtering down like black snow.

Legolas moved his head to the side and saw that Fortinbas had been freed from his captor. A bit of the spider's leg still protruded from his side and he had falled onto his back as well. He looked to be breathing but extremely unwell.

The earth stopped shaking but the wind around them continued to blow fiercely. This was not the sweet smelling breeze of the days past. This was a cruel and cold thing- vengeful and angry. The webs between the trees broke loose and the ashes of the dead spiders were blown away in a whirlwind. It stung his eyes and Legolas covered his eyes with his arm as the ashes flew past his face.

And then, as quickly as everything had happened- it stopped.

There was silence.

Legolas lifted up his arm and sat up in a slight daze. Faran and Nuratar were also looking around, confused at what had happened. There was no sign of the attack save for a few bits of white strands of thread that hung lazily in the branches above them. Nothing remained of the spiders and Legolas found himself wondering if he had dreamed it all.

Faran turned his head and exhaled sharply.

"Nuratar, my brother." he hissed and they both scrambled to their feet towards the hurt Fortinbas.

"Legolas, where are the horses?" Nuratar asked, as he knelt down beside Fortinbas. "My powders and potions are in the bag."

"I sent them away." Legolas said, blinking. He paled at the memory. "Before the attack became bad, I sent them..."

A soft wind blew past him, making his hair lift up from his face and the sound of approaching galloping touched his ears. Nuratar heard it too and raised his head, in question.

The four horses- Belleth included, came into the clearing a few moments later and Nuratar, though he looked troubled and surprised, went to his own horse without a word to retrieve all that Fortinbas would need. Legolas watched him quietly and then got up to his feet.

Karalynn stood where she had before and Legolas walked up to her. Suddenly he was hesitant to go up to her, to ask her what had happened, what she had done. Because there was no denying it- this was her doing.

Everything they had experienced as of late was her doing. It was not good fortune or luck or their own cunning that had been helping them and Legolas could no longer ignore the thoughts that had been filling his head about the girl. She was not dangerous, not at that moment at least, nor was she harmful to them but now he felt he had to tread carefully around her.

No matter what his heart said otherwise.

Her arms hung down limply at her sides and she stood perfectly still. Legolas wasn't afraid of her despite all that had happened. He wasn't afraid of her power, if that was what it was, nor was he afraid of the crazed expression on her face when she drew herself up and screamed out her 'spell.' She had once again become the frail, fragile girl that he had stumbled upon in the woods. There was a broken air about her- a sort of confused and vulnerable aura that surrounded her and it seemed to pull him towards her like a beckon for protection.

He stopped a few feet away from her and noticed that she wasn't seeing him.

"Karalynn." he said her name in a whisper.

She wasn't seeing him.

Karalynn was looking at him but she wasn't seeing him.

Her eyes were... they were horrible. Utterly blank and devoid of anything- emotion or thought. They were like slabs of granite set in her face. At the same time, there was a sense of intense weariness in her features. Like she had been drained of all energy and life. Legolas took another step closer and held out his hand to her though it hurt his arm to do so.

"Karalynn, the spiders are gone." he said. "It is over. Somehow you did that. They are gone and we are safe now, Karalynn. Take my hand and let me clean you up."

But she said nothing. Simply stared past him with that strange, empty gaze.

"Karalynn." he tried again. "Karalynn, take my hand."

Silence.

He waved his hand in front of her face and she seemed to take no notice of it. She didn't even blink or flinch as he brought his hand closer to her face. Legolas put his hand on her shoulder and the spell was broken.

Fear and absolute terror flashed in her eyes at his touch and she drew back sharply, uttering a small, startled cry. She took two steps back and her eyes moved shiftily from side to side in a panic. He wondered what she was seeing that made her so suddenly afraid and he tried to make himself as physically harmless as possible. He held out his hands, palms up and took a step towards her.

Karalynn, don't be afraid. Legolas said, dropping his voice as he did whenever he was speaking to a skittish animal. Take my hand. We will walk to where Nuratar and Faran are. Fortinbas is hurt, Karalynn. We must...

She turned around and ran from him.

---------------------------------------------------

It was dark.

( Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. )

Karalynn pressed her hands against her ears and ran as fast as she could. She didn't know where she was going nor could she even see in the thick darkness of the forest but she didn't care.

( I will fear no evil: for thou art with me. )

she screamed against the voice in her head. This was the bad voice. The one she did not like. You lie! You weren't with me! You weren't with them when they....

( Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." )

Stop it! she cried out. Stop talking to me! Stop saying these things! Stay away from me!

She ran.

She knew she had done something wrong- something wicked when the spiders had come. Something inside of her had snapped when she saw Fortinbas being dragged away. Something in her mind screamed at her when his blood jetted across the distance and onto her face and clothing. She only did what her mind told her to do.

And now she was paying for it.

( "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. )

The throbbing in her brain was horrible.

It was as if something were threatening to come out and split her wide open. She felt the old familiar agony welling up like a fountain and she knew- absolutely knew- that at any moment, it would gush out of her and engulf her in a blanket of pain.

Help me! she cried out, squeezing her eyes shut as she ran.

Help me, please!

Suddenly the wind began to howl around her and she was slapped backwards onto the ground by a powerful but warm gust of air. She struggled to get up but the wind forced her down. In a dim part of her head, she thought that it felt like a caress.

A loving but restrictive touch.

Let me go! she screamed, fighting to stand up. Let me...!

And then the wind died down and stopped completely.

Before she could sit up, a warm cloth was being pressed against her mouth and nose and she inhaled in surprise. She smelled the sweet scent of flowers and... and something else... something slightly unpleasant underneath the sweetness.

She heard voices above her- real ones, not the ones in her head and she opened her eyes. Dim shapes but... she could make out golden hair. Her body felt heavy and her eyelids felt as if they were being pushed down by some invisible force. She dropped her arms and lay quietly, letting a strange weakness wash over her. The throbbing was becoming distant again- distant and unimportant and that made her relax even more.

She is falling asleep....

It should last for a few hours. The herb I made it with was very strong....

Is there enough for the both of....

Fortinbas' wound requires another sort of medicine. This is strictly for the girl...

Will it harm her? If we keep her like this for three more....

She needs to rest. Her heart is beating far too fast for...

Karalynn felt herself being lifted up and then cradled gently in a pair of comfortable arms. Her head lolled against a chest and she could smell the faint scent of grass and Belleth in the air.

Legolas?

She tried to sit up and found herself looking into a pair of blue eyes. Blue eyes blinking. Bright, bright blue eyes in the dark. So comforting and so familiar. Blue eyes... nice blue eyes....

Matthew? Matthew, is that you? she asked, confused. She tried to touch his face but the darkness had finally overtaken her.

She closed her eyes and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

---------------------------------------------------

Legolas carried the limp body back to where the horses were.

Nuratar followed closely behind him.

At the sight of them, Faran exhaled loudly and looked relieved. He sat on his horse and bade it to move forward. Fortinbas was strapped to his back, unconscious but still alive. Nuratar had done his work well. He had pulled out the spider's leg and dressed his wounds within minutes but Fortinbas still needed to rest in order to recover. He could not ride alone, for obvious reasons, so it was decided that he would ride with his brother and that the extra horse would follow.

Now more than ever, they needed to get to Lorien.

Faran's blue eyes traveled down to the girl in Legolas' arms and frowned.

Is she.... he whispered and Legolas shook his head.

Nay. She stumbled and fell and we were able to catch up with her. Legolas answered.

She did not stumble, your Highness. Nuratar said quietly. Legolas looked at him. It looked as if she were pushed back. She would have continued to run if it were not so.

Legolas knew he was right. He and Nuratar had run after her and though elves were naturally faster than humans, she seemed to be propelled by pure fear-induced speed. They had seen her run into the darkness and they had heard her call out for help.

And they had both seen her fly back as if struck by an unseen hand.

Legolas looked away from Nuratar and back down into Karalynn's face. What more could he say about the things that had happened to them? What other thoughts could he have? She had perhaps saved their lives by using forces of nature that no one should have been able to command. He had heard her call out...

( Elements now, I have in keeping! )

...and he seen them apparently obey her command. But she was not a sorceress nor a wizard nor any other magical being. She did not possess that same powerful energy that he had come across in the past. She was a human, a mortal- in fact, she was a very weak mortal by their standards. She was a kind and sensitive soul who was quick to laugh and smile.

( "In this hour of grief and sorrow , I call on Heaven with all its power! )

So exactly what had he witnessed?

And why had she called him by another name?

( Matthew? Matthew, is that you? )

Such a strange and ugly sounding name.

In that one moment of time, something had been in her face- a recognition of something familiar. In that one moment, when she looked at him and reached out to his face he knew she was seeing someone else. Her mouth had tilted up into a half-smile and her eyes, oh- her beautiful, expressive eyes, had sparkled with a deep and heartfelt joy.

But Legolas knew that it was not his countenance that had made her react so and the impact of that realization stung. He had lulled himself to believing that her life before was not as important as the one she led now. He had failed to question that perhaps she was already bound to someone else. Though she looked young, Legolas had known of marriages between humans at an even younger age. What if she already had a husband or was betrothed to someone else? In his arrogance, he had thought that the love of an Elf Prince would be held in higher regard than the love of a mere mortal man. Legolas knew he was in the wrong. He knew he should have waited until after seeing Galadriel to stake his claim on her but he was acting as one in love.

Which was to not think at all.

She is sleeping? Faran asked from his great height on the horse.

Legolas looked up and nodded.

Aye, we made her inhale one of Nuratar's potions. Legolas said. He says that we should keep her like this until we reach Lorien.

Faran eyed the girl quietly and Legolas grew uncomfortable with his stare. He turned his body slightly away from Faran and glared at him.

Are you afraid of her now, Faran? Legolas asked bitterly, knowing full well the many prejudices and suspicions that his kind held towards the novel and unfamiliar. Though elves were, by nature, wise and hospitable creatures, many of them possessed an exclusive sort of thinking. Legolas, defensive of his mortal charge, took Faran's gaze to mean that he had now joined the ranks of elves at Mirkwood who had shunned Karalynn for her mortal strangeness.

Will you look upon her as a witch instead of the girl that Kythe loves so?" he asked. "Is she a danger to you now- the same girl that you played games with days ago?

No, your Highness. Faran said softly. I look down with pity on her for she seems like a broken doll in your arms. Nay, my prince. My heart is not so inconsistent as that. She has not posed a danger to us and in fact, seems the opposite. I will protect her, and now my brother, as I have done so in the past.

Legolas sighed with his entire being at Faran's words. That was one less worry that he would have to bear. He looked up at Nuratar who placed his hand over his heart in a silent response to the unspoken question.

Prince Legolas. Nuratar said, nodding at the girl. We should ride on as soon as possible. Fortinbas needs another herb which the healers in Lorien will most likely possess and he needs to rest in a bed. As for the girl, I feel that her mind is at peace. For the moment. I only have enough of the potion to last for three more days. Fortinbas' injury is that of a physical nature. Hers is of a more complicated one. Her mind must stay unaware and blank. Should she wake up and we are still far from the Golden Wood when we run out of the potion, I see trouble for her.

Legolas nodded.

Without needing words, Nuratar took the unconscious bundle from his arms and Legolas went to Belleth. When he was safely seated on his back, Nuratar lifted Karalynn up so that Legolas could set her in front of him. He pulled the hood of her cloak over her face and then tied Lohr's cord around her waist and his tightly. She slumped backwards onto his chest, lifeless and heavy.

We ride with no rest from now on. Legolas said. He looked to both elves on either side of him and tilted his chin up. Is that clear? We must make haste and neither sleep nor exhaustion is an excuse otherwise.

Both elves nodded their approval and they rode on the path without looking back.