A/N: Poor Karalynn. It's not her fault she can't think straight. Too many distractions... and too many things that don't want her to remember anything. She thinks in weird little and she tends to jump around from thought to thought like, well, a little kid.

Hmm. I wonder why.

Mica-Trunks: Water makes a feisty little cameo towards the end of this story. =)

Jazz: In the truest sense of the word- your email was a form of constructive criticism. The main word being constructive. That was extremely helpful and I would not have known that if you hadn't told me. Thank you.

By the way, if anyone wants to know what I'm talking about refer to page 10 of the review section. Someone pointed out that my spelling was wrong- but come on now, there are so many other tactful ways of pointing things out like that.

And this is where I disappear....

Chapter 15- The City of Trees*

( "Rock-a-bye baby, on the treetop..." )

She entered the room quietly as the song floated in the air. The walls were painted a light shade of blue and on the ceiling were little yellow stars. Stuffed animals and various toys filled bookcase shelves and a crib stood in the center, with a slowly moving mobile hanging above it. There was a bay window at the opposite wall and though it was closed, sunlight illuminated through. It was a sweet room, warm and welcoming. Perfect for an infant.

She knew this room somehow.

She had been in it before.

( "When the wind blows...." )

A white rocking chair was next to the crib. It too was slowly moving, back and forth, as if someone had just gotten up from it. On the seat was a large book.

She walked closer to it, her interest suddenly sparked by the book. She saw her hand in front of her, reaching out for the scruffy looking cover and smiled in joy.

Alice in Wonderland.

It was her favorite story.

She picked it up and opened it, thumbing through the pages that had been committed to memory. Each picture, though now faded with time and overuse, were still as delightful to her eyes as before. Here was Alice and the Cheshire cat! Here she was having tea with the Mad Hatter! Here she was with the Queen!

The Queen.

She frowned. Queen? There was another queen she had to worry about, wasn't there? A queen outside of this room. The queen of...

Loth...

She closed the book, feeling a weight settle down on her shoulders. She couldn't remember. For a moment she stood there, trying to pull the name out of her mind when a soft whimper snapped her out of her reverie. She turned her head towards the sound and realized that it was coming from within the crib.

Clasping the book to her chest, she moved towards the crib and peered down.

( "The cradle will rock..." )

An infant lay on its back, its eyes still closed but its mouth twisting down. A sweet little boy, probably not more than six months old, dressed in a light blue jumper and blue and white socks.

He sniffled and turned his head towards her, as if sensing her presence.

He was going to cry soon, she was sure of it.

She reached down with one hand and gently passed her fingers over his head soothingly. Caressing his soft, warm forehead with her thumb. The baby reached aimlessly with its hands and his face smoothed itself out, reassured by her touch.

"Shh." she said quietly. She put the book back down on the seat and reached out for the baby with both hands. "You're okay. Let's see if I can't get you back to sleep, okay?"

The baby whimpered softly again when she picked him up but settled down nicely in her arms. He was warm and soft and she found herself feeling a vague sense of dread as she looked down at his face. He was an adorable child, pretty and delicately formed but something about him nagged at her.

"Where's your mommy, little guy? Or your daddy?" she asked him softly, as she rocked him back and forth. "What's your name, sweetheart?

( ...Tristan... )

She paused, frowning. How could she have known that? She studied his head- though he didn't quite have hair yet he did have a faint wisp of coloring. From the look of it, he had dark brown hair. His eyes were still closed so she couldn't see their color but his features were eerily familiar. She looked up, not wanting to study his features anymore and spotted a small, framed picture on one of the shelves. She could make out three blurry faces from where she stood and with the baby, no-Tristan, in her arms, she made her way towards it.

( "When the bough breaks..." )

One of the faces was Tristan's, smiling an open-mouthed, toothless grin. She smiled at the sight of him. The two other faces made her inhale a cold breath. Two older people, a woman and a man, were at either side of Tristan. They were both smiling. The man had rich black hair that was just beginning to silver at the sides and the woman....

...the woman had gray eyes.

( ...such pretty gray eyes, mother... )

A sense of miserable longing swept over her and she tore her eyes away from the picture, finding it suddenly hard to breathe. So familiar and yet so painful- why did their faces make her want to cry?

( "The cradle will fall..." )

Her chest began to hurt and she turned back to the crib so that she could set the now sleeping baby down. She suddenly felt as if she could no longer bear his light weight. Her head began to spin and she winced as a sharp bolt ran through her temples. The wind began to blow at the window, pounding at the glass and she looked up, wide-eyed and scared.

It seemed as if it wanted to come in.

She placed the baby in his crib and he woke up at the loss of warmth and comfort. She gasped as its round eyes peered up at her.

Blue eyes.

Dark blue eyes- the color of the ocean before a storm.

Such striking blue eyes.

His mouth opened and he began to scream- needing her once again, crying out for her to hold him, to pick him up. She felt pulled to the creature, drawn to its helpless crying and more than anything she wanted to soothe him once more. She almost did, her arms instinctively stretched down to get him but then the pain in her head increased, causing her to draw back.

( "And down will come baby...." )

"Stop it!" she cried out at the window. "Go away! You can't help me! You're not allowed to help! They told me not to call!"

( Who?)

( Who told you not to call for help? )

"Doláe! Tharuial" she said without thinking. "They said..."

She stopped in surprise, realizing that the pain was gone and the wind had stopped too. The baby continued to scream however. She looked down at the crib, at the little damp, pink face and waving arms and reached out her hand to touch him.

She froze.

( "Cradle and all." )

On the fourth finger of her left hand was a thin, golden ring.

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"Karalynn!"

She blinked in surprise as Legolas shook her roughly.

"Karalynn! Look at me! Focus your eyes!"

She stared into his eyes and shivered. They were too close to her face, too blue and too round. She blinked again and suddenly felt the painful pressure of his fingers digging into her thin arms. She made a face of discomfort and he immediately released her, looking worried and more than a little afraid.

She rubbed her arms ruefully and looked around. Nuratar, Fortinbas and Faran were all eyeing her with the same worry that Legolas was- but to a lesser degree. For the first time she saw emotions, clear as day, stamped on the elves faces and she didn't like what she saw. Legolas looked as if he were ready to crumble apart, a doll ready to break, and she looked away, feeling guilty for what she had done.

But what had she done?

Doláe and Tharuial were staring at her with a mixture of wariness and fear- but she had a feeling that the fear was not for her safety or life.

Her mind whirled, trying to sort out what had happened before that moment.

She vaguely remembered walking for a long time through incredibly large trees. She remembered seeing small lanterns hung upon their branches; pretty lights in shades of green, gold and silver. She remembered walking on a road paved with white stones and crossing a white bridge.

But that was all.

She looked around and found that she was standing in front of a large gate on which more unusually formed lamps hung upon. The walls surrounding the massive gate were tall and majestic yet somehow looked natural- as if they had sprung out of the earth in that fashion.

"We're here?" she asked, surprised. "You mean, we're here? We made it to the city? I don't remember...."

"A few moments before stepping before the gates, you stopped and would not walk any farther. Legolas said quietly. You did not answer when we spoke to you and a breeze blew across our way..."

"Did you call on them, child?" Tharuial asked suddenly. His eyes shone like jewels in the dim light and Karalynn realized that it was dusk. "Did you ask them to come? Did you speak to them in your mind?"

Karalynn looked away from Tharuial, distraught and unsure of herself. She remembered the crying baby and the book on the rocking chair...

"Did you call on them despite the warning we gave you?" Doláe repeated.

Legolas turned around.

"You will not speak to her any further." he said coldly. "Though we are in your city, you have no right to demand answers from her. She is of my kingdom, under my care and though you are the Lady's advisors, I am a prince. My rank is far above yours and I tell you now- do not speak to her."

Doláe and Tharuial stared at the prince, their faces flat and blank once more. Karalynn could feel the tension between them and it confused her. Weren't all elves supposed to be loving towards one another? They had seemed to get along in the grassy field that morning.

Why couldn't they be like that now?

She tugged at Legolas' arm. He turned back to her and now his eyes were warm and gentle.

"I didn't ask for help." she said solemnly, glancing at Tharuial and Doláe. "You told me not to and I didnt. I... I think I saw something though... in my head but it wasn't a nightmare or a dream. I think... I think..."

( ...it was a memory... )

Her heart began to pound in her chest and she brought her left hand to her eyes, examining her fingers. There was no ring there and though a part of her was relieved, her ring-less finger made her feel empty and sad.

Legolas touched her hand, gently twining his fingers with hers and then pulled her towards him.

"What did you see, my love?" he asked softly.

She looked up at him suddenly aware of the endearment.

Why did he call her that?

She struggled with herself, trying to figure out why he had referred to her as his "love." Did friends often refer to each other in that way? Parents did so to their children, did they not? She couldn't remember for sure.

( "Say the word and I shall move no further than this. I do not wish to force anything on you but you must know- you have enchanted me as no other has before you. I leave the choice to you." )

His words, his voice. But when had that happened?

Did he almost kiss her once?

Ah, now that was ridiculous.

But the thought tugged at her mind as she stared into his eyes.

( ...the color of the ocean before a storm... )

It was too hard to think however and she gave up, pushing aside the strange feelings that were welling up inside of her.

"What did you see?" he asked again, touching her cheek with his other hand. He was doing it to reassure her but Doláe and Tharuial's gaze intimidated her.

"Nothing. I forgot." she mumbled quickly.

She ducked her head and shifted to Legolas' side, trying to hide from the two elves. She really didn't want to cause trouble between them and she wished Kythe and Lohr were there to play with. She wanted to laugh suddenly- just for the sake of laughing. None of these elves laughed- save Fortinbas but he was injured. She missed being happy, missed twirling and dancing and listening to stories. She hoped the meeting with the Lady Galadriel-

( ...the Queen... )

would be quick. She wanted to go home, back to Mirkwood-

( ...that is not your home... )

and be at peace.

She ignored the voices this time.

She felt Legolas' arms wrap themselves around her and she moved against his chest willingly. It was a safe place; she knew his smell and his warmth and she felt that while she was with him she did not need to call out for help- from anyone or anything. Here in his arms was protection from pain and she closed her eyes, not wanting to see the Lorien elves anymore.

Perhaps if she could not see them then they would not be so intimidating.

Prince Legolas, since you commanded us not to speak to the girl, we ask you to remind her that she must not call for help. Tharuial said. Karalynn shivered at the stern sound of his voice. The city is protected with an ancient magic, old even when the forests in Middle Earth were young, but even that is not strong enough to combat the forces she might inadvertently loose upon us.

She felt Legolas' body tense up and harden but he did not speak. She pressed her face against the curve between his neck and shoulder.

Welcome to Caras Galadhon, where the Lord Celeborn and the Lady Galadriel dwell. said Doláe, after a short silence.

There was a gust of wind as the gates opened and then another moment of silence as Faran, Fortinbas, Nuratar and the two elves walked past them. She felt Legolas' hold on her loosen and then his hands were pushing her away from his body gently. He looked down at her, his own features still and set.

I didn't ask for help. she whispered to him. She glanced away quickly to make sure that Doláe and Tharuial were at a distance. I swear to you, Legolas, I didn't. And I won't. I wouldn't hurt anyone.

His features seemed to soften and something in his eyes changed- a flicker of sadness, perhaps, or of anger. She couldn't tell.

I know, Karalynn. I believe you.

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It was more beautiful than he had imagined it to be.

As they walked through the city, Legolas found his anger towards Doláe and Tharuial melting away into awe at his surroundings.

It was truly a city of trees*- he could not see any of his kindred but he could hear their voices floating down from the great heights to his ears like leaves tumbling gracefully to the ground. Some of the sweet voices were singing and Legolas felt safe and protected for the first time in many days.

High above them, he could see many talans built among thick limbs and half hidden in the faintly luminescent leaves.

I have never before seen such majesty. Nuratar said in a hushed voice. Awe and admiration shone in his eyes as he looked around and a faint smile flitted across his lips.

Legolas made a sound of agreement. Doláe and Tharuial walked ahead, Faran and Fortinbas and the healer behind them, and a few feet away Legolas and Karalynn followed.

The very air seemed to shimmer with a life all its own and it seemed to caress Legolas' face like a warm touch. They were surrounded by a sense of magic and enchantment.

He glanced at Karalynn, eager to see what her reaction was to the wonderful city and was surprised and dismayed at the expression on her face. She had paled considerably and looked frightened as she walked alongside him.

Legolas reached out for her hand and held onto to it tightly, to give her reassurance. Her skin was cold and slightly damp, sensations that he remembered meant fear. He couldn't understand why she would be fearful of anything here when they were so obviously sheltered from harm.

Perhaps Doláe and Tharuial had frightened her so deeply that their words had lingered in her mind and a faint sense of annoyance pulled at him. She had literally cowered before them, trying to hide from their eyes. That the two elves could not see the anxiety they caused in the girl irritated him. Legolas knew that most of his kind cared little for humans or their ways and it seemed that the older one of his people became, the less interest they had for other creatures in Middle Earth. The less they even noticed the effect they had on others. Legolas admitted that sometimes even he fell into long periods of disinterest of things outside of his kingdom. Yet for the most part, his heart was moved by the expressions and actions of mortal creatures. And Karalynn had stirred him deeply inside- when she laughed, smiled, danced.... even when she wept, Legolas lived through her, trying to experience her emotions as she did. She made him feel young again. Refreshed and renewed.

Legolas had hoped that he would find the same wonder and awe on her features as she had displayed so many other times before and not to find it now was a heavy disappointment.

He looked ahead at Doláe and Tharuial briefly, annoyed that they had ruined this moment for her.

The trees are beautiful, are they not, Karalynn? Legolas said, trying to lift her spirits.

Karalynn looked at him, her eyes wide and anxious.

she muttered. The trees. They are.

And the voices? They are wonderful to the ear, are they not?"

For a moment, a look of disbelief and confusion passed over her face.

No, Legolas. she said, blinking. How can you say that? They bother me.

Legolas frowned.

I have often heard others say that the sound of elves singing can bring joy to the hardest of hearts. Legolas said. They sing to greet us, dear one. Not to bother you.

The look of confusion deepened and she pulled her hand loose from his grasp. To his surprise, she brought her hand up to his ear.

Her fingers lingered on the soft flesh of his lobe and he stopped walking, exhaling slowly as she caressed his skin. He knew he should stop her before she touched the very sensitive tip but he was more than tempted to let her continue. Her gray eyes looked up at him, dull and unfocused, as she traced over his ear.

She stopped just before reaching the tip. Legolas gasped softly as a faint tingle tickled his skin. Something passed between them- traveling from her fingertips to his ear.

she whispered, staring at him. Do you hear them? Can you hear them, Legolas?

He could.

( ...do not go further... )
( ...leave this place... )

Legolas felt something inside of him freeze as he heard the unearthly voices whispering around him.

( ...we promised to protect you... )
( ...leave this place... )

Ghostly, unnatural voices. Without gender but somehow musical in nature, high-pitched yet fragile seeming.

( ...we can not protect you if you see Her... )
( ...leave this place... )

She dropped her hand from his ear and the voices were gone, replaced by the sound of elves around him. He felt a deep sense of emptiness at her withdrawal and looked at her in wonder. What had she done to him?

Did you hear? she asked, hopefully. A hint of forlornness was imbedded in her voice and Legolas realized that she was looking for someone to share with. The strain of hearing something no one else could had been lonely as well as frightening to the poor girl.

Legolas nodded slowly.

Yes, Karalynn. I heard them. he said carefully. He paused and then closed his mouth.

There was something else now too- besides what he had heard. Whatever she had done to him, for that brief moment in time, he had been connected to her as he had been to no other. It went beyond any physical experience he had ever had, a brief flash of her entire soul. Her feelings, her thoughts, her confusion and fear... he had seen them for a moment like a bright light impressed into his vision. And like a bright light, it had left a lingering ghostly image of itself in his mind. There were no words, nothing substantial that he could write down to explain what he had felt but it was there, inside of him now. She was not so simple as she had seemed, her thinking was not as childish as he had suspected before and her sadness was much more complicated. He had felt a great and heavy burden in the darkness of her mind but before he could explore what was hidden there, she had pulled away.

He needed to feel her again, needed to touch her in some way to push away the feeling of loss that he couldn't shake off. He glanced up and saw that the others were far ahead of them now. He took her hand and pulled her along with him, trying to push away the feeling of strangeness that the voices had inspired in him.

Who were they, Karalynn? he asked as they moved along. He gripped her hand tightly, feeling better as they moved along. The voices. Do you recognize them? Where are they from?

Karalynn shrugged, miserable. Legolas glanced at her and found that there was now a struggle in her face. She was still hearing them and was fighting to ignore them. From the look in her eyes, they were persisting.

"How did you do that, Karalynn?" he asked suddenly. "What did you do that allowed me to hear the voices that haunt your mind?"

She glanced him, eyes widening.

"I... I don't know." she whispered, as if the thought had not crossed her mind before. "I felt like... it was something I should do. So... I just did it and I don't know why."

She lowered her eyes and looked sad once more.

"But if I had known I could do that, I would have done so sooner."

Legolas said nothing, deep in thought, and pulled her along. Before long they saw a large fountain, lit up by more of the Lorien lamps, in the middle of a large circular lawn. The basin of the fountain was silver and the water that streamed into it seemed almost white in its purity. At the south side of his vision, Legolas saw a mighty tree, grand and immense. It seemed so large, so tall, that it hurt his eyes to look at it for very long. It might have reached up to the skies for all he knew. A ladder had been placed at its side and three elves, guardians of the tree most likely, sat at its base. Their long white cloaks shimmered lightly as if moonlight had been captured in the material.

Faran, Nuratar and Fortinbas stood at a short distance from the tree, obviously waiting for their prince and the girl. The other two elves were talking to the guards. At the last moment, Legolas had to literally drag Karalynn towards the tree. Though it hurt him to force her into compliance, he knew that they could not be seen hesitating to meet the Lady Galadriel.

"Legolas, please. You heard them. They don't want me to go. They're getting louder." she whimpered, trying to jerk her hand out of his grasp. Legolas looked at Faran, Fortinbas and Nuratar, knowing that they could see the girl's face more clearly though they could not hear her words. Soon, they would hear her resistance and so would Doláe and Tharuial . That could not be allowed- they would treat any form of hesitation with suspicion. Legolas hardened his heart and tightened his grip on her hand.

"Please, Legolas. Please, can we go home? Can we turn around? Please?"

Her voice bordered on desperation and he did not look back at her, not wanting to see her human expressions.

"Karalynn, we have come this far and I will not turn back because beings we can not see tell you they do not wish for you to continue." he said, adding a haughty edge to his voice. "It would be rude to my kindred to be seen trying to escape the Lady of the Wood. Ignore the voices as Doláe and Tharuial told you to- they can not harm you here.The voices were not threatening nor were they trying to hurt you. Stop acting like a frightened child!"

Karalynn stopped speaking and he felt her hand grow limp. She stopped trying to pull away and walked quietly behind him as he moved her along. He felt sorry for what he did but it had to be done. They had to know the truth about her and whether or not her feelings were hurt now did not matter. Later he would apologize.

Legolas did not want to admit, even to himself, that he had been jarred- even frightened, by the voices and so he focused his mind on Galadriel.

"Is something the matter, your Highness?" Faran asked when they drew near.

"Nay." Legolas said simply. He released Karalynn's hand and she stepped away from him. He saw Faran look at the girl, like a father worried for his child, and then asked her softly.

"Karalynn, are you alright?"

"Yes." she whispered. Legolas winced inside when she began to rub her hand gently. He had handled her too roughly once again. He could see the dark red prints of his fingers in her pale flesh and knew that they would bruise.

"Are you sure, little one?" Faran asked. He glanced at Legolas and then back at Karalynn.

"Yes." she said. She bit her lip and looked away. A few feet away, one of the guards blew on a horn and it was answered three times from high above them.

Before Faran could say anything else, Doláe walked back to them.

"I will go up first, and then Legolas, Karalynn, the healer and the two brothers." he said. He saw Karalynn rubbing her hand but said nothing about it. "It will be a long climb for the girl and so we shall make frequent stops. The Lady Galadriel has been eagerly awaiting your arrival for some days and so we should begin now."

They all followed Doláe to the ladder and before Legolas put his foot on the first step, he glanced at Karalynn. She looked away the moment their eyes met and he sighed as he began to climb.

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*- phrase taken directly from The Fellowship of the Ring, Tolkien. pg. 397