**A/N: Here's the second part of the story, thanks to all who gave reviews. This is certainly a pleasant first-fic experience, lol. Anyways, more reviews would be nice, I gotta know what you guys think of this.**

The unknown rider sped off down the main road, out of the small town, and towards the north. Legolas followed behind from a distance, hoping that he wouldn't be noticed by the one he was following. After several hours, the rain had somewhat lessened but his quarry rode on relentlessly. All through the night and the next day the rider did not show any signs of stopping. The rains were reduced to a faint drizzle now, as the moon rose to light the fast-approaching night.

Suddenly, the rider stopped and dismounted by a grove of trees in a small valley.  By this time, Legolas was almost certain that it was indeed the same woman he saw at the tavern. Aided by the bleak light from the moon, he could see that the rider had the same graceful, almost elf-like movements. She unloaded her horse and settled down amongst the trees as though resting. After watching her for about an hour from the crest of the valley, she still hadn't moved. Legolas was sure she had fallen asleep.

He finally dismounted and sat down, leaning against some large rocks. He decided he'd stay where he was and keep an eye on her until she woke up, so he wouldn't lose track of her if she continued her journey. But the combination of his long ride in the rain and lack of cover from it left him feeling quite drowsy. Without realizing it, sleep crept upon him and he soon became oblivious to everything.

The next thing he knew, the rain had stopped though he was still feeling miserably damp. As his mind regained consciousness, Legolas cursed himself for not staying awake. He groggily opened his eyes to the faint light of dawn, and found himself staring right into the endpoint of an arrow, certain to kill him if it was released. Drawing in a sharp breath he looked up at the archer and found two blazing green eyes glaring at him from a face hidden by a dark brown hood. It was without a doubt the woman he had been trailing.

"Don't move, your weapons are of no use to you now." she said, indicating towards her back. Legolas looked behind her and realized all his armaments that he had carelessly left about his feet last night were piled behind the woman. Out of his reach. He couldn't believe he had let himself get caught off guard. That flaw was for the weak race of men, not for elves.

"Who are you, why have you been following me?," she asked angrily, her voice brazen with suspicion. Legolas tried to think of something to say without further provoking her but his mind was blank.

"You....it's just that, no...... well, as you passed by I thought you were somebody I knew. You look a lot like one of my friends from home," he replied, trying to sound as sincere as he could, "I just wanted to catch up with you to see if you were.....," his voice trailed off.

"Do not take me to be so gullible, I have met enough people in my lifetime to know when one is lying," she said, "it is pitifully obvious you are not speaking the truth. Now answer my question truthfully before I decide to loosen my arrow into your pathetic face." Her eyes and voice reflected her sincerity. Legolas decided it would be in his best interests to state the truth.

"I saw what you did to that man, the one at the tavern...... the one you killed," he replied, hoping that the woman would not respond too aggressively.

"Exactly whom do you work for? I do not think you to be of Bargil's company for I have never seen you with them," she said suspiciously, "what is it that you want from me?"

"Nay, I do not work for anyone. I am here by my own choice. After I saw what you did to that man I had to find out more. It is only my curiosity that bade me to follow you," he told her, "as for my name, I will not reveal it until I know yours."

"Then perhaps you should learn to restrain your curiosity in matters not of your concern, or else you will fall to the same fate as Bargil," was her reply, "or perhaps I should silence you forever. My current employer would not be too pleased if he found out that someone was witness to my task."

"I will not reveal to anyone what I saw, the shallow affairs of men interest me not. Now that I know a little more about the purpose of your deed, it no longer holds my interest," said Legolas, watching as the woman relaxed the bowstring a bit and pointed the arrow slightly downwards. He ventured on to ask her name.

"The name that my employers, past and present know me by is Raneth," she told him, rather proudly, "though many of them deal with me in secrecy. And you would be?"

"Legolas," he said, standing up.

"Well then Legolas, I think this is where you turn around and leave and pretend you never saw anything or ever met me," she said, "it would be best for you to depart while I still allow you…," She suddenly stopped in mid-sentence and stood up alertly, motioning for him to be quiet. She could hear the sound of hoof-beats galloping in the distance. Raneth looked towards the sound and saw a group of about 5 or 6 horsemen racing towards them from the direction of the town. Legolas saw this too, realizing that she must be an elf, for no human senses could have detected that.

"Your friends?," she asked, once again suspicious. Her arrow was pointed at him again, and the unknown riders were drawing ever closer.