Title: In Dreams Author: Wordless_angel Author email: wordless_angel @hotmail.com Disclaimer: None of this is mine. No offence is meant to the creators and no money is being made from this work. The song isn't mine either. Summary: A stranger arrives in Mirkwood, drawing Legolas and Aragorn into her story. A/N -Feel free to flame 'cause the power went off and I'm freezing! But Muff! OUCH! Thanks go to ElvenEnchantress, Diamond and Thirteenth_faerie . It's nice to know someone liked it. Thanks Nyah, I'm no good with details. Call it poetic licence. I hope you weren't be catty, because if you were, I'm pretending to ignore it.

Have you ever felt that your only comfort was your cage? You're not alone. I have felt the same as you. Have you ever felt that your secrets give you away? You're not alone. I have been there too. Everyone is looking and everyone is laughing, But I think everyone feels the same. Everybody wants to feel okay. Everybody wants to...Everybody wants to feel,

Chapter 4: Cage.

Iliayana quietly shut and locked the door to her rooms. She pulled her cloak tight around her to ward of the cold she felt. Silently she walked down the hall until she was standing under the moon. It was not long passed midnight and the moon was full and high. There was a gently breeze and the paths were bare of people.

Iliayana walked slowly. She had been unable, or unwilling, to sleep. Nightmares haunted her dreams. And the fine weather proposed an excuse to go outside, away from sleep. Truth was, Iliayana would be walking now if it had been pouring, boiling, or snowing. She cared not about the weather.

So intent was she on putting one foot in front of the other that Iliayana failed to hear the sound of feet coming up behind her. It was not until someone grabbed her around the throat that Iliayana became aware.

"What's a young think like you doing out so late?" a gruff voice spat in her ear. Iliayana struggled, but the arm only tightened. "Nay, lass, don't fight me. It'll only make it hurt more." Iliayana froze.

"Only make what hurt more?" Iliayana asked. She heard a laugh behind her.

"You're no city girl. All the city girls know what. They wouldn't wander alone so late." Iliayana felt something burning in her stomach. Queen Arwen had said she was safe here. Hadn't she? You'll be safe here. Wasn't that what she'd said. Queen Arwen had lied. Now Iliayana was going to hurt all over again. Desperation overtook her and she began to struggle again. Fiercely, she brought one foot up and stamped down. There was a grunt. The arm around her neck tightened until she couldn't breathe. "You shouldn't have done that. But that's your bad luck."

"No," a calm voice interrupted. "It's yours." Iliayana felt her capture jump at the voice and throw her away. She hit the ground hard. She tried to stand. "Stay down." The voice of her rescuer instructed. Iliayana did as she was told, remaining on the ground. She heard grunting and movement, then the twang of a bowstring and something heavy hit the ground with a yell. Then feet came in her direction. She looked up into concerned blue eyes. "Iliayana?" Legolas asked, surprised and concerned. "What are you doing out this late?" he held out his hand to help her stand. She frowned and used a nearby tree as support.

"Walking." She answered shortly.

"I can see that, but why now." Legolas tried to meet her eyes. Iliayana set about brushing her skirts down, unprepared to look at him.

"Couldn't sleep." She answered eventually.

"But why leave the palace?" he asked gently. Iliayana still refused to meet his eyes.

"Is walking a crime." Legolas put two fingers under her chin and forced her face up. He gently wiped blood from a scratch on her cheek with his thumb.

"It is when you're walking away from something." He looked down at her. She roughly pulled away.

"I'm not walking away from anything except you." she turned and began to walk in the opposite direction. Legolas grabbed her shoulder.

"You don't want to do that," he said. Iliayana glared.

"Are you sure? Because I think that's what I want to do. Why wouldn't I want to?" her tone was sarcastic. Legolas sighed.

"Because then who would you talk too?" Legolas turned his back on her, staring up at the stars.

"Why would I want to talk to you? I don't need to talk to anyone."

"Are you sure?" Legolas asked, his voice serious. "You need to talk about what you're feeling."

"And you're the person to talk too?" Iliayana didn't even try to keep the scorn from her voice. Legolas merely shrugged.

"Yes."

"Why?" Iliayana was angry. "I don't want do that. I'm not going to go all teary like some weak little child."

"There is strong and there is closed off. You need to grieve properly with someone." Legolas's tone was forceful and he shook her slightly. Iliayana broke out of his hold with a growl and slapped him across the face.

"No I don't!" Iliayana yelled. "I will be strong. You won't make me weak!" She whirled away from him, only to feel an iron grip on her wrist. Legolas forced her to turn back to him.

"Let me show you what your strength has done to you." Legolas was angry, his eyes flashing dangerously and a hand mark forming on his cheek. Iliayana suddenly understood why elves were feared in battle. He dragged her to a small stream that ran beside the path. He threw her on her knees so she looked in the water. At first, Iliayana shut her eyes, not wanting to see. "Look!" Legolas insisted, his voice harsh. Iliayana opened her eyes and focused on her reflection.

She saw the dull black hair that had come loss of her braid and now fell beside her face. She saw the blood from the cut on her cheek. She saw that the rare beauty had vanished from her face. And for the first time since she had come to Gondor, Iliayana saw her eyes. They were eyes like her mother. But her mother had been so beautiful, so alive. Iliayana might just as well have been dead for all the life in her. They were empty and cold.

Legolas watched, his anger slowly ebbing, as he saw the emotions play across her face. Anger, disgust, fear, horror, loss, grief. Slowly, he knelt beside her and brushed his fingers across the water. Her reflection became distorted.

"Now you see it, you can change it," he said gently. Iliayana turned to look at him, her eyes empty. She covered her face with her hands. It was then that Legolas noticed many scars across her forearms. They had not been there last time her saw her. He drew her hands away and inspected her arms.

"Where did you get these?" He asked. Iliayana shook her head, closing her eyes tightly. A single tear escaped her closed lids and fell down her cheek. "Iliayana," Legolas's voice was sharp with concern and a desperate urgency. "Did you do this to yourself." Iliayana pulled her arms away and put her head in her hands. "You can't do that anymore." Legolas said desperately. "You have to stop that."

"How?" Iliayana asked, tears sliding down her cheeks. Legolas gently brushed them away and pulled her in until her head rested against his chest.

"We'll find a way." He whispered tenderly as he stroked her hair, letting her cry. "We'll find away together."

(

Iliayana woke with a start in her own room. She was tucked up in bed. Slowly, she rose and walked into the small sitting room. Legolas sat, one leg over the armrest, reading a book.

"Morning." She greeted him. Legolas looked up and smiled at her, putting the book down.

"You're awake." He replied in greeting.

"It would seem so. But I don't remember going to sleep." Legolas smiled slightly.

"You fell asleep by the lake. I had to carry you back."

"Sorry." Iliayana looked down at her hands, twisting them around.

"It's not your fault. When was the last time you had a decent nights sleep?" he surveyed her critically. She was too thin and the dark circles under her eyes were still visible. Iliayana frowned.

"You always pry so?" Legolas sighed and stood.

"You aren't immortal. And that means that you can't treat your body like you are. You need to sleep, and you need to eat."

"What a waste these bodies are. All they do is require things."

"No!" Legolas said sharply. Iliayana looked up quickly. He moved until he stood in front of her. "No. You are not a waste. And you can't believe that. You have to stop believing that." Iliayana looked down and nodded. But Legolas wasn't going to let her get away with that. "You have to promise me that you'll try. Iliayana, promise me." Iliayana moved until she was sitting in the chair Legolas had just vacated.

"I, I had to do one thing for my family," her voice was soft and her eyes on the ground. "And that was to save them. But I couldn't. I failed them because my body couldn't handle what was happening." Legolas knelt in front of her and took both her hands in his.

"Very few could have lived through what you did. I couldn't. You didn't fail. You won. Because you're alive. That's what they wanted. Would your mother want you dead?"

"I failed them."

"No, no you didn't."

"I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?" Legolas dropped one of her hands and raised her chin.

"Because I can't believe what you're telling me." Legolas gave a tiny shake of his head and pulled Iliayana into a hug.

"That's what I'm here for mellonnim," Legolas smiled. "To make you believe."

"I can't have friends." Iliayana pulled back.

"Why not?" Legolas asked calmly. "Because you think you'll lose me?" he shook his head. "I'm not going anywhere. You couldn't get ride of me if you tried."

"That's just what my mother said." Iliayana eyed Legolas, half afraid, until she heard a light knock on the door. "Come in," she called. The door opened to reveal Arwen. When she saw Legolas kneeling before Iliayana, she smiled.

"I thought you might be here." Legolas stood, his knees clicking.

"Oh, did you need me for something?"

"Well, yes. Estel asked that you come to speak with him."

"I will be there instantly." Legolas bowed. Arwen laughed gently.

"He also requested your presence, Iliayana." Iliayana started, her eyes surprised.

"Mine?"

"Yes."

"Oh, I'll be there shortly." Iliayana disappeared into her room. Arwen looked at Legolas.

"Nae saian luume" Arwen said quietly.

"It has indeed been to long." Legolas smiled. Iliayana reappeared, her hair brushed.

"Come this way." Arwen lead the way from the room.