Sitting on her bed, Legolas looked at the sleeping Diena beside him. Her hair was soaked and she was shivering. He reached out and stroked her cheek. The worried look that was on her face disappeared. Legolas was still confused about what she meant when she had said "I killed her." She didn't shoot Arwen! Her eyes opened. They had lost the haunted look they had had when they found her, only to regain it again in the last several days.
"How do you feel?" he asked gently.
"Like shit."
"Is that an improvement?"
She blinked. And then she smiled. "Yes, I guess it is."
"Are you hungry?" Again Legolas looked at her malnourished body. She was thin as a pole and her bones were jutting out.
Diena shook her head. She too looked at her body. Realizing how skinny she was, she knew she should eat something. But she didn't feel the need, she wasn't hungry.
Again she started to shiver with cold and Legolas drew her close to him. She smiled up at him. "Mela, I'm worried about you. You need to eat something! Lord Elrond is worried about you too. You haven't eaten in days!"
Diena shrugged her frail, thin shoulders. "Not hungry," was all she said.
"I must go. I'll be back, melamin!" With that, Legolas stood up and left the room. Diena was left alone with her thoughts.
She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't hear the door open again. Someone touched her arm. Diena jumped and looked up.
Dark eyes.
"Malechnian."
"Lady Diena, I came only to see if you are well." His eyes scanned her thin body. Hastily she tried to cover herself up.
"I'm fine, thank you! I wish to dress now, you can leave." She didn't wish to dress but it was her excuse for getting him to leave her room.
He only laughed at her. "Leave? Why? The fun is just beginning." He leaned in so his face was mere centimetres away from hers. She could feel his breath on her face. The feral look was in his eyes again. Gently he reached out and touched her face with his cold fingers.
Diena didn't mind when Legolas did this but this Malechnian guy was really starting to scare her. She forcefully put her hands on his chest and pushed him away. After not eating for almost a week, she was not strong enough to push him very far.
Again, Malechnian laughed. "I've seen you and the prince together. You know what I want," His eyes roved over her body again, "And if I don't get it, there will be a price to pay."
"Kill me, I do not care!" Diena did care but she would not let him see her fear.
"You? Why would I kill you? I was thinking more along the lines of... your little prince."
Diena gasped. "No! Even if he was dead, I would never lay with you!"
A dangerous look flashed across Malechnian's face. "You may not, but you may if it will keep him from dying." He smirked dangerously as understanding flashed through her.
She couldn't believe it. Diena was so absorbed in thinking about what to do she didn't even realize Malechnian had left the room.
The only thing that she could think of to do was to make Legolas think that she didn't want to be with him. If he thought that he would avoid her, if he avoided her Malechnian would leave him alone and he would be safe. Silently she stood up and left her room.
- - - - -
Arwen was standing in front of Diena. She was laughing and looked so happy. Diena tried to walk towards her but she couldn't move. Suddenly a look of pain flashed across Arwen's face. She stumbled forward and Diena could see the arrow in her back.
Then suddenly, it wasn't Arwen. It was Legolas. He fell to the ground and Diena couldn't reach him to help him in any way.
"LEGOLAS!"
She felt a hand brush her arm and she sat up. Legolas was sitting beside her in the field. She must have fallen asleep.
"Melamin! Are you alright? I heard you scream and I came as fast as I could! What is wrong?"
Looking into his eyes, it was hard to remember that she had to make him think that she didn't want him. Diena had spent as much time as possible alone in the last few days so she wouldn't have to confront him.
Coldly, she stood up. "I am fine, thank you!"
Confusion crossed Legolas' face. He reached out to touch her arm but she stepped back.
"Diena, what about the other night?"
A smile almost crept across Diena's face as she remembered what they'd done. Quickly she hid her smile and looked piercingly at him. "What about it?"
She watched Legolas lower his head. A look crossed his face. It wasn't a look of pain, it was a look like he was trying to cover his feelings. Diena recognized it because she had done it so many times. He turned his back on her and started to walk away. Her resolve was breaking.
No. Don't go after him.
Ooops, too late!
"Legolas," she called and ran after him, "Wait! I can explain."
His eyes pleaded her to tell him something that would make some sense to him about why she was acting like this. Diena stalled.
"Um... Well... You see..."
This was going nowhere. To buy more time, Diena threw herself onto Legolas and kissed him. He returned the kiss but far too soon he broke it off.
Legolas' eyes searched Diena's.
"What is it melamin?" Gently he urged her to tell him.
Diena sighed but started to speak anyways. "I was in my room... and... then, um, Mal -"
She let out a cry of pain and fell over. There was an arrow protruding from her left thigh. Diena's breath was coming in gasps and her eyes were closed.
Legolas cried out her name and her eyes opened.
"Why am I always getting shot or stabbed?"
A ghost of a smile crossed Legolas' handsome (A/N: More like SEXY! Mmmm, Orlando Bloom... Okay, I'll shut up.) face as he examined the arrow in Diena's leg. He'd never seen an arrow like it before. He squeezed her hand reassuringly and started to help her up. Once she was almost in a standing position, he scooped her up and lifted her like she weighed nothing.