Chapter 5

Gandalf started laughing. "Yes, that must be it. A lot of humans are allergic to nuts."

Selinde growled at the old wizard, climbed off the bed and started pacing the room. Her vision hadn't fully returned, so she would periodically bump into things. "I am not human, I'm an Elf dammit, a first born, an immortal. I will not tolerate these frailties any longer."

"What's the problem Selinde, don't like the world from my point of view?" Kao was still mad at her friend and couldn't resist the barb.

"But it seems, my fine young friend, that you have what Galadriel calls, and I swear she said these exact words, The Curse of the Tainted Blood. Seemed far fetched to me, but there it is." Gandalf was also quite amused by the angry she-Elf.

"Selinde, stay away from the walnuts. Do not even eat one, and we will see if things get better. Now I suggest you lay down and get some rest."

"Rest, I won't get any rest here, I'm going home." With those words, Selinde stalked out of the room. Most in her path could here her words as she descended the stairs. "Talking about curses and tainted blood. Not being able to eat my most favorite thing. And worse, yes, worse by far, being part human." The door to the front of the house slammed shut and the clumsy Elf tripped and stumbled back to her own home.

"Looks like I won't have to climb after any more of those stupid nuts for a while; I don't even like them, they're nasty." Kaolith was finding her friend's situation a source of great amusement. "She has human blood, hah, I knew there was something that was too much like me about her."

"Kaolith!" Aragorn watched as the young human stopped what she was doing immediately and turned to look at him sheepishly. Since she had started getting her memory back, she had liked the shortened version of her name better, and no one used the full form, for the most part, unless she was in trouble.

"Yes?" her eyes were raised at the vehemence in his voice. She was also surprised to see him there, not knowing that all of them had returned to the room when they heard Selinde stalking out.

"Go after her, smart one. She is going to need your help, and I'm sure there are some leftover walnuts in your home somewhere that you need to get rid of."

The color drained from her face. "Oh Dwarf dung...right by her bed there are some..."

Kao took off like a tornado and reached the home she shared with Selinde in record time. She went to her friend's room and saw Selinde sitting there with a walnut in her hand.

"Hey there," she said. "You weren't planning on eating that were you? Maybe you should give it to me."

"Fine!" Selinde screamed. She took the walnut and threw it at Kao, hitting the young Ranger on her injured arm. "You think this is funny?" She questioned her friend. "Here, have another." This one pelted her in the thigh. After that one, they followed one after another until the bowl was empty. Kao had been smart enough to duck out after the second one and the rest bounced off the walls and furniture. One even shattered a mirror.

When the sound of hail was no longer heard from her friend's room, Kao ventured back inside. "Feel better?" She tentatively asked.

"Yeah," Selinde actually grinned. "Damn my vision though. I was aiming for your head, not your thigh."

There was a long pause between the two 'sisters', Selinde on the bed, and Kao leaning against the door.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Kao asked the only family she had, as she sat down next to her on the bed.

"I don't know. I should have. I no better than to piss you off." The Elf took a deep breath. "I just... It's well..... I didn't ...." She looked at her friend and shrugged.

"You thought because I had been so sick, by telling me, I might get worse again." Kao was right, and they both knew it.

"I'm sorry mellon nin. You are the last person I would ever want to hurt. But you always seem to be the one I do hurt."

"I know," Kao replied. "I feel the same way."

There was another long pause as the two reflected on how much they loved each other.

Kao spoke once again. "How are you right now?"

"I seem to be having a pretty bad headache right now. Do you think you could run back up to the main house and ask Lord Elrond for a draught." She lay back on the bed. "And could you please remove the walnuts from the house. I don't think I could bare to look at another one."

"Just think, thel nin, it could be worse. You could be allergic to those pine cones that you love to throw at me so often." Kaolith smiled as she retrieved the last nut and tossed them out the door.

She turned as one that Selinde had been hiding by her bed caught her on the back of the head.

"Hey! Be nice to me, or I'll do something to your draught before I get back." With that threat, the Ranger ducked out the door, leaving the she-Elf to wonder.

Kaolith wandered for sometime around the Last Homely House before going in, confused that the door had moved itself sometime recently. Reaching Lord Elrond, she wasn't surprised to see a draught waiting for her. "I don't want to hear that you put anything in this Kao, it is a very specific draught, and the slightest thing could change it for the worst. You wouldn't want that would you?" The healer was hard pressed not to shatter his stoicism as her face proved to him that his thoughts were well placed.

"Y-y-yes sir. I won't touch it, I promise." She grabbed the mug and took off again. Elrond was confused why she took off in the wrong direction; he had thought his threat had deterred her.

When Legolas found her twenty minutes later, he was concerned at her confusion.

"Kao!" He called out to her. "Is something wrong, mellon nin?"

It looked to Legolas like the girl didn't know him, and then she shook it off. "L-L-Legolas. I'm trying to take this draught to Selinde, but I can't seem to find her. Have you seen her?"

"I believe she went home Kao."

"Yes, Yes she did. That's right, now..." The girl trailed her words off, as she turned in circles, unsure of which way to go.

"It is this way." Legolas persuaded Kao back in the direction of Lord Elrond's study.

As they walked in, the Elven Lord was surprised to see Kao still holding the draught. "I thought I impressed upon you the seriousness of changing that draught Kao!" The Elven Lord admonished.

Legolas's just shook his head. "Sir, I think she is having another memory lapse." While they were talking, she had started wandering around the study. "I thought she was cured?"

"I will watch her, go and find my sons for me." Legolas understood the order and left immediately.

"Where is ..." she paused for quite some time, "he going?" She finally said.

Legolas soon returned with the Sons of Elrond. Tagging along behind, was the human boy. Before the boy had the opportunity to ask questions, Elrond gave his orders.

"Elladan, you and Legolas take Tanad back to his room and make him comfortable for the night." They nodded, knowing without hearing the words, that they are to make sure the boy does not leave his room at all.

"Estel, take Kao up to Selinde's 'guestroom'. Do not be concerned if she doesn't know you, just keep her happy."

Taking the draught from Kao as Strider led her out, he turned to the youngest twin.

"Elrohir, go and get Selinde and let her know what has happened. Help her pack for a few days up here and tell her I will have her draught for her when she gets here."

As Elrohir left to do his father's bidding, Elrond went in search of Gandalf.

Leading the child up to the guest room, Aragorn was relieved to know that she still remembered him, but could only wonder how long it would last. He eased her down onto the bed and watched, as she looked around, completely lost as to her surroundings.

"Strider, what's going on? Why can't I remember where we are? Where's Selinde, is she okay? When did we get here?" Recognition dawned in her eyes, but only stayed long enough for her to ask, "it's happening again, isn't it?" Then it was gone, and she looked up at the man sitting by her bedside. "Who are you? Where are my mom and dad?"

Not knowing how to answer that without causing more pain, as he had already had to answer those questions once, he asked her if she'd like him to tell her a story while they waited. Knowing before it happened, that she would nod her head yes; he began to tell her a story of dragons and a Hobbit and Dwarves and Elves. He remembered his brothers telling him this story when he was sick as a child, and figured it could only help.

He trailed off when he noticed his father and Gandalf standing behind him, one remembering the events vividly.

The two older men were talking amongst themselves. "It may be the stress of Selinde's situation that has brought on the memory lapse." Elrond said.

Gandalf chewed on his pipe as he thought. "Yes, yes. It could be that."

He didn't get to say anything else, for another female politely pardoned herself, then pushed her way through.

"Kao? Kao? Are you okay?" Selinde's head was splitting, but she did her best to push it aside to help her friend.

The young ranger just looked at her with blank eyes. "Where are my mom and dad?"

Selinde just stared at Kao. *No! No! It can't be happening again.* She turned on Lord Elrond and Gandalf. "I thought you said she would be fine?" She threw the words at them. "Why can't she remember me again?"

The words stung, but they all felt the same, she was a loved one.

"Here Selinde, drink this." Lord Elrond handed the draught to her. "It will help you rest. Let us see what morning brings for Kao."

She took the drink, and everyone was surprised when she threw it against the wall.

She looked at Elrond and Gandalf, and then she looked back at the bed that held her dearest friend.

Kao had also been given something to help her sleep, and was drifting in dreamland by the time Selinde approached her again.

"I am so sorry mellon nin. You mean more to me than anyone else in my life." Tears streamed down her face as she continued. "Your place in my heart is bigger than that of even Gileon and my parents." Her crying started to get worse, and she was hard pressed not to gasp between words. "I know I promised to never leave you. I swore to stay by your side and protect you always. But I didn't know about this then." The Elf stood and started to back away from the bed. "I did this once and stayed strong. Ask any of them, they will tell you. But I cannot do this again. I fear my heart will break if I have to go through every pain with you again. I am so sorry mellon nin. I cannot do it."

The Elf turned and ran from the room and left the Last Homely House.

"Let her go," Lord Elrond told his son. "She will feel better in the morning. Let her rest."

He was wrong however. Selinde remembered living every agonizing memory with Kao. The anguish over her parent's death. The torture she endured under the hands of Hagley. Her uncle Gaenry trying to kill her. Her fears of drowning. Not to mention all the pain she had inflicted, unknowingly, upon her friend, and the hours it took to explain it all. She would not live through that again.

So Selinde packed her travel bag, grabbed all her weapons and selected all the other things she would need for a long trip. She quietly slipped into the stables, took her horse and rode out of Rivendell. At first she didn't know where she would go, but all the talk of her ancestry had brought on a curiosity of her home Bethune.

To the Reviewers:

TC – Glad you liked it TC, and I think now we're starting to get into the thick of the plot, maybe.  We shall see.  Is this soon enough?

Wannabe – Umm, dunno if they get walnuts over there, but it is AU, so it's all good we like to think.  And thank you for that comment about not knowing how to improve the story.  I'm sure there are lots of ways, but thank you again.

Cathy – SEE!!! *points all reviewers to Cathy's review* We are NOT evil!  She said so herself, so there.  Anyway, whoever wrote that probably thought about cutting Aragorn, but there were other problems that needed to be addressed, and really if you read it right, it's kinda funny to picture.

Karine – See, we can write other than just angst *thinks you already knew that because of Balrog, but oh well* Did we make up for the lack of a cliffie with this chappie?

Sparx - *Pokes Sparx*  Look, a new chappie.  See the little "go" button, you need to click that to review…just keeping you on top of things…and glad you liked the part where they were trying to figure out Selinde's allergy…