Chapter 10

Elven Translations: lasto beth nin, mellon nin – hear my voice my friend

                                tolo dan na galad – come back to the light

                                tithen pen – little one

                               annon lle – thank you

The wounded were once again made ready to travel. They had prepared a travois for each of the injured and each was attached behind a different horse. Once again they made for the Wood Elves realm. The traveling was slow and they had to stop frequently, but thank the Valar, nothing else happened.

Finally the gates were in sight, and when they opened, a hush fell over King Thranduil's subjects. After a brief pause, the healers moved forward to take the injured to their rooms.

Elrond slowly moved from one room to the other, giving the treatments that he couldn't give in the woods. He was extremely concerned for Estel and Kao, for they were human, with serious wounds. Most of the Elves had already started to heal, but would still be on bed rest for a while. Except Selinde, she was still in shock, and the fact that her sight was still coming and going was not good.

When his rounds were done one more time, Elrond sought out Gandalf and the King. "They are all sleeping," he told the others. "It will be a few days, but it looks good for most of them." There was no need to say who was in the most danger, for they already knew.

Thranduil had sent out several groups of warriors to check out the area of the attack and to find the horses if possible. It was while he was in meeting with Elrond and Mithrandir that the first of them returned, and rushed into the chambers.

"Your Majesty," he said. "We found the horses tracks. It appears that men took them. We are not sure that we will be able to get them back, as they crossed the Anduin at some point downstream, and we have not yet picked up the trail once more."

This was disturbing news to the King as he did not like the idea of humans in his realm, wandering freely and unchecked. This would require some serious thoughts. He was ripped from his musings as a shout was heard throughout the Halls, and Elrond rushed off again, knowing that it was coming from one of the healing rooms.

He saw the twins and Selinde battling with the healers to be allowed admittance to the humans' rooms. Estel and Kaolith had been given adjacent rooms, but the double door between them stood open in case one should awake. Knowing that as soon as the elder Ranger was coherent enough to realize the situation, he would want to see the child, the doors were only closed when dressings needed to be changed. Stilling the healers, and glaring at the Rivendell Elves and their companion, he allowed them in, on the condition that they remained seated.

Selinde's shock had momentarily abated when the Elf Lord had granted her entrance to her sister's room, but it returned with a vengeance when she saw the frail form that was enveloped in the large four-poster bed. Sinking into the easy chair, she stared silently ahead, shaking slightly, knowing that if she had not shot the girl, then she would have been able to defend herself in the attacks, and would possibly be joking with the she-Elf now, instead of walking the fine line between life and death.

It was then that the third human stumbled into the room, almost collapsing on Kaolith's bed, tears in his eyes. He, too, had awoken when his friend was being moved, and had experienced her memory lapse for the first time. He was genuinely afraid for her therefore, when he could no longer see her chest rising and falling, and felt himself being lifted from the bed and taken to Strider's room. Then, the doors were closed.

They were all kicked out of Kao's room. Elrond, Gandalf and the Mirkwood healers worked tirelessly on the human. There were several times when they thought they had lost her.

The others were all doing much better, physically. Tanad had fought before, but nothing this intense. Even when his father died, he had not been this affected. Strider had also had a hard recovery, but his healing was getting better daily. The injured Mirkwood warriors, Legolas and the twins, though all seriously injured, were grateful for their Elven healing ability and were feeling much better. Selinde was a different story. She was healing physically, like all Elves, but mentally she just couldn't forgive herself.

If she hadn't run away, they wouldn't have followed; therefore none of them would have been hurt. She felt guilty for it all, and didn't even want to think about shooting Kao. That was unforgivable. The others tried to talk with her, but she would have none of it. She just couldn't forgive herself.

For two days they worked on Kao, and finally had her stable and on the mend. They finally breathed a sigh of relief, and her friends got a chance to see her. Selinde just stood in the doorway, and couldn't bring herself to get any closer.

Later that evening, Selinde watched as some of the King's scouts returned once again. She knew that humans had stolen the horses and she wondered what they had found out. That information however, was not shared with her.

The next morning she approached Lord Elrond. "I would like your permission to take leave of this place," she said.

Elrond was not surprised. He knew the young female carried a lot of guilt. "Selinde," he started, but she interrupted.

"I know what you would say, and I won't hear it. I know I am to blame, and can never expect you to forgive me for putting your sons in danger." She paused for a moment, but spoke again before he got the chance. "Please give me leave Lord Elrond. I cannot watch this again. If she wakes without her memory, I will not be able to survive it. Let me seek that which I need to find."

"I know where you would go," Elrond said, much concern in his voice. "It is not safe to travel there, and the realm of Bethune was destroyed long ago."

"Yes, maybe," she conceded.

He caught the word. "Maybe Selinde? What are you not telling me?"

"There was a legend. I have not thought of it for years, not until this whole thing with my 'human' blood came up."

"Yes." He encouraged.

Selinde continued. "The legend says that Bethune cannot ever be found by any again, unless descended from those of old who once dwelled there. I never gave much heed to it. Wasn't given the time really." She paused shuddering as her mind drifted to the past. "When it was spoken of, it was only in whispers and not a one of us were sure if the legend was true."

Elrond looked skeptically at the young Elf. "Let us send word to Lady Galadriel, maybe she would know something of this legend."

"That would be fine." Selinde agreed. "I don't know if I can wait for an answer however. I must leave soon."

"I will send the message in the morning, with King Thranduil's permission of course. I will need to use one of his messengers. Please wait until we receive word."

The she-Elf nodded, but the Elf Lord was not sure she would comply. There was something urging her to leave soon, and he only hoped he had the answers before she disappeared again.

Aragorn found himself once again keeping watch at Kaolith's bedside, lost in his own thoughts and absently stroking her hair. He didn't even realize that he was speaking aloud, "Kaolith, Kao, come on sweetie, wake up for me. Just open your eyes, little one, that's all. Lasto beth nin mellon nin. Tolo dan na galad tithen pen. You have to wake…" he felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked up into Legolas's eyes.

"She will be all right, you'll see. She's too stubborn not to be. Besides, she has to tell Selinde that she doesn't blame her. Why don't you get some sleep, I will watch her." He knew it was pointless to suggest, but it was worth a shot.

"No, Legolas. If she wakes and does not…she'll need to see a human face, just in case. I will rest when I know she is all right. Annon lle, Legolas."

With that, they heard the door open slightly, and Tanad stumbled in, tears in his eyes. "I had a bad dream, is she still okay?"

"She is as well as before, Tan, don't worry. Come here." Aragorn took the boy into his lap, and laughed when he fell asleep instantly. "Nay, my friend, I will wait for her to wake right here."

"I thought as much. I will sit with you then," and with that he pulled up a chair, looking down at the child. "She is so small, she almost looks more like a Hobbit. Do you know why?"

"From what we gathered in those months, it's something that Hagley did to her, but we cannot be sure, she may just be short."

"I am not short, I just haven't grown into my feet yet." Kaolith groaned and attempted to curl into a ball to stave off the pain.

"Kao!" The two placed hands gently but strongly on her shoulders to keep her from ripping stitches and making matters worse.

Forcing one eye open, she looked at Strider and Legolas. "Oh Elbereth, where am I this time?" She did not recognize the room, or the trees outside, and was worried momentarily.

Legolas laughed. "You are in my home, tithen pen. You are in Mirkwood, at the Palace."

"Oh. Good then. Where is…where is she this time?" Kaolith looked into the Ranger and Elf's eyes, searching for bad news.

"Worry not, mellon nin, she is well. As well as can be expected anyway."

"What happened? Is Tanad all right?" She looked down at the sleeping form of the boy in Strider's lap. "And 'Ro and 'Dan? They are okay too?"

"We are right here, little one, and all is well. It is you that we have been worried about. You seem to have a knack for getting into trouble, now don't you." Elladan stepped into the room, Elrohir on his heels.

"Then where is Selinde?"

Selinde was in fact wandering the courtyard. She cursed herself for the millionth time for asking permission to leave. She had asked Lord Elrond several more times and he kept putting her off. She even asked the King and he deferred to Elrond. At this moment, she was one pretty pissed off she-Elf. She was contemplating just how to escape when Galdalf found her.

"Getting ready for flight?" The old wizard asked.

Selinde looked chagrined at being able to be read so well.

"Twas not hard to figure out," Gandalf laughed. "You have worn a path in the courtyard since your arrival here.

Selinde looked down and was shocked to see that what he said was actually true and not just a jest. She gave the wizard a wry smile. "You think they would let me leave then," she commented. "Before I tread a mote in the middle of the courtyard."

Gandalf laughed with great mirth, which only irritated the she-Elf more.

"Be patient little one. I'm sure word is soon to come from the Lady of the Wood. While you are waiting, why not see your friend? She has awakened, and has asked for you."

"She remembers me?" Selinde asked cautiously. The Gray Wizard just nodded and gave an encouraging nod to her. He then left, to let her make her own decisions.

The others were waiting in the hall, for the healers were checking on Kao's injuries. When Selinde saw them, she stopped. She could not approach them, for she had let her guilt fester, and imagined that there could no longer be friendship, for what she had done. When Elrohir tried to approach her, she just shook her head with tears streaming down her face. Elladan reached out to his brother, and pulled him back. He nodded to the others to follow him and they left Selinde to her own thoughts, while waiting to see Kao.

*I can't do this. She's going to hate me. I shot her. She can't forgive me for that. It's not something that one can forget. So what if she remembers me? She probably only asked for me to see if I had left her alone yet. I know how stubborn she is, and she…* the she-Elf was ripped from her thoughts as she found herself suddenly shoved into the Ranger's room. She turned as the door was shut and locked, catching only a glimpse of Legolas's hair before she was trapped in.

Snickering outside the door and shaking his head, the Prince was once again thankful that he had learned the Halls so well that he could get around them without anyone knowing he was behind them. Turning again, he left to join his friends hiding out in Aragorn's room.

The healers had just left Kaolith to sleep, but had not drugged her, for once. She looked up as the she-Elf cursed under her breath, taking in the sight of the tears and disheveled appearance. "Selinde?"

The worry in Kaolith's eyes was mistaken for fear, and Selinde began to panic, not wanting to scare the child anymore, and turned to pull at the door. She wanted to get away more than anything, and at the same time, comfort the child and make all the pain go away.

"Selinde, what's wrong, I'm sorry I scared you."

To the Reviewers:

Cathy - Hello Cathy! Pointy sticks? Now thats not very nice. An army of readers? I don't think we have an army of readers. Maybe you, Sparx and Karine can join arms and pretend to be an army. LMAO

WannabeHey wannabe! I hope you are enjoying the story. You'll just have to wait and see what happens.

Sparx - Hey Sparx! No, I guess we don't give them much of a break. *Wonders why* Too much to think about. Anyway, I'm glad you are enjoying and continue to enjoy. *Update your fic soon also* LMAO

Christine - Wow Christine! What wonderful things to say. *Looks at Cube* Do we deserve them. *Looks at end of Fic* I think we better run now. LMAO Keep reading Chris, we will try to keep you happy.

Kar  - Hey Karine! I dare you to out cliffie us. As a matter of fact, you might have already. And I know you will keep reading, you couldn't stay away if you tried. LMAO