Hey, faithful readers! Sorry it's taken me so long to post, but my school seems to think that if we have free time we are doing something wrong. Read and review!

Chapter 14. Bone-bruises

I was tired, but I could not sleep. Each time I closed my eyes I was hounded by visions of blue eyes and windswept blonde hair. When we had first come to Lothlorien, Galadriel had spoken to me, and her words echoed in my mind. Time can heal all wounds that love will cause. Her message was cryptic, but made sense. Fortunately, I had always been a quick healer. Why was he being so horrible? I understood that he was possibly jealous of my bow skills, which I had practiced for an extremely long time, but he had seen my battles in Moria, and how appallingly awful I had done. "Appallingly. That's why."

I fled the uncomforting shelter of camp, striding into the trees. They seemed to call out to me in their beauty and splendor, singing of comfort and rest, and so I climbed, coming to rest in boughs low enough that I could jump, but higher than I could be seen, and my peacefulness disrupted. Dangling my legs over the limb, I watched the floor of the forest. Just as I began to close my eyes to relax, Legolas entered the glade beneath me, closely followed by Aniron. I leaned down so that I could hear what was said, holding my breath.

As they spoke my anger grew. Tears welled up, but I knew that if I let them fall I would be discovered. My anger, although intense, was not directed towards my friend, for she fought for me as valiantly as she would have in any battle, but when Legolas made his last request I knew she would not prevail, for the forces against her were great. When she left, he simply stood, and I slipped from my perch to land with my back to him.

I whirled to face a look of shock and fear, for he had some sense, if not sensitivity. Had I been carrying my bow, he would likely have been dead or near it, but as I was not, severe mental scarring and deep bone-bruises to his ego would have to suffice. I began to pace in a circle about him, as he stood rigid, trying to control the obvious sudden urge to bolt.

"You know, when I came here, had some romanticized image of you in my mind. I seem to have thought you valiant, true, CARING, loyal, perhaps you even were capable of love... but now I see that this was just a facade put on like clothing, to be changed when dirty, torn, or when you feel like it. Behind your mask you have nothing. Still, I find it hard to believe that anyone could really be so shallow as to see nothing beyond beauty and battle skill, yet become jealous when a girl has these things. Truly you are beyond me, a walking contradiction, for how could you possibly love me when you have no heart?" He stood, head bowed, and then decided that my tirade was better answered.

"I love Aniron."

"Again, how could a cold, soulless being like you love anyone. I pity you, for you may never know what it feels like to be cared for."

I had been a fool, a blind and stupid fool. He had seemed so perfect, and I had not stopped to realize that everyone has character flaws, even those who seem perfect in every way. I needed Aniron, but more than her company, I wanted something else. To prove him wrong.

When I caught up to Aniron, I informed her of what I had witnessed. A look entered her eyes almost the same as the one I had previously received, but I quickly quelled her fear of my anger. "It's quite fine, I will just need your help. He's a shallow jerk whom I would very much enjoy harming, but I can do much more damage to his ego with what I have in mind." A hasty conference and many giggles later, I was on my way to sweet redemption.

"Doesn't... passing out... sound fun?" Aniron panted, flopping on her back in the leaves.

I was only able to drudge up the energy to shout one word. "Yes!" I lay, stretched out, wishing that someone would either shoot me or remind me how to breathe. We had spent half the night getting ready for today, and we had worked incredibly hard. "Okay, get up, then we can go SLEEP!"

"I'll get up for that and food alone."

"Well if we get up, we can go sleep, and then it will be time for food." I helped her to her feet, and we wandered back to our camp to rest and change. As we entered, lighthearted from the first real enjoyment we had had in a long time, someone walked into me, and I looked up at two blue eyes, which were quickly averted.

Author's Note: Well that's my chapter. Guys can be real jerks, can't they? Oh well, I do love sweet revenge!