Great chapter Elerian, I loved it! Now it's time to see what Aniron can think up! Let's all cross our fingers and hope that my muse holds me through this whole chapter! *Aniron's POV*

Chapter 15. Backfiring Revenge

I woke up sometime early that afternoon to a tickling sensation around my nose and mouth. Groaning, I rolled over and swatted away the hand that had been brushing a feather across my face. Elerian sighed exasperatedly, and I heard her picking something up off of the ground. Two seconds later, I was totally drenched from head to toe in water.

'Gahhhhhhhhhhh! Elerian!' I cried, wiping the water out of my eyes. 'What was that for?' 'Hellooo, today is the day that our ultimate revenge commences, don't you remember?' She said, tapping my head with her fist. All of a sudden, the happenings of the previous night rushed back to me. My happening upon Legolas in the glade, his explanations for how he treated Elerian, the pleading look in his blue eyes begging me to give him a chance. The feeling of his lips brushing across mine.

'Oh, yeah, the plan, of course.' I said, my voice not sounding normal even to my ears. 'You okay?' Elerian asked, concern written in her green eyes. 'Yes, I'm fine, don't worry.' I replied, smiling evilly. 'After all the evil plan must commence.' This comment sent us into fits of giggles and our laughter echoed around the campsite. 'Well, before the plan begins, I would very much like to bathe. There's about ten pounds of dirt and blood in my hair. See you later Elerian.' I excused myself, wandering towards a small hot spring I had discovered last night, just before... I shook my head, trying to clear my mind of all images from last night, especially those of Legolas.

I came to the spring, and slipped out of the traveling dress I had changed into just after we arrived in Lothlorien. I sank into the comforting heat of the spring, rinsing the dirt and dried blood out of my long hair. I spent most of the afternoon cleaning myself off and running my fingers through my hair until it was as silky smooth as it had been in Rivendell. Feeling infinitely refreshed, I redressed and headed back towards camp, singing softly to myself.

'...Her hair was long, her limbs were white, and fair was she and free; and in the wind she went as light as leaf of linden... oh!' I ran straight into Legolas, who started in surprise before smiling at me gently and stepping out of my path. 'Good afternoon Aniron, I trust you slept well?' Not knowing what to do, I stammered that I had indeed slept well, mentally cursing myself that I had not been watching where I was going. 'That is good,' Legolas said, looking down at his feet and avoiding my eyes. I began to turn away when Legolas called me back. 'Aniron wait!'

I turned back towards him, wondering what he had to say to me this time. 'I... apologize for the suddenness of what I said last night. I know that it came as quite a shock to you, as well as to your friend who happened to overhear our conversation. She confronted me and accused me of many things, but the most painful of these accusations was her belief that I had no heart and was therefore unable to love. She has undoubtedly told you all of this?' I nodded solemnly, 'She has.' He met my eyes, sincerity written in his entire expression, 'It is not true you know what Elerian accused me of. I am not heartless, although many believe that I am unable to love because I am rather... picky in bestowing my affections on others. But you, Aniron, you are perfect, and I would not have you thinking ill of me.' He reached out and stroked my cheek, whispering 'I love you, please do not torture me this way.' Legolas looked down, a pale flush rising in his cheeks and a bolt of guilt and pity struck my heart as if it had been shot there by Legolas himself.

I heard Elerian's voice in the back of my head, scolding me. Oh no Aniron, I know you aren't feeling sorry for him. So what if I am? He's a soulless jerk, remember? Maybe he isn't as bad as we make him out to be. Maybe he really does love me. What? Like he loved me? Did he ever say that he loved you? Did those words actually come out of his mouth? SHUT UP! He's corrupting you! Yeah, well maybe I want to be corrupted!

'Aniron? Is anything wrong?' Legolas' words yanked me out of the argument that I was forming with myself. I shook my head, feeling a slight twinge behind my left eye. Great, just great, now I have a headache. 'Just a sudden headache, I'll be fine.' The elf's blue eyes filled with concern, 'Are you sure, do you need me to escort you back to camp?' Oh yeah, Elerian would just love that... Owwwww! I clenched my teeth and hissed softly in pain as the migraine hit me full force. I felt my knees buckle and I grew dizzy, colors spinning in front of my eyes.

'Aniron! Are you all right?' Legolas caught me, holding me in his arms with ease. 'My head, oh Gods, it hurts.' I muttered, gripping onto Legolas' soft shirt as the shooting pain rocketed through my head. 'Hold on, I'll take you back to camp and stop the pain.' Legolas whispered and began running back towards camp, cradling me gently in his arms.

I knew that we had arrived back in camp when three voices at once demanded to know what had happened to me. When I opened my eyes, Legolas, Merry, and Pippin were leaning over me, only one of the three doing anything to try and stop my headache. As Legolas applied a wet cloth to my forehead, Elerian stepped up cautiously. 'What happened to her?' I attempted to answer for myself, gasping 'Just a headache, nothing more.' But Legolas pushed me down onto the bed once more, 'Lie still.'

A steaming cup was pushed into my hands, and I drank the mixture, gagging at its atrocious taste. Nearly three minutes later, my headache had dissipated, and I was left to attempt to convince Merry, Pippin, and Legolas that I was fine and had no further need of their care. Legolas was the hardest of the three to convince, and even after I had persuaded him that I was fine, he held onto my hand for an extra moment before leaving me alone with Elerian.

'So what happened?' Elerian asked almost as soon as I had comfortably arranged myself in a sitting position. I shrugged 'Nothing really. I took a bath, got dressed, started to walk towards camp, ran into Legolas about half-way there, and got a headache.' Elerian raised an eyebrow skeptically, 'You ran into Legolas? Do tell.' I stood up and walked away from the bed, hoping to think of something to say before she reached me and bombarded me with questions.

'Aniron, you aren't telling me something, I know it.' Elerian sounded more than a little irritated, but her hand on my shoulder was gentle. 'You can tell me anything, you've always been able to.' I turned to face her, praying this would go better than the argument in my mind had. 'Elerian, I don't think the plan is going too well.' My voice was little more than a whisper and Elerian's eyes grew wide. 'What do you mean?' I tried to make myself sound more confident, only to fail miserably, 'I can't do it. I can't break Legolas' heart. It would be like kicking a puppy.'

Elerian's voice was all tenderness, 'Yes you can, I know you can. You've done it before. I remember you doing it. You broke all of their hearts, what difference is one more?' I shook my head, 'This isn't the same Elerian.' I could tell she was shocked, 'What do you mean? Of course this is the same!' All I could do was shake my head and try to hold back the tears that threatened. Elerian was shocked beyond belief, 'This is the same situation as all of the others, more or less. You hated all of the others, and I'm sure you hate Legolas...' I closed my eyes, bowing my head slightly. 'You can't be serious, Aniron. Are you actually pitying Legolas?' Oh Gods, this is too much like my imagined argument. 'I cannot believe you! You know how he treated me, and yet you still feel sorry for him!' I sighed, 'Elerian please just listen to me...' My words were totally ignored. 'How could you possibly feel sorry for him? He is heartless deceiver who uses young women as his own personal playthings and tosses them aside when a better toy comes along.'

Oh my dear Elerian, how much you do not comprehend. Don't you realize that this isn't the same as shooing away high school boys who believe themselves in love when, in actuality, they have no idea what love really is. Neither you nor I can imagine waiting to find love for nearly three millennia, and I suppose that is our greatest fault. Can elves die of a broken heart? I'd rather not find out for myself.

'Elerian, do you truly believe that anyone, much less Legolas, is capable of such disgraceful behavior?' I opened my eyes to look into her face and saw that her green eyes were ablaze with anger and dismay. 'He has cast his spell over you, as he did with me. You are no longer able to tell what is good or bad.' I raised my eyebrows, 'Can I not? Elerian you have become overcome with the concept of revenge, I beg that you calm yourself and let me handle this as I see fit.'

My friend threw her hands up in the air, 'Fine, FINE! I'll leave you be, but let me tell you, when he abandons you, I reserve all rights to say "I told you so."' Her look softened and she touched my hand, 'I don't want to see you hurt, you always have handled things like this worse than I have.' I smiled, 'I'm not fourteen anymore, Elerian, have some faith in me.' She returned the smile, 'I always have.' I stood and began to walk out of camp, when Elerian called to me, 'Be careful!' I turned back and nodded before disappearing behind the trees.

The golden leaves were beautiful in the light of the sun, and I had the overwhelming desire to laugh when the wind caught them up sending showers of glittering light everywhere. I loved Lothlorien, it was so easy to forget my troubles when I walked along the paths between the majestic mallorn trees. I walked into a sun-drenched glade, to find Legolas standing there, examining one of the trees. Fighting back an intense feeling of deja-vu I walked into the glade, unsure of what to do.

Legolas turned and looked at me, smiling slightly, 'Strange, is it not, how fate keeps leading us to each other.' I tried to gather the courage to speak, despite the fact that I felt as though my heart had leaped into my throat. 'Yes,' my voice was softer than a whisper, but I knew that Legolas had heard it. He turned and walked over to me, stopping short several feet, looking quite unsure of himself. 'You must despise me for my actions towards your friend. I am a fool for trying win you when the odds are so against me. If you do not wish for me to trouble you any longer, speak the word and I will leave you alone forever.' I stood, shocked by his words. I had the chance to end this without any guilt, the chance to please Elerian, but did I want this chance? I looked into Legolas' eyes, and for once I could read the emotions that swam in the cobalt depths. Fear and determination flashed across his eyes, but the most prominent emotion displayed was love.

I stepped towards him, drawn by the light in his eyes. He reached out and took my hands in his, whispering 'You are trembling, Aniron.' I was unable to breathe at the intimacy of this statement and my legs felt as if they had turned to jelly. What has happened to me? Ah HA! Elerian's voice in my mind returned with a vengeance. I knew this would happen. Knew what would happen exactly? I knew he would make you fall in love with him. WHAT? I'm not in love with him. Why are you acting this way then? I don't... I know you better than anyone else, Aniron. You love him.

Oh Gods. I did not realize I had spoken aloud until Legolas asked me what was wrong. 'Nothing, there is nothing wrong,' I breathed, closing my eyes as he touched my cheek. 'You did not answer me before, Aniron.' I opened my eyes as Legolas began to speak again. 'Do you wish for me to leave you? As much as it pains me, I must ask you this, for I would not wish to hurt you. Would you have me leave you be?' I found my voice and courage, 'No, Legolas. A thousand times no.' He brightened visibly, 'Then you would accept my affections?' I met his eyes, feeling tears welling up in my own. 'Yes.'

Author's Note: Hmm, something tells me that Elerian needs a new love interest. Should it be: A) A Lorien elf. B) One of the members of the fellowship. C) Others chosen by the readers

She's going to hate me for that, but still, I'm letting you, the readers, decide and she can follow your advice if she wants to. We have plenty of time to write developing romance in Lothlorien, they do stay there for a month, and it's been what, two days so far? Did you recognize the song I was singing on my way back to camp? You should if you have read the books. A golden mallorn leaf to those who can guess where the song comes from. My, but I love writing twists in this story. ^___^