When he awoke from his imposter sleep the night had fallen, and while he was a bit sore, Hedregon was overjoyed to find that for the first time in two weeks, it did not hurt him to move. His legs were healed; all of his bruises, cuts, and bashes where gone. Sircyn's blow from the shovel was greatly reduced, but it was still there. Hedregon guessed it would be until he died.

Looking around and seeing that no one was about, he got up and crept back to the main road he had come on, searching for the maiden whom he had been calling "Rathien" for some time now in his mind. He felt that it was her grace that brought him to Lórien and had strengthened him to come as far as he had.

The bridge was empty as far as Hedregon was concerned. Its only occupant was another Elven maid, this one with a peach-colored dress and matching light red hair which fell down past her waist. Pretty, yes, actually quite beautiful, but she was not Rathien.

Then all of a sudden she fled off of the bridge and down a silken rope. Hedregon hopefully followed her through the trees. He felt like he was making an awful amount of noise, but while she did hear him and turn around several times, she seemed to be too concerned with where she was going to notice.

Elves were quite strange indeed.

"Anna!" Someone cried, and soon Hedregon was looking into a clearing.

It was small, but the trees above it gave way to an opening in the canopy, so the moon shone down upon 'Anna' and the girl who had called her name. In a dress of pearly water, the moonlight gave way to her identity as Rathien. Hedregon hid in the brush, watching the girls talk.

"You managed to get out?" Anna asked.

"Yes," Rathien answered, "I think I've finally found a sufficient path of escape. Did you bring them?"

Anna grinned. "Far too simply. Here," she said as she handed Rathien a worn sword and its sheath, a quiver with arrows, a bow, and several short knives.

Rathien's face shone with glee, "Anna," she said as she looked over the weapons, "How can I ever repay you?"

"Easy. I did it myself, for you would be moping and miserable had I not retrieved them for you. So you are on tree arrest again?"

"Yes, but I wanted to tell you about the battle. I paid dearly for that one, as well as tree arrest; Galadriel took the color from my sight. Indeed it does feel strange looking at your hair and not seeing the fire. Oh, but I cannot stay long; if Galadriel catches me out . . ." she shuddered, and for a brief moment the light and wonder dimmed from her eyes.

"Lisiael?" So that was her name!

"Anyway. The battle. It was fantastic, Anna! We fought the orcs who had attacked the northern border, but they never had a chance. I took down seven all on my own, and it wasn't even until the way back that the other soldiers realized I was a maiden!"

Both Elves laughed gaily as Lisiael - no, Hedregon still preferred Rathien - continued to describe epic moments in this battle she had snuck off to, or so it seemed.

Finally the laughter died down and Anna asked in a low voice, "Did you see the human that was brought in today?"

Rathien nodded solemnly.

"He looked terrible," Anna continued, "What do you suppose could have befallen him, or do men simply look like that?"

"He is running away from something, I'm not quite sure what."

"Lisiael, you did not!"

"I know it was rude, I know, I know, but I was just so curious."

Anna still gave her an awestruck look, almost a 'how-could-you-do-that?' but a bit humored.

"I didn't even get very far. His mind was somehow blocked from me."

"Blocked?" Now Anna was curious.

"Yes, I couldn't quite place where his thoughts were . . . as if they were scattered and fluttering all over the place. The only two specific feelings I picked up were betrayal and . . . and . . . um," Rathien stammered out of disbelief of her own words.

"Well, what?"

"Well . . . it was . . . it was love. Love for life, love for everything around him, love for the people he left behind, and while I do not understand why, love for me. He . . . he loves me."

Anna was bemused, "Love? Lise, love is a fairy-tale. I have heard stories that it was once real, but now it is just an excuse to give away freedom. Have you not sworn multiple times that you would never marry?"

"But I felt free! And I know this must sound like one of my mad fantasies, Anna, but I think I love him also. I completely forgot Galadriel and Eilliuyn and that crazy Elf Mela, you know the one, well, all of the reality of my life was washed away the second I looked into his eyes. He, also, lives in a romanticized world of make-believe, I could tell. I also can guess that I will remember this mad night forever."

Anna did not seem to understand, but Hedregon did. The Elf Rathien had just described better than he ever could have exactly why his heart was beating so fast earlier when he first saw her, and why it was now just from watching her. Then something happened.

Rathien's eyes grew wide with fright of something which seemed to so horrible that Hedregon did not want to even know what it was. Her entire soul had disappeared again, replaced by a dead terror strong enough to disturb Hedregon. Anna, too, looked worried,

"Is it the Lady?"

"Oh, she has me this time, Anna," Lisiael (no longer Rathien) choked. She grabbed Anna's shoulders, shaking her, "Anna, what should I do?"

"Go!" Anna whispered hoarsely. "As fast as you can, just fly, Lisiael!"

Lisiael flew. She flew directly into Hedregon and crashed to the ground. "You!"

"Here, are you alright? Let me help you up -"

"Please, I cannot stay!"

"Meet me, then! In an hour's time, back here."

"You do not understand. I won't be able to -"

"Then I will see you when I will. Fate has chosen us."

For a brief instant, Lisiael had changed back into Rathien, who whispered, "Yes, fate. We will meet again," with a smile. She reached her hand up to touch Hedregon's face, but pulled back suddenly, crying out before running past him through the trees.

Hedregon ran after her, prepared to spy some more.