Hey everybody! Sorry this took me so long. Basically, I took the 'chapter' I posted previously and revised/rewrote and added to it. I don't know if I'm actually going to continue with this or not. I've had a thousand different LotR fanfiction ideas going through my head and I'm trying to finish the books (finally). *shrugs* We'll see, eh?

Disclaimer: If you really think I own this or that I think I own this… you have serious mental issues.

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"To Find One's Past"

By Amaya Nyte Rayne

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            The sun was high in the mid-day sky when the company of elves stopped for a quick rest. The leader of the company, a certain Prince Legolas Greenleaf of Mirkwood, led his horse to the nearby stream along with his companions. Though there was not a cloud in the sky and the sun beat down upon them, the day was not hot. A strong wind weaved its way through the woods, tossing away any thought of heat and summer. Winter was fast approaching, Legolas noted.

            A strange feeling filled him suddenly. Something isn't right. He thought. He listened carefully to his surroundings. The song of the birds in the trees, the rush of the stream next to him, and the whispers of his companions were the only sounds to his ears. Then he heard it. The sound of battle not far.

            Without a second thought, he grabbed his bow and ran in the direction his ears lead him.

- * -

            The world twisted and swirled into a massive kaleidoscope of color. She couldn't feel the earth beneath her feet nor her brother's hand in hers. Nothing was right. She thought for sure she would faint –which she wasn't one to faint, so that was something- when it stopped. The earth crashed down around her. Or had she crashed down around it? She wasn't sure. All she knew was that there was bare earth beneath her, light shining red through her closed eyelids, and the sound of birds. Birds? Wait… that wasn't right.

            Get a grip, Liona! She scolded herself. Remember what happened. Yes, that's right. What happened?

            She tried to think back. Ryan and I were leaving the house… we were going to Alana's house… Ryan asked if I was ready… and I took his hand as we were leaving… and then the swirling colors started… ok, that explains zip.

            Slowly, she peeled open lids that felt heavy only to see blue sky. Okay… I'm lying on the ground outside… it's a start. Hearing a groan, she turned her head to the side to see her brother lying on the ground as well. That's when she saw the trees. Trees? Sitting up and looking all around her, all she saw were trees!

            "Ryan… Ryan! Wake up! You're never going to believe this. Ok, you might, but I don't!" Liona shook her brother into consciousness.

            "Just five more minutes, Li, just five more minutes…" He moaned, pushing her hands away.

            She rolled her eyes, "RYAN! We're not at home and you're not in your bed! Fucking hell, open your eyes!"

            Hearing his sister cuss –a very rare thing indeed-, he opened his eyes. "Why am I lying outside?"

            "The better question would be, 'Why are we lying in a forest?'" Liona tossed at him. Being confused always made her angry, she was infamous in her math class for her short-temper.

            Sighing, she looked around her and saw her green duffel bag along side Ryan's black one not far from them and remembered they were going to spend the night at Alana's. Thank the valor for small mercies. Now, she didn't need to worry about a change of clothes for a while.

            "Maybe we should…" She broke off as she heard a strange voice behind her.

            "Well, well, what have we here?" The voice was like grease to her ears and turning around she understood why. The voice belonged to an orc. An orc! But, but, orcs aren't real! Well, it's not like suddenly being torn from your house and landing in a strange forest happens everyday, so why not an orc?

- * -

            Legolas slowed his pace as he reached the edge of the clearing where the fighting was taking place. As he peered at the scene, he noted his men positioning themselves around the area, awaiting their prince's signal.

            His eyes widen slightly in surprise. Eight orcs surrounded a young woman and man, three orcs lay dead not far from the circle. The young man lay still on the ground, blood stained his shirt. The woman stood facing them, an orc sword in her hand, and a determined look in her eyes. Legolas whistled a short note as he raised his bow, knowing his men would follow his lead, and started firing.

            Liona took advantage of the momentary distraction of the orcs around her as she swung her borrowed sword at the orc nearest her, all the while thanking her ex-boyfriend for his insistence that she learn self-defense. Those lessons of self defense had turned into a love for sword-play. Steel and wood flew, orcs fell, and tall blond men with bows appeared out of thin air. What a day!

            She felt her sword cut through the flesh of the orc before her, its black blood covering her and the sword. Nerves on a high, she felt whirled around sensing a presence behind her. Her sword paused just before it would have cut through the skin of the handsome elf behind her.

            Wait… elf? Wait… long blond hair… tall… chiseled features… oh so sexy lean body…

            "Vedui' (Hello), Prince Legolas."

            "Vedui' (Hello), Prince Legolas." The young woman with the sword at his throat spoke to him. Her cheeks were flushed from the excitement of battle, her long blond hair was falling out of its loose braid, and her strange clothes were torn and bloody.

            "How do you know who I am?" He questioned her, suspicious of this beautiful stranger so close to Elven lands.

            "Everyone knows who you are where I'm from." She answered simply, her expression blank. A moan of pain halted any further discussion. The blank look was quickly replaced with a look of fear as she ran to kneel beside the bleeding young man.

            "Liona…" The boy moaned, hand reaching out.

            Kneeling beside him, she took his hand in her own, "I am here, brother. I am here." Tears fell down her face. There was so much blood. One of the elves came forward, looking over the wound.

            "We must get him to Lord Elrond as soon as possible." The elf said to his prince as he began to quickly wrap the nasty cut across the boy stomach. "There is only so much I can do."

            Ryan was bandaged as best as possible and then pulled onto one of the horses the elves had brought with them. Their duffel bags were loaded onto another of the horses and Liona rode behind Legolas. Speed took precedence over care and they rode hard for Rivendell. Rivendell. The thought still amazed her. None of this seemed real. Waking up in a strange forest, being attacked by orcs, being saved by elves –and Legolas among them no less!-. Most of all, she couldn't believe that her brother, her twin, her other half, was riding unconscious and half-dead just behind her. No, it was all a dream and she'd be waking up any second to find she had merely fainted in the hallway at home. Her brother would have caught her and shook her awake. Yes, that's it. He'd laugh at her for fainting and tease her for being so 'female'.

            The pain in her arm was real, she realized. Pain wasn't a thing of the Dream World. This was all real. Even the elf she currently had her arms wrapped around. The insane urge to giggle rose in her throat, but she beat it back with all her will. This was not a time to think of good-looking elf princes. Correct; incredibly drop dead gorgeous, sizzling HOT elf princes. She mentally smacked herself. Oi. This is gonna be a long trip.

- * -

            After an hour or so of hard riding they arrived in the courtyard of Lord Elrond's home. From there everything happened so fast Liona couldn't quite recall it all. Ryan had been rushed off in one direction while she was rushed in another. Too exhausted, emotionally and physically, she didn't fight the hands that guided her to one of the many guest rooms. A hot bath was already there waiting for her.

            Now, she lay in the steaming bath and sleepily peeled her eyes open to look around her. The room was beautiful and definitely Elven in design. There were no windows, rather, the room opened onto a great balcony without doors or glass to halt one. The bed lay not far from where she relaxed. It was covered in crème and pale green silks, gold embroidery weaving intricate designs of leaf, tree, and flower. The headboard was a design of gold leaf and Elven maiden, eyes closed in sleep, hands upon her breast. A gilded mirror hung on the wall across from the bed above an oak and porcelain wash stand, a, oak wardrobe stood beside it. She remembered, vaguely, walking through a sitting room. Yes, this was the bedroom and there was a connected sitting room filled with a fireplace and beautiful oak wood furniture and silk cushions of crème and pale green like those of her room.

            Sighing, she rose from the warmth of the rose-scented bath water and wrapped a big cotton towel around her body, another in her hair. Walking to where her bag lay on her bed she began pulling out all the clothes she'd packed. Finding a deep green velvet dress she stood staring at it a while. Halloween, She remembered. She had packed her costume to take with her to Alana's. They were going to discuss last minute touches. Holding the dress up to herself in the mirror, she considered the garment. It was of very simple design, but elegant. The neckline was high, the skirts reaching her ankles, and there were no sleeves. Not the style of Middle Earth, but better then the jeans and T-shirt she had as her only other option. She pulled the dress on and reached for the belt she had found to accompany it. It was made of white washed leather with a rose and vine design that complimented the 'dusty rose' colored cloak she threw on next. Running a brush through her still damp locks, she braided the long hair into a French braid, and threw on the deep green slippers she had packed as well. At least now she wouldn't stick out quite so badly.

            Now that she was dressed, she fingered her pendant nervously. She looked good, she decided. And her pendant matched the rose and vine theme she had intentionally created.

            A knock at the door to her chamber brought her mind back to reality. If you can call standing in a guest chamber in Rivendell reality, she thought dryly to herself. Out loud she called, "Come," just as she'd seen in so many movies. Again that insane urge to giggle rose and again she fought it back.

            An Elven maiden opened the door and Liona quickly recognized her as Arwen Evenstar, the Lady Umdomiel. The ladies eyes ran over her form quickly, but she said only, "Father has tended to your brother. He sleeps, but if you wish to see him I will take you to his rooms." Her voice was soft and musical as it had been in the movie, and Liona couldn't help but like the beautiful she-elf.

            "Yes, thank you, Lady Arwen." Liona responded, her voice soft with nervousness. Arwen showed no surprise at this strange human female knowing who she was. Perhaps Legolas had spoken with her? That must be it.

            Arwen led her through a few halls, through a big oak door –was everything oak around here?-, through another sitting room, and into a bedchamber. The room was very similar to her own. In fact, it was identical! In the bed lay her brother, his face pale, but his breathing was deep and even. Liona sat beside him on the bed and took his hand.

            "Father says he'll be fine. He just needs plenty of rest." Arwen whispered to her softly so as not to disturb the sleeping boy. "He also says he would like a word with you when you've the time."

            Liona leaned down to kiss her brother's brow, then with a sigh left his side, and turned to Arwen. "I've the time now. There is much I'd like to discuss with him." Merely nodding, Arwen led her out of the chamber and through many more halls. By the time they reached Lord Elrond's study –as Arwen informed her it was- Liona was hopelessly lost.