**Narmo**
Legolas and I rushed down the halls toward the dinner hall, hoping to not be late or impolite. As we rounded the last corner, Legolas and I stopped dead in our tracks. Faramir stood between the door and us; Faramir and Legolas had always been rivals.
"Legolas, may I speak to you?" he asked curtly.
Legolas looked to me and then answered, "But of course, my lord."
Legolas bowed to excuse himself of my presence and I hurried through the large wooden doors, seating myself at the table and saving beside me a seat for him.
**Legolas**
Faramir roughly grabbed my right arm and pulled me into a nearby room, slamming the door behind him.
"Surely I have done nothing to upset you?" I asked.
"Aye, you have indeed done something meriting brusqueness," replied Faramir. "When Merry came into your room this morning to rouse you, he found you not there. He was most aggrieved to find you in Narmo's room. I must ask: you slept with her and she comes with bandages on her chest this morning?"
I was aghast. He could not possibly think I forced her into intercourse. My jaw clenched. Faramir had always watched me unceasingly, looking for any reason to condemn me. This was his chance.
"I did nothing to her," I said. "It was a man in the forest, a man using my knife, disguised beyond reckoning. I left the knife in my room. He must have broken in after Narmo and I left for a walk last night."
"A walk, that late a night, alone, so far away? Surely your intentions were not pure." said Faramir, a singsong tone in his voice.
"It was her idea entirely," I replied.
"I am certain," said Faramir, looking me over disdainfully. "As far as I am concerned, you are not to see her again, for her safety, but it is for Lord Aragorn to decide."
"Not see her? For her safety?" I asked, completely disbelieving. "We are the closest of friends; she will not comply! Narmo would never leave me for some order of yours. It would be folly to believe otherwise."
"When she thought it was you who attacked her, did she come to you willingly? Or did she recoil?"
"She feared me," I answered.
"Precisely. Another attack, and she will not return to you. I suggest you watch your steps carefully," said Faramir in a snarl. "Come to Aragorn's chamber after the meal hour. I shall tell him of my findings and you shall receive the Lord's council. We'll be expecting you."
With that, Faramir left the room, the large wooden door slamming behind him. I stood looking after him with disbelief. I slid down against the wall. I sat there, thinking, trying to think of an argument to redeem myself and keep what Narmo and I had. Friendship was not what I craved, but it was all I had, all we had. I could not let even that go.
I sat there, trying my hardest to save what meant so much to me, until I heard people leaving the dinner hall. How could they be talking, laughing?
**Narmo**
I sat through lunch, alone, worrying for Legolas. As I walked down the hallway, I saw Legolas hurry down the hall in front of me. I ran after him, calling his name, but he seemed not to hear me. Legolas ducked into Aragorn's chamber and shut the door behind him. I caught up; I went to open the door, but my hand stilled as I heard the conversation inside.
"Ah, Legolas has come, my Lord," announced Faramir's voice.
"My Lord, I me-" said Legolas.
"Quiet," interrupted Faramir. "My Lord, dearest Aragorn, Legolas stayed the night in Narmo's bedchamber last night, after an attack to her in the forest with his knife performed by a disguised man. He cleaned the wound, on her chest. What say you?"
There was silence. I was pressed against the door, listening to every word breathlessly. They thought that Legolas had forced himself on me. I should have never accepted his kindness to keep me company the night before. He was being held on trial for his generosity toward me. Suddenly, I felt faint; I leaned against the door.
"Legolas, is this true?" Aragorn asked, a crestfallen note to his voice.
"Aye, my Lord, but-" said Legolas.
"Legolas, I am most disappointed. But I shall be lenient with you for Narmo's sake," said Aragorn sternly. "You may maintain your friendship, but nothing more. A chaperone shall be in order at all times you are with her. But, as to her healing, Faramir, as he is a well-proclaimed healer, shall care for her. Narmo shall not know of our meeting or any of the restrictions hereby sanctioned. So goes my command."
There was silence, deathly silence.
"As you wish, my Lord," said Legolas finally, complete defeat overwhelming his voice.
I ran back to my room and quickly changed into a nightgown, diving under the sheets. The faintness returned. My eyes closed and I slipped into darkness.
**Legolas**
I followed Faramir to Narmo's room upon his command. As we entered, our eyes were met by the wounded elf sleeping peacefully. Faramir bent over her as to wake her.
"Do not," I said. "You would scare her. No one should be woken to such a horrible sight, as your face, for fear of an immediate reaction."
"And you should be the one?" snarled Faramir.
"Aye," I answered, pretending not to notice his tone.
I knelt beside Narmo and gently brushed the hair out of her face, whispering, "Wake, mellon [friend]."
Narmo stirred and her eyes opened.
"Legolas," she whispered, putting her clammy hand on my cheek.
Narmo was freezing cold. I looked at the bandages on her chest, at the blood that was soaking through. I put a hand against her chest. Her heart was racing, just as I suspected.
"Faramir, her heartbeat is much to fast. Her blood pressure will surely be her death!"
"Quiet, Legolas," replied Faramir, pushing me from her side. "I am the healer here and I order you out. You continue frightening her talking about her death, and her blood pressure will be her death!"
"I am not frightened," said Narmo weakly. "Let him stay. Please. For my sake."
"No, I shall not hear of it," bellowed Faramir. "Out!"
I left, but as I turned to close the door, I saw Narmo, looking in vain after me and my heart plummeted as I closed the door on her. She needed me, now more than ever, and I had left her.
Legolas and I rushed down the halls toward the dinner hall, hoping to not be late or impolite. As we rounded the last corner, Legolas and I stopped dead in our tracks. Faramir stood between the door and us; Faramir and Legolas had always been rivals.
"Legolas, may I speak to you?" he asked curtly.
Legolas looked to me and then answered, "But of course, my lord."
Legolas bowed to excuse himself of my presence and I hurried through the large wooden doors, seating myself at the table and saving beside me a seat for him.
**Legolas**
Faramir roughly grabbed my right arm and pulled me into a nearby room, slamming the door behind him.
"Surely I have done nothing to upset you?" I asked.
"Aye, you have indeed done something meriting brusqueness," replied Faramir. "When Merry came into your room this morning to rouse you, he found you not there. He was most aggrieved to find you in Narmo's room. I must ask: you slept with her and she comes with bandages on her chest this morning?"
I was aghast. He could not possibly think I forced her into intercourse. My jaw clenched. Faramir had always watched me unceasingly, looking for any reason to condemn me. This was his chance.
"I did nothing to her," I said. "It was a man in the forest, a man using my knife, disguised beyond reckoning. I left the knife in my room. He must have broken in after Narmo and I left for a walk last night."
"A walk, that late a night, alone, so far away? Surely your intentions were not pure." said Faramir, a singsong tone in his voice.
"It was her idea entirely," I replied.
"I am certain," said Faramir, looking me over disdainfully. "As far as I am concerned, you are not to see her again, for her safety, but it is for Lord Aragorn to decide."
"Not see her? For her safety?" I asked, completely disbelieving. "We are the closest of friends; she will not comply! Narmo would never leave me for some order of yours. It would be folly to believe otherwise."
"When she thought it was you who attacked her, did she come to you willingly? Or did she recoil?"
"She feared me," I answered.
"Precisely. Another attack, and she will not return to you. I suggest you watch your steps carefully," said Faramir in a snarl. "Come to Aragorn's chamber after the meal hour. I shall tell him of my findings and you shall receive the Lord's council. We'll be expecting you."
With that, Faramir left the room, the large wooden door slamming behind him. I stood looking after him with disbelief. I slid down against the wall. I sat there, thinking, trying to think of an argument to redeem myself and keep what Narmo and I had. Friendship was not what I craved, but it was all I had, all we had. I could not let even that go.
I sat there, trying my hardest to save what meant so much to me, until I heard people leaving the dinner hall. How could they be talking, laughing?
**Narmo**
I sat through lunch, alone, worrying for Legolas. As I walked down the hallway, I saw Legolas hurry down the hall in front of me. I ran after him, calling his name, but he seemed not to hear me. Legolas ducked into Aragorn's chamber and shut the door behind him. I caught up; I went to open the door, but my hand stilled as I heard the conversation inside.
"Ah, Legolas has come, my Lord," announced Faramir's voice.
"My Lord, I me-" said Legolas.
"Quiet," interrupted Faramir. "My Lord, dearest Aragorn, Legolas stayed the night in Narmo's bedchamber last night, after an attack to her in the forest with his knife performed by a disguised man. He cleaned the wound, on her chest. What say you?"
There was silence. I was pressed against the door, listening to every word breathlessly. They thought that Legolas had forced himself on me. I should have never accepted his kindness to keep me company the night before. He was being held on trial for his generosity toward me. Suddenly, I felt faint; I leaned against the door.
"Legolas, is this true?" Aragorn asked, a crestfallen note to his voice.
"Aye, my Lord, but-" said Legolas.
"Legolas, I am most disappointed. But I shall be lenient with you for Narmo's sake," said Aragorn sternly. "You may maintain your friendship, but nothing more. A chaperone shall be in order at all times you are with her. But, as to her healing, Faramir, as he is a well-proclaimed healer, shall care for her. Narmo shall not know of our meeting or any of the restrictions hereby sanctioned. So goes my command."
There was silence, deathly silence.
"As you wish, my Lord," said Legolas finally, complete defeat overwhelming his voice.
I ran back to my room and quickly changed into a nightgown, diving under the sheets. The faintness returned. My eyes closed and I slipped into darkness.
**Legolas**
I followed Faramir to Narmo's room upon his command. As we entered, our eyes were met by the wounded elf sleeping peacefully. Faramir bent over her as to wake her.
"Do not," I said. "You would scare her. No one should be woken to such a horrible sight, as your face, for fear of an immediate reaction."
"And you should be the one?" snarled Faramir.
"Aye," I answered, pretending not to notice his tone.
I knelt beside Narmo and gently brushed the hair out of her face, whispering, "Wake, mellon [friend]."
Narmo stirred and her eyes opened.
"Legolas," she whispered, putting her clammy hand on my cheek.
Narmo was freezing cold. I looked at the bandages on her chest, at the blood that was soaking through. I put a hand against her chest. Her heart was racing, just as I suspected.
"Faramir, her heartbeat is much to fast. Her blood pressure will surely be her death!"
"Quiet, Legolas," replied Faramir, pushing me from her side. "I am the healer here and I order you out. You continue frightening her talking about her death, and her blood pressure will be her death!"
"I am not frightened," said Narmo weakly. "Let him stay. Please. For my sake."
"No, I shall not hear of it," bellowed Faramir. "Out!"
I left, but as I turned to close the door, I saw Narmo, looking in vain after me and my heart plummeted as I closed the door on her. She needed me, now more than ever, and I had left her.