AN: Thank you to all who reviewed, Kitty, Linmenel, Aurora Cyclone, and rettaw. This chapter is more of the leading up to the next chapter and so was the last chapter.

And by the way, when the story was seen from Er-Galadh point of view, Firiel is male because that's the way Er-Galadh saw her.

Chapter 5: Secret Revealed

Er-Galadh walked alongside the robed figure. The hood was still cast upon his head, blocking all the light that could penetrate through, concealing its face. Er-Galadh looked at it impatiently. //What is it that he does not want to show us?// he wondered. After many days travelling with him, the apprentice of Radagast has never once showed its face, or gives them his name for that matter. Nothing was known to the elves save for the knowledge that he was the apprentice of Radagast and that he was there to asked for the help from the elves.

Legolas had let him travelled with them out of courtesy, Er-Galadh noted. Truly there was little that he could say to argue the presence of the hooded figure for he had proved to be no burden at all. Despite of his robe, the figure had no problem travelling in a forest. //He was accustomed to this,// Er-Galadh thought as he saw the figure threading along beside him, almost invisible it seemed for he had, as usual walked in darkest part possible.

The figure travelled easily and even better than some of the elves. And yet those that were sent are amongst the best in the forest of Mirkwood. Despite that, Er-Galadh had never saw the knowledge that he has, a few days ago, claimed to be his. The skill was after all, had not yet been needed. Danger had not touched them yet and as the days went by, the distrust that he had towards the figure slowly diminished.

Truly, the elves had sometimes entirely forgotten about Firiel. But she was there all the time, like a shadow. And like the shadow, the elves had ignored her presence. All but one, the one who had always looked at her every possible moment on the journey and she resented it. The way he looked at her was irritating, not to mentioned very disturbing. How could she concentrate on the task ahead if she was constantly watched? Yet to them she didn't show any emotion. She had hardly talked, finding that there was nothing worth such effort.

So it was a pleasant change to her when she found herself one morning out of the elf attention. She was no longer constantly watched and she exulted in this. It was after all what she had been looking for. As the day grew though, she found that her concentration was lacking even more than when she was being watched. Somehow, being watched mean that she was still a part of this quest. She detested the situation that she was in. Even more, she loathed Er-Galadh for it.

A sudden sound woke her from her thought. The sound came so close and it sent shivers down her spine. The sound that she had come so familiar with. It was sounds of broken twigs and the rustles of leaves and yet elves did not make any sound. She heard the sound more closely. It was not the sound of any beast she knew, the sound was that of orc. Many orcs. They were close and fast too judging from the sounds that they made.

She looked around in panic, blood pounded in her ears. She cursed inwardly and found the darkest part of the wood. There was not enough time to climb any tree, not in this situation. In this darkness she could hide her identity with ease and most importantly, she could see other without being seen. And therefore, gave her advantage over them.

Being in the darkness, she pulled herself together and looked at the predicament she was in. The elves were nowhere to be seen. It was most likely that they have already known of the coming of the orcs and flee. She wondered for once whether any of them remembered of her. She laughed almost as soon as the thought entered her mind. What was she? A fool?

Yes, she was a fool to even think of the elves. There was nothing to aided her but time. Time was the only thing that separated her from the band of orcs. Soon enough they would find her. The shadow could not prevent them from finding her and realising so, she gripped her staff, ready for the first assault from them.

Firiel saw the orcs getting closer towards her hiding. The orcs must have heard her breathing yet she didn't do as much as shuffled her feet. She just stood there as though she was paralysed by her fear, waiting for the first orc to attack her and ends her life.

The thought tempted her. How much she wanted to leave Middle-earth. And perhaps also meet her mother that she had never known. The thought captured her for a while but it was enough to stopped her from realising that an orc had found her.

It gestured the rest to come before silently creeping closer to the unmoving figure. Seeing that it would not attacked, it leaped forward, the blade from the sword glistened, reflecting the gleam from its yellow eyes.

Firiel saw the gleam from the corner of her eyes. She moved sideway as the sword came down. She was quick enough to prevent the sword from hacking through her head, but not quick enough to deflect its impact. Pain surged through her as the sword cut open the skin on her face yet she heed it not. The spell was on her mind and she raised her energy, combining it with the powers from nature that surrounded her. She could felt the energy built up until it reached its peak before releasing it. The magic flowed through her body and rushed out to hit the orc that stood in front of her with the sword above his head, ready to make another blow.

Er-Galadh looked down from a tree. He made no noise, waiting for the orcs to leave. The orcs looked around, found nothing and were going to leave in dismay, when one of them headed for the shadow beneath the trees.

His gaze strayed to that single orc, following its movement. For some reason he found himself unable to let go of his gaze. Something was amiss and he could felt it. Something was wrong and yet he didn't know what. Not until the foul creature had entered the darkness that he figured it out.

He jumped down despite the calling from the elves behind him. They did not said it loud as the other orcs were close and stopped when he reached the ground. Yet they did not follow him for the rest of the orcs were leaving still and did not seemed to notice the gesture that one of its member made.

He ran under the shade of the tree, his bow in his hand and an arrow in another. His eyes adjusted to the darkness easily but he blinked nevertheless. What he saw, he could not believed. For one thing, the orc was nowhere to be seen. Nothing save the sword were left in its presence. But this was not the one that surprised him more for the hood that usually covered the mysterious face had fallen and revealed the hidden secret it held.

Firiel touched her bleeding face and winced. She looked at her bloodstained fingers and groaned before wiping it with her robe. The sword was poisonous and it was proved as she took the sword and examined it. She heard a gasp from in front of her, looking up she saw Er-Galadh staring at her.

She glared at him. From all elves it was him that came and at a very wrong time it was too. Still, she noticed the confused look on his eyes and realised that she had her peripheral vision. Her hood was cast back, most probably when she was avoiding the blow. And worse, she saw the rest of the elves climbing down from the trees nearby. A question was on her mind though but for now she must content with what she knew.

Er-Galadh walked closer, still unable to believe his eyes. A lady was amongst them all this time, knowing about what danger that would befall her in this dark place yet she still go nonetheless. He saw her face for a split second before the lady cast her hood back up again. She must have noticed that it was down. She must have known that her identity was not a secret anymore. Not to him in any case.

She past him briskly and whispered in his ear. A quick note stating that what was his should be kept so. He turned in confusion, still could not comprehend the truth. A question was on his lip but it soon died as he realise that the elves had came down from the trees. Whoever she was, he must know of her true identity and revealing her secret would do none for his gain and so he bargained with time.

I know it's a bit quick but I'm not good with keeping a secret and making a story out of it. Sorry…but I'm intending on using Firiel to tell this story and in order to do that, I have to let you guys her past…

Clue: It's pretty similar with yours, Linmenel, except… Oh, you just have to wait now.