*** Attention, this will be a saaaad chapter again. But better times will follow!!! Just stay tuned!

Jim Morningstar: I love you too, baby!! ;) When are you going to update?!

Osheen Nevoy: Nope, I still haven't read any further. Shame on me!!!

Everybody: Thank you for all the praise and lovely words!! And keep the reviews coming if you want to make my day! ***

Legolas was just crossing the court when he heard somebody calling out his name. He stopped, turned around and saw Atalar trotting towards himself who was obviously too lazy to run but too polite to go slowly and let the elf wait for long.

"Have you been searching for me?" Legolas asked wonderingly once Atalar had caught up.

"Yes, I have. Where are you going?" Atalar asked while they started to move again, slowly pacing along, the morning sun warming their backs.

"To the stables. Boromir wanted to make sure I will get one of the horses."

"Really? What a coincidence," Atalar said, a slight smile spreading across his pale face. "I was looking for you because I wanted to have a talk with you on this matter."

"You want to talk about horses?" Legolas asked, a bit bewildered, and returned the smile. He was glad to see Atalar smile, even if it was only a very little one. Now that he was thinking about it, he had never seen him smile before, let alone laugh. He had seen him in fury and pain, mourning, crying and trying to kill himself, but never had he seen a joyful Atalar. He decided that he could get used to this sight and hoped he would get to know this side of the young man more closely.

"No...yes... Well, not exactly," Atalar replied, pulling Legolas from his thoughts. "I would like to give Tavor to you."

"Tavor?" Legolas repeated, furrowing one brow.

"Inunyen's horse," Atalar explained. "He is called Tavor."

Legolas stared at Atalar speechlessly, and then shook his head.

"I can't take such a gift," he denied after finding his voice again and turned his face towards the horizon again.

"Why not? I would be happy to give him to you. I know you will treat him well. Probably better than anybody else."

"But..." Legolas started and sighed softly, shifting his gaze back to Atalar so he could look him in the eyes.

"What is wrong about it?" Atalar asked a bit impatiently.

"Don't you want to keep him yourself?"

"I want to give him to you, Legolas. How often do I need to repeat myself? Or do you want to go back to Mirkwood by foot?"

"Boromir will give a horse to me."

"Tavor is a fine stallion, he will make a good companion for you. He is strong and very, very fast, after all he is a messenger's horse, but he is also very gentle. He is perfect for you. Please, Legolas, say yes already."

"If you want it that badly..." Legolas said, still feeling a bit uneasy about the offer.

"Yes, I want it. No more discussions," Atalar said.

"Well, then... thank you. I don't know what to say."

"Let's just say you owe me," Atalar suggested, but the sparkle in his dark eyes told Legolas he was only joking.

"Any plans for today?" Legolas asked enthusiastically, clasping his hands behind his back.

"No, not really. My sister's in the houses of healing with Boromir." The jealous undertone in his voice caused Legolas' smile to grow a little wider, but the elf did his best to not show it bluntly.

"Maybe you should begin cultivating other friendships than that of your sister, now that she is about to marry," Legolas pointed out.

"I don't have any other friends," Atalar said and then drew in a sudden breath as if a quick thought had come to his mind.

"So what do you want to do?" he asked when he finally realised what Legolas' intentions were, his smile getting bigger. For the first time, Legolas noticed that he had little dimples.

"Would you show me some tricks with the bow?"

"It would be my pleasure," Legolas agreed, pleased by Atalar's sudden burst of energy.

"Fine, let's get the equipment. We'll meet back here in, say, fifteen minutes?"

"Perfect," Legolas responded and watched Atalar speeding back to where he had come from before he aimed at the room Boromir had given to him for his stay at Minas Tirith.

Atalar pushed the door to his room open and entered swiftly, still a little smile on his face. He wanted to quickly get his bow, a few arrows and, just in case it should get colder during the day again, one of his capes, so Legolas wouldn't have to wait for him. For some reason he assumed that the elf would come back to their meeting point earlier than in fifteen minutes. Rapidly, he turned to one corner of the rather large room where some of his weapons lay tossed on the ground since he always had been a messy person, but when his eyes captured the sight of his bed, his heart skipped a beat and he froze in his movement. The bed was freshly made. One of the maids must have done it while he had been in search for Legolas. He felt panic rising inside of him. If somebody had made his bed, that particular somebody must have found it...

He leapt forwards, a shivering, desperate breath rushing out of his lungs audibly, and grabbed the snowwhite pillow with a nervous hand. He swallowed and carefully picked the pillow up, almost not daring to look. It was gone. Somebody had found it, and now it was gone. A frustrated, desolate grunt broke from his lips while he smashed the pillow down again, not knowing what to do now. He could slap himself for being so stupid. He had known that this wasn't the best hiding place. He had known...

"Are you missing this?" a deep voice came from behind, making Atalar jump from the bed with a start. He twirled around, coming face to face with his father who sat in a chair on the opposite side of the room. Atalar hadn't even noticed that there was somebody else in this room when he had entered. The young man's gaze dropped to his father's hand, and there it was, right between his father's fingers. The strand of red hair he had taken from Inunyen just before leaving her body to the flames. At first, he had carried it with him all the time, but lately he had kept it underneath his pillow. It helped him finding rest and untroubled sleep. It probably was only stupid superstition, but it worked, and that was everything that counted.

Atalar felt a blush creeping over his face and his heart starting to race when Ribensis' facial expression hardened while he let his hand sink down again, very slowly.

"Tell me, what does this mean?" the Steward wanted to know. Atalar opened his mouth, but he could not form one decent word and therefor just closed it again without having said anything.

"What does this mean?!" his father roared, getting up from the chair with surprising speed and was in front of his startled son in less than a second. Atalar jerked when his father's free hand shot towards him, grabbing him at the collar and dragging him closer with unexpected strength. Still shocked about the situation, Atalar stumbled forward, almost bumping into his father whose face expressed huge anger by now.

"I asked you a question!" the Steward barked, pulling at Atalar's collar so brusquely that he almost couldn't breathe anymore.

"I know not what you mean!" Atalar pressed out and closed both hands around his father's forearm, trying to shove him off.

"Don't you dare lying to your father's face!"

"You are suffocating me!" Atalar rasped, still trying to fight himself free, but his father was a very strong man, especially when he was furious about something.

"Is this not some of Inunyen's hair?!" Ribensis wanted to know, not losening the lock of his fingers.

"Father, please! I... can't brea..."

"It's a simple question, Atalar! Have you been involved with Inunyen?!"

"Yes, it is her hair!" it burst from Atalar.

"It is hers..." the young man repeated, lower this time.

"So it is true...," his father whispered thunderstruck, his grip getting weak, allowing Atalar to breathe properly again. For a second Atalar thought he was going to let go of him entirely and maybe even cry, so much despair was showing in his dark eyes, but then massive fury took control over the Steward again and he once more grabbed his son tightly and pushed him to the wall so forcefully that Atalar couldn't help making a low sound of anguish.

"I cannot believe this! You and this corrupt slut... This cannot be true!"

"This is the truth!" Atalar yelled back, getting enraged himself. "It's the truth, you have to accept it!"

"Never will I accept this! How could you, Atalar?! You are the son of the Steward, how could you have your way with her?! She was nothing but a mere messenger, and now we know she was a spy, that is of course even worse! Why didn't you choose somebody else for your pleasures?! There are so many ladies who fancy you and would be more appropriate for these matters!"

"But I didn't just use Inunyen for carnal pleasures! I loved her!"

"Shut up, I don't want to hear that!" Ribensis shouted horrified, then asked a little more controlled: "For how long has this been going?"

"For about six years," the young man answered truthfully and prepared for another of his father's outbursts.

"Six years?! Atalar, are you insane?! What has gotten into you?! Don't you see what a shame this is to our family?! The Steward's only son having an affair with our empire's greatest enemy's daughter?! I'm only glad this whore is dead, otherwise I would have executed her by myself!"

"Don't talk about her like that!" Atalar yelled, trying to hide the pain his father's words caused him. "Inunyen was not a whore."

"Wasn't she?" Ribensis asked back. "Did she not spread her legs for you although she knew it was wrong?!"

"It is not wrong to love," Atalar replied, his voice cracking and losing its frantic strength.

"It is wrong to bed somebody like her if you are the Steward's son! Just imagine what it would have meant if she had given birth to a son fathered by you!"

Atalar clenched his teeth, trying to control the overwhelming fury that built up in his stomach. He could have tried to appease his father by telling him that he had made love to Inunyen only once during all those years and that there hadn't been a child begotten from this single encounter, but he didn't do it. If he now behaved as if he regretted his actions and was ashamed of his feelings, he would not only disgrace the remembrance of the only woman he had ever truly loved but also bring disgrace upon himself. Instead of telling his father that Inunyen and he rarely had shared sexual moments he opened his mouth and heard himself say:

"I would have been proud to have her giving birth to my children."

"Curse you! Curse you and Inunyen!" Ribensis spat at him and before Atalar was aware of his father's intention threw the red, soft curl into the flames of the fireside that was only few feet away from where they were standing.

"No!" it broke from Atalar and he attempted to jump after it in order to try to rescue what was possible, but his father grabbed him by his shoulders roughly and slammed him back against the wall. Atalar felt the back of his head smash to the hard stony surface and for a moment everything went black. It was only thanks to the brutal lock of the Steward's hands that he didn't slip to the ground.

"If I ever find out that you knew about Inunyen's identity and her plans, I swear you will be put under arrest like any other betrayer would be!" he heard his father holler, but although he was only inches away it sounded as if he was very far away. "Don't expect mercy only because you are my son!"

The throbbing pain in Atalar's head was so overwhelming that he felt sick from it. He struggled hard to escape the stupor that dominated his mind and blinked his eyes open with a lot of effort.

"Did you hear what I said?!" his father wanted to know and shook him again, making the back of his head collide with the wall once more. Atalar groaned in pain and tried to push his father away, but he couldn't gather enough strength to do it.

"Let go of me," he whispered exhaustedly, his voice shivering with both physical and mental pain.

"Did you know about her plans?!"

"No, I did not."

"If you lie to me..."

"No, please... I swear I did not know!" the words rushed out of Atalar's mouth, his tone bearing slight panic. "You are hurting me, please let go!"

"I am hurting you?!" Ribensis asked. "Do you know how badly your sister was hurting the recent days?! Do you know how much pain your Inunyen caused her?!"

Atalar couldn't respond and shut his eyes tight, concentrating on fighting back the tears that threatened to spring to his eyes.

"Answer your father!" he heard Ribensis holler madly, and then a powerful slap hit him hard across the face. He didn't reply, nor did he defend himself or react in any other way to the beating that followed. He just let it happen. He let his father work off his fury at his costs, let him misuse his body, bruising and hurting him. He knew it would be over soon and his father would leave him alone again with new, fresh wounds in body and soul. After all, it had always been like this.

Aerilyn thought about her conversation with Boromir again and again while she was on her way to her brother's room. She wondered whether Atalar knew about the war that was about to begin. If he did, she would get really angry with him for not telling her.

She still marvelled about the whole situation, especially about the possibility that Boromir could die on the battlefield and never see his child, when she strolled down the corridor that led to Atalar's chamber that was close to her own. Her thoughts were only interrupted, when she heard a strange sound coming from her brother's room. Almost as if there was a fight going on in there...

She felt her heartbeat quickening when images of their childhood rushed through her head, images of a broken, bruised and crying Atalar. A lump formed in her throat and she almost was too afraid to find out what exactly was going on, but when she heard her brother groan in pain she started to run. Heavily breathing, she pushed the door open with the use of her full weight and gave a desperate, painful noise when she realized what was happening in front of her.

"No! Stop it!" Aerilyn screamed when she saw her father beating on her brother again and again. She started to move, but it felt as if she didn't get closer at all. Horrified, she witnessed another bash going straight into Atalar's face, this time an extremely hard one, and he was thrown down by the heavy impact. He fell in a most unfortunate way and his forehead knocked against the sharp corner of the massive table that stood nearby. Aerilyn couldn't help crying out when she saw and heard his head hitting on the hard wood. It was one of the most horrible sounds that ever had reached her ears and she felt tears gathering in her eyes when she saw her brother's body collapsing limply to the floor. Her eyes widened in shock, releasing a few tears, when she discovered the bright red blood that covered the corner of the wooden table.

"What have you done?!" Aerilyn screamed hysterically at her father and hurried to Atalar's side. She carefully rolled him on his back and took his head in her hands, gently framing his face with shivering fingers. She was relieved to see that he wasn't unconscious, only a bit disoriented. The large wound on his forehead spilled quite some blood that ran down the light skin of his pale face, but he was alive.

"Atalar..." Aerilyn whispered and smiled faintly, stroking his cheek gently. He lifted a hand, obviously in order to touch her face too, but before he reached her, their father grabbed Aerilyn's arm and roughly dragged her up on her feet.

"Stay out of the way!" Ribensis hissed furiously and tried to hurl Aerilyn aside, but she used all her strength to keep her balance, ripped herself free from her father's grip and stepped back between him and Atalar.

"If you want to continue to beat your own son to death you will have to hit me first!" Aerilyn stated and built herself up in front of her father in a desperate attempt to protect her brother. She tried to sound strong and determined, but her voice was shivering, revealing her fear. Her eyes widened in disbelief when she saw her father raising his hand, but before she fully realized that he was going to do it and had a chance to duck away he slapped her across the face. Hard. The world stopped for a moment when the bash made her head fly aside, the intense pain taking her breath away. It almost felt like in slow motion when her whole body was flung aside from the heavy impact of the slap, and suddenly she found herself on the floor, front side down, right next to her brother.

Never before had her father hit her. She hadn't expected him to do so now and was paralyzed with shock for a few seconds. She stared at Atalar's bruised face that was now on one level with her own. She watched the lines of blood running from his forehead all over his face down to his chin where red drops formed and fell down to the ground, almost like tears. She saw the sides of his nose trembling with rage, and she saw the massive pain and fury in his eyes. It made her heart break to see him like that. She wanted to soothe him, to embrace him and tell him that she loved him. Slowly, she lifted a hand and wanted to wipe the blood from his trembling lips, but before she reached his face her wrist was captured by a strong hand and again she was pulled up on her feet. Pulled away from her beloved brother. Aerilyn shrieked in pain and tried to escape the grip, but her father was of course too strong.

"Don't you dare defy me!" he screamed at her, shaking her so heavily that she whimpered in pain.

"Take your hands off her!" Aerilyn heard her brother holler right next to her. He must have gotten up on his feet again within seconds as soon as Ribensis had dragged her up.

"Shut up before I forget myself!" their father replied outraged.

"I said take your hands off her!" Atalar repeated, the words coming out in a furious threat.

"Who do you think you are to speak to me like that?!" his father replied, at least as outraged as Atalar was. "You are still the rebellious brat you were when you were a little boy!"

"And you are still the belligerent, hardhearted man who lacks fatherly love for his children!"

"Stop it, please!" Aerilyn cried, tears running down her face, but neither of the fighting men paid attention to her.

"It is beyond my understanding how I ever could produce somebody like you!" Ribensis hissed furiously.

"Perhaps you didn't!" Atalar shot back. "If you mistreated mother like you do Aerilyn and me, I wouldn't be surprised if we were both fathered by a man into whose arms you forced her with your insufferable behavior!"

"That's the limit! You..." Ribensis hissed, his voice trembling with rage, "How dare you?! You are a disgrace for our family! I am ashamed to be your father!"

"I am not only ashamed to be your son, I am disgusted by it! I am sickened at carrying your blood in my body!"

Atalar had not even spoken out loud everything he wanted to throw at his father's head when Ribensis let go of Aerilyn's arm abruptly and, instead of holding to his daughter, smashed the back of his hand across Atalar's bleeding face with a very strong and quick movement. Aerilyn jerked with a low, frightened cry, expecting her brother to fall to the ground again, but this time he was prepared and remained on his feet. And then it happened. Without thinking about it, Atalar raised his hand against his own father and struck back for the first time in his life.

Ribensis didn't react to the unexpected resistance, more because he was paralyzed with astonishment than with pain from the sudden hit. Before the Steward could find back to his reactions, Atalar's fist smashed in his face again, and this time there was more pressure beneath the punch. Ribensis backed away with a gasp of shock and anguish, the burning pain throbbing in his left cheekbone.

"Never touch my sister again or I will kill you!" Atalar yelled out of his mind and wanted to place another bash, totally caught up in the hate and wrath that had built up hidden deep inside of him for so many years, but Aerilyn stopped him by grabbing his arms.

"Please, don't," she whispered full of fear. Atalar looked down at her, breathing heavily and his eyes filled with the hatred towards their father.

"How dare you beat me? Your very own father..." Ribensis said in a low voice, obviously still in massive shock. Atalar raised his head again to face him while Aerilyn still clung to one of his arms with both of her hands.

"It was you who taught me that it is easy to beat on your closest relatives, your very own blood. Or wasn't it you who maltreated me for all those years, poisoning my childhood with your ill behavior?"

His father's gaze, dark and mad with anger, seemed to pierce right through to his aching heart.

"You will regret that, Atalar. This will have a tragic ending for you, of that you can be certain," Ribensis said, the tone on his voice calm but threatening.

"I'm not afraid of you. I'm no little boy you can shove around any longer," Atalar replied, holding the cold stare of his father with flaming eyes and clenched teeth. Father and son stared at each other for a tortous moment that seemed like an eternity. Finally, Ribensis raised his voice for one last sentence.

"I wish you never had been born," he said, his voice frosty as ice, and then left the room quickly.

Aerilyn wanted to say something, but instead of proper words there came only a strange sound out of her mouth, an odd combination of a muffled sob and desperate gurgle, and when Atalar drew her into a tight embrace she clung to him frantically while her body started trembling like mad. Atalar held her close, gently rocking her in his arms in an unsuccessful attempt to soothe her.

"Come, you better lie down," he whispered and led her to his bed, but not before locking the door to the room. When she finally was resting on her side, the soft blanket underneath her, Atalar lay down behind her with a low sigh after using the corner of the sheets to wipe most of the blood off his face.

"I am sorry," he said, his fingers playing with curly strands of her hair.

"What for?" she asked with a faint voice. She didn't turn around but remained with her back to him. She couldn't stand to see his beaten face and the sorrowful expression in his eyes.

"I am so sorry that I couldn't protect you. I didn't manage to keep him from hitting you."

"No apologies, Atalar, please. You did so much for me. I don't know how I ever would have done without you. I am so grateful to have you as my brother."

"The day you were born I was only six years old, but I remember it as though it was yesterday," Atalar told her, his voice hardly above a whisper. "He had beaten me until I had no more strength to scream. That moment, I thought he was going to kill me. Perhaps he would have done it, I don't know. He only let go of me because the servant brought him news that mother had gone into labor. Some hours later you were born and later, in the evening, I was allowed to see you. I will never forget that moment. There I was with all those fresh bruises, scabs and a broken wrist... and you were so... so perfect. Totally unscathed. Simply beautiful and so innocent, not yet knowing of the cruelty that was dominating the world. That moment I swore to myself that I would do my best to fight back this cruelty and keep you safe. I wanted you to keep your fresh and carefree beauty."

Aerilyn pressed her lips together to suppress a low sound of sorrow while silent tears escaped her eyes although shut tight.

"Our father ruined my life, I couldn't let him do the same to you. And I will not allow him to do so now. You have my promise."

She wanted to reply, but her words were stifled by a sob she couldn't keep back. She lifted a hand to her eyes and rubbed the tears out of them as if she could rub away the sorrow and pain, too. But it only made things worse and the more she tried to fight the emotions back, the more tears were shed.

"Don't cry, Lyn," Atalar whispered, embracing her with one arm from behind. He moved closer until the full length of his front was softly pressing against her backside. She felt his hot breath against the back of her neck, his caressing hand on her belly, his strong heartbeat against the skin of her back. She felt secure and loved, but still her heart was aching heavily.

"Everything will be fine soon," Atalar added, comforting his sister carefully.

"How do you know?" she asked in a low voice and sniffed.

"You will see, little one. Boromir will heal quickly, he's one of the strongest men I've seen. And once he's fine again you will marry him and live happily ever after."

Aerilyn had to chuckle despite the great sorrow that dominated her and slowly turned around in her brother's hug to face him. When she saw his sad eyes the smile faded away again and she raised a hand to place her palm against his pale cheek.

"And you?" she asked and sighed heavily.

"What about me?"

"I want you to be happy as well."

He smiled and moved his head slightly so his forehead touched hers, leaving traces of fresh blood on her smooth skin.

"It's enough happiness for me if I know that you are fine," he whispered.

"No, it's not," Aerilyn protested and choked hardly before she begged: "Stay with me in Gondor."

"What?" Atalar asked and almost had to laugh about her suggestion.

"Please, Atalar. I am sure Boromir would arrange everything for your permanent stay."

"I don't think he would do that."

"Why not? I won't ask him to put an additional bed for you in our bedchamber."

Atalar had to smile again.

"Do you remember what we always used to say?" she asked and bit her lower lip.

"That we will stick together."

"Exactly," Aerilyn said, "And I don't want you to go back with our father. I'm so afraid that he will do something to you. Something worse than a slap in the face."

"He will not," Atalar said and drew her even closer, wrapping also the second arm around her slender body. She nestled up to him desperately, pressing her face against his warm body.

"I couldn't stand to lose you," she whispered, her words muffled from his clothes, while tears started to fall again. "I love you."

"I love you too, my little Lyn," he responded and ran his fingers through her hair tenderly.

"Don't leave me."

"But Boromir will care for you from now on. You won't need me anymore."

"Boromir is not my brother," she pointed out. "I will always need you. No husband could replace you and give me what you and I share."

"What about Faramir? I thought you like him very much, similar to a brother."

"Yes, but that is not the same. I don't want anyone but you."

He felt his heart brim over with joy because of her words. He was flattered that she wanted him to stay, and it felt so good to be needed and loved by his sister. He held her tight and continued to play with her soft hair while he used his other hand to rub her back and fondle her neck. She had always liked it that way, since she had been only a little girl.

"Atalar?" she asked after a few moments of silence.

"Yes, my little one?"

"May I stay with you tonight?"

"But it is not even noon yet, Lyn," Atalar pointed out, smiling faintly.

"I know, but I thought I could ask already."

"You don't need to ask," he replied. "Of course you can stay."

Before she could reply anything, there was a knock on the door. Atalar felt Arilyn's body tense up massively in his embrace. He kissed her head and wanted to get of the bed, but she clung to him tightly and shook her head.

"Don't open the door," she whispered fearfully.

"It won't be him," Atalar tried to calm her down. "He never comes back after..." His voice faded and he swallowed nervously. Then another knock, a little louder this time.

"It won't be him," Atalar said again and rose on his feet to go to open the door. It indeed wasn't their father, but a worried looking nurse from the houses of healing. Atalar had seen her before, right after coming back from the journey.

"Steward Ribensis sends me," she explained calmly, eyeing the wound on Atalar's forehead. "He told me you fell."

Atalar snorted slightly at this remark.

"Yes," he then said flatly. "I fell."

"Well, would you let me come in and have a look at the injury?"

"Of course, please come in."

While the nurse took care of the wound, Aerilyn remained in her brother's bed, silently staring at the bloodstains that started to dry on the innocently white sheets.

"I'm afraid you need a few stitches," she heard the nurse saying while cleaning the laceration carefully.

"Do I have to go to the houses of healing for that?" Atalar asked back in a low voice, as if he thought Aerilyn was sleeping and didn't want to wake her.

"No, I can do it here if you want."

"Thank you," Atalar replied and then, no more words were exchanged until she was done with him and he walked her back to the door.

"If you get a headache, or if the wound causes you any other trouble, you know where to find me," she said.

"Yes, thank you again," Atalar said and watched her walking down the corridor. When he turned back to his room and wanted to close the door, he heard how she greeted somebody on the corridor, and then a familiar voice greeting back. Legolas! He had totally forgotten about him... Before he could even make up his mind about what to do, either closing the door and pretend he wasn't there, or facing Legolas and tell him the truth, the elf reached his room and came to a halt directly behind of Atalar who stood with his back towards the corridor.

"Are you busy?" Legolas asked. "I was waiting for quite a while and thought I would come and look what you are..." His words stuck in his throat when Atalar turned around, revealing his face to the elf.

"Atalar..." Legolas stammered, trying to look not as shocked as he actually was about the sight he caught. "What happened?"

"I... fell," Atalar heard himself murmur, avoiding Legolas' concerned gaze.

"You fell?" Legolas echoed in disbelief.

"Yes. In a most unfortunate way. I knocked my forehead directly against the corner of the table."

"And from knocking your forehead against the corner of the table you suffered all those bruises all over your face? And your lip split from that? From knocking your forehead against the table?" Legolas asked softly. Atalar looked up into Legolas eyes, tears springing to his own. He was so ashamed, although he knew that it wasn't him who was to blame for all this.

"Yes," Atalar said stubbornly, but he couldn't keep a single tear from rolling down his cheek.

"Does this happen often?" Legolas wanted to know.

"I think you better go find somebody else to teach your tricks," Atalar suggested, ignoring Legolas question.

"You know that this is wrong, don't you?" the elf said. "Nobody has the right to do this to you. Not even your father."

"This is none of your business, please go now," Atalar said with a muffled voice and closed the door into Legolas face without losing one more word.

"Who was that?" Aerilyn asked when Atalar came back to her and lay down again, softly cradling her.

"Nobody," Atalar whispered and closed his eyes. They lay for some moments, not talking, but finally Aerilyn couldn't hold the question back anymore.

"What happened, Atalar? Why did father do this?" she asked in a very low voice. He didn't reply immediately, but then told her about everything. Once he started letting his secret out, he couldn't stop anymore and enfolded the lie of his life in front of her, not caring what she would think or say, whether she would hate him when she finally knew the truth. When he was finished, Aerilyn turned around again and looked at him for a long moment, her eyes expressing genuine sympathy.

"You really loved her, didn't you?" she whispered and softly ran her fingers through his dark hair, wiping a few short curls from his forehead.

"Yes," he only replied and batted his eyelids to hide his pain. Aerilyn didn't know how to respond, she couldn't think of anything appropriate to say. Usually, it was Atalar who had to soothe her, and not the other way round. The current situation was unfamiliar, but Aerilyn was glad that she finally had the chance to do something for him after all those years he had cared for her. She moved closer towards him and embraced him tightly.

"If you want to talk some more, about this or anything else..." Aerilyn said and sighed deeply. "I only want you to know that I will listen, no matter what you want to tell. I will always love you."

He weakly nodded, his hot breath hitting against her sensitive neck. She felt that he was about to cry. Softly, she buried one hand in his short hair to hold his head against her body.

"Please believe me, I didn't know," he whispered against her warm skin. "Never would I have allowed her to hurt you. But I didn't know. I didn't see."

"It's alright, Atalar. Don't blame yourself, please."

"But I don't understand why I didn't notice something... anything. I feel so guilty. I am confused... I still love her, although I know what she has done to you and what she tried to do to me. How can I love a woman who commanded to assassinate you and tried to stab me? And how could I be so blind? I was so close to her, yet I didn't notice anything about her true identity. I don't understand how this could happen."

Soon she felt the wetness of his silent tears creeping over her own skin and she tightened her embrace to show him that she was there for him. Just the way he always had been there for her in their past. They must have lain like that for a little eternity, but finally they both fell asleep, snuggled up to each other in an embrace of loving siblings, although it wasn't even noon.

*** Sorry, no Boromir in this one... But he'll be in the next chapter again! As I said at the beginning already: Just stay tuned! ***