Authors note:

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, especially CathrynJ. I had my reservations on whether or not Aura was a Mary sue… and I was glad that your review mirrored my own opinion… that yes… she has some qualities that some Mary sues have, but then again she didn't rub me as a Mary sue either. I think she actually is a three-dimensional character, where as most Mary sues barely have two dimensions. I'm glad that many have enjoyed this story so far, and I'd like to thank those who have criticized as well. There was one review who told me that I was being ridiculous and that I obviously haven't read the books because there's no way that an elf would fall for a human who wasn't… blah blah blah (I honestly don't remember what she said, it was such a long time ago)… well, I know all this… I know that there were only to be three human/elf couples and that Aragorn and Arwen were the last…well, supposed to be (this is what I've been told). And I'll admit that I've only read two of the books, but my beta is a fanatic so she corrects me. Here's the deal… I know what's going to happen in this story (and you don't *nah nah nah nah nah*… I'm such a tease), so you're going to have to trust that I won't totally butcher the characters. Ofcourse this doesn't have the quality of Tolkien, and anyone who tries to continue his stories is basically butchering it… but in comparison of what I could be doing… I think that I'm doing an all right job. So please enjoy and please continue to review!

Chrystina Bloom, Aglarien, Lady Elizabeth, Blizzardice and Cathryn J… thanks sooooo much for your support and I hope you enjoy the next few chapters!

Chapter 18

Aura had sat by the fire long after the others had retired. She had sewn the garments until her fingertips felt raw and had been pricked many times. The thread pierced the material one last time and the task was complete. She knotted the thread with nimble fingers and cut it with her knife, feeling proud of her craftsmanship. She held the cloth in front of her eyes, blurred by fatigue, and could not help but think, "How wonderful I will be to his eyes, wearing this."

Catching the thought, she quickly dismissed it, but kept her whimsical attitude.

"I think I'll try it on now." She slipped away from the fire and escaped behind the shadow provided by the dense forest, away from eyes that may awake. Aura now looked once again at her garment and realized what a shame it would be to ruin her hard work with the dirt that she accumulated on her skin. Aurora spontaneously ran to the creek that she had discovered earlier in the day and upon arriving, disrobed herself completely. She dove freely into the fresh water, feeling the fluidity in her movements underwater. Not since arriving in Gondor had she felt so free nor so completely at ease. There were no longer any eyes upon her, judging her every move. She could simply enjoy the luxury of her bath in solitaire. Nevertheless, she did not swim long, for she would not wish that one of her peers awake to discover her missing. She slipped out of the still water and once having dried, slipped into her white undershirt and garment then wore her new outfit. It fit tightly but comfortably, not restricting her movements nor getting caught in them either. No sooner had Aura picked up her sword to test the material's flexibility in mock battle had a branch snapped behind her.

The girl spun around to face her attacker to find Laramin's throat grazing the tip of the blade of her sword.

"It is not wise to sneak behind one who brandishes a blade," she told him.

"You would not have killed me, only him," Laramin's body spoke, but it was not his voice. The voice belonged to a dream, leaving Aura silent.

"Oh child, do you have no speech?" the voice teased her. Aura did find her voice and told it.

"I have, but I hoped that I would awake had I not spoken."

"Naïve child, I do not belong to dreams, nor are you in one," the cold sound of death replied.

"Then leave him now. You have no place here," Aura growled.

"Kill him and I shall be gone." The body of Laramin challenged.

Aura eyed him and his challenge, almost considering getting rid of the voice that haunted her. "No," she shook her head in disappointment at her weakness, "I won't kill an innocent."

"The you are weak."

"Yes," she agreed, taking her eyes away from the demons face for a moment, then returning his glare, "but I prefer to be weak than to be comparable to you. Leave his body, for I have no intention of killing him."

Meranlaughk looked pleased with her answer, "Very well," he smiled, " but one you hold dear will surely take his place," he then threatened.

Before a protest could escape the princess' lips, the presence left Laramin. The body of the stranger crumpled to the ground in a dream. After quickly assuring herself that he was indeed alive, Aura ran as fast as a horse of the Marque could have galloped towards the camp. She gave no heed that she was making a very large amount of noise as she pushed through the brush. Surely every orc from here to the lonely mountain could hear, but she continued in her haste to be careless.

Atlast, when she arrived at the camp, she was surprised that the collective was still, but her astonishment did not slow her movement as she ran to Legolas' motionless body.

"Please be alive," Aura kneeled beside him, shaking his body vigorously. "Awake! Oh, Legolas, please awake!" she cried more urgently to the body that remained still, facing away from her. However, Meranlaughk's ears were constantly opened to her cries and He turned to her with elven cold eyes.

"Fool," The demon sneered in Legolas' body, contorting the beloved's face in a way that made even he look hideous, "Had I known that he was the one you cherished, I would not have gone to such ends with the others."

Aura stood now, looking around to her companions, only now seeing the blood that stained the ground, the reason for their silence.

Meranlaughk stood to tower over her. "To kill thee is to kill thy heart?" he questioned.

Through her she could no longer feel the cold air that had been bitter before, all she felt was hate brought by her despair, her extreme sadness.

"You vile demon!" she shrieked as she lunged at Legolas's throat with her sword. The sword did not slide against his skin though, for her heart would not allow it. The blade simply shook violently in a limbo between Legolas' life and death. A sob escaped Aura's throat as she screamed, "You've damned me! You've damned me!" realizing that she could not kill her beloved, she turned the sword towards her, "and this is all you leave me."

Meranluaghks eyes widened through Legolas in shock for even he could not have predicted Aura's action. Legolas blinked but once, and returned to himself.

"Aura?" he asked, "what…?" he looked to his surroundings, to her and to her sword which she dropped immediately.

Her empty hands, her instruments which were now shaking uncontrollably, they could have killed him, or herself for that matter with her reckless actions. Now looking to the others, she found that the illusion had subsided. The red ground, now earthy brown, the group no longer silent as Gimli's snoring broke the silence. Aura remained cold and recoiled at Legolas' touch, as reached for her comfort.

"Go back to bed," she told him as she walked to her own corner where she would dream of her fate, leaving Legolas to wonder what was plaguing her.