Laurelin glanced out of the window into the dull day outside. The dark- leaved trees were completely still and somehow, this made them seem all the more menacing than they usually seemed. Laurelin longed for the silver leaves of Lothlorien or the lovely woods of Imladris, anything but this dark, terrible forest. Legolas loved it though; he loved it better than any other upon the earth. Laurelin could not think how, for she had always disliked it before, and now, she hated it.

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" Here it is at last,the entrance to Mirkwood , one of the last great forests of Middle- Earth, and my beloved home.", Legolas said, as they both entered the dark trees growing there. Laurelin did not like the look of it at all.

"It seems dark- and dangerous", she said softly, looking around cautiously, her heart beating a little faster than usual.

"It makes me feel rather nervous—and afraid. I do not like the feel of it", she shivered suddenly, as homesickness for Imladris flooded her mind.

Laurelin did not hate trees, but there was something about this wood, something she did not like. The trees whispered in the slight breeze, as if agreeing with her thought and warning her to be careful of them. She felt a chill settle itself in her heart, and something told her that it would never be gone from her heart until she left Mirkwood forever.

"Part of the forest is dark", admitted Legolas, "and all of it is dangerous. But the Wood-Elves' settlement will be to your liking, I hope". His tone was rather clipped and he regretted it the moment the words were out of his mouth.

"I do not mean to insult your home!", Laurelin protested at his tone, grabbing his hand. She pushed her feeling of foreboding to the back of her mind.

"I know", he said with a smile, kissing her cheek.

Nevertheless, Laurelin did not say anything more about Mirkwood just then to her husband.

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Laurelin entwined her fingers, her heart beating nervously. She must tell him, she had to. There was no doubt about that. Yet, she felt something holding her back, something that said if she left now, nothing between them could ever be the same again.

She walked over to the window, looking at the forest outside with hatred. Her heart was settled. She took a deep breath and turned to Legolas. It must be done, she told herself, for both of them.

"I cannot stay here anymore, Legolas", her voice rang out into the silence.

Laurelin looked up at Legolas. His face did not show any emotion, she could as well have been looking at a statue. But his eyes....she could see the confusion of feelings in their blue depths. There was sadness, resignation, pain, compassion and most frightening of all-anger.

"Please Legolas, you do not know the torture that I face every day I wake up in Mirkwood. Every step I take, every word I speak, everywhere I glance, it all reminds me of him.." "I am sure I will lose my mind!", Laurelin finished and looked down at her pale fingers and then up at Legolas again.

"You wish to go, But where?", his voice was very soft, but she could see that the words cost him much.

"Anywhere but here".

Legolas remained silent for a while. He had been so foolish. Foolish to think his life could go on, could continue in the same way as it had done before after such an event. Hatred and bitterness filled him, consuming him, filling him with a rage he had never felt before. Why did all this have to happen to him? Anger at fate, at everything which had caused this, caused Elan's demise, flowed through Legolas then.

"Legolas?", her soft voice, filled with uncertainty, instead of soothing his anger, enraged him even more. It was all her fault. Everything was Laurelin's fault. He should have encouraged her when she blamed herself, rather than dissuade her.

"Laurelin, why did you go into the forest that day without telling anyone?", he asked her, his eyes glinting. The dam that his feelings had built up had finally burst.

Laurelin felt fear grip her. She had never, ever seen Legolas angry. At any other time, Laurelin would have grown angry in her turn and they would have thrown accusations at each other, arguing as high-spirited equals. But now, Laurelin was in deep doubt of herself and everything she had ever done in the past. Her spirit was broken. And she did not say a word.

"Then know this, everything was your fault", his cold voice brought tears to her eyes and pierced her heart. Her life was falling apart. Her hands trembled and her entire body shook. She turned very white and her eyes were wide. The guilt that she had been weighed down by felt like an oppressive weight, now ready to crush her beneath it.

"Then", she said slowly, her voice breaking "Why should you not kill me now? Since you hate me? I deserve it, do I not? ". Laurelin took his long knife, which was lying on the table and held it out to him.

She shut her eyes, as if awaiting her death.

Legolas gazed at the knife in her hand, his anger turning to shock and then remorse and shame.

Legolas embraced Laurelin suddenly and unexpectedly, pulling the knife out of her hand and throwing it across the room.

"Amin hiraetha", he said, "Please forgive me", he wiped away her tears. She opened her eyes and met his.

Laurelin lifted her hand and touched his cheek, "Amin hiraetha".

Legolas kissed her, very much ashamed of his outburst now. His pent-up emotions had emerged at last and the deluge had been hard to bear. But it was over now.And he could not deny that he felt much the better for it.

"And you will certainly go back to Rivendell if you wish it", he said, when he was free to speak.

"No, I will not leave you, no matter how much I am haunted by memories."

But Legolas had made up his mind that Laurelin would leave Mirkwood.

It was the only way, he said to himself, the only way he could keep his promise to himself, to save her life at all cost.

A/N: I wrote this chapter in a great big hurry so I hope u like it. And I think everyone must know that 'Amin hiraetha' means 'I am sorry'. Review plz!!!

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