Baeron took her to another hotel. "Lord Legolas will find that one rather easily," he said when she asked. "Not knowing the situation, I had reserved our room under my name." Irulan merely nodded and tried not to think how strange it was to be actually avoiding Legolas. Legolas, whom she loved so much, that it was downright painful! The longing for him grew further and further and she found it impossible to resist the tears when they arrived at another hotel that seemed far less fancy. 'I hate myself!' she thought, furious and desperate at the same time. 'I hate myself! He betrays me, deceives me, attempts to imprison me, and yet I miss him!' Where was the brave, wise, cool Irulan who snorted and laughed at the weakness of her girlfriends when they could not help to go back again and again to lousy former lovers? Where was that woman now? She was gone for all times, by the looks of it.

Baeron soothed her and guided her to the room, embracing her shoulders. She remained looking at the bed with unseeing eyes for a long time but when his hand landed on her shoulder, she woke up to the fact of their state and situation. Irulan swallowed softly and turned to face him once more.

No doubt that this man was immaculate. His short, tousled sandy blonde hair, his handsome face with sharper features than those of Legolas, his deep hazel-green eyes and perfect lips added up to a creature of deep beauty. But of course it was more than physical things that made Baeron who he was. He raised his hand and glided his fingers down her cheek, as he had done in Paris, at the restaurant and both smiled at that gesture before they locked eyes in stillness again. "Don't cry," he said gently, a sad smile on his face.

Irulan glanced away for a moment, trying to put her thoughts together. "Baeron," she began cautiously, "what...what exactly are we?"

He took a deep breath, narrowing his eyes and looking over her shoulder. "We are nothing yet," was his final reply. "We are a beginning. That is a good thing."

"I can't...be...with you," she said then, afraid to see deep disappointment on his face. It was true. She did not run from Legolas to end up in the arms of another. Especially another elf and this particular elf. She ran to Baeron because their bond had pulled her beyond hesitation. And yet...Irulan did not know where this would end in the long run. Honestly, she did not want to think about the long run just now.

"Yet," he said softly and her eyes snapped up to lock with his, once more.

She took a shaky breath and turned to sit on the bed. Baeron followed in silence, sitting next to her and holding her hand. "This will sound so...stupid. Not to mention...overly human...but I am really not-"

"Irulan," he cut in and she stopped, in a way relieved that she would not have to speak and make a fool out of herself. "I am no Man. I need no explanation." He sighed and combed his fingers through her hair. "There are more important things in life than physical intimacy. I only long to be close to you, grant me that."

Irulan gave him a long, sidelong glance as he continued to comb her hair, his other hand gently holding hers. 'Why not Baeron?' she thought suddenly. Why had she not fallen for him? Why wasn't she falling for him even now? Why, against all his attraction, his irresistible ways and his warmth, was she still unable to close the door of her heart that led to Legolas? "Do you think I am a fool?" was her quiet and very serious question.

The elf smiled and locked eyes with her once more. He brought up her hand to kiss it. "I think I don't give a damn what or who you are," he whispered.

Irulan sniffed and smiled despite herself. "Was that an evasive answer?"

His laughter chimed in the room for a moment and his perfect teeth glimmered in the dim light. "No, I don't think you are a fool. I think you are something magnificent - you are human."

She grinned, feeling better after having heard his laughter and rolled her eyes in mock frustration. "What on earth is so magnificent about THAT?"

He cocked his head, giving her a long look. "You are confused. Afraid. Indecisive. But tomorrow you will be none. Even this moment you change from being something to being something else, with drastic speed. You will never be the same again." He sighed as she found herself listening with rapt attention. "Everything touches your spirit and your heart. Everything becomes a part of you and makes 'you'. I am awed by that."

A short silence ensued as the lively music from the street glided into the silence of the room. "But...everyone changes. You change, too."

"Not like this, dear Irulan." He sighed and looked briefly towards the window that was the only source of light in the chamber now. "It is a welcome, but very rare thing for my kind." She thought about his meaning for a moment or two, then he continued, his tone tired once more, "We glide through this world, unaffected by it for most of the time. Less and less things leave a mark on our hearts. Fewer and fewer people stir our souls. It is the curse of having seen all and done everything. You can never understand the dulling, numbing effect that has on one." He locked eyes with her once more, smiling a little lighter. "And I hope you never will." He combed her hair again, lifting up the ends to give it a tender kiss. "Unlike many mortals I have met, you have much curiosity and eagerness for life. You are open to the world and fearless in your quest. I admire that. Never change, Irulan," he finished, the irony and contradiction of his wish to his statement a moment ago forcing an amused smile on both faces.

She swallowed softly with the intensity of his gaze, then laughed with a nervous edge to chip off the heavy conversation. "I would hardly say that I'm not afraid, Baeron!"

He grinned then. "A moment or an era of fear does not make you a coward. It is the fact that you are afraid now, but will shed it some other day as if you have never worn that garment that makes you so incredible." She stared back in wonder and he looked at her in admiration. He leaned in and placed a lingering kiss on her cheek and immediately she felt uncomfortable.

"I find myself always in the same situation," she said, chuckling nervously. "Under the overwhelming spell of elves. And...not ready for it."

Baeron kissed her cheek again, before he pulled back. "No worries. My words were sincere - what we share even at this moment is a gift of terrible beauty for me. I will cherish it. And not ask for more." She looked up at him, relieved. "Yet, of course," he added with a childish grin and Irulan laughed, shaking her head. He was the strangest creature ever! One moment he was all man, the next only a dear friend. And nobody knew what he would be the moment after that.

Baeron jumped to his feet, releasing her hands. "As a constant traveler, some things never leave my side. I have a t-shirt that should fit you well enough. You can change and go to sleep in it. You will feel much better once rested, Irulan."

She nodded and slowly rose as well. Though her longing for Legolas had not disappeared completely, it had shrank into the background and Irulan was happy for it. "What will you do?" she said cautiously.

He shrugged and turned to find his backpack in the dark. She saw nothing but heard him drawing the zipper and fumbling through it. "Lord Legolas told me that you are...fragile. I will stay with you this night." He fished out the cotton pants and the cotton T-shirt, offering the shirt to her and keeping the other item to himself.

Irulan nodded in approval. It was an incredible thing to be with elves. Not to worry about their advances or them being deceitful and tricky. As with any other, she could walk around naked in front of Baeron, and still he would not move without her consent. Well...perhaps with Baeron one needed to be a little more cautious. Since he was so...unique. But even he would keep stoically to elven principles and limits, she knew that. And it was a relief to be able to think of them as safe and trustworthy in that aspect.

He smiled in return, his delight very obvious on his expression and Irulan left to the bathroom to put the T-shirt on her. Though he was an elf with a lithe build, it was a loose article and hung almost to her knees. She washed her face and brushed her teeth with the brush the hotel offered, then returned to the bedroom. Baeron stood by the window, his upper half naked and the cotton pants on his lower half, the reflection of light playing on his smooth and marble-like skin. Perhaps he was immune to the sight of a half naked woman, but Irulan held no such virtues. She swallowed and hastily looked away, feeling embarrassed for no particular reason. Though she must be like a child in his eyes and he must have seen the female body naked countless times (or so she told herself and let it be known that for Baeron she was very far from a child), she felt very self-conscious and hastily climbed underneath the covers, pulling them up to her chest. 'Think of him like your brother, you fool!' she thought to herself.

Unfortunately Baeron looked nothing like her brother. He turned to her, a tender smile on his face. He shared the beautiful, muscular, lithe body with the rest of his kin but nevertheless, had differences compared to Legolas. His skin, for instance, was a shade darker - almost olive. Legolas seemed a tad slimmer compared to him and Baeron's shoulders were a little larger. Whereas Legolas had the perfection of a piece of art, Baeron had a more masculine beauty to him. His approach to the bed was perfectly silent and Irulan had to force herself to look up at him. "Move over," he said gently.

She just stared at him in alarm and unconsciously clutched at the cover harder. Baeron smiled wider, the ways of humans so naive and yet so alluring to him. At her lack of response he proceeded to lift the cover in the most natural fashion and Irulan, who had not thought that he would actually sleep with her in the same BED -not to mention, while looking like this!- out of sheer alarm hastily glided away. In one fluid movement the elf was settled on her former spot and though she tried to move further away at the risk of falling off the bed, he grasped her waist and pulled her to himself with unquestionable strength.

Irulan gasped and froze completely, unable to move a single muscle as Baeron smoothed the cover over them and finally lay down, his face only inches from her, his hand lying across her waist. She swallowed hard, her heart beating furiously. She felt no physical desire for Baeron - even though the opposite would be very understandable. And she knew that he would not make a move and dare to go against his word. And yet, to lie here half naked with a half naked elf next to her, was a little too much for a woman of her character.

Baeron was very aware of her discomfort, of course, and in a sly manner, enjoyed it immensely. "Don't tell Legolas," he said softly. His grin was hidden by the dark.

The idea alone made her dizzy. If Legolas would walk in through the door this moment...well let's just say that the wallpaper would gain a red color. Nothing was happening, true, but still Irulan was more than certain that he would not like the idea of her sleeping half naked with Baeron in the same bed. Oh no...not at all. "T-tell him w-what?" she stammered, feeling the need to say something.

He grinned again and this time, with her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw it. He moved closer as her muscles literally ached with her stiff state. His arm embraced her further as he placed a tender kiss on her cheek, then lay his face closer to hers. "That I like your warmth," he whispered, his gaze intense, "and your scent," he added with a sigh, his hand climbing up to her shoulder, then into her hair, combing it gently away from her face.

"I won't!" she said hastily, now feeling dizzier than ever. Perhaps her own blood would accompany Baeron's on the wallpaper if she told such a thing. The idea made her groan with dread and he laughed. She chuckled along, glad that the intensity between them had lifted a little. Anne would never believe that she had been in bed with such a gorgeous creature and neither had made a move for further intimacy! The idea of Anne brought back the earlier happenings of the day and Irulan sighed unconsciously and she hastily stuffed it away. "I have learned that lesson, believe me," she sighed. "Legolas looked nothing like an elf when he found out about David."

"Who is David?" he said, raising himself on his elbow and cupping his chin in his palm.

She groaned again. "Forget it. No one."

"No, tell me," he insisted, delightfully curious.

"No one!" she said in exasperation, mimicking his pose and raising herself, too. "I made him up to refuse Legolas." His face, merely inches from her, broke into true surprise. She had told him about the pledge, but skipped the David issue altogether, saying that she had just lied to Legolas and felt forced to correct that shame. The main reason for that had been not a desire to hide it, but just the desire to prevent prolonging the dreadful tale. "He did not take it too well, I must add," was her dry comment. "Thus...the pledge."

Baeron grinned in silence for a few moments. "I see," he said and looked like he was trying hard to suppress a chuckle. Irulan kept looking at him with mock frustration, daring him to laugh out. "You made up a lover to refuse Lord Legolas?!" he said with amazement then. She rolled her eyes and began picking on the pillow below her. "That must have been a first for him," he added and against all intentions, broke into soft laughter. Irulan smacked him on the shoulder and Baeron just laughed harder.

"It was not funny! He really scared me!" He tried to stop, then gave up on it. "Threw me on the bed and everything!" she insisted, partly annoyed, partly amused at his reaction. Baeron only laughed harder at that and Irulan, feeling frustrated, laughed along, smacking his shoulder and trying to push him away once more.

Their laughter soon died out and suddenly, out of nowhere, a sizzling atmosphere arrived between them. She shifted with unease, glancing at his face that stood shrouded in the dark due to the fact that the window was behind him and the faint light did not illuminate his features as he stood propped up his elbow, like herself. A long moment passed and her discomfort grew as she felt his gaze heavy on her, but could not fathom his thoughts.

"What do you see in Lord Legolas?" he said suddenly, his voice gentle and soft.

She froze with hesitation. "What do you mean?"

He did not answer immediately. Only several moments later he spoke up again. "What does he have, that I do not?"

Her eyes widened with wonder and she chuckled despite herself. Baeron seemed to be intrigued by that, but did not inquire. "You men! Sometimes I think you care nothing for us. You care only about overpowering each other!" Still he did not speak, so she explained: "That was exactly what Legolas asked me about David."

"What was the answer?"

"There is no answer," sighed Irulan finally. "You said it yourself...love is a large palette with many colors."

Baeron remained silent for a long time. When he spoke again, his voice was low and fragile: "Yes. And I will forever remain in the shadow of his glamour."

She looked up again, baffled by the sadness in his tone. "Why do you say that?" He did not answer. "You are a wonderful man, Baeron. It is foolish to compare yourself with another."

He sighed, laying back, inspecting the ceiling. The past! Such terrible beauty it held! And it was more loyal than any friend – for no matter what, the past never let go. Never ever. "Let us rest, Irulan," he said a long minute later.

Irulan merely nodded and glided down to lay her head on the pillow, facing him. The elf did the same and though their pose was identical to what it was before, this time their state seemed oddly much less intimate. Again he placed his hand on her waist and again, he kissed her cheek, then lay back, combing her hair, but it held nothing of the sizzling flame that it had, before. She fell asleep, thinking how that was possible, and Baeron remained awake, trying very hard to remember that he was an elf and immune to the calls of desire.

***

The grass felt incredible underneath her naked soles. Cool, moist and soft. She looked down and for several steps watched her feet crushing it gently. Even the smell was very real – sharp and fresh.

Crunch...swish...crunch...swish...crunch... Her gaze wandered to her left and she saw the other pair of naked feet engaged in the same action. Her eyes slowly wandered up the perfectly white skin of the ankle, to the edge of a long, black gown and further up to a small waist, then a black veil that was fluttering around a face.

She should be afraid. But as strange as it was, she felt only incredible peace. HER peace.

"Millennia separate us, King-daughter," she said and Irulan was suddenly struck by her deep, musical voice. Arwen spoke as if she revered each and every word. "But our fate unites us nevertheless."

Irulan watched Arwen's head rise to look ahead and she mimicked the queen, observing the hill just ahead of them. The wind seemed stronger as they walked further towards it, for it stood in the open. She gulped despite herself and a shiver ran down her spine. "Why the sadness?" came the melodious voice, and it almost sounded taunting. "Does my parting hurt you?"

Irulan swallowed to prevent the dryness in her throat. "It seems...unfitting," she managed to say with a hoarse and raw voice.

No sound came from Arwen, but Irulan felt a tinge of amusement emanating from her. "You misread me, heir of mine," drawled the woman as they slowly began their ascent of the hill. A flock of birds swept over them and the air was so clear and brisk that she imagined to smell the musky scent of their feathers. "I am no fragile woman. I am no tender lady. I am no weak maiden." Irulan said nothing and for a short moment. The sensation of the wet grass stems underneath her feet was very overpowering. "I am a warrior!" sounded the deep voice of Arwen and the strength and sudden command in it made her head snap around towards the black veil. Irulan wanted to speak. To say something. Anything. But the presence of such a creature beside her and the reality of her current vision rendered her speechless. She felt diminished and unimportant. Here she was, accompanying a woman like this to her certain death...what could she say at a moment like this? "And it pains me to see that my kin does not follow my footsteps."

A sudden unexplainable shame came over her and Irulan frowned, not in understanding why that was. She felt a blush bloom in her cheeks and cast her gaze down to her feet. Though Arwen walked as smooth as she would walk on a perfectly straight road, Irulan herself felt herself slightly panting as the hill became steeper. "I...I have disappointed you," she whispered with perfect dread when the idea became prominent in her mind.

"I feel up to no pretense on this last day," sighed Arwen.

It was all the answer Irulan needed as she felt her face burning, against the cool breeze. "Why?" was the terrified whisper.

"You do not have the heart," was the cold reply.

They had passed the half-way of the hill now and still they rose, the soft earth sinking under Irulan's soles while the elf beside her walked on perfectly smooth. A short silence settled between them and she felt her unreasonable but very real shame deepening further and further, pulling her down into a dark lake. "I...I..." She gave up. At this moment, she simply lacked the strength to ask the reason.

Arwen sighed gently and her head swiveled slightly, taking in the silent forest around them. Her features were invisible to Irulan and that was a little frightening. As was the fact that this was one of those...dangerous...dreams. And the fact that they were here on a rather disturbing event. "I broke every rule there was to break," came her deep voice, the tone of amusement and pleasure enough to stun the other woman, "but you...dear daughter..." with that, her face turned to a shocked Irulan, "...are nothing like me." Another breeze ruffled the black veil, and for an instant and an instant alone, it lifted enough to show a chin of perfect rosy skin and fabulous lips, curled up in a smile.

"What would you like me to do?" was Irulan's anxious whisper of a question.

Arwen halted in mid-step and Irulan did as well, once again intimidated by her. She remained looking at her black veil, unable to see the face underneath and feeling uncomfortable because of that. "I would like you to be worthy of your line!" seethed Arwen. Irulan remained fixed on her. Actually she wanted to move away...but felt completely incapable of it at the moment. "I have not defied the world so that my line can bend to it!"

She blinked. Another cool gust hit her, this time from behind and she realized that she had been sweating. Another shiver ran down her spine. Arwen did not move. Therefore, neither did she. "I....I'm sorry," was the only thing she could come up with. She was still not certain what Arwen was talking about, but the fact that she was called some sort of a coward or failure was not exactly very heart-warming.

Arwen said nothing, then turned and continued her ascent. Irulan hastily joined her once more. They did not speak again until they reached the summit. Once there, Irulan could not help herself looking around. The autumn forest stretched around her in perfect silence. Maybe it was not autumn at all – maybe the entire world was going through a season of autumn and all the gloominess could be attributed to that. Her eyes then fell to the rock in front of her, embedded in the soft earth. The idea that Arwen would die right here suddenly brought all the dread that she should have felt before in one single punch onto her. She swallowed again and turned back to the queen, who was standing two steps away, her black dress like a dark cloud, fluttering around her.

"All my life," began the queen, her tone peaceful and satisfied, "I have chosen love. No matter what other options. No matter the outcome. No matter the price." Irulan felt another wave of heat hitting her cheeks. But she dared not tear her gaze away. "Even now I am not choosing death...but love, Irulan." A short interval came in, and again she sensed Arwen's amusement. "Death is simply the outcome. I care nothing for that." Irulan pursed her lips, her eyes glued to the black veil, fluttering around the elf's face. "What do YOU choose, heir of my blood?"

Another silence. She had no answer. She was afraid of an answer. She opened her mouth, then closed it. She had nothing to say. She was a failure. A coward. A loser. The great heir of Aragorn! If she could, Irulan would snort. Though it was far from funny at this point. More like....sad. Arwen turned her profile to her then and there was disinterest in her voice when she spoke again: "Leave. You have no place here."

She did not move, desiring to stay, to gain Arwen's forgiveness or liking. To make it up to her. To change. To become whatever she was expected to be. But her anxious stillness was broken by the elf's stern voice. "Leave! I would rather die alone, then in the company of one who has no heart!"

Never in her entire life had Irulan felt this small, unworthy and disgusting. Never had she felt so slashed by a comment. If she could choose this very instant, she would –without any hesitation- choose to fall on her face and die. And hope that her name would be erased from all history forever. "Please," she whispered, instantly amazed that she had managed to do so, "Please...allow me to stay."

"Nay," exhaled the elf, only very slightly turning her head to the direction of the other woman. "you are not worthy."

"Please," Irulan begged once more, swallowing down a very, very treacherous, big lump of tears.

"I am proud to die this day," was the late response. It did indeed ring of pride and determination. "For I am a daughter, wife, and mother of kings. I have found what matters most in this world and I have defended it like the true warrior I am. Stay if you can say the same for yourself, Irulan."

She just stared at Arwen, agape. An eternity seemed to pass as the elf remained perfectly unmoving, like some statue and Irulan was frozen into immobility. Her long hair flew around her and the wind seemed to have gained a chillier edge. Cold it was. Like the truth. The truth of being none of those things. She had failed her line. She had failed herself. She was nothing.

Irulan did not know it, but a tear rolled down her face and it seemed like it was the hardest task as she slowly took a step back. Still the queen did not move and remained gazing at her. No sentiment emanated from her still form - other than a frosty distance. She, too, was cold. Irulan took another step back, feeling unworthy of her presence. Arwen was right. She was a coward. All her life she had run. From commitment. From responsibility. From dedication. From risk. And now...now she was running again. From love. It was a betrayal like no other, for her line had sprouted from such a love. Another step followed and finally the distance between them was large enough for Irulan to turn her back to the other woman. The wind blew into her wet face and she felt like a layer of ice was literally forming on it - so harsh and frosty it was.

She began a shaky, stumbling descent. Arwen was the one dying this day. Irulan would live to carry the shame.

Her eyes flew open and she gasped. Her hand clutched her heart, her knuckles turning pale with the force she was using to do so. "Shhhhhh," someone said beside her, but Irulan had no idea who it was. Neither was she aware of the strong and warm grasp that prevented her from moving. For a long moment she sat, in a state of absolute confusion and shock. "Relax, Irulan," came the voice again, "let it go. Let it pass."

Very, very slowly those words gained meaning as she felt a gentle but great force engulfing her and tipping her mind into action once more. It pushed aside the heavy haze of confusion and enfolded her like a warm blanket. Irulan swallowed and began to tremble involuntarily. "That's my girl," came the voice once more and she felt the arms around her waist encircling her stronger. "Let go." She swallowed, shaking stronger and incredibly afraid of this physical reaction of her body that she could not understand.

Before she knew what was happening, she had begun to cry - which was a natural reaction to the shock she was in. The elf held her, caressing her back as she sobbed, still shaking like a leaf. She felt the red, heated pain diminishing and knew that it was not a natural fading. It was being extinguished like a fire. Soothed like a sore muscle. Bandaged like a wound. "Baeron!" she whimpered, her other hand finding his arm across her waist. "I want to go home." Her voice was strange to her own ears - the voice of a child. "Please...I want to go back. I want to unmake it all."

He hushed and soothed her and for Irulan, an eternity passed. She pleaded for him to take her back in time. To erase it all. To place her into New York a week from this day. To the era before England. Before Legolas. Before the love, the lies and the mistakes. And if Baeron had possessed that sort of power, he would have used it without the slightest hesitation - so great was his own pain at the sight of hers. Once again, he was witness to the frailty of mortals. To their fragility. Once again he was witness to the fact that they were simply incapable of lifting the heavy load that an elf was. And yet...how he wanted her! How a part of him stubbornly continued to believe that he could take care of her. That he could make her happy and content and that he could prevent the agony.

Almost an hour passed and they remained like that - Baeron lost in his own battle while Irulan was fighting hers. Hope is a mighty force and no matter what, one falls prey to its lure. Against all past deeds, against all proven failures, one wants to believe that this time it will be different. That this time there will be victory at last.

Irulan finally gave in to tiredness and fell asleep in his arms and Baeron, with the tenderness of a mother putting her baby to sleep, placed her back on the bed, covered her. He did not sleep again and remained watchful of her until the bright day won over the darkness in Madrid.

***

When she woke up the second time, it was a bright day. Slowly she sat up, once again feeling confused. She had a terrible headache and suddenly remembered that she had had a very similar one when she woke up in Paris after that dreadful dream. How ironic it was – Legolas had been with her, then. He had eased her suffering. And this day, when it was his pain that had haunted her, Baeron had repaid that debt.

The idea of Baeron strung a cord in her and Irulan walked to the bathroom. He wasn't there, either. A little alarmed at that, she hastily dressed, then sat on the bed to wait.

Thankfully fifteen minutes later he walked through the door, looking as wonderful as ever. "Forgive me. I had to leave you for a short while." She jumped to her feet and he came to loom over her, his gaze heavy on her. Again, his fingers glided down her cheek and again she smiled at the gesture. "Breakfast time?" he said gently. Irulan nodded. To her surprise he leaned in and placed a single, gentle kiss on her lips. There was no passion in it - just the tender care of a friend and therefore she felt no discomfort. "Are you rested?"

"I am," she said. "Thank you, Baeron. I know it sounds lame...but I have nothing better to say. You saved me."

He smiled, a look of astonishment on his face and bowed his head gently, not tearing his gaze from hers. "It was an honor, King-daughter." Irulan smiled and bowed her head in a similar fashion. A moment passed between them. He sighed and combed his fingers through her hair, like he had done the first time they had met – even before he had said hello. "It is nothing compared to what you have done for me." His smile became a little broader then. "Or to what you have done for Lord Legolas."

Irulan exhaled, casting her gaze down. "Your burden is beyond me," she murmured, biting her cheeks. "I wish I could take all of it."

"Nay," he said gently, touching her temple. "Who would we be without our pain?"

The strangest feeling came over her. 'Who would we be without our pain?' she thought, stupefied. She did not know why, but the question woke something in her. It stirred her. Rang the bell of truth. She did not get to delve into it deeper as, once again proving his typical stormy ways, Baeron grinned a moment later and turned from tender courtier to mischievous child in a single instant. "Speaking of Legolas...he is in Madrid."

Her head snapped up in utter shock to that. "WHAT?!" She gave the door an alarmed look as if the elf would walk through it any moment. Her heart broke into a hasty pace as she locked eyes with a rather relaxed Baeron once more. "Where?!"

"He has been to our former hotel, as I have told you he would."

Irulan swallowed hard. The idea that Legolas had come so swiftly and was actually somewhere in the same city this moment was very...scary. What if he had found them sleeping here last night? Her vision almost darkened with the idea alone and she grasped his forearm in alarm. "Oh my God! What will happen now?!"

Baeron merely shrugged. "It would be wise to leave before he arrives here."

Her eyes widened incredibly and she dug her fingers into his arm. "Let's go then!" she almost yelled. The elf grasped her hand in a gentle manner and guided her out of the room. He kept himself from laughing at the anxious looks she was throwing around and pulled her down the little street. They ended up at a cafe and Irulan gave it a disbelieving look before he turned to him.

"We still have to eat, don't we?" he said calmly.

"No! We should go! Now!"

Baeron ignored her statement and pulled her to a table somewhere in the back of the room. "Stop fretting, Irulan. He does not possess a Palantir stone. He cannot find us so soon if we are cautious."

"But...I mean...this is ridiculous! We should call him and tell him to stay away!"

Baeron shrugged again. He rummaged in his pockets for a moment, then gave her a few Spanish money bills. "You can try, of course. Though I doubt that it will work." She gave the bills a confused look and finally met his eyes again. "Do not turn on your cell phone. He will find you in a matter of minutes, then." She swallowed hard and unwillingly her gaze went to his pocket. No doubt, he had done the same.

"How could he find us?"

"Do not underestimate the Circle. They have many means of locating people. Tracking these phones via satellites is merely one of them." He smiled at her horrified look. "Don't worry. I know their ways well enough." He pushed her gently down and she sank into her chair, a shade paler than usual. "But even I can not evade someone like Lord Legolas for too long. Eventually, our ways will cross. It is only a matter of time." He held her hand and the contact made her look at him. He smiled a reassuring smile. "But that time is essential for you now. Forget about all else and listen to your inner self, Irulan. I am buying this time for you. Clean your burdens and free yourself of your past weights."

Their breakfast arrived and though Irulan did not feel hungry in the least, the man forced her to continue and she unwillingly obliged. A long string of minutes passed as Irulan remained looking down at her plate, chewing absent-mindedly as the elf sat, observing her. Against all his wish to let this moment continue and to keep this peaceful atmosphere between them, he knew that he had to break it once again. For he was determined to be honest with her till the very end. "Irulan..." he began carefully, "...there is something you must know. About Legolas and me." She remained still and expectant. "This will not be the first time we have...come to...disagree." She blinked in surprise as he nodded to confirm his words. "It was many centuries ago. But once, a woman tore us apart. And we ended up doing the same thing to her, I'm afraid." The last part came out somewhat bitter. "I loved her very much. As much as Legolas loves you now." A dangerous fire licked his hazel eyes and he let a moment of silence prevail. "That is how I know that he will stop at nothing to get you back. For I have done it. And paid for it dearly."

Shocked by this sudden discovery and more so by his deep sadness she sensed from him, she remained gaping at him. "I...I had no idea," she stammered, the fork forgotten in her hand. She could not imagine Legolas and Baeron getting into some drastic confrontation about anything. They seemed to like and respect each other genuinely and had never shown anything other than slight, friendly competition in her presence.

"It is an old and sad tale. We do not talk much about it," he sighed, leaning back a little and placed his arm on the table between them, remaining observant of her.

"But...I'm sure that it is behind you now," she tried, unable to match their current relationship to a past like that. "You do not seem to be spiteful anymore."

"No...we have buried that spite together. Or so I hope." He halted and looked away, chewing his lower lip for a moment. "It is funny how mortals think us to be strong." His hazel eyes found hers again, the sparkle of a glimmer in them. "I always thought us much weaker. And needy."

"I understand," she said when the silence prevailed in the darkness settling on her heart. Actually that was a lie, because at this moment Irulan was in a state of perfect confusion and understood nothing. Except one single clear fact: She had walked into a minefield with the stupidity and ignorance of walking into Disneyland. As a matter of fact, she had stepped on one. And now, she could not move, for the slightest movement would make it explode right in her face. 'Oh my God!' was all she could think of at the moment. 'Oh my God! I am trapped! They will kill each other and *I* will be the reason for it! Oh sweet God!'

She became incredibly pale and the elf released his fork to find her hand. "I have told you the truth. As it rings in my heart." He leaned slightly forward then. "It is an honor to be the one you turn to when you feel in need, Irulan. You can not know how happy you made me this day." He gently squeezed her fingers and she just stared back, shrouded in alarm. "Do not deprive me of it now." He brought up her hand and placed a kiss on the back of it, locking eyes with her once more.

"Baeron…I love you both," Irulan began cautiously, and it was true. Though with very different ardor, she loved both of these men immensely and could not imagine witnessing the pain of either. "I don't want my stupid act to break you apart."

"If we break apart, it won't be your stupid act, my friend," he said with encouragement. "It will be because of ours." A moment passed as she just whimpered with desperation. "Our past has nothing to do with you, Irulan," said Baeron finally. "Neither does my love of you. Do not burden yourself with things that don't belong to you."

Another minute passed as Irulan played with her food, biting her lower lip in indecision. Finally she thought it more appealing to ask and still her curiosity. "What of this other woman? What was her name?"

Baeron hesitated momentarily. "Bentanta," he sighed, his eyes glazing over. A long silence set in and Irulan waited it out. "She took her own life."

For a moment she thought she did not hear him right. But when Baeron's knuckles whitened as he held his fork and he avoided meeting her gaze, she knew that she had not misheard him after all. A long time passed and neither ate, the sound of conversation in the background filling the terrible vacuum between them. Irulan did not have the heart to break it and Baeron looked like he had no intentions of doing so.

Some time they remained like that, stuffed into their own private Hells. 'What have I gotten myself into?!' she thought, a little amazed that this was actually happening. The horror of the situation seemed almost fictional. "I will speak to him," she said finally with a shaky voice. "Perhaps I can convince him. This is madness!"

Baeron did not object again. He smiled and nodded, pointing to the phone that stood on the far end of the counter of the cafe. Some waiter reset the counter and she dialed the castle number Baeron had given him. The man who picked up the phone told her that Lord Greenleaf was overseas at the moment. "I know," she interrupted with haste. "How can I reach him?"

A moment passed. "Is this Lady Irulan?"

She blinked, feeling suddenly uneasy. "Yes?"

"He has a cell phone with him, Miss," he said then and it sounded very much like forced blankness. "He told me to give you the number."

Irulan thanked him, then wrote it down on a napkin and hastily dialed it after hanging up. It rang once. "Yes?" came his calm voice and once again she felt drawn to it despite her best control.

"Legolas! Are you in Madrid?!" she said before she could stop herself.

A momentary hesitation. "Irulan! Tell me where you are. This moment!"

She pursed her lips and glanced at Baeron who was having his breakfast in utter calmness. "Are you mad?! I told you not to come!"

"And I told you that I would," he said with his blank voice. "Tell me where you are and give me ten minutes to come. We will leave and all this will end for the better."

"Why don't you understand?" she whined this time, massaging her face. "You have to let me go! You are scaring me, you have to stop before this gets out of control, Legolas."

He sighed a tired sigh and she sensed his brief, but evident hesitation. "It is too late," he said gently. "I am here. Do not desert me like this, Irulan. Please...is it so much to ask for another chance? Is our possible future not worth it?"

This time it was her that hesitated. "I told you before. I will return. But only when *I* am ready. You can not hunt me down like some animal!"

"It is not you I am hunting," he said then, his voice dangerously low.

Irulan swallowed and threw another glance at Baeron. "Legolas...I did not know about....about...your past. I don't want you two to do something foolish because of me."

A very long moment passed and Irulan glanced at Baeron again. Miraculously he chose that moment to turn and lock eyes with her and though she could not read his expression, she felt intimidated by it. "I thought I regretted my choices with her," Legolas said finally, and his voice was gentle steel. "But now I see that I have fooled myself. For I am ready to repeat them again." Irulan felt the hair on her nape rise to his words and at his tone. Her mind went blank.

"Legolas!" she whispered in urgency, breaking eye contact with the other elf. "Baeron has no fault in this, I tell you! *I* came to him! I...I had no idea that...I mean that you two had..." The thought of another woman having caused serious friction between these two was rather interesting. But the fact that now she herself was in said woman's position was not interesting at all. It was simply horrifying.

When he spoke again to cut her off, Irulan literally feared for her life. "Is it true that he kissed you?" All sense left her at that question and she felt incredible shame, as if Legolas himself had witnessed it.

"W-what?" she managed to choke out after a long silence.

"The people at the restaurant told me," was his calm statement. "Is it true?"

She could not deny it. But there was no way on earth she could confirm it, either! Battling with these thoughts, she remained still as her blush deepened into crimson. "Legolas," she whispered finally, "you MUST stop. You are....you are not yourself. You must stop and think what you are doing. You cannot win me in this manner. Please just..."

"He kissed you," he said, and it sounded like a death sentence. "Knowing that you are mine. Knowing that I am coming for you. Knowing that it would kill me." She swallowed, the world whirling around her. "I will never stop until this is over."

"It meant nothing!" she said, wishing she would just drop and die on the spot. "He was...he...he...he is only a friend to me, Legolas. I feel nothing for him." He said nothing in return and that made her only more afraid. "This is all my fault! *I* came to him! I drew him into this! Please...just..."

"You are a child, Irulan. I understand the motivation for your actions. Do not stand between Baeron and me - this is beyond you now.

"I will come to you, then. I will. Only...please don't harm him." A momentary silence followed. "Promise, Legolas."

A long moment passed before the other elf spoke again. "You do not understand, do you?" he said slowly. "He kissed you, Irulan. Never will he go back on that. He will not let you go. I must come to take you."

'What have you done?!' she thought...the world spinning faster and faster. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid Irulan…what have you done?' She spoke, the words falling from her lips independent of her mind "No...he will let me…he is...I will wait for you here, Legolas. He will let me." She glanced at Baeron and met his gaze. At that moment she knew that he was right - she was trapped between the two and the choice was not hers anymore.

He sighed deftly and waited another moment. "I will locate this number and come for you. If you are there and alone, this will end and I promise not to pursue it further. For you and you only, Irulan, I promise. But if you are not there....never repeat this request again."

Irulan swallowed hard, her eyes still glued to the other elf, who rose from his seat and began to walk towards her. "All right, Legolas," she mumbled, shocked by the recent events, then placed the receiver in its cradle as the blonde man arrived by her side, a look of alarm on his face. "Why are you so pale? What happened?" he asked concerned.

"I must go to him," she stammered, her lungs refusing to breathe. "Baeron...leave. I will wait here for Legolas."

He gave her a long look and exhaled before he cupped her face and caressed her cheek. "Then I will wait with you."

She covered her face with her hands and began to cry. Feeling guilty. Ashamed. Stupid. Lost. "Please go," she cried, her voice muffled as he caressed her back in a gentle manner. "Please go. It is the only way."

"Not for me," he whispered, continuing his caress as he gave the waiter bills for the call and the breakfast. "I can not leave you."

Irulan removed her hands and looked at him, her face flushed and tear-stricken. "Go," she whispered in urgency. "Please!"

He only shook his head. "The only way I leave this place will be with you." He took a step back and held out his hand. "Come with me, Irulan."

She whimpered and glanced at the door. If she remained Legolas would come and they both would do something....well she did not know what but she was sure that it would be very, very bad. She could not sit here and allow them to meet. It was like brimstone meeting fire and anyone who sat around for that was stupid! Forget about her – they would destroy each other for sure! If she went with him, Legolas would find them eventually and the same thing would happen. In reality, the only choice she possessed was that of WHEN it would happen. Now...or sometime later.

And any time was better than now.

For "later" meant hope. Hope that she could change the path of the cart that was running downhill with a wild pace. Hope that something would happen and save her. Save them. Hope that a miracle would come and unmake all her mistakes.

It was this hope that made her fingers reach out and find his offered hand and it was with this hope that she convinced herself that she was making the right choice when his hand closed and enfolded hers. And thanks to that hope she did not flinch when he raised it and his lips landed on the back of it, speaking of gratitude and relief. And it was on the trail of that hope that she allowed him to pull her out of the cafe, into the crowded streets of Madrid.

Fate cared nothing for her departure. Neither did She care for innocence, guilt or regret. In the chamber where she sat and stitched, those were empty words. She chose the yarns, aligned the threads and weaved on, unmoved by pain, longing or love. Millennia were the blink of an eye to Her and Time was a joke. She had began this design long ago and she would not stop until she had tied all loose ends for good.

***

"How long ago did they leave?" he said, dismissively pulling out a stack of large bills for the waiter behind the counter as his eyes darted around the cafe and lingered on the table he had pointed out a moment ago. The man threw a disbelieving look at the bills, then back at this man whom he feared for no apparent reason at all. Legolas placed the stack on the counter and pushed it towards him, withdrawing his hand as his blue gaze never wavered.

"Do you want me to kill them, senor?" he said with open shock, certain that this kind of money would not be paid for less.

Legolas said nothing in reply, his face as blank as a face could be. "Reply to my questions. I ask for nothing further."

The man glanced around uneasily, then hastily took the money and stuffed it into his pocket. "Merely fifteen minutes ago, senor."

Legolas nodded, looking down at the phone that stood before him. His long fingers glided along the receiver, his heart pulsing with the need to touch her again. "Tell me what you have seen or heard."

"Well... they had breakfast. Then she made a phone call. Then he came and they...had a discussion." He scratched his head, trying to remember. "Then she cried." His gaze found the blue steel of Legolas and again, he felt nervous for no reason. "And I think they argued...because she kept shaking her head and he would not give in. And then she finally obliged and took his hand. They left."

Legolas sighed and nodded, focusing on the phone again, as his fingers ran over the receiver. "Tell me all. Every word. Every detail."

The man laughed, shaking his head. "I have work to do, senor!"

Legolas removed another stack and gently left it on the counter, not diverting his eyes from the phone. "No you don't," he said slowly. "You don't."

***