A/n: Hola, mis amigas, chicas! ¿Como estan ustedes? Estoy muy alegre, porque ¡yo no tengo tarea! Es muy bien, ¿verdad?
... tu lees ahora, lo siento.

*Hello, girfriendz, chicks! How are y'all? I'm wicked hyper, cuz I have no homework!!!!!! Ain't that AWESOME?
... y'can read now, sorry.

Disclaimer: All I own is my... my box. Everything else my parents gave me and will sell when I have finally moved out. Geez. Even my allowance money isn't mine. They gave it to me. NOTHING I OWN IS REALLY MINE!!!! AAAAAAGH!

Chapter Eight: Speech

Legolas smiled sweetly at the Lady Galadriel. She did not see it, though. She was busy, her eyes shut tightly and her jaw clenched.

Finally, she gave a great sigh and slumped backwards. Celeborn caught her before she fell, and helped her over to her seat. Legolas blinked. He did not understand that she had been trying to tear down the crazed madness within his mind. He hadn't even felt it.

Galadriel sighed deeply. "Legolas, you are slowly making progress out of the mire. But your thoughts-" She shuddered. "-are so chaotic, it is amazing that you can concentrate enough to listen to anyone, much less speak." She bowed her head with exhaustion.

"It will take an age to untangle your mind. It is almost as though you have a firewall around it... Haldir, please, escort the Prince back to your rooms. The audience is officially over." Galadriel walked slowly out of the room, leaning on Celeborn's arm for support.

Haldir sighed. //That means she can't help you, Legolas. She said it could take an age; but that is far too long for you to suffer.//

Across the Hall, Erin stood thoughtfully. She turned to Hellë and tugged on his sleeve. "Sir? Could you please show me to my rooms?" she asked cordially. Hellë smiled wearily.

"Erin, I am Hellë. You know me already, no need for such formality."

Erin looked as though she had not heard him. She turned to the left. "Oh, hark, do you hear a cat wailing?"

"Tis but the winds of your fancy making that noise, Erin."

"What do I fancy? The wind?"

"Well, I suppose not the water."

"And what if my fancy is the water indeed though you say it is not? Hark, do you hear? It must be a cat."

Hellë sighed. "It is the cat, then."

"Never mind it is not. It is the lark singing outside of the window, searching for the body of his frozen mate."

"How now! Is his mate frozen?"

"Indeed she is, and her body lies in the courtyard."

"Erin, milady, how did you come across such a ghastly sight?"

"I slew her myself."

"Did you?"

"No." Erin smiled cordially. "Good sir, would you escort me to my rooms? I seem to have forgotten the way." Hellë nodded.

Erin stopped as soon as they reached the door of Hellë's talan. She frowned, and looked about. Then she turned to Hellë.

"I'm sorry. I seem to be lost. Could you take me home?" She gazed at him pitifully, tears streaking down her cheeks. Hellë shook his head.

"I am sorry my lady. Your home is somewhere I cannot bring you."

"I suppose I know why. It was taken by shadow and fear."

"What shadow do you speak of?"

"My own shadow, stretching over the ground before me even as we speak. Look, it has overcome that stair. Soon it shall overcome all of the world."

"Is your shadow so mighty?"

"Are the mighty so shadowed?"

"Let us go indoors."

"Yes, let's. What are we doing, standing on the threshold of my own house and not even opening the door?"

"My apologies, My Lady. I must have been struck by a flighting fancy."

"A fledgeling? But soft! We would not wish to waken its wrath once more! It may yet fly away if we are silent."

"Indeed." Hellë opened the door and ushered Erin inside, removing her cloak and his own, shutting the door behind them, and hanging the two coats up in front of the fire. He took out a pair of fire tongs, and began to stir the flames higher.

Erin leaned back in her chair and smiled like a serpent basking in the sun. A thoughtful expression began to grow upon her face. She turned to Hellë. "On a second thought," she said regally, "I shall allow you to keep this bird in your possession."

Hellë smiled. "You are very kind, Erin."

"Provided, of course, that you allow me to entertain myself with it."

"Now, now, what would a Lady do with a common pigeon?"

"O, fool, tis no pigeon! Tis a peacock, white and ostracized by the peahens. And for that matter I am not sure what I would do with it. I suppose I would teach it to talk. Did you know that you have a noose about your neck?"

Hellë blinked. "I was not aware of the noose."

"Oh, it is a crafty noose, and it will only tighten as your thoughts become in a deathly way."

"I see. Then I shall not think of death, and the noose shall not tighten."

"Unless," Erin said with a giggle, "I yank upwards on it."

"You would kill me?"

"With what?"

"The noose!"

"The noose? What noose?"

"The noose that traps my neck."

Erin paled. She leaned forward. "Heed my warning," she said in a very serious voice. Her eyes appeared perfectly sane. "Do not play in the realm of the shades."

"Why?"

Erin did not answer. Her eyes had gone cloudy again.

"Hellë, be a dear and fetch me something to occupy myself with, would you? I become rather bored up here with nothing to do. Perhaps an animal?"

Hellë smiled. "What sort of animal?"

Erin frowned. "Never mind. I don't want an animal near me. I would prefer the company of a beast."

"What is the difference between an animal and a beast?"

"The first walks on two legs."

"You would occupy yourself with a person?"

"No. A beast." Erin smiled sweetly at him. "Hellë, would you mind getting me something to eat? For the first time in a while I feel hungry."

Hellë smiled and nodded. He went over to the table by his bed and brought back a hunk of bread. Erin was sitting on the floor, meowing like a kitten. He sighed and knelt down.

"Is there something you want to tell me, Erin?" he asked gently. Erin gazed at him innocently.

"Meow."

"Anything that I can understand?"

Erin hissed, and batted at the bread in his hands, her fingers shaped into claw like hooks. Her violently green eyes were slitted and the pupils were dilated.

Hellë smiled. "Hungry?"

Erin mewed in frustration and sat with her hands on the floor and her back arched. She stared at him pensively for a few moments, and began to wash one of her 'forepaws'. Hellë laughed softly.

"All right, pitya-mëoi (1). You may have some bread." He broke off a piece and held it out to her. She sniffed it daintily, and took it into her teeth. Then she looked up at him curiously as she chewed. She swallowed. She opened her mouth.

"Meow," she said decisively. She leaned over and took the remainder of the bread between her teeth, and used her paws to maneuver it into different positions as she ate.

Hellë reached out and patted her gently on the head. Sometimes she talked, and sometimes, like now, she would be something else. //And sometimes she "wakes up" from actions and can't remember anything.//

Hellë smiled gently at her. She blinked, and began to make a purring noise. //One thing is for sure. Erin means no real harm to anyone. She has a good heart.//

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Legolas walked unsteadily over to Haldir as he walked into the room. Haldir shook off his winter gear and began to put it away, but Legolas tugged on his arm urgently. Haldir looked curiously at him.

Legolas gave him a sheet of paper. :What did Galadriel say? I am not good at speech in Quenya.: Haldir smiled.

"She says that you are mad."

Legolas frowned. "But..." he said softly. Haldir stood still, silently pleading that Legolas would speak.

"But I don't think I'm mad," he said finally. Haldir shrugged.

"Well, she said that there is a shield of boiling, mad thoughts covering your mind. One would only assume they're yours." Legolas frowned.

"I... I suppose they must be... but... I cannot sense them. Perhaps they are my own." He looked down. //I'm scared.//

//I have broken so many of the laws. I should be dead right now. But the Dark Man is probably waiting. Just waiting. He'll get me when Haldir's away. He'll get me for sure. Am I mad?//

Haldir patted him on the shoulder. "How about you get some rest, and I'll go to get us a meal, all right?" He made as if to head towards the door. Legolas hesitated a moment.

//Haldir's leaving. He's leaving. The Dark Man will get me! Haldir mustn't leave. He must not!// Legolas reached out and grabbed onto Haldir's arm. Haldir turned to him, a questioning look in his eyes.

"Don't go," Legolas whispered, and two tears slipped out from his downcast eyes. "Don't leave me here all alone." More tears. "He'll come if you go. He'll come and he'll punish me."

Haldir stood rigidly for a moment, and then got out Legolas' cloak. "Here," he said gruffly. "You'll need it for the walk."

*****tbc*****

A/n: Hey!!!! Despite my odd beginning, I am done with this chapter and I'm going to kick my way through the next one!
Muse: She means she's going to kick me until I agree to stop helping with Intrigue and start helping with this one.
:P
Muse: Watch your mouth, or you'll end up with no muses at all.
Yipe! Lol, bye now, please review if you think it's any good!

1- small-cat, meant as kitten.