Chapter 22- Friends Again

"Oh the nerve of that elf!" Emlin exclaimed to the stone walls of her room, remembering the argument earlier. At least she had been able to leave the Houses of Healing for her morning lesson with Arwen. Needless to say, Legolas and their argument was all she had been able to think about the entire morning, and still she had not come to any conclusions for herself. She was still too angry to even really think about what had happened with a clear mind. A friend? He had called her a friend? That in itself was so completely ridiculous. Some friend he was to expect a wonderful relationship with her when he returned; when he had spoken a total of ten coherent sentences to her the last visit.

She sat heavily on her bed and slumped her shoulders, continuing to grumble about Legolas even though she could not think of anything intelligent to complain about except that he never spoke to her anymore. Oh, and the kiss he had given her before promptly leaving her with thousands of questions about why he had done what he did. He had said it was a mistake, but she could feel that it was not that, though Legolas had apparently convinced himself of that. Emlin rolled her eyes. She did not care if he were human or elf, green or blue, any male was impossible to understand when it came to their primitive, and often times foolish, way of thinking. The king and leader of these evil creatures being her father!

Letting out a loud groan, she fell back onto her bed. She took a long calming breath, and she found that it helped her a great deal, but she still harbored animosity to all male beings.

"My lord, your room."

Emlin lifted her head from where it rested, realizing she hadn't closed her door all the way. After the porter announced the room, there was no sound at first but then she heard a sharp intake of breath and scuffing on the ground. The sounds of rusty hinges from the door next door creaked through her room. She wondered who could possibly be taking the room next door.

"Come, Legolas, a few more steps." She heard Valandir's voice. Oh yes, this was just lovely! Now it was time to yell at him for disobeying her orders.

Emlin jumped from her bed and ran to her door, throwing it open all the way, to find that Legolas was entering the chamber beside hers. She walked up behind the hobbling elf and Valandir, who was helping him hobble, until she was standing in the doorway and Legolas was beginning to sit on his bed. "What are you doing up here?! My skills are good, but not that good."

Legolas turned his head to look at her and sat carefully down on the bed, though she could see that he was in utter pain around his waist. Valandir also turned, but smirked at Legolas, "I told you Emlin would not be happy."

"And why did you allow him to talk you into helping him?" Emlin pointed her finger in his face. This was beyond all reasoning. Legolas could have hurt himself worse than he had already been injured, but he did not care as long as he got to the Citadel and to a room within the palace walls. And now he was in the chambers beside her! "How did you get by Ioreth?!"

"Calm down, Emlin." Valandir chuckled.

"I told her I would have you keep an eye on me." Legolas replied from his spot.

"Who said I would keep an eye on you?" Emlin questioned sarcastically, "I thought it was Valandir's work to keep tabs on you."

Legolas glanced up at her with a soft look, "It is, but he is like a Dwarf when it comes to healing."

She crossed her arms over her chest and tried to calm her anger. "I would think after our conversation earlier it was perfectly clear I did not feel like helping you."

He raised an eyebrow, "But you would not let me suffer because the other healers will not travel to the palace, correct? I know you better than you think, Emlin."

Emlin groaned, admitting to herself that he indeed was correct. It could have been an orc who had been hurt, but if she had been around, she would have tried to help it as best she could. To retain some level of anger at him, she said, "I should let you suffer for being such an imbecile that you thought you could make it two levels of the city with a deep wound across your belly. Why do you insist on neglecting the pain your body is telling you that you are in? You would have been better off staying at the Houses of Healing."

"For some reason, Emlin," He replied, "I think not. There are no other elleth healers down there."

Rhach! He had made her blush! Emlin turned her face away from him to hide the blush, the warmth raging on her cheeks and ears. "Just for that, I should fetch an ellon healer for you. See how you enjoy that."

"Emlin, mellon, you would not do that to me." Legolas chuckled slightly, but placed a hand over his stomach to stop a pain.

She rolled her eyes at him, and glanced around the room, finding that Valandir and the porter had vacated. Emlin walked to the door and opened it, peering out into the corridor, but found no one. Valandir would answer for his actions... leaving her alone in a room with Legolas! Turning back to him, Emlin found that she almost felt sorry for how much pain he was in, though she quickly reminded herself that most of it was self-induced. "I am confining you to the bed until you can walk around unaided."

"There is no way that you could stop me." He countered.

Emlin raised her eyebrows. "No way? There are plenty ways, of which I do not wish to use, but I will if I have to."

Legolas smiled at her deviously, the right corner of his lips curling up. "Why Emlin, I never thought such a thing could come from your mouth."

"Yet another way that I have changed and you have missed completely, Legolas." Emlin was quick to berate him, but walked to the side of his bed and began to pull back the bed covers and reposition pillows. When she was satisfied that everything was correct, she turned back to Legolas who was watching her closely. "Come, lay down so I can check your wound."

He did not protest and slowly stood up, moving around the bed to sit on the side she had cleared. Leaning carefully over, he began to undo his boots, but Emlin could see that it was more excruciating than he let on to bend in such a way. Still slightly angry and trying to get away from his dangerous, soft smiles as soon as she could, Emlin brushed his hands away and motioned for him to lie back against the pillows. "They are dirty Emlin."

Emlin nodded her head, "Aye, I know that, now do as I say."

"Yes, my lady." He said, almost sarcastically.

As he was laying back and lifting his legs up, Emlin took hold of one of his boots, unlaced it and pulled it off before he really knew what was going on. Carefully, she set that leg down, taking a hold of the other one and resting it on her knee as she undid the lacings of the boot. With proficiency, Emlin removed that boot and placed it beside the other on the floor. She glanced quickly at him, realizing how presumptuous it was of her to do this, but she did not really care. He was her patient regardless of whether or not they were friends, and she would have done the same thing for anyone else who was hurt in the same way.

"I will return in a few moments." Emlin said, "I need to fetch a new bandage and send for the salve I put on it earlier."

"Emlin, I am sure it is fine." Legolas replied. She left him without saying anymore and quickly went next door to her chambers where she kept a small stash of supplies in such case that she would ever need them up in the palace.

It was so impossible for her to remain completely angry with Legolas when she liked him so much... nay, when she loved him so much. She sighed and sat on her bed for a few moments, staring off into space. How could she love someone who did not love her in return? It seemed like a cruel, cruel fate that the Valar would make her suffer, but Emlin figured that she had probably done something in her life to warrant such a situation bestowed upon her. With another groan and grumble not for Legolas, but for herself and her helplessness when it came to defending herself from Legolas, Emlin stood up and continued back to Legolas' chambers.

She found him still lying in the position she had left him, glad that he had not moved again and aggravated the wound. Emlin held her head high, though was careful not to meet his eyes exactly, and stopped beside his bed again, placing her materials beside her. "May I ask why it was so important for you to come to the palace? You really were better off down with the healers for a night. You know you will be fine on the morrow."

"Would you believe me if I told you I rather be alone here than down at the Houses of Healing?" Legolas questioned.

"I believe half of it." Emlin replied and bent over him to undo his tunic.

He chuckled lightly, "You are certainly good at undressing people. Have you had practice, my lady?"

She shot a glare at him, but she was not quite sure the meaning of the glare made it to the correct part of his body, so she jabbed a finger into his covered wound. "If you continue that, then I will not feel so horribly bad when I leave you without aide."

Legolas grimaced and nodded his head slightly, "I am sorry, Emlin. I am only trying to lighten the mood."

Emlin did not say anything more as she quickly unwrapped his torso and found that the wound had opened up again on one side and was bleeding slowly. She shook her head disappointedly and walked over to the porcelain water dish and poured the pitcher of cool water beside it into the bowl before dipping a cloth in. After wringing the water out of the cloth, Emlin walked back over to him and placed the cloth over the wound, slowly cleaning away the blood.

A large, warm hand grabbed her own and stopped her intense concentration on cleaning the wound. She glanced up at him, "Did I hurt you?"

"Nay, you did not." He said softly, "I want to apologize for all the wrongs I have committed in the past years towards you. You are right. I have not been a very good friend."

Emlin straightened herself and looked down at him, and almost thought she saw a bit of vulnerability in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced with an innate sense of...love. No, she had to have been seeing things. There was no way that Legolas' eyes would convey love to her. His eyes were incapable of doing such things, and such a powerful emotion after such a dearth was probably not possible for one elf to convey in any manner. Emlin shook her head and turned her eyes away from him, once again looking at his wound. "No, Legolas, you have not."

"We made that distinction long ago in Lórien." He said, "I seem to have forgotten what friendship means along the way. Or at least my head has been clouded with other things as of late."

"Your head clouded, Legolas?" She asked, "I find that very hard to believe."

"It has been, Emlin." Legolas nodded his head and continued, "I was not prepared for who I would find in the place of a purely impetuous elfling, and it literally confused me."

Emlin stopped cleansing his wound and stepped back, walking over to the water bowl and dropping the cloth in it. He was confused? She was so confused with his talk and the visible reactions on his face, that she did not even know where to begin sorting them out logically. "What are you trying to say to me, Legolas? I have never been akin to roundabout ways of speaking."

He chuckled, "And I admire that, Emlin. I suppose I could benefit more by doing that now. I had no problem with it before I met you."

"Aye, I am quite daunting in that way." She found herself giggling as she looked at him and allowed their eyes to connect for the first time in a long time.

"What I wish to say, and in no roundabout way specifically, is that I am very sorry for anything I have done wrong in the past month and a half, starting when I could not even recognize you at the masque."

Emlin sighed and let a smile form on her lips, though her insides were betraying her outsides. What about the kiss? Was he still sorry for that? Or was he conveniently sidestepping the matter of the kiss so he did not have to discuss it with her? It really did not matter to her, though. If he truly did not love her, then friendship with him was the next best thing. Friendship was certainly the finest balm offered for the pangs of disappointed love. Or was it?

She moved back to the bed and placed a chair beside him so that she could sit. "I suppose that I should accept your apology, Legolas."

"You only suppose?" He asked.

"While my rational mind tells me that I should not, I cannot help but have a fanciful side that tells me you are starting back at the beginning of our friendship when everything was peaceful between us. I just wish peace." Emlin replied. "And I suppose for that manner, I can forgive you."

Legolas chuckled, "And I suppose I can thank you for that, though we will not start at the very beginning of our friendship. I do not wish to experience the wrath of your father."

Emlin grumbled slightly, still angry at her father for being so overbearing. But she also found herself laughing with Legolas as she remembered that night at the evening meal. "He no longer governs me, though."

"Aye he does-," Legolas began but was cut off when a servant carried in a small wooden bowl with the salve mixed in it.

Emlin looked up at the servant and smiled, taking the bowl from the young girl. "Thank you, Tuilinn."

"Your welcome, my lady." The servant bowed slightly and remained in place, looking over the elf sprawled out on the bed. It appeared that Tuilinn was very impressed with the physique of the elf, besides the obvious injury across his belly, and was intrigued by the tautness of the skin and muscle greatly. Normally Emlin would not have cared if the servant had stayed and watched over her as she worked, but on this day and the fact that she was appraising Legolas, Emlin decided she would rather work alone.

"Thank you, Tuilinn, that is all I needed." Emlin said, and handed the servant the dirty bandage. "Please take this to have it washed, and take the water carafe as well and fill it with fresh water."

"Aye, my lady." Tuilinn sounded slightly unhappy but quickly moved to the bowl and decanter to take with her, shutting the door as she stepped out of the room. Emlin watched her leave before tuning back to Legolas.

"That was rude." Legolas pointed out.

Emlin glanced at him, "While it may be to your liking to have young human girls looking over you so readily, I find it very difficult to heal under such conditions."

"You are selfish." He replied bluntly.

"I am selfish?" Emlin questioned as she slowly began to spread the salve over his wound. "You could not be farther from the truth."

"Really?" Legolas smiled.

Emlin nodded her head and said nothing as she worked on wrapping the wound. She finished quickly and tied the end of the cloth off, looking at him, "I was being protective, not selfish."

He chuckled, "You think I need protection from a young human girl? I have battled most fell creatures in this land and you think I need to be protected from a girl?"

"I do think that." Emlin said and stood over him, looking down at him. "Any female can make a mockery out of an honorable, noble, loyal and valiant male, even if the female does not intend it."

"You believe I would allow her to make a fool of me?" Legolas questioned.

Emlin sighed and placed a hand on his cheek, running her fingers along his soft skin. It was apparent to her that every time she was around him he was different... he became a different person... whether he realized it or not. And all of these times were not necessarily for the better with him. She knew he was honorable, noble, loyal and valiant in all he did, but for some reason he stopped being those things to her along the way. Had something like the kiss between them affected those characteristics, inadvertently making a fool of him and warped his real feelings? Did he feel irrational around her, and that was why he could not speak to her before? Had he been different to push her away? What ever it was, she truly hoped that she had not been the one to make a complete fool out of Legolas.

"I am serious when I say to stay in your bed, Legolas." Emlin said after realizing that the room had grown exceptionally quiet and she had been looking into his eyes for too long. She removed her hand from his cheek and turned her eyes away to pick up the bowl of salve. "At least until tomorrow. You should be nearly healed to your original state by then."

"And if I find I am healed faster?" Legolas asked, looking somewhat startled by the sudden aloofness she was giving him.

Emlin looked over him, "Then I will tie you to the bed so you cannot leave it. At least give it a day, my lord."

"But you do not understand the torture this entails." Legolas protested, "To stay in this room alone with only four walls to look at."

"I will send Valandir in then, to keep you company." Emlin giggled and walked towards the door. She gave him one last smile before opening and closing the door, shutting her off from his room. She still felt completely in situation where she could neither know if they were good friends or friendly acquaintances or more. Right now, though, she did not care. At least since she had first beheld him in the Houses of Healing earlier in the morning, he seemed better, as if the fire within had reignited. However, it was not yet completely aflame. Maybe she could be the one to fix that as well.

"Excuse me."

Emlin looked up at the person standing in front of her. She was not a woman, but an elleth, and a rather stunning one at that. "My lord is injured. Why do you seek entrance into his chamber?"

"I am his handmaid." The older elleth replied, a look of pure conceit on her hard, angular features.

This elleth looked to be of Silvan origin and she wore her silver-blonde hair in the way of the elves of Lórien. She stood with an arrogant air about her, as if she was more important than anyone else. Her blue eyes were cold and unyielding. Emlin did not recognize her, however, and became very suspicious of her. Nothing good could from an ego that large.

Emlin smiled as politely as she could, "My lord is resting now, he requests the afternoon meal in a few hours time."

"Who are you to say?" She raised a critical brow.

"I am his healer, and for that reason I bid you to leave him be." Emlin said.

The elleth stood back and looked down upon her as if she were noting more than a slimy insect needing to be dealt with immediately. "What do you call yourself?"

"I am Emlin." She responded, "And what of you, so I may bestow the same courtesy to you?"

"Nindë." The elleth said. "Well, I believe cabor would be better suiting for you."

Emlin scoffed, not believing that she was actually hearing this come from an elleth's mouth, but putting her court lessons into play, she took a long breath to calm herself. "I may be more apt to be named, Cabor, Nindë, but I am still Lady, and you are a mere handmaid."

Nindë did not seem to like that response and her forehead furrowed in anger. She did not say anything though, and scoffed a few times before turning quickly on her toes and walking away down the corridor. Emlin sighed to herself, letting a pleased smile cross her face. It was the first time that she had handled a situation without becoming overly angered and argumentative, even though what she had said had been slightly rude. She chuckled and turned in the direction that would take her to the kitchens to give the bowl back, though her mind was now on the impertinent handmaid.

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cabor- frog

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A/N: Calling all fanfic readers and lovers of Haldir: if you have had any idea for any type of Haldir/Middle-earth fanfic, but do not think you would either not write it well/or are not wishing to put the time into it, please send it my way.

This story is far from over... but I am beginning to plan my next big novel. It usually takes me a good month or so to gather and decide on the facts, so I want to get started as soon as possible. This is your time to have one of your fantasies take shape.

If you wish to participate in this plot-bunny drive, please e-mail me at Tab1085 on AOL, in addition to your reviews. Please keep them separate!