Thoughts are in Italics.

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Chapter 28

Broken Spirit

Elrond sat beside his foster daughter as she slept. He knew, in his heart that she was giving up - refusing to fight anymore - he could feel it for a certainty. She had been through so much in her short life and though she was an elf, and by elven standards she was no more than a baby, her human half balanced her nature, another gift from Ilúvatar. Her life, after escaping her kidnappers had been centered on her physical abilities and she had developed her warring skills, endurance, strength and horsemanship until they were far above what should have been possible for one of her stature and age. Now, at least for the present, these had been taken from her, and she lay in her bed, not even able to do the smallest things for herself.

"How that must hurt her spirit." Elrond thought to himself as he reached out a hand and caressed her brow.

He shuddered involuntarily as he thought of what she must have gone through, being trapped under that tree for two days before anyone found her. For two days she had lain there with thoughts put into her head by Findor, thoughts of being unwanted and unloved.

"My Lord."

Elrond jumped. He had been so deep in his thoughts that he had not heard the approach of the Thurin Tirith Captain. He looked up at the big elf and smiled.

"My apologies for startling you, Lord Elrond. Has there been any change?"

"No, Captain Rahan, there has been no change in her condition. I am afraid that Anayah is fading as a result of her experience - she is fading and I do not know what to do to give her hope." He felt the tears he had been threatening to shed start to travel down his cheeks.

Rahan put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Lord Elrond, I think it would be a good idea if you let us take over so you can go get some fresh air and clear your head."

Elrond looked at the Captain then to the hallway where he could see the other three members of the Guards waiting for their Captain's permission to enter the room. Though he would question why they were all there at one time, he sensed that there were some things better left unasked and so, nodding his thanks, he got up and left the room.

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After Lord Elrond had left the room, Rahan motioned for the others to enter, and then pulling up chairs to the edge of the bed they all sat and looked to their Captain to begin. Rahan took a deep breath then let it out, his brow furrowed as he thought carefully about what to say.

"Anayah, I know that wherever you are at this moment, you can hear me so I want you to listen, and listen carefully to what I am going to say to you. Semoro, Saeros and Súrion are here with me and I speak for them also."

He looked at the other serious faces around him and when they nodded to him, he continued.

"We are your guards, your protectors and your confidantes and what affects you affects your ability to command, which affects us as well and I think that fact also gives us the right to speak to you as we now do. We have each pledged ourselves to your service for as long as you live and if you die, we will follow you into death as well. Even now, if you choose to give up the grace of your life, we will follow you and even though we would not approve of your decision - still we will follow you."

He reached over to the unconscious she-elf and adjusted the blankets covering her.

"In the short time that we have known you, we have come to have a great respect for you, not just because of what you can do, but for who you are as an elf. Though you are not perfect, there is a great strength inside you, a great ability to adapt and overcome although you seem to have either forgotten this or have chosen not to remember this fact about yourself and that is proving hurtful not only to you but to us as well. We grieve for what has happened to you and if there was a way to take this burden from you or if there was some way to share it, then we would. Now, you are not an elfling, if you ever were," he chuckled to himself, "so I want you to quit laying there, feeling sorry for yourself, and I want you to start fighting this thing. I know you can."

Having finished what he had to say, he sat back in his chair and was surprised when he saw a tear slide down her cheek. Grabbing the linen that was laying beside the bowl of cool water, he dipped the cloth in it then gently wiped the tears away. He almost jumped when she spoke.

"You can stand down Captain, for I have heard the words you have spoken and have understood their message."

Her eyes came open and she did her best to look at him.

"Please summon my father."

Rahan nodded to Semoro who quickly left the room to summon the Healer. The two were back within moments and Rahan left the chair he was sitting in so Elrond could sit in it beside her bed.

"Ada. Please release me from these restraints."

"Anayah, I do not think that is a wise course of action at the moment."

"Ada - please release me."

Though the healer in him protested greatly, there was something about the way she spoke, the tone of her words and the determination in her voice when she spoke, that he could not ignore and so he began to carefully cut the restraints around her. Even without turning, he could sense that the room was becoming crowded with elves. Finally, the last restraint had been cut and he then sat back and waited.

Then, Anayah went to work. Her brow furrowed in concentration and sweat broke out on her face as she fought her paralysis with all her spirit and strength. It began with just a twitch of one finger, then slowly - ever so slowly - her hand began to rise off the bed until it was an inch from where it had been at rest for so long. Then, having exhausted herself by her efforts, the hand flopped back down on the bed. She turned her head and smiled at her father, then looking at her Captain, she winked.

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When he had first seen her finger twitch, his stomach had done a flip flop on him and he, along with the others in the room, had held their breaths, hoping beyond hope for a miracle. But it was when he saw her hand raise ever so much, that he as well as everyone else knew that they had gotten their miracle and that eventually everything was going to be all right. But when she had turned her head to look at him, his father's heart had rejoiced and he almost burst out crying on the spot.

He gave her a thorough checkup and though not at full strength, Anayah had a definite reflex in both legs and both arms. Her voice was very husky but he felt that in time she would recover fully - little did he know!

Over the next several days, he, or his sons, Legolas or her guards, would enter her room for a visit, expecting to find her resting, only to find her stretching and flexing different parts of her body. Elrond had threatened to drug her to get her to rest more and there had been an argument of epic proportions. Though they both made up and apologized and hugged each other, Elrond knew that some sort of compromise had to be reached.

"Anayah, I realize that you are impatient with the restrictions that I have put on you, but you must understand that they are necessary and are not a punishment, I hope you understand that."

She nodded in agreement.

"I know it is for my own good that you put these restrictions on me, Ada, but I am eager to get back to my old self. There is unfinished business to attend to - a demon to catch - and there is no catching being done with me laying here in this bed! All I am doing is becoming more and more frustrated."

He took her hand.

"I realize this, Anayah and to that end, if you promise me that you will rest, eat what is given to you and take your medicine, I will promise you that someone will be in here four times a day to help you exercise. Does this sound good to you?"

The smile that broke out on the she-elf's face threatened to rival the sun that spilled into the room from the open balcony doors.

"Yes, Ada, it does."

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Anayah's recovery was nothing short of miraculous. Two weeks after her conversation with Lord Elrond, Anayah took her first walk outside. Holding tightly to her Captain's arm, she slowly and carefully walked along the paths to the garden.

"Are you tired, Lady Anayah? Perhaps we should sit for a few moments so that you can rest."

"I am fine Rahan. I wish to continue."

"Ah! I understand now! I seem to remember being admonished for doing something similar to this and so I will now return the same admonishment to you. You may say you are fine, young elf, but your death grip on my arm tells me a different story. Now let us sit or I will embarrass you by carrying you all the way back to the house and to your room!"

With a sigh of resignation, Anayah all but collapsed onto a nearby bench.

For a few moments, she sat on the bench with her eyes closed, breathing in deeply of the scents of the flowers, the hyacinths, lavender and honeysuckle among others and found herself refreshed and, for the first time in a long while, at ease.

"You never really know what you have, Rahan, until you almost lose it."

The Noldor elf nodded his head in agreement but remained silent.

"I want to thank you."

"For what?"

"For giving me the kick in the hind end that I needed. I am truly ashamed of the way I was acting."

She held up her hand just as the Captain was about to speak.

"Yes, I am ashamed, my friend, but I am ashamed on my own terms - if that makes any sense. That day I was sparring with Saeros, I told him that he had given up fighting. I had also given up fighting, for I had forgotten my own advice, and for that I am ashamed. But," she took hold of her Captain's arm and gave it an affectionate squeeze, "fortunately for me, I have friends around who are not intimidated by my wonderful personality and who will put me back on the right path when I go astray."

The Captain patted her hand and smiled at her.

"Now, Captain, I wish to return to my room for I have exhausted myself and wish for a nice long nap before dinner."

"Do you wish for me to carry you?" There was no mistaking the teasing sparkle in his grey eyes.

For a moment, Anayah sat, looking at him in silence. Then, giving him the notorious "Peredhel Look" she got to her feet and held out a hand.

"Come on, Old Man, let us go home."

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By the time a month had passed, Anayah had almost fully recovered. She could ride Elias with no discomfort and though it almost gave Elrond a heart attack, she was again sparring with her guards. There seemed to be no left over ill effects from her accident but there was, however, one last piece of unfinished business before the whole incident could finally be left behind.

She was summoned to the Sitting Room by Lord Elrond and with all four of her guards following close behind, walked to the room and knocked softly on the door. When the invitation to enter was given, she turned the knob and pushed open the door but was not prepared for what she saw and for a moment paused with one foot over the threshold.

Her foster father along with her brothers, Legolas, Glorfindel and Erestor were there but what surprised her the most was that Findor and his father were also there. She walked into the room then took the chair offered to her by Elladan.

Her father explained what was going on.

"Anayah this is an official hearing concerning the physical and verbal attack made upon you by Findor. Glorfindel and Erestor are here as my advisors while your brothers and Prince Legolas are here as witnesses. Everyone in this room has spoken of what they saw and heard that night and Findor has admitted to all the accusations that were made against him. It is now up to you to pass judgement on him. Your options are these: You may sentence him to death because it was a violent crime not only against a royal but also against a female and because the attack resulted in life-threatening injuries. You may also sentence him to banishment from all elven realms, which will also prohibit him from traveling over the seas when his time comes. The punishment is yours to decide and administer. What are your wishes in this matter?"

She had spent a lot of her time thinking, especially in the beginning when she was strapped to a bed, unable to move, about all the horrible things that she wanted to do to Findor for what he had done to her. But now that the time for exacting retribution had come, she was suddenly not so sure of herself. Then, in a sudden moment of clarity, Anayah knew what the best and the most correct course of action would be.

"I have thought much about what I would like to do to Findor for what happened. First, Findor is not guilty of all the accusations that have been made against him."

Those in the room began to murmur and she held up her hand to quiet them.

"It all started with the fog. I had long sensed that it was not natural nor was the storm that followed it. There was a devilry present that night - a devilry that not only sent the fog and storm but had provided the opportunity for Findor to return to Imladris on that night then influenced him to attack me. For these things I hold him blameless. However, I cannot blame whomever or whatever had caused the storm and fog for the unforgiving and smoldering hatred for me that was in Findor's heart, and without that I do not believe that he would have attacked me. It was my decision to leave the house, not his, though I would not have left the house if I had not been so distraught."

She paused as she carefully considered her next words.

"I cannot, morally or legally, ask for Findor's life and I will not ask for banishment because I do not believe that his heart is so dark that he will never again see the light of goodness. What I will ask for is this."

She looked at the younger elf and saw him steal a worried glance at her.

"I will ask that he spend the next year in service to others. That is, he is to work in the Healing Wing, under the guidance of the healers, helping tend those who are ill, injured or wounded."

She looked at the impassive face of her foster father.

"It was once said to me that we learn best by serving those we have wronged. I think that Findor could benefit from these words and therefore, that is what I will ask for."

Lord Elrond looked to Glorfindel and Erestor who both nodded their heads.

"So be it then. Findor, tomorrow you will report for duty in the Healing Wing. This hearing is now over."

As they were leaving the room, each of her brothers and Legolas gave her shoulder an affectionate squeeze, Glorfindel winked at her and Erestor actually graced her with one of his rare smiles. As he was passing, Elrond stopped by the chair she was sitting in and smiled at her.

"I am very proud of you." It was all he said as he left the room.

As Findor and his father were about to leave the room, Anayah spoke to him.

"Findor, I wish to speak to you."

His father squeezed his shoulder and continued out the door. Looking up at her Captain, she was about to speak but he nodded at her.

"We will be right outside the door." Then he and the others left.

Finally it was just Anayah and Findor left in the room. For a time neither of the two elves spoke and when Findor finally raised his eyes to meet hers, she saw the tears in them.

"Thank you."

"For what, Findor?"

"For not asking for death or banishment."

She nodded in acknowledgment of his thanks.

"Lady Anayah, I do not know if you will believe me but I am so absolutely mortified at my actions and so sorry for the words I said and the pain I caused you. I hope that someday you will be able to forgive me."

"Forgive you? Findor, I already have. Forgetting will be something else entirely."

"You forgive me?"

"Is that not what I said? Yes, I do and by the same token, I expect you to learn from this experience. I want you to look into your heart and see all that is dark and work very hard on banishing that darkness. Now, we must part company for I have other business to attend to and you, have a father to go home to."

Together the two, both made stronger by the incident, left the room, silently closing the door behind them.

TBC

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COMING NEXT: First Contact: Just as they reached the wooden walkway in front of the building, there was a high pitched shriek, followed by the sound of breaking glass as a body came hurtling in their direction from above. Not even thinking, Anayah threw herself forward in an attempt to break the elf's fall wondering the entire time why the words "big" and "little" kept running through her mind - right up until the time that something big and heavy landed on her. There was a blinding flash of pain and white light, then everything went black.

Soccer-Bitch: Thank you for reading and reviewing. I hope that you enjoy this chapter. Did you get a chance to memorize that class schedule yet? LOL! Ah... School days ... gotta love em.