A/N: I had a friend about 17 years ago who was almost beat to death by her boyfriend. For a long time this friend of mine would jump at every little sound and was afraid of every little shadow. She was even afraid of me when I spoke or moved toward her when she wasn't expecting it. I understood, a little bit, the fear she experienced and the great courage it took for her to keep living her life – each day was a new challenge for her. As oftentimes happens in cases like this, after about a year, when she had calmed herself a bit, she went back to her boyfriend. Three months later she was dead by her boyfriend's hands. Bella – this one's for you!

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"Do not assume that she who seeks to comfort you now, lives untroubled among the simple and quiet words that sometimes do you good. Her life may also have much sadness and difficulty, that remains far beyond yours. Were it otherwise, she would never have been able to find these words."

-- Rainer Maria Rilke

Chapter 36

Healing Tears

Rahan nodded his head in approval of the Prince's diplomatic skills. He knew that by getting Anayah to allow Lord Elrond to come anywhere near her after what had happened was an important first step in the healing process for both of them.

The elves, human and wizard started to enter the room. First, the Guards placed themselves at the four corners of her bed.

"We are here." The words were spoken out of respect for Anayah's temporary blindness.

Elladan, Elrohir and Aragorn approached the bed, the twins on one side and Aragorn together with Legolas on the other, then announced themselves. When they first saw the condition their sister was in, Elladan gritted his teeth, Elrohir buried his face in his twin's shoulder and Aragorn took an involuntary step backwards until he felt himself steadied by his best friend's hand.

Finally, Gandalf and Elrond entered the room and stood at the foot of the bed with Gandalf calmly announcing their arrival. Elrond visibly paled when he got his first look at the damage the demon had forced him to inflict on his foster daughter.

The first duty of the twins, Aragorn and Legolas, as healers, was to determine the nature and severity of the injuries. They all worked as quickly and as carefully as they could, knowing that their sister and friend was slipping deeper into shock with each moment that passed. Anayah was now trembling noticeably and her skin, was cold and clammy with a sheen of perspiration on her forehead.

The list of injuries was extensive, consisting of a skull fracture, broken nose, cheekbone, collar bone, four ribs and an ankle. Her right knee was swollen and bruised and her stomach was distended and hard, a clear indication that active internal bleeding was taking place. There were also three deep gashes on her head and cuts on her arms and back that would need to be stitched.

Elladan nodded to Aragorn who gently brushed his sister's cheek with the back of his hand. He was alarmed to feel that the shock symptoms of before were now being replaced by the beginnings of a fever.

"Anayah, I need to ask you a question." He was rewarded for his efforts when he saw her head turn towards him. "We are going to have to set your collar bone and ankle and we may have to cut into your stomach to see what is bleeding. To do this, we need to put you to sleep."

The affect was immediate. When she had been attacked, her confidence in herself and her world had been destroyed and so the very thought of what might happen to her while she slept caused Anayah to jerk away from all of them, rolling towards the opposite side of the bed to try and get away, even though the swelling in her eyes prevented her from seeing where she was going. The more hands that reached out to try and keep her from hurting herself, the more enemies she could feel around her and the more severe her panic - she could not see and that fact was scaring her to death. Elrond walked around the end of the bed, knowing that he could calm her but found his way blocked by Elenath and Míriel who stood in his path with their hands on their daggers. Frustrated, he walked backed to the end of the bed and stood next to a silent Gandalf.

Finally, it was Rahan who managed to calm her. He nodded at Aragorn who began to prepare the sleeping draught.

"Anayah, you have got to try and stop yourself from panicking for you hurt yourself more every time it happens. The four of us are right here beside you, and you can trust that we will remain beside you. We have fought together as a team and have taken care of each other as a team. We are friends as well as warriors and I am sure you know that any of us would give our lives to protect you and not just because our duty says we must but because we want to. We have to put you to sleep but I promise you that the four of us will remain by your side until you awaken. On this you have my oath."

He took the cup from Aragorn.

"I have a cup in my hand which I am going to place near your mouth and which you are going to drink without complaint. Be the strong warrior that I know you are and drink this for me and remember that I have promised to be here when you awaken. Please?"

Finally, after some moments of coaxing, she drank the draught then quickly fell asleep. Then the three brothers and the Mirkwood Prince went to work and the sun was coming up over the tops of the mountains, touching Imladris with its golden hands before the last stitch had been made and the last bandage had been applied.

The twins left the room, taking their father with them, trying to persuade the elf to sleep and were followed soon after by Gandalf who left the room, muttering to himself about having to run an errand. Finally, it was only the four Guards, Aragorn and Legolas left in the room.

Aragorn sat quietly with a concerned look on his face, holding his sister's good hand and never taking his eyes off of her. It was almost as if the young human was willing her to live even though she had come through the whole ordeal quite well and was resting as comfortably as possible considering the circumstances. Legolas laid a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder.

"It was not all that long ago, my friend, that she was sitting by your side, holding your hand, and, I might add, with the same expression on her face." When Aragorn did not respond, he continued. "She is strong, Estel. Already I sense improvement."

Aragorn sighed.

"As do I. If she is anything like me, by tomorrow she will be trying to sneak out of her room." Hearing a suspicious snort, Aragorn looked up at the guard that was standing nearest to him and even though Súrion did not physically move, Aragorn swore the elf winked at him.

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Anayah woke for the first time late in the afternoon then, after drinking a glass of her favorite beverage, a juice made from squeezed oranges, and drinking another tea to help her with pain and to promote healing, she drifted back to an easy sleep. Even the swelling around her eyes had diminished. When the twins came to check on her, they were amazed at how quickly she was bouncing back from her injuries even though they knew it would be some time before she was fully healed.

They all hoped that her spirit would heal just as quickly.

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Anayah lay in her warm bed listening to the sounds of the night - the night birds singing, the crickets chirping as well the singing of the elves. It was nighttime and those who lived in the Last Homely House were settling down for the evening. Aragorn and Legolas had gone to the kitchen for a late night meal and her Guards and her Ladies were outside her room, talking and giving her some privacy. It had been five days since she had been injured and only three since she had been able to spend any amount of time awake as well as alert.

A breeze came swirling through her bedroom window and ruffled the hair on the top of her head, making her smile, even though to do so still hurt - a lot. Her visitor was not only known to her but welcome as well and when Anayah felt him sit on the edge of the bed, she turned her head towards him and smiled. He then took her good hand and returned her smile and for a time they sat silently, just enjoying each other's company.

"Are you going to be all right?"

If she hadn't known, for a fact, that she would have passed out from the pain, she would have laughed.

"All right? I will never be all right again, if I ever was all right in the first place. But, to answer your question, yes, I will be just fine. Each day I feel stronger."

Her visitor brushed back the strands of hair that had fallen into her eyes then readjusted the bandage on her head.

"Do you want me to take your pain?"

"No, my Lord." Was her soft reply.

The being sitting on the edge of the bed frowned slightly, then sighed.

"Anayah, we are not going to go into this 'I probably deserved what I got' thing again, are we? I thought we had that one pretty much worked out after you ran away from your kidnappers when you were but an elfling."

She smiled and gently patted her friend's hand.

"I know you are right and I am very sorry for laying here feeling sorry for myself. Its just that for a while, I could not figure out what had happened; why it happened; what I had done to deserve getting beat for. I thought I had done something to provoke him and for while my head went back to a dark time I would much rather forget."

He smiled down at her.

"You do know that there is someone else who is hurting over this, don't you?"

"Gandalf talked to you, didn't he?" It was her turn to sigh. "Ada's wounds run just as deep as my own, for what he has gone through is something no being should ever have to experience." She looked at her visitor. "Possession is a rape of the mind - plain and simple - and for something like this to happen to a being with such a kind and gentle spirit is a thought almost too horrific to consider. I just do not know what to say to him that would help how he is feeling and I am worried that just the sight of me will be hurtful and I do not want him to hurt any more."

"Anayah, did you ever think that maybe just to have you go to him and sit with him for awhile might be a good first step? You know what I have told you before."

"I know ... one baby step at a time. You are very wise - you do know that don't you?"

He ruffled her hair one more time.

"Well, young one, it is time for me to go. I will look in on you from time to time to see how you are coming along. Mother and Father send you their best. And, by-the-way, you owe us a visit!"

"I know. Tell your parents I said hello and I will come to see them soon."

The presence on the bed was gone and Anayah had to strain her ears to hear the soft reply as it too soon faded into the darkness.

"Promises. Promises."

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Elrond was sitting on the steps in front of the Last Homely House. He was alone - again. His family was worried about him for they could see his natural elvish glow was much dimmer than it had been some days before. His sons and friends knew he was fading but they also felt at a loss as to how they could console him.

His sons, Legolas, Gandalf and Rahan were sitting on the balcony keeping a silent vigil, when Elenath slipped into the room and whispered in Rahan's ear. The big elf smiled and beckoned to the others as he walked to the balcony's railing and looked to the lone elf sitting on the steps beneath him.

Seven sets of eyes watched as Anayah, slowly and painfully, limped through the doors and approached the grieving elf. He had not heard her approach and jumped slightly when he felt her gentle touch. When he looked up and saw who it was, he quickly rose and helped her sit on the stone step, readjusting the blanket she held tightly clasped around her.

For awhile they just sat, looking up at the stars, saying nothing to each other. Then, adjusting her sitting position, Anayah laid her head against his shoulder. Suddenly, placing his hands over his eyes, he began to cry. This time it was she who drew him to her and held him as he sobbed brokenly. Quietly she whispered her message of comfort to him.

"Ada, I do not blame you for what happened. There is no way that you could have fought him more than you did. You went through something that no being should have to go through. I do not wonder that the demon was so eager to leave you for there is so much love inside of you that the creature could not abide the light it created and so, had to flee. I want you to know that my love is not conditional and that I still love you. You have always been here for me and now, I hope that you will let me be your strength."

He sat up and took a deep breath. Anayah looked at him and wiped the moisture off his cheeks with the cuff of her sleeping tunic. Her hand was shaking and her father noticed as the healer in him finally woke up.

"I thank the Valar for sending you to this family Anayah. I do, however, feel that I am on the verge of abusing their gift by keeping you outside in the cold air. So, will you allow me to take you inside and may I finally see how your wounds are progressing?"

She bowed her head and touched her forehead with her hand, showing her respect and love.

"I would be honored to have the best healer in Middle Earth look at my boo-boos."

She was on her second try at getting up when she suddenly found herself swept into her father's strong arms. Together the two went back into the house.

Above them, on the balcony, a solitary voice could be heard.

"Did anyone notice how bright his glow got? I think all is going to be well."

The other six heads nodded in agreement.

TBC

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COMING NEXT: Old Friends: It was soon apparent after Elladan's early morning summons that the five humans had left and after that fact had been discovered, it was not hard for any of them to make the assumption that the five were the ones responsible for poisoning the guards and taking Anayah. It was decided that the four Guards, Glorfindel, himself, his sons and Legolas would leave at first light of the next day to begin their search. And though it was their deepest wish to start searching right away, they all decided that no one would benefit from it, especially if it caused Súrion to fall unconscious from his horse.

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Soccer-Bitch: Glad you liked this chapter. Hope things are going well for you. It makes my heart so happy when I hear of young people who fall in love with a sport then go after it rather than spend their lives doing things that in the long run won't benefit them in any way. My niece went to the Junior Olympics four times for Tae Qwon Do (hope I spelled that right.). I'm proud of you!

DesolateAznVamp: Thanks for the review! Did summer treat you well or do you have a few new grey hairs because of it? My kids are all grown and gone (Thank Eru!!!!) but I still remember how hectic it can sometimes get!

kahui(): In elf-years, Anayah is really young and sometimes shows it with a lack of self-confidence. Because she is half Dúnadan, and from a good line at that, her nature is more balanced, so that when tough times hit, her psyche has something to fall back on. Her Grandparents also knew that she would have hard times, and times when her lack of elf-years would work against her and that is one of the reasons that they got the Thurin Tirith Guards for her. So that when her "balance" was shaken, she would still have a support system. You are right – to forgive is always much easier to do than forget. Whenever anybody is a victim of a violent act, it is so hard to forget it. It is something that haunts a person for a long time. Things are not over for her yet. Someone is trying desperately, in every way they can, to keep her from finishing the task that was given to her.