A/N: Well, this is one of my favorite chapters to write... at least, until later. I have no school today thanks to an overnight icestorm. Hooray! -celebrates- Spork, Lij and I have been hanging out because we've been bored... and due to this boredom, I'm posting! -fanfare music plays- And guess who's back? -evil grin- Yup, Laeras! Read on, and be sure to review! Oh, and before I forget I just figured out how to use the italics on my stupid Mac, so from now on, the songs that Meryl sings are in italics.

Enjoy the chapter!

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Chapter Sixteen: Who will calm the ghost I see?

Meryl's dinner was brought up to her that evening. Afterwards, Bilbo came into her room to entertain her with more stories of his life. He told her of Mirkwood forest, and the spiders that had captured his comrades. He recalled the song that he had made up to confuse the spiders, "Attercop", and then taught it to Meryl. She enjoyed singing it very much. The time passed very quickly, so they were surprised when Liselle entered the room and politely threw Bilbo out of the room (not literally, mind you). She then left he room, saying that Meryl had better go to bed, or there would be trouble in the morning.

Meryl did as she was told, and fell asleep after a while of tossing and turning. Too many thoughts went through her head before she could sleep. But sleep she finally did, with Dae at her feet.

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Meryl sat up in bed, checking her surroundings. The moon shone through her window, casting a while glow across her room. Dae slept on her feet, growling and occasionally snuffing at invisible foes that only he could see. She smiled and stroked his ears before getting out of bed. She quickly dressed, using the furniture to support herself. She was planning on going for a walk, to clear her mind. It was late enough, so everyone was asleep, but early enough for the moon to still show its face. She grabbed the cane at the cane at the side of her bed and left the room, closing the door.

"Sorry Dae," she whispered to the door. "You stay. You would probably wake everybody up."

Using her new cane, she slowly went the hall. She passed by many doors, pausing once in while to find her bearings. The soft thumps on her cane hitting the carpeted floor were the only sounds in the hallway.

It took a while for her to find the door that led outside. Everything appeared strange and out of proportion in the moonlight. Meryl quietly stepped outside and found herself in a garden. Plant life was everywhere, large trees to small blossoms. Pale yellow flowers glowed white in the moonlight.

Meryl took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "It's so peaceful here," she murmured. "Not like home."

That word again: home. The place with paved streets and electricity. The place with war and poverty. The place where diseases rampaged other countries, while slowly grasping control. Meryl wanted to go home, didn't she? Or did she want to stay here? If given the chance, would she? The place where people spoke properly and were courteous? The place where was barely no technology? The place where peace ruled at the time?

She shook her head, trying to rid herself of these thoughts. She wouldn't dwell on that. She lifted her head and left her eyes closed. The sounds of the garden filled her ears. Crickets chirped nearby, and the wind caused the leaves to rustle. In the distance, she could heat the faint roar of the waterfall.

She opened her eyes and again began to walk. She limped back inside the Last Homely House, and walked across Rivendell. The waterfall fell outside of the borders of the Elven city, but that didn't stop her. She left the city, and hobbled in the direction of the waterfall. Maybe there, she could clear her mind.

It took some time for her to get there, for she had to be wary of obstacles. Many roots and rabbit holes riddled her chosen path, causing her to trip more that once. In the end, she stumbled to a cliff overlooking part of the falls, looking more or less exhausted. A wooden bench sat a good ways away from the waterfall. Meryl went over and sat down. Mist rose from where the plummeting water met the river, forming a blanket that offered security. Meryl closed her eyes and began to doze off.

When she opened them, she gasped. Standing towards the edge of the cliff was Brian. He was dressed the same as when they had been in the car before the accident. He wore a shy smile on his face, the same smile he had when she had first met him.

"B-- Brian?" she stammered. "Is that you? Is that really you?"

She rose and walked towards him. Her eyes were wide, and tears began to fill them. She watched as Brian's eyes grew sad and his smile drop. He waited for Meryl to come to him before he gestured to her left arm. She understood and pulled the sleeve up, revealing the message on her cast. He pulled something out of his pocket and quickly added something to the message. He read it, and nodded. He pointed to it and turned around. He began to walk away.

Tears spilled down Meryl's cheeks. "Brian!" she choked. "Wait!"

The apparition stopped and looked over his shoulder. Meryl hurried towards it, as fast as her injuries allowed. Her tears soaked ground drop by drop. She stood in front held out her palm, palm facing him. He turned to face her and did the same. Meryl's eyes widened even more as her hand passed through his.

Brian looked at his hand sadly, and turned away. Meryl watched on as he stepped off of the cliff, and continued walking. He disappeared into the mist. He had never said a word. Meryl collapsed into a heap, putting her face in to her hands and weeping.

She sat up from her sleeping position on the bench, tears streaming down her cheeks. "A dream," she whispered. "It was just a dream."

{But why did it seem so real?} she heard herself think.

Her eyes widened and she pulled up her sleeve to see if his message was written on her cast. There, scribbled in his hasty handwriting was another message: I'll wait for you on the other side.

Her eyes filled with fresh tears that spilled down her face. {Brian,} she thought, {why did they take you away from me?}

She painfully pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. A song welled up in the back of her mind. It played over for a few times, before she began singing it out loud:

Who will love me?

Who will calm the ghost I see?

When the darkness surrounds me,

Who will love me then?

Who will stand with me?

Oh, tell me where you'll be.

When there's nothing left but honesty,

Who will stand here with me?

Who will pray with me in the middle of the night?

Who will guide me from the shadows to the light?

If my friends move on and disappear,

Who will pray with me here?

"You know, for someone who has lost their memory, you remember many songs," came a voice from directly behind her. It was so close that she could feel the person's breath on the back of her neck.

Meryl whirled around and locked her green eyes with steely-grey ones. Her mouth opened to speak, but instead she felt something being thrust into it. Her tongue ran over it, feeling what it was. It was a leaf from some plant. She tried spitting it out, but it took a few tries to succeed.

"Laeras," she hissed. Or at least, tried to. For some reason her mouth wasn't working right. The words couldn't work around her tongue.

"In the flesh." The Elf grinned. "I see that the herb I have given you is fulfilling its potential."

"What did you do?" she tried to ask, but the words seemed muddied as they exited her mouth. Her mouth felt numb, as did her throat and voicebox. It ended coming out as, "Wad did yudu?"

"It's simple, really. I gave you an herb that would prevent you from screaming." He laughed. The sound of it sent chills chasing each other up and down Meryl's spine. "I had told you that I would be back. Now I have come to claim you."

She sent him a look that would chill even the devil's blood. "Wir yu doi nis?" Translation: Why are you doing this?

She was surprised that the Elf could actually understand what she was trying to say. "Ever since I first saw you at brunch that day, I have felt a deep connection between us. I knew that you would not be like most maidens. Where they are shy and quiet, you are bold and resonant. Where they always think about their answers, you say what comes to your mind." He drew close, so his nose was inches from Meryl's. "You are the only one worth my attention. You are mine, and can belong to nobody else. Now I have come to make sure that nobody ever can."

Meryl glared into his grey eyes. Her hand strayed to her cane, which was still beside her. She gripped it and waited for the opportune moment. The wood was cold to her fingertips.

"And now I claim my kiss, that those two little ones robbed me of." The gap between the two was quickly getting smaller. It was now or never. Meryl whipped her cane out from beside her. The wood connected to the side of his head, making a loud cracking noise.

A low cry escaped his lips as he pitched to the side and collapsed to the ground. The cane had opened a good-sized cut in his temple. Blood began flowing down his cheek. He lay there, not moving. Meryl quickly got up and began hurrying back to the Last Homely House, never looking back once. Her legs screamed with pain, but she kept going, for fear of Laeras.

She heard him groan, which made her run faster. Her breath came in ragged gasps as the pain laced up her legs. She fought through the branches of the trees, breaking them as she ran by. She risked a glance over her shoulder. He had gotten up, and was staggering around.

He spotted her. With a cry, he took up the chase. She turned around, and abandoned her cane. She threw it at the enraged Elf, to ward him off for a little longer. He ducked as it flew over his head.

Meryl cursed and turned back around, only to see as her foot plunged into a hole and twisted out from beneath her. She flew forward and landed on her stomach. Ignoring her pain, she began crawling as fast as she could. Animal-like whimpers escaped from her mouth as her hands and knees got all scraped from the rough roots. She felt something grab her foot and yank her backwards.

It was Laeras, panting and with a wild look in his eye. "That may have been one of the most witless things that you could have done," he hissed. Without another word, he hoisted her over his shoulder.

She pounded on his back and kicked, but to no avail. He only tightened his grip. "Now, now," he said. "Do not worry. I will take you somewhere far from here, where that meddling Prince and that troublesome mortal can never stop me. And do not worry about that beast of yours. He will be taken care of shortly."

Meryl's eyes widened. She tried to scream, but couldn't. She began pounding on his back even harder. The hard thumps of her fists against his back comforted her little, but then again, she never was seeking for comfort.

Laeras stopped walking and threw the girl to the ground. He planted a foot on her back, to prevent her from crawling away, and produced a coil of rope out of his pocket. With a quick swipe of his dagger, he cut it in two. He then bound her hands and feet, making sure that the knots held well. He then pulled a white cloth out of his pocket. "Just to make sure," he said with an evil grin. He gagged Meryl and hoisted her onto his back again and kept walking.

Tears of fear and frustration ran down Meryl's cheeks. How could she get away from him? {Oh God, help me!} she thought. The feeling in her mouth was slowly returning, but would it come back in time? She decided that she would remain silent until her mouth could work again. He didn't have to know that she could scream in a while.

The moon shone down, making the hilt on the Elf's dagger shine. Meryl did a double take. {That's it!} she thought excitedly. {His dagger!} The dagger was located on the other side of his body, so it would be a difficult process. If he caught onto her plan, it would mean trouble.

She reached for it with her bound hands, making sure that she didn't touch his back. To do so would result in catastrophe, in her opinion. Her fingertips brushed the hilt, but couldn't grasp it. So close, and yet so far away.

{Come on, a little farther,} she thought in desperation. {Just a little farther...}

She stretched her arms to their limits. Her bound hands missed it once, twice, but on the third try she was able to grab the hilt with her right hand. Perfect. Now she had to slide it out of the hilt without him noticing.

{You can do it. Just a little more,} Meryl thought.

Slowly she slid the dagger the sheath. The tears had stopped running down her cheeks, but she still felt something wet travel down her face. She hoped that it wasn't blood. She stole a glance over her shoulder. Laeras seemed preoccupied with his thoughts. That was good.

She turned her attention back to the dagger. She bit her lip and her eyes narrowed in concentration. The blade made little noise as it slid against the leather of the sheath. It was about three-quarters of the way out by that time.

She started a bit when Laeras spoke. "I shall make you happy melamin, do not worry. Soon, we shall live together in a place where nobody can bother us."

Meryl felt like gagging when he had called her his love. She almost replied to his words, but stopped. {He can't know that my voice has almost completely returned.} Now was her chance. With one quick pull, she slid the dagger out of its sheath. She raised it above her, gripping it with both hands.

{Even though I can't scream, he still can,} she though before driving the blade into his leg.

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The glaze left Legolas's eyes when he heard an unearthly howl. He leaped out of bed; grabbed his long knives; and ran out of the door, not bothering to put his boots on. He dashed down the hall in the direction of Meryl's room, for that was where the cry had come from. As he ran, another blood-chilling howl echoed down the hallway. He stopped in front of her door and began pounding on it.

"Meryl! Meryl!" he called. "Is everything all right?"

He heard scratching and whining at the door. Quickly, he opened it to see Dae burst out of the room. He grasped the dog's collar before he barreled down the corridor. As Dae fought to get free, Legolas glanced into Meryl's room. Her bed was empty, and her cane was gone.

Footsteps resounded through the hallway. Legolas turned to see Aragorn and Elladan. Both were still in their sleepwear, and held their weapons.

"What is the matter?" Elladan asked.

"Meryl is missing," Legolas replied. "She had shut Dae into her room. He was the one who made those awful cries--"

He was interrupted by another howl, but this time it was not from Dae, but rather from outside.

"By the Valar," whispered Aragorn. "You do not think...?"

"Take us to her," Legolas whispered to Dae before releasing his grip on the collar. The dog leaped up and exploded down the corridor.

"Follow him!" the Prince of Mirkwood called to the others.

They sprinted after the dog, who had rounded the corner and ran down that hall. Aragorn and the others followed as Dae put his nose to the ground. He snuffed around before dashing through an open door that led to the gardens. Heads whipped around as they tried to catch a glimpse of the teenage girl.

"Do you see anything?" Aragorn asked.

Elladan and Legolas shook their heads. "Nothing," they answered.

Dae stopped and sniffed the ground. He barked and ran back inside. They followed as he ran through the Elven city. He reached the borders and ran down the path that led outside of Rivendell. Elladan scanned the area ahead of them. What he next saw made him give a small gasp in surprise.

"Elladan," Aragorn said, "what do your Elven eyes see?"

"Over by the waterfall," Elladan replied. "I see Laeras. He's got Meryl with him!"

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Meryl gave a small cry, which was muffled from the gag in her mouth, as she was thrown to the ground. The bloody dagger was clutched in her hands. She quickly began crawling away. She risked a glance over her shoulder to see Laeras whirl around.

"You!" he roared as he began advancing on her.

Meryl turned around and tried crawling even faster, but a foot planted itself on her back. She cringed as she was flipped into her back. Her frightened green eyes stared into enraged grey ones.

Laeras knelt over the girl, and grabbed the collar of her shirt, pulling her face close to his. With his other hand, he ripped the gag out of her mouth.

"Tell me," he hissed. "Why are you refusing me? Many females would give anything to be included in my affections. Why not you? Oh," he smirked, "that is right. You are not able to speak. How silly of me."

The fear left Meryl's eyes. "I wouldn't date you even if you were the last guy crawling on this earth!" she snapped and then spit in his face. "There is my answer to your question!"

As her spittle ran down the Elf's face, she saw something snap behind his eyes. His hands quickly found their way to her throat. Meryl's eyes widened as her air was cut off. A strangled gasp escaped from her mouth.

"If I cannot have you, nobody will," Laeras hissed. "Oh, and I will be taking this back." He pried his dagger out of Meryl's bound hands and slid it back into his sheath.

{This is it,} Meryl thought as she slowly felt the air leave her lungs, unable to refill them. {I hope Brian will be waiting, like he promised.} Tears ran down her cheeks as darkness clouded her eyes.

Meryl!

{I can even hear him calling me.}

Meryl!

Laeras uttered an Elvish curse underneath his breath. Quickly he rose and threw Meryl back to the ground. He then limped as fast as he could into the forest. He disappeared into the darkness, yelling one final statement, "I will make you pay! I will end your life!"

Meryl lay there, gasping for breath. Never had air tasted so sweet. Of course, she had just escaped the clutches of death again. {I guess this means that I'll have to stay in bed even longer.}

The thought made her feel like laughing, but she didn't have the strength to. She managed only a weak smile before closing her eyes. Footsteps echoed inside her ears, drawing closer. She heard voices calling her name and frantic barks, but she could not answer.

She felt something wet brush across her face, before she heard a voice separate from the others. "By the Valar, Meryl!"

She felt strong hands lift her head. She opened her eyes and stared into the dark eyes of a concerned twin. "Hullo, whichever twin you are," she croaked. "Sorry, but I can't tell the two of you apart yet."

"Which way did he go? The twin asked with significant hatred in his voice. "Which way did that Yrch go?"

With her bound hands shaking, she lifted them and pointed in the direction where Laeras had fled. "There," she said before closing her eyes once again.

"Legolas, take her," she heard the twin say. "Estel and I shall hunt him down."

Meryl felt herself being transferred from one set of hands to another. Footsteps faded away into the night. She felt her head being set gently set on the ground. She heard a knife being drawn, and cringed. She felt the cold steel slide against her wrists and her bonds fall away. The same happened with her ankles. Then, a soft cloth was being rubbed on her hands, to clean away the blood that had flowed from the many cuts she had scraped from the roots. All of this was done gently and with the utmost care. Hands picked her head up again.

"Meryl, look at me," she heard Legolas say quietly. "Are you all right?"

She opened her eyes and gazed into his blue ones. Instantly, she felt tears gather. "Oh, Legolas, I was so scared," she sobbed.

She found herself enveloped into a hug. She cried into the Elf's shoulder as he rocked her, whispering comforting words in Elvish. She clenched him, and cried until she could cry no more.

"I was so scared," she whispered. "He just came and..."

"You were not the only one who was scared, my little toddler," he replied. "When we discovered that you were missing, you had us all worried. Dae, most of all."

Meryl smiled weakly and glanced down at her dog, who was lying next to the two. She petted Dae's head. "I can see that happening." Her expression changed from calm to regret and sadness. "I shouldn't have left him behind. If I had just brought him with, maybe..." She buried her face in her hands and fell silent.

Legolas laid a hand on her shoulder. "Do not dwell on the past. Come, let us return to Rivendell." He picked the girl up and began walking back in the direction of the Elvish city.

"Legolas?" breathed Meryl.

"Yes?"

"Why aren't you wearing boots?"

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Another bittersweet ending for the chapter... I seem to be writing those a lot lately. -shrugs- Oh well... Also, the song that Meryl sings in this chapter is called, "Who will love me?" by Tonic Sol-Fa. If you have never heard of that band... You need to find the nearest concert! It's an awesome a cappella group that I just love.

So, what did y'all think? Press the little button down in the corner and tell me! Also, on a personal note: Travis, if you're reading this Author's Note, STOP!

By the Lion's Mane,

Leo

P.S. Raven... I have found another item for exploring the Caspian region ;) Think of a feather, a really soft fluffy feather. Mwahahahahahahahaha