1Her horse was weary from lack of food and water. Tari was slumped over the creature's back, weary with exhaustion, and near death. A sound reached her ears, and she forced herself to look up. A small host of men was approaching. All of them were clad in shining armor, but one was arrayed in gold and silver, with a black-velvet cloak about him, and a glimmering crown set upon his brow. His eyes were familiar to Tari; but she couldn't place them... She was too weak to care.

Aragorn halted his men. There was a lone ride approaching the city slowly. The horse was spent, and the rider was about ready to fall off. He spurred his horse forward, anxious to know who this mysterious rider was. The closer he got, the faster his heart beat. 'It can't be...' he thought, 'It just can't be...' He pulled his horse up alongside hers, halting her exhausted horse. The face of the woman upon the horse's back was shrouded by a tangled mess of gold hair. Her body was scantily clad with rags that looked to be once a fine elven dress.

Aragorn reached out and lifted her head up, so as to look into her eyes. He gasped, and might've let her fall, if he hadn't kept his wits about him. It was her. The King hurriedly pulled her gently out of the saddle and set her before him, calling to his guards to go back to the city and alert the healers with all haste.

"Tari..." Aragorn called softly, overwhelmed with joy and grief, "Tari, please, I beg you... Open your eyes..."

Tari heard a familiar voice, calling her name softly and gently. Though, it was strangled with unshed tears. She obeyed the voice, and wearily opened her eyes. Tari dimly registered the face of Aragorn. "Estel..." she whispered hoarsely.

"Yes Tari, it is me... Don't worry, penneth, you are safe now..." (Little one) he hushed, cradling his foster-sister close to him as he wheeled his horse around, and kicked it into a gallop back to the castle.

"Estel..." Tari said, her voice cracking, "W-where is Legolas?" she asked, wishing that her beloved was holding her tightly.

She recieved no answer.

By the time Aragorn had reached his own House of Healing on the Seventh Level, Tari was unconscious in his arms. Just as the King had finished bandaging and healing the fragile and dying elf maiden, Arwen came bursting through the door in a very un-elven like fashion, rushing over to her sister's side.

"Tari! My sister! Please speak to me! Saes! Im avo iest le bad nin!" (Please! I don't want you to leave me!) Arwen cried, stroking her sister's tangled, bloodstained hair. She took in the numerous cuts, scars, and deep wounds she carried, and her tears became more numerous. Aragorn came beside her, and pulled her up and into his waiting embrace as she sobbed. "Not her Aragorn! Why her! Why must she be made to bear such torment? And now that Legolas... now that he's..."

Tari groaned in pain and her eyes fluttered open. "Arwen!" she cried hoarsely. Arwen let out a cry and knelt down beside her, grasping one of Tari's bloody hands in her pale ones. "Arwen... w-where is L-Legolas? I want to s-see him! Saes..."

Arwen looked from Aragorn, to Tari, and then back again, wondering if she should tell such news to Tari while she was in such a state. "Tari, penneth... Listen to me... Legolas is - he - he's gone. He left for Valinor. Naught a day ago."

Tari stared up at her sister with a stoic expression, and closed her eyes, a single tear coursing it's way down her cheek. "I knew it..." she whispered. "Sircin was right... He didn't care - he never came."

"No!" Aragorn retorted, sitting upon the bed and staring at her, "No, Tari... He searched for you for ten years! If you must place the blame on someone for his leaving, then let it rest on me! For it was I who suggested it to him, my pain and grief blinding me to the possibility that you were still alive."

Tari opened her eyes, and sat up. Her eyes darkened, and she glared at him. "Fine." was all she said. She threw back the covers of the bed, and got up, ignoring protests from them both. Her feet carried her to the door, when she was stopped by Aragorn.

"You can't leave! You are nearly dead, and need healing!"

"No amount of physical healing can mend the wounds I carry inside of me, Estel." Tari said as she left the room, ignoring their vehement protests. She had something that she needed to deal with before she could even begin to think of recovering...