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A HUGE thanks to all of you for waiting patiently for this chapter. I've had a massive brainwave where this story is concerned and I'm very excited about what's gonna happen!

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And last but not least a big thanks to EldarExilePrincess for reading through this and doing such an amazing job! I owe you hun!

"Past lives? Witches? I don't understand."

The illusions of the world they had fallen into came crashing about their shoulders, and it was obvious to all who stood around them in the meeting hall that the weight of this news was overwhelming.

Looking at them, Elrond felt guilt assail him, but the look in her eyes was enough to ease the guilt, and against his wishes, fear and doubt crept into his gaze. She stood shorter than he remembered, and her appearance had changed somewhat, but she was still the woman he had met a millennia before. He watched as she took in the weary sight of her exhausted friends, a look of displeasure on her face. Crossing her arms across her chest she slowly made her way over to him.

"We'll discuss this later. But for now I trust you can have somebody escort them to their rooms."

Hunter's eyes followed his friend's form as she made her way over to Elrond and stood by his side, a stubborn and displeased look on her face. But he could discern anything from her, her expression was nothing compared to that of the rest of the group.

"What is this?"

The question resonated around the almost silent courtyard; nobody dared speak.

"This is a big ass joke! There are no such things as witches."

"Wizards, dear. You're a wizard."

Grace said, as if it was an already acceptable title. But the slight shake of her voice and her wide eyes were all tell tale signs that she was in deep shock. Of all the things she had gone to college for, this definitely hadn't been one of them.

"Whatever. My point is that it's a lie. There isn't...magic just doesn't exist."

Standing up from sitting on her backpack, Paige stretched languidly and pointed at Tyler.

"Look, at this very moment in time. I am prone to believing pretty much anything anybody tells me. We're in a world where there are Elves, for fuck's sake! Lets not rule anything out, shall we?"

Hunter took a step back and surveyed the group, unconsciously taking control. It was an action that Elrond saw and admired in such a young male.

But it was Bethany who held his attention. Her eyes were blazing with the spark of a cooling fire and she was growing impatient.

"Lord Elrond, We are tired, we need to bathe and your questions will have to wait. Please, allow the others to be escorted to their chambers. Now. We...need to talk."

The command in her voice sent the majority of both the Elves and the human group into silence, leaving only three who simply smiled, knowing what their Lord was in for. Bethany was not one to be toyed with. She was quick to anger and her tongue was so sharp it would no doubt cut men down. But mayhap she had changed? She looked different, her aura had calmed a little and though her voice still held the uncertainty she had once lived with, there was a confidence that radiated from her.

Beth felt the fire within her veins grow to boiling point, and it was making her feel ill. The anger she felt at Elrond's callous way of delivering life-changing information was out of order and inexcusable.

Her eyes followed the exquisite paintings that hung from the ceiling by beautifully crafted golden chains as she walked beside Lord Elrond, matching his steps perfectly so the powerful sound of her heels resonated off of the marble floor. Wistfully, she caught herself hoping that he was at least a little upset by her actions. After all, she had in retrospect undermined him publicly. If anybody had dared try to humiliate her she would have no doubt made sure that they would never even consider opening their mouth to her. Yet she felt a little bit guilty about leaving her friends alone with strangers…well…almost strangers. She trusted Glorfindel more than anybody else in the world, aside from Círdan, who had stood by her when she had needed somebody.

She couldn't help but silently cackle to herself; Glorfindel didn't recognize her in her new form. When they had met she had been a tall blonde with brown eyes and a knack with a blade. Nothing like herself as she stood now.

Now Elrond, Elrond was a law unto himself. She had never understood him; he knew exactly who she was no matter what form she had adopted. But in truth he understood what it was she was running from and why she was running. Perhaps it was because he himself was a stranger to his heart at times. His mortal blood had once fought alongside that of the Eldar and his anger and pain had shone through like a beacon to those who would see it.

But all traces of this had disappeared and he looked content. As he walked beside her she studied his profile. He was almost intimidating, his walk was assured and confidant and the expression on his face almost hard and unreckoning.

"Speak the truth, Witch. Why have you returned?"

She raised an eyebrow as if insulted by his question.

"You knew I would return. And you know why so don't play the innocent with me…my Lord."

"So you do have some respect."

She rolled her eyes at him and threw her hands in the air.

"Please, I don't want to argue. I just want to sit down, have a cup of tea and relax."

A shiver ran down her spine as she neared the large door that led through the Library, into a long winding corridor and into Elrond's huge study. The smell of incense hit her and she felt her bones go weak and her eyelids begin to drop.

Sensing Beth's sudden struggle, Elrond reached towards her and brought her to his chest to

steady her.

"You know it's very unseemly of a young lady to fall asleep whilst in the middle of a conversation."

She sat bolt upright, cursing out loud as her neck snapped from the force.

"I fell asleep."

Elrond smiled at the woman as she gingerly rubbed the back of her neck. She had changed. She was no longer the angry sprit that she had once been. She was wiser, less impulsive and more trusting. Her posture was relaxed and unguarded, allowing him to enter what she called…her personal space.

"You are a child no longer."

She opened her eyes and laid back on the generously stuffed couch.

"Elrond, I know that I may have overstepped the mark with you…a lot. But I'm sorry for what happened. I didn't plan any of it. It just…happened."

The elven Lord sat back in his chair his hand making steeples as his mind sank back into the melancholy memories he held of that time.

They had marched beside Men when the time had come for glory and victory in the face of defeat. The leagues of Elves and 0en were strong and unbreakable, their loyalty stronger still.

Upon the final battlefield within the battle to end it all, Elrond had watched the strength of men fail, but what was worse was the disloyalty of those who had stood beside them throughout their fight.

Creatures of magic, those who wielded the power of nature. From the air, to the sea and fire, and the earth. They had been the Elves' greatest ally and friend. But deep with that friendship lay a need for power. Their leaders had seen what could be gained and there had been a shift in the balance. Those of greed and impulse took the opportunity that could make them great, and they seized it.

As Sauron the Deceiver swept through the battlefield, the witches turned their backs on the allies and fought back with everything they had in the hopes of gaining favour with the Dark Lord.

But the battle had been in vain, Sauron fell, cut down by a blade of men. It was not the weakest who had failed; it was the strongest.

The history books wiped all traces of the last army from their crisp white pages as the last of the witches faded into exile.

Elrond's eyes cleared as he focused on the earnest face of one that had seen and known what it was to carry the weight of her people on her shoulders.

"You are not the same person. You lived a different life. Do not live be an age old prejudice, Amelian."

Her lips slid into a smile and her face took on the shadow of her much younger self, the younger self that had sat on Elrond's lap and listened to his stories, the self that had played alongside Elladan and Elrohir among the grass and the tall trees.

Her smile faded, her eyes clouding and her posture becoming somewhat apologetic.

"That was what you used to call me…Amelian…I had forgotten. That is not my name now."

She bit her lip, wanting to disappear.

"I did not recognize them. I was sure that I had met their spirits before, but I could not recognize them. It was as if I was a stranger to myself and my reactions….I couldn't help it and part of me didn't realize what I was doing. I treated them like strangers Elrond."

"Your apology counts for naught."

Her head snapped up, her eyes wide as she tried to hide the rapidly gathering tears.

"Why do you carry the guilt? It was not your fault, you are not responsible for the actions of your people. You are not her."

She shook her head.

"Nay I am not, but I carry her memories and I know as if they were mine, her thoughts, her feelings and her ways. I feel that I have betrayed my friends. Even now I sit here with you when I should be with them. Elrond, promise me one thing."

The elven Lord, feeling the sudden change in her mood, regarded her with an almost fatherly expression.

"If…When, they find me, leave me. Don't come after me. This is my fight and I can't have them dragged into this mess. I can't do it again."

Her voice trailed off into no more than a whisper and she hung her head in shame. She knew it was coming and she knew what would happen to the group if they were caught alongside her.

In her past life she had been burnt for her part in rebelling against the elven treachery, and with her had been four members of her family and her friends.

However, it was not as it seemed. In each life she remember her previous forms, but she could not remember how it was that she was placed on Earth, nor could she remember why.

The memories of her past life had been shielded form her and if they had not met the elves in the forest a part of her knew that she might never have recovered her memories. It was a blur of colour and sound, too bright and too deafening, too confusing.

She jumped when she felt a calming hand on her shoulder, and as she raised her head to look at him, she reigned in her emotions and let the shield of indifference fall over her eyes.

"It will take you time to remember. You have done this before and you will do so again. Your journey here has not been in vain. Now come, you need rest before you return to the company of your friends."

She nodded, standing form her chair and pushing it forward slightly in a remember gesture.

Smiling suddenly she stopped to look at him.

"You know what, right now I'd give my life for a plate of chips."

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