Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Warnings: Again, mentions of child abuse. If you don't like don't read.

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to post this part. Real life can be a big pooper sometimes. I will do my best to update sooner from now on. Hope you guys enjoy this one. And again thank you for all of you great feedback.

CHAPTER 3: Fright

It looked as though the poor child had been thrown from a telain, said Rúmil angrily kneeling down to check on Zinnia. They had laid blankets out for her as a bed. From the looks of her, they had been out here a while. I wonder where they come from?

I do not know brother, but perhaps if the little one opens up we will know. Orophin smiled down at the child. They had reached the telain a while ago. Zinnia had fallen asleep on Haldir during their journey.

She is heartbroken. I do not think that she will be saying much to us. Rúmil tucked a blanket around her and sat back. Haldir was busy pulling out another blanket for himself.

It is a shame for one so young to die. Orophin frowned at his own statement. It is good that she is not an elf, for she surly would waste away from grief. He touched his chest over his heart.

We will take her to the Lady and see what is to be done with her, said Haldir curtly. Now be quiet and don't wake her. She needs her rest. He laid down a few feet away from the child. He missed the smile that Orophin and Rúmil gave to each other before they laid down on the other side of the talan.

Haldir laid back and tried to get comfortable. His senses were all trained on the girl. Her breathing was even and deep indicating sleep. As he willed him self to relax he mentally sang a lament for the young life that had slipped away in his borders only hours earlier.

A few hours later Haldir was broken out of his rest by a soft keening noise. He woke up fully and looked around. The noise was coming from the child huddled in the blankets a few feet from him. Her breathing had become erratic and she had shifted in her sleep. He looked at her but her eyes were still closed indicating sleep, although she twitched and then moaned as if in pain. Haldir was at her side in a moment. He went to reach for her shoulder when her eyes snapped open. They were wide with fear. She jumped and scurried back from him her back hitting a tree hard enough to elicit a small grunt. Haldir stilled seeing her fear.

"Zinnia, do you remember where you are?" He tried to keep his voice as calm and soft as possible. She looked at him for a few more seconds and he saw recognition pour back into her eyes. Then the memories of earlier. Her eyes filled with tears and she started to cry softly. He went to reach for her shoulder but she pressed even further into the tree behind her and whimpered. She looked like a cornered animal and he slowly withdrew his hand.

"I'm not going to hurt you child." She only looked at him with tear filled unbelieving eyes. He saw her shiver and frowned. He reached for the blanket and held it out to her. She tensed and pulled away. "At least cover yourself." She looked at him then at the hand that held the blanket. Once he realized that she would not take it from him, he put it closer to her then backed away. Slowly her arm reached out and her hand curled around the blanket. Then she quickly grabbed it and wrapped it around herself, not taking her eyes off of him the entire time.

"See that's better is it not?" He smiled slightly wanting to relax the frightened girl in front of him. The girl kept her large eyes on him and didn't move. She sniffed slightly and rubbed her nose leaving a dirt smear behind. "Are you thirsty?" he asked taking advantage of the fact that the girl was now responsive. She didn't answer but she was watching him so intently it unnerved him. 'I have faced orcs without fear and one human child is enough to unnerve me.' He thought ruefully. He grabbed a water skin but she looked at it with confusion on her face.

"It's water." He opened the lid and took a small drink from it. Then slowly placed it in front of her then backed away. Again she slowly reached out but snatched it to her when she had it in her hands. She opened it and took a drink, some of it spilling down her mouth. Her eyes never left him. She then slowly put it back to where it was before she huddled back to the tree. He smiled at her. "Good. How about some food?" He could hear her stomach growl from where he was sitting and laughed slightly.

"You may not be talking but your stomach is." He laid a piece of way bread on the water bag. She quickly grabbed both and ate the bread then took another drink of water. "Would you like more?" Again she didn't respond but he put more out and she took it when he was backed away from her. He was about to offer more when his brother spoke softly from the other side of the talan.

Be careful brother. Her stomach my rebel against too much food after not having much for so long. Rúmil sat up slowly trying to ease the tension that surrounded the girl. Zinnia huddled back up against the tree splitting her focus between Haldir and Rúmil. Her eyes again noticeably filled with fear once again. Haldir nodded his understanding at Rúmil and put the food away.

"He will not hurt you either. He is Rúmil. Do you remember?" Haldir pointed to Rúmil. "And the one sleeping is Orophin." He left out that they were brothers hoping to not remind her of her recent loss. Her eyes went to Rúmil and Orophin but snapped back to Haldir when he moved. Haldir sighed at her obvious mistrust. All of the humans he had met, especially human children seemed to hold elves in awe. "Perhaps you should go back to sleep little one. We have a long journey ahead of us." Her eyes went to Rúmil when he moved to lay back down, then back to Haldir. A few moments passed by and she did not relax; only kept staring at him.

"It is very taxing on ones nerves to be the sole center of such intense contemplation." She only blinked at him and kept staring. "You need to sleep." She didn't move. He sat against the tree across from her and looked up at the stars. They were very bright tonight. He looked back over at his charge and saw that she was also looking up at the stars, but with a look of pain across her features. Her tears had started to flow again. Quietly he started to sing the lament that was in his heart. After the last verse he looked back to the child to find her asleep.