To brownie24: You asked me why Tari was sounding so Shakespearian. Funny thing is, I was writing that chapter while watching Romeo and Juliet. Crazy, huh?

Chapter 14

This is Who You Are

"You've changed." Legolas commented as he and Atalantawen walked down a corridor lined with paintings.

Tala glanced at him, and shrugged. "I hadn't noticed... I suppose it's this place. It brings me peace in a way that I don't comprehend."

"You haven't tried to kill me, is what I meant." said Legolas with a smile. "When I first saw you on the battle-field, so angry and filled with hate, evil, and malice, I didn't think that it was possible for you to change..."

"I didn't do this for you. I did it for her." Tala said, referring to Estellia. "No young girl should be left to grow up without a mother..."

"And I take it you didn't?" Legolas asked, slowing his pace a little.

"Nay, I had a mother... But she was always so busy, and always working... The only time I saw her was at night when we went to bed. And she was so exhausted, she could barely utter to me a 'good night'. It wasn't her fault though, and I shalt never blame her. My father was the abusive one. He hurt me, and my mother." Tala whispered. She hesitated, then rolled her sleeve up to her elbow, revealing many thin white lines. Whipping scars.

Legolas held in a gasp, and took hold of her pale arm, his fingers running over the many scars there. "If I ever see him, I will kill him. Slowly. Painfully." he vowed. Tala flinched at his touch. He noticed, and sighed. "You need not fear me..."

"I can't help it..." she murmured. "It's an involuntary reflex for me to flinch when a man touches me. For normally, his touch is anything but gentle and kind... like yours..."

Legolas shook his head, almost in shame. He then enveloped her in his arms in a loving embrace, holding her tight to him, feeling all her worries and fears that she had kept locked away for so long. He saw visions of her as a young girl, no older than ten, being whipped mercilessly. Then, older, probably sixteen. He saw a man approaching her, heard her scream, and then blackness. Legolas pulled away from her, appalled at what he had seen.

She seemed to know that he had seen her past. "I was sixteen when it first happened..." she said softly, continuing to walk. Legolas fell into step beside her, listening. "It was one of my father's drunken friends. They had no respect for women. They saw us as mere playthings; bed warmers."

"Have they ever gone away?" Legolas suddenly asked.

Tala looked at him. "What? The men?"

"Nay, your nightmares." he said.

Tala glared at him, and turned from his gaze. Legolas felt anger emanate from her as they continued their walk. Her pace was faster though. "I don't know what you're talking about..."

"Yes you do. Don't lie." Legolas said, grasping her arm and pulling her around to look at him. "Estellia told me. She wakes up at night to your soft screams of pain, yelling for the men in your dream to stop hurting you. You dream of your father too. Of what he did to you. You can tell me these things Tala, I can help you."

"Stop it Legolas!" she yelled, pulling away from him. "Leave me alone! I try to be kind and accept what you want from me. I try to be the best mother I can to Estellia. But you just keep pushing me! Trying to get closer to me! Scrutinizing me! Don't you understand! I don't want it! I can't have it!"

"Can't have what?" Legolas asked, trying to keep his voice down.

"Closeness! Companionship! Tenderness!"

"Love?" Legolas asked, his voice low, husky.

Tala turned away from him and kept walking. He went after her, and grabbed her arm. She pulled it loose. "Leave me alone!" she yelled at him. But Legolas only grabbed her by the waist as she tried to run off. "Let me go!" she screamed, struggling with all her might.

"No..." he said, holding her closer to him. He laid a hand on her forehead. Gandalf and Elrond said he couldn't plant memories in her mind, but he had to. He needed her to realize that she shouldn't be afraid of him, of who she really was... Needed to take her to a memory that he had never forgotten...

Tala stopped fighting against him... She was too shocked about her new surroundings to struggle. They were on some kind of beach. The ocean waves were lapping up against their feet, but left them completely dry. It was sunset... The rays of the sun a surreal mixture of colors. Dusky purple, bright orange, crimson, vivid yellow.

"Look..." Legolas said, gesturing over her shoulder. He had still been holding onto her when she opened her eyes and stopped struggling.

She turned slowly, not aware of his arms draped loosely around her waist. He was walking toward her, arm in arm with an elven beauty that looked like her. Save for her hair was longer, and more golden. Her skin unmarred by the scars that she carried. And this replica of herself was happy. She was smiling. She blushed crimson when Legolas kissed her, and did not pull away as she (Tala) would have. Instead, she leaned closer, laying her head against his shoulder.

"See..." Legolas whispered. "This is who you are. Do not be afraid to be loved... To be shown tenderness... Love, Tala, is a blessing, not a curse or an affliction. I know Tari's spirit is in you somewhere... Please... Don't make me spend the rest of eternity without her. Show me that she is in you..."

Tala turned her gaze away from the passionately kissing couple before her. She shook her head slowly, sadly... "I'm sorry Legolas. I cannot do what you ask of me. It is out of my hands to control..."

Her vision began to swirl, and she found herself back in the corridor of paintings...

Legolas was standing in front of her, looking much aggrieved. He nodded slowly, stepping away from her. "I understand Tala..." he said. He turned and walked away from her, down the corridor.

Tala watched him go, battling within herself whether to go after him or not. What do you care, Tala? He sees only his love, not the real you. Said the cold warrior.

But he cares for me despite it... Her new side answered. She felt as though she had mortally wounded him with her words. His walk was slow as he turned the corridor, casting her one last glance. His gaze seemed to pierce her to her core. The blue eyes had been filled with so much grief that she thought it had permeated into her.

Tala pushed the voices of her cold warrior out of her mind, turning and running, not caring where her feet carried her...