Aragorn stepped away from the young boy and down one pathway, heading back to the armory. His mind was heading back to the conversation he recently had with Legolas. He kept thinking through what each of them said. He sighed as he began to regret wwhat was said.

"Legolas, we've been friends for too long to let something like this get in the way. We shouldn't have acted the way we did," Aragorn muttered to himself.

He mind was still elsewhere when he heard a yell coming from one of the rooms. He rushed to the door and slammed it open to see Legolas huddled in the corner, trembling. Aragorn knelt beside the shaking elf, who barely took notice of Aragorn.

"Legolas, what is wrong?" Aragorn asked him.

Legolas quickly lifted his head to face Aragorn. The elf tried to back away from Aragorn, making the man even more curious.

"What is the matter? I am not going to hurt you," Aragorn told him.

"Get away from me. I don't want to hurt you," Legolas cried out.

Legolas stood up and stared Aragorn, who also took to standing.

"Legolas, what is it that scares you so much? What don't you want me to find out?" Aragorn asked him. "Are you sure you can fight tonight? I don't think you are in any condition to do anything."

Aragorn watched as Legolas began to calm down a little. Legolas placed a hand on his forehead.

"Aragorn, I would like to deal with this problem by myself. This doesn't concern you," Legolas quietly said.

"That's right, it doesn't. One of my best friends is seeing elves who have been dead for years, attacking his friends and allies for no apparent reason and he is in some sort of pain that he will not discuss with anyone. I think I have a right to be concerned about a friend. I think if your father knew about this, he'd be very upset with you," Aragorn told him. "I even think that if your sister knew about this, she'd be the same way."

"Leave my family out of this. It doesn't concern them," Legolas retorted.

"Of course it does! If my brother was going out of his mind, I'd want to know about it," Aragorn replied.

"Leave me alone! I will not be locked up tonight!" Legolas cried out before bolting.

Aragorn watched as hs friend burst out the door. He sighed as he thought about Legolas, trying to get away from him.

'I can't imagine what he's going through right now. I just he'd let me help him find out what's wrong,' Aragorn though to himself.

00000

Legolas ran out the door and past the people. He ran to the top of the wall and stared out across the land. The claustrophobia that had been welling up inside of him was about to explode. He placed his hands over his ears, hoping that it would go away.

"Please leave me alone!" he cried out.

Blood pounded through his head for what seemed like an eternity before it slowly subsided. He gasped for air as he brought his hands back down.

"Who will finally tell me what this happening? I don't want to bring Aragorn or Gimli into this mess. I don't even know how I got into it myself," Legolas quietly told himself. "These feelings come and go like the wind."

His stare switched from between Helm's Deep and the open plains before him, as the darkness started to overcome the land.

"What have I done?" Legolas wondered.

He hurried back to search for Aragorn, hoping to make amends with his friend.

00000

Haldir was leading the elves towards Helm's Deep. His stare was continually heading back to Nanaylia, who was doing a great job of hiding amongst the others in his mind.

'I guess she's had a lot of practice when it comes to hiding,' he thought to himself.

He dropped back and he felt a hand on his arm.

"Don't worry about me until we get there. I'll explain once we arrive," her voice barely told him.

Haldir was a bit surprised with this but he knew he shouldn't have been.

'What does she mean by the now? I guess I'll have to wait and see what she has to say,' Haldir thought to himself.

He stared in the direction Helm's Deep was located. His mind went to Legolas and how he must be doing.

"After what I've been told, I can't imagine what he's going through right now," Haldir quietly said to himself.

00000

Legolas walked into the room to see that Aragorn getting ready for the battle. He silently walked up to him and picked up Aragorn's sword, holding it out to him.

"You have led us this far, you have not led us astray. My actions were uncalled for. Forgive me. It was wrong of me to despair and to push away your help," Legolas told him.

"There is nothing to fogive Legolas. I only hope that you will talk to me about what's been bothering you," Aragorn replied.

"I am not quite ready to tell you what exactly is happening. I hardly even know myself but if I should have another one of these 'attacks', I would ask you not to leave me alone, no matter what I say or do. When I am in that state of mind, I can not control what I said or do," Legolas explained.

"I understand. After all, I have seen it first hand," Aragorn replied.

Both smiled at this comment as they heard someone walk into the room.

"If only we had time to get this thing adjusted," Gimli grumbled.

He dropped the chainmail to the floor as he looked at his friends. They each gave a small smile at the sight.

"It's a little tight across the chest," Gimli said. "Legolas, how are you feeling? I hope better after what happened earlier."

"I am feeling much better Master Dwarf. Thank you for your concern," Legolas said.

Suddenly, a horn could be heard blowing from outside. Legolas was slightly confused by this as he recognized it in the back of his mind.

"That is no orc horn," he said.

Aragorn and Legolas both hurried up the steps to see who was arriving.

00000

The Elven archers were making their way into Helm's Deep, gaining an ever growing number of onlookers. Haldir could see the surprise in some of their faces as he walked past them. He slowed down once he saw the king head towards them.

"How is this possible?" asked the king.

Theoden was not even trying to disguise his surprise one bit as Haldir bowed slightly.

"I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell. An alliance once existed between men and elves. Long ago, we fought and died together," Haldir started.

Haldir watched as Aragorn and Legolas walked into view.

"We have come to honour that allegiance," Haldir said with a smile. 'Well, that isn't a total lie. That's part of the reason we came.'

"Haldir," Aragorn said.

Aragorn couldn't help but give the elf a hug. Haldir obviously wasn't expecting it. Nanaylia gave a small laugh and smile from where she was in the group.

'I'm not going to let him live this down,' she thought to herself.

Haldir gazed over Legolas. He wanted to see how the Mirkwood elf was doing since the last time they had met. Outwardly, Legolas seemed fine yet Haldir could sense something was really different about him.

"You are most welcome," Aragorn told him. "We are all glad to see you here."

"We are proud to fight alongside men once more," Haldir said.

00000

"We will have some of the archers along this wall right here. The others will be inside the wall," Aragorn was telling Haldir.

Haldir intently listened to what Aragorn had to say, not paying any attention to anything else. Legolas was walking behind him but he was sensing someone behind him. He stopped and turned around to see one of the Lorien elves following him.

"How may I help you?" he asked. "Is there something I can do for you?"

The young elf grew scared at the fact that he might be found out. He shook his head and immediately backed off. Legolas was slightly confused by this action. Haldir must have noticed for he turned around.

"Anything wrong Legolas?" he asked.

"One question: who is that young warrior there? He has been following me ever since you arrived," Legolas questioned.

Haldir had to give a smile once he saw who it was. He walked up to Legolas and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"That is one of the newest Galadhrim. He recently finished his training and was very eager to come here to help fight. I told him that you were going to be here for he very interested in our Woodland kin," Haldir replied.

"That would be me," Legolas flatly said.

"Yes, it would be you. He is a bit shy to ask you anything though. Maybe after this battle is over, you could answer a few of his questions about Mirkwood?" Haldir wondered.

Legolas nodded his head. The explanation sounded legitimate enough but Legolas sensed that something was being hidden from him. Something that Haldir knew and didn't want to tell him. At least not yet.

'What is it that you know Haldir? What is it that you don't want me to know?' wondered Legolas. 'I will ask you before we all leave this place.'

00000

Nanaylia glanced around at the men surrounding her. Her eyes took to the walls around her.

'I don't know how Legolas managed to survive in these walls for so long. I feel so claustrophobic right now,' she thought to herself.

She walked a little further down the path, where there weren't as many people about. She turned around to head back to find Haldir standing there.

"Haldir, how may I help you?" wondered Nanaylia.

"I suggest you stay with me for the time being. Following your brother around will not help him. After all, he still believes that you are back in Lothlorien," he told her. "That you have no idea what is happening to him."

"I know that. Thank you for not giving me away," Nanaylia replied. "And he doesn't realize how much I know about what is happening to him. I wish he knew."

"How can you help your brother if he knows your here?" he questioned her. "If he did, he'd just send to where the women and children are, in order to keep you safe. Trust me on one thing. He'll know soon enough about what is happening."

She nodded as she began to pace back and forth. Haldir watched her, a question on his mind.

"What did you want to tell me Nanaylia?" he finally asked.

"What? I did?" she absently said.

"Yes, you did. On the way here, you told me not to worry about you until we arrived and you'd explain why. What was it that you wanted to tell me?" Haldir explained.

"Oh yes. That. There's something you should know," she replied.

The look on Haldir's face turned to one of worry as he walked closer to her. He didn't want ayone to accidentally hear what they were about to say.

"I don't like the sound of that," he whispered.

"Please don't. It's something my father told me. A long time ago, when Middle-Earth was at war, the gargoyles were allied with Sauron against the Elves and Men," she finally told him.

Haldir was surprised with this news but he knew more was coming.

"The gargoyles are, to an extent, still allies of Sauron. He'd have to go them first but that's besides the point. The point is, if you see me hesitate at all, please try and snap me out of it," Nanaylia requested.

"Why is that now?" Haldir wanted to confirm.

"Orcs, Uruk-hai, goblins, wargs,what's the difference? They all still fight against us," Nanaylia replied. "There might be a very slim chance that I would want to help them."

"Help them? You have got to be kidding me!" Haldir protested.

"If I was, I wouldn't have told you. It probably won't happen. I've learned to control these feelings towards these creatures but I could very easily slip up. It would be the old instincts kicking back in. I know someone who hasn't had a chance to do this yet and I'm more worried about him. I'd be in no condition to help if I suddenlyslipped back into my other identity," Nanaylia replied.

Haldir knew what she was talking about as Aragorn hurried up them.

"Come! They are on their way!" Aragorn called to them.

Haldir and Nanaylia glanced at each other before following him.

TBC...