Lunian woke to the drugging monotony of a moving horse. She listened to the hooves for a long while, her senses slowly expanding so she heard other horses as well. No one was speaking, but that wasn't uncommon. She could hear another sound, one that she wasn't able to place at once.

A heartbeat?

Well, it only made sense. If they were moving while she was unconscious, then someone would be needed to hold her up, since they couldn't very well toss her over her horse's back and give the mare a slap on the rump.

Content in her still semi-conscious state, she let the world pass by for the longest time, listening to the heart beneath her ear and the horse beneath them both. Other things slowly struck her, bringing her slowly, reluctantly, into complete awareness. The air was cooler, crisper than she would have expected. She couldn't hear any birds at all, nor could she sense the sun behind her lids.

Finally confusion and curiosity won, and she opened her eyes. At first, she thought she had failed at doing do, for the world remained black around her. But a blink assured her she wasn't dreaming, for her vision cleared to see the light of the stars tangle in hair which seemed silver in the partial light. He glanced down at her, smiled faintly and moved just enough a long finger tugged a piece of hair from the side of her face.

Without a word he broke off some lembas, shifting her slightly so she could eat and drink without being seen by anyone except Elrohir as she cautiously removed the cloth. When she did, the softer smell of him, of forests and summer rains, overcame the more obvious smell of horse, helping her remain relaxed. She returned the water to him, waited for a little while after he set it aside, setting the material over her face again before speaking.

"Why are we traveling at night?" she asked softly.

"Elrohir has made it clear we need to get back to Imladris as quickly as possible. We have stopped for only a few minutes since you were overcome."

She sighed softly, remembering the reason. "Poor Elrohir."

"What do you mean?" he asked with a frown.

Reaching up, she rubbed the frown away, before frowning herself when he kissed her wrist before she let her hand fall. "First Lenaith, then me."

She watched his eyes darken as he recalled Elrohir's first words when he had seen the state she was in. "She was attacked?"

"Raped, beaten and left for dead," she explained softly, in a matter-of-fact tone.

He frowned faintly. "What happened to her?"

"They healed her body, and he healed her heart. But the birth was complicated, and because of the nature of the child, she died."

"What do you mean by the nature of the child?"

"It was fathered by a human," she murmured quietly. "The child was born mortal."

He asked nothing more, and she said nothing more for a long while, until the half-sitting position she was in began to wear on her. She shifted slightly, moving so she was able to face forward. "Lunian?"

"Yes?" she asked back, just as quietly.

"Are you better?"

She frowned, slowly stretching the muscles she could without being too obvious. "A bit stiff. Why?"

"Stiffness is to be expected. You've been out of it for the last two days."

Which explained why she was still hungry. And why there were mountains in the distance. And why the moon was full. She sighed, knowing she could gladly sleep for a few more days. She was obviously below average in the observation department.

"Look at me," he ordered suddenly, his voice gentle enough it was almost a request, turning her carefully at the same time. He pulled the cloth from her face, a finger lightly tracing the color. "They are fading quickly."

"But it will be a while before they are gone," she added when he didn't, replacing the cloth to hide the remaining discoloration.

"Of course," he agreed with a sigh. He allowed her to turn around, and carefully shifted his hands around her waist so he wouldn't hurt her. "How did it happen?"

"Legolas," she sighed, about to embark on an already explained reason for not telling at that very moment.

"Not how for the details," he cut in impatiently. "I mean, how did he dare, with us so near?"

How did it happen so they didn't know, so they couldn't help her. So Calmacil had almost succeeded. She understood the question then, but wasn't so clear on the answer. "I don't understand men, Legolas. Estel excluded, of course."

"Yes you do. You understand a lot about people you've never even spoken to merely by the look in their eyes. I want to know what you saw in his."

"Cold. Dull. Lifeless. Angry." She stopped the abrupt list and sighed. "Betrayed, damaged. Determined." The hands at her waist pulled her closer when she shivered. "Crazed." She looked at him over her shoulder. "He felt like I was his, that I was being stolen away. He didn't want to let me go."

"All he saw was a brood mare," Legolas muttered, his voice harsh, his eyes cold and angry.

"That may be, but please, don't dwell on it now. We're too close for me to not pick up on anything you feel."

"I'm sorry, Milady." He kissed her temple as she started to turn back around. He sighed against her and tugged her back slightly when she began to drift back into unconsciousness. She felt warmth and tenderness envelope her as Legolas wrapped her in his arms and cloak, her forehead sliding to rest against his throat. There was some other emotion there too, but she couldn't put her finger on what.

Finally she gave up trying to figure it out, making a mental note to think about it in the morning.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

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