"…What would you do
To get to me
What would you say
To have your way
Would you give up
Or try again
If I hesitate
To let you in
Now would you be yourself
Or play your role
Tell all the boys
Or keep it low
If I say no
Would you turn away
Or play me off
Or would you stay…"

Aaliyah Try Again

Chapter Eighteen: Change

Misty morning dew hung in the damp air that smelt of sap and deeply soaked earth. The moisture clinging to leaves slowly made its way down veins and groves to dangle precariously at the jagged-edged, green-brown tips. Every so often one or two gathered enough weight to drop to its oblivion on the damp ground below. Of course in an area with thousands of trees each plastered with fresh foliage this process was happening about a million times a minute. Though on one, just one, this process different. Mingling in with the clear liquid was another, thick and dark in substance, almost greenish-black. Before the perfect pear-shaped crystal had time to fall, one pale, long finger stroked the textured surface, taking both substances with it. A thumb stroked the forefinger both liquids where situated on. The hand itself proclaimed that hard work was something virtually unknown to the person with almost flawless skin covering every inch of it. The mingled liquids were rubbed against a darkish cloak, the colour of which was hard to tell in the poor light, with disdain and hand signals were made to the group of cloaked riders a few paces back. They dismounted in almost complete unison, sending droplets flying left, right and centre.

The band were stood right outside the borders of the rather gnarled forest that only seemed to get worse as they headed further in. A single figure stood under the clustered bows, strands of blond hair spilling out from the heavily soaked hood that covered most of his head and hid the face in shadow. He gazed deep into the wood that held their quarry as a slightly taller figure came to stand beside him.

"They can't have got far." The first breathed, his voice low and quiet. "Spread out and comb the area. Nothing is to be left unchecked." The second figure nodded and headed back to the group of three behind them.

We had spotted them almost as soon as dawn had broken on the horizon. A band of Orcs, no more than six or seven at best. They were headed west across the planes of Rohan, to the Misty Mountains or maybe the ruins of Orthânc. Either was a risky journey and not one made for its scenic value. Although Orc numbers where dwindling, it was not uncommon for the more desperate or just stupid to risk a raid on a small settlement or village to boost their supplies. For this reason the Rohirrim kept strict patrols of their territory even though Sauron and his minions had been overthrown almost five years ago. In any case, this rough band of miscreants had managed to slip through the net seemingly undetected and, if not caught, would only spell trouble.

So it was that we found ourselves on their trail. The thought of an impending fight was something to be relished as hardly any of us had seen any action in the past few months. I practically ached for combat, the feel of a blade slashing through sinew. I could almost smell the fear of our prey in my nostrils. But we'd have to catch them first.

This didn't seem to be much of a problem, they were travelling on foot whereas we were mounted and the ground between us seemed to be floating away. They knew we were after them. Their speed had picked up almost immediately after we had gained pursuit, though this still had little effect. By the time the sun had fully risen we were almost on their tails and their defeat looked inevitable. Of course, we hadn't bargained on them running into Fangorn.

They must have gone in there out of sheer desperation, what other explanation could there be? It was true it made our job a lot harder, but what lurked inside Entwood's boarders was a fate far worse then anything that we would have done to them. But what if they managed to get out of their alive? We couldn't risk it; our only option was to go in after them.

The horses whinnied as soon as we came within fifty metres of the tree line. They would have to be left outside. It was pointless to take them in anyway, they where too big to be able to manoeuvre with any efficiency. I dismounted first, walking with apprehension past the shadowy boarders. It was true that I did have permission to enter, I was welcome, and yet it still felt like an intrusion. But the forest held that same mystery. The trees still whispered to me as the fresh rain pattered on their leaves. They called inviting yet warning not to get too close. Ages where ingrained upon their infinite wisdom and yet they could tell you nothing of them. Like a mute storyteller.

All this could be worried about later, for now courtesy would just have to be left behind. So I started searching. Everything leaves it's mark no matter how small and Orcs where no different. It didn't take me too long to find the blood, to me it stood out like a sore thumb. It showed at least one of them was hurt, why was unimportant, it just meant that at least one of the party would be slowing the rest down. I motioned to Firowen and gave him orders, after which we spilt up and began a full search of the area. We might have lost some of the advantage in time we'd gained earlier but what was the point of heading out after the band if we didn't even know which way they where going?

The forest retained had that natural silence that I had noted on my first trip in. A brook heavy with melted snow from the mountains was really the only other sound apart from the rain. And our own feet skimmed noiselessly over the ground as not to alert any enemies to our position. All this only added to the drowned atmosphere that encompassed us. I searched for the others in between the vast trunks and scattered foliage. If I concentrated I could see little oddities to assure me of their presence but otherwise it would have been almost impossible to make them out. There, behind a grand birch were the twins, each mimicking the others stride and stance though not on purpose. Far off in a patch of ferns was the enormous hunched figure of Cer and a little to the right of him stood Firowen inspecting a broken branch.

I turned back to the area ahead of me only to hear the snap of branches and the sound of ropes straining with a newly encountered burden. My head whipped round to see where the noise had come from and yet I was met with nothing. Furrowing my brows in bemusement, I sought out my companions but came up short. Firowen and Cer were stood in the positions I had seen them last but unlike myself were staring confused at the spot that the twins had once been examining. My eyes trailed to there also and as I had expect there was no sign of them.

Two down. Three to go.

A search a little further up the tree line had proved fruitful and we'd found the two hanging in a rather crude net held far off the ground. The three of us stood at the base of the large oak that the two were stranded in. Immediately Firowen started the climb up to where the rope holding the net was anchored.

"Could this really have been done by the Orcs?" Asked Cer. I knew what he meant. They could only have been in here five minutes ahead of us; they wouldn't have had the time to set this kind of a trap.

"What's going on?" I whispered back. It was then that something caught my eye, a flash of silver in the distance. It might have been a sword, amour maybe, it didn't matter. He saw it too and after a quick word to Firowen, who was ambling up among the branches, we crept off in the direction we'd seen the object. When we were a few metres away from the target we split up to form a pincer attack. Myself taking the left and Cer taking the right. It meant who ever it was had nowhere to run. Soon I could hear them, inches away, their breathing heavy and sluggish. The person was barely an arms length away from me now.

Risking a small glance from behind the large trunk that separated us I made out the figure. Like us the person was covered from head to toe in a long mossy green cloak and was most definitely un-orclike. Noiselessly unsheathing a dagger from my back, I took one huge steep and grabbed the figure in my arms. With one arm pinning theirs to their sides the other held the thin bladed object to their neck.

"Who are you?" I asked between clenched teeth, for some reason feeling a little breathless. Cer stepped into the tiny clearing that myself and the assailant stood in. I nodded to him, which was a hard thing to do as the person in my grasp was only slightly shorter than me, to assure him that the situation was under control. There was still only silence from under the cowl and the seconds passed in stifled bliss until just as I was drawing breath to ask again, a long chuckle broke the tense air. I felt both agitated and confused. Not only did the person not have the sense to answer my question, they where downright laughing at someone who could kill them on the spot. That kind of arrogance was rare.

"So." Came the final response. "I guess you finally caught me. Took your time, though." I knew that voice. Smug, self assured and slightly resentful…yet there was a fear that had not been present at our last encounter. "It amazes me that a primitive trap created for Orcs could be set off by two fully trained Elven warriors." She said the word littered with heavy sarcasm.

"La…Yunalesca?" I managed. Why had her presence come as such a shock? I should have expected her to be here, it was the place she called home after all. She let out a slight cough and all of a sudden I became painfully aware that my arm was held all too tightly across her…chest. I let go of her quickly and took the hood that covered my face down. She mirrored my action after a moment and threw a Look™ in Cer's direction which was somewhat hindered by the piece of cloth covering her left eye.

"Go aid Firowen," I said to him. "I'll be fine here." He looked rather unconvinced. "She's a friend, and besides, I can handle myself." With a nod he walked off in the direction of the others and left us with some privacy.

"Sure of yourself, aren't you?" I chose to pointedly ignore her comment.

"What's been happening, Yunalesca?" I asked, concern brimming in my voice. If her appearance was anything to go by then it wasn't good.

Her face was scattered with small cuts and scrapes, nothing major but alarming all the same. Her usually impeccably neat hair was matted with small twigs, leaves and an abundance of dirt as it frizzed up around her face. I could see now that the cloak she was wearing was torn in places and covered in grime, which was about the same state as what I could see of her garments. As for the dirty strip of cloth that adorned her eye, it was crinkled and stained with dried blood and obviously hid a serious wound that hadn't been properly treated. Her whole stance was weakened, her frame shaking slightly. She hid it well, though. But try as she might, she was unable to conceal the exhaustion evident in her eye. The defiant fire, the steady glare weaved with cynicism, it was gone. Her eyelids drooped slightly. She was exhausted. I could see tears in her clothes, exposing fresh and old slashes and cuts, some still bleeding slightly. To tell the truth, she looked as if she was about to keel over and give up. She needed help, and soon.

"Nothing." She lied as fluent as ever.

What was he doing here? I didn't need him. Not now. Not when I was so close to putting all this to an end. He had to leave. He could go shove his invitation from Treebeard where the sun didn't shine for all I cared. This was my business, not his. Him and his band of merry men would only go and make it worse.

"And anyway, it's no business of yours, Greenwood." I said, annoyed. "So don't worry your pretty little head about it and just get right back where you came from. Understood?" With that I turned to leave, I had bigger fish to fry. But he couldn't just leave it at that. He had the complete nerve to grab me by the shoulders and turn me back round to face him. What was he playing at?

"Yuna." He said softly. "Why are you being like this?" His little puppy-dog eyes bored into mine with such intensity that I almost gave in. 'No.' I thought and jerked myself away from his grasp. 'I can't, not now.'

"Just leave, Legolas!" I shouted in frustration. "It isn't a request." I threatened. Of course I didn't want to hurt him, but if it came down to it, I wouldn't hold back. "If you and your companions do not go than I will be forced to consider you as hostile. Don't think I won't defend my home."

"Yuna, listen." He said, his tone harsher than I'd ever heard it before. I must really have been pissing him off. Good. If it was what it took for him to get the hell out of here then it was all the same to me. "All we are trying to do is help you. I don't know why you can't see that but it's true. If you're so narrow minded that you couldn't even accept help when you obviously need it…"

"Look, I don't need yours, or anyone else's, help." I spat the word out as if it left a foul taste in my mouth. "Why can't you see that I don't need your charity." With that I turned to leave, swearing to myself that if he tried to stop me again I'd make him pay for it. He didn't.

"Get back to the horses." I said to the group that was assembled under the oak. The twins were now back on solid ground and seemed very thankful of the fact. "I should back within the next three hours and even if I do not return by then, none of you are to re-enter the forest. It is too dangerous." They gave me a round of confused looks, a multitude of questions already on the tips of their tongues. Firowen, of course, was the first to ask.

"What about you? Where are you going?" But I need not have answered; he already knew what I would have said. "You're going after that woman, aren't you." He nodded solemnly.

"Please, trust me." I implored to them.

"You've said that before." Said Celoril jokingly, the older of the twins. I half-smiled as distant memories of days long gone flooded my mind.

"That was a long time ago." I responded.

"We'll trust you, Greenleaf." Came Nólad's small voice. Although him and his brother were almost completely alike in appearance, both their voice and characters were almost entirely different. "You're both our Prince and leader, we respect your decision."

"But you better get your pretty-boy ass back here, got me?" Firowen mocked a threat. "Because I for one am not going to tell your father that you ran off into some forest after some woman you haven't seen in what is it? Six? Seven years? Why you are even going is beyond me, but if you feel you must…just be careful. I don't want to lose my best friend." With those parting words the five trekked back to where the horses had been left. I had told Firowen of the journey leading up to the destruction of the Ring, and he had seemed particularly intrigued with the female that had appeared out of nowhere and tagged along with us. It had been just under six years since I had seen her last, parting at the entrance to this very wood. From the looks of it, things had taken a turn for the worst.

It wasn't incredibly difficult to find Yuna's trail. She wasn't thinking right, either she didn't care about being found or she had the inability to hide herself with any of the efficiency she usually had. It took me two hours alone to find her, for no matter how badly her mind had been effected, her skills were deeply implanted. She had replaced the hood and was now standing over the lying body of an Orc that seemed to have misplaced its head. Blood covered the clearing that she was stood in and with all the broken and crushed foliage it was obvious that a struggle had taken place.

"Before you ask." She said as I approached. "I didn't kill it, even though I wish I had. Wounded it earlier." She nudged its knee with her foot and a splattering of blood surged out. "It must have been slowing them down and you know the best way to get rid of dead weight right? Just dump it." She chuckled mirthlessly. "Almost makes you feel sorry for the savage." A pause and then. "What are you doing here in any case?" 'She must have finally come back to her senses.' I thought to myself. "I told you to leave, Legolas. Don't think I didn't mean it." Yuna moved towards me with intent. I started to notice little things as she strode the couple of feet. The twitch of her uncovered eye, the way her hands shook at her sides. Even her walk seemed strained and painful.

"Yuna, you're not well, it's plain for anyone to see. I'm not just going to leave you in this state." She halted mid-step and came to rest on her left foot a little too frigid for my liking.

"Why do you care?" I'd heard that sentence before.

"Because I know you, whether you like it or not you're a good person and you don't deserve this." She was, I'm sure, about to come out with one of her witty comebacks, when the both of us smelt something seeping through the air.

Smoke.

It was mingled in with the rain but it still smelt alien in such a place. Yuna's eyes widened and immediately she turned on her heel and sped off in the direction of the offending odour. Without any great debating I followed her, seeing little alternative. Bushes and branches flew by in a blur as I came along beside her. The wind gained in intensity and knocked my hood down to rest around my shoulders. Raindrops bit into any exposed skin and once again my garments where becoming drenched. But I knew Yuna could run faster, something must have been holding her back. Before I knew it, she'd got her foot lodged in an overgrown root and was heading for a crash collision with the ground. It was so unlike her. Where was the grace? The faith in her own abilities? Within seconds I was by her side, catching her by the waist inches from the ground. She felt far too light for her size in my arms and even through her clothes I could feel just how thin she'd become. I helped her to her feet with little effort and immediately she released herself from my hold. I didn't expect a word of gratitude and wasn't disappointed.

Already she was ahead of me again and it seemed we were nearing our destination. In front of us a plume of smoke billowed out into the sky. It seeped along leaves and choked pores with seething envy. And in the middle of the torrent, huge orange and golden flames leapt and licked the sky. I could just about make out where it was coming from. In a large clearing framed by ferns and birches, there lay the carcass of an immense tree. How long it had been there was impossible to tell, anywhere from the past five years to five thousand. Standing, it must have been huge, maybe a hundred and thirty feet in height and fifty in diameter. Now all that was left was a husk that at that precise moment was being engulfed in flames. The rain seemed to be little hindrance to blaze, the downpour being of no effect on the raging inferno. There didn't seem to be any sign of the culprits. But I was sure Yuna had the same idea as me as to who they were.

Neither of us had slowed down till now. Yuna had almost completely stopped as we got within a couple feet and stared at the sight in disbelief. Through the haze appeared a dark figure. Stout, fat and clothed in dark hide and blackened amour. It's beady eyes met for a brief moment with Yuna's and almost instantaneously it seemed he went from naught to fifty. I glanced towards her, seeing her face contort with rage. She seemed to launch herself off the ground as she sped after him. Beds of leaves kicked up in her wake, she wasn't bothering with haste, just speed. I started after them, drawing a dagger at my side. I reached the clearing she had entered a fraction of a second ago. The Orc scuttled away, joining in a group of about thirty or forty. There was no way we could take them out alone, even if there was two of us. She skidded to a halt, her eyes flicking over the scene, The Orcs swivelled their heads round to see us. Exactly a second later, I heard the sound of a sword being drawn.

She couldn't. Even she wasn't that brave. Or stupid. There was no way she could kill them all, even if I was here. I remembered Helm's Deep. But that was different. They could only come one or two at a time, here, even the best fighter would be swarmed.

"Don't risk it." I whispered, she gave me a sidelong glance. "We can't take them all." She looked at me unbelievingly.

"Don't tell me you came all this way just to back out on me." Her tone was almost mocking. She was too arrogant for her own good sometimes. I secretly wondered how she could have survived for so long. The Orcs stood, some fanning out at the sides, ready to charge at the slightest movement or command from their leader. Her sword, a plain, short thing, was ready to strike. Her top lip was positively twitching with anticipation.

What was he talking about? He was the one that insisted on following me relentlessly for the past couple of hours. What did he think he was doing telling me how to fight? There were a lot of them, that much was clear, but I was confident that I'd be able to take them down. My grip on my sword handle twisted. The weedy Orc I had chased here was somewhere at the back. I'd make them pay, I'd make them all pay for coming in here and thinking they could do whatever they liked. My teeth gritted, my feet ground into the earth, let them come.

Come they did, with a muffled signal they charged, their boots clanking and scraping like their twisted black armour.

Then something I did not expect happened. My left arm was forcefully jerked back, an Elven hand firmly grasping my wrist. I stumbled and could only follow reluctantly as I was pulled backwards. I tried to tug my arm back, but he wouldn't let go, I wasn't strong enough in my current state. I hadn't noticed before now how drained I felt.

I was angry with him, no doubt about that. Who did he think he was? He had no right to do what he was doing, it was as if he thought his title could be towed around everywhere he went. I could hear the hot blood pumping through my head; I was suddenly incredibly tired. This new found weariness chipped away all thoughts of battle and I found myself willingly following him. I wasn't about to admit it, but he'd been right. Now I thought about it, I wouldn't have been able to take them all even if he was there, much less by myself. Well…not in this state anyway.

Wait. Where was he going? He didn't have a clue where he was heading, just randomly twisting this way and that in an attempt to lose them. It wasn't working. They were too close. My wits gathering about me once more, I waited until we were close enough then grabbed his wrist and jerked him round to the side. Like I expected, he was pushed over a nearby fallen log to our left and hit the ground with a slight thud, he gave me a split second quizzical glance before I leapt over to hastily lay beside him. I did three things almost simultaneously. Firstly, With my right elbow and leg, I attacked the rotten log with as much power as I had left. It quickly caved in after two blows. Secondly, I turned to the right, grabbed Legolas' tunic and, with him, rolled inside. Thirdly, I pointedly ignored the fact that he was now directly beneath me, and clamped a hand over his mouth. All of this took place in just under four seconds.

The perfectly hollow log had been there for a while yet, rotten with years. It was easily big enough for two people to squeeze inside. My plan was working perfectly. If all went well they wouldn't even notice we'd gone off the trail. I closed my eyes and focused on slowing my breathing, which was behaving rather erratically due to the sudden bursts of exercise. He seemed to understand, so I slowly removed my hand, desperately wishing for the Orcs to run past so I could be out of this log with the inbred blonde.

They hurried past after what seemed like hours but in reality were a matter of seconds. When their footprints had died down, I rolled off Legolas and got up immediately, dusting myself off. He clambered out a second later, looking after where they had run. With one last glance in his direction, I started at a light run towards the area I generally 'lived' in.

"Wait." I stopped, not turning around. "Where are you going?"

"It is none of your concern. I don't suggest you follow, but I doubt you'll take my advice." With that I picked up my pace again, not caring if he decided to turn around and go back to his men.

She was stubborn as a mule. Why couldn't she just accept my help? Why did she have to be too arrogant to see past her own capabilities? And why for the sake of the Valar was I still following her?

There she was, rooting through a small, wooden chest, her back turned to me, and I doubted she even knew I was--

"Hello again." She said casually, flinging some random sheathe off to one side. There was a small pack to the left, I could see two blades poking out of it. A few unidentifiable items were placed haphazardly into the sack before I saw her take much more care into packing a wrapped blade -- 'Luccrecía' I appraised absentmindedly -- into the leather case on her back.

She lived here? As I looked about the barren clearing, the only sign of life the worn ground, I had trouble believing that statement. There was a single large tree in the centre, which looked as if it had been dead for more that a few centuries. I had not time to further ponder this anomaly's habits as she then got up, shouldering her package, and took off at a run past me, flinging a "Bye, again," In my general direction. I wasn't going to let this happen, not again. I reached out and firmly grasped her wrist. It seemed the only way to get her attention these days.

"Stop." She did so, turning round to face me, keeping the glare firmly on her face. "At least tell me where you're going." She shrugged, feigning indifference.

"Fair enough. I'm off to very possibly get myself killed whilst defending my home. Want to come?"

"This is pointless. Why do you seem so determined to simply throw your life away without a second thought?"

"Why not?" She shot back. "And don't tell me I'm a good person or anything like that. I may as well be a stain on the fabric of intelligent life for all most people care. I don't even have a proper race for crying out loud!" So that was what she thought of herself? I couldn't say I was surprised, but it was odd hearing her state it so easily. "Just let me fight my own battles. I don't even know why you're here in the first place. Do yourself, your little friends and me a favour, and just leave. All of you." She turned once more to go.

"Don't do this. You're not well. You need help, and here's no way you can carry on fighting and running around this forest until you get some."

"The only way you can help me is to do exactly what I asked you to do, and get out!" She was almost shouting now. Her voice broke slightly with the effort. It almost sounded as if she was about to cry, but I knew better.

"Listen to me!" She faced me, a steady scowl in place on her cut lips. "Just come back with me. Only for an hour or so, to get your wounds properly dressed at least." I could tell she wanted to say yes, but she wasn't about to admit it, not after all that.

"No, you listen, I just…" She dragged out the word for longer than normal before inhaling sharply and bringing a hand to her head in pain. She swayed slightly, taking a step forward before exhaling shakily. "Just…" She whispered. And then her legs gave in, sending her plummeting forward. I caught her by the shoulders, watching her body go limp. She was unconscious.

A.N. On to the reviews! (Most of them, anyway.)

plumsy321: We will, don't worry. This soon enough for you?

Lol and doll: Thanks. Hopefully she doesn't come across as too Suish even though most people probably think she is. And we try to keep our stories as original as possible, like our characters.

jeffiner1127: (Tali: Thanks, hun. Hopefully it will be better next time (and there will be a next time)). We feel that way too. Éomer's pretty damn hot (especially in Xena. Karl Urban as Cupid dies) but Leggie's just better.

Sweet-legolas: Thankies. And you get a cookie for putting us on your faves

Serpent of Light: NO! It's not the end! Read!

Lilena: Hopefully your question is answered in this. If not, then…erm… (by the way, this is just a reminder that we love you)

Ranting Fool: Stay the hell away from our other fic, you gimp. No, really, read at the cost of your own sanity. And by the way, good luck getting more reviews than us. We have our mental minions on our side!

Q-ball: yay! You're the fifth person to have us on their faves! Have a cookie.

Orli's biatch: Erm…ages? Fine, at the time of publication, Rai's fourteen, and Tali's fifteen. There's about a half-year difference between us. This is the main reason why the writing's so crap and we know nothing. :D