Disclaimer: I own none of Tolkien's creations and only lay claim to my own humble creatures.

Chapter Quote: "Just drink it...it will make you feel better."

Chapter Forty-Five

More Orcs

I had to stop doing this.

Doing what?

Fainting! It's becoming a tad bit ridiculous.

"You are ill remember?"

Yes...how could I have forgotten. But now I was waking up...because I realized that I had been talking to someone. I blearily opened my eyes and was met with a mug hovering just before my face. I blinked, clearing my vision as my head screamed in outrage at my being awake. I tried weakly to lift my hands but instead the mug was gently brought to my lips and I felt the steam rising from it upon my skin. I wrinkled my nose.

"What is that?" I croaked hoarsely, squinting mistrustfully at the cup.

"Something to keep you awake." Answered a deep, distinctly masculine voice. I obeyed, grimacing as the hot, steamy liquid burned down my throat. I found the urge to spit it out as my vision cleared and I found myself looking into the face of the elven prince. He sneered slightly at me, gesturing for me to drink again but I turned my face away.

"It tastes like pig manure."

His brows raised in curiosity. "And how would you know how that...unusual...flavor tastes?"

I scowled at him, cursing his apparent jovial mood. Curses upon his smug, princey face!

"Just drink it...it'll make you feel better."

I scowled at him, muttering before I submitted to it, "Do I get a lollipop?" If he heard me, he said nothing and I wrinkled my nose again as I gulped it down once more. We were in Mirlaic's flet and I was seated in one of the longer chairs, my beaten body stretched out upon the worn cushions. We were in what used to be Mirlaic's living room. My body ached from the added strains being chucked onto it and my burns seemed to be pulling painfully at my shoulders. I couldn't wait for this all to be over...and yet I subconsciously found myself wondering how it would end.

Legolas was seated across from me. His eyes averting from my probing gaze as I watched him. There was a fire going in the hearth a few feet away from me and it was then with a jolt that I saw Ana, gliding gracefully across the floor towards us and sitting in yet another of Mirlaic's chairs. I felt nervous sitting next to her...she was different now- no longer the little elven child I knew all those years ago.

"You are not well." She said to me, folding her hands neatly in her lap. I suppressed a grimace and instead produced a wry smile.

"Tell me about it."

"It will slow our progress some...but no matter."

Not understanding her words I turned to glance at Legolas...who by all appearances was about as lost as I was. "Where's Talorta?" I asked.

"Munching happily on hay in the stable." He held out the mug to me once more and I stared in disgust at it before I took it with a grimace. Noting the look on his face I said to him,

"You're enjoying this...aren't you?"

I saw my first, genuine smile appear on his face as he reclined more comfortably in his seat. "You have no idea."

I wondered absentmindedly as he said this what had changed between us...and as I felt the cold touch of the medallion against my breast I realized he must either believe what I had told him, or he must think I was insane and that he must humor me. Either way, I was liking this Legolas much better then the old.

"Everyone deserves a second chance...huh?" I asked him, gauging his reactions to try and figure out which of the two I was to him. His face softened and though he didn't express what he was thinking into words, I knew then that I was no longer guilty in his eyes- and I relished in that thought. True innocence...I wondered what that felt like...when people took you for your word and looked at you without fear or hatred in their eyes. I suddenly felt nauseous and I fought back a moan.

"Drink it." He repeated gruffly, gesturing to the mug. I massaged my temples as I gulped the rest of it down...I couldn't take much more of this...

"Will you be fit for travel?" Ana asked, startling me with the sharpness of her words.

I glanced up at her in surprise. Noting my look she cocked her head quizzically and smiled grimly. "Surely you must know that we cannot stay here."

I looked speechlessly from Ana's all knowing face to Legolas', who was showing just as much surprise as my own. "But...where will we go? What do we do from here?"

Ana looked affronted. "Victoria, it has now become clear that it was not you who slaughtered the people of Gilloth. Do we all agree?"

Of course I agreed but I looked over at the prince to see where he stood on my situation. I felt warmth flood my body as he nodded his agreement. I felt like I had to gain his trust somehow. Maybe had to wasn't the right word...more like needed to. Somewhere deep inside, I knew I wanted his approval.

"Good." Said Ana briskly. "Then we have all come to the final question. That since Victoria did not kill the villagers...then who did and why did they do it?"

"Orcs." I said quickly, glancing again at Legolas. "I told you...we needed reinforcements on the front lines because the orcs were attacking. They ambushed me on their way to the village."

"Yes...it was orcs." Ana conceded simply, as if she already knew when, only hours before, she had considered me to be the elf-slayer.

"But why then was the village left unspoiled? I have fought enough battles with orcs to know that this is not their way." Legolas said. "What were they looking for?"

Ana clapped, rising sharply. "Therein lies the question of which the answers we now seek."

"I don't understand." I cut in. "We're going to chase a band of nomadic orcs through the hell-hole forests of Mirkwood?" I looked hastily at Legolas as I spoke these words...but he didn't so much as flinch.

"Yes...that's right. For you must have guessed Victoria, the elves of Eryn Lasgalen will never stop hunting you until your name is cleared." Answered Ana.

I knew that much. But what else was there in finding these orcs? Sure, they'd make my case easier to prove but I had Legolas on my side now. Something else was missing here, another reason that Ana hadn't yet filled me in on.

Legolas caught my train of thought. "But why? If we wanted to track down these usurpers we could do so with better odds at a much faster pace if we first reached the palace and got supplies and warriors."

Ana tapped her foot impatiently. "That will take too long...we do not have time on our side...I've already told you!"

"Time for what?" I asked.

"You're not telling us something." Added Legolas, "Stop speaking in riddles!"

Ana's face was set in stone as she paused, deliberating. Her cold stare meeting Legolas' gaze. "Have you not guessed? We do not only seek the band of orcs in justice for Gilloth. " She said softly.

"What else could be the reason for it then? Legolas is right...if we got reinforcements we could accomplish this task with much more efficiency." I said.

"Despite the fact you would be shot on sight if anyone recognized you." Ana began, glancing first at me and then at Legolas. "These orcs carry prisoners...a mortal." Her eyes glinted as they met with Legolas'. "His name is Lord Aragorn."

Legolas' face paled and blanched. "Impossible." He said, thoughts swirling behind a mask of sudden despair that I couldn't penetrate.

"There is a lady as well...an elf." I saw the whiteness of the Prince's face but realized as I stood there that Ana had turned her attention to me. I felt uneasy under her stare. "The lady's name, is Araviniel."

"Who exactly is Lady Araviniel?" Legolas asked of me as Talorta walked silently through the forest.

Legolas had shown me how to wrap my baby's hooves with cloth, muting most of the usual sounds of his unshod feet striking the earth. He now moved nearly as silent as the elven horses, who moved with a grace and agility that was unknown to my beautiful, if not slightly clumsy, Appaloosa Stallion. Ana was up ahead, seated upon a dappled grey steed as eery and haunted as herself with a slight evanescent quality. He had dark eyes, the kind of dark you would expect at the bottom of a well or in some dark, dank abyss. I didn't admit it aloud, but I was frightened of him.

I tried to concentrate instead on the warmth Legolas' body next to mine presented and I focused on the question he had asked of me. "I'll tell you if you refresh my memory of who your friend is." I whispered, tilting my head slightly so I could speak with him.

The need for silence was crucial, we both knew that with every step we were drawing closer to danger. Every moment counted now.

"My friend." Legolas repeated fondly. "One of my greatest friends. He's mortal...I've known him for a long, long time."

I felt the quirky comment coming, "So you make it a habit of befriending us?" I asked calmly, my face turned ahead, concealing my weary smile.

"Is that what you call it?" He replied, "I consider it more to the extent of tolerating you."

Despite our rocky beginning, I liked Legolas...I really did. I had somewhere along the line, either in my life here or the one before, had gotten this impression that he was very prissy...rather girly and spoiled. He wasn't like that at all. He was tall, lithe, strong, and was bestowed with a sense of honor that I neither dreamed nor dare to presume that I would ever understand.

I knew right now he was trying to divulge my mind from the ever apparent fact that I was weakening as we rode on. Neither of us was stupid...I knew the fever was coming again...I was dreading it actually. And now he was trying to make me forget just how tired I was.

"So..." He said, interrupting my scattered thoughts as my head started to droop slightly. "Who is the Lady Araviniel.?"

I glanced back at him, meeting his silver gaze. "My greatest friend." I said pointedly. "We met in Gilloth...for some reason I had supposed she was dead...like everyone else."

"Why is that?"

"She was Faerlain's sister."

Mentioning Faerlain was almost like a test. I really wanted to see if the elven prince truly believed me. Belief meant that he would learn to trust me. I wanted that for some strange reason. But his body didn't stiffen and I felt warmth flood into my numb limbs once more.

"Thank you." I whispered, closing my eyes as I felt the energy leave my body.

"For what?" He asked, his voice soft, penetrating any mental barrier I still had to protect him from me...or was it the other way around? I couldn't think anymore...

"For believing me." I answered, relaxing against him. "It's been a while since somebody has."

We didn't talk for a while after that. And despite my misgivings and fears about what the future held, I realized that I really didn't mind so much doing that...falling asleep in his arms.

I might be crazy...its been long enough in my mind. But I missed somebody taking care of me...and I realized as I drifted off that I liked the way he smelled. Was that wrong?

A/N: I'm so sorry everyone! I had the worst writer's block for this story, I just sort of got stuck because I knew what I wanted to happen but I didn't know how to get there. It was crazy...I was ripping the hair out of my head every night when I tried to write! But I think I'm over it and I'll get back to my usual update every once or twice a week. So never fear!

Updates may be slower up until Easter because I gave up my computer every other day for Lent, being as I'm Catholic. Not that you people care much...but I just wanted to reassure you all that I wasn't forgetting about this story...I'm just limiting my time on it. :)

The plot problem has been solved thus far, and I hope you all enjoyed this rather fluffy interlude between Victoria and Legolas before the actions starts to heat up again...which I can safely assure you that it will.

Oh, and I found this really interesting blurb about Legolas in my research the other day proving once and for all that Tolkien described Legolas not as a prissy princey elven boy, but as a very strong, confident, lithe elven man. I thought this was so interesting because this is the Legolas I've been trying to prove to everyone is the REAL Legolas...even though Orlando Bloom from the films may not give that impression. :)

All right, drawing this rather lengthly review to a close, that you all so much for your reviews and support. And please, if you have any thoughts on this story, please say so:) Thanks again, and thanks most especially to my beta, Kiann. All errors are mine. Toodles!

TO BE CONTINUED...