"Yes… I knew where she went."

Legolas sighed quietly in relief as Eowyn looked down at him. Edhelwen was beside him, already garbed in her travelling things, with Ranfeä chirping at her shoulder. Even Legolas himself wore his hunting clothes, with his bow, arrows and his twin swords at his back, sheathed and ready for any combat that might occur.

But Eowyn didn't move, she merely stared down at him. His eyebrow raised as he asked, "Well? Aren't you going to tell me where they went?"

"No."

He looked disbelieving at her, as her gaze hardened as she stepped down from where she was sitting and said scathingly, "I wanted her leave you, did you know? Which was why I gave her the map…"

"Why do you hate me!" Legolas asked her, though a bit loudly, so his voice echoed through the hall, "What did I do to deserve your hatred!"

From behind Eowyn came a voice, the voice of his friend, Faramir. "Watch your tone, Legolas." He said, his aged hazel eyes boring down at his friend, his slightly graying beard bristling in anger. "Never have I raised my voice against your wife. I expect that you would do the same."

Legolas stared the couple down, but at the sight of their aging faces, he forced himself to calm down. He shook his head, "Forgive me for my uncontrolled wrath, Faramir. I just wished to know why… Eowyn hated me enough to draw my wife away from me."

"Do you not know?" Eowyn said now, a little scathingly, "She comes here for solace, but even I could not calm her fears. You go off, staring into space, keeping your emotions secret, never telling her what was bothering you… until it came to the point that you ignored her."

He was about to open his mouth to speak, but from beside him, Edhelwen pulled his arm, "Father… I think it would be a good idea… to listen to Auntie Eowyn first."

Legolas stared at his daughter in disbelief, and Eowyn spoke again, "Did you hear that? Even your child has noticed, and I know that Ranthoron have noticed it too, which is probably why he came with her."

"Noticed what?" He shouted now, "I did not do anything!"

"Exactly!" Eowyn snapped back, her voice echoing through the hall has his had been, "You did not do ANYTHING! You did nothing! You did nothing to calm her fears. You spoke no word about what's bothering you. You did not tell her anything about what is going on in your twisted, little elven mind. To be married means to trust your mate with everything. Everything, Legolas! Have you no love nor trust on your wife? You did not do anything, spoke no word even if her worry for you shows in her face. All she wanted was to find out why you're acting this way, AND YET YOU NEVER TOLD HER!"

Her last six words echoed loudly throughout the walls, and was even more punctuated by the silence that followed. Eowyn stood in front of them breathing hard because she shouted the last words. Faramir merely looked accusingly at Legolas. Edhelwen stood beside her father, still clutching his arm, as tears threatened to fall down her chubby cheeks. Legolas merely stood, shocked at Eowyn's words, but was finally able to piece everything together.

"I…" He gasped slowly, as his anger turned to shock and again turning into grief, "I… never noticed…I was too blind to see…"

"Yes, you were blinded. She worried herself to the point of exhaustion. She was on the point of becoming depressed. Which is why I gave her the parchment, and why I sent her away from you.." Eowyn whispered now, for shouting made her throat hurt, and she remembered that she was not as young as she used to be. She breathed in deeply and sat down beside Faramir again, who held her hand tightly in his, as if sharing her pain. "I knew that her disappearance would make you notice her. Though I fear you would have to wait for her return, for I will not tell you where she went."

Legolas looked up at her, "I need to follow her, Eowyn. I need to tell her the truth…"

"HA! Too late now, isn't it?" Eowyn said scathingly, "You never told her anything, so why should I?"

The elf looked up at Eowyn, staring hard at her. Finally he came forward, Edhelwen letting go of his arm, and he knelt down at Eowyn's feet. Eowyn's eyes registered her surprise, but she continued to look coldly at him.

"Eowyn…" Legolas whispered, "If I gave you a valid reason… if I told you the truth of why I have been morose these past few years… will you tell me where she went and why?"

She continued to stare at him coldly that he sighed.

"Eowyn, I love her… I really do. I cannot imagine my life without her." Legolas said truthfully that Eowyn's eyes softened, "I am sorry if I had kept anything from her, and if it would mean that I should chase her throughout Middle Earth, then I would do it, just so she could hear the truth. But please, tell me where she went… if something should happen to her, I fear I would never survive another day of my immortal life."

Eowyn's eyes watered with tears, though she tried hard to keep her gaze at him cold. She turned to her husband and asked, "What say you, my lord?"

Faramir stared hard at his friend before nodding slowly, "He had chased her before, and I know that even if we never told him where she went, he'd still go out and find her." He looked at Eowyn and smiled, "Give him this chance, Eowyn."

She nodded and stared at Legolas again, blinking her eyes to sink back the tears that once threatened to spill from her eyes. "Very well, Legolas. Explain yourself." She raised a hand, and four servants came in with two chairs, a table and a bottle of elverquist. "But you'd better make sure that your explanation has merit."

Legolas nodded as he took a deep breath to tell his tale…