Chapter 7

Emdiril felt content and well rested when she awoke hours later. She still laid on the bed, her hands fiddling with the covers as Arwen barged into the room, hastily sitting on the edge of Emdiril's bed. She held the same expression as she did when Haldir and Emdiril had departed and rubbed her hands together in excitement. Emdiril looked upon her adoptive sister in confusion and raised a single, delicate eyebrow.

"So?" the brunette elleth said as her blue eyes bore into Emdiril's emerald ones, urging for Emdiril to tell her something.

"So?" Emdiril's brows furrowed as she mocked the elleth's question, slowly sitting up in the bed. She noticed that she was still wearing the clothes from the day before and relief washed over her. The last thing she remembered was that Haldir had brought her here and she was glad to find he had enough respect not to change her. Then the woman clicked on and she groaned.

"Are you and Haldir in courtship?" Arwen asked, bouncing on the bed like a young child would. Emdiril shook her head but could not help the grin at the elleth's immaturity. To the outside, Arwen always seemed calm and well collected, which she was. However, she also proved to get excited over the possibility of love like any other elleth would.

"No, Arwen." The redhead snorted and a laugh escaped her lips. "We simply have come to enjoy each other's company. Haldir has been very kind and gone great lengths to help me." Emdiril nodded, satisfied with her response. The door opened once again and Elladan and Elrohir entered the woman's sleeping chambers. She rolled her eyes as she got out of the bed. This was supposed to be her space and yet everyone seemed to just walk in here without even the decency of knocking. Ah well, suppose this is what family is like, she thought and brushed it off.

"Prince Legolas is looking for you." Elladan stated, motioning towards the redhead and she smiled widely. "It seems he is worried."

"Be a darling and tell him I will see him once I am refreshed and ready?" she asked the twins. There was no way she could see him like this – her dress was worn and creased and her hair was a mess. Elrohir nodded and nudged Elladan, beckoning his twin to follow for the thought he interrupted a private conversation between the sisters. Emdiril looked at the elleth who was still atop her bed and widened her eyes at Arwen's expression. Her eyes were narrowed at her sister and her lips were pursed.

"Or is it the Prince your heart desires?" Arwen's questions never seemed to stop and Emdiril let out a groan of frustration. She merely shook her head and walked out towards the closet, pulling out a simple, light green dress that contrasted the colour of her hair. She then proceeded to change, not minding the fact that Arwen was still in the room. After her change of clothes, she faced the vanity and brushed through her hair calmly. She began humming as she sat in peace, her brush undoing knots and smoothing her hair. Arwen stood from the bed and stood behind her sister, her hands playing with Emdiril's soft curls. "I have always loved your hair. It is a nice colour." Arwen said, her fingers combing through the red locks. Emdiril smiled softly, thankful that her sister's questioning had come to a halt. "Thank you."
Arwen smiled in return and stood again, excusing herself and departing.

Emdiril sighed in content as she stared at her reflection. She would find Haldir first and thank him for the night before. Then she would see Legolas and see why he had been looking for her. Emdiril stood, her hair flowing with her movements as she set out for the door. She opened it and with full force bumped into someone's chest as she stepped through. She shook her head and reached out her arms to steady herself, and firm, yet gentle hands grasped her arms and helped her balance. She looked up to find Haldir staring down at her, concern on his face as he still held onto her arm.

"I apologise. I was coming to see whether you were well." Haldir quickly spoke as he gradually let go of the woman in front of him. The two of them still stood rather closely to each other and he cleared his throat, averting his gaze for a moment.

"Oh. I was just on my way to thank you for last night." A smile found its way on her face and she took a step back into her room to bring some distance between them. She cocked her head to the side and decided they could always chat in her chambers. "Though seeing as you are here, would you like to come in?" she raised a brow at the elf, hoping he would comply. After her break down in the early hours of the morning, she wanted to thank him without everyone hearing or seeing. Haldir's eyes found hers and he nodded, stepping inside. She closed the door behind him and before he could say another word, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. After a moment of hesitation, he too wrapped his arms around the woman, his arms encircling her waist and bringing her closer to his body. He closed his eyes at their closeness and felt warmth spread throughout his body. It was uncommon for him to feel such joy, so he would savour every second of this physical display of affection. Emdiril buried her face in his neck and mumbled a "thank you", then remained in his arms for moments longer. After that, she pulled away slowly, offering the elf a warm and sincere smile. "And I mean my words. You have been enormous help and your actions mean a lot to me. Even though we did not see eye to eye when we first encountered each other, you mean a lot to me now."

Her comments earned her a smile of his, a rather wide and toothy smile and Haldir lifted a finger to place it under her chin. "As do you to me." He spoke, his eyes holding truthfulness. He let go off her chin and let his hand hang loose by the side of his body and they stood in silence before he spoke up again. "May I inquire as to what you are doing this evening?"

Emerald eyes widened in surprise and her hand found the two crystals around her neck. "I have no plans for the evening," she declared, shrugging her shoulder casually. "Why must you ask?"

"I must depart tomorrow and return to Lothlorien. I wondered whether you would like to share our last meal together." The Marchwarden revealed, a frown upon his handsome face. Emdiril's face instantly dropped. The two of them had only just formed a good bond and now he would have to leave again. Her heart ached at the thought of not having him around. She wished to read throughout the nights with him and wished he would be with her when she found out more about her kind. The woman longed to keep close to the Marchwarden and she took a step closer to him to feel the warmth of his body once more. He did not step back as the two of them stood chest to chest, his eyes on hers, still awaiting her answer.

"If you really must leave in the morning, I would love to share one last meal with you until I see you again. However, I would like to go back to the library afterwards. When I find out about what and who I am, I long for you to be there." Her voice was steady and he could tell she was honest. It warmed his heart that of all elves she knew here, even the elven prince with whom he found she still spent a lot of time with, she chose him to be there with her. "Of course. I will see you when the sun starts setting." His eyes lingered before he took off, minding his business and preparing his departure.

Emdiril felt a mix of emotions as she walked through the crowds of elves. Excitement, sadness, fear, apprehension, happiness – although the thought of spending more time with the Marchwarden pleased her, she could not help but be scared of what she would find. Blond hair caught her vision and she recognised the back of Legolas walking through the crowds. She smiled softly as she approached him, he was just what she needed. Motivation and positivity. Emdiril tapped his shoulder and he spun around, immediately smiling when he recognised her. "Emdiril!" he exclaimed in excitement as he bowed his head at her, which she returned. "I have been looking for you, mellon."

Emdiril smiled at his term of endearment and nodded once, "So I have been told. My apologies, I have not long been awake. What is it that you wanted?"

Legolas grabbed Emdiril's hand and tugged on it, leading her away from the crowds of people. The woman didn't hesitate as he led her away and through the gates of the Elvenking's kingdom, leading her into the green forest. The forest was green and healthy and so the elves of the Woodland Realm were allowed to enter and leave as they pleased. "I wish to show you a place that I find really beautiful."

They found themselves deeper in the woods, starting to get darker due to the dense trees and foliage, their hands still holding onto one another.

The two of them separated and Emdiril frowned as they came to halt in front of a large bush with a stone wall behind it. There seemed no way to get through and Emdiril turned towards the elf a confused look. This is what he saw as beautiful? Legolas' lips twitched into a half smirk before he reached out, pulling the leaves as though they were a door. His actions revealed a small hole in the stone wall and Emdiril kneeled down, looking through. It appeared that this enormous wall of rocks and stones was actually a cave and she looked at Legolas, quirking an eyebrow. "You wish for me to enter?" she asked the elf and he merely nodded, a knowing smile on his face. Emdiril's adventurous side took over, returning the elf's smile and crawling through the small space. Her green eyes widened as she saw a small lake at the back of the cave. A few holes within the cave's walls allowed some natural light to flow in and revealed a small waterfall trickling down the back of the rocks. The woman stood in the enclosed space now, her wide eyes scanning the area – Legolas hadn't lied when he said it was beautiful. Although the stones and ground beneath them was hard, the sound of the waterfall and the calmness of the place gave off a peaceful atmosphere. Emdiril could understand why Legolas would like to come here ever so often, seeing as he was the Prince she supposed he did not get a lot of time to himself. The blond elf now stood at the side of her and sighed in content.

There were rocks of various sizes surrounding the lake and Legolas walked and sat on one, taking in the peace this place brought him. Emdiril watched him, a smile spreading on her face and her heart warmed at his actions. She meant enough to him for him to share this place with her. The redhead followed after the elf and sat at the edge of the lake. She hummed to herself as she took off her shoes and dipped her feet in the cold water and it made Legolas smile.

"You like this place?" he asked softly, watching the woman curiously. She had pulled up the skirt of her dress slightly to avoid it getting wet and leaned backwards on her arms, looking calmer than he had ever seen her before. A soft smile was still evident on her face.

"Aye. It's beautiful." The woman tilted her face to the side to face him, taking in his beautiful and handsome face. His cheekbones were well defined, his hair was never messy and his eyes were as blue as the sky. Somehow Emdiril had never noticed just how beautiful this elf was and her heart seemed to pound harder in her chest as she caught him watching her.

"I come here when I need peace or if I need time to think." Legolas explained, his eyes still curiously watching the beautiful woman. She seemed almost shy now and her heart beat loudly in her chest which amused the elf. "I thought you might want to do the same."

"That is very kind of you, Legolas." The woman smiled fondly at the blond elf before she averted her gaze to her feet which were still in the clear water. Her mind wandered to another elf and her face almost immediately dropped; she would miss Haldir. A hand found itself on her shoulder and Emdiril nearly jumped as her thoughts were suddenly interrupted.

"Something troubles you, mellon."It was a statement, not even a question. Legolas had grown to read her well and so he moved to sit closer beside her. He imitated her earlier actions and took off his elven shoes which surprised the woman. He too allowed his feet to hang in the water and he faced the woman now, his eyebrows furrowed in concern. He deeply cared for the red-haired woman and longed to make her feel better. Emdiril forced a small smile and she nodded her head in confirmation.

"Yes. Haldir leaves tomorrow." There was no reason why she could not trust Legolas – though she had her suspicions at first, he had proven to be a good companion and had never forced her to talk about anything she did not want to discuss.

"I see." Legolas said simply, his lips pressed together in a thin line as an unfamiliar emotion took over. He wondered what it was but decided to shake off the feeling, feeling as though his friend needed his full attention. "You do not wish for him to leave?"

"I mean, I have not known him for long, but he does have a special place in my heart." Emdiril explained to the elf, but also to herself. It was not easy for the proud woman to admit, but the Marchwarden, although she found him to be arrogant, had grown on her immensely and saying goodbye would be difficult.

Legolas tried to understand what she was saying, but struggled. The elf was not very experienced with feelings such as these and therefore was unsure of how he could comfort the woman. Emdiril seemed to notice his struggles and laid her head upon his shoulders, sighing softly. She was grateful for the elf's support regardless of whether he knew what to do or not – she found it was one of the Prince's more lovable traits. Legolas smiled softly and rested the side of his head on hers and together they sat, letting the peaceful atmosphere the lake provided take over. However the unfamiliar feeling never left Legolas and it bugged the proud elf. His chest felt as if a hole was being cut through it whenever he thought of the woman next to him and the Marchwarden.

Emdiril played with her red hair anxiously as she waited in her room, biting on the insides of her cheeks. She had had a good afternoon with Legolas and now it was time for her time with Haldir. She had debated whether she should change but decided against it – it was only Haldir after all.

The woman jumped in her skin as she heard the knock and her heart started pounding within her chest. After this meal she would find out everything about herself and her ways and she simply did not believe she was ready. She gulped nervously as she opened the door but could not help the joy she felt as she saw Haldir. He had changed into a simpler light blue tunic which complimented his eyes and a fond smile was tugging on his lips.

"Good evening." He greeted her and bowed his head. She returned the favour before they walked towards the food hall, engaging in casual conversation. Never had Emdiril thought he would brighten her days the way he did.

After their meal, the pair took off to the library and Emdiril's nerves got the better of her. Her jaw clenched as she stood by the table they usually occupied and she looked down, breathing in and out heavily in order to calm herself. Having noticed her unease, Haldir stood in front of her and cupped her cheek in his hand and tilted her head upwards.

"Emdiril, if you are not prepared to-"

"No." she interrupted him, her green eyes on his blue ones. She placed a hand on top of his and sent him a reassuring smile. "I wish to do this with you here."

Haldir could not help the wide, toothy smile that took over and he nodded once, taking his hand away from her face and gesturing for her to sit first, which she did. Once again, they sat for hours and she had learned a lot. She was a Child of the Earth. Destined to fight the bad. However she found that there were only three of her kind which was a lot to take in. If there were only three of her kind, then what were her parents? Were they really just mere humans? What had become of them? The woman squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting tears to fall once more. Haldir's hand found itself to her back, rubbing it in an attempt to soothe her and the woman shook her head lightly, releasing a deep breath of air.

Emdiril's eyes suddenly snapped open as her hand grasped around the two pendants her parents had granted her, the shade of green replaced with a glowing yellow and she stood up, her chair falling backwards from the sudden movement. Haldir stood as she did, his hand on her shoulder.

"Emdiril?" he spoke, apprehension evident in his voice. He shook her gently, but to no avail; she was practically unresponsive.

The woman could not hear him, visions filling her mind – She saw her parents and then in the next Elrond arrived. Emdiril saw her mother and even her father plead with Elrond to take her into her family. She vividly remembered the day Elrond took her. Her parents had told her she was going on an adventure and she willingly went with the elf lord.

The next vision made her cry out in horror. There was fire everywhere in their beautiful city, her home and people were running and screaming everywhere. Orcs were chasing innocents, spilling blood and murdering people as well as children. The woman watched on in horror as her eyes found one particularly well-dressed woman run down a flight of stairs, with brunette, waist long hair and blue eyes. It was her mother, now standing in the middle of the market, eyes wide and concerned as she watched before her eyes looked around in search of someone. Emdiril felt as though she was right there with them, maybe it was Emdiril her mother was searching for?

"Mama!" she shouted out, tears falling down her cheeks but her mother did not hear her. Her mother was still searching, her eyes wide in horror. It seemed as though the woman could not move, she stood such little distance away but Emdiril could not reach her. Emdiril felt as though her heart was shattering as she watched an arrow hit her mother in the abdomen. The queen of Waterfall City fell.

"NO!" Haldir watched in distress as Emdiril shouted and screamed at things he could not see, and he still desperately tried to take her out of her trance. Her legs had given away and she was now kneeling on the floor, her eyes staring into a blank space. Tears had stained her cheeks and Haldir watched on as the yellow in her eyes faded and her natural, emerald eye colour returned. Haldir grabbed her face in his large hands, using his thumbs to wipe the remaining tears. The Marchwarden's blue eyes bore into hers and it seemed like Emdiril had finally snapped out of it. The blank stare was replaced, sadness and horror taking over as she realised what had happened… She had had a memory. A memory she was not part of, but it occurred to her anyway.

"I saw-"

Her voice broke and she swallowed hard, tears welling up in her eyes once again, "They… They are all gone."

Haldir pressed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes; he knew who she meant. There were no words he could say to make her feel better for her loss and the death of a loved one was one of the worst things any creature could endure. He sat in front of her, wrapping his arms tightly around the redhead, letting her sob into his chest. The elf's heart went out to her and he wished he could take her pain, but he knew that he could not. Her pain caused him pain, the Marchwarden was deeply affected by Emdiril's moods, whether he liked to admit that or not.