Chapter Five

"Or is it Eryn Lasgalen now?" Rath nodded his head at them. "I am Rath, son of Rathenir, keeper of the city of Dhain in Rohan."

"I am Edrahil," the Elf nodded as he offered him a place to sit. "And this lovely lady is Nadine," he smiled at her, before turning to look at Rath, not missing the deliberately impassive expression on Legolas' face.

"We have not often had the pleasure of meeting Humans in recent times," Legolas spoke pleasantly, though he did not fool Edrahil for one second.

"Tell me, what brings you to Lóthlorien?"

"Human?" Nadine murmured, instantly interested.

"I am here on dealings of my father; matters of confidentiality between him and lord Celeborn," he explained, meeting Legolas' gaze straight on.

"Then they must be of the utmost magnitude," Legolas spoke, "if a Human has been allowed passage."

The rugged brunet smiled.

"That is one thing I cannot conceal nor deny. The tidings that I bring from Dhain have sparked the attention of the lord and lady so greatly that they sent for a messenger to report at once. They would hear of no delay, and so I am here."

Rath turned his grin at Nadine.

"Dear Nadine, is this the reason you seem surprised?"

"I haven't met anyone Human here yet."

She frowned, turned her face in Legolas' direction.

"I didn't know Humans were banned from this place. Why is that?"

There was a short silence. Neither Legolas nor Edrahil seemed eager to answer this particular question, both aware that it most likely wouldn't be to Nadine's liking when she found out that Elves wished to live secluded from the race they found inferior in both manners and respect of nature.

It was Rath who spoke up. "I have travelled quite the distance from the kingdom of Rohan. I daresay you've heard of Rohan!"

Her brows knit together. Suddenly she was not only confused but also felt that she had been deliberately left out of what was rather important information to her. Surely Legolas understood that as a Human she'd be interested in Humans living here, especially as these were the only people she had ever known, before meeting the mythical Elves.

"No. As a matter of fact, I have not." She couldn't quite hide the sting in her voice as she stressed the words.

"Will you tell me about it?"

"But of course. I would be delighted," he replied kindly. Then, spotting Legolas' searching look, he said, "But I hear I have already dallied far too long. Matters that must not be postponed are waiting, so I must take my leave."

He surprised Nadine by taking her hand in his and kissing it.

"But if you will allow it, I will come back to tell you all about Rohan and her inhabitants."

And just as quietly as he had come, Rath disappeared again.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Nadine's accusation was instant and her inborn lack for tact didn't refrain from confronting him when they were in less than private surroundings.

"All these days I thought… I thought I was the only Human on this frigging planet of Elves, and you didn't say a word!"

His lack of response only added fuel to the fire and she rounded on him.

"Answer me!" Blood was pumping through her ears like mad and through the pounding she heard the rustle of clothes; movement. Unsure whether it was Legolas or Edrahil, she grabbed at the hand where she knew Legolas had stood.

"How could you? Why would you keep such a thing from me? Answer me, Legolas."

The tensing muscles of his hand went ignored.

"Goddamnit, I deserve an explanation!"

"Since you are adamant in declaring this so vocally, I will give you your answer." His voice was calm and collected.

It startled her.

"But unlike you, I am not going to disclose my reasons to half of Lóthlorien."

He took her elbow in a firm grip and guided her to her chambers so fast she had to concentrate on placing her feet one in front of the other to keep from stumbling.

"Lady Galadriel has told me the first day that you came to, not to weigh you down with too much," he explained once they were behind closed doors.

"I am just an Elf, we are not perfect creatures, and we do make mistakes. Clearly I misjudged the margin between too much and enough."

"Clearly. Didn't it pass once through that thick mind of yours that I might be interested in knowing there are people like me out there? That I'm not the only one?"

"Thousands of times," Legolas admitted. "But I believed it more important to let you adjust to the concept of this… situation first." And he had been afraid. Afraid that if she learnt that there were many more Humans like her outside of Lóthlorien, she would wish to leave this safe haven and visit them. It was a selfish reason, he was well aware of that, and yet could not let it go.

She sneered.

"Who makes you the judge? I'm not a plant for you to decide when to water. I'm not a puppy you need to feed and care for."

The fact that this is what he had been doing for the last few days didn't go by Nadine. She needed help with almost everything. She hadn't walked anywhere alone. She had become almost completely dependent on the help of others, and she didn't like the feeling.

Her hands flew over the bedpost to the side of the bed, where she sank down against it.

"Why me?" she asked quietly, her voice suddenly small and defeated.

She felt Legolas sit down beside her, and though she was still angry with him in some corner of her heart, she didn't draw back when his arms came round to embrace her. He offered her his strength. She had shouted at him, with due reason of course, she had taken out her feelings on him, and still he silently offered her what she needed. A hug. A Human – Elf! – touch.

"My Grandma was blind," she said after a while.

"When she was seventy-four she started to lose her eyesight gradually. She'd always been a very active person. Never took the lift, didn't have a car or a bike. She lived on the third floor and walked everywhere, and she enjoyed working in her garden very much. Then she lost her sight…" she trailed off, closing her eyes as she remembered.

Legolas, understanding that she needed this moment, didn't press.

"I don't know how she coped with it, but she did. She bought books in Braille script, that's script in raised dots you can read with your hands. And had us do the legwork in the garden while she sat and ordered her grandkids around."

Nadine smiled at the memory.

Then it faded.

"I don't know how she did it. How could she live without seeing?"

"She had no choice."

"I'm never going to see my family again. I'm never going to see my children, if I ever have any. I'm never going to see the world again. I don't think I can do this. I feel so helpless, and I hate it," she declared vehemently. Her eyes burned.

"Then we shall have to do something about that."

Legolas linked her fingers with his and when she turned her questioning face to his, placed a kiss on her lips.

-

It was a beautiful night. The stars twinkled against a velvet sky, the moon shining down brightly at the grassland trail where Legolas and Edrahil strolled. The air was crisp with dew and a hint of cold weather approaching, but Legolas knew it would be many days yet before autumn would set in. Flowers and brushes were still in full bloom, though most buds had closed for the night. The Elves' footsteps were silent as they enjoyed their frequent walk around the grounds of the Forest.

"Edrahil, what would you say is your impression of Rath?"

"I do not imagine I have an impression of him per se," he replied pleasantly. "I would have to consider him more carefully."

"You did not have any reservations about him?" Legolas pressed on.

"I have reservations about everyone I do not know, which includes him."

"He is Human."

"I am aware of that."

"In Lórien."

"The fact that he was allowed entrance should say something for him or his cause, not against."

Edrahil paused in his tracks, shooting his friend an amused and interested look.

"Pray tell, may I ask what this sudden interest in the Human is coming from?"

Legolas' brows drew together in a slight frown. "I do not trust him."

A chuckle escaped Edrahil's mouth as he gestured for them to walk on, expecting and ignoring Legolas' look of anger. "And this surprises you."

"Should it not?"

Edrahil released a sigh. "You are asking the right question to the wrong man, Legolas."

Already frustrated, Legolas reigned in his exasperation at his friend.

"Edrahil, however much I usually appreciate your ever helpful philosophical moods, would it be possible for me to obtain a lucid answer from you today or am I wasting my time?"

"I see Nadine's sarcasm is contagious."

The look Legolas shot him didn't waver him any.

"Let me rephrase my question, then. If you'd have met Rath under different circumstances; for instance without Nadine's presence or her appearing so taken with Rath, would you still have felt distrustful towards him?"

Now it was Legolas who halted briefly.

"You believe she is taken with him?"

Edrahil grinned broadly.

"That, I do believe, answers your own question perfectly well, my friend."

-

Review, please?