Those Who Do Not Learn

Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings. If I did I would have a MUCH nicer car.

          Ireth fell back on the bed in her room. "I have missed beds." She whispered. She looked up at the girl standing in the doorway. "Is there some particular reason you are following me, Hermione?"

          "You just disappear for four hundred years and, I suspect, you had hoped I would forget you said you would explain why you hate Legolas. He's rather nice. I have no idea why you don't like him."

          Ireth watched her with amusement. "I don't get a hello, how've you been. Instead of pleasantries I get, 'why do you hate Legolas?'"

          "You promised you'd explain." Hermione shut the door and walked over to sit on the edge of the bed.

          "Don't you have a boyfriend to bother?" she stood and began digging through the wardrobe in the corner.

          "He is being forced to study against his will. I have all the time in the world."

          She sighed defeated and sat across from Hermione. "Did you ever ask Elrohir why?"

          "Yes, he said it wasn't his place to discuss such things."

          "Did you ask Legolas?"

          She smirked, "He said it wasn't something to be discussed before a child."

          Ireth took a long deep breath and began. "Did I ever tell you about my family?" she continued when Hermione shook her head. "We were an averaged sized family. I had an older brother and sister and a younger sister. When I was an infant my brother sailed to the west."

          "Have you seen him?"

          "Yes, before I left. But we don't know each other. Not really. Anyway, the first war of the ring came when my mother was still carrying my younger sister. Father and Nessa, my older sister, went to fight Sauron. They died in the great final battle. Mother was never the same after that. She raised me and Idril until we were old enough to care for ourselves then she… she gave up and faded away."

          "But wouldn't they be here? Now I mean. Because when elves die…"

          "I know what happens when we die. But I never expected to see them here. Father and Nessa believed there was no greater death than to die heroically on the field of battle. And mother… Mother was odd for an elf. She had no love of life. She lived for her family, her children, her husband. She never lived for herself and had no desire to. She was unable to find joy in the world."

          "Oh… But how does that relate to…"

          "I'm getting there." She cut her off. "Our mothers were friends. They grew up together and he and I were born only a few days apart. Because our mothers were so close, we were inseparable for much of our lives. He was my best friend."

          "Were you in love with him?"

          Ireth was silent for a moment. "I'm sure you have seen that Legolas is quite handsome. And he can be very charming and kind. Every female in Mirkwood was enthralled by him. And I was not immune to his charms though he was my friend. However, his heart belonged to another."

          "Who?"

          "My sister, Idril. I was thrilled for them, though the joy was bittersweet."

          "Again I don't see."

          "Idril and I didn't get along very well. She was always jealous that I had known our father and older siblings. Part of her even blamed me for Mother fading. We fought often. One day we had been hunting. She began a fight. Strange how siblings always know the best ways to bait each other. And she was very good at it. She began an argument, and it escalated. We fought and I bested her. She was humiliated that she lost before others and I was more than a little cruel to her. We both said very unkind things. In the end we went our separate ways to cool our tempers. After a time I returned to the palace. When night fell and she had not returned yet, Legolas and I lead a group to look for her. We assumed she was pouting, making us worry and come for her. It would not have been the first time. There was a clearing a small distance from the city she enjoyed. We found her there. Beaten and mutilated."

          "How?" Hermione's eyes were sad as she watched the elf's posture.

          "Orcs. We found the band and destroyed them. But… Legolas blamed me for her death. He said I had gone too far in our argument, that there had been no excuse for my behavior toward her. He has never forgiven me and over the years the dislike between us grew and festered."

          "That's horrible. But it's not as if you killed her."

          "I may as well have in his eyes." She looked out the window. "Some times I agree with him."

          Hermione chose not to respond to her last statement. "I'm sorry I forced you to talk about all that."

          "Don't worry. Sometimes I need to be reminded of the past, lest I forget it."

          She nodded and rose from the bed. "I'm still sorry."

          Ireth ignored her and stared out the window.

          Hermione exited and stopped in the hallway. She had never expected a reason like that. She had expected their animosity to be a lover's quarrel, blown out of proportion. Some simple misunderstanding. Now all she felt was ashamed she had pushed so hard. She couldn't help but pity both of them.

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