Disclaimer: See prologue

Chapter 4

Uncomfortable Awakening

She opened her eyes, feeling warm and content after her horrific nightmare. She hated that evil dream that was anything but fiction. She had never truly understood what her father had meant when he had burned that mark onto her. "Now you know who you belong to..." What did it mean?

She then realized that something was holding her. Arms were wrapped around her waist, and hands gently held her own. She knew those soft hands... The hands that had caressed her face... The hands that belonged to the person who she had never seen in her dreams before...

She fell forward, away from Legolas. He looked at her with worry as she scrambled to sit up.

"Are you well, penneth?" (Little one) he asked in a gentle tone, reaching out to her.

But she drew away again, staring at him. "I saw you... In my dreams... Y-You were watching. You tried to stop him, but you couldn't."

Legolas did not say anything for a while, but only gazed into her eyes, in which the fear from her nightmares were slowly retreating. "I heard you crying in your sleep. I tried to change your dreams into something happy, but I was pulled into the nightmare instead... I am sorry. Had I known you would disapprove, I would not have interfered."

"No!" she said, some emotion unknown glittering in her eyes. "You cared enough to try and stop him, even though it was a painful memory and you could do nothing but watch it happen."

"And you thought me as heartless enough to let someone suffer that fate?" he asked, annoyance barely audible in his sharper voice.

"I did... I used to... Not now though, I guess..." she said, letting her gaze look out to the window. It was far past midnight.

"I am sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable by holding you. I only wanted to comfort you." Legolas said sincerely, hoping that she would understand.

"I know, my lord, I understand. And for that I thank you."

"Legolas." he corrected, wishing that she would feel at ease enough to call him by name.

She sighed. "Legolas." she repeated. She got up, and went to her large bookshelf filled with tomes of every kind. Kate pulled one with a blank cover from it's fellows, and sat back down upon the bed, scanning the pages.

"What are you doing?" Legolas asked sitting down beside her, curious to know that caused this behavior.

"I'm trying to find a way to send you back..." she said, flipping a page.

"Send me back?"

"To Middle-Earth..."

"If I go back, you're coming with me." he stated seriously.

Kate looked over at him with a strange expression, eyebrows raised.

"Your father isn't dead. He'll be looking for you. And after all I've done, my conscience would never allow me to leave you alone and vulnerable." Legolas elaborated, cursing how he had worded his statement.

Still, she shook her head. "I belong here..."

"You don't know where you belong!" Legolas nearly shouted, causing her to jump slightly at the sudden anger. "If your father killed my mother, then that must mean that you are from Middle-Earth as well!"

"I was born here! I know that!" she said angrily.

"Do you? Indisputable proof?"

She didn't answer, but kept her eyes fixed upon the book.

Legolas took the book from her hands, and set it down beside him. "You are coming with me..." he said in finality. "And you need not trouble yourself over finding a way to send us back. Mithrandir, the friend I spoke to you about, gave me a fortnight to subdue the murderer. I still have twelve days left."

"And what am I going to do with you for twelve days? I have school!"

"I shall not bother you. Besides, I shall have to train you." Legolas said, getting up from the bed and going downstairs.

Kate stared after him, mouth agape, before scrambling off of the bed, yelling, "What do you mean! Train!"