Disclaimer: The Lord of the Rings is property of Tolkien and there are many references throughout to Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. I only own what you do not recognize. The character Chinky is not meant to cause offence and is named after a real horse whose name has been shortened from a Fiat Cinquecento (Chinky – Chento).

Chapter 7: The truth can hurt

That afternoon passed quickly; Amy, Aragorn and Legolas lay in the shadow of one of the many huge trees around Rivendell talking quietly.

"Amy, what was your other life like?" Aragorn asked propping himself up onto his elbows.

"Yes, we've told you all about our lives, we have heard near on nothing about your life, why did you run away?" Legolas said donning the same position as Aragorn.

Amy sighed; she knew this was going to come. Of course she had explained things like electricity and cars, aeroplanes and plastics, yet not once had she mentioned anything about her own life. Ever since arriving here she had blacked out the memories of what had happened to her and she wanted to keep it that way, yet she couldn't lie to her friends.

"I hated it. I had few friends, people just didn't like me. I did nothing wrong, I just wasn't liked. I sat by myself at school, ate by myself at lunch, and did class projects by myself. Ok it didn't bother me, if it was left at that I wouldn't have cared, I enjoyed my own company, I had to."

She stopped talking and collected herself before carrying on. It was easier now, now that she had started.

"By the time I was fourteen I was top of my class at almost everything, it was easy, I had all the time to read and study. No one talked to me so no one distracted me from my studies. Unfortunately the people in my class didn't see it that way. I wasn't ignored anymore, I got teased instead. At first I ignored it and stuck my head even further into my studies, but the taunting, it got to me. I hated going to school, people would steal my pens, take things out of my bag, rip up my work while I was sharpening a pencil."

Amy grimaced as she remembered how Dean had torn up her Chemistry coursework. She had tried so hard on it, yet she had to do it again. Looking around she saw the shocked expressions on her companion's faces, they knew what she felt, even if they were not entirely sure what Chemistry was. She managed a watery smile before continuing.

"I used to wake up every morning and pull my sword from my bed and look at, wanting to give myself the strength to end it all, and the pain. Yet each day I put it away telling myself it would get better. I mean it couldn't get any worse. Well, that's what I thought. My mum started bullying me as well, whereas home had been a sanctuary all it was now was an extension to the pain. The pain continued until one day my mum hit me, she was drunk and I hadn't got her another packet of cigarettes so she raised an empty bottle and cracked it across the back of my neck. I still carry the scar now."

Amy tensed as she felt Aragorn's strong hands touch the back of her neck. He moved the necklace that always lay there and gasped. Underneath where the thick leather cord of her beaded necklace lay was a deep scar. It ran for a good five centimetres. A pale line on her tanned neck. Amy relaxed slightly as Legolas moved her hair out of the way and ran a finger along it. She cursed herself silently for trembling at his touch. Legolas just smiled inwardly to himself, then tried unsuccessfully to push all thoughts of her out of his mind.

"After that I hid myself in Chinky's stable while I was at home, when I was at school all I cared about was getting through the last few days of school before the summer started. I got very withdrawn and did nothing but read and work, I took on work for older years and did it easily. Finally things started to get better. I only had two weeks left of school, and I had my art exam to look forward to. I loved art I still do. I was nearly the first to finish my work, people used to stop their work just to watch me paint. Just as I finished a boy smeared black paint over it. Screaming in rage I instantly went to my belt. I felt like crying when I realised my sword wasn't there. In fact I knew I couldn't take it to school and never did, but not having it there was like defeat. I felt at a loss, at that point I couldn't tell you if the sword was to end his life or mine."

Amy lowered her tear filled eyes to the grass.

"Imagine it, the only thing I truly liked gone, destroyed by someone who hated me for working. I worked hard and I was hated for it. What was I to do? After that I ran away. I got home threw some clothes in a bag and jumped on Chinky, and then you found me the next day."

It was too much for her whereas before her eyes were filled with tears they were now running freely down her face. She sat there looking at the ground, realising how stupid she must look, a girl who could fight like any ranger, crying.

She tensed slightly as she felt a pair of arms round her. Opening her eyes she was faced with Legolas's chest. He had pulled her into his arms to comfort her, though he couldn't say whether it was her or himself he was comforting.

Aragorn saw the look on the elf's face as he had pulled their friend into his arms. Even an elf found it had to hide love, the strongest emotion. Aragorn sighed as he rubbed Amy's back as she sobbed silently into the blond elf's arms.

BREAK

Elrond had been talking to Gandalf when he had heard Aragorn ask about Amy's previous life. He had hushed Gandalf and went to sit under his window so he could hear better. Eves dropping was not something he was fond of, yet he too was interested in hearing about his foster child's life to worry about etiquette.

He felt his heart gape as he listened intently to what the sixteen year old girl had gone though, hated for nothing then hated even more for working. It wasn't fair. Then when he heard her say that she had had something destroyed that she had been working for two days over, his anger doubled. Just as he was about to stand up Gandalf placed a hand on his old friend's shoulder to calm him. Elrond sighed and relaxed in his chair. Gandalf motioned to where the three were sitting with his staff, Elrond's gaze followed it and he stifled a gasp. The young prince of Mirkwood was sat with Amy in his lap. Elrond watched in shock as the prince stroked her hair and muttered soft elvish into her ear to calm her down.

Elrond had never seen anything like it. The young prince had nearly died a thousand years before due to a broken heart. The entire elvish kingdom was sitting on the edge of their seats praying that he would get over it. After that the prince had sworn never to love again, yet here he was comforting a girl he had known less than a month. Elrond noticed the flame flicker again in the elf's eyes. That is what it had meant. The young prince was falling in love.