"Cold" Legolas heard the woman whisper and turned to her barely catching her before she fell to the floor.

"Leanna!" the alarm in his voice made Aragorn turn to him, noticing the unconscious figure in the elf's arms.

The bandages on her arm were almost completely soaked in blood, and so was her hand, her breathing was hurried and shallow. The ranger measured her pulse for a moment and his face paled. Both friends shared a worried look, Legolas carefully settled her on the grass, carefully taking care of her clothes just enough to put his suspicions at ease.

What is it? Aragorn asked using Sindarin so the whispered exchange would remain private.

I believe her wounds are more severe than they appear.

He carefully lifted a side of her blouse, just to see the lower ribs, there, a purplish bruise covered a large part of her side, darker over the ribs. Aragorn quickly kneeled beside his friend and inspected the damage.

How was she even able to move in this condition? The ranger muttered with an angry hiss.

The half-lings were crushed, the devastation and sadness were clear in their demeanor as they were more attached to Gandalf than the rest.

"Lady Leanna?" Sam's voice was filled with concern made the other halflings react.

In an instant they were all surrounding her, Gimli cursed a few words barely understandable because of anger. Aragorn and Legolas acted quickly, there was little to nothing they could do with the internal wounds at the moment, but they had to stop the bleeding on her arm.


"Anna, kiddo, wake up"

She knew that voice, she knew it very well, her eyes snapped open immediately allowing her to meet a nostalgic view. That was the kitchen, the same one where she had had her meals since the moment she was able to sit for herself. The pale yellow in the walls, the wooden shelves, the very old fashioned and comforting style of the space, there was no mistake.

"Dad" she muttered surprising herself at the sound, it was childish like. Leanna looked down, her hands were smaller than she remembered. Where were the others? Had it all been a dream?

No, this must be the dream

Warm light was filling the space through the glass windows, this had to be a memory, in front of her, over the kitchen isle was one of her drawings and a cup filled with color pencils. A hand touched her shoulder and she looked at the side, her father's eyes met hers, a caring smile on his lips, she was almost certain of it yet she couldnt properly see his features.

"Hey sleepy head" he said "you almost fell face first in your breakfast"

"I…"

The scenery changed. She was resting with her head on her mother's lap. It was late afternoon, and the porch light was turned on even though the sun hadn't set quite yet. Her mother was humming a tune while caressing her hair.

And then someone yanked her hair, she fell to the ground, bruising her arm and hip, her eyes were filled with tears, the room was small, humid, the stone floor was cold to the touch.

"You haven't learned yet" that cold voice reprimanded her "but you will" the tone somewhat softened as the monster crouched beside her, holding the small face between his pale hands, she was disgusted by the contact. He brought their faces closer, thin eyebrows, small black eyes, straight aquiline nose, thin lips, all in a triangular face shape and a skin so pale that seemed almost ill, so close they were then that she could feel his breath on her skin "this is all for you, you know that, my sweet little hummingbird. You can be oh so perfect, so much more than you have been"

Tears of impotence fell down her face, he cleansed them with his thumbs.

"I have to punish you now, its for your own good, you know that"

He threw her back to the floor, went away and slammed a door behind him.

Iron, it smelled like iron, it was the stench of blood, it was at her feet, she slipped and fell face first, it was sticky and gooey, it was their blood, their eyes looked at her, empty, withered.

"So, you are awake, good, we can go away now, they wont ever get us apart again, hummingbird"

The child was left in that dark room, she had her own cage, there was another person, no, not a person, a prey. The monster had gotten himself a prey and had it tied down laying on the floor, a few steps away from the girl's cage.

The prey moved. So it was still alive it seemed. The hummingbird got a bit closer to the edge and sat there, waiting for the ginger haired young female to come to senses. It could seem, strange, inhumane even, but she had alienated herself from any form of empathy for the preys, it stopped somewhere after the fifth as she realized that it was making her unable to think clearly. Little hummingbird had a goal in mind, she had her very own prey to take down and needed every ounce of strength, every drop of cold blood to do so.

The ginger woke up, her body wiggled as she tried to move but was futile, he had tied her hands behind her back, and covered her mouth with a cloth. The monster only ever retired the mouth fold when he was going to kill them. The prey was finally able to roll and ended on her side, facing the child with surprise and dread, and then there was anger, yes, the child thought to herself, that was anger on the emerald eyes.

"That's strange, you don't really seem his type at all" the child said in a neutral tone, well aware that the woman would not be able to answer her "sorry, that thing used chains to tie you down there's no way to cut it" it was an honest apology, even if it didnt sound like it.

"I could try and remove that thing from your mouth if you come closer, so we can talk a little" she offered.

The young woman somehow nodded and after a few minutes of struggle managed to get close enough for Hummingbird to reach, once the gauge was off, the woman tried to speak but her throat was dry and the sound was definitely not decipherable.

"It left me no water so I can't help with that either"

"What's your name" the woman asked, far calmer than expected.

"Anna, it calls me Hummingbird, but I was Anna before" the child answered, there was no glow in her eyes, but her face and clothes were clean, the same as her hair "Yours?"

"I'm Leah" the woman answered with a spark of recognition.

"Do you know me?" the child asked tilting her head

"Something like that, listen Anna, Im a Detective…"

"So that's why he caught you"

"Anna? Everything is going to be alright ok?"

"It'll kill you in a couple of hours, it will end quickly if I say you are boring. That thing takes it's time with the ones I like" the child hugged herself unconsciously "Don't worry I've gotten better at lying to it, and I don't think it watches when it leaves me here"


Aragorn led the way from the Misty Mountains and towards the woods of the Elves. The Fellowship followed quietly, Legolas stole a glance behind him, a few steps away Boromir carried the unconscious woman on his back, she was still far too pale and the elf couldnt help but feel his chest tighten. He had wanted to carry her himself, it was not a problem considering his physique yet the man had insisted, and Aragorn agreed on taking turns until they were able to reach a place for rest.

Legolas didnt sleep at all that night, not even the light slumber of his kind was able to reach him as he watched over her. There was no color returning to her face, no temperature to her body, her breathing was so shallow that more than once he thought it had stopped; and that simple idea terrified him more than the Balrog itself.

She was there, over an improvised bed made of capes and blankets as they tried to keep her as warm as possible. While the rest was asleep, he went to her and for a large moment stared at her features, remembering the bandages. The wound on her arm was a jagged and quite deep line from the wrist to almost the elbow. How had she been able to still fight back that many orcs in such state he didn't know. But he thanked the Valar for helping her.

"You never cease to amaze me, my lady"

He muttered, his hand itching for the touch of her skin. How was it possible? He did not know the answer, he was only certain of being compelled to her, for her. He put his palm on her forehead, she was colder, even colder than expected and his heart ached at the notion. Leanna was a mystery, a beautiful mystery as no other. She was brave, creative, caring and fierce, and young.

So terribly young yet you have met so much pain and suffering, he thought

Legolas could still feel her crying in his arms like a lost child, could still remember clearly what she told them. He knew there was more to that story, it was written in the way her eyes darkened sometimes when she allowed herself to ponder about it because she thought no one was watching.

But I always am, my sight is drawn to you, to every small expression.

He was not supposed to feel that way, he shouldn't be able to feel so much for her as he did, yet…

It had to be something different, it was consuming and liberating at the same time, her pain was a torture to him and her laughter was a blessing. His eyes darted to her face once more, they had to reach Lothlórien in time, if graver harm were to come to her, he was uncertain at what would become of him.

Ok I HATE THAT GUY I know I'm the one writing about him or imagining him in the first place but trust me, I HATE him to the core. I plan on including a few more flashbacks here and there... But I'll like to know what you think about it.Anyway here's another chapter, thanks for reading :)