AN: Thank you to Jesus' girl 4ever, MistressOfImladris, and Raider-K for your reviews. This is for you.

In this chapter, I will be telling the tale from both Estella's and Legolas' POV.

Estella's POV

Two months went by since my mysterious arrival to Mirkwood. Since my arrival, I met many wonderful Elves and had even come to become friends with most of them. Of course, some of them I formed closer bonds with than others, mainly Prince Legolas, who I started spending a lot of my free time hanging out with when he was not away on patrol or in meetings with his father.

Raiwen was a dear friend, patient, beautiful and kind. She soon taught me to sew but spent most of her time teaching me Sindarin. It was a beautiful language, every syllable fluid, and with speakers all around me, I could soon communicate in the basics, though I still had a way to go. However, Raiwen told me soon this language would be second nature to me. I certainly hoped so, for I knew if not, I would not be able to make it very far in this world.

I also found I had grown fond of Feren and Galion who on occasion I would sneak out in the middle of the night and join them in the wine cellar where we would have a few drinks—unbeknownst to Thranduil—and they would tell me about Legolas when he was a young Elfling which I found highly amusing. Then there was Haerelion the Master of Arms who promised me when he had some spare time would teach me the basics of archery, and how to at least defend myself in case I ever needed to. I was not sure who I would need to use a sword on or shoot arrows at, but if Haerelion thought it was important, then who was I to argue?

The last inhabitants of Mirkwood in which I felt comfortable with were, Cabrion, the stable hand who started to teach me how to ride and would often take me out on personal rides as I found it significantly relaxed me when I was depressed; and Beririel, the head of the kitchen staff took it upon herself to sneak me, small sweets, once a week.

However, despite my smiling and laughing, deep down I felt more of an outcast than ever before, and depression was beginning to plague my mind more and more. As I watched the other ellyn and ellith carry on with their days—whether it was just talking or training—I would withdraw further into myself, trying to shut everyone out. No matter how much Legolas wanted to get me to open to him about my past, I never would. Many times, he tried, and I would push him away and sometimes even snap at him. On several occasions, late at night I would cry, and I knew Legolas heard me for he would have to pass my rooms to reach his, but when he would ask me about it the next day, I would change the subject or take off.

On one such day, Legolas leaned against his favorite beech tree and tried his best to coax me into talking about what upset me. I knew it would do no good to deny I was upset or that I had been crying again, for not enough concealer would be able to cover the redness around my eyes. And if that was not enough, I knew he heard my muffled crying sounds when he passed by my room the night before last—to be honest, probably the king heard them as well.

"So, then my father scolded me again for mixing up the reports," Legolas concluded and nudged me with his shoulder, "but enough talking about my problems. What is bothering you?"

I stiffened, and my eyes began to glisten. "I told you I am fine. Please, just let it be." I should have known he would try again.

Legolas reluctantly let the subject go for now, but if there was one thing I learned very quickly about him, he was very persistent and would not stop at something until he came out victorious. A trait he no doubt inherited from his father.

Legolas POV

I was now becoming more worried about Estella. When I first saw her beginning to interact with the other Elves and laugh, I was sure she was well on her way to healing, but now as the days and weeks wore on, I was not so sure anymore.

I have got to find out what is going on with her and find some way to get her to open up, I thought to myself. As I tried to consider how to go about it, I remembered back to an earlier conversation I had with Innor.

"You have to handle this situation delicately, Legolas. If you push her to open up before she is ready to, you could do more harm than good," the wise healer said.

And I knew deep down he was right.

At first, I tried to heed his words, but now it was past that point. With every passing day, I grew more concerned for Estella, worried she was driving herself to destruction, something I could not allow to happen. I had witnessed too many close friends go down that road, including my father. If I could prevent the same happening to Estella, I would—even if it meant her lashing out at me. With this in mind, I made my decision. I had to find her and learn what was wrong before it was too late.

After much searching and asking around, I finally located Estella at the training grounds watching Haerelion train some recruits. When I got closer, I could not help but notice a forlorn look on her face. A look which spoke of longing to belong. It tore at my heart to see her this way.

There must be something that I can do to help her; Ithought worriedly walking up to her being careful not to startle her as I knew she was still getting used to her heightened senses. Taking a deep breath, I continued. "Estella?"

Estella jumped slightly. As she turned towards me, her eyes widened. "Legolas, what are you doing here? How did you find me?"

I frowned, greatly concerned by what met my eyes: instead of her normal dark green eyes, I noticed tired eyes which looked heavy with great sadness. This was greatly disturbing. If I could not get her to open up to me and let me help her, more than likely she would begin to fade—if she already was not. I shook the thought from my head. Now was not the time to think of such things. "I was looking for you. Raiwen said I could find you here."

I could tell Estella was confused but also suspicious. "Why were you looking for me?"

When I did not answer right away, she became frustrated. "I hope you are not here to pester me again."

I took a deep breath. It was now or never. "I know something is bothering you, Estella. You walk around acting happy but then when you think no one is watching you, you cry." I saw her eyes growing cloudy with anger, and she tried to open her mouth to argue, but I held my hands up to stop her. "Do not try and deny it. I have heard you cry in your rooms late at night. Then other times you wander off for hours at a time or sit on the sidelines watching other Elves laugh and have fun. I also know you have yet to heal from your mother's death. Please, let me help you." When I finished speaking, I waited for Estella to respond. I hoped I did not just make a terrible mistake and she would not shut me off completely.

Right then, I knew I crossed the line as tears welled up in her eyes, and she clenched her fist in a tight ball. "Legolas, I told you to let it be! Nothing is wrong with me. Why can you not just leave well enough alone! Just because you are the prince, does not give you the right to pry into everyone's business!" Angrily she leaped to her feet and ran off back towards the palace.

Her last words stung and with a curse, I took off running after Estella. I could not let things rest, not now. I had to get her to talk to me as I knew all too well what keeping emotions built up inside could do. Estella was a ticking time bomb. Not just to herself but others around her. I knew I was hot on her tracks and pushed past several other Elves who looked back puzzled wondering why I was in such a hurry that he did not even stop to apologize. Eventually, I was in earshot range. "Estella stop, please!"

Estella stopped but did not turn around. "Legolas, please just leave me alone. Please," she pleaded.

"I cannot Estella. Not now. I care too much about you, and I can tell you are hurting. Please, just talk to me. Why can you not tell me what is bothering you?" I laid a hand on her shoulder and fought the urge to pull her into a tight hug.

Estella jerked herself away from me and turned around, her eyes filling with hot tears. I was unprepared for what came next.

"Because I am scared!" She screamed out

Now we are getting somewhere, he thought. "Scared of what? You do not need to fear me."

I knew Estella had kept all this buried deep inside for years and now, unable to restrain herself, she hounded into me, her small fists beating into my chest. I did not stop her and just let her unload on me.

"I am afraid if you found out about my past you will end up being just like everyone else out there. That you will know I am different, and you will shun me and cast me out. You have no idea Legolas what it is like to be different and to never fit in anywhere. That intense loneliness just swallows your soul sending you into darkness that you can never get out of no matter how hard you try. Listening to all the jeers and taunting from everyone around you because they know you are different and can never fit in with them. You can never understand what it is like to think you finally find someone who will like you for you, and then they discover you are different, and they end up leaving. Or having a mother who you cannot talk to about the emotional and physical torment which goes on every single damn day because you know it will just hurt her. You do not know what it is like to grow up without a father and to have to hear your mother cry herself to sleep every night because she misses him so much and you cannot do anything to help her but watch her succumb to grief! You do not know the feeling of knowing instinctively you do not belong to that world and yet when you eventually find your world and discover what you are, you still do not feel like you fit in!" In the end, Estella shook violently, sobbing.

I just stood there dumbfounded. I knew Estella was hurting, but until now, I had no idea the extent of her pain. When she stopped, I just held her in my arms and let her cry until she had no more tears left to cry. Now that she finally opened up to me, she could finally begin to heal, and I swore I would be there every step of the way to help her on that journey.