A/N: I am a horrible author. *slumps head onto table* I need motivational tapes! Ha ha ha. Kidding, I'm kidding. I blame the over consumption of sugar if this chapter is a teensy bit fluffy! I love trying to write sweet moments!
Many thanks to...
Dovahdad— (I'm back! Forgive me for not updating sooner!)
Dont Treat on ME 2982— (Ummm... not sure? Every story I write normally develops chapter by chapter. I have a goal I want each character to reach, but other than that, I don't really think that much ahead. And I've never written a romance, so I'm not really sure how good I would be at that. As for her lightsaber, she lost it in chapter one near the end.)
LilactheDryad— (Nah! Don't feel stupid! I'm the stupid one: I haven't updated in forever!)
JJAndrews— (I really hope she develops the way I want her to! Sometimes the characters seem to have minds of their own and I can't seem to rein them in or make them act the way I had planned!)
JJAndrews— (Thanks for the reviews! They are always appreciated, and if you have any ideas of suggestions I would love to hear them!)
Legolas lifted the tent flap and tugged Kaina into the structure behind him. Her dark brown eyes watched as the boy ran to the tent's only occupant.
"Naneth!', he whooped as he wrapped his arms around the light haired woman with as much exuberance as he had had while hugging Thranduil. The rather petite lady laughed softly as she returned his affectionate gesture.
"Diola lle, Legolas." She murmured as she then turned to regard Kaina curiously. "I ië hen?"
"Kaina.', Legolas replied.
Thranduil's wife studied the small child who stood a few feet away from them.
"Come here, little one."
Her brow creased with worry as the girl only blinked in confusion at the use of Westron, which she had swapped to when she saw that Kaina had not understood the conversation between Legolas and herself.
"Adar says—', Legolas began.
"Adar says what, penneth?"
Legolas squealed in delight as his father appeared and swung him up to sit on his shoulders.
"That she can't 'stand us!', the little boy finished.
"I said understand.', Thranduil corrected. "If she could not 'stand' us, as you put it, she would not have come with me.', he explained as he tweaked the elfling's nose. Legolas giggled and grabbed a fistful of Thranduil's hair, shoving the golden locks into his mouth. The king winced as he tugged back the slobber coated tresses from his son.
"No, Legolas. You must not chew on Adar's hair.', his mother gently reprimanded. "But I do not understand, Thranduil. Why can she not understand us or our language? She is of our kin!"
"I do not know, meleth. She was alone when we came upon her. Except, of course, for the orcs that had followed her scent."
"Orcs! Oh, the poor dear! But what should we do? We cannot leave her here, surely?', she asked as she glanced at the object of their discussion.
"No, Lassiel. She will travel to Imladris with us. Elrond may know where she hails from: her coloring resembles that of the elves residing there. But why she would be in our forest alone remains a mystery."
"Well, mystery or no, she will need a bath and something to eat.', Lassiel smiled before walking to where Kaina stood and scooping up the tiny brunette. "Please keep an eye on Legolas, love."
"Where are you going?"
"To give her a bath of course!', she replied over her shoulder as she exited the makeshift shelter.
Lassiel adjusted the small elfling on her hip as she instructed a servant heat the water for Kaina's bath. As she waited for the fluid to warm, she mused on the little stranger.
If she had to guess, the child was not even a decade old, much like her own little one. But there seemed to be a type of maturity surrounding the elfling that most other toddlers lacked.
For instance, instead of squirming in her arms as most others would have done, the brown-eyed girl only watched the preparations for her bath. Her eye color was one of the many things that puzzled Thranduil's wife. Elves were not known to have brown eyes but the child was obviously an elfling, her delicately pointed ears proving that point.
When the water was finally hot enough it was poured into a metal tub, which was conveniently placed behind a sheet pinned between two trees. Pouring a small amount of sweet scented soap into the warm liquid, she swished the water until suds began to appear. Placing Kaina onto the green grass, she quickly helped the child undress before plopping her into the water.
Kaina blinked in surprise for a moment before giggling and blowing at the bubbles that had fluttered up to land on her nose. While she played for a few moments, Lassiel frowned at her clothes: a singed hole was prominent on either side of the cloak and tunic. Shaking her head, she placed the raiments to the side and helped Kaina wash her hair.
Humming a little tune to herself, Lassiel scrubbed the dirt and grime from the long brown tresses before using a washcloth to clean the rest of the little body. When she reached the toes she tickled them and chirped a ridiculous tune that her mother had sang to her when she herself was an elfling. Kaina giggled and squirmed before yanking her foot back and scowling at the lady who had assaulted her feet. Lassiel chuckled before plucking her from the tub and swaddling Kaina in a warm and fluffy towel.
"Let's find you something to wear and maybe something to eat, little one. How does that sound?"
As the lady Kaina had been introduced to as Lassiel brushed and braided her wet hair, the little girl tried to sense her force signature, which was not very hard to find as Lassiel possessed a strong, golden aura. Almost like sunlight dancing through the leaves, she thought to herself.
"Kaina."
At the sound of her name she turned around on the stool she had been sitting on to look curiously at Legolas' mother.
"Tolo."
Even if she did not understand the word, she understood the motion. Kaina toddled after Thranduil's wife to stand in front of a slim mirror. Beginning with her feet, she took in her appearance.
She was wearing small boot-like shoes that laced up to her lower calf, and a green tunic that was a little to large. Underneath the tunic, she was given a pair of grey leggings. Letting her eyes drift even further up, she gave a startled gasp at what met her eyes.
"That's not right.', she muttered to herself. "I shouldn't look like a baby! I look exactly like I did when I was four! Except..."
Kaina frowned as she traced her ear. It was pointy, like the other beings she had met so far. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes before looking at her reflection once more. Nothing had changed.
Lassiel tugged her away from the mirror and made motions for her to stay put while she left the tent for a few moments. Nodding to show she understood, Kaina took the chance to meditate. Maybe some of the answers she sought would appear if she cleared her mind, she thought.
Relaxing her body, she retreated into her mind until she appeared in the same place she had first met Qui-Gon. The man mentioned slowly formed from the blue and green blurs.
"It is good to see you again, little one.', he greeted her.
"And the same for you, master. But what happened to me? Why didn't I come to this place when I died? Why did I change appearance?"
Qui-Gon chuckled.
"So many questions at once, youngling! Be patient, and I shall tell you."
Kaina fidgeted for a moment before Obi-Wan's old master began to speak.
"The Force works in mysterious ways, Kaina. It was not your time to die when you were slain, so your life has been restored to you. Though, why you are in a different universe, I do not know."
"But I still don't understand why I changed species.', she said in confusion.
"You were shown the path of immortality, were you not?"
Kaina nodded in affirmation.
"My theory would be that since your spirit is now immortal, you would have been put into an immortal body when your life was restored.', Qui-Gon offered.
"But there is no such thing as immortal beings. At least, not physically immortal beings."
"Which is why you would have been brought to a different universe.', he concluded.
Kaina thought about that for a moment.
"I suppose that makes sense.', she sighed reluctantly.
"Of course it does! I am, after all, the one who said it!', he teased playfully.
Kaina giggled before slowly exiting her meditated state. And just in time too, for just then Lassiel bustled back into the tent with a plate of warm bread.
After eating her fill, Kaina covered her mouth to hide a yawn.
Legolas' mother smiled softly as she assisted Kaina to a makeshift bed, pulling the covers around her shoulders. Snuggling into the cozy blankets, she gave a contented sigh before drifting off to sleep.
*Dream*
"Master Skywalker! There are too many of them!"
She saw death.
"Anakin, stop!', Kaina heard herself cry.
Death surrounded her.
"The Jedi are evil!... Join me, I offer you mercy..."
"What mercy is there in such reckless anger and hate?"
Death approached.
"Then you have chosen the way of death!"
Kaina screamed as the beam of energy pushed through her abdomen. Anakin's eyes were blazing with satisfaction as the agony was written across the padawan's face...
Death had found her.
*End of Dream*
Kaina woke up screaming and clutching at her stomach. Tears were streaming down her face as she curled into a ball and rocked back and forth. A pair of arms scooped her body up and held her tenderly as she trembled.
"Tolo dan nan galad, penneth."
She wept into the person's shoulder as they held her shaking figure.
Thranduil held the elfling until she stopped wailing, rubbing soothing circles on her back and arms as he comforted her. When she finally stopped sniffling he set her back onto the bed and sat down beside her when she did not surrender her grip on his hand.
With a soft sigh, he waited until she was fast asleep before prying his hand away and going back to his own bed on the other side of the tent.
"What is it?', Lassiel murmured as his weight shifted the blankets enough to wake her up.
"Kaina was having a night terror. She is sleeping soundly now."
"You always were excellent at driving away bad dreams." She rolled over to look at Greenwood's king. "But Thranduil, we should really have Elrond take a look at her when we arrive."
"And we will, meleth.', he said quietly as he pressed a kiss onto his wife's forehead. "Sleep, love. We will look after her."
Guide...
Diola lle— thank you
I ië hen— who is this
tolo— come
meleth— my love
penneth— little one
naneth— mother
adar— father
Tolo dan nan galad— Come back to the light