Chapter 6

The chirping of birds woke her. Her eyes fluttered open, the pale yellow rays of the early morning sun filtered through the sheer curtains over the French doors to the balcony. Taking a deep breath she pushed herself up, leaning on her elbows as she pushed to covers back. Slowly, her eyes took in the dishevelment of her bed, she must have slept fitfully, and she sure felt that she had, both in body and in mind. Running a hand down her face, she looked up, planning to get her morning started, and froze.

Evelyn was not alone in her room; Legolas lounged in a chair by her balcony doors. His eyes were closed, his breathing even and deep, and for the first time there was a peaceful quality to his face. How long had he been there? Why was he there? And then it was as if she ran into a brick wall, all the events of the night before slammed her mind. She had fallen asleep, forgetting to close her balcony doors, the candles and fireplace had been extinguished, and the terrors of her capture had come back full force.

And she had broken down, on Legolas, again. She felt the heat of embarrassment flush her cheeks. Clearly he had put her to bed when her breakdown concluded, and had not left. He had not left, the thought kept flitting through her mind. Why had he stayed? Evelyn stayed frozen in her current position, arms on her knees as she sat crossed legged under her covers and studied the elf Prince in her room.

She understood everyone in the fellowship, even Elladan, but not this Prince of Mirkwood. He was a conundrum—A complete oxymoron. He seemed to despise her one moment, and then the next show her compassion and thoughtfulness that none of the others had. 'Did he confuse himself this much?' She wondered. She rubbed her face again, harder this time and continued to stare at Legolas' sleeping form.

As if on cue, she watched his eyes start to open, as he turned his head from the sun hitting the side of his face. 'What would she say to him? What would he say to her?' as if sensing her eyes on him, he turned his bright blue eyes to her, the peaceful relaxed elf was replaced by the Legolas she was familiar with. His muscles tensed, his eyes immediately concealed all emotions, and he just stared back.

Finally she broke the silence, "This could create quite a scandal you know."

A strange look passed across his face and his brows furrowed as if it was just now occurring to him that they were indeed alone in her chamber and had been most of the night. However, there was a fleeting moment where she could have sworn she saw anger.

"My apologies, my lady, it was never my intention to put your reputation at risk." He replied his voice flat and void of emotion, this was the Legolas she originally met in Lothlorien, and she was not sure she was glad to see him return. Then again, she could have thanked him. She should have thanked him, she corrected herself. Though she noted he made no move to leave at the moment. That both worried her and made her cautious.

"Firstly, I am not overly worried of my reputation, I'm sure it's not the greatest at any rate. Secondly, since you have spent the evening in my room I think we can drop the 'my lady', and if I am not mistaken you have told me not to refer to you by your titles. And thirdly, thank you…Legolas." She finally broke eye contact to look outside. The sun was barely over the peaks of the mountains. It still felt strange to use his name on her tongue, though she could not help but prefer it. She was greeted with silence.

Evelyn forced herself to look back to the prince, who was now leaning on his forearms, starring at her strangely. The anger she had seen earlier, at least, was gone, but she was once again left with a face she could not read and sighed.

"Do you have the nightmares often?" His voice was soft when he asked, matching his expression, but there were emotions running behind the façade, and anger was one of them, but it was not directed at her.

'Did he blame himself?' she wondered, the question still processing in her mind. He had tried so hard to catch her to save her from her fate.

"No. that was the first since I woke." She told him truthfully. She had had them during her time with Nienna, but they had stayed at bay until now. Evelyn did not elaborate and he did not ask her too, he just sat there deep in thought, brows furrowed. After what seemed an eternity, he finally stood and made his way to the door but paused as her words from before came flooding back. If anyone saw him leaving her room now, they would assume the worst. He looked back at her, pleadingly.

Had they been back in her own time and world she would have outright laughed at his face, it was like a little lost puppy. However, she stifled her laugh. Evelyn did not think he would take to well to her laughing at him, and she had already set him off once since awakening. She instead just nodded her consent and flung the covers back to ease herself out of the bed. The pain was not terrible, but her muscles were so stiff and sore from her strenuous day of standing and struggling.

A cough drew her attention and she turned to look back to where Legolas stood, face flushed pink as he quickly turned away from her. She looked down at herself, wondering what had caused such a reaction for she was clearly dressed and gave a snort when she realized it was because her dress was hiked up to her knees. She forgot what a sense of propriety men of class held in this time period. Evelyn found herself close to saying something to him, thinking back to the night he had to bandage her wound, but quickly thought better of it. She gingerly made her way to the door, making sure her dress fell back to her ankles as she did so.

Opening the door she stepped into the threshold, looking both ways. It was still early and luckily no one was about in the halls.

"It is clear. You best hurry before the servants show up." She told him stepping to the side to allow him to pass.

He stopped in the doorway, turning to face her, his face threateningly close to her own, "Be ready by noon time tea, I shall return to pick you up." And with that he nodded his head and disappeared down the hall. Evelyn was not sure how long she stood there, mouth agape when a servant finally broke her out of her revere.

"Can I help you my lady?" the soft voice asked drawing Evelyn's eyes toward her. The girl was young and petite, her brown eyes growing wide taking in Evelyn's appearance.

Evelyn watched the girl's expression change and watched her quickly try and cover her reaction. She was plain but still pretty, her brown hair and eyes complimenting her pale freckled face. By her judgment, she could not be more than fourteen years old.

Coming to her senses, she made herself reply, "Oh, yes, sorry, I was trying to find someone to see about drawing a warm bath this morning, I am afraid I was to weary last evening for mine."

"Of course my lady, I will deliver this and be right back!" she nodded to the parcel she carried and gave her a little curtsey before scurrying down the hallway.

The bath, though done to completely cover her butt, was actually a very good idea. The young maid had been true to her word and had a bath ready and waiting for her in less than thirty minutes. The warm water soothed her achy muscles and seemed to draw out all her tension. The lavender wash came close to sending her back to her previous slumber. It was only the re-entrance of the maid that kept her awake.

"What is your name?" She asked the girl, clearly startling her.

"Ceilin, my lady."

"Thank you Ceilin for your assistance. Ill relieve you to finish your other duties." She told her, not wanting her to get into trouble for not performing her duties.

"Tis' alright my lady, other than my earlier delivery I have no jobs to complete." She replied, and Evelyn could not help but note the sad quality to her voice.

"What is your job here then?"

"I have not one yet, the head mistress has just been using me to fill in when the others are busy."

Evelyn gave pause. The girl seemed competent enough, and other than her first initial display of shock, she had kept her thoughts over her appearance to herself without letting it affect her performance. She gave the girl another once over, ignoring the fact she knew she was making her uncomfortable. Since being moved from the healing wing, she had not been assigned a maid, more than likely none truly wanted to serve her, but this girl seemed desperate and saddened by not having a place.

"Are you competent at hair and dressing?"

"Yes ma'am. I underwent all the needed training to be a maid,"

"Well then I will need assistance getting ready for lunch tea if you think you can manage."

She watched the girl struggle to contain the smile that threatened to take over her face, all her nerves over her appearance gone with the simple offer.

"O...of…of course my lady, I would be most honored to serve a guest of the king!" She stammered. Evelyn gave the girl a small smile, her heart warmed at the sight of her pleasure.

All in all Evelyn was pleased with Ceilin. She was quiet and polite. She asked no questions about the scars, it was as if they did not exist. She was gentle lacing up the corset, and helping her into her chemise and gown. When she had time to speak with Aragorn, she would request her to be her personal maid during her stay.

And boy she would be glad when she could get new clothes. Since awakening she had been given some old clothes lying around that could be found. None fit her terribly well; they were all baggy and sagged on her thin frame. Not that her weight loss had helped her any. She sighed at her appearance. She still had a haggard sleep deprived appearance about her. And If Ceilin noticed, she said nothing.

As noon tea rolled around, butterflies began building in her stomach.' What did Legolas have planned?' her mind could not help but ponder all the different possibilities and it got her nerves on edge. And all too soon a knock sounded on the old wooden door. Ceilin jumped from where she was finishing her last few task and rushed to the door.

"A Master Legolas is here requesting your company Miss." She replied, clearly flustered.

"If you would just help me with that shawl please, I will meet him at him door." The maid scurried to do just that and accompanied her to the door.

"Evelyn." Legolas greeted, holding out his arm for her to take.

She turned back to the young girl, "Thank you for your assistance. If you are free this evening, I would be pleased to have your services again."

"Yes, of course my lady," she replied with a smile and curtsey before rushing down the hall.

Legolas raised an eyebrow at her, clearly intrigued.

"What?"

"First, you speak much more proper now. And secondly, I do not think I have ever seen a servant so happy. What did you do to the girl?"

Evelyn stared quizzically at him for a moment, clearly perplexed that they were having a seemingly normal conversation for the first time. She decided not to ruin it and hurried to reply.

"Well for your first inquiry, it makes me stand out less, and for the second, I did not have a maid and the poor child seemed terribly sad for not having a permanent job so I offered her one. Well technically I will when I speak with Aragorn."

"You could have just asked for one at any time. How did you prepare before now?" He asked, Evelyn not unaware he mentioned nothing of her standing out. However, she let it drop, she knew she did.

"Well until recently I was not going out, I was able to manage well enough on my own."

With that that lapsed into silence. Evelyn kept stealing glances at the elf Prince, wondering where it was he was taking her. She was beginning to fatigue, they had been walking for a good thirty minutes now, but she was not about to let him know she needed a break. She was yet too proud to do anything of the sort, much to her own chagrin.

"Here we are." He told her, gesturing towards to very large doors.

"And where would here be exactly?" she questioned, looking at him with raised brows.

He smiled; it was the first true smile she could remember seeing on his face when it came to her and her heart skipped a beat all the while her stomach flipped where it sat. She really needed to get a grip on herself. He was not going to grovel over an Elven prince, even for all his arrogance, was way out of her league.

Walking forward he pushed the doors open wide and she was instantly hit with the familiar scents of a barn and horses. Smells of hay, grain, and even manure slammed into her nostrils and she took a deep refreshing breath. It was like she was back at home, though even her stables were nothing to the grandeur she was starring at now. Even being an Olympic champion she could have never afforded something so grand. The stalls were made of the same white washed stone, topped with intricately designed wrought iron to resemble the White Tree of Gondor. The size of the stalls was generous, at least sixteen foot by sixteen foot, if not larger. But what stopped her in her tracks was the horse stabled at the end, brown head bobbing up and down, nickering loudly at her. Zenith.

Without thinking, she bolted to her horse, clambering under the guard rope that served to keep the horses in place. Legolas kept pace behind her, letting her have her time with her horse.

Evelyn did not know how long they spent cleaning up the bay mare, but she knew it must have been hours, the sun was low in the sky, brilliant colors lighting it up as the sun set. With the approaching darkness, darkness entered Evelyn's thoughts. Night was falling and that meant sleep, sleep that she was scared would harbor the same the same terrors as the night before.

Legolas, as if on cue, seemed to sense the shift in her thoughts. "What troubles you?" he asked, continuing to brush the dirt from Zenith's coat. The bossy, headstrong mare had served him well on the march to the black gate, during which time they seemed to reach an understanding of one another. She at least was not trying to kill him all the time.

She did not reply right away, she did not know what to say. She could brush it off, act like it was nothing, and she knew he would ask no more questions of her that night. She also knew that would be the best way to push him away when this was the most open he had yet to be with her. Did she dare speak with her of the horrors she faced since she was taken. There was not a sole she had spoken to about it, not even Nienna, even though she was positive the Vala already knew. Evelyn knew she could speak with Elladan, he would listen and he would understand, but she found he was not who she wanted to speak with it about, or she would have many days ago with all the ample opportunity she had. No, she knew to whom she wanted to confide in, it was the same she confided her past to, and the one standing across from her now.

Without looking at Legolas, she began to speak, "They kept me locked in an enclosed metal container with no light. It is why I fear the dark now, though during those days with them it was comfort. If I was in the cage, I wasn't being tortured, I wasn't killing anyone."

Her voice was soft and hoarse but she knew he heard her, she heard his brush stop moving, felt his eyes boring into her own.

"I fought against them at first, I tried to resist. They strung me up, and would whip me, burn me with hot pokers, Beat me until I was on the brink of consciousness. They would not let me though, they would keep me awake. I can still feel the whip against my skin, peeling it off, feel the metal of the shackles on my wrist," she rubbed her wrists unconsciously.

"As time wore on they tried to get me to kill their prisoners of war." Silent tears poured from her eyes as she spoke, her voice cracking. She had not realized Legolas had made his way to her side, as she continually groomed the same areas of Zenith's side. "I failed. I don't know what happened but something in my mind shifted, I knew what was happening to me, but I felt nothing, it was like I was just a hollow shell. But I killed their prisoners. Killed innocent people for them, all so I wouldn't feel any more pain, but they still tortured me. I killed people," she repeated, "until the lords of Erebor showed up, and they ordered me to kill them. It was Gimli's dad. It was not him I saw but our Gimli, it snapped me out of whatever trance I was in. I would not do it. Then they threatened Aragorn, Gimli…" she paused and looked up at Legolas, into his rage filled eyes, "They threatened you. The leader told me in detail what he would do to you, and I snapped. I do not know what happened, all I know is I wanted them all dead, wanted them to feel all the pain that they had put me through. After that all I remember is speaking briefly with Gloin and then blackness until I awoke here in Gondor."

Evelyn looked back to his eyes, which were boring into hers. They were filled with such anger and rage but also sadness, and something she could not place, an emotion she was not used to seeing in the Elf's features. 'What could he possible think of her now? It could not be anything good.' She thought, she already thought the worst of herself.

"I am sorry Evelyn," he told her, grabbing her shoulders, forcing her to turn towards him. "It is my fault. I should have kept you closer, been better prepared. You should have never been taken. Can you forgive me?"

She stared at him wide eyed and open mouthed. She was dumbstruck.' After all she had told him, after he knew of her sins, and he asked her for forgiveness? Had he lost his mind?' clearly he had.

"If anyone one needs forgiveness it is I and I do not deserve it." She spoke attempting to turn away, but his fingers on her chin stopped her movement.

"Gloin and the Kings of Erebor told us of your deeds. Had it not been for you, the outcome of this war may have been very different. Do not doubt that for one moment."

She had a surge of anger, "How can you say that? How can you be okay with what I have told you?!" she screamed, "I am a murderer!"

"So am I." He told her as he captured her lips with his own in a kiss that was just as rough and passionate as the one the day before on their reunion. He pulled back, looking her in the eyes, "So are we all in times of war." He stated again, before his lips once again found her own.