Authors note: Hey thank you to those who have been reviewing and reading! So special thanks to Elfwarden and Sarahbarr17 they review and their reviews were very appreciated! Elfwarden thank you for your advice and so this chapter is to you especially as well as to those reading and especially those reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own LoTR but I do own any new characters I create as well as plot and the idea of where I am taking the LoTR characters…

Through the wind and the rain
through the laughter and pain
Count on me
and when life isn't fair and there's nobody there
I will be
in a world of pretenders
I am your defender
and when it all comes down
I'll be the last one standing

Chapter three: It was an accident

Legolas pulled his gray steed from the stables beside the inn. He huffed a little angrily; he hated not being able to help anyone like that. He sighed knowing this wasn't his fight. He sat on top of his horse and rode out of the stables eager to leave the sad little city behind. He didn't know that a girl sat watching out the window as the only person who ever stood up for her, besides her mom, rode off. She turned to get started on cleaning the messy inn/bar.

Legolas was finally out of there and into a forest where he belonged. He slowed the gray horse down to a trot, not wanting to risk injury. The night began to fall as he furthered into the forest. He decided that he had been traveling long enough, so he stopped his horse and climbed off. He set up camp and ate some dried meat and berries. He decided that he was going to go to sleep. He closed his eyes and tried to drift off to sleep. He began to shake as horrible dreams came to him. He saw his white knife stained with blood, not his blood… and not orc blood. He sat up quickly looking around the forest; he went to his stuff and searched for his long white blade. IT WAS GONE! He then remembered the fight in the bar. With a sigh he packed his stuff up, he couldn't leave his knife there… it was special to him.

Inwë sighed as she started cleaning up the broken glass behind the counter. She was sweeping when she saw something white and silver shining from under the glass, wood, and blood. She moved the broken pieces of glass and grabbed the hilt of a blade. It was that blonde elf's long knife. She sighed as she set it under the counter before getting back to sweeping up the mess. It had been hours and she hadn't even gotten the mess from the counter done. She missed her mom; it was so much simpler when she was alive. All that day she spent trying to pick up the bar. She finally went to sleep having a dreamless sleep thanks to her miracle leafs.

Morning came and the girl spent it picking up garbage and vomit. She hadn't even been able to get to the rest of the bar where the broken glass and chairs were the worst. This was her life, she had to accept it, and she did accept it. All day she worked hard, it was her second day of cleaning and it was still a horrible mess. Night was rolling around, it was raining outside and thunder lit the sky making jump as her step father walked out and noticed the bar still a mess.

"Why is this place still trashed!" he yelled angrily looking around Inwë stopped sweeping to look at the large man.

"Well because I am only one person, and this bar is a disaster. I can only work so fast," she said sweating horribly.

"Well hurry with it girl, oh and bring me a drink! Make it strong," he grunted as he walked back through the door to his room. She threw her broom down before walking to the counter. The night peaked through the large windows at her as she pulled Legolas' knife out from under the counter, just to look at it. It was truly beautiful; she couldn't help but admire it. It was some sort of symbol for her, perhaps freedom maybe. The man walked out angrily and looked at her holding the knife. He looked from her to the knife; he already reeked of alcohol as he walked towards her.

"So you were planning on killing me were you?" he said walking towards her his brows meeting his eyes as his face began to show anger. She looked to the knife realizing what he was thinking. She began to breathe fast as she looked from it up to him and shook her head no.

"I didn't… I… wasn't," she said dropping the knife as terror crossed her face. He picked up the knife she dropped, she thought he was going to put it away but now he was holding it at her.

"You will never rid of me girl, but I am tired of your insolence," he said pointing at her as he walked towards her.

"But papa I didn't…" she began looking from his drunken face down to the knife in his hand.

"Don't call me that, you're not my daughter… and I am not that goblin's food. You know your mother lied to you about him right? He didn't die he just ran, ran as far away from you as he could, and I don't blame him…" he said walking towards her as thundered streaked outside.

Legolas pulled the horse to a stop and covered his head from the wind and rain. It was terribly rainy outside and lighting and thunder accompanied it. He walked to the window to see the large drunk man walking towards the inn girl with Legolas' knife. He quickly opened the door making both big man and girl jump as they watched the soaked blonde elf walk into the bar.

"You again," the man said looking at Legolas while pointing the knife at Inwë who was obviously terrified by the tears streaking her face. The man looked confused, kill the girl now or kill the elf first then the girl? He obviously decided to go for the elf first because he grabbed Inwë throwing her to the floor making Legolas run towards the pair. Legolas grabbed the man's arm kneeing him in the stomach. It didn't do much, the man with his elbow, knocked Legolas to the ground. Legolas winced in pain as he landed into the glass and the broken wood. Legolas grabbed an arrow from his quiver stabbing the man in the leg with it, the man hollered in pain as he dropped the knife.

Inwë sat watching in horror as the man and Legolas rustled around trying to get to the knife. Legolas saw the man start crawling towards Inwë. Legolas felt around for the knife. He watched as the big mans hand flew in the air towards Inwë. The place was completely dark, except for the moon and lighting, so he barely saw as the large man went to choke Inwë. He threw his knife so it got the back of the large man. He only meant to wound him, not to kill him. Her hand flew to her mouth as she watched him fall down before her. His blood slowly rolled down towards her dress. Inwë felt she couldn't breathe as she watched her step father, the only thing left of her family lay there before her lifeless. She sat back as tears filled her words.

"What have you done?" she cried looking up at the blonde elf. Legolas looked at her in shock. Her arm went to her mouth and nose. Legolas knew someone would have heard the noise and come to see what happened.

"I… I… didn't mean to," he began feeling something well up in his throat, he didn't try to kill the man, just wound him and not miss and hit Inwë, "I thought he was going… to… kill you. I only wanted to wound him, I am… I… sorry," he said trying to control his voice slightly. He looked at her as she touched the wound on his back pulling out the knife as she sat on her knees; she flinched and closed her eyes as flesh blood poured from his wound. She dropped the knife before falling back. Legolas stared at her for a moment. What had he done? He knew that soon someone would discover what he had done, and he'd be in a lot of trouble. He stood up to leave but heard the sobs from the girl. He couldn't just leave her to take the blame for killing the big man. He ran to her grabbing her arm and pulling her up. She pulled her arm from him.

"Let go," she said looking at him before handing him his knife, "this belongs to you."

"Indeed, it does," he said looking at the knife soaked with the man's blood, "but this blood on the knife could have been yours."

"It probably would have been better off that way," she said looking down as she felt her legs get shaky. He knew he didn't have time to sit and comfort the girl, he did nothing wrong, it was an accident.

"There is no time for such talk, let's go," he said putting the knife away and walking a ways a little, she wasn't following.

"I'm not going with you!" she yelled angrily, "trouble follows you."

"I don't have time for this, I must go," he said walking out the doors leaving her there. He saw some men walking down the road with knifes and hammers, they had heard the noise. They would have no compassion for the girl. Legolas sighed, he hated having a heart. He pulled his horse close to the door before entering it once again and picking the girl off the floor. She struggled but he just threw her over his shoulders and walked out. She struggled but realized why he had grabbed her when she saw the men walking for the tavern. She let him put her on the horse as he climbed up behind her. The horse neighed as it rode off towards the forest once more carrying the blood soaked girl with him.

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Lighting, rain, and thunder streaked the sky as the horse trotted through the forest carrying the two elves. She breathed heavily hearing the sound of horse hooves entering the forest after them. Shouts came from everywhere; the villagers had seen the dead bartender. She then realized something, they had to turn back, and she had to go back.

"Turn back," she yelled through the sound of horse hooves, and wind. He acted like he didn't hear her, thunder crashed loudly in the sky making the horse whine as it stopped, "please turn back!"

"They'll kill you," he said looking at her as she sat in front of him.

"If they find me yes, but I must get some things before you drop me off where ever you plan to drop me off," she said looking back at him.

"I really must…" he stopped as he saw her give him a pleading look.

"I will be out of your hair if you take me back to get the stuff, and then you will never have to bother with me again," she said quickly he sighed turning the gray horse and letting him thunder through the forest. They went around the men who were trying to follow Legolas and Inwë's muddy tracks. The pair quickly rode through the brick streets back to the bar. She quickly ran into the bar, running over the broken glass and wood she grabbed a bag filling it with her plants and the only other dress she had. She then ran into the dead man's room and grabbed the sacks of money he kept in there from the business, she then walked to the little boxed till and pulled out the money as well. Legolas waited on the horse as she ran out with a big bag.

Legolas held his hand down for her, she swiftly took it and he lifted her up onto the prancing horse. The thunder and lighting was spooking the horse. As the horse trotted through the streets, Legolas could feel the horse slip and slide on the wet muddy bricked road. This was getting too out of hand and too serious. The horse gave out another cry as he heard the thunder crash in the sky. The horse began to slow to a trot as he entered the forest for the third time. The horse raced through the trees carefully avoiding roots and any other fatal things amongst the muddy twig and leaf invaded ground. The gray horse neighed loud when lightning crashed into a branch making it fly off in front of them. Inwë screamed as the horse went to rear, Legolas grabbed her shirt so she would not fall back, and he felt awkward touching her chest. He snapped the reigns making the horse ran foreword, she nearly lost her balance but he had a hold of her. She quickly wrapped her arms around his waist.

They heard the men again; Legolas gave a sigh of frustration. Inwë gripped tight frightened of what was going to happen next. They heard more thunder as lightning struck another tree. They saw the men spot them and knew now they had to run. Quickly they rode straight to where ever it would take them; eventually they got stopped at a river. He knew he had to stay and fight or swim across the raging river with the scared girl sitting beside him. He saw a tree fall, he thought maybe the horse could cross it, but no it was too narrow… but it WAS stopping the rivers current, if he was fast he could swim across the river. The men knew what he was thinking for they began to charge him. He made the horse run and leap into the water. The elven girl behind him screamed as water surrounded her. The horse was swimming as fast as possible.

"The tree is beginning to be swept away hurry!" Inwë screamed as she watched the tree slowly begin to move. He snapped the reigns but they were only half way across the river. The other men were out in the water following them. The horse finally touched ground as he began to try and hop out of the freezing water. The tree moved sweeping the other men away, the gray horse carrying the Mirkwood prince and the now orphan nearly lost its balance. It neighed before using the rest of its strength to cross. The rest of the night the horse walked slowly with its head hung low. It had been a loyal horse for a long time, but he was getting offal tired of his near death experiences. When they found it safe to stop Legolas quickly set up camp and started a fire to get them warmed up. The thunder was barely noticeable, and the rain had moved away from them.

"Legolas Greenleaf," he said fully introducing himself to the elven girl who sat with her knees curled to her chest.

"Inwë Nénharma," she said looking at him a little quizzically. She already knew who he was slightly she had heard tales of him, "I would like to thank you for saving me…"

"No problem," he said interrupting her.

"But I must be on my way as soon as dawn comes. I will never forget your generosity and the kindness you have showed…" before she could finish he interrupted.

"Well were do you plan to go?" he laughed at her making her a little mad.

"I don't know! But where it is, it will be away from you. Your bad luck," she said wiping off her wet dress.

"I am not, your bad luck, I have been fine until I met you and decided to be the noble elf I am and help you. A big mistake as far as I can see," he said lying down on his slightly wet blanket. The river and rain had soaked everything.

"I didn't ask for a hero," she said looking down at him.

"Well I am sorry if a hero is what I am. But I will see you in the morning, you should get some sleep," he said closing his eyes. She waited until he was in a bad dream before grabbing her bag. She decided to leave him a couple of leafs for his dreams, and ten gold pieces. She then began to walk off into the cold frosty night.

Authors note: Hey everyone!

Thanks for reading; I decided to write this story because I began to wonder what Legolas had been feeling. So I made it up myself, he never got the main spot light in the movies, so I am dedicating this story to him… for the hard work in the fellowship lol! So thanks for supporting this! May not be the greatest work in the world, but I do enjoy what I write and I try to write well. So PLEASE review, the more reviews I get the more I want to write!