Chapter Three

"I owe you an apology," Arwen said as she and the woman walked in the gardens. "I never said anything to you before because I felt uncomfortable. I didn't know how to address you," she laughed self-consciously and said, "I still don't know what to call you. Hmm," she said looking at the woman thoughtfully. "You know, I just realized something, you look like a friend of mine in Lothlorien. Would you mind if I called you by her name?" The woman smiled and shook her head. "Her name was Elena," Arwen said with a smile. Arwen and the woman were walking down by the streams that branched off from the river, Bruinen, in the shade of the weeping willows when she spotted Legolas as he came down the garden path and waved to him. "Is the meeting over?" she asked and Legolas nodded.

"I'm sorry Arwen," Legolas said as he approached. "I need to steal your companion away now. My Lady, would you please come with me?" Legolas couldn't help but notice that the young woman paled and her deep blue eyes betrayed her fear, though she stood calmly and nodded. He admired her courage in the face of the unknown…or did she know? She seemed to know everything. Everything, that was, except anything about herself. Is she really a spy? Legolas wondered, and then hoped it wasn't so. Could she read his mind right now? If she could, she would learn not only that he feared for her, but that he had doubts about her as well. After they left Arwen, he tried to make light conversation. "My Lady, it is good to find that you have made a new friend, now that you are well. I do not know a better friend than Lady Arwen."

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness," the woman answered. "But could you please call me Elena? I'm getting tired of answering to 'my Lady' all the time."

Legolas lit up as he turned and took her hands in his. "You remember?" he asked excitedly. "You have found who you are. That's fantastic!" The woman who had been looking into his eyes lowered her head and shook it sadly and Legolas looked confused as they started walking again. "It's ok; I was just hoping that's all. Maybe it's just too soon, I'm sorry," Legolas said. He turned to the woman, placed his fingers under her chin, and tilted her face up to where she was looking at him. "It's ok; I'm not disappointed in you. You can't help it that you can't remember. How did you decide on Elena? It doesn't really fit you."

The woman smiled and said, "Arwen chose it for me. She said I reminded her of a friend."

Legolas nodded. "You must remind her of her friend in Lothlorien, though I don't know how. Do you like that name?"

The woman shook her head. "Not really. Somehow, I don't think it fits me either, but I know of no other. What would you call me, you Highness?"

Legolas stopped walking for a moment and looked thoughtfully at the woman before him. His heart beat loudly in his chest and he could feel his blood pounding in his ears. She's beautiful, he thought. Her hair shown bright auburn in the afternoon sun, her eyes, like the sea. Her lips were small, but full and were the shade of soft pink roses. He found himself wondering if they were as soft. He yearned to kiss her when he noticed her lips parted slightly, invitingly when she exhaled.

What was wrong with him? He wondered. Sure, he had cared for her for nearly a month, but since she had been unconscious most of the time, it felt like he had only known her a few days. They had never really spoken; just briefly, when she had regained consciousness for a few moments when they had camped due to her poor state of health and being unable to endure much travelling. She had been unconscious since that time until this morning.

"Your Highness?" she implored. "What would you call me?"

She jolted him from his reverie and he jumped in surprise when she put her hand lightly on his forearm. She gazed into his eyes questioningly when he didn't answer immediately and he nearly lost himself in her beauty again, but shook it off and answered, "Haehithien; I would call you Haehithien."

She smiled at him and he felt like he was falling over and the world was spinning, though his feet remained firmly on the ground. Could it be? Could he truly be falling for a woman he knew nothing about? Can she read my mind? Legolas wondered, and then hoped she could not when he was so confused himself. "I like it," she said. He had to stop this, he had never experienced this flood of feeling before, and he wasn't sure he liked it. He found he couldn't tear his eyes from her so instead; he closed them for a few moments and sighed heavily.

When he opened his eyes again, she was still there before him smiling. Not again! Legolas thought as he felt the flood wash over him once more. He started to walk again to clear his head and she followed. He wished she wouldn't smile at him like that, he'd never known such a loss of control as when she smiled. Protect her? How could he do that when he couldn't even protect her from his own thoughts and desires? He cleared his throat and said, "My Lady, Haehithien, I am taking you to Lord Elrond. The council has decided that you know enough to endanger the other travellers should the enemy capture you. Lord Elrond bid me not to tell you anything about the process in which he will block your memory of the events concerning the quest, but I feel I must. No one has ever done this before, including Lord Elrond. It could be dangerous and painful."

Dangerous? Haehithien thought and stopped in her tracks as fear gripped her. Legolas saw her terror at this news and found he wished that he could take her into his arms again, like he had for pure necessity on the horseback journey there. This time it was different though, for this time he wished to protect her with all his heart. Have I changed so much in a month? Legolas wondered.

"Haehithien," he continued taking her hand as he led her to the terrace wall to sit down. "I know you are frightened, but you must believe me. I will not let any harm befall you," he said and paused in thought. He had to tell her, she had given him no signs that she could read his mind. She might not know how he was really feeling; he just wished he could find the words before too long. Elrond would be looking for them soon, wondering what was taking so long. Legolas sighed and tried to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat.

"Haehithien, I know we have never really had a chance to talk before, to get to know each other. It is strange to me to feel such a strong urge to protect you when we have only known each other not much more than a day, though it has been nearly a month since I found you. Yet right now, I feel as though I would rather die then see you harmed," he took a deep breath before continuing. "That's why Lord Elrond and Gandalf have asked me to stay with you while you endure the memory blocking. I will do everything I can for you. I don't want to see them harm you, but the blocking seems to be the only way, if you are to guide the travellers. I won't let anything bad happen to you if I can prevent it, I promise." He raised his arm and gently caressed her cheek with the back of his hand.

Haehithien clasped his hand, as he was about to withdraw it and leaned into the caress. Her action surprised him slightly, though he thought it pleasant. Soon, Legolas felt his skin moisten. He looked down and saw tears rolling down her cheeks. They had been there some time when Legolas realized that evening had come; the sun had set and the curtain of night was upon them. The sky was slowly darkening, the stars were coming out and still, they sat there, unmoving and silent. Idly, Legolas wondered if Elrond had sent out a search party, then it dawned on him that he really didn't care. All he cared about at that moment was the enchantingly beautiful woman he was with. He vowed silently that he would do everything in his power to protect her.

"Haehithien," he whispered softly, not trusting his voice or wanting to break the intimate moment. "I won't leave you," he said softly and his voice cracked. "I promise I will stay with you as long as you wish, you will not face this alone. We must go now though, Lord Elrond is probably looking for us, and we've been out here for hours already. Are you ready?" She nodded silently and when she looked up, he felt his heart lurch at the sight of the unshed tears that glistened in her eyes. They stood and he wrapped his arm about her waist as they headed off to her room where Lord Elrond was to meet them.

When they reached her room, Arwen and Gandalf were waiting for them with Lord Elrond and everything was ready. "Good, you're here, my Lady. I was beginning to wonder if you had left us, I was about to send Arwen back out to look for you. She told me that Legolas had already come for you, but that she had not seen either of you since then. Are you ready to begin?"

Haehithien nodded slightly while she squeezed Legolas' hand and he answered, "Yes, she's ready."

"Very well," Elrond said. "Would you please lie down, my Lady? Legolas, if you would, please sit here," he indicated a chair on Haehithien's right. "I will need to be near her head." Legolas sat down next to Haehithien's bed and gently squeezed her hand in reassurance.

"I won't let anything happen to you," he whispered. "If you are in pain or are scared, I want you to squeeze my hand, ok?" She nodded as he leaned over her and reached up with his left hand and ran his fingers through her hair on the opposite side of her face, which was now as pale as her sheets from the fear she felt.

"Let's begin," Elrond said as he placed his hands on both sides of her head near her temples with the tiniest of spaces between them and her head as she closed her eyes. Elrond started to sing something in Elvish, though it cannot be told here for no one remembers it now. Haehithien relaxed slightly as she fell into a deep sleep.

Legolas held her hand gently as he prayed to Ilúvatar that she would come out of this all right. The spell that begun with the singing of Elrond was intensified when he nodded to Arwen and she placed her hands on his and joined him in singing. Haehithien began to get agitated and moved uncomfortably wrinkling her brow. Legolas looked up at her sleeping form worriedly as she squeezed his hand and started to thrash about. "You're hurting her!" he yelled angrily. "Stop!"

"They cannot," Gandalf said calmly. "It has begun. All knowledge of the coming quest and what happens to the other travellers are being locked away in the furthest reaches of her mind. If they stop now, she could be in danger. Fear not, Legolas, for if indeed she was sent by Ilúvatar to help us, He will not let any harm befall her. You must have faith in Him as well as her."

These words didn't bring Legolas much comfort for he was wrought with grief over the pain he could not prevent. It was at this moment that Ilúvatar stirred something in his heart, a feeling he had never before experienced washed over him like a tidal wave. Legolas kept quiet about this feeling he was experiencing, for though he could not be sure what it was, he had his suspicions and if he was correct, it was a dangerous feeling. Yet, even though the thought of this feeling and what danger it brought with it was ever present in his mind after the moment of his revelation, Legolas remained by her side throughout the blocking process, his heart breaking over the fact that he couldn't help her.