some stories are told. they arent pretty, especially arash's. just warning the faint of hear :D enjoy!

Chapter 18: Trust

Arash helped Dúniel to her feet and they glanced around the room. It had clearly been deserted for a long time - there was dust everywhere, the light could barely illuminate the room through the filthy windows. An old bed stood nearby, and there was a fireplace full of charcoal. Dúniel gasped and suddenly headed to a corner and picked up what Arash saw was a doll.

"Nana made this for me!"Dúniel cried."I took her everywhere, and she helped me get over being afraid of the dark. I thought I'd lost her forever!"

"Why is this place empty?"Arash said, wiping the dust from the window and looking disgusted at the mess left on his palm.

"I don't know...a lot of the families in this area were killed during the War...I guess no one wants to disturb ghosts or something."Arash looked up at her.

"Ghosts?"

"Arash, you can't tell me you believe in ghosts!"Dúniel said, putting her doll on the bed and walking over to the fireplace, prodding the old wood with her toe.

"I do. Didn't your father have help from ghost during the War?"

"They weren't ghosts, they were souls that couldn't rest."

"There's a difference?"Dúniel raised her eyebrow at him.

"Fine. But I don't believe most ghost are as vengeful and violent as they were."Arash ran a hand over the bedroom door, which had been bordered up.

"It's freezing in here. If we lit the fire, would someone find us?"

"No. Eldarion and I came here all the time when we were small. I'm sure he forgot about it when he
got old enough to discover girls."Arash laughed."And you can see from the mess no one else comes here."

"Alright. I'll go outside and see if I can find something for us to burn. Will you be alright in here?"

"Yes, I always feel safe in here."Arash crawled back out into the snow.

Dúniel smiled and quickly cleaned the window with her hanky. It looked out through a gap between the white walls of the city and the mountain, catching a glimpse of the river. There was no risk of being caught here. She picked up her doll and smiled, remembering just how much she'd loved the thing. She carefully brushed the dust off the doll as Arash dragged a broken crate through the hole. Dúniel watched in amazement as he soon had a fire lit. He caught her look and grinned.

"You think I've been so sheltered I can't even light a fire without matches or a tinderbox?"

"Considering you can pickpocket, I shouldn't be surprised, should I?"his smile faded slightly, but she grinned encouragingly."Come on, help me get some of this dust out of here, then we can talk."

"Did you bring food?"Arash asked suddenly. Dúniel blinked, then reddened.

"I knew I'd forgotten something. I'm such an idiot, I was so excited and-"she quickly cut herself off when Arash gave her a look that clearly said she was babbling crap. Arash sighed.

"Well, let's at least shake these bed sheets. I've never seen anything so dusty!"they grabbed the sheets and shook them outside, followed by a flurry of coughing and sneezes, then remade the bed, amazed at how well they seemed to know what the other would do, how well they worked together.

"Well, I could go and find a servant to get me some food..."

"Yes, you could. But how will you explain away the state you're in?" She looked down at herself and realised that all the dust they had ejected from the room had ended up on her.

"It will be alright. People here are used to me disappearing and returning looking odd."

"I should go with you. After what happened yesterday-"

"Arash, I can explain myself, but how will it look with us both wandering around dirty and sweating?"he grinned and she laughed in shocked."Oh no, now I've given you ideas!"

"As if I wasn't getting any before."he chuckled.

"Arash!"

"You can't tell me you weren't either."

"Arash!" he laughed and grabbed her waist, picking her up and spinning her around.

"Arash, put me down!"she said, trying hard not to laugh."I'm about to come out of my dress!"

"And you think I'm going to put you down with enticement like that?"she slapped him over the head, accidentally catching his sore spot. He winced and let her slide to the floor. She was breathing hard, her new dress leaving nothing to the imagination.

"Sorry."she whispered, rubbing her sore shoulder. He sat down on the bed and let her fuss over him, milking it for all it was worth.

"I'm alright."he said gently, pulling her to sit beside him."Just slight brain damage."

"You shouldn't have picked me up like that then! You know my shoulder is sore!"he winced slightly.

"I forgot. I was enjoying myself too much to remember."Dúniel sighed and scrubbed her face, leaving steaks in the dust.

"I'm going to go get some food. If you want to come, you'd best hide or something. I don't want any wild rumours getting to my father. Not after everything else I've done to him."Arash looked visibly disappointed, but nodded.

They returned less than an hour later, a bag full of food in Dúniel's hand.

"Do you want to go first, or should I?"Dúniel asked, sitting on an old rug in front of the fire.

"Strip poker it is!"

"Sit down, you fool!"she laughed, grabbing his hand and pulling him down beside her.

"Ladies first."he said, taking a roll from the bag.

"What are you waiting for then?"she teased. He grinned.

"Ah, now that is the girl I like." Dúniel blushed deeply and looked away.

"You're far too kind to me."

"I know, it's a terrible habit. Go on, ask me something. Start off small."she took a bite from her own roll and thought for a moment.

"Do you sing?"she asked suddenly. He blinked in surprise.

"Do I sing?"he repeated."Dúniel, what sort of a question is that?"

"I love music. I wanted to know what you think of it. So, do you sing?"he shook his head quickly.

"No, I can't sing for the life of me. I do play the violin though."her eyes lit up.

"Really? I love the violin! I played it until I was told the lyre is much more ladylike."she finished bitterly. She grinned at him."You should play for me one day."his smile faded.

"I haven't played for anyone since my sister's funeral."he said quietly, looking away. Dúniel felt very awkward.

"I'm so sorry, I-I didn't mean to-"

"Dúniel, please, how could you have known?"he smiled tightly. "I would play for you anytime."she smiled gently.

"Thank you."

"My turn then?"he said, clapping his hands to break the tension."Would you sing for me?"Dúniel paled.

"Arash-"

"Please?"

"I'm not that good."she said, looking very embarrassed."Miniual is, she's got a beautiful voice-"

"Dúniel, I don't care if you sound as bad as me. Please."he took her hand gently."I won't laugh."

"If you do, I'll hurt you."she took several deep breaths, closed her eyes and started to sing.

She sang in Sindarin, and she had a much better voice than she was willing to believe. Arash found the words washing through him, filling him with wonderful feelings of warmth and love. Dúniel faltered after the first verse, looking nervously at her friend to find him smiling gently, his eyes suspiciously wet.

"Dúniel, that was beautiful. You are such a liar."

"Are you alright?" she whispered, holding his cheek.

"Dúniel, I've just heard the most beautiful thing in my life. I think I'm allowed to be a little weepy."she giggled and pulled away, smiling.

"I'm so glad you have a sense of humour, Arash, else I'd be terribly bored."he grinned.

"What do you wish to ask now?"

"Who taught you to love music so deeply?"he was silent for a long moment.

"My mother. I have her violin, it's all I have left of her now."he sighed heavily, and Dúniel squeezed his hand gently. There was a brief silence in which Arash was clearly gathering his nerve for his next question.

"Can, can I ask you about this?"he asked, reaching up and touching her scar. Dúniel felt her throat closing in fear, but nodded.

"When I was fifteen, Eldarion and I were riding through Ithilien. I can't even remember why, but we went further than we expected. And then a gang of orcs appeared from nowhere."she shuddered."My father has almost had them all destroyed, but there are still many left. They must have known who we were, because they attacked us. We fell off our horses, and we started to fight them away. There must have been eight of them, and they were all huge. We'd managed to cut down five of them when one was about to behead Eldarion. I cut off his arm, but it wasn't his sword arm. He turned on me and slashed my face."she shuddered and closed her eyes, feeling the searing pain all over again.

"I buried my sword in his chest, then drew my dagger to fend him until he died, and...I couldn't see because of the blood and, and he grabbed his sword and stabbed me."hot tears streamed down her cheeks as she touched her shoulder where Arash had seen the scar."Eldarion saw and stood over me until they were all dead, then carried me back to Faramir's home...I almost died. I would have if my parents weren't such skilled healer. My mother did her best for this."she touched her face."I was so lucky I didn't lose my eye."she swallowed hard and took a deep breath."I have been so alone since that day."She looked up when Arash turned her face to look at him.

"Don't let anyone make you feel ugly Dúniel, because you aren't. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever had the pleasure of meeting."He smiled and drew her forward, kissing her forehead."Thank you for being so honest. Thank you for trusting me."

"Thank you for being so kind."she whispered. She took another shuddering breath and looked into his lovely brown eyes.

"What happened to her?"Dúniel asked gently. Arash looked visibly pained, but nodded slowly.

"You told me your story, I'll tell you mine. I warn you, it is not pretty, and parts of it I've had to guess, or is information I've heard from others."he sighed deeply."I'd best start from the beginning then. I suppose you should know that Mazid is not my father."Dúniel looked surprised, but it made sense. Arash was so different to Mazid."I don't know who my father is. My mother was the daughter of a wealthy merchant, and was set to marry a much older man when it was discovered she was pregnant. This was a terrible scandal, and my mother had to flee or she'd have been stoned to death for losing her virginity to another man that was not her betrothed. She found an empty house in the city amongst the homeless, who took her in easily. There are...shelters I think you would call them, for prostitutes or rape victims where they can give birth safely. I was born there, but my mother refused to give me up. She taught me to pick pocket and light fires, she taught me to survive when we barely had any food. Sometimes we went for days without food, and she would play her violin to send me to sleep. She took such good care of me, but I was a growing boy, and as I grew, she...she started to prostitute herself to get some money, just so she could keep me healthy and alive."he swallowed hard, looking into space, not aware Dúniel was crying silently beside him.

"When I was six, strange men started to come to our hole, claiming she had stolen from their boss. She hadn't, of course, their boss just wanted to use her without payment. When they left, we packed what little we had and tried to flee, but they followed. My mother took me into an alley, and hid me amongst some crates, and told me to stay until the bad men left, and not to make a sound. So I watched as they cornered her, and beat her and raped her, I hid and listened to her screaming and did nothing."bitter self hatred filled his shaking voice."And when she was lying barely alive on the ground, they slit her throat, only a little, enough to kill her, but it would be a slow painful death. When they left I crawled out, and watched her die. I sat beside her for ages, not understanding why she wouldn't wake. Someone found us eventually, and some guards came to take her body away. I asked them if they were going to make her better, and they laughed and chased me off down the street. I ran and hid with an old lady who had watched over us, and she took care of me. The next year, I was caught stealing some fruit. The vender was about to cut off my hand when Mazid showed up. I don't know why he stopped him, or why he told me to come with him, I don't even know why I went, but he took me in, and raised me as his son. He only had a daughter to his dead wife, my sister...maybe he wanted a male heir, I don't know..."he swallowed hard."But I'm sure that I was never to return to Harad alive."there was a long silence in which Arash turned away to wipe away his shameful tears.

"You were six?"Dúniel finally whispered."And they murdered her in front of you?"he nodded slowly."Arash...oh, don't blame yourself, maethor veren vuin. There was nothing you could've done."

"But I should've done something."he said angrily.

"She died for you. Everything she did was for you, because she loved you."Arash looked furious, hating that she made sense, that she was right. Dúniel tenderly stroked his cheek, wiping away an errant tear."She must have loved you deeply. I can't imagine what it must be like to have something so dreadful happen at such a young age."

"No one can."he spat, but reached up and squeezed her hand, kissing her fingers.

"I-Is that why you said 'not again'? Eldarion said you said that before you came to help save me."

"I lost my mother because I couldn't help her. I was not going to let the same happen to you. I won't lose you too."he said determindly.

"Then talk to my father, as soon as you can. This week is almost finished."she suddenly pulled him close and held him tightly. Arash squeezed her gently, breathing her lovely scent and sneezing when dust flew up his nose. Dúniel giggled, and kissed his cheek.

"I'm glad that I have you to take care of me now."she said quietly. Arash pulled away slightly and smiled tightly.

"I'm proud of her, for what she did to keep me safe and alive. I will make you proud."he promised. Dúniel grinned.

"Arash, you make me happier than I've ever been in my life. If anything I'm proud of you for doing that."she leaned her forehead against his gently."Are you alright?"

"I thought it was my turn to ask a question."she laughed, and he darted forward and kissed her hard. Dúniel pulled away with a gasp.

"Arash, no."he blinked in surprise.

"But, I thought, I..."

"No, you don't understand. I want to kiss you, I do, but you're hurting Arash. I don't want you to kiss me if you're just using me."Arash gave her a very hurt look.

"Dúniel, I've never had anyone to turn to before, just like you. I-I'm ashamed to admit it, but I need your help. I-I need you."he looked down, swallowing hard."I've never told anyone what happen to her before. Doesn't that show you how close we have become?"

"Yes, it does. And I must ask you to respect what I ask of you. I care for you so much Arash, but I will not let you use me. It wouldn't be right, and you'd regret it later."Arash let his head fall onto her shoulder, tightening his grip on her.

"It's nice to be able to tell someone. I know I can trust you Dúniel."she gently stroked his hair.

"I'm glad. I trust you so much, and I'm going to take care of you." she kissed his forehead affectionately."Did you ever find out who was behind her murder?"she asked gently, feeling he needed to let the pain out.

"No."he said bitterly."Mazid said he'd help me but...nothing came of it. But one day I'll find them, and they will pay."he finished angrily. He straightened and smiled slightly at her."Would you be happy if I stayed?"

"Oh, Arash, of course I would!" Dúniel said enthusiastically."We would never fear being alone again. We could be tog-"Dúniel quickly cut herself off, but Arash was no fool. She saw the surprise in his eyes, but this was soon replaced with affection and longing.

"You want to be with me?"he asked gently. Dúniel swallowed and stood quickly.

"I-I'm so sorry, I-I shouldn't have, not after, I should go-"

"Please, stay."he said, standing and taking her arms to stop her moving past him. She shook in his arms, terrified he'd yell, reject her, tell her she was a stupid little spoilt brat-

"What did you say to me in the stables, Dúniel?" she stared up at him, surprised at his gentle tone.

"Please..."she whispered, shaking her head."I don't want to lose you."

"You won't."he said reassuringly, pulling her closer."Please, tell me. What reward did you give me? What did you say?"Dúniel closed her eyes and swallowed.

"Annon guren achen." she reached up and slid his hand onto her chest, so he could feel her pulse through her soft skin."I give you my heart." she whispered, not daring to open her eyes, or even breathe. How would he respond?

mwahahaha. even though its HUGELY obvious what he's going to say, im gonna make you all wait and find out. lots of snogging coming, i assure you :D sorry for the hanger ending btw, but i need my occasional cruelty fix. thanx for reading, i will try to update often, but my new uni course is REALLY full on, but dont fear, i will try to update once a week. TRY!

Annon guren achen - I give you my heart
Maethor veren vuin- Dear brave warrior