Hey! Welcome back! Thank you again for all your lovely reviews, I thoroughly enjoyed them! :)

Arwenia: Okay, thank you for your permission :P I'll do that... Later on... Perhaps ;) For now, I'm still merciful ;) Wait until next chapter :P

Dunedian: Hey! Hier is je nieuwe hoofdstuk ;) Nog vrij snel, vind je niet? ;) Hoe was je match?

Falca: not yet ;) Where does your penname come from actually?

jesse: Here she comes ;)

Leallegreenleaf: Oh, don't cry! That chapter wasn't too sad, now was it? For I fear you may not like this one, or the next... ;)

TheButterflyCurse996: Yes, it's strange isn't it? I really like Legolas, and yet a torture-fic can be such fun :P Evil fangirls, aren't we? :P And yes, you are my favorite stalker ;)

"Foxface." Sighing, Aragorn looked at Legolas. The elf seemed troubled too. They had planned to take out the Carreers not a tribute from the lower districts. What did they have to do with her now? Curse it all! Why did Foxface had to sneak on them?

His friend caught his gaze, and held it. What do we do with her? his eyes asked, but Aragorn did not have the answer. He shook his head lightly and shrugged, never lowering the blade at Foxface's throat. The girl didn't move an inch. She just stood there, silently, waiting, slightly trembling in fear, though she tried not to show it. After a couple of minutes the man sighed again, bent to his knees and kicked her legs from beneath. With a cry, she fell upon her back. Quickly, Legolas knelt beside her to restrain her, but since he was armed and she was not, Foxface didn't struggle much.

"So, Foxface. What are we going to do with you?" Aragorn asked tiredly, rubbing his eyes. For a moment he wondered whether there was a Valar in this world that hated them, but he didn't have the energy to linger in such metaphysical questions. Instead, he watched the girl. She just stared back.

"Ù salph tîr," Legolas commented silently. (She looks famished) Aragorn nodded.

"Indeed." Then he noticed the look in Legolas' eyes, and groaned.

"Ù tangada anira anno mìn aes? Na tribute! Innas dagi lhû gar!(You do not really want to give her our dinner? She's a tribute! She'll kill us when she has the chance!) Legolas snorted.

"Common, elleth na.(She's a girl.)

"I'm sorry, I forgot. I presume it doesn't hurt anymore?" His ears reddened.

"Na tin!(Shut up!) Aragorn looked from the elf at Foxface, and then back at the elf.

"Degi ammen min elei im teli a gorgor uir,(If she kills us in our sleep, I'll come and haunt you for eternity,) he hissed. Then he walked over to their stew and after he had put some of it in one of their wooden bowl, he shove it to Foxface.

"Here. Eat. You look starved." The girl just looked at him, surprise and suspicion clearly written all over her face. She did not touch the bowl.

"Fine. Then starve. I don't care," Aragorn grumbled, and feinted disinterest, though his healer's instinct yearned to reassure her. Legolas however, dipped his finger in the sauce and brought it to his mouth. Then he smiled friendly.

"You see? No poison. You can eat it." Hesitantly, Foxface stretched her arm to the bowl and pulled it slowly closer to her, never ceasing to watch the two strangers. She clearly did not trust them, but since they didn't do anything –besides sitting there and looking at her- and since she truly was famished, she brought the bowl to her nose and nosed it. It smelled good. Very good. No trace of poison.

Finally she lost the fight against the hunger and picked a handful of meat out of the stew, cramming het into her mouth. She had barely swallowed it, before her hand added some more meat to eat, and then another fistful. Within a minute, the bowl was empty. Legolas looked at it baffled.

"Er… We had a spoon, you know. Could have been useful." She didn't reply, but threw a glance at the stew above the fire. Aragorn caught the hint.

"You want some more?" She nodded vehemently. A little amused, Aragorn filled her bowl again, and did some of the stew in another one, which he pushed in Legolas' hands.

"You need to eat too," he said with a stern gaze as the elf looked ready to object.

"I'm not hungry."

"Nonsense. Eat."

"But there is only one bowl. What about you?"

"I'll eat from the kettle."

"It's blazing hot!"

"Then I'll wait a few minutes." Sceptically, Legolas looked at the fire that was still burning beneath the stew. Exasperated, Aragorn threw his hands in the air.
"Fine! We'll share the bowl! Happy?"

"Yep," the elf smiled and pushed the food back to Aragorn. "You eat your fill, I'll eat the rest. And don't refrain, you need it more than I do."

"Fine." Eagerly, the man took a bite, then looked up, wondering. "How is it that you always manage to make me eat while I actually wanted you to eat?"

"Eldar's wits," the elf grinned, gently slapping him upon the arm. With a growl, Aragorn whipped his hand away, but he was laughing too. Baffled, Foxface looked at them. Did they not know that eventually, one of them had to kill the other? Legolas caught her gaze, and sobered again, though he kept on smiling.

"You want some more?" She shook her head.

"Good. Can you speak?" She nodded. Legolas raised one eyebrow.

"So… care to tell us why you were following us?" She was silent. Legolas quickly glanced at Aragorn. The man was staring at her intently.

"Listen. You sneak on us. You attacked Legolas. I'm sure you would try to kill us later on. And still, we did not hurt you and gave you our food. So the least you can do now, is being a little cooperative, don't you think? Now, why were you following us?" She mumbled something.

"Excuse me?"

"I was hungry. Why do you not kill me?" Her voice had a matter-of-fact tone. Aragorn was at a loss of words. He could not say they pitied her. She could see it as a weakness and take it a sign that it was possible to kill them. And actually, she was right with her question. They could not win these games if they couldn't murder a tribute. And besides, Rue was killed by a tribute. It would only be fair to kill Foxface now, mercifully.

But he could not do it. He could not kill children. They would just try to survive, and face problems as they encountered them.

Yeah, right. And this was not a problem, an irritating sarcastically voice commented. Aragorn was painfully aware that Foxface was still waiting for an answer.

"I… You could be useful for us alive." That wasn't the best excuse he had ever told, but it had to be sufficient for the moment, though he couldn't blame Foxface that she didn't believe it. The point of the game was to kill people, not to use them. Still, he wasn't about to explain his innermost thoughts to her.

"You can stay with us tonight, I guess that will be safer for you." Aragorn could hit Legolas! Being gentle and protective was all nice and well, but not in this Game! He furiously glared at the elf, but his friend only raised his eyebrows questioningly. Too late. The question was already asked.

Off course, Foxface was baffled again by the offer, but she began to learn that there was little she could not expect from District Thirteen. And since it had been a long time she had been able to get a fire started, or be certain of a meal she nodded without a smile.

"I will. Thank you."

And so they sat there in a rather uncomfortable silence. From time to time, Legolas and Aragorn would say something in elvish, but since they didn't want to be rude by speaking a foreign language, and at the same time didn't want Foxface to know what they were saying, their conversation was limited to the most basic questions. Aragorn was in vain trying to think of something he could do, but they had their weapons, they had eaten, and they had wood enough to keep the fire going all night. Besides, he didn't want to leave Legolas with Foxface. Not that he didn't trust the elf- he had seen how deadly the archer could be- but he was just too gentle, and Foxface looked very cunning.

When Anor disappeared, the emblem of the Capitol set the air on fire again, accompanied by the pompous music. Legolas cringed. He didn't want to look at another picture of a murdered tribute. What if it was Katniss, or Peeta? But he couldn't keep his eyes of the air. To his surprise, no photos appeared. Instead, Seneca's voice echoed through the silent night.

"Attention, tributes! There has been a slight… modification of the rules. This year, two tributes can win, on the condition that they come from the same District." At this, Aragorn and Legolas quickly looked at each other, and smiled.

"This is the only time this message will be given." The voice and the emblem of the Capitol vanished.

"That was… unexpected," Legolas said, a large grin upon his face. "Maybe there is a Valar in this world." But Aragorn was more sceptical.

"I wonder what this means. First, they do everything to hinder us –they didn't give me any training, they sent that fire to us, and the Tracker Jackers and now they give us the chance to survive both."

"Do you think there's a catch-under-the-grass?"

"Yes, I do. But I fear we can't do much about it. Just… be prepared for any unpleasant surprise."

"I always am," Legolas retorted, but his eyes were serious. He would heed the advice. "Shall I take the first watch?"

Eventually, that proved to be unnecessary. No problem occurred that night, and the morning arrived clear and quiet. Aragorn had hoped that Foxface would have sneaked away in the night, but she was still there, though a knife was hidden very close to her hand. Apparently, she thought her chances of survive were greater when she was close to danger. The man still couldn't wrap his mind around the idea. Merry and Pippin once tried to explain the concept, but he found it rather illogical. Still, it seemed Foxface understood it.

They passed the day with hunting –at least, Legolas and Aragorn did. Foxface usually stayed near their camp, and searched for fruits and mushrooms. Together with two rabbits, it made a nice meal that night, though Legolas didn't really enjoy it. He kept on thinking about Rue. He had liked the girl. She had been so innocent, so young. He remembered how he had loved the stew he had made. It was as if she had never before eaten something like that.

Aï Rue! He sighed and put down his spoon. Aragorn looked at him accusingly.

"You're done already?"

"Yes."

"You have barely eaten something."

"I am not hungry."

"You'll need your strength."

"Cease it, Estel. I'll be fine. I'm just not hungry now." Aragorn looked not pleased, but kept silent. He could not force him to eat. Then, all of a sudden, it dawned him.

"Legolas! Peeta and Katniss are the only tributes left who come from the same District."

"So?"

"So, if we want to get out alive, we'll have to kill them!" Legolas was speechless. His eyes were great in disbelief and shock. Aragorn however, was cursing madly.

"I just knew there was a catch-under-the-grass! I just knew! Off course they weren't doing us a favour! They are as unscrupulous as hell!" Legolas recovered from his rigidity and placed a hand upon Aragorns shoulder.

"Estel, easy. We'll find a way out." The trust in his voice pained the man.

"You think so? For I cannot see a way besides doing what everyone does."

"Aragorn! Surely you are not really planning on killing them!" He stayed quiet. Utterly shocked, Legolas pulled his hand back.

"Aragorn?" With pained eyes, Aragorn looked up at Legolas, beseeching him to understand him.

"I have a wife and a son, Legolas. I cannot die here. I have to get back to them." The elf's voice was quiet, and barely heard about the anthem of the Capitol that started to echo through the Arena again.

"Katniss and Peeta have family in District Twelve too." Aragorn wanted to say something, anything, but Seneca's voice was to loud, and besides, he couldn't think of anything to say, so he just listened to the message, Legolas' accusing and sad eyes still etched in his memory.

"…know that all of you need something… desperately. Therefore, a festivity will be held, tomorrow at sunrise near the Cornucopia. This is the only time this message will be given." Within a few seconds, the night was dark and silent again. Aragorn wanted to say something, but Legolas beat him to it. The elf raised an eyebrow.

"A festivity? Somehow, I didn't expect that here. Perhaps they have taken pity on us?" His voice was light-hearted, as if their previous conversation had never taken place. Foxface snorted, but didn't comment. Questioningly, Aragorn turned to her. He would talk with Legolas later. This was not the right moment. Now, he had to concentrate upon this new turn in the Games.

"What is a festivity?" The girl looked at him, contemplating whether she should say something or not. Then she opened her mouth.

"They want to lure you to the open field so that you'll have to fight the other tributes. Apparently, the public want some action."

"Oh." That was something different from the festivities he had seen in Greenwood the Great.

"So… and do we need something desperately?" Legolas asked, though he did not look at Aragorn. Apparently, he didn't want to argue with the man when Foxface was still around. One time was bad enough. Aragorn looked deep in thought, then he shook his head.

"Not that I can think of. You?"

"Nope. So, what would our gift be?"

"I don't know. We'll find out tomorrow."

"You want to go then?"

"Yes, shouldn't we?" Legolas opened his mouth to protest, and closed it again. Then he turned around and laid down, but Aragorn still heard his whispered words.

"Amdir im ù anira degi pen." Because I do not want you to kill anyone.

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xXx Archiril