(A/N: the edited version! thanks to my beta LOTRlover23!)

~Chapter 8: In Denial~

Legolas was looking for Eowyn. He had learned from the King of Rohan that they would not return to their kingdom until his business with Aragorn was done, and he was realized that he was actually quite glad. So there he was, looking for the Shieldmaiden, but he did not see her in the room she had been assigned.

But there was someone else. "I am sorry for my rudeness. I am Ashelia, the handmaiden of Lady Eowyn." The blonde-haired woman curtsied. She had been about to leave Eowyn's chamber when she saw the Prince of Mirkwood standing in the doorway, looking as if he was about to knock. "Are you looking for the Lady?" she asked in a low voice.

The elf stared at her quizzically for a moment, wondering if he had seen her before. He realized he had not, but he felt a strange connection with her, as if there was electricity running through his veins. Legolas quickly brushed the feeling aside. "Legolas of Mirkwood," he introduced. "And yes, I am looking for Eowyn. Do you know where she is?"

"She is with Lord Haldir," Ashelia replied. "She was quite exhausted from her duel with the Marchwarden so she asked me to prepare a bath for her."

The fact that Eowyn was with Haldir made Legolas once again feel as if an important treasure had been stolen. Jealousy stirred inside him, but he still refused to let it show.

"Is that so?" He raised a delicate brow, oblivious that his reply had been laced with venom, though the handmaiden noticed his reaction.

"Yes. Do you want me to call her?" She tilted her head to the side.

Legolas shook his head."No, I'll do it myself."

-LOTR-

"Is there something wrong?" Eowyn asked, noticing his silence.

It was obvious that he was on the verge of something deep and dangerous, but he did not know whether or not to tell this human about it.

Haldir shook his head and decided not to tell anything. "Nothing. I was just thinking..."

The White Lady was unconvinced. She wanted to ask further but decided against it. She thought that it was probably something important and personal, and she did not want to intrude.

"Let us go, then." Eowyn rose and smoothed the front of her dress, returning the sword to its chest.

The Marchwarden smiled at her. "Aye. I shall accompany you, then."

The two exited the large room and walked side by side through the hallway until they came across the Prince of Mirkwood. His face held a strange expression. She vaguely noticed that Legolas was once again wearing a handsome green garment that made his fair looks stand out even more than usual. Suddenly, she realized that he was very handsome, and she could not help but blush. What was happening to her? She had never shown any interest in elves before, and her heart had yearned for Aragorn alone. But it was different now, and she had made peace with her past.

"Legolas." She felt breathless. "You are still here?"

"Of course I am, fair Eowyn" A playful smile made its way up to his handsome face. "Do you wish to be rid of me already?" For no valid reason at all, Legolas took her right hand and placed a soft kiss on the top of it.

Haldir's brow twitched, and he felt a vein throb in his forehead. "What brings you here, Legolas?" he asked, interrupting Eowyn before she could reply to the Elven Prince.

"I was looking for the Lady Eowyn, and I was told that she was with you." Legolas stared hard at the other elf.

"Ah yes, it must have been her servant who told you. We were sparring."

Eowyn felt déjà vu as she looked back and forth at the two elves. It was the same situation as in the forest; Legolas appearing from somewhere, catching the two of them together, then the two handsome elves starting a staring contest while she stood in the middle, not knowing what to do. Then she realized that her right hand was still entwined with Legolas', though the Prince seemed oblivious to it.

"We will see you at the feast later," Haldir told him indifferently, holding the Shieldmaiden's other hand and dragging her behind him.

The golden-haired beauty felt Legolas gently squeeze her hand before he let go. She gave him a swift backward glance, but failed to read the expression on his face.

-LOTR-

Jealousy is a green-eyed monster, and it grows quickly. Haldir did not know why he felt the twinge of jealousy when Legolas kissed Eowyn's hand. There was no reason for him to become jealous. He did not like Eowyn in a romantic way. They had only met a few days before!

That was what he thought, but not what he felt. He hated it that his mind and body weren't agreeing. It was torture. When he looked at the Prince of Mirkwood, he had seen something in his eyes, something that told him Legolas would not back down, and he realized that the other elf did not like competition. But why? Were they competing? No, they were not! If Legolas did like the White Lady, then he could have her. It did not matter to him.

But if he didn't love her, why did he feel his heart breaking? As if it, too, had betrayed him...

-LOTR-

Ashelia was picking fruit from a small tree in the palace gardens, humming peacefully to herself as she placed it in a basket. She knew from Eomer that Eowyn had a great liking for fruits so she decided to pick some for her Lady, and Arwen had gladly let her.

She was reached for another fruit when she felt a sinister tug at the back of her mind, so strong that pain exploded in her head.

"Aaargh!" Ashelia dropped down on the grassy ground, both of her hands clutching her head. The pain in her head grew even stronger, as if a huge axe were slicing it in two.

"S-Stop! I-it hurts! Areces T-Teres Soresto..."

She spoke in a foreign language while wincing in pain, rolling in the grass as she tried to rid herself of the pain. And suddenly, she saw a vision of two elves being slaughtered in the woods. She saw that one of the elves was still alive, but a huge axe was raised before him and brought down to his body. Her eyes went wide as she felt the pain of the axe being buried deeply in her chest. And the nearly dead elf spoke a familiar name in a whisper as the last breath left his body.

"H-Haldir…"

(Before I end this chapter, I'd like to tell the Eowyn/Legolas fans out there that I am planning to write a story about Eowyn and Legolas! J It will be posted soon after I finish the first chapter, I hope y'all like it)