Shorter chapter, but like I said before the last one, I'm not really happy with it but it was a necessary plot point. Hope you all don't hate me for it. The next chapter will be better I promise.

"So what were you arguing about?" Legolas asked. He and Tinwe were walking through the gardens after breakfast. There were still a few hours left before Legolas departed, so he chose to spend them with Tinwe. Now that they were alone, he wanted to know what had caused the argument earlier between the two siblings.

"Well," said Tinwe slowly, "Glorothond was upset that you were coming to breakfast. He refused to tell me what his problem was though. I thought the two of you were friends, so I kept bothering him about it and when he kept refusing to speak I put him in a headlock."

Legolas was silent, eyes down as they walked. Tinwe frowned.

"What is it?" she asked, concern in her eyes.

"I am fairly certain I know what is bothering your brother," Legolas said softly. "It's a long story."

"There are still a few hours before you leave, will you tell it to me?" she asked, leading him to a bench where they could sit and talk. Legolas followed obediently, sitting beside her with a sigh. After a period of silence, he turned to Tinwe, a look on his face she had never seen before.

"I know that you will hate me after hearing this, Tinwe, but I'd rather you hear it from me than Glorothond."

"How could I hate you?" Tinwe said in shock. "Nothing you can say can change the fact that I love you."

"Be that as it may," Legolas said softly. "You will not like this story. It is my biggest regret and the most painful memory I possess." He stopped for a time, preparing himself to continue. Tinwe waited patiently, wondering what could possibly be so bad that he thought she would not love him anymore after hearing it.

"When I was young, barely able to call myself an adult, I had a group of friends that were not the nicest of elves. But they were older than I was and I felt important being a part of their group. Once, we were off hunting in the forest, when we came across an elleth, about your age when we first met. She was gathering herbs for her mother, a healer, but when she saw we were hunting, she asked if she could join us. My friends laughed, saying hunting was for males and she should go back and cook. But she insisted.

"After several hours, we made it deep into the dark parts of the forest. The elleth did not have a horse like the rest of us, so she was growing weary following us at a rapid pace. None of us even considered letting her ride, as we hoped she would leave if we went too far. Finally, the eldest member of the group leaned over and whispered to me: 'How funny would it be to send her into that thicket over there? We'll tell her we need her to flush out game, and when she goes in she'll get stuck in the briars. Then we can leave her behind.' I agreed, thinking it would be funny and harmless. She would be a little scratched up, but that was it. So, we told her to go in and make lots of noise, which would scare any game living in the thicket. Pleased to be included, she went into the thicket, without a bow or knife. She struggled through, determined to be useful.

"What we did not know was that we had just sent her into a gathering of wolves. It wasn't long after she disappeared within the foliage that we heard her scream, and the snarls of at least a dozen wolves. Several came out at us as we waited outside the thicket. We turned and ran, leaving the elleth behind. I was so scared. I just wanted to get away from there. But as we fled, one member of our group stopped his horse in front of mine. 'We have to go back for her,' he said. I was petrified, but realized it was our fault the girl had gone unarmed into a pack of wolves. So the two of us turned around and rode back. It took us a long time to fight through the wolves and the thicket. We killed four wolves before the rest scattered. My friend found the elleth and brought her back to the Halls. She was bloody and mangled but alive. The healers, including her mother, tried their very best to heal her, but she was so badly injured that some of the wounds disfigured her. Her emotional wounds were worse still. Her family soon left for Imladris, in the hopes that Elrond would be able to help. But even though he returned her appearance back to the way it was before, he could not heal the emotional scars.

"It took me many years to work up the courage to go and see her, but I could not forgive myself without first having her forgiveness. So I visited Imladris and sought her out. She would not see me. I returned again years later, and she still refused my visit. I tried many times to visit, bringing gifts with me every time, knowing that nothing I could do could take back the pain she had suffered, but I could not live in peace knowing what I had done. Five hundred years passed before she finally agreed to see me. When I finally had the chance to ask for forgiveness, I could not do it. Looking into her eyes, I saw all the pain she had suffered due to my childishness, and it made my heart break. I wept.

"As I knelt in front of her in sorrow, she put her hand on my shoulder and whispered softly 'I forgive you.' Even though she forgave me, it took a long time after that to forgive myself. I would often visit Imladris, bringing her gifts, which she would softly thank me for before growing quiet. Until she sailed into the West with Celebrian, I kept visiting. I will never forget how she looked after being attacked, and I still dream about it sometimes. I believe the reason your brother and I had a falling out is because he was with me once when I went to visit Imladris. I told him this story, and he was appalled at my actions. I could not blame him, for I was disgusted with myself as well. I have spent most of my life trying to remove the guilt, but I know in my heart that it will linger on forever."

Tinwe was silent. She didn't know what to say to this revelation. When she was able to find her voice, it was quiet and shook slightly.

"Was her name Aerlinniel?"

"You knew her?" Legolas asked, looking up for the first time since he began his story.

"Yes," Tinwe said softly. "When I was in Imladris after Ereforn died, I would sit with her in silence for a long time. She never told me her story, but Arwen said it was a sad one. So we kept each other company in our sorrow."

"I am ashamed that I am the one who gave her that sorrow," Legolas said, looking down at his hands. "I hope that she found peace once she reached the Undying Lands." He looked around at Tinwe, unshed tears in his eyes. "I hope that somehow you can forgive me as well."

They sat in silence for some time, Tinwe still unsure how she felt after hearing Aerlinniel's story. Legolas did not push her, and for that she was grateful.

"I have to think about this for a while, Legolas," she said finally, looking at him. "I am sorry."

"I understand," Legolas said, with a small smile. "Take as long as you need to." He kissed her ear as he stood up and walked away, leaving Tinwe to her unhappy thoughts.

Tinwe spent most of her time over the next week riding out into the forest alone, thinking not only about Legolas's story, but about her relationship with him as well. Sure enough, not long after Legolas left, Icaria informed Tinwe that there was a rumor about her and Faelon going around. Already in an unhappy mood, Tinwe just ignored it, choosing to distance herself from everyone.

She was grateful that when Legolas returned, he left her alone. She still had not sorted through her feelings and appreciated the space. Their distance only fueled the rumors, but the one thing Tinwe did know in all her confusion was that she still loved Legolas and that neither of them would take anything others said to heart.

Nibbling on an apple, Tinwe sat in her favorite spot, her back against a giant oak that grew beside a small stream. Alagos was grazing not far off, and Tinwe watched as the horse ate tranquilly. Tinwe envied such a simple life.

She had forgiven Legolas for his role in Aerlinniel's tragedy several days ago, but she was still seeking solitude to consider how to proceed. After she forgave him, she was unsure what Legolas would then do. Icaria's talk of marriage had crept into her thoughts many times over the last few days, and no matter how much she thought about it, Tinwe could not decide on what she would do if Legolas proposed. When he proposed. Despite his father's reservations, Tinwe felt certain that Legolas would ask her to marry him. She was certain her life would become far more complicated than it already was when that happened. The Home Guard would most certainly not be within her grasp anymore, and with marriage came the expectation of settling down and having children. Especially since Legolas was the heir to the throne and himself needed an heir. Tinwe was uncomfortable with the thought of being forced to have children. She had certainly thought about it over the years, especially when she had lived with the Eastern nomads and had played with Wealdul and the other children. But she was not ready for children of her own. She wasn't sure she would make a very good mother, what with her wandering habit. Spending so long at home raising an elfling would quite possibly drive her crazy.

Perhaps Legolas would travel with her if they were married, and then they would have a child when she was ready. King Thranduil might have something to say about that though, Tinwe thought to herself. She was certain he would insist she stay in Mirkwood and raise a family shortly after marriage.

Sighing, Tinwe stood up, throwing her apple core into the forest for some other creature to finish. She still had not made up her mind, but she felt guilty for not having spoken to Legolas in so long, and having last had such a sad conversation. At least she could let him know that he was forgiven. If she was lucky, she would not have to worry about her conundrum for a long time. With that thought in mind, she mounted Alagos and rode slowly back to the Halls.

Tinwe sought out Legolas in his chambers. However, when she knocked, there was no answer. She was not really surprised. Legolas spent so little time in his own rooms that it would have been more shocking if he had been there in the middle of the day. Sighing, Tinwe turned around and began walking back home, lost in her own thoughts. As she turned a corner, she nearly ran into Legolas coming from the other direction.

"Tinwe?" he said, rather surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you," she said, looking up at him. She smiled gently. "I forgive you."

Immediately she felt Legolas's lips against hers. She closed her eyes and kissed him back happy to have his arms around her again. He finally broke away and looked down at her, love shining in his eyes.

"You don't know how hard it has been these last few days, trying to give you space. I have wanted to find you and beg for forgiveness many times."

"I'm sorry I took so long," Tinwe said, looking down with a sigh. "I wasn't sure of my own feelings and they took a long while to sort out."

"I am just happy you did not leave. I worried that you would not be able to forgive me and would run."

"I could never leave you like that, Legolas. You know I love you."

To prove it, she kissed him softly. She could feel him smile into the kiss.

"And I will always love you," Legolas said when they broke apart. "But I'm afraid I have to run off again. I have a meeting with my father and his advisors. I was just on my way to pick up some papers from my study."

"I don't want to keep you then," Tinwe said softly. She gave him another quick kiss. "I'll be at my parents when you are done."

"I will see you later then," he said, disappearing down the hallway she had recently vacated.