A/N: Sorry about the long wait. I've had a lot of school work to catch up on (anyone else in an IB program here). I apologize, I wish I had more time to work on this. Please ignore the what will probably be horrible grammar and spelling (I write at 3 in the morning), please rate and review, and please enjoy!

I ran until I had found a small river. It was shallow and not very wide, but I did not desire to cross it. I sat next to it instead and waited for whoever was following me to catch up. When I heard the footsteps halt behind me, I began to speak. "I am sorry I didn't mean to run off. I just… I couldn't…" I was unable to complete my thought for I did not know what to complete it with. The person who had followed me sat next to me along the river bank finally revealing to me his identity; Estel.

"Did you have another nightmare?" He asked lightly as he turned to face me. I kept my eyes fixed on the water as I nodded. "Tell me."

"I cannot, for it would make little sense to you," I replied. I still wouldn't turn to face him in a way of avoiding more questions. "Please just give me a little time to myself. I shall return to camp, I swear it."

"Why would I not understand?" His voiced held a confused tone which I lightly smirked at.

"There is too much you do not know, Aragorn," I replied as I now ran the tips of my fingers along the water's edge.

"Then explain it to me," He pressed forward wanting to be let into a place I did not want him.

"It is not that simple, Aragorn," I responded quite angry now and as my tone grew harsher. "There are some things we keep to ourselves for the protection of others. This is one of those things."

"And since when did I need your protection," He responded in a tone that seemed to surprise the both of us with its cruelty. His voice softened as he continued, "I know how to take care of myself. It is you I wish to protect. Please let me help you, Lúthien."

Hearing that name again made something within me break. Every anger I had been suppressing for ten long years came out in one large and loud order. "Stop calling me that!"

"Stop calling you what?" He was quite confused by this point. I had been calm and quite until he called me what had thought to have been my name. In the same situation, I would have been confused as well.

"Lúthien, stop calling me Lúthien," I continued to shout as a torrent of angry words tumbled from my mouth. "For ten long years I have been called that. Ten years too long. I hate it. I've always hated it. I only accepted it because it was a kind gesture from Lord Elrond to let me into his adopted family. But it's not my name. It has never truly been my name. But all of them, Elrohir, Elladan, Arwen, Glorfindel, Erestor, they all called me it because they never knew the truth."

"Slow down, Lúthien," Estel called out to me. "You are making little sense."

"And you and Legolas as well," I stood up as I began to pace back and forth as I continued. "For these ten years only two people knew the truth. One is many miles away and the other is dead of my own fault. And of all the people on this Middle Earth I thought at least you or Legolas would recognize me and see past the lies." I finally stopped at looked towards him. He had stood as well, facing towards me now with confusion clouding all of his features. Defeated, I looked him straight in the eyes for the first time, "Do you not recognize me?"

He stared at me for a few long moments in a state of sheer confusion. Hopelessly, I lowered my head and attempted to stop the tears that threatened to fall from my eyes. Unaware of my surroundings, I was startled when two fingers were lightly place under my chin and raised my head. Estel stood before me with a hopeful glint in his eyes, "Raina?" I nodded and smiled up at him as he copied my actions and smothered me in a tight hug. He clasped my head to his chest and wrapped his other arm around my back as though he never wanted to let go. I wrapped my arms around his waist and gripped just as tightly. "I had always hoped I would find you again, Raina," he whispered as he lightly stroked my hair, "but my hopes had all but faded. I am so glad I have found you again."

"I am sorry I left you, Estel," I responded my voice muffled by the fabric of his shirt. "I did not want to leave you or Legolas, but I had to."

"Why, Raina," he pulled back to look me in the eye. "Why did you have to leave us?"

"That is quite a long tale," I sighed as I looked up at him. I led us back to sit down next to the river again. "It is better that I show you rather then tell you for I have not yet told this story." I slowly reached behind me and began to pull up the back of my shirt. He gasped at what I knew was going to see there. Scars. Many of them. Most from the King. Some from my Naneth. I felt his fingers slowly run over them. "They beat me. Both of them did; the King and my Naneth."

"Why would they do such a thing?" He was shocked as he continued to run a few fingers lightly over my scars. "They were so kind to all."

"They were kind to keep people happy and out of their private business," I answered as I began to lose myself to the flowing river below me. "They wanted to keep my truth a secret. Why do you think I call my mother Naneth, but do not call the King my father."

"He is not your father?" The question tumbled from his mouth as I nodded my response. He slowly lowered my shirt and laid a hand on my shoulder.

"Yes, it is true, he was not my father. And because of this I was blamed and beaten. It was not my fault; it was my Naneth's. She craved power and would do anything to get it," my voice grew angry and pained as it always did when I began to think of this subject. "So she had me, a blood mix of elf and wizard; my Naneth and Gandalf," he looked shocked as I finally revealed the name of my father, but I did not stop my ranting. "A being she deemed would be so powerful that it would be unstoppable. And then when her wants were granted, she turned away from them and beat me. She blamed my true father for everything and banished him from Eglarest. I didn't even get a goodbye. When he was gone the beatings started. I received them almost every night for hours on end. And even when you and Legolas were there I could not tell you because they would have killed you. They didn't want anyone to know. They would have killed me for telling you. I was so afraid," I could feel tears fall from my eyes and I watched them fall into the river before me. They created perfect rings that were soon distorted by the moving waters. My anger ceased as I watched my tears mix with running water and be carried away.

"Raina," Estel whispered as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder. "It is alright now. You are safe. They will not touch you again for I will not let them. You are safe here."

"I know this, Estel," I responed as I wiped away the tears that continued to fall down my cheeks. "But this dream I keep having, it brings back all of my old fears and I am powerless to stop it."

"Tell me," He half commanded and half begged as he began to lightly stroke my hair to comfort me.

I sighed as I began. "It all starts back in Moria, at Khazad Dum. When the rock breaks and Gandalf is pulled off of the remains of the bridge by the Belrog, I am standing before him. I have hold of his hand. He continues to call out to me, 'Help me, Raina. Help me, my daughter,' and I try to pull him up, but every time he slips through my fingers and I drop him. I turn around and I run from the mines, but you all call after me, accusing me, blaming me for dropping him. And when I finally emerge from that dark place, my Naneth and the King are waiting for me. They tie me up and begin to drag me away. By this point you have all emerged from the mines, but when I call out for help you all turn away and continue with your journey," I pause for a moment to stop new tears from falling from my eyes before I continue. "I try to stop this dream, but I am powerless against it."

"Raina," He pulled me against him now and I laid my head on his shoulder. "You do not need to fear this dream, for it will never happen. You could not have saved Gandalf any more than the rest of us could have. He knew what would happen. It was not your fault," I nodded against him lightly to confirm I was still listening. "And, I will never let those horrible people ever touch you again. I swear this on my own life."

"Thank you, Estel," I whispered. I leaned more heavily on his shoulder now as I felt quite tired again.

"Come now," he responded to my tired state by lifting me into his arms and standing himself. "We must get back to the others. You must sleep and I must soon keep watch."

He carried me back to where we had set up camp and went over to where Gimli sat. By now, he seemed to have believed that I had fallen asleep, but I was awake long enough to hear their conversation.

"Is the Lass alright, Aragorn?" Gimli asked as he stood to aknowledge Aragorn's arrival.

"Aye, just had a nightmare," Estel replied, "and quite a terrible one at that. I do not blame her for running off again."

"Aye, but she should stop that habit," Gimli answered and I agreed with him. Who knows what I would encounter alone in a strange place, especially at night.

"Aye, I agree, but tonight, it was warranted," He began to sit down as he responded to the dwarf. "Go and sleep Gimli, I will take up the watch now."

"And the Lass?" He seemed as confused as I was. I assumed that he would lay me back on my pallet.

"She will remain with me for now," the man replied and he arranged me to sleep on the ground with my head in his lap. "She needs a night of peaceful rest and I hope to be able to give such a thing to her." I swore I could hear the smirking tone in Gimli's voice as he bid Estel a goodnight and walked away. I could hear the smirk in Estel's voice as well as he said, "Sleep, Raina, for now you are safe to do so."