When I Needed You *

Chapter Seven: Into the Circle

I'd like to be a soldier
A general I would be
In battle and in glory
With ten thousand men to lead
~Erasure~

Renee woke alone in the room, she groaned as she sat up. The ground was a bit more forgiving than the marble floor. She wondered what time it was as she stood and stretched trying to work the kinks out of her back. She looked around and tried to hear if Aragorn was maybe in the bathing room but she couldn’t hear anything. She looked out the window and saw that it was probably way after breakfast. Renee sighed Aragorn was probably not happy with her. She should have been up hours ago. She was just putting away her borrowed pillow when Aragorn came in.

“Good morning! How did you sleep?” he greeted her with a grin.

She smiled back at him and was surprised to see him carrying a tray of food.

“Morning, I had thought I missed breakfast.”

“I let you sleep in, I thought you needed the rest,” he said as he set the tray down at the small table near the balcony doors. “Come and eat and talk with me a minute.”

He waited until she sat and had a few bites before speaking again.

“Renee, why did you sneak in last night?”

She sighed and put her fork down.

“I tried to sleep. I think I might have a little, but I just,” she looked out the window embarrassed. “I was scared. I know I’m safe here. I know there is nothing to be scared of here in Rivendell, I told myself I was being silly, but once I had the thought to come here I felt so much better. I was running down the hallway before I even thought about it. And then I was here and I didn’t want you mad at me so I snuck in. I only meant to get a little sleep and then go back to my room,” she sighed again and looked back to him. “I’m sorry.”

“I really wish I could convince you to stop saying that!” he smiled. “For me, I don’t care that you slept here. But we are in the house of Elrond, and propriety must be kept.”
Aragorn sighed deeply, he didn’t see a solution. He knew what troubled her in her sleep and could not get upset that she didn’t feel safe.

“Next time, wake me. We will see if we can make you feel safe enough to go back to sleep.”

“Okay.”

“Now Arwen stopped by earlier and is bringing you a dress, I suggest you finish your breakfast and go bath. She should be here any minute.”

“Arwen saw me sleeping in your room!” Renee paled. Aragorn laughed at her expression.

“Renee calm down. I showed her my bond mark last night. She has no suspicions, she will not hate you. You’re my sister and you were sleeping in my floor.”

“Indeed,” came a voice from the door, “even if I didn’t trust you Renee. I do trust Estel. But I do trust you, and I trust the Valar. They would not have blessed your blood bond if it was not Their will,” Arwen came in bearing a dress and smiling at Renee. Renee smiled back relieved.

After her bath Aragorn again tamed her hair, she didn’t know what she would do if he hadn’t been there, she might really have cut it off. Then they were both called to Lord Elrond’s office. Renee was very nervous as they approached. She knew some of her fate would be decided in this meeting. She was surprised that Elrond was not alone, Glorfindel and Gandalf were both there already.

As she and Aragorn entered the males rose to their feet. Aragorn showed her to a seat and sat in the chair next to her. Elrond remained standing though everyone else was sitting.

“I have asked you here Aragorn to find out about this elleth you have claimed as sister. Would you care to explain how this came about?” Elrond cloaked his demand in a request but everyone saw through him.

Aragorn stood as he spoke, “I was on the trail to Bree several weeks out, when one morning I found a girl appearing out of thin air,” he glanced to Renee then said in elvish, ‘She had been beaten and sorely mis-used,’ then he continued in common, “I could not in good conscience leave her there. It was at least a week in any direction to the nearest village. After I cared for her wounds, I brought her with me. After much travel and hearing her tale I came to care for her. She had no family so I offered her mine. The Valar approved,” Aragorn held out his hand to Lord Elrond, so he could inspect the scar and strange bird like mark.

Elrond sighed, not even he would argue with the Valar and Aragorn knew it. “I am only concerned with the ease at which you give your blood. Your blood line should not be given so easily.”

“My bloodline is mine to give. Renee may be young but she has a gift. The first time I touched her, she named me. She recites my titles, the old and the ones not yet given.”

“Mithrandir, do you have anything to add to this discussion?” Elrond asked with a sigh as he sat behind his desk again.

Gandalf stood and walked to Renee who had been staring at her lap through the entire discussion. He held his hand out over her head and closed his eyes. He dropped his hand after a moment and spoke softly.

“Child, will you not look at me?”

Renee looked up and met his gaze.

~The world seemed to fall away, she saw Isengard and Saruman, she saw the fight between the two mighty wizards, Saruman only winning because of his delving into the darkness for power. She saw brown bleeding into grey and grey into white. She saw white turning black and black turning red. A great eagle in the sky, she felt the wings brushing her face and the air rushing by. She felt power and weakness. She felt life and death. She felt strong and impotent. And balance. Fate. A never ending cycle of cause and effect. Knowing and..~

“Strider, Captain of the Dunedain Rangers, last of the Numenor. Aragorn, son of Arathorn, Estel, King Elessar, the Elfstone. The Legend who Walks. Wielder of Narsil, the blade re-forged. Protector of the Ring-bearer. King of the Dead Who Walk. Son, lover, husband, father.”

“Aragorn I’m really getting tired of that,” then she fainted.

Aragorn caught her as she fell. He turned angrily and hissed, “There do you see. She is a seer. And she has already saved Frodo from a horrible fate!”

Glorfindel spoke up then. “Let us speak frankly for a moment while the girl rests. You said the girl was beaten and sorely used. Explain.”

“Her father is a drunkard. He beat and raped her just days before she appeared in the forest.”

Gandalf spoke up, “She is not from this world, but she is of this world. I can not know how she ended up there or how she is here now. I saw into her mind just as she saw into mine. She must train her gift, for she will be a great asset to the Light. Aragorn could not ask for a better sister.”

“Very well then, I will add her name to the line of Arathorn.” Elrond sighed in defeat. “I sense you have more to ask of me, Estel.”

“Yes Ada, when she is more comfortable here. Would you examine her. I fear permanent damage was done to her, her father was not gentle or kind in his use of her.”

Elrond closed his eyes in grief. That was not what he had been expecting.

“Of course, she is my daughter now after all,” he smiled a little another child! He was gathering them was he not! “By the by, how old is my newest daughter?”

“Fifteen years old,” Aragorn laughed at their shocked expressions.

Glorfindel stood with a look of barely suppressed rage on his face. “Sweet Elbereth, she is but a babe! How could anyone do that to a baby? Where is he? I will gather a party, Elladan and Elrohir will return soon, we will leave again the next morn and hunt down the orc spawn. Tell me where this man is that called himself father.”

Elrond stood and calmed his friend. “As Gandalf said she is not from this world. Her father is not here in Middle-earth. Be calm my friend the Valar have noticed her and they will not let him get by with it. Let the Valar deal out what justice they may,” Elrond stepped over the Aragorn who was still holding Renee in his lap. He held his hand over her forehead for a moment.

“Speak to her, tell her to wake. She will listen to you,” he commanded.

Aragorn looked to Renee. She looked so small and young when she slept.

“Renee, wake up. You are safe here. Aewnaur, wake,” Aragorn called to her softly.

Elrond and Glorfindel looked on in worry, Gandalf could tell they were getting ready to baby her and he could not let that happen. He would need her in the coming months, he had seen it in her head. He could not allow anyone to treat her as a child, well it was probably already hopeless with Aragorn! He would forever see her as a child, Gandalf mused.

“Elrond, I must insist that you treat Renee as an adult. In her world she was nearly there. With her experiences and gift, she is not as a fifteen year old elf would be. Glorfindel felt it when they first met, she is an old soul, and has seen many horrific things with her gift. I believe she should come to the council. Indeed I think you would find it hard to keep her away.”

Renee heard her name being called. Who? Aragorn? Yeah, oh man I am so getting tired of passing out, she groaned.

“Could any of you explain why my gift is going so crazy? I didn’t even touch him, all I did was look at him,” she whispered as she sat up.

“Your gifts are changing because you are changing. Before, in the other world you were human were you not,” Gandalf settled back into his chair, his eyes intent on the girl in front of him.

Renee looked terrified, she grabbed onto Aragorn’s arm. This was it, they knew she was not a real elf and they were going to try to send her home. But she could not lie, she really wasn’t an elf.

“Yes,” she cleared her throat and took a deep breath. She had to show them that she was not a child and that she was worthy of being Aragorn’s sister. She had to give them a reason not to send her back. She knew that so far she had not given them a very good impression of her.

“Yes, in my world I was a human. I don’t know why I am an elf here, but,” she turned to look at Aragorn for support, “the Valar must have had a reason. They put me right in Aragorn’s path. Practically gift wrapped me up and gave me to him,” she turned and spoke to Elrond for the first time. “I can help him. I Will help him.”

“Hm, such fire, an apt name you have chosen, daughter of Arathorn,” Elrond smirked.

Renee swallowed, it was a small sign but she could see acceptance in her future. She ducked her head and bit the inside of her cheek, happiness was trying to explode. She just had to remain calm. Don’t do the happy dance yet wait until you are in your room, she thought to herself.

The men looked to each other and smiled at her blush. Gandalf cleared his throat and spoke up again.

“Yes, well as to the matter of your gifts, I believe that they are changing due to several factors. As an elf your powers of foresight will be different, elves also reach their majority much later than humans but as you have reached your human majority your elf body is attempting to adjust. Let us say that you are more like an elf of a hundred years rather than one of fifteen years. Also I almost hesitate to mention it and yet I must, there is the trauma you recently experienced. The trauma of an attack could have triggered a change in your gift, your power could be trying to compensate for something else. Renee, I must tell you that here things are not as grey as they are in your world. Here most things are either black or white, good or evil. Here in this world concepts like Light and Dark are real. You do understand that don’t you?”

“Yes, I accept that. No elf has ever gone dark, orcs don’t count because they were broken and be-spelled. I know that. But the more that Men take over the more grey this world will become, do you accept that? The hearts of Men are true only to themselves,” she spoke quietly but with conviction.

“What of your brother, do you believe he is only true to himself?” Elrond asked intrigued by this new turn of conversation as well as insight into his new daughters mind.

“Aragorn has more elvish blood than human, the only reason he does not look like an elf is because of the choice of your brother, Lord Elrond. The Numenor blood alone makes him human. Even so yes, Aragorn is true to himself alone. It is to your credit that he is what he is. He is true to his beliefs, true to his own honor. You had a hand in creating that honor, but in the end, it is his alone,” She didn’t know where all of this was coming from. As she spoke she saw vague images floating in and out of her mind. Images from Gandalf, Arwen and even Glorfindel. Thoughts swirled around in her head as if they were hers and yet she had never thought them.

Renee shook her head to get rid of the foreign thoughts. “I’m sorry, I don’t know where that came from,” she whispered as she ducked her head again.

Glorfindel chuckled, “Do not be sorry child, everything you spoke was truth. I believe you have a bit of my thoughts circling around in that head of yours. I have often voiced the same sentiment to Elrond.”

Renee was saved from embarrassing herself any further by a knock on the door. Oh thank the Valar, saved by the bell, she thought.

“Enter,” Elrond’s commanding voice called out.

“Pardon me my lord, it is almost time,” the elf said, before quickly leaving again.

“Well let us all adjourn to the porch then. Renee, I assume you wish to join the council?” Elrond questioned.

Renee nodded, her head was beginning to hurt again but she wasn’t going to miss the famous Council of Elrond for all the aspirin on earth!

*

There were two rows of chairs lined up in a semi-circle facing a slightly raised dais. Aragorn sat in the corner next to a pillar and motioned that she should sit in the chair behind him. She sat and waited for the others to arrive. From her vantage point she could see nearly every seat, but most clearly she watched Gandalf talk to Frodo and another older hobbit. This must be Bilbo, she thought.

Finally everyone was seated and an odd thought struck Renee. This world was not exactly like the book or movie but a strange blending of the two and so much more. It was real. Not some storybook or movie of the decade, no this was real life and the Fellowship of the Ring was made up of real people. This man who sat but a few seats from her, Boromir, he would die on this quest. And she would let him. Letting him live would change to much. She could not see how letting him live would effect the future but she knew the ring would take him and in giving his life to protect the hobbits he would regain his honor. It was the only thing she could do for him. Let him die fighting with honor. She sighed, so much pain and death for such a small bit of gold.

The story of the ring was told and everyone got a chance to speak, then finally the ring was brought out by Frodo. She could feel his relief from across the circle, she closed her eyes when the tension in the room mounted. Everyone was being effected by the ring in one way or another. Even her. She didn’t feel like taking it, no, it did not call to her. But she was effected by the people around her. Aragorn and a few of the elves didn’t seem to want the ring either, but they did feel the power it emanated. Desire coursed through her in waves. The feeling was a sick oily kind of want. Lust. Who? She thought. The Men, they were all taken by the ring. She shook the feeling off, it was sad really. They were all Men of honor, but they were weak willed.

Aragorn speaking brought her out of her thoughts.

“The words were not the doom of Minas Tirith,” said Aragorn. “But doom and great deeds are indeed at hand.”

Renee lost herself back into her thoughts. Why didn’t I memorize the book, she agonized. She had seen the movie and could quote the important parts but this council was just too boring. She let her mind drift, she pushed all of the foreign emotions away, things like lust, confusion, and anger would just get in the way. She wanted to see if she could use her gift in a different way.

First she cleared her mind of everything but her gift. Then she concentrated on what she wanted to know. What did she want to know? She already knew who would go on the quest, and she knew most all of their trials on the road. What could she explore? She briefly let her mind settle on each of the Men. She couldn’t abide the lust and greed she felt from them, Boromir being the least effected of them all, which was stunning considering how much he wanted to take the ring back to Gondor.

Next she explored the dwarves, their minds were so different from any she had touched she could barely understand them. They didn’t want to use the ring for power at all it seemed, but they did want to possess it. To have it for the power it represented, would be just as useless as letting Gollum have it again. It wouldn’t be used but it wouldn’t be safe either. And as everyone knows it would seek to destroy everything in its path until it was back in the hands of evil. Even if it had to twist a dwarf to do it.

Her mind turned to the elves next. They were all interested in the tales that were told and some felt guilt over the loss of Gollum. The ring seemed to effect them less than even the dwarves. There were a few, yes that would seek to use it for good but mostly they shied away from those thoughts as they knew it would be a futile attempt. The ring was nothing but evil and ’could not’ be used for the Light. Renee was reminded of the legends of the Jinn. No matter how innocent of a wish that you made the demon jinn would turn it evil. That was how the ring worked. She turned her mind to the next elf.

She wasn’t really paying attention to the council anymore, and her eyes were closed but some in the council were paying attention to her. Gandalf and Elrond to be exact. Lord Elrond looked to her as he felt her mind expand and wondered at the control she was showing. He had not felt another’s mind quite like this with the possible exception of Galadriel. She seemed to be examining each mind at the council. He looked to Gandalf to see if the wizard could feel what she was doing. The wizard looked to be dozing off but Elrond could tell that he was eyeing the girl as well.

Gandalf sat up straight in his chair as he felt a sudden chill in the air. He had felt Renee’s mind as it examined the dwarves and men and the air had grown warm and heavy. He could tell when she moved on to the elves and the air had grown lighter, yet just as warm, so the sudden chill was a shock. He looked to her and found her staring right at a certain young blond elf. Then the air settled and she pulled her mind back to herself, he felt sure that she had been unaware that anyone could feel what she was doing. The troubled young girl went back to staring at her lap as the meeting wore on.

Renee’s mind touched Legolas’s mind for only an instant but she was flooded with such light and warmth that she thought for a moment that she would go blind from it. She saw Mirkwood as a beautiful place, with the mist settling on the ground in the morning sun, She saw as the woods became dark and unsettling. She saw an lifetime of loneliness surrounded by people who all wanted you for what you could do for them. Legolas was a creature full of duty and honor who wanted to just be released from his cage. She felt her soul sing at the kindred spirit, they were nothing alike, strangers really, and yet she felt her mind connect to him like she had never connected to anyone ever before. Not even with Aragorn had she formed a connection this quickly. She saw visions of them on the quest together, helping each other through the long darkness that was Moria. Then the most unexpected of all and quite terrifying really. She saw him leaning over her and she knew they were intimate. They were bonding in the elven way.

She withdrew her mind quickly, on the edge of panic. She chanced a quick look up at Legolas and found him staring right at her. She blushed and looked back to her lap. Oh God, had he seen? Did he know? No, it didn’t work that way. No one had ever shared her visions before, why then was he staring at her? She couldn’t wait to get out of this council.

Renee turned her mind back to the council, everyone had grown silent and she wondered what she had missed.

“I will take the Ring,” Frodo said, “though I do not know the way.”

Finally! I really didn’t pay attention to anything that just happened and I so should have, Renee growled at herself. But she just could not feel bad about not having paid attention, she knew most of what had been said and what she didn’t she probably didn’t want to know anyway! Sam and Frodo had said they would take the ring. That was about all that had been decided, but she could see the determination in the eyes of the people she knew would go. That was good, she didn’t want to think they would have to be persuaded to go.

As everyone stood to leave, Gandalf approached her.

“Lady Renee, I believe we should talk, you and I,” he spoke low so as not to be overheard. Lord Elrond walked up while they were speaking however and included himself at the meeting. Renee felt for an instant that they knew what had happened with Legolas but passed on that thought quickly. If anything they might have know she had felt of everyone but they couldn’t possibly know that she had seen herself having sex with Legolas! Right? She escaped as soon as she was able and almost ran to her room.

*

She ate dinner that night alone in her room. Aragorn had come by earlier to make sure that she was alright but otherwise she kept to herself. Renee was confused about her gift. It seemed so out of control. How had she been able to see that vision of her and Legolas without even touching him? She understood that as an elf her gift would change but where was it going to end? Would she be able to touch anyone? I should have named myself Rogue when I landed here, she thought. Never able to touch anyone without seeing into them.

And how was I able to feel everybody? I bet Gandalf knew what I was doing. That is what he wants to talk about I bet. I hope I’m not in trouble with Lord Elrond. If Gandalf knew I bet Elrond knew as well, that‘s why he wanted in on the meeting. She sighed and stared down at the waterfall some more.

*

It was getting darker as evening fell and Renee started berating herself. I’m in freakin’ Rivendell for crying out loud, and I’m just sitting alone in my room. Argh, I’m going stir crazy, I have to get out of here for a little bit. She pulled on the leather breeches and grey tunic that had been returned to her room while they were still at the council, and left the room. She had no idea where she was going but that didn’t stop her from walking the halls.

The night was quiet and it seemed most inhabitants must have found their rest as Renee hadn’t seen anyone in the past hour. She was walking the grounds, the lights from the main house reflected off all of the water until it felt like she was walking in glitter. She could just make out the main complex through the trees, but a smaller one in front of her drew her attention. As she walked closer she could hear a strange sound coming from the other side. She peeked in the windows of the building as she walked by. It was a weapons house. A small smithy was set up in the corner to correct minor damages, but mostly the building was filled with racks of different kinds of weapons. She continued on around the building, knowing the training grounds must be on the other side. Renee was curious to know what kind of weapon made that sound.

*

Legolas had been unsettled since the council meeting. He knew it was the Lady Renee affecting him this way, he just didn’t know how. During the meeting he had felt her reach out and touch him with her mind. It was a sensation you just did not forget. Though unlike the Lady Galadriel she had not spoken to him, he felt like she could have if she had wanted to. Thoughts swirled through him, how could he have known it was her? There were many people at the meeting that he had not known, any of them were as likely as the young elleth Aragorn had brought. How had he known? Yet when he had looked up and saw her staring at him, he could not doubt that it was her.

He shot another arrow, usually practicing with his bow settled his mind, but not tonight. It almost seemed like he was waiting on something. He reached back to grab another arrow and felt his quiver empty. He sighed. It had not helped at all and he had shot all of his arrows. He stood with his head bowed for a moment before turning at the sound of soft footfalls. The figure was still in the shadows but he could feel that it was her, Lady Renee.

Her presence filled him with even more confusion and a strange heat. He had to restrain himself from flaring his aura and bringing light to those shadows. He wanted to see her, wanted to know why she was spying on him. He held his breath as she walked closer. She wasn’t beautiful like some of the older she-elves that he knew, no her beauty was vastly different. She seemed young in spirit and if at all possible old too. Like everything was new to her and also like she had seen it all before. She was quiet even when he had heard her speak she had spoken softly. That was a very attractive feature, most of the elleth he had been around were constantly talking and trying to gain his favor.

While Legolas was gathering his circling thoughts Renee was gathering her courage. This was the elf she was meant for. Deep in her soul she knew it. In her world Legolas was of honorable character and she knew she would be traveling the length of Middle-Earth with him. She was determined to face herself and trust him. She took a few more steps out of the shadows.

“I’m sorry for intruding,” she spoke softly knowing that her voice would carry in the silence of the night.

“You are not interrupting anything my lady, I was merely practicing my archery,” Legolas answered her, willing his voice not to crack like an elfling.

“Is it normal then to practice in the middle of the night?” Renee asked with a smile. It seemed unlikely but then again who knew.

“I can not say normal, my lady, but useful. Orcs and goblins most often attack at night,” he smiled back at her. He could not bring himself to admit that thoughts of her had driven him out to the practice fields.

“I understand. This will give you an edge then.”

He inclined his head a little to acknowledge her insight.

“And you my lady? What drives you to these fields at this time of the night?” Had she known he was there? He questioned himself.

“Please my name is Renee, just Renee. I heard a strange noise as I was walking and thought to check it out. I believe it was your bow, as it turns out,” she was almost to his side and staring at his bow. She had never seen anyone use a bow before, all of her weapons training had been with the blade and staff.

“Then you must call me Legolas and we will be friends,” he smiled down at her and noticed where she was looking. “You act as if you have never seen a bow before,” he chuckled. But that was a crazy thought wasn’t it?

“Well seen yes, but not in person. Where I am from we do not use them anymore.” she was fascinated with it. She wondered if she could get Aragorn to teach her to use a bow.

“And where are you from, that you no longer need to use a bow?” he amended his earlier thought, she was not enchanting she was entrancing. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.

“Another world,” she whispered as she finally looked up at him.

“You are from over the sea?” he asked, stunned.

“Oh no much further than that!” Renee almost giggled in delight. She had managed to stun an elf.

“You are having fun with me aren’t you?” Legolas smiled. He could feel himself falling for her already. What ever she had done to him during the council meeting was still affecting him, he felt drawn to her.

“No, I can assure you, I am not lying to you. If you don’t believe me you can ask Gandalf.”

“I thought you didn’t know Gandalf.” He said still smiling. He put his bow on the table to the side and offered her his elbow. “Shall we retrieve my arrows as we talk?”

“But of course!” Renee was walking on cloud nine. The most beautiful creature she had ever seen was walking with her, and she was totally relaxed. This was the best evening of her entire life! “I met Gandalf earlier today, when he confirmed for Lord Elrond that I am indeed from another world,” she continued their conversation.

“Ah, then I suppose I must accept it as well. You must tell me how you came to travel with Estel sometime,” he said as they neared the target.

Renee noticed that all of his arrows were patterned around the bulls eye, not a single stray arrow.

“Wow, you must be amazing with that bow!”

Legolas felt his chest swell with pride at her comment but he was ever modest. “Well, I do have a fair hand at it, though I have had almost three millennia of practice. Are you Okay?” he asked. Concerned when she started choking.

“I’m fine. Really,” Renee waved him off. “Did you really just say three millennia?”

“Yes, though actually I am still shy of that mark by a century,” he answered her curious at her reaction. He was not exceptionally old or young by elven standards. “I am curious at your reaction. Do elves not live so long in your world?”

She couldn’t help but laugh, if he only knew. Should she tell him? Yes, she couldn’t start their relationship, even if it was only friendship, off by lying too him.

“There aren’t actually any elves in my world. Everyone is human there,” she whispered not really wanting to see his eyes when he realized she wasn’t an elf.

“What about you? You’re an elf.”

“I wasn’t there. I was human, only here am I an elf,” she sighed. “So there, now you know my deep dark secret. I am really a human.”

“Are you going back to your world?” The thought struck him, he felt as if an orc had just landed a blow to his midsection.

“No, no I can’t go back. Gandalf said, I can never go back. For which I am vastly relieved, I must say,” she looked back to him trying to gauge his reaction. She was surprised to see relief in his eyes.

“Well then that is nonsense. If you can not go back and you are an elf here then you must accept that you are an elf,” he was reassuring himself as much as her.

“You make it sound so simple.”

“It is simple. You are here, and you are an elf. Accept it, for only in accepting yourself will you find true peace.”

“Wow, that was profound!” she laughed softly at his blushing cheeks.

They made it back to the table where he had left his bow in silence.

“I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I’m sorry. I’ll, um, I’ll just go back,” she was cut off by Legolas speaking.

“Please stay. I haven’t showed you how to use the bow yet,” he did not want her to leave him yet. He was embarrassed but not so much he wanted her to leave.

“Okay, I’ll stay but only if you teach me. Not just show me,” Renee couldn’t think of anything else that would insure she got to spend vast amounts of time with him before leaving on the quest. She knew they would have about two months to get comfortable with each other before being alone with the rest of the Fellowship. She knew the rest of the men might not want her along for such a dangerous thing but if she could prove her worth to Legolas it would much improve her chances.

“Yes, I will teach you,” Legolas beamed at the thought of spending time with his arms wrapped around this strange truly other worldly creature. “But I think your first lesson will not be tonight. Tonight you will watch, tomorrow in the light of day I will let you try your hand.”

“Agreed!” Renee’s smile was huge, she couldn’t help herself.

The next few hours they talked of little things, just getting to know each other as friends. She said nothing of real import about herself, shying away from painful topics like her family and her previous life. She did tell him of meeting Aragorn in the forest and fighting the Ring Wraiths. He told her of Mirkwood and finally told her he was the Crown Prince. He was nervous and shy when he actually said it but she set him at ease when she said that she had already known. She was after all at the council meeting. He blushed when he realized it was true, and yet she had not treated him with the usual insipid babble most elleth did.

As the dawn turned the sky a bright shade of purple then gave way to pink they were still talking. Legolas shot his arrows less and less frequently as the conversation turned more serious. Renee was just getting around to telling him of her gifts when she realized she had left her gloves in her room last night and had in fact touched Legolas several times without a single vision.

“What? I delight at your smile, it lights up your face. I would know what thoughts brought this to you, so that I might remind you of it often and delight again.”

She could totally understand why women used to swoon! She had to look away from him, she looked down at her boots, because you know they were so very interesting.

“It’s just that,” she chewed her lip. “I, do you remember,” she groaned. “Of course you do that was stupid! Um, did anyone tell you why I had passed out the other day?”

“No, are you alright? We should not have stayed out here all night!” his voice was full of worry.

“Yes! No! Um, I mean I’m fine. The thing is, I have this power, were I can touch things and know things about them. And sometimes I can touch people and see things about them, sometimes the past sometimes the future. Since being here, this, whatever you call it, gift or power, has changed. It’s gone crazy. But I’ve just spent the entire night with you and touched you several times without a single vision. It’s just a relief that’s all,” she babbled.

Legolas was stunned. He had known she had some type of power, but by the Valar, she was a Seer! He was about to comment when he heard footsteps coming around the corner of the weapons shed.

“Legolas, are you,” Aragorn trailed off when he spotted them. “Hello, I was just looking for you Renee. I was about to ask Legolas to help me find you,” he walked up to them. He noticed how close they were standing and smiled to himself, he would owe Arwen a foot massage. It looked like she was right, Legolas and his sister looked mighty cozy together. In fact they would make a beautiful couple and a great match. He knew he could trust his long time friend with her. Even so, he didn’t have to make it easy for Legolas.

“And what exactly did you think you were doing out here all night. Alone,” his voice was stern as he kept his gaze directed at the contrite elf.

Renee swallowed hard and paled. When Aragorn had come around the corner she had immediately stepped away from Legolas. Aragorn seemed really upset. She had never seen Aragorn in a temper, and didn’t know he was joking with his friend. She was afraid that she had done something wrong, she really didn‘t know the customs here. Plus he had probably stayed up all night waiting for her to come to his room, she hoped he wasn’t too upset. She chewed her lip as she walked to him trying to explain.

“I just lost track of time, I’m sorry Aragorn. Please don’t be angry. I swear it won’t happen again,” she stopped right in front of him, staring at his boots.

Legolas gave Aragorn a confused look, why was she so upset? Aragorn winced when he realized Renee thought he was seriously angry with her. He reached out to nudge her chin up so she would look at him but his hand never got that far. She tensed and froze before he could touch her. She thought he was going to strike her, he realized. He lowered his hand and spoke softly, though he knew with his elvish hearing Legolas would still hear.

“Muinthel, I was teasing Legolas. I am truly not angry with you,” Aragorn waited, when she did not look at him he continued, “Renee, you do know that even if I was upset with you. I would never strike you. You know that don’t you. Renee, please look at me. It’s me, Aragorn. I am not him.”

Renee swallowed her fear as she looked up at her blood brother. He was right, she knew he would not strike her. Why did she have to make an idiot of herself all the time.

“I know, I’m sorry. I just,” she looked back to the ground, unable to hold his gaze, it was almost like pity yet she knew he didn’t pity her. What was it then, she wondered. “I’m sorry,” she finished lamely.

He pulled her into a tight embrace, his right hand going into her hair and his left seeking out her left hand where their scars were. Those scars would forever be a symbol of their bond. She understood the gesture, they had chosen each other, they were family in a much better way than she had ever had before. She nodded her head in understanding.

“Go on inside and get changed. Legolas and I will meet you in the dining hall,” he whispered into her hair as he looked to Legolas. The blond elf nodded that, yes he would join them.

Renee fled without looking back at the elf so she didn’t see the confusion on his face or the dawning of understanding. His eyes narrowed as he looked to his long time friend.

“She thought you were going to hit her,” Legolas said as a not quite question.

“No, not really. She was,” Aragorn scratched his beard as he looked after Renee, “She was unsure.”

“Hmm.”

Aragorn looked back to Legolas who seemed to be lost in thought. He couldn’t help but grin, his friend was also staring at the corner were Renee had gone.

“So mellon nin tell me, what are your intentions towards my sister?” Aragorn smirked as the elf blushed and ducked his head.

Legolas busied himself gathering his arrows and bow, thinking about Renee. Did he have intentions? Yes, he certainly liked her, but could there be anything more? Well that is what courtship is for is it not? To get to know one another better. She was nothing like the elleth he had met in the past, she was in fact quite intriguing, not to mention that his entire being seemed to recognize her and come alive. He took a deep breath and turned to his friend.

“I have no intentions towards her other than teaching her the bow. Which she has requested,” he lied through his elven teeth.

“Ah, yes. The bow,” Aragorn grinned but said no more.

Legolas cleared his throat breaking the awkward silence and gathered up the last of his weapons before turning to leave the practice field.

“I believe we have a breakfast to attend,” Legolas said over his shoulder as he passed his smirking friend.



tbc...