Leila stared at her reflection in the surface of the water. She sat beside a quiet pool far enough from the camp to be alone, but not too far. She was a mess. Her hair was stringy, dirty with grim, dirt and blood. Her green eyes seemed lifeless to her, as if she'd suffered terribly - and maybe in a way she had. She had been the cause of Jairah's breakdown after all. SHe had caused it. She'd been so selfish when it came to saving Boromir that she hadn't thought about the consequences. Sure, she had the love of her life by her side, but nothing else. She sighed, pulling her shirt - which had been cleamed an mended in Lothlorien, aside to look at the gruesome bit on her shoulder. It was swelling, and still oozed blood, and she was positive that if she didn't take care of it she would be infected by whatever germs an orc carried in its mouth.

She looked around quickly before pulling offer her clothes and wading into the until she was neck deep in the water.She sighed in content then, happy to be able to get clean. Sure, the water was cold, but she had brough a dress similar to Jairah's with her so that she could was her clothes. She dunked herself underwater, furiously working at her hair to make it its natural coloure agian. She surfaced and began to furiously scrub at her skin until it was red from the lye in her little bar of soap. She placed the bar of rough brown soap on a nearby rock and dunked underwater again. She surfaced anf whiped water out of her eyes before opening them - She then let out a startled shriek and hid behind the moss covered rock, peeking over the top of it.

Boromir was crimson red. She'd seen him walk into the clearing, obviously looking for her, but obviously not expecting to see her in her current state of undress. He cleared his throat and turned around, the back of his neck red, "Forgive me Leila, I did not know you were bathing."
Leila stared at his back for a moment, shocked that he hadn't tried to get a good look at her - then she reminded herself that Boromir wasn't from her world, "It's all right Boromir, I didn't tell anyone. Were you looking for me?"
Boromir coughed, "I was going to ask if you wished to go for a walk with me, but you are preoccupied and I will leave you now."
"Boromir," she said softly as he began to leave. He turned to her, meeting her eyes and she finished her thought, "Give me about ten minutes to get dressed and I will go for a walk with you."
He nodded slightly before leaving the clearing. Leila sighed and hauled herself out of the water, quickly wrapping her makeshift towel around herself and drying off, pulling on the clean dress and attempting to dry her hair. Finally she gave up and let it loose from the towel, noticing happily that though it was still damp and slightly stringy from not being brushed that it was clean. She gathered her things together and walked back to camp, placing her things in her tent before making her way to the fire where Boromir sat conversing with Merry and Pippin.

She stopped next to him and began brushing her hair with her fingers. Merry greeted her happily while Pippin complained loudly to her that he was hungry and he didn't understand how the big-folk could stand to eat so few meals. Boromir smiled at her and stood, offering her his arm, which she gratefully took and they headed off on their walk.

Part 29
(Author: Jennzah)

Legolas was worried. it wasn't a feeling he had often, and it wasnt a feeling that was familar to  him, not at all. in fact, the last time he'd felt worried was when Jairah had been cut by the Orc blade, and she'd been dying, and when she'd disappeared. and now he felt it again, only ten times as worse. and once again, this worry pertained to Jairah.

he looked over to where she sat, huddled next to one of the large Fangorn trees. She looked so small, so fragile. Her arms were wrapped around her knees that she'd drawn up to her chin, her hair spilling over them. She stared off into the forest, not focusing on one specific thing. She was lost.

When they'd fled Isengard, he'd run with her in her arms, because in Isengard she'd broken down, she'd stopped. He couldn't explain it. he felt her inside, calling herself a killer, and struggling to find her way back to the light. she felt shrouded in darkness. and he did not know how to draw her out.

Once they had reached Fangorn, he'd let her rest, they'd all rested. The forest was safe, and they were all so tired. Once nightfall fell again, and Gandalf had still not returned, they set about settling in, to wait for him.

Legolas had taken Jairah into the woods a ways. She had not spoken since she'd called to him, to tell him where she was in the thick of Orc corpses, and this had troubled him. Indeed, she'd barely moved. She breathed, but that was about it. Her eyes were glazed, as if she were asleep but she was aware of what was going on around her, she allowed Legolas to lead her into the trees. Her eyes were cast down most of the time, she only fixed her gaze on him a few times.

He had found a small waterfall, a beautiful thing really. He looked at her, still caked in Orc blood, in her hair, on her skin, on her face. He took her hands in his and looked at them, the blood was under her nails. She'd slain so many Isengard Orcs. He must get the blood off of her.

So he'd lifted her up and she'd let him. she was as limp as a rag doll, and he was careful as he pulled her garments off of her, and shuddered as he saw the long thin scar on her abdomen. he let his fingers graze it, and then he took her in to the water and washed all the blood off of her, out of her hair, off of her skin, out from under her nails, untill she was sparkling and white again, just like she was at home, before times like this. she didnt move nor speak while he did all of this, though her eyes did meet his for a few seconds while he washed her face. it made him troubled to think that she was hidden, somewhere deep inside of herself, so far in that even he couldn't draw her out. he drew her hair, now wet, away from her face, and kissed her forehead.

"Jairah," he whispered, but couldn't say anything else. he'd brought her out of the water and wrapped her in his cloak, and set her by a tree, and went about bathing himself, and then washing all the blood and dirt out of her clothes. she sat, motionless, staring off into the sky. he looked back at her, from the side of the water, and he sighed. he didnt know what to do. she was so far hidden that even when he tried to talk to her with his mind she couldn't hear him, it seemed.

he looked at Jairah's dress as he brought it out of the water, she couldn't wear this dress anymore. it was badly stained and torn in many places. he didnt know if she'd brought any other clothes with her, and Leila's clothes would not fit Jairah, for Jairah was much smaller formed than Leila, for Leila was human, of course. so he went back to Jairah's side, where she still sat, huddled in his cloak. he drew the cloak off of her, buttoned his green waistcoat on her, wrapped the cloak back around her, and drew her into his arms again and went back to where the rest of the company had made a camp.

He heard Pippin complaining loudly about the lack of meals for the "larger people" as he came up, and he had to smile. The small hobbit saw him approaching with his love in his arms and came up to him. "How is she? Has she spoken?" he asked.

Legolas shook his head. "No," he said. He set Jairah down on her feet, which were bare. Pippin eyed them, looking at them funnily, for they were different than hobbit feet. Jairah's feet were not large and hairy, they were small, white, and smooth.

"Her feet are so white!" he said, looking up her legs, which werent covered too well by Legolas' coat and cloak. Legolas noticed this, and quickly picked up Jairah, while the completely innocent hobbit spoke again. "anyway, we're just about to go have some supper, do you think she'll eat?"

Legolas looked at Pippin. "Im not sure." he said, for he wasnt."but we will join you for certain. Give us just a moment." The hobbit nodded, and turned and went back towards the fire.

They had moved the elves things to a small tent off to the right, and Legolas went to this tent and began to search through Jairah's small bag that she'd carried. Sure enough, stowed at the bottom of the bag, was an extra dress. however crumpled it had gotten from travel, it was still clean and in good condition. as he smoothed it out, he noticed it was a dress his father had given her, a pretty dark green trimmed in a green so light it looked silvery. his father loved Jairah, doted on her like a daughter. how sad he would be to know of her current state. right now he wished for his fathers guidance, for certain he would know how to help draw Jairah out of her own mind.

he shook the thought away. it would do him no good wishing for things that could not be. he took the dress to Jairah, who sat outside in his cloak, staring at the sky again. he gently dressed her, and she let him, and then led her over to the fire where everyone sat.

they all looked at her as they sat down. she looked at none of them, her eyes were cast downward at her still bare feet. her hair was tangled, and Legolas took his fingers and began to gently comb through it, from the crown of her head to the very ends at the bottom of her back, a little at a time.

Aragorn finally broke the silence.

"how is she?" he asked quietly, gently.

Legolas looked at him, his fingers still combing through Jairah's hair as he spoke. "I do not know. She is hidden, deep inside herself, struggling to find her way out. I cannot even communicate with her mentally. when i push into her mind, i see black, and i hear her calling her self what in our language would be the word 'killer'. it was one of her fears, you see, that she was becoming a killer, and not who she was."

"It's my fault," said Leila suddenly, from her place next to Boromir. "I did it."

Legolas looked over at Leila, and shook his head. "How could it be your fault? This is an internal battle that Jairah is having with herself. You could not have caused it."

Leila shook her own head furiously. "It IS my fault. I caused this. All of this. I nearly caused her to die, when she was cut by that Orc blade. That was my fault as much as it was the blade that cut her. And now this. She is fighting with herself because of me." Tears came into her eyes.

There was a moments silence, before Gimli spoke up.

"Please tell us how this is your doing, Lady Leila. I fail to see how it can be any of your doing."

Everyone looked at Leila expectantly. She in turn looked at Boromir, for a long moment, and smiled. Then the smile faded and she looked at the group again.

"It is my fault because Jairah promised to help me. None of you save Aragorn and Legolas know this," she said, looking around at the faces. "But Boromir was supposed to die that day, at Amon Hen, when Jairah was wounded. He was supposed to be killed by the Uruk-Hai. and I knew it. and I didn't want it to happen, because im in love with him. And i went to Jairah, and i told her this, amongst other things. And she told me that she would help me prevent his death, because she knew the throes of love." Leila looked at Legolas as she said this. "And of course, he is alive. but Jairah was wounded, and she nearly died. That was my fault. and she has been fighting now all this time. it is my fault." Leila looked at Jairah now, who was staring into the fire that was in the middle of the group, her eyes glassy. Legolas had finished with her hair and it now shone and had tumbled over one of her shoulders. he had one of his arms protectively around her shoulder as well. He, however, was looking at Leila and shaking his head.

"No." he said. "Leila, please. You are not responsible for this. Jairah did promise you that she would help prevent Boromir's death. She fulfilled that promise. But it is not your doing that she has fought all this time, and now fallen into this state. Do not think that."

"How can I not?" Leila said. "She has been so driven.."

"She has been driven, yes." Legolas said, smiling gently at her. "But its not because of you, or because of Boromir. If any blame needs to be laid, it is at me. She is fighting for me. For our love, and for our life back home. She told me. She would fight to see it thrive, to see it stay alive. It fueled her, this, for a long time. It was why she came on this journey in the first place, Leila. Long before you fell into the dark waters of Moria into our lives. So take heart. It is not your fault."

Leila had fallen silent next to Boromir. She remembered what Jairah had said back in Lothlorien, about having the strength, and having the mind to protect what she loved, and she felt sad. Jairah had fought for so long that her strength had run out on her, and her mind was threatening to as well.

"Will she ever get better?" Pippin spoke up, munching on an apple. He'd given some lembas to Legolas to give to Jairah, but she had not touched them, she was still sitting, motionless, next to him, staring at the fire. He touched her head, and she had fallen into sleep. The darkness inside had quieted for now.

"It is my hope, that when Gandalf returns, that he will be able to aid me with this. I do not know how to draw her out." Legolas told him.

just then they heard a snap in the woods, which sounded like footsteps coming closer....

(Author: Krissy)

Everyone tensed as they heard the footfalls. Arogorn looked into the trees, trying to make whatever figure was in them. Quickly he drew his weapon standing up in the firelight, putting his hand toward the other telling them silently to stay there, but to be ready for anything. He got up and darted into the dark forest, quickly fading into the shadows of the trees. Borimor stood up, he body protecting the one he loved from whatever harm might come after them. It fell silent, there were no footfalls to be heard. Legolas looked at the others, his bow drawn and ready to go after Arogorn.

Gandalf shook his head at the elf," No, he would not have gone if he did not think he could handle it."

Sudennly he reappeared in the light holding a limp body in his arms. Tears were streaming from his face. He held the body close to him, his head bent down in the light. Pippin and Merry stood up, a shock look rose in thier eyes. They looked at each other in disbelief.
"It can not be," Pippin said softly, looking at the boday in the man's arms.

Gandalf take his hat off and bowed his head," The poor little one."

Leila stood up and ran in front of her love and toward the lifeless body," Who is it?"

Arogorn looked at her," She is my daughter." He bowed his head trying to keep the tears from his eyes. He kneeled down next to the fire and layed the body on the ground. Leila looked at the mangled body in the firelight, it was so hard to tell who it was, but then it was clear to her. "Oh god," she choked back tears as she nelt by the body. "No! Not her anyone but her."
Legolas looked away from the body,"She died bravely she would not have had it any other way."
Pippin and Merry clung to each in grief, tears streaming fomr thier eyes. Leila touched the girls face,"Why did it have to be my friend, my dearest friend. I can only hope you saw you love in your final hours."
Arogorn laid the head of his daughter in his lap," My deareat one, my flower, how I will miss you, My little Gwen."

(Author: Jennzah)

And so all hearts were heavy. Aragorn sat, sadly, with the body of Gwen, and everyone drew back,
to give him time alone with his daughter. Nobody outside of Gandalf had known that she had been
his daughter, but they had all been fond of her. Frodo was going to be crushed.

Legolas had lowered his bow, and lowered his head, and returned to Jairah’s side, his heart now
even more saddened. She had not moved in all the commotion, her eyes were still fixed steadily on
the fire before her, she was still asleep. He sat back down next to her, and ran a hand through her
hair, his fingers stroking her face gently as he did.

"Jairah.." he whispered. "Where are you hiding in there?" he touched her forehead gently, and in her
sleep she began to fall into him, her head falling into his lap, her hair tumbling into his hands. He
stroked it gently and sighed. He couldn’t bother Gandalf now, no matter how he wanted to. He
looked down at her now, and noticed that her eyes had closed, which was not how elves normally
slept, which he found strange. What was going on inside?

***

Jairah had heard the door open, and footsteps in her hallway. It startled her, because there had
been no-one here before. Jairah wanted no-one here.

So now, as she pulled down the twin blades that belonged to Legolas, from their keeping places on
the wall, the beautiful ones that his father had given him, the ones he’d left behind here, and
silently crept towards magical doors of this castle, she heard the words echo in her mind "killer,
hunter, killer.." and she struggled to push them away. Those words, beating in her brain, were what
made her run here, to hide.

Down the stairs, she made not a sound, as she saw the figure wandering. Jairah wished for her bow,
but it had been left behind. She supposed she could throw the blades, but they belonged to
Legolas, she would not part with them. She must sneak up behind the predator and attack.

She stole into the hall, hiding in the dusky shadows streaking in from the sun. The figure stopped,
Jairah stopped. The figure turned, and Jairah braced herself to spring forward, but then she focused
her eyes clearly on the figure…

"Gwen!" she said, lowering the blades to her sides, and coming forth from the shadows. "What are
you doing here?"

The girl looked at Jairah in wonder. "Jairah? Where am I?" She glanced at the blades in Jairah’s
hands. "What are you doing?"

Jairah sighed. "This is my home in Mirkwood, this is King Thranduil’s castle." She said. Gwen
looked around in wonder, as she’d heard about Thranduil’s castle, it was magickal. "I think the
better question, here, Gwen, is : What are you doing here?"

Gwen stared at Jairah blankly. "I don’t know!" she said. "The last I knew I was stumbling through
the woods, and then I was here, and I came in through the door…"

"Gwen, you see, I have been the only one here. No-one else has been. I am inside myself, I am
hiding here."

"Why are you hiding?" Gwen asked.

Jairah looked at her sadly. "Because," she said softly. "I do not like who I am outside of this place.
Outside of here all I do is kill. Here I am safe."

"But you are alone," Gwen said. "Legolas is not here, don’t you miss him?" She looked at her
expectantly. Jairah’s eyes shone with tears.

"yes." She said, and looked over to where a huge stone fireplace was, and above it, a large painting
of the Elf-Prince was hanging over the mantelpiece. The tears slid down her face, as she turned
back to Gwen.

"Where were you going, when you came upon the castle?" she asked, changing the subject. The
words were still thrumming in her ears, and she wanted to know why Gwen had come here.

"I don’t even remember." Gwen said. "I was hurt, I remember, wounded, trying to get to Frodo. I
remember his eyes, and then I remember walking through a large expanse of woods, and then
reaching this castle. How is it that I came upon this castle?"

Jairah’s eyes opened wide. "You have passed into shadow, Gwen." She said, stepping back from the
girl slightly. She was not afraid, just stunned a little.

Tears filled Gwen’s eyes. "What?"

Jairah nodded, sadly. "Your wound must have been fatal. The woods you speak of, that was you
passing into the shadow realm. But I do not know why you have come here, to my mind. I have not
passed into shadow."

Gwen began to shake. "No!" she cried, pitching herself forward towards Jairah, and embracing her.
The elf, startled, tried to console her. "I don’t want to die, I don’t want to leave Frodo…"

"Shh.." Jairah soothed, but the girl was hysterical. It was hard for Jairah to embrace the girl because
she still had Legolas’ blades in her hands. She pushed Gwen away slightly, and looked at her.

"Hush, Gwen." She said. "Hush now."

Gwen hiccuped, and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. Jairah turned and bade her to follow
her up the stairs, and she did so. She couldn’t believe that she had died.

They entered a large room at the end of a large corridor. The doors opened magickally when Jairah
reached them, and uttered a small Elvish word. Jairah moved into the room and took the blades in
her hands, and placed them on two brackets on the wall. Gwen watched her as she did this, and
Jairah turned and saw the question on Gwen’s face.

"They are not mine," she said. "They belong to Legolas. He left them here when we left for Rivendell
so long ago."

"But where is your bow, your sword?" Gwen asked. "Don’t you have them here?"

Jairah shook her head. "Everything that I took with me I do not have here. It is with my body. I am
just my mind here, my spirit. Just like you are just your spirit. Which is why I believe that we might
be able to return you to your body."

Gwen’s eyes lit up. "Really?" she said.

Jairah nodded. "We just have to get you back towards the light. You see, when you pass over into
the shadow, your spirit loses its way, it gets lost. We just have to find your way back."

"Well, then lets go!" Gwen said. "How do we do this?"

Jairah smiled slightly, and bade Gwen to follow her again. They descended the stairs again, and
Gwen noticed that when they went down the stairs, they were in a different room than before. There
was now a large cathedral style doorway in front of them. Jairah muttered another word in her
language, and the doors opened.

"Now look out there," she said. "What do you see?"

Gwen looked. At first she saw nothing, but darkness. But then she saw the moon rise, and the trees
become illuminated, and then it was so bright that it was all she could see, the moon.

"I see the moon," she said. "it is so bright and so full.." Gwen said, stunned by its beauty.

Jairah nodded. "That is the light. If you walk towards it, you will be returned to your body. Do not
look away from it, or else you will pass on into the shadowlands, and you will not return here. I will
not be able to guide you back, once you leave my doorway."

Gwen looked at Jairah. "Are you going to come with me?" she asked.

Jairah looked into the light, then shook her head. "No."

Gwen frowned. "Why?"

Jairah looked at Gwen. "I cannot."

Gwen didn’t understand. "Why? I know you said you don’t like who you are out there, but you are
not a killer, Jairah."

Jairah’s eyes began to fill with tears again. "You must go, Gwen, if you are to go. Think of Frodo,
while you walk towards the light, it will help to speed your way."

Gwen desperately didn’t understand why Jairah couldn’t go with her. "Jairah, please. Come with me!
Legolas, I’m sure he misses you, and he is pained. How can you do this to him? How can you not
go?"

Jairah turned away from Gwen painfully, stepping past the threshold and into the castle, away from
the moonlight. Gwen looked at her, walking away.

"Jairah!" she called, and Jairah turned around again to face her.

"Namarie, Gwen." She said, and then the magick doors closed, blocking Jairah from sight. Gwen
turned and faced the moonlight, and shook her head. She didn’t understand.

She began to walk towards the light, and then she heard Jairah’s voice in her head. "Do not look
away from the light, Gwen. Stare at it always…" and she did. She stepped closer and closer untill
she was surrounded in the light and then she became the light, and then she opened her eyes, and
realized she was lying in her fathers arms. And he was crying.

"Father?" she asked, trying to move, but found her body was aching quite badly.

Aragorn stopped crying for a second, as he heard his daughter speak. "Gwen!" he said, embracing
her fiercely, for he couldn’t believe her eyes were open and she was breathing. "You are alive!"

Gwen tried to nod, but found her head was pounding. "yes," she said. Aragorn had lifted her up and
was carrying her over to Gandalf, and the group.

"She is alive!" he called. Everyone was startled awake, except for Jairah, who laid, motionless still,
her head in Legolas’ lap. Aragorn moved through them quickly, and Gwen’s eyes caught sight of
Jairah’s body, and she felt saddened to know that Jairah wasn’t there, and sadder to know that
Legolas didn’t know where Jairah hid. She must tell him where Jairah was, as soon as she calmed
her father down.

(Author: Jennzah)

And after she had been inspected by Gandalf, and had been joyously received by the group, she
went over to the elf, who sat quietly stroking Jairah’s long blonde hair. He smiled at Gwen, as she
stumbled over to him, as she was still in quite a lot of pain, though her wounds were on the mend.

She smiled back. "How is she?" she asked, though she knew the answer.

He looked down at Jairah again, and shook his head, taking a handful of her hair into his hand and
gently draping it over her shoulder. "I do not know." He said, sadly. "She is asleep, now. But when
she is awake, she does not respond. She does not eat, nor speak. I cannot find her, so far is she
hidden."

Gwen sat down next to him, and put a hand on his arm. "I know where she is hiding," she said.

Legolas’ head shot up, and he fixed his gaze hard on Gwen. "What?" he asked. "How do you know?"

"I had passed over into shadow, and somehow I found my way to her. She is hiding in her mind, in
a place she thinks is safe."

Legolas’ eyes searched Gwen. "You were there, in her mind? How did you get there? Where is she
hiding?"

"I do not know how I got there," Gwen said, truthfully. "It was a large castle, in the middle of a large
wood. Jairah came out of nowhere, once I was inside of the castle. A castle with magick doors, and
rooms that change." She searched his face, hoping that he’d follow what she was saying.

He did. "My father’s castle," he whispered. "Our home," He looked down at Jairah, who slumbered
still, and he played with another lock of her hair.

Gwen nodded. "She is there, alone."

Legolas looked at Gwen sadly. "She spoke with you, then?"

Gwen nodded again. "Yes. It was her who guided me back to myself, here."

Legolas smiled sadly again, and pulled of of Jairah’s hands up and kissed it." What did she say to
you, Gwen? Did she say why she is hiding?"

Gwen sighed. "She said she does not like who she is outside of where she is hiding. She says all
she does is kill, outside of there, and that there, she is safe."

Legolas shook his head. "What else?" he pressed. He seemed anxious, for anything that might help.

"There is not much else," Gwen said. "She then helped me, to come back here, so that I would not
pass over into shadow fully. She helped me find the light."

Legolas looked at her, his eyes wide. "So Jairah knows where the light is?" he asked.

Gwen nodded. "Yes, she took me to two large doors, which opened up, and the light came through
them. She told me that I needed only to walk into it, and I would come back to myself. I asked her
to come with me."

"And what did she say?" Legolas asked.

"She said she could not come." Gwen said sadly. "She went back into the castle and shut the doors.
I do not understand. She is alone, there. And she said that she misses you. She had your blades in
her hands. But yet, she says she cannot come out."

"She knows where the light is, and yet she cannot come out," Legolas mused, looking down at
Jairah again, whose eyes remained closed. Now he closed his own eyes, in pain.

Gwen reached out and touched Legolas’ arm again. "I am sorry, if I have upset you. I just thought
you should know what I saw."

He opened his eyes. "No, Gwen. I thank you for telling me. Its just, I do not know how to reach her.
She has hidden herself well. And now that I know where she is hiding, I just do not know how to
get within her to convince her to come out."

And then they were silent, with sadness. Legolas’ heart was the heaviest it had ever been on this
journey. He wanted her back, for this was almost worse than having her die.

**

Gandalf had heard the entire conversation, sitting over on the far side of the fire, next to Merry and
Pippin. And so now he closed his eyes, and focused his thought on Jairah’s mind, which he could
see, as her body lay across from him, her head nestled against her lover. It would not do for Jairah
to be hidden away in her mind, for she was needed out here, with the company. Gandalf’s heart told
him this. There were times ahead that Jairah was needed for, both good and bad.

When he had reached the outer doors of Thranduil’s castle, he knew he’d reached her mind. He
moved slowly, with caution, as not to alarm her. He’d heard Gwen say that Jairah had Legolas’
blades here, probably using them as protection against outsiders. It made sense that she would
hold on to something that belonged to him to protect her. And though he doubted that Jairah
would harm him, he still proceeded with caution.

Jairah heard her hallway doors open again, and once again removed the blades from their keeping
places and moved towards the stairs. She saw the light coming from down the stair, and was not as
wary as before. She wondered if any of her other friends had passed over into shadow. She hoped
not, she did not want any of them here.

She moved towards the footsteps quickly, and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw who they
belonged to.

"Gandalf!" she said, the blades in her hands clattering to the floor. "What are you doing here? You
have not passed into shadow again, have you?"

The wizard smiled at her, and shook his head. "That was a noble thing you did, Jairah, guiding
Gwen back towards the light."

"Then she did make it back," Jairah smiled. "I had been wondering." She looked at Gandalf, then
bent down and picked up the blades that she had dropped. "So why have you come, Gandalf. How
have you gotten here? Have you also been led astray?"

Gandalf shook his head. "No, Jairah." He said, following her as she went back towards the room
from where she had come, and watched as the doors opened for her as she approached. She
entered the room, replaced the blades again to the wall, and turned to him. He was looking her up
and down, closely.

"Gandalf?" she asked, wondering why he was looking at her like that. She looked down at herself,
and saw nothing out of the ordinary.

Gandalf saw different. Jairah was not dressed how she was with her body. Here she was dressed in
black, a long, black velvet pinafore dress, with a midnight blue silk bodice underneath. Her hair
was let loose, flowing over her shoulders and down her back, except where it was braided in two
small braids in the very front, which were tucked behind her ears. But was most noticeable, was the
necklace she bore, which she almost always wore against her skin. But here it was let out on its
long chain, and hanging against her small chest, against the velvet of her dress. And the silver of
the chain and the pendant was almost glaring.

The pendant was quite beautiful, just a simple bit of silver, the Elvish character for eternity. It had
been a present from Legolas, quite some time ago. Gandalf had seen it only once before, when he
had healed Jairah from the Orc wound. She almost never wore it out, it was almost always
underneath her garments, against her skin. It was something that she said she didn’t want to share
with anyone, when she was asked about it.

She was dressed as if she was in mourning, or if she was to be laid out for her funeral, which
troubled Gandalf. He was afraid that she perhaps had no intention of ever leaving her mind.

"Jairah," he said now, looking into her eyes, which were searching him. "Why are you hiding here,
child?"

She turned away from him, and went to the window, which opened for her when she touched it.
"Because, Gandalf. I am safe here." She stared out the window at the dark.

"You are safe out there, Jairah. Do you know how pained Legolas is, out there, with your body? He
worries for you. Your body, it does not respond to him. It does not eat. It barely breathes. And all
this at a time where you are needed out there, very dearly."

Jairah looked at Gandalf sharply. "Why am I needed, Gandalf? To slay more Orcs? I have slain more
Orcs and other beasts than I care to remember on this quest. All I do out there is kill. I do not wish
to kill anymore, whether it be enemies or not. Everytime I do, I lose who I am. I lose who I was
before any of this happened. I hear that voice in my head telling me that I am a killer, killer, KILLER,
Gandalf. "

Gandalf shook his head. "That is not you, Jairah. You should know the difference between a warrior
and a killer. You are a warrior, not a killer. You have helped on this quest more than you know, and
your skill with a bow and arrow, and your sword have saved the lives of many. Boromir, for
instance. You helped Leila keep him alive."

Jairah didn’t say anything, just looked out the window again, and sighed.

"You are needed, Jairah. You are needed by those who love you. You cannot remain hidden here."

"Yes, I can." Jairah said. "I can stay here forever." She got up from the window, and moved past him,
and out of the room, towards the staircase again. But Gandalf was too quick for her, and appeared
on the stairway in front of her.

"And what of the Elf-Prince?" Gandalf said, barring her way, for he knew she was headed to hallway,
to try to push him out of her mind. "Will you let him suffer still, without you?"

Jairah’s eyes filled with tears, but she said nothing.

"One day, you two are to take the throne of Mirkwood, if such times are to come to pass, Jairah. He
cannot do it with you hidden here. I have told you he is pained. He is, in all respects, your husband,
and yet, you still hide here, away from him. If you cannot come out of here for any other reason,
come out for him. You went on this quest for him. Come out for him."

The tears slipped down Jairah’s face, but she still could not form words. Gandalf’s eyes strayed to
her necklace.

"Did he not give you that necklace, long ago? What does it say, tell me?"

Jairah began to sob. "Eternity…" she whispered, and took the pendant and its long chain and
pushed it under the neck of her dress, out of sight. " But I cannot leave here, Gandalf. Not even for
him."

And then she turned on her heel, and ran out of sight.

Gandalf sighed, and turned and walked towards the large doors that would release him from
Jairah’s mind. He knew the only thing to do would be to send Legolas in after her.

(Author: Jennzah)

And after she had been inspected by Gandalf, and had been joyously received by the group, she went over to the elf, who sat quietly stroking Jairah’s long blonde hair. He smiled at Gwen, as she stumbled over to him, as she was still in quite a lot of pain, though her wounds were on the mend.

She smiled back. "How is she?" she asked, though she knew the answer.

He looked down at Jairah again, and shook his head, taking a handful of her hair into his hand and gently draping it over her shoulder. "I do not know." He said, sadly. "She is asleep, now. But when she is awake, she does not respond. She does not eat, nor speak. I cannot find her, so far is she hidden."

Gwen sat down next to him, and put a hand on his arm. "I know where she is hiding," she said.

Legolas’ head shot up, and he fixed his gaze hard on Gwen. "What?" he asked. "How do you know?"

"I had passed over into shadow, and somehow I found my way to her. She is hiding in her mind, in a place she thinks is safe."

Legolas’ eyes searched Gwen. "You were there, in her mind? How did you get there? Where is she hiding?"

"I do not know how I got there," Gwen said, truthfully. "It was a large castle, in the middle of a large wood. Jairah came out of nowhere, once I was inside of the castle. A castle with magick doors, and rooms that change." She searched his face, hoping that he’d follow what she was saying.

He did. "My father’s castle," he whispered. "Our home," He looked down at Jairah, who slumbered still, and he played with another lock of her hair.

Gwen nodded. "She is there, alone."

Legolas looked at Gwen sadly. "She spoke with you, then?"

Gwen nodded again. "Yes. It was her who guided me back to myself, here."

Legolas smiled sadly again, and pulled of of Jairah’s hands up and kissed it." What did she say to you, Gwen? Did she say why she is hiding?"

Gwen sighed. "She said she does not like who she is outside of where she is hiding. She says all she does is kill, outside of there, and that there, she is safe."

Legolas shook his head. "What else?" he pressed. He seemed anxious, for anything that might help.

"There is not much else," Gwen said. "She then helped me, to come back here, so that I would not pass over into shadow fully. She helped me find the light."

Legolas looked at her, his eyes wide. "So Jairah knows where the light is?" he asked.

Gwen nodded. "Yes, she took me to two large doors, which opened up, and the light came through them. She told me that I needed only to walk into it, and I would come back to myself. I asked her to come with me."

"And what did she say?" Legolas asked.

"She said she could not come." Gwen said sadly. "She went back into the castle and shut the doors. I do not understand. She is alone, there. And she said that she misses you. She had your blades in her hands. But yet, she says she cannot come out."

"She knows where the light is, and yet she cannot come out," Legolas mused, looking down at Jairah again, whose eyes remained closed. Now he closed his own eyes, in pain.

Gwen reached out and touched Legolas’ arm again. "I am sorry, if I have upset you. I just thought you should know what I saw."

He opened his eyes. "No, Gwen. I thank you for telling me. Its just, I do not know how to reach her. She has hidden herself well. And now that I know where she is hiding, I just do not know how to get within her to convince her to come out."

And then they were silent, with sadness. Legolas’ heart was the heaviest it had ever been on this journey. He wanted her back, for this was almost worse than having her die.

**

Gandalf had heard the entire conversation, sitting over on the far side of the fire, next to Merry and Pippin. And so now he closed his eyes, and focused his thought on Jairah’s mind, which he could see, as her body lay across from him, her head nestled against her lover. It would not do for Jairah to be hidden away in her mind, for she was needed out here, with the company. Gandalf’s heart told him this. There were times ahead that Jairah was needed for, both good and bad.

When he had reached the outer doors of Thranduil’s castle, he knew he’d reached her mind. He moved slowly, with caution, as not to alarm her. He’d heard Gwen say that Jairah had Legolas’ blades here, probably using them as protection against outsiders. It made sense that she would hold on to something that belonged to him to protect her. And though he doubted that Jairah would harm him, he still proceeded with caution.

Jairah heard her hallway doors open again, and once again removed the blades from their keeping places and moved towards the stairs. She saw the light coming from down the stair, and was not as wary as before. She wondered if any of her other friends had passed over into shadow. She hoped not, she did not want any of them here.

She moved towards the footsteps quickly, and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw who they belonged to.

"Gandalf!" she said, the blades in her hands clattering to the floor. "What are you doing here? You have not passed into shadow again, have you?"

The wizard smiled at her, and shook his head. "That was a noble thing you did, Jairah, guiding Gwen back towards the light."

"Then she did make it back," Jairah smiled. "I had been wondering." She looked at Gandalf, then bent down and picked up the blades that she had dropped. "So why have you come, Gandalf. How have you gotten here? Have you also been led astray?"

Gandalf shook his head. "No, Jairah." He said, following her as she went back towards the room from where she had come, and watched as the doors opened for her as she approached. She entered the room, replaced the blades again to the wall, and turned to him. He was looking her up and down, closely.

"Gandalf?" she asked, wondering why he was looking at her like that. She looked down at herself, and saw nothing out of the ordinary.

Gandalf saw different. Jairah was not dressed how she was with her body. Here she was dressed in black, a long, black velvet pinafore dress, with a midnight blue silk bodice underneath. Her hair was let loose, flowing over her shoulders and down her back, except where it was braided in two small braids in the very front, which were tucked behind her ears. But was most noticeable, was the necklace she bore, which she almost always wore against her skin. But here it was let out on its long chain, and hanging against her small chest, against the velvet of her dress. And the silver of the chain and the pendant was almost glaring.

The pendant was quite beautiful, just a simple bit of silver, the Elvish character for eternity. It had been a present from Legolas, quite some time ago. Gandalf had seen it only once before, when he had healed Jairah from the Orc wound. She almost never wore it out, it was almost always underneath her garments, against her skin. It was something that she said she didn’t want to share with anyone, when she was asked about it.

She was dressed as if she was in mourning, or if she was to be laid out for her funeral, which troubled Gandalf. He was afraid that she perhaps had no intention of ever leaving her mind.

"Jairah," he said now, looking into her eyes, which were searching him. "Why are you hiding here, child?"

She turned away from him, and went to the window, which opened for her when she touched it. "Because, Gandalf. I am safe here." She stared out the window at the dark.

"You are safe out there, Jairah. Do you know how pained Legolas is, out there, with your body? He worries for you. Your body, it does not respond to him. It does not eat. It barely breathes. And all this at a time where you are needed out there, very dearly."

Jairah looked at Gandalf sharply. "Why am I needed, Gandalf? To slay more Orcs? I have slain more Orcs and other beasts than I care to remember on this quest. All I do out there is kill. I do not wish to kill anymore, whether it be enemies or not. Everytime I do, I lose who I am. I lose who I was before any of this happened. I hear that voice in my head telling me that I am a killer, killer, KILLER, Gandalf. "

Gandalf shook his head. "That is not you, Jairah. You should know the difference between a warrior and a killer. You are a warrior, not a killer. You have helped on this quest more than you know, and your skill with a bow and arrow, and your sword have saved the lives of many. Boromir, for instance. You helped Leila keep him alive."

Jairah didn’t say anything, just looked out the window again, and sighed.

"You are needed, Jairah. You are needed by those who love you. You cannot remain hidden here."

"Yes, I can." Jairah said. "I can stay here forever." She got up from the window, and moved past him, and out of the room, towards the staircase again. But Gandalf was too quick for her, and appeared on the stairway in front of her.

"And what of the Elf-Prince?" Gandalf said, barring her way, for he knew she was headed to hallway, to try to push him out of her mind. "Will you let him suffer still, without you?"

Jairah’s eyes filled with tears, but she said nothing.

"One day, you two are to take the throne of Mirkwood, if such times are to come to pass, Jairah. He cannot do it with you hidden here. I have told you he is pained. He is, in all respects, your husband, and yet, you still hide here, away from him. If you cannot come out of here for any other reason, come out for him. You went on this quest for him. Come out for him."

The tears slipped down Jairah’s face, but she still could not form words. Gandalf’s eyes strayed to her necklace.

"Did he not give you that necklace, long ago? What does it say, tell me?"

Jairah began to sob. "Eternity…" she whispered, and took the pendant and its long chain and pushed it under the neck of her dress, out of sight. " But I cannot leave here, Gandalf. Not even for him."

And then she turned on her heel, and ran out of sight.

Gandalf sighed, and turned and walked towards the large doors that would release him from Jairah’s mind. He knew the only thing to do would be to send Legolas in after her.

(Author: Krissy)

She looked at the fire, her eyes looked on the dancing flames. Her body shook from the cold loneliness of her heart. She pulled the thin cloak closer to her body. Nothing could comfort her pained soul. Tears collected in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She twisted the ring on her finger. She did it so hard that it was begining to rub the skin raw.

"Frodo," she mummbled softly. Tears finaly began to fall," My love, my life. Why can't we just be together, why?"

She closed her eyes and wepted. She brought her bandaged hands to her face and cried even harder. Her whole body rocked with her tears. It was not fair. What was keeping them apart? Why did it seem the very earth itself was keeping them apart?  What crime had they commited that cursed them to be apart? Now, now what could he think?  He had laid her damaged body on her horse and sent it in the direction she had come. Did he think she was dead?  She pulled at her hair, trying to take away the pain in her heart, it ached so, so very much.

She wondered where he was. She wondered if her was ok. She wondered if he loved her still. Without Frodo life had no meaning to her. She would fall upon her sword if she thought that her life would be without him.

Merry looked at Pippin," This is very bad."

"Yeah, I know."
 

Frodo cursed the burden around his neck. Tears filled his eyes as he lay close to the fire. Sam had found him just as Gwen had vanished out of sight. They tried to get information about her out of him, but he woudl not talk. He simply could not talk about her, not without getting the swelling feeling in his throat. He pulled his blanket closer to him, missing the warmth of Gwen. She used to be such a constant warmth. He missed the nights where they would lay together. The warmth of her breath, the soft beating of her heart, the low sound of her breathing, he took these all for granted then.  HE would never take such simple things for granted again.

Questions burned in his mind. He prayed she was okay. Gwen was all he ever had. She had been with him since he could remeber. He could remeber the day the were married, the secret day.....

Her long hair was left to be curly, the golden curls framing her face. The long white linen garment blew in the wind, making her look like an angel to him. Frodo held her hand, as they spoke soft vows to each other. Rivendale was quite and beautiful that day. It was as if nature had made that day just for them. The exchanged vows on the balcony of his room. They had deemed time to fleeting to live without each other. They made love that night for the first time. It was the most perfect day. As Gwen slept he took in every second of time he was with her. He memorized every aspect of that moment, form the way her hair fell across her face to the way she fit into his arms.

Tears overfollowed for Frodo's eyes. He would give anything to have her back with him again. He would do anything, he would give up anything. Life was not worth breathing with out her.  He fell into sleep, aching to be with her.

Arogorn covered his daughter up and gave her a soft kiss ont he cheek. He paryed silently for his daughter to have good dreams.

Gwen could feel her dream. She again in Rivendale. Frodo stood next to her on their balcony. Frodo was next to her. IT was so real, so very real to her.

Frodo coudl hardly believe it, she was standign there next to him. he wraped his arm around her and pulled her close to him. HE coudl feel her heart start beating faster.

"My Gwen, you are alive! You are ok!" He coverd her face in kisses.

"Yes, Frodo. I am ok," she repsonded wrapping her arms around him. She felt no need to tell him that she had passed into shadow, that was for later, when they were together in body and spirt, when the quest was over with.

"I love you. I can not risk not having you know that," he said looking into her eyes.

"And I love you," she spoke smiling at him.

He kissed her again, bringing her closer to him. They made their way into the room and onto the bed. Being together was enough for them right now. Wether they were together in spirt not in body, they cared not for being together in any way was simply enough for them. They had a dream to carry in thier hearts when they awoke into the cruel world again, which happened all to soon.

(Author: Jennzah)

"I have seen Jairah and spoken to her," Gandalf said silently to Legolas. As soon as he had heard his thought, Legolas's head looked up and turned to
his right, glancing across the campsite to where Gandalf was sitting, eyes closed and deep in thought.

"What does she say?" Legolas thought as he stroked her hair.

"The same she spoke to Gwen. She will not leave. Only you can save her now."

"I am too grieved to enter her mind now. I may never return and the both of us may be lost in shadow forever," Legolas thought and sighed to himself.

"And if you do not enter her mind and bring her back, you will die of grief. You have seen it happen, Legolas Greenleaf. And if you are to die, Jairah
will follow soon after. Not only will the Fellowship be wounded and the quest be set back, but in the future, the throne of Mirkwood will be empty."

Legolas looked back up at Gandalf who had now come out of his deep mediation and was watching Legolas. He nodded slightly and Legolas nodded in return. He slowly closed his eyes and dove into his memories to find his home of Mirkwood, to find Jairah inside.

Instead of having to walk through the woods like Gandalf and Gwen, Legolas found himself inside his father's castle, holding one of the swords from the wall. Footsteps that were barely audible came from another room and Jairah entered holding one sword. She gripped the sword tightly when she saw Legolas and the other sword in his hand.

"Not even in my mind can I be left alone," she said quietly and sighed.

"Gandalf says that I am the only one who can help you now, and but I wonder if he is right. You are the only one who can open those doors and walk into the moonlight back to the land of the living," he said.

"I am not sure if I want to return. In this world, I am the Jairah you pledged yourself too, not the murderer I have become in the world of the living,"
she replied and walked out of the room, Legolas quickly following her. Something was out of place when he entered the bedroom they shared. He tried to place it and finally saw what it was. "Legolas? What's the matter?" she asked.

He walked over to the dresser with the mirror where Jairah's little jewelry was kept and saw a round glass ball sitting on top of it. It was black and still, and Legolas fell uneasy staring at it. "Jairah, what is this?" he asked and pointed to it. His heart became heavy and he dared not touch it for fear of what could be inside.

"I don't know. It... it feels like it has always been there. Not always but only recently," she replied.

"Have you looked into it?" he asked.

"No... but... I have felt it calling me. Whispering things. I dare not go near it... Legolas, what's wrong?" she asked. He had closed his eyes and suddenly once again Gandalf appeared in the room.

"Invite the entire company into our bedroom, Legolas Greenleaf, it's not as if it's private or anything," she said sarcastically and Gandalf looked at her
cautiously. Without a word he looked at the surface of the glass ball which had began to churn. In his mind he saw a vision of the eye of Sauron, calling out "killer killer" in the tongue of the Silver Elves.

"I wield the flame of Anor and I say to your Sauron, leave this place, for it is uncorruptible by you or your servants!" Gandalf yelled out as he held his white staff about the orb. The glass ball suddenly turned itself a bright shade of fiery red and illuminated the room, then turned into dust and was
quickly blown away by an unseen breeze. Legolas had witnessed it all with wide eyes and then turned to Jairah, who had fainted dead away on the bed in the room.

"Jairah," he said softly and became even more grieved than when he had been outside. She opened her eyes and their old flame and vigor had been
revived in them.

"What good fortune that it was destroyed in time before she was driven into shadow, his whispers corrupting her mind from within," Gandalf said.

"How did it get there?" Legolas asked and Gandalf simply shrugged.

"The heart has reason which reason does not know. In other words... I haven't the slightest idea. But I think it was from the Orc wound. Evil seeped into her body and soul, but I think she is fully cured now. Come. Much time has passed here, we must all go back into the light. Come along," he said and walked out of the room to the doors of the castle. Legolas helped Jairah up and before she took another step she embraced him tightly and kissed his cheek.

"Jairah, you have returned to me," he said silently in his mind and she looked into his eyes and nodded without saying a word, audibly or mentally.

* * * * *

"Gandalf, Gandalf, Legolas has fallen into shadow as well!" Pippin said after he had tapped Legolas's shoulder and gotten no response. Gandalf had
returned and shook his head at the young hobbit.

"They are returning, don't fret my boy, they will return. Jairah is well again," he replied. At that moment Jairah stirred for the first time in hours and
stroked Legolas's cheek. Gandalf looked past Legolas's shoulder and met eyes with Jairah then silently said to her mind, "Welcome home, Rose above all other." She smiled and looked back to Legolas who was smiling in a way that the Fellowship had not seen him smile for days.

"Will anyone else fall into shadow now?" Pippin asked quite seriously, only to receive laughter from everyone, causing him to pout and sit next to Merry while they discussed the shadow world as they had heard it to be from Gwen.

* * * * *

Night fell and Jairah and Legolas walked by the waterfall where hours before Legolas had laid her lifeless body to rest. "Love... did you really believe what the whispers were telling you?" he asked after a while.

"Yes, for a while I did. At first I did not listen to them, because I knew what I was doing was in defense of the Fellowship, of Frodo. But it seemed that with every arrow I shot out of my quiver, every slash of my sword, the whispering turned into yelling, echoing into my very heart which believed it," she said and wiped a tear that had rolled down her cheek.

"Is that why you gave me your arrows at Isengard and at Amon Hen?" he asked.

"Yes... the yelling was too much for me... but now that I think of it, it should have been quite obvious to you that I was ill. After all, no one in all of
Mirkwood is a better archer than I, to say you have a better shot and should have my arrows, well, it's simply not right," she said slyly and winked,
and he grinned and rolled his eyes, putting his arm around her.

Then she looked at him, her face solemn. "It is a long time yet, till we can go home, to the peace we once knew, Legolas. I fear that it we might never see Mirkwood again."

He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Do not think of such things now. As long as we are together, that is peace enough for me."

They sat, quietly, by the waterfall, for the rest of the night.

* * * * *

By the fire in the clearing of the campsite, Leila reclined against Boromir who was sleeping silently. She wondered if it was worth it. She wondered
where the elves were and just at the thought of them almost began to cry. She remembered the accusing look Legolas had shot at her and the feeling she had in her heart when he glanced at her. It was she who had caused Jairah to become wounded, for that poison, that evil to enter her pure soul and corrupt her, almost causing her to die. If it wasn't for Gandalf saving her those two times...

Aragorn was playing with the charm on the silver chain from Arwen and as he looked across the fire he saw Leila's troubled stare into nothingness,
much like Jairah's eyes earlier that afternoon. "Child, is there something wrong with you?" he asked quietly. She shook her head, but after a moment
she got out from Boromir's sleepy embrace and sat next to Aragorn.

"Aragorn... do you see the passion between the elves? Especially now that Jairah lives?" she asked.

"Indeed I do. It makes my heart ache for my own beloved, you mentioned her in Moria, Arwen Evenstar," he said and sighed, glancing down at the
charm he held.

"Aragorn, I feel I cannot live with myself, I almost caused that love to die in both of them, because of my stupid meddling. Boromir should have died.
The course of history is now changed because of my foolishness. Because I was so selfish and I did not see that his death would change things. Now everything is in jeapordy," she said quietly.

"Young one... little one, you know not what you say," he said and she shook her head and wiped her sleeve across her eyes.

"Everything is different Aragorn. I am not supposed to be here talking to you. Boromir is not supposed to be here, happily in love, and oh god, what
have I done to everything?" she cried out.

"You are in this with us, child. You know as much as we do now. I will admit, your meddling has probably made things difficult now and the Fellowship has more challenging things to accomplish. But look at it this way; in the future, people will read of this tale and admire Lady Leila, the prophet," he said and she looked at him with an annoyed expression to which he added in jest, "the meddler."

"Have I ruined things terribly, Aragorn?" she asked.

"I do not know. I have not cheated fate and read of my journeys in a book, m'lady," he said and she laughed for the first time all day. He was always
so serious when she read about him, he did not know that he could be charming, funny almost. "I am not sure if you have ruined things but certainly
changed them. Try not to think of it in terms of ruining, only changing. Get through this quest and you will never worry about anything else in your
entire life as much as you have worried in this quest."

"You will make a splendid king, I just know it," she said and smiled.

She walked back to Boromir as Aragorn laughed at what she said then perked up with a shocked expression. "I'm going to be king?" he asked.

"Now I'm not going to ruin the end for you, son of Arathorn," she said slyly and winked, then leaned against Boromir's sleeping body, his arm returning to her back where it had been before. Aragorn now thought about this new riddle she had given him. As she felt sleep overcome her, she smiled slightly at Aragorn and closed her eyes, fading into a deep slumber.

(Author: Alasia)

Leila awoke early the next morning with troubled thoughts. She carefully manuvered herself out of Boromir's embrace and tiptoed away from camp. She climbed a hill that overlooked much of Rohan and sat down on a large rock, pulling her knees to her chin and wrapping her arms around them. The sun was coming up in the east, casting hues of pink and yellow across the sky, clouds tinting purple in the light. Leila blinked and allowed herself to watch the slight wind lull her into a state of half-awareness as she watched the sun rise slowly on the horizon. She hoped that everything would be all right from here on out, but she knew it wouldn't be, especially if the story continued on remotely like the books had. She supposed that even if she did she wouldn't really be expecting it, but it did not comfort her at all. She was sad, and yet she was filled with sorrow, not really knowing why.

She closed her eyes and tried to sort through her muddled thoughts. There was the situation of the quest, Boromir and Jairah. She knew that she had most likely lost the elf's friendship because of her selfishness, and Boromir was living, and he was trying, but he really didn't understand. The quest was really standing on the edge of a knife, and Leila had tipped it ever so slightly.

"Leila?"

She looked up into the amber eyes of Jairah, "Jairah..."

Jairah sat down next to her and gazed over at the sunrise, "You blame yourself for everything that has happened?"

"Yes." Leila said, "How can I not? I got you hurt, nearly killed. I ruined the quest, I was selfish..."

"Yes, you were many of those things," Jairah said softly, "But that is not your fault. Destiny plays a part in all of our lives Leila. You were not thrown into the quest on accident, you were meant to be here. You have some role yet to play in the battle of good versus evil, and though you have hurt, and confused a lot of people, all of what you have done has been for a cause. Love makes people do really stupid things, but it's all worth it in the end."

"You're not mad at me?" Leial asked, "After what I did?"

"No. I can't be. Through you I have gained a good friend, one who may have put me in danger, but only did so because I went along with it. I could have refused to help you save Boromir's life, but I did not."

"But everything that happened - "

"No." Jairah raised a hand to silence the human woman, "No. The Valar chooses those who are capable of finishing what they begin. Someone else could have very well been chosen for the quest, but you were, not someone else. You are needed, by Boromir, by Merry, by Pippin, by all of us in some way."

"I don't understand?"

"No, you don't. None of us truly understand anything."

"I'm sorry Jairah, for everything that's happened."

"I know you are." Jairah said, "But let us speak of other matters. Gandalf has decided to send you and Boromir ahead of him to Minas Tirith."

Leila's eyes widened, "Uh... Oh, nonononon..."

"What is it?"

"I don't want to be there."

"There is more that you know?"

"I don't want to meet Boromir's father! That's guy is nuts!"

"Leila what are you talking about!"

Leila stared at her, eyes wide, "I - I shouldn't tell you! Not after everything that's happened!"

Jairah stared, "Does it have to do with me or Legolas?"

"No." Leila replied, "It has nothing to do with the fellowship really, but a lot ot do with Boromir's father."

"What? What is it that would make you say that the Lord Denethor is carzy?"

"He's gonna commit suicide." Leila's eyes went wide and she clamped a hand over her mouth with a whimper.

Jairah raised an eyebrow, "Leila? If it makes you feel better I won't tell anyone."

Leila nodded vigourously and bounded down the hill as her own way of getting out of the conversation.

~ * ~

"Uhm... Do I get my own horse?"

"Yes Leila." Gandalf stared hard at Leila before handing her a leather bag, "Here, change into these clothes. They will make you less noticeable."

"Okay."

Leila dissapeared for a moment before reappearing dressed in soft doeskin. She wore light brown breeches and boots, a white undertunic anda brown vest. She shifted slightly, "I feel like a freaky version of She-ra."

"Who?"

She looked over at Merry, "Nevermind."

"I think you look fine Leila." Boromir said as he appeared leading his dar bay and a palomino mare.

Leila giggled, "That could be taken a couple different ways. But I think I'll stick with the one you mean."

"uh huh. All right, off the two of you go." Gandalf spoke.

Leila turned and hugged Merry and Pippin. She turned and recieved a slight embrace from Aragorn before she hugged Jairah tightly. She clasped Legolas' hand in a friendly shake and hugged Gandalf like she would her father, which startled the Maiar. She walked over to the Palomino and Boromir spoke, "Do you know how to ride Leila?"

She gave him a look, "Hun, I was born in Scotland, of course I can ride."

To emphasise her point the mounted the mare with ease. Boromir chuckled and mounted his stallion before leading them away from camp and toward Gondor.

~ * ~

Leila sighed to herself and shifted her wieght in the saddle as she rode along behind Boromir. They had been riding for two days now, and spent two nights on the road as well. She was hoping it would all be over soon. She allowed the mare (whom she had decided to name Glory) to trot up a gentle slope and come to a stop next to Boromir. Her breath caught in her throat as the early morning light glistened off the white tower of Ecthalion and the rooftops of Minas Tirith. Plennor Fields lay below them, spread for somedistance that they could see. Leila looked over at Boromir, whose face was lit with a smile as he gazed down upon his home. She smiled softly and met his eyes, nodding and nudging Glory into a canter. Boromir followed, his stallion's linger legs causeing him to take the lead again. They rode down the slope out onto the fields and they raced toward the city among the tall green grass and spring flowers.  Trumpets blared like silver in the distance as the guard spotted them riding toward the gate. Boromir urged his mount into a gallop and Leila followed, racing along next to him with a smile on her features, his happiness contagious. A call was taken up along the walls, the steward's son was home. The gates opened and Boromir slowed his horse, Leila following his lead as the cantered through the tall gates and into the courtyard below. The horses came to a stop and two stable hands rushed forward to take them as the pair dismounted. Boromir met with Beregond in the center of the courtyard, clasping forearms with his friend (AN: If you don't know who Beregond is, I suggest you read the third book.). Leila smiled and Boromir turned, indicating her foreward.

"Beregond, this is the Lady Leila of Scotland. Leila, my good friend Beregond."

Leila smiled at Beregond, and shook his hand when he reached for her's to kiss it, "Nice to meet you."

Beregond looked confused, but Boromir explained, "The customs of her people are slightly different from ours."

"Ah. Well, may i suggest heading up to the palace? Your father will want to see you."

"Of course." Boromir replied, "Shall we M'Lady?"

Leila laughed and took Boromir's arm, "We shall."