Daughter of Flame

He Knew

Amalia packed the few things she owned in a green pack. Elrond had gifted her with a few dresses that she had taken a liking to. She sighed heavily after buckling it and carried her things down to where her horse Daewen was. The tame stallion had returned to Rivendell when she left her outside Laketown. Though Amalia still did not know the where-abouts of Elora, she seemed to have disappeared in the confusion, even Elrond did not know what happened to her.

Approaching her horse, Amalia attached her pack to Daewen's saddle. Afterwards she tightened the saddles girth and checked the buckles for what must be the fourth time. She then leaned her back against the wall and slid down gracefully. Finding herself alone she simply stared at her torn trousers and blood stained shoes. The edge of her cloak was torn from years of wear and tear. She reached a hand to one of the tears in her trousers just above her knee. She could remember the water of Laketown that had burned her when she jumped off the boat. Those wounds were long since healed ... 60 years.

With a sigh Amalia turned her attention to the fresh wounds on her hands, they were wrapped in white cloth underneath tight bandages. She had insisted that Elrond leave the wounds unhealed... a sort of punishment, a reminder.

"Amalia? You do not depart until dusk." Lindir spoke as he descended the stairs to where she sat with her horse grazing nearby.

"Its safer if I stay here until we leave." She replied keeping her eyes down. Her gaze found the necklace Elrond had given her, it glimmered in the light. The twisted metal always intrigued her.

"You are in no danger." Lindir tilted his head with a confused look upon his face. He could not understand what she meant.

"Safer for everyone else." She almost whispered the words. Lindir neither approached nor retreated and Amalia began to wonder if he had heard her.

"I almost killed him." She breathed. The memory of her holding a blade to Elrond made her uncomfortable. He hadn't even tried to defend himself from her .. would he have let her kill him? Did he want to die? ... maybe she had misread the situation.. no. It was not safe here for her, not safe for Elrond's sake.

"It was not your intention. You were not yourself." Lindir tried to console her but to no avail. She shut his words out like stone around her heart.

"I cannot let it happen again."

* * *

The ride across the the fields and plains was long, it would take days to reach Lothlorien. Amalia traveled in a small group of only herself, four elves and Elrond.

She remained silent, though the archers talked amongst themselves. Amalia focused on the slight creak of her saddle and the breeze and that blew through the grass. It was peaceful like this. With only the wind to speak to her. She looked to Elrond, who rode ahead of her, with a feeling of guilt. What had happened was unacceptable but every time she looked at him she saw it. She saw the look of betrayal in his eyes yet there was no fear. It was as if he had confidence that she would not harm him. Amalia moved the reigns to stir Daewen towards Elrond. Her hands stung from her wounds and her fingers were numb but she managed.

"You knew." Amalia stated looking forward instead of at him. There was a long silence in which Amalia knew he would not ask. "You knew I would not..."

"Yes I did know." He interrupted her and she looked to him only to find gentle eyes looking back. Did he forgive her?

"Why did you not stop me?" She inquired knowing any normal person would have killed her for what she had done.

"Because you needed to know." He briefly replied much to her confusion. What was that supposed to mean? She was supposed to know she wouldn't? But she could have killed him. He could not .. should not .. have expected her to stop herself. He should have killed her.

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Another short chapter but more coming I swear it!