Hiding in Plain Sight

Chapter Seventeen: And the Truth is Revealed

Crystari had brought two of her most loyal guards with her, at Thranduil's request, and she had them swear to secrecy about us.

We stayed in Lorien for the night, and after meeting with Lady Galadriel, we left.

We didn't talk much on our way to Helm's Deep, only a few stories about Fangorn, while traveling through it.

As we rode up to the gates of Helms Deep, I noticed almost the entire fellowship waiting for us, and they weren't smiling.

Wyn and Cy looked kind of furious, but they weren't looking at me. Gimli looked downright murderous, also not at me. Aragorn... well, he looked like he was going to bust some heads. And Gandalf and the Hobbits were currently out West. He looked like he was going to get murdered.

He was also on the other side of the gate, glancing over at the others like they were suddenly going to jump on him and tear him limb from limb.

He didn't seem to notice our special guest.

We rode through the gates, and to the Great Hall, dismounted, and Thia and I sent our horses with a servant, while Crystari and her guards kept their mounts with them.

Our friends soon joined us, but wouldn't tell us why they were suddenly shunning Him.

"Zhy, Thia glad you're back. But who are our guests?" Aragorn was the first to speak. "And why did you leave so quickly?"

"I believe Her Majesty is able to answer for herself, Esteli."

Crystari lowered her hood, and both questions were answered at once in silence.

"Nana, why--"

Crystari held up her hand. "You know my reason, Legolas."

He looked down, in thought, and something must have struck him because he immediately looked back up at his mother.

"Has Ada--?"

"No. Your Ada does not send me on errands, I take into my own hands what he does not."

"Does he know--"

"He knows I have left the Wood, but I gave no hint as to where I was going."

They fell silent.

I noticed a gleam in Crystari's eye as she spoke up, "I wish to be left alone with my son and the Princess of Lorien."

Everyone except Crystari, her son, and I, left.

"Legolas, tell her." Was all she said before she followed the others, and it was just us.

His eyes met mine. "I know." He looked at the window, thinking and then looked back at me. "I knew since the moment you surrounded us in Lorien. Your eyes are unlike any others."

"Why did you not tell me?" I asked quietly.

"I--"

"Why did you not come find me? I was waiting for you! And do not use your father as an excuse, your mother would have convinced him otherwise!"

"And she did! But only after you left the mountain! He was still angry with the dwarves and didn't want anything to do with them."

"What about in Lorien? Or Edoras? Helms Deep? The Black Gates! No! You wait until now! Why? Tell me why!"

"Your heart belonged to another."

"I never thought of Thorin as anything but a brother! My heart always has and always will belong to one person." I was openly crying now, and not ashamed of it.

He looked at me in surprise, but I turned away from him.

As soon as I turned away, however, a strange and painful force welled up inside me, and I started to speak, but I couldn't hear myself. It felt like something was speaking through me. I felt a hand on my back, and heard a shout, before closing my eyes and everything went dark.

I couldn't feel. I couldn't see. I couldn't hear.

I moved around in the blackness, but nothing was there.

Hello, child.

'Who's there?' I thought.

You know us as the Valar.

But you may call me Estë.

'Why have I been brought here?'

You need to heal before you can do anything, and you have not allowed yourself to. There was more happening at the Black Gate then you have been told.

Your mother and grandmother only knew part of the curse. Yes, you were caused great pain, but your powers were diminished, including your ability to heal quickly. I helped you to not feel the pain for as long as I could, but The Lady of Mirkwood's schemes to bring you back into her family caused your emotions to spill forth, and break my hold.

The pain is too much for you to bear. And Sauron, curse him, knew exactly what he was doing. I myself was not there when he cursed you, but many things are heard by many creatures, and word of it came to me.

You, your mother, and your grandmother were all born with a curse, from your great-grandmother's bitterness. Her husband left her after she bore her child, for a reason unknown. She, in great distress, cursed all her female descendants to feel her pain, to find love, but not keep it after their first child was born.

Your grandmother's husband left her after your mother was born.

Your father left your mother while you were a child.

And you. You are the exception. Your mother didn't raise you. You left your lover before the child was born. You and your sister-friend raised your daughter with another child. And your lover has come back. But you are refusing him. Which is why Sauron's curse affects you more than your family. You are refusing him. Which causes you more pain.

And your daughter, well *here she chuckled*, she loves her father. She knows him. And, while not even full grown, has already tapped into her potential.

'She has? When?'

The Battle of Minas Tirith, after you were hit, and fell unconscious. She felt the pain of losing her mother, even if for only a little while.

'When can I go back?'

After I have healed you. This will take many of your mortal weeks, but for you, it will only be a short while. Stay here, and do not try to leave, if you do, you may die. I will be here, unseen, but here.

'Do--Does my family know?'

The one you call Vithrendir has been informed by my husband in a dream, he is telling the others.

'Are they okay?'

Yes.

Go to sleep, child. I will heal you.



(A/N: I was almost crying!!! This chapter gave me feels, I don't know about you guys, but... yeah. Anyhoo, THAT was a big flip! (One that I did't know was coming when I starting writing this (on my pc, not on here) oooh, maybe a year ago??) What do you think?)