A Second Chance

A Second Chance Part 8

By the time we reach the point that Gandalf forgets his way I am wound so tightly I can barely breathe.

"Be calm tarien," Legolas whispers as he crouches in front of me a few minutes later and I realise I am very nearly hyperventilating.

"What does that mean... tarien?" I ask and I could almost swear he blushes a bit which is very odd because I thought that elves were the kings and queens of being aloof and distant and blank and emotionless. Mind you what do I know everything else that I thought I knew was wrong so why shouldn't this be?

"That is for another time," he replies and I huff a little,

"What other time?" I ask immediately and he chuckles a little.

"When we are free of these caves," he answers and another wave of fear and misery rips through me as I realise that I would probably never know because I would most likely be dead and I could tell them nothing and so I simply nod and murmur something about getting closer to the light as I edge slightly nearer to Gandalf and watch and Legolas stands turning towards Aragorn who is glowering at him slightly.

"You should not be with her so," Aragorn hisses and I glance up in shock knowing that he could only be talking about me but also realising that he clearly didn't know I could hear him in the near silent darkness of the cavernous mines.

"I do not know what you mean?" Legolas returns equally as frostily and I am confused by the aminosity between these two friends.

"Calling her tarien, you know what I mean," Aragorn practically spits,

"You are just the same calling her nessa er, at least I have not messed with her emotions so that she does not know where she stands," Legolas growls back fury evident in his voice to an extent that I bite back a gasp.

"And if she accepts, what happens then? When she grows old and you do not change?" Aragorn responds his own fury just as audible.

"And you are the better choice, a man who is destined to rule, she would be doomed to a life of being looked down upon by the nobles of Gondor," Legolas replies and Aragorn lets out a short bark of laughter.

"Because King Thandriel would be so accepting," my head is spinning by this point and my heart pounding so fiercely that it drowns out their voices. They could not be arguing over me, it was not possible. I had spent half my life dreaming of this situation and now that I was here I hated it. I could not choose. I wasn't worthy of either of them and I could not hurt either of them. Hot tears spring to my eyes my chest aching just as I think about it.

"Do not trouble yourself Finley, I believe that it is a decision that will be made for you in time," the voice startles me so much I bite back a yelp of fright.

"Sorry, you startled me," I respond in a quivering voice a moment later and Gandalf smiles gently at me.

"You do not like the dark," he states and I move my head to motion that he is correct, "why?" he asks after a moment and I ponder on the question for a moment before deciding to tell him the truth.

"When I was younger... the pain, the... the beatings and... well it always happened at night, in the dark. I remember laying there in my bed listening to the fighting the arguing, listening to my father's footsteps getting closer. Then later when my mother married her second husband and they wanted me out of the way or I irritated them in any way they would lock me in the cupboard under the stairs. It was small and it was so dark and I hated it, they left me there for three days once, I nearly died," I say feeling myself flush as I relive the humiliation.

"I see now I think why the Valar chose you," he says after a moment.

"What do you mean?" I ask in confusion as I look up at him and he sucks on his pipe for a moment before smiling at me amusement twinkling in his eyes.