"Gondor?" she echoed quietly. "Ah, I see." she offered another warm smile. She would tell her when she was ready, she figured. She could see the town in the distance. "What are you hungry for?"

(hey, gotta go for a bit, will be on later though!)

Holly raised a hand to one of her plaits and coiled it around her finger. This was a nervous habit she had picked up while staying with her uncle. When he was at his darkest, she would simply play with her hair, like her mother used to. All she had to do was pretend it was her mothers fingers combing through her hair instead of her own. Holly peered ahead at the town. "Some warm soup would be nice," she said. "What about you?" she asked, tilting her head at her.

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Lairiel smiled kindly at her and set an arm around her shoulders. "Some warm soup sounds fabulous." she continued walking in that fashion, hoping to ease the girl's obvious worry. "You will be safe with me."

"I would take comfort in that, if I hadn't been told that before when..." she stopped herself again. "Forgive me. Some wounds are just too deep to heal I guess." She squeezed her eyes shut. Get a grip of yourself Holly! How else do you expect to survive? Her conscience spat at her. With a sigh she opened her eyes and flashed a small smile at Lairiel. "Have you been to this town before?" she enquired.

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She nodded "There is nothing to forgive. I understand." she looked up "Aye, I have. I am familiar with its people and streets." the people there knew not to give her any nonsense. She had earned their respect. "You will, I swear it on my sword, you will remain safe and untouched with me." her voice was completely sincere.

Holly nodded to her. Her mind flashed back to the encounter with the thief. "I can quite believe that," Holly said with a smirk. "I wish I could learn to defend myself like that. Alas, my only weapon is my sharp wit and quick hands and feet."

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"Then we shall teach you." she sent Holly a lop-sided, fond grin. "You shall become a ranger under my training." she was happy to help. She felt quite motherly towards this girl, she realized. She was looking forward to it.

Holly stopped in her tracks. "Really?" Her eyes were wide with hope and excitement. "You will?" Her eyes softened. "Thank you so much Lairiel. I would really appreciate your help."

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She grinned "You're welcome, Holly, it's my pleasure." they came into town and she took Holly to the tavern. "Order anything you wish." she sat at the table and her boots clunked adage set them up on another chair.

Holly sat down across from Lairiel, folding one leg across the other. A waitress came to take their orders. "I'll have your soup of the day, please?" she smiled at the waitress before looking over to Lairiel.

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"Make that two, and a basket of fresh rolls." shetossed the woman a coin and folded her hands in her lap. "Holly, when will you trust me enough to tell me the truth?" she regarded her with kind eyes, nothing about her was judgmental and she certainly would not report the girl.

Holly flinched and looked down at her hands. "How long have you known?" She asked quietly. Her eyes darted around the room as though worried someone would be listening. Her uncle had many friends in many different places. She could not risk getting caught now. She refused to go back to that wicked man. Her hands balled into tight fists. Holly brought her eyes back up to look at Lairiel, her head tilted slightly.

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"Since you almost told me the truth in the first place." she pulled her feet down and leaned forward. You needn't worry. I vowed to protect you. And I will not report you."

Damn it! Holly sighed softly and leaned closer to Lairiel. "Alright," she conceded. "I am a runaway...Although I haven't been one for a long time. I left Gondor to escape my uncle. The things he made me do...well they are unspeakable.." Her voice trembled as the memories rose to her mind.

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She laud her hand on Holly's shoulder. "You need not explain anymore. I just wished to have your trust." she gave the girl's shoulder a gentle squeeze, giving a small smile "Put it behind you. You are free and safe now."

"Trust was easy to give when I was younger. The world looked so different back then...when my parents were alive to love and care for me. Ever since setting foot in that wretched mans house the world got darker and trust became a distant memory to me." Holly covered Lairiel's hand with her own. "Forgive me, Lairiel. I can see that I can trust you. It's just some habbits are hard to break - especially when you have grown as used to them as I have." Holly smiled at Lairiel's words and felt sadened at the same time. "I only wish it were true. My uncle has eyes everywhere. I wonder if I truely will escape him. My rest is always haunted by nightmares of him..." she gave a shudder.

Abruptly she sat up and pasted a smile upon her face as the waitress brought over their bread and soup. "Thank you," she said to both the waitress and Lairiel. Only her thank you to Lairiel had a deeper meaning than the one she had given the waitress. Lairiel couldn't know how much of a saviour she had become to Holly. How much of a light in her darkness she had been so far.

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