Unexpected Arrival

The day had started out normally, Elladan had already gone to the forge and Kerowyn had already fought with Lindir. But today it seemed that Elenwe was on her own for a while, everyone else had to do something or was gone. She didn't mind a little time to herself, in fact she welcomed it, she ended up walking around on the first floor path with railing on one side that led to the blosoming trees. She leaned on the railing and was the only soul in the world it seemed, the wind was blowing gently and the petals swirled around in the air. Elenwe took a deep breath, she loved times like this: when nature was singing with all it's heart. It made her want to sing along with it, closing her eyes she began to sing an elvish song from Mirkwood that Legolas had recently taught her. The song was about a blooming flower in the middle of a bush of thorns, a metaphor for Mirkwood and the good in the world, it seemed. Elenwe had become so intranced in this feeling and the song that she didn't notice the presense that approached her. She ended the song and opened her eyes. "That was lovely." she heard, turning to see an older, gruff, but gentle looking Elf staring at her. "Oh, I didn't know anyone was listening." she replied. "Twas a song from Mirkwood... but you don't look like you use to reside there. ...and I should know, I am of Mirkwood." the Elf continued.

"No, I didn't, but I know someone who was born and raised there...he taught me the song...". The Elf laughed.

"Is that so?" He asked. "Might I inquire who this Elf is?" Elenwe looked back over the valley and sighed. "His name is Legolas..." She blushed slightly, suddenly realizing she did not know what to say next. The Elf smiled and laughed at the blush that had settled on Elenwe's cheeks, making her blush all the more.

"Ah yes, the Prince of Mirkwood. How fitting that he should teach you a song of his homeland." The man looked over the valley as well, a smile lifting the corner of his lips. Elenwe looked at him, not really seeing him.

"You said you are from Mirkwood...?" She asked. The Elf looked up.

"Aye."

"Do you know other songs?" Elenwe asked, feeling foolish that she was asking a complete stranger. The Elf laughed again, a deep rich laugh coming from his toes. "Of course, I think if you ask anyone who has even been to Mirkwood, they know at least one or two songs." Elenwe grinned.

"Could I perhaps burden you to teach some to me?" She asked, hopefully.

"In time, Penneth, perhaps tonight when we gather in the Hall of Fire." The Elf smiled and dipped his head. "I shall see you inside, Milady." He turned and walked inside the double doors, leaving Elenwe staring at his retreating form.

"That was a strange... and did he call me 'Penneth'?" She thought to herself. She looked back at the mountains, and was again deep in her thoughts. She heard a sudden noise and looked up, startled. There was the same strange Elf, looking for something.

"Sorry to disturb you again, Milady. But I left my cloak." He said, pointing to the gray cloak sitting on a section of railing a few feet away from where he had been originally standing. Elenwe looked at it and noticed that it was heavier than one you might find there in Rivendell. She looked at it puzzled, and spoke without thinking.

"Surely it's not that cold in Mirkwood?" She said, looking at him curiously. He laughed again. "Was I just being overly naive?" she asked him, throuly irritated with her own reclusive mind from being Drow. The Elf looked at his cloak and back at Elenwe. "The days and nights tend to be colder in the forest than here in Rivendell." He said. Elenwe smiled, and before long, couldn't help but laugh.

"What is Mirkwood like?" She asked curiously.

"Well, big, and the King doesn't like many people really going there. But the King and his sons are fair rulers...most of the time. That is, when someone does not get the King very angry...then Mirkwood seems to de-populate swiftly I'm afriad. The King's temper matches that of even Lord Elrond."

"Sounds like the King needs to work some on controlling his temper...what good can come out of a situation if the King can not keep his own wits about him, long enough to discover what is behind the problem...not that I can really talk...I do tend to snap at times myself..." Elenwe said thoughtfully. The Elf sighed.

"You are right though, the King does need to know how to control his temper." The Elf said, somewhat sadly. Elenwe looked up.

"Would you say that Legolas is in any way like his father?" Elenwe asked...genuinly curious.

"Some...but he is better in someways, also. Legolas knows how to control his temper...for the most part." He said, a forlorn look coming to his face. "But he speaks very often of a special woman in his life..." The Elf continued, watching Elenwe carefully. Her reaction would tell him much about her personality. Elenwe looked alarmed.

"Could he be talking...about me?" She wondered silently in thought. She looked at the Elf, "Oh?" She asked, careful to keep her thoughts out of her words. The Elf nodded.

"Yes...and from the sounds of it, she is positivly beautiful and wonderful. I do hope he introduces her to the Kingdom..." The Elf said. Elenwe looked downcast for a moment, thinking that Legolas could never think of her in that way. She looked up, and prayed the tears that threatened to fill her eyes would stay in the tear ducts where they belonged.

"I'm sorry, I must go. I'm sure I will see you tonight!" Elenwe practically yelled and tore off, leaving an astonished Thranduil behind her.

"Was I wrong in telling her all those things?" He wondered to himself.

~~~~~~~

Elenwe was running down the hall, intent on going into Luna's room to ask Luna all the questions that had arisen in her mind. She almost ran past Luna, who was walking down the hall, in her hurry. At the last minute Elenwe stopped and hurried to Luna's side.

"Luna...Luna...Luna...I need to talk to you!!!" Elenwe said. Luna didn't stop walking, but answered.

"I have to go get ready for something."

"But I need to talk to you....nooooowwwwwww." Elenwe whined.

"Then you can talk to me while I look for things in the library." Luna answered back. Elenwe stopped short.

"Oh no...I've heard stories of you searching for things in the library. And I don't particularly want to go to the healing wings tonight." ((I hate to Bother you...But))

"Suit yourself...you can talk to me later." Luna said, and walked into the library, leaving Elenwe alone in the hallway. Elenwe stood there, and suddenly opened the door, following Luna in.

"I decided to take my chances." Elenwe said. "I need to talk to you...will you at least listen?"

"Of course I will, you just have to deal with me looking for things." Luna said, already searching the shelves.

"Okay..." Elenwe said, and started talking about her meeting the Elf on the railed path. "... and I guess Legolas talks about her alot and the Elf says it sounds like he really loves her, and the Kingdom hopes that he marries her...and...and...I don't know what to think....!!!" Elenwe finished quickly and patheically. ((When was marriage mentioned?))

Luna put down her book and put her hands on Elenwe's shoulders. "Elenwe. Think about it. If he didn't have feelings for you, then why would he threaten to leave you completely? And why would he care about you enough to stay by your bedside when you were poisoned and hurt your ankle? ...Not to mention the fact that he says "I love you"!!" Elenwe stopped and thought for a moment.

"I'm such an idiot." She hung her head in shame. Luna disagreed.

"No you're not... you're just lovesick, thats all. It's normal. It was the same for Elrohir and I...and Lindir and Kerowyn, but we all know how that's been turning out." Luna said, turning back to her books. "Is that all you needed to talk to me about?" Elenwe nodded.

"Yeah..."

"Okay, I'll see you later." Luna said, distracted again. Elenwe stood for moment.

"Can I help you?" She asked, not really knowing what else to do. Luna turned to her friend.

"Certainly. Find the books by the half-lings..." Elenwe looked unsure.

"Um...Okay...." She began to look, but a few minutes she turned back to her friend. "Um, Luna? ......What's a "half-ling"?"

~~~~~~~~~

The twilight colors gave the sky the most beautiful of settings and added a very harmonious mood to the end of the day. Elenwe sat on the bed of Kerowyn's and Lindir's room and watched Kerowyn as she picked out a dress. Elenwe shook her head, "But isn't that stupid? I mean, I know sometimes I'm not the brightest person in the world... but to miss something so obvious!! I actually starting to get upset..." Kerowyn turned to her and sighed happily,

"Mellon... You are indeed experiencing love........ I just can't believe that you two approach it so forgeinly sometimes." Elenwe smiled,

"That's like what Luna said..." Kerowyn sat down next to Elenwe and put her arm around her shoulders,

"Well then, if both of us say so... Can't you trust our judgment?" Elenwe nodded. "Now! ..." Kerowyn stood up and opened her closet fully. "Which dress do you want to wear?!" She asked with a huge smile.

"Kerowyn!!!" Elenwe stood up and walked to the door with a smile on her face. "I'll see you in the Hall of Fire." Luna began to knock just as Elenwe opened the door. She watched as Elenwe walked out and turned to Kerowyn.

"What kind of color of dress did you suggest this time? Pink? Ivory?"

~~~~~~~~~

Elrond, the twins, Searyn, Sanarium, Iodhil, Legolas, Meahan, Linidr, Kerowyn, Glorfindel and Erestor were already in the Hall of Fire (along with most of Rivendell) while Luna and Elenwe walked there together. They arrived, Luna walking to Elrohir and Elenwe to Legolas, shortly the banter spread to all of them. A few moments later the door opened slowly and quietly. Elenwe, facing the door, saw the newly arrived Elf first and smiled as she ran up to him.

"Nice to see you again!" Everyone turned around and noticed Thranduil, Elladan could not stop himself from spurting out: "What is she doing?" Meahan shook her head,

"I...I don't know." Luna and Kerowyn rushed up beside Elenwe and whispered,

"What are you doing?!" Elenwe looked at them in confusion,

"I met him earlier today.... though," She turned to him. "I never got your name." Iodhil and Legolas rushed up to Thranduil,

"Ada?! What are you doing here?" Elenwe blinked rapidly,

"ADA?!" Thranduil smiled at his sons,

"I came to visit Rivendell and my friend, Elrond...." He eyed Legolas. Elenwe was blushing imensly,

"But- But- That means-!!" She blushed more as she remembered all she had said "I ...Uhhh..." Thranduil took her hand,

"Do not fret, dear maiden... I, Thranduil, King of Mirkwood, greet you with pleasure." Luna stood for a moment,

"Wait... That means... You said that to him??!!!" Elenwe whispered to her,

"You think it's bad?! I didn't want to meet Legolas's father like this!!"

"Father?! I'd think that you would be more worried about the fact that he's the King of Mirkwood!" She whispered back. Elenwe returned Thranduil's greeting and attempted to get the conversation rolling which would take their minds away from her blunder for the time being.

~~~~~~~~~

The stars filled the cloudless night sky while a cool gentle breeze danced through the air and the beech-woods that lined the opening. The deep green grass carpeted the ground with a stray dandilions swaying here and there. Elenwe stood at the edge of the field a few yards away from the doorway. She sighed in the summer air.

"Valar! I'm such an idiot!" The silent figure of Legolas walked out and up behind her.

"Heh. I think you're being a bit hard on yourself." Elenwe jumped as she turned around. "...I mean I've never told you what my father looked like." Elenwe looked back and rolled her eyes.

"Hmph, that's not much of an excuse... Jeez, I can't believe I said he needed to work on his temper to his face." Legolas chuckled as he stood next to her. "...But of course that means he was also saying those things to see how I would react, which I'm not sure I can blame him.... But I got so frazzled when he told me of the maiden you talk about." Legolas turned and leaned in towards her.

"You mean you got upset because you thought it was someone else?" he asked, a smile spreading on his lips. Elenwe spun around to face him as she blushed imensly at her slip of the tongue.

"Uhhh...I.....--" She turned her head to the side. "Yes." Legolas starred at her.

"But why in Middle-Earth would you think that?" Elenwe struggled for an answer, but couldn't seem to find the words, or even knew why herself. A smile spread accross his face once more as he gently shook his head. "You really are an idiot." He said teasingly. Elenwe turned to him in surprise.

"Wha-? Well, you're no genious yourself!!" Legolas laughed as he ran from her into the field. Elenwe chased him. The laughter floated up above to Thranduil and Iodhil in a blacony, who watched as the couple chased around each other. Iodhil smirked,

"They're quite the couple, huh?" Thranduil nodded. The chase had completely fallen apart into simply dancing and running around. Elenwe laughed and looked up at the stars with her bright smile. She spun around and breathed deep as she let herself fall into the comfort of the grass. There she lay, arms and legs spread out as her smile faded to a gentle, happy gaze. Legolas laughed as he dropped down to a sitting position beside her, he too turned his gaze to the stars and took a deep breath.

"It's..." Elenwe began as Legolas turned and looked at her. "...so sad."

"What is?"

"The stars... Every time I'm under them like this... I feel so peacfull. They're so beautiful it's sad.... But I could lay here and stare at them forever... A great source of hope in the night for those lost... hmn... the reviling light for the shadow... There are so many reasons why I love them." Legolas stared at her as she continued to look up.

"Then... let the stars also be a sign... and be the reviling light that shows my deep feelings for you," Elenwe looked at him and then proped herself up on her elbows, facing him. "... a maiden of the shadow." He slipped his hand behind her head at the crook of her neck and leaned in to kiss her. The music and voices from inside reached the ears of Thranduil and Iodhil in the silence as they witnessed the distant kiss.

"So Ada?" Iodhil asked. "What do you think?" Thranduil pretended not to understand. "I know that speaking with Elrond wasn't as big on the agenda as you would have had us believe.... You've been wondering about Elenwe..."

"Well... Yes. But you saw your brother...he seemed to be under some sort of spell at home. Floating around, whistling, humming... the cheerful mood. I knew something was ascew..."

"So?" Iodhil leaned on the rail next to his father. "What is your ruling?"

"Heh... no ruling... I was merely curious about this fair maiden I'd heard about... But I suppose to answer your question: She's unique as it were both in personality... in clothing... and in her birth I hear. I have no objections to their relationship. In fact I aprove if her." Iodhil nodded in review, but then chuckled as another thought crossed his mind.

"So, what did you think of her blunt speech?" Thranduil smirked.

"Hmmn? Ah!" he laughed. "Now that was indeed a first for me... I don't think I've ever seen a maiden--besides Luna--who speaks so much of her mind. It's actually quite refreshing..."

"Yeah, well, try being in front of a group of Lorien Elves with her... it won't be too pretty." Thranduil chuckled again.

"Well, it she needs any fair attrabutes to be pointed out that's one of them: her ability to make me laugh!" Iodhil smirked, his father did seem to like people who could make him laugh.

"And her naivity of the world... what did you think of that?" Iodhil said.

"That wasn't such a surprise after listening to you two talk about her knowledge of the....What did you say she called it?"

"The Ar."

"The Ar... Hmmmn. Well, I would like to ask her about her home and family, though...." Iodhil seemed to realize something.

"....You know what, Ada..... So, would I..... I don't think she's really ever told us about her home, family, travels or even why she's traveling outside her country..."