Vocab: he ie Firie- She is dying Emel- Mother What Arneth wore at the feast: . . . Miniel stood in the doorway with Elrohir looking at Arneth fast asleep in her bed, her face peaceful as she slept. "Must we go to Mirkwood Elrohir?" She asked quietly. "The road is dangerous and if anything were to happen to Arneth..." Miniel looked at him. "Thranduil has requested my Father's presence along with the rest of us. She has been before, we will be alright Miniel." He put his hand on her cheek gently kissing her forehead. "We will all be alright. Wake her, we leave when the sun is at its highest point." Miniel watched him leave from over her shoulder before entering her daughters room silently making her way to where she slept, she sat on the edge of the bed gently pushing her daughters hair from her face, watching as Arneth stirred from her sleep, sitting up abruptly relaxing again when she saw the smiling face of her Mother. "Emel, is there something wrong?" "No Arneth, we are going to Mirkwood at the request of the woodland King, we leave when the sun is at its highest." "Mirkwood? I haven't been there since I was a child, a little girl." Arneth pushed her soft covers back getting out of the bed smoothing the thin white gown she was wearing going over to her window. "No one will remember me. May I stay Emel? Here in Rivendell." Miniel stood. "I don't believe that is an option Arneth." Miniel looked at her Daughter. "Why are you so reluctant? Legolas is there, you are close with him." "We were friends as children mother, as little children, I haven't seen him since I was a young girl." Arneth looked over her shoulder. "He won't remember me." "You are not one who is easily forgotten meleth, and you know that elves are not ones to forget, especially their friends." Miniel smiled kindly at her. "It will be time to leave soon Arneth, put together what you need." she walked out of the room. Arneth looked back out her window at Rivendell the beautiful place she had grown up in, she remembered how her and Legolas played as children in the halls of Mirkwood, how he always seemed to get them into trouble, a small smile played on her lips, how innocent we were she thought to herself not a care in the world. She turned collecting a few of her books and changing into one of her dresses she decided on a elegant but simple light blue dress with long sleeves, they were friends, but that was a long time ago. When the time came Arneth walked outside meeting the others, a horse was already ready for her and a young male elf stood beside it she knew the elf he had been her escort for almost as long as she could remember, Arneth swung up gracefully into the saddle pulling her hood up covering her auburn hair with the silvery blue fabric that draped her body. She stopped her escort from taking the reigns took them in her own hands, he didn't say anything against it and simply walked beside her as they started to move forward. The ride was beautiful just as she remembered it, though before she rode with her mother on one horse instead of riding on her own, the trees were the same as they were before a few more were fallen which was expected, the path was the same as well though some things had changed. They came to the entrance of the elven path, upon coming to the end of the path Arneth could see the bridge that crossed into the Castle the gates were opening as they came up and then Legolas appeared with a few of the other higher placed elves, Arneth was helped down from her horse, she was tired, traveling long distances always made her tired even as an elf, she couldn't imagine how mortals dealt with it. She joined the company of her parents as Thranduil walked out behind the others to greet them, specifically her grandfather Elrond, they spoke for a short while and Arneth really didn't listen she just stood there, she could feel eyes on her however the way elves knew they were being watched, how they could hear every whisper every breath, every time she looked at Legolas he looked away quickly pretending as if he weren't looking at her at all. "Arneth." Elrond looked at his granddaughter, she looked up at him with her blue eyes but didn't move until she was told. "Come." Arneth picked up the front of her long blue dress just enough so she didn't step on it. "Arneth."Thranduil spoke and Arneth turned her attention to the King. "You are as beautiful as I remember you to be, of course you were a lot smaller, just a young elfling." Arneth wasn't sure how to respond, the King had always shown her affection, she was always told how beautiful she was that she compared to her Aunt Arwen Eveningstar but she didn't believe it, she never thought she was that beautiful. Was she? "There is to be a feast welcoming you and your family, I expect that after you rest, you will be present." Arneth smiled and nodded a little. "Of course my lord, I would never miss it." Arneth was escorted to her room where her mother had obviously already had her dresses hung and had chosen one for her to wear to the feast, a simple blue and white dress, but it looked very elegant and fit her figure perfectly, she pinned her auburn hair up in a sort of up down hairstyle before placing the circlet tiara on another simple piece of attire. A knock came from her door Arneth looked in that direction. "Come in." she called and her mother walked in. A small smile on her face as she went over to her daughter fixing a few pieces of hair. "You look beautiful Arneth." Arneth smiled kindly. "Thank you Emel." Arneth replied following her mother out of her room and into the dining hall, she was placed beside Legolas at the table, and picked at her food trying not to be rude by forcing herself to eat most of it even though her appetite wasn't present. "Lady Arneth." Legolas said standing offering her his. "May I have a dance?" "Of course my Lord." Arneth took his hand standing from her chair following him to where the other Elves were dancing, she reluctantly put her hand in Legolas's almost wanting to pull away as he put his hand on her waist, she looked over his shoulder but not directly at him. "Arneth, mellon, why are you resisting?" Legolas asked softly. "I'm not resisting Legolas." Arneth glanced at him for a few seconds before looking away again. "We haven't seen each other since we were children...Its been so long, I feel as if I don't know you anymore." Legolas sighed watching her movements carefully as they danced together in rhythm to each other. "Nothing has changed Arneth." Legolas replied. Arneth looked at him with sad eyes, she looked into his and saw the fun loving boy she had grown so close to when she was young, but before her stood a strong, brave, Prince who had changed from a carefree boy to a responsible Elven Prince. "Everything has changed Legolas. I am a Lady of Imladris, and you are the Prince of Mirkwood..." Arneth took a small breath. "We knew each other as children, and now we are no longer children, and we know longer know each other the way we use to..." Arneth curtsied as Legolas bowed at the end of the song then let go of his hand. "Excuse me my Lord." Arneth walked past him gently brushing, she could feel his eyes on her as she left, she hesitantly looked over her shoulder as she left the room, she needed air, time to sort things out, Time to think about her and Legolas. What they were when they were children, and what they had to be now.