He had been sitting on the wooden stool for ages. Far too long for a lesson, he felt.

"Legolas! Pay attention!"

Glandur, his teacher for that day, was glaring at him. "I was asking, what is the name of the river that flows through the valley of Imladris?"

Legolas sighed. This lesson was way too long.

"The Bruinien, Glandur Feredirion."

"Good. Now if you'll pay attention, we will resume the lesson."

Legolas looked desperately at the water clock that was just visible through the open door. He groaned when he saw that there was still at least an hour to go. He let Glandur's dull voice wash over him as he drifted into dreams.

A thump and a scuffling sound startled him awake. Legolas looked up, and saw a terrified face staring at him from the glass skylight. She was thin, with long red hair, and looked about his age. As he watched, she relaxed slightly. Mouthing, sorry, she shifted as if to climb back up to the trees above. Legolas beckoned, and she frowned. She mouthed are you bored? Legolas nodded, and she disappeared.

Suddenly there was a loud knocking on the doorframe. Glandur sighed, and marked the page he was reading from, and pushed the door further open to reveal the same girl. Now Legolas could see that she was wearing the dark blue tunic with brown piping that most of the servers of the hall wore, with patched brown leggings.

"Sorry to bother you, Glandur Feredirion, but Arasinya wants you! She is at the archery fields. She sent me to find you."

Glandur frowned and grumbled. "Why would the Archery Master want me now?"

"She didn't say, Sir, but she wants you now."

"Fine. Legolas, Stay here until I return, please. We still have to discuss the tributaries of the Anduin." The girl pulled a face behind Glandur's back and mouthed boring!

As Glandur swept away, she waited respectively, but as soon as he was out of sight she turned to go.

"Wait!" Legolas cried. "Come back!"

The girl turned, surprised. "What is if, Your Highness?"

"Man i eneth lin? At least let me know the name of my rescuer!"

"My name is Rochendilwen, Highness."

"Why did you help me? I have done nothing for you."

At this Rochendilwen smiled. "You are our prince, Your Highness! Of course I would help you!"

"But now, I mean, Glandur is going to come back and he is not going to be happy. Do you know a place where I could hide? What will happen when Arasinya gets involved too?"

"Well..." Rochendilwen considered this for a long while. "There is one place I think you would be safe. Also, I know Arasinya. I'll be fine." She stood up. "Follow me."

-x-X-x-

They walked along the path that led from the teaching lot to the palace for awhile, until Rochendilwen led them suddenly along a small trail that Legolas had never noticed before, and through an old looking door. Rochendilwen looked back and laughed at the look of doubt on the elf prince's face. "Do not worry Legolas, this door is seldom used by higher elves like Glandur."

As they hurried along the tunnels, Legolas realised that they must be at least under the palace by now. Rochendilwen pushed through another door, calling "Nana! I am back!"

A kindly voice answered her. "At last Rochendilwen! I thought you'd been eaten by spiders or something!"

Rochendilwen stepped into the large warm kitchen. The first thing Legolas noted was that the air was filled with a delicious smell. Then Rochendilwen pulled him towards her mama, a pretty elf wearing a white chefs apron over a blue dress, saying, "Nana, we have a visitor."

The elf turned around and was about to say something, but then she realised who the visitor was, and stopped suddenly. Her eyes grew wide and the bowl she was holding fell from her fingers and smashed on the wooden floor. She blushed, and curtseyed. "Your Highness, I was not expecting you!" She looked at him, and caught him staring longingly at the tureen filled with a clear chicken broth. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes. Is that chicken soup?"

The chef laughed, bending to clear away the shattered porcelain, and said. "Yes, but it is not ready yet! There is cold chicken though, and bread and butter in plenty."

"What is your name? I only know you as Rochendilwen's mother."

"My name is Erulissë, tithen ernil. Rochendilwen, would you fetch the bread and meat for our honoured guest?"

"Sure nana!" Rochendilwen chirped, pushing through another door to reveal a stocked pantry. The shelves were lined with food, ingredients, condiments and herbs. Legolas looked away when he realised he was staring, and caught the eye of a young serving boy carrying a tray of cutlery. The boy went red, and practically fled out the door.

Rochendilwen hurried back into he room, bearing a tray piled with cold chicken, bread, butter and a good deal of toffee-filled sweetcakes.

Erulissë gave her daughter a look of disbelief. "Where are the cutlery and plates? Are you expecting our ernil-hen to eat with his hands?"

"I don't mind." Legolas put in hurriedly, "I can eat with my hands."

Rochendilwen grinned, and set the tray down. Her mother sighed, but soon a smile broke across her face. "So then, how did you two meet?"

Rochendilwen sunk her teeth into a sweetcake, gesturing for Legolas to explain. He smirked at the sight of her with her cheeks looking like a chipmunk, and she poked her tongue at him.

"Well..."