Ice Elleth

by Remember How I Used To Be

LONG ONESHOT! Legolas was not always a kind elf, for some reason he disliked one particular elleth. In his dislike he pushed her too far and she fled Mirkwood. When she returns, she’s not the elleth Legolas remembers.

Summary: Legolas was not always a kind elf, for some reason he disliked one particular elleth. In his dislike he pushed her too far and she fled Mirkwood. When she returns, she's not the elleth Legolas remembers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Legolas or any of the Lord of the Rings characters. If I did, I would be filthy rich and I most certainly am not.

"Legolas?"

The Elven Prince looked up from his book. "Yes, Ada?"

"It is now official," he said softly. "Your sister is to wed Haldir of Lorien." Though the king was trying to hide it, Legolas could see how proud he was that his daughter had finally chosen a mate. It was even a mate he greatly approved of.

"That is wonderful news; they are to be married soon?" He sincerely wished the best to his sister, but, the moment his sister was married off, his father would begin searching for a bride for Legolas with renewed vigor.

"The preparations will get underway the moment Haldir arrives," the king replied. "I shall go see to the preparations for our guests."

Thranduil turned to go, but paused for a moment at the door. "Oh, and Legolas?"

"Yes, Ada?"

"Haldir's cousin is coming with him. They say she once lived here, but fled because of the tauntings of one particular elfling," he told his son casually. Legolas felt a shock run through his body. What was his father implying? His father left before he could ask.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Alanoriel, please," Haldir begged his younger cousin. "What's wrong? You used to love traveling."

She said nothing, but a few silvery tears leaked from her icy blue eyes.

Haldir sighed as he watched her. Ever since she had learned that Haldir was to wed the princess of Mirkwood she had been very quiet and withdrawn. Nothing could make her laugh. No one could make her eat or drink anything. She had barely moved from her spot since the news was broken. The only thing Haldir knew was that she had fled Mirkwood when she was still an elfling.

Alanoriel was a small elf, smaller than most anyway. She had pale skin and black hair. Her eyes were so light a blue they seemed to be made of ice. Many elves had taken to referring to her as the Ice Princess, not just because of her looks.

When Alanoriel had first arrived in Lothlorien many of the eligible elven males had made offers of marriage to her and the maidens offered their friendship. Without even glancing in either direction, Alanoriel had simply glided through. The only people she spoke to were her cousins. They wondered at the changes they had seen in her. Before coming to Lorien she had been a very bright and joyful elleth. She was constantly playing jokes on the unsuspecting and then vanishing from sight until the victim had calmed down enough that they could be apologized to. This Alanoriel hadn't smiled once since her arrival over five centuries ago.

"Alana," Haldir whispered softly as he brushed her ebony hair back. "I don't know what happened in Mirkwood, but things have changed. It has been over five centuries. You need to move on." He stroked her hair gently as she continued to sit silently beside him.

"I will go," she said, speaking for the first time in a week. "I will go because you are my cousin and my friend, but do not ask that I involve myself with any male."

Haldir nodded and stood. "I will not ask anything more of you than your presence." He extended his hand to his younger cousin who took it. The two elves moved quickly through the trees to prepare for the journey to Mirkwood.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Legolas!"

The Elven Prince lowered his bow to look at the one who had called out to him. His good friend, Ranian, was jogging across the archery field towards him.

"Have you heard the news?" Ranian asked.

"What news?" Legolas queried. He thought as the king's son he would have news quicker than others.

"Alanoriel is returning to Mirkwood," the other elf said as if it were obvious.

"Who is Alanoriel?" The prince drew his bow and sent an arrow plunging into his target.

"Who is Alanoriel?" Ranian quoted with a disbelieving laugh. "She's only the elleth that you used to torture all the time. Remember the one you embarrassed in front of the whole body of nobles by making her dress fall off?"

Legolas yelped and nearly loosed an arrow in the wrong direction. "Her? She's coming back?"

He didn't know if the elleth would hold a grudge, but if she did . . . The things the girl could do were numerous. Especially if she was angry about the dress incident.

Flashback

Legolas smirked to himself as he slipped into Alanoriel's room. She wouldn't be expecting him this time. Last time she'd managed to embarrass him by pointing out his actions to his father. He intended to repay her for the trouble he'd gotten into. Embarrassing her at tonight's banquet would be perfect.

Lying across the elleth's bed was a simple but beautiful blue dress. Legolas pulled out a tiny knife he'd snatched from one of the maids. It was designed specifically to cut stitches. For several days he'd been watching the maids and even asked about key spots in clothes that, if the stitches were removed, would fall apart. With very little trouble, he'd obtained the proper information. A few pulls left two long threads, one at the waist and another on the chest. With any luck, when he pulled the strands, Alanoriel would be wearing nothing beneath. His revenge would be complete.

He slipped out of the elleth's room as quietly as he had come.

At the Banquet

Legolas stood just before his father's throne on a lower step. He was in position to complete his plan. The doors finally opened to allow in the guests to be greeted by the king. Alanoriel would be at the end because she was not the daughter of a noble, but of a common soldier. Why she had been invited, Legolas had no clue. Nothing made her special.

Nobles and their wives walked gracefully past to pay their respects to the royal family. Finally Alanoriel appeared in the doorway. Legolas felt a small twinge of guilt even as he looked at her. She looked so beautiful in her blue dress and—Legolas shook his slightly. He had to make her pay for humiliating him.

The slender elleth moved ever closer to the dais where the king and queen were seated. Her movements took her quite near to the Elven Prince. As she bowed, a gentle breeze caused by shifting nobles moved the threads near the prince's waiting hand. He caught the threads with the tiniest movement of his hand and waited for a moment as Alanoriel began to move away. The threads pulled out of the dress quickly and the material began to slide off.

Excited murmurs circulated throughout the hall as the soft blue material slipped off of Alanoriel's body.

The startled elleth snatched at the pieces of her dress and fled the room, humiliated tears running down her cheeks. The crowd parted to allow her through, whispering the whole time.

Even as Legolas watched his plan go perfectly he felt a sharp pang of guilt in his chest. He shouldn't have done that.

The Next Morning

Legolas walked slowly down the hall to the door leading to Alanoriel's room. The tight knot of guilt had settled in his stomach the moment his plan had been completed and had never left. All that night, he'd felt sick to his stomach and had finally decided to apologize to Alanoriel.

The door to Alanoriel's room was standing slightly ajar when Legolas got to it.

"Alanoriel?" he called in softly, knocking gently against the heavy wood. No answer came. He pushed open the door ever so slightly. The room was empty of personal items. The wardrobe doors hung open, but no clothes were hung within. Everything belonging to the elleth was gone. Legolas moved softly through the emptied room. A small flash of light from the foot of the bed caught Legolas' eye.

The elf picked up a delicate silver chain with a locket on it. He opened the small locket to reveal a picture of an elvish family. He immediately recognized Alanoriel. Standing behind her was a guard Legolas recognized vaguely and an elven woman who had worked as a Healer. It was Alanoriel's family. Legolas felt sick to his stomach again. Alanoriel was gone without a trace, he couldn't return the locket, and he couldn't apologize for his actions.

End Flashback

Legolas tried to steady his trembling hands. The sickened feeling returned. The thought of seeing Alanoriel again after all of the cruel things he had done to her made him feel rather ill. It had been five centuries ago, but Elves had long memories. Perhaps he would be able to make amends with her when she arrived.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Alanoriel gripped the reigns of her horse so tightly that her knuckles were turning white. Just down the road were the outer entrances of the Mirkwood palace she had so often played on as an elfling. Her stomach was twisting and untwisting with fear of what lay in wait for her beyond those walls.

"Alana, are you going to be okay?" Haldir said worriedly. He seldom used her nickname, only when he needed to pull her into the real world again.

"I'll be just fine," she answered softly. The tremble in her voice betrayed the lie.

Haldir did not even have time to speak again for they had reached the gates and were admitted inside. A company of mounted guards appeared to escort the small envoy to the palace courtyards.

Standing just inside the courtyard were the various members of the royal family. King Thranduil and Queen Titania stood just in front of their children. A soft, sweet smile appeared on the princess's lips when she saw Haldir. Legolas' face was calm and impassive.

The Lorien Elves dismounted and handed their horses to the stable boys. Alanoriel slid gracefully from her horse's back. Her legs trembled beneath her gown when she saw the Mirkwoodian prince. All the horrible things he'd done to her played over and over again in her head.

Legolas felt his mouth go dry at the sight of a beautiful Elven maid descending from her horse. Ebony locks of hair had escaped from the riding braids and were floating on the breeze around her delicate face. Icy blue eyes connected with his from across the courtyard.

Alanoriel felt her whole body go numb as her eyes locked with Legolas'. For the longest moment she couldn't even breathe. Her chest tightened and her throat closed. Every nerve within her body trembled and screamed for her to flee, but the prince's gray-eyed gaze held her firmly in place.

Recognition sent jolts running through the prince's body. This beautiful Elven maid was none other than Alanoriel. Five centuries had changed her, sculpting her into a vision of beauty. Something else, it seemed, had changed as well. Legolas couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something was . . . wrong with the aura Alanoriel exuded.

Haldir noted the way Alanoriel's slender frame trembled as her eyes were locked with Legolas'. It seemed Orophin and Rumil noticed the same thing as all three elves converged on their cousin at the same moment. Orophin took hold of one arm gently while Rumil took the other. Haldir stepped in front Alanoriel, effectively breaking her eye contact with Legolas. All three looked worriedly at her ashen face.

"Alana?" Rumil brushed his hand gently over his cousin's pale cheek. His blue eyes darted back and forth between his still trembling cousin and the expressionless Mirkwood prince. Whatever had happened in Mirkwood leading to his cousin's flight, it involved Legolas the Elf.

"Keep her away from the prince," Haldir told his brothers under his breath as he turned to greet his future wife. His frown vanished and was instantly replaced by a gentle smile as he kissed the back of the princess' hand.

Legolas felt his heartbeat return to normal the moment eye contact was broken. It was as if Alanoriel's blue-eyed gaze had allowed her to control his body. He could not tear his eyes from her nor could he move. Once he felt he had full control again he looked up to find the eyes of Orophin and Rumil fixed on him. Their expression was decided not friendly.

Alanoriel allowed her cousins to guide her through Mirkwood's halls behind the royal family and Haldir. She could remember the only other time she'd seen Legolas after her flight from Mirkwood.

Flashback

Alanoriel glided silently down a barely noticeable path, holding a stone that pulsed with gentle light. With her were three other Elven maidens Galadriel had commanded to give refreshments to a group called the Fellowship of the Ring. Each maiden held a stone that glowed and a silver dish of fruit grown in Lady Galadriel's garden. For the first time in four hundred years Alanoriel would see those from outside Lorien's protective shadow.

Evening had long since fallen and the shadows beneath the trees were deepening. Just ahead of the four maidens the trees parted and the unmistakable glow of fires signaled their arrival. The members of the Fellowship lay haphazardly about the small clearing, staring up at the stars, each lost in his own thoughts.

Alanoriel knelt slowly beside one of the two Men in the clearing. He took some of her fruit and nodded his thanks. The other Man followed in suit.

"One of our number has gone off into the forest," the Man told her in Elvish. "Please take him some as well." He gestured to the path leading to a pool Alanoriel knew well.

She bowed her head and moved off in search of the missing member of the Fellowship. Behind her she could hear the giggles of the other maids as the strange creatures known as Hobbits made strange jokes in the Common Tongue.

The path twisted through the trees, growing darker the further Alanoriel moved from the Fellowship's resting place. She wondered what mortal would dare wander so far from the safety of his group into unfamiliar woods. A few moments later Alanoriel found the pool she believed the missing Fellowship member would stop at. Just as she had thought, a dark shape sat on a rock at the pool's edge, elbows on his knees and head bowed.

Alanoriel moved softly towards the figure, she purposely stepped on two different twigs to alert the human to her presence. One time too many she had startled a human and nearly lost her life.

The being did not even move. There was no sign he'd even heard Alanoriel's advance. The Elven maiden moved forward a bit louder.

"You do not need to take such precautions with me," the being said in a low, rich voice that could only belong to an Elf.

Alanoriel halted in her tracks. She had never thought that this being might actually be an Elf. The new information made her extremely wary, she trusted Elves far less than she trusted Men.

The Elf raised his head and stared out across the pond, but did not turn his head to look at Alanoriel. She ducked her head and set the glowing stone down before advancing.

As Alanoriel reached the Elf's side, the clouds parted allowing rays of moonlight to fall across the Elf's face. Alanoriel found herself looking into the face of Legolas. Her first instinct told her to run, but his face was so tired and sad that she could not bring herself to leave yet. She mechanically extended the bowl towards him.

Legolas gently took a piece from her. Even when he had turned away from her, Alanoriel did not move. The Elven Prince noticed her still there and motioned for her to sit near him. Gingerly the she-Elf sank to the ground beside him, her face still hidden by her hair.

"Lorien is still so peaceful even when the rest of the world is not," Legolas commented softly. "In most places you could hear the clash of weapons or the cries of those who had lost a loved one. This seems to be the last place that evil has not touched." He turned his head to look at his silent companion.

Alanoriel could see the weariness in his features. She knew from what Galadriel had told her that the Fellowship's journey was not even half over. Even her fear and hatred towards Legolas were buried by her compassion for the hurting.

"I don't know how we can go on without Gandalf," Legolas said wearily. "But somehow we must."

His hands clenched and unclenched as his head dropped a second time.

Alanoriel's hand trembled as she reached out to comfort him in his weariness and sadness. Legolas' muscles tensed as her fingertips brushed the bare skin of his wrist. As her fingertips gently ran over his skin, she could feel him relax. Suddenly she pulled her hand back and stood up.

Legolas' head jerked up at her sudden movements. Alanoriel stared for a long moment at her hands and then at the Elven Prince. Confusion stood out on his face.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Alanoriel did not answer. Instead, she turned and fled. Behind her she left the glowing stone, the silver bowl, and a startled Elven Prince.

End Flashback

Legolas grasped his sister's arm before she could greet Haldir. He had to speak to her.

"Haldir brought his cousin with him," he told her quietly. "Befriend her." His sister looked quizzically at him as he released her arm. She didn't say anything further, but greeted Haldir happily.

The Elven Prince tried to keep his eyes off of Alanoriel for the rest of the evening. Every time he looked up it seemed his eyes were drawn to her. Every moment in her presence made him feel as if he was slowly suffocating.

Three Months Later

Legolas took a deep breath of the clean air outside of the palace. Many of the winter flowers in the garden were blooming, just as his sister, Arya, had hoped. Thinking of flowers he realized his sister was rather like one. She was sweet and bright, eager to be noticed and cherished. While these particular flowers flourished in the cold, his sister did not. If one ignored her for too long or were cold towards her, she would almost literally wilt. Some quick thinking on Haldir's part had just managed to keep Arya from wilting near Alanoriel. In many ways Alanoriel was like frost or ice. Since her arrival nearly three months ago Legolas had never seen her speak or smile. It was so unlike the elleth he remembered. She had never before shunned the company of another.

The Elven Prince arrived at the clearing where he spent many afternoons reading or thinking. He heard something drop to the ground as he entered the hidden area of the garden.

At his feet lay one of the books he had often read. It appeared to have been dropped. Legolas looked up to see Alanoriel standing with the backs of her legs pressed against a stone bench, her eyes wide in terror. He knelt and gently scooped up the book and dusted the dirt from its cover.

"Your book, my lady," he murmured courteously to her as he handed the book back to her. Alanoriel bowed her head in thanks, never taking her eyes from Legolas' face.

"My lady," he murmured a second time as he bowed and left the clearing.

Alanoriel sank weakly down on the stone bench after Legolas had left. Her hands were still trembling. The world seemed to get put back in order once her heart stopped racing. Even now, five centuries later, she was still scared of the Elven Prince. But even she could tell he had changed somewhat. How far the change went, Alanoriel did not know. Since her arrival he had never once tried to harm or humiliate her in any way. It was a bit eerie.

Legolas allowed himself a small smile as he walked away from Alanoriel. Today had been a minor victory for him. He did not know how long it would take before Alanoriel would allow him the opportunity to truly apologize for his actions so long ago.

Truth be told, Legolas did not even remember why he had hated the maiden so. She had never wronged him in any way. He had simply run into her by accident one day and decided that she would be a perfect target for his "jokes." None of the jokes had started out with malicious intent, but when she never reacted to them he became crueler. Until finally she broke and fled.

Legolas felt ill just remembering everything he had done to her. Never once had she told anyone why the embroidery she was working on for her mother had suddenly not been finished after months of working on it (Legolas had pulled every stitch out one night), nor how she had ended up in a tower that was forbidden to her (Legolas had "kidnapped" her one day and forced her there), nor who had tied her to a tree near an area the spiders frequented and left her there overnight (Legolas had once again done that). He had only gotten in trouble once when his father had been there at the same moment one of the traps was sprung. Even then, Alanoriel had said nothing against him, but looked at him tearfully which was proof enough for his father.

With a shake he cleared his head of the haunting memories. Then he stopped in his tracks. If the memories haunted him, would they not haunt Alanoriel even more? It was then Legolas realized what he had to do. A mere apology would never heal her; he had to replace every horrible memory she had of him with a better one. He hoped that she would allow him to apologize for what he had done.

The Next Day

"My prince," the palace librarian greeted with a smile. "It has been some time since you last visited this place."

Legolas greeted the elder Elf with a smile and a respectful bow. "It has been a long time," he replied.

The librarian nodded and led the prince into the maze of bookshelves. New books had come in from the distant lands of Men that might interest the Elven Prince.

"Just over there, third set of shelves from the left," he told the prince as they neared a newer section.

Legolas nodded and started into the tall bookshelves alone. Perhaps he would find some new story from a mortal to catch his mind for a few hours.

The person he discovered in the same aisle only half surprised the prince, standing on one of the tall ladders reaching to the top of the bookcase was Alanoriel. She was paging through a book with fingertips barely brushing over each page. The sight made Legolas smile. She was so transfixed on what she was reading.

Alanoriel tore her eyes away from the book she was perusing. Her gaze landed on Legolas and her eyes widened slightly and her body tensed.

"Hi," Legolas said. He gave her a small smile. She did not return the greeting, but attempted to climb down the ladder. Her slippered foot hit the very edge of the ladder rung and she began to fall.

Her mouth opened in silent scream as she fell towards the floor. Alanoriel shut her eyes tightly and braced herself for the rough tumble to the stone floor. The pain she had expected never came. Instead her body was enveloped in someone's strong, comforting arms. For a long moment she allowed her rescuer to hold her against their body. Her heart was hammering in her chest in fright.

Legolas held Alanoriel tightly, allowing her to regain her calm. Her fall had scared him more than what she might do when she realized who was now holding her so intimately.

The she-Elf slowly opened her eyes. She found herself with her face pressed against the firm, silk-covered chest of her rescuer. One of her rescuer's arms was slipped beneath her knees while the other was cradling her shoulders and head. Her fingers absently stroked the soft material near her face.

Alanoriel's gentle touch sent Legolas' stomach fluttering. At any moment, Legolas knew, the she-Elf would realize what she was doing and be upset. If he wished to gain her forgiveness and trust, he had to save her from embarrassment. With that in mind he lowered her feet to the floor, but kept his grip on her shoulders to keep her from falling.

With firm ground beneath her delicate feet, Alanoriel felt bold enough to look into the face of the one she knew had saved her. Once again she found herself staring up into the eyes of Prince Legolas. But, unlike the times she had seen him five centuries ago, there was no malice in his gaze, only worry and kindness.

"Are you all right, my lady?" he asked, his eyes still locked on her face.

Alanoriel nodded numbly as she gazed up at him. Reality suddenly came back to her. She realized that she was standing pressed against Legolas' chest and her hands were pressed against him.

Before she could move, Legolas released her and took a step away from her. He picked up the book Alanoriel had dropped in her fall.

"Perhaps we should stop meeting so suddenly," Legolas told her with a wry smile. "Books seem to suffer at each meeting." He glanced over the book. It looked exactly like one he would have picked. With a small bow he handed the book back to his silent companion.

She ducked her head in thanks as she held the book tightly against her chest. When she looked up from the book a second time she saw Legolas leaving the aisle. He turned back to her suddenly.

"When you're done with that book, would you be so kind as to let me know?" he requested. "It looks to be interesting." He turned away and continued walking.

Alanoriel could only stare after him. Yes, she decided, something about the way he treated her had definitely changed.

Several Days Later

Legolas sat in the garden reading. He was sitting in a shadowy corner of the clearing away from the stone bench Alanoriel usually sat on. Today he hoped to try to spend more time than a few minutes near the she-Elf. Over the last few days he'd had various encounters with her. Some were purely accidental, but most of them were half-planned, half-hoped. Each time he'd assist or compliment her in some way. He was ready to try being closer to her without her being absolutely terrified that he would harm her.

The sound of running feet stole Legolas' attention from his thoughts. He looked up to see Alanoriel stumble into the clearing, only to realize that this was a dead-end. She whirled around, searching desperately for an escape. In her panic she fell to the ground.

"How obliging," a cold voice sneered. "And so clever of you to come to the least visited part of the gardens."

Legolas knew that voice; it belonged to Ralleth. Ralleth was highly unusual for an Elf. During the two great struggles to overcome Sauron, he'd flourished while other elves suffered. It seemed as though he gained his strength from pain and suffering rather than from joy and peace like many elves. No female, human or elf, was safe unattended near him. He would find a secluded place and take them whether they willed it or not. He had never been brought to justice because according to Elven law, all crimes had to be proven with concrete evidence. No concrete evidence could ever be provided proving that the culprit was him. Most of the females he'd harmed were too afraid to testify against him publicly.

Ralleth appeared in Legolas' line of sight as Alanoriel struggled back further. The dark elf chuckled as he watched her desperate attempts to escape. He advanced on her with more speed.

The Elven Prince was on his feet and hit Ralleth as hard as he could from the side. Ralleth went flying into the nearby hedges.

"Alanoriel," Legolas said gently, catching her attention. He held out his hand to her and she gingerly took it. With a pull, he had Alanoriel on her feet with his arms wrapped protectively around her waist.

"I will not let him harm you," he promised.

Alanoriel trembled from exhaustion and fear. Had it not been for Legolas she didn't know what would be happening to her now.

"How dare you interfere with my private matters," Ralleth snarled. He had dragged himself from the hedges and now had twigs falling from his hair.

"Your private matters?" Legolas snapped back. "Harming Alanoriel would not be a private matter. It would affect two lands and two peoples, not just her."

Ralleth shrugged and told Legolas with a smile, "All the more exciting and pleasurable for me."

The Elven Prince tightened his hold around Alanoriel's waist. Ralleth was not backing down even in the face of Legolas' authority.

"Alanoriel is under my personal protection. If you so much as harm one hair on her head I will take it as a personal injury and you will be punished for it," Legolas announced. "Even if I do not punish you, I'm sure her cousins would gladly do it for me. They do not have restrictions placed upon them as I do and could easily come up with even more unpleasant punishments than I ever could."

Ralleth paled slightly, but managed to maintain his glower.

"Very well, your highness," he sneered as he backed out of the clearing with a mocking bow.

Legolas stood tall and ridged for several moments to be sure the other Elf had left. Before he could say anything he noticed the shaking of Alanoriel's delicate body. He gently turned her to face him and lifted her chin so he could see her face. Frightened tears were running down her pale cheeks.

"It'll be okay," he murmured. "He will not dare to harm you as long as I am with you." Legolas pulled her against him again, wrapping his arms comfortingly around her.

Alanoriel allowed him to hold her as she cried. Nothing like this had ever happened to her before and she was terrified. When they were young, Legolas' threats were purely to embarrass her, never to physically harm her.

Legolas stroked her hair as she cried. To have someone like Ralleth after you was a frightening proposition even to someone like Legolas who had fought in many battles against Sauron. How much more frightening would it be for Alanoriel?

"Alanoriel," he said finally. "Ralleth will not give up trying to get you. If anything, he will become more persistent. You will be in great danger if you are ever out on your own." Legolas felt strongly that Alanoriel had to know what she was up against.

"I don't think he will leave you alone even though I have placed you under my protection. He will follow you continuously and will attempt to wear you down." Legolas looked down into Alanoriel's watery blue eyes. For several moments he stood silently holding her.

"If you will allow me, I will escort you back to the safety of the palace," Legolas told her.

The she-Elf nodded and released her grip on Legolas' waist. With trembling hands she wiped the tears from her face.

Legolas cupped her pale face with his hands and forced her to look at him.

"I will not allow him to harm you," he promised.

Alanoriel searched his face for some hint that he was lying or that he did not fully care. Yet she found none. He was sincere in his worry and intent. She slipped her arm cautiously through his and allowed him to escort her back through the garden maze.

The Elven Prince noticed the dark shadow that followed them. It was as he had feared; Ralleth was not going to give up on Alanoriel. The shadow followed them until the palace walls were within sight. It paused expectantly, as if it expected Legolas to just leave the delicate young she-Elf behind.

"Were would you like to go, my lady?" Legolas asked gently. "The library?"

Alanoriel shook her head. In answer she began to lead him down another hallway towards the rooms she and her cousins had been staying in. She knew who was following them and was more afraid of him than she was of Legolas.

The pair stopped in front of Alanoriel's room.

"If you wish to go somewhere," Legolas told her. "I will meet you in the library every morning. For your own safety, do not leave your rooms without a trusted escort."

The she-Elf nodded and turned away to open her door. Legolas stayed outside until he heard the bolts slide home.

Footsteps coming down the hall startled Legolas. Alanoriel's cousins appeared and stopped dead when they saw the Elven Prince outside of their cousin's room.

Haldir jerked his head at his brothers. They grasped Legolas' upper arms and led him away from the door. In a small alcove they pushed him against the wall.

"What were you doing?" Rumil demanded anger evident in his voice.

Legolas attempted to reply, but the hand that Orophin was pressing against his throat choked off all sound.

"Orophin," Haldir warned. The hand loosened.

"Alanoriel is in grave danger," he told them bluntly once he had regained his breath.

"From who? You?" Rumil growled.

Legolas shook his head. "Another Elf. He followed her in the gardens today and meant to harm her. If he is allowed near her, Alanoriel is likely to be seriously harmed." He prayed silently that they would believe him.

The three brothers looked at each other before Haldir nodded.

"We believe you for the time being. Unless she so chooses, Alanoriel will not be allowed out of our sight," Haldir said firmly. His brothers released Legolas and took a step backwards.

"Then she will be safe," Legolas murmured, more to himself than to the others. He nodded his understanding.

For several minutes after the Lorien elves had left, he leaned against the cool stone wall trying to think.

There had to be some way to catch Ralleth in some despicable act before he could move in on Alanoriel. Alanoriel could not be hurt.

The Next Morning

Legolas was resting against the wall of the library a book in his hand. He was idly turning the book back and forth, wondering if Alanoriel would come. It wouldn't totally surprise him if she didn't. Things seemed to happen to her when he was around, even if he was trying to be nice. She was often fall from heights or dropping her things. It seemed illogical that she might trust the very being who had humiliated her all those years ago.

The sound of soft footsteps made the Elven Prince look up. Alanoriel was walking slowly toward him. In the library doorway was Rumil watching his cousin as she approached the elf she had hated for so long.

Legolas got to his feet as the elven maiden drew closer.

"My lady," he murmured, bowing.

Alanoriel dropped into a low curtsy before the prince. Her hands were trembling as she placed one in Legolas' outstretched hand. It was against everything she'd thought over the past five centuries. He was trying to protect her, not hurt her.

Legolas felt the tremors running through the maiden's slender frame. He withdrew his hand and allowed her to regain control. For several long minutes, the pair stood awkwardly in the library. Neither said anything.

"Whatever you wish, my Lady, you only have to name it," Legolas told her.

Alanoriel nodded and just moved silently back into the bookshelves. The prince followed her.

Days Later

"What do you desire, my lady?" Legolas asked. "Name it and I shall have it done."

Alanoriel glanced out of one of the glass windows above her head at the clear sky. It was a beautiful day; perhaps she could ride out into the surrounding meadows?

The Elven Prince caught her longing gaze and hid a small smile as he led her out to the courtyards.

"Perhaps you would be interested in a short ride out of the palace?" he suggested.

His intuition was rewarded with an enthusiastic nod and brightened eyes. No smile though. Legolas decided that his goal for the day would be to make her show more than a polite smile.

One of the grooms greeted them as they entered the vast stables and was informed of Lady Alanoriel's desire.

In no time at all Alanoriel's black mare and Legolas' white stallion were ready. Legolas aided Alanoriel in mounting her mare before vaulting onto his own. The horses cantered out of the city walls into the surrounding forest. Legolas allowed Alanoriel to choose which paths they took. Since the forests had been cleansed at the end of the War, they had nothing to fear from spiders or goblins.

They reached the edge of a large open meadow and Alanoriel urged her mare into a full gallop across the green expanse. Legolas did not need to urge his steed after the other for the stallion was ready for a good run. The pair raced through the swaying grasses, the wind whipping through their hair.

Legolas stole a glance or two at Alanoriel. Her blue eyes were shining, but still she did not smile. She began to reign in her mare and Legolas followed suit. For several minutes the horses cantered about, tossing their heads, ready for more. In an instant Legolas decided to play a little game. He reached out easily and tweaked the tip of one ear.

Alanoriel started and turned to look at him. He grinned at her cheekily and said, "Catch me if you can." He wheeled his stallion off to the right and sent the horse into a headlong dash.

For a second Alanoriel hesitated. Then she sent her mare after the fleeing prince. Her mare overtook the stallion when Legolas paused to see if she was indeed following him. She lightly tapped his shoulder as she flashed by him.

A smirk appeared on Legolas' face as he turned back to follow her.

The two elves raced around and around the field. Legolas discovered that Alanoriel was harder to catch than he'd originally believed. She was a skilled rider and had dodged most of his attempts at touching her by sliding to one side of her horse.

Legolas chased the maiden into the trees with a laugh. It would be harder to dodge him now. Alanoriel sent her mare into a mad dash through the foliage. The flashing branches cut off the prince's view of his quarry. Suddenly they reached the edge of a pool he had completely forgotten about. His stallion stopped abruptly beside Alanoriel's mare. Legolas lost his seat and tumbled head over heels into the icy waters.

With a gasp he resurfaced and shook the water from his face. He started forward to reprimand his horse when a strange sound made him freeze. The quiet sound was coming from the elven maiden on her mare. Her mouth was hidden behind her hand as she laughed. Legolas' lips parted ever so slightly as he watched the beautiful creature laugh.

Alanoriel blushed and ducked her head when she noticed the prince watching her. Her laughter ended and Legolas felt deprived.

"No," he murmured. "It's fine." He looked down at his sodden clothing. "I must look like quite the fool."

A quiet smile appeared on her lips. She looked over her shoulder towards the palace and then glanced upwards at the sky.

Legolas followed her gaze. Dark gray clouds were beginning to obscure the wonderful blue that had opened the day.

"Perhaps we should return, though I doubt very much that I could get much wetter," Legolas acknowledged. Even the light autumn breeze felt light winter's icy fingers against the wet clothing and, though he tried to conceal his discomfort, his muscles bunched and quivered.

Alanoriel mimed that he should remove his wet tunic.

"If it would not offend you, my lady," he replied gently.

She shook her head. Legolas shrugged out of the soaking tunic and draped it over the rump of his stallion. With a smooth leap he was in the saddle.

A soft shade of pink stole over her cheeks when the prince wasn't looking. It had been many years since she had been this close to a male as finely built as Legolas was. Alanoriel firmly reprimanded herself and tore her eyes away.

As the pair rode back to the palace, Legolas noticed Alanoriel's sidelong glances at him. He pretended not to notice, but the delicate pink that tinged the tips of her ears whenever he glanced at her was so becoming that he couldn't stop returning her quiet glances.

Then both happened to turn at the same moment.

Alanoriel felt herself reacting instinctively. She began to look away as an embarrassed blush began creeping up her face. But, before she could turn away, Legolas caught her chin.

His gray eyes searched her face, saying nothing to betray his thoughts.

Thoughts raced through her head. What was happening to her? Why was she acting like a silly farm maid around someone she had spent the last five hundred years of her existence in constant terror of? Her heart was pounding so hard that it was nearly leaping from her breast. Tingles ran throughout her body as Legolas swept his gaze over her still form.

Legolas released her chin suddenly and urged his horse forward. Alanoriel followed silently. She was confused with herself and with him. How did things change so fast? How could her enemy become her protector?

The grooms and stable boys were startled by the prince's lack of tunic when he arrived at the palace. One of them fished a suitable replacement out of a bin they had.

Alanoriel stood quietly beside the prince as he spoke to the grooms.

"It seems I have a need to find more suitable attire," Legolas told Alanoriel. "But I have no intentions of leaving you unattended at present time. Would you be able to wait in the library?"

She nodded.

"Then I will escort you there and return a bit later," he informed her. She allowed him to guide her through the halls to the library. He kissed the tips of her fingers before turning towards his rooms.

His hands balled involuntarily into fists when he noticed the shadow shrinking back from sight. Ralleth still had not given up.

A Week Later

Legolas helped Alanoriel into the saddle. She was dressed in warm riding clothes and favored him with a gentle smile.

Somehow Legolas had managed to convince Haldir, Rumil, and Orophin to allow their beloved cousin to travel with Legolas and his small band of guards to Rivendell to see Aragorn and Arwen as they visited Elrond with their son. It was Legolas' chance to get Alanoriel away from the haunting shadow of Ralleth that stalked her everywhere.

At first the other Elves had been hesitant to allow their cousin to go because of winter storms. A visit by one of the Weather Seers put their minds at rest. No storms were supposed to come up for several weeks. Bags had quickly been packed and preparations made for the journey. Now the small band was ready to set out for Rivendell.

Legolas mounted his stallion and led them out of the courtyard. Alanoriel kept close to his side as they wound their way through the forest. Her eyes were watching the hunting dogs that were to accompany them as they kept pace with the horses.

Alanoriel had rarely left Lorien, but now that she was out, she figured she might as well visit the other Elven haven. After all, Legolas spoke so highly of his human friend, Aragorn, that she felt she should meet this human herself. The tales Legolas had told her of their exploits before the war were amazing. She had never imagined that the Elven Prince had done so much during his life.

"Why do you never speak?" Legolas asked suddenly.

Alanoriel was startled by the question. Surely he should realize why she never spoke. He was, after all, the reason. When she had lived in Mirkwood, one of the things Legolas had said to her was that her voice was so horrible that it caused a baby to die every time she spoke. His friends had agreed, laughing. It was the reason she seldom spoke even to her cousins. The memory still haunted her. It wasn't that she actually thought her voice killed babies; rather she believed that if so many were in consensus her voice must be horrible.

Legolas looked at Alanoriel as if he actually expected her to open her mouth and speak. Instead she pressed her lips tighter together as her gaze became more and more distant, as if remembering something. What could she be thinking of that had caused her to not talk?

When no answer was forthcoming, Legolas changed the subject. He began telling her more stories about Aragorn. Sometimes they drew laughter from her. It was those memories Legolas treasured more than the others because they had made this silent maiden laugh.

Several Days Later

Legolas was running out of stories. That idea worried him little as the small group made camp early in the mountains. One of the scouts had sighted the dark clouds that signaled a heavy snow storm. It was heading straight for them. It worried the prince that the Weather Seers had not seen this. How could they have missed it?

Alanoriel's tent had been the first up; the guards had decided to bed down in one tent. The horses were safely bedded down in a shallow overhang of rock with the hounds. Legolas was starting to put up his tent when someone touched his arm urgently. Alanoriel was staring up at the sky. Swirls of snow were beginning to arrive around them. The guards urged them to take shelter quickly.

Legolas moved to continue working on his dwelling, but Alanoriel pulled him out of the cold air and into her tent. She secured the door flaps tightly against the chilling winds. The tent had a small fire built in a makeshift stove. Large rocks were heating on top of it, presumably to be placed under the blankets at Alanoriel's feet.

Alanoriel moved quietly about the tent's interior as the storm raged outside. She was attempting to pull together enough material to make two beds. Legolas' pack had been left out with his horse until it could be set up, so only her set of blankets had been brought inside. The prince set his weapons on the ground near the place Alanoriel was placing the bed. They would be close at hand if anything unusual happened. Strange snow storms were not times to let one's guard down.

The cold was beginning to permeate the tent as snow piled up rapidly against the sides of the little shelter. Alanoriel shivered as the cold caressed her sensitive skin. Unlike Elven males, Elven females are as susceptible to the cold as humans. Warm arms wrapped gently around her from behind. Legolas rubbed her arms with his hands.

"Lay down," he murmured. "I shall make sure the cold does not affect you."

Alanoriel heard the strange tone in his voice and turned to look at him. His gray eyes were uncertain, but devoid of any sign of evil intent.

She curled up on the bedding she had laid out. Legolas slipped the heated rocks beneath the foot of the bed and place his cloak in the center of the bed, at Alanoriel's back. He wrapped the blanket tightly around her body before slipping into the bed behind her. He covered them both with a second blanket and then wrapped his arms gently around her. Alanoriel didn't know what to do. The cold was indeed fended off by his warmth, but this couldn't be right. To feel so comfortable and safe in the arms of a strange male couldn't be right.

Legolas shifted slightly, as though to get up. He could sense Alanoriel's hesitation. But, as he started to get up, Alanoriel pressed herself back against him, molding herself to him. Legolas lifted himself up on one elbow to look down at her. Her icy blue eyes held him captive. She seemed as uncertain about this as he did, but still she wanted him to stay.

The two Elves lay nestled together beneath the blankets as the snow storm howled through the mountain pass.

The Following Morning

Legolas awoke the next morning with his face pressed into the sweet smelling hair of another Elf. His arm was draped possessively over the she-Elf's waist and her face pressed against his chest. It registered dimly that he would be in trouble if Haldir ever discovered him lying with Alanoriel this way. If any of her cousins discovered them like this, for that matter.

Alanoriel sighed contentedly as she huddled closer to the warm, gentle form that held her. The cold air was uncomfortable against her face and she buried beneath the blankets against the warm body beside her. Was this what it was like every morning? She wondered. Waking up beside a male, feeling safe and comfortable?

It was unusually cold in the tent. Even the large amount of snow that could have fallen during the night should not have chilled the air as drastically.

Legolas looked up, startled, as a swirl of snow drifted down beside his face. The cold flakes resting on his cheeks made him aware of something amiss. His eyes alighted on a narrow opening in the side of the tent. Snow was drifting in thin swirls to lightly cover the boot prints left on the thin ground covering. Every muscle in Legolas' body instantly went tight. His gray eyes flew around the tent to make sure the intruder was gone. Wet prints and bits of snow about the tent signaled the intruder's path.

Alanoriel felt the change in Legolas and looked up at his face.

"Stay put," he murmured in her ear. He extracted himself from the bed and crouched beside her for a moment. "Someone was here, and I expect they were sent by Ralleth."

The Elven maiden tensed at the name. She was glad that she had pulled Legolas into the tent with her the previous night. It was likely she would have woken up in Ralleth's hands rather than in Legolas' arms. She shivered at the thought.

Legolas noticed the shiver and tucked the blankets tighter about her. Then he stood and buckled his sword at his waist.

"Do you know how to use this?" he asked, handing the maiden one of his knives. She nodded faintly. "Good, I want you to hold onto it until I can get the guards ready to move. Be very careful. I think the intruder may still be near here."

Alanoriel watched as Legolas made a sweep of the tent, searching for the being possibly hidden there. When nothing turned up, he examined the opening in the tent wall. Most likely knife made, the hole was large enough that only a single Elf could comfortably fit through at one time. Beyond it was an opening in the snowy wall and footprints led up the steep slopes and vanished.

Legolas was beginning to believe that the intruder had left only recently. That perhaps this mysterious being had been the reason he had woken up.

The guards appeared the moment Legolas summoned them. They confirmed that the creature was no longer near the camp and that it was safe to move.

"Alanoriel, we have to move quickly."

She nodded and hurriedly packed her few belongings away quickly and aided Legolas in dismantling the tent.

"I want you on my horse," he told her softly as he pulled her up in front of him. "I don't know if the creature is waiting for us in the passes and I will take no chances." His arm tightened around her waist protectively whenever they approached a narrow passage that forced them to go through one at a time. He always had one pair of guards go ahead to check around and had another pair following at the end to make sure no one got in behind Legolas and his precious burden.

Alanoriel felt Legolas tense and pull her close as the night fell around them. He insisted that they share a tent each night to be sure that nothing happened to her. Guards posted themselves around her tent at each corner to ensure her safety.

Three Days Later

The travelers arrived, tense and tired, in Rivendell. Aragorn and Arwen appeared just behind Elrond to greet their guests.

Legolas relaxed visibly when he saw his old friend.

"You are safe now, My Lady," Legolas whispered to her. He gripped her wrists tightly and lowered her gently to the ground.

Arwen wrapped her arms around Alanoriel in a friendly hug.

"Welcome to Rivendell," she greeted the other she-Elf.

Alanoriel bowed her head in acknowledgment.

When Arwen attempted to lead her into the building, Alanoriel stiffened and looked back to Legolas. Her eyes were wide and her body ridged. Even though she knew Arwen from the times she had met her in Lorien, she did not want to be without her protector until he could make certain that she was safe.

Legolas noted the expression on Alanoriel's face and sent Arwen a look that told her to just leave the other she-Elf for the time being. He offered his arm to his charge.

Alanoriel slid her arm gently through his and allowed him to escort her inside. Once inside Legolas introduced her to Aragorn formally. Alanoriel recognized Aragorn as the Man who had sent her after Legolas that night in Lorien, but still no words left her mouth.

"You all seemed very tense when you arrived," Elrond noted after they had been seated and served refreshments. "What has happened?"

"Someone cut into Lady Alanoriel's tent during an unpredicted snow storm," Legolas replied lightly.

"Why would anyone try to get inside her tent?" Arwen questioned.

Legolas glanced down at the Elven maiden at his side. She hesitated then nodded her assent.

"One of the Elves in Mirkwood has been stalking her recently and we fear that he may be behind the intrusion. He has not given up his evil intent and persists in his following. It was hoped that we might escape his eyes for a short time, but it seems that we are mistaken," Legolas paused. "I fear we have brought our troubles to your doorstep."

Elrond shook his head. "Nonsense, you will both be perfectly safe here. I shall see to it."

"Thank you, Lord Elrond," Legolas answered gravely.

The Elven Lord rose from his chair.

"You must be weary. Shall I escort you to your rooms so that you may rest before the evening meal?" he offered.

"The rest would be greatly appreciated," Legolas acknowledged.

The two Elves took their leave of Aragorn and Arwen for the afternoon and followed Elrond deeper into the maze of corridors and rooms.

Legolas made sure to thoroughly check every corner of Alanoriel's rooms before allowing her to remain unattended.

"I will fetch you before supper," Legolas informed her. "If you have any great need, you know I am in the rooms across the hall from you." He gently kissed her hand before leaving.

Alanoriel shut the door softly behind him and ran the bolt home. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest. Only a few short months ago, she would have fled from his mere presence. Now she allowed him to touch her, to hold her even! The past few nights she had lain within the circle of his arm, huddled against his broad chest. Once she'd even believed that she felt his lips drift over hers!

No, she could not feel that way about him. He was doing his duty as the Prince of Mirkwood, protecting those under the protection of Mirkwood. He was not acting out of any feelings for her. He could never be. No one could change that much. It was impossible.

Legolas slumped to the floor at the base of his door. His legs were weak with relief at finally being within the safe walls of Rivendell. At the same time he was vaguely disappointed at no longer being entirely necessary to Alanoriel. He now had no legitimate excuse to be in her rooms or to hold her in his arms.

Why did he feel like this? How could he feel so utterly enchanted by a maiden who obviously held no love for him? There would never be anything greater than a protecting relationship between them. He felt like a fool for believing that there ever could be. Alanoriel still refused so completely to speak to him. They could never be anything more than what they were now. Nothing could ever change.

Two Days Later

Legolas was walking through the gardens with Aragorn. It had been many years since the friends had been able to talk together.

"Lady Alanoriel," Aragorn began, "looks very familiar to me. Might I have met her in Mirkwood?"

Legolas shook his head. "No, that is impossible. She has lived in Lothlorien for half a millennium."

Aragorn looked thoughtful for a moment. Something about Alanoriel was entirely too familiar for him to just ignore it, but he could not place his finger on it.

The pair passed a small fountain that both Arwen and Alanoriel rested beside. Arwen and Alanoriel were laughing together.

Legolas paused for a moment. In a break in their laughter, he saw Alanoriel's lips move. Arwen laughed again. Alanoriel had spoken! The Elf was torn between elation and hurt. He knew now that Alanoriel could indeed speak, but that she chose specifically to not speak around him.

Arwen glanced up and caught sight of the pair standing there watching them. She spoke to Alanoriel who turned slightly to look at them.

Aragorn's wife spoke again and then moved over to join Legolas and Aragorn briefly.

"Alanoriel spoke to you," Legolas said quietly the moment Arwen had stopped beside them.

"Yes," she replied. "Why wouldn't she? She knows me from the time I spent in Lorien. I received the message saying that the Fellowship had arrived in Lorien from her. She knew my interest in the matter and sent me specific word as to the condition of Aragorn."

Aragorn looked slightly startled at the mention of his name. "When would she have seen me?" he wondered aloud.

"She mentioned that it was during the first night in Galadriel's hospitality," Arwen answered.

"The first night . . ." he murmured. His eyes brightened. "Oh, yes! She came with a few other maidens to offer us food. I sent her on to find you, Legolas. Did she?"

Things clicked for Legolas finally. The maiden's fear made sense now. The mysterious maiden in Lorien had been Alanoriel.

"She found me," he murmured softly, his gaze rested on the silent she-Elf. Her face was unreadable.

"Will the two of you excuse us?" he asked quietly. Aragorn nodded and Arwen followed close behind.

Alanoriel watched in silence as Arwen and Aragorn moved back towards the buildings. Legolas was left standing where he had first seen her talking with Arwen. She knew he had seen her speak. How could she ever explain to him that even her speaking with Arwen was never more than one or two words? Did she even dare to speak now?

Legolas strode quietly to where his charge sat. He realized somewhere deep in his heart that he longed to hear her voice. The knowledge that she might never speak to him tore him apart, though he could never show these feelings to her. She might not even tolerate his presence any longer.

"My lady," he whispered, bowing to her. She bowed her head in reply.

The prince stood silently before her for a long moment.

The silence was interrupted only by the occasional chirping of birds or the lilting voice of some Elf passing nearby.

"Alanoriel," Legolas tried, "it was you, wasn't it? The maiden who found me beside the pool in Lorien?"

She nodded once, slowly.

"Why did you flee?" he asked softly. "In that moment I did not know who you were nor did I bear any ill will toward you. If I have offended you, please, tell me."

The she-Elf wanted to speak, but her long habit of silence with him was something she could not just break on a whim. She was too unsure of herself to speak to him.

Legolas stood, waiting, hoping, but received nothing in return. Alanoriel refused to break her long silence.

"Would you like me to escort you to the palace?" he asked, finally giving up. He offered her his arm. Gingerly she took it and they walked back to the palace in silence.

A Week Later

Alanoriel dismounted in Mirkwood with help from one of the grooms. She saw Legolas dismount swiftly and murmur something to one of the servants. The servant nodded and immediately approached Alanoriel.

"Lord Legolas send his apologies and requests that I accompany you to your rooms and around the palace for the time being," the servant announced to her with a bow.

By the time the servant had finished his brief introduction, Legolas had already vanished. Alanoriel supposed he had every right to be hurt that she refused to speak to him. She followed the servant into the palace and then moved directly to her rooms.

Several Days Later

Legolas spotted a servant running frantically down the halls. He recognized him as the one that had been assigned to watch over Alanoriel.

"Where is Lady Alanoriel?" Legolas asked as the servant skidded to a halt in front of him.

"She—has—gone—into the—gardens," the servant panted.

"On her own!?"

"Yes, your Highness," the servant replied. "One of the other servants told her that you were waiting for her in the gardens and so she went."

"What else did the servant say?" Legolas demanded sharply.

"The servant told her to take only lefts when she entered the garden. He murmured something about rocks before he left me," the servant reported.

Legolas brushed quickly past the servant and headed for the gardens. He had never sent for Alanoriel, but he had a pretty good idea who had.

Startled servants fell back against walls as the prince ran towards the garden entrance. He only hoped he would not be too late.

The dark green hedges loomed above him as he entered the gardens, taking only lefts. Legolas checked each small side garden quickly before moving on. Not long later he came to the rock garden. His heart stopped in his chest.

Alanoriel lay stretched out on a smooth rock lying in the center of the garden. Her hands were bounded above her head and her legs bound apart. A gag in her mouth kept her from crying out for help. Her dress was torn and the thin material covering her chest had been cut away.

Ralleth rested on one knee beside her. In his hand was a sharp knife, poised on her exposed breasts. With a sudden flick he etched a dark red cut across her chest. The captive writhed in pain.

Anger burned through Legolas. Without wasting another second, he attacked Ralleth, knocking the dark Elf backwards into another rock.

"Are you all right?" Legolas asked as he carefully covered Alanoriel's exposed bosom with the piece of her dress and quickly freed one leg.

The Elven maiden suddenly began straining against her ropes and making sounds of distress. Legolas looked at her in confusion. He was knocked to the side by the leg he had just freed.

Legolas looked back at Alanoriel and saw dark blood welling up from a deep wound in her leg. Ralleth growled angrily and he turned to face Legolas, his knife poised to strike again.

The dark Elf lunged at Legolas and spun as the other Elf leapt backwards. Legolas felt a sharp sting across his chest and another across his stomach.

"Come now, your Highness," Ralleth taunted. "Is this the best rescue you could come up with?"

Legolas evaded another attack.

"I think," Ralleth began, "that when I catch you, I'll tie you up and make you watch as I play with, take, and finally kill the delightful young she-Elf you have dangled in front of me for so long. Then, perhaps, you'll share an identical fate."

The prince's blood ran cold. Ralleth was far beyond the bounds of evil behavior, he had descended to the depths of demons.

Alanoriel watched in terror as Legolas dodged Ralleth's knife and fists while trying to land a blow or two of his own. She was helpless to do anything and she prayed silently that Legolas would be all right.

"Show me what you've got, pretty prince," Ralleth taunted. He lunged again, aiming for Legolas' thigh.

Legolas managed to side-step the other Elf and struck him solidly in the back of the head as he stumbled past. The dark Elf fell headlong into the rocks and did not move. The prince seized up the coil of rope lying beside Alanoriel and bound the being firmly.

For a moment Legolas simply knelt beside the body of his adversary. His gaze wandered back to where Alanoriel lay over the rock, her hands tightly bound. Her icy blue eyes rested worriedly on his face.

"Are you all right?" he asked a second time as he sank down beside her.

Alanoriel nodded.

Legolas used Ralleth's knife to cut the stubborn knots about her wrists and her other ankle, and then removed the gag. He pulled her to her feet and held her tightly against his body.

They clung to one another, Alanoriel trembling within the circle of Legolas' arms. Her body pressed tightly against his, she could feel the strong beat of his heart against her palms. She looked at her hand. It came away from his chest bloody.

She looked up at him, her eyes wide.

"I'm fine," he assured her, answering her unspoken fears. The cuts on his chest and stomach were thin and shallow. The cuts on her chest and leg had not looked similar.

"Let me see your leg," he requested, lowering her into a sitting position.

Alanoriel obediently stuck her leg out at an angle for him to examine it. Blood from the cut had run down her leg and soaked into the torn hem of her dress making it appear worse than it really was.

Legolas used a cleaner part of her ruined dress to wipe away the worst of the blood. The cut was deep, but nothing to be seriously worried about. It would need some attention once they returned to the palace. There was also the cut across her chest. Ralleth had been none too gentle in his administering of the knife.

Legolas straddled the rock and turned Alanoriel to face him. He gently moved her hands and moved the cloth she been holding in place just until he could see the cut. The blood was mostly dried now and the wound seemed to only need cleaning.

Briefly he glanced up at her and found her watching him intently. Her eyes were uncertain.

"Let's get you back to the palace," Legolas told her. He reached down and seized the still unconscious dark Elf from the rock bed, hauling him over his shoulder.

Alanoriel followed the Elven Prince, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, holding the thin scrap of material in place. Twice her injured leg throbbed, buckling her knee and causing her to fall. Each time she fell, Legolas dumped the other Elf unceremoniously to the ground and gathered Alanoriel up in his arms.

The guards were startled by the disheveled appearance of Legolas and Alanoriel. They immediately took charge of Ralleth, taking him to Thranduil for judgment. Legolas escorted Alanoriel to the Healers for an examination of her wounds.

The Healers cleaned both Elves up and bandaged Alanoriel's leg. Throughout the process Legolas could not take his eyes off of Alanoriel. He was afraid that at any moment she might vanish. Had Legolas been only a moment's later in the hallway, he may not have found the servant and Alanoriel could easily be dead or worse. A shudder ran through him involuntarily at the thought.

Alanoriel glanced over at Legolas as the Healer's finished binding her leg. He was watching her intently. The fierceness of his stare sent tingles up and down her spine. The Healer helped Alanoriel to her feet and Legolas gently took her arm.

"Alanoriel," Legolas murmured, "Will you allow me to speak to you?"

The she-Elf nodded. Legolas led her to his rooms. He disappeared inside for a moment before reappearing with something in his left hand.

"I've been meaning to give this to you for a long time," he told her softly. He held out his open hand to her. In the middle of his palm lay a sparkling silver locket.

Alanoriel gasped softly at the sight. It had been so long since she'd last seen the necklace that she feared she'd never see it again. Her hands trembled as she took the delicate chain from Legolas' fingers and attempted to put it around her neck.

"Allow me," Legolas said. He took the necklace back from her and fastened the clasp behind her head. The she-Elf stroked the locket with trembling fingers.

Legolas stepped back to look at her. She gave him a soft smile.

"Alanoriel," he whispered, "forgive me for what I have done to you. I was a selfish and cruel Elfling. Please, forgive me."

Alanoriel touched Legolas' cheek tenderly before kissing the same place. She gave him a soft smile and a nod.

Her actions made Legolas feel slightly bolder. He had to tell her how he felt.

"Tonight your cousin weds my sister and you all return to Lorien in the morning." Legolas stopped for a moment. He gazed into her blue eyes, trying to conjure up every emotion he felt for her and put it into words.

"I don't want you to leave tomorrow," he whispered. "I love you."

His words stunned Alanoriel. She froze completely and could only stare at Legolas. Her mind went into chaos and she could not move.

Legolas saw her freeze and stare. His heart turned to lead in his chest; she did not feel the same. He had hoped in vain. Without another word he turned and left.

Alanoriel felt numb as she watched him go. She couldn't think straight enough to call out to him. It had been a long time since she had resigned herself to never having her feelings returned. His sudden declaration left her in shock.

By the time she had regained control of her body and moved to follow Legolas he was long gone.

That Night

Legolas watched Alanoriel dance with one of the Mirkwood nobles. Several fathers had approached Haldir about marrying Alanoriel to their sons. Each time one approached Haldir Legolas had to fight the urge to declare his own intentions to marry her. But he couldn't. He would not force himself on her if she did not wish him.

As Lord Adon spun her around, Alanoriel caught a glimpse of Legolas sitting beside his father. His gray eyes were a smoldering fire as they followed her around the dance floor. The intensity sent thrills through her body.

"Are you cold, my Lady?" Lord Adon asked, mistaking the tremors of excitement for chills.

Alanoriel shook her head, and tore her gaze from the prince.

Legolas wished that he could take back his confession to Alanoriel. He might be the one dancing with her across the floor. He doubted that any of the other Elves would dare make offers for her if he was with her now. The pangs of regret grew so strong that he was forced to divert his gaze. He could not bear to think of what he had lost.

Haldir noted the sadness in his cousin's expression as she glanced at the Elven Prince. Arya too had noticed the way the two Elves were acting. She told Haldir to fetch Alanoriel while she fetched Legolas.

"Dance with me, cousin?" Haldir asked, extending his hand to the quiet she-Elf. She took her head.

Legolas looked up in surprise as his sister urged him to dance. He noticed Haldir looking shocked as he was turned down by his cousin.

"I'm sorry," Legolas said softly as he stood. He wended his way through the crowd to where Alanoriel sat with her hands folded in her lap. She was staring determinedly at her hands.

"My lady," Legolas murmured, extending his hand to her. "May I have the honor of this dance?"

Alanoriel looked up at him. A smile appeared on her face that made Legolas' breath hitch in his throat. Her tiny hand slipped easily into his and he drew her out onto the dance floor.

The other guests in attendance began to mutter to one another as the prince danced with the ice princess. A true smile had appeared on Alanoriel's face for the first time that night as she danced with Legolas.

The Next Morning

Alanoriel politely bowed and acknowledged the many Elven lords who had made offers for her the previous night. She was grateful that her cousins were not the type to try and find mates for their unwed female relations. She could not fathom marrying any of those who had asked for her hand.

Legolas arrived in the courtyard just as Alanoriel finished acknowledging her many suitors. He moved quickly to aid her in mounting her horse, waving away the grooms and suitors.

Alanoriel felt familiar hands on her waist, lifting her into the saddle. She looked down at Legolas' handsome face. He did not speak as he helped her settle into the saddle. The gates were opening and the Lorien Elves prepared to go. After five long months they would be returning to Lothlorien.

"Come back soon," Legolas murmured, touching her tiny hand. "I shall miss you." He stepped back and started towards the palace as Haldir began leading his group out of the courtyard.

"Legolas!" The cry rang throughout the courtyard.

Legolas halted at the strange voice calling out his name.

Alanoriel slid from her mare's back and ran towards the Elven Prince. He had just begun to turn when she reached him.

The prince saw Alanoriel running towards him, but dared not hope that it had been she who had called out to him.

"Legolas," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I don't want to leave either." Her voice trembled as she spoke. It had been so long since she had used her voice to any extent, but now she clung to the one she loved, hoping that he still wanted her.

"I love you."

Legolas grasped her chin gently and turned her face up to his. He saw no lie in her eyes, only hope and love. Moving slowly, he wrapped his arms around her slender frame and tenderly placed his mouth over hers.

Alanoriel slid her hands up to grip Legolas' shoulders. Her legs were weak as she returned his kiss.

Haldir had heard his cousin cry out the Mirkwoodian prince's name and had turned in shock. He was further shocked by the sight of Alanoriel locked in the prince's embrace, their lips pressed passionately together.

Legolas broke the kiss slowly; still unable to fully believe that it really was Alanoriel in his arms. He was afraid that it was all a dream and at any moment he would wake to find Alanoriel had returned to Lorien. The she-Elf clung to him, drawing her body close to his.

"Alanoriel," he murmured, stroking her hair gently. "Dare I even hope this is not just a dream?"

"Hope," she replied, "or I cannot." Her grip on his shoulders tightened briefly.

"Would you make this dream more real?" he asked, locking eyes with her. "Would you become my wife?"

"Yes, Legolas. Oh, yes!" she breathed.

Legolas claimed her lips again. His heart beat wildly with excitement. Alanoriel was his!

Haldir and Arya exchanged slightly amused glances. For three months Legolas and Alanoriel had moved cautiously around one another and in two months had fallen hopelessly in love. It seemed now that the Lorien Elves would be remaining in Mirkwood for a longer period of time.