I have lived among the elves of Mirkwood for most of my life, although I cannot claim to be one of them, I instead come from a small village on the outskirts of the city where I was raised until I reached my majority. For the last couple hundred years I have been the faithful and steadfast guard and servant to the Lady Maera, once friends in our younger years now we maintain a different relationship for the sake of our families. It is a lonely job, with only the lady to confide in, but one that requires absolute secrecy meaning that although I know the names and faces of the elves that move around me they do not have the same luxury and I find I am often ignored. Lady Maera, I am sure, feels the same as I, alone in a palace teeming with people, often trapped inside her room due to the nature of her occupation and told with no exception that she may never show her face unless deemed appropriate by the King himself. Her and myself were not always as such, once we roamed freely, loved by family and friend, surrounded by peace and tranquility. As children we would often sneak out of our homes and lay in the cool grass of a meadow near our home and watch the stars in the sky, their light a beacon of beauty in the thick blanket of night. As young women we would titter behind our hands at the village boys we found attractive, and had jobs doing chores within the village, her making clothes and tapestries while I helped my father in the forge as he had no boys to teach the trade. I spent many a day watching him make items such as swords and jewelry, vases and small items to sell to merchants who came from Laketown bearing food and fabrics. In my youth I had hoped one day to go to Laketown, to finally see someone not of my own race, to hear the language of the humans and to immerse myself in a culture that was not my own.

These dreams, although still alive in my mind, seem to be farther and farther away with each passing year I stay within the palace, but I know that I cannot leave Maera here alone. I swore a pledge to her that day that no matter where we should go, or what paths our lives may lead that I wouldn't leave her alone. I keep that promise now, even with the bitter memory of how our lives changed the day the soldiers came to our village.I can picture the day still clearly in my mind although many years have passed.

The day had dawned bright and clear as I rose from the coverlets of my soft bed, I stretched and peered through the window of my room seeing the sun rise on the east horizon with bright fingers of blue and orange. A smile graced my young face as I left the warmth of my bed and walked to a wardrobe my grandfather had made for my mother on her majority, within were a few serviceable dresses I had been given by my mother, but today I searched for one specific dress. Maera had made a beautifully made gown of soft blue embroidered carefully with a silvery thread that swirled along the neckline and sleeves. It was a light dress made with fabrics delivered from Laketown that she had purchased specifically for me and thread she had saved while she learned the delicate art of embroidery. I reveled in his simple beauty and pressed it against my body, twirling about the room in a nightgown before settling before a slightly cloudy looking glass. My raven hair had become a tangled mess in my sleep, the locks twisting around my shoulders and the crown of my head, I shook my head at the image before me and lifted a wooden bristled brush and began to pull the tangles into some semblance of straightness. Looking again I noticed that my hair was beginning to curl gently at the edges, framing my face in what I considered a charming way, I pulled strands apart and began to make simple braids that I clipped to the back of my head in a kind of crown, the rest of the hair falling down my back to my waist. I stood from the dressing table and picked the dress up once more before laying on my unmade bed, I stripped the gown from my body which my mother swore would bloom in my majority but was still just as slender as when I was a child. I stroked my hands slowly down from my small chest where buds of breasts were beginning to develop down over a flat and slightly muscled stomach to my narrow hips. I allowed my hands to settle there before looking down at my thighs and legs which were strong from hours of carrying heavy buckets filled to the brim with cold water for the forge. I felt so boyish. too slender and with not enough features to distinguish myself, not Maera who was voluptuous with wide hips, heavy breasts and a face that shone brightly with her beatific smiles. Standing next to each other people would often favor looking upon her than myself, she was bright with strands some swore were spun with starlight while I was dark with features that were uninspiring. I felt no jealousy in my heart though, we were friends and I wished nothing more than for her to be happy and healthy with a bountiful hearth and a solid man by her side. I knew she wished the same of me.

"Lilith, it is time to rise, dear." I heard my mother's voice through the door.

"I'm already awake, mother. I'll be down in a moment."

"Alright, Maera is already here whenever you're ready."

I heard the soft patter of her returning down the stairs and picked up the dress once more, the fabric feeling so soft within my callousing hands. I dressed in record time, drawing the dress over my head and settling it over my figure, before sliding slippers onto my feet and leaving my room with a flourish. I almost stampeded down the stairs to see my parents and my friend standing there with matching smiles as I twirled around in a circle watching the hem rise up to my knees then settle back down to my ankles.

"Oh I just knew it would be beautiful on you!"

"Of course it would, it was made by the most talented seamstress in all the village!" I replied, a smile on my face.

"My, my. You'll turn the heads of all the village boys if you're not careful." My father winked at me.

"I'll be back before nightfall." I said to my parents with a wave as Maera pulled out of my house with a hand wrapped around my wrist. We walked a short way down the road to our village where many were already rising and performing their chores. Many of the people I had to grown to know waved and smiled, wishing me a happy and healthy day as this was the day of my birth, I waved and thanked them as Maera continued to pull me. I knew where we were going, to the meadow where we spent a great deal of our childhood, it was tradition of course, between the two of us that on the day we were born we would go to the meadow and speak of our dreams as we watched the clouds lazily moved along the blue skies. I felt such joy in this day, in our friendship and in the life that our village had built and in my naivety believed that such would stay the same.

The day was quiet as we spoke, both of us laying in the field, the smell of summer all around us in the winds that breezed errantly, in the trees that sprinkled their flowers all around and in the grass.

"Father has told me that soon I will be sent to the palace." Maera said, her voice heavy

"What?" I looked at her, my eyes searching her profile.

She didn't look at me, I knew she was searching for the right words. "He says that I can be of use there and that the dressmaker is in need of a seamstress."

"They could have any seamstress though, why does it have to be you?"

"There is much I haven't told you, but Andra is leaving in a few weeks time, says that he wishes to learn to fight, wants to train as a warrior. Father has already granted him ownership of our horse and has commissioned your father to make a sword for him. He wants me to go to the palace to learn the trade more thoroughly and to make some money in Andra's absence."

"So you're leaving." I said with a dread in the words finality.

"I am afraid so."

"Then I will go with you." I replied to her after a pause.

"But what of your dreams?"

"I am not giving up, just pushing them off for a little while."

"No, Lilith…" She turned to look at me, her eyes wide.

"I will not leave you to a palace full of strangers with no one to confide in."

She smiled at me, her eyes glittering with friendship. "Let's make a pact then."

"A pact?" I replied.

"Yes, sit up."

I sit up, spreading the skirts of my dress around my legs and faced her, watching her do the same, she took my hands in her own, squeezing my slender fingers. "I swear to you, Lilith, to follow you wherever you shall go, and to stay by your side, sister of my heart, friend of my life. May our lives remain twined until the Valar shine on our divergent path."

"I swear to you, Maera, to follow you wherever you shall go, and to stay by your side, sister of my heart, friend of my life. May our lives remain twined until the Valar shine on our divergent paths." I repeated.

"This way when we grow older and find our way, we won't have broken our vow and if anything happens that draws us away from each other, we're still together in our hearts."

I laughed softly. "You certainly have a way with words."

We made our way back to village after making our pledge, me with every intention of going to back to my parents and telling them of my pledge to follow Maera into the palace. When we arrived though there was a tall man in front of her home dressed in the armor of Mirkwood, he was obviously speaking with Maera's father and holding a scroll in his hand.

"Maera." I said softly. "I think the summons came much sooner than expected."

"Go, now. If you wish to follow, you must be quick."

I ran to back to my house, slamming through the door faster than intended and fell to the ground in front of my mother who was staring at me with an open mouth.

"Lilith, you know better than to run in the..." she began.

"Mother! You must listen, Maera is going to the palace, it seems that the summons for her came faster than she expected and they are going to take me. I wish to go with her as well."

"Lilith, this is…."

"Listen to me! I must go!"

"You are old enough to make that decision for yourself, my dear, but be sure that this is path you wish to take." She intoned softly, kneeling beside me and stroking my hair. "If this is what you want, then this is what you must do."

"Oh thank you!" I wrapped my arms around her neck. "I have to go, I love you and tell father the same."

"I will, my dear. Go now, be with your friend and always remember where you came from."

I stood and nodded at her once before running back out the door and to what I believed to be my new destiny.

The memory came unbidden for a moment, the complications of my impetuous decision not lost on me, I longed to return to my village, longed to see everyone again but in my position such things only happened once in a while. As I sit at my desk now, preparing for another night of work, I think about the repercussions, think about all of the moments that led to her and Maera's current situation and for a moment I let myself feel pity. I pulled my heavy black leather boots over my soft gray leggings and stood, in the mirror hanging from the door across from me I saw who I was now. A woman of strength in leather and cloth, the only femininity in the raven lengths that poured from her head in soft curls covered by a helmet that I only removed in privacy. I walked to the door, taking in a deep breath and opened it. Across the abandoned hall was a door that each day got harder and harder to open, within it, my friend, confidant and mistress who would now be getting ready for the night that lay before her.

I walked now across the hall, my boots making a soft thump on the wooden floor as I approached, and reached out to the doorknob. Softly I knocked first, hearing a soft spoken voice reply from within I opened the door and stepped into the room, quick to shut the heavy door behind me. I stood by the door and waited, my gloved hands clasped behind me, Maera popped her head around the corner and smiled at me.

"I really wish you wouldn't wear that helmet all the time."

"You know the rules." I replied, a smile in my voice. "Are you ready?"

"Almost."

Neither of us would dare to say the words we were thinking. I knew what she would do this night, and the guilt that built in my heart was almost too much to handle some days although I knew she would say nothing of the sort. It was an unspoken rule that we never discussed her profession, never discussed the circumstances of our arrangement and it suited us, at least it suited her. I bowed my head away from her as she pulled a pale green dress over her naked figure, although it was not unusual for elves to dress and undress in front of each other it was of personal preference not to.

"Will you help me tie my laces?" she asked me.

"Yes, Mistress."

"You don't have to call me that."

"You tell me that every night."

"And I will continue to until you stop saying it."

A soft laugh past through my lips as I strode across the room to her, she presented her back to me immediately as I removed my gloves and touched the silk laces of her dress. The feel of the fabric between my slender calloused fingers was pleasant, evoking memories of when we were young and she would invite me to see her patterns. I laced them efficiently, drawing her beautiful blonde hair over her shoulder and looked at her in the mirror of her dressing table, she was always so beautiful. She smiled sadly at me in the mirror, her eyes reflecting the grief that we both shared.

"It's almost time."

"I know." I replied.

Suddenly another memory came to mind, how this all began and I looked away from her.

Years had passed since her and I had arrived in the palace, her the seamstress and myself as a serving girl in the kitchens, although my arrival was unexpected, I was welcomed warmly by those who worked there. Both of us had fallen into a comfortable routine, waking together as we shared a room in the servant quarters, bathing and dressing before going our separate ways for the day until supper time when we dined together in the hall. On our days off we would sneak out into the forest, laying among the sweet grasses and searching for patterns in the branches that canopied us. Today, however, on our day off Maera was called by the seamstresses to assist in the making of gowns for the Winter festival while I aimlessly wandered the service halls with a pilfered apple from the kitchens. All around me was the buzz of activity with excitement for the festival, I knew not from experience though as I almost never attended such large affairs and preferred to either stay in my room or in the kitchens helping. Maera, on the other hand was excited, she loved to dance and would often come back to our shared room late in to the night. Although the festival held no interest for me, the people that came to visit did, dignitaries from other elven kingdoms, ambassadors and nobles alike, even servants or villagers came to celebrate the solstice. I was a people watcher, interested more their cultures, listening to bits and pieces of conversations, listening to them describe their lands that seemed so different from this one.

"You, girl. Come here." A woman spoke, gesturing for me at the end of the hallway.

"I'm sorry?"

"Come here, I said. Are you deaf?"

I rushed forward towards the woman, taking from her elegant clothing that she must be a noble of some sort and curtsied as I came close to her, the woman rose one elegant eyebrow at me and looked me up and down.

"Are you a servant of the palace or have you come from elsewhere?"

"I work in the kitchens of the palace, milady." I respond.

"Good, come with me." She commanded.

The woman turned on heel and strode away fully expecting that I would follow without further question, she was correct of course as it was not my place or of my demeanor to argue with someone of obvious wealth and status. I followed, my eyes trained to the floor, watching her slippered feet as she strode towards a hall I knew was where other dignitaries and ambassadors were staying while they enjoyed the festival. I always crashed into her when she suddenly stopped at one particular door and strode in, I followed her inside, a little hesitant to enter such a richly decorated room.

"Run me a bath, I want warm water and lavender scented soap." She commanded, stepping behind a decorative screen.

I opened my mouth to argue that I was not a handmaiden but thought better of it and

walkedto the bathing chambers where I set out the appropriate items and warmed water for a bath. I knew that the cupboard near the east window held the appropriate bathing items as most of the rooms in the section were similar and I had assisted in cleaning and preparing the rooms before the arrival of guests. When the tub was filled with steaming water and the soap and towels spread out on the counter next it I returned to the room where the woman stood and curtsied once more.

"Will that be all?" I asked, my voice meek.

"Yes. You are dismissed."

I left the room in a hurry, wishing to return to my rooms as soon as possible before any other people asked me for assistance. Several hours later, Maera finally returned from her work with a basket of foods she had grabbed from the kitchens and set it on my bed, exhaustion clear from her expression.

"I thought we might just eat in here tonight." she said quietly.

"Alright." I replied and spread out the meal for us.

Sleep came swiftly that night for both of us until the bright fingers of dawn pressed through our window, both of us awoke to the sound of a knock at the door.

"Who could that be?" Maera mumbled as she rose from her bed.

"Tell them to go away a little longer." I replied, still snug within the coverlet of my bed,

I heard her cross the room to the door and heard the familiar scrape of the door on the floor but perked my ears when I heard a man's voice come through clearly.

"Is this the room of Lilith and Maera?" he asked, his voice stern.

I knew that voice, remembered from when her and I had arrived at the palace, he was the king's son, Prince Legolas. I sat up in my bed and looked to her, confusion marring my countenance. Why would a prince be coming to a servant's chamber? And why this early in the morning?

"Yes, it is." she spoke.

"Which one are you?"

"I am Maera." She replied and was promptly pushed aside as the prince came into our room, I sat in stunned silence as she stared at me.

"You will come with me." his voice brooked no argument and soon I was being escorted from our room, following the prince, Maera following closely behind me while two guards brought up our flank.

"What is this about?" Maera asked.

"It is not your concern. You may return to your rooms."

"I wish to come with her."

"Fine."

We were escorted through the palace's service hallways and up a staircase to what I knew to be the throne room, my face paled and my hands began to tremble. What reason would a prince be bringing a servant girl before the king? I didn't dare speak as we passed through the entryway and I was brought before the king himself with the woman I had assisted last evening. She glared at me in such a way that made my trembling increase.

"That's the little wretch!" she accused, her finger pointing at me with such venom.

"Thank you. You may leave now."

"But I want to know what you intend to do about this travesty!"

"You will be informed pending an inquiry." The king replied, barely even looking at the flushed woman. "Until then, return to your rooms or wherever you wish."

"You cannot just throw me out!"

"I can't?" He replied, appearing bored with the conversation.

Without further questioning, the woman was escorted out of the throne room by the two guards, the prince still standing to my right until he too was dismissed with an elegant wave of those tapered fingers. I stared at the king in reverence, awed by his beauty as he sat in a wooden throne carved to appear as antlers, a crown of simple branches adorning his ash colored hair. Silver robes enveloped his body as he stood from the throne and approached us, his eyes taking in every movement we made.

"Lilith." He stared at me.

"Y-yes, my liege." I replied in a small voice.

"Do you know why you have been called before me?"

"N-no, my liege." I replied again.

"You have been accused of theft by the Lady Thessalia." his tone was impervious but felt like finely wrought steel to my ears.

I opened my mouth, a small gasp escaping. I had never stolen anything in my entire life. "She has claimed that you stole a brooch that was very valuable. What say you?"

"Lilith has never stolen anything in her entire life!" Maera exclaimed, a look of determination crossing her beautiful features.

"That is not what is in question, she was accused of theft and now must answer for the charges." He never for one moment took his eyes off me, leaving me feeling naked.

"I took nothing from her room, my liege. I merely assisted her in preparing a bath."

"You are a kitchen server, correct?"

"Yes, my liege."

"You know you are forbidden on the guest floors while they are in attendance."

"Yes, my liege. I could not say no to her though, she seemed quite determined after I informed her of my employment in the kitchens."

"I see." He replied, pacing in front of us with a finger pressed to his chin. "She first asked you about your position here?"

"Yes, upon my answering, she bade me to follow her."

He seemed to consider my answer. "She has no proof other than claiming that you were in her rooms without her permission, but neither do you have proof that your claim is true." He stopped pacing and looked to me. "I cannot with good conscious ignore the woman's claim and there is still the matter of your punishment for going to the guest floors."

I bowed my head to him, my fear getting the better of me. "You will be imprisoned in the dungeons below until the brooch can be located."

"You believe that woman over a servant who has been faithfully in your service for years?" Maera wrapped her arms around me. "I have known this girl all of my life, she has no need for brooches or gems."

"You would vouch for her?"

"Yes."

"Even though you risk your own freedom."

"I see. This does not change anything though, she must be held accountable for her actions."

"Then punish me in her stead. She does what is asked of her without question, with regard to others comforts."

"You want to go to the dungeons?" He seemed baffled by both her impudence and by her willingness to take a punishment that was not hers to take.

"Want and need are different, I do not want to go to the dungeons but I would do it for it is needed in this girl's defense."

"And if there was another option open to you?"

"What other option would there be?"

We stared at the king in confusion. He stood, facing Maera with an expression of interest on his face. "I have a position open that might be preferable to the dungeons, and it would release your friend from punishment and perhaps would even raise her status."

"What do you speak of?" She asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"Would you agree to such a position? I would compensate you, your family and her family if you accept."

"I want to know about the position."

He smiled and for a moment I was awed by his beauty that seemed to shine within the room. "Accept it first."

Maera looked to me, her face speaking volumes about what she would do for and I for her. "Remember our pact." she whispered to me. "I go no where without you, or you without me."

I nodded. "Sister of my heart."

Maera turned to the king. "I accept."

Those two words had changed our fate forever, overnight our positions changed, our rooms were relocated, and new lives began. This was perhaps when we had begun to pull away from each other, her not wishing to hurt me with the details of her position, and me unable to overcome my guilt. If I had known what the position entailed, I would never have allowed her to accept a punishment for me. She looked at me now from the looking glass.

"Do not dwell on the past." She spoke softly. "I have endured no pain, but often thought the same. If I had known, would I still have made that choice?"

My heart entreated to know the answer, to know if our pact was still in place with her own heart, she smiled. "I would have. I have learned much, and have gained us both much from this arrangement. Do not fret. Soon all will be well again."

I frowned into the looking glass. "You don't need to escort me tonight, I think I will walk alone."

I shook my head. "I cannot. I go where you go."

She smiled sadly once more. "Please. Take the night off."

"You know I cannot, it is my mission to protect you and to escort you."

"Please." She asked again, I frowned from beneath my helm.

I shook my head once more. "I am very sorry then."

"Sorry? Sorry for what?"

She turned around to face me, embracing me tightly before moving away from me. "This is where our paths diverge."

I looked away from her with a look of confusion and caught a flurry of movement in the mirror right before a sharp pain radiated out from the back of my head and the world went black.