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Chapter Two

I was inside with Aaireie, a neighbor's young daughter when it happened. I had heard the horses' hoofs approaching before they could be seen, yet I chose to ignore them. Aaireie, being only an infant elf did not take heed to the noise either. It was not until Virel came inside to tell me, that I realized the horses had stopped outside our tree-home. I lifted Aaireie off the floor and walked out onto the small balcony of our home. As I looked down I saw that on the horse was the markings of nobility and royalty.

My eyes widened as I stood staring. In my arms Aaireie pointed downwards showing me her interest in the beasts. "Yeah," I muttered low under my breath. "Horses."

With careful skill that I had acquired over centuries of living in the same tree, I was able to climb down with Aaireie still clutched firmly in my arms.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Virel looking at me, a worried look in his eye. "Can I be of any help?" I asked the Elves before me.

"Are you Lady Melody?" One asked in a gruff, jagged voice.

I nodded in reply. "Yes, that is I."

He nodded towards the child in my arms. "I see you have violated your oath to your kingdom." His words were blazed and as sharp as the knife I carried in my belt.

I was taken back to say the least. "I know not what you talk of, my Lord. What promise have I befouled?" My eyes darted form elf to elf, trying to read their expressions.

He straightened his back and looked down at me from his great height. (Okay, I wasn't short, but I wasn't exactly tall either.) "You have broken a pledge made years ago by your mother! It was a vow to have you married to the Prince of Mirkwood. You have been betrothed since you were a youth. Now, when we have seeked you, it seems you have not cared for such a promise!" His voice bellowed around me and I was briefly aware of all the pairs of eyes on me.

My mind gradually went back to the day long ago and I struggled to remember what had been said and what had happened. It came back to me piece by piece and I soon understood what was happening. It must have come time for the prince to marry and of course they had kept their promise and had found me.

"I understand now!" I cried, a hint of amusement in my voice. "But you misunderstand the situation, my Lord," I said to the Elf. "For this is not my daughter! Nor is he my husband!" I spoke, glancing Virel. "But my brother and a friends young."

I wasn't sure weather it was relief or embarrassment that crossed over the Elves face but he did seem to relax a little. "Then come, your marriage awaits you."

"What?!" I protested a little to loudly. I had noticed a few neighbors of mine had come out of their own trees with curiosity. "Now?"

He gave me a sharp nod of his head. And I cringed. It was enough to have been reminded and told of your fate, but to go through with it? I shot Virel a desperate glance but I knew he could do nothing. He stared back at me defeated. I felt anger rise in me that my lifetime had been planned before hand and that I had no say. Yet I knew I had agreed to it long ago when I was young and did not understand my actions. After all, what young elf would not trust her Mama? Mama! I thought, Why? Why would you do this?

"I'll go pack you some bags, Sister." Virel told me as he walked away and climb back into our small house leaving Aaireie and myself alone with the group of horses and elves.

I chewed my lip and nodded at Virel. The Elves were all still looking my way. Meeting the eyes of the elf that had talked earlier, I noticed for the first time his discomfort. "Do you not want to farewell your mother and father, young Madam?"

I sent him a rude glare my anger seething just under control. I was never usually an angry elf, but to ask such a question! I tipped my words with ice and spoke with venom. "My father fell in battle long ago, my Lord, as did my mother."

He expression became remorseful. "I am grieved by your loss."

A noise behind me told me of Virel's return. He came up beside me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Will I be able to visit, my Lord? After all, Melody here is my sister."

I glanced up towards him but he only stared straight ahead.

"For now it is asked that you keep away. When all is settled down and normality returns, we will send word to you. Then you may pay a visit."

Virel accepted the answer with a nod and handed my trunk over to another elf. "Good-bye then, dear Sister," he whispered when he turned to me. "Be strong, for a great honor has been bestowed upon you." Gently he reached out and took Aaireie from my arms.

Feeling a tear fall down my cheek I threw open my arms and wrapped them both in a hug. "Farewell Virel! Good-bye Aaireie!" I placed a kiss on each of their cheeks and stepped away.

This was all happening so fast and I knew I could no longer keep my tears in check and more fell. I was helped into a carriage one of the horses towed and parted ways with home once again.

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I sat in a room not unlike the one I had rested in my last visit. It was as I was admiring the finely done sculptures and ornaments that decorated the room, when a knock was heard upon my door.

Opening it I was greeted by a tall elf with long blond hair and a piercing green gaze. "I trust you have settled in, Lady Melody?" He asked, his voice so soft and gentle that put me at ease. I nodded and he continued. "That makes me glad to hear. Change can be difficult, especially fast change. I am Ruiref, a noble of this palace."

I curtseyed. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my Lord."

He gave me a broad smile. "I have come to ask you to accompany me for a walk in the gardens. There I will talk to you of the plans for your future." He held out his arm and I took it, falling into step beside him. "You may remember that your mother and yourself visited here along time ago," he started.

"Yes, I remember." Our footsteps were clicking lightly on the tiles of the palace floor.

He continued. "While she was here, she presented you to the King as a possible future wife for his son, Prince Legolas. Thus," he continued, in a voice with no tone. "Now that it is time for the Prince to be married, so you have been summoned here to become his bride."

We walked on in silence, both pondering the situation in our minds. Finally I spoke. "Do you know why?" I asked, "Why my Mama did this?" We were outside now and walking through the brilliant gardens.

Ruiref shook his head sadly. "From what I know, Lady Melody, your mother was seeking a way to make your future a secure one. The time when it happened was a hard one for your family. She was doing what she could for you."

I wasn't sure weather he spoke the truth to me but I nodded anyway. "When are we to be wed?"

"Tonight."

"Tonight!" I cried. "But that's so soon!"

"I am sorry my Lady, but it is to be. As I said before, change can be difficult especially fast change. I am regretful, I know it is hard."

We strolled around for a while more and Ruiref told me more about my husband to be. Even though what I was told was only good things, I was still nervous and very apprehensive about the whole situation. The Prince's interests seemed to conflict with my own. He was a master at archery, while I had never touched a bow in my life. Virel and I had always been very close and had never stayed apart for long periods of times before. It seemed that this was going to be a learning curve for all of us.

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It felt like I had just rested my head upon my pillow when I had another visitor to my door. She was a maid at the palace and was here to prepare me for the celebration

The dress I was to where was beautiful, and for a short moment, I forgot that I was marring a stranger, and instead I was marring the elf of my dreams that I knew by heart and soul. For a moment, I was young again, playing make believe in Mama's clothing.

The maid quickly went to work on my hair after the gown was fitted. She brushed my cinnamon colored hair into two side plats, all the while complaining under her breath that brown was not how a royal elf's hair should be coloured. After all, almost every elf in Mirkwood was christened with golden hair. It infuriated me that this maid did not care that this colour, my coloured hair, was something that everyone born into my family had! I considered it a gift not to be like everybody else!

After the maid had finished insulting me and my imperfections, a tiara was placed upon my head and I was told to wait until another came to escort me to the chamber when the wedding was to take place.

It seemed like I waited for hours, it was as the sun was setting that another greeted me. Ruiref appeared to come and whisk me away. I did not speak to him on the way as my nerves were still very jumpy and I was afraid that if I spoke, I might be very unladylike and vomit instead.

Ruiref stopped and I followed suit. "Here we are. Behind these doors lye your future." He turned to me, his mouth curving into a smile. "You shall be a magnificent Queen, Lady Melody. I saw it in you the first time I laid eyes on you."

I gave a weak grin back. "Thank-you, my Lord. But must I walk the isle alone? My father died long ago and is not here to give me away."

"Nay," he said. "But your bother is."

My eyes shot up to met his. "What! But the elves that brought me here told us that I would not be seeing him for a long while."

"Ah, yes they did say that. But they did not know of your father's death. Come, your brother, wedding and husband await you."

I tried to smile again but I failed miserably. It seemed that the only good thing that had happened today was Virel turning up to the wedding. I was not a lover of the word 'change' and it seemed that far too much of it had happened in my life. We entered room that I was told led onto the main one where the ceremony would be taking place.

"Virel!" I cried, when I laid eyes on him. I wrapped him in a hug and I heard him chuckle.

Pulling away he said, "It's barely been a day, Melody."

"Come now," Ruiref said. "The music is beginning."

And it was. The soft notes of a melody could be heard through the large wooden doors that separated the rooms. The butterflies in my stomach began to move about again and I clasped my hand tightly in that of my brothers. He gave me a gentle squeeze back and we began to move towards the doors. I played with my fingers as I always do when I'm fidgety.

This was it. This was my wedding.

A bit short I know, but that's okay. I'll try to make the next one a bit longer. Thanks for reading!