Hello again, everyone! Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out! I had my ideas all over the place and just needed to get them to cooperate. Anyway, it's nice and long, and I hope you all enjoy it. Once again, thank you to everyone who has favorited or has been following my story! To those of you who reviewed, I owe you a special thanks!

Moonlighteclips- I'm glad you enjoy it so much, keep letting me know how I'm doing!

Guest- whoever you are, thanks a lot!

Numellote- Your review really warmed my heart! I myself have been a long time reader on this site as well!

Blueberry-heaven- I'm glad you like Cora, and I hope you continue to do so as she grows into her own. I'm also happy you like the tension, I hope to build a lot of it before they get to finally come together. We can't just be jumping into bed with our lovely Elf-prince, now can we? ;-)

Any who, on with the next chapter and enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing!

Chapter 4-Dreams and Meetings

Legolas' P.O.V

I don't know how long I stood there surprised at the sensation of shame and desire battling within me. 'How could you, Legolas?' I asked myself, 'Not only have you known her for less than a day but she is wed!' Yet for all of my inner turmoil over our indecent encounter I could not erase the feeling of her pressed against my chest, her small soft hands upon my abdomen that lit a fire in my loins and sent shivers down my spine. Ai, Elbereth! Her beautiful face, lit up by the deep pink blush of her cheeks that had shown her embarrassment had me biting back a groan, 'Calm yourself, ellon! You are no prepubescent elfling!'

Since my own reprimands did nothing to abate my state of arousal, I decided to distract myself by observing the room that would be my own for only the Valar knew how long. It was not overly large but enough to comfortably house a large bed with small bleached wooden tables to each side, a matching dresser and a cozy looking brown armchair by the window. On the bed, I found the clothes that Cora meant for me to wear. They looked to be about the right size for me, so I began to dress. Pulling the soft breeches up my long legs, I gave a nod at myself in the full length mirror appended on the door, satisfied with them. I finished dressing, only having a slight problem with the shirt before realizing it was meant to be donned over head. Yet on the bed remained one more garment, which was too small to appear useful so I left them there to be dealt with later.

With naught else to do, I decided that a bit of rest would do me well. I eased myself into that armchair, sighing is satisfaction at the feel of it. It truly was as comfortable as it looked. I let my body relax in the chair, yet it was not meant to be! I turned my head to peer out the window before jumping out of it as if I were set on fire! How could I not of sensed it before? THE SEA! I could feel my heart beat faster at the fear of hearing its call and forced myself to take deep calming breaths. Opening my mind to scrutinize my emotions, I was surprised to find that I felt…nothing. No strong pull, no longing. 'How is that possible? Every elf feels the call of the sea!'

I braved another view out the window and waited for the sense of desire to pull at my heart to no avail. I let out a breath that I did not know I was holding. Now feeling safe from its calling, I allowed myself to marvel at its beauty. From my view, I could see the rocky cliffs hanging over the clear blue waters which gradually changed from almost transparent to a dark hue far out as the horizon. My elf eyes were able to make out the small form of a school of fish frolicking in the sea grass and coral below. Further out I could see much larger forms, similar to those I had only ever seen in the old tomes of the house of Elrond. I believe they are called dolphins. Various ships and boats were floating along with the soft rolling current. Even further out, there was the view of the setting sun against the blue of the sea. It was breathtaking. As I once again relaxed into the chair and continued the gaze out towards the horizon, my thoughts turned to home, my father. How distraught he would be once he learned of my disappearance. I desperately wished I could reach out to him and let him know I was safe and would find a way to return home. I couldn't help but feel guilt at the memory of how he almost begged me to remain in the palace.

"Adar…goheno nin," I whispered into the solitude of my room, hoping that somehow my words would reach him.

Gandalf's P.O.V

"Mae l'ovannen, Mithrandir!" greeted the captain as I rode up to the gates of the realm of the Elven King, "My king awaits you in the great hall."

"Mae g'ovannen, Captain Brannon," I returned his greeting as I dismounted from my horse.

The ride from Imladris had been hard on my old body. I may be a wizard, but I was not a young mage anymore. I was glad to have finally arrived at my destination; alas this was not to be a merry meeting. I handed of the bridle of my horse to the stable hand before following the captains lead through the immense gates of Thranduil's halls. My footsteps rang across the stone floor of the cavern from which the Elven king had created his realm. The walls were lit by unseen lanterns and sky lights which gave off an orange glow. There were many paths this way and that all leading to different parts of the city. The captain led me up the main one, though I had no need of his assistance. This was not my first visit to the halls of Mirkwood. A while after following the winding path, we came upon a round dais, risen up high. Upon said dais was a throne carved from a great tree and seated there was the great Elven king. Thranduil, son of Oropher, father to Legolas, the crowned prince of Mirkwood for whom my trip had been made in great haste.

I climbed up the steps, using my staff as an aid. My back ached terribly from the long journey, though I knew I would find no sympathy here. The king was bound to be in a horrible disposition. Word had reached all the realms of elves, men and free folk that the heir to the throne of Mirkwood had gone missing with an appeal to return him to his home should he be found. As soon as the news had reached Imladris, I readied myself to bring aid to the king, though he was not known to be open-minded. The elf upon the throne did not even consider my arrival as I stood before him, "Ai, Thranduil Aran! Le suilon!"

"Mae g'ovannen, Mithrandir, though it is with a heavy heart and clouded mind that I greet you."

The king rose slowly from his throne, as if it pained his to do so. His pallor was not that of a healthy and strong ellon, but the one of a grieving father. I feared what this loss would mean for the Woodland realm, the only thing standing between the growing darkness and the free lands was the Elven kingdom, "Hir vuin! I have come to you in this dark time to offer you my aid. The prince has not yet been found, but that does not mean we should despair so quickly."

"My son is lost to me, Mithrandir, I have sent out search parties day and night, emissaries to every corner of Arda. There is no trace of him, no sign….not even a body for me to mourn," the king tried hard to stay on his feet as he admitted his failed attempts to find his son.

Without hope he would surely begin to fade, and I, a protector of Arda and servant of the Valar, could not allow that, "Your majesty, you are right there has been no word of the prince, yet as you have just said you have found no body. That is still promise that Legolas lives. Do not despair so, give me some time and I will search every corner and crevice of this earth and those beyond to find him. I only ask that you hold to hope for a little longer. Permit not that your realm falls into decay. Fight harder than ever before to keep the shadows of Dol Goldur at bay! For when we find the prince, this realm will belong to him. Will you leave him to inherit a desolate land? Would you do that to your own son?"

A fury raged in the noble elf's blue eyes, like that of a scorching fire, "Do not presume to tell me how to rule my kingdom, Wizard. I am ruler here, and I will ensure its safety and prosper as I always have. Since you have offered your services to me, I would demand that you do what is necessary to find my heir. I want him back here, alive and well. You keep your promise, Mithrandir, and do not set foot into my halls until you have done so! Leave me!"

The king bellowed and raged, yet I was not frightened by his temper. This was good…a good omen. Anger meant he felt emotion that he would not fade into death. I would uphold my promise. My only hope was that the king's rage would fuel him for as long as I would need to find his son.

Cora's P.O.V

"Zia Lisa! Lasciami!" (Aunt Lisa! Let me go!) from the door way I watched my son giggle in delight as my friend tickled his sides.

"Oh no bello! Io non ti lascerò mai!" (Oh no, handsome, I won't ever let you go!) she said hugging Alistair's little body to her as he squirmed to break free.

I chuckled at the sight which brought me to their attention. Alistair saw his way out and held out his little arms to me, "Mamma! Help me!"

I couldn't resist the pleading of my little boy and dramatically came to his aid, "I'll save you, my little prince. Have no fear!"

Stalking up to my friend I playfully pulled him out of her grasp and into my arms. I swung him high up above me watching him smile a toothy grin, My heart warmed at the sight and I could not resist the temptation to hug him to my chest. Lisa sat on the floor with a fake pout on her face as she joking threatened the prince, "Solo per questa volta ti ha salvato la regina! Ma noi ci rivediamo, piccolo principe." (The queen saved you this time, little prince, but we will meet again!)

She tickled his side one more time and we both laughed along with his little giggles. From outside the house came the sound of a horn honking in the driveway, announcing the return of Elisa's husband, Francesco, "Allora, quella è mia chiamata a casa! Ci vediamo domani, miei cari." (Okay, that's my call home! See you tomorrow, my dears!)

And with that farewell she was gone. I swayed back and forth, gently rocking my baby in my arms, taking comfort from his little face pressed up against my neck and his pleasant baby scent. His little hand played with the star pendant around my neck, a gift from my mother, which I had worn for longer than I could remember.

"Twinkle star," his sleepy voice alerted me to just how worn out he was from today's events.

With my baby in my arms, I moved over to the couch and lay down carefully not to jostle the almost sleeping child. I figured it had been a long day for the two of us and we could both use a cat nap. It was only five in the afternoon, too early to start dinner. I knew I had cases to work on but one look at Alistair lying on my chest, his thumb in his mouth and his lids half closed tore away any desire to work on the Mesopotamian study patiently waiting for me on my desk. I began to hum a lullaby as I softly ran my fingers through his silken baby curls. I watched at my son was lulled to sleep and soon after his chest began to rise and fall in slumber, I followed.

Legolas' P.O.V

Hands caressed down my bare chest, lightly like feathers. Warm lips kissed their way up my neck, a flicker of a wet tongue darted out here and there to taste my skin. I moaned and gripped tighter at the hips that straddled my own. The hot heat of her, wrapped around me as we moved as one, was driving me mad.

"Oh, dio," the elleth breathed in my ear sending shivers down my spine.

My hips thrust upwards to reach deeper into the caverns of her body as she licked, sucked and nipped at the sensitive tip of my ear. A jolt of pleasure rushed to my loins and I deftly rolled us over to take control of our coupling. My thrusts became more sporadic as I sought to make the female under me scream out my name.

"Ah…ah si…Si…SI, FRANCESCO! Prendimi!"

'Francesco?' My eyes shot open and I realized it had all been a dream.

"SI!...SI! Riempimi, France!"

Well, at least for me. I took a few controlling breaths to calm the quickened beating of my heart and remove myself from a state of arousal. 'By the Valar!' I thought as I heard the knocking of wood upon what assumed to be the common wall between the two homes. Even without my elven hearing I would have been able to hear them quite clearly.

Hoping the gain some auditory distance, I decided to visit the sitting room to see what Cora was up to. I checked first to make sure that I had no visual evidence of my dream before closing the door behind me. The house was well decorated, painted in pale greens, blues, and beiges, which brought tranquility to its inhabitants and made for comfortable living. On the upper level, I counted five doors, including my own. Two I knew to lead to Cora's study and the bathroom. The remaining two would be the other bed chambers. The door to my left was ajar and my curiosity got the better of me. This was clearly the child's domain, painted a sea blue and littered with toys and games. There were a few pieces of furniture including a dresser, a crib and a rocking chair in the far corner. On the walls there were depicted various sea creatures and schools of fish. I smiled at the sheer innocence of it all before moving on down the stairs. Coming into the living room, I found everything to be very quiet aside from the soft chatter of the little boy on the floor, surrounded by strange looking toys. He was engaged in his play and almost took no notice of my entry. On the divan, laid his mother fast asleep. Her auburn curls framing her face only helped to enhance her beauty. She had one arm sprawled over her head while the other was wrapped around her belly. She looked so peaceful with her features relaxed in sleep. My fingers itched to reach out and trace her cheek to feel the softness of her skin.

"Funny Man!" the boy cried.

I was startled to see his smile fixed on me. His grin showed the few teeth that had already grown in. I put one long finger to my lips and shushed the child, inclining my head in the direction of his sleeping mother.

"Sssh!" he giggle softly as he copied by motions. I couldn't hide my own mirth at his playfulness, "Play!"

The infant held out a toy to me. Understanding his desire, I moved over and sat down cross-legged before him, "So be it, Alistair. I will play with you."

He regarded me for a moment before handing me the toy in his right hand. I found myself unsure of what he wanted me to do with it. He, himself, had a similar one in his hand which he rolled along the floor this way and that. When he noticed my hesitance, he pointed at the toy and said, "Car! Brrrmmm…Brrmm!"

The sound he emitted was similar to that of the metal carriage Cora had used to transport us to her home and now his game made sense. I began to mimic his motions which earned me a laugh. By the Valar, I had never heard a sweeter sound. I was quite sure I had a strange look on my face for Alistair continued to giggle, and no sooner had I found myself laughing along with him. The boy began introducing each kind of car to me. I soon found out that each one had its own name and purpose. I had never had many encounters with elflings back in the Greenwood, for in the falling darkness of the wood, it was not very often that elven mates chose to conceive. Thus I found myself lacking in experience with how to act around the child. However he seemed to be content in introducing me to his own game, so I followed his lead.

"Car," he said pointing to a red machine on four wheels.

"Car," I repeated after him letting him teach me, a 2,000 year old elf, finding the change to be quite refreshing.

Cora's P.O.V

"Taxi!"

"Taxi"

My eyes fluttered as the sound of soft voices awakened me from my nap. I turned my head towards the sound and opened my eyes.

"Moto."

"Moto."

There was my baby with all his vehicles lined up in a row. Legolas sat before him watching and reciting the names of these new objects to the delight of my son, who clapped his hands at the man's repetition, "Fire fruck."

"Fire fruck"

The blonde's gaze shoot up to meet mine as I tried to suppress the a chuckle. My son was a quick learner but the letter 'T' was proving difficult to pronounce owing to his lack of teeth, "You mean 'fire truck', baby."

Alistair looked at me and bobbed his small head, "Si! Fire fruck!"

I gave up at the idea of correcting him for the moment and sat up before stretching my arms high above my head and letting out the cricks in my neck.

"Did you rest well, Cora?" his melodic voice reached my ears like a caress.

I rubbed my hands along my thighs to get the blood flowing. As I looked up at Legolas, a strange sensation of warmth, "Yes, quite well, and you?"

He looked down into his lap and I could swear I saw a tinge of a blush on his cheeks before clearing his throat, "Yes,… ah… quite well indeed."

His unease at my inquiry puzzled me before I remember exactly where his room was situated. Comprehension of what had most likely happened dawned on me, "Oh! They were at it again, weren't they?"

"I beg your pardon?" his eyebrows shot up in surprise at my not so lucky guess, which answered my question immediately.

"Francesco and Elisa? You heard them, I suppose. I'll have to ask them to keep it down. They're not used to me having guests, I'm sorry."

He relaxed and flashed me a small smile, "That won't be necessary, Cora. An act of love should never be hindered, for there is nothing more beautiful than the connection between mates. I…in my homeland, we are accustomed to hearing such things."

I didn't know my eyebrows could go any higher , but they did. I myself was not innocent, I had been a man's wife and was no virgin before that either. I shook my head trying to prevent the memories of passionate interludes from emerging and with a smirk replied, "Ha, you must have some thin walls… never the less I will ask them to keep it down. I won't have your rest disturbed in my home."

"Your home? Is the other half of this edifice not theirs?" He asked, I was glad to steer the conversation away from the topic of sex.

"No, they're renting. This building belonged to my husband's parents. They left it to us as a wedding gift," I explained.

"BASTA, (Enough!) Mamma!" a shrill shriek escaped from my little one. Apparently he wasn't ready to share his new friend.

I noticed that Legolas winced at the sound of my son's scream, "Ok, Al. No need to scream, you can have your friend back. I think it's about time I started dinner. What would you like, baby?"

"Pizza!"

I rolled my eyes. Of course. It was the only thing he ever wanted. At this rate the boy would turn into a pizza. I, however, wasn't prepared to take on a temper tantrum in front of our guest so I nodded, " Legolas, what about you? Is pizza okay?"

There was that confused look of his face again. I quickly realized he had no idea what it was, so after a brief description he responded with an "I will try it" and I went to work. Not soon after we sat down to a quiet dinner. Well, as quiet as it could get with a jabbering toddler at the table. He obviously was quite taken with the new presence in our home, and while I was happy they were getting along, I only hoped my baby wouldn't get too attached. I didn't know how long our guest would be around. Looking over a Legolas, I found him smiling at Alistair. I wondered if he had a wife and children waiting for him to return. Curiosity got the better of me and I had to know, "So Legolas, do you have any family back home?"

His gaze met mine as he daintily dabbed at the corner of his perfect bow-like lips with his napkin before replying, "Aye, my father."

"And your mother?" I blurted out without thinking and after seeing the fleeting shadow of sadness darken his face I wish I hadn't asked.

"No, my nana passed on long ago. I was but a el-… youth when she died," He responded quietly.

I tried for yet another, hoping it would being back his smile, "I'm sorry to hear that. Surely, a handsome guy like you has a lady back home? Do you have a wife and children?"

His lips curled up into a smile as he chuckled, "No, lady. I am unwed and still a bachelor."

" I find that hard to believe, not even a girlfriend? I'm sure there were takers."

I internally danced at my successful attempted at humoring him, "Yes, there were. Yet, I was never interested in any of them. You see, my people believe in soul-mates. As it turns out, I have not yet found mine."

I was taken by surprise at his confession. A warmth spread through my heart at the romantic notion, "That's beautiful."

Our gazes lock on each other again, green on blue. I could feel the tension between us as we both searched for something to fill the silence. Thankfully, that's when Alistair chose to express his fatigue with a loud yawn, breaking our connection. I jumped from my seat to collect my son from his high chair, "Okay, baby. Somebody's ready for bed."

He shook his head in protest before burying his curls into the crook of my neck, "No, Mamma."

"Oh, come on. I'll even make you some milk."

His half closed eyes popped open for a second at the mention of his nightly bottle, "Va be'" (Okay.)

I pressed a kiss to his head as I moved around the kitchen to prepare my son's drink. Legolas' soft voice barely broke the silence, "May I help you with something, Cora?"

"No, thank you," I whispered trying not to disturb Al, "Just relax. I'll be down in a minute to clear up in here."

With that I brought my baby upstairs and settled him into his crib with his bottle. He was so beautiful, my little boy, one hand holding his bottle, the other rubbing his eyes. He looked up at me and I smiled remembering the first time I laid him down in this very bed. Planting another soft kiss to his forehead as he drifted off, I whispered, "Sweet dreams, my little prince."

Legolas' P.O.V

A strange emotion washed through me as Cora's emerald eyes met mine. The confession of Elven fëa-mates left me with longing as I thought on Cora's questioning. Yes, I had been approached by many ellith (female elves) since reaching my maturity, alas, none of them were the one. I was too young to understand the bond between my parents before but I had witnessed the relationships of my mellyn (friends) and my fellow warriors. Sadly, I had yet to discover the same yearning for someone. But in Cora's eyes there was something that pulled at my insides. I was fully aware of my physical attraction to her and understandably so, she is a beautiful woman, any male would gladly take her to bed. Just because we elves believed in soul-mates did not mean we were all celibate until wed. I was no virgin and was very familiar with the pull of arousal, but somehow this was different.

The loud yawn that escaped from my new little friend tore her jewel-like eyes from mine, and for a moment, I felt…envy at the loss of her attention. I watched as she balanced the sleepy child on her hip while preparing his promised drink. She moved so gracefully and with such precision that I assumed this to be a nightly ritual.

"May I help you with something, Cora?" the woman had offered me shelter, clothing ,and food. The least I could do was offer her my aid.

After denying my help, I watched her head towards the stairs to put her boy to bed. I smiled and wave at the little boy who raised his hand in farewell to me, and whisper, "Oltho vae, mellon nin." (Sweet dreams, my friend)

Now that I was alone in the kitchen I was quite sure of what to do, so I ventured out into the back garden and observed the various plants and flowers. I wondered how they would take to Elvish magic. Ai, Eru, the cool night air was truly refreshing. I sat down in a wooden chair and took in the sounds and scents of the night. Not long after, I had begun to relax, I heard Cora return to the kitchen and the clinking of tableware as she cleaned up after our evening meal. I turned to find her in front of the window, she glanced up at me and smiled before returning to her task.

I took a deep breath and marveled in the salty scent of the sea. 'How close it must be!' The scent mingled with those of the exotic trees and plants of the garden. The thought brought on a distant memory of my naneth, who so loved to roam her gardens, tending to each plant, flower and tree as if they were her own elflings. I smiled, 'Oh, nana, how you would love this.'

"Legolas," Her voice called from the glass door, "Aren't you cold? It is November, you know."

How could I tell her that elves do not feel the cold? I wondered… the people of Esgaroth were always wrapped in furs, so my homeland must be situated in a cold place, "No Cora, I am alright. My homeland is far to the north and by far much colder than this! In fact, had you not told me the month, I would have thought it to be a warm spring evening!"

There was that eyebrow again raised in question, making me chuckle, "Okay, if you say so," she herself was wrapped in a long woolen tunic with buttons up the front, "Well, I've made some coffee. If you would like some, just pop inside. I've left a cup for you on the counter."

And with that she slid the door shut, and sat down at the table. I heard the rustling of paper and the scratching of a quill on parchment. I had no idea what this coffee may be but in this new world there were many new things to try. I headed back into the house, quietly sliding the glass door shut behind me. Cora was reading a stack of papers in front of her with vigor, a pair of spectacles rested low on her nose. Paintings were spread out on the table, so she could observe, read and take notes on another parchment to her right. She looked so intrigued in what she was doing, I dared not disturb her.

On the counter, I found the mug she had left for me before a strange mechanical pot which contained a black liquid. I scent was strong and smooth, so I decided to try it. After filing my mug, I took a sip and cringed at the bitter flavor. It's taste was quite the opposite of its inviting aroma. I heard a quiet laugh from the table and frowned at the half smiled directed at me, "Don't like it black do you? Why not try some milk and sugar?"

She got up and made the quick adjustment to my drink and I had to admit it was much better now. We both sat down at the table, her with her papers and I with my beverage. The silence was comfortable, yet I was curious as to what she was doing so I asked. She answered without looking up as she picked up a painting to observe it closer, "I'm working on a study of an ancient Mesopotamian trib. We have recently discovered some caves with these marking s inside, which may give insight on a gap in our timeline."

My expression must have given away my confusion as she clarified, "I'm an anthropologist. I and my fellows at the university study humankind, past and present. My team is focusing on putting together a timeline from the dawn of man to the present."

" That is fascinating. How long have you been involved in this endeavor?" I have never heard of female scholars before, Erestor of Imladris would be most interested in this woman.

"Since I finished my first degree at the university. I'm now studying for my doctorate in History and Anthropology, part of my program is working for the university."

"Pardon me if I am blunt, but does your husband support this decision? You seem so passionate about it. It would be a shame to not be supported."

She smiled sadly, fiddling with the gold band around her finger as she answered, "Yes, he did. He used to tell his friends his wife was a professor. I always berated him for jinxing my chances."

"He did? You mean he no longer supports you?"

"I'm sure he would, if he were around to do so," she paused for a moment taking a deep breath, "my husband died two years ago. He was on a mission and he never came home."

Her confession hit me in the gut like a blow from an enemy. I now understood the lingering sadness in her eyes that was ever present, " My apologizes for prying, Cora. It was not my place to ask. I hope I have not caused you pain."

" No Legolas, it's okay. It's just hard, remembering him and what he's missing out on. Alistair looks so much like him, some days it's so difficult to be around him without being reminded of his father."

" I truly am sorry," I was lost on what to say, and embarrassed at my blunder.

"It's fine, really. Don't beat yourself up over it," she reached over a brushed her hand over mine with a smile to reassure me, " Well, I don't think I'm getting any work done tonight. Why don't we sit and chat for a while in the living room. If we're going to live together, we should get to know each other a little better, don't you think?"

"I agree."

So we moved into the sitting room and sat down on the comfortable leather divan. I watched as she curled her legs up under her, clutching her mug between her palms, " I m quite curious to know, Cora, where you are from?"

"Is it that obvious that I'm not from here? Damn, I couldn't even fool the foreigner," she laughed as she pondered something before continuing, " Well, I came from a country called the United States of America. It's on the other side of the Atlantic ocean. Here I'll show you."

She reached over to pull the low table in front of the divan closer. Upon it, under the glass top layer was a map similar to the one from the book Cora had shown me earlier. She pointed to the boot to remind me of where we were, "Here's Italy. And right here, is Livorno, the city we are in."

"And all the way over there is the USA," she said as she dragged her finger across the wide expanse of ocean to a rather large continent. Her finger stopped at a point on the north east coast line and she caressed the spot, "Here's New York, the city I was born in, which is one of the most famous cities all over the world."

" You seem quite attached to your homeland. Why did you leave?"

"My mother was born in Italy, all of her family still lives here. I came here every summer when I was a kid. When I was sixteen, I met Marco and we became best friends. After I finished high school, I decided to study at the university here in Pisa. Marco and I got together soon after and when I was twenty years old we got married. Marco was in the military and I was studying so we settled down here. But enough about me tell me something about you? What's your home like?"

I closed my eyes for a moment, allowing myself to visualize the deep caverns of my father's kingdom, the vast woodlands around it, the sound of the rushing waters of forest river, "My home, is very different from here. We do not have these cars and roads as you do. My city, as one would call it, is carved from a cave. There are winding paths that lead to various places of the realm and it's walls are bathed in torchlight. If one feels the oppressing sensation of being closed in, you need only look up to the a great opening in the ceiling. From there you can see all the stars and constellations, which grace us with their light each night. Outside of the city is surrounded by a vast woodland, whose trees were once the splendor of our world. We used to live out there, in the trees. In homes that we called talons, where we were ever one with the wood. Unfortunately, my people and I live in dark times, and the woods have become overgrown and sick. We have taken shelter in the caves to protect us from the growing darkness. If I had not become part of the border guard, it would have passed many a year since I last slept under the stars."

She seemed shocked at my description of the Greenwood and I could see the wheels turning in her mind, "That sounds… fantastic. Tell me more."

I proceeded to tell her about the great forest river on which we traded with the people of Esgaroth, the splendor of the trees, and the great halls of my father's kingdom, being sure to leave him out. I did not want to find out her reaction to me being a prince, at least not yet. She was very curious and asked questions and I answered to the best of my abilities. She openly expressed how fascinating this all was to her and I could see the scholar in her making herself known. We passed the time, learning as much as we could about each other without crossing personal boundaries. At some point, she looked up to the mantel piece above the fireplace and let out a soft gasp, " Is that the time?"

I looked over as well to find it was nearing on wee hours of the morning, "It is getting quite last, is it not?"

She nodded in agreement and said, "I do have to go to school tomorrow, so I'll head up to bed. Are you going in that direction as well?"

I told her I was and we went in the kitchen to drop our mugs in the wash basin before going up the stairs. The silence was comfortable as we walked side by side, close enough to brush up against each other. We stopped in the hallway, facing each other. Cora turned her gaze up to mine and once again I felt that warm tingle in my chest as she put her hand on my arm, "Legolas. If you need anything don't hesitate to ask. I should out until sometime in the early afternoon, but Lisa will here in the morning watching Alistair."

" I shall, my lady," I said smiling at her concern, " Good night, Cora."

Her small hand slid down the length of my arm as her fingers brushed my hand, I shivered, "Good night, Legolas."