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Thank you all for supporting Wings, I am super duper happy whenever I get reviews/favorites/follows!

Anyways, sorry for the delay, a busy schedule and writer's block are not a good combination. School is right around the corner, so I am going to try and write as much as possible in my last week of freedom :'(. Also, this chapter is not so much about events in the Lord of the Rings series, instead I'm using it to let the readers familiarize themselves with Sakura. Now, on to the story!

Bold is Elvish/Sindarin/Quenya/Noldorin

Chapter 4

Imladris: October 25th, 3018

Sakura groaned as the fading sunlight invaded her vision. Her jaw ached terribly, and her vision was fuzzy around the edges. What happened to me? she wondered. Attempting to move her jaw, she yelped in sudden pain as burning knives shot through her face. What on Middle Earth? Suddenly, the memory of her strange encounter with Legolas pushed itself to the front of her mind. Reaching up to her face, Sakura winced as she carefully probed her jaw. Luckily, nothing was broken, but Legolas' nails had scratched angry red roads across her jaw. Lowering her hand, she stared at her fingers, which were stained a violent scarlet. If I were still in the Silver Isles, I would head straight to the Healing Houses. However, if I seek out the healers here, in order for them to heal my wounds, I would have to show my face to them, therefore revealing my identity, and that is something I will not risk, the fairy reasoned. Perhaps I shall go to Lord Elrond. He is a renowned healer, and he already knows of the existence of fairies. Standing up, she gripped her robes with one hand and began to make her way to the path leading back to the Last Homely House, ignoring the curious yet disgusted looks the elves on the archery range were shooting her. What is it with these elves? she thought miserably, Why do they hate me so much? And why was Legolas so bothered when I brought up the fact that he is the prince of Mirkwood? Questions buzzing around in her head like bees in midsummer heat, the princess continued down the path to seek out Lord Elrond.

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Lord Elrond of Imladris sat at his back, writing a letter to his mother-in-law, Galadriel. As you probably already know from your mirror, a fairy will be accompanying the Fellowship, he wrote, and you know that her fate is tied to that of –

"Lord Elrond?" asked a timid voice.

"Come in," he mumbled, not looking up from his paper.

"Lord Elrond?" questioned the voice again.

Elrond finally glanced upwards, expecting to see a maid but instead finding the princess of the Silver Isles before him. "Prin – Princess Sakura," he stuttered in surprise, "how may I help you?"

"Just Sakura, please," she murmured shyly. "I'm afraid I seem to have accidentally injured my face, and I cannot go to the healers without compromising my identity."

Elrond nodded understandingly and sat her down in a plush white chair as he hurried around, collecting medical materials. "Sakura, forgive me, but I do not know much about healing fairies, seeing as you are the only one I have ever met. Is there anything I should know?"

Sakura chuckled quietly. "Not really. I mean, iron burns our skin like fire, but my injury today has nothing to do with iron, so treating me should be like treating an elf."

Elrond bobbed his head, secretly excited that this mysterious being had come to him, hoping that he could perhaps learn something about the elusive fairies. As he removed her hood to view her wounds, he hissed quietly.

"Sakura, what happened to you? These scratches are clearly the result of a wayward punch, not an accident."

Sakura winced. For some reason, she did not want to get Legolas in trouble. How strange, she thought, he beat me for no apparent reason, and I still want to protect him. "Nothing happened, I was training for hand-to-hand combat and my partner accidentally scratched me," she lied.

"I raised three mischievous children," Elrond warned, glaring at Sakura disapprovingly. "I can tell when you youngsters are lying. Now who did this to you?"

Sighing heavily, Sakura knew she was trapped. "Legolas," she muttered incoherently.

"Speak clearly, child," Elrond ordered sternly as he dabbed gently at her wounds.

"Legolas," she said a little louder.

"Legolas?" questioned the elven lord.

"Yes, Legolas," the fairy replied uncomfortably.

"Legolas?!" asked Elrond again as he finished treating her scratches. "Why would he do such a thing? Thranduilion is honorable." He replaced the hood on Sakura's head.

"Well then, I suppose Legolas isn't as honorable as you think," hissed Sakura venomously, more annoyed at Elrond for not believing her than at Legolas for beating her.

Someone cleared their throat at the door. Elrond and the princess spun around, spotting Aragorn at the door.

"How long have you been standing there?" cried the fairy, fearing that her identity had been revealed.

"Long enough to hear you insult the honor of a dear friend of mine" growled Aragorn, "as if you are one to talk."

Sakura threw her hands up in the air, frustrated at everyone's treatment of her. If she was not wanted here, then she would not stay here. "Lord Elrond, I do believe that I shall be returning to my home nation as a brief vacation. I will be back in two moons' time," she seethed. A bit surprised but aware that he probably couldn't stop her anyways, Elrond nodded at her, dismissing the princess as he beckoned his foster son forward. Sakura stormed back to her room and began to pack, tossing her clothes and weapons into her bag. She scribbled a quick note to Gandalf describing the circumstances of her departure, assuring him that she would be back before the Fellowship set off for Mordor. Opening a window, she hopped out into the fragrant night air. Luckily for Sakura, the stars were veiled, and no elves were out stargazing that night. Glancing around to check that nobody was around, she unfurled her wings from where they had rested inside of her back. Clear butterfly wings spanning the height of a fully grown elf glimmered softly in the moonlight, their rainbow veins pulsating gently. Sakura nearly moaned at the feeling of her cramped wings stretching in the crisp air, light droplets of water from the dozens of waterfalls in Imladris dampening her wings. Sweeping her wings forward powerfully, she rose into the air and flew towards the moon.

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Gandalf was going crazy. He could not find Sakura anywhere. She had not been on the training fields, or in Lord Elrond's study, and now she was not answering her door. Even more worryingly, she had missed breakfast, an odd occasion as the princess was famous in her country for eating amounts of food that would split any other's stomach apart. Pounding on her door once more and receiving no response, Gandalf knew what he had to do. Forgive me, friend Elrond, he thought. Raising his staff, he pointed it at the door and blasted it into splinters of pale wood. Stepping carefully through the wreckage, he glanced around. No Sakura. As he was about to leave and apologize to Elrond for blowing up his door for no reason, he noticed a folded letter upon Sakura's bed. Opening it and skimming through it, he groaned, pounding his head on the wall.

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Legolas sat in his room, fuming furiously. Aragorn had just informed him that Sakura had insulted his honor (again) and then abandoned the Fellowship. This woman was flighty and irresponsible, as was to be expected from a woman of the night. He had known that she was not to be trusted. What Legolas had found strange was that Gandalf trusted her so wholeheartedly. Perhaps Sakura was a witch and had enchanted Gandalf into trusting her. As the prince mused about the strange new addition to the Fellowship, Gandalf pointed his staff at Legolas' door and blasted it open.

"Eru, Gandalf!" shouted Legolas, "What was so urgent that you had to blast my door apart to tell me?"

Gandalf's steely gray eyes blazed with rage. "Legolas Thranduilion, you despicable elfling!"

Legolas stared up at Gandalf. Gandalf growled. "You punched Sakura?" the wizard questioned furiously. Legolas stood up angrily.

"She tarnished my honor!" he cried. Gandalf sighed, knowing that Legolas had inherited Thranduil's legendary explosive fury, and that arguing with Legolas would get him nowhere.

"Legolas, I don't even really care. But Sakura is part of the Fellowship, and I will not have the strife between you two be the reason that we fail to destroy the Dark Lord's Ring."

"But – "

"I don't want to hear it, Legolas. You know that Sakura has returned home for a brief period. When she comes back to Imladris, I expect you to make amends."

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Silver Isles: November 1st, 3018

Sakura landed in front of the gates to the Silver Isles palace. "Name and reason for presence," ordered a deep voice in Feyish.

"Crown Princess Sakura, daughter of Titania, and I live here," Sakura replied, slightly amused.

A head popped up above the gate. "Oh, milady!" the guard cried, "forgive me, I did not expect that you would return so soon."

Sakura chuckled. "No worries, there is nothing to be forgiven." The gates swung open, revealing her beloved home. The walls of the palace were comprised entirely of moonstone so that the entire building emitted a pale glow in the nights. Huge, sprawling groves of cherry trees, Sakura's namesake, and flowery bushes covered the palace grounds, releasing a faint fragrance. Just as King Thranduil had a weakness for jewels, Queen Titania had a weakness for flowers. Fairies in vibrant hanboks and leggings alike milled around the courtyard square. As Sakura fluttered down the path to the palace, the fairies around her began to sing, welcoming their princess home. Their voices were impossibly fair, for although the first love of fairies is the moon, music drew a close second. Sakura felt the tension of the past few days dissipate as the music of her people filled her ears once again. A soft smile made its way to her pink lips as she raised her voice to mingle with her people's. As she neared the palace, a tiny blur sprinted over to her and hugged her around the knees.

"Auntie Sakura!" cried a high pitched voice. Misty silver eyes stared up at Sakura as spiky black hair tied in messy pigtails stabbed Sakura in the leg. Sakura smiled down at her niece, her hand gently tousling her hair. A full lower lip wobbled precariously before the little feyling burst into tears.

"Ya Ya, don't cry," Sakura pleaded desperately, not entirely sure why her niece was sobbing her eyes out.

"I'm just so happy to see you again," hiccupped the young fairy, brushing her tears away carelessly with a grubby hand. "Now we can play hide and seek again!" Sakura sighed and dabbed at the feyling's face with her handkerchief.

"YIN YA!" screeched an extremely frustrated voice.

"Little duck, did you run away from your mother again?" Sakura asked gently. Ya Ya's eyes widened even more as she dove under her aunt's skirts in an attempt to remain hidden from her mother. Sakura watched as her sister appeared around the corner, her hair mussed and her dress muddy.

"Sakura!" called her sister, shocked. Sakura grinned at her sister, who was staring at her Ya-Ya shaped skirts.

"Hello, Jang Mi. You wouldn't happen to be searching for a little duck, would you?" Sakura's skirts shivered in fear. Jang Mi played along.

"Why, Sakura, I was, but I just remembered that I have a delicious steaming pie at home that is just asking to be eaten."

Sakura feigned interest. "A pie, you say? What flavor is it?" Jang Mi smiled.

"It's blackberry. You know, I think that happens to be the little duck's favorite kind of pie. Maybe if she hadn't run away, she could have some after dinner." Sakura's skirts whimpered hungrily. "Well," continued Jang Mi, "I should be getting home now to that delicious pie."

Ya Ya couldn't stand it any longer and burst out of her aunt's skirts before leaping into her mother's arms. "I'msorryfornotmakingmybedmotherbutIpromiseIwillfo rtherestofeternityifyouletmehavesomepiepleasepleas epleasepleasemother!" she begged.

Jang Mi gazed at her daughter, amused. "Run back to the house, Ya Ya, and stay there, and then I will consider letting you have some pie after you finish dinner." Ya Ya nodded vigorously and sprinted off. Turning to her older sister, Jang Mi asked, "Why are you back so soon? After you left, Mother explained to us all that you had gone to aid Middle Earth in the battle against Sauron."

Sakura sighed quietly. "The rest of the Fellowship… I don't think they like me. I couldn't take it any longer, I had to come home before we left for Mordor." Jang Mi rubbed her back sympathetically.

"I'm sorry, sister, but I have to get home to my husband and Ya Ya."

Sakura hugged her sister quickly. "Well, I had better get on to the palace anyways. Mother probably wants a report of the events of Middle Earth."

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"Mother?" asked Sakura as she poked her head into her mother's study. Titania leapt to her feet.

"Sakura!" she exclaimed. "You are back much sooner than I expected. Did you choose not to accompany the Fellowship?" Her brow crinkled.

"I am joining the Fellowship," Sakura sighed, "but I need a break from them. They all seem to detest me, especially Legolas, and I still don't know why." Seeing her daughter in such a distressed state, Titania patted a chair next to her. Sakura slumped down into the chair and began her story.

"Oh, love," the fairy queen murmured when Sakura had finished. "There is nothing you can do but keep on trying to befriend them. Another problem is this language barrier. Since you do not speak Common Tongue, befriending the hobbits, the dwarf, or Boromir is not really possible. Why don't you request Common Tongue lessons?"

Sakura stared at her mother. "And who would teach me? Gandalf is dying on this quest, he may not be able to complete any lessons that he starts. Legolas and Aragorn both hate me, and Frodo only speaks a little bit of Elvish."

Titania returned her daughter's gaze sagely, a small smile playing around her lips. "Ask Legolas to teach you." The princess stared at her mother as if she had gone mad.

"I have somehow offended Legolas, or have you forgotten that he punched me because I mentioned that he was a prince?" Titania patted her daughter's arm.

"Trust me on this one," Titania insisted, "promise me that you will ask Legolas for Common Tongue lessons when you return."

Sakura sighed. "So be it."

Yin Ya – Silver Duck (Chinese)

Jang Mi – Rose (Korean)

Hanbok – Korean dress

Hmmm… I wasn't too happy with this chapter. It didn't seem to want to come out. Well, as always, please read and review!