...

Thranduil voice rang in her head, so desperate, yet so commanding "don't tell Legolas, just let him be happy. Just for a while" Don't tell Legolas? How could she not tell Legolas? Surely he would notice the state his father was in, perhaps not right away but he would notice. Or he would know she was keeping something from him, he always knew when she wasn't telling him something. Silently she cursed him.

She rolled over in her bed, for the thousandths time. Silently she sent a prayer to anyone who would listen that Glorfindel would be here soon, he would know what to do. With another sigh she rolled over again, only to find the one of the twins standing by the doorway. She squinted her eyes trying to figure out which one it was, but in the dark she couldn't tell.

As if reading her mind the elf smiled "Its Elladan"

Ava returned his smile "I should have known Elrohir would still be sleeping" Elladan nodded his agreement

"I heard you tossing. Everything alright?" Elladan paused "That was a stupid question wasn't it.." Almost silently Elladan crossed her room, before sitting cross legged on her bed

"He won't let me tell Legolas. He says he just want's him to be happy for a while"

Elladan frowned, even in the dark it was clear he was displeased with the orders "He will notice"

Ava nodded "I know. I just hope he won't be too angry with me when he does.."

...

Ava barged into Legolas' room, effectively dodging the pillow that was flung in her direction "Wake up you two!" she ordered the Prince of Greenwood, and the King of Gondor.

Aragorn and Legolas must have been talking about something before they had fallen asleep, or Aragorn had been to lazy to move back to his own room. Both were equally likely possibilities "Noooo" The Ranger groaned, pulling the covers tighter around himself.

Legolas, seeing Ava's eyes twinkle dangerously, quickly shot out of the bed. He knew that look well, well enough to know he wanted no part of what was about to happen. "Estel, up" Again, the Ranger ignored her, and Ava's smile widened "Get him"

Aragorn realised what was happening just a moment too late. The two Hobbits had flung themselves onto him, tickling him, showing no mercy. Abruptly they both stopped and scrambled away from him, as pitcher of water appeared over his head.

With a delighted, and somewhat evil laugh Ava dumped the water over his head, soaking him in freezing water. Before dissolving into a fit a laughter, along with the other, no soaked onlookers. Which included Elladan, but not Elrohir who stood shivering, soaking wet in the doorway.

...

"How much farther is it?" Pippin complained

"And where are we going?" Merry added, swatting his cousin for complaining.

"Not much farther, and you'll have to wait and see" Legolas' voice drifted down from an oak tree, some distance ahead of them. Pippin would never understand why Legolas prefered to travle through the tree branches, rather than walking.

Suddenly Ava's face appeared in front of them, her knees locked onto a branch as the rest of her dangled, her long black hair nearly touching the dirt path, adressing the Hobbits "You do know how to swim, Yes?"

Both nodded their agreement "Were some of the only Hobbits in the entire Shire who can swim" Pippin spoke with pride, puffing his chest out a little.

"Hobbits don't swim?"

Merry sadly shook his head "Not most"

"How odd" She disappeared back into the tree, only to reemerge after a few minutes, this time in front of Gimli "Do dwarves swim?"

"If we have too"

"Why only if you have too?" Ava cocked her head to the side, making herself look somewhat like a Possum. "Do you sink?"

Gimli glanced at Aragorn, wondering if he should be insulted or not. The Ranger shook his head mouthing 'just curious'. Gimli turned his attention back to the Elf in front of him "No we do not 'sink'. We can swim quite well when we want to"

"Well then why don't you?"

Gimli frowned, he had never really thought about why dwarves didn't swim. He just knew they didn't. Not that he could tell the elf that. Quickly, he came up with a story "So we can alway be ready if attacked"

"Surely the realm where your people live isn't so dangerous that one can never be without weapons. If that were true, I can't imagine how difficult it would be to sleep."

Again, Legolas' voice drifted down from the treetops "Perhaps that is why dwarves are always so grumpy" The tree's seemed to dance at the sound of elvish spoken by their Prince. With an almost childlike giggle Ava disappeared back into the tree's.

"What did he say?" Gimli demanded

"Nothing of consequence my friend" Aragorn tried assure his friend, suppressing his own laughter at Gimli's displeased expression.

"Are all Hobbits as short as you two?" Ava's voice called from the top of a tree to their right

"Most, there's the occasional Hobbit that is rather large" Merry responded

"Rumor has it that one of Frodo's great, great, great, great, great, great uncle could ride and actual horse!" Pippen added excitedly

"Is it true you live in the ground?" Now, her voice drifted from somewhere on their right

"In Hobbit holes. Their quite cozy actually"

"Do you miss your 'hobbit holes'"

"Merry does sometimes, but I'm having far too much fun to want to go back just yet"

"Weren't their four of you Hobbits when the quest began?"

"Frodo and Sam opted to stay in Gondor for a bit, to keep Arwen company" Aragorn supplied, all too used to Ava's curious nature, and rapid fired questions.

"Haven't you ever met a Hobbit before?" Pippin asked

Ava dropped silently from a tree between Elladan and Elrohir "I've met one. But Thranduil forbid me from asking him questions. Oh what was his name.."

Next it was Legolas that dropped from the tree's "Bilbo. It was the first time me and Ava had ever met a Hobbit"

"And Pippin?" Aragorn called, gaining the youngest of their companions attention "We're here"