Snow Day

The snow still fell heavily from the sky. It was finally December. Ryder hoped that classes would be cancelled today for a declared snow day, but because many instructors lived on campus there was no way that was going to happen.

Property Management had also been clearing the quad and walkways of snow all morning so there really wasn't much of an excuse Ryder could give besides lying that she was feeling under the weather, which she wasn't.

There was something about today and an inexplicable feeling in Ryder's bones. She had no motivation to attend her classes and all she wanted to do was sit by the windowsill and stare outside at the white fluffy drops that filled the surrounding area. She felt at peace thinking about nothing in particular. It was like a scene or a memory in her mind she kept trying to recall.

"Hey, Ryder," Emi quietly approached her. "Aren't you going to be late for class?"

Her roommate, on the other hand, was sick. She sat on her bed with a cup of hot soup in a mug that was cupped in her hands and a scarf around her neck for extra warmth. Ryder envied her today. She was dressed in her cotton pajama bottoms and a zip-up hoodie. Even with Emi's messy ponytail and red nose, anyone would agree she still looked beautiful.

"Could you get me sick?"

"What? Why would I do that? Don't you have an important lecture to listen to today?"

"Yeah…but. I don't know," she sighed, "I don't feel like going."

"That's a first," Emi raised a puzzled eyebrow. "You're always the one saying you refuse to miss class because if you did, you would lose focus on your studies—which, if you ask me…I don't get," she blew on the hot liquid.

"I'm just being weird. I feel…off today."

Ryder finally grabbed her jacket and beanie before the small boost of will power to go to class disappeared. Although she wasn't bothered by the cold weather, getting sick was actually something she couldn't afford. Not with winter finals coming up.

"Oh, by the way, before I totally forget until you get back—your uncle called earlier while you were in the shower. He's sending a car for you this evening to take you back to Elessar Manor. He says be ready by six."

"Did he say why?"

"Sorry, I didn't ask," she gave an apologetic shrug. "I didn't want to pry in case it was for a family matter. Maybe he wants you at the Manor for a home cooked meal? It's been a while since you've seen him hasn't it?"

Aragorn normally told Ryder ahead of time if he wanted her home for some uncle/niece bonding time so she wondered if this could be something else. He'd been away for a few weeks on business and only sent the occasional emails to see how her studies were going. He must be back from wherever he was.

Never exposing much of what kind of business he did, Ryder knew her uncle was into fine art and medieval weaponry. His entire mansion was decorated with the stuff. To some, his taste might seem over the top and a little creepy with armored statues displayed in the corridors, but Ryder kind of liked it. It gave her an odd sense of home even though they had less, breakable and inexpensive items where she lived before she came to England.

Saying goodbye to her ginger-haired roommate, she left their dorm. There weren't many people in the quad by the time she got outside; most of them were already in class. Letting the snowflakes water her long lashes every time she blinked, she let her mind wander to the last couple of months.

She and Declan became regular study partners at Merry's. His friends sometimes joined them and so would Emi, but Emi usually studied with other friends, which Ryder didn't mind. Her group was established long before theirs and according to Emi they had a majority of classes together.

The more time she spent with Declan, she thought he would try to make further advances toward her but he didn't. There was the occasional flirting and saying how pretty she looked in whatever she was wearing but it never really went beyond that. And a part of her was thankful for it because it was less stress to worry about.

Merry never brought up any other negative comments about her classmate either. But the comment still stayed in the back of her mind.

Declan's mood also changed ever since Legolas left the University to take care of business off campus for his father. He seemed happier, more cheerful. Whatever kind of rivalry they had between them she wanted no part of it, so it was probably best that the two males weren't around each other for the time being.

Both appeared equally competitive and Ryder didn't want to turn out to be some kind of prize to be won. Those situations never turned out well. As for the fencing team, they hired a substitute in Legolas's place until he returned.

Knowing Thranduil's son's disappearance was temporary, it sparked some sort of excitement in her because she knew she would see him again. It was, of course, something Ryder was never going to admit to Emi or to anyone. She also couldn't resist looking toward his quarters hoping he would magically appear on one of the days she just happened to pass by.

After the swim team's practice race, Ryder agreed to go to their after party with Declan. He promptly picked her up at the time he said he would and introduced her to more MU students, most of which were guys.

The majority of the girls in the gymnasium weren't as warm and inviting because they didn't have Declan's full attention. Ryder let him mingle with his fans to stop the dagger looks at her. The star athlete did win the competition so it was only right that he let them worship him like a god. Or at least, she thought that's what they were supposed to do like it was also a part of the school tradition.

However, the experience wasn't as fun for her as watching the people there made it appear to be. Everyone was laughing like it was Mardi Gras, the main lights dimmed and replaced with moving strobe lights.

People danced their hearts out to the thumping beats of the music. They wore beads around their necks (minus the flashing of body parts), the drinks and food were constantly refilled, and the occasional make-out sessions in the shadows appeared. Declan took turns talking to people left and right during this whole time.

Even the chaperons were having a good time like they were invited as guests and not adults who were supposed to watch out for any suspicious or violent activities among the crowds.

All the while these things were going on around her, Ryder claimed a corner of the girl's gym and pretended to enjoy the night with a Sprite in hand. When she could no longer stand the uncomfortable environment, she went to look for Declan, wanting to leave. She promised Emi she would give herself time to blend in and make the best of the event and now she was done.

Mission not accomplished.

Ryder wouldn't necessarily say she was socially awkward…she just wasn't great at making friends as easily as others. With the kind of military lifestyle she had and her father always training her in some kind of art or weaponry, it was like he was preparing her for World War III. Or the end of the world. Whichever disaster came first, making friends wasn't a part of the agenda.

She was hoping to see Legolas at the party but he was also a no-show like her roommate. When she couldn't find Declan to walk her back to her dorm, she left without him. He was too preoccupied with the kind of attention he was accustomed to so Ryder left him to it. She was no damsel in distress, anyway, and she was pretty sure she could find her way without the use of a GPS.

On her way back, fog slowly rolled into the campus. The night felt eerie even though people were loitering outside the doors and you could still hear the music coming from the building. Ryder held her open cardigan closer to her body and walked quickly down the hill. Emi would already be asleep so she couldn't ask her to meet her halfway, and she knew she had an early morning. Ryder also wasn't going to call Declan to live up to his escorting duties. That came and went.

The fog appeared to grow thicker the closer she got to her dormitory. Some sort of noise also filled the air like bird flapping their wings in the night. But she had never known to hear birds with big wings flying around campus, especially in this kind of misty weather—or in any kind of weather, in fact.

It almost sounded like bat wings minus the screeching. Whatever it was, it seemed to be hovering close by as if it was swooping at a low distance then gliding back upwards. The thought sent chills up her spine.

Ryder ran after that feeling and wasn't going to stop until she reached her door. If need be, she would defend herself, but how could she manage that if she couldn't even see three feet in front of her? The paranoia of someone suddenly attacking her slowly settled in.

After the incident with Sard's friends, she didn't want to repeat that night because she felt even more helpless now than she did then. She could give anyone a good ass-kicking, but it didn't mean she couldn't be afraid.

The sounds of wings seemed like it was getting closer and closer like something was going to swoop her up, put her in their nest, and eat her or feed her to their children. Ryder knew it sounded a little farfetched, but eerie fog will mess with a person's mind like that.

Sweat was building on her forehead as she ran at full speed, the fog still thick around her. She could see nothing in front of her but her own two feet, and she could still barely tell how close she was to the dorms. She only knew she was going in the right direction because of the dim glow of the lights in the distance that slowly started to appear.

Suddenly feeling something coming from behind her, Ryder ducked with her arms above her head. She felt a gust of wind pass by like someone on a glider. With her eyes tightly shut, something touched her shoulders. She opened her mouth to scream but it was quickly covered by a hand.

"Ryder! Shh…it's me. It's me…" Ryder was breathing heavily into his hand and was close to having a panic attack. He gently rubbed her back, waiting patiently for her to calm down, not bothered at all by her hysterics. When she seemed to have gathered herself, he slowly removed his hand from her mouth and helped her to her feet. "Are you all right?"

"Something…something was chasing me," she said in a shaky voice. "It felt like a huge eagle with talons."

"There are no eagles in Mirkwood." He continued to gently rub her hand, holding her up by the waist as they walked the rest of the way. "Some say Mirkwood University was built on old, ancient land and the fog here at night plays tricks on people. That's probably what you experienced. I'm sorry it gave you such a scare."

She looked at him, puzzled. "What you doing out here?"

"I had a late meeting on the phone with my father," said Legolas. "When it was over I decided to see if you might still be at the party. I when got there, someone told me you already left. I knew Declan wasn't with you because he was still there with his friends. From my understanding, he was supposed to take you home."

"He was too engaged in…his party," she rolled her eyes.

"I had a feeling you left without him knowing, otherwise he'd be here with you instead of me. I also noticed the fog rolling in and followed you in case you got disoriented. It's not safe to be out alone this late either."

Ryder hadn't realized it, but by the time they reached the girls' dormitory building, the fog behind them dissipated like it was never there. The quad and corridors seemed calm and peaceful. Even the hideous looking gargoyles from atop the pillars were quiet.

"That's…strange," she said quietly.

"What is?" he asked. Legolas let go of her as she looked around their current surroundings.

"Nothing," Ryder shook her head. The panic she felt disappeared like it was all in her head. "Thanks for walking me back."

"It was my pleasure," he smiled. "Declan should know better than to leave your side but I guess he doesn't." There was a dark, bitter look in his eyes that came and went as he focused on the starless sky.

"It's not entirely his fault. I left without telling him," she shrugged, although she tried looking for him and was nowhere to be seen. He probably still hadn't realized she was missing or he would have called her by now wondering where she was.

Legolas shook his head. "It's still no excuse. If anything happened to you…" his jaw tightened. He was quiet for a moment as if he couldn't form the rest of the words or had said too much. "I'm leaving tomorrow."

"What?" Hearing those words were like a blow to her stomach. "What do you mean? I thought you were the new fencing instructor? Why…why are you leaving?" She squeezed the threads of her cardigan wondering where the outburst of emotions came from.

"There's an urgent business matter my father wants me to take care of so my fencing duties will have to be postponed. An assistant instructor will take my place for the meantime. I don't know when I'll be back…but I will be back." His words felt like a promise he was making to her.

"I hope you do," she replied quietly. "I hope you're able to take care of your responsibilities quickly."

"Will you wait for me?"

"Wait for you?"

"Yes. Wait for me," he repeated. Taking her hand, he looked deep into her blue eyes that almost mirrored his. "Don't make any hasty decisions while I'm away." He kissed her hand and left without saying another word.

And that was the last time Ryder saw Legolas Green.

The day after the party, Declan apologized until he turned blue in the face for not being a proper gentleman and abandoning her while they walked to class. Although she was annoyed about the whole thing and the weird hallucination from the fog—according to Legolas—she forgave her study partner. She kept her real feelings about the night to herself to save his ego and left out the encounter she had with Legolas.

Apparently, word got around quickly at MU because half of the entire school already knew Legolas was gone before their first class was over.

There were plenty of things to keep Ryder's mind busy from overly thinking about the handsome man who would soon inherit the school and the surrounding land. But when she did, a strange pang of sadness filled her. She couldn't really say how she felt for him at this point but there was some bond she felt with him; a bond different from Declan that was hard to explain. Even her feelings for Declan Finn she couldn't explain. He was nice to be around but there was no romantic spark there for her, although she enjoyed his company.

x x x

Wiping her watch of melting snow, Ryder walked faster because she was even later than she wanted to be. There were parts of the path still slippery and she already had a few close calls so she went against running like she wanted to. She also neared Legolas's quarters and a part of her didn't want to rush through the area.

Like always, Ryder took a deep breath. She always took a moment to get herself together before turning the corner as if to prepare for the unknown.

Unaware to her, there was black ice on the ground and she slipped before she got the chance to see if anyone was home. A short scream escaped her until a quick, strong pair of arms grabbed her, swinging her around so her fall was cushioned. A powder of snow hit her in the face as they landed with an umphf.

Ryder squinted at the cold, wet precipitation in her eyes with a sour face. "Ugh."

"Are you all right?" he asked.

Ryder knew she should have gotten up immediately but she was lost in his eyes. His strong chiseled body didn't feel so bad against hers either. Layers of clothing separated them, yet she could feel the warmth emanating out of him and onto her. He continued to grin as she stared.

"Sorry," she blushed, gently pushing herself off him. "I'm fine."

He got up after her in one graceful movement, the pile of snow they fell on looking like a failed attempt at making a snow angel. Dusting the remaining bits off his clothes, he asked, "Aren't you supposed to be in class?"

"That's where I was headed until I collided into you."

"Collided into me?" he scoffed with a smile. "I thought I was saving you from a horrible death."

"What are you doing out in this kind of weather anyway? It's not really fit for a casual stroll around campus," she replied, ignoring his comment altogether.

They moved to one of the roofed entryways to hide from the continued downpour of snow.

"No, it's not. And it's supposed to get worse. Or so they say," he said. "But weather like this isn't new around these parts. That's why Mirkwood University houses its students and as much of the faculty as we can to keep classes on schedule and to avoid people getting stuck on school grounds when they'd rather be at home."

"Sure makes it hard to play hooky, doesn't it."

"Exactly," Legolas winked. "My family values education and parents don't pay the kind of tuition they do for their children, only to have them throw their future away because of some snow day. Many students are here on scholarships as well so they can't afford to let their grades falter. It's all about ethics, really."

"Spoken like a true visionary," Ryder lightly teased.

"Thank my father," he sighed, smiling. "Anyway, you know you're quite late for class."

"I'll just tell my instructor that the next successor to inherit the school was giving me a brief lesson on MU values. Think you can write me a tardy note in case he doesn't believe me?"

Legolas grinned. "How about I write you a note excusing you from class today instead?"

"You're joking…right?" Ryder gave him disbelieving look.

"Am I?"

The blue-eyed girl folded her arms across her chest. "You can't do that?" she challenged him with a ghost of a smile on her features.

He's set to inherit the school and probably got away with a lot of things, but after the speech he gave about valuing education and how skipping class was like committing a crime, he wouldn't allow her to miss any of hers. And she was now over thirty minutes late.

He looked at his watch. "Well, you've missed a good portion of class already. I'll request Mr. Underhill to send you a copy of his lecture so you don't fall behind."

"And how do you know I have Mr. Underhill's class right now?" she raised a curious eyebrow. "Are you stalking me?"

"If no one's told you, I'm set to inherit this school someday. Student records are at my disposal," he smiled boastfully.

"That's one way of admitting you're a stalker."

"Let's go to Merry's and grab something warm to drink. I'm sure you want to get out of the cold," he replied, still smiling.

"It doesn't bother me that much actually," Ryder looked up to the sky. The weird feeling she had earlier came back.

Legolas must have noticed something was on her mind because he took her hand into his. "Your hands are warm."

"What?" she brought her attention back to him. "Oh, yeah. I was wearing gloves earlier."

"But your hands should have gotten cold by now."

"Speak for yourself. Your hands are as warm as mine," she observed. How could he have his hands at room temperature when they've been exposed to the same cold weather this entire time?

"We must not get cold easily," he commented, his smile never faltering. "Come." He kept her hand in his and led her to Merry's down at the Village.

x x x

"When did you get back?" she asked, taking a sip of her hot cocoa. Merry's eyes lit up when he saw them together and immediately served their table. The café was quiet since mostly everyone was either in class or in their dorms.

"Late last night," Legolas answered, taking a sip of his own drink. "I would have contacted you when I arrived but you had an early class this morning." He suppressed a grin and took another sip.

"Yes, well…you know education is very important around here," she said in a matter-of-factly voice.

"So I've heard," he nodded.

Ryder enjoyed herself in his company. All the days she'd been waiting for his return, he was finally here in front of her. There was nothing between them, nothing that she could consider romantically, but the attraction was definitely growing.

Legolas exuded charm, confidence, charisma, and a killer smile. Even his long blonde locks were sexy. And his eyes. His eyes held so much in them that she had to stop herself from getting lost in them every time he looked at her.

Thranduil's son was also intelligent and more mature than most of the guys she's met on campus. The way he carried himself, his mannerisms, and the way he spoke, sometimes captivated her in a way no one has before. Not even Declan. Declan was smart in his own right and a star athlete who was handsome and had good goals for himself. However, Ryder really couldn't compare the two males. One common thing she knew they had was their competitiveness.

"Will you be resuming your fencing duties soon?" she asked another question, not wanting long pauses between them to keep things from getting awkward.

"Perhaps next week. I haven't really decided yet. I have a few other things to take care of."

"Such as?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. Similar to Aragorn, Legolas appeared to always be busy with some kind of business matter, so she was curious to find out what he did exactly for his father.

"I oversee how the school's doing, mostly."

"Isn't that Sir Gandalf's job since he's the Dean…err…Headmaster?"

"Gandalf keeps an eye on the campus itself, the school's activities, student behaviors and the like," he answered. The word 'student behaviors' made Ryder sink into her seat a little. She wondered if he heard about what happened between her and Sard a few months ago but didn't dare ask. "But there's more to it than simply running a campus like Mirkwood University because of its exclusivity. I, on the other hand, review upcoming student candidates, look into their educational background, where they're from, what their family is like, and so on. I also look at the school's finances, what programs can be funded or need to be cut, and what classes are excelling with student grades and if we should expand the curriculum."

"I assume then that you looked at my transcripts?" she raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"No, not before you arrived. Besides being one of this school's most valued benefactors, Aragorn is also a close family friend. When he mentioned his niece arriving, my father accepted you immediately without looking at any of that. All of the paperwork formalities came later. And…I may have happened to glance at your file then," he smiled guiltily.

"You mean to say that you accepted someone without properly looking at their educational history? I could have been setting fires at my last school."

"Or getting into fights in the hallway with guys bigger than you." There was a flash in his eyes that meant he knew about what she did. But his expression remained neutral.

Ryder rolled her eyes. "Just say you knew about it."

Legolas laughed softly. "Knew about what?"

"What did Sir Gandalf tell you?" she sighed. "Being the eyes and ears of this school, I'm sure he told you."

"He was actually quite impressed," Legolas took more sips of his coffee. "No one's ever stood up to Sardenus Groth. Not even the male students here."

"What has become of Sard?" Ryder's barely seen the husky-looking fellow since that incident and pretty much forgotten him over time unless something sparked her memory of their altercation.

"He's still enrolled in a class or two but doing more independent classes by the request of his parents. That's really all I can say on the matter," he answered.

Independent classes? What did that mean? Finger painting? She wondered.

Did Sard's parents hear about what happened and pulled him out of his classes into something they thought could teach him a better lesson? In a way, Ryder felt bad for him, yet she didn't because she wasn't remorseful for what she did. She could only imagine how bitter he must feel toward her therefore it was probably best she avoided him if she ever saw the barbarian on campus again.

Merry's place soon started to fill with students looking into getting out of the cold. The snow finally stopped pouring leaving a white blanket on everything it touched. "Morning classes have probably let out," Ryder looked outside. She glanced at her watch and was surprised by how long they'd been there.

"Are you in a hurry?" Legolas asked with a small crooked grin.

"I have my next class in thirty minutes."

"I thought you agreed to let me write you a note excusing you from your classes today?" His comment received a few looks from nearby customers waiting in line to order. Some girls in a corner table started to whisper. Unless you were blind, you knew she was sitting with Legolas Green…and the scene made her uncomfortable.

"Yeah, that comment was cute with the first class. But you seriously can't expect me to miss all my classes today," she replied.

"How many do you have?"

"Three."

"Three's not bad. I'm sure they'll understand."

Unsure if he was joking or not, Ryder chuckled, "I'm sure they will. What teacher wouldn't understand one of their students wasting her day away with Legolas Green?"

He leaned in with a smirk. "So now I'm wasting your time?"

"No, that's not what I meant," her voice slightly rose, causing more people to look in their direction. Quieting herself, she added, "I'm having fun with you, I am…but I uphold your educational values as well. I came here to learn and if I get too distracted from my studies I'd be failing myself."

Legolas fixed his posture. "That's a wonderful mentality. In that case, I shall hold you no longer." He stood with his hand outreached for hers. Female students were clearly gawking at the display and many no longer trying to be discrete about eavesdropping either. She swore someone even took a picture. Looking around the café and the eyes on them, she felt embarrassed, but Legolas didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary. His focus was on her the entire time. "Shall we go?"

Quickly taking his offer, she practically dragged him outside. When they were a good distance from the café she slowed her pace and let go of his warm hand. She still had a good twenty minutes, which gave them plenty of time to head back to MU from the Village.

"Thank you for…today. It was fun," she half-smiled at her handsome companion when they finally reached the brick path to her next class. People passing by had surprised looks on their faces like Legolas was a celebrity talking to a mere common person.

"I was hoping it wouldn't take this long for me to see you again," he stepped closer to her, "but I'm happy you waited and indulged me today." Ryder gulped, her throat suddenly dry. That always seemed to happen whenever he got too close to her or said things like 'indulged.'

Who said that these days?

"Well…thank you for saving me from face-planting into the snow."

"It was my pleasure." He took a step back and kissed her hand. "Until we meet again…Miss Ryder Grayson."

x x x

"That's great you're coming with me!"

"I really hoped you wouldn't mind," Emi squeezed her hand. "When Lord Aragorn asked me if I wanted to join you, I couldn't say no. I've never been inside Elessar Manor before." Getting plenty of rest earlier gave Emi the energy she needed to scramble into an outfit fitting for dinner.

"Why would I mind?" Ryder gave her a strange look. "It's just dinner, isn't it?" She grabbed her dress off the back of her closet and headed to the bathroom. The nice thing Ryder liked about the dormitories at MU is that each dorm room came with its own bathroom so there was no communal sharing.

"Yes, and to dress for the occasion."

"He didn't say why, did he?" Ryder shouted through the door so Emi could hear her.

She never had to dress to impress when she came home to have dinner with her uncle. He was always in suits or in a dress shirt and slacks, but she never saw it as a formal affair. Maybe because Emi was a guest, he wanted to make things a little fancier tonight.

"All he said was that there will be other guests there."

"Wait—what?" she poked her head out the door. "You never told me that?"

"Really? Sorry, I thought I did," Emi said apologetically.

"I wonder if it's some kind of special event?" Ryder stepped out of the bathroom and looked at herself in her floor length mirror.

"Wow," her roommate commented. "You look hot."

She wore a black baby doll dress with spaghetti straps and a double layered chiffon swing skirt with a cutout bust detail. "Luckily, I had this," she sighed, feeling a little overdressed even though Emi told her it was perfect and highlighted her long legs.

Growing up, Ryder always felt like a tomboy because of everything her dad had her learn. When she got older, she made sure she kept some of her girl-like qualities, such as long hair like her mother, a few makeup essentials, and always kept a dress or two in her closet. Just because she grew up as a military brat didn't mean she couldn't kick ass in a pair of four inch heels.

x x x

The car Aragorn sent was a red, sleek Range Rover that drove through the snow like it was butter. She's seen a few fancy cars at the mansion but not this one. It still had that new car smell so he most likely purchased it recently for this kind of weather.

Emi looked toward the front seat to see if the driver might be paying attention. He kept his eyes on the road and didn't seem to be interested in anything going on around him. She then turned to Ryder. "Did you go to your first class this morning?"

"What?" It was a question she didn't expect. Her heartbeat suddenly spiked because she was afraid of Emi's curiosity. "Why…do you…ask?"

"I went down to the Village for some fresh air and I overheard someone saying that they saw Legolas at Merry's with a girl. When I asked for details, she basically described you. But, I thought that it couldn't be you because you were supposed to be in class."

Ryder smiled sheepishly. "Umm…well…"

Emi's mouth made an O shape. "So it was you!" she hissed quietly so that the driver wouldn't hear their conversation.

"It wasn't like I was planning on running into him and skipping my first class!" she whispered back. "Remember, I was trying to stay at home with you."

"So, c'mon! Spill the beans. Tell me what happened?"

The blue-eyed girl told her roommate as much as she could before they got to Aragorn's. Emi smiled and laughed like a giddy little girl, which got her a few looks from the driver. She stared right back at him as if to say to mind his own business. And he did.

"Why are you so excited about our encounter? I thought you were all about Declan and I and how you were happy we were spending more time together?"

"I am. And you and my cousin seem to get along great…but…Legolas. Legolas is in a different league than Declan," she winked. "Legolas is a busy man, even when he was a student, because of what his father was grooming him to be. He's not known to give his time to any girl just like that. Some say he prefers older women and would leave campus to hang out with models in the city." She rolled her eyes. "The female students here feel faint over his smile or if he buys them coffee at Merry's, but you never hear any rumors of Legolas actually giving his attention to anyone. You might be the first."

Ryder wondered if that was the reason why she was getting all sorts of looks from people who saw them together. There were plenty of beautiful girls on campus and she still didn't feel that she had any outstanding qualities for him to notice, except for the little stunt she pulled on Sard—which hardly qualified as a talent at a Miss Beauty Queen Pageant.

"We're here ladies," announced the driver.

He pulled up to the front gate as it opened for them and revealed Aragorn's mansion, properly named Elessar Manor. The closer they got to the massive front door, someone stepped out waiting for them. The figure was still too far for Ryder to see clearly, and because the snow started to fall again. Emi had a huge grin on her face since she's been waiting to see what this placed looked on the inside. Or at least that's what Ryder assumed.

The closer they got, the shape of the person became a little clearer. She thought it was her uncle or the head servant waiting to greet them but it wasn't. The unlikely man standing outside had a wine glass in one hand and the other hand in his pocket, wearing a sharp charcoal suit.

"No…" Ryder said in disbelief. "It couldn't be..."

The driver opened Emi's door since it was the closest to the house and quickly helped them out so they weren't in the cold for too long.

"I'm glad you could make it," the man said to Emi, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Me, too," she smiled.

"You should go inside. There's a surprise waiting for you."

"For me?" She looked excitedly at Ryder then ran inside the house passed the servants.

"Miss Ryder and Sir Legolas, you should get inside as well," said the head servant. "This is not the kind of weather to be enjoying at the moment."

"After you," Legolas said to Ryder with a smirk. She shook her head at him, trying to suppress her own excitement.

x x x


Author's Note: And there you have it folks!

Please review!