A/N: ugh here's another authors note...I hate these. Anyways in one of the previous chapters I mentioned a End of Spring Ball at Edoran. It was canceled due to the fact Kristen had gone missing...so that's fixed!

Chapter Nine: Everything and Everyone has a Right

Kristen woke up to the light sounds of tapping on her door and she rolled over initially causing her hair to rumple up even more than it was. The bed was silky soft and not at all itchy and overly warm like the bed at Edoran or even the one at Cair. It felt like she was sleeping on solid water. Sighing her eyes opened and blinked a few times to be met with a measure of pastels spread about the room and she sat bolt upright her eyes going wide.

It was that initial shock that she woke up somewhere yet again completely unfamiliar and she was not at all liking the recurring theme.

"This needs to stop." she grumbled and lay back only to have the door be knocked on again but this time it opened to reveal the Prince himself with an armful of clothing.

"Forgive me for intruding, I thought perhaps you were asleep, not ignoring me." he smiled at the last part and walked over setting them on a table and then turned to look at her.

She was sitting upright in her bed again trying hard to rake her fingers through her hair to untangle the wild parts and the Prince chuckled as he walked over to another table and opened the drawer as he pulled out a finely made brush. He walked over and weighted it in his hands like a child.

"May I?" he asked very softly and she looked at him then looked at the brush and then nodded.

He gently came over and sat down, of which Kristen felt no sinking of the bed and wondered how light he could be if he could suddenly have no presence once out of her sight. The elves where all like dreams and slight wisps of elegant smoke.

She felt the ends of her hair start to brush first, and then moving up as his finger trailed through them gently not once pulling or knotting it further. Kristen kind of blanked out for the longest time and the Prince didn't even care that her hair was already finely brushed he just relished the fact she was letting him and was close to her.

"You have beautiful hair. I dearsay I have not seen a color like it, amongst human or elf."

"I don't really do much to it."

"A blessing I'm sure. You must be the envy of every woman back at Cair Paravel."

"Not really. Most of the women of the court don't like me."

"Why? I do not see any earthly reason why not."

"Because I don't wear dresses and uh I'd rather spend my time in the library than gossip about people. And also that I hold confidence with the kings and queens. But they're my friends so..."

"Hmm, I think that a woman who improves her mind by extensive reading is a accomplished one at that. And a woman who is independent in her wear shows that her true nature is strong and resilient...a trait many women do not have even amongst elves. And to hold confidence with so many royals would be said that your trustworthiness is that of gold and silver, and it's own weight is a treasure beyond any trinket of value."

Kristen chuckled once and shook her head.

"You're the only one who thinks so,"

"Well then everyone else is a fool." he set the brush down and then proceeded to braid it back gently halfway, and when he was done tying it off with a ribbon she looked over her shoulder at him and reached back feeling the intricate plait. "And also a fool to not see such a beautiful accomplished woman."

At that a pleasant blush appeared across her cheeks and it made him smile to know he had put it there.

"I brought you a spare change of clothes. They are the finest in all of the realm and you shall have no less for a lady of your stature." he then stood and walked around the bed towards the door. "I should recommend if you like a quick meal before I escort you back to Edoran. I will be honest in saying that I do not wish to give you up quite yet. You are an intriguing sort of human."

"Sure. And thank you."

"Anything." and with that he left shutting the door softly behind him and Kristen got out of the bed and shook her head as she walked over to the clothes.

She unfolded them and held them up as the morning light through the many high windows caught the shimmer of the material and she examined it in awe. It was silk and velvet and stitched into it were tiny glass beads around the collar and cuffs. It had a high collar as was the fashion of elves and the hem reached her knees with it only hooking as so far as her navel and slit up the sides as it billowed around her thighs like smoke. The britches were a creme color and where of a fabric that was thin but when she pulled them on she felt like she was just wearing her pajama bottoms back home and found them covering and almost warm. They went mid calf and she then pulled on her own boots where where grey and started strapping her sword to her waist.

When she was done she walked to the door and opened it realizing then she did not know where to meet the prince. She walked down the hall and stopped at the end to see a elleth waiting for her dressed in a beautiful silk dress but she looked much different from the other elves here. Her hair was raven and curled magnificently her lips a bright apple red naturally instead of a pale pink and eyes so blue they almost shone violet.

"My govannen. I em Aven." the woman bowed her head and Kristen walked up to find that she was a tall elleth. Six foot at least to her small frame.

"Kristen de Wilde of Auburn. It's a pleasure to meet you?"

"Forgive me, I am Lord Lianial's cousin, I hail from the eastern shore where my father reigns over one of the elven realms. He asked me to retrieve you once you were readied, and bring you to the banquet hall for a meal with the family."

"F-family?"

"Yes. It is an honor, not many mortals have had the chance to dine with us, but my cousin is certain that you are no ordinary mortal. Is this true?"

"I think I'm pretty plain." Kristen said in a mumbled manner and Aven smiled kindly with a amused twinkle in her eye, and took her hand and led her along down many of the halls and even over a bridge that connected to another large tree...in fact many of the trees connected to one another.

They entered a wide open hall and Kristen saw that the only walls were pillars. She inwardly cringed at the thought of falling off the edge.

Aven guided her to the table where the Prince stood up quickly and then a older looking Ellon with a similar chiseled face and long blonde hair the prince had.

"You look lovely." Lianial said and Kristen nodded.

"So this is our honored guest. My govannen. I em Lord Thrandul, king over Mirkwood. My son tells me you are a lady of Cair."

"Hardly a lady, but yeah." Kristen nodded awkwardly. These creatures with their milky white skin, beautiful shining, hair, tall frames, and light airy voices were a picture of perfection and she felt lesser in their presence. "I'm Kristen de Wilde of Auburn."

"Ah not far from here. Please, sit." he gestured to the seat across from his son and Kristen nodded as she walked over and sat in the seat which was carved from wood and looked like the wood itself had been born that way. She looked at the magnificent table filled with fruits and breads, and on her plate was a small portion of meat. She looked at it for a moment and then away rejecting it. "So tell me Lady Kristen, what had you caught near our borders so late in the evening?"

"I uh, was riding with the herd and my horse went a little to far. I dismounted and looked around and the next thing I knew he had ran off. That's when I met one of your Marchwardens."

"Ah, so Lianial tells me you are fluent in our native language. How intriguing. Pray tell what eldar taught you?"

"Books, I learned from books. There are no elves in Cair and uhm my dialect is very rough."

"Books, how admirable. Please eat." he gestured to her plate and Kristen nodded as she reached and took some bread and at that the entire table started eating. They ate with such grace too as they put small portions into their mouth, not spilling a drop of their water, or a crumb on their plate. Kristen was always a little awkward with her movements and set her peach down on her plate and swallowed hard. "And your stay here? I trust it has been pleasant?"

Kristen nodded.

"It's been great. It's beautiful here. I like it."

"No need to feel so uncomfortable." Aven said softly and Kristen blushed looking down at her plate more.

"I'm not really too uncomfortable. It's just I've never...I'm not...used to new places. So..."

"It's quite alright. I like the comforts of home as well, it should be no different for any other creature." Lianial said kindly and smiled which earned a smile on Kristen's part.

"Do you not enjoy meat, it is the finest of stag. I know that humans enjoy food of the animal." Lord Thrandul said and Kristen looked at it and fidgeted.

How could she refuse it, they were kind enough to assume to her every need, but she looked at the meat and felt her stomach tumble upside down.

"I don't eat meat." Kristen said softly. "I'm sorry, it has to go to waste."

"Worry naught, another animal, maybe a wild cat will enjoy it." the Lord said with a smile and Kristen blushed harder.

"It's odd to be sure, we have not met a human who is so much like us." Lianial said and Kristen shrugged.

"Right elves don't eat meat...well I've been a non-meat eater for most of my life. I just don't like the killing of animals, it just seems wrong."

"Life is a wonderful gift. It is a relief to know that a human honors it so. Maybe there is hope for the race of men after all."

There was a light chuckle that went around the table as if some sort of inside joke that Kristen didn't fully understand but she nodded and that's how breakfast generally went. She was asked questions about her family and she told them to a degree what the truth was though not the fact she wasn't really from this world. And they listened with such attentiveness and Kristen found herself steadily more comfortable as the conversations progressed.

After the meal was complete Aven and the Lord arose and excused themselves leaving Kristen and Lianial alone. Lianial grinned at her and set his goblet down on the table leaning back looking very pleased.

"My father likes you."

"Really, I couldn't tell."

"Immensely. I have never seen him take any other interest in any a female I have brought around as much as he had taken an interest in you. I dearsay you almost caught his heart."

"That would have been a little strange."

"But I can see he is fond of you for I am fond of you."

"Uh..." Kristen's face heated up like she had a bad sunburn and Lianial arose as he walked around the table and held his hand out.

"Come, we shall go to the stables and we shall take my horse and I will escort you back to Edoran. We have half a days ride on our side so, best start sooner rather than later. That is if you want to go."

"I should go, it's not a matter of wanting."

"Spoken like a true lady." she put her hand in his and he pulled her with ease from her seat and settled her hand in the crook of his arm as he led her out of the hall and down the flight of steps that spiraled around the trunk of a tree and out onto the forest floor where they walked along past other elves.

It was cool on the forest floor and smelled wet of earth and rain. Kristen took in a deep breath and couldn't remember the last time the air had tasted so fresh and good.

They had made it to the stables and she mounted a horse alongside the Prince and together with no other guard; which was a peculiar thing to her, they made way out of the forest and to the realm of Edoran.

The ride was pleasant to say the least, and not much actually was spoken until halfway upon the journey at a stop where the Prince handed her a apple and she took it with a smile and bit into it as she lightly chewed each bite and stared at the apple cradling it in both of her creamy white hands.

"Tell me what is on your mind?" Lianial asked as he came up to her and she sighed.

"I was just thinking about how ridiculous it is how your kind and my kind fight over borders. We get along just great, so what's wrong?"

"Not as many humans are as cultured and refined as you are. Granted you do not speak so pleasantly and say how you feel and are blunt and indiscreet which is admirable to say the least and refreshing...but humans do not value the forest as much as my kind. We like to preserve life and sparingly use it for seldom sake such as fire or sheltering. Everything has a right to grow."

"Everything and everyone has a right to travel too. It makes it hard when you walk through the woods and have a arrow sticking between your eyes. Get's a little unnerving at times."

"Well what is your solution then?"

"Open peace treaty with Edoran. Allow a few of Lord Eomer's men to like go into the forest and make sure it's safe on their part for their home. I know I wouldn't feel comfortable if I knew my lands weren't like safe."

"As would I." he said thoughtfully. "I shall give it great consideration once we reach the city. Come we have a few hours journey before we make it and I'm sure the horses are itching to run."

"Sounds good to me." Kristen smiled as she gave the rest of her apple to her horse and climbed astride as her and the Prince set off once more.

A/N: here's another AN anyways...I shall not be posting anymore until I get at least five reviews. I have no incentive. But I am trying to find you pictures of Kristen. Because once you see the actress I based my character off of you'll understand a little better how she speaks and acts. Check my profile for said pictures. thanks!