A/N: I do not own the works of Tolkien. Enjoy.

Thank-you to thethreebirds (You should post that essay up about the eagles as a short story of sorts), Guest, WickedGreene13 and Oriana5: So after this chapter, there are still three 'Imladris' days left before they leave and Elrond will keep them busy I dare say. ;) Legolas hasn't changed, he does have his good moments... sometimes but he was raised by Thranduil so he is never going to be nice as pie and those Wood-Elves are an un-trusting bunch. I have Legolas as Sinda-Silvan so the two different races, as you will see in following chapters, really pull at him characteristically. Ara does not have any feelings for Legolas whatsoever and she does genuinely like Elladan, I mean, he's not an arse, to Ara, Legolas is the ultimate arse. Ara really doesn't want fate to win and she ends up with an arse. :)

A. xx


"Where is Elladan?" Elrohir asked Estel as Legolas sat down beside Boromir in the Elrodian's regular place in the Hall of Fire.

"They are out in the gardens." Arwen snickered knowingly and Elrohir grinned while Boromir looked confused.

"Is it not rather dark to be strolling through gardens?" The Man asked and Estel chuckled.

"Oh I doubt they are strolling." The Ranger implied and Boromir laughed lightly.

"Oh I see." He exclaimed and Legolas gave him a bemused smile as Estel passed him a filled chalice. Clearly the two Elves he had seen were Elladan and Ara and he wondered at that for soon they would be parted so why begin something doomed?

"Ah decided to join us?" Arwen called out and he looked up to see Elladan and Ara walking towards them, Ara bright eyed and with ever so slightly flushed cheeks and Elladan looking incredibly smug with himself. Both of them he noted were walking with linked hands. Ara's gaze fell onto him and she suddenly looked unsure and wary and he wished he could speak with her and discover what it was about him which worried her so.

"Hush little sister." Elladan chastised Arwen good naturedly as he and Ara came to sit down beside her and Ara leaned against the dark haired ellon's shoulder and he casually wrapped an arm around her and entwined their fingers together. Suddenly Legolas felt annoyed by their actions. Am I jealous? If so what of? Surely not Elladan for he had never been jealous of the older Elf save for his more lax upbringing when his own father was being particularly difficult at home. Did that mean he was jealous because of Ara? That made no sense either for she only infuriated him. But she really did intrigue him. If she didn't, he would not have placed the sugared rose upon her plate. A silly thing to do really and he wondered if Elladan had ever given her a flower. He shook his head, clearing his stupid questioning thoughts away, for they were pointless, and took another sip of his wine.

"They are dancing up the other end of the hall." Elrohir commented. "Shall we join in their fun?" He looked to he and Boromir and Legolas nodded deciding it would do him good.

"Shall we Ara?" Arwen said with a smirk and both elleth leapt up, both dragging Elladan and Estel to their feet respectively. He, Boromir and Elrohir too stood and made their way down towards the dancing Elves.

There were thirty odd Elves including themselves and he noticed his eight guards were there too mingling with the others and he made his way towards them, gladdened to see them.

"Legolas, about time you joined in down here." Rusgon greeted him good naturedly and then whispered quietly in his ear "All the ellith have been hoping you would make an appearance." He snickered and Legolas gave a dry laugh.

"Well here I am."

"Prince Legolas, would you care to dance?" He turned his head to see a pretty chestnut haired elleth smiling cheerily up at him with hopeful blue eyes and seeing Elrohir and Boromir had already found dance partners, he smiled warmly at the elleth and held out his hand.

"It would be my pleasure." He replied and she beamed up at him as he shot a grin towards Rusgon and led the elleth to dance.

"What is your name?" He asked as he easily twirled her about to the cheerful music.

"Limel my Lord." She answered and he wondered who in their right mind would name an elleth after a fish but smiled at her regardless.

"I do not think I have seen you here before." He commented politely and she smiled shyly at him.

"No, I have but only come of age these past seven years." He nodded at that.

"And what is it you do here in Imladris?" He kept their polite conversation going.

"I am a seamstress but I am still learning much under the Lady Orthail."

"Wonderful, we would all be quite in a spot of mischief without seamstresses." Legolas joked lightly and she blushed furiously. Perhaps not the right thing to say. He decided wryly. "Tell me, are any here this eve wearing something you have made?" She looked around at the dancing Elves and then smiled and nodded.

"The Lady Ara is wearing the dress I sewed up only today for her." Limel replied proudly. "It looks quite well on her do you not think?"

"It is a very nice dress." He said instead, deciding it would be rude to comment on another elleths beauty; although he had noticed the moment he sat down beside Ara at the feast just how wonderful she looked. "Did you design the dress also?"

"No, The Lady Ara did, in fact between you and I my Lord, she designed all of her garments and they were most unusual for most were tunics and trousers although they are more feminine but still it is strange." Limel said quietly to him and he nodded, his interest piqued.

"Indeed?" He asked and she nodded.

"Yes and Lady Orthail has been complaining all afternoon about it. Did you know she is learned in sword-ship and such?" She added and he nodded. "I have never known an elleth who could defend herself, I find it strange but then I think perhaps it is something to aspire to. Especially now with such dangers lurking on the borders of our realm." She said boldly and he looked down at her curiously and she blushed again. "Forgive me my Lord; I should not speak my nonsense thoughts to a Warrior such as you." She rushed out her words in embarrassment and he gave a slight shrug.

"No harm has been done." He replied simply as the music suddenly changed to a swifter beat and Legolas realised the dance now required the constant changing of partners and that he would undoubtedly end up with Elladan's partner at some point.

"I believe the dance has changed." He said to Limel and she nodded although she seemed none too happy about it as he spun her about to the swifter pace and in the fray all laughed as each time the music changed, partners were changed too and he danced with various elleths, including Arwen twice, as the beat tempo slowly increased. Finally one of his own guards spun Ara his way and he caught her lightly as she laughed gaily and spun to face him, her laugh suddenly faltered and shocked green eyes met him and they seemed to smolder contemptuously a moment before her face became serene yet there was still a wariness in their green depths.

"I hoped I would dance with you eventually." He said ignoring her slight hostility.

"Oh why?" She asked innocently as he twirled her around and then brought her back closer and her eyes flared in contempt again and he realised sadly, she did not enjoy being near him at all.

"I wanted to thank you personally for having Arwen set the healers straight." He said softly and she looked mildly surprised.

"It was nothing really."

"Well it meant a lot to me. Thank you Ara." He whispered and she nodded but there was a wild look in those eyes which made him think of a deer ready to flee. She truly is a curious creature. The tempo increased again and they moved faster but suddenly she seemed to pale.

"Are you well?" He hedged quietly and fought back the ridiculous urge to tilt her chin up to look at her face properly. She nodded.

"Yes, I am fine. A little dizzy." She rushed out and he nodded. "They do not dance like this where you are from?" He kept his question neutral; aware others not a part of the nine chosen were present. She laughed dryly and swayed and nearly stumbled. He held her steadily by her hand. Someone has had too much wine.

"Some do but not me!" She admitted with a careless laugh as the music tempo increased again. "Again? Any more of this and I'll fall over!" She muttered seemingly to herself and he glanced around for Elladan but could not see him and decided to take matters into his own hands.

"Come with me." He pulled on her arm and led her carefully away from the madness of dancers and back towards the low bench and assortment of pillows. "Here, sit down and recover your sense of-"

"Stability." She muttered as she half sunk half swayed down onto the pillows and unsteadily taking one of the refilled chalices, took a long drink of the wine. When she eventually took it away from her lips Legolas was alarmed to see over half the rich, red liquid had been drained from the chalice. She went to take another drink and he quickly grabbed hold of her wrist.

"What are you doing?" She demanded regally as he gently pried her fingers from the neck of the chalice which proved difficult for her vice grip on it.

"I do not think you need any more." He said gently and she tried pulling the chalice back to herself.

"I don't think I need or want you to decide that for me. I can decide that myself." She declared with a regal air to rival his father. At the thought of his father, he tried a different tactic.

"Then allow me to put it safely on the bench again before it becomes spilt on you or your lovely dress." She eyed him balefully but her grip loosened and he quickly placed the chalice far out of her reach.

"I can't reach it now." She practically pouted in annoyance and an amused smile played on his lips. The last thing he expected to do this eve was watch over a drunk elleth who seemed to dislike him. He'd indirectly received his wish of wanting to spend more time with her.

"Do you want some water?" He asked her and she shook her head. "Food?" He received a nod and a smile.

"Are you going to give me another rose?" She laughed teasingly and he shrugged.

"Unfortunately there are none here or perhaps I would." He replied lightly and she glanced around suddenly.

"Where is Elladan?" He looked towards the dancing Elves and could just see him among the others.

"He is still dancing." He replied and she nodded and moved to lean back against the large pillar behind them.

"My gosh I feel like I've been doing shots all night." She muttered.

"What are shots?"

"Mouthful sized cups you put very potent alcohol in and drink in one shot to get very drunk very fast." She gave a short laugh and twirled a tress of her hair around her fingers, absentmindedly looking out the hall doors.

"Sounds rather a quick and efficient way to become inebriated." He agreed and she nodded sagely and suddenly turned to look at him.

"You know you are not half bad when you are drunk." She said curiously and he chuckled at that.

"I think you will find it is you, not I who finds them self in such a state my Lady."

"Details." She waved her hand dismissively about. "And I am no one's Lady." She added slightly more darkly and he raised a curious brow at that.

"Oh there you are Ara!" He turned to see Elladan approaching looking relieved and then wary as he eyed Legolas. He was admittedly sitting quite close to the elleth for they both rested against the same pillar.

"I brought her back here before the dance pace became too swift for she was dizzy." Legolas explained calmly.

"Thank you Legolas." Elladan answered almost superficially and sat down on her other side.

"Hello." Ara turned to gaze lazily at the dark haired Elf and he took her by the shoulders and pulled her to rest propped against his chest and Legolas felt that strange twist of jealousy again as Elladan ran his free hand through her hair and placed a kiss upon her cheek.

"Are you feeling well?" He murmured softly to her and she nodded and shifted to whisper something into the dark haired Elf's ear and Legolas noticed his eyes sparkle and he decided he'd seen enough and stood, intent to re-join the dancers. Elladan flashed him a grin of sorts and he simply nodded before turning away to walk back up the other end of the hall.

"My Lord Legolas?" A voice interrupted him midway and he turned to see who spoke. It was Erestor.

"Lord Erestor yes?" He asked politely.

"Lord Elrond bids the presence of yourself and the Lady Ara after noon tomorrow with the others at the training grounds. He bids you wear attire to fight in and bring all your weapons." Legolas nodded. "Are you able to direct me to the Lady so I may inform her also?" Legolas's eyes drifted past Erestor to where he had left Ara with Elladan and clenched his jaw. She and Elladan looked to be locked in a deep kiss. What was the Elrondion playing at? Ara may be reciprocating, clearly she was, but she was drunk. Elladan surely knows better than to take advantage so?

"Lady Ara is otherwise occupied with Lord Elladan it would seem but when she is not I will be sure to inform her." He said coolly and Erestor turned to follow his disdained gaze and gasped quietly.

"Oh. Well yes, very well, my thank you Lord Legolas." He replied and taking one last shocked look at the two Elves, he briskly took his leave. Legolas turned back towards the dancing Elves but he was now quite unsettled by what Elladan was doing. Why should he care though, he shouldn't. He was not Noldor, things were done differently here. Just like things were done differently in the woods by the Silvan and differently by the Sindar. Something which he was unfortunately caught up as both. He always tried to act more of a Sinda in Imladris, Silvan ways were frowned upon. Yet the Noldor culture was still more lax than the Sinda. It was usually a happy medium for him but tonight he was just sorely disappointed. He glanced back over his shoulder although he did not know why he bothered and found Elladan and Ara to be gone. Clearly they had chosen to find somewhere more private although he was unsure how he felt about that either.

"Legolas, why are you not dancing? Where are Elladan and Ara?" Estel asked as he walked up to him, face slightly red from dancing and wine.

"I do not know, perhaps the gardens again." He said dryly and Estel looked at him curiously.

"This bothers you?"

"Only that Ara has drunk too much wine and I fear Elladan has either not taken her current condition into account or it does not bother him." He said quietly and Estel frowned in thought.

"I wonder if it is the first; for if Ara has been brought up in the world of men, their drinks are not as potent as Elvish drink. Elladan might not realise this." Estel reasoned and Legolas thought about it. Ara had mentioned she felt like she'd had potent alcohol. It made sense; but what Elladan had done did not.

"Then she should be taken back to her house to rest for the remainder of the eve." Legolas decided and Estel chuckled at that.

"Come Legolas, I am sure she is fine and Elladan would be rather put out I think." He realised then perhaps Estel had drunk too much himself and sighed in annoyance.

"I disagree."

"Well enjoy the fury of Elladan." He laughed again as he made his way back towards Arwen who was currently dancing with Elrohir. Clenching his fist wondering how he had ended up being the responsible one when he was mentally younger than the others, he stalked out of the hall and into the gardens.

Legolas let his Silvan senses take over as he sought out the two Elves although it was Ara he searched particularly. He strained his ears and caught the sound of voices coming from near the lake and silently made his way towards it.

"I don't know, I should probably head home." He could now distinguish Ara's uncertain voice.

"Just stay a little while longer." He heard Elladan coax. "We're having fun aren't we?" Legolas had now pinpointed, by their voices, their location to the willows which draped over the lake and he moved a little more swiftly, still at a silent pace. There was no more talking for a few moments and he paused in case he had been incorrect as he keenly eyed the willows, drowned in moonlight ahead.

"I think I should go now." Ara suddenly said and he saw the trailing leaves of one of the willows part and the elleth stumbled out, a chalice in hand. She looked around seemingly lost as she swayed on her feet. Eru forbid she has since had more wine! Suddenly Elladan emerged too, holding a bottle of wine. Legolas very nearly saw red and it was all he could do not to race forward and grab Elladan and hurl the fool into the lake.

"Ara wait." Elladan called out as he strode towards her and grasped her arm. "Why don't we have another drink?" He pleaded with her and under the moonlight Legolas could discern the uncertainty on her face as she bit her bottom lip. He clenched his jaw as Elladan suddenly lent in and kissed her boldly and she placed her hand upon his shoulder and slowly attempted to push him away and eventually Elladan pulled back.

"I think we should stop." She said a little breathlessly. "It, it's late..."

"Do not be worried, my morning and yours is free, we can have breakfast later so you may sleep longer."

"I guess but-" Elladan cut her off with another bold kiss and again she tried pushing him away and Legolas decided he had observed enough and strode out from the tree line he had been standing under in shadow.

"Lady Ara, I have been looking for you, I must speak with you." He called out clearly which seemed to startle Elladan and he stepped back from her and Ara turned unsteadily to look at him and he noticed she did not fully focus on hum until he had come to stand six feet before them.

"Well are you going to speak with her?" Elladan asked, clearly put out Legolas had arrived and he shook his head.

"It is a private message I must deliver to just Lady Ara." He said smoothly and Elladan glared at him.

"Very well, I will wait a short distance away." The dark haired Elf replied.

"Actually I believe Elrohir needs to speak urgently with you, he is still in the hall. Once I have spoken with Lady Ara I will escort her back to the hall." He said with a touch of a regal tone and Elladan nodded stiffly.

"I will await you in the hall." He whispered to Ara who nodded with a small smile although she looked confused and he brushed his lips across her cheek before turning to leave. As he walked past Legolas he growled out lowly;

"You have just marred my perfect eve." Infuriated, Legolas grabbed the older Elf by the shoulder and strode forward, pulling him along.

"You marr it for yourself, now find your brother and get out of my sight." He snarled out quietly and Elladan looked at him shocked before Legolas roughly shoved him forward and on his way. He heard a stream of curses as the Elrondion disappeared towards the hall. Satisfied he had dealt with the sorry excuse for an ellon, Legolas turned worriedly back towards Ara to find her sitting in a swirl of grey and black upon the grass. He strode back to her and knelt down to peer at her.

"Ara, are you okay?"

"I think I've drank too much. I, I don't get it." She mumbled.

"Elven wine is four times as strong as the wine humans make and drink." He explained gently and she groaned.

"Oh God, I completely forgot that."

"Do you know how many chalices you have had?"

"Umm two at dinner, three in the Hall and half a bottle with Elladan." She worked out he bit down on the inside of his cheek angrily. By that count she had technically had eight full chalices, a significant amount, especially for someone unused to Elven drinks.

"How many drinks would you usually have from where you came from?" He asked gently.

"Eight or ten." She replied and sighed as she seemed to slump sideways and then lay down on the grass. "They are not as strong as this." She said again and he frowned worriedly. She'd consumed the equivalent of about thirty-four human drinks.

"Can you walk?" He asked but received no reply. "Ara?" He gently shook her by the shoulder. "Ara!"

"Yeah?" She mumbled.

"Can you walk?"

"I dunno, I feel bad. I didn't want to drink anymore." She mumbled and he decided once he had dealt with her, he was going to have very harsh words with Elladan. That stupid bastard. "I just want to go home." She said quietly and he nodded, pushing his anger for Elladan to the side to deal with later.

"And I will take you home." He declared and easily pulled her up to her feet but she stood unsteadily.

"No, I don't need your help." She attempted to walk away from him and swayed dangerously and he caught her by the waist.

"You really do." He said dryly and she futilely struggled against him, dropping the empty chalice she had still been holding.

"No, let me go I'm fine." Annoyed he did just that and she stumbled off in the opposite direction of her house or even the hall. He let her go for a few feet before she stopped, turned around clearly lost and then seeing him, scowled as she swayed dangerously. "What?"

"You seem lost." He called out to her.

"No I'm appreciating the... garden." She waved her arm around and promptly fell in a curiously graceful heap onto the ground. "Ow, stupid long dresses." She cursed in annoyance and he shook his head slightly amused as he walked quietly up to her. "I might be lost." She admitted and he knelt down and held his hand out to her and she gave him a baleful look but eventually took it and he pulled her up again.

"Follow me, I will return you safely home."

"But Elladan said he'd wait for me in the Hall..." She suddenly seemed to remember.

"And he may wait all night; I really could not care less." Legolas said coolly as he used his arm to support her shoulders and guide her as they slowly walked back out of the garden. As they eventually passed the hall, Elrohir caught sight of them and strode forward, a hand out to stop them and Legolas paused, noting worriedly how Ara slumped against him.

"What's going on? Elladan is inside and he is furious with you."

"Not as furious as I." He hissed as he held the elleth protectively at his side. The older brother then looked at Ara and frowned and then glared at him with reproach.

"What have you done to her?" He demanded and Legolas glared darkly at him.

"I have done nothing. This is your idiot brother's doing." He spat out.

"He is waiting for her."

"Well she is not coming; I am taking her home. She is unfit to be in his presence." He snapped dismissively before turning his attention back to Ara and persuading her to continue walking again. He could feel Elrohir's eyes burning into his back but he didn't care. Soon they reached stairs and rather than the tedious struggle of Ara trying to walk up them, he deftly picked her up and easily took them two at a time. She said nothing and he worried she had passed out, he expected protest from now being carried but there was no fight from her at all. Perhaps I should be taking her to the healers? No, I'll cross that road if I need to.

Finally they reached Glorfindel's house and he knocked on the door and waited but there was no answer. "Ara?" He asked hesitantly and received no response. "Ara?" Still nothing. Mind made up he used his free hand to open the door and entered the house. It was lit well enough and the main hearth was burning steadily. Glorfindel must still be with Elrond and the other Lords. He gazed about unsure what to do. "Ara?" He tried rousing her again but still nothing. He hoped dearly Glorfindel would not slay him for what he was about to do and walked down the wide hall and tried the first room. It was a study of sorts and he closed it and tried the next. It was a private chamber and by the dark blue dress draped over the back of a lounge chair, he was certain he was in the right place and walked through the lounge chamber to the bedchamber. There was a fire in the hearth and two torches in holsters upon the wall and Legolas took in the half messy chamber. He couldn't say he'd actually been in an elleths bedchamber but he was certain they were never this messy. There were clothes draped on every piece of furniture and the robe was open and draws half pulled out. The bed was clear and made though and he managed to pull the blankets back before carefully lowering her down onto the bed and covering the blankets back over her. He gazed down at her chewing his lip. She seems okay; surely she just needs to sleep this off? He was reluctant to leave and so went in search of water which he found in a pitcher in her lounge chamber and, filling the cup beside it, returned to place them upon her bedside table. How he had come to be helping this Elf who didn't even seem to like him was beyond him but he supposed she had helped him by fixing his shoulder and having the healers dealt with. He was simply helping back. He had never been able to tell her she had to be at the training grounds after noon and, to stall leaving her alone a little longer, went in search of parchment and a quill and neatly scribbled out a note but decided against signing it. He waved it dry in the air before placing it on the bedside table and peered at her again. She really did seem fine and so he decided he would leave now and retire also, for if he returned to the hall it would not end well for Elladan. He chastely brushed strands of hair from her cheek before turning and leaving the house without looking back.