Hello! I hope you guys are having a great time living in this world...because I am currently not; so much work and homework...

Otherwise, my Brazilian family is still in my house (it's been fun), and I've started to take saxophone lessons; really fun but noisy!

Well! I really want to THANK:

Lafay97, Deidara, Saltnpeppah, WinterHeartSummerSoul, Ane, SleepiPanda, mystic archer Horse, Delacus, Readerwithswag, Hippogrifs, lady Silverfrost, Charlieandcie, LinwelR, xSeneseix, kaitamis, Me, Anonymouslove, space Banshee, mary, refusedAngel, hexagonce, Vulcanlover12, Anna, WaterCherry13, niki5249, Redhouseclan, jane Midgard and guests! Thank you for taking the time to comment and for letting me know how I'm doing! I love your positive vibes and comments!

SaltnPeppah, I'm so glad you enjoyed the story, and yes Harlette is quite mysterious... ;) Hopefully the mystery will clarify as the story progresses...but it's slow motion hahah!

WinterHeartSummerSoul- Yes! I did re-edit the story because the beggining was far from convincing! I plan to really go through it again as soon as i'm done with this first part! Thank you for your positivity! It motivates me so much! i hope you will enjoy the next chapties! lolz

BIG KISS TO ALL OF YOU!

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Flowers in her Hair and Flowers in her Mouth

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The forest was dark, and with their leafy heads bobbing atop their long and crooked trunks, the trees loomed over Harlette. Bright moonlight pierced through the sleepy branches' fingers to fall into ponds of white silver on the ripe grey earth.

How Harlette had ended up walking in those murky woods, she did not know. It was cold, and her bare feet stepped on snapping twigs and on the remains of frozen autumn leaves.

Ghosts blew on her face, and caused her to shiver with their every whisper: 'Harlette, watch out for the eternal dark. It's hungry. It will crawl and it will eat.'

Harlette stopped in her tracks and turned around, looking for the owner of the voice, a voice she recognized. 'Sheliad!'

The reply she got were words lost in a chuckle breezing all around her: 'Watch out for the eternal dark. Choose your friends wisely and forgive them when they hurt you harder than the enemy.'

'Sheliad! Where are you?'

Harlette began to run, straight ahead, losing herself into the night.

'Wake up, Harlette. He's back.'

..._..._..._..._...

Harlette's eyes flew open in full alarm. Springing out of bed, she stumbled on the ground, gasping for air, beads of sweat on her forehead. 'Who is back?' she heard herself say.

Faint sounds of cheers erupted in the distance, resounding across the halls and reaching her ears. Thranduil was back, returned from his mission. Her heart flipped, and in a matter of seconds, she was walking briskly down the corridors, following the candle sconces that hung along it.

She passed a grand staircase and carried on moving till she entered a large room whose grand window lead to an enormous balcony. She stepped outside. The sound of cheering was clear now.

Leaning against the balustrade, shadow and light danced across Harlette's curious face as her eyes roamed over the forms of many an elf commemorating under fire and starlight. The air was fresh, giving off a sweet scent of honey, mint and berries. The trees were healthy, and their bark was strong; they were surrounded by exotic flowers of colors burgundy and amber, and the chattering squirrels slid gaily at their feet, through the leaves that had fluttered down to the ground. Glimmering streams of azure and gold coursed through rich patches of grass to throw themselves into wide ponds; magical waters in which some elves swam, laughing as they did. Other folks danced and sang, drinking thick red wine from large barrels. The revelers seemed rather drunk for they spoke loudly among each other, ornamenting their babbles with wild gestures.

Harlette's gaze spotted Thranduil in armor. Servants were relieving him of his helm and weapons, safe for the gleaming Hirvegil which remained strapped to his waist. The glow of the flickering fires mingling with that of the stars were on his smiling face as he conversed affably with other elf lords who came to greet him.

Thranduil had cured the trees. It had not been the hardest of tasks; they were young and easily moldable. However, despite his mission's success, the elf king was still concerned: What was the source of this disease? Could it be spreading to other lands? Would this sickness grow in power, until eventually even he would be powerless to heal the victims?

Girly laughter reached his ears, and his attention turned to four needy women. With the diaphanous dresses swaying between their long legs, they came to circle him, their hands lightly touching his arms, shoulders and chest. He greeted them, and so did his friends.

From the safety of the shadows, Harlette watched with mounting jealousy the girls flirt openly with Thranduil; they batted their lashes at him, and exposed their nude shoulders as they shrugged or threw their heads back to laugh at what he had said or done. Judging by their scant amount of clothes, there was no doubt they were part of his arena. Giggling childishly, one of them eagerly urged him to sit down at a table, and he did, his eyes casually appreciating the sight of her. The other elf-lords joined him and talked to him vigorously, offering him a drink.

Thranduil smiled when three other women came to greet him. These ones were more reserved, and spoke to him with poise, congratulating him on the success of his mission. Thranduil thanked them and said: 'Ya le anim linno?' (who will sing for me?)

'Im le linnathin, Heru en amin,' (I will sing to you, my lord) one of the three elleths voiced. Her green dress cascading upon her body, this beautiful creature floated to stand in front of him. The festive music turned mute, and all focused their attention on her. With a graceful nod of her head, her mouth opened and a beautiful sound came out. Her angelic voice was a river flowing, a crystal shimmering. This voice was not from this world, and Harlette was overawed. All were silent, even the wind, as they listened to this fantastic sound.

Flowers in her mouth, and flowers in the hair

Have you ever seen Lady as fair?

Starlight has her lips kissed,

And here she is much missed,

She who long has sailed,

Beyond the moon, and wintry-tales,

Her songs have led my step

And I see her flowers by the river-bed.

Joy and sorrow in those lyrics,

By day or night we dance and sing,

Starlit magic!

Everyone clapped and some whistled. Vivacious music erupted out from percussive instruments. Thranduil's concubines began to dance for him, tossing their arms in the air, swaying their hips, and kicking their feet on the ground. In a matter of seconds, all began to dance and sing, starlit magic.

Harlette had never heard such beauty; there were no words to describe such a voice. She had seen countless opera shows with great singers, yet none possessed that tone quality. Harlette was amazed, and she was jealous; Thranduil had enjoyed the sight of this beautiful girl, Thranduil had enjoyed her performance, a beauty and a performance Harlette would never equal.

Holding a silver platter laden with red, ripe and round grapes, Melian, the elleth who had provoked Harlette once, approached Thranduil and stopped in front of him, bowing her head, a kittenish grin on her beautiful face. 'Hama sinome hama nevamin,' (have a seat next to me) Thranduil invited, and as if afraid someone else would claim the spot, flirtatious Melian quickly plumped down on the chair next to his. Thranduil motioned for the platter in her hands. Fluttering her lashes at him, she plucked out a grape from the stack and slipped it sensually in his mouth. As she slowly removed her hand, Thranduil took it in his and his wickedly smiling lips kissed her fingers ever so languorously, and as he did so, his eyes looked up at Harlette.

Harlette gasped, and dropped down on the floor, hiding behind the railing, her cheeks flaming. He had known she had been spying on him all along. The bastard!

Harlette felt hatred and embarrassment corner her emotions. She turned away from the railing, and just as she was about to scurry back to her room and cry, two pairs of booted feet came to stand in front of her. Two elves. By their dress and the spears held firm in their hands, it seemed they were guards.

Harlette stood up slowly. 'I was not spying, I was just─'

'Harley!' Bernard's voice boomed, and soon the feline came into view, galloping towards her master. 'What's wrong with you now? Where and why did you suddenly pick up the hideous habit of snapping out of sleep and jogging into the corridors, in less than a tee-shirt?'

Indeed, Harlette only wore a white chemise. She tittered before the outraged cat and the motionless guards.

Goldie, her breath ragged and a wing to her heart laboriously made her way into the balcony. 'I'm a golden hen, I wasn't made to run.'

'And what exactly were you made for?' Bernard wondered mordantly.

'To be admired, feline o' mine.'

Treasure, a pink sleeping bonnet on her head and fluffy white slippers on her feet came to join them outside. She was sucking on her thumb, and removing her it from her mouth she asked: 'What is happening here? What's all this noise? Have you got any earplugs?'

'The elves are having a party, and no, I haven't got any earplugs,' Goldie answered.

'What about you?' Treasure asked Harlette. 'No. Sorry. I'm busy dealing with_'

'Will the cat give me some of its fur?' the little troll asked hopeful.

Bernard coughed, mortified. 'Excuse me?'

'Go on, spit me two fur balls, I'll stuff them in my ears and at last be deaf to this celebration.'

'I will do no such thing! My fur, my balls!'

Silence.

'You know what I mean,' Bernard muttered to the silent companions around her.

Treasure looked down at her slippers, 'fine, fine. I didn't mean to offend you.'

'Where are your husband and you other two companions?' Goldie enquired at last, trying to forget about Bernard's fur balls.

'In bed. They always sleep soundly. In fact, I believe they are incapable of sleeping without a raucous sound of sorts.'

Bernard blinked in surprise at the tiny troll, who was a little smaller than her. 'How so?'

Treasure shrugged. 'They snore so loud every night I think noise lulls them into monstrous sleep. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for me.'

Harlette took no heed of the talking trio for she turned around, looking towards the balustrade, her eyes drawn to the sound of laugher and music. Her need to see Thranduil and confront him overwhelmed her.

'Harlette. What are you doing?'

Harlette looked at Bernard and she said nothing.

'You look distraught, young lady,' Treasure noted. 'Is it because your lover has returned and you only just recently found out that he has a wife?'

Goldie elbowed the Troll Queen.

Harlette frowned. 'I see news travel fast.'

'Indeed,' Bernard said bitterly, 'you can thank Goldie's verbal detonator.'

Goldie sighed and crossed her wings over her feathery chest.

'Why are there guards here? I did not do anything wrong,' Harlette stated and walked away from the balustrade, the sounds of cheering further down taunting her ears and will to remain composed. Goldie strutted towards her and gave the two immobile guards a sour look, 'those feckers will not speak to us. But I know it's Thranduil's orders. You and your sister have been put under careful watch.'

'But why? Thranduil does not trust me?' Harlette's heart blackened with ire and hurt.

'Well, he is a little suspicious, Harlette. You bowed before the leeches, remember?' Bernard reminded.

'I've heard about that. You've greeted monsters. Was it to provoke him?' Treasure inquired. Harlette fired a glare at the guards; she did not like having these strangers hearkening to her private conversation.

'It was not to provoke him, Treasure. I don't know why I bowed back. I thought it was the right thing to do. But I don't see why this concerns Thranduil. He knows I'm not of the evil kind.'

'What concerns Thrandy is that the leeches initiated this curtsy, as if they knew you. You have to admit it is quite odd, girl. I mean, no one ever bowed before me, and I'm quite legendary in my village. Moreover, you slapped him in the face,' Goldie completed. The guards could not help but nod at the hen's assertion.

'You did?' Treasure let out in disbelief.

'No. I did not slap him, I punched him,' Harlette corrected, much to Treasure's greater mortification. 'And I swear I've got nothing to do with those monsters.'

'We know, Harley,' Bernard assured. 'We know. But you can't blame Thranduil for wanting to protect his kin and kingdom. Just go back to bed─ get some rest.'

'But I am not tired,' Harlette whined her mind drifting into the memory of Sheliad's voice. What had the spider meant by 'choose your friends wisely and forgive them when they hurt you harder than the enemy?'

'I must talk to Christine. She has some explaining to do,' Harlette declared after some time.

Bernard hissed. 'Please don't make me repeat myself. Go to bed, Harlette, stop acting like a child.'

'And you stop acting like my mother. I am going to talk to Christine.'

Harlette stormed back inside, ignoring the guards who were hot at her heels.

Bernard sighed. 'Things are going to take such a turn, I don't know if it's good or bad.'

Goldie blinked her long lashes at the feline. 'What do you mean?'

'Don't you feel there is something strange lurking all over?' Treasure whispered.

Goldie and Bernard looked at the little troll.

'Gustav and I felt it as soon as we stepped inside Middle Earth. There is a disturbance within the dimensions.'

Goldie nodded. 'For a hundred-and-thirty years I have been a guardian, and no one ever crossed me, safe for Harlette , Thranduil and Bernard. But, when I finally came back to Far-Flunga with my new-found companions, the king and queen said that something was not right; giants are having constant nightmares of killing each other. And naturally, giant leeches suddenly appeared.'

'The giant leeches we encountered belonged to neither Far-Flunga nor Middle earth,' Bernard spoke, 'have they come from your kingdom, Treasure?'

Treasure shook her head negatively, a disdainful expression on her face, 'of course not. And from what you tell me, the dimension they pertain to must be dreadful indeed.'

'You trolls study the different dimensions, is right? Do you have any idea where they belong, the leeches?' Goldie asked.

'I'm afraid I don't recall anything about giant leeches. There are too many dimensions; we mostly study the ones closer to ours. This should be investigated though. I will talk to Gustav tomorrow; he might know─ he always paid a lot of attention in class.'

'You better watch out, Thranduil has returned and will be interrogating you soon,' Bernard warned. Treasure nodded, 'that is only natural. I am not worried though, I have nothing to hide. Yet I do hope we shall be able to repair our compass. I long to return home.'

'They are quite knowledgeable, I'm sure the elves will help you,' Bernard reassured.

Treasure smiled at the feline: 'And even if they will not, at least they are a fair sight to behold.'

After sputtering a short laugh, Bernard quickly suggested they go find Harlette, and prevent her from getting into any more trouble.