AN: HAHA! You thought I was joking, I'm really posting one of these each day this weekend (Including tomorrow). Significant progress on the relationship, and I'm going to keep pushing it, even though it seems a little fast to me. However, in a world like Middle Earth, relationships have to move fast otherwise ya die hahaha

Don't worry, I'm not planning on killing anybody. Yet.

"You dare!" Thranduil exclaimed. "You would leave my realm for Rivendell? It is exactly this… childishness that means you should not go!" he continued, getting more exasperated.

"Look, Milord," Hanriel began, "I understand that you're protective. I understand that you feel like you need me here, but I'm not needed here. I've been here longer than Tauriel and I haven't seen the outside world in centuries," she finished, quietly. "I understand. But I have to leave. I need to leave."

Thranduil contemplated this. Honestly, the amount of time he spent waiting to speak was worrying. "I understand," he said quietly before turning to leave the great hall.

Revan followed Hanriel to her room, not out of any intent or anything, but after the King gave in to her request, Revan had thought she'd be excited, but Hanriel seemed… down. She seemed quiet. Contemplative.

Revan stayed by the door as Hanriel pulled down a pack from the wall of her beautifully decorated room. In all honesty, it looked like Bilbo's smial, filled with maps and charts, one wall devoted to books of myths, legends, and atlases of Middle Earth.

She made a point of not looking at Revan as she packed two pairs of trousers, a tough shirt, and several other things, clipping a water skin, compass, and lantern (with extra kerosene) onto the straps on the side.

"You wanna talk about it?" Revan prompted.

"Not really," Hanriel replied, pausing for a moment before her bookshelf. Eventually, she pulled down three books - an atlas of the area of Dale and Erebor, something about dragon-slaying (Revan didn't catch the title) and what looked like a journal.

"Sure?" Revan asked.

"Yeah." Hanriel replied quietly. "It's just, I haven't been outside the Greenwood in such a long time. I don't know what to expect, and then the dragon…"

"Well," Revan began, moving to Hanriel's bed and sitting down. "Maybe you should stay?"

Hanriel shook her head, and stuffed the three books into her pack. "No. I'm leaving. Today."

"All right. I'm going to go get my pack, and then we'll be off." She turned to the door, and was interrupted by Hanriel's hand on her wrist.

"Stay? Please?" asked Hanriel.

"Sure," Revan replied, sitting back down on the bed.

"Are we all prepared?" asked Thorin loading up the last of his packs onto one of the horses.

"Aye," Dwalin replied. "We're ready lad."

"Us too," Fili and Kili replied.

"I've been ready for hours," Bilbo replied.

The company assented, mounted the horses, and without fanfare or finale, were off out the gates of the woodland realm, guarded by a contingent of Elves. All of the company that needed them were granted swords, though Dwalin kept his mattock and many kept their original weapons.

They'd just reached a bend along the riverbank when the whooping, cheering cries of Orcs and orc trumpets assaulted their ears. Immediately, all of the Elves were on the defensive, bows and daggers drawn. Revan leapt off of her horse, drawing her swords.

She hadn't had much use for them since before they had even entered Rivendell, when they'd fought the Orcs on their way into the lonely valley. At first, she was worried that she was going to have gotten rusty, but as soon as the first Orc came at her, scimitar raised, she blocked it nigh perfectly. It was, however, her first time fighting with her new short hair. She found she liked it very much - she didn't have to have it tied back all the time, and it didn't get in the way anymore.

She felt air against the back of her neck and a warm pressure against her back and glanced backwards. Hanriel had intercepted a descending sword just in time, and the two were now back to back.

"This is a little bit different from sparring, isn't it?" Hanriel remarked gleefully.

"Aye," Revan replied, countering another Orc and spearing him through the chest with her off hand.

"This time, they're trying to actually kill you!" Hanriel replied, and Revan had to crack a smile.

"I believe that's the point between sparring and real fighting, love," Revan replied, and felt, more than heard Hanriel laugh behind her.

"Love, huh? We're that far already?" She quipped, and Revan nearly lost her balance. Had she actually called Hanriel that? Valar above, she was smitten.

"I mean… um… I… uh… if you want to?" she tried to reply in between lunges.

"Well, love, maybe you could teach me a little more about fighting? Since you have a little more… practical experience."

Revan smiled, deciding not to answer at the moment, and surveyed the battlefield. All of the orcs were dead, and one of the Elves had just come back with the last of the horses that had bolted. One of the elves was pressing a hand to his side, but Oin had him on the ground quickly enough and was tending to him.

Revan reached up behind her back and sheathed her swords, and crossed her arms, continuing. It didn't look like anyone needed her help, and so there she stood, waiting for them to be gathered.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to be too forward," Hanriel said off to her side.

"What do you mean?" asked Revan, turning towards her, surprised when Hanriel grabbed her head with both hands and pulled her in for a kiss.

As soon as it was over (which was far too soon, she thought) Revan opened her eyes to see Hanriel's, shimmering green searching her expression for signs of, what, disgust? Hate? They must've found something they liked because their corners crinkled in a smile.

Revan brushed the hair out of Hanriel's face. "No, I don't think it's too forward at all."

Hanriel in turn, traced the scars down Revan's face - down through her eyebrow, and the other, from the corner of the mouth she had just kissed to the underside of her chin. It was during all of this tenderness, that Revan realized that she was taller than Hanriel, though only by a few inches.

"OI! Lovebirds, get a move on," Dwalin cried from atop his pony and the pair laughed.

"Careful, we'll never hear the end of it if we don't hop to it," Hanriel laughed.

"Sure," Revan laughed, and walked Hanriel to her horse. "Milady," she said, bowing and helping her up.

"Oh, daughter of a Lord," Hanriel replied, as Revan walked her own horse over and mounted.

"Shall we, love?" Revan asked, gesturing to the receding company.

"I believe we should, love" Hanriel replied, and the two laughed as they raced to catch up to the company.

Definitions and Translations:

I didn't see anything in here that would need a definition, but if y'all see something that I missed, or that you would like me to edit and/or define just leave a review or PM me. Thanks!