DISCLAIMER: I don't own any character except Aliya, Kendre and Pelanar…
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ALIYA
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"Are you okay?" Kendre asked once Legolas was gone. She had seen the solitary tear, that had escaped, roll down my cheek and she had pulled me into a hug.

"My father only meant to help, Aliya…" she said, a soft smile forming on her lips, "He likes you. He wants you to stay and he cares about you now."

"Nobody ever has…" I whispered.

"Nobody ever has what, Aliya?" Kendre asked, puzzled.

"Nobody has ever cared… My mother, maybe… but my father and brother didn't. My father was content with his one son, and my brother was the apple of my father's eye. I didn't matter to them. And then when…when the orcs…"

I didn't need to finish, Kendre understood me perfectly.

"But we care…" she said in an uplifting tone, "I have only know you for 3 days and I care for you like a sister, and my father cares about you, and Legolas especially…"

"Legolas cares?" I asked, my eyes questioningly bright.

"He cares about you more than I have ever seen him are about another living person, sometimes I think he cares more than he thinks about me! He dies when he sees you… To think what has been done to you… and his heart breaks when you won't talk to him, when you won't trust him…"

"Its not that I won't," I exclaimed, "It's that I can't… I'm so afraid. I'm afraid of my own grief. I'm afraid of betrayal. Afraid that next time I won't have the strength to live through it, afraid I won't want to go on…"

"Aliya, Legolas would rather die than betray you!" Kendre said in earnest, "His heart breaks when he sees you. He thinks you are the most beautiful thing in the world and he hates to see you so broken…so lost. He wants a chance… A chance to show you the good of the world, not just the bad… Aliya, he loves you!"

This made me cry more. I wanted to believe Kendre! I wanted to tell Legolas everything and I wanted to be free… more than anything in the world- but my heart would not let go of despair.

"Come…" Kendre said softly, "I will show you the palace and then bring you to your room."

I followed her down the hall, up a set of wide stone stairs and into a great stone hall. There were 8 marble doors on all sides of us, including the one we had just come out of. She enlightened me as to what was on the other side of each door.

There were 4 main Wings to the Palace. Each named for 1 element.

Through a door depicting a large tree and mountain scene was the Earth Wing. This was the wing for the servants and guards, who were the stronghold of the whole palace.

Through the Door marked with a feather was the Air Wing. This was the guest and traveler's Wing, because the are said to come and go often.

Through the door marked with a stream was the Water Wing. This was the wing of Nobility.

And the Fire Wing was marked with a roaring fire. This was the wing of upper-nobility and Royalty.

The remaining 4 doors each led to separate rooms. One door led to The dining hall, an immense stone room filled with large tables and a boisterous fire in the fireplace. Another door led to the forest above and to the stables. This immense door was open now, with many people traveling up and down the stairs past it. Another door led to the baths. The bathing room was completely done in marble, a large pool was in the middle of it, surrounded on all sides by smaller ones. Some deep, some shallow, some hot, some cool, and some more private than others. And finally I found myself standing before the door that intrigued me the most.

It was tall and made completely out of an intense black stone carved with flowers and birds. When Kendre opened this door I was stunned. Before me lay an immense garden, full of trees, ponds and flowers but intermingled with it were bookcases and scrolls. It was a wondrous site.

"This is our Library…" Kendre said, "People come here when they want to be alone. It is a place of peace, beauty, and knowledge…"

"It is beautiful… Who made it?" I asked.

"Legolas did," she replied, "With a little help from me. He finds no beauty or peace elsewhere… He hates being underground, he wants the world and he can't have it. He made this as a last resort, a last resort for his life. A while ago he wanted to die, and almost did. This is what brought him back. If you can't find Legolas anywhere, you can surely find him here…."

"Legolas made this…" I whispered, "Legolas made this for people like us… people who have no place else to go…"

Kendre nodded sadly and put an arm around my shoulder, "Come… I will bring you to your room…"

Kendre led me out of the Library and back through the doors to the Fire Wing. In my heart I knew I didn't belong here, but I made myself follow Kendre through the crimson halls to my room.

She pointed to doors as we passed, Pointing out the King's Chambers, Legolas's room, and her own room.

"Your room is right next to mine…" she said, opening the door just past her own.

She led me into the room. It was large and I could tell why its name had become 'The Silver Room'. It was completely done in White and silver, from the hangings around the large bed, to the marble fireplace. I gasped when I saw it. I was also happy to see a small bookshelf with books of song melodies and poems.
Kendre also showed me the dresses that were hanging up. They had all been made especially for me. Most were silk, but others were expensive, thin linen. All were in an array of colors and styles.

"I designed them myself…" she said, proudly.

"They are beautiful-" I admitted.

"Do you really think so?" she asked.

"Yes…I really do…" I replied.

"I will come later to bring you to dinner. You may wander where you like, and you may do as you please. This is your home now as well. Do you need anything else?" she asked.

"Yes, actually…" I said, and Kendre paused in the doorway, "Call me Ali… I really don't like Aliya…"

"Lady Ali…" she said, a warm smile playing on her lips, "hmm… I like it!"

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LEGOLAS
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She was crying when she left…. I thought to myself miserably. She was crying… What can I do?

"Kendre!" I said, seeing her coming my way, "Is Aliya-"

"I have the best news for you!" my sister said, a bright smile on her face, "Aliya told me to call her Ali!"

"So that means…" I said, my eyes widening, "She…"

"Yes!" Kendre said, "She trusts me…"

"That is wonderful news…" I said, but in my heart I knew I was lying. I wanted her to trust me, not Kendre. But how long would it take? It had taken her more than a month to even talk to us, and more weeks before she trusted Kendre… How long, before I was next.

Kendre seemed to read my mind, "Legolas… You have to take this from her point of view… every piece of pain and sorrow she knows came from a man… She can't trust you yet…It's not that she won't, it is that she can't."

"I know, Kendre.." I sighed, "but I just want her to know… I just…"

"She knows, Legolas, she knows…" said my sister smiling, "Talk to her… I think she will want to talk to you today… Try Legolas, try and don't give up!"

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