Rayvin reined her horse, Mirrorspirit, and glanced back at her brother, who was leading the rest of the MoonElves from Temucth, then up at the sun, which was at the top of the sky…it was noon. She caught her brother's eye and nodded, then turned her horse and galloped toward the Dark Tower.

            She loathed going to the Dark Tower, the place where her people had been imprisoned and her father had been killed. She'd never learned what had happened to him, just that he'd been taken to the dungeon and never seen again.

            Suddenly, Mirrorspirit, the beautiful black and white mare that Rayvin rode, came to a stop, her dark head turned up toward the Tower, as if she were looking at it.

            Rayvin leaned foreword, "I know you don't want to go but we must." When the horse didn't move, she continued, "this is the last time you'll ever have to go to that dreadful place, then we're returning to Moonzaar." She glanced up at the Tower, "we're only going there because that's where the future queen of Moonzaar is."

            Mirrorspirit seemed to accept that because she walked foreword, then broke into a gallop and they were at the gates of the Tower in no time.

            Rayvin dismounted and patted the horse's flank fondly, then turned her attention to the courtyard, where she could see a group gathered. She picked Savina, who was wearing a white tunic and black pants with her sword buckled around her waist, out of the crowd and frowned. It really wasn't fitting for the queen to be dressed like that, but all that would change when they returned to Moonzaar.

            She watched Savina for a moment, noticing the sadness on her face and seeing the way her gaze lingered on the Mirkwood elf, Legolas. Rayvin knew Savina loved him, and she felt a pang of guilt, knowing she was halfway responsible for the fact that they couldn't be together. She shrugged, law was law and the law clearly stated that Savina was to be queen.

            The law could have been changed; Rayvin knew it as well as anyone else, but Savina must have realized that her people needed her. They were weak and few in number and the recent events had strained the whole race to desperate measures. Deep down, Rayvin felt awful that she'd laid this burden on Savina, but the survival of the MoonElf race was far more important than the will of a single elf…wasn't it?

            Of course it was. Rayvin strode foreword, her long hair blowing back and her armor clanging softly. She stopped in front of Savina, painfully aware that all talking and action had ceased, and tried to smile, "ready?"

            Savina lowered her head, "yes."

            This was ridiculous, she was going to be crowned queen of a nation and everyone was acting as if she was going to executed. Rayvin glanced at the others, noticing a human wizard that she was sure hadn't been there before. She shrugged, "your friends are still welcome to come and celebrate your inauguration with us."

            The wizard spoke, "of course we're coming."

            Rayvin raised and eyebrow, "all of you?"

            The human ranger, Aragorn, spoke, "all of us."

            Rayvin hoped there would be enough food and drink for everyone. There were already twenty-three MoonElves in Moonzaar, cleaning up and preparing the palace for Savina's arrival. She smiled and started back toward Mirrorspirit, "we should get started then, Moonzaar is less than an hour away but there is much to do."

            If it was rightful that Savina become queen, why did Rayvin feel like she was sentencing her cousin to death?

~*~

            The ride was indeed short.

            Savina rode near the front, just behind Nor and Rayvin, on a reddish-brown stallion. She didn't speak the entire time, but sat with her shoulders hunched and her head down.

            Legolas was in agony. He rode a white and black stallion named Heenuri that was nearly as fidgety as he was. As the horse reared up on his hind legs and did an odd sort of dance sideways, Legolas clung to his broad neck and stared foreword at where Savina rode, talking quickly under his breath, "this isn't right, they can't keep her if she doesn't want to stay…we can escape tonight."

            Aragorn, riding a brown stallion that was as steady and calm as him, was the only one near enough to hear Legolas. He glanced at Legolas and sighed, "shut up, Legolas, she isn't going anywhere."

            Legolas clenched his fists, nearly falling off of his horse, "maybe I can stay, just to be near her…" He trailed off, knowing it would never work that way.

            Frodo's heart ached. He wanted to go home and knew that's all Savina wanted. He hoped she would find some sort of happiness in this Moonzaar; it was apparently quite a beautiful land. He didn't see how there could be any lovely little valley tucked in the folds of Mordor. Just as he thought that, his horse turned a corner in the winding mountain pass they were riding through and his breath was taken away.

            The first impression he had of Moonzaar was that it was like Rivendell, but a second glance told him he was wrong. It wasn't like Rivendell at all.

            The trees were the greenest he had ever seen, reminiscent of those in the Shire, and flowers of all types and colors grew everywhere. A beautiful stream with clear water wound through the valley, parallel to a flat road that seemed to be made of obsidian. The buildings were typical of elves, reflecting their love of graceful pillars and windows that let air and light into their homes. Moonzaar was a beautiful land indeed.

            Savina gazed around her at Moonzaar, the land she would be queen of, and found herself wishing her mother could see all of this beauty. Her horse stopped suddenly and she found Rayvin staring at her, a smile on her face.

            Rayvin raised one shining armored arm and pointed straight ahead to the most beautiful building Savina had ever seen, with wide windows and arched doorways. "Welcome to the palace, Savina."

            "I'm going in there?" It was the kind of stupid question that people ask when they're in awe.

            Rayvin laughed, "you'll be living there actually." She glanced back at the MoonElves, who were peering at their old houses, anxious to get home, "you may go to your homes, but the inauguration ceremony with start in one hour."

            Savina nearly fell off of her horse, "one hour!"

            "Yes," Rayvin glanced at Savina's clothes, "we must get you into something more suitable. Come on."

            "What about my friends?" Savina glanced around, trying to find them in the hustle and bustle surrounding them.

            A nearby MoonElf stepped foreword, "I prepared rooms for them in the palace."

            Savina stared at him for a moment, then her face relaxed, "thank you."

            "Yes, Lady," he bowed and turned to find the visitors, who were still sitting on their horses.

            Savina dismounted and turned back to Rayvin, "what do you mean, something more suitable?"

            Rayvin laughed, "come on."

~*~

            Savina bit her lip and looked down at the dress, "I can't wear this."

            "Why not?" Rayvin looked Savina up and down, "you need something like this to be inaugurated."

            "I know, but," she bit her lip again and turned to look in the mirror.

            It was a black silk dress decorated with silver embroidery of stars and moons. The skirt was a full, wide hoop skirt that fell to the floor and the top was sleeveless and corset-style.

            Savina chewed her lip and started to walk foreword, the skirt almost tripping her, "I'll kill myself in this thing," she poked at the hoop, "how am I supposed to sit down?"

            Rayvin shrugged and picked up a brush from the dressing table, "I don't know, I've never worn anything like that. Come here so I can brush your hair."

            Noticing that there a chair in front of the dressing table, Savina made her way over, the skirt bouncing joyfully, and tried to lower herself onto the chair. Unfortunately, that hoop of her shirt didn't bend very well and knocked the chair backward, leaving her to find herself sprawled on the ground, laughing. "Maybe I just won't sit down."

            Rayvin laughed and heaved her to her feet, then attacked her hair with the brush. When she was done, she stepped back and looked Savina up and down, "perfect, you could probably use some jewelry but that will be presented to you at the ceremony."

            "What am I supposed to do?"

            "Just walk gracefully and beautifully up the isle and do what Nor tells you to do."

            Savina was silent for a moment, staring at Rayvin silently.

            "What are you thinking?" Rayvin reached out and fixed a strand of silver hair.

            "I'm wondering why you are demanding that I be queen when there are other, better candidates, including yourself."

            Rayvin set the brushed down and crossed her arms, glancing down at the navy blue dress she had changed into for the ceremony, "look at the MoonElf race, depleted to nearly nothing. We desperately need a leader, a new, fresh, strong inspiration." She glanced up at Savina, "that inspiration is you, not to mention that it is MoonElf law that you be queen, your father was the rightful king."

            Savina was about to ask more, but a knock at the door interrupted her.

            Rayvin glanced at Savina, then called out, "come in."

            A MoonElf poked her head into the room, a smile appearing on her face when she spotted Savina, "my queen, you look beautiful…" then remembered her message, "oh yes, we're ready, everyone is here."

            Rayvin put her hand on Savina's shoulder, "then it is time you take your place on the throne."