Tobu Ishi: I'm glad you're enjoying this. As to how I write these chapters so quickly…I really don't know. The ideas and words just come to me and onto the computer they go. I try to have others read them first before I post them, though. Other than that, I'm pretty satisfied with whatever I write.

A/N: Okay, I know most of you are wondering when Ziendriel and Legolas are going to get back together and I assure you that they will! They just have to go through a bit more before they do. *tries to duck from all the curses and hexes being thrown* SORRY!

Chapter 21

            At the very moment that Ziendriel had decided to find her friends, Elyse Silverstream was waiting patiently in a spot in the forest nearly an hour away. Her excitement kept her from sitting and instead had her pacing the ground. In her hand she held the rolled up parchment she had received just hours ago, clutched it so tightly in her fingers that sweat was beginning to form within her palm. Every so often her eyes would steal to the parchment, causing the smile on her face to grow.

            She did not know why she had brought along the message; she had long ago engraved its words into her heart and mind and could relay it word for word. Perhaps it was just a reminder of a dream fulfilled.

            For the hundredth time since she had received the message, Elyse unrolled the scroll. She stopped in her tracks as she read the message once more:

            My dearest Elyse,

               Forgive my foolishness for not sending for you sooner. I beg of you to meet me at the spot indicated below; come as soon as you have received this. What I have to say cannot be expressed on paper, but rather in person.  I would that I might look deep into your eyes and see my soul reflected there. I pray that you grant me this request.

            At last, I have come to my senses.

            The message had been signed by the prince himself, along with the official seal of his family. Elyse could hardly believe her eyes as she stared at the message once more, feeling the giddiness creep into her bones. She felt like singing, dancing, anything! Her dream, her wish, her heart's greatest desire had been fulfilled and she could think of nothing else.

            A smug smile suddenly stole upon her face and she laughed. "To think I felt threatened by Ziendriel Yalith!" she said, shaking her head, "There was nothing to fear all along!" She laughed again, then clutched the scroll to her chest, her eyes sparkling. "She truly is a fool for letting him slip through her fingers," she added, knowing Legolas had felt…something for Ziendriel at one point, "But, unlike her, I will not. The chance has come to me and long have I prepared for it; nothing will keep us apart." Her eyes glittered dangerously in the fading light.

            "You have the look of a cat getting its cream," a voice suddenly told her, causing her to turn swiftly on her heel.

            Elyse felt the frown burrow onto her face as she faced Ariel Yalith. "What are you doing here?" she growled, her hands on her hips.

            Ariel just smugly smiled back. "I could ask you the same thing," she said, stepping out into the small clearing between the trees. She flicked her long, blonde tresses over her shoulder with a toss of her head, catching the dimming light.

            "That is none of your business!" Elyse snapped, "And I suggest you move along. I am meeting someone here; someone very important." She resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at her.

            "Well, isn't that a coincidence," Ariel shot back, one brow arched, "So am I."

            Elyse stared at her, her eyes wide with shock. It took a moment for her to recover. "Oh, don't be such a child, Ariel!" she scolded, once she regained her composure, "I have not traveled all this way to play an annoying game of copycat with you!"

            Ariel rolled her eyes. "It is you who is being the child, Elyse!" she retorted, "As you have said, the travel is long and weary. Why would I have come all this way simply to put a damper on your 'secret meeting'? I have better things to do than waste my time on you!"

            Elyse's eyes bugged from their sockets. "How dare you say such a thing to me!" she exclaimed, her voice taking on a high-pitch, "When the prince and I are married, I will make sure you are held responsible for your insolence!" Her eyes blazed threateningly.

            Ariel stared at her in shock. "You marry the prince?" she repeated, then laughed as if it was the most amusing thing in Middle-Earth, "I think you have pulled too many hairs from your head while grooming yourself! It has made you delusional!"

            "Oh, really?" Elyse sneered, shoving her scroll in front of the other maiden, "Then why do I have a message from the prince, personally inviting me here to meet him?"

            "Impossible!" Ariel scoffed, "He is coming here to meet me!" She, too, held a scroll of parchment, pulling it from the pockets of her cloak.

            Elyse snatched it from her and tried to read it, but Ariel just as quickly snatched it back. "You are lying, Ariel Yalith!" she yelled, poking her in the chest with one finger.

            Ariel fumed. "I most certainly am not!" she yelled back, slapping her finger away, "But you would know all about lying, wouldn't you, Elyse? You are the mistress of all lies!"

            "How dare you!" Elyse screamed, furious. She lunged forward and tackled Ariel, causing them both to fall to the ground.

            Ariel landed hard on her rear, feeling as if the wind had been knocked out of her. She shook her head to clear her vision, then let out her own scream of fury. She was lying on the forest ground and in her best dress, too! "You imbecile!" she screamed, sitting up and pushing Elyse off of her. She began to try and dust the dirt off, but found it only pressed it into the material of her dress. Her anger grew when she realized her former friend was laughing! "Oh, be quiet!" she snapped, shoving a handful of dirt into the unsuspecting girl's mouth.

            Elyse's laughter soon turned into muffled gagging. She furiously spit the dirt out of her mouth, wiping it with the back of her hand. It left a smudge of dirt that ran from one corner of her mouth and beyond the other. It was Ariel's turn to laugh.

            "I hate you!" Elyse screeched, scooping up her own handful of dirt. She swung her arm forward, but Ariel blocked it with her own. The dirt slipped from her fingers and exploded onto them like a sheet of rain.

            Both girls screamed and began to blindly swing their hands. An occasional slap could be heard as their hands found their marks, but most found empty air. They sat there, trying to wipe the dirt from their eyes, while simultaneously attacking the other. It was because of this that they did not notice a dark figure stalking towards them through the trees.

            It was the figure of a man, dressed in dark green tunics, brown leggings and an equally dark cloak. He stopped just a few feet away from the quarrelling maidens, a wry smile on his lips. This will be easier than I thought, he thought.

            With the quietness only an Elf could posses, the man stalked towards the ladies until he stood directly behind Ariel. He quietly pulled out his sword, then swiftly clubbed the she-elf on the back of her head with the hilt. Ariel let out a yelp, before slumping over onto her side.

            Elyse heard her and immediately stopped her attack. Brushing away the dirt from her eyes, she saw that Ariel was sprawled on the ground, her eyes closed. "Ariel?" she called, moving to her. It was then that she noticed the boots that stood next to the unconscious maiden. Her eyes slowly moved upwards, taking in the boots, the leggings, tunics and cloak, stopping at the newcomer's face. It was shielded by the now faded light of the evening, obscuring his features from her.

            "Who are you?" Elyse demanded, with more courage then she felt, "What have you done to Ariel?" She knew that this man standing before her was not Legolas and felt the fear rising from her chest. They were so far away from anyone to hear them and she feared what this meant for her and Ariel.

            The man made no answer. He stepped towards her, causing Elyse to immediately cower from him. She saw his arm raise above her, saw the gleam of his sword. She opened her mouth to scream, but was denied the chance as the hilt hit her soundly across her temple. Her head lulled as her eyes rolled back into her head. He body fell to the ground with a large thud.

            The man nudged both maidens with the toe of his boot, then smiled when they did not stir. He kneeled down and threw Ariel over one shoulder, Elyse over the other. They flopped around like rag dolls, their limbs loose and flailing. Had the two been conscious, the man would have suffered for the indignity of being roughly handled.

            At that thought, the man smiled. Too bad, he thought, wickedly. Then, grinning, he disappeared into the growing night.