A/N: Only reason for the title of the chapter is because 'Keep the Faith' by Michael Jackson was stuck in my head and that seemed to be the only way to get it out.

Chapter Nineteen: Keep the Faith

Elorelei stomped her foot and looked about the kitchen. Seeing no one, she frowned. "MAEHAR! YOU'RE NEVER AROUND, BUT I NEED YOU!"

Instead, Legolas poked his head in. "What are you doing in here?" Something smelled incredibly good; he could almost taste it already.

She looked up from stirring the pot of whatever she was making. "Cooking, can you get Maehar, please?"

"Can I taste it?"

"No. Get Maehar please, Legolas?"

"Um, actually, I've been meaning to ask you something." He stepped in a little more now, biting his bottom lip. "I was wondering, how long am I staying?"

Elorelei shrugged. "It was Felly's idea. I think your parents are coming for a conference in a few days."

He nodded, disturbed that this wasn't bothering her. He didn't know how to say it, though. So he did as she asked and tracked Maehar down.

He huffed after Legolas had found him. He was stretched out comfortably in a chair, handling the details of the conference. "Oh, what now?" He bowed respectfully to the Prince, then turned from the room. Legolas took his seat, and sat down to think.

*~*~*~*

Almost a week later, Minele fit a sparkling circlet on Elorelei's head. "You do remember how to act in the presence of company?"

"Of course, the ceremonial throwing of horse dung, followed by the tripping of the guests." Elorelei laughed in reply. Minele hit her with a soft backhand. "Okay, okay, I remember. Bow a lot, mind my manners, don't give my opinion." She knew quite well how to behave, but she cleverly never said she would.

Minele made a sound of semi-approval. "Oh, Legolas, dear, don't you look handsome?" Elorelei fidgeted uncomfortably. "Maybe you can get this girl to let her hair-" Minele's long fingers reached for Elorelei's hair tie, but the princess's hand snapped back and stopped it.

"NO." For all she had done to Minele, she had never been quite so bold as to grab her to forcefully and tell her what to do. As much as she hated the fact, her mother WAS Queen.

Legolas flinched in the doorway. No one said anything, but Elorelei let go of Minele's hand. Before she could apologize, the Queen fled the room, looking hurt and angry.

Elorelei sighed dejectedly and pulled her hair tie out, not on accident. She had forgotten Legolas had never seen her like that and remembered just a moment too late. "Oops."

Legolas swallowed the sudden something that had bubbled up in his stomach.

Instead of grabbing all her hair up, she just rearranged it, moving the silver crown to a more favorable position. It was too late now, no point in hiding what she had. Sighing, she pushed away from the vanity and stood up. "Well," Her arms dropped to her sides in a shrug. "How do I look?" It was a shiny silver gown, made of the same material as her last one, embroidered with white satin flowers. She wore a thin, platinum belt with it, embedded with pearls. Her head wore only a crown and nothing else. Her hair was long, clean, untouched, and an almost fiery black. Legolas reached over and pulled a few wisps of hair so they hung in front of her.

"Perfect."

*~*~*~*

"Is it my imagination, or does Legolas look not happy to see us?" His father was teasing, but Legolas was not.

He bowed. "Father." His voice was regal, formal, not the tone one usually used with family. His mother did that horrible face-wrinkling thing that made him shiver before he acknowledged her as well. "I wish I had run away." He thought to himself. His parents loved him. Really they did. He knew that, but sometimes it seemed they cared more about him glorifying their family than him. "I want you to meet Princess Elorelei."

"Legolas, did you- Oh, hello." She smiled politely as she knew how at the Queen asnd King and bowed respectfully. Legolas wanted to laugh. Elorelei and polite mingling simply did not go hand-in-hand with each other.

The mother looked appalled by what Elorelei had just said. "I'll ask you to address my son as PRINCE Legolas, my dear."

Legolas bit his lip, embarrassed, but said nothing. Elorelei stared at the Queen (Eilea was her name) like she wanted to reach right over and slap her. "You're Legolas's mom?" She spoke through her teeth, clearly disgusted by this woman.

The Queen drew herself up, barely taller than Elorelei herself. "I am his mother, and I'll ask you again to address him properly. He is PRINCE."

Instead, she did something much more insulting. She looked right past her and stepped up to Legolas, Completely disregarding her mother's appalled glance, she said, "Legolas," She repeated, not adding "prince" at all. "Where've you been? My grandfather wants to speak with you."

"Young lady-"

"That's Princess to you, you puffed-up, overbearing-" Elorelei snarled something or other under her breath.

Legolas laughed out loud. "ELORLEI!"

"Come on, Legolas. Grandpapa gets impatient." And turned him away without so much as a 'good day'.

Legolas snickered as they walked away. "I knew you couldn't keep that up for that long."

"I HATED that woman as a child. She called me 'Pretty Little Princess' and looked at me like I was stupid when she came once. SHE BROUGHT ME A DOLL TO PLAY WITH SO I WOULDN'T GET IN THE WAY!" The prince fell to the ground, laughing hysterically. Elorelei playing with a doll was just too much. "Legolas, come on, get up. I was serious about my grandfather." Legolas nodded, the ghost of a smile still in his face.

*~*~*~*

"How fares Legolas, my dearest?" Felair smiled at his daughter, his sparrow.

Elorelei blinked. "He's quite fine, what's Grandpapa talking to him about?"

Felair's smile slipped as if it had stumbled on a rock. "Nothing of your concern, sparrow. But..." He paused. He couldn't do this, not to his own child. But what COULD he do? Drop the blame on his wife? True, she was to blame, but wasn't he the King? "Minele... has made arrangements for your marriage." He said, softly. She opened her mouth, but he knew what she was thinking. "To the Prince of the South, not to Legolas."

Elorelei stared, remembering Jayik's hand hitting her across the face. This stung even more. "Cancel these arrangements." She said, her voice was high and panicky and her pride took a deep blow because of it. "I am not ready to marry."

"You are almost a millennia old. You must choose a husband." Felair choked out the words as best he could. This was law. "This is law," It had to be done. "It has to be done." I don't want you to, my sparrow, I love you. I hate to see you suffer so. He did not add this, but looked at his daughter, becoming short of breath.

"CHANGE the law."

"I cannot, dearest. You must marry him."

Her fathers voice quaked, she thought he was going to cry. Her father did NOT cry. "I will not. Minele has gone too far. She cannot dictate my life AND my love." He stared. "I will not marry him, you cannot force me."

Felair opened and closed his mouth, lost for words. "Sparrow... please..."

"DAUGHTER! Come, there is someone I wish you to meet!" Minele's voice.

Elorelei had never before felt such bitter hatred for it, and she turned to look her father in the eye. "I'll not marry him, I will not." She walked out before her father could stop her.

"There you are. This is Prince Evandar, from the South."

Elorelei curtsied, spying Legolas entering the room from another door. With one glance, she knew he knew. "I won't." She told him in her mind, hoping he could hear her.

"Elorelei, are you listening? I've arranged for you two to be wed."

"No."

Minele looked at Elorelei, but in a harsh way. She wasn't looking at her, but through her. "No? My dearest, you have no choice. This marriage has been made since you left for the Castle. I give him you."

The princess shrugged. "It does not matter. I have a choice."

"You don't!" The Queen insisted, a wildness lacing her usually prim voice.

"You're wrong," said Elorelei shortly. "You did not send me to that Castle to learn how to become a half-wit, did you?"

"But- but, daughter, I'm afraid your only other option is-"

"I am not your toy. I am not yours to give." She removed her crown. "And as of now, I am not your daughter."