First of all, let me say that I'm really sorry for taking so long to post the second chap. I'm actually still having exams and I've been grounded for something I didn't do. So yeah.I'm sorry. Anyway.this is chapter 3

Chapter 3.

Two months later.

Miriel smiled as she watched the group of elflings in front of her, working diligently on their maps. She looked over at the group of Silien's charges and saw a similar sight. Miriel was thoroughly enjoying her duty of tutor to the elflings, which Silien had given to her after being awed by Miriel's extensive knowledge of Middle-Earth and its history. Her mother had been an intelligent elf herself, and had thought that her daughter should be no different. Therefore from a very young age, Miriel and her brother had been taught in secret by their mother history of Middle-Earth and its peoples. Her father on the other hand had disapproved of education thinking that his son would need none to join the army and his daughter would need none to help her mother run the home.

She also understood why Silien had given her the duty. The elflings were a boisterous group of people. When they were not working diligently, they were noisy and mischievous, but nonetheless, Miriel loved them as though they were her own.

She snapped out of her reverie as one of the young maidens held up her beautiful, completed map with pride.

"I'm done Miriel," she called out, her brown eyes twinkling. Miriel walked over and examined the map. She was amazed at how detailed it was. She herself could not have drawn a better one.

"This is wonderful Anarwen. It is perfect." Miriel said smiling down at the happy child.

"Can I go now? Since I'm done? It is almost the end of the lesson," Anarwen asked.

"I'm sorry Anarwen, but you know the rules, Silien and I are to follow all of you until you get home," Miriel said to her as well as to the other nine children.

Anarwen sighed but then an interesting book caught her eye and she took it and sat in a corner of the schoolhouse to read.

Later, Silien put out the last dish for dinner and the two maidens along with Dormallen, Silien's husband sat down to eat. Miriel did have her own home, the flet where her mother had lived, in fact, but she liked to join her two friends for dinner occasionally. They talked and laughed gaily as Miriel described the latest escapades of the elflings to Dormallen.

~*~

One year later

Miriel glanced southward toward the southern tip of Mirkwood. She felt a wave of fear pass through her as she saw the dark shadow looming over it. She felt a pang of fear and nervousness as she imagined what Dormallen was feeling, as part of the Mirkwood guard, he was at that moment itself fighting the orcs and spiders drawing ever closer to Thranduil's home. She could not even imagine what Silien went through everytime Dormallen left.

That night, her heart filled with joy as Dormallen came home, tired, slightly injured, and battered, but alive none the less. The last battle had been won, but what of the next one? Miriel thought to herself. She knew what the shadow was, and so did everyone else. She also knew that Mordor was gathering strength again. "When would the final battle between good and evil take place?" She wondered. With those thoughts, Miriel went to bed, confused and scared.

The next morning, she awoke, feeling slightly more refreshed and less scared. Somehow, the air she was breathing seemed cleaner; more pure. Miriel began to question her own sanity with a chuckle. Surely she was imagning things. But the moment she went out of her home into the woods, she knew she was not. It was as if the dark, depression that had engulfed Mirkwood previously had suddenly and unexplainably been lifted overnight. Miriel looked to the south and to her great astonishment, the shadow had lifted. It was as if the past year had been a dream; but how could Mirkwood suddenly be beautiful, peaceful, calm and safe, all in the span of one night? Could the necromancer's fortress, Dol Guldur, the orcs and the spiders really be gone?

Confused, she ran back to Silien's home. She found Silien and Dormallen looking at astonishment at each other and so were other elves. So Miriel was really not alone, others felt it too.

"What's going on? How could something like this just happen overnight?" Dormallen asked, confused but still, delighted.

"Never mind that. Praise the Valar. After so many years, the shadow over Mirkwood has finally lifted." An elf, and fellow soldier said to Dormallen.

~*~

That evening, a great feast was held in celebration of the end of Mirkwood and the beginning of Eryn Lasgalen, Greenwood the Great. It was help at the palace and all were invited. Dressed in their best, Silien, Miriel and Dormallen danced, sang and laughed with the other elves.

King Thranduil's speech was short but moving and he praised whatever power that had finally washed Greenwood clean. His only regret, he said, was that his son could not be with him to join in the celebration.

"King Thranduil has a son?" Miriel asked curiously.

"Yes, Prince Legolas. He went on an errand to Rivendell a year ago, but never returned." Dormallen said.

"Is he dead?" Miriel asked.

"Legolas was in the Mirkwood Guard when he lived here. In fact, he was the vice-captain and the best archer in Middle-earth, not to mention one of the best fighters as well. Knowing him, he's still alive and well, probably on some quest, fighting off orcs," Dormallen answered.

"His archery skills are not the only thing Legolas is known for. Many a maiden are smitten with his fair looks. He is one of the most beautiful elves I have ever laid eyes on," Silien said.

"Really? Well Legolas seems like a very interesting person. Maybe I will get a chance to see him if he returns to Greenwood." Miriel mused.

~*~

Two weeks later.

Miriel laughed delightedly as the rain poured down on her in the clearing. She had never felt so alive in her whole life. She danced in circles, with her arms spread out and her drenched hair flying behind her. Her blue dress clung to her skin and water ran in rivulets down her neck, arms and back. It felt so good to be able to roam the forests without worrying about spiders or orcs anymore. Just then, she heard trumpets coming from the city and a faraway voices shouting. Someone had arrived!! But who?

Miriel ran down the forest trail toward the city until she saw a white stallion galloping ahead of her, its rider cloaked. She was so curious as to who the stranger was that she stepped on a rotting twig, which splintered with a crack beneath her foot. The rider immediately stopped his horse at the sound and turned in her direction. Miriel looked up at the rider from behind a tree and found herself staring into the bluest eyes she had ever seen.