Howdy All! Another chapter up. Have I told you guys how much I love you? Well, I do. Enjoy!

*Saelbeth-Elf present at the council of Elrond. I don't know whose actual counselor he was, I can find no reference to him anywhere, but he was seated with the Mirkwood elves in the movie and had blond hair, etc., so I made him a Mirkwood elf (plus, he was kind of perty). I do have pics of these guys if you would like to see for visual reference. Almost forgot. No, Kalen didn't actually lie when she said she was better at her swords than the bow, but I wanted to illustrate the fact that she wasn't as good as she originally thought at the beginning of this story. She had an ego about it, and she had insulted him by implying that the bow was a 'simple' weapon. Guess he showed her, lol.

Numerius rushed to her side, extending a hand to help her up from the ground, his weak smile betraying his pity. Kalen glanced at him, quickly looking away with shame, and then pushing herself up with no aid.

"You fought well, you should feel no disgrace in your defeat. Prince Legolas is not only a master archer, but a master of his knives as well. Very few could have defeated him, but you managed to at least press onward."

Kalen clenched her teeth, trying to fight back the tears. No, she would not allow him the pleasure of seeing her cry. If she had not done it in private when her heart had ached for him, she would not do it when he had purposefully embarrassed her in front of everyone. It had been his purpose, to humiliate her and show her that he was her superior. How wrong she had been to think he was above such foolish games.

"I thank you for your lesson, my lord. It appears that I am not as skilled as I had previously thought, and would have continued in my sightless belief that I was a master of swords. I can see now that I am not. May Varda smile upon you for your kindness in opening my eyes."

And she meant it; every word that she had spoken had been a true sentiment. It took this battle to confirm what Calanagariel had claimed all along. 'The minute you begin believing you have reached your full potential, and lose the desire to exceed those capabilities, another will come along and leave you to eat their dust.' How woeful that it had come with such anger, but at least it had opened her eyes and reaffirmed her decision to refuse him in Rivendell.

"If you will excuse me, good sirs, I must clean up for my meeting with King Thranduil."

Not a word was spoken as she walked back to the palace. Silinde glowered at Legolas and when Kalen could no longer be seen, began to voice his disapproval of the prince's actions.

"Forgive me, Legolas, but I do not think that behavior befitting of you. Was it necessary to humiliate her like that? You knew you could defeat her with ease, and still you continued to goad her into a match she had no hopes of winning."

"I provoked no one! She had every opportunity to refuse, but alas, her stubborn pride got the better of her."

Numerius stepped forward, his need to point out the irony to Legolas' statement great, and he bowed his head in respect.

"My lord, I think it my duty to inform you that she was not alone in being bested by pride. I will omit specifics, but I think your own arrogance made a fine showing today as well."

And with that, Numerius and Silinde bowed before the prince and started toward the palace. The look on Legolas' face illustrated the turning of the wheels in his mind. The point had been made, and he immediately began to regret his decision to give her his lesson in awkwardness.

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With a determined stride, she raced for her room, hoping that no one would interrupt or arrest her path. The last thing she wanted at that moment was to deal with anyone, at least until she could collect herself and harness the bitter emotions that threatened to possess her. She would not lash out at the father, in retaliation of the son. Thranduil had been nothing but generous and kind in his actions toward her, and she would show him nothing less than the respect that was due him.

"Kalen!"

She contemplated ignoring it, but the tone from the voice calling after her told her that it was something important. One cannot simply disregard a call of urgency. As much as it displeased her, she would have to address the person who had been calling her name. She turned around, the long strands of the elf's blonde hair blowing wildly about from his swiftness. She had not formally met him, but knew him to be a counselor to King Thranduil.

"Forgive me, I am Saelbeth*, counselor to king Thranduil, there has been some urgent news come to us only moments ago. The matter will be of great concern to you. Please, follow me."

The look in his eyes was desperate and sorrowful, and it frightened her to know that whatever the matter, it involved her as well. This was no simple matter of quarrels with princes, but something more vital, something crucial. They walked for a few moments, Saelbeth finally ushering her into king Thranduil's study. With a bow and a nod, he turned and departed, closing the door quietly behind him.

"What has happened, sire?"

Thranduil shook his head in disbelief, and the glint of woe in his sapphire eyes doubled her over before the words had left his mouth.

"There has been an attack. We do not know how many are dead, and we are just as oblivious to how many have survived. It is your home, Kalen. An attack was ordered upon your colony, and we have all been powerless to stop it."

Kalen's mouth dropped open. The blow of his son paled in comparison to the blow of his words. She was speechless, thoughts running through her head thrice the speed of normal. 'Calanagariel!' Would she have to endure the loss of a mother for the second time? No, if Calanagariel lived, she would need aid, and if she had not, she would need vengeance. For the first time in as long as she could remember, her own petty sorrow's would have to be forgotten, and the captain within her would finally have to surface and take control. She was wiser and more prepared than she had been since leaving Taureliloomis with Nevaria, and her true strength and resolve overpowered the feeble minded wretch she had been concerning Legolas.

"And you have no tally of the dead? With your leave, I must return to my home and know the devastation and severity of the situation that I might better know what plans are to be made."

"I cannot allow you to leave now. If those responsible are still nearby, you could be captured or worse yet, killed. I will not grant you leave."

She bowed to him and then fixed her gaze to his. She would have him know that nothing, not even his authority, would keep her from returning to Taureliloomis.

"Forgive me my lord, but not even your sovereignty could keep me here."

Kalen turned swiftly, her dark tresses airborne, and disappeared before Thranduil could argue his case. Sorrow, then horror followed by fury, filled her entire being as she rushed down the hallway to her room. She could feel nothing more than the rage, and when she arrived at the door, Legolas waiting in front of it, she grit her teeth.

"Kalen, I am sorry about my...lack of control, earlier."

"Not now, Legolas."

She put her hand on his shoulder and pushed him aside gently. She entered the room, issuing one last statement to him before closing the door.

"I do not think ever."