Author's Note: hey, well, this time the update was pretty quick ha? Well, I hope it'll stay that way for a while.

"You what?!"

Alinne had made her way back that morning and had told every one about the announcement tomorrow and where it was held. After that she made her way to the Main Huts to talk to Nithem. To say the least, Nithem was horrified to learn where and how Alinne had spent the night.

"Oh, Nithem, you should know me better than that. Nothing happened, I just fell asleep.... in the wrong place.

Nithem calmed down a bit at that, but she now had many questions to ask Alinne. Before she could say a word however, Alinne said what she has been wanting to talk to Nithem about for a very long time.

"Nithem, I really need to talk to you."

"Alinne, you can talk to me about anything. What is troubling you? I noticed you have not being yourself lately."

"Well, it is..Legolas."

"Prince Legolas?" Nithem asked her in a way that told her that she must call him Prince Legolas since it is perceived as disrespect. "What is it about Prince Legolas that bothers you?"

In a quiet voice Alinne answered half in fear, and half in humiliation. "I like him, Nithem. I like him a lot. In fact, since I first saw him, I could not stop thinking about him. And so many thing have happened to me because of that that I wished did not happen."

Nithem was very overwhelmed by what Alinne was saying, but she had to know more if she were to try and help.

"What happened?"

"I told him."

Nithem was puzzled and had to dig deeper to find the meaning of what Alinne was saying.

"You told him what Alinne?"

Suddenly realizing that she has not even told Nithem that secret, she tried to change the subject. "Nothing, I told him nothing."

Nithem of course wasn't convinced, but decided not to drag on that. She did now know however, that Alinne was very possibly in love. But what could she do? It was up to Alinne and Legolas, but for now, they had to arrange all of the announcement plans. Alinne then told Nithem about Legolas wanting to talk to her and Nithem finally told Alinne some things that where only supposed to be told to the Prince.

"There was a will you know."

"A will? From King Tharanduil?"

"Yes, before he left, he wrote out what he wanted his son to do, and what for us to do while Prince Legolas is not here yet. I was not supposed to, but I read it before hiding it. Now do not ask, I only remember a little bit of it, and either way, I read it really quickly so I might be wrong, but as far as I remember, the Prince has to find a maid within a week of coming back unless something else interferes."

"A week? But that only gives him a couple more days to pick one and he does not even know anyone!"

"Well, yes, but since no one but you and I know he is the prince, we can start that time from tomorrow's announcement and we would be still following the will."

"Alright, but we need to talk to him about that."

"Are you alright?" Nithem was very concerned about Alinne because of her troubles, but Alinne had more troubles than Nithem could ever imagine. Nithem knew that Alinne's parents could come at any moment and that when they come Alinne needs to be engaged to a man respectable and one of a rich family. But there were troubles Alinne had that Nithem did not know. Alinne really did love Legolas, and the fact that he had to pick a maid to marry in a week worried her.

Alinne knew she was less than perfect. She knew that there were many prettier maids in Mirkwood. She knew that she had a very short temper and that when she was mad, barely anyone could stand her. She also knew that her hair was less than perfect and that there were maids in Mirkwood that were so much more perfect than she was, those that had a wonderful personality, could cook, had gorgeous bodies and hair, and were everything any man would ever want.

Those are the things she knew, some didn't agree with her, but those were the things she "knew". And so now, after agreeing with Nithem about the meeting, she went back to her hut to change and then meet Nithem in the Healing Houses to make their way up to the castle.

Author's note: Sorry if this wasn't the greatest chapter ever, but it had to be done, and at 11 at night at that, so I apologize.