Thanks to:
little-lost-one Um, that was the oddest review I had ever recieved... haha but it sounds like something I would say... ahh bendy straws! Ahh spoons! Ahh spatulas! Now I'm scared to go to my kitchen… shudder!
Anilmathiel =)
icy878 Ahh! Legolas is mysterious... but that's just how he is! Thanks for reviewing- again!
aquitaineq yes, had fun on vacay- thank you lots! Now… going on another vacay! lol

Hmm.. thinking about writing a (new) happy story- humor... what do you think?

I'm really sorry I haven't been updating- though not for lack of trying! FF.net just isn't cooperating... =O

Anyway...

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'Aaecien! Come here now and clean this mess up!' Adrodia commanded.

'Yes, my Lady,' Aaecien said, pulling a diminutive, filthy cloth from the pocket of her dress which held the essence of once being bright emerald. Aaecien kneeled on the floor and started scouring.

'Hurry up,' Adrodia snapped, smoothing out her large, rose colored frock, 'Prince Cobryn will be here soon.' There was a brisk knock on the heavy door and Adrodia did not skip a beat as she glided over and kicked Aaecien into the other room before she opened the door.

'Oh!' squealed a high voice that Aaecien heard in the other room, 'Prince Cobryn! It is so-' she dragged out the little word and made it quite lengthy, 'lovely to see you again.' They started a conversation and Cobryn entered the kitchen, where Aaecien was kneeling, still scrubbing the floor.

'Aaecien!' Adrodia shouted, and then looked over at the Prince as she fluttered her eyelashes, 'What are you doing on the floor?' Cobryn looked from Adrodia's radiant face curtained by gold ringlets down to Aaecien, who looked as if she was about to faint or simply bend over and die with her long dark hair and mud streaked, pale face.

Cobryn held out his long golden hand and lifted Aaecien from the ground, 'Beseeching your pardon, my Lady-' Aaecien gasped a bit at being called a "Lady," 'But what ever were you doing-

There is a blur of yellow and ink. I look up to see Saelbeth, long blond hair flying about as if he had just gotten off his horse and his cheeks are the color of Anor right before she sets.

"I was reading that."

"I know," he smirks, "Why were you reading this? It is an asinine story- one that a young child would read," his bright blue eyes scan the blue cover, "'Aaecien'? That is a tale made for women who do not believe in love. Why are you reading it?"

I quickly take the opportunity to snatch the book back, "Because when Men fall in love it is beautiful-" He snorts. I sigh, almost dreamily, "It is the whole enchantment of knowing they will be parting soon and their time together is short," I look up at him and sigh, "And I do not believe in love, so it is quite fitting."

I open the book again but find that I can not concentrate on it while Saelbeth is here.

"What did you come here for?" I ask, trying to sound as gracious as possible.

He sits down beside me, "To talk." I place the book on a table.

I sigh, "I know it is rather difficult. Everything is quite sad now, it is almost as if every thing has been covered by a dark blanket," I sigh again, thinking about they who once were- beautiful Arwen, friendly Bilbo, brave Frodo, faithful Sam, and finally, stubborn Gimli- all gone.

"It is our curse," I add.

He nods, "They are all gone- petals from the beautiful Elanor, they once were, yet even the most cared for flower must die sometime, I suppose," he adds hastily, "But that is not what I came to talk about."

I clear my throat, "Then what is it you wished to speak of?"

He stands from his seat, "O! It is nothing of importance, but, my Lady, would you like to accompany me to the pavilion?"

I laugh, "Most certainly, dear Saelbeth."

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I sit down, tracing the white iron with my fingers.

"What brings you here?" I look up to see Calwaiel- and I noticed she is wearing the dress I had made for her.

"Oh… Saelbeth asked would I like to accompany him here and I said 'of course.'" I sigh and look toward a table, cherry wood with intricate carvings; Lord Elrond, Lady Celebrían, and Elladan are sitting there. I see Elrohir, not far from the table, dancing with a gorgeous maiden I have not seen before. She is very short, for an Elf, but has willowy legs and arms, covered in pale skin. I can only see her back from here, but she has long, blond ringlets of hair- almost white.

I scoff. Lady Galadriel's hair far surpasses the beauty of her hair, though attractive. I glance over at Lady Galadriel, dancing with Lord Celeborn, their hair sways- the stars in his, and the sun in hers. I sigh.

To say her hair was beautiful would be offensive- rather, it seemed that everything surrounding it- the Elanors that she took her little, graceful steps in between; the elegantly carved chair next to her; the old tree that was but a sapling next to her- seemed to give all its beauty to her. Even to say that it was a waterfall of gold, though 'twas true, would, too, be impertinent.

It was the sun; thrown into clear spring water, from which a tree emerged, and its thick branches separated, becoming thinner as it became threads of the sun- Lady Galadriel's hair itself.

I took a braid of my hair- long, straight, and dark. Of course, it was very clean and 'beautiful,' like all hair of the Eldar. Any mortal would be impressed. But we… I sigh again. We are quite hard to satisfy. I look over at Legolas.

He is now dancing with the stunning maiden whom Elrohir was dancing with just moments ago. I can see her face, barely, just as radically pale as the rest of her skin. She has a little pointed nose and rosy, pink lips that are pouting. I wish my lips were like that, alas, they are a rosy brown.

"Canyaiel? Are you listening to me?" I look up to see Calwaiel looking down at me, exasperated.

"Who is that?" I ask, ignoring her question.

She looks over and wrinkles her nose a bit, "That is Annacálë."

"You do not like her?" I ask, still studying her expressions carefully. I glance back toward them. Legolas was holding her quite closely… I see Legolas laugh and I feel a thread of jealousy being sewn through my stomach.

"She is pleasant," Calwaiel replies, avoiding the question, "bearable," she adds, under her breath. I laugh but I do not care that she has not answered my inquiry properly.

'Annacálë' glances toward me and smiles a little, the smile reaching her… violet eyes? Yes, they are violet, and curtained behind long, dark, curled eyelashes. Her perfect smile reveals her perfect teeth and golden-white ringlets fall gracefully, like the branches of a willow tree, but in a careless manner, framing her feminine, heart-shaped face.

She turns back toward Legolas, making the long skirt of her blue dress ruffle on the floor. I notice it is woven with silk ribbons and when she twirls, little beams of light come from the gems that are sewn on to it.

"What brings you here?" I turn around.

"Elrohir," I respond coldly. I look at my sister, "Would you like to know what would be extremely funny?" I did not wait for her to answer, "If we took the 'gift of light' and hid her in the snow high upon Caradhras. I do not think we would be able to find her in the snow."

Calwaiel laughs. I think I liked it better when Calwaiel was the prettiest. I feel a very powerful grip around my wrist, under the long sleeve of my dress, and I look down to see one of Elrohir's rough hands surrounding my little wrist. Suddenly, my hand feels frozen and it was not pale any longer, but turning a brilliant crimson color.

"Elrohir, it hurts," I snap, looking up at him, and refusing to let myself beg as I try to stop the tears from falling from my eyes. He ignores me.

"Do not say anything badly about Annacálë ever again," he commands.

I feel my eyes light up, almost as if on fire, "And why not? Suddenly, she is your best friend but I have known you for far longer. I suppose it was all wasted millennia." The tears streamed down my cheeks and I look at my hand again, which was now a suspicious blue.

"Elrohir," Calwaiel reacts, abruptly, worry apparent in her gentle voice and fury growing in her eyes like a flame being fed, "Elrohir! Release your grip from her!" It hurts- a lot. But, I will not give him the pleasure of knowing that he is hurting me- that is what he wants me to do. He tightens his grip and my hand no longer feels cold, but drained and blank.

"Do not say anything badly about Annacálë ever again," he repeats.

"Elrohir, Elrohir! Let her go now!" Calwaiel says loudly, though not wanting to draw attention. I look straight into his grey eyes, daring him to say something else.

"Afraid?" he asks, tauntingly.

"Of what?" I snap back. His eyes seem to flash with a look I had never seen before. He looks at me, suggesting that he grasp harder with his eyes.

And now I know. It is not like a story.

It is not a perfect story which Ada would read to me about Elven Princesses who were trapped and saved by handsome Lords. It is not a perfect story about maidens subject to a destiny far worse than death itself but, somehow, they succeed in being saved by an elegant, generous Elf. It is not a perfect story of how the Lady manages to escape a crowd of orcs just barely when a Prince comes and takes her in his strong arms atop his white horse and rides back to the kingdom where they live a magnificent life.

No one will come and save me. I lean down and in one rapid motion I bite his hand- hard. He releases my wrist in surprise and snaps it back toward him hastily. He glares at me, with a hatred in his eyes that I had never seen before. I stand up quickly, scared, and run. I knock over a few chairs, some on purpose, some accidental, and feel the warmth crawl slowly back into my hand.

I keep running and see that I am lost. I can barely hear his soft footsteps and I climb up a tree. I am far better at climbing trees than he is- I always have been.

I see him in the little clearing and his hand has drops of red on it. He looks up and I pray to Elbereth that he does not see my plain blue dress, which would probably stand out amid a forest of brown and green. By some marvel, he does not seem to, for he stomps a bit and walks back toward the direction where he came from.

I let out the breath that I did not realize I was holding and lean against the sturdy stump of the tree.

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Haha! Little Mary-Sue cameo… oh, trust me, she'll play a *somewhat* big part in this section of the story *evil cackle* Review! (I'm gonna have fun with the next chapters… mwahaha) Review! (and I'll get them out quicker… I'll try anyway. I'm going to Canada on the 20th (tomorrow... well it WAS tomorrow when I was editing this... perhaps it will be yesterday or something by the time ff.net finally cooperates!) so I might not be able to update as much… I'll try!) REVIEW!! (please?)