TITLE: United as One

AUTHOR: Araisilwen

CHAPTER 4: Unexpected Encounter

It was another elf, but very different then the dark elves of Ardenwood. Where Faira's hair was dark as night, his was a bright as sunshine, where her eyes where as green as the forests under storm clouds, his was as the sea on a clear day. Faira had never seen such colors on an elf before. All the people of Ardenwood were dark haired and dark eyed.

They stood like that for a long time, each aiming their bow at the other. None dared to move or breathe. Finally, the blonde elf lowered his bow in silent surrender to the lady in front of him. She imitated his motion. He looked perplexed. "Forgive me, my Lady, for startling you." He gently took her hand and kissed the top of it. "What are you doing this close to Dol Guldor, if you do not mind me asking?"

"I...um..well...." Since she had not met anyone for two months, she did not come up with an excuse as to her presence in these woods. She did not think she would need one. "I...was traveling and I......got lost." Was the only thing she could come up with off of the top of her head like that.

The elf nodded as if in understanding. "Then, my Lady, I shall help you find your way. To where is your destination?" He was asking too many questions. Way too many. How can she get rid of him?

"I don't really have a destination at the moment, kind sir. I'm just exploring that which I have stumbled upon." Well, it was sort of the truth. He raised an eyebrow at this, but nodded again.

"Then allow me to take you to the road, it is but a days walk from here. You might have a clearer perception of your destination by then."

Faira, seeing no way to get rid of him without seeming rude, nodded her head. "That would be wonderful." She lied.

The other elf smiled. "Good. Follow me." And she did. They walked for quite some time under the failing sun, and finally as night settled upon Arda, the blonde elf broke the silence.

"Forgive me, but in all of the excitement I have forgotten to introduce myself. My name is Legolas, my Lady." Faira stopped at this in utter shock. Legolas? Not Prince Legolas of Mirkwood? Her sworn enemy?

"Uh.... Prince Legolas?" She asked, a little nervous.

Legolas sighed at that, "Unfortunately so, My Lady. But please, grace me with your name as well."

Faira didn't know what to do. He must know of her and the royal family since she knew of him. And even if he didn't, someone in Mirkwood was bound to know. "Uh.....my name is," she paused, "Fiarwen." That was the first name that came to her mind. It was what her mother used to call her, 'fire-maiden.'

"It is a lovely name. Now, Fiarwen, we should rest here for the night." And with that he began to make a small fire, oblivious to Fiarwen's scrutinizing gaze.

What had she gotten herself into?

After a quick meal, the two elves began a small conversation, to which Faira's curiosity was at its peak. She had asked what the city of the Mirkwood elves was like, what his father was like and many other questions for what seemed like hours, which Legolas answered joyfully.

Finally, Faira was out of questions and felt like she had known Legolas all of her life. There were still awkward moments between them, but this forming friendship made Faira question whether or not her people where correct in their assumptions of the Mirkwood folk. Instead of letting the silence hang, Legolas began an interrogation of his own.

"So, Fiarwen, where do you come from." He asked as they each lay in opposite directions, with their heads side-by-side, gazing at the stars.

Faira paused, what could she tell him? "Just a small little forest, nothing much."

"What is its name? Maybe I have heard of it."

"I doubt that." She said, a little too quickly. Legolas noted this, but did not press the issue.

"Did you have any family in this...small forest?"

"Yes. My father." She answered, sadness creeping into her voice.

"And?" Legolas realized he might have reached a touchy subject, which only heightened his curiosity.

"And....he was my father." She realized that this wasn't the answer he was looking for and continued. "He was strict, very much so. He acted like I was a fragile bird that should never leave the nest because of the danger that lies in flight!" She finished angrily.

"What happened?" He asked, even more curious as to her anger.

"What do you mean?"

"What happened between you and your father to make you speak angrily of him?"

"Oh, that." She took a deep, stilling breath. How could he understand what had happened between her and her father? "We.... got into an argument..... over his protectiveness of me. It became very heated and well...........here I am."

"Do you mean to tell me that he disowned you?" Legolas propped himself up on his elbow, looking into her sad eyes that glimmered in the moonlight.

"Not disowned ..... per say." He didn't say anything to that and she answered the expectant silence. "He just told me never to come back." A solitary silent tear ran down her cheek.

"I'm sorry. I did not know. I should not have asked." Legolas said as he tried to comfort her, but she did not want his comfort and stood up.

"That is all right, Prince Legolas, do not fret over my past. I suggest we get some rest before the dawn is upon us." And with that she strode a few feet away from him, laid out her bed roll, and laid down to sleep.

'Why are you so mysterious?' Legolas thought as he watched her smooth her bedroll on the ground. 'What is it that you have to hide?'

As he watched her, he noticed something shiny on the ground where she had laid. He gently picked it up and recognized it to be a necklace. The pendant was that of the royal seal of Ardenwood. He glanced from the necklace, to Faira and back to the necklace again. Does this mean she is from Ardenwood? Then why would she carry the royal seal? What does this mean?