This chapter is where a little of that PG-13 kicks in. It's a little "romancie", But not to the extreme. Just kissing, and thoughts that's as far as it goes, kay? Don't kill me!

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Kasumi gasped; outside the willow stood a royal messenger-the seal on his tunic showed that he was sent by King Thranduil.

"Oh no," she uttered quietly trying to think of what to do. She turned to Manwein. "Manwein I need you to do me a favor, I will explain why later but it is urgent that you do this for me without asking why until later."

Manwein nodded.

"Diolla lle. I need you to answer the door and pretend I was never here, you have never seen or heard of me. Could you do that?"

Manwein nodded again.

"Thank you," she said again as she ran quickly up the stairs and into her room.

Manwein confused, walked awkwardly to the door and opened it casually. "May I help you?" he asked the guard.

"Yes, have you seen an elf maiden around here? About this tall," he said raising his hand just a little under the height of Manwein's nose. "Long brown tresses and dark brown eyes."

Manwein shook his head at every detail.

"She has a fair complexion and is quite warrior-like, wearing a tunic and trousers. Have you seen a maiden like which I have described?"

"No I am sorry. I have not," Manwein said sincerely.

"Well please look out for her. King Thranduil is placing a reward on this maiden's safe return to the palace."

"Well I will look out for a maiden like such," Manwein said, then asked honestly curious,

"What is this fair maiden's name?"

"Her name is Cutheniel."

"Have you met her before?" Manwein asked even more curious. 'I might as well make the most out of this favor,' he told himself silently.

"Yes I have indeed. At a banquet, she is very beautiful," he said as if entranced and continued. "I thought at first that she was a Valier in disguise. I inquired the Prince – Legolas, he is a close childhood friend of hers, about her, he said that I was almost right. He confined to me that she was sent by a Valier as a gift to Arda, but that I was not to tell her, or anyone else, and that he had only told me because I am one of their highest ranked captains. Hence her loveliness, he seems quite attracted to her though, the Prince, but so is just about every other male elf in the entire court and outside in the village, I have heard them talk about her.

They saw her a lot they did, the village people. She always went out to walk, she used to always be accompanied by the Prince but he has become busy, working for his father. It seems to distress her as much as it distresses him," The guard quickly remembered his duty and stopped. "Pardon me, sir. I seemed to have jabbered much too long. Well please look out for her," he said again bowing his head in pardon.

"Yes I will," Manwein said as the messenger walked away back into the woods. He closed the door and headed up for Kasumi's, or was it Cutheniel's, room?

She was peering out the window watching the messenger run back out into the forest and she turned to him as he entered the room. He was looking forward to this explanation.

They both sat down on the edge of the bed. "Well, umm…you see…" Cutheniel started confused on how she would start. "As I think you already know, I am not Kasumi, and yes I am Cutheniel. I'm missing because I ran away, as you already know from what I told you earlier."

Manwein nodded in understanding.

"What else would you like to know?" she asked hoping that he was satisfied with that explanation. He wasn't.

"Why did you run away, I mean you lived in a palace."

"Because I couldn't do anything. I used to be able to go outside but then the King foreboded me from going on walks. So I had to sneak out, but then he found out and my guards were doubled."

He nodded in an 'I see' fashion. "Okay. Is there anything else I need to know about you, Cutheniel?"

Cutheniel knew that now was the best time to tell him about Legolas, but she just couldn't get it out. She shook her head. "No," She bowed her head like a child who just got caught lying.

"Do not fret Cutheniel, I am not angry with you. You did what you had to do for protection, I understand." He said putting his hand on her shoulder.

She looked up at him and smiled. Manwein blushed lightly and Cutheniel smiled wider. He looked grown but sometimes he acted like a little child, which always made Cutheniel smile.

His hand on her shoulder started to quiver. He wanted to do something but he knew he couldn't, ever since the first incident he knew he couldn't. But the longing was growing inside him again and she could tell.

Cutheniel got up and his hand plopped onto the bed. She shook her head solemnly and he lowered his face and stared at the ground.

"I'm going to go for a walk, is that all right with you?" she asked.

Manwein looked up and nodded.

What happened next surprised Cutheniel more than it did Manwein; she did not know what had caused it. She bent down, pulled his face closer to hers and kissed him-not on the forehead, but on the lips. It lasted longer than Cutheniel had thought it would and she wasn't sure if it was because of her or Manwein.

When she finally stood up Manwein was in the utmost shock. He sat there staring at her surprised and confused.

She walked to the door quietly and looked back at him as she left. His face showed that he was disappointed that that incident was over and that he wanted it to come again, and for some strange reason, something inside her wished that too.

*Meanwhile*

Legolas ran zigzagging past the trees searching for the spot where he last met Cutheniel. The thought of seeing her again urged him to go faster. He stopped at the spot that looked most familiar to him and listened to the trees. She had been there, a little before him.

It was funny how trees spoke, their words echo past your ears and if you're lucky you hear it all before it is swept away with the wind.

She had not moved far from the place he had stopped. He did not exactly see her but he heard her. She was up in a tree singing. He climbed up the tree quietly.

'It is just like her to not only find the tallest tree', he whispered through clenched teeth. 'But to climb all the way to the top.'

He was so anxious to see her that he was not cautious in the way he ascended. He accidentally kicked down several leaves and broken a couple of branches before he was right under her.

Cutheniel stopped singing and looked down at him. "Ah," she said amusedly. "The warrior wishes to join me, but I fear that the tree will grow angry at your poor skill of climbing, and that your father will punish you for your recklessness." She laughed cheerfully.

Legolas climbed all the way up and brushed the leaves from his face. "Yes, dear Lady. I am happy to see you too," he replied sarcastically.

"Do not get me wrong my love, I am very happy to see you. Especially after so long. How was your journey?" she asked smiling at the return of her Prince.

Legolas was surprised at the way she had addressed him, she had opened up in her time away from the palace, and she was freer.

"I am glad you are happy to see me," he said relieved. "My journey was pleasant, Rivendell was beautiful. I will take you there sometime if my father allows it. My father counseled with Elrond, and he got the rest he needed. I am glad too, for he really seemed to be getting gray, but now he is fine."

"I am glad to hear that."

Legolas remembered why he had rushed to see her. "My father sent messengers out to look for you. I promise, I told him not to, but he sent word to them before we arrived back."

"Yes I know," she said placidly.

"Did they see you?"

"No they did not. I remained hidden as they passed," she said

Legolas sighed relieved. "Come," he said. "Let us walk." He descended down the tree, more careful then earlier.

She followed him and they both met down on the ground.

Legolas began to laugh and Cutheniel asked why. He gestured that she had pine needles in her hair, and laughed more as she failed to get them out. He stepped closer to her and one-by-one pulled them out.

Cutheniel looked up at him as he did so and something inside her fluttered as she noticed how close he was standing in front of her. For some reason unknown to Cutheniel-maybe 'elfin hormones' kicking in- she felt strange standing so close to him as she was.

Something Maliana told her came to her mind right then. Maliana had always liked talking to her about the 'other sex', Cutheniel had always asked her to just call them males but she ignored her. Maliana had always been greatly attracted to them and was quite the flirt. Even though the information was useless to her, Cutheniel listened to what she said anyway, probably in courtesy.

Her mind quoted exactly what Maliana had said the day she was out picking apples in the garden. 'I was minding my business picking apples, when I notice an 'other' standing near me reading a book under the tree next to mine. He was very handsome and I could tell he was trying to ignore me. So I asked him nicely if he could please reach the apple I wanted which was higher than my reach but possible for him to grab. He said okay and stood next to me to grab the apple. We were a little too close for comfort and he noticed and I noticed. He didn't show in his face he noticed, but I could tell.'

I had told her a hundred times after she said that that she greatly disgusted me, but she paid no attention to me and that ended our conversation right there.

After she quoted Maliana, Cutheniel became disgusted with herself. 'Why are you thinking that?' she asked herself.

She noticed that Legolas was done pulling leaves out of her hair, but he was still standing close to her. She looked up at him and stared at him waiting for him to back away. He did not. However, what surprised her more was that neither did she.

It was Legolas' turn to surprise himself now and it came as a shock to them both. He swiftly put his hands on her waist and pulled her closer to him. With one hand he brought her arms around his neck and began to move in a dance-like step.

"When was the last time you danced Cutheniel," he asked her.

"Not in a while, you know I stopped a long time ago. I disliked dancing with people I barely knew."

He stopped dancing and they both stared at each other silently.

* Meanwhile *

Manwein stepped out of the willow worriedly. Cutheniel had been out for a long time- hours it seemed- or maybe he just missed her, but he really wanted her to come back right now; he wanted to ask her something. He rushed into the forest in the direction that she had gone as he had watched her leave. He followed her lightly imprinted footprints and stopped as he heard talking.

Laughing reached his ears, it was a warrior's voice and a confused 'what?' came afterward. The 'what' had sounded familiar, it was Cutheniel.

He walked to where the sounds came from and stopped and hid behind a tree on the edge of a small clearing. He looked at the two elves standing there, and he was correct. One of them was Cutheniel and the other because of his bow and arrows was most likely a warrior. They seemed well acquainted and that annoyed him greatly. He watched angrily as the warrior put his arms around her waist. He knew Cutheniel did not belong to him, but Manwein was still very angry with the warrior for touching her. He watched as her arms were wrapped around his neck and they began to dance. They stopped and stared at each other for some time.

"Legolas," he heard Cutheniel whisper before the warrior bent down to kiss her.

Manwein gripped the trunk of the tree to prevent him from jumping out to stop them.

'Legolas,' he thought. 'Is that not the Prince? Yes it is, the messenger talked about him. Greatly attracted to her indeed! What does he think he is doing? But then again she might be attracted to him too.'

He bowed his head and let go of the tree. 'That is why she avoids what I do,' he thought beginning to understand her reactions to his lust.

He turned to head back to the willow and stared back at the two elves one more time.

One of Cutheniel's eyes were open and she spotted Manwein behind the tree, they made I contact for a second but then the kiss stopped and she looked back at Legolas.

He ran back to the willow, but then changed his mind and ran deeper into the forest.

"I must go," Legolas said letting go of Cutheniel's waist. "I have already stayed too long. Farewell Cutheniel. I will see you soon!"

"Goodbye Legolas!" she said a she hugged him goodbye. She watched and waved as he ran back into the forest.

When he was out of sight she remembered Manwein and dreaded having to explain it to him. She ran in the direction she had seen him leave and searched for any trace of him. When she was sure Legolas was far out of earshot she called out his name hoping that he would stop and come to her. Manwein did not.

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Will Manwein understand what Cutheniel has to tell him?

Will she ever find him?

Why am I asking all the questions?

Well, if you have any questions review and tell me, if you have any comments review and tell me, if you like it so far review and tell me, if you dislike something review and tell me, if you don't have any of the above review any way and tell me what you think of it.

Please, you know you want to. Oh come on, press the review button. Press it!!!!! Okay, I'm fine; just got a little carried away. Well, please review! Namaarie!

~ Cutheniel Yavadren ~