Luthien found Elanor behind a rather large stack of pancake-ish things, looking quite pleased with herself, seated at a table which was a bit too big for her, in an almost deserted room. At that moment, Merry and Pippin bustled in, making the room not so deserted.

'Hello,' Pippin said brightly, looking up at Luthien with his happy little eyes, 'I'm Pippin.'

'Yes, we've…already met,' Luthien replied, suppressing a laugh 'Last night. Do you not remember?'

Pippin screwed up his face as if painfully trying to remember, 'Oh yes. You were wearing blue,' he said, looking at the dress she had on now, 'But now you're wearing sparkly green.'

Luthien smiled down at him in a polite bemused elfish sort of way and gestured to the empty seats at the table where she and Elanor now sat. Elanor was still stuffing herself with a rapid speed but made the effort to grin at them, pancake stuffed in her mouth.

Luthien thought this would be more likely to scare them away, than welcome them.

'I think they're holding that secret council tomorrow,' Merry said, thoughtfully, 'I wonder if we should go along too.'

'Why not?' Pippin said, his words rather muffled as he'd just helped himself to some of the pancakes off Elanor's plate. Elanor seemed quite pleased by this. Luthien could tell because usually Sarah-jane would make a noise that could possibly be taken for a growl and would then make a mad snatch at the offender's hand, attempting to bite it.

'So…' Luthien said to a very-full Elanor, a few minutes later, 'what shall we do today? Do you think we should pop in on the Top Secret Council meeting today? After all, I have been invited,' she added smugly, 'and My Legolas is expecting me there. Well he was anyway…'

Elanor rolled her eyes, 'If you wish, oh great one.'

'Then it is decided,' Luthien said with a note of finality, 'We shall go to my love.'

Merry and Pippin just had time to look up from their full plates and share a look. This elf was different to most of the elves they'd met. Being friends with Elanor was definitely one example of her difference to most elves, but the way she spoke was certainly odd. Was she referring to that blonde elf from that giant-spider infested forest? Though Luthien did not seem to be an outcast for her unusual ways. On the contrary, Lord Elrond had been quite taken with her from what they'd heard…

'Well, are you ready to go?' She continued, interrupting their thoughts, 'We have to find out when it's on.'

'Ok, but who will we ask?' Elanor said thoughtfully, 'I mean, it's a secret, so we'll have to ask…'

'Frodo, stupid. Oh,' she said, remembering that Merry and Pippin were still there, 'I mean, we shall ask fair master Frodo, ignoramus.'

The two hobbits seemed pleased with this normal elven way of speech and went back to eating. Elanor pouted. Luthien took pity on her slow-witted friend, 'I apologise, my wee hobbit, we can find master Frodo when Merry and Pippin are finished.'

And so they waited.

10 minutes later the three full hobbits and satisfied elf left the great dining hall in search of Mr. Baggins.

When they found him he was out on the balcony with Sam and Gandalf.

'There's going to be a party tonight,' he told them all.

'Ah, yes, the feast for The Victory at Bruinen,' Luthien remembered, 'we should make our way there soon, Frodo is the guest of honour after all.'

Frodo looked up at her, and smiled, 'Everyone is so nice to me here,' he said, 'Is it always this peaceful in Rivendell?'

'I can only assume so,' Luthien replied, in character, 'I do not dwell in Rivendell, Frodo son of Drogo, I am but passing through here, much as you are.'

'Is that why they have those weird names for you?' Pippin asked curiously.

'Erm…' Luthien glanced quickly at Elanor, damn inquisitive hobbits, she thought annoyedly, 'the ways of elves are complex. Our speech may seem strange to others, such as your speech may seem queer to us.'

This confused her slightly, but she managed to cover it up with a smile. Luthien really liked her elvish smile. Being a vain elf, she had taken the time each morning to watch in the looking glass and smile at herself. The elves who occasionally witnessed this ritual didn't seem to think this was very unusual though.

Pippin didn't reply to this. He just stared up at her dumbly for a while, with his hand floppy, mouth parted and head cocked to one side. She was, after all, an extremely beautiful elf.

One scathing look from Elanor made Luthien change the subject back to Frodo.

'All have rejoiced at the escape and recovery of master Frodo,' she said kindly, 'there will be much merry making tonight. Oh, but I have been most uncourteous,' she continued, fakely, 'we have not yet been introduced. I am called Luthien.'

'Pleased to meet you,' Frodo said politely.

'I must leave you now, will you be joining me Elanor? We must find your companion and change into new attire for the feast.'

Elanor nodded reluctantly and said goodbye to the others.

And off they trotted.

They trotted patiently all around the House of Elrond looking for Lila.

'Where the hell is she!' Luthien demanded after several minutes of less-patient trotting. 'Honestly, the feast will have already started by the time we find her.'

'Patience my pet,' Elanor soothed her.

'But-but Legolas…'

'He shall be waiting for you.'

'Nooo…' she wailed, 'he doesn't lu-uve meee…'

'Give it time.' Elanor said encouragingly, 'he will fall desperately in love with you and then he'll make you queen of Mirkwood and then you'll have lots of little elf-babies and all shall be gay!'

This didn't seem to help. Luthien pulled a face at the mention of babies, 'I don't wanna have babies!' she sobbed, 'I just want the prince of Mirkwood.' She said this simply like it was a reasonable thing to ask for.

Elanor knew better than to comment on this.

'Lila!' she cried in astonishment, as they both tripped over a lump in the dark hall. The lump was rather alive. They could tell this because it squeaked with pain.

'Long have we searched for thee, Lila Brandybuck of the Shire.' Luthien said, helping both hobbits up onto their feet.

'Oh…sorry, I was asleep,' she said bashfully, 'have I missed dinner.'

'No but you will have if we don't get a move on,' Elanor said, somewhat grumpily (she was rather fond of food), 'We still have to get changed into our feasty-clothes.'

After much trouble and looking-glass coveting, the three of them set off to the great hall.

It was so crowded! They supposed the whole of Rivendell folk was gathered here. Luthien was so busy in looking around for a glimpse of her hottie elf and touching up her hair that she failed to realize her best friend and her trusty companion had seated theirselves at a table near where Merry, Pippin and Sam sat. When she did realize it was only because she felt a tug at her silvery floaty dress and looked down at a very shy Lila.

'Elanor told me to get you because she wanted to eat straightaway,' she said, apologetically. Luthien looked over at Elanor with disgust. Her friend did not seem to mind and proceeded to stuff herself, lazily shrugging in a 'what-can-you-do' kind of way to Luthien.

The food was excellent. Luthien's friends were also seated at the table and talked merrily to one another while Elanor leaned over to Pippin's table most of the time, when she wasn't eating that is, and Lila watched the elves about her in awe. Luthien felt upset and her mood was not helped by the keen glances thrown in her direction by Elrond, who was seated at the high table next to Gandalf and (a very hot) Glorfindel.

Unfortunately their table was very near to the dais and she was perfectly in view of the Lord of Rivendell. Looking at Arwen she thought worriedly to herself, I think she's prettier than me, that stupid elf lady. Ooh look at me! I'm an evening star!

Her mood continued in this way for the rest of the feast, her thoughts lightening only when Elanor fell off her chair when trying to casually lean towards Pippin.

Finally, when everyone followed Elrond and Arwen into the Hall of Fire, her spirits rose. Her light. Her All. Her really hot elven prince was also making his way through the orderly crowd towards the Hall of Fire. 'I am happy again at last,' she said partly to Elanor, mainly to herself, 'for I can see the light!'

Walking just behind Gandalf and Frodo she heard the wizard say, 'This is the Hall of Fire; here you will hear many songs and tales – if you can keep awake. But except on high days it usually stands empty and quiet, and people come here who wish for peace, and thought. There is always a fire here, all year round, but there is little other light.'

Behind her she heard Elanor revising the exact same speech to the other hobbits. She sighed inwardly.

Luthien and Elanor watched the cute little meeting of Frodo and Bilbo and when Sam fell asleep, and they both covered their eyes when the music dimmed and Bilbo went scary over the Ring.

It was so awesome there and the songs were so beautiful and everything was just so lovely. Luthien and Elanor discussed things they normally would not have discussed in front of all the elves, but they both knew very well that elves did not heed anything as they listened to the "beautiful melodies and the interwoven words in elven-tongues".

'So we'll go on to Minas Tirith with the fellowship, sort of, and I can be with my Pippin and you with your Legolas,' Elanor squealed excitedly.

'Sounds like a plan.' Luthien said enthusiastically, 'Damn! I can't see him anywhere!'

'Iiiii caaan…' Elanor said in a singsong voice and pointed behind her friend.

Mr. Greenleaf was headed their way.

Luthien's face was a mixture of joy and pain as she struggled inwardly to control herself and act like a cool elf that was just chattin' with her hobbit pal. By the time he came up to them and Bilbo was reading out his song, Elanor noticed that Luthien seemed to have mastered herself and looked very composed and elf-like. But for how long…she thought sinisterly, but for how long…?

Luthien could tell Elanor was having one of those soap opera thoughts where they repeat the last few words of their sentence for impact, because she had her lips pursed and her eyes squinted as the soapy actors always did. But I shall never see television again; she thought sadly to herself…then her thoughts drifted back to the present. Legolas. Mwahaha, she thought with glee, he is all mine! Oh, I'll get my pretty …and his little wood too!

Just as he was about to speak to her though, everyone applauded and Lindir began to affectionately pay out Bilbo and all mortals. 'You're such a snob, Lindir,' she said to him as Bilbo got up and went off with Frodo.

'Luthien, Luthien, you are so fond of and know so much about mortals, one would assume you were one!' he replied, laughing.

Jerk, she thought angrily, 'and you are so uninterested in things which have nothing to do with our kind, one would assume you were not an elf, dear Lindir.' She said and the elves who were listening laughed.

'I apologise, little halfling, for taking no interest in the study of mortals,' Lindir continued, speaking now to Elanor, 'but as I have said, we have other business.'

'Yes, the stars are a very good study for a good thousand or so years,' Elanor said sarcastically.

Luthien smiled at her, both thought it to be quite funny when the listening elves nodded their heads in agreement with Elanor's statement. The elves were not used to sarcasm, it seemed.

However, Luthien was quite distressed when she turned around and found that Legolas was nowhere to be seen.

She gasped, and, bending down to speak to Elanor, hissed 'My Love has LEFT me,' in a slightly panicked sort of whisper.

Elanor, being in the company of Pippin, did not seem too concerned about this, and would have just shrugged if Luthien had not been close to hyperventilating.

'Well then…look for him' she said distractedly.

'But- but-' Luthien wrung her hands together. 'What if I can't find him?'

'Then it shall be awfully sad, tra la la.'

Luthien scowled. 'No. You shall help me, or I'll tell Pippin that…that…you love Merry.'

Elanor gave a little shriek.

'Yeah, think about that.'

'Fine. Bad elf. Now, if you were a Legolas, where would you be?'

'Ummm…I would be with me, of course, smooching.'

'That is a stupid answer. Now tell me really, cos I'm not an elf, and I don't know what weird things you think about.'

'Weird?' Luthien said, cocking an eyebrow menacingly.

'Er- well- anyway, if I were an elf, I would be sitting at a table, eating, because my stomach would be even bigger (you must remember I'm quite small now) and so then I could fit even more in, and, also, Pippin would most likely be nearby, therefore-'

'Oh, do shut up. If I were Legolas, I would be…'

'Over there, talking to that really pretty elf girl?'

'No, of course I wouldn't, he wouldn't, because I'm here and- what?'

She looked around frantically, and saw- scary music comes here- Legolas chatting away with a tarty little elf maid, or so Luthien thought anyway.

He was talking to her! Talking! Why was he talking to THAT thing, when Luthien was over somewhere else!

She resolved to do something about this. Something drastic.

Elanor's eyes lit up hopefully at the thought of a punch up in Rivendell. 'Off you go! Show her who's the Princess of Mirkwood!'

Luthien set off to do just that, until a stray thought entered her head. 'But I'm not the Princess of Mirkwood yet…'

'What does THAT have to do with it?' Elanor said, rather intent on an elf fight.

'No,' she said, mind thinking cunningly now, 'no, I'll just make HIM want ME! Yes, that's what I'll do, and he'll get jealous and then punch the elf I flirt with and then the two of us shall make sweet passionate love by the moonlight.'

Elanor wrinkled her nose at the thought of this. 'Just punch the damn elf yourself,' she suggested.

'No, I need him to be my rescuer, he shall be my elf in shining…clothes…' she sighed romantically.

And so she set off, heading straight towards Legolas. He looked at her as she passed by him and she smiled and turned towards Elrond who was standing near by.

Elrond was quite pleased by this. He no longer had to chase her around. At last she had given into his elfish charms.

Luthien stared at him for a moment, repressing a sick feeling in her stomach. She had to do this, there was no choice. She glanced back at Elanor desperately, and then walked over to Elrond, trying very hard to smile, though it was hard. What if he- what if he tried to- to KISS her again?

'No,' she told herself reassuringly 'He would not do that in public…or would he?'

'Luthien, this is quite a pleasant meeting. I hoped to talk to you ere the feast of the Victory at Bruinen but you were no where to be found.'

Luthien's heart cried out 'yes!' And she smiled very happily at him. This was the wrong thing to do.

'But I am glad I have the chance to talk to you longer here,' he continued as she sighed inwardly, 'though, perhaps we could go somewhere more private…?'

Just as Luthien was about to scream in terror, the All, her elf in shining clothes, interrupted, 'Master Elrond, Lord of Rivendell, I thank you for most generously providing myself with a shelter as I stay here…the matters I have come to speak of are of much urgency.'

Elrond nodded, somewhat impatiently. 'Yes, yes, well, the council shall be tomorrow and you can speak of those matters then, Legolas Greenleaf, son of Thranduil, king of Mirkwood.'

Legolas didn't seem all too happy about this. Maybe he wanted to talk about Gollum now, and not later at all, Luthien supposed, or maybe, just maybe, he was JEALOUS.

Her insides danced happily at the thought of this, and she realised that coming over to Elrond was actually a very stupid idea, but a clever one- because now Legolas was certainly jealous (or just desperate to talk about Gollum, but that was most unlikely), but Elrond now had the idea that Luthien wanted to speak to him. He probably thought she wanted to do some other things with him too, him being the sick little but old elf that he was.

She hurriedly thought up a plan. Well, not a plan but she tried to fix the situation she'd gotten her pretty little elven self into. 'That is quite alright, master Elrond,' she said with a big smile (almost a grin), 'I only came to tell you how appreciative I am of the great hospitality and wisdom you have shown me.'

Elrond looked from her to Legolas. Obviously he was trying to think up some way to get rid of Legolas and stay with the very appreciative Luthien.

Legolas seemed quite happy about this. Probably because he wanted to talk to Elrond, but most likely because he didn't want Luthien to go off alone with Elrond…she hoped.

And, with a graceful bow, she left the two male elves, one hot and one not so hot, to discuss Gollum until their hearts were content. She was aware that two males elves, one hot and one not so hot, watched her leaving wistfully.

Bwaahaha, she thought with delight. Soon, my queen, we shall be the Princess of Mirkwood, just you wait and see.

Ok, she replied to herself, I shall wait and see, oh Luthien fairest of elves, I shall wait.

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