Chapter Four

"Must you sneak?" Rhiannon jumped at his voice being in her room. She hadn't heard him moving.

" I apologize, I did not mean to startle you, Rhiannon."

"I'm alright, but sheesh!" The rest of Legolas walked into her room and she was a bit surprised to see that he hadn't put on the shirt that went with the flannel set. He watched her look over his bare torso, and began to explain.

"I tried to put on the top to finish the set, but it was very uncomfortable, and so I took it off." Clearly this was one who was used to doing what he wanted. He sat cross-legged on the chair near her canopy bed after turning it so he was facing her directly.

"Well, yeah, I guess.. Hey, some people sleep completely nude! Whatever floats your boat and isn't illegal, I always say." Legolas thought about this for a minute or two, and just decided to stop. Humans could be rather strange. Avariel padded into the room, her footsteps cushioned and silenced by the carpeting.

"Ava! Come here, baby! Where's my pretty kitty? There she is!" Rhiannon continued to coo and call the cat, making kissy faces as she strode up and leaped directly into the hollow in Legolas' lap. Rhiannon glared at the cat as Legolas looked up at her. "You know, she only likes you for your looks." They shared a brief, meaningful smile as they both caught the meaning of her words, and then went silent as the focus went to Legolas scratching Avariel's head.

"How did you name her?" Rhiannon's eyes went up to Legolas' face. He was now staring directly at her.

"Um, my grandmother loved the name. She always told me that if she had had girls, she would have named them Avariel. Unfortunately, there were only six boys to be had from her. But when I saw this one," Avariel opened her eyes to half-slits and looked at Rhiannon, who then stuck her tongue out at her," I knew right away. Why do you ask?"

"Avariel is a name of my own language."

"Really?" Rhiannon asked breathlessly, surprised and a little curious as to why her grandmother had chosen the name.

"Yes." He looked away.

"Let's try to figure out how you got here, so we can get you back home, where you want to be. I've always known the city could wear you out, but I never thought that in one day we could drive away the Elves!" Legolas smirked at her. "Alright. Last night.. what did I do? I got drunk, I talked on the phone with Missy, and then I showered, and went to bed. Nothing spectacular, really... I was looking at the stars, and then I fell asleep." Legolas' head went up.

"I was looking at the stars last night, I was in a field looking at them." Rhiannon nodded solemnly at him.
" Okay, that's one thing we've got. We were doing something in unison. What else? I guess we're looking for small details now. Um, I was looking at the stars, but I do that all the time.. which one was it?" Legolas looked at her as she spoke quietly out loud. Of course, he heard every word. "Sirius. The dogstar!"

"Huo Elvea? I noticed the star as well, it is one of my favorites."

"Do you think, that maybe that was it?"

"Anything is possible, Silmeamin." He had decided that she was completely adorable when she was trying to solve a problem.

"That sounds beautiful. What does it mean?" Legolas stood, Avariel in his arms, and placed her on the bed next to her owner.

"My starlight. Tenna' tul're, quel kaima." Rhiannon sank back on the bed, and gathered up Avariel in her arms. She felt so relaxed, and she wasn't sure that it wasn't caused by the melodious voice of Prince Legolas himself. She sighed, and looked down at the cat.

"We're gonna have to have a talk, you wanton slut."

The next morning, Rhiannon came downstairs to the smell of toast and the sound of eggs in the pan. She smiled.

"Morning, Legolas!"

"'Quel amrun, Silmeamin!" Rhiannon's fuzzy slippers touched the wooden floor and she slid into the kitchen.

"And what does that mean?"

"It means, 'Good morning, my Starlight'. " She flushed as he continued speaking. "Did you sleep well?"

"I did, yes, thank you for asking. What are you doing?"

"Cooking breakfast."

"I know, but I mean, I didn't know you could cook! And so early!"

"I don't sleep, Rhiannon. I thought I should make myself of use. There is something coming, but I do not know what it is. It means danger for you, I can feel it. I want to make sure that you are safe."

"Well, that's very sweet of you to worry about me… shit! Double shit! Where's the phone?" Legolas had put down the spatula and was looking after Rhiannon as she rushed around the kitchen. She finally pushed the speaker phone button on the phone jack, punched in the memory dial key 1, and listened for the ring. She looked at him with a hurried expression, and began to speak. "I called my best friend, Melissa McLaughlin, yesterday morning, and told her a strange person was in my room and that-

"Hello?!" The frantic voice of Rhiannon's best friend quickly answered.

"Missy? Oh my god, I'm sooooo sorry I forgot to call you! I know you were just about ready to call the Missing Persons, weren't you?" Rhiannon blanched, faced with the scolding she knew she was going to get. Melissa began half shrieking, going at a pace so fast, even Rhiannon was losing some of the words. Legolas was looking at the phone base with wide eyes.

"I was on the phone with the goddamned Missing Persons! That's why I took so long to answer! I have been terrified for your safety. What the fuck is going on?! You call me and tell me that a strange man is in your room, your voice gets funny, you hang up, and all of a fucking sudden I don't hear from you all day and I don't know if you're lying in a pool of your own blood! " Melissa gave a huge gasp for breath.

"MELISSA! He's standing right here, and you're on speaker!"

"What the fuck do you mean he's standing right there?! Who is he?!"

"I can't say over the phone."

"WHAT?! What the fuck does that mean?!"

"Calm down, I'm okay! I'm fine! Do you want to come and see me? Come see me, and I can tell you in person."

"I'm on my way. Should I bring my pepper spray?"

"No, Missy, that will not be necessary," Rhiannon replied with a smirk that Melissa could practically hear.

"Alright, well, I have to get ready, I'll be done in like, five! See you soon!" at this, Legolas and Rhiannon exchanged a glance and laughed.

Sure enough, an hour and a half later, a silver Jetta screeched onto the street in front of Rhiannon's house. She rushed to the door, after telling Legolas what to wear and hoping he could manage, and opened before her friend's hand could touch the bell. She was leaped on by a flurry of blonde hair and French manicure, and both women fell to the floor. Before she knew what was happening, she was being straddled and closely looked over by Melissa. When her eyelid was pulled open, she rolled over, causing them to both land on their sides, and stood up.

"Melissa, darling, if I had been hurt, how would mauling me have helped?"

"Oh shut up, you logical bitch. I was scared shitless yesterday, Rhiannon!"

"I said I was sorry! I've been dealing with some heavy shit here, you know!" Legolas, hearing the commotion, came from the guest bedroom to look down over the women. Rhiannon looked up, and Melissa followed her gaze. She eyed Legolas warily and Rhiannon called him down.

"Legolas, come down and meet Melissa. She's my best friend, and we can trust her enough to tell her about everything." Melissa looked at her strangely, and turned to look back up the stairs, only to be faced with a solid wall of tee-shirt clad chest. She tilted her head up to meet bold, bright blue eyes.

"Missy, this is Legolas."