AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey everyone, it's me again. Yes, the author of this story who has gotten NO REVIEWS in over a week! Well, except for one person who has emailed me about it. Its amazing what happens when you press that little blue button at the bottom of the screen that says 'submit review'..you can SUBMIT a REVIEW! I really don't care if it's good or bad, but come on, people, give me SOMETHING! Is there anybody even reading this story? I'm beginning to wonder. Oh well. Here's an incentive for those of you who actually enjoy this story to review: If you don't, I will probably stop updating. Completely. Because I am not happy with how this story has turned out. I like the story line (where it's heading) but I think it could have been written better. I'm not going to go back and revise the entire story, though. I've had an idea for another fanfic and it would be very easy for me to 'conveniently forget' to keep updating this one. So, if you enjoy this story in the slightest, please, please review! * gets down on knees * PLEASE?

Snowballs and More Pressing Matters:

Their small procession reached Mirkwood late that afternoon, and Kika could see the relief in Legolas's eyes as Deregond was locked up. As they walked through the town after he had made sure that her wound was cleaned and bandaged, he turned to her.

"You cannot imagine my relief that that is now taken care of. He consumed my every waking thought while he was loose. Now my thoughts can turn to more pleasant things," he said as he smiled at her. He started laughing when he saw that Kika was attempting to shake some snow out of her hair. "What happened?" he asked, but before she could answer, he spied Gimli running toward them, calling out apologies.

"I am sorry, milady! I was aiming for the prince here, but I seem to have missed my target!" Kika assured him that she was fine, no harm done, but Legolas shook his head and bent to the ground grinning.

"She may be fine, but I must take revenge for Lady Kikania. I cannot let such a deed go unpunished," he said in mock seriousness. He let a snowball fly that pegged Gimli directly on the nose. Gimli began grumbling and immediately reached for his own snowball. Before long, Legolas and Gimli were pelting each other and Kika was ducking behind a tree.

"Oh, no you don't!" said Legolas as he threw one at her.

"What did I do to deserve that?" she laughed as she joined in the fray. Soon, all three were soaked and Legolas, laughing heartily, held up his hand to Gimli.

"Alright, we surrender!" Kika looked at Legolas with her eyebrows raised.

"Speak for yourself!" she said as she sent another snowball flying Gimli's way. After Gimli shook the snow out of his beard, he bowed low.

"My lady, I must stop for now, for it is nearly time for dinner, and I am never late for a meal. This is not settled, however," he said smiling. "We shall resume another time?" Laughing, Kika agreed. Legolas offered his arm and they began to walk to the manor.

"You put up a good fight," he said as they entered the manor. Kika giggled and nodded.

"I had not realized that so much time had passed. Here it is dinner time and I am still in my traveling clothes!"

"No worries," replied Legolas quietly. "You look beautiful no matter what you are wearing." Kika's face burned crimson.

"You may think so," she managed, "But others may not agree. I need to change clothes, but you do not need to be late, too. I will go change and come down to the dining hall as quickly as I can."

"Nonsense! I would not have you walk into dinner late, and alone! I will wait for you to change, or." he paused and Kika noted a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.

"Or what?" she asked suspiciously.

"Or we could not go at all. It is quite embarrassing walking into a meal late, especially when my father is there. He tends to ask rather loudly why you are late, so as to discourage it from happening again." Kika's face grew red at the very thought of being called upon in the midst of all those people. Legolas chuckled, and Kika, guessing (correctly) that he was laughing at her, turned to him in mock anger.

"What do you find so amusing?" she asked indignantly. Legolas quickly sobered.

"Nothing, only you blush so easily." Legolas watched her carefully, hoping that this would not anger her.

"Is that bad?" she asked, genuinely concerned.

"No!" he said. "I think that it is. endearing." He reached out and his thumb stroked her face where the red tinge was flaring up again. Kikania stood entranced, by his sincere blue eyes and his thumb gently moving across her cheek. She could feel her skin tingling where he had touched. His hand moved from her face, tracing a path down her neck to her shoulder, from whence it traveled across her back to the opposite shoulder so that his arm was around her. As they resumed walking, Kika was elated just to be so close to him, and was amazed and enchanted by how she felt with him. There were not enough words to describe it. She was safe from everything, nothing could harm her, and she would never be alone.

As Legolas held her close to him, he delighted in her closeness. I will never desert her, he swore, or let any harm befall her, ever. I would give my life for her, he realized. There had been times before when he would have done such, but for very different reasons. Before, it would have been out of loyalty, or possibly necessity, but this was so different. Now it was because he felt more for this maiden in this one moment than he had ever felt for any other being in his life. There was something flowing between them whenever they were near each other, something that could only be explained as love in its purest form.

When Kika finally broke herself from her reverie, she noticed where they were. "Where are we going?" she asked Legolas.

"My favorite place in all of Middle Earth," he said quietly into her ear. "I have shown it to nobody, for I wanted it to remain always as it is. I want you to see it. It is picturesque even in this desolate winter." He continued to lead her through the woods, and Kika was soon grateful that she did still have her traveling clothes on, for their path would have been impossible to travel in a dress. They had been walking for quite some time, occasionally speaking, but mainly staying silent, enjoying each other, when the forest opened up into a small clearing, through which flowed a melodious sounding brook. Kika gasped at the sheer beauty of this place. The stars, which had only just begun to show themselves, shone brightly in the clear sky, illuminating the glade that was even more beautiful than Legolas had promised. The stream flowed over stones in its path, and the soft grass grew right up to the water's edge. Legolas tugged at her hand and led her to the edge of the water, where he sat, and beckoned for her to do the same. As she did so, she settled comfortably into his arms and leaned contentedly onto his chest.

"This is perfect," she said quietly, not wanting to disturb the tranquility around them.

"Yes, it is," agreed Legolas. "I thought it was perfect before, but I did not know the meaning of the word until I found you." Kika's only response was to lean her head against his shoulder. She felt him kiss her hair as something was slipped onto her finger, which had been intertwined with his. She looked down in surprise and found that he had slid the most exquisite ring she had ever seen onto her finger. It was silver, shaped into the shape of a vine that circled her finger, set with emeralds. She gasped at the sight of it.

"What." Words failed her as Legolas extricated himself from their embrace and turned to face her.

"This ring has been passed down in the women in my family since as long as anybody can remember. Whenever there was no daughter to give it to, it was given to the son to give to his future wife." Kika could hardly breathe as she realized what was happening. "Even though I have only known you three days, I feel as if I have known you forever, and I cannot imagine my life without you. I want to spend forever with you." He held her hands tightly. "Will you wear this as a promise to at least think about marrying me? I do not expect you to answer now, for you probably find me presumptuous for even asking so soon, but if you would only consider being my wife, sometime in the future, you cannot even begin to imagine how happy-" He stopped short as he realized that tears were streaming down Kika's face. Immediately concern clouded his face and he reached to gently wipe the tears away. "What is wrong?" he asked. Kika started hesitantly.

"I thought you knew. I thought I had told you the first day, but you must not have understood," she began haltingly.

"Told me what?" asked Legolas gently when she did not continue for several moments. Kika took a deep breath.

"I am nowhere near noble, equivalent to a servant in your household. I cannot wed a. a prince." She choked out the last words as she began to weep. "I love you, I really do," she managed through her tears, "But how could I ever-" She stopped as Legolas placed a finger under her chin and raised her face so that he could look into her eyes. Kika was stunned to see that he was smiling.

"Is that all?" he asked. "Is that what is keeping you from accepting? I will not let that get in the way of us getting married! I already knew that your rank was not noble. I do not care. I love you for who you are, not your rank." He continued to wipe each tear away as it fell. Kika still looked troubled.

"What about your father?" Legolas tried to look and sound more confident than he felt.

"He will understand. He may not be thrilled at first, but he liked you, and he will accept our marriage." He paused. "That is, if you choose to accept." Kika beamed through her tears as she threw her arms around him.

"If you truly do not mind about my rank, then of course I accept! I love you!" Legolas felt that he would go limp with relief.

I will marry her, he resolved, If I must give up my own rank to do so, I will wed Kikania.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * A/N: So? Did you like it? Or hate it? Or don't care? Whichever it is, PLEASE review! Really, I'm desperate. When I open my email tomorrow, I want to see some reviews. If not, I'll. I'll do something bad. Like scream. Or stop updating. Or kill off Legolas or Kikania. Ooh. now there's an idea. no! You must stop this madness! REVIEW!