FIXED ALL THE NAME PROBLEMS!!! ARE YOU HAPPY? (I HOPE)

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Chapter 3

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"Do you see that guy over there?" Jatlin casually asked his friends as they stood in a secluded corner of the ball. "Which one?" Zara asked around her second glass of champagne. "The really, really tall one red next to the Dutchess of Rohan." He pointed in the direction he wanted them to look.

Zara's and Xavier's eyes followed his finger to land on a gigantically tall man in a red tunic and blue leggings. The man towered over all who stood near him. "What about him? Who is he?" Xavier asked Jatiln as Zara stared at the man in awe from her short viewing vantage.

"I don't know who he is. But, do you notice how tall he is and how short Zara is? I'll bet she comes to his waist. I also bet she could give him a lovely present if you know what I mean." His perverted remark resulted in a slap in the arm from Zara and a laugh from Xavier. "You are so disgusting! That man is huge! It's like his father was a troll or something. And you know good and well that I would never do anything like that, I am saving myself." "For who?" Jatlin teased. "Not for you and definitely not for him."

"I thought you and..." Xavier started but was interrupted by Zara. "Only once, and that was a mistake in itself. It hurt so bad." "That's because you did not have the master ease himself correctly into your virginal regions." Jatlin boasted as he poked his chest out and looked oddly proud of himself. "I'm not going to answer to that." Zara said as she reached for another glass of alcohol.

"Why are you drinking so much?" Xavier asked as he noticed Zara'a fetish for champagne this evening. "Because I'm thirsty." Zara retorted. "Then drink water." "I don't want to." Xavier rolled his eyes as he knew he was fighting a losing battle.

"I wonder where Legolas is." Jatlin interjected before a battle erupted. "I think that's him there." Xavier said pointing into the crowd "Speak of the devil." Zara muttered as she saw Legolas coming their way.

The men greeted each other as Zara stood there and tried not to seem as if she was happy to see him as well. She was still mad at him for standing her up. She knew he was gone for a good reason but her stubborn nature wouldn't let her drop it and move on with her life. She swallowed the rest of her drink and reached for another.

"How are you Zara?" Legolas asked. He could see her true reaction in her eyes, she was happy to see him. She was just showing face. "I am fine." She answered politely. "And you?" "Fine...but not great. You see, a dear friend of mine refuses to have a civil conversation with me because I forgot to meet her one time." "Sounds valid to me." "Dammit Zara...." "Arwen, how wonderful to see you again!" Zara brushed past the fuming prince to embrace her friend. "Zara dear, how are you?" The two women linked arms as they began their giggly conversation.

Legolas gave a frustrated sigh as he came eye to eye with Aragorn who was accompanied by Merry and Pippin. "Women problems?" Aragorn asked. "Not really." Legolas answered through gritted teeth and directed his attention to the back of Zara's head. "It would be better, though, if Zara would simply talk to me." "Auta miqula orqu." Zara shot back over her shoulder. Aragorn snorted into his glass while Xavier and Jatlin tried to conceal their laughter.

"What'd she say?" Merry asked Pippin. "She told him to go kiss an orc." Aragorn explained. Merry's and Pippin's reactions were quite similar to the others. Legoals gritted his teeth again. "I'm sorry, I don't have time to grovel at your mother's feet right now." Zara turned around with her mouth open in shock that he would say something so vulgar like that about her mother. However, she closed it and said. "Touche."

"Will you talk to me now?" "Maybe." "Maybe? There can't be a `maybe' in this. It's either yes or no."

His father's voice suspend his words as his boomed across the room in a stately fashion. "May I have your attention please? At this time Lord Bryioum Anacolimn and I will like to announce the engagement of our children Legolas and Zara to Lady Nalmeien Igiai and Lord R¡narmo Styvekka."

Silence stretched throughout the hall as all eyes turned to face Legolas and Zara, who were both stunned by the announcement. Collecting himself, Legolas offered his hand to Zara who was gripping her seventh glass of the night by the fluke in a death grip. She took his hand and stood unsteadily on her feet, as she swayed slightly, and they both held their heads up as they walked up to the head table where their fathers faces beamed.

"I'm sorry." Zara breathed as they made the, what seemed like long, walk. "For what?" "Lying to you and staying angry. I did see you come home. I layed down on my balcony floor and watched through the gaps. I couldn't stay away no matter how much I wanted to. I had no idea about this and I am sorry for being so mad at you earlier." "Consider it forgotten." Legolas breathed softly as they kneeled before their fathers. When they rose they met their chosen mates.

Lady Nalmeien was a tall woman with red hair and blue eyes. She was almost the same height as Legolas. When she smiled you could see two rows of perfectly white, straight teeth. Her slender body was clad in a form fitting blue satin gown that had a long train in the back. She was extremly easy on the eyes, but gave off the impression as a person obsessed with material items. She also seemed extremely pleased about being betrothed to the crowned prince of Mirkwood.

The man Zara was going to marry was far from what she expected. It was the extremly tall man her, Jatlin, and Xavier had seen earlier. She did indeed come to just above his waist. When she tilted her head back she could see that he had black hair and a trimmed beard. She was unable to see what color his eyes where and if she tilted back anymore, her alcohol ridden body would fall backwards.

In proper elvin betrothal tradition, the males turned to gather the rings they would place on the hand of their future wives. Lord R¡narmo placed a thick, heavy golden ring with a massive ruby on her delicate hand. The ring actually weighed her hand down it was so heavy. Zara bowed, turned, and stood by the man as Legolas placed his ring on Lady Nalmeien.

Legolas was pleased to see that the ring he was supposed to give that woman was not his mother's engagement ring. Her ring was safely stowed on a chain around his neck, unknown by his father. Lady Nalmeien's ring was dainty and elegant with a golden band that had an emerald cut diamond surrounded by four emeralds. Nalmeien bowed and stood next to him, positively giddy.

"I give you the future Lord and Lady Styvekka and the future King and Queen of Mirkwood." King Thranduil announced proudly as the two couples were seated behind the royal table. People came up to congradulate the two couples.

Legolas let Nalmeien do all the thanking while Zara sat like a stone statue, only moving to raise her glass to her lips. Then, without warning, Zara stood and bolted out the door, running as quickly as she could.

"Zara!" Her father shouted as he witnessed his daughter's hasty retreat. Legolas immediately stood and began to dash after her against his father's and fianc,'s wishes. "Legolas darling, where are you going?" Nalmeien called out to Legolas' fleeing back. Legolas did not stop to acknowledge her call. He ran as quickly as he could after Zara who had darted out the side doors and into the gardens.

Jatlin and Xavier watched the scene with dumfounded stares. They saw Zara bolt and Legolas run after her. "Well," Said Jatlin. "To make light of the situation, she does come to his waist."

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Zara could hear someone coming after her but she did not stop. She ran through the gardens and into the wooded area beside the palace. All she could think was `How could he do this to me?' and `Why?'

She was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she did not see an uprooted tree root sticking out of the ground. She stumbled and her intoxicated body fell to the ground. Her head hit the hard wooden tree, and caused it to bleed. She could still faintly here footsteps falling hastily behind her.

A mass fell beside her and cradled her gently. She could here murmuring words being spoken to her but she couldn't understand them. She leaned into the warm embrace and smelled the distinct scent of wood, air, and horse; Legolas. She placed her head into the hollow of his shoulder and began to cry heart-wrenching sobs with the occasional hiccup.

"How can he do this to me?" She slurred as Legolas ran his fingers through her hair. "How can he just decide for me who I want to marry? I don't even want to marry! I don't want to sit in a house and cook and do needlework and pop out children! I want to....I want..." Her hiccups interrupted her rant as Legolas began to rocked her back and forth.

"It will be okay Zara." He said. "I will figure this out. I will not let anything harm you nor will I let you be unhappy." Zara pushed off of him and glared at him around tear stricken eyes. "No it won't." She whispered. "I won't be okay. There is nothing you can do. Even though you are the prince, you can't overrule a father's death plan for his daughter. Not even for me."

She wiped her eyes and shakily stood up. "You know what I want to do?" She asked looking down at Legolas who was still in a sitting position. "What?" "I want to go on a grand adventure like you did. I want to travel the land outside of Mirkwood, fight an orc, save the world." She held her arms out and tried to spin around but lurched over. Legolas immediately caught her.

"I don't know what I'm going to do." She breathed as Legolas held her steady on her feet. "But I will not become this shell of the woman I could be. I will not marry that man. I will not. Even if it is the last thing I do."

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