Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. I love to hear from you and I'm glad that so many people like it. Those of you who have pointed out that my grammar isn't the best, you are totally right but don't blame me, blame the English system of education, where grammar wasn't even taught in schools when I was at primary school in the 1980's (it might be different now).

Also, just one little question, what exactly is a Mary-Sue? I'm not exactly familiar with fan-fiction lingo and I'd like to know what one is just so I can know whether my story is one or not. I get the distinct impression that it might just be.

Anyway, here's another part for you all to enjoy. Please review. I really like to hear what everyone thinks, even if you do think it's terrible.

Chapter Eleven - Father and Daughter

Ariel stormed into her chambers, slamming the doors behind her. She had never been so angry with anyone in her life. The fury she felt was beyond anything she could have ever imagined. How dare he speak to her like that, accuse her of such things. He may have been a prince, but he was not above the common rules of courtesy. Indeed, other elves would have been appalled by his behaviour for Ariel knew of no race of people more fair or kind.

She paced the floor of her room, trying to decide what to do. Her heart told her that she should remain in the city and wait for the bad feeling between herself and the Prince to fade away. The king had asked her to find his son a wife and she did not want to let him down. Her head, however, told her to leave. She could not help a male who was so prone to such insulting outbursts. He clearly thought of nobody but himself and thus was destined to while away the ages alone. There was another part of her though, which told her not to accept this scenario at face value. There was more happening here than she could know. Perhaps she should stay and simply allow events to run their course.

She pondered these things long and hard, but the thing which kept coming into her head was the image of the disdainful look on the Prince's face when he had looked at her and talked of her lovers. She wanted nothing more than to slap him again, wiping the smug grin from his face. Why should it be any of his business that she had entertained lovers before she came into his service? He had an armies worth of females, both human and elvish, notched onto his bedpost. How dare he lecture her about virtue. She had never taken a lover for the sake of it, never had she sought the arms of another simply to stop herself from feeling lonely, to keep her warm at night, for her own amusement. Why should she be made to feel so cheap because he was a hypocrite?

She stopped pacing and walked purposefully over to her bed, pulling out her trunk from underneath. She sat on the floor in front of it and undid the buckles throwing the lid open. It was empty except for a small lacquered box in the bottom. She picked it up and carefully opened the lid. Suddenly the room was filled with the chimes of a beautiful elvish tune. In this music box she kept her most precious things.

She carefully lifted each item out of the box, looking it over and gently replacing it. Finally she came to the small blue book which was her most treasured possession. It was the book of her ancestors, telling the stories of the most beloved women of her people. The stories of these women made her even more angry when she thought of the Prince's words. When he called her virtue into question he insulted every generation of her family and for that she would not stand.

She stood up and walked out into the red lit corridor. She had suddenly become determined that she would not stay in the realm another night, not if all she would get from it was more pain. Her life was hard enough without some self righteous male making it even more difficult.

She came to the door of the King's council chambers and informed the guard who stood outside that she wished for an audience with the King as soon as possible. He offered her a seat and went into the chamber. It was not long before he returned and ushered her inside.

The King was sitting over a mountain of papers with the Queen sitting on one side of him and Lord Elrond on the other. He bade her take a seat at the table with them.

"What troubles you Ariel?" He asked, without looking up from his papers. "I hope all is well"

"I am afraid it is not Your Majesty." He looked up at her.

"What is the matter dear?" The Queen asked. "Is it my son, is he ill?"

"No Majesty, Prince Legolas is in excellent health. I believe."

"You believe?" The king said questioningly. "You do not know?"

"I confess I do not. That is why I asked for an audience with you Sire. I will not be evasive with my wishes Sire, I would like for you to release me from my service to your son. I wish to leave to Woodland Realm as soon as possible."

"Why?" the King asked, clearly surprised by her request. "I had thought you happy among my people."

"Oh Sire I am. Do not think this a slight on your Kingdom or your people. If I could I would live out my life here in Eryn Lasgalen, but I fear that all too soon the time has come when I must leave and move on to my next pupil."

"But what about Legolas? Has he yet found a wife?"

"No Milord, but I do not think I can teach him any more than I have already. He no longer listens to my advice. A gulf has opened up between us and I do not think we can progress much more. So I have come to beg of you to release me from my service."

"If that is your desire Milady, I will not deny you. I would not have anyone staying longer in the Greenwood than they desired. If you prepare your things I shall have a carriage made ready to take your belongings anywhere you wish to go."

"You are most gracious Majesty, I hope to be ready to leave by sunset."

"Your carriage shall be waiting to take you from the city." She curtseyed to the King, Queen and Elrond, who was looking at her thoughtfully. Queen Taedriel looked at her sadly and stood.

"I shall miss you my dear. Whether you realise it or not, you have changed my son already, I just regret that you can do no more."

"So do I Ma'am." She turned and left the room, making her way back to her own chambers. Once inside she went straight over to her wardrobe and began to remove her clothes, carefully folding them and placing them neatly in her trunk.

She felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She no longer had to live beneath the shadow which had developed between herself and the Prince. At the same time however she felt an unease beginning to creep into her system. She couldn't pinpoint what it was, but it told her to stay.

She thought back to that afternoon. Even with the bad feeling which existed between herself and Prince Legolas she had been working at her job, trying to bring love into his life. Her teatime appointment with Lady Thrimalia had been most beneficial. Ariel was more convinced than ever that the Prince and the Warrior were a perfect match. Thrimalia's passion for life and thirst for adventure had surprised even Ariel, who had already seen these qualities behind the quiet exterior. She was a great wit and a lover of art and poetry, even writing her own when the muse took her. That combined with her obvious beauty indicated that out of all the Elves in the Greenwood, Thrimalia was the only one capable of capturing the Prince's heart. Ariel could not help but sigh when she imagined their children, they would be the most perfect beings. Beautiful, intelligent, artistic with an unsurpassed love of the world around them

Ariel had purposefully made it so that Thrimalia was late for her practice session, knowing that Legolas would worry about his pupil. This worry could be the spark needed to ignite the flame of love in both of them, although she knew it wouldn't take much. Thrimalia had mentioned on more than one occasion during the afternoon, how kind and patient the Prince was as a teacher and Ariel could tell that she also thought about how handsome he was. The Prince had also mentioned how highly he esteemed his pupil and Ariel had seen how he looked at her. Most of the time it was that of a proud father looking upon his favourite child, but when he thought nobody was looking his eyes would rake over her body and his look would be one of longing, as if she were his next breath.

A frown however quickly settled on Ariel's face. How could she willingly encourage such a wonderful person as Thrimalia to fall in love with the Prince, knowing what she knew now? She was beginning to believe that he could never truly love anyone but himself.

There was a knock on the door. She debated with herself as to whether she should answer. What if it were Prince Legolas come to argue with her some more, or the King and Queen wanting to dissuade her from leaving? She thought about it for a few moments before calling for whoever it was to enter. The door opened and the intruder walking in as she was taking another of her gowns from the wardrobe.

"So you really intend to leave," Ariel turned around to see Lord Elrond standing in her doorway. She folded the gown and placed it in her trunk.

"Yes, I cannot stay here any longer."

"What is wrong Ariel?"

"It is as I told the King and Queen, I do not believe I can do anymore good here."

"Yes, that is what you said, but I am blessed with instinct and I know that what you say is not what is forcing you to leave like this. Tell me what troubles you my child?"

"It is nothing My Lord."

"It is the argument you had with Legolas at the ball is it not?" She stopped and looked up at him.

"You should have heard the things he said." She sat down on the bed and he joined her.

"I am sure he has said much worse in his lifetime. He is short of temper and allows his passion to rule his speech. I have known him since his infancy and trust me, he has always been the same."

"He accused me of being your lover, he called my virtue into question. He insinuated that I was a harlot."

"That is a fell deed to be sure, but I know that he could have said worse."

"Indeed I do not think he could. Not only was it an insult to me, but he disrespected the women to whom I owe my heritage and he disgraced your good name."

"To be thought of as the lover of such a beautiful woman is no disgrace Ariel. Legolas does not think before he speaks. Yes you deserve an apology, but he is stubborn and it will not be easy for him to do so. Please do not be driven out of the Greenwood by his faults. I suspect that you are greatly saddened by this turn of events, possibly more than you realise yourself. I believe that before this happened you and the Prince were great friends. You can be that again Ariel."

"No we cannot. I do not feel that I can trust him again."

"If that is how you feel then I cannot dissuade you, but do not leave tonight, please. My sons and I leave the Green Wood in three days time, wait until then and we will escort you to where ever you wish to go. Perhaps you might wish to visit Imladris again. There will always be a place that is forever yours in the Last Homely House. Either way, do not just leave. I have waited too long to lay eyes on you again for you to just leave for another ten years."

"I too have waited a long time for us to be brought together again Milord. I will wait with you and your sons. It will be an honour to have you as my travelling companions." They smiled broadly at each other and Elrond moved forward and kissed her brow.

Suddenly he felt a smooth object beneath his fingers and realised that he had been touching it for some time. He looked down and saw that his hand rested on a small lacquered box. He picked it up and studied the pictures on it.

"It has been many years since last I saw this but it looks the same as it did on the day I gave it to you."

"I treasure it Milord, as if it was handed down to me by my own father."

"My heart is glad for it was given with the love of a father for his daughter. May I?"

"By all means, there is nothing I keep in there that you have not seen before." He opened the box and the room was filled with the rich sounds the elvish music. He looked over its contents, but his hand was instantly drawn to the book of her people. He picked it up and opened it.

"I did love her you know." His voice was sad. "I had thought that my love would be enough."

"Do not be downhearted Milord. I do not doubt your love for her, but love alone is not enough, you know that as well as I do. It has to be something more. I do not believe that a love like that has existed in any age between any two people. The great lovers of the songs and stories did not love enough to achieve what is needed."

"Yes I know. But it did not make the pain of losing her any easier to bear."

"As you know, I cannot understand what you felt Milord, but I know better than any that it was not your fault." He put his hand on hers and looked at her.

"I am proud to call you daughter Ariel Aaecien."

"And I am glad to have you as a father." He reached out for her and she fell into his embrace. Nothing more was said between the pair that day. They just stayed there like that, thinking about what might have been if history had been kinder to both of them.

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The plot thickens, review me and tell me what you think. All will be explained in due course and all of this will make sense.