Author's Note: Unfortunately, I don't own any of the characters, they all belong to the lovely JRR Tolkien and Peter Jackson/Newline Cinema…I'm just borrowing them to play with! *evil laughter* hehehe reviews would be much appreciated!!

Pishymishy: Yay, my first review!!! I got warm and fuzzy, hehe! You're one of my fave authors as well…on the side note of Arwen not being a princess, do you have any suggestions of what to call her besides the typical "she" and "the Evenstar"? Hope you enjoy the latest chappy! :)

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The company of Wood-Elves spent Iavas, the late summer and early autumn season, in Imladris. Thranduil hoped that the extended stay would bring his son out of the shadows that had haunted him since his mother's death.

The Woodland King had seen the change that had taken place since they had arrived and knew that it had much to do with the Evenstar, who had befriended Legolas almost at once. They were both so different from their fellow playmates; both so independent and misunderstood by many.

He stood out on his balcony overlooking the courtyards and sighed as he leaned on the railing. "You have always been so very gloomy, Thranduil. Ever you stand on balconies and brood over things that are beyond your control," Celebrian's bemused voice came from behind him.

"My lady," he jumped, startled, and turned to face her. She laughed and sat down, "Do not fall over the edge, Thranduil…that would be most undignified. What troubles you?" The king smiled sheepishly and sat down next to his beloved's dearest friend.

He did not speak for several moments and Celebrian looked out over the trees to the cascading waterfalls in the distance. He heard her voice in his mind, laced with pain and regret, "Amin nienor he gurtha sai-yassen lle, nin mellon." Green eyes met silver ones and he saw his own pain mirrored in hers. "I miss her so, Celebrian," Thranduil whispered, tears in his eyes. "It pains my heart to see you without her by your side," the Lady of Rivendell replied. (*I mourn her passing as greatly as you do, my friend)

"I fear that Legolas shall never be the same. A veil of darkness has descended over him since Lothiriel has left us," Thranduil told her. Celebrian twirled an asphodel blossom in her slender fingers and she smiled slightly before she spoke, her silver eyes gleaming brightly.

"Nay, little Greenleaf shall never be the same, but do not fear for your son. He will shine brightly as i'Anor again…he is wise beyond his years and has a noble spirit." (*the sun)

Thranduil stared at her in awe. "How do you know this? He will speak to no one of her death…" Celebrian silenced him with her hand and said, "I found him shortly after you arrived, in the gardens holding one of these blossoms…he was a sorrowful sight; all tears and anguish, clearly in agony. I could not leave him there without comfort, though his very aura radiated that he wanted no company."

Seeing the king gaping at her, she continued in a soft voice, "We spoke of Lothiriel and our childhood in Lothlorien and my mother…of how Lothiriel fell in love with you and many other things. Legolas realized that I felt her pain when she died…she called out to me, Thranduil, before she left these shores for Mandos' Halls."

She turned to face the astonished elf with tears on her face. "And then your young son comforted me and we sat in the garden and cried together." Thranduil felt something wet on his lips and realized that he was crying. "You…you helped him where Elrond and I and all the other greatest healers could not," he whispered.

Celebrian reached a small hand up to his face and wiped away the tears. "We have spoken of your beloved many times in the following days during our early morning rides through the woods," she said. "Legolas has made it a habit to accompany me on most mornings."

"I am glad that he has finally spoken of her to someone. I did not know what would happen had he kept it bottled up much longer, my lady. I am deeply in your debt," Thranduil said, bowing to her.

Her tinkling laughter drifted through the air and she said, "Nay, you are not in my debt. Legolas brings me great pleasure; he has grown to be as a son to me in such a short time." She bit her lip tentatively before continuing delicately, "He calls me naneth en'amin corm." (*mother of my heart)

Thranduil's eyebrows shot up in shock, his eyes wide; the king was stunned silent. Celebrian flushed deeply and rose abruptly. "Forgive me, Thranduil. I should not have let myself grow so attached to him…" she choked on her words, her voice thick with unshed tears, and quickly ran to leave his chambers.

"Putta! Uum-kel-amin ve'sina, Celebrian," he called after her. He heard her stop and let a sob wrench itself from her lips. Rising, he went to her and said, "There is nothing to forgive. Legolas is lucky to have found another mother so magnificent in all of Middle-Earth." (*Stop! Do not leave me like this, Celebrian)

He placed a hand on her cheek and she placed hers on top of it. "He reminds me so of Lothiriel that it both pains and over joys my heart," she smiled through her tears. Thranduil nodded and said, "I know, I see more of her in Legolas every day." The elves walked to the door of Thranduil's chambers and there they stopped.

Celebrian spoke first, "You were brooding over something when I came…" A smile graced the king's youthful face as he said, "Why, yes, I believe I was. I was just considering how going back home after this extended visit was going to effect Legolas…" A frown was his reply as the daughter of Galadriel pondered this.

"Arwen and Legolas have become quite close in the time you have been here. They spend all the time they are not studying weaponry with Glorfindel in the woods and near the river," the Lady answered. "Legolas tells me that he's teaching her the ways of your people…tracking game and moving silently through the trees and such."

Thranduil tried to suppress a smile and said, "Elrond should be pleased to no end…" The sly smile that Celebrian gave him made him laugh but he sobered as he said, "Legolas will not be pleased that we will be leaving both you and Arwen so soon."

"You will leave soon then," Celebrian stated bleakly. "I had hoped to delay the inevitable." Thranduil nodded and said, "We must make haste to reach the High Pass before it becomes treacherous. You know this, Celebrian."

She nodded dejectedly and spoke quietly, "I fear Arwen shall not be in good spirits in the following days either, my lord. We have all come to care for your son as one of our own."

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Arwen looked at the Prince in disbelief. "You cannot be leaving so soon! You only arrived a short time ago," she protested fiercely. Legolas sat upon a branch above her, leaning against the trunk of the great oak, his blue eyes murky with distress.

"Arwen, I have been here for the duration of Iavas. Ada says that we must make the High Pass before the storms begin to gather around the peaks. I do not wish to go any more than you wish for me to leave, but common sense tells us that I must!"

She glowered up at Legolas from where she was laying on the ground, basking in the rays of light that filtered through the thick canopy overhead. "It is warm yet; surely there will not be storms gathering around Hithaeglir yet," she said stubbornly. (*the Misty Mountains)

Legolas flipped down from his perch and landed next to Arwen, a grim look upon his fair face. He grasped her shoulders and shook her gently, "Arwen, uum-na-amada, nin mellon. If we do not leave soon, we will become trapped in the mountains and perish in the snowstorms." (*do not be a fool, my friend)

A tear ran down Undomiel's cheek and she felt a gentle hand brush it away. She looked up at Legolas and batted away his hand angrily, her eyes flashing. She rose so swiftly that the prince was knocked to the ground in shock as he watched her flee, his sharp ears picking up her sobs.

"Arwen," he called, as he pursued her, losing sight of her nimble form quickly in the trees that she knew so well. 'Ai, I wish I had not taught her quite so well,' he thought dismally. "Arwen, don't run from me, please!"

The huntsman in him kicked in and he stopped for a moment, closed his eyes, and concentrated on the woods around him. 'If I cannot see her, then I will hear her,' he thought. 'The trees…they whisper to each other that she has passed this way.'

Legolas flashed into motion again and found her within moments. She was cradled in the roots of an ancient willow tree, curled in on herself, weeping bitterly. "Kel-amin, lye cael-kai ner quen-en'Legolas," Arwen said in a chilly voice, keeping her face hidden from him. (*Leave me, we have nothing more to speak of, Legolas)

"Lle ris," Legolas replied evenly, walking to her and sitting next to her. He took her hands and dipped his head down to look into her face. "Lle now-amin kel-ed'amin seasa? Uuma, Ada naia ta! Amin lava a'ho naia, ten'ro vithel amin Aran. Um-lle rangw-amael'mellonamin?" (*You lie…you think I leave by my own wishes? No, it is Father's command! I must yield to his command, for he is also my King. Do you understand, beloved friend?)

Arwen's face was tear-streaked and she let another sob escape her lips before raising her head to meet Legolas's eyes. "Uma, nan'amin uum-ve'ta. Lle amin ere'anwa mellon," she whispered brokenly. (*Yes, but I do not like it. You are my only true friend)

Legolas pulled her petite form into his lap and hugged her tightly as he murmered the words to Arwen that had been spoken to him by her mother. "Undomiel, uum-nalla. Amin sall'kuila e'lle corm ilyamenie, iire lye e'tharndor." (*Undomiel, do not cry. I will live in your heart always, even when we are in distant lands)

"Um-lle vesta tanya lye na-mellon ten'oio, Legolas?" Arwen asked tearily. "Uma," the Prince of Greenwood promised. He unsheathed one of his daggers from his boot and made a shallow cut across the palm of his hand. (*Do you promise that we will be friends forever, Legolas?)

Before Arwen could say anything, he had drawn the blade quickly across her palm as well and she hissed in pain before looking at him curiously. "To seal our promise," he said. They grasped hands and as their blood mingled, they both spoke in unison.

"Ten'oio, ilyamenie." (*forever, always)