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!!

Here's another chapter before I have to seriously go to work…I'll be working 12 hour days this entire week so I won't have any time to update but I hope you guys enjoy this one!!! Pishymishy and Angelicstar, thanks for the reviews!!! *grin* And to all of you who emailed me, keep the reviews comin cuz they feed my muses (who are being very well behaved…) *mwahs*

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Legolas rose the next morning with the sun, stretching his aching muscles. Though he had spent much of the past weeks on horseback, having ridden hard and fast to reach Imladris several days ahead of the large assembly of elves traveling from Greenwood, he had decided that he desired a morning ride in the wild valley that surrounded the House of Elrond.

It had been almost 40 years since he'd been to the vale and the secluded cascades that he remembered called out to him with the rising sun. After dressing, the prince quickly laced up his boots and grabbed his bow and quiver, as well as his two daggers as an afterthought.

He rarely went unarmed and though often questioned for it, he had long ago decided that he'd rather be rebuffed by others than possibly dead. As he made his way to the stables, he thought about the rigorous tongue-lashing that he was going to receive when the party from Greenwood arrived. Walking into Ithil's paddock, he caressed the giant stallion's nose and spoke to him.

"It's not our fault, is it, nin mellon?" Legolas said mischievously. "Nay, we were just both anxious to return to Rivendell and we just blend into the night so well…" A wicked smile played across the young elf-prince's face as he went on. "Besides, Galadhor should have been paying much closer attention to my whereabouts, being the Royal First Guard and all. Entrusted with my safety and my life, I can hear it now…I wonder how long it took him to realize that we were gone."

The Prince of Greenwood nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the beloved female voice behind him admonish, "Legolas Thranduillion, you sound as if you're up to no good again. Is this true, nin ion?" The mock severity of Celebrian's tone and the minute frown on her face were off-set by the small twitches at the corners of her mouth and the sparkle of joy in her mithril-hued eyes. (*my son)

Legolas beamed and replied, "Of course not, naneth. What would ever give you that idea?" Both elves burst into laughter and embraced tightly. "I have missed you, child. It has been too long," Celebrian said, pulling back to look up at the young elf. (*mother)

"You have grown much, little princeling, but you are still my Legolas," she said teasingly, taking in his tall frame and the lanky awkwardness he still carried himself with. 'Yes,' she thought, 'someday, he will be strikingly magnificent; the perfect fusion of his mother's eloquent beauty and his father's deadly grace…but today, he is still but an elfing, ill-at-ease and clumsy, but learning.'

Celebrian's comment caused Legolas to flush and scowl. "My lady, I am hardly a little princeling anymore," the prince growled as he stalked over to his stallion to bridle him. The Lady of Imladris laughed--a clear sound as he recalled, like little bells in the wind--and inquired, "What is his name?"

Legolas softened and replied, "I call him Ithil." He could not stay irritated with Celebrian for long; she was, after all, naneth en'ho corm. Speaking softly, the petite Lady stroked the great beast's nose, "Vanima essa ten'vanima onna. Ar'lle ve'i'ilmen-ra yassen i'kuu ling-e'ta." Ithil lowered his head to touch his forehead to hers and nickered quietly in response. (*mother of his heart…a beautiful name for a beautiful creature. And you are like the great night sky with a crescent moon hung in it)

The prince stepped forward to keep his horse from harming her and Celebrian stepped around Ithil, stroking his forelock. "He will not hurt me, Legolas. Do not fear, nin taren-elle. Care to join me for my morning ride, to honor our tradition?" He smiled and swung up onto his steed, waiting while the Lady mounted up, and they rode off to enjoy the sunrise together. (*my little prince)

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The Lady of Imladris and the Prince of Greenwood paused to rest and watch the sun rise at one of the sheltered waterfalls that coursed from the Bruinen. The multi-faceted water droplets that plummeted hundreds of feet from the top of the cliff to the pool where Legolas and Celebrian rested and broke their fast caught the sunlight and reflected it in dazzling colors.

"I have come often to this place to watch the sun rise and fall," Celebrian said, a slight note of melancholy in her voice. Legolas extended his senses and smiled. It was a truly beautiful place. He could hear the trees whispering to each other and the water babbling further along the Loudwater, as well as all the creatures of nature speaking to one another.

"It is stunning, my lady. Why did you not bring me here sooner? I am jealous," Legolas teased. "I can hear the trees murmuring and the river babbling and the birds singing…perhaps that is why you kept it to yourself. It's a comforting haven from the outside world."

Celebrian turned her silver eyes on him and said, "Ah, if I only had time to enjoy it more often, Prince Legolas. That is why I have shared it with another…to pass on my refuge so that you may enjoy it whenever you choose to do so." Legolas frowned and said, "It is unfair that you shouldn't be able to enjoy any solitude, naneth."

Eating a piece of fruit, she smiled and stroked Legolas' flaxen hair. "You are right, but that does not change the way of the world, nin hin." He smiled forlornly and finished eating the spiced bread that Bridhil had given him before he had left for his ride. Then he laid down on his back and gazed up at the myriad of colors that streaked the sky through the trees. (*my child)

Celebrian could feel the ache for her that rolled off of Legolas in waves. She pulled his head into her lap and ran her hands over his hair absently. "Do not worry for me, little one. Being the Lady of Imladris is a duty that I accepted when I married Elrond many yen ago. It does not leave much idle time for such things as this," she said gently. (*years)

Finishing up their breakfast, Celebrian changed the subject to a lighter one. "So, tell me what it was that you were speaking to Ithil about before I interrupted your conversation?" Legolas grinned so brightly that it was blinding. Though she was laughing inwardly, she managed to glower down at her adopted son in reprove.

"I just wanted to have a little time to spend alone before my entire party arrived in Imladris, naneth. So I waited until Galadhor was paying a bit too much attention to Lalaith's singing and dancing around the campfire and slipped away into the night…" he trailed off and tried to give her a contrite look.

Celebrian deepened her frown but a small spark of mischief managed to show itself to Legolas in her eyes. "It really isn't my fault that Ithil and I blend so well into the night, hiril nin," he said impishly. "It is Galadhor's charge to guard me…his title being Royal First Guard, am I not correct?" (*my lady)

"Ever are you in trouble, my errant little Greenleaf. And though you are correct, you do realize that Galadhor is going to fillet you for his evening meal when he arrives, do you not?" she laughed warmly. "As will your father give you quite the thorough tongue-lashing, I have no doubt. You really must stop pulling such stunts, elle'er. If Elves could age, your father would surely have gray hairs by now." (*little one)

Legolas smiled dazzlingly again and Celebrian said, "Come, my foolish child, we will be missed soon. It is time to get back to the House and the rest of the world." He quickly rose and extended his hand to the elleth he considered his mother. "I am glad to be with you again on such a perfect morning in such a perfect place," Legolas said to her. She smiled at him and said, "As am I pleased that you made it to Imladris in one piece on your own, Legolas. There are many dangers in the world that could have befallen you without another's aid. Do not be so impetuous as to do something like this again, a'mael hin." (*she-elf…beloved child)

The prince's face dropped into a mask of remorse and he spoke thickly, his voice veiled with unshed tears as he realized what his father must be thinking. "Amin hiraetha, naneth…amin um-mani amin mern-yassen n'uma now-en'n'at gwaith." (*I am sorry, mother…I did what I wanted, with no thought of other people)

Celebrian reached out and touched the young prince's face. 'Yes, young one, you are learning to grow up,' she thought. "Your father should arrive tomorrow and you can apologize to him then. He will forgive you. Galadhor, on the other hand, will be a harder case to plead," she said, smirking in an attempt to lighten the situation.

For the moment, Legolas allowed it to work and smiled a little as he helped her on her horse, mounting up onto Ithil a moment later. As they rode back to Imladris, Celebrian was mildly surprised by how quiet her adopted son was. When he spoke, he said, "I never thought of it that way…I just thought that I would make it here a few days early and everything would be fine. I did not think of the possible dangers."

Brushing her silver-blonde hair away from her face, she smiled and said softly, "I know this, Legolas, as I am sure Thranduil does. You are still young and irresponsible, but you must learn to be more cautious because the unsavory things in Middle Earth will not afford you second chances for your youth. Most of them are still restricted to the dark places of the world, but not all of them…I do not want to see your bright light extinguished as your mother's was."

The golden prince's face hardened and he spoke with conviction, "I am teaching Arwen to use the bow, for your sons have had disastrous results trying to teach her. We practiced yesterday and she is already hitting the center of the target consistently." Celebrian raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Arwen has been resisting learning archery fiercely; I'm rather shocked that she's letting you teach her."

"She wanted to learn archery, but Elladan and Elrohir's methods were not the proper type that she required. And I believe that she should learn archery in order to protect herself from afar," Legolas replied. "Which reminds me, I really must be getting back in order to begin our archery lessons for the day."

Celebrian smiled at him and said, "I am glad that my daughter has agreed to learn archery, from you especially. Your prowess in archery is well-known, nin ion." Legolas blushed and replied, "Your sons have told me the same and I will tell you the same that I told them; tales get over exaggerated with the telling, my lady. I will see you at dinner, I hope."

With that, he dug his heels into Ithil's sides and galloped off to the Last Homely House in the distance to find Celebrian's daughter. The Lady of Imladris mused a bit on her adopted son; he was growing into a magnificent edhel. Legolas and Arwen were both so similar and yet so different.

They both reminded her of the twilight, though two completely different twilights. Legolas was of the minuial, the twilight of the dawn, where the stars had faded and the sun was just beginning the peek over the horizon. And her Undomiel was of the aduial, the twilight of the dusk, where the stars were beginning to appear and the night was spreading her shawl of deep purples and blues over the sky.

When Celebrian rode into the intricately crafted stables, still half lost in her reflections, she found Arwen and Legolas just about to leave. "My children," she called out in her commanding voice. "Come, I must speak with you," she continued, letting the authoritative tone leave her voice and a hint of pleasantness sneak in.

The two elflings turned and followed the Lady of Imladris, one flanking her on either side. Very seriously, she said, "I have decided on a matter of great importance." Arwen and Legolas looked at each other, wondering if they were in trouble, or what exactly this matter of 'great importance was.'

'What is naneth on about?' Arwen wondered. 'I can see that little twinkle in her eye…'

Celebrian stopped suddenly and turned to them. "On my ride back, I was reflecting upon how much my two youngest children have grown so…their similarities and differences. And I have decided that between the three of us, the two of you remind me of twilight."

Arwen and Legolas waited for her to continue, but she did not. "Naneth?" Legolas inquired quietly. "I don't think we quite understand what you mean." Celebrian laughed and replied, "Forgive me, I am still halfway lost in my musings, amin a'mael hini. I meant that Legolas reminds me of minuial, the twilight of the dawn, and Arwen reminds me of the aduial, the twilight of the dusk. I will call you that, if only in the prescence of each other. They are beautiful names." (*my beloved children)

Legolas and Arwen contemplated that and before they could either protest or agree, Celebrian left them. "I agree, they are beautiful names, but that is odd that she should muse over us so thoroughly, do you not think?" Arwen questioned as they walked to the archery fields. Legolas shook his head and replied, "Nay, I do not think so. I think that she has all the wisdom of her mother, the Lady of Light, and she cares more for her children than any of us realize."

He paused for a moment and went on, "I think she is correct; we do resemble the opposite twilights. You are dark where I am light…yes, she is right. You have the alabaster skin of the stars and the dark hair of the night sky. Your eyes also shine with the light of Earendil and they change with your moods from indigo to the darker shades of violet that resembles the hues the Lady of Night pull over the sky when it is dusk. Your smile is like the moon gently caressing all that look upon her with her luminosity. And I have oft been compared to the dawn, though I know not why."

Arwen brushed a stray strand out of his face and spoke as though in a trance, "You have hair the color of spun sunlight and your skin glows with the light of Anor. Your eyes are like the sky in the early morning, the deep blue blazing with the promise of lighter shades through the course of the day. And your smile is as striking and radiant as the first beams of daylight breaking over the horizon." Then, as if in a trance, she shook herself and both elves flushed, realizing what they had spoken to each other. (*the sun)

"So, shall we begin archery practive, hir nin?" she said stiffly. "Aye, hiril nin, we shall," Legolas replied. And they went on as if nothing had passed between them at all, thinking all the while of the melodious expressions that had been spoken without thought. (*my lord, my lady)