Chapter Three:

Author's Note: Chapter 3... MWAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!! I (Pippin) am an evil wench!!! HAHAHAHA!!! Well actually, not all that evil, not yet anyway. Oh well, hope you all enjoy.

Disclaimer: None of the characters are ours (unfortunately), except Meruil, Sanleihe, Legolas's brother and the chancellor.

Thank You To:

Mayfaery: Thank you so much!! I loved your review! Merry and I got a really good laugh out of that one!!! ^_^

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Aragorn was in a towering rage.

"You should know better than that!" he whispered angrily, gripping Legolas's shoulder a little harder than necessary.

Legolas grimaced and tried to move away from him. "But Aragorn, I can't help it... I love her..." he whispered back, a mistake on his part.

Aragorn gripped his shoulder do hard that Legolas hissed in pain and almost fell, because his knees had buckled under him. "You know you can't do that! It's against the traditions, the laws!!! YOU ARE ROYALTY. A Prince, about to be a King..."

"Yeah!" Said Legolas, not bothering to keep his voice low anymore, his brow furrowed angrily. "Well maybe I don't want to be a King!" Several people turned and stared. "Maybe I just want to be a regular person for once!" He wrenched himself free of Aragorn and stormed off into the crowd.

Aragorn stared after him. "I never really wanted to be a King either," he whispered. He sighed. He watched Legolas push between a tight group of people and disappear from sight. *Where is Arwen?* For the first time he realized that he hadn't seen her all evening. He walked through the crowded hall, looking for her. He found her talking to Meruil on the other side; they seemed to be deep in conversation.

"My Ladies," Aragorn said, and they looked up at him. He looked sternly at Meruil. "Where is Sanleihe?"

"Oh," Said Meruil quietly, "She found Lady Eowyn and went to join her and Lord Faramir." She motioned towards the other end of the hall. "They are over there somewhere..." She said all of this to the floor rather than to Aragorn.

"And who is this Sanleihe?" questioned Arwen, frowning slightly, looking at Aragorn.

"She is a friend of Eowyn's. She had never been to a elvish ceremony before, nor seen any elves, so I gave her a tour of the hall and kept her company for a while, until she got her bearings." He smiled gently at Arwen's frown.

"And where is Lord Legolas?" questioned Meruil quietly.

"He is no longer any concern of yours, as I have spoken to Lord Elnrod and had you assigned back to Arwen." He said venomously, rounding on Meruil, his eyes flashing with obvious contempt.

The next thing He knew he was facing the other way, and a sharp tingling sensation was searing his cheek. He turned back around and looked at Meruil, who stood with a resolute expression and her fists balled, as if daring him to say another word. The area around them had gone silent.

Aragorn stared coldly at her, but he smiled and gave a slight bow. "I'll tell Legolas you send your regards." He turned to Arwen. "Arwen." he said, bowing slightly again. With that he turned and walked away. He had just about made it to the opposite end of the hall, to a secluded corner where he thought he could sort out his thoughts, when a voice whispered in his ear.

"My Lord Aragorn?"

He turned to address the person and was stunned to see it was Meruil. She was very flushed. She sank into a low curtsy, not daring to look at him as he stared at the floor.

"My Lord..." her voice wavered. "Please forgive me for my actions. I do not know what came over me, I apologize." Then she rose and looked him straight in the eye. He was surprised to see them glittering fiercely, as if a fire hotter than those of Mount Doom was smoldering behind them. "But I ask you not to mention Lord Legolas in front of me again."

Aragorn looked at her bewilderedly.

"You do not know how hard it is to love someone you are forbidden to, and then to know that even if you were together that you could never be truly happy because you would be thought to be lower than the earth upon which you walk," her voice hardened with each word she spoke. "And to be treated as such by people like you."

She turned away, narrowing her eyes over her shoulder as she did so. "And you had better thank the Valar you don't."

Aragorn caught her by the arm and turned her back around, so he could look her directly in the eye as he spoke. "If it was up to me, I would see my best friend marry whomever he wants, but Lord Thranduil and Lord Elnrod would have his head and mine if such a thing was to be! All I am trying to do is keep him from getting into anymore trouble than he already is in!"

Meruil's expression softened. The fire behind her eyes seemed to lessen as she spoke. "I know," she whispered so only he could hear. "Thank you..." she smiled slightly and pulled away from him, losing herself in the crowd.

Aragorn nodded and turned to go to his corner when he heard someone call his name. He heaved a great sigh and turned to see Elnrod beckoning to him from the front of the dais. He sighed again. *Time to be a King again...*

Sorry, this chapter is kind of short, but it helps set up for chapter 4 nicely. I also want to apologize for the technical difficulties I seem to be having... Finals week just came and I have been rather stressed and more scatterbrained than usual... Well hope you enjoyed it!! Please review... ^-^