A/N: Hey everyone, I am SO SORRY for the long delay, but I have had so much work to do and it was just piling up. I will try to update more often because I have had a huge burst of inspiration for this story, but another phase of extreme testing in school is coming up. Nevertheless, I will try. Thank you all so much for your support… you ROCK!

Now, on with the story…

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Melenia entered the dining hall and scanned the room thoroughly. She wanted to know where Legolas was seated so she could sit as far away from him as possible. She was still somewhat peeved by their earlier encounter, and he was just truly starting to rub her the wrong way. Unfortunately for her, he had not yet arrived, so she took her regular seat beside Eowadia.

"Melenia, where have you been? I have been looking for you all afternoon," Eowadia asked as soon as Melenia was seated.

"Nowhere in particular, I have merely been walking around the palace," she replied calmly. Her face and voice were a complete mask that hid her anger and anxiety.

"Are you eager to go to the ball?" Eowadia asked with what could only be described sheer excitement and joy.

"Yes I am. I am just thrilled," Melenia replied with bitter sarcasm.

"I take it you do not like balls."

"Whatever gave you that idea dear Eo?"

"Or do you just dislike your escort?"

"What do you know of my escort?" Melenia asked curiously.

"Word always travels quickly when it comes to who the prince is escorting to a ball, and for this ball it happens to be you," Eowadia answered with a smile.

"Aren't I the lucky one?" she asked with complete disdain.

"So many would give anything to have the same opportunity."

"I would willingly give it up to any of them if I could."

"The prince is not as horrible as you believe he is," Eowadia said with conviction.

"You are right Eo. He is much worse than I make him out to be."

"Do you speak of anyone I know?" came a melodious voice from behind them, a voice that Melenia quickly recognized. She turned around to find Legolas standing with a little smirk on his face. "He is doing this to me on purpose!" she thought as she watched his smirk grow.

"No your highness," she answered sweetly, "you would never be caught associating with someone so crude."

"Are you sure my lady? I do not want anyone to disturb you at all during your stay with us."

"Do not trouble yourself, I can handle it on my own," her voice did not reveal one drop of her animosity toward him.

"May I join you for dinner?" he asked as he motioned to the vacant chair across the table from where she was seated.

"My lord, I would have it no other way," she replied with a smile. Eowadia looked on with fascination. Melenia was absolutely calm and unwavering. She did not show any signs of her anger toward the prince; she was even able to control the tone of her voice. The words slipped off her tongue like cold water flows through a stream. "I must ask her how she does it," she thought with amazement.

"How was the rest of your afternoon, princess?" Legolas asked after he was seated.

"It was lovely, I spent it with Eowadia." She quickly snapped her head toward Eowadia who was about to speak out in protest. "Isn't that right Eo?" Melenia asked. Eowadia only nodded in response. The food was then served and the trio ate in silence for some time until Legolas finally spoke up again.

"I am looking forward to attending the ball with you my lady."

"Are you really my lord?" she teased.

"Of course. Are you looking forward to it?" he inquired.

"I will enjoy it just as much as I enjoy attending balls at my home." When he did not say anything else for a while Melenia thought that the subject had finally been dropped.

"I think spending the entire time together is a wonderful idea. It will give us a chance to get to know each other much better," he said after some time had passed. Melenia almost choked on the piece of food she was chewing.

"Pardon me your highness, but I am not sure if I heard you correctly. Did you say that we are to spend our entire time together?"

"We are not obligated to do so, but we must spend some time together throughout the evening."

"I thought you were only going to escort me?"

"My lady, it is part of being your escort. We are to spend some time together, and we must dance together at least twice during the evening." Melenia stared at him with disbelief in her eye. She already found the prince to be intolerable, but now she was required to spend time with him, to dance with him! "He knew of this all along. Even though he knows how much I hate the idea of a ball, he insisted on asking me," she thought as the anger began to boil. The idea of talking to him more than she had to enraged her, and the idea of him touching even if it was only during a proper dance made her sick to her stomach. "I will not have this," she thought as her mind started to become clouded with rage.

"Prince Legolas, perhaps you should find another maiden to escort," some of the rage began to slip into her voice.

"I would rather not, I want to spend time with you and you only," he said as small smile started to develop on his lips.

She leaned in toward him over the table and then motioned for him to come closer with her finger. "You did this to me on purpose didn't you?"

"My lady, what gave you that notion?" Once more cold, brown ice met blue, warm fire, and the outcome was another standstill.

"I hope you know that this means war," was the silent message she sent him before she got up and left the room.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Oh that prince, he will pay for this!" Melenia yelled at her unresponsive walls as she changed into a pair of old breeches and a tunic. "He will understand just what happens to someone when they cross me too often." A plan had started forming in her mind as soon as she walked out the dining hall. A younger, more mischievous Melenia now had full occupation of her brain, and the little girl would have her revenge.

She put on her cloak and left her room. After traveling down some hallways she came to a door, a closet door to be exact. She opened it and began to rummage through the equipment until she found exactly what she had been looking for. "This will do just fine," she said as she looked at the gleaming steel shovel. "Now, to find a way out of this place." The smirk grew on Melenia's lips, her plan would take some to accomplish, but it would be worth it.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A very tired Melenia stumbled out of her room the next morning. Her arms and legs ached horribly but she consoled herself, "It will all be worth it in the end," she thought.

"Melenia," came Eowadia's voice from behind her.

""Eo, good morning!" she instantly brightened up and smiled.

"Good morning to you as well," the elf returned with a smile.

"Is there anything I must do this morning after breakfast?"

"Not quite after breakfast. You have a dress fitting for the ball at noon, and you must meet with some of the king's advisors afterwards." Melenia only nodded in response. "Shall we go to breakfast then?" Eowadia continued.

"Of course," Melenia replied with another smile as the sound of her stomach growling came to her ears.

Melenia took in the quiet that surrounded them as they walked down the hallway peacefully. "This morning will not be so bad after all," she thought. Just then a door located a few feet away from them opened, and out came Prince Legolas whose eyes settled upon Melenia as soon as he exited his room.

"Good morning princess," he said with a smile, "good morning Eowadia."

"Good morning my lord," replied Eowadia as she bowed her head in respect.

"Good morning Prince Legolas," Melenia answered. "Be nice for now, you will have your revenge soon enough," the devious young girl that now occupied her mind reassured her.

"Princess, I believe that you owe me a walk around the palace grounds, and I would like to claim it this morning."

Melenia instantly became annoyed. She would not have this. She quickly scanned the hall until her eyes fell on a beautiful, blond maiden who was looking at the prince with such hope and want in her eyes. "May I please?" Melenia asked the young girl in her mind. "Sure, why not?" the girl replied.

"Oh prince Legolas, I am so sorry. I cannot make it this morning as well," Melenia said in the most sincere tone she could muster. "I have dress fittings and I must meet with several of your father's advisors, but I am sure that this young maiden would love to take my place," she motioned for the girl to come over.

Legolas looked at her with dismay. That very young maiden had been after him for quite some time, and he could not get her to give up. Now, Melenia was helping her as well.

"I would love to oblige your highness," the girl curtsied politely.

"Well, I will leave you two to talk now, I must get going. Duty awaits." Melenia said in her most regal tone. As she and Eowadia walked away, they could hear the elf maiden chattering away.

"Melenia, you do not have anything to do this morning," Eowadia finally said after they had walked for a little while.

"I know Eo, I know," she replied as a devious smile spread over her face.

Legolas watched their retreating forms. "So that is the way you want to play it princess? Then you shall have it your way." he thought before turning his attention to the excited maiden before him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

And so the first battle of the war had been fought, and Melenia had emerged as the victor. But the war had only begun, and Legolas was prepared to retaliate. That was how it would be. One would strike and the other would fall only to get up and launch a stronger attack than the former. Both wanting the other to yield to him or her, and neither getting their way. It is only customary that in the end they would both bend to each other…

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A/N: Another heads up for the next chapter… Those two will be very devious to each other, just wait and see…I would have included it in this chapter but I would like to think of more things for them to do to each other first…