A/N: My dear readers, nothing means more to me than your support. I am VERY SORRY for this long delay, but I went through some personal rough times over the summer and then school started. I have been caught in the whirlwind and this year has been particularly stressful. From now on, all updates on the story's status will be up on my author's profile. I really appreciate all your support. It means so much to me! This chapter is on the very short side and I know it is unfair to put up such a short chapter after such a long hiatus, but it has to be short in order to set up the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it.

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Eowadia and the healer stood side-by-side, and gaped into the princess' room. Looks of pure terror replaced their ever-present Elven masks of serenity. Neither dared to enter the room. They just stood and stared.

"What do you suppose happened in here?" asked the healer finally tearing his eyes away from the turbulent scene before him.

"I do not know," came Eowadia's quiet reply. "I only left the Princess alone for a little while. In fact, she was not alone. I left her with Prince Legolas…" her voice trailed off as she realized what she had just said. Another silence settled upon the pair as Eowadia tried to come to a conclusion as to what happened inside the room, but she could not help fearing the worst.

"I do not understand…what harm could have resulted from leaving the Prince and the Princess alone together?" asked the confused healer. Eowadia opened her mouth to answer, but her verbal explanation was not needed as the pounding footfalls of Melenia filtered through the air. They both turned at the harsh sound of her approach. Although she was still a good distance down the hall, both elves could feel anger emanating from the young woman.

"My, she is in quite a foul mood," commented the healer nonchalantly.

"It is a result of Prince Legolas' attack methods," fatigue tinged her reply.

"That elf does not know when to stop," chuckled the healer. Eowadia only looked at him with a bewildered look in her eyes, so he decided to elaborate. "I have had to treat the Prince several times for injuries he acquired while using battle strategies to woo over women. He used to do it often in his younger days and I thought that he had grown out of it. Apparently I was mistaken," his melodious chuckle filled the hall once more as he finished his small tale.

"I do not think he was trying to pursue her," came Eowadia's amused response as Melenia came closer bringing her seething expression into full view. They spent the next few moments just watching Melenia approach. She finally stormed past them, marched into her room, and slammed the door behind her. Again, Eowadia and the healer stood together in perfect silence for the duration of two minutes in which the princess could be heard swearing in the common tongue. Suddenly the room went silent only because Melenia had ripped the door open. She stood perfectly still in the doorway to collect herself. Eowadia and the healer watched as different emotions chased each other over her face and marveled at her constant struggle to control them. Finally, the Ice Princess won over once more as she always has before. With her frosty mask in place, the princess moved down the hallway with the stealth of a panther.

"She is in full Aèrogarian combat attire," noted the healer. He did not need to announce it because it was obvious to any eye. Melenia was dressed in her black shirt and short skirt that revealed her toned legs. Yet this time, her attire was a bit different. She had both her daggers and her sword strapped to her back as well as her bow and quiver full of arrows. She had on her wrist protectors, which projected blades that could be used to cut an enemy without him knowing where the blade came from. Her boots also acted as sheaths for two long thin knives. The naked eye could not see the short knives strapped to the interior of her upper thighs nor could it pick out the deadly pointed blades, which appeared to be no more than instruments used to hold her hair in place. Melenia had quickly transformed into a walking armory.

"Blood will be shed this day," Eowadia said ominously as she watched Melenia round the corner of the long hallway.

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The humming of blades colliding filled the forest near the King's palace. The soldiers of Mirkwood were deeply involved in their combat practice. Every two had paired off and took to sparring fervently. Among the battling pairs, Prince Legolas stood out as an immaculate figure of a warrior. Every move of his blade appeared to be precisely calculated. He did not falter in his unbeatable state. It was only in this natural environment of the warrior did he feel a semblance of fulfillment and completion. It was in this state that the Melenia watched his every move from the shadows. She took in his stance, his every move, and every twitch of every muscle. He was an immaculate vision of perfection when he assumed his warrior persona. It was this flawlessness that drove the insanity within Melenia. Someone else in the deep recesses of her mind was also faultless on the battlefield. There was someone else who had a presence that unnerved her and commanded her attention as Legolas did. Someone she had trusted and loved completely only to have her trust and adoration thrown back at her as he marred her for life. Legolas was a walking, breathing reminder of the one she hated with the very core of her being.

The creature within Melenia stirred. It was in this state of anger that her earlier experiences with the prince had induced that her vision became clouded. She looked out at the world through distorted eyes, which sought revenge for her broken soul that had given up all hope of ever being repaired. The Ice Princess would get her revenge on mankind. She would torture every man she came across to create in them what had been created within her. The Ice Princess was no more than a deadly animal that lived within Melenia. Born of out of tragedy, her existence always resented, she only sought to inflict pain and destruction.

Melenia fought a losing battle for control. She finally surrendered to the will of the being residing within her. She handed total control to the Ice Princess who gladly accepted the reins. With her prey within her sight, she set out for the hunt. The Ice Princess was out for blood.

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A/N: The chapter's a bit on the dark side but it does have a purpose. Let me know what you think!