Sry about the delay in this chapter! I point the finger at exams and a few weeks without Internet access.

Hugs Rose

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Two sets of tiny wet footprints created a less then discreet trail throughout the stable, while the horses regarded the dripping children with wary eyes. Ignorant of there tracks or onlookers – they crept along the rows of stalls until they came to the pen of horses Legolas had seen previously.

Ranna examined them critically, "they are too small."

"Too small?!" Legolas scoffed, pausing from his efforts to wring some river water out of his hair.

"Way too small, we'll squash them. "

"Shan't!"

"Squish em like a pancake!" She stamped her foot in emphasis, with a sigh she tried to reason with her friend. "Listen, we want them to run fast so we can dry quickly, right? Otherwise we'll get in trouble and start a war."

" A war?"

"Well, your ada's always saying that if we don't behave he'll send us to live with the humans and I don't think they'd like that very much."

"Oh."

"And the horses can't run if they are kissing the floor."

Legolas cast a sideward glance at the horse that had bit him. "Like that would be a bad thing," he muttered under his breath.

"Pardon?"

"Nothing, you're um right."

"Of course, I am female."

The brown haired elfling smirked in truimph, unaware that as soon as she turned her back the prince started mimicking her actions.

"These ones look strong enough.!" Ranna mumbled as Legolas flailed his arms around, exaggerating her movements. The horses Ranna had so carefully picked, backed away nervously - alarmed by Legolas' quick movements.

Ranna turned suddenly and narrowed her eyes at the suddenly very still prince. Legolas smiled sheepishly put pulled a face as soon as she turned again.

The pair of elflings slipped into the stall and looked nervously at the suddenly very large young horses.

"Ranna, these are ada's prize stallions!"

"So? I'm sure he won't mind too much." The look on Legolas' face argued differently.

"Well, can you ride?"

"Umm, no. They are awfully big, aren't they?"

"How exactly are we going to get up then?"

Well," Ranna stepped closer to the horses and laid a small hand upon its side, "we could try to give each other a step up?"

Legolas looked at her dubiously then sighed, "It would work better if the others were still here. "

"Stop complaining, they had to get back or they would have been missed."

"And no ones going to miss us?" It suddenly dawned on him that they had been gone for quite sometime.

"We'll think about that later, now come on, I'll give you a hand first."

Ranna cupped her hands and stood near the black stallion with a encouraging look upon her face directed at the prince.

However, even with Ranna's help, they just weren't tall enough. They came close once but Legolas suddenly lost his balance and toppled over the top of Ranna. Her green eyes glared at the prince as she tried to remove some straw from her hair.

Suddenly, an idea came to the prince. Getting up from the floor, he dragged the food trough over to the stallion. With a confident grin, he gingerly stepped up onto the edge and jumped onto the surprised animal's back.

The result was instantaneous.

The shocked horse took off out of the stall door, which they had convenient left open, and out of the stable. With a cry of alarm, Ranna repeated his actions, with the mindset of coming to the heroic rescue of the prince.

"Eeekkk!"

However, her horse reacted in the same way.

The two horses raced across the paddock area with their tiny burdens holding on for their lives.

"Hey, I think I'm getting the hang on this!' Came Legolas cry as he managed to regain some form of balance on top of the horse, but still unable to control the direction or speed of the horse.

Any sense of confidence had long since left Ranna, her face was deathly pale and clung on weakly as the horse continued its long stride – moving closer and closer to the fence.

However, Legolas didn't have the foresight to notice the fence and gave a loud shout of joy. His golden locks flowed behind him and his clothes fluttered madly in the wind – drying fast. When his eyes fixed on the fence he grinned in anticipation. Leaning forward he whispered in the horses flickering ear "jump it!'

"Legolas! Don't you dare!" Her tiny body was shaking in absolute terror. With a cry, she clenched her eyes shut – leaving her safety in the hands, err, hooves of the racing black mare.

The horse hunched its muscles in anticipation then, with its rider laughing gaily, cleared the fence with a graceful leap. It's companion made the jump with the same success, excepts this rider was silent and kept her hands clamped in a death lock around the beasts neck.

The horses still showed no sign of stopping, trampling through the carefully tendered royal gardens – leaving a mess for the gardeners, and headed towards the vast forests of Mirkwood. It was a tree root in the end that stopped their epic journey.

Legolas was thrown with a perfect arc and landed hard in a bush with the terrified Ranna landing right next to him, never happier to see the ground.

However, there ride through the grounds had not gone unnoticed and it was with a feeling of dread that the elflings look up to meet the stern face of Thranduil.

"Umm, It wasn't us?"

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I'm just gonna use this opportunity to thank all those who have reviewed for there comments (and for there patience J )

Mogcat: I know, I'm bad and need a spanking! I will get other chapters up soon – have a chocolate for reviewing!

anime princess4: Legolas and Chocolate such a wonderful combination. Thanks for continually reviewing (feel free to tell whether you think the chapters are getting progressively worse or not)

kantomon: Ta, I felt that occasionally ppl need a break from angst!

KavarieL: I'm typing, I'm typing! *Grins* don't worry I will continue and I swear I'm already writing a new chapter.

Celedra: Ah, never a more true statement! Your friends sound like mine. Rose gives an offering of chocolate to the royal wombats, pandas, and random platypus.

d : One word can say so much, thanks for the review J – don't worry the next one is on the way.

Tessa11: Ta for continually reviewing! It's nice to think of the big strong archer Legolas as a cute little kid, isn't it?

Yentihw: Thanks, it's my first fanfic so I was kinda scared of ppls reactions but it's nice to know that you and others like it!

Thaurer: Yeah, I would like to know what's gonna happen too... just kidding! I think J

Window Girl: They are cute aren't they? Hopefully I can keep them that way!

God's Child 27; Where's the chocolate?! Oh, there it is J Don't worry I am and will be writing a lot more.

Pippin the hobbit-elf: Hmm, REALLY good chocolate? I keep getting chocs from everyone and I just realised I don't know what kind of chocolate...

Lomiothiel: That's what I said to my friend, then she pushed me in the pool... The chocs are defiantly going to good use, they are helping me invest in a newer and larger wardrobe J Skipping the jewels probably wasn't there best idea, but they're getting them back – but will they GIVE them back...

Links Yamato: Yep, I defiantly will!

Tinnuial: Thanks for the review! Love your stories so it was good to get a review from you! Hugs

Okay, I've left you guys last, cause you know - order of importance hehe... alicat put down the knife...

still-trusting-no1: Obessing? Who said anything about stalking?! You know I love it when you review me (it brings up my stats lol) BIG HUG!!

Queen Rosie of the Pirates and one actor in particular: Rosie, you've got to READ the story, you might learn something important – like how to bathe! You just wanted to review so I would get all excited in ITE, didn't you? I've really got to stop screaming in happiness everytime I get a review.

Alicat: Now about that knife... Hmm, I'm thinking of trying to rope you into becoming my muse. Cause you know how bad my speeling is and my grammar, pronunciation, knife-throwing skills are! Psst, I'll give you some chocolates if you take 'care' of Rosie and Hannah by the time we get back to school.

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That's all! Hope I didn't miss anyone. Now...

Reviews are like... the trailer for ROTK