The night of the banquet came on quickly and as a special surprise for their children, Mithnaial and Dothlir bought new dress clothes for all of them.


Eden spun around in her new green dress in front of the mirror in her room. Her dress fit her perfectly and accented her figure. The sleeves were long, the dress was long, and it left much of her neck area exposed. She did not like that it exposed her so, but it was a new dress and she was quite happy with it. This was the first time ever that she would walk out of the house with a fully washed face and her long copper hair let out across her back. Getting jealous? Don't be, for the dress is making Eden's skin itch.


"Mother!" she called, "Mother! I think I'm chafing!" Her mother walked into the room.


"Nonsense, you look beautiful," her mother smirked.


"This dress," Eden muttered, "I think I'm allergic to the fabric."


"Don't be ridiculous," her mother scoffed, "This is the finest fabric in Mirkwood." Eden whimpered and scratched her leg ravenously.


"Stop it!" her mother glowered, "You'll ruin your dress, silly girl." Her mother walked out and called her other brothers and sisters to hurry up. Soon, they were on their horses and riding swiftly to the palace.


When they arrived, their horses were put into the stable and they went to the banquet hall, which was lavishly decorated with golden green leaves and ribbons.


But Eden did not wish to linger. She had a bit to eat and then walked out into the courtyard to sit in the garden. She looked up at the stars and smiled and then scratched at her leg again. She preferred it this way, to be alone. She didn't need anyone because no one needed her. A single tear slipped down her cheek. She felt so detached. Reader, did you truly think that teenaged angst only applied to humans?


"Well, well, look what we have here," someone snarled nearby, "It's a Goldenlight, all alone. Not very smart at all."


"Leave me be," she said, not turning her eyes to the aggressor. "I do not wish to be bothered so please go and bother the people that actually want to be here."


Suddenly she was pulled up and pushed into somebody else and then that person pushed her to the ground. She looked up and saw two of the younger princes and some boys from another noble family.


"Who do you think you're talking to?"one of the princes barked. "You can't order me around! I am a prince and you...you are dirt and on the ground is where you belong."


Eden glared and tried to get up, but they kept pushing her down. Finally, annoyed, she elbowed one of the boys in the groin and pushed him away but was yanked back by the hair and punched and kicked (but she did fight back a bit) until she cried out. They stopped and looked down at her. She lay on the ground, cowering and crying softly. Then she felt their presence disappear swiftly.


She lay like that for what seemed like hours until she felt a strong hand pull her up. She opened her eyes and expected to see one of her siblings, but instead saw a tall, towering figure with a smirk on his face.


Legolas.


He lifted her up gently, and made sure she could stand on her own. Then they just stood there staring at each other and she felt his fingertips brushing the wisps of hair out her face. "W-what are you doing?" she stammered.


"Checking to see if they did anything to your face," he said, moving her head to one side and inspecting it. "I don't want my brothers to be blamed for something that was probably your fault."


"My fault!?" cried Eden, pulling herself away. "I was sitting here, minding my own business, when they came and pushed me to the ground and wouldn't let me get up."


"From what I saw, you seemed to be fighting back," he said, pulling her closer to him and inspecting the other side of her face.


"Well of course I was, you didn't really expect me to just sit there and take it, did you?"she asked.


"I suppose not, but you did provoke them," Legolas said, his voice sounding in a very matter-of-fact tone. "I saw that little elbowing action you did there. Did you really expect to get away with it?"


"How dare you!?" she said, angrily with eyes now filling with tears of anger and frustration. She pushed herself away from him.


"I'm not done," he growled and grabbed her, pulling her close again, but she tore away again.


"You know, I would expect so much more from a future king," she said quietly, angry tears sliding down her cheeks, and then walked away from him.


She walked to the stable, scratching her leg, and told the servants to tell her family she was leaving. They did so and she got Summo and rode away into the night. She did not care what was in the forest at this late hour, she just wanted to be home. When she got to the house, she let the servants put the horse back and she walked into the house and up the stairs to her room. Slipping out of her dress and leaving it on the floor, she put on her night gown and went to bed.


But she could not sleep. One thought, one person still lingered in her mind.



Legolas.


How it felt to be near him, to smell him, to feel his warmth, to feel his fingertips over her skin, but his words were like poison arrows, hurtful, cold.


'But he is quite han-,' she thought, but then suddenly sat up in bed. 'Oh my, was I just about to say Legolas was handsome?'


'Well, he is,' a small voice in her head said.


'What does that even matter?' she thought, falling backwards onto her pillow, 'He has the attitude of a civilized orc, if there is such a thing. Maybe he just got that attitude from his Dwarf friend.'


"But what does it matter?" she sighed and closed her eyes, hoping to fall asleep.