A/N; It took me awhile but I finally got the next chapter out! Hurrah. Enjoy, don't forget to review!

And thanks to all of you who have reviewed, I adore you.

- Elegant Couture / Shealy

Disclaimer; "Oh, I'm sorry.. All I heard was 'blah blah blah, I'm a dirty tramp.'"

"Pardon me, my Lady, but the King bid me to bring breakfast to you." Arwen turned over in her bed to see the young handmaiden blushing as she set the trey down upon a table. The girl exited just as quickly as she had come and Arwen was once more left alone. She rose slowly and pulled a soft green robe around herself just as another knock came. Her eyes were rimmed in red with a slight puffiness to them. She had found herself crying throughout most of the night, and her husband had ignored the tears heartlessly. She had even risen at one point and went out to the balcony to try and calm herself but to no avail.

"Who is it?" She knew it had to have been someone of importance for the guards at the very front door to the royal compartments would never had allowed just anyone to see her.

"Your knights in shining armor, my Queen!" She rolled her eyes with a small laugh as she opened the door to find Legolas and Gimli standing there. "We came to see how your breakfast is coming along." Legolas took her hand and placed a delicate kiss on her knuckles as he entered, the dwarf following close behind. Legolas gave her a studying glance, and the slight smile that had been there fell. "Arwen.." He frowned at her appearance.

"Aye, that husband of yours---" Legolas had quickly clamped his hand over Gimli's mouth and shot him a nasty glare before turning back to Arwen, who was blessedly surveying her breakfast rather than paying attention to them. She turned to look at Gimli just as Legolas released his hand.

"What did you say?" She frowned as she looked upon them both, sensing there was more to this story than meets the eye.

"Why, look, Arwen! A letter." Legolas gestured to the small white piece of paper that was nestled upon the trey. She nearly groaned out loud. After her last run in with a letter of any kind, she wanted no more white pieces of paper laying around. She sighed as the memory of Eowyn's letter burned into her minds eye. Perhaps this was just another one of the White Lady's letters, except this time maybe someone had placed a return letter from Aragorn to Eowyn in his wife's view? Or perhaps it was to Arwen detailing the way that Eowyn would steal the King from his elven bride. She gently lifted it up and the words on the folded front erased those thoughts. 'To My Evenstar,' it read, and she hesitantly unfolded it. The handwritting was easily recognized, it was that scrawling slant that had always marked her letters from Aragorn when he had been away. She took in a deep breath before continuing to read.

Please enjoy this meal and know that I would rather be dining with you than listening to the million's of advisers that wish my attention. But know that they shall never have that full attention for part of mind, if not all of it, it is always wrapped up in thoughts of you. I shall be able to steal away some time for you at precisely sunset. If you so wish to, meet me in the palace gardens in the far corner, where there is an alcove that over looks the city.
Love,
Estel.

She turned to look at the two companions, the letter gently being fingered in her grasp. "This is truly from him, then?"

"Of course it is, my lady!" Gimli responded quickly and smiled to her.

"Are you going to meet him?" Legolas asked and then felt Gimli jab him in the back.

"And how did you know what my letter said?"

"Aye.. Well.. Estel let me read it, you know, proof it to make sure it was nice." He gave her an utterly innocent look, praying she would buy it. And she did.

So she spent the day with her handmaidens, listening to their chatter while she dug through her dresses. She had to find something that would be pretty and suitable for the cold weather.. And then she paused. Why did it feel like they were having to woo each other all over again? The moment their eyes had truly met, they were in love. She released a sigh and let her head drop a small amount. She would have to help him find a way to balance everything, just as her father had done to balance his duties and his wife.

"My Lady, what dress are you looking for?" Aladriel was standing there with a small smile and a sparkle in her eye. The girl nearly worshipped her mistress.

"I am meeting the King at sunset in the palace gardens and I was simply trying to find something appropriate to wear.." Several of her handmaidens swooned and gasped at her words.

"Oh how romantic!" Many of them said as they looked at their Lady with that same worshipping look. She gave them a patient smile and turned back to digging through the piles of dresses.

"What about this one, my Lady?" Aladriel asked quietly as she lifted up a smooth silver gown. Arwen paused as she looked at the beloved dress, her eyes gently misting as a flood of tender thoughts overwhelmed her. It was one of Aragorn's favorite dresses, and hers as well. It had belonged to her mother, made to match the beautiful shade of her hair. In the sun it gave off an ethereal glow, and in the moonlight it transformed her into a beauty that even rivaled the Valar.

"Yes," she whispered as she approached and touched the fine material, "That one is perfect."

Aragorn tried desperately to listen to the drone of one of the economic advisors but found it to be near impossible. He wanted to chuckle as he glanced to Gandalf, who looked just as bored as he. He now understood by what the wise old wizard had spoke of when Aragorn was crowned. He had said gently to him that his zest for repairing and ruling his kingdom should be administered in small doses or he would wear himself to the bone and be useless. How right he was.

He let his head gently rest against his throne as a servant brought his lunch in to him. He glanced down to the mix of meats, fruits, and vegetables and spied a small white letter. He gave a frown as he gently picked it up and prayed to anything he could think of that it was not another letter from Eowyn. Faramir was sitting right next to him! He made sure his Steward was not looking at him as he opened it. The recognizable hand script of an Elf made him give a small unnoticeable sigh of relief. He quickly scanned the words before his court realized they had lost their king's interest.

'Meet me in the palace court yards, in the far corner alcove. At sunset, promptly.

Love,
Arwen.'

As a small smile came to the king's face, he missed the sly grin from Legolas and Gimli as they backed out of the throne room.