Well, right now Alyeni's father is stuck in Imladris, but he will come home sometime (gulp). Alyeni/Wind/Tyran does not know that Leaf is Legolas. All she knows is that they both lost their mothers while relatively young, but times being what they are, she doesn't think this too odd. Legolas may have been outgoing as a youth, but as he grew older he began to turn in on himself as he found many were drawn to him because of his title. He never goes to see Wind when he looks in any way like a prince. For those who actually read the author's notes, this will be annoyingly reiterated in the coming chapter. Sorry.

FarFlung: I must say that your reviews are the most interesting to read—It's lovely to find someone who articulates what they enjoy or would enjoy in the fic, rather than a simple 'hurry, write more'! As for the body language, a good portion of it probably is because Legolas is a warrior and has had ample time to study people as the prince… but also—though subconsciously—merely because he knows Wind so well. She can often read him in the same fashion, though she's aware of why that is, and tries to hide it when she notices, for fear he'll think her odd and begin thinking too hard.

And this is the final chapter before Christmas break. See you in January!

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His one tomorrow turned into several, until every moment of every waking hour seemed to involve him. Once in a while he wouldn't look for me until evening, but Leaf was quite persistent about being around Alyeni… and Tara was equally determined that he have the chance as long as my father was forced to remain outside the wood.

This day I had managed to look around a good portion of the goings on without seeing him. I did catch a distant glance of the thus far elusive prince—he tended to keep to himself enough few knew him on sight except by his marks of title, which were easy enough to remove if he wished. Of course, those who lived in the halls knew him, especially those of the noble ladies who wished to produce the royal heir someday. I doubt they would be fooled by him removing his finery.

My musings about the prince were cut off when an arm slipped around my waist, tucking me against someone's side. No fair guessing who. Leaf looked down with a smile I was growing familiar with, even if I was uncertain about the whole thing. "Good evening, dear lady," he murmured, even as he steered me into the dancers. "Would you?"

"Do I have a choice?" I snapped quietly, allowing him to shift his hold on me. One hand settled at my waist, the other at my wrist—I think he liked keeping track of my heartbeat.

"Not really," he murmured, amusement clear in his voice.

As we danced the music suddenly changed to something a bit more lively, which was rather unexpected. Before Leaf could shift into it, he was plowed into from behind. His hand on my wrist tightened, and he swung me out of the way while attempting to regain his balance as the elf who had done the plowing fell to the floor, his date drawn to the side as I had been so she also remained on her feet. In Leaf's eyes I saw both annoyance and—utmost—amusement. He offered a hand to the elf, who sheepishly took it.

"Sorry about that," he offered with an easy smile.

I froze, and Leaf stiffened, looking the elf over, amusement fading in an instant. My thought was uttered aloud in a somewhat tight voice by him. "Joy?"

The elf looked up sharply from his cursory glance at his partner, a frown drawing his brows together as I had never before seen—for it was Joy, and his nickname was apt. "Leaf?"

Leaf laughed delightedly, before I was jostled by another pair of dancers. Leaf's arm wrapped around my shoulders, holding me closer to avoid further loss of balance… and probably to keep me from slipping away while he was distracted. Not that I was about to try, this time. "Let us escape the crowd," he murmured to Joy, who nodded at once.

"The garden?" he offered.

"Yes," Leaf agreed, tugging me along behind him, though I went willingly enough. And why wouldn't I? I hadn't seen Joy in over a thousand years, any more than Leaf had.

Joy met us there a minute later alone. At Leaf's pointed look, Joy shrugged. "I just met her two dances ago. I've no doubt she would rather continue her evening in other ways."

Leaf inclined his head and then motioned at a path, his hand tight on my wrist as the three of us headed down to the small secluded cove he and Alyeni had met in at the prince's party two months back. Then the two male elves faced each other, and though I was supposed to be left out of it, I could almost feel them remembering… as I was remembering. Joy with his ever present smile, his constant cheerful job of peacekeeper between the others and Twig—though Twig was never much interested in his attempts… so many things that had been for one instant were again, until Joy glanced at me and broke the moment.

His look was long and appraising, something flickering in his eyes for an uncomfortable instant before he looked at Leaf, lifting a brow. He tilted his head to indicate me. "Yours?"

"Yes."

My mouth dropped open at his flat statement. "Now wait a minute!" I protested.

"I have," Leaf countered, the possessiveness in his tone echoed in his eyes as he looked at me. He reached up and lifted some of my hair from half blocking my right eye, languidly moving it behind my ear, before he brushed his thumb down the outer shell of my ear—starting at the tip.

My breath sucked in and froze in my throat as his thumb slowly completed the turn. The shock of fire running through me was neither expected nor wanted, but it was not deniable, either. I let my eyes half close on a shudder, and carefully released my breath to take another. Though it took a moment—especially with him watching me as if I'd returned the intimate caress—slowly my blood stopped pounding, my breathing slowed so it wasn't so shallow. When I was able, I fully opened my eyes to glare at him.

He smiled faintly, standing a bit stiffly. "See?" he murmured so softly. "You are mine."

I turned my head away at his assessment—the intensity of my own response stunned me, but I had nothing to compare it to—no way to know if his touch did affect me more than anyone else's would, as he claimed.

Joy cleared his throat. "Well, now. Shall we bore your lady with the details of our youth and memories, or simply agree to meet at another time and return to the dance?"

Leaf smiled ruefully. "And what memories would we share, Joy, when we both have them as clear as when they were made?"

Joy tilted his head, and slowly nodded. "Point taken. A walk in the garden for a time then?"

That was one other thing I had found was a 'guy' thing—movement seems to help those raised as I was think, for some reason. Leaf started for my hand but I turned away, holding it tightly under my crossed arms. "I can manage to walk without assistance," I muttered as bitingly as I could.

Leaf smiled slightly and shared a smile with Joy I wasn't supposed to catch or understand—but of course I knew it was a silent, if amused, complaint about my stubborn resistance to him. Joy's smile faded slightly as he glanced at me, that something flickering in his eyes for an instant more, hidden before I could even attempt to analyze it.

They spoke only vaguely of their work, which had been a sort of pact the nine of us had made—that unless actually discovered we would keep it secret, in hopes it would keep our friendship intact should we meet again. They also complained of not finding the others, though the wood was large and there was no reason to believe they had remained in Mirkwood.

"How long has it been since you saw Wind?" Joy asked suddenly.

"Wind?" Leaf mused, lifting a brow—he hadn't mentioned me at all. They'd been working their way through the group, and I'd joined them last.

"Yes—we all knew where Taradriel generally lived, and you've had centuries to find her flet again… so, you could have found Wind."

Leaf laughed softly. "I suppose so… but it was only recently I discovered Tara's flet."

"Oh really?" I asked, crossing my arms to glare at him.

He smiled his crooked smile and lifted his hand to my hair, ignoring the way I shied away. "I knew before you came," he offered softly.

I rolled my eyes, but Leaf was back to talking to Joy and so missed the gesture.

"I saw him last before this festival began. I would say it's odd I haven't seen him, save an instant in passing, but then I only found him a short while ago, and he does not work far from the halls."

"Oh?"

"Yes," Leaf agreed on a faint murmur. "He is Haradan's new apprentice—and showing more promise than his master."

"Though that couldn't be a biased opinion."

Leaf laughed softly, his eyes sparkling as he looked at Joy. "No, it couldn't."

Further conversation was interrupted as some of the guards entered the hall with a clatter. As our walk had drawn us near the archway again, we stepped into the great hall to see what was happening. A report was apparently made to one of the head guards, who then stepped up and spoke with the King. The King's merry eyes grew solemn, and he began searching the crowds.

"I think this means your father will be wanting you, Leaf," Joy murmured, looking at the tenseness of every guard in the room as they awaited orders, ignoring the she-elves beside them and the music around them.

Leaf glanced sharply back over his shoulder at Joy, but slowly nodded. "I believe you are right, my friend," he agreed after a long moment, during which something passed between them which I didn't catch. The faintest smile touched his darkened eyes for an instant. "Such friends," he mused faintly, before looking again at the crowds.

Joy rested his hand on Leaf's shoulder. "I'll see your lady home, Leaf."

Leaf nodded, smiling with his lips as his eyes grew hard and distant. Cold. "Thank you. Do it quickly."

"Of course," Joy agreed, as if that wasn't an odd request. He moved his hand to my shoulder, and drew me down the corridor to leave, but I twisted my head around in time to see Leaf stride into the room with a purpose and strength I had never seen in him before. Relief spread across several of the faces waiting around the King, one tossing him a sheathed sword as the head guard looked up, smiling at his arrival with a faint nod.

Once we were out of sight and hearing of the halls, Joy shook his head. "I don't suppose you know what that was all about?"

"Well, the borders have been closed for orc sightings—perhaps there has been another one."

"Well, whatever he caught from reading their lips, he felt it safe for you to enter the wood—so it must be coming from the east."

I sighed softly and shook my head.

"You can't blame him, Wind. He doesn't know."

"He doesn't know—" I broke off as my mind assimilated what he said, turning sharply to face him, my hand latching onto his arm without conscious intent, drawing him to a halt. "What?" I rasped.

Joy laughed lightly and shook his head. "What is it he calls you? Alyeni? Was that the name you stumbled over saying the first day you came to us?"

My mouth was hanging open, no words and no thoughts making themselves known.

Joy laughed again and continued on in the direction I had indicated, knowing I would catch up. Numbly I did. He was silent for a time, then looked at me appraisingly. "You are beautiful, Wind," he murmured softly. "If I'd seen you first I'd probably be a bit protective too."

"I don't need to be—"

"Wearing a sword under your skirt?" he asked quietly, lifting a brow. When I flushed, he nodded once. "Thought not." He turned and began walking again.

Without thinking about it I led him to my flet, struggling all the while with this startling news. Finally, seated in my flet before my table, I looked at him. "How did you know?"

He laughed delightedly—he had always enjoyed knowing more than others about puzzles. "Wind, dear friend, I knew before we left the wood that you were a she-elf."

"What?!?"

His laugh gaily rang out again, and he casually propped his feet up on the window sill. "Don't you remember how often we all used to wrestle?"

"Yes. So?"

"So, one day we'd been climbing trees—and Twig shoved you from one, mostly by accident. Goat managed to catch you, but we all heard some material rip. Later that day we began wrestling…"

He trailed off, probably having seen my eyes go glassy as I remembered. I remembered Goat grabbing at me as I fell past him, somehow managing to catch me even though I was twisting every which way in an attempt to either grab a branch or avoid them entirely. His grip had been sure once he had a hold on me, but the cloth that had been ripping… was the cloth that had concealed my chest. It was still intact enough that I couldn't tell when looking down, so I hadn't thought of it again… until much later that day when Joy and I had been wrestling, and from having me pinned he suddenly went still, the faintest frown touching his eyes before he let me up. "You never said anything."

"Would I be right in guessing it had something to do with your father?"

I laughed bitterly. "Oh yes."

Dropping his feet to the floor, he leaned in. "Tell me."

I started to do just that, then bit my lip.

Joy smiled tenderly, understanding my hesitation. "I won't tell him."

So I took a deep breath, and opened my mouth again. "My older brother was the only son my father had—the son he'd always wanted. Mother wanted a daughter, and so allowed herself to get pregnant again, though he had been content with one son. When the second child wasn't a second son he… he was not pleased. Nothing I did was right, he would just look at me with disapproval and disappointment, making me wither until Mother soothed the hurt away. I was with them, when they were attacked. Father came only in time to save me… and he's said often enough he wishes it was Lyran who had been saved. After they were buried he tried to turn me into Lyran… and that's about it."

"That's more than enough," Joy murmured, shaking his head. His hands were clenched, his eyes furious. "How could he do that to a child so young?" With a sigh he ran a hand through what of his hair was unconfined by braids, visibly trying to let go of his anger. "And so you have been his son ever since?" he asked quietly a few minutes later.

"Save for this year. Tara forced me to become Alyeni for the prince's birthday… where Leaf found her and took an interest Tara has been encouraging."

Joy smiled softly. "You needn't sound like it's so bad."

"But, Joy! If he finds out—"

Joy held up a hand. "Wind, he is your friend… and from what I've seen he'd enjoy becoming more."

"Only as he now knows Alyeni. Should he ever find that Alyeni and Wind are the same person, I cannot imagine him being interested in so much as friendship with either."

With a frown Joy studied the grain pattern in my table. "We'll have to think on that one, won't we?" he asked softly. And in silence, for a while, we did. Then we got into other things, before Joy looked out the window and winced to see the dawn approaching. "I'd best head back. Wouldn't do for Leaf to find us either together or both dressed as we were yesterday." He laughed. "Though seeing him jealous would almost be worth it." He studied me for a long moment, then cupped my cheek in his palm. "I can still read your eyes, Wind, as you can mine. So here is your comparison." With that he lightly traced my ear, while at the same time kissing me softly. Then he drew back and was gone.

I sat in silence for a long while, staring at the door through which he had left without looking back. "Damn!" I finally exclaimed, letting my head drop back.