Yup, I'm back, and loving it. I've been told I'm obsessed. Is that a bad thing? : )

Well, two-thirds of my nice reviewers expected something to probably happen to her as she ran away. She's too stubborn, and the spiders don't dare come close enough to trouble her, especially with so many elves out and about with the festival. The others probably taught her a lot of hand to hand, too, should it have come down to that. In short, she can take care of herself, though the dress would no doubt hinder her.

That said, here's a part I think some have been waiting for. It's a few days after the previous chapter.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I slowed my run to a jog on one of the last days of the festival, coming upon the outdoor party. I changed to a walk and nodded acknowledgement at some of the elves I knew, moving over to the table of drinks and food, quickly draining the water I took. Not seeing Leaf or Joy, I wandered through the crowd and then beyond it, taking comfort in the fact I didn't need the sword or bow I had left behind on this night—with the festivities, there were guards closer, and even those celebrating were mostly on guard.

"It has been arranged as you wished," a male voice murmured solemnly. It was the solemn tone that got me, made me listen with one ear even as I continued walking.

"Good. I sincerely doubt the old boy will see this coming." This voice was pleased, yet tired somehow. It was also familiar—a short laugh told me I did know this elf, after all. The harsh note in his voice was new to me, though. "It will be a day the King will never forget—he will be completely fooled."

The King? Fooled? I blinked and stopped, realizing that I had apparently stumbled upon a plot of some sort against the King! The knot of pain in my gut compounded a thousand times—I knew the one behind it, too.

"If that is all?" the first voice asked.

"It is," he agreed, and I could hear an elf leave, and slowly moved to find the elf alone in the clearing. "Wind!" he exclaimed, his eyes brightening on seeing me. Then he frowned, seeing my blank face. "What's wrong?"

"You are plotting against the King?"

Leaf blinked at me. "Plotting?" he asked, in apparent confusion. Then he laughed. "No, no! Not at all. Well, sort of, but—"

I grabbed the first weapon I had seen—the sword at his waist—and now had its point at his throat, before shifting it so the flat of the blade pressed against the skin on the left side of his neck. A quick flick from me would send it through the pulsing measure of life I could see beating there.

He closed his mouth for a moment, studying my face. Slowly he held his hands slightly out to the side, indicating a lack of intent to fight. "Wind, you can get the betrayed look off your face. I've done nothing wrong."

"Yet," I snapped.

He sighed carefully, mindful of the blade. "You would cut me with your own craft?"

It was then, and only then, that I noticed the familiar perfection of the blade I held. I glanced down, taking in the blade in a glance before lifting my eyes to hold him in place… and then I recognized the blade. It was one of mine, one that had been specially ordered…

"As you know, the King's birthday is approaching. He never allows much in way of festivities, so I have organized a gathering of those closest to being his friends as a surprise."

Utterly numb to the tip of my fingers, the sword clattered to the ground. Suddenly three elves appeared, and were ready to take me off to the dungeons.

"No," Leaf murmured, never taking his eyes off of me.

"But, your highness—"

"He will come along willingly. You have no need to guard or disarm him." His face was grim as he turned away, leading the way back into the halls.

One of the guards beside me picked up the blade I had crafted, while the third to arrive went—presumably—to inform the King. With heavy reluctance I trudged after them, entered a room I had never seen before, but in which Leaf was apparently quite comfortable.

"You are dismissed," he stated with a wave of his hand.

"But—"

"Now." The word was quiet, but backed up by the hard gaze and his now obvious presence, I wasn't surprised to see them beat a hasty retreat. When the door opened a moment later, King Thranduil himself entered the room, looking more upset than I had thought the King could.

"Legolas, are you—"

"Dismissed!" Leaf's voice overrode his father's, sending those who had accompanied the King warily out of the room. "I am perfectly fine, Father," he stated once the door had closed, though I didn't doubt the elves were still hovering nervously around outside.

"I was told you had been attacked," King Thranduil stated in disapproval, narrowly looking his son over, before turning a look on me that could have melted iron.

"Father, this is one of my old friends from the time I spent in the wood. He came across me planning something—which would admittedly sound like sinister plans to anyone not in the know—and was willing to defend you against even his best and oldest friend."

"You were disarmed?"

"He took my sword," Leaf agreed with a half shrug. "I was a bit off guard," he admitted, lowering his eyes slightly in shame for the admission, before lifting them again with a certain amount of defiance. "But only because I knew I was in no danger."

King Thranduil looked at me again, measuring me as one of his son's friends instead of his potential killer. "Name?"

I froze for an instant, knowing I couldn't lie to the King… "Most have called me Tyran."

"Occupation?"

"Smith. It was my hand which shaped that blade," I murmured, nodding at the sword which had been returned to Leaf, and again rested in waiting at his side.

One of the King's brows lifted. "You are the smith who has replaced Torrei in such matters?"

"Thanks to Lea—Legolas."

Leaf smiled slightly, before tilting a look at the king. "Father?"

King Thranduil looked at me for a long, hard moment. "Before this evening, how would you have considered my son?"

"As the prince I had never seen, or the elf I grew up with?"

"The latter."

"As one of my dearest friends—and until quite recently, the only one I had come across outside the wood. I would gladly do anything for him I could… though I might grumble about it."

"Good-naturedly," Leaf put in softly.

"And now?"

I looked at the carpet, trying to keep it confined to Tyran. "I am a bit surprised… but it also fills in some gaps in what he has told me about his life. If he would have me as a friend, I would rather not have it lost." As for Alyeni… Here I thought I was about as far from the normal she-elf as could be, and I'd done what every one had in some small part of herself already done—fallen in love with the prince. Of all the stupid things to do.

King Thranduil studied me for a while longer, and then nodded. "Very well. As you have shown me a loyalty greater than many would, considering the circumstances, your actions are pardoned. As for the friendship that has been between you—I leave it there."

Leaf was half smiling when I looked at him. Without a word, I knew it was all right. Our forearms crashed together with enthusiasm, his free hand clapped on my shoulder. He laughed lightly, his eyes bright as he studied me. "We promised as we left we would always be the best of friends," he reminded me, his grin as crooked as ever. "Tyran," he added.

"Prince Legolas," I teased in turn, mock bowing my head to him.

He chuckled lightly even as the door opened. The guards came to a halt, drawing their weapons against my apparently renewed attack. "I shall, no doubt, be wished to do my duty for the rest of the evening. Perhaps I shall find you tomorrow?"

"What, not spending the time with that elf of yours?"

His eyes darkened, his jaw going tense. "The borders are open, my friend. She's gone."

Not knowing what to say—how could I say I was sorry when I wasn't?—I rested my hand on his shoulder. "In time there will be another," I counseled after a moment.

His laugh was soft and bitter. "That, I doubt. Good day," he bowed his head slightly to me, indicating I was as good as dismissed.

Well, though sometimes I would have been annoyed by that, I was grateful for what he was doing at the moment—which was getting me out of a sticky situation with as much quiet grace as possible.