That very hour Arwen sought out the prince of Mirkwood. His quick footsteps answered her knock, and immediately the door swung wide. He stood framed in the doorway for a moment, vivid like paint on a canvas.

She mastered herself in the same moment.

Legolas heard the stalwart breath, and before another could go between them, her lips glanced against his.

It was instantaneous, magnificent.

She stole everything in him, and he stood there, an incarnadine shell.

Warmth spread to the tips of his fingers, but he couldn't move or think or breath. She had stricken him dumb, there, as they stood on the threshold.

The lady placed Horple into Legolas' wooden limbs and placing her hands on his cheeks, she leveled his eyes with her own. Pressing her forehead against his, she commanded him.

"Tell me your burden, and I will help you bear it."

Her voice flickered, and taking his wrist, she drew him into the room and sat with him on the bed.

When Legolas found his voice, he began without protest, "We have been telling stories to pass the time. The one I will now tell is known to none outside of Mirkwood, and maliciously falsified to many within that place."

"Do you remember when I told you of that witch who had seduced my father long ago?" he asked. She nodded, and he smiled achingly.

"Good. That will make a long tale shorter. Suffice to know that our relationship had little warmed between then and when my story takes place. We basically ignored each other, though I still felt her lashing tongue through my father.

"Adar and I argued viciously. I often disagreed with the course of actions she, and thus he decided were best for our people, especially when it came to securing the borders.

"I hated her for the control she exercised over adar, for the dotage adar showered upon her in my stead, and for the sheer inadequacy she displayed in taking my naneth's place.

"I began spending more and more time away on patrols, which was to both our liking.

"Then one day, I returned to find my father waiting for me in my room…

o

"My lord," Legolas saluted Thranduil warily. He couldn't remember the last time the other had actually acknowledged him, let alone sought him out.

"Legolas, my son." It was a father's tone, warm and affectionate. Legolas' defenses fell slightly, and curiosity peeked overtop them. This visit was turning out to be full of surprises. Thranduil hadn't spoken civilly to him in what seemed like ages.

"Audiences become difficult to arrange with one so frequently absent. You make yourself elusive, my child. It has been too long since we have truly spoken as father and son." The elder elf chided, but his tone was fatherly, and his disapproval sounded half feigned.

All this seemed suspicious to Legolas. Thranduil was an eloquent elf, and when his temper was in reign he could coat his words with honey and feed them to the most stubborn and determined of opponents.

Legolas winced, wondering when he had come to consider he and his father opponents.

"I felt my bow was more necessary on our ever-threatened borders then my mind was in your great halls, my lord." Legolas' words were still guarded and formal. He sat on the bed and began dismissively tending his blades.

"I apologize. For whatever I have done to make myself your lord above your father."

There was a tinge of sadness in his voice, which cut straight through Legolas' doubt and instantly disarmed him. The prodigal son felt guilt well up in his throat like rising bile. He let the whetstone fall still against the partially sharpened blade.

'If nothing else, you owe this elf a second chance,' his mind scolded Legolas.

"I too must ask forgiveness…father." Legolas found the rediscovered word to his liking.

He smiled, and his father returned the expression in earnest. The whetstone began scraping again, nervously, on the edge of the knife.

Soon, both had settled into chairs with a carafe of wine between them. The elf king requested Legolas' thoughts on the situation of the borders. Legolas eagerly obliged, glad to see his father was showing interest in his opinion.

They spoke at length on this matter, and Thranduil gave his word to reorganize and redistribute the armed forces to deal with the ever escalating threat of Dol Guldur. Legolas paused only once to retrieve a rag and begin the polishing of his blades.

"I had no idea the sentries were so harried." The ancient lord shook his head, "You see how much use you are to me? Until true war breaks out, a king cannot spare a moment on the field.

"It is difficult to paint an accurate picture of conditions from the watered down reports I hear from a scribe whose account has been borne on the mouths of ten or more messengers and changed slightly with each recitation."

When Legolas' tongue was finally exhausted of the plight of the soldiers, he sat back and drained what was left of his first glass of wine. Busy with talking, he had barely touched the drink.

Thranduil was fingering his chin thoughtfully and seemed to be mulling over all that Legolas had said.

Finally, Legolas drew him into a telling of what had happened in the court over his long absence.

It took quite a while for father to bring son back up to speed, since for some time Legolas had avoided the political scene deliberately, out of disgust.

They spoke long into the evening, and the darkness of night had already gripped the world for hours when they finally fell into silence once more.

Whether his euphoria was due to wine or circumstance, Legolas couldn't say exactly. Perhaps some exhilarating mix of the two was what made him feel delight as he hadn't felt in what seemed like ages.

To Legolas, the friendly atmosphere was as intoxicating as the wine. His cheeks were touched with red mirth and he sat in his chair easily. His knives sat upon the dresser in immaculate radiance.

"Earlier you said you had been seeking me out for some time unsuccessfully. You must have something more specific in mind then just a rambling discussion of borders and politics.

"Have you come with yet undisclosed intentions?" Legolas asked, refilling both their glasses.

There was no immediate answer to his question, and when Legolas playfully looked to his father's eyes for an explanation he was confused by what he saw. There seemed to be debate behind his father's gaze.

When Thranduil finally spoke, reluctance dragged at each syllable,

"Indeed, I have another purpose." He finished his wine and poured the rest of the carafe in his glass, "I have come with a request."

Legolas amiable urged his father on with a nod.

"I have come to ask you to meet with Kestra." The words blew from his lips like feathers and dropped between them like a granite wall.

Legolas stood and stepped over to the burning hearth.

"You cannot ask this of me," the son appeared to be pleading into the flames.

"I am asking you," Thranduil stood also, "You have never given her a fair chance, always you have judged her by what came before. I will tell you now, she is not your mother. Someday you must learn to see that there is merit in a female besides the maternal."

Legolas turned an icy look on his father, so Thranduil concluded gently:

"Showing courteousness to Kestra is no betrayal of your mother. She would desire peace in this house."

Near silence descended on the room, broken only by the cackle of the flames. Legolas' mind was ablaze. He felt like a hurricane was raging between his ears.

"I will not do this for my king…"

He was resolute, and his father gave a troubled sigh. It seemed Legolas was decided. To his surprise, his son continued.

"However, since it is my father that asks…" Legolas trailed off a second time, and Thranduil withheld both judgment and breath.

"I will see her."

Thranduil strode from the room, victorious.

o

Legolas paused in his story and looked down to Arwen. At some point during the telling, she had leaned against his chest.

Thus pillowed in the warmth of the prince, Arwen seemed content to listen, looking to his face only when the rumblings of his speech ceased to caress her cheek. She waited patiently for him to continue, giving no sign of whatever she might be thinking.

He didn't remember her leaning over, or taking his hand in hers. His right hand absently stroked the feline which had curled up beside him, while the left sat enfolded in her palms, their fingers interlocking. She seemed to like his hands, often touching or holding them as she did now.

Not that he minded. It just seemed strange, but then, so was the whole affair. As he thought, their relationship was unsettlingly undefined. They had never tried to describe what lay between them, or lay out any plan for the future.

'We are roving through darkness together,' Legolas mused dryly, his own ironies not lost on him.

But, come to think of it, this had never bothered him until he'd thought to analyze it. He smiled at her, assuaged by this realization. An expedition through darkness could little frighten him any more. Not so long as faith intervened to keep his hand entwined in hers.

-end-

A.N. Wow, this has been a bit long in coming, ne? Man, you guys deserve a better author…in any case, you all rock.

Anyway, I was thinking about this particular pairing, and the fact that its so underappreciated and I think the only L/A fanart I've ever found is this one

http:elfwood.lysator.liu.se/art/a/n/anez/lovers.jpg.html

Has anyone else ever found any other L/A pics? Just thought I'd ask, since its frustrating me at the moment…but on to YOUR REVIEWS!

Eldameldor: You were the first to review Ch. 5! I'm gonna give you a smiley, you lucky duck. :D Besides that, I bet by now you've been waiting so long that you wish you'd discovered the story later, if at all. I'm sorry, but thanks for the review and I hope I can update more.

Theamazingtechnicoloredringwraith: First let me compliment you on your spiffy name. I am not only impressed by the name itself, but also by the fact that you dutifully type it in each time you review. Kudos to you! I got lazy just trying to type it once, and considered shortening it to TATCRW, theama…etc. etc., or even just Bob, but then I realized that that would be shirking my responsibilities to you reviewers, which I would never do. (In denial, aren't I?) Anyway, I am really glad you don't find the story corny, and props again on your rockin' name!

Karone Evertree: Hey! Its always nice to hear from you! Anyway, an entomologist is someone who studies bugs. I also love dogs, in fact there is a big white one sleeping next to me as I type. He's a cutie, but he's very muddy and personally I wouldn't put any jewelry I cared about around his neck.

As to the comment on the twins, I think it was what Tolkien didn't say that characterized them as comic relief. They are rather undefined characters, to be interpreted at will, so I suppose most authors use them to add humor without making the other characters seem OOC. Also, they are relatively young males, so they make prime candidates for mischief, and its always fun to contrast the two lovable troublemakers to their stoic father. As for your review, thanks for saying anything!

Sarah: High five, new chapter! My undying thanks for the multiple reviews!

Hjhjhjhhjhj: Greetings!

Eep: Your enjoyment is my enjoyment. Thanks for the review!

Eregon: Glad you liked the garden part. I wasn't sure how it would come out but you know I was watching LOTR and I was again amazed by the beauty of Rivendell. Anyway, thanks for the review.

Yanic: Okay

Yanic: Okay

Natalia2: Thanks, I will for sure.

Kasmi Kassim: Wow, that was such a wonderful review! I was looking at your profile and I noticed you're going to the UW! I'm from Bainbridge Island, just across the water from Seattle. Go huskies!

Yanic: Thanks for your review, I would love to have you continue to review! Also, thanks for your continued encouragement. Those little reminders really help.

Neepster: I will, for sure! If I've earned a smiley, I've done my job.

Xymi Angel Ghost: Thanks for the awesome compliment. I hope you keep reading!

Bruteous: Nice name, I salute it. Here's the next chapter, let me know what you think. Also, if you want, I can email out updates…that goes for the rest of you too.

Antisocial Mint: This chapter had a little more romance, so I hope that was okay. Thanks for the comment, I really took it into consideration.

Lynx Yamato: Hey, your review inspired me to finally get this story finished. Thanks, and I hope you liked this chapter! Hey is that a dandelion over there…

Love to all!

-JP