Legolas spun around. He had heard a noise back there, in the trees. Like a footstep. Listening intently, he heard nothing. He was almost certain it was another person. Probably an elf by the sound of the footstep. Lightweight and almost soundless. He turned back to his pack which was now scattered on the forest floor.

"Damn..." he cursed.

There, he heard it again. This time he was sure someone was there.

"Who's there?" He called, "Show yourself, You have entered the realm of King Thrandril. Show yourself!" A female elf emerged from the bush. Legolas lowered his bow. She was a fair looking elf, with blonde hair that fell almost to her waist.

"Please m'lord" she curtsied, "I am a guest of King Thranduil. I am staying there with my grandmother"

"You are a guest? Then I apologise m'lady. Please what is your name?"

She lifted her blonde head and studied him. She saw the glimmer of determination in his eyes. He had blonde hair that hung half loosely down his back. The other half was tied up, as was custom of the elves of the high breeding. He was unmistakably Prince Legolas of the Woodland Realm.

"My name? Your highness?"

"Yes, If it is not too much trouble milady"

"My name is Arariel of Rivendell" She turned to go.

"Wait milady I will escort you to your grandmother. I wish to see if her beauty is as great as yours"

"Please m'lord, I must leave now." She turned and disappeared into the wood. Legolas turned back to his pack muttering under his breath. Before he realised it he was already approaching the palace. Three stories high it stood, in amongst the trees. It was a beautiful place to live. The trees and the wall surrounding the castle gave it a sense of security. He had reached his father's study. He knocked.

"Come in" came the call from inside.

"Father" said Legolas as he entered, "who is it that is staying with you?"

"Why, it is Lady Galadriel of Lothlorien, and her grandaughter Lady Arariel who is living with her. Actually Legolas, I have requested that you accompany Lady Arariel to Gondor for Aragorn's wedding. They have requested that you be in their wedding party"

"Of course father"

Legolas turned to leave.

"Wait Legolas, Why did you want to know about my guests?"

"I met an elf in the forest. She said she was a guest of yours. I wished to know why she was here"

The King sighed.

"Thankyou Legolas, that will be all"

"I am back Grandmother!" Arariel called into her grandmother's chambers.

"Arariel? May I speak with you a moment?" Galadriel called back.

"Of course grandmother. What is it?" "You have just received an invitation to your sister's wedding. You are to be maid-of-honour"

"Arwen's wedding? Of course grandmother. When is it?"

"Two full moons from today" said Galadriel, "King Thranduil has requested that you travel with his son, he is also in the wedding party."

"I will go and get my things ready grandmother"

"Thankyou Arariel" When Arariel reached her chambers she began to organise her things. Feeling extremely exhausted, she flopped down on her bed. She could not stop thinking about Prince Legolas, who she had met in the woods earlier that day. He was as handsome as Arwen said he was but he did not come across as nice. Sure he had offered to escort back here, but at first he was as arrogant as her friend NĂ¡essa had said. With these thoughts, Arariel drifted into a dose. Her wanderings around the woods had exhausted her. A knock on the door woke her from her doze of about fifteen minutes.

"Milady" a servant called through the door, "Your grandmother wishes to advise you that your escort to Gondor is waiting for you"

"Thankyou. Please tell my grandmother I will be there shortly" Arariel got up and changed into her silver coloured dress. The one she used for travelling. She then covered herself in her matching travelling cloak and hurried out of her chamber and into the great hall. When she saw who was waiting, she stopped short.

"Ah, Arariel, I want you to meet Prince Legolas of Mirkwood. He is here as your escort"

Arariel stopped by Legolas' side and curtsied.

"M'lord" she whispered.

"Legolas, you will find all the arrangements have been made. The horses are ready to go" Galadriel told him.

"Thankyou milady" he said to her. "Shall we leave now Arariel?"

"Yes...yes of course. Goodbye Grandmother" They walked out to the stables together. Legolas began to help Arariel onto her horse, Glandril, Arwen's steed's offspring. But she pulled her hand away.

"No thankyou, I can manage" she said to him.

Legolas climbed on his horse, Arod and they started off.

"So, are you always this stubborn Lady Arariel?" Legolas said as they pulled their mounts to a halt several days later.

She glared at him. They stopped at the bottom of Carahadras. They found a cave and lit a fire so they could eat something.

"It comes from my father's side m'lord. He was always as stubborn, if not more" "

Please milady call me Legolas"

"Then please Legolas, call me Arariel, I do not believe I fall under the category of 'Lady'"

"And why is that Arariel?"

"From the age of 100, I was taught to be a warrior so that some day I might defend my country. I dare say my father was disappointed that a was a girl" she said, "He wanted a son to carry on our lineage, but instead he got two daughters"

"I have met Lord Elrond and he does not seem disappointed"

"He may not show it, but it is there" she said sadly.

Legolas did not press her any further, but he still had one more question.

"Arariel?"

"Yes?"

"You said you were from Rivendell, but from what I learned from my father, you are living with your grandmother, in Lothlorien. Where are you from?"

"I apologise. It was my mistake. I am from Lothlorien. I lived in Rivendell with my father until he left for Valinor, then I was sent to live with my grandmother in Lothlorien. So, I suppose I really am from Lothlorien."

Legolas watched her as she ate, sensing a difference in her now. It was almost like she trusted him, not thought him arrogant.

"You need to get some sleep, milady" he said, "He have a long way to go yet, I hope to be in the Golden Wood by nightfall tomorrow. Will your people be willing to lend us a place to sleep for the night?"

"Of course"

Arariel laid her head down on the fur that Legolas had spread out for her to sleep on and covered herself with her travelling cloak. It had been a long day, and still they had a long way to go.

"Arariel? Milady?" Legolas whispered, after several hours, "It's time to go" Arariel sat up and looked around puzzled for a moment, wondering where she was. When it registered where she was, she got up, smoothed down her hair and folded up her blankets. She climbed onto Glandril and they set off in the direction of the Golden Wood. They reached there by dusk. They went off in search of Haldir, who would be able to find them somewhere safe to sleep on the outskirts of the city. When they were settled, they sat down to eat their food.

"I will keep watch tonight if you like, you need some rest." said Arariel.

"No, 'tis alright Milady i will manage"

"No" she protested, "I need someone to direct me to Minas Tirith awake!"

Tired, Legolas yielded and lay down on the floor of the talan. Arariel went and sat near the entrance to the talan and waited. Suddenly she sat up, hearing a noise in the grass below. There, she heard it again. That was no elf step or hobbit or any kind of being of good. That was an orc, she was sure of it. Lightly she descended the steps of the talan and dropped on the grass, making no sound. The noise stopped.

There! I hope that satisfys you ppl who picked up on my mistake about where Arariel comes from. If you are a first time reader, do not worry if the story is a little muddled for a few days, i am in the process of fixing the chapters. You can pretty much get the whole story anyways...