1Tari threw herself upon her bed; burying her face in the soft pillows. After a week of councils, she had finally recieved news of what was to happen... and the tidings she had heard seemed to freeze her heart... Everything seemed to fall down upon her as she cried out her heart... Legolas not speaking to her... Him leaving on a quest that would more than likely claim his life... Her father's words to her... 'Oh Valar!' she thought furiously, 'Why do you do this to me! What have I done!'

Eventually, Tari fell asleep upon the bed, only to be shaken awake by her hand-maiden. "My Lady! You must get up! The feast is soon, and you must get ready!"

"Celestil, please... I have no desire to go down to the feast tonight..." Tari mumbled as she raised her head from the pillows.

Celestil was kneeling next to her bedside, and she looked shocked. "But why, Tari?" she asked, dropping her formal manner. Celestil had been her maiden for a very long time, and they were good friends, so it did not matter whether or not she called her Lady or Princess.

"I would much rather stay in here tonight, and rest. I do not want to have to endure the company of so many men and dwarves..." Tari lied, laying her head back down upon the pillow.

Celestil looked confused. She tucked a strand of her cinnamon colored hair behind one of her pointed ears, and nodded. "Very well. I shall have the cooks prepare you something, and have it sent here." she stood up, and left the room, closing the door with a small snap behind her.

Tari closed her eyes, wanting so much to drop back off to sleep, where she would not have to think about Legolas, or anything else that bothered her. A few minutes later, she heard the door open again, and soft footsteps go to her bed. "Please, leave my meal on my desk, Celestil..." Tari said, her eyes still closed, and thinking it was her maid with her food. No one answered her, but instead, she ever so slightly felt someone sit down on her bed next to her. Tari felt someone lay a hand on her shoulder, and she bolted upright, staring at the intruder.

It was her father.

"Why do you not wish to go to the feast, daughter?" he asked right away.

Tari's look of shock turned to a glare of anger. "Please adar, leave me be... I do not wish to attend the feast." Tari said, laying back down upon the pillows.

"Why do you hold such anger for me?" Elrond asked sternly, his grey eyes over bright with his own anger. "This feast had been called for you and the fellowship-"

"For the second time, I do not want to go. Leave me in peace! That is all I ask of you!" Tari yelled at him in frustration, a few tears silently falling from her eyes. "You ask of me something I cannot do. I would not be able to sit at the feast and pretend to be happy. To celebrate and wish luck to the fellowship, in which you chose Legolas to be apart of! Why adar! There are so many other elves out there, and yet you had to choose him! You know how much I care for him, and yet still you picked him."

"There are other reasons for my choosing of Legolas, Tari, even though you may not see them. And they are for your well-being, not his." Elrond answered grimly.

"Then tell me!" Tari pleaded, tears innumerous falling from her eyes.

"I cannot."

"Why!" Tari wailed, "Why must you so blatantly keep us apart? Tell me why, adar, I deserve to know."

Elrond lowered his eyes and shook his head, murmuring something that sounded like 'The truth would kill you...'

"Keeping me in the dark might kill me as well, father!" Tari said, wiping away her tears.

"I have not the heart to tell you Tari... I fear that not even Legolas knows; for it has only been between his father and myself..." Elrond said quietly, not yet meeting her gaze again.

"You're not telling me anything, adar! You speak to me as though in riddles, for I cannot read any answers." Tari said, her anger and frustration at the boiling point.

"Tari, you are not betrothed to Legolas anymore. He is to wed someone else." Elrond said in a distant voice, "Once you had 'disappeared', Thranduil thought it best to have his son marry someone else instead of waiting endlessly for your return, if you ever did. Once I discovered this, I tried everything in my power to compensate his actions. Yet he did not budge in his decision; remaining proud of it, and that it had been a good choice. Legolas knows nought that he is to marry Arya, daughter of Sircin. What Thranduil is unaware of, is that, before Sircin went to Mirkwood, he had been a faithful servant to the Dark Lord. It is my understanding, that he hasn't given up his servitude."

Tari stared at him with wide eyes. 'No... It cannot be! Thranduil cannot possibly do this! I have returned!' she thought wildly, her tear-filled eyes darting around the room for some sign of comfort. None came to her gaze. If what her father said was true... She and Legolas, could never be. She had come back, for him. And now... it had all been for nothing. She was to stand by and watch some other evil maiden capture his heart. Now she would be nothing to him but a forgotten lover; a love that had failed...

"Daughter-" Elrond began, "Please, come down to the feast. You need to eat, and relax. Clear your mind."

"Adar, there is absolutely nothing, that you can do for me that would quell my sorrow. Not the most extravagant feast could lighten my spirits. Nor the most peaceful garden could calm my crying heart." Tari whispered in a deathly tone, her eyes closed tight to stay her tears.

"Tari-" he asked gently, placing a hand on her arm to comfort her.

"Please, adar..." Tari said softly in a calm tone, drawing away from his touch.

Elrond looked at her with care. Her eyes had darkened, and her skin had paled with great extremity. Elrond knew those signs well... "Daughter, no... Don't you fade. There are those that still love you! Don't fade for the love of one foolish elf." he said sternly, grasping her shoulders and shaking her slightly, as though to try and sway some sense into her.

"I do not wish to fade, adar... I leave my fate in the hands of the Valar; to let them decide what is best." Tari said, jerking away from him, laying down upon her pillows and turning away from her father. "I care not anymore... Sauron can have my damn power for all I care."

Elrond got up from the bed in a daze, and backed out of the room. He had to find the one person who could pull Tari from the shadows before it was too late. Before she gave up her power and faded away...