An- cuz another chap won't be out for awhile, here's this one extra quick! Hope y'all like!

Chapter 48

Everyone (minus Niori) sat at the large table in the royal dining room of Minas Tirith, eating breakfast. Suddenly, the doors flew open, and in pranced Niori, wearing 'normal' clothes (jeans and tank top).

" Good morning," she said happily, taking a seat between Legolas and Carla, " does anyone know why today is so special?"

Everyone looked at the girl in a confused manner, but no one spoke. They had no idea what she was talking about.

" What?" she asked, her face falling and her voice sounding a little hurt, " None of you even remembered?"

" Remembered what?" Carla asked, sounding confused.

Niori's face fell completely, and she sat back in her chair. She didn't speak to anyone for a few minutes, and that only made them even more confused.

" What's wrong Niori?" Legolas asked with concern, turning to look sideways at her.

" None of you remembered!" she cried, " None of you even remembered my birthday!"

Everyone took a minute to register what she had said, and then they all groaned inwardly. In the hectic things that were happening all over Minas Tirith, they had all totally forgotten Niori's birthday.

" Niori!" Jane replied, " We are all so sorry!"

" Guys!" Erin hissed quietly, cradling her sleeping child in her arms, " Keep it down! The baby is trying to sleep! I'm so sorry I forgot Niori, but it's been so hectic with the baby and all…"

Niori didn't reply, but instead pushed back her chair and marched out of the room.

" Man," Carla said, dropping her head on her arms, " we really blew it this time!"

" We've never forgotten her birthday before!" Jane shook her head, she's going to be so mad at us for so long!"

" Technically," Aragorn spoke, " the seven of us didn't know (Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas and Hobbits), so she can't be mad at us,"

" She told me a few days ago," Legolas groaned, " and how I forgot is beyond me!"

" She's never going to forgive us," Erin spoke, shaking her head, " because Niori has the tendency to over react…she's defiantly a drama queen. Hell I doubt she'll even talk to us,"

" At least not in this century!" Carla agreed.

" I feel so bad though!" Jane replied, " I mean, she remembered all of our birthdays while we were here, and yet we forgot hers!"

" Why don't you just throw her a party tonight?" Frodo suggested quietly.

Everyone looked at the Hobbit in amazement. That was such a good idea!

" That's s great idea!" Jane exclaimed, " Let's start planning!"

l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.

Later that night, after an entire day of sulking in her room, Niori sat staring out her window watching as the sun set.

She knew that she was acting like a big baby. She also knew that she shouldn't have blown up at her friends because they had forgotten her birthday. It wasn't like her birthday hadn't been forgotten before. She could count on one hand how many times her parents had actually remembered her birthday without reminding. The thing was though, that Carla, Jane and Erin never did. Even when her parents had forgotten all about her, her friends hadn't…and today they had. They had forgotten all about her.

" I'm way too much of a drama queen for my own good," Niori muttered, shaking her head and getting up from the windowsill, " and now they probably all want to slap me for being one,"

With a sigh, Niori headed towards the door, with the intention of going to find everyone and apologize. As she opened the door, a piece of parchment (which had been poorly attached to the back of the door) fluttered to the floor.

Niori reached down and picked up the parchment, wondering what it was. Glancing over it, she realized it was a note.

" Dearest Niori," it read, " I'm sorry…I shouldn't have forgotten your birthday. Please meet me in the Great Hall tonight so I can make it up to. Legolas,"

Niori read over the note another three times. She felt guilty that Legolas felt the need to apologize because she over reacted.

I better go meet him and apologize, Niori thought and moved down the hall towards the great hall.

She walked through the dimly lit hallways, pondering how she would go about apologizing. Just going up and blurting an apology would probably be the best way, but then again, Carla might slug her before she even got to talk.

Finally, she reached the doors to the great hall and pulled them open.

Whatever Niori had expected would be behind the doors, it wasn't the giant yell of "SURPRISE!" Her eyes went wide and she jumped about a foot in the air and gave a little yelp.

It took a while to register what was happening, and took her even longer for her heart to stop beating so rapidly.

" Wha…" Niori stammered out, looking at Carla, Erin and Jane (who were by now right in front of her).

" It's your birthday party!" Jane explained with a huge grin plastered all over her face.

" We're sorry we forgot it earlier," Erin spoke, her voice taking on a hint of guilt.

" No guys," Niori told them, " I'm sorry, I was over reacted…"

" We understand why Niori," Carla told her with a gentle smile, " we get why us forgetting your birthday was such a big deal to you…"

" Thanks guys…" Niori spoke with a smile.

" Now what are we waiting for!" Jane cried, " Let's party!"

l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.

Quietly, during the middle of the party, Legolas took Niori's hand and led her outside into the courtyard.

" What is it?" she asked, a large smile playing upon her lips, her face radiating happiness.

" I, umm…" Legolas started, not exactly sure how he should do this.

" Well," Niori laughed, " tell me what it is so I can get back to my party!"

" Well…" he started awkwardly, " first, I'd like to apologize about forgetting your birthday-"

" Don't worry about it!" Niori interrupted him, " I way over reacted! I do that a lot…I'm just a bit (lot) of a drama queen…and psychologists would say it stems from issues with my parents…"

" And," Legolas continued, ignoring completely what Niori had said, " I have a present for you. I wanted to give it to you out here because I didn't was the other (cough cough, Erin, Carla and Jane ,cough cough) to make a big deal about it," he reached into the pocket of his tunic and pulled out her gift.

He placed it in her hand silently, looking intently at her face for her reaction.

Niori looked down into her palm and gasped in surprise when she beheld the gift. It was a ring that had been beautifully crafted to look like ivy vines surrounding a small rose like flower. It was made of silver, with a small red jewel in the center of the flower.

" My God Legolas!" she gasped, " it's beautiful!"

" It was handcrafted by one of my people long ago," Legolas told her softly, " It once belonged to my mother, and I have kept it many years as a good luck charm, as you would call it,"

" Legolas, I can't take this!" she told him, her eyes wide, " You can't give me something this precious to you!"

" I can and already have," the Elf told her with a soft smile, " besides, now something even more precious o me has it,"

" Oh my God," she whispered, holding the ring tightly, " it's the best and most beautiful gift I've ever had! I'll cherish it always!"

Legolas just smiled.

" Wait," Niori asked, a small smirk traveling across her face, " you're not going to propose or anything are you?"

Legolas's face reddened considerably and his mouth dropped open in surprise. Niori burst out laughing.

" Joke! Joke!" Niori laughed again, slipping the ring on her finger, " I love it!"

Shaking his head, Legolas linked his arm through Niori's and started to lead her back inside. " Come on," he smiled, " we can't have you missing your own party!"

Laughing, the two re-entered the party.

l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l

" It's just not fair!" Jane cried in desperation, glaring at Aragorn (with Arwen at his side) from across the room, and looking at her two friends for support.

" You've said that a dozen times Jane," Erin spoke, looking at her friend out of the corner of her eyes, " and all the while downing glasses of what ever drink, alcoholic drink, mind you,"

" You're going to get loaded if you don't stop soon…" Carla warned, but Jane just kept on talking.

" Why did the two guys I actually liked in this damn place have to go and get engaged to someone else? I mean, I knew I was stupid to like Aragorn, because he already had Arwen, but Faramir too? I mean, I'm in a coma for a few hours, and then BAM, he's all over Eowyn! What is that?" she paused here to take a gulp of her drink, " I must have done something horrible in a past life for Karma to hate me this much…"

" How long has she been going on like this?" Niori, who had just returned with Legolas, asked.

" Since Arwen showed up," Carla told her, and then glanced suspiciously at her and Legolas, " What, did you two disappear outside for a quickie?"

" I refuse to even justify that with a response!" Niori told her indigently, while Carla stuck out her tongue to show she was joking.

" Ummm…." Legolas interrupted, " you realize that Jane is drunk right?"

" Ten bucks says she's loaded with an hour," Carla spoke, still ignoring Jane as she went on ranting.

" So in other words, " Erin spoke with a bit of a laugh, " If you want to sample any of whatever that drink is, you'll get it while quantities last,"

" Oh no," Niori said, putting up her hands, " I've officially given up drinking!"

" Come on Niori," Carla laughed at her, " the hangovers aren't that bad!"

" It's not the hangovers," Niori replied with a shrug, " it's just that, well…when I'm drunk, I tend to act a little…well, a lot slutty,"

"Come on Niori…" Legolas started, " you can't be that bad…"

" You don't remember a thing from the night we were drunk in my world do you?" She asked curiously and Legolas shook his head, " well…then again, it's probably best if you don't,"

Legolas's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to speak, but Niori had already walked away. He followed closely after her, demanding to know what she was talking about.

Meantime, Carla was contemplating if she should actually go over and talk to Eomer (who was on the other side of the room and whom she hadn't talked to since kissing him on the battle field). She chewed on her lower lip as she tried to decide, and weighed the options in her mind. One, she didn't go over and everything was left all awkward, or two goes over and he possibly tells her he's not interested. This was defiantly not a problem she was used to (Carla be worried over a guy…there was a laugh!)

" Oh just go over!" Erin broke Carla out of her thoughts suddenly, " I already have one of you obsessing about a guy, and I don't need another one!"

With a laugh, Carla left Erin standing with Jane (who was still ranting her head off) and moved towards Eomer. He saw her coming, said something to the man he was talking to and took a few steps towards her.

" Hi," she spoke as they reached each other.

" Hello," he replied curtly, giving her the tiniest of polite nods. From there, an awkward silence stretched on for a few moments until finally, Carla spoke.

" Look," she spoke, looking up at Eomer, determined that this awkwardness had to stop, " we need to talk. I like you, and I mean really like you, which you may have picked up from the fact I kissed you, and being awkward around you is driving me insane!"

Eomer studied her for a moment and his expression softened and a small smile spread over his lips, " I care for you too Carla, I have for a long time. You're right, we need to talk…"

" So let's get out of here then!" Carla exclaimed, knowing nobody would miss them if they were gone.

" That's the finest idea I've heard all night," Eomer told her with a laugh, took her hand and the two slipped out of the room.

l.l.l.ll.l

The one clear thought in Jane's head, was that she knew she was drunk. Despite knowing this fact, she didn't stop herself from calming walking (more like lightly stumbling) up to Aragorn, who stood alone at the far corner of the room.

He saw her coming, (obviously drunk) and a look of concern crossed his face. He was worried she might…well fall over. Aragorn could tell that Jane was REALLY drunk.

" Jane-" Aragorn started to say she should probably sit down, but was cut off when Jane stood in front of him, hands on hips.

" I love you," she spoke curtly, causing him to start coughing from surprise. Yep, she was DEFINTLY drunk.

" What-" he started to say, but Jane again cut him off.

" I said I love you!" Jane spoke in almost a casual tone, " I have for a while actually. Hell, I'd be willing to bare your children! In fact, I've been plotting how to kill that bitch Arwen ever since we met so I could get you,"

Aragorn couldn't help but let his mouth drop open in surprise. Jane may have been drunk, but…hell! First Eoywn, now Jane…why were all there women suddenly falling in love with him! Who the hell was next!

" But yeah…first I figured poison, but thought that was way too easy, so now think I knife in the back. But anyway, I love you! Ain't it great? But I mean, what's not to love? You have a killer body, and despite you're hell of a lot older than me and frequently dirty, you're just so damn sexy! I mean, what sensible woman wouldn't want to screw around with you? Ok, Erin and Niori are the exceptions, but only 'cuz Erin got herself knocked up and Niori is sleeping with Legolas, But hey don't blame her. I must admit Legolas is very cute and all and probably very good too, but what ever turns your crank right? Anyway, I bet you'd be better in bed then Elf-boy though, but you're marrying Arwen, so I'll never know will I? Unless maybe Arwen dies, which probably won't happen. I'm going to kiss you now,"

Before Aragorn could stop her, Jane was kissing him...and he was too shocked to pull her away. After a few seconds, Jane gave a groan and fell limp. She had passed out.

With a crimson colored face, Aragorn picked her small form up and carried her from the grand hall and back towards her and Niori's room.

That had probably been the most embarrassing thing he had ever heard (in regards to himself), and thanked the Valar that Jane had been drunk, and hopefully didn't mean what she had said. Not to mention he felt his anger boiling at the girl…planning to kill Arwen!

Jane is going to get an earful when she wakes up! Aragorn vowed angrily.