AN: Here it is! The plot finally thickens! Please review, I'm starved for attention! (pouts)

Chapter Fifteen:

Current mood: playful

Current music: Full Moon- Brandy

'Tonight was…interesting….

After Mirien assured him she would be okay, Haldir continued on towards the Great Hall. Worry still gnawed at the back of his mind and he wanted nothing more than to go back and wait for her, but by the time he'd made the decision to do so he had already come to his destination. Before he knew it he was being waved in through the tall graceful stone arches at the entrance by two serious looking elves with pikes. Apparently Thranduil had a thing for security.

Inside, the spacious hall was crowded with elves all dressed in glittering formal attire. Tables were scattered about one end of the hall, leaving the other open for mingling and dancing. The north wall was lined with one long table for the royal family, more ornately decorated than any others. Haldir saw that Mirien's parents sat at that table, with her father at the King's left side. He scowled.

"Haldir!" someone greeted from across the hall. He turned to see Doran and Cariell wading through the throng towards him. When at last they were standing close enough to hear each other over the music and thousands of elven voices, Doran continued. "You came!" he said in mock surprise.

"You look great, Haldir," Cariell said, "blue is really your color." She herself was wearing a gown the color of autumn leaves that did nothing but flatter her natural beauty. "Where is Mirien?" she asked, "dinner is about to begin; they will be seating us soon." Haldir looked behind him at the door he'd come through.

"I'm sure she'll be here soon," he said, more to himself than to the others. He followed the chattering pair to a table near the head of the room where many of Mirien's crew already sat. He was about to take a seat next to Doran when he was tapped on the shoulder from behind.

"Haldir," Legolas said, stunning in his princely attire and crowned with a thin band of Mirthril. "My father has requested that, as an emissary of the Golden Wood, you sit by me." Haldir regarded the prince for a moment before replying.

"Not by him?" he asked. Legolas' pleasant smile turned upwards into a smirk.

"I fear something tragic might happen were you to sit together," he said. Haldir chuckled and followed the Sinda to the head table, ignoring the open mouthed expressions of awe on the faces of his shipmates. "I apologize for my father's behavior," Legolas muttered softly once they were out of earshot of the others. He maneuvered them past the table to a small alcove nearby where they could talk.

"He has been under a great deal of stress lately," he continued, "not only are our borders being assailed almost daily now, but also…" he paused and looked to see that they were indeed alone. He stepped closer to Haldir so he could whisper. "There have been rumors," he said, and Haldir heard the fear in the Prince's voice. "They say that evil again stirs in the Black Lands. Some say the Nine are abroad again, and that they may wish to retake Dol Guldur." He stepped away from the other elf to better gauge his reaction. Himself, Haldir didn't know what to say. Legolas continued on, lowering his head. That gesture reminded him sharply how young the Prince was compared to him. "I know it's no excuse," he apologized, "I only wish for you to understand our situation. We are becoming desperate. Many in the kingdom are talking of an alliance with Lorien, or even abandoning Lasgalen altogether. Father has heard these rumors, and…" Haldir stepped forward and placed his hands on the Sindar's shoulders.

"You need not apologize for him, mellon," he said softly. Legolas looked up, gratitude plain in his eyes. "All of Endor is becoming dangerous. It isn't easy for anyone, especially the elves. I do sympathize with the situation, and indeed it would be a great loss to us all if Lasgalen were to fall, but we simply have no one to spare." Legolas lowered his head again and nodded.

"I understand," he whispered. They headed to their seats as the crowd slowly found theirs. Haldir became impatient when most people had found their seats and still Mirien had not come. Just as the last few sat, however, the doors opened one more time, admitting the most beautiful elf he had ever seen.

There was a hush, for no more than a heartbeat, as if everyone in the room had stopped and looked, but then quickly went back to their conversations so as not to be caught staring. She has chosen to wear the green dress, the one she knew Legolas liked so much. It was the rich color of the forest, and made her seem as one who belonged more in the boughs above them than in the halls around them. Her hair was gathered on the top of her head and fell in a cascade of golden waves about her shoulders. All this Haldir noticed, but found himself trapped by the unrelenting gaze she fixed on him. Thankfully, Legolas brought him out of it by nudging him with his elbow.

"You should take care," he whispered to him as Haldir watched Mirien cross the hall to where her parents sat. "There are those in this hall who would not react well to such a look between the two of you." As he said this, the Prince subtly motioned to his left and Haldir watched the Advisor and his wife greet their daughter. He tasted bile in his throat as he saw Almerin kiss her forehead lovingly and insist she sit by him, between him and his wife. "Seems like such a good father, doesn't he?" Legolas whispered, to which Haldir snorted in a mixture of amusement and disgust. Legolas was about to say something else, but his father cleared his throat and stood. The room immediately fell silent.

"Thank you all for coming," he began in the pleasant yet commanding voice of a true King. "This is a day for joy," he went on. Haldir saw Legolas lightly roll his eyes and smirked. "A day to celebrate life and happiness. Even though the darkness lurks on our borders, threatening to take our land and our lives, we will continue to celebrate, even simple things such as our begetting days; the days our lives began. Today is not just a simple celebration, however. It is a message to those who would destroy us, that even though we may be threatened, we will still continue to live!" The king ended his short speech to a round of applause from the assembled guests. He looked around him in satisfaction, seeing that his goal to boost morale had been successful, if only to keep spirits up until the end of the evening.

He sat down and signaled to the servants who began to bring out the first course of what would turn out to be quite a lavish affair. Soon everyone was lost in the business of eating and drinking, talking and laughing. The war on their borders and petty familial problems seemed very far away, and it seemed as though the King's remedy for his kingdom's depression was working.

All the good feelings created by the joyous atmosphere faded like so much smoke in the wind when the doors to the hall burst open.

"AAAAHHHGGGHH!!!" A piercing, pitiful wail sliced through the air, halting every conversation in the room and turning every eye to the source of the horrible sound. The King rose from his seat as the intruders approached his table. In that moment, a guard came running in behind them and somehow managed to bow in mid-sprint.

"I beg your forgiveness, my liege, but he would not listen when I- " The guard stopped talking when Thranduil raised a hand to silence him, eyes still trained on the approaching figures.

"Estel," he said to the man who now stood before him. "What is the meaning of this?" he motioned with his outstretched arm to the pitiable, yet seemingly vicious creature tethered at the man's feet, from who the cry had come.

"Apologies, my lord Thranduil," Estel responded, "this is a matter of great urgency." The creature hissed bitterly at the King as the monarch's eyes fixed on it, analyzing it with their piercing gaze.