AN: I'm back! Thanx for all the reviews! I hope this slightly longer chapter makes up for my long absence :)

Chapter Twenty:

Current Mood: optimistic

Current Music: White Flag- Dido

The past few days have gone better than I could have hoped.

I arrived in Mirkwood early in the morning. The scouts led us to the palace and in turn, to where the crew of Mirien's ship was staying. I found Haldir standing outside gazing thoughtfully at the sky. We spoke briefly about my presence and why Celeborn would send his message with me and not him. He seems to think that Celeborn deliberately withheld the honor of presenting the king with a gift from him for some reason, but I assured him that it was a last minute decision. I hope he is not too upset over it.

Then I was led by Carielle up to Mirien's chambers. Finally I was with my wife again.

"A visitor? What visitor?" he heard from down the hall. So she was awake!

"Me!" he couldn't help but exclaim. His heart was so full of love and anticipation that the word had simply flown out of his mouth like a bird escaping its cage. He climbed the last step and turned the corner to behold his wife, dressed in her thin nightclothes and looking positively shocked to see him. He smiled.

"Hello, my love! Surprised?" She still seemed quite bewildered as he moved forward to hug her. The inner turmoil and nervousness he'd felt calmed by the feel of her in his arms, her smell filling his senses. He relaxed, and finally felt peace for the first time since he'd first needed to see her. Seemingly having gotten over her surprise at his sudden appearance, she returned the hug, hesitantly, but he took it as simple disbelief.

"You have no idea," she responded, finally relaxing into the embrace and warming to his presence. He didn't notice Carielle leaving them, but when they parted she was gone. Mirien still seemed a bit flustered at the surprise, smoothing down the front of her gown in nervousness.

"I – I was sleeping," she explained with a shy smile, "I didn't expect to see you again until I returned to Lorien." Ameron reached out to caress her cheek.

"I couldn't wait that long," he responded softly. "I've missed you since you went away," he went on, "more than I thought I would. Something's happened, I'm not sure what it is, but my love for you has grown in the time we've been apart. I'm so glad to be here now." She leaned into his palm and covered his hand with hers. Before long he kissed her, softly, and then she led him into her chambers.

"Have you slept?" she asked as he wandered in after her. She noted that he wore his traveling clothes that bore all the signs of long journey and sleeping out in the open.

"Not tonight," he responded, unhooking his bow and beginning to strip off his jacket and boots. "When we realized how close we were to Mirkwood, we elected to continue on and rest when we arrived rather than take another day to get here."

"Why have you come?" she asked. She was pulling the sheets on the bed into some semblance of order, and he smiled at the action. Ever since he'd known her she'd always been a heavy sleeper. He used to joke that there must be some Edain blood in her the way she tore up the bedclothes at night so that each morning she woke wrapped in a fabric cocoon.

"Lord Celeborn wished to honor the King with a gift for his begetting day," he explained, suppressing the rising giggle at the image his mind conjured of his sleeping wife. "He regrets that he could not send it in time for the actual day, but the gift did not come to him until recently."

"What is it?" she asked, slipping back under the covers on one side of the large bed. He grinned as he pulled his undershirt off over his head and padded over to join her.

"Ahh, I can't tell you that," he said. She shot him a look of mock hurt and his smile widened. "Meleth, not even those I traveled with know, not even Haldir." Had he been looking at her, and not concentrating on the act of climbing into bed at the time, he would have seen his wife take pause at the mention of his Captain's name. As it was, by the time he turned back to her, the look of interest had returned, covering that of the guilt she felt in her heart. It was then she realized that her husband had no way of knowing what it was that she felt for his commander, or the thoughts she had so recently had of him. He was blissfully unaware that his wife secretly lusted after another elf, and that elf was known so well to him. That brief moment of realization almost manifested in a physical pain deep in her stomach, as one certain of an impending doom feels when the last thread of safety has fled and all that remains is their cruel fate.

As it was, Mirien turned to her husband and smiled. Caressing her cheek with his hand, he kissed her again and the two lay down together to sleep away the last of the early twilight hours.

Later that morning Ameron awoke refreshed, entwined within his wife's embrace. For the moment he lay there, ruminating on his good fortune – he had a wife he loved, friends, family and a solid place in Arda. At that moment he felt utterly at peace with himself and his life.

A shaft of sunlight filtered through the window, illuminating his half of the bed and gently lifting the pleasant haze from his mind Before long, Mirien began to stir and the two got up together to greet the day.

"We will be returning home in a few days," she said over a light breakfast. "Would you like to come with us, or would your men rather stay for a longer visit here?"

"I'll have a talk with them later," he said, setting down his tea, "but I would like to return with you." He reached across the table to cover her hand with his. She smiled shyly and they finished their meal.

Afterwards Ameron made his presentation to the King, to the awe of all assembled. A formal banquet was then arranged in honor of their new guests from Lorien, and also as a sort of preemptive farewell to the crew of Airelussa. For many, this would be their last chance to see their friends from the Golden Wood.

Legolas weaved through the crowd of merrymakers on search of Mirien. He hadn't been able to talk with her in several days, having been away on patrol near the southern border. He it was who had first spotted Ameron's company and escorted them home.

He saw her off in a corner speaking softly with Carielle, and as he neared, she looked over and discreetly made her exit so they could talk.

"So I hear I may have a long wait until our next sparring match," he commented jauntily as he approached. A smirk rose on her lips as he almost saw her mind scramble for a retort. "No need," he continued, "you couldn't hope to come up with a response that could possibly match my wit." He chuckled as she playfully smacked him on the arm.

"I'll have you know, Doran has been tutoring me in some rather clever techniques," she said smugly, "you may just have some competition when I get back."

"And when will that be?" he asked softly, somewhat bringing the mood down to a more somber level. Her smile faded as she considered that it may indeed be a long time until they met again. She looked up at him and saw the same thing written in his eyes. He was worried.

"What is it?" He sighed, as if deciding whether or not to elaborate.

"There has been some talk," he said in a hushed whisper. "You remember the creature Estel has brought to us, Gollem?" She nodded. "They say that he knows where the One is, and that he himself was long its keeper." He hushed her surprise with his hand and continued. "The fact that he no longer has it means that someone else must, someone who, I am certain, will not take the Dark One long to find. Mirien," and at this he made sure to catch her eyes with his. "Many are speaking of Aman." Before she could respond properly, their conversation was interrupted by Ameron thrusting a glass of Miruvor into his wife's hand as he joined them.

"My Lord, it is good to see you again," he said happily, "as we met ever so briefly last night."

"Ameron," he nodded. "Excuse me, Mirien," he said as he went off to greet another of their many guests.

"Mirien," Ameron continued as if he hadn't just broken up one of the most tense conversations she had had in a long while. "I just spoke with your parents and they have agreed to come home with us for a visit. Your father and I have so much to catch up on, and your mother is looking forward to seeing Lorien again after so long." Swallowing back the near immediate rise of bile in her throat, she put on as good a forced smile as she could muster.

"That's wonderful, Ameron," she lied, "I would love to have more time with my family." Deep down, however, a voice screamed, 'this can't be! One month with my Father was more than enough time, but now they'll be home with me for who knows how long? Ameron, what have you done?'

Across the room, Legolas and Haldir sat together. Legolas had noticed, rather curiously, that his friend had not spared even a glance in Mirien's direction all evening. He did not see that Mirien's time was taken up mostly by Ameron, and so did not wonder what interest his lieutenant would have in her. He did not see them eat together, dance together, and even share a discreet kiss as they talked. All he saw was the bottom of his glass as he mourned the loss of something he told himself never existed. When they talked, it was short and to the point. Legolas understood that his friend's depression was a passing thing, and that what he needed right now was support. And so he sat, surveying the room from where he was, speaking to those who approached, and helping his friend drink away his sorrows.

The rest of the night passed smoothly, with many toasts and formal farewells. Two days later the crew of the Airelussa set sail, leaving behind their distant kin of Lasgalen and setting a course for home.