Ello. I like this chapter. I hope you do as well. Do not own anything of JRR's. nor do I own Kingdom of Heaven, despite my intense liking of that movie. Please please please review. And have a spectacular weekend and try not to get electrocuted by overheating Christmas lights begging to be stored in the attic for another year but that your neighbors are just too lazy to take down.

Virginia spent the rest of the afternoon getting a lesion on the "bases" and what it meant to hit a home run. She rolled her eyes as Brittany described for the umpteenth time how perfect Estel was, their history together (conveniently forgetting her part as a commitment-phobic teenager,) yadayadayada. Virginia yawned, it was enough to make her willing to commit to celibacy.

Legolas stormed into the Fellowship's camp and found Strider idly sharpening his sword while smiling inwardly at the hobbit's incessant chatter. He recalled meeting Brittany earlier that day and grinned broader—she had changed from the girl he fell in love with so many years before. His reverie was broken when he heard himself being accosted in elvish. Sinderian, his mind automatically translated, though he was baffled at the words. Until the name Arwen was mentioned. Then his head snapped to attention and met his friend's angry eyes.

Marina flopped back on her bed and sighed contentedly. It was great to be able to pour out all her pent up anger to the impassive Legolas that afternoon, and far cheaper than a therapist. Though she remembered his agitated demeanor at the end, and the way he distractedly agreed for her to learn archery. It was almost as if he was itching to pick a fight, or leave. She wasn't really sure which.

Dinner that evening was uneventful as two would-be couples flirted back and forth and Marina debated creation stories with the elf next to her. Luckily it was Erestor, scholar, demi-god, and librarian at Rivendell.

After a light fruit dessert, while everyone was chatting amiably over full stomachs, Estel observed the company with keen eyes as he fingered a necklace under his tunic. Not the elegant material of Arwen's Evenstar, but a smaller oblong shape, golden in color and held on a simple leather thong, a gift from years past. He shrugged off a slight guilt and rose to excuse himself from the table, sword clanking lightly by his side. He was talking with Boromir by the dying embers of a ire when Brittany came into the encampment, resplendent in a simple green dress that shimmered with muted emerald and blue hues. Estel merely looked openmouthed for a second before Boromir nudged him and rose to take his leave. Estel looked up at her laughing and grasped the outstretched hand she offered. Walking hand in hand they traced the cobblestone paths of the Golden Wood, they paused for a moment, going through the ritual of finagling leftovers for a picnic. Brittany carried a basket of food, and Estel carried the drinks and blanket. She soon took off a at light run, and melodic laughter could be heard in the surrounding forest as a chase ensued. Soon they stopped, spending the hours talking and thinking, eating and enjoying each other's company. A pale sun broke the horizon as he gathered the sleeping lady in his arms and deposited her in bed with a final kiss.

Marina was at the archery range with the first rays of the sun and providing comic relief for those of the Galadriem practicing. Well, it wasn't intentionally that her arrow had found its way into Haldir's arse. The image of him hopping around brought tears to her eyes it was so amusing. But the morning had continued and her aim had not improved with the advancing hours. Firmly, she notched another arrow, determined to at least hit the target this time.

"Your bow is upside down."

"Go climb a tree, Legolas."

"I was endeavoring to help?"

"How nice of you to show up three hours late," she replied wryly.

"You merely said morning, I trust I did not miss anything?"

"Only Haldir's….happy dance." Legolas raised a quizzical eyebrow, but decided against asking for an explanation. He suddenly turned into uberteacher and was scarily reminiscent of college professors gone by. College professors wouldn't make you do endless numbers of pushups, however.

"Okay, all you have to do is pull the string back and….you aren't left-handed, are you?" His voice had taken an exasperated tone, much like that of a long suffering parent to a truant child.

"ummm…nope!" Marina replied brightly, watching Legolas's face change through a variety of emotions, including sick, intense rage, and settling on exasperation as he reached forward and adjusted the bow again. She leaned forward into the shooting stance, drew back the arrow, and closed her eyes.

"Aiming generally works better if you can see the target."

Ignoring him, but opening her eyes, Marina shot…and hit the middle of three rings on the target. She dropped the bow and proceeded into the electric slide.

"What in the name of all that is sacred are you doing?"

"Victory dance."

"Why?"

"The real question is, why aren't you dancing?" Legolas stared to back away slowly, but was saved by Marina's stomach—"good gods, I'm hungry!" so they proceeded to breakfast. They entered, arguing good-naturedly about who-knows-what and sat down at the head table where they were greeted with amused glances.

"How nice of you to join us Marina—you would think that since we are guests here you would have pretended to at least attempt a neat appearance," Virginia said, though the words were stern, her tone was teasing and Marina responded in kind.

"Be careful…I know how to shoot things!" she pretended to fire an arrow as Legolas snickered lightly and added his two cents into the conversation.

"She did not know the bow was upside down for over half the time." Marina proceeded to thwack him and muttered something along the lines of pink hair dye—a threat that, disturbingly intrigued rather than frightened the elven archer. They settled into an amiable breakfast and paused minutely to greet Brittany when she arrived well into the meal wearing an expression that called to mind the vapid Disney princesses, specifically Belle, or the one who would frolic with wood animals . come to think of it… 'all the Disney princesses had some weird singing thing going on with wild animals." Marina mused aloud.

Virginia, who was only halfway paying attention, came alert at this comment, after a questioning glance, she decided to launch on her own tirade and the two began debating Snow White vs. Cinderella, in terms of most disturbing songs

"The fact that Cinderella taught mice to sing is just disturbing. And she forced labor from the poor birds. PETA would have her head! And crown."

"But Snow White had trolls," Virginia countered, "plus…she shared beds with seven little men…"

"I wonder if the princesses were related to elves," Marina changed the topic slightly, "they both have that 'one-with-nature' thing going."

"Perhaps…" Virginia agreed slowly.

"In which case, Legolas is a dead ringer for Sleeping Beauty!" She flashed a wicked grin. The insult san in, and Virginia yelled "Hey!" but couldn't come up with an insult. Marina's attention was diverted from the fork hovering dangerously close to her eyeball (anger management issued in the state of VA) to Brittany's vacant face. Grapes were near her hang, and she surreptitiously began to flick them at Brittany's forehead. Brit simply stayed with her mouth slightly open, staring out the window. Virginia caught onto the game, and tossed a melon ball in her direction. It landed in Brittany's mouth.

"Bull's eye!" and the two shared a high five as Brittany chocked, sputtered and came out of her trance glancing around wildly saying, "wha-a-a-a-a-t!" as the two sitting opposite her sniggered.