Ok, this is basically a nonsense chapter to show a change coming over Eriathwen. She is a bit looser but is still learning how to act publically so she is a bit of a goof. I had fun writing this bit though, kind of reminds me of something I once did...Um, we won't go there. So I do hope you enjoy. It is a bit childish, but what can I say, we are all kids at heart, right? (I won't grow up...never!)

I don't own, I wishI did, but I don't...besides, if I did, everyone would want to borrow it from me and then I'd never have it anyways. Back to my homework now, bye!

Is That a Smile?

It was so good to know that she was finally allowed to leave. It was like walking through a dream, or waking from a nightmare. She stepped into her room, former prison, and stared with a blank sort of stupid look on her face for a few seconds when she heard a low cough and she jerked her head up to see that the prince was still in the room with her.

"Would you like any help packing?"

She ran a hand through her hair excitedly and gave the room a quick look over. Nothing. There was nothing to pack, just her weapons, no they were gone. "I don't want or need any help. I have nothing to pack, um, but thanks anyway."

He began laughing lightly. "You seem to be at a loss, too much excitement I'd say. You don't think we would let you go with nothing do you? Come, let's go to the kitchens." They walked out of the room, her with a newfound spring in her step. He glanced up at her face; she was smiling. They walked into the kitchen and he set the he had grabbed on the way there on a table and began rummaging through the different cabinets and storage bins.

"Here, these keep for a long time, and these too." He placed a very unfamiliar looking plant on the counter followed by another of a greenish color. "And this, well it does not keep very long, but it is very good, very nourishing. And you will need some fresh fruits." He pulled a fruit out of a bin and she recognized it as the odd oblong fruit that she had enjoyed so much. Glancing into the bin she noticed that it was almost completely filled with them. She looked up guiltily at the prince who had turned away, reached in and grabbed two more, looked around, and placed them in her shirt. He began laughing hysterically when he looked up suddenly and saw this.

"What? I did nothing!"

"Not even a cat with the feathers sticking out of its mouth after eating a canary looks that guilty, or ridiculous!"

She grinned back at him and began laughing with him. It felt so good to be laughing. He smiled back at her, and for once, he didn't become suddenly solemn as though he weren't allowed to smile in her presence as he had before. And likewise, she wasn't forcing a smile on her face, trying to mask the scowl that was usually there.

Yes, it felt so good to be smiling. Why didn't I ever smile? I swear the muscles in my mouth have never had to work this hard before. He looks so pleasant when he smiles at me, so handsome, do I look like that too? Is my face fair to look upon when I am not threatening to kill people with my eyes?

Legolas was thinking similarly as he saw light sparkling in her face, joy actually upon it. Someone could paint that and hang it in a hall and name it, Eriathwen, smiling, for a Change! He began to laugh harder at this thought and actually clutched his sides.

"What? What is so terribly funny?"

"Nothing." Nothing I am about to admit to you. Then again…

"Oh, we don't have any fresh bread!" he exclaimed suddenly changing the subject.

"What are you talking about, there is a loaf just there cooling fresh from the oven.

"Ah, but that is not our special bread. Our baker is almost famous for his wonderful bread. He adds berries into it. It is most delicious…"

"Thank you prince Legolas." The prince and Eriathwen turned suddenly to face an elf standing in the doorway, a smudge of flour on the face giving him away instantly as the baker, as if the clothing hadn't already.

"I uh…." He gave them a most curious look, eyeing Eriathwen as if she had grown three extra arms and as he cocked his head to the side and stared strangely his mouth actually fell open.

It was as though it were a cue. Legolas looked at Eriathwen and then did a double take. His mouth was soon wide open too.

"What? What is it?" she demanded, putting her hands boldly on her hips.

Legolas almost fell over as he grabbed the counter laughing, followed by the dumbfounded baker who suddenly found his voice, at least well enough to laugh.

"What!"

"Your, you, oh wow!" Legolas was gasping to get the words out.

"Say it already!"

"You uh, you still have the uh…" he motioned towards her gesturing that she should look down.

She paled and almost died of embarrassment when she saw; she still had the two pieces of fruit in her shirt! "Um, if you'll just excuse me for a moment." She turned around for a moment and upon turning back, she held to pieces of fruit that she guessed no one would be eating anytime soon in her hands. Her face was redder than the rinds of the fruits and feeling he should divert the area of subject, Legolas strummed his fingers on the counter thinking of something to talk about, and quick.

The bread! "When will you be baking more bread Cuilornir?"

"Not for a week milord, the berries are not yet ripe enough to bake more yet. You will just have to wait and eat plain bread. Now if you'll excuse me, I need some fruit." He strolled over to one of the fruit baskets, this one containing a yellow colored fruit. He looked accusingly at Eriathwen and sniffed the fruit before placing in a small basket that she had failed to notice before that he was carrying in his hands. Sneaking a look in she saw a small jar containing what she guessed was honey. Honey! I haven't had any of that in ages! She realized that she had actually begun licking her lips and the baker, catching this sat the basket down and drew the jar out, tempting her all the more.

"Hold your hand out." He said quite plainly and when she hesitantly complied, she was awarded with a small glob of rich golden clover honey in the palm of her hand. "Would you like any milord?"

"No thanks, it would spoil my evening meal."

"Very well then, I must be off, before my fruit disappears too." It was an innocent remark but they still caught the underlying meaning and Eriathwen's cheeks blushed red again.

"A week? That won't do. You will just have to stay another week, and then you may try some of his wonderful bread. It is worth the wait, honest."

She looked down at the fruit in her hands, still slightly warm and rolled them in her hands as she thought. What's another week? I already have been here a week, and you were planning on staying here for about two to begin with, granted not inside the palace, but what harm could it do? He wants you to stay; you aren't really a prisoner any more.

But what if it's a trap? Or if something happens? No…yes, I have to do this. Have to? Since when do I have to? Since I have to stop shying away from people. I have to learn to live with it, just one more week. One more week with the prince and you are out of here, and with fresh berry bread, whatever that is.

"Very well, I will stay another week. Please, may I go to my, um, room?" he smiled and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Yes, since you said please. Isn't it nice to have manners?" and he walked out of the kitchen, leaving her to figure out how to get back on her own. She stepped out of the large room and found herself in a long hallway that had an old staircase at the end of it. The prince was no where to be seen.

She walked slowly and hesitantly up the steps and stared in disbelief at the corridor she had found herself in. Why hadn't she paid more attention on their way there? She walked up to the first door and opened it. She faced another, shorter but wider hallway. She took a step inside but then backed out and closed the door quickly. This isn't it, but which one is? She put her hand on the second door's knob and began to turn it when…

"I would try the next one if I were you." She spun around, reaching for her dagger as she did when she came face to face with Legolas.

"Ahh! Where did you come from?" She disappointedly let her hand drop when she remembered that she no longer had her blade at her side.

"You see, its inattentiveness such as that which you just displayed that will get you hurt someday. And your blade was broken, remember?" He teased her and opened the third door, revealing the narrow hallway that she now remembered coming down before.

"So what is in the second door?"

"Skeletons," he replied calmly as he slipped into the hallway and disappeared again, "of visitors who wouldn't cooperate."

She let out a low, closest word for it would be growl and she cautiously opened the door slowly. She let out her breath and laughed, it was a closet! Skeletons, only if they keep them in a closet! Who ever heard of that! She shut the door and walked through the door that Legolas had disappeared though. He was gone again, but she didn't need him. Familiarity had struck up and she soon found herself standing in the doorway of her temporary bed room.

Everything seemed different now. It was no longer a prison. She was in a cage no longer. And one other thing, the guards were no longer lurking outside the door. She walked in and sat down on her bed. It was then that she realized that she still had the pack slung over her shoulder, and what's more, the forbidden fruit still in her hand. She looked at it slyly for a flash before sinking her nails into and peeling back the rind, revealing the juicy flesh that tasted so good beneath its protective colored armor. Then, she did something she hadn't done in almost a year, and she was shocked to see herself doing it; singing. Well, more so like humming rather articulately.

She stood and walked to the door which she had left open and went to close it. She heard something from the hallway but gave it no thought, there was no need here. She slammed the door shut and heard a distinctive thud accompanied by the 'noise' yelling a dwarvish curse if she remembered the words correctly. Something about shameful glass. Or was it, pain in the a-

"Open the door!" she opened the door to find a slightly dazed Legolas rubbing his head with an agitated look on his face. "I had rather hoped we would be past all this by now Eriathwen."

She stepped back guiltily, holding a hand over her mouth trying to stifle a laugh, which she almost failed to do.

"I suppose I could forgive you, for some fruit." He picked up the fruit on the table that she had been eating and began to break himself off a piece when she intervened.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Shirt?" he looked down questioningly at the above mentioned fruit.

"Uh-huh."

"All well, it had a rind covering it." And he popped it into his mouth by gracefully flinging it into the air and catching it.

"Ew, how could you eat that?" she teased, only half serious.

"If I am not mistaken, I wasn't the only one eating it. Did you invite the skeletons up for tea, or did the table get hungry?" they both broke out into a grin and they had a small laugh together and he realized that he was truly enjoying her company. "But seriously, the reason I am here..."

"Oh no."

"Oh yes. I wanted to know if you would accompany me on a ride tomorrow, without the guards of course, since you are a free woman."

"I'd love to!" and for once, she wasn't lying, she actually wanted to be with him on the ride.