I'm updating before I go away! I leave next Saturday. Bounces happily and impatiently. Ah, a week in the sun. Better than this crappy weather we've got anyways. Peers moodily out window at clouds.

Faerlain

Rayame325 – Everyone has a little Elfling locked away inside them somewhere. And those two just found theirs. Thanks for reviewing!

Tiara Shin - HIIIIIIII! Ahem. I finished HP6 the day after it came out. It is sooooooooo good!

I know exactly what you mean. Pats 'Ren on the head. Aww, bless. But he's got Leggy to look after him. And so I have come to that… Daydreams.

I can't WAIT to go to Italy! Starts packing suitcase. "Legs, that's yours over there deary." He keeps nicking my case. Hmph. Teehee, tis gonna be soooo cool.

Its 10am, and I am hyper. Unusual? I think not. School's out for summer…looks out window dejectedly…but I am gonna write and write and write!

Alright, I forgive you. And look, a huge reply for your huge review! I think we're quits now. Thumbs up.

The only bed bugs that would bite are these two. Points at our Elves. Teehee! Thanks for reviewing!

Chapter 2: Oh Brother.

"He is gorgeous."

"Oh please, stop going on about him!"

"But he is Loth! You just can't see it."

"Well, I am his sister after all."

Esgalwen grinned. "That would be incest."

Lothriel pulled a disgusted face. "Ok, I love him to bits, but because he is my brother. I wouldn't even dream of…" She shuddered. "No, not with my brother."

"None of them?"

"Híwiel!"

The other Elf pulled an innocent expression. "What? Legolas isn't the only nice one."

"Both of you just stop it. These are my older brothers we're talking about! You can't…'like' them. It's not right."

Híwiel waved off the comment. "It's perfectly harmless."

"Well who do you like then, if not Legolas?" Esgalwen asked, folding her arms.

"Well Hithaer isn't too bad. And he's more our age."

"Not really."

"And Legolas is?"

"At least he is old enough."

"Old enough for what?"

"He has experience…"

"Esgalwen! Híwiel! I demand you stop speaking of my brothers in this way. It is wrong and undignified. They are not here just to be gossiped about. Especially not by their own sister." She got to her feet, brushing off the leaves from her skirts. "I'm going back inside."

"Oh Loth, don't be such an idiot. We were only joking," Híwiel told her.

"No, forget it. I'll see you tomorrow." She left the gardens quickly, letting the gate slam shut behind her as it was blown by the wind.

"I think we upset her," Híwiel stated simply, looking at her other friend.

"You reckon?" Esgalwen replied sarcastically. "But we can't help it if she has the best looking brothers in the whole of Mirkwood. They are bound to be admired, by everybody."

"And not only for their archery skills!" Híwiel giggled.

Lothriel stormed upstairs, and when she came past Legolas, she ignored him completely, slamming her bedroom door on him. He stood there, rather bemused. Leaning against it, he called out to her through the wood.

"What's happened now?"

No answer came. He smiled to himself. Lothriel was only just over 250, and still learning the ways of the world. Something had happened to annoy or upset her.

"Loth?" he called gently again. "Tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing," came a final mumbled reply.

"Can I come in?"

"If you want." He imagined her shrugging to that answer, and grinned again.

When he entered her room, he saw her curled up on her balcony, leaning against the rails. He closed the door and went over, sitting down beside her. She was staring out over the woods, letting the wind ruffle her golden hair. He sat in silence, waiting for her to start the conversation.

"It's not fair," she murmured.

"What isn't?" She wiped her nose on her sleeve, and he gently slapped her arm. "Don't do that."

She gave a small smile and carried on. "Esgalwen and Híwiel. They were talking about you and Hithaer again."

"Oh, I see." He chuckled to himself. "I thought they were over my ravishing good looks."

"Think again big brother." She sniffed. "They're always going on about you, as if you're some god they're meant to idolise. They'll be making sacrifices for you next, so watch out."

He laughed out loud this time. "I see you have inherited my wonderful sense of humour that we share with 'Ren." He stroked her cheek fondly. "You need have no fear that I will do anything. Do you seriously think I would even ever consider going with someone of your own age? Loth, you and your friends…sorry to say it bluntly, but you're just too young for me."

She laughed, leaning against him. "I just wish they wouldn't go on so."

"Tell them to shut up then."

"I do, but they carry on anyway. It's all they ever talk about now. If it isn't you its Hithaer, or Gîlorn, or 'Ren. There's always someone else as well, one of the boys that help in the kitchens or the stables. It as if they have no other life to live, apart from the one revolving around the men. It's pathetic."

"Do you feel left out? Because you can't talk about me the way they do?"

"A little. I just keep saying how much I love you all, and they get jealous. 'Oh, I wish he was my brother. It would be amazing. You don't know how lucky you are Loth'." She sniffed again. "But I do know," she whispered. "I feel blessed."

He pulled her into a tight embrace, kissing the top of her head. "Ignore them," he told her. "Jealously is not a good thing. I feel lucky to have you, and they should think themselves so too, for having you as such a dear friend. Maybe one day they'll realise, but then it might be too late. Try and hold onto your friends though Loth. They're not all bad."

"I just wish they'd understand. I don't mind them talking about you all with the others, but not when I'm around. Its not fair, like I said."

He kissed her again. "Don't you have a lesson this afternoon?"

She shook her head. "Got cancelled. Lady Thandiel said something unavoidable had come up, and so it's been moved to the day after tomorrow."

"Fair enough." He got to his feet and pulled her with him. "So you now have nothing to do?"

"Nothing whatsoever."

"Come outside with me then. Show me this garden you've been going on about creating. I want to see what you plan to do."

Her entire face lit up. "Can I do it then? Have my own little secret garden?"

"I don't see why not. I think it's a lovely idea."

They walked down into the gardens together, Lothriel clutching her older brother's hand tightly. He laughed as she chattered away happily, seemingly forgetting her earlier quarrel.

But when they reached the gardens, her two friends were still there. Lothriel froze and glared at them from the path. They were still seated underneath the elm tree where she had been with them, and hadn't as yet noticed the new arrivals.

"Just act normally," Legolas murmured to her. "Pretend you haven't even seen them."

They carried on walking, and though Lothriel kept half an eye on her two friends, she kept talking to her brother as if nothing else had happened. She saw them turn and look over, but Legolas urged her on. They arrived at the far side of the Walled Garden, and she started showing him where she wanted her own little plot to be.

"See, it'll be under the shade of this oak," she pointed out. "But the sun can still get to it easily from this angle. The soil is soft and really fertile, and there's plenty of water around. Its perfect Legs, please can I have it here? Please?" she pleaded.

He smiled at her. "I can't see anyreason to say no," he answered. "Just double check with adar and the gardeners first though. I'll help you get started if you want."

She leapt up into his arms, and he laughed, twirling her around. "Hannon lle," she whispered, kissing his cheek.

"Is she trying to make us feel bad?"

Esgalwen scoffed. "She's just trying to prove to us that Legolas is far out of our reach."

"Which he is really."

"Doesn't make any difference. I still like him. We can…admire him from afar."

Híwiel smiled. "That's perfectly harmless. I don't see why she gets so upset."

"Just because he's her brother."

"And she can't look at him the way we can."

"It's as if she can't see how lovely he is."

"So popular."

"One of the best warriors in Mirkwood."

"Right up with Ladrenîl's ranks."

"And he's so nice to everybody! Did you see him with those children the other day?"

"That was so sweet! He knew how to interact with them so well."

"Well I have had a lot of practice."

The two girls jumped and looked round. Legolas was crouched there, smiling innocently at them. His sister was stood behind him, grinning widely behind her hand.

Legolas sat down cross-legged and folded his arms. "Did I miss any good gossip about me?"

----

Lothriel couldn't stop laughing. The look on her friend's faces had been classic. When Legolas had just joined in their conversation, they had been completely lost for words. For a second they had just sat there, and then they had run out of the garden as fast as they could go without tripping over their dresses.

She giggled again and squeezed his hand. "That was great Legs."

He shrugged. "I wanted to see what they were talking about. I don't like people talking about me behind my back."

"Even when they're saying the sorts of things Esgalwen and Híwiel were saying?"

"Now that just scares me."

She laughed again. "I have warned you in the past."

"I didn't believe you."

"Why now you have heard it with your own ears."

"And I think I wish I hadn't."

"It's just an infatuation for the present. It'll pass." She paused. "Won't it?"

"I certainly hope so." He stopped. "I wonder where 'Ren is."

"Probably in his room."

"Let's go see him."

"Ok. Are you sure he…"

But she never finished her sentence, as Legolas swung her up and over his shoulder. She squealed and yelled at him to let her down. But he just chuckled and carried on down the corridor towards his older brother's bedroom.

Ladrenîl looked up as his door opened. He grinned at the wriggling bundle over Legolas' shoulder. "And who do we have here little brother?"

Legolas dumped his sister unceremoniously on the bed. "A thing called Lothriel."

"I am not a thing!"

Ladrenîl got to his feet. He raised an eyebrow at his sister's defiant look. "If the wind changes you'll stay like that."

"That wasn't fair Legolas," she said, turning her eyes on the younger Prince.

He smiled and leant his arm on Ladrenîl's shoulder. "But it was highly amusing."

"Maybe for you. I sincerely hope no one saw up my skirts when you did that."

"I doubt it, seeing as there was no one else around."

"There might have been!"

Ladrenîl watched the exchange with barely hidden amusement. "When you two have quite finished quarrelling," he interrupted. "How can I help you?"

Legolas sat down next to Lothriel, gathering her into a strong embrace from which she was unable to wriggle out of. "Felt like popping in to say hello."

"Hello," Lothriel mumbled from against Legolas' chest.

"Oh, let her go now Legs," Ladrenîl told him, sitting on the other side of their younger sister. Instead, he pulled her onto his lap.

"I am not a doll!"

The brothers laughed. "But we love you anyway," Ladrenîl told her. "So what mischief have you two been planning?"

"We haven't done anything," Legolas retorted.

"I don't believe you."

"Legolas helped me shut my friends up," Lothriel answered, getting more comfortable.

"How do you mean?" he asked, looking down at her.

"They were going on and on and on about how wonderful he was, and I got fed up so came inside. Then he went in and interrupted their conversation just as they were getting to the juicy bits."

"Juicy bits?" Ladrenîl switched his gaze over to Legolas. "What juicy bits?"

"I shall not take that comment offensively," Legolas muttered.

"Oh, about how he had been playing with the children the other day and how good at archery he was…" She yawned. "So boring."

Legolas looked to his brother. "I feel so privileged to be a part of this family, seeing as how you all love me so much."

Lothriel slapped his thigh. "You know I love you to bits brother, but when your so called 'best friends' keep going on about you, then it does get tedious. Especially when I've heard it a thousand times before."

"That's a fair enough argument," Ladrenîl put in. "So, has anything interesting happened today?"

"Nothing whatsoever," Legolas replied.

"I'm bored," Lothriel grumbled.

"You're not the only one," Ladrenîl agreed.

"There's nothing to do." She slipped off his lap down onto the floor. "I want to go out riding or something."

Legolas looked out through the window at the Sun. "It's too late now Loth. The evening is drawing in already."

She sighed and sat down on the floor, looking up at them. "Tell me a story."

The brothers grimaced in unison, and she poked her tongue out. "I was actually doing something before you two came bursting in you know," Ladrenîl told them.

"Let me guess," Legolas started, getting to his feet and walking over to the desk. "The accounts?" He picked up a piece of paper. "The accounts."

Ladrenîl smirked at him. "You know it's my job. Have you checked the weaponry yet this week?"

"I'm doing it tomorrow." He put the paper back. "Hithaer said he'd help me."

"That boy will do anything to get in your good books."

"He's already in them. He's trying too hard."

"Trying too hard for what?" Lothriel asked.

"Hithaer wants to be like Legolas," Ladrenîl told her. "So he's doing everything he can to get up to that level."

"Not another one!" she groaned, putting her head in her hands.

They laughed. "Oh Loth, it isn't all bad," Ladrenîl comforted her. "Someone will want to be like you one day."

"I sincerely hope not. After I'm not that…"

There was a loud knocking at the door. "Enter," Ladrenîl called, getting to his feet. "See," he said to Legolas. "Someone in this place has manners."

Glînvara poked his head round the door. "Captain Ladrenîl, a large Orc scout has been sighted just four miles form the palace. Your assistance is requested immediately."

Ladrenîl had already grabbed his quiver and bow. "Come on Legs," he told his brother. "Get your scout together."

Lothriel got to her feet as her brother's rushed to go. "Be careful," she told them quietly.

Legolas halted and bent to kiss her. "We'll be fine," he assured her. "Back to your room now. We'll see you later." He ran to get his own things.

The pair hurried down the corridor. "Only four miles," Ladrenîl muttered. "They're getting far too bold."

Legolas nodded in agreement. "We need to get them back far beyond our borders," he told him. "This is getting ridiculous."

Once out in the courtyard, they leapt up onto their horses and wheeled them round to face the gates. Ordering their scouts into an orderly group, they galloped on out, bows and knives at the ready.

Lothriel watched them go with worry deeply embedded in her heart. Something was wrong. They should not have gone. Her mind drifted back to when Ladrenîl had been captured and she shuddered. She would rather forget those times. It could not happen again. She would not be able to survive without her brothers.

But wasn't this how it always was? They would be happily laughing and joking about together, and then the Orcs would ruin it all. Legolas and Ladrenîl would have to run off with their Elves in tow, hurrying to slay the enemy and prevent them getting too close to the palace. It was necessary for them to go, as they were the Captains, but Lothriel always missed them dreadfully.

"You had better come back to me," she whispered to no one but the wind. "Please, please come home this time."

Is silent, holding the dramatic tension.

So, will they even get back home? Well…I dunno yet. And you'll have to wait till I get back from Italy! Maybe. Can I be that cruel? Considers. Yeah!

So, stay tuned, and I will update…when I can. Bye!

Faerlain