A/N: New chapter, yay. Short comment.

"You said what?" Legolas stared at me incredulously as I changed into another gown that Eruwaedhiel had specifically requested I wear for our session.

I bit my lip, "Please don't make me repeat it. I regret it enough already."

Legolas sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, "You realize what sort of situation this puts me in."

"I know, I messed everything up. She just gets under my skin, I hate how she looks down on me. It makes me feel like I'm still in high school," I replied weakly.

"Nicolette..." He closed his eyes and locked his fingers together, "...I think you should be getting to Lady Eruwaedhiel's quarters. She doesn't like tardiness."

That's one thing about Legolas; he can make you feel so guilty without doing anything. I knew I was overreacting, but technically I was still a nervous newlywed with an evil mother-in-law who wanted my blood.

I nodded, "You're right. Ithilwen has been sleeping all day. Which means she's probably going to be fussy when you try and put her to sleep, but don't let her stay up." I timidly kissed Legolas on the cheek and left.

Striding down the hall, I nervously chewed on the inside of my lip, thinking about how immaturely I had behaved in front of Legolas' mother. God, I felt like such a fool.

Legolas' intricate instructions had left no mistake about which room belonged to Lady Eruwaedhiel.

With slight trepidation, I knocked on the door.

"Come in," A woman's voice called.

I opened the door and stepped into the room.

The room was decorated entirely in indigo blue. There was only one window, which was a natural hole in the rock that peered over the forest. A rarety.

A woman garbed in a silver frock sat in a mahogany chair. Her inky hair done up in an intricate series of plaits and ponytails, pearls woven into the plaits. Her face was young but her eyes, there was something unnatural about them. Like all Elves. I had yet to get used to it, seeing as how by Elven standards, Legolas was somewhat young.

"You are Lady Nicolette, I presume."

I nodded, "Yeah."

"A proper young woman does not say 'yeah,' we say 'yes' or 'aye.' 'Yeah' is such a repulsive term," Eruwaedhiel said disdainfully.

A servant brought in tea and sat it down on table. The woman bowed and darted away.

"Get up and walk across this room as you would normally walk," Eruwaedhiel commanded.

I rose unsurely and walked across the room.

Eruwaedhiel sighed and rolled her eyes heavenwards, "Nienna take my pain."

This was to be a long night...

She never rose from that seat, she commanded me verbally to walk across the room, correcting me until I got it right...sort of.

"That is...better. You don't slump like a drunkard, now. Keep your shoulders squared and your chest out. Not like that! We do not flaunt our charms like prostitutes!" She sighed and flicked her fan back and forth. "I think it is time for tea."

Eruwaedhiel commanded that I serve the tea. I unsurely grabbed the silver gilt handle of the tea pot and poured the tea into her cup.

"Don't use the teacup as a support. Balance it midair otherwise one day you will knock over a china teacup and break it all the while spilling scalding hot tea all over Lady Such-and-such's new gown," She said sharply.

Oh the horror! Jade said sarcastically.

Definitely going to be a long night.

"I have seen bird's nests that are neater than your hair, take down those pins. What do they teach young women these days?"

I took the pins out of my hair and shook it down.

Eruwaedhiel took a brush off a table next to her and roughly ran it through my hair until there were no tangles in it.

She taught me how to 'properly' plait my hair, how to weave circlets into my hair, etc.

By twelve o'clock I was a virtual zombie. I nodded blankly as Eruwaedhiel instructed me on corsets.

"Are you even listening to me?" She snapped.

No... Jade's voice butted into my mind, but I had already opened my mouth.

"No, Lady Eruwaedhiel, we do not," I replied automatically.

Eruwaedhiel sighed, "Go back to your quarters and get some rest. You are to return tomorrow night. I myself should like some peace.

"Dainty demon wasn't too far from the truth," I muttered as I searched for my pins.

"I heard that," Eruwaedhiel responded dryly.

I wisely chose to refrain from commenting. "Namarie, Lady Eruwaedhiel," I said and darted out of her apartment.

Later that night, I was in Legolas' quarters, curled under the sheets, next to him.

"How did the lessons go?" He asked drowsily, his fingers lazily running through my hair.

"She's a bit difficult, but I did okay," I responded, I lied, I barely made it.

Legolas kissed my brow, "Good. You will have to put them to good use soon."

"Why?" I asked curiously.

"I need you to apologize to my mother, I don't want any feuding between you two this early," He replied.

I repressed a moan at the thought, "She was the one who insulted Ithilwen and me! If anything she should be apologizing to me!" I sounded like a child, but it was the truth.

Legolas sighed, "Is it possible that you were just tired and were overeacting a little?"

I growled, "Please do not start this at three in the morning."

Legolas shrugged, "Fine. But you are going to apologize to her." There was a finality in his tone I didn't question.

"Fine. But I won't like it."

Whenever I awoke, Legolas was already gone.

I yawned and went to the washbasin to clean myself off before I went to fix my hair.

After I had done my hair up, I dressed (with the help of a servant, corsets are the most impossible things) and went to my quarters to check on Ithilwen.

My quarters had been moved to a room nearer to Legolas' so I could safely leave her for a little bit at night and not worry about her.

Ithilwen was already up and dressed courtesy of a motherly old maid who had came in to deliver some fresh sheets and found Ithilwen in tears because she couldn't tie the back of her dress.

"That lady was nice," Ithilwen concluded as she told me of this.

I smiled, "That's good, baby. Let's go get some breakfast."

"Can we go see Jade, today?" Ithilwen asked hopefully.

Yeah, mom, can we? Jade asked playfully.

Later, I have no idea how these people proceed in the morning and I have governess interviews.

Hmph.

You'll survive.

Legolas's steward made sure we had breakfast in our room (not uncommon in Mirkwood) and afterwards we would have the interviews.

Goody, goody. I'm going to hire a woman to do my job!

Ithilwen and I finished our tea and then the steward brought the lucky contestants in.

The first few were good, but Ithilwen didn't like them (my standard of reference and main excuse to decline them).

We were down to the last few when finally we found 'the one.'

A silver-haired elleth strode in the room, she was dressed somewhat plainly but she was definitely very lovely, even by Elven standards.

She was definitely nervous, but she smiled and winked at Ithilwen.

"You're Dinloth?" I enquired.

"Yes, majesty," She replied.

"Do you have any experience taking care of children?"

"Yes, my mother, and her mother took care of the royal family's children since the First Age. My mother trained me and I have been helping take care of Elda-Hin (Elf-children) for several centuries."

Ithilwen did something rather strange then. She climbed into Dinloth's lap and began to play with her necklace.

I stared at Ithilwen bewilderedly but Dinloth hushed me.

"It's all right, majesty, she's a very friendly child."

"This is pretty," Ithilwen commented, fingering the little medallion.

"Thank you, majesty," Dinloth replied with a smile.

Well, I suppose that takes care of things.

Considering her family history and Ithilwen's unnatural taking to her, I hired Dinloth on the spot.

"You may begin as soon as you like," I told her stiffly, yes I was a bit moody. I didn't like the idea of being away from Ithilwen all the time and the possibility of this virtual stranger taking my place.

Even though Dinloth seemed to be a good person, I was still a bit protective.

Relax, if this Dinloth person lays a finger on Ithilwen I'll make sure she never uses them again, Jade said ferouciously.

I'll hold you to that promise, I replied seriously.

"Majesty?" Dinloth enquired, breaking me out of my conversation.

"Yes?"

"May I start working today, the little majesty is a lovely child and I'm completely enchanted by her. May I?" Dinloth asked hopefully.

"You may," I assented grudgingly.

Dinloth smiled and took Ithilwen by the hand, "You and I will be seeing more of one another, little majesty."

Ithilwen smiled, "Awesome, but I'm hungry."

A/N: Yay! New character! bows to Dinloth Sorry I couldn't put you in the last chapter! I was in a hurry to finish. And I'm still thinking about your character...