Hello! And yay! I feel like I haven't gotten that many reviews in ages::dances: You have made me so happy! Hehe! Here is the next chapter!

Oh, by the way, I've put my other story 'Changing the Fates' on hiatus so I could work on this one and hopefully spit out chapters quicker. :D I'd like to have this done by the end of February but we'll see how it goes. With that said, on with the show!

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Chapter 36- Blinded By Silence

"Norui!" Iaurtondariel cried, reaching out for his cold hand and desperately trying to see his face clearly through the dark. She could feel no life in him and it sent a wave of dreadful chills up her spine. Though she knew she would find nothing, she pressed her sensitive ear to his chest, hoping to Eru that there was still a faint flutter of a heart beat.

But she found nothing.

Tears slid down her face as her body went lax against his. One hand curled into a fist around his tunic and the other tightened its grip on the ellon's hand, "I am so sorry, Norui, mellon-nín." She whispered, "I should have stayed to help you. I should have protected you. You'd still be alive if it weren't for me." Sorrowful words kept flowing past her lips yet she paid no real attention to what she was saying.

She was relieved that she had found the elven prince, though she knew he would not be living once she found him. But one part of her wanted to believe that he would still be alright; that his wound was not as bad as it seemed. She kept hoping that he would wake up any minute now from slumber, wondering why she was there with him.

But she realized that this was only wishful thinking and was never going to come true.

Suddenly, a small part of her mind compelled her to sit up and find out for herself how much damage was really done to him. She immediately felt disgusted with herself but could not quell that desire. Slowly and without thinking, she sat up and put her hands on his arm. Gritting her teeth and clenching her eyes tight, she ran her hands up his arm gently, feeling every bruise and cut he had acquired. Nothing she found was very serious or life-threatening.

But as her hands traveled further up and she felt the collar of his tunic, her hands faltered and her eyes widened, 'What am I doing!' She thought in shock and quickly recoiled. Her eyes, now slightly more adjusted to the dark, lingered over the ellon's pale face. His eyes were still open though lifeless and the elleth could see a deep, dark gash across his throat. Biting her lips, Iaurtondariel reached up and closed his eyelids, whispering an elvish prayer.

"I am so sorry."

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Mithrandir sighed tiredly as he gathered his robes about him, gazing out into the distance from under his wide-brimmed hat. His grey eyes squinted, blocking out the bright sun. The old wizard turned when he heard his companions talking quietly and waited for them to catch up. Estel looked up at him with a small smile.

"What is it?" He questioned, coming to stand beside him.

"We have reached the river Ringlo." He replied softly, nodding towards the east. Sure enough, a rushing river flowed briskly away and disappeared into the horizon. The human nodded once, shifted his pack on his back.

"Shall we rest here?"

"For a moment."

Most of the group had already headed down towards the river's edge and Estel was quick to join them, picking up his pace. Mithrandir watched the young man hurry down to the others with a small frown. Sighing, he gazed back behind himself and searched the rolling lands as if searching for something. Finally, another sigh broke from his lips and he turned back, heading down to his companions.

Elrohir kicked off his boots and stepped into a shallow area of the river. He dug his toes into the thick silt, closing his eyes as the cool sensation swept over his feet and legs. He rolled up his leggings to his knees and slowly waded further out into the water, unhindered by the current. He listened to the others still on shore as they plopped down on the ground with heavy sighs.

After a moment, he heard someone approaching him from behind and he immediately knew it as Elladan, recognizing his twin's aura. He exhaled slowly and glanced briefly over his shoulder when he felt a hand on his arm. Elladan's grey eyes glanced back at him worriedly.

"It is not normal for you to be silent like this." He said quietly, coming to stand beside the identical ellon, "I understand, of course, but I don't think I would ever be able to get used to it." A fleeting smile graced the other elf's lips but it quickly disappeared.

"Ai, I know." He replied just as quietly, "I am only thinking." Elladan nodded once at this and looked down at the crystal clear water. For a brief moment, he saw the reflection of the Peregrine Falcon fly overhead silently. He looked up quickly and watched as she swooped in the air and then landed gracefully on her master's shoulder. The Noldo watched as the golden haired prince stroked the creature's back slowly and sadly. Elladan chewed on his bottom lip and narrowed his eyes in thought. Quickly, he turned back to his brother who had his eyes closed with his face leaning up into the sun.

"Elrohir?" He whispered, nudging the ellon gently in the ribs.

"Yes?" The other twin replied, not turning to look at him.

"We need to cheer Legolas up." Elrohir opened his eyes and blinked, turning to look at his brother. An impish grin was plastered on his face. The other elf quirked his brow.

"I think everyone needs cheering up, Elladan, us included." He answered. Elladan shook his head in exasperation.

"Mourning for him is not going to bring Norui back, Gwador-nín." He said, "And we have to get the princeling out of his grief before he succumbs to it and joins his brother. Besides, Norui would not want us to despair for his death." Elrohir seemed to straighten at this and he nodded once.

"Aye, you are correct on that one. We cannot let that happen to our beloved Legolas." A grin slowly formed upon his lips, "What do you have in mind?" A devilish cackle escaped the Noldo elf's mouth.

"Now that is what I like to hear." He grinned and looked back to the shore. Mithrandir was perched upon a small boulder, chewing absently on his pipe. Lothron and Melyanna sat side by side in silence while the other two ellith, Arwen and Jaimea, were conversing quietly a little ways from the group. Legolas still sat with his legs crossed under him, stroking Espenshade gently, while Estel was…

Elladan's grin widened.

Estel had taken off his boots and was currently attempting to come into the water. Anytime he would come in the water, he'd make it about a foot in and then quickly run out, muttering about the freezing temperatures. The human glared at the water with his arms crossed. Once again, he made the plunge. He gritted his teeth as the cold feeling stung his feet but he was determined to stay calm. No mere river was about to defeat Estel!

Elrohir glanced back at the human, studying him as his brother did. The twins turned back to each other with grins that couldn't have gotten any wider.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" He questioned and Elladan nodded, his grey eyes glittering.

"Aye." He replied and without a word, they both rushed towards the human.

Estel looked up when he heard the two elves splashing as they came towards him. He saw the mischievous glint in their eyes and he narrowed his eyes, taking the few steps out of the water hurriedly. He was not aware of the eyes of the rest of the group on his back.

"What are you two doing?" He questioned suspiciously as they came closer. When they did not stop, he growled, "Don't even think about trying anything!"

Suddenly, they bolted forward before Estel had a chance to move. The young human snarled and thrashed against the two elves as Elrohir grabbed his arms and pinned them behind his back, grinning.

"Get off of me!" The man yelled, kicking out as the other Noldo elf approached from the front. Quickly, the ellon reached out and secured his feet, rendering the man completely immobile. He quickly understood what it was that they were about to do, "Don't you dare throw me in that water!" He cried but the twins heard nothing of it.

Amidst the laughter from their companions, the two hauled a screaming Estel back out into the river. They shared wide grins before swinging the human back and forth.

"One!" Elladan called.

"Two!" Elrohir laughed.

"No!"

"Three!" The twins laughed hysterically as the human flew through the air, his arms and legs flaying as if he were trying to fly. The laugher of the group was blocked momentarily by the splash and shrill scream as Estel resurfaced, curses spewing from his mouth.

"I will murder you both!" He cried, clenching his arms tight around his body. His teeth chattering, he hurried to the opposite shore line lest his foster brothers try it again, "It is so cold!" He pulled himself up onto land and shed his tunics, removing as much material as possible while still being decent.

"Oh, come now, Estel! You know it was fun!" Elrohir laughed. He was answered with a drenched tunic flying in his face. Elladan clutched his aching sides, his face turning purple from his mirth. Then, he quickly looked over his shoulder to judge the young prince's reaction to the situation. He frowned.

Legolas still sat with an emotionless face, staring into space as he caressed the falcon.

Elladan sighed, frowning softly, and turned to see his foster brother again. His eyes widened slightly and he nudged his brother sharply in the ribs, trying to still his laughter, "Elrohir, shut up for a minute." The Noldo elf bit his lips to keep from laughing and looked up at Estel. The grin was wiped clean off his face.

Two tall figures stood before the kneeling human, gazing down upon him with emotionless blue eyes. Sharply pointed ears poked out from underneath their silvery hair that reached down to their mid-backs and was fashioned in identical braids. They both had a slim yet muscular body and their faces were well chiseled, having prominent cheek bones and deep eyes. They were clad in silver-blue tunics and bright chain mail glistened brilliantly in the sun's rays. The only difference Estel could make between the two was that one's right eye seemed cloudy and discolored and the other had a short, white feather stuck behind his ear.

"Estel!" Elladan called, breaking the silence. The human did not respond, frozen to the spot, "Get up!" The Noldo elf sloshed through the water quickly, struggling as the current grew. The man leapt up from his spot on the ground and backed away nervously, the gaze of the two people never leaving him. The ellon clambered up onto the back and grabbed his foster brother's shoulder, yanking him away.

A screech erupted from the Peregrine Falcon and the two strangers looked over at her. Legolas's eyes widened when she spread her wings and flapped over to the two, landing once more upon one's outstretched arm. The group stood in bafflement at the display and looked upon the two beings with curiosity and suspicion.

"What do you want?" Elladan said quietly, as if he were afraid to speak. The two looked upon him, blinking. The ellon growled, "Speak!"

"And what would you have us say, my lord?" The one with the clouded eye questioned, his voice soft yet powerful and commanding. The ellon's mouth opened and closed, searching for the right answer. He was barely aware of his brother coming to stand beside him.

"A name would be most appreciated." The twin said, a little softer then his brother had spoken. He could feel the piercing gaze of his brother and the others on him, watching expectantly.

"I apologize, my lord." He said, "My name is Ricamros and this is my brother, Tarmikos." He motioned to the other male who inclined his head. Espenshade ruffled her feathers as the one holding her scratched her head gently with his fingers.

"What business have you here?"

"We were called upon to find you and bring you to Edhellond, my lord. Word of you and your companions have reached the ears of the Muruien and their king. We were sent as escorts to bring you the rest of the way." Elladan narrowed his eyes.

"And we are just supposed to accept you? How do we know we can trust you?" A smile formed upon Ricamros's lips and he looked to his brother. He smiled in return.

"Your falcon friend seems to trust us well enough." He answered, quirking an eyebrow at the Noldo elf.

"I would not put my fate in the hands of a mere creature such as her." Elladan retorted, crossing his arms, and earning himself a hiss from the 'mere creature', "We are not quick to trust those we come across in the wild anymore."

"Elladan, maybe we should-" Elrohir began softly but was quickly cut off.

"No!" The ellon shouted, "I will not have it!"

"Perhaps you will not but what about the rest of the group?" The twins nearly jumped when they heard Mithrandir's raspy voice behind them. They looked at him sharply, amusement growing in their eyes when they saw his drenched robes. The two silver-haired elves inclined their heads to him in respect but quickly righted themselves again.

"Greetings, my lord." Ricamros said. Tarmikos merely smiled. The old wizard bowed slightly at the waist.

"How may we be of service to you?" He questioned, "Would you care to join us and have a little something to eat?" The clearer eye of Ricamros lit up and he nodded eagerly.

"That would be very nice, thank you, my lord." He replied.

Before they knew it, the two newcomers were seated amongst the group in silence, hungrily gulping down their food. Arwen chuckled at their display, sitting down between Jaimea and the only human who was wrapped in an extra cloak. Espenshade had returned to her master's shoulder, eyeing the food as it was passed around and Legolas was chewing silently on a handful of berries. Mithrandir sat beside Ricamros, waiting patiently for them to finish their meal. The twins and princesses of Mirkwood were a little off to the side, conversing quietly yet enthusiastically.

Ricamros looked up from his food when he felt a pair of eyes on him. His eyes rested upon Jaimea and he gave her a charming smile, licking his lips clean from the juices of the food. She returned his smile with her own.

"May I ask you a question?" She said. Legolas looked over at her sharply, a pang of jealousy shooting through his heart. He scoffed at this feeling but never took his eyes off the elleth.

"You just did, my lady." He replied, grinning. A faint chuckle escaped her lips.

"Yes, well, I was wondering if you and your brother are twins, like Lords Elladan and Elrohir." Tarmikos smiled, not looking up at her.

"Aye, we are, my lady. Is it not obvious?" Ricamros answered. A faint blush spread across her cheeks and he returned to eating.

Jaimea furrowed her brow when she felt a pair of eyes boring into her. She turned quickly and her heart leapt when she found Legolas watching her intently. His eyes widened when he realized he was found out and he quickly returned to eating his berries, willing himself to keep from blushing. The elleth felt a warmth spread throughout her and she shivered slightly, then turned away.

The cloudy-eyed male set his plate down with a contented sigh, running his hands though his silver hair and giving his head a shake, "It seems like it has been forever since I had a meal that good. Thank you very much." He said, grinning once more.

"Alright, interrogation time." Elladan growled, storming away from the three he was with. Melyanna gritted her teeth.

"Elladan, calm down!" She called but he paid no attention to her. The Noldo elf sat down in front of the other pair of twins, glaring at them both. Tarmikos glanced at his brother with a quirked eyebrow, then looked at the ellon expectantly.

"First question." He said, "Are you of the Muruien?"

"Yes." Ricamros answered calmly, staring into the elf's eyes. No one said a word, only watching as the Noldo questioned the Muruien.

"What are your intentions?"

"Like I said, we were sent to find you and escort you back to Edhellond."

"Who sent you?"

"Our father."

"And who is he?"

A smirk slowly formed upon his lips, " The King of the Muruien lands."

Elladan was silenced by this question and his eyes widened. He glanced around at all of his companions who were in equal shock as he was. The ellon turned back to the twins, swallowing hard. Ricamros still had the smirk on his face.

"So you two are both princes?" He questioned and they both nodded. The dark haired elf looked to Tarmikos with a quirked brow, "And why do you not speak?" A frown set upon the Muru's lips and he turned to his brother, questioning him with his eyes. The cloudy-eyed Muru sighed and drew his knees up under his chin. He shut his eyes as if deep in thought.

"My brother does not speak because…" He paused, swallowing a lump in his throat, "Because his voice was taken away from him many years ago during an attack on the palace. His throat was nearly crushed by the attacker but our older brother was there to defend him, though he lost his life at a slash to the neck. It killed him instantly." The Muruien did not notice the group wince at this piece of information, "And so Tarmikos's ability to speak was stolen from him." The Muru prince turned to gaze at his silent brother, "It has been so long since I have heard his beautiful voice. I miss it." Tarmikos chewed on his lip, keeping his gaze downwards.

"How do you speak then?" Arwen asked, gazing at the two bothers with concern.

"Most of the time, he will simply write what it is he wants to say or he will use hand signals. But we have not yet fully developed that method."

Tarmikos made a single clicking sound with his tongue, catching his twin's attention. Ricamros quirked an eyebrow, "Hmm?" The silent elf pointed to his own right eye, then motioned to the rest of the group. The other Muru frowned, "Oh, right."

"What is it?" Elladan asked, his voice considerably softer.

"Well, I've revealed his fault to you and now he wants me to reveal mine." He answered, "Do you want to know?"

"Perhaps later." Mithrandir suddenly said, standing up slowly. The Muru looked up at him in curiosity, "But I feel we have lingered here too long. I think it would be best to keep up the pace. I am sure all of us look forward to a proper meal and a soft bed."

"But what of Iaurtondariel?" Lothron asked, "Couldn't we wait a bit longer? Maybe she will turn up."

"You know of Lady Iaurtondariel?" Ricamros asked, his brows raising, and the elleth nodded. He smiled, "I take it she was to be your guide." Another nod, "Then it surprises me that she is not here with you now. It is not like her to break her promises. Where is she?"

"We do not know." Elladan said, "We woke up to find her missing."

The Muru Prince frowned and looked down to the ground, nodding, "I see." He didn't say anything else.

"So what are we to do?" Estel asked, turning towards the wizard.

"Well, Lady Lothron does have a point there but I am not familiar with this land. I feel uncomfortable staying in one place too long."

Suddenly, Tarmikos leapt into an enthusiastic wave of hand motions with a glare on his face. Everyone looked at each other in confusion, then glanced over to Ricamros expectantly. The Muru stared at his brother intently with a furrowed brow, struggling to decipher his quick hand movements.

"I think he is agitated that the Istar thinks this place unsafe. There is nothing to fear here." The silent prince stopped as suddenly as he had started and nodded once with a scowl on his face. Arwen chuckled softly behind her hand.

"Well, if he is absolutely sure no harm will come to us," Mithrandir squinted his eyes, looking back from where they came, "I suppose we could stay for a little bit longer." A triumphant smirk formed upon the prince's face.

Everyone eagerly returned to their previous conversations, leaving the two Muruien to themselves. Elladan stood up, giving them both smiles, and then returned to his brother. Tarmikos gave his brother a sidelong glance and the other shrugged. They gazed around at the companions, studying each one intently. They saw the other set of twins trying to bring smiles to their lady friends' lips but were, so far, unsuccessful. The wizard had returned to smoking his pipe and the human was still trying to warm up. Another elleth with dark tresses and blue eyes sat next to him and another lighter elleth. Next, they found the golden haired ellon with the Peregrine Falcon on his knee.

"Do you think we should talk to him? He seems upset." Ricamros suggested quietly, leaning over to the other Muru. Tarmikos shrugged, pointing at the ellon and then at his throat, "I know he is still upset about his brother. But shouldn't we still talk to him?" The silent Muru shook his head quickly, mouthing the words, 'Not yet.'

"Fine." Ricamros said, standing, "But we aren't going to sit around and do nothing. Come on." Tarmikos leapt to his feet as his brother headed towards the group of four.

"Come, Lothron, smile for me." Elrohir cooed, touching his lover's lips with his fingers. The princess only looked away from him, "Please?"

"Yes, you cannot be frowning for ever. The pain of his passing will diminish in time." Elladan added, putting his arm around Melyanna's shoulders.

"You two do not understand." The younger princess said, leaning into the ellon's embrace, "We have lost more then you have over the years and we will never truly be able to overcome the pain. Besides, how would you feel if your brother or sister was killed?"

The two identical ellons looked between each other sadly. The idea of loosing each other sent a pang of grief through their hearts. Elrohir gave his twin a brief reassuring smile, as if saying that it would never happen to them, then placed a kiss on Lothron's cheek. Elladan rested his head on the younger princess's shoulder and sighed softly, gazing over at his sister.

"We are not interrupting you, are we?" Ricamros asked them, startling the ellons, and the Muruien sat down. The elves stared at them in both curiosity and suspicion, not completely sure of the intent of the brothers. The princesses shook their heads and lost themselves in their own thoughts once more. Tarmikos shuffled anxiously, biting his lip, and trying to come up with some conversation. The other Muru watched him out of the corner of his eye, smirking at the discomfort his brother was in.

The silent Muru reached up to grab the feather that was tucked behind his ear and pulled it out. He patted around his legs, as if looking for something, then finally pulled out a wrinkled piece of parchment from a concealed pocket. Ricamros quickly grabbed his wrist, shaking his head.

"No, we need to practice with the hand signals." He said and the other Muru scowled, crossing his arms after replacing the parchment and feather, "Now what would you like to say?"

He motioned to the two ellons, pointing back and forth between the two, and then pointed to himself and his brother. He did this once more before the cloudy-eyed Muru nodded.

"He wants to know if you are twins, too." He said and the silent Muru nodded. Elladan chuckled.

"Aye, that is correct." A grin spread across Tarmikos's lips and he launched into another display of hand motions. When he finished, Ricamros laughed out loud, earning him some curious looks from the others as if they had never heard such a noise.

"He asks if you ever cause mischief at your home." He translated, grinning.

Identical grins spread across the Noldorin elves' faces. Lothron and Melyanna groaned, shaking their heads in disbelief.

"This journey is just about to get longer." The older princess muttered, hanging her head. Her sister could only nod.

The four males then proceeded to jump into an animated conversation, laughing about previous pranks and commending each other on the brilliance of some perfectly schemed joke. The two Mirkwood princesses sent each other desperate glances, both of them sighing. Melyanna watched as Tarmikos mouthed his words and signaled with his hands, actively involved in the chatter. She wondered how he was able to get his point across with only a few simple hand movements that even she could decipher at times.

A tug on her shoulder brought her out of her thoughts and she looked up to see Lothron had stood, motioning for her to follow. She complied eagerly, leaping up from her spot to sit some where more peaceful.

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Time passed them by without anyone ever noticing it. The arrival of the new twins brought laughter and happiness from the normally gloomy company. They did not realize the sun slowly setting on the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. Birds flocked to their roosts for the night and the chirping of grasshoppers took their place. A small fire had been started once again and the flames licked hungrily at the dry tinder. The two sets of twins still sat huddled together, talking quietly.

Legolas sat perfectly still with his eyes gazing into the flickering fire. He was barely aware of Espenshade perched on his shoulder, picking at his golden locks. Sadness and regret had built itself up in his heart and stomach and it made him feel ill. Out of the corners of his eyes, he glanced at each member of the group. He noticed that his sisters were still silent and he sensed grief emanating from them. He longed to go to them and comfort them while being comforted by them in return but a part of him kept him rooted to the spot. He had no will to get up or to simply speak.

He was glad that some of them found joy in the two Muruien but he did not feel that joy as they did. For him, Norui's death was still too near and he still felt lost, alone, and useless.

Estel's advice kept running circles in his head and he wished, secretly, that he would heed it. But his pride would not allow him to. Deep inside, he knew that he was the one who should apologize but what else? What else was he to say to the elleth? He knew that if he had been in her position, he probably would never forgive himself.

'Of course, I don't forgive myself even now.' He scoffed mentally, flicking a small stone with his finger and sent it flying into the fire. He sighed heavily and drew his knees up to his chest, resting his head in his arms. Espenshade chirped softly, nuzzling into his neck. Legolas smiled slightly, 'At least, I still have you.'

The only human in the group watched his elven friend shield his face within his arms. A frown set upon his lips, his ears drifting from the conversation at hand. His heart went out to elf for he, too, knew the pain of loosing family. He had only been two when his father was slain by an orc arrow to the eye but he still remembered it. His mother, Gilrean, cried for many days and she told him that he would not understand his father's death. But he understood perfectly well.

He looked back to Arwen briefly, who was talking to Jaimea, and then stood, walking over to the golden haired prince. He felt the elleth's gaze on his back as he left but she did not say anything.

Legolas heard footsteps approaching and he immediately knew it was Estel. He sighed, knowing what it was that he wanted to speak about. He did not look up when he heard the man sit down beside him. The Peregrine Falcon continued chewing on the elf's hair while watching the two Muru curiously.

"Why don't you join us, Legolas?" The man asked, smiling. The prince did not answer, only shrugging, "You should get to know them. After all, you are all princes. Perhaps you can exchange military tactics or excuses to get out of princely duties." He added, grinning. His face fell when the ellon didn't even acknowledge him and he sighed, "Do you remember what I told you that night?"

"Yes, I do remember, Estel." Legolas replied in a monotone voice, "And no, I have not taken action on your advice. I know that nothing will come out of it."

"But at least you would know that you tried."

"And then what? Accept whatever happens?" He scoffed, "I do not deserve to be forgiven or helped. I should have been there for him like he always was for me."

"Legolas, how many times must we tell you that it was not your fault? You were protecting the one who needed you more. There are far worse things then death, you know." The ellon tensed and managed a stiff nod.

"I know." Estel gazed at his friend for the longest time, not saying a word. His eyes drifted over to his foster brothers who were laughing with the newcomers. The princesses were chuckling softly at something Arwen had said and Jaimea was sitting beside Mithrandir, talking quietly and smiling. The human then turned back to Legolas and frowned.

"You are slowly drifting away, Legolas, while everyone else moves forward. I know it hurts now but over time, you will come to accept it. Just don't forget what I told you." He said, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Do not grieve for their death but celebrate for their life."

"Estel?" The prince whispered, "Why must we love? Why must we love if loosing hurts so much?" The man sighed, stepping away.

"We love to know that we are not alone."

A single tear slipped down the ellon's cheek as the human walked away in silence. He mentally berated himself for crying but he could not stop himself. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore.

'I know Estel is right.' He told himself, his shoulders shaking, 'But I am too weak to do anything about it.' He looked over his arm at the group, taking them all in. His heart tightened in his chest when he saw Jaimea, still sitting beside the old wizard. He wanted more then anything to speak to her again; to hear her voice and hold her in his arms.

A cool breeze suddenly swept by him and leaves swished around his feet. His hair whipped wildly around his face and he lifted his head, gazing around. No one else seemed effected by it. The cold air invaded his sense and he took a deep breath, inhaling its freshness. But as soon as it had came, the wind stopped and everything returned to normal.

But the prince felt as if a new strength had entered his body; a great weight lifted from his shoulders. He sat tall with his head held high and Espenshade quirked her head at this transformation. She chirped quietly.

Quickly, Legolas came to his feet and, surprised at his sudden movement, the falcon flapped her wings vigorously to keep her balance on his shoulder. A few stopped what they were doing and watched as the golden haired ellon strode over to the elleth beside the old Istar.

A grin spread across Estel's lips when he saw the elf extend out his hand to Jaimea. Arwen's eyes widened and she gripped onto the man's arm, waiting anxiously to see her reaction. The blonde elleth stared at his hand for a moment, then his face, and back to his hand. Relief washed through Estel's and Arwen's bodies when she placed her hand in his own and he pulled her to her feet. Without any words, the two elves strode from the camp and disappeared in the dark.

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Jaimea's heart beat wildly in her heart and she was sure the ellon beside her could hear it pound. What did he want? She could not keep from shaking as they walked further and further from camp. Only when the fire was a small ember in the distance did the prince stop.

Suddenly, Legolas grabbed the elleth's shoulders, turning her to face him. Jaimea's eyes widened and she gasped when he pressed his lips to hers in a gentle yet sorrowful kiss. Her body went numb for a few moments but anger quickly took over. A glare set on her face and she growled, shoving him away roughly. Espenshade screeched at these quick movements and quickly darted away to find a different perch.

"What are you doing!" She hissed with venom in her voice. The prince dropped to his knees quickly as if his legs had given out from beneath him. His shoulders began to rack with soft sobs and he hung his head. All anger diminished from the elleth's body and she quickly dropped down to his level, placing her hands on his shoulders, "Please, Legolas, I am sorry! I just-"

"No, Jaimea." Legolas whispered, looking up into her eyes, "Do not apologize for you have done no wrong. I just…oh, I don't know." He fell into silence as he tried to catch his breath.

"Legolas?" Jaimea whispered, "What is it?"

Slowly, the prince took her hands in his and brought them to his lips, kissing each palm softly. Jaimea bit her lips nervously, waiting for what he was planning to say. Have of her wanted to run from him right then but another part of her greatly desired to hear what it was he had kept hidden.

"Jaimea." He began softly, slowly getting over his tears, "Jaimea, I am so sorry for what I said to you that night. I was so overcome with grief that it did not register to me what I was saying. It was not your fault Norui was killed, there was nothing any of us could have done. The Valar decided that it was his time to go."

He squeezed her hands gently and he moved closer to her. The elleth's eyes glittered with apprehension.

"Maybe I went overboard to prove a point but sometimes my pride gets in the way." He stroked his thumbs over her knuckles, "I may never get to hold your hands again."

The ellon swallowed a lump in his dry throat.

"I love you."

Jaimea's ears began to ring at those words and a chill washed down her spine, causing her to shiver. She began increasingly aware of the warmth of his hands and she swallowed hard. Her glistening eyes met his and a smile graced her lips.

"I love you, too." She whispered breathily and Legolas's eyes widened.

"You do?" He gasped softly and the elleth chuckled. A faint blush spread across his cheeks and he smiled sheepishly.

"Aye, I do, my prince." She replied, nodding. The prince felt his heart skip a beat as he grinned. His mouth opened and closed as he tried to find the correct words. Finally, he sighed and smiled.

"Good." Jaimea laughed, flinging herself into the ellon's arms. He gave a soft yelp as he was pushed onto his back, the elleth still laughing as she straddled his waist. He looked up at her with surprised eyes and she grinned down at him, her chocolate eyes sparkling. Legolas noticed the flickers from the fireflies around them twinkled in her eyes and he couldn't help but smile lovingly at her.

"You do mean it this time though, don't you?" She asked quietly. The ellon frowned, reaching up to caress her cheek with his knuckles.

"I have always loved you." He replied, "But I was blinded by inexperience and nervousness." A chuckle escaped her lips and she leaned down to him, brushing her lips over his, "But!" He said quickly, tilting his head away. The elleth sat up slightly, looking into his eyes, "I think we should take things slower, if you understand. We were rushing before and I'd like to do things properly, if you don't mind." He grinned sheepishly and she nodded, smiling.

"I understand." She said, "But that does not mean that I can't kiss you, right?" A deep chuckle sounded in his throat and he smirked.

"By all means, be my guest. Just keep it 'innocent'." He added with a wink. Jaimea blushed furiously and slapped the ellon's shoulder playfully, earning herself a cheerful laugh.

"That was all you and you know it, you immature elf!" She exclaimed.

"Oh yes, place the blame on me! It's not like you were the one who started it in the first place." He retorted, his grin widening, then muttered, "Evil elleth."

"Oh, Legolas, I've missed you!" The elleth laughed before bending down and claiming his lips. His body froze for a mere second before his arms fell limp at his sides, his eyes fluttering closed. He mumbled something against her lips but it was left indistinguishable.

When she came up a few moments later, she had to bite her lips to keep from laughing out loud at his comical appearance. His eyes were half lidded and a goofy smile was plastered on his lips. The tips of his ears were completely red while the rest of his face was still pale. Jaimea quirked an eyebrow when a giggle-like noise escaped his lips.

"I've missed you, too."

"Well, I am very sorry to interrupt this little reunion." Someone said a few feet away and both elves sprung up to a sitting position, eyes wide. Their faces paled when they saw the Muruien brothers and Imladris twins grinning down at them evilly.

Before they knew it, elleth and ellon found themselves flying through the air and splashing into the freezing waters of the river Ringlo with only the laughter of the company to block out their screams.

XXXXX

YAY! Look how quickly I got this out! And look how long it is! It took up sixteen pages in MS Word! Hehe! And, for once, I am happy with the chapter! Yay! I am so happy now! Thanks to all of you who reviewed and I look forward to hearing what you think of this chapter:D And I'm sure you are thinking, "MORE characters! Jeez!" And I agree with you completely! They were going to be put in eventually anyways but I thought, "Hmm, my muses have left me. What to do…what to do…oh! I know! More characters! Yes!" So I went to a D&D website, generated some names and ta-da! Ricamros and Tarmikos! Yay! (Geez, add those to my list…) By the way, wouldn't it be funny to see Legolas and the twins up on stage, performing Bon Jovi's 'It's My Life'? Um, hehe. I'm listening to that right now and it just popped into my head. Hehe.

Oh, by the way, have you guys seen the trailer for POTC II? It looks hilarious! You gotta check it out!

Okay, that's about it. Thanks for reading and REVIEWING! (hint hint!) Wow, look at the time… 12:02 AM. Um, hehe. I've been typing for approximately sixteen hours! (With some breaks, of course.)

Until Next Time,

Manwathiel