Hello again! Hope you all enjoyed the last chapter. Hehe, I am so excited. This story is finally coming to an end! Not that I don't enjoy writing it or anything, but I am just ready for a break, lol. Enjoy!

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Chapter 47- Farewell is Not Forever

Darkness wheeled above him and he saw nothing but emptiness all around. He had no heartbeat and he felt deathly cold as he lay there, gazing into nothing. Colors exploded before his eyes but he could not make any sense of it. What was this, he wondered, and why did he feel this way?

A low humming soon invaded his ears and he felt as if he had been suddenly thrown backwards. He was enveloped in a soft covering, and light permeated his eyelids. The sounds of whispering came from behind him and it entered his mind that he had come to Mandos yet again. This idea was quickly cast away though, for he did not feel the same peace that he had on his first 'visit'.

Groaning softly, Norui fluttered his eyes open to see a plain, pale blue ceiling above him. It took him a moment to realize where he was and when he did, thoughts of the past night rushed back to him. The ellon grunted under his breath, wanting to forget everything, and he struggled to fall back into oblivion. He would have done so were it not for the sudden outburst from the bed.

"Look, he has finally awakened!" A male voice exclaimed, and the elf could hear the bed sheets shuffling around.

"Oh," Said a very familiar female voice, obviously less cheerful, "That is wonderful."

Clearing his bleary eyes, the Crown Prince sat up on his elbows and looked over to find a beaming Muru prince and a smiling elleth. A fake smile, he commented to himself as he nodded his head in greeting. He did not dare meet her eyes, so only glanced down to the sleeping Muru at the bottom of the bed.

"Is she alright?" He asked tiredly.

"In time, she will be." Ricamros answered, leaning back into the overstuffed pillows, "She is just exhausted, and needs to recover from her wound."

"What about yourself?"

"On the mend." The silver haired prince said this as if it were no matter, shrugging it off with a wave of his hand. Iaurtondariel chuckled slightly, and Norui finally turned his attention towards her.

"And what of you, my lady? I hope you fare well."

"As well as can be expected, my lord." She replied politely, though with tension in her voice. The elf grimaced inwardly, yet the other prince clearly saw it. Quirking his brow, he glanced between them with curiosity.

"What is this unease towards each other?" He asked, "Past quarrels, perhaps?"

When the elleth made no showing of answering the question, Norui shrugged, "You could say that."

"Alright, keep your secrets." Ricamros muttered, crossing his arms, "What does it matter if I am left in the dark?"

"I would just prefer to keep it between us." He said casually, and then glanced over at Iaurtondariel with a small smile upon his lips, "I only wished that my lady would understand that despite what happened, I feel no hostility or resentment towards her. I was never at any point offended by her actions, and that I am more than willing to start anew."

His words brought a wide smile onto her lips, and this time it was genuine. Her bright eyes shimmered with happiness as he gazed upon him, and he could not help but feel as if his spirits had soared. This feeling was only momentary, of course, for Ricamros had grown uncomfortable. He cleared his throat softly, bringing their attention back to him.

"Now you are making me suspicious." He commented, narrowing his eyes slightly. The elleth reached over to him with laugh, placing her hand on the edge of the bed.

"You need not be. We are only friends." She assured him, and this brought a relieved smile to his lips. Ricamros placed his hand over hers, twining his long fingers around hers, and they quickly found themselves lost in each other's eyes, unable to look away.

It was Norui's turn to quirk his brow, and the corners of his lips twitched upwards, "What have we here, hmm? This is certainly new." Iaurtondariel smirked and leaned back against the pillows again, staring down at the ellon.

"You were right, Norui, when you said that I would find someone." She told him, the smirk slowly turning into an elated grin, "And that someone is Ricamros."

A proud gleam came into the Crown Prince's eyes, and he said, "I am happy for you, Iaurtondariel. For both of you. You have my blessing."

"Thank you." She said, bowing her head slightly. He offered her a small smile before lying back, and gazing up towards the ceiling. He let his mind continue to wander in the far recesses of his thoughts. But this time, he let the images and memories of his beloved spring up before him and he basked in the feeling. Whether or not what Eruko had told him about Glithiel was true, he would not let it get the best of him until he knew it to be true. Their enemy had been defeated, and it was time for happiness; not the despair he was slowly sinking into. With this thought in mind, a gentle smile came upon his lips and he sat up quickly, startling the two on the bed with his sudden movement. He brought himself groggily to his feet and stretched his arms high above his head, moaning contentedly. His emerald eyes glanced about the room, landing on the elleth that still slept. He furrowed his brow, and then looked questioningly to the others.

"She has not woken yet?"

"No." Ricamros answered with a shake of his head, "By the time she had come last night, you had already fallen into sleep. She seemed tense and troubled, though neither she nor your brother would speak of it. Norui's lips thinned into a small line, and a frown marred his forehead.

"His doing, my guess." He muttered with a hint of annoyance. Even after everything, his young brother still knew nothing of courting and of ellith. Shaking his head, he stepped carefully over the elf and called over his shoulder, "I'm starving. Would either of you like something?"

"I've already eaten," The silver haired prince started, "Though I am sorry to say what is left has gone cold, leaving nothing for my lady here."

"Then, upon her request, I shall bring something back for her." He cast a glance towards the elleth and she shrugged with a small grin.

"Surprise me."

He smirked, "Alright, my lady Rusc, I'll be sure to fetch you the freshest tripe and grape fruit that I can find." Her face twisted into that of disgust and the ellon laughed, pushing the door open, "Farewell."

The door closed behind him with a click and he strode leisurely down the hall, his curious eyes glancing this way and that. He had very little time to explore the palace since he had arrived, being too frightened of meeting his companions and then thrust into a battle that he was not ready to face. The paintings that lined the walls were like those he had never seen before, each one ranging in a mix of bold colors and wild strokes. Some appeared more as if the artist had simply become bored and threw whatever colors were in front of him onto the canvas, and yet they still showed some sense of unity and of purpose. Almost as if one looked close enough, they could see something staring back at them.

"Norui!" An excited voice called and the Crown Prince found himself wrapped in the arms of a familiar elleth. He looked down at her in surprise, but felt a smile grace his lips.

"Good morning, Lothron." He greeted and she hugged him tighter.

"Thank the Valar, you are awake. We have been so worried about you." The princess told him, reaching up to cup his cheek in her palm and gazing into his eyes, "How are you feeling?"

"Shaken, now that you have so violently attacked me." He said cheekily, earning him a smack on the arm.

"Seriously, Norui." She chided, "Legolas has told me what happened last night, and I want to be sure you are alright."

"Everything is fine, honestly. If it were not, I would say so."

"Somehow I doubt that."

The ellon chose to ignore this comment, instead rolling his eyes upwards. A scuffling noise down the hall caught his attention and he looked over his sister's shoulder with a quirked brow. Much to his amusement, he found a disheveled looking Legolas with a…something in his arms. Furrowing his brow, he broke away from the elleth and started down towards the younger ellon. Hearing his approach, Legolas glanced up at him with frustrated eyes, and he gasped.

"What are you doing up?" He demanded, narrowly dodging a swat to his face. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed the creature by the scruff of its neck and held it outwards, far from his body. The animal made a threatening hiss-like sound and bared its needle teeth. The elf gulped.

"What in the blazes is that?" The dark haired ellon questioned, his eyes widening at the sight of its odd coloring and vicious behavior.

"A nightmare, that is what!" He growled, scowling at the creature, "I cannot believe Lothron actually bought this thing."

"Stop being so negative, Legolas." The elleth reprimanded, linking her arm with her older brother's, "It is your fault it is acting this way."

"Well, forgive me for not wanting to be reduced to nothing but ribbon." He grunted, then held the animal out towards her, "If you are so positive, why don't you take it?"

Rolling her eyes, Lothron snatched the animal from her brother's hands. She tucked it into the crook of her arm, crooning to it as a mother would her child, and ever so slowly, its feistiness began to recede. A low purr issued from its throat as she scratched its belly, its long tail thumping against her arm. When she felt no anger or tension from it, the princess looked up to her youngest brother with a smug smile, then turned and started back down the hall. Norui couldn't help but snicker at the dumbfounded look on Legolas's face.

"Come, my brother. We must make sure that our sister does not spoil the creature beyond belief." He teased, earning himself a scowl. They started off after the elleth side by side, and Norui crossed his arms over his chest, "I would like to know what that thing is exactly, and your purpose for having it."

"She and I bought it at the market. I believe Tarmikos called it a Komuned, and that it is considered very rare." He answered, his frustration quickly subsiding.

"I have seen paintings of them before in the libraries of Imladris." The Crown Prince said, "And according to the small amount of information the elves have gathered on them, that one is still a cub. By the time it reaches hood, it will be twice that size."

A look of despair crossed Legolas's face, and Norui could not help but laugh.

Once this had subsided, he spoke again, "Now, why did you buy it?" The golden haired elf crossed his arms with an inaudible snort.

"It is a gift."

"For…?"

"Jaimea." He said this with an edge of warning, glaring at the other out the corner of his eye. The Crown Prince's brows shot up and a smirk attempted to curve his lips, but he did not allow it.

"You fear I will not allow you to court her still." He commented, keeping his eyes ahead.

"Whether you allow it or not, I will court her nonetheless."

"And I am glad that you have decided to do so." He smiled at the puzzled expression the ellon gave him, "You seem to forget what I said that day. I was worried that you and her both would become distracted were you to court under the circumstances, and my guesses proved correct; for a time, you were distracted. But now, we are no longer in that position and so you are free to do what you will. You have my blessing."

Legolas stood speechless for a long moment, his mouth opened slightly in shock, but he finally smiled. He clasped his hand upon his shoulder and Norui could not help but smirk at the scratches he had acquired from the Komuned. Ignoring this, a proud smile took the place of the smirk and he placed his hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Thank you, Gwador-nín."

"Tread carefully on your path, Legolas. Ellith are strange creatures, and their feelings are even stranger. They are sensitive, more so than an ellon's, and can easily be tipped if the wrong or even right thing is said." He finished this with a playful smile, and Legolas laughed and nodded.

"I shall remember that." He chuckled, his eyes alight with mirth. He then paused in his steps, and cast his gaze upon him, "I am glad you are back, Norui."

The Crown Prince smiled humbly and nodded, "So am I."

Both ellyn glanced down the hall when they heard Lothron's impatient calling, and the dark haired elf chuckled, "Go tend to your lady, Legolas. She still sleeps, though I can tell that you have done something to upset her." He smirked at the guilty look that passed across his face, "I, on the other hand, am going to the dining hall. I have been ordered by Lady Iaurtondariel to fetch her a meal, and I do not intend to fail her." He said this with a melodramatic tone, and the younger prince chuckled before parting. Norui watched him walk away, and then returned to his own task.

"Alright, Legolas," Lothron started when he came before her, then carefully dropped the Komuned in his arms. The elleth noticed the apprehensive look on his face, "You need to relax. If you become frustrated with the animal, it will notice this and become frustrated with you as well."

"I will try."

"You had better. Now, go on!" She gently pushed him into the room, and then shut the door behind him.

Legolas's eyes immediately went to the elleth who still lay sleeping, ignoring the curious gazes from the two in the beds. The Muru child that Jaimea had kept with her still slept beside her, curled into a tight ball. Tentatively, he knelt down at her side and placed a hand on her shoulder.

It took a moment, but her eyes slowly began to clear and she looked up at him with cold indifference. He offered her a smile despite the lack of enthusiasm upon seeing him, and then set the creature beside her. Frowning, the lady glanced between him and the animal in confusion.

"'Tis for you, my lady." He answered her unspoken question softly, "When I first looked upon it, it reminded me of you, for its beauty matches that of your own. Please accept it, and my apologies along with it." In his heart, he knew that gifts and sweet words would not help him to win her favor back, but it was worth a try.

Biting her lip, the elleth reached out to stroke the spotted fur of the Komuned, and it purred softly in its throat. A smile flitted upon her lips and she sat up slightly to get a better look at it.

Irregular brown spots, outlined in black, marked its sleek, golden body. Its dark eyes glinted in the sunlight, and small yet sharp claws had buried themselves into the soft bedding on the floor. Its long tail swished back and forth, and its ears twitched every which way as it picked up every sound in the room. She had never seen a creature such as this and it filled her with wonder.

"She is beautiful, Legolas." She breathed, her eyes alight. The prince felt a wave of confidence well up in his chest.

"Then she is yours to have." He told her, then added, "If you would have her, of course."

"But I would have no place to keep her."

"Then she can stay in the palace! I know that she would not cause a problem for the other elves, and my Ada would be alright with the idea." Jaimea seemed to ponder this for a moment with a small frown, returning her attention to the creature. She chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully and sighed.

"I do not live inside the palace."

Legolas furrowed his brow slightly at this. If not in the palace, then where did she live? As far as he knew, there were only a few elves who lived in the woods and those who did were usually part of the border guard. He toyed with the idea that maybe she was a border guard though quickly dismissed it; it was obvious she had no skill in battle. That, and he knew all of the six female wardens personally.

She seemed to notice his curiosity and she explained carefully, "I live in the home of my parents, even if they are gone. It was built in a time of peace when the elves had no fear of living among the trees."

"That is not safe, Jaimea." He admonished gently, "I understand your reasoning behind it, but I would be more at peace if I knew that you were well." He took her hand and placed a kiss upon her knuckles, "Upon returning to Mirkwood, I ask that you remain in the palace. I will arrange for a room to be made up for you, one large enough to keep the Komuned as well."

The elleth looked up at him in shock, but found no lie in his eyes. She hesitating in replying, for even though she would love to be near him always, it felt uncomfortable to be living in the palace after all the years of living in that small home. What would happen to all of her belongings? And the memories that would be left behind?

"I don't know, Legolas…" She drawled, "I am not sure what the King would say."

"That matters not. I can fight him for this privilege, and we also have Norui on our side. He holds even more power than I. Trust me on this."

"I always trust you." This brought a smile to his lips, and she continued, "And I accept your invitation."

"May I be so bold as to ask if you accept my apology as well?" He attempted to say this with humor, though he deemed it unsuccessful, for the frown had returned on her lips.

"There is no reason for you to apologize in the first place, Legolas." She scratched the Komuned behind the ear, "You did not know."

"Even so," He pulled her into his arms carefully, "I don't want any tension or unease between each other. We've had plenty of that in the past few months to last a lifetime. And if you can believe it, Norui has even given us his blessing."

"You sound surprised."

"I am. He did not want us to jump into a relationship in fear that we wouldn't be able to concentrate."

"Ah, yes. Lothron told me about that." She drew herself deeper into Legolas's embrace. Smiling, he placed a kiss on her cheek and then rested his chin on the top of her head. They sat silently for a moment, unaware of the two on the bed still watching them with amusement. When the ellon finally did speak again, he whispered his words into her ear.

"I swear to you that Eruko will be properly buried. Though you must know that Judeqir is the king of this land, and it is his decision in the end what will happen to him."

Jaimea sighed and said just as softly, "Thank you, Legolas." He did not reply to this, only leaning down and capturing her lips gently with his own.

This only lasted for a few moments, for the elleth had pulled away suddenly when she felt a tugging at her nightgown. She smiled when she saw the child looking up at her, a troubled frown on her face.

"What is it?" She questioned gently, absently running her fingers through the Muru's ruffled hair.

"You were kissing your brother again."

Ricamros shot up in his bed with wide eyes upon hearing this and Iaurtondariel had even perked up slightly. They both stared questioningly at the two flustered elves, both looking as if they wanted to say something but not able to find the correct words. Espenshade, still curled up at the foot of the bed, only stirred slightly.

"Is that true?" The silver haired prince gasped, "Are you really related to one another?"

"Of course not!" The ellon shot back, his cheeks flushing, "She does not understand, that is all."

The door suddenly burst open, and all of those who had ventured down to the market made their reappearance with Tarmikos in the lead. Much to their curiosity, a few of them carried various pieces of brightly colored clothing. Elladan and Elrohir carried a wicker basket in between themselves, filled with elaborate slippers and boots. As soon as the door had closed, they dropped it to the floor and quickly sat down.

"You think that thing was heavy enough?" Elrohir complained, rubbing his sore arm, "What are those made of?"

Tarmikos grinned and replied, "The shoes or the basket?"

"Both!"

"Well," He set the two gowns he was carrying at the foot of Iaurtondariel's bed, "The baskets are made of a thick vine found in the forest. We usually use them as foundations for new homes. So if you can imagine, it is necessary for them to be sturdy and heavy."

"And the shoes?"

"Leather." The prince shrugged. He then bent down and picked up the basket, tucking it under his arm, and deposited it in the corner of the room. He smirked at the identical flabbergasted looks on their faces.

"May I ask what this is for?" Ricamros spoke up, gazing around at the assorted garments.

"If you didn't notice, our friends don't have any extra clothing. And if they want to be suitable for any celebration we may have, we would have to get them some." He said matter-of-factly and his brother shook his head in amusement.

"I would think that you would have grown out of that obsession of yours."

"It is not an obsession!" He protested, "Forgive me if I still like to have fun every once in a while."

"Are you saying that I don't like to have fun?"

Tarmikos crossed his arms over his chest, "Maybe."

Ricamros grinned and grabbed his pillow from behind his head, then flung it as hard as he could at his twin. Luckily for him though, the younger prince caught it before it had the chance to hit him. He grinned while his brother pouted.

"No fair. I'm still tired."

"You were the one who threw it, not me."

"I think we've had enough of that already." Iaurtondariel broke in with a scolding tone. She narrowed her eyes at Ricamros, "Especially you. You still need to rest." The prince glared at her in defiance but after a warning glance, he frowned and slid back down onto his side. Tarmikos's brow shot up.

"This is certainly new." The other prince shot him a glare, "Not that I am complaining, of course."

There was a shuffling behind them and he glanced back to see Legolas and Jaimea shifting through the new clothing. He smiled slightly, and then turned his attention to the child who still clung to the elleth. She was also the same one who had thought that his voice had returned. He wondered if perhaps she had the gift of foresight, though it was not likely. Only rarely would a Muru be blessed with that power and even if they had been, it would not yet be evident.

"Are you still with us, Tarmikos?" Ricamros called, snapping the younger twin out of his thoughts. He sent his brother an assuring smile and nodded, "Good. Then would you please take your dress up party out of here so that I may find some sleep?" He scowled, ignoring the laughter behind him.

"Fine." He muttered, and then snatched up the gowns he had placed on the bed and headed out the door with the others in tow. When the door had shut behind them, Ricamros sighed tiredly and glanced over to the elleth in the other bed. He smiled.

She had already fallen into sleep.

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The next few days past by slowly and uneventfully. More and more of the Muruien began to emerge from their private rooms and the markets were soon filled with the chattering peoples of the city. No one acted as if anything significant had happened, for in reality, nothing really did happen that would affect their lives. To them, the elf realm of Mirkwood was a distant land far from their home and not something that they would be concerned about. Though it was obvious they did know of something, for whenever they would pass by the travelers, they would smile and bow their head in respect.

It was about a week from the day Eruko had been slain that King Judeqir finally made his appearance. Though many had approached him and he greeted them warmly, all could tell that he was still drained from the power he had used. Leneya had returned only a few days later, her demeanor bright and rested.

Another six days would pass before life in Banemera returned to normal. The halls were thick with activity as the Muruien scrambled to catch up on anything they may have fallen behind on. It was quite comical, Estel would comment, watching a mess of harassed Muruien rush about in an attempt to get things done. Somehow, it reminded him of his own home back in Rivendell.

Just as he had promised, Legolas had brought up his request to the king, asking that Eruko would be buried properly. But as he had suspected, Judeqir refused this, stating that he had hurt his own family; he was not near ready to forgive him for what he had done. It seemed that he was not yet able to let go of the grudge he had been holding against the Muru. When the prince had told this to the elleth, she seemed disappointed though accepted his decision. It was his kingdom; he could do as he pleased. Even if it was right or wrong.

Tarmikos's guess had been correct- there would, indeed, be a festival dedicated to the companions. Word of it soon spread and it became the biggest item of conversation. Judging by the decorations already being set up in the grand hall, the silver haired prince had not exaggerated in his description.

The day the event would take place, the males and females in the group had been split up. Leneya and Espenshade had gathered the ellith and hurried them into their chambers to prepare them while the twin princes were left to deal with the ellyn. It did not come as a surprise to them when they found that even after they had readied themselves, the ladies still had not finished. Finding nothing better to do, they simply remained in the large room; passing the time with carefree talk.

"Any word on Uhako?" Elladan questioned as he flopped down on his belly onto the couch.

"The healers say that he is almost fully recovered, though they are reluctant to let him go." Ricamros answered as he fought with the leather strings that would keep his shoes in place. He decided that they were cursed when they unraveled for the fourth time.

"They are afraid that he will return to his previous ways." Tarmikos finished for him. He snickered at his brother's 'plight'- who scowled in response- then took a seat on the arm of the couch the Noldor elf was on.

Estel then joined them from a room off to the side, awkwardly tightening the sash around his waist. He was adorned in similar clothing as the others: a long, pale blue tunic that split at the sides with thin sleeves. Under this was another lightweight tunic that reached down to his hands, catching his middle finger. He wore a pair of loose grayish leggings that tucked into the leather shoes that wrapped halfway up his calf.

"I feel like a moron." He muttered, examining himself in a mirror while running his fingers through his wavy hair. The Muru twins had insisted on braiding back his tresses, but he had firmly shot it down.

"Do not fret, Estel." Norui said, grinning slightly, "You will not be to only one dressed like that." He motioned to his own outfit, almost identical to the human's except in a dark red color.

"I think they are very comfortable." Elrohir commented, playing with the fringes on his sleeve, "I may buy a few of them and give them to Ada."

"He would appreciate that, I'm sure." Elladan replied with a snicker.

"You insult me!" The younger twin exclaimed in mock outrage.

"Speaking of Lord Elrond," Legolas broke in quickly so as to prevent their argument from continuing, "When do we plan on returning home? Personally, I would like to know the wellbeing of my own Adar."

This comment seemed to dampen the mood a bit as every one fell into silence. It had been months since they were last in their home and even though this amount of time was only a speck in their lifetime, it seemed to be forever since they were in familiar lands. The longing to return home finally caught up with them and they were torn. Their short time in the Muru city had been a new experience for them all, and it would be difficult to revert back to their old lifestyle.

"Are you ready to leave?" Norui asked him, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. The golden haired prince frowned slightly, hesitating before speaking.

"I would very much like to see the trees again." He answered softly.

"We could get you there in only a week." Ricamros said, though reluctant to get involved in the conversation. Truthfully, he did not want them to leave. It had been many years since any outsiders had come to the city, especially ones as entertaining as these.

"Even if we stopped in Rivendell first?" Estel asked and the older Muru pursed his lips in thought.

"We have never traveled there before, so I do not know exactly how long it would take. Though either way, the trip would not take any longer than a week and a half."

"We should talk to the others before we make any decision." Norui said; this alone seemed to end the conversation immediately. But now with this thought in mind, no one could seem to think of anything else. It had been long, indeed, since they had set out from their homes. It was due time to return.

The door then opened and the females of the group returned, and the males smiled upon the sight. They were clad in very much the same style as their own, though more elegant and elaborate. Their skirts, colored in golds, silvers, and blues, touched just below their ankles and their delicately embroidered sleeves belled out at the elbow. There wore no jewelry, and so they decorated their hair with small, bright flowers instead.

Standing there, the ellyn could see that they were just as awkward in the new garb as they were. In an attempt to ease this, Elladan stood up and went to Arwen, taking her hands in his.

"Someone is looking beautiful this evening." He said with an impish grin, and then touched the petals of a small blue flower braided in her hair. The elleth smiled and chuckled.

"Do you speak of me, or of yourself?"

Ignoring the laughter of his friends behind him, the elf smirked, "Myself, of course. How can one not see me as beautiful?"

"Very easily!" Elrohir exclaimed, earning himself a scowl from his brother.

Everyone quickly mingled together, each breaking off into their own conversations, but no one brought up the mentioning of returning home again. It was inevitable, of course, that they were to do just that, but none of them wanted to think about it at the moment. Instead, they thought only of the festivity that was quickly approaching.

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When the sun had begun to disappear on the horizon, and the skies were painted with oranges, pinks, and reds, the Muruien people had gathered in the greatest hall in the palace. No Muru was excluded from the merrymaking; not even the common people who now chattered and danced cheerfully with the higher lords and nobles. Bright flowers decorated the tables laden with food, and elaborate tapestries were hung about the walls. Lively music was played, accompanied by voices in strange tongues, and the people danced exuberantly in the center of the room.

The Muruien took little notice of the elves entering and quickly hiding up against the wall. They watched warily as the people passed them by, eating and drinking and laughing as they went. Occasionally, one would send them a glance and smile, but their attention was soon captured by something of more interest. This did not bother the elves in the least bit.

About an hour into the event, the younger of the princes and his sister finally arrived. The Muruien greeted them with cheerful cries, and they returned them likewise, and then disappeared into the masses. Not long after, Ricamros entered with Iaurtondariel at his side.

When a simpler song had begun to play, a few of the elves took the opportunity to join in the dancing. The Crown Prince of Mirkwood watched in amusement as his sisters dragged the less than willing Noldor twins into the crowd and Estel hurried off to join them with Arwen at his side, but Legolas and Jaimea remained with him; the elleth claiming to be not in the mood for dancing, and the ellon simply wished to stay beside his brother.

"Honestly, Legolas, I am fine by myself." The dark haired ellon insisted, "You and Jaimea have fun."

"And let you sit here alone? I cannot allow that." The prince retorted, crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly. Norui sighed heavily and mimicked his brother's position.

"I cannot allow you to ruin the night because of me. Now go! I am sure I can coerce some lady to dance with me."

"I pity any maiden that does!" Legolas laughed as he took Jaimea by the hand and led her into the dancing crowd. A gap in the circular and winding pattern the Muruien had taken and the two elves jumped into it, and then quickly became lost within the masses. Norui smiled as he watched the two, leaning back against the wall, and he was reminded of all the festivals and merrymaking he had experienced in his own home. The celebrations of the Muruien were certainly different than his own, though they lacked in something that the elves' had. What this was exactly, he was not sure, but it made him feel empty.

"Ah, there you are!" A raspy yet powerful voice called to the elf and he looked through the crowd to see an old man, clad in gray robes, with a beard that grew down to his waist. Recognition flooded through the ellon and a wide grin appeared upon his face.

"Mithrandir!" He called as he quickly made his way over to the old wizard, "I had forgotten you had even come with us!" The elf clapped his hands on the Istar's shoulders in greeting, and the wizard chuckled heartily.

"Indeed, young one, that does not come as a surprise to me. I admit that I have been rather occupied lately," An odd gleam came in his eyes when he smiled, "As have you."

It took a long moment for the Crown Prince to understand the meaning behind this and when he did, he lowered his head in shame, "I am sorry, Mithrandir. I failed us all back in the caves and I paid for my mistakes with my life." He then paused and furrowed his brow, "But how did you know that I had returned? Did someone tell you?"

The Istar said nothing, only bowing his head to him slightly, and then motioning over the elf's shoulder, "I believe someone is looking for you."

Norui did not bother to look, for a long pair of arms suddenly wrapped loosely around his neck and he felt the person rest their head on his shoulder, warm breath and silky hair tickling his skin. A wide smile split upon his lips when the person chuckled, instantly recognizing the sound.

"Good evening, my lady Leneya." He greeted, reaching up to untwine her arms from him. He turned to face her, and then took her hands in his and placed a kiss upon each one, "I see you fare well."

"And I see that you still have not dropped the formality between us." She replied good naturedly as she patted the top of his head playfully, "Now come, dance with me! I would dance with my brothers, but Ricamros is with Iaurtondariel and Tarmikos has vanished to who knows where. So that leaves me with you!"

"Ah, so I was your last choice?" He teased with a quirked brow. She smirked.

"Yes."

Well, that wasn't what he had expected, he thought to himself. She seemed to take amusement in his shocked expression, so he decided to remedy the situation.

"Well, then I am sorry to disappoint you, my lady, but I decline your request." He told her, then crossed his arms and looked away.

"That was not a request," She started and he gave her a curious glance, "It was an order."

The ellon stared at her in astonishment for a long moment, with only Mithrandir's hand catching his attention, "I will leave you know." He informed them with humor in his voice, "Have a nice evening." He then turned and went back the way he had come.

Norui could not help but smile at the mischief in her eyes, and so he nodded with an exaggerated bow, "If that is what my lady wishes then, I cannot deny it." He smiled at her giddy expression, "Sweep me away to where ever you will."

Laughing, Leneya took him by the hand and happily dragged him out into the masses of dancers. They did not notice the gaze of the oldest Muru prince upon them as they spun and laughed among the crowd. Only when the elleth he danced with called his name did he draw his attention away from them.

"Sorry, what were you saying?" He asked her and she rolled her eyes upwards with a smile.

"I had asked you if we might rest a bit." She replied as he grabbed her hand and twirled her towards himself, bringing her up against his chest.

"Is my lady growing tired?" He teased with a small grin.

"Perhaps." Iaurtondariel then broke away from him and weaved out of the crowd, him following at her tail. She had just made it to the large doors leading out to the balcony before she felt the prince grab her arm and swing her around until she had lost the momentum, and he pulled her against his chest; wrapping his arms around her back. He smiled in triumph while she gave him a mock glare, "I do not see what you have against me resting."

"Oh, nothing at all." He said, shrugging, "I just wanted you to wait up for me."

The elleth gave him a dubious look before turning towards the balcony doors again and starting out. But she froze quickly and darted back into the hall before Ricamros even had the chance to take a step out.

"What is it?" He questioned as he peeked around the corner, and his jaw dropped at the sight. It seemed as if they had found his twin brother, but he was not alone.

Perched upon the far banister was the younger twin and beside him was a maiden with hair as silver as the moon above, clad in a gown as dark as the night sky. She was pale, paler than most Muruien, and her fair complexion contrasted against his golden skin. They did not notice the two watching them, for they had lost themselves in a gentle and sweet kiss.

"When did this happen, I wonder?" Ricamros whispered, more to himself than to Iaurtondariel, "I have never seen him with a lady before, let alone take interest in any."

The prince turned away from the sight when he heard someone approaching, and he smiled uneasily when he saw King Judeqir standing before him. He only hoped that his brother had noticed before he had, and had been able to slip away unnoticed. Though judging by the activity that he was occupied with, he probably had not.

"You have not seen him take interest," Judeqir started, "Because your head is always in the clouds. Had you opened your eyes, you would have noticed the love between him and the lady."

Ricamros furrowed his brow in puzzlement, "You know about this, father?"

"Of course, I do." The king replied, "I've been aware of it since the beginning."

"How long?"

"It would be four years this night, as a matter of fact. Her name is Jocikah, daughter of Ikeo. He is a shopkeeper in the markets."

At the mentioning of a commoner, the prince frowned, and his thoughts instantly rushed back to his sister and the love that she had lost. Was Daeron not a commoner also? What set him apart from this lady? He gazed upon his father questioningly and the king was able to read his thoughts.

"Despite her family, she is a proud and strong woman. I hold her in high respect, but I could give no such thing to a thief and a tramp." His tone seemed to command the end of the discussion and so Ricamros made no further comments on the matter. Though he had every intention on speaking with his brother about it. He gave the older Muru a curt nod, then turned his attention back to the two Muruien on the balcony as Judeqir strode away.

They had broke away from each other during the conversation, and now only held onto one another as if they never wanted to part. Tarmikos had nearly drawn her into his lap, foreheads touching, with his fingers twisted in her silver locks. He seemed to be whispering soft words to her as she clutched at his tunic almost desperately. And then he leaned down ever so slightly to claim her lips once more.

The older twin felt himself blushing as he watched them, so he turned away from the sight and leaned against the wall, "It is amazing that I had never noticed this before. All those years, and I was oblivious."

"What amazes me more," Iaurtondariel started as she pulled her gaze aware, "Is that their love still survived, even when he could not speak."

"I had not thought of that…" He trailed off. The elleth, hesitating slightly, came forward and placed a chaste kiss on his lips, then took his hand in hers.

"Let us not think of this." She said brightly as she led him back into the center of the room, "I believe that I have rested enough and I am ready for more dancing." She laughed at the wide grin that quickly made its way back onto his face, and they lost themselves in the beat of the music.

Well throughout the night, the dancing and singing continued and food continued to be served. Few Muruien had left to retire, and those that did were only the children. They seemed to be tireless, some having rested only a few times that night. It must have been three hours past the moon's peak before the dancing ceased and the people began to disperse back to their homes. This happened slowly, though, and another two hours had passed before the last person departed.

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Legolas awoke that morning to a rhythmic rubbing at his lower back and he sighed softly. He attempted to discern the one behind this as his mind stumbled back into the waking world, though this seemed futile. His first thought was perhaps Jaimea, but knew that she still slept beside him.

The rubbing started to become more of a scratching, not nearly as comforting. Deciding to find out what exactly it was, he rolled over to come upon his back, and then heard a sudden thud on the floor. What it was, it had fallen off. Furrowing his brow, the elf opened his eyes and leaned over the edge of the bed.

Black, livid eyes of the Komuned glared back at him, muscles twitching as it readied itself to pounce.

The prince gasped and hurried moved away from the edge as the creature leapt up at him with its claws extended. He yelped when it landed upon his belly, protected only by a thin sheet and an equally thin nightshirt, and pierced its sharp claws into his flesh. Jaimea jolted awake at the thrashing beside her, but found herself unsure as to whether she should laugh or rescue the ellon. Somehow, watching the young prince desperately try to bat away the furious animal was highly amusing, despite the thin, red marks that trailed up his arms.

The elleth quickly snatched the Komuned away from the elf, letting her laughter loose, and the creature seemed to instantly pacify. Purring softly in its throat, it rubbed its head against her cheek; curling its long tail around her arm. Jaimea looked up to Legolas with amusement shining in her eyes.

"I don't see what that thing has against me." He muttered crossly as he kicked the blankets away, then put his feet on the ground. As if it knew what he had said, the Komuned made a hissing-like noise at him, its lips curling back into a snarl. Scowling, Legolas mimicked the noise, then stood up and made his way to the dresser. He did not react when he heard the elleth chuckle softly.

"Perhaps if you try being nice, she will like you better." She suggested as she, too, slipped off the edge of the bed. She watched the animal dig at the sheets, then sprawl out on its side.

"Forgive me if I do not like to be wakened by claws digging into my skin." He scoffed, pulling a pair of leggings from the drawers and tossing them on the floor. He closed it louder than was really necessary, scooped up the clothing, and headed over to the large wardrobe, "I do not know how I will ever live with it."

"She will stay in my chambers, of course. You will never have to see her." Legolas gave her a doubtful look, then took out a pale blue tunic as the door to the room opened. Norui stuck his head in, then came in fully and shut the door behind him.

"I hope that I am not interrupting anything." He said, more out of a requirement than out of truly caring. The golden haired elf did not reply, nor did the elleth, and so he leaned against the wall; crossing his arms over his chest, "While you two slept the morning away, we discussed our return home."

This seemed to catch the younger ellon's attention, for he dropped the clothing in his hands and gazed upon his brother intently, "And what did you decide?"

"We will leave this evening. Ricamros, Tarmikos, and Espenshade have offered to bring us home by way of air."

"By air?"

The Crown Prince shrugged, "They will not explain exactly. I expect them to change into some winged creature, though they had an air of mischief about them. They have something in store for us, I believe." He answered and stared hard at his silent brother, "They are resting now, claiming that they will need much energy for the journey."

Still, the younger prince remained silent as he mulled over this new information. Time had passed so quickly and he had not noticed, taking for granted what he had. Now that it was finally time to leave, to return home, he wondered how much he would miss the Muruien city, and if he would ever lay eyes upon it again. This indecision did not go unnoticed by the Crown Prince.

"Legolas," He started seriously yet gently, "I will not force you to come with us and King Judeqir will not force you to leave. All of us were given the same choice. If it is what you desire, you may stay until you are ready to come home."

"No!" He exclaimed, almost horrified at the idea, "No, of course not. I could never choose this place, no matter how wonderful, over the forest. I will return to Mirkwood with you and our sisters to see how our Adar fares."

"Mithrandir is staying, you know. And Estel may possibly remain, as well." He continued. Legolas smirked.

"Are you trying to keep me here, Gwador-nín?"

"No, not at all. I am simply letting you know that you are free to do what you will." Norui answered.

"I have chosen what it is I will do."

"Good." The Crown Prince smiled, and then bowed at the waist to the two elves, "The remainder of the day is yours to do what you wish."

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Being their last day in the city, the group split up and wandered wherever their feet would carry them. Some had gone down to the markets to buy whatever trinkets they may find to remind them of their stay while others contented themselves to be among the people. Last minute farewells were said with those that they had befriended and they did all they could to make their last day in Banemera memorable.

When the three that would take them home awakened, they immediately began indulging themselves in a meal that may have fed at least fifteen people. Most of this consisted of a clear liquid that had a bitter smell though was sweet to the taste. They had explained that it would give them an extra boost of energy, even if they did not really need it. They just enjoyed the feeling it gave them.

The sun was just beginning its fall into the west when the company had gathered together again; Estel had decided to join them after all, not wishing to incur the wrath of his foster father. They spoke not a word to one another and a sense of melancholy hung heavily in the air. None were truly willing to leave the city but the calling of their homes won them over in the end.

The two princes and the princess appeared then, hurrying towards them with apologetic looks upon their faces. Behind them trailed two other women, one they knew to be Iaurtondariel, but the other they did not recognize. She had the same features as the Muruien twins, though they knew that she was not their kin. The lady gave them a small smile before moving next to the younger prince.

"We are sorry that we are a little late." Ricamros said as he walked towards the doors that would lead out to a great balcony, "Leneya had caught us and wished us to tell you farewell."

"For the hundredth time." Elladan commented dryly.

Gathering up their belongings, they then passed on to the balcony and the Muruien, including the woman that they still had not learned the name of, stepped away from them. The bright, golden light engulfed their bodies, lasting longer than normal. When the glow had faded, the elves stared in awe at the beings before them.

In place of the two princes were magnificent, silver dragons. Their hard scales glistened in the sun's rays and great wings were folded up on their backs. Long tails twisted about their clawed feet, long manes of silver hair fell down their necks, and their piercing eyes shined a deep blue. They were a wonder to behold and the company briefly wondered if they had strayed into a dream.

But the two females had chosen a creature less extraordinary, though by no means less beautiful. They had taken the shape of large eagles, one silver and the other gold, and they resembled the great birds of Gwaihir's kind. Their bright eyes shined in amusement at the stupefied looks upon the company's eyes.

"Whenever you are ready." One of the dragons said, baffling them even further. A deep rumble came from his chest, presumably laughter, "Real dragons can speak, so why not us as well? We must act the part." Espenshade made a shrill squeal at this comment, and the dragon snorted; a small wisp of smoke escaping his nostrils.

The group started forward to claim their 'mounts'. Legolas immediately clambered upon the feathery back of Espenshade, followed by Jaimea and Norui. The younger prince watched the Komuned in the elleth's arms warily as it stared back at him through narrowed eyes. The two Mirkwood princesses chose to ride upon the silver eagle, as well as Estel, and the Noldor twins perched themselves on Tarmikos's back with Arwen. Perfectly content to ride alone, Iaurtondariel happily climbed up onto the smooth back of Ricamros. The dragon peered over his shoulder at her and snorted again.

"Have me all for yourself, hmm?" He teased. She only smirked in response.

As though and unanimous decision had passed between the four Muruien, they spread their great wings and crouched down to the ground, then thrust themselves upwards into the air.

The wind whistled past their ears as they struggled to stay on, rising higher and higher into the sky. The palace, the trees, and the people walking below grew smaller as their speed increased. The company gazed downwards, taking their last look of the place that they would probably never see again. The muggy heat of the forest began to disperse, being replaced with the cool, fresh air of the skies and as they passed into the clouds and above, the city disappeared from their sight.

They then turned their attention to the north and in the distance; they could already make out the jagged peaks of the far mountains. After months of traveling, they were finally heading home.

XX

I am becoming frustrated. I need to work on a story for school that I should have been working on all summer, but have not been. I have been torn between writing this, the incentive, and the school project. I would put this on hiatus but considering that there will be only three more chapters to go, maybe only two, it would be pointless. So let's see what happens. Also, school starts up soon. Whoop de do. Let's see if we can get this done before then. Not likely.

And you heard me right. THREE more to go, at the most. Maybe not even that. Almost two years later, the story is coming to an end. Marking the first story I have ever completed. Well, except Red Bird. Which, by the way, if you haven't already, you must read! I swear to you that there are no lemons or anything like that. I rated it M just for safety. The story will be essential for the sequel to this. If you don't want to be confused out of your mind, reeeead it:attempts freaky hypnosis:

Incentive: Second part of "Never Forget". May turn out to be a third part to it. Not sure yet.

Until Next Time,

Manwathiel