January 1st, 2003

Authors' Blab:Here's the second chapter (obviously). It is very special because we wrote it on New Years Eve/Day. Wow. What a triumph. Enjoy! –Howard & Porta, AKA: Emilee & Anna

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The bright light of the moon lit the Royal Garden of Mirkwood just enough to allow onlookers a glimpse of two shadows sneaking through the silver gates. The shadows were of an elf man and woman, both tall and with all the beauty of their people. The female elf was wearing a flowing light blue dress, and while her grace was stunning, the male elf looked a little on the clumsy side.

Coming to a bed of lilies, the male elf dropped to his knees to peer into the flowers. The female brushed a strand of her short blonde hair from her face and put her hands on her hips, watching her companion absently.

"I caught a snicky-snake Calen!"

Calen blinked. "Is that what you wanted to show me?"

The other elf looked up at her and grinned, nodding eagerly. "Yup!!"

Looking somewhat irritated but clearly pitying the poor reject elf, Calen patted him gingerly on the shoulder. "That's just…great…Vebor."

"Thankie wankie cousin spankie!" Vebor answered and suddenly whipped around and thrust out his hands, holding in them what seemed to be his 'snicky-snake'. "AYAHYAH!"

Calen yelped and turned away, "What is it!?"

"It's…hey! This isn't my snicky-snake! It's a llama…."

Dropping her hands from her eyes Calen blinked and turned around, "A llama?"

Vebor was holding a small white bunny.

"I think…" Calen held in a laugh, "I think that's a bunny, honey."

"Don't yell!" Vebor hissed, "Shhhh…"

By this time Calen had about enough and grabbed Vebor's hand. "Come on, we're going back inside."

She started walking, but Vebor didn't and she eventually gave up and stopped pulling on him. "Vebor, come on!"

Vebor sat up suddenly and looked around on the opposite side of Calen. "Who said my name?!"

Calen threw her hands in the air and sighed impatiently.

And when it seemed like all hope was lost…

"Calen!!! He's here!"

Eyes lighting up Calen turned to the familiar voice behind her and looked up at her balcony that overlooked the garden. She grinned excitedly at the elf-maid who was calling her name, her friend Minyafuiwen.

Eager for a chance to get away from Vebor, Calen raced through the garden and out the gates, passing Gimli (and purposely ignoring him) on her way.

Calen's rooms had debatably the best view in the kingdom. They were built in an enormous tree and the back balcony overlooked the Royal Gardens. Calen had to run around the border of the garden to get to the door of her chambers, which was at the base of the tree, leading to a spiraling staircase that wound up to the top of the tree.

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Gimli had found a quite suitable fountain and hadn't even heard Legolas come up behind him. "Did you enjoy the party?"

"BAHAH!" Gimli yelled, nearly falling into the water, he teetered on the edge and growled, "Don't sneak up on me elf!"

Gimli eyed Legolas, eventually smiled and replied, "Boring."

"Really?" Legolas said, surprised, "Well then, Master Dwarf, you should have taken my advice and danced a little."

"Dwarves don't dance." He replied gruffly, stepping off the fountain wall.

Legolas smiled mischievously and watched as Gimli started walking off, "Oh I see, so you didn't want to make a complete fool of yourself in front of my cousin then?"

Glaring, the dwarf turned around, "I don't know what you are talking about." He snapped, thankful for his beard, which hid his blushing cheeks.

"Oh you don't, do you? I saw how you looked at her when she walked in." Legolas mused, putting his hands behind his back and grinning at his friend.

Gimli looked murderous, "Hold your tongue, elf, or I might have to get my axe." He snarled.

The dwarf soon found an arrow in his face and he growled, "This isn't fair! My axe is in my room!"

"Am I too fast for you, dwarf?" Legolas asked innocently, lowering his bow and grinning.

Gimli grumbled something inaudible but then for the second time that night his attention focused behind Legolas and he froze. Thinking the worst, Legolas turned around and raised his bow quickly.

Noticing that once again it was Calen who Gimli was staring at, Legolas slowly lowered the bow and spoke to Gimli sarcastically over his shoulder, "So you don't fancy her?"

But Gimli's attention was captured by Calen's smile (he looked kinda like he did after Galadriel gave him her hair or whatever), and he didn't seem to hear Legolas. Calen was standing on the balcony of her rooms chatting with an older looking female elf, until her friend left her side and a very handsome male elf walked quickly out to the balcony. Gimli narrowed his eyes right when he saw the elf, but it was when Calen ran to him and he picked her up and kissed her that he started growling quietly.

"Gimli? Are you all right my friend?"

"Who is that?" the dwarf snarled.

"Dimthuleion." Legolas said in a monotone voice.

"Who is he?" the dwarf snarled.

Legolas glanced at Gimli, frowning. Then Dimthuleion saw them and waved happily, beckoning them to join he and Calen on the balcony. Gimli saw him and nudged Legolas, who smiled with fake enthusiasm back to the waving elf and started walking towards the stairs.

"Who is he?" the dwarf snarled again.

Glancing at Gimli as they climbed the stairs, Legolas looked less than thrilled, "He's an elf with a very rich father…who is engaged to Calen."

And then Gimli's boot caught one of the stairs and he rolled halfway down the spiral staircase.

"I'm alright, I'm alright. That was deliberate." Gimli gnarled, swatting Legolas away as he tried to help him up.

They continued up the stairs without a word (though not without a snicker from Legolas) and walked out to the balcony with not too cheerful expressions. Gimli managed to keep his snarling to a minimum as he saw Dimthuleion and Calen snuggling happily.

Legolas cleared his throat and Calen pushed Dim away. "Legolas! Isn't it wonderful, Dimthuleion has returned without a scratch." She smiled warmly at Dim.

Starting to reply, Legolas was interrupted by Dim shoving his hand at him and smiling with sickening sweetness. "Ah, Prince Legolas! It's been an age, how've you been?"

Gimli smiled weakly at Calen, but she conveniently looked away.

Being polite, Legolas shook the overly eager elf's hand, "How was your journey home?"

"Dangerous. Nearly died." Dim replied, having an oddly wide smile for such an answer, "Enough about me, please, introduce me to your…short…friend."

"He's a dwarf, darling." Calen whispered, nudging Dimthuleion.

"Same thing." Dim whispered to her loudly, "He's still short."

"Short you say?" Gimli rumbled, then said some horrifically threatening thing, but unfortunately nobody else understood it because it was in dwarvish.

None the less, they could all tell that it hadn't been terribly nice or appropriate.

Legolas nudged his friend and gave him a repressive look, "This is Gimli, son of Gloin."

Dimthuleion's famous grin had faded, "How charming." He replied dully, looking smugly at Gimli. He then turned his grin back on and flashed his teeth at Legolas, "So I take you've heard the good news?" he put an arm around Calen, "Calengrothiel and I are to be wed."

Gimli blinked at the mention of Calen's full name.

But nobody was really paying attention to Gimli at the moment.

"Yes I've heard." Legolas answered with a nod.

Calen looked down an sighed but hid her discomfort and smiled beautifully at Legolas and Gimli, "It's set in two weeks. You will attend, won't you cousin?"

Legolas smiled brightly at her, "Yes of course." He looked at Dim and smiled wider, "I wouldn't miss it." He answered, his words particularly sugar-coated.

Snorting, Gimli randomly turned around and walked out the door to the stairs.