Note: Usual disclaiming. It's snowing in New York state already! This is insane; it usually waits for a few more weeks. So, pardon me while I'm freezing my butt off here as I post the next chapter. Enjoy!

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The light blue dress she wore allowed Merenwen to feel her hair against her bare neck as she examined her appearance in a full-length mirror. She resisted the urge to fidget, never really liking to wear extravagantly done dresses.

A scratching noise drew her attention away from her reflection. She looked around the room for the source but couldn't find anything. However, elven hearing did not fail her. She tracked the noise, occasionally hearing a squeaking accompanying the scratching. Crouching next to her bed, she looked underneath it. Something was moving there and it took her a second to reach it. Merenwen pulled out a large black ferret. She sat on her bed, cradling the animal in her arms.

"What are you doing in my room?"

The ferret looked up at her innocently and wrinkled its nose at her before grabbing one of her fingers with its paws and starting to nibble on it.

"Ai! My finger is not food." She pulled her finger away before scratching the soft, furry head.

A light knocking on her door caught her attention.

"If it's not one thing, it's another," she sighed, looking down at the ferret. "Come, let's see who that is."

Merenwen rose from her bed, ferret in her arms and opened the door, somehow not surprised it was Legolas. Even though she knew he was never fond of exhibiting his princely status, his very composure betrayed those wishes. The prince wore a graceful tunic of silver, having details stitched around the edges, with dark leggings and soft leather boots on his feet. Proud shoulders conveyed his bearing and the silver circlet on his golden head gave away his royalty completely.

"Ah, the mighty prince. Your highness," she smirked, stepped back and bowed, allowing him to enter the room.

Legolas rolled his eyes at the jest. "You never miss an opportunity, do you?"

She smiled even more, shaking her head and closing the door.

"Well, at least you are showing me some respect."

She grinned at the remark. "Would you like to see what I found in my room?"

He frowned and looked her over more carefully then he'd previously done. She looked very beautiful in her long-sleeved blue dress. Most prominently what stood out was the necklace he'd once given her as a winter solstice gift. The dark sapphire on the silver chain rested at the base of her throat and drew attention back to her extremely light eyes. Then his eyes settled on the thing he'd obviously missed. She held a ferret in her arms.

"Herenya! What are you doing here?" He went over to Merenwen, quietly speaking to the ferret, which squealed happily at his approach.

"He was under my bed," she answered, watching him happily scratch the animal's stomach.

He looked up at her, blue eyes shining.

"Why you named him 'fortunate' is beyond me. He's luckier I found him instead of a servant or, worse yet, he found your father."

Legolas shuddered at the thought. His father never did approve of his pet ferret running around the halls.

"Well, I thank you," he said, drawing himself up to his full height. "I doubt my father would be pleased I let Herenya run loose."

"It is well. I like him. He is mischievous, like his keeper. Aren't you?" she answered, speaking lastly to the ferret, catching a brief glance at the elf before scratching the animal's chin.

He moved closer, pulled back her hair, and whispered in her ear. "You are the one who makes me mischievous, for your beauty is what drives me to such."

She listened carefully and glanced past the blond strands of hair to his face before submitting to his kiss.

Herenya squirmed up in Merenwen's arms and balanced himself on his hind legs. He reached up and touched his wet nose to his owner's jaw.

Legolas pulled away from Merenwen and looked down at the ferret, which was twitching and holding onto his tunic with its small paws. He couldn't help but smile at it.

"I am not the only one who loves you," she said, handing the prince his pet back. It grabbed onto a paw-full of long blond hair and yanked it when he tried to scramble away.

The elf grunted. "Yes, I am well loved." He tried to untangle his hair from the animal's grip while balancing the animal itself in his other arm.

"Here, let me help." Merenwen took the animal's paws in her hand and started talking to it. All elves had a way with animals and nature, but the Silvan elves relished this above all. She took the strand of hair in the other hand and gently eased the animal away, trying not to pull anymore of the flaxen hair. She sat Herenya on her bed and fingered the blond hair she held, looking up at Legolas.

"You are free now."

"Are you certain of this?"

"I would have thought braiding your hair back would have helped prevent something like this happening."

"Not always."

She groaned, dropping his hair after fingering it one last time.

"Have you ever tried to shoot with your hair in the way!"

"Yes. I have tried that, thank you," she replied, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Not that fun is it?"

She lunged at him, aiming to give him a friendly shove, but she stumbled and almost fell. Elven reflexes being as quick as they were allowed Legolas to catch and steady her before she landed on the floor.

"You are clumsy," he commented, keeping his hands at her waist to make sure she was balanced.

"I am not." Merenwen tugged on her skirt, which was caught on a chair. When she finally got it free, she stumbled again, falling against Legolas, who was not caught by surprise.

"Are you sure you are an elf?"

She ventured a glance up at the prince, who watched her reaction, a small smile tugging at his fair features. She narrowed her eyes and pulled herself up, composing her appearance once again.

"Last time I checked, I still had my ears," she answered, tugging on the distinctive point of an elven ear.

Legolas dropped his forehead to his hand. "Why? Why Ilúvitar decided to bless me with you is beyond my comprehension."

"Maybe fate is just against you."

He glanced up at her and was greeted with a devilish grin. She wrapped her arms around him. "Meleth nín, I jest. I thank Ilúvitar everyday that I was blessed with your presence in my life. Even if at times I wonder why that is so." She reached up and kissed him lightly.

He shook his head. "You always do that."

"Do what?"

"Never mind."

"No. What do I always do?"

"You always kid me so, and then tell me how glad you are to have me around. One might think that I would be your brother, rather than your beloved."

"It is not so. Besides, we do not even look alike."

"Be serious, Merenwen."

"I am."

Legolas moved away from her, sitting on her bed next to Herenya, who had curled up and watched everything passively. He placed his hands on his knees and looked at the ground, so many thoughts running through his mind at once.

She went over to him and wrapped her arms about his neck, stroking his hair thoughtfully.

"You know very well that you do the same to me. It is only because we know that it would not seriously hurt the other person. You have my utmost respect, my liege." She touched the circlet he wore.

He looked up at her. She never called him by any royal title. And that was what caught his attention.

"I only jest because you mean so much to me. I could ignore you and treat you just like the prince, or would you rather treating you as the person you really are?"

Legolas wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head against her chest. He knew he'd done no wrong in deciding he wanted to marry her, especially when he felt her arms further round him protectively and her cheek resting on the top of his head.

The stayed like that for a few minutes before knocking at the door caught their attention. She let him go and kissed his forehead.

"I shall get the door."

"It is my room, Legolas. I'll get it."

"As you wish, hiril nín, my lady," he answered, bowing his head and touching his hand to his heart.

She watched him carefully, easily picking out the small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You…"

"You should get that. They sound impatient."

Merenwen glared at him before turning to the door and pulling it open. She immediately bowed her head. Legolas noted this change and sprang to his feet, knowing who was at the door.

"Merenwen, are you ready for the feast?" Thranduil asked.

"Yes, milord."

"And might you know where my wayward son is? He is not in his room and I have not seen him thus."

Wayward? Legolas thought, moving forward toward the doors.

Merenwen stifled a laugh. She could see the agitation on the prince's face.

"He is…"

"Here," Legolas finished the thought, stepping out from behind the door and into his father's view. He stood behind Merenwen and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Yes." She looked at the prince and back to the king, smiling softly.

Thranduil raised an eyebrow and looked at the two. Legolas had dressed fully in his regal being, and Merenwen looked every bit the lady. Peering deeper into his son's face, he realized the prince was still planning on telling her and had not done so yet. Knowing him, he was probably thinking of making a big display of it. The king smiled slightly.

"Well, then…Well, come. We shall not keep people waiting." He moved away from the door.

Merenwen stepped outside of her rooms and Legolas followed, stopping with a hand at the doorknob.

"Be good," he warned the ferret, which was now looking up at him from Merenwen's bed. He closed the door behind himself.

Merenwen linked her arm through his. "Right…That will work. And you are the one warning him?"

"Me? Might I remind you of your share in things?"

"Not me! I'm innocent."

Legolas laughed. "Maybe in your own mind you are."

"Yes. 'Tis the same in your mind, as well."

"I know I am innocent."

It was Merenwen's turn to laugh. In the minds of many elf-maidens, as well as human maids, the elf prince was perfect. But they did not spend everyday with him.

"I'm sure some around the palace would say otherwise."

"They would not tell on their prince."

"If tempted enough, they might."

"No. I am loved too much."

"Oh, enough!" The king turned and looked at the two, a stern expression on his face, yet a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. He glared at them as two children caught in an argument. "Stop arguing! Compose yourself, for Ilúvitar's sake!"

The two younger elves fell silent and starred at the floor.

"Look what you made him do!" Legolas whispered to Merenwen as they continued toward the Great Hall.

"Me? Why is it always my fault?" she whispered back.

"It just is."

"That's not a reason."

"Yes, it is. My word is law."

"No, that's your father."

Legolas fell quiet for a second and Thranduil was thankful for Merenwen saying such to him.

"But my word weighs more than yours."

Thranduil groaned and turned around.

Merenwen has immediately reached up and clamped a hand over the prince's mouth. He was talking too much. She looked at the king, feeling Legolas' gaze on her and his light blue eyes changing to a silvery blue.

"You must forgive your son, milord. I fear he's not had enough fresh air to that pretty blond head of his."

Legolas frowned, but all that could be seen was a furrowed brow and smoldering eyes.

Thranduil's gaze lightened a bit upon Merenwen. She was always trying to make sure his son didn't get in trouble. He inclined his head to her as a sign of acknowledging her effort.

"I understand you are comfortable again, Legolas. But act in a manner befitting of a prince returning home. Not everyone has the pleasure of seeing you as such, and I for one remember why that is so."

The elf in question directed his gaze to the ground. "You are right, Ada. I apologize."

The king looked at Merenwen. "And you." He leaned closer to her. "Keep an eye on him."

Merenwen smiled at what the king whispered to her before he pulled away and addressed her formally.

"Act like a lady."

She curtsied to his wished, grinning to herself.

Legolas looked between the two, feeling the subject of discussion was on his shoulders. If mother was here to see this, he mused sadly.

"Now, come. I will not suffer being tardy, nor having you late for a festivity in your honor," Thranduil said, pointing at Legolas before turning and walking away.

Merenwen looked up at Legolas and wrapped her hand around his arm. "Let us go. There will be plenty of time to argue later."

"You always did bring that out in me," he answered, watching her softly.

"Well, I do not want to disagree with the royalty – you or your father," she said, urging him to walk on.

"It never stopped you before."

"Things change with time."

"They do." He looked away thoughtfully as they hurried to catch up with the king.