Anya stood at the top of the stairs feeling like a freak. How could she not? She was VERY tempted to ask if she had snot hanging out her nose or something but she refrained, the eyes of all in attendance were already on her. She didn't want to keep their eyes there. With a look of determination, she decided to walk down with as much grace and dignity as she could muster, to not look like an idiot.

On the other hand, The men in the room were drooling. The door opened and an angel dressed in an incredibly simple dress stood inside the doors, she held her chin up high and walked down the stairs, one hand on the railing beside her. Her hair was in a bun, very messy but beautiful, she wore no makeup.

Tatianya made her way to the thrown where her king sat, along with his love.

"Good Evening. My apologies for missing the Coronation." Aragon nodded, surprised by her sudden change of character. "I hope nothing went awry?" she cocked an eyebrow as she stood up from her bow. He cracked a smile,

"No my dear, nothing went awry. I wasn't expecting it to. Should I have been worried for some sort of sabotage on my crown, perchance?" she cracked a smile at him.

"Your majesty!" She said in fake shock, "Who would try to do such a thing? Surely not anyone here." He smiled back and gestured to his lover in the seat next to himself,

"My I present, Arwen, she will be my wife. Arwen, Tatianya, Gandalf the White's niece and ward." Anya bowed and kissed the outstretched hand. She then pulled herself up to the newly human ear and whispered. Arwen blushed a deep shade of red. She grinned at Anya and lightly slapped her hand. "You two know each other?" Aragon asked confused.

"Of course we do. She and I were friends for the year I stayed in Rivendell. My lord, pardon the question, but how well do you know your soon to be wife?"

"Not as much as I should from what you are implying."

"I am not implying anything. I would never imply anything like that. I must get to my Uncle now, thank you." As she walked away Anya heard Aragon asking his love what she had told her. She knew he was dying to know. What a cruel trick she was playing on him when he sat back exasperated when Arwen would not reveal the secret Anya had shared with her.

"How was that Uncle?" Anya asked finally when everyone went back to celebrating and stopped paying attention to her.

"Good, I'm impressed by how well you handled yourself."

"Can I go now?" She smiled pleadingly at her uncle, he smiled back,

"No."

"Why not Uncle?" in front of all these guests, she made it look as though she and her uncle were talking about something she enjoyed so as not to let them know she didn't want to be there. Her fake smile was waning though.

"Because, I have finally go you in a dress in a room full of very happy, eligible bachelors. This is not going to happen again if you have anything to say about it. Please, go mingle. I know most of these men, with the exception of the king, want to dance with you. Try, for me, try and find a man you are interested in. You are now almost seventeen, I know it seem young to you but I want you to talk to a man. Not play tricks on him and try to get to know him without him storming off. Did I ever tell you about a distant cousin of mine? Just like you she was…." Gandalf had not noticed his ward had walked off. She now sat at a table with Merry and Pippin, talking about which one would make a better dance partner.

"Why don't we try a contest here then? Hmm? One of you dances with me, the other one… Eowyn!" Hearing her voice, Eowyn floated over to the table looking at the three with innocent questioning. "Eowyn, would you like to participate in a dance contest?"

"Yes, I would." She said after a moment, "What are the stakes?"

"Oh, we are playing with stakes. Hmm, Merry, Pippin? This isn't our competition, what are the stakes?"

"If you lose-" Merry started, he of course was referring to Anya and Pippin because he was head over heels for Eowyn. "You both have to dance with the person's of our choosing!"

"People, Merry, not person's" Eowyn corrected him, making him blush.

"Same goes for you then!" Stated Pippin as he dragged Anya out to the dance floor. It was not easy dancing with the Hobbit, in the end Tatianya just picked Pippin up and danced with him like that, it made him laugh. Merry on the other hand, was convinced to stay put on the ground and although it wasn't easy for him to dance with Eowyn, but they enjoyed themselves.

Through this, when Anya sat back down, she noticed the stares being given to her before each men in turn (who looked at her ) turned his head away, to intimidated to ask for a dance. She sighed as her uncle sat next to the four and spoke after a moment or two,

"Eowyn and Pippin won that challenge. They were far better dance partners then you and Pippin." Pippin frowned at the man, indignant.

"Not true!! We won that one, right Anya?"

"I whole heartedly agree!" She stood up and then said, "But if the judge says otherwise we must obey his words." She outright laughed at Pippin's grumbling,

"When did we even decide he was the judge?! When did we even state there was a judge!!??"

"Pippin, my dear fellow," Merry looked at him mischievously, "did you forget about our bet?" Pippin looked uneasily over at his best friend, "you must now go ask……" An evil smile snuck onto Merry's face, "You must ask Gimli for a dance!"

Pippin's eyes widened in shock and horror, "You don't mean that!!"

"Oh yes I do!!!" Merry nudged his friend in the direction of the dwarf, "Or are you chickening out?"

"This is cruel and evil my friend. But as I am an honest and trustworthy Hobbit-" Merry snorted and gave him a look, Pippin continued, "I will be true to my word…. If you can catch me first!" And Pippin took off out of the hall, Merry yelled after him before running to find him,

"CHEATER!!!"

Eowyn took a seat closer to Anya and laughed along side the girl. "You know" she started getting Anya's attention, "you need to ask someone to dance too. Someone of my choosing!" She gave a smile to her friend,

"I don't!!"

"You do, don't deny it. You mustn't go back on your word or else I won't trust you again" Eowyn said in a sing song voice.

"…..Fine. Only because I'm a good person that way!" She sniffed, trying to hide her fear. Eowyn laughed,

"I won't choose a horrible man for you. How about………." She tapped her finger under her chin and pointed at one that was with a group, laughing and enjoying each other's company. "Legolas! Ask Legolas. I know he is a very sought after Elf. He is also quite refine." Anya blushed. She REALLY didn't want to ask an Elf, they were so proud, he would probably turn her down anyway. "You will be fine!" Eowyn grasped Anya's hands and pulled her up. "This party is going to last for quite a few more hours. The sun had only set an hour ago. You might as well enjoy your time here with a handsome male!" She nudged Anya toward the group and sat back down.

"I hope someone smites you for this," She told her friend. Her walk began, the dancing hall seemed quite a bit bigger then it was when she first walked in. she could see the very elegant female Elves at one table, eying their prince. It was hard getting to him through the bushel of dancing couples. When she finally saw them again after moving through all the people, she broke out into a cold sweat.

One thing about Tatianya that not many people knew is that she was no good with men. Romantically. She could prank them, flirt with them on rare occasions but, holding one's hand or being intimate, even if it was just a dance, she got incredibly nervous. Taking another deep breath and wiping herself over quickly with a handkerchief, she gracefully walked over to the group.

A silence came upon them when one noticed her approach. She bowed slightly, and smiled warmly, "Good evening gentlemen. I require a dance partner, do you know where one might be available?" She looked at all of them, each lighting up and noticing each other's feeling.

"Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, would you mind dearly if I were to dance with you?", she hid her absolute mortification about him potentially saying no locked deep inside her. The men who were arguing stopped and gave evil looks to the long haired Elf. He raised an eyebrow and she cocked her head, as if knowing what his reply was.

"Yes. It is not often I get to dance with a beautiful woman" He took the hand she held out and led her to the dance floor.

"Flattery, my dear Prince, will get you no where with me, have I not already told you this?" She gave him a playful smile.

"'My Dear Prince', this is a new one. What makes you think I'm so dear?" He avoided her previous comment to try and slip her up. All the females who had ever flirted with him were bound to slip up easily around him. To him, Anya was just like every other female. Albeit, quite a bit more lovely, but a regular old lady none the less. They all just wanted his title or him as a trophy. He would never understand the jealousy each woman in the room felt for her to be dancing with him and not them.

"I call you that as a term of respect. If it is offending, might I enquire what you would like me to refer to you as?" she dodged faltering at the question. She had encountered males similar to Legolas. Each playing the game of superiority. Of course, Tatianya was very competitive, and every man who played this game with her ended up losing. This, she round, she knew through the Prince's personality, may be harder to win then the previous.

They danced with grace, Legolas pondering her rebuttal. She obviously had played this before and knew how to avoid the little tricks he said to make her lose her confidence and show how pathetic she really was. Legolas, was an amazing gentleman, every other person who did not have hidden meanings behind their actions toward him or his friends he was perfectly sweet with. Only those who wanted something from him, or him itself, were the ones he showed a subtle dislike for.

"Sire. You can refer to as Sire." He smiled internally as the Anya gave a slight indignant look. With the song finished, he continued, "Thank you for a waste of my time. I hope never to spend any more with you." He bowed and walked off towards Aragon.

Anya held in her utter newly found disdain for this man. She glided off towards Eowyn, who was laughing at her friends shocking news.

"Can you believe that, that AWFUL man would say something like that to me!?" Her rant went on for some time, Eowyn finally giving up in trying to calm the distraught Sorceress and finding a dance partner to go off with.

Gandalf took a seat near his niece when the other woman left; knowing what went down between her and Legolas. "You see Uncle?" she began, "this is why I hate celebrations, something always manages to get under my skin! This time a MAN! Can you believe I let a MAN bother me so?!"

Gandalf sat quietly chuckling to himself. Anya shot him a dirty look. "What old man?"

"Oh nothing," he said, his eyes playful. Tatianya tapped her foot against the floor impatiently. "It would just happen though that a friend of mine has invited you to stay in his domain. I said yes on your behalf because of his high ranking I couldn't turn him down."

"Oh?" suspicion filled Gandalf's niece, she was about to get some news she would not enjoy.

"You have been invited by Thranduil, King of Mirkwood, to stay and study with his fellow Elves." He looked at her expression. Changing from confusion, to understanding, to mortification and anger.

"God help me and say he is NOT the father of a certain ass hole Elf prince name Legolas." Her eyes were pleading for an answer she knew deep down she would not get.

Gandalf stood up and started to walk away, "Pack up your belongings my dear, you and the Hobbits are leaving next month to stay in Mirkwood."

Anya stood and slipped from the hall as inconspicuously as possible. She stormed into her bedroom and thought over the events of that evening and of the near future. She was one angry girl. After breaking just about every breakable object in her room, Anya flopped down on her bed and slept her anger away. Gandalf was going to get hell.


True to her word (or thought as the case may be), Gandalf had been given hell the next week. From losing his voice, finding oatmeal in his hat. Even his horse, Shadowfax, was found to be black one day. A colour the horse thought made him look wonderful. Needless to say, Gandalf watched every move he made, the other people in the castle enjoying his misery. He was thankful for the day Tatianya would leave for Mirkwood. The Hobbits had changed their minds and decided to go back to the Shire two days earlier, leaving Anya to fend for herself.

Gandalf watched as his niece climbed onto her horse, ready for the trip.

"Be careful my dear, we want the death of our newly appointed king on your hands." Gandalf watched as Aragon climbed aboard his horse, Gimli at his side on a pony which was quite a laughable sight. The stupid, no good, ass hole, stuck up, selfrighteous, Prince Legolas had left immediately after the Festival. Tatianya knew he'd be surprised to find her there. With one last look at the castle, she and her two other companions set off (along with a handful or two of guards, more like 45 if you asked Anya).


The journey to Mirkwood was fairly relaxing. On the last night of their trip, Anya went out to explore. They had less then two hours to get to the town but the palace was another hour or so and the guards were to (*wimpy*) tired to continue. So they rested for the night.

One thing to note about Tatianya was her personal hygiene. It didn't matter to her in the least. She didn't bathe once during the two week trip and didn't even brush her hair. She just left it sitting in a knotted bun. But this early morning, she went to a nearby creek to clean herself up. She was taught by her mother when she was still alive to always look good for those around you. She had said you can be a slob in your own company but looking good for other's show how dignified you are. So that was what she was going to do.

She combed her hair in the water, getting rid of the dirt and grease. She scrubbed at her skin until it turned pink. She got out and put on fresh clothes and dried her hair in the towel she brought. Unknown to her normally keen senses, someone watched her from the shadows. She sat down by the collective fire the campers shared and ran her fingers through her hair as she dried it. When it was only damp, she twisted it into a series of twists and curls, piling on top of her head, keeping it in place with the pins she kept with her. Two of her small intricately decorated daggers held the final pieces in place, the two crossing over each other in her hair, only exposing the handles so no one knew they were actually weapons. Better safe then sorry.

By the time the rest of the men (and Dwarf) woke up, Tatianya had already gotten up and put on makeup and a dress. Two things she on normal occasions she wouldn't be caught dead in. the dress was floor length and was white and strapless, the cloak she wore over top was shear and hid her face somewhat because she put up the hood.

On their easy going trot towards Mirkwood, Gimli rode up beside his 'sister'. "So, I am assuming someone pissed you off royally some time a little while ago?" Gimli was good, he knew how she acted and presented herself when she was hurt deeply.

"You have no idea, Gimli."

The castle was enormous. It was partly hidden in the forest that covered the domain in ruled. Walking through the halls was magical. It felt like a forest indoors. Which it was. Most of the guards were given quarters which they retired in. a few guards went with Aragon and Tatianya. Gimli stayed behind, he said in a very noble tone that he was not prepared to meet the man who had imprisoned his father without taking his axe to him quite yet. Anya laughed mercilessly at this.

She and her King walked and talked quietly about what customs they must show the King of Mirkwood. He was interrupted by one of the Kings lords (the Elf King's lord) who wanted to talk over something or other, so Tatianya found herself behind the few guards she was with. They did not bother her due to how amazing she looked it intimidated them greatly.

The doors to the Throne Room opened and Aragon was introduced. Anya stood behind the guards and adjusted one of the daggers digging into her scalp. She saw the Prince standing next to his father's throne. She thought of all the ways she could kill him using one of the dagger's in her hair. She broke off of the thought when she heard Aragon speaking,

"You had a request of the White Wizard. I brought you what you have requested." Anya realized he was talking about her and figured that was her cue to walk up to the throne. She walked between the guards who moved at only her smile. One almost fell over, unprepared for the happy look. She stepped beside Aragon and curtsied low to the ground, briefly glancing at the surprised prince. He was not expecting her.

"Your majesty." She chimed, her voice of an angel. The king smiled back at her, "Sire." She said, nodding to Legolas using her sickly sweet voice. "It is nice to be invited to your home."


ONE REVIEW!!! WOOT!!!!! Pathetic huh? I don't care, every review makes me happy because they show me my effort is appreciated. Thx.

MOMI