Aerlaer raced at a breakneck speed to catch up to her five companions. Adrenalin rushing through her blood from getting away just before the King had reached her and from that kiss. She desperately wanted to stay with the young, pale blonde elf but the King had clearly found them out and when she had looked at his face, he did not look pleased.

"Why in Arda did you linger?" Aerthor hissed as she caught up to them but she remained silent as they shifted into horse form as they ran fleetly beneath the trees, making nary a sound upon the ground. What if she never saw him again, maybe she should have told him who she was. She had to go back. She stopped causing Thenid who had been running behind her to nearly run into her.

"Aerlaer what are you doing?" he called to her in a loud whisper.

"I'm going back." She declared and made to run back but then Aerthor's shoulder was by her side.

"No you are not Aerlaer." He growled at her and swung her back towards the way they had been running.

She ducked around him and made to race off again and he dashed in front of her, rearing up menacingly.

"Do you want to end up in Thranduil's dungeons? Because that is where you will go if they catch you. Forget that ellon, we must go!" He snapped urgently at her and she wondered if being caught would be worth seeing the woodland elf again. She stood undecided and then her ears slammed back against her head as she heard the unmistakable screech of spiders.

"Quickly we must flee!" Baran cried out and spinning Aerlaer raced away beside Thenid with Aerthor at her heels making sure she did not try and turn around again.

…

The six elfhorses reached the copse of trees they had hidden their belongings in and shifted back to elf form while Baran and Narthan climbed up the trees and retrieved their belongings. Baran passed Aerthor's pack to him and then Aerlaer's down to her, followed by their weapons.

Aerthor fitted his weapons, all the while watching his sister like a hawk in the moonlight. She too was re fitting her sword and quiver but she kept looking back longingly to the way they had just run. He watched her strapping on her vembraces slowly, wasting time.

"Aerlaer will you hurry up, we must not linger any longer." He said to her and she turned and glared at him.

"What if I do not wish to go to Imladris." She said quietly but there was defiance in her eyes.

"We are going and we are going now. To go home will invoke the wrath of Ada." He answered and she shook her head.

"Not home, I want-"

"No!" He snapped. "You can't go back! You saw as I did how angry Thranduil looked. Do you really think he will allow you back courteously?"

"I-"

"No Aerlaer we are going to Imladris, if you go back into the Greenwood you will bring trouble on us all." His sister looked resigned and nodded her head as they all shifted back to horse form. He motioned for Nartharn and Glaurandir to run at the back and with Baran leading, he and Thenid ran on either side of Aerlaer. He didn't trust her to not try and bolt back the way they had come.

…

All through the night they ran. With each passing mile, Aerlaer's heart seemed to become heavier as the distance between her and the Woodland Realm grew. Her loyalty to her six companions kept her in check and she tried not to think about the woodland elf for the sake of them. It was in the early morning they clattered quietly into the stone square in Rivendell, home of Lord Elrond. Aerlaer sighed heavily as she shifted back to elf form along with her companions. They had not walked far towards the houses of their uncle when Aerthor was knocked down as Elrohir came flying out from a tree at him.

"Did you miss me cousin?" Elrohir snickered as Aerthor twisted and tried to grab the lithe, dark haired elf in a headlock.

"The question remains, have you missed me?" Aerthor replied teasingly as he managed to instead sit on the other elf.

"I haven't missed your weight! Clearly the grasses in the Gladden Fields are rich this year." Elrohir retorted and Aerthor leapt off him.

"It is pure muscle." Aerthor said haughtily and the others chuckled.

Another elf, identical to the first, dropped out of the same tree to stand before Aerlaer.

"Elladen are you well?" She asked him, happy to see Elrohir's brother. He looked at her curiously.

"I am, but I think maybe you are not?" He said, concerned and she shrugged and cast her gaze to the mountains, towards the road they had come.

"She is fine." Aerthor said brusquely. "Let us find Lord Elrond and greet him." He made his way up the stairs to the halls and Elrohir followed after giving her a curious look. Elladen walked beside her and murmured lowly to her;

"Are you really?"

"I don't know." She replied truthfully in a quiet whisper.

...

"Young ones, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Elrond said warmly as the six young elves stood before him along with his two sons and daughter in his spacious study.

"We thought it was high time we visited our family in Imladris." Aerthor said with a grin.

"And tell me nephew, exactly how much mischief do you intend to wreak upon my hall's with your cousins?" He looked at the elf enquiringly and held in a smirk as the young prince squirmed under his gaze.

"Oh we don't intend any mischief my Lord." Aerthor replied innocently and this time Elrond did let a small smile play on his face. As he watched them. All but Aerlaer seemed to be feigning the picture of innocence. His nieces mind was elsewhere.

"I've heard that promise before." He laughed lightly. "Go on, find your rooms or the garden if you wish it and settle. I will see you all in the south hall for a light noon meal." They nodded and thanked him and then respectfully left the room. He began to count down the second until all peace in Imladris ended.

"Mîn, tâd, nêl, canad, lebe-"

"Ai! I'll get you for that you fat horse!" Bellowed Elrohir's voice from down the hallway."

"Well that was two seconds longer than last time." He mused with a grin as he went back to pouring over his papers.