He'd spent the night high up in a tree, furious with his father and desolate he had not been able to track down the she elf after she had fled from the glade the eve before. Who had she been? Clearly a lower ranked elleth for Adar to make a scene. He had to find her somehow, but first he had to go home and face his father. Begrudgingly he dropped down from the tree and made his way slowly back to the halls of Oropher, keeping his eyes to the ground searching for any tracks which might have told him where the elleth had gone but apart from the odd, faint hoof print here and there, there were no faint elf tracks.

He passed through the city gates to the raised looks of the guards which stood there but apart from stiff bows and a joint murmured. "My lord." They said nothing as he made his way into the airy cavernous halls. He was intercepted by Celevon who looked both weary and wary.

"Greetings young Prince Legolas." The older ellon bowed slightly and Legolas held back a sigh.

"Well met Celevon." He replied neutrally as he made to head to his own chambers.

"My lord Legolas, the King asked me to send you immediately to him upon your eventual return." Celevon's voice sounded strained as he gave the orders to him. Great, I am entirely not in the mood to face him right now, although perhaps I can push Adar for the information I seek.

"Very well, I will see him now." Legolas sighed and turned on his heel in the direction of his father's throne, silently passing other elves of the court along the many weaving paths as he made his way through the sunlight filtered caverns and crossed over another path and then finally came to the winding wooden path bridge which would bring him to his father. Taking a deep breath, he strode forward, chin held proudly and shoulders squared and then stepped down to the circular area before his father's tall and magnificent throne and looked up to where his father sat regally draped upon the fine blankets upon his antlered throne.

"My Lord you wished to see me?" He asked, keeping his voice steady. His father's eyes found his and bore down into them but after a moment he looked away. Still he cannot bear to look me in the eye. Legolas thought with a pang of sadness.

"You disobeyed my orders." Thranduil hissed down at him, glaring just below his eyes. "Where have you been?" he demanded, swinging his legs to rest on the stone platform of his throne and standing, slowly sauntered down the stone stair towards his son.

"You know well where I have been." Legolas replied, internally seething. "I was trying to find the elleth which you scared away!"

"I did no such thing; she had already decided to flee." Thranduil replied derisively.

"Who is she?" He demanded, glaring at his father, trying to catch his eye but Thranduil avoided looking at him.

"She is no one. A common elf." He replied dismissively and Legolas felt enraged.

"She is someone to me!" He cried to his father indignantly. Thranduil hissed under his breath and rounded on his son.

"No she is not, you don't even know her." He snapped viciously and it was all Legolas could do to not take a step back from his irate father.

"Maybe if you tell me who she is I can know her." He replied back sarcastically and his father's eyes blazed.

"I forbid it." Thranduil growled.

"Forbid what Adar? Forbid my heart for feeling as it does?" He retorted angrily.

"You know nothing of such feelings." Thranduil snapped.

"Oh I think I do! It is like feeling as if the sun has come out and scared away all darkness!" He cried determinedly. "That is what Nanath said she felt when she was with you!"

"Be silent!" Thranduil roared viciously and Legolas knew he had crossed a very dangerous line, but he was not backing down. Not this time he found his father's eyes and locked them with his and he saw the intensity of his gaze affecting his father.

"I will find her." He said quietly. "Whether you approve or not." Thranduil laughed hollowly at him.

"You can try but, you never will." He turned away from his son and made his way back up the stairs of his throne, back stiff, still in rage. "Get out of my sight Legolas." He said tiredly and angry and hurting, Legolas gave his father a scathing glare before storming from the cavern.

…

Legolas entered his chambers, slamming the wooden door soundly behind him and flung off his boots and garments as he stormed into his bathing room and stepped under the tepid water of the fall, tipping his head up into the fan of gushing water, letting the noise drown out all else for a few moments before he deftly washed himself and stepped out, grabbing a towel and drying himself. He pulled on his hunting greens and his arm armour and once his hair had dried, stood before his mirror and braided it as he gazed at his eyes reflecting back at him. When will Adar accept it is me who looks back at him not Nanath. He turned away and headed towards the long burgundy table where he had left his quiver and shrugged it onto his back. He noticed someone; probably his servant Idhren had refilled his apple bowl which took pride of place on the same table and took two and bit into one as he again left his chamber. The taste brought memories flooding back from the eve before and determinedly he went to find his two favourite guards to accompany him hunting down the mysterious elleth.

…

Aerlaer lay sprawled flat on her back in the meadow which grew at the back of the huge garden in Rivendell. Beside her lay Elrond's youngest and Aerlaer's cousin, Arwen. Both elves were resting beneath a large oak tree in the dappled shade of its leaves.

"How long will you stay with us cousin?" Arwen asked nonchalantly but Aerlaer didn't reply. She turned her head to the other elf.

"Aerlaer?" she startled from her thoughts.

"Sorry. What did you ask?" Arwen laughed and repeated her question.

"How long will you stay here?"

"I think three or four weeks. That is what Aerthor proposed to Ada." Aerlaer replied with a heavy sigh. She was hoping she could convince Aerthor they should head back sooner.

"You do not sound very happy by that." Arwen murmured dejectedly and Aerlaer turned to her.

"I am sorry Arwen; it is not that I wish to sound so despondent. You know how I love Imladris and seeing you and the twins and uncle it's just…" She sighed again.

"What is it? You can tell me." Arwen said coaxingly and Aerlaer studied her thoughtfully. Well who else would I confide in. she realised. Arwen always had her back and she hers.

"I kind of accidently met an ellon." Aerlaer said shyly as Arwen's eyes widened in surprise.

"When, where, most importantly who?" The nearly raven haired elf asked excitedly.

"Yesterday eve in the woodland realm." Aerlaer answered quietly and Arwen gasped.

"What on earth were you doing there?" She asked intrigued and so Aerlaer explained how Aerthor and she plotted a way to stealth their way into Thranduil's celebration.

"Wow Aerlaer, how rebellious of you." Arwen chuckled. "But what of this ellon, tell me about him, what is his name?" She asked with a grin and Aerlaer groaned.

"I have no idea what his name is, or he mine. It was the rules of the masked dance to not reveal ones identity and I feared if I asked for his name he would have expected to learn mine in return. He dearly wished to know my name and I feel such a fool now for not giving it." She said sadly.

"Well then what was he like?" Arwen pressed and Aerlaer fell back against the grass and sighed. "That wonderful?" She laughed and Aerlaer nodded.

"He was tall, maybe a hand taller than myself and had silvery blonde hair and although I could not see his whole face he had a sweet and playful smile and he had warm brown eyes."

"Brown eyes?" Arwen asked curiously and Aerlaer nodded with a grin.

"Yes and they were gentle and kind and yet mischievous and full of life. He was full of joy and wit but also he could speak of serious matters too. His dancing, it was superb and I easily kept pace with him." Aerlaer explained happily, a smile playing on her lips.

"Cousin your hair is glowing." Arwen laughed musically and Aerlaer giggled. "If it had not been coloured by the black walnut it would have been glowing yesterday eve I am certain. Never have I felt so happy." She decided dreamily.

"When did you wash it out of your hair?" Arwen asked.

"Early this morning before we arrived, the river was freezing! We had to change back into our travelling garments too." Aerlaer replied.

"What dress did you wear to the celebration?" The dark haired elf asked playfully and Aerlaer grinned.

"My favourite one of course!" Aerlaer laughed. She was glad she had Arwen to talk to.

"We have so many things we both like and hate too!" She gushed excitedly. "I found out he is one of the court ellon's and he too hates the expectation of rank. He likes apples just as much as I do and I guessed his age to be two-hundred, not much older than me." She said as Arwen grinned at her. "Oh I think I'm in love." Aerlaer sighed happily.

"Do you think he feels the same Arwen asked and Aerlaer grinned brilliantly.

"Oh yes!" She replied joyfully. "Before I had to leave he kissed me!" She unconsciously touched her fingers to her lips, remembering his kiss.

"Then he definitely feels the same! What was it like?" Arwen grinned happily at her.

"It was like being struck by lightning, tingling and exciting but gentle too. Breathtaking." She sighed.

"Aerlaer you sigh more than the wind in the eaves." Arwen teased her cousin and Aerlaer sighed again.

"But they are happy sighs." She laughed.

"How will you find him again?" Arwen asked quietly and Aerlaer chewed on her bottom lip her brows slightly furrowed in thought.

"I am not exactly sure, I think I will just have to go into the Woodland Realm and search for him I think. Blonde haired, brown eyed, young and lives in the hall's and is training for the guard. How hard can it be?" Aerlaer laughed dryly.

"Indeed, how hard is it going to be to get within the court of King Thranduil?" Arwen added and Aerlaer nodded.

"He is a formidable elf, the King of the Woodland Realm. I accidently locked eyes with him, before we were found out. There's sadness in his eyes. It is hard to see but it is there. If he can feel sadness then surely he cannot be as bad as the stories we have heard although I've no doubt he is strict, it was not easy getting past his guard and I think their customs are tighter than those in Lothlórien. I had a servant bow to me as if I were royalty."

"Aerlaer you idiot, you are royalty." Arwen chortled at her cousin.

"Yes but he didn't know that." She grinned mischievously.