sorry it's been so long. I was busy with Christmas and all, and I finished the Silmarillion that I got as a gift, and... Well, you get the point. Ahem. Anyway, here's the next chap! Review please?

Chapter 16

The plan was in action. "Tell me again, what's our justification for doing this?" Asked Orophin nervously. Yavi, Rumil and I smirked.

"To loosen him up." Stated Rumil matter-of-factly.

"To have fun!" Yavi and I exclaimed.

Just then there was a round of sh-shhing from Legolas. "He's coming!" He hissed.

We watched breathlessly as Haldir walked underneath the tree. Suddenly, Rumil gave a minuscule squeak as a bucket in the tree tipped over- spilling water all over Haldir. He stood there in shock, looking like a drowned rat with soaking wet hair and a shocked face.

I couldn't take it anymore and started screaming in laughter. I actually fell out of the tree, landing on the ground and rolling in laughter. Yavi fell after me a moment later. Haldir looked at us in shock, then looked up to see Legolas and the other two there, bent over double.

"RUMIL! OROPHIN! Get down here now!" He shouted, turning red in anger. I leaped up.

"Oh no, it was all my idea. I'm sorry." I couldn't cover up my giggles, though. He stared.

"Sorry! My name is Eruanna Thranduilion, daughter of Smaug the tyrannical- how that title fits!" I added sarcastically.

He immediately swept into a bow. "All is forgiven, princess." He replied, flustered. I laughed.

"I am truly sorry, Haldir. I hope we can still be friends?" I asked.

"My pleasure, my lady." He replied.

In the days to come, Haldir never got rest from that incident. Unfortunately, neither did I, but I didn't mind half as much.

...

I suddenly leaped up from my chair with a cry. "I can't do this anymore!" I cried out, holding my hands in my head and tears streaming down my cheeks.

I had been practicing with my powers, but every time I tried a fire-shield, a vision came into my mind, of the sight and smell of blood and hearing the screams of so many dying, the roar of dragons, the sound of whips and loud roars- the sound of someone screaming as they seemed to fall away into nothingness.

The fire-shield was a move that made fire spring around and fully cover me at all angles, and making tendrils of fire from the wall behave like whips.

It had happened for the third time, and I couldn't take it any more. It got more and more vivid each time, and the pain got worse.

"Eruanna!" I heard Yavien call worriedly, but I was in the middle of the screaming that slowly faded on the wind and the grappling sensation of trying to hold on to life.

It faded again, and I felt a hand on my head. I looked up to see the lady Galadriel with a concerned look on her face.

"Tell me what is wrong, child." She said, sitting me down firmly. I took a deep breath and explained what I had felt.

She mused for a while. "Have you had anything else like this before?" She asked at last. I opened my mouth to say no, but then remembered a time at Rivendell, about the picture.

"In fact, it sounded like it would match the picture." I said thoughtfully, voice still a little shaky.

Her eyes seemed to dawn in a new light. "I see. Tell me if it happens again." She ordered. I nodded.

"What was it, grandmother?" Asked Yavien.

Galadriel sighed. "Nothing you need to know now. Let us try something else then, shall we?" She asked. We both nodded, and I reassured Yavi that I would be fine. She was still learning to use her gift of sight, and was progressing rapidly, as was I. The lady predicted that we will have learned all she could teach us by the end of the year, a few months away.

I wondered about the vision as we went on. Did they have connection? What did the lady know that I didn't?

...

"Adar!" I cried in joy as I ran into his arms. He had come to bring me back to Greenwood for a while until I went to Rivendell to fulfill Lord Elrond's request. He chuckled quietly into my hair.

"I missed you so much." I said, tears welling up in my eyes.

He pulled away. "As I have you." He replied, brushing a lock of hair away from my face. I smiled and looked past him to see Father.

"Father!" I cried, hugging him tightly as Adar greeted the others. He also chuckled and pulled me in tighter.

"Have you been well, Narylfiel?" He asked gruffly. I smiled.

"I have been, Father. Your treasure has been polished." I replied.

"I can see that it has still remained in the same trappings, however." He noted dryly. My laughter rang out into the air.

"I have." I laughed.

"Good thing!" My brother called out behind me. I turned and smashed the air out of him.

"Toron! Eä, I have missed you!" I squealed.

"I thought you hated being squeezed." He wheezed. I snickered as I pulled back.

"Yes, I do. I never said anything about the reverse process." I replied cheekily. He sighed while Yavi laughed. Rumil, Orophin, and Haldir were also smiling nearby.

Smaug pulled me back towards him possessively. I barely noticed, I was so used to it, but it didn't escape the notice of several others. I just continued to talk with Legolas about what had been going on lately in Greenwood.

"They miss the princess." Legolas said with a smile.

"What about me? My face, my laughter, or my pranks?" I asked deviously. We burst into laughter.

"All of them!" He exclaimed. I smiled softly.

I held onto Father's arm and he wrapped it around my shoulders with a squeeze in reply. What I didn't notice, again, that others did, was the gaze that he gave me. Fiercely protective.

"Father!" I looked up with a smile into his face. His face softened and he smiled back lovingly.

"Yes, my little flame?" He replied.

"Have you been in Erebor lately?" I asked. He shook his head.

"I'm afraid not. I've been too busy." He replied.

I shrugged, but then frowned. I needed to visit Erebor soon.

"I wonder what things will happen now." I murmured thoughtfully, looking away to the sight of Adar speaking with Lord Celeborn. His face was smooth and expressionless. I sighed. Adar was so closed off to all but me and Toron. What would happen if I left one day?

He turned and saw me. I immediately smiled, and a spark of fondness flashed through his eyes for a moment before turning away again.

For now, though I would put away such morbid thoughts. I was going home!