I had not seen a greeting ceremony such as this in all my years, I thought to myself, as I stood in my place. Celebrían and I had taken position on the first step at the base of our great mellorn tree, I to the left, and she to the right. Haldir stood at my side, a step below, and in front of us, our people made a great pathway to allow our guests forward, when they arrived. Glancing up around me, I could see the entire city had truly come to see these new guests of our, this strange party from Greenwood. They were in the boughs of trees, looking down from stairs, from balconies, all eyes watchful and eager.

"Never have I seen quite a stir among our people…" Celebrían murmured, her eyes following mine.

I looked to her. "Nor I," I replied.

"You said the crown prince is bringing but two score, Arnuríel," Haldir asked me. "Do you not think our people might find their arrival a little of a let down?"

I laughed. "I believe the crown prince and his son will be enough to keep their eyes entertained."

"Did you catch a glimpse of the young prince?" Celebrían asked, her interest suddenly peaked.

I smiled softly in faint amusement. "I did."

"Your verdict, my lady?" my sister said with a mocking grin.

"As handsome as he was destined to be," I replied with not flicker of emotion betrayed, though my mind strayed from my words. I remembered the conversation of which I had partaken just that morning. By the wise handsome features of his father, and the famous beauty of his mother, the prince Legolas indeed handsome blood and his face reflected it. But there had been something in the brief moment in which our eyes met; a beauty I had not yet seen in neither lord nor lady. It intrigued me…

"Hm," Rían snorted. "I shall be my own judge of that. And he still has not apologised for his past actions."

"They are coming!" The sudden faint shout went out, and before I realised what was happening, music had begun to play and my back had straightened, my head raised, ready to receive our royal guests.

It felt like a long while before finally the crown prince came into view, but finally, to whisperings and scattered applause and song, Thranduil rode his great white stallion toward us. His eyes caught mine and I thought I saw a flicker of something; amused triumph perhaps? Though I did not understand the cause for such an emotion. The king's son halted his stallion several feet from our steps, and he waited there for a moment, his eyes passing from my sister, to I, to Haldir and so back again.

And then, his flea bitten mare trotting so as to catch up, the young prince rode into his own view, pulling the mare sharply up beside his father. His piercing blue eyes were wide and curious, looking down first upon Celebrían, before crossing to me, and suddenly his eyes widened further and he muttered words to his father. Thranduil gave the slightest inclination of his head, before he swiftly dismounted and stepped gracefully toward us. Legolas swung down after him, and followed in the shadow of his footstep.

"Your highnesses," Haldir announced, and bowed his head, all our people following his lead. I in turn nodded my own head graciously. "You are most welcome here. Might I present our Lord Celeborn, and Galadríel, Lady of Light."

I stepped ever so slightly to my left, turning a little, as I heard the soft rustle of gowns as my royal parents descended the stairs behind us. They were well practised at this royal entrance.

"Thranduil Oropherion," my ada greeted, spreading his hands in welcome. "It has been too long once again, my old friend. How do we allow this to happen?"

Thranduil gave his thin but amused smile. "In faith, I do not know. It is indeed good to return to the trees of Lorien once more. And to once again look upon the great face of your lady." He bowed his head to my naneth.

"You ever flatter me, Thranduil," Galadríel replied softly.

"You are earlier than we expected," Celeborn added.

"We had safe paths on the road," Thranduil replied. "Good fortune favoured us this journey. And…" His eyes suddenly passed to me. "There was a little help in finding your great city."

Celeborn glanced at me and I swallowed, staring determinedly at the ground. "And so this must be the young prince Legolas."

Legolas bowed his head in respect. "My lord, it is a pleasure to finally see your city as you once saw mine. I thank you for your kind hospitality."

Celeborn nodded approvingly. "You were but an elfling when last we met. Now I see a true warrior prince. I should be interested to see how your archery compares to that of the Galadhrim, we hear stories that none can contest to the youngest Greenwood prince."

"I do not dare to even hope that I might near the skill of your Galadhrim, for I too have heard tales," Legolas replied. I smiled. He had not seemed the type to be so modest when we had first met. He suddenly caught my eye and caught my smile, and smiled back.

"He is a credit to you," Celeborn told Thranduil.

"And your daughters to you," Thranduil countered, his gaze now passing onto us. "For these are they, I presume? I must admit I did not expect to find young ladies such as this, and yet my expectations were high."

"Time flies too fast," Celeborn agreed, "but it has flown well. This-"

But Thranduil raised his hand to silence my father. "No, no. Indulge me. Allow me to guess again."

I remembered clearly the day we had stood before him last, and he had bent over us, regarding us for a time before correctly distinguishing us. I was curious as to how he would fare this time.

But barely a moment passed, before Thranduil bowed his head to Rían. "Lady Celebrían, a pleasure. You are indeed the beauty I have heard you to be. Lord Elrond in particular speaks most highly of you."

Celebrían raised her head proudly as she nodded. "My lord, the pleasure is all mine."

"And so of course," Thranduil smiled, his eyes falling to me, "Lady Arnuríel. The woodland angel whose voice so guided us here. We must thank you, I think."

"Not at all, my lord," I replied with a quiet smile. "It is a great privilege to have you here."

"For a moment, I was unsure of who you were, in the woods," Thranduil went on. "It took a moment for me to recognise you. My son believed that you were Nimrodel, or something like her." He laughed, a surprisingly hearty sound for such a man, and I glanced at Legolas. He was not blushing but in the way he looked at me then straight at the floor with determined eyes, I could tell he felt embarrassed. I smiled gently.

"His highness flatters me," I replied, and at this Legolas glanced back up, something of hopefulness in his blue eyes. "To be likened to Nimrodel is a great honour." I could suddenly feel a hard stare upon me, and when I glanced up to my father, I found him glaring suspiciously down at me. My eyes widened slightly and I looked back to the floor. I was going to have to cover for Nieríel later.

"It is my deepest regret that we are not quite prepared for your arrival, the feast to welcome you to our woods is not for two nights yet," my mother began, a hand moving gently to my father's arm. "But for now you must be weary. Let us show your people to their lodgings, and not think upon such matters as treaties for now."

"Rest for I and my people would be well received, I thank you," Thranduil replied graciously.

Galadríel nodded. "Haldir, our Captain, will take charge of your people. Arnuríel, tinu, if you would show his highness to his chambers, and Celebrían? Would you take the young prince?"

I glanced at my mother as she directed the suggestion to me, and I nodded willingly. "Of course. My lord?" I turned to Thranduil.

Thranduil inclined his great head to me, and as my great parents turned and made their way back to their own chambers, I followed, the king's son at the hem of my gown. I soon turned off the main stairway of the mellorn, and climbed a smaller stair to the royal guest chambers, taking our guest to the largest and most glorious of those rooms.

Golden sun beams flooded through the leaves at the windows, dappling the entire room in the warmest, softest of light. I stood back as Thranduil strode past me and surveyed the room in silence for a moment.

"I hope it is to your liking, my lord, it is the finest guest room we here possess," I ventured softly, stroking one of the long silver velvet curtains absentmindedly.

"It will do very nicely, little lady, thank you," Thranduil nodded approvingly, turning to me. He regarded me with a calculating eye for a moment, and I felt like I was not yet dismissed. "I sense I may have caused some trouble in telling of your whereabouts earlier this afternoon?"

I laughed. "No trouble that was not by own making, my lord, I assure you. True, I was not intended to be in the woods at all, and my father will have something to say, but the fault is entirely my own."

"It is strange, for I seem to recall that while your sister often ran astray- and perhaps still does- I was of the impression that you, on the other hand, were the… shall we say, the 'obedient one'?"

I smiled again and bowed my head. "That is generally how we are known. I had been undertaking my tasks this morning but unfortunately the kitchens and I do not have a the best of understandings. The lady of the kitchens, as such, allowed me to take my leave early and I took the opportunity to ride out of the city. My father does… or did not know. No doubt I shall have to explain before too long."

Thranduil nodded. "I see. Well, you may tell him that I, for one, and my son too, I think, were very glad you abandoned your tasks early. It was an unexpected greeting, but a welcome one. I must admit, the thought of Nimrodel ran also through my mind." He placed a long fingered hand on my shoulder and gave me a calculating, but affectionate look that reminded me of my father. "You are a gift to our race, Arnuríel. You have your father's sense and respect, but also your mother's untamed beauty. Do not let Celeborn reprimand you too harshly or I shall have words with him." And then to my very great surprise, the great king's son winked.

I laughed and nodded. "As you wish my lord, thank you. I shall have your possessions brought to you at once."

"Thank you," Celeborn bowed, and, with a deep gracious curtsey, I turned and descended his stairs. I had never been sure of what to make of Thranduil but I now knew that I liked him. The thought of crossing him terrified me but I had no plans to do so.

"Ah, Ríel!"

I turned sharply as I heard the call of my name, my hair whipping back as I looked around. Celebrían and the prince Legolas were standing together in the centre of the smaller guest room, a little less grander than Thranduil's but just as lovely. Celebrían grinned and beckoned to me, and I obediently entered and crossed to them, giving Legolas a welcoming smile as I went.

"Sister, you will never guess what it was that Legolas and I were just discussing?" Rían said to me, giving me a wicked grin.

I raised my eyebrows and glanced at Legolas who was wearing a small smile. "If only I could guess!"

"Legolas was just making his deepest apologies over the small dispute that occurred between us during our last meeting," Rían said triumphantly, and slipped her arm through Legolas'. Legolas looked down at the floor, his smile widening slightly.

I laughed. "Small? Small dispute?"

"It was hardly anything, but it is very courteous of the princeling to say anything," Celebrían grinned.

I smiled incredulously at Legolas. "My lord, that is too kind of you! I only hope she did not bully you into an apology too harshly."

"It was only appropriate," Legolas shrugged with a ruthful grin, and, before I could believe it, a wink of his own. I could hardly contain my surprise. Like father, like son.

"And have you in turn made your own apologies, sister?" I asked, my own smile widening as I turned to Celebrían.

Celebrían's eyes widened. "…I was just about to!" she replied in such a way that I knew instantly she was in no such process.

"I'm sure," I giggled.

"But her ladyship has no need to apol-" Legolas began, suddenly frowning at me.

I shook my head. "She has every need to, do you not, Celebrían?" Celebrían glowered at me. I looked back at Legolas with an innocent smile. "I hope you will be very happy here, during your stay. If you have need of anything, do not hesitate to say so."

Legolas bowed graciously to me. "Thank you, my lady, that is most kind. I very much intend to enjoy my visit to your city."

I nodded. "Rían, are you coming?"

Rían nodded. "I suppose so." She slipped her arm from Legolas' and gave him a wide curtsey. "My lord."

"My ladies," he smiled, and Rían ducked out of his chambers, taking my hand and dragging me after her, leaving the young prince to himself.

"So are you now content with yourself?" I asked, as we climbed to our own chambers. "You have succeeded in pulling an apology from the poor man, and issued none yourself?"

"I am very content with myself," Celebrían nodded, "and I have decided that I do indeed like the young prince."

"Well that is a relief, I shall not ready myself for the prevention of a second attack," I laughed.

"And what of you, dear sister?"

I frowned. "What of me?"

"What do you think of the little lord?"

Now my eyebrows rose. "I think he, like you, has very much grown up and I look forward to becoming better acquainted with him."

My eyebrows descended once again as I finished; Celebrían was regarding me with a look I had never seen adorn her face before. A calculating look as though she were trying to figure out if I meant something more, even if I did not know it myself. Which I certainly did not.

"Hm…" she said after a while. "Well to that I can only agree."

And she disappeared into her private chambers, drawing the sweeping curtains closed and I was left in our entrance chamber alone, utterly perplexed.