"Have I arrived too late?"

"I thought you would never come"

"Never come to your betrothal? What kind of friend do you think I am?" Gimli exclaimed. "I was starting to get a little bit worried about you. I thought you were going to live your whole life lonely"

"Like you?"

"Do not make me angry" Gimli threatened.

"I would never dream of it" Legolas told his best friend. "I am glad you are here"

"So have you met your future bride?" Gimli asked. "Is she beautiful, or what? Tell me what she is like?"

"She is lovely, but hesitant" Legolas said.

"Just give her time" Gimli said like as if he was a professional. "She will fall head over heels for you soon"

"You know what order we are being introduced in?" Adanion asked his sisters later that night. "It is important that we do not make a mistake"

"We always come out by biological order"

"You just need to relax"

"Relax with you two at the same party?"

"I promise to not embarrass you again"

"We will have to see about that"

"I don't know what he's so upset about? His entrance is no different than fathers" Adlanniel shook her head as she closed the door on their brother's face.

"Doesn't he always worry before a big event?" Adonnenniel questioned.

The two sisters laughed as they remembered their brother always pestering about, acting more like a Queen instead of a King. Adonnenniel had to admit that she loved seeing her eldest sister around now. Ever since her wedding, she had moved out of the castle and wanted to live a normal life as a March Warden's wife. Completely off the map and away from the world.

"Are you ready?" their mother asked once the sister's joined their family, Thranduil and Legolas at the entrance.

"Don't be nervous" Legolas whispered to her as they both joined arms.

"I will try not to"

"My friends and family let us begin"

Soon after Adanion said that corny line, a musical band started to strike up. Adlanniel turned around and winked at her sister before looking back at the doors. Adonnenniel tried to smile but instead took a deep breath. She glanced over to Legolas who seemed just as nervous as she did to not notice her looking at him.

"Please rise for, Lady Aaliyah and Thranduil King of the Woodland Realm!"

"Next in line are Lady Adlanniel and her brother Adanion King of the Seashore Realm!"

"And last but not least, the betrothed couple, our very own Lady Adonnenniel and Lord Legolas" yelled out the announcer as Legolas and Adonnenniel stepped through the covered veil.

The room was brightly lit and Elves of all races seemed to have filled the room, clapping and aweing at the couple as they walked down the stairs. Adonnenniel did her best to smile at everyone but she was too busy searching the crowd for people leaning their heads together in already gossip. She looked over to Legolas as he gave her a reassuring smile to calm her nerves. It did, for a little bit but then she remembered that their first dance was to be directly after this.

"We are so honored to have you all come together for this lovely event" her mother, Aaliyah yelled out.

"Aaliyah, I am more than happy to join our children together in a wonderful time like this" Thranduil told Aaliyah.

"We are more than honored to let pasts subside in a time of peace" Aaliyah told them.

"A new age is dawning but it does not mean that the Time of the Elves is officially over. Together, we will bring forth a new community and share what time we have left on Middle-Earth" Thranduil waved over to Adonnenniel. "We are more than happy to welcome you with open arms into our home and family"

"Let us make this official, Lord Thranduil" Aaliyah smiled.

"Let us begin" Thranduil smiled from ear to ear.

"So with no further a due let's have the first dance begin!" Aaliyah spoke up.

"Please, my son and future daughter, take the floor" Thranduil waved over to the open space around them.

"We welcome you into both of our worlds" Aaliyah concluded. "May you both live in harmony and peace"

"And take care of Mirkwood when I officially leave this land" Thranduil said. "For I have full confidence in both of you"

"Please come, Lord Legolas" Aaliyah waved him over. "Bring my daughter to the floor with you. Let us begin the first dance and celebrate this night together. The time has come, my children"

"That is our cue" Legolas muttered as they both joined hands and took the center of the vast space and their parents left. "Now it is time for our dance"

Adonnenniel placed a hand on his shoulder as he placed a hand on her hip and they started to twirl to the music. She wasn't sure if the spinning was making her dizzy or the fact that everyone was watching them with scary and big smiles. Adonnenniel looked over Legolas' shoulder and noticed one Dwarf standing right next to Thranduil who already was weeping at the sight of the two of them dancing. She quickly looked away and tried to find another place to look at for the remainder of their dancing time.

"Why so tense?"

"Have you looked around yet?"

"Then let's just focus on each other" Legolas whispered to her.

"Seems like our parents were fighting for the last word in the joint speech they made up" Adonnenniel told him.

"So I noticed" Legolas smiled. "Forgive my father; he has been dying to have a ceremony for me like this"

"You mean he's been trying to marry you off? Seems like I am not the only one" Adonnenniel muttered more to herself than to Legolas.

"Luckily, the Council of the Ring came when it did" Legolas joked. "It bought me 13 months"

"Must've felt like a blink of an eye" Adonnenniel said. "It must've been full of thrill-seeking, though. An adventure that you cannot quite put into words"

"So I see that you are a fan of adventures" Legolas spoke up. "You must've been wondering what the feeling is like to have that adrenaline rush coursing through your veins"

"Actually, I prefer to hear the stories and not try to make one up for my own" Adonnenniel objected.

"It isn't as bad as it seems" Legolas shook his head as his eyes turned a different shade of blue.

"You should sit down and listen to some of the stories, Lord Legolas. There is always a point where the story plummets to a despair that makes you want to stop reading and not want to know the outcome" Adonnenniel said.

"Well, Adonnenniel, I felt nearly the same way when I was fighting in Helm's Deep" Legolas said. "I was afraid that I would not see my father, my people, or my home ever again. But that was the thing that kept me fighting throughout the night"

"That is the reason why I do not wish to be in a situation like that" Adonnenniel responded.

"You will know when your tale comes"

"How are you so sure that it will ever come?" Adonnenniel asked. "The only thing I can see in my near future is being married off to you and I don't think an adventure is going to start behind those walls"

"I am guessing this is where apology number 2 is going to come in" Legolas smiled down to her.

"Ugh. Why didn't you stop me?" Adonnenniel felt a pit in her stomach. "I did not mean to intend that Mirkwood is a boring place. I just meant that living a life as a Queen or Princess is reserved. That is how I lived my life and I am sure that is how it is going to continue to play out"

"It is entertaining on seeing you let your mind wonder" Legolas noted.

"So then you have heard about those ungodly rumors" Adonnenniel cracked a smile. "I knew a Prince would not reject news that is flying around about his future wife"

"I was curious on what they had to say" Legolas shrugged.

"Well, get ready for an ear-full tonight because a bunch of Elves that I danced with are here. They have less than kind things to say about me" Adonnenniel said as she noticed some of her old dancing partners around the room.

"I will be sure to talk to them then" Legolas said.

"Please don't" Adonnenniel looked at Legolas with wide eyes afraid of what he might hear.

"If you don't want me to than just ask" Legolas told her.

"I would prefer that you don't listen to them. I don't know what else they might say, Lord Legolas" Adonnenniel said. "The song is ending"

"You know what comes after this, right?" Legolas asked.

"The first kiss" Adonnenniel barely whispered out the answer.

"I will not talk to the Elves that you point out to me later tonight" Legolas than smiled. "If, you dance with my Dwarf friend"

"Now you are just teasing" Adonnenniel said as they slowed to a stop.

"A deal's a deal" Legolas said. "What do you say?"

"Fine"

"Fine, what?"

"It is a deal, my lord" Adonnenniel said. "I will dance with your Dwarf friend, Lord Legolas. In return that you do not consult with those Elves"

The song stopped as Legolas and Adonnenniel stood there staring at each other. Very slowly, Legolas bent down as Adonnenniel lifted her head up, closed her eyes, and felt their lips touch. Adonnenniel felt almost a sudden chill come over her, not like the chill of winter's snow but the refreshing chill from water after longing for its thirst, it waved around her until she realized that the sound of waves weren't coming from the ocean but of the people clapping around them. The couple broke the kiss and she noticed that Legolas was staring down at her in the oddest way, almost like he was shocked at what he felt behind the kiss as well.

"I figured you would be here" Gimli said the next afternoon. "Once your father mentioned to me that there was a practice field, I knew where to find you"

"I thought you would be eating the food that was in the kitchen" Legolas shot the arrow at a target.

"I was…" Gimli started as he stood there.

"Something happened last night. Something happened with my first dance with Adonnenniel, Gimli" Legolas started.

"Really?" Gimli asked in shock. "I never even noticed that! Last night, the two of you were inseparable and now today you two are as far away from each other as possible. She is smart and lovely, I will give you that. And an excellent dancer. What seems to be the problem, Legolas? You two seemed to bond together like you were already married"

"The kiss… something was different about the kiss" Legolas took another shot at the target.

"You have kissed other Elven Maiden's before?" Gimli asked.

Legolas gave him a glare. "I have had my fair share. Thanks for asking"

"What was it like?" Gimli asked.

"What?" Legolas looked over to Gimli with a confused look but still hit the bull's-eye.

"The kiss with Adonnenniel. How was it different?" Gimli said slowly. "You honestly think I care about the other Maidens?"

"There was a cooling rush" Legolas said slowly.

"Go on" Gimli urged.

"It reminded me of my longing for the sea, except it was for her" Legolas told him as he aimed his bow and arrow.

"Wow" Gimli said. "Seems to me that you have fallen for her so quickly. I never thought you to be the type"

"It was like something was caged inside of me that I never knew existed until she came around"

"I am sure she feels the same way" Gimli smiled.

"How would you know?" Legolas asked as he took aim again.

"She has been standing by the ocean ever since she left her chambers" Gimli told his best friend. "Seems like she is in deep in thought too"

"She has always been doing that" Legolas looked over to his friend.

"But I am sure not with a smile on her face" Gimli replied back. "Which is what people have been saying is on her face the whole time. And, yes, Legolas, I believe the feeling that you feel is mutual. She must've felt what you felt in the kiss. Otherwise she wouldn't be standing off to the side"

"What if she's just avoiding me and knows I can't go to the ocean?" Legolas asked.

"If I learned anything from Elves" Gimli told him. "It's that they each need a special place to think things through. Hers just happens to be the ocean"

Adonnenniel watched as the waves moved in and out of the beach, taking what it needed and then coming back again. It sometimes brought something so precious from the sea that one wonders what other gifts it had to offer to their land.

"So you are back on these shores again, aren't you?"

"I never left, Adlanniel"

"I say last night was a success. Don't you think, sister?" Adlanniel asked.

"It was very entertaining" Adonnenniel agreed. "It was one of those rare times that I did not humiliate myself or the family"

"That you noticed" Adlanniel smirked.

"What do you mean by that?" Adonnenniel looked to her eldest sibling.

"Nothing" Adlanniel shrugged. "Just that you were constantly around Legolas. You didn't even notice the people gossiping. Now, that was a big thing that we noticed"

"We?"

"We" Adlanniel repeated. "Adanion, mother, and I"

"Just giving them what they wanted"

"I think it's more than that" Adlanniel said. "I think you are falling for the Elven Prince"

"How would you think that?" Adonnenniel asked.

"Because you've been smiling like a mad dog" Adlanniel nudged her shoulder. "Not to mention talking to everyone you see"

"I always talk to everyone" Adonnenniel rolled her eyes.

"Even a Dwarf?" Adlanniel asked. "The Adonnenniel I know would've stayed away from him"

"Gimli is not that bad" Adonnenniel reasoned.

"More or less you wouldn't have called a Dwarf by its first name" Adlanniel pointed up two fingers from her hand. "You sound like Legolas. When he came back from the Fellowship and brought his friend around. I saw you laughing with that Dwarf like you two were the best of friends. The three of you were in your own little world and did not see the glares that everyone was giving the Dwarf"

"I guess it is time for a change" Adonnenniel shrugged.

"See?" Adlanniel smiled. "I believe he is already changing you and you don't even know it"