"What do you mean I can't fight? You have been training me so well" Adonnenniel yelled out. "I am a fast learner and can control water! You need me, Legolas"

"Someone needs to stay with the maidens and elflings" Legolas lied. "We need you to protect them"

"That is not what your father said earlier" Adonnenniel said. "Now plans have changed?"

"Plans always change" Legolas let out.

"I do not believe that" Adonnenniel shook her head. "You are still not telling me something. The more you avoid this topic the more I am going to pressure this matter on you. I know that if I ask this to your father, he would greatly deny having me with the maidens and elflings underground"

"It was my decision" Legolas finally said. "I was concerned about your well-being. You have never seen the likes of war, so how can you be prepared in such a short time? You may be prepared with a bow and arrow but that means nothing when you see both Sindar and Teleri Elves dying around you"

Adonnenniel had to admit that she didn't quite think about that moment of battle. She felt slightly embarrassed that she never thought about the screams or her people dying around her. Adonnenniel looked back up to Legolas and noticing that he stood as far away from her as possible. Probably the farthest he has ever been from her since they were betrothed.

"You just decided now, Legolas? After just barely letting me stand by you? Regardless of what is to happen out there, I want to know you are safe. Let me stand by you, we can protect each other" Adonnenniel pleaded.

She got up from her spot on the bed and started to walk over to him. Legolas felt himself holding his own breath as she approached. It was almost like as if his mind was ready to believe that she is a ghost. He was about to move his hands to the side before she grabbed onto his hands and gave them a firm squeeze.

"My answer is no. You would be too distracting"

"What?" Adonnenniel looked up at him. "We will protect each other, Legolas. Doesn't everybody do that in the end? We can help each other. I have heard lots of stories about Kings and Queens helping each other in fights! We can be like them"

"We are not like the Kings and Queens" Legolas said. "We are betrothed"

"Oh" Adonnenniel blinked. "Right, I forgot. I am sorry"

"I didn't mean it like that" Legolas shook his head.

Adonnenniel let her hands slip out of his hands as she started to drift away from him. Legolas watched as she went out onto the balcony and stared up at the full moon. He walked over to her and could hear her breathing already shaking as she tried to keep her composure. Legolas wrapped his arm around her waist and placed his hand onto hers.

"Why are you doing this?" Adonnenniel asked in a small voice.

"Because I care about you"

"Care? We are betrothed" Adonnenniel spat back. "You made it sound like we were just some kind of trophies. What is it that you want from me?"

"You make it sound like I have been heartless to you" Legolas told her. "Why are you acting like this?"

"Because I want to stand by you" Adonnenniel broke free from his hold. "Why is that so hard to understand? What if the roles were switched around? What if the maidens had to fight while the males stayed underground? Wouldn't you have wanted to be by my side? Or would you just trust that everything will turn out in the end?"

Adonnenniel felt the insides of herself unravel around Legolas. Everything seemed to have burst all at once; Hûredhiel's cruel intentions, being pushed out of her home and now going to reside underground during the fight. She wanted something to stand out to Legolas that made him understand her just a little bit. But what she got was something that she had not seen coming at all.

"You want to know why I want you down in the undergrounds." Legolas took a step forward. "You want to know why I don't want you fighting. Because I love you, Adonnenniel!"

Legolas didn't know if the shocked expression on her face was because he yelled at her or because he accidentally let out his dark secret. He often felt like the feeling inside of him couldn't have possibly been love but placing that beautiful word around Adonnenniel's name seemed to make sense of his mind. He felt gentle fingertips tracing his strong jaw as Adonnenniel had come up to him and now was tracing his sharp cheekbones. His heart swelled as Adonnenniel traced the tips of his slightly pointed ears and then finally his soft lips.

"If you love me… then you will do one thing for me"

"Yes. Anything. What is it?" Legolas blinked slowly as he said. "Please do not tell me to let you go off into battle. It will break my heart"

"Come back to me" Adonnenniel said suddenly.

"I beg your pardon?" Legolas asked.

"After the battle, come back to me" Adonnenniel said.

"Of course" Legolas said. "You know I will"

"You can't just say it"

"I will return, Adonnenniel, I promise" Legolas told her. "I promise"

"These Ra'zacs are very dangerous"

"I know" Legolas nodded. "I will be careful"

"They are very fast and kill very swiftly" Adonnenniel said.

"This is why you are staying down undergrounds. I do not want you harmed"

"But what about you?"

"I have fought in many wars and battles"

"But not with these creatures"

"We will do our best in finding the shade"

"He will not be the first in line"

"I am aware of that"

"But what if he dresses like one of the Ra'zacs or the Elves?"

"We will know when it is him" Legolas said. "We can sense evil spirits, remember?"

Adonnenniel moved to speak even more but then dropped her head back down as she realized she was out of excuses. This time, she felt Legolas smooth down her hair with his calloused fingers as they went up to trace her slightly arched brow. She looked up to him as a small smile formed as he touched her delicate nose, her smooth flushed cheek, and then her pink lips. She wanted to speak the same words as he did, but instead, she wrapped her arms around him and sank her head into his chest.

"I do not want you to go" Adonnenniel said.

Legolas looked down as he felt Adonnenniel hug him tighter around his midsection. He slightly smiled at the thought of her wanting him to stay. But now was more than ever a chance and reason for him to fight in this battle. He had to protect the Sea Elf Princess that he was hoping to marry and spend his lasting days with.

"I have no choice"

"I do not believe that"

"I am the Prince and have to defend my Kingdom"

"You could die"

"Anyone can die in any kind of battle or war" Legolas pet her hair once again.

"But I don't want it to be you. Please be very careful" Adonnenniel pleaded.

"I promise you with my life"

"Not with your life"

"Then how can I show you I will return?" Legolas asked.

"This is not funny" Adonnenniel looked back up to him.

"I cannot have you worrying about me anymore" Legolas shook his head.

"But I have to! Without you, I would…"

Adonnenniel trailed off as she looked away from his eyes. Her elven ears gave a slight tug as they heard something in the distance, attracting the attention for both Legolas and Adonnenniel.

"Stay here" Legolas said.

Legolas walked back out onto the balcony and concentrated on what his ears were picking up on. The sound of rushing leaves was going against the gentle wind and there seemed to be a sound of some type of clicking. He has heard that noise before in a way that someone was communicating back and forth. Legolas looked over to Adonnenniel who was standing at the doorway with fear in her eyes, the Ra'zacs were coming to attack the borders.

Poster! Hello everybody! Usually for my stories I tend to make a poster along with it and might have already noticed the image difference for this story! If you guys want to see how it actually looks then go to my homepage, copy, and paste the link on the bottom and you should be able to see it! Thanks for all of the support and help that people gave me throughout this story (you know who you guys are!) and continue to read this to the end! Phoebe!