So sorry it took this long to update, I do have a very busy life. But I always have time on the weekends luckily!

Thanks for the reviews and new followers! It always brightens my day when I have a crazy week like this. And I know it's a little shorter!

I didn't fully edit this one as an attempt to get it out before the weekend so... THE NEXT CHAPTER I ACTUALLY SPEND ALOT OF TIME ON!

Hot breath crept up his neck and he let the arrow slip that rested upon his bow. Legolas sighed and twisted to face the intruder.

"Merith, you really shouldn't sneak up upon a man with a weapon."

He looked displeased and Merith giggled slightly. His sheer intensity and concentration in archery practice often distracted him lately and Merith happily took advantage of it. It was fun to best him at some things.

"I apologize, Legolas. It's just very comical to surprise you."

"You didn't surprise me. I was merely letting you get the satisfaction out of the situation." His bow now rested upon his shoulder as he smirked towards her light expression. Merith knew he had been training for hours but his appearance betrayed the facts. The sun in his hair hung loosely on his back, straight to perfection. His smooth skin glowed with exuberance.

"Legolas, why have you been training so much lately?"

"Because I need to get back into practice," he stated simply, leaving no room for any other conclusions. She knew a prince regularly practiced but within the week of her request she had only seen him return to the castle when the darkness fell. Whenever she would ask for his help during the days, he would never be there.

Yet his voice carried a sharp edge. Legolas' complexity induced great confusion upon Merith but she knew that he never spoke of any of his troubles. He would instead calmly listen to all of her own.

"Now why did you come to interrupt my training?"

"Well…I thought we could perhaps start today? You know…with the plan?"

Excitement danced in her bright green eyes and Legolas could not help but smile. The innocence painted on her face portrayed a certain beauty he could not explain. Perhaps it was the leaves leaking down the trees around her that brought out the light in her. Or maybe it was the day. He did not know.

Legolas had come to enjoy her presence through the last days, ever since he agreed to help her. Her entire personality had changed. Instead of walking in her normal confused daze, she lightly danced her feet upon the wooden floors of the library, her eyes searching for answers she could actually find. It was curious to watch an elf absorb so much knowledge at once. He always knew when she found something interesting for her face would lite in the dripping darkness of candle-lit nights. Night was the only time he visited.

FLASHBACK

"Legolas! I found the perfect city!" Merith's face beamed with excitement as she stood, shaking the books of her lap, the pages flapping like wing.

"Oh yes? Please tell."

He stood beside her as she paced through the information, but he heard little. Instead he noticed the pink of her face, the joy in her words. She seemed so much happier now and he was glad. He was glad he could help someone else if not himself.

"But they all have much darker hair and golden eyes." He caught the last of her sentence.

"Tis a shame, Lady Merith. You do have the most inquisitive eyes. They remind me of the leaves in the forest, when the sun and wind hit together, causing them to flutter."

She giggled at him and shrugged. Then she waltzed around the stacks of information, celebrating the small victory.

He wondered if they'd move on to be friends after it all. He never liked to prejudge relationships, letting them go as they will. But he surprised himself in finding happiness playing along with the young elleth. Because, in reality, she was the only one in this house who might still stand him. He knew the others would look down after they heard the news…But she wouldn't know the past…So perhaps…

Suddenly her small body froze in the air.

"Legolas…do you really think this will all work?"

"I think that it will go as fate has directed it to." And he truly hoped it would.

"Are you ready, Lady Merith? Because my opinion is not what is in question. It's whether or not you know what you want to do." It was strange the way his playful yet serious demeanor was intertwined. He was a very difficult elf to read.

"I think I know exactly what I want. And we already have Lord Elrond's permission so…"

When Merith had first spoken of her wishes to the king, he was strongly against it. The Lord said it was an abuse of the medicine and its works. She did not need it to survive. And if her request was accepted, others in pain would try to do the same. But he was reminded of the first failed attempt and reluctantly agreed for it was his daughter at fault. Merith could rewrite her own past and never know the difference from reality. But she had to first share her story and gain his approval first.

Merith spend a week in the library, buried beneath the books. What did she want out of her life? Or did she want a past at all? She decided that it would be necessary to separate as many ties as possible. As much as it pained her to erase the possibility of hope, she had convinced herself that this was the way. She didn't want to spend her years searching for what used to be.

So she created a plot. She twisted the lies together, sewing each thread of the pretend world she created. There wasn't much to the story. She would be told that she lived in a village called Merico, an elven city that used to lie off of Gondor. Few lived there for its closeness to the human race. It had been destroyed in the Great War along with the lives that took residence there. Many had died, or fled to the Undying Lands. There was no traces left to be found yet the name still stood in history. So that would be her town. The story continued where her parents both had died in the fighting and she escaped safely to the trees of Rivendell, where she took shelter. But then she slipped and blacked out on day, losing her memory.

Though there were more requirements to the situation. If anyone were to recognize her, they would surely mention the resemblance. And she would need to look as if she were from the lands. Therefore, Arwen would put a protective spell upon her, changing the tones of her appearance. She would lose the caramel twists of her hair, the light leafy green of her eyes. She would lose everything.

And this all would be done with great secrecy.

It seemed like a great trouble for one elleth but the Arwen now insisted. It had been her fault that she spilled the essence. Now Merith suffered the mystery. So Arwen personally pursued the plans competence. She soothed every wrong thought, pushing Merith away from regret till there was none to stray from.

Now all had been set in. She just needed Legolas. Arwen was to be married in two days so her time stretched thin and could no longer help. And Merith could no longer hold this burden. She ached with curiosity and it pained her that her past could be so easily left behind. Her parents could so easily leave her behind…Did they even love her? A tear slipped from her sparkling eyes. That was the one question that she did not care for the answer. Because, deep inside her heart, she already knew it. It was the last wisp of thought connecting her to her past. But now…it was gone. And nothing could stop her now from changing her mind off the path she was to take.

"So…Legolas…can we?"

He studied her quietly before answering. She assumed he was reading the emotions so clearing painted upon her face. What did she look like to him? Could he see the slight fear she kept close? She was only scared of losing anything she had left. She would truly be creating a new life. But he either ignored it or overlooked because his eyes left her own and he glanced at the ground.

"I suppose if you are truly sure." His attitude had shifted slightly and the icy tone made her uncomfortable. She knew what he wished for too. It was the only thing she could manage to presume from him. And as much as she wanted to help, she knew that she could not.

"I am."

"Then I shall take you to the healers. As you know, they will give you the Mirona. When you awake, I will be there as I promised. And I will tell you what you want."

Merith just wanted to get it over with it. She knew that the wedding lay ahead and her timing was greatly inconvenient. But Legolas swore to stay beside her after she once again slipped away. And that was all she needed. Because, in the end, that was the reason behind her act. To escape the feeling of being unwanted.

"Legolas," she spoke softly, curling the words into his ears. "Please look at me." His gaze finally lifted from the ground and caught hers. She stepped closer from him, till she was sure he could hear the rhythmic beating of her own heart.

"I am sorry for what the world has left to you. I know you have suffered more and if anyone deserves this, it would be you. And I know you think the same. But you are stronger than me. You do not need this."

With the finish of her words, Legolas jerked away, anger flashing in his eyes.

"Do not speak of me as if you know who I am." He kept his voice at an even tone but the words cut deep into her.

"I'm sorry, Legolas…I was only trying to-" Merith too stepped back. He scared her when he grew mad.

"Then don't." His breath was short and he turned to leave. A silence lingered before he called back. "Now let us return."

Had she crossed the line? She was only trying to console him…Perhaps it was not her place at all. Why do I even breathe? Merith grumbled. She could never stay on even ground with him. Sighing deeply, she stepped out to follow him. Though even when he was angered by her, he always seemed to cool quickly enough.

They walked back to the castle and Merith tried to think of words to ease the awkwardness she had set.

"Thank you Legolas. For everything. I do not know if I had yet expressed my gratitude. And I'm sorry for intruding." She tried to express cheerfulness but the words almost sounded forced. He only kept walking. Maybe that was wrong too…She stared at the footprints left by him for the moments they continued to be left, walking blinding into thought.

*THUMP*

Merith crashed against his hard chest before she realized he had stopped in the path. Grimacing, she rubbed her head, backing away from him. Ouch. He looked down at her with a straight face, seriousness set deep within the lines of his frown.

And then…He laughed. He laughed at her clumsiness for it was so rare from an elf. And he laughed because it was Merith, who always seemed to muddle things up. She smiled too; glad she could stir a laugh within him.

"Merith, I am sorry that I got angry with you. It was unfair. But I can never stay mad for long, as you know. And I am happy to help you…I just…If I tell you something, do you promise to keep it to yourself?"

"Is that a sick joke?" She laughed.

"Haha well it's serious. And I fear you may lose respect for me once you hear it…"

Merith's face hardened. "Legolas. Do not tell me now. You would only be telling me now so that I wouldn't remember."

He looked oddly at her and she couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"You're right, Merith. You may be clumsy and dazed but you are right…"

"Was that supposed to be flattering?"

Legolas grinned. "Now… tell me one more time…"

When they reached the healers, they both stopped in front of the door. Legolas ceremonially kneeled down, grasping her hand.

"Lady Merith, I promise to fulfill my duties in guiding your recovery." His face was a pretend serious and his head was bowed towards her own. His hand wrapped around hers brought calming warmth and the suspense of the moment was brought to ease. She laughed, pulling him back up to feet.

"Now Legolas, let's not make this too formal." She smiled but inside, anxiety began to settle. It spread across her face, out of her control.

"Merith." She felt a strong hand upon her shoulder. She looked up into his deep ocean eyes, the ones that had startled her before. "You can do this. And I will return and everything will be ok. Fear not." His warm expression comforted her, giving her an unexpected strength. "I know the story, you have told me 72 times. And I will spill out every last word in verbatim. But for now, I must go. And you must to. And you will be ok."

"But what about-?"

"Don't worry about me. Maybe I'll even find courage to tell you what needs to be said about me…if I can accept it myself."

She felt herself nod towards him and he released her from his grip. He walked away from her slowly. Looking at him one more time, she called to his disappearing figure.

"Do you care?" The words slipped from her mouth before she could catch them. As soon as they were spoken, she wanted to reach out and pull them back. Why did she say stupid things like this? She was still a stranger to them all. He probably was only doing all this because it was proper.

Yet still, he turned to her in their distance.

"Yes, my dear Merith. And I wish the best upon you. And I shall soon return."

Ok so let me make a small addition to their relationship. It's mostly a he accepted me, I'll accept him type of thing. Merith is a distraction for him.

So after all this drama, her and Legolas with have more in depth meetings but they are just friends right now. Nobody loves anybody. Yet

And I will try to update faster. Review if you are an awesome person, follow if you don't already!