"Thranduil!"

It was a bright, beautiful day in Minas Tirith; the sun had come up in all of its glory and the White Tree and its fountain glittered beneath the sun's rays. Erumar had found Thranduil here this morning and the two of them had walked together. They had returned here as well having nothing better to do. Upon discovering the King's House empty this morning, Thranduil had suggested finding the excellent muffins Legolas had mentioned to him some days ago. They had been to get some breakfast there, stopped to surprise Éowyn with them as a gift, and then had returned to the garden where they had sat down near the fountain.

Which is where Legolas and Enguina happened to come upon them as they were meandering about looking for them, catching them at just the moment where Thranduil had created a wave in the fountain and splashed Erumar and she had shrieked at him. The two of them were soon on their feet, Erumar out of indignation and Thranduil in trepidation of retaliation. He leaned away from her and she did strike back, splashing at him with cold water towards his back. He yelled and laughed, leaping away from her but she did get him at least with some of it.

"That is cold!" he laughed.

"Do you think so?" she said, brushing water from her arm. "You simply had to—"

"Good morning!" laughed Enguina as she practically danced from behind the hedgerows, leading Legolas with her. Erumar and Thranduil both looked away from each other and delight came over their faces upon seeing the two of them.

"Ah, the newlyweds!" Thranduil said as Erumar closed the distance between her and Enguina and hugged her, Enguina still laughing. Legolas released his wife and found himself in his father's embrace, much to his surprise.

"Erumar, you are all wet!" cried Enguina, holding her back from her.

"I was—"

"Never mind, we saw it all!" she teased and Erumar blushed just a bit at her words, but Enguina ignored it. "We heard that you both had an exciting time yesterday watching Annî for the new parents."

"Yes, yes," said Thranduil, "until Éomer showed up, but by then we could not leave until the little one was born." He clasped his son's shoulder. "How are you both this beautiful morning?"

"We could not be better, Adar," replied Legolas and Erumar stepped back so Enguina could lean over and hug Thranduil. "Marriage is wonderful so far. We have not even quarreled yet."

Thranduil laughed, releasing Enguina. "What would you possibly have to quarrel about? You agree on nearly everything!"

"Oh, Thranduil," chided Enguina, rolling her eyes. "You two seemed as though you were having fun this morning."

"I thought Erumar looked thirsty," Thranduil replied in a very serious voice, and when Enguina and Legolas burst out laughing, Erumar shoved his arm.

"As if they believed that, or you for that matter."

"Sooo," Enguina said, stretching out the word and grabbing Erumar's hand, "have you seen Folengel yet?"

"Yes, we have," Thranduil replied and Legolas saw a light in his eyes. "It has been so many years since I have seen so small a babe. He is tiny—"

"And precious," added Erumar. "He has beautiful eyes."

"He was a bit early, so he is quite small," Thranduil continued. "We saw him again this morning when we stopped on our way back from trying some of those delicious muffins you told me about."

"Ooo," groaned Enguina, "what I would not give—"

"We have two more," Erumar said, laughing at the delight in Enguina's eyes. "Why not sit near the fountain and enjoy them?" Instead, all four of them ended up seated in the grass beside the fountain. As they were eating, Legolas looked over to his father.

"You saw Éowyn this morning, then. How is she? Aragorn said last night that she had a difficult labor."

"You had dinner at the King's House last night?" asked Erumar softly. "Now I wish I had come."

"It was brief," Enguina admitted. "The two of them were exhausted, and they were off to see Éowyn again as soon as we had left. Aragorn was more tired than I have ever seen him." She touched Erumar's hand. "And you needed the rest, too, I am sure." Erumar said nothing to that aside from looking away, and Thranduil looked back to Legolas after watching their brief exchange.

"Éowyn is yet weak," he said. "It was not a long labor, but it was difficult for her. Faramir explained that last evening Elessar had found an infection, but she had no fever this morning, so whatever they have been giving her has helped."

"An infection?" asked Legolas. "So soon after labor?"

"Yes, but they discovered it early. If left untreated or unnoticed, she could have died."

Enguina looked horrified. "But surely she is all right now?"

Thranduil nodded. "We spoke with her this morning. She would be delighted to have you visit her; I am certain of it. Faramir is about ready to race around with his little boy and show everyone he possibly can that he has another child."

"Annî is also a delight," Erumar said, smiling at them. "She could hardly contain her excitement over having a brother."

"We intended to visit them as soon after we were done speaking with you," Legolas replied, taking a bite of his muffin. "What made you find these this morning? Were you at the King's House?"

"Well, no," he said. "When we arrived it was empty, and we did not want to help ourselves. We thought we might find Elessar when we went to the Houses, but they were not there either."

Enguina frowned. "Perhaps they went riding together. It has been some time since they traveled to the Anduin." She looked over at Legolas. "Do you think they will return for dinner?"

He lifted his shoulders. "Who can say? I suppose it depends on if they went for a ride or they went for quiet." He looked to his father. "I did not think of it yesterday when I spoke with them, nor did I see it in their faces or manner when they spoke of the child. Were they—"

"Can one be unaffected, Legolas?" asked Erumar softly, looking down. "They were quiet."

"Yes," agreed Thranduil, "but Éowyn spoke this morning of them holding the baby and Arwen singing to him, so…I would imagine that they are as well as they can be."

"So soon," Enguina murmured, sorrow on her face. "I am ashamed that I never thought to how they were feeling last night. Such a friend I am!"

"Stop that," Erumar replied. "They would not have wanted anyone to mention it. That is a private grief, and neither of you are to blame when you have much to celebrate, to be happy for."

Legolas nodded and then gave a smile to his father. "So I shall move on, to try to keep the mood a bit lighter; Enguina and I have something that we would like to ask you—"

"Both of you," Enguina said softly, "if you would be so inclined."

"What is it?" asked Thranduil warily.

"We are going to be leaving for Dol Amroth for a month or so to celebrate our marriage and spend some time together by the Sea. Even in a day or so, if we can manage it. On our return, we were going to stop here to visit for a short while and then be in Ithilien before the middle of July. We…have intentions of working on our home and—"

"What we were wondering was if you would like to come and help us," Enguina interrupted, looking at Thranduil. "You have a long journey home, and we thought that perhaps you would like to spend a bit more time here with us before you return."

"Yes," Legolas added. "We wanted also to extend the invitation to you, Erumar. Enguina said that you are a very clever designer, and we would love for you to stay as long as you like." Thranduil and Erumar stared at them for a few moments, a bit speechless. Legolas and Enguina looked back at them, growing more awkward by the moment. "Then again—"

"No, no," said Thranduil, "this would be a perfect opportunity to spend more time with the two of you. What brought me pause was that I cannot understand why you would not wish to be alone out there. Again, you are, as they say, newlyweds. Most choose to be alone when they can be."

Enguina blushed and Legolas grinned. "We are inviting Gimli as well before he travels to the Caves once the fourth level is rebuilt. We can send word to Eryn Lasgalen and perhaps other elves will join us before the winter; you would not have to journey back alone."

Enguina reached out and covered Erumar's hand again. "And you are welcome to stay with us as long as you like. We are more than happy to have you."

Erumar swallowed hard around the lump in her throat. "I do not think you can—"

"It has been settled between us already," Legolas said, looking at her. "There will be no further discussion about it unless you decide to leave us at a time of your own choosing."

"Hopefully," Thranduil said, interrupting softly, "to see the Greenwood at some point."

She could not speak, but Erumar nodded in reply. Enguina smiled and looked away from her tear-filled eyes. "So, it is settled then? You will come as well, Thranduil?"

"Why miss it?" he asked. "I would be more than happy to help you build your home. I will come, but most especially if the dwarf attends. He is an excellent companion…and rather amusing."

Enguina and Legolas laughed. "You can be sure that Gimli will be there," he replied. "Now, we are finished with our muffins, shall we go to see the new babe? I am sure we would be welcome."

"We will walk that way with you if you would like the company," Thranduil offered, "and stop in the stables on our way down to see if Asfaloth and Brego are there. We certainly would not want the King and Queen to find themselves missing."

"You are more than welcome to come with us," Legolas replied, "even if you have already seen the child. I am certain that he will have many more admirers in the coming days."

"I cannot wait to see the baby," said Enguina as they got to their feet. Legolas reached over and took her hand, and the four of them went off towards the sixth level.

Aragorn listened to Arwen breathe. It was easy and slow, so different from what it had been only an hour before at the end of their love-making. He had settled her atop him; he found she rested without difficulty this way when they were here, and it was effortless to hold her tightly until her trembling—their trembling—eased. Even though he knew she loved the touch of the grass beneath her skin, he enjoyed the simple weight of her against his chest, his body, and the way her cheek laid upon his skin near his shoulder, her long hair flowing down her back and touching him and falling onto the ground. He loved that they could lie this way and that it was comfortable for both of them, her hands on his arms or shoulders, her feet and legs entwined with his. Every part of him held her, supported her, and he liked that. He felt that he was made for it.

He could see her face from where she lay against him, her lips slightly parted in sleep, her eyes looking off across the Anduin. He lifted his hand from tracing through her hair and touching her head to gently stroke along her ear with no intention of waking her. Studying her was his objective at this hour; he was unsure of the reason he was awake. By all accounts it made no sense when they were exhausted and awake most of the night with Éowyn and speaking to Faramir.

No, they had needed this respite today. Last night had been a difficult night, no matter the amount of denial they had been through trying to pretend that they were all right. Faramir had been very understanding, and Éowyn was as well, though far more of her effort it seemed went to push them out of comfort. Arwen had sung for Folengel last night at Éowyn's request, and it had been so soft and soothing that Éowyn had rested well, too…and it had broken Aragorn's heart. Though Arwen had sung as an outpouring of love for the child, there was no doubt that there had been pain as well. No matter how he had tried to bury his feelings as she had been singing, there was no hiding from her, not when her own feelings were so raw. It struck him in such a terrible way, as it seldom had these past few months working so hard to keep them both living, that he had been forced to slip from the room until the song had ended. These first few weeks were going to be challenging, and as even more well-wishers were to come for Éowyn and Faramir, more would look to them as they always had with the same wondering eyes and thoughts. Aragorn wished they simply would not look, would not think, but there was no way to make them stop or understand.

Therefore, he had suggested they come here today to be utterly alone, just the two of them and Ilúvatar, to escape from the City's eyes and thoughts and people. They had spent some time enjoying the beautiful day and the ride and then they traveled to their favorite spot beside the River. They had prayed again about many things, praise for all the good that had happened, blessings for the newlyweds and the new baby, and then strength for this trial they continually faced. Aragorn had planned nothing, had no intention for the day at all except to be alone, to make peace with their restless hearts, some simple time together at the river. However, he had found himself desiring to demonstrate his love for her physically, to love on her and touch her. He told her a hundred times a day both aloud and mentally of his love for her, but this was different. The feeling had overcome him as he stroked her face, and he had thought back to their words months ago when they had come together after her illness—that she was afraid she would have a motive for loving him instead of loving him because she wanted to. He had thought long and hard about those words, and he was certain that was not what he was doing, what he wanted.

Gently dragging his fingertips across her cheek, he closed his eyes, studying her face with them as he always did. The hand on her right side that held her across her back traced gently along every rib until he reached the sensitive skin beneath her arm which he followed to her shoulder blade and then to her neck. He gathered her hair by feel—having done it so many times—and swept it slowly aside so he could continue to touch her, taking his hand slowly along every vertebrae in her back as far down as he could reach. His hand came back up, finally ending somewhere in her hair, his fingertips brushing the very tip of her ear over and over again, but so slowly, as though time had stopped and he was frozen in a repeat of the moment.

What had begun with stroking her face had become undressing her and himself and then had progressed to an hour and longer of making one another feel cherished. He still had no idea where they had found the strength to enjoy and please each other so long, but they had, and now he had woken after only an hour of rest. He knew she had felt how much he loved her in every press of his lips to her skin, in every touch of his fingertips. She was the greatest blessing in his life, would be forever, and no matter what—Council be damned, everyone's expectations be damned—he would never allow anything to come between what they felt for one another. He had lived every day since he was twenty years old for her love, to be worthy of it, to be blessed to be part of her world. He wanted life with her more than he wanted a child with her, and though he could not tell her that at the moment, not with the grief as fresh as it was, he knew in the depth of his heart it was true.

He felt her body shift, felt her lift her head and press her lips to his breast, and then her fingers slipped from his arm to touch his jaw, his cheek, his temple, where she found his face wet with tears. She did not speak or ask him what had happened or why he was crying. This was them, their unspoiled love for one another, and in celebration of that love they often lost hold of their emotions. He could have been thinking of anything, but she knew because they were so connected in moments like these. His thoughts were on her warmth; she was so warm against him, so full of life. He wanted this moment to last forever—of quiet, of just her and him together, alone in their completeness, in their embrace of love where the world fell away and everything made sense.

Asfaloth and Brego walked shoulder to shoulder, bumping against each other as they walked behind their two favorite people in the world. Brego, the younger, leaned over and grabbed the side of Asfaloth's neck in his teeth and the grey threw up his head and tried to bring it down on top of Brego's. The bay snorted and yanked away, coming back to snap at him again, and the two of them tried to grab each other simultaneously, dragging their reins from the couple's hands.

"Brego," said Aragorn, reaching between the two of them to punch the horse in the shoulder. Brego pulled his head away from Asfaloth, and Arwen laid a hand on Asfaloth's forehead.

"Must we separate you two?" she asked the grey, and Brego gave a long snort and then shoved Aragorn with his head.

"You had all day to play together," he said sternly. "The middle of the stable is not the place."

Another long snort; this one from Asfaloth. Aragorn rolled his eyes as he turned forward and collected Arwen's hand in his own again.

"What did he say?" she asked.

"He said that if they got out more often they would not feel the need to be rude to each other," Aragorn replied, looking down into her face. "What they forget is that we only just returned from a journey, so they have no excuse."

"I think perhaps Asfaloth is right," she interjected softly, and both horses snorted, clearly in triumph. "I do need to ride with you more than I have. I miss it so much."

"That I think we can manage," he replied.

"Especially when the rest of us are not about to bother you," laughed Legolas from ahead. Aragorn and Arwen looked up in surprise, having been so lost in what they were doing. Enguina and Legolas stood just before them in the aisle grooming Lómë and Brethil. "We were waiting for you to return," Legolas continued. "Adar and Erumar left only a few moments ago; I cannot believe you did not cross paths with them."

"Good evening, both of you," Aragorn said with a smile. "Kind of you to wait for us."

Enguina half-expected Aragorn to apologize for not appearing for dinner, but there was no apology in their eyes or on their lips. "We were worried about you. You left the King's House unlocked but neither of you were about. You have been gone all day."

"Indeed we have," he replied. "How was the day here in Minas Tirith? Were you forced to explain our absence to anyone?"

Legolas smiled sheepishly. "I think most of those who would have asked are still sleeping off their drunkenness from the celebration of our wedding. Now, tomorrow on the other hand, they will be slithering all over the seventh level like the vipers they are—"

"Oh, well done," Arwen said softly. "Most excellent word choice."

"I leave Dintîr and Noldore out of this, of course."

"He has a talented tongue," laughed Enguina, "as we have said many times. But I agree the word is perfect to describe them, and no one would blame you for taking a day to hide. We do wish you had mentioned something to someone though."

"We did," Aragorn said, raising his eyebrows. "We told Faramir."

"Though it can hardly be helped if he did not remember," Arwen said. "He was half-asleep at the time and is a new father."

"It did not come up, though," added Legolas, "I think we might be to blame for that."

"You must have seen the babe today," Aragorn mentioned. "How was Éowyn this morning?"

"Still tired, as she will be for some time, I imagine, but her fever was gone and her pain was minimal thanks to whatever most excellent concoction you and Kinna made for her."

"When I have a child," Enguina added looking straight at Aragorn, "I want some of that and I demand that both of you be present at the birth." She glanced to Arwen as well, who leaned into Aragorn's shoulder, looking as though she was about to rest her head upon him.

"Demand?" she quoted with a wry smile. "A bit pushy today."

"Just this evening," she sighed. "I was fine the rest of the day."

"And that is only because I did not embarrass her very much at all today," Legolas added, giving her a wicked grin. "I am thinking of making up for it though; we are among very good friends now."

"And we have not been all day? Your father and Erumar?" Legolas stepped so close to her, crowding her space, that she leaned back into Lómë's shoulder.

"I cannot say things such as I want to say with my father about," he murmured and then kissed her quickly before stepping back. There was a blush on her cheeks already from his closeness, and he delighted in it before looking back at Aragorn and Arwen. "It is very easy to do when he is not."

"Oh, we can see that, Legolas," added Aragorn, opening Asfaloth's door and then Brego's. "Were you two heading out for a moonlit ride? The Anduin would be beautiful tonight. The moon will be high and bright in a few hours."

"I wonder, then, that you did not remain out yourselves," Legolas offered as the two of them went into their respective stalls.

"One cannot vanish for too long; the guardsmen at the lower gates would be in a panic." Aragorn and Arwen began untacking their horses, and Legolas and Enguina followed them to help. When they had entered the stall, Enguina laid her hand on Arwen's back.

"You are quiet tonight," she said softly. "Is there something the matter?"

"No," she replied. "Everything is fine; sometimes…it is difficult to come back to the world after a long time of quiet." She gave Enguina a little smile and lowered her voice. "I am both delighted and relieved that you are clearly so happy. It is such a blessing to my heart, to both our hearts. Ever since I met you, I always dreamed there would be someone who would love and care for you, someone to share your life with you and you with him."

"Always?" she asked, suddenly with tears in her eyes. Arwen reached out and touched her face.

"Always, Enguina. So many years…it was meant to be."

Enguina studied her a moment and her fingers tightened on her back. "It was every bit as beautiful, as wonderful, as you said it was going to be," she said, lowering her voice to a whisper. "His power to make me feel so wanted, so loved, so completely desired…it was overwhelming. The way he touches me…the way he presses his lips to my skin…" Her voice drifted off, and she trembled once before looking terribly embarrassed. "Forgive me…I…"

"It is fine!" Arwen laughed suddenly. "I know that part of you wants to talk about it, and part of you wants to hold the memory of it inside you forever, just for the two of you."

"Yes," she said fervently agreeing. "Yes! How does Éowyn find it so easy to talk about this? You do not—"

"No," Arwen replied, "I hold the memories inside and do not wish to share them aloud as Éowyn does…at least not in the same way."

"Like today?"

"I…" Arwen looked away from her steady gaze. "I can barely describe or explain what it is to feel what I felt today," she murmured as she wound her hands into Asfaloth's mane. "Please, let us…talk of something else."

She took Arwen's hands in her own. "Is everything all right?" she asked again worriedly. Arwen nodded, but Enguina knew very well that she was not being honest. Enguina was suddenly tired of being in this place. "Arwen…why is it that when I ask if you are all right, you always tell me so and I can never convince you to tell me anything? Yet, when our situations are reversed, you always pry it out of me."

"I pry better than you, I suppose." She slipped her hands from Enguina's.

"I think it is that you close down more easily than I do, and then you keep me away," Enguina stated, and Arwen felt her shoulders tense as she unbuckled the breastcollar over Asfaloth's shoulder, "sometimes as far as you can get. You used to do this in Lórien, before Aragorn came. Can I not help you, as you have helped me? I can understand, you know. I can listen when you are hurting. I can—"

"Oh, Enguina," she said so softly the other barely heard her, "there is nothing you can do, not for this, perhaps not ever. No, this is a weight upon my heart; the best you can do is pray."

"I trust Aragorn to care for you," she said, "because I know there is no easy solution, no place to hide from the pain. I am sorry that I did not think of you both last night when we were asking questions about Folengel, and I…understand how hard this is for you. I wish I could—"

"You cannot," she continued. "Please, Enguina, just…leave it." There was a long moment of silence between them, and Enguina inwardly sighed, frustrated.

"I hate it when you do this."

Listening to how sad her voice sounded, Arwen could not look at her as she un-cinched Asfaloth's saddle; her hands trembled and she stopped what she was doing and rested her cheek against the skin above the grey's shoulder. He turned his head back around to look at her and breathe on her arm gently. She stroked his nose. "I am sorry."

"I just wish you would talk to me," Enguina began, lifting the saddle easily from Asfaloth's back and turning to hang it outside the stall, "really talk to me…at a time when I can be reasonable and not be yelling at you. When I know better, and I am not arguing that your pain is less than mine was."

Arwen knew that Enguina was trying to make her smile by making fun of herself, but she could not, not right now. The day had been full of bliss, but the depression was wearing on her since they had returned to the City. Aragorn knew; he felt it in her heart. He knew that though she wanted to brush it away, the next few days were going to be hard on them both. The morning had been a challenge, but when they had prayed and sat together on the shore of the Anduin, beneath their favorite sycamore, her heart had calmed and been more at peace. Then she and Aragorn had loved each other, and being with him always centered her in herself, in Ilúvatar. Arwen wished that the feeling she had with Aragorn she could carry with her like a lamp; on return to the City everything rained down like a flood. No matter how she wanted to chase it away, it was so difficult to fight the pain at the loss of her son.

She was still standing there with her cheek pressed to Asfaloth's skin, the grey munching on hay, when Enguina returned. The older elf stepped up close to her and leaned against her back, hugging her shoulders. "You should let me in," she said gently in her ear, kissing the back of her head. "I could listen."

"I do not want to burden anyone else with this," she replied, her eyes closed. She knew that Enguina was piling on the darts to argue as soon as the words were out of her mouth.

"Just as I did not want to burden you with my dreams?"

"Please…this is different."

"How, exactly?"

"Legolas could have helped you deal with them, to soothe you, to comfort you, to chase them away. There is no way to do that with this. The sorrow fills my heart so suddenly at times I…it is difficult to breathe. I have so many…worries and…no, Enguina…I cannot." I have lost my child, a part of me, a part of Aragorn! Can you not see, Enguina? Can you not see how different the grief is?

"Your burden is more terrible than mine?" Enguina asked, wondering if that was how Arwen truly saw it. Her arms tightened even more around her shoulders.

"Not more terrible…different. Please, Enguina—"

"Talk to me about how you are feeling," she urged gently. "Maybe I could—"

"Please."

In Arwen's tone there was a warning, but also a petition. She recognized it from the night before the wedding, when Erumar stood in the room with them and she had pushed her into the conversation about Haldir. She needed to take a step back before she hurt her friend—would Arwen not speak to her of her pain when she could? She would have to trust her. Enguina released her shoulders and she felt some of the tension lessen in Arwen's back against her breast.

"I need time, Enguina," she sighed softly, again, barely audible.

"I wish I could help you somehow," she repeated gently.

Arwen lifted her head and began untangling her fingers from Asfaloth's mane. "Just pray, Enguina. Pray for the pain to ease; pray that someday…" She could not finish, but Enguina knew what she was going to say.

"I have been, every time I think of you both, and I will persist. And I will have to continue to trust Aragorn with your sorrows, just as you began to trust Legolas to care for me now in my past hurt." She paled and swallowed with some difficulty. Perhaps drawing Arwen away from thoughts of the child would help her. "I had…two nightmares last night."

Arwen turned toward her, her face drawn tight with concern. "Two? Were they bad?"

"The second was…more difficult than the first. I thought when Legolas woke me the first time I would be all right, but there was no amount of holding or soft, encouraging words that kept him at bay. My response was…not good."

"Are you both all right?" she asked, touching Enguina's face when she looked away from her eyes. "Were either of you injured?"

"I was entangled with Legolas," Enguina replied, looking suddenly dismayed, "and I fought him. I…bruised his chest." Her voice cut out when she whispered the words, thinking of how she had laid her hands against his smooth skin only hours before. "Arwen, tell me how I can stop hurting him. The same man I laid myself down with is the same man I woke up to, yet my mind was so lost in the dream that I could think of nothing but escape from Bragolaur's hands, his body. I was…it was so difficult to come back and feel Legolas again, not him. I was physically sick again; I nearly ruined our sheets and—"

"Did Legolas still hold you?" she asked softly.

"Yes," Enguina told her, murmuring, "but I begged him not to. It was so much more difficult when we were unclothed, when he was pressed against my back. I felt…so unclean." She lifted her head and looked into Arwen's eyes. "I know you cannot know that feeling, to be touched by someone in such a filthy way, but…that is how I felt. I did not want him to touch me when I felt like that, when I felt as though I—"

"You were not pure for him again."

"Yes, even when I know that is not true." She sighed. "But Legolas…oh, Arwen…Legolas! He knew what I needed—how does he always know? He always knows what to say and do…he took me into the bath and…bathed me." She closed her eyes and swallowed. "I felt as though every bit of filth that was on me from that dream was washed away, that he took the touches of Bragolaur and made them vanish. It was…it was the most wonderful feeling. It was of freedom, of peace. H-he made me feel like I was whole again, like I could be clean again."

"Perhaps every time you dream, Legolas should bathe you, if it makes you feel better," Arwen offered seriously. "If the touch of his hands and the feel of soap and water destroy the memory of Bragolaur, then use them to rid yourself of him. Let his strength, his comfort, shield you from the chaos of that dream."

"Arwen," she asked, studying her face, "I know it is not often, but when Aragorn dreams, how do you comfort him? Are his dreams, his reactions, really as terrible as mine?"

"Sometimes," she replied softly, "but you are right. It has been many months now since Aragorn has dreamed of anything but our loss. I comfort him in much the same way Legolas has comforted you. At times, I hold him and that is enough. Sometimes, I have bathed him as Legolas did to you. Sometimes we walk in silence. Peace is what his heart craves more than anything else in those times. I am a shield for him against the darkness; I do not know what he did all these years he was alone." She seemed to shudder when she thought of him facing the dark unaided. "And once the dream has happened, Aragorn cannot find rest again that night. It seems, at least sometimes, that Legolas is able to help you find rest again."

"Sometimes," she agreed.

"Sometimes I what?" added Legolas, leaning his head over her shoulder and wrapping his arms about her chest, tugging her back from Arwen and into his body. Aragorn was leaning against the stall entrance, studying Arwen as he was chewing on a slice of apple—she could see that gaze easily.

Enguina rested her hands on Legolas's arms and raised her head to kiss his temple and cheek. "Are wonderful."

"Well," he said with surprise, "I was not expecting that."

"I was going to say irritating," she said with love in her eyes and a bit of mischief. He smiled and caught a quick kiss from her.

"How thoughtful of you. Aragorn and I were thinking you two were taking an awfully long time to remove Asfaloth's riding gear," he added as Arwen removed Asfaloth's bridle and set it over her own shoulder, rubbing all around his head and then scratching along it with her long nails. The grey made a sound in his throat that showed he was clearly enjoying the attention.

"Well, I had to annoy Arwen first," Enguina admitted.

"Annoy is a very strong word," she stated softly as she stepped around them to move to Aragorn's side.

"Challenge."

"Better."

"I see," interjected Legolas. "Aragorn was just saying moments ago how hungry he was. I was thinking we could head back to the King's House and sit about for a little while before turning in. Perhaps discuss our journey as well, as it is too late to have our roast." Arwen looked slightly guilty, but Legolas shook his head. "There is always tomorrow night."

"I think that is a wonderful idea," Enguina replied.

Aragorn straightened and offered Arwen a slice of the apple he had just cut with his knife. "Hungry?" She smiled at him and took it.

"Thank you." He slipped the bridle from her shoulder and set it on the rack in front of Asfaloth's stall. She took a bite of it. "This is delicious."

"Brego wanted your half, but I told him he had enough today," he added. "He was very…cross." She smiled and watched Brego thrust his head over his stall door towards them, leaning and extending his lips towards her as far as he could go to reach the apple. Seeing his stress and the disappointment in his eyes, she extended her hand and let him have it as Aragorn sighed. "Beloved, you are spoiling them."

"They deserve it," she added, taking another slice out of Aragorn's hand and handing it to Asfaloth who had turned about to munch hay directly in her ear, obviously working to get her attention. "Life would be dull indeed without them, and they have saved our lives too many times to count." There were two snorts of clear agreement as the two of their heads disappeared again. The last slice she took for herself, and then he slid the knife back into its sheath and took her hand.

"Well," Legolas said as he and Enguina joined them near the door, "shall we return Lómë and Brethil to their stalls and head for the House?"

"Yes," agreed Aragorn as he led Arwen out of the way so they could leave Asfaloth's stall. "We can sit on the porch and watch the moonrise."

"That has a very romantic ring to it," murmured Enguina as she took Lómë's halter and led him back into his stall. "I think that will be perfect."

Within a few moments, they were all on their way to the King's House.

"What do you mean you're leaving tomorrow for Dol Amroth? You just got married!" Gimli's voice was heard over everyone else's at the supper table that following evening. Legolas and Enguina sat cringing under his clear disappointment.

"It is only for a month, Gimli," stated Legolas. "We shall return to collect you before you know it." He gave the dwarf an encouraging smile.

"But you're traveling alone!" he cried. "Don't ya think a thousand things could go wrong in the Wilds? I mean, look at the mess that you got yourselves into last time, and—"

"I would not exactly refer to Gondor as 'the Wilds,' Gimli," Aragorn replied, giving him a look down the table. "They are heading for Imrahil's country; they will be quite safe."

"Well, you should have some protection with ya—"

"We will have each other," Enguina said, resting her hand on his arm, "and that will be enough. Please, do not worry for us. Everything is going to be wonderful."

"And then, hopefully, everyone will be ready for some home building in Ithilien."

"I am going to send messengers to the Greenwood tomorrow and have them spread the word," Thranduil said, leaning his elbows on the table. "That way, they will know your intentions and mine to remain to help you for a little while."

Supper had ended and the seven of them had remained to have some apple pie that Arwen had baked that day. Erumar smiled at Arwen across the table. "This is delicious. I have never had better, not even your mother's."

"That is so kind of you, Erumar. Thank you," Arwen replied, having a bite herself. "It might be a bit too sweet, I think."

"No, that only makes it better," added Legolas, popping another bite in his own mouth. "Sweet things are meant to be enjoyed." He gave a little grin. "Perhaps that is why I like Guin so much."

She reached over and pinched his forearm. "Like?"

"Ouch," he said, wincing. "Love, I meant love."

"Better, but stop embarrassing me, Legolas." Aragorn grinned and it caught her attention. "What is it?" He leaned back in his chair.

"I was just reminded that we were supposed to make some fun of the two of you," he said, raising his eyebrows. Thranduil burst out laughing and Erumar's eyes widened.

"Perfect, Elessar!" he stated. "How could we have forgotten?"

"No, no," said Enguina quite urgently, "he meant to have forgotten all about it until after we had gone to Dol—"

"Nonsense, Enguina!" Erumar told her. "It will be fun."

"Yes! Yes!" yelled Gimli. "Let me begin, shall I?"

"Oh, please, Gimli," groaned Legolas. "Do not make it too awful, all right? Tell something funny, not something that makes me want to stick my head in the ground and hide, not something that I could never live down, not something so terrible that I—"

"Stop moaning," Thranduil insisted, "you are acting like a child." He looked at Gimli as Erumar laughed and said, "Get on with it, dwarf."

"Right!" he chuckled. "One of my favorite tales of Legolas…well, here we are! The Fellowship had just set out on our journey from Rivendell, and Legolas and I…didn't quite see eye to eye."

"Oh, you are going there, Gimli?" asked Legolas incredulously.

"And why not? It's my story and I'm telling it!" he said gruffly. "One night in the Wilds holding our course along the Misty Mountains, we were camped on the edge of a forest with a valley below us. All of a sudden, a pack of vicious wolves came upon us. I remember the Hobbits were very frightened, having heard tales of such beasts but never seeing one themselves. Boromir and Aragorn protected them as best they could, and Legolas was firing arrows into the dark. Even though we weren't getting along, I was impressed by the lad's sight in the dark. That was something I was a bit jealous of. A warg leapt out of the shadows toward my throat and Legolas shot it dead with one arrow straight through its eye into its brain.

"Well," Gimli said, sighing, "I was so shocked that he'd just saved my life that I couldn't warn him of the warg that had leapt over Boromir—even as tall as he was—and landed right beside him. Unable to bring his bow up, the warg knocked him down and the two of them rolled through the camp like a pair of scuffling children! Aragorn stabbed the warg several times as he chased them, but the blasted thing wouldn't die! And off the cliff they fell!"

"You fell from the cliff?" cried Enguina. "Gimli, this story is not funny!"

"It's what happened after that's funny!" said Gimli. "The two of them rolled into a thicket of spiny vines and there, Legolas impaled the warg onto the thorns. When Boromir finally hauled the elf back up, he was covered with spines, nearly impaled himself! He had so many little spikes sticking out of everywhere that he looked like a seamstress's pincushion!" He laughed and Aragorn laughed, too. "Took us an hour to pull them out!"

"You know, it was very funny—what you looked like, I mean," Aragorn said, grinning at Legolas.

"Oh, as if you have never looked half-alive," he complained. "So I was a bit worse for wear. If I had not saved the dwarf, then he would not be here to make fun of me."

"It sounds as though it hurt," Erumar said, but she had a little smile on her face, picturing Legolas with a zillion stickers pointing out of him.

"My son," added Thranduil, "the porcupine." Enguina giggled.

"Honestly, Adar? There are only a thousand stories of you that I could tell that would curl Enguina's lovely—"

"But we are not speaking of me, are we, boy?" he said, raising his eyebrow. "No, we are not. Therefore, I should tell a story of you."

"Should there not be one about Enguina now?" asked Legolas, leaning his forehead against his hand. "Is that not what we—"

"No, I feel like telling a story," insisted Thranduil, and he looked at Enguina as he spoke. "When Legolas was a young man, and I mean very young, his fondest memories are of scaring the wits out of his mother with creatures of all shapes and sizes." Legolas found himself staring at him, unbelieving Thranduil had chosen a story about his mother. He was speaking of her? In front of everyone? "He would venture out into the Greenwood, bringing back little beetles, worms, spiders, small birds if he could catch them—"

"Birds?" she asked, laughing. She turned to Legolas. "Whatever did you catch them with, love?"

Legolas, still transfixed his father had mentioned his mother, sat perfectly quiet for a moment before he could come up with an answer. "My…my hands, actually."

"Legolas was quite quick," Thranduil said, a bit proudly. "To continue the story, his mother used to sit in this one particular place every day and wait for him to return to her with his treasures. He would always bring her back something that would delight her and then place something in her hand that he had stuffed in his pocket that might disturb her." Thranduil smiled, remembering. "The one day, I distinctly remember her telling me that she was going to do it no longer; she was no longer going to sit and wait for him to frighten her with creeping creatures." He chuckled. "That was after a particularly nasty wolf spider Legolas had dropped on her. However, the next day she was back waiting for him again.

"Some days, Legolas would be gone for hours, always worrying her, as boys are wont to do. She wondered where he got to; some days he would come back filthy, other days soaking wet, and some days as handsome as when he had left her side. On this day in particular, Legolas brought home a bear."

"A bear?" Erumar repeated.

"Yes, a bear cub. You see, he found it in the woods asleep," Thranduil said, shaking his head as Legolas groaned, "and he thought it would make the perfect pet. However, as soon as he came through the bushes with it and happened along his mother, well…it woke up almost immediately with the panic in her voice. Soon it was yowling and screaming and making a clamor altogether evil that brought its mother right-quick."

"You didn't, Legolas," laughed Gimli. "You brought a bear into your father's kingdom?"

"I was a child," he protested defensively. "It did not look so bad while it was sleeping!"

"Yes, the bear came rampaging into the clearing, heading straight for the two of them. Legolas was terrified and dropped the cub while Glosvana dragged him to the nearest tree, shoving him up into it. Luckily for both of them, they were able to get far enough up the tree before the bear mauled either one of them. The guards were out in another moment to frighten the bears away, but Legolas…" Thranduil laughed, "Legolas learned that day to be careful of what he brought home to surprise his mother."

"Though I should add," Legolas said, rolling his eyes, "that it was not the last time I was chased up a tree by something vicious and prowling."

"No," Aragorn agreed, "I think that happened to us once or twice. You were the better tree-climber though."

"Yes, so you always had far worse scratches than me, staying on the ground far longer than you ever should have," Legolas pointed out.

"That happened in—" Enguina cut off and blushed when Legolas looked fervently at her. "Oh, no, I must be remembering that wrong…"

"There is a story going untold there," Arwen said, leaning forward on the table. "Something else happened that you never told us?"

"Not really," Legolas added, shrugging innocently. "Moreover, sometimes what we do not know cannot hurt us, yes? It is better not to know."

"Shall I make an assumption then?" Aragorn questioned, leaning back in his chair. "I will guess that you and Enguina were riding out in Ithilien, somewhere on the other side of Osgiliath, and you ran into a pack of normal-sized wolves. They do not often hunt prey like you, but…they make exceptions if they are very hungry."

Legolas stared at him. "How could you know that?"

"Faramir has mentioned the pack several times," Arwen replied for him. "There have been several complaints about them, but most of the time they remain peaceable."

"Well, you might have mentioned a wolf pack in Ithilien."

Aragorn raised his eyebrows at the elf. "You might have mentioned that you intended to go riding there. We thought you always stayed within Rammas Echor and the Pelennor."

"Ah, Ithilien in springtime!" said Gimli with a grin. "Such a lovely place of flowers and—"

"Shut it, dwarf," stated Legolas and Gimli laughed.

"All right," Erumar said, clapping her hands once, "time for a story about Enguina! One day, Enguina and I were sitting beneath this tree outside of Caras Galadon. I was singing while she was drawing." She looked confused for a moment. "I cannot remember where you were that day, Arwen."

"With grandmother," she said, a smirk on her face.

"No," moaned Enguina, horrified, "you are not going to tell him that—"

"I suppose," Erumar said, talking over her, "that it was really all my fault, as a rather angry squirrel was annoyed that I was singing. The squirrel came suddenly down out of the tree and leapt onto Enguina, attacking her quite viciously. It bit her twice before she finally hit it directly in the face and flung it away from her. It scampered back up the tree and was gone as if nothing had ever happened."

"They really hurt, you know," Enguina said.

"And the funniest part," Arwen laughed, smiling at her, "was Haldir's reaction to the story. When he heard the tale of Enguina being attacked, he walked before her for days afterward warding off every small woodland creature in the most serious of voices."

"By Elbereth," laughed Enguina suddenly, "I forgot how embarrassing, but how hilarious that was. He would yell at the top of his voice, 'Be gone, foul rabbit!'" She burst out laughing as well as everyone else, even Erumar, who would not have been able to finish that part of the story. Wiping her eyes, Enguina shook her head. "Within a few hours everyone knew about it."

"That was funny," Erumar added, smiling.

"I have one," Arwen said, "while we are speaking of Lothlórien. One day, Enguina had this amazingly brilliant scheme to climb down a mallorn from the top to the bottom and not use any of the stairs. It was to be a challenge to see which one of us could get to the bottom first—"

"Would it not have been easier to climb up?" asked Legolas.

"Then it would not have been much of a challenge," stated Enguina, blushing already.

"And Enguina knew that there was no way we would ever be allowed to do it when there were a hundred people around, so…we needed to do it in the dead of night," Arwen added, grinning. "The two of us began the exceedingly long climb downward—"

"Perhaps a silly question," Thranduil interrupted, but he looked at Erumar, "where were you in all this, my dear?"

"I would like to be able to say I knew nothing about it," she replied.

"You would like to?" quoted Legolas with a smirk. "What does that mean?"

She grinned. "I was waiting at the bottom to be the judge of who arrived first."

Thranduil shook his head. "Ah, the foolishness of women."

"As if we never do anything foolish," interjected Aragorn.

"Can I tell the story now, please?" protested Arwen softly. "So we began our climb downward to Erumar. Having chosen a tree that had many vines, it was not as difficult as one might expect, but it was a serious challenge for the two of us and there were many times when I thought we were going to slip and fall or Enguina would plunge to her death."

"Me?" she asked indignantly. "You were the one whose vine snapped and you fell five feet before you caught yourself again!"

"I am not hearing this," Aragorn muttered. "Please tell me this was long before I met you."

"Long," she replied with a smile. "Moving on. Enguina was winning until that happened, so she thought it would be brilliant if she made an effort to do something similarly stupid, as though my falling was on purpose. So she let go for several feet, finally catching herself below me somewhere in the branches. When she hit, she twisted her left wrist and her right ankle, and then she found she could barely hold on any longer. We were, possibly, fifty or so meters from the ground at that point, and Enguina tried to hurry to get down not only first, but because she was then in pain of course. Her arm slipped from the tree and she fell; her foot caught on a vine and fell down through it where it pulled taught, snapping her ankle and causing her to hang upside-down and backwards from the tree."

Enguina flinched and laughed darkly. "That was a painful experience, and it may have been the second moment of my life when I truly thought I was going to die." Legolas tightened his hand on hers.

"So what happened in the end?"

"Erumar began screaming, and I began climbing down the tree as fast as I could, scrambling to get to her," Arwen said, "but there appeared Haldir and a small troop of the guard out of the darkness. They had been on their way on patrol and were passing by. When he looked up and saw his sister hanging upside-down from the vines of that mallorn, I do not think I have ever seen him angrier than he was in that moment. They were able to get Enguina down with the large number of the party, thank Ilúvatar. But she was injured, and Haldir gave the three of us such a stern talking-to I thought he would never speak to us again."

"And that is saying something, considering Erumar was not his wife then," added Enguina. "By heavens, he was so angry, though to be honest I think I might have been in too much pain to pay any attention to his words."

"Suffice to say he was angry," Erumar said softly. It was the first thing she had said about Haldir, though as other people were speaking of him, it felt a bit easier to hear his name, to think of him; especially in the context of telling amusing stories. "You fought with him as two birds over the same worm."

Enguina laughed. "Yes, he was a wonderful brother," she said with a grin. "We loved each other, even if I was awful to him sometimes."

"And throwing things at him, poking fun at him, teasing him," continued Arwen, laughing.

"Making him poisonous stew," listed Erumar, ticking things off on her fingers.

"Erumar!" cried Enguina, glaring at her.

"Poisonous stew, hmm?" asked Legolas, intrigued. "Is this the famous stew story I am not supposed to hear?"

"Oh!" Erumar looked at Enguina sheepishly. "Forgive me, my mouth got carried away before my mind caught up."

"I will not forgive you! I said you could not tell that story!"

"I've got an idea!" called Gimli. "How about I tell Legolas's least favorite story, and Erumar can tell yours?"

"No!" said Enguina crossing her arms. Legolas laughed, laying his hand on hers while looking at the dwarf.

"I know which one you are going to tell, and as long as you do not sing that infernal song while telling it, feel free to tell it all the same."

"Very well!" Gimli laughed. "Legolas and I had journeyed to the Glittering Caves and were exploring in one of the deep recesses of the rock. Legolas wasn't excited about being underground like that, but he was willing to see what my home would be like, so he'd come down. While we were walking along, there was a huge rockslide in one of the less-travelled and well-hidden tunnels. Legolas and I were caught right in the middle of it! We rushed to escape, but naturally, he got the worst of it as he had been behind me as we were running out and he'd shoved me forward out of the way. Of course he did! He was always trying to protect me."

"What would you rather me do?" sighed Legolas rolling his eyes.

"Nothing, nothing!" answered Gimli and then he continued the story. "Luckily, when I looked down, I could actually see him, but he was almost completely buried in heavy rocks. It took me nearly an hour to dig him out and as I worked, I sang a very old dwarvish work song that—"

"I cannot stand," interrupted Legolas. "Therefore, he is not going to sing it so that he does not irritate all of you with it. Take my word: when all you hear is the dwarf singing the same song for an hour, it is awful."

"Does that have something about hi-ho in it?" asked Thranduil thoughtfully. "I seem to recall—"

"Adar, must you?" asked Legolas, glaring at him in exasperation.

"I think I may have heard it before when my father was good friends with the dwarves. Forgive me for bringing it up."

"It's the very same!" laughed Gimli.

"I should tell Enguina's now," said Erumar with a little smile, and Enguina lowered her head to her arms on the table.

"I do not have to look at you while you tell it," she muttered, and Legolas laid a gentle hand on her back, even as he grinned.

"Get it out there, Erumar. Tell it."

"Obviously, things have changed in the last year, but years ago, Enguina could not cook at all. She never had a desire to learn until Arwen and I arrived in Lórien. So, I agreed to teach her some of the things I knew about cooking."

"Erumar makes excellent food," Arwen added softly.

Gimli raised his eyebrows. "Aye! Another great chef! Perhaps you'll cook for us some night!"

"Perhaps," she answered. "Enguina worked hard, as she does with everything she puts her mind to, but she did not have the talent for it—well at least that was what she said. At any rate, she complained that she was not good enough to learn, but she wanted to try her hand at something and test it on someone. Her test subject became her brother. One night," Erumar continued with a smile while inwardly gathering herself to tell the tale, "H-Haldir had returned from his duties and she was cooking him a stew. Even though he wanted nothing to do with it, he agreed to sit and eat it.

"If it had been awful, Haldir may have noticed that it did not sit well, but the meal had actually been decent. The trouble with it was that for the next two days he was very, very ill. Whatever had been in the stew gave him some sort of food illness, a bad reaction, and he was laid up for several days." Erumar gave Enguina a pitiful glance. "Needless to say, Enguina never tried her hand at cooking again."

"Ah, so this is the reason I should not have asked you to cook, yes?" Legolas said with a bit of a smirk as he rubbed her back gently.

"Do not speak to me of that story," Enguina grumbled back.

"Well I thought the stews she's made since she's been here have been delicious!" said Gimli, slapping his hand on the table. "I'll challenge anyone who says otherwise!"

"Hold, Gimli," said Aragorn lifting a hand to calm him down, "I doubt Erumar is saying that she is not good at it. She has no intention of challenging you."

"Well good! I'd hate to challenge a lady."

Erumar laughed softly. "I would never challenge a dwarf to anything. I would lose terribly."

"More than likely," Thranduil said, teasing her, "you could out-sing and out-climb him at any moment."

"Which leads me to a story of these two ridiculous friends," stated Aragorn. "As everyone here knows, Gimli and Legolas got on in the worst way when they first met. They were rude to each other, and at times they very much were downright mean, slapping each other with tree branches or trying to trip one another—utterly ridiculous behavior."

"I remember Gandalf threatening to separate us at one point," Legolas added with a grin, and Enguina finally made to lift her head.

"Yes!" laughed Gimli. "Though the hobbits got quite a chortle out of our antics!"

"This one evening as I recall quite clearly," Aragorn said, "I had the first watch. I saw that Legolas stayed awake a bit longer, roaming about the camp and I think we may have even spoke a bit that night but no matter, it was a quiet night. When it was time for Gimli's turn, he traded places with me and stuffed his pipe to go and smoke as he watched."

Gimli burst out laughing and Aragorn grinned. "HA! That is the funniest!"

"What?" asked Enguina, confused. Legolas shook his head.

"He is remembering what happened next," added the elf, and Aragorn chuckled.

"When Gimli sat down to smoke, his face turned green and he began to choke and sputter. I hurried over to see what had happened, but Gimli kept right on choking and cursing. I could not figure out what he was so upset about until I realized a distinct odor that should never be in pipeweed. It could only have been Legolas, or he had recruited someone to do his dirty work for him, but he had replaced the dwarf's pipeweed with buttercups and grass. I tried to be reasonable at the time, but it was so funny that I had a difficult time maintaining my composure."

"That was low, Legolas," laughed Enguina.

"Well, he deserved it," he said, shaking his head. "Though he tried to lunge at me and wring my scrawny little neck. I think that was how you put that? Hmm?"

"I remember I had to be sure to walk between them the following day," Aragorn said with a grin. "They wanted to hurt one another in the worst way."

"Buttercups and grass!" exclaimed Thranduil. "Excellent work, my boy."

Legolas bowed his head. "Thank you! It was very funny. We did so many other terrible things to one another. I wish I could remember half of them."

"I remember when you and Gimli came to visit the Greenwood," Thranduil suddenly laughed. "You and Tauriel were trying to get him to climb trees!"

Legolas burst out laughing again, as did everyone else at the picture that presented. "Yes, that was hilariously funny!"

"No it wasn't!" shouted Gimli, and then had the humility to look slightly amused. "Well, maybe it was!"

"Wait, who—" Enguina tried to ask, but everyone kept going now, clearly on a roll.

"Or how about when you and Gimli had that drinking contest in Edoras?" chuckled Aragorn. "Gimli failed in such an astounding way."

"I didn't know elves weren't affected by drink like the rest of us!"

"What about that night on the wall at Helm's Deep?" Legolas pointed out, leaning on the table. "You remember when the Uruks first began appearing and Gimli asked me what was happening?" He turned to Enguina with a grin. "He was so short he could not see over the wall, so I offered to find him a box to stand on!"

She rolled her eyes. "You two are too much."

"Hilarious, in fact," stated Arwen with her own smile. "However did we live when you all were not around? We must have been ever so bored."

"As though you have all never done anything ridiculous," chastised Enguina. "Not one of these stories tonight included something we did on our own. One of you was always there either helping us get into trouble or helping us get out."

"No one could argue with that," replied Aragorn with another chuckle. "Can anyone think of another tale to tell of these two?"

"I could think of a few to tell about you—" began Legolas as he leaned back in his chair, but Aragorn held up a hand.

"Another evening, I think. Perhaps before you travel to Ithilien and you stop in Minas Tirith to collect your father on the way home, you can gather together and tell silly stories of all of the mad things I have done. I am certain Arwen would enjoy hearing them."

"I am certain I would have a few to add," she murmured, and Enguina grinned at her down the table.

"I wish I had some very silly and embarrassing stories to tell myself about Legolas, but most of you know those already or you were present for them."

"It is all right, Guin," Legolas said, tilting up her chin with a finger. "You will have the rest of my life to watch me do ridiculous things to make you laugh. Do not worry."

Arwen sighed and set her chin on her hands. "I think I am going to miss you both far too much."

"You will have us to entertain you," Thranduil offered. "At least for a little while."

"And we will not ever be very far away," Legolas said, though he saw the look that Enguina and her shared down the table. He felt that way, too, but he wanted to encourage them all to think positively. It would be difficult to say the farewell to their friends after being among them for so long. But…he wanted his own home with Enguina more than he did not want to say goodbye…and that was saying something quite important to his heart. It was time.