TheGreenTea: It is intense.

Pink bunny: Thanks.

Disclaimer: I do not own "The Hobbit."

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Chapter 9: Do you want to build a snowman?

Edana stood next to Calanon, washing and cutting fruit as he rolled out the dough for the pastries he had been assigned to make that day. She was also there to make sure his apron didn't catch fire again. The head cook had assigned her to work with Calanon, seeing how they got along well and she had the head to keep things from going south.

Calanon was grateful for the help. Not only did Edana spare him from any more humiliating accidents, but she was also an excellent student. She told him of the many hours she and Sarah had spent looking up recipes and baking in the kitchen, sometimes just starting from scratch and making up their own recipes as they went along. He saw in her a friend and apprentice, and perhaps something more.

Edana had just finished washing lemons while Calanon was putting the blueberry tarts in the oven – she was going to show him how to peel them so that they would be curled instead of flat and straight – when Legolas entered the kitchen and walked over to her, putting his hand on her shoulder so that she would know he was there.

She turned to him and was immediately worried, seeing the troubled look on his face. Her thoughts turned to her cousin-turned-sister.

"Have you seen Sarah?" Legolas asked.

"Not since this morning when you took her to go see. . ." Edana started to respond, then paused. "What happened?" she demanded. "What did Thrandy say to her?"

Legolas gave her a look when she said "Thrandy," but decided to ignore it for now. There were more important things to worry about, and his father had not been here to hear that so there was no problem.

"I do not know what he said to her," Legolas said. "All I know is that she ran out. My father ran after her and her path led him to me. I told her that I would be in the archery range if she could not listen to him anymore and she obviously was headed there, but I did not see her."

"You can't find her?" Edana asked, beginning to realize what was happening.

"No," Legolas answered. "We searched the archery range, but she was not there. She is not with any of the animals. We have searched practically the whole palace and have not found her."

"Did you check our bedroom?"

"No," Legolas said after a pause. "Why would she go there?"

"Probably because it's so obvious that it's the last place you would look," Edana answered. "And she can lock it from the inside so no one can get in."

"And if she is not there?" Edana sighed at Legolas' question. She was the one Sarah knew best, so it was the obvious conclusion that she would be the one who knew what Sarah would do in this kind of situation.

"You keep searching the rest of the palace," she said. "I'll go check our room. If she's not there, you'll be the first to know."

Legolas nodded and walked out, determined not to waste any time that could be spent looking for his sister. Edana sighed again and turned to Calanon, who was patiently waiting for the conversation to end.

"Will you be alright on your own?" she asked him.

"I have been just fine on my own for many centuries." Edana raised an eyebrow at that, remembering the burning apron. "The ovens will be closed while the tarts are baking, and I promise to close them when they come out. All that is left after that is to peel the lemons and add the garnish. We can save your technique for another time."

"Thank you for understanding," Edana said. "Just be careful with the peeler. I'm pretty sure no one wants elf-skin in their blueberries."

Calanon laughed as she hurried out of the kitchen, staring at her until he couldn't see her anymore before turning his attention back to his work. The head cook saw this and mentally smiled. That girl might actually be good for him he thought.

Edana hurried as fast as she could to her and Sarah's room. She got there and immediately reached for the door, but was unable to turn the handle. It was locked. That told her all she needed to know. She knocked on the door.

"Sarah?" she called. "Sarah, can you hear me?"

The only response she got was a few quiet sobs. Sarah was crying. It sounded like she was right inside the door.

Thrandy better hope I don't find him after this Edana thought otherwise I'm going to rip his spine out through his nose and beat him with it until he has so many bruises there's no skin left for me to bruise.

"Sarah?" she tried again. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Go away, Edana," was the response she got.

Sarah's words sparked a memory inside Edana. She thought back to the lyrics from a movie song, a movie that she and Sarah had gone to see together. After getting back home, they had looked up the lyrics and memorized all the songs. The lyrics came back to her now. Edana knocked again.

"Sarah?" she said once more before starting to sing.

"Please, I know you're in there.

People are asking where you've been.

They say 'Have courage,' and I'm trying to.

I'm right out here for you.

Just let me in.

We only have each other.

It's just you and me.

What are we gonna do?"

Edana leaned against the door and slid down to the floor, pausing before she sang the last line of the song.

"Do you want to build a snowman?"

There was a moment of silence after that, and Edana waited patiently to see if she would get a reaction. It wasn't long before she heard someone moving on the other side of the door. The lock clicked, and the door opened. Edana hurriedly stood up and turned to face her sister.

Sarah's eyes were red from crying, and tears were still falling. Her dress was wrinkled from sitting on the floor. She immediately hugged Edana and cried into her shoulder. All Edana could do was hug her back.

"Sarah!"

The two girls turned to the voice that had cried out. Thranduil was walking toward them with a relieved look on his face.

"Go," Edana whispered to Sarah, who walked back into the room. Edana followed her, turning back once she was inside just in time to see Thranduil walk up to the door.

"Sarah. . . ," he started to say. Edana glared at him.

"Buzz off, Twig Head!" she shouted before slamming the door in his face. She locked it behind to her, then turned back to go comfort Sarah.

Thranduil stood outside the door, stunned. Though, he couldn't decide if it was from the door being slammed in his face or the name Edana had called him. He heard the door being locked and raised his hand to knock. He paused before knocking, then lowered his hand.

If Sarah didn't want to talk to him, and Edana was in no mood to let him even try to say anything to his daughter, then there wasn't much he could do about it. He walked away, his heart heavy.

Legolas watched it all from where he was hiding.

He had waited outside the kitchen for Edana to emerge, then followed her. He heard the song she sang, and saw how Sarah reacted. He saw how his father tried to get to Sarah and how Edana had refused him entry. He almost laughed when he heard what she called the king, but didn't as it would give away his hiding place.

When he was certain that his father was gone, he came out of the shadows and walked over to the door. He knocked softly.

"Sarah, Edana," he said. "It's Legolas. May I come in?"

Edana unlocked the door and opened it, letting him in after checking to make sure Thranduil wasn't nearby. He immediately walked over and hugged his sister. She hugged him back. Edana closed and locked the door before walking over to join in the group-hug.

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I know that might be an awkward place to end, but I had said all I wanted to say and I didn't want to put in anything else. Was it okay?

Cyber-cookies for whoever is the first to guess what movie the song came from.

Please review.