Dear Readers,

I hope that you enjoy this short little chapter. Some shocking things happen here. That being said, I ask that you bear with me and have patience as I have a bit of a busy schedule. Thank you so much for your support and for your wonderful reviews! You guys make this story so much fun to write! I just love hearing what you all have to say! =)

Kindest regards,

~Anariel RR

Dearest Book,

With terrible decisions come the great gravity of consequences. I never realized that I would feel it all so acutely as I feel now. Even to think of it now, I cannot help but to be moved to tears. Before I divulge more, I will explain all as it had occurred in the past day…

I remained in my bedchamber, tireless and restless, eager to stretch my legs. I was fed well, treated well, and not even a cross word was spoken to me. However, I was now allowed an occasional visitor. My back had been to the door and I was perusing through an old book of maps, gazing particularly at a map of Gondor. When the door was opened, I had thought it to be Legolas, who came often to assure me that he would do anything in his power to release me. It was not once a day that he came, but all of the time.

"Tauriel…" I heard a voice speak my name. It wasn't the usual rich tenor of Legolas's voice but rather the squeaky soprano of Ninimmien who oftentimes drove me mad by simply hearing it. However, this time, my heart gave a leap and I rejoiced instantaneously.

"Mellon…" I cried as I scrambled out of my seat and over to her. We embraced in a short-lived moment of happiness. Tears had begun to flood my eyes and I felt some sort of jubilant elation, but there was a sadness lingering somewhere in my heart. It was the sort of sadness that I hadn't felt since I was but a child and I lost my parents.

"Galu! How are you, my friend?" She squeezed me tightly but soon I saw that there were tears in her eyes.

"The wedding?" I sputtered, scarcely able to breathe. She shook her head and smiled only momentarily, "No…no…it will proceed as planned."

"Then what it is?" I was so panicked, my heart beating a mile a minute. "Pedo! Tell me!" I cried in an anxious voice.

"You are to be released Tauriel. This day, in fact." She smiled momentarily before even more tears began to cascade down trembling cheeks. "But…"

"But what?" I shot back right away, eager to get the news out of her. I was frightened that something had gone wrong. Did Legolas defy his father as I had tried to avoid? Did he do something to arouse the rage of our King? Was Laerorn in trouble? Did someone die? I was beside myself. What could it have been? The fact that I was being freed was a wonderful happenstance but there was a deep element of sorrow.

"But…you are to be betrothed." She spoke the words in a hollow, robotic voice. All I could do was stare at her with my mouth hanging open and my eyes gazing off into the distance. What was going on? Had I heard correctly? When I had regained some sense, I simply uttered, "Man?"

"Oh Tauriel, Tauriel." She breathed, her face ashen with sadness. "Ni nûr angin…"

"I haven't the faintest idea how to tell you this…but you are to be betrothed formally…and it appears that the other party has consented." She continued, jabbering on but all I could hear was mumbling, an irksome noise to my ears.

"Betrothed?" I cried, well-nigh choking upon my words as I uttered a response. "It cannot be!"

"Yes…it is true. The King himself has arranged it." She declared, her face more solemn than sorrowful at this point. Her bright eyes lacked the sparkle that they usually did.

"Man te?" I closed my eyes for a moment as I inquired, curling my hands into fists as I awaited the answer. I had a deep fear that it would be Councilor Bregoliâr. Very few things frightened me more than the prospect of that.

"Galhanar…" She spoke the name slowly as if she was hesitant to even say it. It was then that I opened my eyes and blinked slowly. Given, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. For some reason unbeknownst to myself, at that moment, my head was filled with Legolas. He was all that I could think about. Did he know already? Knowing his father, he was kept oblivious of it.

"A…pe…pe…avon cared?" I froze, glancing at the fire blazing away in the grate of the fireplace, the elegant designs of the firescreen evident against the marble. There was something hypnotic about the fire and the way that it swayed back in forth in a lazy gait.

"Would you disobey the King?" She spoke the words that forced the dagger of sorrow into my heart. "The monarch whom you have wronged already and who has spared you from exile?"

"Well…when you put it like that…" I muttered cynically, fighting back a barrage of tears that threatened. "Avathon…" I pinched the bridge of my nose for a moment then replied, "I do not love Galhanar. I never could…he is as a brother to me. Moreover, he is not a Silvan Elf…he is Sindarin. Why would the King betroth a lowly Silvan Elf to a Sindarin Lord? It makes no sense."

"It makes sense, Tauriel. Galhanar asked for you." She whispered, her face sorrowful once more, her lips pursed together. Eventually, she continued but rather slowly, "The way in which you stormed off searching for Galhanar…it was assumed, at least by most, that you are in love with him. Councilor Bregoliâr strove to blacken your name by saying that you were involved and implicit in Galhanar's abduction by Orcs…that you had arranged this entire thing in some manner. Everyone called him foolish and the best of champions was Ernil Legolas. He fought for you tirelessly…and while you are in here, he paces about the halls, passionate and determined. He will take no rest and no food." I blinked for a moment and glanced down at the tray that one of the guards had given me. It was replete with uneaten food. I, too had gone without any source of sustenance or drink or rest. Eventually I returned my gaze to Ninimmien, "This cannot be."

"It is so." She frowned now, exhibiting her concern. "This night the betrothal will be announced at the Grand Banquet. It will be a banquet to celebrate what we have accomplished against the Orcs. Yet I must go now…please do not fret, Tauriel." With that, she departed from my bedchamber and I was left to do exactly as she bid me not to do. I paced the room, my head swimming with thoughts and my heart beating rapidly, violently. I do not know why but all I could think of was Legolas.

Tauriel

Sindarin Translation:

A – And

Avon cared – I refuse

Avathon – I will refuse

Ernil – Prince

Gallu – Hi [Literally: Blessings]

Man – What?

Man te? – Who?

Mellon – Friend

Ni nûr angin – I am sad for you.

Pe – If

Pedo – Speak/Tell me