Chapter Nineteen
New Day, New Drama

The breeze was so light and airy, no one really knew it was winter. I guess that's how it always is in Lothlorien. I open my eyes. For some reason, I was excited beyond belief. It wasn't like I had been welcomed and hugged by the elves, but it probably had more to do with the dance. I had a set of goals for my stay in Lothlorien-

1. Go to the dance and makeout with somebody hot. (probably won't happen)

2. Learn to fight better.

3. Talk more to 'lil hobbits

4. Totally annoy the hell out of Boromir, Haldiar, Galadrial, Mark, Delilah and possibly, Lily. Boy that list gets longer every day...

5. Ask Legolas about why the elves and fay "hate" each other. I really need to know more about it.

I would just like to point out, that if this hate is so much like the hate between orcs and elves, why is it that we, or at least I, find most of the elves so attractive? Why can't we all just get along? I decided this morning to keep my wings retracted into my back, so people don't try to kill me as I walk by.

"V! Hurry up! What are you doing? Daydreaming?"

"Oh, I'm coming!" Panicked, I ran down from the house in a flouncy white cotton dress, the ugliest in the draw. Thanks guys.

"G'morning." I yawned.

"Good morning." Answered Colyne and Lauren in unison.

"Where's Delilah?" Eyebrows raised on my face as my friends shot looks at each other.

"What, what happened? Tell me!"

"Well-the-boys-had-like-a-party-last-night-and-she-uh,-um-stayed out-and-partied-too." Strangely, I understood that.

"No way! What a little butt!" (Well, really, I said something that rhymes with that.)

"Yeah." They nodded enthusiastically. Just then, the wavy-haired strawberry blonde sauntered up to us, completely out of it. "Imagoin' to sleep."

"Bye." We said, and she walked up. I shook my head. "Hopeless".

"Let's get the boys, then get breakfast." Giggling, Lauren said, "I hope they're not trashed!" Colyne and her burst out laughing, but I couldn't. My patience with Delilah has been running really thin.

After stopping and asking for directions to the boy's cabin, we found it. Climbing up a ladder on a tree is not an easy thing to do, and we had to do it in dresses.

"The things a girl does for looks!" I blurt dramatically, hanging on for dear life to those skimpy wooden planks.

Surprisingly, no one fell and we knocked on the door together. I was expecting to find the place looking like a frat house. Instead, a red-eyed Frodo answered the door.

"Hullo." He said thickly.

"Hey Frodo!" We all filed in, not really being invited.

"Did you ladies sleep well?" Aragorn asked us as we sat on the blankets on the floor.

"Yeah. Did you hear about the dance?" Lauren blurted out. Really subtle Laur. Really.

"Yes." Aragorn replied frowning. "I shall not be attending."

"Oh. Well who is going?"

Boromir, Legolas, Nick, Frodo, Merry, Pippin, and Mark all said they were. Gimli stayed quiet. One teeny voice piped up. Pippins'.

"Uh, Lauren, would you go to the dance with me?" Everyone's head snapped to look at him. Blushing Lauren said, "Yes."

The girls started clapping. Eventually Boromir asked Colyne to go, and also got a yes. I was floored actually, considering how Colyne knows how annoying he is. Before anything else could happen, a sharp polite knock came at the door. It was the same elf maid that we saw last night.

"The Lady told me to tell you men, oh, and women to please start preparing for tonight's festivities. The washing lake is that way." She said pointing.

"New clothes will be laid out while you bathe." She explained in the same ethereal, soft voice Galadriel had. It seems she was much more polite to our male friends.

"We shall go. Thank you." Legolas replied to her. Lily's cheeks blushed from pale white to rose red in 3 seconds. She curtsied, he nodded, and she floated out the door. Looking back at Legolas, I saw something different written on his face. It was like politeness mixed with extreme boredom.

I stood up.

"Well, girls let's go." We hurried out, and walked in the direction she pointed out. The washing lake was aqua blue and beautiful. Eager to take off our clothes and wash in a nice bath, we ran to the women's side.