The letters between Legolas and me were getting more and more romantic as the time went on. We wrote to each other every single day. There was not a time when the letters stopped coming. I started getting used to seeing his beautiful handwriting and the little things he sent me were as special as I felt the things I sent him were. We wanted very much to meet but we had to do it on neutral ground so that no one would find out. He did not want to come to Rivendell because to him it was a sacred place and he felt wrong doing so without invitation. He thought of my uncle with too much respect to just barge in on his homeland even if it was to visit me. We did not want to let on about us just yet though practically everyone knew on my side and something was suspected on his.

So we decided on meeting at dusk one particular evening. In the meantime, he had work to do. His father was having him be watchful of their land as there were large spiders in the wooded realm not far from Mirkwood. They were all about spinning webs and ruining trees; killing them. To us elves, trees are sacred. We build our homes among them and use them for protection while they grow safe and strong. Both Rivendell and Lorien have strong old trees that are older than some lands combined. So for some bugs to go and destroy that is a crime punishable by death.

The darkness I have been feeling, has been growing very slowly but steadily somewhere in our land. And I still did not know what that word "Necromancer" meant or why that sword that Gandalf brought whispered it to me. What part did I play in this overall story; I had yet to find out. My soul's preoccupation now with the new exciting element of my life; the elven prince of Mirkwood. In one of the letters, he hinted that he may have something for me. I could not imagine what it possibly could be. But when the sun started to set toward the west, I knew it was time to get ready.

I decided not to braid my hair but leave it straight down. My hair was nearly as long as Arwen's. The only difference was that mine was straighter then hers as it was wavy. I put on a dark sapphire gown with a matching coat. As I was leaving Rivendell and traveling alone with just Sunset, I strapped Altherial and a few daggers to me. I never left home without my sword even if I was surrounded by guards. That is just the way I was. Arwen would leave her weapons at home unless she was alone and that almost never happened. The daughter of Rivendell was always escorted everywhere she went though she almost never left Rivendell unless it was to secretly rendezvous with Aragorn.

When I was ready, I stopped in her bedroom to tell her I was on my way out. She was reading a book on her window seat and smiled at me and wished me luck. I took a deep and nervous breath while she smiled at me and giggled lightly. With a wave, I left and walked down the maze of corridors and paths down to the stables where the caretakers had made Sunset ready for me. I walked up to my steed and kissed him on the nose as I patted his mane.

"Ready for a nice ride, boy?" I asked looking him in the eye. He looked back at me wisely and reared back on his hind legs. He loved the freedom I gave him on our runs so he was more excited than I was, I suspected.

As the caretakers held him steady, I climbed up on top and took the reins and maneuvered him toward the bridge and exit gate of the kingdom. As soon as we past the outer gate, we were off; flying at top speed, I let him do what he was yearning to do. The only thing I did was guide him right or left, depending on our destination. Once we got close to where I knew he would be waiting, I slowed Sunset down to trot as we came upon a hill, I saw Legolas atop his horse at the bottom near a meadow. He smiled as he saw us approaching.

We met at the bottom and he hopped off his own steed and held on to both him and Sunset so I could climb down. Not that I needed any help but he was just a gentleman that way. That was yet another thing that I loved about him. He knew my capabilities and acknowledged them but he still was protective of me and my feelings. It was all so new and light to me. I had never felt this way about anyone before. I knew my feelings toward Haldir as a brother were nothing compared to what I felt for Legolas.

After I had gotten off Sunset, we both led our horses through the meadow to some trees at the outskirts of a forest. We tied them up; not because we had to, but just out of habit. Both of our steeds were highly trained to stay and obey any command. But right then, we just did not want to deal with that. We had eyes only for one another. I was thinking about what Arwen had told me about Haldir and his feelings for me previously, and I still hoped she was wrong. Legolas noticed my faraway gaze and the fact that we really had not said anything to each other, other than hello.

"You are far away somewhere; come back to me." He said returning my thoughts to the present and I blushed a bit.

"I am sorry. I was just thinking....it is stupid really." I said shaking my head off my unpleasant thoughts and getting refocused on the God like man standing before me.

"About what?" He asked cocking his head to one side. We were so used to telling each other everything in our letters that this was no different and yet it was because it was no longer on paper. We were face to face. But I knew I had nothing to fear.

"You are going to think tis foolish." I started walking and he kept in step with me.

"Nothing you ever tell me will be foolish." He said confidently. I sighed not as sure.

"Arwen says Haldir is in love with me." I mumbled looking away. Then back at him as he said nothing.

"Yes I know, tis really stupid and I do not think-." I did not get to finish before he interrupted me.

"She is right. He is." Legolas said quietly; looking at me for my reaction which quickly registered as shock.

"What? I do not believe it! He is like a brother to me. Why would he ever-how do you know this?"

"He may be like a brother to you, but that is not how he feels about you. And it is very obvious from the way he looks at you. I saw this when I first met both of you." Legolas said wisely.

"But...but....that is not how I feel at all! I cannot believe he.....I do not know what to say." My voice raised an octave as we stopped walking and turned toward each other.

"Shh shh. I know that. Do not worry about it. Besides, I am glad you do not feel anything like that toward him." He said with a smile. I was mortified. I was spending our time together talking about Haldir. What was I thinking?

"I am sorry I even brought him up. Let us talk about something else." I said quickly trying to change the subject.

"Do not apologize. I asked remember? We all have people in our lives that we have to deal with." He said.

"Like Tauriel?" I asked and it was my turn to cock my head. I knew he still had feelings for her. We sat down on a log not far from where our horses were tied up.

There was a silence for a long time. He knew why I brought her up. She was always like a specter in our lives. I knew he cared about her though he told me that he felt much more strongly toward me, it still did not dissuade the feeling that at any moment, he may choose her and I would lose him forever. It is not like we were betrothed to one another. Our relationship was still very young and new. We were still in the stages of discovery. Meanwhile, he and Tauriel had known each other their entire lives and that made things different. Just like Haldir and I only in his case, there was a mutual caring and feeling from both sides. That was why I still tried to keep myself from falling too deeply in love with him. I did not want to get hurt or have a broken heart. Sadly, when it comes to love; one does not get to choose. When he finally answered, after staring off into the distance for what seemed to be eternity, his voice was sincere.

"Yes, like Tauriel. I do still care about her but I can promise you that my feelings toward her do not in any shape or form compare to what I feel for you." He finished looking me straight in the eyes.

"Are you sure?" I asked holding his eye contact. I had to be sure.

"Very. In fact to show you how much I mean it, I have something for you." He said reaching into one of his strapped on pouches.

He pulled out a small package that was tied with a wood colored string and gave it to me. I hesitated only for a second before taking it from him with almost trembling hands and slowly untied the string. As the package came apart and I opened the little box, I gasped when I saw what was inside. It was a Greenleaf broach; a duplicate of the one he always wore to keep his cloak around his neck and in fact he wore it now. This was a family heirloom but it was obvious that it was made for a female to wear. As my shaking hands picked it out of the box and I looked it over, I knew nothing in my life would ever be the same again.

"It was my mother's. My father gave it to me when I was young. He told me that I could only give it to the woman that meant the most to me. And that is you." His voice was solemn as he said it.

"I...I...do not know what to say. It is beautiful." I stammered out as tears filled my eyes.

"It does not even compare to your beauty. And say you will accept it as a token of my affection and love." He said gently looking at me until I met his gaze. I simply nodded as I did not have the right words to say anything at all.

When I did finally meet his gaze, a single tear escaped and ran down my cheek which he wiped away with his thumb as he placed both hands on either side of my face ever so gently. His face began to lower toward mine and when our lips touched; my eyes closed as all of the emotions of the past months came rushing into them. The kiss was perfect. His lips were warm and they fit perfectly on mine. The shape of them and fullness were exactly as mine and it was like they were specifically molded to fit together. We stayed like that for a long time just enjoying the moments as they bled together. When we finally came up for air, we just stayed with our arms around each other as the sun completely set behind the mountains on the horizon.

The stars came out to shine on us and we eventually looked up at the stars as they twinkled away in their majestic surroundings. There was not a need for any more words. The kiss had spoken for both of us. We stayed that way until it got late and it was time to part ways. I placed the broach into a pouch of my own and climbed on Sunset as Legolas untied him for me. I then rode up to the hill, turned around and looked to where he was now sitting atop his steed. I made Sunset rear back and neigh loudly before galloping off back toward Rivendell with a smile.

We promised each other that we would spend as much time as possible like that together. This was just the beginning......the beginning of us.