Annuniel was restless.

She was told about the feast only a night before. But that wasn't what bothered her the most. It was the fact that she was made to wear a dress, and be expected to entertain one specific ellon. She did not want to and she most certainly did not wish to "entertain" a stranger.

She stalked the halls of her father's kingdom, trying to get away from the maids that were ordered to dress her. She managed to avoid the guards and those who were sent looking for her. Maybe it was the mere fact that she had successfully dressed herself up like a stable boy. She was merely a teen and people were already talking about her possible marriages to one of the young ellon's that were supposed to attend tonight.

She not only felt angry but felt betrayed. She did not think her parents would do such a thing. Had they forced Legolas into a union he did not want? No. Had her father? She was fuming.

"Hey, you, stable boy!"

Annuniel was stupid enough to look back and sure enough, she was discovered. She dashed away, hearing the rest of the guards call after her. She mentally cursed. How could she forget her one rule? Never look anyone in the eye when you are trying to sneak away.

Her eyes were a dead giveaway, thank her mother for blessing her with such a disadvantage. She made her way to the one place she was sure no one would go looking for her. The library. She heard the music as she passed by the way towards the courtyard and grimaced.

To think it was supposed to be her birth day. She snorted as she pushed open the doors to the library and closed it behind her. She sighed and her eyes automatically look up at the two portraits hanging on the wall. One was of Legolas' mother, and the other...well, it was a portrait of the woman who had a hold in her big brother's heart. She found herself wondering about this elleth more than what was necessary. Maybe because this elleth, this Turwaithiel, had played such an important role in their family history that Annuniel felt cheated she was not able to meet her.

She pulled off her cap and turned away from the portraits. The way they lifelessly stared at her made her feel uncomfortable somehow. She walked towards the fire, the warmth radiating towards her. Then her eyes caught something else.

There was a boy, probably younger than her, sitting by the fire with a book in hand. She stopped, her eyebrows shooting up but the boy didn't seem to notice her, or did not care as his eyes delved into the book like there was something interesting about the history of wood crafting.

She crossed her hands over her chest, ready to disturb his peace when his eyes suddenly looked up towards her, like he knew she was there, it was just that, he just felt like acknowledging her presence now. She stood straighter, she's never really seen anyone with eyes like his. It reminded her of jewels. The kind of jewels their kingdom would often receive from her parent's close friend. Lara, she thought. Annuniel didn't realize she was staring until the boy blinked at her. She suddenly felt embarrassed.

She cleared her throat and turned towards the fire, hoping the boy would not react. She was so used to being around boys her age, but why did this one make her feel...uncomfortable? She continued to walk towards the fire, feeling his eyes on her. Then it dawned on her, he did not look at her the way the rest of the boys in her kingdom do. He did not look at her with fear, or adoration, or fake interest. In fact, he was looking at her for far too long. She turned her head towards him, her eyes narrowing at the sign of...disrespect but again, she was caught off guard by the expression he had.

He was...curious? She raised an eyebrow before the boy apparently realized he had been staring for too long. His skin turned bright red as his eyes snapped back towards the book he was reading. Annuniel did not know how to react. Boys often teased her and she would fight back...why had this boy done nothing but stare?

She cleared her throat again, hoping to get some kind of reaction but the boy was already too focused on the book. She sighed and plopped down on the chair across him, pulling off the cap she been wearing. Her loose hair falls over her shoulder and she notices the boy glancing at her but only for a second.

"Are you avoiding the party, too?" She decided to ask, the boy looks up and stares at her before glancing around the room and giving her a hesitant nod.

"You do not talk much, do you?"

He shakes his head no. Annuniel nods.

"My name is...Lindethiel," she extends a hand towards him, hoping he would not catch her in a lie. She did not want to give him her real name, and hoped this boy did not know of her aunt.

"Dorainen," he extended a hand towards her, which she took and shook ungracefully, making Dorainen raise an eyebrow in response. He did not comment but simply continued to read his book after it, which made Annuniel feel a little more at ease.

He was far younger than her, that much she could tell but he was tall, almost as tall as her. Almost. She flicked her hair over her shoulder, studying the boy openly. He didn't seem to mind. Now, where had she seen eyes like those before?

"Why are you not at the party?" He asked her, his eyes still on the book in his hands. Annuniel could not, for the life of her, understand what was so interesting about it. She shrugged and leaned back further into the chair, watching the fire dance in the fireplace.

"Parties are not my thing," she says quietly. "I am more into adventure. Going outside and into the forests, hiking up mountains and watching the stars. Not boring parties where all I do is entertain elves I do not know."

"Why are you here, then?" he asks, finally putting the book down and looking her straight in the eye. This question someone infuriated her and Dorainen did not know what was more terrifying, the flames in the fire place or the ones in her eyes. Had he said something wrong? He never was good at socializing. He felt relieved when the embers in the girls eyes seemed to die down, like a single thought put out the will in her heart.

"I have no choice, I am not allowed to go out of the palace, lest they will see me and report me to my m-", she cleared her throat. "- to my majesty."

"So you work for the royal family?" He seems to straighten, a topic he was finally curious about. "Do you, live here? In this kingdom?"

Annuniel nods. It was more or less that truth.

"Why?"

This time, he shrugs, his expression in deep thought before he shakes his head as if he had changed his mind and thought better of what he was about to say.

"What about you, where are you from?" She proceeded to ask, might as well enjoy her last moments of peace before being discovered. There was a huge chance her brother would know where she was and would persuade her to go to the party. She hated how much she loved him.

"Not far-" before he could continue, Annuniel had already heard the footsteps of those who were looking for her. In a panic, she stood up, surprising Dorainen. She gestured for him to be silent and listened attentively to those who were outside. She heard Legolas' laughter prompting her to begin her escape. She turned away from Dorainen but changed her mind as she grabbed him from the chair and pulled her with him, shocking him completely but he did not fight her pull. Maybe because she was older than him, or perhaps he was just too surprised to think.

"Are you running away from someone?" Dorainen asks as she guides him down the shelves of books.

"Tone down your voice," she says almost in a whisper before glancing at him over her shoulder. "My father has a vast collection of books I will let you borrow if you help me not get caught."

This gets his attention. "By who?"

Suddenly the doors to the library open and they both quicken their pace.

"My brother," she smiles and even though he could barely see her, he felt his heart melt a little. He had not realized how beautiful she was. He followed without questions, this older elleth who got him curious enough to leave the library through a small door.

They walked through it, her hand wrapped in his. For a moment, all Dorainen could think was, why had they not been born on the same year? What would his mother think if he told her he thinks he has fallen in love with an older woman, who was brazen and ran away from authorities? Laralen would laugh, he knew of this. His mother always had a soft spot for him, then she would tease him relentlessly. Like the time he was caught staring adoringly at his nursemaid. Like it was a crime to like someone out of curiosity.

"Are you alright, Dorainen?" her voice was clearer now, although they were walking down a dark hall.

"Yes, where are we going?"

"My brother renovated the library to build a small passage way to my room when I was little," she explained. He nodded before realizing what she had just said, they were going to her room? Panic rushed inside him. His mother would murder him. Did Lindethiel not know how young he was? Who was this girl? Before he could think better of it, or run away, Lindethiel had already pushed a door open revealing a warmly lit room fit for a princess.

Annuniel sighed. "Freedom."

She let go of the boy's arm and walked over to her closet, opening it and rummaging through all the while unbuttoning the tunic she had on. Dorainen stood rigid, feeling the heat of embarrassment rising up to his neck. What should he do? He made the mistake of looking at her as the tunic slid off her shoulder. He wanted to run away but did not know which way to go so he focused on his feet.

"What are you doing?" Annuniel called to him. He swears the nervousness he felt could kill him right now.

"Guard the door, silly." He heard her laugh as he tried to navigate his way towards what he hoped to be was the door.

"Wrong way," she said with a chuckle as he felt her arms on his shoulder as she pushed him towards the right way.

"Are you nervous?" She asked him as he finally reached the door. He couldn't say anything and stared at the brass knob.

"Hey," she sounded much nearer and Dorainen wished he had not turned around. She was standing right beside him now, a good few inches taller than him and she was now wearing a dress made of midnight blue. Annuniel squinted at him, a smile on her lips. "Why are you all red? Do you have a fever?"

He shook his head before Annuniel handed him a sword.

"Get ready," she half whispered and half chuckled as she pushed the doors of her bedroom open. Dorainen held the sword, remembering the lessons he had from his father and uncle.

"Who are we fighting?" he asked nervously.

She smiled mischievously. "The Prince."

An arrow came swooping over her left shoulder, imbedding itself on the wall of her door. She laughs as she gestures Dorainen to follow her as she dashes gracefully towards her attacker but was surprised when Dorainen blocked her.

"I cannot let you harm the prince," he says and Annuniel actually found him adorable. She suppressed her smile as her eyes turned to Legolas who was standing with a curious look of his own behind Dorainen.

"Influencing the youth, little fireball?" Legolas asked, Annuniel rolls her eyes.

"I can take both of you down, dear brother."

She relished in Dorainen's surprised expression realizing she was the princess.

"You better fight like your life depends on it, Dorainen. You just betrayed the princess," She laughs and lunges towards him, he blocked her easily as Legolas joined the fight.

Far off at the party, the King and Queen stand side by side, looking at the sea of guests and determining who would be suitable enough to court their daughter despite knowing Annuniel would never allow anyone to do so.

"Mantheniel," Laralen speaks softly beside her, an urgency in her voice.

"Yes, mellonin?"

"Have you seen Dorainen? I tried to look for him in the library but he is not there. I am worried, he is not into socializing much or violence for that matter so-"

The sounds of swords clashing has everyone looking around, wondering where it was coming from. Thranduil sighs heavily beside Mantheniel.

"Oh dear," Laralen sees them first as Dorainen runs towards the party with Legolas right behind him. Annuniel appears right after, in a dress that looked beautiful on her.

"I believe Dorainen has met our daughter," Thranduil states. "I do apologize, she has her...good days."

They watch as Annuniel manages to corner Dorainen, the tip of her sword right at his neck. She was smiling and Dorainen could not understand how this sadistic princess made his heart feel weird. She turned her sword away and placed it behind her, a sign for thank you.

"Come back when you are older," she says her smile never fading. "Then I won't have to hold back."

She gives him a wink as she turned towards her guests and bowed.

Dorainen felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see the prince looking down at him with a smile.

"You should take her invitation to come back and fight her as a compliment," he tells him and the both watch as Annuniel points the sword right at her father who smiles despite it all and she runs.

Disappearing into the thick woods behind them.

----

Authors note: Sorry for the delay. Hey hey. This is the fifth and last chapter for this book BUT I am open to entries. Do you have a short story you want to write about the princess?

If you do, send them to me and I'll post them in this book. Yeah?

Thank you for a great adventure guys. 😊