The arrow lodged itself into the wooden target, right at the center mark. 

Annuniel breathes out, smiles and turns towards her brother who was watching her progress with the bow. She felt her heart swell at the sight of his smile- it almost reached his eyes, but she knew she was already asking for too much if she asked for that kind of smile. 

"I believe you will surpass me, little fireball," he says as he walks over to her. They have been here since morning, with Legolas teaching her his own techniques with the bow. Annuniel throws a smug look at him before placing the bow over her shoulders. 

"I think I'll surpass you and mother and father," she says casually as Legolas grabs his own bow and raises an eyebrow at her.

"We shall see then, hmm? Race you to the pond?" 

Before she could reply, he dashed off leaving her as she cursed in every language Lindethiel had taught her before running after him. 

"You should really wipe clean that mouth of yours, little sister," Legolas laughs over his shoulder as they both raced through the outskirts of the walls of their kingdom. Annuniel chuckles before passing him, her small frame and determination pushing her forward. 

"A girl can curse as much as she want and in any language she knows," she replies, remembering what Lindethiel had told her. "It shows strength, independence and intellect." 

"Don't let Lord Elrond hear you say that," Legolas slows down just as the clearing comes into view. He steps back to watch his little sister smile at him over his shoulder, the same happiness and innocence reflected on his face years ago. He wanted to keep it locked away, hidden from the harshness of the world. He wanted to protect her. 

"What's wrong?" 

His eyes refocused back to her as her brows furrowed in worry. He relaxes his expression, he should not worry her, she was still far too young. He shakes his head and walks over to her as they both reach the clearing. He could still feel her eyes on him, the way she looked exactly like their mother made him feel a bit queasy. Manthaniel always had that power with her eyes, and now his sister did too. She barely reached his shoulder and yet she was more afraid for the world than he was for her. 

"You know, you still haven't told me why you don't want to be King," she says gently, bending down to dip her fingers in the pool of water. She stared at her reflection and stared at her brother's reflection. He was looking elsewhere, far away and with that same shadow over his face. She knew of the strain in her brother and father's relationship a long time ago and how that was fixed. But somehow, she had a feeling he had another reason. 

Another reason he didn't want anything to tie him down to this place. Did he really want to leave that badly? Was he really going to leave her so soon? 

"What is with that face? It would seem like you are the one not telling me anything," he says and she sees that casual smile on his face, a smile that never reaches his eyes. 

"It's nothing," she starts and decides to be just honest about it. "I am thinking of the days were I will be here alone, ruling a kingdom with people who did not grow up under the reign of Ada and Nana and Grandfather and...you." 

There was a long pause before she felt Legolas sit down beside her, stretching his legs before him and placing his bow right beside hers. 

"Why do you think so much of the future, Annuniel?" 

"Because... I have this fear that loneliness runs in this family." 

He turns to her as something inside him breaks at the sound of her voice. Perhaps he had been unfair to her. Perhaps he had really been too distant that she would actually think that. 

"You are not alone," he tries to assure her but she shakes her head, picking up a stone and throwing it into the water. 

"It is not my loneliness that I feel, but it is yours," she explains. "Big Brother, what can I do to help you when you do not tell me what is wrong? All I know are from stories from nursemaids, and guards and Ada and Nana but I--" she breathes out, closing her eyes as if she could control the sadness inside her from spilling out. 

"--I want to know it from you." 

She turns to him, sees everything that she is not, from the color of their hair and the color of their eyes. From the weariness in his face but the strength in his smile. She had always been a curious girl, but when it came to personal things she found that she was not very good at it. Talking about emotions made her feel uncomfortable but she wanted to know everything about her brother for this fear inside her that she can never seem to kill. She knew deep in her gut he was leaving. Leaving so soon. 

Legolas sighs, reaching for strands of her that had gotten loose from her braid. "You are far too smart for your own good, Annuniel. I think that is why father had agreed I would not be a good ruler if compared to you." 

Annuniel rolls her eyes, knowing fully well Thranduil had wanted Legolas to take the throne even before the battle of the five armies. She slides up next to him, getting dirt all over her pants and lets him fix her braid. He always did this. Their mother was not very good at braiding and their father was always busy, so she let Legolas do it most of the time. He had a talent for it, apparently. 

"You are young, Annuniel and I wish I could make you stay here in this palace, away from the world outside, away from-" he stops, his fingers gently brushing down her hair to free it from tangles. "From pain and loss." 

"There is never really a cure for it," he says. "I do not know how father has lived so long before mother came into his life, but I do not think I have the heart for it." 

"Father always told me he lived for me," he continues. "Because he had me. I think he wanted me to be old enough to run a kingdom when he decided to leave but then-" 

"Nana came," she says quietly. She could feel him nod but did not dare look at him, because she knew exactly how he would look like right now. That expression on his face always felt like a dagger in her own heart. 

"I think the only thing that runs in this family that you should be afraid of Annuniel is the fact that we tend to fall in love first with the wrong people and almost miss our chance with the right one," he explains. Annuniel scoffs. 

"I won't have time to fall in love," she says. "I'll be too busy fighting in the war and ruling a kingdom-" 

"You need a heir," he explains. She bristles. 

"That was supposed to be your job, Leggy." 

He laughs, making her glance up at him. It was a rare occasion. When he laughed all she wanted to do was keep making the same lame jokes to see if it would lessen the burden his soul was carrying. 

"I wish I can grow up faster," she says quietly, making Legolas raise a brow. 

"Why is that?" 

"So you don't have to stay here anymore with that heavy heart of yours," she explains. "We both know you belong somewhere else right now. Somewhere...far away." 

"And who told you that?"

She crosses her hands over her chest. "No one did. You and Ada mope around most of the time like you want to do anything but rule this kingdom. I want to rule and I will rule so you don't have to stay and wait for me to grow up, you can go...to where you want to go." 

"What if I want to stay here?" 

She shakes her head, turning her face away from him knowing fully well she was being stupid and she didn't want him to see her cry. 

"You don't belong here, not anymore." 

"And where do I belong then?" 

"With someone who can make your smile reach your eyes..."

Legolas stops braiding for a moment, staring at his little sisters distant expression. He sees her lips quiver and he smiles sadly before wrapping his arms around her small shoulders and placing a kiss on top of her head. Then she cries. 

"I hate you," she starts. "You deserve to be happy too, just like Ada but I feel like you don't want to because you feel like you still have a responsibility here-" 

"Shh, I have no responsibility. I am here because I want to, because I still have a lot to do, Annuniel." He makes her face him and held back the laugh as red puffy eyes stared up at him. She was crying  but she was ready to fight. He smiled wider. 

"You are so tough yet so sweet," he says before finishing her braid. Annuniel pouts before staring at the two bows beside them. 

"I won't surpass you, you know," she touches his bow. "That is the only gift I will bestow on you." 

"So you will not surpass me on purpose?" 

She nods. "Yes, at least you won't be king but the best prince and archer this kingdom has ever had." 

"There you are again, thinking about my leave when I am still here waiting for you to fall in love so I could scare him away." 

"You think I will ever allow myself to fall in love with someone who is afraid of you and Ada?" she says with a smile. 

"That is quite a challenge you have set for yourself, especially since the one you should be worrying about is Nana," he pulls her to him and they both lie down on the ground with his arm as a pillow for her head. They watch the clouds pass by above them. 

"I will not fall in love," she says after a while. "It seems like such a burden." 

Legolas chuckles, shaking his head as they bathed in the warm light of the setting sun. 

"It is also a beautiful thing," he says to her his voice so low she barely heard it. But she did. And she knew he was thinking of the girl whose portrait was in the library. The same girl who was gifted with healing powers as good as Lord Elrond's. The girl that has won over her brother's heart completely but has now become the very burden that it carried. 

"Leggy?" 

"Hmmm?" 

She turned to him to find his eyes closed. 

"Will you promise me something? Well, its two things." 

"I'll try my best to keep them, little sunlight." 

She hesitates before, "First, I want you to promise me you will talk to me whenever you feel like the burden is too much. Okay? My heart is not heavy as yours and maybe I can help you carry the weight." 

He opens one eye and stares at her before nodding and closing it back again. "Alright." 

"Second," she pauses, unsure if she should proceed before taking a deep breath. "I want you to tell me everything before you leave. I know you will leave, you have been wanting to go to where she is, beyond everything, so I want you to tell me everything. Okay? and...and when you see her again, I want you to thank her for me." 

"I will tell you when the time is right, Annuniel." He turns to her, running his thumb on her forehead. "For now, I want you to promise me to stop growing up so fast." 

She smiles at him. "Okay, as long as it will make you stay longer." 

"And I want you to promise me one other thing," he continues. This time, she raises an eyebrow at him. "You are far too young for this advice but I think love knows no time, and when you feel like you have found the one, treasure every moment and never hesitate." 

She rolls her eyes. "If I find the one. It is not like I'll want to or I'll look for him." 

"Trust me, you do not even have to look for him," he says cheerily before, "You are such a blessing to this Kingdom Annuniel."

"I know," she says with a smirk. "You were the first." 

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