Míriel stepped into Elrond's library and found Arwen sitting in one of the couches and reading in a Quenyan book. As Míriel got closer, she inhaled the scent of old books and incense. This was a place that she had learned to love lately for the library had been where she spent many hours whilst staying in Rivendell. Before Míriel's adventures with the Dwarves she had not cared much for reading, but after it, she had become more and more interested in reading about the history of Middle-earth. She read about all the new things she had learned during her travels and she appreciated her new knowledge greatly.

"I thought you'd be with Aragorn," Míriel said and gained Arwen's attention. "Spend every spare minute you have with him."

Arwen glanced at Míriel, smiled and laughed lightly, looking a little abashed at her cousin. Míriel knew that there were many Elves that were disappointed since they would have wanted to marry the beautiful Lady Arwen themselves. The fact that Arwen fell for Aragorn despite all that could tear them apart made her not only a beauty on the outside but on the inside as well.

"I know, but he was speaking to Mithrandir," Arwen said and closed the book carefully and put it away. She patted the seat next to her and Míriel sat down with a sigh. "What is it, you seem upset?"

"Legolas," Míriel said and groaned. "He keeps following me around but I get the impression that I also bore him. He acts as if he knows best about everything just because he's travelled now. I don't even feel like I know him anymore, Arwen, he is like the old Legolas but ten times worse!"

Arwen chuckled and shook her head. "You can't blame him, Míriel. Your meeting with him changed you both. He's lived eighty years of his life without you and he's obviously changed over the years. This is probably the person he would have become if he never met you."

"I highly doubt he would have ever left the caves of Mirkwood if the Dwarves knocked some sense into that King," Míriel muttered. "Arwen, I'm not even sure I like him anymore." It might be a slight exaggeration, but Míriel had at least found the old Legolas charming enough once he warmed to her a little. Now, he was little more than a stranger.

Not many knew of what Míriel had been through and done when she left her home with the Dwarves. Arwen, Elrond and her grandparents were the first she had told, as well as Aragorn because he had asked about it. Glorfindel, of course, knew everything for he was one of her closest friends but that was it. Arwen, out of them all, should understand her now.

"You should tell Legolas the truth," Arwen spoke. "King Thranduíl is not here so there is nothing to stop you. Glorfindel is a powerful Elf and he might help you bring Legolas' memories back."

"No," Míriel insisted. "Legolas is happy the way he is now, I see him now as he never were before. Even though he is arrogant and snarky he seems to enjoy life so much more. He lives his life as he wants it to be now and I will not interrupt it because of my own feelings. Legolas doesn't need me and I will survive without him... Besides, I would only make things worse if I tried."

To even think of using her powers on him again made her shiver - she would never dare.

"Oh Míriel, how you like to suffer," Arwen said and placed her hand on Míriel's shoulder. "You know that Legolas loved you, and he may love you again dear cousin without any magic or memories. Because you belong together and that should be enough."

Míriel smiled at her cousin, encouraged by Arwen's words. Míriel had to trust that if fate meant for them to be together, Legolas would fall for Míriel again. But she would never attempt to use her power on him again, that she had sworn.

"But..." Arwen said quietly. "If you do try to move on then you know that there is someone here that would gladly have your love." Míriel sighed, she did not want Arwen to speak another word. "I know, I know you and Glorfindel are only friends. But I do not want you to suffer for your entire life, Míriel. You should seek out love elsewhere when you feel ready. Or fight for the love you already have."

Míriel knew that there was some truth in what Arwen was saying; there was no use in her sitting there and feeling sorry for herself. One day she would have to make a decision - happiness or suffering. Fortunately she had time to decide.

Míriel glanced out the window and looked at her home with a fond smile on her lips. A feeling deep inside of her, though, told her that something was not right. Because of all the people she had met she had forgotten the real reason why they were all here - the Hobbits, Gandalf, Boromir and the Dwarves. Evil was on the move and darkness was upon them. Sauron would rise to power once more if they didn't stop him first.

"You are worried," Arwen mumbled slowly. "Don't be Míriel. We will resolve this and you may go back to your life and be at peace."

Arwen's words gave her no comfort, though, as she knew that whatever evil was coming toward them it somehow had to do with her. It shouldn't have for Míriel had nothing to do with the One nor with Sauron.

"Something is not right," she mumbled, mostly to herself and sighed.

"What is it?" Arwen asked carefully.

"I don't know," Míriel answered and shook her head. She did not want to worry Arwen when there was no real evidence of what she felt. It could be nothing, just her imagination acting up as it did sometimes. "Nevermind, it was nothing."

Light footsteps were heard from the entrance and Elrond entered the library, quiet as a shadow. Both Arwen and Míriel watched him with surprised looks and smiled at him.

"The council will start at noon tomorrow," he said and smiled at both of the two Elf-maidens. "I would very much like you there Míriel for this will concern you as well as the others I have brought here."

"Of course," she said and nodded. If Elrond requested her presence, she was quick to accept. Maybe he had seen something in her future, something that was connected to the nagging feeling she had inside. He rarely ever told anyone what he saw into the future with his gift for he kept it mostly to himself. But now she wished more than ever that she could have his gift because she could not stand feeling this way much longer.

*

Moonlight slipped into Míriel's room late in the evening, lightening up the chamber almost better than the sun did and certainly more beautiful. She had gone to rest early this evening after spending some time with Glóin, speaking of memories and what they had done since they last met. After dinner, Míriel had said her goodnights and retired to her chamber.

Míriel opened her eyes quickly and rose from her bed. She walked towards the window slowly. Outside by the fountain, she could see Legolas walking around restlessly and examining every one of his own steps. Míriel glanced over toward her drawers and walked over to them. She opened the top one and glanced down at the gems of Lasgalen, the stones that belonged to Legolas' late mother. These were the gems that King Thranduíl had gone to war for, but he had never received them. Míriel had always told herself that she would give them to him someday, and now Legolas was right there. However, there was no explanation that she could give as to why she had them.

She sighed and walked toward her balcony, leant against the railings and continued to watch Legolas. It was a chilly night, but all the same beautiful. Suddenly Legolas turned and looked up at her, and a grin spread across his face.

"Are you watching me?" Legolas teased.

"No," Míriel said quickly and looked away. "I'm just getting some fresh air."

"You might as well come down then," Legolas said and chuckled.

Míriel smiled carefully and nodded. This was progress at least, Legolas seemed to want her to come down. When she got to him, though, he didn't seem as excited as she were. Legolas balanced by the fountain, and then he leaped down and stopped in front of her with a smile.

"How come and Elf had such strange friends?" Legolas asked with a chuckle. "Hobbits I could see but Dwarves?"

"They surprise you," Míriel said and sat down by the fountain. "I've met them on several occasions. You know, Gandalf likes to merge all the peoples of Middle-earth."

"Yes, I know," Legolas said and seemed amused. "I've met him during my travels at times. You see, eighty years ago I was attacked by a sorceress allied to Sauron. She cursed me and erased all my memories in an attempt to kill me. Since then I wanted nothing more than to travel and see Middle-earth with my own eyes. This is the scar she left me with and I carry it to this day." Legolas pushed his fair hair aside and showed her a deep black scar at the back of his neck.

Míriel glared down at the ground. An evil sorceress, ally of Sauron - that was who Legolas though cursed him. Not only was it that, but Míriel's memories of the losses at the Battle were brought back. The thought of Kíli made her sad still, she never became used to the pain of losing someone she cared for. This also made her think of his older brother, Fíli, who had also been lost in the war and his uncle Thorin, the leader of them all. When she thought of Tauriel, Míriel wanted nothing more than to ask how the wonderful Elf-maiden was, but she couldn't.

Legolas continued to speak of his adventures and told Míriel how he met Aragorn for the first time and how young he had been then. They spent some years together but then Legolas moved on. Aragorn came to Mirkwood with the creature Gollum as he had been sent by Gandalf on a mission to find him. It was then that they became good friends.

"I remember when my father met Aragorn for the first time," Legolas said and started laughing. "He did not know that Aragorn spoke our language and complained how dirty he was. Aragorn said 'I hope you will excuse me, my lord, for there are not many baths on the road which you won't know much about I am sure'. That is when I knew that we were going to be good friends."

Míriel grinned and laughed since she knew that Thranduíl would have been offended by Aragorn, but sometimes the king deserved it. Míriel in return for Legolas' story, told him about the Shire and of Bag End that she had visited a quite a few years earlier before either of her new Hobbit friends were born. Míriel remembered how fun it had been to be surrounded by Hobbits who cared nothing of the world outside their borders and their simple lives were refreshing.

Talking to Legolas made Míriel feel nostalgic from the times they had spent together and it almost felt as when they had first fallen in love. The only thing that had changed was Legolas' confidence and his lacking abilities to sound humble. He was funnier now as well, he had never been funny before.

"You should visit my home sometime," Legolas suggested after a time of speaking, glancing down at his hands. "It's amazing in the fall..."

"I should like to," Míriel admitted, although she knew it was not possible. King Thranduíl would drag her out by her hair if she ever set foot in his keep again. "Your father seems to dislike me, though, I don't expect to be welcome."

"You will be if I bring you," Legolas said and gazed into her eyes, almost taking Míriel's breath away. They were sitting rather close now and Legolas' gaze was intense enough to make her rather nervous. "And I shall like to bring you, lady Míriel."

"You don't have to call me lady, Míriel is enough," she said quickly.

"It's a beautiful name," Legolas pondered and glanced out across the city, thinking about her name. "A jewel, like your eyes."

Míriel's heartbeat was speeding up and she forced herself to look away from him. She knew she had to do something to distract him, or else Legolas might move even closer than he already were.

"Do you want to see me do a trick?" Míriel said and stood up.

"Of course," Legolas said and gave her a beam.

Míriel closed her eyes and as she opened them beautiful calla lilies had sprouted from out of nowhere and surrounded their legs and all the way around the pond. Legolas let out an impressed gasp and glanced at the flowers around him. His eyes then found Míriel's and he stepped a little closer. If it had been anyone else that had interrupted them in their moment but Glorfindel, Míriel would have cursed them on purpose. As it was, Glorfindel stood there and cleared his throat.

"I just wanted a word with Lady Míriel," Glorfindel said slowly, and there was a sense of amusement in his voice, as if he was teasing them.

"Of course," Legolas said and nodded. "I should go rest for a bit anyway. I will see you in the morning at the council."

Míriel nodded understandingly though she wished they could have spoken all night long. Legolas gave her a small smile as he walked away, leaving Glorfindel to take his place next to Míriel. Míriel placed her finger on her lips to warn Glorfindel not to speak before Legolas was far enough away to not hear anything. As soon as Legolas was out of ear-shot, Glorfindel began speaking.

"The council will take place in the morning at midday," Glorfindel said. "Gandalf, Frodo Baggins, the Dwarves, Boromir of Gondor and some of our own will attend. We will try to find a solution to the matter of the ring."

"Elrond invited me," Míriel said with a nod. "What we will do with the Ring, though, is a mystery of its own."

"We should simply get rid of it," Glorfindel said to Míriel. "Leave it at the bottom of the deepest sea in Middle-earth where none can ever find it again."

"But what if it is washed up?" Míriel said and frowned. "We can never be certain that it won't. There must be another way for otherwise, this whole tale will start again, perhaps in a hundred or thousand years from now. Perhaps then another little Hobbit will be ripped from his home..."

Míriel thought of poor Frodo who probably wanted nothing more to go back to his old life in the Shire again. Míriel understood him completely as Frodo had been scarred for life.

"What do you propose then, Lady Míriel?" Glorfindel said and smiled as he looked at her. "What would you do with the Ring?"

"I would have it destroyed," Míriel said and nodded, certain that this was the only way. "It is a shame that I have no idea how that would be made possible, though."