Chapter One, Chapter Two Chapter Three, Chapter Four,

Chapter 3

Todia had managed to find her own way to a guest room and there she intended to stay for the rest of the night. As the afternoon drew to a close and night time came, Todia heard someone call her name from the other side of the door, "Todia, may I come in"

"Yes" Galadriel walked in carrying a small bundle.

"My dear grand-daughter, will you be joining the rest of us at the feast tonight?"

"I would like to, but alas, I have nothing to wear. I only brought travelling clothes."

"That's what I thought you might say. So I thought that you might like this." She opened the parcel onto Todia's bed. Galadriel removed the cloth to reveal a beautiful sky blue, silk dress. The neck hung loosely about the shoulders. "I shall leave you alone to get ready." Galadriel then left the room. Todia changed out of her travel clothes and pulled the dress over her head. It fitted her perfectly, snug around the chest and waist before falling in waves to the ground. She stood in front of the mirror and gently eased the tangles out of her fair hair. Before leaving the room, she fastened her favourite turquoise pendent around her neck.

Before she could reach the door, there came a soft knocking. When Todia opened the door, she was surprised to see Legolas standing before her: dressed in medium green tunic with black trousers. "This is a surprise, what are you doing here?" Todia asked.

"I have come to escort you to the feast, if you will give me the honour." he answered, giving Todia his arm. She took it hesitantly and he led her away down the corridor to the Great Hall. On reaching it, Legolas showed Todia to a seat and he sat down next to her. Once King Thranduil had made a small speech about how pleased he was that Galadriel and her grand-daughter could join them (at this Todia went bright red), the meal began.

"So Todia, you are grand-daughter to Queen Galadriel right?"

"Right"

"Then why do you live in Rivendell?"

"I occasionally stay with my uncle, Lord Elrond. It was just coincidence that he needed someone to bring a message here. I said that I would do it because I knew that Galadriel would be here."

"I am very glad that you said that you would come"

"Thank you Legolas" Todia replied, happily. The two of them sustained their conversation until Thranduil rose to his feet once more and addressed everyone.

"I hope that everything was to your liking. We shall finish with some music and dancing. So, if everyone would kindly like to make their way through the doors over there then we can begin." Everyone followed Thranduil's suggestion and wandered into the music room and sat down. The room was large, with a big space in the middle for the performers. The Mirkwood elves started the music and very soon everyone else joined in. Legolas turned to see Todia sitting alone nearby. He could tell that she dearly wanted to dance, he was about to rise to his feet but something inside him stopped him. He stayed where he was. "That was weird" he thought "I've never felt that before". The feeling went almost as quickly as it had come. He looked over at Todia once more, she was watching the others but she was thinking of something else, Legolas could sense it. He felt that whatever it was, it wasn't a happy thought. Pushing this to the back of his mind, he rose out of his chair and walked over to her, the feeling inside him started once more. Sitting down in an empty chair next to her he said "Todia?" she turned to face him; Legolas saw sadness in her eyes, "Todia, would you like to dance?"

"Yes, Legolas. Thank you." Legolas stood up, took her hand and whisked her into the middle of the room with everyone else. Todia wouldn't have normally danced with someone that she hardly knew, but she trusted Legolas, she didn't know why. There was something between them, and old friendship. She had felt it grow stronger the moment that she first laid eyes upon him. She also thought that it would help get her mind off other things.

When the music stopped everyone clapped and Todia headed back to her seat. Before she reached it, Legolas caught her around the waist and lead her outside. "What is it Legolas?" Todia asked, anxiously,

"Havo dad ~ sit down~" Legolas said, pointing towards a bench. "There is something that I need to tell you."

"What is it?" Todia asked again.

"Do you ever remember, years ago, when my father came to Lothlorien?"

"Yes I do. He needed help from Galadriel"

"But that wasn't all that happened. You also made a very good friend in that time, didn't you?"

"How the hell do you know so much about me?"

"Because…, I have known you all these years. I came with my father and I met you in the woods, and you even gave me something to remember you by" Legolas said, drawing something out of his breast pocket. It was a long silver chain; hanging from the bottom of it was a jewel, a small perfectly round jewel, dark blue in colour. One side of it was rough, the other was smooth. Upon the rough side was the engraving:

"Enyala" ~remember~

"You kept it!" Todia exclaimed

"I wasn't going to get rid of my only connection to you" But Todia didn't hear him, she had slipped into her own world. Legolas was the elf she had met before. The one she had become attached to and had suddenly been taken out of her life. The elf that had stolen her heart and yet she hadn't realised until it was too late. He had disappeared so quickly, with no real warning, that it had begun to drive her mad - that she hadn't told him how she felt. She had tried to forget all the times that they had spent together. But it was impossible to forget her first love. She had thought of him everyday since they had parted company.

A light breeze lifted Todia's golden - brown hair out behind her. Legolas gently tucked a stray braid of hair back behind her ear, his fingers gentle brushing over their pointed tips. Todia suddenly snapped back into reality. "I am sorry Legolas" Todia apologized.

"There is nothing to be sorry for" Legolas said, a smile invading his lips as he stood up. "Do you think that we could still be friends, just like old times?" he stretched out his hand for her.

"I would like that" Todia answered, taking his hand in hers as he pulled her to stand next to him.

"Good. Now please come with me. I would like to show you around my home because I've heard that you have never visited it before."

"No I haven't."

"Well lucky for you, I am one of the best tourist guides available" The two elves then walked off into the forest.

* * * * * *

Todia stood in a small clearing, looking into the depths of the forest. A shallow stream trickled by her feet. Legolas stood quietly behind her. All of a sudden he remembered how ticklish Todia was, he crept silently up next to her and danced his hands over her stomach. She jumped at the sudden contact, over balanced and almost fell backwards into the stream had it not been for Legolas' arms grabbing her around her waist. He steadied her but continued to attack her sides. Todia wriggled and fidgeted in his arms but his arms grasp her firmly. Even though, after a few moments, he had stopped, it took her a while to calm down. She finally spun around to face him and exclaimed, "You are a wicked elf Legolas!"

"Really? Personally I thought of myself as being very charming!"

"You are, to guests and strangers. But to old friends...well!" Todia raised her eyebrows at him and he grinned cheekily back at her.

The moon climbed higher into to night sky and the stars began to appear. "Tula ~come~ I have one last place to show you" he demanded.

He led her to his most treasured place. As he pushed back to bushes Todia cried out "But Legolas! I have been here before!"

"What! Nobody knows about here, who told you about it?" Legolas sounded angry.

"Nobody told me, I found it by myself. Something drew me here"

"You like it here then?"

"Yes. I spent hours here this morning, simply listening to the water trickle and splash over the rocks."

"That's why I come here. I love the water. I never realised that we had things in common" Legolas looked at her properly for the first time. He then, out of the blue, realised how incredibly beautiful Todia was. He had been right ever since he was young. "Are you sure that no-one else knows about this stunning place?" Todia asked.

"Apart from you, then yes. This is my own private world. Somewhere where I can escape from things and just be by myself."

"I don't have anywhere like that" Todia said, sadly "I am always travelling between Lothlorien and Rivendell, so I don't stay in one place for long enough to call it home."

"But where were you born? Surely that's home?" "I'm not sure where I was born, I think it was Lothlorien. My father didn't talk to me when I was younger so I didn't get anything out of him. My mum died. Even Galadriel isn't sure."

"I am sorry Todia, I take it you don't want to talk about it?" Legolas put his arm around her shoulder, affectionately. She shook her head. " Well you know that you are always welcome here."

"Thank you Legolas" Todia said quietly. The breeze that the pair of them had felt earlier had returned, stronger and colder than before. Todia shivered.

"Your cold" It was a statement rather than a question.

"Yes, I guess I am."

"I'll take you back inside then." Legolas slowly began to lead Todia back into the palace and down towards her room, which was situated at the far side of the building. Eventually they reached her door.

"Good night Legolas" Todia said, kissing his check soothingly before she went inside.

" Maara hui, kalwa tarien ~good night, my beautiful princess~" Legolas whispered as the door closed.