~ ~ ~ Hey Amy,

      Man, Boromir was ticked after I said something about Gondor the other day. Basically I addressed him, acknowledging that the people of Gondor are good fighters, but I kinda said their leaders suck. I didn't say suck mind you but he was ticked all the same. I kinda made the mistake of insulting his father, Denethor. He shocked me by grabbing my arm, preventing me from leaving until he had proven his own point. I still disagreed with him and it was sheer luck that Legolas happened to be on his way down the hall. He basically wedged himself between us, causing Boromir to release my arm.
      Afterward, I finally got to talk with the Elf, though he was mostly inquiring as to what I had done to anger Boromir so. I would tell you exactly what was said, but I'm getting ready for bed and let us just say that this could be very interesting indeed...

      Laters! ~ ~ ~

      It was the middle of a beautiful night. Though, no one was awake to enjoy it. All of Rivendell slept soundly and peacefully in the calm which had descended upon the realm. The moon had risen to it's highest point, casting a soft light upon Imladris and tinting everything in blue.

      But something was amiss and that something had just awoken Legolas.

      The Elven prince lay still, the glaze over his eyes falling away as he looked to the chamber's closed door. He could vaguely hear the footsteps out in the hall. Whoever was walking around wished not to be heard, but it had to be a mortal man, for no other footfalls sounded quiet like theirs.

      Who would be up at this hour? Legolas' mind asked, though he was afraid that he already knew the answer to that question.

      Standing as quietly as possible, the prince stood from the bed. He turned, looking back at Ashley who was sound asleep.

      Good, I did not wake her. His thoughts quieted themselves however as the footsteps became even louder.

      Legolas quickly walked outside onto the balcony, sitting on the railing and concealing himself within the shadows. No one, possibly not even another Elf, could have seen him from such a darkened perch.

      Watching the door with an intensity of a present danger, Legolas held his breath as the door slowly opened. Standing within it's confines, was, just as the Elf had suspected, a mortal man. However, to his great dismay, it was Boromir.

      The son of Denethor stood at the threshold, watching the room silently for a few moments before sighing.

      "What are you here for?"

      The question took Boromir completely off guard for the only person within the chamber, whom he could see, was currently asleep in bed.

      The man straightened, his eyes peering into the dark confines of the room, "Who's there?"
      Legolas stood, stepping into the moonlight as he did so. "What are you here for?"
      A sigh of relief escaped the man, "I came to apologize."
      "In the middle of the night?" the Elf asked, walking slowly back into the room.
      "My conscience was not letting me sleep. I had to apologize for my conduct earlier this evening. I had thought that Ashley may still be awake." he replied.
      Legolas nodded, "You can tell however, that she is not."

      Elf and man were now mere feet apart, the situation making Boromir most uncomfortable. To be stared at with such intensity from anyone was nerve wracking, but from an Elf it was far worse.

      Boromir leaned on the doorframe. "I would not have done anything, you know."
      "I do not know." Legolas' gaze hardened as he starred at the man, "I do not know you. I do not know the ways of your people. But I do know however, that she was grateful that I stepped in when I did."
      "Did she tell you she was thankful herself?"
      Legolas nodded, "Yes. As a matter of fact, she did." However, a smirk soon appeared on the prince's features, "Though, at first she believed that she could have handled you herself."
      "She is not even half of my size." The man replied, blinking in shock at the Elf's statement. "How could she possibly have thought such a thing?"
      "As I pointed out to her earlier this evening." Legolas continued with a smile, "She has much of the same habits of Hobbit's and Dwarves, especially the overconfidence aided by her short stature."
      Boromir laughed, as quietly as was possible. "I suppose then that I shall have to apologize in the morning." the man was silent for a moment. "I did not mean any harm."
      "I believe I may see that now." Legolas replied with a nod. "I shall tell her when she wakes."

      With an equal understanding, something rarely common between man and Elf, Boromir retired to his own chambers. As Legolas watched him disappear down the hall, the prince shook his head, amazed at the situation. Closing the chamber's door, he turned and leaned against it, deep in thought.

      Looking back at the bed, Legolas stood with his arms folded over his chest. He did not quite understand. Boromir had been so angry the evening before and now he was ready to forgive her like nothing had ever happened. It had always been part of Legolas' understanding that men held grudges, far longer than Elves. This of course was a bad habit, seeing how mortal lives were far shorter.

      Legolas paced the room, his arms still folded. Standing at the edge of the bed, he looked down. He knew not truly what to say or do. Should he wake Ashley now and tell her of his conversation with Boromir? Should he return to bed?

      He was tired, yes, but not in the way which required sleep. He was tired of his thoughts constantly plaguing his mind. The Elf truly believed that he thought too much. But perhaps he worried. Maybe that was the cause of his fatigue?

      Sitting in one of the chairs, Legolas leaned back. He stifled a yawn and ran a hand over his eyes. Everything had happened so fast. His trip to earth, the return to Rivendell, and yet, the Elf felt that many years had passed since that fateful day deep with the Mines of Moria.

      Standing once more, the prince walked out to the balcony and sat again on the railing. The moon was so beautiful, the stars twinkled with a brightness he had not seen recently. It was mesmerizing and gave Legolas more comfort that he had felt for quite some time. He wondered then, in the darkness of the night, what he was truly doing there.

      He was not worried about the quest. He was not worried about the fate of Middle earth, though he should have been and this he knew. Legolas was worried about his reasons, his reasons for being in that very room.

      His thoughts would not allow him to find comfort in dreams again that night.

      When Ashley awoke the next morning, the sun was shining ever so brightly through the balcony window. It's piercing rays nearly blinding her when the woman first opened her eyes.

      Legolas was gone.

      At first, Ashley feared that something had gone terribly wrong and she sat, looking about the room quickly. However, without much searching, she found the prince sitting outside on the balcony.

      "Legolas, what are you doing?"
      He turned to her, "I was only enjoying the sunrise."
      Ashley stood, walking quickly over to the balcony, rather worried about her Elven friend. "Are you alright? What happened? Are you okay?"
      "I am fine." Legolas replied with a smile. "Boromir was here last night."

      The silence between the two had been startling, but the way Legolas had broken that silence was further so. Ashley looked at him in shock as she sat beside him.

      "He was here? In this room?"
      Legolas nodded, "Aye. He walked in and I sat watching him for a few moments as he decided what to do. He had come to apologize."
      "Apologize?" The woman asked in shock. "He was so mad last night! How could he have wanted to apologize?"
      "That I know not." the Elf replied, shaking his head. "He simply said that he wished for you to forgive him. I had thought the same thing, not quite understanding how he could not have been angry any longer. Elves hold grudges, that I hate to confess, but every mortal I have seen holds them for far longer."
      Ashley smiled, "I guess you have something to learn about us mortal, Legolas. We don't always hold grudges. I mean, after what happened last night, I'm a little confused myself as to why he's not angry, I did say some rather rude things. I guess I can see how a guilty conscience could have been plaguing his mind. It would have mine anyway..."

      The woman trailed off as she looked to her right. Legolas was gazing at her intently. He had been listening to her words, of that she had no doubt, but now the Elf looked as if he was doing more than that, as if he were reading her very thoughts.

      Legolas realized that he was making her uncomfortable and he sighed, looking out over the treetops near Rivendell once more. "Perhaps I have more to learn than I thought."

      A tense silence had surrounded the two friends and Ashley stood, walking back into the room as she spoke. Her voice broke that silence and Legolas looked over his shoulder as he listened.

      "Anyway, we'd best get to breakfast. The Hobbit's will have most likely already eaten all of the food, but I bet Aragorn and Lord Elrond may wish to talk with us." She paused. "With the fellowship, I mean."
      Legolas nodded, standing. "Indeed. However, I am afraid we must change our clothes. I would not wish to be seen downstairs at breakfast in my sleeping garments."
      "Sleeping garments?" Ashley asked, walking over to a dresser and pulling free some of the Elvish clothes that the inhabitants of Imladris had given her. "It looks more like the undershirt of your tunic and the leggings from yesterday." she stifled a laugh, imagining the look on his face as she spoke.
      Legolas indeed had an interesting look of shock at her words, but there was only mirth and amusement in his eyes. "Indeed it is. However, I may need to adorn the proper attire before heading downstairs."

      Walking into a small closet like room, Ashley quickly began to change clothes. Legolas meanwhile, went over to one of the chairs in the room and picked up his tunic and boots. He changed clothes, putting on his discarded clothes. Soon, Ashley was finished getting ready, waiting only for Legolas to re-braid his hair. It had come undone during the night and the prince refused to go to breakfast before he was finished. The woman had laughed, saying that he cared more about his looks than about anything. But, in return, he had flashed her a smile and continued to work his fingers expertly through his golden locks.

      Ashley had just sat down on the bed however, when there was knock at the door. She exchanged a glance with Legolas, both knowing that Boromir had seen them in the same room the night before. Legolas wondered if it would bother Ashley that someone see him getting dressed for the morning in her room. The woman shook her head however at his glance, and he continued to finish his hair as she answered the door.

      To the surprise of both of them, Aragorn stood in the hall.

      "Good morning, Aragorn." Ashley said with a smile, "I'm expecting you wished us for breakfast. We were just about to leave."
      The man gave her a puzzled look, "We?"

      Ashley allowed him into the room, hiding the smile on her face. She knew how the man would react. As Aragorn entered, he noticed Legolas standing in the far corner of the room, working on his hair as he gazed out over Rivendell.

      "Oh..." the ranger's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I believe that I understand the 'we' now."
      Legolas stopped, turning to face his friend. "Nay, 'tis not what you think, Estel. I was merely in here to protect her."
      "Protect?" He inquired, before the Elf's words clicked in his mind. "Ah, yes. Protect... We heard about Boromir giving you trouble." The man replied, his eyes glancing to Ashley. "Well, I have had my own talk with him and apparently he wishes for your forgiveness."
      Ashley nodded, "Yes, I know. I should go talk to him." turning, Ashley began to walk out the door. "I'll be along for breakfast in a little while."

      With that, the woman exited her room, leaving the two friends alone.

      Aragorn looked back to Legolas, shaking his head. "Is it truly not what I think?"
      The prince sighed, "Estel, you know me and this is not what your mortal mind is thinking." He turned, heading toward the door as well. "Come, we are expected at breakfast."
      "Hold on a moment." the man replied, giving a knowing look to his friend. "I would like to know exactly what did happen. My suspicions during our last conversation were correct, at least I am supposing they were."
      Legolas refrained from answering for a moment but eventually he sighed and shrugged. "What would you wish me to say, Estel? Would you wish me to say you were right? That yes, I do have feelings for her? That I wish to protect her? That I did not want her caught up in this whole mess to begin with?" The Elf's arms fell limp at his sides. "If that is what you wish for me to say, Estel, then I do. All of that is true. But last night was nothing. Boromir wanted to kill her, that I could see in his eyes. All I did was stay at her side and made sure that no harm came to her. And it was a good thing I did that too." Legolas was walking toward the door, eyes resting on Aragorn every now and again. "If I had not stayed then Boromir would have entered in the middle of the night, woken her, and their fight most likely would have continued till well on this morning."

      Legolas was silent for a moment, watching the doorway and down the hall in the direction Ashley had gone. He stood there for quite some time before turning back to his friend.

      "Do you see that as wrong?" the Elf asked, his eyes searching Aragorn's for an answer.
      The man shook his head slightly, "No. I suppose not. However, you and I must speak later, for it has become apparent to me that there is more involved than the issue of her protection." A knowing smile crept onto his features.
      Legolas shook his head in reply, a smile upon his face as well. "Perhaps after we have something to eat. I am assuming that Lord Elrond wishes to speak with the fellowship."
      "That he does." the man replied as they both stepped out of the door, closing it behind them. "But of course we will have to wait for Ashley's return."
      "Perhaps one of us should follow her." The prince suggested. "If she angers Boromir again I..."
      "She will not anger me."

      The two friends turned, looking down the hallway as they did so. They spotted Boromir and Ashley, walking toward them even as they spoke. The voice they had heard had indeed been the man from Gondor's.

      "I have already forgiven him." Ashley replied as the four met up in the hall.
      Boromir smiled, "Yes. She has forgiven me, which was quite gracious of her. Of course, it was my fault to begin with." He looked to Legolas. "I should not have doubted her in the first place." the man then laid his eyes on Aragorn, "You will have to forgive my pride, of course."
      "Of course." the ranger replied, their eyes meeting for a moment. "Come," Aragorn stated. "Elrond and the rest of the fellowship are waiting."

      With that, the four rushed off downstairs to the dining hall. It would be there that their fates would seal and the fellowship's journey would officially begin.