Her visit with Aragorn the night before had done little to help Amara. When she woke the next morning she still felt as though something was missing, and as she went about her day that feeling continued to stay with her. In hopes of getting just a moment of reprieve from the emptiness Amara decided on doing one of her favorite things and went for a walk around the town.

The streets of Minas Tirith were always filled with people running about, and Amara loved to watch them. In particular she loved watching the children. She loved to see them run around after each other, play with sticks as though they were swords, kick balls around. There was something so comforting about seeing kids just being kids. So Amara sat on a bench just outside a small shop and watched the children play hoping to feel just a little better.

She was watching two small boys engaged in an epic battle when a hand with a bit of bread popped up in front of her. "Sweet bun?" a voice asked from above her. Looking up Amara saw a friendly face smiling down at her.

Amara smiled and took the offered bread. "Thanks Pharaz,"Amara said moving over slightly so that he could sit next to her. Pharaz was a soldier of Gondor, not much older than Amara. He had been one of the guards in their traveling party, they had spoken a few times on the journey but once they reached Minas Tirith they had run into each other far more often than expected and quickly formed a friendship.

"Now you see he'll never win with foot work like that. You can't cross your feet that often, you'll get knocked over." Pharaz said, commenting on one of the boys pretending to be a knight.

Amara snorted, "Maybe he's losing on purpose."

"Oh well then he's doing wonderfully."

Amara shook her head and smiled, while Pharaz popped the last of his bread into his mouth and leaned back.

"You're not on duty today?" Amara asked noting that Pharaz was not in uniform.

"Not until later." Pharaz replied. "So what brings you down here?"

"Just felt like a little people watching" Amara told him.

"Any particular reason why?" Amara looked over at Pharaz to try and tell if he knew something, but he looked completely nonchalant.

"I got a letter from Mirkwood yesterday and I guess I'm just feeling a little home sick." She admitted, turning her attention back to the kids.

"Your friends will be here soon enough won't they?" Pharaz questioned.

"10 days,"Amara answered, "they come a week before the wedding."

"That time will go by faster than you think." Amara just nodded. "Trust me once they start preparing for the arrival you'll be so busy trying not to get stepped on you won't notice the time going by at all." Pharaz said placing a hand on Amara's shoulder.

Amara looked over at Pharaz who smiled widely at her, and she couldn't help but smile back.

Legolas was going mad. He had spent so many hours pouring over books in every library in the palace that he was beginning to see words even when he wasn't looking at the pages. On top of that the days were clearly getting longer, the hours passing slower and slower, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could take it. He needed to find this spell and he needed to find it now. How could he ask Amara to leave her kind and come back to live with him, if it was all based on a lie?

He needed to get out, to get some fresh air, so leaving his books open on the table he left the library and went for a walk, oblivious to the eyes that had been watching him.

As soon as she was sure Legolas was gone Súth walked over to the spot where he had been sitting, where his books lay open for anyone to see. She picked up the open book on the top of the pile and flipped through it. It was an old book of spells, open to a section on creation magic.

"What would he be looking for in here?" she muttered to herself. There was the possibility he was just interested in the subject, but with the amount of time he had been spending in the library he was clearly researching something, but why would the Prince need to research magic?

Súth put the book down and picked up another one, this one too was about magic. So was the next and the next. All of the books he had were about magic and the majority of them about elemental magic specifically fire magic. She stared at the collection of books for a moment, confused, until she could hear footsteps coming from down the hall. Quickly she put the books back in order, grabbed something from a nearby shelf and left the library the wheels in her head turning.

Later that day Amara was leaving the messengers when she ran into Enyala.

"Lady Amara," Enyala greeted her, "Sending a message?"

"Hello Enyala, yes I was. I just hope it gets there in time." Amara said as Enyala fell into step beside her.

"Our messengers are the fastest I've ever known. I am sure it will be delivered on time." Amara smiled in response. "So the message you received yesterday must have been important…" Enyala prodded.

Again Amara smiled. "Just my friends making sure that I'm alright here."

"I see. Uncle Legolas must be very worried about you." Enyala said, nudging Amara a little, to let her know that she was joking.

Amara rolled her eyes.

The two continued walking for a while until Enyala left Amara to go find her husband. Amara smiled to herself as she continued walking through the palace, she was feeling much better than she had the day before. As she wandered around all day running into more and more friendly faces she felt less and less alone and at dinner that night with Aragorn and Aenoscal the last traces of loneliness left her almost completely. She still missed Legolas and his family but the time until she would see them finally didn't seem so daunting.

That night Amara sat lounging on the small couch in her rooms reading a book, one of the things she loved most about Minas Tirith is that all of the books were written in English, or as they called it common tongue. She was just getting to the climax of a novel when there was a knock on the door. Grudgingly she placed a marker in her book and got up to answer the door. She was surprised to find Aenoscal standing in her doorway.

"Aenoscal? Is there something I can do for you?" she asked opening the door wide and beckoning him inside.

"I just came to bring you something." He said entering the room and walking over to the couch. Amara followed him over, noting that he did in fact have something in his hands. Aenoscal placed something on the table in front of the couch and turned to her, holding out a book.

Amara took the book from him and flipped through it. It was full of Sindarin symbols, some of which looked to have been written by a small child.

"What's this?" Amara asked.

"They're some of my old Elvish lesson books. Father had them commissioned for me when I was younger. Being half elven he wanted me to know as much about my mother's culture as I could. I found them hidden in the back of my book shelf and thought they might be useful to you."

"I don't know what to say." Amara spoke,"thank you."

Aenoscal chuckled a bit, "It's nothing, really. I haven't needed them in ages."

Amara put the book down on top of the others that Aenoscal had placed on the table and gave him a hug. Aenoscal hugged her back, before bidding her goodnight and leaving to retire to his own rooms for the night.

Amara immediately started flipping through the books. She recognized some of the symbols but reading the language was insanely hard for her, the symbols were so fluid they all seemed to run together, still she sat back down on the couch picked up one of the books, her story book laying forgotten beside them, and studied until she could no longer keep her eyes open.

It was the day before they were meant to leave for Gondor and Legolas had made no progress. The mythical book that Gandalf had told him about was no where to be found and there was no more time to look. Honestly he was running out of places to look as well. He was taking a break from his research and having a small lunch with Wilya and Tinue when a messenger appeared in the doorway.

"Heru en amin, Arwen en amin" The messenger greated with a bow before entering. He walked over and extended his hand.

Wilya took the letters from him, and he quickly departed.

"Were you expecting mail?" Legolas asked popping a grape into his mouth.

"They're not for me," Wilya said before turning to her son. "This one is for you." She said before handing the letter to Tinue who immediately ripped it open. "And this one is for you."

Legolas raised an eyebrow as he slowly took the letter from her. He wasn't expecting anything.

"ATARA! It's from Amra! Amra wrote me a letter!" Tinue yelled out his excitement as he then began reading the letter out loud. Legolas however wasn't listening. He looked at his own letter and saw his name written in the messy handwriting he knew from lessons. Legolas excused himself to go read his letter in private. Wilya only gave him a knowing smile as he left.

He went back to his room, sat on his bed and flipped the letter over in his hands a few times. When he had written Amara he hadn't expected to get a reply from her, he was a bit nervous about reading it, and he wasn't sure why.

Taking a deep breath Legolas steeled himself and broke the seal.

Legolas,

I'm doing well. Gondor is amazing. Everything here is so beautiful and everyone has made me feel so welcome. I have to admit I actually slept through my first day here, but since I woke up Aragorn and Aenoscal have made sure that I've been kept entertained. I've met several members of the court and the guard, and they've all been wonderful to me. You we're right I do feel as if I could stay here forever,

Legolas stopped reading and shut his eyes for a moment bracing himself for what she might say, before continuing to read.

,but I can't help but feel that something is missing. I can't wait for all of you to get here. I miss Tinue running around, Wilya's pestering, and Tavas smiling and watching it all. Mostly though I miss you, things just aren't the same without you here.

10 days and counting,

Amara

When Legolas finished reading he had a smile on his face. She missed him. Just as much as he missed her it seemed. This knowledge made him feel better about not having the answers to his questions. It made him feel as though he had more time to figure it all out.