"What's gotten into the lad?" Gimli asked from his spot behind Aragorn. Though Legolas was often quite cheerful, and few things upset him Gimli had never seen his elf friend truly happy, and Legolas was clearly very happy. Having abandon his horse to walk among the trees, greeting his old friends.

"I think he's just glad to be home" Pippin spoke from the horse beside Aragorns, where was riding with one the of the twins sons of Elrond.

"Until Ava gets ahold of him" The other twin chuckled, who was riding with Merry

"Not to mention Thranduil" Aragorn spoke "I have a feeling between the two of them he will not be a happy Elfling"

"Who's Ava?" Merry asked, craning his neck to look at Elrohir who he was riding with, at least he thought that was the twin he was riding with.

The elf looked down at the hobbit with an amused smile "A good friend of his, her parents were killed when she was very young and she lived in the stronghold with Legolas and his father."

"One of the few Elves that matches his skill in Archery" Elladan finished "Also one of the only Elfling Thranduil shows open affection for" He paused, adding after moment's thought "Well, as open as his duties allow him to show"

"Is it true all the stories that are told about the King?" Pippin asked

Aragorn shrugged "I suppose that would depend upon what stories you are speaking of Pippin"

"The one's about his anger, and how he hates everything mortal, about how he shows no mercy to others. Those stories"

Aragorn and his brothers exchanged glances, daring the others to broach this rather, difficult topic. Especially with a dwarf within earshot. "Some are true" Elladan finally began " He is well known for his temper, but his anger is quick to fade. Though he holds no favour for those of mortal lives, especially dwarfs, he doesn't go out of his way in order to make their lives difficult"

"Besides" Elrohir added "His, dislike, for mortal beings stems from a fathers worry. There were several things that happened while Legolas was young that has tainted the kings view, not to say I could blame him" A rustle from above their heads put an end to anything else the Elves might have said on the topic.

Other than the rustle the was no warning before Elves began to drop from the tree's, only a faint thumping sound was heard as they collided gracefully with the ground. ALthough most of them wore bright smiles on their faces, they still looked threatening with all of their weapons within easy reach. Pippin shifted uncomfortably in the saddle, much to Elladan's amusement.

The last elf to appear on the ground wore no such smile's, Pippin still found her breathtakingly beautiful. Merry remembered Legolas saying that the Lady of Light and Arwen were considered to be the most beautiful elves of middle elf, and simply assumed that those elves had never met the one that stood before them.

Her crystal green eyes seemed far too big, but yet seemed to fit perfectly on the elf's face, glared at Legolas until he flushed and stared at his shoes. "You" she said, her voice even seemingly void of emotion, yet it sent a shiver down the spins of all those present.

The next instant she jumped into the air, launching herself at Legolas pulling out her knives. Nearly to fast for mortal eyes to follow the pair began sparring, speaking in rapid Elvish.

"Ava! Please, is this necessary?"

"Is this necessary? You left! You left for over a year, without so much as a letter, no word, on a fool's quest. Do you have any idea how worried your Ada was? How worried I was? You are lucky I hadn't shot you the moment you entered the forest!"

"What are they saying?" Pippin asked, but was ignored by the elves, to intrigued in the fight, and the conversation to respond to the confused hobbit.

"I'm sorry Ava!"

"No nearly sorry enough!" Ave spat, redoubling her efforts of attack

"I understand you're angry, but perhaps we can speak about this later?"

"I'm not angry!" Ava nearly growled, but she stopped attacking, the two elves stood in the middle of the road, faceing one another. For a long while silence swept over the group, nobody wanting to say the wrong thing. "I'm not angry" She repeated, her voice calm, yet filled with emotion.

Without warning she flung her arms around Legolas neck, hugging him tightly, her pure black hair concealing her face, though Aragorn was sure there were tears of joy on her face "I'm just glad you're finally home, in one piece"

"That is the oddest reunion I have ever seen" Gimli commented, yearning a chuckle from his companions.

Finally Legolas and Ava parted, "Estel!" She called brightly "I didn't think you would be returning as well!" Walking over to the Ranger, now King of Gondor and hugging him tightly as well "Congratulations on your coronation my king"

"Thank you Ava, and I wouldn't dare miss the speech Thranduil will give his son for anything" Switching back into the common tongue that the Hobbits and Gimli could understand he spoke again "Ava, this is Pippin, Merry, and Gimli"

Ava's raised a dark eyebrow, "A dwarf" she stated "Thranduil will not like that, but its a pleasure to meet meet you Master Dwaf"

Reaching out and grasping Aragorn's, and Legolas' hands she began to pull them down the road "Come. Thranduil already knows you here, it's best we don't keep him waiting"