Next!! Alrightly, please, this is the chapter I have doubts about, let me know, I am very happy to change it if everyone thinks it needs to be changed.

Enjoy

Xandrandra xxx

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Dance of War

'Wood elf.' A voice from the shadows called him, 'It has been some time.' Denaria stepped into the light the moon provided,

'Denaira, it is good to see you, is Teanar with you?' his eyes flickered over the shadows around her,

'Nay, her, circus, keeps her busy.' She chuckled,

'I must visit one day soon and see for myself what she teaches, I hear of it from others but have not found the time.' He admitted,

'It, it is Teanar I wished to speak with you about, this is the first opportunity I have found to speak with you. You are a very busy elf,' she sent him a small smile,

'What is wrong? Is she ill or hurt?' he was sure he would have heard of such a thing,

'No, at least, not that she tells me,' the night elf looked sheepish for a few seconds, 'she needs a friend far better than I.'

'You are her sister…'

'nay, wood elf,' she cut him off, 'there are things she will not tell me that she would tell you, has told you, she is changed, again she is changed, it may be my protective instincts and there is nothing wrong, but, she is different, since we left Minis Tirith she is different, I can't explain how. It's like before, when we first met, I feel like I know her, but deep down, I know that I know nothing.'

'Walk with me,' the two set off side by side through the trees, 'the two of you are sisters in every sense but blood, and you've both said it, from the moment you met, sisters…'

'that isn't exactly true, elf, we met in the forest and I mistook her for my dead sister, she looked so similar and her voice, it is similar, some of her mannerisms were the same, the way she stood, her, bluntness, the way she met my eyes, things my sister had done. She was the elder of the two of us, Armanéa, I mean, by about 70 years, I looked up to her, our mother had followed our father when he left for the west and so we were close, she was killed during the attack on our city and the grief nearly consumed me,' she looked into the shadows as they walked, looking for any of her kin who would overhear, 'everyday I would hope that it would have been some horrible night terror and I would eventually be wakened by her and life would continue as it always had, and when Teanar appeared, I saw my sister in her, I, I hoped that the human would disappear and leave my sister, alive and well. But, after arriving at the city, introducing her to the others, spending time with her, I realised that is would never happen, that my sister was gone and that all I had was this doppelganger.' She stopped him, turning to him, tears shining in her eyes, 'I was not kind to her, Prince, I abandoned her, left her in the city to fend for herself, I was angry, she looked so much like her it hurt, I was cruel, I invited her into my world, almost befriended her and threw her away just as fast, I do not understand why she ever forgave me.'

'Because she understands what it is like to loose family,' he smiled softly as they began to walk again,

'aye, and she is the most stubborn person I have ever met, you being the second,' she chuckled, 'she, pestered me, and the troupe until we allowed her to train with us, just to keep her quiet, she could speak the common tongue and almost nothing else, we spoke in our own tongue to spite her, but she listened, began to learn, managed to befriend a few of the younger elves, they taught her, she has a strange way with children, she treats them like adults and they grow before your eyes, slowly she learnt our language and began to learn how to fight, and day by day she earned our respect. She earned my respect, I had expected her to leave, or to take up some odd job around the city, not to, become one of us, I grew to like her, to class her as a friend, we both left our pasts behind us and focused on the present and the future, she helped me accept everything and eventually I called her sister, and I am proud to call her sister. But those first two years, I ruined that trust, that trust that you still hold, I know snippets of her life as a human, glimpses of her deeper and darker thoughts, but she will open no further to me, I do not blame her, I cannot, it is my doing.' She stopped once again and faced him, taking his shoulders, 'she would chose you over me, I know this, you must speak with her, I care for her deeply, but, you are her closest friend, she needs you, something troubles her and I can't bare to think she is hurting, please, elf, Legolas, speak with her, it would ease my mind if you did, even if it were to be that I am wrong.'

'of course, I will speak with her, it has been far too long since we went our separate ways, where is…'

'we are here, this is where she has set up her circus,' she smirked at him gently, 'forgive me for leading you?'

'Thank you is she still here?' a nod, 'rest easy,'

He made his way through the trees, lights slowly appearing, hung in the trees above padded cloths and equipment, a group of young human teens stood around one of the mats, a number of them standing on their hands, eventually the entire group stood on their hands and walked across the mat towards him, clearly not seeing him in the shadows, the leader who seemed most comfortable with the walking was a female, her hair in a braid that was currently being held in her mouth to keep it from under her hands, grey eyes suddenly focused on him and the braid fell from her mouth and tangled in her hands bringing her down into a heap, she rest of the group tripping over her and ending in a heap,

'right, well, I'd say that's a good place to end the lesson, it's getting far to dark now, same time next week you lot, get home safe, don't…'

'walk by yourselves, we know!' a few yelled back to her as they left, a few passing him without noticing,

'what are you doing out here? And without a chaperone?' she asked staying where she had stood,

'I've been meaning to visit for some time, and now seemed as good a time as any. Denaria brought me here,' he told her walking over,

'oh, right, well, what do you think? You should come back tomorrow, if you've the time, see one of the classes, your idea after all!' she threw him a smile, turning and picking up some balls from the floor, beginning to juggle them, effectively keeping her distance from him,

'you have changed,' he said softly,

'everyone says that, I'm just rushed off my feet, that's all, a little tired, short tempered, you know,' she shrugged, continuing to juggle,

'when did you open, a few of the staff have mentioned you?'

'open? Well, about two years ago I guess,' she noted his confusion, 'I sent you an invitation to the grand opening, but you didn't show, then a few more when we had competitions, but I stopped, wasting paper was all I achieved.' She shrugged again, 'I tried to visit you a while back, see if you were alright, you know, a general chat, the elf I spoke to said that you told him you didn't know anyone by the name of Teanar and then he told me that you are a prince and don't associate with women of my class. Treated me like I came from a whore house, half these kids think I'm lying, some tell me to my face, they think I'm one of your swooning admirers and that I've never even met you, that we're not friends.' She threw one of the balls at him, though it missed, dropping the rest to the ground, 'I know I disappeared, then ran off to the night elves and communication was pathetic to say the least but this is one hell of a way to get your own back, I thought you'd forgiven me for that, and now you turn up, like nothings happened!' she turned her back on him and sat on the ground in a huff,

'I didn't know you tried to visit, I haven't even heard that you'd had a grand opening, let alone sent me invitations, you know me, I would have come if I had known, I thought you were still settling in, working your way up, that you'd just started teaching people, I've been busy and haven't spoken to Denaria until tonight, she didn't mention any of this, I sent you a letter last year, but, I thought you were too busy to answer… you know I wouldn't do that, you know me, better than most.' He knelt beside her,

'I didn't tell her I was inviting you, after you didn't show for the opening, I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up, and she doesn't know that I tried to visit, it was spur of the moment, and I couldn't tell her that I'd been turned away… She's leaving, did she tell you?'

'No, where will she go?'

'They're headed to the West,' he sat beside her, 'she doesn't know I know, she knows I'm not ready, if I'll ever be ready, so she hasn't told me. I overheard the troupe talking one night, they didn't know I was around, they're not sure exactly when they'll leave, but in the next few years, they're leaving me.' Her head fell forward onto her knees,

'She said nothing to me,' he wrapped his arms around her as best he could, 'all this, this is why she thinks you are different, changed she told me, she said you wouldn't tell her anything, that you insisted you were fine, it is our fault and we didn't even know,'

'I'm just being female about everything, I know you both didn't know, I know you wouldn't turn me away, that she wouldn't intentionally hurt me, I just don't want to be alone, and lately it feels like I am, I'm just being emotional.' She shrugged him off and stood, swiping at her eyes quickly as he followed suit,

'then be emotional, have a moment for all I care,' he told her, causing a small chuckle, 'I wouldn't have you any other way than the way you are, and as long as you'll have me, I'll be right here beside you, just tell me what you want of me.'

'your friendship is all I could ever ask of you elf, I deserve nothing more than that.' She mumbled, burying her face in his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist, squeezing him as his own encircled her back, 'I have spent far too much time alone recently, it's made me sad, it's like the life has been sucked out of me, even this place is not as, fun as it used to be.'

'then let me fill your life with people, for a night at least, tomorrow, there is a feast, come.' He stood back from her, hands rising to her face to wipe away the few stray tears she had shed,

'I know of that feast elf, and I am sure, a woman of my class would not be welcome.' She laughed at him, trying to tug his hands away,

'I do not care, I shall take you on my arm and no other,' he lent his forehead against hers, trapping her thumbs under his own to halt her movements, 'and it would be unseemly for me to arrive alone, and thus, I insist you come.' He smirked at her,

'I don't have a dress,'

'I'll arrange for some to be sent to you and adjusted if needed, about midday,'

'I won't know anyone,'

'you'll arrive on my arm, everyone will want to be your friend,' she shook her head at his grin,

'I have lessons tomorrow evening,'

'take a day off; no one will hold it against you,'

'Denaria will be jealous,'

'I'll invite her and the troupe, just so you know someone there,'

'I can't dance,'

'liar.'

'okay, now I'm out of excuses.'

'good, is that a yes?' he attempted puppy dog eyes, making her laugh,

'why the heck not!' she rubbed her nose against his, finally pulling away, a smile on her face, 'but just because a party isn't a party without me.' She smirked, waving a finger at him.

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As the sun set on the next day she found herself stood before the great doors of the Lord of Ithillian's Manor, though palace seemed a better description in her eyes, she sat crossed legged with her arms folded on a stone wall outside them, glaring at the elven guard who stood stern with a guest list in hand, deep green uniform and a hat that reminded her of a leaf, the tip sticking straight up in the air adding another foot to his height, he returned her glare every few minutes.

'Teanar?'

'right here.' She waved as the doors opened and the guests bowed and curtsied gently to the elf, who exited,

'you are looking as beautiful as always,' he bowed to her, taking her hand and laying his lips against her knuckles before pulling her to her feet,

'now don't get sarky with me sweetheart,' she smirked, her eyes flickering over the curious glances they were receiving, 'though you have worryingly good taste in dresses,

The one she had chosen to wear was long, scraping along the floor, tight in the bodice, enhancing her chest, though the skirt opened out as she had twirled in front of her mirror, rising almost to her knees, her shoulders were bare though the sleeves of the dress where open and flowing, the whole dress a rich ochre with a leaf green trim. She noticed as she looked him over that he was dressed to match, tunic and breaches of the same colourings, his tunic extravagantly embroidered, the outfit very similar, if her memory was correct, of the clothes he wore in Lothlorien.

'and why is that so worrying, you look lovely.' He forced her to twirl, her smirk turning into a smile when the dress flowed out,

'I always wanted a dress that did that,' she laughed, 'it's just that where I'm from, to have such good taste in dresses usually meant you were gay,'

'than I am glad I let one of the maids choose them!' he laughed, 'why are you out here, I told you to meet me inside,' she caught the quick wink he sent her,

'well, the guard in the stupid hat wouldn't let me in,' out of the corner of her eye she could see the rest of the guests stare at said hat and the elf wearing it tinge pink,

'I chose that hat.' Legolas' face was blank,

'and it looks stupid,'

'I knew you'd appreciate it.' He grinned, offering her his arm which she took, leading her up to the guard who was now pink in the ears, 'this is my close and personal friend, Teanar, the next time she visits you will not turn her away or I will let her chose your uniform.' He pulled her inside and down a corridor before beginning to laugh,

'I kind of hope he does now, I have some great ideas!' she joined his laughter, 'thank you,'

'my pleasure, come, Denaria has already arrived, I have said nothing, it is your choice to tell her, not mine, my lips are sealed,' he assured her, leading her back into the main corridor and to the dining hall.

After eating with Legolas to her left and Denaria to her right at the main table, over looking the rest of the diners she found herself catching people's eye, some nodded to her, some looked away sharply, some appeared to ignore her or glare at her,

'ah, they're staring at me, I think.'

'I told you everyone would want to be your friend.' He chuckled, leaning in to her so the elf to his left couldn't hear,

'I don't think they all want to be my friend, the females look like they want to kill me,'

'and suffer my displeasure, I think not!' he laughed, in reply she kicked him under the table,

'children,' Denaria laughed from her seat, 'I'm going to greet the others, see you later.' She raised her fist to her heart before leaving and making her way across the floor, the tables being quickly cleared away.

'Teanar?' she found Legolas on his feet, offering his hand to her, 'would you care to dance?'

'as long as you don't mind loosing a few toes in the process, I'd love to.' She stood with a grin and allowed him to lead her to the edge of the floor, doing a discreet wiggle while they were still hidden from the view of most, 'no?' she asked at his questioning look, 'okay, we'll dance your way then!'

She took up her dress in one hand and took his with the other, his hand resting on her back he span her onto the floor, continuing to twirl her around the floor to the applause of the other diners who soon paired up and began to join them, she laughed as he stopped spinning, looking up at his slightly dazed expression before doing her best to push him back into a spin until he laughed and lead her around the floor again with the occasional spin. She eventually took her leave and gained a goblet, finding Denaria at the edge of the room, near some doors that led to the gardens,

'where are the others?' she asked,

'they have left; they do not feel comfortable here…'

'that's fine, I don't blame them, you can leave too, if you wish, you don't need to be here,' she put up a hand at her refusal, 'don't feel obligated to spend time with me, I will follow you one day and we will meet again, you are not leaving tomorrow so don't fret, we have time, I will not force you to spend it here, in a place you dislike, anymore than you would force me to sail.'

'you know?'

'aye, I know, I have known for some time, I over heard, it's alright, I'd prefer to be part of your plans than to never know until the day you leave. Please, enjoy the night, go with them, we can talk tomorrow if you wish.'

'thank you, I am sorry, sister, I did not want to hurt you.'

'I know, I am not angry,'

'where is your elf? I refuse to leave you here alone, he is yours for the night and I shall make sure that is the way it stays.'

'Denaria, don't go getting any silly notions,'

'I am not the one with any type of notion my friend, accept it, you are smitten, and have been for years, you have been pining for the last two! Anyone with eyes can see that, stop denying yourself,' she laughed at her,

'Denaria!' she grabbed her arm and swung her outside, away from the guests, 'he is my friend, nothing more, I will ask for nothing more, I have accepted it, I will not ruin his future by being selfish.' She hissed at her,

'you are being selfish now Teanar, you are as close as any lovers I have ever seen, and I know that it is not just your doing, I have seen him, he has tried to offer himself to you and you always manage to worm your way out, you have tried to distance yourself these past few years, I know you say he was busy but if I was able to corner him I know you are able to, you always know where he is!' she took her hands, 'I don't want to argue with you, but it is clear to me and I'm sure many others that you are meant for him, and he for you, you are happy with him, if he were not such a gentleman and so concerned for your happiness, he would have asked to begin a courtship!'

'is that dating or a marriage proposal?'

'Dating, I assume, it is defiantly not a marriage proposal… and you are trying to distract me!'

'I'm very good at it sister, he deserves better than me, if given the chance I would give him everything I could, but to sentence him to a life without children is not fair on him, he has done so much for this world, he deserves to live happily ever after.'

'have you given him a choice? Does he want children? It is his choice Teanar, he knows about the warg attack, remember? He knows the damage, he brought you back, I know it, and he would not be able to do so if you two were not…'

'stop it, please.' She swiped away tears once again, 'I know, I know, Denaria, it is his choice, I know, you are right, I believe it too, but, I am scared, and I can't explain what of, I am scared of so many things and then, with him, the fear disappears. I have not always been elven, I am not of this world, and I am not of his class…'

'let him choose, he knew you from almost the first moment you arrived in this world, he knows you, truly knows you, you trust him, I am sure there are only a handful of things you could say he doesn't know, he was your elf long before I gave him that title, and I know that he would take you as his if you let him. Stop worrying, stop distracting, stop thinking, he was with you from the start, let him be there until the end, please. I am leaving and I refuse to let this go unsettled, one way or another, lets find him, come on, I shall say nothing, for tonight at least,' she linked their arms, allowing her to compose herself and began to enter the hall again, both spinning at a sound they knew,

'Wargs, get the others, I'll tell those inside, be careful!' Teanar led the way, pulling the doors closed behind her pushing her way through the crowds, ignoring their protests and rude comments,

She located the elf and ran between the dancing couples to reach him, knocking three over in the process, which caught his attention first before she barrelled into him, using his body to stop,

'Wargs, not here yet, but heading this way. Denaria is tracking down the troupe,'

'wargs? Are you sure miss?' Legolas' companion asked her,

'I have a gut feeling.' She sneered at him, feeling the elf take her hand and pull her away, making comments to a guard as they passed, he dragged her though the corridors until they arrived at his rooms where he began to prepare to fight, changing his shirt and attaching his weapons,

'I'll take the guards and join the troupe, stay here and…'

'I'm coming with you elf, I have a major score to settle.' She reached under her skirts and pulled out her knives,

'Teanar,' he gave her a strange look after glancing at the knives, 'that's my point, I want you to stay here, so you don't get hurt again, you'll be distracted,'

'Legolas, you know I will fight, attached to your hip if necessary, but I will fight, my sisters are out there, you will be out there, I am a warrior, let me help you.'

'stay, please,' he took her face in his hands once again, resting their foreheads together, 'please, I can't see you hurt again, not like that, please,'

'I'll be careful, but I can't stay here, you have to understand, all I have in this world will be out there.' She pulled away, steeling her face, but taking his hand, 'come on, they need us,'

They ran through the building in silence, hearing howls outside in the distance, arriving in a courtyard where the guards, minus the silly hats, had gathered, ready for battle, Legolas addressed them and sent them out in groups, beginning to follow the last group,

'Elf,' she stopped him as he began to descend the stairs to the outside, 'look, this is just something I have, want to do, you know how stubborn I am.' He smiled softly at her, making to leave again, but she took his hand to stop him, standing at the foot of the stairs now, 'I have a discussion with Denaria earlier and she told me to basically shut up and listen to myself for once, and that I should give you the choice, not make it for you because of some stupid reason like I always do. Stop distracting!' she muttered to herself, moving her hand from his to rest on his shoulder 'Well, I know it's not a great time, but it's as good as any to give you that choice,' she pulled his head towards her and met his lips with her own, raising herself onto her toes to meet him, smiling and deepening the kiss as one hand cupped her head and the other held her back close to him. She pulled away, his lips following hers, chuckling as he returned her own slightly dazed smile, 'be careful,'

'and you,' he claimed another kiss before they both advanced on the oncoming wargs.

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Wargs had made it into the city, forcing their way past the night elf line and into the city's guards, some breaking past them and rampaging around the city, their orc riders eventually shot from their backs by arrows, the wargs being taken down by knives, bows and swords, though it was an eventual victory, the city was not without casualties, the rooms of the manor filling with wounded, messengers riding to Minis Tirith for aid.

'Denaria! How is everyone?' she jogged over to where she sat on the wall she had sat on the night before, watching the door,

'we are alright, nothing serious, we were lucky, the poison hasn't affected us like the other elves, we must be immune, and it is what is claiming lives now.' She looked up with a smile, 'the rest are spread around the borders with the uninjured guards, I hope this is the last of them and we aren't caught unawares again. Are you alright?' she nodded to her torn appearance,

'yeah, fine, dresses are not ideal battle attire, I've a few scratches and bruises, nothing serious this time, thank whatever.' She chuckled, 'I took your advice by the way,' her smile turning into a grin, 'gave him the choice,'

'Follow me,' her grin faded as her sister's face grew solemn, following her inside, 'word has been sent out, if the worst should happen, I stayed behind for you, I am sorry...'

'he's hurt? Dead?' her feet continued though the rest of her felt numb,

'Nay, not dead, hurt, a wound on his back, deep, but poisoned, he fades fast, we could not find you so I waited, he asked for you.'

They walked through the corridors, seeing the clump of people outside his door, all trying to catch a glimpse of what was inside, Denaria approached them,

'Step aside, we need to pass,' eyes looked to her first, then to her sister, who's face was ashen, her dress torn, her knives still in her hands,

'Does she need a healer?'

'nay, she needs to see him, step aside,' she pulled the knives away from her, guiding her through the door, closing it behind her,

'who is she?'

'Teanar, a fellow walker, please, give them peace, leave this door, you will all know the outcome, whatever it may be.' She tucked the knives into her belt, taking up vigilance in front of the door,

'there is still a chance, he is strong…' a healer laid a hand on her arm,

'you know as well as I that the poison runs too deep, the wound too deep, if there is any hope, it lays with her,'

'with her? She is no healer,'

'nay, but I, and many of our friends, in all lands, believe they are bonded, he once brought her back from the brink of death, I hope she can do the same, ironically it was also a warg attack that nearly took her from us.'

'he has bonded with no one; secrets do not stay secret for long in places like this,'

'the bond was created without either of them knowing, but I am sure it is a bond… and if I am wrong, she deserves these last few moments,' she closed her eyes, leaning back against the door, to find that it was not behind her,

'it's alright,' Teanar told her, 'you can't change history, he lives, he has too, he wouldn't leave me alone in this world, not after everything, not now,' she looked at the healer, 'the bleeding has stopped, it ran black, then red, then slowed and finally stopped,'

'are you alright? What happened?' Denaria took her sister inside the room seating her,

'I sat beside him, and then I noticed the bleeding had stopped so I came to you,'

'you had just sat down?'

'aye,'

'you look pale,' she looked to the healer, 'go, rest, I shall wake you later for food,' she ushered her strangely compliant friend out of the door,

'what did she do? His condition has defiantly improved, though it will still take time...'

'I have a feeling that she did the same as what he did to her,' she smiled, leaving the room

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Okay, there's the button, press it and let me know, chapter 20 will be with you as soon as possible.

xxx