I'm BAAAAACK!!!

And better than ever bitches!

This is the new and improved Spring Festival! Read and Enjoy! Review too please! I love happy reviews!

-SW

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It had been a silent season beneath the eaves of Lorien, and even in the realm of grace and eternity, one is liable to get bored. The winter had passed, and now the floor of the forest was a glittering gold, the streams a clear blue, and the river Anduin inviting.

Indeed there had been no attacks, not since the days of Amroth, and the world echoed with silence and foreboding, but it was far out of reach. And beneath the golden eaves there was no pain or worry, simply life as it always had been for these reclusive elves.

The darkness of the world was long out of thought, and in the realm of young elves, young of course being relative, the time was now to have fun. Now was the time to find their life path, before a war forced it upon them. And though the three blessed elves of these days all knew they had a great destiny, they had yet to fully understand it. How they yearned for it, longed to find the calling and follow it to where they would rest one day. But the time had not yet come for such developments, and so they were resigned to seeking out ways to live what was left of their lives. For all knew that any day the world could rise up and plunge into darkness.

The three are the children of Elrond, aged 1,864 for the twin sons, and 1, 753 for the only daughter and Evenstar of her people, Arwen. This is young in elf years, they were barely adults, and as such had much youth to expend before becoming the leaders of their people. Arwen, being the most headstrong and lighthearted of her siblings, was the first to arrive at the conclusion that they should take the opportunity to have great fun now, though she wasted little time in informing her brothers.

"Elladan, Elrohir, have you not grown weary of these bland days? Do you not long for an adventure, for fun and experience of the world beyond these golden eaves or the dell of our home?" They were traversing the wood of Lorien, flirting with the border but still safely inside its guarded eaves.

"Oh, Arwen, you cannot be suggesting we cause more trouble for our parents." Elladan smirked, secretly hoping she was. The twins were great mischief makers, and firmly believed that if they were continually locked up in Lorien or Rivendell, they would never learn and never find what called them away from here.

"Of course not. I merely wish to travel somewhere new, find something to fuel our eternity in Middle Earth. I feel trapped, you must understand. I feel like my life is being hindered, as though I will never find something to keep me held fast to this land until I must pass. Please my brothers, release me, give me a reason to live!" At this she threw her arms open and spun around. "Something great will happen to me, something life changing and beautiful. But here, under these perfectly silent trees, it can never happen. Nothing will be set in motion if we do not venture out and wake the world up." She turned her pleading blue eyes to her brothers, who exchanged a look. They needed no words to communicate, and needed no other reason to agree.

"But where will we go? Everywhere beyond Lorien or Rivendell is a hazard. The realm of men is unsafe, and the other Elven lands spell death." Elrohir's voice was placating, attempting to reason with his sister. They were all special to Middle Earth, and while she might have been right, their deaths would do little more than kill what little good there would one day be. "We are not much loved by the other peoples, and Thranduil would certainly kill us on sight should we enter his land."

"Actually, it is your faces that spell death." A quiet voice said, and a lithe figure dropped down from the trees above. Dressed in the gray raiment of her people, the short Lorien elf-woman smiled calmly at the three. "You see, if you were to travel and no one knew you then you would be safe. It is upon your faces being known that you will be in grave, grave danger."

"Hello, dearest Aunt." Elladan greeted, bowing. His siblings followed suit, and she returned the sentiment. "You have a point, but certainly there is no such way." He said and she grinned.

This elf-woman, a little thing by any race's standards, was thinking quickly of the many cultures these children did not experience. The men of Gondor, Rangers of Numenor, the Elves of the Havens, Hobbits, men in Rohan and Ithilien, the wizards in Isengard...and many many more. However, she knew in Mirkwood there would soon be a festival that might give these young elves, older than her but still children in the eyes of their world, a chance to see beyond their borders.

She is the aunt of these Blessed elves, the adoptive daughter of Galadriel and Celeborn, and the sister of Celebrian and Elrond. Her name is Elemmire, Jewel of the Stars, the guardian of Middle Earth. Some call her Azeriel, Sun Maiden, for her fire-red hair. The siblings tend to tease her for it, for there is no shade quite like it in all of Middle-Earth, but she always laughs and allows it to slide from her mind.

She is young by any standards, only 500 at the time of this tale, in 1994 of the Third Age. But with her she carries great knowledge of her own destiny, though she blatantly refuses to acknowledge the greatness of it until the time is at hand. For now she chooses to travel, to live, and to be a silent force in a steadily darkening world.

"I believe Elrohir to be right, Elly," Elladan abbreviated her name to the affectionate nickname given to her by her family and dearest friends, "I believe it would be folly no matter how much we yearn to explore. 'Tis been many a year since the times we rode with our Uncle's people."

"The orc raids have been diminished, not even goblins dare to come too near our borders." Elrohir's voice was lamenting, full of memory. "It feels a century since we battled, since any adventure came into our path."

"My brothers speak true, and ever since the days of my birth, and increasingly since Nimrodel and Amroth vanished I have been trapped here. I need to seek my path, I need to find love and unity, and above all I need to know there is a world to be saved if I am, as my namesake was, destined to give my life for it." Her blue eyes locked on her aunt, who was more like her sister, and she sighed heavily.

Elly smiled wearily, for she knew of their pain. She had confined herself here since the King of Lorien, Amroth, and his bride, Nimrodel, had vanished into the mists and never returned nor sent the promised message. Amroth, her king, her friend, and her loving brother, had been the reason she fought. He had been her world and she his heiress; but now she was empty, had been for nearly 13 years since. Before his departure for the Gray Havens he had named her crown Princess, expecting her to take up the crown in his stead. But she could not do such a thing, not when her heart was so devoid of love and feeling.

Instead she took up the stance of commander, and allowed her adoptive parents to rule in her stead.

"Oh my friends, I know how your hearts ache. Some days it feels as though I will never find the will to go out and save this beautiful world." She picked up a mallorn flower and then smiled as she solidified her previous thoughts. "However, I know of a festival that would give you all the adventure," she looked to the twins, "opportunity for love," she turned to her niece, "and exposure to this world you can desire." The three leaned in to her and she took a seat upon the Earth. They followed suit and fixated their gazes on her. She allowed a bright light into her eyes, eyes like the ever-shifting sea in color. Currently they settled on clear blue and the silver flecks practically glowed with joy.

"In a fortnight Mirkwood will host the coming of Ethuil, a festival dedicated to lovers and rebirth. It's based on the legend of Rosriel and her lover Taurebein, two elves that found forbidden love. They were from warring lands and could never be together, but they met one day in a clearing and fell madly in love. At first they didn't know the other was from another land for they wore masks, but once the masks were removed they knew they had to be together. They defied their parents and communicated with secret letters and met where none would find them. Then, one day, Rosriel came to Taurebein and told him she was with child. The two made to leave but before they could, Rosriel's father found her and had Taurebein killed. Rosriel fled in rage, and hurt. It is said she had a little girl, name Erulisse, and shortly after Rosriel died of grief. The little girl vanished, but the warring tribes eventually settled. But it was too late, and her father passed from grief as well."

"Amazing." Arwen breathed. "So the festival is to remember this sacrifice, but also to bring love and harmony?"

"Essentially, it's really a chance for the elves of Mirkwood to make merry for a week without feeling irresponsible." Elly shrugged and her companions chuckled at her lack of interest in romance. "It will be mostly Mirkwood elves, and a mask festival. The tradition says that if you hide your face and allow your eyes to reveal all, then you will find your true love, just as Rosriel and Taurebein. If we left tomorrow we could make it just in time." Her eyes were bright and excited, a shimmering blue, and the three siblings nodded.

"Let us attend this! For certain we can fool a few woodland elves of who we are!" Arwen delighted in this plan and Elly laughed prettily at her.

"I will take you, but only with your parents' blessing. I shan't steal you from them and risk my head upon return." She said calmly and they nodded.

"What of Celeborn? Certainly he wouldn't risk his daughter to his oldest enemy?" Elrohir asked and she simply nodded. The feud of Thranduil and Celeborn was infamous and the two had never crossed paths since the Second Age. Thranduil made it known that any foreign elf of Celeborn's house in his lands would be killed on sight, though Celeborn had never issued the same to the surprise of almost everyone in Elvendom. Elly, however, was not fearful of Thranduil, though her desire to go into Mirkwood had forever been hesitant at best.

"I suspect not, but it was he that told me to go." She said, her gaze finding the glittering waters of the Anduin. "He said that this was it, this was the time to find my heart." Her gaze became a clouded gray, and suddenly she aged a thousand years. "I know not what he means, but there is a pull to Mirkwood and I must follow it. I feel if I do not I will die, pine for something I can't understand. I feel as if love is calling me...I must follow."

"Then go we shall!" Elladan said, his eyes, so infinitely older than his aunt's, softening. He knew the call of love, but his was so far away he could never chase it. There were days he feared he never would. "Certainly we can convince father, so long as he is assured of our safety."

"Certainly we can, for no other reason than to discover our own strength. For if we cannot stand up to a few Woodelves what kind of Noldor are we?" Elrohir agreed and Arwen stood up first, the other two following.

"We'll come to you with his answer." She said and the three floated off. Elly watched after them with a smile, briefly wanting that level of grace and effortless beauty. Alas her human body allowed for little of it. She had learned the grace of the trees, but upon the earth she lacked the subtle air of dignity her elder companions possessed.

Sometimes she believed it was because she was all but dignified, but then she remembered the days of endless diplomats and the ease of her gait. In those moments of memory she knew her gait had fallen because she secretly longed to be human, in a vain hope that the pain of her brother's passing would be easier on a mortal soul and body. She knew it wouldn't be, but yearning for something that can never be eases some of the stress.

She carefully stood and fingered the hem of her gray tunic. It was simple, bland even. The only hint she wasn't the average soldier was the careful gold that designed the sleeves, hem, and her ornate bow. She was far from average in every sense, but maybe if she blended in with the regiment she so effortlessly commanded then she could fade away from the eyes of the prying world. Maybe then she could forget.

"Perhaps, dear," a voice trickled from the trees, "you think too deeply." Her eyes found a figure above her, lounging on a branch. An elf, blonde and lithe, tall and elegant, peered at her. "Certainly you cannot think these harrying thoughts at all hours, wishing away your immortality so that you might forget your pain." Sometimes his knowledge irked her, but his wise advice brought her to her senses. This elf was one of her most trusted friends, one of the few she counted as family.

"Oh Dinendal, if only it were so." She looked down at the necklace that hung limply at her throat. It was a simple Eleanor flower in silver, resting on two mallorn leaves, one on each side. At the center of the flower was a bright turquoise stone, and around it was an ornate vine that made it distinctly Elfin.

It was her symbol, the thing that tied her to her immortality. It had been a gift on her 25th birthday from her creators, a token of the promise of eternity. She had died a mortal death, and then awoke an elf forever trapped in a human body. They had endowed her with perfection, and part of them.

As such she had an eternity to be in pain over the hurt she caused, and she would shoulder that burden for all her days. There would never be someone to alleviate her suffering, at least she firmly believed there never would be. This was her fate: to fight, to die, and to allow those who are purely good and purely of this world to survive.

She knew this was how it must be, that her life would decide the fate of Middle-Earth in some subtle way. She knew that even though she was condemned to a life alone, a solitary soldier, it was how it must be if her friends and loved ones were to survive.

For they was most important thing her immortality gave that she would never trade. It allowed her to reside in this land, to love them and be a part of their world, and fight the battles she knew were to come. And as it were, no matter how great the pain of loss was, she must shoulder the burden and carry on. As great as the empty vastness of eternity alone was, she could never leave them or she would be heartsick.

"If only I could escape it for one moment, for I know in my heart that this will be my death. But my mind tells me every day his passing was my fault, and if Lorien falls it will fall at my feet." She turned her ancient gaze, which was filled with an age far beyond her five hundred years, on Dinendal who simply pulled her into his embrace.

"Oh my darling lady, you must know we can never hold you at fault." He released her and smiled. "You will go to this festival, and follow the call you feel so deeply, and I will be at your side to keep you safe, darling child." She nodded and leaned against his strong frame.

"I am glad of that, Dinendal." She breathed and the two began the trek back to the palace.

Meanwhile, the three siblings searched for their father all about the living quarters, eventually coming upon him in the library with Celeborn. The two turned to them as they entered.

"Good day, father." The three bowed at Arwen's greeting, and the elder elves followed. "We have come to ask your permission for a great venture."

"Is that so, my children?" Elrond asked, taking a seat. Celeborn grinned a bit and Arwen nodded.

"Elly has suggested that, in order to expand our knowledge of the world and our own kin, we venture to Mirkwood for the Festival of Ethuil. She believes it will satisfy our desire for adventure and allow us a chance to see the differences from our family, and our distant woodland kin." Elladan, ever the politician. The two adults exchanged a glance and Celeborn replied first.

"At first glance I say no, but it was I who told Elly it was her path to go to Mirkwood and I know it is. If she is ever to be happy again, be herself again, then she must make this journey." He said and Elrond gave him his most serious stare. "In the same instance, it might be the path of these three as well. Perhaps their destiny is to find what resides in Mirkwood, and learn of their kin so we may one day be united." He reasoned calmly, and Elrond frowned deeply. "You know if not for some strong feeling I would never send them hence, Elrond. My dealings with the Mirkwood king are all but pleasant."

"More to the point, my love, I loathe to send my sister beneath the boughs of Mirkwood without accompaniment." Celebrian's voice pierced the air, and all turned to her. "Let them go, for certain they need to see how different the peoples can be. And if Elly is meant to go then I will not send her alone."

"I agree with both sides." Elrond confirmed and Celebrian moved to stand behind her husband's chair. "I will allow you to go, but you must stay with your aunt and not venture unaided into Mirkwood. You must also be on your guard, for I am wary of the King, and doubly of his two sons." Elrond's voice was stern and the three nodded quickly. "I know not how they turned out, but if they are anything like their father then they are not to be trusted. Your aunt will keep you safe, and you must stay with her."

"Of course, father. We'll be perfectly safe." Arwen said, smiling gently. At this Elly appeared in the doorway to the library and entered.

"Sister!" Celebrian greeted, walking over to embrace her warrior sister. They hugged briefly before Elly fixed her tired gaze on Elrond. Dinendal entered and bowed the greeting to his superiors, standing off to the side.

"You will attend this festival, and you will be most careful with my children." Elrond said to his spirited sister-in-law. She nodded and he smirked. "Your mother must not be pleased with this."

"Do not presume my thoughts, Elrond." The eerily chilling voice of Galadriel cut the air and the company turned to see her in the doorway. "This festival will be good for our children, all of them. For some things of the world are beyond even us to prevent." The company tensed in silent agreement, all save for the four youngest.

"We leave tomorrow morning, by horse." Elly confirmed and the other three nodded. They left then to prepare, gliding past their relatives and her gaze fell a bit. She turned her gaze on Elrond. "You all know this will begin the motions to bring the world to its brink." They made no movement, save Celebrian who walked to her baby sister. Her hands cupped the younger woman's face, her eyes tracing over her mortal ears and slight body, and her heart reaching out to her.

"My sister, we simply want you to be happy. We desire that you will release the pain and guilt that plagues your heart and mind." Her voice calmed Elly's fears and she nodded, pulling away and walking out.

"I'll return in a month. I'll keep them safe." She whispered as she turned the corner away from them, but they smelled the salt that ran down her cheeks. Dinendal winced in pain and bowed before leaving.

"You send her to find him, don't you?" Elrond said and Galadriel flicked her gaze to him. "There is a soul in Mirkwood we were asked to protect, is now the time to bring him back? Is this right? Risking her life for a child that may well hate us, been poisoned by his father?"

"It is not a matter of right," Celeborn breathed, "it's a matter of what must be."

"He speaks truly. Fear not, Elrond, this is the beginning of our end. They must only meet for us to know what the fate of the world is to be." Galadriel smiled and floated away on those words, Celeborn following swiftly.

"What troubles you love? Are you so fearful of Thranduil's hatred?" Celebrian's perfect blue eyes bored into him. Elrond frowned.

"I am fearful of what will come of this, I fear for Arwen. We know what her fate will be if our hearts prove right." He said and she smiled gently. She touched his cheek and closed her eyes.

"Her fate is to be happy, my love. Do not let worries of what is to come trouble you, for now we are blessedly free of darkness. Just rejoice in what we have." She said and he wrapped her hand in his.

"Of course, my love. Let us simply be." She nodded and the two walked from the library.

Meanwhile, in a high room that overlooked the whole of Lorien, the young princess sighed. Elly, fingered her headdress and stared into the jewel that swirled with every color. It was a seeing stone, a piece of one, and in it she could see all that was to come. All she saw now though, despite her efforts, was perfect crystal blue. Her mind was torrid with worry, and it was in this state she fell into her bed and slipped into a waking dream, salt treks leaking down her moonlit alabaster cheeks.

Meanwhile her parents walked about their land, their hearts aching for their youngest daughter whom they loved like their own. Galadriel looked out upon her kingdom and pressed her lips into a thin line.

"Do you foresee evil in this choice?" She asked and Celeborn shook his head.

"I foresee pain, and loss, and above all danger; but no evil is in this choice, save the evils of a treacherous heart that knows not of love." He looked to his mate who saw nothing but the future of her daughter. "She will survive, but until she finds what we have she will never be complete. She lacks the fire she once had, the fire of life and desire, and we must see it restored. I cannot watch her suffer in silence any longer."

"I know." Galadriel breathed, drawing a face into her mind. "I only hope Lothnimiel's son will be capable of doing so." Her head tilted and she looked past the immediate future into the distance. "I only hope he will know what he feels when it finds him, and I hope our Rose will not run in fear of more pain. I cannot foresee what will happen, but if all goes according to plan, it will end well."

"And on that hope we will ride." Celeborn affirmed, and then led Galadriel away.