Angelica stared at Sam in a slight state of shock. Pippin had been knocked to the floor and she heard him groan. She did not even move to pick up the roses that had been scattered all over her lap, the chair, and the floor. She had just given Pippin her answer and explained to him about Galadriel's command when Sam had burst into the room in this frenzy, hollering that he wanted to marry her. Well. At least, she assumed he meant her, even if he had used the wrong name.

Maybe he didn't. After all, she knew he had loved a certain Mistress Rose back in Hobbiton long before he ever met her. She wondered vaguely why everyone always thought he was after Frodo. Sam was staring back at her in a state of shock, apparently just having realized exactly what had popped out of his mouth. Angelica narrowed her eyebrows and glared at him.

"Samwise Gamgee, how dare you?"

"Angelica! I meant Angelica!" Sam stammered. "Marry me, Angelica!"

"Not that, Sam," she sighed. She took his hand, softening. "I knew what you meant. But you didn't have to knock Pippin over."

"It's all right," said Pippin from the floor. "I'm fine."

Sam broke away from Angelica and helped Pippin back to his feet. "I'm sorry, Pip."

"Pippin," said Angelica, "Would you let me speak to Sam privately for a moment?"

"Of course," Pippin said. He turned and started for the open door of the library but before he reached it Merry, Gimli and Frodo came bursting through it. Well, Angelica thought, perhaps not bursting, as they all tried to enter at the same time and got wedged together in the doorway. To make it worse, they were all shouting.

"What are you doing, Sam?" Merry hollered.

"Let him be, Merry!" Frodo grunted.

"Angelica! Angelica!" Gimli bellowed. "Don't listen to any of them! I must speak to you!"

Angelica had reached the end of her rope. She scooped the flowers off of her lap and stuffed them back into Sam's arms, then stood up on her chair. She had hoped to have a minute to let Sam down easy, but apparently that was not going to be the case.

"Will all of you please be quiet!"

The effect was instantaneous. The three of them struggling in the doorway fell still. Pippin turned back around to face her. Sam stood there, holding the flowers, looking mortified.

"I know," Angelica said, taking a deep breath, "That all of this is my fault. That I encouraged you, all of you, in your pursuit of me. That I have loved all of you -- that in my heart, I still do love all of you. But you know that I was told by Galadriel that I would have to make my choice among you, and this is the reason why. You are all such very good friends, and I would not hurt any one of you for the world."

Frodo finally managed to slip free of the doorway and took a few steps into the library. Merry and Gimli stayed standing behind him in the door. "We know that you would never hurt us on purpose, Angelica. We know how hard this has been for you."

"I will always be your friend, lassie," said Gimli, stepping forward. "Even if you don't choose me."

"Thank you, Gimli," Angelica said with some relief.

"And for me, that goes without saying," Frodo added. Merry nodded in agreement.

Angelica looked at Sam, who perhaps looked the most disappointed of all, as if he already knew that she had made her choice and that it wasn't him.

"I'll always be your friend, too, Angelica," he said sounding miserable.

Angelica climbed down off of the chair, put her arms around Sam, and kissed him on the cheek. "Sam," she said generously, "Go back to Hobbiton and marry Rosie Cotton. Pippin's told me all about her and how long you've loved her."

"Do you think she would want me?" Sam whispered.

"That's a silly question," Angelica said tenderly. "She is a very lucky Hobbit lass indeed."

Aragorn and Thranduil appeared in the doorway. Aragorn looked rather amused, Angelica noted, while Thranduil bore a far more grave expression.

"Is everything all right?" he asked, frowning. He looked around the library, as if making sure that nothing had been broken.

"Just fine, sir," Frodo answered for the lot of them. "In fact, I think we were all about to come back to dinner, weren't we?"

"I could certainly use some dinner," Angelica said. She looked at Sam, holding the roses, and took them from him. "Thank you, they are lovely."

"Maybe you ought to put them back on the dinner table," Merry said. "Lord Thranduil may be wanting back his centerpiece."

Angelica giggled and Sam turned an even deeper shade of red. Merry, Gimli, and Frodo followed Thranduil out of the library. Pippin turned back to look at Angelica, but she nodded and he winked at her then followed the others out as well. Aragorn stayed, watching her, and Angelica thought perhaps she had better speak to him.

"Go on, Sam. I'll see you in a moment."

Sam nodded and stumbled after the others. Aragorn slipped into the library and closed the door, so they were alone once more.

"You've made your choice," he said. It was not a question.

"Yes."

"Good. I give you my blessing."

"Are you not going to even ask who I chose?" Angelica said, grinning at him.

"I don't need to. I do hope you will invite me to the wedding, however."

"That," Angelica said, "Goes without saying. In any case, we're going to have a very long engagement first."

"Let me escort you back to the dining hall," Aragorn said. He opened the library door and walked Angelica down the hallway silently. He stopped in front of a large portal and looked at her. "It is through there. Go on, I know Frodo is dying to introduce you to Bilbo and Gandalf."

"Aren't you coming in?"

"I want to go see Legolas while it is quiet."

Angelica nodded. "I hope he is better."

"As do I." Aragorn paused for a moment. "May I ask you a question?"

"I believe, King Aragorn, that that is a question. However, the answer is still yes."

"Thank you," Aragorn said, grinning back at her. "If you do not mind indulging my curiosity, but you see, I have been friends with all of them for so long. Why did you choose to marry Pippin?"

"They all have fine qualities," said Angelica slowly, "And I could happily spend my life with any one of them. However, Pippin was the only one that asked me."

"Ah!"

Aragorn opened the heavy door for her and Angelica sashayed into the dining room, where dinner, it appeared, was nearly finished.

***

Legolas Greenleaf knew he was home before he ever opened his eyes. The smell of Mirkwood, verdant and blooming, permeated him. It made his nostrils twitch and his eyelashes flutter. It made him want to come back to life, see his family and the land where he had grown up.

He felt so tired, so very, very tired, which was unusual for him. It took his mind a few minutes to work out what had happened to him. He kept his eyes closed while he thought, as it seemed to be taking a strangely large amount of energy.

Spiders, there had been spiders. He had gone to save Gimli, but there were too many of them. They had been about to overtake the both of them when Ciendriel appeared, and called his name, and then -- nothing. Still, she had undoubtedly saved his life with her timely appearance, had she not?

Where was she? Why was she not by his side? Had something happened to her? Someone else must have survived enough to get him to Mirkwood! How long had he been unconscious? His mind swam with questions and he moaned. He heard a door opening and knew someone else had joined him in the chamber. He felt the weight of a second body sitting on the bed next to him and breathed in deeply.

Aragorn?

He wanted to speak the name, but his throat felt so dry. Legolas was without voice.

"How hard it is for me to see you laid low, my friend," came the King's soft, rough voice. "Yet Elrond tells me you will be fine, and so I am sure that you will be." Legolas felt the touch of Aragorn's fingers in his long hair. He sighed. "Do not think I have forgotten how deeply we have cared for each other, or those nights we spent together in pleasure. My heart may belong to Arwen now, but something deep inside me will always be reserved for you."

"How sentimental," came a second voice from the doorway. Haldir. Legolas fought to open his eyes, and managed to hoist the lids slightly, but his vision was blurred. "Have you something deep in your heart for me, as well?"

"You know I do," Aragorn said quietly. "It is good to see you, Haldir. Very good. I grieved when I thought you had fallen at Helm's Deep."

"I was not aware that you would be here, in Mirkwood," Haldir said, sounding agitated. "Why have you come, Aragorn?"

"I was invited," Aragorn said. "It is a mission of diplomacy."

"Diplomacy?"

"You know as well as I do the intricacies of Elven nuptials."

"Morgone wishes that I wed her daughter," Haldir said aggressively.

"I know," Aragorn replied calmly.

"She wants Legolas."

"For that, neither you nor I can fault her," Aragorn said. "But tell me, what do you want, Haldir? Do you want an unwilling bride?"

Haldir did not reply. Legolas found his eyes beginning to focus but before he could make out the expression of the Marchwarden the door burst open and he saw Ciendriel standing there. She was dressed in only a thin robe that outlined her willowy figure. Legolas felt himself stirring at the sight of her. Again he tried to speak and could not.

"Congratulations, Princess, you've found him," Haldir said coolly.

"How did you get here before me?"

"I knew where I was going," Haldir replied sardonically. "Permit me to introduce Aragorn -- King Elessar."

Aragorn stood up and bowed slightly. "It is a pleasure, my lady Ciendriel."

Ciendriel inclined her head, but then she turned towards the bed. "He is awake!"

She flung herself on him and at last Legolas, using all of his strength, found his voice. "Ciendriel," he said, his own voice sounding as no more than a croak to him.

She cradled him in her arms and he saw that she was crying. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I thought you were dead. It was my fault."

"No…" he whispered.

Aragorn stepped forward with a goblet of water, which he handed to Ciendriel. Tenderly she brought it to his lips and Legolas swallowed it greedily. Aragorn stepped back. Haldir leaned against the doorframe silently.

"We should give them a moment's peace," Aragorn said to Haldir.

"We should take her out of here and send for Lord Elrond," Haldir said coldly.

Legolas felt stronger and stronger by the moment. He eased himself into a sitting position and brought his hand to Ciendriel's tearstained face, looking deeply into her eyes before removing his gaze to the Marchwarden.

"You will not take her from me, Haldir," he said fiercely.

"I will not go," Ciendriel said, twisting around to look at Haldir. "But do send for Lord Elrond. Please, Haldir."

Haldir's hands bunched into fists. His expression remained blank, but Legolas knew he was frustrated, if not infuriated.

"I will go find Elrond," said Aragorn diplomatically. "Legolas, my friend, I am glad to see your eyes open. As for the rest of this, it will be decided later."

"It has already been decided," said Haldir.

"Has it?" said Aragorn blandly. "Come with me, Haldir."

Aragorn stepped out into the hallway, waiting for Haldir to follow. Haldir's eyes lingered over Ciendriel.

"Will you tell him how you spent last night, Princess?" Haldir purred as he turned and left.

Legolas frowned as the door closed behind them, leaving him alone at last with Ciendriel. "What did he meant by that?" he asked softly.

Ciendriel shook her head and began to weep.