"May I walk with you, Angelica?"

Angelica Headstrong was quite surprised by the Elf's question, but she would not have refused Ciendriel anything. She had not forgotten that the princess had saved her life. That aside, she liked the Elf, and it was nice to have the chance to speak with another female for a change.

It was nice, she thought, to have a break from the boys. All day yesterday they had tripped over themselves trying to get her attention. She loved it, of course, loved being fawned over and chased after this way, but it still, in some small way, unnerved her, and she still carried with her Galadriel's warning about dividing them.

They broke camp just after dawn. Haldir's brothers had shown up in time for breakfast, and everyone enjoyed Sam's cooking except for Haldir, who was still being a sourpuss. If he wanted to sit in a corner by himself and munch his lembas, let him, Angelica thought.

After breakfast, Legolas had announced that Haldir would come with him to scout ahead this day, and Ciendriel would stay with the Hobbits. Gimli complained loudly that he was never part of the scout patrol. Ciendriel had accepted Legolas' directives without complaint, but Angelica could see the hint of surprise hidden beneath her calm reserve.

To give them privacy after Ciendriel's gentle request, Gimli had announced that they must all fall back.

"Talk is important among women," he had said with an air of one who presumes himself knowledgeable on a subject. "They are the most talkative creatures on this earth."

"Except, perhaps, for Dwarves," Ciendriel added airily. Gimli pretended not to hear her.

So here they were, leading the group in their slow progress through the forest, Haldir and Legolas having disappeared up ahead and Rúmil and Orophin having disappeared back behind them.

"Is there something you wished to talk about?" Angelica asked Ciendriel after a few minutes.

The Elf nodded slowly. "I fear… I fear that I do not understand the ways of males."

"I don't understand them either," Angelica confessed. She glanced over her shoulder at the boys. Pippin waved at her excitedly.

"Do you not?" Ciendriel asked with wonder. "You seem to. You have a way of making them all adore you. I thought perhaps you possessed some knowledge that I lack, having grown up in a city of mostly females."

"Adore me? I don't know about that, though I admit they do seem to like me well enough. But you have no trouble attracting admiration yourself," Angelica pointed out. "Legolas has been madly in love with you since before we left the Shire, and I daresay the wicked Marchwarden is rather smitten himself. In that respect, I am sorry for you."

"Nay, Haldir is not smitten, Angelica. For him it is a power play. He sees both Legolas and myself as toys. He will use us for his own selfish pleasure and gain if we let him. Yet I for one, will not."

The Elf looked off into the trees and Angelica wondered what she was thinking, and if there was no hint of longing in her expression.

"Can it be that you feel something for Haldir?"

"Nay… how can I? I love Legolas."

"Love for one does not preclude loving another," Angelica said sadly.

"I wondered if you would say that," Ciendriel admitted. She glanced over her shoulder at the boys behind them. "Is there one in particular that you love?"

"How can I not love all of them?" Angelica said helplessly. "They all have their unique qualities." She searched her heart, but she knew it was too soon to make a decision. "Galadriel has commanded that I pick only one, that I give my choice to King Aragorn when we reach Mirkwood. Ciendriel, this will be the hardest choice I have ever made."

"Why is this Aragorn the one to decide the fate of Hobbits and Elves alike? Is he not King of Men?" Ciendriel said exasperatedly.

For a few minutes they were silent as they walked, then the Elf spoke again.

"Haldir asked me to lie with him, and when he kissed me, I felt pleasure. I wanted to say yes."

"Haldir is a vile creature, Ciendriel."

The Elf laughed, and to Angelica's ears, it was a glorious sound.

"It is no small feat to make an Elf laugh," Frodo said from behind them. Angelica smiled.

"I may find myself wed to that vile creature, I fear."

"I can't imagine that this King Aragorn, if he is any friend of Legolas' at all, could make you do such a thing."

"A few days past, I would not have imagined that my mother might force me to wed…at all. It is not the way of our people."

"When she sees you with Legolas, surely she will change her mind about Haldir… especially now."

Ciendriel smiled. "I hope you are right, wise little Angelica."

Angelica smiled back. She hoped that she was right, as well.

***

"I'm very pleased that you desire my company, Legolas," said Haldir lazily as he and Legolas scouted ahead of the rest of the party. "I confess that I have been desiring you as well."

"Do not read too much into it, Haldir," Legolas said. "I simply thought we should take turns with the patrols."

That was not completely true. Legolas did have another motivation for taking Haldir with him instead of Ciendriel. He wanted to find out what had passed between them last night while he himself had been foolishly watching the Hobbits' antics.

"Ah, so tomorrow, then, it will be my turn to patrol with Ciendriel--"

"No!" Legolas said vehemently. He turned around and looked Haldir straight in the eye. Haldir smiled at him calmly.

"Then perhaps you should explain yourself more clearly, my friend," he said.

The Marchwarden's sangfroid was infuriating at times like these, Legolas thought. He fought to maintain his own composure, something he normally rarely had trouble with, but Haldir knew how to get to him.

"Tell me what was happening when I came upon you in the woods last night," Legolas demanded.

"Did you not ask Ciendriel?"

"She said only that you had not threatened her."

"Of course I didn't threaten her, Legolas. I like her. I like you, too. Get that through your thick, blond head."

Haldir started walking again, passing him. Legolas stood there for a moment, flabbergasted, then turned and matched his stride to Haldir's.

"If you truly like us, can you not leave us to each other?"

"You mean, refuse to wed with her?"

"Yes!"

"And ignore the will of Lady Galadriel?"

"Yes!"

"Legolas," Haldir sighed, "Not all of us are born Princes. Not all of us can so easily refuse the will of our elders as you seem to be able to do -- especially when offered something not entirely disagreeable."

"Not entirely disagreeable! Is that all she is to you?"

"No," Haldir said, his tone sardonic. "I'm just trying to make a point. Can you not take a moment from your poetic, flowery, eternal devotion to try to look at things from my side of the glass?"

"I love her," Legolas said hotly. He did not want to see things from Haldir's point of view, or even acknowledge that he might have a point.

"I know. And yet, what does that offer you, besides pain for the both of you? If you choose to run off together, you each forsake a family, a homeland--"

"My father will offer her the shelter of Mirkwood."

"Really. Your father is now convening with Elrond and Morgone. They have also the support of Galadriel. Will he take your side against theirs, the most powerful of the Elves of Middle-earth?"

Legolas didn't reply. He did not know if Thranduil would, indeed, take his side in this. Certainly Thranduil might speak for him, but he was not likely to allow the Princess sanctuary if this was not decided in Legolas' favor. He found it odd that Haldir had not mentioned Aragorn, as well. Could it be that Haldir did not know that Aragorn would be in Mirkwood as well? Legolas decided not to tell him. He needed to reserve what little ammunition he could.

"You cannot say, can you?" Haldir went on. "Legolas--"

Haldir put a hand on his shoulder and Legolas stopped walking again and turned to look at him. The hand stayed there. Haldir squeezed his arm, his expression sympathetic.

"I am not trying to break the two of you apart. If I am wed with her, you may, of course, still keep her company."

"Keep her company?"

"Remain her lover."

"You-- YOU would let your wife have a lover?"

"If…"

Legolas sighed. "There is always an if."

"It is not such a bad if," Haldir said, his hand sweeping down the length of Legolas' arm. He moved closer, put his hand on Legolas' back. Legolas felt his heart begin to pound and he knew what Haldir was going to say before he said it.

"If what?" he said, his voice hoarse.

"If you will be my lover, as well."

Haldir bent to take his mouth, but Legolas pushed him back, gently, not forcefully. "Do not do this to me, Haldir. Do not make me feel…"

"What is it that you feel, Legolas?"

"I-- I don't-- I don't know."

"I know," Haldir said sagely. "But I will let you figure it out for yourself. Come, then."

He started walking again, continuing the patrol as if nothing had ever happened.

***

Another night fell, another camp was laid. Pippin Took was tired. He had tried to sit down next to Angelica, but Merry had claimed one side of her and Gimli the other, so he sat next to Merry and leaned on his shoulder. Merry put a comforting arm around him.

What a strange day it had been, Pip thought. He couldn't figure out why the rest of the Hobbits, and Gimli for that matter, were jumping up and down to do things for Angelica. Now, he liked Angelica fine, adored her even, maybe more than that, (no, definitely more than that!) but there was being friendly and there was being ridiculous, and he thought maybe that line was being crossed.

He wanted to go home, he realized. He missed the Shire, he missed Hobbiton, and he missed his own bed, the bed he shared with Merry, which always had plenty of pillows in it. He realized that they had still to get to Mirkwood so Angelica could have her memories back, but after that, it was straight home for him.

Enough adventures for you, Pip, he thought to himself. Time to find a less dangerous hobby, which didn't involve Orcs, Elven cities, or sleeping on the ground. Maybe he'd learn to knit. Of course, if he was going to learn to knit, he might need someone to knit for. Who did one knit for? A baby? Well, to have a baby, you needed a wife.

"Angelica?"

"Yes, Pippin?" Angelica said, looking up. She was braiding Gimli's beard for him.

"Will you marry me?"

Angelica looked stunned. Pippin smiled at her.

"Ow!" said Gimli. "You're pulling my beard, lass!"

"I'm sorry, Gimli." Angelica let go of his beard, staring at Pippin. "Pippin, what did you say?"

"I asked if you'd marry me."

"I thought so."

"Are you serious, Pippin?" Merry said.

"Of course I am," Pippin said, smiling at Merry. Suddenly he wondered how getting married might affect his life with Merry. Then again, he knew Angelica would be happy enough to share a house with the both of them, so that wouldn't be a problem. "What do you say, Angelica?"

"I'd say I need to think about it," she said, smiling at him.

"Oh, take your time. You just let me know when we get to Mirkwood," Pippin said. He settled back down, leaning against Merry's shoulder.

"All right," Angelica said. "I will." She went back to braiding Gimli's beard. Gimli chuckled softly.

Pippin, comforted with the knowledge that she would think about his proposal, dozed off, dreaming of supper.