To anyone who has read this before: The revisions are up! They only really affected chapters 1 and 2. I did not change any of the happenings or Melenia's character I just elaborated in some areas. Thanks for all your support!

Now on with the story…

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Aèrogar was a very small kingdom that could be overlooked on a map if one did not pay close attention. It was home to a strong yet peaceful group of people who were incredibly loyal to their land and their rulers. Even in times like these when evil and darkness crept soundlessly through the world, the kingdom still retained its harmony.

There was one thing that did stand out about Aèrogar…their queens. Not many other realms could boast of having strong female rulers as Aèrogar did. "The Line of Fire" was what they were called, for a strong flame burned within each one that took the throne. The flame continued on from generation to the next until one day a child was born that did not fit the mold, and would not for quite some time.

This is the story of how the Ice Princess of Aèrogar would slowly but surely melt…

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Once more the sun rose in the sky as it did everyday and life for all the citizens of Aèrogar went on as usual. The marketplace was filled with the bustle of the people selling, buying and sharing. The daunting gray walls of the palace stood at the south end of the town. They were still as solid and strong as they had been for ages, and that provided a sense of comfort for the people of the land during a time when battle raged so close to their home.

The palace grounds were quiet this morning; the only noise that could be heard was the distinctive sound of two swords making contact in the palace's combat practice fields. There, two soldiers dressed in Aèrogar traditional black warrior's garb battled skillfully. One was rather imposing with his superior build and noteworthy height. The other was a great deal smaller and shorter, but yet they seemed to be an equal match on the battlefield.

As was the fighting style of Aèrogar, both executed their blows with grace and precision.

"Is that all you've got?" one asked the other tauntingly.

"For you?' the other replied, "I have much more cruelty planned." The warrior then used his sword to knock his opponent's sword to the ground. "You seem to be losing your edge," he added with a smirk.

"You think so?" with that the other ran one step forward and did a hand flip that ended with a kick to the soldier's head. The soldier quickly recovered and was soon on his feet again.

"You are certainly asking for a beating today!" He threw his sword to the ground and proceeded to engage his opponent in hand-to-hand combat, the specialty of all Aèrogar's warriors. So their battle went on, and it did not seem that it would be coming to an end because they both easily evaded each other and retaliated with a vengeance. Finally one was able to knock the other off his feet.

"Hah! That's what you get for being so arrogant!" the winner hovered over the face of the conquered as he lay on his back. After he finished his gloating, he extended his hand to his fallen companion, but as in all informal practice sessions, no one fought fairly. Within the blink of an eye the winner was also on the floor, and they were both engaged in a fistfight.

"You dirty rat!" shouted one. Te other merely replied by attempting to slam the other's head into the ground. Both attacked each other viciously until they were interrupted by the distinct sound of someone clearing her throat. They instantly froze and turned to see a tall slender woman dressed in a dark blue dress and the distinctive crown of Aèrogar glimmered on her head. Within the blink of an eye they untangled themselves and were on their feet. They quickly retrieved their swords and then stood before her like two firm statues.

"Hail Queen Cassia!" They shouted in unison as they held their swords pointed down and then beat them on their chest twice over their hearts. After they saluted the queen according to the customs of Aèrogar they put their swords away and removed their helmets.

"You two seem to be getting better," the queen finally spoke.

"Thank you, highness," they answered in unison once more.

"Although I do not think that you need much more practice Addredoc," she addressed the first soldier. She then turned her attention to the second soldier, "Nor do you Melenia."

"One can never have too much practice, Mother." Cassia only gave Melenia a stern look.

"Come with me Melenia, I have some matters to discuss with you," she turned and started to walk back toward the palace doors. Melenia walked quickly until she fell into step with the queen.

"What is the matter?" Melenia asked.

"We must discuss your travel plans."

"My travel plans? With whom?"

"Your father," Cassia answered in the controlled tone she always used. She then picked up her pace. Meanwhile Melenia stopped dead in her tracks.

"Wait, father is coming?" she asked as she ran up to her mother once more. "What is happening?"

"We will talk after you have washed and changed into more proper attire Melenia," Cassia then walked up the stairs and disappeared into the palace. Melenia let out a small groan before following her. The beginning of something was approaching, she could feel it.

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Melenia stood in her balcony and gazed out at the vast gardens of the palace. There were three things that she missed horribly every time she left her homeland. She missed her mother, who in her eyes was the epitome of strength, having ruled the land for twenty years now on her own. Her mother loved the land and the people of her kingdom very much and would give her life for them. She survived harsh wars and grimy, loathsome men trying to force their way into the place of king.

Melenia loved and admired her mother very much, but the only other person who had, as much of her heart in the land of Aèrogar was her nanny and caretaker Addela. She loved to tease that sweet yet ruthless, dictator - like old woman. She just loved doing things that would drive her into one of her little fits, even though she oftentimes felt her wrath in the end; it was just one of her ways of showing affection. Lastly, she would miss the flora and fauna of her land, for Aèrogar was known for its natural beauty.

As she thought of all this, her thoughts shifted to Mirkwood for it too was very beautiful, in its own special way. That is where she would be going to see her father. He was a noble, valiant elf who was well know and very prominent. You see, Melenia was no ordinary mortal princess; in fact, she was quite extraordinary. Her good qualities shone like the stars, but unfortunately her bad ones stuck out like a sore thumb as well.

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Melenia's grandmother, also princess of Aèrogar at the time, was a rather adventurous human who did not like staying with her own kind. She decided that an adventurer's way was the life for her, so mortal men stayed clear of her path. No one wanted such a strong willed, unruly woman. So it was only natural that the unnatural happen. When shunned by her own kind, an Elf fell in love with her and she with him. From their love came Cassia and upon her birth her mother returned to Aèrogar to take the throne. It was revealed to no one that Cassia's father was an elf, and when she turned fifteen the truth was revealed to her. She was then allowed to visit her father at his home in Lothlórien.

Cassia learned to fight like an elf, move like an elf, and had the poise of an elf; in fact, anyone would've believed that she is an elf if she had inherited their prominent ears. On one of her regular visits Cassia met Telodan, an elf from Mirkwood, the one who would become Melenia's father. After Melenia's birth in Lothlórien she was taken back to Aèrogar and Cassia assumed the throne two years later, never revealing to anyone who the father of her child was. Telodan visited Melenia every year but she only knew him as her mother's best friend. When she turned eighteen her mother called her to her chamber, and there Telodan and Cassia revealed to her that he was her father.

Ever since then Melenia has gone to visit him in Mirkwood once a year. Her visits lasted no more than a week every time but this time, for her twenty-second birthday, she was going to stay for three months. This time she would also be introduced into elf society; this thought caused her much discomfort. She was not sure how to deal with many elves because during her previous visits the only elves she met were those who worked in her father's household.

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Melenia felt a bit anxious after thinking of all this, so she decided to clear her head. She dressed in her usual outing clothing, which her mother entirely disapproved of. She wore black boots with a black skirt that feel about two inches above her knees and simple a black shirt whose sleeve length changed according to the season. On top of that she wore a dark green dress that buttoned in the front and could be easily put away when she was out of sight. She could just hear her mother's voice now," Darling if you are going to go gallivanting in the forest at least put on something decent!" With a laugh at that she tied her black ringlets, which fell down to her waist, up in a bun and she was quickly out the door.

"Princess Melenia," called Mia, one of her personal guards. "Where are you going princess?"

"Just out to the gardens Mia!" replied Melenia as she quickly made her way down the hallway. "Don't worry! I'll be fine!"

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If you're wondering if Mia is a woman, yes she is. Melenia hates men, although no one really quite knows why the princess abhors them. Male elves she mainly did not like but she could be cordial to them. Still the men, oh the men, she did not like them. There were mainly two she loved, Gandalf the wizard and her father. Gandalf has always been there to watch over her shoulder; he was a guide, a mentor, and a guardian angel for he had saved her from a rather distasteful situation. She was forever grateful and indebted to him. She also loved her father unconditionally, but she still did not understand why he did not stand by her mother's side and take the throne. The only other tolerable male in her life was Addredoc, the young boy she had she had grown up with, the man who was now her sparring partner.

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She made her way through the palace gardens to the end with the high wall. She proceeded to climb a tree, which allowed her to get over the wall. From there was a high boulder on the other side of the wall, which she used to get down to the ground. She quietly left the palace grounds and disappeared into the darkness of the woods.

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The darkness swallowed her up from all directions but she knew her way around this part of the forest like the back of her hand. The fact that her eyes had the sharpness of an elf's also helped. She walked until she came to a large tree that she had claimed as her own a very long time ago, she made her way up the branches gracefully, due to years of practice in climbing trees for she loved them dearly. She reached the highest branch that could hold her weight, which was very high up for this was a strong tree indeed. Once she was settled, she looked up and smiled at the moon whose rays were gently kissing her face, and she could swear she saw it smile back.

Melenia sat like that for a very long time just listening to the sounds of the night, "Music to my ears," she thought with a smile. Now her attention turned to her journal, a beautiful, small, red leather-bound book. She always brought it along with her and wrote in it, never daring to write in it at home, always guarding her thoughts with utmost care.

"Your thoughts are one of your greatest treasures."

Her Mother had said this to her when she gave her this for her twelfth birthday. It was a very stupid present, or at least she thought, when she had received it, but little did she know that it would be the only thing that helped her keep her sanity later in her life. Her best friend, her confidant, her little red book held her secrets, her life, her destruction and demise, and the secret that would unlock her heart. She smiled to herself a very triumphant yet somewhat sad smile at this thought. "My heart shall be locked forever," she told the stillness of the forest.

This night she told her best friend about her anticipation and anxiety over her upcoming trip. When she finished she looked over some of her old entries or "conversation" as she preferred to call them, but she could not get past the last one she had written. It was a poem she had started writing but never finished. She looked down at the words:

Sensation washes over me
I can't describe it
Pain I felt so long ago
I don't remember
Tear a hole so I can see
My devastation
Feelings from so long ago
I don't remember

Holding on, to let them know
What's given to me
To hide behind
The mask this time
And try to believe

Blind your eyes to what you see
You can't embrace it
Leave it well enough alone
And don't remember
Cut your pride and watch it bleed
You can't deny it
Pain you know you can't ignore
I don't remember

Holding on, to let them know
What's given to me
To hide behind
The mask this time
And try to believe

Tears were gently falling from her eyes when she finished reading the words. "I don't believe I have an ending for this yet," she said as she wiped the streaming tears that were staining her face. Her best friend was the only one to ever see those tears that fell down like crystals from her light brown eyes. Oftentimes they would flow over her pages.

Melenia packed her book away and quietly made her way down the tree. She silently found her way out of the forest as tears continued to slowly make their way over her rosy cheeks. The trees groaned with her in an attempt to soothe her but she was unaware of it. All signs of her earlier troubles had disappeared as she approached the castle walls.