He was beautiful. He was tall, definitely over six feet with hair like raven's wings. His handsomeness is not what left Alassiel speechless, it was his eyes. They were the most piercing she had ever seen. A light blue/grey with a dark edge that hid behind long lashes. He looked so…strangely familiar. He looked over at her, startled. Then, he gave her a once over but turned his gaze toward the king with a look of disgust. She thought suddenly that there was no possible way she had met him before. She would remember.

"Who is this?" He asked the king, nodding in her direction. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"This is our visitor from the Kahkari wilds." The king said looking at the younger man. The boy suddenly shot her a look of pure hatred. Alassiel suddenly didn't find him so attractive anymore.

"Hundreds of our men have died in that foul place. Are you really going to let her stay here?" He asked looking at the king and completely ignoring her existence. "Their people, they are not like us – they resort to anger and violence and they use mind controlling spells.

"Keep talking, maybe one day you'll say something intelligent." She snapped at him, glaring daggers at his face. He turned to her then, suddenly, he was behind her and there was a knife pressed lightly to her throat.

"You should watch what you say, savage, perhaps one day it will get you into trouble." He hissed in her ear. She rammed her heel into his foot and drew back her fist.

"Enough!" The king shouted startling her and the boy in front of her. They both stopped their glaring to look at the king. "Legolas, your short temper is unacceptable! And you, Miss Alassiel, I'd appreciate it if you didn't kill my son."

His son! She thought with horror, this ass was the prince? And she had just threatened his life…and insulted him…great.

"Legolas, I trust you took care of what I asked you to?" The king said not taking his eyes from Alassiel.

"Yes Father, we drove the beast past our borders. But, I grow concerned about where they will go if not here. Maybe they will intrude on less able lands. I think we should follow their trail and kill them at their source to prevent – "

"The well-being of other lands does not concern me, Legolas. Just keep those things away from my kingdom. The fates of the world may rise and fall, but here, in this kingdom, we will endure." He looked stunned by his father's words, but after a moment he nodded. Alassiel felt very uncomfortable being in this discussion which she knew nothing about.

"Lady Alassiel, are you skilled with that bow?" The king asked her, once again taking a seat in his throne.

"What? Oh, yes." She said looking over at the bow her father had made for her that the guards had taken away.

"You will join Legolas then in his patrols tomorrow." Beside her she heard a low growl come from the young elf.

"I'm sure they don't need me to intrude – " She said to the king, desperate for him to change his mind. The last thing she needed was to be stuck with someone who hates her all day.

"If you are going to stay in my kingdom you are going to have to prove yourself worthy. It seems to me this is the best job fit for you. Legolas, being head of the guards seems to be the best one to train you." The king said looking pleased with this idea.

"Yes, adar." Legolas ground out beside her.

"Your majesty, I can just leave your kingdom tom-"

"Enough! Now, show the Lady Alassiel to her room, Legolas, she looks tired. Alassiel, we will continue our discussion tomorrow."

Legolas and Alassiel both nodded to the king. Legolas grabbed her arm roughly and began to pull her down the stairs. He walked quickly, making her have to almost jog to catch up. He stopped abruptly making her run into his broad back. He turned to glare at her. She opened her mouth to say something but he had pinned her against the wall.

"I don't know why you are here, but I will find out. " He rasped in her ear. She felt his breath on her face as it glided against her cheek. His whole body was flush against hers and his hands held her in place at the collar. She struggled beneath his weight, but he didn't budge. "You do not fool me."

"You vile – "

"Do not think I won't kill you, Wildling." He interrupted, "It would be my pleasure." She narrowed her eyes at the use of the demining word.

"I have never done anything to hurt you. When your people died in the Wilds it was probably from creatures not from my people." She managed to get out, struggling to look into the eyes that were burning holes into her own.

"There are survivors who say different. Survivors – survivors who say many fall victim to your people's cruel torture." Her face softened at the look of sadness on his face at the mention of the death of his people.

"I'm sorry, but you are wrong. I know that -" She said before she could stop herself. His face instantly hardened. "You know nothing." He snarled then shoved her away. He looked at her again with a furrowed brow, breathing heavily. Alassiel back further against the wall, trying to create as much space between them as possible. Legolas seemed to regain his composure and his brow furrowed further.

"I…. apologize, I seem to have lost myself." He said suddenly, bowing his head. His angry eyes turned emotionless and his face impassive. Alassiel wasn't sure which face she preferred. He walked slowly away, his head down, seemingly embarrassed by his actions. She wanted to laugh at his dramatic mood swing. How quickly he returned to the proper elf prince.

Shaking her head and straightening her clothes she walked into her room and marveled at its enormity. The room was the same marble of the halls but with intricate designs drawn into them. Leaves lay of the ground do to the three huge windows being open on this eternal autumn night. There was a fireplace to the right of her huge bed, and a stone washroom to the left. Her bed frame had flowing white curtains enclosing the silver satin sheets. She was in awe. She sat on the bed and looked up at her numerous skylights which showed to nights stars. She thought of her mother. They would often stare up at the night sky together talking for hours on end about everything and nothing. Those memories brought tears to her eyes as she remembered her family. She had been in shock most of the day and very distracted by her newly found enemy…the prince. But here in the silence she had only her thoughts, and those thoughts were almost too painful to bear. She let silent sobs overtake her body as she slowly succumbed to exhaustion. She was almost asleep when she replayed the conversation with Legolas. It was then she silently wondered why he seemed so familiar to her.