Author's Note:  Please tell me what you think! As soon as you read the whole thing, that is. :) *Emma the NazgulQueen*

Disclaimer:  Middle-earth and Aragorn, Arwen, and any other characters that I might decide to put in from The Lord of the Rings are all Tolkien's.  Everyone else is mine, I hope.

Time: After the war of the ring has ended.

            Venitia was a strange human.  Well, human-elf, you could say. She was the daughter of the king Aragorn and his wife Arwen.  Now Aragorn was a human, and Arwen was an elf, although she had long given up her immortality for her love.  Aragorn had been fighting the evil forces that had been destroying the lands of Middle-earth, and hoped now to live in peace. 

            Venitia was their first-born.  She had eyes as blue as the sea, but hair as black as the night.  Her skin was pale and her features were bold.  Yet for all the beauty she had, she was painfully modest.  So when a Thaddeus, a handsome and noble young man, fell in love with her, she was more than stunned. 

            Thaddeus was a soldier protecting her land, and he had seemed like the kind of young man any parent would be ecstatic to have as a son-in-law.  He was brave yet courteous, and it seemed that he truly was in love with Venitia.

            Their marriage date had been set, the wedding had been prepared, and the first royal wedding in decades had the whole land excited.  Venitia, who may have been modest but was by no means shy, was more excited than anyone.

            "Oh Almira," she addressed her younger sister, "I wish I could be married right now!"

            She lay sprawled on her high bed, with her younger sister trying to get her up.

            "Yes, I know.  But first you have to go to your engagement party, which, by the way, starts in thirty minutes!" Almira said.

            "No! I thought it was tomorrow!" Venitia cried.

            "No, Venny, I've been telling you all day! It is tonight!"

            And so Venitia rushed to get ready.  Almira, who was the exact opposite in looks, helped make her look more beautiful than anyone could ever dream.

            They hurried down to the ballroom, where their father was waiting.

            "I was afraid you were going to be late," he sighed.  "Will you two ever learn?"

            "I told her all day, father! She's the one who won't listen!" Almira complained.

            He laughed.  "You both look lovely.  Now, Venny, you must go greet your guests."

            Venitia groaned.  "Do I have to? It is soooo boring."

            "I know, but it is one of the painful prices of being royalty.  Now go."

            He gave her a kiss and pushed her toward the entrance where the guests would arrive.  She yawned and thought, I can't believe I am bored already.

            Soon the guests started pouring in, and Venitia stood patiently as she kissed and hugged courtier after courtier.  She kept a fake smile plastered on her face, and automatically said, "Thank you for coming…thank you for coming."  She didn't even realize when Thaddeus came through the line.  She held her hand for him to kiss and said, "Thank you for coming."

            "Well, I'd hoped that you would thank me for coming to my own party," he laughed.

            "Thaddeus! I didn't see you!"

            "I don't think you were seeing anything, dear."

            "But it's so boring and tedious!" she started to complain.

            "I know, but it's over! See, I'm the last person," he said.

            "Oh thank heavens! I can finally eat!"  Food was definitely one of Venny's favorite things.

            They sat down at the high head table as Aragorn stood and rung his glass.

            "I would like to say a few words before we eat," he said. "I want to thank Thaddeus for coming into my daughter's life.  I have no problem giving you the crown when I pass. You are a very noble and valiant young man, and I fully trust you can accept the responsibility.  Not that you need to with Venny over here," he laughed.  "I'm sure she'll help you whenever she can.  I know she has with me, even when I have asked her not to."

            Everyone laughed courteously.  Except for Thaddeus, who suddenly looked pale. 

            "My daughter…what can I say? She has grown into a beautiful and wonderful young woman.  I know she will have the happiness she deserves. Now, let's eat!" the king finished.

            He sat down and kissed his wife as the dinner was served.  Thaddeus suddenly rose and excused himself.  Venitia rose also and followed him outside.

            "Thaddeus? Is something wrong?" she asked.

            "No…well, yes.  I am sorry, Venny.  I have to leave."

            "What? Why?"

            "I just do.  It's important," he said impatiently.

            "But…for how long?"

            "Long.  Actually, I'm not sure I'm coming back."

            "Excuse me?" Venitia asked incredulously.

            "I can't be king.  I just can't.  Can you understand?"

            "No! What…what happened? You were fine with it before!"

            "I know, but I changed.  I'm sorry, your highness."

            "Your highness?" He had never called her 'your highness' before.

            "I'm sorry, your highness, but I do not believe I ever loved you. Which is why I am leaving." He got up on his horse. "I'm sorry."  And with that, he rode away, leaving Venitia alone without a clue as to what just happened.