Janie and Eric have been pulling me away for the last five minutes or so and I was starting to forget which way it was that we came from. Oh great just what I need to be lost in the woods just before my wedding day.

"Okay you two this is cute and all, but I do need to get back to where I was before I forget where that is."

"Why?" Janie asks in a cute little pouty voice.

"New York is a long way from here." Eric finishes. Okay so those two are being that kind of cute now? I am so proud they are starting to pick up my traits. But not right now.

"New York is the beginning but not what I meant when I said I needed to get back to where I was. Whatever it was that the two of you want to show me will have to wait." I pull my hands out of theirs and start my trek back to where it was that I had been at. Probably should have paid attention to what its name was. (SLAM!) I should also have remembered from past experience to not stop moving around these two. "Janie, Eric? Why are the two of you dog piling me?"

"Because it's fun." The two of them say in unison.

"I see. Do you think the two of you could get off me?" I ask them placing my chin in my hand. The two of them shift a bit before answering.

"I think the two of us could get off of you." Eric answers. But here's the thing they don't get off, they don't even move. They just sit on my back like a couple of stones.

"Are the two of you going to get off my back?" I ask them calmly.

"No." They say again in unison and I know that they are smiling about this. Call it sister senses.

"The two of you better get off my back right now." I say still calm, just a little annoyed but still calm. The twins only shift their legs to the other side but they do not make a move to get off my back. I sigh a little taking note of how my ribs were hurting because of the compression of air that isn't getting to my lungs. I took the chance of possible back issues and shot up from the ground onto my knees. The twins are still sitting on my back with their legs dangling over my sides. I took the time to slide them off as gently as I could. They seemed to have found the whole experience as fun since they were giggling when I rose to my feet. I turn around sharply to give them a good look and found that they were still giggling. "You two little monsters have had your fun, now I need to take my leave."

I proceeded with a mock bow and walk out when the twins grasped my legs. When I looked down at them they resembled those cats from the treat commercial. But I am sure that I can shake them. Eventually…

"Guys, I don't have time to play this game right now." The twins look up with puppy eyes. "Don't you guys know by now that little trick has never worked on me?"

"We aren't doing the puppy dog pout that's just how our eyes look." They do have those cute puppy eyes at this age. How long till it stops being that cute?

"Guys. I can't pick you up while you hold on to my legs anymore you two are too big for that. And I really can't do it in a dress." I bet you twenty-three eighty that they were thinking about how funny it would be if I did try this in a dress. I'll even add one detail to the pot of an image of me falling face first in the mud.

"Come play with us." They said in unison never a good sign for me, since it means that they aren't going to be easy to budge so I can get away.

"What do you call this a hello?"

"We could. If it became a handshake then could be seen as a hello." Both the twins take hold on each of my hands and start to walk around like we were playing ring around the rosy. They were laughing and having a grand time watching me try to break away from the circle. "It's only for a little while longer then we will let you head back. We will even walk with you there. We won't make a fuss either."

Finding that it would keep me from falling down in the ground I stayed and played their little circle game. Five minutes later the twins were done and ready for me to head back. They didn't make a fuss and that sort of left me feeling just the tiniest smidgeon of suspicion. Anyone who has ever dealt with or had little kids knows that they never stop fussing even after they say they won't. Still I move on to where I had been standing before the twins showed up.

I wait and wait for Legolas to show up as time ticks by at a slow pace. Where the heck could he have gone? I know he did not get lost on the way here because hello he knew this area too well. Wait, lost? Oh good grief! He could have come by here earlier when I was dealing with the twins and thought that I had wondered off. And knowing my track record with not knowing any place other than the Big Apple he must have thought I had gotten lost again. Should I follow the age old wisdom of my ancestors? Alright stay where I am and hug a street lamp. In this case it would be hug a tree since there aren't really any street lamps.

"What are you doing?" And he returns just in time to see me embrace a tree. Thank you universe, you always have such great timing.

"Nothing. Just waiting." I let go of the tree and come over to him.

"You hug a tree when you wait for someone? Quaint customs New Yorkers have." He teases I hope. I just quickly say that it was had something to do with instructions on what to do if you think you are lost and then I switch the conversation to where he had to go to. "It wasn't anywhere that would need mentioning at this time. What have you been up to in my absence? Did you just spend your time hugging a tree?"

"I know that you are teasing but the way you said was just a tad bit cruel. Don't you think?" His expression changes to one of attempt to remedy. When I place a finger on his lips to silence him. "You take my words too seriously sometimes Legolas."

"Not true. You thought that I was going to apologize to you, but I was going to just say that you are still in need of acting lessons." He moves my finger away from his lips.

"And yet I had your Dad convinced that I was joining the other side of good and evil."

"That only worked on him because he rather disliked you greatly. After all of that he now sees you with minor dislike."

"That in itself is quite a feat. You should have seen his way around some of the girls I had at the time fancied."

"Fancied? You dated other girls and she-elves before me? Any of them I should be worried about? We did just go through an incident where someone was upset with me being with you instead of him. I suppose that means for us to be fair that you have to have someone upset with you being with me instead of one of them."

"There were not that many who I would say I was amorous towards. Just a few and I can say with a great deal of certainty that none of them would cause quite a scene as the one my former cousin achieved."

"Good. I would hate to have to go through that whole ordeal again. Once is enough and now I would like to know how many is a few for you?" I can see that he is thinking on this as if he were to walk into a trap should he answer. I honestly do not care how many females he dated in the past or loved from afar. He chose me and not them, so I won in the end bitches. So suck it!

"A few as in a few. If you desire an exact number than you have to put into account my age compared to yours." I roll my eyes at this, because it makes it seem like a bigger deal than just telling me outright. Why do men have to dig their own graves? Or holes for… being… put in for… not answering outright? I'm not a literary person, you want great words look up the Bronte sisters or Stephen King. I don't know call me when you think of one. Anyway he gets the understanding that he should just say the number and say it soon. "Fourteen perhaps, maybe one or two more."

"That's not too bad." He looks shell shocked by my answer.

"The number isn't an issue for you?"

"No, it's just girls you thought were the one at the time but you don't think that anymore. If you say no to that you will find an issue with me." He smiles in relief but then his face contorts a little like he has something he wants to say but can't quite figure out if it was now he should say them. He does right now.

"How many were there that you felt attracted to before you met me?"

"Just attracted to or ones that I did I actually date?"

"Is there a difference in such things?"

"Yes, because some attractions to others are of people who aren't considered real, but you feel an attraction for 'em. You would be an example of that since you are seen as a character in a previously considered story of fiction."

"Then I could consider those infatuations as accountable, however I shall just listen to those that you were courted by then." A short gasp of air releases the number to him which was 9. His face takes on a green undertone around the eyes if you know what I mean.

"It's not like they were that serious. The first four guys I only went on three dates with even though they only deserved one date. But I am a firm believer in the three date rule. I will explain that rule to you. After the third date if they make bad boyfriends you don't continue seeing them. Two of them ended up being big time players that soon got their comeuppance when their schemes were revealed by their other girlfriends. One of them moved away so that ended things. The eighth broke up with me, so did the ninth but the ninth was way jerkier about it. He left me for a girl twice my breast size and dated her five minutes after dumping me in front of the class. I think he got some girl pregnant and lost his balls to a shotgun. At least I hope that happens to him."

"Still bitter over the whole incident are we?" Legolas says trying to hold back a laugh. I shove him a bit and he laughs harder.

"It's not that funny. It was a traumatic event. At least by modern teenage standards it would be considered a traumatic event. What about you and the other females you found desirable?"

"Do you really wish to continue this conversation further? It is all in the past that does not affect our future."

"It does if you are trying to avoid something that happened by covering it up. Just tell me after all I just told you the history of my dating experience. Not that it was that interesting or pleasant. It would be right for a Prince of Mirkwood to return the favor to his wife to be, now would it not?"

"If you wish for me to tell you all of my past romances then yes, I shall tell you at your request mind you. The first she-elf to cause me to become twitter pated was a lovely robin like creation named Alanah. Robin like in how her movements across the room seemed to be likened to the flapping of wings in an appealing manner. She caught my eye in the first days of the spring thaw the year of my…." I place my hand on his and he stops to look at me.

"When I said I wanted to know the details of your past dating experience. I didn't mean for it to be enough to write a Daniele Steele novel. I just wanted the simple facts with a little detail." And I did not want to have the full vision of what these girls looked like because I know my mind would go straight to seeing him with them. Together in well... It is not an image I want in my mind at all thank you very much.

"Oh then, most of them were just admiring from afar or they were taken by other elven men before I could officially pursue them."

"So you never had a date before meeting me?"

"No, there was one elf maiden, who I pursued greatly for a time being but her heart belonged to another and could never be given to me in the end."

"Oh, I'm sorry, wait why should I be sorry I have you now." Because you are a kind person at heart despite your entire strange hair coloring obsession, tough attitude and addiction to sarcasm would suggest. This was her inner cheer her up voice. The one that somehow you have even though it can be the voice that does sound like it's putting you down but really it's encouraging. The voice that is right most of the time. The voice that I am explaining way too much for some reason. Wait. Why I explaining this voice thing? Shouldn't I be listening to something? Or talking? I'm with Legolas, not my math teacher I need to focus. Insert conversation abilities now.

"…that is why you have been able to stay with me. Even though you haven't been paying attention to a single thing I have just said to you." Okay how did he know I wasn't paying attention this time? "Elven eyes can see many things remember?"

"I don't think that ever came up in our previous conversations. Should I be worried about you spying on me without me seeing you around?"

"To be fair shouldn't a spy, not be seen in the first place or admit to being a spy? It does defeat the purpose of such a position does it not?" He teases me again while smiling coyly. He uses the back of his hand to brush away a stray strand of hair. His hand flips around so that his palm lays there against my skin for a while. Getting bored with that location he moves it sensually slow down to my neck and shoulders. He lays a soft kiss against my neck and trails alongside his hand as it moves lower. But he stops himself before things could go any further from there. "Perhaps we should take a walk or something."

His eyes take on a dark undertone. A wild undertone as he draws nearer. His lips barely touching mine but so close that it is almost torture.

"There are a few things in this world that I would not mind doing with you." As he spoke his lips kept brushing against mine over and over again yearning for mine to embrace them in turn. Why is the temperature rising? Did the forest have central heating? Am I having a heat stroke? "You're hesitating. Has your famed New York attitude left you?"

"It looks like you need to get your elven eyes checked. They aren't seeing clearly." I make the move and kiss him hungrily to which he returned with a ravenous appetite of his own. I feel the ghost like touches of his fingers brushing against my sides and up to my chest. It was the first time I ever let a boy touch my chest like this. I feel a little self-conscious, but all thoughts of that are wiped away when he takes a nibble on my lips. I know what he expects me to do. He expects me to open my mouth and let him in, but instead I pull away. The dark animal look of his eyes drifts into confusion. I make like I was about to whisper in his ear but lick the soft piece of flesh instead. A distinct and powerful shiver came over him but he did nothing to hinder my actions. Instead his grip brought me closer to him. As he in turn attempted the same treatment with me.

"Your highness." A voice familiar and yet right now I could not even think of who it was that belonged to it. Well not until I looked at them. Enelya had arrived. "It is drawing late into the evening and your bride to be must seek her rest and of course you as well. In each of your own sleeping quarters of course." She pried the two of us apart and then ushered me back to my room so that I would rest for the next day. She didn't have to stand outside my door, but she was certain that Legolas would try to sneak in. Kill joy.

When we had come back from the dealing with the vile and basically douchebag known as Balthoron there wasn't a wedding. Huge shocker right? Well so many people were harmed in the battle and everyone was just so exhausted that no one really felt up to having the wedding, including us since well shit got real there for us. It takes time to get down from that playing field. And that happened a week ago. After all of that time people were starting to feel the itch known as the need to celebrate life after such a horrendous event. Pick ourselves up and dust off the gloom of the past and have a reason to have a brighter outlook on the future. To be fair with the way Legolas and I were having near rather intimate encounters rather too often for both of our family's tastes. What happened earlier being just one of the more low key examples. It's not that I am a total prude and old fashioned person (even though Legolas is like that. Just having a bit of trouble with following through with it) it's just that I do look forward to the first time being that special intimate moment in life that it is meant to be. With the right guy who has already shown how much he is in love with me. I really do find the idea of getting married to be an idea that is endearing to my heart especially when I sort of almost married his jackass cousin. I do not want to think about what that would have been like. Is it just me or do I sound like I seem to be complaining a lot here? I blame wedding jitters. The point is that…

The wedding was more or less designed similar to the first one we had planned. Same sort of flowers (Luckily many we could reuse from the first attempt). The same type and style of cake, it had to be new though because cakes don't last that long around hungry hobbits. Or without refrigerators, thankful so much for the Hobbit appetites right now, wasting food is not something I like to do. The only real change that had to be done was to come up with a new wedding dress for me. The first one has been damaged far too much and well it serves more of a memory to what had almost happened between me and Balthoron. Eww. It was more my style this time around as I mixed it with Elven flair. A long dress that is as white as new fallen snow. A decoration of black vines grew along the waist like a scarf belt. Long bell sleeves that were separated from the dress itself decorated my arms. The maria veil was perhaps the one part of my old wedding gown that I wouldn't have changed. You can't mess with the classic style pieces. Cue snaps.

I look at myself in the full length mirror decked out in all the finery of my wedding attire. This time it will be my last wedding dress, unless I somehow have an evil family member bent on marrying Legolas. Yeah right this isn't All My Children. Mom comes in to do a once over to be sure that everything was in order before I walked down the aisle to my husband and new life here in Middle Earth. New life in Middle Earth. Crap, why is it now that I am thinking about those kinds of thoughts? I'm leaving my life in New York. No more skyscrapers, Rockefeller center, Brooklyn…. No more seeing my family… Wait maybe I am being a little on the depressing side. Gandalf was able to bring my family here and vice versa. If I ask him nicely then I could probably see them again. But what if that was a limited time offer? I take a quick breath and flag down one of the servants, who noticing that I was the bride was swift in hiding me from the others in the hall in case the groom was among them. Apparently here they are more absolute on the whole groom and bride not seeing each other before the wedding because it is bad luck. Frankly the first wedding does explain a lot of why no one wants to give superstition the brush off.

"What is it that you need my princess to be? A drink to calm your nerves? We have a fine wine selection courtesy of the King of Mirkwood. Or perhaps you need some nourishment? I can have the cook whip you up a tantalizing snack that shall delight the palette as well as the stomach. I know it is your dress there has been a slight tear in it. I shall fetch the seamstress immediately!" He sure is brisk. I like him.

"I need you to fetch Gandalf, not the seamstress. I need to consult him on something."

"I shall locate him at once and bring him before you shall even notice that I had left to fetch him."

"Thank….you?" I only blinked once and he was gone. He would do well in a city like New York.

I head back into my room to wait for Gandalf. I plucked one of the flowers from a vase and began stroking its petals as I waited for the wizard to appear. Tick, tock, tick, tock. There was no clock by the sound swam throughout my mind in the sea of questions that were to be answered by he who was gray and now is white.

"I see that you have gotten a case of cold feet?" I jump when I hear the voice. Gandalf had come into the room. His posture was formal and polite, but his eyes were warm and concerned.

"What makes you say that?" I tell him defiantly as I cross my arms and raise my brow. As if daring him to say it again. To this he laughed and crossed the threshold to take my hand. "Then you were wringing this poor flower out of happiness?" The flower was wringed to and forth with its petals scattered about the floor in mashed numbers. I look away from him embarrassed like a child caught with the cookie jar and slunk down onto a seat. "There is nothing to be ashamed of if you are feeling nervous about your wedding day. As I have seen it is most common with all brides. You should have seen Arwen just before her own wedding day. Still she wasn't as bad as Aragon." He chuckles before going on. "You would think that he was facing the War of the Ring all over again." I silently look at him and he takes a seat next to me.

"I know that you have an entirely different reason for your nerves for your wedding than what is perceived as normal. You love Legolas as clichéd as it sounds the two of you have had a true whirlwind romance. The two of you will marry but your heart it grieves for what you now realize that you are losing. Wizards have tremendous power, but they cannot do everything that one wishes for them to do or as precisely as they wish to."

"After the wedding we will not be able to go back to New York."

"That is as it will and properly should be, but it is not the way it feels that it should be."

"Ignoring the fact that you sound like a bad Chinese fortune cookie, this means that I will never see any part of my old life again will I?"

"Now I wouldn't say that. Are all New Yorker's as rash in their thoughts as you?" I give him a dirty look that he pays little attention to. "Just wait until after you open the wedding gift I have for you. For now I believe it will be best that we get you to the altar in time." At that precise moment my mother came in wearing a spring green dress. Grandmama stood next to her in a more suit like dress of lavender and white satin gloves covered her hands.

"Persephone it's time." Mom said this softly. In her eyes I could already see that her were glistening in anticipation of what was to come. "I'm coming."

"Thank you for everything that you have done Gandalf." I lean up and kiss his cheek. I join my mother and Grandmama.

"Now let's take one final look before the big moment, shall we?" A few little adjustments were made to the veil and train of my dress. The last was the gentle touch of my mother's finger tips sliding across my forehead as she pushed back a wandering hair. "There. You're ready."

"Not quite yet." Thranduil now stood at the door. That is not what surprised me. I had a feeling he would show up for some reason, but I didn't expect him to look as if he felt out of place. "I have something for you. Something that you will need." He summons a servant who enters holding a box of great beauty upon it was the form of a white stag, but what is inside the box holds greater beauty still. The box glowed with the comfort of star light. "These gems are those of my people. The beauty of them shall be best served for this day." Instead of having the servants place this necklace on me. It was he himself who gently put these jewels around my neck.

"They are beautiful. I don't know what to say."

"There is no need for you to say anything. Only for you to walk alongside me." He placed his arm out for me to take. To which I did. It was time. It really was time for my life to take on a new role. Thranduil and I walk in step to where all the others had gathered. Thranduil separated from me to go and talk with a guest. The bridesmaids and groomsmen, flower girls and ring bearers, For some reason the title ring bearer made Frodo scoff, politely of course, had all gathered around me to chat or compliment.

Frodo was there as well. He looked upon me kindly but there was a trace sign of sadness lingering behind the gaze. Still he wished me and Legolas both happiness and luck. The musicians could be heard preparing. Mumumering and mumbling in tune with the guests who were hoping the ceremony will commence soon. Grandmama came back to recheck my already checked appearance and to offer a little sound sound advice of the ages.

"Have a little nip of liquid courage." Grandmama produced a small vial of brandy. "Don't give me that shocked look Persephone. It's not as if I am giving you a whole bottle to drink. Just a wee little nip for the nerves. Even in these times of marrying for love and choice instead of position. One still can use a touch of something to at least quiet the nerves." She shoved the vial in to my hands.

"Isn't this what they call peer pressure?"

"That is when your friends are forcing you to drink tequila and then down it with cocaine. When it's your grandmother hoping to quiet your nerves it's called love." Again the brandy vial is placed in front of my face. I take it in hand and unscrew the tiny lid. I took a few sips. "That atta girl. Not enough to get you tipsy but enough to…"

"Quiet the nerves. So I have heard."

"I'll see your later. Right now I have to get back to my seat before the show starts." She gives me a quick kiss on the cheek before heading out. Thranduil had returned and was glad to take my arm. All the others and started to line up as well show time was upon us. The musicians began with soft rolling melodies cuing the little flower girl and ring bearer out to prance. Then came the cues for the maid of honor and best man. More bridesmaids and groomsmen followed till it came down to two. Thranduil and myself. A sweet melody from a guitar filled the air and was soon joined by the plucking of a harp and then the stirrings of the violin and viola. Merry tweets of the flute fluttered as we walked in time towards the podium. I look up and see him. The one real Legolas. His face smooth and pale like calm lake water until a smile creases his skin with wave rippling wind. A warmth envelopes my body that is not linked with the brandy I had sipped. Love, the feeling of not just one life to be cherished but another to be as well.

The ceremony went on and I am sure it was beautiful. I can't seem to remember much about it. All I can recall is that we said I do and then we shared the first kiss of many as husband and wife.

The reception now that I remember quite well and with fond memories. The hobbits were indeed some of the best party going guests. They took well to our modern dances. The Cupid shuffle was especially loved had to do that a few times. The elves found the setting quite a feat that caused inspiration among a few to write of the feeling. I believe one guest did complete a rather popular poem in that one night. "Buildings of iron, steel and glass surrounding a lush green field a world within a world. Far from each other and yet so close it doth bring the eye to tear for harsh and light find harmony amongst so many. That to which love may bloom in earnest to last past the point of time's still point " My family had a grand time and Hermes impressed a few of the humans of Middle Earth with his skills at basketball. Leave it to him to find a way to bring a basketball to a wedding and not cause a ruckus. At least from the other guests. Grandmama and Ned. They were not so pleased with this recreation that my brother chose. But the guests were having fun so they just relocated the makeshift court a bit further from the other guests. I remember doing our first dance was to Accidentally in Love by The Counting Crows (I introduced Legolas to the song before the wedding and he loves it even more than I do!) and the father, daughter dance I did twice! Once with Ned and once with Thranduil. Then there were the wedding toasts. Gimili had the audience in stiches with his best man toast. The twins stole a piece of the wedding cake before Legolas and I had cut it. They tried to deny it but the proof was all over their mouth. I can recall throwing the bouquet and seeing Grandmama had accidentally caught it and guess who was standing next to her? I bet you thought it was Gandalf. Nope it was one of Aragorn's friends from Gondor. Grandmama took his arm and said well how about it?

There are times that I wish I could relive that day over again. My last day in New York and the first day of a whole new world for me. At this point I need to explain what Gandalf's great gift to me was. I could never go back to New York but could see it from time to time and keep in touch with my family. Through an enchanted box that if I place a letter or picture into it, it would send it to a twin box back home with my family.

It has been almost twenty years since then and time has changed things. Snooki, never outgrew her style but she did get smarter about who she was dating and ended up the wife of a man who with his money was able to launch her own fashion magazine. Prima Donna ended coming back with us to be with one of the Elrond twins (I'm not going to tell you who. ;) ) She ended up being a driving force in political negotiations here. Anytime someone is in need of a treaty they call her. Hermes, thankfully, gave up his life of crime and instead became a loving family man with five kids and charming wife. Ty ended up staying at Oxford as a teacher with his wife Rosie. Grandmama passed away ten years ago from a heart attack. She is deeply missed by everyone here and there. Gandalf had a plaque put up for her in Gondor's library. It says to the first one to dare cross the threshold. As for me, I got older. Had three kids, two girls and a boy. Learned how to be a fairly good princess, stayed in touch with everyone who ever meant anything to me. And am happily married to an elf who I will spend the rest of time with in the Undying Lands.

This is why I am writing it all down now. We sail tomorrow and I want this story to be passed down from generation to generation of the Petrillo family. In case this should be the last thing that makes it to that side of the world. I would like to say thank you for reading and it's your turn now.

Persephone Carla Petrillo