When he came in, she had no idea who he was, only that he caused in her a reaction unlike any she had ever had to another elf. She had thought Celebrían had returned and was assisting with her gown until he chuckled. She turned, he kissed her...and...

The world changed. Maegwen realized that her life before now had only been a prelude to this moment. He sucked away her breath and coaxed her soul from her body with a sweet, persuasive tongue. She forgot everything in that moment. It was a rebirth. It was dizzying. She would have promised him anything. He said he would see her at dinner, then disappeared as quickly as he had come.

Maegwen was not sure how long she stood there, reliving every second of the kiss. She was amazed, in retrospect, that she had not fallen to the floor the moment he had let go of her. She was still standing there, spellbound, when Celebrían and Haldir came crashing back into the chamber.

"Was he here? Are you all right?" Celebrían demanded.

"Hm?" said Maegwen. She rubbed her eyes. She had so much she wanted to tell her best friend but not only was she unsure how to begin, she had no intention of saying a thing in front of Haldir.

"You smell of horse," Haldir said almost gleefully. "Did you not bathe while we were gone?"

"It is all right," said Maegwen, smiling. "He smelled of horse as well."

"We ALL smell of horse," Celebrían snapped. "Go bathe now, Haldir! You offend me. And we have only a few minutes."

Haldir glared at the pair of them sullenly, then turned and stalked from the room without a word. Part of Maegwen felt sorry for him. She must be in an extremely generous mood, for usually she felt no finer than when Haldir was pouting.

"I did not know where the bathing chamber was, and you asked me to stay here," Maegwen reminded her friend, slowly starting to gather her wits. "He laced me up, and I have no intention of taking this dress off again until after dinner."

"I need a bath," said Celebrían. "I will not offend Lord Elrond."

"Did you see him?"

Celebrían's agitation melted away. "Oh, yes. He is stunning. His body is lithe and fit and beautiful. I will find a way to attract his attention, and... but, oh! You are distracting me, Maegwen. Are you all right?"

"I am fine... better than fine," Maegwen murmured. "Should I not be?"

"Who laced you up?"

"Um..."

"Maegwen, I heard Lord Glorfindel tell Elrond that King Thranduil was coming up here to kiss me."

Maegwen stared at Celebrían and blinked as the pieces came together. Her heart sank in her chest. "Oh, no."

"What do you mean, oh, no? Did he come up here?"

"Yes."

"Then...where is he? What happened?"

"He must have thought I was you."

"And?" Celebrían looked as though she were about to tear her own hair out.

"He kissed me. And...I liked it."

That was as simply as she could put it. A cold wind swept through her. Maegwen turned away, unable to look at her friend just then. It was not fair, she thought to herself. She had promised Celebrían that wherever she went, Maegwen would follow. How could she spend all of eternity watching her best friend married to the only male elf who had ever truly attracted her attention? Watch them fall in love, have elflings? She could not stand it. Realistically, Maegwen knew she had only met Thranduil for seconds, but seconds was sometimes all it took. Could she put one kiss aside? Or would she have to live on one kiss for all of the years to come?

"Maegwen," Celebrían said softly, resting a hand on her shoulder. "I want Elrond."

Maegwen turned back to her slowly. "You know me too well."

"I will not even consider Thranduil if you desire him."

"How can you not? What will your father say? You cannot throw the match away just because the fool elf kissed me and I...I..."

"Can you fall in love with one kiss?"

"It seemed...mutual."

Celebrían smiled. "Then you and I shall work together to bend the males to our will. Are we not, as females, the more clever anyway?"

Maegwen grinned, her good humor starting to return despite the niggling doubt in the back of her mind. "That is fact. But... Celebrían, he is King of Mirkwood."

"Does that bother you?"

"I am too low for him."

"He is a king. He may do as he pleases! Besides, you are as a sister to me. That gives you station enough."

"I hope he will agree. Are you sure, my sweet one? For I would not take something bound for you if I was not sure you did not desire it for yourself."

Celebrían smiled. "Yes. Elrond is my desire, and I will have him. But I fear that to do so I must take the fastest bath ever recorded in all elfdom."

This event was achieved somehow, and they ran in to dinner late. Maegwen helped Celebrían in and out of her dress instead of bathing herself. She would have to hope that Thranduil enjoyed the smell of horses. Celebrían called for Haldir, who was lurking around waiting for them, not wanting to present himself at dinner alone.

"Father wants us to play for the company after dinner," she reminded him. "Bring your harp."

"Yes, I remember," Haldir sighed, but he carried not only his own harp but hers as well.

Maegwen was glad that she had never learned an instrument, for she would have been too nervous to perform in front of Lord Elrond, King Thranduil, and the rest of the assembled elves. It would be difficult enough if she were called upon to sing. She would have to close her eyes.

Despite the fact that they were very late to dinner, Maegwen was glad to see that they did not appear to be in as much trouble as she had imagined that they might. In fact, Thranduil was not there yet. Where was he? Had he discovered his error and fled? What would he do when he found out she was not, in fact, Celebrían? Would he be angry at her?

Maegwen looked shyly at Lord Elrond. Celebrían seemed entranced by him, and took the biscuit he offered her even though Maegwen knew for a fact that she did not like them. She set it on her plate and Maegwen frowned at her. This sort of attraction was probably no good. It was not like Celebrían to become so quickly obsessed.

But what of herself? Had she not felt the same way when Thranduil had forcefully taken her into his embraced and kissed her so masterfully?

Maegwen knew then that she had to stop this feeling inside her, no matter the cost. She could not help Celebrían if she was living in some dream in which she thought she might actually earn the love of the King of Mirkwood. Despite her closeness to the Lady of the Wood, she was really no more than a writer of ballads.

And then, there he was. Thranduil burst into the room, singing in full voice. He had changed his clothes, though he was not yet close enough for Maegwen to ascertain whether he had, indeed, bathed, or if he still smelled like a horse. The tunic and leggings he wore were white, embroidered in gold, and he had matching white suede boots. He wore a small circlet of gold leaves on his head, and looked every inch the king that he was.

Maegwen knew the song well. It was a love song which she had written herself a long time ago. In fact, she considered if one of her more juvenile works, but the fact that Thranduil should know it astounded her. The song was a tribute to the love of Galadriel and Celeborn, which included four stanzas about the great beauty of the Golden Wood and how it prospered in the light of that love. It made her blush to hear it as she thought of the dark looks which Celeborn had cast upon both herself and Haldir of late.

Thranduil had a deep, clear voice, and as he reached the end of the song, he came to stand behind Maegwen's chair. He rested his hands on her shoulders, evoking curious looks from Galadriel and Celeborn, and a look of dismay from Lord Glorfindel. Erestor looked as if he might die of embarrassment. He covered his face with his hand. Elrond looked slightly amused, and suddenly Maegwen wondered if he was drunk. He had taken his napkin and folded it into the shape of a swan, then set it atop his plate without seeming to realize it.

When Thranduil finished the song, Glorfindel burst into applause and jumped up from his seat. "Marvelously done, your majesty. Now if you will, come sit down next to me. And may I say, your new clothes are splendid indeed and suit you far better than what you arrived in."

"Thank you. I have chosen these colors, the colors of Lothlórien, on purpose. Sit down yourself, Glorfindel," Thranduil said, but he smiled at him. "I have an announcement to make, and I suppose I have you to thank for it."

"An announcement?" Elrond asked warily.

"It should wait until after dinner!" Glorfindel said urgently.

"I cannot wait another minute," Thranduil insisted.

"I really think you should," Glorfindel said desperately. "Elrond—do you not agree?"

"I am not sure—" Elrond began but Celeborn interrupted him.

"Let him have his say," said the Lord of Lórien. He looked distinctly interested, leaning forward in his chair.

"I hope you will be pleased, Celeborn," Thranduil said in a jovial tone. His hand on Maegwen's shoulder was beginning to burn. She wanted to push him away…and draw him nearer at once. Glorfindel's panic was starting to affect her, especially as she had a small inkling that whatever Thranduil said was going to involve her. "I know we have not been best of friends, but perhaps that is how it often is between family members. We will be family now. I would like to marry your daughter."

"That delights me to no end," said Galadriel joyfully.

"And me as well," said Celeborn, though his tone was unconvincing. "Except the girl whom you are touching so possessively is not our daughter."

Maegwen wanted to sink into the floor as Thranduil snatched his hand off of her shoulder. He looked at her in confusion, then at Celebrían, who was frowning in irritation.

"What do you mean, exactly?" Thranduil asked in a guarded tone.

"This is Celebrían," Celeborn said, pointing out his daughter. "In the purple. The other maid is her companion, Maegwen."

Elrond muttered something too low for her to hear, but Maegwen was almost certain it was a naughty word. Thranduil looked at Glorfindel, his eyes darkening. Glorfindel nodded numbly. Thranduil lifted his head up, a red tinge in his ears the only sign of his own embarrassment.

"Well, then," he said. "It seems I have made an error. I will marry Maegwen, your daughter's companion."

Cacophony reigned as a babble of voices broke out at the table. Celeborn broke out with laughter, and Galadriel gave him an icy look that would have caused another elf to faint. Erestor and Glorfindel were protesting, and Elrond was trying to silence them. Haldir looked astounded…but amused. He smirked, slightly.

"Thranduil," said Celeborn, "You do not even know this girl. Besides, it is not an option."

That hurt. Maegwen felt the blow deep inside as for one moment, she had felt the tiniest flower of hope inside that she might actually possess her newfound heart's desire. But she had been right to try to suppress it. She had been right to tell herself that she must turn Thranduil away no matter the cost to herself.

"Of course it is an option," Thranduil insisted. "I am King of Mirkwood. I can marry anyone I want to."

"I do not believe that I have consented to marry you," Maegwen said sharply. "Nor has Celebrían, for that matter."

"Perhaps we might just all sit down and enjoy our dinner," Elrond suggested.

"At last, a voice of reason," said Erestor.

Maegwen looked at Thranduil and the expression on his face was one of shock. She was willing to bet that no maid had ever dared address the handsome King in such a manner. He set his mouth into a grim line and nodded faintly, then sat down on the other side of the table, next to Lord Glorfindel.

Maegwen lifted her chin, trying to make a stone of her heart…but she feared that her heart was already lost and that this visit to Imladris bespoke only disaster.