"Tell me again Aragorn, why did we have to come to Mirkwood?"
Arvanlyn asked dryly.

"Not in the mood right now Arvanlyn."

"Because you were the one who wanted us to travel in the middle of thunderstorm and now we're stuck in the middle of this forest because the river flooded and now we're stranded in a tree."

"She has a point Aragorn."
Ayleen said from where she was sitting on a branch beside Arvanlyn.
"If we had just waited out the storm we wouldn't be in this mess."

"I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A FLOOD!"
Aragorn groaned in exasperation.
"Back me up here Varonwe."

When everyone turned to the silent Ranger he was sitting quietly with a grey umbrella over his head.

He looked at them for a moment and then turned his attention back to the rising river.

Everyone grumbled as they sat helpless in the tree. Watching as the water rose higher and higher.

"Never thought I'd die this way."
Arvanlyn said without any emotion in her voice.

"Don't worry guys!"
Ayleen smiled and pointed at something ahead of them.
"Help is on the way!"

Meh! Meh!

"Foe Hammer? Really?"
Aragorn narrowed his eyes skeptically at Ayleen.
"What's he going to do? Fly us all out of here?"
Arvanlyn added glaring at the goat.

"Of course not! He's going to go get help."
Foe Hammer flew over to Ayleen and tilted his head to the side.

Meh! Meh!

"Alright buddy, I need you to go and get someone to help us? Ok?"

Meh! Meh!

Foe Hammer flew off while Ayleen leaned back against the trunk of the tree.

"Now we wait."

"Do you seriously think that a flying goat is going to find help for us?"
Aravnlyn snapped.

"He will."
Ayleen replied smoothly.
"Just wait and see Arvanlyn, he'll be back with help before you know it."

"I'll believe it when I see it."

"You guys need some help?"
A voice called down from below.
All four Rangers looked down and to their surprise there was a large raft with four familiar hobbits on it.

"Hey Aragorn! What are you doing up there?"
Merry asked as he steered their raft towards the tree they were stuck in.

"What does it look like we're doing Merry? We're trying not to drown!"
Aragorn replied shortly.
"And what are you four doing here?! Why are you floating on a raft during a storm in Mirkwood?"

"We promised Legolas that we'd help him take care of things around here while his dad was away on some secret business that he refused to tell anyone about."
Frodo answered.

"In other words we're helping him take care of Fabulous."
Es said as she rolled her eyes.

"Do you guys want a ride to the palace?"
Sam asked the four Rangers.

"Nah, we just want to hang out here until we drown. Of course we want a ride to the palace!"
Arvanlyn shouted.

"Sorry, she gets cranly when she's wet."
Ayleen said nudging Arvanlyn slightly with her elbow.

"Come on down guys, there's plenty of room."
Merry said.
"But only one at a time!"
He added hastily.

Arvanlyn went first, then Ayleen, Varonwe, and finally Aragorn.

"Glad you have that umbrella on you, Varon. I was tired of getting rained on."
Es said patting the Ranger on the back.

Merry steered their raft carefully between the trees. The water was so high that when they reached the palace the gate was almost underwater.

"How are we supposed to get in there?"
Arvanlyn asked.
"Hmm... Actually, I'm not sure."
Merry said glancing from left to right.

"Maybe we could try getting in through the river under the cellars?"
Frodo suggested.

"That wouldn't work. It's probably flooded."
Merry sighed and looked at the continually rising water.

"Hey look! There's a balcony over there!"
Ayleen exclaimed pointing somewhere to the right.
"We can sail right over there and climb in!"

Everyone agreed to do it so Merry steered the raft towards the balcony and one by one (ladies first of course) they all hopped off the raft and onto the balcony.

"Aw, it's nice to be on dry land again."
Es said grabbing her hair between her hands and wringing all the water out and onto the floor.

"Now we just have to find Legolas and let him know that we're here."
Sam said looking around the room they were in.
"I wonder where we're at in the palace."

"Here let's turn on a light."
Aragorn flicked on the lightswitch revealing a room filled with Legos.

"Oh, we're in Legolas' bedroom."
He said.
"Let's get out of here before he shows up."

Everyone agreed to this and they followed him out of the room. Just as they stepped out the door Aragorn was nearly run over by an elk.

"FABULOUS GET BACK HERE!"
Legolas shouted running a few feet behind the elk.
"IT'S TIME FOR YOUR BATH!"

Legolas noticed everyone standing outside of his bedroom and skidded to a stop.
"What we're you all doing in my room?"

"Escaping the flood. What are you doing?"
Aragorn asked stepping out into the hall with everyone else behind him.

"Trying to give Fabulous a bath, but she won't-"
"LOOK OUT!"
Frodo shouted.

Everyone dove to either side of the hallway as Fabulous charged passed. Doing it fabulously of course.

"Why is she acting like this?"
Aragorn asked Legolas.
"Yeah, everytime I've seen her she's usually nice and gentle."
Es added.

"She acts up whenever my father's not around. For some reason she hates my guts."

"LOOK OUT! SHE'S COMING BACK!"
Frodo shouted again.

Fabulous charged through the hall again only this time it looked like Legolas got trampled.

When she disappeared down the hall it turned out that Legolas hadn't been trampled but had jumped out of the way and had crashed into poor Merry and Sam sending them all falling onto the floor.

"Look at you guys, rolling around on the floor like dogs."
Arvanlyn said shaking her head.

"Come on guys get up."
Es walked over and grabbed Merry's hand. She pulled him up, then Sam, and surprisingly Legolas.

"Have you always been that strong Es?"
Merry asked his sister a bit nervously.
"Pfftt. Come on Mers, you don't have to have super powers in order to help people up. Besides Legolas is pretty light for a guy his size. I'm surprised he doesn't get blown around like a leaf."

"Very funny Es."
Legolas said rolling his eyes.

"SHE'S COMING BACK!"
Frodo gave off the last and final warning because when Fabulous charged towards them again Varonwe stepped in front of her and she just stopped.

He reached out and gently stroked her on the head and she laid her ears back in contentment.

"How did you do that?"
Legolas asked in awe.
"She doesn't let anyone but my father touch her."

"Varonwe the Elk Whisperer."
Ayvanlyn chuckled.
The Ranger in question just shrugged.

"Where do you want me to lead her to?"
He asked Legolas.
"Oh, just take her down to the stables. Aragorn knows where they are."

The two Rangers headed towards the stables with Fabulous following obediantly behind them.

"I'm starving. Do you have any food around here?"
Arvanlyn asked impatiently.
"Me too."
Ayleen added.

"Me three!"
"Me four!"
"Me five!"
Merry, Sam, and Frodo shouted.

"Alright calm down, you guys know where the kitchen is."
Legolas said pointing up the hall.

"Wait, you're giving us permission to raid your kitchen? Oh boy too bad Pipping isn't here!"
Merry exclaimed as he ran up the hall.

"Wait for us!"
Frodo called after him as he, Sam, Arvanlyn, and Ayleen raced to the kitchen.

"I didn't mean it that way!"
Legolas moaned.
"What have I done?"

"I tried to build a cloning machine a few days ago and it messed up."
Es said unexpectedly.

"You built a what?"
Legolas asked.
"Oh nothing. Anyway, I think I'll go and head to the kitchen myself and see what I can find."

Before Es could leave Legolas stopped her.

"Actually Es? There's something I need to ask you about."

"If it's about those fanfictions I wrote I swear they were not meant to traumatize you in anyway."

"Wait what?"

"What?"

"What fanfiction?"

"How should I know?"

"Huh?"

"Leggy I don't even know what you're talking about."

"Neither do I."

There was awkward silence for a moment before Legolas finally got the nerve to finish what he was about to say.

"So... There's this-"

Es suddenly shrieked and clasped the sides of her head with her hands.

"You finally found a girl that you like!"
"Shhh! Keep your voice down Es! And how'd you even know?"
"How long have we been friends?"
"A few years now."
"That means I've known you long enough to know when you have a secret crush on a girl."

That logic didn't make sense to him but he decided to go along with it.

"Sooooooo what's her name? What's she like? How long have you known her? Details man! Details!"

"Um, I actually don't want to tell you her name."
Legolas said scratching the back of his head nervously.

"Why not?"
Es asked suspiciously.
"I don't want to risk anyone overhearing."
"Fine, but why don't you care about me hearing?"

"Cause I need your help. I really want to make a good impression on her, and since you're an expert on matchmaking I thought that-"

"STOP! Back up Jack, first you make me promise NOT to interfere with your love life NOW you want me to help you with it?"

Legolas nodded.
"Yes, please? Pleeeeaaaaasssseee Es? I need your help!"

"Hmm..."
Es narrowed her eyesa at him.
"Is she pretty?"
"Very pretty."
"Nice?"
"Yes."
"Funny?"
"Hilarious."
"Good cook?"
"Probably."

Es thought about it for a few more minutes.
"Alright. I'll help you."
"Oh thanks a lot Es!"

"No hugging."
"Sorry."
"I will accept a friendly
fistbump."
"Alright."

After their friendly fistbump Es spun on her heel and headed towards the kitchen.

"Where are you going Es?"
"I'm hungry and you have an elk to bathe. We will discuss your love crisis later."

Legolas groaned as he was reminded of what he had to do.

Dad when are you coming home?

Sighing Legolas gloomily headed to the stables to give Fabulous her bath.