Disclaimer: I do not claim any of Tolkien’s characters and places and thank him profusely for inventing them. I’m not sure what he intended Thranduil to be like; I had planned on having him a cold and distant ruler, set in his ways and rejecting anything that isn’t within social standards, sort of like he seems in The Hobbit movies. However, he turned out the exact opposite! Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this story. I welcome any comments and suggestions you might have for me!

Tarantella was the younger sister of King Thranduil. She was pretty, with gorgeous blonde locks that had a slight wave to them. However, her hair would not be tamed so it was either kept loose or put in a severe bun to keep it out of her way. Tarantella obviously lived in Mirkwood. She liked their castle, but once she became an adult she was ready to live elsewhere. Thranduil was a bit overprotective of her and she strongly desired to prove that she was a competent elf and that she did not need a man, although she certainly wanted one. You see, Tarantella was a young adult by elf standards and most of the other elves her age were in the process of becoming engaged, getting married, and having children. Of course, there was that one elf she thought was her true love. His name was Bentweelo and she had known him since their school days. He was a gentlemanly elf who treated all the females like queens. Even though Tarantella was a princess and deserved to be treated like that, Betweelo opened doors for her and other such things because that was just what he did, whether a girl was a princess or not. Tarantella loved how he did not treat her any differently than anyone else yet was always respectful. So it is little wonder that she soon developed feelings for him. He personally invited her to his initiation ceremony, where he would be recognized as a full-fledged adult and formally join King Thranduil’s army. Technically, Tarantella was already supposed to be there as part of the royal family, so she thought this meant that he returned her feelings and had not said anything because he did not think he was worthy of her. However, Betweelo did not like Tarantella in that way, as she would soon find out.
Tarantella took precautions to personally invite him to her coming of age ceremony one day by sending a letter and later asking him by word of mouth. She ran into him one day in the hallways when she was going for a council with her brother King Thranduil. “Oh hello, Bentweelo! How are you?”
“I’m doing well,” he replied.
“I know I already sent you a letter asking you to come to my coming of age ceremony, but I was wondering if you would be able to make it?”
“Um, no; I’m sorry. I have to go to the south parts of Mirkwood because they are having a problem with spiders there and need me to help fight them.” He actually did not sound a bit sorry to Tarantella, so of course she was hurt. He had no idea of her feelings for him and thus did not realize how much he injured her feelings.
“Well, maybe I will hold a ball some other time and you can come then!” She tried to say this sweetly and must have succeeded. “Sorry; I’ve got to run before Thranduil comes after me! See you!”
Tarantella hurried away, not wanting Bentweelo to see her tears. She knew she needed to visit her friend Celebrían in Lothlórien and talk matters over with her. Not even Thranduil knew of her love for Bentweelo; Celebrían was the only living being that she had ever told of this infatuation. But first things first. She had to get to that royal council before anyone noticed and questioned her absence.
That night after the royal council, Tarantella had much thinking to do as she lay in her bed, awaiting sleep’s arrival. “I always thought Bentweelo liked me! What happened? How could I be so foolish to let my heart fall for him when he clearly never gave me a second thought! How dare he refuse to come to my party! The nerve of that stupid boy! I thought it would be obvious that I was starting to care for him, but apparently not. How dense could he be? Celebrían will help me sort all these feelings out. All I know is I am not wasting any more time on him!” And with that thought she fell asleep. However, a long heart journey lay ahead before she could be free from fancying herself in love with Bentweelo to being open to finding true love with someone else.

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