Beautiful Waters
By Elflight
Summary: A story of Silwenn's childhood . Reccommended to read ' The Masked Maiden' first. Includes a few diary accounts.
CHAPTER I: A Whole New World
Unbelievable sights, indescribable feeling
Soaring, tubling, cartwheeling through an endless diamond sky
- A Whole New World: Aladdin
The Elfing of nine had long, waist-length raven hair and large green eyes. She wore a long white dress and a silver belt, with a small dagger hung into it. She grabbed onto the smooth linden bark of a beech tree. She pushed and swung herself up. Climbing was easy. A common hobby. Being a Galadhrim she had to be accustomed to it. Her white skirt caught onto a branch. She yanked it free and continued climbing. She settled between the white branches, spread eagle, crouching gracefully, as she peered into the windows of the hall, trying to find out what her father and grandfather were arguing about. The windows were shut. She sighed. She turned and jumped down onto the ground. She ran into the trees. The Nimrodel was flowing swiftly. She sighed. Then she waded across .
She walked futher into the trees and looked up at a tall beech. She looked around. She hitched up herskirt and climbed the tree. She settled back, looking at the magnificent view of the hall against the hills of green and gold. She climbed up futher. She could see the small houses of the Gladhrim spotted on the trees, and Elves climbing up or down occasionally. She reached up for a higher branch. She climbed nimbly, using the nearby branches as footholds. She settled down once again. All of Lothlorien was now in her view.
Her grandmother's hall was a dapple of gold. The trees were tiny dots of green. The houses were spots of bronze. The tiny sand-sized colours that were the Galadhrim moved round her scope. Beyond the outskirts were the borders, where the archers were patrolling. She sighed and leant back. The sun shone dappling down on her skin, and the wind blew, drying off the wet hem of her white gown. She closed her eyes, feeling her other senses sharpen. She could hear the wind whistling through the trees. The birds were singing. The chorals of Galadhrim were singing folk melodies of Elendil. The Elfling sighed and dozed off…
She was awoken barely a second later by the sound of something climbing up the beech, rocking her wildly. She stood up, holding on to the branches . She peered down. Another Elf in a tunic of bronze and silver was climbing up.He had long golden hair which shone like the sun, and he had a bow and a quiver full of arrows slung over his shoulder. He peered up. The Elfling sighed. It was her elder brother, Fordred.
"Silwenn? Ada says we've got to go back to the hall," the Elf called. He was about five years older than the first one. The Elfling named Silwenn sighed and climbed down. She jumped from the last few branches, her long raven hair cascading to anf fro across her back. She brushed herself off. She turned to face the Elf, who took her by the hand and led her towards the hall.
"Fordred… why must we go to the hall?", Silwenn asked, tucking her hair behind her ears. Fordred shrugged.
" According to Grandamme, there's someone she wants you to meet. The crown prince and his sis," he replied, squeezing his younger sister's fingers and smiling down at her protectively. He'd always taken the task of looking after his younger sister as a 'privilige'.
Silwenn blinked and continued walking. They had reached the huge wooden doors of the hall. Fordred pushed open the doors. He led Silwenn towards a long flight of spiralled stairs carved out of teak. The stairs led towards the main door of the gathering chamber, often used for gatherings. Fordred knocked and pushed the door open.
The walls of the large chamber were of fine beechwood, and the furniture of linden. The huge windows had been thrown open, revealing the wonderous views of the forest, and a slight breeze blew in. Fordred lessened his grip on Silwenn's hand and strode into the room. The Elves were positioned all around the chamber, dressed in the colours of nobility, the Galadhrim in their native colours of white, silver and gold and the Mirwood Elves in theirs of green and golden. Silwenn looked round. Fordred led her in towards the center of the room. There stood a tall lady and a lord. The Lady was dressed in a long flowing gown of white. She had long, light blonde hair which fell past her waist. The Lord had long, smooth silvery-blond hair which cascaded over his shoulders. They were talking casually with another Lord, dressed in a robe of green and gold trim. Fordred led his sister up. The Lady sighted them and smiled. She motioned them over.
"This, Lord Thranduil, is my grandson, Fordred, and my grandaughter, Silwenn," she introduced over to the Lord. Lord Thranduil smiled down at the two Elflings.
"And this, Lady Galadriel, is my son, crown prince and heir to the throne, Legolas, and my daughter, Vywienn."
Lord Thranduil motioned to somebody behind him. Two Elflings stepped forwards, both dressed in green and gold. The boy was wearing a long cloth robe similar to his fathers's and the girl was dressed in a long gown with a high neck. Both of them had pale blonde hair neatly tied back behind their heads. The bow wore a bow and an arrow-quiver similar to Fordred's.
"Mae govannen," the four greeted each other.
Silwenn rolled her eyes. She would rather be outdoors climbing, but it was impossible at the current situation.
"Off you go, Sil, For, take Legolas and Vywienn outside to explore the woods," Galadriel commanded. Silwen sighed.
"Follow me," Fordred led. He walked out of the chamber, with Silwenn, Vywienn and Legolas trailing behind.
"… and that's the library… and that's the armoury and --"
"WOW! Cool! You have an armoury?"
Legolas was jabbering away, apparently highly interested in the topic. Silwenn groaned. Legolas seemed highly interested in everything. Lothlorien seemed like a whole new world to him.
"… Mirkwood doesn't even have one!"
The four of them had left the armoury and were now heading towards the Nimrodel. Legolas and Vywienn were gazing star-struck into the beautiful golden trees. Silwenn sighed. With Vywienn and Legolas wandering around, eyes on trees and her brother jabbering away pointlessly, she delibarately stepped to the back of the group. When she was sure no one was watching, she jumped up onto a low branch of a nearby beeach and settled back. She closed her eyes and watched the Silverlode wind off into the distance. She closed her eyes for a moment and relaxed, soaking in the sounds of the woods. Soon she dozed off.
