This is actualy my first attempt to a LOTR fanfic. Hope it's good enough (:
Review and let me know what you think!
Disclaimer: Lord Of The Rings belongs to J. R. R. Tolkien.
Watery Maiden
Legolas couldn't remember a time when he was happier. Entering Lothlórien was long dreamed, ever since he heard the first song about Nimrodel, in his childhood on Mirkwood. He didn't care for the others on the Company. Whenever he could, he disappeared into the woods, marvelling at its greatness.
It was on such a time that he met her, his watery maiden. She was near a natural fountain of hot water, delicately diving his feet on the limpid liquid. Her straight hair was as dark as the midnight sky and ran all the way through her back, lightly touching the grass where she sat. There were beautiful elanor flowers tangled on her braids. She was wearing a light blue dress, so light it almost seemed white. When she turned her face to him, she smiled, and that was enough to spell him.
Slowly, he approached her, sitting beside her.
"Hello, noble visitor." She said in the ancient tongue of the elven kindred.
Looking at her so closely, Legolas noticed her eyes shared her hair's colour.
"Hello. I am Legolas, of Mirkwood."
"And I am Ainariël. It is rare for us to receive such visitors, especially since the dark times once again fell upon us."
"We are on an errand, fair Ainariël. And I indeed dread leaving this place."
She laughed, and the sound was lovely even among elves.
"Oh, of that I understand. The first sight we lay upon Lothlórien is truly unforgettable. Being introduced to this forest is something beyond unbelievable."
"You were not born here?" he asked, astonished.
"No, I was not. Like you, I was born in Mirkwood, my prince, but yet very soon I was brought here, by the wish of fair Lady Galadriel."
Legolas had no answer to that. He never heard of an elf of Mirkwood migrating to Lothlórien.
"Did we by any chance meet before?"
"Maybe yes, maybe not, does it really matter?"
"No, indeed it does not."
She smiled to him and subtly slipped her dress up her head, while sliding swiftly into the fountain. Her smile got wider as her skin fell in love with the new temperature.
Once again, Legolas felt as if he was cast in a spell. Ainariël's wet hair floated on the water, and the limpid liquid did little to disguise her beauty. Perfection started to describe her, but wasn't even nearly enough.
"You should come in. This heat on a winter's night is a true blessing."
Quickly but with unmatchable grace, Legolas undressed and joined her in the warm water. The feeling was as glorious as promised, and he was glad he didn't hesitate in joining her. It would probably take him a long time to feel such a temperature again.
Their bodies touched slightly, for the diameter of the fountain wasn't an impressive one, however they felt even more comfortable that way. It was just right that their skins were in contact – it seemed like there wasn't any other way.
When remembering that evening, neither of them would be able to tell for certain how much time they spent together on the water, for it hardly seemed to matter at the time. Staring at each other seemed more important – the colour of a forest's river against the one proudly showed by the night sky – as did feeling each other's skin.
"Do you intend to cross the Sea?" Legolas asked when dawn started to fall upon them.
"I have not decided yet. But there are surely a lot of things I should attend to ere I go." Her eyes drifted to the sky, for a moment taking interest on its change of colour. "It's not decided. Will you?"
"I never gave much thought about it. I do love Mirkwood, and I would surely enjoy a life on Lothlórien."
Ainariël descended her eyes to him.
"We can cross it together."
By then, the sun was already visible on the morning sky.
"I should leave now, fair Ainariël, but I will come back to oblige you to such an offer."
She smiled to him, with blinding happiness.
"And we shall meet the Sea together, my prince."
He nodded and left the water. Ainariël didn't take her eyes from him, and neither did he. Suddenly, he was already very anxious for the One Ring to be destroyed at once. He laughed to himself. Indeed, that was something beyond unbelievable on being introduced to Lothlórien.