Author's Note: In the scene (in the movie) when Legolas first arrives at Rivendell and looks around, you can see a female elf behind him with red hair. That's this female character. Yes, and I did take her name, Nimue, from Arthurian legends. I just thought the name was so pretty and it could fit in Tolkien's world so I thought, what the heck! For those of you who have never heard this name spoken before it's pronounced "Nim-oo-way")




Legolas gazed the trees of Mirkwood. The leaves were beginning to grow green again and the bark was turning back into it's rich brown warm tones, now that Sauron was finally defeated. The forest was recovering. Evil was ebbing away, now that it's master was gone. It was good to be home!

As his horse trotted through the forest, Legolas' memory strayed back to the day he left Mirkwood.

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"Represent us well, my son," King Thranduil said, putting a large hand on his son's broad shoulder.

"I will, father."

"I'm sending a few elves to go with you to be your companions." He gestured to a few elves standing by. "Astalder, Elear, and Nimue."

At the sound of their names, the elves stepped forward. Two male elves and one female.

The female was Nimue. She had dark red-gold hair. Legolas had only run into her once or twice, but had never spoken to her. It was rumored that her father had been an elandili, a half-elf, who had married a full-blooded elf.

Her red hair had always caught the curious attention of many elves, including Legolas'. Maybe on this trip to Imladris (Rivendell) he might get a chance to talk to her.

The morning sun shone brightly on the day of their departure. Legolas headed toward the stables to ready check on his horse, *Ohtar.

The horse greeted him with a happy whinny.

"Suilad, mellon nin!" (Greetings, my friend) Legolas said smiling as he stroked the side of the horse's powerful white neck.

Legolas then heard the of hay behind him. He whirled around to behold Nimue. She had come to give her horse one last brushing before they set off. She was in the middle of doing so when Legolas spoke to her.

"Suilad, Nimue."

"Suilad, my lord prince," said Nimue, only glancing up at him for a second before returning to her work.

"You do not have to address me so formally, Nimue, you may call me Legolas."

"I had rather not," was her short reply.

"Why?"

"Because, I do not like to be familiar with royalty that I hardly know."

Legolas felt it best not to argue. "Very well," he said. Legolas studied Nimue's face as she brushed her horse. It was stern, yet fair. Her eyebrows were furrowed as if she were trying to force further concentration on her task than necessary.

"Namarie," (Goodbye) Legolas said as he left the stables.

As soon as Legolas had departed over the threshold of the stables, Nimue had stopped her work to watch his retreating form.