Neniel felt like she was floating on air and had ever since her conversation with Elboron the previous evening. She felt alive once more and walked through her grandfather's halls with a lightness in her step she had thought she could never obtain again.

After her morning meal she walked around her grandfather's empty throne room smiling to herself, touching every stone, every entwined tree root, no longer feeling trapped as she had done before. Her thoughts were on Eldarion, his face filled her mind and she longed to be with him as soon as he left his meeting with his father. She carefully guarded her thoughts from him, keeping him at a distance until she could be with him and have his eyes on her, his hands on her skin, his lips on hers …

She shivered with pleasure at the thought of it and laughed aloud.

"I have missed that sound."

Neniel spun around to see her father standing in the entrance of the throne room. He was leaning against the stone arch, arms folded, watching her with a smile on his lips. She grinned and ran to meet him, seizing his hands and reaching up to kiss his cheeks.

"And I have missed it also," she said, beaming at him. "But now is the first time in so long I feel ready to laugh."

"And why is that?" he asked. He was smiling but appeared confused. "Yesterday was so ..."

"I know we shouldn't have come after you," she said, grave for a moment, "but I am glad we did. The bond we all share … I feel so alive! Being around them fills me with such joy, ada. I hardly knew what was missing in my life until I discovered this bond. They make me forget the horrors of Mordor. I can feel happiness again."

Her father looked down at her for several moments, searching her face as if trying to determine if she was lying to him. Eventually, his smile widened and his eyes appeared almost tearful. "I am overjoyed to hear it, iell nín," he said, taking her face in his hands. "It has given me much sorrow to see you so melancholy. This bond may be something I do not understand, but if it gives you joy it must indeed be Valar blessed."

He leaned forwards and kissed her forehead and then pulled her into an embrace. She returned it warmly, telling him through this how sorry she was to have caused him any grief. A barrier had broken within her; all the unhappiness she had felt of late, all that had prevented her from finding joy with her family was now vanishing.

She pulled out of the embrace as something changed within her mind. Her father raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"Eldarion has left his meeting with his father," she said, almost to herself. Seeing her father watching her she added: "Elboron is free as well. We can now go and practice."

"Well go then," her father said. "Do not let me keep you from your happiness."

She grinned widely and rushed out of the door and almost flew through the series of caverns until she found Eldarion standing with his father in the entrance hall. She made her way towards them, and the two men looked up at her approach. Eldarion's expression softened and he stared at her unblinkingly. A wave of warmth and affection came through their bond then, and Neniel returned it without faltering.

"We must go practice with Elboron now, Eldarion," she said as she descended the last steps and stood beside him. "He's waiting on us."

Eldarion frowned; he knew as well as she did that Elboron was currently with one of the palace healers having his injury tended to. They were both experiencing ripples of his pain after all. But before he could say anything, she sent him a swift assurance with her mind, and he stayed silent.

"Good luck," Elessar said to them, his tone light, but his eyes narrowed as he looked between them. His gaze was shrewd, but Neniel did not care. Eldarion followed her as they left the entrance hall and she led him down a series of halls deeper into the earth. As soon as they were out of sight, he spoke to her.

"Where are we really going?"

She turned to face him and smiling widely took his hand. "Do you trust me?"

"Always," he said, smiling back.

She laughed and then broke out into a run, dragging Eldarion with her as she manoeuvred through long corridors and across narrow bridges. He was barely keeping pace with her and was also laughing. She finally stopped before a small door in the wall of some innocuous cavern. He looked at her expectantly.

"This is my secret escape," she said, running her hands over the stone. "It was my mother's idea, my father built it for her. It leads out of the palace."

"Out of the palace?" a trickle of caution came through their link. "Is that wise with Shadow Orcs around?"

"I thought you said you trusted me," she said, winking. "Trust me, where we are going there is no shadow."

Neniel turned away and opened the door by means of a key she had lifted from her mother's old quarters. It led to a narrow staircase of stone, and she ran lightly up the steps, Eldarion's hand in hers. Up and up they went in a seemingly never-ending spiral until finally they had emerged into the bright sun, making them both shield their eyes. As Eldarion adjusted to the bright light he gasped when he saw what was around them.

"It was my mother's secret pool," she explained, adoring the look of wonder on his face. "My favourite place in all Mirkwood."

He was speechless, and it was easy to see why. She saw the place through his eyes now as if for the first time, and it was wondrous. They had emerged into a vast clearing in the forest filed with sunlight and fresh air. The clearing was situated at the foot of a cliff over which fell a shimmering waterfall into a pool which was deep and clear and cool, stretching from one end of the clearing to the other. The river flowed out of the other end and continued on to the waterfall at the palace gates. This place was an oasis, a place entirely private, almost inaccessible by foot thanks to the steepness of the incline and the strength of the river. The sound of water, unlike the roar of the larger waterfall below was like a gentle murmuring like the ringing of clear bells. The water away from the waterfall was as still as a mill pond, flat as the surface of a mirror. Neniel felt that to gaze into the pool was to gaze into serenity itself, for many an hour could be whiled away here just listening to the falling of the water, the swaying of the leaves and bathing in the warm sun above. There were so few places one could see the sun in Mirkwood. From his mind, Neniel could tell he had missed the sight of that warm, yellow face.

"It's - it's …" he trailed off, unable to finish his sentence, but Neniel knew what he was feeling.

"Come," she said, leading him by the hand to the water's edge. She walked in, shuddering slightly at the coolness, but delighting in the way it washed over her skin, cleansing her, soothing her. She turned to see Eldarion hesitating on the shore. She fixed her eyes on his and slowly removed the cloak she wore around her shoulders, throwing it back to shore, exposing the bare arms of her attire. She kept her eyes on him as she lay back in the water, feeling her dress spread out on the surface and her hair swirl around her face. She floated there an instant, gazing up at the blueness of the sky, the sun warm on her skin while the cold lay beneath keeping her in balance, feeling utterly at peace with the world. She floated out to the middle of the pool before she turned herself upright again. He still stood on the shore, watching her with his mouth hanging open. The sight was unbearably adorable.

She laughed and sent splashes in his direction. "Come on! Or is the great Son of Elessar a coward?"

That did it, and with a mischievous grin he had removed his outer clothing and boots and plunged into the water with her. He cried out as the coldness met his body and he almost left again, but instead forced his way towards her, ignoring the shivers that racked his body, not swimming, but wading. Soon, he was standing near her, teeth chattering.

"You enjoy this?" he asked so incredulously she had to laugh.

"It is the greatest joy that I know."

"But it's so cold!"

"Only to a southerner," she teased, splashing him some more. He spluttered and splashed her too, both laughing with carefree abandon.

By now the two had drifted to the waterfall itself and the cascade fell over them, drenching them utterly and again making Eldarion cry out again at the shock of the icy water raining down on his head. They pulled themselves out of the water and stood on some rocks at the base of the waterfall, slippery with moss and water.

"Let me show you through my eyes," Neniel said, and she reached forwards to place her hands in his and opened her mind to his utterly. She let him experience the water as she did, not as something cold and unwelcome, but life-giving and embracing. She let him feel how the water revitalised her, how it made her alive again, how at peace she felt feeling the water against her skin, how it whispered to her and cared for her.

His mind drank it all in, wrapping itself around hers, exploring each sensation, living every memory and embracing the feelings she was divulging. In return she experienced the new joy that was raging through his mind at his discovery, the sheer delirium of sharing this experience with her. She opened her mind further, releasing the last vestiges of herself that she had kept hidden, the strength of her feeling for him, the happiness she felt with him, the love she had to give.

She felt him jump at this outpouring, but his surprise was soon overcome by elation and soon into her own mind was flowing an equal strength of feeling. She saw herself as he saw her, laughing and merry, comforting and soothing, teasing and mischievous … loved.

The entire time they had kept their eyes open, and hers were still fixed on his, grey meeting silver. She lost herself in those depths, grey as the sky on a crisp winter's day, bubbling with emotion, with love for her. The sensation was exhilarating, and her head felt light.

Her eyes trailed over him; his skin was glistening as water beads sparkled in the sun, his dark hair was plastered to his head with his slightly pointed ears poking through the tangled mess and his clothes clung tightly to his muscled body. She had never before appreciated till now how beautiful he was. And he loved her. She was filled with a longing so deep she wondered how it could all fit inside her. She wanted his arms around her, like they had comforted her in Mordor, she wanted his hands running through her hair … she wanted him.

"Le annon veleth nín," she said, reaching up and resting her arms on his shoulders, bringing her hands to his face to trace his subtle elven features with gentle caresses of her fingers. He watched her, his eyes never leaving her face, his gaze almost dazed. He seemed to be holding his breath, as though afraid breathing would break the illusion.

"Gerich veleth nín, Lalaith," he responded bringing up his own arms to encircle her waist. "Le melin."

Neniel inched closer to him, loving the sensation of his arms around her. She lifted her head to his, desperate to close the gap, to have their bodies as close as their minds. He was in no less of a hurry.

He bent her head down to her and their foreheads touched for a moment before he drew her closer to his chest and touched his lips to hers.

From that moment, Neniel knew nothing else but the sensation of him, the feel of his strong arms, the taste of his lips, the smell of his skin, fresh and wet from the waterfall. She entwined her arms around his neck, desperately pulling him even closer, twisting her fingers in his hair making him moan softly and sending spams of pleasure rippling through her entire body. His hands were all over her back, then her waist, then her face, fingers gently caressing her skin leaving burning trails in their wake. Their bodies became as one as did their minds, and Neniel experienced not only her own pleasure, but his as well. They ceased to be two individuals but became one glorious entity that knew nothing else but each other.

They broke apart after what could have been an age but lingered close, foreheads touching, feeling each other's breath over their faces. He had his hands cupping her face, his fingers brushing along her jawline and her cheeks, hers were clinging onto the front of his shirt. She could feel the hammering of his heart beneath the thin cloth.

She opened her eyes to see him looking at her through a haze, as though not quite believing she were real. She rested her hands against his chest and smiled widely, giggling with ecstasy. She barely knew what to do, all she knew was that she wanted to stay here with him and forget all the rest of the world.

"Lalaith," he murmured, bringing his lips down on hers again and then trailing kisses along her jaw and neck. She pulled him close, pressing her lips to any part of him she could reach. As he brought his hands down to fumble with the fastenings to her dress she experienced an entirely new thrill of pleasure, and she too found herself reaching for his clothes, wishing to remove these unnecessary layers and feel his skin against hers. As he began to slip her dress off and hold her tightly against his chest, capturing her mouth with his once again she lost herself in her own garden of pleasure, thanking the Valar for bringing her this man.

Was it only a few months ago she had lain in that cell in Mordor believing herself dead and bereft of all hope? She could never have believed then how alive she could feel now. She would never feel despair again.

Eldarion was not entirely sure how he made it back to the palace, nor how he ended up in the dining chamber with all the other guests eating their evening meal. He could not remember anything save that which he had left. Lalaith. The feel of her skin, the taste of her lips, the sound of her voice when she had told him she loved him. He did not know a man could ever be this happy. For the first time he understood the old songs in a new light, the plight of Beren and Lúthien held new meaning for him as no longer did he wonder why they would sacrifice their lives for each other. He would do so willingly in a heartbeat for Neniel. He loved her, and she loved him. The war lay forgotten.

She was in the dining chamber, sitting between her father and grandfather on the dais, as radiantly beautiful as ever. Only a slight blush on her cheeks betrayed what she had been filling her afternoon with. Their clothes and skin had quickly dried in the heat of the sun as they lay on the bank of the secret pool, though neither had noticed much of anything other than each other. She detected his eyes on her and looked up, sending him a secret smile before turning back to her father, eyes sparkling.

Eldarion breathed out, still feeling dizzy with the excitement of the afternoon. It was almost like intoxication, only without the nausea and headaches. He wanted to be next to her now, touching her again, kissing her all over …

He forced his eyes away, knowing that he could not trust himself to stare any longer. He tried to focus on his meal, but found he had no hunger. He pushed the food around on his plate for a while, still picturing her in his mind, the look on her face before she had kissed him, the sight of her submerged in the glistening pool, the sight of her body exposed before him …

He was sitting at a table with his father and some of his advisors and they tried to engage him in their conversation, but his responses were only cursory, so lost was he in memory. At another table Elboron was seated with his family. His eyes were on Eldarion, and Eldarion knew immediately from his expression that he knew what had happened. He was barely suppressing a grin, raising his eyebrows suggestively, a knowing look in his eyes. Eldarion looked away from him before he too could grin, or blush, or both. He tried to engage himself with the conversation around him, but then realised it had fizzled out entirely. His father was watching him.

"Where were you this afternoon?" he asked. He glanced at Elboron. "You were not with Elboron, for he was with the healers and then came to assist his father."

"I was with Neniel," Eldarion answered truthfully, remembering his vow to never lie to his father again.

"You were exploring your bond?"

Eldarion thought of what they had been doing, and almost smiled. Well, there had been exploration involved of a kind.

"We were joining our minds, yes," he said, still trying to stick to the basics of the truth. "We learned a great deal about each other."

"Indeed," his father said, and if he suspected anything more, he said nothing. Eldarion inwardly felt a little deflated. He was concealing something important from his father again, something he had vowed not to do again. But was this the same? He had said himself in Osgiliath that he did not expect him to share everything with him. He did not think his father would be thrilled to learn what his son had been doing that afternoon with an elvish princess. It was not the right time for anyone to find out.

That night he retired to his chambers in the heart of the twisting caves and sank into his bed, closing his eyes in sheer bliss at the remembrance of this most perfect day. He did not bother to undress but lay there in the darkness trying to summon to memory every last detail of the afternoon, every feeling, every touch, every kiss.

It turned out, he had no need.

He became aware that the door to his chambers had opened and a dark figure slipped in. A presence soon joined him on the bed, a slight weight that barely registered. The next moment that presence was upon him, hands upon his chest, and head lowered to meet his.

"Lalaith," he smiled, and surrendered himself entirely to this presence as it bent its lips to his and sent shots of delight though every inch of his body.

No fear of being caught crossed his mind. His only fear was that this feeling might be taken away from him. He did not think he could bear that.

Elvish Translation (Sindarin)

Ada/adar- dad/father

iell nín- my daughter

Le annon veleth nín- I give my love to you

Gerich veleth nín, Lalaith. Le melin- You have my love, Lalaith. I love you.