Author's Note: Takes place when Haldir and Eveslyn are approximately 16 - 17 years old in human years.
Eveslyn wound down the curvy path leading to Haldir's parents' home. Her long dark blond hair followed her every step with a flowing jump of it's own. Today the young elves were headed to the river for a swim, and what a wonderful day for it! The sweltering heat was making every living thing in the forest rather sluggish. The heat did not bother Eveslyn of course, but she would use just about anything for an excuse for a dip in the refreshing waters of the river. She drifted through the heavy scented gardens, stopping only a moment to inhale deeply the natural perfumes of the Elvin forest. She proceeded under the stone archway and into the home of her best friend.
"Good afternoon young Eveslyn." Haldir's mother spoke from behind her book. "Where will you two be off to for the day?"
"Yes, and what kind of trouble will you be getting yourselves into?" Haldir's father questioned teasingly, but with a slight note of seriousness.
"We are going to the river for a swim," Eveslyn answered, her best smile on her pretty features, "no trouble intended today!"
"Come on Naneth, we never get into trouble!" Haldir chimed in while sliding down the long wooden banister.
"Haldir!" both of his parents cried in unison.
"Run for it Eveslyn, or we may never get out of here!" Haldir laughed, grabbing Eveslyn by the wrist and pulling her out the door.
*~*~*~*
The young elves raced to the river, stopping only long enough to shed their clothes by the water's edge. Haldir pulled himself into a nearby tree and elegantly dove into the river water. Eveslyn waded into the water up to her waist and twisted to begin floating on her back with her eyes closed. Haldir popped up beside her smiling as sinisterly as he could.
"What would you do if I..." Haldir began.
"Do not bother splashing me - I would drown you." Eveslyn cut him off.
Haldir looked at her uncertainly, "No you wouldn't."
Eveslyn had not even opened her eyes yet, "Do you really want to find out?"
Haldir waded beside her, raised his arm high, "Yep!" and splashed her with a delighted laugh.
Eveslyn disappeared under the surface of the water.
"Uh oh" Haldir was able to utter before being pulled under the surface.
The elf friends splashed each other and played on the river bottom until they were tired then pulled them selves onto the sandy bank beside the river to dry in the late afternoon air. Only then, in the silence of the forest, did they hear the singing.
Eveslyn and Haldir dressed hastily turning towards the forest and the unknown vocalist. They glanced and grinned at each other recognizing the tune emanating from the woodland. Haldir's older brother, Orophin, had been humming the identical tune last night after his walk through the woods. The only difference was, it was a maiden singing and not Orophin.
The young elves pushed their way through the trees and climbed into the branches where they followed the lullaby to a weeping willow tree. Orophin lay listening to the song with his golden head in the lap of an elf maiden. She sang harmoniously of warriors winning battles, dragons being slain and other races of Middle Earth. Eveslyn and Haldir settled on the branch opposite of them and spied quietly.
Orophin and Askaran talked quietly to each other for several lengthy minutes; the young elves hidden in the trees could not even hear what was being discussed. Askaran giggled girlishly and traced her slender hand along Orophin's cheek. The two lovers leaned in for a gentle kiss.
Haldir had grown tired of spying on his brother and his girlfriend. He rose slowly and silently, grazing Eveslyn so she would follow him. Eveslyn had become enraptured with the two lovers and was watching intently what would happen next. She had seen her parents kiss many times, but never anyone else, some how it was different. She was curious as of how to react to flirting with a young elf man. She was too young yet to really know.
Haldir had to pull Eveslyn away from the scene under the willow tree. Orophin was his brother after all, and deserved his privacy. Haldir knew of Orophin's intentions on joining with Askaran, he was very serious about her. Proposing was probably on Orophin's agenda while having this romantic picnic with her.
"Yuck." Haldir smirked after putting some distance between them and the lovers. "Why would he be interested in kissing her before they join?"
"Its romantic you unromantic male." Eveslyn answered dreamily. "I can't wait to be kissed, I wonder what its like."
"Why?! Its gross!" Haldir was shocked his best friend would think of that!
The two young elves walked in silence until they reached the gardens separating their homes. Haldir's mind had wondered into new pranks they could try on the lovers. What a way to get at his brother! Eveslyn's mind, however, was replaying the kiss she had seen.
"Haldir?"
"Yes?"
"Would you kiss me?"
"HUH?"
"Please, I just want to know what it is like." Eveslyn looked her friend in the face, "What better way to find out something new, than with your best friend!"
Haldir looked at Eveslyn as if she had leaves growing out of her ears. "Why?"
"That way I can say my best friend was my first kiss, and it wasn't wasted on someone I had no feelings for" Eveslyn smiled.
"You have feelings for ME?" Haldir, close to panic was also close to running.
"Not like that, you're my Best Friend, I do have feelings toward you, but I certainly would not be your wife!" Eveslyn chuckled.
"Why not, what is wrong with me?" Haldir demanded not thinking about how his question sounded.
"Haldir, you do not want to even kiss me, you would not make a good husband." Eveslyn stated.
Haldir stopped himself before saying something he almost regretted and something that would get him into trouble. "You know. You females make no sense!"
"You owe me."
"I do not owe you for anything that big!"
"Tree incident."
Haldir stammered, but could not think of a single thing to say. "Oh all right, if I have to."
Eveslyn smiled winningly. Haldir leaned in, his lips crushed together as tight as they would go his eyes closed. Eveslyn, a little more relaxed, tilted her head upward towards Haldir. Their lips met briefly and then parted just as quick.
Eveslyn opened her eyes slowly, "I do not see what all the fuss is about."
Haldir gawked at her, "I thought it was good!"
Eveslyn shook her long locks, "I'll see you later then?"
"Yeah," Haldir turned to go inside. "Eveslyn?"
"Yes?"
"You are still my best friend, right?"
Eveslyn flashed him her best smile, "Of course I am Haldir, or until I can find a better kisser!"
"Har-har." Haldir entered his house.
Eveslyn wound down the curvy path leading to Haldir's parents' home. Her long dark blond hair followed her every step with a flowing jump of it's own. Today the young elves were headed to the river for a swim, and what a wonderful day for it! The sweltering heat was making every living thing in the forest rather sluggish. The heat did not bother Eveslyn of course, but she would use just about anything for an excuse for a dip in the refreshing waters of the river. She drifted through the heavy scented gardens, stopping only a moment to inhale deeply the natural perfumes of the Elvin forest. She proceeded under the stone archway and into the home of her best friend.
"Good afternoon young Eveslyn." Haldir's mother spoke from behind her book. "Where will you two be off to for the day?"
"Yes, and what kind of trouble will you be getting yourselves into?" Haldir's father questioned teasingly, but with a slight note of seriousness.
"We are going to the river for a swim," Eveslyn answered, her best smile on her pretty features, "no trouble intended today!"
"Come on Naneth, we never get into trouble!" Haldir chimed in while sliding down the long wooden banister.
"Haldir!" both of his parents cried in unison.
"Run for it Eveslyn, or we may never get out of here!" Haldir laughed, grabbing Eveslyn by the wrist and pulling her out the door.
*~*~*~*
The young elves raced to the river, stopping only long enough to shed their clothes by the water's edge. Haldir pulled himself into a nearby tree and elegantly dove into the river water. Eveslyn waded into the water up to her waist and twisted to begin floating on her back with her eyes closed. Haldir popped up beside her smiling as sinisterly as he could.
"What would you do if I..." Haldir began.
"Do not bother splashing me - I would drown you." Eveslyn cut him off.
Haldir looked at her uncertainly, "No you wouldn't."
Eveslyn had not even opened her eyes yet, "Do you really want to find out?"
Haldir waded beside her, raised his arm high, "Yep!" and splashed her with a delighted laugh.
Eveslyn disappeared under the surface of the water.
"Uh oh" Haldir was able to utter before being pulled under the surface.
The elf friends splashed each other and played on the river bottom until they were tired then pulled them selves onto the sandy bank beside the river to dry in the late afternoon air. Only then, in the silence of the forest, did they hear the singing.
Eveslyn and Haldir dressed hastily turning towards the forest and the unknown vocalist. They glanced and grinned at each other recognizing the tune emanating from the woodland. Haldir's older brother, Orophin, had been humming the identical tune last night after his walk through the woods. The only difference was, it was a maiden singing and not Orophin.
The young elves pushed their way through the trees and climbed into the branches where they followed the lullaby to a weeping willow tree. Orophin lay listening to the song with his golden head in the lap of an elf maiden. She sang harmoniously of warriors winning battles, dragons being slain and other races of Middle Earth. Eveslyn and Haldir settled on the branch opposite of them and spied quietly.
Orophin and Askaran talked quietly to each other for several lengthy minutes; the young elves hidden in the trees could not even hear what was being discussed. Askaran giggled girlishly and traced her slender hand along Orophin's cheek. The two lovers leaned in for a gentle kiss.
Haldir had grown tired of spying on his brother and his girlfriend. He rose slowly and silently, grazing Eveslyn so she would follow him. Eveslyn had become enraptured with the two lovers and was watching intently what would happen next. She had seen her parents kiss many times, but never anyone else, some how it was different. She was curious as of how to react to flirting with a young elf man. She was too young yet to really know.
Haldir had to pull Eveslyn away from the scene under the willow tree. Orophin was his brother after all, and deserved his privacy. Haldir knew of Orophin's intentions on joining with Askaran, he was very serious about her. Proposing was probably on Orophin's agenda while having this romantic picnic with her.
"Yuck." Haldir smirked after putting some distance between them and the lovers. "Why would he be interested in kissing her before they join?"
"Its romantic you unromantic male." Eveslyn answered dreamily. "I can't wait to be kissed, I wonder what its like."
"Why?! Its gross!" Haldir was shocked his best friend would think of that!
The two young elves walked in silence until they reached the gardens separating their homes. Haldir's mind had wondered into new pranks they could try on the lovers. What a way to get at his brother! Eveslyn's mind, however, was replaying the kiss she had seen.
"Haldir?"
"Yes?"
"Would you kiss me?"
"HUH?"
"Please, I just want to know what it is like." Eveslyn looked her friend in the face, "What better way to find out something new, than with your best friend!"
Haldir looked at Eveslyn as if she had leaves growing out of her ears. "Why?"
"That way I can say my best friend was my first kiss, and it wasn't wasted on someone I had no feelings for" Eveslyn smiled.
"You have feelings for ME?" Haldir, close to panic was also close to running.
"Not like that, you're my Best Friend, I do have feelings toward you, but I certainly would not be your wife!" Eveslyn chuckled.
"Why not, what is wrong with me?" Haldir demanded not thinking about how his question sounded.
"Haldir, you do not want to even kiss me, you would not make a good husband." Eveslyn stated.
Haldir stopped himself before saying something he almost regretted and something that would get him into trouble. "You know. You females make no sense!"
"You owe me."
"I do not owe you for anything that big!"
"Tree incident."
Haldir stammered, but could not think of a single thing to say. "Oh all right, if I have to."
Eveslyn smiled winningly. Haldir leaned in, his lips crushed together as tight as they would go his eyes closed. Eveslyn, a little more relaxed, tilted her head upward towards Haldir. Their lips met briefly and then parted just as quick.
Eveslyn opened her eyes slowly, "I do not see what all the fuss is about."
Haldir gawked at her, "I thought it was good!"
Eveslyn shook her long locks, "I'll see you later then?"
"Yeah," Haldir turned to go inside. "Eveslyn?"
"Yes?"
"You are still my best friend, right?"
Eveslyn flashed him her best smile, "Of course I am Haldir, or until I can find a better kisser!"
"Har-har." Haldir entered his house.