Chapter 4
Keladry was combing her hair out of its bun when there was a light knock on her door. "Come in," she called.

Tiri opened the door, a sad smile on her face. "Lady Keladry, I need to talk to you. It involves His Highness, Prince Legolas."

Keladry turned to face Tiri, motioning her to sit on the bed and Keladry joined her. "It's Kel. Not Lady Keladry. What do you need to talk to me about?"

"I hear that you are spending a bit of time with the Prince and I must ask you. How do you feel about him?" Tiri asked, a concerned look on her face.

"We are just friends, as far as I know." Kel shrugged. "Why?"

"He has the reputation among the ladies to be a heartbreaker, whether intentionally or not. His beauty wins many a lady's heart, only to break that heart when he turns his love to someone. I only want you to be aware that you would not be the first to succumb to his radiance without realizing it. I have become very fond of you and if you got hurt by him I would be hurt as well." Tiri hugged Kel around the shoulders. "Just be careful. Okay?"

"Any thing for you, Tiri." Keladry smiled at her, knowing that her concern was well placed. "But at the moment, I need to run. The prince and I are having a picnic!" Keladry bounced off the bed, grabbing her bathing clothes and a towel on her way out the door.

* * *

Legolas was waiting patiently for Keladry when she came running around corner, clothes in hand.

"Sorry I'm late. Tiri wanted to get back the barrettes I borrowed from her yesterday." Keladry gasped as she tried to catch her breath from running. It was then that she spotted the basket at Legolas's feet. "You had enough time to get the food? I must have taken a while then. Sorry."

"It was not that long. The chef just brought it out, if you want the truth." Legolas flashed her his blinding smile. "Shall we head out now, Keladry?"

"Definitely! Lead on fair Legolas. My stomach is growling for that food you carry." Keladry giggled. "And please don't call me Keladry. I prefer Kel. If you don't mind."

"Of course I don't mind, Kel." Legolas reassured her as they started for the gardens.

* * *

"A' Oh! Legolas! Ta naa vanima! It is beautiful! Amin luhta! I'm enchanted!" Kel gasped as they rounded the last corner and came upon the waterfall grove. The crystal clear lagoon at the bottom reflected the cloudless sky above and the area around it was covered in wild flowers.

"I'm glad you like it," Legolas grinned. "What would you like to do first? Work up an even bigger appetite or eat now and be more hungry after?"

"When you put it that way. . . I think that swimming is the safe way to go if I'm going to destroy this need for food that I have." Kel answered. "Is there a place I can change without all of Mirkwood seeing me naked?"

"Behind the waterfall there is a small cave that you can change in." Legolas pointed to the waterfall.

"Can I trust you though?" Keladry joked as she jogged towards the waterfall.

"Most people don't trust me as far as they can throw me," Legolas joked back.

Keladry slipped behind the waterfall and found a small cave with a bench. It was obvious that Legolas had gone swimming here before. She shrugged off her dress and slipped into the calf length pants and sleeveless shirt she had brought. They matched her hair and with the lack of any other color, her eyes stood out more than ever.

When she returned, Legolas had taken advantage of her absence and changed into a pair of extremely short pants that ended at his knees.

Kel looked behind her and tried to find the easiest way up the side of the waterfall. Ignoring Legolas, she climbed to the top. The waterfalls at home were much bigger than this, she reassured herself. When she reached her destination she spotted a good flat rock. Standing on it, Keladry waved to Legolas and jumped. She closed her eyes and made a point of her two hands. The point sliced through the water neatly as she became submerged. As Kel resurfaced, she saw Legolas standing there, staring at her as if she was crazy.

"What's wrong?" Kel asked as she floated on her back. "Didn't think that a niece of Galadriel's would perform such a stunt?"

"I figured that you would not have had the chance to go try stunts like that while in the same forest as your aunt. She was pretty strict when I was there last." Legolas shrugged.

"Never assume the safest where a Lothlorien Lady is concerned. Especially with this one." Keladry warned as she flipped under to do a handstand. When she came back up, Legolas was gone. "Legolas?" she called, puzzled at his sudden disappearance.

She was starting to get worried when there was a big *splash* behind her. Whipping around, she saw him coming up about half a foot away from her. He had an evil grin on his face.

"That was mean!" Keladry exclaimed. "I thought that you had just left me here!"

"I only wanted to see if it was really that much fun. I've never tried it before," Legolas replied. He flicked some water at Kel and got a face full back. He looked around and decided that the lagoon was long enough to challenge her to a race. "Kel, how about we race from the edge of the waterfall to the other side?" Legolas asked.

"Only if you want to lose." Keladry replied. She started to swim slowly towards the waterfall. "What are you waiting for?" she asked.

"Nothing," Legolas said as he hurried to catch up with her. "I was just thinking that this will be an easy race if you plan to beat me with that sluggish pace."

"I should think not," Kel snorted as he took his place next to her. "You give the go."

"Ready, set, GO!" Legolas called. He shot off, thinking that he would beat Keladry by so much that it would wipe the smug look on her face. Only after he was half way across did he realize that she was already at the finish line.

"THAT was the pace I planned to beat you with." Keladry smiled. "And the Lady of Lothlorien wins again! Thank you!"

Legolas got another evil grin on his face. He swam over to where Kel was, grabbed her arm, and pulled her to the center. As he got in back of her she exclaimed, "What do you think you're doing?"

Legolas pushed her down under the water and held her there as he stood on her shoulders.

Keladry did not like that one bit and let herself sink to the bottom. When she felt her feet hit, she rocketed out of the water like a spring.

Legolas went flying in to the air. With a *smack* he hit the water painfully just on time for Keladry to see.

"That's what you get for messing with me!" Kel taunted as he resurfaced.

"Note to self," Legolas grumbled as pulled himself out of the lagoon. "Never take Keladry swimming. It will only end in pain." He wrapped his towel around his waist and started to unpack the food in their basket.

"So now you're going wimp on me?" Keladry exclaimed as she too, pulled herself out of the water. "Since when do Elves wimp out?"

"Since I never said I was wimping out. I'm just really hungry. Aren't you?" Legolas replied as Keladry wrapped her towel around herself.

"Of course I am. I was hungry in the first place." Keladry shrugged. "I just never thought that you were one to back away from a fight, water or land." Kel smiled at him then. "I suppose I could forgive you if you gave me some of that sandwich you are taking out of the basket."

"Only if you promise to forgive me." Legolas bartered.

"Only if you give me the sandwich." Keladry tried to tackle him for it, failing miserably. "Saes? Pretty please?" She begged as he laughed at her. "I forgive you."

"That face of yours is worth it," Legolas chuckled as he got out his own.

"Make fun of me all you like. I've got a sandwich." Keladry sniffed as she took a big bite.

For the rest of the morning, they told each other stories and ate.