Chapter Twenty
Splish Splash, Water Bash

Sploosh. After weeks of sleeping and living in the same clothes, even modesty went out the window. The entire group just threw their clothes down and slid right in.

"Ahhh. So good." I sighed, letting the round rocks massage my back. Everyone's face was sleepy and content. Before we came in, many of the Lothlorien residents rose and left. That suited us fine.

After several minutes, I was splashed in the face. Gagging, I yelled, "Oh, it's on!"

A huge splash fight ensued with lots of laughter and gossip. Gradually, some elf maids came in to join the fun. We settled down minutes later. As we drifted into side conversations, some of the elf maids decided now was a good time to gossip really loud about the party. As usual, topics like these almost always lead to…

" Oh, Leiyla, I'm so excited for the ball! Did you know Legolas of Mirkwood is here?" Said one dirty blonde haired elf.

"No, really? Maybe he's looking for a wife in Lothloerien, so that the tribes can be unified again! I wonder where he could be?" A pale as a ghost elf answered. They were both extremely beautiful. I looked down, pretending I could see my feet.

One brazen elleth was floating towards the rock divider between the male and female sides and trying to peek through.

"EEEE!" She squealed.

"What happened Velyna?" Several girls swam up to her.

"Look, he's right there! And he has no clothes on!" More squeals, and one elf fainted. Her friend laid her head on one of the rocks until she woke up.

"Of course he has no clothes on. He's bathing, you idiots." Colyne elbowed me, but it was too late. Now I sounded jealous. Lily turned around.

"Neediness is unattractive in a lady, but you're no lady, so not to worry Nienna." She glared at me, and then dived in the water. I hope you drown you impolite little-

Trembles and waves in the water started. Lily came back up, flipping her gorgeous hair and holding up her prize. Of all the rocks in the divider, she had managed to pull out the one that would topple it.

"Oh dear, how foolish of me." Lily smiled, flashing pearl white teeth.

CRASH! Everyone moved back, the wall falling down.

Five minutes before the wall incident, the boys were talking on the other side.

"So, you're not going because you're worried about Arwen finding out you danced with another elleth?" Legolas asked.

"No, I'm not going because I don't want to dance with anyone but Arwen." More than one of the fellowship laughed.

"Well Master Aragorn, if you ask me, you're too besotted with the she-elf anyway." Gimli added.

"What about you Legolas? Where's your fiancé? Is she beautiful?" Pippen asked Legolas. Frodo elbowed him. Aragorn looked at his best friend.

"I have no fiancé Frodo." He seemed to be thinking about other things.

"Who are you asking to go to the ball Legolas?" Aragorn asked him, changing the topic.

"I have no idea."

"Take Lily! Or Delilah!" Merry said.

"No, I'm asking Delilah." Mark growled. With certain clarity, Legolas looked at Mark.

"You can have her. You both are the same."

"Thanks." Mark said, obviously missing the point.

"I think I'm gong to ask Vanessa out." Nick said, looking slightly green.

"Good luck bro. She's too much fucking trouble." Mark said.

Nick squinted at Mark.

"She's much better than the trash you traded her for."

"Woah Merry, look!" Pippin interrupts, looking through the hole in the wall. "All the girls are there except Delilah."

Blushing slightly, Legolas said "Pippin come away from there. That's impolite."

Mark went over.

"Damn. Those ladies are finnnee." He said, enjoying what he saw.

"C'mon and tell me you're not the least bit curious to see…"

"No." Both Aragorn and Legolas said at the same time.

There was singing coming from the other side now. All the girls in the fellowship were singing.

"What kind of a song is that?" Boromir asked clearly annoyed.

Nick shrugged. "We call that pop music."

Sam shook his head. "How on Middlearth can you pop music?"

Mark just stared at him so hard, Sam said

"I, I think I'm done now." And he got out and took a cloth folded on the side of the lake. Despite the song sounding weird, the fellowship listened.

Just then, a huge crashing sound sent the wall plummeting down. Merry grabbed Pippin before his little head got crushed. The others jumped backwards.

"What is going on?" They heard girls scream.

Aragorn, Legolas and Boromir all exchanged looks with each other.

("Who wants to bet it was our favorite stalker?") Aragorn whispers.

Legolas frowns "I know."

Boromir smiled wolfish. "I don't really mind!"

Then, the dust cleared. Twenty girls looked back at twenty guys. Legolas' pale face turned bright red. Aragorn looked away all together. Pippin and Merry screamed.

"AAAAAHHHHHHH!" The elf-girls joined in, and so did the guys.

"Ahhh!" Screamed Lily.

"AHHH!" Screamed Frodo.

"AhHhHhHHHHH! Screamed Mark, rather girly.

I dived, as all the girls submersed under the water. After that came a long, awkward silence. No one dared get out. No one wanted to stay in.

Finally twenty minutes later, after becoming human prunes, I look at everybody and just started uncontrollably laughing. The guys looked at me, shocked at my outburst.

Tears rolling down my cheeks, I said

"It's so funny! Everybody is all silent and there's just too much of it! Besides we all were starting to smell like Aragorn!"

My friends starting laughing, which was what I wanted. Pretty soon the guys on the other side were laughing, and it spread to the elf girls too.

By the time the guard elves came to see what the commotion had been about, a chorus of laughter was ringing throughout the entire forest.

Lesson: laughter is a good way to make unpleasant situations go away. Example: Being totally naked with strange girls who dislike you and the fellowship that you travel with on the other side.

When the guards realized that the wall had fallen down, they called Galadriel's Ladies to assist getting the girls some towels. Then one by one, the elf maids got out.

My friends and I, we stayed put.

"I am so not going out if there are guys here! You can't make me!" Yelled Lauren. The Ladies pleaded with her to come over.

"No. Boromir's looking!" She whined. I looked where she did. He was! I came over to the ladies, but didn't get out.

"Please tell the men to get dressed first. Then we'll get out."

The violet eyed, hay-tressed maid named Swayn nodded and told Haldiar. He glared at me, then walked off to Aragorn and told him. Soon, the guys all got out, while we turned away. My cheeks burned in embarrassment for them.

They soon came back, fully clothed in robes. We had already gotten our robes, and all of us were trying to fix our hair. I shook my wavy lion's mane.

"Nienna, your friends and you are to be escorted to the main floor for a fitting."

"Okay thank you." I don't even know who said that. I walked behind the crowd, slowly, wondering what tonight's festival would be like. It's not like present day ones with their false renaissance ideals. And what would the music be like? No David Guetta for sure. After some more minutes in thought, I bumped into Colyne. Gagging, I chocked on her bushy, curly black hair.

Let's skip the explaining about how I stood coughing up hair balls like some retarded cat as everyone stares at me. I can definitely feel my dead cat, Mr. Whiskers, turning in his grave.

"Sorry." I said, finally in control.