Chapter 14

The next several weeks carried on much the same. There was now a dusting of snow settled on the boughs of the forest. Though the deep of winter was mild that year, more chilling to Narinya was the nagging distance between her and Legolas - one that their open conversation had narrowed but not entirely bridged.

She was not sure how to go about fixing it, or if it was even possible for her and the prince to go back to how things had been before. Perhaps she should be content with how things had turned out. Still, she found herself thinking often about what might have been, what almost had been, between them. Before.

Her regrets pulled at her heart and the sense of loss she felt made her own feelings plain to her. She could not deny her affection for him and nor could she deny how badly she wished for him to return it.

But she was determined to not dwell on those thoughts. She was relieved that her body finally felt like it had before her short pregnancy. It had been too long since she had taken Alagos for a run, and she knew it would lift her mood.

She stepped out into the crisp air. Her brown hair looked almost amber in the sun's angled afternoon rays. She wore a basic green tunic, made of a thicker fabric for added warmth, with leggings for riding underneath, nothing distinguishing her from the other ellith of Greenwood save a simple silver circlet.

She walked briskly to the stables, the elves there bowing their heads to her as she passed by. She returned their gesture and went on, finding Alagos restless in his stall. She pulled back the latch and walked in, his soft nose greeting her outstretched hand.

"Hello there, old friend," she leaned against his frame and rested her cheek on his neck before pulling away to slip a bridle up over his ears.

Legolas was passing by the stables on his way back toward the halls. He had come looking for Lathron at the archery range, but had not found him there and instead noticed his wife on her way somewhere. He watched from afar as she led her horse out into the yard. She was talking to him as they walked, but Legolas could only guess at what she was saying. He turned from the scene and began walking down the wide path that she would likely take.

He was surprised though, when moments later he heard the rapid footfalls of hooves fast approaching at a full gallop. He moved aside quickly to the edge of the path and watched Narinya race by, her hair flying out behind her. He tilted his head, wondering where she was going in such a rush.

Stepping back out onto the path, his bow reliably resting against his back, he listened. The footfalls of Narinya's mount grew quieter until he could not detect them at all. The only sounds were the whispers of the forest and the frequent calls of winter birds in the treetops. A cool breeze blew across his face, lifting the ends of his golden hair for a moment.

Finally, he heard the distant sound of hooves returning. He surveyed the path, waiting for the princess' approach, and his sharp eyes found her form some distance away.

Her horse was traveling at a trot, cooling down from the gallop he had been at minutes before. Legolas watched intently as they approached. Narinya had fallen easily into her horse's pace, her hips rising and falling in time with each stride. Legolas' gaze lingered on her form, suddenly finding the movement of her body very arousing. He looked up to meet her grey eyes as she slowed her horse to a walk and thus settled comfortably still on his back.

She smiled warmly at him. "Hello, Legolas. What brings you out here? I thought you had assignments that would keep you the entire day."

He willed his mind to clear of its former thoughts, "Yes, but I was able to escape having only finished half of them; it all can be continued tomorrow. I was just here for some peace."

"I certainly must have interrupted it, then." She swung one leg over the back of her horse and landed lightly on the ground. "I needed to feel the wind in my hair again."

"You didn't interrupt."

She was surprised when Legolas clasped her hand and led her to the small clearing nearby, "Sit with me."

Narinya turned Alagos loose then, allowing him to wander and graze on the first signs of an early spring.

Legolas removed his bow and quiver and placed them down with care before seating himself against the trunk of the tree, where the ground was dry. He looked up at the canopy above as he spoke, "It is good to see you out riding again."

"I finally feel like myself again."

Legolas was pensive, and remained looking upward, rather than at her. She sensed there was more he wanted to say. She waited.

Several minutes passed before Narinya decided to prompt him. "Legolas, is there anything you want to know more about?" She spoke quietly. If she hoped to bridge the distance between them, she knew she might have to tolerate some discomfort.

He looked her way, his gaze full of intensity. After a long pause, he spoke, "No, Narinya."

While she felt relieved at avoiding a difficult conversation, she also felt oddly disappointed in his apparent disinterest. She had expected him to have many more questions than he had so far asked about all that had transpired, especially about her relationship with Calanon.

While things were friendly between them again, perhaps that was all that Legolas now wanted.

And she knew she should be grateful to even have that.

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Narinya was poring over historical maps of Greenwood, examining how it had changed throughout the years. She noticed a small body of water tucked away deep in the forest, but it appeared on only a select few of the maps. On one version, it looked to have small vertical lines added over it, but she was not certain what they represented. The Forest River was too swift for swimming and the prospect of a more still body of water being somewhere nearby was interesting to her.

Legolas arrived at the threshold of the library, where he knew he would find Narinya. She was leaning over a desk, lost in careful study of a map that even from a distance he could tell to be of Greenwood. So engrossed was she that she had not noticed him arrive, and so he lingered a moment, taking in the sight of her. He smiled at her interest in the forest that he held so dear. He had found it endearing from her earliest days as princess how eager she was to learn what she could about her new home, beyond the requirements of her new title.

Narinya looked up and noticed him there, breaking him out of his reverie. "Is it time for the evening meal already?"

"We have a few minutes yet. What are you looking at there?"

She gestured for him to join her and he surveyed the map she had spread out on the desk before them, the condition of the parchment suggesting it was quite old.

"I noticed this lake... pond, perhaps... on some of these maps." She was not sure of the scale of the drawings. "What is it?"

Legolas leaned over the desk, his golden hair falling over his shoulders. "It's a spring."

"Is it still there? It's here on this map, but not on all the others." She pulled another from her small pile to show him.

"I have not visited it in many years, but even then it was sometimes no larger than a puddle." He wore a knowing look, as if there were more to it than he was letting on.

Narinya looked disappointed, shuffling the pile to inspect another version of the map, "I would not have thought it would be included on these maps if it were always so small."

"Sometimes it is deep enough to wade or bathe in." Noticing her heartened expression, he added, "But, it's fed in part by the enchanted stream; entering it would be ill-advised."

Her eyes widened. She had certainly read about the enchanted stream since her arrival in Greenwood, but she had known of it long before, from bedtime stories her father had told to her and her sister as elflings. Elven kind, she recalled, were not as susceptible as other creatures to its intoxicating influence, but it was still not to be risked.

She pressed on. Even if she could not swim in it, she was more intrigued now. "Still, I would love to see it."

"You would need an escort. It's too far from our halls," he said matter-of-factly.

She looked at him hopefully, "Perhaps tomorrow? I've nothing else to see to, and the weather has been quite favorable."

He nodded his consent, "I'll see to it that someone meets you at the gates in the morning."

Narinya forced a smile, hiding her disappointment that he had not offered to accompany her himself. Nonetheless, she was eager for an adventure.

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The next morning, Narinya idled in one of the halls closest to the main gate as she waited for her assigned escort to arrive. She hoped it would at least be one of the elven guards who was easy to talk to, as it would be a long and perhaps awkward journey if not. Her hair was neatly woven into a single thick braid and she was wearing a maroon tunic over a pair of leggings, with sturdy boots for the walk ahead.

She was studying the portraits that lined one of the nearby walls, her eyes traveling first over King Thranduil and his late wife. She made eye contact with his countenance, something she had struggled to do in person of late, his glare usually filled with disdain toward her. She wished she could defend herself, but she realized there really were no words left with which to do so.

Her eyes wandered to the next frame and met the striking blue gaze that she had come to know so very well. The capable artist had perfectly captured the prince's strong, angled features and her eyes rested there. She continued looking upon him, thinking of how he might respond, if she could explain everything fully, including her own feelings. The painting offered her no clues, the neutral expression there unchanged.

"What do you think?" A familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

She turned around and met the same blue eyes, though these were very much alive with mirth. His lips were turned up into half a grin, suggesting he had been watching her for more than a moment. Her face warmed. "The artist did well, with all of your portraits."

She wordlessly wondered when or if her own might be added, or if the king would simply never allow it, perhaps another passive aggressive way to make his displeasure known.

"What are you doing here?" She noted his garb. He was dressed in his forest green tunic and brown breeches, his bow and twin blades visible over his shoulders, and he wore no circlet on his head. He looked the part of a warrior more than a prince, at the moment.

"Are you not in need of an escort?"

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Their route took them deeper into the forest than Narinya had previously been, beyond the elven dwellings and merrymaking clearings. The narrow path was not suitable for horses, and so they went by foot. As they withdrew further from Thranduil's halls, the trees, branches, and vines grew more dense around them.

The walk was comfortably quiet, save the natural sounds of the forest and a few questions from Narinya about features they passed along the way.

After some time, Legolas slowed at a small and partly hidden opening next to the path, "Through here." He gestured for her to go first, holding back some of the vines that had attempted to close off the entrance entirely.

She bent at the waist to fit through and soon found herself inside a rocky glade. On the far side of it, she could see a pool, several yards wide, the water still. Just above the surface hovered a fine layer of steam, becoming immaterial with every slight shift of the wind. The thick row of trees that lined the edge of the clearing were bent inward over the water, as if reaching toward its warmth. A single column of sunlight dared pierce the canopy above. She walked over and kneeled on one of the large flat rocks along the pool's edge.

"This is idyllic."

She noticed Legolas had joined her now. He removed his bow and knives, resting them against the bark of a nearby tree. He smiled at her expression as she took in the wonder of the place.

She sat down on the smooth rock and started pulling off her boots, the warm water beckoning her. Legolas covered her hand with his, staying her. "It will not be safe for swimming."

She looked into the depths of the pool. The water before her looked nothing like the opaque and mysterious stream she had heard and read about, suggesting the pool before them must be filled primarily by other sources. Still, he knew the forest far better than her, and there seemed to be no way to be entirely sure at what concentration the enchanted water might be present.

"Have you ever?" She looked over at him, curious now if he had ever experienced the water himself.

He was silent for a long moment before answering, "I have."

"But the king does not know?"

He grinned, "Certainly not." A glimmer of mischief passed over his expression and she felt her stomach flutter.

"I want to try, Legolas." Entering any waters fed by the enchanted stream she knew was strictly forbidden, but perhaps having Legolas' leave would spare her any consequences if the king were ever to find out.

He considered her request. They were safe in the glade, and it was not as though other elves, himself included, had not done the exact same. The effects were more fleeting for their kind than for others, but there was still good reason to be cautious. "I cannot say how strong it will be, or how it might affect you. You're a strong swimmer, yes?" He knew it was true, from her many stories from Lake-town, but he wanted to be assured of it again.

"Yes, quite."

He nodded his head, indicating his assent.

She stood, unfastening the tunic she wore as her outermost layer. Under it, she wore a simple shirt and leggings, having little need for additional insulation even in the colder months. She hesitated a moment before pulling the shirt over her head as well, leaving only a plain bodice and leggings beneath. She'd be shielded by the mist and water soon enough, and it would be best if not all of her garments were drenched for the journey back.

Legolas remained looking ahead at the steaming surface before them. She seated herself again and gingerly dipped one of her now bare feet into the water. Aside from its natural warmth, it felt no different from the lake she was used to. Feeling increasingly bold, she lowered herself into the pool.

She lingered by the rock, where the water was shallower, in case she should feel something and want to climb back out.

She felt normal, so she continued further, to where the water reached her chest. Legolas watched her carefully, waiting for any sign of exhaustion or distress, but none came.

"Are you coming in?" She looked back toward him.

"I should not."

Narinya was treading water now, suggesting she was in the deepest part of the pool. She felt a new and unfamiliar warmth spread within her, beyond what could be explained by the pleasant temperature of the water. She tipped her head back and closed her eyes, deciding it felt quite nice.

He continued waiting, watching her now with more interest than concern. So far, she seemed unaffected and clear-headed. She was a vision there, laying back in the pool, her pale skin blending with the steam coming off of the water's surface around her. The water lapped against the curve of her neck and shoulders, the top of her bodice occasionally exposed to him with her movement.

"Are you sure you will not join me?" She asked again, her eyes still closed and her voice soft.

Instead of responding, he stood and removed his tunic and the shirt he wore underneath. She opened her eyes when she heard his entry into the water, surprised he had broken his own rule. Her breath hitched when she saw him, his bare chest and torso revealed to her for the first time. Forgetting herself, she let her eyes rest there, memorizing every new part of him before he waded into the deeper water.

She blinked twice, the sensation of floating having become oddly more pronounced. She felt her face flush; she wasn't sure if it was because he had caught her staring at him or if she was, in fact, being affected by the pool's properties.

It was not long before she knew for sure.

The world around them grew more distant and she found herself moving more slowly. She felt light, both in body and mind, her troubles far from her.

Legolas recognized it sooner than she had, the enchantment settling over him, the forest around them retreating. For a moment, he thought of exiting the pool before its hold over him grew. But as he felt all of the confusion and turmoil of the recent past between he and Narinya become muted, he decided to stay.

After a few quiet minutes, his eyes drifted back to her, feeling even more enticed by the vision of her now that he was in the water and his inhibitions were newly diluted.

She watched for a moment as Legolas moved in a languid manner toward her. She was unable to focus on anything but him, nor did she want to. Her eyes wandered over his form, the angles of his face, the planes of his exposed chest, the muscle beneath his skin.

Before long, he was next to her, both of them now shoulder deep in the pool. She closed her eyes.

"How do you feel, Narinya?" He spoke slowly, his voice lower than usual.

"Almost as if I've had too many glasses of your father's wine." She laughed merrily and she heard him do the same.

She willed herself to open her now heavy eyelids to meet his gaze, and there she saw it. The heat and want in his eyes. She had not seen that look since... before.

When their eyes met and he heard her intake of breath, what remained of his inhibitions crumbled.

He drew her toward him, his lips urgently meeting hers. She melted into the kiss, clinging to his strong shoulders while his underwater grip held her firmly in place against his body. She readily parted her lips for him, allowing his tongue to meet her own. His kiss was unyielding as he explored this new part of her, but she was bold too, matching his advances.

His mouth still on hers, he guided her toward the shallower edge of the pool, until her back connected with the rock they had entered from. He only broke the kiss to lift her onto it in one fluid movement.

She laid back against the smooth stone, her eyes closed. She heard the splash of him leaving the pool and within a moment he was suddenly atop her. He kissed her again, as deeply as before, one of his hands tangling with hers and pinning it in place against the cool surface above her head.

Her one free hand found its way to his back, where she could feel the muscle of his shoulder flexed in supporting his weight, keeping just a small amount of distance between their bodies. She pulled him in closer to her. Despite their exit from the warm water, a renewed heat tingled through her body.

It was then that the spell over them was suddenly broken, the effects of the pool wearing off quickly in the cool air.

Legolas abruptly pulled away, shifting off of her to the stone beside and sitting up. "I'm sorry, Narinya."

Her eyes followed the droplets of water traveling down his chest. As she returned to herself, she met his gaze, which had cooled considerably. "What are you apologizing for?"

"I should not have entered the pool; I was not myself."

She suddenly felt very exposed, her wet bodice clinging to her. She drew her legs up to her chest now, hiding herself from him. She knew in her heart that the effects of the pool had not made her do anything she had not wanted to do anyway, but here he was telling her that was not so for him. She felt tears stinging at the edges of her eyes and blinked them away.

He saw the shadow of hurt pass over her face, but it was gone quickly.

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