One night a princess was getting ready for bed, not knowing where her path would be crossing the next day, or whom with. She stared at a picture of an elfin queen before going to bed.

In a clearing in the woods not too far from there, a group of travelers stopped their Quest to get some sleep.

The next morning when the princess woke up she got dressed quickly. She took some bread off her stand and crept down the big marble steps. Since she was an elf, and elves are particularly light-footed, no one even knew she was there. When she was at the bottom of the stairs she ran her way to the doors. Elves have such a unique way of running, so swift and silent and fast, that it’s kind of hard to explain. At any rate, she went out the door. She stepped carefully down the steep flight there. She then ran into the woods. When she was carefully out of sight, she stopped and took a deep breath. She had never been out of the castle without the guards following her all over the place. There she sat down to think.

About at that time, the travelers were waking up. A man named Strider got up first. He went over to the tree where all their packs were and took out some of the food. He started a fire and started to cook it. As soon as that was done he went over to one of his fellow travelers, Boromir. He was a Man too.
“Morning,” Strider welcomed him.
“Morning,” Boromir replied, “What is that which I smell?”
“Bacon,” Strider answered.
“Bacon!” yelled one of the hobbits, Pippin, “Did someone say bacon?” He was always hungry.
“Yes,” Strider told him, “And if you hurry up and get dressed you just might get some.” At that Pippin hopped up and got dressed. He shook the other three hobbits up.
“Frodo, Sam, Merry,” he called, “Get up. Bacon!” The three opened their eyes and rubbed them continually.
“What?” Sam asked.
“Bacon you bunch of fools!” Pippin yelled. All three of them bolted out of bed, got changed and ran over to the others. Strider went over to the other side of the tree to wake Gandalf (the wizard), Legolas (the elf), and Gimli (the dwarf). He was surprised when only one of them was there.
‘Gimli?” he asked.
“Yes,” Gimli said as he sat up.
“It is time for breakfast,” Strider replied.
“Alright,” Gimli said, “I’ll only be a moment.”
“Do you know where Gandalf and Legolas are?” Strider asked him.
“No,” Gimli said, “This is one dwarf that isn’t so easy to wake!”
“That isn’t exactly good,” Strider told him. Gimli looked at him annoyed.
“Legolas? Gandalf?” Strider called.
“Don’t shout,” Gandalf said, “Legolas is right behind me.”
“Fine then,” Strider replied.
“Yes, we were just checking the area,” Legolas sighed, “It’s beautiful.”
“You being a typical elf and all,” Strider said. He quickly changed the subject, “Breakfast is ready.”
“Great,” Legolas replied, “Maybe you and I can go a little further into the woods later?”
“Of course,” Strider called from the fire.

While the explorers were busy eating, our elfin princess was at her favorite lake. She looked deep into the pool and saw her friend, the squid who lived at the bottom of the lake. She threw what was left of her bread into the water. As soon as it hit the surface, a long, red tentacle pulled it down.

“I think we should get going,” Legolas said. He put his quiver of arrows over his shoulder, his sword and knives around his waist, and picked up his bow.
‘Fine then,” Strider said. He readied his weapons and followed Legolas into the woods. They walked very silently, but even that was hard for an elf, what with all the leaves on the ground. They trudged up a small hill. Legolas ran to the top and looked down below. It was a magnificent view of the trees, although that was about all that you could see.
“Come now Legolas,” Strider whispered. Legolas pulled himself out of his trance and walked back to where Strider was standing. As they kept walking down the hill Legolas stopped.
“What is it?” Strider asked.
“I sense something,” Legolas said, “Something further up the road. It is haunting me.”
“Alright,” Strider said, “Let us be silent.” He continued to walk but after a few paces stopped abruptly. “I hear a rustling of leaves.”
“So do I,” Legolas replied, “There is definitely something up ahead.”

Meanwhile the princess began to walk away from the lake and deeper into the forest. Suddenly she stopped and listened. There was something following her. She started to run away.

“They are running now, come along!” Legolas called. He took out an arrow and readied his bow, then started to run in his quick elf fashion. Strider followed, but he was not as fast or dodgy.

The princess quickened because they were running also, and evidently they were very fast. Plus, they were shooting arrows at her! Luckily elves can sense things coming and she dodged all of them.

“I can see them now!” Legolas said. He gasped, “It’s running fire!”

The princess was so busy dodging the arrows that she tripped over her skirts and fell. The people caught up with her and hovered behind. She picked up one of the arrows and stood with her back still to them.
“You are an elf,” she said, “And you dare to shoot arrows at me?”
“Why shouldn’t I?” Legolas asked.
“I guess you don’t know your princess from behind without her crown.” She turned around. As she did her hair whipped around and circled her whole body, covering her face. When she pulled it back the two realized that she was actually the most beautiful elf girl they had ever seen.
“I am sorry,” Strider said bowing, “But we are travelers searching for your father’s help. We did not know who you are.”
“Ahh,” the princess said, stroking the arrow, “I believe that this belongs to you.” Legolas’s fair face was fixed upon her, and his crystal clear blue eyes were now glazed over. His long shiny blond hair was billowing out behind his head. He was put even deeper into his trance by her voice, but was pulled out by the feathered arrow she was pushing into his hand.
“Thank you,” Legolas said. He bowed to her. She smiled at him gratefully.
“I am guessing that you need me to show you the way to my castle. But before I do I need to know your names,” she said, turning to each of them.
“I am Strider,” Strider said. He paused, and she looked deep into his eyes.
“You lie,” her voice said. He expected for Legolas to say something, but he then realized that the voice was inside of his head. He blinked twice and looked at the ground. She turned to Legolas.
“And I am Legolas,” he said. He reached for her hand, but instead of giving it to him, she curtsied gracefully.
“Sir… I mean… Prince Legolas!” she gasped. “I had no idea! I have only heard legends of you and your family, but I have never seen you in person. I did not even know you were real. I’m so sorry!”
“What is so special?” Strider asked confused.
“Why he is one of our greatest legends. He is the son of our archer king, and the Prince of Mirkwood!” she explained. Her hands were hidden inside her sleeves, but she was playing with something on her left hand.
“I can see why you thought that she was running fire,” Strider whispered to Legolas. She was wearing a long red dress with giant belled sleeves that covered her hands completely and reached the floor. Her hair was about five inches from the ground, and mixed with all of the brown were ropes of red.
“Come along now,” she called to them. “But wait!” She turned towards the west. “Rocco!” she called. There was a great noise, and out of the trees came three white horses.
“Get on,” she said to Legolas and Strider. They hopped on to two of the horses and followed her. Her horse was much faster and swifter than their’s were.

They rode for about half an hour. The sun was directly above their heads by the time they reached the castle. She got off her horse and it ran off. The other two did the same. She lifted up her skirt as she walked up the flight of wide marble steps leading to the main doors. When they got up to the top of the stairs two guards opened the gigantic oak doors.
They all peered inside. The floor was a kind of brownish marble and had no carpet but the one strip of purple leading to three steps. At the top of the steps were two thrones; the one on the right was much smaller than the one on the left. The princess went about three paces before the king said, “My fair daughter.” She curtsied.
“Father,” she said, “These kind strangers are in need of your assistance.”
“All right my princess,” he said to her. She then walked up to her throne, (which was the smaller one of course). The king turned to Legolas and Strider. “You are with Gandalf, are you not?” he asked them.
“Gandalf?” the princess asked, “He is here?”
“Yes I am,” Gandalf said. He walked over to the bottom of the steps so that he was directly in front of the princess.
“Gandalf!” the princess yelled. She bolted out of her chair and flew into his arms. He embraced her tightly.
“It has been too long,” Gandalf said. He kissed the princess on the head. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.
“What is this?” Gandalf asked, “Come now, you have guests.” He gestured to all of the elves on either side of the carpet.
“So what?’ she asked. The tears started running down her face. Strider and Legolas stared at her in surprise, wondering what was wrong. They watched as Gandalf wiped the tears from her face. She kissed him on the cheek.
“Well then,” the king said. The princess looked up at him and walked up to her throne. There she sat, looking out at all of the guests.
“I already know these people,” the king said, pointing to a queer group of different types of people (including Gandalf) on his left, “But who are these people?”
“I am Strider,” Strider said as he bowed to the king. The voice of the princess in his head said,
“Why do you even lie to my father?”
“And I am Legolas,” Legolas said. At that the princess whispered something to her father and all of the elves in the room bowed their heads gently.
“Well,” the king said, “The ring is certainty safe with you.” Legolas bowed.
“Ring?” the princess asked, looking at her father confused.
“Yes,” her father told her. “Frodo, if you would.” A hobbit with curly black hair and big brown eyes climbed timidly up the steps. He stopped in front of the princess and took something out from under his shirt. The princess gasped and started fiddling with the thing on her left hand again. Frodo bowed gently to the princess, but she put her hand under his chin and lifted it gently. Her skin felt soft on his. She looked deep in to his eyes, and her voice was now in his head,
“You have seen terrible things, but the worst is yet to come,” it said. He gave her a look of alarm and walked down the steps and joined the others that had come with him.
“Vende,” the king said, “Show these great people to their rooms.” A skinny elf woman with blond hair to her shoulders came out from the crowd and led the group to a long spiraling flight of marble steps. The princess watched as they climbed, muttering among themselves. She heard every word.
“Now daughter,” the king said, “Why don’t you go and change.” She nodded to her father and stepped lightly down the steps. She walked slowly to the spiraling steps and climbed to the top. She turned to her right, the opposite way the crowd was going, down the hall.

About an hour later, people started to arrive. The banquet hall was very crowded. When you walked into the room directly in front of you was the head table where just the king and princess sat. On either side of their table were two tables where all of the travelers sat. Right in front of those three tables was a big clear space for dancing. On either side of the dance floor filling the rest of the gigantic room were tables for the guests. There was lively music, and many people were dancing. It was the strangest thing, the princess was always the fairest there but she almost never got asked to dance. All of the servants and maids and even her father said everyone was too scared. Today, though, would be different.

All of the travelers were busy eating. When Gandalf had finished he got up to dance with the princess, whom he thought looked a little lonely. She was delighted when he did ask her to dance.
“Would you care to dance?” he asked her.
“My fair gentleman,” she said, “How surprising.” She rose and they stepped out onto the dance floor together. It was a very lively dance, lots of twirling around.

“Doesn’t she look beautiful?” Boromir asked Legolas, who was on his left. “She looks like a night sky.” Her dress was white with gold ribbons on the end of the sleeves. There was a gold ribbon tied around her waist, and a gold ribbon tying up her hair. Her whole dress was covered in glittering stars.

Gandalf and the princess danced for a while, but then they both sat down. After that one other person did ask her dance but it was not one of the travelers. It was a handsome elf from a faraway place. Of course, almost all of the travelers would have liked to dance, but were too embarrassed to show their liking for her (especially Gimli).

After the banquet the princess was so tired that she had to go to bed immediately afterwards. When she was going up the stairs, she did not hear anyone behind her, but she could sense them. When she got up to the top of the stairs she turned around and Legolas was there.
“Princess,” he said and bowed.
“Sir Legolas,” she said.
“I just needed to tell you that you looked beautiful tonight,” he said staring at the floor.
“Thank you,” the princess replied blushing.
“By the way,” he said looking up, “I never got your name.”
“Oh… well… it’s Harma,” she told him.
“Thank you!”
“Good night,” she replied. She turned right and went into her room.

The next day, Harma decided to sneak out again. This time she was planning to swim in the lake. That was something she wasn’t allowed to do even if the guards were there. But, she did know how to swim, so she kept her bed dress on and slipped down the stairs and out the door.

When she got to the lake, she found that someone was already there. Standing on one of the highest rocks was Legolas, dressed in his travel clothing except for the leather and weapons. She did not know what to do now because she really wanted to swim, but she was sure that Legolas would tell her father that she was there. She stood hidden behind the tree watching him. He dove so gracefully into the water, that he didn’t make a splash (not surprising for an elf). He got out of the water and (to her horror) started walking directly at her. She knew she could not do anything, because she knew he had either already seen her, or sensed that she was there. She just stood there, as silent as possible, and then,
“Good morning Princess!” Legolas said.
“Good morning Sir Legolas!” she replied.
“Care to join me?” he asked.
“You realize I’m not supposed to be here, correct?” she asked, instead of replying.
“Yes, but who is to know?” Legolas asked. She laughed and jumped into the water. He dove again.
“You are an amazing diver,” Harma told him.
“Why thank you,” he replied.
“Would you be so kind as to show me?” she asked him.
“Of course!” She started to walk towards him and slipped. She fell into his outstretched arms.
“The lake is full of surprises!” she told him. He looked down at her, and they kissed. When they pulled away from each other she looked deep into his eyes. He started to move towards her again, but her voice was in his head.
“No,” it said. He suddenly stopped. “Why did you do it?”
“Because I like you,” he said out loud.
“And I like you too,” she told him. He smiled. “But if the good lord wanted me to love then he wouldn’t make people die because of me.” With that she ran off, water flying everywhere. Legolas just stood there, staring after her.

When the princess got back to the castle, she opened the doors and crept up the stairs into her room. She took off her wet dress and put on a dry one. She crawled into bed and fell asleep.

About an hour or so later, her maid came in. “Princess,” she said softly in Harma’s ear.
“Alright,” Harma replied. She rolled over and sat up.
“Why are there wet clothes on your floor?” her maid asked.
“What?” Harma asked. Memories from earlier that morning started flooding into her head. She quickly brushed them away. “Oh, I do not know.” The maid just shrugged and walked out. Harma sighed in relief.
“By the way,” the maid popped her head back in the room. “Your father wants you to put on the dress that you are going to wear tonight this morning.”
“Alright,” the princess said. She took out a light sheer green dress (with her usual belled sleeves*) and put it on. She walked out of her room and down the stairs. She went into the banquet hall, where she found everyone waiting for breakfast. Everyone was sitting at the head table, and the rest of the big room looked quite empty. She took her seat (which was between her father and Gandalf) and said good morning to her father. She looked around at everyone and suddenly got a remarkable idea.