The Hidden Pool

[Eglaneth Alatáriel]

Hidden along the stone structure and woodland, at the bottom of one of the waterfalls, lay a small pool. Only known to the Elves of Imladris, this hidden location was once a well loved spot were many Elf children use to gather to splash about and swim. The sounds of laughter from the Elflings always filled the air. Alatáriël herself, often visited the pool when she was small.

Today, however, the pool remained quiet. Only the sound of the falls and the water crashing down below filled the air now. Not a single Elf child dwelled in the realm or anywhere else. They are very rare now.

Although Alatáriël no longer took in the joy of swimming, she did still like to sit on the rocks at the pools edge and gaze at the fall, often thinking back to the older days.

[Ellroher]

Ellroher and Alatariel took the path that lead to the hidden pool. Ellroher smiled as Alatariel led the way. He had always like this place. "My sister and I loved to swim here when we were young." He laughed as another memeory came to mide. "I remeber once we were swiming and Lord Elrond came by. My sister ran to him crying 'Grandfather! Grandfather! There is a monster in the pool!' He picked her up and carried her to the water's edge. 'I see no monster.' said he. 'Look closer.' my sister sheepishly answered." It took Ellroher a moment to continue his story because he was laughing so hard. When he finaly got control of himself, he continued. "He leaned forward and at that moment I swung from a rope I had tied to a tree branch the extended over the water. I swung and knocked him and my sister both into the water. 'Ha-ha!' I cryed in victory. My sister, who had been part of the plan squealed in delight that we had dunked my grandfather. He came up mad, and would have given us both a good lecture about respecting your elders if my grandmother and aunt Arwen hadn't seen the whole thing and burst out laughing themselves. Soon, even Elrond was laughing and then suddenly picked me up and threw me into the pool. Ah, those were indeed gloryous days."

[Eglaneth Alatáriel]

Alatáriël raised an eyebrow and looked at Ellroher with surprise. "You pulled a trick on Lord Elrond?" At first she was a little shocked but then she quickly pushed that shock aside reminding herself that they were family afterall. She wondered if trickery was a common trait among the Peredhil. Being only 100 years older than Elrond's sons, she spent a lot of time around them had watched them become little pranksters themselves and often liked to tease her.
Alatáriël found herself smiling and skaking her head. "It sure does make you think back," she said. "I too, often visited here and played in the water with my mother and father."

[Ellroher]

Ellroher smiled. "Yes, that was the only time I think that I got my grandfather in. After that, he was always on his guard and foiled many an attempt. Now what does that remind me of?" Ellroher's forehead creased as he tried to think of that memory. Suddenly he smiled, a very mischievous smile. "I remember now. My father was also quite adapt to doing things like throwing people in. I remember once that he suddenly grabbed my mother...." Without warning, Ellroher swept Alatariel up in his arms and held her over the waters edge. He laughed a wicked laugh as he so innocently said, "Now what did he do next? I think he might have just dropped her. No, he threw her. No that wasn't right either. Now what can a person do in this situation?"

[Eglaneth Alatáriel]

Alatáriël saw Ellroher's mischievous smile. It meant trouble was coming. Over the years, she knew that, but still could not always figure out what he would do but this time however, she did. Knowing that he was hardly any different than his father. Alatáriël made an attempt to run but Ellroher grabbed her before she even could. She sighed.
"I am no stranger to this kind of situation," Alatáriël said. "And I am very well aware your father liked to throw people in..and so did your uncle."

[Ellroher]

Ellroher made a mock hurt face. "Alatariel, I am hurt. Do not judge me so quickly because of what my Father and uncle might have done in the past." He tryed to keep the hurt look on his face, but couldn't keep the smile from coming. Ellroher steped into the pool of water, still carrying his wife in his arms. "No." he said in a very sly tone. "I am far more sneaky." He waded out towards the waterfall and then stood underneath the falling water. Cool, refreashing water splashed all over them, soaking them. Ellroher lifted his head back and let out a lould laught. He then spun Alatariel around under the water and said, "I doubt my father ever did that to you. Or this..." He kissed his wife on the lips as the water continued to fall over them. "I love you Alatariel."

[Eglaneth Alatáriel]

Alatáriël laughed. Ellroher's faces of mock hurt were old to her now. It wasn't like she had fallen for them, they were just there everytime she poked fun at him. Too bad for him, Alatáriël had made a bit of a judgement on him before he could even walk or talk. Both twins use to make the same mock hurt expressions, but she didn't mention that to her husband.
Alatáriël just shook her head as Ellroher waded into the water, still carring her. She found herself smiling as she stood under the fall and laughed harder than previously. "No, he would never. He knows I would pound him." She laughed once again before returning his kiss. "I know," she said. "I love you too."

[Ellroher]

Ellroher lifted his head again and let the cool water splash over his face. "Ah, it feels like the water is washing away all the troubles that have been on my mind of late." He tosted his head from side to side shaking off the water. He was about to speak when suddenly Ellroher sliped on a stone and lost his balence. Over backward he fell with a splash, carrying Alatariel with him. He sat up and swept away his tangled hair from his eyes and looked at Alatariel and began to laught. "I apear to have taken a bad step." he laughed. "I will never hear the end of it now. Öh, how the elves will sing:
Ellroher, swift and sure of feet,
He carried his queen to the hidden pool,
There under the falls their lips would meet,
But in the drink, he droped his queen,
Splashed into the water, poor ol' fool."

[Eglaneth Alatáriel]

With no time to react, plus the hold Ellroher still had on her, Alatáriël came down, falling into the water as well. When she stood up, Alatáriël crossed her arms and looked at her husband, not bothering to remove the couple strands of wet hair from her eyes.
"Must you always take me with you whenever you fall?" she said with sarcasm in her voice. "You were always a little on the clumbsy side," Alatáriël added with a nod.
However, her expression changed rather quickly hearing Ellroher's silly song and she broke out into laughter.

[Ellroher]

Ellroher stood up and laughed, "It doesn't rhyme very much, but then music was never my strong point." He shook the water off himself and took his wife's hand in his. "There it was!" He exclaimed. "The laughter that has been held back for too long! Alatariel, my love, Rivendell has become so silent of late. That is because the spirt of Rivendell reflects her ruler. If her ruler is silent, so is the city. There are few of us left, yes. But Rivendell can still be full of music and laughter." He lifted up her chin with his hand and smiled as he looked into her sparkaling eyes. The eyes that he had fallen in love with and still griped his heart every time he saw them. "Let's make Rivendell merry again. I am going to make sure that that beautefull smile never leaves your face. Even if I have to make up bad poems and songs and stand on my head."

[Eglaneth Alatáriel]

"And why must a song always rhyme?" Alatáriël asked. "I think words that are true and that come from the heart are more important than having it all rhyme."

Alatáriël tried not to laugh at Ellroher's sudden exclaimation. "Although a lot of that spirit from it's ruler, a lot of it also from the people as well. I am not the only light in Rivendell after all. Every Elf here is a light in the realm." Even though she never wanted to admit it, she sometimes thought that her light was fading. The tree and flowers were still alive because of her. "Aye, I think we can manage to bring back merriment into the realm again."
Alatáriël laughed again and shook her head. "Whatever it takes to keep me smiling and laughing, you will do anything."

[Ellroher]

"Your right, I will." Smiled Ellroher as he laughed along with Alatariel. "Only because I love you so."

Ellroher looked about him and said. "It seems like ages sence I last swam here. I doubt the water leval has changed much." With that, he jumped into the deepest part of the pool. After a moment, he resurfast and said, "The water is still over my head here. But just barely." Ellroher dived underwater again and swam to the other side of the pool. When he came up for air, he turned to Alatariel and waved. "My love, I don't want to repeat what my father has already done to you, but if you do not jump in you will leave me no choise but to follow in his foot steps and throw you in."

[Eglaneth Alatáriel]

"You and I both," Alatáriël said. She did not really take much of an interest in swimming anymore, but still she would often stop by the pool. She sat down on one of the rocks at the water's edge and watched Ellroher swim. She rolled her eyes at Ellroher's words.
"You don't want to, but you will anyway if I refuse," said Alatáriël. She shook her head and wagged a finger at him. "I knew it, I told him so."
Alatáriël slowly slipped into the cool water and pushed herself off of a rock and swam towards the other end of the pool to meet Ellroher.

[Ellroher]

Ellroher waited untill she was about half way to him and then jumped back in. He swam towards her then dived under water. Ellroher poped back up behind Alatariel and began to sing:
"Oh where are you going,
Oh where are you swiming,
Ellroher's a flowting,
And now is a sinning,
Way down in the valley;
To get out is folly,
For swiming is so jolly,
Way down in the valley."

Ellroher laughed and cried out. "I think I'm almost starting to rhyme!" Then he began to sing again,
"Oh, Alatariel you'd better laugh,
Or I'll throw you in the bath,
Way down in the valley."

[Eglaneth Alatáriel]

At first, Alatáriël tried not to laugh at more of Ellroher's songs, but when the last bit said for her to, she couldn't hold it in and she laughed once again. His songs were silly she knew he was making them up as he went. Although she thought it was better then what she probably come up with.
When she had stopped lauging, Alatáriël looked at Ellroher briefly and smiled. She then turned around and dove under the water and began to finish her swim to the other end of the pool.