A/N: I don't own LOTR, but I do own Alatáriël. Please read and review! This is my first fanfic and I would really appreciat the feedback!

Chapter 1:

Some had regarded the story as a wive's tale. Others a myth. Still others took the story to heart. The job of this 'story:' Defend Middle Earth. At all costs.

Many people chose to disregard the whispers of drunken men with fuzzy tongues, concluding their mumbling was a result of a bit too much ale. There was one night in particular, however, that the most unlikely of characters chose to believe.

Legolas Greenleaf, prince of Mirkwood, was never one to believe in fairy-tales. That is until the night he met Alatáriël of Rivendell. The night was wet and cold, and particularly rainy the night our prince stepped into The Prancing Pony, a small tavern in Bree. Instinctivly, the elf's nose winkled. The stench of ale and drunkeness hung in the air like a cloud. Taking a seat at one of the tables, the elven prince removed his dual swords from his back and placed them on the table before him, letting the pale light of the bar dance off of their polished pearl surface. He had just set to wiping a smear of ork blood off of the end of one when the din of humans caught his ear, their words slurred.

"Ya here 'bout that new rumor?" One drunken fool muttered to another, his drunken state not allwoing him to realize how loud he was speaking. "The one about that she-elf?"

Now the drunken bastard had Legolas's attention. The elf inclined his head to hear more of the convesation.

"Apparently, there been a she-elf around these parts whose been raidin' shops. 'pparenty, she gets in and out without making a sound. Even slit a few throats while she was at it." The man nodded his head, a grin spreading across his face, revealing a mouth full of yellowing teeth, black holes here and there where a tooth should have been. His accomplice raised his eyebrows.

"I bet there's a pretty price on her head. I say we go kill her and collect our reward." The other man nodded, closing his mouth and making a face. He arched an eyebrow and spit a decaying, yellow moler into his partner's drink.

"Who says we have to kill her." His voice dropped as the other man stuck a fat hand in his drink, trying to retrieve the unwanted extremity. He paused, his hand in his ale, and raised his eyebrows. "Maybe we can have some fun first." Toothy smiled and stood up, passing by Legolas's table with is friend. Leolas watched them go, disgusted, and shortly after they left followed suit.

As Legolas approached his white stallion outside of The Prancing Pony, his eye was drawn to a flash of red around the corner. Curious, he followed on silent feet, his bow drawn and an arrow strung.

As he rounded the corner, Legolas was caught unawares by the sight of a cloaked figure slitting the neck of our toothless friend and his partner.

The prince raised his bow as the hooded figure turned, the light illuminating a sfot, pale nose and red lips for a moment before the murderer's face was concealed by draknes again. He narrowed his eyes as the figure came closer. "Halt! I will shoot!" The figure continued to advance.

Legolas pulled his bowstring taught to emphasize his point. The hooded figure was wearing a cape with red lining, and had a black bow strung across their back, with red fledged arrows to match. The figure drew a slender pair of red handled black swords. As they got closer, the figure twirled the swords around once and offered one to the prince, pulling down the hood. "Care to duel?"

"A woman?!" Legolas's mouth gaped, and he took a step back. He lowered is bow slightly as the brunette smiled.

"Correction," she smiled, "an elf." She turned and let the light show the tips of her pointed ears. "And I do believe I challenged you o a duel."

Legolas gawked before putting his bow away and taking the hilt of her sowrd. The elleth smiled and tok a few steps back, pulling her hood up and assuming a ready stance.

Legolas grunted and did the same, trying not to notice the dead men in the background. "If you're going to kill me, you might as well get it over with." He exposed a bit of room for an attack curious of the other elf's actions.

The elleth smiled, running forward andlunging, which was parrid by a flick of Legolas's wrist. The elleth smiled. "Who said anything about killing?" She spun and quickly reached beind Legolas, pulling his coin pouch from his waist. "Tut, tut." She grinned, assuming a safe distance again.

Feeling cheated, Legolas huffed and leapt forward, his sword clanging with his opponent's. They matched each other step for step and neither one was able to land another blow.

"I don't believe I caught your name." Legolas grunted between swings.

"Alatáriël!" She laughed and continued sparring with him.

This ensued for a few minutes before the elleth lunged and with a deft flick of her wrist, sliced the string holding Legolas's cloak on, which drifted down to the dirt.

With a laugh the Alatáriël retreated a few steps and bowed. "Congratualations, Master Elf. You put up a good fight. But, I still have your coins!" She ran forward, kicked her sowrd out of Legolas's hand, caught it in the air, and returned it to its sheathe all in one deft movement. "Until next time!" And with that, she turned and dashed away.

Legolas grumbled something about curious she elves andlegnds and retrieved his cloak from the floor, fastening it around his neck again. Maybe the story of a sly, murderous elleth who could snatch your coins in seconds wasn't just a legend after all.

A/N: Please review! More to come soon! (If you guys review and tell me what you think!)