Author: Elisabeth
Summary: Ereinion meets a strange Elf whom he fells in love with.
Rating: pg13
Genre: Romance
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these charactes and do not make any money out of it.
Author's note: I This is a prequel to A normal life;
Chapters: 1
Status: Complete

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Ereinion sighed. He never enjoyed these feasts. The subjects they talked about were boring. The elf maidens were drooling over him, because he was of royal blood. It was times like these where he didn't like being of royal blood. The time when he did enjoy it, was when he was able to fight to make Middle-earth a better place. That was his only dream.

He sighed again, wondering what he was doing here. He only attended the feast because Círdan had asked him to welcome their special guest, the Valar Ossë.

He looked around the room nodding to a few elf maidens, who then blushed, and to some friends. He spotted a beautiful elf maiden. To him she was strange, stranger than the other Elf maidens. The way she walked, the way she looked at him. It felt like everything around them faded away and they were the only ones left.

The elf walked over to him. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her. She stopped in front of him and asked him to dance. He nodded, taking her hand; he led her to the dance floor. They bowed to each other, as it is a tradition before you dance, and then started dancing. Their eyes never left each other.

They danced and danced and danced, and never stopped looking into each other's eyes. When they had danced 5 dances, they stopped. They once again bowed to one another and then went their separate ways.

Ereinion danced with several maidens before he felt like he needed some air. His thoughts never left the Elf. He left the room and walked to the balcony. He let out a relieved sigh, happy to be away from the crowd. As he gazed over the valley of Balar, he felt someone's eyes on him. He turned to look at the intruder and saw that it was, in fact, the beautiful Elf.

She was bedded in moonlight. Her golden hair played with the wind and her blue eyes shone like the stars. She looked so beautiful.

"It's a beautiful evening, isn't it?" He didn't know how those words were formed, and how he said them, but he knew it was he who spoke them.

She nodded "Aye, it is." They stared at each other for a while when Ereinion broke the silence.

"May I know your name?" He asked.

"Why do you want to know my name?" She replied smiling sweetly.

"So I would know what to call you." He sounded desperate even to his own ears, but he really wanted to know her name.

"What would you name me?"

He didn't even need to think about it. "Indlîrien, for a song formed in my heart when I first saw you."

"Would you like to sing it for me?" She asked, liking the name.

"Will you dance with me while I sing it?". She nodded.

He led her left arm around his neck and his right arm around her waist. Grabbing her right hand in his left, they started to move and he began to sing:

I know you I walked with you once upon a dream
I know the gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam
Yet I know it's true
That visions are seldom all the seem
But if I know you, I know what you'd do
You will love me at once the way you did once upon a dream

He stopped singing but they still danced. "You have a wonderful voice." She then said.

Ereinion couldn't believe it, but he actually blushed and she merely smiled at him. "Thank you." He said.

They looked into each other's eyes, stopped dancing, and their faces inched closer to one another until their lips met in a shy kiss. They parted after a while and she looked seductively at him. He, understanding what she was hinting at, took her hand and led her to his room. He opened the door, and let her walk in. She walked in, and looked around, and then walked over to the table where Ereinion had left his sword. She picked it up and examined it.

Ereinion closed the door and studied her. Never before had he seen such a beautiful creature. He saw her pick up his sword and waited. "She could either use it or leave it". He thought

"This is a beautiful sword." She stated. He nodded. "Aye, it is. It is my favourite sword." She nodded and placed it back on the table.

She looked at him while he moved closer. "What are we going to do?" He asked her, a bit uncertain.

"I think you know the answer to that question, Ereinion." She replied, putting the sword back.

He closed his eyes, never before had his name sounded so beautiful than when she had said it. He opened his eyes after dealing with his emotions. "Aren't we supposed to be bonded before we… uhm?" He blushed again and looked away.

"Ereinion, if I told you that we cannot be bounded to one another, what would you say?"

"Why can't we?" He now stood even closer to her, so they were face to face. A hint of panic was in his eyes. Never before had he felt this way, and he felt like he couldn't lose her.

"We just can't." She reached her hand in order to stop Ereinion from speaking. "You must understand, meleth-nîn, that I have my reasons. I love you, Ereinion. I have loved you for some time now, from distance. I just want one memory with you before I leave again. I understand if you do not wish to and I will respect your wish and walk right through that door, but if you want the same as I, than I will have my memory and be content for as long as I live."

Ereinion's thoughts were swimming - he knew he couldn't and wouldn't say no to her, but there was one thing he needed to know. "What's in it for me? You will have your memory and be content for the rest of your life, but what will I have?"

She let her hand caress his cheek. "You will have strength. When your strength fails, think back to this day and it will give you new strength." She kissed him. "Do you trust me?" She asked, seeing the uncertainty in his eyes. He nodded. "Then will you do this?" He nodded again and was led to the bed.

The next morning she woke up, then turned around so she was facing Ereinion and studied his sleeping form. "Thank you for giving me this gift." She whispered rubbing her lower stomach. "You will meet your daughter, do not worry about that, but now I have to go." She got out of bed, slowly, not wanting to wake up the sleeping Elf.

She walked into the bathroom and cleaned herself. Then wrapped a towel around herself and walked back into the bedroom, where she found her dress and put it on. Then she walked over to the desk and grabbed a pencil and a scroll.

Dripping the pencil in the ink, she began to write a letter for Ereinion. She placed the pencil back and picked up the scroll. She placed it on the pillow where her head had laid just moments ago. With one last kiss on the lips and one last look, she walked out of the room…

Ereinion woke up and smiled, but his smile vanished when he realised that he was alone in his bed. He turned his head and noticed a scroll was placed on the pillow. He sat up and picked up the scroll, rolling it open he began to read it.

#Dearest Ereinion,

When you read this it means that I have already left, as you may see. I wish I could stay but I really can't. This night you have given me a gift, no one else can give me. I thank you for it.

Remember what I told you; our night, this night, will give you strength.
I will always be with you, Ereinion, even though you cannot see me.
I will always love you.

Uinen.#

Tears were flooding in his eyes, but he did not let them fall. He knew it was only for one night, but he had hoped he could have said goodbye to her, and now she was gone and he would probably not see her again.

He sighed and finally got out of bed, walking into the bathroom. He went to sit down in the pool that was prepared for him; there he let the tears fall.

When he stopped crying he got out of the pool and got dressed. He walked out of the room, ignoring the few "good mornings" and walked into the garden. When he looked up, a smile had made its way back to his face.

She, Uinen, was standing there in the garden. He forced himself to walk, because all he wanted to do was run to her and spin her around in his arms, while hugging her close. He stopped in front of her and just stared at her.

"I couldn't leave before I said a proper goodbye to you, Ereinion." She said sadly.

"Do you have to leave?" He asked.

"Aye, I have to leave. We both knew it was only for one night, but know that I say goodbye with a heavy heart."

"Then stay." He interrupted her. "Please."

She raised her hand to wipe away some tears that were falling from her eyes. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. "I must go, but I promise you that we will meet again."

He opened his eyes. "When?" He asked. His voice was trembling.

"One day." She answered. He was about to say more, but she placed a finger on his lips. "But now I say farewell to thee, may the Valar protect you wherever you go."

"And thee as well." He leaned in to her.

She smiled, then turned around and walked away.

"I love you." He whispered, and when he could not see her anymore, he also walked away.

Uinen left Balar and went straight to the sea – on the whole way, tears were streaming down her face. She finally arrived at her talan and climbed up. There she wept openly.

"My dear child, what happened to thee?" Ossë asked when he found Uinen crying on the floor.

"Nothing." She mumbled through her tears. Ossë went to sit on the ground and placed her head in his lap and stroked her hair.

"You went to him, didn't you?" He asked, already knowing the answer. He knew she was in love with young Ereinion and he advised her not to go, but apparently she did.

He sighed when he saw her nodding her head. "My poor child." He said, soothing. "Just let it out. Weep." And that is exactly what Uinen did.

After some time, she finally calmed down. "Now tell me what happened." Ossë said after wiping her tears away. She took a few deep breaths and began her story. She told him everything that had happened. How she had watched him being bored. When she finally had the courage to ask him to dance. How beautiful he had sung. That they went to his room. Their goodbye…

Ossë listened the whole time. "I understand why you did what you did." He said after a short silence. "And I will help thee raise thy baby child." Uinen hugged Ossë muttering a thank you. When Ossë was certain Uinen was alright, he left her alone.

Uinen picked up a washcloth which was placed next to a tile of water, and after dripping it in the water, she washed her face. Then she changed her clothes and after that she climbed back down, and walked towards the sea. She sat down in the sand and sang the only song she knew…

The End
June 2004
Continued in "A normal life"