1rst Place Winner of Contest. I had an errand there: gathering water-lilies, green leaves and lilies white to please my pretty lady, the last ere the year's end to keep them from the winter, to flower by her pretty feet till the snows are melted. Each year at summer's end I go to find them for her, in a wide pool, deep and clear, far down the Withywindle; there they open first in spring and there they linger latest. By that pool long ago I found the River-daughter, fair young Goldberry sitting in the rushes. Sweet was her singing then, and her heart was beating! And that proved well for you-- for now I shall no longer go down deep again along the forest-water, not while the year is old. Nor shall I be passing Old Man Willow's house this side of spring-time, not till the merry spring, when the River-daughter dances down the withy-path to bathe in the water. Tom Bombadil on Goldberry, the River-Daughter

[A Wattpad FEATURED story!] She's been King Thranduil's close friend for a long time. But when a shocking rumor about his past comes to light, it shakes her entire world. How well does she really know him? With the threat of war and an uncertain future for the Woodland Realm, her comfortable life is changing forever, and so are her feelings for her friend. A story about second chances with eventual romance. Set during the events of the Lord of the Rings. Thranduil/OC Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Tolkien except for my characters. A/N: It was before Christmas 2014 when I first watched BBC's Emma with Romola Garai (wonderful, by the way - watch it if you haven't). A few days later I went to see The Hobbit BOTFA on its opening night. It was during a car trip from a family Christmas party when I came up with idea for this story. And while it doesn't follow the Jane Austen classic completely (Thranduil is no Mr. Knightley!), it was certainly inspired by it. I enjoyed the challenge. Check out the FB page for the story: facebook.com/StarsofVardafanpage/ (thanks to @MaggieShivers for creating it and running it!)