A Human Performs a Dwarvish Custom on an Elf
This story was supposed to be drabble based on an Imagine I sent to middleearthimagines on Tumblr and...well…it kind of hijacked me and took me along for the ride. The end result is many many times the length that I originally set out to write. But my little drabble idea grew up to be a big, beautiful story that I'm proud of, so here we are.
My original imagine was: "Imagine being secretly in love with Legolas and Gimli knowing. One day he jokingly suggests that you braid his hair and you, not knowing the significance of braiding in the dwarf culture, take it as a serious suggestion. When Gimli walks in on you braiding Legolas' hair, he thinks you've already told him that you love him and he accidentally spills the beans. You turn bright red and sputter as Legolas grins up at you, delightedly and Gimli laughs."
Note: I know I bent a few rules about Middle Earth. For instance, I'm aware that the dwarfs normally don't teach outsiders dwarvish/Kadzul. But I've chosen to ignore that for this story. Also, I got my dwarvish and elvish phrases from several different sources, so if a hard-core Tolkien fan reads this and realizes that some of the words are wrong…I apologize, but I'm not too concerned about it. I tried to use legit looking sites, but there are DOZENS! So, there's only so much I can do. If there was more than one option for a certain word or phrase, I just picked the one that sounded the best.
Words: 6,941
Pairing: Legolas / OC (Boromir's and Faramir's sister)
Other characters: Gimli, Boromir, several mentions of Faramir, the rest of the Fellowship is in the background
Warnings: Some mild Middle-Earth-style insults and FLUFF!
Where and When: Somewhere in the Misty Mountains, sometime after the Fellowship left Rivendell but before they get to Moria. They've been on the road for quite a few weeks by now.
"Lass? Where've you gone to?"
"Huh?" The human female turned her head to blink confusedly at the stocky dwarf.
"What land have ye traveled to in that pretty head of yours? You seem to have travelled a fair distance if it's this much of a struggle to return." The dwarf chuckled as he leaned on the long handle of his axe.
The woman smiled softly. "I didn't go anywhere, Gimli." She said with a sigh, turning back to gaze over the edge of the bluff where she'd been sitting.
"Sure? Sure it wasn't some far off place with no ring? No Sauron. No impending doom. No bone-aching, back-breaking, danger-filled journey evading every orc that the dark lord can throw at us?"
"Hmm… That does sound nice." She murmured, gazing at the moon where it was rising over the mountains.
She didn't notice that Gimli's eyes shone with mischief.
"No sleeping on rocks. No more trail rations. A world of sunny skies…full bellies…lazy afternoons…happy dreams…clean clothes…and peaceful walks in the woods with a certain pointy-eared elf prince…"
"Yeah…" she continued to stare at the night sky for several long moments. Suddenly her head snapped around and she gaped at the dwarf. "Wait, WHAT?"
Gimli made no attempt to hide his laughter.
"Gotcha there, lass!" he guffawed.
"I'm not- I don't- What nonsense are you spewing?" she sputtered, crossing her arms and attempting to look stern. But even in the twilight, Gimli could see her bright blush.
"No nonsense but the truth. A blind man could see that you two are sweet on each other. And in that case, if I may say so, it's probably a good thing that yer brother 'as turned out to be blind."
"Boromir's not THAT protective." The woman rolled her eyes and huffily brushed stands of brown hair out of her eyes. "He's just stressed. He doesn't really like heights. I've always thought it was funny considering the loftiness of the citadel. An' he's always been fine there. He can stand on the edge of the wall and look all the way down and not twitch. But put him on a normal mountainside or cliff and he gets shaky and irritable."
Gimli's eyes glittered.
"Oh-ho! Well I'll certainly be givin' him grief about that later. But yer not gonna distract me, Lady Lianna! Yer in love with the elf prince."
"Shh! Keep your dag-blasted voice down!" Lianna whisper-shouted frantically. She glanced back in the direction of their camp, but no one else was in sight. She knew elves had keener ears than humans and dwarves though.
The dwarf raised a shrewd eyebrow.
"If it's not true, then why're you so concerned about being overheard?" The woman muttered a dwarvish curse he'd taught her, making him sigh. "My mother would wash MY mouth out if she'd heard I'd taught a lady ter say that."
"Good. Maybe then you'd learn to watch what you said." The human muttered crossly, folding her arms and staring down at the valley without really seeing it.
The dwarf sat down on the rock beside her, adjusting the smaller axe hanging at his belt so that he wouldn't hit her with it. He grunted and turned his head from side to side, cracking his neck.
"Don't be like that, lass. I just want to help."
"There's nothing to help with. Legolas is a friend."
"A friend you talk to all hours of the day and avoid eye contact with when yer brother's watching."
"Fine. A really good friend."
"Lass." Gimli met her gaze squarely, and his eyes were kind. Lianna held his gaze for a few long seconds before finally dropping her eyes to her dusty boots. The dwarf placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "There's nothing to be ashamed of. I'll be the first to admit that when we first left Rivendell he's the first one I'd've pushed off a mountain the moment I could."
Lianna giggled. Everyone knew the hostile feelings the elf and dwarf had held for each other when they first met. The old bitterness between their races was still strong. The pair's bickering had lasted for several weeks into their journey. It was only recently that she'd seen them swapping stories as they walked and debating the benefits of axes and archery around the campfire.
"Yeah, yeah." The dwarf grumbled as she chuckled. "But he's a decent sort. He'd treat you like the princess you are."
"I'm not a princess." Was the firm reply.
Gimli smiled at her. "Oh you've proven you can hold your own in a fight, lass. You're one of the best staff fighters I've ever seen. An' you can put up with nine sqabblin' males while keeping up and maintain' the peace as well as any female ever could. You've got a good head on your shoulders. I'm not implying that you're some damsel to be holed up in a castle somewhere and not allowed to do anything but smile and look pretty. But a woman like you deserves to be a princess. Deserves to be taken care of as much as you take care of others. I know your cursed father never appreciated you and your younger brother…what's his name again?"
"Faramir." Lianne said, and a heartbroken expression crossed her face.
She still felt so guilty for leaving him alone with her father, Denathor. She'd begged her father to let Faramir and her be the ones to go to Rivendell. Maybe they'd be able to find a solution for the ring and finally earn their father's approval together. But instead he'd commanded only Boromir to go. That day her father had struck her again…and this time her brothers had found her before she could hide the bruises. Their horror and anger had been extreme. As dangerous as the journey could potentially be, both her brothers urged her to go to Rivendell with Boromir. She hated the idea of going without her little brother, but they'd both overruled her. They planned for Faramir to make her excuses for as long as possible until it was too late for her father to send someone after them to fetch her back. The prospect of Denathor's wrath falling on Faramir when he inevitably discovered the deception tore at her every day. Boromir had always been there to protect her, but Faramir was her best friend. They'd shared every thoughts and dreams with each other and found comfort together on days when their father was particularly disdainful. While Boromir was sent off to be a hero, they took care of the people of Minas Tirith together. Their father often neglected his less glamorous duties of visiting and aiding the lower classes, but his younger children were more than happy to do it for him. They knew every corner of the city and could often be seen helping to repair a well or bringing blankets to the constant stream of refugees going in and out. The people all knew the pair, and they were beloved far more than the cold and distant Steward.
"Lady Lianna?"
"Huh?" she blinked at him again.
"You were travelling again."
Lianna tried to smile, but only the corner of her mouth twitched half-heartedly. "Yes. To Minas Tirith."
"Ah." Gimli stroked his beard. "I'm sure your brother's fine."
"You don't know that for sure though." She whispered, unconsciously twisting the hem of her tunic until it started to fray. The dwarf gently pulled her fingers free of the abused cloth.
"No, I don't." he admitted. "But I'd assume that your brother would want you to be safe and happy."
"Yes."
"So, talk to the princeling."
"What does that have to do with any-ugh! Never mind." Lianne huffed, tiredly. "The answer is no."
"Why not?"
"I just can't. I just want to get to Mount Doom, get rid of that stupid ring, and get back to Minas Tirith."
Gimli looked at her, his bushy brows furrowed. "Do ya really want to go back there, lass? I've seen how you look at every new view we come across. Do ya really want to go back to being trapped behind those big white walls again?"
"I want to make sure my people were well taken care of."
"But for yourself?"
Lianna looked across the valley, at the moonlight glistening off a small waterfall, at the hills that spread out into the distance on one side, and at the trees that covered the mountain like a green blanket.
"No…but..."
"If you're brothers were both here with ya and yer people were fine, would you ever want to go back?"
"Maybe? …no." Her answer was so soft, he almost missed it.
The dwarf nodded softly, appreciating the honesty she'd given him with that answer. "Talk to the elf."
"And why will that magically solve all of my problems?" she snapped.
He shrugged. "It certainly wouldn't solve all of them. But it might solve a few down the road. An' in the meantime, you'd be happy."
"I am happy." Lianna turned to smile at the dwarf. "You all treat me so well, it's a joy to look after and mother you all. You certainly need it." She said dryly, winking at him and making him laugh.
"Despite how true that may be, you deserve more than to be just treated well. You should be allowed to expect more out of life than just tha'."
"Maybe." The woman turned back to the view, pulling her knees up and wrapping her arms around them. "An' maybe if we do destroy the ring…things might get better. If Gandalf's right and the orcs are under Sauron's command, we should see a decrease in the attacks on my people. Then…maybe my father…maybe he'll finally be pleased. Maybe I can talk him into letting me and Faramir travel for a bit. I'd love to see more of Middle Earth…" She blinked to keep tears from escaping past her eyelids, then turned to look at the dwarf. "Right now, getting everyone to Mount Doom in one piece is what we all need to focus on. After that…maybe I'll allow myself to dream a little more. Being here, seeing new lands, surrounded by friends," Turning forward once more, she smiled at the valley before her, even as it faded from twilight into true night. "This is far more than I've dared to hope for in years. I may not be perfectly happy, Gimli. But I assure you, I am content."
The dwarf gazed at the woman for several long minutes in silence. Then, he sighed. "Fine. I'll not push anymore. I've not changed my mind, though. But I'll try ter let it happen naturally if it'll happen."
Lianna smiled softly. "Thank you, Gimli."
But the dwarf couldn't help but get one last word in.
"Now, if I was you, I'd just march right up to him and ask ter braid his hair already. Then you could get to the hugging and hand holding and leave off the secret glances that make all of our teeth rot with the sweetness. Living in a broth of unresolved romantic tension will drive the company mad eventually. Well, even more mad than it already is-"
"Good night, Gimli." Lianna said with a stern voice and pointed look.
"Jus' sayin'." The dwarf grumbled as he stood.
The woman rolled her eyes and tossed a pinecone at his back as he left. She aimed too high, and it bounced off his head making him scowl and her laugh. Once he was gone, she turned around. Gazing over the bluff, she spent a few quiet minutes of solitude watching the tops of the pines sway in the mountain breeze. That is, until a gentle hand on her shoulder made her jump.
"It's just me, meldonya." Came the lyrical, masculine voice.
Lianna relaxed instantly as the tall elf sat cross-legged in the spot Gimli had recently vacated. She breathed in the scent of pine needles that always seemed to surround him. She'd often wondered about that in the past, since Legolas had told her that the forest of his homeland was mostly deciduous. But right now, the scent merely calmed her, except for the fluttering in her stomach that she strove to ignore.
"Legolas." She greeted him. "Did Gimli send you?" she asked.
The elf smiled at her, making her feel warm. "Maybe."
She snorted. "Of course he did." She grumbled.
"Would you prefer I left?" was the teasing reply.
"No, no. Oio naa elealla alasse'." Lianna said, practicing one of the elvish phrases he'd taught her as they traveled. She laid a hand on his arm, fighting the blush she could feel creeping over her cheeks as she did so. "You know I'm always glad to see you, meldonya."
He chuckled, looking down the bluff at the stream far below. Liana watched the moonlight shimmer on his impossibly blonde hair. Gimli's suggestions echoed in her ears, but she ignored them, instead unwrapping her arms from around her knees and matching the elf's pose. They sat in companionable silence for a while, just enjoying the view and the chance to rest after a long day.
Eventually they began exchanging tales they'd heard about the various stars they could see from their position. Lianna let her conversation with Gimli fade into the back of her mind as the stars slowly moved across the sky.
Three days later, the company stopped earlier than they normally did. Their supplies were running low and Aragorn and Boromir had volunteered to hunt while the hobbits and Gimli fished in the river. Gandalf was in charge of starting and tending the fire. They'd been cautious lately, afraid an enemy would smell or see the smoke, but the wizard assured them that they were in a relatively safe part of the mountains. Legolas and Lianna went to gather what nuts, roots, and mushrooms they could find in the area nearby.
Returning to the rocky clearing where they'd set up camp, Lianna was laughing at Legolas' attempts to keep his long hair out of his face. The wind had been fierce all day, tugging at them from first one direction, then battering them from another without warning. Gimli may tease the elf for having unnaturally neat and glossy hair, but even his elvish locks could not compete with the energetic mountain air. Lianna had braided her own hair tightly and wound it into a secure bun earlier in the day. By the fire, Gandalf had sat on his hat, fed up with the number of times he'd had to chase it down already today. His beard and hair looked like a mini hurricane, completely hiding his scowling face. He looked so foreboding that no one in the company dared to laugh at him, though several of the company bloodied their lips from biting them in order to avoid doing so.
Lianna set her bundle down next to the wizard, and headed over to the nook between two large boulders where they'd stashed their packs so they wouldn't go tumbling down the mountain-side. She dug inside one, looking for her waterskin. She'd just taken a swallow when she nearly spit it out again, catching sight of the elf prince trying desperately to catch the dozens of strands that were currently attacking his face like a swarm of sparrows. Coughing through her laughter she beckoned him over with one hand.
"Come. Sit here, out of the wind for a moment."
Moving a few packs, she made room for the elf to sit against the stone. He sat, gratefully. Smaller eddies snuck around the rock every now and then, but for the most part, the air was still. Legolas finally managed to get the majority of his hair out of his eyes, meeting her humor filled gaze with chagrin.
"Do you think Gimli saw me?" he asked, knowing he'd never hear the end of it if he had.
Lianna leaned around the boulder and caught a glimpse of the dwarf scaling a fish while the hobbits hauled another wriggling one out of the water.
"You're safe." She said, sitting beside him. She watched as the prince tried to remove the tie that held his hair partially away from his face. The wind had blown his hair into such a tangle that it was stuck. "I'm afraid you may have to cut that out." She said, leaning around his elbow to get a better look.
Lianna hesitated. Despite her best efforts, her conversation with Gimli had bounced around in her head for the last three days. Even his jibe at the end about holding hands, hugging, and hair braiding had stuck. She'd always wondered if the elf's hair was as soft as it looked. Asking to braid his hair seemed like the best way to test that theory. But, as the dwarf often pointed out, Legolas' hair was annoyingly neat and smooth without the elf seeming to have do much to keep it that way. She was jealous. Her own hair was thick and strong, but it tended to get a bit frizzy when it rained, and by the end of each day she inevitably had to spend several long minutes picking apart the snarls. Legolas' hardly ever seemed to tangle. She'd never even seen him comb it. He just ran his fingers through it each morning and away he went. There had been no opportunity for her to offer to braid it for him because there had been no need…until now.
"Would you like some help with that?" she asked, before she could talk herself out of it.
Legolas looked at her through the crook in his arm. Two of his fingers had become entangled in his hair. "Yes please!" he breathed in relief.
Chuckling, and ignoring the way her heart beat stuttered in her chest, Lianna knelt behind him and surveyed the damage. Carefully, she helped him extract his fingers from the worst of the rat's nest. Then she lifted a few locks to see where the heart of the damage was. She stroked the strands between her fingers, unable to let go for a moment. It was just as soft as she'd always imagined. No human would have hair that silky, even as snarled and tangled as it was.
Swallowing hard, she set to work. Slowly, she picked apart the worst of the knots as gently as she could. There was a wooden comb in her own pack that she could have fetched, but she hoped Legolas wouldn't suggest it. It was so soothing and comfortable to do this for him. As though to assure her that he wasn't in any hurry to leave, the elf crossed his legs and settled into a more comfortable position. Lianna smiled to herself and focused on the task at hand.
She managed to salvage the cord holding his hair in place. After that, it took her less time than she would have liked to smooth out most of the snarls. The softness of the strands made them easy to untangle. When she was finished she was unwilling to let the moment be over. So, she began running her fingers through the blonde strands to smooth them out even more. She felt him sigh and he leaned his head a bit further back into her hands. Trying to hide her proud grin at his evident enjoyment of her administrations, she began to lightly massage his head as she worked her way up.
At one point when she was running her fingers through the locks near his temples, her fingers brushed his ear and Legolas stiffened.
"I'm sorry, did I pull too hard?" she asked, freezing instantly.
"N-no."
Lianna blinked. Had Legolas actually stuttered?
"Okay…" she said, proceeding again with more caution than before.
She continued to comb her fingers through the elf's platinum hair until it had started to go obviously past the amount of time one would casually touch a friend. But she was still unwilling to let this intimate moment end. So, gathering handful of strands near one temple, she began to braid them. Legolas didn't object, though he tilted his head to try and look back at her.
"Stay still." She commanded, proud that her voice was steady, even if her stomach was fluttery and her fingers were tingling. "This way the wind will have a harder time turning your hair into a squirrel's home."
The elf snorted in amusement, but turned back to face forward. Lianna started twisting his hair into a five strand, lace braid along one side of his head. She stopped about halfway through, thought for a moment, then shook her hand and ran her fingers through his hair once more, undoing her work. She noticed him twitch and inhale sharply when she brushed his ear again, but she chose not to comment on it. Gathering the locks on the side of his head once more she proceeded to weave a fishtail style lace braid instead, reasoning that with the thinner strands it would take longer for pieces to work their way loose in the wind. When she had almost reached the back of his head she had him hold onto the end so it wouldn't unravel as she worked on the other side. She hummed a song the hobbits had sung around the fire the night before as she worked. When she finished on the second side, she pulled both of the braids together at the back of his head and began weaving them intricately together with the remaining, unbraided strands.
"You're quite good at this." Legolas commented, as her graceful fingers deftly wove and twisted the locks into place.
"Thank you. I've had a lot of practice."
"On your brothers? Boromir's hair seems almost long enough." The elf teased.
The woman laughed.
"I did once or twice when he was sleeping. Faramir would occasionally let me practice on him, if I begged." She mentally pushed away the sorrow that arose at the thought of her little brother. "I mostly practiced on myself. There wasn't much to do sometimes down in the…" She trailed off.
Legolas sensed her discomfort and turned to look at her, despite her protests.
"You have your Denathor face on."
"What?"
He smiled sadly at her. "You have a special face for when you're missing your brother, and another for when you're thinking about something cruel your father did."
"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about." She muttered, trying to gently turn his head back so that she could continue with her work, but he wouldn't budge.
"It's okay, meldonya. You don't have to sensor yourself for my benefit. You should never be embarrassed by how you were treated by others."
The woman blushed. "I'm not embarrassed. Or ashamed…exactly. I just… It sounds like I'm seeking sympathy when I give offhand comments about my father's…parenting style. I already have enough trouble getting people to take me seriously because I'm a woman, and a high ranking one at that. The last thing I need is stifling sympathy that only leads them to locking me away so I can't be hurt. I'm not-"
Legolas reached back and placed a hand on her arm, stalling the words in her throat.
"I will never judge you for what you endured. You don't have to prove yourself to me. If you feel uncomfortable discussing your father with me, then do not distress yourself. But if you only refrain because you fear a loss in my esteem, never fear. I already consider you one of the most courageous and strong hearted people I've met in my travels throughout Middle Earth. Cormlle naa tanya tel'raa. You will not disappoint me."
Lianna couldn't look away from his steady gaze. There was no way anyone could doubt his sincerity. She finally realized that he was waiting for an answer, so she nodded. Legolas turned back around to let her resume her work. After a pause, the woman picked up a few new strands and continued to work.
She cleared her throat. "What I was going to say was that there often wasn't much to do down in the…cellar. Father would send me and Faramir down there sometimes when we displeased him. Although, when we were very young, he just used a closet. I still don't particularly like small, enclosed spaces, though I can put up with them when necessary. But we soon grew out of closets. So, the cellar became his punishment of choice. Whenever possible, Boromir would smuggle books and candles to us to give us something to do. But sometimes he couldn't find where Father hid the key. There's only so many times you can count the inventory on the shelves or kick potatoes back and forth along the ground."
"How long would he leave you in there?" Legolas asked. His voice was calm, but she sensed a stiffness in his shoulders.
"Half a day usually. Sometimes longer. Once he left the citadel for a trip and forgot to let Faramir out before he left. Boromir finally had to order a locksmith to come and let him out. He was only twelve at the time, but Father left him in charge while he was gone. Anyway, when I was in there I would braid my own hair over and over again. I'd try new things just to keep myself entertained. Once I got my hair so tangled with my latest attempt that Faramir had to fetch oil to help me get it undone. Boromir still teases me about it to this day."
The elf chuckled. Lianna did too. It felt nice to speak freely. She noticed that there was a lumpy spot in the weave further up, so she pulled the last few inches apart to redo it. "It wasn't so bad. I often hid books in the cellar ahead of time for just such an eventuality, or my brothers would slip me parchment and charcoal under the door so I could sketch. It gave me a lot of time to dream."
Legolas picked up a stone from beside him and rolled it between his long fingers. "What did you dream about?" he wanted to know.
"Mostly about the places I wanted to visit. All the places I wanted to see."
The elf smiled. "And what have been your favorite places to visit since you left Minas Tirith?"
"Well, we didn't stop to explore or sightsee much on our journey west. We were in too much of a hurry to put distance between us and Father so he couldn't send anyone after us to bring me back. And then we were in a hurry to make it to the Counsel of Elrond. But I daresay Rivendell itself was probably my favorite."
"And where do you still want to go?"
"I'd love to see your home. I'd like to see where you grew up! And Gimli describes Erabor so wonderfully that it seems like a grand place to visit! But I'd really like to see the Shire someday. Sam describes it so well, and it sounds so peaceful and safe and lovely."
Legolas smiled as she talked, even though she had to undo and redo her work several times as she got lost in her descriptions of places she'd heard and read about. Lianna was just retying the cord around the end of his braid when Gimli came over to retrieve something from his pack. Seeing the two of them thus occupied his eyes widened and he pointed at them with a thick finger.
"Oh-HO! About time, you two! I thought Gandalf was gonna have ter spell ya ta get you two to stop being stupid and just talk it out. I'll tell Master Pippin that he owes me two silver coins."
The human woman was glaring at the dwarf. She had no clue what the dwarf was talking about, but she didn't have a good feeling about it.
"Listen here lad," the dwarf continued, leaning down to talk directly to Legolas. "I can help ya forge a courting bead ter braid into her hair if we end up traveling through the mines of Moria. Then it'll be all nice and proper."
Lianna froze at the word "courting".
"What are you on about?" she demanded, knowing she'd probably regret the question.
Gimli beamed at her. "Well you went and took my advice about the braiding. I see ya didn't do it quite right. But I can show ya how to do a proper courting braid later. Congratulations to you both!"
"I'm not-! What-? A courting braid? What's that?"
The dwarf looked at her confused. "Come now, you must know." When Lianna shook her head, he frowned. "Don't you humans braid each other's hair when you're courtin'? Or at least once you wed? How else will others know you're already taken?"
Lianna's face went so pale the dwarf looked alarmed. But she wasn't looking at him. She was staring at the back of Legolas' head. She couldn't see his expression, but he'd been frozen in place since Gimli had started speaking. His muscles were tense and she couldn't even tell if he was breathing.
"Gimli," she tried to say calmly, but her traitorous voice shook. "I don't know what you're talking about. The wind was bothering Legolas, so I offered to help keep his hair out of his eyes."
Gimli stared in shock at her before throwing up his hands in disgust. "You mean you haven't come out an' told him yer sweet on him yet? You crazy woman!"
"GIMLI!" Lianna shrieked. She stared aghast at the dwarf who had just betrayed her and dropped Legolas' hair as if it had bitten her. Scrambling backwards until she was pressed against the boulder she stood, covering her mouth with trembling hands as Legolas finally turned to look at her. His eyes shone with some sort of emotion that she couldn't place, through the rest of his face was deliberately smooth.
"Lianna?" he asked softly.
Manwë and Varda, how she loved it when he said her name. It felt like a caress and a promise all in one. She pressed her lips together behind her hands, though she couldn't bring herself to look away from him.
"Is what he says true?" the elf prince asked, still in that calm voice.
Lianna couldn't lie to him. She was certain Gimli would disprove her if she tried anyway. She desperately wanted to say nothing, but his eyes begged her to speak. Without her consent, her shaking hands lowered from her mouth.
"I didn't know braiding was so significant. I would never… If I'd known…"
"It's not an elvish custom. I believe the dwarves are the only ones that practice it consistently in their culture. But that wasn't what I asked."
The woman swallowed hard, lost in that commanding gaze. All she could do was give a miniscule nod, one she was sure his elf eyes would have no trouble detecting.
A look of pure delight blossomed across the elf's face. He smiled so widely that his face could barely contain it. Clambering to his knees he grasped Lianna's hands and held them securely in his.
"Really? You feel the same as I do for you?" he asked, almost desperately.
"What? You do? I mean… That…that depends on what-"
He answered her half-formed question before she could stutter and bumble her way to the end of it. "I care for you as more than a friend. I have for a long time."
"Oh." Lianna's knees trembled and she nearly toppled over in her relief. Legolas steadied her as he waited with rapt attention for her reply. "Then, yes. I believe I do."
The elf grinned impossibly wider and bounded to his feet.
"Oh A'maelamin."
Lianna shivered as his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her against his lean form. She placed her hands on his chest, lightly gripping the material of his shirt. They were both beaming like idiots.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" asked the elf prince, reaching up to trace her jawline with a single, gentle finger.
The human merely raised an eyebrow and her smile became crooked. "Why didn't you tell me?" she countered.
Legolas chuckled. "Fair point." He said.
Lianna gained enough courage to reach up and cup his face with one hand. Her thumb brushed tenderly across his cheekbone, causing the elf to lean into her touch, his eyes closed in contentment. Her index and middle finger brushed against his earlobe, causing him to draw in a sharp breath and open his eyes to look at her.
"I'm sorry. Are your ears…?"
"They're just very sensitive, A'maelamin. All elves are the same way. It's considered an intimate act to touch another's ears."
"Oh. I didn't know." She began to withdraw her hand, but Legolas grasped her elbow, keeping her from retreating more than a few inches. Holding her gaze he brought her hand back to his right ear and let it hover there, giving permission. Lianna swallowed and, summoning her courage, stroked his ear gently from base to gracefully pointed tip.
A shudder ran from the top of the elf's head through his torso and down to his feet. His eyes pressed shut as he fought to hold in a pleased sigh. Lianna bit her lip in to hide her glee and proceeded to reach up and stroke his other ear once in the same manner. This time, Legolas let out a happy hum with just the barest hint of a whimper at the very end as the woman gave the tip one last caress before placing her hands back on his chest.
The elf cupped her face in both of his hands, pulling her close so that their foreheads could rest against each other's. Lianna closed her eyes at the sensation of his warm breath mingling with hers and inhaled the smell of pine needles that surrounded him. They stayed that way for several long minutes. Both happy but unsure of what to do next. Finally, Legolas said as much.
"I'm delighted with this turn of events, dear one, but I am so overwhelmed at the moment that I'm not at all sure what to do next."
Gimli's gruff voice from behind them made them both jump. They'd almost forgotten he was there.
"Well if courting braids are not used by humans, and elves apparently pull each other's ears (strange idea that, if you ask me), perhaps you should adopt a tradition that humans recognize and just kiss the girl! Unless your people don't do that kind of thing, you empty headed tree-hugger."
Lianna looked over Legolas' shoulder to scowl at the dwarf. "Gimli!" she chastised.
"May I?" Legolas asked, suddenly.
She turned back to look at him, blushing despite herself. "Kiss me?" she asked.
The elf smiled and she saw him glance down at her lips. "Yes."
"I mean, um… Is it a tradition unique to humans?" She asked, continuing to fight her blush from spreading…unsuccessfully.
"No." Legolas said, hands still cupping her face. "I believe it's practiced by most races to differing degrees. Humans just put slightly more emphasis on it than some."
"Oh." Lianna barely heard him. She was getting lost in the tender gaze he gave her.
"Lianna, may I kiss you?" he asked again.
The woman blinked to clear her thoughts and gulped. She knew she could say something gushy and romantic, but that just wasn't her. And this moment felt too honest and real to be muddled with poetry or flowery words.
"Yes." Was her simple, wholehearted reply.
Legolas' eyes shone with joy, and he imediately bent his head to press warm lips gently to hers.
Though she was holding her breath, Lianna felt like the exact opposite. It felt like she was finally able to breathe for the first time in her life. An invisible weight lifted from her shoulders and she wrapped her arms securely around the elf's neck, both of them pulling each other as close as they could get. His lips were soft and shy at first. He peppered her mouth with small kisses, like he was taking small sips of her. When she melted into him and began to press back, he kissed her more firmly, caressing her lips with his own. Then Lianna not-so-accidentally brush her fingers over the tips of his ears and the elf let out a noise that was a combination of a soft growl and a quiet moan. Threading his fingers into her own hair, Legolas tilted her head to get a better angle and deepened the kiss. Now it was Lianna's turn to whimper as she pressed herself against his solid chest, feeling his heart pound in tandem with hers through the material of their shirts.
Finally, when she was dizzy from lack of air as well as his kisses, Legolas pulled back to look at her. He was panting slightly, just as she was. Lianna felt irrationally proud to see that his eyes looked dazed and a flush painted his normally pale face. She smiled tremulously at him and he returned it, letting out a few huffs of delighted, breathy laughter.
"A'maelamin." He whispered, brushing over her lips with the pad of his thumb.
Lianna shivered pleasantly at the caress of his finger on her lips. "What does that mean?" she asked quietly.
"My beloved."
"Ooh…" She shivered again, smiling.
"Sar em gabura." Gimli cursed. "I should've known you'd be even more sickening once you finally got around to telling each other the truth. Mahal save me."
Lianna turned to smirk at him, her timidness disappearing. "This is all thanks to you, master dwarf. Don't complain now that you've gotten what you pushed, threatened, and meddled for."
The elven prince's handsome face shone with joy as he threw his head back and laughed while Gimli scowled.
"Don't you laugh at me, gurnvos'comys [tree humper]. Khahum menu rukhas shirumundu! [Your clan are beardless orcs!]" The dwarf growled.
Legolas laughed again and said, "Llie n'vanima ar' lle atara lanneina. [You're ugly and your mother dresses you funny.]"
Lianna knew only a few words of both elvish and dwarvish, but she got the gist of what they were saying to each other. Closing her eyes, she grumbled to herself about males and testosterone as the insult match continued.
"Men gamul khagun tabooed dan menu khuzi! [My grandma is a better warrior than you!]" Said Gimli.
"Antolle ulua sulrim. [Much wind blows from your mouth.]" Was the elf's cheerful reply.
"Ozirum menu seleku. [You couldn't forge a spoon.]"
"Lasta lalaithamin. [Listen to my laughter.]"
Lianna rolled her eyes in exasperation as she bent down to retrieve a long, straight branch from the ground. "That's ENOUGH you two!" Gimli opened his mouth once more, but she was ready. Pulling back her arm, she feinted throwing the wood in the dwarf's direction, holding it like she would a spear. He grunted and did a strange twisting leap sideways (that made him look rather ridiculous) to avoid the expected projectile. Only when he was already off-balance did she actually throw the branch, aiming it just right so that it tangled between his legs, tripping him, and sending him sprawling. Legolas laughed once more at their friend, pointing at him.
"And as for you," The woman said, facing the elf once more. She wasn't sure where this new courage was coming from, but she ran with it. Grasping the sides of his face with both hands (and making sure to touch as much of his ears as she could in the process) she pulled him down to her, kissing him firmly. Legolas' undignified squawk of surprise quickly turned into hum of pleasure. He kissed her back with enthusiasm, actually groaning when she dragged her fingers over both of his hears at the same time. Feeling bold, Lianna dared to tentatively brush the tip of her tongue along his lower lip. Now he growled, opening his mouth to her so that he could taste her as well, and pulling her flush against him once more.
If they had been aware of their surroundings at all, they would have seen that four hobbits and a wizard had joined Gimli in gaping at the couple. Well, at least the hobbits were gaping. The dwarf was rolling his eyes and the wizard was chuckling in delight.
Finally, the two of them broke apart, but only pulling far enough away that their noses brushed each other.
"If this is how you punish me when I get into an argument, I can't wait to see what you do when I actually do something really bad." Legolas murmured breathlessly, fixing her with a cheeky grin.
Lianna rolled her eyes again. "It's a wonder you're still alive with all the foolhardy nonsense you get into with that dwarf. How I'll ever manage to get both of you to Mount Doom in one piece is beyond me."
"I have no doubt in your abilities." Legolas crooned into her ear, making her shiver deliciously. "What are orcs compared to your wit? What are goblins compared to your strength? What is Sauron compared to your courage?" With each compliment, he pressed more feather-light kisses to her cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead. "I can survive all of the dark lord's forces as long as you are by my side." He purred, leaning down to kiss her mouth once more.
Suddenly harsh voice rang out across the clearing. "OI! What are you doing with my sister?!"
The elf's smile vanished and his face noticeably paled.
"You're brother on the other hand, I'm not so sure about."
Glossary
meldonya (elvish) – my friend
Oio naa elealla alasse' (elvish) – ever is thy sight a joy
Cormlle naa tanya tel'raa (elvish) - Your heart is that of the lion
Manwë and Varda – king and queen of the Valar (Middle Earth deities)
A'maelamin (elvish) – beloved
sar em gabura (dwarvish/Khadzul)– may it melt; a general dwarvish curse (dammit, bugger, f-, etc.)
Mahal – creator of the dwarves
gurnvos'comys (dwarvish/Khadzul) - tree humper
khahum menu rukhas shirumundu (dwarvish/Khudzul) – your clan are beardless orcs
Llie n'vanima ar' lle atara lanneina (elvish) – you're ugly and your mother dresses you funny
men gamul khagun tabooed dan menu khuzi (dwarvish/Khudzul) – my grandma is a better warrior than you
Antolle ulua sulrim (elvish) – much wind pours from your mouth
ozirum menu seleku (dwarvish/Khadzul) - you couldn't forge a spoon
Lasta lalaithamin (elvish) - Listen to my laughter.