AH! Sorry it has been so long since I have updated... I've been so busy with school. Only about one month left until high school is over forever... I'll be attending Tulane University next year (go Green Wave)! Anyway, so I haven't been around in a while, and I left off in a very awkward place (in the middle of the story...always an awkward place to leave off)... hopefully you guys haven't forgotten the plotline or anything! Ha. So, the story continues, 2 months later... I hope you enjoy it!

Also, this chapter is another reason this fanfic is rated M - you have been warned! Oh, and this chapter is pretty long... that's the way you like it, right?

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Later that day, an alert had been sounded; Legolas and Aragorn abandoned me to rush to the edges of the forest. I walked around aimlessly, hoping nothing was seriously wrong; perhaps another attack by the group of Orcs. It could not possibly be serious. Just as I had become wrapped in my visions of Legolas and Aragorn fighting with some vile creatures, Nimaroel stepped into my line of vision.

"I would like to apologize for my eruption earlier this morning," Nimaroel said. This was very out-of-character of her. I gave her a questioning glance and continued to walk past her. She stopped me. "Really," her smile was almost smug. "You helped me, even." I glared at her.

"Nimaroel, why don't you just leave me alone?" I snapped.

"Look," she said, trying to grab my arm. Her eyebrow arched suggestively. "I had an amazing morning because of you, so I am just thanking you, alright?" she said before turning on her heels and strutting away. I stared after her blankly. What in Ilúvatar's name did that mean? And of course, I had to run after her and find out. Damn my curiosity.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I demanded, catching up to her. "I did you no favors. If you sat and talked to Legolas about how evil I am then good for you, but I would hardly classify that as an amazing morning." I sneered hatefully before trying to walk away again, but her cackling laughter caught me off guard and I had to stay to hear her explanation.

"Are you that self-centered?" she asked, before continuing. "And I hardly considered Legolas' moans as talking about how evil you are, but then again, perhaps I was mistaken." With that, she made sure she got as far away from me as possible, nearly running up the stairs of the foyer. I stared after her in complete shock. She must be kidding, I thought. Legolas would not dare.

I spent the rest of my day worrying about Legolas and Aragorn. Finally, the front doors to the castle swung open and a group of Elves came walking in, rather beat up and bloody. Some even looked seriously injured; a few were being brought in on the shoulders of others, and some where desperately clinging to others' arms to support themselves. I stood in horror, watching until I finally saw Legolas and Aragorn, walking side-by-side, their heads down. Legolas had a rather nasty cut on his forehead and Aragorn's clothes over his right arm were torn, dried blood crusting over the tear. I ran into the crowd and embraced them both. They showed no emotion.

"I was so worried! You are both hurt! What happened out there?" I could not contain myself.

"The Orcs outnumbered us by at least fifty," Aragorn started as I ran my fingers over his bloodied arm. He flinched slightly. I stared up at him, concerned. I turned to Legolas and inspected the cut above his right eye.

"You should put something on that," I suggested. The chaos of the soldiers returning from battle had put Nimaroel out of my mind, but one look into Legolas' eyes and her words had returned, stinging like a sword to the flesh. "Legolas, Nimaroel said something very curious earlier," I began. Legolas inhaled quickly, his body becoming ever so slightly more rigid. He cleared his throat. His eyes moved away from mine, and I could tell he was trying very hard not to look at me.

"What did she say?" he finally asked, reluctantly. Aragorn took this as his cue to leave. As he walked away, he turned and gave Legolas a glance that said clearly 'good luck.' I furrowed my brow. Aragorn knew something I did not.

"She thanked me."

"She what?" Legolas seemed almost disinterested. I could tell it was an act.

"She thanked me for hurting you and said she had a lovely morning. I replied that talking about me to you should not classify as a 'lovely morning,' but then she said the very curious thing." I searched Legolas' eyes, which were still looking anywhere but into mine, for truth. For a denial. But none came. I continued, "She said your moans should not be considered talking," I finished. Legolas swallowed hard.

"I don't know what she's talking about," Legolas replied hurriedly.

"Look me in the eyes and say that," I insisted. Legolas' eyes finally found mine again, and the look in them was insincere.
"I don't know…" his voice trailed off. I found my breath coming in short gasps, and my heartbeat quickened.

"Legolas!" I said loudly. "Tell me you did not have sex with Nimaroel," I insisted. Legolas bit his lower lip and looked at me almost apologetically, which only worsened my attitude. "Legolas, you could not possibly have." He swallowed again, and wrenched his eyes away from mine. A knotting feeling emerged in my stomach and my entire body was covered in goosebumps. I felt hurt, dejected, betrayed, and worst of all, that horrible knot in the pit of my stomach – jealous. "How could--" I began, but Legolas cut me off.

"How dare you ask me questions like this?" Legolas said between his teeth. "How dare you even think of asking me 'how could you.' What makes you think you have the right to ask me that after what you did last night?" Legolas was beyond angry. He grabbed my arm and led me forcefully down the hallway, and nearly threw me into my room. I looked at him pleadingly. "And do not look at me that way. I have already told you it is completely unflattering," Legolas said vehemently. He slammed the door behind us and came closer to me. I walked backwards, slowly. Legolas walked closer to me, forcing me to sit down on my bed to escape the nearness of his fuming words. "Last night I was looking for you after dinner. I wanted to apologize to you, for the awful things I said to you. I saw you, your back pressed against the wall, Lafathnin's fingers inside you--"

"Legolas, please," I begged. I now understood the dreadfulness of what he saw last night, and I regretted it. I regretted it. Legolas kept moving closer, and I felt his legs on either side of mine, pressed against the side of the bed.

"No, you will hear this," Legolas insisted. "I saw you with your leg wrapped around him, his fingers inside of you. I watched you moan in pleasure, and slide gracefully to the floor when you realized I was watching. Do you know how badly I wished that was me? Do you know how badly I wanted to pick you back up and wrap your leg around me, whisper in your ear exactly how I feel about you and what I want to do to you?" Legolas' face was in mine, and tears of rage began to form in his eyes. I had already begun crying silently, and I lifted my hand to wipe the tears from my cheeks. Legolas grabbed my arm violently. "Leave them there. They make me believe you have some sort of emotion other than apathy; that one I know you've got down," Legolas sneered. I sniffled. "Yes, I had sex with Nimaroel. Do you want to know exactly how it went?" This was torture. I shook my head violently. "I think I'll tell you anyway."

"Legolas, no!" I implored. A malicious grin spread across his face.

"After she left your room this morning, she found me in mine," he began spitefully. "She took me in her arms as I cried, telling me how awful you were and how much she wished I would see her for once, see how she pined away for me like I do for you, give her just one taste of me like I wanted from you. I realized she was right, and we began to kiss. I'll never forget her smell: a mix of honey and clean clothes." Legolas' eyes became vacant, distant, and for a moment I believed he would stop. The tears kept falling down my cheeks, and I did not believe I could bear to hear the rest. He had never been with someone before; she had been his first. Nimaroel had been his first, and I could not handle it.

"Legolas, please…" His eyes became engaged again, and I realized that with every bit of hurt I felt, he felt more pleasure in my pain.

"She began taking off my clothes. I saw her eyes light up with pleasure at the sight of my naked body," he began, rueful pleasure in his voice. "I took her dress off; her hair cascaded down to her waist. She crawled on top of me and I…" By this time, I was sobbing. Legolas was still holding my arm, and I did not dare reach up with my other. My face must have been red, my eyes shut tightly, the scene playing out before me. No one had ever treated me like this before. The welcomed pause was long, and I realized he had actually stopped. The grip he had on my arm began to loosen, and I opened my eyes cautiously, sniffling and stifling my sobs. I saw his honey brown eyes looking at me with such passion, such sorrow that I almost felt sorry for him. Almost. I could tell his spell of rage had ended, and I was no longer afraid of him. I jerked my arm from his grasp and wiped my cheeks. I was breathing heavily.

"Legolas, please leave now," I whispered, entreating him. His eyes kept darting from one of mine to the other. He looked remorseful and ashamed. Gently, he placed one of his hands on my cheek and wiped another tear from my eye with his thumb. The act of kindness after such a monstrous incident sent me reeling, and tears began to brim over and fall quickly down my cheeks once again. I closed my eyes and let my head fall forward. Legolas caught my body and picked me up, laying me down on my bed. I curled into a ball and cried. Legolas sat next to me on the bed, stroking my hair and rubbing my back for the next hour or so. How sweet of him.

After a while, I stopped crying and realized how angry I was. Legolas had slept with someone else out of spite, and had just thrown me into my room to explain the entire incident to me.

"Legolas, you are the most horrid creature I have ever met," I said, sitting up and looking into his eyes. He sighed.

"I'm sorry," he replied, distress in his voice. "I just got so upset," Legolas tried to explain. I shook my head and sniffled again.

"No, I'm sorry," I heard myself admit. Why in the name of Ilúvatar was I apologizing? Oh right. He had just made it very clear that I had broken his heart – something I never meant to do.

"Please, do not," Legolas said, standing.

"No, Legolas," I insisted, "I am sorry. I cannot imagine how that must have been for you." Legolas hung his head. "Please do not think on it anymore. Lafathnin and I were…"

"I care not," Legolas replied quickly. "I…I must go now."

"What is going to happen with the Orcs?" I asked, eyeing the cut on his forehead and remembering that Nimaroel had, in fact, not put it there. I winced. Legolas' eyes moved up as if he was trying to see the cut on his own forehead, and he sighed, shaking his head.

"I'm not sure. They had us greatly outnumbered today, and we cannot know whether or not that had been all of them."

"But…everyone got out safely, though they outnumbered you," I said.

"I would not say 'safely,'" Legolas said, indicating his cut. "Even the best got scratched a little," he winked. I giggled. "We got away but there could be many more." I nodded, and without another word, Legolas exited my room. I stared after him and fell back on my bed, exhausted from worrying and crying.