"Finally," said a voice groggily inside my thoughts. My eyes flickered open and I saw a bemused Cladeth standing over me. Why was my back hurting so badly, and what in Middle-earth was I doing sleeping on the ground outside? It took me a few seconds to realize what had just happened, and I smiled; immediately thereafter, I realized I was naked and lying on the ground, and I sat up quickly to cover myself.
"Cladeth—I…damn," I swore. Legolas had obviously awoken at my movement, and he sat up too. Damn, was I still smiling? And damn again, my best friend liked this Elf and here I was lying naked with him. "Cladeth, I…I…this…we…"
"Oh, shut up, Tia," Cladeth grinned. "Worked, huh?"
"What?" I asked, confused.
"Worked," Legolas answered, grinning from ear to pointed ear. I squinted my eyes at the two of them for a moment before realizing what they must have been talking about.
"You scoundrels!" I said at once, standing to grab the towel I had brought out earlier that was resting nearby. I covered myself before pushing Cladeth forcefully. "You set me up!" Hm, that did not sound angry at all. "And you too!" I frowned at Legolas, who stood and hurriedly put on his leggings and tunic. I should not have been surprised. Legolas courting someone other than me was a bit ridiculous in itself. "I cannot believe this!" I exclaimed more to myself than either of them.
"Does that mean you are unhappy that it happened?" Legolas asked, walking up close to me so he was only a few inches from my face. He stared down at me, searching my eyes with his gorgeous honey browns, a sad pout on his face. I only stood for a bit, watching him watch me until the tension in the air was thick enough to sink an arrow in.
"No," I said, finally and to Legolas' relief. "I love you."
"I love you too, Tialyn," he whispered, pulling me close and planting a sensuous kiss on my lips before exhaling deeply. I could tell he wanted to say more, but Cladeth was standing pleased nearby and what he wanted to say was probably private; instead, Legolas kissed me again and grabbed my hand. "Thank you, Cladeth," he said. "I owe you."
"How about a trip to Mirkwood?" Cladeth asked. "I take payment in fun."
"I am not sure how fun Mirkwood would be at the moment," Legolas replied, his mood changing quickly. "Orcs are hidden around the borders of Mirkwood and nearby areas; a very large band of Orcs, actually," he said, remembering.
"Orcs?" Cladeth asked, surprised. "Where did they come from?" Legolas explained that they may have been a band of dissenters from Sauron's army, and admitted they were stronger than anyone believed at first. "Oh, so that is how Aragorn and you were hurt," she said, indicating the direction of the stab wound in Legolas' leg which was now healing fast and needed no bandage.
"Sorry I never explained," I piped in. "I had forgotten you were not in Mirkwood with us. Everyone there knows." Legolas turned to me again, a look of serenity on his face with a hint of something else I thought I recognized as pure joy. "Why are you looking at me that way?" I broke into a smile, and Legolas returned it.
"You are no longer the Elf who got away," Legolas said teasingly.
"Watch what you say!" I warned. "You may jinx it." Legolas could not stop grinning as the three of us walked in the direction of my flat. Cladeth clambered up the ladder to her own as Legolas followed me up mine. This would turn into a wonderful afternoon.
Dark finally fell and Legolas and I were lying in my bed naked. His hand was busy stroking my face as I drifted in and out of sleep. "Tialyn," he whispered, "I cannot express to you how marvelous this day his been." Despite the seriousness in his voice, I could not help but laugh.
"Legolas, can you hear yourself?" I put on my best serious-Legolas face and mustered up the royalty in my voice. "'I cannot express to you how mahvahlous theess dahy has been.'" I howled with laughter.
"I am serious, Tialyn!" he said, but he smiled too before grabbing my pillow and hitting me on the head with it, which only brought on more playful bedroom romping; that is, until we heard an uncomfortable 'ahem' from outside. I stood hurriedly and threw on my robe, sticking my head out of the door to see who was interrupting all my fun.
"Miss Tialyn," the same regal soldier from before said, "I am told Legolas is here." This was a statement rather than a question. I nodded. "An urgent message for him has arrived." He climbed up, handed me the letter, and climbed back down, stalking away.
"An urgent message," I said at Legolas' questioning gaze as I walked back into my bedroom. I handed the letter to him, which he unfolded and read intently.
"Ilúvatar," he swore. "I have to go."
"Now?" I asked incredulously.
"Now." He stood and dressed himself as he headed toward the door. As if he had forgotten something very important, he spun around and ran back to me. "I love you," he said, kissing me quickly and hurrying away again.
"Wait!" I implored him, trailing on his heels. "Take me with you." The look of sincerity in my eye did not help.
"You are safe here for now, Tialyn," Legolas said, pulling me close. "I just got you and I do not want you hurt." He leaned in to kiss me again before jumping out of my door, not bothering with the ladder.
"But where are you going?" I called after him, not troubling myself with hiding the disappointment in my voice.
"Mirkwood!" Legolas yelled back before disappearing into the dark woods.
"I love you too," I murmured dismally, returning to my room to see the letter thrown on the floor as if the contents were unimportant. I picked it up and read it fixedly.
Son,
The Orcs are destroying our lands. We need you. Bring Aragorn if he is healed enough. Bring everyone in Imladris willing to fight. We have a war on our hands.
Love, Your Father