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Ch. 26 Reconciliation

Before he had left, she promised Lord Glorfindel that she would be fine and assured him that she would get some rest for her journey in the morning. However, as soon as her chamber door had shut, Aerlinniel took to pacing the room. Her mind a bubbling brew of emotion.

"Put to bed like a misbehaved child," she spouted, spinning on her heal with her fists clenched.

The gentle knock upon the door did nothing to deter her from her tirade.

"Oh, what is it?"

"It's me, my lady…May I come in?" Velenya tentatively called from behind the heavy oaken door.

"Of course…,"Aerlinniel mocked. "Orders to tuck me in – have you, Nanny?"

Velenya eased herself into the bedchamber and gravely observed her lady nearly wearing a trodden path into the sandstone floor. "I heard the night did not end well for you and Prince Legolas," she offered in a delicate voice.

"No." Aerlinniel spouted as she swaggered past her lady's maid. "Ada was sure to intervene and garner control of the situation," she said with a sardonic wave of her arm. "Cannot have tipsy ellon traipsing around without their tunics lest it offends the delicate damsels…and Valar- how must it reflect upon him? We must have order in the house, you know," she said with a stern satiric tone that was akin to her father's.

Velenya sighed as she took to the business of turning Aerlinniel's bed covers down. "My lady, tensions are high with all that has happened over the past few days. Perhaps you should give his lordship some slack."

"Slack? I would like for someone to grant me some slack," she scoffed still working her way hither and tither around the room.

"Lady Aerlinniel, I am sure your ada was caught off guard…"

An exasperated sigh escaped Aerlinniel as she circled her pacing to a stop. "We were all caught off guard. That does not give him the right to treat me like a child." She wrung her hands together, remembering his odd behavior and then returned to her pacing. "He seemed angry, Velenya. And…I fear for Legolas… What will he say to him? I can scarcely fathom for Ada is not himself."

"Legolas will be fine," she said as she poured fresh water into the washbasin that sat atop the dressing table. "Perhaps a little wilted after your father gets through with him, but he will be fine." Velenya dried her palms upon her linen apron as she strolled over to Aerlinniel and took hold of her hands, smiling as she did, which remedied Aerlinniel's pacing the room like a nervous captive creature. "Your prince is made of strong stock," she said with a knowing smile. "I suspect he will rally in spite of this latest setback. And besides, how could he not find the challenge- irresistible?" Velenya squeezed her hands to drive her point further.

"I wish I had your confidence," Aerlinniel shrugged. After a brief pause, a smile ghosted her face. "Did you hear how we came upon them?"

"I am piecing it together," Velenya said giving her a playful glance as she led her by the hand to the warmth of the sheepskin rug that lay alongside her four-poster bed. Despite the fire that blazed within the hearth, the bedchamber floor remained briskly cold to bare feet. "Something about your brothers…the prince, miruvor, weaponry, and…bare chests," she said blinking up at Aerlinniel with a waggish expression.

A slow smile unfurled upon Aerlinniel's face and then, in tandem, a giggle escaped them both, followed by a sudden onset of full-fledged laughter. Hysteric quips ensued in earnest gasps as tears streaked their faces until soon their bellies ached, and the pair found themselves grasping each other for stability.

"Oh Velenya, that is exactly what I needed…A good laugh!"

"Forgive me for saying so, my lady. Tis all rather funny…If you allow it," she said straining to find her composure.

"Better to find the humor in it- I suppose…lest I cry," Aerlinniel agreed shaking her head in resignation. Velenya always had a way of settling her nerves when tension arose, and for that she was grateful.

"Well, we shan't have that, my lady. No sense wallowing in things you cannot change." She motioned for her to turn round so that she could begin working at loosening the pink silken laces of her bodice.

As their gaiety abated the two took to the usual routine of readying Aerlinniel for bed. Soon, Velenya had her washed and smelling of sweet verbena. And finally, swathed in her white cotton nightdress, she sat at her dressing table whilst Velenya plucked the blooms Legolas had placed in her hair earlier that day. She gathered them into a low crystal bowl filled with water so that Aerlinniel could look upon them for a while longer. As the blossoms floated serenely, Aerlinniel, remembered the beauty and ease of the day with Legolas, which now seemed so long ago. She wished she could turn back time when all had seemed full of peace and promise. No distractions. Just Legolas and his tender affections and sating presence.

Why had she allowed herself to become so cross with him; so willing to walk away when discord arose? Legolas saw keenly her pridefulness when she deemed his actions and intentions suspect. So brazen was he that he did not cater to her, but rather, he sought to bring light to her shortcomings. Was he being unreasonable? Perhaps a little…and she supposed she had reacted in kind or perhaps worse. Storming away from him at the waterfall and then chastening him for pointing out her father's obvious control over her was on the fringe of melodramatic and if she were being honest with herself, she had been quite rude. A glimmer of shame coursed through her for acting so harshly toward him. He was the prince of the Woodland Realm, one of the most sought-after ellon in all the lands, and the son of her dear friend, King Thranduil…And this is how she treated him? It is a wonder she hadn't driven him away.

"You must tell me, in confidence, of course," Velenya asked glancing up from her careful work, "what was your impression of him?"

Aerlinniel jerked herself from her faraway thoughts and gave her a baffled look. "Impression- what do you mean?"

Velenya kept to her plucking and bit back a smile. "Seeing him – that way- bare skinned…"

Aerlinniel's eyes widened and her cheeks flushed bright pink which caused her to dip her head to conceal their flame though she gladly pondered the subject of her reply. "I would say that he made a lasting impression!" She laughingly confided.

Velenya gasped then bit her lip to stave off a smirk.

Aerlinniel continued, "I dare say, his flesh is burned into my mind. All I need do is close my eyes," she did as she said, "and he is there – lean and smooth…taught muscles and- that tapered torso peeking beyond the waist of his breeches…" she sighed, her eyes still closed. "He is a vision of pure bliss."

Their secret meeting before dinner had given her plenty of fodder to ponder. Indeed, she had allowed her mind to wander through several sultry scenarios involving Legolas during the evening meal. Each scenario culminated with an impassioned kiss whilst her hands traveled his fair skin all the while the tranquilizing wonder of his scent stirred her senses into a heady need for visceral escalation. However, after finding that he harbored wounds, her fanciful thoughts had been doused with worry for him ever since. Why hadn't he confided that he had been injured and instead elected to suffer silently?

Velenya's hands stilled as she stared through the mirror stunned at her lady's confession. "Well, now- the night was not all bad then…was it?"

Aerlinniel giggled as she twirled a golden elanor blossom between her fingers before dipping it into the bowl of water. "I suppose not," she said turning pensive. "I crave to see him-alone…so that we may reconcile our differences."

"A reconciliation of differences? Is that what you crave?" Velenya teased with a rueful wink. "Perhaps an impassioned embrace and a steamy kiss will settle the score between the pair of you."

Aerlinniel forced a smile and wished for it to be that simple for she desired both but she could not see it achieved without first reaching an accord with him. "We quarreled today…and again this evening… And after, I came to find that his back is terribly injured and he told no one...not even myself. And to make it all the more unsettling, Ada has contrived it so that I will not have a chance to speak with him privately before I depart. I doubt I shall gain such peace to earn the pleasure of his kiss."

With her hair now bereft of blooms, Velenya had begun smoothing through Aerlinniel's tresses and reshaping her curls with a hint of argan seed oil. "Perhaps you will get your chance sooner than later," she said with a triumphant gleam and then she leaned near her ear and whispered, "Between us, my lady, the prince will be staying overnight, here at Homely House…"

"Here?" Aerlinniel turned round to Velenya looking intrigued at the notion.

"Mmmhmm. The snow has swallowed up the pathway way to his cottage and the wind is too bitter to send him out into the night. And I suppose his lordship wanted to keep a close eye on him – what with his injuries and all."

"I see…" Aerlinniel murmured glancing away. And then a thought began to take seed.

"But you did not hear this from me."

"No, of course," she agreed her mind reeling with the news.

I hope you don't mind the short chapter this time…

It's a bit of a tease for the next chapter…well, next two chapters, really. :)

Stuff's about to go down is all I'm going to say. ;)

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