Dearest Readers,

I must admit this has been a much longer hiatus than I had planned. I got sick and had some issues moving between medications, but now things are far clearer and now I can write again :) Yay!

So, I think it's time I start out with something to show just why this story has a Mature rating. If you don't like sexy times, just skip ahead to the first break.

XOXO Ally Layne.

Into That Good Night

Chapter 25: Dinner With A Master Slimeball

We were slow.

And I mean slow in the best way.

He was slow to run his fingertips down the length of my arm, leaving goosebumps as he went. The laces that held the front of my blouse shut slowly became undone, and I nearly forgot how to breathe as he explored my newly exposed chest.

I slowly ran my hands through his golden locks, unable to stop the tender smile that followed as twisted the strands between my fingers.

He slowly eased down onto his knees in front of me, kissing the length of my chest, biting and sucking, leaving marks that I knew I would only have to admire later.

I couldn't help but moan, "Glorfindel," as his lips wrapped around one nipple, his tongue flicking the bud that had hardened the first moment he kissed my neck.

He let out a low chuckle and looked up at me with hooded eyes, watching my reaction as he moved over to my other breast, and did the same thing.

My eyes rolled shut. "Ugh..."

Another chuckle.

"Do you enjoy this, Nemir?"

I opened my eyes just wide enough to look down at him hotly. "Shut up and kiss me, Goldilocks."

Luckily he didn't need any other directions, because he launched himself back at my body, kissing and licking all the way down to where my blouse was pulled down near my sternum.

He seemed to sense what I was about to do as he pulled away to smirk as he tugged my blouse off my shoulders. I let my hands fall to my sides so it would fall down, catching on my hips where it was still tucked into the riding pants.

His bright eyes darkened, but were still looking at me in awe. "You are beautiful, meleth nin."

As he ran a reverent hand down my chest, still looking at me like he did, it was then that I forgot my scars, the blemishes, the bits and pieces of me that I normally would have shied away from showing him so freely.

Because now, with the way he was looking at me?

I've never felt more beautiful.

I've never felt more desirable.

And I've never felt such desire.

Trying to contain the sheer willingness to just completely strip him where he kneeled, I raised a brow. "You just gonna sit there and look at me or are you gonna do something?"

His answering chuckle was dark. "I am going to make you regret those words, gwingil."

As slow as things had been up to that point, as soon as his hand moved from my chest down to my pants, he palmed the place that was burning for him the hottest- and things started to speed up.

I bit my lip, trying to keep myself from grinding and dry humping his hand into oblivion, but even the logical side of my brain knew it was a losing battle.

"Do you want me, Persephone?"

I was damn near panting at this point. "Uhuh."

He stood up, and before I could blink, my back was against the wall, my legs were wrapped around his waist, and he was grinding into me with a new purpose.

"Fuck," I groaned, throwing my head back as he took the moment to place more demanding kisses along my jaw.

With one arm holding me firmly in place, his other moved to undo the binding on my pants. If I didn't know about his previous sexscapades or had taken part of them myself, I would've been shocked at the swiftness he was able to get my pants and underwear down my legs, chucking them off into some long-forgotten corner of the room.

Another curse escaped my lips when he slipped a finger inside. It was intoxicating as his desire fed off the pleasure I was experiencing, and I found myself wanting nothing more than for him to feel the same way.

It was no surprise to me when I practically tore his shirt off his body and reached down beneath the waistline of his pants to grab the whole of him.

Hissing, Glorfindel pushed himself into my palm, letting out a string of curses in both Westron and Elvish as his eyes closed at the contact. He let his forehead drop down to meet mine.

"Nemir, you are..."

I let out a faint giggle. "Beautiful? A goddess divine?"

A low rumble came from his chest. "Dangerous."

I let out a hoarse laugh. "You aren't wro-mmph."

His lips captured mine in a no-prisoner's kiss, and I allowed my body to start to move along his own, urging him to come closer.

I guided him to the spot that ached the most, and the synchronic sighs we let out as he pushed into me came straight from our souls.

Everything slowed down once more as he drove himself slowly into me, over and over again, eyes gazing into my own, before he started to softly kiss the sides of my face.

I was having none of it.

I jolted my hips forward to meet with his timely thrusts that picked up pace to match my own. Throwing my head back, all I could hear were the faint moans and dirty whispers of praise in one of the most erotic moments of my life.

He was taking me up against the wall.

And I was loving every bit of it.

He pushed me over the edge with those quick movements, making me latch onto his shoulders as I let out a loud moan as I clamped down around him.

But he didn't stop.

Di immortales...

Riding from one high to quickly soaring to the next through those quick, sharp, and even thrusts, I had nowhere to go as I writhed against the wall, calling out his name as I was pushed over the edge and came again.

Only then did he over any sort of respite.

Slowly, he pulled himself from my body, allowing me to ease back down onto the floor.

When my legs gave out as soon as they were met with my weight, he deftly swept me into his arms and carried me over to the bed. I did my best to avoid the little Goldilocks that was currently poking me in the side, recognizing that even though I had met my release not once but twice, he still hadn't yet.

And that wasn't alright with me.

"Are you well, Nemir?"

His bright eyes were searching me, and I could see the thinly veiled confusion and worry that started to seep into his features. The elf was definitely a worry wart.

He had laid us down, me on top of him, and was currently running one hand through my hair and the other along my arm in a soothing fashion.

I would've been purring if I wasn't so upset. Recognizing how he was taking care of me and I had hardly done anything for him, I let my lip jut out in a small pout.

"No."

Glorfindel blinked, and his eyes widened almost comically. He shot up from where he was laying along my side, and I swear I could hear his heart start to race. "Was I-"

"No," I quickly placated, placing my hands on his shoulders, easing him back down on the bed before hitching a leg around the both of his. "You've done nothing wrong, meleth."

I wasn't sure if it was the way I was now straddling his hips and easing myself down onto his length in sheer desire or the way I had just spoken elvish in bed, but he surrendered with that same look of revering awe, and let me ride him to oblivion.

.

.

.

We were the last to arrive in the dining hall.

Even without the jeering and the chirping about the amount of noise we had been making, it was an awkward dinner. Half of us looked like we would rather be sleeping while the other half looked ready to murder the Master of the Town with their forks.

The Master of Lake Town sat on one end, Thorin on the other.

I was not a fan of the way the Master was leering so openly at Arwen and Alma, who were stiffly seated on either side of the man.

"Seats of honor for elves of honor," he had said.

"Ellyth," Varis corrected him sternly, her eyes narrowed at the man. "They are ellyth, and deserve your respect, human."

Alma patted her arm, and whispered something in elvish to the dwarrowdam that seemed to appease her.

Hopefully there won't be too many ruffled feathers after this evening.

I sat in between Thorin and Goldilocks, while Fili sat to Thorin's other side and Kili in between his brother and Dwalin.

Hopefully Dwalin will keep that little bugger in line, but with the way he was currently staring at Varis with wide puppy eyes, Goldilocks was likely going to have to hold me back.

Luckily Varis was in between Alma and Aldarion.

They would keep her distracted from that dwarf... I hope.

I felt familiar fingers intertwine themselves with my own.

I looked over at Glorfindel to see him giving me a look.

He leaned down and spoke into my ear, "Please do not use your fork to stab any one, Nemir. It would make an awful clean up."

I blinked.

As if answering my unspoken question, he continued, "I know you well."

The twin sons of Elrond were still nowhere to be found. Although they had warned us they expected it to at least take a night, I knew Glorfindel and Arwen were on edge. Aldarion and Geoffry were also looking far more stiff than normal, but that could just be the company and the fact that Arwen and Alma were currently being drooled over by the Master Slime Ball.

For the most part, the rest of the company was oblivious to the underlying tense atmosphere as they tucked into their food with reckless abandon.

But watching as Varis struggled to keep her gaze locked on anything that wasn't Kili or Fili, the way her skin was becoming frighteningly pale, or the way that Kili looked like he was going to keel over where he sat didn't exactly feed my appetite.

Even though I had just rode Glorfindel like a real Rohirrim, I could hardly do much other than pick at my food half heartedly.

"Are you well, Lady Persephone?"

I looked over at Thorin who was staring at me with deep concern. "Not a Lady, Kingy."

He let out a harsh laugh. "Aye, one would think I would have remembered by now."

"But you are a Lady, are you not?" the Master Slimeball of Lake Town interjected, his neck jiggling along with his words. "You have been addressed as such by most people here. Where is it you hail from again?"

I shrugged. "I am a ward of Lord Elrond who does not prefer to be referred to by her station."

His eyes widened. "But you are no elf."

Glorfindel's hand tightened his grip on my own.

"No," I agreed. "But I am banging one."

HIs mouth fell open as he looked between me and Glorfindel and the open way he was holding onto my hand. "You are wed?"

I shrugged. "No, we are not." I looked over at Glorfindel briefly, seeing a hot look in his eyes before I continued. "Do I love him? Yes, I do. And being married to someone isn't the same thing as loving them. Just because I love an elf does not mean I must marry him. Just because I bang an elf doesn't mean I must marry them either. I do not see how they go hand in hand."

Most of the dwarves were laughing at my miniature rant on love and marriage, to which Varis raised her glass and exclaimed, "Here, here!"

Bofur clinked her glass with his own before chugging what was left, followed by the other dwarves in her proximity.

Dear gods, what did I start? A drinking party?

Glorfindel squeezed my hand, and leaned down to whisper, "I do hope you are not altogether opposed to marriage, Nemir."

I looked up at him, and felt a small smile ease its way onto my lips. "I didn't say that, did I?"

He let out a chuckle, and we were thrust back into reality as the Master Slimeball started to make some remarks about how disdainful it is for an unwed couple to be so obviously participating in martial acts.

"Have you never participated in such marital acts, Master of Lake Town?" Alma asked him calmly, though her eyes did not betray the ice that lay beneath. "An unwed man such as yourself... have you never sought out the arms of the other sex?"

"Or was it the same sex that you sought?" Aldarion added, a lot quieter than his sister.

Arwen, for her part, looked like she was planning on drowning herself in the glass of wine as the brother-sister duo continued to mock the man.

"Why I have never-"

"So you are a virgin?" Alma asked. "Not that there is anything wrong with a man your advanced age, Master of Lake Town, being celibate."

"No, I am not-"

"So you are dismissing Lady Persephone and Lord Glorfindel as they are in love and participating in the same acts as you have?" Aldarion countered.

I snickered at the shock on his face.

Thorin let out a long round of laughter. "It seems they have caught you, red handed. Although, I will advise you as one ruler to another to understand that different species may have different cultures. What dwarrow may perceive as correct action-"

"May not be the same as what a man may perceive as the correct action," I finished, looking over at the Master knowingly. "I learned that on this quest. Hopefully you will do the same once the Mountain is reclaimed."

His eyes narrowed as the grip on his knife tightened. "I do not appreciate being talked down to as such in my home, Lady Persephone. You forget it is in my good faith that you are here."

I smiled. "Do you believe you can control us, Master of Lake Town? Are you willing to court the fallout of what might happen if you try to capture us?"

His lips peeled up into a snarl. "Are you threatening me in my house?"

"No, I am telling you what will happen should you choose to threaten us."

He raised a brow. "Hm. An interesting idea, is it not? Am I not the one who offered you food and lodging? Do I not deserve your respect?"

Before I could say anything else to piss him off, Balin chose that moment to step in.

"If we can agree to some terms, I believe it will be beneficial for this quest and for the future of Lake Town," he spoke, placing his cutlery down on the table next to his plate carefully.

"And who are you?" The Master Slimeball snapped.

"Lord Balin is my advisor," Thorin spoke deeply. "His words are my own."

"Master, perhaps we should move this conversation into more private quarters," Alfred advised, leaning down to speak softly to his leader. "Terms must be discussed-"

"Terms will be discussed once the gold is in our hands," the Master interrupted. "And once the Dragon is dead."

I furrowed my brows. "I don't think that's how it works."

He sneered. "That is how it shall be. You will have one more night here and then you will be on your way. That is it. And once you have the gold, then you can pay us for the reparation and damage you have all caused."

I blinked.

The company immediately flinched and started to argue at his words.

"Shazara!"

Thorin had stood up from his seat and looked around the table in one, analyzing stare. "One night is all we will need. We will take our leave in the morning."

Bilbo's eyes widened. "But Gandalf-"

Kili's hunched over form and Varis's clouded over eyes flashed into my mind.

There was no way they would be good to go in the morning.

"We leave in the morning."

Glorfindel's hand tightened around my own once more.

My eyes snapped up to meet his own. I could see his worry, and knew that my own was just as obvious.

Tomorrow, we left to go face a dragon.

.

.

.

So tonight, we lived.

At least, I was kissing on Glorfindel for a short while until a knock on the door sounded and when I opened it I was greeted with Arwen Undómiel.

"Varis needs you, mellon nin."

Feeling like I had just been sucker punched, I quickly said my goodbyes to Glorfindel who told me to ensure she was alright. I knew she had become dear to him, as well, and something warm pooled inside knowing that he cared for my friends just as much as I did.

But it was that care that led me directly to Varis, pulling the small dwarrowdam in my arms, when I marveled at just how breakable and fragile she seemed. Those orcs really did a number on her.

So now, I was huddled in a small room with Varis, Arwen, Alma, and Gerda.

Arwen was adjusting the poultice that Varis wore, and I nearly puked at the sight of the wound that had slowly become black in the time since I had last seen it.

"I am fine," Varis insisted. "It will heal."

Arwen's brows furrowed. "It will not unless my brothers arrive in time to heal you before we leave, mellon nin. You are being ailed by a dark poison from the darkness itself."

Varis pursed her lips. "That is not what ails me." She looked down at her arm in faint annoyance. "This is nothing to the pain that I feel here."

I felt my eyes widen as she brought her hand up to her chest.

"Were you hurt-"

Alma placed a hand on my shoulder, cutting me off. "No, I do not believe it is not that kind of hurt, Persie."

Varis shook her head, her chin hitting her chest as she closed her eyes with a long sigh. "I believed him."

It was Alma who ran a hand down the dwarrowdam's back in a soothing gesture. "We know you did, mellon."

"He told me he loved me," she continued. "He spoke to me in our language, and told me he loved me."

My heart broke for her. "Varis... I..."

Her clouded eyes looked up to meet mine. "It is not your fault, you would not have known what his intentions were. You protected me this entire time, and I thank you for that."

A tear fell from my eye. "You don't need to thank me for anything, that's what friends do."

Varis's lips pulled up slightly. "Then thank you for finding me. Thank you for being my friend."

I pulled her in for a half hug as Arwen continued to finish wrapping the poultice, unable to think of any words to say to my dear friend in my arms.

"He told me he loved me," Varis repeated, though a lot more softer this time as if in a trance. "Did he mean what he said?"

"I do not understand," Gerda spoke, walking up to sit at Alma's side, across from Varis. "Do dwarves not love once? I had thought they have fea-mates as elves do."

"Nay," Varis spoke, her tone drained. "Not fea-mates. We call them Ones. And dwarves do have 'em, but I suppose... perhaps I am not his One after all?"

I shook my head. "How would you know?"

Varis's eyes looked up into my own once more, though the pain in hers was hauntingly similar. "How do you know you love Lord Glorifindel?"

I opened my mouth but could find no words.

How often did that happen?

"How do I know he is my One?" Varis spoke, quietly, as if to herself. "How do I know our promises were not fleeting?"

Arwen ran a hand along her cheek. "You must have hope, mellon nin."

Varis's eyes closed, forcing tears to fall, paving trails down her cheeks. "But that is my problem. I do not have hope. I fear I have lost all hope, for I have given it to him and kept none for myself."

The deep blue of Arwen's eyes seemed to go somewhere far away. "Ú-chebin estel anim. You will find hope again, dear Varis. I know it in my heart. It is time you know it in yours."

Her eyes looked to mine, deep and knowing.

"It is time you both do."