A/N: Ahhhh!!! College is definitely an experience I recommend for
everybody, but man! Never a moment's rest! You'll be happy to know I blew
off my history and chemistry reading to write this (Glitterglue, don't tell
Mom). I'm sincerely sorry it took so long for me to write the next
chapter. Thanks for all the great reviews, and I must respond to one of
them, since two people pointed out the end of the last chapter echoed the
Song of the Lioness series. And here I was thinking I was all creative and
stuff! I have read the books, several years ago, and had honestly forgot
about that scene; I guess it must have just stuck in my head! Anywho,
here's Chapter 13.
Elora smiled as she was allowed into the palace. She had been doing that a lot during the past few weeks, smiling. It felt odd, in a way. She didn't deserve this happiness, did she? The pain and guilt over her experience in Lothlorien still weighed heavy on her heart, but now the burden seemed easy to bear. She had Legolas to thank for that. How they had segued from friends to something more she would never fully know, but she was enjoying this new relationship, as frightening as it was. Just as long as it didn't go too far, she would be all right; she wasn't yet ready to give herself completely over to him, or anyone. The shadow of Lothlorien may have diminished, but it was still very present.
She was walking down the empty hall when she was suddenly pulled into a small alcove. Two strong arms spun her about and she found herself being thoroughly kissed by her "kidnapper."
"You are a very wicked elf," she managed to get out between kisses.
Legolas laughed, breaking the kiss but still holding her close. "Couldn't stay away from me, eh?"
"Actually, I was looking for the other Prince Greenleaf."
"Fralir? He's too young for you."
Elora sighed dramatically. "I know, and yet he has captured my heart." She looked Legolas over with a mock-critical eye. "I guess you'll have to do."
"Well, I will try not to disappoint," Legolas joked as he reclaimed her mouth with his. This one was even more breathtaking than the first but, tempting as it was, Elora knew this was not the place to get carried away. She regretfully broke the kiss.
"Really, Legolas, I have to find Fralir." She could barely get the words out as Legolas showered gentle kisses on her neck. "I have to unbind his arm."
"He can wait," came the muffled reply.
"Wait? The boy hasn't a patient bone in his body; every time I see him he asks me to take it off." She pulled Legolas' head up from her neck so she could look him in the eye. "And it didn't help matters that you gave him your old bow two weeks ago when you knew he couldn't use it," she scolded.
"That was not my fault," Legolas protested. "He found it and asked if he could have it; it's not like I gave it too him to torture him." He smiled mischievously. "You forget that I'm actually quite nice; I'm only wicked with you." He leaned in and Elora closed her eyes, anticipating the kiss that never came. Instead she felt Legolas release his hold on her. "Come on; you can't keep my brother waiting."
"You are truly wicked."
Sometime in the afternoon the clear sky had changed from blue to gray, and the cheerful sunshine was replaced with menacing dark clouds. After unwrapping Fralir's arm and proclaiming him healed, Elora had allowed Legolas to "kidnap" her again, this time to Red Rock. They had passed the rest of the day there, simply enjoying being with each other. The arrival of storm clouds had cut their day short though. They were not even halfway down the bluff when the rain began to pour; luckily, it was not accompanied by thunder or lightening.
"Come on." Legolas grabbed her hand as they ran in search of some shelter. "There's a little cave up here where we can wait this out."
After another minute or so they arrived at their destination. Legolas darted inside, but Elora stopped just at the entrance. He turned to see her standing with her face to the sky, arms outstretched, palms facing upwards.
"What are you doing? Get in here before you catch a cold."
Elora didn't respond immediately. "They say the rain makes the world new again." She spoke softly, yet her voice somehow carried far and could be heard over the torrent. "Do you think it's true for us as well? That it will wash away our sins and make us new?" Legolas didn't know what to say, but Elora wasn't looking for an answer.
Suddenly she started laughing uncontrollably. It was the laughter of a child, of an innocent, of pure happiness. She started twirling in large circles. "Come dance with me Legolas!"
"You're a loonie," he shouted from the cave.
This only made Elora laugh harder.
Legolas could only stand and watch her.
Her hair hung down in wet pieces, some strands clinging to her cheeks. She was soaked straight through. The bottom of her skirt was stained with mud, and her shoes would surely be ruined.
At that moment, Elora was horrible mess.
And it was at that moment that Legolas realized he was purely, simply, deeply, inextricably in love with her.
Elora smiled as she was allowed into the palace. She had been doing that a lot during the past few weeks, smiling. It felt odd, in a way. She didn't deserve this happiness, did she? The pain and guilt over her experience in Lothlorien still weighed heavy on her heart, but now the burden seemed easy to bear. She had Legolas to thank for that. How they had segued from friends to something more she would never fully know, but she was enjoying this new relationship, as frightening as it was. Just as long as it didn't go too far, she would be all right; she wasn't yet ready to give herself completely over to him, or anyone. The shadow of Lothlorien may have diminished, but it was still very present.
She was walking down the empty hall when she was suddenly pulled into a small alcove. Two strong arms spun her about and she found herself being thoroughly kissed by her "kidnapper."
"You are a very wicked elf," she managed to get out between kisses.
Legolas laughed, breaking the kiss but still holding her close. "Couldn't stay away from me, eh?"
"Actually, I was looking for the other Prince Greenleaf."
"Fralir? He's too young for you."
Elora sighed dramatically. "I know, and yet he has captured my heart." She looked Legolas over with a mock-critical eye. "I guess you'll have to do."
"Well, I will try not to disappoint," Legolas joked as he reclaimed her mouth with his. This one was even more breathtaking than the first but, tempting as it was, Elora knew this was not the place to get carried away. She regretfully broke the kiss.
"Really, Legolas, I have to find Fralir." She could barely get the words out as Legolas showered gentle kisses on her neck. "I have to unbind his arm."
"He can wait," came the muffled reply.
"Wait? The boy hasn't a patient bone in his body; every time I see him he asks me to take it off." She pulled Legolas' head up from her neck so she could look him in the eye. "And it didn't help matters that you gave him your old bow two weeks ago when you knew he couldn't use it," she scolded.
"That was not my fault," Legolas protested. "He found it and asked if he could have it; it's not like I gave it too him to torture him." He smiled mischievously. "You forget that I'm actually quite nice; I'm only wicked with you." He leaned in and Elora closed her eyes, anticipating the kiss that never came. Instead she felt Legolas release his hold on her. "Come on; you can't keep my brother waiting."
"You are truly wicked."
Sometime in the afternoon the clear sky had changed from blue to gray, and the cheerful sunshine was replaced with menacing dark clouds. After unwrapping Fralir's arm and proclaiming him healed, Elora had allowed Legolas to "kidnap" her again, this time to Red Rock. They had passed the rest of the day there, simply enjoying being with each other. The arrival of storm clouds had cut their day short though. They were not even halfway down the bluff when the rain began to pour; luckily, it was not accompanied by thunder or lightening.
"Come on." Legolas grabbed her hand as they ran in search of some shelter. "There's a little cave up here where we can wait this out."
After another minute or so they arrived at their destination. Legolas darted inside, but Elora stopped just at the entrance. He turned to see her standing with her face to the sky, arms outstretched, palms facing upwards.
"What are you doing? Get in here before you catch a cold."
Elora didn't respond immediately. "They say the rain makes the world new again." She spoke softly, yet her voice somehow carried far and could be heard over the torrent. "Do you think it's true for us as well? That it will wash away our sins and make us new?" Legolas didn't know what to say, but Elora wasn't looking for an answer.
Suddenly she started laughing uncontrollably. It was the laughter of a child, of an innocent, of pure happiness. She started twirling in large circles. "Come dance with me Legolas!"
"You're a loonie," he shouted from the cave.
This only made Elora laugh harder.
Legolas could only stand and watch her.
Her hair hung down in wet pieces, some strands clinging to her cheeks. She was soaked straight through. The bottom of her skirt was stained with mud, and her shoes would surely be ruined.
At that moment, Elora was horrible mess.
And it was at that moment that Legolas realized he was purely, simply, deeply, inextricably in love with her.