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Everlasting Road ch. 17
Thranduil and Legolas walked out of the Great Hall side by side. The feast was over, and everybody else had already left, including Gimli, who had been taken to a room in Thranduil's palace. Legolas and he would return there shortly.
"I am pleased that you have returned, my son," said Thranduil.
Legolas smiled in return, but said nothing. He had yet to inform his father that he would be leaving again, permanently. He was sure his father would not try to hold him back, but he would be upset, and Legolas wanted to postpone that for as long as possible. Legolas tuned back in as he realized his father was still talking.
"…have not had a feast like this since you first left. I must confess it tires me out. I will return back to our home, are you to follow?"
"Not yet, father," Legolas replied quickly, "I still have energy. I believe that I will walk about for a while yet before retiring."
"As you may," Thranduil replied and turned to walk away silently, leaving Legolas alone on a dark path. Legolas glanced down the path, then at the trees that lined it. He quickly made a decision and stepped into the trees. Then he began walking, where, he had no idea. But his desire to be alone was great, without having to worry about interfering relationships. Gimli was happy again, but now Liria was upset. What could he possibly do? Fix one thing, and something else went horribly wrong. Be nice to one and the other would sulk, it was a never ending cycle.
Legolas discovered that he was unconsciously walking towards the hut that had been Liria's house. He wondered if she was in there, or out prowling some dark forest outside of Mirkwood already. She was never one to actually stay inside. Legolas fought all desire to go to her house and see, and instead forced his feet back towards the path. He had come a while from the path already without even realizing it, but that caused no worry for him.
Legolas heard something in the trees to his right and he turned towards it, not alarmed by it, simply curious. He felt no harm could come to him in Mirkwood. But before he saw anything to the right, he heard the same sound to the left. Legolas turned again, this time a bit faster, starting to become wary. He began to walk again when he heard the sound from in front of him, Legolas stopped, uncertain. He debated whether he wanted to draw his bow or not, then remembered he did not have it, as he had just been at a celebration where it would have been of little use, when a figure stepped out before him.
At first, all he saw was silver. It was as if the moon had decided to come down before him. As he struggled to see past the blinding color, he could make out that it was a girl standing before him. Then as the color seemed to dim and he could see again, he realized with a shock that it was Liria. She was wearing a long silver dress that clung tightly to the upper half of her body, then flowed loosely past her hips and contained a train that rippled upon the ground. The skirt was slit on both sides, and not very modestly, showing off her legs every time she took a step forward. Legolas could not recall a time in his life when Liria had worn a dress. She always wore the green and brown hunting clothes of the men. Her normally wild hair had been tamed and lay about her in a silky shroud. She had never looked more beautiful.
"Liria," Legolas breathed softly. She stepped closer towards him and stopped when she only stood inches from his face. Her eyes were the deep green he loved, but sparkles of silver seemed to dance within their depths.
"I am sorry I missed your feast," she said softly, "but I will make it up to you." She placed her hand over his eyes and ran it up along his forehead, leaning in to kiss him. Legolas met her eagerly, circling her slim waist with his hands, able to feel every curve through the thin material.
Liria stepped forward, deepening the kiss, and Legolas' breath caught in his throat. All previous thoughts were wiped from his mind, and he could only vaguely recall something between her and Gimli. Whatever it was, it did not matter at this point in time.
Legolas closed his eyes and allowed Liria to do what she wished. He was only too happy to forget all that had been troubling him. He breathed in her scent, that of a forest after rain, and he felt himself drifting away, as if he was under some kind of spell, one that he gave into willingly.
Liria was aware of his abandoning all self-control. This was exactly what she had wanted, him to forget himself and all his problems, including the dwarf, and focus only on her. She sighed in her throat and moved her mouth to Legolas' neck, making him drop his head back and enjoy the sensations. When Liria reached the nook in his neck, he gasped and straightened. Suddenly, he grabbed Liria forcefully and swept her up, then he knelt onto the ground, bringing her with him. Yes, was all she thought, forget everything else.
Legolas was now becoming more passionate. He knew that there were problems to be dealt with, but at the moment he did not care. After the year he had had, he deserved to have some fun. All he wanted was to forget everything and live forever in the present. No problems, no worries, just him and his love. This was what he deserved.
"Are you happy, love?" Liria asked throatily when their lips parted briefly.
"Yes," Legolas whispered before moving in again.
"I can always make you happy," she murmured in his ear. "The same cannot be said for the dwarf." She said the last part quietly, not even aware she had said it out loud, but Legolas heard it. He suddenly broke away and sat, staring at her.
"What is the matter, love?" Liria questioned, confused, moving towards him in a crawl. Everything had been going how she had anticipated, what was happening now?
"Why did you mention Gimli?" he asked in return.
"Gimli?" Liria halted all movement, "What does the dwarf have to do with anything?"
"That is what I wish to know," Legolas replied. He closed his eyes and took a breath, striving to put all his thoughts together. "What are you doing?"
"What am I doing?" Liria was growing more confused, "I am only showing you how much I love you. I thought you would return the same."
"You know I feel the same way," Legolas told her, "but even now, even when this is supposed to be about just us, your hatred for Gimli gets in the way. Will it ever stop?"
"Yes," Liria replied solemnly, "it will stop when he is gone."
"But I choose to go with him. I can no longer stay in Mirkwood."
"Fine," Liria continued in a calm voice, "escort him home, then you and I can start a new life together. We can go to Rivendell, or even stay away from elves or other creatures all together. We can go back to Fangorn, anywhere, as long as we are together."
"And what of Gimli? He is to be left behind?" Legolas questioned. This conversation seemed familiar, and he felt that they would have it many more times before the end of days.
"I notice that you never question what is to be become of me," Liria answered quietly, her eyes starting to become a dark color, "it is always the fate of the dwarf that concerns you most. What if I am to be left behind? Have you thought of that?"
"I thought I would not have to," Legolas' voice rose in his desperation, "I thought that our love was strong enough to overcome anything, even petty differences. If you were to leave, I would follow. You have said that you will do the same. What does it matter if Gimli is there as well? We have all already traveled together once."
"And look at what happened!" Liria exploded in sudden rage. "He led you into those horrid caves and I was almost crippled for life, and you," Liria's voice caught on a sob, "you got hurt and I thought we would lose you." Liria steadied her voice. "Does that sound like a good friend, one who leads you knowingly into peril?"
"He was not aware of the dangers," Legolas said softly, but Liria was no longer listening. She looked up from the ground suddenly, a different light in her eyes.
"Do you still love me?" she asked Legolas.
"Of course," came the unhesitant reply, "you know I do not give up love that easily, if at all."
"Then why is it so hard for us to be happy together?" she asked, her control breaking and tears starting to flow down her cheeks. Legolas was startled. More rare than seeing her in a dress was seeing her cry, and here she was doing both. Liria seemed suddenly beautiful and fragile, a tragic sight. Legolas leaned forward and gathered her in his arms, where she buried her face in his chest, the unbidden sobs harder to stop now.
They stayed that way for quite some time, Liria finally gaining control of herself, but not wanting to break from Legolas' embrace. And Legolas himself, reveling in the feel of her in his arms, but torn inside from a rent that was proving to be impassable.
Everlasting Road ch. 17
Thranduil and Legolas walked out of the Great Hall side by side. The feast was over, and everybody else had already left, including Gimli, who had been taken to a room in Thranduil's palace. Legolas and he would return there shortly.
"I am pleased that you have returned, my son," said Thranduil.
Legolas smiled in return, but said nothing. He had yet to inform his father that he would be leaving again, permanently. He was sure his father would not try to hold him back, but he would be upset, and Legolas wanted to postpone that for as long as possible. Legolas tuned back in as he realized his father was still talking.
"…have not had a feast like this since you first left. I must confess it tires me out. I will return back to our home, are you to follow?"
"Not yet, father," Legolas replied quickly, "I still have energy. I believe that I will walk about for a while yet before retiring."
"As you may," Thranduil replied and turned to walk away silently, leaving Legolas alone on a dark path. Legolas glanced down the path, then at the trees that lined it. He quickly made a decision and stepped into the trees. Then he began walking, where, he had no idea. But his desire to be alone was great, without having to worry about interfering relationships. Gimli was happy again, but now Liria was upset. What could he possibly do? Fix one thing, and something else went horribly wrong. Be nice to one and the other would sulk, it was a never ending cycle.
Legolas discovered that he was unconsciously walking towards the hut that had been Liria's house. He wondered if she was in there, or out prowling some dark forest outside of Mirkwood already. She was never one to actually stay inside. Legolas fought all desire to go to her house and see, and instead forced his feet back towards the path. He had come a while from the path already without even realizing it, but that caused no worry for him.
Legolas heard something in the trees to his right and he turned towards it, not alarmed by it, simply curious. He felt no harm could come to him in Mirkwood. But before he saw anything to the right, he heard the same sound to the left. Legolas turned again, this time a bit faster, starting to become wary. He began to walk again when he heard the sound from in front of him, Legolas stopped, uncertain. He debated whether he wanted to draw his bow or not, then remembered he did not have it, as he had just been at a celebration where it would have been of little use, when a figure stepped out before him.
At first, all he saw was silver. It was as if the moon had decided to come down before him. As he struggled to see past the blinding color, he could make out that it was a girl standing before him. Then as the color seemed to dim and he could see again, he realized with a shock that it was Liria. She was wearing a long silver dress that clung tightly to the upper half of her body, then flowed loosely past her hips and contained a train that rippled upon the ground. The skirt was slit on both sides, and not very modestly, showing off her legs every time she took a step forward. Legolas could not recall a time in his life when Liria had worn a dress. She always wore the green and brown hunting clothes of the men. Her normally wild hair had been tamed and lay about her in a silky shroud. She had never looked more beautiful.
"Liria," Legolas breathed softly. She stepped closer towards him and stopped when she only stood inches from his face. Her eyes were the deep green he loved, but sparkles of silver seemed to dance within their depths.
"I am sorry I missed your feast," she said softly, "but I will make it up to you." She placed her hand over his eyes and ran it up along his forehead, leaning in to kiss him. Legolas met her eagerly, circling her slim waist with his hands, able to feel every curve through the thin material.
Liria stepped forward, deepening the kiss, and Legolas' breath caught in his throat. All previous thoughts were wiped from his mind, and he could only vaguely recall something between her and Gimli. Whatever it was, it did not matter at this point in time.
Legolas closed his eyes and allowed Liria to do what she wished. He was only too happy to forget all that had been troubling him. He breathed in her scent, that of a forest after rain, and he felt himself drifting away, as if he was under some kind of spell, one that he gave into willingly.
Liria was aware of his abandoning all self-control. This was exactly what she had wanted, him to forget himself and all his problems, including the dwarf, and focus only on her. She sighed in her throat and moved her mouth to Legolas' neck, making him drop his head back and enjoy the sensations. When Liria reached the nook in his neck, he gasped and straightened. Suddenly, he grabbed Liria forcefully and swept her up, then he knelt onto the ground, bringing her with him. Yes, was all she thought, forget everything else.
Legolas was now becoming more passionate. He knew that there were problems to be dealt with, but at the moment he did not care. After the year he had had, he deserved to have some fun. All he wanted was to forget everything and live forever in the present. No problems, no worries, just him and his love. This was what he deserved.
"Are you happy, love?" Liria asked throatily when their lips parted briefly.
"Yes," Legolas whispered before moving in again.
"I can always make you happy," she murmured in his ear. "The same cannot be said for the dwarf." She said the last part quietly, not even aware she had said it out loud, but Legolas heard it. He suddenly broke away and sat, staring at her.
"What is the matter, love?" Liria questioned, confused, moving towards him in a crawl. Everything had been going how she had anticipated, what was happening now?
"Why did you mention Gimli?" he asked in return.
"Gimli?" Liria halted all movement, "What does the dwarf have to do with anything?"
"That is what I wish to know," Legolas replied. He closed his eyes and took a breath, striving to put all his thoughts together. "What are you doing?"
"What am I doing?" Liria was growing more confused, "I am only showing you how much I love you. I thought you would return the same."
"You know I feel the same way," Legolas told her, "but even now, even when this is supposed to be about just us, your hatred for Gimli gets in the way. Will it ever stop?"
"Yes," Liria replied solemnly, "it will stop when he is gone."
"But I choose to go with him. I can no longer stay in Mirkwood."
"Fine," Liria continued in a calm voice, "escort him home, then you and I can start a new life together. We can go to Rivendell, or even stay away from elves or other creatures all together. We can go back to Fangorn, anywhere, as long as we are together."
"And what of Gimli? He is to be left behind?" Legolas questioned. This conversation seemed familiar, and he felt that they would have it many more times before the end of days.
"I notice that you never question what is to be become of me," Liria answered quietly, her eyes starting to become a dark color, "it is always the fate of the dwarf that concerns you most. What if I am to be left behind? Have you thought of that?"
"I thought I would not have to," Legolas' voice rose in his desperation, "I thought that our love was strong enough to overcome anything, even petty differences. If you were to leave, I would follow. You have said that you will do the same. What does it matter if Gimli is there as well? We have all already traveled together once."
"And look at what happened!" Liria exploded in sudden rage. "He led you into those horrid caves and I was almost crippled for life, and you," Liria's voice caught on a sob, "you got hurt and I thought we would lose you." Liria steadied her voice. "Does that sound like a good friend, one who leads you knowingly into peril?"
"He was not aware of the dangers," Legolas said softly, but Liria was no longer listening. She looked up from the ground suddenly, a different light in her eyes.
"Do you still love me?" she asked Legolas.
"Of course," came the unhesitant reply, "you know I do not give up love that easily, if at all."
"Then why is it so hard for us to be happy together?" she asked, her control breaking and tears starting to flow down her cheeks. Legolas was startled. More rare than seeing her in a dress was seeing her cry, and here she was doing both. Liria seemed suddenly beautiful and fragile, a tragic sight. Legolas leaned forward and gathered her in his arms, where she buried her face in his chest, the unbidden sobs harder to stop now.
They stayed that way for quite some time, Liria finally gaining control of herself, but not wanting to break from Legolas' embrace. And Legolas himself, reveling in the feel of her in his arms, but torn inside from a rent that was proving to be impassable.