Chapter 28
Tally laid Legolas on the bed, apologising for the hurts she felt herself cause even when he didn't show any outward signs,
"Tally how can you feel my pain?"
"I don't know, I've always been able to sense people's moods, their feelings, but with you it's like I'm hyper aware. I know where you are hurting. There is the wound in your arm, you have a bump on your head and there is a graze on your ankle which rubs on the top of your boot when you take a step so it hurts more than it should. Let me take a look." And she took his boot off, lovingly cleaning the dirt from the cut before putting a bandage on it so the boot wouldn't rub the skin anymore. She then kissed his skin better and undressed the rest of him. Tally rolled him under the bed clothes, lay in the bed next to him and he cuddled up to her,
"How do I feel now?"
"You shouldn't have such thoughts, they are improper and you are injured."
"How did you know? You can't read my mind."
"No, but I know you Legolas Greenleaf, and how your mind works! Come here and give me a kiss and then I'll go and get one of my books to read to you." Legolas groaned, "What's wrong with my books? I'll get a couple and then you can chose." She kissed him lightly on the nose and jumped out of bed and ran all the way to her room. She pulled a few books off the shelves she know Legolas would like and ran back,
"Here, legends of England, you know, folk stories, handed down from generation to generation."
"Hmmm well I suppose it might be bearable." Tally tickled him softly where she knew it wouldn't hurt and began to read him the stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and Robin Hood. Legolas liked the stories, so then Tally decided to read him some of the mythologies of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. They fascinated him. They spent the afternoon in the company of Gods and mortals and learnt of marriages and deceit and affairs.
When Tally's voice was tired of reading, she curled up with Legolas, being careful where she put her weight. She breathed him in deeply and sighed, "What was that for?" he asked,
"I just like the way you smell. It makes me feel safe and content. Smell is important for memory. I want to remember everything about you," and she traced her finger over his face and over his lips, kissing him softly, so as not to hurt him. Legolas had his good arm under him, so he couldn't reach out and pull her closer, instead he used his body weight to push her over onto her back so he could get on top and take the lead. He supported himself on one arm, which shook violently beneath him. Legolas was sapped of his strength. Tally pushed him back down onto his back. She straddled him, one leg on each side. Carefully, Tally leant forward and kissed him, winding her tongue into his mouth, tasting him as well as breathing him in. Legolas' hand moved behind her head, pulling her in kissing her back hard and furiously, their tongues dancing together. Tally pulled her mouth away from his lips and kissed his face greedily, in between her kisses she said, "I love you Legolas. I'm going to be your wife, which is an honour I do not deserve and I will be by your side forever and ever."
"Tally, calm down. It's alright. Here lie down." He made her lie down next to him and Legolas turned over onto his side as watched as Tally's eyes flickered over the ceiling, "You want to tell me what is wrong?"
"There's nothing wrong. I promise." She lied. She wanted to tell him how scared she had been for him after she spoke to Talin. She wanted to tell him how scared she was because she didn't know what it meant to be loved by someone as strongly as he did. She wanted to tell him how scared she was of being a queen and having to lead by example, but she was unsure of everything she did, guided only by him, Elrond and Gandalf.
"Natalia. Don't lie to me. You may be able to feel my pain, but I can see it. It's in your eyes. The light from your smile never quite reaches there and it's been like that for weeks. It's not just the war is it?" Tally shook her head and finally released all the things which had been welling up inside her. She did so rationally and without tears, unable to look at Legolas though so she concentrated on a spot on the ceiling. Eventually she was tired out and stopped talking.
"Tally, you were so scared when you spoke to Talin because you love me. It scares me how strongly you love me too. There is a fire in your eyes when you look at me and a passion that I know is waiting to burst through at the right moment, so don't talk to me about fear because that is love. The fear to open up, to lay yourself bare before someone else and expose all your weaknesses to them, because if they hurt you then you cannot stop them because your defences are down. And as for being Queen, Tally you have already set them an example they have to follow. You were braver in battle than anyone in this place. And you have to be strong to bind the darkness. Don't let it get to you Tally. Fight it and think of the good." He put his head to hers and they both fell asleep together.
Tally laid Legolas on the bed, apologising for the hurts she felt herself cause even when he didn't show any outward signs,
"Tally how can you feel my pain?"
"I don't know, I've always been able to sense people's moods, their feelings, but with you it's like I'm hyper aware. I know where you are hurting. There is the wound in your arm, you have a bump on your head and there is a graze on your ankle which rubs on the top of your boot when you take a step so it hurts more than it should. Let me take a look." And she took his boot off, lovingly cleaning the dirt from the cut before putting a bandage on it so the boot wouldn't rub the skin anymore. She then kissed his skin better and undressed the rest of him. Tally rolled him under the bed clothes, lay in the bed next to him and he cuddled up to her,
"How do I feel now?"
"You shouldn't have such thoughts, they are improper and you are injured."
"How did you know? You can't read my mind."
"No, but I know you Legolas Greenleaf, and how your mind works! Come here and give me a kiss and then I'll go and get one of my books to read to you." Legolas groaned, "What's wrong with my books? I'll get a couple and then you can chose." She kissed him lightly on the nose and jumped out of bed and ran all the way to her room. She pulled a few books off the shelves she know Legolas would like and ran back,
"Here, legends of England, you know, folk stories, handed down from generation to generation."
"Hmmm well I suppose it might be bearable." Tally tickled him softly where she knew it wouldn't hurt and began to read him the stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and Robin Hood. Legolas liked the stories, so then Tally decided to read him some of the mythologies of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. They fascinated him. They spent the afternoon in the company of Gods and mortals and learnt of marriages and deceit and affairs.
When Tally's voice was tired of reading, she curled up with Legolas, being careful where she put her weight. She breathed him in deeply and sighed, "What was that for?" he asked,
"I just like the way you smell. It makes me feel safe and content. Smell is important for memory. I want to remember everything about you," and she traced her finger over his face and over his lips, kissing him softly, so as not to hurt him. Legolas had his good arm under him, so he couldn't reach out and pull her closer, instead he used his body weight to push her over onto her back so he could get on top and take the lead. He supported himself on one arm, which shook violently beneath him. Legolas was sapped of his strength. Tally pushed him back down onto his back. She straddled him, one leg on each side. Carefully, Tally leant forward and kissed him, winding her tongue into his mouth, tasting him as well as breathing him in. Legolas' hand moved behind her head, pulling her in kissing her back hard and furiously, their tongues dancing together. Tally pulled her mouth away from his lips and kissed his face greedily, in between her kisses she said, "I love you Legolas. I'm going to be your wife, which is an honour I do not deserve and I will be by your side forever and ever."
"Tally, calm down. It's alright. Here lie down." He made her lie down next to him and Legolas turned over onto his side as watched as Tally's eyes flickered over the ceiling, "You want to tell me what is wrong?"
"There's nothing wrong. I promise." She lied. She wanted to tell him how scared she had been for him after she spoke to Talin. She wanted to tell him how scared she was because she didn't know what it meant to be loved by someone as strongly as he did. She wanted to tell him how scared she was of being a queen and having to lead by example, but she was unsure of everything she did, guided only by him, Elrond and Gandalf.
"Natalia. Don't lie to me. You may be able to feel my pain, but I can see it. It's in your eyes. The light from your smile never quite reaches there and it's been like that for weeks. It's not just the war is it?" Tally shook her head and finally released all the things which had been welling up inside her. She did so rationally and without tears, unable to look at Legolas though so she concentrated on a spot on the ceiling. Eventually she was tired out and stopped talking.
"Tally, you were so scared when you spoke to Talin because you love me. It scares me how strongly you love me too. There is a fire in your eyes when you look at me and a passion that I know is waiting to burst through at the right moment, so don't talk to me about fear because that is love. The fear to open up, to lay yourself bare before someone else and expose all your weaknesses to them, because if they hurt you then you cannot stop them because your defences are down. And as for being Queen, Tally you have already set them an example they have to follow. You were braver in battle than anyone in this place. And you have to be strong to bind the darkness. Don't let it get to you Tally. Fight it and think of the good." He put his head to hers and they both fell asleep together.
