Chapter 36
He looked just as shocked as she was. Tally froze on the spot. He cleared his throat, "Tally, I'm sorry. I think we've been set up. Talin and Ghilad suggested we spent the evening together, without the women. No doubt you girls had a similar plan." Tally was still quiet, "I'll go." He moved to open the door which had closed behind Tally, "It's locked."
"What? No it can't be. I am going to kill Naela, this was her idea." Legolas began to laugh at the ridiculous situation they were in, and despite of herself, Tally let herself catch his eye and a smile spread across her face. She saw the look on his face and she let her eyes fall to the floor. He stopped laughing,
"Well, we might as well eat the food before it gets cold." Tally sat down silently and poured herself a glass of wine. She needed it to steady her nerves which had gone haywire. "What's all this food? I haven't seen anything like it?" Legolas asked,
"I translated some of the cookery books I had for Cook. They helped me practise my writing. These are some of the dishes she likes making the most. Pasta from Italy, French onion soup with cheese on top and it looks like stir-fry as well."
"So you can write in Sindarin now too? That's fantastic. Mmmmm these are delicious. Can you cook these too?"
"Oh yes one of my many talents," said Tally sarcastically,
"Speaking of talents, I hear you have turned your hand to gardening, the Memorial Garden is looking good."
"I just like to potter about, let the plants grow through that are being choked by other ones."
"You're caring for plants as well as people now I see. When do you care for yourself?"
"I enjoy watching other people's joy. That is enough."
"No it isn't Tally. I know you. There used to be a spark in your eyes and it's gone. You looked tired and drawn. You used to laugh all the time, and smile. You smile is beautiful, it lights up a room brighter than any flame."
"I do not need your concern thank you." Tally turned away from Legolas, he reached out and held tightly onto her hand which was on the table,
"Tally, I know that is my fault. I want to make it up to you and show you how sorry I am." She tried to twist her arm away from him but he held on tighter and brought it to his lips, "Please, Tally? Leaving you was like tearing my own heart out. Don't let me suffer anymore. I love you." Tally bit her lower lip to prevent herself from crying aloud at the pain he was causing her,
"Stop it Legolas. You can't just pick my up and drop me each time the mood to travel takes you. I am not your court whore." Tally stood up scared by him, the desire and lust in his eyes. She tore her hand away and made her way to the door. It was unlocked. Tally made her escape, but locked Legolas in behind her. She did not want him following her. She heard him banging on the door, calling her name getting more and more angry with her and then as she turned the corner a long, last, haunting wail of her name.
She had been in her room a short time when Kaelira came to see her, "We went to the room to see how things were going and found the door locked again. You locked him inside Tally. What happened? What did he do to you?"
"He wanted me back. He kissed my hand, he wouldn't let it go. I couldn't stay Kaeli. I knew what would happen. You didn't see the look in his eyes."
"What look Tally?" Tally sniffed and took a deep breath,
"We never slept together, I couldn't after that orc. raped me. I just needed time. But the look in his eyes tonight was the same one it had. Animal attraction with the power behind it to take what he wanted."
"Oh you poor child." Tally shrank back from her hug. That night all came flooding back to her. The attack, the pain, Legolas saving her, "Tally, it's alright. It's only us here. Cry if you want to."
"No, thank you Kaeli. I just want to go to bed. Please ask the guards by the door not to let anyone save you, Naela and Malia disturb me. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine I am sure. He just has to understand I'm not the girl he can just pick up again whenever he's in town." Tally turned and walked to her bathroom. Kaelira just shook her head, delivered her message to the guards and left.
He looked just as shocked as she was. Tally froze on the spot. He cleared his throat, "Tally, I'm sorry. I think we've been set up. Talin and Ghilad suggested we spent the evening together, without the women. No doubt you girls had a similar plan." Tally was still quiet, "I'll go." He moved to open the door which had closed behind Tally, "It's locked."
"What? No it can't be. I am going to kill Naela, this was her idea." Legolas began to laugh at the ridiculous situation they were in, and despite of herself, Tally let herself catch his eye and a smile spread across her face. She saw the look on his face and she let her eyes fall to the floor. He stopped laughing,
"Well, we might as well eat the food before it gets cold." Tally sat down silently and poured herself a glass of wine. She needed it to steady her nerves which had gone haywire. "What's all this food? I haven't seen anything like it?" Legolas asked,
"I translated some of the cookery books I had for Cook. They helped me practise my writing. These are some of the dishes she likes making the most. Pasta from Italy, French onion soup with cheese on top and it looks like stir-fry as well."
"So you can write in Sindarin now too? That's fantastic. Mmmmm these are delicious. Can you cook these too?"
"Oh yes one of my many talents," said Tally sarcastically,
"Speaking of talents, I hear you have turned your hand to gardening, the Memorial Garden is looking good."
"I just like to potter about, let the plants grow through that are being choked by other ones."
"You're caring for plants as well as people now I see. When do you care for yourself?"
"I enjoy watching other people's joy. That is enough."
"No it isn't Tally. I know you. There used to be a spark in your eyes and it's gone. You looked tired and drawn. You used to laugh all the time, and smile. You smile is beautiful, it lights up a room brighter than any flame."
"I do not need your concern thank you." Tally turned away from Legolas, he reached out and held tightly onto her hand which was on the table,
"Tally, I know that is my fault. I want to make it up to you and show you how sorry I am." She tried to twist her arm away from him but he held on tighter and brought it to his lips, "Please, Tally? Leaving you was like tearing my own heart out. Don't let me suffer anymore. I love you." Tally bit her lower lip to prevent herself from crying aloud at the pain he was causing her,
"Stop it Legolas. You can't just pick my up and drop me each time the mood to travel takes you. I am not your court whore." Tally stood up scared by him, the desire and lust in his eyes. She tore her hand away and made her way to the door. It was unlocked. Tally made her escape, but locked Legolas in behind her. She did not want him following her. She heard him banging on the door, calling her name getting more and more angry with her and then as she turned the corner a long, last, haunting wail of her name.
She had been in her room a short time when Kaelira came to see her, "We went to the room to see how things were going and found the door locked again. You locked him inside Tally. What happened? What did he do to you?"
"He wanted me back. He kissed my hand, he wouldn't let it go. I couldn't stay Kaeli. I knew what would happen. You didn't see the look in his eyes."
"What look Tally?" Tally sniffed and took a deep breath,
"We never slept together, I couldn't after that orc. raped me. I just needed time. But the look in his eyes tonight was the same one it had. Animal attraction with the power behind it to take what he wanted."
"Oh you poor child." Tally shrank back from her hug. That night all came flooding back to her. The attack, the pain, Legolas saving her, "Tally, it's alright. It's only us here. Cry if you want to."
"No, thank you Kaeli. I just want to go to bed. Please ask the guards by the door not to let anyone save you, Naela and Malia disturb me. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine I am sure. He just has to understand I'm not the girl he can just pick up again whenever he's in town." Tally turned and walked to her bathroom. Kaelira just shook her head, delivered her message to the guards and left.
