Chapter 37
The next day Tally felt ill and spent the day in bed in the dark. She liked it better that way. If ever anyone came by she pretended to be asleep so they would just go away. At one point she heard voices arguing with her guards. One knocked on her bedroom door and spoke loudly through it, "My lady, it is Lord Elrond. He says if you are sick he must heal you and speak with you."
"Let him in then," said Tally. She straightened herself up a bit and sat up in bed. Elrond came in and looked at Tally. He sat in a chair across the room,
"It appears I cannot mend your ills."
"I am just tired. I need some rest. I've been doing too much with the wedding and the garden and working through all the letters I've received."
"Well maybe you should help yourself for a change." Elrond said wisely,
"Someone else said that to me recently." Tally remembered Legolas' comment,
"Well perhaps that is because they care about you. Tally you are as white as snow and there are dark circles around your eyes. Stop working in the garden and stop your lessons with me. Just cut down or you really will be sick instead of hiding from Legolas in your room nursing a bruised ego. Get up and admit you need help. I will leave the translation I have done for you in your office."
Tally decided he was right. She got up and washed and dressed. She went to see the Gardeners and asked them to look after the Memorial Garden themselves for a while. Then she sat down and finished the legal dispute with Elrond's translation. She decided to take some time off, at least for then next ten days until after Kaelira and Ghilad's wedding, after all there was a lot of work to do for it. She went to Kaelira's room and knocked. The door was opened by a half-naked Ghilad,
"Oh, I'm sorry, I just came to tell Kaelira I'd decided to take sometime off from official business to help with the wedding, but I can see my help may not be needed right now so I'll return to my letters." There was a smirk and a raised eyebrow from Tally and Ghilad went pink to the tips of his ears,
"Tally don't go! I'm sorry. I'll be with you in a second!" Came the call from inside. Tally leaned against the wall, laughing to herself. In a minute a rather red and flustered Kaelira emerged from her room followed by a furtive Ghilad who quickly took of down the corridor, still pink to the ears. Tally kept on laughing as she saw the mortified look on Kaelira's face, and then she started laughing too. They went to lunch together in fits of giggles, which only got worse when they saw Ghilad sitting with Naela and Talin. As he stood up to get food, Tally quickly related the story to the other two and by the time Ghilad returned, they were all laughing loudly, sides aching. This just served to turn Ghilad pinker so they couldn't stop. Tally saw Legolas walk into the Hall. She stopped giggling abruptly. This drew the attention of the others and they followed her gaze where Legolas stood,
"Tally stay here, don't you dare try and run off. You have to face him. You have to get on no matter how much you hate him right now," Naela muttered. The Hall was full, the only place he could sit was them. Legolas brought over a plate and sat down. Tally wasn't looking at him, but she knew exactly what he was feeling. He was crying on the inside. Oh god she'd done that. She just wanted to reach out and touch him and make it all go away. How could she be so stupid? He loved her. The greatest thing he could ever give her and she'd thrown it back in your face. Well someone would have to sort this out, and if it had to be here in front of all their friends then it had to be,
"Legolas I am sorry for locking you in last night. I shouldn't have done it. I can't bear to bring you any pain. You know I feel it too." She lowered her voice for the last part, not everyone knew how empathic she was. He looked at her shocked. Everyone's heads looked between the two of them, not knowing what was gong to come next,
"Shall we go and talk? Sensibly?"
"I think it would do some good. Are you finished?"
"Yes, I'm not very hungry." Legolas and Tally left the Hall and wandered outside, to neutral ground. They sat down on the same bench they had sat the night they got engaged. Tally shifted nervously, "Tally, tell me exactly how you feel. I want to know."
"It's difficult to explain. I love you, but then I know I shouldn't at the same time. Legolas everyone leaves me. You did, but now you've come back and I can't let myself love you again because if you leave again I don't know if I could make myself get up in the morning. Legolas you were my everything, my oxygen. I couldn't breath. I can't become reliant like that on someone who won't stay in one place for more than a few years at a time." Tally went silent and looked at her hands. She began to shake. Legolas placed his hands over hers. Her eyes went up to meet his,
"Tally, the moment I left I regretted it, but I couldn't well turn round and come home. I spent seventeen years in agony. Everyday I thought of you, how you were, what you were doing, if you still loved me. If you'd found someone else. You don't wear your chain or your ring anymore. I understand that. I have my ring." He pulled it our from his shirt on a long chain. "It sits on my heart, where you will always belong. Tally I will never leave you again. You are my oxygen too. I need you." Legolas kissed her forehead and then rested his against it, "I really messed this up didn't I? Please, have me back." Tally sighed and took his chin in her hand. Looking straight into his eyes she raised her lips to his. Legolas took a moment to respond, savouring the sensations he'd missed. Their kiss was more electrifying than ever, seventeen years of repression released in a few passionate seconds. He moved his hands up her arms, over her shoulders, taking the weigh of her hair off them. He ran one hand through her hair and the other slipped down to her thigh. His hand moved up and Tally pulled away suddenly,
"No Legolas, not yet. Let's take it slow, please?"
"Tally, anything for you. We have eternity. I will go as slow as you want." Tally smiled and thanked him by kissing him again, then she laughed,
"I never thought this would happen again. I never thought I would touch you or kiss you again."
"Tally, I love you. I'm never letting you go again." They kissed again,
"Come on, let's go inside. I'm sure they're all gagging for the gossip and I'm getting chilly." She took his hand and they walked inside. They literally bumped into Naela and Talin, the former squealed with joy and ran to hug Tally, the latter grinned like a Cheshire cat.
"I knew it, I knew it. I thought it was all over after last night. Please don't kill me for that. But now, oh I'm so happy for you both. Where are Kaeli and Ghilad?"
"Naela, don't get over excited," warned her husband, "and don't go gossiping all over the place."
"Naela, we're taking things slowly. Don't expect miracles soon. It took Ghilad and Kaelira seventeen years to get it together with your help. Just think how long you're going to have to hinder, I mean, help us for." Legolas dodged a mock punch from Naela. They soon joined Kaelira and Ghilad in one of the recreational rooms and spent the afternoon catching up on all the news from over the years and playing card games. Tally stayed close to Legolas, enjoying the familiar smell that washed over her and the comfortable warmth his body gave her. She grew tired of playing and talking and just rested against Legolas. He smiled as she snuggled to get comfortable against him and the soft moan that she let out when she finally got comfortable was like music to her ears. She began to fall asleep against him, lulled into relaxation by his steady breathing and rhythmical heart beat. Tally was just drifting off when he moved and picked her up in his arms. She groaned, not wanting to be moved, "Tally, if you want to sleep I'll carry you back to your room."
"No I'm awake now, no thanks to you."
"You're still always grumpy when you wake up then. It's good know things haven't changed that much. You still look just as beautiful as you used to too." He whispered in his ear and Tally blushed,
"You can put me down now." Legolas let Tally stand up and she darted away from him.
"Come back here!" and Legolas chased her round the room. The other four watched them smiling, glad things were back on track and the world had been set to rights. Tally dissolved in laughter as Legolas caught her and tickled her, she squirmed against him, and managed to stop him by kissing him slowly. They collapsed back down in their seats laughing and giving each other soft glances. They didn't join in the other's conversation but sat talking in whispers about how much they loved each other and how much they'd missed each other.
The next day Tally felt ill and spent the day in bed in the dark. She liked it better that way. If ever anyone came by she pretended to be asleep so they would just go away. At one point she heard voices arguing with her guards. One knocked on her bedroom door and spoke loudly through it, "My lady, it is Lord Elrond. He says if you are sick he must heal you and speak with you."
"Let him in then," said Tally. She straightened herself up a bit and sat up in bed. Elrond came in and looked at Tally. He sat in a chair across the room,
"It appears I cannot mend your ills."
"I am just tired. I need some rest. I've been doing too much with the wedding and the garden and working through all the letters I've received."
"Well maybe you should help yourself for a change." Elrond said wisely,
"Someone else said that to me recently." Tally remembered Legolas' comment,
"Well perhaps that is because they care about you. Tally you are as white as snow and there are dark circles around your eyes. Stop working in the garden and stop your lessons with me. Just cut down or you really will be sick instead of hiding from Legolas in your room nursing a bruised ego. Get up and admit you need help. I will leave the translation I have done for you in your office."
Tally decided he was right. She got up and washed and dressed. She went to see the Gardeners and asked them to look after the Memorial Garden themselves for a while. Then she sat down and finished the legal dispute with Elrond's translation. She decided to take some time off, at least for then next ten days until after Kaelira and Ghilad's wedding, after all there was a lot of work to do for it. She went to Kaelira's room and knocked. The door was opened by a half-naked Ghilad,
"Oh, I'm sorry, I just came to tell Kaelira I'd decided to take sometime off from official business to help with the wedding, but I can see my help may not be needed right now so I'll return to my letters." There was a smirk and a raised eyebrow from Tally and Ghilad went pink to the tips of his ears,
"Tally don't go! I'm sorry. I'll be with you in a second!" Came the call from inside. Tally leaned against the wall, laughing to herself. In a minute a rather red and flustered Kaelira emerged from her room followed by a furtive Ghilad who quickly took of down the corridor, still pink to the ears. Tally kept on laughing as she saw the mortified look on Kaelira's face, and then she started laughing too. They went to lunch together in fits of giggles, which only got worse when they saw Ghilad sitting with Naela and Talin. As he stood up to get food, Tally quickly related the story to the other two and by the time Ghilad returned, they were all laughing loudly, sides aching. This just served to turn Ghilad pinker so they couldn't stop. Tally saw Legolas walk into the Hall. She stopped giggling abruptly. This drew the attention of the others and they followed her gaze where Legolas stood,
"Tally stay here, don't you dare try and run off. You have to face him. You have to get on no matter how much you hate him right now," Naela muttered. The Hall was full, the only place he could sit was them. Legolas brought over a plate and sat down. Tally wasn't looking at him, but she knew exactly what he was feeling. He was crying on the inside. Oh god she'd done that. She just wanted to reach out and touch him and make it all go away. How could she be so stupid? He loved her. The greatest thing he could ever give her and she'd thrown it back in your face. Well someone would have to sort this out, and if it had to be here in front of all their friends then it had to be,
"Legolas I am sorry for locking you in last night. I shouldn't have done it. I can't bear to bring you any pain. You know I feel it too." She lowered her voice for the last part, not everyone knew how empathic she was. He looked at her shocked. Everyone's heads looked between the two of them, not knowing what was gong to come next,
"Shall we go and talk? Sensibly?"
"I think it would do some good. Are you finished?"
"Yes, I'm not very hungry." Legolas and Tally left the Hall and wandered outside, to neutral ground. They sat down on the same bench they had sat the night they got engaged. Tally shifted nervously, "Tally, tell me exactly how you feel. I want to know."
"It's difficult to explain. I love you, but then I know I shouldn't at the same time. Legolas everyone leaves me. You did, but now you've come back and I can't let myself love you again because if you leave again I don't know if I could make myself get up in the morning. Legolas you were my everything, my oxygen. I couldn't breath. I can't become reliant like that on someone who won't stay in one place for more than a few years at a time." Tally went silent and looked at her hands. She began to shake. Legolas placed his hands over hers. Her eyes went up to meet his,
"Tally, the moment I left I regretted it, but I couldn't well turn round and come home. I spent seventeen years in agony. Everyday I thought of you, how you were, what you were doing, if you still loved me. If you'd found someone else. You don't wear your chain or your ring anymore. I understand that. I have my ring." He pulled it our from his shirt on a long chain. "It sits on my heart, where you will always belong. Tally I will never leave you again. You are my oxygen too. I need you." Legolas kissed her forehead and then rested his against it, "I really messed this up didn't I? Please, have me back." Tally sighed and took his chin in her hand. Looking straight into his eyes she raised her lips to his. Legolas took a moment to respond, savouring the sensations he'd missed. Their kiss was more electrifying than ever, seventeen years of repression released in a few passionate seconds. He moved his hands up her arms, over her shoulders, taking the weigh of her hair off them. He ran one hand through her hair and the other slipped down to her thigh. His hand moved up and Tally pulled away suddenly,
"No Legolas, not yet. Let's take it slow, please?"
"Tally, anything for you. We have eternity. I will go as slow as you want." Tally smiled and thanked him by kissing him again, then she laughed,
"I never thought this would happen again. I never thought I would touch you or kiss you again."
"Tally, I love you. I'm never letting you go again." They kissed again,
"Come on, let's go inside. I'm sure they're all gagging for the gossip and I'm getting chilly." She took his hand and they walked inside. They literally bumped into Naela and Talin, the former squealed with joy and ran to hug Tally, the latter grinned like a Cheshire cat.
"I knew it, I knew it. I thought it was all over after last night. Please don't kill me for that. But now, oh I'm so happy for you both. Where are Kaeli and Ghilad?"
"Naela, don't get over excited," warned her husband, "and don't go gossiping all over the place."
"Naela, we're taking things slowly. Don't expect miracles soon. It took Ghilad and Kaelira seventeen years to get it together with your help. Just think how long you're going to have to hinder, I mean, help us for." Legolas dodged a mock punch from Naela. They soon joined Kaelira and Ghilad in one of the recreational rooms and spent the afternoon catching up on all the news from over the years and playing card games. Tally stayed close to Legolas, enjoying the familiar smell that washed over her and the comfortable warmth his body gave her. She grew tired of playing and talking and just rested against Legolas. He smiled as she snuggled to get comfortable against him and the soft moan that she let out when she finally got comfortable was like music to her ears. She began to fall asleep against him, lulled into relaxation by his steady breathing and rhythmical heart beat. Tally was just drifting off when he moved and picked her up in his arms. She groaned, not wanting to be moved, "Tally, if you want to sleep I'll carry you back to your room."
"No I'm awake now, no thanks to you."
"You're still always grumpy when you wake up then. It's good know things haven't changed that much. You still look just as beautiful as you used to too." He whispered in his ear and Tally blushed,
"You can put me down now." Legolas let Tally stand up and she darted away from him.
"Come back here!" and Legolas chased her round the room. The other four watched them smiling, glad things were back on track and the world had been set to rights. Tally dissolved in laughter as Legolas caught her and tickled her, she squirmed against him, and managed to stop him by kissing him slowly. They collapsed back down in their seats laughing and giving each other soft glances. They didn't join in the other's conversation but sat talking in whispers about how much they loved each other and how much they'd missed each other.
