Chapter 39
Tally went to breakfast feeling happier than she'd felt in years. Her hand was playing absent-mindedly with the pendant around her neck. She sat down next to Legolas who was still eating his breakfast,
"Good morning, my love," she said and he turned to look at her. His eyes immediately fell on the pendant and the ring around her neck and then up to meet Tally's. She gave him a shy smile and blushed under his strong gaze. Legolas broke the silence,
"I thought you would have thrown it away."
"I did. Malia kept it. She knew I'd need it again one day. I'm very glad she did."
"So am I," said Legolas softly and turned to finish his breakfast, while Tally started hers.
They spent the day together, sometimes sitting quietly, sometimes talking and laughing. This carried on for the next nine days, except sometimes they went riding or practised archery. Tally had got almost as good as Legolas and he was impressed to see the raw skill he had once known honed to perfection. The only time they spent apart was for wedding preparations, although they were not much help. They spent the time meditating on the beauty of each other, not just physically, but in every aspect of their persona. They both felt whole again now the other had been returned to them.
The day of the wedding dawned. Tally evicted a very sleepy Legolas from her bed and got dressed hurriedly to help Kaelira. She was in one of her plain day-robes,
"You're not going to the wedding in that are you?" said Legolas,
"No, but I have to get Kaeli ready before I can get dressed. It's going to take a lot of work. Go and make yourself useful with Ghilad. Don't you have to do his hair or something?" teased Tally. Legolas fell back into bed too tired to retaliate. He was just letting his mind wander when the mattress was suddenly picked up and he was tipped out of the bed,
"Ugh. I'm going, I'm going. Just give me one kiss before I go." Tally had walked around the bed to look at Legolas sprawled on the floor. He reached up and grabbed her, pulling her down onto his lap. He claimed her lips in a long slow kiss. Tally would quite happily have stayed there all day, but she pictured Naela's face if she did not show up and lend a hand. Tally, very reluctantly, pulled away,
"Legolas, Naela will kill me if I don't hurry up. I'll see you at the wedding. Go and see Ghilad and help him. Goodbye." She pecked him on the cheek and then ran from her room to Kaelira's. Naela was already there fuming about Tally's lateness, but Kaelira said,
"Naela, she's in love. Don't you remember what it was like before you got married?" and then laughed at Tally's expression,
"Was it that obvious?"
"Yes," said Kaelira, "but given the choice between doing your hair and making love with Ghilad, I'd choose Ghilad, so I forgive you." The other two laughed, and Tally bit her lip,
"Legolas and I aren't.. We're not doing that?"
"You're not?" Naela was surprised, "Well what else have you been doing since he got back? We've hardly seen either of you."
"We just sit together. Sometimes we talk, sometimes we don't." Tally had a dreamy look on her face, thinking about how comfortable and safe she felt sitting lose to Legolas, holding his hand.
"But then why aren't you.?"
"We're taking it slowly. We didn't do it before and we were together for months. He has been back days. I'm just an old fashioned gal at heart I suppose." The others were staring at her waiting for more of an explanation, "Come on, we've got things to do. Where's Malia? She has all the dresses. Kaeli let me start your hair."
Tally leapt to work to try and divert the attention of others, but both had made a mental note to ask her about it the next opportunity they got. She spent near to an hour on Kaelira's hair. It was thick and dark blond, very different from many of the other elves. Tally plaited sections with flowers and beads to match her dress. Naela decided to do the make up and then they both did their own hair while Kaelira sat on a chair, like a queen, dictating what looked good and what didn't. When Malia finally arrived with the dresses, Tally was relieved. Malia took one look at Kaelira and went to make some soothing tea. She muttered something about the poor child's nerves as she hurried out.
The wedding was at noon. Kaelira was beautiful and Tally almost laughed out loud when she saw Ghilad's jaw drop when they stood together at the altar. It was a short ceremony with lots of old language Sindarin that Tally did not understand. She'd have to learn them for her wedding. Her wedding! She hadn't thought of that for years, not properly. Every time she'd allowed herself to daydream about it though, it had always been Legolas meeting her at the altar. As they were led back to the Great Hall by a troupe of musicians Tally stole a glance at him. He was walking tall and proud, smiling at the happy couple. He said something to Talin who laughed and then whispered it to Naela. Naela looked over at Tally and caught her eye. She raised her eyebrows and nodded for Tally to join her. Naela led them away from the crowds,
"Natalia, I saw the way you were looking during the ceremony. You want to explain that?"
"I wasn't aware I was doing anything wrong?"
"You had this dreamy look on your face and then there was sadness in your eyes. It's still there. What's wrong? Is it our fault for this morning, because you know Kaeli and I are sorry."
"I know Naela. I was just thinking about my wedding, and then I thought of this," and she ran her ring along the chain it was on around her neck, "and I looked at Kaelira and Ghilad and I was jealous because they have what I never can have."
"What's that?"
"Someone by their side forever."
"Oh Tally," Naela hugged the girl to her, "Legolas is here to stay. You know he is. There's nothing for you to be scared of now. He's not going to leave you again. He loves you far too much."
"But what if I can't love him back enough?"
"Is he the first person you think of in the morning? Is he the last person you think of before you fall asleep at night? Tally whatever he demands of you, you can only give back what you are ready to give. If he's pressurising you into anything, then he doesn't love you as much as he says he does." Tally jumped in,
"He loves me Naela, and I love him, but I could bear to be apart from him again. I just couldn't. I think I should die."
"Don't talk of such things," said Naela quickly with a darkening look, "You know what would happen if you died Tally. Come on the party, you just need cheering up, that's all. It's been an emotional day for all of us. I'm sure he's in a similar state somewhere, moaning to Talin." And so he was,
"Talin, I can't make her see that I'm never going to leave here again without her. I need her and I know she needs me. It's like we're part of one being and neither functions properly without the other."
"Legolas, calm yourself. Everyone saw how hurt Tally was after you left her. It took her years to pick herself back up and regain a semi-normal life. The past few days have been the first she has taken off voluntarily since then. I think Elrond forced her to take a week off a few years ago, but apart from that she kept herself busy with other people's lives. She didn't think of herself, only those she could help. She's just scared now. Once she gets past that, I'm sure you'll have no trouble."
"I just want her to see that I'll never hurt her again."
"She knows, deep down I'm sure. Come on, back to the wedding. Cheer up Legolas."
Naela and Tally walked in from one side of the Hall and Talin and Legolas from the other. Talin and Naela exchanged a glance and knew exactly what the other had been up to. The four sat down together, and there was an uncomfortable silence for a few moments. Tally was looking at her plate but her mind reached out to Legolas. He was upset and thinking hard. Tally tried to block it out, it was private after all, but she couldn't do it, the feelings were too strong and poured into her brain,
How do I do it? How do I make her see? I'd rather lay my own life down than be parted from her. Losing her would be like losing my world. Nothing else matters but her happiness and her beauty. I can't think straight when she's near me, running a hand through my hair or kissing me with her warm red lips. Oh I need her. How could I ever leave her again? I belong by her side. Why can't I make her see that? I know how scared she is. It's in her eyes every time I get up to leave. She thinks I'm never going to walk back through the door again. I can't let her live like that. It's not right. What have I done to her, what have I done?
Legolas' reverie was interrupted by Tally hitting the floor in a cold faint.
Tally went to breakfast feeling happier than she'd felt in years. Her hand was playing absent-mindedly with the pendant around her neck. She sat down next to Legolas who was still eating his breakfast,
"Good morning, my love," she said and he turned to look at her. His eyes immediately fell on the pendant and the ring around her neck and then up to meet Tally's. She gave him a shy smile and blushed under his strong gaze. Legolas broke the silence,
"I thought you would have thrown it away."
"I did. Malia kept it. She knew I'd need it again one day. I'm very glad she did."
"So am I," said Legolas softly and turned to finish his breakfast, while Tally started hers.
They spent the day together, sometimes sitting quietly, sometimes talking and laughing. This carried on for the next nine days, except sometimes they went riding or practised archery. Tally had got almost as good as Legolas and he was impressed to see the raw skill he had once known honed to perfection. The only time they spent apart was for wedding preparations, although they were not much help. They spent the time meditating on the beauty of each other, not just physically, but in every aspect of their persona. They both felt whole again now the other had been returned to them.
The day of the wedding dawned. Tally evicted a very sleepy Legolas from her bed and got dressed hurriedly to help Kaelira. She was in one of her plain day-robes,
"You're not going to the wedding in that are you?" said Legolas,
"No, but I have to get Kaeli ready before I can get dressed. It's going to take a lot of work. Go and make yourself useful with Ghilad. Don't you have to do his hair or something?" teased Tally. Legolas fell back into bed too tired to retaliate. He was just letting his mind wander when the mattress was suddenly picked up and he was tipped out of the bed,
"Ugh. I'm going, I'm going. Just give me one kiss before I go." Tally had walked around the bed to look at Legolas sprawled on the floor. He reached up and grabbed her, pulling her down onto his lap. He claimed her lips in a long slow kiss. Tally would quite happily have stayed there all day, but she pictured Naela's face if she did not show up and lend a hand. Tally, very reluctantly, pulled away,
"Legolas, Naela will kill me if I don't hurry up. I'll see you at the wedding. Go and see Ghilad and help him. Goodbye." She pecked him on the cheek and then ran from her room to Kaelira's. Naela was already there fuming about Tally's lateness, but Kaelira said,
"Naela, she's in love. Don't you remember what it was like before you got married?" and then laughed at Tally's expression,
"Was it that obvious?"
"Yes," said Kaelira, "but given the choice between doing your hair and making love with Ghilad, I'd choose Ghilad, so I forgive you." The other two laughed, and Tally bit her lip,
"Legolas and I aren't.. We're not doing that?"
"You're not?" Naela was surprised, "Well what else have you been doing since he got back? We've hardly seen either of you."
"We just sit together. Sometimes we talk, sometimes we don't." Tally had a dreamy look on her face, thinking about how comfortable and safe she felt sitting lose to Legolas, holding his hand.
"But then why aren't you.?"
"We're taking it slowly. We didn't do it before and we were together for months. He has been back days. I'm just an old fashioned gal at heart I suppose." The others were staring at her waiting for more of an explanation, "Come on, we've got things to do. Where's Malia? She has all the dresses. Kaeli let me start your hair."
Tally leapt to work to try and divert the attention of others, but both had made a mental note to ask her about it the next opportunity they got. She spent near to an hour on Kaelira's hair. It was thick and dark blond, very different from many of the other elves. Tally plaited sections with flowers and beads to match her dress. Naela decided to do the make up and then they both did their own hair while Kaelira sat on a chair, like a queen, dictating what looked good and what didn't. When Malia finally arrived with the dresses, Tally was relieved. Malia took one look at Kaelira and went to make some soothing tea. She muttered something about the poor child's nerves as she hurried out.
The wedding was at noon. Kaelira was beautiful and Tally almost laughed out loud when she saw Ghilad's jaw drop when they stood together at the altar. It was a short ceremony with lots of old language Sindarin that Tally did not understand. She'd have to learn them for her wedding. Her wedding! She hadn't thought of that for years, not properly. Every time she'd allowed herself to daydream about it though, it had always been Legolas meeting her at the altar. As they were led back to the Great Hall by a troupe of musicians Tally stole a glance at him. He was walking tall and proud, smiling at the happy couple. He said something to Talin who laughed and then whispered it to Naela. Naela looked over at Tally and caught her eye. She raised her eyebrows and nodded for Tally to join her. Naela led them away from the crowds,
"Natalia, I saw the way you were looking during the ceremony. You want to explain that?"
"I wasn't aware I was doing anything wrong?"
"You had this dreamy look on your face and then there was sadness in your eyes. It's still there. What's wrong? Is it our fault for this morning, because you know Kaeli and I are sorry."
"I know Naela. I was just thinking about my wedding, and then I thought of this," and she ran her ring along the chain it was on around her neck, "and I looked at Kaelira and Ghilad and I was jealous because they have what I never can have."
"What's that?"
"Someone by their side forever."
"Oh Tally," Naela hugged the girl to her, "Legolas is here to stay. You know he is. There's nothing for you to be scared of now. He's not going to leave you again. He loves you far too much."
"But what if I can't love him back enough?"
"Is he the first person you think of in the morning? Is he the last person you think of before you fall asleep at night? Tally whatever he demands of you, you can only give back what you are ready to give. If he's pressurising you into anything, then he doesn't love you as much as he says he does." Tally jumped in,
"He loves me Naela, and I love him, but I could bear to be apart from him again. I just couldn't. I think I should die."
"Don't talk of such things," said Naela quickly with a darkening look, "You know what would happen if you died Tally. Come on the party, you just need cheering up, that's all. It's been an emotional day for all of us. I'm sure he's in a similar state somewhere, moaning to Talin." And so he was,
"Talin, I can't make her see that I'm never going to leave here again without her. I need her and I know she needs me. It's like we're part of one being and neither functions properly without the other."
"Legolas, calm yourself. Everyone saw how hurt Tally was after you left her. It took her years to pick herself back up and regain a semi-normal life. The past few days have been the first she has taken off voluntarily since then. I think Elrond forced her to take a week off a few years ago, but apart from that she kept herself busy with other people's lives. She didn't think of herself, only those she could help. She's just scared now. Once she gets past that, I'm sure you'll have no trouble."
"I just want her to see that I'll never hurt her again."
"She knows, deep down I'm sure. Come on, back to the wedding. Cheer up Legolas."
Naela and Tally walked in from one side of the Hall and Talin and Legolas from the other. Talin and Naela exchanged a glance and knew exactly what the other had been up to. The four sat down together, and there was an uncomfortable silence for a few moments. Tally was looking at her plate but her mind reached out to Legolas. He was upset and thinking hard. Tally tried to block it out, it was private after all, but she couldn't do it, the feelings were too strong and poured into her brain,
How do I do it? How do I make her see? I'd rather lay my own life down than be parted from her. Losing her would be like losing my world. Nothing else matters but her happiness and her beauty. I can't think straight when she's near me, running a hand through my hair or kissing me with her warm red lips. Oh I need her. How could I ever leave her again? I belong by her side. Why can't I make her see that? I know how scared she is. It's in her eyes every time I get up to leave. She thinks I'm never going to walk back through the door again. I can't let her live like that. It's not right. What have I done to her, what have I done?
Legolas' reverie was interrupted by Tally hitting the floor in a cold faint.
