Chapter 41
The next morning, Tally woke up first. Legolas was still in his special elven-sleep beside her. His eyes were open but his breathing was slow and shallow. He was resting his body rather than sleeping. Tally moved softly so as not to disturb him. She washed and dressed and tied her hair up into a bun and finally returned to her bedroom. Legolas was awake lying on his stomach on the bed and reading one of the volumes Tally had borrowed from Elrond, "Good morning, Legolas," she said kissing the top of his head. Legolas shut the book and rolled onto his back, looking at Tally with a smile,
"Good morning my love," and he reached out to take her hand. Legolas pulled her down onto him. Tally shrieked then giggled as Legolas rolled over once more and pressed his lips down on hers. Tally's hands ran over his bare chest as she felt the electricity spark between them. Legolas pulled away, "Now that's a good morning kiss. None of that on your head rubbish!"
"I'll bear that in mind," Tally said. Then she leaned up on her elbows and took his ear lobe between her teeth. She bit, licked, sucked and kissed her way to the point. Legolas groaned and lay down so Tally could get up and straddle him. She ran the tip of her tongue over the point gently. Legolas called her name as she bit down on it gently and then trailed her lips across his cheek to meet his. Tally ended her journey with the softest of kisses on his lips. When she had finished, Legolas laid there still, eyes closed and a smile on his face, "Legolas?"
"I like your idea better, although I can think of some improvements," he smirked at her, but found Tally's face stony,
"We need to have that talk today."
"I know." He sighed. Tally nodded and got off the bed. She offered Legolas a hand to pull him up. He didn't take it.
Once they'd had breakfast, they sent for a picnic from the kitchen and rode out together. Tally still rode Mahril. Elf-horses live longer than human ones she had noted. They rode for an hour, to the outskirts of the Sanctuary land, until they reached the top of a hill with a view over the surrounding country. It was the most peaceful spot Tally knew of where they could get some privacy. She lay out the rug they had bought and sat down. Legolas, she was puzzled to see, climbed the nearest tree,
"Legolas, umm you're up a tree." He just shrugged at her,
"I feel more comfortable up here. I can think clearer. Mirkwood was full of great trees like this. I used to climb them to think and watch the world below."
"Oh, sorry." Tally sat in silence. She was waiting for Legolas to say something, but after a while she couldn't hold her tongue anymore, "I missed you when you were gone," she practically whispered, "I thought my heart would break in two for real." Legolas snapped out of the daydream he was in,
"I felt like that too," he admitted,
"Then why did you leave? Why did you put me, us, through seventeen years of hell? That's what I don't understand. You leave saying it could never work between us, but then you return professing you never stopped loving me in the first place."
"I felt scared Tally. I thought I'd been in love before, but it was never this strong, it always felt like I was in control. But with you, I lost myself. It was like I was bathed in some magical light. I didn't know what I was doing. I needed time to sort my head out."
"So you took seventeen years?" Tally said bitterly,
"Natalia, you will live forever. Seventeen years is like a leaf in a forest compared to that."
"When you were less than a century did it seem like that to you? Legolas I've seen people die younger than I am now. I lived in a mortal world, believing I was a mortal for most of my life. Can't you understand? By the time I was seventeen I had lost my parents and was practically living on my own, taking care of myself, managing every aspect of my life. How old are you now? You can't even choose what to have for dinner."
The sat in silence for a while until Legolas said,
"Tally, what I tell you now, it goes no further than us, not Naela or Kaelira or anyone." Tally nodded, "Tally it's difficult being a male elf. We're not meant to show our emotions, let alone let them rule our lives like they seem to do so many females. I am still scared of our love. Its power over me. Your power over me. But I'm scared of something else now. I'm scared of not trying, of not giving in to whatever there is between us. We spent six months together, that isn't long enough to find out if we can be partners forever. If we find we can't stand each other after a few decades," Tally smiled, "then so be it. We tried. But if I don't take that chance then we could miss out on an eternity of happiness and I can't let us do that. I'm not going anywhere Tally. I belong here with you, or wherever you happen to be. I love you, Natalia." He stopped and realised Tally was crying. He leapt down from the branch he sat in, "Tally, what's wrong? Why are you crying? I thought you'd be pleased." His face fell as he looked into the red eyes of the girl he loved with all his heart. Her beautiful face broke into an even more beautiful smile,
"I'm so happy. I love you too you silly elf. How could I not? You were the knight in shining armour to my damsel in distress. We have to live happily ever after. It's the rules."
"Whose rules?"
"The rules of all fairy stories." She leaned closer to him, "And my rules too." And kissed him.
Tally's fingers ran through Legolas' hair. She undid his hair so it cascaded over his shoulders and tickled her face as she sucked on his ear. Tally pulled away from him. The time was right she knew that. Legolas watched Tally as she sat back on her heels, biting her lip. Her hands went to the buttons on the front of the bodice she wore. It fell away to reveal her bare chest underneath. Tally looked at her skin in amazement and then looked up to Legolas. She looked scared into his eyes, afraid of what he would say. Her eyes were big and she still bit her lip as he reached out to touch her. Her skin was cold beneath his warm hand, but soft, almost like silk. He cupped her breast in his hand and used his thumb to caress her nipple,
"Tally?" he whispered, "Are you sure?" She nodded her head slightly, "I won't hurt you."
"I know," she said, "I trust you."
This was what Legolas had been waiting for since he first saw her. He lay them both down and cradled her to him like a baby, stroking her skin wondrously, like it was all new to him. He claimed her mouth possessively, greedily,
"I've missed you. I've missed you so much," he muttered as he explored every inch of her body. Tally lay there, eyes closed, enjoying his fascination with her body. She laughed when he reached a ticklish spot and groaned out his name when he reached a sensitive spot. Tally was fully undressed by this point, except a small pair of undergarments. The wind blew over her body and she shivered. Legolas pulled her even closer to him. Tally helped him undress and finally removed the last of her clothes and they both lay naked, leaning on their elbows, watching each other. Tally was embarrassed by the scrutiny of his gaze. She looked away from his eyes, but Legolas caught her chin and pulled her face back. His look was now of lust and Tally felt his hardness begin to grow against her.
Legolas rolled Tally over so she was under him and bend down to kiss her. He felt her dissolve beneath him as her mouth melted into his. Then he nibbled at her neck and shoulder and sucked at her ear until he could take it no longer. He had to be inside her. He looked at Tally. She knew it too,
"I love you Legolas," she said and smiled. That was all the permission Legolas needed. He used a hand to guide himself slowly inside her. He saw pain flash briefly across her face, and then fear as she remember the last time this happened to her,
"I'll be gentle Tally. Tell me if it hurts too much." She relaxed beneath him.
Legolas began to thrust in and out, very slowly and gently as first, all the time caressing one of her wrists which lay beside her head and watching her face. When he saw her initial discomfort had passed he began to increase the speed and ferocity of his actions. Tally arched her back to meet him. They watched in wonder as their curves moulded together and moved in synch as if they were made to be together. Their bodies fitted together perfectly, like two pieces of a jigsaw. Legolas reached between her legs of the hard nub there and began to massage it in time with his thrusts. Both of them were moaning as sweat formed on their brows and the pleasure began to build up inside them. Tally began to shake and found her release as she shouted her lover's name. A thrust later and Legolas found his, grinding into her as he spilt himself inside Tally, calling her name.
Legolas collapsed down on top of Tally and he wrapped her in his arms, stroking and kissing her gently until they' had both caught their breath back. The breeze cooled down their hot and sweaty bodies. Legolas took Tally's hand and held it between them, he kissed it and Tally said quietly, "I love you Legolas. With all my heart and body, I love you."
"I love you too, Tally."
They lay together for hours, not moving, just listening to the world around them and drawing comfort from each other's presence. As the Sun went down they got dressed and rode back to the Sanctuary. They had been missing all day and people were beginning to worry about their absence. Talin and Ghilad found them in the stables as they groomed the horses,
"Where have you been all day? Tally, Naela is looking for you all over the place," Talin said,
"And Legolas you were meant to be teaching some archery today. It had to be cancelled." Ghilad was disapproving. "What have you been up to?" Tally blushed and gave it all away. Talin and Ghilad caught on quickly,
"Well next time you decide to go off for the whole day, you could at least let someone know." Talin tried to scold them, but he was having trouble keeping in his laughter and had a huge grin plastered across his face,
"Right, well I think I'll go inside and take a bath. I smell like a horse. No offence Mahril," she added as the horse snorted beside her. As soon as she'd left the stall she heard the two males collapse in laughter and Legolas protesting with them that it wasn't funny, but a most beautiful thing. Ghilad and Talin just laughed more.
The next morning, Tally woke up first. Legolas was still in his special elven-sleep beside her. His eyes were open but his breathing was slow and shallow. He was resting his body rather than sleeping. Tally moved softly so as not to disturb him. She washed and dressed and tied her hair up into a bun and finally returned to her bedroom. Legolas was awake lying on his stomach on the bed and reading one of the volumes Tally had borrowed from Elrond, "Good morning, Legolas," she said kissing the top of his head. Legolas shut the book and rolled onto his back, looking at Tally with a smile,
"Good morning my love," and he reached out to take her hand. Legolas pulled her down onto him. Tally shrieked then giggled as Legolas rolled over once more and pressed his lips down on hers. Tally's hands ran over his bare chest as she felt the electricity spark between them. Legolas pulled away, "Now that's a good morning kiss. None of that on your head rubbish!"
"I'll bear that in mind," Tally said. Then she leaned up on her elbows and took his ear lobe between her teeth. She bit, licked, sucked and kissed her way to the point. Legolas groaned and lay down so Tally could get up and straddle him. She ran the tip of her tongue over the point gently. Legolas called her name as she bit down on it gently and then trailed her lips across his cheek to meet his. Tally ended her journey with the softest of kisses on his lips. When she had finished, Legolas laid there still, eyes closed and a smile on his face, "Legolas?"
"I like your idea better, although I can think of some improvements," he smirked at her, but found Tally's face stony,
"We need to have that talk today."
"I know." He sighed. Tally nodded and got off the bed. She offered Legolas a hand to pull him up. He didn't take it.
Once they'd had breakfast, they sent for a picnic from the kitchen and rode out together. Tally still rode Mahril. Elf-horses live longer than human ones she had noted. They rode for an hour, to the outskirts of the Sanctuary land, until they reached the top of a hill with a view over the surrounding country. It was the most peaceful spot Tally knew of where they could get some privacy. She lay out the rug they had bought and sat down. Legolas, she was puzzled to see, climbed the nearest tree,
"Legolas, umm you're up a tree." He just shrugged at her,
"I feel more comfortable up here. I can think clearer. Mirkwood was full of great trees like this. I used to climb them to think and watch the world below."
"Oh, sorry." Tally sat in silence. She was waiting for Legolas to say something, but after a while she couldn't hold her tongue anymore, "I missed you when you were gone," she practically whispered, "I thought my heart would break in two for real." Legolas snapped out of the daydream he was in,
"I felt like that too," he admitted,
"Then why did you leave? Why did you put me, us, through seventeen years of hell? That's what I don't understand. You leave saying it could never work between us, but then you return professing you never stopped loving me in the first place."
"I felt scared Tally. I thought I'd been in love before, but it was never this strong, it always felt like I was in control. But with you, I lost myself. It was like I was bathed in some magical light. I didn't know what I was doing. I needed time to sort my head out."
"So you took seventeen years?" Tally said bitterly,
"Natalia, you will live forever. Seventeen years is like a leaf in a forest compared to that."
"When you were less than a century did it seem like that to you? Legolas I've seen people die younger than I am now. I lived in a mortal world, believing I was a mortal for most of my life. Can't you understand? By the time I was seventeen I had lost my parents and was practically living on my own, taking care of myself, managing every aspect of my life. How old are you now? You can't even choose what to have for dinner."
The sat in silence for a while until Legolas said,
"Tally, what I tell you now, it goes no further than us, not Naela or Kaelira or anyone." Tally nodded, "Tally it's difficult being a male elf. We're not meant to show our emotions, let alone let them rule our lives like they seem to do so many females. I am still scared of our love. Its power over me. Your power over me. But I'm scared of something else now. I'm scared of not trying, of not giving in to whatever there is between us. We spent six months together, that isn't long enough to find out if we can be partners forever. If we find we can't stand each other after a few decades," Tally smiled, "then so be it. We tried. But if I don't take that chance then we could miss out on an eternity of happiness and I can't let us do that. I'm not going anywhere Tally. I belong here with you, or wherever you happen to be. I love you, Natalia." He stopped and realised Tally was crying. He leapt down from the branch he sat in, "Tally, what's wrong? Why are you crying? I thought you'd be pleased." His face fell as he looked into the red eyes of the girl he loved with all his heart. Her beautiful face broke into an even more beautiful smile,
"I'm so happy. I love you too you silly elf. How could I not? You were the knight in shining armour to my damsel in distress. We have to live happily ever after. It's the rules."
"Whose rules?"
"The rules of all fairy stories." She leaned closer to him, "And my rules too." And kissed him.
Tally's fingers ran through Legolas' hair. She undid his hair so it cascaded over his shoulders and tickled her face as she sucked on his ear. Tally pulled away from him. The time was right she knew that. Legolas watched Tally as she sat back on her heels, biting her lip. Her hands went to the buttons on the front of the bodice she wore. It fell away to reveal her bare chest underneath. Tally looked at her skin in amazement and then looked up to Legolas. She looked scared into his eyes, afraid of what he would say. Her eyes were big and she still bit her lip as he reached out to touch her. Her skin was cold beneath his warm hand, but soft, almost like silk. He cupped her breast in his hand and used his thumb to caress her nipple,
"Tally?" he whispered, "Are you sure?" She nodded her head slightly, "I won't hurt you."
"I know," she said, "I trust you."
This was what Legolas had been waiting for since he first saw her. He lay them both down and cradled her to him like a baby, stroking her skin wondrously, like it was all new to him. He claimed her mouth possessively, greedily,
"I've missed you. I've missed you so much," he muttered as he explored every inch of her body. Tally lay there, eyes closed, enjoying his fascination with her body. She laughed when he reached a ticklish spot and groaned out his name when he reached a sensitive spot. Tally was fully undressed by this point, except a small pair of undergarments. The wind blew over her body and she shivered. Legolas pulled her even closer to him. Tally helped him undress and finally removed the last of her clothes and they both lay naked, leaning on their elbows, watching each other. Tally was embarrassed by the scrutiny of his gaze. She looked away from his eyes, but Legolas caught her chin and pulled her face back. His look was now of lust and Tally felt his hardness begin to grow against her.
Legolas rolled Tally over so she was under him and bend down to kiss her. He felt her dissolve beneath him as her mouth melted into his. Then he nibbled at her neck and shoulder and sucked at her ear until he could take it no longer. He had to be inside her. He looked at Tally. She knew it too,
"I love you Legolas," she said and smiled. That was all the permission Legolas needed. He used a hand to guide himself slowly inside her. He saw pain flash briefly across her face, and then fear as she remember the last time this happened to her,
"I'll be gentle Tally. Tell me if it hurts too much." She relaxed beneath him.
Legolas began to thrust in and out, very slowly and gently as first, all the time caressing one of her wrists which lay beside her head and watching her face. When he saw her initial discomfort had passed he began to increase the speed and ferocity of his actions. Tally arched her back to meet him. They watched in wonder as their curves moulded together and moved in synch as if they were made to be together. Their bodies fitted together perfectly, like two pieces of a jigsaw. Legolas reached between her legs of the hard nub there and began to massage it in time with his thrusts. Both of them were moaning as sweat formed on their brows and the pleasure began to build up inside them. Tally began to shake and found her release as she shouted her lover's name. A thrust later and Legolas found his, grinding into her as he spilt himself inside Tally, calling her name.
Legolas collapsed down on top of Tally and he wrapped her in his arms, stroking and kissing her gently until they' had both caught their breath back. The breeze cooled down their hot and sweaty bodies. Legolas took Tally's hand and held it between them, he kissed it and Tally said quietly, "I love you Legolas. With all my heart and body, I love you."
"I love you too, Tally."
They lay together for hours, not moving, just listening to the world around them and drawing comfort from each other's presence. As the Sun went down they got dressed and rode back to the Sanctuary. They had been missing all day and people were beginning to worry about their absence. Talin and Ghilad found them in the stables as they groomed the horses,
"Where have you been all day? Tally, Naela is looking for you all over the place," Talin said,
"And Legolas you were meant to be teaching some archery today. It had to be cancelled." Ghilad was disapproving. "What have you been up to?" Tally blushed and gave it all away. Talin and Ghilad caught on quickly,
"Well next time you decide to go off for the whole day, you could at least let someone know." Talin tried to scold them, but he was having trouble keeping in his laughter and had a huge grin plastered across his face,
"Right, well I think I'll go inside and take a bath. I smell like a horse. No offence Mahril," she added as the horse snorted beside her. As soon as she'd left the stall she heard the two males collapse in laughter and Legolas protesting with them that it wasn't funny, but a most beautiful thing. Ghilad and Talin just laughed more.
