FINDING HEART
CHAPTER NINETEEN
BY DRAGONWIND
A/N: see chapters one and four for disclaimers
Please R/R, let me know what you think (No flames though)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Legolas! Answer me, damn it!" Konner called out, standing outside the barrier formed
by the trellis'.
After pulling on his leggings and tunic, Legolas stepped through the multi-colored
blooms. "What do you want, Konner?"
Konner stared at him, noting the leaves and twigs in his brother's hair, along with the
look in his brother's eyes. "Are you stupid?" Konner hissed.
"No. And why are you looking at me like that?"
"Please tell me you did not take Iladori in the gardens," Konner stated with a frustrated
sigh.
Legolas eyed his older brother and shifted his weight from foot to foot. "Do you want
the truth or a colorful lie?"
He resisted the urge to grab Legolas by the tunic and shake him. Instead, he growled,
"Damn you. You could not wait just a few more days. You had to dishonor her, taking
her in the garden where anyone could walk in on you."
"It was. . .I did not. . .no, I could not," Legolas admitted, lowering his gaze from his
brother's. "But it is a beautiful garden, is it not? Do you not think so, Konner? And no
one was out here."
"That goes to show what you know. Lady Imeranian was out here"
"Oh damn. I kind of looked around before hand and did not see any one." Legolas lifted
his eyes and glared at Konner. "You are a fine one to be lecturing me anyway."
"I am the only one who can lecture you on this, Legolas.
Aalyssa made her way through the garden, heading the direction Konner had gone in,
calling out his name softly.
"Stars, Legolas." Konner stared at him then whispered, "Over here, Aalyssa."
"It is not fair to make two people in love wait like that, Konner," Legolas argued as
Aalyssa joined them.
She came to a dead stop when she took in Legolas' appearance. "Legolas!"
"I know it is not fair, brother."
"Do not start on me, Lys," Legolas grumbled.
"Where is Iladori?" she asked.
"You could not wait a day or two at the most to get news of Elrond's decision regarding
a special dispensation?" Konner said.
"I knew he would not give it," Legolas said.
"You do not know that. Every one in Rivendell knows you are crazy in love with her.
You cannot even claim her now. Do you realize that?"
"I heard her mother say she should have the big royal wedding," Legolas sighed.
"So you could not do it right? You could not make it so at least you were married to her
in some way?"
"I am sorry. She was so beautiful, and. . ."
Aalyssa glared at him and went back into the roses to look for Iladori. "Dori? Where are
you?"
"So instead, you dishonor her by taking her like some commoner," Konner continued
scathingly.
"I do not know what came over me. All of a sudden, it all seemed so unfair."
"Legolas, you love her, yet you dishonor her by taking her without the bindings of
marriage. You cannot claim her, she is no longer a maiden."
"I know I did wrong, but I cannot take it back now, Konner."
"What are you going to do, Legolas?"
"Marry her and make it right. I have to make it right."
"What if they make you wait? What then, Legolas?"
"Konner? I did not use protection tonight. I was not expecting to make love tonight. She
could be with child as we speak."
"Legolas! Stars!"
"I thought she was upset. I had no idea we were going to...it was the furthest thing from
my mind."
"So you took advantage of her delicate state. That was a smooth move, little brother."
"It was not my intention. I came out to hold her and console her, not make love to her.
But then she looked at me with such love in her eyes, Konner, I could not resist."
"I understand, little brother. I have been there, remember? However, this is a Princess
whom it was just discovered had been treated badly."
"I realize that Konner, but I am not treating her badly. I love her so much it hurts,"
Legolas admitted.
"But you dishonored a princess you idiot," Konner growled.
Legolas hung his head, "I know."'
"If you love her as much as you say you do, you should have said no and meant it,
Legolas."
"I did. Several times, Konner."
Aalyssa walked through the roses, following the sounds of soft crying. "Dori? Where
are you, hon?"
"Go away," Iladori said, trying to tie the laces to her gown, still softly crying.
"No, I will not go away," Aalyssa argued, following the sounds until she found her sister.
"Are you all right?" she asked, taking the laces from Iladori and tying them. "Talk to me,
sister."
"I forced him," Iladori whispered.
"What?" Aalyssa asked in shock.
"He went against his honor. Oh stars, what have I done?" she asked, her body shaking.
Aalyssa wrapped her arm around her sister's shoulder and led her to a bench. She
watched Iladori sit down, wrapping her arms around her knees, her feet up on the
bench.
"Let us start at the beginning, Iladori," Aalyssa said as she sat next to her. "How did you
force him?"
"I told him I ached for him." She looked up at Aalyssa, her eyes still tearing up. "I
wanted him to make love to me."
"I know you did, hon."
"He wanted to wait. He said it would only be a few days. But I would not wait."
"I know how it feels to want someone like that. And the rules and restrictions are, well,
restrictive."
"I made him break his honor. I dishonored him to ask him to take me."
Aalyssa took her sister's hand. "No. Asking him to take you did not dishonor him. If he
is dishonored, he dishonored himself."
"I asked him, begged him to do something he did not want to do. Because I was scared
of being alone, of not having him with me."
"He could have still said no, we have to wait." Aalyssa glanced up at the sky, trying to
find the words she needed to help Iladori. "Fear makes us do some strange things. But
he could have said no."
"He did, but, oh stars, Aalyssa."
"What Dori?"
"I begged him, and lead him. I made it so he could not stop himself."
"I am stunned," Aalyssa whispered. "This is the Elf Maiden who came to me only this
morning. . .where did you learn to do this, Dori?" She sighed, feeling helpless. "We
might need to bring Konner in to help."
Iladori shrugged. "It just felt right. I thought. . ."
"Thought?" Aalyssa prodded gently.
"I do not know," Iladori admitted.
"Kind of lost your ability to think coherently once it started?" Aalyssa asked with a
gentle smile.
With tears still coming down, Iladori looked at her sister. "It felt right. He seemed to
enjoy it."
"It will be all right, I promise," Aalyssa said with a gentle smile. "Between the four of us,
we can come up with something. Let me get Konner so we can discuss this."
"What have I done?" Iladori whispered, staring blankly into space, not seeing the roses
surrounding them.
"Nothing we cannot fix," Aalyssa tried to assure her. "Let me get Konner." Keeping her
eye on Iladori, Aalyssa walked over to the entrance and poked her head out. "Konner?
Can you come here for a minute?"
He stopped speaking to Legolas and looked at her with concern. "What is it love?"
"I need you," she told him. "There is something. . .Just come here, please." Aalyssa
looked over her shoulder, watching Iladori rocking and crying. She had not seen her
like this.
"You. Do not move," he ordered his younger brother. "What is it, love?" he asked again
as he followed Aalyssa as she quickly moved back to the bench to sit down next to her
sister, wrapping her arm around Iladori.
"Sit down please. Dori, Konner is here. Let him try to help," Aalyssa whispered. "It
seems to be a little over my head, sweetheart."
Konner crouched in front of them and took Iladori's hands in his own. "Dori? What is
wrong, honey? Are you in pain?"
"Dori, you are going to have to explain it to him," Aalyssa whispered, while stroking her
sister's hair.
"Honey, talk to me. I cannot help if you do not tell me."
"Let Konner help, Dori," Aalyssa encouraged her.
"I caused Legolas to lose his honor," she whispered through her tears and pain. "I
dishonored him and made him. . ."
Konner looked up at Aalyssa, confused. "Honey, you did not make him do anything he
did not want to do."
"It will be all right, Dori. Konner, what can we do to fix this?"
"He did not want to, I made him. He said it would only be a few more days."
He looked over Dori's head at Lys and mouthed, "I do not know, love."
Aalyssa caught her breath and tightened her hold on Iladori.
"Honey, if he made love to you, it was because he wanted it too. Legolas would not do
anything he did not want to," Konner said softly.
"I begged him. I seduced him. I acted like what those women accused me of being. I am
what they said," she whispered, her voice harsh from crying.
"Oh, Dori. No you are not. Look at me." Aalyssa put her finger under Iladori's chin and
tilted her face up. "Do you even know what a slut is?"
"Me. I am."
"No, you are not," Aalyssa argued.
"I made him do something he did not want to." Iladori wrapped her arms around her
midsection and rocked, the crying beginning again.
With a small sigh, Aalyssa smiled at Iladori. "Dori, a slut is a woman who sleeps around
with many men without giving her heart. Sometimes she will take money for it. You
made love to the man you love."
He looked at Aalyssa helplessly, realizing they were both in over their heads in this
situation. He saw her mouth to him they needed to find someone who could help. "Like
who?" he mouthed back.
"But he did not want to. I am no better than a slut, I should have trusted him. Instead, I
dishonored an honorable elf."
"Maybe we should get you back inside, hon," Konner said.
"Yes, come on, Dori," Aalyssa added, taking Iladori's arm and helping her to her feet.
Konner stood and took her other hand, then wrapped his left arm around her waist to
support her.
Under her breath, Aalyssa mumbled, "I cannot believe Legolas did this." She raised her
voice slightly, "He is going to need his plan B, Konner."
He leaned down and whispered in Aalyssa's ear, "It is impossible now."
"No, nothing can be impossible," she whispered back.
"Come on honey," he said to Iladori. "You will feel better in your rooms, maybe after a
bath."
"I will stay with you and we can talk all night if you like," Aalyssa offered.
He slowly walked the two ladies through the roses. "Are you all right, honey? I can
carry you if you like."
"Would you like for me to stay with you tonight, to talk it out?"
"I would like to be alone," Iladori said softly.
"You should not be alone. You need someone with you so you can talk it out," Aalyssa
told her.
Legolas walked over as Konner led Iladori past him. "Dori, I. . .I am sorry."
"You," Aalyssa growled, narrowing her eyes at him.
"No, Legolas. I am sorry. I did not mean to dishonor you," Iladori whispered, looking
everywhere but at Legolas.
"I dishonored you," he retorted.
Her eyes still downcast, Iladori said, "No, I asked for something I had no right to ask
for."
"Konner, please take Iladori to the outer garden. I need to speak with Legolas and we
will be out in just a minute."
He nodded and led Iladori out of the roses, thankful he was not on the receiving end of
Aalyssa's sharp tongue.
"Legolas. What were you thinking?" Aalyssa demanded.
"I was not, Lys," he admitted.
"You could not wait one or two more days?"
Legolas sat down on the cement bench in front of the yellow roses and stared at the
stars in the sky, Aalyssa sitting down next to him. "I wanted her so badly."
"That is not the point, Legolas."
"I lost myself, Lys. I never wanted anything or anyone as much as I want Dori."
"Do you have any idea how badly I wish to smack you right now? And hope I knock
some sense into you?"
"You do not think I am feeling bad? Trust me, there is nothing you can do to me that I
have not done already. I wanted. . ."
"I know you wanted, but you could have waited just one or two more days. Now that
sweet, innocent girl thinks, no, she is convinced, that she is a slut and that she forced
you."
"She did not force me. I wanted it as badly as she did, I am to blame," Legolas replied,
hanging his head.
"I know that, Legolas. I have tried telling her that. But she is inconsolable. You should
have said no and waited."
"I have tried, Lys. But I lost myself tonight. She looked at me with those eyes of hers
and I was lost."
"You lost yourself," she sneered as she rolled her eyes. "Well, guess where you found
yourself."
"I love her. I want her to be my wife, Lys, want us to be together."
"I know you do, but now we have to figure out a way to fix all of this."
"We marry. That will make it right. As simple as that," Legolas stated.
"You have made it quite impossible, according to Konner. What if they make you wait,
Legolas? What then? I know you want to go with the ring."
"They would not. Would they?" he asked, worried.
"I do not know, Legolas. You just took a Princess without marriage."
"I mean, she could be carrying our child as we speak," he commented. "Would they not
want her married if she is?"
"Do not tell me you did not use protection," Aalyssa hissed. She reached over to lightly
smack him upside the head. "And yes, they would. But there is probably not time to
establish if she is with child before you would go, depending on when Frodo wakes."
"I did not plan on making love to her Lys. I got lost in the moment."
"Yet another reason why a woman should be able to obtain protection before marriage.
Men. Lost in the moment."
"So I must marry her before I leave."
"You need to confess to our Father, Dori's father and Lord Elrond. And how are you
going to wed before you leave if they tell you to wait?"
"I will, I swear."
"How, Legolas? And how do I convince her she is not a slut and you did not do
anything you did not want to?"
"They would not risk making us wait with the possibility of a babe. Never did she force
me, Lys. I wanted her as badly as she wanted me. She is not a slut."
"I know she is not," Aalyssa said softly. "She is in tears, I have never seen her like this.
And I have tried to tell her she is not."
"What have I done?" Legolas sagged against the bench.
"You have done something you of all elves should never have done. You took her
without the benefit of marriage."
Legolas looked up and softly whispered, "And how come it was right for Konner to take
you without it?"
"I cannot believe you did this, Legolas. You of all elves. No one said it was right, but
Legolas. You could have had a special dispensation tomorrow, the next day at the
latest. And your plan B, whatever that was, if you did not get it. But Konner tells me it is
impossible now. I want the two of you together, but frankly, I do not know how to help
on this one." Her hand moved up to pat her stomach. "I need to find Konner and Dori.
She needs me." Aalyssa turned and started to walk away from him.
"I should be with Iladori. I need to tell her. . ."
She turned back, her hands on her hips. "You have done enough tonight. You may see
her in the morning." Aalyssa began walking toward the exit again.
Legolas stood and began to follow her. "No, Lys."
"Somehow I have to convince her she is not the slut she believes she is."
"She will listen to me, Lys. I will make her listen to me."
"No?" she asked, turning back to face him. "No? Excuse me? You can tell me no, but
not Iladori, who needed to be told no?"
"She needs me, Lys. And I need her. But I tried, stars knows I tried."
"She needed for you to say no." Aalyssa looked at him softly. "I need to stop her way of
thinking before you can speak with her, Legolas. She will pull away from you if I do
not."
"Iladori will not talk to anyone but me Lys, I know her. She will build this wall around her
and will not let anyone in."
"Sometimes, a female needs another female. Let me talk to her for awhile. If I think she
can handle you, fine, you can see her." Aalyssa thought for a moment. "Maybe Konner
and I should take her to my room.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
BY DRAGONWIND
A/N: see chapters one and four for disclaimers
Please R/R, let me know what you think (No flames though)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Legolas! Answer me, damn it!" Konner called out, standing outside the barrier formed
by the trellis'.
After pulling on his leggings and tunic, Legolas stepped through the multi-colored
blooms. "What do you want, Konner?"
Konner stared at him, noting the leaves and twigs in his brother's hair, along with the
look in his brother's eyes. "Are you stupid?" Konner hissed.
"No. And why are you looking at me like that?"
"Please tell me you did not take Iladori in the gardens," Konner stated with a frustrated
sigh.
Legolas eyed his older brother and shifted his weight from foot to foot. "Do you want
the truth or a colorful lie?"
He resisted the urge to grab Legolas by the tunic and shake him. Instead, he growled,
"Damn you. You could not wait just a few more days. You had to dishonor her, taking
her in the garden where anyone could walk in on you."
"It was. . .I did not. . .no, I could not," Legolas admitted, lowering his gaze from his
brother's. "But it is a beautiful garden, is it not? Do you not think so, Konner? And no
one was out here."
"That goes to show what you know. Lady Imeranian was out here"
"Oh damn. I kind of looked around before hand and did not see any one." Legolas lifted
his eyes and glared at Konner. "You are a fine one to be lecturing me anyway."
"I am the only one who can lecture you on this, Legolas.
Aalyssa made her way through the garden, heading the direction Konner had gone in,
calling out his name softly.
"Stars, Legolas." Konner stared at him then whispered, "Over here, Aalyssa."
"It is not fair to make two people in love wait like that, Konner," Legolas argued as
Aalyssa joined them.
She came to a dead stop when she took in Legolas' appearance. "Legolas!"
"I know it is not fair, brother."
"Do not start on me, Lys," Legolas grumbled.
"Where is Iladori?" she asked.
"You could not wait a day or two at the most to get news of Elrond's decision regarding
a special dispensation?" Konner said.
"I knew he would not give it," Legolas said.
"You do not know that. Every one in Rivendell knows you are crazy in love with her.
You cannot even claim her now. Do you realize that?"
"I heard her mother say she should have the big royal wedding," Legolas sighed.
"So you could not do it right? You could not make it so at least you were married to her
in some way?"
"I am sorry. She was so beautiful, and. . ."
Aalyssa glared at him and went back into the roses to look for Iladori. "Dori? Where are
you?"
"So instead, you dishonor her by taking her like some commoner," Konner continued
scathingly.
"I do not know what came over me. All of a sudden, it all seemed so unfair."
"Legolas, you love her, yet you dishonor her by taking her without the bindings of
marriage. You cannot claim her, she is no longer a maiden."
"I know I did wrong, but I cannot take it back now, Konner."
"What are you going to do, Legolas?"
"Marry her and make it right. I have to make it right."
"What if they make you wait? What then, Legolas?"
"Konner? I did not use protection tonight. I was not expecting to make love tonight. She
could be with child as we speak."
"Legolas! Stars!"
"I thought she was upset. I had no idea we were going to...it was the furthest thing from
my mind."
"So you took advantage of her delicate state. That was a smooth move, little brother."
"It was not my intention. I came out to hold her and console her, not make love to her.
But then she looked at me with such love in her eyes, Konner, I could not resist."
"I understand, little brother. I have been there, remember? However, this is a Princess
whom it was just discovered had been treated badly."
"I realize that Konner, but I am not treating her badly. I love her so much it hurts,"
Legolas admitted.
"But you dishonored a princess you idiot," Konner growled.
Legolas hung his head, "I know."'
"If you love her as much as you say you do, you should have said no and meant it,
Legolas."
"I did. Several times, Konner."
Aalyssa walked through the roses, following the sounds of soft crying. "Dori? Where
are you, hon?"
"Go away," Iladori said, trying to tie the laces to her gown, still softly crying.
"No, I will not go away," Aalyssa argued, following the sounds until she found her sister.
"Are you all right?" she asked, taking the laces from Iladori and tying them. "Talk to me,
sister."
"I forced him," Iladori whispered.
"What?" Aalyssa asked in shock.
"He went against his honor. Oh stars, what have I done?" she asked, her body shaking.
Aalyssa wrapped her arm around her sister's shoulder and led her to a bench. She
watched Iladori sit down, wrapping her arms around her knees, her feet up on the
bench.
"Let us start at the beginning, Iladori," Aalyssa said as she sat next to her. "How did you
force him?"
"I told him I ached for him." She looked up at Aalyssa, her eyes still tearing up. "I
wanted him to make love to me."
"I know you did, hon."
"He wanted to wait. He said it would only be a few days. But I would not wait."
"I know how it feels to want someone like that. And the rules and restrictions are, well,
restrictive."
"I made him break his honor. I dishonored him to ask him to take me."
Aalyssa took her sister's hand. "No. Asking him to take you did not dishonor him. If he
is dishonored, he dishonored himself."
"I asked him, begged him to do something he did not want to do. Because I was scared
of being alone, of not having him with me."
"He could have still said no, we have to wait." Aalyssa glanced up at the sky, trying to
find the words she needed to help Iladori. "Fear makes us do some strange things. But
he could have said no."
"He did, but, oh stars, Aalyssa."
"What Dori?"
"I begged him, and lead him. I made it so he could not stop himself."
"I am stunned," Aalyssa whispered. "This is the Elf Maiden who came to me only this
morning. . .where did you learn to do this, Dori?" She sighed, feeling helpless. "We
might need to bring Konner in to help."
Iladori shrugged. "It just felt right. I thought. . ."
"Thought?" Aalyssa prodded gently.
"I do not know," Iladori admitted.
"Kind of lost your ability to think coherently once it started?" Aalyssa asked with a
gentle smile.
With tears still coming down, Iladori looked at her sister. "It felt right. He seemed to
enjoy it."
"It will be all right, I promise," Aalyssa said with a gentle smile. "Between the four of us,
we can come up with something. Let me get Konner so we can discuss this."
"What have I done?" Iladori whispered, staring blankly into space, not seeing the roses
surrounding them.
"Nothing we cannot fix," Aalyssa tried to assure her. "Let me get Konner." Keeping her
eye on Iladori, Aalyssa walked over to the entrance and poked her head out. "Konner?
Can you come here for a minute?"
He stopped speaking to Legolas and looked at her with concern. "What is it love?"
"I need you," she told him. "There is something. . .Just come here, please." Aalyssa
looked over her shoulder, watching Iladori rocking and crying. She had not seen her
like this.
"You. Do not move," he ordered his younger brother. "What is it, love?" he asked again
as he followed Aalyssa as she quickly moved back to the bench to sit down next to her
sister, wrapping her arm around Iladori.
"Sit down please. Dori, Konner is here. Let him try to help," Aalyssa whispered. "It
seems to be a little over my head, sweetheart."
Konner crouched in front of them and took Iladori's hands in his own. "Dori? What is
wrong, honey? Are you in pain?"
"Dori, you are going to have to explain it to him," Aalyssa whispered, while stroking her
sister's hair.
"Honey, talk to me. I cannot help if you do not tell me."
"Let Konner help, Dori," Aalyssa encouraged her.
"I caused Legolas to lose his honor," she whispered through her tears and pain. "I
dishonored him and made him. . ."
Konner looked up at Aalyssa, confused. "Honey, you did not make him do anything he
did not want to do."
"It will be all right, Dori. Konner, what can we do to fix this?"
"He did not want to, I made him. He said it would only be a few more days."
He looked over Dori's head at Lys and mouthed, "I do not know, love."
Aalyssa caught her breath and tightened her hold on Iladori.
"Honey, if he made love to you, it was because he wanted it too. Legolas would not do
anything he did not want to," Konner said softly.
"I begged him. I seduced him. I acted like what those women accused me of being. I am
what they said," she whispered, her voice harsh from crying.
"Oh, Dori. No you are not. Look at me." Aalyssa put her finger under Iladori's chin and
tilted her face up. "Do you even know what a slut is?"
"Me. I am."
"No, you are not," Aalyssa argued.
"I made him do something he did not want to." Iladori wrapped her arms around her
midsection and rocked, the crying beginning again.
With a small sigh, Aalyssa smiled at Iladori. "Dori, a slut is a woman who sleeps around
with many men without giving her heart. Sometimes she will take money for it. You
made love to the man you love."
He looked at Aalyssa helplessly, realizing they were both in over their heads in this
situation. He saw her mouth to him they needed to find someone who could help. "Like
who?" he mouthed back.
"But he did not want to. I am no better than a slut, I should have trusted him. Instead, I
dishonored an honorable elf."
"Maybe we should get you back inside, hon," Konner said.
"Yes, come on, Dori," Aalyssa added, taking Iladori's arm and helping her to her feet.
Konner stood and took her other hand, then wrapped his left arm around her waist to
support her.
Under her breath, Aalyssa mumbled, "I cannot believe Legolas did this." She raised her
voice slightly, "He is going to need his plan B, Konner."
He leaned down and whispered in Aalyssa's ear, "It is impossible now."
"No, nothing can be impossible," she whispered back.
"Come on honey," he said to Iladori. "You will feel better in your rooms, maybe after a
bath."
"I will stay with you and we can talk all night if you like," Aalyssa offered.
He slowly walked the two ladies through the roses. "Are you all right, honey? I can
carry you if you like."
"Would you like for me to stay with you tonight, to talk it out?"
"I would like to be alone," Iladori said softly.
"You should not be alone. You need someone with you so you can talk it out," Aalyssa
told her.
Legolas walked over as Konner led Iladori past him. "Dori, I. . .I am sorry."
"You," Aalyssa growled, narrowing her eyes at him.
"No, Legolas. I am sorry. I did not mean to dishonor you," Iladori whispered, looking
everywhere but at Legolas.
"I dishonored you," he retorted.
Her eyes still downcast, Iladori said, "No, I asked for something I had no right to ask
for."
"Konner, please take Iladori to the outer garden. I need to speak with Legolas and we
will be out in just a minute."
He nodded and led Iladori out of the roses, thankful he was not on the receiving end of
Aalyssa's sharp tongue.
"Legolas. What were you thinking?" Aalyssa demanded.
"I was not, Lys," he admitted.
"You could not wait one or two more days?"
Legolas sat down on the cement bench in front of the yellow roses and stared at the
stars in the sky, Aalyssa sitting down next to him. "I wanted her so badly."
"That is not the point, Legolas."
"I lost myself, Lys. I never wanted anything or anyone as much as I want Dori."
"Do you have any idea how badly I wish to smack you right now? And hope I knock
some sense into you?"
"You do not think I am feeling bad? Trust me, there is nothing you can do to me that I
have not done already. I wanted. . ."
"I know you wanted, but you could have waited just one or two more days. Now that
sweet, innocent girl thinks, no, she is convinced, that she is a slut and that she forced
you."
"She did not force me. I wanted it as badly as she did, I am to blame," Legolas replied,
hanging his head.
"I know that, Legolas. I have tried telling her that. But she is inconsolable. You should
have said no and waited."
"I have tried, Lys. But I lost myself tonight. She looked at me with those eyes of hers
and I was lost."
"You lost yourself," she sneered as she rolled her eyes. "Well, guess where you found
yourself."
"I love her. I want her to be my wife, Lys, want us to be together."
"I know you do, but now we have to figure out a way to fix all of this."
"We marry. That will make it right. As simple as that," Legolas stated.
"You have made it quite impossible, according to Konner. What if they make you wait,
Legolas? What then? I know you want to go with the ring."
"They would not. Would they?" he asked, worried.
"I do not know, Legolas. You just took a Princess without marriage."
"I mean, she could be carrying our child as we speak," he commented. "Would they not
want her married if she is?"
"Do not tell me you did not use protection," Aalyssa hissed. She reached over to lightly
smack him upside the head. "And yes, they would. But there is probably not time to
establish if she is with child before you would go, depending on when Frodo wakes."
"I did not plan on making love to her Lys. I got lost in the moment."
"Yet another reason why a woman should be able to obtain protection before marriage.
Men. Lost in the moment."
"So I must marry her before I leave."
"You need to confess to our Father, Dori's father and Lord Elrond. And how are you
going to wed before you leave if they tell you to wait?"
"I will, I swear."
"How, Legolas? And how do I convince her she is not a slut and you did not do
anything you did not want to?"
"They would not risk making us wait with the possibility of a babe. Never did she force
me, Lys. I wanted her as badly as she wanted me. She is not a slut."
"I know she is not," Aalyssa said softly. "She is in tears, I have never seen her like this.
And I have tried to tell her she is not."
"What have I done?" Legolas sagged against the bench.
"You have done something you of all elves should never have done. You took her
without the benefit of marriage."
Legolas looked up and softly whispered, "And how come it was right for Konner to take
you without it?"
"I cannot believe you did this, Legolas. You of all elves. No one said it was right, but
Legolas. You could have had a special dispensation tomorrow, the next day at the
latest. And your plan B, whatever that was, if you did not get it. But Konner tells me it is
impossible now. I want the two of you together, but frankly, I do not know how to help
on this one." Her hand moved up to pat her stomach. "I need to find Konner and Dori.
She needs me." Aalyssa turned and started to walk away from him.
"I should be with Iladori. I need to tell her. . ."
She turned back, her hands on her hips. "You have done enough tonight. You may see
her in the morning." Aalyssa began walking toward the exit again.
Legolas stood and began to follow her. "No, Lys."
"Somehow I have to convince her she is not the slut she believes she is."
"She will listen to me, Lys. I will make her listen to me."
"No?" she asked, turning back to face him. "No? Excuse me? You can tell me no, but
not Iladori, who needed to be told no?"
"She needs me, Lys. And I need her. But I tried, stars knows I tried."
"She needed for you to say no." Aalyssa looked at him softly. "I need to stop her way of
thinking before you can speak with her, Legolas. She will pull away from you if I do
not."
"Iladori will not talk to anyone but me Lys, I know her. She will build this wall around her
and will not let anyone in."
"Sometimes, a female needs another female. Let me talk to her for awhile. If I think she
can handle you, fine, you can see her." Aalyssa thought for a moment. "Maybe Konner
and I should take her to my room.