CHAPTER 22
THE FIRST NIGHT
He woke up. Cool drops fell upon his dehydrated body; the long needed moist bringing him back to life. He opened his eyes and saw the heavy rain falling like a blessing from the tree-lined sky. He instinctively opened his mouth, letting the precious fluid slide down his mouth towards his throat while he pondered about the strange events he was living. Strange were indeed the purposes of the Valar, for they had called for him, and yet they had given him the choice to live, and had blessed him with rain in a rather dry season. What where their true desires? He couldn't tell; he limited himself to accept the blessing and to follow his heart.
He felt a muffled sob against his chest, and heard Arwen's soft whimpers. A strange sensation filled him; she was crying for him, she truly cared for him, and his heart beamed at the thought. And yet every single tear she shed for him burned his soul with sorrow; he couldn't stand to see her suffer, much less be the motive of her suffering.
"I hate to hear you cry" - He said to her softly, and a pair of strong, warm arms surrounded her. She stiffened and squirmed trying to straighten up, for she wanted to see him; but he held her close to his chest. She couldn't stop crying. - "Shhhh, Shhh; it is all right; I am here" - He assured her until she melted in his embrace, but she kept on weeping.
"I thought." - she said between sobs - " And you are."
"Calm down sweetie, it is all over now." - he told her, while cradling her in his arms.
"It's raining" - she said with shaky voice.
"I know; it is a miracle" - he answered, while stroking her damp hair.
They remained in silence, which was only broken by Arwen's eventual sobs. After some time she finally stopped crying, her breathing steadied and she relaxed in his arms, sighing deeply. Water still poured from above, but the thunder rumbles were distancing from them; the rain would pass soon.
The shadows of dusk already danced amongst the tall trees of the forest when she disentangled from his embrace and straightened up to sit. - "The rain is receding. It would be wise for us to gather some water for later"
"Indeed" - he answered - "But we don't have any recipient to store it, and I don't have the strength to craft one right now. But not to worry Arwen, let us rest now; tomorrow I will show you that after a rain like this one, the forests store water for the creatures that dwell in them, and that includes us elves."
She frowned in embarrassment, for she knew all about forests; or at least she used to know, he had shown her when they were no more than toddlers. - "Of course!" - She stammered - "Well, take it from me, that I have so much time dwelling among men that I am starting to think like one! Always storing and building for tomorrow, never trusting the wisdom of nature."
He laughed lightheartedly at her remark - "I'll make sure that you remember the ways of the wood elves Undomiel; it will be my pleasure to show you again." - He sat up and looked at her with playful eyes and a smile in which she delighted; but soon enough she noted how a frown of concern crossed his features, stealing away his charming smile.
He lifted up his hand and touched her forehead. - "How are you feeling? Do the wounds still hurt?" - he said while examining her visually. It was hard, for it was dark already.
"Legolas! Always concerned about me. I think I am doing well, thank you. The fever is gone and the pain is bearable. Do not worry about it know, you will have time for that tomorrow."
He pulled back his hand and let out a resignation sigh. - " Fine, but I will check you first thing in the morning, that infection worries me and we still have a long way to travel; I need you to be in tip top condition."
She quickly lifted up her hand to his chest and pushed him back to the ground. - "Tip top condition! What am I? A horse? I said do not worry; I feel much better now. Besides what I need its to rest; and so do you." - she said with the authority of a Queen, leaving no space for argument. Then, she laid down on her side, facing him. He opened his mouth to say something, but was quickly cut off by a firm shout. - "Sleep!" - she ordered playfully while giving a soft push to his shoulder.
"Fine!" - and with that he concentrated in falling asleep.
"Goodnight Legolas"
"Goodnight Arwen"
After a while, she realized that she couldn't sleep. - "Legolas are awake?" - she asked looking at his motionless, open eyes.
"Hmm" - He responded.
"Do you remember our first sleepover?"
Ah! The perfect opportunity to get even. - " Aren't we supposed to be sleeping now?" - he said with false annoyance. She humped and gave a not-so- soft push to his shoulder.
"Aoouuch!" - he complained.
"Shut up! Sleep!" - she ordered again. She rather enjoyed bossing him around, just like when they were young. Still, the memory of their first sleepover together lingered in her mind, along with other happy memories of their adventures. With all this in mind she forced herself to fall asleep.
The rain finally stopped. Big drops still fell from the soaking trees above, splashing on Legolas' bare torso. He couldn't sleep; his mind still wandered on the memories of happier times. He did remember the sleepover; Lord Elrond and Lady Celebrian had invited him to Imladris for a few days, knowing how much their little daughter enjoyed his company. He remembered every detail; how they had played during all the first day of his visit; they had swam in the river and explored the surroundings; they had shared several delicious snacks and then, long after the sun went down, they entered the luxurious halls of Rivendel and played to be heroes of the past. When bedtime came, it was impossible for Elrond to separate them and so he let them spend the night together. They barely slept that night; they invested their time conspiring together, planning the mischiefs they were going to perform on the following days. That was a visit Elrond never forgot, for their combined imaginations had no limit and the plans they came out with surely gave the Elf Lord many headaches.
Cradled by the sweet memories he began drifting into the sweet dreams of the elves, his eyes half closed, but just as he was starting to fall asleep, his eyes opened up wide as he felt Arwen's body nearing his until they were barely touching. Turning his head, he saw that she was asleep, and was just unconsciously seeking for his warmth. The night was indeed cold, and though it did not bother him, he was sure she was having a hard time adjusting to the low temperatures, especially since she was soaking wet. He slowly turned around offering his back to her and almost immediately, she instinctively closed the gap between them. With her arms crossed over her chest, she pushed her body and nuzzled her cold nose against his warm back, sending wild chills up and down his spine. He jerked a little, but then tried to relax, he did not want to wake her with his squirming. But the proximity to her body suddenly became very disturbing.
"What is wrong with me?" - he thought, for he had been even closer to her before and had never felt this way. For endless years he had managed to conceal his feelings under a perfect façade of fraternal love; he had controlled his emotions and needs for hers and Aragorn's sake, never giving away what he truly felt. But now it was different, his feelings were so strong the he could no longer deny them, nor hide them. He loved her, and therefore he wanted and needed her, period. An unfamiliar ache invaded his body; it was the merciless ache of unfulfilled desire. He wanted to turn around; he wanted to take her in his arms, to gaze into her eyes, to show her how much he loved her. But he knew he couldn't, he knew that she was forbidden to him. He began to feel guilty for what he was feeling and yet, the thoughts refused to leave his mind. Turmoil of opposite emotions overwhelmed him and he found himself torn between the desire for her touch and his moral principles, his loyalty. How could he think those things about her? She was still after all, his best friend's wife; he had sworn to take her back to him. And yet she was so close, he knew her body yearned for his warmth, and he yearned to give it all to her, right there, right then.
He practically jumped when she casually threw an arm around his torso and pushed her body even closer to him, making full contact, stimulating his already enhanced senses to the point of madness. He could now feel the softness of her breasts heaving rhythmically against his back, her warm breathing tickling the back of his neck; her lips oh! So painfully close to his skin. Her hand had landed on his chest, her delicate fingers rested over his heart and the softness of her palm brushed against one already hardened nipple every time he breathed in. He held in his breath and his heart quickened its pace. - "Oh Sweet Elbereth! What have I done to deserve this torment?" - he thought, while releasing a quick, sharp breath. He tried desperately to control his agitated breathing and the beating of his heart. - "What if she wakes up and finds me like this? - He panicked; he couldn't allow such thing to happen, what would she think of him? He tried not to think, not to feel; but the nearness of her was like a sweet agony he could not fight.
Her voice broke the thick air around him - "Legolas?" - He heard her say with sleepy voice. He froze and stiffened, his heart nearly stopped death. He didn't know what to do or say.
"Legolas?" - she repeated, now more aware.
He knew he had to say something, anything; but his mouth was sealed by fear and embarrassment. The silence became ominous, he gathered courage and forced himself to open his mouth; a groan-like, throaty sound came out, but he managed to articulate a word. - "Yes?"
"Are you all right? You seem disturbed, and your heart is racing, what is going on?"
Crap! She had noticed. He searched in his mind, looking for a decent explanation; but the things he had been thinking about her were less than decent.
Lie! Lie! You have to lie, his mind screamed to him. He hated the idea, but there was no other decorous way out of the situation.
"N.n. nothing" - he lied - "It's just that. you startled me. yes! You startled me. What do you want?" - he asked, trying to deviate her attention from his deplorable state.
"Oh, I am sorry if I scared you" - she said with real concern - "It's just that I am so cold, and I was wondering if we could snuggle together?"
"Snuggle together?" - he asked in disbelief.
"Yes" - she said - "it's just that you are so warm."
Warm? - He thought - Heated up would be more appropriate. Her request sank in his mind like a sentence of doom. Didn't she realize what she was asking? Was this some kind of punishment? She wanted to snuggle, with him. How could he say no? She was cold, she needed him, and therefore he couldn't deny his help to her. But; could he control himself? Could he resist the urge to take her right there?
He had to, for her sake, and he would. Letting out a resignation sigh, he turned around to face her. - "Off course" - he said softly and lifted up his arm to receive her - "Thank you" - he heard her say. She pushed closer to him, slowly, shyly; until her head was rested on his right arm and against his chest. He had his left arm rested on his hip, unsure of what to do with it. She hesitated for a moment; and then, she carefully enveloped her arm over his torso. Now he knew he had to do the same and so, he surrounded her with his arm.
"Hmmm" - she let out a contented, dreamy sigh, for now she was warm and cozy. Legolas though it was the most sensual sound he had ever heard in his long, miserable life. Poor Legolas; he had to invest all of his strength and will to keep himself steady and relaxed. For him it was like trying to hold back a herd of bolted, wild horses; like trying to retain the Anduin's waters with a den made out of little branches. Simply impossible, her nearness was intoxicating, the full contact of her body against his bare chest, his stomach, his legs.his groin. It was too painful to bear. He felt a foreign sensation forming in his lower body, a swelling, a greater need, a physical urge pulsing between his legs, lust. He stiffened and gritted his teeth, trying to get a hold of himself, never before had he lost control over his body like this. His mind screamed to him, every inch of sanity left in him screamed from all sides - "Calm down! You are risking too much. She may find out and she'll hate you for this."
He closed his eyes and focused in the memory of his mentors. He was always taught to be a disciplined soldier and to control himself, even in the most disturbing situations - "mind over matter" - he repeated to himself over and over, picturing all the self control exercises his father had put him through. - "Don't ever let your self get carried away son, the secret of survival is to keep your feet dry and your mind cool." - his drillmaster's words echoed in his mind - "such is the weakness of men, that they let their emotions instead of their intellect control their actions. Real elven warriors must fight back such emotions and be measured and disciplined," - the firm words of Lord Elrond. He could not get carried away; he could not be controlled by lust.
From his education and his principles, he finally found the strength and courage to calm down, but that didn't mean that it was going to be easy. Opening up his eyes he saw Arwen's serene face very near his, she was asleep. He drew in a steady, calculated breath and placed a feather light kiss on her brow.
"Rest well my lady" - he whispered, careful not to wake her - "I'll be here to protect you, even from myself"
He sighed and thought for himself - "Well, I bet this is going to be a long night."
..................................
THE FIRST NIGHT
He woke up. Cool drops fell upon his dehydrated body; the long needed moist bringing him back to life. He opened his eyes and saw the heavy rain falling like a blessing from the tree-lined sky. He instinctively opened his mouth, letting the precious fluid slide down his mouth towards his throat while he pondered about the strange events he was living. Strange were indeed the purposes of the Valar, for they had called for him, and yet they had given him the choice to live, and had blessed him with rain in a rather dry season. What where their true desires? He couldn't tell; he limited himself to accept the blessing and to follow his heart.
He felt a muffled sob against his chest, and heard Arwen's soft whimpers. A strange sensation filled him; she was crying for him, she truly cared for him, and his heart beamed at the thought. And yet every single tear she shed for him burned his soul with sorrow; he couldn't stand to see her suffer, much less be the motive of her suffering.
"I hate to hear you cry" - He said to her softly, and a pair of strong, warm arms surrounded her. She stiffened and squirmed trying to straighten up, for she wanted to see him; but he held her close to his chest. She couldn't stop crying. - "Shhhh, Shhh; it is all right; I am here" - He assured her until she melted in his embrace, but she kept on weeping.
"I thought." - she said between sobs - " And you are."
"Calm down sweetie, it is all over now." - he told her, while cradling her in his arms.
"It's raining" - she said with shaky voice.
"I know; it is a miracle" - he answered, while stroking her damp hair.
They remained in silence, which was only broken by Arwen's eventual sobs. After some time she finally stopped crying, her breathing steadied and she relaxed in his arms, sighing deeply. Water still poured from above, but the thunder rumbles were distancing from them; the rain would pass soon.
The shadows of dusk already danced amongst the tall trees of the forest when she disentangled from his embrace and straightened up to sit. - "The rain is receding. It would be wise for us to gather some water for later"
"Indeed" - he answered - "But we don't have any recipient to store it, and I don't have the strength to craft one right now. But not to worry Arwen, let us rest now; tomorrow I will show you that after a rain like this one, the forests store water for the creatures that dwell in them, and that includes us elves."
She frowned in embarrassment, for she knew all about forests; or at least she used to know, he had shown her when they were no more than toddlers. - "Of course!" - She stammered - "Well, take it from me, that I have so much time dwelling among men that I am starting to think like one! Always storing and building for tomorrow, never trusting the wisdom of nature."
He laughed lightheartedly at her remark - "I'll make sure that you remember the ways of the wood elves Undomiel; it will be my pleasure to show you again." - He sat up and looked at her with playful eyes and a smile in which she delighted; but soon enough she noted how a frown of concern crossed his features, stealing away his charming smile.
He lifted up his hand and touched her forehead. - "How are you feeling? Do the wounds still hurt?" - he said while examining her visually. It was hard, for it was dark already.
"Legolas! Always concerned about me. I think I am doing well, thank you. The fever is gone and the pain is bearable. Do not worry about it know, you will have time for that tomorrow."
He pulled back his hand and let out a resignation sigh. - " Fine, but I will check you first thing in the morning, that infection worries me and we still have a long way to travel; I need you to be in tip top condition."
She quickly lifted up her hand to his chest and pushed him back to the ground. - "Tip top condition! What am I? A horse? I said do not worry; I feel much better now. Besides what I need its to rest; and so do you." - she said with the authority of a Queen, leaving no space for argument. Then, she laid down on her side, facing him. He opened his mouth to say something, but was quickly cut off by a firm shout. - "Sleep!" - she ordered playfully while giving a soft push to his shoulder.
"Fine!" - and with that he concentrated in falling asleep.
"Goodnight Legolas"
"Goodnight Arwen"
After a while, she realized that she couldn't sleep. - "Legolas are awake?" - she asked looking at his motionless, open eyes.
"Hmm" - He responded.
"Do you remember our first sleepover?"
Ah! The perfect opportunity to get even. - " Aren't we supposed to be sleeping now?" - he said with false annoyance. She humped and gave a not-so- soft push to his shoulder.
"Aoouuch!" - he complained.
"Shut up! Sleep!" - she ordered again. She rather enjoyed bossing him around, just like when they were young. Still, the memory of their first sleepover together lingered in her mind, along with other happy memories of their adventures. With all this in mind she forced herself to fall asleep.
The rain finally stopped. Big drops still fell from the soaking trees above, splashing on Legolas' bare torso. He couldn't sleep; his mind still wandered on the memories of happier times. He did remember the sleepover; Lord Elrond and Lady Celebrian had invited him to Imladris for a few days, knowing how much their little daughter enjoyed his company. He remembered every detail; how they had played during all the first day of his visit; they had swam in the river and explored the surroundings; they had shared several delicious snacks and then, long after the sun went down, they entered the luxurious halls of Rivendel and played to be heroes of the past. When bedtime came, it was impossible for Elrond to separate them and so he let them spend the night together. They barely slept that night; they invested their time conspiring together, planning the mischiefs they were going to perform on the following days. That was a visit Elrond never forgot, for their combined imaginations had no limit and the plans they came out with surely gave the Elf Lord many headaches.
Cradled by the sweet memories he began drifting into the sweet dreams of the elves, his eyes half closed, but just as he was starting to fall asleep, his eyes opened up wide as he felt Arwen's body nearing his until they were barely touching. Turning his head, he saw that she was asleep, and was just unconsciously seeking for his warmth. The night was indeed cold, and though it did not bother him, he was sure she was having a hard time adjusting to the low temperatures, especially since she was soaking wet. He slowly turned around offering his back to her and almost immediately, she instinctively closed the gap between them. With her arms crossed over her chest, she pushed her body and nuzzled her cold nose against his warm back, sending wild chills up and down his spine. He jerked a little, but then tried to relax, he did not want to wake her with his squirming. But the proximity to her body suddenly became very disturbing.
"What is wrong with me?" - he thought, for he had been even closer to her before and had never felt this way. For endless years he had managed to conceal his feelings under a perfect façade of fraternal love; he had controlled his emotions and needs for hers and Aragorn's sake, never giving away what he truly felt. But now it was different, his feelings were so strong the he could no longer deny them, nor hide them. He loved her, and therefore he wanted and needed her, period. An unfamiliar ache invaded his body; it was the merciless ache of unfulfilled desire. He wanted to turn around; he wanted to take her in his arms, to gaze into her eyes, to show her how much he loved her. But he knew he couldn't, he knew that she was forbidden to him. He began to feel guilty for what he was feeling and yet, the thoughts refused to leave his mind. Turmoil of opposite emotions overwhelmed him and he found himself torn between the desire for her touch and his moral principles, his loyalty. How could he think those things about her? She was still after all, his best friend's wife; he had sworn to take her back to him. And yet she was so close, he knew her body yearned for his warmth, and he yearned to give it all to her, right there, right then.
He practically jumped when she casually threw an arm around his torso and pushed her body even closer to him, making full contact, stimulating his already enhanced senses to the point of madness. He could now feel the softness of her breasts heaving rhythmically against his back, her warm breathing tickling the back of his neck; her lips oh! So painfully close to his skin. Her hand had landed on his chest, her delicate fingers rested over his heart and the softness of her palm brushed against one already hardened nipple every time he breathed in. He held in his breath and his heart quickened its pace. - "Oh Sweet Elbereth! What have I done to deserve this torment?" - he thought, while releasing a quick, sharp breath. He tried desperately to control his agitated breathing and the beating of his heart. - "What if she wakes up and finds me like this? - He panicked; he couldn't allow such thing to happen, what would she think of him? He tried not to think, not to feel; but the nearness of her was like a sweet agony he could not fight.
Her voice broke the thick air around him - "Legolas?" - He heard her say with sleepy voice. He froze and stiffened, his heart nearly stopped death. He didn't know what to do or say.
"Legolas?" - she repeated, now more aware.
He knew he had to say something, anything; but his mouth was sealed by fear and embarrassment. The silence became ominous, he gathered courage and forced himself to open his mouth; a groan-like, throaty sound came out, but he managed to articulate a word. - "Yes?"
"Are you all right? You seem disturbed, and your heart is racing, what is going on?"
Crap! She had noticed. He searched in his mind, looking for a decent explanation; but the things he had been thinking about her were less than decent.
Lie! Lie! You have to lie, his mind screamed to him. He hated the idea, but there was no other decorous way out of the situation.
"N.n. nothing" - he lied - "It's just that. you startled me. yes! You startled me. What do you want?" - he asked, trying to deviate her attention from his deplorable state.
"Oh, I am sorry if I scared you" - she said with real concern - "It's just that I am so cold, and I was wondering if we could snuggle together?"
"Snuggle together?" - he asked in disbelief.
"Yes" - she said - "it's just that you are so warm."
Warm? - He thought - Heated up would be more appropriate. Her request sank in his mind like a sentence of doom. Didn't she realize what she was asking? Was this some kind of punishment? She wanted to snuggle, with him. How could he say no? She was cold, she needed him, and therefore he couldn't deny his help to her. But; could he control himself? Could he resist the urge to take her right there?
He had to, for her sake, and he would. Letting out a resignation sigh, he turned around to face her. - "Off course" - he said softly and lifted up his arm to receive her - "Thank you" - he heard her say. She pushed closer to him, slowly, shyly; until her head was rested on his right arm and against his chest. He had his left arm rested on his hip, unsure of what to do with it. She hesitated for a moment; and then, she carefully enveloped her arm over his torso. Now he knew he had to do the same and so, he surrounded her with his arm.
"Hmmm" - she let out a contented, dreamy sigh, for now she was warm and cozy. Legolas though it was the most sensual sound he had ever heard in his long, miserable life. Poor Legolas; he had to invest all of his strength and will to keep himself steady and relaxed. For him it was like trying to hold back a herd of bolted, wild horses; like trying to retain the Anduin's waters with a den made out of little branches. Simply impossible, her nearness was intoxicating, the full contact of her body against his bare chest, his stomach, his legs.his groin. It was too painful to bear. He felt a foreign sensation forming in his lower body, a swelling, a greater need, a physical urge pulsing between his legs, lust. He stiffened and gritted his teeth, trying to get a hold of himself, never before had he lost control over his body like this. His mind screamed to him, every inch of sanity left in him screamed from all sides - "Calm down! You are risking too much. She may find out and she'll hate you for this."
He closed his eyes and focused in the memory of his mentors. He was always taught to be a disciplined soldier and to control himself, even in the most disturbing situations - "mind over matter" - he repeated to himself over and over, picturing all the self control exercises his father had put him through. - "Don't ever let your self get carried away son, the secret of survival is to keep your feet dry and your mind cool." - his drillmaster's words echoed in his mind - "such is the weakness of men, that they let their emotions instead of their intellect control their actions. Real elven warriors must fight back such emotions and be measured and disciplined," - the firm words of Lord Elrond. He could not get carried away; he could not be controlled by lust.
From his education and his principles, he finally found the strength and courage to calm down, but that didn't mean that it was going to be easy. Opening up his eyes he saw Arwen's serene face very near his, she was asleep. He drew in a steady, calculated breath and placed a feather light kiss on her brow.
"Rest well my lady" - he whispered, careful not to wake her - "I'll be here to protect you, even from myself"
He sighed and thought for himself - "Well, I bet this is going to be a long night."
..................................