Chapter 24
THE LAKE
Arwen went closer to the lakeshore and leant down to see her reflection in the water. What she saw made her scream with a mix of horror and surprise.
Legolas heard her screams and came running to her side immediately. - "Arwen! What is wrong? Are you alright?" - She looked at him with wide eyes, her mouth half-opened in an expression of shock and sheer surprise.
"Arwen what is it? What happened to you?" - he said while putting his hands over her shoulders.
"My face, my hair. Why didn't you tell me?" - her words made him understand.
Arwen's shock was justified, for when she looked at her reflection she didn't see what she expected. Instead of a face marred by time, and gray strands in her hair; she saw that her face was perfectly smooth and white, not a single line of expression, not a single sign of time; and her hair was completely raven-black again, all the silver strands had disappeared.
Legolas answered her question - "I didn't think it was important."
"How did this happen?"
"I am not sure Arwen, maybe it has something to do with us being together."
Then she remembered how good, energetic and alive she felt when he used to visit her back in Gondor, especially after long periods of separation. Realization settled - "It is you. This is the effect you've always had in me" - she said to him softly.
"I figured it had something to do with me; but I swear that I don't do it on purpose, and I never meant to bother you, or scare you."
"No, no. I understand; it's just that I look so..different, young.."
"Beautiful, radiant" - he interrupted - "I thought that you would like it... I know I do"
Pink shades colored her cheeks - "I like it too; I feel very strong and vital, better than in years; and it is all because of you, thanks to you" - she said looking down, suddenly finding the ground fascinating.
He looked around nervously - "I think I'll better get going, the wood is not going to collect itself."
"Right, go ahead Legolas" - she said sarcastically. He turned around quickly and almost ran into the forest, singing all the way.
....................
She went back to the lakeshore and started undressing herself slowly. First she took off the leather vest, sighing relieved at the loss of the heavy garment, then she proceeded to take off her shredded dress; it was filthy, stained with blood and dirt, and she frowned at the sight of it, tossing it to the ground with disgust.
"I cannot believe I have been wearing this"
Then, she looked around and listened to Legolas's merry singing in the distance before pulling down her undergarments. She stood there, stark naked for a minute, feeling exposed and helpless. Then she relaxed - "There is nobody near this place to see me, besides, Legolas is close by to protect me." - she picked up her clothes and walked into the lake, shuddering as her feet contacted the chilly water; there, in the shallow part of the lake she washed her clothes as good as she could and coming out again, she extended them over a sun-bathed rock.
Then, with a cry of delight she ran to the lake and dived in, submerging her body completely in the clear water. She paddled like a child for a while, delighting in the smooth sensation of the fresh water against her skin; then she conscientiously rubbed the herbal *soap* all over her body, marveling at the delicious scent that lingered in her skin. She couldn't help to look at her reflection every now and then - "I must admit that I look great" - she said happily, getting used to her old self again. She squeezed the damp herbs over her head and combed her hair with her fingers, spreading the herbal elixir all over her scalp.
Legolas' persistent singing in the distance soothed her, and closing her eyes, she leant back; letting her body float on the water and under the warm light of the morning sun; amazed at how good she felt.
She heard Legolas' voice coming closer, so she straightened and submerged herself up to her shoulders in the water.
"Arwen, are you decent?" he said, loud enough to be heard.
"Yes."
"Look, I finished gathering the wood and I can't think of more songs" - He said while walking out of the forest with a large amount of wood in his arms. He fixed his eyes on the figure in the water; he could only see her face and exposed shoulders, but the mere thought of her naked under the surface nearly made his heart stop.
"I am coming out in a minute" - she said oblivious to his feelings.
"Can you check if my clothes are dry?"
He hesitated for a moment - "Ehh..sure." - he said, dreading the fact that he had to get very close to where she was to check her clothes. He dropped the wood and, as he got near, he cursed his keen eyesight; for beneath the clear water he could distinguish her pale, perfect silhouette. Trying to divert his eyes from her, he grabbed her dress with shaky hands and just stood there, her eyes fixed on the fabric.
"Well?" - she asked with impatience.
He waked from the spell and dropped the garment to the ground, startled. Quickly and nervously, he picked up the dress and tossed it in the rock. - "Yes! It is dry. I'll go back into the forest so you can come out"
"Nonsense! Just turn around and I'll dress quickly." - she said, while already emerging from the water. He noted this and immediately turned his back to her.
He heard her light footsteps behind him, and the tips of his ears became red as his imagination ran wild with images of her completely exposed under the sun. Then, he heard the rustle of her clothes against her skin as she dressed; the mere sound was enough for him to picture the softness and smoothness of her body; and he wondered how it would be like to run his hands all over that skin.
"I am ready; you can turn around now"
He shook his previous thoughts out of his mind and turned around, a silly smile plastered in his face. - "Oh! Look at you, you are stunning. Would you like to eat your breakfast now? - He said a little bit faster than he wanted to.
She gave him a quizzical look, but limited herself to answer - "Yes please, I am starving!"
..................
They went to the improvised table and he ceremoniously guided her to sit on a rock. Then, he handled her a leaf filled with red berries, which she quickly munched, licking the sweet juices left on her fingers. Trying to concentrate in things other than her sensual lips and tongue twirling around her fingers, he picked up an egg and carefully punctured it with a small rock. He handed it to her but she looked back at him puzzled.
"What?" - he asked.
"That egg is raw"
"So?"
"You don't expect me to eat that, right?"
"Why not?"
"Because is raw! Don't you see?" she said with disgust.
He placed his mouth over the hole on the egg, and in one quick movement, he lifted it up and emptied its contents, swallowing them at once. Arwen let out a horror cry - "You are disgusting!"
He looked back at her calmly - "Oh I am so sorry. Would the Lady want her eggs scrambled? Perhaps an omelet? With some cheese, tomatoes and mushrooms? Let me go get the frying pans and pots I carry around so I can cook you a nice second breakfast. What are we? Hobbits?!! Eat it! It is good protein." - he blurted out, while handing her another punctured egg.
She narrowed her eyes and pouted, acknowledging his previous mockery. She placed two fingers over the offending egg and, slowly but firmly, pushed it away from her. - "No thank you, mister I-know-it-all; I think I'll stick with the berries; if you don't mind."
"Fine! That just means more for me."
"Well, be my guest Legolas Greanleaf; I am not going to eat that!"
..................
They spent the rest of the day exploring the surroundings; at times their conversations became almost flirtatious, but at times they also just bickered at each other for meaningless nothings. Arwen even thought she was starting to sound like Gimli, as she retorted at him with a language only proper for a cave dwarf.
The two of them found something to do eventually, and while Arwen tried to fix her dress with some rush fibers, babbling about how unfashionable and uncomfortable his leather vest was, Legolas silently smoothed and sharpened a dry branch against a rock for hours, obtaining at the end, a sharp, deathly spear.
Arwen, who had been looking at his diligent works finally dared to ask - "What is that for?"
"Defense" - he said simply - "We never know what we can find on the way home, and since I lost every weapon I had, I though it was wise to craft something. How is the dress repairing going?"
"Not very good" - she said while yet another fiber disintegrated between her fingers - "This blasted fibers!! It is hard enough to try to do this while wearing the damn dress, but no, no; they have to fall apart each time I try to sew them together!!"
He held back the urge to laugh at her little fit of anger; after all she was mad enough already. He came close to her and sat by her side; picking up a strand of the infamous fiber, he examined it closely, rolling it between his fingers.
"Hmm, I bet I can fish something with this" - he said absently, provoking a fit of laughter from her.
"Fish!! These things cannot even hold a dress together, much less hold a fish; besides, what would you use for a hook?"
He looked at her smugly - "Oh incredulous Lady! Let me show you a little principle of life that you should know already." - And without a word he began braiding the fibers together tightly, quickly obtaining a thin, strong rope. He held the string right in front of her and pulled with his hands in opposite directions, testing its strength. - "See, it is union what makes us strong." "Aha" - she said, still skeptical - "And what exactly are you going to use for a hook?"
Without saying a word, he reached for his boot and ripped one of the metal clasps off; then, with the mere strength of his fingers he bent it to form a rudimentary hook., which he tied to the string. Holding the fishing contraption in front of her he gave her the sweetest, most patronizing smile - "See, you just need some imagination and faith."
"Alright Legolas, but I bet you wont catch anything with that thing!"
"Still incredulous? Don't bet all your gold on it Arwen, you might as well be surprised...again."
He got up and away from her just in time to avoid the predictable slap; and made his way to the lake, already picturing all the fish he was going to catch.
.................
Hours passed and neither of them succeeded; Arwen still struggled pointlessly to fix her dress, and Legolas was already cursing the clever fish, who contented in nibbling whatever bait he used, but wouldn't swallow the hook already. - "Since when are fish so damn smart??!!! - He shouted, while dropping the fishing gadget and sitting heavily on a rock, mumbling frustrated curses against fish conspiracies and such.
Arwen saw all this from the distance and couldn't hold back an amusement giggle. She was pretty frustrated herself, and throwing the fibers away from her, she placed her elbows on her legs and rested her chin on her palms, looking at his every movement.
The sun was already on its way to the west, and flocks of birds passed over them, flying towards the trees they slept on. Legolas was now very silent, sitting facing the west, contemplating the horizon that faded beyond the gray mountains. His face was now very serious and thoughtful, but nevertheless gorgeous, illuminated by the bright rays of the sun. Arwen noted how his hair seemed to glow, like a cascade of light that fell over his head and continued down to his shoulders in a thousand different shades of gold; contrasting with the pureness and smoothness of his pale skin.
Suddenly, a song emerged from his lips, and it seemed to her as if it was impossible to him not to sing it; so much passion he put in every word sung. She stood up and began walking to where he was, drawn by the force of his sad, sweet voice. The words became clear to her.
**** /Beyond the horizon of the place we lived when we were young/ /In a world of magic and miracles/ /Our thoughts strayed constantly and without boundary/ /The ringing of the division bell had begun/
/Sun, I can't slow you down/ /Gone, leaving a tired ground/. /All of the leaves have blown away/ /All gone, all but one/
/Sleep, if your eyes must close/ /Weep, over a poison rose/ /Soon all the stars will burn away/ /From a life consumed by slow decay/
/Encumbered forever by desire and ambition/ /There's a hunger still unsatisfied/ /Our weary eyes still stray to the horizon/ /Dragged by the force of some inner tide/
/Oh, shall we sleep tonight/ /hope, when there is no hope inside/ /Take all your dreams and sail away/ /Fight your own tears and don't look back/ /Never look back or you'll stray/
****
A small tear escaped her eyes, as she remembered the yearning of her people, the sadness on her father's face as he said goodbye; the emptiness left in her when he was gone; and most of all, the inevitability of his departure.
She placed a hand on his shoulder - "Your departure is delayed, your yearning grows strong"
He stood up, startled by the sudden contact and the fact that she had seen his feelings so openly. He looked at her, eyes wide with something she could only describe like confusion and shame. She lifted a hand and covered his cheek with her palm, stroking the soft skin tenderly with delicate fingers until he relaxed and his breathing steadied.
"Your sadness overwhelms me. And I know that all this is caused by me; I wish there was something I could do to ease your pain." - She withdrew her hand, but he caught it in mid air and pulled it back over his cheek, pulling her closer to him in the process. - "You ease my pain, just by being alive, just by being you; I don't need anything else" - he whispered, while staring into the deeps of her eyes with his piercing, steely gaze; and before closing his eyes and leaning his face against the softness of her palm. Arwen was suddenly very aware of how close she was to him, and her heart began beating faster inside her chest. Her eyes wandered all over his face, taking in the perfection of his features; until they stopped and lingered on his lips. Oh his lips; they were thin but masculine, and looked smooth and silky, colored with a soft shade of pink. Her mind flew wild, and she could almost picture how it would be to have those lips over hers, to feel the softness of those lips with the softness of her own. A warm chill traveled up and down her body as she imagined how it would be to run her tongue over those lips, to taste the sweetness of his mouth, again. She remembered the forceful kiss they had shared the night before the battle, at the camp, and her knees weakened with the mere memory of the brief contact with those hot, demanding lips; even though he was possessed by Sauron's power at the time. Now it was different, it was him; the sweet, caring friend she had always known; no dark influences were on him, and she imagined him kissing her softy and tenderly; but she also imagined him deepening the kiss, claiming her mouth with his tongue, and getting carried away, led by the fiery passion she knew he possessed, for she had seen it, deep inside his eyes.
Then, almost unconsciously, the hand she had on his chin began to move. She saw fascinated as her thumb traveled from his chin to his mouth and merely brushed over his lower lip. It was just as she had imagined, soft and warm. She wanted to feel it again, so her thumb came back brushing his lips, lingering in the center, caressing deeper and deeper until they parted slightly. She kept caressing, deeper and more intimately until she felt the warm moist of his mouth over the tip of her curious thumb. Legolas let out a soft moan, enthralled by her intimate touch. At this, she pulled her hand away, ashamed of her boldness and the reaction she had caused on him; but once again, he caught her hand quickly and retrieved it back to his face. This time, however, it was him who took the daring step, and while holding her hand gently but firmly, he leant and kissed the tip of every one of her fingers. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him, totally concentrated, eyes closed, kissing her in such a sweet, passionate way. Then, she gasped for air as he slowly turned her hand up and pressed his warm lips fully against the curve of her palm, sending all kinds of sensations through her body. Finally, when he opened his mouth against one of her fingers and the tip of his tongue made contact with her sensitive digit, it was too much for her to bear, and she pulled her hand away from his irresistible caress. He tightened his grip on her for a second, refusing to let go of the object of his silent adoration; but soon enough he released her, opening his eyes to meet hers. He was pleased to find that she wasn't blushed, nor seamed uncomfortable; no, what he saw in her eyes and face mirrored almost perfectly his own feelings and needs; she wanted this.
They stood inches apart from each other, like suspended in the middle of nothing; everything around them stopped being important and disappeared, nothing else mattered but the two of them. Without knowing why, she raised her hand and placed it atop of his muscled shoulder, reducing the space between them, as if she unconsciously needed to cling to him, to be in contact to him. She saw him close his eyes and lean down slowly to meet her; she heard his heart beating madly, and feared it would come out of his chest. Then, she realized that her own heart betrayed her and came to the same rhythm as his. How could she deny it? She wanted it as much, if not more as he did. Taking in a deep breath, she closed her eyes, her heart skipping with anticipation and yearning to taste the sweetness of his lips.
...................
I am having so much fun writing this. If you didn't notice yet, I really enjoy writing about these two and their interaction. I know I promised plot changes and exciting stuff, but I just had to deepen in the development of their relation; besides, I think this is exciting. Don't you?
Next chapter in on it's way, and I haven't forgotten about the surprises and plot twists I promised, it's just that we are going to have to wait a bit longer for them to take place. Anyway, stay tuned and remember to review.
Elwe.
THE LAKE
Arwen went closer to the lakeshore and leant down to see her reflection in the water. What she saw made her scream with a mix of horror and surprise.
Legolas heard her screams and came running to her side immediately. - "Arwen! What is wrong? Are you alright?" - She looked at him with wide eyes, her mouth half-opened in an expression of shock and sheer surprise.
"Arwen what is it? What happened to you?" - he said while putting his hands over her shoulders.
"My face, my hair. Why didn't you tell me?" - her words made him understand.
Arwen's shock was justified, for when she looked at her reflection she didn't see what she expected. Instead of a face marred by time, and gray strands in her hair; she saw that her face was perfectly smooth and white, not a single line of expression, not a single sign of time; and her hair was completely raven-black again, all the silver strands had disappeared.
Legolas answered her question - "I didn't think it was important."
"How did this happen?"
"I am not sure Arwen, maybe it has something to do with us being together."
Then she remembered how good, energetic and alive she felt when he used to visit her back in Gondor, especially after long periods of separation. Realization settled - "It is you. This is the effect you've always had in me" - she said to him softly.
"I figured it had something to do with me; but I swear that I don't do it on purpose, and I never meant to bother you, or scare you."
"No, no. I understand; it's just that I look so..different, young.."
"Beautiful, radiant" - he interrupted - "I thought that you would like it... I know I do"
Pink shades colored her cheeks - "I like it too; I feel very strong and vital, better than in years; and it is all because of you, thanks to you" - she said looking down, suddenly finding the ground fascinating.
He looked around nervously - "I think I'll better get going, the wood is not going to collect itself."
"Right, go ahead Legolas" - she said sarcastically. He turned around quickly and almost ran into the forest, singing all the way.
....................
She went back to the lakeshore and started undressing herself slowly. First she took off the leather vest, sighing relieved at the loss of the heavy garment, then she proceeded to take off her shredded dress; it was filthy, stained with blood and dirt, and she frowned at the sight of it, tossing it to the ground with disgust.
"I cannot believe I have been wearing this"
Then, she looked around and listened to Legolas's merry singing in the distance before pulling down her undergarments. She stood there, stark naked for a minute, feeling exposed and helpless. Then she relaxed - "There is nobody near this place to see me, besides, Legolas is close by to protect me." - she picked up her clothes and walked into the lake, shuddering as her feet contacted the chilly water; there, in the shallow part of the lake she washed her clothes as good as she could and coming out again, she extended them over a sun-bathed rock.
Then, with a cry of delight she ran to the lake and dived in, submerging her body completely in the clear water. She paddled like a child for a while, delighting in the smooth sensation of the fresh water against her skin; then she conscientiously rubbed the herbal *soap* all over her body, marveling at the delicious scent that lingered in her skin. She couldn't help to look at her reflection every now and then - "I must admit that I look great" - she said happily, getting used to her old self again. She squeezed the damp herbs over her head and combed her hair with her fingers, spreading the herbal elixir all over her scalp.
Legolas' persistent singing in the distance soothed her, and closing her eyes, she leant back; letting her body float on the water and under the warm light of the morning sun; amazed at how good she felt.
She heard Legolas' voice coming closer, so she straightened and submerged herself up to her shoulders in the water.
"Arwen, are you decent?" he said, loud enough to be heard.
"Yes."
"Look, I finished gathering the wood and I can't think of more songs" - He said while walking out of the forest with a large amount of wood in his arms. He fixed his eyes on the figure in the water; he could only see her face and exposed shoulders, but the mere thought of her naked under the surface nearly made his heart stop.
"I am coming out in a minute" - she said oblivious to his feelings.
"Can you check if my clothes are dry?"
He hesitated for a moment - "Ehh..sure." - he said, dreading the fact that he had to get very close to where she was to check her clothes. He dropped the wood and, as he got near, he cursed his keen eyesight; for beneath the clear water he could distinguish her pale, perfect silhouette. Trying to divert his eyes from her, he grabbed her dress with shaky hands and just stood there, her eyes fixed on the fabric.
"Well?" - she asked with impatience.
He waked from the spell and dropped the garment to the ground, startled. Quickly and nervously, he picked up the dress and tossed it in the rock. - "Yes! It is dry. I'll go back into the forest so you can come out"
"Nonsense! Just turn around and I'll dress quickly." - she said, while already emerging from the water. He noted this and immediately turned his back to her.
He heard her light footsteps behind him, and the tips of his ears became red as his imagination ran wild with images of her completely exposed under the sun. Then, he heard the rustle of her clothes against her skin as she dressed; the mere sound was enough for him to picture the softness and smoothness of her body; and he wondered how it would be like to run his hands all over that skin.
"I am ready; you can turn around now"
He shook his previous thoughts out of his mind and turned around, a silly smile plastered in his face. - "Oh! Look at you, you are stunning. Would you like to eat your breakfast now? - He said a little bit faster than he wanted to.
She gave him a quizzical look, but limited herself to answer - "Yes please, I am starving!"
..................
They went to the improvised table and he ceremoniously guided her to sit on a rock. Then, he handled her a leaf filled with red berries, which she quickly munched, licking the sweet juices left on her fingers. Trying to concentrate in things other than her sensual lips and tongue twirling around her fingers, he picked up an egg and carefully punctured it with a small rock. He handed it to her but she looked back at him puzzled.
"What?" - he asked.
"That egg is raw"
"So?"
"You don't expect me to eat that, right?"
"Why not?"
"Because is raw! Don't you see?" she said with disgust.
He placed his mouth over the hole on the egg, and in one quick movement, he lifted it up and emptied its contents, swallowing them at once. Arwen let out a horror cry - "You are disgusting!"
He looked back at her calmly - "Oh I am so sorry. Would the Lady want her eggs scrambled? Perhaps an omelet? With some cheese, tomatoes and mushrooms? Let me go get the frying pans and pots I carry around so I can cook you a nice second breakfast. What are we? Hobbits?!! Eat it! It is good protein." - he blurted out, while handing her another punctured egg.
She narrowed her eyes and pouted, acknowledging his previous mockery. She placed two fingers over the offending egg and, slowly but firmly, pushed it away from her. - "No thank you, mister I-know-it-all; I think I'll stick with the berries; if you don't mind."
"Fine! That just means more for me."
"Well, be my guest Legolas Greanleaf; I am not going to eat that!"
..................
They spent the rest of the day exploring the surroundings; at times their conversations became almost flirtatious, but at times they also just bickered at each other for meaningless nothings. Arwen even thought she was starting to sound like Gimli, as she retorted at him with a language only proper for a cave dwarf.
The two of them found something to do eventually, and while Arwen tried to fix her dress with some rush fibers, babbling about how unfashionable and uncomfortable his leather vest was, Legolas silently smoothed and sharpened a dry branch against a rock for hours, obtaining at the end, a sharp, deathly spear.
Arwen, who had been looking at his diligent works finally dared to ask - "What is that for?"
"Defense" - he said simply - "We never know what we can find on the way home, and since I lost every weapon I had, I though it was wise to craft something. How is the dress repairing going?"
"Not very good" - she said while yet another fiber disintegrated between her fingers - "This blasted fibers!! It is hard enough to try to do this while wearing the damn dress, but no, no; they have to fall apart each time I try to sew them together!!"
He held back the urge to laugh at her little fit of anger; after all she was mad enough already. He came close to her and sat by her side; picking up a strand of the infamous fiber, he examined it closely, rolling it between his fingers.
"Hmm, I bet I can fish something with this" - he said absently, provoking a fit of laughter from her.
"Fish!! These things cannot even hold a dress together, much less hold a fish; besides, what would you use for a hook?"
He looked at her smugly - "Oh incredulous Lady! Let me show you a little principle of life that you should know already." - And without a word he began braiding the fibers together tightly, quickly obtaining a thin, strong rope. He held the string right in front of her and pulled with his hands in opposite directions, testing its strength. - "See, it is union what makes us strong." "Aha" - she said, still skeptical - "And what exactly are you going to use for a hook?"
Without saying a word, he reached for his boot and ripped one of the metal clasps off; then, with the mere strength of his fingers he bent it to form a rudimentary hook., which he tied to the string. Holding the fishing contraption in front of her he gave her the sweetest, most patronizing smile - "See, you just need some imagination and faith."
"Alright Legolas, but I bet you wont catch anything with that thing!"
"Still incredulous? Don't bet all your gold on it Arwen, you might as well be surprised...again."
He got up and away from her just in time to avoid the predictable slap; and made his way to the lake, already picturing all the fish he was going to catch.
.................
Hours passed and neither of them succeeded; Arwen still struggled pointlessly to fix her dress, and Legolas was already cursing the clever fish, who contented in nibbling whatever bait he used, but wouldn't swallow the hook already. - "Since when are fish so damn smart??!!! - He shouted, while dropping the fishing gadget and sitting heavily on a rock, mumbling frustrated curses against fish conspiracies and such.
Arwen saw all this from the distance and couldn't hold back an amusement giggle. She was pretty frustrated herself, and throwing the fibers away from her, she placed her elbows on her legs and rested her chin on her palms, looking at his every movement.
The sun was already on its way to the west, and flocks of birds passed over them, flying towards the trees they slept on. Legolas was now very silent, sitting facing the west, contemplating the horizon that faded beyond the gray mountains. His face was now very serious and thoughtful, but nevertheless gorgeous, illuminated by the bright rays of the sun. Arwen noted how his hair seemed to glow, like a cascade of light that fell over his head and continued down to his shoulders in a thousand different shades of gold; contrasting with the pureness and smoothness of his pale skin.
Suddenly, a song emerged from his lips, and it seemed to her as if it was impossible to him not to sing it; so much passion he put in every word sung. She stood up and began walking to where he was, drawn by the force of his sad, sweet voice. The words became clear to her.
**** /Beyond the horizon of the place we lived when we were young/ /In a world of magic and miracles/ /Our thoughts strayed constantly and without boundary/ /The ringing of the division bell had begun/
/Sun, I can't slow you down/ /Gone, leaving a tired ground/. /All of the leaves have blown away/ /All gone, all but one/
/Sleep, if your eyes must close/ /Weep, over a poison rose/ /Soon all the stars will burn away/ /From a life consumed by slow decay/
/Encumbered forever by desire and ambition/ /There's a hunger still unsatisfied/ /Our weary eyes still stray to the horizon/ /Dragged by the force of some inner tide/
/Oh, shall we sleep tonight/ /hope, when there is no hope inside/ /Take all your dreams and sail away/ /Fight your own tears and don't look back/ /Never look back or you'll stray/
****
A small tear escaped her eyes, as she remembered the yearning of her people, the sadness on her father's face as he said goodbye; the emptiness left in her when he was gone; and most of all, the inevitability of his departure.
She placed a hand on his shoulder - "Your departure is delayed, your yearning grows strong"
He stood up, startled by the sudden contact and the fact that she had seen his feelings so openly. He looked at her, eyes wide with something she could only describe like confusion and shame. She lifted a hand and covered his cheek with her palm, stroking the soft skin tenderly with delicate fingers until he relaxed and his breathing steadied.
"Your sadness overwhelms me. And I know that all this is caused by me; I wish there was something I could do to ease your pain." - She withdrew her hand, but he caught it in mid air and pulled it back over his cheek, pulling her closer to him in the process. - "You ease my pain, just by being alive, just by being you; I don't need anything else" - he whispered, while staring into the deeps of her eyes with his piercing, steely gaze; and before closing his eyes and leaning his face against the softness of her palm. Arwen was suddenly very aware of how close she was to him, and her heart began beating faster inside her chest. Her eyes wandered all over his face, taking in the perfection of his features; until they stopped and lingered on his lips. Oh his lips; they were thin but masculine, and looked smooth and silky, colored with a soft shade of pink. Her mind flew wild, and she could almost picture how it would be to have those lips over hers, to feel the softness of those lips with the softness of her own. A warm chill traveled up and down her body as she imagined how it would be to run her tongue over those lips, to taste the sweetness of his mouth, again. She remembered the forceful kiss they had shared the night before the battle, at the camp, and her knees weakened with the mere memory of the brief contact with those hot, demanding lips; even though he was possessed by Sauron's power at the time. Now it was different, it was him; the sweet, caring friend she had always known; no dark influences were on him, and she imagined him kissing her softy and tenderly; but she also imagined him deepening the kiss, claiming her mouth with his tongue, and getting carried away, led by the fiery passion she knew he possessed, for she had seen it, deep inside his eyes.
Then, almost unconsciously, the hand she had on his chin began to move. She saw fascinated as her thumb traveled from his chin to his mouth and merely brushed over his lower lip. It was just as she had imagined, soft and warm. She wanted to feel it again, so her thumb came back brushing his lips, lingering in the center, caressing deeper and deeper until they parted slightly. She kept caressing, deeper and more intimately until she felt the warm moist of his mouth over the tip of her curious thumb. Legolas let out a soft moan, enthralled by her intimate touch. At this, she pulled her hand away, ashamed of her boldness and the reaction she had caused on him; but once again, he caught her hand quickly and retrieved it back to his face. This time, however, it was him who took the daring step, and while holding her hand gently but firmly, he leant and kissed the tip of every one of her fingers. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him, totally concentrated, eyes closed, kissing her in such a sweet, passionate way. Then, she gasped for air as he slowly turned her hand up and pressed his warm lips fully against the curve of her palm, sending all kinds of sensations through her body. Finally, when he opened his mouth against one of her fingers and the tip of his tongue made contact with her sensitive digit, it was too much for her to bear, and she pulled her hand away from his irresistible caress. He tightened his grip on her for a second, refusing to let go of the object of his silent adoration; but soon enough he released her, opening his eyes to meet hers. He was pleased to find that she wasn't blushed, nor seamed uncomfortable; no, what he saw in her eyes and face mirrored almost perfectly his own feelings and needs; she wanted this.
They stood inches apart from each other, like suspended in the middle of nothing; everything around them stopped being important and disappeared, nothing else mattered but the two of them. Without knowing why, she raised her hand and placed it atop of his muscled shoulder, reducing the space between them, as if she unconsciously needed to cling to him, to be in contact to him. She saw him close his eyes and lean down slowly to meet her; she heard his heart beating madly, and feared it would come out of his chest. Then, she realized that her own heart betrayed her and came to the same rhythm as his. How could she deny it? She wanted it as much, if not more as he did. Taking in a deep breath, she closed her eyes, her heart skipping with anticipation and yearning to taste the sweetness of his lips.
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I am having so much fun writing this. If you didn't notice yet, I really enjoy writing about these two and their interaction. I know I promised plot changes and exciting stuff, but I just had to deepen in the development of their relation; besides, I think this is exciting. Don't you?
Next chapter in on it's way, and I haven't forgotten about the surprises and plot twists I promised, it's just that we are going to have to wait a bit longer for them to take place. Anyway, stay tuned and remember to review.
Elwe.