Disclaimer: Everything you don't recognise is mine, and everything else belongs to Tolkien.
A/N: Sorry this was so long coming, but more important things such as exams have been on my mind. Hope it was worth the wait!
Please review and tell me your thoughts, and flame if you must, though constructive criticism is always more welcome!
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Although it seemed like minutes, hours passed as they wandered through the valley, talking, laughing, kissing, sometimes singing, and sometimes just enjoying each other's company. Legolas found himself unable to take his eyes off her as she danced along beside him, often grabbing his hand to drag him off to look at something more closely. It was late afternoon by the time they reached the clearing again. Alarien was feeling wearied by the day's exertions and she sat down thankfully in the soft grass. She ran her hands over the green carpet and began absent-mindedly picking some of the flowers within reach and skilfully weaving them into her hair. Legolas had gone over to the pool to drink, and she watched as he crouched down at the water's edge, his slender hands cupped as he lifted the water to his mouth. An evil thought entered her mind as she saw how close to the edge of the pool he was kneeling. Silently she crept up behind him and, with a gentle push, sent him toppling with a splash into the water. He surfaced a moment later looking very unimpressed, soaking wet; his hair across his face and his clothes dripping. She collapsed laughing on the ground, her body shaking with the power of her laughs. She could feel the tears running down her cheeks as she laughed, unable to stop. Blind as she was in her laughter, she didn't see him sneak up and grab her round the waist. She screamed in protest, knowing what he was going to do, wriggling violently in an attempt to escape. But his grip was strong and a moment later it was her surfacing from the water, hair unkempt and bedraggled and lying across her eyes. She pushed it away and tried to climb out but the bank was slippery and she fell back in, amid peals of Legolas's melodious laughter. As she surfaced for a second time, she glared at him, annoyed at how her little joke had back fired, and snarled at him,
"Well, are you going to help me out or not?" He extended a hand and pulled her easily out of the water, despite the weight of her sopping wet gown. But as he pulled, he slipped again on the wet grass and fell backwards, pulling her back with him. She pinned him down, her hands holding his wrists,
"That was mean." She said, and he smiled innocently back at her.
"Well, you started it." She smiled back: he had a point. She released his wrists and rolled over him to lie next to him on her back, her wet head resting on his chest. Neither of them said anything for a while, content just to lie there in silence. Not realising how tired she felt, Alarien found herself closing her eyes, Legolas shortly following suit.
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"Oh Elbereth! Look how late it is!" Alarmed by his sudden outburst, Alarien looked up into the sky. Dusk had well and truly fallen, and the faintest glimmers of stars could be seen. She realised that they would not get back before dark, and the forests of Mirkwood, were, as she knew from bitter experience, not safe at night.
"What are we going to do?" She asked, concern filling her green eyes. Seeing that he had frightened her, Legolas sat down beside her and drew her to him. He thought through their options in his mind. They could either stay the night in the valley and return as soon as possible the next day, though causing much concern back at the palace in the meantime, or try to return that night, risking the forests at night. He knew that there wasn't really any choice, he would not risk Arwen's safety, and his own, by trying to return that night. They would be safe in the valley; evil could not enter there. He looked down into her worried face and ran his fingers across her furrowed brow, smoothing out the lines.
"We will stay here for the night. We will be safe here and we can return in the morning. Do not worry yourself, all will be well." She relaxed against him and he could feel the beating of her heart next to his, the closeness making him feel ever more protective of her, and he drew her closer, resting his cheek against the top of her head. It was then that he realised he was still damp and, in the early evening air, he was also cold. He remembered he had packed some blankets and his cloak in one of the bags and he got up and went over to where he had left them. He knew that the best thing to do would be to take off his wet clothes and replace them with a dry blanket. He started to unbutton his tunic and felt her gaze upon him.
"What are you doing?" Came her voice from behind him. He took off his tunic and turned to face her, his torso gleaming in the golden light of the sunset. Alarien gazed in wonder at his perfectly unblemished skin, and the muscles flexing beneath the skin as he bent down to take off his boots. Realising he was about to take off his trousers, she lay back down, resisting the urge to continue looking at him. She looked up at the ever-brightening stars and jumped slightly as her view was suddenly blocked by Legolas's marble like face. He was standing over her, his torso still bare, but the rest of him wrapped in a blanket.
"You should do the same, or you will get cold." He smiled wickedly at her. "Don't worry, I won't look!" She stuck the tip of her tongue out at him and took the blanket and cloak he held out to her. He lay back down on the grass, leaning on his elbows, watching as she walked a short distance away. She started to unlace her gown, reaching up to do the tighter, higher strands. Suddenly she felt another pair of hands taking over, and she turned round to face him, a teasingly disapproving look in her eye.
"I thought you weren't going to look?"
"I wasn't, I was just… helping." She gave him another look, but he did not leave. Instead he carried on unlacing her gown until it hung loose at the back, just balancing on her shoulders. He gently reached up his hands and slid the material off her shoulders, turning her round and leaning down to kiss her as he did so. His hands lifted and entwined in her hair, pulling her closer so he could kiss her more deeply.
She could feel his hard body pressing against her through the damp material of her under-dress, enjoying the way his muscles flexed as she ran her hands lightly across his back. She felt a sudden pang of desire and reached up to cup his face, pushing her tongue deeper into his mouth, dancing teasingly around its warm recesses. She could taste his sweetness; it was like drowning in beauty, but she knew she didn't ever want to be rescued. He groaned with suppressed desire and, releasing his hands from her hair, he lifted her up and laid her gently on the soft grass. She reached for him and he bent his head to plant feather light kisses and licks across her face, neck and shoulders, before finally returning to her mouth. Her hands ran across his chest and down his taut stomach, stopping at the level of the blanket. He could felt the warm tightness in his groin and he gazed in wonder at the beauty of the creature before him. In the now silvery light, she appeared almost luminescent. She in turn gazed at him, hardly daring to believe that the being filling her gaze was real, so divine was his beauty. His fair head almost appeared to have a halo of light as his hair gleamed in the moonlight, lending him an ethereal quality. His smooth chest was lithe and toned, and as she ran a hand across it, she watched the muscles contract at her touch. Before she could meet his gaze again, Legolas was upon her, his mouth wreaking havoc on her senses.
"Show me…show me how you feel, Legolas." She whispered as he broke away, both of them breathing heavily from the lack of air. He smiled as he ran his fingertips over her face, supporting his weight on his elbows.
"You are sure? You want this?" He asked gently and she nodded, smiling up at him, her eyes dark.
"Yes." And with that, she reached for him, pulling him into a kiss that created a passion that neither could have had the power to stop, whether they had wanted to, or not. With hands and mouths and sweet words they caressed each other, touching each other wonderingly, as though they couldn't believe the other was there, and discovering the heights of pleasure that they could find within the other. And when it finally happened, he spoke soft words of love in her ear, and the new feeling of joint pleasure was one so intense that neither could hold it in, and they each found their own release together, crying out in bliss as they reached that point where the stars burst before their eyes and they tumbled into sweet oblivion.
Legolas' thoughts were reeling as he struggled to regain control of his mind. The intensity of what he was feeling was overwhelming; it was as though every nerve in his body was alive with the emotion that was flooding through him. He looked over at her and the sight of her flushed face, her eyes closed, still coming down from that heavenly plane, was enough to send tremors through his body.
When she opened her eyes again, Alarien found they were immediately captured by the presently sky-blue ones that shone in the face of the elf she loved. She smiled gently and, wrapping her arms around his trembling body, whispered in his ear.
"Love me forever, Legolas. Never let me go." He kissed her hard before taking hold of her face in both hands, and gazing deeply into her eyes.
"Forever, my love. I'll never let you go." With the taste of her still on his lips, and beautiful thoughts in his head, he relinquished his mind to the exhaustion that now washed over him, and sank into nothingness.
Sometime during the night, they both awoke and made love again in the moonlight, revelling in the feel of each other's body and the feeling of closeness that was so strong, it was as though they were fusing together not only body, but soul as well.
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When she awoke the next morning, the memory of the previous night was still fresh in Alarien's mind. The vision of Legolas's naked body, gleaming in the moonlight, his perfect beauty looking as close to divine and ethereal as was possible, was one she knew she would never forget. She remembered how he had looked into her eyes and promised her forever, she knew that she had to tell him her secret, it was just a matter of finding the right moment. She gazed at his sleeping face, his features relaxed and innocent. She enjoyed the feel of their bodies still entwined together, their skin still touching, and she felt a shiver of pleasure run through her. She closed her eyes and sighed with happiness, opening her eyes to find a pair of blue ones looking into hers. She smiled, her face lighting up as he returned it.
"I can't believe I'm waking up next to you." He said softly.
"Me neither. I never want this moment to end." He smiled at her words then leaned across to capture her mouth in a tender kiss.
After they broke away, Alarien leaned her head against his shoulder. For a moment she was still, then he felt her tremble. Legolas bent his head to look into her face,
"What is it?" He enquired gently, she looked up at him, and her eyes shone with tears.
"I'm just so happy." He smiled tenderly and held her to him once more as they lay back and just enjoyed the feeling of closeness and being together. After a while Legolas got up and helped her to her feet. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her forehead before saying:
"Much as I hate to leave this place, and the memories it will now hold for me, we must make our way back." He pulled his clothes on quickly then ran off to call the horses. She watched him go, huddled under the blanket for warmth in the crisp morning air, before putting on her own clothes, emotions flooding her thoughts. She had to tell him, but she didn't want to hurt him. Well, she thought, I can't avoid that, but the sooner, the better. Drawing to a mental conclusion, she vowed to herself that as soon as she got back, she would tell Arwen everything. She leaned against a tree and watched her reflection in the mirror-like surface of the pool. She lazily started combing her hair with her fingers and drifted into a silent reverie, looking at the fluffy white clouds chasing each other slowly across the blue sky. She jumped slightly when she felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned to see Legolas smiling at her. She laughed.
"You are the truest elf I ever met. You move more silently than the air flows!" He laughed lightly in return, and led her to where the horses stood, Ninniach already laden with the considerably lighter bags. They greeted the approaching elves with soft neighs, and as Alarien reached Alfirin the horse gently nuzzled her hair with her velvety nose. She giggled as the horse blew warm, sweet-smelling air into her hair and stroked her snowy mane. She allowed Legolas to pick her up and lightly place her atop the horse before jumping up onto Ninniach's back. Within minutes they were well on their way and leaving the dolentum behind them and approaching the level of the plane.
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A/N: Hope you all enjoyed the fluffiness!