**Disclaimer: I own nothing, Tolkien owns everything, please don't sue. Well, technically Tolkien doesn't own anything 'cause he's dead, but you get the gist of the disclaimer I'm sure
*gasps* Good lord, she POSTED! Yeah well, there's this little thing I have going on in my life right now called college and, um….yeah it blows. I have no time to write 'cause I'm studying for useless crap that I am not going to need when I go to a "real" college (a 4 year one) this coming fall. But when I go to this real college, I will be studying creative writing/dramatic writing so I will be doing nothing but writing.
Yeah, so there's my rant-o'-the-day! I apologize for being such a stupid git and not posting as often as I would like. I know I've left more than a few of you hanging and feel awful about it. So, without further ado:
Making Things Right
Legolas awoke with a start, his hand immediately going to the spot next to him on the bed. It was cold. He sat up, the sheet falling around his waist, and scanned his room. There was no sign of her. A sound from the bathing room caught his attention then and Legolas slipped out from under the covers and threw on his tunic. He crossed the room without making a sound and opened the door which separated the two rooms. Legolas stepped inside and noiselessly caught his breath.
She was before him, in the basin, with her back to him. Steam rose from her skin, where the warm water ran off it in tiny droplets. Her hair was tied in a careless knot at the base of her neck and she was reclined back against the rim of the tub. Over her head, Legolas could see her small feet sticking out at the other end. Without making a sound, Legolas brought himself to her side and gazed at the beauty which was Amariell, his lover. Her eyes were closed, chest rising and falling slowly as she breathed in deeply. Legolas's nose detected a hint of mint on the air, which he guessed she must have added from the bottle at his feet.
It was only when he bent to retrieve the bottle did she speak.
"Well, Prince, are you going to stand there gaping or are you going to join me?" Her voice held a hint of sarcasm and something else.
Legolas gazed at her now; eyes open slightly and a sultry smile plastered across her lips. Without saying anything, Legolas removed his tunic and slid into the basin, sitting behind Amariell. She sighed and leaned back into him, her head resting on his shoulder. He brought his hands up her arms and over her chest, leaving a trail of mint scented, warm water on her pale skin.
"You are up early, my sweet." He whispered into her ear, sending chills down Amariell's spine.
"I wanted to take a bath to wake me up properly before breakfast."
"I know of another way to wake up properly." Legolas moved his hands over her stomach as he grinned into her hair.
Amariell's throaty laugh met with his own before she turned over to face him. "It is still early yet, my elf." She leaned in gently and placed her mouth over his, drawing him into a deep and passion filled kiss.
Legolas's hands went immediately to her hair and he pulled her into him, deepening the kiss. His arousal was instantaneous and his hunger for Amariell grew by the second. She pulled away first, sucking in breath after breath before returning her lips to his neck. She kissed a trail from below his ear to the base of his throat. Legolas had been eliciting small moans of pleasure up to that point, but he practically jumped out of the tub when Amariell's tongue snaked out and traced a tiny pattern from his throat to his nipple.
Water splashed everywhere and Legoals seized his love in a crushing embrace, drawing her mouth away from his body and pulling it to his lips.
When they separated, Amariell's eyes were dancing. "If you keep splashing about like that, Legolas, we will not have any water left to bathe in." She quirked a delicate eyebrow and licked her upper lip suggestively.
Legolas moved his hands down Amariell's exposed back.
"Bathing is the last thing on my mind right now."
Amariell smirked and was about to respond when there came a knock on the bedroom door. Both their heads snapped toward the sound and in a flurry of movement and much water, Legolas was out of the tub and pulling on his tunic. Before Amariell could say anything more, he was out the door and in the bedroom once more. She sighed and shook her head. She glanced down at the soaking wet tunic at her feet and bent to pick it up. Again, Amariell sighed and pulled Legolas's tunic over her head.
In the bedroom, Legolas was just about to answer the door when he looked down at himself. The tunic he had pulled on in his haste was about two sizes too small and, being as wet as it was, clung to his body in all the wrong places.
There was another knock at his door and this time a voice accompanied it. "Legolas? Are you in there?"
Legolas grabbed the first thing he laid eyes on and wrapped it around his waist. He crossed the few feet to the doors and pulled them open.
Pellen stared back at his friend, taking in the sopping wet tunic and bed sheet draped haphazardly around Legolas's waist.
Pellen raised his eyebrows, but tactfully said nothing until Legolas spoke.
"Good morning, Pellen." The flaxen haired elf greeted evenly, clutching for all he was worth at the bed sheet.
Pellen swallowed and smiled ambiguously. "Yes, I am sure it is a good morning."
Legolas's face was unreadable.
"Did I come at a bad time, my friend?" Pellen tried not to look passed his soaked friend into the bedroom, but his curiosity got the better of him. Amariell was not in his immediate line of sight, but Pellen's sharp elven ears detected movement in the room adjacent.
"No, Pellen, your timing is fine." Legolas lied, with a quick glance over his shoulder into the bedroom.
"Your father sent me to retrieve you, Legolas. He has prepared a great feast for us, before we head out on our journey." Here Pellen hesitated. "Is Amariell here?" He ventured, cautiously.
Legolas opened his mouth to answer, but before he could get any words out, a tiny hand gripped the door and pulled it all the way open. Amariell stood before them, a robe tied securely around her wet tunic. Her long tresses, which were still quite wet, hung in clumped curls over her shoulder.
Despite his best efforts, Pellen's eyes widened slightly and he took in a small breath at the sight of Amariell. She seemed not to notice this, though, as her face broke into a charming smile. She placed one hand on Legolas wet shoulder, while she used the other one to fling her wet hair behind her.
"Good morning, Pellen."
"Lady Amariell." Pellen bowed slightly. "Please forgive the intrusion, but Lord Thranduil has asked for your presence at the table."
Amariell nodded. "Thank you, Pellen. Tell Lord Thranduil that his son and I are forthcoming. We still have some packing to do." Without waiting for a reply, she turned and disappeared from sight.
Legolas watched her go and then turned back to his friend.
"Well, you heard her, Pellen. We will be there shortly. Please do not wait for us." A slight smile touched the elf's lips as he spoke.
Pellen grinned outright. "Well, in that case, I will see you shortly." And with a nod, he was gone.
Legolas closed the doors and leaned heavily against them. He shut his eyes for a moment and sighed. When he opened his eyes again, Amariell was leaning up against his desk, her robe and his tunic lying forgotten at her feet. She held his gaze for a long moment before he broke eye contact to unwrap the sheet from around his waist.
"We do not really have to finish packing, do we?" Legolas moved into his lover's outstretched arms and leaned his chin on the top of her head.
"No."
Legolas laughed. "My, my, Amariell, you are a sly little nymph." He trailed kisses up her throat and around her neck, finally ending at her lips. She melted into his touch and Legolas gently picked her up and sat her on the top of his desk.
"I try." Amariell responded breathlessly.
Legolas smiled as he traced her jaw line with his slender finger. "How long do you think we have until they start to suspect something?"
Amariell made no reply as she slipped her hand down his stomach and gently grasped him.
Legolas gasped loudly and tangled his hands in her curls.
"Long enough."
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Upon entering the Great Hall, Amariell was delighted to see Thaleon and Cä owen chatting idly with two elves who looked exactly alike. Amariell guessed they were the Half-Elven twins Legolas had spoken of before, Elladan and Elrohir.
"So, you two are the other riders." Amariell remarked casually as she sat down and grabbed a piece of fruit from a bowl in front of her.
Thaleon turned a sparkling smile on the new arrivals. "Good morning, Legolas." He faced Amariell and bowed his head, respectfully. "As always, my lady, it is wonderful to see you."
Amariell smiled back. Over the months that she had been in the company of Legolas, there had actually been few times when she was completely alone with the elf prince. Usually, Amariell found herself in a group situation which included Pellen, Cäowen, and Thaleon. The latter two elves never treated Amariell with anything other than respect and they were often the ones to chastise Pellen when he got out of hand. Amariell was very happy to learn that Cäowen and Thaleon would be accompanying Legolas and herself on this journey.
She turned now to the elf twins and inclined her head. "You must be Elladan and Elrohir. Legolas has told me quite a bit about you, but we have never had the pleasure of meeting."
Together, the brothers stood from the table and bowed deeply toward Amariell. The one on Amariell's right spoke first.
"I am Elrohir, my lady. We, too, have heard a lot about you. It is a pleasure to finally be able to connect the praise to such a lovely face."
Amariell colored and placed her hand to her cheek. "Thank you, Lord Elrohir."
Elrohir's brother spoke then. "I am Elladan, Lady Amariell. Thank you for agreeing to accompany us on our mission."
Again, Amariell nodded. The brothers sat down and everyone at the table ate in companionable silence for a few minutes.
Thranduil, every now and then, whispered something to his son, who was seated at Thranduil's left elbow. The silence ended when Elrohir looked up and over at Amariell.
"Tell me, my lady-"
"Please," Amariell interjected, politely. "Call me Amariell."
Elrohir nodded before continuing. "Tell me, Amariell, why did you agree to come with us? It will be a dangerous journey, though I am sure you will be up to it. Why accompany us to Rivendell?"
Amariell thought for a moment before answering. "I have been here, in Mirkwood, for the whole of my life. I have never ventured outside this place and, though I love my home dearly, I crave adventure. I wish to see the outside world, instead of hear it through the stories my father tells me, or in the letters my brother writes."
At the mention of Amariell's brother, Legolas jumped in. "Amariell's brother is Allon. He has been living in Rivendell for quite some time."
"Ah yes," Elladan's face lit up in recognition. "Allon. I have met your brother. I must say, he has some of the finest bows and arrows I have ever laid eyes upon."
Amariell beamed. "Yes, he and my father are quite skilled at the crafting of bows and arrows. Unfortunately, I do not share their talent and must be content with the job of trying out everything they craft."
At this, Elrohir nodded. "Yes, we have heard from quite a few at this table how well you handle a bow and arrow."
Amariell's gaze met Legolas's and he smiled over at her. The chatting continued for a while longer and mainly consisted of Amariell answering questions about herself to Elladan and Elrohir.
At last, the time came when they were all done with their meal. Lord Thranduil stood and told them he would meet them at the stables in a few minutes. He looked over at Legolas and nodded. Legolas rose and turned to Amariell.
"I need to speak with my father for a few minutes. Go with the others to the stable. Your horse is ready and waiting. I will follow shortly."
"All right." Amariell replied, a bit uneasy with the prospect of being without Legolas, even for a few minutes.
Much to Amariell's astonishment, Pellen rose from his spot across the table, and offered her his arm. "I will be more than happy to escort you to the stables, my lady."
With a last tentative look at Legolas, Amariell acquiesced and took Pellen's arm. He smiled down at her and moved away from the table, the others following Pellen's lead.
The dark haired elf lead Amariell through a set of doors and then down a flight of stone steps. The day was shaping up to be a warm and sunny. Overhead, birds sang beautifully and a gentle wind rustled the leaves on all the trees.
As they walked, Pellen regarded Amariell. "I would like to take this time to apologize thoroughly for all the unkind words I have said to you, Amariell. I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me."
Amariell stared at Pellen, shocked at what she was hearing. Their eyes met and Amariell detected a profound sadness behind the swarthy elf's gaze.
Seeing the look in his eyes sent a wave of empathy over Amariell's body.
"Of course I forgive you, Pellen." She hesitated a moment before continuing. "Legolas is your best friend and when he.…" Amariell sighed, suddenly unable to put her thoughts into words.
"And when you entered the picture, I thought I might lose him."
Amariell's face crumbled. The truth behind Pellen's attitude was finally revealed and it was all because of her.
Upon seeing the look on her face, Pellen grasped her arm tighter and shook his head. "No, it had nothing to do with you, Amariell. I took my feelings out on you, but they had nothing to do with you."
He turned to look at her again, his eyes even sadder than before. "I am sorry I made you feel unwelcome. I want nothing more then for Legolas to be happy and being with you makes him more happy then I have ever seen him, Amariell. I was being stubborn and selfish and I did not give you a chance.
"I had a talk with Legolas," At this, Amariell's brow furrowed, but she remained silent. "And I realized how nonsensical I was being. I have no reason not to like you and every reason to get to know you better. Please, give me another chance."
They had arrived at the stables by that point and the others had discreetly entered, leaving Amariell and Pellen outside to talk. From within the confines of the stable issued the sounds of horse hooves on the ground and stable doors being opened . Amariell's attention was not on the stables, however, but on the tall, handsome elf who stood before her. Her lover's best friend was pouring his heart out to her and Amariell was attempting to restrain her emotions.
"I never meant to come between you and Legolas, Pellen. Please believe that if I had known how you felt, I would have talked with you about it." Tears welled up in her blue eyes as she spoke.
"I know that now and I am sorry I did not realize it then."
Amariell smiled sweetly up at Pellen and grasped his hand gently in her own. "As for the second chance…"
Pellen stiffed visibly.
"I can think of nothing I would like more then to get to know you better, Pellen."
Pellen beamed and offered Amariell his arm again. Together the two proceeded into the stables and Amariell met her horse, Niphredil.* He was a beautiful mare, as white as the snow that had fallen the season before. Though Amariell had mixed feelings about horses, she knew this one was different. She knew Niphredil would take care of her.
Not long after meeting her ride, Legolas appeared at the stable door, his father in tow. There was a determined look on the younger elf's face, though Amariell did not yet understand its implication. She ached to tell Legolas of her new friendship with Pellen, but it was neither the time nor the place to discuss such things. The journey ahead was going to be a long one, with plenty of time to talk along the way.
The journey ahead, Amariell thought. Can I do this? Do I have the strength?
As was her habit, Amariell chewed her bottom lip. This was it. Once she got on that horse, there was no turning back. Was her desire to see her brother and seek out adventures as steadfast as she wanted it to be? As she needed it to be?
All these questions, all these concerns came crashing over Amariell at the same time. Suddenly she was unsure of herself and when Legolas moved to help her onto Niphredil, Amariell blanched.
As if reading his lover's mind, Legolas cupped Amariell's face in his hands and drew her head up to meet his eyes. Pale blue on sapphire locked Amariell's gaze in place.
"No harm will come to you whilst I am here. You are safe with me, meleth nin."
Legolas didn't break eye contact, but his words indicated the elves around him. "You are safe with us. We will protect you. I promise."
Legolas sealed his promise with a tender, but nonetheless breathtaking, kiss to Amariell's forehead. When he offered Amariell his arm again, she did not shrink back. With a new found confidence, she mounted Niphredil and followed the horse in front of her out of the stable.
*Niphredil: Sindarin for 'snowdrop'
*Go on, click the button. Everyone is doing it. It'll make you feel good, I promise. Would I lie to you?
