I Faradrim - The Hunters
Calina was rooted to the spot. She knew she should have run but somehow the message didn't reach her feet,
"Put the dress on Calina," Garin said in a flat voice. Telina threw it over her head and forced Calina's arms into the sleeves. Calina did not put up too much resistance. Her attention was focused on the malicious light in Garin's eyes and the body of Legolas on her living room floor. A small trickle of blood was rolling down the side of his face and a stone vase was left in pieces on the floor beside him,
"Why are you doing this Garin?" Calina watched him, wary of what he would do to her.
"Do not ask questions Calina. Just do what I say. Telina brush her hair down like it was before." Calina felt her maid brush her hair so it fell around her face and down her back. Garin reached out and touched the hair by her cheek, "You have never been more beautiful then that first night you walked into the Hall. So strong and yet weak at the same time." His fingers trailed down her cheek and then across her lips. Calina turned her face away. Garin grasped her chin firmly and pulled her face back, "Do not do that," he warned her. He let go and Calina stumbled back one step. Telina pushed her forwards again, and Garin gripped her upper arms tightly, "I have waited so long for this. You are mine now." Garin leant in to kiss her and Calina struggled, but Garin was interrupted by a groan from Legolas on the floor. Garin half turned round and Calina saw his eyes flash, "We are going. Out the window Calina."
Calina was not listening, she was watching Legolas start to come to on the floor. He was groaning and his eyes flickered as he began to wake up. Garin pushed her towards the open window and ordered Telina down first. Calina came next, trying not to trip on her dress and fall the rest of the drop. Calina heard another dull thud come through the window and Legolas' groans stopped. Garin hurried down the tree and joined them at the bottom. Telina had Calina in a vice like grip and despite her best efforts she was not going to be able to escape. There were two horses grazing by the tree. Telina pushed Calina towards Garin and climbed onto one. Garin threw Calina onto the other and got on behind her. He held her tight and urged the horse on. The horses galloped away and soon Thranduil's halls were far behind her. They were going deep into the forest.
Meanwhile in the Halls Legolas and Calina had been missed during dinner. It was odd that they had not been there as Calina was the one who insisted they go. Nithin and Mineta privately hoped that they had missed dinner for one reason, but a shadow in their hearts knew that something was wrong and as soon as they could they left the Hall with Verlat and went to Calina's rooms. The door was unlocked but there was no answer to their calls. The breeze from the open window in Calina's bedroom had blown all the doors shut so they quietly examined each room in turn.
Verlat pushed the door of the living room open and immediately saw Legolas lying there still unconscious with the broken vase by his head and a large bruise forming where it looked like his face had been slammed into the nearby wooden table. His cry of alarm brought Nithin and Mineta running from the rooms they had been checking. Nithin rushed to fetch Thranduil and some guards and Mineta cradled Legolas' head in her lap. She stroked his hair and whispered words to him to wake him up. His eyelids began to flutter open and his hand moved to his face to find the source of the pain there. He groaned and let his head fall back down into Mineta's lap as Thranduil and Nithin rushed back in with Aragorn, Arwen, Lathrin and several guards,
"What happened? Where is Calina?" Thranduil ordered. Legolas muttered some words that were barely audible. Mineta stroked his hair and said,
"Legolas, say it louder, so we can all hear too." Legolas took a visibly deep breath and said,
"Garin took her. I think Telina must have known too." Suddenly the gravity of the situation hit him and Legolas struggled to sit up, "We have to find her!" But the room swum about and Legolas was soon lying flat on the floor again. One of the guards had gone for a healer and she knelt by Legolas' side binding his cut and forcing him to drink some sort of medicine. It burnt the back of his throat, but the room became clear again and Legolas was able to stand, albeit slightly unsteadily. He began to wobble towards the door, "I have to help her." Legolas was holding onto the furniture as he went and was clearly not yet in any condition to go chasing after Calina. Thranduil gently directed Legolas down onto a chair and took charge of the situation,
"First, let us assess the situation. Calina, Garin and Telina are gone. When did you leave them Legolas?"
"About an hour before dinner father, I think, but I was sat in here for about half of that."
"So they are gone two hours at the most. There are guards stationed at the end of this corridor and they say Calina did not go that way, so we can only assume they left via the window."
"There are the marks of two horses' hooves on the soft ground under the tree," Nithin said, looking out through the window,
"Very well. We maybe able to track them."
"We shall set out immediately," Legolas said standing up,
"No Legolas, you are unwell. You will only slow everyone down."
"No father, I am going whether you like it or not. I must end this with Garin once and for all."
"Legolas this is not about yourself and Garin, it is about Calina," Aragorn said looking intently at his friend, "Do not let your heart rule your head." If Legolas was surprised by this statement, he did not show it,
"I must go," he was quiet, "I was supposed to be protecting her, and now I must do that. Let us examine the marks in the ground." Thranduil sighed as his son strode out of the room a little more steady on his feet. Legolas felt his step get surer and surer with each stride he took and by the time they had reached the outside his body had almost recovered except for the cut and bruise.
Aragorn, Legolas and Nithin made the others hold back while they examined the ground underneath and around the tree. They spoke to each other in soft voices and then Nithin rose and announced their discoveries,
"There were definitely three people here and two horses. Their tracks head off in the direction of the mountains, but we really cannot be sure from here. This will be a hard chase, but the fact they have taken horses and are inexperienced in the woods will help. We can hope that Calina was well enough practised at disguising her tracks if she escapes though. I suggest we leave as soon as we can."
"Very well," said Thranduil, "Nithin and Verlat you shall go with some guards. Legolas I presume you are resolved so go as well."
"I am father," was Legolas' reply. Thranduil looked concerned momentarily and then Aragorn said,
"I offer my services also. I may not be able to travel as fast as an elf, but I guarantee if there is a track I shall find it."
"I would have begged you to come Aragorn. It shall be like old times again," Legolas said grimly.
A small group of the best elves was assembles and altogether eight set out from the Halls on foot. Arwen had stayed behind trying to comfort Lathrin who was convinced this was all her fault for telling Garin that Calina was at the Halls and had descended into hysterics. The company chose not to take horses in case they trampled or confused other tracks. They started following the path left by the horses in the smooth soil around the palace. This was simple as anything stepping on the carefully tended earth made marks, but as the tracks headed into the forest, it became more difficult. Many times Aragorn, or another of the elves would get down on their knees and examine the ground closely, or look along various possible directions for a sign as to which way the trail turned. The evening light made it difficult, but they travelled swiftly urged on by Legolas, who was impatient at any short halt to check the tracks. As the light died he ordered a fire to be lit so that they could travel by firelight and possible catch up Garin if he chose to rest. However in the early hours of the morning, Aragorn had spent a long time on his hands and knees looking for marks in the ground, but even if the elves held lights for him and even looked themselves, no one was sure which way to carry on. Aragorn stood up,
"We must stop now. If we go any further we may miss something important. I cannot be sure that they did not turn aside here. We may take comfort that they will not be able to travel by night either. The best thing we can do is get some rest and start at dawn tomorrow." He said this last part mainly to Legolas who had urged the group on into the night. He still paced the ground around them, refusing to even sit down. Verlat walked over to him and tried to comfort Legolas,
"Please, rest Legolas. You must be strong for her. Rest and then you will be at full strength in the morning."
"Verlat, he could be doing anything to her, anything." The concern flashed through his face,
"I know, Legolas, I know, but if we miss something tonight then we could not live with ourselves. This is for the best." It took several more discussions like this from Nithin, Aragorn and Verlat before Legolas would settle down and get some rest in case he trampled on something important. This was the only reason that at last made him sit down, but in truth he did not let his mind rest. He spent the night straining his ears to the sounds of the wood, listening to try and catch just a snatch of conversation that might give a clue as to where they were. Luckily, that part of the forest was fairly unpopulated because of its proximity to the Spiders. Their numbers had died down since the destruction of the Ring and attacks on elves were almost unheard of. For that, at least, Legolas was thankful, but he had still insisted on setting a watch. After an hour or so unable to rest he went and relieved the elf on the watch, at least he could do something useful.
The morning broke and Legolas roused everyone as soon as first light came. They ate a quick breakfast and then renewed their hunt. Legolas had passed the night uneasily, tortured by the uneasy quiet of the forest and the images that came to mind of what could happen to Calina. He could not bear to think of what could happen to her, but at the same time, the thoughts plagued his mind. Aragorn placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder before leading them on. Even the skills of the elves were stretched to the limit to keep to the trail, but Aragorn read signs from everything on the forest floor and kept them going in the right direction until some other sign could be found of fugitives. The company travelled in silence. The guards were silent, concentrating on the trail, Aragorn was also employed in this, but Nithin and Verlat saw their job primarily as preventing Legolas from driving reason completely from his mind and preventing him losing control if and when they came across Garin. They too remembered what had happened when Rareth died, and could sympathise with the way he felt. Before they had left the palace, Nithin had confided in Verlat and Aragorn about what he and Mineta knew about Legolas' feelings for Calina. Although Aragorn had had some suspicions, Verlat was completely taken aback, but the recent actions of his friend began to make sense to him.
It was almost noon when they finally saw a definite sign that they were on the right track. They found the remains of a camp from the night before, a fire that had long burnt out and a few crumbs of some meagre meal. The company stopped there for a longer break than normal looking around. It did not take long for Aragorn to point out that there were indeed three people sitting the fire that night and there were footsteps leading to and from the places where they had rested over night. Legolas' spirits were raised slightly by this because it meant that Calina was still alive and was not being restrained. Several of the guards had been scouting round the area and they came back leading two horses, one was Garin's and the other was one of the work horses from the stables used for by the messengers taking letters over the forest. Garin was now travelling on foot. He must have been close to where he intended to go, wherever that would be. One of the guards was left behind with the horses in case they would be needed in a hurry. No one specified that reason, but the thought of Calina being injured was at the back of more than one mind.
Aragorn found faint path made by three elves that morning. It would be even harder now for them to follow the trail because elves make very little impressions as they walk. The seven of them now travelled in silence, not a note of song passed from any of their lips as it had the day before. They were close, they could all feel it. Seven trained soldiers would travel faster than a noble who had spent most of his life in the palace, and two females, and Legolas thought Calina would be slowing them up as much as she could. She must know that he would come after her, Legolas thought.
The path grew fainter and fainter, and many times Aragorn relied more on luck that judgement, hoping that he was leading them in the right direction. However, that luck did not fail him. In the mid-afternoon they found a glade where the earth had been recently disturbed. Aragorn and the others were busy examining the ground, but Legolas' mind was elsewhere. He was thinking over the time he had spent in this part of the forest, reliving memories from his childhood when, with his friends and young cousin, he had explored the forest, going as close to the spiders as they dared. His eyes came to rest on the scratch marks on a tree. At first glance they looked as thought they were just another part of the forest, made by a passing animal, but on closer inspection they were the hurried letter C. Legolas called Aragorn over and they both agreed this was a promising sign. Nithin too had come over to look and he said,
"This place is so familiar, and yet I just cannot seem to place it. It is many years since we have been here."
"The last time was just before Rareth came to stay with us," said Legolas, not taking his eyes off the carved marks in the tree bark and the sap that had oozed from them, "It was after there had been a hunting party on the spiders and this part of the forest was safe. We went up as far as the Enchanted River and followed it back to the source in the mountains. We were gone for days."
"I remember," said Nithin, "We tried to cut through the mountains and got lost, but we kept following the river right into the hills. It got dark one night earlier than we thought, we had lost track of time and we needed somewhere to rest safely."
"And we found that little cave. That's where they are going. We've been going in completely the wrong direction."
"Legolas think, why did they leave the horses? The mountains are in completely the other direction, miles away." Aragorn brought Legolas back down to the ground, "Do you know of anywhere else around here?" Legolas shook his head. Aragorn put a hand on his friend's shoulder as Legolas looked at the ground, scuffing his feet in the dirt, "We will find her Legolas. Who knows she may have escaped them anyway and could be heading back to the Halls wondering where we are. We must have hope Legolas. These marks are not more than an hour or two old. We are close. Have faith."
Legolas quietly pulled himself together and they moved out from the small glade. The crept on quietly and the afternoon whiled away. They saw no more signs from Calina and there were only footprints in the ground. Every so often, in a patch of damp earth, there would be a single small footprint, undoubtedly female from the size and shape of shoe. Legolas remembered Calina must have been taken in her dress for dinner and began to panic about not bringing an extra cloak or blanket. The early evening came and yet again Aragorn forced them to stop as the Sun went down. They ate another small meal, but did not light a fire in case they drove Garin further away.
Legolas' heart leapt though as in the dark they heard the sound of stones being knocked together, the crude attempt of someone who had no matches trying to create a fire to keep warm in the cold air of the night. The company was immediately alert and Legolas quickly sent the three remaining guards to scout out the noise. They were gone for several minutes and came back to report that the Prince's cousin was camped not far away with two women. Within several minutes more they had surrounded the camp. From the shadows, Legolas watched what was happening.
Telina was trying to start a fire, but was being unsuccessful. Calina sat, her knees curled up against her, resting against a tree with her eyes closed, trying to think of a way out of the situation. Garin was watching Calina, a smile on his face. He moved silently from where he was sitting to next to Calina. Her eyes snapped open as she felt his body press against hers as he sat down too close for comfort. Garin smiled at her, but Calina looked away. Garin wrenched her face back to meet his gaze by her chin. He held her face with one hand and started to caress it with the other. His hold on her chin softened and that hand began to feel her legs. Calina was rooted to the spot, petrified. Garin kissed her forehead and then said,
"All these years I have loved you Calina. At first I was only helping Lineil, but quickly I fell in love with you. Your spirit, your beauty." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. His fingers brushed its tip and Calina felt ill, "Those years you were gone were terrible. I used to come to the village and watch you. You were so happy, smiling and working at the thing you love, I did not want to disturb you. I spent many days there, just looking. And then you came back to the Halls and I was overjoyed, my love was there before me, but you went away before I had a chance to tell you how I felt. I went to visit some friends but Telina sent a hurried message that you had returned and I knew my time had come. I had to get you away from my cousin. I could never speak to you if he was there. But now my love, nothing else matters, because we will be together for eternity. You will bind yourself to me and we shall live in bliss till the end of the world." Calina finally broke his gaze and looking dead ahead into the trees she said,
"I would never bind myself to you Garin. I could never love you." The anger boiled over in Garin and he raised an arm to strike her but this was grabbed by another and he was hauled to his feet and dragged away. Telina's arms were grasped by another four hands and Calina was cradled in a pair of warm comforting arms. A familiar smell wafted into her nose and she knew she was safe in Legolas' arms. Calina peeked out over Legolas shoulder and she could see Garin being treated less then kindly by three palace guards and Aragorn while Telina was being restrained by Verlat and Nithin. Calina could think of nothing else to say so she just whispered, "Thank you, thank you, thank you," over and over again as Legolas held her tight to him. He finally pulled away and said,
"I would come and find you any where on this Earth Calina," and then he did something neither of them was expecting. He brushed his lips against hers and a tingling warmth spread through Calina's body. Legolas must have felt it too because he hesitated for a moment before kissing her again. Deeper this time. Calina lost the ability to think clearly and just concentrated on the feeling of his lips on hers. She feasted on his taste as Legolas began to explore her mouth with his tongue and just as Calina thought she would lose all sense of reason forever Legolas ended the kiss. They both sat there, breathless for a moment before Legolas opened his mouth to speak. Calina held a finger up to his mouth and so he said nothing. She allowed her head to stop thinking for a moment and did what her heart longed to do. She reached a hand behind Legolas' head and pulled it in to bring his lips down on hers once more. She felt safe like she had not felt since the last time she had seen her parents. She had been running scared for almost eighteen years, but now she knew that in the arms of this elf nothing could ever harm her.
Aragorn and the other elves discreetly set up camp a little way away from Legolas and Calina to give them some privacy. Garin was fuming and guard was set upon him. A watch was also set and the night passed uneasily for them. Legolas and Calina were unaware of this and spent the night wrapped in each other's arms.
Legolas awoke first the next morning. He looked at Calina in his arms and smiled contentedly. His cloak covered them both and he tried to shift so he could wrap more of it around Calina so she was not cold when she woke up, but he moved too much and woke her gently. Calina's eyelids fluttered open and she looked up at Legolas. The early rays of the Sun shone off his hair making it look even more golden than normal and the light lit up his eyes. She smiled at him and it was the most precious thing in the world to Legolas at that moment. They heard noises that meant the camp was being disassembled and the others were preparing to leave. Legolas stood up and held out an arm to pull Calina up. She reached up and kissed it first before standing and looked over at the others eating a hurried breakfast. Legolas and Calina went to join them. Calina looked at Garin, still under guard and still fuming, but she turned away and ate breakfast. She did not want to look at him. She smiled gratefully at everyone, thanking them silently for helping her. Nithin, Verlat and Aragorn hugged her to them, thanking Elbereth she had not been hurt. Then the time came for them to depart.
"Legolas you should get Calina back to the palace as soon as you can. Once we find the horses you can ride straight back. We will bring Garin and Telina along soon enough and then your father can deal with them," Nithin said. Legolas looked at Calina and she showed no objections so he nodded. They travelled fast that morning. Just the right speed for Calina who was used to the forest, but not for Garin who was used to riding rather than walking and Telina struggled too, but no one voiced an objection. They found the guard with the two horses in the mid-afternoon and Legolas and Calina rode on hard to reach the palace before nightfall.
The Sun had dipped below the horizon when they finally saw the lights of Thranduil's Halls. They headed towards it like moths to a flame, inexplicably drawn towards it. There were guards on watch for anyone coming near the Halls in the hope that some news of Calina could be gained from lonely travellers or from the general traffic of traders. The messengers to the king were dispatched so quickly that Thranduil, Arwen and Lathrin were waiting in the courtyard for their arrival. Calina jumped off her horse and ran towards her friend. Lathrin cried tears of joy into Calina's, now very dirty, dress. Thranduil looked over at his son and clapped him on the back, "All is well then Legolas?"
"All is very well father," Legolas grinned back. Thranduil saw the way Calina looked at his son and knew that all was well,
"And Garin and Telina?"
"The others are bringing them on foot. They should be here sometimes tomorrow I expect."
"Very good, Legolas. I think you should let Calina go and get cleaned up and put some more suitable clothes on do you not? I am sure Arwen and Lathrin will look after her." Legolas did not want to let Calina out of his sight, but he conceded she needed a hot bath at least and went to have one of his own.
Calina lay back in the bubbles of a bath in Arwen and Aragorn's rooms. She refused to set foot in her room. Someone came and washed her hair and then brushed it out gently as she sat in a soft robe in Arwen's bedroom. Lathrin had been to fetch some clothes and Calina changed. It felt good for her to be back and in some warm clothes. She decided to leave the other two and find Legolas.
She wandered down the corridors to his room. She went through his outer door and then knocked gently on each other the doors from his hallway. There was no answer from any of them, so Calina decided to investigate the other rooms. Legolas' bathroom was through his living room to his bedroom and off from there so Calina went through. She had reached his bedroom when she heard a splash and Calina knew he was still in the bath. The door was slightly ajar and she could hear him singing a folk song. She smiled and pushed the door open with her finger and said,
"I am sure it would be of interest to the elves of Eryn Lasgalen that the prince and heir to the throne spends more time in the bath than any female." There was a laugh from inside the room and Calina walked in. She pushed Legolas' clothes off the chair they had been set on and sat down. Legolas was leaning over the side of the bath looking at her and a smile played on his lips. He held out a wet hand to her and she sat on the floor next to the edge of the bath,
"You look beautiful Calina." She blushed and before she had a chance to reply Legolas had splashed her with water, ruining her carefully dried hair. Legolas laughed at her indignant face and she stood up. Using her body weight she dunked him under the bath water and ran away as he came up spluttering. She laughed as she ran but she quickly found herself being caught by a wet elf in a bathrobe. Calina shrieked as he tickled her and laughed till she could not take it anymore and begged for mercy. She stood facing Legolas, his arms around her resting lightly on her hips. His hair was wet and strands were slicked to his face. She took them one by one and put them in their right places. Legolas watched as she became engrossed in the task of tidying his hair. She pushed the front parts from his eyes and whispered not wanting to destroy the peace that existed between them,
"That is twice you have saved me Legolas. You are becoming quite the hero." She smiled teasingly at him. Legolas matched her smile and said,
"A hero? I do not know if I want to be known as a hero." Calina stroked his cheek with her finger and said,
"But why not my prince? A hero always gets his girl." She raised her eyes to his and saw the passion burning there. His lips claimed hers and once more Calina was lost in him. She moaned softly as he moved from her lips down her neck and along her collarbone. Her fingers ran through his hair combing it, while her other hand played with the edge of his robe. Legolas finally switched his attentions back to her mouth and Calina summoned up her courage and undid the belt of his robe, letting it open. She ran her hands down his chest, pushing the sides apart. She planted little kisses over his shoulders and chest and then looked into his eyes. The passionate fire still burnt there and she asked him, "Can I stay with you tonight? I do not want to go back to my room." The tension was now almost tangible between them. Legolas leaned down to her ear and whispered softly so his breath tickled the sensitive tip of her ear,
"You can stay here anytime you wish my lady." Calina shuddered as he said this and let out a short moan. She pushed at Legolas' robe again and he let it slide off his shoulders and fall to the floor. Legolas took at step back from Calina, which gave her the opportunity to see all of him for the first time. She could she the toned muscles beneath his skin. Strength ran through him but he was also capable of such gentleness and kindness. His smooth skin was warm to the touch and Calina desperately wanted to feel that delicious heat again. She stepped towards him and into his open arms. Again the shock went through her body as he kissed her. She was too busy enjoying the sensation that she did not feel Legolas' fingers working their way down her back, undoing the small buttons that held her dress in place. She felt the material fall forward and automatically released her hands from Legolas' neck and hair to allow the dress to fall to the floor. Legolas wrenched his mouth from hers; he wanted to check this was what Calina wished for too. She seemed to know his thoughts when she nodded her head slightly and smiled. She reached up and allowed her fingers to brush against his ear as she tucked a wayward strand of hair behind it. Legolas let out a low growl. He could not take it anymore.
Legolas picked Calina up in his arms and carried her to his bed, laying her down under the blankets. As he put her down he let his hands wander down the side of her body. They wandered one to her thigh and the other to her breast, caressing it lightly with his fingertips and then teasing her nipple into a hard point. Calina felt her skin prickle as he touched her, his touch was bewitching. Legolas watched her face, eyes closed and a slight smile on her parted lips and he stopped to see what would happen. Her eyes opened, missing his touch. She reached up and pulled his head down to kiss him hard on the lips. When they broke their embrace, he moved so he was lying next to her in bed, his body pressing onto hers. Legolas ran a finger down the centre of her chest, teasingly, but she was not having it. Using her body, she flipped him over and Calina began exploring his body now, kneeling astride him so she could touch and tease all of him. It was his turn to moan as he felt her hot breath on his skin and the silky touch of her fingers trailing over his chest as her mouth explored his, and then down his neck and chest leaving a line of little kisses and nibbles as she went. Calina began to feel his desire and she smiled being more that happy to let Legolas roll her over and get on top of her. He supported himself on one hand and let his mouth latch onto one of her nipples again. He started to lick at it, all the while letting his other hand wander between her legs. Her body arched with pleasure as he simultaneously bit down on her nipple and began rubbing at the hard nub between her legs. She whispered his name as her body arched, pressing herself against him. He continued to stroke her core, watching her face as she moaned and cried out. Legolas smiled as she began to move with him, finding the rhythm she wanted not the one he set. It did not take long for the heat to spread from her centre and then as the pleasure spread to her whole body and she opened her eyes and moaned his name for one final time before she lay still breathing fast. She laughed and pulled his mouth to hers. Legolas could feel the rapid rise and fall of her chest and noticed the slight sweat on her brow. He shifted off her slightly letting his weight rest on the bed. She sighed contentedly and then said, running a hand down his face,
"I love you so much. I never realised it till Garin took me away and I thought I might never see you again Legolas. It hurt my heart." Legolas smiled and said,
"It hurt here?" and he traced the outline of her breast as she nodded, "No one will ever hurt you again, Calina. I promise you." His eyes smouldered and Legolas put a protective arm across her body and he kissed the tip of her nose, "You are so beautiful." Calina's cheeks flushed and Legolas noticed this, "Is that a blush I see my lady?" Calina just went more red and said,
"No, I am just..hot." Calina felt Legolas' laugh vibrate against her body. He had a wicked smile on his face and raised one eyebrow,
"I bet I can make you hotter."
"Prove it." She smiled but she had little time to think as Legolas' mouth came down on her own. It was a passionate, almost frantic kiss, like he thought that if he stopped she would disappear and he would wake up. He moved back so he was over her. He pushed her legs open with one hand and let a finger brush against her there. Calina gasped and it was met by Legolas' laughter,
"How am I doing?" He asked. Calina smirked and said,
"Could do better." Legolas growled softy.
"I will give you could do better," and he guided himself inside her. Calina's eyes widened as she felt his length inside her. Legolas leant forward and took the top of her ear between his teeth, his tongue playing with the tip. Calina's cry came out only as a rush of air, her mind was concentrating on the feel of Legolas inside her and the havoc he was causing to her senses. Legolas began to thrust inside her, building up into a rhythm. His eyes were locked on Calina's. He thought he would drown in the blue sea of her eyes. She leant up slightly and brushed her lips on his and then kissed a line up his nose, across his eyelid and to his ear. She traced the point of it with her tongue and Legolas moaned her name. She liked the way he said it, like she was the most precious thing on Earth and its name could only be said in a hushed voice for fear that in an instant it would be gone. She traced the line of his ear again, but this time her name came out like a desperate cry, pleading for more. She smiled and kissed a line down his jawbone. Legolas was thrusting hard and deep. Calina arched her back to meet his thrusts and wrapped her legs around him in a bid to keep their bodies as one for eternity. Their bodies fitted together perfectly and Calina watched in amazement the sight of their bodies entwined. Legolas watched it too, but both their eyes were closed when they found their release together, calling the other's name as the pleasure shot through their veins.
They lay like that, wrapped in each other, for a long while kissing and whispering sweet words. At some point Calina fell asleep and Legolas pulled the covers over them. He watched over her, stroking her hair as she slept. She looked so calm and at peace as she slept, but Legolas knew that really she was full of fire and passion that was waiting to burst through at any moment. He had not expected her return the kiss he had given her the day before, but something unknown, embedded deep inside her came to life and now she was his. The soft face of the girl in the picture was lying next to him in bed and he had touched her curves and known every inch of her. Legolas thought to himself that even if the world ended at that moment he would not have cared because he knew what it was like to love someone, and nothing else mattered except her.
Calina was rooted to the spot. She knew she should have run but somehow the message didn't reach her feet,
"Put the dress on Calina," Garin said in a flat voice. Telina threw it over her head and forced Calina's arms into the sleeves. Calina did not put up too much resistance. Her attention was focused on the malicious light in Garin's eyes and the body of Legolas on her living room floor. A small trickle of blood was rolling down the side of his face and a stone vase was left in pieces on the floor beside him,
"Why are you doing this Garin?" Calina watched him, wary of what he would do to her.
"Do not ask questions Calina. Just do what I say. Telina brush her hair down like it was before." Calina felt her maid brush her hair so it fell around her face and down her back. Garin reached out and touched the hair by her cheek, "You have never been more beautiful then that first night you walked into the Hall. So strong and yet weak at the same time." His fingers trailed down her cheek and then across her lips. Calina turned her face away. Garin grasped her chin firmly and pulled her face back, "Do not do that," he warned her. He let go and Calina stumbled back one step. Telina pushed her forwards again, and Garin gripped her upper arms tightly, "I have waited so long for this. You are mine now." Garin leant in to kiss her and Calina struggled, but Garin was interrupted by a groan from Legolas on the floor. Garin half turned round and Calina saw his eyes flash, "We are going. Out the window Calina."
Calina was not listening, she was watching Legolas start to come to on the floor. He was groaning and his eyes flickered as he began to wake up. Garin pushed her towards the open window and ordered Telina down first. Calina came next, trying not to trip on her dress and fall the rest of the drop. Calina heard another dull thud come through the window and Legolas' groans stopped. Garin hurried down the tree and joined them at the bottom. Telina had Calina in a vice like grip and despite her best efforts she was not going to be able to escape. There were two horses grazing by the tree. Telina pushed Calina towards Garin and climbed onto one. Garin threw Calina onto the other and got on behind her. He held her tight and urged the horse on. The horses galloped away and soon Thranduil's halls were far behind her. They were going deep into the forest.
Meanwhile in the Halls Legolas and Calina had been missed during dinner. It was odd that they had not been there as Calina was the one who insisted they go. Nithin and Mineta privately hoped that they had missed dinner for one reason, but a shadow in their hearts knew that something was wrong and as soon as they could they left the Hall with Verlat and went to Calina's rooms. The door was unlocked but there was no answer to their calls. The breeze from the open window in Calina's bedroom had blown all the doors shut so they quietly examined each room in turn.
Verlat pushed the door of the living room open and immediately saw Legolas lying there still unconscious with the broken vase by his head and a large bruise forming where it looked like his face had been slammed into the nearby wooden table. His cry of alarm brought Nithin and Mineta running from the rooms they had been checking. Nithin rushed to fetch Thranduil and some guards and Mineta cradled Legolas' head in her lap. She stroked his hair and whispered words to him to wake him up. His eyelids began to flutter open and his hand moved to his face to find the source of the pain there. He groaned and let his head fall back down into Mineta's lap as Thranduil and Nithin rushed back in with Aragorn, Arwen, Lathrin and several guards,
"What happened? Where is Calina?" Thranduil ordered. Legolas muttered some words that were barely audible. Mineta stroked his hair and said,
"Legolas, say it louder, so we can all hear too." Legolas took a visibly deep breath and said,
"Garin took her. I think Telina must have known too." Suddenly the gravity of the situation hit him and Legolas struggled to sit up, "We have to find her!" But the room swum about and Legolas was soon lying flat on the floor again. One of the guards had gone for a healer and she knelt by Legolas' side binding his cut and forcing him to drink some sort of medicine. It burnt the back of his throat, but the room became clear again and Legolas was able to stand, albeit slightly unsteadily. He began to wobble towards the door, "I have to help her." Legolas was holding onto the furniture as he went and was clearly not yet in any condition to go chasing after Calina. Thranduil gently directed Legolas down onto a chair and took charge of the situation,
"First, let us assess the situation. Calina, Garin and Telina are gone. When did you leave them Legolas?"
"About an hour before dinner father, I think, but I was sat in here for about half of that."
"So they are gone two hours at the most. There are guards stationed at the end of this corridor and they say Calina did not go that way, so we can only assume they left via the window."
"There are the marks of two horses' hooves on the soft ground under the tree," Nithin said, looking out through the window,
"Very well. We maybe able to track them."
"We shall set out immediately," Legolas said standing up,
"No Legolas, you are unwell. You will only slow everyone down."
"No father, I am going whether you like it or not. I must end this with Garin once and for all."
"Legolas this is not about yourself and Garin, it is about Calina," Aragorn said looking intently at his friend, "Do not let your heart rule your head." If Legolas was surprised by this statement, he did not show it,
"I must go," he was quiet, "I was supposed to be protecting her, and now I must do that. Let us examine the marks in the ground." Thranduil sighed as his son strode out of the room a little more steady on his feet. Legolas felt his step get surer and surer with each stride he took and by the time they had reached the outside his body had almost recovered except for the cut and bruise.
Aragorn, Legolas and Nithin made the others hold back while they examined the ground underneath and around the tree. They spoke to each other in soft voices and then Nithin rose and announced their discoveries,
"There were definitely three people here and two horses. Their tracks head off in the direction of the mountains, but we really cannot be sure from here. This will be a hard chase, but the fact they have taken horses and are inexperienced in the woods will help. We can hope that Calina was well enough practised at disguising her tracks if she escapes though. I suggest we leave as soon as we can."
"Very well," said Thranduil, "Nithin and Verlat you shall go with some guards. Legolas I presume you are resolved so go as well."
"I am father," was Legolas' reply. Thranduil looked concerned momentarily and then Aragorn said,
"I offer my services also. I may not be able to travel as fast as an elf, but I guarantee if there is a track I shall find it."
"I would have begged you to come Aragorn. It shall be like old times again," Legolas said grimly.
A small group of the best elves was assembles and altogether eight set out from the Halls on foot. Arwen had stayed behind trying to comfort Lathrin who was convinced this was all her fault for telling Garin that Calina was at the Halls and had descended into hysterics. The company chose not to take horses in case they trampled or confused other tracks. They started following the path left by the horses in the smooth soil around the palace. This was simple as anything stepping on the carefully tended earth made marks, but as the tracks headed into the forest, it became more difficult. Many times Aragorn, or another of the elves would get down on their knees and examine the ground closely, or look along various possible directions for a sign as to which way the trail turned. The evening light made it difficult, but they travelled swiftly urged on by Legolas, who was impatient at any short halt to check the tracks. As the light died he ordered a fire to be lit so that they could travel by firelight and possible catch up Garin if he chose to rest. However in the early hours of the morning, Aragorn had spent a long time on his hands and knees looking for marks in the ground, but even if the elves held lights for him and even looked themselves, no one was sure which way to carry on. Aragorn stood up,
"We must stop now. If we go any further we may miss something important. I cannot be sure that they did not turn aside here. We may take comfort that they will not be able to travel by night either. The best thing we can do is get some rest and start at dawn tomorrow." He said this last part mainly to Legolas who had urged the group on into the night. He still paced the ground around them, refusing to even sit down. Verlat walked over to him and tried to comfort Legolas,
"Please, rest Legolas. You must be strong for her. Rest and then you will be at full strength in the morning."
"Verlat, he could be doing anything to her, anything." The concern flashed through his face,
"I know, Legolas, I know, but if we miss something tonight then we could not live with ourselves. This is for the best." It took several more discussions like this from Nithin, Aragorn and Verlat before Legolas would settle down and get some rest in case he trampled on something important. This was the only reason that at last made him sit down, but in truth he did not let his mind rest. He spent the night straining his ears to the sounds of the wood, listening to try and catch just a snatch of conversation that might give a clue as to where they were. Luckily, that part of the forest was fairly unpopulated because of its proximity to the Spiders. Their numbers had died down since the destruction of the Ring and attacks on elves were almost unheard of. For that, at least, Legolas was thankful, but he had still insisted on setting a watch. After an hour or so unable to rest he went and relieved the elf on the watch, at least he could do something useful.
The morning broke and Legolas roused everyone as soon as first light came. They ate a quick breakfast and then renewed their hunt. Legolas had passed the night uneasily, tortured by the uneasy quiet of the forest and the images that came to mind of what could happen to Calina. He could not bear to think of what could happen to her, but at the same time, the thoughts plagued his mind. Aragorn placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder before leading them on. Even the skills of the elves were stretched to the limit to keep to the trail, but Aragorn read signs from everything on the forest floor and kept them going in the right direction until some other sign could be found of fugitives. The company travelled in silence. The guards were silent, concentrating on the trail, Aragorn was also employed in this, but Nithin and Verlat saw their job primarily as preventing Legolas from driving reason completely from his mind and preventing him losing control if and when they came across Garin. They too remembered what had happened when Rareth died, and could sympathise with the way he felt. Before they had left the palace, Nithin had confided in Verlat and Aragorn about what he and Mineta knew about Legolas' feelings for Calina. Although Aragorn had had some suspicions, Verlat was completely taken aback, but the recent actions of his friend began to make sense to him.
It was almost noon when they finally saw a definite sign that they were on the right track. They found the remains of a camp from the night before, a fire that had long burnt out and a few crumbs of some meagre meal. The company stopped there for a longer break than normal looking around. It did not take long for Aragorn to point out that there were indeed three people sitting the fire that night and there were footsteps leading to and from the places where they had rested over night. Legolas' spirits were raised slightly by this because it meant that Calina was still alive and was not being restrained. Several of the guards had been scouting round the area and they came back leading two horses, one was Garin's and the other was one of the work horses from the stables used for by the messengers taking letters over the forest. Garin was now travelling on foot. He must have been close to where he intended to go, wherever that would be. One of the guards was left behind with the horses in case they would be needed in a hurry. No one specified that reason, but the thought of Calina being injured was at the back of more than one mind.
Aragorn found faint path made by three elves that morning. It would be even harder now for them to follow the trail because elves make very little impressions as they walk. The seven of them now travelled in silence, not a note of song passed from any of their lips as it had the day before. They were close, they could all feel it. Seven trained soldiers would travel faster than a noble who had spent most of his life in the palace, and two females, and Legolas thought Calina would be slowing them up as much as she could. She must know that he would come after her, Legolas thought.
The path grew fainter and fainter, and many times Aragorn relied more on luck that judgement, hoping that he was leading them in the right direction. However, that luck did not fail him. In the mid-afternoon they found a glade where the earth had been recently disturbed. Aragorn and the others were busy examining the ground, but Legolas' mind was elsewhere. He was thinking over the time he had spent in this part of the forest, reliving memories from his childhood when, with his friends and young cousin, he had explored the forest, going as close to the spiders as they dared. His eyes came to rest on the scratch marks on a tree. At first glance they looked as thought they were just another part of the forest, made by a passing animal, but on closer inspection they were the hurried letter C. Legolas called Aragorn over and they both agreed this was a promising sign. Nithin too had come over to look and he said,
"This place is so familiar, and yet I just cannot seem to place it. It is many years since we have been here."
"The last time was just before Rareth came to stay with us," said Legolas, not taking his eyes off the carved marks in the tree bark and the sap that had oozed from them, "It was after there had been a hunting party on the spiders and this part of the forest was safe. We went up as far as the Enchanted River and followed it back to the source in the mountains. We were gone for days."
"I remember," said Nithin, "We tried to cut through the mountains and got lost, but we kept following the river right into the hills. It got dark one night earlier than we thought, we had lost track of time and we needed somewhere to rest safely."
"And we found that little cave. That's where they are going. We've been going in completely the wrong direction."
"Legolas think, why did they leave the horses? The mountains are in completely the other direction, miles away." Aragorn brought Legolas back down to the ground, "Do you know of anywhere else around here?" Legolas shook his head. Aragorn put a hand on his friend's shoulder as Legolas looked at the ground, scuffing his feet in the dirt, "We will find her Legolas. Who knows she may have escaped them anyway and could be heading back to the Halls wondering where we are. We must have hope Legolas. These marks are not more than an hour or two old. We are close. Have faith."
Legolas quietly pulled himself together and they moved out from the small glade. The crept on quietly and the afternoon whiled away. They saw no more signs from Calina and there were only footprints in the ground. Every so often, in a patch of damp earth, there would be a single small footprint, undoubtedly female from the size and shape of shoe. Legolas remembered Calina must have been taken in her dress for dinner and began to panic about not bringing an extra cloak or blanket. The early evening came and yet again Aragorn forced them to stop as the Sun went down. They ate another small meal, but did not light a fire in case they drove Garin further away.
Legolas' heart leapt though as in the dark they heard the sound of stones being knocked together, the crude attempt of someone who had no matches trying to create a fire to keep warm in the cold air of the night. The company was immediately alert and Legolas quickly sent the three remaining guards to scout out the noise. They were gone for several minutes and came back to report that the Prince's cousin was camped not far away with two women. Within several minutes more they had surrounded the camp. From the shadows, Legolas watched what was happening.
Telina was trying to start a fire, but was being unsuccessful. Calina sat, her knees curled up against her, resting against a tree with her eyes closed, trying to think of a way out of the situation. Garin was watching Calina, a smile on his face. He moved silently from where he was sitting to next to Calina. Her eyes snapped open as she felt his body press against hers as he sat down too close for comfort. Garin smiled at her, but Calina looked away. Garin wrenched her face back to meet his gaze by her chin. He held her face with one hand and started to caress it with the other. His hold on her chin softened and that hand began to feel her legs. Calina was rooted to the spot, petrified. Garin kissed her forehead and then said,
"All these years I have loved you Calina. At first I was only helping Lineil, but quickly I fell in love with you. Your spirit, your beauty." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. His fingers brushed its tip and Calina felt ill, "Those years you were gone were terrible. I used to come to the village and watch you. You were so happy, smiling and working at the thing you love, I did not want to disturb you. I spent many days there, just looking. And then you came back to the Halls and I was overjoyed, my love was there before me, but you went away before I had a chance to tell you how I felt. I went to visit some friends but Telina sent a hurried message that you had returned and I knew my time had come. I had to get you away from my cousin. I could never speak to you if he was there. But now my love, nothing else matters, because we will be together for eternity. You will bind yourself to me and we shall live in bliss till the end of the world." Calina finally broke his gaze and looking dead ahead into the trees she said,
"I would never bind myself to you Garin. I could never love you." The anger boiled over in Garin and he raised an arm to strike her but this was grabbed by another and he was hauled to his feet and dragged away. Telina's arms were grasped by another four hands and Calina was cradled in a pair of warm comforting arms. A familiar smell wafted into her nose and she knew she was safe in Legolas' arms. Calina peeked out over Legolas shoulder and she could see Garin being treated less then kindly by three palace guards and Aragorn while Telina was being restrained by Verlat and Nithin. Calina could think of nothing else to say so she just whispered, "Thank you, thank you, thank you," over and over again as Legolas held her tight to him. He finally pulled away and said,
"I would come and find you any where on this Earth Calina," and then he did something neither of them was expecting. He brushed his lips against hers and a tingling warmth spread through Calina's body. Legolas must have felt it too because he hesitated for a moment before kissing her again. Deeper this time. Calina lost the ability to think clearly and just concentrated on the feeling of his lips on hers. She feasted on his taste as Legolas began to explore her mouth with his tongue and just as Calina thought she would lose all sense of reason forever Legolas ended the kiss. They both sat there, breathless for a moment before Legolas opened his mouth to speak. Calina held a finger up to his mouth and so he said nothing. She allowed her head to stop thinking for a moment and did what her heart longed to do. She reached a hand behind Legolas' head and pulled it in to bring his lips down on hers once more. She felt safe like she had not felt since the last time she had seen her parents. She had been running scared for almost eighteen years, but now she knew that in the arms of this elf nothing could ever harm her.
Aragorn and the other elves discreetly set up camp a little way away from Legolas and Calina to give them some privacy. Garin was fuming and guard was set upon him. A watch was also set and the night passed uneasily for them. Legolas and Calina were unaware of this and spent the night wrapped in each other's arms.
Legolas awoke first the next morning. He looked at Calina in his arms and smiled contentedly. His cloak covered them both and he tried to shift so he could wrap more of it around Calina so she was not cold when she woke up, but he moved too much and woke her gently. Calina's eyelids fluttered open and she looked up at Legolas. The early rays of the Sun shone off his hair making it look even more golden than normal and the light lit up his eyes. She smiled at him and it was the most precious thing in the world to Legolas at that moment. They heard noises that meant the camp was being disassembled and the others were preparing to leave. Legolas stood up and held out an arm to pull Calina up. She reached up and kissed it first before standing and looked over at the others eating a hurried breakfast. Legolas and Calina went to join them. Calina looked at Garin, still under guard and still fuming, but she turned away and ate breakfast. She did not want to look at him. She smiled gratefully at everyone, thanking them silently for helping her. Nithin, Verlat and Aragorn hugged her to them, thanking Elbereth she had not been hurt. Then the time came for them to depart.
"Legolas you should get Calina back to the palace as soon as you can. Once we find the horses you can ride straight back. We will bring Garin and Telina along soon enough and then your father can deal with them," Nithin said. Legolas looked at Calina and she showed no objections so he nodded. They travelled fast that morning. Just the right speed for Calina who was used to the forest, but not for Garin who was used to riding rather than walking and Telina struggled too, but no one voiced an objection. They found the guard with the two horses in the mid-afternoon and Legolas and Calina rode on hard to reach the palace before nightfall.
The Sun had dipped below the horizon when they finally saw the lights of Thranduil's Halls. They headed towards it like moths to a flame, inexplicably drawn towards it. There were guards on watch for anyone coming near the Halls in the hope that some news of Calina could be gained from lonely travellers or from the general traffic of traders. The messengers to the king were dispatched so quickly that Thranduil, Arwen and Lathrin were waiting in the courtyard for their arrival. Calina jumped off her horse and ran towards her friend. Lathrin cried tears of joy into Calina's, now very dirty, dress. Thranduil looked over at his son and clapped him on the back, "All is well then Legolas?"
"All is very well father," Legolas grinned back. Thranduil saw the way Calina looked at his son and knew that all was well,
"And Garin and Telina?"
"The others are bringing them on foot. They should be here sometimes tomorrow I expect."
"Very good, Legolas. I think you should let Calina go and get cleaned up and put some more suitable clothes on do you not? I am sure Arwen and Lathrin will look after her." Legolas did not want to let Calina out of his sight, but he conceded she needed a hot bath at least and went to have one of his own.
Calina lay back in the bubbles of a bath in Arwen and Aragorn's rooms. She refused to set foot in her room. Someone came and washed her hair and then brushed it out gently as she sat in a soft robe in Arwen's bedroom. Lathrin had been to fetch some clothes and Calina changed. It felt good for her to be back and in some warm clothes. She decided to leave the other two and find Legolas.
She wandered down the corridors to his room. She went through his outer door and then knocked gently on each other the doors from his hallway. There was no answer from any of them, so Calina decided to investigate the other rooms. Legolas' bathroom was through his living room to his bedroom and off from there so Calina went through. She had reached his bedroom when she heard a splash and Calina knew he was still in the bath. The door was slightly ajar and she could hear him singing a folk song. She smiled and pushed the door open with her finger and said,
"I am sure it would be of interest to the elves of Eryn Lasgalen that the prince and heir to the throne spends more time in the bath than any female." There was a laugh from inside the room and Calina walked in. She pushed Legolas' clothes off the chair they had been set on and sat down. Legolas was leaning over the side of the bath looking at her and a smile played on his lips. He held out a wet hand to her and she sat on the floor next to the edge of the bath,
"You look beautiful Calina." She blushed and before she had a chance to reply Legolas had splashed her with water, ruining her carefully dried hair. Legolas laughed at her indignant face and she stood up. Using her body weight she dunked him under the bath water and ran away as he came up spluttering. She laughed as she ran but she quickly found herself being caught by a wet elf in a bathrobe. Calina shrieked as he tickled her and laughed till she could not take it anymore and begged for mercy. She stood facing Legolas, his arms around her resting lightly on her hips. His hair was wet and strands were slicked to his face. She took them one by one and put them in their right places. Legolas watched as she became engrossed in the task of tidying his hair. She pushed the front parts from his eyes and whispered not wanting to destroy the peace that existed between them,
"That is twice you have saved me Legolas. You are becoming quite the hero." She smiled teasingly at him. Legolas matched her smile and said,
"A hero? I do not know if I want to be known as a hero." Calina stroked his cheek with her finger and said,
"But why not my prince? A hero always gets his girl." She raised her eyes to his and saw the passion burning there. His lips claimed hers and once more Calina was lost in him. She moaned softly as he moved from her lips down her neck and along her collarbone. Her fingers ran through his hair combing it, while her other hand played with the edge of his robe. Legolas finally switched his attentions back to her mouth and Calina summoned up her courage and undid the belt of his robe, letting it open. She ran her hands down his chest, pushing the sides apart. She planted little kisses over his shoulders and chest and then looked into his eyes. The passionate fire still burnt there and she asked him, "Can I stay with you tonight? I do not want to go back to my room." The tension was now almost tangible between them. Legolas leaned down to her ear and whispered softly so his breath tickled the sensitive tip of her ear,
"You can stay here anytime you wish my lady." Calina shuddered as he said this and let out a short moan. She pushed at Legolas' robe again and he let it slide off his shoulders and fall to the floor. Legolas took at step back from Calina, which gave her the opportunity to see all of him for the first time. She could she the toned muscles beneath his skin. Strength ran through him but he was also capable of such gentleness and kindness. His smooth skin was warm to the touch and Calina desperately wanted to feel that delicious heat again. She stepped towards him and into his open arms. Again the shock went through her body as he kissed her. She was too busy enjoying the sensation that she did not feel Legolas' fingers working their way down her back, undoing the small buttons that held her dress in place. She felt the material fall forward and automatically released her hands from Legolas' neck and hair to allow the dress to fall to the floor. Legolas wrenched his mouth from hers; he wanted to check this was what Calina wished for too. She seemed to know his thoughts when she nodded her head slightly and smiled. She reached up and allowed her fingers to brush against his ear as she tucked a wayward strand of hair behind it. Legolas let out a low growl. He could not take it anymore.
Legolas picked Calina up in his arms and carried her to his bed, laying her down under the blankets. As he put her down he let his hands wander down the side of her body. They wandered one to her thigh and the other to her breast, caressing it lightly with his fingertips and then teasing her nipple into a hard point. Calina felt her skin prickle as he touched her, his touch was bewitching. Legolas watched her face, eyes closed and a slight smile on her parted lips and he stopped to see what would happen. Her eyes opened, missing his touch. She reached up and pulled his head down to kiss him hard on the lips. When they broke their embrace, he moved so he was lying next to her in bed, his body pressing onto hers. Legolas ran a finger down the centre of her chest, teasingly, but she was not having it. Using her body, she flipped him over and Calina began exploring his body now, kneeling astride him so she could touch and tease all of him. It was his turn to moan as he felt her hot breath on his skin and the silky touch of her fingers trailing over his chest as her mouth explored his, and then down his neck and chest leaving a line of little kisses and nibbles as she went. Calina began to feel his desire and she smiled being more that happy to let Legolas roll her over and get on top of her. He supported himself on one hand and let his mouth latch onto one of her nipples again. He started to lick at it, all the while letting his other hand wander between her legs. Her body arched with pleasure as he simultaneously bit down on her nipple and began rubbing at the hard nub between her legs. She whispered his name as her body arched, pressing herself against him. He continued to stroke her core, watching her face as she moaned and cried out. Legolas smiled as she began to move with him, finding the rhythm she wanted not the one he set. It did not take long for the heat to spread from her centre and then as the pleasure spread to her whole body and she opened her eyes and moaned his name for one final time before she lay still breathing fast. She laughed and pulled his mouth to hers. Legolas could feel the rapid rise and fall of her chest and noticed the slight sweat on her brow. He shifted off her slightly letting his weight rest on the bed. She sighed contentedly and then said, running a hand down his face,
"I love you so much. I never realised it till Garin took me away and I thought I might never see you again Legolas. It hurt my heart." Legolas smiled and said,
"It hurt here?" and he traced the outline of her breast as she nodded, "No one will ever hurt you again, Calina. I promise you." His eyes smouldered and Legolas put a protective arm across her body and he kissed the tip of her nose, "You are so beautiful." Calina's cheeks flushed and Legolas noticed this, "Is that a blush I see my lady?" Calina just went more red and said,
"No, I am just..hot." Calina felt Legolas' laugh vibrate against her body. He had a wicked smile on his face and raised one eyebrow,
"I bet I can make you hotter."
"Prove it." She smiled but she had little time to think as Legolas' mouth came down on her own. It was a passionate, almost frantic kiss, like he thought that if he stopped she would disappear and he would wake up. He moved back so he was over her. He pushed her legs open with one hand and let a finger brush against her there. Calina gasped and it was met by Legolas' laughter,
"How am I doing?" He asked. Calina smirked and said,
"Could do better." Legolas growled softy.
"I will give you could do better," and he guided himself inside her. Calina's eyes widened as she felt his length inside her. Legolas leant forward and took the top of her ear between his teeth, his tongue playing with the tip. Calina's cry came out only as a rush of air, her mind was concentrating on the feel of Legolas inside her and the havoc he was causing to her senses. Legolas began to thrust inside her, building up into a rhythm. His eyes were locked on Calina's. He thought he would drown in the blue sea of her eyes. She leant up slightly and brushed her lips on his and then kissed a line up his nose, across his eyelid and to his ear. She traced the point of it with her tongue and Legolas moaned her name. She liked the way he said it, like she was the most precious thing on Earth and its name could only be said in a hushed voice for fear that in an instant it would be gone. She traced the line of his ear again, but this time her name came out like a desperate cry, pleading for more. She smiled and kissed a line down his jawbone. Legolas was thrusting hard and deep. Calina arched her back to meet his thrusts and wrapped her legs around him in a bid to keep their bodies as one for eternity. Their bodies fitted together perfectly and Calina watched in amazement the sight of their bodies entwined. Legolas watched it too, but both their eyes were closed when they found their release together, calling the other's name as the pleasure shot through their veins.
They lay like that, wrapped in each other, for a long while kissing and whispering sweet words. At some point Calina fell asleep and Legolas pulled the covers over them. He watched over her, stroking her hair as she slept. She looked so calm and at peace as she slept, but Legolas knew that really she was full of fire and passion that was waiting to burst through at any moment. He had not expected her return the kiss he had given her the day before, but something unknown, embedded deep inside her came to life and now she was his. The soft face of the girl in the picture was lying next to him in bed and he had touched her curves and known every inch of her. Legolas thought to himself that even if the world ended at that moment he would not have cared because he knew what it was like to love someone, and nothing else mattered except her.
