Slightly pointless chapter. And a little short. Sorry but I am very busy revising at the moment. Fun to write, though. Hope you enjoy Aragorn's antics as much as I do. Please review!
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Mithmír had brought her clothes to Legolas' room the night before when she came there, and so she had no need to visit her own chamber. She dressed in the same room as the Elf, but insisted that he turn around, which he did. She, in turn, looked away when he changed his tunic and shirt – though he had not insisted on this.
'Breakfast?' He asked, wrapping his arms about her as protectively as he dared. She lay her head back on his shoulder, her mouth very nearly touching his neck.
'Yes,' she exhaled languidly. It appeared she was back to her usual, cheerful self. 'I'm hungry. Very. Almost hungry enough to eat you, delectable Elf that you are.' She nipped his neck almost experimentally, making him flinch and gasp – not wholly in dismay. She chuckled, the vibrations running riot down her love's body. 'Hmmm… quite a tasty Elven dish,' she continued. It was lucky Legolas could not see the mischievous grin on her face, or else he may have moved – perhaps wisely – away and denied himself the pleasure of feeling the tip of her tongue lick his neck fleetingly. As it was he shivered blissfully.
'I'm glad I'm to your liking, my Lady,' he replied with a trace of laughter in his voice. 'But I would prefer it if you didn't leave teeth-marks all over me. I'm sure there's better fare in the Dining Hall…'
She sighed, and moved away from him. 'There is very little better than you, Legolas Greenleaf,' she replied with a smile. 'But some fruit and bread wouldn't go amiss. Let's go.' And then she half-ran out of the door, leaving the Elf to follow, slower, after her.
She "made eyes" at Aragorn across the table for the entire meal. The King wondered if his honorary niece had something in her eye; for why else would she be winking so much? He shrugged and mimed rubbing his eye before slapping the right hand away with his left. Don't rub it or it'll get worse.
Mithmír rolled her eyes at him. 'Valar give me strength,' she muttered under her breath before taking another mouthful of the porridge Gondor men seemed so fond of.
Lord Celeborn looked at his Lady, despairing of the antics of Men and yet amused by them, too. 'We leave Middle Earth to these Men? What shall they do to these lands?' He said with a soft smile.
'The time of the mortals is here,' Galadriel said with infinite calm, touching the Ring of Adamant, Nenya, with a loving, knowing caress. 'They shall do as they will, and none of the Eldar shall challenge their rule any longer.'
Celeborn nodded a little. His beloved High Elf, child of the Light, was wise in deed; and though her words pained him he knew they were true.
After they had finished eating, Mithmír followed Aragorn like a dog with a scent, out of the Dining Hall and into the long, straight corridor. It was there that she caught up with him. Legolas stood a little way back and watched in silent amusement as his love demanded the attention of the King of Gondor with the most attractive show of pure impertinence he had ever been witness to.
'Uncle,' she said plainly, 'you are free to talk now, aren't you?' Inside she was worried, but it quieted her nerves to act so bold.
Aragorn suddenly realized that she didn't have anything wrong with her eye, after all. He felt more than a little incompetent. 'Of course,' he said quickly, hoping that if he was nice she would forget his little "display". He then caught sight of Legolas' deceptively willowy form standing behind Mithmír; obviously being polite and trying not to intrude. 'Will this little chat involve Legolas Thranduil's son?' He asked in a hushed voice, which Legolas never the less heard easily. It was so that he replied before Mithmír did.
'From what Lady Mithmír has said to me, King Aragorn, I think it shall…' he looked slowly to Mithmír for confirmation of this, who nodded.
'It is to Legolas we shall be saying things, uncle,' said Mithmír meaningfully, stressing "things" as much as she could and widening her eyes, trying to get the Man to understand.
'Oh. Yes,' replied Aragorn steadily, finally cottoning on to the entire conversation. He looked at Legolas again, meeting the elf's serene blue eyes, which were ever-alert as usual. He wondered how his good friend would take the news that his lady-love wished to put her life on the line for her King. 'Will we talk now, or later?'
'Now,' said Mithmír firmly. 'We can talk in the Main Courtyard, it's as good a place as any.' She then turned on her heel and walked briskly away at that direction. It was not possible to see her fear and doubt in her slim form. Aragorn looked at Legolas once, curiously, before following; and the Elf was left, temporarily, alone in the corridor, wondering at the secrecy and emotions covering this simple "chat" they were to have.
He could not have known of the Aratirith, guards of the Noldor, who were about to change his life irreversibly.
