I tried to get a little scandalous in that last chapter without turning my
story into a lemon. Ya like?
Chapter 5
The gleaming midday sun cast shimmering rays of light across the valley of Rivendell. Fingering his green elf stone, Glorfindel leapt off the edge of a high balcony and landed primly on his feet on the smooth patio that overhung the river. He spotted the visiting elfish royalty, Legolas, staring dreamily into the intense blue summer sky.
"Pardon!" called Glorfindel. Legolas turned around to face him, his blond hair reflecting the bright sunlight like white molten metal. "Your Majesty, I am curious about the strange maiden you have brought here to be healed."
"What would you like to know?" asked Legolas.
"Where is her home? What is her last name? Of what Elvin race is she?"
"I am not certain. She has not been in her right mind, Glorfindel. You must understand: the Men who attacked her were not frugal with their blows. She is recovering quickly with Elrond's powers of healing, but the medication used to dull the pain was strong. I have not had the opportunity to ask her anything yet. However she spoke my native Sindarin dialect, so possibly she is of my kindred."
Glorfindel shook his head darkly. "These are evil times. Middle Earth is just beginning to heal after the scourge of Sauron, and all but a few scattered Elves have already sailed over the Sea to our true home. We few remaining cannot trust strangers to our beds and infirmaries."
Legolas cast his gaze downward, and sighed heavily. "She is clothed by this hour. I will go and kindly interrogate her, if that is your wish." Glorfindel nodded approvingly, and Legolas swung himself up onto a high beam and jogged across it towards the Rivendell infirmaries.
The tailor had just finished measuring Caleninin for a new dress, and just as she was leaving the room with her charts and tools, Creladriel walked in carrying an intricately stitched gown. She gently set it down on the bed next to where a nude Caleninin was sitting, and sat down next to her.
"His Majesty asked me to bring you one of my dresses until the tailor had sown you a new one." She picked up the dress and laid it across Caleninin's lap. It was a soft lavender color, and made out of the finest silk Caleninin had ever felt. "This was given to me from King Thranduil of Mirkwood before he departed over the Sea. That is Legolas's father, you know." Caleninin nodded shyly, and felt Creladriel's burning gaze upon her. "Why do you avert your eyes?"
Caleninin looked up and brushed a strand of chestnut brown hair off her cheek. "You intimidate me."
Creladriel raised an eyebrow, but chuckled softly. "You and Legolas share the same brutal honesty. Once when I asked him how my hair would look shorter, he told me that he would rather court a maiden than a lord. The nerve!"
"You are courting?" Caleninin's eyes grew wide and the color drained from her face at the prospect of such a gentle person being in love with the fierce Creladriel. "Him and...you?"
Creladriel's knuckles whitened, and she swallowed hard. "Is that so hard to believe?" She seemed to calm down a bit, and tossed her hair nonchalantly. "Anyway, I am not sure that we are still courting. Something happened a few days ago, and I stormed off. He was being such an irritating child."
"He seemed nice when he found me," chirped Caleninin with a nostalgic grin. "He was so skilled with those arrows." She blushed and wrung her hands nervously just then, and slowly looked up to meet the blond Elf maiden's icy glare. "Seeing as you are not courting anymore...would you mind if I spent time with him- if you know what I mean?"
Creladriel's jaw dropped. Just as she was about to rip away the dress that Caleninin was holding, she heard light footfalls behind her.
"Quel andune, ladies." It was Legolas. He was robed in unassuming white cotton; none would have guessed his glorious reputation as one of the Fellowship of the Ring. He smiled softly just then, and Caleninin felt her heart melt. "Creladriel, if you do not mind, I must speak with Caleninin alone." Creladriel cast one last hostile glance upon Caleninin, then swiftly left the room and closed the heavy wooden doors.
Caleninin had left the security of the bedsheets while only women were in the room with her, but now that a large male was standing behind her she instinctively crossed her arms over her chest. "I have not yet clothed myself. If you would turn around or cover your eyes-" Legolas nodded before she could finish her sentence and stood facing the wall in the far corner of the room.
"Glorfindel was wondering if I could ask you a few questions," began Legolas nervously- he couldn't seem to get the image of Caleninin being unrobed that morning out of his head, so actually talking to her turned out to be quite a feat. "What is your last name? Where are you from? Why were you alone in the forest? And lastly, what ethnicity are you?" He flushed when he heard the rustle of fabric behind him; she must have just stood up to get dressed.
"Well first, my name is not Caleninin. I told you that because I was not sure if we were truly alone in the forest, and I did not want anybody to know my whereabouts- else I would be sent straight home. My real name is Laicaliel Silverblossom, and I used to live in your father's kingdom- that is how I spoke your dialect. I was alone in the forest because I was escaping my parents; they want me to marry somebody that I do not love." Just them Legolas felt a gentle tap on his shoulder, and he turned around to see that Laicaliel was dressed and standing behind him.
He gasped when he saw her wearing the beautiful lavender silk gown. "My mother sewed that entire gown by hand...she made it for my bride." He slowly looked up to meet Laicaliel's gaze, and although his eyes were shining sadly, he was smiling broadly. "She finished it the day she was murdered. I dreamed of the hour I would behold it on the figure of a beautiful maiden. Although in the dream..." Immediately he blushed even redder than before (now being completely embarrassed) and covered his face with his hands. "I apologize for getting so.feminine and emotional. It is because that dress holds so many memories." He looked up again, and asked, "Wait- did Lady Creladriel let you borrow that?" Laicaliel nodded. "I want you to keep it. I would rather see it on you-" he touched her cheek "- than on her. It just seems right to have you wear it, although I have only known you for several days."
Laicaliel couldn't help but throw her arms around him and squeeze him as tight as she could. At first his body was rigid because he had never been hugged like that by a lady before, but slowly he softened and wrapped his arms snugly around her back. He smiled. "I heard what you and Creladriel were talking about before I came into the room," he murmured into her hair. "And I think it would be wonderful to spend time with you- and I do know what you mean."
Suddenly a clear, feminine voice echoed in the doorway behind them. "I forgot my bracelet." Laicaliel wasn't tall enough to look over Legolas's shoulder to see who had just come into the room, but she immediately recognized the voice to be Creladriel's. As if they were doing something illicit, the two Elves broke apart and fidgeted nervously under Creladriel's savage stare.
"So I guess you two are courting now. Your Majesty, did we ever officially stop courting?"
Legolas's mouth silently opened and closed like a fish gasping for water. For the first time in his life, he could think of absolutely nothing to say.
"I do not think it is lawful for a lord to be courting two maidens at once."
Legolas finally found speech. "I am not courting two maidens at once."
The anger in Creladriel's expression lifted and was replaced by curiosity. "Then who exactly are you courting?"
His trademark smug grin appeared. "Laicaliel Silverblossom, lady of Mirkwood."
Creladriel screwed up her face. "WHO? Have you had this maiden on the side during our entire courtship?" Suddenly Laicaliel giggled. "Why are you laughing? You were just rejected by this utinu en lokirim."
Laicaliel gathered her courage and crossed her arms defiantly. "He is no "son of snakes" as you so kindly put it. He is referring to me, Laicaliel Escoria Silverblossom of Elfagar and Yulmë Silverblossom of Northern Mirkwood. Pleased to make your acquaintance," she said, curtseying deeply.
Creladriel paled and swallowed hard. She glanced helplessly from Laicaliel to Legolas, then ran out of the room and slammed the doors behind her.
Chapter 5
The gleaming midday sun cast shimmering rays of light across the valley of Rivendell. Fingering his green elf stone, Glorfindel leapt off the edge of a high balcony and landed primly on his feet on the smooth patio that overhung the river. He spotted the visiting elfish royalty, Legolas, staring dreamily into the intense blue summer sky.
"Pardon!" called Glorfindel. Legolas turned around to face him, his blond hair reflecting the bright sunlight like white molten metal. "Your Majesty, I am curious about the strange maiden you have brought here to be healed."
"What would you like to know?" asked Legolas.
"Where is her home? What is her last name? Of what Elvin race is she?"
"I am not certain. She has not been in her right mind, Glorfindel. You must understand: the Men who attacked her were not frugal with their blows. She is recovering quickly with Elrond's powers of healing, but the medication used to dull the pain was strong. I have not had the opportunity to ask her anything yet. However she spoke my native Sindarin dialect, so possibly she is of my kindred."
Glorfindel shook his head darkly. "These are evil times. Middle Earth is just beginning to heal after the scourge of Sauron, and all but a few scattered Elves have already sailed over the Sea to our true home. We few remaining cannot trust strangers to our beds and infirmaries."
Legolas cast his gaze downward, and sighed heavily. "She is clothed by this hour. I will go and kindly interrogate her, if that is your wish." Glorfindel nodded approvingly, and Legolas swung himself up onto a high beam and jogged across it towards the Rivendell infirmaries.
The tailor had just finished measuring Caleninin for a new dress, and just as she was leaving the room with her charts and tools, Creladriel walked in carrying an intricately stitched gown. She gently set it down on the bed next to where a nude Caleninin was sitting, and sat down next to her.
"His Majesty asked me to bring you one of my dresses until the tailor had sown you a new one." She picked up the dress and laid it across Caleninin's lap. It was a soft lavender color, and made out of the finest silk Caleninin had ever felt. "This was given to me from King Thranduil of Mirkwood before he departed over the Sea. That is Legolas's father, you know." Caleninin nodded shyly, and felt Creladriel's burning gaze upon her. "Why do you avert your eyes?"
Caleninin looked up and brushed a strand of chestnut brown hair off her cheek. "You intimidate me."
Creladriel raised an eyebrow, but chuckled softly. "You and Legolas share the same brutal honesty. Once when I asked him how my hair would look shorter, he told me that he would rather court a maiden than a lord. The nerve!"
"You are courting?" Caleninin's eyes grew wide and the color drained from her face at the prospect of such a gentle person being in love with the fierce Creladriel. "Him and...you?"
Creladriel's knuckles whitened, and she swallowed hard. "Is that so hard to believe?" She seemed to calm down a bit, and tossed her hair nonchalantly. "Anyway, I am not sure that we are still courting. Something happened a few days ago, and I stormed off. He was being such an irritating child."
"He seemed nice when he found me," chirped Caleninin with a nostalgic grin. "He was so skilled with those arrows." She blushed and wrung her hands nervously just then, and slowly looked up to meet the blond Elf maiden's icy glare. "Seeing as you are not courting anymore...would you mind if I spent time with him- if you know what I mean?"
Creladriel's jaw dropped. Just as she was about to rip away the dress that Caleninin was holding, she heard light footfalls behind her.
"Quel andune, ladies." It was Legolas. He was robed in unassuming white cotton; none would have guessed his glorious reputation as one of the Fellowship of the Ring. He smiled softly just then, and Caleninin felt her heart melt. "Creladriel, if you do not mind, I must speak with Caleninin alone." Creladriel cast one last hostile glance upon Caleninin, then swiftly left the room and closed the heavy wooden doors.
Caleninin had left the security of the bedsheets while only women were in the room with her, but now that a large male was standing behind her she instinctively crossed her arms over her chest. "I have not yet clothed myself. If you would turn around or cover your eyes-" Legolas nodded before she could finish her sentence and stood facing the wall in the far corner of the room.
"Glorfindel was wondering if I could ask you a few questions," began Legolas nervously- he couldn't seem to get the image of Caleninin being unrobed that morning out of his head, so actually talking to her turned out to be quite a feat. "What is your last name? Where are you from? Why were you alone in the forest? And lastly, what ethnicity are you?" He flushed when he heard the rustle of fabric behind him; she must have just stood up to get dressed.
"Well first, my name is not Caleninin. I told you that because I was not sure if we were truly alone in the forest, and I did not want anybody to know my whereabouts- else I would be sent straight home. My real name is Laicaliel Silverblossom, and I used to live in your father's kingdom- that is how I spoke your dialect. I was alone in the forest because I was escaping my parents; they want me to marry somebody that I do not love." Just them Legolas felt a gentle tap on his shoulder, and he turned around to see that Laicaliel was dressed and standing behind him.
He gasped when he saw her wearing the beautiful lavender silk gown. "My mother sewed that entire gown by hand...she made it for my bride." He slowly looked up to meet Laicaliel's gaze, and although his eyes were shining sadly, he was smiling broadly. "She finished it the day she was murdered. I dreamed of the hour I would behold it on the figure of a beautiful maiden. Although in the dream..." Immediately he blushed even redder than before (now being completely embarrassed) and covered his face with his hands. "I apologize for getting so.feminine and emotional. It is because that dress holds so many memories." He looked up again, and asked, "Wait- did Lady Creladriel let you borrow that?" Laicaliel nodded. "I want you to keep it. I would rather see it on you-" he touched her cheek "- than on her. It just seems right to have you wear it, although I have only known you for several days."
Laicaliel couldn't help but throw her arms around him and squeeze him as tight as she could. At first his body was rigid because he had never been hugged like that by a lady before, but slowly he softened and wrapped his arms snugly around her back. He smiled. "I heard what you and Creladriel were talking about before I came into the room," he murmured into her hair. "And I think it would be wonderful to spend time with you- and I do know what you mean."
Suddenly a clear, feminine voice echoed in the doorway behind them. "I forgot my bracelet." Laicaliel wasn't tall enough to look over Legolas's shoulder to see who had just come into the room, but she immediately recognized the voice to be Creladriel's. As if they were doing something illicit, the two Elves broke apart and fidgeted nervously under Creladriel's savage stare.
"So I guess you two are courting now. Your Majesty, did we ever officially stop courting?"
Legolas's mouth silently opened and closed like a fish gasping for water. For the first time in his life, he could think of absolutely nothing to say.
"I do not think it is lawful for a lord to be courting two maidens at once."
Legolas finally found speech. "I am not courting two maidens at once."
The anger in Creladriel's expression lifted and was replaced by curiosity. "Then who exactly are you courting?"
His trademark smug grin appeared. "Laicaliel Silverblossom, lady of Mirkwood."
Creladriel screwed up her face. "WHO? Have you had this maiden on the side during our entire courtship?" Suddenly Laicaliel giggled. "Why are you laughing? You were just rejected by this utinu en lokirim."
Laicaliel gathered her courage and crossed her arms defiantly. "He is no "son of snakes" as you so kindly put it. He is referring to me, Laicaliel Escoria Silverblossom of Elfagar and Yulmë Silverblossom of Northern Mirkwood. Pleased to make your acquaintance," she said, curtseying deeply.
Creladriel paled and swallowed hard. She glanced helplessly from Laicaliel to Legolas, then ran out of the room and slammed the doors behind her.