Chapter Seven

Time seemed not to exist for Celemirë in her new home with Legolas. Each day seemed to go on forever, to be an eternity in itself. Only in one other place had she felt this—Imladris. She wondered if all elven places had this same feeling of not being related with time.

Her handmaidens began to teach her to read and write Sindarin, since she was already fluent in speech. The handmaidens kept this a secret from Legolas, under order of Celemirë. She wanted to surprise him. Two months passed before she was fully literate. Celemirë decided it was time to surprise Legolas. She curled up in bed with a book one night and began reading it. Legolas came and sat down beside her. Then he noticed the book in her hands.

"Celemirë, do you desire me to teach you how to read and write, my dear?" he said.

Celemirë only smiled. She read a passage from the book, watching her husband out of the corner of her eye. He was stunned.

"You read?" he inquired with awe.

Celemirë nodded.

"And I write as well."

She produced a scroll of parchment from underneath her pillow. There were Sindarin words written on it in red ink. Legolas read them and smiled broadly.

"May I ask who taught you?" he said.

"Elenath, Forfirith, and Amorith." Celemirë replied.

Legolas laughed.

"I was wondering where you have been disappearing to for the past two months late at night. Our private elvish night lessons are long overdue!" he whispered, removing the book from her hands.

Celemirë smiled at him. She allowed him to remove her nightdress. Taking a deep breath as he began his lovemaking, Celemirë wondered how intense he would be. He always exhausted her, but she enjoyed it.

Once again, Legolas tried to go into her. Celemirë refused. Legolas nodded his head. Celemirë noticed that he seemed heartbroken. She did not know what to do. He turned his back to her, for the first time.

The night passed uneasily for Celemirë. She watched Legolas' back, hoping that he would turn over onto his side and face her. He did not. She left bed at dawn and dressed quietly, making her way to the porch at the far end of the house. Elenath was there.

"Hiril nín, you are awake early this day." the handmaid said.

"I am, Elenath. What a fine day it is." Celemirë said.

"I feel something troubling you. Yet, I will not ask you to share it with me unless you do so yourself." Elenath said.

Celemirë smiled. Elves, they always sensed her feelings.

"You are kind, but I do not think you will be able to aid me in this matter. Le hannon for your offer, though." Celemirë told her.

"Glassen," Elenath replied.

Breakfast was usual. Legolas spoke with Celemirë regularly, though she noticed that his usual shining eyes now appeared sad. She excused herself from the table and went to the entrance hall. After hesitating a few moments, she opened the door and left the house.

The morning sun fell upon her as she stepped outside. The scent of the trees was all around her. Birds sang sweetly in the treetops, and the river gurgled merrily. Celemirë made her way to the stables, where a servant saddled a horse for her. She mounted hastily, then rode away.

The wind rushed into her face as she galloped through the trees. As she rode, she remembered the day when she and Legolas rode across the Pelennor Fields. That was the day he had first kissed her. Tears ran down her face at the sweet memories.

Celemirë found herself at Prince Faramir's castle. She dismounted and saw, to her great surprise and utter joy, her father. She ran to him joyfully, calling out:

"Adar! Adar!"

King Elessar turned with a smile upon his face. He looked back over her shoulder, then asked:

"Where is Legolas?"

He was stunned to see Celemirë's eyes brimming with tears. He put his arm around her and led her away from the castle, to the gardens. After making sure they were completely alone, he began to speak.

"Is he not good?" he began.

"He is perfect, father. It is just that…he wants to have children." Celemirë said.

"What is wrong with that? I-" Aragorn replied. "Yes, I understand now. That is a difficult matter."

Elessar was unsure of how to respond to his daughter. Should he tell her that Moddyn was a eunuch? He feared she would go into deep shock. He knew she was immortal, yet still he feared to tell her.

"Celemirë, what does your heart tell you?" Aragorn said.

"I desire to bear his children, yet I see Moddyn every time. It has been two months since the happening, yet I see no signs that I am carrying his child. That is strange, though." Celemirë said.

"Perhaps not, Celemirë." King Elessar replied. "Perhaps not."

Celemirë stayed with her father until midday. She learned the reason he was visiting Prince Faramir: to invite him to Eldarion and Siana's wedding, which was going to be held in Imladris in a month's time. Celemirë bade farewell to her father then returned to her home.

Legolas was standing on the steps. He was silent as he watched Celemirë come towards him. She kept her head downwards as she stood before him. They were both silent for some time.

"Mas bennich?" Legolas said.

"I went to the castle of Prince Faramir. There, I met my father. We spoke of…of the matter." Celemirë told him quietly.

Legolas' heart leapt.

"What did he say?" he asked breathlessly.

Celemirë repeated their dialogue to him. Legolas was somewhat discouraged that her father had not told her about Moddyn. Yet, he had hinted her in an indirect way.

"Legolas, I desire to carry your children. Moddyn keeps coming. And your silence last night when you turned your back to me—I did not know what to do. I am trying, Legolas, I truly am." Celemirë said.

Legolas reached out to comfort her, but she rushed past him inside the house. He watched her go to their private quarters. He wanted to go after her, but he felt she needed some time alone. He went to her horse and patted its neck gently, then led it back to the stables.

Legolas remained outside the rest of the day. He was thinking of how to coax Celemirë out of her fright. He ran over all of the possibilities, but only one seemed the best to him. He rose to his feet and went inside. Walking quietly, he reached the bedchamber and slipped inside.

Celemirë was lying fast asleep on the bed, still in her clothes. He saw her tear-stained face and knew she had cried herself to sleep. Gently, he woke her. Legolas smiled at her lovingly.

"Celemirë, I fear I was too harsh on you last night." he began.

Legolas removed Celemirë's dress and under-dress. Then he removed his clothing as well before lying down beside her.

Legolas' lust for Celemirë was greater than it had ever been. He was upset with himself at having upset her. He pulled her closer to him. Then he began to kiss her all over. Celemirë moaned softly, and placed her arms around him. He knew she enjoyed it. She gently bit him.

He made his way down her body slowly with his hands. Celemirë stiffened slightly as he reached her hips. Legolas pressed her closer to him. Then he turned her face so that she was staring into his eyes.

"Celemirë, look into my eyes. Concentrate on them." he said.

Celemirë nodded. Legolas then lay her down against the pillows. He lowered himself gently onto her, keeping his eyes focused on hers. He could feel the area between her legs come closer to his. He took a deep breath, and kissed her as he entered into her.

Celemirë concentrated on Legolas' eyes. She saw visions of herself: when he first met her, riding across the Pelennor Fields, their first kiss. Then, suddenly, she felt him enter her. Her breath came in short, fast gasps. Legolas kissed her. Her back arched, and she felt very hot.

Unlike Moddyn when he had entered her, Legolas was very gentle. She felt him thrust once, twice, three times. She closed her eyes as he eased himself carefully out of her. Her arms slipped weakly from around his neck as she rode out her orgasm with Legolas. She panted.

Legolas saw Celemirë panting. Her arms had slipped from around his neck. They now lay on her stomach. He rode out his orgasm with her.

She was very hot, and beads of perspiration ran down her body. Legolas was not as hot as she was. He knew he always was intense with her, but he could not help it. He was an Elf, and that was their way. He got off of her and stroked her face. She was panting slightly and she smiled.

"You were beautiful," Legolas told her, his hands on her hips.

"Legolas…" Celemirë whispered weakly.

Legolas silenced her with a quick kiss. Then he nuzzled her. He let her scent wash over him. Celemirë traced his face with her fingers. When they neared his lips, he bit her fingers gently. She wrapped her legs around him and pulled him into her, so that her chin was resting on his head. She felt him caressing and fondling her tenderly.

"Do you remember when we spent the night in the Gardens of the Houses of Healing?" Celemirë said after some time.

"How could I forget?" Legolas told her gently, kissing her breasts. "That was the night I knew I was in love with you."

Celemirë removed her legs from around him. Legolas rolled onto his side, so that he was facing her. Their heads were level. He looked lovingly at her. She looked very beautiful to him. Her thick head of curls was splayed across her face and onto her pillows. Her pearly white skin shone brightly in the moonlight. Legolas brushed the hair from her face. She caught his hand in hers, and held it against her cheek.

A single lone ray of moonlight shone through a window that faced the West. It was unlike any other ray of moonlight Celemirë had ever seen. It was silver—the same color as the mark on her forehead. Legolas watched it fall upon Celemirë alone. His brow furrowed. The ray traveled from the mark on her forehead down to her thigh. It remained there awhile before vanishing. There was a strange sweet scent on the air.

"Legolas, what did that mean?" Celemirë asked. "Is it a sign?"

Legolas was quiet. He was gazing back at the window from which the ray had come. Celemirë could see his elvish eyes penetrating the night, as if trying to seek for some hidden sign. Then a look of understanding dawned on Legolas. He turned quickly and looked at Celemirë's thigh, where the ray had lingered. A smile was on his lips.

"Celemirë, tiro!" he cried joyfully.

Celemirë rose to a sitting position and inspected her thigh. At first, she noticed nothing. Then she saw an inscription—small silver letters. She read them, then rubbed her eyes. She read them again.

"Edhel?" she gasped. "It cannot be!"

Legolas smoothed back the hair from her ears. Then he cried:

"Celemirë, you are an edhel! The Valar have answered my prayers!"

Celemirë trembled. She traced her ear with her hand. She felt it form a point. She felt her other ear—the same thing occurred. Still not wanting to believe, Celemirë rose and stood in front of a large mirror. She inspected her ears carefully. They were pointed, like Elf ears. In fact, she noticed, her appearance had changed slightly—they were elvish.

Legolas stood behind her and placed his arms around her waist.

Celemirë turned and looked at him.

"You said the Valar answered your prayers?" she whispered.

"Today, when you returned, I remained outside. I felt guilty for what happened last night. I prayed earnestly to the Valar to make you an Elf, for I knew it was something you desired greatly. I wanted to prove my love to you, to seek forgiveness from you for my unjust actions. My sire felt what I was doing. He knows how much I love you, for he loves me much more than I love you. He spoke to me and informed me that he would be willing to stay forever in Middle-earth and give up his passage to Valinor if the Valar accepted my prayers. He said he would pray as well for you, pray that they would make you an Elf." Legolas told her. "The Valar accepted my prayer and my father's. You are an Elf!"

Celemirë was speechless. She thought of all her desires that were now fulfilled: her wedding to Legolas, living amongst Elves, her ability to converse in Sindarin, as well as reading and writing it. And her one main desire, the one she hoped for the most was to be an Elf. Her desires were now completely fulfilled desires. Tears ran down her face.

"What is wrong? I thought you would be happy," Legolas said.

"I am happy, hervenn nín. All of my desires are fulfilled desires. The one main desire that I always dreamed, prayed and hoped for is fulfilled at last. Yet, I feel guilty, for your sire had to lose his passage to Valinor for this to occur and remain here in mortal lands. He toiled long and hard, he deserves rest, not I." Celemirë replied in her softest voice.

Legolas lifted her chin with his hand. He gazed into her gray eyes.

"My sire never intended to go to Valinor at all. He loves Eryn Lasgalen very much. He did not lose anything. On the contrary, he is much happier. My sire always made sure I got everything I desired, Celemirë. He always wanted me to be content. In doing this, he not only relived himself of the constant internal battle to sail or not sail to Valinor, but he also fulfilled my desire as well. That was the main reason, Celemirë, to fulfill my desire and see that I am happy." Legolas said.

Celemirë looked into Legolas' face momentarily. Then she was silenced, lost in his passionate elvish kiss. They returned to their bed.

Sindarin Translations:

Adar: father
Mas bennich: where did you go

Hervenn nín: my husband