Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Such praise would urge even the worst writer to continue! And though I am by far not a good author yet, the struggle keeps me alive.
And I am immensely pleased that all are happy with the slow pace. For once again, this is not a story of action. So I am glad that nobody expects many happenings in every chapter.
Relationships are like continents – now flooded and submerged under the ocean, now shaking mightily and rising to sunlight, while others tremble and dive underneath the blue; now together, some thousand years later separate, some other thousand years later gone altogether. Though we will never know for sure, I am rather certain that this would hold true between elf and human as well. And be even more chaotic, if anything.
The train jolted to a stop and Irulan woke up with it. She blinked several times to clear the haze of the sleep on her mind. For a few moments nothing came back to her. Then the sight of Legolas lying beside her and facing her, barely inches away, brought back everything and instantly she was awake. She swallowed slowly, many things assaulting her brain simultaneously such as his proximity.
"Why is it dark?" she whispered.
He smiled slowly. "It is too early in the day."
Several moments passed and her alarm dampened slowly. It was foolish of course to fear physical boldness from elves. Such things were great sin to them and none would ever cross that line without consent. Even now their bodies did not touch. But that meant little to Irulan who felt inexplicable excitement to lie with an elf in the same bed. Not to mention, that elf being Legolas. "At this point, this is downright kidnapping, Legolas," she said finally, trying but failing to feel anger at that thought.
The look of passion that seeped into his eyes was not expected. He looked at her for a long moment, then reached out and grasped her hand, bringing it up for a slow kiss. With every hour he seemed to penetrate further into her private circle, bolder and more demanding than before. To be honest, amongst all the elves she had met, Legolas was the most extraordinary one. He was not reserved and careful like them. There was actually a certain daring to him. A certain carelessness for the consequence of his actions. Or for the thought of others.
"It is a tempting idea," he said with a low voice, breaking her train of thought.
"Legolas," she said slowly, ignoring the sensation spreading from her hand. "My phone is dead. People will……worry for me." She had no doubts that Anne would in due time probably kick that castle to dust. Of course she had no way of knowing that Anne was not really anxious. "Pleased" would be the better word for it.
His face was as blank as a face could be. "Blame it on me, then."
Irulan sighed in frustration and snatched back her hand. "I want to make some phone calls!" she said and finally it came out determined enough.
He smiled with amusement, intrigued by her fire. "Certainly, Irulan. We will leave for the hotel shortly and you can make any call you want." He raised himself on one elbow, then, his smile widening. "Will you tell David of your trip with me?"
She gave him a sour look. "Certainly not," was the dismissive statement.
"Perhaps you should," he said, that penetrating look dominating his expression again. "Tell him that another now claims your heart." His fingers glided over her cheekbone in agonizing slowness. "That he stands no chance against this other." Over her lips they continued and Irulan's breath caught in her throat at the intimacy of it. "That his persistence would be useless." His touch swept down her throat and finally his palm found rest on her neck and their eyes locked again.
And again, there was the desire to kiss her. Far stronger and threatening than before. Nothing like the gentle wish that had stirred him yesterday. Fueled by a sense of naturalness, it pushed him mercilessly to take the leap. To make the jump. The second time Irulan felt it as well and attempted to break it, turning her face and pressing her profile to the bed.
But it only worked to a certain degree. She denied him her lips, but too eager to still the fire in him, Legolas leaned down and placed his lips on her cheekbone. Irulan took a sharp breath at that unexpected motion and once again froze beyond action. His scent washed up to her, and she realized that he wore no fragrance. And good thing, for it would disrupt his natural, elven smell that was simply beyond description. It was almost more like a feeling, not a scent. But she did not get the chance to delve into the matter, for the sensation of his lips on her cheek was far more overpowering.
Only many moments later Legolas lifted his lips again, pulling back merely an inch before the desire to repeat it overcame him and he gave in to it, placing another lingering kiss on her cheek as his fingers glided behind her ear, slightly diving into her hair. Many women he had kissed. And with far more intimacy than this rather harmless act. But none of those kisses had set his nerve ends on fire like this. Only when it erupted in his chest and fanned through his entire body did he recognize the excitement he had not felt for too long a time to remember. How could one forget such a sentiment, so strong a pull? A pull no creature –whether elf or man- was designed to resist.
He continued placing soft kisses, bending under the pressure and the force of that feeling. And if Irulan had not bolted to sit upright, backing away to put distance between them, he doubted that he would have been able to stop. Even with her movement it took him several moments and an intimidating amount of effort to return to reality. She inched further back, sitting with her back pressed against the wall as he sat up, facing her. A distinctive blush was on her face, and she seemed out of breath.
With the retreat of the desire came the approach of alarm. "I am sorry," he said as soon as he found the power of speech. "I was…..I could not stop."
Irulan swallowed hard and avoided eye contact with him, focused on her lap instead. "Don't do that again," she said finally.
Dismay came over him. For one thing, he was absolutely sure that that would be a promise he was incapable of keeping. Secondly, it was one he did not want to keep. "Was it so much to your dislike?" he said, a little bewildered and not quite sure how to proceed, since no woman had reacted so, before.
Irulan combed her hand through her hair nervously, still not looking at him. "I am in no…..state to engage in such a thing, Legolas. I have told you before, but you choose not to listen."
The dismay in him grew into sharp fury and he had to swallow hard before it would come out as another string of bitter words, like at the dinner yesterday. No doubt that David had the privilege for this. This and the privilege for much more. Only he was allowed to savor Irulan! He clenched his hand into a fist and looked down at it to clear his mind. "No weak man am I, Irulan," he said finally, and it came out colder and sadder than he intended to. "And I ask not for you to grant me anything freely." He looked up at her and waited till she reluctantly did the same, a great confusion and indecision in her dark eyes. "I wish to gain the right for it," was his rather low and determined statement. "To deserve it. Tell me how."
Too shaken to answer and afraid of engaging in a bargain for such a thing, Irulan remained silent. "What must I do to win such distinctiveness?" he pressed on. "I shall outdo all others, several times."
"Nobody did anything," she said with desperation, not in complete understanding of his way of seeing things. By the looks of it, Legolas thought of this as a grave accomplishment, a serious competition. He probably imagined that all suitors were lined up and tested by her to make a pick. Sadly Irulan had no suitors. And therefore, no picks. Her affairs to this day carried no such effort for the other party.
"And yet," he said somewhat bitterly, "they have been allowed the intimacy that you so sharply refuse me."
"Legolas," she said finally, finding it easier to speak, although he seemed a pulsing bundle of anger and frustration, "what you ask for is not something I can grant in a day. I…..I just am that way." She observed his disappointed expression for a moment, then felt like giving him a better reason. "And…you know that…..I mean right now….."
Instead of convincing him, it only seemed to flare him even further. She shut her mouth immediately as Legolas glared at her for a few moments, not moving at all. "David," he said finally and it sounded like a curse rather than a name. Irulan decided then that she should stop with the David issue altogether. It was beginning to get out of hand. Once Legolas found out……she suppressed a shiver at the thought. Let's just say that it would be beyond rude.
He looked away for a moment to gather his wits. This was not the courting he had had in mind. And it certainly was not the way to convince Irulan. Not to mention, that he was too good a hunter to follow such a losing road. A few people passed by their compartment, talking in French and Irulan shifted slightly. But she did not move and instead remained watching Legolas, whose right hand went up to massage his face. When he finally dropped it and looked back at her again, he seemed much calmer.
"Very well," he said and it sounded much more rational. "I understand and respect your decision, Irulan. And I admit that this pace is understandably hectic for you." He looked up at her and swallowed softly at the tug of the pull once more. The incredible pull of attraction that shook his ship like a wild storm. Slowly he held out his hand to her and Irulan only looked at it dubiously. "Do not shy from me. I will not breach your trust again," he whispered.
True enough, Irulan could glide off the bed and get up by herself. And that was, no doubt, far more natural a thing to do. Not to mention that it would put the necessary distance between them. The distance that seemed to melt into nothing by the minute. She was a strong woman. An independent woman. She was living by herself, with no one to lean on, and she managed just fine. She needed nobody. She could get up, tell Legolas that she has given him his chance and that she did not want to continue. That was all it would take.
What would follow? Irulan would return to New York with Anne and probably never see Legolas again, since she was no longer in interaction with the Circle. Everything would go back to the way it was. She would work a lot, laugh a little, date some men, and lie alone in bed at nights, dreaming of a different life. And that had been perfectly acceptable and fine just a couple of days ago. Why oh why was it now such a terrible vision?
'He is arrogant,' she told herself and God knows he was! 'He is cold and selfish.' True to the word, indeed! 'All aside, he is an elf! He will live and never age a single day while even now you are striding towards death. He is older than your mind can perceive. As a matter of fact, your mind can not perceive ANYTHING about him – so different in nature is he. There can be nothing, absolutely nothing between you and him, period! He is not even your type, for Heaven's sake!'
And yet…….
Legolas did not move or blink and waited with true patience. And many moments later, when he was tempted to think that she would refuse and end it all, she swallowed softly and casting down her eyes, timidly reached out to place her hand in his. It would be impossible to describe the relief that came with that small motion. He exhaled the breath he was holding and grasped her hand stronger, then stood up, pulling her off the bed and on her feet. They stood rooted for a moment or two and he pulled up her hand for another soft kiss. Thankfully she seemed to have gotten used to at least that much and this time did not even tense as she usually did. "Thank you," he said softly.
She did not look up at him, and nodded before she replied: "Mistakes seem to be a common characteristic of our kinds," was her husky statement. "They deserve forgiveness on both sides."
Legolas found nothing to say to that and finally decided to remain silent. He released her hand and walked out of the compartment, then through the corridor that seemed already deserted for the most part as Irulan followed in silence. They left the train and walked through the station into the street. It was still very dark, probably several hours before dawn when they sat into a taxi and he gave directions in his perfect French.
"What is his profession?" he said suddenly, as the car was moving through the silent streets.
Irulan, who had been watching the passing dark streets of Paris, turned to him in confusion. "Whose?"
He gave her a sheepish look. "David."
Irulan almost moaned. "Can we not talk about this, please?"
"It was a simple question," he said blankly. Of course it was far more than that. More like 'Getting to know your enemy'. Irulan sighed and turned to the window again. "Let me guess," he said then, leaning back on the seat. "He is something like……a computer programmer?" She did not turn to look at him and he prodded on, slightly amused. "Perhaps that is why he is so carried away that he forgets to call you, Irulan? Perhaps he can not help it – he simply lacks the sentiments and the common sense to appreciate someone like you."
"He is not a computer programmer," she seethed, but did not turn to look at him.
"I see. A financial advisor then? Or a broker? Too caught up in the greed of the world to remember the woman no sane man could forget?"
"He is not……." She took a deep breath and lowered her voice. "He is an artist, alright?!" she said finally.
"An artist?" was his surprised (or rather mock surprised) comment.
"Yes. A…..a painter. And he is very sentimental. And sensitive. And he DOES call me, damn it!"
Legolas smiled, but did not prod on. Neither spoke during the short ride, and it gave Irulan once again the opportunity to revert back to her normal state. The kiss on the train had indeed turned her upside down. But now the train was in the past and Paris was the present. She smiled a small smile, watching the scenery. He would tell her of old France! She was aware that she was growing soft in the matter of Legolas, and that he was indeed breaching her iron wall with his gentle attitude. But the more time she spent in his company, the less that mattered. Why not enjoy being spoiled and admired for a while? What was wrong with being a queen even if only for a short time?
Finally they stepped out and walked into a hotel that seemed even more fancy and spectacular than the one in Rome and that flickered with life and light even at this time of day. Legolas made a short speech with the management that seemed overjoyed and a little surprised to see him once again, but at his eerie hour. Irulan waited patiently as some commotion erupted and finally a woman was found and brought forward, and she led them to a store in the hotel. She opened the locks and the door and lighted the store as they stood waiting.
"What is going on?" Irulan whispered finally.
"I want you to shop a little, Irulan," he said, gazing down at her. At her baffled expression, he continued: "No need to sleep in discomfort and use the same clothes. Please take anything you want and do not worry about the payment."
She shifted in discomfort, looking around the store and the woman who seemed rather sleepless, waiting on her. "Legolas," she began carefully, not sure how to refuse without offending him, "I would rather-.."
His frustrated sigh made her stop. "Irulan…..let us not waste time on such a small matter. You know as well as I do that you can buy this entire store and it would hardly be noticeable on my bank balance."
She took a deep breath and nodded, not daring to argue further at this point. "I do not want you to think that….I'm taking…..advantage of you or something," she finished hastily.
Legolas blinked and looked down at her for a long moment. "Of course not," he said a little baffled. She nodded seriously, her discomfort still evident. "If anything, Irulan," he said then with a sly smile, "I am taking advantage of you." His smile grew wider then. "Consider it a small sign of gratitude for your company."
She looked around the store once more and he released her hand, as the woman waited in utter patience. "I will do the same and meet you later," Legolas said then. "Let this lady guide you to your room when you are done, Irulan," he said gently, then spoke to the woman in French and left. Irulan smiled nervously, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt a little, not sure how to proceed. Finally the woman walked towards her with a small smile. "Mademoiselle, what do you need?" she said with a heavy accent.
Irulan was not a shopper. As a matter of fact, she hated shopping. She did not have the patience or the nerves for it and had a habit of seeing something she likes, grabbing said item, and going straight to the cashier. She decided to go for the easier things first and finished that round of the trip in an impressive half an hour or so (under the rather shocked and watchful gaze of the lady). After all, she could always return them if they did not fit. No need to try them on now.
Done with the socks, pants, shirts, pajamas and jacket, she turned to the woman once more. "Well," Irulan began then, "how about….do you have underwear?" Now THAT was essential, and to be honest, Irulan had often enough fretted about how to buy some without asking Legolas and not to mention – without having any money. Since the trip was taking longer than her expectations.
"Ah!" the woman said with a glint in her eyes, "THAT is our expertise, Mademoiselle," and motioned Irulan to follow.
This should have been much shorter, but the collection was indeed incredible and after another fifteen minutes, she was still stuck with lingerie that she had no intention of wearing in her entire life.
"Er….do you perhaps have something…..simpler?" she said, shifting a little and careful not to say anything offensive. These French people, it seems, were way too eccentric in the choice of underwear.
She gave Irulan a confused look, then looked around the store. "Ah!" she said then, her face lighting up again, "I know exactly what Monsieur Greenleaf will like! Follow me, Mademoiselle!"
Instead of a following Irulan, the woman only received a rather loud and unladylike gasp, upon which she turned to inspect the visitor's shocked expression. It took Irulan several moments to find the voice to speak again. "He…..I mean I……Mr. Greenleaf and I……are only friends!" she finished, perhaps a trifle too loud.
The woman gave her a long, blank look. "Of course," was her plain answer, but the small smile that came with it was enough to turn Irulan bright red.
"We are friends, I tell you!" she hissed, her embarrassment giving in to anger.
"Yes, Mademoiselle. I heard you the first time," was the cool reply in heavy French accent.
Irulan, in her anxiety failing to realize that it was ridiculous to try to convince a store attendant in the strange hours of the morning, pressed on: "We are on a trip together. That's all. Nothing is going on between us!" she spat.
"That, Mademoiselle, is a pity," was the calm and blank reply that left Irulan speechless for a moment. "Would you like to see some samples that would most certainly change his mind?"
If possible, Irulan grew even a darker shade of red. "W-WHAT?! NO!"
The woman only blinked back with widened eyes, speechless in the face of such an outburst. Irulan pursed her lips then, and angrily began to unbutton her pants, then pulled it slightly aside to reveal her rather casual and sporty underwear. "I want something like this!"
The French woman gave the lingerie a horrified look, then gave Irulan one that spoke of doubt and confusion, and finally muttering something in French, vanished in the store. A few minutes later she was back with various similar items in her arms. Though none so simple and casual as hers, they were still plain compared to what was in the rest of the store. Irulan nodded curtly to denote her satisfaction and said "Fine, I am done."
"Mademoiselle," the woman said, pushing her chin up, "it is only my desire to aid you that makes me insist."
"Insist on what?"
"Would you not see the…..different samples of our collection?"
Irulan gave the woman a disbelieving look. "Listen….lady…."
"Catherine, please."
"Lady Catherine," began Irulan, eager to sound patient, "your lingerie is without doubt the finest. But I am in no need of it, at the moment."
"Monsieur Greenleaf will be displeased with my service, Mademoiselle," was the cool reply. "He will think that I did not guide you well enough in the matter."
Irulan opened and closed her mouth several times. "Monsieur……MR. Greenleaf," she snapped, "will not SEE my underwear, I can assure you of that!"
"Oh," was the confused reply and for a moment Irulan actually thought that the woman had finally believed her. But she should have known better at the dangerous twinkle that set in Catherine's eyes. "Why did you not say so before!?"
"I did," Irulan said slowly, overly suspicious about that attitude.
"The blindfold, I see," chuckled the woman, sighing deeply with delight as Irulan gulped and felt her mind go blank. "Very innovative, lady Irulan. Would you be interested in some……other products, then?" she continued with a devious grin.
***
Irulan walked into the room, rudely grasped the articles from the woman's arms and literally banged the door shut to her face. She stomped into the next chamber that proved to be the bedchamber then and threw the clothing on it. For several moments she remained standing, massaging her face and literally heaving with anger. "Perverted French!" she hissed to herself, trying to cool her temper.
"What is the matter?"
Irulan jumped at the unexpected words and if she had not automatically clasped her hand on her mouth, she was certain that a nasty shriek would have found her way out. "Legolas!" she gulped, her knees trembling with the shock. "Legolas! What are you doing in my room?!"
The concern on the elf's face slowly faded then and turned into something like discomfort. "I forgot to tell you……this was the only available room." When Irulan dropped her hand and just stared at him with disbelief, he concluded matter-of-factly: "We came on very short notice."
She stared at him, then at the bed, then back at him. "B-but……"
"Worry not," sighed Legolas, giving her a dry look, "you can sleep in this room. I do not need further sleep for this day."
"Oh," she stammered, against all odds blushing a little, "thank you."
He nodded curtly, then walked up and stood before her. "Did something happen?"
She blinked in confusion. "No."
He gave her a dubious look. "You looked rather angry when you walked in." He decided against repreating her remark about the French people and instead said "Has anyone offended you?"
"No, no," she waved dismissively. "We just had……a difference in taste, that's all."
Though not looking too convinced or in full understanding, he nodded again and glanced at the clothes on the bed. "Have you found all you are looking for? These seem very few. Will you not need anything else?"
"I don't think so, Legolas," she sighed, massaging her face. "It is just another day, right?" At the silence that issued, Irulan looked up to his face and found him staring down at her with bemusement. "It is only one more day, isn't it?" she said with narrowed eyes.
He did not answer and instead said "The bathroom is right there. I took a shower before you came to leave it for your usage". And indeed, he had changed into a more casual looking, cotton pants and a soft cotton cream colored long sleeve t-shirt. The t-shirt was loose fitting and had a rather large neckline, which revealed too much of his perfect chest, by the way and Irulan quickly re-focused on his eyes, nodding in understanding. "I will remain in the other room. Good night, Irulan."
She watched him walk out, too baffled to bring up the question again or to prod him for a real reply on the matter. She shook her head, thinking that traveling at this pace was not a good idea at all, then found the pajamas amongst the pile and dragged herself into the bathroom.
****
"Legolas?" He dropped his hand that had been lying across his eyes, and turned to the door that led to the bedroom. Irulan stood in her cream colored silken pajamas that flew freely over her curves, but added an incredible feminine and attractive air to her – especially since the color contrasted with her olive colored skin. Her hair was dried, but slightly wet, the locks having gained fullness and texture. The excitement that washed over him was simply too strong for someone of his age and his experience. Not to mention, current status of no choice in the matter. "What are you doing?"
"Thinking," he said with a slight smile, his eyes not leaving her, though they probably should.
She bit her lower lip and shifted a little. "About what?"
"You," he said truthfully and watched her freeze in surprise. He smiled wider at that and she finally looked away to break the contact. It was surprising how sensitive Irulan was in reality. She had been so vulgar and snappy in the first days. But with gentle treatment she was rather childish and sweet. "What is it?" he said then, to push away her tenseness.
Irulan shrugged, looking out the window that was still dark. "I…..do not like this idea of you sitting on the couch while I sleep on the bed."
Legolas laughed softly and once again, she remained looking at him, baffled by the sound of it. "Don't worry. I am comfortable. Go sleep," he said gently and with a tinge of amazement.
She grinned then, still under the effect of his laughter. "Come with me," was her comment, accompanied with a shrug. It took Legolas a lot of effort to suppress the surprise that came over him at that offer. A swift inspection told him that Irulan was not offering intimacy, but only a sharing of the bed. 'Is that good or bad?' he thought suddenly, and was not certain of the answer.
True enough, Irulan had no expectations of intimacy whatsoever. As a matter of fact, at the moment she was so sleepy, the only energy she had left was used to stifle the yawns that seemed to know no end. Suppressing yet another one, she disappeared from view and Legolas hesitated for a moment, then slowly stood up and walked to her room. 'Now you better behave, Prince of Mirkwood,' came the threatening voice in his head. And why should he not? There was nothing intimate about lying in bed with someone else (at least not for an elf, whose major obsession, unlike their human brothers and sisters, was not sex). There was nothing intimate in this whole affair. So why did he feel so damn excited, or why did this feel so taunting?
Before he could delve further, he had arrived at his destination and Irulan was sitting on the edge, gliding her finger over the silken cover of the bed. To his amazement, she was the only woman who was completely oblivious to the possibility or option of a physical affair between them. Or better put, unlike any woman he had courted or attempt to gain affection from, she was not interested a physical intimacy with him. There she was, sitting on a bed, with her pajamas on, in the city of sex and love, alone with Legolas who was not only a man, but happened to be indeed a man of fierce attraction and beauty, and she was as far away from the idea of tempting him as any person could be!
And exactly that was incredibly attractive to him. Any other woman would have been wearing a daring lingerie and ready to do anything to seduce him. Not knowing that as an elf with no fixation about physical intimacy and an experience that made theirs look minuscule, he simply could not be seduced. Never had been. HE was the seducer. HE always went for what he liked or wanted and in the end, achieved it – often far too easy to be called a challenge. Not the other way around.
Until now, of course. For in the face of such disinterest, he DID feel indeed that thing that humans called physical attraction and that he had practiced on them for millennia now. He remained rooted, for the first time doubting his control and will-power as a moment later Irulan looked up and locked eyes with him. "Come lie down," she said, as if it was the most normal suggestion on earth. Legolas did not move right away and she scratched her head, yawned and lay under the covers, placing a rather big pillow under her head.
Feeling amazed by both her, and his reaction to her, he took a deep breath and finally relented, walking to the other side of the king size bed and lying down on it. "Do not feel offended if I fall asleep, alright?" she said, shifting and lying on her side to face him.
"Of course," he whispered and remained looking at her.
"Are you not cold?" she said after he refused to move another moment and looked down at her with an expression she was too tired to read at the moment. "You can come under the covers if you want."
He blinked in amazement and she suppressed another yawn. By this time, Irulan had grown rather trusting to Legolas and knew of course with certainty that she could ask any elf of the same thing and none would ever use that opportunity. "Hell, none would even think about it in the first place", she thought then "since I am not exactly what one would call attractive or beautiful." He had been a little too bold in the train, yes, but –once again having bounced back from the first impact of the event- she had reached the conclusion that a kiss on the cheek was far from a sexual act. Not to mention that he promised not to repeat it. And if not the promise of an elf, what promise could one place trust in? And who, on earth, had ever heard of anything such as the seduction of an elf?
Legolas, not apt to feel temperature changes too much and actually feeling more hot than cold at the moment, silently glided underneath the covers and respectfully remained on his side of the bed, with a rather large gap between them. A silence issued then, as the yearning to touch her grew immensely with her proximity and he was baffled by the willpower it required to push that desire back. "I have called and left our number at the castle in England," he said suddenly, eager to dampen it. "It was very early, of course, but the staff will give Anne the number first thing in the morning."
Irulan nodded, her eyelids fluttering close. "Good," was her sole comment and true to her word, fell asleep almost immediately after that. Legolas smiled at the fragileness of humans and how easily they tired. He remained silent and motionless, watching her slumber deepening as she gave in to her fatigue. Only after he was certain that she was deep asleep did he dare to shift and move to lay closer to her.
Instantly his mind flared up and warned for caution. But it is surprising how fast both humans and elves can change - for only in a matter of days, ever since he had decided to put his conscience away, Legolas had rather grown fond of not heeding that logical side of his. For one thing, it was downright fun and brought with it a state of mind that, in its adventurous and merry state, reminded him of his days during and after the Fellowship. An era in which he had been bold and careless and only gained from those merits. Secondly, he doubted that he could act different even if he wanted to. The pull that Irulan was exerting on him was amazing in its intensity. Very few mortals had intrigued him to this degree and by now he was certain that he felt more than a simple attraction to this particular one.
In any case, he dared to inch closer, knowing that she would not wake at such a movement and then reached out to gently trace her fingers, encircling her wrist, moving up to her forearm, then back, feeling the touch of warm human skin and the soft muscles underneath as well as her gentle pulse. This, it seems, had become an awful weakness for him. And though it was not proper to engage in this kind of contact with a woman who was not his lover, and once again, Legolas was not a man to do so unless she was, he simply felt incapable of continuing to seek it out whenever he could.
He glanced at the window and the partly closed curtains revealed a dark sky with blotches of grey. Soon day would break in Paris. And already he was excited to be spending it with Irulan with no one and nothing to disrupt their fun. 'Especially David,' was the taunting, silent comment to that. 'The foolish way of mortals!' he thought with somewhat more bitterness than he would expect. 'He is supposed to be her lover, but has barely called ever since her arrival. No doubt that he is too busy seeking other affairs!' Though elves were obsessed with loyalty on their own behalf, he was well aware of the rather careless tendencies of humans in that matter.
'And yet,' continued the voice then, 'she is loyal to him. Even in the face of your attempts, dear Legolas.'
He sighed with frustration to that. Indeed, she was. And true enough, what he was doing was very wrong. For no elf would so openly court a woman who had an affair. Unless the elf was in love. 'Which, of course, I am not,' he added hastily. If not for the wager, he would have never attempted such a thing. A part of him laughed at that statement and he swallowed softly at that response. 'Such valiant words,' it mocked, 'for someone who can not stop touching her.'
Legolas almost shrugged in response to that. 'Maybe I am not the elf I thought I was,' was his smug reply. 'I have no one to answer to and nothing to lose. Let others have credibility and virtue. I'll take the touch of her over it any day.'
***
The next morning the phone rang in the living quarters of the chamber. Irulan stirred slightly and Legolas, who had been awake for a long time now, whispered "Sleep," to her ear, then glided off the bed to pick it up.
"Yes?"
"Monsieur Greenleaf, a call for you from England, Sir."
"Yes, please connect me."
A click was followed by Anne's voice. "Irulan?"
"It is me, Anne," he said.
A short silence followed, which spoke of shock on her behalf. "I......called Irulan's room."
"This is it. We are staying together," he said, bemused at the fact that someone like Anne was shocked enough to stammer.
"Oh," she said and then became silent again. Legolas waited, feeling satisfaction of her surprise.
"There was no other room available," he said finally, a part of him regretting to say it.
"Oh!" she said then, laughing nervously. Then a moment later: "How unfortunate. For a moment I actually felt happy for you guys."
Legolas chuckled then. Anne was indeed an amazing woman! "Irulan is asleep, I'm afraid. Shall I wake her?"
"Oh no! I was just.....curious. We never got the chance to talk. I called her yesterday evening in Rome. But.......we could not speak. And after that, I could not reach her."
"You called her yesterday?" he said suddenly, mild curiosity in his voice.
"Yes. Yesterday evening."
Legolas did not answer. He had been with Irulan all the time. And the only person who had called was David. Unless it was during the one hour they had spent separate in the hotel. "Oh yes, we were having dinner. Around 9," he said, walking around the matter.
"Yes. Sorry to interrupt it. Irulan made it rather clear that I was," she said dryly.
The mind of an elf is not a thing to be underestimated. Especially the mind of an elf like Legolas. It is an extremely complicated thing, honed by so much experience, input, observation and time, and so different in certain aspects from the human mind, that we shall never understand its system and structure to the fullest. In our terms, a lightning of understanding struck Legolas then and every conversation concerning David flew through his mind in a fraction of a second. And what followed was pure, instinctive assessment and confirmation of what he had concluded already:
"No apologies. Has David called you?" he said with perfect disinterest.
"No," came her cautious reply.
"Ah.....I thought he might have. Since he must be frantic that he could not reach Irulan all this time."
Anne took the mocking exactly like a fish takes a dangling worm on a hook. "Yeah! HIM and frantic!"
"Indeed," mused Legolas. "Irulan said that he was busy." It took him only another moment to think how to ask it without lying on his behalf. "Is he in the real estate business?"
A short silence. "Eh.....well.....he does many things," was her somewhat reluctant reply and if Legolas had any doubts, they would have disappeared at her tone of voice. He remained stubbornly silent, urging her to continue.
This was the very moment Anne had tried to avoid. Because she hated lying. Hiding part of the truth was more her way. But direct lying....now that was something that itched always terribly at her conscience. But Legolas had managed to maneuver her into a corner that left her with no other option. She might as well go ahead and submit. "But yes….he.....works in a real estate company. So......he does a lot of traveling. All over the world. It is a big company." See this is exactly why she shied lying. Cause she had the tendency to get carried away and include needless details!
"Ah.....of course," was the satisfied reply.
Anne instantly felt relief at his tone that spoke of confirmation. They talked a little more and Anne said that Legolas should take his time, that some council members were delayed due to urgent conditions. He thanked her and replacing the phone, walked to the other room, remaining on the threshold, looking at the figure of Irulan in the bed.
No David.
Irulan stirred with the silence and waited. Then waited some more. Finally massaged her face and slowly sat up. A moment later her gaze went to the entrance of the room. And a moment after that, she was as awake as any person could be. Perhaps even more.
Legolas stood, leaning on the doorframe, his face an expression of such anger that her heart instantly and automatically began to beat thrice as fast. A panic and alarm grew in her at the possibilities of what could have caused this sort of state. "L-Legolas......" she stammered, and simply found nothing else to say. They stared at each other for eternity and his face remained hard as a rock that had never warmed up with the rays of the sun, before.
"What happened?" she whispered in alarm. She had never fainted in her life but at that moment the lack of breath and the frantic rhythm of her heart made her think that this might actually be a moment she would do so for the first time. He bounced off the doorframe then and stood erect, still not diverting his looks from her. "Who called?" she stammered, her throat dry as parched paper.
"Anne," he hissed between clenched teeth and Irulan got as white as snow.
Something dreadful had happened! She knew it! Something had happened! "What happened?!" she said finally with a louder voice, the tone shaky. "What happened?!" was the frantic repetition.
The elf regarded her for another moment, his eyes full with blue fury. "You," he whispered, his chest heaving with his breath, "have lied to me."
She blinked once. Twice. Then just looked at him, her frantic state not having dampened at all, for the understanding evaded her newly awakened mind. "What?" she managed to whisper a rather long time later.
"You," he said with a louder tone, stepping towards the bed with a very dangerous, catlike gliding, "have lied to me, Irulan."
Her mind tried to grasp his words, but failed once more and the scenarios of possible dreadful things that could have happened to Anne, one of her other friends, her family or who knows who began hitting her like slaps in the face. She just stared back, her eyes fluttering with the need to close and submit to the temptation of fainting. Never in her life had she felt so afraid!
He stood by the bedside across her, looming over her, his eyes incredibly blue and fierce, his stance berating murder. "There is no David," he said, leaning in and placing his fists on the bed, his face even closer.
And finally she understood what this was about. Not that it made her feel better. Not at all. Irulan scrambled away, feeling a tremble erupt on her whole body. Her limbs suddenly became numb and though the idea of stepping off the bed occurred to her, it was simply beyond her at the moment. She swallowed, and almost coughed, for it refused to go down her throat. "L-Legolas.......I can....I can explain," she whispered hoarsely. He just looked at her, his eyes simply sharp daggers that stabbed into her very spirit again and again and again. "I can...I did not want...I....." It just did not come out. All thought left her brain.
He remained silent and still for so long, Irulan thought something had come over him. She just sat there, feeling more afraid by the moment, though her mind told her that such a thing was simply not possible. "You lied to me," he said finally once more, and the threat was too evident to be missed. "You have played with me, Irulan. Like you would play with a fool!" he spat finally.
"No," she said. Or tried to say. Though it did not come out right. "No, I-"
"Come here," he said suddenly and the tone of command instantly made her body sit up more erect.
Irulan just stared back, sweat running down her back, her eyes glued to his, the sheet forgotten between her clenched fists. To her senses it seemed like an unnaturally long time, though in reality it was not even a full minute. "What?" she choked out finally.
"Come here," he seethed. "NOW!"
Irulan shook with a slight tremor. And then did something that seemed simply unbelievable to her mind. She inched closer to Legolas, who slowly sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes never leaving her. She remained a good distance away from him, though.
"Closer," hissed Legolas finally and Irulan bit down a whimper. She felt exactly 5 years old at the moment and her brain could not conceive how such a thing was possible. She inched closer some more. Suddenly the elf grabbed her arm and threw her onto the bed single handedly. Irulan gasped, stiffly remaining lying on her bed, her eyes only seeing his face that was looking down at her from his sitting position, much closer now.
"Legolas!" she managed to say a moment later, with the shock of his speed and strength.
The fingers he placed on her lips prevented her from further speech and the elf did not move or speak either, gazing down at her. For a while anyway. But things could get worse. Much worse. "You dared to lie to me, Irulan?" he said, the smoothness in his voice far more frightening.
"I'm sorry," she said hastily, swallowing again.
"Not nearly sorry enough yet," he whispered and the fear simply took her. She stood no chance against it, so she surrendered completely.
He looked at her long enough to see her open surrender to his dominant threat. And then he gazed some more, to seal the fear. Though it was an unthinkable thing to do during courting and in general to a woman, she had breached the bond of honesty. "Now," he whispered, but once again it held no emotion, "you will explain." His tone said that it was simply because HE decided it to be time, not because she wanted to.
And Irulan did. From the very first time the issue of David had occurred to her in the car, to the phone call and how she actually wanted to tell him the truth but how she then had changed her mind cause he had acted so rude and how the innocent lie had just turned into something....well...not so innocent. She tried to sit up, since her current position was rather awkward, but Legolas pressed her down without a word, using her discomfort to his advantage.
By the time she was finished, Irulan was about to cry. Never in her entire life had she felt so afraid and ashamed and the combination was a devastating sickness that gnawed at her heart. The fire emanating from Legolas' look was almost a tangible thing and enveloped her like a sizzling fever, seeping into her bones. It had been a mistake to think of him as a man. He was no man. Never had been. Never would be. He was a creature beyond her understanding. One that had slain orcs and faced evil in every form and had killed countless times. A slight tremble came over her again and she failed to suppress it completely. Though perhaps it was not an overly important thing done to someone else, to an elf of his status, it was almost sinful.
It may be hard to understand such values in our current setting. But although the time was modern, there was nothing "modern" about the Circle or the Eldar. Neither their values, nor their ways had changed that much and they refused to adapt to the world when it came to such things as honor, justice and blood. The Eldar continued their ways – they lived in peace, under the total reign of reason, ethics and idealism. The rule they exerted remained just and balanced. The old ways of the world might have died and things like respect and good manners might have died with them, but not to these secluded few, who persisted to keep their bonds clean and clear.
In that circle, what she did was downright betrayal. She had made a fool out of Legolas. He had almost begged her with good will for a chance or for a preference and every time, Irulan had held up the excuse of another, slapping it to his face. She had not given him an honest and true refusal. She had evaded him, making him look downright stupid. An elf! A warrior elf! A horribly proud warrior elf who had broken that shell only to court her! She gulped with the thought of that, the color of her shame rising to her cheeks as Legolas continued his silent inspection of her. "I am sorry," she whispered again, her voice shaking now very clearly.
"So am I," he said a long, long time later and it sounded final.
He rose then, almost dismissively, turning his back to her and the bed. Irulan slowly sat up, the tendency to cry almost overwhelming now. She pursed her lips, watching his back as he stood in statuesque stillness for a few minutes and her heart did this strange strangling-stopping thing over and over again.
Finally Legolas exhaled slowly and still not in full control of his emotions, decided to walk out. He did not turn around or address her, but silently left the room, and only when the entrance door to the hotel room clicked shut, did Irulan finally find the heart and the courage to cry like a little child.
***
