Disclaimer: I own nothing!
***********Chapter 22*************
Legolas laid on his bed silently, trying to reach for the deep slumber with his mind. But his mind had other ideas. He couldn't stop thinking of what Eressa had almost accused him of.
Seducing her…He thought. That's ridiculous. Or is it?
Out of the corner of his eye, Legolas looked at Eressa. She was turned over, not facing him. Maybe the thought of seducing a girl as young and tempting as Eressa wasn't so ridiculous. She was attractive, for a human at least. She wouldn't be comparable to an elf maiden, of course, but compared to the humans Legolas had spent his time with recently, she was certainly the most beautiful.
Instantly Legolas scolded himself. No wonder Eressa thought he was interested in her. He shouldn't be thinking this way.
******Flashback
Eressa pushed herself away agains the stone wall with a cry and flung up an arm to defend herself, but the elf was too fast. He caught it in his hand and held it there with an iron grip. Instictively her other hand flew up but Legolas caught this one too. She was trapped.
Scared to death, Eressa flailed and fought as hard as she could, but to no avail. The elf's grip didn't falter one bit. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth to scream then realized that Legolas hadn't moved since he had captured her. Opening her eyes she saw the elf staring at her with serious concern on his face. The flame was gone.
Legolas looked at her one last moment before suddenly letting her go.
******End Flashback
Legolas closed his eyes tightly as he remembered that moment. He now admitted that frightening Eressa was not the ultimate solution to finding out what she was hiding. Not only because it obviously frightened her, and could therefore damage the trust she had for him, but also…because it frightened him too.
Legolas had quickly found after he had pinned Eressa to the wall and confirmed her obvious fear in him that…that he didn't want to stop there. Somehow doing that made him want to continue, but he was easily able to resist the urge and let her go. But his mind still ached with the fact that he did not want to let go. And it shamed him to think of what he had been tempted to do, even if he didn't do it.
What's becoming of me? Legolas asked himself. Am I starting to become more like a human?
The thought disgusted him. The last thing he wanted was to become like one of them.
But Eressa…He thought. She wasn't like that. She didn't take and give nothing back. And neither did Eredor. But that could be excused because they were slaves. It seemed to Legolas that the only humans who weren't cruel and selfish were the ones ruled by others. Owned. Like him.
Legolas shifted on his bed, carefully as to not make the boards creak and disturb Eressa. He hadn't let her know it this time, but his back was giving him trouble again. He had received many lashes from the whip this day. And in addition to that, it was sore from working on the new arena. Curdolin's men had not been kind to him. They seemed to take considerable delight in causing him pain and taunting him and his race.
They'd think differently if I was the one with the whip in hand, Legolas thought coldly, and then instantly was ashamed. He was starting to think and act like one of the humans.
I have to get out of this place…He thought for what must have been the thousandth time. He turned his head and looked at Eressa. We have to get out of this place.
********
Eressa laid there, trying to sleep. But every time she closed her eyes, she saw the image of Sauron from her dream. Felt his touch. Heard his voice.
You will love me…as you love yourself…it echoed.Eressa tried with all her willpower to do what Legolas had told her to do before and banish the dream from her mind. But it wasn't working.
Suddenly she felt someone's eyes on her. There were no other person's in the room, so it had to be Legolas. Why was he looking at her? She could feel his eyes on her back, and she suddenly became very cold as a harsh wind blew thru the window above her head and poured cold air into the cell.
Eressa shivered. She'd never get to sleep with the elf staring at her and the cold air hovering around her. Reaching over she grabbed the end of the blanket she was laying on and wrapped the material around her. The blanket offered some comfort from the cold.
"Eressa, do you want the bed tonight?" Came Legolas's soft, musical voice. "There is no draft over here."
Eressa turned around with some difficulty while wrapped in the blanket. "But then you'll get cold."
The elf sat up and placed his feet on the ground. "The elves do not feel the cold, to some consent. I will be fine."
Eressa blinked. She didn't know that! That must have been useful during the winter. "Do you want the blanket then?" She asked. "It will make the ground more comfortable."
"No. I'd rather have something else."
Eressa looked up at the elf strangely. "But I don't have anything else. What do you want?" Was he still playing mind games with her?
Legolas's mouth twisted into a smile. "What else can a women give to a man?"
Eressa gasped but then shook her head. "Legolas, stop it! You know what you wanted to know, so stop tormenting me with your acts!"
"Who said I was acting?" The elf inquired. He took a step forward, and Eressa took a step back.
"Legolas stop it!" Eressa said as her back was pressed against the wall. "I'm warning you…"
Suddenly Legolas stopped in his tracks, in the center of the room. His face became sad and disappointed.
"I told you that I wouldn't touch you if you didn't want me to." He said grimly. "Why do you continue not to believe me?"
"Because you keep doing this and it scares me!" Eressa countered.
"I know, Eressa. I know exactly how much I frighten you. But you miss the point." The elf said, shaking his head. "I said 'I wouldn't touch you if you didn't want me too.'"
Eressa caught his hint and reacted strongly. "I don't want you to!" She said, but her voice was weak.
"You do. I can feel it." Legolas whispered. He walked up to her and stood so close that their bodies were almost touching and looked into her deep green eyes. Then he leaned over and whispered against her ear. "You want me to. And I will. And then you'll want it even more."
Eressa listened to his words, and did not move. She didn't push him away, though she could have. Why? She asked herself. Why not push him away? Why not scream? Why not fight?
"Because you know better than that. You want better than that." Legolas said, his lips against her hair. Was he reading her mind? How did he know her thoughts?
"I know a lot more than you think." The elf continued, her thoughts once again reaching his ears. His hands came up and grasped her shoulders, pressing her against the wall again. "For example, you like it when I do this."
His lips slid from her ear down her jaw and to her throat, caressing the skin there. Eressa could feel her heartbeat thump against her ribcage. Legolas felt it too, and she felt him smile against her neck. Then he continued with his work.
Eressa gasped when she found his hands running down her sides and back, pressing her to him. She closed her eyes and sighed, when suddenly Legolas stopped and pulled away.
Eressa found herself reaching to him, and missing his touch, his warmth. Her confusion shone in her eyes, and the elf chuckled.
"You see? You cannot hide the truth, Eressa." He reached out with a hand, touched her cheek and Eressa found herself leaning into his touch. Legolas's eyes turned toward her again, burning with desire.
"Tell me you want me, Eressa." He said softly…seductively. "And I promise that all your dreams will be fulfilled."
Eressa blinked suddenly. "Dreams?" She repeated. Then she realized.
This is a dream! I'm having another dream, aren't I? She thought.
The Dream-Legolas pulled away his hand, staring at her. He had heard her thoughts and knew that she had figured him out. Suddenly he changed form, from that of a beautiful elf to that of a monster. In an instant, Sauron himself stood before her.
You are more clever minded that I thought you to be. The evil creature growled. But I won't cease. This will not be the last time we meet, child. You will love me. And all the world will be mine again.
With that being said, the Dark Lord vanished in a flash of light, and Eressa found herself on the floor of Legolas's cell.
With a gasp, Eressa sat up and looked around. Her breathing was heavy and her heartbeat frantic. Legolas's blanket was flat on the ground, not wrapped around her like it had been in her dream. She must have fallen asleep before she dreamt that. Legolas himself was laying flat on his bed, eyes open, not blinking. He was asleep.
Thank goodness I was dreaming again…Eressa thought. They are so dreadful. And so real.
Finally Eressa laid back down, reaching around and wrapping the blanket around her. She could see the moon shining above her through the window. She must have been asleep for at least a few hours. Curling up in a ball to hold out the cold, she closed her eyes bravely.
Leave me alone…I don't want to dream anymore…I don't want to dream…She repeated over and over in her mind.
Finally the thoughts in her head slowed as her mind went blank. Finally, Eressa achieved a dreamless sleep.
**********Personal thing*************
AN: I know I know, it's too short! But give the author a break, ok? After all, she's a) recovering from not getting a good part in the school musical, b) mad as hell because her picture was not featured in the yearbook when she was a main character in the musical last year and practically everybody else's picture was, c) trying to get over the crush she's had since that musical last year who was at the football game last night, (he's so lucky he locked his friggin' doors on his friggin' car or else he'd have a nice surprise sitting in the backseat!) d) dealing with her family cuz her mom's got and eye problem, and her dad needs knee-reconstruction surgery in two days, and e) is still trying to find a date for homecoming.
I'm sorry if I'm crabby, but I've been going thru a lot more than I'm used to at once. Which I know for many other people (and maybe some of you) isn't much at all, but it's enough to stress me out. And I'm sorry if the chapters are short, but that's the way they are for now. Some of them will be longer, others short.
As for the contents of the chapter…I bet a lot of you are wiping your foreheads and going, "thank god that was a dream!" Me too…um…was that graphic enough? For now, at least? I want to write good love scenes (not that this was actually a real love scene) but I don't want to be so graphic I gross out people. Ok, let's put it this way: I want to be able to write more graphically to please you wonderful peoples, but I want to be tasteful about it too. Tips and advice would be greatly appreciated and rewarded with a night with your choice of either Will Turner or Jack Sparrow at a fancy-pantsy hotel in L.A.
Will and Jack: *bound and gagged on the floor* Mmm-hum! Mumph-hum-mmm!!!
Author: Quiet you. Once again I thank you guys for all the support you've given me. It means a lot to me. More than my crush. (Curse him!) Thanks guys for putting up with me! I love you all!
Now to respond to the reviewers the right way:
Whitecoyote: Hey! Thanks! I'm glad I got them to get everything out in the open too! I was have a hell of a time trying to figure out how to have Legolas and Eressa let (some of) their true feelings out! Yay for you getting to see Pirates again!! Yup. December 2nd. I'll update soon!
Truffles: Shh!! You aren't supposed to know what happens in the next chapter! LOL.
Ayriel Greenleaf: Wow. You are good. To tell you the truth I was a bit rushed with this chapter, but I'm already at 21 chapters in the story and I'm still at the beginning! I see Legolas as cocky, kinda. I mean he is a prince. And he is spoiled. Thanks for the compliments and the advice. It's the most helpful type of review when it contains both compliments and advice. Again, thanks!
Nikki: Ok, ok. I get it. I will never move out of my parents house. At least not until they start threatening me with bodily harm they're so eager to get rid of me.
I'm so sorry about your kitty! I hope you're ok! I'm sorry for you. Deepest sypathies.
Thanks! And yep, I'm not telling you anything about the stuff between Lego and Eressa. Bye now!
The Noble Platypus: Aleka is gonna be helpful. Sorry my answers are giving you more questions! But all will be answered eventually…I promise!
Sorry it was so short!
Yes, Legolas was acting kind of rashly, frightening Eressa like that. But he's going thru a lot of changes. He'll keep changing as the story goes on.
I'm glad the misunderstanding is done too!
You're not cheating with LotR! I like it that you have the real names! And besides, how the heck are you gonna make "Galadriel" into a one sylible word? I can't friggin' spell!
I'll update as soon as I can!! Bye now, and thanks!
itaridle-elenastar: Thanks for the compliments!! Yeah, my brain would be fried if I had to move too! I don't think I could ever even think of moving. I love where I live. Wisconsin, I mean.
I will keep updating and I will keep up the action! If everybody got what they wanted, there would be a million Legolas and Orlando clones in the world! And I would have a night club in my basement where all the hottest stars came to party!! And hey! Nobody throws rotten veggies at my reviewers! *throws veggies back* Thanks so much!
Bye!
Lollipop5: Thanks! I think Legolas is cute too, and thanks for complimenting on my plot. Sauron will be making another appearance soon….Bye!
XxDarkgoddessxX: Hey 8th person! (Yep, we are so going to a hundred!) Um…your computer did that cut off thing again. It cut it off write after you said that Inuyasha cut Sesshoumaru's arm off. But I'll respond to what you wrote before it did that. Which like, I already did so I can say nothing…Um…oh hell, I'll just give you my e-mail.
roseblade22@yahoo.com
Really original, ain't it? Well, I hope your computer doesn't cut off e-mails too! I'll love you forever if you answer my questions! And since you love questions I might ask you later as I grow more and more confused!
And I know that ff.net is picky about e-mail addresses and websites, so if it doesn't show up correctly, basically it's just my penname, but the R is not capital, the 'at' symbol, and yahoo.com. Got it? Good. Thanks for putting up with your computer and me girl! I wuv you!
Samwise the Strong: *smacks Leggy, a nice hard one* Yay for the Two Towers on DVD!!! Yay for you getting to see Pirates again! I still have to take my friend Hayley to see it, she hasn't seen it yet. Yes, Johnny is the hottest man eva! Besides Orlando, in my opinion. GAH! Sorry about not joining your URL group! I will do that! I've just been really busy with my school and musical auditions….I'll go do that right now! *runs after you, catches you, and pokes you in the sides till you beg for mercy* I'll see you around!
Aldulin: Gee, thanks a bunch! It always impresses me when someone likes my story enough to read all 21 chapters of it! Thank you so much! I'm glad you like it because I'm suspecting that this story will run at least 40 chapters once I'm done. And if that's not enough, I'm planning a sequel. Thanks for showing the support! The next chapter should be up within the week! Bye now!