CH XI. Secrets of a man
'You know what the most beautiful thing I have ever seen is? The stars. the shining jewels of a cloudless night, their mystery, their light, and their history. And you're my favourite,' Narond talked to his daughter at his side. Undowen sighed and leaned back against her father on the bench where he sat, watching the sky. She had returned from Lothlarian with the wonderful news. Her father knew, Aldaron knew, everyone knew to whom Eldarim belonged. Narond continued bringing Undowen out of her thoughts 'Like diamonds they are yet you're more beautiful, more precious.' She returned to her thoughts and remembered Galadria's words 'You know the truth as well as I. I have seen the past and the future. For the future, much pain and sorrow will come but you will encounter great passion and love before that time comes. In the past, I recall, your child, my dear, has blood from the man standing at your right.' She memorized the look on his face when she turned to Aregnor and a tear rolled down her cheek. He looked so happy that he could have cried but he held back and took her in his arms. Moments later, Aldaron threw himself onto Aregnor and tried to harm him. Undowen fell aside as the surrounding elves tried to pry them apart and warned them they would shoot with their bow if none would stand still. Undowen stood before them and told them not to shoot. Aregnor did not take this aggression lightly and refused to let go of his grasp. Aldaron menaced him with a knife and stabbed him a few times, tearing at his flesh until Aregnor punched him and knocked his lights out. Undowen helped Aregnor up and before the Elves could reach Aldaron to secure him, he looked at Undowen and stabbed himself in the heart. Undowen turned away at the sight and when he gasped for air, blood spurred out of his mouth. He had taken his life. When he drew his last breath, the Elves carried him in the forest to bury his corpse. As they lifted him, a note fell from his cloak. 'To my Undowen: The sadness of loosing you was too cruel to bear, I will pray for your happiness.' She had already reached happiness. It was no use to withstand the meaning. Aregnor had said 'he should pray for forgiveness.' She pondered about the day that lay ahead when all her kin would sail to the grey havens. She had talked a lot with her father, just not about the way she loved Aregnor, deeply now more than ever. He knew it already but never brought himself to admit it. He looked at his child and seeing the wistful look on her pretty face, he wondered what she was thinking. 'Undowen?' A deep but clear voice asked by her side. -'Yes father', she gave him a rare smile that made his face shine. -'What troubles you, dear child?' his voice echoed. -'Nothing,' she retorted quickly without thinking. -'You love him.' It wasn't a question as much as a statement. She stirred a bit. -'So much it hurts', she whispered. 'It is why I didn't want to marry Aldaron.' Narond took a deep breath and rested his head in his hands. He would never shed a tear but Undowen sensed the sadness in his voice. -'I'm sorry. You were right,' He said aloof. 'He was enraged and now may he rest in his grave. I am thankful that my daughter was not hurt.' -'Father.' -'I should have talked to you. It's just that. as much as I love you, Aregnor and you both, I just couldn't bring myself to accept it. Many times I have seen you together and Eldarim is his child but still, I don't want to leave without you.' -'I know you mean well when you ask of me to leave but I must stay. I want to stay' she buried her face in his shoulder, 'with him.' -'Have you not love for me also?' he asked raising his brow. -'I love you so much, daddy,' she soothed. She kissed his cheek and embraced him. -'Then, I will not tell you there is nothing here for you. I will let you stay because I love you enough to let you go.' -'Thank you.' -'Even if this is the hardest thing I've even been prone to do.' -'I know, Daddy.' The wedding day finally arrived and all the Elves and Men were gathered to celebrate the union of Aregnor, king of Gondir with his fair elven princess, Undowen and the courageous Legalos, prince of Merkwood with his silven love, Amaranth. All had come to Gondir for this occasion and were dressed delightfully. Legalos wore black trousers with a light beige and silver shirt that ended to his knees and Amaranth wore a satiny light-blue dress with a long trail. Her face was veiled as was Undowen but she wore a white laced gown with sparkling stones sown in the fabric. Her maid stood beside her with Eldarim, now 8 weeks old. Aregnor looked spruce in his dark- blue royal garments and glanced at his son. A tall man spoke before them '.And here stands two pairs of beautiful young loves wishing to marry and remain forever in felicity.' During the vows, Undowen thought, in her mind, that this was exactly what souls wander eternity for; the complicity of two people.
Aregnor looked deeply in her eyes and told her 'A man without a wife is but half a man, will you make me a man?' They gave each other the rings. Hers was made of white gold with an angel-shaped diamond and his was a simple silver band with an inscription in elvish that said "in entulesse o umbar" (the return of fate). She had goose bumps, as Aregnor's lips tasted hers.
Legalos quivered in happiness as he vowed 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder and my heart will continue to explode in your presence, me lote (my flower)'. Amaranth received a ring with a flower carved sapphire and Legalos got a band with small green stones carved as leaves all around it. His gentle hand came up to brush against Amaranth's cheek as they kissed.
That evening, the four lovebirds had private rooms that none were permitted to disturb: Undowen entered her future bedroom and Aregnor followed closing the door behind him.
'I shall satisfy my wife,' he whispered against her temple when she turned to him.
'This way, blue eyes,' she told him firmly and Aregnor followed willingly. Aregnor crawled onto the bed with her, kissing her neck fervently, glad to discover she tasted the way he had remembered. Undowen slid his vest off his shoulders and broke their kiss to pull his shirt over his head, throwing it aside. She turned lightly to let him undo the laces of her dress. He slipped out of his trousers as she gave him a playful shove and he fell back on the bed, laughing. Then she stretched out over him, covering his face and throat with kisses. He kept chuckling as she stroked and kissed his bare chest.
Standing there, watching her, Legalos wanted to lie down next to her and hold her. He wanted to wake up in the morning with her arms around him with her scent on his clothes. He wanted her face to be the first thing he saw in the morning, the last thing at night. On his way in, he had opened the light to get accustomed to the room. He craved her. An instant later, he shut off the light and climbed into bed next to her, and roamed up her leg, placing small kisses on the inside of her thigh. In the tangle of sheets her hand found his.
Aregnor was pressed up against the dark waves that tumbled down Undowen's back. He loved her long hair and played with it, following the strands all the way down to her lower back. She turned slightly and smiled at the gesture. She shifted to put her head on his chest and pretended to sleep, listening to the sound of his heart beating, steady and strong. He watched her, comforted by the gentle rise and fall of her back - she was here, this was real, it hadn't been a dream. Hours later, she reached up and traced his chiselled jaw with the tip of her index finger. She had not needed rest but he had gone fast asleep. He swallowed in his sleep. His Adam's apple bobbed up, then down. He cleared his throat and sighed. Her hand moved back and forth across his torso.
'What time is it?' she asked.
-'Time to start over,' he replied looking down at her face resting on his chest.
-'Again?' she retorted, knowing, of course, that they both knew she was always up to it. She took the occasion to pull him on her and felt the weight of his body on hers. He loved watching her. Her dark hair contrasted with her fair beauty. He tasted the small valley between her breasts.
They lay in silence, Legalos and Amaranth exhausted but unable to sleep. The reception had made Legalos dizzy and in darkness, his thoughts cleared. In the dim light coming from the torches burning outside the window, he could see her eyes shining, staring at the ceiling. He stared at her and noticed an uneven strand of hair going down her face that hid her nose. Her beautiful little nose. He studied her. She had her right arm stretched out on the pillow and her wrist resting on her forehead. Her could see her chest slowly rising and descending as she breathed. He shifted to his side and bending his elbow, he held his head in his hand. He hovered over her for a while letting her fragrance enter him. She gazed at him and licked her lips as she touched the length of his lower lip with the tip of her thumb.
'What is it, me lisse (my sweet)?' he asked. 'What passed through your mind?'
-'I was thinking of how badly I wanted a baby soon after loosing ours.' When she spoke, her voice was quiet, so quiet he almost couldn't hear her.
-'We should have spoken about this. 'tis painful for me also.'
She brushed her hand down his face, went towards him to kiss and after doing so, she sat up in the bed. The sheets had slid down her body and her back was uncovered. She had goose bumps and shivered lightly. He came up behind her and let her sit back on his bare chest. His flesh was warm and soft.
-'I. I still want a child,' she said deliberately.
-'And I, my lady, am willing to do anything to please you.' She felt the grin in his voice.
She turned to him and pressed her chest against his, bringing her legs around his waist and sitting in his lap. He reached behind her and pulled the sheets over their heads. She laughed and he told her 'I am yours,' while he entwined his fingers with hers. He began dropping the softest kisses over her cheeks and a series of feathery kisses along her shoulders and neck. She closed her eyes enjoying the attention he lavished on her. When he stopped, her eyes fluttered open. Facing each other they made love as Legolas' chest heaved in pleasure and Amaranth sighed deeply at the intense sensations of their bodies joining.
'You know what the most beautiful thing I have ever seen is? The stars. the shining jewels of a cloudless night, their mystery, their light, and their history. And you're my favourite,' Narond talked to his daughter at his side. Undowen sighed and leaned back against her father on the bench where he sat, watching the sky. She had returned from Lothlarian with the wonderful news. Her father knew, Aldaron knew, everyone knew to whom Eldarim belonged. Narond continued bringing Undowen out of her thoughts 'Like diamonds they are yet you're more beautiful, more precious.' She returned to her thoughts and remembered Galadria's words 'You know the truth as well as I. I have seen the past and the future. For the future, much pain and sorrow will come but you will encounter great passion and love before that time comes. In the past, I recall, your child, my dear, has blood from the man standing at your right.' She memorized the look on his face when she turned to Aregnor and a tear rolled down her cheek. He looked so happy that he could have cried but he held back and took her in his arms. Moments later, Aldaron threw himself onto Aregnor and tried to harm him. Undowen fell aside as the surrounding elves tried to pry them apart and warned them they would shoot with their bow if none would stand still. Undowen stood before them and told them not to shoot. Aregnor did not take this aggression lightly and refused to let go of his grasp. Aldaron menaced him with a knife and stabbed him a few times, tearing at his flesh until Aregnor punched him and knocked his lights out. Undowen helped Aregnor up and before the Elves could reach Aldaron to secure him, he looked at Undowen and stabbed himself in the heart. Undowen turned away at the sight and when he gasped for air, blood spurred out of his mouth. He had taken his life. When he drew his last breath, the Elves carried him in the forest to bury his corpse. As they lifted him, a note fell from his cloak. 'To my Undowen: The sadness of loosing you was too cruel to bear, I will pray for your happiness.' She had already reached happiness. It was no use to withstand the meaning. Aregnor had said 'he should pray for forgiveness.' She pondered about the day that lay ahead when all her kin would sail to the grey havens. She had talked a lot with her father, just not about the way she loved Aregnor, deeply now more than ever. He knew it already but never brought himself to admit it. He looked at his child and seeing the wistful look on her pretty face, he wondered what she was thinking. 'Undowen?' A deep but clear voice asked by her side. -'Yes father', she gave him a rare smile that made his face shine. -'What troubles you, dear child?' his voice echoed. -'Nothing,' she retorted quickly without thinking. -'You love him.' It wasn't a question as much as a statement. She stirred a bit. -'So much it hurts', she whispered. 'It is why I didn't want to marry Aldaron.' Narond took a deep breath and rested his head in his hands. He would never shed a tear but Undowen sensed the sadness in his voice. -'I'm sorry. You were right,' He said aloof. 'He was enraged and now may he rest in his grave. I am thankful that my daughter was not hurt.' -'Father.' -'I should have talked to you. It's just that. as much as I love you, Aregnor and you both, I just couldn't bring myself to accept it. Many times I have seen you together and Eldarim is his child but still, I don't want to leave without you.' -'I know you mean well when you ask of me to leave but I must stay. I want to stay' she buried her face in his shoulder, 'with him.' -'Have you not love for me also?' he asked raising his brow. -'I love you so much, daddy,' she soothed. She kissed his cheek and embraced him. -'Then, I will not tell you there is nothing here for you. I will let you stay because I love you enough to let you go.' -'Thank you.' -'Even if this is the hardest thing I've even been prone to do.' -'I know, Daddy.' The wedding day finally arrived and all the Elves and Men were gathered to celebrate the union of Aregnor, king of Gondir with his fair elven princess, Undowen and the courageous Legalos, prince of Merkwood with his silven love, Amaranth. All had come to Gondir for this occasion and were dressed delightfully. Legalos wore black trousers with a light beige and silver shirt that ended to his knees and Amaranth wore a satiny light-blue dress with a long trail. Her face was veiled as was Undowen but she wore a white laced gown with sparkling stones sown in the fabric. Her maid stood beside her with Eldarim, now 8 weeks old. Aregnor looked spruce in his dark- blue royal garments and glanced at his son. A tall man spoke before them '.And here stands two pairs of beautiful young loves wishing to marry and remain forever in felicity.' During the vows, Undowen thought, in her mind, that this was exactly what souls wander eternity for; the complicity of two people.
Aregnor looked deeply in her eyes and told her 'A man without a wife is but half a man, will you make me a man?' They gave each other the rings. Hers was made of white gold with an angel-shaped diamond and his was a simple silver band with an inscription in elvish that said "in entulesse o umbar" (the return of fate). She had goose bumps, as Aregnor's lips tasted hers.
Legalos quivered in happiness as he vowed 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder and my heart will continue to explode in your presence, me lote (my flower)'. Amaranth received a ring with a flower carved sapphire and Legalos got a band with small green stones carved as leaves all around it. His gentle hand came up to brush against Amaranth's cheek as they kissed.
That evening, the four lovebirds had private rooms that none were permitted to disturb: Undowen entered her future bedroom and Aregnor followed closing the door behind him.
'I shall satisfy my wife,' he whispered against her temple when she turned to him.
'This way, blue eyes,' she told him firmly and Aregnor followed willingly. Aregnor crawled onto the bed with her, kissing her neck fervently, glad to discover she tasted the way he had remembered. Undowen slid his vest off his shoulders and broke their kiss to pull his shirt over his head, throwing it aside. She turned lightly to let him undo the laces of her dress. He slipped out of his trousers as she gave him a playful shove and he fell back on the bed, laughing. Then she stretched out over him, covering his face and throat with kisses. He kept chuckling as she stroked and kissed his bare chest.
Standing there, watching her, Legalos wanted to lie down next to her and hold her. He wanted to wake up in the morning with her arms around him with her scent on his clothes. He wanted her face to be the first thing he saw in the morning, the last thing at night. On his way in, he had opened the light to get accustomed to the room. He craved her. An instant later, he shut off the light and climbed into bed next to her, and roamed up her leg, placing small kisses on the inside of her thigh. In the tangle of sheets her hand found his.
Aregnor was pressed up against the dark waves that tumbled down Undowen's back. He loved her long hair and played with it, following the strands all the way down to her lower back. She turned slightly and smiled at the gesture. She shifted to put her head on his chest and pretended to sleep, listening to the sound of his heart beating, steady and strong. He watched her, comforted by the gentle rise and fall of her back - she was here, this was real, it hadn't been a dream. Hours later, she reached up and traced his chiselled jaw with the tip of her index finger. She had not needed rest but he had gone fast asleep. He swallowed in his sleep. His Adam's apple bobbed up, then down. He cleared his throat and sighed. Her hand moved back and forth across his torso.
'What time is it?' she asked.
-'Time to start over,' he replied looking down at her face resting on his chest.
-'Again?' she retorted, knowing, of course, that they both knew she was always up to it. She took the occasion to pull him on her and felt the weight of his body on hers. He loved watching her. Her dark hair contrasted with her fair beauty. He tasted the small valley between her breasts.
They lay in silence, Legalos and Amaranth exhausted but unable to sleep. The reception had made Legalos dizzy and in darkness, his thoughts cleared. In the dim light coming from the torches burning outside the window, he could see her eyes shining, staring at the ceiling. He stared at her and noticed an uneven strand of hair going down her face that hid her nose. Her beautiful little nose. He studied her. She had her right arm stretched out on the pillow and her wrist resting on her forehead. Her could see her chest slowly rising and descending as she breathed. He shifted to his side and bending his elbow, he held his head in his hand. He hovered over her for a while letting her fragrance enter him. She gazed at him and licked her lips as she touched the length of his lower lip with the tip of her thumb.
'What is it, me lisse (my sweet)?' he asked. 'What passed through your mind?'
-'I was thinking of how badly I wanted a baby soon after loosing ours.' When she spoke, her voice was quiet, so quiet he almost couldn't hear her.
-'We should have spoken about this. 'tis painful for me also.'
She brushed her hand down his face, went towards him to kiss and after doing so, she sat up in the bed. The sheets had slid down her body and her back was uncovered. She had goose bumps and shivered lightly. He came up behind her and let her sit back on his bare chest. His flesh was warm and soft.
-'I. I still want a child,' she said deliberately.
-'And I, my lady, am willing to do anything to please you.' She felt the grin in his voice.
She turned to him and pressed her chest against his, bringing her legs around his waist and sitting in his lap. He reached behind her and pulled the sheets over their heads. She laughed and he told her 'I am yours,' while he entwined his fingers with hers. He began dropping the softest kisses over her cheeks and a series of feathery kisses along her shoulders and neck. She closed her eyes enjoying the attention he lavished on her. When he stopped, her eyes fluttered open. Facing each other they made love as Legolas' chest heaved in pleasure and Amaranth sighed deeply at the intense sensations of their bodies joining.