"Ever since the movie of the book Fellowship of the Ring came out, there seem to be two popular ideas about Elves' sex lives. Either they are radiantly asexual, or they are all screwing each other madly, along with any dwarves, hobbits, and men who happen along. Whichever you prefer is usually based on how attractive you think Orlando Bloom is." -Tyellas in "What Tolkien Officially Said About Elf Sex"
They began to walk towards the door when Carrie stopped. She realized that she had been being completely irrational with Legolas, getting angry when she thought he was jealous and had lied, and getting even angrier when it turned out he wasn't. And he had managed to calm her down and soothe her. Nobody had ever been able to do that to her before, when she had gotten into one of her moods. He turned then, realizing that she was no longer following him. She stood there grinning at him, no doubt partially because of her intoxicated state, until she managed to form a semi-coherent thought.
"You made me feel better," she said giddily to him. He looked at her, a bemused expression on his face, obviously not knowing exactly how to respond to that statement. She didn't say anything, but continued to smile daftly at him.
Finally, when it was apparent that she was not going to continue, he spoke. "For that, I am glad." He continued to look at her expectantly and Carrie once again tried to assemble her thoughts.
"What I'm trying to say is, well, you made me feel better." Legolas smiled hesitantly and raised his eyebrows at her and Carrie knew she had to do better than that if she wanted him to know what she meant. "I mean, you didn't get mad at me." She nodded and then added quickly, "Which was nice."
Legolas took a step towards her. "Why would I have?" he asked gently.
Carrie shrugged and shook her head. "I don't know. I mean, usually, every other…um…I mean… " She broke off and bit her lip. "It was just nice, that you didn't get mad at me for being mad at you."
He smiled at her. "That would have been senseless. It would have only served to increase your anger, and not solved anything."
Carrie just stood and looked intently at him. She looked in his eyes and realized that he was the only one who had ever been able to calm her down when she was on a rant such as she had just been. She realized that, physical attraction aside; he was exactly what she had always wanted. Ok, you couldn't really put the physical attraction aside.
Carrie took a step towards him and reached up and held onto his shoulders as she rolled up onto her toes. She gently kissed him on the cheek and then sunk back down to her flat feet. No, there was definitely no putting the physical attraction aside. Not with the way her blood was currently pumping through her veins or with the rate at which her heart was now beating.
"It was just nice," she said breathily. She did not take her hands off his shoulders and she felt him place his on her waist. "You made me feel better." She stretched up again and placed a lingering kiss on his mouth.
When she pulled away she gave him a smoldering look. "Let's not go inside. I have a better idea." He looked at her with his brows furrowed, a confused expression on his face. "Oh wait! I mean, lets go inside but not into the hall." 'Shit,' thought Carrie, 'I'm drunk and this is coming out all wrong.' "I mean, lets...oh wait." She took a deep breath and smiled up at him. "Why don't you walk me to my room?"
Legolas had been smiling at her attempt to say something that she was obviously having trouble with. That was until the last part. His smile left his face and he looked at her with an unreadable expression.
"I will walk you to your room if you wish." Carrie grinned at him in her drunken attempt at seduction. "But then I will bid you fair dreams and depart."
Carrie stopped smiling and her mouth opened. She took a step back from him, pulling out of his grasp and dropping her arms. "But..."
Legolas continued in an even tone, "You should not make this decision in your current state."
Carrie stared at him. "But..." Didn't he just say he cared about her? And back at Helms Deep, didn't he say that he needed her? And she definitely remembered him saying that life was too short not to go after what you wanted, meaning her. What happened? "But..." she repeated. She looked in his eyes and saw his resolve. He may have felt those things then, but it would not change what he intended now. Had she been more sober, she would have also seen his struggle to hold on to that resolve, and not give in to her extremely tempting offer.
"Fine." Carrie felt tears of rejection well up in her eyes. "I'll walk myself to my room." She stumbled away before Legolas could react and stop her.
She miraculously found her way to her room and threw herself on the bed. She lay there for quite a while, feeling sorry for herself, before she heard someone knocking. She got up, surprised to find herself fairly sober, and walked to the door.
Carrie opened the door and glared. "I suppose you're here to bid me 'fair dreams'," she mocked.
"You spoke to Eowyn," he said flatly.
Carrie looked at him with wide-eyed fear. "How did you..."
"I heard her speaking with Aragorn."
Carrie thought of all the things he could possibly have overheard. "I...I..." she stammered.
And suddenly he was kissing her. Carrie felt lightheaded from it, or maybe it was still the ale. He moved from her mouth down her neck to her shoulder, right next to the wide neckline of her dress. Carrie sighed heavily.
"What took you so long?" she murmured.
She felt him smile against her skin as he began trailing kisses around to the back of her neck. She felt him feeling for the fasteners to her dress. She turned and faced him and put his hands on the laces at her sides. He smiled at this, her silent consent, and began to untie the dress, his eyes never leaving hers. She leaned into his touch, the feel of his fingers on her side sending shivers up her spine.
He felt her tremble and stopped to regard her thoughtfully. "You are sure about this?"
"Oh yes." Carrie had never been so sure about anything else in her life. "Yes I'm sure." She saw him smile and it took her breath away. He bent back to place more searing kisses on her neck as he continued to unlace her dress. She waited for a moment before she asked tentatively, "Are you sure?"
He stopped again and looked at her pensively. He stood there for what seemed like an eternity, causing Carrie to wonder why he was hesitating. Right before she began to worry that maybe he wasn't sure, he spoke.
"I am." He smiled at her. "Aminirmca mel lle".
Carrie did not care what those words meant. Hearing him speak to her in his own tongue made her stomach flip. Knowing that he had feelings for her that he was unable to express in any language but his own fuelled her longing for him. She helped him finish removing the outer layer of her clothing and started to work on his.
They worked together on his outer tunic, their progress slowed by both of their needs to be in contact with each other, kissing and holding each other. They finally got it off and Carrie quickly pulled his under-shirt off over his head and tossed it aside. What she saw left her breathless. Here, standing before her, was the perfect male specimen. It was so innocent usually, seeing a man without a shirt, and yet now it made her weak in the knees. She suddenly thought about all her own perceived imperfections and became unexpectedly shy.
She unconsciously took a step back from him. He must have read the reason for her reaction in her eyes because he knew immediately what troubled her.
He stepped towards her and took her hands in his. "You are nervous?" All Carrie could do was nod. He smiled soothingly at her. "Don't be."
"Why not?" she asked. She could not see any reason why she should not be nervous.
"Because," he let go of her hands and reached up to cup her face. He looked deep into her eyes. "I love you too."
On hearing those words, no other thoughts entered Carrie's mind. She let go of everything she had been worried about previously and allowed herself to get washed away by the flood of passion that had overcome her. She pulled him in and kissed him fiercely. She barely noticed anything that was happening. She was only aware of him: his close proximity, his outdoorsy scent and the feel of his kisses against her skin.
"Legolas," she sighed, surrendering to her need to be with him.
It was as if this moment was the culmination of all other moments in Carrie's life up until that point. It was as if this moment was stretched for all eternity while all the others were a blink of an eye. Or maybe it was that this lasted merely a second and all of the others were an eternity leading up to it. However it was, it was the kind of moment in which you know that nothing will ever be the same afterwards. It was the kind that you refer to later on as life altering.
All life is, is a series of moments; some passing without much notice, some being scrutinized repeatedly for years to come. And sometimes, all of your life can be changed by just one of them.
Outside there was a war just on the horizon. Outside there was hate and fear and a growing threat. But inside that room, nothing else existed except Legolas and Carrie.
Thank you to my reviewers, and any lurkers who are also enjoying the story. I know that I am guilty of that sometimes, and I'm trying to get better at leaving reviews. I hope that some of my old reviewers who have disappeared are still reading and enjoying, and just don't have anything to say. Feel free to pop in at any time to say hi, let me know you're still here, or give any feedback. I live off reviews as much as the next author and am not ashamed to say it.
To those of you who continue to review, and to new reviewers, thank you, thank you, thank you. It means a lot that other people are gaining enjoyment out of this story.
Jack-Sparrow-Lover - Thanks for the review. Hey, you have to allow me some wish fulfillment. wink
BtchieChrissy - Wow, thanks for the praise, and the review!
PsychoPixie - Thanks for your review here and for Captain of the Guard. I'm glad that I amuse someone other than myself. I've had several similar tangents while drinking. I don't know, I think when you're drunk and you get something in your head, you tend to dwell on it, more so than when you are in a more rational frame of mind. At least I do, and apparently Carrie does as well.
Vanima Bliss - Hey, welcome to the story, I'm glad you found it and that you are enjoying it. I'm sure Legolas will keep her in line. He did pull her outside before she embarrassed herself too much before.