**A/N: Thanks again for all the reviews! I'm glad that you seem to be
enjoying my story. Well, here's twenty-two, and it could seem boring to
some of you... it was intended as a sort of filler... but then again, it is
probably more interesting (and perhaps funnier, too) than the last.
Whoa, I think that I am slowly changing the behavior of my characters from elvish to that of modern-day humans. Sorry if that's what it seems like to you guys... sometimes I just can't help it. Anyway, hope you enjoy this one!
Chapter Twenty-Two:
Calathi flopped onto her bed after placing the letters on her bedside table. Right now, all she wanted was a nap. The excitement of the day was weighing down on her, and though she wanted to speak with Legolas, she couldn't keep her eyes open long enough to wait for him. *Oh well,* she thought. *I'll talk to him later...* She was very soon asleep, and the sound of her light breathing was lost in the rustle of the curtains. The weather was growing chilly as winter swiftly deepened.
Legolas stood in the doorway, savoring the sight of his love sleeping so peacefully. He had only just returned from his brief search of the gardens. His father was waiting for their wedding plans, but the Prince could not bring himself to wake the tired elf. Quietly he went to the bed and pulled the blankets over her, climbing on top when he finished. Gently he placed a sweet kiss on her forehead, and then he relaxed as he watched over Calathi's sleeping form.
* * * * *
Calathi sighed. When was the last time she had felt so comfortable? Had she ever even been this comfortable before? She knew she should get up - there were a lot of things she needed to decide with her love. *Aha,* she thought as her eyes came into focus and she smiled. *It was all his doing...*
Legolas' pure eyes were fixated on her, a dreamy, contented look in them. She knew that he was probably asleep; his face did not register the fact that she was awake. Carefully, trying not to wake him, she slid from his grip. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she saw her letters and remembered her errand. But as she reached toward the table she was suddenly yanked backward where she landed on the pillows with a grunt.
"You're not getting away that easily," Legolas, who had pinned her down onto the bed, said roughly.
The elf giggled and muttered, "I thought you were asleep."
"I was," Legolas returned. "But you can't leave me without my heart feeling the loss." He swept down upon her and kissed her fiercely. Calathi returned it, and was suddenly surprised when he pulled away.
"What...?" she whispered as she searched his face for a clue to his action.
He looked strained as he sat up. "We don't time for this yet. We must discuss a few important matters first."
"I see." Calathi snickered and ran her tongue over her full lips as she sat up and leaned toward him. "No time for... this?" she whispered. She was pressed so tightly against him that she could literally feel his muscles become tense as her warm breath tickled his ear. She lifted her hand and trailed a slender finger along his jaw as she asked again, "Are you sure?"
He moaned and turned to kiss her. This lasted several moments before he broke it again, leaving Calathi breathless and wishing for more. "Stop that," he ordered in a playfully stern voice. "I can hardly contain myself as it is."
"Ah," the maiden said thoughtfully, "so my first attempt at seduction was a success?"
"Nearly," the Prince responded.
"I suppose I'll have to try it again sometime then, won't I?" Calathi ran her hands through his silky hair and leaned toward him.
"There's no need, melamin," Legolas muttered as he pulled her face toward his. "I want you already." Their lips met yet again, and then Legolas pulled away in frustration. "Do you see what you do to me? If we are ever going to complete are plans we need to stop and talk now."
Calathi nodded in agreement. 'So when would you like the wedding to be held?"
"I would like it to be tomorrow," he stated, causing the other elf to laugh. "But I know that's a very unlikely scenario."
"Indeed it is."
"How soon do you want the ceremony to be?" he asked.
"That depends."
"On what?"
"How soon you want it to be."
"I asked you when *you* want to have it."
"And I said that I want to have it when you want to have it," she retorted.
"All right, you win. I want it as soon as possible. Is that okay with you?"
"It's just what I was thinking."
Legolas grinned. "Great. I think that the soonest my father will allow the ceremony to be is in three weeks, on the day of the Midwinter Festival. How do you feel about our engagement being announced to court tomorrow night at the Victory Feast?"
Calathi looked down, biting her lip. Once everyone knew that she was the future princess, they would treat her differently. Her tenseness did not go unnoticed by Legolas. He lifted her chin, staring directly into her eyes. "Amelamin, please, do not be worried about this. It cannot be helped. Everyone who knows you loves you, and everyone who doesn't will love you once they meet you. Trust me: you will be a great princess, and someday a great queen."
Calathi leaned forward and hugged Legolas tightly. "Thank you," she whispered. "I just hope that no one treats me like I'm fragile."
"You know that you're anything but fragile," the Prince assured as he released her.
"Yes, I suppose, but do they?"
"If they don't then I will tell them. The battle was proof enough for me."
Calathi shuddered, remembering her nightmares, which she had yet to tell her love of. "Tomorrow night it is, then."
Legolas grinned. "Yes, though I do not know if I can wait three weeks before I can really express my love for you."
The elven maiden grinned back. "Then don't," she said simply. Legolas' surprise was openly displayed on his face.
"Are you sure you mean that?" he asked tentatively. She nodded, still smiling, and so he gently laid her back on the bed. He kissed her tenderly, and she wrapped her arms around him, enjoying even the taste of her love. His mouth trailed down her neck to the edge of her gown as Calathi began to unbutton his green tunic. At this point he reached for the clasp of her gown, fumbling for a moment before it finally came undone.
Then...
Yep. You guessed it.
KNOCK KNOCK.
Legolas was off the bed in one abrupt motion and stomping toward the door in the next, his tunic still open to reveal his incredibly hard (A/N: sorry, I just have to include this... and HOT) chest. He yanked it open just as Calathi finished reattaching the binding of her gown, and he glared at the King.
"Yes, Father?" he grumbled through clenched teeth.
"May I come in? I would like to speak with my future daughter." Legolas stepped aside and Thranduil entered, not missing the fact that his son was nearly on his way to being undressed. Calathi, who was standing by then, took a step forward and curtsied.
"Your Highness."
"Ah," he said, smiling, "I see that you are adapting to royalty protocol nicely. I am sure you will make quite the Princess. However, there is no need for you to be so polite with me, for we will soon be family." He hugged Calathi briefly and she smiled in spite of herself. The King had turned out to be nicer than she thought he would. Now she was positively sure that she would enjoy being a Greenleaf.
"Am I to announce the happy news tomorrow?" he asked the couple expectantly. Legolas nodded impatiently, eager to be left alone again with his future wife. "And did you decide when you wish to have the wedding?" Legolas nodded again, and Calathi elbowed him inconspicuously in the ribs.
Thranduil quickly coughed to cover up his laughter, and Calathi answered his previous question. "Is the Midwinter Festival to your liking, my Lord?"
The King frowned briefly. "Isn't that a bit soon?"
"It's not soon enough," Legolas muttered, barely stifling a cry when he received another elbow in the gut. He looked at Calathi, who was glaring sternly at him, and sighed. "That is when we would like it, Father."
"Is that so?" Thranduil glanced at the female elf and she nodded her agreement, wondering if the King would allow it. "All right then," he consented - Calathi just barely kept herself from jumping up and down in glee. "You realize that this means that everything must be prepared quickly - including your bridal gown, my dear. I shall send the seamstress to your quarters tomorrow to discuss the design so she may begin the work."
"Thank you, Lord." She curtsied again.
"You are always welcome. You should get to bed - it's getting late, and you will probably be up late tomorrow night. That includes you too, Legolas." The Prince nodded reluctantly. "Come along, then - you can sleep in your own bed tonight." Calathi blushed and gave Legolas a quick kiss goodnight, and then, somewhat shyly, offered a hug to her soon-to-be Father-in-law, who accepted happily.
The two were just about to leave when she remembered her letters. Quickly she grabbed them and ran back to the King. "Please, my Lord, could you send these to my friend and parents in Ilinar? I would like them to hear the news from me, rather than gossip that spreads through Mirkwood."
Thranduil readily accepted them. "I shall send my fastest messenger." Calathi thanked him once again and watched them go: one pleased King and an extremely frustrated Prince.
****What'd ya think? Review please!
Whoa, I think that I am slowly changing the behavior of my characters from elvish to that of modern-day humans. Sorry if that's what it seems like to you guys... sometimes I just can't help it. Anyway, hope you enjoy this one!
Chapter Twenty-Two:
Calathi flopped onto her bed after placing the letters on her bedside table. Right now, all she wanted was a nap. The excitement of the day was weighing down on her, and though she wanted to speak with Legolas, she couldn't keep her eyes open long enough to wait for him. *Oh well,* she thought. *I'll talk to him later...* She was very soon asleep, and the sound of her light breathing was lost in the rustle of the curtains. The weather was growing chilly as winter swiftly deepened.
Legolas stood in the doorway, savoring the sight of his love sleeping so peacefully. He had only just returned from his brief search of the gardens. His father was waiting for their wedding plans, but the Prince could not bring himself to wake the tired elf. Quietly he went to the bed and pulled the blankets over her, climbing on top when he finished. Gently he placed a sweet kiss on her forehead, and then he relaxed as he watched over Calathi's sleeping form.
* * * * *
Calathi sighed. When was the last time she had felt so comfortable? Had she ever even been this comfortable before? She knew she should get up - there were a lot of things she needed to decide with her love. *Aha,* she thought as her eyes came into focus and she smiled. *It was all his doing...*
Legolas' pure eyes were fixated on her, a dreamy, contented look in them. She knew that he was probably asleep; his face did not register the fact that she was awake. Carefully, trying not to wake him, she slid from his grip. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she saw her letters and remembered her errand. But as she reached toward the table she was suddenly yanked backward where she landed on the pillows with a grunt.
"You're not getting away that easily," Legolas, who had pinned her down onto the bed, said roughly.
The elf giggled and muttered, "I thought you were asleep."
"I was," Legolas returned. "But you can't leave me without my heart feeling the loss." He swept down upon her and kissed her fiercely. Calathi returned it, and was suddenly surprised when he pulled away.
"What...?" she whispered as she searched his face for a clue to his action.
He looked strained as he sat up. "We don't time for this yet. We must discuss a few important matters first."
"I see." Calathi snickered and ran her tongue over her full lips as she sat up and leaned toward him. "No time for... this?" she whispered. She was pressed so tightly against him that she could literally feel his muscles become tense as her warm breath tickled his ear. She lifted her hand and trailed a slender finger along his jaw as she asked again, "Are you sure?"
He moaned and turned to kiss her. This lasted several moments before he broke it again, leaving Calathi breathless and wishing for more. "Stop that," he ordered in a playfully stern voice. "I can hardly contain myself as it is."
"Ah," the maiden said thoughtfully, "so my first attempt at seduction was a success?"
"Nearly," the Prince responded.
"I suppose I'll have to try it again sometime then, won't I?" Calathi ran her hands through his silky hair and leaned toward him.
"There's no need, melamin," Legolas muttered as he pulled her face toward his. "I want you already." Their lips met yet again, and then Legolas pulled away in frustration. "Do you see what you do to me? If we are ever going to complete are plans we need to stop and talk now."
Calathi nodded in agreement. 'So when would you like the wedding to be held?"
"I would like it to be tomorrow," he stated, causing the other elf to laugh. "But I know that's a very unlikely scenario."
"Indeed it is."
"How soon do you want the ceremony to be?" he asked.
"That depends."
"On what?"
"How soon you want it to be."
"I asked you when *you* want to have it."
"And I said that I want to have it when you want to have it," she retorted.
"All right, you win. I want it as soon as possible. Is that okay with you?"
"It's just what I was thinking."
Legolas grinned. "Great. I think that the soonest my father will allow the ceremony to be is in three weeks, on the day of the Midwinter Festival. How do you feel about our engagement being announced to court tomorrow night at the Victory Feast?"
Calathi looked down, biting her lip. Once everyone knew that she was the future princess, they would treat her differently. Her tenseness did not go unnoticed by Legolas. He lifted her chin, staring directly into her eyes. "Amelamin, please, do not be worried about this. It cannot be helped. Everyone who knows you loves you, and everyone who doesn't will love you once they meet you. Trust me: you will be a great princess, and someday a great queen."
Calathi leaned forward and hugged Legolas tightly. "Thank you," she whispered. "I just hope that no one treats me like I'm fragile."
"You know that you're anything but fragile," the Prince assured as he released her.
"Yes, I suppose, but do they?"
"If they don't then I will tell them. The battle was proof enough for me."
Calathi shuddered, remembering her nightmares, which she had yet to tell her love of. "Tomorrow night it is, then."
Legolas grinned. "Yes, though I do not know if I can wait three weeks before I can really express my love for you."
The elven maiden grinned back. "Then don't," she said simply. Legolas' surprise was openly displayed on his face.
"Are you sure you mean that?" he asked tentatively. She nodded, still smiling, and so he gently laid her back on the bed. He kissed her tenderly, and she wrapped her arms around him, enjoying even the taste of her love. His mouth trailed down her neck to the edge of her gown as Calathi began to unbutton his green tunic. At this point he reached for the clasp of her gown, fumbling for a moment before it finally came undone.
Then...
Yep. You guessed it.
KNOCK KNOCK.
Legolas was off the bed in one abrupt motion and stomping toward the door in the next, his tunic still open to reveal his incredibly hard (A/N: sorry, I just have to include this... and HOT) chest. He yanked it open just as Calathi finished reattaching the binding of her gown, and he glared at the King.
"Yes, Father?" he grumbled through clenched teeth.
"May I come in? I would like to speak with my future daughter." Legolas stepped aside and Thranduil entered, not missing the fact that his son was nearly on his way to being undressed. Calathi, who was standing by then, took a step forward and curtsied.
"Your Highness."
"Ah," he said, smiling, "I see that you are adapting to royalty protocol nicely. I am sure you will make quite the Princess. However, there is no need for you to be so polite with me, for we will soon be family." He hugged Calathi briefly and she smiled in spite of herself. The King had turned out to be nicer than she thought he would. Now she was positively sure that she would enjoy being a Greenleaf.
"Am I to announce the happy news tomorrow?" he asked the couple expectantly. Legolas nodded impatiently, eager to be left alone again with his future wife. "And did you decide when you wish to have the wedding?" Legolas nodded again, and Calathi elbowed him inconspicuously in the ribs.
Thranduil quickly coughed to cover up his laughter, and Calathi answered his previous question. "Is the Midwinter Festival to your liking, my Lord?"
The King frowned briefly. "Isn't that a bit soon?"
"It's not soon enough," Legolas muttered, barely stifling a cry when he received another elbow in the gut. He looked at Calathi, who was glaring sternly at him, and sighed. "That is when we would like it, Father."
"Is that so?" Thranduil glanced at the female elf and she nodded her agreement, wondering if the King would allow it. "All right then," he consented - Calathi just barely kept herself from jumping up and down in glee. "You realize that this means that everything must be prepared quickly - including your bridal gown, my dear. I shall send the seamstress to your quarters tomorrow to discuss the design so she may begin the work."
"Thank you, Lord." She curtsied again.
"You are always welcome. You should get to bed - it's getting late, and you will probably be up late tomorrow night. That includes you too, Legolas." The Prince nodded reluctantly. "Come along, then - you can sleep in your own bed tonight." Calathi blushed and gave Legolas a quick kiss goodnight, and then, somewhat shyly, offered a hug to her soon-to-be Father-in-law, who accepted happily.
The two were just about to leave when she remembered her letters. Quickly she grabbed them and ran back to the King. "Please, my Lord, could you send these to my friend and parents in Ilinar? I would like them to hear the news from me, rather than gossip that spreads through Mirkwood."
Thranduil readily accepted them. "I shall send my fastest messenger." Calathi thanked him once again and watched them go: one pleased King and an extremely frustrated Prince.
****What'd ya think? Review please!