Chapter Twelve: I'm afraid.
I'll leave my room open till sunrise for you
I'll keep my eyes patiently focused on you
Where are you now, I can hear footsteps, I'm dreaming
And if you will, keep me from waking to believe this.
-blink-182, "I'm lost without you."
A/N: Hey Y'all! Guess what, today I graduated from eighth grade!! Oh yea...remember when I said things move at the speed of light? Keep that in mind, aight?
In the walls of the Keep many women and children were camped along the walls. It was a joyous reunion for some, but not for Melanie, Legolas, and Gimli, when they met Eowyn. She seemed to have developed an affection for Aragorn, and Melanie could not look her in the eye. She seemed to be on the verge of tears. Melanie and Legolas walked into the main building, (the actual Keep). She followed him wordlessly up stairs, and through passageways. It appeared that he knew where he was going. Then he led her into a room and closed the door. She saw it was a type of storage room, with wooden chairs and what appeared to be stored food. He sat down on a chair and looked at her. She bit her lip, wondering what on earth they were doing here. It didn't take her long to find out.
He sat there. So she pulled up a chair and sat too. He tried to speak twice, and twice failed to make a sound. Thoroughly bewildered, Melanie decided to speak.
"What are we doing here?" She asked.
Legolas looked around, as though seeing the room they were in first time. "I do not know," he said, eyes dim.
"Where is here?" She asked.
"I do not know," and he closed his eyes. For a minute, Melanie thought he was asleep. He was scaring her. Was he acting this way because of Aragorn? Yeah, no shit Sherlock.
"Legolas?" No response. "Legolas!" Still no response. "LEGOLAS!" There, he opened his eyes. That glazed look still had not gone away.
"I know that you're really upset, but you've got to hang in there."
"Why," he muttered.
"Why?!? Because the people need you. The King needs you. And, and, well, I need you." The glazed look flickered, and he looked at her.
"I am tired, Melanie," he said, and he slipped off the chair, and fell onto the floor, his eyes were closed. Melanie panicked.
'Are his eyes supposed to be closed? Is he dead?' She got off her chair and rested her head against his chest. She screwed up her eyes, blocking out the room. No, he still had a heart beat. So he was sleeping, or unconscious.
She ran out of the room. In the hallway, she called for help. She doubted anyone could hear her, no one was up in these rooms, and she didn't want to leave Legolas, she would never be able to remember where the room was. Melanie went back into the room, to find a still sleeping Legolas. She kneeled on the floor again. Damn, the stone floor is well, hard. And cold.
So, she tucked her feet under her body, and lifted Legolas's head in her lap. 'Thank God he's asleep.' she thought. Then she gave in to what was inevitable. She touched his face.
'He's so beautiful.' she thought, running her hand up and down his perfect forehead, perfect cheekbone, and perfect chin. Then her wondering hand, went to his perfect lips. She smiled. Melanie bent down and kissed him.
"I love you, did you know that?" she told him. No response, but then again, Melanie wasn't hoping for one. She wanted him to wake up, in more ways then one. She wanted him to touch her again. She wanted him to hold her. She wanted him. She wanted this god, this beautiful god, lying in her lap.
"Legolas, please please please wake up." Nothing. "Oh God, help me," she whispered. She squeezed her eyes shut, and forced her brain to go back to Earth, the church she attended for years, a prayer.
"Angel of God, My guardian dear,
To whom God's love, commits me here,
Ever this day, be at my side,
To light, to guard, to rule, and guide.
Please dear Lord, let him wake up."
She waited. It may have been days, hours, minutes, or seconds. Then, Legolas stirred. "Thank you God!" she cried to the ceiling, and looked down at Legolas, who was looking up at her.
"Melanie?" he said.
"Legolas," she said, breathing quickly. He opened his eyes wide, seeing where, and how, they were sitting. "I feel-as if-I am meant to be."
"Of coarse you were meant to be," she said her hand on his forehead, keeping him from getting up.
"I wondered the paths of dreams, and the Valar talked to me. They said I had to go back, and not all hope was lost. They said much, I could not understand all they were saying. They told me, something terrible would happen if I left."
"What would happen?" Melanie asked.
"You would die," he said, the corners of his eyes moist. She closed her eyes, and then smiled. Before Legolas could be frightened, she bent down and kissed him on his cheek. She grinned as she went lower to his ear. He shivered as she breathed on him.
"I am glad you decided to come back," she whispered. He shivered again as she drew away. Before she could get halfway back, he put his hand on the back of her head and brought her down on his lips.
After the initial shock of the kiss, she tried to pull away. "Legolassss..." she said. "We c-can't please-"
"Why can't we?" He said, looking up at her longingly. Her eyes widened, and it became clear what she thought he was intending.
"You know I would never take advantage of you, correct?"
"I don't think-" she began.
"I wouldn't." he said. "I would never hurt you." he said, as he sat up and rubbed the back of his head. He sat on his knees. "I only want to kiss you," Legolas said, "Will you let me?"
She licked her lips, loving the after effect of his kiss. She nodded her head. And he kissed her. Little kisses, trailing down her cheek until they reached her mouth. Then one long, passionate kiss.
Melanie couldn't take it anymore, and she broke the kiss. Her heart was beating fit to burst. She turned to look at Legolas, and found him looking extremely smug. Stupid little smug smile...grrrr! With a strangled growl, she moved toward him, and kissed him roughly. Tongue sliding out before he exactly knew what was happening. Just as he was about to kiss her back, she broke away, biting his lip as she went. When she pulled back, she saw his eyes were closed, and his mouth was parted. She gave a little giggle, and his eyes opened.
"You are incorrigible," he said, once he had recovered. Melanie giggled some more, and then quit.
"Like I said before, the king needs you. So let's go," she got up. He grabbed her hand and pulled her back down.
"The king does not need me that badly, or he would send for me. One of his advisors saw us coming up here."
"How would you know? You were really out of it." Legolas's eyes flashed.
"I only remembered because of you. I didn't want you to be in any danger, in case, of-"
"Let's not talk about this. You just really scared me," she said. Instead of making Legolas sober up, it made him grin.
"Let me make it up to you then," he said. He made to move closer to her and she back-crawled away, laughing. He followed her. Melanie continued to laugh and back away, her eyes never leaving his face. She backed into the stone wall.
He smiled a mischievous smile. "It appears you are trapped."
"It appears so."
He kissed her under her neck, leaving a cool trail of kisses downward. His hands were moving too, without Melanie noticing. His hands gripped her arms, and pinned them above her head. She let out a moan as he moved further down. Then one of his hands left the area above her head, and moved toward her tunic. He pushed it up, and his hand went under. He gently brushed his hand over her ribs, earning a giggle from Melanie.
"Ah, yes, I remember, you are ticklish," he said, grinning widely.
"Don't Legolas, I'm warning you . . . "
"What will you do?" He said, his hands on her ribs, but not lightly. They were pressing down slightly. His fingers reached all the way to her back. She didn't respond. She couldn't. Then his hands began a gentle, rubbing. She released a breath she did not realize she had been holding in. Melanie made a soft noise of comfort. Then Legolas's hands, which tend to wonder when he was with Melanie, did so. Wandering, up to her breasts.
"Stoppit!" she yelled. He withdrew his hand, looking bewildered.
"Melanie, I apologize for pushing you,"
"No, it isn't your fault, I'm just nervous. And everything I've ever been taught has told me that-this-what we're doing-is wrong."
"What we are doing is completely natural, although," he said, grinning a tad maliciously, "frowned upon. If you do not want to be bound in the usual elvish manner, then we shall have a wedding."
"What are you talking about? What's the usual elvish manner, and what do you mean a wedding?" she asked in disbelief.
"The elvish manner is when we commit the most sacred act of love," he said, voice going softer. Melanie paled slightly.
"Legolas, I'm only seventeen. I'm afraid of-" Legolas took her hand.
"You are a virgin, are you not?" He asked.
She blushed. "S'not any of your business."
Legolas's eyes narrowed. Heart pounding, he asked, "Have you-been- with another?" Melanie mumbled something he couldn't hear, even with his elvish ears. "Melanie, you must speak clearer, I cannot understand you when you do that."
"I haven't been with anyone, okay? Are you happy?"
"Extremely," he said. Melanie rolled her eyes and said, "What about you?"
"I am also. Elves do not give their heart away to just anyone. And that is why I am asking this question. It is alright to be afraid. I know I am."
This relieved Melanie . . . a little. "So, what are you willing to marry me?" she asked disbelievingly.
"I may be."
She opened her mouth. "You gotta be shitting me!"
"I may be." Melanie shook her head angrily.
"Why you, oh you, argh, you-"
Legolas gave a half-hearted smile. "No, I'm not 'shitting you'," he said. "My father is always pressuring me to marry, setting up matches with females that I have no wish to know. I'd rather have you than any of them."
Melanie wiped her mouth. There had been nothing about love in his proposal, but Melanie didn't care. True love was a fairy tale. If she could be with Legolas, she wouldn't worry about anything else. She loved him, and that's all that mattered.
"Sorry Leggy-baby, but the Mel train has left the station!" She jabbed her finger at the wall.
"What?"
"Oh, alright then," she said, trying to make her voice sound casual. She succeeded. But then she let out a squeal and hugged him, screeching, "omygodomygodomygodomygod!!!" That was all she could get out. He smiled.
"I am glad you are pleased. But now, I'm afraid, we really do have to return to the king." (Ha. Ha. "return to the king" and "return of the king" Ha. Ha. taps microphone This thing on?) Then he led the way downstairs, with light in his eyes and a leaping heart.
Please review . . .
I'll leave my room open till sunrise for you
I'll keep my eyes patiently focused on you
Where are you now, I can hear footsteps, I'm dreaming
And if you will, keep me from waking to believe this.
-blink-182, "I'm lost without you."
A/N: Hey Y'all! Guess what, today I graduated from eighth grade!! Oh yea...remember when I said things move at the speed of light? Keep that in mind, aight?
In the walls of the Keep many women and children were camped along the walls. It was a joyous reunion for some, but not for Melanie, Legolas, and Gimli, when they met Eowyn. She seemed to have developed an affection for Aragorn, and Melanie could not look her in the eye. She seemed to be on the verge of tears. Melanie and Legolas walked into the main building, (the actual Keep). She followed him wordlessly up stairs, and through passageways. It appeared that he knew where he was going. Then he led her into a room and closed the door. She saw it was a type of storage room, with wooden chairs and what appeared to be stored food. He sat down on a chair and looked at her. She bit her lip, wondering what on earth they were doing here. It didn't take her long to find out.
He sat there. So she pulled up a chair and sat too. He tried to speak twice, and twice failed to make a sound. Thoroughly bewildered, Melanie decided to speak.
"What are we doing here?" She asked.
Legolas looked around, as though seeing the room they were in first time. "I do not know," he said, eyes dim.
"Where is here?" She asked.
"I do not know," and he closed his eyes. For a minute, Melanie thought he was asleep. He was scaring her. Was he acting this way because of Aragorn? Yeah, no shit Sherlock.
"Legolas?" No response. "Legolas!" Still no response. "LEGOLAS!" There, he opened his eyes. That glazed look still had not gone away.
"I know that you're really upset, but you've got to hang in there."
"Why," he muttered.
"Why?!? Because the people need you. The King needs you. And, and, well, I need you." The glazed look flickered, and he looked at her.
"I am tired, Melanie," he said, and he slipped off the chair, and fell onto the floor, his eyes were closed. Melanie panicked.
'Are his eyes supposed to be closed? Is he dead?' She got off her chair and rested her head against his chest. She screwed up her eyes, blocking out the room. No, he still had a heart beat. So he was sleeping, or unconscious.
She ran out of the room. In the hallway, she called for help. She doubted anyone could hear her, no one was up in these rooms, and she didn't want to leave Legolas, she would never be able to remember where the room was. Melanie went back into the room, to find a still sleeping Legolas. She kneeled on the floor again. Damn, the stone floor is well, hard. And cold.
So, she tucked her feet under her body, and lifted Legolas's head in her lap. 'Thank God he's asleep.' she thought. Then she gave in to what was inevitable. She touched his face.
'He's so beautiful.' she thought, running her hand up and down his perfect forehead, perfect cheekbone, and perfect chin. Then her wondering hand, went to his perfect lips. She smiled. Melanie bent down and kissed him.
"I love you, did you know that?" she told him. No response, but then again, Melanie wasn't hoping for one. She wanted him to wake up, in more ways then one. She wanted him to touch her again. She wanted him to hold her. She wanted him. She wanted this god, this beautiful god, lying in her lap.
"Legolas, please please please wake up." Nothing. "Oh God, help me," she whispered. She squeezed her eyes shut, and forced her brain to go back to Earth, the church she attended for years, a prayer.
"Angel of God, My guardian dear,
To whom God's love, commits me here,
Ever this day, be at my side,
To light, to guard, to rule, and guide.
Please dear Lord, let him wake up."
She waited. It may have been days, hours, minutes, or seconds. Then, Legolas stirred. "Thank you God!" she cried to the ceiling, and looked down at Legolas, who was looking up at her.
"Melanie?" he said.
"Legolas," she said, breathing quickly. He opened his eyes wide, seeing where, and how, they were sitting. "I feel-as if-I am meant to be."
"Of coarse you were meant to be," she said her hand on his forehead, keeping him from getting up.
"I wondered the paths of dreams, and the Valar talked to me. They said I had to go back, and not all hope was lost. They said much, I could not understand all they were saying. They told me, something terrible would happen if I left."
"What would happen?" Melanie asked.
"You would die," he said, the corners of his eyes moist. She closed her eyes, and then smiled. Before Legolas could be frightened, she bent down and kissed him on his cheek. She grinned as she went lower to his ear. He shivered as she breathed on him.
"I am glad you decided to come back," she whispered. He shivered again as she drew away. Before she could get halfway back, he put his hand on the back of her head and brought her down on his lips.
After the initial shock of the kiss, she tried to pull away. "Legolassss..." she said. "We c-can't please-"
"Why can't we?" He said, looking up at her longingly. Her eyes widened, and it became clear what she thought he was intending.
"You know I would never take advantage of you, correct?"
"I don't think-" she began.
"I wouldn't." he said. "I would never hurt you." he said, as he sat up and rubbed the back of his head. He sat on his knees. "I only want to kiss you," Legolas said, "Will you let me?"
She licked her lips, loving the after effect of his kiss. She nodded her head. And he kissed her. Little kisses, trailing down her cheek until they reached her mouth. Then one long, passionate kiss.
Melanie couldn't take it anymore, and she broke the kiss. Her heart was beating fit to burst. She turned to look at Legolas, and found him looking extremely smug. Stupid little smug smile...grrrr! With a strangled growl, she moved toward him, and kissed him roughly. Tongue sliding out before he exactly knew what was happening. Just as he was about to kiss her back, she broke away, biting his lip as she went. When she pulled back, she saw his eyes were closed, and his mouth was parted. She gave a little giggle, and his eyes opened.
"You are incorrigible," he said, once he had recovered. Melanie giggled some more, and then quit.
"Like I said before, the king needs you. So let's go," she got up. He grabbed her hand and pulled her back down.
"The king does not need me that badly, or he would send for me. One of his advisors saw us coming up here."
"How would you know? You were really out of it." Legolas's eyes flashed.
"I only remembered because of you. I didn't want you to be in any danger, in case, of-"
"Let's not talk about this. You just really scared me," she said. Instead of making Legolas sober up, it made him grin.
"Let me make it up to you then," he said. He made to move closer to her and she back-crawled away, laughing. He followed her. Melanie continued to laugh and back away, her eyes never leaving his face. She backed into the stone wall.
He smiled a mischievous smile. "It appears you are trapped."
"It appears so."
He kissed her under her neck, leaving a cool trail of kisses downward. His hands were moving too, without Melanie noticing. His hands gripped her arms, and pinned them above her head. She let out a moan as he moved further down. Then one of his hands left the area above her head, and moved toward her tunic. He pushed it up, and his hand went under. He gently brushed his hand over her ribs, earning a giggle from Melanie.
"Ah, yes, I remember, you are ticklish," he said, grinning widely.
"Don't Legolas, I'm warning you . . . "
"What will you do?" He said, his hands on her ribs, but not lightly. They were pressing down slightly. His fingers reached all the way to her back. She didn't respond. She couldn't. Then his hands began a gentle, rubbing. She released a breath she did not realize she had been holding in. Melanie made a soft noise of comfort. Then Legolas's hands, which tend to wonder when he was with Melanie, did so. Wandering, up to her breasts.
"Stoppit!" she yelled. He withdrew his hand, looking bewildered.
"Melanie, I apologize for pushing you,"
"No, it isn't your fault, I'm just nervous. And everything I've ever been taught has told me that-this-what we're doing-is wrong."
"What we are doing is completely natural, although," he said, grinning a tad maliciously, "frowned upon. If you do not want to be bound in the usual elvish manner, then we shall have a wedding."
"What are you talking about? What's the usual elvish manner, and what do you mean a wedding?" she asked in disbelief.
"The elvish manner is when we commit the most sacred act of love," he said, voice going softer. Melanie paled slightly.
"Legolas, I'm only seventeen. I'm afraid of-" Legolas took her hand.
"You are a virgin, are you not?" He asked.
She blushed. "S'not any of your business."
Legolas's eyes narrowed. Heart pounding, he asked, "Have you-been- with another?" Melanie mumbled something he couldn't hear, even with his elvish ears. "Melanie, you must speak clearer, I cannot understand you when you do that."
"I haven't been with anyone, okay? Are you happy?"
"Extremely," he said. Melanie rolled her eyes and said, "What about you?"
"I am also. Elves do not give their heart away to just anyone. And that is why I am asking this question. It is alright to be afraid. I know I am."
This relieved Melanie . . . a little. "So, what are you willing to marry me?" she asked disbelievingly.
"I may be."
She opened her mouth. "You gotta be shitting me!"
"I may be." Melanie shook her head angrily.
"Why you, oh you, argh, you-"
Legolas gave a half-hearted smile. "No, I'm not 'shitting you'," he said. "My father is always pressuring me to marry, setting up matches with females that I have no wish to know. I'd rather have you than any of them."
Melanie wiped her mouth. There had been nothing about love in his proposal, but Melanie didn't care. True love was a fairy tale. If she could be with Legolas, she wouldn't worry about anything else. She loved him, and that's all that mattered.
"Sorry Leggy-baby, but the Mel train has left the station!" She jabbed her finger at the wall.
"What?"
"Oh, alright then," she said, trying to make her voice sound casual. She succeeded. But then she let out a squeal and hugged him, screeching, "omygodomygodomygodomygod!!!" That was all she could get out. He smiled.
"I am glad you are pleased. But now, I'm afraid, we really do have to return to the king." (Ha. Ha. "return to the king" and "return of the king" Ha. Ha. taps microphone This thing on?) Then he led the way downstairs, with light in his eyes and a leaping heart.
Please review . . .