"You're late" Arwen greeted Legolas at her door, she was wearing a thin silk peignoir, loosely tied, soft slippers and very little else. Legolas blinked. It was almost indecent.
"You did not have to send a servant to get me, if he talks of tonight it could promote… gossip." He said, pointedly.
"He will not talk." Answered Arwen, giving the servant a meaningful glance, she dismissed him with a wave of her hand, and then turned back to her visitor with a smile. "And he has naught to talk of anyway… Come now Legolas, stop fretting and enter, we have much to discuss" she stepped away from the door to allow him entry. "and he night is already getting old."
******
Arwen led Legolas through the dark anterooms of her quarters straight to her own bedchamber. It was pleasantly warm—with the fire piled high with logs, and well lit—numerous oil lamps burning in their brackets.
Legolas looked around with interest, he had never been in any of the Ladies' rooms before. And they were quite different to the men's, well to his at least. Arwen had a capacious four poster bed, hung with heavy drapery, and a thick shag pile on the floor; his bed was single and simple, and his floor was wooden. He wondered if someone was trying to tell him something. Not that it mattered really, he wasn't one for creature comforts (which was a good thing as often he would go without seeing a bed, single or otherwise for years on end) and he thought carpets were just plain silly—imagine all the effort it would take to clean them if something, like blood, say, got spilt on them? He could be doing without that, thank you very much.
"Wine, Legolas?" murmured Arwen, offering him a goblet, he accepted graciously and took a sip. It was nice, a little too sweet for Legolas' taste, but still nice.
"The wine is to your liking?" the Elven Princess had poured herself a glass also from the silver decanter, and was now watching him with a curious smile on her face, goblet pressed lightly to her chest.
"Aye, my Lady, it is." Answered Legolas, taking another sip to show his sincerity.
Arwen's grin widened. "Good" Slowly, and deliberately, the she-Elf tipped her glass upside down, spilling the wine all down her chest. She raised her eyes to meet Legolas', and smiled alluringly "Woops"
******
Legolas sighed and sat up, brushing locks of damp hair away from his flushed face. He bent and retrieved his long robe from where it had been hastily discarded and, shrugging it on, turned to face Arwen.
She was already clothed in a silken nightgown, and, facing away from him, was running a silver backed comb through her mussed tresses. Legolas felt he should say something, it was only polite.
"Lady, I--- " he faltered. What exactly did one say to a Lady after making love? Was he supposed to engage her in small talk? Maybe make a witty remark about what had just happened? It was not a concept he was familiar with. Not that he'd never lain with a woman before. He had, of course, on numerous occasions; it's just that normally they'd gone to sleep after, or just got up and left…ai! I'm out of my depth!
She still wasn't speaking. He decided to try again. "My Lady, tonight was.." he cleared his throat, despite his best efforts, he still felt embarrassed. "tonight was.. most enjoyable, most enjoyable indeed… however, one thing plays on my mind: Aragorn-"
"Is my betrothed and the holder of my heart, Legolas. I love him, and none other." Arwen cut in smoothly. Legolas was completely nonplussed.
"But… I do not understand"
Arwen sighed "It's really quite simple Legolas. Estel is away much of the time, he is a Ranger, after all, and cannot devote the time to me that I require from a mate. I quite understand why of course, and do not begrudge him that, but I have certain… instincts that will not be quieted. Indeed should not be." She turned to look at him. "We should not deny our carnal desires Legolas, it is quite unhealthy. Therefore I satisfy myself with attractive males—such as yourself—and Estel is none the wiser to my discontent. " Arwen shrugged and returned to combing out her hair, she looked as if she'd just had to explain that the sky was blue, or that rocks were hard.
Legolas pursed his lips, he guessed it made a weird kind of sense, but it was something he himself would think up, not a respectable Lady like Arwen Evenstar. Do not be such a hypocrite Legolas, a little voice in his head said it's not exactly like you're the respectful Elf you claim to be… haven't you learnt not to take people on face value yet? Idiot.
Shut up he told himself angrily
Hahaha the voice taunted talking to yourself little Elfling? Well now I never thought you'd resort to that... first sign of madness y'know? Although I don't think you were quite compos-mentis to begin with were you?
'Little Elfling' there was only one person who ever called him that Legolas realised with horror
You! Get out of my head you stinking bastard!
Ho ho ho. I'm not in your head, Elfling, it's the crystal, it's how we communicate with it; trough thought. Ingenious is it not?
Oh fabulous Legolas thought acidly wonderful, just what I need, the goddamn stinking excuse for a Wizard clogging up my thoughts—
Do not forget that this 'goddamn stinking excuse for a Wizard' can hear everything you are thinking, Elfling, the Wizard sounded (although, technically speaking Legolas couldn't actually hear him) incredibly smug. It made something awful occur to Legolas.
How long have you been listening to my thoughts he wondered suspiciously. He could here the Wizards cackling laughter in reply
Long enough, Legolas—
Why you—
"Legolas, why are you talking to yourself?" Arwen's sceptical voice brought him out of his reverie. She had moved and was now standing over by the door, hands clasped behind her back, head tilted quizzically.
Legolas shook his head, he could still here Crickhen's mordant laughter in his head; it was most off-putting. "Forgive my insolence Lady, but I have a lot on my mind…"
"Then perhaps you had better retire. I hear you are leaving tomorrow morning, you should be fully rested for your journey."
Legolas nodded and stood, glad for an excuse to be gone, he walked towards the door, and Arwen moved to make way for him, he stepped though, but froze as he felt the cold metal bite of a blade pressed into the small of his back. Slowly, carefully, he raised his arms and turned round.
Arwen was before him, the silver-etched hilt of a black dagger held in her slim hand was pointing directly at his heart. Legolas stared at the dagger in mortification and disbelief. It was… his, the one he had lost earlier that night, how in the name of the Valar had Arwen managed to get her hands on it?
Legolas slowly raised his eyes to hers; as cold an unforgiving as steel. "My lady?" he said calmly.
"Did you know Legolas, that earlier tonight one of my lades-in-waiting was found dead in the woodland not a mile from where we are standing?" said Arwen conversationally. Legolas didn't know what to say, so he just raised his eyebrows in what he hoped was polite miscomprehension. Arwen continued. "Yes, and do you know how she was killed? A dagger. Straight through her heart. Isn't that awful, Legolas?" she continued not even waiting for his reply. "And do you know what I found, when I was out walking? This little dagger, not a few feet away from the corpse" (Legolas wanted to ask why Arwen was out by the dead girl alone, but he wisely kept it to himself) "Don't you think it's a little bit of a coincidence that I find 'your' dagger—and it is yours isn't Legolas—right next to the girl?"
Legolas' mouth had gone dry, and sweat had popped out on his palms, and was rolling down his back, it was like all the moisture had evaporated from his mouth and had materialized at every other point on his body, although for some bizarre and fortunate reason, not on his brow.
"Are you accusing me of murder?" he said evenly.
"Are you denying it?"
*******
Hahahahaha… I am leaving it there!! Mwahahahaha.. how evil of me. I'm sorry, but I am incredible rushed at the moment, what with my GCSEs in full swing and revision and the rest :S anyway, sorry to keep you hanging but.. tough.
To reviewers:
Thanks for all your lovely comments and encouragement, it makes my day getting reviews, I thrive on recognition… hehe, but if you do have an constructive criticism to make, please do! I honestly need all the help I can get, and am not easily offended, all comments will be taken into due consideration, and thanks once again for taking the time to read and review my work, greatly appreciated :P
Ok.. personal comments. Orderly and Optism: how long, well organised me has a chapter plan written out, it might not even go to that plan knowing me, but I've got it to 10 chapters (11 counting prologue) if that's too long, then I'll condense it down for ya, k? J
Addicted and Obsessed I complain because I am! Lol. Has Crickhen got an obsession for Legolas…. Hehehe I guess it depends on your interpretation on 'obsession' :P
Fireweilder and Mebrireth: thanks huns, you're too nice to me!:P