A/N: Thank you to all of my reviewers! You guys are wonderful. And just because you are so wonderful, here is another chapter!
Chapter 23- Progress
Any female can make a mockery out of an honorable, noble, loyal and valiant male, even if the female does not intend it.
Legolas sighed to himself, thinking of the phrase again for what seemed the millionth time. He had been left alone for most of the morning and now the afternoon to sit and ponder the interaction he had with Emlin while she was cleaning and bandaging his wound. She was a particularly wise elleth, despite her rather short-lived years. After speaking with her, he realized that she was indeed different, and he had failed to recognize that she had grown so much in ways that were not outwardly visible. However, these differences did not make him feel adverse to her in anyway. As a matter of fact, they oddly endeared him a great deal more to Emlin and the thought of loving her. Emlin was no longer the young elleth who was completely governed by her rash emotions, though he had seen evidence that she still acted on her emotions quite a bit.
She did not know how true she was when she had said that a female can make a mockery out of a male. Rather, though, Legolas found that it was not the female exactly that made the fool out of a male. It was the love of the female that did it. It was his feelings of love that he could not come to terms with that had made him a fool around her. While it was hard for him to admit such a thing to himself, it was true. Love had made him the biggest tomfool in all the history of Middle-earth and somehow had an affect on him that made him act horribly to said love instead of the way he should have.
He could have said he was scared. He could have thought that he was being a less than good friend to Haldir and Indilisse when he acted unsavory to Emlin. Or he could have said he did not believe it was love and only infatuation- to justify his acting badly... but now he could not deny the real reason. Legolas figured he had not the experience of such severe pangs of love before, and it was a great deal for him to comprehend, even as old as he was. He had to laugh at himself. What would Emlin say if she knew she was his first real love?
Maybe he would tell her one day. Right now, though, he was just intent on showing her that he did love her in all the ways a person should.
There was scuffling outside the door and the knob turned slightly, whoever was on the outside pausing for a moment. He hoped beyond all hopes that it was Emlin come to check up on him and felt rather angry when the door was pushed back to reveal the diabolical handmaid. Legolas looked at her briefly and rested back on the pillows, "I had forgotten you came with us."
"It is appropriate for a handmaid to travel with their lord or lady," Nindë replied, setting a tray of food beside him on a low wooden table. "Especially if they are the chief handmaid."
He did not say anything to her as she pulled a chair up and sat in it to look at him. Legolas looked back at her oddly, not understanding why she was sitting beside him; looking down at him. He hated the fact that he had to play the conceited lord around one of his servants, but it seemed to him that not even when he treated Nindë as the lowest life form in Middle-earth did she get the picture that he wanted nothing to do with her. First he had tried to be nice about giving her the cold shoulder, but gradually it progressed to where it was now- complete intolerance and snappy remarks. Yet she still did not understand he wanted nothing to do with her!
Truthfully, he had to admit he had nearly given into his bodily urges a few years back in Ithilien when he was at one of his lowest points of loneliness, and maybe that had given her hope. He was not so dense as to completely forget what she almost did to Indilisse and Haldir. That thought constantly remained in the back of his head every time he saw her. Sometimes he just wished for a way to banish her forever, even though she did seem a good handmaid.
"Why do you sit?" Legolas questioned.
"To help you with your meal." Nindë replied, taking a goblet and filling it with dark wine from the crystal decanter.
He looked at her in disbelief and chuckled, "I am quite capable myself."
"Your healer, what is her name..." Nindë said quietly.
"Emlin?" He asked.
"Aye, Emlin." She nodded her head, "She bid me to come do this."
Unfortunately for Nindë, Legolas knew Emlin well enough to know she would never order such a service when he was more than capable of moving around. And even if he was not, she still would have made him suffer a little bit because he snuck out of the Houses of Healing. "I do not think that Emlin would order such a thing."
"Well, she did." Nindë said, standing up. She motioned for him to sit up so she could reposition the pillows so he would be upright for the meal. However, she was completely inappropriate about the manner, getting caresses and touches in anywhere she could manage as she moved the pillows about.
He had been so preoccupied with trying to calm himself enough so he did not outright yell at Nindë, that he did not hear the door open. It was not until he heard the sharp intake of breath and an, "I am sorry, I shall come back later," that he looked up at the door. Perfect, just perfect! Now he would have to explain this to Emlin as well.
"No, Emlin, wait!" Legolas called in time to see the almost closed door open again and Emlin's eyes peeked around the heavy door. Nindë had stopped, but he felt her hand resting on his shoulder. He cringed and pushed it away. "My handmaid was just leaving."
"My lord..." Nindë said slowly, almost bitterly as though she were extremely angry with the situation.
Legolas wished he could jump up and run to Emlin, but the last thing he wanted was to anger her for leaving the bed. "Emlin, please come in."
Emlin sighed heavily and stepped fully into the room, looking directly at him. She held a new bandage in her right hand, along with a bowl of something in her left and a leather bound book in the crook of that arm. Nothing was said as she breezed into the room and past Nindë to place the bowl of some type of liquid on the table next to his uneaten meal.
"Nindë, would you please step back? I need to check his wound." Emlin asked politely, though there was quite a bit of unfriendliness in the way she spoke to Nindë. He could not blame Emlin, as it appeared they had already met. The handmaid did not move and almost seemed frozen with astonishment that Emlin had asked such a thing from her.
"Nindë, you may excuse yourself." Legolas said in deadpan voice, glancing quickly at Emlin. Nindë looked between them, letting her bottom lip drop slightly in condescension and a slight scoff escape her throat before turning on her toes. She walked towards the door, and made sure to slam it a little harder than she probably should have.
Legolas grumbled to himself and looked up at Emlin again, finding that her usually soft features were riddled with confusion. Emlin glanced down at him, "What did I do to her? Do you accept such impertinence from handmaidens?"
"No, I do not." Legolas said, "But Nindë is the only one who is like that. The others I am quite friendly with."
"If I was interrupting something, I could have come back, Legolas." Emlin said and found the seat Nindë had been in. She took the book from her arm and placed it beside the bowl.
He chuckled, "All you were interrupting was another persistent attempt to take advantage of my male Elven attributes... oh and my power as well. She thinks I have some great prestige being Lord of Ithilien and Prince of Eryn Lasgalen."
She giggled, "Do you not, Legolas?"
He shook his head, "They are but titles in a sea of people and really mean nothing in the end. I assist in deciding what is best for Ithilien, but it is Faramir and Aragorn who truly have precedence there. And in Mirkwood, my father has rule. Basically I am just a glorified advisor with unearned titles."
"You earned Lord of Ithilien, Legolas." Emlin replied and began to undo his tunic. "Lest we forget the deeds you did accompanying Aragorn. Gimli is deserving of his posts as well as Lord of the Glittering Caves."
"Have you heard of the Dwarf recently?" Legolas questioned.
She chuckled as she unwrapped the bandage. "You are his friend, Legolas, not I."
"I have not heard from him since he left for the Caves again." Legolas sighed, "There must be pressing matters to be dealt with."
"Of course." Emlin said quietly and concentrated on his injury. It grew so quiet in the room that he could hear the faint rumbling of thunder in the distance even within the thick stone walls of the palace. Legolas was glad to see that his wound was healed, though there was a slight line of bright pink where the gash had yet to close completely, but the pain was gone. She glanced up at him, "You will have to leave your tunic off for the night. Or wear something that cannot cover this. I am not putting another bandage on."
He smiled, "Not to worry, Aiwamin, I hardly ever sleep with anything on."
She blushed fiercely and dipped the cloth she had brought into the bowl. "Really, Legolas, I did not need to know that much."
"You did not need to know it, but you wanted to know." He replied.
Emlin shook her head and placed the damp cloth to his skin. It felt warm and soothing to the touch, as though the liquid was a special position to catalyze the healing. He shifted uncomfortably, though, because it felt odd on his muscles. She removed the cloth and glanced up at him. "It is like a mix of tea, but it lessens the appearance of scars if you are to have one."
"It is fine. It felt odd, though." He said and watched as she rolled the cloth up and sat back in the chair for a moment. Legolas took the moment to sit up slightly and remove his tunic all the way and fold it slightly to set beside him on the bed. Emlin stood up then and reached over him to pick up the garment. She carried it to the wardrobe nearby and sighed as she carefully hung it within the wooden confines. "Emlin, you do not need to do that. I will have my handmaid come in later to do it."
She chuckled and glanced at him, raising a brow, "I would not be a very good friend if I left you in the clutches of a handmaid who wishes to take advantage of your 'male Elven attributes'. I believe that is what you called them... unless of course that is what you want from her."
Legolas shook his head vehemently, "Nay, that is the last thing I want."
"That is what I thought." She said and turned to close the wardrobe door.
"What is this book for?" He asked.
Emlin glanced at him, "I was going to visit the library tonight. It is nice to sit by the large fireplace and read by the light. Especially when there is threat of a storm. Which reminds me, do you wish to have your balcony doors open?"
"Actually, that would be quite lovely." Legolas replied. "I have been a good elfling and stayed in my bed the entire day."
She laughed and walked to the balcony doors. Emlin threw them back as a light gust of wind blew into the room and ruffled the drapes, carrying with it the faint scent of rain on the horizon. The room was slowly growing darker for the night, he figured from a cloud cover, and Emlin went about lighting the many candles within the room. A fire in the small fireplace had been started earlier by a servant on his duties to go to the occupied rooms to begin a fire to keep the room heated, but Emlin moved the wood within it a little to keep the fire going.
He watched with great interest as she moved around so deftly... so sure... of herself. She commanded the room and knew exactly what she was doing, not complaining about anything and doing what was needed. It reminded him of his mother when he was small; how she would go about his room to make sure everything was tolerable for the night. He had never seen this maternal side before, and he was utterly impressed. Emlin would make a good mother when the time came for her. The question was: Would it be to his children? And if so, would he be a good father?
Emlin came back to sit in the chair, "So, have you been a good elfling?"
"You think this is funny." He said, realizing that he was no longer able to stare at her in a dreaming way or she would begin to question it. Besides, it would be odd coming from him anyway. "I did not wish to be tied to the bed with hithlain."
She laughed, "Who said I would tie you to the bed with hithlain?"
"You did in your own 'roundabout' way." Legolas looked at her and let a lazy smile cross his lips.
"I did not mean to imply hithlain." Emlin smiled mischievously. "Maybe with long silken cloths, but not hithlain. It is too rough."
He was sure that his eyes bulged slightly as he heard her say that. He could not believe that his pure-of-heart Emlin would think of such a thing to say. "I cannot believe..."
She laughed, "Legolas, you forget who my uncles are, and that Valandir is my friend as well. Elrohir was always good for an indecent comment or two."
"I suppose you are right, but that does not mean... no, never mind." Legolas chuckled, "I just have much to learn about you yet, Aiwamin."
Emlin smiled and looked down at the tray of food. "You are not hungry?"
"Not very, but I have not gotten around to the food yet." He said. "The effects of the lembas I had late last eve have not completely worn off."
"Oh." Emlin said and reached for her book, "Well, I will not be bothering you. There is a warm spot in the library waiting for me."
Legolas sighed. It was now or never. "There is a warm spot here and waiting for you, Emlin. Please stay with me. It has been quite boring with no one to speak to the entire day."
"Maybe you do not understand the finer points of reading. It usually involves no communication."
"Just someone staying with me is enough."
She gave him a strange look and glanced at the chair, debating what she would do. "Fine, I will stay."
He watched her start to sit in the chair, but reached out and grabbed her arm. "I did not mean in the chair, Aiwamin. I meant on the bed."
"Legolas, that is inappropriate." Emlin said with her voice barely audible.
"We are friends, are we not?" He questioned. "It is far more comfortable on the bed than in that chair."
She considered that for a moment, "Are you sure?"
Legolas nodded his head, though he felt slightly ashamed for using this tactic in such a way just to feel her body beside his. "Aye, I am sure."
Emlin sighed and walked around to the other side of the large bed, carefully sitting down on the overstuffed mattress and kicking her slippers off so she did not dirty the bedcovers. She glanced at him again, and her eyes met his, as though she could not decide if it was right to do this or not. With another heavy sigh and a shake of her head, Emlin slowly inched closer to him, straightening her dress around her legs and resting back against the pillows.
"I promise I will not eat you, Emlin." Legolas smiled warmly and placed a hand on her cheek. "I am not the unbearable troll you think I am."
"I do not think you are a troll, Legolas." She said and looked down at the book in her lap. "It is just odd after ten years and practically no contact with you to be lying beside you in your bed."
He nodded his head, "True."
Emlin swallowed slightly and turned to him, "Would you wish to read as well?"
"What is it?" He questioned.
"My mother's journal." Emlin said, "The second one anyway. There are three in total."
"Why did she give you her journals?" Legolas asked.
She shrugged, "I suppose to warn me of all the problems I will face in life. Though, I do not think I will be faced with problems like Elladan and Glorfindel, or with an annoyingly arrogant March Warden for a husband. Luckily I only have deal with him as a father."
He could not help but laugh at Emlin, however he felt as if he owed it to Haldir not to. Legolas shook his head. It was ridiculous to think like that. Haldir was very arrogant. "How do you think your mother feels? She had an arrogant March Warden for a father and a husband."
"My mother is an odd elleth, I am sure you know that." Emlin smiled, "But according to this, Ada is more loveable than he lets on. It does not matter though; when you see them gaze at each other, even now, they have a look of pure, unadulterated love. I suppose I cannot see what is so loveable because he is my father."
Legolas smiled as he watched her talk about her father. It was apparent that Emlin was truly proud of her father. "You know, I am nearing my three- thousandth begetting and I have never been able to see what my mother found so appealing about my father. He is temperamental when things do not go his way, often times exceedingly grumpy, and basically would take nothing less than perfect in any area."
"You are like him, then." Emlin laughed and patted his hand. "Because Valandir has also said he is honorable, loyal and courageous, almost to a fault."
"Valandir said this?" Legolas asked. "You think I am honorable, loyal and courageous?"
She nodded her head and sighed. "I do."
Silence passed in the room and the sound of a loud clap of thunder rattled through the room. When he was not paying attention, Emlin quickly slipped her arm through his beside her and opened up the journal to begin reading. How lovely it was to have her so close to him! To have her resting her head against his shoulder and reading to herself... just to spend quiet time with her again was wonderful. Oh how he had missed such things since Lórien. This moment was perfect and he wished to capture it for all time, but he knew that soon enough, there would be something in the way of their relationship.
They stayed like this for well into the night, Legolas not paying attention to anything else in the room besides the smell of flowers in Emlin's hair and the softness of her arm against his bare chest as she read. It seemed that Emlin was purposely not noticing that he was so readily watching her, as she concentrated on the reading she was doing. As soon as he unhooked his arm from hers, and placed it around her waist, though, she turned to him for a moment, letting question pass through her eyes. After the thought Emlin sighed again and eased more against his chest as he held her close to him. He thought he would be happy for the rest of his days if this was all he could do with her.
Emlin sat up quickly and grabbed at the side of her head. She chuckled at herself, "I forgot I cannot lay my head against anything or I will jab myself with hairpins."
He had to laugh, though the moment was almost broken. It was rekindled, though, when she slowly reached up and began to take the pins from her hair one by one, letting golden brown strands fall around her shoulders, all the while watching him closely. Did she do this on purpose? Surely she knew the attraction elves had to long hair, did she not? Emlin smiled as she took the last pin from her hair and placed them on the small table on her side of the bed before crawling back over and reclaiming her spot beside him.
This time, though, neither of their attentions were where they previously had them. Now Emlin was slowly drawing absentminded circles on his chest as she rested her head on his shoulder and gazed up at him. He found his own hand in her hair and running through the silken length, enjoying the warm sensations he felt at the point where her fingers were tracing the circles. It was like she was casting a spell on him, though he knew that could not be the case. He brought his other hand up to her cheek and caressed it slowly with the backs of his fingers, before slowly moving and tracing with his fingers down to her jaw.
Legolas felt her sigh against him as he ran his fingers over her soft pink lips again and her eyelids fluttered. He could not stand it anymore. He had to do it or he was sure to burst open from everything going through his head. Slowly and by slight degrees, he bent his head towards hers and placed his lips to hers, testing her. She did not recoil and closed her eyes as she leaned up slightly to kiss him.
Perfect was too light a word to describe such a moment. The rain had slowly started falling outside, pattering lightly on the stone. The orange and yellow flames of the fire danced about and crackled in excitement. She was soft and warm...and inviting. The scent of rain mingled with the perfume of niphredil in her hair. He deepened the pressure and would not allow them to part for anything as his hands slid to her shoulders and he slowly laid her back on the pillows. Legolas was intent on taking this kiss, but nothing more. Neither he or she was ready for such a thing, but he had waited to kiss her again for the longest time.
He felt Emlin's delicate hands pressing on his chest slightly, but then with more urgency, so he reluctantly parted and looked down at her. "What is it, Aiwamin?"
"Are you going to be sorry for this one as you were with the last?" Emlin asked, her eyes conveying so much. He had been so wrong then to leave her like he did and say the kiss meant nothing. It actually had meant everything to him. He was just too thick to realize it right at that most needed moment.
Legolas looked down into her murky green eyes, now alight with a new gleam, and ran his thumbs across her cheeks. "Nay, Emlin, I will never be sorry for doing something like this again."
Emlin smiled warmly, and pulled his head down to her, "Good, because I did not wish to hurt you if you were."
Chapter 23- Progress
Any female can make a mockery out of an honorable, noble, loyal and valiant male, even if the female does not intend it.
Legolas sighed to himself, thinking of the phrase again for what seemed the millionth time. He had been left alone for most of the morning and now the afternoon to sit and ponder the interaction he had with Emlin while she was cleaning and bandaging his wound. She was a particularly wise elleth, despite her rather short-lived years. After speaking with her, he realized that she was indeed different, and he had failed to recognize that she had grown so much in ways that were not outwardly visible. However, these differences did not make him feel adverse to her in anyway. As a matter of fact, they oddly endeared him a great deal more to Emlin and the thought of loving her. Emlin was no longer the young elleth who was completely governed by her rash emotions, though he had seen evidence that she still acted on her emotions quite a bit.
She did not know how true she was when she had said that a female can make a mockery out of a male. Rather, though, Legolas found that it was not the female exactly that made the fool out of a male. It was the love of the female that did it. It was his feelings of love that he could not come to terms with that had made him a fool around her. While it was hard for him to admit such a thing to himself, it was true. Love had made him the biggest tomfool in all the history of Middle-earth and somehow had an affect on him that made him act horribly to said love instead of the way he should have.
He could have said he was scared. He could have thought that he was being a less than good friend to Haldir and Indilisse when he acted unsavory to Emlin. Or he could have said he did not believe it was love and only infatuation- to justify his acting badly... but now he could not deny the real reason. Legolas figured he had not the experience of such severe pangs of love before, and it was a great deal for him to comprehend, even as old as he was. He had to laugh at himself. What would Emlin say if she knew she was his first real love?
Maybe he would tell her one day. Right now, though, he was just intent on showing her that he did love her in all the ways a person should.
There was scuffling outside the door and the knob turned slightly, whoever was on the outside pausing for a moment. He hoped beyond all hopes that it was Emlin come to check up on him and felt rather angry when the door was pushed back to reveal the diabolical handmaid. Legolas looked at her briefly and rested back on the pillows, "I had forgotten you came with us."
"It is appropriate for a handmaid to travel with their lord or lady," Nindë replied, setting a tray of food beside him on a low wooden table. "Especially if they are the chief handmaid."
He did not say anything to her as she pulled a chair up and sat in it to look at him. Legolas looked back at her oddly, not understanding why she was sitting beside him; looking down at him. He hated the fact that he had to play the conceited lord around one of his servants, but it seemed to him that not even when he treated Nindë as the lowest life form in Middle-earth did she get the picture that he wanted nothing to do with her. First he had tried to be nice about giving her the cold shoulder, but gradually it progressed to where it was now- complete intolerance and snappy remarks. Yet she still did not understand he wanted nothing to do with her!
Truthfully, he had to admit he had nearly given into his bodily urges a few years back in Ithilien when he was at one of his lowest points of loneliness, and maybe that had given her hope. He was not so dense as to completely forget what she almost did to Indilisse and Haldir. That thought constantly remained in the back of his head every time he saw her. Sometimes he just wished for a way to banish her forever, even though she did seem a good handmaid.
"Why do you sit?" Legolas questioned.
"To help you with your meal." Nindë replied, taking a goblet and filling it with dark wine from the crystal decanter.
He looked at her in disbelief and chuckled, "I am quite capable myself."
"Your healer, what is her name..." Nindë said quietly.
"Emlin?" He asked.
"Aye, Emlin." She nodded her head, "She bid me to come do this."
Unfortunately for Nindë, Legolas knew Emlin well enough to know she would never order such a service when he was more than capable of moving around. And even if he was not, she still would have made him suffer a little bit because he snuck out of the Houses of Healing. "I do not think that Emlin would order such a thing."
"Well, she did." Nindë said, standing up. She motioned for him to sit up so she could reposition the pillows so he would be upright for the meal. However, she was completely inappropriate about the manner, getting caresses and touches in anywhere she could manage as she moved the pillows about.
He had been so preoccupied with trying to calm himself enough so he did not outright yell at Nindë, that he did not hear the door open. It was not until he heard the sharp intake of breath and an, "I am sorry, I shall come back later," that he looked up at the door. Perfect, just perfect! Now he would have to explain this to Emlin as well.
"No, Emlin, wait!" Legolas called in time to see the almost closed door open again and Emlin's eyes peeked around the heavy door. Nindë had stopped, but he felt her hand resting on his shoulder. He cringed and pushed it away. "My handmaid was just leaving."
"My lord..." Nindë said slowly, almost bitterly as though she were extremely angry with the situation.
Legolas wished he could jump up and run to Emlin, but the last thing he wanted was to anger her for leaving the bed. "Emlin, please come in."
Emlin sighed heavily and stepped fully into the room, looking directly at him. She held a new bandage in her right hand, along with a bowl of something in her left and a leather bound book in the crook of that arm. Nothing was said as she breezed into the room and past Nindë to place the bowl of some type of liquid on the table next to his uneaten meal.
"Nindë, would you please step back? I need to check his wound." Emlin asked politely, though there was quite a bit of unfriendliness in the way she spoke to Nindë. He could not blame Emlin, as it appeared they had already met. The handmaid did not move and almost seemed frozen with astonishment that Emlin had asked such a thing from her.
"Nindë, you may excuse yourself." Legolas said in deadpan voice, glancing quickly at Emlin. Nindë looked between them, letting her bottom lip drop slightly in condescension and a slight scoff escape her throat before turning on her toes. She walked towards the door, and made sure to slam it a little harder than she probably should have.
Legolas grumbled to himself and looked up at Emlin again, finding that her usually soft features were riddled with confusion. Emlin glanced down at him, "What did I do to her? Do you accept such impertinence from handmaidens?"
"No, I do not." Legolas said, "But Nindë is the only one who is like that. The others I am quite friendly with."
"If I was interrupting something, I could have come back, Legolas." Emlin said and found the seat Nindë had been in. She took the book from her arm and placed it beside the bowl.
He chuckled, "All you were interrupting was another persistent attempt to take advantage of my male Elven attributes... oh and my power as well. She thinks I have some great prestige being Lord of Ithilien and Prince of Eryn Lasgalen."
She giggled, "Do you not, Legolas?"
He shook his head, "They are but titles in a sea of people and really mean nothing in the end. I assist in deciding what is best for Ithilien, but it is Faramir and Aragorn who truly have precedence there. And in Mirkwood, my father has rule. Basically I am just a glorified advisor with unearned titles."
"You earned Lord of Ithilien, Legolas." Emlin replied and began to undo his tunic. "Lest we forget the deeds you did accompanying Aragorn. Gimli is deserving of his posts as well as Lord of the Glittering Caves."
"Have you heard of the Dwarf recently?" Legolas questioned.
She chuckled as she unwrapped the bandage. "You are his friend, Legolas, not I."
"I have not heard from him since he left for the Caves again." Legolas sighed, "There must be pressing matters to be dealt with."
"Of course." Emlin said quietly and concentrated on his injury. It grew so quiet in the room that he could hear the faint rumbling of thunder in the distance even within the thick stone walls of the palace. Legolas was glad to see that his wound was healed, though there was a slight line of bright pink where the gash had yet to close completely, but the pain was gone. She glanced up at him, "You will have to leave your tunic off for the night. Or wear something that cannot cover this. I am not putting another bandage on."
He smiled, "Not to worry, Aiwamin, I hardly ever sleep with anything on."
She blushed fiercely and dipped the cloth she had brought into the bowl. "Really, Legolas, I did not need to know that much."
"You did not need to know it, but you wanted to know." He replied.
Emlin shook her head and placed the damp cloth to his skin. It felt warm and soothing to the touch, as though the liquid was a special position to catalyze the healing. He shifted uncomfortably, though, because it felt odd on his muscles. She removed the cloth and glanced up at him. "It is like a mix of tea, but it lessens the appearance of scars if you are to have one."
"It is fine. It felt odd, though." He said and watched as she rolled the cloth up and sat back in the chair for a moment. Legolas took the moment to sit up slightly and remove his tunic all the way and fold it slightly to set beside him on the bed. Emlin stood up then and reached over him to pick up the garment. She carried it to the wardrobe nearby and sighed as she carefully hung it within the wooden confines. "Emlin, you do not need to do that. I will have my handmaid come in later to do it."
She chuckled and glanced at him, raising a brow, "I would not be a very good friend if I left you in the clutches of a handmaid who wishes to take advantage of your 'male Elven attributes'. I believe that is what you called them... unless of course that is what you want from her."
Legolas shook his head vehemently, "Nay, that is the last thing I want."
"That is what I thought." She said and turned to close the wardrobe door.
"What is this book for?" He asked.
Emlin glanced at him, "I was going to visit the library tonight. It is nice to sit by the large fireplace and read by the light. Especially when there is threat of a storm. Which reminds me, do you wish to have your balcony doors open?"
"Actually, that would be quite lovely." Legolas replied. "I have been a good elfling and stayed in my bed the entire day."
She laughed and walked to the balcony doors. Emlin threw them back as a light gust of wind blew into the room and ruffled the drapes, carrying with it the faint scent of rain on the horizon. The room was slowly growing darker for the night, he figured from a cloud cover, and Emlin went about lighting the many candles within the room. A fire in the small fireplace had been started earlier by a servant on his duties to go to the occupied rooms to begin a fire to keep the room heated, but Emlin moved the wood within it a little to keep the fire going.
He watched with great interest as she moved around so deftly... so sure... of herself. She commanded the room and knew exactly what she was doing, not complaining about anything and doing what was needed. It reminded him of his mother when he was small; how she would go about his room to make sure everything was tolerable for the night. He had never seen this maternal side before, and he was utterly impressed. Emlin would make a good mother when the time came for her. The question was: Would it be to his children? And if so, would he be a good father?
Emlin came back to sit in the chair, "So, have you been a good elfling?"
"You think this is funny." He said, realizing that he was no longer able to stare at her in a dreaming way or she would begin to question it. Besides, it would be odd coming from him anyway. "I did not wish to be tied to the bed with hithlain."
She laughed, "Who said I would tie you to the bed with hithlain?"
"You did in your own 'roundabout' way." Legolas looked at her and let a lazy smile cross his lips.
"I did not mean to imply hithlain." Emlin smiled mischievously. "Maybe with long silken cloths, but not hithlain. It is too rough."
He was sure that his eyes bulged slightly as he heard her say that. He could not believe that his pure-of-heart Emlin would think of such a thing to say. "I cannot believe..."
She laughed, "Legolas, you forget who my uncles are, and that Valandir is my friend as well. Elrohir was always good for an indecent comment or two."
"I suppose you are right, but that does not mean... no, never mind." Legolas chuckled, "I just have much to learn about you yet, Aiwamin."
Emlin smiled and looked down at the tray of food. "You are not hungry?"
"Not very, but I have not gotten around to the food yet." He said. "The effects of the lembas I had late last eve have not completely worn off."
"Oh." Emlin said and reached for her book, "Well, I will not be bothering you. There is a warm spot in the library waiting for me."
Legolas sighed. It was now or never. "There is a warm spot here and waiting for you, Emlin. Please stay with me. It has been quite boring with no one to speak to the entire day."
"Maybe you do not understand the finer points of reading. It usually involves no communication."
"Just someone staying with me is enough."
She gave him a strange look and glanced at the chair, debating what she would do. "Fine, I will stay."
He watched her start to sit in the chair, but reached out and grabbed her arm. "I did not mean in the chair, Aiwamin. I meant on the bed."
"Legolas, that is inappropriate." Emlin said with her voice barely audible.
"We are friends, are we not?" He questioned. "It is far more comfortable on the bed than in that chair."
She considered that for a moment, "Are you sure?"
Legolas nodded his head, though he felt slightly ashamed for using this tactic in such a way just to feel her body beside his. "Aye, I am sure."
Emlin sighed and walked around to the other side of the large bed, carefully sitting down on the overstuffed mattress and kicking her slippers off so she did not dirty the bedcovers. She glanced at him again, and her eyes met his, as though she could not decide if it was right to do this or not. With another heavy sigh and a shake of her head, Emlin slowly inched closer to him, straightening her dress around her legs and resting back against the pillows.
"I promise I will not eat you, Emlin." Legolas smiled warmly and placed a hand on her cheek. "I am not the unbearable troll you think I am."
"I do not think you are a troll, Legolas." She said and looked down at the book in her lap. "It is just odd after ten years and practically no contact with you to be lying beside you in your bed."
He nodded his head, "True."
Emlin swallowed slightly and turned to him, "Would you wish to read as well?"
"What is it?" He questioned.
"My mother's journal." Emlin said, "The second one anyway. There are three in total."
"Why did she give you her journals?" Legolas asked.
She shrugged, "I suppose to warn me of all the problems I will face in life. Though, I do not think I will be faced with problems like Elladan and Glorfindel, or with an annoyingly arrogant March Warden for a husband. Luckily I only have deal with him as a father."
He could not help but laugh at Emlin, however he felt as if he owed it to Haldir not to. Legolas shook his head. It was ridiculous to think like that. Haldir was very arrogant. "How do you think your mother feels? She had an arrogant March Warden for a father and a husband."
"My mother is an odd elleth, I am sure you know that." Emlin smiled, "But according to this, Ada is more loveable than he lets on. It does not matter though; when you see them gaze at each other, even now, they have a look of pure, unadulterated love. I suppose I cannot see what is so loveable because he is my father."
Legolas smiled as he watched her talk about her father. It was apparent that Emlin was truly proud of her father. "You know, I am nearing my three- thousandth begetting and I have never been able to see what my mother found so appealing about my father. He is temperamental when things do not go his way, often times exceedingly grumpy, and basically would take nothing less than perfect in any area."
"You are like him, then." Emlin laughed and patted his hand. "Because Valandir has also said he is honorable, loyal and courageous, almost to a fault."
"Valandir said this?" Legolas asked. "You think I am honorable, loyal and courageous?"
She nodded her head and sighed. "I do."
Silence passed in the room and the sound of a loud clap of thunder rattled through the room. When he was not paying attention, Emlin quickly slipped her arm through his beside her and opened up the journal to begin reading. How lovely it was to have her so close to him! To have her resting her head against his shoulder and reading to herself... just to spend quiet time with her again was wonderful. Oh how he had missed such things since Lórien. This moment was perfect and he wished to capture it for all time, but he knew that soon enough, there would be something in the way of their relationship.
They stayed like this for well into the night, Legolas not paying attention to anything else in the room besides the smell of flowers in Emlin's hair and the softness of her arm against his bare chest as she read. It seemed that Emlin was purposely not noticing that he was so readily watching her, as she concentrated on the reading she was doing. As soon as he unhooked his arm from hers, and placed it around her waist, though, she turned to him for a moment, letting question pass through her eyes. After the thought Emlin sighed again and eased more against his chest as he held her close to him. He thought he would be happy for the rest of his days if this was all he could do with her.
Emlin sat up quickly and grabbed at the side of her head. She chuckled at herself, "I forgot I cannot lay my head against anything or I will jab myself with hairpins."
He had to laugh, though the moment was almost broken. It was rekindled, though, when she slowly reached up and began to take the pins from her hair one by one, letting golden brown strands fall around her shoulders, all the while watching him closely. Did she do this on purpose? Surely she knew the attraction elves had to long hair, did she not? Emlin smiled as she took the last pin from her hair and placed them on the small table on her side of the bed before crawling back over and reclaiming her spot beside him.
This time, though, neither of their attentions were where they previously had them. Now Emlin was slowly drawing absentminded circles on his chest as she rested her head on his shoulder and gazed up at him. He found his own hand in her hair and running through the silken length, enjoying the warm sensations he felt at the point where her fingers were tracing the circles. It was like she was casting a spell on him, though he knew that could not be the case. He brought his other hand up to her cheek and caressed it slowly with the backs of his fingers, before slowly moving and tracing with his fingers down to her jaw.
Legolas felt her sigh against him as he ran his fingers over her soft pink lips again and her eyelids fluttered. He could not stand it anymore. He had to do it or he was sure to burst open from everything going through his head. Slowly and by slight degrees, he bent his head towards hers and placed his lips to hers, testing her. She did not recoil and closed her eyes as she leaned up slightly to kiss him.
Perfect was too light a word to describe such a moment. The rain had slowly started falling outside, pattering lightly on the stone. The orange and yellow flames of the fire danced about and crackled in excitement. She was soft and warm...and inviting. The scent of rain mingled with the perfume of niphredil in her hair. He deepened the pressure and would not allow them to part for anything as his hands slid to her shoulders and he slowly laid her back on the pillows. Legolas was intent on taking this kiss, but nothing more. Neither he or she was ready for such a thing, but he had waited to kiss her again for the longest time.
He felt Emlin's delicate hands pressing on his chest slightly, but then with more urgency, so he reluctantly parted and looked down at her. "What is it, Aiwamin?"
"Are you going to be sorry for this one as you were with the last?" Emlin asked, her eyes conveying so much. He had been so wrong then to leave her like he did and say the kiss meant nothing. It actually had meant everything to him. He was just too thick to realize it right at that most needed moment.
Legolas looked down into her murky green eyes, now alight with a new gleam, and ran his thumbs across her cheeks. "Nay, Emlin, I will never be sorry for doing something like this again."
Emlin smiled warmly, and pulled his head down to her, "Good, because I did not wish to hurt you if you were."