Chapter 30- Anticipation

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4 Narië, Year 9 of the Fourth Age

Processional of Emlin Haldiriel

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Legolas woke quickly, roused out of sleep by a particularly horrible dream he had been having about speaking with his father in his study, only to have Haldir burst into the room to say that something had happened with Indilisse. Damned Elvish dreams. He sat up in his bed, the early morning light streaming through the opening in the ceiling of his chambers. With a long yawn, he removed himself from his bed and stretched his arms above his head. Legolas smiled to himself. Today was the day that he would bind with his love for an entire life together. He felt like a young elfling again, eager and anxious on the days of their begetting for the wonderful gifts they would receive.

His mother had warned him about staying away from Emlin for the day, to make the evening all the more wonderful, but he did not know how that could be so. Every moment he was with Emlin... or had a mere thought of her... made him realize that he was truly blessed with something wonderful. He did not to be separated from her to know this. On the other hand, though, maybe what his mother had been alluding to was taking her to his bed. Not being able to see her was, without a doubt, the most horrible thing anyone could give him for punishment. In the time alone he would undoubtedly think of her, and his mind would turn to other more, explicit times that he wished to have with her.

Legolas slowly pulled on his leggings, taking his time tying the strings in front of him, but he was stopped suddenly by a muffled scream coming from beside his room. Stone walls or not, he had heard it clearly, and was in her room through the secret door before he could really think about what he was doing. However, her plea of anguish was contradictory now to her sleeping state still upon the bed. She was not hurt in anyway, and yet had let out a horrible sound. He never wished to hear such a thing come from her lips, unless of course it was a scream of passion.

Now looking over her from the doorway, he had not realized how his breath had originally caught in his throat and his heart had stopped beating at the sound of her scream until now. He started to walk over to the bed, but stopped and gazed down to his right hand. Also in the flurry of making it to the room to protect her, he had not consciously thought about grabbing one of his knives, though he now held in his hand. Legolas chuckled lightly and placed the knife on a close side table. Sitting upon her bed, he leaned over her, and kissed her temple to wake her. When she did nothing, he whispered lightly into her ear. That did the trick and her eyes blinked a few times, focusing on the world around her and not the world in her dreams. She looked startled and sat up suddenly, pulling her bedcovers with her, looking at him as if he had two heads. Had he been in the dream? Had he hurt her?

"Meleth." He said, reaching out for her hand, but she withdrew hers suspiciously. "What is it meleth?"

Emlin took in a long breath, "My mother..."

Legolas gave her a strange look. Had she been dreaming what he was? He knew that often times married elves experienced what the other was thinking, but they were only fleeting moments and mere glimpses. And these moments especially did not happen to those elves who had yet to bind. "Your mother is fine, meleth. I believe I had the same dream as you."

She visibly relaxed and let a long breath escape her lips. "The same dream? I have never heard such a thing before."

"I have heard of elves who are so closely linked through their fëas that they can read each other's minds, but I too have never heard of elves sharing the same dreams."

"But who was it? Who did it?" Emlin asked. "Oh, how I hate the reality of Elvish dreams."

Legolas took her hands in his and pulled her close to him. "I know not who did, but a guess would come in the form of a particularly depraved handmaid."

Emlin nodded her head, though it was obvious her mind was still thinking about the dream and how it had really shaken her to the core. She looked up at him, "I would kill her with my own hands if she were to do such a thing."

"I would assist you, meleth." Legolas replied, kissing her brow. "Especially after what she tried to do to you."

Her breathing slowly began to return to normal as she rested against his bare chest. This dream must have been very real for her. Emlin placed a kiss where her lips met his throat in the way her head was turned to look up at him. She wrapped her arms about his neck and held him close. Content he would be if they could stay like this for the rest of their lives, but he knew that very soon after this day and their binding, they would have to return to reality and he and Emlin would be charged with the governing of Ithilien.

Emlin kissed him again, but this time it was where the square of his jaw met his earlobe. He was about ready to stop her progression, though this time, she did not continue on her path. Instead she sighed and asked, "What will we do about Nindë, meleth? I know I told your father I would do what he asked, but I am scared to do it. You have had to do this before. You know what would work as a punishment."

"I would sentence her to a horrible fate, Emlin." Legolas said, and let out a sigh. "I think that it should be you who decides, like Ada has asked. You will have the power as of this eve to make that choice."

"I do not think it is a wise decision to let me choose Nindë's fate." Emlin said quietly, "I fear that while I wish Shadow upon her, I would be too light because I do not desire to feel the burden of knowing I sent someone to her demise by my ruling."

Legolas nodded his head in agreement. Really, he understood where Emlin was coming from, and applauded her maturity on the issue. "Let us not discuss this now, meleth. We have a long day ahead of us that does not leave room for worrying about Nindë."

Emlin giggled lightly and agreed with him by a kiss on his cheek. "A long day, my lord? It should only be a horribly overly opulent feast and celebration."

"You only wish it were so simple, Aiwamin," he smiled, running a finger along her jaw, down the slope of her chin and the curve of her neck to stop at the low neck of her shift. "Have you not heard that love making between two elves is quite the strenuous sport?"

"I believe that any love making between a pair of any culture would be strenuous, Legolas." She smiled, "But I have heard that to exercise the power of generation between the Eldar takes a greater share and strength of being, than normally goes forth in that of the making of mortal children. Though, I did not think you would wish to practice that so soon..."

Legolas chuckled, "Not so soon, meleth, but you should be forewarned that all of the teasing you have been doing the past month will be thoroughly dealt with this eve."

Emlin blushed slightly, "I do not now think that I will be able to wait that long."

"We have waited this long, one more day will not hurt." Legolas said, though he knew that was not necessarily the truth. As each moment passed, and he continued to honor his promise, if even by a thread of honor, his nerves grew thinner and thinner. He needed her like the creature Gollum needed his precious ring.

There was a soft knock at the door of his chamber, though they could hear it within her room. "Who is there, Legolas?"

"Probably my father." Legolas replied, "We were to meet to go hunting with the others, and I am now late."

"Go, then, Legolas." Emlin kissed him, "The last thing I wish to do is anger your father before I have even bound to you."

"Emlin, meleth, know that I do not think my parents would ever anger at something you did." Legolas laughed and removed himself from the bed. "Naneth likes you far too much."

With that, he left her and shut the door behind him, and went to answer the firm knocking at the main entrance to his chambers.

Emlin sat within her chambers, listening to the excited chatter of all the ellyth that had been surrounding her this entire day. All of the attention had grown old very quickly for her, and Emlin found herself wishing to be alone for just a few moments. She just wished a few so that she could breathe a long sigh, and calm herself about what would happen later this evening. But then, she supposed, that having so many people around her took her mind off of the rather large worries she had. Well, that was until the subject of the binding night had come up. Emlin had tried her hardest to get away from the description of what would happen- she had a fair idea, after all- but it had been to no avail. They had even continued it when the seamstress delivered her gown for the evening and the dress was tried on.

Really, she did not see the use to being bombarded with so many people on they day of a marriage, but she would live with it for this day as it was said to be a tradition. Even if it meant being cramped within her chambers for half of it with her mother, aunt, cousin, Lady Eruanne, the Queen of Gondor and the Queen of Mirkwood. Actually, now that she thought about it, she should have been very eager to have been accompanied by such esteemed ellyth. But how could she evade them for a short while?

"Emlin, you should be smiling by now." Arwen commented.

Emlin sighed and glanced at Arwen who was lounging comfortably on a chaise lounge with her hand resting comfortably against her slightly rounded belly. "I am smiling, Arwen. I just would wish for a few moments alone."

Arwen chuckled, "I had that very same feeling before my ceremony, Emlin. All of the ladies of the court had been swarming about me the entire day, until your mother shooed them away."

"Would you do the same for me?" Emlin asked hopefully.

She smiled, "The dusk is almost here, when we are to make our procession to the celebration. You should go to your sleeping chamber and dress yourself."

Emlin smiled gratefully and stood up, quickly making her way to the back chamber. Shutting the door behind her, Emlin let out a long sigh as she lay back onto her bed. Legolas had not been kidding when he warned her of a long day this morn. And now that she had a moment to be alone, she could not think of anything she had wished to calm herself of. Now she was only exceptionally excited for the evening's events, especially as she gazed over the unusually sheer, form-fitting shift that had been made to be worn beneath the gown of a deep emerald green.

She removed herself from the bed and walked over to her clothes, taking the shift off of the peg it was hanging from and placing it on the bed. Reaching behind her, she undid the clasps of her gown easily, letting it fall to her feet before she made to step out of the light fabric. As she made to remove the shift she already wore, she felt arms go around her waist and lips against her ear. Emlin, rather alarmed, made to struggle with whoever it was, even though she was confident it was Legolas.

"I do think you have the worst sense of hearing of any elf. I have never so easily snuck up on people." He said lowly.

He held her firmly against his body and she tried to push away from him again. "You are not supposed to be here. I would surely die of embarrassment if any of my ladies for the day walked in on us."

He chuckled, "I do not think the Eldar are capable of dying from embarrassment."

"Let go of me." Emlin instructed, pushing at his chest, "You smell like the horse."

He let go of her and smiled broadly. "I shall remember to relay the message to Arod, so that when he carries you and me to Ithilien, he may bathe before hand."

She scowled at him, but let out a light laugh, "Please go, before someone comes in."

"I will go, my lady." Legolas bowed slightly and disappeared again through the hidden door.

Emlin shook her head, thinking that he was acting very odd, but turned her attention to finishing her dressing. The shift went on over her head easily and felt particularly wonderful against her skin, and the light silk of the iridescent green gown felt even better on than it did before hand when the seamstress had measured the hem. It was a beautiful gown with silver and gold leaf and vine patterns embroidered around the low neckline, the bodice constructed in such a way that it fit closely to her body and accentuated her waist just a bit. The delicate embroidery continued from the neckline down the center of her chest to what looked to be a form of the Mirkwood crest extending to her waist, though it was of diminutive feminine design. The sleeves were long, cutaway bell-shapes and of a matching, weightless gauzy green to the main fabric of the gown.

She reached behind her back and carefully pulled the satin ribbons tighter and tied them off in a small bow at the base of her back. It was a beautiful gown, there was no denying that, but she would have liked to wear it some other time than this night. The gown would probably only end up crumbled on the floor anyway. Emlin smiled to herself and looked down at the stylized crest and smiled to herself. This was her subtle tribute to Legolas, she supposed, by wearing his colors and his family crest... her family crest.

A knock sounded at her door and Emlin called, "Come in."

"Are you ready for the finishing touch, Emlin?" Tuilindë questioned as she entered. The Queen paused and looked over the dress and smiled. "Our seamstress has outdone herself again, I do believe."

Emlin laughed and gazed down at the dress, "I believe she has."

"Of course it is your glowing on this day that adds to the effect." She replied and set a wooden box on the dressing table. "Come sit upon this stool, and I will give you my gift."

Emlin followed her orders and sat on the stool, gazing at the box which the crest was carved into the lid. Tuilindë took up the brush upon the table and began to run it through Emlin's hair and Emlin sighed, "Thank you."

Tuilindë smiled, and seemingly content with the smoothness of Emlin's hair, set the brush down. She reached over the box and slowly pushed back the wooden lid, vigilantly extracting the twisted, but fragile, precious metal from the box. Realization struck Emlin as to what would be happening this day when Tuilindë instructed her to look forward into the mirror and she lowered the intricate circlet of mithril and gold upon Emlin's head. Tuilindë smiled, "This was the circlet that Thranduil's mother gave me upon our binding, before she traveled West. She said that it had been wrought and meant for the princess, upon Thranduil's birth. They had never suspected Thranduil to wait until the Third Age to marry, or that his father Oropher would perish in battle at the end of the Second. So it is to you I entrust the guardianship of this circlet, and if you bear a daughter, it would be hers to keep. Or if only sons, to the first-born's wife shall it go."

Emlin touched her fingers to the cool metal and sighed. "It is truly magnificent."

Tuilindë arranged Emlin's hair carefully, wrapping a few sections of hair around the appropriate parts of the twisted metals. She stepped back and admired her work. "This reminds me very much of my binding, though we never had a proper ceremony like was done in the days of peace long ago. Thranduil made sure, though, to have a magnificent celebration despite that fact."

"Many people have said that Thranduil enjoys celebrations." Emlin smiled.

"I will leave you now." Tuilindë said, "I must go find my crown and join my husband."

Emlin watched her leave and turned back to the mirror in front of her. This all seemed so surreal for her. Three months ago she arrived in Minas Tirith to be a lady to the Queen and to learn the art of healing. Just two months ago she had almost convinced herself that Legolas did not love her and that she liked Valandir more. Just two months ago had they admitted love for each other. Just a month ago had she arrived in Ithilien with Legolas. Four days ago they arrived in Mirkwood. And just four days ago, did she find herself betrothed to a prince, even if only by title.

And just now did the reality hit her that she would seriously be someone's wife, a princess, a lady of the court, and in the future, someone's mother. The thought struck her violently, and for a few short moments she fretted about all that could happen or may not happen, but the thought of Legolas and her love for him made her forget all about the future pressures.

Emlin stood from her seat and clenched her fists determinedly before turning and walking towards the door to the front room of her chambers. She stepped out and found that Arwen had gone, and so had Aranel and Eruanne. All that remained was her mother and aunt. Her mother stood quickly to look over her and smiled. Emlin could see the tears welling in her mother's eyes, but she stopped them from spilling over. "Oh, Emlin, you look stunning."

"Thank you, Nana." Emlin replied as her mother pulled her into a close hug.

"Your father will not be able to keep himself reserved in emotions this night Emlin." Her mother said.

Emlin chuckled, "Do you suggest that Ada may become misty eyed? I do not think that is possible."

Her mother laughed, "We shall see Emlin, but now we must go. You cannot be late to your own ceremony."

"I know I cannot." Emlin said as they left the room. Her mother guided her through the corridors to the chambers where the men of her family were preparing for the evening. Outside the door stood her uncles and father, waiting for Thoron to come out of the room. Emlin had been glad Thoron had healed enough that with the aide of a cloth sling, he could be at the celebration, even though he took a while to dress himself.

It happened much like her mother said it would. Orophin and Rúmil both admired her decorations and congratulated her, while her father gave her a long hug and said that she could always change her mind if she wanted to. Emlin had laughed, but could sense the sadness in his voice. The party was silent as they moved through the corridors, out of the caverns and into the cool, fragrant summer night air. She smiled to herself one last time... one that would be permanent for the rest of the evening...

She was binding to Legolas this night.