Disclaimer: I do not own LOTR, or any of its characters. Legolas: What's this I hear about you and Gimli doing the horizontal hula? Me: We did not! Legolas: That's not what Gimli says. Me: Who are you going to believe, him or me? Legolas: He is my best friend...Me: In the next chapter I am going to strip you naked, cover you in honey, and tie you to an anthill. Legolas: Kinky.

Chapter 7

Dirty Dancing

Dinner was a sumptuous affair, consisting of several courses. I ate until I was sure my seams would split, then ate a bit more for good measure. Wine and ale flowed like water. I, myself had two or three glasses of wine.

Legolas sat to my right. To his immediate right was his father, King Thranduil. To my left sat Aragorn, King of Gondor, and his wife Arwen, who was the daughter of Elrond of Rivendell. Conversation was centered mainly on the recently fought War, and the disposal of the One Ring. Luckily for me, I knew the basics of what had gone on, and was able to follow the conversation. Gimli was seated on the other side of Gandalf, but made a point of stopping by me to say hello.

"Ye look loverly, Emmess. I knew ye'd clean up nicely," he said, patting my arm.

"You look very nice, also, Gimli," I replied in kind, noting that he had combed and oiled his beard for the occasion.

"Remember Lass, if he gives ye a hard time tonight," Gimli said, nodding at Legolas, "ye just come to me! I'll rap him upside the head with me axe handle."

"Thanks, Gimli," I laughed, "but I think I can handle him. Nice of you to offer, though."

"You two do realize that I'm sitting right here, don't you?" Legolas asked, raising his brow.

"This is a private conversation, if you don't mind," I sniffed, turning away slightly, but winking at Gimli. Legolas sighed, and stuffed a forkful of chicken into his mouth.

I got into a discussion of the Elven language with Aragorn. I was surprised to find out that everyone was speaking Westron, including myself. Evidently, Manwe had included some kind of internal translator when he was redesigning my body. I also learned that most names had meanings in Elvish.

"For example," Aragorn lectured, "'Arwen' means 'noble maiden,' and 'Elrond' means 'Elf of the Cave."

"That's so interesting...tell me, Aragorn, what does 'Legolas' mean?" I asked. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Legolas shaking his head and waving his arms frantically at Aragorn from behind me.

Aragorn grinned broadly. "It means 'Greenleaf.'"

"Greenleaf?" I turned to face Legolas, my mouth turned up in a smirk. "Your name means Greenleaf? That makes you Greenleaf Greenleaf?" I snorted madly into my napkin, as a blush crept up Legolas' cheeks.

"Aragorn, remind me to pound you severely after dinner," Legolas spat, blushing even more.

"It was his mother's idea," Thranduil told me, smiling himself. "She wanted something easy to remember."

"That would do it, I suppose," I giggled.

"You're a fine one to talk, Emmess," Legolas said, "What exactly does that mean, anyway?"

"If you must know...my parents were torn between two names. I was going to be either Mary, after my maternal grandmother, or Sue, after my paternal grandmother. Being the kind of parents they were, they simply combined the two and shortened it to the initials only. Mary Sue...M S...Emmess. Get it?" I answered, steeling myself for the laughter I was sure would follow.

"Sounds like a good, practical solution to me," Thranduil said, taking a sip of wine, and earning a place on my good side. "Aragorn, tell us of the reconstruction work at Minas Tirith," he continued, changing the subject.

The final course had been served, and servants cleared the tables of dishes and silver. The musicians took up their instruments and began to play a lively melody. People rose from their chairs and stepped to the cleared center space to dance.

Merry and Pippin jumped up on a tabletop and began to sing and dance. Frodo and Sam stopped by on their way to join them. "Emmess," Frodo cried, grabbing my hand and trying to drag me from my seat, "come sing with us!" I noticed that everyone else was smiling and nodding.

"Oh, no, Frodo! I couldn't possibly! I couldn't carry a tune with two hands and a basket! But thank you very much. I'm content to watch and listen," I said, smiling at him..

It was easy to smile at the Hobbits. They obviously enjoyed life so much, and they sang and danced up a storm.

The musicians began to play another song, this one much slower than the last.

"May I have this dance, Emmess?" asked Legolas, rising from his chair and holding out his hand for mine.

I stood, and whispered in his ear, "I don't know how to dance like that, Legolas...please do not make me do this. This is not like a curtsy that I can fake..."

"I will teach you...you will be fine," he answered, leading me onto the dance floor despite my attempts to pull away and flee.

He placed one of my hands on his broad shoulder, took the other in his hand, and placed his left arm around my waist. Before I knew it, I was floating around the dance floor, completely lost in his eyes. For once, be it because of the wine or the music, I found that I didn't care one whit and just enjoyed the ride. Not surprisingly, I was disappointed when the dance ended.

"Will you walk with me, awhile, Emmess? I have a need for fresh air," Legolas asked, still holding tight to my hand.

'Air sounds good," I replied, feeling flushed, and not just from the dancing. Being this close to him was wreaking havoc with my circulatory system.

He led me outside the Hall, into a small garden lit by moonlight. We stood silently, breathing the fresh air and flowery fragrance of the garden. He turned to look at me, the moonlight making him nearly glow.

Taking both my hands in his, he stared at me. Once again, I felt his incredible eyes draw me in, this time holding me there. I couldn't pull away, and surprised myself by not really wanting to.

He let go of one hand and reached up to brush a stray hair from my face, letting his hand linger on my cheek.

"I desperately want to kiss you, Emmess..." he said softly, "will you allow it?"

"Gup," I said. "Gup? What the hell is 'gup?' Oh, God, I can't even make real words anymore!" I thought to myself. Then all thoughts left me as his soft, full lips met mine.

It was the kind of kiss that curls your toes in your shoes. Soft and gentle, but laced with passion; lasting forever and not nearly long enough at the same time.

He drew back, searching my eyes for some signal that he should stop or continue. A small smile played on his lips for a moment, before he lowered his head again, this time using his tongue to seek entrance.

Our mouths created a fire that quickly engulfed us; my hands entwined in his hair; his hands crushed me to him.

Finally pulling back, he paused, then held me from him, breathing heavily.

"What's wrong?" I managed to ask, touching his face lightly.

"If I do not stop now, Emmess, I fear I will not be able to later..."

'Perhaps I don't want you to stop..." I breathed, running my hand up his chest.

He shook his head slowly, sighing. "You do not understand...there are things I have not told you."

"Like what? What could be so horrible? You're married? You used to be a woman? What?" I asked, suddenly impatient.

He looked me in the eyes, holding both my hands in his. Taking a deep breath he said, "Emmess...I am the reason you are here."

"I know...Manwe wanted me to be your date tonight."

"No, Emmess...I am the reason Manwe came to you in the first place. I am the reason you look the way you do. I am the reason he would not send you back. I made a wish, Emmess. I implored Manwe to find the perfect woman for me. I did not ask for a simple date, Emmess...I asked for a wife."