Disclaimer: I do not own LOTR, or any of its characters. Legolas: Alright! I get the girl! I'll call off the fangirls...down, fangirls, down! Me: It ain't over till the fat lady sings, Lego. Legolas: What fat lady? There's no fat lady in this story. Me: There is no real fat lady...it's an expression. Legolas: No real fat lady? Is she just pleasantly plump? Me: NO! There is NO FAT LADY! Legolas: Then who will sing? I was looking forward to it. Me: Sigh. It's a good thing that you're pretty.

Chapter 13

Moonstruck

As Legolas and I descended the stairs into the Great Hall someone spotted us coming, and the Hall erupted into applause. Evidently, word of what was going on had been spread rather quickly. Everyone, indeed, had seemed to be waiting for the outcome. I am sure I was blushing a horrid shade of fuschia. I glanced up at Legolas, who was grinning from ear to pointed ear, and blushing just as badly as I. I smiled, thinking how lucky I was, and how much I loved him.

Walking up the aisle to the head table, I saw smiles on the faces of everyone present, which made me feel as though I had been forgiven, not only by Legolas, but by his people, as well. I smiled back, although the hot feeling in my face remained.

His Majesty, King Thranduil sat watching us as we approached the head table. Suddenly, I began to feel apprehensive...Thranduil was not smiling. Thranduil was not applauding. Thranduil was frowning. Not a good sign.

"Uh, oh. Looks like someone isn't thrilled that it worked out as it did..." I thought to myself, tightening my grip on Legolas' arm. "I just knew this was too good to be true..." I felt the blood drain from my face.

"Emmess...what's wrong? You've gone pale, and you're shaking," Legolas whispered, a look of concern in his eyes.

"Look at your father, Legolas...he is not happy," I whispered, "not that I blame him...I behaved so badly...called you every name in the book, and made up a few besides...disrupted his dinner...embarrassed everyone..."

"Shhh. It doesn't matter. Besides, he likes you. If he's angry with anyone, it must be me. Not only did I treat you very badly, and act like a complete buffoon - I let Haldir sucker punch me. Everything will be alright." He tried to comfort me, but I remained a nervous wreck.

Arriving at the head table, Legolas bowed, and I curtsied. At least I tried to curtsy. What I actually managed was a slow flop onto my backside.

Legolas was down at my side in an instant. I bit my lip, trying to keep tears at bay, completely mortified. He put his arms around me, and lifted me to my feet, smiling. I glanced at the King, and noticed a smile on his face, too. Well, at least I had managed to amuse him.

I looked down at the floor, my face glowing red, tears beginning to fill my eyes. I felt Legolas' arms tighten around me, and I leaned into him.

"Father, look at what you've done! She's nervous enough...you needn't have made it worse by putting on that face, you know..."

I gasped at the way Legolas addressed his father, the king. This could not possibly help the situation.

"This is my fault, and I do apologize, young lady. I meant the frown for my son, not you. You deserve nothing but smiles for the joy you have put on my son's face."

I looked up to see Thranduil smiling, holding out his hands to me. I took them, and was pulled in for a kiss on the cheek from the king. The room burst into applause again.

"I cannot tell you how happy we all are that you two have resolved your differences...although your antics were quite amusing, I must admit. We were placing bets on when you two would come around. I believe Gandalf won the pool," he laughed.

"I am also very happy that the two of you have found each other at last," came a soft voice, sounding almost like a breeze.

"My Lady, may I present my lady, Emmess...Emmess, this is her Majesty, Queen Galadrial of Lothlorien," Legolas said, turning toward the beautiful blonde sitting at the head table. I noticed that Haldir had taken Legolas' place next to her.

I started to curtsy again, but Galadrial put her hand out to stop me. "All this bowing and curtsying is getting tiresome, my dear...there is no need."

I liked her already.

"Emmess called you 'Miss Elven Universe," Legolas said, a merry twinkle in his eye, earning a severe pinch on the arm from me. "Evidently, a high compliment from her world," he continued, his smile growing.

"Why, thank you, Emmess..." Galadrial said, "what does it mean?"

"It means that you are a very beautiful Elf," Legolas replied for me, saving me from going into a long winded explanation of beauty pageants.

"Haldir," Legolas growled, narrowing his eyes at the big blonde Elf sitting next to Galadrial, "I believe I have a score to settle with you."

"Allow me to settle it for you, Legolas," I said with a big smile. I reached over the table and grabbed Haldir in a bear hug, planting a kiss on his cheek. "I do not think I can repay you for what you did today, Haldir."

It was Haldir's turn to blush - something I don't think he'd ever done before in his long life. Everyone laughed at his discomfort, but he smiled the biggest smile I'd yet seen from him as I released him. "Just call for me if he need some sense knocked into him again," Haldir laughed. Legolas and he clasped wrists, letting the room know that there were no hard feelings.

"Let's sit at the Hobbit's table," Legolas suggested. Everyone had already eaten, but Thranduil had called for food to be brought for us.

Conversation was light and amusing, as Legolas retold the story of how Haldir had given him his "wake-up" call. His eye was turning a deeper shade of purple, and I vowed to ask Elrond for a treatment for it before the night was over.

Eventually, people began drifting off to their rooms. Legolas looked at me and said, "I have a need for fresh air, Emmess...will you walk with me?"

"Now, this sounds familiar," I said with a smile, taking his arm. He led me out of the Great Hall and into the garden. We sat on the small bench, feeling the night air, and each other's presence.

"Legolas, there is something I need to talk to you about," I began, looking at him seriously. The small smile on his face began to fade, as he realized that I needed to talk to him about something important.

"What is it, Melamin?" he asked. Seeing the confused look on my face, he added, "Melamin is Elvish for 'my love.'" He bent over and kissed the tip of my nose, bringing smile to my face again. "That's

better," he added, "I never want to see you frown again. Now, what is it that troubles you?"

"Legolas...you know that I don't really look like this...don't you?" I asked softly, almost afraid to look at him. "Manwe changed everything about my appearance when he brought me here."

"Do you wish me to ask him to change you to the way you looked before, Melamin? It does not matter to me...I will love you no matter what you look like...I love you, not the shell you inhabit."

Seeing the troubled look on my face, he added, "I would love you even if you looked like Gimli."

I giggled a bit at that, some of the tension draining from me.

Legolas smiled, and then put on a very exaggerated worried expression. "You don't really look like Gimli...do you?"

I laughed aloud, throwing my arms around him. "No, I didn't look like Gimli! I don't think I want to change back to the way I was, either...I'm getting used to the body. But I wouldn't mind if these were a bit smaller...' I smiled, looking down at the girls.

"I would miss them very much," Legolas said sadly, shaking his head.

"You ARE a perverted ass!" I laughed, giving him a shove. "But I like that about you!" I added with a smile.

He pulled me to my feet, and wrapped his arms around me. For the second time since my arrival, he kissed me in the moonlight in the garden. His mouth was hot and soft upon mine; sending shivers down my body, as he held me tightly to him.

"I love you with all my heart, Emmess. I bind myself to you, for all the days of my life. I give to you my strength, my protection, my kin and ties, my heart, my very soul, and I take the same that is yours into my keeping."

"Oh," was all I could manage. Tears had once again welled in my eyes, so moved was I by his tender words. He kissed the tears away, then turned once again to my lips.

"Legolas...I...I..."

"What, my love? Tell me what is in your heart."

"I never thought it possible to feel love for someone as deeply as I do for you...the very thought of being without you gives me a physical pain...Legolas," I continued, running my fingers down his cheek, "I want to be with you."

"You are with me, Little One."

I sighed, thinking that subtlety was not working. "No, Legolas...I mean tonight...I want to be with you." My eyes met his and held them. I could very nearly see the light going on over his head.

"Oh, with me. Emmess, this is what I want also. But, I must be truthful with you. What you ask of me - and believe me I will give it without hesitation, if it is what you truly want, for there is nothing I want more in this life - is as binding to my people as any marriage ceremony could ever be." He searched my eyes for my answer; suddenly afraid it would not be the one he wanted.

"Legolas...I am sorry...I had no idea...I certainly cannot ask you to do such a thing..." I blushed at my faux pas. My God, I had just asked the guy to marry me!

"Emmess...I have pledged my love to you. In my heart we are already as one. My thought was to give you a ceremony, much as Aragorn and Arwen had...but that does not mean that we have to wait to marry - if indeed, you wish to be my wife."

"Are you asking me?" I said softly, looking down at the ground. He lifted my chin with his fingers, his eyes softly glowing in the moonlight.

"I am...tell me your answer, Melamin."

"I can think of nothing I want more than to be your wife, Legolas. But, perhaps we should wait for the ceremony...your father may not be pleased if his son, er...marries without his knowledge or consent," I smiled, my finger tracing his lips.

Legolas sighed. "If you wish to wait, we shall. I live for your happiness, Little One," he agreed, kissing my forehead, "but we shall speak with my father this very night, for I will not wait long."