A.N. Sorry about the long wait, for those of you who have been so patiently waiting. For the past couple of weeks I have been so lost in Darma Druids fic, "Fortress Around The Heart", that I have lost track of my own. (For those of you who have an open mind and are not afraid of "what if's" then I highly recommend you check it out.) So anyway my muse starting whispering again and here it is, and with the encouragement of my dear friend, Tina, I added a little spice so I have changed the rating to "R" for this chapter just to be safe. Even though I feel it really isn't that spicy. And as usual I don't own any of the Lord's characters just Gwenneth. I hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 8
Escaping
The tall white horse whinnied softly as it acknowledged its approaching master. A broad smile stretched across Legolas' face when he laid his eyes on his only real trusted friend. Arod had been with him for more years then he could remember and he had always stayed true. He had never faltered when it came to his master's life. Sure, he had elven friends, and even trusted them to a point. But none of them could match the horse's undying devotion. It was a fact that Arod would always be there for him no matter what was happening around him.
He reached out his hand to feed the steed a juicy ripe red apple and stroked his velvety nose. "It is good to see you, my old friend," he whispered into the horse's ear as he scratched his long neck. "You are going to have a very important rider today. So treat her well, my friend."
Legolas started going through the supplies that he had brought with him. He wanted to make this day perfect, so he checked to make sure that he did not forget anything. Earlier he had traveled into Hobbiton to gather a few things for the day. Upon seeing the tables of fresh fruits he had carefully picked out the sweetest varieties. He had then asked the baker for his freshest bread, and the richest preserves. As he had walked by the drink table he stopped and tasted the different varieties of wine until he was satisfied will the perfect bouquet of flavor.
Carefully he had arranged all of the items into a basket, which he had borrowed from a lady hobbit, along with a crisp yellow cotton blanket that was also borrowed. After he made sure that he was not forgetting anything, he started to saddle the horse and ready him for their special guest. He needed everything to be perfect for the fair Lady Gwenneth.
Doing all these things felt strange and out of the ordinary to him. In all his life, he would have never even thought of doing such deeds, and especially for the fairer sex. The she-elves that he had courted usually did all of these things and much more for him. Even though they were fighting a losing battle, they would go to great lengths to win his heart. What a strange twist of events - now he was doing the same to win the love of a human girl. It truly boggled the mind, how things could change so drastically and so quickly. Now he was the one who felt like the bumbling fool, instead of the other way around.
**
Eowyn carefully peeked out of the tent. Her eyes cautiously searched the surroundings as she turned her head in all directions. She saw servants running here and there but thankfully no sign of Aragorn or Eomer. Upon seeing neither she quickly stepped back to the dimly lit tent. Blonde hair whipped around her head as she spun to face her friend.
"Ok…the coast is clear. No one is around, we should be able to make a clean, unseen escape," she said confidently to her friend who was pulling the sides of her hair up onto the top her head, leaving the back to flow down her past her shoulders.
"You remember what you are going to say if anyone wants to know where I am, don't you?" Gwenneth asked, nervously wringing her hands. She then started to fidget with her dress, still wondering to herself if she picked the right one.
Sensing Gwenneth's fear, Eowyn walked over to her and put her hands on her shoulder to reassure her. "Yes…I know my lines well," was her comment. "I will tell them that you are with Gandalf, helping him with some dinner arrangements," she repeated again for what seemed the hundredth time, in a melodramatic tone. "Worry not my friend. What could possibly go wrong?"
"Hundreds of things could go wrong!" she wanted to say. Then in her mind she quickly went over the plan again, trying to make sure that she had covered all the obvious bases. Then suddenly it occurred to her. "Gandalf!" she shouted, her hands flying wildly over her head. "What…if they see him…and I am not with him?!"
"Calm down Gwenneth! …I am going to talk to him and tell him what is going on. I know he will help us. I am sure he, of all people, can come up with a believable story as to where you might be. You know he would do anything for you," she calmly explained trying to ease her friend's anxiety. "Now stop worrying, or you will make yourself sick and you won't be able to go at all. Nothing is going to happen. I will take care of everything."
The young lady took in a deep, cleansing breath and let it out slowly, as she tried to pull herself together. "You are right. Everything will be just fine," she said as a smile slowly appeared on her face. "And besides, I am spending the day with Legolas." 'Legolas!' she thought to herself with a sigh while her eyes started to drift away from the present. She loved to hear her own voice saying that name; it rang in her ears like a sweet melody of old.
Seeing that her friend was again floating away from her into that dream state far far away, Eowyn snapped her fingers in front of the other girl's face to bring her back to the moment. "Hey! Yoo-Hoo! Gwenneth! Come back to me!" she shouted, waving her hands in front of her face. "It is time to go! We would not want to keep the nice elf waiting, now would we?!"
Gwenneth quickly shook her head to regain her current thoughts. "No….You are right we would not want to keep him waiting, for I want to spend as much time with him as I can before tonight's dinner," she said, smiling widely to the other girl. "Ok…this is going to work," she told herself again, for reassurance. Smoothing her skirts, she glided to the door and then out of nowhere stopped abruptly, causing her friend to run into her back. She then slowly drew in yet another deep breath and then finally she eased out of the opening into the bright afternoon sun.
Looking around she saw that Eowyn was indeed right and that there was no one around except servants. She let out a huge sigh of relief and started towards the stables. The other girl walked by her side, keeping watch for any of the brothers who might unexpectedly show up.
Gwenneth wanted to run, but Eowyn sensed this and calmly grasped her friend's arm to hold her back. She knew that it would look too suspicious if they were seen running out of the camp. They had just about reached the edge of their camp when they heard a call from behind them.
"Wait…Lady Gwenneth! Eowyn!"
The girls came to a sudden stop. Gwenneth then nervously looked at her friend, who in return gave her a reassuring smile. "It is going to be just fine….just follow my lead," the blonde whispered. Then they slowly turned and smiled at the approaching brother.
Eomer was practically running as he chased after the girls. When he finally caught up to them, he was a little out of breath. But it mattered not because the sight of the young Princess only added to the effect. His blue eyes sparkled in the bright sunlight as he stared at Gwenneth.
Eowyn smiled broadly at her brother. "Good day Eomer. How are you this fine morning?"
Eomer knitted his brow suspiciously as he turned to look at his sister. "I am fine…but it is far from morning, sister. It is almost noon. Not that you would have noticed, since you two have been hiding in Lady Gwenneth's tent all morning," he grumbled. Then a slight smile reappeared as he let his eyes drift back to the Princess and winked when their eyes met.
Eowyn put her arm around Gwenneth and pulled her close to her, chuckling. "Oh…well…you know us girls…sleeping late. And Valar forbid us seeing the sun before lunch!" was the mocking reply.
He rolled his eyes at his sister, and then once again turned back to Gwenneth. "Well actually I was wondering if you might like to have lunch with me, Lady Gwenneth? It is such a beautiful afternoon! It would be a shame to waste it. I have found the most tranquil area for a leisure picnic."
Gwenneth's mouth dropped open in shock. The anxiety of being caught was already causing her heart to hammer so hard in her chest, that she thought it was going to burst. And now on top of that, Eomer wanted to have lunch with her! The one thing that she did not want to happen was happening this moment! On any other given day she would have gladly accepted his invitation, but ever since her encounter with Legolas, things seemed to be different for her.
"I…a….a…I," she hopelessly stammered.
Eowyn quickly, as if on cue, came to the aid of her friend: "Sorry brother dear, but we promised Gandalf that we would help him with some details about tonight's dinner," she said flatly. "And how could we possibly refuse Gandalf?"
The air quickly deflated from the dejected man, as he hung his head in defeat. He so wanted to spend some time with Gwenneth, hoping that he could somehow show her how much he wanted to court her! Then he instantly regained control when he realized that this one defeat did not mean that he had lost the war. He knew that there would be other times for them. "Well if I can not have today, then what about tonight?" he asked quietly.
The young lady could see that he would not give up his pursuit quickly. And she also felt a little sorry for him after seeing the sad look of rejection on his face just moments ago. "I would be most honored if you would escort me to dinner tonight," she replied, trying to make him feel better.
Once again Eomer's face once again beamed with joy. "Very well then, I will see you later tonight," he spoke as he reached for her hand and gently brought it to his lips to place a light kiss on the back of it. "I will be looking forward to it. Now I will not keep you form your tasks." He then bowed to the ladies and swiftly turned on his heel and walked away.
Letting out a sigh of relief Gwenneth turned to her friend. "Now that was close."
"Ha! Do not worry, he did not suspect a thing," she said as she watched her brother walk away, and then she turned to her friend and grabbed her arm. "Come, let us go meet your elf."
**
Legolas stood just outside of the stable, patiently waiting for his guest. Everything was set; he had made sure that nothing was missing and that everything was perfect. She would ride Arod and he would take Haldir's steed. He was sure that his friend would not mind.
Just then he saw two lovely girls walking up the path towards the stable. He quickly glanced at the stranger for just a moment and then his sight reverted back to Gwenneth. He could not help but staring at her. He felt as though he had been struck by lightning, again. She wore a light blue gown that hung from her delicate shoulders as her hair cascaded over their smooth white skin. This was the first time that he saw her in full daylight and she was just as incredible, if not more, with the sun on her face.
A bright smile swept across her face when she locked eyes with the majestic elf. All of her fears of getting caught while sneaking away to meet him, quickly vanished at the sight of him. Nothing could ruin this day now! Her stomach quacked when he started to walk toward her. Reaching out, he gently took her by the hand and without saying a word guided her into the stable.
Eowyn stood quietly behind the couple, trying -as hard as it was- not to disrupt them. Though that would be almost impossible, since they seemed to have eyes only for each other. After a few awkward moments of being invisible, she coughed loudly into her hand. "Ah excuse me…but Gwenneth …ah …"
"Oh Eowyn, I am sorry," said Gwenneth turning quickly to face her friend. She then went and grabbed her hand and pulled the girl to stand in front of the elf. The Princess again turned to Legolas, who had a sincere smile on his face, at the sight of the embarrassed friend.
"Legolas, this is my best friend Eowyn. She helped me get away today. We almost got caught if it was not for her quick wit," explained Gwenneth as she introduced them to each other.
Eowyn courteously curtsied and extended her hand to the elf Prince. He in turn took her hand in his and gently kissed it. "I am most honored to meet you, Lady Eowyn," he said with so much grace, that those simple words made Eowyn's heart flutter.
The young girl was quite taken by the elf. She knew that he was handsome from afar, but being this close to him, she could examine him more closely. And after only a few moments of looking at him, she came to the conclusion that she had never seen a creature so exquisite in all of her short life! With admiration she gazed into his blue depths. "As am I," she replied coyly.
Gwenneth then pulled the awe struck girl and stood face to face, a wicked smile on her lips. Then with a wink of an eye she said "Well Eowyn I am sure that you have better things to do and I wouldn't want to hold you up." She looked at her friend and quietly jerked her head towards the door as a sign for her to leave.
Eowyn scrunched her face at Gwenneth's gesture. "What?" she asked with confusion. Then a moment later: "Oh….yeah I have to go see Gandalf!" Then she gave the young Princess a hug, and leaning past her friend's shoulder, she again gazed at the handsome elf. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Legolas, and I hope to see you again," she added before she turned and headed out the doors.
Gwenneth watched with great adoration, as her friend bounded out of the dark stable and into the bright sunlight to find their mentor, Gandalf. She then turned to look upon Legolas once more. Letting out a sigh of relief she took a few steps toward the dazzling elf. "Well…Prince Legolas. You have me here. What shall we do now?" she asked as an inquisitive smile crossed her face.
Feeling a tinge of excitement at her words, the smile that was already on his face widened. "Please, just Legolas. I do not feel like a prince," he said as he took her tiny hand in his and guided her over to the tall white steed, which stood patiently waiting his master. "This is Arod," he said, while stroking the horse's mane, "he is going to take good care of you while we explore the country side. He is a trusted friend and I know he will keep you safe."
Legolas then helped Gwenneth onto the waiting horse. She quietly settled into the saddle and waited for the young elf to mount the other horse. As she waited she looked down at the great horse. She wondered about all the places that he and Legolas must have seen over the years. How she wished that she could have done the same! Maybe the elf could show her some of these places in the future? But that was wishful thinking. Aragorn would never allow such a thing to take place.
Hearing the soft clip clop of the other horse, she turned to look upon the elven Prince who had just brought his horse to reside beside her. He let his gaze drift from her head to toe. Each time he looked at her he could swear that it felt like the first time. Looking at her sitting on Arod, he could not believe all that had been happening to him this last day. He had to keep reminding himself that she was real and not just a figment of his imagination. He had almost given up all hope that he would ever feel like this in the presence of a lady.
"Are you ready milady?"
"I am," she nodded.
Legolas guided his horse out of the stable as Gwenneth and Arod followed. The stable was just outside of the encampments, which made for a stealthy escape. And in turn eased the young girl's mind greatly. There was no way that she wanted to be caught riding away with an elf - and Legolas at that! Although she really did not want to hide the fact, she was still scared of what Aragorn or Eomer might do to him if they were to be seen riding out into the countryside together.
When they reached the open country Gwenneth drew in a deep breath of the clean crisp air. She looked around, almost bewildered, taking in the beauty of the Shire. She was again reminded of the feelings she had when they had first arrived and she had looked upon the beautiful countryside.
They rode for a while, in search of the perfect spot to have their lunch. Finally they came to a lovely field with patches of wild lavender growing in it. The aroma was enchanting to the senses. This indeed would be a good place to spend the afternoon.
Legolas untied the basket that was attached to Arod, and carefully unpacked its contents. Gwenneth couldn't help but smile as she watched him intently. Is this how it was supposed to be? Did all men go to such trouble for the woman? But Legolas was not a man. She had to remind herself that he was an elf.
Lying on opposite ends of the blanket they enjoyed the food that Legolas had so thoughtfully gathered. As they sipped their wine, with great enthusiasm the elf told her of his many adventures that he had had across Middle Earth. She listened intently to each new tale. She was so captivated by the way he described everything, that she felt like she was actually there with him
"Perhaps you could take me to one of your adventures?" she asked in a shy tone, looking down at her wine chalice.
He reached over and gently hooked her chin with his fingers and pulled her head up so he could look into her eyes. His voice was husky when he spoke. "I will take you any where you want to go." Their gaze locked for what seemed an eternity.
At that moment Legolas knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He wanted to be the first to show her the far off lands that she dreamed to see. He wanted to share with her the experience of seeing Rivendell for the first time, or the enchanting city of Caras Galadhon. He wanted to take her to his home of Mirkwood. His mind was suddenly cluttered with all the things that he wanted to share with her.
Then after a long silence he stood and reached out for her. "Come, let us walk," he demanded.
The afternoon sun blazed brightly in the sky, as white clouds drifted though the soft blue backdrop. In the distance the faint sounds of the chirping birds could be heard. Swarms of butterflies were frantically going from one flower to the next, tying to steal as much nectar as possible. It was truly the perfect place for such a perfect day.
As they walked, Gwenneth told him about her childhood. She told him how protective Aragorn was, always watching out for her. And how Eowyn would always try to describe the places she had been, but that it wasn't the same. She told him how she and Eowyn would try to escape the borders of Gondor, only to be caught by Aragorn or Eomer.
"Eowyn is Eomer's sister, am I right?" he asked curiously. What he really wanted to know was what Eomer was to her. He had to know if she had any feelings towards him. He was prepared to fight for her, even if it meant that he could never return to Rivendell.
"Yes she is. And it was only natural that since Aragorn and Eomer where such good friends, that Eowyn and I would be, too," she explained.
"And Eomer? I saw you leave with him last night after the party," he said, inspecting the green grass below his feet. "Is he…courting you?"
Her heart jumped. What could she say? She didn't even know it herself. Surely he had feelings for her and wanted to pursue her. But she hadn't given him the chance since they had reached the Shire. Coming to a halt, she leaned her back against a tree in the tiny grove that they had just entered. Looking down to the ground, she tried to think of what she should say.
"I…I…do not know," was all that came out.
"What do you mean? Do you not have feelings for him?" he asked with a tinge of anger in his voice.
"I can not lie to you Legolas, I do no know what I feel for him," she tried to explain, keeping her eyes to the ground, too afraid to look into his eyes. "Yes I have feelings for him, but what they mean I do not know." Slowly her gaze drifted up to meet his. "I have feelings for you too," she whispered, "….feelings so intense that they scare me. I just wish I knew what they mean."
He moved closer to her and traced her cheekbone with his knuckles, as he looked into her confused eyes. "I am sorry. I too am having feelings that I do not understand. But I do know that these incredible feelings are because of you. Nor do I wish them ever to stop."
With her back still up against the broad tree, he pressed his body to hers. His long fingers entangled themselves in her soft silken hair, as his other hand gripped the curve of her hip. Trying to keep a little distance between them, her hands were softly pushing against his chest. But she stopped her force when she felt his uneven breath and his trembling muscles beneath the touch of her fingers. He slowly brought his lips closer to hers. "Can you feel what you are doing to me?" he asked with a whisper as his eyes pierced hers. "My heart races for you."
She wanted to pull away and run, but was paralyzed by his spell. So she stayed were she was with her mouth just a breath away from his. Something was happening inside her. Her heart quivered, as it ached for the things that he could give her. His passion…. His touch…. His love….His soul. Suddenly she heard herself whisper his name: "Legolas…."
Upon hearing her whisper his name, nothing could stop him from closing the gap between their lips. Fire raced through him as his soft wet lips touched hers. He was lost. His senses were alive with the touch of her lips against his. Then feeling a little bold, his tongue probed the seam of her lips trying to will them apart. And soon enough they did. His tongue entered her warm mouth and leisurely explored. Then something happened. The kiss, which started out simple, became more urgent, as Gwenneth moved her hands from his chest and wrapped them around his neck, and entwined them into his long flaxen hair.
Responding to her moves, his tongue went deeper, the strokes faster, as he pressed his lips harder into hers. His body was growing hungrier by the minute, until he finally pulled away. Trying to catch his breath that had been taken away by the kiss, he put his forehead to hers. "Can he make you feel like this?" he whispered.
Finally opening her eyes, she took in a deep breath so her heart could finally slow its pace. She looked longingly into his eyes. "No. He makes me feel none of the things I feel when I am with you," she said, wishing that is lips were on hers again.
His head still resting on hers, he let his hand fall out of her hair. Then with the back of his slender hand he lightly ran his fingers down the length of her arm, and laced them with within hers. He smiled and then moved his cheek to rub against hers so that his lips were barely touching her earlobe.
She could feel his hot breath on her ear and down her neck. Shivers went down her spine with every breath he took. "Let me make you feel what he can not," he whispered tauntingly.
A soft groan escaped from deep inside of her, when she felt his warm tongue tracing the outside of her ear. She was suddenly aware that her body along with his was sliding down against the tree to meet the ground below. Before she knew it, she was laying against the warmth earth, as Legolas was lying beside her, while his mouth continued its skilled assault on her ear.
Surges of pleasure rushed through her body as his mouth then slowly made its way down her neck, his tongue lightly licking the warm sensitive skin. She wrapped her hands around his back, pulling him closer to her.
Responding to her, his seeking lips once again found hers as his skillful hand pulled softly at her gown to expose her delicate shoulder. He then kissed his way down her throat stopping just before he reached the slope of her breast. Pausing there for a moment he looked up to see that she was completely lost. He smiled and lowered his head and continued to taste her sweet skin.
Strange feelings were stirring in places she had never known before. Her body betrayed her mind. Knowing that this must stop, but her body was weak. Her thoughts tried to reason with her, but her senses heard nothing. She wanted to feel his touch all over her body. From out of nowhere she summoned enough courage to push him away. "No…we can not….do this," she panted, trying to regain her breath.
Looking down into her eyes, he knew that she was right. He wanted this to last and this was not the way to start their relationship. "I am sorry. I can not seem to help myself when I am around you," he explained as he smoothed her hair around her face. "I know that if this is fate, then we should not rush into our feelings with haste."
"No need for apologies. I too lost myself in my feelings." She smiled up at him and reached out to run her fingers through his hair. She closed her eyes and took in the softness of it. Ever since the first time she had seen him, she had secretly wanted to do this, and it was as pleasurable as she had imagined it would be.
After regaining his breathing and control over his emotions, Legolas slowly rose to his feet, and then helped the young girl to hers. Pulling her once more into his arms he placed a gentle kiss on the corner of her mouth and then whispered into her ear: "I am willing to do whatever is appropriate, and if that means waiting, then I will do so for as long as it takes."